Scripture:
Jeremiah 12:5 "If racing against men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?"
Observation:
God is amazing! He sees more in us than we could ever see in ourselves. When we are wondering how we will win this race against another person, He is seeing us race against horses. When we see little potential, He sees great potential. When we see limited resources, He sees unlimited resources. God has bigger things planned for you than what you are able to see. We must realize that He knows our potential better than we do. He knows what we are capable of, yet we limit ourselves with our stinkin' thinkin'.
Application:
We must humble ourselves under the hand of a mighty God and allow Him to raise us up. When we do this, we may end up racing against horses in His power instead of barely surviving a race against humans in our power. We must ask Him to change our mind so that we see things as He sees them. We are transformed by renewing our minds, therefore, we must change the way we think about things. We might see ourselves barely finishing a race against another person, God may see us racing against horses.
Prayer:
Father, open my eyes to see Your will clearly. Help me to see all that You want to do in my life. If you want me to build an ark, help me not spend my time in a kayak shop. Help me to see what You see in my life, as scary as that may be. I once again surrender to You and Your will in my life. I am Yours! Help me to be ready to race against the horses You may have in my life.
Yours Forever,
Jeff
Monday, March 19, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
A Fountain or a Cistern?
Scripture:
Jeremiah 2:13 "For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me - the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!"
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Jeremiah concerning His people Israel whom He had done so much for in their history, yet they continued to prostitute themselves with other gods. God calls these two things "evil". The first thing he mentions is the fact that they had abandoned Him, the fountain of living water. Here God claims of Himself that he is a fountain that brings living water. Secondly he says they have done the evil of digging for themselves cracked cistern that can hold no water.
Application:
God is the source of living water. Jesus tells us in the NT that we would have rivers of living water flowing out of our bellies. Cracked cisterns refers to our ways of trying to contain yesterdays water. We can't! God wants our relationship with Him to be in constant motion like the flowing of a fountain. We must learn to flow with Him and let Him satisfy our thirsty souls instead of trying to save yesterdays water. We need to flow with Him today. A fountain will continue to run forever, a cistern can only hold a little bit, but we are wired to try to hold onto yesterdays flow of the Spirit instead of moving with Him today.
Prayer:
Father, you called building cisterns and not flowing with you evil. You are my supply, my source, my provider, my deliverer, my healer, my care-taker, my rock and my fortress. You are my everything! Help me to walk with You more fluidly instead of trying to capture yesterdays flow of water. Help me to walk in step with Your Spirit daily and to abide in the vine continually. Let me flow with the fountain and let the river of God flow through my life freshly every day.
Your Son,
Jeff
Jeremiah 2:13 "For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me - the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!"
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Jeremiah concerning His people Israel whom He had done so much for in their history, yet they continued to prostitute themselves with other gods. God calls these two things "evil". The first thing he mentions is the fact that they had abandoned Him, the fountain of living water. Here God claims of Himself that he is a fountain that brings living water. Secondly he says they have done the evil of digging for themselves cracked cistern that can hold no water.
Application:
God is the source of living water. Jesus tells us in the NT that we would have rivers of living water flowing out of our bellies. Cracked cisterns refers to our ways of trying to contain yesterdays water. We can't! God wants our relationship with Him to be in constant motion like the flowing of a fountain. We must learn to flow with Him and let Him satisfy our thirsty souls instead of trying to save yesterdays water. We need to flow with Him today. A fountain will continue to run forever, a cistern can only hold a little bit, but we are wired to try to hold onto yesterdays flow of the Spirit instead of moving with Him today.
Prayer:
Father, you called building cisterns and not flowing with you evil. You are my supply, my source, my provider, my deliverer, my healer, my care-taker, my rock and my fortress. You are my everything! Help me to walk with You more fluidly instead of trying to capture yesterdays flow of water. Help me to walk in step with Your Spirit daily and to abide in the vine continually. Let me flow with the fountain and let the river of God flow through my life freshly every day.
Your Son,
Jeff
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Totally Committed to Doing Good Deeds
Scripture:
Titus 2:14 "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds".
Observation:
Paul is speaking to Titus who was overseeing the churches on the island of Crete. There were people coming in and trying to get the churches back into legalism and Paul was warning against it. in the midst of the letter, Paul begins to talk about Jesus and what He has done for us. He tells Titus that Christ died to free us from sin, to cleanse us and to make us His own, a group "totally committed to doing good deeds".
Application:
In the body of Christ we always tend to swing with the latest revelation instead of the solid word of God. Nowadays when you talk about good deeds or good works, people immediately want to correct you and let you know that it is about grace and not works. It is by grace we are saved, but good works should follow us once we become a believer. It is through good deeds that others can see and glorify our father in heaven. Here we are told to be "totally committed to doing good deeds". If Christ is in us, good deeds should follow us, just like they followed Him.
Prayer:
Lord, let my life count in Your Kingdom. Help me to be totally committed to good deeds. Help me make a practical difference in people's lives by helping them and doing good deeds. Help me to see needs and meet them and to find hurt and heal them. Let Your light shine in me in real and practical ways.
