April 29

LET ME TEACH YOU THANKFULNESS.  Begin by acknowledging that everything—all your possessions and all that you are—belongs to Me.  The dawning of each new day is a gift from Me, not to be taken for granted.  The earth is vibrantly alive with My blessings, giving vivid testimony to My Presence.  If you slow down your pace of life, you can find Me anywhere.

Some of My most precious children have been laid aside in sick beds or shut away in prisons.  Others have voluntarily learned the discipline of spending time alone with Me.  The secret of being thankful is learning to see everything from My perspective.  My world is your classroom.  My Word is a lamp to your feet and a light for your path.

Hebrews 12:28-29; Psalm 119:105

April 30

WHEN SOME BASIC NEED IS LACKING—time, energy, money—consider yourself blessed.  Your very lack is an opportunity to latch onto Me in unashamed dependence.  When you begin with inadequate resources, you must concentrate your efforts on the present moment.  This is where you are meant to live—in the present; it is the place where I always await you.  Awareness of your inadequacy is a rich blessing, training you to rely wholeheartedly on Me.

The truth is that self-sufficiency is a myth perpetuated by pride and temporary success.  Health and wealth can disappear instantly, as can life itself.  Rejoice in your insufficiency, knowing that My Power is made perfect in weakness.

James 1:2; 2 Corinthians 12:9(NASB)

May 1

YOU ARE ON THE PATH of My choosing.  There is no randomness about your life.  Here and Now comprise the coordinates of your daily life.  Most people let their moments slip through their fingers, half-lived.  They avoid the present by worrying about the future or longing for a better time and place.  They forget that they are creatures who are subject to the limitations of time and space.  They forget their Creator, who walks with them only in the present.

Every moment is alive with My glorious Presence, to those whose hearts are intimately connected with Mine.  As you give yourself more and more to a life of constant communion with Me, you will find that you simply have not time for worry.  Thus, you are freed to let My Spirit direct your steps, enabling you to walk along the path of Peace.

Luke 12:25; Luke 1:79

May 2

LIVING IN DEPENDENCE ON ME is the way to enjoy abundant life.  You are learning to appreciate tough times, because they amplify your awareness of My Presence.  Tasks that you used to dread are becoming rich opportunities to enjoy My closeness.  When you feel tired, you remember that I am your Strength; and you take pleasure in leaning on Me.  I am pleased by your tendency to turn to Me more and more frequently, especially when you are alone.

When you are with other people, you often lose sight of My Presence.  Your fear of displeasing people puts you in bondage to them, and they become your primary focus.  When you realize this has happened, whisper My Name; this tiny act of trust brings Me to the forefront of your consciousness, where I belong.  As you bask in the blessing of My nearness, My life can flow through you to others.  This is abundant life!

Proverbs 29:25; John 10:10

May 3

YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS.  If I am truly your Master, you will desire to please Me above all others.  If pleasing people is your goal, you will be enslaved to them.  People can be harsh taskmasters when you give them this power over you.

If I am the Master of your life, I will also be your First Love.  Your serving Me is rooted and grounded in My vast, unconditional Love for you.  The lower you bow down before Me, the higher I lift you up into intimate relationship with Me.  The Joy of living in My Presence outshines all other pleasures.  I want you to reflect My joyous Light by living in increasing intimacy with Me.

Matthew 6:24; Revelation 2:4; Ephesians 3:16-17; Psalm 16:11

May 4

MEET ME IN MORNING STILLNESS, while the earth is fresh with the dew of My Presence.  Worship Me in the beauty of holiness.  Sing love songs to My holy Name.  As you give yourself to Me, My Spirit swells within you till you are flooded with diving Presence.

The world’s way of pursuing riches is grasping and hoarding.  You attain My riches by letting go and giving.  The more you give yourself to Me and My ways, the more I fill you with inexpressible, heavenly Joy.

Psalm 29:2(NKJV); 1 Peter 1:8

May 5

COME TO ME for all that you need.  Come into My Presence with thanksgiving, for thankfulness opens the door to My treasures.  When you are thankful, you affirm the central truth that I am Good.  I am Light, in whom there is no darkness at all.  The assurance that I am entirely Good meets your basic need for security.  Your life is not subject to the shims of a sin-stained deity.

