The Upright are Prtected

 Scripture:

“My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.”  ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭7:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist makes a simple, yet powerful statement here concerning his relationship with the Lord.  He says that his shield, is God and that God saves the upright in heart.  First he says God is the one who shields and protect his from his enemies, then he declares that God rescues those whose heart s are right with Him.  

Application:

God takes care of those who are pursuing Him and becoming more and more like Him.  We are only upright when we are walking in step with the Spirit.  He will convict us and show us what we need to be doing.  He will bring uprightness into our lives as we follow Him.  My job is to live upright, God’s job is to be my shield and protect me from the attacks of all enemies.  I need to walk in the Spirit at all times and do as He says in every situation.

Prayer:

Lord God, teach me to walk upright.  This can only be done through You.  It is You who purifies and cleanses.  Teach me to hear and obey Your voice at all times in my life.  Set Your shield around my life, my family, my church and my region.  Protect me from every attack of the enemy.  I am Yours.

Forever Following,

Jeff

Set, Focus, Lock-in on Heaven

 Scripture:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells the Colossians that they have been raised with Christ.  He tells them, since they have been raised, they should set their hearts on things above, where Christ is.  Basically, he is saying that we need to focus more on Christ and on things above instead of the things on this earth below.

Application:

I need to live my life with heaven on my mind.  Rather than stressing about the things of the day, I need to focus in more on eternal things and the things of God.  He is my life and He brings me joy and peace. Rather than focusing too much on things here on earth, I need to set my heart on heaven.  It really doesn’t matter what I have on earth, it really matters what my mansion in heaven looks like. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me keep my focus on You and Your kingdom at all times.  Let my heart be locked in on heaven, where You are.  Teach me not to get upset over things in this world, but to set my heart on things that are important to You.  Convict me when I get off track and help me to set my heart on heaven until it consumes my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Tests Are Only Temporary

 Scripture:

“After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭42:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Many times when we read about the life of Job is seems this one major trial he went through is what characterized his life.  When everyone speaks of Job, we think about the bad things that happened.  The truth is, the trial was only temporary.  When he finished the test, he lived a hundred and forty more years with double what he had before the test.  He lived a great life with one major trial, but really lived a great and blessed life.

Application:

Sometimes we can feel like our tests are eternal and that they will never end.  Tests have expiration dates.  When we come through the test refined like gold, we will see the blessing of God again in our lives.  We just have to endure testing once in a while.  We should never feel that we will never come out of the tests we are in.  They are only temporary, we will have plenty of time being blessed after the test.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to walk through life passing tests and living the good life after each test.  Help me to never get too frustrated during the tests of life, but to keep my eyes on the expiration date when things can go back to being blessed and prospering.

Your Son,

Jeff

When God Rebukes You

 Scripture:

““I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭40:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Job had defended himself and his righteousness before God and his friends.  He was confident in his own righteousness and proud of his virtue, but when he laid that all out to God, God was not impressed.  After many chapters of Job’s friends speaking up, God spoke up and asked Job many questions like “Where were you when…?”  God was saying, “Who do you think you are?”  Job finally responded correctly when rebuked by God…”I am unworthy - how can I reply to you?  I put my hand over my mouth.”

Application:

When God rebukes you, don’t even try to defend yourself.  Simply say, “I am unworthy - how can I reply to You? I put my hand over my mouth.”  In other words, I’m not going to try to defend myself.  I messed up and I submit to whatever You ask of me.  When God convicts us, our response is repentance and change.  When God rebukes us, we must change.  Change is the only response when God speaks.  Humility is the greatest response to God.  He lifts up the humble and tears down the prideful.  Don’t argue with God, simply submit.

Prayer:

Father, help me to simply submit and not to argue with You or Your logic in my life.  Help me to respond right when You correct me.  Let me live a life of humility before You.  Show me the areas of my life I need to change and help me to change.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Eyes

 Scripture:

“He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭36:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Job’s friends are not known for giving him the greatest advice, but Elihu here speaks of God very accurately.  He tells Job that God doesn’t take His eyes off the righteous, but lifts them up and exalts them forever.  God’s eyes are on those who fear Him.  He doesn’t take His eyes off them for a minute.  God sees exactly where we are today.

Application:

We can walk confident in Christ because God never takes His eyes off the righteous.  What Elihu didn’t know at the time is that our righteousness is not our own, but is Christ’s righteousness imputed to us.  When God looks at my righteousness, He doesn’t see Jeff Jacob, but His Son Jesus Christ, who is my righteousness.  He never takes His eyes off me.  He is watching everything I do and directing my path.  He will also lift me up at His time.

