Written by TWFYT
Wednesday April 15

Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord." Hosea 6:3 NKJV

The Lord charged the church at Ephesus with having "left your first love" (see Rev 2:4) and the church of Laodicea with being "neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm" (see Rev 3:15-16). R. T. Kendall said, "The greatest opposition to what God wants to do next comes from those who were on the cutting edge of what God did last." Read the following Scriptures carefully and prayerfully: "Do not say, 'Why were the former days better than these?' For you do not inquire  wisely concerning this" (Ecc 7:10 NKJV). "The path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day" (Pr 4:18 NKJV). "Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord...He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the earth" (Hos 6:3 NKJV). "When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take care of what is Mine and declare it to you" (Jn 16:13-14 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). "May [you] be able to comprehend...the width and length and depth and height—to know the love Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph 3:18-19 NKJV). The word for you today is—God has more in store for you. 

Written by TWFYT
Tuesday April 14

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" Romans 8:35 NIV

Paul asked: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" And the answer is—nothing! Then he came up with a laundry list of worst-case scenarios, from trouble to danger and anything in between: "Trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword" (NIV). When Paul wrote "hardship,"we was back in the Mediterranean Sea during a terrible typhoon. "Persecution" pinged his memory of being stoned at Lystra and left for dead. "Trials": Paul stood trial before Nero himself. He also went without food, was bitten by a poisonous snake, and had the clothes stripped off his back so he could be flogged. This did not happen only once or twice. Five times he received the maximum sentence—forty lashes minus one. Paul's back wad whiplashed and crisscrossed with 195 scars. Hardship has one of two effects: it either hardens or softens our hearts. And it's that hardening or softening that makes us or breaks us. According to one poll of Londoners, 60 percent of those who survived Germany's blitzkrieg during World War II remembered it as the happiest  time of their lives. It's the tough times that test our love. But that's also how it's proved. This love of Christ wasn't proved by His miracles—it was proved on a  Roman cross. And it has proven to be fail proof. So no matter what trouble, hardship, or persecution you face, this too shall pass. More importantly, Jesus is with you and is for you. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate you from His love!

Written by TWFYT
Monday April 13

"I pray that you...may have power...to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Ephesians 3:17-18 NIV

Thomas Aquinas was one of the most prolific writers and thinkers of the Middle Ages. His Summa Theological is one of history's most exhausting and enduring theologies. But Aquinas never finished it because of something that happened on December 6, 1273, that caused him to quit writing. "All that I have written seems to be like straw," Aquinas said, "compared to what has now been revealed to me." Exactly what was revealed remains a mystery, but that one revelation surpassed all the knowledge he'd acquired. No matter your IQ that's what you need. You are not smart enough to reason your way to God. You need "the Spirit of wisdom and revelation" (Eph 1:17 NIV). Nothing will change your outlook, or even after your personality, like a revelation of God's love. But it's so diametrically different from the way we give and receive love on a human level. First of all, HIs love is unconditional. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more or less because He already loves you perfectly, eternally. Even when you don't reciprocate His love, it doesn't deter, deflect, or diminish His love. It accentuates it. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Ro 5:8 NIV). It's easy to love others when they are at their best. But when they are at their worst? Not so much. But that's the test of true love. Our love tends to be reactive, but God's love is proactive. He loves us when we least expect it and least deserve it. 

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Sunday April 12

"I pray that you...may...know this love that surpasses knowledge." Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV

In the realm of general relativity, an even horizon is the point  of no return. It's the point at which gravitational pull becomes so great that it's impossible to escape. The most obvious example is the black hole—a celestial object so massive that light can only enter but never exit its gravitational field. The escape velocity of a black hole is greater than the speed of light, which is impossible to exceed. So, once you cross its horizon, there is no turning back. God's love. Love is an event horizon, and once you cross over, you can't get back. And who would want to? Logic won't get you to God's love. His love is beyond logical—it's theological. The only way to receive the love of God is via revelation. Paul wrote: "I pray that you...may...grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ...that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." The love of God is measureless. It doesn't fit in a box, not even a box the size of the universe. And if the universe isn't big enough, God's love certainly won't fit within the confines of our human logic. So how do we get it in our hearts and minds? Through a personal revelation! So, the word for you today is: pray for a revelation of God's love.

