Worship and Thanksgiving

Scripture:

I Chronicles 16:4  "He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord, to extol, thank, and praise the Lord, the God of Israel:"

Observation:

David wanted the presence of God to be with him and the people of Israel.  He brought the Ark, the presence of God, and placed it in a tent where worship could go on 24 hours per day before the Ark.  He appointed people to minister before the Ark 24/7 and their job was to "extol, thank, and praise the Lord".  This seems like a huge expression to say "thank you", but David knew it was the right thing to do.

Application:

In David's tabernacle, there was continuous praise, thanksgiving and worship going on 24 hours per day.  This shows how much God loves to be praised and how He responds to praise.  David was the greatest King in Israel's history and the key to his success is found in this verse.  He knew that it was God who fought his battles and He gave God the position of honor that He deserved.  We must do the same.  We must become people of worship who find every reason to thank God for the things He has done.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to be a worshipper 24/7.  Let me not be a complainer, but a praiser.  You are amazing and I want my life to bring You praise.  You are worthy of the highest praise and honor.  You have done so much in my life and helped me so many times.  You are good and I love You!

Jeff

So the Earth May Know

Scripture:

II Kings 19:19 "Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, Lord, are God".

Observation:

Hezekiah was told that the Assyrians were coming to destroy Judah.  Sennacherib taunted the God of Israel and said that other countries had trusted their gods and Judah was no different.  He said that no god could stop his army and Hezekiah knew exactly how to pray in this situation.  He did not just pray for victory, but, in that victory that the world would see that God is Lord of all the earth.  He prayed for victory, not so he could be seen as a great leader, but that the world may see the awesomeness of the God of Judah.

Application:

Many times our prayers are only for our needs and have nothing to do with bringing God glory.  We give Him our list of what we need done and then get upset when He doesn't do everything we said.  What if our prayers became focused on Him?  What if our heart wanted prayers to be answered, not for our convenience, but for God's name to be glorified?  When praying for land for our church, we should pray that God gives us an incredible piece of land, not so that we look good, but that He looks good.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to pray prayers that will bring you glory and not just selfish prayers.  I want to see Your name lifted up and for people to see Your power undeniably.  Show Your self strong in my life, my church and ministry so that the earth may know that there is a God in heaven.  Let our church bring you praise and be a testimony to the world that our God is awesome.

Yours,
Jeff

Partial Conversion

Scripture:

II Kings 17:33 "They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought".

Observation:

As God's people were being re-settled into the land of Samaria, they wanted to worship the God of their forefathers, but also wanted to serve the gods they had learned about in other lands.  They wanted to serve God, but also wanted to serve other gods at the same time.  God had said in His covenant with them that they were to have no other gods in their lives, yet they thought they could.

Application:

I see many people today that want to serve God, yet also want to hold onto the way they have always lived their lives before.  When we come to God, we must come to Him completely and allow His reign and rule in our lives.  What He says, goes!  We cannot serve God and ourselves.  We cannot serve God and other gods.  If we are to follow Him, we cannot have anything in our lives that competes with Him.  Partial conversion never works.  We must completely surrender to the Lord and His ways.

Prayer:

Father, I want to serve You as You want to be served.  I want to be completely Yours.  I want to serve You well and not serve others gods or myself.  I want You on the throne of my life.  Help me to look to You for all the answers in my life and not to self or any other thing.

Yours,
Jeff

Finish the Job

Scripture:

II Kings 15:34-35  "He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done.  The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there".

Observation:

Many of the kings of Israel and Judah had the same epitath as Jotham did in this passage.  It seems that they would do right in God's eyes, but never finish the job be removing the places where people in their country worshiped other gods.  God would have good words to say about them, then would say, "however", or , "but", they didn't remove the high places where other gods were worshiped.

Application:

When we come to God, we must give over every place of our hearts and lives to Him.  We need to give no place to the enemy.  God wants us to be completely His and wants us to remove everything of the enemy in our lives.  We must finish the job and not become satisfied that a  little sin in our lives is okay because God is still blessing me.  We can have no high places that are given over to our enemy.

Prayer:

Father God, You are amazing and deserve our very best.  Show me every area of my life that needs to be changed.  Help me to be more like You in every area of my life.  I want to live a life of complete submission to Your will and plans for me.

Yours,
Jeff

Simple Obedience

Scripture:

II Kings 5:13  "Naaman's servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?  How much more then, when he tells you 'Wash and be cleansed'".

Observation:

Naaman had some good help.  He had gotten leprosy and wanted to be cleased.  Elisha instructed him to dip seven times in the Jordan river and he would be cleansed from it.  Naaman was basically telling his servants that this didn't make sense and that there were much better rivers to dip into.  The servants say to him, "if the prophet would have told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it?"

Application:

Sometimes we don't want to obey God in every little detail.  We basically feel like Naaman that what He is asking doesn't make sense.  Rather than listening and obeying, we try to rationalize it and make sense of it.  We even give God lots of ideas about how He could fix the situation in some other way.  Simple obedience to God is the hardest thing to do, especially when God doesn't make sense, but it will lead to a life of the miraculous power of God being demonstrated through our obedience.

Prayer:

Lord, You are amazing!  Help me to learn to obey quickly and simply.  Help me stop trying to rationalize whether I think this is the right thing to do and simply obey Your voice.  As usual, I ask you again to let me hear Your voice clearer each day.  I want You to speak to me and I want my ears open to hear at all times.

Yours,

Jeff

The Word of the Lord is With Him

Scripture:

II Kings 3:12 "Jehoshaphat said, 'The word of the Lord is with him.'  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him".

Observation:

Three kings were talking together about battle plans against Moab.  They wanted to inquire of the Lord what they were to do so they asked each other if there was a man of God around who they could speak with.  Jehoshaphat says about Elisha that "the word of the Lord is with him".  These guys knew that Elisha was a man of God who would be able to give them a word from God.  He had a good reputation for hearing the word of the Lord.

Application:

When someone needs a word from God, are they looking to me?  When needs arise in my city, are the leaders looking to me to bring them a word from God?  I want to be a man of God who is trustworthy and accurate concerning prophetic words.  Today, we all have access to the presence of God and the "word of the Lord" should be with all of us.

Prayer:

Father, I want "the word of the Lord" to be with me.  I want to hear Your voice clearer than ever before.  I want to know your heart, your will and your desires concerning every area of life, ministry, marketplace, etc.  Let my ears be attuned to your voice as the prophet Elisha.

Yours,
Jeff

Set an Example

Scripture:

Titus 2:6-8  "In everything set them an example by doing what is good.  In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us".

Observation:

Paul is writing to Titus and talking to him about leading a church.  In this portion of the letter, he tells Titus to "set an example" in everything by doing what is good.  Paul was telling Titus that our lives are examples for people to look at.  He says that in doing this, even those who oppose you will be ashamed because they will have nothing bad to say about you.

Application:

As a minister of the Gospel, my speaking needs to be sound and my life needs to follow.  This way people will have nothing to say negative about our ministry.  I need to set the example to my church of being a man of God in every area of life.  We should live our lives in such a way that nobody can have anything bad to say against us.  People love to talk about ministers messing up, we can't give them reason to doubt.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be the man of God you want me to be.  Let me live a life that causes people to respect You.  Help me to set an example to those around me that You are an awesome God.  Let my life be effective in reflecting You.

Your Son,

Jeff

Only What the Lord Tells Me

Scripture:

I Kings 22:14 "But Micaiah said, 'As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me'".

Observation:

Micaiah is a true prophet of the Lord.  One of the signs of a true man of God is that he will speak only what the Lord gives him and not out of his own spirit.  Many prophets were speaking to the king, but this man determined he would only say what the Lord was saying.

Application:

Many times we council and give advice out of our own wisdom and years of experience.  These are wonderful and help others in wonderful ways, but we also need a prophetic voice in our lives that speaks only what God is saying and not what seems to be a good idea.  This also makes me want to be that person who speaks only what the Lord says.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, Your word is powerful and true.  Your words are life!  Thank you for Your word, the Bible.  It is awesome and I love it, but I also want to hear your voice in the particulars of life.  In the decisions I make, I want to hear Your voice.  I want to speak what You want me to speak.  I offer you my mouth and ask you to fill it with words from You for whoever I speak to.

Yours,
Jeff

Disobedience

Scripture:

I Kings 20:42 "He said to the king, 'This is what the Lord says; You have set free a man I had determined to die.  Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.'"

