The Father knows everything. He understands us better than we understand ourselves! Because the Father also is one with the Holy Spirit, they are in constant and complete agreement as the Spirit prays for us. The Spirit's prayers are always in perfect alignment with the will of the Father.

Some of us think we have a good grasp of G.o.d's will for our lives-and we sometimes think we know G.o.d's will for other people too! Certainly, many aspects of G.o.d's divine direction are clearly spelled out in the Bible. But more often than we care to admit, our desires for an easy life overshadow G.o.d's desire for us to live an abundant life. We want fun, excitement, happiness, and wealth-and G.o.d often gives us those things-but far more, G.o.d's will is for us to learn to trust Him, to lean on Him when times are tough, and to gain wisdom by going through confusing or difficult times. In these cases, G.o.d's will isn't to get us out of trouble, but to take us through it so we learn valuable lessons.

When the Spirit prays to the Father for us, His requests focus on these deeper, richer lessons of life. We are wise to learn to pray along with the Spirit's purposes for us.

What are some ways we might confuse our wants with G.o.d's will?

Does it comfort you or disturb you that the Father searches your heart? Explain your answer.

"G.o.d always answers our prayers according to our good and His glory."-IKE REIGHARD

DECEMBER 15.

THE WORLD'S BEST GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

JOHN 16:13.

IF YOU HAD IMMEDIATE AND CONTINUOUS ACCESS to the brightest mind in your field, would you use that resource? Would you call that person to ask for insights several times a day, or would you think, No, I'd better just call once a week for about five minutes; that's enough?

The fact is that the brightest mind (and most loving heart) in the universe is on call 24/7 for every believer. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit "the Spirit of truth" because He directed the writers of Scripture as they recorded G.o.d's thoughts, and He promises to guide us so that we grasp and apply G.o.d's truth in every situation. We can hardly imagine a better guidance counselor!

But do we value Him? Do we pursue Him? Do we ask Him questions and then patiently listen for His directions? Sadly, many of us would answer, "No, I'm too busy." Too busy? If Warren Buffett offered to be available for a day to give us advice on investments, we'd spend a month carefully crafting questions and preparing for the conversations. In our appointment with him, we'd soak up every word like a sponge.

The Spirit of G.o.d has given us access to Him all day every day. We can take advantage of this monumental opportunity by preparing our hearts to value Him, crafting our questions to get at the root issues, and listening intently to Him as He reminds us of pa.s.sages of Scripture we've read or as He whispers to us to give us direction.

Those who value Him and listen become wise; those who don't . . .

Do you treat the Holy Spirit like you'd treat the best mind in your field? Explain your answer.

How can you value Him more? What difference will it make?

"Be a.s.sured if you walk with Him, and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you."-GEORGE MLLER

DECEMBER 16.

MOVED BY THE SPIRIT.

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of G.o.d spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 PETER 1:20-21.

FAR TOO OFTEN, people read the Bible with all the enthusiasm they'd have if they were reading last week's news or another city's phone book. They think it sounds so old, so outdated, so out of touch with real life. Certainly, the Scriptures were written years ago, but though they were written in another era in a farming society, the Bible is for all cultures-even our high-tech environment. The truth of G.o.d's Word is the most challenging, most dramatic, and most comforting the world has ever known. If it doesn't blow our socks off by its power, we're just not paying attention!

Some people complain, "Yeah, but it's just men writing what they thought about G.o.d. What difference can that make to my life today?" Great question! It makes all the difference in the world because every word was written under the direction of G.o.d's Spirit. Each writer was prompted, guided, and inspired to write G.o.d's message, which applies to every person for all time.

If we take our blinders off, we'll see that certain pa.s.sages give us the most wonderful promises we can imagine. G.o.d offers forgiveness and cleansing to the worst of sinners, and He promises His Spirit's presence and power if we'll only ask. When we doubt, G.o.d's Word gives hope. When we feel crushed under the weight of guilt, the Scriptures teach that G.o.d forgives. When we don't know where to go, G.o.d's promises and commands guide us. And when we close our eyes for the last time, G.o.d leads us to a glorious place He has prepared for us, a place He described in His Word.

The Bible doesn't speak to every conceivable situation in our technological age, but it speaks boldly and clearly about the condition of the heart, the nature of relationships, and the hope we can experience if we follow G.o.d. That should be enough to keep us interested.

When you read the Bible, what are your expectations? Explain your answer.

Since every word was written under the leadership of the Spirit, what could (or should) your expectations be?

"n.o.body ever outgrows the Scriptures; the Book widens and deepens with our years."-CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

DECEMBER 17.

GIVING IS LIVING.

I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

ACTS 20:35.

CHRIST'S MESSAGE turned everything upside down when He lived on the earth. To become great, He told His followers, become a servant of all. To rise up, stoop low. The last shall be first, and the first last. To be significant in the Kingdom, become like a little child. And as Paul related to the leaders of the church in Ephesus, we are filled up when we give out.

