2 Peter 3:11 "Will God Find You in Peace?" (December 1)

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise---He's waiting for you to reach repentance. 

2 Peter 3:11 What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?  Will you be found by your God waiting in peace?  Or will He find you frantic for holiness, doggedly determined to do ministry at all cost.  What does it mean to wait in peace today?  To grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our LORD.

2 Peter 2:9 "God Rescues Us" (November 30)

2 Peter 2:9  ~ The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment. 

What a promise to bank on...just when I think I can't face another conflict!  The LORD knows how to rescue me.

2 Peter 1 "Divine Nature or Human Nature" (November 29)

His Divine Power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises,
so that through them you may become partakers of the Divine Nature. 

What stirs in us is what matters as we face the highlights and horrors.
Not what happens to us but in us...what do they surface?
Compulsions at the center of our being that reveal what?
Divine Nature or Human Nature?
When we face what is beneath our compulsions,
we find His Promises to Partake in that Divine Nature.

  

I Peter 5:5 "Suffer & God Himself Will Restore You" (November 28)

 I Peter 5:5-6 ~ God gives grace to the humble. So, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

I Peter 5:9-10 ~ The same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Suffer well, Stand tall, in the True Grace of God. 

I Peter 4:12 "No Surprise ~ Suffer Well" (November 27)

I Peter 4:1-2 Arm yourselves with the same way of thinking as this----
Live for the rest of your time no longer for human passions
but for the will of God. 
I've spent my past days living in sensuality, passions, lawless idolatry, etc...no more...

I Peter 4:7-8 Be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.  Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a mulititude of sins.

I Peter 4:10 Use your gifts to serve.  Good stewards of God's varied grace.  By the Strength that God supplies so that in EVERYTHING God may be glorified.

I Peter 4:12 And don't be surprised at the fiery trials that come upon you to test you as though scomething strange were happening to you.  Rejoice and Be Glad when His Glory is revealed.  For the Spirit of Glory AND the Spirit of God rests upon you when you suffer well. 

I Peter 4:19 Suffer according to God's Will.  Entrust your soul to a Faithful Creator while doing good.
   

I Peter 3:4 "A Gentle and Quiet Spirit" (November 26)

I Peter 3:3 ~ Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.  That Kind of Beauty is what the LORD seeks not the beauty of this obsessed celebrity society in which we live.  I feel like I'm one of those throw-away people that doesn't count, but not in God's Eyes.  Adorn yourself with the Beauty of a Gentle and Quiet Spirit.  So, how do I do that today?  And, of course, the Luther quote comes to mind:  Throw away the "how" questions for you are just trying to build your strategy. 

I Peter 2:2 "What Do I Long For" (November 25)

I Peter 2:2 ~ Long for the pure spiritual milk so that you may grow...really grow up in Him.

I Peter 1:6 "Grace and Peace Multiplied To You" (November 24)

I Peter 1:6-9 ~ To those of you who are elected by the foreknowledge of God.  No matter what your systematic theology, may Grace and Peace be mulitplied to you this Thanksgiving.  According to His Mercy, we are all born to a Living Hope through the Resurrection.  With tears falling from my eyes, I read and believe and trust that we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept for me and for you and for the loved ones surrounding me this night, young ones with disease and things just not right if we didn't have eyes to see.  Grieved by trials, even my own disease returning.  Current Cancer Diagnosis:  Good.   Current Prognosis:  Unavailable.  The testing of the genuineness of our faith.  More precious than gold that perishes.  May we all be found to result in Praise and
Glory and
Honor at
The Revelation of Him. 
So set your hope fully on the Grace that will be brought to you at the Revelation of Christ. 

 

James 5:13 "Pray All You Who are Suffering, Cheerful, Sick, & Sinful" (November 23)

James 5:9 ~ "The Judge is standing at the door."  What is at my center?  I can live self-centered being good or being bad.  Neither works for righteousness.  The Judge is always at hand.  So, let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no so you may not fall under condemnation. 

James 5:13 ~
Is anyone suffering?  Pray.
Is anyone cheerful.  Sing.
Is anyone sick.  Call.
Is anyone in sin?  Confess.
And pray for one another, that you may be healed.
So much talk of Thanksgiving, giving thanks.
But are we really just trying to change our behavior?
Sin is relational not behavioral.  It's deep.
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
So pray all you who are suffering, cheerful, sick and sinful. 
Pray this Thanksgiving!

James 4:1 "Your Passions Are At War Within You" (November 22)

James 4:1 ~ What causes quarrels and fights among you?  Your passions are at war within you...Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.  What stirs within me?  What distance have I set?  What boundaries are mine not God's?  Either it is the Passion of God or the passion of me.

