12/02/12 - 1 Corinthians 1 - 4

S - 1 Corinthians 1:20 - Where is the one who is wise?  Where is the scribe?  Where is the debater of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.  22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,  23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,  24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many of you were powerful, not many were of noble birth.  27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;  28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so hat no human being might boast in the presence of God.  30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,  31 so that as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . boast in me.  I did not choose you because you are wise.  I did not choose you because you are rich.  I did not choose yo because of your station in life. I did not choose you because of anything that you are.  I choose you because of who you will become in me.  Continue to dwell in me and allow me to dwell in you and you will go places.  It probably won't be places that you would think of going on your own, but trust me, it will be exciting.  Just hang on and let me lead.

A - If I put my trust in Jesus and continue to dwell in him and allow him to guide me, who knows where I will end up.  I want to b used by him so I will continue to meet with him on a regular basis and listen to him for instruction and just follow him where ever he leads me.

P - Heavenly Father, for give me for when I do not trust you.  Forgive me for the times when I put my trust in my own strength, or my own riches, or intelligence.  Help me to trust in you completely.  Lead me where you want me to go.  I want to follow you where ever you lead.  I love you and want to serve you.

12/1/12 - Acts 18 - 19

S - Acts 18:9 - And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, "Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,  10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people."  11 And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . do not be afraid to speak on your campus.  Go on speaking out boldly.  I have many children there who will support and encourage you.  No one will attack you for any purpose.  I an always with you.  If you need me, all you have to do is call on my name.

A - I know that the Lord who spoke to Paul and encouraged him is also speaking to me and encouraging me to continue to speak on my campus.  There are many here who are believers and who need someone to step up and lead the way for them to be bold and courageous on this campus.  I can do that with God's guidance and support.

P - Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me that there are many others here on this campus that love you.  Forgive me for not speaking up earlier.  Help me to continue with the prayer group that has begun here on the campus.  I want to glorify your name in all that I do.  May I be found worthy to serve you.

11/30/12 - 1 Thessalonians 1 - 5; 2 Thessalonians 1 - 3

S - 1 Thessalonians 5:1 - Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.  2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.  3 While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.  4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.  5 For you are all children of light, children of the day.  We are not of the night or of the darkness.  6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.  7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night.  8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,  10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.  11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . continue to encourage one another and build each other up.  You have been doing that and I would like to see you continue to do that.  By encouraging your colleagues, you are making a spot for my kingdom on your campus.  You do not know when I am going to return and you definitely want to be ready and you want all those that are with you to also be ready for my coming.  Keep spreading the word and encouraging those around you.  

A - I must be diligent about sharing the Love of Jesus Christ on my campus, with my colleagues and with my students as well.  I want to be ready when my Lord comes to take me home with him.  Whether it be his returning to claim his bride or by my death, when I see him, I want to hear him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

P - Heavenly Father, forgive me for taking you for granted sometimes.  Forgive you for overlooking you during the school day from time to time.  Help me continue to be diligent about spreading your word on my campus.  Help me to be an encourager to others on this campus.  I want to be seen as one who lives for you in spite of what ever else is going on.

11/29/12 - Acts 17

S - Acts 17:16 - Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.  17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.  18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him.  And some said, "What does this babbler wish to say?"  Others said, "he seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities" - because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection.

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . there are still many idols, even in your land.  As I look around you I see people who worship everything from their job, to money, to their vacation time, to their house, to their toys, and many other things that have become more important than me.  Do your best to tell people that those things that they worship will have no lasting value to them when they die or even if they lose them, like their job or their money.  Show them the way to true happiness and everlasting life by worshiping me publicly and exhibiting a life void of idols that have no life in them.

A - I must make sure that I do not make anything an idol in my life.  I must see that nothing becomes more important than Jesus my Lord to me.  Nothing must come in the way of spending time with God in the morning and trusting Him throughout the day.

P - Heavenly Father, forgive me for putting other things before you.  Help me to not let any of those things become idols to me.  Help me keep my focus on you at all times.  Thank you for watching over me and taking care of me.  Guide my life and direct my path as I attempt to live my life for you.

11/28/12 - Galatians 4 - 6

S - Galatians 5:16 - But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality,  20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,  21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.  I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.  26 let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . live by the Spirit.  Walk in the Spirit.  Trust in the Spirit.  Flee from the things of the flesh.  Do not be drawn in by the lure of the temptation of the flesh.  If you will strife to walk in the fruit of the Spirit and dwell on them daily, you will be strong enough to fight off the evil one's temptations.  

A - I will continue to dwell on the fruit of the Spirit and make them my daily desire.  If I am living my life to glorify my Lord then I want those things to be the outward, and inward results of my life.

P - Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times when I exhibit the works of the flesh.  Forgive me for not constantly dwelling on the fruits of the Spirit.  Help me to make those things the fruits of my life.

11/27/12 - Galatians 1 - 3

S - Galatians 2:15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners;  16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.  17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?  Certainly not!  18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor.  19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who love me and gave himself for me.  21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . I died to bring you salvation without having to follow the law.  With the law, you would be guilty of sin and sentenced to die for your sin.  But I died for you so that you would not have to.  I loved you enough to go through what I went through, just for you.  Now you must tell others about that love.  And you must love others the what that I have loved you.

A - I must remember that Christ died for my sins.  I must be willing to share him with others.  I have been saved by grace and not by works.  I do not have to do anything for it.  But because of it, I should be willing to tell others about him and bring them into the family.

P - Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me.  Thank you for granting me salvation when I don't deserve it.  Give me the courage to tell others about it.

11/26/12 - Acts 15 - 16

S - Acts 15:28 - For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:  29 That you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality.  If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.  Farewell."

O - My child whom I love, today I want to tell you . . . abstain from sexual immorality!  If you keep yourself from this you will do well.

A - I must watch my self and not cave into temptation.  The devil is trying every trick he can think of to tempt me.  I must just remember to call on the Lord my God to help me when I am being tempted.

P - Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times when I give in to the temptations of the evil one.  Give me strength to defeat Satan and call on you when I feel the temptations coming on.