Prayer:

Father, Thank You for reminding me that You never take Your eyes off of my, even for a second.  Every moment of my life, You are watching over me and lifting me up.  You exalt and You put down.  You are amazing.  I entrust my life, my future, my family, my church, and my community into Your incredible hands.  Thanks for watching!

Your Son,

Jeff

God Still Speaks

 Scripture:

“For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.”   ‭‭Job‬ ‭33:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Elihu, Job’s friend, had waited to speak until those older and wiser than him spoke because he wanted to honor them.  When he finally spoke, he had some great things to say about God.  Here he tells Job, “God does speak - now one way, now another - though no one perceives it”.  In other words, God still speaks in a various ways.  He speaks through dreams, visions, a still small voice, through His word, through pain and suffering, and through good times.  God still speaks.

Application:

God is always speaking, the question is, are we listening?  It’s like.a radio, the music is all over the airwaves, but we have to tune into a certain channel to hear what is already in the atmosphere.  God is speaking today, but it is on us to perceive and understand what He is speaking and what He is doing.  Prayer and fasting is the best way to tune in and tune up.  I need to pray and fast more in this season of my life.  I want to hear from God and need a word.  I am going to try to tune in better today.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You have never stopped speaking to Your people.  I know You are speaking, help me to tune in and hear what Your Spirit is saying.  Teach me to love Your word more and more each day.  Show me dreams and visions.  Teach me in every way so I can hear Your voice clearly and understand Your will for my life.

You’re Amazing!

Jeff

Way to Wisdom

 Scripture:

“Where then does wisdom come from? Where does understanding dwell?… God understands the way to it and he alone knows where it dwells,”. ‭‭Job‬ ‭28:20, 23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Job was a very wise person.  He had built an incredible life with riches and wealth.  He had made some very right moves throughout his life, but he knew where to find wisdom.  He says here that God knows the way to wisdom and He alone knows where it dwells.  In other words, God is the path to wisdom and will lead you there.

Application:

Wisdom is to be sought after in our lives.  Wise people make less mistakes and prosper more in life.  They key to wisdom, according to Job, is not found in books or mentors, but in the living God.  He knows the way to wisdom and He may guide you to books or mentors, but He knows the path to it.  In all of our seeking, we must seek the Lord and allow Him to guide us to wisdom.  Looking for wisdom apart from God is futile.  God is the source of all wisdom and I need to seek Him more to know what to do at all times in my life.

Prayer:

Father, grant me wisdom to make the right decisions.  Grant me wisdom to take the right steps.  Wisdom is found in You and I seek You this morning.  Guide my path according to Your plan.  Show me every day what I need to do that day.  Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and follow obediently.  Therein is my wisdom.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Come Out of the Test Better

Scripture:

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭23:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This is Job responding to his friends who were trying to figure out why he was going through such a difficult time.  Job tells them that God knows the ways he takes and that when He has tested him, he will come forth as gold.  Job knew he was being tested by God.  He didn’t give into his friends thinking he must have sinned or something.  He knew he was innocent and that this was only a test.  He also knew that testing refines and makes us come forth brighter and more refined.

Application:

Tests are not easy.  Nobody likes to be tested, but testing proves the value of something.  Testing demonstrates the quality of something.  Unless something is tested, you don’t know what it is worth.  We need to know when bad things are happening that are just happening and when we are being tested by the Lord.  When it is God’s test, and we pass, there will be a season of blessing following the test.  Our job is to come out of every test better than when we went in.

Prayer:

Father, help me to pass every test and to follow You completely.  Teach me to walk in Your ways and to live how Jesus lived on this earth.  When tests come, help me to pass them and to come out better than I went in.  Show me how to identify what is a test from You and what is simply life gone bad or bad things happening to good people.  Give me the discernment to know when I’m being tested and help me to stand firm.

Your Son,

Jeff

I Will See Him

Scripture:

“I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭19:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Prior to this verse, Job is speaking about his future and the grave he is going to.  He feels like his life is over and that God is taking him out of the picture.  Although he went through an incredible season of loss and destruction, Job knew in his heart, “I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another.  How my heart yearns within me!”  Job’s heart was excited to see God.

