Value Judgments July 23

 

Think about sound Biblical judgments every chance you get. You have powerful, inward, decent intelligence the world does not have. Always trust you can operate more effectively with God’s moral intelligence. This intelligence moves along with scripture about who God is. One very important use of this intelligence is to help others whenever you can. If you stay observant and alert, the Spirit will give you heightened intellect for you to stay on track with the right values of kingdom living, a motivation of service, not some forced power. Generosity becomes the goal, not any greed that tends to hoard things!

Prayer: Lord, help all my reason through any action be flavored with your Spirit.

Best Attention July 22

 

Raise your alert ability. Watch for someone’s need; an opportunity will arise. A Christ-Kingdom principle will lead you. If you are confused, look at the scripture Attitudes of Mt. 5 and review. Spiritually prosperous are those who hear and do.

Prayer: Keep me other-centered today as I watch for someone’s need.

Time Out July 21

 

Find a place and settle yourself in a quiet situation. Admit to Jesus you want to be in his story. Move your thoughts, talking to Jesus as friend, like he is in the space next to you.  Maybe think about a passage from heavenly Father’s word. As you do this, grip your hands or do something to avoid daydreaming. The direct voice of  Holy Spirit will speak to you if you set aside the time to listen, time to embrace His presence. He is never reluctant. He can speak through many things. He wants to speak to you and join your thoughts!

Prayer: Lord, help me push away useless self-talk and truly listen for your impression.

An Action Thought July 20

 

Today. . . look for the counsel of a trustworthy friend. Jesus of Nazareth is always your friend, but there are believers in your life, and maybe even non-believers who you may find helpful guidance. Let them join you in selective moments of your journey of decision-making.

Prayer: Lord, No matter how strange the situation may appear, keep me aware of any people today who offer their personal communication.

 

Calm Guidance July 18

 

As your Savior, Jesus’s goal waits to guide you without overriding you. He will lead you and allow you to develop your own personality, all at the same time. Although He leads, you can have your own plans. His directions are always designed to help you with your personal decision-making. For instance, he will help you be more alert and aware of any hidden principles you  can discover and use. The consumer, greedy world doesn’t understand God’s hidden truths based on service. The Spirit shows you and guides when you ask, especially about helping others.

Prayer: Lord, filter my decisions through your will and help me fully see and accept your will.

Keeping Pace July 17

 

As a believer, remember you have rest in Jesus Savior. You live in him, and he shares the Spirit to live. You may communicate with the Holy Spirit on everything through your self-talk, embracing your thinking, struggling with your ambitions, any of your hopes and dreams, especially for others. The Spirit is not some tool you just shelve until you need him. He remains your partner through everything, even your failures, as well as your successes. It’s ok to start each day with: “Thank you friend Jesus for being with me!”

 Prayer: Lord, keep reminding me today, with any of my surroundings, to turn to you with every detail. Nothing is too small!

Today’s Hope July 16

 

Try to avoid the passion of someone’s clueless opposition to influence you away from the true hope of the Christlike Path. Remember, even trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and your tested character produces hope. Hope feeds beauty. Watch for any opportunity to spread more beautiful hope. Even unexpected change gives God more opportunity to work!

Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for the extra hope that comes from you. I know that in our secret place no real harm can come and your hope resides.

Raw Honesty July 15

 

An honest word is like a rising sun. A dishonest twisted word is like a waning, declining moon. As a result, any lie promotes darkness. A lie tries to damage the light, yet truth travels with light. Commit to ruthless self-honesty. Avoid feeding honesty with darkness. Light can wound darkness. Commit to the integrity of heavenly Father’s word and make truth your word. Spread light.

Prayer:. Lord, help me stay fully alert and you block even the small untruths. It is so easy to let the little lies go.

No Turning Back July 14

 

Sad words are recorded in John 6:66 that from a certain time many of Jesus’s disciples turned back and no longer followed him. They returned to their old associations. They missed learning and many blessings. Special are those who continue in Christ for they belong to the eternal family of heavenly Father and will possess the Kingdom riches.

Prayer: Lord, increase my perseverance, so I may endure whatever comes my way.

