I Am Perpetually with You

I am perpetually with you, taking care of you. That is the most important fact of your existence. I am not limited by time or space; My Presence with you is a forever-promise. You need not fear the future, for I am already there. When you make that quantum leap into eternity, you will find Me awaiting you in heaven. Your future is in My hands; I release it to you day by day, moment by moment. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow.

I want you to live this day abundantly, seeing all there is to see, doing all there is to do. Don’t be distracted by future concerns. Leave them to Me! Each day of life is a glorious gift, but so few people know how to live within the confines of today. Much of their energy for abundant living spills over the time line into tomorrow’s worries or past regrets. Their remaining energy is sufficient only for limping through the day, not for living it to the full. I am training you to keep your focus on My Presence in the present. This is how to receive abundant Life, which flows freely from My throne of grace.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”- MATTHEW 6:34

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”- JOHN 10:10

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”- JAMES 4:13–15

I Am With You

I am with you and all around you, encircling you in golden rays of Light. I always behold you Face to face. Not one of your thoughts escapes My notice. Because I am infinite, I am able to love you as if you and I were the only ones in the universe.

Walk with Me in intimate Love-steps, but do not lose sight of My Majesty. I desire to be your closest Friend, yet I am also your sovereign Lord. I created your brain with capacity to know Me as Friend and Lord simultaneously. The human mind is the pinnacle of My creation, but so few use it for its primary purpose—knowing Me. I communicate continually through My Spirit, My Word, and My creation. Only humans are capable of receiving Me and responding to My Presence. You are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made!

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.- PSALM 34:4–7

We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”- 2 PETER 1:16–17

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”- JOHN 17:3

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.- PSALM 139:14

Open Your Mind and Heart

Open your mind and heart—your entire being—to receive My Love in full measure. So many of My children limp through their lives starved for Love, because they haven’t learned the art of receiving. This is essentially an act of faith: believing that I love you with boundless, everlasting Love. The art of receiving is also a discipline: training your mind to trust Me, coming close to Me with confidence. Remember that the evil one is the father of lies. Learn to recognize his deceptive intrusions into your thoughts. One of his favorite deceptions is to undermine your confidence in My unconditional Love. Fight back against these lies! Do not let them go unchallenged. Resist the devil in My Name, and he will slink away from you. Draw near to Me, and My Presence will envelop you in Love.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.- EPHESIANS 3:16–19 

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence."- HEBREWS 4:16

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire… When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.- JOHN 8:44

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.- JAMES 4:7–8

_________________________________________________________

I have never thought about God's love from this perspective. It is hard to imagine that some of us have a hard time accepting the fact that God has unconditional love for us. God tells us today that we need to recognize our lack of confidence in Him and fight back against these lies. It is the Devil who is trying to force these thoughts into our heads. As believers, we must fight back. Now this does sound a lot easier to say than do. I have found it is easy to offer any questionable moment up to God. When you feel uneasy about a decision you are about to make, pray! Pray that God guides you down the right path and that He will lead you away from those Devilish ways. Drawing God into every moment of your life will push the evil one away.

Once we invite God into these evil moments and we see how He is victorious, we will build trust with God our Father. This trust will strengthen our relationship and His love will cover every path of our lives.

It is a huge step to ask God to stand over you when the Devil enters your body. But that big step gets a lot easier when you build a relationship with God. Today before you make that decision where you hear you conscious saying no, pray to God. You will be amazed at the strength you will have behind correct decision.

Relax In My Everlasting Arms

Relax in My everlasting arms. Your weakness is an opportunity to grow strong in awareness of My Almighty Presence. When your energy fails you, do not look inward and lament the lack you find there. Look to Me and My sufficiency; rejoice in My radiant riches that are abundantly available to help you.

Go gently through this day, leaning on Me and enjoying My Presence. Thank Me for your neediness, which is building trust-bonds between us. If you look back on your journey thus far, you can see that days of extreme weakness have been some of your most precious times. Memories of these days are richly interwoven with golden strands of My intimate Presence.

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, “Destroy him!”- DEUTERONOMY 33:27 

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.- PSALM 27:13–14

_______________________________________________________________

Do not feel bad for yourself because you are tired and weak. Do not turn inward and have sorrow when you feel God is not with you. God is always with us. Be joyful knowing that we can lean on him when we are tired and weak. Call to Him to strengthen that bond between you. He is always around. God is stronger than the enemy, all we must do is ask and He will push the Devil out.

We must be confident and be strong knowing that the Lord our God is coming to save us. We do not know when or where, but we must trust His promise. He will return as our providing savior and we must be ready. Look at your life today. Do you trust that He is going to protect us until he returns? What if He came back tomorrow? Would you be ready?

