Just Believe

 Scripture:

“But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭36‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

While Jesus was healing and touching lives, Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, came to him and said his daughter was sick. As they were speaking, one of his servants came to him and told him not to bother Jesus because his daughter had died. The response of Jesus was so powerful. He told him, “Do not be afraid, just believe.” They walked to his house, Jesus resurrected his daughter and everyone witnessed a miracle. 

Application:

So many times in our lives we get bad news and the first thing that enters our mind and heart is fear of what will happen next. We generally begging to play out our downfall in our minds because something bad happened to us. Rather than listening to fear, Jesus told Jairus to “just believe.” Fear and faith cannot co-exist. I want to be a faith-filled person and not ever walk in fear. Fear is a manipulator, but faith changes things. I want to live my life fearless and full of faith.

Prayer:

Father, I want a simple walk with You that “just believes” what You speak. Increase my faith to see what You want me to see. Teach me to walk with You in confidence and boldness. Help me to overcome fear and to let faith guide my life instead of fear. Let my thoughts remain on You and let my response always be a response of faith instead of fear.

Yours,

Jeff

A House Divided

 Scripture:

“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was accused of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub. He replied that a devil can’t cast out a devil. He then offered this one statement, “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” This statement has powerful truth in it. Division destroys, but unity is powerful. There is no power in division, but there is incredible power in unity. 

Application:

In the Body of Christ, we must realize that we need each other. We need unity. A house divided against itself cannot stand. We need undivided heart, undivided homes, undivided churches, and undivided businesses. We cannot stand if we are divided. I want to be a unifier in the Body of Christ. I want to be a unifier in my home. I want to live with an undivided heart. 

Prayer:

Father, let me live an undivided life. Help me to serve You completely and never be divided in my devotion. Let my life bring unity to myself, my family, and my world. I want to build things that will last. Help me to unify Your people.

Yours,

Jeff

Marked by God’s Presence

 Scripture:

“For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, but fire would be on it at night, in plain view of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭40‬:‭38‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

When Israel did everything exactly as the Lord had told them to do it in preparation of the Tabernacle, He confirmed their work with His holy presence. Israel, in the wilderness, had a visible representation of the Lord’s presence. They could see the cloud by day and the fire by night. There was no doubt about where they were supposed to to go because they were led by the cloud and the fire. It was in plain view of everyone. Nobody could deny the presence of the Lord in their midst.

Application:

 We are to be known as a people who carry the presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord should be the most significant difference between us and the rest of the world. We are to be a people who carry the presence of God in our lives. As for me, I want God’s presence in everything I do. I want confirmation that I am on the right track because of His manifest presence. I don’t want to miss a thing that God desires for me. I want to be a follower of His presence and one who walks in the presence of God. I want to live a life that pleases God in every area.

Prayer:

Father, let Your presence on and in my life be the hallmark of who I am. I want the world to know You. Help me to be a bearer of Your presence. Show me how to walk closer to You at all times. My heart cries out for You and Your presence. Come Holy Spirit and walk with me. Lead me and show me how to live a life that pleases You and honors Your presence and Your will. Unless Your presence goes with me, I don’t want to do anything.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Skilled Hands and Surrendered Hearts

 Scripture:

“Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom the Lord had put skill – everyone whose heart stirred him to volunteer to do the work,” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭36‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When the Tabernacle was being built for the Lord God Almighty, Moses summoned those who had specific skills. He also used everyone whose heart stirred them to volunteer to do the work. Some people were used because they had the exact talents and skill sets needed for the Job. Others were used because God stirred their hearts to help out. God uses hands and hearts.

Application:

God uses hands and hearts that are offered to Him. He will use our specific skills to do His work. He will also take someone who doesn’t have the skills, but has a strong heart to serve, and use them. Skills can be learned when you have the right heart. I want a heart that is always stirred to do God’s work. I want God to have complete access to my heart and train my hands to do the work that needs done. 

Prayer:

Father, I offer my heart and my skills to You. Have Your way in my life. Use me for Your glory. I offer You everything I have. My heart is stirred to do whatever You ask me to do. Show me how to discern what is You and what just happened to open up to me. Help me to never refuse to do something because I don’t feel trained for it. I want to accomplish all that You have for me in my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Leave Me Alone

 Scripture:

“So now, leave me alone so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God and Moses were having a talk about the people God had just rescued from the hands of the Egyptians. The people had made an idol to worship and God wanted to destroy all of them and start over with Moses to make a great nation. When God said, “Leave me alone” to Moses, He was saying, stop interceding for them because I want to destroy them. The intercession of Moses stopped the hand of God from destroying His people.

Application:

Intercession is powerful Intercession moves the hand of God. Many time in Scripture, God intended to destroy His people for their many sins, but someone interceded before Him on their behalf. To interceded means to stand between or stand in the gap. An intercessor stand in between God and the people, asking God for mercy on behalf of the people. God always hears the cries of the intercessor. Our generation needs those who will stand before God day and night interceding for the people. May God have to tell me one day to leave Him alone because I am praying so much. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to honor the place of the intercessor better in my life and ministry. Let my life be a life of prayer and intercession for Your people. Teach me to hear your voice and act on what You tell me. Help me not to be like Aaron, who did what the people wanted, but like Moses who represented God well to those he was leading. Help me to lead well.

Yours,

Jeff

Consecrated

 Scripture:

“I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I may reside among them. I am the Lord their God.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭29‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God gave Moses and Aaron very precise details of how to set apart the priests, the objects of worship, the sacrifices, etc. for one purpose, “I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God… so that I may reside among them.” Everything taking place in the consecration of sacred objects and the priests, was so that God would dwell among His people. God went to extreme details because He wanted to dwell with His people.

Application:

We can answer the cry of God to be with His people by living consecrated lives to Him. He has always desired a people who would be completely His and He would be their God. We are the Temple of His Spirit and as we honor Him, He will work in and through us. He is looking for pure vessels He can dwell in. I want God to reside in me and to be one with Him. I want to live a consecrated life and walk with God as has been His cry from the beginning.

Prayer:

Father, I want to walk with You. I want to live my life for Your purposes. Dwell with me. Walk with me. Teach me Your ways and show me Your heart. I want to provide a place for You to dwell among Your people. Show me how to prepare my life as Your sanctuary, not our of legalistic regulations, but because I long for Your presence. I long to walk closely with You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

A Dwelling Place for God

 Scripture:

“Let them make for me a sanctuary, so that I may live among them.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭25‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation: 

In this passage, God is telling Moses exactly how to make the Tabernacle. He went into great detail about exactly what it was to be like. The purpose for it is the heart of this verse. “So that I may live among them.” God went into great detail to prepare a place that He could dwell and live among His people. From the beginning, God’s purpose has to be with His people. 

Application:

In the New Covenant, we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are constantly being made into a place where God can dwell and live within us. The heart of God throughout Scripture is to BE with His people. Sin separated man from God and God has been working throughout history to make His dwelling place among people. He sent Jesus to die, so He could dwell within His people. Now, because of Jesus, the veil in the temple was torn and we have been filled with God’s Spirit. We have the ability to answer the cry of God for centuries, that “He could be our God and we could be His people and that He can dwell among us.  May we take seriously the fact that Christ now lives in us.

Prayer:

Father, let my life bring You honor. Help me to live in such a way that You can live among Your people through me. I offer You my life, my heart, my everything. Teach me to walk with You. Live in me. Teach me to walk with You and to honor Your presence in my life. Let me be a Temple you enjoy living in.

Yours,

Jeff