LEARN TO LIVE above your circumstances. This requires focused time with Me, the One who overcame the world. Trouble and the stress are woven into a very fabric of this perishing world. Only My life in you can empower you to face this endless flow of problems with good cheer. As you sit quietly in My Presence, I shine peace into your troubled mind and heart. Little by little, you are freed from earthly shackles and lifted up above your circumstances. You gain My perspective on

Read 1 Corinthians 3:9-11 We are co-workers in God's service, you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 Through the years, I have attended church and Sunday School in many different places: tents, a large home, a movie theater, a former army Quonset hut, refurbished army barracks, an elementary school, a storefront, a bank conference room, and a high school, in addition to designated church buildings. My experiences have taught me that a church is not a building.

WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. As you take steps of faith, depending on Me, I will show you how much I can do for you. If you live your life too safely, you will never know the thrill of seeing Me work through you. When I gave you My Spirit, I empowered you to live beyond your natural ability and strength. That's why it is so wrong to measure your energy level against the challenges ahead of you. The issue is not your strength but Mine, which is limitless. By walking close to M

YOU ARE MINE FOR ALL TIME---and beyond time, into eternity. No power can deny you your inheritance in heaven. I want you to realize how utterly secure you are! Even if you falter as you journey through life, I will never let go of your hand. Knowing that your future is absolutely assured can free you to live abundantly today. I have prepared this day for you with a most tender concern and attention to detail. Instead of approaching the day as a blank page that you need to f

REST IN MY RADIANT PRESENCE. The world around you seems to spin faster and faster, till everything is a blur. Yet there is a cushion of calm at the center of your life, where you live in union with Me. Return to this soothing Center as often as you can, for this is where you are energized: filled with My Love, Joy, and Peace. The world is a needy place; do not go there for sustenance. Instead, come to Me. Learn to depend on Me alone, and your weakness will become saturated wi

Read Isaiah 55:10-13 If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17(NIV) Where I live, March is a transition month. Spring wants to pop through, but winter isn't quite finished with us. I get antsy during the month of March. My hands itch to dig in the dirt. I see tiny shoots of green in my garden. Birds are chirping again, and the sun seems a little brighter each day. So I begin preparing for spring and summer plantin

Read Psalm 150:1-6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! ~~Psalm 150:6~~ For many people, being alone with God means “quiet time” without interference from the outside world. However, because I am an extrovert, quietness is not in my nature. When I pray, I have found it easier to speak aloud to God as though speaking to a human friend. My quiet time can also include singing. Sometimes I sing the words of a hymn or a praise song which connect with the biblical words I

CONTINUE ON THE PATH WITH ME, enjoying My Presence even in adversity. I am always before you, as well as alongside you. See Me beckoning to you: "Come! Follow Me." The One who goes ahead of you, opening up the way, is the same One who stays close and never lets go of your hand. I am not subject to limitations of time or space. I am everywhere at every time, ceaselessly working on your behalf. That is why your best efforts are trusting Me and living close to Me. Hebrews 7:25;

I AM TAKING CARE OF YOU. Sometimes you feel alone and vulnerable — exposed to the “elements “ of a fallen world. When you are feeling this way, stop and remind yourself, “Jesus is taking care of me.” This reminder can comfort you and help you relax. It draws you back from obsessing about the future, trying to figure out and orchestrate what will happen. When circumstances are confusing and you don’t know which way to proceed, remember that you are in My watchcare. I know ever

REFUSE TO WORRY! In this world there will always be something enticing you to worry. That is the nature of a fallen, fractured planet: Things are not as they should be. So the temptation to be anxious is constantly with you, trying to worm its way into your mind. The best offense is continual communication with Me, richly seasoned with thanksgiving. Awareness of My Presence fills your mind with Light and Peace, leaving no room for fear. This awareness lifts you up above your

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:6-7~ I sometimes find myself struggling intently with an issue or problem. Worry creeps in as I try to find my way back out. Before long I am tired and exhausted. In these instances, I can remember the words Paul wrote to

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; all lasting life emanates from Me. People search for life in many wrong ways: chasing after fleeting pleasures, accumulating possessions and wealth, trying to deny the inevitable effects of aging. Meanwhile, I freely offer abundant Life to everyone who turns toward Me. As you come to Me and take My yoke upon you, I fill you with My very life. This is how I choose to live in the world and accomplish My purposes. This is also how I bless you

Read Psalm 5:1-12 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. ~Psalm 5:3~ I used to begin my days by greeting family members. Then, as I would come in contact with other people, I would greet them. One day I wondered, What would happen in my relationships with those I care about if I didn’t acknowledge them? That made me realize that when I first wake up, God is there waiting for me. God deserves to be acknowledge

Read Psalm 34:17-22 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ~Psalm 34:18~ Along the coast of Maine, artisans were selling jewelry made from sea glass, which begins as bottles or glass left on the shore as trash. Over time, they are broken into pieces and tumbled by the ocean until sharp edges and shiny surfaces become softened, frosted gems that are then reclaimed by artisans. Each piece of the glass is one of a kind, just like each p

KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME! Waves of adversity are watching over you, and you feel tempted to give up. As your circumstances consume more and more of your attention, you are losing sight of Me. Yet I am with you always, holding you by your right hand. I am fully aware of your situation, and I I will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear. Your gravest danger is worrying about tomorrow. If you try to carry tomorrow's burdens today, you will stagger under the lo

Read John 6:1-14 Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" John 6:5 Prayer focus:Those Relying Only On Their Own Piwer In today's passage, Jesus asks Philip where the disciples could buy bread to feed the multitude that had been following Jesus. The scripture says that Jesus asks Philip the question in order to "test him" --- to see how he would respond. Jesus already knew what he was going to do about feeding the crowd. But he wanted to see i

Read Galatians 5:22-26 Examine yourselves to see whether you are living in the faith. Test yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5 On the island where my husband and I live the weather becomes very hot during the summer. To alleviate the effects of the morning heat, I prepare refreshing passion-fruit drinks for us. The fruit comes from the vines in our backyard. One day as I gather the fruit, I noticed a vine that had only a single fruit. But it was absolutely beautiful - glossy, big,

Read Hebrews 11:3-12 A person is shown to be righteous through faithful actions and not through faith alone. James 2:24 Hebrews 11 is often referred to as "Faith's Hall of Fame" because it lists people who fulfilled what God asked them to do. One example is Abraham, who obeyed God's call to leave his home, even though he did not know anything about where he was going. Other examples are Enoch, who "walked faithfully with God" (Genesis 5:22,24, NIV) and Abel, who offered a bet

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-20 We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body. ~~~1 Corinthians 12:13~~~ For our wedding anniversary, my husband and I received a picture designed with letter tiles from a Scrabble game. The letters created a crossword puzzle with my name, my husband’s name, and the names of all our children and grandchildren—depicting a family interdependent and united. Each letter was secured in place with glue. Removing even one letter would destroy

~Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-10~ The suffering of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. ~Romans 8:18~ I tend not to spend much time thinking about heaven but focus instead on enjoying the benefits of this world, like watching movies, eating, and fishing. However, God directs us to “set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). One exercise that has helped me shift my focus is to read the des