July 1
“And the angel said to him, ‘Gird yourself and put on your sandals.’ And he did so. And he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me’” (Acts 12:8).
Beloved, the angel will lead your loved-one out of bondage, out of the cell, out from the midst of those who guarded them, but then he will disappear. Then your loved-one will choose where to go. Will they return to you? Or will they seek another?
Beloved, this is the time to search your heart. This is the time to allow the Lord to make you over. It will only be done if you devote yourself, during this time of waiting and hoping, to prayer, to renewing your mind in His Word, and by separating yourself from others and from the things of the world—the encumbrances, the cares, the bondages that hold them bound.
July 2
“The righteous cry and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Ps. 34:17).
Beloved, this is a precious promise to us! How wonderful to know that we have Someone who loves us and is all powerful, who has promised to hear our cries! Yet, again, we see that there is a condition. It says the righteous. Are you in right standing with your Lord? Have you been obedient to Him? If you love Him, obey Him.
The second condition is our crying out to Him. So often we cry out to others but fail to stay in our prayer closet and really cry out to the One who can save us. We have gotten all the urgency out over the phone, or through email, but have failed to really cry out, continually, with all of our heart. Then, Beloved, He will not only hear our cry, but He will deliver us—hallelujah!!
The Lord will not only deliver us out of our current trouble but out of all our troubles!! Never fret, it only leads to the evil doings of doubt. We must have faith, which says, “Lord, I believe in all that You say; therefore I will not worry or doubt, but believe! You will deliver me from this, so now I rejoice!!”
July 3
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Ps. 34:18).
Beloved, is your heart broken? You are not alone. The Lord says that He is near!! We must be mindful that no matter whether our loved-one has gone, no matter whether our friends and family are far off—separate from our heart that breaks, doubting or disputing the desires of our heart—our precious and faithful Lord is near to us!
Beloved, look beyond the first of this verse to a more incredible promise He has made to us, to those of us who believe. He will save all of us who are crushed in our spirit. Thank You, Lord!! Yes, when we feel we can no longer go on, when our spirit has been crushed, that is when the Lord will show up and save us. Though He seems to have tarried, look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. The Lord is near and will soon save you if you faint not.
July 4
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Ps. 34:19).
Beloved, we are so alarmed by the onslaught of the wicked. But the Lord has promised not only good things, the promises that we can cling to in our faith, but He also promises us, through warning us, that we will have afflictions. Yet, each affliction catches us off guard. Each one seems to challenge our faith. Each one causes us to wonder where God is and why He has allowed one more thing to come against us. Beloved, we will have afflictions; He has promised to those who love Him that we will face trials. But He promises, too, that He will deliver us out of all of them!! Not just some of them, but all of them! However, we must wait for Him.
Too often, when the Lord doesn’t show up at the time we think He should, we take matters into our own hands. Has this happened to you?
Beloved, just when the Lord is about to show up, our enemy will press us to do something!! And when we do, then the next time he can use the time we got ahead of the Lord’s deliverance to “prove” to us that the Lord is not going to show up again. Has this happened to you? Has the enemy been flooding your mind with doubts? Cast them out, wait on Him, and know that He has promised to deliver us out of all, not some, but all of our afflictions!
July 5
“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed” (Ps. 34:5).
Beloved, there has never been a man or woman of faith who has not thought about—yes, been bombarded by the thoughts of—the shame that may occur if God does not show up. We have spoken in faith that God is faithful, but what if we are wrong? What if we wait but our wait is vain? Beloved, this cannot happen if your face is turned to the Lord.
Beloved, it must be that we seek the Lord’s face, not His hand. The difference is that some love Him for what He can give them, mainly their loved-one back, but they are not so content, not so absorbed in Him that their faces are literally transformed. This is why many profess a miracle is going to come but fail to see the miracle manifest in their lives. Very few really behold the face of the Lord, for to seek His help, His comfort, and His hand has become all too consuming.
Beloved, look to Jesus, to Him alone. Seek the face of God, and I promise you—He promises you—that you will never be ashamed that you have waited and believed in Him.
July 6
“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles” (Ps. 34:6).
Beloved, the Lord has His ear turned to the poor man. Are you poor in spirit? Are you bankrupt in your need for Him? Do you cry out for more of what the Lord can give or more of Him? For to cry out, destitute of all that your spirit needs, and that is Him, then you will see the Lord turn His ear to you and to the troubles that you are now facing in your life.