Yours,
Jeff
Titus 2:14 "He gave His life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us His very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds".
Observation:
Paul is speaking to Titus who was overseeing the churches on the island of Crete. There were people coming in and trying to get the churches back into legalism and Paul was warning against it. in the midst of the letter, Paul begins to talk about Jesus and what He has done for us. He tells Titus that Christ died to free us from sin, to cleanse us and to make us His own, a group "totally committed to doing good deeds".
Application:
In the body of Christ we always tend to swing with the latest revelation instead of the solid word of God. Nowadays when you talk about good deeds or good works, people immediately want to correct you and let you know that it is about grace and not works. It is by grace we are saved, but good works should follow us once we become a believer. It is through good deeds that others can see and glorify our father in heaven. Here we are told to be "totally committed to doing good deeds". If Christ is in us, good deeds should follow us, just like they followed Him.
Prayer:
Lord, let my life count in Your Kingdom. Help me to be totally committed to good deeds. Help me make a practical difference in people's lives by helping them and doing good deeds. Help me to see needs and meet them and to find hurt and heal them. Let Your light shine in me in real and practical ways.
Yours,
Jeff
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Blessing Comes to the Humble
Scripture:
Isaiah 66:2b "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word".
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Isaiah and lets him know who He will bless. Israel had been terrible in their faithfulness to the Lord. They were full of pride and doing whatever they wanted instead of following the Lord their God. They were totally disobedient to the word of God and they knew it. Here in this passage God is speaking about how to get back on the side of His blessing. It comes through humility and contrite hearts. It also comes though trembling at His word.
Application:
Humility has always been very important to the Lord. Pride allows us to have some of the glory for the good stuff that happens in our lives. Humility gives God all the glory for every good thing that happens to us. God blesses the humble because they place their trust in Him instead of in themselves. He also blesses those who tremble at His word. He blesses those who take God and His Word very seriously. Really He blesses those who trust Him instead of themselves.
Prayer:
Lord, I humble myself before You. Help me to walk in Your power and not my own. Teach me to walk humbly before You and not to try to do everything on my own. I live for one thing, I want to hear well done good and faithful servant. Help me get there.
Amen,
Jeff
Isaiah 66:2b "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word".
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Isaiah and lets him know who He will bless. Israel had been terrible in their faithfulness to the Lord. They were full of pride and doing whatever they wanted instead of following the Lord their God. They were totally disobedient to the word of God and they knew it. Here in this passage God is speaking about how to get back on the side of His blessing. It comes through humility and contrite hearts. It also comes though trembling at His word.
Application:
Humility has always been very important to the Lord. Pride allows us to have some of the glory for the good stuff that happens in our lives. Humility gives God all the glory for every good thing that happens to us. God blesses the humble because they place their trust in Him instead of in themselves. He also blesses those who tremble at His word. He blesses those who take God and His Word very seriously. Really He blesses those who trust Him instead of themselves.
Prayer:
Lord, I humble myself before You. Help me to walk in Your power and not my own. Teach me to walk humbly before You and not to try to do everything on my own. I live for one thing, I want to hear well done good and faithful servant. Help me get there.
Amen,
Jeff
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Give the Lord No Rest
Scripture:
Isaiah 62:7 "Give the Lord no rest until He completes His work, until He makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth".
Observation:
In this passage Isaiah is prophesying once again to Israel and specifically Jerusalem. He is telling the people that God is going to work on their behalf and raise up Jerusalem again. As he is speaking this to them, he slips in this little phrase, "give the Lord no rest until He completes His work". He was telling them that God was going to overthrow their enemies, but they should give Him no rest until He does.
Application:
Giving the Lord no rest until He completes His work would be defined as. "pray hard until something happens and God's will is accomplished". I feel like sometimes we quit praying way too soon on things. Sometimes we pray, then when we don't see an answer, we give up or move on to something else. Here we are encouraged to continue praying and give God no rest until He changes the situation. In the NT we have the story of the persistent women who got what she wanted because she wore the king down, then we are told to pray that way. We need to be people of tenacity who don't give up until God answers.
Prayer:
Lord, teach me to pray with tenacity and endurance. Help me to pray faith filled prayers and not to leave you alone until things change. Help me understand more how to seek You and Your will effectively. Help me to pray prayers that make You happy. I will give You no rest until I see Your hand revealed in certain areas of my life and ministry.
Yours Forever,
Jeff
Isaiah 62:7 "Give the Lord no rest until He completes His work, until He makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth".
Observation:
In this passage Isaiah is prophesying once again to Israel and specifically Jerusalem. He is telling the people that God is going to work on their behalf and raise up Jerusalem again. As he is speaking this to them, he slips in this little phrase, "give the Lord no rest until He completes His work". He was telling them that God was going to overthrow their enemies, but they should give Him no rest until He does.
