Repeat Them In Our Day

Scripture:

Habakkuk 3:2  "Lord, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord.  Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy".

Observation:

Habakkuk was hearing of the devastation that the Lord was going to bring through the Babylonians.  He had heard the stories of how God worked on behalf of his people in the past.  He heard how God routed their enemies and protected them supernaturally.  The prophet remembers all he has heard about the Lord and says, "repeat them in our day".

Application:

I have heard, and personally observed God do some incredible things in my life.  I have been blessed to see the awesomeness of God as He moves in power among His people and how He brings the lost to repentance.  I am blessed to have heard the stories of how God moved at Azusa Street and in revivals throughout history.  Today I stand with Habakkuk and say, "repeat them in our day".  I want God to move strongly again in a third great awakening in America.

Prayer:

Father, do it again!  Fill Your people to overflowing and pour out Your Spirit in my generation.  Come Holy Spirit and move in power in my region.  In these last days, pour out Your Spirit as you said you would do.  I long to see You move again in great power and might and for multitudes to turn to Christ.  I want to see revival in my generation.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Purpose and Plan

Scripture:

Revelation 21:3  "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look!  God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.  They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God'".

Observation:

This year as I have read through the Bible again, I saw throughout the Old Testament over and over again that God has always simply wanted a people who would be fully His so that He could be their God and they would be His people.  That has been His purpose from the beginning and at the very end of the book, He is saying that it will finally happen.

Application:

If God's desire is simply to have a people who are completely His so that He could be their God, then our job is simply to make him the true Lord of our lives and to live completely for him and his purposes.  He longs for a people who have no other gods but Him.  We have the ability to make God's purpose and plan come to pass as it pertains to us.  We need to submit ourselves fully to Him and truly be His people.

Prayer:

God, from the beginning you have talked about having a people who are completely Yours and who desire You over all other gods.  You have always wanted a people who would be called by Your name and who would live how You want them to.  Let me be who you want me to be.  I want You to be my God and I want to be your person.  Walk with me.  Talk with me.  Show me what You desire and I will give it to you.

Yours,
Jeff

Triumph Over Our Enemy

Scripture:

Revelation 12:11  "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death".

Observation:

John tells us here that he saw Satan, the accuser, hurled down to the earth because God's kingdom, power and authority had come.  He then goes on to say that they triumphed over Satan by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony and the fact that they did not love their lives so much that they didn't shrink back from death.

Application:

When you are not afraid of death, there is no conquering you.  When you love Jesus more than anything and to the degree that you are not afraid of death, you will conquer the enemy every time.  Satan is triumphed over when we love heaven more than we love earth.  Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain.  When we have that mindset, we are unstoppable and will live as overcomers.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to live, not loving my own life, but loving eternal life more.  Help me to see eternity as You see it and to value what You value.  I want to triumph over Satan in every way.  Let my testimony be strong and let me love You more than death.

Yours
Jeff

The Throne of God

Scripture:

Revelation 4:5  "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.  In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing.  These are the seven spirits of God".

Observation:

John describes the throne room of God in this passage.  It is just the beginning of his description, but it is enough for us to see the power and glory of that place.  God's throne is a place of incredible energy and power.  Lightning and thunder emanate from it.  The atmosphere is charged with electricity and power.

Application:

When we pray, we need to realize who we are praying to and the power that emanates from His presence.  We must realize that we are not praying to an insufficient God, but the all-sufficient God.  We must see His as He is and realize that He sits in a place of Great power.  When we see this, we realize that our problems are nothing for Him.  He can change our situations in a moment.  He can turn things around for us in a flash.  The throne shows us a picture of the power of God and when we pray, we must realize we are not just speaking useless words, but speaking to the all-powerful God.

Prayer:

Father, let me see You as You are.  Let me see Your glory.  Let me walk closely with You.  Help me to realize Your power.  Help me to see You as You are and realize that I have Almighty God as my Father.

Yours,
Jeff

Repentance is not just for unsaved people

Scripture:

Revelation 2:5  "Consider how far you have fallen!  Repent and do the things you did at first.  If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place".

Observation:

John is speaking what he heard the Lord speak.  Here, he is speaking to the church in Ephesus.  He tells them to consider how far they had fallen and repent.  He tells them to do the things they did at first.  He goes on to tell them that if they don't, Jesus would come and remove their lampstand from its place.

Application:

Sometimes in our spiritual lives we drift away from our first love.  Sometimes because of the cares of this life, our spiritual lives struggle and get put on the back burner.  Periodically, we all need to consider or think about how far we have fallen, then repent and do the things we did at first.  When our love for the Lord grows cold and service to Him is affected, we must consider it and repent.  We must ask the Holy Spirit daily to examine us and show us areas of our lives that need changed or where we are growing cold and don't realize it.  We must then repent for those things and do what we did at first.

Prayer:

Father, don't let my love for You grow cold.  Forgive me for allowing complacency into my life.  Help me to follow You fully and to live a disciplined life every day.  Forgive me for not spending the time with You I have in the past seasons of life.  I love You.

Yours,
Jeff

But As For Me II

Scripture:

Micah 7:7  "But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me".

Observation:

I see here Micah's knowledge of the Lord.  He knew that God is a severe God who punishes sin and that his nation would see some terrible punishment from God, but he also knew the character of God.  He knew that God would hear his prayers and respond.  He watched in hope, knowing that God is faithful and that God rewards faithfulness.  Here he was saying that everyone is going astray, but as for me, I watch for the Lord.

Application:

No matter what is going on around us, we must be a people who say, "as for me" I will serve the Lord.  I will wait on the Lord.  I will put my hope in the Lord.  God does hear us, but He also knows what is best for us.  We must watch in patient hope, knowing God's love for us and that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  We must be determined to say, "but as for me".

Prayer:

Father, As for me, I will follow You.  I will walk with You and look to You for my answers.  You are my hope.  You are my strength.  Help me to depend more and more on You and less and less on myself.  Help me to trust You more every day.  Teach me to walk in faith and patience.

Yours,

Jeff

But As For Me

Scripture:

Micah 3:8  "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin".

Observation:

Micah was speaking about the prophets, teachers and priests who were speaking for money instead of relating the true word of God.  He had just told the people that they were false prophets and that God was going to judge them.  After Micah described the false prophets and teachers, he said, "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the spirit of the Lord".

Application:

When the whole world seems to be going away from God, we need to be people who say, "But as for me, I am filled with power and with the spirit of the Lord".  We need to make sure we are hearing clearly and accurately speaking the word of the Lord.  We don't want to falsely represent the Lord and His words.  When we get our message right, we can expect to be filled with power to deliver it.

Prayer:

Father, help me to not speak as one of the false prophets who always prophesy wonderful things, even when judgement in coming.  Help me to be one who accurately speaks on Your behalf.  Let my ears be open and my heart be strong to say what You want said.  Let me accurately speak on Your behalf and may Your power flow as I do so.

Your Son,
Jeff

A Full Reward

Scripture:

II John 8  "Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be fully rewarded".

Observation:

John tells us that we can lose what we have worked hard for.  He lets us know that we need to stay on God's path so we can be fully rewarded.

Application:

I want to be fully rewarded for the things I have done in my life.  I don't want anything to step in and take away the things I have invested in.  A partial reward does not sound appealing.  we must remain diligent in serving the Lord.  Many forfeit their reward because as they were serving, they were hurt and became bitter.  Many will not receive a full reward because they didn't finish as well as they started.  I want to finish well.

Prayer:

Father, keep my motives pure and help me to stay on Your path.  Help me not to lean on my on understanding, but to follow You completely.  I simply want to hear, "well done good and faithful servant".  I want nothing to slow down what You have started in my life.  Keep me pure and loving all the days of my life.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Judgment

Scripture:

Amos 8:11  "'The days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will send a famine through the land - not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord'".

Observation:

God had been speaking through Amos about some of the terrible punishments coming on His people for their sins and for walking away from Him to serve other gods.  He was telling them of all the terrible things that were coming on them.  In the midst of all this judgment, he tells them that He would send a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.  God considers it terrible judgement for us not to hear the words of the Lord.

