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Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  -(Genesis 1:26 NKJV)

When God designed the first man and woman, they were absolutely perfect.  The master plan was set in motion by the Father, Who said, “Let us make mankind in our image.”  Then Jesus executed the plan by scooping up a lump of clay and shaping a man; out of man He fashioned a woman.

Stick with me for a minute here.  When speaking of Jesus, Colossians 1:16 tells us that “…all things were created by him, and for him” (KJV).  In John 1:3, we read that by God’s Word were all things made, “…without him nothing was made that has been made.”  Verse 14 of John 1 positively identifies the Word as Jesus Christ: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  But it is not until the Holy Spirit breathed the life of God into Adam’s spirit did Adam become a living being.

So, you see, you have been made in the likeness and image of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  You and I are just “chips off the old block!”

Father, I declare that You created me in Your image—the image of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and I will honor You with the body, mind, and soul You created.

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame…”

Revelation 3:21a (NKJV)

Have you ever used the little phrase “under the circumstances”?  Once when we were having a tremendous crisis, I said to someone, “Under the circumstances, I think I’m doing quite well.”

The Lord spoke back to me, “What are you doing UNDER the circumstances?  You’re supposed to be ON TOP OF the circumstances.”  Revelation 3:21a certainly reaffirms that promise!  If we want to sit with Jesus in heavenly places, we’re going to have to sit in the overcoming position.

Do you have some circumstances that are bowing you under?  Do you feel crushed under the weight of situations that seem beyond your control?  Take hold of God’s promise for “overcomers.”  Confess God’s Word that you will sit on the throne with Jesus, far above the cares of all worldly problems.  We can’t be under the circumstances; we must be on top of them.  Jesus is in us, so He gives us the power to overcome and sit in heavenly places too.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank You today that I am not under my circumstances.  I am above them.  In fact, I am sitting high above my circumstances and command them to line up with Your Word. 

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen.

God be merciful to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, Selah

That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.

Let the people praise You, O God; Let all the people praise You.

For You shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations on earth.  Selah

(Psalm 67:1-4 NKJV)

The spreading of the Gospel to all nations will result in great praise.  One glorious day we will live in a righteous world under the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let’s live this life in an overabundance of praise to God for His supernatural intervention even before we see the miracles manifested.

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10 NKJV)

Create means to “make something out of nothing.”  When we are born again, God makes us a new creation.  He gives us a new seed; we are born again of incorruptible seed, the seed of His new life.

Notice that the Word says “new” life—not second-hand or renovated or revamped—BUT ENTIRELY NEW!  God never said to Himself, “Well, here I’ve got Me a sinner.  I think I’ll just throw on a new cover, sort of like renovating a mattress!”  We’re not like a “renovated mattress,” but we have, instead, a brand-new life inside!

Because we have that new creation within, we can have a renewed spirit.  Our mind, conscience, will and intellect can be renewed daily with God’s Word.  We can live in our new nature, rather than our old.

Make this daily decision: “Will I live in the old man, or will I live in the new man?”  Today let’s crucify the old man and decide to live in the newness of Christ’s life.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You that, as born-again Christians, we have new man inside us.  We do not have to live in the old man.  We make the choice to live in the newness of life.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

To them God has chosen to make know among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  -(Colossians 1:27 NKJV)

I was 16 years old when I was born again.  Up until that time, I knew about Jesus, but I didn’t know I could have Jesus.  That year, I went to a Methodist youth camp where they told us we could be born-again, we could have Jesus on the inside of us:  Christ in you, the hope of glory!

I prayed, repented of my sins, invited Him to come into my heart and to be the Lord of my life.  And let me tell you, from the age of 16 until now, He’s never left me, never forsaken me, and I love Him.  He’s real!  He’s real in my life every day.

So, I began to read the Word, and I found that Jesus is in every book of the Bible.  That put such a passion in me to get everyone hooked on the whole book.  To see Him in Genesis.  To see Him in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.  Because often we say, “Jesus isn’t in the Old Testament.”  Or, “Who is Jesus in the Old Testament?”  But did you know that a lot of the New Testament is quoted from the Old?  How can you understand the New Testament if you don’t ready the Old?  He is in every book!

