Scripture:
Genesis 9:23 "Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked".
Observation:
Noah had been drinking some of his home-made wine and ended up naked and drunk. Ham came in, saw him, and ran immediately to his brothers to tell them the news. Shem and Japheth walked backwards into the tent carrying a cover to cover their father's nakedness without looking themselves. Ham was cursed from that day forward and Shem and Japheth were blessed from that day forward.
Application:
Today we have so many witch hunters and false teaching hunters in the body of Christ who get some kind of thrill out of seeing people exposed for their mistakes. It seems really holy to expose someone else's weaknesses. It is not. In the New Covenant those who are spiritual are to restore such a person and bring healing. Sin and wrong doing always comes out and is exposed, but we shouldn't be the ones pointing out and looking at the mistakes in everyone else's lives. We are to build one another up in the most holy faith instead of tearing apart the body of Christ. Exposing someone else's shortcomings simply shows your own level of maturity.
Prayer:
Father, You are the God of all truth and You know all truth. You know when someone messes up and when they live holy. You are the perfect judge who will judge the living and the dead. teach us not to judge and criticize each other in Your family. Teach us what needs exposed and what needs to be forgiven and put to rest. Show us how to walk in love and develop into maturity. I want to live a life pleasing to You. Help me on my journey.
Jeff
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
How would you be described?
Scripture:
Genesis 6:9 "This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on the earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God".
Observation:
I love the way Noah is described in this verse. It says he was a righteous man. It says he was the only blameless person living on the earth at the time. It says he walked in close fellowship with God. What a description for a person! He was not only living for God, but during a time when he was literally the only one on the earth doing so.
Application:
Sometimes we whine about how hard it is to serve God and live in righteousness because the world is so corrupt. Noah lived in a much worse day than we are in and yet he still walked in close fellowship with God and was righteous. What will they say about you when you die? What are the major character traits they will talk about? What will people say at your funeral? Will they say "righteous man, blameless or he walked with God?"
Prayer:
Lord, I want to be more like Noah. I want to stand for You through every season of life and walk with You when nobody else is. Teach me to live righteously every day and let those who know me best, respect me most as a man of God. I want it to be real and authentic. You're the best!
Jeff
Genesis 6:9 "This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on the earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God".
Observation:
I love the way Noah is described in this verse. It says he was a righteous man. It says he was the only blameless person living on the earth at the time. It says he walked in close fellowship with God. What a description for a person! He was not only living for God, but during a time when he was literally the only one on the earth doing so.
Application:
Sometimes we whine about how hard it is to serve God and live in righteousness because the world is so corrupt. Noah lived in a much worse day than we are in and yet he still walked in close fellowship with God and was righteous. What will they say about you when you die? What are the major character traits they will talk about? What will people say at your funeral? Will they say "righteous man, blameless or he walked with God?"
Prayer:
Lord, I want to be more like Noah. I want to stand for You through every season of life and walk with You when nobody else is. Teach me to live righteously every day and let those who know me best, respect me most as a man of God. I want it to be real and authentic. You're the best!
Jeff
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The Blame Game
Scripture:
Genesis 3:12 "The man replied, 'It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it'".
Observation:
Ever since Adam we have been experts at the blame game. Whenever we do wrong, we always seem to have one excuse or another why it's someone else's fault that we messed up. Adam, in a way actually blames God for this happening. He says it was the woman "you gave me". He is actually saying that God made her and she made him mess up so really God made him fail. I have heard this in years of ministry as well. God made me like I am. God made me a cheater, a liar, a fornicator, etc.
Application:
We need to learn to take personal responsibility for our sins and mistakes. We need to "man up", do the right thing and confess our sins instead of excusing our way around and playing the blame game. We can make excuses for most of what we do and why we do it or we can acknowledge we have messed things up, repent and ask God to forgive us. This will give us a clear conscience and allow us to truly walk in freedom. Next time you have the ability to blame someone else for your performance, don't do it. Simply say, "I didn't do what I was suppose to do, forgive me". Watch what freedom this brings in your life.
Prayer:
Father, teach us to take personal responsibility for our sins and mistakes. Help us stop playing the blame game. Help us stop blaming others for our faults. Teach me to recognize when I have messed up and repent out of a pure heart. Walk with me, talk with me, and show me how to live a life pleasing to You Almighty God! You are the best.
Jeff
Genesis 3:12 "The man replied, 'It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it'".
Observation:
Ever since Adam we have been experts at the blame game. Whenever we do wrong, we always seem to have one excuse or another why it's someone else's fault that we messed up. Adam, in a way actually blames God for this happening. He says it was the woman "you gave me". He is actually saying that God made her and she made him mess up so really God made him fail. I have heard this in years of ministry as well. God made me like I am. God made me a cheater, a liar, a fornicator, etc.