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Saturday April 11

"The weapons of our warfare are...mighty in God for pulling down strongholds." 2 Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

Just as Jericho was a stronghold in Canaan, we have strongholds in our lives. Paul wrote: "The weapons of our warfare are...mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God" (vv. 4-5 NKJV). A stronghold is an "argument" or a "high thing" that "exalts itself against the knowledge of God." It is a conviction, outlook, or belief that attempts to interfere with the truth. A stronghold is a false premise that denies God's promise. It "sets itself up against the knowledge of God" (v. 5 NIV). It attempts magnify the problem and minimize God's ability to solve it. Does a stronghold have a strong hold on you? Do you speak the language of impossibility? God could never forgive me (the stronghold of guilt). I could never forgive that person (the stronghold of resentment). Bad things always happen to me (the stronghold of self-pity). I have to be in charge (the stronghold of pride). I don't deserve to be loved (the stronghold of rejection). I'lll never recover (the stronghold of defeat). I must be good, or God will reject me (the stronghold of performance). I'm only as good as I look (the stronghold of appearance). My value equals my possessions (the stronghold of materialism). Many Christians don't even recognize the strongholds in their lives. But you don't have to be among them. God has given you the weapons of prayer, Scripture, the Name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, fellowship, etc. And collectively, they have "divine power to demolish strongholds" (v. 4 NIV).

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Friday April 10

“Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize.” Philippians 3:13-14 NCV

Someone said: “The secret of success is to be like a duck—smooth and unruffled on top, and paddling furiously underneath.” Niccolò, the well-known nineteenth-century violinist, illustrated the truth of this. His most memorable concert was marked by “furious paddling under the surface” rather than easy success. The concert was performed with a full orchestra before a packed house in Italy. Those who heard him play say his technique was incredible and his tone fantastic. Toward the end of the concert, he was astounding his audience with a very difficult composition, when one string on his violin suddenly snapped and hung limply from his instrument. Paganini frowned only briefly, shook his head, and continued to play, improvising beautifully. Then, to everyone's surprise, including Paganini's, a second string broke. Shortly thereafter, a third string snapped. It seemed like a slapstick comedy routine as Paganini stood before the awed crowd with three strings dangling from his Stradivarius violin. But instead of leaving the stage to repair his instrument, he stood firm. He calmly completed the difficult number on the one remaining string—a performance that won him applause, admiration, and enduring fame. Here's another saying: "It's when the going gets tough, that the tough get going!" Paul was such a man: "Forgetting the past and straining toward what is ahead, I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above." All of us who are spiritually mature should think this way too. So don't quit; keep going!

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Thursday April 9

“It was not I but God who was working through me by his grace." 1 Corinthians 15:10 NLT

Pride promotes self-reliance. It tells us we can indeed do things on our own. In our attempt to walk in self-confidence, we slam the door in God’s face and shut out the work of the Holy Spirit, our Helper. Paul was educated, sophisticated, and consecrated, yet he humbly declared, “I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any other the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace” (vv. 9-10 NLT). No matter how much ability you possess, without  God, it will only take you so far. Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5 NIV). So the source of our confidence should be God and not ourselves. When the plans of those walking in God-confidence go awry, they are wise enough to subordinate their desires to the sovereign will of God. They quickly remind themselves, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Pr 19:21 NIV). They are convinced that God has a higher purpose for their lives, and that  no man can thwart it. So practice God-confidence rather than self-confidence.