Concentrated Love July 13

 

As your Lord and constant companion, commit to love Jesus of Nazareth with every aspect of your person:

1. He joins your affections… All your heart…your emotions.
2. He joins your willingness.. All your soul…your decisions
3. He joins your intellect... All your mind…your thoughts.
4. He joins your body.... All your strength…. physical condition.
5. He joins your ‘Youness’....All your spirit… Your essence.  

**Through the above: Love your neighbor as yourself, as Christ has loved you. Trust the mystery!            

Prayer: Lord, so many times, I seem to love just so far. Teach me more unconditional love as I follow you.

 

Harshness July 12

 

KNOW THIS: Harshness does not help others to correct themselves in any permanent way because they won’t remember any positive lesson, only the harshness. On the other hand, they remember kindness. Offer kindness, even to those who do not deserve it. Kindness can absorb hurt!

Prayer: Lord, help me today to control the tone of my voice to sound kind instead of harsh.

Significant Faith July 11

 

Faith is too priceless and compelling to replace it with any intellectual exercise like future guessing. Trying to out-guess and interpret the future tends to chip away your faith. You do not need to guess the future in order to know how to live. Hold on and pursue faith in the One who never avoids your struggle. Accept the Savior Jesus as friend. You then can have the foundation of an accurate kind of faith. Solid faith doesn’t have to rest only in an immediate deliverance. But rest your faith in the eternal, unbending love promises of the Heavenly Father. He will deliver what you need on time. He is never late!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, increase my faith…to have more Faith.

 

 

Give Strong Attention July 10

 

     If you were told there was a $100.00 bill hidden in a Bible, in my library,  and you had to listen to a certain piece of music to discover which Bible translation, you would listen to the music very carefully. Stay alert and remember the value and time for the art of listening. Especially in prayer, always listen for the still small voice from God….not the subconscious voice that always argues, but the voice from the Holy Spirit that never argues. He just says: ‘here it is!’ learn and follow.

Prayer: Help remove any distractions today and help me listen for the Holy Spirit voice.          

Too Self-focused July 8

 

When you are sad, your Self has become too much in focus. You start thinking, ‘why am I hurting so?’ Stop and go do something for someone. When you can help dig them out of trouble, the hole that remains can become a grave they can bury their sorrows and so can you.  Love for others kind of energy can outlive hurt. Heavenly Father’s motivation of love moves you to give and then give some more.

    Prayer: Thank you, Lord, that your Love is greater than the Self. Help me pay attention and let love reign.

Basic Motivation July 7

 

Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son. The one thing that truly got his immediate attention was not just a physical hunger… but a compelling hunger to go back home. One true element that brings you to heavenly Father is appetite for the new covenant Kingdom in Christ. Try not be filled with only earthly delights. Live at being filled with the Holy Spirit that gives direction and mixes properly with earthly involvement.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for the hunger and yearning for the Holy Spirit’s direction in everything I encounter.

 

True Pardon July 6

 

When you think you were doing all that was right and correct; when you feel life has been unfair;  when you feel you should receive reward and yet someone else, who appears unworthy with less merit, gets the credit. . . when others obtain the good things, do not bother. Hidden behind any obvious recognition may be heavenly Father’s Grace working. He controls and makes the right connections. Your situation may depend more on God’s Grace working, even if you do not feel glad. Take a deep breath, stay calm. Be encouraged because never-ending Grace extends to you as well.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me that your forever Grace covers us all.

Value System July 4

 

True peace comes from the heavenly Father who has covered your anxiety with the Holy Spirit. Experiencing true peace and rest allows you to clarify your value system, those issues you hold most important enough for action. The ‘Isness’ of the present is significant, but you are not stuck in the “IS” of the present. Instead, you may recognize what Ought to happen beyond the present situation and recognize the effort for the kingdom’s sake. Your values are foundations of what you hold most significant. Those become the very things you follow to live by. Often…your feelings become your actions, and your actions become your feelings. They all simmer in your soul as a value system.

 

Prayer: Lord, Help me see what you hold significantly…and help your priorities keep in line while dealing with my values.