Application:
We need to learn to take personal responsibility for our sins and mistakes. We need to "man up", do the right thing and confess our sins instead of excusing our way around and playing the blame game. We can make excuses for most of what we do and why we do it or we can acknowledge we have messed things up, repent and ask God to forgive us. This will give us a clear conscience and allow us to truly walk in freedom. Next time you have the ability to blame someone else for your performance, don't do it. Simply say, "I didn't do what I was suppose to do, forgive me". Watch what freedom this brings in your life.
Prayer:
Father, teach us to take personal responsibility for our sins and mistakes. Help us stop playing the blame game. Help us stop blaming others for our faults. Teach me to recognize when I have messed up and repent out of a pure heart. Walk with me, talk with me, and show me how to live a life pleasing to You Almighty God! You are the best.
Jeff
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Ultimate Victory!
Scripture:
Revelation 22:3 "No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship Him".
Observation:
The battle of the ages does have a final outcome! God wins and His people, those who have served Him faithfully on this earth, are blessed to inherit eternal life in His presence. Every curse is finally broken and free worship will take place. Finally, we will be His people and He will be our God. This has been His desire forever. He wants relationship with His creation and always has.
Application:
We need to keep our eyes on eternity. We need to allow God to put eternity in our hearts! In the eternal future, we win. Every curse is broken and every tear wiped away. It is hard to think about this and not get excited. The excitement tends to wear off as we face the daily struggles and challenges of life. If we can change our thinking to be focused on eternity, then our comfort here and most of the things we stress out about lose their hold on us. We have a great day of victory coming, let's with this in mind.
Prayer:
God, keep me focused on things that are truly important and will last for eternity. Help me not get sidetracked on pursuing other things. I want my life to bring Your glory, my family to bring Your glory, and my church to bring You glory. I want to live for eternal impact. Keep me focused today on what really matters.
Love You,
Jeff
Revelation 22:3 "No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship Him".
Observation:
The battle of the ages does have a final outcome! God wins and His people, those who have served Him faithfully on this earth, are blessed to inherit eternal life in His presence. Every curse is finally broken and free worship will take place. Finally, we will be His people and He will be our God. This has been His desire forever. He wants relationship with His creation and always has.
Application:
We need to keep our eyes on eternity. We need to allow God to put eternity in our hearts! In the eternal future, we win. Every curse is broken and every tear wiped away. It is hard to think about this and not get excited. The excitement tends to wear off as we face the daily struggles and challenges of life. If we can change our thinking to be focused on eternity, then our comfort here and most of the things we stress out about lose their hold on us. We have a great day of victory coming, let's with this in mind.
Prayer:
God, keep me focused on things that are truly important and will last for eternity. Help me not get sidetracked on pursuing other things. I want my life to bring Your glory, my family to bring Your glory, and my church to bring You glory. I want to live for eternal impact. Keep me focused today on what really matters.
Love You,
Jeff
Monday, February 22, 2010
Satan's Final Punishment
Scripture:
Revelation 20:10 "Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever".
Observation:
Satan has been messing up things for a long time. I have heard over and over before, "If God is in control, why would He let Satan do terrible things in the earth?" We don't understand God. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not like ours. Though we wish it was sooner rather than later, Satan will be dealt with and will suffer torment for eternity as we step into the eternal future. His destruction is coming and he knows it, therefore he is trying to cause as many problems on the earth as he can while he has time. he knows what is coming in his future and knows God is all-powerful and will make it happen.
Application:
When you know the outcome of something, you can usually endure the present a little better. If you know the outcome is good, your can hold on a little longer. This scripture should give the believer hope. Satan, who has been messing up things in people's lives fora very long time, will be dealt with and his outcome is not good. He will one day enter eternal torment. When things are not going well and you feel like the enemy is attacking all around, just remind him of his future. Remind him that he may win a battle here and there, but we will win the war and he will suffer for eternity. Misery loves company, therefore he is doing his best to take as many to hell as possible before his time runs out. Let's do our best to plunder hell and populate heaven. Let him go there by himself!
Prayer:
Lord, keep this reminder close to my heart. Help me to remember that we win in the end and Satan is totally and forever defeated. Remind me that we are victorious and there will be eternity to celebrate God's victory. Help me to live for eternity. Keep eternity in my heart as I walk through my day today. Bless my family and let us be a family that lives with eternity in our hearts.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Revelation 20:10 "Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever".
Observation:
Satan has been messing up things for a long time. I have heard over and over before, "If God is in control, why would He let Satan do terrible things in the earth?" We don't understand God. His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not like ours. Though we wish it was sooner rather than later, Satan will be dealt with and will suffer torment for eternity as we step into the eternal future. His destruction is coming and he knows it, therefore he is trying to cause as many problems on the earth as he can while he has time. he knows what is coming in his future and knows God is all-powerful and will make it happen.
