Unusual Aptitude

 Scripture:

“God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.” ‭‭Daniel‬ ‭1‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬

Observation:

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were given unusual aptitude by God. They were given an ability by God, in a foreign land, in the king’s residence. Daniel had an unusual ability to interpret dreams and visions. This morning I was drawn to the fact that God can give unusual abilities and aptitudes to His people for His purposes. 

Application:

When God gives you supernatural abilities and aptitudes, you must use them for His glory. He gives us everything we need to serve Him and accomplish His purposes in and through our lives. God gives special gifts and callings, then He prepares us to do them. We must realize these are gifts from God and for God, not for our own use and benefit. I also see the need for me to use the special gifts and abilities He has blessed me with. I don’t want to be a one talent or two talents believer. I want to return to my Lord everything He gave me, with much more because I used the special abilities He gave me.

Prayer:

Father, Once again, I lay my life down before You. Help me to use well every gift, talent, ability, and aptitude You have given me. Teach me to walk humbly before You and to use the gifts You have imparted to my life well. Teach me to serve You people with all my heart and to use what You have given me for Your purposes. I am Yours for the extension of Your kingdom.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Faith Tests

 Scripture:

“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” ‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

James teaches us there that when our faith is tested, our endurance will grow. He then encourages us to let it grow  because when it is fully developed we will be perfect and complete and need nothing else. According to this verse, we should welcome the tests of our faith because they are going to work patient endurance in our lives. 

Application:

Sometimes our faith is tested and we have to learn to continue to walk in faith, even when it seems like nothing is happening. I have prayed for thirty five years for Cheryl’s blood pressure. In the past year it has dropped slowly and her last appointment was the first time her blood pressure has been normal in thirty five years. I pray daily for her and her health, but the process has been a long walk of faith. Now we are seeing results. God is incredible and we don’t understand His timing, but His word never fails. He will do what He says He will do, He just may let us go through some faith tests in the process of time.

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith. I want to live a life that pleases You and without faith it is impossible to please You. Help me to pass the faith tests along the way and to know You are working, even when I don’t see visible results. I want to be a person of strong faith.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

River of Life

 Scripture:

“Then he said to me, “This river flows east through the desert into the valley of the Dead Sea. The waters of this stream will make the salty waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭47‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel had a vision of a river flowing from the Temple in Jerusalem. This river got deeper the farther it went until a person would have to swim in it. The river brought healing and life wherever it went. The river will end in the Dead Sea and will make the waters of the Dead Sea fresh and pure with lots of fish in it. Whatever God does brings life. He brings life to dead things.

Application:

Wherever the river of God flows, life flows. Dead things come back alive when God’s river flows to them. This verse describes a literal river that will flow one day, but Jesus said, “out of your bellies will flow rivers of living water.” Because of our walk with God, dead things should be coming to life around us. We need to let His river flow through us and heal everything around us. I need to seek Him until His river of life flows to everything dead and dying around me. Jesus didn’t come to bring guilt and condemnation. He came to give LIFE.

Prayer:

Father, let Your Spirit flow through my life to bring life to everything around me. Help me to walk with You at deeper levels. I want to know You more and more each day. Teach me how to let Your river of healing flow through me at a greater measure. I want to produce life for those around me. Let me be a person who brings life and not dead, cold religion.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Reputation

 Scripture:

““So now, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people; I will have mercy on all Israel, for I jealously guard my holy reputation!” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭39‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God had allowed Israel and Judah’s enemies to triumph over them. They were taken out of their own country and into exile in a country that was not theirs. They were captives because of their disobedience to God. I generally focus on God restoring them, “that the nations may know that I am God.” This time He says, “I jealously guard my holy reputation!” God’s reputation is important to Him. He does what He says He will do so that His reputation will not get marred.

Application:

We can stand on the promises of God, not only because His word says them, but because God has a reputation of doing what He says He will do. He performs what He says He will perform, sometimes simply so that His reputation won’t be ruined. Moses leaned in on this and told God that He was going to look bad if His people died in the wilderness after He saved them. God doesn’t like to look unfaithful, therefore, we can stand on His promises. He will do what He says He will do, maybe not for your purposes, but for His reputation.

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious! You are incredible and I worship You this morning. You follow through on Your promises. You do what You say You will do. Thank You for being trustworthy. You have provided for me all of my life. You are amazing and I appreciate You. Help me to understand how to stand on Your promises and Your faithfulness more and more. Like the disciples, teach me to pray effectively.

Yours,

Jeff

Restoration of Israel

 Scripture:

“And when I bring you back, people will say, ‘This former wasteland is now like the Garden of Eden! The abandoned and ruined cities now have strong walls and are filled with people!’” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God had been speaking about the restoration of Israel, when His people would come back from many countries to rebuild. He told them that when this happened, the former wasteland would become like the garden of Eden and cities would be full of people. He said He would restore, not only the people, but the land.

Application:

Today, massive amounts of people have resettled Israel from all over the world. It is now a powerhouse and truly the desert is blossoming like a rose. What looked like a wasteland 70 years ago, looks like a beautiful and lush place that produces beauty and strength. God’s word is powerful and can be trusted. He will do what He says He will do. Our place is to walk with Him in obedience, then He will restore, repair, and rebuild our lives.

Prayer:

Father, You are truly incredible! I love You more as I know You more. You are worthy of the worship of every nations, kindred, tribe, and tongue. You are worthy of it all! Help me to walk in obedience to Your written word, but also to You word that You put in my heart. Speak clearly Lord. I want a heart of clay, not of stone. Make me pliable and usable for Your glory.

Yours, 

Jeff

God’s Flock

 Scripture:

“You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭34‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In the previous section, God is talking about personal responsibility to honor Him and do what He requires. He says that if His people return to Him, He will bless them and make them prosperous. As He was speaking those words, He told them and us, “You are my flock, the sheep of My pasture. You are my people and I am your God.” Here we are called the flock of the Almighty God.

Application:

A flock is a group of sheep who are led by a shepherd. They go where he wants them to go and they do what He wants them to do. He is responsible to feed them and give them good pasture, but they have to follow Him. Our place is to follow where God leads us daily and listen to His voice. Our job is obedience to the shepherd, His job is to take care of us in our obedience.

Prayer:

Father, let me be a good sheep. Help me to follow Your voice and listen to Your word. Teach me to walk in obedience and not question Your Word or will for my life. Help me to hear from You and to deliver Your word to those you have placed under my care. Help me to serve You well. I want to hear the voice of my shepherd daily. I want to walk in intimacy with You.

Forever Your Sheep,

Jeff

The Heart of God’s Messages

 Scripture:

“And the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord when I have set Egypt on fire and destroyed all their allies.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭30‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel is in the midst of prophesying terrible devastation for Egypt in this text. In the middle of the warning to Egypt comes the heart of all God’s messages through His Old Testament prophets, “they will know that I am the Lord.” In every prophecy of doom and gloom for any and all nations, I hear God say this repeatedly. His desire is for the nations to know Him.

Application:

Whether it is through nations seeing devastation under the judgment of God or through the preaching of the Gospel, God wants His name worshiped in every nation, tribe, kindred, and tongue. God wants His name to be worshiped and for the world to know that He is God. I continue to hear this as I read this year. We must do everything we can to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth, “that they may know that He is Lord.”

Prayer:

Lord, I have given my life for the extension of Your Kingdom. Help me to do it effectively and with greater passion. Open doors and I will walk through them. Close doors that are not of You. Help me to organize and coordinate things well so we can extend Your Kingdom globally. Give us the resources to support more missions works and to build out the ones that are currently being constructed.

Yours Eternally,

Jeff