 

James 4:17 ~ So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

 

James 3:14 "Bitter Jealousy/ Selfish Ambition" (November 21)

James 3:14 ~ If you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  

There is hope for jealousy, ambition, pride, selfishness.  There is hope for sin.  My hope is not securing God's pleasure by my faith and works.  Rather, my hope is to go deeper in my Christian walk and advance God's Kingdom here on earth. 

"When your faith leads to a consuming desire to love Me & others at any cost,
When your faith is accompanied by a consistent pattern of good works,
Your life in this world will not be wasted!"                   66LL

James 2:1 "No Partiality" (November 20)

James 2:1, 5 ~ Show no partiality as you hold the faith....make no distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts.  God has chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom.  Love as though your life depended on it because it does (I Cor 14:1).

If you see someone lacking in daily food spiritually/emotionally/physically, don't just say: "Peace to you. Be warmed and filled." Show your faith by your works. ~  James 2:18

James 1:2 "Count It All Joy" (November 19)

James 1:2 ~Count it ALL JOY
when you encounter trials of all kinds.

Fearless Courage rather than
Mindless Submission.

Mark it down with Sincerity of Heart.
Not a Checklist but a Waitlist
with accounting marks.
Waiting for a Good God to show up.

I think I have life backwards at times---
that Joy is "no" trials.
Wonder if we will not know deep Joy
until we endure through trials?

Hebrews 13:20 "May the God of Peace Equip You" (November 18)

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.  Hebrews 13:20-21

Hebrews 12:1 "Lay Aside Sin that Clings Closely" (November 17)

Hebrews 12:1-2
We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.
Lay Aside every Weight
Lay Aside Sin that Clings so Closely
Run your own Race
Looking to the Author & Finisher.

Hebrews 12:13-14
Lift your drooping hands
Strengthen your weak knees
So that what is lame may be healed.
Strive for peace with Everyone!
.

Hebrews 11:38 "Made Strong Out of Weakness" (November 16)

You've heard someone say that God will provide something better for you in the midst of your loss, your suffering.  What if that "something better" (Hebrews 11:40) is not receiving what was promised by God?  God, may we see things this day from Your Perspective. Would you help us to endure, seeing You the Invisible Hand on our life (Hebrews 11:27).  Would you help us to hold fast to hope?  Would you let us embrace our loss, our suffering and not just shut down our souls. 

This chapter was about the destitute, the afflicted, the mistreated of days gone by---people of whom the world was not worthy (Hebrews 11:38).  By faith, they conquered kingdoms and were made strong out of weakness (Hebrews 11:34).  That's it.  That's where I want to live.  Make me strong on this day that you brought me into the world.  Strength out of my Weakness.

Hebrews 11:1 "Assurance ~ Conviction" (November 15)

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

By faith we understand creation...
By faith Abraham offered Isaac up to God...
By faith we please God...
By faith in reverent fear Noah constructed an ark...
By faith they and we obey God's call to go not knowing where...
By faith we all live in the land of promise looking forward to A Better Country...
By faith Sarah conceived a child when past the age because
  Faithful is God Who has promised...
And these friends in the Bible all died in faith
  Not having received the things promised...

Will I walk by faith this moment in time?
Will my faith still speak even when I die? ~ Hebrews 11:4

Hebrews 10:36 "Don't Throw Away Confidence" (November 14)

DRAW NEAR
Hebrews 10:22 ~ Let us draw near to God
with a true heart in full assurance of faith
with clean hearts from evil consciences.

HOLD FAST
Hebrews 10:23 ~ Let us hold fast
the confession of our hope without wavering,
for He who promised is faithful.

RECALL FORMER DAYS
Hebrews 10:35-36 ~ Let us recall the former days...
Do not throw away your confidence,
which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance,
so that when you have done the will of God
you may receive what is promised.

Hebrews 10:15 - "The Spirit of God Says NO MORE" (November 13)

Hebrews 10:15  It is the Holy Spirit that tells us that the Law of God will be written on our minds and hearts.  The Holy Spirit whose Words blow every which way we do not know.  Come Holy Spirit, blow gentle words on us this day.  And the Holy Spirit adds:  "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

Hebrews 9:14 "Dead Works" (November 11th)

Hebrews 9:14 ~ Christ offered Himself ... to purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

I wonder how many of our works are dead works and we have no idea?  Wonder why we are so deceived that we do not recognize that our works are not alive.

Hebrews 8:10 "Put Your Laws Into Our Minds/Hearts" (October 11)

Hebrews 8:10 ~ This is the new covenant ...

Dear God, Would you do Your Will in us.
Put Your Laws into our minds,

And Write Your Laws on our hearts,

Be our God, this day

We are yours!