Come to Me and Listen

Come to Me and listen! Attune yourself to My voice, and receive My richest blessings. Marvel at the wonder of communing with the Creator of the universe while sitting in the comfort of your home. Kings who reign on earth tend to make themselves inaccessible; ordinary people almost never gain an audience with them. Even dignitaries must plow through red tape and protocol in order to speak with royalty.

Though I am King of the universe, I am totally accessible to you. I am with you wherever you are. Nothing can separate you from My Presence! When I cried out from the cross, “It is finished!” the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This opened the way for you to meet Me face to Face, with no need of protocol or priests. I, the King of kings, am your constant Companion.

The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.- ISAIAH 50:4 

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.- ISAIAH 55:2–3 

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.- JOHN 19:30 

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.- MATTHEW 27:50–51

______________________________________________________________

God does not want to be like any other king who is out of our reach. Unlike other kings that we may know of God, the Kind of kings, communicates with us every second of every day. He has torn the invisible wall between his kingdom and the world so that we may be with him daily. God wants us to get used to his presence. We shall open our ears to listen to him and our hearts to ask for his guidance and forgiveness. Only through God will our souls live to the fullest extent.

So like a king, what does God do for us that is so royal? He has made an everlasting promise to us, for when we offer our souls, minds and lives, we will live in his kingdom forever. You cannot tell me any other God can offer you the same promise. Our God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is the only God like this. We should be amazed as his work and accept his spirit into our lives. Be thankful today for we honor the King who does not have barriers, does not have protocol and does not have  regulations.

Simply ask and you shall receive the entry to the kingdom of our God.

Pour All Energy into Trusting Me

Pour all of your energy into trusting Me. It is through trust that you stay connected to Me, aware of My Presence. Every step on your life-journey can be a step of faith. Baby steps of trust are simple for you; you can take them with almost unconscious ease. Giant steps are another matter altogether: leaping across chasms in semidarkness, scaling cliffs of uncertainty, trudging through the valley of the shadow of death. These feats require sheer concentration, as well as utter commitment to Me.

Each of My children is a unique blend of temperament, giftedness, and life experiences. Something that is a baby step for you may be a giant step for another person, and vice versa. Only I know the difficulty or ease of each segment of your journey. Beware of trying to impress others by acting as if your giant steps are only baby ones. Do not judge others who hesitate, in trembling fear, before an act that would be easy for you. If each of My children would seek to please Me above all else, fear of others’ judgments would vanish, as would attempts to impress others. Focus your attention on the path just ahead of you and on the One who never leaves your side.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.- PSALM 23:4 

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”- MATTHEW 7:1–2 

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.- PROVERBS 29:25

______________________________________________________________

We have always been taught not to judge others. Everyone is different and we all learn at a different pace. This is because God has created each of us with different skills and given us each different experiences or lessons. These are the things that shape us as believers in Christ. When we trust that God will walk us through this life, things such a judgement and worry will fall to the waist side.

God wants us to know that we do not need to try to impress other people with how fast we can jump a hurdle. He is not impressed with us as Christians when we judge others who may be facing a mountain that takes a little more "umph" to get over. Because we are all different, we must know this and accept that each hurdle will be different for everyone. We shall not judge our neighbor who is asking for help, instead we shall lead a hand to pull them through. Assisting our brothers and sisters in Christ is what is going to further the kingdom of God, not judging them for taking a little to long.

Instead of looking at a stranger and thinking to yourself how you have it so much better, ask them how you can help. Perform an act of kindness today and help pull them through their mountain. Yes, it may have been an easy task for you, but for them it may not. Notice this and let God shine through you as a Christian to help. Perform one act of kindness today and you WILL be amazed.

Live First and Foremost

Live first and foremost in My Presence. Gradually you will become more aware of Me than of people and places around you. This awareness will not detract from your relationships with others. Instead, it will increase your ability to give love and encouragement to them. My Peace will permeate your words and demeanor. You will be active in the world, yet one step removed from it. You will not be easily shaken, because My enveloping Presence buffers the blow of problems.

This is the path I have set before you. As you follow it wholeheartedly, you experience abundant Life and Peace.

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.- PSALM 89:15–16 

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.- PSALM 16:8 

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.- 2 PETER 1:2

______________________________________________________________

Have you ever reserved yourself from God because you did not know what it would look like on the outside to others? God is telling us today that having a close relationship with Him will not pull us away from our relationships, but instead give us the ability to have something stronger. God will teach us how to love, encourage, teach and support the people we have relationships with on earth. If the Devil tries to make a move on us, we will have God's presence on our side. This means our relationships will sustain the rocky mishaps that happen every day in this world. God will stand behind us and be our rock through the storm.

At first it may be hard welcoming God into our relationships with our close friends, our spouses, our coworkers or our children, but pray to God about opening your heart to Him and His will. God will not negatively effect our relationships. He can only make them stronger. By letting God get involved we will learn more than we ever knew before, He will lead us down a new path of friendship we have never known before.

