December 9

BE WILLING to go out on a limb with Me.  If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be.  Your desire to live a risk-free life is a form of unbelief.  Your longing to live close to Me is at odds with your attempts to minimize risk.  You are approaching a crossroads in your journey.  In order to follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your tendency to play it safe.

Let Me lead you step by step through this day.  If your primary focus is on Me, you can walk along perilous paths without being afraid.  Eventually, you will learn to relax and enjoy the adventure of our journey together.  As long as you stay close to Me, My sovereign Presence protects you wherever you go.

Psalm 23:4; Psalm 9:10; John 12:26

December 10

MAKE ME THE FOCAL POINT of your search for security.  In your private thoughts, you are still trying to order your world so that it is predictable and feels safe.  Not only is this an impossible goal, but it is also counterproductive to spiritual growth.  When your private world feels unsteady and you grip My hand for support, you are living in conscious dependence on Me.

Instead of yearning for a problem-free life, rejoice that trouble can highlight your awareness of My Presence.  In the darkness of adversity, you are able to see more clearly the radiance of My Face.  Accept the value of problems in this life, considering them pure joy.  Remember that you have an eternity of trouble-free living awaiting you in heaven.

Isaiah 41:10; Psalm 139:10; James 1:2

December 11

I AM WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF.  Bring Me all your concerns, including your dreams.  Talk with Me about everything, letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans.  Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life, gradually transforming them into reality.  This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me.  I, the Creator of the universe, have deigned to co-create with you.  Do not try to hurry this process.  If you want to work with Me, you have to accept My time frame.  Hurry is not in My nature.  Abraham and Sarah had to wait many years for the fulfillment of My promise, a son.  How their long wait intensified their enjoyment of this child!  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

Psalm 36:9; Genesis 21:1-7; Hebrews 11:1(AMP)

December 12

I AM TAKING CARE OF YOU.  Feel the warmth and security of being enveloped in My loving Presence.  Every detail of your life is under My control.  Moreover, everything fits into a pattern for good, to those who love Me and are called according to My design and purpose.

Because the world is in an abnormal, fallen condition, people tend to think that chance governs the universe.  Events may seem to occur randomly, with little or no meaning.  People who view the world this way have overlooked one basic fact:  the limitations of human understanding.  What you know of the world you inhabit is only the tip of the iceberg.  Submerged beneath the surface of the visible world are mysteries too vast for you to comprehend.  If you could only see how close I am to you and how constantly I work on your behalf, you would never again doubt that I am wonderfully caring for you.  This is why you must live by faith, not by sight; trusting in My mysterious, majestic Presence.

Romans 8:28(AMP); Job 42:1-3; 1 Peter 5:7; 2 Corinthians 5:7

December 13

TAKE TIME TO BE HOLY.  The word holy does not mean goody-goody; it means set apart for sacred use.  That is what these quiet moments in My Presence are accomplishing within you.  As you focus your mind and heart on Me, you are being transformed:  re-created into the one I designed you to be.  This process requires blocks of time set aside for communion with Me.

The benefits of this practice are limitless.  Emotional and physical healing are enhanced by your soaking in the Light of My Presence.  You experience a nearness to Me that strengthens your faith and fills you with Peace.  You open yourself up to receive the many blessings that I have prepared for you.  You become a cleansed temple of My Holy Spirit, who is able to do in and through you immeasurably more than you ask or imagine.  These are just some of the benefits of being still in My Presence.

2 Thessalonians 1:10; Psalm 27:4; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 3:20

December 14

REST IN ME, MY CHILD, forgetting about the worries of the world.  Focus on Me—Emmanuel—and let My living Presence envelop you in Peace.  Tune in to My eternal security, for I am the same yesterday, today, and forever.  If you live on the surface of life by focusing on ever-changing phenomena, you will find yourself echoing the words of Solomon:  “Meaningless!  Meaningless!  Everything is meaningless!”

Living in collaboration with Me is the way to instill meaning into your days.  Begin each day alone with Me, so that you can experience the reality of My Presence.  As you spend time with Me, the way before you opens up step by step.  Arise from the stillness of our communion, and gradually begin your journey through the day.  Hold My hand in deliberate dependence on Me, and I will smooth out the path before you.

