Written by TWFYT
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!

Written by TWFYT
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."

Written by TWFYT
Wednesday May 27

"I can do all things through Christ." Philippians 4:13 NKJV

Consider these examples of resistance to inventions that we now consider commonplace and enjoy every day: In Germany, "experts said that if trains went as fast as fifteen to twenty miles an hour—considered a frightful speed— blood would spurt form the travelers' noses and passengers would suffocate when going through tunnels. In America, experts said the introduction of the railroad would require the building of many insane asylums, since people would be driven mad with terror at the sight of the locomotives. When the idea of iron ships was first proposed, experts insisted that they would not float, it would be difficult to preserve the iron bottom from rust, and that iron would play havoc with compass readings. In 1797, when the first cast-iron plow was invented, farmers in New Jersey rejected it, saying the cast iron would poison the ground and stimulate the growth of weeds. When the YMCA in New York welcomed the invention of the typewriter and announced typing lessons for women, protests erupted on the grounds that the female constitution would break down under the strain. Now consider these statement, each of which is a product of a negative mindset: (1) "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible" (Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895). (2) "Man will never tap the power of the atom" (Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize winner in physics, 1923). (3) "Everything that can be invented has been invented" (Charles H. Duell,U.S. Patent Officer Director, 1899). If you want to accomplish great things and be used by God, become an "I can" person.

Written by TWFYT
Tuesday May 26

"The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" Proverbs 20:24 NLT

Marian wanted to become a concert singer, a challenge that was doubly difficult because of the color of her skin. Her mother, however, had a patient trust in God. Marian later said, "Mother's religion made her believe she could receive what was right for her if she was conscientious in her faith. If it did not come, it was because God had not considered it right for her. We grew up in this atmosphere of faith that she created...We believed as she did, because she wanted the same kind of haven in the time of storm." When Marian was denied admission to a famous music conservatory on account what she hoped to do at the conservatory. That someone arrived a few weeks later. One of Philadelphia's outstanding voice teachers, Giuseppe Boghetti, made room for her to become one of the most popular singers of the twentieth century. On Easter Sunday in 1939, she sang to seventy-five thousand people at the Lincoln Memorial and gave a performance never to be forgotten by those present. Solomin said these two things about God's guiding hand in our lives: (1) "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" (2) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take" (Pr 3:5-6 NLT).

Written by TWFYT
Monday May 25

"We will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 NIV

The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom beyond our knowledge, power beyond our strength, and gifting beyond our ability. With His help, we become better than our best effort and better than our best thought. We become the best version of ourselves possible. Of course, this takes a lifetime. Hence, Paul wrote: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." It's hard to imagine a farmer planting a crop of beans and then being surprised that it didn't produce corn. Why? Because you reap what you sow. Yet some of us seem shocked when the seeds of sin yield their crop. So, what are you planting? Love or hate? Joy or ingratitude? Patience or impatience? Self-control or self-indulgence? You cannot break the law of sowing and reaping, but it can break you or make you—if you keep sowing the right seeds. Want a bumper crop? Then you need more of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit can't fill you if you're full of yourself. So, a prerequisite to having more of the Holy Spirit is being honest, being humble, and being hungry. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the nine fruits the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. So, if you want more of the Holy Spirit, it means you literally want more love, more joy, more peace, more forbearance, more kindness, more goodness, more faithfulness, more gentleness, and more self-control (see Gal 5:22-23 NIV). The good news is, you can have as much of the Holy Spirit as you want. 

Written by TWFYT
Sunday May 24

"The Helper, the Holy Spirit...will teach you al things." John 14:26 NKJV

Jesus said: "The Helper, the Holy Spirit...will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." When you need to make a critical decision, you need to "the spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Eph 1:17 NKJV). When you're in a difficult situation and unsure of what to say: "Just say whatever is given to you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit" (Mk 13:11 NIV). When you find it hard to show love? "The fruit of the Spirit is love" (Gal 5:22 NIV). The same is true with every fruit of the Spirit. Do you need to overcome an addiction? "The fruit of the Spirit is...self-control" (v. 22-23 AMPC). Of course, that's an oxymoron because it doesn't come from you. It's the Spirit who manufactures it, so it's really Spirit-control. What you need more of is the Holy Spirit. And for the record, the Spirit of God doesn't just want to fill you; He also wants to stretch you and increase your capacity. If you feel like your life is in chaos today, the Spirit of God is hovering—just as He did at the dawn of creation when He brought light out of darkness, order out of chaos, and beauty out of nothingness (see Ge 1:1-3). No matter what question you have, the Holy Spirit is the answer. No matter what problem you face, the Holy Spirit is the solution. You need as much of Him as you can get, so you need to yield as much of yourself to Him as you can. 