Jesus as Reality July 1

 

Some time may pass when you do not feel heavenly Father’s presence, when the smallest feeling of irritation, unrest, or fear starts to cause disturbing thoughts. In those times, use conscious effort to think toward God’s presence. If you start to hurt or even complain, focus back to God’s existence. If you feel left out, come back with conscious focus to the Holy Spirit. If you start to feel unloved; accept again God’s unending love. Do this over and over until you recognize more that God dwells with you continually. Just as Jesus, has intimacy with heavenly Father, so do you when you stop to give recognition. Any new day, you may start over!

Prayer: Oh Lord, bring me back to your center when I start to feel at odds with anything, especially with other people’s actions when I don’t approve.

 

Soul Sickness June 30

        The writer of the scripture Hebrews talks about the ability to rightly divide the soul, spirit, and body. Here the soul is still that free will in you. The spirit vibrates as life force embedded in humans by heavenly Father and makes up what is uniquely you. The emotions may be associated with spirit or soul, but the soul is an individual’s decision-making power. The body is the house, the recorded moving picture of spirit and soul. The soul creates your ability to choose as a Self. The spirit houses your true essence, the underlying authentic you. God’s Spirit joins with your spirit to grow His will in all of us as salvation reality. Many today are still soul sick because they have been too willful, thinking they can fix things by wanting to go their own way.

        Prayer: Father, I may not understand fully your design for me, but I genuinely want to know my complete essence and follow your purpose. Yet I still tremble at the thought.

Do the Unusual June 29

 

        Remember believers…Jesus would hug the Leper. He saw beneath the hurt…so today, hug a homeless, either literally or give money, time, or some concern. There is beauty beneath the hurt. Stay alert. Any person may have a ‘leprous day’. Encourage the person beneath the hurt. They too are made in God’s image!

        Prayer: Oh Lord, help me recognize and move beyond the wall of pretense of persons and see, with action, the beauty there.

Freedom June 27

 

        Just know that one important aspect of freedom suggests you do not have to view God like some scholar theologian. There are certain Christians you can trust. But while a correct spiritual agreement can be acceptable, you do not have to see God exactly as the preachers of old, what someone just tells you, or what may be written in popular books. The Holy Spirit can guide you how the disciples and writers of the Book viewed life. The scripture presents the Kingdom truths, and Holy Spirit filters them through your personal well-being because heavenly Father meets your specific need. But you must pay attention. God may speak to you from the Bible or some other place of truth. All real truth belongs to Jesus Christ.

        Prayer: Our Father, raise my awareness so I’m looking for your Kingdom truth and action in all I experience.       

 

An Emotional moment June 26

 

            When you feel praise and thankfulness rising up from somewhere deep within… that is God’s devotion to you, combining with you to enrich a particular moment for worship. The moment can happen anywhere, anytime. The resulting thankfulness may be great or small. What truly matters is that you connect.

            Prayer: Thank you, heavenly Father, for the Spirit that moves up within, even when not thinking good thoughts.

Repair the Split June 25

 

            Jehovah has said to you, if you will throw off what enslaves you, such as judging others, and if you will make yourself available to the less fortunate, then illumination will be your theme for life.  The Lord will guide you when you ache in your very own bones, so that you may continually give away sustenance. You may then rebuild the people and places of waste, and you may be called the Repairer of the Breach and the Restorer of the dwelling Streets as Isaiah writes in chapter 58:10-12.

            Prayer: Lord, help me do my part to rid myself of anything that pulls down the Spirit, so I may pay attention to those in need of your care.       

Divine Light June 24

        There are persons who do not want to hear the Truth because their deeds will be exposed. The scripture says they will flee the light. However, persons who move toward the light, while you may disagree with them in some way, may be working through something you know nothing about. Leave them alone. Spend your compassion and concern on those who place too much value on their darkness and run away from My light.

        Prayer: Lord, always keep me searching and looking with your light!

