Journey
The
~ Archives
September 2024
September 1
You have responsibility for those around you, particularly those of my way. Look after them as they look after you so that none stray from my grace and the covering of my favor. It is a fact that you are easily distracted. It is in that instant of distraction that the enemy will target. Be vigilant for one another, reminding one another of the importance of remaining in my presence. Once distracted, anger is a common point of attack. Bitterness grows from it and, if not checked, will spread like a contagious disease among you. Begin each day in my presence and continually check to be sure you remain there.
Hebrews 12:15
Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
September 2
It is a reality and a mystery. My Spirit . . . I . . . reside in you. At the instant of your belief, I commissioned you and identified you as my own. The presence of my Spirit in you is the guarantee. By my Spirit, I enable you to stand firm in the wind of circumstance. I will work out in you my character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge, and a proper understanding of all that I am. And, because of all this, you have the confidence that I am always with you, creating my way forward.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Isaiah 11:2
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
September 3
I designed you with need for meaning and purpose…for significance and affirmation. That need is of such importance that it drives you to find a consistent source. You have tried many things to meet that need but found them temporary and inconsistent. So, you work even harder, running in the same patterns only to discover their continued failure. I am your source…your only source…of meaning, purpose, significance, and consistent affirmation. Your habits keep you looking elsewhere, trusting in what briefly flares and then flames out. Turn to me. I am your dwelling place. Ask me, and I will lead you to experience everything I offer. Come into my presence and remain there. All you need to do is ask.
Psalm 84:1-2
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Heaven’s armies. I long, yes, I faint with longing to enter the courts of the Lord. With my whole being, body and soul, I will shout joyfully to the living God.
September 4
It is easy for you to treat my written Word as a collection of benevolent theories, holding yourself back from trusting it to be entirely dependable. In so doing, you create a margin for rationalization and control if I do not respond to a matter as you think I should. But a profession of belief extends to unconditional surrender to my authority and complete trust in my Word applied to my purpose. You live not by convenience but by faith. You will only fully understand some of what I am, and you cannot approach me apart from faith. It is faith that leads you to trust my Word fully. I am your sun and shield. I give you grace and glory. You long to depend upon it. Yet, it requires a step of faith. Take it. I will honor it.
Psalms 84:11
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
September 5
You are before in faith me with matters that have no apparent solution. Leave the matter with me and continue in my presence. Allow me to wash you with my majesty and grace. As you remain before me, seeking me rather than solutions, you will discover that the impossibility of the matter recedes into faith and confidence. And you will overflow with confident hope through the power of my Holy Spirit. Yes, even that which seems most unlikely is in my hand.
Genesis 18:10-13; 21:1-2
Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”
Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.
Mark 10:27
Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”
Romans 15:13
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Psalms 20:7
Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.
September 6
Maintain your focus upon me. Be careful not to become caught up among wagging tongues who use my name to leverage a cause. They play a dangerous game. Seek me. Use your influence among others to point to me. No issue, no cause, no person, no philosophy, no nation, no god supersedes me. I am clear on this--I am the Lord God. There is no other. And you are to honor me exclusively. Even my name is to be held as holy. My love for those who honor me is expansive and eternal, as is my justice for those who ignore me.
Mark 12: 29-31
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Exodus 20:4-5
You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
Matthew 6:9-10
“Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
September 7
You are, but you will be. You view yourself in terms of what you have done, for it is the only perspective you can grasp with complete confidence. Thus, your hope for the future is based upon your understanding of things viewed through the frame of experience. As such, it will always be limited. Yet I view you in terms of what you will be, and I deal with you now based on my sure knowledge of the future and my plan for you in that future. I am constantly drawing you into it, challenging you to trust me, and introducing ideas that seem impossible even as I form them into the next assignment. All the while, I utilize the conditioning of your experiences as a foundation for what is to come. Your opportunity for that future is defined by belief, trust, and faith…each a firm step away from your control into my perfect plan. Follow me. I know it seems unnatural, but with each step, it becomes more and more natural. You are, but you will be.
John 1:42
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
September 8
I hear your lament of the culture. It is as I told you it would be. The choice of people to reject me does not impair my authority or my promise to those who honor me, or my invitation to those who do not. In fact, it brings the clarity of high contrast between the two. Your assignment is unchanged. Fix your attention upon me and bring the influence of my way into the contrary culture. You will do so with my strength, my love, my power, my wisdom, my courage. You are never alone. I am with you, leading you into and through the circumstances of a broken world. I will never leave you or forsake you. Come now…there is work to be done.
Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.
2 Corinthians
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
September 9
I have made the general direction of our journey known to you, but the daily process is conducted on a moment-to-moment basis and in a particular manner. Yesterday, I opened your understanding to my way in three very distinct moments in which I made clear the direction of the matter at hand. You knew it was me at work, you understood clearly, and you acted correctly. As you now reflect upon those moments, you recall each as to have been a natural experience in which you were confidently aware of my presence and guidance as if I were right there whispering in your ear saying, “This is the way you should go.” It is what following me is like. Listen for me in the meetings that will occur today.
Isaiah 30:21
Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you, a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.
September 10
The reason you can endure and overcome in the present circumstance is because I paid the price for your safe passage through it. I initiated your faith, and I will perfect it. As many before you discovered, my strength is more than sufficient, and my authority is infinitely superior to the challenge. Each would tell you that your access to my resource is freely provided. You ask in faith…faith in my reality and presence and ability. It is in the asking that your faith is stimulated. It is through faith that weight-bearing trust is experienced. It is in trust that peace is discovered. It is in peace that I give you the confidence to take the next step forward. And it is in the instant of your faithful action that I make clear the direction of your step.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Proverbs 2:1-5
My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Psalm 37:4-5
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
September 11
Your personal history is etched with this date. You remember where you were when you first heard the news many years ago. The shock of an attack stopped the nation and, for the only time in your life, the people, shocked and frightened, united to call on me. I hear your prayer for the people now. Their hearts are distracted and hard again. They do not acknowledge me. Stay in my presence and intercede for them. Some will turn to me. I will wait for them a little longer.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
September 12
The circumstance threw you. You thought things were moving smoothly to a desired end. But you found it otherwise, and now you have that long stare again...trying to untangle issues and discern the future. We have talked about it so many times. The future is my responsibility. The continually renewed decision to follow me is yours. Yet, when you look away from me, straining to see what you cannot find without me, you disengage from your responsibility and pull your attention from me. Our communication is interrupted, your ability to respond to me effectively is critically compromised, and stumbling is inevitable. You must trust me. I have this...always have. Turn from the distraction and get back into your position. I will show you the way.
Matthew 6:30
And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
September 13
Your memory is a gift. Use it. Recall the times of difficulty. Did they not end? Did I not show you a way to proceed? Hope was always hovering near, even when you did not have the strength to look for it. I held you through those days. I am holding you now. The water is high, but it will not overflow you. The fire is real, but it will not burn you. Seek me today, trusting the promises of my Word to which you cling. I am right here. Hope. And in hope, you will discover the way forward.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:4
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Psalm 31:24
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!