Application:

Many years ago, Pentecostals especially sang many songs about going home to be with Jesus.  We sang about the sweet by and by when we will hear the sound and we will all fly away.  During trying seasons, we tend to look to the blessed hope of seeing Christ more and more.   When things are good, we enjoy life on this earth, but when things get really, really bad, we start longing for heaven.  I want to always remain confident in my present, that I will see Him and I want to live yearning and longing for that day.  I to always keep my eyes on eternity, even when things are going great.  Some people are afraid of death, I have always looked forward to death, because the other side is eternity with my Lord.

Prayer:

Father, let me never lose sight of You and seeing You one day.  While here on this earth, I want to give you my very best at all times.  I want to live this life with death in mind.  I want to live here, longing to be I with You.  I want you to come and move in my life and through my life, but I also long to see You face to face.  I love You Lord and look forward to eternity with You.

Your Son,

Jeff

My Mouth

 Scripture:

“But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭16:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Job is speaking to his friends and telling them they are doing a terrible job at trying to comfort him in his troubled times.  They were telling him he was self-righteous and that he had failed God at some point to be in the trouble he was in at this point.  His reply what that if they were in a bad situation his mouth would be encouraging them and his lips would be bringing them comfort and relief instead of more problems.

Application:

I want to always be an encourager.  We can either use the Bible to encourage people or to tear people down.  The Word of God can be used to point out people’s failures or it can be used to strengthen and edify God’s people.  I want to be more like the person Job describes here instead of tearing others apart, I want to encourage them and build them up.  Rather than pointing out their sins, I want to bring them to Jesus and let God and His word convict them.

Prayer:

Father, let my words be uplifting and encouraging always.  Help me not to point out people’s flaws and mistakes, but to encourage them and help them.  Show me how to use You word to lift others out of the pits of life instead of pushing them down further and further.

Yours,

Jeff

The Mediator

 Scripture:

“If only there were someone to mediate between us, someone to bring us together, someone to remove God’s rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭9:33-34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Job is bringing his defense.  He cries out here for someone to mediate between him and God.  He was looking for someone to remove God’s rod from him so he didn’t have to fear.  Job was looking for something that would come many many generations later.  He was crying out to God for a mediator, someone who could stand before the Lord and represent him.  Job was looking for Jesus!

Application:

The beautiful thing about the cross is that Jesus paid the price to become our mediator.  We don’t stand before God alone.  We have a mediator who will represent us before the Father.  We have what Job desired.  We have the ability to go boldly into the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need because of the blood of Jesus Christ.  He is our perfect mediator.  God provided Christ for us so we could approach Him at any time.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for sending Your Son to this earth to become our mediator.  What Job cried out for, I wan born into.  You are amazing!  I stand in awe of You!  You are my rock and fortress.  You are my strength and my song.  You are my delight and my passion.  You are everything to me.  Thank You Jesus for the cross and the price You paid so I could have access and a mediator.  I stand in awe of You.

Your Son,

Jeff

Lay it Before the Lord

 Scripture:

““But if I were you, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭5:8-9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Job’s friend is trying to bring some peace and comfort to him after he has lost everything and is wishing he were never born.  He gives good advice here.  He tells Job he would appeal to God and lay his cause before the Lord because God performs miracles unimaginable and uncountable miracles.  

Application:

When we are overwhelmed, we need to lay it all before the Lord.  God is all-powerful and is capable of doing whatever is necessary in our lives.  When we don’t know where to turn, or why things seem to be going wrong, we must run to the Lord and not away from Him.  He is our only hope.  In Him are all the answers we need.  We need to lay everything in our lives before the Lord who is all-powerful!

Prayer:

Father, I lay my life before You and You alone.  You are my Lord and my God.  You are my King and I trust You with my life.  When I feel overwhelmed, show me how to lay it down before You.  When I am stressed out, teach me to lay it before You and trust that You will take care of me.  I am Your and I will follow You all the days of my life.  Teach me to lay it down.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Hedge

 Scripture:

““Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.”  ‭‭Job‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God had put a hedge around Job’s life that protected him from any attacks of the evil one.  Satan told God that Job just followed the Lord because he had this special hedge around his life that stopped Satan from attacking him.  When Satan, asked, God dropped the hedge.  I don’t want to go into the theology here of whether hedges are scriptural, but I do know Scripture strongly supports that God defends His people.

Application:

God can take care of His people!  He is amazing at protecting and taking care of us.  He delights in defending us from the powers of the enemy.  I need to learn to trust the Lord more and more each day.  He can take care of his own and shelter us in precious arms of His protection.  He can put a hedge around us to protect us if He desires.  He can and will do whatever it takes to bless and prosper His children and I am one of them.  I am loved, protected, provided for and talked incredible care of by my Father in Heaven.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for showing me Your loving protection this morning.  Thank You for being my guard and my protector.  You are my hedge of protection.  Help me to walk with You at a deeper level each day and to walk in Your goodness.  Place Your protective hedge around my home, my family, my church, and my city I pray.