Too often, Beloved, believers are so full of themselves that there is not a heart seeking after God. They are full of self-righteousness or full of self-pity. Both will rob you of being full of Him. You must be empty of everything, everything but God. Ask God to empty you, to break you, and then to fill you full of Him. Then in this utter contentment, you will cease to worry or to take matters into your own hands. And there you will find that He has saved you out of all of your troubles—hallelujah!
July 7
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them” (Ps. 34:7).
Beloved, how good of God to give us a picture of our protection in the spirit realm. We are unaware of its presence, but an angel has set up a camp to protect us. And this camp is not just on one side where there is a chance that an enemy may sneak through and do us harm; this is a camp that surrounds us. Beloved, this camp is in place for those who fear the Lord above all else. We must not fear evil tidings, we must not fear what men, who wither like grass, may do to us—we must fear the Lord in all His glory.
Beloved, the Lord promises us that if the enemy has in his plans to rush upon us, then He will rescue us. Never can we be taken captive in our fear when the Lord will not send the angels in to redeem those who love and fear Him. Today, be mindful that angels, who have been sent there by your holy Lord, are surrounding you and that He has plans to rescue you from your troubles.
July 8
“O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Ps. 34:8).
Beloved, we are blessed if we take our refuge in the Lord. Are you in Him? Does your heart, does your mind, does your very being reside in Him? Does your mind rest from your troubles because you are hidden “in” Him? So often we run to others for help, support, and guidance. Yet by doing so, we have turned our backs on our Lord. We have taken ourselves out of our hidden place and opened ourselves up to more attack, more fear, more doubt.
No, Beloved, stay hidden in Him. It is there that you may feast on His presence and find joy unspeakable. It is there that you may taste and see that the Lord is indeed good and His mercy is everlasting.
July 9
“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Ps. 34:1).
Beloved, what is continually on your mouth? Is it doubt, worry, or rehearsing your troubles? Or is most of your time telling others so many minute and intimate details of your currrent trial that you neglect to praise the Lord? When Jesus walked on earth, knowing firsthand the human tendency of idle, empty, or inappropriate dialog, He told us that every—not just some, but every—idle word that we speak from our lips, we will give an account of on the day that He judges His own. All of our endless chatter is being recorded right now. What will be played back from your conversations? Will it be idle, silly, or, worse, evil words or words of doubt and fear?
Beloved, we are to spend our time here on earth, and especially during this time of waiting on the Lord for Him to show up in our situation, praising the Lord. Not just at certain times of the day, or once a week on Sunday, but we are to bless Him at all times.
Beloved, begin today to train your tongue, from a heart that is so full of Him, to allow only continual praise to your beloved Lord.
July 10
“My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice” (Ps. 34:2).
Beloved, does your soul boast in the awesomeness of the Lord? Do you allow yourself time to really meditate on the splendor and power of the One whom we serve and love? Take a moment right now to go there and to look at all the Lord is and all that He does for you. It is there that you will behold Him and your soul will be magnified. Then nothing but praise for this awesome and all-powerful God will come from your lips in your conversations.
Beloved, this must become you; since we are told that the humble will hear the songs of our praises and be able to rejoice. We are to bring gladness to the weary heart, to those who are bowed down with sorrows of their own. They may not know Him as their Savior now, but will if they hear your boasting of Him. In the midst of your fiery furnace, do you walk with the Lord, rejoicing in Him? Today, boast in the awesomeness of your Redeemer!
July 11
“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 34:3).
Beloved, today, join with me as together we magnify and exalt the Lord! Oh, how good is my Lord, my Savior, my Friend, the Lover of my soul!! The Lord has been with me, and never has He forsaken me. His comfort is all that I have needed or wanted. His love surrounds me with songs of deliverance. He allows the enemy to come against me in order to build my faith in Him, in order to acquaint me with sorrows, all with the goal of refining me so that He can use me for His glory! Nothing—nothing good, nothing bad—has ever happened to me by chance or circumstance, but has been a part of a carefully wrought plan for my life in order that He may fulfill His good pleasure.
Oh, Beloved, share with me this glorious and precious and awesome God of the universe, the One who knows every hair on our heads. He is good and worthy, oh so worthy, of our praises. Magnify and exalt Him with me today!
July 12
“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Ps. 34:4).
Beloved, how marvelous to read a promise such as this! Fear is so powerful, so debilitating, so paralyzing. Yet, the Lord is more than able to deliver us out of our fears.