Observation:

Disobedience affects so many people around us, especially if we are in a place of leadership.  Leaders have to make decisions all the time.  If a leader makes wrong decision, it affects everyone under them.  When leaders disobey the Lord, the consequences are greater because it affects everyone.  Here Ahab disobeyed the Lord and his people would be conquered because of it.

Application:

Every decision we make affects others.  In Christian leadership, the decisions we make are crucial and we must seek God before we rashly make decisions.  The wrong decision can have devastating results in the lives of those around us.  God has given us His Spirit to lead us into all truth.  We must seek His council before making decisions.

Prayer:

Lord, let me make right decisions that honor and please You and are in alignment with Your plans and purposes for my life and my family.  Help me not to do what is right in my own eyes, but what the Lord says to do.  I want to obey You fully and completely.  Help me to live this way.

Yours,
Jeff

Relationship with God

Scripture:

I Kings 10:1  "When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions".

Observation:

In the beginning, Solomon walked with God like his father David.  God blessed Solomon and made him the wisest and richest king in history.  He had amazing wisdom and incredible wealth, both of these came from God and people knew it.  This verse speaks of the queen of Sheba coming to Solomon to see his fame and his relationship to the Lord. 

Application:

People came from all over to see Solomon's wisdom and wealth, but also to see his relationship with the Lord.  God wants our relationship with Him to cause others to want to check it out.  Our relationship with God should cause others to be jealous.  Just as Solomon was known around the world for his relationship with God, our lives should bring God glory every day.  May our relationship with God cause others to be jealous.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to know You more.  I want a relationship with You that is evident and apparent to everyone, sinner and saint alike.  I want to walk with you and to reflect You well to my generation.  Help me know You more each day.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

All the Peoples of the Earth

Scripture:

I Kings 8:43 "then hear from heaven, your dwelling place.  Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear you, as do Your own people Israel"

Observation:

Solomon is praying at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem when he prays this part of the prayer.  Here you can see the love of God for all the people of the earth and not just Israel.  Solomon didn't only ask God to bless Israel, but he wanted to see God's name and power be known in all the earth.  He was asking God to answer the prayers of the gentiles at the Temple, so that they may know Him.

Application:

World Missions has been on God's heart from the beginning.  He wants all men to know Him and He wants to rescue all from the power of the enemy.  Solomon wanted God to answer the prayers of those on the outside so that they may see how awesome He is.  We should pray prayers like these if we truly want to see the name of the Lord glorified in all the earth.

Prayer:

Father, answer the prayers of Your people.  Also answer the prayers of those who don't know You yet, so that they may know You and see Your awesome power.  May Your name be feared throughout the entire earth.  You are awesome!  Help me spread Your name throughout the entire world in my generation.

Yours,

Jeff

Wisdom and Understanding from God

Scripture:

I Kings 4:29  "God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore".

Observation:

Solomon had asked the Lord for wisdom to lead God's people and the Lord provided.  Here Solomon's wisdom is talked about and we see just how wise he became.  First I observe that it came from the Lord, not self teaching.  Second I observe that his understanding was measureless.  Understanding is incredibly important in our lives and we need to ask for it more often.

Application:

James said that is anyone lacked wisdom we should ask God who gives it liberally and doesn't withhold it.  Solomon asked God for wisdom and he was granted incredible wisdom and understanding.  Human wisdom is good but God's wisdom is incredible.  Human understanding is good, but God's understanding is amazing.  We must seek God ad allow Him to fill our lives with wisdom and understanding.

Prayer:

Lord, fill me up with wisdom and understanding that I may make wise choices and be a person of great understanding.  Teach me Your ways and help me to understand people better so that I can be effective in relating to them.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

A Real Father's Last Words

Scripture:

II Kings 2:2-3  "'I am about to go the way of all the earth,' he said.  'So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to Him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws, and regulations, as they are written in the Law of Moses.  Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go'".

Observation:

David is nearing the end of his life and he speaks to his son Solomon who would become king in his place.  He knows he is going to die soon, so he gives him the strongest advice he can give him.  He tells his son to follow God's ways, laws regulations, etc so that he can prosper in every thing and everywhere.  David understood the link between obedience to God and the blessing of God.  He wanted the best for his son and knew how to get it.

Application:

As a father, I want to hand off a spiritual heritage like David did.  I want my sons to see the blessing of God on my life and I want to help them walk in the same way.  David knew if Solomon worked on his relationship with God, everything in his kingdom would be fine.  I want my sons to succeed and I realize that obedience to God is the most important thing in their lives.  Colleges, career paths, etc. are in the hands of God.  Help me guide my sons well.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to leave a spiritual legacy to my sons.  I want to help connect them well with You that You may guide them throughout their lives when I am no longer around.  Show me Father, that I might show them.

Yours,
Jeff

Last Days People

Scripture:

II Timothy 3:5 "They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.  Stay away from people like that!"

Observation:

Paul is telling Timothy about the last days and what to expect as the last days come.  The previous verses give an incredibly accurate description of life in 2012.  It is amazing to see Paul describe today with precision accuracy and know that it was written almost 2000 years ago.  At the end of his description of them he says, "they will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly".

Application:

This generation acts religious, yet denies the power to make them godly.  We need the power of God in our lives every day.  It seems the church today wants just enough of God to get out of hell, but not enough to change our lives.  We have a group of religious church goers, who don't live they way God wants them to.  Paul told Timothy to stay away from these type people.  The end is near, we must endure and hold onto the truth in a generation that doesn't want it.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to live out my life in a way that pleases you and that is not simply "religious".  I want to be real through and through.  Help me to walk in your life transforming power every day.  Help me never deny you or your power, but to lean upon it more and more as the end approaches.

Your Son,
Jeff

A Father's Heart

Scripture:

II Samuel 18:33 "The king was shaken.  He went up to the room over the gateway and wept.  As he went, he said: 'O my son Absalom!  My son, mt son Absalom!  If only I had died instead of you - O Absalom, my son, my son!'"

Observation:

Absalom, David's son, had been trying to take over the kingdom from his father.  He spent much time winning the hearts of the people by pointing out everything wrong in the kingdom of his father.  David was a great king, but his very own son wanted the kingdom.  Eventually Absalom took the men of Israel on a manhunt to kill David and take the kingdom.  In this manhunt Absalom is killed and David's life is preserved.  David hears the news of his son's death and goes into deep grieving.  He is grieving over the son who was trying to kill him.

Application:

A father's heart would rather die than to see their son die.  David loved a son who was betraying him.  He would not rejoice in his son's death, even though his son had betrayed him.  Only God can put that kind of love in a person.  Though I don't like this story, it does show me the heart of a father who always wants what's best for his children and doesn't want anything bad to happen to them.  If David loved a son who was trying to kill him, how much more does our heavenly father love us?

Prayer:

Lord, let me love how You love.  Teach me to be a lover of people who reflects You in all of my life.  As I said in my prayer walk this morning, make me a soul winner today.  Help me to be sensitive to Your voice.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Banished

Scripture:

II Samuel 14:14 "Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die.  But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him".

Observation:

This woman from Tekoa was sent by Joab, the king's closest friend and confidant, to deliver a message that would cause David to take Absalom back.  Absalom had spent over three years banished from the kingdom for killing Amnon and Joab felt David needed to let him come back home.  In her speaking to David, the woman from Tekoa says, "God.. devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him".

Application:

God loves us and doesn't want us to be banished from Him.  It is not His desire for any of us to be separated from Him.  He devises ways to get the banished back home where they belong.  In seeing this trait of God, I need to see others the same way.  If God is always trying to get the banished back, I must have the same ideals.  Restoration of relationship is always at the heart of God and should be in our hearts as well.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to have Your heart that welcomes the banished back home and actually devises plans so they don't remain banished.  Help me to love those who have hurt me and to welcome them into my life.  Teach me to love like You love and to desire what You desire.  You are amazing!  Help me be more like You today.

Your Son,
Jeff

A Time for Rest and a Time for War

Scripture:

II Samuel 11:1 "In the Spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army.  They destroyed the Ammonites and beseiged Rabbah.  But David remained in Jerusalem."

Observation:

This is how the familiar story of Davd and Bathsheeba begins.  It was the Spring time when kings went out to war, but this Spring, David decided to let his troops go and he stayed home.  While he was home and his troops were fighting hard against their enemies, he noticed Bathsheeba, sent for her and had sexual relations with her.  When David should have been on the battlefield, he was home.  When he was inactive, his mind raced with other ways to have some excitement.  This choice to relax when he should have been in battle caused him terrible consequences.

