Small Straws In A Soft Wind - December
 

December 1: These times require your utmost attention to your spiritual position. The world is full of darkness and trouble, but you can make decisions to be righteous in the midst of a crooked generation. You do not have to fall prey to evil in these days, says the Lord. Be led by My Spirit in all things so that you can be an overcomer. Philippians 2:14-16 Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

December 2: Let My peace be the constant in your life so that when peace is disturbed you make the proper adjustments. Spiritual reality must be your priority rather than the chaos of the world and world systems. Peace will be the result of putting your trust in Me, says the Lord. Know that I am for you and with you to bring you through every difficulty. Stay close. Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

December 3: Put forth every effort to maintain efficacy. There are forces at work to take you off course. You must be awake and have a plan that will keep you from spiritual decline. Stand your ground and refuse to allow the enemy to derail your faith, says the Lord. Set your will to stay focused. 1 Thessalonians 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

December 4: In a vision I saw earth's atmosphere in layers. Near the surface of the earth it was very dark, but every layer above the earth was progressively lighter. And, the Lord said, "The higher up you go, the more light is available so that when you get close to Me it is all light with no darkness at all. Come up here!" John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

December 5: I speak to those of you who once dedicated yourself to know Me and to serve Me only to grow lukewarm or even cold. I tell you honestly that you will have opportunities to renew yourself in a genuine search to find Me. There will be a release from the powers of darkness that have pulled you away from your commitment. You will find Me again, says the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5 "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength."

December 6: Many of you have been caught in the middle of a disagreement, and you feel hard pressed to choose which side to be on. But, I tell you honestly that you do not have to choose. You must rise above the dilemma of your soul and seek My face, says the Lord, where there is no prejudice or partiality. Your choice must be to live in righteousness and peace. Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

December 7: I see you. I know all that you are, all that you think, and all that you do. You might be able to hide from the people around you, but you cannot hide from Me. And, I honor those whose hearts desire to know Me by releasing righteousness, peace, and joy. I look to bless and prosper those who have a genuine relationship with Me, says the Lord. Romans 14:17 ...the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

December 8: Deception abounds. However, you have chosen to know Me and to walk and live in My Spirit where truth and honesty prevail. You can only be honest when you have nothing to hide. Hiding your sin will keep you from pure relationship with Me, says the Lord. I would have you deal with everything in you that wants to stay hidden. Repent and bring everything to the light. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

December 9: No matter the turmoil that seems to prevail around you, I would have you find the peace that is only found by being one with Me, says the Lord. Refuse to allow chaos to define your life, but rather be defined by your relationship with Me. And, establish yourself in quiet resolve. Isaiah 30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength."

December 10: Stay the course. Continue to move ahead at a steady pace with your eyes fixed on your destination. Refuse to be drawn away from that which is vitally important to your spiritual well-being. Even as many things demand your attention and resources, you must continually guard your heart, says the Lord. Maintain integrity and be true to yourself. Psalms 26:11 But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me.

December 11: Come in spirit and seek My face, says the Lord. I want you to search for Me in earnest with a true heart so that you can find Me and know Me. You need Me more than ever, and you need a fresh anointing so that you can fulfill your destiny. I have great things planned for you, but you must position yourself so that you can receive all that I have in store. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

December 12: As I waited on the Lord, I sensed movement in the spirit realm. It was very strong and yet mysterious. And, I heard the Lord say, "I am moving in ways that are beyond anything that you have seen or understood. This work will affect My people at a core level that is untapped and rarely accessed. Only those who get quiet and exercise extreme discernment will be aware of what I am now doing." Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

December 13: Many of you feel scorned and unloved. And, I tell you honestly that even though your environment seems harsh and inhospitable, the love I have for you exceeds your expectations. You are a treasure to Me, says the Lord. Let go of your feelings of rejection and come to Me and receive My love. Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

December 14: I am directing you to do things that you would not normally do, but I have purpose for you in the byways of life. Not to mention that I want you to be present in ways that will reveal My presence, says the Lord. Be sensitive and obedient to My leading. It is unlikely that you will know the impact of what you do at this time. Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

December 15: I am with you in times of trouble and in the midst of difficulties. Know that if you look for Me I will be found. If you will take one tiny step towards Me, I will take a giant leap towards you. I will present Myself in ways that you would never expect, but in ways that will be exactly what you need at this moment, says the Lord. Psalm 27:13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

December 16: I have opened a path before you that will enable you to maneuver through hindrances and difficulties that you have endured for quite some time. You will be able to experience a new level of freedom that has been almost impossible to attain. You cannot do this on your own, but with My help and guidance you will now be able to move on, says the Lord. Prepare for breakthrough. Psalms 27:13 I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

