May 26 ... Trust In Peace

And my God will liberally supply your every need

according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want ...

Do You feel dissatisfied

with your place in life,

with your circumstances,

with your husband or your wife?

Trusting in the Shepherd,

without doubt or fear,

will bring peace into your soul

and joy beyond compare.

He has promised to provide

for our every need.

And Christ Jesus never lies.

You can trust His holy Word.

So affirm the Truth today

in your mind and heart.

'The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want!'

Psalm 23:1; Numbers 11:1; Ephesians 5:20-25; John 10:4; Philippians 4:19;

Numbers 23:19; Titus 3:8

May 25 ... Choose In Wisdom

Look carefully then, how you walk,

live purposefully...

not as the unwise but as the wise.

Ephesians 5:15

Are they foolish 

not to see

that their Messiah's come?

And am I

not to see

He wants to rule 

my heart and home?

I look to You this morning, Lord;

reveal those parts of me

where I'm blinded to my sin;

come and cleanse my heart within.

May I learn to choose what's right

as we come together.

May my heart be white as snow

as You rule my heart and home.

Jeremiah 5:21; Ephesians 5:15; Psalm 69:5; 5:3-7; Isaiah 1:17-18; Psalm 128:1-4

May 24 ... Focus On Him

Beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith,

make progress... praying in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 20

It is our faith in Him

that conquers our desires for the world.

The Israelites longed for Egypt,

for the comforts and the pleasures.

They lacked the faith and trust in God

that would have changed the focus

of their eyes and hearts.

Victory comes in our lives

when we see Him as our all in all.

The triumph over sinfulness

and the temptations of it

come to us as faith is built,

and as we set our minds and eyes

to seek the Lord,

not sinful self.

As we guard and keep ourselves

in His loving arms,

and all the while we walk by faith,

knowing He's the One

Who leads the triumph!

I John 5:4-5; Exodus 16:2-3; Psalm 78:19-22; 62:5-7; Jude 18-20; 

Deuteronomy 12:30-32; II Corinthians 2:14

May 23 ... See Him As Your Source

Yet, for us there is only one God, the Father,

Who is the Source of all things...

and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by Whom are all things

and through Whom we ourselves exist.

I Corinthians 8:6

Lord, I desire to be a person after Your own heart,

loving You with all my being,

doing Your will in all my living.

Order my steps, I pray, oh Lord;

establish my ways in You.

In Your omniscience and infinite love,

cause me to walk in that path that You choose.

For You are the Source of my doing.

You are the Source of my being.

Your are the Source of the timing

of all that I do in my life.

Acts 13:22; Psalm 37:23; 1:6; Acts 17:28; I Corinthians 8:6

May 22 ... Seek His Riches

But as for you, man of God,

...aim at righteousness, godliness, faith,

love, steadfastness, gentleness.

I Timothy 6:11

Does your heart desire

the riches of this world?

Do you crave fancy food or clothes?

Is money always on your mind,

and material goods so enticing?

Do you glory in pursuits you've gained

here upon this earth?

Oh, child of God-

Flee from these things.

Run to God your Savior.

Set your heart to pursue Him

with all your soul and mind.

See the goodness of the Lord.

Grow in faith and love and patience.

Seek His kingdom and His riches.

Glory in the Lord your God.

I Timothy 6:8-11; James 1:9-11; John 5:44; James 2:5; Jeremiah 9:23-24

May 21 ... Shout With Thanksgiving

He drew me up our of a horrible pit

and set my feet upon a rock

steadying my steps and establishing my goings.

Psalm 40:2

Lord God,

           Your mercy overwhelms me!

            I disobey and yet You love me.

            I lose my zeal and yet You use me.

            My weak knees falter 

                       and Your strength overflows my being.

            My flesh nudges out my spirit and rules,

                       yet Your Spirit comes and intercedes

                                    and pulls me up,

                                    takes me in,

                                    urges me on to walk Your way!

O Gracious Father,

O Glorious Lord,

             My heart beats with thanksgiving.

             My soul cries in repentance.

                       I receive Your forgiveness

                       and shout with rejoicing.

              I bow at Your feet

                       in pure adoration.

Do this today. He's washed your sins away. Love and adore Him. Thank Him and praise Him. Kneel down and worship Your glorious Lord.  