Rage and Violence June 23

 

        “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world my servants would fight . . .” John said in chapter 18 verse 36. He is quoting God from scripture. Negative aggression or violence tends to be the response in a world for most wrongdoing. “You hit me, I’ll hit you back.” This is not the response of heaven. Because you live a servant attitude, you are to forgive by showing mercy. Forgive all negative, evil–doers --- not their behavior, for that is God’s realm of judgment. You must, however, forgive the part of them that is blinded and knows not what they do. Forgive their broken humanity. Remember, once, you were in a state of unforgiveness yourself, then you found Grace.      

        Prayer: Lord, help me remember that others may not experience the same things I do, but they need a Savior in the same way.

Claiming June 20

 

        Many people think claiming big things for God include wealth, power, recognition, and even treasure. Sometimes those happen, but there is still much more in the spiritual realm. FOR INSTANCE,  you can claim wealth in wisdom. Claim power in His Grace. Claim recognition by accepting joy of salvation. Claim treasure for the Father’s love in His kingdom and becoming joint heirs with His Son. True and lasting riches stay available in the unseen kingdoms of mercy, kindness, and love. Mercy distributes hope. Kindness creates an absorbing nature for service. Love overshadows and covers every fault. You can become what Jehovah originally meant for his creation.

    Prayer: The best I know how today, Lord, I DO claim all you have for me and those I should care about consciously and unconsciously.

Prayer Talk June 19

 

            The scripture reminds us heavenly Father’s ways are different than earthly negatives. When you experience the negative, you will not FEEL like asking for some positive. But turn to the Holy Spirit with your surrendered preference. Since His ways are not usually humanity’s first thoughts, work on doing and asking an opposite. For example, when you feel lonely, don’t ride the wave of pity. Rather say: “Lord, thanks for being my friend.” When you are in pain, say thanks for the pain that reminds us of life. When you are tired, say thanks for the chance to rest in Christ. When you feel distrustful, say thanks for heavenly trust. When you are sad, ask for delight in a permanent future with Christ. When you feel impatient, ask to understand any connectedness in God’s work. Work on unconditional love and then, pray to make any necessary change.

            Prayer: Lord, help me to lean on your every word, even when I do not feel like it. Grow my assurance that you are always present.

 

Missing the Point June 17

 

            Remember, when you do something, and it is not of Christlike faith, you miss your kingdom potential. What you do may be morally or ethically accepted, but true faith in the heavenly Father establishes specific focus, which intentionally comes from God’s assured word. True faith often answers a question: Have you experienced or accomplished what the Father desires according to His Word?  In addition, your Christ centered, growth-need may often appear opposite from the world’s reasoning.  

            Prayer: Down deep, Lord, I know that your eternal love sustains my faith. Help the quality of my love to grow to combat the bad times.

 

For Everyday Jun.16

        Jesus is the only Son of the One true God, Jesus of Nazareth.  Think of Him each day. When you see a child smile, know that he is there. When you see a flower bloom, thank him for its beauty. When you feel a breeze on your face, the wind can remind you the Creator is everywhere. When you begin a day with any tired and grueling task, talk to Jesus like a friend. The Holy Spirit graciously interprets. The more you remember and recognize His presence, the more natural and ingrained he can become as part of you.

        Prayer: Help me remember today: You are the Savior and creator who shines through all things you have designed.

 

 

Gain Apr. 13

 

           Often. . . .You try to get ahead... Instead. . . get- a- heart, that which you have dedicated to the Christ. Any gift to heavenly Father, whether large or minor enhances the kingdom. Even tiny gift -upon tiny gift -upon tiny gift, given in true Love, will support the foundation of what was begun from the beginning. Count the gains of this world as loss by giving them away to the heavenly Father’s glory.

           Prayer: Lord, help our vision stay directed toward your light and your love. Help us live the Resurrected life NOW.

 

What is mature? June 12

 

        Jehovah-Yahweh could have taken only one dimension, one world, one lifetime, to create what was needed, but He designed two. There are still  reasons for this world and the next. He gave us eternal life as part of knowing we will not stop a kind of growth when we pass from this realm to the next. He gives us the heart of truths to consider and mature in earthly dimension as a possibility we might be more ready somehow for the next dimension to come. Still His complete forgiveness covers all. We will see and understand connections much more.