Our culture, like every culture throughout history, is remarkably self-absorbed. Selfishness transcends time, race, and societies. But because we have more disposable income than any other people in history, we have more that we can spend to indulge ourselves. Everywhere we look, ads tell us that our lives are deficient if we don't have this car or that perfume. Though we claim to be shrewd, we are all infected by at least a light case of consumerism, and we clutch things more tightly than we should.

The promise of advertising is that the product or service will give us fulfillment in our lives! People who have walked with G.o.d for a while, though, understand the danger in this lie. We know that having more stuff only fills us for a short time, and soon we thirst for even more. And we know that we really live only when we really give. Heartfelt fulfillment, and in fact, the deepest thrill of our lives, comes when we pour out our lives to help those who can never invite us to a dinner party, take us out on their boat, or make us look good in any way. When we help the weak, the poor, and the sick-expecting nothing in return-we are most like G.o.d, and He blesses us beyond anything the world can offer.

What act of giving or service has brought you the most joy?

In what way is it really "more blessed to give than to receive"?

"Grat.i.tude is a fruit of great cultivation. You do not find it among gross people."-SAMUEL JOHNSON

DECEMBER 18.

DO YOU BELIEVE?.

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

MARK 9:23-24.

MOST OF US READILY IDENTIFY with this distraught father, who desperately wanted Jesus to help his demon-possessed son but struggled to find the faith to trust Him. The demon threw the boy into a convulsion, and the dad turned to Jesus. "If you can do anything, help us!" (see Mark 9:17-22).

The problem in this situation, like all problems we encounter, isn't a limitation of the power of G.o.d but a limitation of man's faith. G.o.d can do absolutely anything, but He often waits for us to wrestle with our faith until we truly believe. (And of course, no matter how much faith we have, He may still choose to act in ways that are different from our request. We can't make Him do what we want.) Jesus quickly refocused the man's attention and reminded him, "All things are possible to him who believes." The man, painfully aware of his weak faith, acknowledged the little faith he had and pleaded with Jesus for more. At any point in our walk with G.o.d and at any moment of crisis in our faith, we can follow this man's example. G.o.d delights in our honesty, and He responds to our cries for help. Whether in a flash of insight or a long process, Christ answers our prayer to build our faith. Perhaps we see Him perform a miracle in the moment we cry out to Him, or perhaps He gives us faith to trust Him through a long illness or a strain in a cherished relationship. Whatever our situation, we first admit that our faith is flawed, and we ask Him for help.

Describe a time when you felt like the man in this story.

Do you need G.o.d to build your faith so that you can trust Him for something significant? Explain your answer.

"Our belief at the beginning of a doubtful undertaking is the one thing that a.s.sures the successful outcome of any venture."-WILLIAM JAMES

DECEMBER 19.

THE SON OF G.o.d.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G.o.d, and the Word was G.o.d. He was in the beginning with G.o.d.

JOHN 1:1-2.

IN ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL and powerful preambles in literature, John reminds us that Jesus was unlike anyone who ever lived, categorically different and utterly unique. The man-who was born as a baby, grew up in a carpenter's shop, taught and healed people, and died a martyr's death outside Jerusalem-was flesh and blood, but He was from another realm. He was, in fact, G.o.d incarnate.

Even in the prescientific world, people understood that time went back a long way. Today, we have a clearer grasp of the age of the universe: some 14.6 billion years old! The age and distances are staggering. Most of us have to strain to remember things that happened thirty, forty, or fifty years ago. But Jesus, G.o.d's Son, was alive before Creation began-infinitely before!

We live in an information age, and we like to think that we have everything figured out (or at least, we're close to having everything figured out). But when we contemplate the wonder of G.o.d becoming a man, mystery comes back into our world, and we're amazed at the nature of G.o.d.

Being amazed is a good thing. In fact, wonder is essential to real faith. Creation reminds us that G.o.d is great beyond all imagination, and the Cross convinces us again that He loves us more than we'll ever fathom. The Son of G.o.d is truly amazing.

How does thinking about Christ living in eternity past stretch your faith?

Are Christ's greatness and goodness amazing to you? Why or why not?

"G.o.d is pursuing with omnipotent pa.s.sion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose."-JOHN PIPER

DECEMBER 20.

BELIEVING IS SEEING.

We walk by faith, not by sight.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:7.

IN THE MIDDLE OF A BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTION of heaven, Paul reminds us that our confidence in G.o.d's promises must be the product of faith in His trustworthiness to fulfill His promises, not visual observation. When we enter the gates of heaven, our bodies will be transformed. The bodies we dwell in today will be destroyed. In their place, we'll have strong, healthy, beautiful bodies (see 2 Corinthians 5:1-8). The change will be so dramatic that we can hardly conceive it!