Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and thereby put Me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. Malachi 3.10 (The LORD will utterly, entirely, completely change your life)

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

And He
who sat upon the throne said,
"Behold,
    I make all things new."

             Revelation 21. 5

(New year,
       new heart,
           new vision,
His indwelling
   changes me
   from the inside out.)

Monday, December 29, 2014

Open your mouth for the dumb,
for the rights of all
   who are left desolate.
Open your mouth,
judge righteously,
maintain the rights
    of the poor and needy.

           Proverbs 31. 8-9

(One of the most distinctive marks
of the early Christians was their
radical love and care for the vulnerable.
Who has God placed on my heart today?)

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Praise the LORD!
For it is good
  to sing praises to our God,
for He is gracious,
and a song of praise
                   is fitting.

(Praising God
         changes me)


 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

...and pressing anger
       produces strife.

               Proverbs 30.33

(Anger is a byproduct 
         of selfishness.
It is not just
   the other guy's problem.
Seek not just when
              to stand back,
but how to defuse,
how to bring 
            grace to it.)

Friday, December 26, 2014

...for we have heard
    that God is with you.

            Zechariah 8. 23

(the evidence 
     of the indwelling Spirit,
the impact on everyone around you)

Thursday, December 25, 2014

For unto us
   a child is born,
to us a son is given...

             Isaiah 9.6

(And that changes everything)

Joy to the World
    The Lord has come...

Merry Christmas, my friend!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Thus says the LORD of hosts,
Render true judgments,
show kindness and mercy
    each to his brother,
do not oppress the widow,
the fatherless,
the sojourner,
or the poor,
and let none of you
devise evil against his brother
            in his heart.

             Zechariah 7. 9-10

(God calls us to be radical
     in loving one another,
a different mindset,
a transformed heart.
God changes us
     by His grace.)

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Not by might,
     nor by power,
          but by My Spirit,
says the LORD of hosts.

            Zechariah 4.6

(God meets you 
      in your deepest need.
He delivers from our fears
    and releases 
       from what enslaves us.
Follow Him through
   your impossible situation.)

Monday, December 22, 2014

For lo,
I will come
      and dwell in your midst,
says the LORD.

            Zechariah 2.10

(His abiding changes everything.
This is not a difficult situation,
    but an opportunity
              to practice grace.
Bring a new heart to it.)

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Return to Me,
         says the LORD of hosts,
and I will return to you,
says the LORD of hosts.

               Zechariah 1.3

(God always has the porch light on.
The front door is always unlocked.
He runs to meet you
                 with great delight.)


Saturday, December 20, 2014

Then Haggai,
the messenger of the LORD,
spoke to the people
with the LORD's message,
    "I am with you,
        says the LORD."

                  Haggai 1.13

(If I fully grasped that reality,
     how should I then live?
The most fruitful place on earth
     is the center of His will.
No matter what.)

Friday, December 19, 2014

On the day I called,
       You answered me,
my strength of soul
   You did increase.

                   Psalm 138. 3

(The most miraculous 
is not that God plucks us out
of our situation,
     but how He redeems it.)

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

But as for me,
I will look to the LORD,
I will wait
  for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me.

                    Micah 7.7

(Wait. Be still. Listen.
God will reveal Himself to you
      in this situation,
even that which makes no sense
                              YET.)

Monday, December 15, 2014

Do not My words do good
   to him who walks uprightly?

                      Micah 2.7

(Every time I read God's Word,
it changes me
and impacts everyone around me.
God changes my heart
     and transforms the landscape.)

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Then Jonah prayed
     to the LORD his God
from the belly of the fish, saying,
"I called to the LORD,
              out of my distress,
and He answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
      and You heard my voice."

                     Jonah 2. 1-2

(Then Jonah prayed...
   and his story radically changes.)

Saturday, December 13, 2014

...cast their crowns 
     before the throne,
singing,
"Worthy are You,
         our Lord and God,
to receive 
glory and honor and power,
for You created all things,
and by Your will
they existed and were created."

                Revelation 4. 10-11

(How can I give Him glory today?
What form will that take?
Singing His song,
           not mine.)

Friday, December 12, 2014

I do not occupy myself
with things
too great 
and too marvelous for me.
But I have calmed 
     and quieted my soul,
like a child quieted
     at its mother's breast,
like a child quieted
                  is my soul.

              Psalm 131. 1-2

(Let God embrace me in this.
I am not in control,
but choose to dwell
  in the arms of the Almighty.)

Thursday, December 11, 2014

But let justice
   roll down like waters,
and righteousness
   like an ever flowing stream.

                Amos 5.24

(Justice and righteousness 
        are not social causes,
but a personal call
  for doing what is 
  good and right 
       and full of grace.)

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Do you see a man
   hasty in his words?
There is more hope 
    for a fool
        than for him.

              Proverbs 29.20

(Slow to speak,
    quick to listen.
Choose carefully.
Words are 
     not returnable.)

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

I will restore to you
the years
that the swarming locust
        has eaten...

                  Joel 2.25

(God will redeem your past,
God will redeem your life.)

Monday, December 8, 2014

...the Holy One
      in your midst...

                  Hosea 11.9

(That reality
   changes everything.)

Sunday, December 7, 2014

No greater joy
  can I have than this,
to hear that my children
       follow the truth.

          3 John 1. 4

(God does not call us
     to be successful,
but to be faithful.)

Saturday, December 6, 2014

As the mountains
  are round about Jerusalem 
so the LORD
  is round about His people,
from this time forth
      and forevermore.

            Psalm 125.2

(Everything is different
because you know Him.
Even here.
Even in this situation.
The safest place on earth
  is the center of His will .)

Friday, December 5, 2014

Our help is 
  in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.

                  Psalm 124.8

(Not just in the time of crisis.
Nothing is too big for Him,
no detail too small.) 

Thursday, December 4, 2014

To You I lift up my eyes,
O You who are enthroned
         in the heavens!

                  Psalm 123.1

(Not time to panic,
     but time to listen.
What do I need to do?
How can I handle this?
Wait, be still, listen.
First response,
    not last resort.)

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

...but the people 
      who know their God
shall stand firm
           and take action.

               Daniel 11.32

(Going forth 
      on His strength alone.
He will reveal 
       what you are to do.
Eyes open,
hearts responsive,
    sneakers tied.)

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From whence does my help come?
My help comes from the LORD,
      who made heaven and earth.

                    Psalm 121. 1-2

(It doesn't get 
       any better than that!
Keep my eyes on Him,
no matter what 
     is swirling around me.)

Monday, December 1, 2014

In my distress
     I cry to the LORD,
that He may answer me.

             Psalm 120.1

(Pray expectantly.
Not "will He answer?"
     but how?)