September 14
Waiting quietly in my presence is a difficult act, but it is one of the most fruitful. It is a discipline of discovery. Embrace it. You come at my invitation with issues needing solutions and expecting quick resolution. Too often, you treat these moments as a drive-through window where you place your order, receive the bag of fries, and are on your busy way with no exchange or interruption of focus upon the next three stops in your tightly controlled world. But I now bring you to a full stop. Your impatient protest transitions into an awkward silence as you reprocess your schedule, wondering how long this will take. But you know me and my way. As you relax into the reality of my presence, a transformation of the soul begins as you surrender your plan in anticipation of mine. You remember the importance of these moments in the past. And you know I am your foundation and source. Impatience becomes anticipation. Anticipation becomes discovery.
Psalms 62:1-2
I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.
September 15
Be aware of the difference between thinking about me and praying to me. The act of thinking and its derivatives of choice and decision are my gifts to you...part of the created nature I with which I endowed you. Prayer, however, is an act of your spirit empowered by my Spirit through which you intentionally seek me. Thought, as far reaching as it may be, ultimately extends only to the limits of your mind. Prayer supernaturally transcends your limited being. It conveys you into my presence and propels your thought into the context of my unlimited authority, knowledge, and power. Thought is an exercise of your will. Prayer requires surrender of your will to mine and, through that surrender, closes the distance between us, and positions you perfectly to understand and respond to my ways and purpose.
Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.
September 16
Intent without action changes nothing. Action without intent quickly falters. Your journey with me began with a moment of both intent and action. It was not a moment of perfection but of conscious surrender of your life and all that defines it to my control…a transfer of title and of custody. It is that moment that is likened to being born again. It is that moment that secured and defined all that has come since. And, without that moment there would have been nothing but the periodic ebb and flow of good intentions. A life built upon shifting intent is like placing a building upon a foundation of sand. The least disturbance of wind or wave will undo it. I tell you the truth, apart from that moment…being born again…you would not be my follower, only a pretender.
John 3:3
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
September 17
I know your questions. Keep asking. You are where I desire you to be and moving in the direction I intend. My delay in providing a clear answer is with purpose, for it is in the asking and seeking that you slow sufficiently to discover more about me. Our history together is evidence of my dependability in leading and providing. Your only job is to stay close to me. I will cause you to know what to do. Act accordingly.
Matthew 7:7-8
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
September 18
It is good question. Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? It is to the matter of agreement that I draw your attention. For, you have often viewed agreement with me and with my way as a compromise to gain value that may be applied to your desired end…acquiescence for lack of a better option to achieve it. Yet, the fullness of my design in you…indeed, the fulfillment of all for which you long…depends upon agreement becoming an intentional burning desire from which you cannot be dissuaded or distracted. Your agreement is to be for the sake of oneness with me, not a means to an end. So, yes…it is a good question…one that requires an honest answer. My Spirit will guide you to both the answer and to the correction.
Amos 3:3
Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
September 19
My grace is related to your humility. Understand grace as the expansion of my Spirit, with all of my characteristics, in and around you…conforming your will to mine and shaping thought that leads to specific action according to my purpose. The experience of grace is the experience of my presence in action as my Spirit moves toward your humility…into the absence of pride. Thus, my favor, the expansion of my grace, is measured against the degree to which you are empty of selfishness and pride…less of you is more of me. For, I oppose the proud and favor the humble.
James 4:6
But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.”
September 20
My methods of provision require faith and courage. Many years ago, early in our relationship, you asked to live in the demonstration of my power. I granted your request. In so doing, I have caused you to depend upon me, for it is only in complete dependence that you are able to experience the fullness of my power. As I led you in other times and circumstances, I am leading and providing now. Remain near. Pray. I will establish your thought and direct your action. Your response, as many times before, must be faith and courage to act exactly as I direct.
Exodus 17:6
I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.
August 2024
August 1
The wisdom required for this next section of the journey is fully available to you. You need only ask for it. Tune your mind to me. Seek me. Press into me. And you will see through my eyes and understand with my clarity. As you approach the issues of the day with your spiritual eyes fixed upon me, I will lead you through each component of the matters that come before you, planting confident thoughts in you that will form a decision. It will be experienced by observers as wisdom and by you as peaceful confidence in my leading.
Proverbs 2:1-6
My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding. Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
August 2
Remember, I am your source in all things. Those who avoid me do not understand this reality, but you know it to be so and have experienced it. I bring knowledge and understanding to your mind by the work of my Spirit connecting with your heart…your spirit, mind, and will. I cause you to know what is right, just, and fair in the matter before you. I make the necessary decisions clear and guard you in working them through. All this comes to your awareness as a treasure of common sense. I guide you with wise choices and keep you safe with understanding.
Proverbs 2:6-11
For the LORD grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
and protects those who are faithful to him.
Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will find the right way to go.
For wisdom will enter your heart,
and knowledge will fill you with joy.
Wise choices will watch over you.
Understanding will keep you safe.
August 3
I understand your request and its importance to you and others. I am answering according to my purpose for you and all involved. That purpose includes your closing the distance between us and learning about me…intentionally seeking me. Though you know a lot, there remains more to experience about my way. Ask me to teach you. Invite me to freshen your mind in these moments and open your memory to things I have done that you did not recognize as my work. Inventory my promises held in your mind and intentionally build that inventory through continuing exposure to my Word. My Spirit will guide you in applying those promises to your daily responsibility, and you will know that I am answering your request.
Proverbs 3:1, 5-6
My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
August 4
You seek an expansion of opportunity in the assignment, even with the conjecture of what it could be. I am responding by withholding expansion for now and leading you to instruction in trust as I refine your motive in asking. Embrace my response. Explore trust rather than gain or relief. Lay aside your conjectures and seek me intently, wholeheartedly. You will find me, and with me, you will find my provision, my purpose, and your fulfillment.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Jeremiah 29:13
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Isaiah 46:3b-4
…I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
August 5
The assets in your hands are mine. I entrust them to you for your sustenance and other uses that I direct. Consider your wealth as you would a tool. It can empower or expedite a task for a given purpose. Examine your most frequent use of my money. Who is it intended to honor, your desires or mine? Remember, I know the answer to that question as I raise it. Seek me daily for my purpose in the use of money. Trust me to refine your needs and conform your desires to mine and to guide your use of money according to my purpose. You will discover my way of asset management to be effective and satisfying. Trust me.
Proverbs 3:9-10
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones.
Proverbs 3:11-12
My child, don’t reject the LORD’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the LORD corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
August 6
Come close and ask me. I will provide the wisdom you seek in this and all other matters. Come close and humble yourself in surrender to me. Empty yourself into communion with me. Confess your need for me in the conduct of your responsibility. There is no shame here. My arms are open, and my love is without accusation or reproach. Into your emptiness, I supply the fullness of my Spirit…my wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, and knowledge. With that fullness is confidence and peace as I make the way forward clear and guide each step. Yes…come close and ask.
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom; develop good judgment. Don’t forget my words or turn away from them. Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you. Love her, and she will guard you. Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Isaiah 11:2
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
August 7
Put my Word into your mind. Open the pages and read. Meditate upon what you find. It is your first responsibility to expose yourself…your thoughts, your will, and your spirit…to the direct and lasting influence of my Spirit. You seek success measured by margin and acclaim. But I urge you toward success measured by purpose, effectiveness, and fulfillment and promise to guide and provide for you in the process. My Word is the primary method by which I teach my way. Humble yourself and enter communion with me through the reading of my Word. Do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths.