Hebrews 13:8; Ecclesiastes 1:2; Proverbs 3:6

December 15

YOUR LONGING FOR HEAVEN IS GOOD, because it is an extension of your yearning for Me.  The hope of heaven is meant to strengthen and encourage you, filling you with wondrous Joy.  Many Christians have misunderstood this word hope, believing that it denotes wishful thinking.  Nothing could be farther from the truth!  As soon as I became your Savior, heaven became your ultimate destination.  The phrase hope of heaven highlights the benefits you can enjoy even while remaining on earth.  This hope keeps you spiritually alive during dark times of adversity; it brightens your path and heightens your awareness of My Presence.  My desire is that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:23-25; Hebrews 6:18-20; Romans 15:13

December 16

I AM SPEAKING in the depths of your being.  Be still, so that you can hear My voice.  I speak in the language of Love; My words fill you with Life and Peace, Joy and hope.  I desire to talk with all My children, but many are too busy to listen.  The “work ethic” has them tied up in knots.  They submit wholeheartedly to this taskmaster, wondering why they feel so distant from Me.

Living close to Me requires making Me your First Love—your highest priority.  As you seek My Presence above all else, you experience Peace and Joy in full measure.  I also am blessed when you make Me first in your life.  While you journey through life in My Presence, My Glory brightens the world around you.

Isaiah 50:4; Revelation 2:4; Isaiah 60:2

December 17

COME TO ME with your gaping emptiness, knowing that in Me you are complete.  As you rest quietly in My Presence, My Light within you grows brighter and brighter.  Facing the emptiness inside you is simply the prelude to being filled with My fullness.  Therefore, rejoice on those days when you drag yourself out of bed, feeling sluggish and inadequate.  Tell yourself that this is a perfect day to depend on Me in childlike trust.  If you persevere in this dependence as you go through the day, you will feel the beneficial effects of their presence.  The perfect end to such a day is a doxology of gratitude.  I am He from whom all blessings flow!

2 Corinthians 4:6; Matthew 5:3, 6; Colossians 2:9-10; Psalm 150:6

December 18

WHEN YOU ARE PLAGUED by a persistent problem—one that goes on and on—view it as a rich opportunity.  An ongoing problem is like a tutor who is always by your side.  The learning possibilities are limited only by your willingness to be teachable.  In faith, thank Me for your problem.  Ask Me to open your eyes and your heart to all that I am accomplishing through this difficulty.  Once you have become grateful for a problem, it loses its power to drag you down.  On the contrary, your thankful attitude will lift you up into heavenly places with Me.  From this perspective, your difficulty can be seen as a slight, temporary distress that is producing for you a transcendent Glory never to cease!

Isaiah 30:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:17(AMP)

December 19

DO NOT BE WEIGHED DOWN by the clutter in your life:  lots of little chores to do some time, in no particular order.  If you focus too much on these petty tasks, trying to get them all out of the way, you will discover that they are endless.  They can eat up as much time as you devote to them.

Instead of trying to do all your chores at once, choose the ones that need to be done today.  Let the rest slip into the background of your mind, so I can be in the forefront of your awareness.  Remember that your ultimate goal is living close to Me, being responsive to My initiatives.  I can communicate with you most readily when your mind is uncluttered and turned toward Me.  Seek My Face continually throughout this day.  Let My Presence bring order to your thoughts, infusing Peace into your entire being.

Proverbs 16:3; Matthew 6:33

December 20

WHEN I JOINED THE RANKS of humanity, born into the humblest conditions, My Glory was hidden from all but a few people.  Occasionally, streaks of Glory shone out of Me, especially when I began to do miracles.  Toward the end of My life, I was taunted and tempted to display more of My awesome Power than My Father’s plan permitted.  I could have called down legions of angels to rescue Me at any point.  Imagine the self-control required of a martyr who could free Himself at will!  All of this was necessary to provide the relationship with Me that you now enjoy.  Let your life become a praise song to Me by proclaiming My glorious Presence in the world.

