Don't Forget Your Maker

Scripture:

Hosea 8:14 "Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; Judah has fortified many towns. But I will send fire upon their cities that will consume their fortresses".

Observation:

All through Hosea, the prophet has been pronouncing judgments on Israel and Ephraim because they have turned from the Lord. As we come to Hosea eight, I read these words, "Israel has forgotten His Maker". They had built palaces and achieved many good things, but had forgotten who gave them the power to prosper. They had turned from God and relied on themselves and the gods of other nations. God had built that nation and He wanted them to serve Him.

Application:

God's people should always walk in humility and thanksgiving toward Him. Often, people serve God in their time of need and He delivers them, then they feel like they can handle things on their own and don't seek Him any more. God wants to be honored and esteemed as priority in our lives. Don't forget your Maker. Walk with Him. Talk with Him. Keep Him at the center of your life and you will continue to be blessed.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to keep You at the center of my life. My life belongs to You. You created me. You called me. You trained me. You are my source and sustenance. You are my life. Help me to never lean on self or others, but always on You for everything. Help me this year to walk closer to You than ever before. I want to hear the whisper of Your voice.

Yours,

Jeff

God's Awesome Grace

Scripture:

Hosea 6:1 "Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us but He will bind up our wounds".

Observation:

Hosea had been talking about the judgment of the Lord that was coming on Israel for their hard-hearted rebellion against God. In the midst of the continual talk of destruction that is coming upon them he throws in this little interlude. He tells the people to return to the Lord and, even though he has torn you up, he will heal you. He understands that God always responds to a heart of repentance. He understood the grace of God.

Application:

God loves his children so much! He is amazing! Many times when we mess things up, we hesitate on coming to the Lord in humility and repenting. Hosea, though he knew the judgment of God, knew the grace of God as well. We must come to the understanding that God loves us and that as we turn toward Him, He turns toward us in love, not judgment. He waits for us to make a move, but He helps us make it, so that He may demonstrated His grace to us.

Prayer:

Lord, as You are quick to forgive, teach me to be quick to forgive. As You simply wait for your children to turn around, teach me the same. Your grace is amazing! You love for us is incredible. You are the best! Thank You for loving me, even when I make mistakes. Thank You for showing me Your love and grace.

Love,
Jeff

God's Incredible Love

Scripture:

Hosea 2:23 "I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called 'not my loved one.' I will say to those called 'not my people,' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God'".

Observation:

Hosea has been writing concerning Israel's unfaithfulness to God. He has said that they were like an unfaithful wife who cheats on her husband and leaves him. He talks about how much God hates it and will judge them for it, yet in the end he says God will show His love for them again. It says He will call them His people again and that they will say He is their God.

Application:

God never gives up on His people! Thank God for that. He continues to draw us by His Spirit to Himself and wants us to love and appreciate Him for it, but even when we mess up, He continues to offer us a better plan for our lives. He continues to love us when we are hurting Him. He continues to accept us and forgive us. His love is amazing. His faithfulness goes beyond description. His dream is to have a people who are fully consecrated to Him. i want to be that person.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and Your love never fails. You continue to draw us even when we have failed You. You continue to demonstrate Your love to us when we don't deserve it. Help me to be more like You. Teach me to be as faithful as You are. Teach me to love the unlovable. Help me accept those who most have given up on. Let Your love flow through me today.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Word of the Lord

Scripture:

Amos 8:12 "Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the Word of the Lord, but they will not find it."

Observation:

Amos is prophesying about Israel. They had neglected the word of the Lord for so many years that God declared He would send a drought of hearing the word of the Lord. It was considered a punishment on Israel. God was saying how He would banish them from their land as exiles, that they would be defeated on every hand, and that the terrible things were coming because of their disobedience. Not hearing the word of the Lord was one of those punishments.

Application:

We are so honored to have Bibles everywhere in America. You can find a bible anywhere and most of us probably have several of them, yet they are not getting used enough. We have the word of the Lord, yet don't read it. We have become self reliant and act like we don't need the word of the Lord. If God's word was taken away from us, how much would we miss it? Do we properly honor the Word of the Lord? We must honor the word of the Lord and treasure it. It could be taken away!

Prayer:

Father, Let Your Word be alive to Your people. May we begin to read, listen to , and apply your word in our lives. Let me hunger and thirst for Your word. Teach me to dig through it like digging for treasure. Your Word is amazing and I thank You for allowing us to have it in written form. Show me more in Your Word. I want to go deeper.