Proverbs 4:10-13
My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom’s ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won’t be held back;
when you run, you won’t stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go.
Guard them, for they are the key to life.
Mark 4:24
Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.
August 8
You hold me among things you respect, but I am not your priority. The effectiveness you desire, the expansion of influence for which you ask, the fulfillment you need, and the solutions you seek are all tied to your devotion to Me, attention to my Word, and obedience to the way of living I expect. Expose yourself to my Word. Do so carefully as part of your daily responsibility with the intent to discover, understand, and obey. Let the words of my record penetrate deep into your heart. They are your life guide empowered by my Spirit. You will find that I become your priority, and you will experience the peace, confidence, and effectiveness you seek as I expand my influence in and through you.
Proverbs 4:20-22
My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.
Mark 4:8-9
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
August 9
Distractions abound, each luring your thoughts and reactions away from me. Ask me to guard your heart…your mind, will, spirit… and the emotions that flow from it. You are responsible for keeping it guarded, but you do not have the strength to ensure it. Ask me, lean upon me. I will protect it. Ask me to form your thoughts. My Spirit in you will interrupt and displace sinful thought with that which is true, honorable, just, and pure. I am your protection and place of safety in a day filled with distractions. Just ask me.
Proverbs 4:23
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Psalm 91:2-3
This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.
August 10
You are anxious about finding your way through the matter as if you had to determine it yourself. Have I not taught you? All you need do is ask me. I will not tease you with indecision or shame. My love and grace surround you. Lay your foolish pride aside. Humble yourself and ask for wisdom and discernment. I provide it freely and readily. I am watching your heart and will know the instant it turns to me. I will move to you before your prayer becomes fully conscious. My Spirit will cause you to know the wise course, the exact words. You will demonstrate discernment, and you will speak what you have learned.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Proverbs 5:1-2
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
August 11
You seek wisdom from me for the task at hand, and I have granted it. Now, raise your expectations. Seek me for transformed hearts among people in the circle of influence I have given you. Is that not the objective for which I have established and equipped you? Yet, it gives you pause as there are some whose spirit eyes are clouded and others shut tight. Come close and allow me to show you how to love them...not change them, genuinely love them. I will handle the changing part. You will like what you see happen. Follow me.
Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them hearts that recognize me as the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me wholeheartedly.
August 12
You know my way in the matter, but you do not like my way. It does not satisfy your pride, which has become the point between us. As I raise it now, you know it is a sin to be confessed and turned. Even so, the enticing pull of pride restrains you from that essential step. Ask me…now, in this moment. I will displace the power of enticement and empower you with inner strength by my Spirit and give you desire for my way. Turn your mind to me and ask. I will move you back into the position with me for which you are created.
Proverbs 10:29
The way of the LORD is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.
Ephesians 3:16
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.
Zechariah 4:6
Then he said to me, “This is what the LORD says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.
August 13
I wait for those of my name to humble themselves and ask of me. But many choose to rely upon themselves. At that point of reliance, they begin a long failure. Take great care not to follow that trend, for you nor your community can endure apart from me. Raise my name confidently in a culture now resolved to define moral rot as truth, decay as right, and self as god. I will show you how to honor me effectively and provide the wherewithal. Trust me to do exactly what I stated regarding my blessing and my judgment. You have a choice to make this and every morning. Follow me against the tide or be swept with it.
Proverbs 11:11
Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart.
Deuteronomy 4:5-7
Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation! For what great nation has a god as near to them as the LORD our God is near to us whenever we call on him?
Proverbs 28:2
When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.
August 14
Your genuine responsibility to me will lead you to honor me through your responsibility for others. Look at the needs of people around you. Seek me and ask what I would have you do to help them. I will make clear exactly what you are to do. At that point, you have a decision to make…to sacrifice in obedience or to ignore my instruction. Be careful not to presuppose my direction. It will not always be about money. But it will always be about your obedience. Simply seek, ask, and respond as I direct.
Proverbs 11:25
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Psalms 112:9
They share freely and give generously to those in need. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. They will have influence and honor.
Isaiah 58:10
Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
Mark 10:21-22
Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
August 15
Discipline of thought and the methods by which you guard access to your thoughts are in need of attention. Your mind is my tablet…the place in which I lodge that which is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. It is where I place things that are excellent and worthy of praise. It is where I introduce knowledge and insight that cannot be realized from any other source. But, when you expose your mind to meaningless clutter, emotion-laced hearsay, or the world’s dirt, my tablet is defaced. You become distracted, confused, and distanced from me. I will grace the discipline you need to guard your thoughts, but I hold you responsible for exercising what I have graced. Follow me and fix your thoughts on me.
Philippians 4:8
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
August 16
The position that I taught you…surrendered humility, communion with me, intentional seeking of my way, repentance of sin…will keep you in my presence. There, you will be under the influence of my Spirit with all my benefits. You will know wisdom and understanding, exercise wise counsel and strength, receive knowledge, and gain deep respect for my holiness as I teach you more about who I am. The more you seek that position, the more you will desire it. As you learn to live there, you will be astounded as I open your mind and empower your conformation to my will and my way. It is the way of life for which I designed you.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Proverbs 15:33
Fear of the LORD teaches wisdom; humility precedes honor.
Matthew 7:24
Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.
August 17
The position that I taught you…surrendered humility, communion with me, intentional seeking of my way, and repentance of sin…allows your introduction to the mystery of prayer. I gifted this great mystery to you long ago when you first came to me, but you have only recently explored the extent of its power. For so long, prayer was little more to you than an assembly of words to be read or spoken as part of a religious ritual. Now, you are discovering the mystery of prayer as the most essential of spiritual tools available to you. It is the portal into the wonder of my presence whereby my Spirit engages you for instruction in my way. As such, the mystery of prayer is the tool I provide to equip your human experience. You will lay it aside when you join me in heaven. We will then be face-to-face, and it will no longer be needed. For now, it is essential that you remain in position and experience me through the great mystery of prayer knowing that I am always with you.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
2 Chronicles 7:14b-15
I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.
August 18
You are holding to one outcome tightly as if that is the only way to define the future. You will find it a much sweeter experience to trust me to define your future rather than to clutch a temporary piece of my creation. Let it go. Bring your attention fully back to me. I am the author, finisher, creator, and guide. And I am fully dependable. You already know that, but you are still easily distracted in some areas of your life. I have this. Get back in position. The day is ahead, and it will require your disciplined following.
Psalms 91:9-11
If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
August 19
You have been pondering how you will move forward into what you expect to be challenging circumstances. It is reasonable to do so, but take your plan to a higher level. Rather than thinking through actions within your ability, shift your point and seek me. Focus on the position I taught you…humbly surrender to me; prayerfully enter my presence; seek me to discover my plan; and turn from pride. My promise stands. I will hear you, forgive your sin, and direct your way. I will provide peace and confidence as I cause you to know the way forward.
Proverbs 16:1
We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer.
Proverbs 16:9
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps.
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Deuteronomy 28:13
If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.
Mark 1:17
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how…”
August 20
Expect my assignment. You understand the concept of following me, and you embrace the position relative to me for which I designed you. Both require your surrender to my way and your obedient response to my direction. I have equipped you and sharpened your understanding of my way. Now, expect my assignment to act. As a soldier readies equipment in anticipation of orders, you must remain ready to respond as my agent in a culture that is contrary to my way. I will make clear my call to action, direction, and scope. Your answer is “yes,” but you cannot perform it without me. I will lead you into and through the engagement. Your focus is upon me. Stay at my shoulder. Step as I step. Speak as I speak.