John 2:11; Luke 23:35-36; Psalm 92:1-5

December 21

MY PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE is unfolding before you.  Sometimes the road you are traveling seems blocked, or it opens up so painfully slowly that you must hold yourself back.  Then, when time is right, the way before you suddenly clears through no effort of your own. What you have longed for and worked for I present to you freely, as pure gift.  You feel awed by the ease with which I operate in the world, and you glimpse My Power and My Glory.

Do not fear your weakness, for it is the stage on which My Power and Glory perform most brilliantly.  As you persevere along the path I have prepared for you, depending on My strength to sustain you, expect to see miracles—and you will.  Miracles are not always visible to the naked eye, but those who live by faith can see them clearly.  Living by faith, rather than sight, enables you to see My Glory.

Psalm 63:2; 2 Corinthians 5:7; John 11:40

December 22

COME TO ME, and relax in My Presence.  As you ponder the majestic mystery of the Incarnation, relax in My everlasting arms.  I am the only Person who was ever sired by the Holy Spirit.  This is beyond your understanding.  Instead of trying to comprehend My Incarnation intellectually, learn from the example of the wise men.  They followed the leading spectacular star, then fell down in humble worship when they found Me.

Praise and worship are the best responses to the wonder of My Being.  Sing praises to My holy Name.  Gaze at Me in silent adoration.  Look out for a star of guidance in your own life, and be willing to follow wherever I lead.  I am the Light from on high that dawns upon you, to guide your feet into the way of Peace.

Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Matthew 2:9-11(NKJV); Luke 1:78-79(AMP)

December 23

I AM KING OF KINGS and Lord of lords, dwelling in dazzlingly bright Light!  I am also your Shepherd, Companion, and Friend—the One who never lets go of your hand.  Worship Me in My holy Majesty; come close to Me, and rest in My Presence.  You need Me both as God and as Man. Only My Incarnation on that first, long-ago Christmas could fulfill your neediness.  Since I went to such extreme measures to save you from your sins, you can be assured that I will graciously give you all you need.

Nurture well your trust in Me as Savior, Lord, and Friend.  I have held back nothing in My provision for you.  I have even deigned to live within you!  Rejoice in all that I have done for you, and My Light will shine through you into the world.

1 Timothy 6:15-16; Psalm 95:6-7; Romans 8:32; 2 Peter 1:19

December 24

I SPEAK TO YOU from the depths of eternity.  Before the world was formed, I AM!  You hear Me in the depths of your being, where I have taken up residence.  I am Christ in you, the hope of Glory.  I, your Lord and Savior, am alive within you.  Learn to tune in to My living Presence by seeking Me in silence.

As you celebrate the wonder of My birth in Bethlehem, celebrate also your rebirth into eternal life.  This everlasting gift was the sole purpose of My entering your sin-stained world.  Receive My gift with awe and humility.  Take time to explore the vast dimensions of My Love.  Allow thankfulness to flow freely from your heart in response to My glorious gift.  Let My Peace rule in your heart, and be thankful.

Psalm 90:2(AMP); Colossians 1:27; Colossians 3:15

December 25

AS YOU WAIT attentively in My Presence, the Light of the knowledge of My Glory shines upon you.  This radiant knowledge transcends all understanding.  It transforms every fiber of your being:  renewing your mind, cleansing your heart, invigorating your body.  Open yourself fully to My Presence; be awed by My glorious Being.

Try to imagine what I gave up when I came to earth as a baby.  I set aside My Glory so that I could identify with mankind.  I accepted the limitations of infancy under the most appalling conditions—a filthy stable.  That was a dark night for Me, even though angels lit up the sky proclaiming “Glory!” to awestruck shepherds.

When you sit quietly with Me, the process I went through is reversed in your experience.  As you identify with Me, heaven’s visits vistas open up before you—granting you glimpses of My Glory.  I became poor so that you might become rich.  Sing hallelujahs to My holy Name!