Application:

Rest is good and very necessary.  If I have ever felt like I need rest it is now, but rest is different than inactivity.  David was not doing what he should have been doing and in doing this, he opened the door to the enemy in his personal life.  There is a time for rest and an time for war.  This was the time for war and David was inactive in his calling as king.  We must be able to understand the times and seasons.  We want to rest at the the right time and fight at the right time.  This way our inactivity will not brnig about bad results.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are faithful and good to your people.  Teach me to know the times and seasons.  Give me strength to fight when it's time to fight and rest when it's time to rest.  Teach me to stay focused on the main thing, so that other things don't distract my attention.  I want my life to please you.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

The Blessing of the Lord

Scripture:

II Samuel 7:29  "Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever".

Observation:

God had just spoken to David through Nathan the prophet about the blessing of God coming on David's generations.  When David hears it, he goes into prayer and is speaking with the Lord when he asked God to bless his house.  David knew, and said it near the end, that if God would bless his house, it would be blessed forever.  David understood the blessing of God and wanted it badly on his family.

Application:

A few years ago "The Prayer of Jabez" became very popular.  It was simply a prayer doing exactly what David did hear, asking God to bless them.  The blessing of God is a powerful thing in the lives of His people.  Men of God in the bible understood this and strongly desired God's blessing.  Today, we must begin to desire the blessing of God to be on our lives and families.

Prayer:

Father, bless my family!  Bless Cheryl and my boys.  May your hand of favor be upon our lives and may we complete everything for which we were born.  May the lives of my family bring You glory!  Bless my life I pray.  Help me to walk as You would like and let Yoru blessings flow.

Yours,
Jeff

No Fault in Him

Scripture:

I Samuel 29:3b "He has already been with me for  over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him".

Observation:

David was prepared to go to battle with Achish of the Philistines.  He had been fleeing from Saul for a long time and took a rest in his enemies region.  Even as a man living in his enemy's territory after being anointed king of Israel, King Achish basically says that he trustes David to go and fight with them because he has found no fault in him for a year.  David had a reputation of honesty and truth, even from his enemies.

Application:

Just as David became a man of truth, even when he was being treated totally unfairly, we need to be people of truth and integrity.  People should be able to trust us completely.  Our actions, in good times and in bad times, should cause people to trust us.  Our lives are open books, people should read about truth in them.  When our enemies see us, may they say, "I have found no fault in him".  May our reputation be like David's.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, thank you for speaking to me this morning.  You are amazing and I appreciate you!  Help me to live a life of integrity and character so that, even those who don't like me, can never question my walk with You.  Help my life to speak out like David's.  I want to be a pure reflection of You.

Yours,
Jeff

The Lord's Anointed

Scripture:

I Samuel 26:11 "But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord's anointed.  Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let's go".

Observation:

Saul, the king anointed by God through the prophet Samuel, was chasing David for a long time wanting to kill him.  At this point David came into Saul's camp at night while everyone was asleep and Abishai, David's servant wanted to kill him and get revenge.  David stops Abishai and tells him that he should not lay a hand on the Lord's anointed.  I see here that David remained submissive to God's will, even when God's choice for a king was trying to kill him.

Application:

What God has ordered, we need to submit to.  If God has a person in a position of authority, we need to treat it as David did.  He wasn't going to let Saul kill him, but he also wasn't going to try to destroy Saul because he knew God had anointed Saul to be king at that time.  David did not want to interfere with the hand of God working.  He trusted God and we must do the same.  If we really believe that God orders our steps, we would treat our employers differently.  We would see them as God's oversight in our lives at this point.  We must come to the place where we trust God with our lives.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be submissive to your will and not take things into my own hands.  You are perfect and know what is best for me.  Help me take my battles to prayer instead of in my own hands.  You are trustworthy and you do take vengeance on Your enemies.  Help me trust You more, even in the things I don't understand.

Yours,
Jeff

The Lord Was With Him

Scripture:

I Samuel 18:14 "In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him".

Observation:

I see here a clear cconnection between David's extreme success and the fact that the Lord was with him.  David had been anointed by Samuel and from that time the Spirit of the Lord was upon him.  David was one of those people who had incredible success in every area of life.  The key was that the Lord was with him.  David was a seeker of God.  He was a man who was after God's heart.  He fully loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him well.

Application:

When the Lord is with you, you can expect great success.  As a child of God, I realize that the Lord is always with me.  He is always there and never leaves or forsakes us.  In David's life it says that the Lord was with him, which is why he had great success.  Success follows being a lover of God.  When you area a lover of God, He will fight your battles and order your steps.  He will make you prosperous and successful.  They key is that you can't love God just to get his blessing.  You must love Him for who He is and the blessing will follow.  This will be tested!

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I love you and want to walk with You as David walked.  I want to know You deeper and be who You want me to be.  Help me to serve You well.  I want my life to show the world that there is a God who loves His children and blesses them immensely.  I want to make You look good!

Love Always,
Jeff

So I Gave in to Them

Scripture:

I Samuel 15:24  "Then Saul said to Samuel, 'I have sinned.  I violated the Lord's command and your instructions.  I was afraid of the men, so I gave in to them'".

Observation:

Saul had been commanded by God to utterly destroy the Amalekites.  He decided to destroy alomist everything, but to save the best flock to bring back as an offering to God for His blessings and victory.  It seemed like a good thing to do and his men were apparently telling him it was a good idea, but it was not what God had asked of them.  In his explanation to Samuel about what had happened, Saul says he was afraid of the men so he gave in to them.

Application:

How many times do we give in to what we know is not God's best because we are afraid of man and what they might think about us?  Saul lost his kingdom because he didn't fully follow the Lord's commands.  He lost everything because of partial obedience and he even had a great explanation of how he was doing it for the Lord, in order to bring the best sacrifices and offering to the Lord.  The bottom line is that obedience brings blessing and disobedience brings disaster.  We must follow through on what the Lord asks us to do and not be afraid of man.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for Your word.  It speaks to me daily and empowers my life.  Help me to not give in on things I know I have heard from You.  Help me to finish the work you have for me with excellence and to fulfill Your desire for my life.  I surrender to You and Your will.  Strengthen me to follow it completely and not fear any person.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Rejecting God

Scripture:

I Samuel 10:19 "But you have now rejected your God, who saves you out of all your disasters and calamities.  And you have said, 'No, appoint a king over us.'  So now present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and clans".

Observation:

God is speaking through Samuel to Israel at this point.  He has just anointed Saul to be king because the people wanted a king like all of the other nations around them.  They wanted to be like everyone else.  Just one problem, God always wanted to be Israel's king.  He didn't want them to have another king besides Him, but because of their constant whining about wanting a king, He gave them one.  In desiring another king for their nation, God said that they were rejecting Him.

Application:

How many times do we reject God because we do things our own way instead of His?  How many times do we reject God by trying to figure everything out on our own instead of asking Him?  He desires to be our king still today, but we often reject Him by taking everything into our own hands and being our own king.  We often reject His leadership because we think we know better what we should do.  I don't want to reject God's leadership in my life any more.  I want to follow Him fully and completely.

Prayer:

Father, I know it is easier to say these things than it is to live them, but with Your help on this I know I can do it.  I want You to lead my life.  I don't want to continue rejecting You because I am not doing what You want.  Help me to follow You more closely than ever before in my life.  You are awesome and I love you.

Your Son,
Jeff

Guardian Redeemer

Scripture:

Ruth 4:14 "Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian redeemer.  May he become famous throughout Israel!"

Observation:

The women who were friends of Naomi were speaking about Boaz being her family guardian redeemer and how he has rescued her family's lives.  Naomi had felt before that God has forsaken her and left her alone with no way of being taken care of all her life.  Now Boaz is taking great care of her and she will be taken care of the rest of her life.

Application:

God is in control!  He loves us and will take care of us when we are committed to Him.  There will be times, like with Naomi, when we feel like He is not doing a good job taking care of us, but He is there and will never leave us or forsake us.  He is Good!!!  He always comes through, even when it feels like the last minute.

Prayer:

Lord, let me know you more.   Help me to trust You more in my life.  Teach me your ways and help me to grow in You more every day.  You are amazing.  You took care of Naomi and you still take care of us today.

Yours,

Jeff

So Your Daily Life Will Win Respect

Scripture:

I Thessalonians 4:11-12 "and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so you will not be dependent on anybody".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Thessalonians and is giving them practical things to do in following the Lord until He comes again.  He lets them know that Jesus is coming again, and also tells them how to live between now and then.  He tells us to live a quiet life, mind your own business and work hard so that our daily lives earn the respect of those around us.