Wait Quietly in My Presence

Wait quietly in My Presence while My thoughts form silently in the depths of your being. Do not try to rush this process, because hurry keeps your heart earthbound. I am the Creator of the entire universe, yet I choose to make My humble home in your heart. It is there where you know Me most intimately; it is there where I speak to you in holy whispers. Ask My Spirit to quiet your mind so that you can hear My still, small voice within you. I am speaking to you continually: words of Life…Peace…Love. Tune your heart to receive these messages of abundant blessing. Lay your requests before Me and wait in expectation.

And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.- 1 KINGS 19:12 

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.- PSALM 5:3

_____________________________________________________________

Shhhh sit quietly. Let your heart have peace and your mind go still. Take 5 minutes today, while you would normally read this blog and give it to God so that He may speak  words of Life, Peace and Love into your heart...

Try To See Things

Try to see things more and more from My perspective. Let the Light of My Presence so fully fill your mind that you view the world through Me. When little things don’t go as you had hoped, look to Me lightheartedly and say, “Oh, well.” This simple discipline can protect you from being burdened with an accumulation of petty cares and frustrations. If you practice this diligently, you will make a life-changing discovery: You realize that most of the things that worry you are not important. If you shrug them off immediately and return your focus to Me, you will walk through your days with lighter steps and a joyful heart. When serious problems come your way, you will have more reserves for dealing with them. You will not have squandered your energy on petty problems. You may even reach the point where you can agree with the apostle Paul that all your troubles are light and momentary, compared with the eternal glory being achieved by them.

A man’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?- PROVERBS 20:24 

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.- 2 CORINTHIANS 4:17-18

______________________________________________________________

God knows what is right for us. When we face a situation and it does not turn out the way we hope, we cannot sit and worry or complain, but instead we need to turn to God and thank Him for leading us down the right path. It is hard to view things from God's perspective instead of our own. We cannot see the whole picture, but God can. He knows how things are going to play out in the future and when we ask and seek Him, He will light our paths. After adopting a mentality that God is in control of ever situation it becomes easy to move past a situation that others may fret about for weeks and months. We will get more done in life when we let God take control, instead of us trying to take the drivers seat. So sit back and let Him steer for a while. Pray that He chooses the correct path for you and when He does, accept it, move forward, and thank Him for lifting you above.

There is a Mighty Battle

There is a mighty battle going on for control of your mind. Heaven and earth intersect in your mind; the tugs of both spheres influence your thinking. I created you with the capacity to experience foretastes of heaven. When you shut out the world and focus on My Presence, you can enjoy sitting with Me in heavenly realms. This is an incredible privilege reserved for precious ones who belong to Me and seek My Face. Your greatest strength is your desire to spend time communing with Me. As you concentrate on Me, My Spirit fills your mind with Life and Peace.

The world exerts a downward pull on your thoughts. Media bombard you with greed, lust, and cynicism. When you face these things, pray for protection and discernment. Stay in continual communication with Me whenever you walk through the wastelands of this world. Refuse to worry, because this form of worldliness will weigh you down and block awareness of My Presence. Stay alert, recognizing the battle being waged against your mind. Look forward to an eternity of strife-free living, reserved for you in heaven.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.- EPHESIANS 2:6 

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.- ROMANS 8:6 

Do not love the world or anything in the world… The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.- 1 JOHN 2:15-17

______________________________________________________________

Have you ever stood in front of a situation and been pulled both directions? I am sure we all have. Usually one decision is what we know is right and the other is what the world/ our minds want us to do. This is the Devil trying to pull us away from God. Today God is telling us that through communication with Him we will become strong. He will fill our minds with peace and lead us in the right direction. The world today is constantly tell us to get rich, get skinny, get new technology, the list goes on and on. When we catch ourselves leaning towards these ways of the world we must pray for God to protect us. If we stay away from worrying about how much money we are going to make, how skinny we look in those jeans and when we are going to get the new iPhone 5, God will lead our minds to a worry free living, happy and full of peace and abundant life!

Seek to Please Me

Seek to please Me above all else. Let that goal be your focal point as you go through this day. Such a mind-set will protect you from scattering your energy to the winds. The free will I bestowed on you comes with awesome responsibility. Each day presents you with choice after choice. Many of these decisions you ignore and thus make by default. Without a focal point to guide you, you can easily lose your way. That’s why it is so important to stay in communication with Me, living in thankful awareness of My Presence.

You inhabit a fallen, disjointed world, where things are constantly unraveling around the edges. Only a vibrant relationship with Me can keep you from coming unraveled too.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”- MATTHEW 6:33 

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”- JOHN 8:29

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.- COLOSSIANS 3:23-24

______________________________________________________________

Our Anchor is God. When the world is constantly changing with politics, technology, communication and fashion, God will be our constant focal point. Have you ever spun in a circle but spotted the same spot every time you turn your heard? Trust me, you will not fall over this way. This is what it is like with God. When we keep spotting Him, everything else that moves around us will not matter. We will be able to adapt to this movement because we are anchored by our Lord God.

