Written by TWFYT
Father's Day - Sunday June 21

"The children whim God has graciously given." Genesis 33:5 NKJV

When we hear the phrase "empty nest," we often think of mothers going through pain and depression as their children move away. But research shows that fathers feel the pain as well—in many cases more intensely than their wives. The movie Father of the Bride is hilarious. But it's also a touching tribute to the love of a father for his daughter. When George, the dad, sits across from his daughter at the dinner table and learns that she's engaged, he takes the news hard. He can't believe what he's hearing. He has to clear his vision because he sees her as his baby girl, then as the tomboy of eight or ten years, and finally as a beautiful young woman of twenty-one. His little girl has grown up, and she's leaving him. He will never agin be the main man in the life of this baby, this little girl, or this beautiful young adult. A part of his life is over, and there's grieving to be done. George's experience is not so unusual. A study asked 400 parents of college freshmen to report their feelings when their son or daughter left home. Surprisingly to some, the fathers took it harder than the mothers. Why? One of the chief explanations was regret. These father had been so busy, working so hard, that they suddenly realized it was too late to build relationships with their grown children. So if you still have teenagers at home, make a decision to regularly enjoy your remaining time with them. Those days will be gone in the blink of an eye.

Written by TWFYT
Saturday June 20

"Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" Isaiah 6:8 NKJV

Do you remember the ten spies who doubted God's ability to deliver on His promise and dissuaded the Israelites from entering the Promised Land? Their doubt was so offensive to God—He had already revealed His power to them through the exodus from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea—that God executed judgement on the spot. The very next day, the Israelites did an about-face. They changed their minds, but it was too little, too late. One day's delay cost them forty years! They missed out on the Promised Land because their reaction time was too slow. Now that doesn't mean you should live in fear of missing out. After all, God is the God of second chances (see Jnh 3:1). But please understand this: inaction is an action, and indecision is a decision. When you're dealing with God, your response time is all important. Paul's ministry began when he had a life-changing encounter with Christ on the Damascus road. Immediately he fell to his knees and cried out: "Lord, what do You want me to do?" (Ac 9:6 NKJV). In the book of Isaiah, when heaven opened and God said, "'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" immediately the prophet Isaiah said, "'Here am I! Send me.' And He said, 'Go, and tell this people'" (Isa 6:8-9 NKJV). You don't want to get ahead of God, and you don't want to lag behind Him. What you want to do is seize the opportunities He gives you as quickly, as decisively, and as boldly as you possibly can. Your reaction time matters.

Written by TWFYT
Friday June 19

"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God." 2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

Today's problem is not necessarily tomorrow's problem. Don't incarcerate yourself by assuming it is. Resist self-labeling: "I'm just a worrier." "Gossip is my weakness." My dad was a drinker; I guess I'll carry on the tradition." Stop that! These words create alliances with the devil. They grant him access to your spirit. It's not God's will that you live a defeated, unhappy life. Turn a deaf ear to the old voices and make new choices. "The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance" (Ps 16:6 NKJV). Live out of your inheritance, not your circumstances. God has already promised you victory and provided you with weapons for the fight. "Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2Co 10:3-4 NKJV). How did Joshua conquer Jericho? By using God's strategy: "Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord" (Jos 6:6 NKJV). The ark of the covenant was the symbol of God's presence. Joshua placed it in the middle of the procession. Every activity orbited around God. The secret of victory is to keep God center stage in your life, using the weapons of worship, Scripture, and prayer. Employ every tool God offers: Scripture memorization and petition. Turn off the TV and open the Bible more. Worry less and pray more. You can conquer your hang-ups by drawing daily on the presence of God.

Written by TWFYT
Thursday June 18

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed." Jeremiah 17:14 NKJV

Dr. A.B. Simpson, founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, was plagued with poor health. Two nervous breakdowns and a heart condition led to a physician telling him—at age thirty-eight—he wouldn't live to be forty. The diagnosis was no surprise to Simpson. Preaching was agonizing for him; even climbing a slight elevation left him breathless. in desperation, he went to his Bible to find out what Jesus had to say about disease, and he became convinced that Jesus wanted to heal him. Shortly after, he went for a walk in the country. Coming to a pine woods, he sat down on a log to rest and pray. He asked about Christ to become his physical life until his life's work was accomplished. He later said, "Every fiber in me was tingling with the sense of God's presence." Days later, he climbed a 3,000 sermons in the next three years, sometimes holding twenty meetings a week. He became a prolific author whose books are still blessing the world. And he died—at the age of seventy-six. In the Bible, Jeremiah prayed: "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed." David said, "O Lord my God, I cried out you You, and You healed me...You brought my soul up from the grave" (Ps 30:2-3 NKJV). Isaiah said, "You will restore me and make me live" (Isa 38:16 NKJV). So pray and believe God for healing.

