STAR

During this season, you are reminded of the star that led the wise men to the place of My birth.  There are many scriptures in My Word that mention stars.  I am the bright and morning star.  When you get out of bed and spend your quiet time with Me just before dawn, you can see the morning star.  I love it when you spend those first moments with Me as you look out your window at the morning star.  This is a time that just the two of us can talk without interruption. 

I always talked with My Father when I walked on earth during those moments before dawn.  In fact, I got up several hours before dawn to spend those moments of communion with My Father.  I knew the day would soon be upon Me and the throngs of crowds would press against Me.

I am delighted, however, with whatever time you choose to have communion with Me.  I understand that many of My beloved are slow to get started in the morning with their days and they feel they do not have time to spend with Me. If those who are slow starters could spend just five minutes with Me as soon as their feet hit the floor as they get out of bed, they will discover that I can redeem their time the rest of the day.

MATTHEW 2:2; REVELATION 22:16; MARK 1:35

COMPLETE

I know how you love to complete projects quickly so that you can behold the finished project.  There is a saying in your day that goes, "Have patience with me; God is not finished with Me yet!"  You are not a project that I cannot wait to complete.  You are My beloved and Father sees you already complete in Me.  When He sees you, He sees Me.  You are clothed in My righteousness. 

It is true that My Holy Spirit has the assignment to conform you to My image, and He is undertaking that right now.  However, I do not want you to be under any pressure at all to try to finish what I have begun in your life.  I am the author and finisher of your faith.  All I require of you is that you offer your body daily to Me as a living sacrifice and listen carefully to the still voice of My Spirit within you moment by moment.  When you have the strong desire to seek Me and My Kingdom first, I will add to you all that you need to be more like Me.

When Peter exhorted believers to add to their faith knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience, kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love, you might get the feeling that you must struggle to add these things to your character.  You forget that I am in you and you are in Me.  You already have My mind and My character.  All I require of you is that you daily yield to My Spirit and He will do the rest.     

RUNNING

I know that during this season, you feel like you are running all over town to purchase gifts for those you love.  It is so easy for you to forget to seek Me first and then everything else will be added to you.  There is really only one race that is important to Me.  That is the race I have designed for you to cross the finish line with great reward.

My friend Paul wrote that he had finished the race and that he had pressed to the goal of his high calling in Me.  Always remember that as you run the race I have set before you that I am the One Who does the work through you.  All you have to do is run to Me daily.  Run to Me when you are tempted.  Run to Me when you are burdened with the cares of this world.  Run to Me and allow Me to fill you with My joy, love, peace, and strength.   I will be faithful to complete that good work that I began in you.

I CORNITHIANS 9:24-27; HEBREWS 13:21

ELEVATE

You live in a world that has been on a downward trend since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden.  That downward trend Is accelerating as the day draws nigh to My coming.  My enemy loves to give you negative thoughts.  My servant Paul exhorted the Corinthian church to take their negative thoughts captive and give them to Me.

You may ask, "Just how do I do this?"  It is simple.  The moment you have a negative thought say: "I refuse that thought in the name of Jesus."  Then ask Me to send you a righteous thought to replace the negative thought.

Instead of emersing yourself in the negative news of the day that is delivered by the media, emerse yourself in My Word.  Study My promises and receive them as truths.  Speak those promises out loud.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by My Word.  All My promises are yes and amen through Me and you partake of My very nature when you emerse yourself in My promises instead of allowing the enemy to drown you in the sea of negativity.

2 CORINTHIANS 10:4-7; 2 PETER 1:3-4

REACH

Sometimes you feel that things are beyond your reach.  You simply do not think that the impossible can happen in your life.  You look at the circumstances and say, "THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!"  The truth is that all things are possible with Me and without Me you can do nothing.  Things may seem to be beyond your reach, but nothing is beyond My reach.  My Father is able to span the heavens with the outstretched palm of His hand.  I am His right hand and I daily reach out to intercede for you and to help you when you encounter impossible situations.

You live in a world and an age when darkness will try to encroach upon My light, but this is impossible.  I am the light of the world, but at the same time I dwell in the midst of darkness.  You may feel like you are in a dark time in your life, but understand that I will shed light on the darkness when you cast all of your cares upon Me.  Remember always that My burden is LIGHT and it is My deLIGHT to give you inSIGHT into the darkness.

MATTHEW 11:28-30; PSALM 107:10; ISAIAH 58:10

ENTITLED

There is much discussion in your government about entitlements.  Many desire to reduce the expenditures on entitlements and others want to increase them.  Politics plays a great part in the discussion of entitlements.  Do not allow yourself to be overcome with anxiety or fear as you look at the confusion that is going on in your government. 

Release all into My care.  The government is not your care-taker.  I am your care-taker.  Pray for your government, but at the same time recognize the truth that I am in control of all things and your government is not.  My friend Paul exhorted Timothy to pray for all those in authority over him.  Follow this exhortation daily.

Also recognize that you are a citizen of heaven and that you live in My Kingdom. As a resident in My Kingdom, you are entitled to everything that I have.  You are a joint heir with Me.  You are entitled to every blessing that comes from My Father as you stay faithful to Me and seek first My Kingdom.

GALATIANS 4:7; MATTHEW 6:33

DETERMINED

An important virtue of being My disciple is determination.  Your destiny to become like Me was determined from the foundation of the earth.  My Holy Spirit has the job of conforming you to My image.  You may think this is an impossible task, but it is not.  My grace is sufficient to strengthen  you in your weak areas.  Nothing is too hard for Me.  Always remember that it is not you, but My Spirit within you Who is determined to finish the assignment He has to transform and conform you to be like Me.

You may ask then, "What part do I play in this molding and making me like You, Lord?  The answer is: "Be determined to love like I love."  Everyday ask Me to help you to love like I love, and My Spirit will actively see that this is possible in your life.  My love is shed abroad in your heart by My Spirit.  Simply open your heart to My Spirit every day and receive the fresh anointing of My love.

ROMANS 5:5,8:29, 12:1-2; 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9