I just want to share Jesus; I want to share Who He is in you and how the whole Bible is about Who Jesus is.  But He’s not just the Word for us to read about and know about, He’s the Word to be made flesh in us and through us.  Because when you receive Him into your heart, it’s totally transformational.

Father, open my heart to hear from You and what You would say to me.  Make Jesus flesh in and through me.  Help me see Jesus every day.  Amen!

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.  I will not fear what can flesh do to me?” – (Psalm 56:3, 4b NKJV)

Fear is a terrible thing, for it is the opposite of faith.  Fear caused Adam and Eve to sin.  I believe that fear is not only a sin, but it is THE SOURCE of all sin.

The devil loves to confuse people and ensnare them in all sorts of traps.  When satan discovers what our greatest fears are, he immediately uses those fears to trap our minds and prevent us from overcoming frightening situations.

When we fall into satan’s trap, we are tricked into playing his game.  And whenever we play games with the devil, we are committing a sin that can lead to even more sin.  Therefore, we must repent of it and ask to be delivered from it.

Today let faith be your friend and fear be your enemy.  After all, the only part of you that the devil should see is the sole of your shoe.

Tread down fear in Jesus’s Name.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today we put our trust in You.  We will not be afraid of men.  We will have supernatural confidence that You will put us over.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.  You guard all that is mine.  The land you have given me is a pleasant land.  What a wonderful inheritance! – (Psalm 16:5-6 NLT)

The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD you God and walk in His ways.  Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. –(Deuteronomy 28:9 NKJV)

God desires that your “land” be a delight, a representation of your inheritance in Him, and the pleasant territory described by David.

Your “land” includes the time and space allotted to you by God.  When we are faithful to God’s commands and manage our territory well, we become a beacon to others, a testimony of God’s goodness and favor.  Moses said the nations would stand in awe of God’s people because of their unique relationship with the Almighty.

God has given each of us a territory to occupy.  The upkeep of our “delightful land” falls to us; it is not accidental, but a matter of assuming our rightful authority.  In God’s eyes, what goes on in your territory is your responsibility.

“Having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” Revelations 5:8b (NKJV)

Our prayers are very important to God.  But if we really want our prayers to count, we must pray the Word.  Why?  Because the Word cannot return void.

Prayers of self-pity will never bring supernatural results.  It’s only when we pray God’s Word that we begin to fill up the golden vials (bowls) of heaven.  God keeps those prayers because He keeps His Word.  Answers will come.  Pity-parties are not the answer.  God’s Word will bring the supernatural.

When we send out prayers to God, we must also check out hearts to see if there is spiritual “static” that will prevent our prayers from traveling up to heaven.  Our messages to God can get lost or waylaid if we have some unconfessed sin.  If your prayers are going unanswered, check your heart to see if you are harboring sin.  If so, repent, and watch your prayer wing its way to heaven.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Today help us to see that self-pity never does anything.  It is unbelief, and it is simply an occasion for the flesh to exalt itself.  We trust in Your promises.  We put our flesh down and stand fast on Your Word.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

The Hebrews call Psalm 136 the “Great Psalm of Praise.”  This psalm was probably a responsive singing.

The worship leader sang the first half of each verse, and the congregation always sang response: His love endures forever.

One thing we know will last for all time — God’s love.  How great is our God!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

(Psalm 136:1-3 NIV)

How do you see God’s love at work in your life?

Let’s praise Him always!

“And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” (II Chronicles 12:14 NKJV)

It takes daily preparation to achieve an established heart.  We must pray daily and renew our minds in God’s Word so we will be spiritually in tune with our Father’s will, Jesus’ will, and the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Many times, we become involved in sin because we have not spiritually prepared ourselves to meet the day.  It is good to seek God early.  Sometimes people find it very difficult to “seek God early.”  Morning is often a time when our minds are fuzzy.  It seems easier to do anything except spending some concentrated time with the Lord.  But when we try to “meet the Lord,” He will, in turn, help us “meet the day.”

