October 9: WILDERNESS ADVENTURE!

 

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the WILDERNESS . . .” (Matthew 3:1)

“While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: ‘Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.’ John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy: Thunder in the desert! Prepare for God’s arrival! Make the road smooth and straight!” (Matthew 3:1-3 – The Message)

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the WILDERNESS . . . From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:1, 17)

 

1.  Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am not afraid of the wilderness experience, for the preaching of the Kingdom always begins in the wilderness . . . away from the organized paths and paved roads . . . away from the structure of the world system . . . in a place where I must walk by the faith that relies entirely on God’s ability to make ways in the wilderness, and streams in the desert  (Isaiah 43:19).

2.  Today I will repent of long-held paradigms of my personal wilderness, rethinking my present position as Jacob did when he had the vision of heaven’s gate (“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God . . . the gate of heaven!’” – Genesis 28:16, 17). Awaking from my sleep today, I will see my salvation, right where I am in the now, embracing my own wilderness, and saying, “How awesome is THIS place!”

3. Today I will recognize the power and potential that is present in what I have in my hand, for that is where the Kingdom is. The Kingdom is not just at hand, it is at MY hand – it is “handy” — so I will do what I know to do today with excellence and with all of my might  (Ecclesiastes 9:10)!

4.  Today I will find a river of life in the wilderness as John the Baptist did, and I will follow his example and get busy with the work of the Kingdom . . . where I am . . . with what I have to work with . . . just as I am.

5. Today I will preach (prophetically) that the Kingdom is here (Matthew 4:17).

6. Today I will say (conversationally) that the Kingdom is here (Matthew 4:17).

7.  Today I will be happy in the wilderness, and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to discern why I am in the wilderness today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

August 28: REJOICE EVERMORE!

“Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always).” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 – AMP)     “Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 – AMP)       1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because the joy of the Lord is my strength, I have a song in my heart and a good report in my mouth. I am cheerful, positive, optimistic and full of faith for the future. I have too much to be happy about – too much to be thankfu for – to allow myself to succumb to a bad mood, much less a spirit of depression. Today is a great day to be alive . . . a great day to praisethe Lord . . . a great day for the Kingdom to come! Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will REJOICE and be glad in it!    2. Today I will remember that the sun is shining up above the clouds, even during the darkest thunderstorm. The sky is blue above the clouds every day. The weather is beautiful above the clouds every day. Today I will know where to look for the sunshine, and I will find it!   3. Today I will locate my joy and return to an internal place of happiness. It is written: “[The Lord God says,] And the redeemed of the Lord shall RETURN and come with singing to Zion; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’” (Isaiah 51:11 – AMP)   4. Today I will exercise dominion in the interior world by choosing to be happy regardless of outward circumstances. “. . . He who has a merry heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15),  so I will set my own table and serve my own banquet, living the Kingdom life from the inside out. The joy of the Lord is my strength!   5. Today I will rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.   6. Today I will encourage myself in the Lord.   7. Today I will rejoice that my sins are forgiven and I am at peace with God. It is written: “The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will REJOICE over you with joy; He will rest [in silent satisfaction], and in His love He will be silent and make no mention [of past sins, or even recall them]; He will exult over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17 – AMP). I sing because I’m happy today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, sing for joy over me today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

August 21: MAKE CONTACT!

 

 

“Then He turned to the host. ‘The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll be – and experience – a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned – oh, how it will be returned! – at the resurrection of God’s people.’” (Luke 14:12-14 – The Message)

 

1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because the love of God in me is enlarging my heart to such a size that it is having to break out (and break free) of the little fortress of selfish interests that I have built around it in a vain attempt to protect it from harm. My enlarged heart will reach out to make contact with someone, even if it is risky . . . even if it is dangerous . . . because there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear!

2.  Today I will love the unlovable and touch the untouchable. The Christ in me will flow like a river of reconciliation to those who have been rejected and refused. I will gladly fill the role of a good Samaritan when the opportunity presents itself and, in so doing, the Kingdom will come and the will of the Father will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

3. Today I will not be overly and unnecessarily concerned with protecting my reputation when it comes to reaching out to someone who really needs my help. I will lay down my life for them, by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.

4.  Today I will make time for people and will show a genuine interest in what is happening in their lives. I will show respect for others and make the people around me feel important and special — by making eye contact when we speak; by a firm handshake; by listening and reacting appropriately; by calling people by their names; by displaying good manners; by being thoughtful and considerate; by being helpful and generous; by showing them the real Jesus.

5. Today I will pray for someone else’s needs, taking them as seriously as I would take my own.

6. Today I will communicate to others on their level – relating to them in a real way. I will not be insensitive or judgmental, accepting people as they are and ushering them to the mercy seat of the Christ Who loves them unconditionally.

7. Today I will be kind to strangers, knowing that I may be unwittingly entertaining angels (Hebrews 13:2), and today I will live in the now!

 

Father, help me to make the right contacts today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

August 17: MENTAL HEALTH!

