JESUS CALLING 11-29-17

LET ME INFUSE MY PEACE into your innermost being. As you sit quietly in the Light of My Presence, you can sense Peace growing within you. This is not something that you accomplish through self-discipline and willpower; it is opening yourself to receive My blessing.
     In this age of independence, people find it hard to acknowledge their neediness. However, I have taken you along a path that has highlighted your need for Me, placing you in situations where your strengths were irrelevant and your weaknesses were glaringly evident. Through the aridity of those desert marches, I have drawn you closer and closer to Myself. You have discovered flowers of Peace blossoming in the most desolate places. You have learned to thank Me for hard times and difficult journeys, trusting that through them I accomplish My best work. You have realized that needing Me is the key to knowing Me intimately, which is the gift above all gifts.

ISAIAH 58:11; ISAIAH 40:11

STRENGTH FOR EVERY MOMENT T.D. JAKES

HIS MERCY ENDURES

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 118:29).

There is not a person alive today who has not benefited from God’s mercy. It was God’s mercy that prevailed in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord could have scrapped everything and started all over again. God was merciful and allowed Adam and Eve to live with the hope that their seed would redeem back what they had lost.

God’s mercy prevailed in the wilderness with Moses and the children of Israel. When the Israelites moaned and groaned, their fate could have ended in immediate and total destruction, but God was merciful.

When Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, God could have killed the unwilling prophet and found another to go in his place. It was God’s mercy that allowed the fish to swallow Jonah. God knew what was in Jonah just as He knows what is in you and me.

Sometimes God will allow us to fall because in our time of falling we come to realize that without Him we are nothing. We become convinced that is only by His mercy that we are able to stand.

“. . . His mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. . .” (Ps. 107:1-2 KJV). This verse reminds me of the song, “Your Grace and Mercy” by Frank Williams and the Mississippi Mass Choir, which simply says: Your grace and mercy has brought me through, and I’m living this moment because of You. I want to thank You and praise You, too; your grace and mercy has brought me through.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-9

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-9

The people who are looking on, Lord, who see my suffering and how I respond to it . . . do they see how much I rely on you? Do they know that you are the one who is carrying me through? I could not make it without you. I would crumble. Please give me opportunities to tell just how much you mean to me and how your grace has seen me through everything. I want others to know that you will be there for them when they struggle. I want them to understand that they can look to you and find all the help they need.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-9

God’s Help in Tough Times

A Woman’s Prayers from the Heart

Losing a child . . . it’s such a deep grief in a woman’s life Father. It’s one of the most difficult things to accept, and it makes it hard to trust that you are still there, that you still care. Sometimes there is shame involved, often anger, and always an ache that just doesn’t go away. How can you understand my pain----this grief so specific to a woman? How can you know what I’m going through? I want your comfort, but since you are the author and sustainer of life, it’s hard not to feel like you’re opposing me! . . . Ah, how gently you remind me. You too were bereaved of a beloved child. That is how you know. And because of what you sacrificed for me, I have assurance that I will see my child again. Please, Father, see me through this grief.

But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:7-9

JESUS CALLING 11-28-17

REST IN THE DEEP ASSURANCE of My unfailing Love. Let your body, mind, and spirit relax in My Presence. Release into My care anything that is troubling you so that you can focus your full attention on Me. Be awed by the vast dimensions of My Love for you: wider, longer, higher, and deeper than anything you know. Rejoice that this marvelous Love is yours forever!
     The best response to this glorious gift is a life steeped in thankfulness. Every time you thank Me, you acknowledge that I am your Lord and Provider. This is the proper stance for a child of God: receiving with thanksgiving. Bring Me the sacrifice of gratitude, and watch to see how much I bless you.

1 PETER 5:7; EPHESIANS 3:16-19; PSALM 107:21-22

STRENGTH FOR EVERY MOMENT T.D.JAKES

YOUR ADVERSARY, THE DEVIL

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

     The devil is a liar! It does not matter what you have done. It does not matter where you have been. God is a God of second chances. He is the God of new beginnings. When you're down, He'll pick you up again.

     When God restores you, it does not matter who is trying to bind you or who is fighting against you. All you need to know is that when God brings you up, no demon in hell can bring you down.

     If God has blessed you, shout it from the housetops! If God brought you up, praise and thank Him! Every time I think about what the Lord has done for me, my soul rejoices.

     No one can tel your testimony. No one knows what God has done for you. No one knows how far you've come. No one knows what you've been through. But you know it was only by the grace of God that you survived. Don't

 allow the devil to steal your testimony.

     It may have taken you longer than everybody else, but God has given you the victory. Tell others what God has done in your life. The devil would love for you not to tell your testimony. Why? Because if you tell what God has done for you, someone else might get set free.

JESUS CALLING 11-26-17

THIS IS THE DAY THAT I HAVE MADE! As you rejoice in this day of life, it will yield up to you precious gifts and beneficial training. Walk with Me along the high road of thanksgiving, and you will find all the delights I have made ready for you.
     To protect your thankfulness, you must remember that you reside in a fallen world, where blessings and sorrows intermingle freely. A constant focus on adversity defeats many Christians. They walk through a day that is brimming with beauty and brightness, seeing only the grayness of their thoughts. Neglecting the practice of giving thanks has darkened their minds. How precious are My children who remember to thank Me at all times. They can walk through the darkest days with Joy in their hearts because they know that the Light of My Presence is still shining on them. Rejoice in this day that I have made, for I am your steadfast Companion.

