My Inheritance

Scripture:

Psalms 2:8  "Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession".

Observation:

The Psalmist is speaking on God's behalf at this point and tells us that God will make the nations our inheritance and the ends of the earth our possession if we simply ask.  He tells us to ask Him.  James tells us that sometimes we don't have because we don't ask or we ask with wrong motives.

Application:

This verse has always spoken to my heart because God has given me a strong heart for the nations.  I have asked many times for God to give me the nations, and He has given them to me over and over again.  Today I leave for a short trip to Nicaragua.  When we ask God for something that honors Him, we will get what we ask for.  It has been a while since I focused on this verse, but I am so glad it came when it did.

Prayer:

Lord, give me the nations as an inheritance and the ends of the earth as my possession.  I want to reach people from every country on this beautiful earth You created.  Bless me as I travel today to preach Your word.  Open more nations and I will go.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

Peace and Thankfulness

Scripture:

Colossians 3:15  "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful."

Observation:

Paul tells the Colossians to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts.  He tells them that this is what they are called to.  He adds a little phrase at the end, "And be thankful".  He says we have been called to peace.  When God call us to something, He always provides us the strength to do what He says.  If He calls us to peace, He also gives us the ability to walk in it.

Application:

I think thankfulness and peace go together, as this verse shows.  When we are thankful for what we have, peace fills our lives.  When we are always complaining and wanting more, we are never satisfied and peace avoids us.  We must work toward living a thankful life, then peace will naturally come.  When we are thankful, we are no longer striving for something out of our reach and peace comes into our lives.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for taking care of me all these years.  You are amazing and have been there for me so many times it is uncountable.  You have always provided exactly what I need.  Help me to walk in thankfulness at all times.

Yours,
Jeff

Power for Patience

Scripture:

Colossians 1:11  "being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience".

Observation:

Paul's prayer for the Colossian people was that God , by His power, would give them great endurance and patience.  Instead of praying for the problems they were facing would disappear, Paul prayed that God's power would give them patience and endurance.

Application:

I know when I am going through something, my prayer is always for a quick deliverance.  We like quick miracles, but sometimes God allows us to walk through some things and his power is there to give us patience and endurance to get through them.  God still gives us what we need to get through, but He doesn't always remove the problem when we pray.  Sometimes He gives us strength to endure rather than a get out of jail free card.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to pray right in every situation.  Sometimes you completely deliver and sometimes you give us strength to endure.  Help me know how to pray in each situation I find myself in.

Yours Forever,
Jeff

How Can I Reply to You?

Scripture:

Job 40:4  "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth."

Observation:

Job had been through much and was defending himself to God and his friends.  He was acting like he knew a lot and knew God better than his friends.  God interrupted the conversation and said, "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?  Let him who accuses God answer him".  Job quickly replied, "I put my hand over my mouth".  He realized quickly he couldn't argue with God.

Application:

It is normal to question God at times in our lives and to think we know better than Him what we need.  Sometimes we complain about what He is doing in our lives and how He is providing for us, when really, we don't have a clue what He is thinking.  His ways are above our ways and His thoughts are above our thoughts.  We must learn to trust Him with every detail of our lives.  He is God and He knows what He is doing.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to trust You more each day.  Help me not to complain about the things You are doing in my life and how You are doing them.  You know what is best for me.  You put the stars in their place and keep them there.  I think I can trust You to take care of me.

Yours,

Jeff

Testing

Scripture:

Job 23:10  "But He knows the way I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold".

Observation:

Job knew he was innocent before God.  He had lived life well and knew there was nothing God could charge him with.  He realized he was in a test and that in the end he would come forth as gold.  He knew he was walking in integrity and his character was pure.  Because of this, he also knew God was testing him and he knew he would be found valuable to God.

Application:

Can we say like Job, "when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold"?  Can we confidently know that we have done nothing wrong in our lives that would dishonor God?  When we go through things, do we know confidently it is just a test or do we have to think it may be a harvest of bad things we have done.  I want to come through the fire knowing that I will come forth as gold.

