Small Straws In A Soft Wind - January
 

January 1: Purpose in your heart to re-dedicate yourself to be true to the Lord our God, to do His will and fulfill His purpose to the best of your ability, to pray instead of criticize, and to love one another as He has loved us. It is time to begin again. John 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

January 2: Be strong and steady as you move forward. Make the most of opportunities that present themselves, and seek wisdom when faced with challenges. This is a new day in a new season; maximize your experiences through staying calm, cool and collected. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said: I will never leave you nor forsake you.

January 3: Set your sights high, but keep your feet on the ground. Do what needs to be done to sustain natural life and still live and walk in the Spirit. You can do both at the same time. You are body, soul and spirit all of the time, and you can be one with Me consistently. Strive to be all that you were created to be. Psalm 139:14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

Tammy,
Thank you, so much for posting these. Not sure is you remember Carmen from the Christian Recovery forum but she posted these every day on FB. Sadly, she passed last month so I'm grateful to be able to read them here :42:

Thank you. Yes, I do remember Carmen. Her brother, Eric, wrote me in November and let me know of her passing after she died. She would touch base with me ever so often. I miss her.

January 5: You have been through a very hectic season, and you must now take time to rest when you can and do what you can to alleviate stress. Refuse to be offended by others; what they say or do is on them if you will release it to Me. Keep your own mind and heart free from unhealthy thoughts and emotions. Strive to be righteous. Psalm 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

January 6: Everyone has regrets, but you do not have to dwell on them. Repent, receive forgiveness and move on. You cannot undo the past or make anything different, so beating yourself up will not change anything except to cause emotional damage. You need to know that you are valuable and precious to Me, says the Lord. Deuteronomy 14:2 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

January 7: I speak to those who do not know what your next step is. It might feel like you are flapping in the wind and have no direction, but you must be quiet inside and truly seek My face. Be done with fear of failure or making wrong choices. I, the Lord, will absolutely give you wisdom and direction. I will set your feet on the right path and go before you to lead, guide and protect you. Put your trust in Me. Psalm 25:4-5 Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.

January 8: Protect the things that are precious in your life. Put up a shield against that which the enemy would try to tear down and destroy. Secure your sense of right and wrong, your moral values. This is a time to delineate between the precious and the vile and to defend righteousness. Above all guard your heart with all diligence. Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore thus says the Lord: If you return, then I will bring you back; you shall stand before Me; if you take out the precious from the vile, you shall be as My mouth.

January 9: You might not be able to depend on others to help you in your times of need, but you can depend on Me, says the Lord. I see you, know you and know what you are going through, and I am your source of help. I hear and answer your prayers for assistance. Never doubt it. Just be quiet inside and come to Me. Psalm 41:1-4 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

January 10: There are things that need your attention, but you have not wanted to do what needs to be done. These issues will not go away. You might as well face the challenge and go through the necessary process. Otherwise, you will have no real peace until you have completed the task. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

January 11: Refuse to dwell on the past or wish things had been different. It was what it was. But you can rejoice that you have come a long ways by grace. You are not who you used to be. You are constantly evolving into the person I have called and chosen for you to be, says the Lord. Keep your eyes on the prize. Philippians 3:12-14 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

January 12 When you are going through conditions that you do not understand, calm down. Fear only makes things worse. You must trust that you will come through this in victory. Pray in the confidence that I hear you and will answer your faith. Be strong and resolute. James 1:5-7 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.

January 13: To those who, like Zacchaeus, are observing Me from afar: I want you to come and dine with Me. Partake of all that I have for you. Fill yourself with the joy of personal realtionship with Me. I am as close as your breath. Come, let us have sweet fellowship together. Luke 19:2-6 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house. So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.

January 14: You have had your ups and downs in tumultuous times, but you are entering a season when you can level out as you resolve to stay connected spiritually. You will be able to make measurable progress in achieving your goals as you settle into a good and achievable pace. Be strong and of good courage. Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

January 15: Examine yourself and your circumstances in an effort to understand why you do what you do. When you get to the bottom of your motivations, you will be able to separate right from wrong and to see whether or not your actions are consistent with what is honest and true. Ask for wisdom and guidance. James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

January 16: These are times in which you sometimes feel unstable. The truth is that you will find your stability in Me, says the Lord. It will not matter what goes on around you; it matters that you stay spiritually connected and stand strong in faith. Relationship with Me transcends everything earthly and creates a stability that is beyond what is natural. Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand, and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

January 17: Find your stride and maintain your pace. Refuse to allow the enemy to take you off course. You in the company of the redeemed that will continue to move forward in faith with no doubting, never turning back or allowing discouragement to defeat you. Be strong and courageous. 2 Samuel 22:3-4 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; my Savior, You save me from violence. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.