Application:

Hearing the words of the Lord is a privilege we have.  It is a great honor to have the word of the Lord that we can open at any time and read.  We must be people who take this honor seriously and delve into the word of God with all our hearts.  We never want a famine of hearing the words of the Lord in our lives.  God considers it a form of awful judgment for us not to hear the word of the Lord and we should view it the same.  We need to hear God's words.  His words are life!

Prayer:

Father, I want to hear the words of the Lord.  I want to hear your written word and I want to hear Your rhema word.  I want to know Your will on all things.  I want to follow You completely.  Teach me to feast on Your word daily.

Yours,
Jeff

God Uses Those Who Are Available

Scripture:

Amos 1:1  "The words of Amos, one of the shepherds of Tekoa - the vision he saw concerning Israel two years before the earthquake, when Uzziah was king of Judah and Jereboam son of Jehoash was king of Israel".

Observation:

The book of Amos was written as the Word of Lord to Israel and it's neighbors.  Amos is simply described here as one of the shepherds of Tekoa.  It doesn't say that he studied in the school of the prophets and that son of Elisha or something like that.  It simply says he was one of the shepherds of Israel.  His qualification... He heard from God.

Application:

Sometimes we feel like we need more and better training to do things for the Lord.  Training and education are never a bad thing, but the most important thing we can do in ministry is to learn to hear the word of the Lord.  We need to be trained to hear the voice of God above all other things.  When you can hear His voice, He can use a shepherd or anyone else to deliver his word.

Prayer:

Lord, thanks for reminding me this morning that you don't use the special, highly trained, sophisticated, but you simply look for one who will hear your voice and deliver your words accurately.  Help me to be that person who hears and knows the voice of the Lord.  I want to declare Your words accurately and to convey Your messages to Your people.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Make Every Effort

Scripture:

II Peter 3:14  "So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him".

Observation:

Peter tells us just before this about the wrath of God being poured out in the last days.  He then tells them to "make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him".  He basically said that judgment was coming, therefore, you need to start living in such a way that you will be found blameless.

Application:

When we live our lives with a good view of the judgment, we will walk before the Lord spotless and blameless.  Our greatest desire should be to please our Lord and Savior.  We definitely are in the last days and must begin to live like Peter tells us to.  Grace should cause us to bring about good works and we should be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God.  If He came today, how would He find us?

Prayer:

Father, I want to live my life rapture ready.  I want to live looking forward to judgment day instead of terrorized by it.  I want to serve You well all the days of my life on this earth.  Help me to live a life that bring You glory and that will be at peace with You always.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Drift

Scripture:

Hosea 13:6  "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me".

Observation:

God is talking to His people here who had drifted away from him and began serving other gods they were making with their own hands.  The Lord God Almighty had rescued them from Egypt with supernatural signs and wonders, fed them in the wilderness for forty years, and now they were serving other gods.  In this, the Lord describes what happened to them as a progression that it is easy for us all to fall into.

Application:

God shows us a progression that is easy to fall into and is how we drift away from him.  He says that he fed them and took care of their needs until they were satisfied, then when they were satisfied, they became proud and forgot God.  We must be cautious when God works on our behalf because we can become very satisfied and proud.  When we do this, we are starting on the drift of feeling we don't need God.  We must always remain humble and hungry before the Lord.  By doing that, we will never be satisfied and proud.  We must guard against the drift.

Prayer:

Father, bring me back to a place of absolute dependence upon You.  Help me to never be satisfied with where my life and ministry are.  Help me to stay hungry and humble before You.  I offer my life to You once again this morning.  Fill me and use me for Your glory.  I need You desperately.

Yours,
Jeff

Wait For Your God

Scripture:

Hosea 12:6  "But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always".

Observation:

God had been talking to His people about their rebellion and the punishment that was coming to them.  He then shifts gears and tells them to return to Him, maintain love and justice and wait for Him always.

Application:

I see this as a pattern of how to turn to God when we have messed up.  First, we must return to Him and begin again to follow His ways and walk in obedience to Him.  Next we need to start doing the right things.  We must walk in love and justice, doing the right thing even when the right thing isn't easy.  Lastly, while we are returning and doing the right things, we have to wait on God.  We need to do the right things while we wait for Him.  We can't grow weary in well doing.

Prayer:

Father, help me to learn from your people Israel.  Help me to quickly return to You when things are not good.  Help me to do the right things while I wait on You for answers.  Let me not grow weary in well doing as I wait for Your breakthroughs.

Yours,
Jeff

God's Longing

Scripture:

Hosea 7:13  "Woe to them, because they have strayed from me!  Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me!  I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely".

Observation:

God is speaking here to Ephraim, who had turned their backs on him and began living totally against the will and ways of God.  He tells them that destruction is coming because of what they had done in their rebellion.  In the same verse though, God says, "I long to redeem them but they speak about me falsely".

Application:

Even when God punishes His people, it is with a heart of redemption.  He longs to redeem us when we walk away from Him.  He longs to bring us back into right relationship with Him when we stray away.  He longs for us to walk with Him so that He can bless us.  Sometimes we tie God's hands from blessing us because of our disobedience.  He desires to bless his children and to prosper them, but obedience in required.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for demonstrating how much you love your people. You always seek restoration and your desire is always to bless and redeem your people, even when your people fail you and walk away from You.  Thank you for never leaving us nor forsaking us.  Thank You for always chasing us down when we go our own way.

Yours,
Jeff

Appointed Harvest

Scripture:

Hosea 6:11 "Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed.  Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people".

Observation:

God has been speaking through Hosea terrible things to come on Israel and Judah because of their denial and betrayal of Him.  At this end of one of these times, the Lord throws in there that there is an appointed time when He will give them a harvest and restore their fortunes.

Application:

There are times and seasons in God.  There are seasons that we go through that are not easy and there are seasons when we experience His wonder.  When we go through difficult seasons, we must remember that there is a harvest appointed, even if we have done wrong, and that restoration is coming.  God is a restorer and always gives us a second chance.  His punishment may last for a time, but He always promises restoration when we turn to Him.  It is never too late for an appointed harvest.

Prayer:

Father God, You are amazing!  You love us when we are unlovable and you plan harvests and restoration for us even when we are disobeying you.  Your grace and favor is incredible.  Help me to love others and seek restoration like You do.

Yours,
Jeff

Be Alert and Sober

Scripture:

I Peter 5:8  "Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour".

Observation:

The first thing I see here is that Peter is telling us that we do have an enemy and he is looking for someone to devour.  He also tells us that because of this, we should be alert and clear minded.  We need to realize that we have an enemy and know his schemes.

Application:

As believers, we must realize that there is a very real spiritual battle going on for our lives.  There is a very real enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy.  He desires to bring frustration, confusion and discord into our lives.  We must be cognizant of this and live alert to his schemes.  We need to be clear minded.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are amazing and I appreciate you.  Help me to live sensitive to You and your voice.  Help me to live alert and sober because I have an enemy who is on the prowl.  Show me his plans and schemes and help me to walk in victory as Your child.

Yours,
Jeff

Called to Bless

Scripture:

I Peter 3:9  "Do not repay evil for evil or insult with insult.  On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing".

Observation:

Peter tells us that we are not to repay evil for evil, but to be a blessing so we can inherit a blessing.  If we want to be blessed in life, we need to be a blessing to others, even those who are insulting us and speaking evil against us.  Bless and you shall be blessed!

Application:

We are to repay evil with blessing.  This is not easy to do, but God tells us here that then we will inherit a blessing.  He says we are not only to do this, but that we are called to this.  Instead of seeking our specific calling, we should seek to bless those who persecute us, then the rest will take care of itself.

Prayer:

Lord, let my life shine for You.  Help me to represent You well.  I am called to blessing.  Help me to love those who are against me.

Yours,
Jeff

There is a man

Scripture:

Daniel 5:11 "There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him.  In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods.  Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and diviners".

Observation:

When the king needed answers, his people knew where to look.  Daniel had walked with God and they felt that the spirit of the gods was with him.  He had insight, intelligence and wisdom.  He understood the Lord and walked with him everyone saw the difference it made in his life.

Application:

When we walk with the Lord, we should stand out of the crowd and be seen as different.  When we walk with God, we should be stronger, wiser, and have more understanding than those around us.  We need to seek the Lord and ask Him to raise us up and to give us wisdom and understanding.  He is the author of both and we need to seek Him for them.