Acts 26:16
Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. You are to tell the world what you have seen and what I will show you in the future.
Jonah 3:1-2
Then the LORD spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”
Judges 6:14
Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
August 21
My assignment does not lead to ease; it leads to faith, effectiveness, fulfillment, and expanding my kingdom among people according to my purpose. Much of it will seem impossible as we proceed. Even so, you will follow me and act by faith when there seems to be no clear path with the sure knowledge that I will make one. The experience will try you, but I will always be beside you. Ultimately, you will emerge from the engagement whole, sure, and confident in me. And you will know that it was I who did it and you who followed obediently.
John 12:26
If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
August 22
I watch you anxiously sort through various options, discarding each as you discover its shortcomings. Have I not told you I am the way, the truth, and the life? That applies to your eternal security, but it also applies to the responsibilities you face now. I am your Source. Come into my presence as I taught you. Look for me, not the solution. Humbly seek me intentionally, closely, exclusively. You will find me. You will experience my forgiveness. And you will realize my provision. I will make the way and lead you in it. Trust me.
John 15:5
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
August 23
In the intensity of life, in the depths of the task, in the moment of the challenge, in the instant of question, in the flicker of doubt…there is my grace, my fullness, my strength, my peace, my stability, my hope, my supporting arm around you. There is where you discover that I will not let you fall. There is where you realize that your ability was never sufficient and that mine always is. But before the doubt, before the question, before the challenge, before the task, at the heart of life is a simple question. Who do you say that I am? Everything for which you hope depends upon your answer and your response to that one question.
Matthew 16:15-17
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.
August 24
I healed them all as they asked. My healing is from the inside out. If I had cleared only the circumstances, you would never have been free. The following wind will bring other challenges. I heal your bruised heart and freshen your spirit. I bring strength and instill hope. I make a way where there seems to be no way. I offer peace and confidence. Always, I direct you to the hope of eternal heaven with me. I with you now. Lean into me and ask.
Matthew 4:24
News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all.
Matthew 11:28-29
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
August 25
The place through which we journey and the complexity of the issues experienced are such that the relaxed attendance to me and my way that has often been your practice will not do. I see your thought and know your intentions to be good, but your practice of following is often loose unless the emotions related to a problem press your attention back to me. I require the whole of your physical and spiritual self at all times. The way is too dangerous and the stakes too high to allow yourself a periodic vacation from intent to follow closely.
2 Chronicles 25:2
Amaziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, but not wholeheartedly.
Revelation 3:15
I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!
August 26
My way contradicts what you have observed in the world around you. My instruction to lead by serving is based upon a core point. You are to love others unconditionally for their benefit, not yours. It is counter to your nature, and you will experience it only by my Spirit, who will empower you to sacrifice your gain in favor of another. It is what responsibility looks like. Once responsibility for others is grasped, I will teach you how to apply it in leading by serving others. It is a flip that you cannot attain from a will to gain. It is experienced only as I honor your obedient will to surrender and promote you in the eyes of others.
Matthew 20:25-27
But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.”
August 27
I hear your prayer for the development underway. You are correct; I have purpose in it and desire to reveal it to you. But you must be properly prepared to hear it. Understand that to come into my presence is to enter a holy place. It may not occur lightly. Humbly surrender your will to mine. I know your pride and control. Confess it and repent from it. Enter my presence through prayer and allow me to prepare you as a living sacrifice conformed to my will and way. Seek to understand my intent. Then, I will give you understanding. You will know of the breadth and depth of my way.
Acts 7:33
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.
Matthew 7:24-27
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
August 28
Just as I knew Moses, I know you. Just as I called him close, I call you. Just as it was necessary to caution Moses, I caution you. To enter my presence is to stand on holy ground. Never do so casually or pridefully or with the intent to negotiate favor. You come here only at my invitation and by my grace. Come humbly and fearfully to discover me and all that I am. Into your humble emptiness, I pour love and wisdom, peace and courage, understanding and discernment. I cause you to know my will in matters of my design for my purpose. And upon your return to the responsibilities of my assignment, you will realize the faith to perform it even as you trust me to provide the wherewithal yet unseen.
Exodus 3:4-6
When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
“Here I am!” Moses replied.
“Do not come any closer,” the LORD warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.
August 29
You invited me to search your heart and point out anything between us. I have, and I have revealed it to you. Your pride of reputation has risen again, and your attempt to control outcomes has shaded your faith and displaced your trust in me. The issues you raise are mine to remedy for my purpose and honor, not yours. As you realize the truth of my conviction in these moments, confess the sin and release your fear of failure. I am at work in ways I have held from you, pending this moment of truth. Embrace your inability and lean into me as I expand your faith. Seek me. Believe me. Ask me. Trust me. Expect me.
Psalms 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Luke 18:1
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
Mark 9:23
And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.”
August 30
You have learned that the closer you get to me, the more I plant in you and the broader your awareness of my work becomes. In that awareness, my Spirit in you continually tunes your thought in such a way that you are constantly discovering more of my way, ignoring your self-interests and your fears, praying for the fitting together of pieces I have revealed, seeking more pieces, all as we move steadily forward to places you never imagined you would go. This is what following me is like. The pace, the awareness, and the wonder are in direct proportion to your willingness to give up your interests for my sake. Release your anxious grip on self-concerns, fix your determination upon remaining in my presence, and follow me. There is so much more yet to experience.
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.
August 31
Following me is not a demonstration of your zeal or your ability or your rights. It is a continuing act of surrender and conformity to my authority and direction. I am the producer of a clean heart in you. I am the Spirit, present in you renewing your loyalty, thoughts, and attitudes. I am the light that you reflect and the object of its reflection. I do not depend upon you to fight my battles in society. You depend upon me to lead you into each encounter directing and empowering your acts for all to see so that they know who it is you follow.
Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Ephesians 4:23-24
…let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
Matthew 5:14-15
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
July 2024
July 1
Reflect constantly upon my Word and promises. Make my Word as familiar to you as your face in the mirror so that My nature, mission, love, and reality are the air you breathe. Prepare for the final part of our journey. It will be in territory increasingly hostile to me—something I knew would be but is startling to you. You will be pressed but safe, challenged but influential, for I am greater than the world's culture, and the intensity of my light is far stronger than the darkness. I have already charted the way. Your only job is to follow me. My Spirit is your compass, your rudder, your protection, your provision, your power, and the fullness of completion. Trust me and follow.
1 John 2:27
But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.
Isaiah 11:2
And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
1 John 5:4-5
For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.
July 2
I know your concerns and the sorrow you hold for the nation. I hear your prayer. You know your assignment. Attend it. Pull your attention back to me and confess my authority and majesty. Speak it through the day. Allow your mind to dwell upon it. Let the truth of my authority sink into you. Your influence is mine to use according to my purpose. Trust me and follow closely.
Psalms 89:1-2; 8; 13-14; 18
I will sing of the LORD’s unfailing love forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies!
Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O LORD?
You are entirely faithful.
Powerful is your arm!
Strong is your hand!
Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
Yes, our protection comes from the LORD,
and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.
July 3
The nation proudly celebrates its glory even as it is soaked in the sin and guilt of rejecting me. But the real issue is the drift of people who call themselves by my name from me and my way. Come now and ask me. Confess their sin and yours. Explore humility before me. Seek my forgiveness. Ask for my mercy, not for their sake or yours, but for my honor. I confirm your understanding that I will keep my promises to bless or remove blessings under the conditions I set forth. The disobedience of people who claim to be mine has created an awful smell. Even so, I will delay the removal of my hand of protection from the nation as you humble yourself and pray and seek me intently in this matter of faith and repentance.
Nehemiah 1:5-10
Then I said,
“O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands, listen to my prayer! Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
We have sinned terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you gave us through your servant Moses. Please remember what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will scatter you among the nations. But if you return to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen for my name to be honored.’
The people you rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants. O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you…
July 4
If you wish to understand the nation as I intend it, you must see it as a collection of people in need of me. That simple frame will align you with me and guide your prayer. The transformation you seek will come only through the Spiritual fidelity of my people in that place. Pray diligently for the expansion of my Kingdom and my will among my people in the land, that they become the salt and light required to season the nation.
Matthew 6:9-10
Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
July 5
Decisions are constant in this journey, and they often have long-term implications. Your decision-making relies primarily on your own judgment with occasional consultation with me. That blended approach is not as effective as it could be and puts potential outcomes at risk. The stakes are high, and it is important to refine your approach to decision-making to become fully dependent upon me without hesitation. Instead of relying on your own understanding, seek me wholeheartedly, surrendering your will to mine. I will guide you in the right direction. This is what it means to follow me, and you will be pleased with the results.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
July 6
I have shown you truth and will continue to do so. With such understanding comes responsibility and choice...moment-to-moment choice. At a given moment, on a given day, in a given circumstance, whether in public view or in privacy, you will be faced with a choice to be faithful to my teachings or not. The pressure to doubt or discount my way at that moment will be great and seem an easy option. When that moment comes today or tomorrow, I will be with you and make rightness clear to you. But I will withhold revealing the next step pending your choice of obedience. That choice will be yours.
John 8:31-32
Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
July 7
I have opened a door for you that no one can close. It is at once a door into my presence and a door of influence among people. Do not hesitate to step through it. I am aware that you doubt your ability, yet you know by experience with me that I am your strength and effectiveness. I am also your map and compass. In every encounter to which you say, “I cannot,” I say, “But I can.” Follow me and watch as I make a way where there seems not to be one. I empower your following. I create your faith. I honor your trust. I give power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Revelation 3:8
I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.
Isaiah 40:28-29
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
July 8
I assigned you to a particular task and equipped you for it. I taught you how to follow me closely, and each day of this journey, I lead you into and through the effective performance of those responsibilities. I provide for you above and beyond your needs in ways that amaze you. When your attention moves from me, and you stumble or worry, I bring you back close and restore your confidence and peace. I show you ways through difficulty when you cannot see how to proceed. I am your Source in all things. Begin this day by renewing your grip on that truth…lean into me…trust me.
Psalm 37:23-25
The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.
July 9
I made my promise clear. Upon your faith in me and repentance from sin, I will act. Ask me for your city and for your nation. Both are beyond your ability to remedy, but they are not beyond mine. You come to me with “if.” I invite you to come with confidence. I know your belief and the intent of your heart. I also know it is easy for you to doubt. Here is the reality. Ask me how to humbly dwell in my presence, surrendered in spirit, empty of self. You will find that other desires fade as I fill you with my Spirit and displace doubt with strength and confidence…not in what you can do, but in what I am able to do. Come close and ask me.
Mark 9:21-24
“How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.
He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”
“What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”
The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”
Matthew 7:8
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Mark 11:22-24
And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
July 10
I made you with a driving need to be significant and gave you the freedom to gain and protect that significance. Now I invite you to surrender your freedom to me so that you may discover ultimate significance in an exclusive relationship with me and experience the fulfillment of my purpose for you. Therein lies the tension of following me. You cannot follow apart from surrender.
It is that tension that fuels your anger and fear. For you must step away from the independence you treasure to fulfill the task to which I have led you—to be a steward of my influence among those who do not yet understand me. It comes back to surrender. I will gently guide you and empower you to the significance of my promise, but you must release your grip on what you most fear losing.
1 Corinthians 9:19-22
Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.
July 11
Assume that you are the despised Samaritan who felt compassion and helped one who had been taught to hate him. The cultural restoration you seek requires that you demonstrate my characteristics among people…that you deny that in you which keeps you separate from those unlike yourself. Submit to my urging. Ask that my Spirit expand in you and through you. Raise your eyes into those of the stranger before you with a kind greeting. Step toward need when I direct it. Initiate action toward others as if there is no boundary or fear or anger. Trust me and be determined to represent me in all ways and at all times. You will find that I empower your act to represent me as I intend.
Luke 10:33-35
Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’
July 12
This is a difficult step for you. I now require your unconditional surrender…pride, control, power, esteem, influence, vision, hope, intent, traditions, wealth, skill, knowledge, position, possessions…all the trappings. I will give you the courage to trust me and come honestly to confess your weakness. I will replace your insecurity with sufficiency of grace and with confidence in faith. And My power will be perfected in your weakness. Celebrate your weakness and dependence upon me so that my power may rest upon you. I am your priority. You will find that to be enough.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Philippians 3:8
Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.
July 13
A great number of issues pull at you, demanding attention and time. At the same time, I require all your attention to me and my way. Your attempt to hold to both results in divided loyalty and keeps you off balance. It seems impossible until you consider that I can make a way by my power and grace through my Spirit in you. I will reveal that way when you decide to serve only me. It will seem like a fog lifted, and peace will emerge where anxiety had been. You will seek me as I gracefully order the lesser responsibilities of your life into effective productivity. And, you will know that I have acted in you to introduce unreserved love for me.
Matthew 22:37
Jesus replied, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”
James 1:8
Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
July 14
Your sure knowledge of who I am, your determination to put the full weight of your faith and trust upon that reality, and your refusal to be shaken from it are essential to my purpose in you and through you. The way ahead is overgrown with confused conceptions of who I am and what I expect. I will use the steadfastness in truth that I have invested in you as both light and scythe to open the path, allowing others to see me clearly. Never forget that the power you will experience is not in you...it is in me, and I am in you.
Mark 8:27-29
Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
“Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”
Psalms 16:7-8
I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
July 15
I established you, assigned you, and provisioned you. And I am directing the assignment according to my purpose. Your effectiveness depends on the fidelity of your intent to honor me and my way. I look at the inclination of your heart…will, mind, and spirit…not the busyness of your work or the pride of success among others. I watch for obedience and gratitude at the expansion of my kingdom. As I find such inclination, I foster it by the urging of my Spirit, building both the desire and the courage necessary to follow it in a culture that does not understand it. Therein is found the fulfillment for which you long and the effectiveness I desire.
1 Chronicles 28:8
So now, with God as our witness, and in the sight of all Israel—the LORD’s assembly—I give you this charge. Be careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God, so that you may continue to possess this good land and leave it to your children as a permanent inheritance.