Application:
When you know the outcome of something, you can usually endure the present a little better. If you know the outcome is good, your can hold on a little longer. This scripture should give the believer hope. Satan, who has been messing up things in people's lives fora very long time, will be dealt with and his outcome is not good. He will one day enter eternal torment. When things are not going well and you feel like the enemy is attacking all around, just remind him of his future. Remind him that he may win a battle here and there, but we will win the war and he will suffer for eternity. Misery loves company, therefore he is doing his best to take as many to hell as possible before his time runs out. Let's do our best to plunder hell and populate heaven. Let him go there by himself!
Prayer:
Lord, keep this reminder close to my heart. Help me to remember that we win in the end and Satan is totally and forever defeated. Remind me that we are victorious and there will be eternity to celebrate God's victory. Help me to live for eternity. Keep eternity in my heart as I walk through my day today. Bless my family and let us be a family that lives with eternity in our hearts.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Friday, February 19, 2010
And He Shall Reign
Scripture:
Revelation 11:15 "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven; 'The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever'".
Observation:
The seven trumpets are sounded as judgments are pronounced on the earth during the great tribulation. At the last trumpet sound, John tells us that the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Tribulation is coming to the world, but it will end in the establishment of Christ's kingdom over the entire earth. At that point He will reign forever and ever.
Application:
The battle that has raged for thousands of years will one day be over and our Lord will reign forever and ever after that point. Sometimes we get discouraged when things don't go our way or we don't see God working in a particular situation. Sometimes we may feel that Satan is winning battles, but this verse let's us know that Christ will win the eternal war. We may have battles here and now, but final victory will come when the last trumpet sounds. Jesus will reign, and then the scoffers will be put in their places.
Prayer:
Even so come quickly Lord Jesus! I love You Lord and can't wait until You are totally in charge of this earth. I want You to rule now in my heart and life and ultimately over the entire earth. Lead me, guide me, direct me, show me and be with me. Build Word of Life into the place that will bring You glory. Grow our church and our people, that we may fulfill Your will in this region.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Revelation 11:15 "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven; 'The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever'".
Observation:
The seven trumpets are sounded as judgments are pronounced on the earth during the great tribulation. At the last trumpet sound, John tells us that the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever. Tribulation is coming to the world, but it will end in the establishment of Christ's kingdom over the entire earth. At that point He will reign forever and ever.
Application:
The battle that has raged for thousands of years will one day be over and our Lord will reign forever and ever after that point. Sometimes we get discouraged when things don't go our way or we don't see God working in a particular situation. Sometimes we may feel that Satan is winning battles, but this verse let's us know that Christ will win the eternal war. We may have battles here and now, but final victory will come when the last trumpet sounds. Jesus will reign, and then the scoffers will be put in their places.
Prayer:
Even so come quickly Lord Jesus! I love You Lord and can't wait until You are totally in charge of this earth. I want You to rule now in my heart and life and ultimately over the entire earth. Lead me, guide me, direct me, show me and be with me. Build Word of Life into the place that will bring You glory. Grow our church and our people, that we may fulfill Your will in this region.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Thursday, February 18, 2010
What Does it Take for People to See?
Scripture:
Revelation 9:20 "But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze,stone and wood - idols that can neither see nor hear, nor walk!"
Observation:
John has been witnessing "The Great Tribulation" at the end of time as we know it. The Great Tribulation is when God's judgment is poured out on the earth. He has just described over 1/3 of the world's population dying. He has seen devastation like the world has never seen, yet he sees that people still will not repent and turn from dead idols to the living God.
Application:
Sometimes we think, if people were in dire circumstances, they would turn to God and begin to serve God. We tend to think that if things go really bad in the world, people will turn to God. We are told in the word of God that it is His goodness that leads us to repentance. Apparently it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. His judgment seems to work otherwise. We need to pray that people will see the goodness of God before they have to see the judgment of God. His love is amazing and His judgment true. Let's let the world know of His love before they have to face His judgment.
Prayer:
Open my eyes Lord to see that we don't have much time left. Teach me to number my days. Show me how to be more effective in reaching people for Christ and discipling them. Your love is amazing and I want the world to know about it before they see Your judgment. Prepare the hearts of Your people for Your coming. Let our hearts be pure and ready to go with You at the sound of the last trumpet so we don't have to experience the tribulation time.
Your Son,
Jeff
Revelation 9:20 "But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze,stone and wood - idols that can neither see nor hear, nor walk!"