 

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a SOUND MIND.” (2 Timothy 1:7)   1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because the God Who has recreated my spirit is renewing my mind and restoring my soul. It is written: “Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.” (Isaiah 54:4 – AMP) 2. Today I will be far from oppression or any other dark thing that tries to come against my mind. It is written: “You shall establish yourself in righteousness (rightness, in conformity with God’s will and order): you shall be far even from the thought of oppression or destruction, for you shall not fear, and from terror, for it shall not come near you.” (Isaiah 54:14 – AMP) 3. Today I will walk in the light of the glory of God, and that light will shine into every remote corner of my mind and will bring revelation, clarity and understanding to me concerning my circumstances. It is written: “ARISE [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you — rise to new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you!” (Isaiah 60:1 – AMP). 4. Today I will remain stable, settled and stress-free, even in the midst of confusion and insanity all around me, by keeping my mind stayed on God. It is written: “You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.” (Isaiah 26:3 – AMP) 5. Today I will meditate the Word of God, and whatever is good and edifying, I will “think on these things” (Philippians 4:8 – KJV). 6. Today I will think positively and remain optimistic, regardless of the influence of negative people in my life. 7. Today I will walk in the blessings of the Mind of Christ, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to hold it together today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

August 3: ‘NUFF SAID

“. . . but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind . . .” (Philippians 3:13) “To everything there is a season . . . a time to keep silence . . .” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7)   1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am breaking the ties with my past by ceasing to speak of things that are over and done with. My conversation today will be in the now . . . what God is doing NOW . . . where I am on my journey NOW . . . the truth and revelation that I am walking in NOW! 2. Today I will stop bringing up incidents that remind me of the offenses of the past. I will release myself from the hurt and pain caused by others by forgiving them – everyone who has wronged me, whether they have asked for my forgiveness or not. What’s done is done, and there is no point in my continuing to speak of negative things that are only going to bring oppression into my life. By forgiving others, even my enemies, I break any power or control that they may have over me emotionally or spiritually. 3. Today I will stop advertising for my weaknesses and failures. I will be real, humble and transparent. I will even admit when I am wrong and apologize when necessary, but I will not continue to harp on negative things that I have done or said that cause me to blame myself and bring my mind under a cloud of self-condemnation. If Jesus is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, then I will have the good taste to honor His justification by shutting up about my shortcomings! 4. Today I will break any familiar patterns of negative conversation that I am apt to fall into with those who are close to me. I will address the issue head on, for my own good, as well as for the good of the person to whom I am speaking. 5. Today I will stop letting down my ethical defenses and allowing myself to fall into gossip, verbally judging others or speaking things that will snare me and cause trouble in my life. I am responsible for what I say, so I will use my Holy Spirit-produced fruit of self-control to help me stop and think before I speak. I will walk away from the temptation to engage in idle, non-productive talk with others, and I will finish up every conversation today with no feeling of regret and no fear that my words are going to come back to haunt me. 6. Today I will be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit when He tells me to be quiet. 7. Today I will speak words that are like apples of gold in settings of silver, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to know when I’ve said enough today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

July 14: KINGDOM REVOLUTION!

“I’ve come to change everything, turn everything rightside up — how I long for it to be finished!” (Luke 12:50 – The Message)   1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because Jesus, the King, is reigning in and with and through me, changing me from the inside out – in my mind, in my heart, and in my faith – so that I can change the world around me, and make it a better place in which to live for future generations. I am changing my mind today – learning to think in a new way – so that I can enter the Kingdom, and bring necessary revolution through the revelation of repentance from my present reality into the realm of righteous rebirth! There is a new world coming, and Christ is already reigning from there. 2. Today I will disassociate myself from demonic strongholds that are resistant to authority and to change. I will do what I can to expose the death that is religion. 3. Today I will make room for the new thing that God is doing in my interior world. I will throw out the non-essential numbers that usually define me, including age, weight, and height, and will adopt a new way of seeing myself (then we shall know even as also we are known – I Corinthians 13:12). A new definition of my personhood is being written on my heart and in my imagination. The Kingdom within is causing changes without, and is creating within me a vision for real revolution! 4. Today I will preserve what is good in my world, and will change what needs improvement. If what needs to be changed is beyond my ability to improve it, I will get help, knowing that revolution requires a responsible team effort. 5. Today I will embrace the excitement and adventure of transition, even the frightening kind, knowing that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away! The violent take the Kingdom by force, and today I will welcome the shaking of God in my life, not fearing the violence around me. In all these things I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me! 6. Today I will overcome the seduction of staying with the familiar and the temptation to let tradition go unchallenged and unchecked. I will outgrow my comfort zone today, and will move into the next chapter of the book of my life, knowing that the ending of the story will be a portrayal of my personal triumph! 7. Today I will run with the vision that is written on my heart by Jesus, the Revolutionary, and I will be changed for the better because of it. Today is the day for my miracle, and today I will live in the now!

Father, let Your Kingdom come, and revolutionize my life today! In Jesus’ name, amen.

JULY: A Month For Celebration!