Written by TWFYT
Wednesday June 17

"We are God's workers, working together." 1 Corinthians 3:9 NCV

A cooperative spirit will become your norm once you embrace the fact that you plant seeds for your own success when you support others. Take the case of Paul and Apollos. Some of the Christians at Corinth felt they had to choose sides as to which one to follow—despite the fact that they preached the same gospel. Paul took them to task for their carnal attitudes. "One of you says, 'I belong to Paul,' and another says, 'I belong to Apollos..' When you say little things like this, you are acting like people of the world. Is Apollos important? No! Is Paul important? No! We are only servants of God who helped you believe. Each one of us did the work God gave us to do. I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it. But God is the one who made it grow. So the one who plants is not important, and the one who waters is not important. Only God, who makes things grow, is important...We are God's workers, working together" (1Co 3:4-9 NCV). In an attempt to blow out another's light so that their own lights can shine, some ministers make disparaging remarks about other ministries. And it's such a turnoff to both believers and non-believers. Paul's primary objective was to spread the gospel, and he wanted to make sure that no minister was hindered from doing so. In his letter to Titus, he encouraged believers to give Apollos their full support: "Do everything you can to help...Apollos" (Tit 3:13 NLT). Such a request could emanate only from a secure heart. So the word for you today is—have a cooperative spirit.

Written by TWFYT
Tuesday June 16

"The kingdom of God is within you." Luke 17:21 NKJV

In one sense, the kingdom of God is future, eternal, and heavenly. When Christ returns to set up His kingdom on earth, the prophecy will be fulfilled; "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!" (Rev 11:15 NKJV). What a glorious day that will be for all of God's redeemed children. But until then, Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you." That means as a born-again believer living in this world, you're called to demonstrate what it means to live under the rule of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Winston Churchill famously quipped: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried." All human governments are flawed and ultimately destined to fail because they are made up of flawed human beings. So as citizens of the kingdom of God, we are called to be "light" that illuminates darkness and dispels ignorance, and "salt" that flavors, cleanses, heals, and enriches the lives of those we come in contact with (see Mt 5:13-14). We are called to practice the principles of God's kingdom in the marketplace of life. Whether you work in education, transportation, medicine, politics, agriculture, IT, sales, manufacturing, etc., you are called to demonstrate the benefits of living under the rule of Christ and by the guidance of His indwelling Holy Spirit. "The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord." When Christ returns, the promise will be totally fulfilled. Until then, Jesus said, "Occupy till I come" (Lk 19:13 KJV).

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Monday June 15

"All things come from You, and of Your own [hand] we have given You." 1 Ch 29:14 NKJV

Many of the heroes in the Bible were wealthy individuals. "Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold" (Ge 13:2 NKJV). King David "died in a good old age, full of days and riches and honor" (1Ch 29:28 NKJV). Barnabas, a wealthy landowner, made possible the expansion of the early church when he sold a piece of real estate and gave the money to the apostles (see Ac 4:36-37). There is nothing wrong with wealth in and of itself. The things that matter are: (1) How you get it. "Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back my fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord" (Jas 5:1,4 NKJV). The God who records and rewards also observes how you do business. (2) How you give it. David said, "All things come from You, and of your own [hand] we have given You." So when God speaks to you to give, try to remember these two things: (a) He is asking for a portion of what already belongs to Him. You don't own it; you manage it for Him. (b) You always reap what you sow. "Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Gal 6:7 NKJV). And in God's economy, you reap more than you sow. If you plant a single grain of corn, you reap a cornstalk with hundred of grains like itself. So give and God will give back to you.