Yours,

Jeff

Value Others

 Scripture:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,”. Philippians‬ ‭2:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells the Philippians that they should do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but to value others above yourselves in humility.  Humility is probably one of the most godly attributes a person can have.  Even God said He opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.  We value God when we value others.

Application:

I want to live a life that brings value to those around me.  I desire to increase people’s value instead of decreasing it to make myself look good.  I need to depend on the Lord and truly value others above myself.  This is easy to say, but difficult to live.  

Prayer:

Father, help me to value others more and more and to see them as more valuable than myself.  It is easy to see myself, my feelings, my passions, etc., but help me to see what will add value to those around me.  Help me to see others as more valuable than myself.  

Your Son,

Jeff

Rejoice that Christ is Preached

Scripture:

 “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul was writing Philippians from prison and telling the people that it was all for God’s glory and the extension of the kingdom.  He then went into a section talking about those who were preaching Christ with wrong motives.  He says, “What does it matter?” What their motives are.  Paul was rejoicing that Christ was being preached, whether with right motives or wrong motives.

Application:

It is easy to judge others who who are in ministry.  It is easy to criticize, tear down, or belittle other ministries because we think they are operating out of wrong motives, or because we think they are watering down the Gospel, etc.  The fact is, they are probably reaching people I will never reach.  What does it matter whether they are using gimmicks, etc. if the Gospel is being preached.  We should spend more time rejoicing about Christ being preached than tearing down other preachers who are not doing things the way we think they should.  I need to be careful to be uplifting to those who are preaching Christ.

Prayer:

Father, help me to always refrain from putting down other ministries or comparing ourselves with other ministries.  Help me to focus on what You have called me to do and to rejoice that Christ is being preached in other places and in other ways.  Help me not to judge my brothers and sisters, but to be an encouragement to those who are preaching Your word.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Turnaround

 Scripture:

“The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.”   ‭‭Esther‬ ‭8:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai wouldn’t bow down before him when he came into his presence.  Haman was the highest position in the land, second only to the king.  Haman had decided to have Mordecai impaled next to his house, but God turned the situation around and gave favor to Mordecai.   Haman was impaled on the set up he built for Mordecai, then the king’s signet ring was talked off of Haman’s finger and given to Mordecai.  He was also given charge of Haman’s estate.

Application:

When you walk with God, He has the ability to turn things around that look devastating.  He can turn bad situations into great blessings.  He can take the weapons of those who wanted to kill you and use them to kill those against you.  We must realize that God fights our battles and He does a better job than we ever could.  Mordecai never fought for position, he just asked people to fast and pray to the God of heaven.  God turned everything around for him.

Prayer:

Father, let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life.  Help me to follow You, no matter how difficult the road may seem at times.  Teach me to listen to Your words and seek Your face as long as I have breath in me.  I am Yours.  Empower me to trust You and seek You in times of prayer and fasting.  Turn around everything the enemy has planned for my life and let Your will be done.

Your Son,

Jeff

Every Truth Doesn’t Need Told

 Scripture:

“But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.”  ‭‭Esther‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Esther was a smart woman, who followed the instructions of Mordecai, who raised her.  At this point she had been made queen because she was the most beautiful woman in the kingdom.  Mordecai told her not to reveal that she was a Jew and she didn’t.  Even her husband the king didn’t know her background.  Esther held back some information.

Application:

I have said for quite a while, “everything we say needs to be truth, but not every truth needs to be said.”   Just because it’s true, we don’t have to share it!  There are times we need to remain quiet about things we know to be true.  In all of these cases, we need to be led by the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth.  Our desire should be to hear His voice and reveal what He wants revealed.  I want to be led by the Spirit and know when to speak and when to be silent.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in step with the Spirit, only saying what He wants me to say.  Teach me to discipline my tongue not to speak everything I know, but to reveal what You want me to reveal.  More than anything Lord, I want to say what You are saying and not just what I know to be true.  You are my everything and I want to serve You well in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

Stand

 Scripture:

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”  ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells the Ephesians here to put on their full armor so that when the evil day comes, they can stand, and then reminds them to stand.  He doesn’t really clarify what “the day of evil” is, but I do realize we are living in the last days and the times we are living in are very evil.  We are to put on the armor and stand our ground.  God’s our defender and fights our battles, but we are called upon to stand.