Written by TWFYT
Saturday May 23

"Be strong and courageous!" Joshua 1:9 NLT

When God told Joshua, 'Be strong and courageous," the word be really means become. It's not like a computer in which you enter a password and "hey, presto!" you're courageous. Courage is a quality you grow into. Like filling bigger shoes, the more you walk in them, the more comfortable they become. Joshua had already been to the Promised Land. He knew there were seven nations to be conquered. He was well aware of the problems he'd have to face. So, God said: (1) "Do no be afraid of those nations, for the Lord...is among you,  and he is a great awesome God" (Dt 7:21 NLT). The job you're about to take on may look more like a battlefield than a bed of roses, but God will be with you. He will give you solutions for the problems and strength for the battles. (2) "The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you" (Dt 7:22 NLT). God will go ahead of you and arrange everything. He will help you make the right connections and provide you with the needed resources. (3) "The Lord...will drive those nations out...little by little. You will not clear them away all at once." (v. 22 NLT). God works in us one area at a time. Life's not one big battle; it's a series of small daily struggles required to defeat the enemies that stand in your way. Twenty-three chapters later, God was still telling Israel to be courageous. Courage is like oxygen; you can't survive without it. It's not the absence of fear; it's the conquest of it. Courage means doing it afraid until you conquer your fear. 

Written by TWFYT
Friday May 22

"Perfect love drives out fear." 1 John 4:18 NIV

Research showing that love mindsets are the norm while fear mindsets are learned is revolutionary for scientists. But it's not new if you look at Scripture: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives our fear." Over the past several decades, scientists have researched the anatomy and physiology of love and fear. These are two different systems, and at any one conscious moment, we will be operating in one or the other. Science is showing us that there is a massive "unlearning" of negative toxic thoughts when we operate in love. We can unlearn negative fear—it is not part of our innate natural functioning. Recent neuroscientific research demonstrates that some of the chemicals the brain releases when we were operating in love including oxytocin, which literally melts away the negative toxic thought clusters so that rewiring of new, non-toxic circuits can happen. This chemical also flows when we trust, bond, and reach out to others. So, choosing to operate in live can literally "drive out fear." Research also shows that when we do good things and reach out in love, endorphins and serotonin are also released. These detoxify our brains and increase our motivation and wisdom, helping us handle life more successfully. We see the profound consequences of choosing between love and fear in Scripture: "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life" (Dt 30:19 NIV). In Ecclesiastes 7:29 (NLT) we are told, "God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path." The choice is yours: walk in fear or walk in love. 

Written by TWFYT
Thursday May 21

"Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Hebrews 12:1 NKJV

In March 1987, Eamon Coughlan was running in the qualifying heat at the World Indoor Track Championships in Indianapolis. He was the reigning world record holder at 2500 meters and was favored to win the race. Unfortunately, with two and a half laps left, he tripped and fell hard. But he got up, and with great effort managed to catch the race leaders. With twenty yards to go, he was in third place, which would have been good enough to qualify for the final race. Then Coughlan made a fatal mistake—he looked over his shoulder to the inside. Seeing no one there, he relaxed his effort slightly. What he hadn't noticed was that a runner was charging hard on the outside. This runner passed him just a yard before the finish line, eliminating him from the finals. Coughlan's great comeback effort ended up being worthless for only one reason: He momentarily took his eyes off the finish line and focused on the would-be competitors behind him. The writer of the book of Hebrews said, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so refers to things that are legitimate but can cost you the race. So lay them both aside and "run with endurance the race that is set before [you], looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (vv. 1-2 NKJV).

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Wednesday May 20

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Prayer Pastor Heidi Scanlon said: "God has blessings for us in categories we don't even know exist." That means God can create something out of nothing. He can seemingly come out of nowhere, and just when you need Him most, give you something  you don't even have a category for, God says: "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts'" (Isa 55:8-9 NIV). You say, "If God has blessings that I don't even have categories for, how can I ask for them?" That's where the Holy Spirit, who dwells within you, does to your aid: "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us...in accordance with the will of God" (Ro 8:26-27 NIV). And because the Holy Spirit prays in accordance with the will of God, you are blessed with wisdom beyond your knowledge, power beyond your strength, and favor beyond your ability. Paul put it this way: "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Eph 3:20-21 NIV). Now you still must do your due diligence, for God cannot bless negligence. But when you know you've faithfully done your part and obeyed God, you can trust Him for blessings  beyond your imagination.

