My Hope For You

Did you realize that most Christians have never read the whole Bible? Yet, this is God's Love letter to each one of us!

Do you spend time reading God's Word?

Have you ever read through the entire Bible in one year?

If you are like me, you may have begun a daily reading plan in the past but never actually completed your goal within one year. Once I got side-tracked, I found it difficult to get back on course or get caught up. Soon the idea to read through the Bible seemed too overwhelming to complete within the original time frame and I walked away from my goal. In subsequent years, I reconsidered returning to this goal, but thought it would be too challenging so I put it off. I lacked a successful mindset and plan to have success.

I am grateful to be at a different place in my life as well as in my relationship with the Lord, and I am on track to read through the entire Bible this year. I would like to invite you to join me on an exciting adventure to read through the entire Bible in 2012 together.

I have a few things in mind to help me have success. I think they will help you, too.

First, I am not looking at this as a way to accomplish some great goal or to consider myself to be super spiritual. I am looking at it as a plan to spend regular time in God's Word. Without a plan, I typically lose track of time and and other things tend to get my time and attention.

Secondly, I regularly spend time listening for the Father's heart. He longs to have intimate time with His children every day. He wants you and me to come to Him with our fears and challenges so He can help us with them. And, He wants us to come to Him with our hopes and dreams, too. His plans for our lives are some much greater than we can hope or imagine. He longs for us to spend time with Him so we can have the insight, understanding and resources to accomplish our dreams.

When we walk with Him, those dreams are His dreams for us; He put them in our hearts. He wants us to succeed. In fact, He is cheering us on!

Too often, we attempt to accomplish things on our own; in our own strength and understanding. When we fail or when we are not able to see our dreams become a reality, we become discouraged. We might tell oursleves that we had grandiose ideas or we believe the lies the enemy of our soul wants us to believe because he doesn't want us to fulfill the call upon our lives. Either way, we are left with a sense of disappointment and live an unfulfilled life.

The Bible is filled with true stories of people who went through all sorts of challenges. Some had incredible blessings and success while others suffered tremendous heartache and challenges. When we read God's Word, we are reminded of how much He loves us. We can learn from the mistakes of others. We can be encouraged as we read the words of others who felt similar feelings to our own. We not only read the words that tell His story, we can find ourselves in the story as well! That is the point. God wants us to see that His Word is personal!

As we come to God, with a desire to know Him and be known by Him, He speaks to us through His Word. You may not understand the text you are reading. That is ok. Read it. Ponder it. Ask Him to help you understand it. Ask Him how it relates to you and your own life. The more time you spend reading His Word and interacting with God as you do, the more it will make sense and the closer you will feel to Him. Since it is God's desire to spend time with you and have an intimate relationship with you, you can count on Him showing up when you take the time to ask Him to join you in this way.

My hope is that you have a desire to grow closer to God and to spend more time in His Word. Perhaps you are not currently doing anything to grow closer to Him, or you simply don't know what to do. Spending time reading your Bible and talking with Him about what you read is a wonderful way to get started.

Whether or not you chose to read through the Bible in one year, spending time reading your Bible and talking with God about what you read is a wonderful way to get closer to Him. You will realize that your faith is growing like never before. You will receive daily reminders of how much He loves you; how much you matter to Him; how greatly He values you! Spending time with God in this manner will help to develop self-discipline and will soon become a very precious part of your day.

Regardless if you choose to read the first thing in the morning, the last thing before you go to bed or any other free moments you have, you will soon come to enjoy and look forward to this special time reading God's Word and having intimacy with Him.

Although you should read at your own pace and on your own schedule, it will be helpful for you to actually set aside this time on your calendar each day; otherwise other things will easily steal your precious time.

So what is my plan for success?

1. Set the Goal!

* Research shows that people who actually set goals and and write them down, tend to be far more successful at attaining their goals.

* Regardless of what your goal is, it needs to be specific and measurable.

* My goal is to read the entire Bible within 1 calendar year.

2. Make the Goal Public!

* Research also shows that making your goal public adds accountability and increases the likelihood of successfully achieving your goal.