Each and every day we are faced with choices from the Devil. He is constantly pulling us off balance. Do not let this happen, stay fixed on God through communication, study and faith. When you keep a strong relationship with God daily, little pushes from the Devil will be easy to control.

Today, focus on pleasing God all day. Before you make a decision, think about how it is going to further the kingdom of God. If it is not, maybe you should be making the another choice. By judging our actions before we take the step we can ensure that with each turn we take God is still our anchor.

No Peace In Excessive Planning

You will not find My Peace by engaging in excessive planning: attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. That is a commonly practiced form of unbelief. When your mind spins with multiple plans, Peace may sometimes seem to be within your grasp; yet it always eludes you. Just when you think you have prepared for all possibilities, something unexpected pops up and throws things into confusion.

I did not design the human mind to figure out the future. That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me. Bring Me all your needs, your hopes and fears. Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.- 1 PETER 5:6–7 

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.- PROVERBS 16:9 

Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.- PSALM 37:5

____________________________________________________________

Have you ever been up all night because you can not stop thinking about different circumstances that could happen at the next days event? It could even be something next week or next month, but it keeps you up because you want to run through all of the possibilities of what could happen and how you can fix it before it does.

God does not want us to worry and have unbelief in Him. Have peace knowing that not everything is in your hands, but it is all in God's. It is human nature for us to want to be in control of all things. This is not our role. God is the controller. We were not designed to be able to handle all of the needs and events outside ourselves.

So what can we do to get rid of all of these worries and give God our excessive planning needs? Write it down and pray about it. No matter what time of day or night, write down what is going through your head to get it out and onto paper. Then offer those things up to God. Pray for each and everything on your list and pray for God's guidance and leadership, that each may turn out not only to be a success, but to help further God's kingdom in some manner. Once you do this, you will feel the stress lift from your shoulders. When we offer all we have to God, He will lift us up.

I Designed You to Live

I designed you to live in union with Me. This union does not negate who you are; it actually makes you more fully yourself. When you try to live independently of Me, you experience emptiness and dissatisfaction. You may gain the whole world and yet lose everything that really counts.

Find fulfillment through living close to Me, yielding to My purposes for you. Though I may lead you along paths that feel alien to you, trust that I know what I am doing. If you follow Me wholeheartedly, you will discover facets of yourself that were previously hidden. I know you intimately—far better than you know yourself. In union with Me, you are complete. In closeness to Me, you are transformed more and more into the one I designed you to be.

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”- MARK 8:36 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.- PSALM 139:13–16 

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.- 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17-18

___________________________________________________________
Have you ever went to a new place and felt completely alone and worried, because you did not know where you were going next? Did you have God in your life? When we are apart from God we can feel empty and alone in any given situation. We could be in a room of crowded people and still feel like we are not connected to a single soul. We can have every material thing we think we need, but still feel like we need something else.

God designed us to have a connection with him. The only way we can fulfill our potential is to allow God to live within us. God is not trying to take over who we are, but instead give us the freedom to live our lives freely. When we trust in God and let Him lead our lives, He will transform it into something we could never dream. Yes it might be scary to move to a new location, start a new job, have a child/grandchild or simply age, but with God by our sides we do not have to worry. He will protect us down those darkly lit paths and His promise will shine though.

So next time you are feeling alone, remember you have someone by your side. Talk to God. He is always there and He knows you better than you know yourself, so let Him take control and lead your life journey.

Rest In Me, My Child

Rest in me, My child. This time devoted to Me is meant to be peaceful, not stressful. You don’t have to perform in order to receive My Love. I have boundless, unconditional Love for you. How it grieves Me to see My children working for Love: trying harder and harder, yet never feeling good enough to be loved.

Be careful that your devotion to Me does not become another form of works. I want you to come into My Presence joyfully and confidently. You have nothing to fear, for you wear My own righteousness. Gaze into My eyes, and you will see no condemnation, only Love and delight in the one I see. Be blessed as My Face shines radiantly upon you, giving you Peace.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”- JOHN 15:13 

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”- ZEPHANIAH 3:17 

“The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”- NUMBERS 6:25-26

__________________________________________________________

Do you rejoice when you get to come worship with God? Do you get excited to hear His word? Or do you sigh because you are tired and feel like you don't have time to praise our King.

God wants us to come to him with joy and relief. He does not want us to feel like we have to go to work for His love. God's love is unconditional. We are loved no matter what by our heavenly Father. Like we have talked about before with our earthly parents who love us no matter how we behave, our heavenly Father's love is the same love, but 100x greater. It is hard for us to come to terms with something like this. Why would God love us when we are all sinners? God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save. Forever He will be the author of our salvation. Accept the peace that God shines upon us. We shall not fear, this peace will lead us through our lives and to our heavenly home.

