EXPECTATIONS/EXPECTANCY

I know that you always tell people to expect nothing from people because if they do, they will face disappointment.  Then you add, "Expect everything from Me and you will never be disappointed.

As you face this new year, I want you to expect everything of Me.  I am the One Who gives good gifts to mankind and I always have good thoughts toward you.

Jeremiah wrote, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11)." When you abide in Me, My Word, and My love this next year, you can expect new appointments in the Spirit and no disappointments.

JEREMIAH 29:11

THINGS

After the gift giving to celebrate My birthday is over, you usually have your mind on things that you received.  Where will you place them in your home and how will you use those many things?

Since you are soon entering your new year, I want you to focus on the things I have given you. Isaiah wrote: "O LORD, You are my God.  I will exalt You, I will praise Your name; for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth (Isaiah 25:1)."

Isaiah also wrote: Sing to the LORD; for He has done excellent things: this is known in all the earth (Isaiah 12:5)." When you review how I sustained you through the hard trials of past years, you will want to sing with thanksgiving for My faithfulness and My truths.

ISAIAH 25:1, 12:5

CONSIDER

Many call the teaching I did on the mountain "The Sermon on the Mount." Others call this teaching, "The Beatitudes." A major part of My teaching was about what people think about or what people consider is important.

Solomon wrote, "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23:a)." You will easily discover what idols may crowd Me out of your life by considering what you think about daily.  

I taught those listening to take no thought for their basic needs such as clothing, food and drink.  I even urged them to take no thought for tomorrow. I exhorted them to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all their basic needs would be met. What are you considering today?

PROVERBS 23a; MATTHEW 6:24-34

ENTER

Not everyone who says to Me LORD, LORD will enter into the kingdom of heaven; but the one who does the will of My Father Who is in heaven. 

The highest form of worship is doing My will.  So many ask how they can know My Father's will.  My servant Paul wrote that the way to know My will is to present your body as a living sacrifice and refuse to conform to this world.

My Word is My will and as you abide in My Word, you will be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  My will is that you abide in Me, abide in My Word, and abide in My love.  When you do this, I will not only give you the will to do My will, but I will also give you the way to do My will daily.  I am the way.

MATTHEW 17:21L ROMANS 12:1-2; PHILIPIANS 2:13

OPRESSION

You live in a day when My enemy is attempting to keep people oppressed under leaders who are far from righteous in their actions. His goal is to especially oppress and persecute those who are righteous in My sight.

The good news is that even in the midst of living in an oppressed society, you can have My peace, My power, and My joy because you are established in My righteousness.  

Satan can touch your self-righteousness, but if you have been made righteous by believing in Me and receiving the cleansing of My blood, you will always be far from oppression.  When you received Me as your LORD and Savior, you entered My kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in My Spirit.

ISAIAH 54:14; ROMANS 7:14

BIRTHS

The shepherds were the first to receive the news of My birth. They were also watching for births.  It was the season for lambs to be born.  That night they would see Me, the lamb of God, just after My birth.

The Angel of the LORD told them that I would be wrapped in swaddling clothes.  The shepherds had spent most of the night wrapping new born lambs in swaddling clothes.

They were the first to lay eyes on Me as a baby.  They did not fully understand Who I was and why I had been born, but they would soon learn that I came to die so that they could one day have Me birthed in their hearts.

LUKE 2:8-14

NIGHT

It is the night before Christmas, and I know you have fond memories of the many Christmas Eves that you spent with your family.

It is fitting that you are having record cold where you live because the eve before I was born was also very cold.  It was not a cold night in December, however.  I was born the day after a cold night at the end of March. It was during the lambing season when lambs are born, and that is why the shepherds were keeping their flocks by night.

Today I am born in hearts all over the world. Yes, when people receive Me as their LORD and Savior, I am born in their hearts. My light always shines brightest in the dark. Pray for many to receive My light into their hearts.

JOHN 11:10

BRIGHT

This is the season when homes are lit with bright lights.  Many do not understand the fact that I am the light of the world. 

I am the brightness of My Father's glory, and the express image of His person.  I uphold all things by the Word of His power.

I know it seems like the whole world is enveloped with darkness, but hold on to what My Word says.  The day will come when I will destroy all evil with the brightness of My coming.