Application:

Our daily lives need to be earning the respect of those around us.  They should look at our lives and not tell us what a great preacher we are, but how great of lives we live.  He tells us that quiet, peaceful lives earn respect from those around us.  We should have more peace than those unbelievers around us because the Prince of Peace lives in us.  May our every day lives earn the respect of those around us.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to live a quiet and peaceful life that brings you glory and earns the respect of the community around me.  I want my life to be a life well-lived.  Help me to have your attitude, thoughts and ways.  Teach me to walk closer with you, that I may reflect you in the simplest parts of my everyday life.

Your Son,

Jeff

May Your Love Increase

Scripture:

I Thessalonians 3:12 "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and everyone else, just as ours does for you".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Thessalonians and telling them how proud he is of them.  He tells them how he has heard about their love for each other and their faith.  He is like a proud daddy talking about his kids.  He says how proud he is of them, but then goes on to ask God to increase them even more in it.  He says, "May the Lord make your love increase and overflow".  This is powerful stuff!

Application:

Love God and love others are the two commands that make up the greatest commands according to Jesus.  God is love, therefore when we grow in God, we grow in love.  It can also be said that if we grow in love, we grow in God.  Love is the most god-like attribute we can exhibit to those around us.  When we get ahold on this four letter word, our world will be turned upside down and the kingdom of God will grow exponentially.  I want my love to increase and overflow more and more.

Prayer:

Father, help me love like you love.  Teach me your ways.  Show me how to love everyone better.  I want to increase in this area because I believe it is the godliest attribute we can have.  I want to be like my father who is love.

Yours,
Jeff

We Will Possess

Scripture:

Judges 11:24 "Will you not take what your god Chemosh gives you?  Likewise, whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess".

Observation:

Jephthah was a mighty warrior.  As he conquered the Amorites, they asked what right they had to take over the land.  He told them that whatever their god gave them, they should be able to keep, but whatever the Lord God of Israel gave His people, they should be able to possess.  His idea was, whichever god demonstrates in battle that he is stronger, should get the land.  I love his determination in that, if God gave you something, you need to possess it.

Application:

Jesus died to give us so much more than what we act like we possess.  I want to say with Jephthah, "whatever the Lord our God has given us, we will possess".  We must possess peace, joy, and love!  We must possess healing, deliverance, and walking in the power of the Spirit.  We must possess the blessings of our God.  He has given us so much, we need to possess everything He has paid such a high price to get us.  We are partakers of the divine nature.  We have access to God at any time.  We must possess it!

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to possess what I profess.  I want to live a remarkable life that shines forth for a remarkable God.  You have given me so much, help me to use it properly and to possess everything Jesus died to give to me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Exhausted, yet keeping up the pursuit

Scripture:

Judges 8:4  "Gideon and his three hundred men, exhausted yet keeping up the puruit, came to the Jordan and crossed it".

Observation:

Here I see Gideon and his warriors in puruit of their enemies.  They have been in battle for a while and are exhausted, but it says here that they were "keeping up the pursuit".  They continued to go after the enemy through their exhaustion and refused to quit or give up.

Application:

Sometimes in life there are battles that we face that exhaust us.  Those who win those battles are those who refuse to run, but rather keep up the pursuit until the enemy is vanquished and victory comes.  It is easy to run away when things get difficult.  When you have given all you have and fought with all your might, sometimes you have to "keep up the pursuit".  When God says you will have the victory, it will come if we don't faint.

Prayer:

Father God, You are worthy of all my praise!  Thanks for speaking to me this morning.  Help me to keep up the pursuit until the enemy is defeated.  Give me strength to keep on fighting until we see You will accomplished.  You are amazing.  Thanks for refreshing me today.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Am I Not Sending You?

Scripture:

Judges 6:14 "The Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand.  Am I not sending you?'"

Observation:

Gideon heard from the Lord that he was to rescue Israel from the Midianites.  He felt incapable, unpreprared and untrained for the task at hand.  The angel of the Lord said to him, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel".  The strength he had was nothing according to his own testimony, the but "Am I not sending you?'' makes all the difference in the world.  If God is sending you, He will give you what you need for the battle.

Application:

Hearing from the Lord is so crucial in our lives.  If we know He is sending us, we can have confidence, assurance, and strength because He is never defeated.  If He sends you, you will have victory.  When God sends, He gives that person everything they need to accomplish the mission.  He knows what He is doing and if He sends, He will make it work out for His glory.  When we can say that God has sent us, we have full assurance of victory no matter what the enemy throws at us.

Prayer:

Father, help me to remember that you have sent me.  When I feel weak, help me remember that You sent me to establish and build Your kingdom in this region.  You sent me here, now bring forth your victory in my life, my family, my church, and this region.

Yours,
Jeff

Drive out the enemies

Scripture:

Joshua 17:12 "but the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns.  They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there".

Observation:

The promised land that Joshua was allocating to the children of Israel was promised by God for them.  It is a type of salvation for us people on the other side of the cross.  God wanted His people to occupy all of this territory, but the people didn't think they could do what God was telling them to do so they settled for a partial territory with enemies that would torment them for many, many years.  God wanted the enemies driven out of the land.  When they were not driven out, they became a thorn in Israel's side.

Application:

Paul tells us to take off the old man and put on the new man.  There are parts of the old nature we need to kick out of our lives.  God has promised us the promise land of salvation, but we don't kick out some of the enemies in our lives and they become a thorn to us and we can never live in complete victory.  God wants us to walk in victory.  In order to do that, we need to take off the old man and put on the new.  We can't allow things of the enemy to hang around our lives.

Prayer:

Father God, teach me to walk in victory every day and every minute of the day.  I don't want any enemies hanging around in my life.  Cleanse me, purge me, make me clean and help me to possess all that You have purchased for me.  I want everything You died to give me.  I want to walk in the fulness of Your blessing without measure.

Your Son,
Jeff

But They Did Not Consult The Lord

Scripture:

Joshua 9:14 "So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord."

Observation:

God had told Israel that when they got into the Promised Land, they were to destroy every city and people group that lived there.  The people of Gibeon came to Joshua after a couple cities had been defeated by Israel asking for a peace treaty.  They acted like they had come a long way and told Joshua they had traveled far to get there, but they were lying and were actually very close.  God wanted Israel to be a Theocracy.  He wanted to lead them, but in this case, they made decisions without consulting Him.  This decision caused them problems from that day forward.

Application:

How many times in life we do what looks right without ever consulting with the Lord?  God wants to be the center of our lives.  He wants us to ask Him about the decisions we make.  Many times we do what seems to be the right thing, only to find out that God could have saved us a world of hurt if we had only asked His opinion about the matter.  God wants us to consult Him on everything in our lives.  In this is great blessing, yet we don't do it because we think we know better than God how to handle the issues of life.

Prayer:

Father, help me be a man that seeks You for every decision in life.  Help me not to function out of the knowledge of good and evil, but out of the tree of life.  I want to "consult the Lord" on every area of my life.  Help me to implement this better and forgive me for the many times I have acted without consulting You.

Your Son,
Jeff

Take an intetest in others

Scripture:

Philippians 2:4 "Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."

Observation:

Paul was writing to the Philippian church where apparently there was some strife and division.  He gives them some simple things to help promote unity in the body.  One of them is found here in this verse.  He tells them not to look out only for ther own interests, but to take an interest in others.  Selfishness brings division and selflessness brings unity.

Application:

Bringing unity in the body happens when people begin to take an interest in others instead of only thinking about what is good for them.  I must begin to do what others love to do instead of only doing what makes me feel good.  This tells the people around me that what they like is important to me.  When I give up what I like in order to make someone else happy, I am promoting unity and unity brings the blessing of God.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to do as Paul said, "as much as depends on you, be at peace with all men".  I want to live a life that brings unity instead of division and that truly honors others and lifts them up and makes them feel important.  Teach me to take an interest in others and learn what they are interested in.

Yours,
Jeff

The Eternal God is Your Refuge

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 33:27 "The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.  He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, 'Destroy them!'"

Observation:

Moses was close to the end of his life and he was speaking blessings on the tribes of Israel.  At the end off blessing each tribe, he tells them that there is no one like the God of Israel.  He lets them know that God is their refuge and that He would protect them and drive their enemies out before them.  Moses had such a relationship with God that he fully and completely trusted that God could and would do anything for His people.