Prayer:

Father, let Your wisdom and understanding flow through my life.   Help me to pursue You above all else.  Teach me Your ways and help me to understand life, You and the world with great understanding.  Help me to advance Your kingdom in the earth and beat back the kingdom of darkness.  Show me how to do that in my generation.

Yours,
Jeff

He Will Deliver Us

Scripture:

Daniel 3:17  "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from your Majesty's hand".

Observation:

Daniel was a man of faith who believed God was able to do the impossible.  He was faced with an impossible situation where his life was on the line and he stood in powerful faith that God would deliver him from the hands of the king and the fiery furnace.  He truly knew God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace.

Application:

God is truly the God of the impossible.  He is able to deliver us from whatever the enemy throws against us.  We must walk in faith as Daniel did.  We must walk before the Lord knowing that He will deliver us from every problem that comes before us and give us strength to believe that "even if" He doesn't, that we will not bow our knees.  We need to walk by faith to the very end.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk by faith and not by sight.  Teach me to walk out my faith every day.  You are amazing and You definitely do the impossible.  Help me to believe that You will do the same for me.

Yours,
Jeff

Works Demonstrate Faith

Scripture:

James 2:24  "You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone".

Observation:

James had just talked about Abraham being called righteous because of his action of offering his son as a sacrifice.  His faith in God caused him to take action.  Here, James tells us that we are considered righteous by what we do and not by faith alone.

Application:

We can say we have faith all day long, but our faith will be demonstrated in what we do and how we live our lives.  The proof of faith is good works and living a life pleasing to God.  We must be people whose actions scream loudly that we are people of faith.  Our lives should let people know we are people of faith before we say a word.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to live in such a way that my life screams as loudly as my mouth.  Help me to live a life that demonstrates my faith in You and doesn't just believe.  I want to live a life that points people to Christ and brings light and life wherever I go.  Help me to life every day as an example of the love and life that Christ brings.

Your Son,
Jeff

Large Numbers of Fish

Scripture:

Ezekiel 47:9  "Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows.  There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live".

Observation:

Ezekiel saw a river flowing from under the Temple in Jerusalem.  It brought healing and life everywhere it flowed.  It even made the Dead Sea come to life where it dumped into it.  As he is describing the life that comes through this river, he says, "There will be large numbers of fish".  When God does something, He always goes large.

Application:

Since the inception of Word of Life, there has been a constant prophetic word about us being an Ezekiel 47 church.  We generally hear the word about the river bringing healing wherever it goes and we have witnessed many, many healings, but we have never focused on the large numbers of fish.  This morning I feel the Lord challenging me to believe God for larger numbers of people to get saved through our church.  We tend to not ask God for numerical growth because it seems less spiritual than asking for spiritual growth, but numerical growth comes naturally when the river flows and people are being healed.

Prayer:

Father, grow the church I pastor.  Let us see large numbers of people come to Christ this year.  Let there be an increase in the size and reach of our church.  Let the river of God flow without hindrance and let multitudes meet Jesus quickly.  Bless our outreach tomorrow and let many come to Christ.  Bless my own personal life and let me lead more people to Christ this year than every before.  Flow, river of God, in and through my life.

Yours,
Jeff

Stop Dispossessing My People

Scripture:

Ezekiel 45:9  "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You have gone far enough, princes of Israel!  Give up your violence and oppression and do what is just and right.  Stop dispossessing my people, declares the Sovereign Lord".

Observation:

God was speaking to the people of Israel about when they re-settle in the land He had given them.  In this passage, He rebukes the princes of Israel about taking the land of the people of Israel.  The Lord sets apart an area for the priests and the princes, then tells them to stay in their land and stop dispossessing His people.  God isn't happy when His people have their stuff taken away.

Application:

God is never happy when His people's stuff is taken away from them.  He wants His people to be blessed and to live in peace.  He always provides a place for them and gets angry when someone takes things from them.  He is a good father who doesn't like to see His children treated poorly.  We need to stop settling for having things taken from us when our father in heaven is willing to fight for us.  We need to hear God saying, "stop dispossessing my people".

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to see how much You also don't like your people dispossessed of their inheritance and their stuff.  I call back everything that the enemy has taken from me and mine.  I ask you to restore what is mine and has been taken by the enemy.  Fight on my behalf Lord and take back what is rightfully mine.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Work of the Spirit

Scripture:

Ezekiel 43:5  "The the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple".

Observation:

When Ezekiel encountered God, it was an awesome experience.  It tells us that the Spirit of the Lord lifted him up and brought him into the inner court, then the glory of the Lord filled the temple.  God lifted him up and took him into His glory.

Application:

The Holy Spirit lifts us up and brings us places we could never go on our own.  He brings us into His glory.  We should always seek the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  When we do, He will lift us up and take us into His presence and show us things we can't even imagine.  May we always be seekers of God and may we walk in His presence and power.

Prayer:

Father, I want to encounter you once again.  I love my daily time with You, but I am hungry for another encounter in Your glory.  I want to see You.  I want to know You.  I want to hear Your voice as the voice of many waters.  Take me into Your presence today as I seek after You.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Promises

Scripture:

Ezekiel 39:29  "I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord".

Observation:

God speaking here of a time when He would no longer hide his face from Israel, but would pour out His Spirit on them.  From the surrounding prophecies, it appears this will be in a time that is still in the future.  It appears that God will turn His face again towards Israel and will bless them and they will turn to Him as well.  This is seen in Romans 9-11 as well.  God is not done with Israel.  he will raise her up.

Application:

This is a word from God to Israel that is thousands of years old and has not yet taken place, yet today we see God revealing Himself to Israel once again.  We are beginning to see the outpouring of God's Spirit in Israel for the first time in many generations.  When God promises something... it will surely come to pass.  It may not happen when we would like it to, but it will happen.  We must hear the Word of the Lord and then align ourselves to see it come to pass.

Prayer:

Lord, let me be patient with Your promises.  Help me not to rush what You have for my life.  Teach me to trust You completely and in every area of my life.  Let me fulfill all You have for me to do.  I am Yours,

Jeff

Hear the Word of the Lord

Scripture:

Ezekiel 37:4  "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!'"

Observation:

Ezekiel was taken to a valley full of many very dry bones and was asked, "Can these bones live?"  He was then told to speak the word of the Lord to them.  Ezekiel is then found prophesying to dry bones that they will live again.  He tells them to hear the Word of the Lord.

Application:

When God speaks... things happen!  When God speaks about an area in your life that seems dead, it will live again.  Faith speaks the future outcome, even when in the midst of everything seeming dead around it.  We must learn not to listen to our logic, but to listen to the Lord.  When He speaks... dead things come back to life.

Prayer:

Father, help me not to be discouraged by what I see around me, but to listen to Your voice.  Help me to walk by faith and not by sight.  Let me clearly hear Your voice and respond accordingly, even when the situation looks bleak.  Help me to follow You well and to say to the things in my life that are not going well, "Hear the word of the Lord".

Yours,
Jeff

They Will Know

Scripture:

Ezekiel 24:27  "At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.  So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord".

Observation;

God tells Ezekiel that he will open his mouth and speak to His people.  He says that Ezekiel will no longer be silent and that he will be a sign to them and that they would know that God is the Lord.

Application:

Throughout the Word of God, we see the Lord reaching out to His people and the people of the world and wanting them to know and understand that He is the LORD.  His desire is, and has always been, that people all over the world would know Him and follow Him.  He wants the world to know Him and that He is LORD of all.  He goes to great extreme throughout scripture, to let people know that He is the Lord of all.  That should be the center of our lives.  When we are about His purposes in the earth, we will be blessed.  We need to let the world know who He is.

Prayer:

Lord, let me expand your rule and reign today.  Let the world see You through my life.  Let my life bring Your praise.  Help me to be completely Yours today and to follow You closely so that the world may know that You are the LORD of all the earth.  Your kingdom expansion is my purpose in life.

Yours,
Jeff

Build the Wall and Stand in the Gap

Scripture:

Ezekiel 22:30  "I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one."

Observation:

God was speaking through Ezekiel and telling His people that judgement was coming on them because of their sins.  At this point, He tells them that He had looked for someone who would build up the wall and stand in the gap so He wouldn't have to destroy the people, but He found no one.  God didn't want to bring judgment, but nobody was standing in the gap for the people.

