day 180

Isaiah 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Merry Christmas and many rich blessings to you and your family. As someone said in church a few weeks ago, "if you're sick of Christmas by the 25th, you didn't do it right."

day 179

(Slightly odd version)
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love endures long and is patient and is kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails.
If we all loved the way God loves us, the world would change SO much. Just imagine it. Totally mind blowing.

day 178

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted, A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build up, A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, A time to get and a time to lose, a time to keep and a time to cast away, A time to rend and a time to sew, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.
What time is it for you? Have you asked our Lord recently what time the GrandFather Clock has struck? You will never get an answer to anything unless you ask AND eagerly wait for and ACCEPT the answer.

day 177

Hosea 4:16
The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow?
That's a good question. If you're being difficult to work with, yet you want help, how do you suppose that will work out? Not well at all. Do you think you're fooling God when you blame Him for you not getting the help you need? He sees right through you. If you want to "speed up the process" then you need to admit to God what your struggles are--all of them. The first step to fixing an issue is admitting its existance.
Prayer requests?

day 176

Sorry it's late:/
Psalm 89:1-2
I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
That's a nice promise to make, but if there's no action behind those words, you'd be better off not saying anything in the first place. We need to stand up and take action. We have the freedom to do so in this country, so let's benefit from it. The Bible doesn't say to keep God all to yourself. It says to go make disciples of ALL nations. C'mon now. Jeez.

day 175

Whatever you hope for, hope for it in God's name. It makes it easier, because God's plan is always the best; it's perfect.
Isaiah 41:3
For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Prayer requests?

day 174

Philippians 3:2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
If you think something is too hard for you to do, God KNOWS you can do it; He's given you the tools you need to accomplish whatever it is He wants you to do. God doesn't give you a task because He knows you'll fail. He knows you can't do things alone. Everything you need is provided for you. Be careful of those things that set you back, those things that cloud your vision of God. Keep your eyes fixed on our Lord and Savior; nothing is impossible with God. Keep your head up, that way you can see heaven easier :)
Prayer requests?

day 173

Isaiah 44:6-11
The Lord, Not Idols
"This is what the Lord says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last, apart from me there is no God. Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what it yet to come--yes, let him fotell what is to come. Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and fortell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there and God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing? He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror
and infamy.
Any prayer requests?

day 172

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two life down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Friendship is awesome. People who accept you no matter what. They put up with your bad side. They support you. They hold you accountable whether you'd really like them to or not. Hey, isn't that like some stuff God does for us? Friends are Godsends. He knew humans couldn't be alone. So He provided another way to help people survive. God is ultimately enough. But all these extra bonuses come our way. Why? Because God's love overflows. He didn't have to give us anything. But He did so anyway. If God has put someone in your life and you try your hardest to push them away, GOD MAKES SURE THEY DON'T LEAVE!!!Fortunately, you're stuck with the people God hands to you. And God is with you. He never leaves you.
Matt. 18:20
"For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them."
Prayer requests?

day 171

^^^That look you get when you make plans and they backfire somehow. It's not fun when things don't go your way. It's annoying. It's agitating. When you work even harder to get your plans back to how you wanted them, sometimes they still don't work. Or it wasn't what you expected. Sometimes what happens is the exact opposite of what you planned, but it went well. Maybe that last part isn't recognized until sometime later. Point is, when your plan doesn't match God's, He will still get His way. No matter what. That's pretty comforting to know, since human's plans aren't always the best. Scratch that. They are never for the best. Only God's plan is the best. So let's try to match it!
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

day 170

"It's funny how it takes a holiday
To show us how the world could truly change
If we all took the time to really care
There'd be a little more of heaven everywhere
It's the grace that we need to show a world that needs hope
It's giving our lives knowing they're not our own
It's the joy that we feel and the love that we share
There's a bit of heaven everywhere
There's a bit of heaven everywhere
It's the smile on a man who has finaly found hope
It's the tears of a mother whose child has come home
It's the joy that we feel and the love that we share
There's a little bit of heaven everywhere
There's a little bit of heaven everywhere"
-Francesca Battistelli
"With upwards of ten hours a day spent on the water (canoeing), I came to realize my own strength, or rather, lack thereof. No matter how hard I pulled or how fast I paddled, the current was was larger determinate of my path and arrival time then my own might. It wasn't until I finally learned to join the current did I come to see the river as a source of strength and renewal. The water became something to rely on. Through the routine of our days we came to praise our God who carried us--the tired, the restless, the expectant and the homebound."
-Erica Grasse
Everything works on God-time. We make it harder for ourselves each time we stay away from God for whatever reason, for however long. Let go. Let God. Let God renew you, restore you, heal you, love you, care for you. He is more than capable of doing so. Stop working and go to God. You don't have to prove yourself to God. What is there to prove, really? The more you try to prove yourself, the more you're showing how much you fall apart with Him--which, I'm guessing, is the opposite of what you're trying to show. Yes, God sees your mess. Do yourself a favor and stop making your situations worse. Go to God for help. He won't disappoint. Maybe you're thinking God is taking too long to "fix" you. Well, God is not the problem; He isn't slowing Himself down. You are the problem. You're the one slowing down the process. Hmmm. It's give and take. Give yourself to God so He can take your impurities and make you up to your wonderful, godly, amazing full potential.
Prayer requests?

day 169

1John 3:15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore this is what the Lord says: "If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, must not turn to them.
Matt. 4:17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Any prayer requests?