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Tuesday May 19

"Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

Back in the days of the great western cattle ranches in America, a little burro would sometimes be harnessed to a wild horse and then turned loose onto the range. The wild horse would drag the burro for miles, throwing him around like a bag of feed. In several days, however, they would return. The little burrow would be seen first, trotting back toward the ranch with his submissive steed in tow. Somewhere out in the wild, the horse would become exhausted and try to free itself of the burro. At that moment, the burro became the. master of the two. The slow, patient, unimportant animal became the leader over the faster, more volatile, and more prized one. What made the difference? Having a steadfast purpose!  And what was the burro's purpose? Going back home to the ranch! So no matter how many times they fought, tugged on the rope, and ended up on their backs kicking and fuming, each time the burro got back on his feet, he would take a few more steps in the direction of the ranch. It was only a matter of time until the tired and exhausted horse decided to join him. One of the greatest themes of Scripture is having a steadfast purpose. Samuel told the Israelites: "Do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver" (1 Sa 12:21 NKJV). Isaiah wrote: "I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed" (Isa 50:7 NKJV). Paul wrote: "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

Written by TWFYT
Monday May 18

"Joshua...lifted his eyes...and behold, a Man stood opposite him." Joshua 5:13 NKJV

In late January 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. received a threatening telephone call at his house. It was not the first foreboding message he'd received. But on this night, as his children and his wife lay sleeping, the weigh of the Civil Rights Movement was too heavy. He decided that the risk was too great. He began to map out an exit strategy. At midnight he bowed over the kitchen table and began to pray, "I am afraid. The people are looking to me for leadership, and if I stand before them without strength and courage, they too will falter. I am at the end of my powers. I have nothing left. I've come to the point where I can't face it alone." King described what happened next. "I experienced the presence of the Divine as I have never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying: 'Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.'" When facing a daunting challenge, Dr. King shifted his focus and turned to God. The Bible says: "WhenJoshua was by Jericho....he lifted his eyes...and behold, a Man stood opposite him." After Joshua lifted his eyes from Jericho, a divine messenger stood before him with the solution to his problem. As long as your eyes are only on your problem, you won't see your problem solver. You must look up. "I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord" (Ps 121:1-2 NKJV).

Written by TWFYT
Sunday May 17

"The Lord said to Joshua: 'See! I have given Jericho into your hand." Joshua 6:2 NKJV

Here's what you need to know about the walls of Jericho: They were immense. They wrapped around the city like a suit of armor, forty feet above the ground. They were impenetrable. Here is what you need to know about Joshua: He didn't bring the walls down—God did. And God will do that for you too. Your Jericho is your fear, anger, bitterness, or prejudice. It's also your insecurity about the future; your guilt about the past; and your negativity, anxiety, and productivity to criticize, over-analyze, or compartmentalize. Your Jericho is any circumstance, attitude, or mindset that keeps your from joy, peace, or rest. Jericho blocks your way, so its walls must fall! "Go in to posses the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess" (Jos 1:11 NKJV). The verb translated as "possess" means "to occupy by driving out previous tenants and possessing in their place." But Satan won't leave without a fight. He will resist. He will push back. But he will not win. Why? Because God has already declared that you are the victor. "The Lord said to Joshua: 'See! I have given Jericho into your hand.'" God did not say, "Joshua, take the city." God said, "Joshua, receive the city I have taken." The same can be said about you and your challenge. You say, "If God has done it for me, what do I have to do?" (1) Receive your victory by faith, just as you receive your salvation. (2) Speak victory. be sure your words line up with God's words. (3) Walk out your victory, one day at a time.

Written by TWFYT
Saturday May 16

"How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!' Psalm 119:103 NKJV

In ancient Jewish culture, formal education began at six years of age. Jewish boys enrolled in the local synagogue school called bet sefer, which means "house of the book." By the time they graduated four years later, they had memorized the entire Torah—every jot and tittle of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy was engraved on their cerebral cortex via memorization. There goes our excuse for not being able to remember, right? According to tradition, the rabbi would instruct his class to lick the honey off their slates while reciting Psalm 119:103: "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (NKJV). That was the first and perhaps most important lesson in their entire education. The rabbi wanted his students to fall in love with the Word of God. He wanted them to taste and see that the Word is good (see Ps 34:8) Jeremiah thought so: "Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart" (Jer 15:16 NKJV). David said: "The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (Ps 119:130 NKJV). Solomon said: "For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding" (Pr 2:6 NKJV). When you acquire a taste for God's Word, the Holy Spirit who is the author of the Word, will do two things for you. First, He will reveal it to you. Second, He will remind you of it.