Jeff

While in my Chains

Scripture:

Philemon 10 "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains"

Observation:

Philemon's slave had run away and Paul, who knew Philemon, ends up leading the slave to Christ. In this story of Paul sending Onesimus back home and asking Philemon to receive him with love and grace there is a line that talks about Paul. He says, "whom I have begotten while in my chains". These words jumped off the page at me this morning. Paul was leading people to Christ while in his own personal chains. While in prison, he was preaching Christ effectively.

Application:

Today, we associate being in the will of God with having no problems. If we have any problems, we think we are out of the will of God. Paul had problems, big problems, yet in the problems, he was leading people to Christ. Most of us would say, "When I get out of this situation I'm going to share my faith". Paul said that in the midst of the problem, God is with me and I will lead people to Christ. Many times when bad things happen or when things are not going well in our lives, we feel we can't share Christ with others. Nothing is farther from the truth. In the midst of life's problems, we should be sharing the love of Christ with all around us.

Prayer:

Lord, I have not been to prison for my faith. I have not been persecuted strongly for my faith. Help me to lead people to Christ in every situation of life and not to allow my personal situations to stop me from demonstrating the love of God. While in my chains, I want to see You working in people's lives. You are the best!

Jeff

Laboring Fervently in Prayer

Scripture:

Colossians 4:12 "Epaphras, who is one of you, a bond servant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God".

Observation:

At the end of Colossians, Paul is sending greetings to and from people and includes this simple statement about a man named Epaphras. It says of this man that he was "always laboring fervently for you in prayers". He wanted so badly to see God's people stand perfect and complete in him that he prayed fervently for it. It is one thing when Paul says something like this about himself, but when he says it about someone else, it must be a behavior he has seen many times.

Application:

I am convicted by this statement because I see a man that wants so badly to see God's people mature and complete that he labors fervently in prayer for it. To labor fervently in prayer is to pray "red hot" prayers and labor is work. I need to pray stronger prayers for the people I lead out of such a desire that they be complete in Christ. Recently, God has been asking me to pray stronger for His people to be "whole". I must step up to the plate and pray more fervently for God's people.

Prayer:

Father, don't let this verse slip away from me. Let it be said of me that he labored in fervent prayer for the people of Word of Life. Help me to pray red hot prayers for those You have entrusted to me. Teach me to intercede for them more effectively. Let them be whole and complete, lacking nothing.

Amen,
Jeff

The Power of the Cross

Scripture:

Colossians 2:15 "Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it".

Observation:

Paul is in the middle of a discourse about baptism and our position in Christ when he comes out with this statement. He is talking about what Christ did through His death, burial and resurrection and connecting us to that through baptism and Him living in us, the hope of Glory. To disarm means to take away from an enemies arsenal. Through Christ's death, burial and resurrection, the spiritual forces of the enemy have been disarmed and Chris triumphed over all of them, therefore since Christ is in us, we have triumph over our enemy.

Application:

The power of the cross is amazing, but we must begin to really believe what Paul is saying here. As we identify with Christ, we have victory over the enemy and all his forces. Not in and of ourselves, but through Christ, we can walk in victory in this world. The power of the cross has already defeated our enemy, yet until we have this revelation, we remain constantly beat up by him.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for speaking to me this morning. You are amazing! Thank you for helping me see the power of the cross over the enemy of my soul. Now help me retrain my brain to think right about my enemy being disarmed. Let me not give satan more credit than he is due and let me see more the awesome power of my God.

Yours,

Jeff

Be Anxious for Nothing

Scripture:

Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God".

Observation:

God doesn't like to see His children all stressed out over life. He wants to remove anxiety from our lives, but we need to follow His prescription. Many times in His word, He tells us not to worry or allow anxiety to control our lives. Here He tells us how to get rid of it. He says that by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving we can make our request known to Him.

Application:

Sometimes, the first place we should go for help, is the last place we run to. God's desire is to be our support, strength and help. He wants us to depend on Him and to trust Him, but we are accustomed to facing life on our own so we try to handle everything ourselves, then come to God when it doesn't work. The best way is to come to God first and foremost in prayer and supplication, make our requests known, then let God work while we relax.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to come to You first when problems arise. Teach me to seek "first" Your kingdom and righteousness. Help me to come to You before I am full of anxiety and need a miracle. You are my rock and my strength. You are my deliverer! I love you Lord.

