FUTURE

As you enter this new year, I know you are thinking about what your future may hold.  The important thing to remember is that I hold your future.  Before you were born divine appointments were written in your book of life. 

The works that I want you to accomplish in this new year are also written in your book of life. I want you to daily pray in My name and cancel out any assignments that My enemy has to delay, disturb, or destroy the plans that I have for you.

All the plans I have for you in this new year are for good, not for evil to give you both a purpose and a hope.  Ask My Spirit daily to help you stay on the same page of your book of life.  You will be amazed at the amount of kingdom work that will be accomplished in this next year.

JEREMIAH 29:11-14

RESOLUTE

People usually make resolutions at the beginning of the new year.  The advantage of making such resolutions at least gets the mind focused on accomplishing certain goals.  I am a goal oriented God who loves to see you set goals for your physical, spiritual, and mental well being at the beginning of every new year.

Successfully meeting those goals, however, does not depend upon your own effort.  I have sent you a "Helper" to help you meet those goals.  My Spirit will help you as you moment by moment listen for His guidance.  He knows your every weakness, and He will be able to help you not to give into your own fleshly desires.

Great things can only be accomplished through walking moment by moment in My Spirit.  Release your resolutions and goals to Me for this next year, and then be resolute to depend upon My Spirit to help you instead of trying to meet those goals by your own fleshly efforts.

PROVERBS 16:3

RELAX

The ability to truly relax can only be accomplished through Me.  Only I can give you the peace that passes your own understanding.  I know how many thoughts whirl around your mind every day, but as you focus on Me and give those thoughts to Me, I will be able to remove those thoughts of confusion and worry.

I am not the author of confusion or worry.  I gave you the invitation to daily give Me all of  your burdens.  I want you to do this the first thing in the morning as you arise from your sleep.  Take just a few minutes to give Me all of your concerns, and then relax with the knowledge that only I am able to perfect those things that are a concern to you. 

When you are able to relax in My peace, My Holy Spirit can prioritize your day in such a way that there will be times of complete relaxation in My presence.  Then your day will be filled with joy because in My presence there is fullness of joy.

MATTHEW 11:28; PSALM 138:8; PSALM 16:11

RED

I know it is a Christmas tradition to decorate homes and gifts in the colors of red and green.  I like to think that the red represents My blood given for the remission of your sins, and that the green represents the peace that passes all understanding that I have given you as an inheritance.

Few people even think deeply about what these Christmas colors represent.  Pray for those who only think of Christmas as a time to receive gifts.  I am the gift that keeps on giving.  Remember this as you put up the presents you have received this Christmas.

My Father so loved you that He gave Me as the perfect sacrifice to reconcile you to Him.  My Father has purer eyes that to behold evil, and I took the sins of the world upon Myself when I died on the tree so that your sins will no longer separate you from knowing My Father's love.  Let every Christmas season be a time not only to remember My birth, but also My death, burial and resurrection that has given you abundant and eternal life, and most of all fellowship with My Father.

JOHN 3:16; HABAKKUK 1:13

BIRTHDAYS

This is the day that you celebrate My birth.  The story recorded in My Word is most amazing.  My mother Mary carried Me in her womb, and  Joseph and Mary parented Me throughout My childhood.

I know how hard it is for you to wrap your mind around the fact that I am God and Man.  From the foundation of the Earth, My Father appointed Me to be the "Lamb of God," the perfect sacrifice to die for the sins of the whole world.

Even though I was not born on this day, I love this celebration.  I am present at the conception of every person born on this earth.  I truly am the "Light of the World." Who lights every person who is born on Earth.  Pray for those who are still walking in darkness.  Pray that My Father will draw them by the power of My Spirit to come to know Me as their Lord and Savior so that the angels and I can celebrate their rebirth into My Kingdom.

JOHN 1:9, 3:16

WEATHER

Ever since the Fall of mankind in the Garden, My enemy began his plan to not only corrupt mankind, but also to corrupt all of the world.  Since that time, Earth has been in a downward pattern of corruption. 