Observation:
John has been witnessing "The Great Tribulation" at the end of time as we know it. The Great Tribulation is when God's judgment is poured out on the earth. He has just described over 1/3 of the world's population dying. He has seen devastation like the world has never seen, yet he sees that people still will not repent and turn from dead idols to the living God.
Application:
Sometimes we think, if people were in dire circumstances, they would turn to God and begin to serve God. We tend to think that if things go really bad in the world, people will turn to God. We are told in the word of God that it is His goodness that leads us to repentance. Apparently it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. His judgment seems to work otherwise. We need to pray that people will see the goodness of God before they have to see the judgment of God. His love is amazing and His judgment true. Let's let the world know of His love before they have to face His judgment.
Prayer:
Open my eyes Lord to see that we don't have much time left. Teach me to number my days. Show me how to be more effective in reaching people for Christ and discipling them. Your love is amazing and I want the world to know about it before they see Your judgment. Prepare the hearts of Your people for Your coming. Let our hearts be pure and ready to go with You at the sound of the last trumpet so we don't have to experience the tribulation time.
Your Son,
Jeff
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Miserable and Don't Know It.
Scripture:
Revelation 3:17 "You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked".
Observation:
Jesus is speaking to the church of Laodicea. Many scholars believe the seven churches are seven dispensations of time during the church age. If so, we are definitely described by this one. Today we claim to be rich, have everything and need nothing, but really we are wretched, miserable, poor, naked and blind. There has never been a generation who thinks they have it as together as our generation. We think we have conquered everything there is to conquer and man is at the height of his world. We have become totally self-sufficient and don't seem to need God any more. We are a proud and arrogant people who have wealth, education and lots of pride to go with it. Jesus wants to bring correction to this generation. It is this generation that Jesus says He will spit out of His mouth because they are lukewarm.
Application:
We must humble ourselves and ask God to purge and purify our lives. We must ask Him to discipline us that we may come out as gold or silver refined by the hand of Almighty God. We must ask god to do His work in our lives that we may be ready for him when He returns. We must acknowledge that we are not all-knowing and have need of Him. We must repent of our self-sufficiency and realize we are sufficient only in Christ. We must repent!
Prayer:
Lord, teach us to trust You more. Teach us to walk with You and realize that we don't have it all together. We are broken and full of pride. We have neglected our time with you for time with our self-help books and videos. We need you and need you desperately! You are our only hope! You are all we need and this morning I declare that I need You in every area of my life. Light up my life once again with Your holy fire. I want to know You more every day!
I Love You,
Jeff
Revelation 3:17 "You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked".
Observation:
Jesus is speaking to the church of Laodicea. Many scholars believe the seven churches are seven dispensations of time during the church age. If so, we are definitely described by this one. Today we claim to be rich, have everything and need nothing, but really we are wretched, miserable, poor, naked and blind. There has never been a generation who thinks they have it as together as our generation. We think we have conquered everything there is to conquer and man is at the height of his world. We have become totally self-sufficient and don't seem to need God any more. We are a proud and arrogant people who have wealth, education and lots of pride to go with it. Jesus wants to bring correction to this generation. It is this generation that Jesus says He will spit out of His mouth because they are lukewarm.
Application:
We must humble ourselves and ask God to purge and purify our lives. We must ask Him to discipline us that we may come out as gold or silver refined by the hand of Almighty God. We must ask god to do His work in our lives that we may be ready for him when He returns. We must acknowledge that we are not all-knowing and have need of Him. We must repent of our self-sufficiency and realize we are sufficient only in Christ. We must repent!
Prayer:
Lord, teach us to trust You more. Teach us to walk with You and realize that we don't have it all together. We are broken and full of pride. We have neglected our time with you for time with our self-help books and videos. We need you and need you desperately! You are our only hope! You are all we need and this morning I declare that I need You in every area of my life. Light up my life once again with Your holy fire. I want to know You more every day!
I Love You,
Jeff
Monday, February 15, 2010
Put me to the Test
Scripture:
Malachi 3:9-10 "You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating Me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My temple. If you do, says the Lord of heaven's Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"
Observation:
God has always wanted to be in first place in the lives of His people. He has always wanted to be honored with the first fruits of our labor. He is a jealous God by His own admission. He wants nobody before Him in our lives. As part of that, He wants to be first place in our finances. He wants us to honor Him by bringing him the first ten percent of everything we make. He considers it cheating Him or "robbing Him" if we don't honor Him in this way. On the other hand, He makes tremendous promises to the person who does honor Him with a tithe of his income. he says he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great we won't have room to take it in.
Application:
Serving God is so simple! We make it complicated by seeing if there is any way around His rules and regulations. We make it difficult on ourselves by disobeying Him. We rob ourselves by not placing Him first in every area of our lives. If we trust Him, and He asks for the first ten percent, then we must believe He is able to bless the 90% left over and multiply it. This is also the only place in the bible it tells us to test God. He actually says, "Put me to the test!" I have chosen to live a life of blessing instead of trying to get out of God's intentions for me by looking for a loophole in the scriptures.
