Friday, 9/1/06 Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
Psalm 33:3 NIV

When we come to the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul, He will make us a new creation and will give us a new song to sing. A song of joy, trust, faith, life, and most importantly love.
Monday, 9/4/06 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:1 NIV

We all face temptation. Satan attacks us where we are most vulnerable. That's why we have to be constantly improving our relationship with Jesus because He knows how to defeat those temptations.

Tuesday, 9/5/06 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 NIV

If our suffering and sacrifices aren't born out of love for God then we bear those burdens for nothing. The whole lesson that God is trying to impart is Love! Without it we understand nothing and our faith is meaningless.

Wednesday, 9/6/06 But the Lord said, "You have been concerned about this vine… But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left…"
Jonah 4:10a & 11a NIV

Are you concerned about a "vine" that gives you comfort or do you worry about letting God work through you to reach the lost? God's compassion is immeasurable both for you and the lost. Don't let a lesson pass you by.

Thursday, 9/7/06 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.
Malachi 4:2 NIV

When you put your trust in the Lord, all your days will be joyous. He has the power to heal all of your ailments. He can make an elder like a child, a blind man see, and a cripple whole! But most importantly He can heal all your emotional pains.

Friday, 9/8/06 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe
Philippians 2:15 NIV

Can you imagine the loving embrace we will receive from Jesus if we live our lives to the point that we shine as bright as the stars. We are definitely living in a depraved generation, please be one of those stars.
Monday, 9/11/06 When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by himself,
Hebrews 6:13 NIV

There is no one or nothing greater than God! When the cares of the world weigh you down remember that you are a visitor here for but a short time and suffering holds no power over you. Cast them away for your eternity will be spent with Him.

Tuesday, 9/12/06 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
Jude 1:2 NIV

May God bless all your days and lead your steps along the path of righteousness. Love yourself, your neighbor, and Jesus with a blameless heart. And may the Spirit fill you and strengthen you. Amen

Wednesday, 9/13/06 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers.
Philemon 1:22 NIV

Have you prepared a room in you for Christ? Often times we give Him the little closet in the hallway when we should be honoring Him with the master bedroom and the keys to the whole house.

Thursday, 9/14/06 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Mark 10:27 NIV

Don't put limits on God. All you end up doing is limiting your blessings. God sometimes uses people, places, and things that don't fit into our version of what our life should be.

Friday, 9/15/06 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV

Christ died as the sacrifice for our sins. Every time we sin we nail Him right back up on that cross. If that thought doesn't bring a tear to your eye then you need to step back and examine your relationship with Him.
Monday, 9/18/06 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

We are saved through faith. We can never do enough or say enough. We can never save enough other people. It is beyond our capabilities. BUT God loves us and through His grace and Jesus' sacrifice we can receive His mercy through faith alone.

Tuesday, 9/19/06 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 NIV

BUT God does still have a Plan and in that Plan is good works we are to perform. We are here to love our Lord and when you love someone then you want to do things that make them happy. Let's make our Lord sing joyfully.

Wednesday, 9/20/06 Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
Proverbs 9:8 NIV

How do you handle criticism? Are you the mocker or the wise man? Be open and receptive to advice. Revel in the fact that the Lord loves you enough to want to help you learn.

Thursday, 9/21/06 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:9 NIV

Do you "desire" money? Do you have to have a well paying career? Or are you content with where God leads you and trust that He will care for your needs? What exactly do you need for survival? Last I checked, food and water.

Friday, 9/22/06 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
Luke 8:15 NIV

When we live in the world our fruit withers and our seeds die. But when we live in the Word; we retain and learn. We grow and eventually we touch others. When we touch others, Christ works through us to produce a good and pleasing crop.
Monday, 9/25/06 "What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!'"
Mark 13:37 NIV

The day and hour that you will be called before the Lord is unknown to all but Him. If you are not using every day to prepare for that moment then you're in danger of being caught unprepared. Every morning is a new chance from God to get it right.

Tuesday, 9/26/06 Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

We are all sinners but we are also forgiven. Every evening I pray for His forgiveness for my disobedience that day. I hope you ask for it also. God would even forgive Satan if he would but ask. Don't let your sin stand in the way of forgiveness.

Wednesday, 9/27/06 The Lord says: "These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men."
Isaiah 29:13 NIV

Do you believe that faithfulness is just a formula? That you can worship God by just following the "rules"? Unless you set your heart on Him your faith is worthless. God wants your love! Obedience comes from that love not the other way around.

Thursday, 9/28/06 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
Psalm 12:8 NIV

Have you noticed that we have sports figures and entertainers that openly break the law and yet are still honored in our society? We now have TV shows and movies honoring all forms of sin. Sounds like the wicked are strutting to me. Who are you honoring?

Friday, 9/29/06 I answered them by saying, "The God of Heaven will give us success. We His servants will start rebuilding,…"
Nehemiah 2:20a NIV

We build walls to keep out the world but we end up shutting out God. But He will tear down those walls and rebuild us into someone that is more than the world. We just have to have faith and patience.