I Want to Know Him

 Scripture:

““I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me –” ‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was speaking about His love for those He had been sent to. He spoke of their closeness and how they know the voice of their shepherd. He then stated, “I know my own and my own know me.” As believers we know and are known. We can have a close, intimate, relationship with Christ. He already knows us, but we can always know Him better. 

Application:

Knowing Him should be the pursuit of our lives. Jesus said that His sheep know Him, but many of us don’t feel like we know Him all that well. I know I deeply want to know Him closer. I want to know His heart and understand His will for my life. There’s an older worship song that says, “I want to know You. I want to hear Your voice. I want to touch You. I want to see Your face. I want to know You more.” This song expresses my desire.

Prayer:

Father, I want to know You more. I want to hear Your voice and see Your face. I want to walk with You as Adam did in the garden. I want to see Your glory. I long to know You deeply and to follow You closely. Take me deeper and open my eyes and ears to see and hear You clearly. 

Yours,

Jeff

Initiative

 Scripture:

“Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus says here that he did nothing of his own initiative, but He spoke what the Father taught Him. This is such a powerful statement. Jesus was the lead follower of the Father. He only did what He saw the Father do and only said what He heard the Father say. 

Application:

In our society today, we honor initiative. We like people who take initiative and get things done. The problem is that our initiative is self-initiative. We think we can do anything if we just try hard enough and show enough initiative. I am much better off being the lead follower than the leader. I want to live like Jesus who did nothing of His own initiative, but He did what the Father showed Him. I want to follow God well and do His will.

Prayer:

Father, I give myself to You. You are worthy of my life and all that I am. Help me to follow Your voice and not to push things through my own initiative, but to follow through on what You initiate. Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and to walk out what I hear. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Working for the Right Purpose

 Scripture:

“Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.””  ‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus had just fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish. People were amazed at what had happened. They had found Him on the other side of the lake and began coming to Him. He told them that they only followed Him because they had eaten the food. He then responded with this statement, “Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains it eternal life.” 

Application:

The focus Jesus was bringing to the people and to us was that we should keep our focus on eternal fruit instead of just working for a paycheck. The only thing that lasts forever is an eternal soul. We must keep our focus, not on just providing food for our stomachs, but food for our souls. The only thing we can take to heaven is souls. I need to be more focused on eternity and getting as many people to heaven as possible.

Prayer:

Father, use my life to build Your kingdom. Let my heart be pure before You. Show me how to reach more people for Christ and to extend Your rule and reign. Help me to focus on eternal food and not just feeding my family and having something to eat myself. Help me never to work for a paycheck, but to work for You and trust You with my pay.

Yours,

Jeff

The Spirit Without Measure

 Scripture:

“For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.” John‬ ‭3‬:‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, John the Baptist tells his disciples about Jesus. This phrase he uses is so powerful concerning being filled with the Holy Spirit. He says that Jesus speaks words from God and he doesn’t give the Spirit sparingly. In other words He gives the Spirit in great measure. He’s not stingy about giving us the Spirit. He overflows us with Him.

Application:

We need to see that the Holy Spirit has been given “without measure”. He is not given sparingly. In other words, we have enough of the Spirit to do anything and everything God asks us to do. We don’t get a limited dose of the Holy Spirit. We are never lacking Holy Spirit power when we are working for Jesus. He provides all the Spirit we could ever need. We are never inadequate when sharing the Gospel or praying for people. We have everything it takes to get God’s will and word accomplished. 

Prayer:

Father, let me live on overflow of Your Spirit. Help me to never understand it what is possible when the Holy Spirit gets involved. Teach me to walk in step with the Spirit and to follow completely. Let me never have a small minded mentality, but to know that I am overflowed with the Holy Spirit and power. Let me minister in great confidence, not in myself, but it You.

You are Amazing!

Jeff

Impartation

 Scripture:

“Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭34‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse takes place just before the death of Moses and the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land. Joshua was their new leader. It says here that Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had place his hands on him. Knowledge can be learned, wisdom is imparted. Joshua received from Moses when Moses laid hands on him.

Application:

There is something very powerful about the laying on of hands for those in leadership. There is a transfer that happens in the spirit when a man of God lays hands on someone who is going into leadership. We don’t honor this very much anymore, but it is crucial . Joshua received something very real when Moses laid hands on him. A spiritual father must know when to lay hands on a person in front of others to recognize the spiritual calling on their lives. I want to lay hands on the next generation of.ministers and impartial into their lives something very real and powerful.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be aligned with You. Let my heart be pure and teach me when to lay hands and send. Show me how and when to do this. As we prepare for Father’s Day and our sons and daughters conference, let there be a very real impartation when we lay hands on those who come. Let Your power, wisdom, strength, anointing, etc. come upon them for service in Your kingdom. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Calling Out and Commissioning

 Scripture:

“Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. The Lord is indeed going before you – he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Moses called out Joshua in the presence of all the people. It was commissioning day. Moses knew he was about to die and brought Joshua before all the people to demonstrate a transition of power and authority before them. He spoke prophetically to Joshua about what he would do and what the people would do. He then told Joshua that the Lord was going to be with him and would not fail or abandon him.

Application:

Commissioning sons and daughters to fulfill their assignments is part of being a true spiritual father. I need to do better at seeing God’s calling on people’s lives, equipping them for ministry, speaking prophetically over them, then releasing them to do what God has called them to do with my blessing. I want to give the end of my life to raising up sons and daughters who will go farther than me and accomplish far more than I ever could. I want to be intentional about ministry legacy.

Prayer:

Father, help me to do all You want me to do in life and ministry. Enable me to raise and release sons and daughters here and around the world. Give me the resources, the strength, and the anointing to walk this out in my life. I feel the call and want to do good at this. Help me to fulfill everything You have for my life. Teach me to think in ages and generations.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Always on Top

 Scripture:

“The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God told them how to have His favor and blessing on their lives and their country. He said that if His people would obey Him completely and wholeheartedly, He would bless them in every area. This verse says they will always be the head and not the tail, the top and not the bottom. In other words, God will cause favor to rest on your lives if you live them according to His ways.

Application:

When we live completely for the Lord our God, He still blesses His people and causes His favor to rest on their lives. When we obey Him, He takes care of us. God is looking for people who wholeheartedly follow Him. When He sees that, He pours out His blessing and favor on their lives. They always end up on top and never on the bottom. Bad things may happen, but God always turns it around for a testimony for them. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to live in Your complete and total blessing. I want to always end up on top and never on the bottom. I want to see the good hand of God touch everything I touch. Thank You for the many blessing You have given me throughout my life. Let my life honor You and let me be blessed.

Your Son,

Jeff