July 16
I heard your prayer, and I know you. Your prayer is honest but limited to a particular outcome that you see as critical. I have told you that these matters are in my hands. I do not wish to talk about the meeting in these quiet moments. Rather, I want to examine the focus of your faith. Is it upon a decision in a meeting, or is it upon me? I know your heart's intent is to follow and depend upon me. Take care that you are not distracted by one stitch in the great fabric of my work in you. Lift your eyes from that one point to the fullness of my power and presence. Trust me.
Nehemiah 1:11
O Lord, please hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me. Put it into his heart to be kind to me.
July 17
You have seen my work. It is the restoration for which you asked. Keep asking, believing in the truth of your salvation and my presence in your life. Stand confidently upon the truth and your belief. Neither will fail, and no turmoil will prevail as I exercise my purpose. Keep a strong grip on all I teach you as I lead you again into the work. Remain consciously attuned to me, seeking me in each piece of the day. Trust me. I have this.
2 Thessalonians 2:13b-15
…a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.
July 18
Call my name. You know I am here and there is nothing in this world or all eternity apart from my authority. Lean on me and confess my holiness and majesty. Everything is under my authority…all power, all resource, all protection, all restoration, all hope, all faith, all belief. Claim my promise and know my power. Yes, call my name and know there is no fear or doubt in the light of my presence.
Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Ephesians 1:21-23
Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.
July 19
Understanding me and my way begins with belief, which extends to faith that is worked out in trust. That applies to my promise of eternity and my presence with you now. So, in these quiet moments, consider what you believe about the incredible greatness of my power. It is unlimited in scale, topic, and time. Nothing you experience is outside of my love and care. So, come to me believing…humbly surrendered to my way. I will increase your faith regarding the affairs of life and place in you the courage to trust me with what you cannot control or fully understand. I have this.
Ephesians 1:19-20
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
Psalm 91:14-16
The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
July 20
Nothing you experience in any frame of life is beyond the greatness of my power and love. If I choose to remind you of your weakness, it is an exercise of my love. Respond, not with fret, but with celebration. I am and always will be your place of safety. Focus on me and my power in the face of every challenge. I have this.
Psalms 21:13
Rise up, O LORD, in all your power. With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts.
Psalms 59:16
But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.
1 Corinthians 2:5
I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
July 21
You asked that I provide for the assignment you have undertaken. Your attention is understandably upon the needs of the moment. Those needs have driven you to energetic work and intensity of prayer as if the result depended solely upon your actions. Your work and your prayer are important but mind the subtle shift of your dependence on me and what I do to yourself and what you do. I have provided for this assignment from before I gave it to you and each day from then to now. I will continue to do so. What I require of you is total reliance upon me in the work and surrender in prayer as I teach you of my way, even when I narrow the margins so that your focus upon me is sharper.
1 Kings 17:14
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!
July 22
You live in the security of my promise. Think back through the specific scriptures I impressed upon you during our journey together. I am bringing them to your mind in these moments. The full record of my words applies to your life, but these pieces are my gift directly to you. Reflect upon them. Embrace the reality of my promises, as each remains part of my purpose for you. Rest in them and follow me. I will make each step clear. I have this.
Romans 4:20-21
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
July 23
You are aware of special spiritual strengths I placed in you. Those abilities have been affirmed not only by your study of me and my way but by those who have benefited from them. Exercise those gifts fully and without reservation, for I invested them in you for the time and place in which you now find yourself. Follow me closely. I will direct the application of my faith-gift in you for greatest effectiveness in my purpose.
2 Timothy 1:5-7
...I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
July 24
I am teaching you to lead through my nature. It is the work of a shepherd rather than a cowboy. It listens rather than directs. It seeks to understand rather than to insist upon being understood. It affirms value in others. It acts beyond that which is expected. It is patient and seeks a way to say yes. It is kind and merciful in the presence of discord. It cares in the presence of need. It is constant in its intentional regard for others. It will receive my blessing and my favor, expand my influence among people, and transform the context in which I have placed you. And…it requires your complete dependence upon me. Come, trust me, and follow closely. I will show you how it is done.
Matthew 5:41
If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles.
Matthew 5:7
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
July 25
I am holy, exclusive, and extreme to such an extent that even the mention of my name can create discomfort and division. You have seen it occur: a physical reaction of rejection and an attempt to turn from the topic of my reality and authority over all things as if I have no place in matters of importance. Your culture has reduced me to a cartoon and my name to an expletive. Even those who call themselves by my name participate in the foolishness of arrogant, self-destructive disobedience. I endure it in love and mercy that more may come to me. I honor the prayer of a remnant of faithful believers who petition me for their country. Tell them again that every knee will bow, and every voice will confess that I am Lord. Tell them again that there is no limit to my love. Tell them also that there is no limit to my justice.
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!
Isaiah 45:23
By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
July 26
From your perspective, the way ahead appears narrow and easily blocked by forces opposed to me. Remember...nothing arrayed against me is unknown to me or beyond my power and purpose. What you are observing is change that I am allowing for the purpose of refining my followers. Now, there is uncertainty among my people, fear and anger, lament of loss in social favor and power. In time, that will be replaced by purity of faith and great boldness in representing me. Follow closely. I will guide you safely through the refining ahead.
Acts 4:28-30
But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.
July 27
I have been leading you to learn dependence upon me. It begins when dependence upon yourself ends. It is that simple, and it is that radical. You have been playing with the concept all this time, on and off, in and out, release and clutch again to your own way. It is time. What has been my promise to you now becomes my challenge to you. I require your unwavering faith and unreserved dependence upon me for what I have revealed as possible. Therein will you discover my definition of confidence. What will it be…spiritualized mediocrity or fullness in me?
Hebrews 11:1
Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
Hebrews 11:6
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
July 28
Allow my Spirit to refine your prayer. Come to me humbly, empty and confessing your weakness. Linger in my presence, seeking only to be there and to know me. I will give you understanding. With understanding, I will give you direction in its use, establishing actionable thought. Thereby, the doing for which you long is clearly defined step by step. Yes, pray for understanding and humble yourself before me. I hear your request and will answer.
Daniel 10:12
Then he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.
July 29
You were brooding...thinking about all you have asked of me and wondering if I will provide. While you were distracted with those thoughts, distance grew between us, shadows grew around you, joy faded, and doubt emerged. After all this time and all that I have done, you dropped a fundamental...stay close. I am your light and protection. I am your source for every need. I will provide. I am your joy. Before we leave this moment, you must decide who you will follow today...yourself or me.
Psalms 84:11-12
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you.
July 30
Search my Spirit. Do you believe that I am and that I am able to do whatever I promise? It is an important question with which I want you to deal honestly. I know your thoughts. You desperately want that answer to by yes, yet you fear doubt. Stay in my presence. Ask me to remove your fear…to build your trust, to stabilize your faith, to encourage your confidence in me, to restore your peace. I will do so. You will find yourself close and unwavering…in my strength, not yours. Enter the day expectantly. Remain in my presence as you engage the tasks of this assignment.
Romans 4:20-21
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
Philippians 4:13
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
July 31
This morning my words need no interpretation. Trust them as fact. I am the resource of your life.