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Tuesday April 7

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63 NKJV


Jesus was called “Rabbi” eleven ties in the Gospels. But He wasn’t like any other rabbi. Rabbis quoted others, but Jesus said, “Truly I say to you…” In the gospel of John, He said it twice: “Truly, truly, I say to you…” The reason Jesus wasn’t like any other rabbi was because He was God manifested in the flesh. And Paul says, “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3 NKJV). The early church fathers had a favorite saying: “The Gospels are a river in which a gnat can swim, and an elephant can drown.” The Gospels—the record of Christ’s life and teaching—have impacted the world so much that they have been translated into 2,527 languages. The second-most-translated book, Don Quixote, has been translated into about 60 languages. To this day, the Bible remains the bestselling book of all time.  In the academic world, scholars keep score of how often any articles they wrote are cited by other scholars. By this year’s secular score, Jesus’ intellectual impact is unprecedented. Why is this? Because when everything else fails, God’s Word works. Jesus explained it this way: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” If you are a teacher, you know that the number one question in any class is: “Will this be on the final?” If you want to pass your finals and hear, “Well done!” From the teacher, get into God’s Word each day and get God’s Word into you.

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Monday April 6

"Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires." Romans 8:5 NIV

Muscle memory isn't stored in our muscles. It's a procedural memory that is stored in your brain ant time you repeat a muscle movement. Whether it's putting a golf ball or playing a violin, the muscle memory becomes stronger the more it is repeated. Have you heard about the 10,000-hour rule? Psychologists say that's the amount of time it takes to become an expert at anything. That's encouraging because it means anybody can do it, but it's discouraging because it means there are no shortcuts, no matter how smart or gifted you are. Just like a foreign language, developing a spiritual mindset is a learning curve. Can you imagine being frustrated on the first day of a foreign language class because you aren't fluent? That's how we often feel when we aren't fluent in prayer, or strong in faith, or disciplined in our habits. Psalm 84:7 says we "go from strength to strength" (NIV). You'll be working on this for the rest of your life, one day at a time. You'll keep benchmarking. Your faith ceiling becomes your faith floor. And make no mistake about it—those spiritual disciplines accrue compound interest. And they pay off in terms of joy, fulfillment, and power with God. "Those who live accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace" (Ro 8:5-6 NIV).

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Easter Sunday—April 5

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." Matthew 28:6 KJV

One day your heart will give a final pule, and your lungs empty a final breath. And barring the return of Christ, you will die. The psalmist asked, "What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave?" (Ps 89:48 NKJV). Young and old, good and bad, rich and poor; neither gender is spared; no class is exempt. "No one has power over the time of their death" (Ecc 8:8 NIV). The geniuses, the rich, the poor—no one outruns or outsmarts it. Julius Caesar died. Elvis died. John Kennedy died. Princess Diana died. We all will die. We won't escape death. The finest surgeon might enhance your life but can't eliminate your death. The Hebrew writer was blunt: "People are destined to die once" (Heb 9:27 NIV) Exercise all you want. eat nothing but healthy food, and pop fists full of vitamins. Stay out of the sun, away from alcohol, and off drugs. Do your best to stay alive, and still, you will die. Death seems like such a dead end until we read Jesus' resurrection story: "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said...Go quickly and tell His disciples...He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him...So they went out quickly...to bring His disciples word...Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him" (Mt 28:6-8,17 NKJV). For the redeemed child of God, death is not the end but the beginning of a glorious life in heaven that twill have no end.

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Saturday April 4

"He said, 'It is finished!" John 19:30 NKJV

In Old Testament times, you received forgiveness from God by bringing a sacrificial lamb to the altar, where a priest would shed its blood and offer it as atonement. The first person in Scripture to do this was Cain's brother, Abel (See Gen 4:4). When Solomon dedicated his magnificent temple, he sacrificed one-hundred-and-twenty-thousand sheep and twenty-two-thousand oxen as a sacrifice for the entire nation. In the Old Testament Tabernacle, the sacrificial fire was never allowed to go out; it had to be kept burning. The Israelites carried it with them on their journey through the wilderness, and it's been estimated that between Gethsemane and Easter, no less than one hundred thousand lambs died, literally turning the Kidron Stream red. However, not one fluid ounce of the blood that was shed could atone for our sins. They were simply rolled forward, waiting for a lamb whose sacrifice would end all sacrifices, a priest whose finished work would atone for sin once and for all. And that's what happened when Jesus cried, "It is finished." In Hebrew, the phrase literally means "Paid in full." At that moment, the curtain in the temple that separated the people from God was torn from top to bottom. As a result, we can now go at any time where only one man could go one day a year—into the presence of God, knowing we'll be loved, accepted, seen through the blood of Christ, and deemed righteous. With that in mind, "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16 NKJV).

