9/01/03 John 1: 1-5
In the beginning, the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
LIGHT
Christ gave me life. This new life gives me light for living. I am no longer in bondage to sin and foolishness. I can serve the Lord and live a Christ-like life.
9/02/03 John 1:10-13
But although the world was made through him, the world didn’t recognize him when he came. Even in his own land and among his own people, he was not accepted. But to all, who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical rebirth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God.
NEW BIRTH
I am a new creature in Christ. Old things have passed away. I am alive in Jesus. I have value and worth and the Lord has a plan for my life.
9/03/03 John 1:14
So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father.
JESUS
Jesus is with me. He is with me when I am good and when I am bad. He is interested in everything I do. He wants me to learn how to mature into a Christ-like person. I cannot do this without His power, mercy and grace. I can do all things through Christ.
9/04/03 John 1:16-17
We have all benefited from the rich blessings he brought to us—one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ.
RESOURCES
I have everything I need in Jesus. He will meet my every need. I am called to obedience and trust. My life is to be surrendered to Him and focused upon Him.
9/05/03 John 1:18
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who himself is God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him.
JESUS
Jesus is God’s everything. I can trust the Lord Jesus with my life, my needs and my future. The more I know Him now the more I will know Him in eternity.
9/06/03 Hebrews 1:1-2
Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. But now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he made the universe and everything in it.
JESUS
Jesus died for my sin. He knows everything about me and still loves me. He is always with me. Jesus is not a doting grandparent and at times must discipline me but He still has my best interest in mind. Jesus is my elder brother and takes me into the throne room of the Lord God.
9/07/03 Hebrews 1:3
The Son reflects God’s own glory, and everything about him represents God exactly. He sustains the universe by the mighty power of his command. After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven.
GOD’S SON
He died for me the worst of sinners. He paid my price on Calvary. Jesus reveals to me the love of the Father. He is a great and mighty Lord and a gentle, faithful, loving friend. What a Savior. Thank you Lord.
9/08/03 Colossians 1: 15-17
Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we see and the things we can’t see—kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.
CREATOR
Jesus is the Creator of all things. Majestic and mighty Christ has always been and will always be. There was never a time when Jesus wasn’t Lord. I don’t make Him Lord, I accept Him as my Lord. Christ is my King.
9/09/03 John 14:6
Jesus told him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one can come to the Father except through Me.”
WAY
Jesus is the way. There is no other way except through Him. Many question it and many doubt it but it is still the truth. It has nothing to do with man’s limited abilities. I cannot question or even second guess God. Jesus is the only way to the Father.
9/10/03 Deuteronomy 18:15
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like [Moses] from among you, and you must listen to that prophet.
PROPHET
The Lord foretold His coming. Now He is here. He lives in me. He guides my life. One day very soon He will come back. Come Lord Jesus.
9/11/03 Isaiah 7:14
All right then, the Lord himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and call him name “Immanuel”—“God is with us.”
WITH ME
Each of us has many tough days. Christ is always with us. Failure may rear its ugly head but Christ is still with us. He will not leave us nor will He forget us. Jesus is with us.
9/12/03 Galatians 4:4-5
But when the right time came, God sent his son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
FREEDOM
I am free in Christ. Free from all of the deceit and misdirection that the enemy can throw my way. Free from sifting by the Evil One. I am free to live and free to serve. I am a child of God set free.
9/13/03 Matthew 11:28
Jesus said, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
REST
Life is difficult. When the process of dealing with the difficulty of life becomes more than I can bear I must return to Jesus and let Him help me. Christ will carry my load and give me rest. Even when I have gotten off course and ignored Him, He will not ignore me.
9/14/03 John 16:33
(Jesus said), “I have told you all of this so that you might have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
PEACE
I am not alone. Christ is with me. He is my peace. If I will seek Him and serve Him I will find the peace that is so elusive in the lives of people. Peace is the result of Jesus ruling my life.
9/15/03 Matthew 24:4-6, 13-14
Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you. For many will come in my name saying, ‘I am the Messiah.” They will lead many astray. And wars will break out near and far, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won’t follow immediately…. Those who endure to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the world, so that all nations will hear it; and then, finally, the end will come.”
RETURN
Jesus is coming back. He is coming back soon. I am to be constantly alert to His return. If I live with this realization it will change the way that I live my life. Come Lord Jesus.