Hebrews 7:25 "Interceding For You" (October 10)

Hebrews 7:25 ~
He is able to save to the uttermost
Those who draw near to God^,
Since he always lives
To make intercession for them.

Saved to the Uttermost...
uttermost parts of my heart
that do not know peace & joy...

Draw Near to Him
in Brokenness & Desperation
He Lives
This Day to Make Intercession

 

Hebrews 6:18 ~ "Hold Fast to Hope" (October 9)

Hebrews 6:12  ~ We who have fled for refuge to Jesus, have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:13 ~ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into^(AF) the inner place where He went as a forerunner on our behalf.

What am I holding fast to this day?  Who am I holding on to?  What is grasped between my fingers?  What do I need to let go of?

Hebrews 5:2 "Go Gently with the Ignorant" (October 8)

Hebrews 5:2 ~ We can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since each one of us is beset with weakness.

Hebrews 5:8 ~ And just like Jesus, we learn obedience through what we suffer. 

These words of God are holy and hallowed through the ages.  No Formulas.  A Throne of Grace for the humble.  We do not profane the Word of God by taking it out of context nor by wielding one verse as the answer.  These Words from God are not strategy but salvation; not tragedy but triumph; not answers but The Way.  May we all learn this very day, a little more about obedience through what we suffer. 

Hebrews 4:16 "Discern My Thoughts" (November 7)

Hebrews 4:1 ~ The promise of Rest still stands.  Will I enter a Rest I know not as the faultlines of my soul move thought by thought?

Hebrews 4:12 ~ It's the Living Word, the Active Word that pierces and divides our souls and spirit and discerns the thoughts and intentions of our heart.  What Word from God keeps piercing your heart?

Hebrews 4:16 ~ Our sympathetic Great High Priest awaits our plea with grace and mercy.  How can I, this day---with confidence---draw near to the Throne of Grace?

Heb 3:15 "Today" (November 6)

Hebrews 3:15 ~ "Today, if you hear his voice,do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion."  The children of Israel provoked God for forty years while in their wilderness.  They were unable to enter His Rest because of their unbelief.  What parts of my life hold No Rest for me?  My thoughts?  My drive?  My motivation?  My success?  My philosophy?  My evaluation of my life?  Am I finding a deep Rest in a Good God, no matter what life has brought my way.  Today is all we have.  Enter His Rest---nothing to do with being tired; everything to do with being transformed

Hebrews 2:18 "My Help" (November 5)

If Christ suffered through temptation,

do we expect not to suffer?

Hebrews 2:18
"Because He Himself has suffered when tempted,
He is able to help those who are being tempted."

Hebrews 2:1 ~ "Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it for 2:4 says that God bears witness through the gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.  Today, if you hear His Voice, pay close attention.

Hebrews 1:6 "Held By God" (November 4)

Hebrews 1:6 ~ God upholds the universe by the Word of His Power.  He holds my life not by a thread but by a Tight Cable connected and cemented and centered in the Source.  I may feel like I'm in danger at times, but, no, there lies no danger that the thread be broken.  He holds us in palm of His Hand.  By the Word of His Power.  God spoke and that's what He thinks of you.  Held.

Philemon 1:6 "Sharing Your Faith for The Full Knowledge of Every Good Thing in You" (November 3)

Philemon 1:6  I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in you for the sake of Christ.  What a beautiful thought that the sharing of our faith illumines the Light of what is good within us.  May The Light of This World invade those places in our hearts that are dark and dreary, waiting for a Whisper from Faith.  Paul moved boldly to share his faith with Onesimus who responded to the call of his True Master.  Now, here's Paul in a prison, writing that he is a prisoner of Christ not of the city, Rome.  May we see the chains that hold us captive as the Hand of God in our lives. 

Philemon 1:21 Confident of your obedience.

   

Titus 4:14 "Devote Self to Good Works" (November 2)

Paul's last words to Titus in Titus 4:14:  Let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.  What am I devoted to?  Recognition of Strong Men & Women or Serving Behind Closed Door? Success in the Ministry or a Real Relationship with Christ?

Titus 2:11 "Rain Down Grace That Trains Our Passions" (November 1)

Titus 2:11 ~ The Grace of God trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions ... and to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives in this present moment.  I so need to hear that for all these moments where I feel overwhelmed with my self-indulgence as I bump up against the sin of others.  May Your Grace be all over us this day and forever as we wait for our Blessed Hope!

Titus 2:15 ~ Declare these things!  And there's an unusual thought for me: Let no one disregard you.  I am disregarded by many.  How do I stand up and say in a godly way, No More!  O God, rain down Grace that trains.