Jeff

Renewed

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:23 "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind".

Observation:

Paul tells the Ephesians that they should put off the old man and put on the new man. The way to do it is by being renewed in the spirit of your mind. Romans says that we are transformed by the renewing of the mind. We have been trained by this world system to think in certain ways. As a child of God, we must begin to think differently, then we will live differently.

Application:

Stinkin thinkin never got anyone anywhere! To really grow in the Lord, we must be renewed in the way we think. WE must begin to think like our Father thinks. We must train our brain to think right, then we will act right, live right and be right. It all starts with a change of mind. I want to dwell on the word of God and live as it says I can. I want to truly have the mind of Christ in every situation.

Prayer:

Lord, help me retrain my brain to think, act, and react as You would. I want to be more like You. Let Your word determine the path of my life and the direction of my steps. May I think the thoughts You want me to. Help me to focus on what your word says about about me instead of how I feel at the time. I want to walk by faith, not by sight.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Created for Good Works

Scripture:

Ephesians 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them".

Observation:

As Paul is beginning a letter to the Ephesians he tells them that they are the workmanship of Christ, who created them for good works. These good works were prepared beforehand by God that we should walk in them. From this I see that God has a plan for my life and that part of that plan is good works. He knew who would be near me each day and prepared good works for me to do before I was even born.

Application:

Have I missed out on many of the good works that God had prepared for me to do? How many times was His plan for me to reach out to someone in need and I just walked by because I was too busy? God created good works specifically for me to do. They are part of His plan for my life. I must be sensitive to the voice of the Lord each day and do what I feel He leads me to do. These good works are like anything else in the Christian life. He prepares them, but we must be obedient and walk in them.

Prayer:

Lord, I don't want any of the good works You have prepared for me be unfinished. I want to complete every assignment you have given me. Help me hear Your voice clearer and understand you more. Teach me to be obedient and to realize that if I am not, then someone is being robbed of a good work that you created me to do. Let me miss no more opportunities to bless someone.

Your Son,
Jeff

His Desire is Towards Me

Scripture:

Song of Songs 7:10 "I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me."

Observation:

Once again, this poem describes the love between a man and a woman. In it's verses I find simple nuggets of truth that are also true about my relationship with Christ who is my bridegroom. This woman realized that she was loved and knew her lovers desire and affection was toward her. She knew she was first place in his life and that he wanted to be with her.

Application:

The word of God tells us many times that God loves us and desires relationship with us. We know that He loves us as a fact, but don't really feel it in our heart. Most of us would struggle to say "his desire is toward me". I remember hearing Jesse Duplantis telling how much God loves him. As he spoke of how much God loves Jesse, I got jealous of his relationship with God. What he knew in his head had dropped into his heart. Many of us try to impress God to get Him to love us more, but He loves us already and His desire is toward us.

Prayer:

Father, Your word says that nothing shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God. It tells us over and over how much You love us. I want to know You intimately. I want my knowledge of Your love to move deep into my heart. I want to be able to say with confidence "his desire is toward me". Thank You for your love. Let it grow in my heart every day and let me love otters that way you love me.

Jeff

The Heart of a God-Seeker

Scripture:

Song of Songs 5:2 "I sleep, but my heart is awake; It is the voice of my beloved!"

Observation:

The Shulamite is longing for her lover and describes it by saying, I sleep, but my heart is awake; it is the voice of my beloved. She is able to get rest, but she is easily awakened at the sound of the voice of her lover. Her body sleeps, but her heart never sleeps. She is in love!

Application:

I remember different times in my life when this was to be said of my relationship with God. I would go to sleep seeking God and would rest physically, but be easily awakened spiritually as God would speak and I would get back up to pray. I longed for the voice of the Lord and my heart never slept because I was in love and wanted to hear my Father's voice. I am getting hungry again and sense another time like that on the horizon. I want to hear from my Lord. I long for His voice to lead me.

Prayer:

Father, I want to hear your voice and know You better each day. I want to run after You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Lately I have been really tired and just want to sleep. Help me get my physical rest so I can handle the light sleep of the night, when you awaken me to speak to me. Wake me up and speak to me in my sleep. I want to hear Your voice more clearly than ever. Speak to me Lord.