* It also reminds me that I am serious about achieving this goal and I want the support of others to make this become a reality.

* Habakkuk 2:2 (Amplified)
And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tablets that everyone who passes may [be able to] read [it easily and quickly] as he hastens by.

* I have intentionally told you, as well as my closest friends that I intend to read the entire Bible this year, and I have invited you to join me so that I have your support. When I am tired, busy, or don't feel well, you have my permission to check in with me and remind me of how I REALLY want to be spending my time.

3. Find a Good Supporting Resource.

* The daily reading plan that I will be using this year is structured in a way that will take the average reader 20-30 minutes per day to read through the entire Bible within one calendar year. It also includes one day per week for either review or a day to catch up if I have become behind or miss a day.

* An organization called "Family Matters" has a resource available which will email you an "assignment" for the day. Otherwise, you can print out the reading plan and keep it in your Bible.

* If you don't have a Bible, or want to read in a different translation than you currently have, you can find numerous translations at www.Biblegateway.com. www.Biblegateway.com is a free resource.

4. Set Periodic Checkpoints

* This may be the most important thing for you to keep up your momentum throughout the entire year and help you successfully achieve your goal.

* Set a rule of thumb, that on the first of each month, you need to be caught up on your reading. You may find that certain portions are easier than others to read and to stay on schedule. Or you may have life circumstances which interfere with your ability to continue reading at the set pace.

* Don't let yourself get too far behind. Once you do, you begin to justify why you didn't really mean it when you set that goal.

* Regardless of the issue or the goal involved, by setting periodic checkpoints, it will allow you to make the necessary adjustments and get back on track. There is no need to beat yourself up or to completely abandon your goals when you can make this sort of adjustment.

As I look forward to 2012, with excitement and anticipation it is because I know that God has a
plan for my life. When I spend intimate time with Him and spend time reading His Word, I am encouraged. I am reminded of who He says I am and I am able to do the things He is calling me to do, because we are doing them together. My hope is that your relationship with God is more intimate and personal in 2012 and that as you walk with Him, you realize how much He loves and values you!

The Ultimate Collection

I love books.

I have always enjoyed reading and escaping into the make-believe world of the characters portrayed in the pages of fictional books. I also love learning. Books can bring opportunities to me that might not otherwise be realized. Although I may never have the ability to travel around the entire world, I can get a glimpse of these different places by picking up a book and exploring it; and in some small way this practice expands my world and life.

As a student and then as a teacher I began collecting books. In fact, whenever it was time for me to move, I would hear groans from those helping me as they saw the number of books I had amassed. When I retired from teaching, I looked for the people and places who would appreciate my treasures before simply passing them along. I wanted the new owner to appreciate the value of what they were receiving.

Although I have given away hundreds of books, I still have a small library in my care. Books are one of those things I cannot live without. Some of my most prized are the very first books I owned when I learned to read as a young child. Today, my favorite books are those that help me to know and better understand the mysteries of God. I love to read about His Kingdom and I love those books that help me to discover His heart.

Like any library, my books are organized by subject and author. The floor to ceiling bookcases house reference books, books on prayer, books on Biblical healing, books that teach us how to do various ministries. There are biographical and autobiographical books as well as Christian fiction on my shelves and there are books on wellness and nutrition, too. You can find books specific to women or to men; books on the topics of children and family and marriage. I have books that teach me about living a Christian lifestyle. Naturally, there are theology books and books on the topic of worship. I still have some of my favorite and most useful books from my college and graduate school and seminary classes, as well as old-fashioned tools like dictionaries and a thesaurus sitting right next to my Biblical Greek materials. Then come the multitude of Bible handbooks and dictionaries and books that help us understand the manners and customs of Biblical times and places, commentaries,etc. The list of topics is endless but wouldn't be complete without my Bibles. There are two full shelves devoted to numerous translations that help me dig deeper into the Word of God; some for the ease or reading in modern language and others to teach me with greater accuracy what the Word says in its original text.