Psalm 25:7; 119:138-140; Hebrews 12:12; Mark 14:38-42; Luke 22:32; Psalm 40:2; 86:15-16; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 5:11

May 20 ... Glorify Him With Unity

Welcome and receive to your hearts one another,

even as Christ has welcomed you,

for the glory of God.

Romans 15:7

Living in humility

with patience, keeping harmony;

can only be done in His love

and by the Holy Spirit.

For His is our bond of peace;

His love covers all.

And with the oil of the Spirit,

all the body will be blessed

with His precious unity.

Cleanse your heart from secret sins

against sister or brother.

Heed His warnings to forgive,

being kind to one another.

Let His Spirit freely flow,

and with united hearts and minds

we will glorify our Lord!

Ephesians 4:2-3; Proverbs 10:12; Psalm 133:1-3; 19:12; Ephesians 4:32; 

John 7:38-39; Romans 15:5-7

May 19 ... Be Filled With Him

Therefore since these great promises are ours, beloved,

let us cleanse ourselves from everything

that defiles body and spirit, 

and bring our consecration to completeness

in the fear of God.

I Corinthians 7:1

His desire is that we be made complete,

having a measure of fullness in Him.

His desire is that we empty ourselves,

even as He did to come to earth.

His desire is that we mature and be fulfilled

through Him alone.

As we yield up more and more,

He will fill us by His power.

As we make room for His Spirit,

He fulfills our deep desires.

Ephesians 4:12-13; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 12:7; Psalm 145:18-19; II Corinthians 7:1; Psalm 27:4

May 18 ... Make Your Sacrifice

I will sacrifice to You with a voice of thanksgiving;

I will pay that which I have vowed.

Salvation and deliverance belong to the Lord.

Jonah 2:9

We're to offer sacrifices

to the Lord our God,

not of animals or birds,

for the shedding of His blood

was complete once and for all.

But we do give up our lives

as a living sacrifice,

and we yield our all to Him,

as His living instrument.

And we do give up our praise

as a constant sacrifice,

and we thank and honor Him

in each situation.

As we make this sacrifice,

He will come and fill us

with His glory and His Spirit.

For He lives within His people

and inhabits their sacrifice of praise.

Hebrews 10:10-11; Romans 12:1; 6:13; Psalm 54:6; I Thessalonians 5:18; Jonah 2:9; 

I Corinthians 3:16; Psalm 22:3

May 17 ... Seek The One Who Satisfies

For He satisfies the longing soul,

and fills the hungry soul with good.

Psalm 107:9

Israel is referred to

                as one searching for other gods,

                as one stallion seeking for another,

                as one wanting his own way.

How do I compare to these?

                Do I search for other gods,

                looking elsewhere from my strength,

                for my satisfaction?

How do I compare

                to the stallion wanting out,

                seeking for another,

                turning from the Source of Love

                to a counterfeit?

How often do I want my way,

                unsubmitted to my Lord,

                desiring to please myself,

                allowing flesh to rule?

Ah, forgive me, God of Israel

                by the blood of Your dear Son.

I will seek You with my whole heart,

                and I know You will be found.

Jeremiah 9:14; 5:8; Psalm 107:9-11; I John 4:10; Galatians 5:16-17;

Colossians 1:13-14; Jeremiah 29:13-14

              

May 16 ... Trust His Perspective

You will keep him in perfect peace

whose mind is stayed on You.

Isaiah 26:3

May I walk with eyes that see

the unseen world of Jesus.

May my path in His sight be

on the straight and narrow.

For He has told us in the Word

He will work it out for good.

Doing the right may seem wrong

if the way gets rough.

Walking the right road may not mean

a smooth path, but a hard one.

No matter what our circumstances,

our eyes must stay on Him.

Not relying on the flesh,

but ever mindful that our trust

is in the Everlasting One.

John 20:29; Matthew 7:14; Romans 8:28; Galatians 5:11; Hebrews 10:32-33;

 Philippians 3:3; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 41:12-13

May 15 ... See Your Victor

Through God we shall do valiantly;

for He it is Who will tread down our adversaries.

Psalm 60:12

The enemy would try

to bring darkness to my soul,

causing my heart to feel crushed and numb,

and my spirit to feel overwhelmed.