Application:
Giving the Lord no rest until He completes His work would be defined as. "pray hard until something happens and God's will is accomplished". I feel like sometimes we quit praying way too soon on things. Sometimes we pray, then when we don't see an answer, we give up or move on to something else. Here we are encouraged to continue praying and give God no rest until He changes the situation. In the NT we have the story of the persistent women who got what she wanted because she wore the king down, then we are told to pray that way. We need to be people of tenacity who don't give up until God answers.
Prayer:
Lord, teach me to pray with tenacity and endurance. Help me to pray faith filled prayers and not to leave you alone until things change. Help me understand more how to seek You and Your will effectively. Help me to pray prayers that make You happy. I will give You no rest until I see Your hand revealed in certain areas of my life and ministry.
Yours Forever,
Jeff
Monday, March 12, 2012
The Lord Will Make it Happen
Scripture:
Isaiah 60:22 "The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen".
Observation:
Isaiah is delivering a prophecy to Israel. It is a prophetic message about the people of Israel coming back to their land from the ends of the earth where they had been scattered. The word says how God is going to bless them. At the very end of the message this one little phrase grabbed me, "I, The Lord, will make it happen". It is a great reminder this morning that what God speaks, will come to pass.
Application:
The word of the Lord never fails. He backs up His promises with, "I, The Lord, will make it happen". There are so many things the Lord has spoken to me throughout my days. So many words that have been promised. These things are in the Lord's hands. In His timing, He will make it happen. This lets me know that I can't force the will of God to happen. He will make it happen! God backs up His words. Therefore, the pressure is off of us to make it happen. He will make it happen!
Prayer:
Father, thank You for this tidbit this morning. I am Yours and You lead and guide my life. Thank you for the prophetic voice that has come through so many of your servants. Help me to relax and realize that "You, the Lord, will make it happen". Help me walk in confidence, not in myself and my abilities, but in the fact that You will make it happen.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Isaiah 60:22 "The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen".
Observation:
Isaiah is delivering a prophecy to Israel. It is a prophetic message about the people of Israel coming back to their land from the ends of the earth where they had been scattered. The word says how God is going to bless them. At the very end of the message this one little phrase grabbed me, "I, The Lord, will make it happen". It is a great reminder this morning that what God speaks, will come to pass.
Application:
The word of the Lord never fails. He backs up His promises with, "I, The Lord, will make it happen". There are so many things the Lord has spoken to me throughout my days. So many words that have been promised. These things are in the Lord's hands. In His timing, He will make it happen. This lets me know that I can't force the will of God to happen. He will make it happen! God backs up His words. Therefore, the pressure is off of us to make it happen. He will make it happen!
Prayer:
Father, thank You for this tidbit this morning. I am Yours and You lead and guide my life. Thank you for the prophetic voice that has come through so many of your servants. Help me to relax and realize that "You, the Lord, will make it happen". Help me walk in confidence, not in myself and my abilities, but in the fact that You will make it happen.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Friday, March 9, 2012
I Leave it all in the Lord's Hand
Scripture:
Isaiah 49:4 "I replied, 'But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward'".
Observation:
In this text, Isaiah seems to be struggling with feelings of uselessness. He seems to feel like he has been prophesying and nobody has been listening. He has been delivering God's words, yet there hasn't been a great response. He feels like he has spent everything he has for nothing and to no purpose. He then comes through with "Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward".
Application:
Sometimes in life and ministry you can get to feeling like you have obeyed God's voice, done what you were suppose to, but the results you were expecting don't seem to happen. It is easy to let discouragement set in. When feeling that way, we must do what Isaiah did. We must do what God tells us to do and leave the results up to Him. We must look to the Lord for our reward. God doesn't see things like we do. We must listen to His voice, do what He says, and leave the results up to Him. Our confidence must not be in the results, or lack of results we see, but in the Lord.
Prayer:
Father, thank You once again for speaking to me this morning. You are incredible! Thank You for Your word and Your Spirit that still speak to Your people. Help me to walk in obedience, then, "leave it all in the Lord's hand". Give me strength today to complete every assignment You have for me.
Yours Forever,
Jeff
Isaiah 49:4 "I replied, 'But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward'".
Observation:
In this text, Isaiah seems to be struggling with feelings of uselessness. He seems to feel like he has been prophesying and nobody has been listening. He has been delivering God's words, yet there hasn't been a great response. He feels like he has spent everything he has for nothing and to no purpose. He then comes through with "Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward".
Application:
Sometimes in life and ministry you can get to feeling like you have obeyed God's voice, done what you were suppose to, but the results you were expecting don't seem to happen. It is easy to let discouragement set in. When feeling that way, we must do what Isaiah did. We must do what God tells us to do and leave the results up to Him. We must look to the Lord for our reward. God doesn't see things like we do. We must listen to His voice, do what He says, and leave the results up to Him. Our confidence must not be in the results, or lack of results we see, but in the Lord.
Prayer:
Father, thank You once again for speaking to me this morning. You are incredible! Thank You for Your word and Your Spirit that still speak to Your people. Help me to walk in obedience, then, "leave it all in the Lord's hand". Give me strength today to complete every assignment You have for me.
Yours Forever,
Jeff
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