How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. ~Psalm 119:1~ Want to be blessed? Then don't live a sin-filled life. God can't pour out blessings on anyone who consistently ignores his commands. Blessings belong to those who hear God's Word and take it to heart, living it out in love. Want to be blessed? Obey the Master. You'll live blamelessly and joyfully. Have you repented and accepted Jesus?

Read 1 Timothy 6:17-19 I wish I had wings like a dove! I’d fly away and rest. ~Psalm 55:6~ At the institute where I teach, I gave a special assignment to the first-year students. I asked them to write a prose-poem on the topic, “If I were given two wings.” Some students started writing right away, while others hesitated. With some persuasion on my part all of them finished within the allotted time. They presented their poems to the class with a sense of achievement. Among all

Time with Me cannot be rushed. When you are in a hurry, your mind flitters back and forth between Me and the tasks ahead of you. Push back the demands pressing in on you; create a safe space around you, a haven in which you can rest in Me. I also deserve this time of focused attention, and I use it to bless you, strengthening and equipping you for the day ahead. Thus, spending time with me is a wise investment. Bring me the sacrifice of your precious time. This creates sacr

Read Matthew 5:1-12 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and will be repaid in full. ~~Proverbs 19:17~~ Recently I had a terrible cold. My throat was sore; I was aching, feeling run-down, my nose was running. I had no medicine, so I decided to get fresh air on the prison track. While I was on my walk, an inmate I hardly knew asked how I was doing and offered me some cough drops and honey. He wanted nothing in return. He could see my discomfort and thought only of ho

I AM THE VINE; you are one of the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears abundant fruit. Apart from Me—cut off from vital union with Me—you can do nothing. Ponder this glorious truth: I am alive within you! Just as sap flows from a vine through its branches, so My Life flows through you. I am infinite and perfect, yet I choose to live inside you. This intimacy you have with Me is wondrously rich. I read your every thought. I’m aware of all your feelings. I know how

God's word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are jointed, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. Hebrews 4:12 The Bible has been banned, burned, scoffed, and ridicule. Scholars have marked it as foolish. Kings have branded it as illegal. A thousand times over its grave has been dug and the dirge has begun, but somehow the Bible never

Paul wrote, "I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, or anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39 Have you ever received a tragic phone call in the middle of the night? You can't believe it, you're devastated you don't understand. You didn't see this coming and you wondered why. While you can

THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH YOU, My child. Your mind leaps from problem the problem the problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots. When you think like that, you leave Me out of your worldview and your mind becomes darkened. Though I yearn to help, I will not violate your freedom. I stand silently in the background of your mind, waiting for you to remember that I am with you. When you turn from your problems to My Presence, your load is immediately lighter. Circumstanc

God's righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. Romans 3:22 If you don't bake much you may not have all the utensils needed, so you may have to improvise. Unfortunately, this can sometimes result in overflowing batter if the bowl isn't the right size. Personal righteousness is similar. We compare ourselves to things most familiar to us--other people. We may think, Since I haven't committed adultery or murdered anyone, and I don't cheat on my

When things don't go as you would like, except the situation immediately. if you indulge in feelings of regret, they can easily spill over the line into resentment. Remember that I am sovereign over your circumstances, and humble yourself under My mighty hand. Rejoice in what I am doing in your life, even though it is beyond your understanding. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Me you have everything you need, both for this life and for the life yet to come. Don't let

Read John 14:1-6 Jesus said, “My Father’s house has many rooms...if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” ~~John 14:2-3~~ When I was pregnant for the first time, I was so excited to become a mom. I spent hours decorating the babies room in anticipation of his arrival. My husband and I painted the walls, picked out furniture, and purchased the special touches to prepare the nursery for our son’s homecom

Approach each new day with desire to find Me. Before you get out of bed, I have already been working to prepare the path that will get you through this day. There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way. Some of the treasures are trials, design to shake you free from earth-shackles. Others are blessings that reveal My presence: sunshine, flowers, birds, friendship, answered prayer. I have not abandoned this sin-wracked world; I am still richly present in it.

Read Exodus 3:7-12 [God] said, I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain. ---Exodus 3:12 I have flaws, and all too often I discover something new that I cannot do well. My typical responses to spend my free time lying in bed watching TV. I cannot fail there unless I fall asleep and roll off the bed. Sometimes I use my weaknesses as an excuse not to do

I was watching a movie this week that talked about your dash. There was a young boy who had been in trouble and was sent to work in a homeless shelter. He really didn’t wanna go, but he went and he met a man there and they became friends. They were talking one day about life, and the man ask him. What was he doing with his dash. The boys said my dash? And he said yes. And the boy said what is my dash. And the man said we are appointed to be born and appointed to die. The dash

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent is only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 1 John 4:7-9 John reminds us God's love for the world was so great that He gave His only begotten Son so we could be reconciled to Him. God is the personification of lo

~Philippians 4:29; 2 Corinthians 5:7~ As you sit quietly in My Presence, remember that I am a God of abundance. I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited. You live on a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce. Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you. It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of My provisions: the fullness of My glorious riches. Through spending time

I AM YOUR LORD! Seek me as Friend and Lover of your soul, but remember that I am also King of kings---sovereign over all. You can make some plans as you gaze into the day that stretches out before you. But you need to hold those plans tentatively, anticipating that I may have other ideas. The most important thing to determine is what to do right now. Instead of scanning the horizon of your life, looking for things that need to be done, concentrate on the task before you and

AS YOU SEEK ME, I encourage you to rejoice and be glad in Me. Take time to praise Me in psalms and song. Think about who I am: I dwell in splendor, majesty, and beauty. Then remember how I left the Glory of heaven and came into the world—so I could bring you into My kingdom of everlasting Life and Light. All of this helps you to be joyful in Me, your Savior. This joy ushers you further into My holy Presence, helping you draw nearer to Me. And this nearness gives you even more

Luke 1:37; Corinthians 12:9 I Am A Mighty God. Nothing is too difficult for Me. I have chosen to use weak ones like you to accomplish My purposes. Your weakness is designed to open you up to My Power. Therefore, do not fear your limitations or measure the day's demands against your strength. What I require of you is to stay connected to Me, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources. When you face unexpected demands, there is no need to panic. Remember that I a

THANK ME IN THE MIDST of the crucible. When things seem all wrong, look for growth opportunities. Especially look for areas where you need to let go, leaving your cares in My able hands. Do you trust Me to orchestrate your life events as I choose, or are you still trying to make things go according to your will? If you keep trying to carry out your intentions while I am leading you in another direction, you deify your desires. Be on the lookout for what I am doing in your lif