But my hope is in You;

You lift me up when I'm bowed down.

You pick me up;

Your love shines through,

my mind You renew.

Lord, You are the Light that turns night to day.

Your are the One Who lights up the way.

You are the Truth that sets men free.

Touch me now with Your victory!

Psalm 143:3-4; 146:5, 8; John 8:12; 14:6; 1:7; Psalm 60:11-12; Romans 8:37

May 14 ... Hope In Jesus

Rejoice in hope;

be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation;

be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12

Jesus  ~  the Hope of ages past,

                the Hope of all to come!

              

Jesus  ~  the Hope of all the earth,

                the Hope of my salvation!

I rejoice in my Hope, through good times and bad.

I rejoice in the hope that death to myself

               results in a great resurrection.

I pray I'll hold fast to that hope set before me,

For blessed is the one whose hope is in You!

Colossians 1:27; Joel 3:16; II Thessalonians 3:16-17; Romans 12:12; Psalm 71:14; 

I Peter 1:3; Hebrews 6:18; Jeremiah 17:7

May 13 ... Forget The Past

Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow,

make me to hear joy and gladness and be satisfied.

Psalm 51:7-8

O, Hallelujah ~

to have all slates clean,

to be forgiven by friends,

and to have the Redeemer of my soul

remove all my sins

as far as east is from the west!

O, Hallelujah ~

to begin this day anew,

to have the past forgotten,

and to have the future be seen

with new hope and joy!

O, Hallelujah ~

to have such freedom,

to have the burdens lifted

and the heaviness gone,

the nagging, pulling, tugging

washed away by the blood of the Lamb!

Psalm 51:7-8; Proverbs 17:9, 17; Psalm 71:23-24; 103:10-12; Philippians 3:13-14; 

Romans 6:22-23; II Corinthians 3:17; John 8:36; Psalm 30:11-12; I Peter 1:19; John 1:29

May 12 ... Praise The King

Sing, O daughter of Zion;

rejoice, be in high spirits

and glory with all your heart,

for the Lord has taken away

the judgments against you,

He has cast out the enemy.

Zephaniah 3:14-15

How can we be downcast?

The Lord our God is in our midst!

We can rejoice and sing with gladness,

jump for joy, and praise our King.

We can put the past behind us,

consider not the former things.

He wants life to spring forth from us,

desert land to flow with streams.

He will make us firmly planted,

strong and rooted like a tree.

Tended by the running water,

fading not from summer's heat.

Clap your hands and praise in triumph,

dance before the King of kings.

For He is our hope and gladness;

He's the reason we can sing!

Psalm 42:5; Zephaniah 3:14-15; Isaiah 43:18-19; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Psalm 47:1

May 11 ... Believe His Forgiveness

Only in the Lord shall one say,

I have righteousness, salvation, victory and strength.

Isaiah 45:24

I am ashamed to ask You to forgive my sin again.

Yet, I cannot bear to think of separation from Your Son.

I abhor the thought of a hardened heart.

O, come and soften mine I pray, Lord Jesus!

I desire not a haughty heart.

Come do what you must to humble mine.

May I have the heart of one

without deceit or guile;

one who has a single eye, not a double mind.

Unite my heart to fear Your Name.

In righteousness I sing Your praise

and glory in Your faithfulness!

Romans 4:7; I John 1:6; Job 23:16; Psalm 131:1; Deuteronomy 8:2; Psalm 32:1-2; 

John 1:47; Luke 11:34; James 1:8; Psalm 86:11; Isaiah 45:24; I John 1:9

May 10 ... Rejoice In Your Redemption

In Him we have redemption through His blood,

the forgiveness of sins,

according to the riches of His grace.

Ephesians 1:7

O Lord!

How powerful was Your blood

to make me holy.

How complete was Your sacrifice

to atone for my iniquity.

O, the atoning blood that sets me free!

How I glory in the cross,

that cross that frees from sin.

How I love the One Who died

to give salvation to all men.

O, the love of God to send His Son!

How sufficient was Your grace

to come to earth

and take my place!

How amazing was Your love

to leave Your glorious

home above!

O, the plan of our Creator!

Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 5:11, 18; Galatians 6:14; Ephesians 1:6-7; 3:9

May 9 ... Give Him Place

To give unto them beauty for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise

for the spirit of heaviness.