January 18: You must stop worrying about the future. Make the most of the time you have today, and do your best to be righteous in all that you do. Deal with issues as they come up without projecting out in presumption. The spirit of fear is your enemy, so settle your soul in the assurance that I am with you to guide and direct you, says the Lord. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

January 19: Position yourself under the protection of Almighty God. There is no greater place of safety and security! Put your hope and trust in Him and refuse to listen to the enemy who is a liar and the father of lies. Quiet your soul, and establish yourself in the peace that surpasses all understanding. Psalm 91:1-4 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

January 20: Take the time to come to Me and be refreshed and renewed. When you feel overwhelmed, this is exactly what you need. Relax in My presence and cast your cares on Me. I will give you peace and rest. Never doubt that I know what you have been going through and that you can access wisdom whenever you need it. Come! 1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

January 21: Decisions that you make at this time will have greater impact and consequences than usual. Carefully consider where you are and what you need to do going forward. This is not a time to be nonchalant or careless. Rather be thoughtful and seek My wisdom in every situation, says the Lord. 1 Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.

January 22: In a vision I saw what looked like a horizontal rainbow with layers of transparent color. And the Lord said that these colors represent different levels or expressions of glory. He also indicated that He would expand our understanding of His glory. Ephesians 1:16-19 I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.

January 23: Many of you, My people, are still diamonds in the rough. You may appear to be a colorless rock, but I am cutting, shaping and polishing you so that you can be a sparkling gem. This time-consuming process will not last forever. Yield to this spiritual work, and you will ultimately be a one-of-a-kind, valuable and precious jewel in My kingdom. 1 Peter 2:4-5 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

January 24: Take life as it comes, and do not be afraid. I will give you the strength to endure and overcome when you put your trust in Me and not in your circumstances. Do your best with what you have been given and what you have been given to do, and I will support you. Deuteronomy 33:26-27 There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, Who rides the heavens to help you, and in His excellency on the clouds. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, Destroy!

January 25: Come to Me when you are struggling with life and circumstances. Allow Me to give you the rest you desire and health in your body. Never doubt that I know everything about you and that I have your best interests at heart. But, you must come to Me believing that I can and will help you, says the Lord. Matthew 11:28-30 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

January 26: My greatest blessings are bestowed on those who do good and are kind to others. Make sure that your attitude always exhibits My character and nature. When things do not go your way it is sometimes easier to be mean-spirited, but that will not bode well for your future. Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.

January 27: This is a new day. Yesterday is only a memory; you cannot change what has already transpired. Look to that which you can do today, and rejoice in your ability to be My hands and feet in doing good. Allow Me to direct your steps and give opportunities to carry out My wishes. Psalm 119:133 Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.

January 28: When you are dealing with frustration, you must cast your cares on Me. Do your best with issues as they arise, and stay calm, cool and collected. I am your help in every situation, and I will show you the way to overcome and be victorious. Just put your trust in Me, says the Lord. 1 Peter 5:5-9 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

January 29: Prepare to make changes that can strengthen your position in health, relationships, and finances. I do not speak of great, sweeping change, but of tweaking your current state of being. These will be small adjustments that will reap great rewards. Be flexible. Jeremiah 10:23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

January 30: It is all about love; the need to express and receive love. How you live your life depends on your need to love and be loved. When that desire is unfulfilled is when you try to fill that empty space with things that are not good for you. You must realize that My love for you is unrivaled. No one can love you more that I do, says the Lord. So seek to establish relationship with Me and be filled to overflowing with My divine love. John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

January 31: You have come this far, and this is not a time to get discouraged or give up. Steady yourself and find the flow of My Spirit. It will be like the moving of a river within the boundaries that I have set and will take you to destiny. You will be preserved in your faithfulness. Psalm 41.2 The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.