Application:

We are the people of God today.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever!  He does not change.  He still wants to be our place of refuge.  A refuge is a safe place.  He wants to be a safe place we can go to when life seems to be getting too hard.  Beyond being a refuge, this verse tells us that He will hold us up with His everlasting arms.  His arms are large enough to hold us up when we feel like we are falling.  He not only wants to be a safe place, one who holds us up, but also one who defeats our enemies and drives them out.  May we learn to grasp these things and put them into our lives.

Prayer:

Father God, You truly are a good God!  Be my eternal refuge and help me trust that you will never let me fall anywhere except into Your loving and everlasting arms.  Help me get the fact that you are the fighter of all my battles and that You never lose.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Choose Life

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 30:15 "'Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster".

Observation:

The preceding chapters have been talking about how obedience to God's laws and statutes brings about a blessed life and how disobedience brings about curses and disaster.  At the end of this section, God tells them that they have a choice to make between life and death, between prosperity and disaster.  If you choose to obey God's law, then you get the blessings, if you choose not to obey the Lord, you get the curses.

Application:

If we want the blessing of God on our lives, which is absolutely incredible, we must do things His way.  He asks us and wants us to choose life, but if we don't, we will get the curses spoken about.  When we put God first and do what He wants, we can expect the blessing of God to overwhelm our lives, but when we live according to the flesh, we can expect things to be a mess.  We must choose obedience and life!

Prayer:

Lord, Help me to choose life instead of death.  I want to fully and completely obey You in every area of life.  I choose life and the way of obedience.  You are my God and I love and trust You with my life.  Let me see your hand of blessing on my life, my family and my church.

Yours,
Jeff

He Will Give You Victory

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 20:4  "For the Lord your God is going with you!  He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory!"

Observation:

God is speaking to His people and telling them that when they go into the promised land they will have awesome victory as long they are doing His will and following His ways.  They were to be able to subdue and city or people because He was going to be with them.  Their only problem came when they decided to follow other gods.  As long as they walked in obedience, they were guaranteed victory.  They didn't even have to fight the battle, God would fight it for them.

Application:

The promise to God's people here is amazing, the problem is that His promises are conditional.  He is with us!  He does fight our battles!  He does give us the victory!  As long as we walk in obedience to Him.  Following God is actually much simpler than people make it out to be.  When we do things His way, we can expect incredible blessing and victory.  When we do things our own way or worship other gods, we can expect defeat.  God's way is so much better, why do we ever try anything else.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty,  You are amazing!  You have given us Your word that says You will go with us wherever we go, you will fight our enemies and give us victory.  All we have to do is follow your will and obey your commands.  Help me to walk with You, listen to your voice, and see your belssings in my life.  I have some needs right now and I want to serve you completely, please fight my battles and let me see Your victory.

Your Son,

Jeff

Let Nobody Entice You

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 13:6..9 "Suppose someone secretly entices you - even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend - and says 'Let us go worship other gods'...Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them.  You must put them to death!"

Observation:

God wants no other gods before Him.  In this text we see how serious He is concerning this.  He says that if anyone even entices you to go worship other gods, the people of Israel were to put them to death for trying to entice them.  He says this even if it is your children, wife or best friend.  Anyone who entices you to worship another god, must be put to death.  Wow!  He is serious about having not other gods before Him.

Application:

We must take a deep look at this and see how important this is to God.  He wants there to be no others gods in our lives and He wants us to take this command seriously.  We may not bow down to some graven images in our homes, but there are plenty of things that have drawn us away from our pursuit of God.  There are things in our lives that have pushed God to the back place in our lives.   He wants to be first and foremost in our lives.  He wants to to be number one and wants us to have nothing in second.

Prayer:

Father, help me not to be drawn away by anything from you.  You are my life and helper  You are my strength!  You are my father and there is no one like You.  You are the source of my life!  You are my rock and the lifter of my head!  You are my everything.  All my hope is in You and not in myself.  All my trust is in you, help me to trust You more.  I want to truly be completely yours.

Your Son,
Jeff

He Cannot be Bribed

Scripture:

Deuteronomy 10:17 "For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords.  He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed".

Observation:

In this passage, the Lord is preparing His people to enter the promised land.  As they are preparing, He teaches them how He wants to be worshiped and gives them many instructions about how He wants them to live their lives.  He says of Himself, "who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed".  This tells me that God can do whatever He wants to do and is honest enough that He can't be bribed.

Application:

Most people would say that they would never bribe God, but many of our prayers of desparation are bribes.  When trouble strikes, God's people say things like, "If you will fix this problem, I will serve you everyday the rest of my life".  "If you will bless me with this job, I will tithe faithfully".  God doesn't want to be bribed and doesn't respond to bribery.  He responds to the prayers of faithful people who are going to serve Him whether He answers their prayers or not.  He takes care of those who don't have to make bribes, but walk in faith on a daily basis.  We need to live lives of faithfulness to God's written word, therefore we won't be in a position where we need to bribe Him very often.

Prayer:

Father, I want to be a servant of Yours.  I want to serve you faithfully and not try to bribe You by offering you something special if you will bless me.  I will serve you with all my heart and trust You to take care of all my needs.  Help me walk in obedience and faithfulness every day.

Yours,

Jeff

United in the Spirit

Scripture:

Ephesians 4:3  "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace".

Observation:

Paul tells the Ephesians to make every effort to stay united in God's Spirit by binding themselves together with peace.  When peace comes into our lives, it affect all of our other relationships.  When I am at peace, my relationships tend to be at peace.  Paul thought peace was important enough that we should make every effort possible to make sure we have it.  When God's people are united in the Spirit, nothing is impossible and the kingdom of darkness is weakened, therefore we should content for peace.

Application:

If unity brings power and peace brings unity, then we must seek peace.  Paul also said that as much as possible, we should be at peace with all men.  Peace comes to those whose minds are on the Lord continually.  When we truly walk in the Spirit, peace will be in our lives.  We will be led forth with peace.  Peace is also a fruit of the Spirit.  Unity is powerful and peace brings unity, we need peace internally and externally.

Prayer:

Father of grace and peace, let your peace fill my spirit, soul and body.  Let me walk in Your peace.  Help me to be a person of peace who brings about unity in the Spirit.  Let there be peace in our church, peace in my life, and peace in our home.  Let the peace of God that passes my understanding, fill my life that I may be united in the Spirit with your people and accomplish great things for you and your kingdom.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

God's Masterpiece

Scripture:

Ephesians 2:9  "For we are God's masterpiece.  He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago".

Observation:

A masterpiece cannot become a masterpiece without a master plan.  The artist working on a masterpiece knows what he wants this artwork to become.  He has a plan for what he is doing.  Masterpieces don't just happen by accident, they are skillfully planned and thought out beforehand.  In this passage, Paul says that we are God's masterpiece and that He has planned good things for us long ago.

Application:

Life doesn't just randomly and accidently happen.  God knows each of us by name.  He knows the number of hairs on our heads and He has a plan for each of our lives.  He knows what He is doing and too often we fight against Him instead of trusting Him enough to offer our lives to Him.  He has nothing but good intentions, but we seldom offer ourselves completely to Him.  We must come to the place where we realize that the potter knows better than the clay what we should turn out like.  We must trust the great potter of our lives.

Prayer:

Lord, I give you my heart once again.  Help me become the person You want me to be.  Tecah me your ways and lead me closer to your side.  I want to be moldable, shapable, and flexible in your hands.  Soften me Lord, then make me into what You want for my life.   I offer you my life this morning.

Yours,

Jeff

God's Word Gives Confidence

Scripture:

Numbers 21:34 "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you, along with all his people and his land.  Do the same to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon".

Observation:

King Og of Bashan, who this scripture is written about was in the line of the giants.  He was an enormous man and a valiant warrior.  Moses wasn't a warrior and his people were not trained for battle, but on the word of the Lord, they would march.  God tells Moses not to be afraid of Og because God had handed him over to Moses.  Once something is done in God's eyes, it is done!  Once God handed him over to Moses, he just had to walk that direction because God had already done the work.

Application:

A word from God changes everything!  Moses' natural reaction to fighting a "giant" king with and inexperienced army would have been to run the other direction, but God gave him the confidence he needed.  When God really speaks, and we know it, nothing can deter us from our destiny.  We need to hear His voice and do what He is saying, then we will have victory in our lives.   Moses knew that without God on his side, he would fail in this battle.  He also knew that when God says something, it is going to happen.

Prayer:

Lord, I want a word from You.  I need to hear Your voice and walk confidently after that.  Open my ears that I may hear clearly what You have to say to the church.  Help me to be tuned in correctly and walking in alignment.  Give me the confidence I need to do what you call me to do.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Allotment of the Priest

Scripture:

Numbers 18:20 ""Your priests will receive no allotment of land or share of property among the people of Israel.  I am your share and allotment".