When you go to church tonight or tomorrow or the next time you open your Bible to study the word of the Lord, relax. Take a deep breath knowing that you do not have to work for God, because His love is unconditional.

Worship Me

Worship Me by living close to Me. This was My original design for man, into whom I breathed My very breath of Life. This is My desire for you: that you stay near Me as you walk along your life-path. Each day is an important part of that journey. Although you may feel as if you are going nowhere in this world, your spiritual journey is another matter altogether, taking you along steep, treacherous paths of adventure. That is why walking in the Light of My Presence is essential to keep you from stumbling. By staying close to Me, you present yourself as a living sacrifice. Even the most routine part of your day can be a spiritual act of worship, holy and pleasing to Me.

The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.- GENESIS 2:7 

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.- PSALM 89:15 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.- ROMANS 12:1-2

____________________________________________________________

We live in two worlds here on earth. The world we work, live and breath in and then our spiritual world with God. We may be running laps in one and at a stand still in another because they are both so greatly different. Our bodies were created for the spiritual journey with God. We must come to the realization that by simply walking next to him in spirit will light the path for the rest of our lives. Understanding this simple concept can change our lives forever. Soon no moment will become useless, but every part of our day will become a spiritual act of worship.

Today's message is simple. Walk next to God  and He will light your life.

Come To Me and Rest

Come to Me and rest. Give your mind a break from its habitual judging. You form judgments about this situation, that situation, this person, that person, yourself, even the weather—as if judging were your main function in life. But I created you first and foremost to know Me and to live in rich communication with Me. When you become preoccupied with passing judgment, you usurp My role.

Relate to Me as creature to Creator, sheep to Shepherd, subject to King, clay to Potter. Allow Me to have My way in your life. Rather than evaluating My ways with you, accept them thankfully. The intimacy I offer you is not an invitation to act as if you were My equal. Worship Me as King of kings while walking hand in hand with Me down the path of Life.

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”- MATTHEW 7:1 

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”- JOHN 17:3 

But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?- ROMANS 9:20–21 

Which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.- 1 TIMOTHY 6:15

__________________________________________________________________

Judging. We all know that we do it. We judge the child who has dirt all over their face when they come to school in the morning, the speech given by your superior at a meeting, the weather for our vacation trip or the clothes we are going to wear. If we take away all judgement in the world, what type of new society would we be able to live in? Children would not get made fun for their choice of clothes, superiors will not get talked about behind their back, vacation would be full of worry-less moments and getting dressed in the morning would take 2 minutes!

It is impossible to completely eliminate all worry and judging from the world, however we can start with ourselves. If we view God as our creator, the potter of our lives, we should not have to worry or judge about what is yet to come. God can take any given situation and turn it upside down before our eyes. We have no right to judge what God has placed here on this earth. He has a purpose for each and everyone of us that walk on this planet. We do not have to know what that purpose is and we never will, so why take the time to try and prejudge every situation that passes us by? It is a waste of time.

Today's goal will be a challenge. I know that I have problems with prejudging and I am sure the rest of you do as well. But try to catch yourself, remember that when you are judging a situation that God is the one in control of that and you talking about it, worrying, judging, will only lead to you fueling the devil. Be happy for God is in control of every child, boss, weather forecast and decision you make here on this earth.

Receive My Peace

Receive My Peace. It is My continual gift to you. The best way to receive this gift is to sit quietly in My Presence, trusting Me in every area of your life. Quietness and trust accomplish far more than you can imagine: not only in you, but also on earth and in heaven. When you trust Me in a given area, you release that problem or person into My care.

Spending time alone with Me can be a difficult discipline, because it goes against the activity addiction of this age. You may appear to be doing nothing, but actually you are participating in battles going on within spiritual realms. You are waging war—not with the weapons of the world, but with heavenly weapons, which have divine power to demolish strongholds. Living close to Me is a sure defense against evil.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”- JOHN 14:27 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.”- ISAIAH 30:15 

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.- 2 CORINTHIANS 10:4

__________________________________________________

What do you think of when you hear the word peace? I think of quietness, stillness, protection and control. God is wanting this for every aspect of our lives. He does not want us to worry about the problems we face. He wants us to trust Him and feel His peace over our lives. When we face a challenge God tells us to release it on to Him. He will take care of our problems and cast peace, quietness, stillness, protection and control over our lives.

It is hard to find a quiet moment in today's hectic world. But it doesn't matter if it is while you are getting ready for work, driving in the car or cooking dinner. Take some time to give it all to God. You will feel peace when he is in control. This peace is completely against what the Devil wants in our lives, so strengthen God's kingdom by lifting your problems up to Him and letting Him lead with control.

I ask you right now, to ask God for peace in your life. Raise your problem up to Him and let Him take it from you. You will have a peaceful day. We all know we could use more of those!

Rejoice in Me Always!