Written by TWFYT
Sunday June 14

"Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" Isaiah 6:8 NKJV

One of the greatest disasters of history took place in 1271. That year, Niccolo and Matteo Polo, the father and uncle of Marco Polo, visited Kublai Khan, who was considered the word ruler—with authority over all China, India, and the entire East. Kublai Khan was attracted to the story of Christianity as Niccolo and Matteo told it to him. He said to them, "You shall go to your high priest and tell him on my behalf to send me a hundred man skilled in your religion and I shall be baptized. And when I am baptized, all my barons and great men will be baptized and their subjects will receive baptism, too. And so there will be more Christians here than there are in your parts of the world." But amazingly, nothing was done in response to what Kublai Khan requested. Only after thirty years was a handful of missionaries sent. Too few, too late! Christian leaders in the West apparently didn't have the vision to see the East won to Christ. The mind boggles at the possible ways the world might be different today if thirteen-century China, India, and the other areas of Asia had become Christian. Now it's up to us! You say, "What can I do? I'm only one person." You can do three things: (1) "Pray the Lord of the harvest to send our laborers into His harvest" (Mt 9:39 NKJV). (2) Give, so that the unsaved can be reached with the gospel (see 2Co 9:7). (3) If God calls you, go! "Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"

Written by TWFYT
Saturday June 13

"My soul, what thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." Psalm 62:5 KJV

We all have expectations of others. Many times, we may not be totally aware of our expectations, or we don't express them or will not acknowledge that they are unrealistic. Therefore, they can cause us a great deal of frustration. Failed expectations will always create stress if we allow them. Unfortunately, some of the most harmful expectations are the ones we have of ourselves. "I should be able to raise three children, have dinner on the table each night, work ten-hour days, and look perfect when my husband walks through the door." Make a list of your key expectations beginning with the most important people in your life, and list your key expectations of each person. Try to be objective in whether they are realistic. Understand the origin or core reason for an expectation. Have you shared these expectations? If not, why not? Do you fear rejection? What is the worst that could happen? Are you willing to negotiate some of your expectations? To preserve your peace, there may be instances in which you may have to eliminate certain expectations. The psalmist wrote: "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him." That means you may have to expect less from people and more from God. Don't set yourself up to be frustrated. Bring your expectations before God for a valuation. Let Him weed out the unrealistic ones and give you the courage to express the ones that need to be communicated. Trust God to influence the hearts of those involved so your expectations don't become a source of stress for you or them.

Written by TWFYT
Friday June 12

"Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV

How can you grow spiritually? By doing these five things: (1) Rediscover the Bible. You will never grow spiritually without soaking your mind in Scripture. When Jesus told the devil, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Mt 4:4 NKJV), He was quoting a verse from Deuteronomy that He'd memorize. If Jesus needed the Scriptures, you do too. (2) Restart your prayer life. Charles Spurgeon said, "As well could you expect a plant to grow without air and water as to  expect your heart to grow without prayer and faith." When you venture into the realm of the impossible and start praying for God to move supernaturally in your life, you will begin to see miracles. (3) Reconnect with God's people. "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together...but encouraging one another" (Heb 10:24-25 NIV). (4) Resist your sinful habits. "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not show you a way out so that you can endure" (1Co 10:13 NLT). Always choose God's "way out." (5) Invest in others. God has a place for you to serve and people for you to invest in. Make a quality decision that you are not going to just sit in church and soak up one sermon; instead, begin to act on what you have learned. 

Written by TWFYT
Thursday June 11

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21 NKJV

During the Korean War, a South Korean civilian was arrested by the communists and ordered to be shot. When the young communist leader learned that the prisoner in his charge was the head of an orphanage caring for young children, he decided to spare him. Instead, he ordered the execution of the man's son. The nineteen-year-old son was shot in the presence of his father. After the war, the young communist leader was captured by United Nations forces and condemned to death. But before the sentence could be carried out, the Christian whose son had been killed pleaded for the life of the killer. He argued that the communist had been young when he ordered the execution, and that he really didn't know what he was doing. "Give him to me," the man requested, "and I will train him." Unusual though it was, the United Nations forces granted his request, and the father took the murderer of his son into his own home and took care of him. The Bible says, "Love never fails". (1Co 13:8 NKJV). And by being exposed to the love of God, that young communist leader became a Christian and eventually went to become the pastor of a church. Have you been hurt, betrayed, or treated unfairly? Instead of retailing in anger, handle it scripturally: "Never pay back evil with more evil...Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, 'I will take revenge; I will pay them back,' says the Lord...Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good" (Ro 12:17, 19, 21 NLT). 