HEBREWS 1:3; 2 THESSALONINAS  2:8

AGAINST

I know that sometimes you feel like My enemy is causing much trouble in your life.  Some people call him the trouble maker. Satan hates this time of year because so many all over the world are thinking about My birth.

Instead of focusing on what My enemy attempts to do in your life, focus on the victory that I have already won over him.  I spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly triumphing over then in it.

Meditate on the fact that I have already won the victory over Satan and all of his demons.  You are warring  against them from the position of victory.  Use your keys to the kingdom to bind every demonic force that comes against you.  The loose My Holy Spirit to fill You with My joy and love.

COLOSSIANS 2:15

CONSTANTLY

During this season, people are sharing about My birth in the cards they are sending to one another.  My birth was so very important and it brings you great joy, but do not leave Me in the manger.

My Word tells you joyful news that happened after I ascended to heaven and sent My Holy Spirit during Pentecost.  The early church came into being and Paul later became an apostle.  A review of Paul's letter to Titus will remind you of how you should constantly rejoice in several truths.

All believers in Me can rejoice when they are reminded that they are sanctified, justified, washed clean, forgiven, made righteous by the blood I shed on the cross and that they are renewed and regenerated by My Holy Spirit.  Most of all they can rejoice because I will live with them for all eternity.

TITUS 3:5-8

FOREVER

My mercies endure forever.  The pilgrims who came to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem sang Psalm 136.  As they came closer and closer to My golden city, the Priests and Levites at the temple could hear their voices joyfully singing, His mercy endures forever.

When My Father revealed His glory to Moses, He told Moses that His mercy would be extended to thousands of generations.

Give thanksgiving and praise today for My mercy.  You will experience it forever and forever because My mercies to you are new every morning.

PSALM 136 ; EXODUS 34:7

FOLLOW

"Where He leads Me I will follow." When you sang this song, you always pictured yourself following behind Me.  My back was all you could see.  You could not see My face.

Later someone shared a vision she had when she sang this song.  She saw a dad stooping down at eye level with his 10 month old child who was just learning to walk.

The dad kept saying, "Don't be afraid.  Come to daddy.  Keep looking at daddy's face. If you start to fall, I will catch you."  Remember this picture because the truth is that I am always face to face with My arms outstretched to you. Keep your focus on My face and I will keep you from falling.

PSALM 23:6

ENDURE

 As the days draw near to My return, My body on earth will have much to endure.  Endurance is not the same a persistence.  Although more than ever I want you to persist in prayer.

Endurance comes from the grace I give you to go through many trials without complaining or being discouraged.  

You will only be able to endure what is ahead if you place all your hope in Me.  Endurance will develop the fruit of patience in your life.  Ask My Holy Spirit to help you endure whatever may face you from day to day. When you patiently endure, you will obtain My promises.

HEBREWS 6:15

PERFECT

David wrote that I was able to perfect everything that concerned him.  He knew that I am a merciful God and that My mercy endures forever.

The word, "perfect," in Hebrew means to "complete or bring to an end." David lived a life of fight and flight, but He knew that the day would come when I would successfully bring to an end all that he was concerned about.

You can trust Me to bring to an end any worries that you have about what concerns you.  Pray about everything and be anxious in nothing.  When you do this, you will have both peace in your mind and in your heart. My mercy will carry you through every trial you experience.

PSALM 138:8.

MANGER

 I was placed in a manger in the cave that housed the owner of the inn's livestock.  The manger was the feeding trough designed to feed the animals.

It is meaningful that I was placed in this manger since I am the living bread and My Word is bread.  The words I spoke when I walked on Earth were meant to feed many the truths about why I came and who My Father is.

I am no longer seen in a physical form on earth, but you now are My body since My Spirit lives within you.  Today and every day you have the assignment that I had which is to feed the flock.  I told Peter first to feed My lambs and then to feed My sheep.  Be alert to opportunities daily to share My Word with others.

JOHN 21:15-16

LAMB

I am the Lamb of God Who provided the perfect sacrifice needed to reconcile My father to all mankind. I was born during the lambing season when the shepherds are in the fields watching their flocks by night.  

The shepherds picked the best lambs from their flocks and then wrapped these lambs in swaddling clothes to present to the priests who inspected the lambs to be sure they were without spot or blemish.

When My cousin John first saw Me before he baptized me in the Jordan, He said, "Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." I was born without spot or blemish, but when I was crucified on the tree, I was wounded beyond recognition. Think about these truths during this special season.