Even though the weather of Earth has suffered the abuse of mankind and My enemy, My Father is still in charge of the weather.  He withholds the rain and He sends the rain.  Just as you experience stormy trials, you will experience massive storms in the atmosphere.

When you go through stormy weather, I want you to pray for God's protection.  I have a defense system that is far beyond any weapon of My enemy.  My enemy's mode of operation is to destroy, distress, depress, and degrade.  My mode of operation is to defend, to restore, save and to redeem.  Keep in mind always that I have supreme power over all principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and wickedness in high places.  No weapon forged against you by My enemy will prosper.

EPHESIANS 6:12; ISAIAH 54:17

WASTE

I do not waste anything.  I am the greatest conservationist there is.  I know how often you ask yourself why certain things happen in life.  You may experience all kinds of trials and also watch others go through tremendous trials.  At the time of such trials, you cannot see My hand at work.

I did not promise that the life of believers would be without trials.  In fact, once you become a believer, trials may increase.  I do not send sickness, disease, or horrific accidents to people.  However, I use all of the tribulations that the world brings for My purposes.

I am the "Redeemer."  I am always able to buy back what My enemy has stolen.  You can only see what is happening through natural eyes.  Ask Me to open your spiritual eyes to see that I will use every trial to accomplish My purposes.

JOHN 16:33

COLLECT

This is the season when you collect many things.  You collect gifts, collect people at gatherings, and collect memories of past seasons.  During this special season, I want you to collect some things that are eternal. There are three things that will last forever.  I want these three things to be on the top of your eternal collection.  Those three things are My faith, My hope, and My love.

You have access to My faith daily when you hear My Word.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by My Word.  Paul wrote that he lived by My faith.  My faith indwells you.  All you have to do is tap into it.

You have access to My hope daily.  I am your hope of glory, and there is no hope without Me.  You also have access to My love daily.  I am continually pouring out My love upon you.  The reason why these three things last forever is because faith, hope, and love are a part of My eternal soul.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:13; GALATIANS 2:20; ROMANS 10:17, 5:2; JOHN 3:16

CONSTANT

Very few things in your life remain constant.  You live in an ever changing world.  There is one great change, however, that will be constant in your life.  That great change is that you are being changed from glory to glory as you yield yourself to the work of My Spirit.

I am constantly aware of all of your needs.  However, for those needs to be met, I want you to come to Me in prayer and ask.  When you ask, seek, and knock, the door to My abundant treasure house will be opened to you.  You have not because you ask not.

I am the keeper of this treasure house in heaven.  I love it when you ask in faith for what seems to be impossible in the natural.  My love for you is constant and never changes.  My love is not based on your performance.  I love you with an everlasting love that will be constant for all eternity.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18; PSALM 100:5; LUKE 11:9

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Things happen daily that may cause you to be disappointed.  You can be disappointed with people or certain circumstances.  When disappointments come your way, I want you to see them as divine appointments that will give Me an opportunity to show Myself strong on your behalf.

Expect everything of me and nothing of people.    I am the "Never Changing God," Who is in charge of your life.  Trust Me always to work things out for My glory when disappointments come your way.

Try not to view things from an earthly perspective.  Instead, turn your heart heavenward to Me.  I am the One Who created everything for My glory.  Depend upon My creative powers, and I can turn what seems to be a disappointing situation into a situation that will glorify Me.

EPHESIANS 3:20-21

COMPARE

It is so easy to fall into My enemy's trap of comparing yourself with others.  My Word says that it is unwise to compare yourselves with others.  The reason this practice is unwise is because you are unique.  I created you with certain gifts and you have a calling on your life that no one else can fulfill.

Sometimes you may even compare yourself with Me, and when you do, you feel as though you will never be like Me.  However, My Word guarantees that when you see Me face to face that you will be like Me.