Written by TWFYT
Wednesday June 10

"The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed." Matthew 13:31 NIV

Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his filed. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches" (vv. 31-32 NIV). A mustard seed is only two millimeters in diameter and comes in three primary varieties: yellow, black, and white. Within that seed is a remarkable nutritional profile, including vitamins A, B6, B12, C, E, and K. It's also a source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Jesus pointed out that when it's planted, it can grow up and become one of the largest trees in the garden, blessing the birds of the air by providing them with a home. Paul wrote: "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower...multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness" (2Co 9:10 NKJV). Who does God give "seed" to? Sowers, not hoarders! What does God do with your seed when you sow it? He multiplies it! The seed you sow can be in the form of time, service, wisdom, money, compassion, etc. And God promises that when you sow, you will reap His blessing. "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2Co 9:8 NIV). God has given you seed—sow it!

Written by TWFYT
Tuesday June 9

"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal truthfully are His delight." Proverbs 12:22 NKJV

Rosalie Elliot made it to the fourth round of a national spelling contest in Washington, DC. The eleven-year-old from South Carolina was asked to spell the word avowal. In her soft southern accent, she spelled the word, but the judges were unable to determine is she had used an a or an e as next-to-last letter. They debated among themselves for several minutes as they listened to the recording, but it was too accent-blurred to decipher. Finally, the chief judge put the question to the only person who knew the answer. "Was the letter an a, or was it an e?" he asked Rosalie. Bu this time, being surrounded by whispering young spellers, Rosalie knew the correct spelling of the word. Still, without hesitation, she replied that she had misspelled the word, and she walked from the stage. The entire audience stood and applauded, including some fifty newspaper reporters. The moment was a proud one for her parents. Even in defeat, she was a victor. Indeed, more has been written about Rosalie Elliot over the years than about the "unknown" winner of the event. As a redeemed child of God, your Heavenly Father requires honesty in word and deed. "The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment" (Pr 12:19 NKJV). "Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds" (Col 3:9 NKJV). "Therefore, put away lying, 'Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of on another" (Eph 4:25 NKJV).

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Monday June 8

"Sensible people control their temper." Proverbs 19:11 NLT

Anger scares me of us because we've been harmed by it. But anger can be evidence that a person cares about someone or something. Nothing wrong is ever made right without someone, becoming angry about it. If you shut down all anger, you eliminate passion, intimacy, and love. Here are two ways to make anger work for you: (1) Direct your anger at the right target. Your spouse is not the enemy; Satan is. He comes to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (Jn 10:10 KJV). He's the one trying to drive a wedge between you. Consciously move your focus from your spouse to the problem For example, get angry at your lack of finances, not your spouse's spending. Get angry at demands pulling you in different directions, not your spouse staying late at work. Get angry at limitations on intimacy, not your spouse saying no to sex. Put the problem "out there," separate from you and your spouse. See yourselves as fighting the problem together. Attack the problem, not each other. (2) Look for the pain. Find the pain that triggered the anger; it's almost always there. Look for it in your spouse and in your own heart. What need isn't being met? What wound has been exposed? What shame or fear is aroused? When you identify the pain, you'll be miles closer to the solution. But beware! By being vulnerable, you may end up wounding each other sometimes; acknowledge it and forgive quickly. Staying engaged while risking vulnerability will increase intimacy more than anything else. So embrace anger as God's gift, and learn how to make it work for you.

Written by TWFYT
Sunday June 7

"Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." James 1:19 NLT

You can use anger to actually deepen the bond and intimacy between you and your spouse. Here's how: (1) Acknowledge the place of anger. A person ruled by anger is not safe, healthy, or wise. "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls" (Pr 25:28 NKJV). But if you and your spouse can learn to rule anger instead of letting it rule you, it can be invaluable. Think of the emotion as flare sent up by your brain telling you there's something you need to deal with. Find your own way to acknowledge your feelings. If you struggle to control your anger, take a walk and let the temperature decrease. Then come back, re-engage, and deal with the issue. (2) Don't run away. If you're truly in danger, you need to get somewhere safe. But if not, staying engaged with your spouse validates the feelings of both of you. It's the only to get a solution. If either of you is angry, agree to deal with it. You may need to plan a time to do so, but don't wait long. If nothing else, determine to deal with it before going to sleep that night. You may not find a solution to the whole problem, but make a pact to defuse the situation before the day ends. "Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil" (Eph 4:26-27 NLT). If necessary, schedule a time to address the issue. You both deserve it, and your marriage is worth it.