Prayer:
Lord, I want to be faithful in every area of my life. I have always been a tither and I am looking for my time of blessing. I believe 2010 is a year of blessing in my personal and family life. I believe this is a set time for my family and church to prosper. I know You have seen our faithfulness in putting You first and now I am looking for the windows to be opened and blessing poured out. Bless my family and bless my church!
I love you lord,
Jeffrey
Malachi 3:9-10 "You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating Me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in My temple. If you do, says the Lord of heaven's Armies, I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"
Observation:
God has always wanted to be in first place in the lives of His people. He has always wanted to be honored with the first fruits of our labor. He is a jealous God by His own admission. He wants nobody before Him in our lives. As part of that, He wants to be first place in our finances. He wants us to honor Him by bringing him the first ten percent of everything we make. He considers it cheating Him or "robbing Him" if we don't honor Him in this way. On the other hand, He makes tremendous promises to the person who does honor Him with a tithe of his income. he says he will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great we won't have room to take it in.
Application:
Serving God is so simple! We make it complicated by seeing if there is any way around His rules and regulations. We make it difficult on ourselves by disobeying Him. We rob ourselves by not placing Him first in every area of our lives. If we trust Him, and He asks for the first ten percent, then we must believe He is able to bless the 90% left over and multiply it. This is also the only place in the bible it tells us to test God. He actually says, "Put me to the test!" I have chosen to live a life of blessing instead of trying to get out of God's intentions for me by looking for a loophole in the scriptures.
Prayer:
Lord, I want to be faithful in every area of my life. I have always been a tither and I am looking for my time of blessing. I believe 2010 is a year of blessing in my personal and family life. I believe this is a set time for my family and church to prosper. I know You have seen our faithfulness in putting You first and now I am looking for the windows to be opened and blessing poured out. Bless my family and bless my church!
I love you lord,
Jeffrey
Saturday, February 13, 2010
I Want to be in "That Group"
Scripture:
Zechariah 13:9 "I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people', and they will say, 'the Lord is our God'".
Observation:
God always has a remnant that He will bless. Zechariah is speaking about a future restoration of things in Jerusalem and in this passage he talks about "that group". "That group" will be brought through the fire, purged, cleansed and purified. They will be God's people and he will be their God. God has always looked for a people that would be His and He would be theirs. He has always wanted a people who would be fully committed to Him.
Application:
I want to be in "that group"! I want to be purified, cleansed, and ready fro all God has for my life. I want to be in the group that is fully committed to the Lord who are truly His people and He is truly their God. I want tot walk with Him and talk with Him. I want to fulfill His will for my life and advance His kingdom on the earth.
Prayer:
Lord, let my life bring You glory! Let my mouth speak forth Your words. Refine me as silver and purify me as gold that I may represent You well. Cleanse my heart and make me completely Yours. You are my desire and the love of my heart. I want to be fully Yours. I long to walk with You and be in "that group" that Zechariah talks about.
Yours Completely,
Jeff
Zechariah 13:9 "I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people', and they will say, 'the Lord is our God'".
Observation:
God always has a remnant that He will bless. Zechariah is speaking about a future restoration of things in Jerusalem and in this passage he talks about "that group". "That group" will be brought through the fire, purged, cleansed and purified. They will be God's people and he will be their God. God has always looked for a people that would be His and He would be theirs. He has always wanted a people who would be fully committed to Him.
Application:
I want to be in "that group"! I want to be purified, cleansed, and ready fro all God has for my life. I want to be in the group that is fully committed to the Lord who are truly His people and He is truly their God. I want tot walk with Him and talk with Him. I want to fulfill His will for my life and advance His kingdom on the earth.
Prayer:
Lord, let my life bring You glory! Let my mouth speak forth Your words. Refine me as silver and purify me as gold that I may represent You well. Cleanse my heart and make me completely Yours. You are my desire and the love of my heart. I want to be fully Yours. I long to walk with You and be in "that group" that Zechariah talks about.
Yours Completely,
Jeff
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Not By My Strength
Scripture:
Zechariah 4:6 "Then he said to me, 'This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies'".
Observation:
Zerubbabel was facing a very difficult task. It looked impossible, but a confirmation came from the Lord that it was God who was going to bring it to pass, not the might and strength of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was simply going to be the honored person who God was going to accomplish His will through.