I take pride in knowing I have a rather wonderful collection of books at my disposal, yet this morning as I was spending time with God reading His Word, a light bulb came on in my mind. It is not the number of books that I own that qualifies my collection as a library, it is the content. If I lost all of them, but still had one copy of the Bible, I would still have a complete library at my fingertips!

The Bible is indeed a collection of 66 different books, written by more than forty human authors, each inspired by God's Spirit to record His story and Words over the span of some fifteen centuries. This one-volume "divine library" is a book of wonderful variety. As Ray Stedman states, "Its beautiful love stories reflect the tenderest and most delicate of human passion. Its stories of political intrigue and maneuvering rival anything we might read in today's headlines." There are stories containing violence and gore. Its poetry is the height of artistic and emotional expression. It includes intense stories of human drama and there are even strange passages filled with allegories and cryptic imagery that can be very challenging to digest and comprehend. There is one subject that dominates and permeates each one of these 66 books: Jesus Christ. From Genesis to Revelation, the collection of books that make up the Bible is really a book about Jesus the Christ. In symbol,in story, in prophecy, in history and in poetry, in every aspect and dimension the focus is upon God's Son. Every possible category of books found in a traditional library exists in one volume, within the pages of Holy Scripture.

Sunday, I watched a science fiction movie. I don't normally spend much time reading or watching movies in this genre, so I didn't know if I would appreciate or enjoy "The Book of Eli." I didn't really know too much about the movie and was concerned about it being a fictional story that might carry too much weight. God's Word is too important and too scared to be manipulated or taken out of context. I was afraid that is what Hollywood had done. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised. On the contrary, the story demonstrated just how powerful and extraordinarily valuable God's Word is. I found myself weeping at the end. I won't give more details because I don't want to spoil the movie, but I have found myself thinking about it now for several days.

As much as I love books and reading, and as much as I love God's Word, I know that I don't spend as much time reading it as I should or could. I don't spend enough time with God learning to understand His Word. I don't spend enough time reading His stories or contemplating the ultimate wisdom passages. I don't spend enough time memorizing scripture or confessing His Word aloud. The words contained in the pages of this particular Book are literally LIFE and FOOD and MEDICINE to me, yet I find myself spending more time reading the words of human authors instead of the words God is speaking to me.

I am thankful that God helped me to realize that I have an opportunity to sit down with Him, THE AUTHOR of all creation and life to get private tutoring. When I invite Him to join me as I read His story, I have the opportunity of a lifetime to have Him teach me directly, about the things I long to understand the most. If I ask Him, He will jump at the chance to help me understand the mysteries of His heart and Kingdom.

I thank Him for this gentle reminder of the value of what I possess in this one divine volume. Before I pull another book off the shelf or take a trip to the public library to find a fresh, new read, I intend to take a fresh look at the best-selling Book of all time; the Holy Bible. I hope you will, too.

I pray that He will help me digest and comprehend it so well, that if need be, I can carry the entire text in my mind's eye as He writes its contents on my heart.

Lets see, it begins "1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light."...

He is All-Powerful

Exodus 8:19
Then the magicians said to Pharoah, This is the finger of God! But Pharoah's heart was hardened and strong and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (AMP)

God is All-Powerful. There is much evidence of His omnipotence throughout the Bible. In today's verse, even non-believers recognize His power, His presence and His impact.

This may seem like an odd passage to consider, but when put in context it will make sense. Allow me to summarize the background story. Let's begin in Genesis 37 and follow the history through chapter 50 and on into the Book of Exodus through chapter 12. Feel free to read the original text to gain all the details.

If you recall there is a story in the Old Testament about Joseph; one of Jacob's sons who had been sold into slavery by his brothers and ended up in Egypt. He was bought by one of the Pharaoh's officials; a man name Potiphar. The Lord was with him and he found favor in his eyes; so much so that he was put in charge of his entire household. That is until he rejected the advances of Potiphar's wife.

Joseph was thrown in jail and remained there for two years. Eventually, Joseph helped to interpret the dreams of Pharaoh and he found favor in his eyes and was released from prison. Joseph became one of Pharoah's trusted advisors and was eventually put in charge of the entire country of Egypt. There was a period of seven years of abundance and with the guidance of God; Joseph had them store up one fifth of the harvest to be used during the seven years of famine that would be coming upon Egypt.