Application:

God still responds when His people stand in the gap and build the wall.  This is done by standing in prayer and fasting.  In Ezekiel's day, everyone was turned away from God and His people were far from Him.  God looked for someone who was standing in the gap, interceding, but He found no one.  We must stand in the gap and build the wall in our country.  As we continue in prayer and seeking His face, we will see Him respond with His blessing.

Prayer:

Father, I want to stand in the gap and build the wall.  I don't want to go with the crowd, but to follow You closely and to have on my heart the things that are on Your heart.  Help me to serve You well and when you go looking for someone standing in the gap and building the wall, let me be one of those who is interceding for my people.

Yours,
Jeff

Pleasing God

Scripture:

Ezekiel 18:23  "Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord.  Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

Observation:

Earlier in this text, God was saying that if someone is righteous and turns unrighteous, every good thing he has done will not be remembered.  He went on to say that if an unrighteous person turns righteous, he will not remember their old unrighteous ways.  Here He completes this with declaring that He doesn't take any pleasure in the death of the wicked.  He is pleased when people turn from their ways and live.

Application:

God is pleased when we turn from anything ungodly in our lives.  He is pleased when we choose Him over the ways of this world.  God is honored when we choose to turn from wicked things and follow Him.  His desire for us is to choose life and for us to walk in His blessing and favor, but sometimes we don't see that because we don't turn completely to Him.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk with You completely.  Teach me to hear Your voice and to respond with a strong "yes" every time You show me something that needs to change in my life.  I want to please You in every area of my life.

Yours,
Jeff

You Will Know

Scripture:

Ezekiel 6:7  "Your people will fall slain among you, and you will know that I am the Lord".

Observation:

God told Ezekiel many times and in many different ways, that He was going to judge His people for their sin and idolatry.  He used many illustrations of how He would do it, but the reason was always the same, "then they will know that I am the Lord".  God's goal in judgment is always repentance and restoration.

Application:

When things are going absolutely terrible in our lives, we need to take a look to see if there are areas of disobedience, idolatry, or areas that we have let slip in our relationship with God.  Even in the New Testament, God disciplines His children so that they will realize their sins are killing them and turn back to the Lord.  We must learn to evaluate our relationship with the Father and turn when we see things are not right.  We want to walk in His blessing, not His judgment, but even in judgment we can know His goal is our restoration.

Prayer:

Father, when I get off course, straighten me out.  Help me to hear and follow Your voice.  Teach me to see quickly when I get of track and to return to You.  Help me to stay in step with the Holy Spirit at all times and to do Your will in the earth in my generation.

Yours,
Jeff

Speak My Words

Scripture:

Ezekiel 2:7  "You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious".

Observation:

God was letting Ezekiel know that his ministry was not going to be easy.  He told Ezekiel that the people were hard, but that God would make him harder.  The Lord told him that they would not listen to him, but that he was to go anyway and be His voice to them.  God then told him that he must speak God's words to t them whether they listen or not.

Application:

Sometimes what God calls us to do may not look very successful in our eyes or other people's eyes.  Ezekiel was told from the beginning that his words would not be listened to, but that he had to speak anyway.  We must be ready to be obedient to God, whether He does things the way we think He should or not.  Every ministry and minister is different.  God has a plan for each, but we don't have control over what part we are doing.  Our job is to be obedient to the Lord.  That may bring about "success" in the world's eyes, or it may not.  Our job is simply to do what God asks us to do.  The rest belongs to Him.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You wholeheartedly.  Teach me to seek Your approval above the approval of any man.  Help me to fulfill everything You have given me to do in my life.  Help me not to equate success with numbers, people, influence, or anything but pure obedience to You in every area of my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Faith of Abraham

Scripture:

Hebrews 11:19  "Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death".

Observation:

Abraham was obedient to God when God asked him to sacrifice his promised son Isaac.  He was willing to offer his own son to God as a sacrifice in obedience to the Lord.  Here in Hebrews it tells us that he reckoned if God was telling him to sacrifice his son, that God could raise the dead and would bring his son back to life.

Application:

Abraham fully trusted God.  If God said to sacrifice his son, he would, and then he would trust God to raise him from the dead.  We must learn to obey God and trust that God will take care of us as we follow Him.  Real faith does what God says, no matter what it looks like from the outside.  Real faith walks in obedience when obedience doesn't make sense.  We must learn to trust God completely.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live a life of true faith.  Teach me Your ways.  Help me to listen to and follow Your voice.  Let my ears be tuned to your voice.  I want to hear You and I want to follow.  Speak to me and then strengthen me to do what You say.  I am Yours.

Yours,
Jeff

Holding Unswervingly

Scripture:

Hebrews 10:23  "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful".

Observation:

The author of Hebrews tells us here to hold "unswervingly" to the hope we profess because God is faithful.  unswervingly means we are not swerving back and forth.  It means we are not swerving up and down in our faith, but standing solidly in faith, knowing that God is faithful and will do what He says He will do.

Application:

He who promised is truly faithful.  He will do what He says He will do.  God has proven himself over and over again throughout history.  He does what He says He will do.  The problem is that He doesn't always do it in our timing.  We must hold onto to God and our faith with determination, knowing God will always come through on His promises.  Our faith must also be on His faithfulness, not our strength to hold on.

Prayer:

Father, I am weak, but You are strong.  You are my rock and my fortress.  You are my strong tower and I trust in You.  You are faithful beyond my understanding and You are trustworthy.  Help me to hold unswervingly to the hope I have in You.  Let my life not swerve to the left or right, but help me stay on course, doing Your will in every area of my life.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Source of Salvation

Scripture:

Hebrews 5:8-9  "Son, though He was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him".

Observation:

Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered.  He then became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.  I see a word that stands out to me here.  It is the word "obey" related to eternal salvation.  It doesn't say for those who believe, but for those who obey him.  Faith and obedience work hand in hand.

Application:

Our works must prove our faith.  Like James said, if you want to show someone your faith, you will have to show them your works, because works and faith go hand in hand.  Our faith should result in obedience to Christ.  Many times today we want to do our own thing and want God to bless it, but we should be seeking His will for our lives and walk in obedience to Him.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing!  Thanks for sharing this with me today.  Help me to walk in obedience to You always.  Help me to be more focused on eternity than on the things of this present life.  Keep my eyes on You at all times.  You are my salvation and my very life.  You are my everything.

Yours,
Jeff

Restoration Cry

Scripture:

Lamentations 5:21  "Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old".

Observation:

God's people had been exiled and were being treated terribly.  They knew that they were being punished by God for their sins.  They knew that they had walked out on God, but they also knew that God was merciful and full of compassion.  Therefore, they cried out to him and asked Him to restore them to Him.  They  cried out to the Lord to renew them back to like they were in the past when He was their God and they were His people.

Application:

David cried out for God to restore the joy of his salvation.  The people of God cried out that God would restore them after they had messed up.  When we feel distanced from God, whether we did something wrong or not, we need to cry out to God to restore us.  Sometimes in our lives, we get out of sync with God and we need to cry out for Him to restore us to where we have been in the past.  God responds to restoration cries.

Prayer:

Father, restore my joy.  Restore my hope.  Restore my vision and passion.  I cry out to You today for restoration of everything the enemy has tried to steal from me.  I love you and know that You have much more in store for my life.  Help me to walk in unity with You always and to do everything You ask me to do.

Yours,
Jeff

Endurance Till Blessing Comes

Scripture:

Jeremiah 52:33  "So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king's table".

Observation:

All through Jeremiah, God would speak about a period when his punishment would be over and he would once again bless Judah.  Here we see at the beginning of this chapter that Jehoiachin was exiled for 37 years, then he was brought out of prison and was seated at the king's table the rest of his life.  God is faithful to do what He promises, even though it may take longer than we would like.

Application:

Thirty seven years is a long time.  In 37 years, you have pretty much given up on your dreams, visions, and any hope of dignity being restored to your life, but with God 37 years is like a minute.  When our blessing seems like it is being delayed, we must hold onto the promises of God because they will come.  They may not come when we would like them to, but they will come.  Sometimes we just have to endure some seasons.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in endurance.  Help me to never give up on the things You have given me to do.  Help me to fulfill all that You have called me to do.  In the areas that will take longer than I would like, help me to wait quietly for the promises.  Teach me to endure until the blessing comes.