Isaiah 61:3

As we crucify our flesh,

                there's more place

                to be open for Him,

                with His fruits of

                                  love and gentleness,

                                  meekness and faith.

As we pour out ourselves,

                there's more space

                to be filled by Him

                with His righteousness,

                                  with His holiness,

                                  with His joy and peace.

As we yield up to the Spirit,

                our failing spirit He'll replace

                                   with His beauty

                                   and His praise,

                                   His anointing and His grace!

Galatians 5:22-24; II Timothy 4:6; Romans 14:17-18; Isaiah 61:1, 3

May 8 ... Rest In His love

As a father loves his children,

so the Lord loves those who fear Him.

Psalm 103:13

Does it matter what you look like

if the beauty of the Lord is shining through?

Does it matter what you dress like

if the garment of His righteousness is on you?

It's not what's on the outside of the vessel.

It's the treasure on the inside that remains.

So rely on the Lord,

and the washing of the Word

to cleanse your heart and soul.

He'll make your face to shine

and your countenance glow,

as you yield to Him and His loving control.

I Peter 3:3-4; Job 29:14; Matthew 23:25-29; Proverbs 15:6; I Corinthians 4:7; Ephesians 5:26; Exodus 34:29; Song of Solomon 1:15; Romans 6:19; Psalm 103:13

May 7 ... Rejoice In His Hope

Through Him also we have access into this grace

in which we stand. And let us rejoice and exult

in our hope of experiencing and enjoying

the glory of God.

Romans 5:2

The hope that we have may be tested,

but as we continue to rejoice,

standing firm in this Hope,

even under times of pressure,

the process of patience and endurance

will produce a greater confidence,

a character developed

in trust and deeper hope.

For we become like what we trust,

slaves to that which we obey.

So, as we put our hope in Him,

as we yield with our whole hearts,

we will find complete freedom,

and His character will become ours.

Romans 5:2-4; I Thessalonians 3:7-8; Psalm 135:18; Romans 6:16-18; Galatians 5:1, 13

May 6 ... Walk In Liberty

And you will know the Truth

and the Truth will set you free.

John 8:32

I feel so full of You,

of what You have revealed,

of what I have seen and heard.

And yet, my tongue feels tied,

my heart seems so bound up,

I have not the words to share

or the mind to recall

the marvels of Your Words.

Bring deliverance, I pray;

do a healing work.

Loose my heart and mind and spirit,

that the revealed truth of Your Word

would set others free;

that the pure life of Your Son

may pour forth from me.

Psalm 92:4-6; 119:162; 119:159; Revelation 22:1; John 8:32

May 5 ... Desire His Ways

For thus says the high and lofty One 

Who inhabits eternity,

Whose name is holy:

'I dwell in the high and holy place... to revive the spirit

of the humble and to revive the heart

of the one bruised with sorrow for sin'.

Isaiah 57:15

O Lord, I desire Your teaching and Your discipline,

for Your thoughts are so far beyond mine.

I desire a humble heart, revived by Your Holy spirit,

for Your ways are so far above mine.

I cry out for wisdom, for insight from You,

for I've nothing to offer at all.

I search for Your treasures and Your understanding,

for only in You and Your precious Word

can I find true direction and deep revelation

of the heart and mind of my Lord!

Psalm 94:11-12; Isaiah 55:9; 57:15; Proverbs 2:3-5; I Corinthians 2:13, 16

May 4 ... Bring Your Morning Offering

In the morning You hear my voice, O Lord;

in the morning I prepare a prayer of sacrifice for You,

and watch and wait for You to speak to my heart.

Psalm 5:3

He requires our first-fruits

on the Holy Mountain.

He desires our first-fruits

in that Holy Chamber.

Lord, I want to honor You

by giving back a tenth

of all that You have given me;

my very life submitting, yes -

but also that time set aside,

the first-fruits of my day.

That time of offering myself,

those moments spent with You.

For You're my portion.

You're my life.

You are my First-fruit.

Ezekiel 20:40; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:10; Psalm 5:3; I Corinthians 15:23; Deuteronomy 30:20

May 3 ... Pour Out Your Soul To Him

Let my prayer be set forth as incense before You,

the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

Psalm 141:2

Oh, that the brokenness of our lives

would bring fragrance to our Lord,

that we would walk in unity

and be as an anointing;

that we would pour our hearts to Him 

and bring sweet smelling savor.