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Good Friday—April 3

"Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Romans 5:20 NKJV

Just minutes before His final breath, Jesus cried out, "Tetelestail!" from the cross. In English, it is translated as "it is finished." It was the same word that was written receipts in New Testament times, indicating that a debt had been paid in full. Jesus' death on the cross was the final installment on sin. The entire debt for every sinner who comes to Him for salvation has been paid in full at Calvary. Paul wrote: "Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more." Did you catch it? "Much more!" The mercy bank is never closed. And there are never insufficient funds. The supply of grace is always greater than the demand of sin. The split second we confess our sin, a miraculous transaction happens. All our sin is transferred to Christ's account and paid in full. But as good as that is, it's only half the gospel. There's a second transfer that takes place. All His righteousness is credited to our account, and God says, "Let's call it even!" Paul explained it this way: "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them...For He made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might bevel the righteousness of God in Him" (2Co 5:19, 21 NKJV). To be "in Christ" means we stand in His righteousness rather than our own. So, when we stand before God, we won't have to account for our sin, because it was already accounted for at the cross. The Father will see the righteousness of His Son that has been credited to our account.

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Thursday April 2

"The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand." Deuteronomy 30:9 NKJV

A young fashion artist called her aunt one day to let her know she was leaving on a trip to a fashionable resort to try and pray that her wood carvings of seabirds to the owner of a gift shop. She asked her aunt to pray that her venture would be successful. Her aunt assured her that she would pray for the largest order she had ever received! That evening, the young artist called her aunt back. Not only had the gift shop owner purchased all of her carvings, but the owner of a chain of gift shops had also ordered as many carvings as she could make! She was filled with wonder at how abundantly God had answered prayer. "Now," she said to her aunt, "pray that I can fill his order!" Her aunt replied, "The Lord doesn't open a door unless He expects us to walk through is successfully. When we pray for rain, don't be surprised when you get a cloudburst!" Are you praying for God to meet a need in your life? What answer are you expecting? Be honest. Bare minimum? eager-but-satisfactory? Or are you expecting an abundant, more-than-enough supply? Stand on God's Word: "The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand." Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Jn 10:10 NKJV). Paul wrote: "God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work" (2Co 9:8 NKJV). So, believe God for abundance.

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Wednesday April 1

In her book 30 Days to a Stronger, More Confident You, author Deborah Smith Pegues uses the word "pray" as an acronym: "Pause. I stop all activity and focus completely on God. Worship is total preoccupation...The greatest honor and respect we can give to anyone is our undivided attention...Reverence. I express my admiration for all his attributes...At this point, distractions start to pop up like dandelions...I will suddenly remember a task I need to put on my to-do list. I have learned to jot down the task in my journal and ignore the other issues for what they are—mere distractions that can be dealt with later. I have also learned that praying audibly helps to minimize wandering thoughts...Ask. I ask for forgiveness for my sins, making every effort to be specific. I pray for the power to live a Christian life and ask God to give me a passion for His Word and for prayer. I ask of His will to be done in every aspect of my life: spiritually, physically, financially, relationally, vocationally, and emotionally...Yield. I must subordinate my requests to God's sovereign will, trusting that He knows what is best. I strive to maintain a 'nevertheless' attitude. Therefore, I am careful to conclude my prayer by saying, 'Nevertheless, not my will, Lord, but Yours be done' [see Lk 22-42]...The old adage that it is not what you know but whom you know that gives you the advantage in a situation is true—especially from a spiritual perspective. When we have a relationship with God, we understand that He is sufficient to handle any demand placed upon us."