Beloved, are you overwhelmed with fears? Those that continue to plague you day and night? Those words that someone has spoken against you and your promise? Have you sought the Lord? So often we erroneously believe that for some reason we must endure the pain, yet this is not the way of the Lord. He is a ready help so that we can walk through the fire unharmed. He doesn’t deliver us from going through the flames, just the negative effects of it.
Beloved, say to yourself that you will seek the Lord, for the Lord will be faithful to answer you and deliver you from all your fears.
July 13
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Ps. 1:1).
Beloved, are you blessed? It is God’s heart to bless His children. Oh, how He longs to give us the blessings that are His alone to give. His Word tells us that our eyes have not seen, nor have our ears even heard the special things that our Lord has prepared for us, if we wait for Him and His blessings! Yet, so often are we robbed of our blessings through our disobedient and rebellious hearts. Or, often it is simply out of ignorance. We have his Word, but we ignore what it says.
Beloved, for the next few days, let us focus on His Word to us, being diligent to do what He has told us, thereby collecting all the blessings He has given to us.
July 14
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Ps. 1:1).
Beloved, are you walking in the counsel and opinions of man? Have you based your faith, your future, your family on what others have said about your situation? If you have, this verse says that you will not be blessed. No matter what others have said, what has God said about it? Has He given you a passage that tells you differently? Who have you chosen to believe? If you look at your circumstances, then undoubtedly you have sided with the unbeliever. However, if you have instead used your “eyes of faith,” seeing the unseen, then you know that God cannot lie and that nothing is impossible for Him.
Beloved, today and for the rest of this week, rehearse and remind yourself of what God has had to say about your situation. Then take a moment to thank Him for His blessings that are soon to appear.
July 15
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Ps. 1:1).
Beloved, are you attempting to stand in the way of those who have chosen to do wrong? Oh, Beloved, how dangerous! It is God’s way to allow the sinner to go about his way, in order to bring him to his senses. Instead we try to block their path through comments, or through withholding, in order to stop the sinner. Did the father not give the prodigal son his inheritance, knowing full well how he would spend it? But the wisdom of knowing that his son needed to have a heart change that could only occur through the loss of his wealth and through feeling the full effects of his hunger and pigsty surroundings.
Beloved, stand not in the path or way of your loved-one through withholding, nor through your comments made to or about them. Let God, in His wisdom, have His way with your loved-one, as you calmly love them by getting out of their way.
July 16
“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!” (Ps. 1:1).
Beloved, where have you chosen to sit? Have you made your place in the place where you sit and judge and scoff? Have you, in your self-made throne, spoken against the sins of your loved-one as if you were without sin? Beloved, you are a scoffer! You must never get in opposition to your Lord, and He is adamant that we are never to speak or even covet a thought against another; but rather, He has admonished us to pray for, bless, and not judge, lest we be judged.
Beloved, if you have been plagued with barrenness in regard to the blessings that you should be experiencing, then ask the Lord if it is the result of your sitting in the seat of a scoffer. Then repent, and begin to look only at your sinfulness in the presence of a holy God.
July 17
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).
Beloved, where is your delight? Is it in the ways of God or in the ways of the world? Is your delight in the hand of God, or His face? Is it in the things that God can give to you, or is it found in His presence? Is your delight in the frequent or infrequent meetings with your friends, husband, boyfriend, or in your meeting with the Lord during your time alone with Him?
Beloved, to be transformed is to be a lover of the Lord, His laws and the ways of God! Do you hunger and thirst over His Word, or are you so famished that you are too spiritually weak to even long for that which keeps your soul alive? Today, Beloved, delight yourself first in Him. Seek to know the spiritual laws and ways of the Lord. Linger long over His Word for hours instead of minutes. Go back tonight and spend the last moments of the day loving Him and thanking Him for each blessing today.
July 18
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Ps. 1:2).
Beloved, if you spend your time delighting yourself in the Word of God, if it is something you feast on regularly, then your mind will meditate on it throughout the day and long into the night. However, if you neglect to devour His Word, if it is not your delight, then instead you are spending your thoughts on worry, or longing, or in idleness about what your loved-one may be doing.
Beloved, if you follow this very precious and powerful verse, using your time to delight yourself in the law of the Lord, reading His Word and memorizing portions of Scripture, then you will be preoccupied with the truth of His Word, and all the lies that you once battled will be annihilated, eliminated.
Beloved, make it your joy every day. And if you can’t, then eliminate something or many things from your busy life. This time is too precious to waste, and may, if you are not careful, cost you your miracle.