Observation:

All of the people of Israel were to receive an allotment of land when they got to the promised land.  Each tribe would have a particular area.  It wasn't so with the priests.  They didn't get any allotment of land because God said He was their share and allotment.  They were very blessed, but were not allowed to buy land for themselves.  They ate incredibly well and received the tithes of the people to live off of, but God wanted to be their share and allotment.

Application:

Though we are not Old Testament people, there are very real shadows and thoughts that God wants us to understand to know Him better.  In the New Covenant, we are a kingdom of priests to whom God wants to be our share and allotment.  God wants us to have satisfaction in Him.  He wants to be seen as our provider.  God takes care of His own, but He wants His own to look to him as their great and present reward.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be satisfied in You.  I want You to be my share and allotment.  Your presence is what I want more than anything else.  I want to see Your glory.  I want to see revival in my generation.  Help me to get my satisfaction in You and nowhere else.

Yours Forver,
jeff

Faith Moves Quickly

Scripture:

Numbers 13:30 "But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses.  'Let's go at once to take the land,' he said.  'We can certainly conquer it!'".

Observation:

Moses had sent out 12 spies into the land God had promised them.  10 spies came back after investigation with the report that the people were huge, the walls were fortified and they will kill us if we try to go against them.  The people, as people always do, gathered around the bad news and choose to believe the 10 spies.  The people were in an uproar and then a man of faith stepped up and quieted the crowd.  Caleb said "let's go at once and take the land.  We can certainly conquer it!

Application:

Caleb and Joshua saw the same enemies that everyone else saw, but they also saw the power of their God and of obedience to Him.  They understood that God could defeat any army and loved them enough to do it.  Knowing God's power and love should make us step out in faith quickly like Caleb.  We can either be people of fear or people of faith, but we cannot be both.  God's desires a people of faith.

Prayer:

Lord, increase my faith and always let my response be one of faith and trust in my God.  You are unfailing, everlasting and amazingly powerful, yet sometimes I allow fear to control my decisions instead of faith.  Help me to grow in faith.

Sincerely,
Jeff

Multiplication of Ministry

Scripture:

Numbers 11:17 "I will come down and talk to you there.  I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also.  They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone".

Observation:

Moses was leading a huge group of complaining people and couldn't take it any more.  Just above it says he became very aggravated with the people.  God's solution to Moses' aggravation with whining people was to put some of the Spirit of Moses on 70 elders who would help him bear the weight of the responsibility for the people.  God multiplied Moses' ministry effectiveness by getting 70 other people involved in serving the needs of the people.

Application:

God loves to expand our leadership base.  Several times in His word He expands the leadership base to better serve the people when leaders are getting worn out.  As a leader, it is easy to get worn out and the solution is usually to involve more people in leadership.  The growth of our church will completely depend on how well we can multiply ministry by involving new leaders.  We must also make sure that the same Spirit that is on my life is upon them.  They can't flow in another spirit.

Prayer:

Father, help me to raise up new leaders to evenly distribute the load.  I know this is important for our church and that it is the only way we will grow to be all You want for us.  Help me to implement this multiplication of ministry better and to serve the needs of our church better.  I want our church to serve you with excellence.

Your Son,
Jeff

Let the Spirit Guide You

Scripture:

Galatians 5:16  "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.  Then you won't be doing what the sinful nature craves".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Galatians and telling them not to believe those who are telling them to go back to the Law of Moses.  Someone had come in telling them they needed to be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.  Paul is responding and saying "not since Jesus".  Paul tells them to go about holiness in a new way.  He says, "Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives".  When the Holy Spirit guides your life, He will lead you into truth and get you away from ungodliness.

Application:

Everyone struggles with the sinful nature to some degree, but those who are constantly and continually walking in the Spirit will overcome quickly.  When we listen to the Holy Spirit and let Him lead our lives, we won't be doing what the sinful nature craves.  Life the way God wants it for us is more about following the voice of the Holy Spirit and less about the do's and don'ts of religion.  When we let Him guide us, it is not even a struggle.  We need to focus more on listening to Him and doing what He says, this way we know we will be living right.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, I want to be filled completely by You.  I want you to lead me and guide me into fulfilling God's will for my life.  Teach me to hear your voice more clearly.  Help me to see what you see and feel what you feel.  Guide me into all truth I pray.

Yours,
Jeff Jacob

Abraham's Promise is Mine

Scripture:

Galatians 3:29  "And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.  You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you".

Observation:

Abraham was told by God that he was to leave his country and go to a place God would show him.  He told Abraham that He would make him into a great nation and that He would bless him and make him a blessing.  God told Abraham that He would bless those who bless him and curse those who curse him.  He said that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him.  Now Paul tells us that we are Abraham's heirs and that God's promise to Abraham belongs to us as well.

Application:

Abraham was a very wealthy individual who had the blessing of God on his life in a big way.  Everything he touched was blessed supernaturally by God.  According to Galatians, I am am heir of Abraham and an heir of the promise God made to Abraham.  I am so much more blessed than I have lived out in my personal life.  The blessing of Abraham rests on me and I am blessed.  Now I must believe it and live in it.

Prayer:

Father, I receive the blessing of Abraham and his descendants.  I realize that I am an heir according to the promise.  I realize that his blessing comes to me.  Thank You for showing me this today.  Help me to believe it and walk in it.  I want my life blessed like Abraham's was.  I want to be a blessing to the nations of the world and to those around me.  I want those who bless me to be blessed.

Thanks,
Jeff

God's Blessing for Obedience

Scripture:

Leviticus 26:3,5 "If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands...Your threshing season will overlap with the grape harvest, and your grape harvest will overlap with the season of planting grain.  You will eat your fill and live securely in the land".

Observation:

God told the children of Israel that there were blessings if they obeyed his decrees and there were curses if they disobeyed them.  He promised them that if they would obey him, He would cause their crops to come in so fast that they would be planting while still harvesting.  He wants His people to be careful in following Him and to do things His way instead of their own.

Application:

God is looking for our obedience to His word above all else.  When we obey, He blesses.  It's as simple as that.  I want to live under the incredible blessing and favor of the Lord, therefore, I know I must walk a life of obedience to Him.  If I want His blessing, I must walk in complete obedience to the Lord.  He even promises that we can live in the land securely.  I want security for my family.

Prayer:

Father, help me live a life that is pleasing to You.  I realize that you bless the obedient and want to be under your blessing.  Show me the areas of my life that need work and change.  You are the best and I want to serve You well.

Yours,
Jeff

The Lord's Will

Scripture:

Leviticus 24:12 "They kept the man in custody until the Lord's will in the matter should become clear to them".

Observation:

This verse is found in the midst of a story being told about crime and punishment.  The Law of Moses was very clear on most situations and they didn't need to know the will of God on matters because it was spelled out for them.  Other crimes, they needed to seek the will of the Lord to know what to do.  I love this story because it shows how Israel needed to know the will of God just like we do.  It also hows us that God can speak to us and show us what to do when the written Word of God is silent on something.

Application:

Any area where we know the written will of God in, we don't even need to pray about.  If God's will is silent on an area, we must pursue Him until His will is known on that subject.  Immediately after this verse it says, "The Lord said to Moses..."  God will make His will known to us if we are willing to seek Him out and ask Him.  He doesn't delight in making Himself hard to follow.  He gives us the written will of God in the Bible and his voice to guide us where the Bible is silent.  Great package deal!!!

Prayer:

Lord, I want to hear Your voice more clearly.  I want Your will in my life.  I want the matters of my life to become clear as this verse says they will.  I ask You to help me to seek out Your counsel on every part of my life.  I want to finish well the days you have planned for my life.  I don't want to miss out on one of them because I wasn't hearing from You well.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Fire on God's Sacrifice

Scripture:

Leviticus 9:24 "Fire blazed forth from the Lord's presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.  When the people saw this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground".

Observation:

God gave Moses extremely detailed instructions about building the Tabernacle and for sacrifices and offerings for God's people and the priests.  Moses and Aaron followed the Lord's directions with all their heart.  They did exactly as the Lord spoke to them to do.  When they completed the job and everything was dedicated properly to the Lord, fire blazed from the Lord's presence and consumed the burnt offering.  The people saw it and knew God was happy with their offerings, yet in awe of His power.