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Tuesday March 31

"I am with you always." Matthew 28:20 NKJV

To have a personal relationship with someone, there must be two-way communication. Even the most uncommunicative husband has to grunt every once in a while, or it isn't a marriage—it's a monologue. So, the Lord being with you, and you being with the Lord, takes place primarily in your mind. Two people may occupy the same room, but if one of them is sleeping or engrossed in television, they're not really with each other. There must be interactive awareness. Now, as human beings, we don't have "direct access" to each other's thoughts. We can use words, human touch, or hand gestures to guide our thoughts directly. He can speak to us through Scripture or through the words of another person. But He can also plant His thoughts directly in our minds. "We have the mind of Christ" (1Co 2:16 NKJV). And this can happen anytime, anywhere. So, your mind is your meeting place with God! There's much about God speaking to you that's a mystery. There are no formulas. You cannot control God's communication with you. You cannot force Him to speak by being more pious or more sincere or by working hard Jesus told Nicodemus: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (Jn 3:8 NKJV). This much you can be certain of today: God is with you, and He will speak to you if you take the time to listen.

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Monday March 30

"God speaketh...in a dream, in a vision of the night." Job 33:14-15 KJV

Job the patriarch said: "For God may speak in one way, or in another, yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night...while slumbering on their beds, then He opens the ears of men" (Job 33:14-16 NKJV). A dream can be an important message from God or an answer to your prayer. God gave Paul a dream in which a man from Macedonia appeared to him saying, "Come over and help us" (see Ac 16:9). And Paul went there and preached the gospel. Solomon's reign as king if Israel begins with these words:"In Gibeon the Lord appears to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee" (1Ki 3:5 KJV). Solomon asked God for great wisdom, God gave him wisdom, honor, and riches. Would God still speak to us today in dreams? Yes. He says: "I am the Lord, I change not" (Mal 3:6 KJV). The Hebrew word for dream is "chalom." It has five meanings: (1) "To be or make plump." In the Bible, fatness or plumpness is a picture of health, well-being, and prosperity. (3) "A sense of dumbness." When God gives you a dream, He is sharing with you information about things of which you are ignorant. (4) "To be in a good liking." When God gives you a dream, He is showing favor toward you. (5) "To recover." When God gives you a dream, He is working on restoring what you have lost. So, ask God for a dream.

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Sunday March 29—Palm Sunday

"That I myself may be in them." John 17:26 NIV

Just before He was arrested and taken to the cross, Jesus prayed: "[Father], I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." When it comes to recognize and responding to God's presence in our lives, Christian author, John Ortberg, says he lives by these twelve truths: (1) God is always present and active in my life, whether or not I see Him. (2) Coming to recognize and experience God's presence is learned behavior; I can cultivate it. (3) My task is to meet God in this moment. (4) I'm always tempted live "outside" this moment. When I do that, I lose my sense of God's presence. (5) Sometimes God seems far away for reasons I don't understand. Those moments, too, are opportunities to learn. (6) Whenever I fail, I can always start again right away. (7) No one knows the full extent to which a human being can experience God's presence. (8) My desire for God ebbs and flows, but His desire for me is constant. (9) Every thought carries a "spiritual charge" that moves a little closer to or a little further from God. (10) Every aspect of my life, work, relationships, hobbies, errands—is of interest to God. (11) My path to experiencing God's presence will not look quite life someone else's. (12) Straining and trying too hard do not help. So, the word for you today is—God is working in you, with you, and through you!

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Saturday March 28

"Is this not the fast that I have chosen?" Isaiah 58:6 NKJV

God gave His people the following reasons for fasting: "To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke" (v. 6 NKJV). Fasting is one of the best ways to break the power of the flesh. If you can say no food, you can say no to just about anything. No matter what addiction you struggle with, fasting is the way to break the yoke of bondage. No matter what cause you care about, fasting invited the favor of God. When you abstain from food to seek God, it shows Him you're serious. And He takes you seriously if the cause honors Him. Some spiritual breakthroughs are possible only with the combination of prayer and fasting. When you fast and pray, the synergy is more than the sum of its parts. If you feel like your dream  is in a holding pattern, try fasting. If your marriage is in trouble and you need things to turn around, try fasting. If your heart is breaking for your kids, try fasting. If you need a breakthrough, try fasting. If you need to make a bog decision, try fasting. Fasting breaks strongholds and yields breakthroughs. It's the way we declare to God that we need Him and want Him more than food itself. It takes tremendous discipline to give up food, but doing so cultivates discipline in other areas of our lives. The best way to kill sinful desires is by starving them to death. That's precisely what fasting does. It doesn't just weaken your physical body; it also weakens your sinful flesh and simultaneously strengthens your spirit. 