July 19
“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3).
Beloved, are you firmly planted? In times of distress, so often it is human nature to run, move, become unsettled. But this is not the way of him whose trust is in His God. We must be different than the world. We must not run and seek the help or comfort or encouragement of others, but instead we must firmly plant ourselves, steadfast. And where we are planted will determine whether we flourish or wither and die. We must plant ourselves by streams of living water, not the stagnate pools that are full of pollutants. We must plant our roots in the living God, for He alone is fresh, pure, and healing.
Beloved, dig the roots of your very soul into the living God. Plant yourself into His promises, into His Word. For there alone will you live and not die.
July 20
“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3).
Beloved, is it your season to show fruit? Is this your harvest time? Then where are the fruits of those who have planted themselves next to His streams of precious and life giving waters? Are you walking in a peace that passes all the understanding of those who know your painful situation?
Beloved, if you are bearing good fruit, soon, very soon, your promise is soon to arrive. If, however, you are not bearing fruit, then begin today to move your thoughts, your focus, your time into reading the Word, into quiet times with Him, and into going deep into your prayer closet to tell the Lord all of your heart’s pain and longings. Settle for no less, and then reap the fruit in the season of your restoration.
July 21
“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3).
Beloved, are your leaves green, moist, and healthy? Or, dearly Beloved, are they brown, brittle, and of ill? Our lives must show life if we are to claim the lost and reverse their destiny. Most of us are married, parents or siblings to the lost: lost in sin, lost in eternity. Without our green leaves that look inviting, we are sentencing our loved-ones to a life of sin and despair.
Beloved, drink in the living waters, today, now. Let God revive your withered leaf. Allow the Lord to be the Lover of your soul. Increase your intimacy with Him and watch the effect it has on your situation and on everyone around you.
July 22
“And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Ps. 1:3).
Beloved, how marvelous, how wonderful, to receive a promise such as this! In whatever we do! Not in just some random things, but in everything!! We will prosper in whatever we have a mind to do, or say, or think. Oh, Beloved, I hope that this verse encourages you to heed the very precious guidelines that lead to this blessing. It begins with all that we are not to do, or what we are to stay away from. Then, it tells us where our thoughts are to be focused: on Him, on His ways, on His laws, the very laws by which our world and this universe were created!
Beloved, with all my heart, it is my prayer that in whatever you do, you will prosper.
July 23
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Is. 60:1).
Beloved, it is time to get up and to behold the glory of the Lord! It is time to shine with the radiance of the Lord, for He has risen upon you! No more are you to hide in the gloom of your despondency. No more are you to wallow in the misery in which you have dwelt. You must turn the inside out for the world to see. It is time to shine with His glory!
Beloved, joy is yours if you will let it out for others to see. It is this light that draws all men to the Lord. It is this light that draws your loved-ones back to you. Your loved-ones are looking for joy. They have settled for a fleeting happiness, but seeking it in the flesh always brings heartache. What all of us are looking for is the true joy of being in Him. Let others, today and throughout this week, see the glory of the Lord, the joy of His salvation written all over your face. Let your countenance show the true light of the Lord.
July 24
“For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you” (Is. 60:2).
Beloved, it is the light of the Lord that must rise upon you, for today darkness is covering the entire earth, over the hearts of all men. Sin is rampant and sin is darkness. Your loved-ones may be living in deep sin. The fleshly pleasure draws them in, but the darkness is so very fearful. And within the dark you cannot find the way, not without light. But glory to God, you can shine His light into their situation! Let His glory appear on you!
Beloved, it is nothing that you need to do, but a way that you are in your heart. It is the radiance of the Lord, the joy in your face that shines deep within your heart where the Lord has set up residency. And there, deep in your heart, is where the joy of the Lord, His glory, is birthed. Jesus told us that we should not hide our light under a stand, but we are to let it shine so that the world can see it and come to that light. Let it rise and shine today.
July 25
“And nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising” (Is. 60:3).
Beloved, it takes just one person to change a nation. It takes just one willing vessel to yield to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to shine through them. It is the dying to self, emptying all that is in you. All your desires, hopes and dreams—lay them at the foot of the cross. Then open your heart to the Lord—all of your heart, holding nothing back. This is the radiance that will draw not just one or two to the Lord, to His light, but it is what will draw entire nations and their leaders to the brightness of His light shining through you.