When God helps us to go out to “meet the day,” we’re prepared for good, not evil.  We, thereby, have brought the supernatural into our day long before we have encountered anything else.  Learn to see the Lord early.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Truly it is good to seek You early in the day; thank You that we have a way to prepare our hearts.  In preparing our hearts, we are kept free from evil.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear; Zion, let not your hands be weak.  The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:16-17 NKJV)

One day, all of the faithful will be gathered in one place, and the Mighty One will be in our midst.  We will shout the victory!  We will rejoice and be glad with all our hearts.

And God will sing back to us.  He too will rejoice — over us!

What an awesome sound that will be — a duet between the Creator and His creation.

“You enlarge my path under me; so my feet did not slip.” – (II Samuel 22:37 NKJV)

When we walk as the Lord leads us, we will not stumble because He leads in a very clear direction.  Although we may feel that we lack the natural ability to walk where He leads, He will endow us with the spiritual ability to do it.

One time I was a guest speaker at a large convention.  One of the other guests was an outstanding preacher whom I had admired for years.  When he said that he could hardly wait to hear me, fear stuck!

I thought, “Dear Lord, if he stays to hear me, I’ll faint on the spot.  Let him receive an emergency call; get him out of here!”

I was overwhelmed by insecurity.  The Lord encouraged me.  He reminded me that my presentation alone wouldn’t impress anyone, but that the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit would inspire the people.

In my fear I had seen a lack of ability in myself, rather than God’s sufficiency.  I repented quickly, dismissed the fear, and asked for God’s anointing on my message.  God’s anointing was especially sweet that morning, and I gave Him all praise for it.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to be led by Your Spirit and not by our flesh.  Help us to know that wherever You guide us, You will also enable us.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God.  People in general liked what they saw.  Every day their number grew as God added those who were saved.  –(Acts 2:46-47 The Message)

This passage from Acts describes the daily lives of the first believers.  It is a life marked by simple acts — worshiping, taking meals together, and praising God.

Amazingly, these simple acts put the early Christians in a favorable light, and every day their number grew.

Living a simple life of prayer and praise may be the most powerful thing we can do to reach the world with the good news.

“Therefore submit to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”  (James 4:7 NKJV)

How many times have you quoted the verse, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”?  But we cannot resist the devil if we don’t submit to God first.  When we find ourselves in difficult situations, we must look first at ourselves in difficult situations, we must look first at ourselves and ask, “Have I submitted to God in this area of my life, this situation, or this circumstance?”  Once we have truly submitted to God, we then have the power to resist the devil.  Resist the devil and watch him run!

Sometimes when we are caught in the middle of a difficult situation, our worldly instincts tell us that we must rely on worldly instincts tell us that we must rely on worldly understanding and worldly solutions.  We try to analyze the problem, instead of immediately turning it over to God.

Always check your circumstances.  Do it in this order:  submit to God, resist the devil, and watch him flee.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You today that we are not ignorant of the devil’s devices.  We see him for who he is and what he is doing.  We submit ourselves to You for this day in every circumstance.  And we resist the devil with God’s power that is within us.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

Jesus’ disciples slowly began to realize that dealing with fear was going to be an important part of their lives as His followers.  The more time they spent with Him, the more evident it became that He would not always be with them and that it might not be either popular or safe to identify with Him.  Persecution, an unappealing thought, was a frightening possibility.  Jesus tried to help them prepare for what lay ahead and remember that they would not be alone.

No matter how alone we may feel or how frightening a situation we find ourselves in, we can take courage in the fact that Jesus is always with us; we are never alone.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.  (John 14:18 NKJV)

I am with you always, even to the end of the age.  (Matthew 28:20 NKJV)

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” –(James 5:16a NKJV)

There is a small and unusual “hook” in this scripture.  Not only are we to confess our faults “one to another,” but we are to pray “one for another”—that WE might be healed.  God is saying that, by praying for someone else, YOU can be healed!

Here again we see the law of sowing and reaping.  Do you need healing?  Then pray for someone else who needs healing, and watch God heal you.  As you sow healing, you reap healing.