Application:
Sometimes we work so hard to get ahead. We struggle in the flesh to get somewhere in life. We work for what we want and will do anything to get it. Here God is telling Zerubbabel that it is not about him or his armies, but about God's strength and power. We need to begin to lean on the Lord of everything in our lives. He is our strength, source and provider. He will take care of us. We must do our part and work hard, but the final outcome is up to Him. We use our strength to do what we have to do, then He adds His power and raises us up. Lean on the Lord. He will win every time!
Prayer:
Father, teach us to lean on You. You are the commander of Heaven's Armies. You hold tomorrow in Your awesome hand! You are stronger than any force that can possibly come against us. Your hand is not short nor is Your power limited! You are amazing and I ask You to help me trust You more to take care of me in every detail and situation of life.
Love,
Jeff
Zechariah 4:6 "Then he said to me, 'This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord of Heaven's Armies'".
Observation:
Zerubbabel was facing a very difficult task. It looked impossible, but a confirmation came from the Lord that it was God who was going to bring it to pass, not the might and strength of Zerubbabel. Zerubbabel was simply going to be the honored person who God was going to accomplish His will through.
Application:
Sometimes we work so hard to get ahead. We struggle in the flesh to get somewhere in life. We work for what we want and will do anything to get it. Here God is telling Zerubbabel that it is not about him or his armies, but about God's strength and power. We need to begin to lean on the Lord of everything in our lives. He is our strength, source and provider. He will take care of us. We must do our part and work hard, but the final outcome is up to Him. We use our strength to do what we have to do, then He adds His power and raises us up. Lean on the Lord. He will win every time!
Prayer:
Father, teach us to lean on You. You are the commander of Heaven's Armies. You hold tomorrow in Your awesome hand! You are stronger than any force that can possibly come against us. Your hand is not short nor is Your power limited! You are amazing and I ask You to help me trust You more to take care of me in every detail and situation of life.
Love,
Jeff
Monday, February 8, 2010
Take Care of God's House
Scripture:
Haggai 1:6 "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, puts them into a bag with holes. Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Consider your ways".
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Haggai and letting His people know the reason for their never seeming to get blessed. It seemed they were working hard, but getting nowhere. Just before this verse, we see exactly why this was happening to them. It was because they were living in beautiful houses and God's house was lying in ruins. They were spending everything they had on themselves instead of building god's temple. God was dealing with them for this behavior by not blessing the work of their hands. They were working hard and putting the money into bags with holes in it because God had stopped their blessing.
Application:
Many are living today in the exact same predicament. They are working hard to accumulate things here on earth, but not thinking with eternity in their hearts. They work hard and seem to get nowhere. Others who are truly honoring the Lord are working less hard and seeing more rewards. We must place God as the number one priority in our lives. His house must be our priority. He still wants to be first in our lives. Place Him first, build His kingdom and He will take care of you and yours.
Prayer:
Lord, keep my focus on You and on eternity. You are awesome and I want to serve You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. You deserve my all and I give it to You today.
Your Son,
Jeff
Haggai 1:6 "You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages, puts them into a bag with holes. Thus says the Lord of Hosts: Consider your ways".
Observation:
The Lord is speaking through Haggai and letting His people know the reason for their never seeming to get blessed. It seemed they were working hard, but getting nowhere. Just before this verse, we see exactly why this was happening to them. It was because they were living in beautiful houses and God's house was lying in ruins. They were spending everything they had on themselves instead of building god's temple. God was dealing with them for this behavior by not blessing the work of their hands. They were working hard and putting the money into bags with holes in it because God had stopped their blessing.
Application:
Many are living today in the exact same predicament. They are working hard to accumulate things here on earth, but not thinking with eternity in their hearts. They work hard and seem to get nowhere. Others who are truly honoring the Lord are working less hard and seeing more rewards. We must place God as the number one priority in our lives. His house must be our priority. He still wants to be first in our lives. Place Him first, build His kingdom and He will take care of you and yours.
Prayer:
Lord, keep my focus on You and on eternity. You are awesome and I want to serve You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. You deserve my all and I give it to You today.
Your Son,
Jeff
Saturday, February 6, 2010
A Never Ending Kingdom
Scripture:
Daniel 7:14 "He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal - it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed".
Observation:
Daniel had been observing visions about coming kingdoms that would rule and the order in which they would come to power. God gave him very accurate pictures concerning the history of the world. This ruler was like the son of man - a term Jesus used to describe himself. Jesus came to this earth as a simple servant who did many great deeds, but after His death, He resurrected and is alive today in heaven with God the father. One day we will see the fulfillment of this prophecy and Jesus will return to earth to reign and rule. This time there will be fire in his eyes and a sword in his hand. he will then reign and rule for eternity.