I Love You,
Jeff

Seeking God

Scripture:

Song of Songs 3:2 "'I will rise now', I said, 'and go about the city; In the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love'. I sought him, but I did not find him".

Observation:

Song of Songs is a beautiful story of romantic love between young lovers. In the story we see how they relate to each other and some of the feelings that lover feel for each other. In this verse we see the bride seeking after the bridegroom with all her heart. In the New Testament we are called the Bride of Christ and He is our bridegroom.

Application:

Jesus is worth pursuing with all your heart. Song of songs is a story about a couple, but when we see ourselves as the bride of Christ, we can extract things from the story that should apply to us. This woman in the story was willing to get up, go into the city streets and look for her lover. She was seeking him. She laid everything else aside and began to seek him. I want to seek Jesus like that. I want to go after Him with all my heart, soul mind and strength. I want to rise up and seek His face with more love than ever.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to know You more and more. I seek You this morning as a lover seeks her love. I want to grow in my love for You and become all You want me to be. Help me be a God-seeker. I want to hear Your voice whisper to me and direct me. I want to see what You are doing and be part of it. I want to feel Your presence throughout the day. Walk with me I pray and talk to me today.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Way of the Wise

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 10:10 "If the axe is dull, And one does not sharpen the edge, Then he must use more strength; But wisdom brings success".

Observation:

Ecclesiastes is a book that analyzes the ways of man. It shows what ways are folly and what ways are beneficial. Here, the author demonstrates wisdom by saying that a dull axe works, buts makes the work harder. With a sharp axe, you don't have to work as hard. It pays to take the time to sharpen the axe and use wisdom.

Application:

I am definitely one for swinging a dull axe really hard and for a long time. I don't like to break from the work to sharpen tools, even though sharpening them will cause production to move faster. I tend to be a workhorse who just keeps plowing and doesn't take a break to make things easier. I need to slow down, think and use wisdom instead of just pressing harder in some areas of my life.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to work smarter instead of harder. Help me to understand the ways of the wise. I want to build a house with wisdom and understanding. Speak to my heart daily and help me in this area I pray. Forgive me for working harder instead of smarter and asking Your insight more. I want to learn to lean on You more!

Your Son,
Jeff

A Time for Everything

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven".

Observation:

Ecclesiastes starts out with such a negative thought. It basically says everything is vanity, useless, and meaningless, therefore, why work so hard? It's like the author, after years of struggling to accomplish many things, realizes that he will die and those things will go to someone who may not appreciate them. Finally, after two chapters of dwelling on this, he realizes that there are times and seasons for everything. Seasons change, times change, everything changes given time. Everything has a season and a purpose.

Application:

We should always be hard workers and diligent people, but sometimes even when we work hard and live diligent lives, things don't happen when we want them to. Sometimes life throws us a curve ball we weren't expecting and we have to endure a season we didn't expect. The good thing about seasons is that if you hold on long enough, seasons will change. Likewise, if you hold on long enough, life's stuff will change as well. Nothing stays the same forever! There is a purpose for the season I am in. I must learn from that purpose and know that a new season will come.

Prayer:

Father, when things don't seem to happen on my personal timeline, please help me realize that there are times and purposes in God that I have no control over. Teach me to be patient and have faith when things are not what I want them to be. Your word says that through faith and patience we inherit the promises. Thank You for reminding me that everything has a season and that I don't have to rush anything.

Your Son,

Jeff

Filthy and Don't Know it

Scripture:

Proverbs 30:12 "There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes, yet is not washed from its own filthiness".

Observation:

The author here makes a powerful statement that is so true and that I believe is true of many in my generation. There are many today who truly feel they are right with God and that they are pure, yet they are purely wrong and don't know it. They hear the Word of God and are not convicted in their hearts of their continual lifestyle of sin. The don't realize they are not washed and clean, yet honestly think they are tight with the Lord and are doing great.

Application:

We can never allow ourselves to become pure in our own eyes, The only way to do this is to compare ourselves, not with others, but with the Word of God and the Son of God. These are our guidelines. Man has a tendency to think he is good. We need a standard to compare to, which is the Word of God. When we realize our shortcomings, we should be quick to realize it and repent of wrong. We need to walk in humility and have a teachable spirit. We don't want to get into legalism, but do want a life that is clean before the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk a life of humility and true purity before You. Help me to not be pure in my own eyes, but in Your eyes. Let my life shine for You. I don't want to stand before you one day and You say, "you thought you were pure, but really you were filthy". I want to walk in purity and power in this life. Move by Your Spirit. Build Your Kingdom in this region. Grow Your church!

