The Daily Word: Monday, December 31^st, 2018
Malachi 3:1-4:6
Revelation 22:1-21
Psalm 150:1-6
Proverbs 31:25-31
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“Yet from the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. – Mal 3:7

No matter how long you’ve been gone, God’s promise to you is the same: return to Him, and He will return to you. You’re not perfect! You’ve made some mistakes! But God’s love is contingent on His promise, and not your perfection!

There is no such thing as a closed door with God. You are one prayer away from perfect, restored relationship with God: your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you could ever imagine. Return to Him, and He will return to you!

Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. – Zech 9:12

Prayer:

Father, thank You for never turning Your back on me. I know Your heart is always an open door: no matter how far I feel like I’ve strayed from Your presence and Your ways, I can always come back home. I choose You, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Sunday, December 30^th, 2018
Malachi 1:1-2:17
Revelation 21:1-27
Psalm 149:1-9
Proverbs 31:10-24
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” – Rev 21:5

Jesus will turn everything you see around you into a “new heaven and a new earth” (v 1). He will form a holy city – the “New Jerusalem” (v 2) – for His people to inhabit for all eternity. He will “wipe away every tear:” there shall be “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (v 4). Pain will no longer exist, because we will live in resurrected bodies no longer susceptible to sickness, disease and death!

Jesus makes all things new. When you die and go to Heaven, you will take part in the redemption of creation. But I have news for you: you don’t have to wait until you die to experience the “newness” Jesus provides. He will wash over every part of your life that needs a touch from Heaven, here and now. You can experience the goodness of God in the land of the living (Ps 27:13). Goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life (Ps 23:6)!

“Behold, I make all things new.” Are you ready to give everything to Jesus, so He can take your life and make it new?

Prayer:

Father, give me the courage to turn everything over to You. I don’t want to have a single area of my life where I am holding back from You. Everything I have is Yours, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Saturday, December 29^th, 2018
Zechariah 14:1-21
Revelation 20:1-15
Psalm 148:1-14
Proverbs 31:8-9
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Behold, the day of the Lord is coming, and your spoil will be divided in your midst. – Zech 14:1

The day of the Lord is coming! Some day soon (soon is a relative term in the span of eternity) you will meet Jesus face to face: either when He comes back, or when you die, whichever comes first. It might seem like the day of the Lord is far off; but He is coming sooner than you think. When He comes, will you be ready to meet Him?

Refuse to live your life pretending God isn’t real. Refuse to live one more day without planning for eternity! The things you say & do will have a lasting, eternal impact! Are you living for eternity?

Prayer:

Father, thank You for perspective. I don’t want to live another single day with my head down, pretending I will never meet You face to face. I know the day of the Lord is coming soon. I will be ready to meet You, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Friday, December 28^th, 2018
Zechariah 12:1-13:9
Revelation 19:1-21
Psalm 147:1-20
Proverbs 31:1-7
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. – Rev 19:7-8

The church has issues! We argue more than we should. Sometimes we compete with each other, instead of working together. Too often our sanctuaries are filled with people who claim to love each other, but don’t even like each other! But today’s verse tells us how Heaven (still) sees her bride, the church: “…arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright.”

We see the problems; but God sees potential. God created the church to be His hands and feet! Sure, we’ve got issues; but there is no one He trusts more do to His work. When you pour your heart and soul into the Church of Jesus Christ, you are making a worthy investment that will bear eternal fruit!

Prayer:

Father, help me to trust Your church. I know the church is Your body: the group of believers You have ordained to do Your will! People are imperfect; but Your will be done, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Thursday, December 27^th, 2018
Zechariah 10:1-11:17
Revelation 18:1-24
Psalm 146:1-10
Proverbs 30:33
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.” – Rev 18:4

There will be times when the Lord calls you to stay and be a light in a dark place; but there will also be instances where the Lord calls you out of a dark place so you are not dragged into darkness! Sometimes we are supposed to stay and pray for the city (Jer 29:7); but other times, we are supposed to leave for our own good!

So how can you tell the difference? Listen to God. Ask Him if you should stay or go, and He will certainly answer! There is no formula for where – or how long – you should stay to do God’s work. When He tells you to stay, stay; and when He tells you to go, go!

Prayer:

Father, give me wisdom to discern Your will. I don’t want to assume I know what You want me to do; I want to know what You want me to do, beyond the shadow of a doubt! Speak to me, and I will step out in faith, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Wednesday, December 26^th, 2018
Zechariah 9:1-17
Revelation 17:1-18
Psalm 145:1-21
Proverbs 30:32
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. – Ps 145:3

God’s greatness is unsearchable; but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t search! We must seek to understand His goodness and comprehend His greatness; but simultaneously realize that as much as we seek Him, we will never be able to grasp the reality of His fullness. And that is okay; because that is what eternity in Heaven is for.