The idea that we should confess our faults to one another is not aimed at squeezing confessions out of people, but rather God wants our faith to be released.  If we have unconfessed sin, our faith is hindered.  God does not want our faith hindered in any area of our lives.

Here is God’s beautiful formula:  if you need healing, confess your faults one to another.  Then pray for someone who needs healing, and expect to be healed yourself.  It will work for whatever need you have.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You today for the power and wisdom of Your Word that works in our bodies and minds.

In Jesus’s Name,

When a setback changes the landscape of your life, trust God to bring new life into the situation.

Put everything — yourself, your family, and the crisis — in God’s hands.

Don’t run from the challenge; adjust to and learn from it.

Look for signs of life springing up in the hard soil and realize that, if you will maximize every opportunity to learn and grow, the trial will become the seed of new growth.

In the end, a bad situation can produce a magnificent harvest.

What harvest are you believing for?

“For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28a NKJV)

Several years ago, God opened a door for me to preach in Nigeria.  I knew that men and women would travel many miles from other countries to that convention.  So, I cried out to God for the greatest anointing that I had ever experienced.

Sometimes we may think that God anoints us only in teaching and preaching.  But God’s anointing is available in every situation we encounter.

On the conclusion of our first service, a young woman passed by me.  I knew immediately that she needed ministry.  I confronted her, and she briefly revealed her difficult home situation.  We agreed in prayer for a miracle in her life.

Days later she presented me with a beautifully beaded bracelet.  It was as though the Lord said to me, “Your ministry to this woman will bear fruit in Africa.  When you look at this bracelet, it will remind you of My work in her life.”

Sometimes our greatest ministry takes place on the sidelines.  Remember, Jesus reigns in us at ALL times.  We live, move, and have our being in Him.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You that we live, move, and have our being in Jesus.  He is guiding and directing every aspect of our lives.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Remember, it is never too late to initiate a pattern of blessing.  It begins with a decision, and it happens in a moment of time.  We are empowered by God’s grace to initiate blessing.

Hear this, because it can transform your life:  we are not doomed to live chaotic, fear-filled lives.  We are not victims; we are victors, people of great value bought with the precious blood of the Lamb.

Jesus said, “I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart.  And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give.  So, don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).

We must speak these words over our lives because the truth of God always nullifies the threats, taunts, and traumatizing words of the devil.  Decide and affirm often:

• In our home, we choose a gentle tone of voice and godly words to bring encouragement to others and promote a sense of safety and security.
• Our children speak lovingly, never taunting one another.
• We praise and encourage our children, balancing constructive criticism with affirmation.
• Our discipline is based in love and understanding; we do not attempt to change our children’s behavior by issuing threats.

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”  (I Peter 4:10 NKJV)

Manifold means “many folds.”  If we fold a piece of fabric and then unfold it, section by section, we would see, in each section, a different part of the pattern—until the whole piece of fabric was unfolded and the complete pattern revealed.

Peter spoke of “manifold temptations” in I Peter 1:6, while I Peter 4:10 speaks of “manifold grace.”  Grace will take care of temptation.  There are different portions of grace of various sizes of temptation.  If you hold up your hand, you will see that you little finger is smaller than your middle finger.  Likewise, there are different sizes of temptations.  Your little finger could represent small temptations, and your middle finger could be tall temptations.

Now look at your other hand, and see it as God’s manifold grace.  He has a little amount of grace to go with a little temptation, and so on.  God has provided just the right amount of grace to match the size of any temptation that we face.  I’m so glad that God has made a way for us to come through every temptation victoriously.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us today to look for the grace to match our temptation.  Thank You that You have given us a way to have victory in every situation.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30)

This world puts a great deal of emphasis on our exterior appearance and very little emphasis on the “hidden man of the heart.”

This outward emphasis on looks can be particularly crippling to women.  Not only is a woman judged and valued today for her beauty and attractive appearance, but also there has been an equally strong emphasis on youth—far beyond what is normal.  Thus, many women go on extensive, and possibly damaging diets, or even seek the service of plastic surgeons.

Think how much more valuable it would be to spend the amount of time on one’s inward and spiritual beauty!