Written by TWFYT
Saturday June 6

"Quicken thou me according to thy word." Psalm 119:25 KJV

The Bible was meant to be prayed through, meditated on, and lived out. The key is the quickening of the Holy Spirit. "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he...shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit" (Ro 8:11 KJV). In this instance, "quickening" refers to our bodily resurrection from the dead. But the Holy Spirit quickens us in more ways than one. Sometimes it's a God-given idea that fires across our synapses. Sometimes it's a prompting to step up, step in, or step out in faith. Sometimes it's a word of wisdom on a difficult situation. When the Holy Spirit quickens you in a way, don't hesitate. Act in the idea, seize the opportunity, and speak the Word. This word quicken has several meanings. Lets' look at three of them: (1) To quicken means to catalyze. Think chemistry. Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word is living and active. The same Spirit that inspired the writers in Scripture also inspires you as you read. And when the Living Word is catalyzed by faith, a supernatural reaction takes place that forgives sin, relieves fear, heals sickness, inspires ideas, and births dreams. (2) To quicken means to transfer possession. Think of real estate. You just can't put a contract on a home; you have to go to settlement. By faith, we take ownership of the Word, and the Word takes ownership of us. When the Word is quickened, it seals the deal. (3) To quicken also means to conceive. When the Word is conceived, it impregnates you with possibilities, changes your desires, eradicates your fears, and forms the mind of Christ in you.

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Friday June 5

"As commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." Joshua 5:14 NIV

The Bible says: "When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.' Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?' The commander of the Lord's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did so" (vv. 13-15 NIV). The message here is unmistakable: Jericho may have its walls, but, Joshua, you have more. You have God. He is with you. Isn't that the word Joshua needed—a reminder of God's almighty presence? Isn't that what you need—to know that God is near, that you are never alone, and that in your darkest hour, in your deepest questions, the Lord will never leave you? David said; "Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine...I will bless the Lord who guides me...I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice" (Ps 16:5, 7-9 NLT). Are you facing a Jericho-level challenge? Do what Joshua did: "He lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him" (Jos 5:13 NJKV). You've looked at the problem long enough. Lift your eyes to the problem solver—Jesus!

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Thursday June 4

"The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them." Romans 8:14 NCV

If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He He will guide you toward God's blessings for your own life and toward opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God's Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need. Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel toward it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt. When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognize as God guiding him, was very strong. A the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. "It must be a signal!" Williams concluded. Sure enough, on the beach were sixteen men who'd been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. Sixteen lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. "The true children of God are those who let God's Spirit lead them."

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Wednesday June 3

"She perceives that her merchandise is good." Proverbs 31:18 NKJV

Let's look at four liberating truths in this Scripture: (1) "She perceives that her merchandise is good." She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you'er insecure and don't value what you have, others may be able to minimize it and convince you that it's not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated is she doesn't  get it. (2) "She "perceives that her merchandise is good." To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares. (3) "She perceives that her merchandise is good." She's not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise she used to have. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God's hands. Anxiety has no place in her life. So the word for you today is—what you've got is good!

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Tuesday June 2

"My Presence will go with you." Exodus 33:14 NKJV

Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realized the truth of the Psalmist's words—that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (see Ps 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a "habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God." He's known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. "The good brother found God everywhere," one of them wrote, "as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community." After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last four centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelist, and his book is still on best-seller lists. Brother Lawrence said: "The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way."

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Monday June 1

"Be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord." James 5:7 NKJV

When it comes to Christ's return, five questions arise: (1) What is the Lord's coming? It's the fulfillment of His promise: "In My Father's house are many mansions...I go to prepare a place for you. And...I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you maybe also" (Jn 14:2-3 NKJV). (2) Whose coming is it? Christ's! When he ascended back to heaven, an angel announced: "This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven" (Ac 1:11 NKJV). (3) Why is Jesus coming back? His first coming was as the suffering servant who died on the cross for our sins. His second coming is to usher in a time of peace on earth and an eternity in His presence. His first coming. He dwelt with us for a while. At His second coming, He will take us to dwell with Him forever. (4) Where is His coming? "The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught  up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (1Th 4:16-17 NKJV). (5) When is He coming? Jesus said, "Of that a day and hour no on knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only" (Mt 24:36 NKJV). If you're wise, you'll live each day as if Christ could return at any moment—because He could!