        Prayer: Lord, help me understand the spiritual principles embedded in this world’s challenges.

 

Divine Will June 11

 

        Trust seems so simple with Jehovah and yet, so difficult for you. But when you faithfully accept his will, joy may be found even through your difficulties. Do you have pain and yet no joy? His unusual care and love stay a swinging door that bumps both ways.  Trust in your established redemption.  Accept His joy and practice the silence of getting through any irritability. There is a reason for suffering you may never know. Endure in Christ’s name. Remember: in His kingdom, the right joy and praise honors heavenly Father. A renewed human spirit can come from knowing his joy when suffering. Think about this over and over and move beyond.

    Prayer: Lord, I want and need to make time to meditate with you every day.

 

Silences June 10

 

        Today, make a decision. Design your life so you can pay attention to the silences. You live in an extremely noisy world. Work on your schedule so you can listen to the silences, like viewing Nature, the spaces between the noises. God can and will speak to you in the silences. It may appear as a ringing. It may be a gentle breeze. It may be a buzz. It may be just a feeling or sight. It may be words. BE ALERT and LISTEN, so you really hear. Holy Spirit vibrates with you always.

        Prayer: Dear Lord, help me remember when I am talking, I do not see or learn much!

A Sharing Attitude Jun 9

 

        Try to avoid the entangled consuming ideas that advertise you can live without problem and live longer. They become traps! Life is too rich to get caught in keeping up with stuff. Share all. Try not to accumulate too much. To stockpile or hoard things in your life confuses a major principle of God’s kingdom.  Live to be a channel of giving for every talent, every bit of money, each gift and every resource. Let them flow through you in ways that can enrich the kingdom. Even try to think of your forced bills as gifts to help keep someone’s job. The risen Lord will supply your needs through your faith. Let abundance become what you only need to use by passing all you can to others.

        Prayer: Help me live through a gift economy to honor you, everyday you give me.

 

Thoughtful Meditation Jun. 8

 

        On many occasions, Jesus explained in scripture that if you were thirsty to come to Him and drink. When the body craves water, it yearns for something it cannot do without. When your spirit dries out in drought, it craves a symbolic moisture.  When you drink the Holy Spirit, He will indeed cause the living waters to flow from you. But you have to say, “Make the connection.” Into your reason and emotions will rush the correct ways of the kingdom. Persistent meditation helps condition and absorb your spiritual drink and food.

        Prayer: Lord, every day, direct and go with me to that place flowing with living waters.

 

Remember Jun 5

 

        What Jesus the Son, reveals to you is a living WAY of life, not just some different ideas. But while growing for the latter kingdom, your physical thinking experience comes first, then follows stimulated, expressed reason from the Holy Spirit. As you think about the quality energies of things of the Kingdom, like hope, love, trust and peace, place them into your day-to-day routine. Holy Spirit gives you divine action within, as Jesus responds to his own action on your behalf. Your partnership motivates your calling which has divine behavior backing human action.

        Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me understand and mold my conduct more clearly today by your design.

 

 

 

Support Jun 4

 

        A random event, some misconceived fate or some accident does not guide you. Slow down, Stop and remember Jesus IS THE Christ! Never feel strange when you think otherwise but keep faith and believe in God’s all-powerful Grace. Trust everything to Him.  He keeps you.  You have His purposes to fulfill, and he will keep you on the path if you pay attention. He is always your hope and strength.

        Prayer:  Lord, help me pay close attention today for heavenly guidance you have given to earthly matters.

 

Who Speaks? Jun. 3

 

        As you read and meditate on these words, remember who can speak to you.  Jesus and Holy Spirit are one. Be not afraid but stay in the shade of the Almighty. Resting in that covering is your safe place. Walk with him as a friend. He will never let you down even when you do not always understand.

 Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for being a Savior and friend.

 

Eternally linked Jun.2

 

        Since you are connected to Jesus by heavenly Father’s divine will, who you are and what you do keeps an eternal link established. For instance…Can your lungs do without air? Can your senses do without response? Can your emotions do without love? Can your spirit do without truth? Can your better nature live without beauty??  Trying to be a whole person without Christ is like trying to sit on a three-legged stool that has only two legs standing. Stay faith-bound.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I remember, just as you reveal your Son, we can be connected completely to you.

