June 22

How do we fix our attention on Jesus so that we hear His voice more clearly? I always mention hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit, but did you know to hear the Holy Spirit is to hear Jesus? Did you know that He will reveal things that are going to happen? You know it’s true, because we’ve all gotten a twinge telling us not to do something and we go ahead and do it, and the outcome was just what that twinge revealed. That’s Jesus! You might call it intuition, but maybe, intuition is just another name for Jesus. I’m going to be open with you today; I’ve prayed to have the desire for Jesus like Mary, who chose to sit at Jesus feet and hear all He had to say. I can picture her with adoring eyes, and an open heart as He poured out His love to all of those around Him. We can have that kind of relationship with Him today through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” We must fix our attention on Him! Yes, He will show up in a pinch, and give you a way out of sin, but to hear what He wants to reveal to us, we must set aside time for Him everyday.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

June 21

I had bought a new patio umbrella because we had a lot of tree limbs cut away from the house, and now my patio is no longer shaded. This new umbrella seemed perfect until the rains started and it began holding water, so I ordered a new and improved umbrella, larger and more beautiful than the previous. I ordered it before I sent the old one back because I needed the box to return the other one in. I had waited one day too long and the return period was over! I called the company to see if anything could be done, and they allowed a refund, but also told me to keep the other umbrella and donate it! Now everyone is happy, especially my husband. The first umbrella is no longer useful because its cover didn’t allow the water to roll off, it collected it causing damage. However, the new umbrella sheds the water and it rolls right off as it should. The first umbrella is like the world and the new umbrella is like Jesus. Did you forget to take down the first umbrella, before putting up the new one? Is it collecting dirt and causing you damage? Take down the old one, you don’t need it anymore. Seek only the covering of Jesus, He is our perfect coverage.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

June 20

Yesterday, I noticed that there were small oak trees growing in my flower beds. The trees abundantly produced acorns, so many that it looked like mulch, and now those acorns are producing trees! I began to pull up, what seemed like hundreds of them. As an oak tree grows, the root grows deeper and deeper into the soil, making it much harder to pull out of the ground. Those tiny oaks are like our children and that’s why it’s important that children receive a firm foundation in the Lord in their early years, while the soil is loose and fertile. Once they are grown, it’s harder to change their direction, much like trying to dig up an oak tree growing in the wrong place. In most cases, the tree has to be cut down because it’s grown too deep into worldly soil. There are tools that can move a large oak, but it’s much more difficult, the roots have grown accustomed to the soil that it was growing in, and becomes entangled in its previous surroundings like chains. If the enemy feeds our children lies, and teaches them his ways, it is more than likely they will be bound by his chains. 

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:5-7

June 19

I can’t explain to you how important it is to have daily contact with the Father. It is expected! As a part of my daily prayer and worship, I have been following along with the Jewish reading of the Psalms. I’ve finished the Psalms of David and I’m now reading the Psalms of Asaph. One thing I’ve learned is, they complained a lot! We complain a lot too, but we don’t take our complaints to God as they did. They opened up their mouths, and blamed God for all of their troubles, asked Him to stop their enemy and give them favor, all while still praising Him. Do you know why? Because they know that He’s the only one who can fix it! Some of our trouble comes because we are Christians, and the enemy hates us, but maybe God is allowing our trouble because He’s trying to get our attention. I’m also reading the Psalms out loud. Reading aloud keeps my attention on the words, and it fills the air with precious songs, and causes the enemy to move away at its sound. Take everything to the Father, your complaints, your disappointments, your pain, and all things, but remember, above all, praise Him.

This is an example of their prayer and song that confirms my observation:

O LORD God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in full measure. You make us an object of contention for our neighbors, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved! Psalms 80:4-7

June 18

This nation is raging with the ungodly. I am overwhelmed with sorrow thinking that we may be losing the fight against evil in this day. To hear those I once knew as friends, cursing God as if He doesn’t exist, makes me cringe and feel a deep sadness. They don’t know Him, and His Holy Spirit doesn’t dwell within them, they are lost, they are sinners unredeemed. What’s more frightening for them is that some have heard the good news of forgiveness of sins through Jesus, and they’ve rejected Him. When they are prostrate before Him, He will remind them of the times they were told of Him and their rejection of Him, at that point it will be too late and He will sentence them to hell. Our time is very short here on this earth, and during this time we need to do everything possible to bring those we love and care about into the sheepfold, but once you’ve been rejected because of Jesus, shake the dust off and move on, just as He told you. The good news is, we will dwell with Jesus forever, and we win in the end!

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:16

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Matthew 10:14

June 17

Is your anxiety so high that it causes you to feel like you’re taking on the world when you’re not? I was having a conversation with someone, and they expressed that they couldn’t keep cleaning up after someone who kept making messes. This person felt quite burdened, and overwhelmed. After mulling over this situation, I realized that the burden being felt wasn’t theirs to carry, and in fact they hadn’t done anything to clean up after the person making the mess. In their mind they were doing the work of cleaning when they had only thought about it. If you are feeling anxious about a situation, you might need a reality check. Tell someone your story, preferably someone who is less anxious than you, and have them give you their honest opinion. You may be fretting for no good reason. That overworked feeling was uncalled for. Maybe the same thing is happening to you, and you need to see it more clearly. If you can’t find a knowledgeable human to help you, ask God for clarity.

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

June 16

When the water is really clear on the beach, it’s perfect for snorkeling. So I got out my new full face snorkel, looking like an alien, I began looking for sharks teeth. With the water being as clear as it was, I could see things I’d never seen before. I stayed in the shallows so I could filter through the gravel, and there in the gravel was a tiny fish cleaning the broken shells. Then I started noticing some unusual things, almost like a cloud coming over, but it wasn’t, it was a school of new fish that were clear, but all I could make out was an eye. And as suddenly as I saw this, another school of larger fish followed behind them in an eating frenzy. But that’s not all, another larger group was following them! It was an incredible sight, and a little eerie because they were eating each other, was I next?

Here is the comparison: The world is full of enemies, ready to gobble you up, but you have been chosen to be spared and grow in Jesus. Pray for boldness and don’t keep it to yourself. Spread the good news of Jesus, so that those who have also been chosen to be spared may come to know Him early on, before the enemy sinks his teeth into them leaving permanent bite marks.

I pray this for myself today, and you should do the same.

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, Acts 4:29