Because the famine was so wide spread, Jacob sent his sons's to Egypt for food. Joseph recognized his brothers and was able to get Pharaoh to allow his entire family to move to Egypt to be saved from the famine.

Years went by and Jacob's family prospered and grew. The number of Hebrews had multiplied greatly. Eventually, Jacob and Joseph and all his brothers died and a new king came into power. This king and the people of Egypt became concerned that the Hebrews were too numerous and too powerful and so they made them slaves. This king ordered the midwives to kill every baby boy born to the Hebrews when they helped them give birth, but they were to allow the girls to live. These midwives disregarded the king's orders because they feared God and allowed the baby boys to live. So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased even more. Then Pharaoh ordered every Hebrew boy that was born to be thrown into the Nile and left to die.

During this time, Moses was born. His mother cared for him for three months but when she could no longer hide him, she put him in a basket and placed him in the Nile where Pharaoh's daughter found him and raised him. Moses was raised in the Pharaoh's palace with all the privileges of being a mamber of the Pharaoh's family.

One day, when he was grown, he went to his people, the Hebrews and watched them at their labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Moses was upset at this and murdered the Egyptian. As a result, he knew he had to flee, and so he ended up in Midian. Moses remained there for a long time and the Israelites remained in captivity. They cried out to God for help and He heard their cries.

One day while Moses was out tending the flocks, he led the sheep in the wilderness to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a brush. Although the bush was on fire, it did not burn up. God called to him and Moses responded. God told Moses that He heard the cries of His people in Egypt and He wanted Moses to go to Pharaoh to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

What an assignment! Moses had murdered an Egyptian and fled. He certainly would not be welcomed back with open arms. He questioned God about being qualified to do this task but God assured him that He Himself would be with him. Regardless of his insecurities and concerns, God sent him to go to his own Hebrew family and the elders and let them know He, God, had heard their cries and was about to end their misery.

Moses followed the LORD's instructions and he and his brother Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him the Lord said, "Let my people go." Naturally, the slaves were an important commodity to Pharaoh and he had no intentions of just allowing them to leave. He refused.

Yet God promised deliverance. God told Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." God told him about his relationship with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the covenant He had made with them and He would do this because of the promise He made in that covenant.

The bottom line is that Pharaoh wasn't going to give in easily, so God performed a series of signs to prove that He indeed was God and that He would prevail. God told Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh's heart would be unyielding and so He would harden his heart.

Pharaoh challenged Moses and Aaron to perform a miracle. The LORD told Aaron to throw down his staff and when he did, it turned into a snake. Pharaoh had Egyptian magicians and sorcerers who did the same thing, but then Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet, Pharaoh's heart became even more hardened. As a result, there was a series of plagues that affected all of Egypt but not the Israelites.

The first plague turned the water of the Nile River into blood. Next frogs covered the land. In both these incidents, the magicians were able to utilize their arts to replicate what had taken place. When the third plague came, they were not able to repeat this feat. This time, the dust of the land became gnats and the Egyptian magicians realized they had no way to duplicate this act in their bag of tricks. They could only proclaim, "This is the finger of God."

There were seven more plagues before Pharaoh eventually allowed the Israelites to leave. It took the death of all the first born sons, including his own before he would be able to surrender to our All-Powerful God.

This historical account of what happened to the Israelits is important because it demonstrates that God has the ability to do amazing things in our lives despite the things that happen to us. The life of Joseph is a remarkable account of how God was able to turn into good; those things that happened to him that were intended to harm him. When our hearts are right with God, the same principle is true for us.