Yours,
Jeff

Even in Judgment, God restores

Scripture:

Jeremiah 48:47  "Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come, declares the Lord.  Here ends the judgment on Moab."

Observation:

In this portion of Scripture, God is giving out destruction messages to those nations around Israel. He tells Moab, and several others, that He will utterly destroy them.  At the end of telling about their incredible destruction, He tells them that He will restore their fortunes.

Application:

Even in judgment, God talks about restoration.  Even when He had decided to destroy nations, He would come back through, most of the time, and tell them that He would restore them later.  God's sword falls both directions.  It will come through to judge, then it will come through to restore.  We need to realize that God is a loving God who will bring discipline, but even when disciplining, already has plans for restoration.  God is a restorer of broken things, broken people, and broken nations.

Prayer:

Father, that you for letting me see that, even in judgment, you speak of restoration.  Help me to understand your discipline better and to know that You plan is always to restore us.  I love You.  You are truly a Good Good Father.

Yours,
Jeff

Do Not Be Afraid

Scripture:

Jeremiah 46:28  "Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant, for  I am with you, declares the Lord.  Though I completely destroy all the nations among which I scatter you, I will not completely destroy you.  I will discipline you but only in due measure; I will not let you go completely unpunished".

Observation:

God tells the people of Jacob His "servant", even though they had not been living for Him like they should.  He also lets them know that He will completely destroy all the nations they were scattered to, but that He would not completely destroy them.  He let them know that He would discipline them, but only in due measure.  They couldn't go unpunished, but He would not destroy them.

Application:

God does discipline His people.  He does allow things in our lives to teach us lessons.  He always lets us know, though, that He will bring us back and be with us in the midst of the trials.  Even when we are not serving Him well, He doesn't turn His back on us, but will discipline us in hopes of us returning to Him with all our hearts.  As a father, I understand this well.  Sometimes you have to let your children make mistakes and suffer consequences so that they will stop making the mistakes.

Prayer:

Father, I am Yours.  Teach me to walk with You through good and bad times, knowing that You are with me and will deliver me from every situation, even the ones I bring on myself.  Help me to know Your voice and to walk with You closely.

Your Son,
Jeff

What is Too Hard for God?

Scripture:

Jeremiah 32:27  "'I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.  Is anything too hard for me?'"

Observation:

God had been speaking through Jeremiah about how, after the captivity in Babylon, He would take Judah and Israel back home and would bless and prosper them in the land He promised them.  He was telling the people that they were going to have go through a difficult time because of their disobedience, but that they would come back again and thrive. He let them know here that nothing was or is impossible for Him.

Application:

Sometimes when we are overwhelmed, we tend to think nothing will ever change and that things will never get better.  When we are in those circumstances, we need to hold onto the words of the Lord.  Truly, nothing is too hard for the one who created the universe.  Nothing is too difficult for the God we serve.  We must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to never lose faith.  Help me to realize that You are able to absolutely anything and that You specialize in blowing our minds with Your ability.  Help me to walk by faith and to truly trust You more each day.  I know You are able, but sometimes I struggle with whether You will work on my behalf.  Teach me to trust you more and more.

Yours,
Jeff

Repentence

Scripture:

Jeremiah 26:13  "Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God.  Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you".

Observation:

The people were not listening to Jeremiah when he was prophesying that they would be taken away and serve Babylon.  They  wanted to listen to the prophets who were saying everything was going to be okay and that God would bless them.  Jeremiah tells them here that if they reform their ways and actions to obey the Lord, that the Lord would relent of sending disaster.  If they would repent, God would turn from what he had determined to do against them.

Application:

When we mess up and do wrong, God, who loves us, will bring someone to try to straighten us out or He will simply convict our hearts by His Spirit.  Either way, when we determine to repent and follow His ways, He will turn from what was coming and begin to bless us.  God loves repentance and obedience.  The bad situations of our lives can usually be turned around when we repent and obey God.  When we mess us, our first decision must be to repent and turn to God, then He can change the situations we have gotten ourselves into.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be quick to repent when I have strayed away from You.  Help me to walk in humility and to receive correction and instruction from You.  Help me to walk in submission to You and You ways.  I love You Lord.

Jeff

A Tree Planted

Scripture:

Jeremiah 17:7-8  "But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; Its leaves are always green,  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit".

Observation:

The one who trusts and has confidence in the Lord is told here that they will be blessed.  It says they will be like a tree planted by water.  They will have strong roots and doesn't have to fear when heat comes.  It is always producing, even in drought and difficult times.

Application:

When we fully trust the Lord and walk in His ways, we can be confident that He will take care of us.  We will see the blessing of following Him.  Even during seasons of drought, we will not be shaken or moved.  We will be able to walk through whatever life throws us and still produce fruit,

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk in trust and confidence more and more.  Teach me Your ways and help me to know You more intimately every day.  I want to completely trust You instead of leaning on my own ways and ideas.  Help me to hear Your voice and follow.

Yours,
Jeff

Our Hope is in You

Scripture:

Jeremiah 14:22  "Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?  Do the skies themselves send down showers?  No, it is you, Lord our God.  Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this".

Observation:

Jeremiah was prophesying terrible destruction to God's people because they had turned from Him and were serving other gods.  They were making idols and worshiping them.  At the end of God speaking destruction to Judah, Jeremiah asks if any of the worthless idols could bring rain or showers.  He then says, our hope is in you because You do all of this.

Application:

The things of this world will never give us what we need.  God is the creator of everything we see and He is the only one who can take care of His people.  Our hope cannot be in our jobs, our finances or anything else we can build for ourselves.  Our hope is in the Lord.  He is the one who lifts up and puts down.  He is the one who blesses and makes good things happen for those who follow Him.

Prayer:

Lord God, my hope is in You.  You are my source and my resource.  You are my everything and I appreciate all You do for me.  You have blessed me and rescued me so many times I can't tell them all, but you have been incredibly good to me.  Help me to trust You more each day and to realize that it is You and not myself that I can put my hope in.

Your Son,
Jeff

The Lord Our God

Scripture:

Jeremiah 10:10  "But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King.  When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath".

Observation:

God is speaking through Jeremiah and telling Israel and Judah that they have gone astray from the covenant He had made with them.  He was telling them that their idols were worthless and that they had broken covenant with God.  The covenant was that they would obey Him and follow Him and he would bless them.

Application:

We must always remember who it is that we are serving and who it is that we are in covenant with.  He is the all-powerful one.  He is the all-knowing one.  He is the ever-present one.  When He is angry, the earth trembles and nations cannot endure his wrath.  We need to lift our perception of who God is and humble ourselves before Him.  He is worthy of honor, respect, and adoration.  He has the power to take our lives at any moment or to bless our lives abundantly.  This should cause us to humble ourselves before Him and do things His way.

Prayer:

Father, I humble myself before You this morning.  Have Your way in my life.  Direct my steps and I will follow Your path.  Teach me to walk in obedience to You.  Let my life bring your praise and glory.  Let my heart walk humbly before You every day of my life.  I am Yours.

Love,
Jeff

Moving Forward

Scripture:

Jeremiah 7:23-24  "but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.  Walk in obedience to all i command you, that it may go well with you.  But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.  They went backward and not forward".

Observation:

God speaks through Jeremiah here and tells Judah that He wanted them to obey Him and he would have been their God and they would have been His people, but they wouldn't listen.  He wanted them to walk in obedience so it would go well with them, but they wouldn't.  They went backward instead of forward.

Application:

God wants us to always be moving forward in our relationship with Him.  Even Paul, in the New Testament, tells us to forget the things that are behind and reach toward the things that are ahead.  We are to be a people who are always moving forward with God and not looking backward or moving away from Him.  We are to look to Him and follow Him completely.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live a life of always moving forward in my relationship with You.  Help me not to look around me, behind me, or anywhere else but at You.  Help me to follow Your voice and walk through the doors You open.  Help me to finish all you want me to.

Yours,
Jeff

Fire and Wood

Scripture:

Jeremiah 5:14  "Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says: 'Because the people have spoken these words, I will make my words in your mouth a fire and these people the wood it consumes'".