Relax in the knowledge that the One who controls your life is totally trustworthy.  Come to Me with confident expectation.  There is nothing you need that I cannot provide.

Psalm 95:2; 1 John 1:5

May 6

DO NOT SEARCH FOR SECURITY in the world you inhabit.  You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life.  If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace.  But the more you work to accomplish that goal, the more things crop up on your list.  The harder you try, the more frustrated you become.

There is a better way to find security in this life.  Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My Presence with you.  This continual contact with Me will keep you in My Peace.  Moreover, I will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what needs to be done now and what does not.  Fix your eyes not on what is seen (your circumstances), but on what is unseen (My Presence).

Isaiah 26:3(NKJV); 2 Corinthians 4:18

May 7

IF YOU LEARN TO TRUST ME—really trust Me—with your whole being, then nothing can separate you from My Peace.  Everything you endure can be put to good use by allowing it to train you in trusting Me.  This is how you foil the works of evil, growing in grace through the very adversity that was meant to harm you.  Joseph was a prime example of this divine reversal, declaring to his brothers:  “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good

Do not fear what this day, or any day, may bring your way.  Concentrate on trusting Me and on doing what needs to be done.  Relax in My sovereignty, remembering that I go before you, as well as with you, into each day. Fear no evil, for I can bring good out of every situation you will ever encounter.

Genesis 50:20(NASB); Psalm 23:4

May 8

DO NOT LONG for the absence of problems in your life.  That is an unrealistic goal, since in this world you will have trouble.  You have an eternity of problem free living reserved for you in heaven.  Rejoice in that inheritance, which no one can take away from you, but do not seek your heaven on earth.

Begin each day anticipating problems, asking Me to equip you for whatever difficulties you will encounter.  The best equipping is My living Presence, My hand that never lets go of yours.  Discuss everything with Me.  Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle.  Remember that I am your side, and I have overcome the world.

John 16:33; Isaiah 41:13; Philippians 4:13

May 9

DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF.  I can bring good even out of your mistakes.  Your finite mind tends to look backward, longing to undo decisions you have come to regret.  This is a waste of time and energy, leading only to frustration.  Instead of floundering in the past, release your mistakes to Me.  Look to Me in trust, anticipating that My infinite creativity can weave both good choices and bad into a lovely design.

Because you are human, you will continue to make mistakes.  Thinking that you should live an error-free life is symptomatic of pride.  Your failures can be a source of blessing, humbling you and giving you empathy for other people in their weaknesses.  Best of all, failure highlights your dependence on Me.  I am able to bring beauty out of the morass of your mistakes.  Trust Me, and watch to see what I will do.

Romans 8:28; Micah 7:7

May 10

DO NOT RESIST OR RUN from the difficulties in your life.  These problems are not random mistakes; they are hand-tailored blessings for your benefit and growth.  Embrace all the circumstances that I allow in your life, trusting Me to bring good out of them.  View problems as opportunities to rely more fully on Me.

When you start to feel stressed, let those feelings alert you to your need for Me.  Thus, your needs become doorways to deep dependence on Me and increasing intimacy between us.  Although self-sufficiency is acclaimed in the world, reliance on Me produces abundant living in My kingdom.  Thank Me for the difficulties in your life, since they provide protection from the idolatry of self-reliance.

John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 1:8-9; Ephesians 5:20

May 11

THANK ME FOR YOUR PROBLEMS.  As soon as your mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to Me with thanksgiving.  Then ask Me to show you My way to handle the situation.  The very act of thanking Me releases your mind from its negative focus.  As you turn your attention to Me, the problem fades in significance and loses its power to trip you up.  Together we can deal with the situation, either facing it head-on or putting it aside for later consideration.

Most of the situations that entangle your mind are not today’s concerns; you have borrowed them from tomorrow.  In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from your eyes. In its place I give you My Peace, which flows freely from My Presence.