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Friday March 27

"Give me this water, that I may not thirst." John 4:15 NKJV

She lived in Samaria, had been married five times, and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Maybe gossipers wagged their tongues about her. How else would you explain her midday appearance at the well? Other women fill their buckets at sunrise, but this woman opted for noon, preferring the heat of the sun over the heat of their scorn. Were it not for the appearance of a stranger, her story would have been lost in the Samaritan sands. But He entered her life with a promise of living water that would quench the thirst of her soul. He wasn't put off by her past. He told her: "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in his a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.' The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give into the city, and said to the men, 'Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' Then they went out of the city and came to Him...And man too the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, 'He told me all that I ever did'" (Jn 4:13-15, 28-30, 39 NKJV). No one else was willing to give her a chance, but Jesus gave her the chance, but Jesus gave her the chance of a lifetime. And what He did for her, He will do for you.

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Thursday March 26

"The one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me." Daniel 10:18 NKJV

In her book A Slow and Certain Light, Elisabeth Elliott wrote: "When I lived in the Forest of Ecuador, I usually traveled on foot...Trails often led through streams and rivers which we had to wade, but sometimes there was a log high above the water which we had to cross. I dreaded those logs and was always tempted to take the steep, hard way down into the ravine and up the other side. But the Indians would say, 'Just walk across senorita,' and over they would go, light-footed and confident. I was barefoot as they were, but it was not enough. On the log, I couldn't keep from looking down at the river below. I feared I would slip. I had never been any good at balancing myself...so my guide would stretch out a hand, and the touch of it was all I needed. I stopped worrying about slipping. I stopped looking down at the river or even the log and looked at the guide, who held my hand with only the slightest touch. When I reached the other side, I realize that if I had slipped, he would have held me. His being there, and his touch, were all I needed." That's all you need too: to experience God's presence and feel His touch. Daniel wrote: "The one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said...'Beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!' So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, 'Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me'" (vv. 18-19 NKJV).

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Wednesday March 25

"Get some rest." Mark 6:31 NIV

One of Satan's tactics is to take us from one extreme to the other—from laziness to workaholism. Understanding the difference between being a hard worker versus a workaholic is key. Hard workers have the wisdom to set limits on how much they will do in the course of a day. In her book 30 Days to a Stronger, More Confident You, Deborah Smith Pegues wrote: "I was in denial about my propensity toward workaholism until I realized that I had too many of the telltale symptoms: I worked late the majority of the time. Most of my conversations revolved around the issues at the office. I rarely took lunch breaks. I was always multitasking; I rarely performed any task single-mindedly. If I talked on the phone, I would also use the time to tidy the house. If I watched television, I also organized papers, and on and on it went. When I tried relaxing, I would think of all the things I should be doing. My to-do list had more items on it than I could possibly achieve during a single day. I was a slave to my overcommitted calendar; I left little or no downtime. Everybody seemed to move slowly. I was always rushing to the next appointment. I looked forward to the accolades I received for performing well. I found little time to nurture my friendships...Today, I try to engage only in those activities I feel are part of God's plan for my life." What great advice! Jesus said to His hard-working disciples: "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." Is the Lord saying the same thing to you?

Written by TWFYT
Tuesday March 24

"God...works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13 NIV

God is at work "in you." What is He working on? Your "will." What does He want you to do? "Act according to His good purpose." How does He accomplish this? Through your mind: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Php 2:5 NKJV). God can speak to you audibly, through circumstances, or through another person. But because God can give you His thoughts or guide your thoughts, your mind is the meeting room where He will most often communicate with you. That's why Satan will try to place evil thoughts in your mind. If he cannot succeed, he will try to fill your mind with fear and worry. If that doesn't work, he'll settle for having you watch hours of "worthless things" on television or the Internet. The Psalmist prayed: "Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things" (Ps 119:37 NKJV). In order to hear from God and recognize what He's saying to you, you must make your mind a protected environment. And one more thing: Your desire to hear from God must take precedence over every other desire you have. Social reformer Dorothy Day, who did much work on behalf of the poor in the twentieth century, spoke of what she called her "notions"— ideas that had the unmistakable stamp of God's authorship in her mind. George Fox and the Quaker tradition called them "concerns." Others speak of "promptings" or "leadings." The good news is of you truly want to hear from God, and you're willing tp prioritize your life accordingly, He'll speak to you.