Observation:

God is speaking through Jeremiah and telling him what He was going to do.  God was telling Jeremiah that His people had not been listening to Him and to what He was trying to tell them.  They were running after other gods and serving them instead of serving the One True and Living God.  God was telling Jeremiah that He was going to cause his words to consume the rebellious people.

Application:

When we speak on God's behalf, we should always seek his face and make sure we represent Him well.  We should be asking Him to make the words that come out of our mouths His words.  We should be asking Him to anoint the words we speak so that they are fire and the people who hear are like wood that is consumed.  Only God can penetrate a hard heart.  Only God can set our words on fire by His Spirit and cause them to carry His power.  When we speak for the Lord, we need to be asking Him to let His fire fall on the words we speak.

Prayer:

Father, when I speak, let my words be anointed of You.  Let me represent You well.  Let Your fire fall when I speak and let people's lives be consumed by Your word.  Let conviction fall.  Let Your glory rest on my life.  I give myself to You.  Speak through me.

Yours,
Jeff

Here I Am, Here I Am

Scripture:

Isaiah 65:1  "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me.  To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, "here am I, here am I'".

Observation:

God is speaking through Isaiah here and tells us that He revealed himself to those who didn't ask for him and He was found by those who were not looking.  He called out to a nation that didn't call out to Him.  God pursues those who aren't pursuing Him.

Application:

God is amazing in that He came looking for us before we came looking for Him.  He reached down to us, before we looked up to Him.  He is the initiator in our relationship.  It is He who reached out first, our job is simply to accept Him and walk with Him.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for looking for me when I wasn't looking for You.  Thank You for seeking me out.  Thank You for choosing me and loving me when I was unlovable.  You are incredible!

Love,
Jeff

Prepare the Way!

Scripture:

Isaiah 62:10  "Pass through, pass through the gates!  Prepare the way for the people.  Build up, build up the highway!  Remove the stones.  Raise a banner for the nations".

Observation:

God was speaking here through Isaiah telling the people that He was going to bring them back to their homeland where they had been exiled from.  He was saying to prepare the way for the return of the people.  He told them to get ready by building the highway, removing the stones, and raising a banner.

Application:

I feel this is a direct word for me concerning the church I lead.  I feel like the Lord is saying to help people pass through the gates and into relationship with the Father.  He is saying to prepare the way for the people by putting together a plan for people who get saved to grow.  He wants us to build up a highway to allow for more and more to become disciples of Christ.  He wants us to remove the things that stop people from coming to Jesus and growing in Him.  He wants us to raise this banner and let people know that highway is open.

Prayer:

Father, help me to implement what You are showing me this morning.  Help me to be able to communicate this with our church leadership and family.  Let multitudes come down the highway of salvation at Word of Life.  Make it easy for people to meet Jesus, grow in Him and then help others grow in Him.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Favor

Scripture:

Isaiah 61:7  "Instead of shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance.  And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours".

Observation:

God was speaking here through Isaiah about a day when Israel would once again enter their land after captivity.  At that time, they would have been disgraced and dejected.  Here God tells them that instead of disgrace, their would rejoice and received a double portion.  He goes on to  tell them that they would have everlasting joy.

Application:

Even when we do wrong and mess up, God has plans to prosper and bless us as His children.  We have to reap what we sow, but after that, God will always raise us up as His children.  No matter what we are going through today and even if we rightly deserve what is going on today, we don't have to stay there forever.  God will step in and bring joy again to those who are broken.  God's favor and blessing are incredible.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding me this morning of Your goodness, blessing and favor.  You are amazing.  You treated Israel incredibly and You treat us the same.  Thank You for not holding my mess ups over my head.  Thank You for blessing my life over and over again.  You are the best!

Yours,

Jeff

Where God lives

Scripture:

Isaiah 57:15  "For this is what the high and exalted one says, 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite'"

Observation:

God is speaking through Isaiah here and tells him that God lives in a high and holy place, but that He also lives with people who are contrite and lowly.  He comes to revive the heart of the lowly and the contrite.

Application:

When you see the lowly, contrite people of the world, you can rest assured that God is with them.  He makes sure the lowly and contrite have what they need.  God always gives grace to the humble and resists the proud.  With God, it is better to be poor and humble, depending on Him, than to be rich and successful while depending on ourselves.  Humility before God has great rewards and pride always destroys.

Prayer:

Lord, You are with those who are lowly and contrite.  You are the friend of the broken.  Help me to walk in humility before You.  Teach me the way of the humble.  Teach me to be where You would be and to walk where You would walk.  Help me to be more like You every day.

Yours.

Jeff

God's Word

Scripture:

Isaiah 55:11 "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it".

Observation:

God is speaking though Isaiah and telling him that God's words never return empty, but are powerful and they will accomplish what He wants them to accomplish.  When God speaks... It will happen.  When God speaks, things change.

Application:

We must have great confidence in the word of the Lord.  When God's word tells us something... It will come to pass.  When we have a word from the Lord and we know it is from the Lord, we must wait patiently for it because it will come to pass and God will accomplish all He wants to accomplish.

Prayer:

Father, help me to trust You more and to put my faith in your word.  Your words are life and truth.  Thank You for sharing this with me this morning.

Yours,
Jeff

Prayers that Get Answered

Scripture:

Isaiah 37:20  "Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God".

Observation:

Hezekiah had been told that the Assyrians were coming to destroy him and his people.  He was being threatened that they would be destroyed and that his God would never be able to save him or his people from the Assyrians.  Hezekiah prayed a very effective prayer.  "deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know you, Lord are the only God".

Application:

If God started answering our prayers, would it make us look good or would it make Him look good?  Would the answer to our prayers cause people all over the world to turn to the Lord?  Are our prayers more about our comfort, or His kingdom?  When we pray prayers that benefit the kingdom and that God will be glorified through, we will see more answers to those prayers.  Hezekiah prayed for their protection so that all other kingdoms would know that God is the only God, and God answered that prayer.

Prayer:

Father, let my prayers not be selfish prayers, but prayers that will advance your kingdom.  Help me to pray kingdom prayers and not prayers for my own personal gain.  Teach me to make the advancement of Your kingdom in the earth the priority of my life.

Yours,
Jeff

Do Not Answer Him

Scripture:

Isaiah 36:21  "But the people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, 'Do not answer him'".

Observation:

The king of Assyria was threatening Hezekiah and the people of Judah.  He was trying to scare them into thinking he was going to overpower them like he had done other countries.  Hezekiah told his people to remain silent and don't even reply to him.

Application:

Sometimes you don't need to argue, but simply be quiet and let God demonstrate His power.  Our strength is in quietness and confidence.  When the enemy comes at you in a threatening way, sometimes the best response is quietness and confidence.  When you are not shaken by his attacks, he doesn't know what to do.  We can't be shaken by the voice of our enemy, we must learn to listen to the voice of God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be attuned to Your voice and not the voice of my enemies.  Let me hear your voice clearly and walk in obedience to You.  Teach me when to answer and when to walk in quietness and confidence.  You always know the best path.

Your Son,
Jeff

He Will Save Us

Scripture:

Isaiah 33:22  "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, It is He who will save us".

Observation:

Isaiah continually turns the eyes of the people back to the Lord.  He continually points the nation back to God who made them, back to the God of their fathers.  Here he tells them that the Lord is their judge, lawgiver and king and that it is He who would save them.

Application:

As we enter the time of our national elections for President of the United States, people and candidates are arguing over who will make a better president.  Both sides would say that America is not strong any more and that there are some major problems with our nation.  They are proposing all kinds of legislation to fix the United States, but the truth is, when we turn to God, HE WILL SAVE US.  The U.S. needs an awakening because it is only God that can save us now.

Prayer:

Father, It is truly You who save us.  I call on You to save my nation one more time.  I ask You to pour out Your Spirit in this nation again.  I ask You to show us Your power and Your glory.  Help us to realize that a politician can't fix our country, but that You can.

Yours,
Jeff

God's Heart for the World

Scripture:

Isaiah 19:21  "So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord.  They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them".

Observation:

Here Isaiah is prophesying about a time when even Egypt will acknowledge the Lord and serve Him.  Whenever we hear of Egypt as believers, it never brings a good feeling.  It reminds us of the people of Israel being in slavery and the terrible things Egypt did to them, yet God wants all to be saved and tells us that even Egypt will turn to Him.  God is not willing that any should perish...Even His enemies.