Philippians 4:6; John 14:27

May 12

LEARN TO RELATE to others through My Love rather than yours.  Your human love is ever so limited, full of flaws and manipulation.  My loving Presence, which always enfolds you, is available to bless others as well as you.  Instead of trying harder to help people through your own paltry supplies, become aware of My unlimited supply, which is accessible to you continually.  Let My Love envelope your outreach to other people.

Many of My precious children have fallen prey to burnout.  A better description of their condition might be “drainout”.  Countless interactions with needy people have drained them, without their conscious awareness.  You are among these weary ones, who are like wounded soldiers needing R&R.  Take time to rest in the Love-Light of My Presence.  I will gradually restore to you the energy that you have lost over the years.  Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and you will find rest for your souls.

Exodus 33:14; Matthew 11:28-29

May 13

THANK ME IN THE MIDST of the crucible.  When things seem all wrong, look for growth opportunities.  Especially, look for areas where you need to let go, leaving your cares in My able hands.  Do you trust Me to orchestrate your life events as I choose, or are you still trying to make things go according to your will?  If you keep trying to carry out your intentions while I am leading you in another direction, you deify your desires.

Be on the lookout for what I am doing in your life.  Worship Me by living close to Me, thanking Me in all circumstances.

1 Peter 5:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:18

May 14

I AM A MIGHTY GOD.  Nothing is too difficult for Me.  I have chosen to use weak ones like you to accomplish My purposes.  Your weakness is designed to open you up to My Power.  Therefore, do not fear your limitations or measure the day’s demands against your strength.  What I require of you is to stay connected to Me, living in trusting dependence on My limitless resources.  When you face unexpected demands, there is no need to panic.  Remember that I am with you.  Talk with Me, and listen while I talk you through each challenging situation.

I am not a careless God.  When I allow difficulties to come into your life, I equip you fully to handle them.  Relax in My Presence, trusting in My Strength.

Luke 1:37; 2 Corinthians 12:9

May 15

SPENDING TIME alone with Me is essential for your well-being.  It is not a luxury or an option; it is a necessity.  Therefore, do not feel guilty about taking time to be with Me.  Remember that Satan is the accuser of believers.  He delights in heaping guilt feelings upon you, especially when you are enjoying My Presence.  When you feel Satan’s arrows of accusation, you are probably on the right track.  Use your shield of faith to protect yourself from him.  Talk with Me about what you are experiencing, and ask Me to show you the way forward.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  Come near to Me, and I will come near to you.

Revelation 12:10; Ephesians 6:16; James 4:7-8

May 16

I AM YOUR LORD!  Seek Me as Friend and Lover of your soul, but remember that I am also King of kings—sovereign over all.  You can make some plans as you gaze into the day that stretches out before you.  But you need to hold those plans tentatively, anticipating that I may have other ideas.  The most important thing to determine is what to do right now.  Instead of scanning the horizon of your life, looking for things that need to be done, concentrate on the task before you and the One who never leaves your side.  Let everything else fade into the background.  This will unclutter your mind, allowing Me to occupy more and more of your consciousness.

Trust Me to show you what to do when you have finished what you are doing now.  I will guide you step by step, as you bend your will to Mine.  Thus you stay close to Me on the path of Peace.

Proverbs 19:21; Luke 1:79

May 17

AS YOU SIT QUIETLY in My Presence, remember that I am a God of abundance.  I will never run out of resources; My capacity to bless you is unlimited.  You live in a world of supply and demand, where necessary things are often scarce.  Even if you personally have enough, you see poverty in the world around you.  It is impossible for you to comprehend the lavishness of My provisions:  the fullness of My glorious riches.

Through spending time in My Presence, you gain glimpses of My overflowing vastness.  These glimpses are tiny foretastes of what you will experience eternally in heaven.  Even now you have access to as much of Me as you have faith to receive.  Rejoice in My abundance—living by faith, not by sight.

Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 5:7

May 18

COME TO ME with your plans held in abeyance.  Worship Me in spirit and in truth, allowing My Glory to permeate your entire being.  Trust Me enough to let Me guide you through this day, accomplishing My purposes in My timing.  Subordinate your myriad plans to My Master Plan.  I am sovereign over every aspect of your life!