Knowledge Jun.1

 

        You will know as much of heavenly Father as you are willing to see his truths and put them into practice. Often think of Jesus as your daily partner. Be careful of impulse which often runs on emotion. Emotion with reason can feed intuition. The Holy Spirit can and will work through your intuition. Then, correct action will become the result of your intuitive thinking.

 Prayer: Lord, help me reduce the spaces today when I don’t think of you.

 

One Christian Signpost May 26

 

        No matter how someone else treats you, love them in Jesus’s name and do not let their behavior, which may be frustrated against God’s kingdom guidelines, change how you treat them. You are heavenly Father’s clear representative in the world. For you to keep peace when being misunderstood, practice responding to everyone with courtesy and generosity, even to those who on the surface do not seem to deserve it, all honors spirit growth. You do not have to throw your pearls before swine but let your nature be one of generosity. If you must err, do so on the side of Love. [Jo. 13:34.]

Prayer: I need you to increase my love today, Lord.

Decisions May 25

 

        One of the greatest things heavenly Father has created, besides the whole universe, exists as… the ability of choice in growing human character. The ability to choose is an extension of the Father’s love and creativity. Along with this, He will help you change by choosing to become more than your givens. You may think you have no choice in certain things. However, look for other opportunities already in place, believing your decision to go beyond your circumstances. He will give you signposts right in front of you. His power continually flows for you. You can always choose.

Prayer: Oh Lord, I do choose your way this day and more that you have I may not even realize.

Meaning of Forward motion May 23

 

        In your life journey, living can move up, down, front, back or sideways. The life-positive music the Lord sends may help you step sideways and up. Distorted earthly music, life/negative, causes you to step down. Sometimes you must go sideways and then up as a time of reflection. But Christ wants you always to go up and forward. The past stays in the past. You are more than conquerors. Your yesterday is today’s future. The present was yesterday. God’s time and connections will differ from yours. Stay alert. Move forward with decisions.

Prayer: Lord, help me forget the past negatives and move forward.

Best Prayer May 22

 

        Your best prayer is the time during the day you consciously remember God’s presence. Talk with Jesus more throughout your specific activities. Discuss things with him as with your best friend who truly listens, at the right moment, without answering back. This action makes walking in the Spirit a practical, everyday experience.

Prayer: Lord, wake me each day in prayer to heavenly Father. Jesus, help me remember to pray every breath I take.

Shared Trust May 21

        And Jesus said: Even as Savior, you are My friend, My joint heir, but also My disciple. Just as the first disciples of old went about sharing with no thought of their immediate needs, you can go with the truth of abundance. With a cheerful heart, make everything you do a gift in God’s name. And I, the Holy Spirit, will take care of all your needs. The sharing creates one road to Joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your abundance, and help us remember to share.

Past Behavior May 19

 

        Let go of the past. Jesus has forgiven, blotted out your past. All is healed. Why pick it up again?  When you travel on a journey, you do not go back to each place and dwell upon where each place takes you to get to the next place. The present moves to the future so each day heavenly Father helps you live anew. Whether triumph or failure, let the past go. Anticipate with faith the present. Dwell upon the prayer of the Now and move forward. Who will you meet today that needs help?...maybe just you or some person you see every day. What shall you and the Holy Spirit do together today to honor the heavenly Father? “…Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

Prayer: Lord, keep us aware to find ways to live correctly in the now-future. 

 

 

 

 

Listen May 18

        The right word, clearly spoken on God’s behalf, promotes a good thing. But today…. listen someone into forgiveness, allow time for clarification; you might listen someone into health. Listen to their pain, their anguish, their frustration, all their underneath meanings without you trying to give any answer or correction. Hear their story.  Let them know you really do hear. Do this in the name of your Lord. Remember, words are the avenue to define relationship.

 

Prayer: Lord, in our better moments, we admit our tongue is too busy. Help us remain compassionate hearers of others.