Beloved, it is possible to take the circumstances that you have found yourself in and make it the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to you. For it can be the vehicle, the motivating factor, that moves you into the place of total surrender. Then begins the love affair with your Creator, your Bridegroom, which results in the radiance, the brightness that has the ability to shine and transcend the shores that divide the people. Let your light shine.
July 26
“Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, and your daughters will be carried in the arms” (Is. 60:4).
Beloved, look up, for your redemption draweth nigh. It is so close. Look around. Can your eyes of faith see what is about to occur, all that you have lost, all that has been taken from you? Soon, so soon, you will see your promise coming.
Beloved, your sons and your daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors, which have been in emotional exile, will soon be carried back in the arms of the Lord. He is more than able to turn and heal the heart of all whom you love. Where once you were alone, you will soon be surrounded as they gather together, as they come to you. It is the light that shines from you. Look up!
July 27
“Then you will see and be radiant, and your heart will thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you” (Is. 60:5).
Beloved, the day that the Lord turns your entire situation around—the day that you are radiant with His love—is the day that your heart will thrill and rejoice! Your heart, the heart that was broken and pierced so deeply that it seemed that actual death was at your door for the intensity of the pain, is now, now, the heart that is about to burst with the thrill and joy of your redemption! And all that you can do now is rejoice—rejoice!!
Beloved, not only will this occur, but God also promised that the abundance, the wealth that was gone, will be turned to you! It is His to give. And He has had the wicked storing it up to be given to you. This also is His promise. Begin to picture it in your mind and heart if it has not yet manifested it the flesh. Allow your heart, right now, to begin to thrill and rejoice because the abundance and wealth will soon be arriving at your light—rejoice!
July 28
“A multitude of camels will cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the Lord” (Is. 60:6).
Beloved, all of this, all that we do, we do for the praises of the Lord, that He may be glorified. It is the good news that will save the lost and set the prisoners free. When we allow ourselves to become broken vessels, refusing to seal up those cracks with the comfort of others or tasks that will dull the pain, then we shine through those cracks and light up the world!
Beloved, become the broken vessel God can use. For when you abandon yourself and become His vessel, you will hear others coming to you as they carry the good news of what God has done in their lives. They will come with praises of the Lord on their lips. Oh, for He is so worthy of that praise. Let us praise His goodness now together!
July 29
“You who know, O Lord, remember me, take notice of me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; know that for Your sake I endure reproach” (Jer. 15:15).
Beloved, has your heart been seeking the Lord for so long, but His presence seems to be gone? Do you feel as though He has forgotten you? Do you cry out in a loud voice, hoping He will hear? Have you petitioned Him in your prayer closet, but your prayers seem not to have penetrated the ceiling that is above you, and certainly have not made it to the heavens where He resides?
Beloved, the Lord hears and will move in your situation. He has marked it on His calendar, but will you still be there, waiting, when the day arrives? He warns us that only those who endure “to the end” will see the salvation of the Lord. Only those who endure will be there to receive their reward. Cry out to Him and know that He hears and has plans on a very special day to give you the desires of your heart. Then wait.
July 30
“Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jer. 15:16).
Beloved, His words, those words that He speaks to you in your heart, those words that leap off the pages as you read His Word—those pages must be, should be, the delight of your heart and your entire being. It is His Word that will transform you. It is His Word that will heal all of your hurts, past and present. It is His Word that will lead you and guide you to your restoration.
But alas, my Beloved, they are replaced with the mundane, with the trivial, with the conversation of friends. There is no time or little time to truly fall in love with Him and in His Word; you must consume Him, you must passionately seek Him. Beloved, make it your determined goal to put aside all the encumbrances that are keeping you from the time that you need, you really need, to allow the Love and Word of the Lord to become your delight and your joy.
July 31
“I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone, for You did fill me with indignation” (Jer. 15:17).
Beloved, is the Lord’s hand upon you? Are you separated from friend, from family, from your loved ones? Have you tried to thwart that hand? Have you done all to escape from the predestined seclusion that is needed for you to be restored? Beloved, this is a solemn time, a time of solitude. Not a time to busy yourself in order to forget the pain that you are experiencing. It is a time designed to change you. A time for the Lord to become your all-in-all. A time to go deep into your heart to see what is really there, and then, for the Lord to change it.
Beloved, so few will allow themselves this time of silence. Instead they erroneously believe that they must do, do, do. And in the midst of their business there is no healing, no transformation, no peace, and no joy. Beloved, seek the solitude. Make room for it in your life. Put away all the hustling about and the useless tasks that have no value. It is a time to sit alone with the hand of the Lord upon you.