Application:

When God gives directions, He means for them to be accomplished exactly how He says to do them.  He is a God of order.  He wants us to do what we do with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.  The fire let the people that God was pleased with their offerings.  As we surrender our lives to God, His fire and anointing will fall on our lives.  When we do things His way, we get His results.  When we do things in our own human wisdom, we get human results.  As for me, I want God results in my life.  I want to do things His way.

Prayer:

Father, help me to fully and completely follow Your voice in my life.  I love You and want to be fully surrendered to You in every area.  Help me not to miss a detail of what You want in my life.  I offer myself this morning as a sacrifice to You.  May it be acceptable and may Your fire fall on it!

Yours,
Jeff Jacob

Fresh Wood Each Morning

Scripture:

Leviticus 6:12 "Meanwhile, the fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must never go out.  Each morning the priest will add fresh wood to the fire."

Observation:

This is part of the law of the burnt offering.  It tells the people of Israel that the fire must be kept burning day and night and it must never go out.  The priests were instructed to bring new wood every morning so that the fire would never go out.  With this offering, if you miss one morning, the fire would go out and need re-started, which was against the will of God.

Application:

The spiritual fire in our hearts must never go out as well.  If we are to stay on fire for God, we must add wood to the fire every morning.  These "daily wash" devotionals have been an awesome way for me personally to keep the fire burning every morning.  It allows me every day to feel like God has spoken to me about something in my walk with Him, which keeps the flame of our relationship alive.  It is also my early morning prayer walk that keeps the fire going each day.  These two keep my fire from going out.

Prayer:

Lord, keeping the fire burning wasn't your responsibility.  It was the responsibility of the priests.  Help me to hunger and thirst after You and to be diligent about keeping my fire burning.  Sometimes I get tired and don't do as good, then I feel it spiritually.  Help me stay on track through my daily prayer and daily wash in the word.

Your Son,
Jeff

Offering God Your Best

Scripture:

Leviticus 3:1 "If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects".

Observation:

As we begin the book of Leviticus, I see here that as all of the offerings are ordered and explained to God's people, God always requires it to be without blemish and have no defects.  As we enter the book of Leviticus we realize that God wants us to offer our very best to Him.  He doesn't want offerings that are defective.  He wants the very best for our offerings.  He doesn't want the leftovers when it is being offered to Him.

Application:

Many times today we offer God our leftovers.  We plan our schedule and if there is any leftover time, we will do something for the Lord.  We spend our money, then give the leftovers to God.  It's like we say, "Okay God, here is what I am going to do...you can make your plans around mine".  God has never wanted to be second place in anyone's life.  He wants our best to be given to Him, then He will bless the rest.  As you give your best to God, He blesses it, multiplies it, and gives back to us.  He doesn't want our leftovers, He wants the best of our lives.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for offering You leftovers.  Help me to offer You my very best.  Teach me to give sacrificially of my time, talents and treasures.  As I do, would You open the windows of heaven and take care of my life and family.

Love You Much,
jeff

The God of Peace will be with You

Scripture:

II Corinthians 13:11 "Dear brothers and sisters, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful.  Grow to maturity.  Encourage each other.  Live in harmony and peace.  Then the God of love and peace will be with you".

Observation:

Paul tells the Corinthians that if they do these few things, the God of love and peace will be with them.  Paul had been very displeased with their behavior and how much sin was in the church.  He wanted them to get it right before he came back there for a third time.  He gives them four things, then says that if they do these, the God of peace will be with them.  The four things: By joyful.  Grow to maturity.  Encourage each other.  and Live in harmony and peace.

Application:

When we do our part, God does His.  Here we can clearly see our part and His part.  Our part is to simply be joyful, grow, encourage each other and live in harmony and peace.  God's part of this equation, He will be with us!  That is powerful and worthy of my attention.  When God is with you, your enemies tremble and run the other way.  When God is with you, great things happen.  I want God to be with me, therefore, I need to work on being joyful, growing to maturity, encouraging others and living in harmony and peace.

Prayer:

Father, I want you to be with me at all times.  I love your presence and want to walk with You in intimacy.  Help me to live out my part of the deal as I pursue You each day.  I want to be with You.  I want to know You more.  Let my life radiate Your goodness.  Help me in these four areas I pray.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

We Will Be Judged

Scripture:

II Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged.  We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body".

Observation:

Paul tells the Corinthians that we will "all" be judged by Christ and will receive whatever we deserve based on what we did in this earthly body.  Every one of us will stand before Christ one day and give an account of what we did while we were on this earth.  That day doesn't have to be a day of grief and sorrow, wishing we had done more or better.  That day can also be a day of rejoicing where we hear the words, "well done good and faithful servant".  This day, judgment day, is the most important day in each of our personal histories.

Application:

Most of us live like we will never have to give an account of what we did with our lives.  We must begin living for that day instead of living to please ourselves today.  We must live lives that will make that day worthwhile.  Eternity future will be based on that judgment day and how we lived our lives on this earth.  We must live with this day in our minds at all times.  If we have to endure something right now for a short time on this earth, we must endure as good soldiers because it won't last forever and we will be judged on how we did.

Prayer:

Lord God, Help me stay eternity focused.  You have placed eternity in our hearts, help me to live like it.  Let me live my life in a way that pleases you and builds your kingdom here on earth.  On judgment day I want to hear, "well done good and faithful servant".  Lead me into this Holy Spirit I pray.

Yours,
Jeff

Overwhelming Glory

Scripture:

II Corinthians 3:10 "In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Corinthian people and talks about the glory that was on the Old Covenant.  He shares how Moses had to place a veil over his face because the glory of the Lord was upon him.  Then he says that we should expect "far greater glory" because we have the Spirit, which is not fading away.  He says that the glory on our lives should make the old glory on Moses look like almost nothing.  He calls it "overwhelming glory".

Application:

Paul teaches us that all of us who are saved have the veil removed and both see and reflect God's glory.  This is how we are changed into his glorious image 3:18.  We should look more and more like Christ every day of our lives, yet we become stagnant in our relationship with Him and content with living inglorious lives.  We need to seek God more and more until we see His glory as Moses did, then we can reflect it better.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I want to see Your glory.  I want to reflect your glory in my life that others are pointed to you.  I want my light to shine brightly for You.  I want to walk in "overwhelming glory" the rest of the days of my life.  I don't believe Paul was just talking about something impossible.  If it is available, I want it.  Let me reflect you well.

Your Servant,
Jeff

Take Out the Guessing Game

Scripture:

Exodus 40:38 "The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it.  This continued throughout all their journeys".

Observation:

The people of Israel had it so easy when it comes to doing the Lord's will during the time of the Exodus.  You didn't have to be super-spiritual to know where the Lord wanted you to be.  If the cloud started moving, you needed to move and everyone could see the cloud.  If Israel's leaders decided not to follow the cloud, the people would immediately know it, this brought accountability.  This took the guessing game out of following the Lord.  He guided them very accurately for many years.

Application:

I wish God made it this easy to follow Him today.  We are called to live lives of faith, which basically means we can't see the cloud, but still have to follow it.  I would love for God to take out the guessing game as to whether I was following Him completely or not.  When we can't see Him, we must seek Him all the more.  This is what He wants.  He wants us to seek Him and His will for us, therefore He doesn't make it as easy as back then.

Prayer:

Father, I want your will for my life to be more clear every day.  I would love for the guessing game to be gone and for a cloud to lead me around all day everyday.  I would love for you to speak to me from the cloud every day and let me know what to do each day.  Teach me to pursue You more.  Help me to seek after You more desperately.  I want to know You.

Your Son,
Jeff

Incredible Furnishings

Scripture:

Exodus 37:24  "The entire lampstand, along with its accessories, was made from seventy five pounds of pure gold".

Observation:

The lampstand in the tabernacle of Moses was made of 75 pounds of pure gold!  Wow!  This was just one of the many gold furnishings in the house of the Lord.  When God told them what He wanted, it was extravagant.  When He had them build a tabernacle, He wanted it to be amazing and nothing but the best was to be used.  This was a place for God to meet with man and God wanted it to be done right.  Cost was not a factor.

Application:

When we love someone, it isn't a problem to spend money on them, giving them the most special things we can.  Today, when we do things for God, we make sure not to spend too much money because it might look like we wasted God's money.  We want it to look as cheap as possible so people know we got the best deal possible for God's money.  From God's buildings in the Old Testament, I would say that God likes extravagance in our worship of Him.  God is worthy of our best.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for giving You the least I can instead of giving extravagantly.  Help me become a better giver and one that blesses You with nothing but my very best.  I want You honored in and through my life.