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Sunday May 31

"You have been my hope...my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you." Psalm 71:5-6 NIV

Here are some confidence-building Scriptures you should read, memorize, pray, and stand on each day: (1) "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (2Pe 1:3 NIV). (2) "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him" (1Jn 5:14-15 NIV). (3) "The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him" (2Ch 16:9 NIV). (4) "Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when hear comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" (Jer 17:7-8 NIV). (5) "Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb 4:16 NIV). (6) "We say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" (Heb 13:6 NIV). (7) "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Php 1:6 NIV).

Written by TWFYT
Saturday May 30

"You have heard that it was said...But I say to you." Matthew 5:21-22 NKJV

Around the turn of the nineteenth century, a Russian physician named Ivan Pavlov won a Nobel Prize for his experiments with dogs. All of them had one thing in common—they salivated around food. But Pavlov wanted to find out it salvation could be caused by another stimulus, so he conditioned the dogs by ringing a bell before feeding them. Eventually the dinner bell caused salvation, even if the food wasn't served. Pavlov referred to this learned relationship as a conditional reflex. We have all been consciously or subconsciously conditioned our entire lives. Much of our behavior was dictated by those conditioned reflexes. Some conditioned reflexes are a normal and natural as a blush. Others are as destructive as drinking to drown your sorrows. But conscious or subconscious, harmless or harmful, one thing is certain: we are far more conditioned than we realize. And one dimension of our spiritual growth id being reconditioned by the grace of God. Jesus said, "You have hear that it was said...But I say to you." Jesus uses this couplet repeatedly. What was He doing? He was uninstalling Old Testament applications and reinstalling New Testament truths. It was no longer "An eye for an eye." Jesus upgraded it to "Turn to them the other cheek," which required reconditioned reflexes (See Mt 5:38-39 NIV) Sometimes it's much easier to act like a Christian than to react like one. How does this change in our reactions take place? By the Holy Spirit. "We are being changed to be like him [Jesus]. This change...comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2Co 3:18 NCV).

Written by TWFYT
Friday May 29

"Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all." Matthew 12:15 KJV

Do you find yourself wondering if Jesus is willing to heal you? Let's look at the ministry of Jesus Christ, whom the Bible says is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Heb 13:8 NKJV). That means if He did it before, He will do it again. As you read about the many healings and miracles Jesus performed on a continual bases, it will cause your faith to grow and your expectations to rise. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Ro 10:17 KJV). Throughout the gospels, people with various sicknesses went to Jesus for healing. Some were near death, and some were actually dead. There were people with strong faith, and others who struggled to believe. All the people Jesus healed were unsaved, as Jesus had not yet purchased salvation on the cross. The keys to every one of these miracles are: (1) Those who were sick made sure they were in the presence of Jesus: (2) They willingly received His word and acted on it. Read about some of the miracles Jesus performed: (1) Simon's mother-in-law healed of a fever (see Mt 8:14-15); (2) The resurrection of Jairus's daughter (see Mk 5:21-24, 35-43); (3) Healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mk 5:25-34); (6) A blind man healed (see Mk 7:32-41); Jesus never said no to a cry for help and healing: "Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all" (Mt 12:15 KJV). And what He did for them, He can do for you if you pray and believe His Word.

Written by TWFYT
Thursday May 28

"He has created us anew on Christ Jesus...[to] do the good things he planned for us." Ephesians 2:10 NLT

A farmer once caught a young eagle in the forest, brought it home, and raised it among his chickens and turkeys. Five years later, a naturalist came to visit him and saw the bird. "That's an eagle, not a chicken!" he said. "Yes," said the farmer, "but I've raised it to be a chicken." That naturalist said, "it has a wingspan of fifteen feet. It's an eagle!" The farmer said, "But it will never fly." The naturalist disagreed, and they decided to put their argument to the test. First, the naturalist picked up the eagle and said, "Thou art an eagle; thou dost belong in the sky and not to this earth; stretch forth thy wings and fly." The eagle saw the chickens and jumped down. The next day, the naturalist took the eagle to the top of the house, said the same things, and let the eagles. Again, it spotted the chickens below and fluttered down to join them in feeding. "One more try," said the naturalist. He took the eagle up a mountain. The trembling bird looked around, and then the naturalist made it looks into the sun. As he spoke its true identity once more, suddenly the eagle stretched out its wings, gave a mighty screech, and flew away, never to return. You must know who God created and called you to be. And that takes place in the right environment, the right company, and with the right input—God's input! "He has created us anew in Christ Jesus...[to] do the good things He planned for us."