Application:

God has chosen to always work together with us.  We are always involved in the way He gets things done.  We play a role and He plays a role.  Today is the first time in all of my years of reading this passage, that I have noticed that it never tells us to fight.  It tells us to put on the armor and then stand.  Maybe we are fighting battles when we should be standing and letting God fight our battles.  We put on the armor and then stand.  God fights on our behalf and He is a much better fighter than I will ever be.  When the enemy comes in, I must stand firm and strong in faith unwavering.  I need to have my armor on, but God will take care of me if I stand for Him.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to stand strong this morning.  Help me to stand when things around me seem to be getting more and more evil every day.  Help me to stand for righteousness and truth in a day when truth is hard to find.  Help me to keep my armor on and stand strong, never wavering in faith.  Enable me to accomplish all that You have for my life. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Christ is the Head, not Me

 Scripture:

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,  Ephesians‬ ‭1:22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul does a great job here describing the awesomeness of God and of Christ.  We are told in this verse that God has placed everything under Christ’s feet and made him the head of everything concerning the Church.  Jesus is the head of the church.  It is His church and His people.  Christ is head over every part of the church.

Application:

If Christ is the head, then we are simply under shepherds under the Great Shepherd.  We are a part of the Church He died for, but He is the head.  Therefore, everything we do in the church must be for Him, through Him and To Him.  We need to seek God more and more to find out the will of God concerning His body on the earth.  If Christ is the head, then we should be asking Him what our nest steps are and not simply treating it like another business trying to build its membership.  The Church is a spiritual organism, of which Christ is the head.  The rest of the Body needs to take its orders from Him.

Prayer:

Father, help me during this Sabbatical time to know You are in charge of Your Church and that Word of Life is in Your hands and not my own.  Help me to seek You more and more for the direction of the Church and help me to never treat it like a business and operate only out of my own mind or thoughts.  Help me to implement Your will as it relates to the church I pastor.

Your Son,

Jeff

Don’t Neglect God’s House

Scripture:

 “So I rebuked the officials and asked them, “Why is the house of God neglected?” Then I called them together and stationed them at their posts.”  ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭13:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah went back to the king for.a short season to check in and ask for some other things, when he returned, he realized that people in the house of God were not serving as they were suppose to.  They were not at their assigned posts.  He rebuked them and sent them to their posts where they were supposed to be serving.  His question… “Why is the house of God neglected?”

Application:

I ask the same question today… “Why is the house of God neglected?”  I grew up in church with my father taking me and my brother to the church every Saturday evening simple to make sure everything in the church was clean, in working order, and ready for Sunday worship.  If there was a light bulb our, we replaced it.  If there was trash, we took it out.  If there was a toilet that wasn’t working, we fixed it.  God’s house was never neglected when my dad was around.  I am similar.  I never want to neglect God’s house.  I believe it should be well taken care of.  We should give God our very best.

Prayer:

Father, help me to never neglect Your house, but to honor You by honoring Your house.  Teach me Your ways.  Thank You for a father who taught me never to neglect the house of God, but to take care of it and make sure everything was ready for Sunday worship for God’s people.  Help me to keep the house in order and Your people serving You well..  Teach me to rebuke when necessary to ensure Your house is not neglected.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Provision

 Scripture:

“For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.”  ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭9:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Ezra and Nehemiah worked together in the rebuilding of the Temple and the restoration of worship to the people of God.  Nehemiah built the wall and Ezra was a scribe who read the Law and brought the people back to it and to worshiping correctly.  As Ezra was speaking to the people after reading the Law to them, he talked about God’s provision for His people when they were in the wilderness for forty years.  He was telling the people that God knows how to provide for His people out of nothing.

Application:

God’s provision is incredible.  He can make a way that we know nothing about.  In this passage, His people lacked nothing, their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t swell after forty years of traveling in the wilderness.  This is truly miraculous provision and it is how God takes care of His people.  When we don’t know about His provision, we can look to the Word and to our own experience.  God has worked supernaturally in my life in the area of provision and I have learned to trust Him more and more.  I want to trust Him at higher levels with my life.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for always taking care of me.  Thank You for always providing what I need.  You have never left me nor forsaken me and today I am thankful.  You have been very good to me.  Help me to appreciate Your provision and to walk in a way that please You every day.  Help me to trust You more.  If You can feed, clothe, and take care of millions of people in a desert, You can take care of me.