As you daily yield yourself to My Holy Spirit,  you are being changed from glory to glory to be more like Me..  It is My Holy Spirit's job to conform you to My image.  Be comforted this morning with this truth:  When My Father sees you, He sees Me, and He loves you just as much as He loves Me.

2 CORINTHIANS 12:10; ROMANS 8:29 

ENJOY

It is difficult for some people to enjoy this season for many reasons.  They may have no money for gifts or they may even be homeless.  Some may have just lost loved ones, and this season makes them once again feel that longing in their hearts to have that one with them.  Others may have broken hearts caused by broken relationships.

I want you to remember in prayer such people.  You are a blessed person, but many do not know how I can bless them even during their dark days.  I came to heal the brokenhearted.  I came to give beauty for ashes and the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise to lift away their heaviness..

Release those people you know who are down during this season to Me, and ask Me to heal their hearts and to comfort those who mourn.  Speak My grace to the mountains in these people's lives.  Some may have financial mountains and other may have physical mountains. Remember these ones in prayer during this season.

ISAIAH 61:1-3;
 

REASON

I often have heard people say, "Remember the reason for the season."  With all the commercialism that occurs during this season, many people do forget the reason for the season.  I am that reason, and I came to set people free from one of the major strongholds in the lives of many.

That stronghold is "reason."  I created people with the ability to reason.  However, many use this gift to reason that I do not exist.  People have a hard time believing what they cannot see.  I said to Thomas, one of My disciples, "Blessed are they who have not seen, yet have believed." 

Pray for those you know this season who are bound with the stronghold of reason.  Pray that the eyes of their understanding would be open to realize that the spiritual world is more real than the material world.  Pull down the strongholds of reason and pride in those who do not believe in Me.  These two strongholds keep them locked in unbelief.

MATTHEW 13:15-16; JOHN 20:29; EPHESIANS 1:18

BIRTH

This is the season when most believers celebrate My birth.  It is accepted throughout the world to celebrate My birth, but the angels in heaven celebrate more than My birth.  They celebrate when a person on Earth is born again.

Being born again is similar to the birth of a child.  To receive life, a new born child that has just come out of the womb must receive breath.  This is why the doctors usually spank the new born gently to get the child to open his or her mouth to cry out to receive the oxygen needed for their blood system to begin to flow.

When people are born of the Spirit, they must receive the breath of My Holy Spirit into them.  In order to do that, they must cry out to Me in repentance for their sins.  The life is in the blood and I am that life.  When they cry out to Me with godly sorrow for their sins, I fill them with the breath of the Holy Spirit, and I also give them My life within them that supplies both life eternal and abundant life.

LUKE 15:7

RECENT

I want you to live moment by moment in My presence.  I desire for you to share your most recent experiences with My Holy Spirit's  guidance.  It is always an encouragement to others to hear testimonies of how detailed I am in arranging the moments in your day.

I am no respecter of persons.  To put it in your terms, "I have no pets."  What I do for you, I can do for others.  When you share your recent encounters with My Spirit,  people are challenged to seek My guidance more in a day's time.

Today, look for ways that I have put you in the right place at the right time, and how I have given you opportunities in the day to share My love and My good news with others.  Then record these events in a journal at the end of the day, so that those events do not slip from your memory.

JOHN 16:13; PSALM 78:72

CLEAN

I know how you used to smell the fresh, clean smell of the sheets your mother just took from her clothes line.  When you were a child she would wave those sheets to get out the wrinkles over your bed, and then she would make up your bed.

At night you would take a bath so you would not soil those nice clean sheets.  When you live in My Kingdom, you can rest assured that you can daily enjoy the sweet smell of My presence with you, and the comforting knowledge that your sins are washed away.  Though your sins were as scarlet, now they are white as snow.

I shed My blood to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.  Rejoice today because you are clean in My Father's sight.

ISAIAH 1:18

COVENANT

I am a covenant keeping God.  You enter this covenant relationship with Me when you finally recognize that you had nothing to do with your salvation.  It was only by My grace, not your works, that you were saved by faith.  Even the faith you have was a gift from Me.

