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!
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“Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always).”
“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!
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| Father, sing for joy over me today. In Jesus’ name, amen. |
August 17: MENTAL HEALTH!
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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!
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| Father, help me to hold it together today. 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!
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| “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. |
March 23: FACE FORWARD!
For the Lord God will help me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. (Isaiah 50:7)
1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am a winner who realizes that winners do fail. But they get up and try again. And again. And again. Today, by the power vested in me by God, I am going to make every effort to kick the habit of losing and forsake the fear of failure to become, in Christ, who and what I’ve always wanted to be. What I am is God’s gift to me, but what I become is my gift to God!
2. Today I will remember that God’s will must be done on earth as it is in heaven…that my life is not my own. But I have the positive attitude that comes from a healthy self-esteem…the attitude that repeats relentlessly, “You’ve got to do it for you!” So today I will gladly get going to the glory of God, but I will move mightily toward the manifestation of the miracle of ME!
3. Today I will let go so that I can move forward. I officially release guilt, blame, shame and all of my collected injustices. In the grand scheme of things, it just doesn’t matter to me. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17)!
4. Today I will kick the block to my successful future by learning to talk to myself in a new way and by getting myself unstuck through accepting new ideas. God is for me and no demon can stop me, so I will stop getting in my own way, blocking my own success by disobedience to God’s perfect plan for my purpose.
5. Today I will remember that I can’t always wait until the “mood hits” to get started. I will be about my Father’s business today, regardless of my frame of mind or my emotional status at the moment.
6. Today I will follow the Spirit’s leading to put myself in the precise environment where winning is most likely to occur.
7. Today I will follow the frightening arrow, and today I will live in the now! Father, help me to keep facing forward today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
February 24: WORSHIP GOD!
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. (Psalm 95:6)
Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because I am a worshipper of the I AM.
7 Affirmations of Worship in the Now for Today:
1. Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? You in your mercy have led forth the people whom you have redeemed; You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation. (Exodus 15:11, 13)
2. I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. And God does it so that men will [reverently] fear Him [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is]. That which is now already has been, and that which is to be already has been; and God seeks that which has passed by [so that history repeats itself]. (Ecclesiastes 3:14, 15 AMP)
3. And in that day you will say: Praise the Lord, call upon His name; declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst! (Isaiah 12:4-6)
4. Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard (difficult) for You. You are great in counsel and mighty in work [deed]…You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day…and You have made Yourself a name, as it is this day. (Jeremiah 32:17,19,20)
5. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration. (John 4:24 The Message) 6. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)
7. Allelujah! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory…. (Revelation 19:6, 7)
Today I rejoice, and today I will live in the now!
January 12: NEW THING!
Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a NEW THING, NOW it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
(Isaiah 43: 18, 19)
1. Today I will live in the now! I will live in the now because the new thing that God is doing is causing (forcing) me to update my thinking. I am making the effort to stop considering the things of old, so that I can recognize the new thing when it springs forth. The question is, “Shall you not know it?” and the answer is, “Yes, I will!”
2. Today I will stop complaining about the wilderness and start looking for the road out of it. The way out is the way into the Promised Land, and if He promised that the new thing would be a road (way) in my wilderness, then I am ready to travel on that new road, no matter the condition of it. The road will give me direction.
3. Today I will stop worrying about surviving in the desert and will search for the river that comes from the “new thing.” I will not be afraid of the river, even if it is deep and has white water rapids and treacherous falls in it. The river represents life, and I am ready to have it and to have it more abundantly. Even if I have to move through my fears to navigate the new river, I know that it will lead me to my destiny.
4. Today I will allow the Holy Spirit to do His unique work of making all things new. He is the source of life Who causes miracles in the now. His is the only way, and I will spontaneously obey His instructions, excitedly expecting the outcome. He only brings good, life, peace, health and blessing—He is perfect in all His ways.
5. Today I will have a new outlook and attitude in preparation for the new thing that God is doing. The “springing forth” of it will not startle me, because I am flexible and aware of the work of the Spirit. I am in a state of anticipation. I am ready!
6. Today I will not fret over the chaos that the new thing may cause in my world. I will not be oppressed by the words and wishes of those who cannot accept the new or the now. If the new thing from God disrupts my life as I know it, then so be it! He is my Lord. He doesn’t have to clear it with me, even though He has offered to do so. My life belongs to Him. He can do with it as He pleases, even though He has given me the control over my life. I have freely given the control back over to Him!
7. Today I will recognize the role that people play in bringing about God’s new thing for me. I will be open to meeting new people who will bring new things to my life and will rethink the people who are already affecting me. All of it will work together for my good. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Today I am looking for the new thing to spring forth, and today I will live in the now!
Father, help me to recognize the new thing that You are doing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Other books by Bishop Jim Swilley @ www.bloginthenow.wordpress.com
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