Rejoice in Me always! No matter what is going on, you can rejoice in your Love-relationship with Me. This is the secret of being content in all circumstances. So many people dream of the day when they will finally be happy: when they are out of debt, when their children are out of trouble, when they have more leisure time, and so on. While they daydream, their moments are trickling into the ground like precious balm spilling wastefully from overturned bottles.

Fantasizing about future happiness will never bring fulfillment, because fantasy is unreality. Even though I am invisible, I am far more Real than the world you see around you. My reality is eternal and unchanging. Bring your moments to Me, and I will fill them with vibrant Joy. Now is the time to rejoice in My Presence!

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! … I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.- PHILIPPIANS 4:4, 12 

But you remain the same, and your years will never end.- PSALM 102:27

______________________________________________________

Are you living in the now? It is hard for us not to focus on the future and what we still need or want, but always focusing on what is yet to come will never bring us happiness to where we are at. The present time we are in, is the only thing that will happy. We must learn to be content in where we are at in life so that we can accept the joy God shines upon us.

No matter what situation you are in today, there is always someone out there who is worse off than you. When you feel like you have hit rock bottom, go out and do something that will help someone else less fortunate. Then, you will learn to live happily with what you have. This will also teach you to not take what you have in your life right now for granted. Yes tomorrow may be better than today, but how can you improve the here and now? Who out there can you help that will make their life better, because in return you will be a happier you as well! You will sing for joy at the work of His hands.

Rejoice in God, for He will remain the same in our lives no matter what day it is. He will bring us the joy we need.

I Am Always Available to You

I am always available to you. Once you have trusted Me as your Savior, I never distance Myself from you. Sometimes you may feel distant from Me. Recognize that as feeling; do not confuse it with reality. The Bible is full of My promises to be with you always. As I assured Jacob, when he was journeying away from home into unknown places, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. My last recorded promise to My followers was: Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Let these assurances of My continual Presence fill you with Joy and Peace. No matter what you may lose in this life, you can never lose your relationship with Me.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.- ISAIAH 54:10 

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”- GENESIS 28:15 

“And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”- MATTHEW 28:20

____________________________________________________________

Today's message brings up a very good point I have not thought about. When we stray from God, I personally assume that we are distant from each other and that in order for our relationship to change we must come together again. Only half of this is true. We may distance ourselves away from God but He is never distant from us. God is with us and will watch over us always. He is our father and will protect us.

It is like a parent and a child. Everyone goes through the phase where the child says how they "hate their parents" and "do not want to talk to them", but that does not mean that the parent no longer loves their own offspring. Like our earthly parents, God will love us no matter what we say or where we stray. It is us moving away and creating distance between the relationship, not God. So, stay comforted by the fact that He will always be there no matter what. He is our father, He will watch over us.

When we feel alone and know we have strayed from God, we shall be comforted because He is there. Pray when you feel alone, God's presence will shine upon your life.

Walk With Me Along Paths of Trust

Walk with Me along paths of trust. The most direct route between point A and point B on your life journey is the path of unwavering trust in Me. When your faith falters, you choose a trail that meanders and takes you well out of your way. You will get to point B eventually, but you will have lost precious time and energy. As soon as you realize you have wandered from your trust-path, look to Me and whisper, “I trust You, Jesus.” This affirmation will help you get back on track.

The farther you roam along paths of unbelief, the harder it is to remember that I am with you. Anxious thoughts branch off in all directions, taking you farther and farther from awareness of My Presence. You need to voice your trust in Me frequently. This simple act of faith will keep you walking along straight paths with Me. Trust in Me with all your heart, and I will make your paths straight.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.- ISAIAH 26:4 

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.- PSALM 9:10 

Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.- PSALM 25:4–5 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.- PROVERBS 3:5-6

____________________________________________________________

Have you ever started a workout plan and kept at it for a whole month, then something comes up and you miss four days in a row? What is it like getting back into that schedule on the 5th day when you have time to workout again? It it easier to get back into the swing of things when we have a friend by our side encouraging us to join them or when we have a trainer, who we paid for, waiting for us to come back in.  However, what is it like when you are in complete control and when the decision is solely yours, whether you go back or not? How do you find that motivation to get back into it?

Now think of that same scenario, but replace it with your time with God. We travel next to God, along His path, for a long time, but then eventually, because we are all human, we wander off. Maybe it is for a month or two while we have something new in our lives, like moving to a new city, starting a new job or expanding our family. We start to lose sight of our focus because all of the new changes. How can we get back on the path when we do not have someone there pulling at us, telling us what to do?

God tells us it is simple. He knows that this is going to happen as we are on our life journeys. Because he is a forgiving God, all we have to do is ask for Him to take control of our lives again. It is not hard, just simply bow our heads and take a moment of silence to ask the Lord for His strength. So today, no matter if you think you are on the right path or you know you are not, I encourage you to bow your head right now and do just that. Tell God that you trust Him and that you need Him to direct your path in life. Before your eyes, you will be right back on the life journey He has created just for you.