day 168

If God had a phone, email, Facebook, Twitter, an actual address, I think more people would communicate with Him. More people would be willing to talk to Him. If you got an IM from Him, maybe you'd be more willing to talk about problems you're having and ask for His help. You'd say thank you more often. Maybe God would even use Skype. If God called you, you'd probably answer quicker. If God actually came to stay in your house, maybe you act different. Maybe you wouldn't. Maybe you'd even be the one to send the invite. Maybe you'd be more willing to serve Him, to serve others. As convenient as all those things would be, and as nice a fantasy as that may sound, we don't need any of it. Our God is more than enough for us. All we need is Him. There. That's it. That's more than we could ever imagine. More than we could ever ask for. More than we deserve, but look. We've got Him. More importantly, He's got us. Me being the texter I am, I'd love it if God had a cell phone. Life would be easier. Nobody said being a Christ follower is easy. Humans are never satisfied. Why wish for different or better communication when people struggle with the means of communicating with Him that we already have?! It's just crazy. Work with what you have. Because what you have is the absolute greatest gift ever. Period.
Prayer requests?

day 167

"I can't believe what she said
I can't believe what he did
Oh, don't they know it's wrong, yeah?
Don't they know it's wrong, yeah?
Maybe there's something I missed
But how could they treat me like this?
It's wearing out my heart
The way they disregard
This love, this hate...
We all have a choice to make
Oh, Father won't you You forgive them?
They don't know what they've been doin'
Oh, Father, give me grace to forgive them
'Cause I feel like the one losin'" -Tenth Avenue North
Forgiving someone is mainly the freeing of our own conscience. The wrongdoing of the other person of course is bad, but the Bible says it's a mistake not to forgive. Maybe the person didn't even do something directly to you, yet you have bitterness and anger toward them. What a shame. For you, that is.
Luke 23:34
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
Oftentimes that is true. The offender doesn't even know what they're doing. Perhaps they didn't do anything. As humans we always have to find fault in others, we always pass blame around. Knock it off and forgive. Forgive the person, forgive yourself. And ask God for his forgiveness, too.
Prayer requests?

day 166

Ecclesiastes 5:3-7
As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure with fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow then to make a vow and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger,"My vow was a mistake." Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.
God made promises, covenants, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and He remembered them. Not only did God remember, but He also kept those promises and fulfilled them. We're supposed to act godly, so keep your vows to God and see them through. Don't see that they FELL through.
Any prayer requests?

day 165

"By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14)
We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. "...Christ Jesus...became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redeption..." (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect. No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleasing for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, "But I don't want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner." God's response, through Peter, is, "...there is no other name...by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God's part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. "In Him we have redemption through His blood..." (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never part of Him. God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.
-Oswald Chambers,My Untmost for His Highest
Prayer requests?

day 164

Our minds can be a very scary and dangerous place. Thoughts can either build you up or completely tear you down, whether by your own doing or by Satan's. So "cast your burden on the Lord and he shall sustain you; he shall never permit the righteous to be moved. For God is not the author of confusion but of peace." -Psalm 55:22 & 1Corinthians 14:33a
For the Lord God will help Me; therefore I will not be disappointed; therefore I have set My face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. -Isaiah 50:7

day 163

Isaiah 43:2
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
Psalm 3:3
But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head.
Deut. 1:30
The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt (insert your city, you life) before your eyes.
2Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
1Peter 1:3-5
Bleesed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Jude 24,25
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
Sometimes we need a reminder that God is our Guardian and our Security. (Also, notice the pattern of 3's...cool symbolism(: )

day 162

Isaiah 53
Who has believed our message and whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by man, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought our peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each one of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before her shearers is silent,  so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his like a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After the offering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and he
was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.


Even though we reject Him and turn to our own ways, He took our crap on Himself anyway. Amidst all of the junk, Jesus was crushed for US.
Prayer requests today?

day 161

You shall have no other gods before Me. -Exodus 20:3
"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you will get neither." -C.S. Lewis
Put God first and everything else second. If it means being uncomfortable, don't let that stop you. Jesus didn't tell his executioners to take him off the cross because it was uncomfortable. God didn't stop the sacrifice of His Son because it was uncomfortable. Don't sacrifice your relationship with God for your relationship with other people. People will let you down. You will let other people down. When has God ever done that? Never. You can think up a situation all you want, but the truth is it was Satan who let you down. Or YOU let yourself down. Or another person did. Not God. That's not how He rolls. With God put first, everything will fall into place in Due time.
Prayer requests?

day 160

"The only superman I know is my dad."
Hebrews 1:1-2 [God's final Word: His Son] In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whome he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the Universe.
God definitely spoke to us when He set His Son to the cross for us. Even Jesus asked for it not to happen, but it was His Father's Will, so Jesus obeyed. God made the ultimate sacrifice. The least you could do is WILLINGLY give some of your time to Him.
Prayer requests?

day 159

This is oftentimes our attitude with God. And that is definitely wrong. God doesn't have many reasons to keep us alive. He doesn't have to provide so many things for us. He doesn't have to really do anything for us. We've let him down countless times. And continue to do so. But God never leaves and He never will. She shares Hiw Word with us. He communicates to us and we can communicate back. If there's on thing you should never take for granted it's God. God, His Son and the Holy Spirit are the best gifts ever given! Even just one of those is way more than we can imagine. Way more than we deserve. Way more than enough. Don't just blow Him off. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If God blew you off, think of how your life would be. Quite simply, you wouldn't even have one.

day 158

Don't you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? -1Corinthians 3:16 NCV
"Our body is a portable sanctuary through which we are daily experiencing the presence of God." -Richard Foster
"If I truly knew that He was smitten with me, maybe I could take a deep breathe, square my shoulders, and go out to face the world with confidence." -Angela Thomas
Vow to be a hope-filled Christian. Think optimistically about your life, your education, your family, and your future. Trust your hopes, not your fears.
^Another compilation from my devo book. It's a really good book, guys!
Any prayer requests?