Application:
We serve the King of all kings and the Lord of all Lords. He will come again and rule with power and great authority on this earth. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Sometimes we get frustrated with life and worry about things that are simply temporary. When we realize that we will live in eternity with Christ, and that He will rule over the earth, we should not be affected by the troubles of this life. In eternity we will reign and rule with him, our position there will be determined by how we live this life on earth now. Knowing this, we lust begin to live for eternity instead of living for today and wanting to feel good today. One day our king will rule and reign, until then, let's serve Him faithfully.
Prayer:
Lord, keep everything in my life in eternal perspective. help me to focus on eternity instead of being consumed with the pleasures of this life. I know You are coming again soon and I want to be ready and lead as many others to be ready for Your return. Help me keep this in perspective at all times. Help me to pray more and be more faithful in Your word. Keep it fresh and alive that I may fulfill Your will for my life. I love you Lord. I know you have been waiting a long time to truly establish your kingdom. You must be frustrated. But You are confident because You know the final outcome.
Love,
Jeff
Daniel 7:14 "He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal - it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed".
Observation:
Daniel had been observing visions about coming kingdoms that would rule and the order in which they would come to power. God gave him very accurate pictures concerning the history of the world. This ruler was like the son of man - a term Jesus used to describe himself. Jesus came to this earth as a simple servant who did many great deeds, but after His death, He resurrected and is alive today in heaven with God the father. One day we will see the fulfillment of this prophecy and Jesus will return to earth to reign and rule. This time there will be fire in his eyes and a sword in his hand. he will then reign and rule for eternity.
Application:
We serve the King of all kings and the Lord of all Lords. He will come again and rule with power and great authority on this earth. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Sometimes we get frustrated with life and worry about things that are simply temporary. When we realize that we will live in eternity with Christ, and that He will rule over the earth, we should not be affected by the troubles of this life. In eternity we will reign and rule with him, our position there will be determined by how we live this life on earth now. Knowing this, we lust begin to live for eternity instead of living for today and wanting to feel good today. One day our king will rule and reign, until then, let's serve Him faithfully.
Prayer:
Lord, keep everything in my life in eternal perspective. help me to focus on eternity instead of being consumed with the pleasures of this life. I know You are coming again soon and I want to be ready and lead as many others to be ready for Your return. Help me keep this in perspective at all times. Help me to pray more and be more faithful in Your word. Keep it fresh and alive that I may fulfill Your will for my life. I love you Lord. I know you have been waiting a long time to truly establish your kingdom. You must be frustrated. But You are confident because You know the final outcome.
Love,
Jeff
Thursday, February 4, 2010
There is no other God who can rescue like this!
Scripture:
Daniel 3:29 "Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this".
Observation:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had been thrown into an extremely hot fiery furnace as an execution for not bowing before Nebuchadnezzer's golden image. When they wouldn't bow down, he ordered the furnace to be heated 7 times hotter than usual. The guards who threw them into the fire actually dropped dead from the heat. A fourth man was seen in the fire who looked like a god and the four of them were walking around in the fire. The three came out untouched and not even smelling like smoke. Nebuchadnezzer saw this and declared their God was the greatest of all gods and he said, "there is no other god who can rescue like this".
Application:
Most of us could and would quickly declare that our God is the god who can rescue like no other, but in our every day life, we don't serve Him that way. Why do we stress out over the little things of life when even the ungodly have declared, "there is no other god that can rescue like this"? Our God can rescue from, or protect in, any situation you may face in your life. If He can make fire bend around these three and not touch them, He can fix the issues of our lives. We must learn to rely on Him and say with the three Hebrew children, "the God that we serve is able to save us. he will rescue us from your power, Your majesty. But even if He doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up".
Prayer:
Lord, You are my savior, my rescuer, my hero, my protector! Sorry for not trusting You more with the details of my life. I want to trust You like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Teach me to trust You in every detail of life and to follow Your lead. I want to hear You voice clearer in 2010 than ever before. I want Your leading!
I Love You,
Jeff
Daniel 3:29 "Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this".
Observation:
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had been thrown into an extremely hot fiery furnace as an execution for not bowing before Nebuchadnezzer's golden image. When they wouldn't bow down, he ordered the furnace to be heated 7 times hotter than usual. The guards who threw them into the fire actually dropped dead from the heat. A fourth man was seen in the fire who looked like a god and the four of them were walking around in the fire. The three came out untouched and not even smelling like smoke. Nebuchadnezzer saw this and declared their God was the greatest of all gods and he said, "there is no other god who can rescue like this".
Application:
Most of us could and would quickly declare that our God is the god who can rescue like no other, but in our every day life, we don't serve Him that way. Why do we stress out over the little things of life when even the ungodly have declared, "there is no other god that can rescue like this"? Our God can rescue from, or protect in, any situation you may face in your life. If He can make fire bend around these three and not touch them, He can fix the issues of our lives. We must learn to rely on Him and say with the three Hebrew children, "the God that we serve is able to save us. he will rescue us from your power, Your majesty. But even if He doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up".