Psalm 121
I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The LORD himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
June 2024
June 1
Your thoughts are dwelling upon matters that weigh upon you, yet you have not turned to me with these things other than in passing. The matters are important, but it is your speculations of what might be and "what ifs" that really press you down. Did I not show you my work? Did I not move the matter about which you were undecided? Have I not shown you my healing touch? Come near me. Remain there. You need not say much, for I already know the issues, your concerns, and your speculations. Do not be afraid, for you are very precious to me. Be encouraged! Be strong! I am here, and I am able.Daniel 10:18-19
Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!”
As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
June 2
I ask you to surrender to me what is most precious to you…that which you believe essential to accomplish the assignment. Even as you complied, it seemed as if everything for which you hoped would be lost. Yet, at the moment of your honest and complete surrender, I provided more than you could even imagine. It is the most important of moments to remember. For our journey is built upon it. I will always bless your surrender.
Genesis 22:14
Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”
June 3
I taught you much. I used you in my work. I gave you favor among people. I led, provided for, and entrusted you with my assignments and influence. Be assured that I have not made that investment lightly. I have a purpose in it. I have done good work in you and though my assignment changes over time, I will continue my work in you until it is finally finished. Others know you by my name, and that is good. But I know you by the heart I placed in you and love you more than you can imagine. Rest in my love and care. Depend upon it. I will never fail you or abandon you.
Philippians 1:6
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
June 4
I know you are concerned with things in this life. But always remember that my ultimate purpose is that you and those in your circle of influence understand the mystery of my great love, that I gave myself for each of you. I died to kill the power of sin, and I rose to kill the power of death. Upon your belief in that fact, I claimed you as my own, an inheritor of the gift of heaven. Because of my act, My Holy Spirit will one day conduct you unhindered into my presence. Until then, the mystery of my love continues in you. That same Holy Spirit has taken residence in you to conduct your living now and provide you the wherewithal to engage the matters of this life effectively as you act out my purpose in the circle of influence to which I assigned you.
1 Corinthians 2:6-8
Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:12
And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
June 5
By my power, you have the promise of heaven. And by my power, you have the promise of my presence now. By my Spirit in you, you have everything you need to live my way, to know how you are to act, to discover my will in each decision, to know the power of my righteousness, to experience the confidence of my authority, to participate in my glory and excellence. I enable you to share my divine nature and to escape the world’s corruption. Confess these realities to me. Say them aloud. Rehearse them in your mind. Know the strength of my promise as you begin the day.
2 Peter 1:3-4
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
June 6
Belief in my work to provide salvation and faith in the truth of my way continues in you as you first learned it many years ago. What has changed is the context in which you live it. Most of your life occurred in a setting of cultural acquiescence to me, and it was easy for you to represent me. It is no longer so. The culture of your land is increasingly contrary to mine. The mention of my name is deemed inappropriate, and my way is little known. That is why I remind you to fan the flames of my Holy Spirit, to seek me and the power of my presence intentionally. I anticipated the transition of the culture, and I placed in you not a spirit of fear and timidity but the Spirit of power, love, and self-discipline so that your representation of me is sound and bold. Step into the day with my authority and speak of me just as I taught you, knowing I am always with you.
2 Timothy 1:5-7
I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
June 7
When you mentioned my name, the individual you met physically reacted as if greatly insulted. Because the organization identified itself as Christian, you assumed I was known there. My name caused the reaction. That incident is instructive as it illustrates the way of the world in which you will live out your life. Your responsibility to represent me has stayed the same. The way you do it must change. You must rely on something other than worn traditions and assumptions. What you can depend upon is me and the truth of my Word. Follow me closely. I will show you how to influence the people.
1 Corinthians 9:20-23
To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
June 8
I know the desire of your heart, and I honor it. Because of what I see, I answered you before the thoughts were fully formed in your mind. You saw the evidence in the hope that rose among the people. Continue prayer for each of the points to which I have directed you. Stay in my presence. Commune with me, and I will direct each step as I work out my purpose in ways that will amaze you. You will see things come to pass, and the people will know something wonderful has occurred. You will know it was me among them. Amazing grace indeed.
Isaiah 65:24
I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
June 9
The decision you are considering will be the first of many that I will place before you in this part of our journey. Each will require your close attention to me. Because your assignment involves a great number of elements, it is essential that you remain in my presence so that I can impart the understanding, knowledge, and wisdom you will need for each one. Regarding the decision at hand, you know what to expect from me. There is no need to spend endless time exploring options. Lean to me, and I will show you the proper direction at exactly the right moment.
Psalms 25:8-10
The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.
June 10
Remember that it is I working in you giving you the desire and power to do what pleases me. I am bringing you from old misunderstandings of my way in which you viewed pleasing me as an impossible cycle of performance and reward often punctuated by failure and shame. I do not send you out to act. I lead you to act. Follow me closely. Therein is experienced not only great joy but great accomplishment and wonder. Learn to rest upon my strength, my knowledge, my ability, and enjoy this journey.
Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
June 11
Here is what I want you to understand. Following me as I am teaching you does not mean that you will not experience needs. Indeed, you are clearly aware of needs, desires, and expectations pressed upon you. Do not be thrown by needs that seem to have no adequate resource to meet them, for I am your resource. By that, I mean that, upon your honest and faith-driven shift of dependence upon your self-initiated effort to meet the needs to my unlimited ability and power, I will provide according to my purpose. I will lead you to believe it, to faithfully anticipate it, and to trust it so completely as to proceed as if the need will be met. It is all about following me closely, remaining in my presence, and acting in response to my lead. That is your job. Trust me. I really do have this.
Mark 8:17-21
Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”
“Twelve,” they said.
“And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”
“Seven,” they said.
“Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.
June 12
As you learned to follow me on my terms, you discovered that my words are plainly understood. The impressions of my Spirit to yours, interpreted through your mind into actionable thought, are clear. Yet, you must choose my input into your mind over so many other options. It is an act of your will. I draw you to me, but the decision to surrender to my drawing...to take up your position next to me...is yours. It must be renewed daily, sometimes moment to moment. But as you make that choice, you choose what is more valuable and profitable to your effectiveness than the greatest treasure.
Proverbs 8:9-11
My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.
June 13
You know my purpose and my way, and you heard of my work in the matter about which you petitioned me. I worked in ways you did not see and opened a clear path, just as promised. Do you understand? You trusted me by faith. I saw your heart and responded to it. I honored my Word, and you have been witness to it. See to the responsibility I assigned. Keep asking. Keep trusting. Watch what I will do.
Philippians 2:13
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
June 14
The press of this struggle weighs upon you because you attempt to carry it alone. I know everything about you and the matters that concern you, and I care about every detail. I instructed you to enter my presence and remain there humbly, to seek me regarding these matters, and to confess sin as I reveal it. Ask me about these challenges. Release them into my hand. I have already made a way forward that I am leading you to discover. I carry the load; you focus on following me as I taught you so long ago.
Matthew 11:28
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall exhausted. But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
June 15
I know the situation. It is complicated by any human standard of reason, and the way forward is uncertain. There seem to be too few resources or options for action. You know my way in these things. So, do not be afraid or try to take control. Just trust me by faith. I will cause you to know each next step. Yes, trust me.
Mark 5:35-36; 40-42
While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.”
But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”
The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.
Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!”
And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.
June 16
You do not have answers to the problems others bring to you, but I do. Lead them to me. You know how to follow...how to enter my presence and wait there, your spirit seeking mine. That is why I led you along the steep and rough places...so you would learn how to fully depend upon my strength, not yours. I have given you influence and favor. Use it to bring the people to me.