Application:

When we see the heart of God for the world, we should respond by desiring the same.  We should be part of making His name known in all the earth because that is close to His heart.  God's desire is to bless every nation and for every nation to turn to Him.  When we make that our desire, we will see the good hand of God revealed in our lives.  He loves ALL and died for ALL.

Prayer:

Father, let me see the nations like You see the nations.  Let my heart be ready to follow You into all the earth.  Help me to be a blessing to all nations and help me be a part of taking the Good News into all the earth.  There is no doubt from Your word that You want the world to follow You.  I want to be part of that solution.

Your Son,
Jeff

Once Again

Scripture:

Isaiah 14:1  "The Lord will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land.  Foreigners will join them and unite with the descendants of Jacob.

Observation:

Israel had walked away from the God who founded them.  They had departed and went after other gods until God Almighty brought destruction on them by other nations in order to get them to turn back to Him.  Even after God turned them over to other nations, He said, "Once again" He would choose Israel and bless them.  Though they had wandered far from the God, He said, "Once again" he would raise them up.

Application:

In our lives we need to know that God doesn't give up easily on people.  He is the God of "once again".  He is the God of second and third chances.  He is the God who is faithful even when we are unfaithful.  When we go through bad times and feel far away from God's blessing, we must realize He is the God of "once again".  No matter how bad life has been we can rest assured that once again God will restore us, forgive us, and walk with us in blessing.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for showing Your faithfulness to Israel and to us.  You are amazing and You love truly never fails.  Thank You that when I mess up, "Once again" You will turn my situation around and send You blessing.  I pour out my love on You today.  Be blessed by my praise and be blessed ny my life.

Yours,
Jeff

Make Known What He Has Done

Scripture:

Isaiah 12:4  "In that day you will say: 'Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted'".

Observation:

Isaiah was telling God's people that they would not be in bondage forever.  He was bringing judgment on them for their sins, but that once they turned back to Him, He would wipe out those who had punished them.  As a reply to His goodness when He does this, He tells the people to give praise to the Lord and to proclaim His name and to make known among the nations what He has done.

Application:

God always has more to the story than what it appears.  He never just sets us free so we can be free.  He always sets us free so we will proclaim His name among the nations.  He delivers us so we will declare His goodness to the nations.  The nations are always on God's heart.  His plan is always for the advancement of His kingdom.  When we have a testimony of His goodness, He expects us to share it.

Prayer:

Father, make me better at sharing what you do for me.  Teach me to declare Your deeds among the nations.  You have done so much for me.  Open the doors to the nations and I will proclaim Your word and Your goodness throughout the world because You are good!

Yours,
Jeff

Light Changes Everything

Scripture:

Isaiah 9:2  "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned".

Observation:

Isaiah prophesied about the coming of the Savior and one of his descriptions is that those in darkness will see a great light.  Jesus said, "I am the light of the world".  He came to bring light to the world and he sent us also as carriers of the light when He said that we should be like a city set on a hill where our light can be seen.

Application:

Light changes everything.  Darkness causes people to not be able to see around them and to be afraid of what they cannot see.  Darkness and fear go hand in hand, but when the light comes on, fear leaves and we realize things were not as bad as they seemed.  Nothing changed, but fear is gone because now we can see.  We are called to shine God's light to the world and light changes everything.  May our lives be lived to bring about wonderful change in our world.

Prayer:

Lord, let Your light shine through my life.  Help me to reflect You more and more each day.  I want to walk with You and demonstrate Your goodness to those around me.  You are amazing and I love You with all my heart.  Let my life be a change agent for good to those around me.

Yours,
Jeff

When God Calls us to Hard Things

Scripture:

Isaiah 6:10  "Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed".

Observation:

Isaiah had just encountered the Lord in a powerful and ended up saying "Here am I, send me".  After that powerful encounter, the Lord gave him his mission, which was to make God's people have hardened hearts so that they wouldn't obey God because God wanted to wipe them out.

Application:

Sometimes God calls us to do things that we don't understand and that don't feel comfortable to us, but He expects us to respond with "YES LORD".  When God calls us to speak on His behalf, it isn't always a wonderful message that He gives us and that He wants us to deliver.  Sometimes His messages won't make us popular, but our job is obedience to God, not popularity with people.

Prayer:

Father, help me to say yes, when yes doesn't feel good.  Help me to fulfill Your will when it doesn't seem like things are going the way I want them to.  Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and deliver exactly what You want said.  By the way, I do love those close encounters with You like Isaiah had.  I'd love that any time, any day.  I love to be in Your presence, just help me to speak Your words when I come out.

Your Son,
Jeff

God's Love For Us

Scripture:

Song of Solomon 8:7  "Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of one's house for love, it would be utterly scorned".

Observation:

Many people interpret Song of Solomon as a story demonstrating the love of God for us.  Personally, I feel like it is just a story of the love of Solomon's life, but I'm going to go with the flow today because it is true of God's love.  Here it tells us that many waters cannot quench love and rivers cannot sweep it away.  In other words, God's love for us cannot be stopped.

Application:

Just like you can't stop a river, the love of God for you will never stop.  Just like quenching a fire is extremely difficult, the love of God for us is unstoppable.  He loves us so deeply we cannot comprehend it.  His love for us has already paid the highest price possible, yet He continues to demonstrate that love to us over and over when we let Him down and fail Him.  If there is one things we can depend on in life, it is the fact that God loves us.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for loving me so strongly.  You never let go, never give up, and never stop loving us.  As the song declares, "Your love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me".  You are amazing and my heart is secure because I know that Your love never fails.

Thanks,
Jeff

Speaking to our Spouses

Scripture:

Song of Solomon 4:7  "You are all together beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you".

Observation:

Solomon is speaking here to the love of his life.  He speaks to her and tells her that she is beautiful and that there is no flaw in her.  He speaks positive, powerful words over his love.  Everyone has flaws, but he calls his love flawless.

Application:

Our spouses need to know how much we love them and that we think they are great.  They need to hear us say that they are beautiful.  People become what you speak about them.  Maybe instead of pointing out the flaws in those around us, we should point out the positives.  Nobody is flawless, but rather thank focusing on the flaws, Solomon focused on the how beautiful his lover was.  We need to stop focusing on the flaws and start focusing on what they are doing right.

Prayer:

Father, help me to focus on the good in my wife.  Help me to speak words of life, love and liberty over the one I love the most.  Teach me to speak in a way that brings out the best in my family.

Yours,
Jeff

Great Gain

Scripture:

I Timothy 6:6  "But godliness with contentment is great gain".

Observation:

Paul had just told Timothy that there were people who were preaching that godliness was a means to financial gain.  He contrasted that with the words, "but godliness with contentment is great gain".  He was saying that godliness can't be defined by bank accounts, but by contentment.

Application:

So many people today are running after God because of the promises of preachers that God will bless them and that they will be wealthy.  Many are serving God out of what He can do for them instead of what they can do for Him.  We must learn to walk in godliness with great contentment.  When we are content, it says we are satisfied with God and with where He has us right now.  There is great gain in knowing that God is taking care of us.

Prayer;

Father, help  me to walk in contentment concerning finances and to know that You will provide all of my needs according to Your riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Thank you for taking care of me all of these years and being faithful.  You are amazing!  Help me to be content in all things and trust that I am right where You want me to be.

Your Son,
Jeff

Prayer for Leaders

Scripture:

I Timothy 2:1-2  "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness".

Observation:

Paul tells Timothy to pray "petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving" for all people.  He then goes on to specifically tell him to do this for kings and all those in authority because then they would all be able to live peaceful lives.

Application:

We must learn to pray for our leaders daily instead of judging and criticizing them, we must learn to pray for them.  When they are doing well, we will live peaceful lives and be able to live out our godliness and holiness.  It is easy to criticize the leadership, but we must learn to pray for them so that they will make right decisions.

Prayer:

Father, remind me daily as I pray to pray for those in authority over my life.  Help me to pray consistently for the leader of the United States instead of just wishing someone else was in office.  Help me to pray sincerely for those above me.