December 17: The season of adjustment is upon you, but you will have to mentally and emotionally let go of things that tie you to the past before you can move forward in My purposes. If you will take this step of faith you will come into a place of liberty and fulfillment that you have not known before. Trust Me to bring you through this awkward transition with great grace, says the Lord. All you have to do is be willing and flexible. 2 Corinthians 12:9a And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

December 18: Your life experience contains many moving parts, and those parts are coming into alignment to allow new possibilities. The doors will open to present opportunities to accomplish what has been beyond your scope of imagination. These are things that you cannot foresee or predict, but you can prepare and position yourself spiritually by faith to progress when the time is right, says the Lord. Mark 1:3b Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.

December 19: This is a time when maintaining spiritual focus is more difficult and will require effort and determination for you to stay on course. Keep your priorities straight even in the midst of distractions. Many things will require or even demand your attention, but spending time with Me will be the most rewarding, says the Lord. Psalm 27:8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, Lord, I will seek."

December 20: For those who acknowledge and walk with Me, I am making a way that you can follow. Do not be afraid to miss what I am doing in your life. I truly am for you and not against you. You are My own special treasure. Embrace this spiritual reality, and do not doubt the love that I have for you, says the Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

December 21: The winds of change are blowing. And, I want you to be sensitive not only to My direction, but to the perfect timing. It is one thing to know what you are supposed to do and quite another to know when to do it. Rest assured that I will give you both the what and the when. Be flexible and stay ready, says the Lord. John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

December 22: Maintain personal and spiritual stability and be clear about correction when it comes. Know the difference between conviction and condemnation. When I bring conviction, it is not to condemn, but is for the purpose of making a way for repentance and strengthening of the soul, says the Lord. Establish yourself in the truth. Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

December 23: Position yourself to be an instrument of My peace, which transcends conflict and confusion. You are My people, called by My name to be representatives of the eternal kingdom. Do not squander opportunities to manifest the ministry of reconciliation. Be kind to one another, says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

December 24: This is a time of reflection. Think and consider where you are. This time of reflection will take you deeper into My plans and purposes for you and will reveal the places where you got off course. You will see yourself more clearly in relationship to Me and your level of dedication in establishing My kingdom in your place on the earth. You can now make decisions that will have far-reaching consequences, says the Lord. Proverbs 27:19 As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.

December 25: Be on the lookout for various elements of your life to fall into place, and it will be right for you to make the changes that you have considered. There is a time and a season when everything lines up with My will and purposes for you, says the Lord. That time is just ahead of you. Do not lose hope. Ecclesiastes 3:17b "For there is a time for every purpose and for every work."

December 26: In a vision I saw a very large door beginning to open. The light coming in started as a small beam at first, but as the door continued to open the light became magnificently bright and even blinding. And, I heard the Lord say, "I am opening a door for you that will bring increasingly greater light. It will reveal wisdom and purpose such as you have not seen until now. Walking in the light will begin with revelation that comes from internal work." Isaiah 2:5 ... come and let us walk in the light of the Lord.

December 27: My work in the lives of My people appears to be mysterious at times. But, if you ask for wisdom with a genuine desire to know, I will reveal My purposes to you in ways that you can understand. Keep in mind that I want you to search for truth as you would search for treasure. And, to do that you must be willing to dig deep, says the Lord. Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

December 28: Prepare yourself for not only a new beginning, but a new era. Let the past become a dim memory as you move forward with renewed hope and expectation. You will rise to new heights and be more available to Me, says the Lord. My Spirit will be your guide! Psalm 148:1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights!

December 29: You mistakenly apply a sense of permanence to your current circumstances. But, I tell you honestly that you are always in a state of transition. Nothing in your physical, natural existence is immutable. Embrace change. Allow change to be an avenue of spiritual growth and blessing, says the Lord. Only things of the Spirit are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

December 30: Look for and receive My blessings. It is My heart's desire to bless you more than you could even imagine. You belong to Me, and I will look after you as long as you will seek Me with a whole heart and allow Me to intervene into your life, says the Lord. Let Me bring correction when necessary as you live and walk in the Spirit. Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.

December 31: Be renewed in faith, in hope, and in peace. The work of the enemy to tear you down has been formidable, but I will restore what has been torn down. I will strengthen what has become weakened through attacks on your body, soul and spirit. Yield to My power to build you up and prepare you to fulfill My purposes in your life. Yours is to overcome the despair that has developed as a result of relentless difficulties and begin to look to better days, says the Lord. Hosea 6:1 Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.