Yours,
Jeff

It's a Matter of the Heart

Scripture:

Proverbs 27:19 "As in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals a man".

Observation:

Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Here Solomon tells us that a man's heart reveals a man. If you want to know what is on a man's heart, simply stay around him a little while and he will reveal it through his mouth. Water can reflect an image, but the heart reveals the person. When there is joy in the heart, it will show on the face. When there is peace in the heart, it will show on the face. When there is much strife, it will show on the face. What is in our heart comes out on our faces and in our words.

Application:

Instead of trying to fix the outside and stop certain things, it is best to change the inside, which will affect the outside in due time. Many times we try so hard to have a right attitude and we simply need to have a right heart and the attitude will change. The heart makes the difference and is powerful. We need God to do a work in our hearts that will show in our speech and in our lifestyle.

Prayer:

Father, I love You and want to take a minute to praise You. You have blessed my life immensely and I appreciate it. Thank You for letting me serve You. Help me to do it with diligence and strength. I also ask that You would help me to have a pure heart. Let me have a heart that seeks after only You and that trusts You completely. My heart will reflect what is inside. Let my heart express the goodness of God.

Yours,
Jeff

Exceling at Work

Scripture:

Proverbs 22:29 "Do you see a man who excels at his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men".

Observation:

God wants His children to excel in life. He wants us to be the best at what we do, no matter what the field is. When you see someone who really excels in their work, God will raise them up and they will do their work for those who are in places of power. If you are a master of what you do, people will find out and seek for you to do their work. Excelling in any area will open doors from excellent people.

Application:

No matter what we do, we should do it with all our might. We should work with diligence and excellence. If you are a technician, a salesman, or an engineer, excel in it and watch the Lord raise you up. Be the best in your field and watch how your work will be sought out by those above you. Doing a great job with a great attitude is the key to staying employed and prospering in a recession.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to excel in every area of my life. Help me become an excellent pastor and teacher. I give You my life and ministry and ask You to bless it and help me get better at what I do. Be glorified in my life and let my preaching never be average. Let me walk with the excellent.

Your Son,

Jeff

Humility and Honor

Scripture:

Proverbs 15:33 "The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor".

Observation:

Humility is one of the greatest characteristics of someone who is allowing God to really work in their lives. Scripture tells us many times to humble ourselves under God's mighty hand and He will raise us up. Here it tells us that humility comes before honor.

Application:

When we raise ourselves up, God will put us down. When we humble ourselves, God will raise us up. The second sounds much better to me. We live in a very self-reliant and proud culture that teaches us to fight for what is ours and lift ourselves up and make a place for ourselves. God's kingdom is opposite of the thinking of this world! He wants us to depend on Him and trust Him with our entire lives. He wants us to realize we are nothing and He is everything. When we get this, He will raise us up and bring honor to us. We must move from self-promotion to working hard and trusting God for the increase.

Prayer:

Father, be the center of my universe. Let my life become a life that honors You completely. Teach me humility and school me in becoming a man of God who is humble, yet valiant. You are amazing, help me to trust You and seek You more.

I Love You,

Jeff

Finding Life

Scripture:

Proverbs 8:35 "For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord".

Observation:

Proverbs 8 is talking about wisdom and gives many references to gaining wisdom and not having wisdom. This one tells us that whoever finds wisdom finds life and receives favor from the Lord. In finding wisdom, you find life and God's favor. What better is there to seek for than life and favor from God? When you have those two, you have amazing benefits.

Application:

The application is simply seeking wisdom as a precious jewel. Wisdom comes from experience and living life. In order to find wisdom, one must do one of two things: 1. experience a lot of things. 2. Seek out the advice of those who have more experience. The second is a much easier way to live! I want to be wise and live life to the fullest as well as have the favor of God on my life, therefore I must seek out wisdom.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to seek out wisdom. Help me to continually seek it out, that I may be wise and lead myself, me family and my church with wisdom and confidence. I want to live a life "well-lived" and with much wisdom. I want your favor on my life. Teach me wisdom and help me to seek out the wise.

Your Son,

Jeff