Mark 6:56
Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.
June 17
Give attention to my instruction on thought and behavior. When you spend time away from my presence, out of the follower’s position for which you are designed, it is all too easy for you to be lured into situations that prompt self-promotion and pride. The emotional display of anger and resultant behavior is neither becoming of you nor representative of me. My Spirit urges you to return to position. Respond to it and allow me to shape the thoughts that fill your mind and the words that emerge from those thoughts.
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
June 18
I hear your prayer for relief. But my actions among you and the people are not simply performances of relief or a fix. They are revelations of My Kingdom and my authority over all things. Entry into my Kingdom and participation in its benefits always requires repentance and faith. So, I examine your heart. When I find surrender in repentance by faith, I surround you with my grace. It is sometimes grace to endure circumstances. It is often grace to overcome them. It is always grace to expand faith. But when I find anger, pride, and control, I will challenge it until surrender, repentance, and faith return.
Psalms 51:10, 17
Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Psalms 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Mark 6:1, 5-6
Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.
And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.
June 19
I know the hope you have fostered over the years, and I hear your question. I will answer, but you must listen attentively, ready to obey. And you must listen apart from a preconception of what you think my answer should be. I have involved you in my plan of redemption in particular ways, times, and places. Through it all, my purpose for you remains unchanged. So come close and surrender the hope of a lifetime into my hand. You can trust me…even with your long-held dreams of what you hope may be.
1 Samuel 3:10
And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!”
And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.”
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
June 20
Reflect on the moment…the moment you first believed me. Think again about what happened when you said “yes” to my invitation, what it required of you, and what it required of me. It cost both of us everything. For my part, the sacrifice was total, all-consuming, and completely effective in its intended purpose. I paid for your sin in total. For your part, surrendering to my love must also be complete, total, and all-consuming, involving your spirit, will, and mind. The moment for each of us is one of death and resurrection, confirming me as your Savior and allowing new life for you as my follower. For you, it is death to old ways of believing and living and a new birth. Yes, in that moment, you were born again.
John 3:3
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
June 21
This journey always has a next step. Everything that you have experienced, all that you have learned, each thing that has been accomplished…all is preparation for the next element of my assignment. At each point in the journey, I shaped you, equipped you, provided for you, and placed you according to my purpose. Each of those points readied you for the next. Follow me, at once giving full attention to each moment…pleasant or difficult…and anticipate the next turn with faith…knowing, trusting, believing that there is always a next step.
John 1:42
Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be…”
June 22
It is wise to explore that which I have promised to favor…a yielded will and commitment to understand and walk in my way. You have experienced the journey in my favor and apart from it, and you know the difference. It is the difference between light and dark, between a cold drink of water and thirst, between peacefulness and fear, between confusion and confidence. Step close. Lean into my favor and enjoy the benefit of my embrace and my blessing.
Ezra 7:9b-10
…for the gracious hand of his God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.
June 23
You wondered if I really meant everything when I instructed you to thank me. Yes, everything. Those experiences that are most difficult are included. Your thankfulness for things beyond your control defines our respective roles in this relationship. I am God of all that is...Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Leader, Director. You are a creation, beneficiary, and follower. I know this cuts against your natural pride. It is difficult because thanking me implies submission. Start with thanking me for things that are easier to talk about. I will help you as you go. You will be surprised at what happens.
Ephesians 5:20
And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
June 24
Closeness to me is fundamental to our relationship. In that closeness, you gain my perspective of you...who you are, for what purpose I have equipped you, and the wonderful details of my plan for you each moment of every day. In closeness, you receive my forgiveness and my healing from your wandering. In closeness, you gain my perspective on others...the love I have for them, and how I will lead you to engage them. In closeness, you receive my supernatural strength and wisdom required to accomplish that to which I lead you. You are a branch of me...closeness is essential to life itself as I intend it for you.
John 15:5
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
June 25
Our relationship and your journey with me are built on two non-negotiable points: faith and repentance. You must believe by faith that I am exactly who I claim to be…Creator, Master, Commander, Savior. And you must come to me in honest repentance from sin, surrendered to my way and purpose. When you attempt to straddle the fence between my way and yours, the result is ineffective and unfulfilling because I will not honor it. I expect your worshipful sacrifice of a broken and repentant heart. At that point of honest surrender before me, you will experience peace, confidence, clarity of direction, and fulfillment. I am your source, your refuge, and your strength. Trust me and watch my work.
Psalms 51:17; 51:19a
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God. Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
Psalm 91:9-10
If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
June 26
I bring the sin of unforgiveness to your attention. Your claim of injustice is noted, but the anger you have nurtured over many weeks has subtly drawn you out of the position to which I appointed you. I am aware of the case you make, but your first responsibility is to forgive those you accuse. Pull attention from your claim and return it to your responsibility. Humbly surrender into my presence, seek me for justice and truth, confess your self-indulgent anger and your unwillingness to forgive, and turn from it. I hear your concern and will forgive your trespass. I will restore you to peace and confidence and bring rightness and truth in the matter. It is my work to perform, not yours. You follow me.
Ephesians 4:26-27
Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.
Mark 11:25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2 Chronicles 7:14b
…I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
June 27
Expect me. You pray hesitantly as if hedging against the possibility that I will not hear or answer. Yes…pray in faith from surrendered obedience with hope and expectancy. Have I not spoken the surety of my promise to hear, forgive, and restore? Your hesitancy is a matter of shadowed belief and prideful rejection of surrender. It is sin that hinders your prayer and interrupts our relationship. Confess it. Turn from it. My Spirit is drawing you to me. Yield to it. Humbly enter my presence and enjoy the fullness of my promise.
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Matthew 21:22
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
June 28
I have purpose in drawing your attention to the essence of my message...faith in me and repentance from sin. Those two themes rise throughout my Word and have been part of every communication along our journey. Faith brings you to me, and repentance clears the way into my presence. You wonder at having survived the journey thus far, and you know we will traverse territory ahead that is unknown to you. Your faith and willing repentance invite my grace…the wherewithal of the completed journey and the journey to come. Lay aside your worry and absorb my Spirit in faith through surrendered repentance. Trust me with the way ahead.
Mark 1:14
Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Acts 20:21
I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
Romans 2:4
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
June 29
Continue your attention to faith and repentance as I continue to refine you. Remember, your intentions are fully known to me, even those things well hidden. You readily embrace both faith in me and repentance from sin. However, I challenge the purity of your motive in applying my treasured virtues. I gifted them to you to expand my glory and kingdom among the people. But I find in you a desire to be known and admired for your use of them. It is self-righteous pride and has no place on the journey I designed for you. Surrender this sin in confession and turn from it. I know your need for affirmation. By faith, trust me to meet it. Lean fully upon me and know the affirmation of my grace.
Psalms 139:1
O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
Acts 20:21
I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.
June 30
Did I not show you that I will revive your soul upon your determination to yield your pride and guilt to me? Did I not open your mind to wisdom? Did I not fill your emotional being with lightness and joy? And did I not provide insight into the matter that had thrown you? I will fill you with my Spirit and bring my Word clearly to your mind for applying to the responsibilities I have assigned you. All you need to do is ask.
Psalm 19:7
The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.