Oh, that the brokenness of our lives

would not be a stench to our Lord.

If we walk in unbelief 

and try to be as the world;

if we do not seek His face

but try to hide from Him,

the pure, sweet savor

will then not pour forth,

but will stagnate inside us.

Mark 14:3, 6; II Corinthians 2:15-16; Psalm 133:1-2; Lamentations 2:19; Ephesians 5:2; 

I Samuel 1:15; Proverbs 15:8; Psalm 141:2; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Isaiah 3:24; Psalm 119:92

May 2 ... Let Him Purify

For I know that nothing good dwells within me,

that is in my flesh.

I can want what is right, but I cannot perform it.

Romans 7:18

I long to be made free from sin.

I weary of its load.

My heart is far from purity.

My ways so far from righteousness.

Cleanse me, O God.

Cause me to walk in Your ways,

without doubting or wavering.

I call out on Your mercy,

forgive me,

loose me from bondage,

bring freedom and peace.

Make a way for wisdom to dwell

for joy to excel,

for Your love to take its place.

Romans 7:18, 24, 25; Psalm 51:1-6; James 1:5-6; I Corinthians 4:20

May 1 ... Come, Rest In The Death

It feels like, though the Spring is here,

there's still death in my soul;

the resurrection life has not sprung forth.

It seems there's still much dying

to take place in my old nature;

it's still a time to look at Him

to purge and make me whole.

Maybe if this step of death

takes place around the Springtime,

I'll see life and hope about,

and joy will flood my heart.

For I'll have faith in the Creator

of the heavens and the earth

to create that life in me,

when death has been complete.

And I'll glory in the work

that He is doing now,

knowing that the things to come

far exceed the present!

Song of Solomon 3:11-12; II Corinthians 4:10; Colossians 3:5; Psalm 146:5-6; 

Romans 6:4;  II Corinthians 4:17

April 30 ... Glory In His Peace

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let Your glory be over all the earth.

Psalm 57:11

When the sun rises,

                           warmth floods the path,

                           radiance shines forth,

                           and it's 'Peace be still' to the winds.

I desire Your warmth on my path of life,

                           Your revelation to shine out.

I desire to be still before You

                           and truly see You as God.

When my heart is in turmoil

                           and peace seems far off,

I ask You to come, Lord,

                           and in Your great mercy,

                           Your peace to show forth.

Be exalted, O God!

May my life bring glory to Your Holy Name!

Mark 4:39; Psalm 46:10; John 14:27; Proverbs 3:17; Psalm 57:11

April 29 ... Come To The Garden Place

Seek the Lord and His strength,

see His face and yearn to be

in His presence continually.

I Chronicles 16:11

Oh, how great and marvelous

are His plans for us!

As we wake with Him in the garden,

as we overcome the weakness of our flesh,

to watch with Him in prayer,

persevering in obedience to His desire

of walking and talking with us

in the garden.

Oh, how great and mysterious

is His love for us!

As He meets with us in the garden,

as we commune with Him,

basking in His presence,

looking on His face

in the garden.

Oh, how great and wondrous

is His grace toward us!

As He calls us to the garden,

as we call upon His Name,

knowing our unworthiness,

seeing His mercy,

weeping as we know Him

in the garden.

Jeremiah 33:3; I Chronicles 16:11-12; Matthew 40:41; Ephesians 5:25, 32; Galatians 1:15; 

Romans 15:9; Acts 13:25; James 4:8-10; Psalm 105:1-5

April 28 ... Run Into Your Refuge

For in You, O Lord, do I hope;

You will answer, O Lord my God.

Psalm 38:15

We must run to God 

in our day of trouble.

He is our Help.

He is our Hope.

We must not turn away from Him

in fear or in confusion.

He is our Strength.

He is our Deliverer.

Blessed is the one who trusts God

in confidence and faith.

For as we come as little children;

as we listen to His Words,

He will teach us.

He will comfort.

We will see that He is good.

Oh, take refuge in the Lord!

Psalm 38:8-10; 33:20-22; 38:15; 18:2-3; 84:12; 34:8, 11