Prayer:

Lord, help me examine my life to see if there are areas that are not right.  I want to stand in the confidence of Job, knowing he had done nothing wrong.  I want to know You more and more.  You are my desire.

Yours,
Jeff

My Redeemer Lives

Scripture:

Job 19:25  "I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth".

Observation:

Job had undergone some of the most devastating loss of anyone in history.  He had been through extremely difficult times, to a level we can't even understand.  In the midst of his trouble, he says, "I know my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth".  Even in the worst of times, he never forgot that God was still in control.

 Application: 

When we go through tough times and we don't feel like anything is going our way, we should be reminded that our redeemer lives and that one day he will stand on the earth.  In others words, God is going to win in the end and we will be raised up to reign with him forever and ever.  Whatever things we must endure on this earth, we can know it is temporary and eternity is forever.

Prayer:

Father, help me to see You as reigning supreme over all.  Help me to realize when things are difficult, that you are still on the throne and that my redeemer lives.  You are amazing, help me realize it more each day.

Yours,

Jeff

Sometimes We Don't Understand

Scripture:

Job 16:16-17  "My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes; yet my hands have been free from violence and my prayer is pure".

Observation:

Job had been through terrible loss, pain, grief, etc.and yet, had done nothing to deserve it.  He was truly a righteous mans who went through some terrible difficulties.  He lost everything and his own body was in misery, yet he remained faithful to God, who he thought was doing all this to him.  Sometimes, we can do everything right, yet it seems like our lives are falling apart.

Application:

Job did nothing wrong, yet had to go through some horrific events in his life.  He did everything right, yet things went so wrong.  Sometimes we can do everything right, yet our lives get messed up by the enemy.  We often look through our lives to see where we messed up and what we did wrong.  We look for hidden sin that may have brought this season on us.  Sometimes, bad things happen to good people and there is no answer for why.  We must learn to trust God and not beat ourselves us looking for an answer.

Prayer:

Help me to trust You in good times and in bad times.  Teach me to walk with you in purity on heart.  When bad things happen, let me trust You and now feel like I brought it on myself.  I love you Lord.  You are awesome!

Jeff

The Importance of Knowing Christ

Scripture:

Philippians 3:8  "What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider the garbage, that I may gain Christ".

Observation:

Paul considered everything a loss because the value of knowing Christ was so much greater than the value of anything else.  Nothing even came close to him.  He considered everything garbage in his life except following Christ.  Paul saw the highest priority in life as knowing Christ.  Everything else was junk to him.

Application:

Paul knew Christ deeply and richly, yet he wanted to know Him more.  We must place the highest value in our lives on knowing Christ and making Him known.  Everything else must become second place.  Our desire to know Him should far exceed every other desire in our lives.

Prayer:

Father, I desire to know You more than ever.  I want to hear your voice, walk in your footsteps, and fulfill your will for my life.  Help me to value my relationship with you above all other relationships and parts of my life.  I belong to You, forever I belong to You.

Your Son,
Jeff

A Worthy Manner

Scripture:

Philippians 1:27  "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the One Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel".

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Philippians who are beginning to suffer persecution and is telling them that persecution is coming.  Then he says, "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ".  He told them in whatever circumstance they end up in, they were to live a life worthy of the gospel.  How does he say he will know about their standing firm?  By living in a worthy manner.

Application:

Is the life I'm living, being lived in a manner worthy of Christ death on the cross?  Are we living in such a manner that people know we are strong in Christ because of the faith we have?  Paul tells us to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel.  We must live better lives than what we have been living.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be lived in a manner worthy of the gospel.  Help me walk in the Spirit every day and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.  Help me do everything you put in my heart and path to do.  Help me live a life worthy of Christ's death.

Yours,
Jeff

Good Deeds Eventually Get Attention

Scripture:

Esther 6:2  "It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's officers who guarded the doorway, who had conspired to assassinate King Xerxes".

Observation:

Mordecai had done a good deed and seemingly was never recognized for it.  He had saved the king's life by exposing the plans of those who were going to kill the king.  At the time, nothing had been done for him, but God made sure his good deeds were exposed just at the right time.  God raised him up at exactly the right time to save the Jews from disaster.