Accept Each Day

Accept each day exactly as it comes to you. By that, I mean not only the circumstances of your day but also the condition of your body. Your assignment is to trust Me absolutely, resting in My sovereignty and faithfulness.

On some days, your circumstances and your physical condition feel out of balance: The demands on you seem far greater than your strength. Days like that present a choice between two alternatives—giving up or relying on Me. Even if you wrongly choose the first alternative, I will not reject you. You can turn to Me at any point, and I will help you crawl out of the mire of discouragement. I will infuse My strength into you moment by moment, giving you all that you need for this day. Trust Me, by relying on My empowering Presence.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior.- PSALM 42:5 

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him to serve you.- 2 CORINTHIANS 13:4 

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”-  JEREMIAH 31:25

_____________________________________________________________

There are days that I honestly feel like crap and do not want to go to work, workout, or move in general. Instead all I want to do is sleep and lay in bed. I think what God is trying to tell us today is that even when we feel weak or groggy we should trust him to help us through our day. Instead of giving in and letting our selves lay around and "feel sick" we need to get up and push through, knowing that God will help support us and our bodies through the day.

Sickness is a tough thing to mess with. Sometimes if we do get up and start functioning it just runs our body down more. But if we pray to God and ask him for strength and healing he will be right at our sides. Everyday, even when we feel our body is out of whack, we should praise him for another day. Looking at the glass half full instead of half empty. It makes us feel better when we think this way. Instead of thinking how sick you feel, think to yourself how happy you are that you get to spend another day with your family or go to a job that you love. God will be there to encourage us to think this way if we pray to him for help. We cannot let the evil one bring us down. When the devil sees that the sickness he has stricken us with is not weakening our soul, he will become discouraged. God will be there by our sides giving us power to overcome.

So today no matter how you feel, look at your glass half full and remember He is by your side to be your strength.

Enjoy the warmth of My Presence

Enjoy the warmth of My Presence shining upon you. Feel your face tingle as you bask in My Love-Light. I delight in you more than you can imagine. I approve of you continuously, for I see you cloaked in My Light, arrayed in My righteousness. There is no condemnation for those who are clothed in Me! That is why I abhor the use of guilt as a means of motivation among Christians.

Some pastors try to whip their people into action with guilt-inducing sermons. This procedure can drive many people to work harder, but the end does not justify the means. Guilt-evoking messages can undermine the very foundation of grace in a believer’s heart. A pastor may feel successful when his people are doing more, but I look at their hearts. I grieve when I see grace eroding, with weeds of anxious works creeping in. I want you to relax in the assurance of My perfect Love. The law of My Spirit of Life has freed you from the law of sin and death.

I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.- ISAIAH 61:10

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.- ROMANS 8:1-2
__________________________________________________________

It might make us feel good when we do "acts of kindness", however are we doing them out of the goodness of our hearts or just because we are told to? If we are participating just because and are not doing it from the grace of our heart, we maybe hiding it from everyone around us, but God knows what is in our hearts. He does not want us to feel guilty. He doesn't want us to feel like we have to act out his grace in order to be accepted by Him. Instead, He wants us to wait and feel His presence upon our paths.

It seems hard to wrap our heads around. Why not just do as many good deeds as possible? Well, doing so is honorable as long as it is for the right reason. As we approach the weekend and you may participate in some extra activities, check yourself and see why you are doing what you are doing. Are you participating because you feel guilty for sinning, are you doing it because you want others to praise you, or are you really doing it out of the grace of your own heart?

Do Everything in Dependence on Me

Do everything in dependence on Me. The desire to act independently—apart from Me—springs from the root of pride. Self-sufficiency is subtle, insinuating its way into your thoughts and actions without your realizing it. But apart from Me, you can do nothing: that is, nothing of eternal value. My deepest desire for you is that you learn to depend on Me in every situation. I move heaven and earth to accomplish this purpose, but you must collaborate with Me in this training. Teaching you would be simple if I negated your free will or overwhelmed you with My Power. However, I love you too much to withdraw the godlike privilege I bestowed on you as My image-bearer. Use your freedom wisely, by relying on Me constantly. Thus you enjoy My Presence and My Peace.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."- JOHN 15:5 

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.- EPHESIANS 6:10 

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.- GENESIS 1:26-27

______________________________________________________________

Without God, we can do nothing. He is the one who created us to have control over simple things on earth and if He took this power away we would be nothing. But just because He gave us this ability to have power does not mean we deserve to act independently. We still must depend on God to control our thoughts and actions, whether this be running a business, taking a school class or raising a family. We have all of these things, not because of something we have done, but because of what God has done for us.

Thank him, for he is a God that forgives. When we do not give Him full control of these things, He will not revoke them instantly, but instead give us the chance to ask Him for forgiveness and repent. It is amazing to me that that is all there is to it, yet we try to make it so much more complicated.