 

Red, white and blue banners to brighten things up… Marching bands to move you… Parades to pick up your spirits… A dazzlingly deafening display of light, color and noise to excite you as it explodes above your head in the heat of the summer night… Celebrate it all – all that the summer brings… Baseball games, barbecued ribs, and bare feet… Cotton candy, carnivals and convertibles… Hamburgers, hot dogs, and homemade ice cream… Long, lazy afternoons, lemonade, and laughing out loud! Put the top down and go to a drive-in movie… Remember to ride a roller coaster… And celebrate life! Make a joyful noise all the earth!

 ”When you win, we plan to raise the roof and lead the parade with our banners. May all your wishes come true!

 (Psalms 20:5 – The Message)

June 24: BRIGHT FUTURE!

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”  (Matthew 6:34 – The Message)

1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because my attention is on the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is always in the now.  2. Today I will not worry about what’s coming up, because the things that I am dreading may not even happen, and the unknown things are impossible to prepare for. But regardless of what tomorrow brings, I will face it with the confident assurance that the Lord perfects all that concerns me. 3. Today I will run toward the giants that intimidate me, the way David ran toward Goliath. I will not give place to cowardice, but will be aggressive enough to intimidate the thing that is trying to intimidate me! 4. Today I will have no fear of the unknown, but will anticipate the adventure with appreciation for the attitude of authority that I have attained through accepting the Word of God as an absolute anchor for the soul! 5. Today I will start making plans to go to a higher level, preparing myself for new responsibilities. 6. Today I will believe that my latter is going to be greater than my former as I go from glory to glory. 7. Today I will enjoy the day, believing that tomorrow will be even better. I will protect my dreams and visions today, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me be ready for what’s ahead, and thank You, in advance, for how good it’s all going to turn out for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

June 4: EXCELLENCE NOW!

 

“Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver,

instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron.” (Isaiah 60:17)

 

1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I understand that excellence is an attitude – a state of mind that gradually becomes a lifestyle, and I am developing that lifestyle daily. I know that excellence exists, and that successful people live it, so I will not be destroyed by a lack of knowledge in this area. I have seen it in others, and now I will see it work for me!

2. Today I will not be lazy, and just assume that excellence will be a natural development in my life, but I will work hard to maintain a high standard for myself, and will walk in the required diligence to achieve my goals.

3. Today I will not give in to feelings of unworthiness that would prevent me from expecting the best of myself. I will believe that I deserve to live an excellent life, and will retrain my mind away from lies that I have believed that have damaged my self-esteem.

4. Today I will not be satisfied with “good” or “good enough.” God has called me to greatness in my area, so I will be faithful to hone my skills for the development of excellence, and I will do it to be a blessing to the Kingdom.

5. Today I will rid myself of any fear of success that I may still have, realizing that the continued pursuit of excellence ultimately brings undeniable success – and with that success comes added responsibility. But I am preparing myself to take on more, enlarging my capacity for faith and productivity, and, when opportunity knocks, I’ll be standing at the door, ready to open it!

6. Today I will not feel like I am an imposter, not living my real, deserved life. I am blessed because God is good, and I am successful because He has allowed me to work His system in the earth for my own benefit, as well as for His. I am not afraid that success will tell on me, revealing that I can’t make the grade. On the contrary, with every level of promotion, I will easily rise to the occasion.

7. Today I will see the big picture of my success, increasing in excellence incrementally, patiently progressing and possessing the higher standard of living that I deserve. Today I will give it all I’ve got, and today I will live in the now!

May 27: PERFECT PEACE!

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)      1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because my mind is fixed on the God of all peace, and His tranquility and serenity are flowing through me like a cool stream in a green meadow on a lazy summer afternoon. Regardless of the turmoil around me today, the secret place of the Most High will be the eye of the storm for me as I walk in the peace that passes understanding. 2. Today I will let the peace of God’s Word wash away the worry that wastes my time, and keeps me from walking in a way that is worthy of me, as I welcome its wonderful wealth of wisdom into my world! 3. Today I will enjoy an undisturbed and composed existence, refusing to become unnecessarily agitated over trivial problems and inconveniences in my day. I will “let not my heart be troubled,” but will choose the path of peace without frustration and aggravation, remaining calm and collected in Christ. 4. Today I will find some quiet time for myself, removing myself from the stress of striving in the flesh. The Spirit will be a dove for me as I cast all of my care upon Him, laboring to enter into His rest without pressure. 5. Today I will be a peacemaker, not just a peacekeeper. I will proactively insist on living in an environment of harmony — doing whatever is necessary to produce peace in my relationships — because where envy and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (James 3:16). 6. Today I will practice the presence of God by praise, worship and meditation. 7. Today I will walk in my Kingdom rights to peace (along with righteousness and joy in the Holy Ghost), and following that peace in my spirit will guide me into the perfect will of God when I need to make decisions. Today I will settle down, inwardly, and trust God with my life completely. Today I will just chill, and today I will live in the now!

Father, help me to keep my mind stayed on You today. In Jesus’ name, amen.