December 10

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

Romans 5:1  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

Galatians 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

Mark 4:19  The cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

Philippians 3:7-8  But whatever gain I had I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.

May you know that to come against the people that God has chosen is to invite the fire of God to destroy your defenses and break down your strength, but to reject the law of the Lord is to cause Him to destroy your fruit above and your root below, for the swift will not escape, the strong will lose their strength, and the warrior will not survive. Amos 1,2

May you accept that just as the Lord has chosen to bless you and draw you closer to Him than others, so you will be held to a tighter standard than others, for the finest garments will be reserved for the momentous occasions, but are subjected to the most rigorous cleaning. Amos 3

May you recall that nothing happens without a cause, for two cannot walk together unless they have determined a destination, made an appointment to meet and agreed on the way to get there, for without friendship in God there can be no fellowship with God. Amos 3

May you be assured that for every action of the Lord there is a certain and predictable reaction among His people, for just as the Lord will do nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets, even so when the Lord speaks, who can refuse to proclaim His message if they have His fear in their thoughts, His glory in their view, and His love for others in their hearts? Amos 3

May you always practice the righteousness of God with the generosity of God, not hoarding, with closed fists behind locked doors, plunder and loot from your own efforts, but sharing, with open hands, the abundance of God's love out in the marketplace with those who need it most. Amos 3

   Look to your goals, dear one, and understand where your treasure is. My purpose is for your soul to be prosperous and your spirit strong; too often your purpose is for your account to be fat and your status secure. 
   These things can, indeed, come to pass, My child, for I control all the riches of this world and the next, and I possess all authority in heaven and earth; I raise to power those I chose and I humble those I will. But My desire is that none should perish and that all should be saved. What is your desire? 
   Would you willingly give all that you hold dear to make it possible for even one to know Me as Redeemer? I have. Would you gladly accept the scorn, the shame, the ridicule, the mis-judgment, the disrespect, the misunderstanding of the public as well as the elite and respected of the world for even a single one to be accepted by the heavenly Father? I did. 
   With this Mind in you, then material wealth carries no value and social status has no attraction. With your desires set on the spiritual riches of heaven, you will be prepared for eternity, and not distracted by the vanishing benefits of the world. 
   Seek Me first, My beloved, and rejoice to do the service of My kingdom. Then, whether I assign you riches or poverty, strength or weakness, authority or submission, they will each be but tools for the work that is left to be done. You will be sealed in Me and seated with Me in heavenly places, enriched with unfading treasures of My Spirit and blessed with unending joy in My Presence.

May you turn again to your first love and make the Lord your one desire and the focus of your heart. Revelation 2 

May you know that though you cannot tolerate the wicked and have discerned false apostles, persevering through hardships for His name's sake without growing weary, it is only by overcoming that Christ the King will give you the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2

May you not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Though you have been afflicted in your poverty and slandered by the self-righteous, and though you will be tested by prison and persecution for a time, you need only remain faithful to the end, and Christ the Lord will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2

May you turn from accepting and permitting the teachings and practices of the enemy to coexist with the truth of God. Though you remain true to His name and refuse to renounce your faith, even during extreme persecution, unless you separate out the wicked and the false from your midst, the Lord Himself will speak against them; yet to each who overcomes will Christ, our Redeemer, give hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it. Revelation 2

May you endure through the oppression of the enemy so that they will not gain the victory over you. The Lord is righteous and will cut you free from the cords of the wicked. Psalm 129

May you love the things of the Lord, and set your affections on what delights Him, for then you will never be ashamed of your choices. Psalm 129

May the Lord plant you in good soil that is well watered so that you may grow vigorously and produce a bountiful harvest, causing those who pass by to say, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you.” Psalm 129

May you walk before the Lord as a son who is learning his Father's business, hearing the Word of the Lord and obeying it, and not as a servant who cannot be corrected by mere words which he understands but will not respond to. Proverbs 29:19

May you be slow to speak and swift to hear, giving thought to what you say, so that the words you speak may be framed in God's grace and carry God's love, for the man who speaks in haste has less hope of pleasing the Father than a fool does. Proverbs 29:20