Some of the women who are beautifully used in God’s kingdom are not OUTWARDLY glamorous.  But these women are outstanding in their INWARD beauty.

It’s great to LOOK attractive.  But it’s even greater to BE good.  God’s goodness—His soul prosperity—is extended to those who seek His kingdom and righteousness first.  Which is first in your life?  The way you look or the way God looks IN you?

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You today for the great work that You are performing in our hearts and lives.  We are daily being conformed to the image of Your Son.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use it, it will be measured back to you.  (Luke 6:38 NKJV)

We sometimes limit this verse in the church to refer only to the giving and receiving of money or material goods.  In truth, Jesus was referring to all acts that flow from a generous heart:

• If you give of your time to the church or to those who need your help, your giving will return to you, perhaps in the form of increased productivity in your own endeavors.
• If you are a loving person, always friendly and quick to encourage other, you will receive more love than you gave out.
• If you are diligent and always do your best for your employer, you will receive favor and promotion in return.
• If you pour guidance, wisdom, and love into your children, you will receive the joy of watching them develop and grow strong, do good works, and raise healthy families of their own.

If you truly want to be in the full flow of God’s giving and receiving, give generously.  God loves a generous heart.

“Blows that hurt cleanse away evil” (Proverbs 20:30a NKJV)

Some people worry about the black and blue marks of a bruise, but these marks are actually symptomatic of the healing process.  The blue is the rich oxygen of the arterial blood that brings in new supplies and healing materials of the body’s “first aid” kit.  Then red venal blood carries out the damaged cells, refuse, and waste products.

Have you ever realized that Jesus’ blood also has a twofold healing purpose?  It cleanses us of sin and waste, and it also brings the freshness of His love into our lives.

Christ’s blood is one of the most powerful cleansing agents known to mankind!  His blood does more that whitewash our hearts—it purifies them from the inside out.  Christ’s precious blood purifies our hearts so completely that we become temples of God.

When Jesus was confronted with the wrong-doings of the Pharisees, he warned them, “You are clean on the outside, but your hearts are like the insides of tombs—filled with death.”  What do you want to be?  A tomb of death or a temple of God?

Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank You today for the life of Jesus that flows through us.  We thank You for the dealings of Your Spirit to remove the garbage from our lives; and we thank You for Jesus’ love that brings us freshness.

In Jesus’s Name,

Amen.

And God heard the voice of the lad.  Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar?  Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.  Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”  (Genesis 21:17-18 NKJV)

Poor Hagar, the water was about to run out, and she knew death would not be far away.  She couldn’t bear to see her only child die, so she left him under a bush and sat off in the distance, not wanting to witness the inevitable.

But Ishmael had grown up in Abraham’s household.  Ishmael prayed.  God heard, and an angel was assigned to minister to the family.

One of the most important things Christians need to teach their children is how to pray.  Of course, you want to continue to pray for them, but let them develop a prayer life of their own.

I never miss an opportunity to pray with others, especially unbelievers.  When the time comes that they feel the need to call out to God, I want them to feel comfortable turning to Him in prayer.

Do you need the ministry of angels in your current situation?

“When my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I”  – (Psalm 61:2b NKJV)

When my husband, Wally, was a child, his sister Shirley was burned severely in an accident.  She died a few days later.  Shirley had been the “baby” of the family, and she was very much adored.  My husband’s father became very bitter, and he spoke harshly against the Lord.

But one day Wally’s mother said to her husband “Albert, we cannot afford to be bitter against the Lord.  We need Him too much right now.”

I believe with all my heart that it was the devil who destroyed Shirley’s life.  But she’s in heaven today, and we cannot let the devil destroy us, too, with bitterness down here.  Bitterness is a poison that can seep into all parts of your body and soul.  It can taint the way you view life and the way that you live your life.  Bitterness can multiply and feed upon itself until it overwhelms everything else.

Don’t let bitterness overwhelm you.  Go to the Rock that is higher than you, and let Him remove any bitterness in your situation.

Father,

We thank You that when we feel overwhelmed by circumstances, Your Holy Spirit will lead us to the Rock, Jesus Christ.

In His Name we pray,

Amen.