Written by TWFYT
Monday March 23

"Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them." James 5:20 NIV

Our God is the God of new beginnings! The Bible says: "Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins." It is never too late for a new beginning. And what's even more remarkable is that God uses people like us to help others find a new beginning. The Bible contains many accounts of men and women who got a second chance and, by God's grace, used it well. Like Peter, who denied Jesus but went on to become a leader in the New Testament church. Or David, who committed adultery and murder, yet his psalms are a major part of one of the most quoted books in the Bible. And what about Jonah? He got a do-over! "The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time" (Jnh 3:1 NKJV). Sin can wreck hearts, homes, plans, and people. But the good news of the gospel is that sin can never keep God from loving or reaching for us. And we should never stop loving and reaching for a spirit of gentleness" (Gal 6:1 NKJV). The Greek word for restore is a medical term that means "to set a broken bone." When a doctor resets a broken bone, he realigns it and then puts it in a cast for about six weeks. During that time, God does the actual healing. Your job is to find broken people who need a second chance to help to restore them.

Written by TWFYT
Sunday, March 22

"By the grace of God I am what I am." 1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV

Who are you? It seems like a simple question but is often one the most challenging to answer. To know who you are and what you stand for, to be aware of how you're perceived by others and how you present yourself to the world, is one of the most important aspects of a well-lived life. This could be called your "personal brand." Your brand consists of attributes that are present for every encounter you have with work colleagues, family, or friends. You could call them "deliverables," virtues you bring to all your social and business interactions. You may take your deliverables for granted but consider writing down your own personal mission statement. What is your purpose? What are you about? What is your vision? Does your life truly reflect what's important to you and how you want others to see you? So often, we live our lives based on what those around us think we should be or do. we follow the path we've seen others take, or we pursue what the media defines as success. Eventually, and sometimes surprisingly, we may find ourselves  frustrated, angry, and disappointed in life. Have you ever heard business professionals lament about climbing to the top of the corporate ladder, only to find that it was leaning against the wrong building? They were so busy keeping up with what they thought they were supposed to be doing that they never stopped to ask themselves what they actually wanted to do. Be like Paul: Know who you are, honor your personal brand, and say, "By the grace of God, I am what I am."

Written by TWFYT
Saturday March 21

"The Son of God, who. loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 NKJV

How many times must the apostle Paul, who was once known as Saul the persecutor of Christians, have had flashbacks to Stephen's stoning? Or the countless other Christians he hunted down like animals? Paul was an eyewitness, which means those snapshots were sealed into his own visual cortex. When he closed his eyes, those images could have haunted him for the rest of his life. By today's standards, Saul was a terrorist—but he had an encounter with Christ that blinded him. He regained his physical sight after three days, but the grace of God enabled him to turn a blind eye to his forgiven sin forever. If God turns a blind eye to confessed sin, shouldn't we? That doesn't mean we deny our sin or ignore it. If you underestimate your sinfulness, you depreciate the grace of God. Paul called himself the chief of sinners (see 1Ti 1:15). Perhaps that's why he appreciated the grace of God so much. The reason many of us label others by their sin is because it makes us feel better about ourselves. We think: "I may not be perfect, but at least I haven't don't that!" But Paul was explicit: "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Ro 3:23 KJV). God doesn't grade your sins like the legal system, as misdemeanors and felonies. No, you are either in sin or in Christ. You're either guilty or you are fully forgiven. Not only have your sins—past, present, and future—been atoned for, but at the point of believing faith, God forgave you and credited your account with the righteousness of Christ.