Rejoice In This Day Of ...

REJOICE IN THIS DAY OF Life, Being Willing To Follow Me Wholeheartedly - Wherever I Lead.  Anticipate blessings as we journey together.  Since I have created this day of life and presented it to you free of charge, I want you to receive it gratefully.  Your natural tendency when you awaken is to assess the day before you, discern trying to how good (or bad) it will be.  You do this almost unconsciously, often basing your conclusions on something as trivial as the weather.  I urge you to break free from this habit so you can be more receptive to Me and My blessings.

A thankful attitude is immensely helpful.  If you awaken to find a dark, rainy day, you can thank Me for the rain.   Having done so, you will be much less likely to grumble about the weather.  Also, remember that I have arranged the conditions of your day.  So you can assume there is much good to be found in it.

Rejoicing will help you find many blessings in this day.  If your circumstances are looking rather bleak, then be joyful in Me - your faithful Companion.  I want you to enjoy Me and look for precious gifts I've placed along the path we are following.  In faith, be on the lookout for good things both great and small.  Also, because I am your Teacher, I promise to provide learning opportunities as we travel together.

When you reach the end of this day, stop and look back at the distance we have covered.  Take time to ponder what you have learned and to savor the gifts you have found.  Let your mind dwell on these things as you lie down to sleep, rejoicing in Me and My blessings.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Psalm 118:24; John 13:13 and Psalm 3:5

I Am Immanuel - God With ...

I AM IMMANUEL - GOD WITH You.  Your pursuit of Me is actually a response to My ardent pursuit of you.  You don't have to batter down doors between us.  Rather, as you open the door of your heart to Me, you find Me gloriously present - having already thrown open My door to you!

My death on the cross for your sins was sufficient to open up My door  to you permanently.  Ever since you trusted Me as Savior, your standing with Me has been eternally secure.  So you need not fear that on a day when your performance is below par I might shut the door in your face.  With My help you can break out of that narrow enclosure of performance anxiety. I designed you to flourish in the wide open spaces of My grace and glory, where you are free to celebrate My Presence exuberantly.  Stand tall and shout praises to Me, remembering you are royalty to My kingdom of never-ending Life.

I want you to realize how utterly safe you are - in My perfect, persistent Love.  You understand that the strength of your love is insufficient to keep you connected with Me.  You know you cannot rely on your own faithfulness.  That's why you must depend on My unfailing provision. Love and faithfulness meet together in Me; moreover, through the sacrifice of My blood, righteousness and peace kiss each other.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Matthew 1:23; Romans 5:2; Psalm 18:19 and
Psalm 85:10

Though You Sit In Darkness I Will Be Your ...

THOUGH YOU SIT IN DARKNESS I WILL BE YOUR Light.  Sometimes you need to rest in the shadows.  If you continue pushing yourself - ignoring how weary you are - you may collapse altogether.  Many of My followers drive themselves to the point of exhaustion or utter discouragement, while pretending everything is all right.  Your enemy the devil rejoices-even gloats-when he sees this happening.  He understands the power of pretense to weaken My children till they are easy prey for him.

Do not panic when you have fallen, for you will rise again.  Be content to sit in darkness while I refresh your spirit, mind and body.  I am as fully present with you when you are sitting as when you are standing or walking.   Look for Me in the shadowy place where you find yourself now.  I want to shelter and nurture you under my wings, where you will find refuge.  While you are relaxing, I will be your Light - protecting, healing, and restoring you.

When My work of restoration is finished, you can crawl out from under My wings:  ready to rise again and continue your journey.  My Presence will go with you, illuminating the way before you - strengthening and encouraging you.  Hope in Me, My child, for you will again praise Me for the help of My Presence.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Micah 7:8; 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 91:4 and Psalm 42:5

Seek To Please ...

SEEK TO PLEASE Me Above All Else.  Let this be your guiding focus throughout the day so that you won't be sidetracked by lesser goals.