Application:

When we do good deeds for others, not expecting anything in return, we are giving God ammunition to use on our enemies.  Just as God caused the king to see Mordecai's good deeds, He can use our good deeds, done in secret, to reward us openly.  Let's be quick to do good deeds whenever possible, they will come back to be used in our favor later.

Prayer:

Lord, let my life bring you praise.  Help me to live a life full of good deeds and helping / serving others.  Help me fill your hands with an arsenal of good deeds that You can use whenever needed to defend my case.  Thanks Lord.  You are the best!

Jeff

Favor

Scripture:

Ether 2:17  "Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins.  So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti".

Observation:

Esther was a Jewish girl who was raised in her cousin's home in a country that was not their own.  She was literally an orphan without father or mother.  She was the least likely to become queen, but God had a plan and when God has a plan, He will place favor on your life.  Esther was favored as the most beautiful woman in the empire and was selected to become queen as a result.

Application:

When God chooses to put favor on your life, even your enemies will be attracted to you.  When God decides to bless you, nobody and nothing can stand against you.  The favor of God will bring you up when everyone is trying to put you down.  With the favor of God comes promotion, blessing, authority and the ability to do what others cannot do.  We need God's favor on our lives.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, let Your favor be upon my life.  Let me find favor with you and walk in your favor every day.  Let doors open before me that can only be from You.  Let me walk the path of Your incredible favor.  I love you and will serve you for eternity.

Yours,
Jeff

Loving God's Law

Scripture:

Nehemiah 8:3  "He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, Women and others who could understand.  And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law".

Observation:

After the walls and gates had been rebuilt, they asked Ezra to come and read the Law to them and to help them re-establish their relationship with God and to restore their worship. They had been exiles for a long time and hadn't heard the Law in many years.  This verse says that Ezra read the Law from daybreak till noon and "all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law".

Application:

Today, if we talk about reading the Law of God, people don't want to do it.  It is like pulling teeth to get God's people to read Leviticus or Numbers.  We need to love all of God's word and eat from it every day with joy.  God's word is life to our bones and health to our spirits.  May we see the day again when God's people will listen attentively to the Law of God.

Prayer:

Father, let me have a new hunger for your word.  Help me to long for it and to be attentive to it.  Help me not rush through my morning devotions, but to truly seek You and read Your word attentively.

Your Son,
Jeff

When God Works on Your Behalf

Scripture:

Nehemiah 6:16  "When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God".

Observation:

Nehemiah brought together people to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem.  They worked as hard as they could and relied on God to do the rest.  As a result, the surrounding nations saw the hand of God working on their behalf and lost their self-confidence.  God didn't rebuild the wall, they did, but they did it in His strength, therefore the surrounding nations saw that God was with them.

Application:

Even though God fights our battles, we must realize that there is work to be done.  We must work with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and pray throughout our work for God to intervene and have His way.  It is by our good works that Jesus said others would see and glorify our father in heaven.  When God works with us, even our enemies get scared.  He is awesome!

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to work hard for You to accomplish what needs done.  Help me know when to work harder and when to stand still and see the salvation of the lord.  I want to bring You glory in every part of my life.  Help me do it.

Yours,
Jeff

A Life Filled with Joy

Scripture:

Nehemiah 2:1  "In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of king Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king.  I had not been sad in his presence before".

Observation:

Nehemiah was a cup-bearer to King Artaxerxes.   He was serving a pagan king as a servant from a country conquered by their nation.  They had been taken away from their homes and brought to a new land, yet Nehemiah says, "I had not been sad in his presence before".  Apparently, Nehemiah had a great attitude about life.  He always had a smile and was a very positive person.  His boss had never seen him sad before, yet his boss had exiled him and his family from their homes.

Application:

Joy and sadness are not to be determined by our surroundings.  If Nehemiah could walk through all he did and never looked sad, then we should be the same.  As a believer, we should be people of great joy because of what Christ has done for us.  Most of us struggle with sadness because things don't go like we want them to and it is apparent on our faces.  God wants his people to walk in joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Prayer:

Father, earlier in my life, joy was what I was known for most.  Help me get my joy back.  Life has sucked the joy out of me.  I want to have the great attitude of Nehemiah.  I want to be known as a person of great joy.