Like the Egyptian magicians and socerers, there are many people who believe and practice a variety of other spiritual beliefs; many of which include myriad metaphysical practices. The truth is, there are power sources operating in the spirit realm that can lead an individual to believe that they are encountering a miracle of God. For example, you can find numerous energy healing techniques that appear to help improve symptoms. However, unless the source of that healing power is coming from the Lord, there will be a limitation in its ability to truly heal the person. Unfortunately, there is ultimately a greater cost then the desperate individual realizes and before long, they too will find that their bondage is even greater than when they first sought treatment. That is because the source of the healing energy does not have a pure heart and motive; on the contrary the source of this type of power searches whom he can hold captive. I am not saying that every practitioner has evil motives. Indeed most long to help those seeking their help. However, these well-intentioned people are themselves deceived and don't realize the consequences to themselves or others when they tap into these other power sources.

The Egyptian magicians and sorcerers knew that they could not perform the miracles on their own; they were tapping into the spirit world and they recognized the limitations of their power source. When presented with the plague of gnats, they initially attempted to replicate the gnats but soon realized this was far beyond anything they could do. This was a power far greater than anything they had ever witnessed or experienced.

As the process of the plagues continued, the magicians were helpless and those officals of Pharaoh who feared the Lord quickly hurried to bring their slaves and livestock in for protection from hail. They eventually went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him to let the Israelites go so they could worship their God. Finally after the death of every firstborn male, Pharaoh allowed them to leave. He was defeated.

Did you realize that along with more than six hundred thousand Israelite men, and their women and children that many others also fled with them?

The Lord is all-powerful, but He uses His power to draw people to Himself. In this culture, the people worshipped many gods. In fact, each and every plague that God sent upon Egypt was personally directed at each one of these gods. He did this because He wanted to demonstrate that these gods or idols had no real power at all. Some people, like Pharaoh couldn't accept the fact that they were worshipping false, dead gods. Others saw that who they thought was their god didn't come to their rescue and defend them. Pharaoh himself was considered to be one of their gods. But if this was so, then why did his son die? Why couldn't he intervene on their behalf? There must have been questions. The truth was, Pharaoh wasn't a god, he was simply a man in a powerful position and he was no match for the One True God.

Today, you may not realize that you have made something a god, but it is common for us to put our trust in all sorts of things. When we do this, we are making that thing a god. The truth is nothing or no one can compare with the One True Living God. He alone is All-Powerful.

If we are made in His image does this mean that we too are all-powerful? Well, not exactly. If we attempt to be then we will soon find ourselves in a similar showdown as we just saw Pharaoh endure and lose. However, when we rightly understand our identity in Christ and we walk in His power and strength, we will soon discover that He is able to do miracles through us for the benefit of bringing others to Him. It is always about Him and His glory. In this way, He can demonstrate His power as we yield to His directives and will.

Question for Reflection
Is there something or someone other than God that you are putting your hope and trust in? If so, ask God to help you put your full trust in Him.

Closing Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for releasing me from bondage. Help me to put my hope and trust in You alone. Teach me to recognize Your voice and Your presence so that I am not deceived by any other source of power. God, I declare that there is no one like You! Amen.

He is Creator

Genesis1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. NKJV
In the beginning God (prepared, formed, fashioned, and) created the heavens and the earth. Amplified

God is the creator of everything. He decided that things should be and He spoke them into existence. God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. Before this, the earth was formless and empty; there was nothing but darkness. As God's Spirit hovered over the waters of this darkness, He decided to create everything, one step at a time. You can read all about this in the first two chapters of the book of Genesis.

Initially God separated the light from the darkness and created the first day. He continued until He had created a beautiful world filled with oceans and mountains and streams and valleys. After He prepared this place physically, He began creating life in the form of plants and vegetation of every kind that would also produce new life. He did this by designing them to yield seeds and fruit. Next, God created living creatures of every kind.

Finally, God created mankind. The Bible tells us man was His most precious creation and that we were made in His image.

God literally spoke each and every one of these things into existence and when they were, He evaluated them. He saw that they were pleasing and giving them His seal of approval, He blessed them. He blessed each and every single thing, living and non-living, which He created. He took pleasure in His creation.

God, the Creator of the Universe and all that is within it, created everyone - including you and me. And, He created us in His own image. Because of this, there is so much I can learn not only about God but also about myself and His hopes and desires for my own life.