Yours,
Jeff

A Place to Meet

Scripture:

Exodus 25:22 "I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hove over the Ark of the Covenant.  From there I will give you commands for the children of Israel".

Observation:

God is giving Moses the instructions for building the Tabernacle.  As he ws giving instructions about the holy place, He threw in this sentence.  "I will meet with you there and talk to you...I will give you commands for the children of Israel."  God wanted a place where He and Moses could meet and talk.  He has always desired a relationship with His people, yet His people many times don't have time to spend with Him.

Application:

God still wants a place and time to meet with His people.  He wants to make it onto our agendas!  He longs to meet with us and speak to us.  He set up guidelines about where and when to meet with Him back then.  Now, we are to pray without ceasing.  Though we are to pray without ceasing, God also very much appreciates His people arranging a time and a place to meet with the Lord.  Preferably on a daily basis.  It's like I hear the Lord saying to our generation, "Where and when can I meet with you?"

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for my lack of time with You.  I need You to lead me continually, yet I sometimes struggle with making my appointments with You lately.  Light up my prayer life.  Speak to me when we meet.  Show me things.  Teach me when we meet.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Serving and Blessing

Scripture:

Exodus 23:25-26  "You must serve only the Lord your God.  If you do, I will bless you with food and water, and I will protect you from illness.  There will be no miscarriages or infertility in your land and I will give you long, full lives".

Observation:

Moses is on Mt Sinai receiving the Law of the Lord and entering into a covenant with God.  All God really wants in this covenant is for His people to love and serve Him only and not to run after other gods.  As part of the covenant He promises that if they will serve Him only, He would give them food and water, protection from illness, no infertility and long lives.

Application:

God has always wanted to bless His people, but we must understand that we are in a covenant.  In this covenant God promises to bless us, protect us, etc., but we also have a part in this covenant.  We must remain faithful to Him and serve Him alone.  There can be no other gods in our lives.  Many want His blessing, but we must realize the blessing is conditional on our obedience to living the way He wants us to live.  Obedience equals blessing!

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I definitely want to walk in your blessing.  I want to have the blessing of God in every area of my life.  Help me to walk in complete obedience so that the blessings may flow.  Thank You for loving me and accepting me.  You are amazing and I love you more each day.  Teach me to be faithful to you in every area of my life.

Yours,
Jeff

His Special Treasure

Scripture:

Exodus 19:5-6 "Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me.  And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation".

Observation:

Moses had led the people of Israel out of Egypt two months prior to this.  God led them to Mount Sinai, where He wanted to meet with Moses.  God called Moses up onto the mountain so He could speak to him.  God tells Moses that they if they would follow Him and obey Him, that He they would be His own special treasure, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  This is what God has been after ever since that time.

Application:

God loves when His people obey his voice.  He is still looking for a people who will be completely His and who will serve Him accroding to His ways and not their own.  We are called in the New Testament these very words.  We are called a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a chosen generation, those who declare the praises of God.  As long as we are following Him and in covenant with him, we are his special treasure.  He loves us more than we know and all He really wants is for us to love Him back.

Prayer:

Father, let me love You and serve you the way You love me and serve me.  Help me to love and serve others the way you love and serve me.  You are incredible and I love you with all my heart.  Thank you for calling me You own special treasure.

Yours,
Jeff

A Visible Sign

Scripture:

Exodus 13:9  "This annual festival will be a sign to you, like a mark branded on your hand or your forehead.  Let it remind you always to recite this teaching of the Lord, 'With a strong hand, the Lord rescued you from Egypt'"

Observation:

When God's people came out of Egyptian slavery and were delivered from their oppressors, He told them to hold an annual festival as a sign to remind them that God delivered them with a strong hand.  It was to be told to their sons and daughters and every generation after them.  God instituted this so that every generation would remember what He did.

Application:

In this case as festival was instituted once per year forever to remind people what God did for the people of Israel in bringing them out of Egyptian slavery.  Egypt is a type of sin and the promised land is a type of salvation.  We need to find ways to remind ourselves that we have been brought out of sin with a mighty hand.  We need to have some visible reminders of what Jesus did for us and who we are as a result.

Prayer:

Lord, You have truly delivered us from the power of Satan and this world.  Help me to set up reminders of how you have changed my life.  Teach me the benefit of having a visible sign as a reminder.  Help me to better institute this in my life.

Your Son,
Jeff

When God Does Something...He Does it Right

Scripture:

Exodus 3:21 "And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you.  They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed".

Observation:

God was giving Moses his marching orders concerning leading the children of Israel out of Egyptian slavery and into a promised land.  Though the Israelites were slaves in the land, God said here that He would bless them and cause the Egyptians to give them gifts so they would not leave empty-handed.  God was telling them that He would provide material wealth for them that would be given to them by their slave owners.  Absolutely unthinkable, but God!

Application:

God can take your worst and most oppressive situations and turn them into fountains of blessing in your life.  Many times, we just want out, but God wants to bless us on the way out.  When God does something...He does it right.  When He decides to bring you out of bondage, He does it with style.  This passage is a reminder that God can do anything He wants to do, anyway He chooses to do it.  All we have to do is trust Him and listen to His voice.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are so amazingly wonderful!  When You do things in our lives, You always do them right and beyond our imagination.  You truly do all things well.  Help me remember that when I am feeling discouraged.  Help me keep my eyes focused on You and on doing what You have given me to do.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Decides to Bless You

Scripture:

Genesis 45:18 "Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me.  I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces".

Observation:

When God decided to bless Jacob through Joseph, he did it really well.  In the midst of famine and drought, his family was provided for.  not just enough to survive, but they were brought to Egypt and given the best land in Egypt, and were told they would eat the best crops the land produces.  Everything they needed to make the move was provided.

Application:

Sometimes we feel hopeless and like God will never bless us and meet our needs.  In the story above, we see that Jacob had to go through some famine to the point of desperation and he was beginning to fear that his family would starve to death.  In God's timing (right on time) his family was delivered and brought into a season of great blessing.  They received the best of all Egypt.  We can never give up on God.  He is seldom early, but never late.  He always comes through for His people.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to trust You more.  You are amazing and have always taken care of me.  Forgive me for the times I have not trusted you and leaned on my own understanding.  You are my provider, my source, and my friend. 

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Divine Turnarounds

Scripture:

Genesis 41:51-52  "Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, 'God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father's family'.  Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, 'God has made me fruitful in the land of my grief'".

Observation:

Joseph saw an amazing turnaround in his life.  He went from years of terrible misfortune where he ended up in prison, to being second in charge of all Egypt in a moment of time.  He was blessed beyond measure in the land that was the land of his punishment for things he had not done.  God can take the bad things in life and bless you so much that you forget all the troubles it took to get there.  You can be fruitful in the land of your grief.

Application:

Joseph is an amazing story of integrity and character when things are going wrong and you are being falsely accused of things.  He remained faithful to God and, years later, God was faithful to him in bringing him into the place of God's favor.  Divine turnarounds still happen.  God can still dramatically change situations and circumstances, but we must live faithfully in the bad times like Joseph did.  When we live right, we can expect divine turnarounds!

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible!  I love you with all my heart.  Let me be faithful to You in the difficult times so that the divine tunrarounds can happen.  I want to be fruitful in the land of my grief.  Help me stay on track and serve You faithfully every day.

Yours,
Jeff

The Power of a Smile

Scripture:

Genesis 33:10  "And what a relief to see your friendly smile.  It is like seeing the face of God!"

Observation:

Jacob had been away for many years after stealing his brother's birthright and blessing.  He had fled for his life because Esau wanted to kill him.  As he was on his way home he was scared to death that Esau would kill him for what he had done years before.  When he finally sees his brother face to face, Esau smiles at him and welcomes him home.  At that point Jacob says, "what a relief to see your friendly smile.  It is like seeing the face of God!"

Application:

Jacob was blown away to see his brother, whom he had deeply offended and done wrong to, smile at him when they came together again for the first time.  He was overwhelmed by his brother's friendly smile and claimed it was like seeing the face of God.  A smile makes huge statements!  A smile toward a person who thinks you don't like them, is a beautiful picture of God.  A smile is easy to do and extremely powerful to those around us.  I think we all need to smile more.   A smile calms raging emotions, brings peace into a troubled situation, and says "Everything is okay between us".  A Smile tells those around us, "God is taking good care of me".

Prayer:

Father, let me smile more so others can see the face of God within my face.  Help me to smile when I feel good and when I feel bad.  Help me change someone's attitude today with a smile.  Let my countenance say, "God has been good to me".

Yours,
Jeff