2 Corinthians 4:6; Philippians 2:6-7; Luke 2:13-14; 2 Corinthians 8:9

December 26

I AM THE GIFT that continuously gives—bounteously, with no strings attached.  Unconditional Love is such a radical concept that even My most devoted followers fail to grasp it fully.  Absolutely nothing in heaven or on earth can cause Me to stop loving you.  You may feel more loved when you are performing according to your expectations.  But My Love for you is perfect; therefore it is not subject to variation.  What does vary is your awareness of My loving Presence.

When you are dissatisfied with your behavior, you tend to feel unworthy of My Love.  You may unconsciously punish yourself by withdrawing from Me and attributing the distance between us to My displeasure.  Instead of returning to Me and receiving My Love, you attempt to earn My approval by trying harder.  All the while, I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My Love.  When you are feeling unworthy or unloved, come to Me.  Then ask for receptivity to My unfailing Love.

1 John 4:15-18; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalm 13:5

December 27

I AM PREPARING YOU for what is on the road ahead, just around the bend.  Take time to be still in My Presence so that I can strengthen you.  The busier you become, the more you need this time apart with Me.  So many people think that time spent with Me is a luxury they cannot afford.  As a result, they live and work in their own strength—until that becomes depleted.  Then they either cry out to Me for help or turn away in bitterness.

How much better it is to walk close to Me, depending on My strength and trusting Me in every situation.  If you live in this way, you will do less but accomplish far more.  Your unhurried pace of living will stand out in this rush-crazed age.  Some people may deem you lazy, but many more will be blessed by your peacefulness.  Walk in the Light with Me, and you will reflect Me to the watching world.

Isaiah 64:4; John 15:5; Psalm 36:9

December 28

I AM YOUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, an ever-present Help I trouble.  Therefore, you don’t need to be afraid of anything—not even cataclysmic circumstances.  The media are increasingly devoted to fear-inducing subject matter:  terrorism, serial killers, environmental catastrophes.  If you focus on such dangers and forget that I am your Refuge in all circumstances, you will become increasingly fearful.  Every day I manifest My grace in countless places and situations, but the media take not notice.  I shower not only blessings but also outright miracles on your planet.

As you grow closer to Me, I open your eyes to see more and more of My Presence all around you.  Things that most people hardly notice, like shifting shades of sunlight, fill you with heart-bursting Joy.  You have eyes that see and ears that hear, so proclaim My abiding Presence in the world.

Psalm 46:1-3; Psalm 89:15

December 29

TRUST ME with every fiber of your being!  What I can accomplish in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on Me.  One aspect of this is the degree to which you trust Me in a crisis or major decision.  Some people fail miserably here, while others are at their best in tough times.  Another aspect is even more telling:  the constancy of your trust in Me.  People who rely on Me in the midst of adversity may forget about Me when life is flowing smoothly.  Difficult times can jolt you into awareness of your need for Me, whereas smooth sailing can lull you into the stupor of self-sufficiency.

I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your dramatic leaps of faith.  You may think that no one notices, but the One who is always beside you sees everything—and rejoices.  Consistently trusting in Me is vital to flourishing in My Presence.

Psalm 40:4; Psalm 56:3-4; Psalm 62:8; Isaiah 26:3-4

December 30

I AMLEADING YOU along a way that is uniquely right for you.  The closer to Me you grow, the more fully you become your true self—the one I designed you to be.  Because you are one of a kind, the path you are traveling with Me diverges increasingly from that of other people.  However, in My mysterious wisdom and ways, I enable you to follow this solitary path while staying in close contact with others.  In fact, the more completely you devote yourself to Me, the more freely you can love people.

Marvel at the beauty of a life intertwined with My Presence.  Rejoice as we journey together in intimate communion.  Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself through losing yourself in Me.

2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; 1 John 4:7-8; John 15:4

December 31

AS THIS YEAR DRAWS TO A CLOSE, receive My Peace.  This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour myself into your neediness.  My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match.  I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own.  I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use.  I want you to be filled with My very Being, permeated through and through with Peace.

Thank Me for My peaceful Presence, regardless of your feelings.  Whisper My Name in loving tenderness.  My Peace, which lives continually in your spirit, will gradually work its way through your entire being.

Isaiah 9:6; 2 Corinthians 4:7; John 14:26-27