He showed me that as I continue in this special quiet time with Him, I should first consider the particular attribute and learn about Him. Then, I should see how that same attribute teaches me something about myself. After all, If I am made in His image, then there must be something of significance about this attribute in my own life as well.

This is true for you, too. We are made in His image and for His purpose. By learning all we can about Him we can better understand His purposes and desires for how we should live and what we should do with all the resources that He created, in service to Him and to each other.

With this in mind, let's take a second look at God as the Creator.

When God first created, He must have considered what He wanted to see happen. He took the time to envision all the details and then He spoke them into existence. After He created something, He evaluated it. God liked what He saw and declared, "It is good!"
1. God took time to imagine and to dream.
2. God spoke it into existence.
3. God took time to enjoy the work of His hands.

Since God created us in His image we should be doing the same thing. We ought to spend time with Him to learn the desires of His heart and then we ought to set out to bless Him with the gifts of creativity He has placed within us.

Sadly, many people feel insecure and worthless, maybe even unacceptable. God looked at everything He created, including man, and said, "It is very good."

When we look in a mirror, instead of seeing ourselves through His eyes, we may see flaws. If this is the case, we are critical of His design. This inability to see ourselves through His eyes hinders our own ability to see how beautifully He created us and it hinders our ability to live and function as He created us to be.

God designed every freckle and every line and crease, every size and shape. He decided the color of our eyes and of our hair. He decided who should be tall or short. God likes variety. Even though He may not like everything that we chose to do, He knows everything about each of us, and He loves us unconditionally.

The Creator of the Universe decided He wanted YOU. He spent time imagining who you should be and what you would be like. He designed you with a purpose in mind and He knit you together in your mother's womb.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 NIV

Let's review what God did
1. God took time to imagine and to dream.
2. God spoke it into existence.
3. God took time to enjoy the work of His hands.

This is our model.

Application
1. God created us in His image. That means that He created us to create!
Do you allow yourself time to be creative and to dream? If so, what are you currently dreaming about?
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How are you working on making those dreams a reality in your life?
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If you haven't allowed time in your schedule to be creative, ask God to show you how you can make the necessary adjustments to allow for this important work. Then, ask Him about His dreams for your life and give yourself the time and permission to not only dream those dreams but also do whatever is necessary to LIVE those Dreams!

Write down what God puts on your heart concerning the dreams and the plans He has for you. Identify how you should get started living this dream.
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2. Proverbs 18:21 (NKJV) says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

In other words, there is power in the words we speak. We can either speak life into ourselves and those around us by the words we chose or we can cause great harm; even death by the words we utter. This is not simply referring to us speaking words of encouragement or carelessly being hurtful to one another.

Remember, God used His Words to speak things into existence! Likewise, when Jesus spoke to the fig tree which, although it had leaves it did not bear fruit, the spoken Word had a powerful impact. It literally killed the tree. See the story in Mark 11: 13-14, 20-24.

Since we are created in His image, this is another aspect of our true identity.
Take a few minutes and ask God to reveal in what ways you are good at speaking life into yourself and others and where you need to be more mindful of the ways you use your words.
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Learning to pray God's Word is one of the most valuable and powerful things you can do for yourself. Ask Him if there is a particular scripture verse that He wants you to embrace and stand firm on for your life. Write it down and make it a practice to speak this Word aloud every day. Develop the practice of reading scripture and considering what it is saying for you personally and begin incorporating this into your prayers.
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3. Do you take the time to consider and appreciate your own work? Are you able to say, "It is Good"? Share something you have done, created or accomplished that you can confess, "It is good!"
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If you struggle to recognize your value in this way, spend some time with your Creator and ask Him what He thinks of you and your efforts. Allow Him to lovingly help you honestly evaluate yourself. Write down what He shows you.
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Question for Reflection
When God created you, He considered it "very good." Do you?
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Closing Prayer
God of all creation, thank You for taking the time to design everything that is, including me, so perfectly. Help me to remember that I am created in Your image and when You consider me, You say, "It is very good!" Amen

Getting to Know God

As I spent time with God considering what to write about, I came across a reading plan in the back of my True Identity Bible entitled, "30 Days of He is". This 30 day reading plan was different from most. It wasn't a breakdown of the entire text of Scripture or the New Testament; it was topical. It covers attributes of God designed to help the reader get to know who God is and what He is like. This is the perfect plan to go through on a daily retreat!