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Friday May 15

"By this you shall know that the living God is among you." Joshua 3:10 NKJV

As the Jordan River swelled to a mile in width, crossing it was no small task. Especially with millions of people! God said, "Go over this Jordan, you and all this people" (Jos 1:2 NKJV). Do you think they were scared? Would you have been? "The feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water" (Jos 3:15 NKJV). It was the smallest of steps, but with God, the smallest step of faith can activate the mightiest of miracles. As they touched the water, the flow stopped as if someone had shut off the water main, Next, we read: "All Israel crossed over on dry ground" (v. 17 NKJV). By performing this miracle, God wanted them to know: "By this you shall know that the living God is among you." For Joshua's people, assurance came as they stood on dry land looking back at the Jordan. For us, assurance came as we stand on the finished work of Christ and look back at the cross. Let the cross convince you. Be settles about God's faithfulness. The psalmist describes a person of faith this way: "He is settles in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him" (Psalm 112:7 TLB). Life has many unanswered questions, but God's promise to save you needn't be one of them. "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Ro 8:32 NKJV). Rest in your redemption. The past is past. Your future is bright.

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Thursday May 14

"I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you." Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

Dr. George Washington Carver overcame racial prejudice and became and educator, scientist, and inventor who was honored by the U.S. Congress. He was also a follower of Christ. And here's what he had to say about prayer: "My prayers seem to be more of an attitude than anything else. I indulge in very little lip service, but ask the Great Creator silently, daily, and often many times a day to permit me to speak to Him...I ask Him...to give me wisdom, understanding, and bodily strength to do His will; hence I am asking and receiving all the time." Carver gave the world many inventions and was most famous for what he could do with a peanut. He stood on the truth of these Scriptures: "I will go before you and make the crooked places straight" (Isa 45:2 NKJV). "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (Jer 33:3 NKJV). "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand" (Isa 41:10 NKJV). Pay particular attention to Carver's word: "I am asking and receiving all the time." Prayer was not his last resort, but his first choice. To him, it was more than religious ritual; it was a means of constant communication with God he loved, sometimes talking and sometimes listening, but at all times sensitive to and aware of the presence of God. And daily prayer should be that for you too.

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Wednesday May 13

"One standing alone can be...defeated, but two can...conquer." Ecclesiastes 4:12 TLB

Solomon wrote: "One standing alone can be...defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer." What Solomon is saying is this: "Be a team player." Deuteronomy 32 speaks of one person chasing 1,000 and two putting 10,000 to flight (v. 30). The lesson is that two working together will be ten times more effective than one going solo. Teams create synergy. The best explanation of synergy is that a hand is more effective than five fingers working independently of each other. When the press interviewed Edmund Hillary regarding the key to his success in being the first to reach the top of Mount Everest, his response was inspiring: "Our greatest strength on Everest in 1953 was our very strong team spirit, individually, as mountaineers, we were not particularly expert people. We were competent climbers, but we worked together, and we were determined that someone should get to the top. All of us, of course, wanted to be that one, but it was even more important that someone in the group reached the summit. In modern-day climbing, this team spirit is not quite so common. There are many more great individualism but who may not work together as enthusiastically as we did." The truth is that no individual is as smart and strong as all of us are as a group. Or to put in the words of Dr. John Maxwell: "Teamwork makes the dream work." So be willing to sacrifice tour personal agenda for the greater good that can be accomplished only by a team.

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Tuesday May 12

"My voice You shall hear in the morning O Lord." Psalm 5:3 NKJV

How do you start your day with God? If you're not a "morning person," don't put pressure on yourself to have an extended time of reading Scripture and praying first thing in the morning. Frank Laubach, a modern-day master of practicing the presence of God, said, "If you are weary of some sleepy form of devotion, probably God is as weary of it as you are." Instead of forcing yourself in the morning, try to arrange—as early as you can after you wake up—to have just a few minutes alone with God. Do three things: First, acknowledge your dependence on God. Second, tell Him about your concerns for the day. Third, invite God to spend the day with you. The Psalmist said, "My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord...I will direct it to You, and I will look up." Then he added, "I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word" (Ps 119:147 NKJV). So how can you start your day with God? Don't attempt to do a lot of new or heroic things. Just do the things you normally do—only do them with God. In our culture, we often talk about embracing the moment and seizing the day. But we are not meant to embrace moments; we are meant to embrace God. Moments are not always good; God is never anything but good. "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!" (Ps 118:1 NKJV) Remind yourself that today God is with you, and that He will be good to you and for you.