JOHN 1:29; 1 PETER 1:19

LOOKING

I know how much you enjoy looking at the Christmas lights. During this season, I want you to enjoy looking at something else.

I want you to enjoy looking for My mercy.  When you keep looking for My mercy on these dark days in your nation and the world, you will be encouraged.

It was because of My Father's mercy that I was born on earth to become the perfect sin sacrifice that would reconcile mankind to My Father and set them free from sin.  Spread this good news to many during this season.  When you keep looking for My mercy, you will keep yourselves in My love.

JUDE 1:21

LOSS

Paul counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Me.  Pray for the My body on earth to grow in the knowledge of Me.

Paul also prayed that the church would know the love of Christ and that they might be filled with all the fulness of God.

These two prayers that Paul prayed are wonderful prayers to pray for the families who have just suffered the loss of their loved ones.  When you go to a memorial service or a funeral, pray that all the family members will grow in their knowledge of Me and My love.  Pray that they be filled with all of My fulness.

PHILIPPIANS 3:7; EPHESIANS 3:19

ADD

This season is a time when people give gifts to those they love.  I have given exceeding great and precious promises to enable you to partake of My very nature.

I have also given you all things that pertain to life and godliness. You may ask what you can give me in return for all that I have given you.

Each day you live, you can add to these wonderful gifts that I have given you.   You can add to your faith the following, virtue, knowledge of My Word, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. I am so blessed when you give Me these gifts that result when you daily yield to My HolySpirit.

2 Peter 1:3-7

VEIL

When I was crucified, the "veil to the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake and the rocks rent;" This is what Matthew recorded when he wrote the gospel of Matthew.

What happened on that fateful day was that the moment I breathed My last breath, the power of My Father, the Holy Spirit, rent the veil from top to bottom.  

I died that day as the perfect sacrifice that would provide the opportunity for all those who believe in Me to know My heavenly Father.  I provided the new and living way through the very veil of My flesh for you to be forgive of your sins, (past, present, and future).  I paid the debt for your sin in full on that day.

MATTHEW 27:51; HEBREWS 10:20

AFFLICTIONS

 I was afflicted for your sake so that I can deliver you from afflictions.  Afflictions are a part of life that most people do not want to remember.  However, I do want you to remember the afflictions I endured for your sake.

When you take communion, I want you to remember the stripes I took to purchase your healing.  I want you to remember the crown of thorns that pierced My scull.  That affliction made it possible for every stronghold (pattern of thinking) that has held you captive to the devil's influence to be pulled down.

The psalmist wrote, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all.  All of My afflictions purchased you complete deliverance from the afflictions My enemy causes.

ISAIAH 53:5; PSALM 34:19

TWINKLING

This is the season when you will see twinkling lights everywhere.  When you see them this Christmas season, I want you to remember the words Paul wrote to the church at Corinth.

He wrote: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52)"

This truth will give you great hope during the dark days you are experiencing.  I am the light of the world, and when I return the skies will be lit with My glory.  Until that time, I want you to let My light within you shine brightly.  

1 CORINTHIANS 15:52

POINTS

 I was tempted in all points just as you are tempted, but I was without sin. He tempted me to eat bread.

Satan first tempts people to give into their five senses.  I created the five senses (touch, taste, see, feel, and hear) to help mankind fully enjoy what I created.

Next, Satan tempted Me to jump off the pinnacle of the Temple.  He wanted Me to take a short cut to God's glory.  Satan always tempts people to go ahead of God. Then Satan offered me the kingdoms on earth if I would bow down and worship him. Satan tempts people to worship other gods instead of Me. 

Remember that I am your high priest who can be touched with the feeling of your infirmities because Satan tempted Me in all the points that you are tempted, yet I was without sin.

HEBREWS 4:15

DEPTH

Paul wrote: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out (Romans11:33). My Father created Me to be all wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for your sake. 

You have My wisdom within you since I live in you and you live in Me.  I want you to tap into that wisdom by asking My Holy Spirit to help you make decisions throughout your day.

You are in right standing with My Father because I was willing to die as the perfect sacrifice to redeem you from Satan's grip. When you believed in Me, you also were sanctified, set apart to serve Me.  I truly am everything you need to live an abundant, blessed life.  It is My delight to share My riches with you.

ROMANS 11:33; 1 CORINTHIANS 1:30