9/16/03 Matthew 24: 44
You also must be ready all the time. For the Son of Man will come when least expected.
SECOND COMING
Time with the Lord everyday is critical for my spiritual health. If I don’t spend time with Jesus I will not know what He wants me to do nor will I know the things I need to change. My goal is to be ready every minute of every hour of every day to meet the Lord.
9/17/03 Psalm 30:1
I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.
VICTORY
I can live my life in victory. The circumstances of my situation do not determine the reality of God’s love and presence. I belong to Jesus. He will not let me go.
9/18/03 Psalm 31:1
O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be put to shame. Rescue me, for you always do what is right.
COURAGE
Courage is a choice. When I trust God and live under the rule of His Word and the encouragement of His promises I will develop a Christian lifestyle. I will become more like Jesus in everything I do. Jesus is the reason that I can claim an abundant life.
9/19/03 Psalm 32:1-2
Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
JOY
Joy is always based on perspective and never a result of my circumstances. From a Roman prison Paul the Apostle declared “rejoice, again I say rejoice.” Jesus is alive and I can have joy. God is in control. My life is important. I count. Jesus will never leave me. At death Jesus will personally escort me into the presence of God.
9/20/03 Psalm 33:4-5
For the word of the Lord holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth.
TRUST
Every thought the Lord Jesus has towards me is a thought for good. I can trust Jesus. I can trust Him with my future, He is faithful right now and Christ has forgiven me of my sin. His blood was shed for me. What a Savior. What a friend I have in Jesus.
9/21/03 Psalm 34: 4-5
I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears. Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
HEARS
God hears me when I pray. He knows my needs and He will help me. My Lord Jesus is trustworthy and true. He will equip, facilitate, encourage and enable my life. The Lord is good all the time.
9/22/03 Psalm 34:15
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
WATCHFUL
Life will make us wonder if the Lord is here. So many times I am surprised by things that happen. The Lord Jesus is never surprised by anything and is always seeking to help us prepare. Life is every day. I am called to focus on Jesus so that He can prepare me for each day.
9/23/03 Psalm 35: 9-10
Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me. I will praise him from the bottom of my heart: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the weak and helpless from the strong? Who else protects the poor and needy from those who want to rob them?
JOY
I can have joy. I can celebrate each day. What a wonderful God I serve. Not an idol that I can appease or manipulate. My Lord Jesus is able to do more than I can think or imagine and He loves me.
9/24/03 Psalm 36: 7-9
How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your rivers of delight. For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.
LOVE
God’s love is precious. It enables me to live. His love equips me to deal with my life. I am precious to Jesus. He cares for me far more than I care for myself. Christ died for me and now lives in me so that I can live a righteous life.
9/25/03 Psalm 37:3-4
Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
TRUST
Every person I meet is valuable to Jesus. When I value the people I meet I am declaring my own value and worth. When I do good I am always receiving good. Life works that way. Jesus is Lord.
9/26/03 Psalm 37: 18-19
Day by day the Lord takes care of the innocent, and they will receive a reward that lasts forever. They will survive through hard times; even in famine they will have more than enough.
SURVIVAL
Jesus cares for me. My life is important to the Lord. He will stand with me in hard times and see me through. I can celebrate now because the Lord will never desert me. I will survive.
9/27/03 Psalm 39: 6-7
We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth for someone else to spend. And so, O Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you.
HOPE
Wealth can be squandered. Good health will end. God’s love for me is eternal. I can put all of my hope and trust in the Lord because He will be with me throughout eternity. Now I see Him by faith but one day soon I will stand before the Lord and see Him face to face.
9/28/03 Psalm 40: 1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord.
TRUST
God’s timing is always perfect. He hears me and He will always help me. I have joy this moment because the Lord loves me. I can trust Jesus.
9/29/03 Psalm 42:8
Through each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.
LOVE
Love is of God. It comes to me from the Lord Jesus because He has chosen to love me. It is a gift and it is eternal. My life is in Christ, and He is the light of my life. All the things I do come under the scrutiny of Jesus. I can trust Him. Jesus loves me.
9/30/03 Psalm 28:1
O Lord, you are my rock of safety. Please help me; don’t refuse to answer me. For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die.
TRUST
I can live my life with this assumption, Jesus loves me. I can trust the Lord because He is faithful. His love is relentless and eternal. The Lord is my strength and I can trust Him.