When you recognize My covenant with you is eternal and cannot be broken, you will have complete peace and joy.  I am the One Who is faithful to fulfill your call on this Earth.  I am the One Who works diligently within you to both will and to do My Father's good pleasure.

You might ask then, what is My part of this covenant.  Your part is simply to believe and receive what I have already provided for you.  That provision sets you in My eternal kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

EPHESIANS 2:8; PHILIPPIANS 2:13

TEMPLE

The book of Ezekiel gives the measurements and an architectural description of the third Temple.  Many theologians have their own thoughts about when this temple will be built.  My Father knows the time table for this.  However, for now, I want you to be concerned about your body that houses My Holy Spirit..

You are the very temple of My Holy Spirit.  I chose your body to be that Temple to display My glory to others.  The Temple Solomon and Herod built were both glorious, but that glory was temporary. My glory can shine out of your mortal body daily and for all eternity.

Today, take time to receive a fresh anointing of My Spirit, and then let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify My Father in heaven.

EZEKIEL 40-47; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16-17;MATTHEW 5:16

MANGER

It does seem strange that My Father would choose such a strange place to lay Me after I was born.  My mother placed Me on the hay where animals come to feed.  However, this was an appointed place because My Father has chosen Me to be the bread of life and to feed many with the spiritual food  of My Word. 

Just as My Father supplied manna in the wilderness for the Children of Israel, I desire to give you fresh manna (spiritual food) every day. 

Take time this morning after your prayer time to listen to My Spirit.  He will lead you to a passage in My Word that will sustain you all the day long.  Digest and meditate on that Word and you will be strengthened both spiritually and physically to do My will this day.

JOHN 6:51

DRIVEN

Whenever you feel driven to do or say something, take a moment to pray.  My Spirit never drives someone.  It is My enemy who wants you to do things in haste.  I am the "Prince of Peace," and I can give you My peace that is not like what the world offers.

The world offers you busy days when nothing of value is accomplished, confused thoughts that cause you to do things out of order, and anxious thoughts that cause fear in your hearts.

Today, pray before you say, and listen to My Holy Spirit as He directs you to do the next thing.  I am a God of peace and order.  My enemy, who is the god of this world, wants to distract you from doing My will.  Today will be a fruitful day for you when you slow down, pray, and listen to the leading of My Spirit.

JOHN 14:27

LAMB

I know you know the reason for this season.  However, in your culture today so many do not have their minds and hearts on My birth.  I am the "Lamb of God" Who was willing to become the perfect sacrifice to reconcile the world to My heavenly Father.

It was fitting that I was born during the lambing season in Bethlehem.  The shepherds were in the field that night when the angels announced My birth..  The time was not December, but instead, was early spring, around March on your calendar. 

The day and the very hour I was crucified was the exact time when the lambs were being slain as the sacrifice for Passover.  The day will come when you will behold Me as the "Lamb." On that day, you will be fully aware of all the benefits I purchased for you when I was slain as the perfect sacrifice.
Until that day, appropriate daily all that I purchased for you when I died on the tree, was resurrected, and ascended to My Father.

JOHN 3:16; REVELATION 22:1-4

VICTIM

I know it is so difficult for you to deal with people who show great disrespect for Me.  Some who you know even curse and blaspheme Me.  You may ask how that I am able to love such people.  I recognize that such people are victims of My enemy.  They are bound by many demonic spirits.

Always keep in mind that you do not wrestle against flesh and blood when you deal with people.  You are fighting principalities, powers, and wickedness in high places.  The spirits controlling such people are wicked, but I did not create them to be wicked.

I want you to pray for those in your life who are victims of My enemy.  Think about how so many of My disciples were bound before I was able to liberate them through My death and resurrection.  Your prayers will avail much.  I have called you to loose the bands of wickedness over people who do and say wicked things.

EPHESIANS 6:12; ISAIAH 58:6