My plan will be to read a verse and spend time listening to what the Father wants me to learn or understand about this particular attribute and His heart. I will share this reading plan so that you can also give it a try.

30 Days of "He is"

Day Title Passage

1 He is: Creator Genesis 1: 1

2 He is: All-Powerful Exodus 8: 19

3 He is: The Purifier Leviticus 16:29-30

4 He is: The Appointer Numbers 3: 5-10

5 He is: Encouraging Deuteronomy 31: 6

6 He is: Unbiased Judges 11: 1-29

7 He is: The Secret Weapon 1 Samuel 17: 45-47

8 He is: Approachable 2 Samuel 21: 1

9 He is: Uncontainable 1 Kings 8: 27-30

10 He is: Worthy of Praise 1 Chronicles 16: 34

11 He is: Unifying 2 Chronicles 5: 13-14

12 He is: My Friend Job 16: 18-27

13 He is: My Shepherd Psalm 23: 1-6

14 He is: Worth Considering Psalm 77: 12-13

15 He is: A Fountain of Life Proverbs 14:26-27

16 He is: Listening Ecclesiastes 5: 4-7

17 He is: My Everything Isaiah 9: 6-7

18 He is: Vindicating Jeremiah 51: 1-10

19 He is: High Above Ezekiel 1: 26-28

20 He is: The Ancient of Days Daniel 7: 9-10

21 He is: Slow to Anger Nahum 1: 2-3

22 He is: God with Us Matthew 1: 22-23

23 He is: The Messiah Mark 8: 27-29

24 He is: The Resurrection and the Life John 11: 17-27

25 He is: Not Exclusive Acts 11: 1-18

26 He is: Testing Your Work 1 Corinthians 3: 10-15

27 He is: In Me Galatians 2: 20

28 He is: In Control Philippians 3: 19-21

29 He is: Death's Destroyer 2 Timothy 1: 8-10

30 He is: The Alpha and the Omega Revelations 1: 8

On Wings Like Eagles

The other evening, as I was fishing, I had the pleasure of watching not one but three bald eagles soaring over the lake. It was incredible. If you have never seen an eagle soar, you are missing a magnificent sight!

Compared to other large birds of prey, they seem to take flight effortlessly and their strength and beauty is unrivaled. It is no wonder that this splendid bird was selected as a symbol for our nation. Watching them gives me a feeling of freedom and joy wells up in my heart. It's as if I am being given a special blessing just to watch them for a brief moment.

This particular evening I watched in amazement as an older eagle was flying with a young one. I don't know if this was the mother or father but there was definitely a flying lesson going on for this baby eagle. As the young one took flight the parent flew beside it, and then it flew a few feet below the baby as if to help bring it comfort, reassurance and assistance. After several feet, it came alongside it again before flying ahead. I watched this cycle over and over again.

This morning during worship, the Lord showed me those eagles again. It was like He was playing a video of that event and He showed me that sometimes He is calling us to take flight but we are a little unsure of ourselves. I heard Him whisper to me that just like the parent eagle, He knows we are stronger than we think and He knows when we are ready to step out in His strength to be obedient to His requests. Like that parent eagle who pushes the young out of the nest, He nudges us out of our comfort zone but He is ready to come alongside us; providing the reassurance we may need until we gain the skills, faith and courage to soar just like that young eagle.

Is the Lord asking you to do something you don't feel equipped to do? Trust Him. He wants us to know that we can depend upon Him for everything we will need. He will even fly ahead, beside and underneath us if we need additional reassurance.

Psalm 36:5-7

5 Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.
7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

If the Lord cares enough to have a parent eagle give flying lessons to their young, how much more will the Lord Himself take the time to equip us will all the necessary skills to soar on wings like eagles!