PSALM 118:24; PSALM 116:17

STRENGTH FOR EVERY MOMENT T.D. JAKES THE LORD UPHOLDS YOU

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand (Psalm 37:23-24).

Has something so painful and overwhelming happened to you that it has affected every area of your life? Every time you kneel to pray, does your mind go back to the fact that someone broke your heart and wounded your spirit?

Have you experienced something so personally devastating that you can’t discuss it with anyone? You find it difficult to trust people, and you don’t know where to turn. You may feel as if everyone is grading you and evaluating your progress, when actually you are your own harshest judge.

You know you should be further along in life, but someone or some circumstance crippled your faith. Your hopes and dreams were never fulfilled.

You know you should have finished school; you know you should have been a teacher or a musician by now. By society’s standards, you should already be married and have children.

Maybe you think your ministry should be further along or that you should have a successful career at this point in your life. Your dreams and goals should have been fulfilled years ago, but you’ve been crippled. Don’t give up. There is hope for you and healing for past hurts.

God has a way of bringing us out of bondage and then making us remember where we come from. When we, like Joseph, begin to experience success and victory, God will remind us that He opened the door of the prison. He sets us free.

JESUS CALLING 11-25-17

THANK ME FREQUENTLY as you journey through this day. This practice makes it possible to pay without ceasing, as the apostle Paul taught. If you are serious about learning to pray continually, the best approach is to thank Me in every situation. These thankful prayers provide a solid foundation on which you can build all your other prayers. Moreover, a grateful attitude makes it easier for you to communicate with Me.
     When your mind is occupied with thanking Me, you have no time for worrying or complaining. If you practice thankfulness consistently, negative thought patterns will eventually grow weaker and weaker. Draw near to Me with a grateful heart, and My Presence will fill you with Joy and Peace.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 KJV; JAMES 4:8; ROMANS 15:13

JESUS CALLING 11-24-17

THANKFULNESS takes the sting out of adversity. That is why I have instructed you to give thanks for everything. There is an element of mystery in this transaction: You give Me thanks (regardless of your feelings), and I give you Joy (regardless of your circumstances). This is a spiritual act of obedience--at times, blind obedience. To people who don't know Me intimately, it can seem irrational and even impossible to thank Me for heartrending hardships. Nonetheless, those who obey Me in this way are invariably blessed, even though difficulties may remain.
     Thankfulness opens your heart to My Presence and your mind to My thoughts. You may still be in the same place, with the same set of circumstances, but it is as if a light has been switched on, enabling you to see from My perspective. It is the Light of My Presence that removes the sting from adversity.

EPHESIANS 5:20; PSALM 118:1; PSALM 89:15

JESUS CALLING 11-23-17

AS YOU SIT QUIETLY IN MY PRESENCE, let Me fill your heart and mind with thankfulness. This is the most direct way to achieve a thankful stance. If your mind needs a focal point, gaze at My Love poured out for you on the cross. Remember that nothing in heaven or on earth can separate you from that Love. This rememberance builds a foundation of gratitude in you, a foundation that circumstances cannot shake.
     As you go through this day, look for tiny treasurs strategically placed along the way. I lovingly go before you and plant little pleasures to brighten your day. Look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one. When you reach the end of the day, you will have gathered a lovely bouquet. Offer it up to Me with a grateful heart. Receive My Peace as you lie down to sleep, with thankful thoughts playing a lullaby in your mind.

ROMANS 8:38-39; PSALM 4:7-8

YOUR HEAVENLY DEFENSE ATTORNEY (T.D. JAKES)

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:14-15).

Jesus Christ is our constant advocate and our High Priest before God. Do not allow your situation to lock you into a spirit of delusion and complacency. Remember, the devil is trying to kill you. He wants you dead. Only the Spirit of God and the blood of Jesus stand between you and destruction. Do not let satan deceive you into thinking that no one cares or that God has not heard your cries for help.

     God knows your groaning and your moaning. God knows what your tears mean when they well up in your eyes. If you cal on Him, He will answer you. Trust Him. If He said He will bring you through it, He will.

     Quit complaining about your situation. Ask God to help you; put away your pride and just ask for help. Do not allow pride to keep you immobilized in your fallen state.

     Something in you has got to cry, "Lord, help! I've fallen, and I can't get up! I don't like the way I'm living; I don't like the way I'm hurting. Something in me needs to change. Something in me needs to be broken. I need to be set free by the power of God."

HEAR HIS VOICE (T.D. JAKES)

"Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He was angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? (Hebrews 3:15-18)

When you do not trust in God's goodness and instead walk in unbelief, you frustrate the generous grace of God. The apostle Paul wrote, "I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain" (Gal. 2:21).

I warn you, brothers and sisters, do not frustrate the grace of God as the Israelites did. The Bible says that God will not always strive with humanity. God is merciful, long-suffering, and forgiving, but that does not absolve or excuse us from yielding to the Spirit so that we may be empowered to take responsibility for our own salvation.

We are without excuse, for God has given us everything we need for eternal life and godliness. Why insist on doing things your own way? Submit to God and He will give you the power to overcome every obstacle in your life, one by one.

Religion can't help you. Trying to abide by legalistic church traditions won't help you out of your situation. The only Source guaranteed to pul you through every time you ask is God Almighty.

TD JAKES