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Monday May 11

"We count them blessed who endure." James 5:11 NKJV

James wrote: "My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful" (Jas 5:10-11 NKJV). Here we are reminded to look back and be challenged and encouraged by those who went before us as we await the Lord's coming. Look back at Hosea: His wife deserted him, but he faithfully hung in there and God restored their marriage (see Hos 3:1-3 NKJV). Look back at Daniel: He was thrown into a lions' den for standing firm in his faith, but God delivered and promoted him (see Da 6:1-28). Look back at Jeremiah: He was arrested, accused of being a traitor, and thrown into a well to die (see Jer 37-38) But he looked up, and God delivered him. Then there's the roll call of the faithful listed in Hebrews eleven! Those of us who have been rejected by family members can look back to Abel (see v. 4). Those who are misunderstood can look back to Noah (see v. 7). Those battling a crisis of faith and who seem to be up against the impossible can look back to Abraham (see v.v. 8-10) If you've been used or abused, look back to Joseph (see v. 22). Those confronted by seemingly insurmountable obstacles in life can look back to Joshua (see v. 30). Those seeking to move beyond a sinful past can look back to Rahab (see. 31). So, this is the word for you today: Look back and be encouraged.

Written by TWFYT
Mother's Day - Sunday May 10

"Then He said to the disciple [John], 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciples took her to his own home." John 19:27 NKJV

The Bible says: "now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother...When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, 'Woman behold your son!' Then He said to the disciple [John], 'Behold your mother!' And from that hour that disciple took her as his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished...said...'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit" (vv. 25-30 NKJV). Jesus was about to speak some of His last words as He hung on the cross. He was about to perform His last act. What would he do? What would he say? He had the power to call legions of angels to His defense, but He didn't. He could have explained the theology of His incarnation, His sinless life, and His vicarious death, but He didn't. This is what He spoke: "Woman, look—your son. Son, look—your mother." There is much discussion about how Mother's Day began, and where, and who was responsible for it. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. And in America, more phone calls are made on Mother's Day than any other day in the year. But the Scriptures indicate that Mother's Day began with Jesus, who honored His mother till His dying breath and who did all He could to care for her. And the Bible says: "He is your example, and you must follow in his steps" (1Pe 2:21 NLT).

Written by TWFYT
Saturday May 9

"Those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit." Romans 8:5 ESV

Neuroscientists tell us that every sound, every experience, every conscious thought, and every subconscious dream is recorded and literally engraved on our external hard drive, the cerebral cortex. Now juxtapose that with this: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Php 2:5 NKJV). Simply put: the mind of Christ is the Word of God. After all, Jesus is "the Word" (Jn 1:1). When you pray, or meditate, or memorize Scripture, you are engraving Jesus on your brain. Neurologically speaking, you are recruiting new neuro connections and rerouting old ones. Slowly but surely, your brain is being rewired and renewed. Think of it as mind sync. You are downloading the very words, the very thoughts of God. And over time, those downloads are upgrades that form the mind of Christ in us. Note what author Mark Batterson says about how he reads the Bible, "I continue until I come to any verse that may suggest pausing. It's often something I need to think about or pray about. Sometimes it's the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and I need to have a conversation with God before I continue...When I come to one of those verses, I do three things: First, I underline it or circle it in my Bible. Second, I write it out in longhand in my journal. Third, I journal thoughts, confessions, and ideas associated with it. Then, when I feel like the Holy Spirit brings closure, I go in to the next verse." Those are three great ideas that will work for you too.

Written by TWFYT
Friday May 8

"He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness." Colossians 1:13 NLT

Jimmy Wayne never knew his father, and his mother spent more time in prison than out. When Jimmy was twelve, his mother was released from jail and took up with a troublemaker. They loaded him into the back seat of their car, and for a year that was his home. Then one day, they dumped him at a Pensacola, Florida, bus station and drove off. He had no home, no future, and no provision. While wandering through a neighborhood, he spotted and older man at work in a garage woodshed. He approached the elderly gentleman and asked if he had any work. Not only did he give Jimmy Wayne a job, but he also took him in to live with him and his wife. Having a home to live in was like heaven to Jimmy. Still, in spite of their kindness, he refused to unpack his bag. For four days, his plastic bag sat on the floor, full clothes, ready if eh husband and wife changed their minds. It took several days, a dozen or so meals, and more than one heart-to-heart conversation. But they finally persuaded Jimmy to trust them to care for him. Perhaps you question your place in God's family or His love for you. What if He changes His mind? God answered that question at the cross. When Jesus died, the heavenly vote was forever cast in your favor. "He has rescued [you] from the kingdom of darkness and transferred [you] into the Kingdom of his dear Son." P.S.: What happened to Jimmy Wayne? He took his place in the family, got an education, and became a country music singer and songwriter.