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
Friday, December 28, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
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
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
Monday, December 17, 2012
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
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
Friday, December 14, 2012
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
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
Thursday, December 13, 2012
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
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
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
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
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
Monday, December 10, 2012
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
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
Friday, December 7, 2012
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
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
Thursday, December 6, 2012
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
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
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
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
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
Monday, December 3, 2012
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
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
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