Prayer:
Lord, You are my savior, my rescuer, my hero, my protector! Sorry for not trusting You more with the details of my life. I want to trust You like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Teach me to trust You in every detail of life and to follow Your lead. I want to hear You voice clearer in 2010 than ever before. I want Your leading!
I Love You,
Jeff
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Keeping Yourself in God's Love
Scripture:
Jude 20-21 "But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love".
Observation:
Jude tells us how to keep ourselves safe in God's love. He says we must build each other up, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit and wait for God's mercy. These three things will help you remain strong in the Lord. We must put these into practice if we are going to walk in victory.
Application:
Everyone needs to be built up. There are enough people out there tearing others down, we need to live lives that are constantly building others up. Instead of looking for the bad, let's look at the good and encourage and build up our brothers. It will bring greater rewards than talking negatively. Secondly, we must pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to use the gift of the Holy Spirit in our prayers. Praying in the Holy Spirit is much more powerful than praying according to our own understanding because when we pray in the Spirit, we are praying the perfect will of God. Pray in the Holy Spirit and watch yourself grow stronger and stronger in the Lord. Lastly, he says to await God mercy. Sometimes we give up too soon. We pray and don't see results, so we give up. If we do these three, we will keep ourselves in God's love. That's where I want to be!
Prayer:
Lord, I will do my best to stay in the first three, as I do, keep me in Your incredible love. I want to be a carrier of Your love to the multitudes of hurting people in this world. Let You love be in me as I endeavor to focus on being an encourager, a man of prayer and a patient person.
Love You Much,
Jeffrey
Jude 20-21 "But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love".
Observation:
Jude tells us how to keep ourselves safe in God's love. He says we must build each other up, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit and wait for God's mercy. These three things will help you remain strong in the Lord. We must put these into practice if we are going to walk in victory.
Application:
Everyone needs to be built up. There are enough people out there tearing others down, we need to live lives that are constantly building others up. Instead of looking for the bad, let's look at the good and encourage and build up our brothers. It will bring greater rewards than talking negatively. Secondly, we must pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. God wants us to use the gift of the Holy Spirit in our prayers. Praying in the Holy Spirit is much more powerful than praying according to our own understanding because when we pray in the Spirit, we are praying the perfect will of God. Pray in the Holy Spirit and watch yourself grow stronger and stronger in the Lord. Lastly, he says to await God mercy. Sometimes we give up too soon. We pray and don't see results, so we give up. If we do these three, we will keep ourselves in God's love. That's where I want to be!
Prayer:
Lord, I will do my best to stay in the first three, as I do, keep me in Your incredible love. I want to be a carrier of Your love to the multitudes of hurting people in this world. Let You love be in me as I endeavor to focus on being an encourager, a man of prayer and a patient person.
Love You Much,
Jeffrey
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
No Excuses
Scripture:
2Peter 1:3 "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence".
Observation:
Peter is telling us that God has given us everything we need in order that we may live a godly life. He said God gave it to us by His divine power and that we received it by coming to know Him. There is nothing you could get tomorrow that would make you more able to live a godly life. He has already given everything that is needed. We just have to dig in, find it, and use it in our lives.
Application:
This scripture lets us know that we are living as good for God as we want to live. Our Christian walk is as strong today as we want it to be. This verse takes away our excuses for not being closer to God and living the kind of life He wants me to live. Let's get rid of the excuses we have for not living more like Jesus and begin to serve Him with diligence of heart. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness, let's use it instead of making excuses for why we are like we are.
Prayer:
Lord, I repent for excuses in my spiritual life. You have already given me everything I need to live godly and complete the assignments You have given me. Thank you for all You have given me and today by faith, I receive all those things and will live a life without excuses.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
2Peter 1:3 "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence".
Observation:
Peter is telling us that God has given us everything we need in order that we may live a godly life. He said God gave it to us by His divine power and that we received it by coming to know Him. There is nothing you could get tomorrow that would make you more able to live a godly life. He has already given everything that is needed. We just have to dig in, find it, and use it in our lives.
Application:
This scripture lets us know that we are living as good for God as we want to live. Our Christian walk is as strong today as we want it to be. This verse takes away our excuses for not being closer to God and living the kind of life He wants me to live. Let's get rid of the excuses we have for not living more like Jesus and begin to serve Him with diligence of heart. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness, let's use it instead of making excuses for why we are like we are.
Prayer:
Lord, I repent for excuses in my spiritual life. You have already given me everything I need to live godly and complete the assignments You have given me. Thank you for all You have given me and today by faith, I receive all those things and will live a life without excuses.
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
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