Today when you are in control of a situation whether it be a job presentation, coaching a team or teaching your child math, think about who is in control of the situation. Are you letting God shine through you, so others can see that you are a believer? Or are you doing something that would make people view you as a just another worldly person? I am not saying you should proclaim your faith during your presentation at work today, but something simple such as making sure you are you using proper language instead of a "potty" mouth.

We are image bearers for God. Can others see that through you?

I Am Your Best Friend

I am your best friend, as well as your King. Walk hand in hand with Me through your life. Together we will face whatever each day brings: pleasures, hardships, adventures, disappointments. Nothing is wasted when it is shared with Me. I can bring beauty out of the ashes of lost dreams. I can glean Joy out of sorrow, Peace out of adversity. Only a Friend who is also the King of kings could accomplish this divine alchemy. There is no other like Me!

The friendship I offer you is practical and down-to-earth, yet it is saturated with heavenly Glory. Living in My Presence means living in two realms simultaneously: the visible world and unseen, eternal reality. I have equipped you to stay conscious of Me while walking along dusty, earthbound paths.

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”- JOHN 15:13-15 

And provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.- ISAIAH 61:3 

Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.- 2 CORINTHIANS 6:10

___________________________________________________________

When you were little did you ever have a friend that you just couldn't wait to see and hang out with all day? You would get sad when it was time for them to leave and even though you knew you would see them again it made you upset that your best bud was not by your side for every game, playtime, and nap.

Now that we are older we do not always have the time to "play" with our friends all day. We have to work and take care of our families and are constantly on the go. Friends are more of a weekend thing or a phone call, because we find other things that have to become more important.

God wants us to know that he is our friend.  He can turn something so very ugly into a beautiful story. We can also trust in God and know that he will not break our trust. The best part about God being our friend is that we can take him where ever we go and he does not have a work schedule that begs him to leave. He will be with us in the morning as we get dressed for work, in the afternoon as we stare at our computer screen and in the evening as we bond with our families. Having God as a friend is the best thing that we as believers could ask for.

God is not here to act as an overlying ruler. He is here to be our closest companion, like that 5 year old best friend we still have today. God wants to be what we yearn hang out with and talk to. God is ALWAYS going to be our best friend.

In Closeness To Me

In closeness to me, you are safe. In the intimacy of My Presence, you are energized. No matter where you are in the world, you know you belong when you sense My nearness. Ever since the Fall, man has experienced a gaping emptiness that only My Presence can fill. I designed you for close communication with your Creator. How I enjoyed walking in the garden with Adam and Eve, before the evil one deceived them!

When you commune with Me in the garden of your heart, both you and I are blessed. This is My way of living in the world- through you! Together we will push back the darkness, for I am the light of the world.

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.- PSALM 32:7 

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the tress of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?"- GENESIS 3:8-9 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."- JOHN 8:12

_______________________________________________________________

The darkness in our lives can only be filled by our Lord God. He is the only one who can make us feel whole and purposeful. When we come to him and have that constant communication like we talked about yesterday, he will light our path for us.

Hiding from God will do us no justice. We can try as we may to stay out of his light, but he is the creator of this earth who knows every nook and cranny. He will always find us among his garden, this earth. To non believers this may seem scary, but for us, as followers of his word, we can be comforted by the fact that God will never lose sight of us.

If you are feeling like you are in a shadow or have fallen into darkness, I urge you to call for God. He is always there, just make the first move and he will shine light to your path.

Let the Dew of My Presence

Let the dew of my presence refresh your mind and heart. So many, many things vie for your attention in this complex world of instant communication. The world has changed enormously since I first gave the command to be still and know that I am God. However, this timeless truth is essential for the well-being of your soul. As dew refreshes grass and flowers during the stillness of the night, so My Presence revitalizes you as you sit quietly with Me.

A refreshed, revitatlized mind is able to sort out what is important and what is not. In its natural condition, your mind easily gets stuck on trivial matters. Like the spinning wheels of a car trappedin mud, the cogs of your brain spin impotently when you focus on a triial thing. As soon as you start communicating with Me about the matter, your thoughts gain traction and you can move on to more important things. Communicate with Me continually, and I will put My thoughts into your mind.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." - PSALM 46:10 

She has a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."- LUKE 10:39-42 

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.- CORINTHIANS 14:33

____________________________________________________________

Have you ever gone a whole day without that cell phone of yours? Although it seems like it could be stress free it often causes more worry, stress, and frustration because you do not know where you are going next.

The same is true when we communicate with God. We must have that contact with him in order to stay calm and carry on to do His will. When we have that constant communication with God we can be comforted by the fact that He is ALWAYS there for us. We can give our thoughts to to God, which will clear out what is not important.

Our lives are very confusing and stressful. Take away that stress by talking to Him about everything. Create a speed dial for constant communication with God and His word.