Yours,
Jeff

The Conclusion

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14  "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil".

Observation:

Solomon, at the end of Ecclesiastes, sums up all of his findings from Proverbs and Ecclesiastes by telling us to fear God and keep His commands because He will judge every deed of our lives, the good and the evil.  After walking in the greatest wisdom of anyone ever, Solomon felt he could summarize it all with fearing God and doing what He says.

Application:

We need to fear God and have deep respect and reverence for Him.  We will stand before God one day and be judged, Keeping that in mind as we live out our lives will help us to live a life that is worthy and valuable.  God is holy and righteous.  We must remember that as we live out our lives.  We have a short time here on earth and eternity is long.  If we fear God and keep His ways, we will have a fantastic eternity.

Prayer:

Father, help me to fear You and walk in integrity of heart.  help me to fulfill all You have given me to do on this earth.  Teach me to walk in great wisdom.  I have learned so much about wisdom from Your word recently, help  me to live it out.

Yours,
Jeff

A Time for Everything

Scripture:

Ecclesiastes 3:1  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens".

Observation:

Solomon, the wisest person ever, writes in Ecclesiastes and calls everything meaningless.  After he had reigned in extreme wisdom and achieved incredible results, he felt everything was meaningless because someone would just come after him and mess things up.  As he enters into chapter 3 he lets us know that there are seasons in life and history.  There is a time for everything.

Application:

Timing is so crucial in our lives.  We must do the right thing at the right time because there is a time for everything.  We must discern the times and make the most of every opportunity that comes our way.  There are times of blessing.  There are times of sowing.  There are times of sorrow.  There are times of joy.  Times will come and go throughout our lives, what we need to focus on is honoring God throughout the times of our lives.

Prayer:

Father, let my life bring You glory throughout the times and seasons of my life.  Help me to reflect Your glory well and to be a light to those around me.  Help me not to get discouraged because something doesn't happen in my timing.  Your timing is perfect and I want to serve you well in my generation.

Your Son,
Jeff

Shaming People

Scripture:

II Thessalonians 3:14  "Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter.  Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed".

Observation:

Paul writes here to the Thessalonians and tells them to do something that we would never even consider in our churches today.  He tells the church to take note of those who don't obey his instructions in the letter and to not associate with them in order that they may feel ashamed.  Here is a biblical text demonstrating something we would never do because we would be seen as unloving, uncaring, or just plain mean because we would hurt people's feelings.

Application:

Verses like this make me think how far off we have gotten as the church of Jesus Christ corporately.  In today's churches we do everything possible not to make anyone feel bad or be ashamed of themselves, Paul tells the church to make people feel ashamed by not associating with them.  This is so opposite of what we would do today, but it is biblical.  We need to do our best to walk in obedience to the word of God, even when the word of God tells us to do something that doesn't feel right to us.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to walk according to Your word and not my feelings about what I think Your word would tell us to do.  Help me to listen to the voice of Your Spirit and to follow what He tells me to do.  Give me strength to do what You want me to do in every area.  Let me live a life that is pleasing to You.

Yours,
Jeff

God's Word

Scripture:

Proverbs 30:5  "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him".

Observation:

Solomon had learned through his father David, that God was to be sought out and that His word could be trusted in every matter.  Solomon realized that the Word of God was flawless.  It has no flaws!  It is perfect and God is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.  God is our protector!

Application:

If God's word says it...it is true, reliable, and will come to pass.  We must learnt to trust God and to take Him at his word.  His word is flawless!  It is trustworthy.  It is of great value and should be sought out in every situation.  We must learn to seek the Lord and take refuge in Him through searching His word, which is perfect.  When we apply His word to our lives, we will also realize that He is our shield and our refuge.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are faithful and Your word is true.  Help me to seek out Your truth and to know Your word.  Teach me to seek You diligently and to trust You more every day.  I am Your and I want Your will above all else.

Yours,
Jeff

Wounds From a Friend

Scripture:

Proverbs 27:5-6  "Better is open rebuke than hidden love.  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses".

Observation:

Solomon understood relationships extremely well.  He understood how people operate and what brings about good, positive change in people's lives.  He lets us know that a real friend will wound sometimes and that it will be trusted.  He also tells us that an enemy multiplies kisses.

Application:

We should desire the people in our lives who will tell us the truth instead of those who only tell us good things.  We should desire a real friend who will be honest with us instead of friends who tell us what we want to heart.  A good friend will would at times instead of just telling the person that everything is okay and multiplying kisses their way.  Real friends confront.  False friends only say nice things.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to be a real friend.  Teach me to confront what needs confronted and to say things that will hurt when they are true and need to be said.  Help me to hear Your voice and to say what You want me to say at the exact moment You need me to say it.  I want to bring healing and health to people, but I need to hear Your voice clearly because I want it to be done well.

Yours,
Jeff

Don't Wear Yourself Out

Scripture:

Proverbs 23:4  "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness".

Observation:

Solomon was blessed of God and realized that his blessings came from God and not from his own hard work.  He definitely believed in working hard because so many proverbs talk about the difference between the diligent and the lazy.  Basically he is saying you can't earn the favor and blessing of God.  You can't be clever enough to get rich without God's help.

Application:

So many people are wearing themselves out trying to get rich and to get ahead in life.  When they get there, they will be worn out and not able to enjoy the blessings.  We need to be people who work hard and do what the Lord desires for our lives.  We should not wear ourselves out trying to get ahead, but be diligent workers who seek after God.  God's blessings are greater than this world's blessings anyway.

Prayer:

Father, let me always be one who pursues You above money.  Help me to keep my eyes on You.  You are my source and my resource.  You are my strength and the one who gives me life to keep going forward.  Let my life bring You praise.

Yours,
Jeff

What Are You Pursuing?

Scripture:

Proverbs 21:21  "Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor".

Observation:

Solomon understood what was important in life.  He understood that many people pursue life, prosperity and honor, but come up empty.  He turns it around and tells us that if we pursue righteousness and love, we will find the other.

Application:

Instead of pursuing life, prosperity and honor, we need to pursue righteousness and love.  When we walk in righteousness and people see love in our hearts, we will have the life we have always wanted.  When we pursue the right things, prosperity and honor will find their way to us.  We need to pursue righteousness and love people, then our path will be blessed.

Prayer:

Father, help me to pursue the right things.  Help me to live a life You can bless.  Show me how to love like You love and to walk as You walk.  I want to know You more and today I pursue Your righteousness and love, I'll leave the rest to You.

Your Son,
Jeff

Wisdom Brings Life and Favor

Scripture:

Proverbs 8:35-36  "For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.  But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death".

Observation:

The beginning of this chapter starts out with wisdom crying out, it ends with wisdom saying, "those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord".  It goes on to say that those who hate wisdom, or don't follow it, harm themselves and love death.

Application:

Wisdom should be sought out by all of us.  It is something that will bring life and favor from God.  He loves those who walk in wisdom and blesses them exceedingly.  We should seek to walk in wisdom and do the right thing, even when the right things is hard to do.  We should remember the words of the wise and follow them diligently.  I want to walk in wisdom.

Prayer:

Father, teach me the ways of wisdom and favor.  Help me to do the wise thing always instead of the expedient thing.  Help me to choose wisdom above my own thoughts.  Show me the path of wisdom as I seek You for direction.  I want life and favor.  Help me find true godly wisdom for each situation I am confronted with.

Your Son,
Jeff

Don't Forsake Wisdom

Scripture:

Proverbs 4:6  "Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you".

Observation:

Solomon had much to say about wisdom.  In this verse, he tells us not to forsake wisdom because she will protect us.  Walking in wisdom protects us from so many terrible things in our lives.  It also tells us to love wisdom and she will watch over us.

Application:

Many times we do things that are not wise.  We lean on our feelings instead of on true wisdom.  Wise people give their advice and we walk away from it to do what we want to do.  Instead of listening to the wise and doing what they say, we decide to so what feels good at the time.  We must love wisdom.  When we walk in wisdom, we will be protected from our own decisions.  We need to seek wise council as we walk out our lives.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to walk with the wise and to seek out wisdom.  Wisdom will keep us from so many awful things.  Teach me to listen to Your word and to the words of the wise.  Help me to be humble enough to seek out wisdom and listen to it.

Your Son,
Jeff