Don’t get frustrated because you cannot fully understand God. Don’t give up pursuing God because you can’t comprehend why He does the things He does! Just continue to seek Him. Trust that He is good, because He is God. All things will be revealed in the end; and there is a reward for those who choose to seek Him now.

The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. – Ps 145:18

Prayer:

Father, I know I won’t fully understand You until I meet You face to face; but until that point, give me the strength to never stop seeking. Give me the courage to never stop pursuing You! I know there is no pursuit more worthy of my time and effort, than seeking Your face!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Tuesday, December 25^th, 2018
Zechariah 8:1-23
Revelation 16:1-21
Psalm 144:1-15
Proverbs 30:29-31
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“But now I will not treat the remnant of this people as in the former days,” says the Lord of hosts. “For the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew– I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these. And it shall come to pass that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing. Do not fear, Let your hands be strong.” – Zech 8:11-13

Under the Old Covenant, when God’s people messed up, they were punished. There had to be a payment – a penalty – for their sin. Their crops would fail. Their enemies would overrun them in battle. Their children would become sick.

But under the New Covenant, the way God treats you is different (v 11). Jesus already paid the penalty for your sin; and that means there is nothing left for you to pay. God already poured out His wrath on Jesus Christ; and that means there is no wrath left for you! Jesus became a curse (Gal 3:13), so that you would be blessed! That means you are no longer cursed for disobedience (v 13); you are blessed because Jesus was perfectly obedient!

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ today, remember that He died so that you could enjoy relationship with God. He died so that you could know God, and talk with Him face to face. Jesus died so that you would never be cursed; and only be blessed!

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ. I know that He died, so that I might become perfectly free!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Monday, December 24^th, 2018
Zechariah 6:1-7:14
Revelation 15:1-8
Psalm 143:1-12
Proverbs 30:24-28
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
“Say to all the people of the land, and to the priests: ‘When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months during those seventy years, did you really fast for Me–for Me?’ ” – Zech 7:5

When you pray: do you do it for God, or do you do it for you? When you fast: do you do it for God, or do you do it for you? When you worship: do you do it for God, or do you do it for you?

Everything we do should be done unto the Lord. If we pretend to serve God just to impress others, our service will be in vain. If we give offerings to try and impress God, He is certainly not impressed! Yet when we lay down our own selfish goals and give our lives to worship God, we will be forever changed for His glory.

Prayer:

Lord, rid me of my selfish desires. I don’t ever want to worship You because I think I can gain something out of it; I want to worship You because You are worthy, and You deserve the highest praise!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Sunday, December 23^rd, 2018
Zechariah 4:1-5:11
Revelation 14:1-20
Psalm 142:1-7
Proverbs 30:21-23
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
A Contemplation of David. A Prayer when he was in the cave. I cry out to the Lord with my voice; With my voice to the Lord I make my supplication. – Ps 142:1

David was trapped in a cave while King Saul tried to kill him. David had been nothing but selfless in serving Saul; but Saul still sought to take his life. So how did David respond?

He cried out with his voice. David didn’t just think good thoughts and hope things would get better. He didn’t settle for silent prayer that his life would turn around! He cried out with his voice, and made his supplication to the Lord!

The most powerful prayer is done out loud. When God created the world (see Genesis 1), He didn’t think it or wish it into existence; He spoke it into being. Whatever you need to change in your life: the answer is crying out to God with your voice!

If you’re not opening your mouth in prayer, there is more that can be done. Cry out to God! Use your voice! He will hear your prayer, and heaven will respond.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the power I have in my voice. Make me insistent on crying out to You. I don’t want to settle for quiet, powerless prayer; I want to pray violent, powerful prayers, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Saturday, December 22^nd, 2018
Zechariah 2:1-3:10
Revelation 13:1-18
Psalm 141:1-10
Proverbs 30:18-20
For full text click here.
Join us on Facebook Live for the Daily Word Broadcast!

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. – Ps 141:2

Your prayer is an offering. When you pray, it is “set before God as incense.” The same way Old Testament priests would burn incense as an offering to God (see Lev 16:12), you get to lift up your voice as an offering to Him!

Your worship is an offering too! There will be plenty of days you just don’t feel like worshipping! But the sacrifice we offer God is to worship anyway.

Prayer and worship are foundational disciplines; but they are also indispensable offerings. When you offer your prayer and worship to God, He will make it worth your while!

Prayer:

Father, I want to pray more. I want to worship more! I don’t just want to pray and worship when I feel like it; I want to pray and worship all day, every day. Stir me up to worship You like never before, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.

© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.