The challenge continually before you is to trust Me and search for My way through each day.  Do not blindly follow your habitual route, or you will miss what I have prepared for you.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

John 4:24; Isaiah 55:8-9(NKJV)

May 19

I WANT YOU TO KNOW how safe and secure you are in My Presence.  That is a fact, totally independent of your feelings.  You are on your way to heaven; nothing can prevent you from reaching that destination.  There you will see Me face to Face, and your Joy will be off the charts by any earthly standards.  Even now, you are never separated from Me, though you must see Me through eyes of faith.  I will walk with you till the end of time, and onward into eternity.

Although My Presence is a guaranteed promise that does not necessarily change your feelings.  When you forget I am with you, you may experience loneliness or fear.  It is through awareness of My Presence that Peace displaces negative feelings.  Practice the discipline of walking consciously with Me through each day.

1 Corinthians 13: 12; Psalm 29:11

May 20

WHEN YOUR SINS WEIGHT HEAVY upon you, come to Me.  Confess your wrongdoing, which I know all about before you say a word.  Stay in the Light of My Presence, receiving forgiveness, cleansing, and healing.  Remember that I have clothed you in My righteousness, so nothing can separate you from Me.  Whenever you stumble or fall, I am there to help you.

Man’s tendency is to hide from his sin, seeking refuge in the darkness.  There he indulges in self-pity, self-righteousness, blaming, and hatred.  But I am the Light of the world, and My illumination decimates the darkness.  Come close to Me and let My Light envelop you, driving out darkness and permeating you with Peace.

1 John 1:7; Isaiah 61:10; John 8:12

May 21

I, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, am with you and for you.  What more could you need?  When you feel some lack, it is because you are not connecting with Me at a deep level.  I offer abundant Life; your part is to trust Me, refusing to worry about anything.

It is not so much adverse events that make you anxious as it is your thoughts about those events.  Your mind engages in efforts to take control of a situation, to bring about the result you desire.  Your thoughts close in on the problem like ravenous wolves.  Determined to make things go your way, you forget that I am in charge of your life.  The only remedy is to switch your focus from the problem to My Presence.  Stop all your striving, and watch to see what I will do.  I am the Lord!

Romans 8:31-32; Micah 7:7

May 22

WHEN THINGS DON’T GO as you would like, accept the situation immediately.  If you indulge in feelings of regret, they can easily spill over the line into resentment.  Remember that I am sovereign over your circumstances, and humble yourself under My mighty hand.  Rejoice in what I am doing in your life, even though it is beyond your understanding.

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  In Me you have everything you need, both for this life and for the life yet to come.  Don’t let the impact of the world shatter your thinking or draw you away from focusing on Me.  The ultimate challenge is to keep fixing your eyes on Me, no matter what is going on around you.  When I am central in your thinking, you are able to view circumstances from My perspective.

1 Peter 5:6; John 14:6

May 23

APPROACH EACH NEW DAY with desire to find Me.  Before you get out of bed, I have already been working to prepare the path that will get you through this day.  There are hidden treasures strategically placed along the way.  Some of the treasures are trials, designed to shake you free from earth-shackles.  Others are blessings that reveal My Presence:  sunshine, flowers, birds, friendships, answered prayer.  I have not abandoned this sin-wracked world; I am still richly present in it.

Search for deep treasures as you go through this day.  You will find Me all along the way.

Colossians 2:2-3; Isaiah 33:6

May 24

BRING ME YOUR MIND for rest and renewal.  Let Me infuse My Presence into your thoughts.  As your mind stops racing, your body relaxes and you regain awareness of Me.  This awareness is vital to your spiritual well-being; it is your lifeline, spiritually speaking.

There are actually more than four dimensions in this world where you live.  In addition to the three dimensions of space and the one of time, there is the dimension of openness to My Presence.  This dimension transcends the others, giving you glimpses of heaven while you still reside on earth.  This was part of My original design for mankind.  Adam and Eve used to walk with Me in the garden, before their expulsion from Eden.  I want you to walk with Me in the garden of your heart, where I have taken up permanent residence.