Yours,

Jeff

The Fast

Scripture:

Ezra 8:21  "There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions".

Observation:

Ezra was preparing to lead a group of people back to Jerusalem after being in captivity for a long time.  They were travelling a long way and were bringing lots of valuable with them  There was a lot of potential for bandits to attack them on the road with their great wealth.  He did the right thing and called a fast to seek the Lord for His protection along the journey.

Application:

As Ezra called a fast to prepare for a great journey and to ask God's protection and provision for them, so we must fast and pray and ask God to take care of us.  We must seek the Lord and ask for His protection and provision for our lives.  Often He is the last one we talk to when we are facing something.  He should be our first line of defense and not an afterthought.  He wants us to look to Him first and seek Him first as our primary source and resource.

Prayer:

Father, help me to seek Your direction in my life before doing things.  I truly want to do what You want, but sometimes it's not as clear as I would like it to be.  Remind me to seek you deeper with fasting and prayer on issues in my life and ministry.  Work our my housing situation quickly Lord I pray and let it be completely Your doing.  Bless my family as we seek the right place to live.

Yours,
Jeff

Paying Attention

Scripture:

II Chronicles 33:10  "The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention".

Observation:

Manasseh was seen as a king who didn't follow the Lord.  He served other gods and brought God's judgment on his nation.  It says here that the Lord did speak to him and his people, but that they paid no attention.

Application:

Many times when we are going in a wrong direction, the Lord speaks, but we pay no attention.  As God's people, His voice should be our first priority.  We should be listening to Him continually and seeking His guidance in our lives.  When He speaks, we should be paying attention and doing what He says.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to follow Your voice completely.  I want to pay attention to You, but I need to hear Your voice more clearly.  Open my ears to hear your voice more and more as I continue to grow in You.  When I hear what You want, help me to pay attention.

Seek God and Work Hard

Scripture:

II Chronicles 31:21  "In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly.  And so he prospered."

Observation:

Hezekiah, during his reign as king, sought God with all his heart and led God's people back to him.  He was determined to bring his nation back to serving God properly.  They had been in idolatry and far from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  This verse said that he prospered because he sought God and worked wholeheartedly.

Application:

We need to learn from Hezekiah to seek God and work hard.  We are to pray like it is all up to God and work like it is all up to us.  We must find the balance in this.  Some people pray and put no action to their faith because they want God to do all the work.  Some people work hard and don't seek God, making their work less fruitful.  We need to pray hard and work hard, then we will have success like Hezekiah had.

Prayer:

Father, help me live a life that pleases You.  I want to seek You with all my heart.  I also want to accomplish much in the expansion of Your kingdom.  Holy Spirit, You have deposited so much in me.  Help me fulfill everything You have called me to do in my lifetime.  Let me seek You hard and work hard to do the things You put before me.

Yours,

Jeff

Seeking the Lord Brings Success

Scripture:

II Chronicles 26:5  "He sought God during the days of Zechariah, instructed him in the fear of God.  As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success".

Observation:

Uzziah was a great king in Judah's history.  He had a heart after God and wanted to do things God's way.  His father was a terrible king, so he had no good demonstration of what it meant to lead a nation for God.  He sought out the prophet Zechariah who instructed him in the fear of God.  He also learned to seek the Lord and as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

Application:

Many people are pursuing success these days.  Everyone wants their children to be successful so they send them to the best schools and go into loads of debt hoping education will make them successful.  God gives success to those who seek Him.  As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, God gave him success.  Success comes from knowing God, not from achieving certain positions in life through our efforts.  As we seek God, He gives us success and everything we need to accomplish His will.

Prayer:

Lord, I look to You.  You are my source and the one who guides my life.  Show me the way.  Help me accomplish all You desire for me in my life.  Teach me yours ways and let my life bring You praise.  I seek Your wisdom, Your guidance and your will for my life.

Your Son,
Jeff