You will not be able to achieve success through discipline alone, for this pursuit requires more than your willpower:  It is mainly powered by what is in your heart.  As your Love for Me grows stronger, so does your desire to please Me.  When a man and a woman are deeply in love, they take great delight in pleasing one another.  They may spend hours pondering ways to surprise their beloved with unexpected pleasures.  Simply anticipating the loved one's happiness is exciting to such a lover.  I delight in increasing your Joy: making it complete.  The best way to grow in your passion for Me is to increase your awareness of My ardent Love for you.

Whenever you seek to please Me, think about Me as the Lover of your soul:   the One who loves you perfectly every nanosecond of your existence.  Let your budding desire to please Me flourish in the Light of My unfailing Love.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Colossians 1:10; Hebrews 3:1; John 15:9-11 and
Psalm 52:8

I Am Your Sunrise From On ...

I AM YOUR SUNRISE FROM ON High!  While you were still sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, My Light shone upon you - giving you a reason to live, a reason to hope.  Now you are Mine, and you can approach Me confidently because of My tender mercy.  My heart is full of unfailing Love for you; it overflows from My heart into yours.  As you receive good things from Me with thanksgiving, you experience rich soul-satisfaction.  I want you to sing for Joy and be glad in response to all that I give you.  You can relax and enjoy My Presence since you know I am taking care of you.  In your time of need, I will provide mercy and grace to help you.

I want you to enjoy not only My Presence but also My Peace.  I came into your world to guide your feet into the way of Peace.  When you are anxious or fearful, it is as if you are doubting My promises to supply all you need.  My followers tend to think of worry as natural, even inevitable.  At worst, they consider it their personal problem or quirk - harming no one but themselves.   But the truth is, your tendency to be anxious grieves Me.  Awareness of My pain can help motivate you to break free from this hurtful habit.  Seek to bring Me Joy by walking trustingly with Me along the path of Peace.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Luke 1:78-79; Psalm 90:14; Hebrews 4:16 and
Philippians 4:19

Be Content To Be One Of My ...

BE CONTENT TO BE ONE OF MY Sheep - eternally known, eternally secure.  I want you to hear My voice, so you can follow Me closely all the days and moments of your life.  I speak to you in many ways, though most clearly through My Word.  You need to maintain a listening attitude in order to hear Me.  This requires both patience and perseverance:  waiting in My Presence, eager to hear from Me.  I, your Shepherd-King, not only lead you through each day of your life; I also open to you the gates of heaven.  You do well to remember that the Shepherd who so tenderly leads you is the King of eternity.

Though your earth-body will someday die, you yourself will never perish.  When you become absent from the body, you will be present with Me in a deep, rich, glorious way beyond anything you can imagine!  No one will be able to snatch you out of My hand.  This assurance of your eternal destiny sets you free from fear of death.  It also strengthens you to live bountifully today - joyously following your Shepherd.

Sheep are not designed to live independently.  They need a wise, loving shepherd to guide them carefully.  Similarly, you live best when you follow Me humbly, in sheep-like fashion.  As you trust Me to know what is best for you, I lovingly guide you in paths of righteousness.

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  John 10:27-28; 2 Corinthians 5:8 and
Psalm 23:1-3

Long Before You Began Seeking ...

LONG BEFORE YOU BEGAN SEEKING Me, I had designs on you for glorious living.  My overall purpose embraces and enfolds you - helping you understand who you are, giving meaning to your life.  In Me you live and move and have your being.  Even before the earth's creation I chose you as the focus of My Love, to be made whole and holy by My Love.  Until you came to know Me as Savior, your life was painfully incomplete.  Your inner being was rife with gaping holes.  Only My limitless Love is sufficient to fill all that emptiness.  The healing and wholeness you are finding in Me will continue to increase as you mature in My ways.

My Love not only completes you; it also makes you holy.  Your awareness that I love you with perfect, unending Love helps you break free from sinful ways.  Growth in holiness is a process, of course, and sometimes it is painful.  But the pleasures of My boundless Love outweigh any amount of pain and trouble you experience.  When you are suffering, talk with Me about your struggles.  Pour out your heart to Me.  As I soothe you with My loving Presence, I reassure you of the overall purpose I am working out in everything and everyone-in you!

- Jesus

(Jesus Lives / Sarah Young)

Scripture Insight:  Ephesians 1:11-13; Acts 17:18; Ephesians 1:4 and
Psalm 62:8