September 17

Seen against a billowing cloud extending up from the horizon is a cross, and from the base of the cross a stream flows toward to the observer with grass and trees along the banks and flowers in the foreground at the foot of the observer.

Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

1 Corinthians 9:25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

May you ever exalt the Lord and praise His Name for, in perfect faithfulness, He has done marvelous things planned long ago, since He has torn down the strongholds of the enemy and is a refuge for the poor and the needy in distress, a shelter from the storm of the ruthless and a shade from the heat of their anger. Isaiah 25

May you trust in Him for He will save you; may you rejoice and be glad in His salvation for He has forever swallowed up and destroyed the shroud of death that enfolds all peoples and the sheet of the grave that covers all nations, wiping away the tears from all faces and removing the disgrace of His people from all the earth, just as the Lord has spoken it. Isaiah 25

May you trust in the Lord forever for the Lord is the Rock eternal Who keeps you in perfect peace when your mind is steadfast because you trust in Him, but humbles those who dwell on high, causing them to be trampled by the feet of the oppressed and the footsteps of the poor. Isaiah 26

May you walk in the way of the Lord, for the path of the righteous is leveled by the Upright One Who makes the way smooth. Isaiah 26

May you wait for Him, allowing His name and renown to become the desire of your heart, and causing your soul to yearn for Him in the night and your spirit to long for Him in the morning, for you know that when His judgments come on the earth the people of the world learn righteousness. Isaiah 26

May you honor the name of the Lord your God alone, even though other lords besides Him have ruled over you in the past, for He has established peace for you and all that you have accomplished He has done for you. Isaiah 26

May you enter your room and shut the doors behind you, hiding yourself for a little while until His wrath has passed by, for see, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. Isaiah 26

My child, study to discern My Body on earth, even as you study to draw near to Me. There is no quicker or more effective method to learn of Me than through your spiritual family, My Body.
As in all of life, the lessons learned and the truths gained are not all happy, but they are all useful. As you bring them to Me, you will be led by My Spirit into the understanding and wisdom that will bind you closer to Me, both in your heart, and through your brothers and sisters.
Herein is the true test of your love for Me, that you lay down your life in service to Me as I abide in others. Can you provide a meal for Me when I am in the guise of someone who is sick? Can you serve as a house-cleaner for Me when I am in the form of a widow that needs help?
Can you provide transport for Me to get groceries and medicine when I look like someone who cannot repay you or return the favor? Can you give of your time to visit and encourage Me in the hospital or in jail, sharing the sorrow, the pain, the concern that these situations contain, repeating My promises back to Me to comfort and soothe the heart that I abide in?
As you show honor to My weaker vessels, My Father will show honor to you. As you lend to the poor, you will receive manifold from heaven. As you strengthen the weak, your victories will multiply. As you defend the helpless, the hosts of heaven will be your defense.
Learn to see with your heart, My caring one, for then you will see with My eyes rather than your own. Learn to hear with your spirit, My dear one, for then your ears will not betray you. Not all members of your heavenly family, My Body, are equal in the sight of the world, My astonished one, but each one is cherished, loved, and valued as much by Me as you are.
Recognize the depth of My passion toward and for both the parts of My Body that I place in the view of the public for expression and testimony, as well as the hidden ones that I shelter from the disdain of those who do not know Me. Give them each the gift of fellowship, acknowledging My Spirit abiding in them and My gifts ministering through them. Understand that I am the One who has placed them where they are for My purpose and glory, and each shall be seated at My banquet table in places of honor.
Draw near to Me, My love, as you draw near to those who love Me.

May you hear the song of joy that the Lord sings over you, a song about a fruitful vineyard that the Lord cares for and watches over, continually watering, guarding by day and night that no harm may come to it, punishing with His great and powerful sword the serpent and the fox, burning the briers and thorns that would encroach, that you will take root, bud and blossom, and fill all the world with the fruit that honors Him and draws those whom He seeks. Isaiah 27

May you receive the Lord as a source of strength to turn back the battle at the gate and a spirit of justice when you sit in judgment, for the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for you as you walk in obedience to His guidance. Isaiah 28

May you grasp the vanity of seeking justification from transgression by check-listing your adherence to traditions, customs, or statutes, for it is not “what” you do, but “why” you do it, and when faith in the love of God, which was so fully demonstrated through Christ’s willingness to suffer shame, pain, and crucifixion for your sins, is your reason for obedience, then the curse of sin is lifted from you and life is given, even as the Father gave it to the Son. Galatians 3

May you discern the truth that the law, and its promises which were given to every person, was not intended to provide a path to justification, but to convince each one in their heart of the impossibility of pleasing God in their own strength and thus show the need for a redemptive Savior, to Whom the promises of the gospel are made first, Who then opened the way, through faith, for our adoption and engrafting so each may receive the blessings of the covenant made to Abraham and to his Seed. Galatians 3

May you call to the Lord from the ends of the earth, as your heart grows faint, for the Lord will hear your cry and lead you to the Rock that is high, a strong tower, a refuge from the foe. Psalm 61

May you long to dwell in His tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of His wings, for He has heard your vows and given you the heritage of those who fear His name. Psalm 61

May you always be zealous for the fear of the Lord and let not your heart envy sinners, for then is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 23:17-18

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