Genesis 3:8; Psalm 89:15

May 25

THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH YOU, My child.  Your mind leaps from problem to problem to problem, tangling your thoughts in anxious knots.  When you think like that, you leave Me out of your world-view and your mind becomes darkened.  Though I yearn to help, I will not violate your freedom.  I stand silently in the background of your mind, waiting for you to remember that I am with you.

When you turn from your problems to My Presence, your load is immediately lighter.  Circumstances may not have changed, but we carry your burdens together.  Your compulsion to “fix” everything gives way to deep, satisfying connection with Me.  Together we can handle whatever this day brings.

Isaiah 41:10; Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 34:19

May 26

IN A WORLD of unrelenting changes, I am the One who never changes.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.  Find in Me the stability for which you have yearned.

I created a beautifully ordered world:  one that reflected My perfection.  Now, however, the world is under the bondage of sin and evil.  Every person on the planet faces gaping jaws of uncertainty.  The only antidote to this poisonous threat is drawing closer to Me.  In My Presence you can face uncertainty wit perfect Peace.

Revelation 22:13; John 16:33(AMP)

May 27

SEEK MY FACE at the beginning of your day.  This practice enables you to “put Me on” and “wear Me” throughout the day.  Most people put on clothes soon after arising from bed.  Similarly, the sooner you “put Me on” by communicating with Me, the better prepared you are for whatever comes your way.

To “wear Me” is essentially to have My mind:  to think My thoughts.  Ask the Holy Spirit to control your thinking; be transformed by this renewal within you.  Thus you are well equipped to face whatever people and situations I bring your way.  Clothing your mind in Me is your best preparation for each day.  This discipline brings Joy and Peace to you and those around you.

Psalm 27:8(NKJV); Romans 13:14; Colossians 3:12

May 28

LET ME ANOINT YOU with My Presence.  I am King of kings, and Lord of lords, dwelling in unapproachable Light.  When you draw near to Me, I respond by coming closer to you.  As My Presence envelops you, you may feel overwhelmed by My Power and Glory.  This is a form of worship:  sensing your smallness in comparison to My Greatness.

Man has tended to make himself the measure of all things.  But man’s measure is too tiny to comprehend My majestic vastness.  That is why most people do not see Me at all, even though they live and move and have their being in Me.

Enjoy the radiant beauty of My Presence.  Declare My glorious Being to the world!

1 Timothy 6:15-16; James 4:8; Acts 17:28; Psalm 145:3-6

May 29

I AM WITH YOU, watching over you constantly.  I am Emmanuel (God with you); My Presence enfolds you in radiant Love.  Nothing, including the brightest blessings and the darkest trials, can separate you from Me.  Some of My children find Me more readily during dark times, when difficulties force then to depend on Me.  Others feel closer to Me when their lives are filled with good things.  They respond with thanksgiving and praise, thus opening wide the door to My Presence.

I know precisely what you need to draw nearer to Me.  Go through each day looking for what I have prepared for you.  Accept every event as My hand-tailored provision for your needs.  When you view your life this way, the most reasonable response is to be thankful.  Do not reject any of My gifts; find Me in every situation.

Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:6-7

May 30

TIME WITH ME cannot be rushed.  When you are in a hurry, your mind flitters back and forth between Me and the tasks ahead of you.  Push back the demands pressing in on you; create a safe space around you, a haven in which you can rest with Me.  I also desire this time of focused attention and I use it to bless you, strengthening and equipping you for the day ahead.  Thus, spending time with Me is a wise investment.

Bring Me the sacrifice of your precious time.  This creates sacred space around you—space permeated with My Presence and My Peace.

Psalm 119:27; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Hebrews 13:15(NKJV)

May 31

THE PEACE THAT I GIVE YOU transcends your intellect.  When most of your mental energy goes into efforts to figure things out, you are unable to receive this glorious gift.  I look into your mind and see thoughts spinning round and round:  going nowhere, accomplishing nothing.  All the while, My Peace hovers over you, searching for a place to land.

Be still in My Presence, inviting Me to control your thoughts.  Let My Light soak into your mind and heart, until you are aglow with My very Being.  This is the most effective way to receive My Peace.

2 Thessalonians 3:16; Job 22;21