Yours Always,

Jeff

Don’t Entertain the Enemy

 Scripture:

“so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?””  ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah had been approached by those who were his enemies to come and sit together and discuss things.  He didn’t do the polite thing and meet with them.  He told them he was too busy carrying on a great project and didn’t have time to talk to them.  He knew his purpose and he was determined to stay on focus until his purpose was completed.

Application:

There are times in life to be polite with people, even our enemies, but there is also a time to say, “I’m busy doing a great work for God and I don’t have time to listen to you.”  If the enemy can’t win, he will try to slow down your progress by meeting with you and trying to speak fear into your life.  We don’t have to entertain the enemy when we are on God’s great project.  Sometimes it’s better to stay at the great work than to meet with those who are in opposition.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to know when to be nice and when to be determined not to let anything or anyone slow me down.  Give me discernment to know when to meet people and when to keep pushing forward.  Show me how to get Your work done with excellence in the time You want it done.  Teach me to use my time well for Your purposes.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Pray and Post

 Scripture:

“But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.”  ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

As Nehemiah started rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, his enemies began to come against him.  They determined to stop the wall from being constructed in any way necessary.  Nehemiah’s response to the attack of the enemy was to pray and post.  He prayed to God and posted a guard.  

Application:

Sometimes the answer to our problems requires both prayer and action.  When we are doing God’s work, there are times we will come under attack from the enemy of our souls.  The way we confront this is to keep on doing what God has said, but to increase our prayer time and also post a guard to see how the enemy is attacking.  There are times when we must be vigilant in our prayers, but also use wisdom concerning our enemy and keep our eye on him.  The answer is to pray and post a guard.  Cheryl and I use this when I travel for kingdom business.  There are times she will have a check in her heart about a trip I’m scheduled to go on.  We then pray, and I also let her know that I will walk with caution while I go.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible and I appreciate all You do in my life.  Let me always be a man of prayer and a man of God.  teach me also to post a guard when necessary to see what the enemy is up to and how he is attacking.  Let my life be used for Your glory, but don’t let me make stupid mistakes.  Teach me to pray and to post when necessary.

Your Son,

Jeff

God Has Not Forsaken Us

 Scripture:

“Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.”  ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭9:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

As Ezra was sent to rebuild the Temple, even the people around him realized some powerful truths.  They said, “Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage.”  They realized that, even though they were being punished by God through slavery to an ungodly people, that God allowed it, but He was blessing them in the midst of it.  Sometimes God lets His people go through things, that doesn’t mean He has forsaken them.

Application:

We have been told over and over in Scripture that God will never leave us nor forsake us.  Sometimes when we are going through difficult times, it is easy to feel like God has forsaken us or that He will never put an end to the current bondage or slavery we find ourselves in.  Israel had made bad choices and ended up as slaves in another country, but God never left them nor forsook them.  We can know the same fact.  Even when we make bad choices and have to pay the consequences, it doesn’t mean God isn’t with us anymore.  As a matter of fact, it means He loves us enough to allow us to learn some lessons, but He also will walk through the fire with us.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being closer than a brother.  Thank You for giving me confidence that You are with me, even when it seems like things are going terrible in my life.  You are faithful, even when we are unfaithful. You are good, even when we are messed up because of our own choices.  Thank You for never leaving me nor forsaking me.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Hand of the Lord

 Scripture:

“this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.”  ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭7:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

King Artaxerxes was approached to stop the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem and he was smart.  He asked about the decree of Cyrus, the Persian king who told them to rebuild.  When he read what was written by Cyrus, he decided to continue the work and make sure it was done.  He granted Ezra everything  he needed to rebuild the Temple of God.  It says the hand of the Lord his God was upon him and that is really why he was granted everything he needed.

Application:

The most important thing we can have in our lives is the hand of God upon us.  When God’s hand is upon us, things will go well with us and we will see His blessing.  We should seek to have God’s hand on our lives.  When the imprint of God’s hand is seen on us, nobody can stand against us.  We must seek the Lord and ask Him to put His mighty hand on our lives so that even the politicians do what we ask.  I need the tough of God in every area of my life.

Prayer:

Father, let You hand be evident upon my life.  Let everything I touch be blessed.  Let my words be Your words and my voice be Your voice.  Help me to stay in right relationship with You.  Help me to walk according to Your ways and to live how You want me to.  My life is Yours.  Use it for Your glory, but do let Your mighty hand be upon everything I say and do.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Lord Moves the Hearts of Leaders

 Scripture:

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:”. ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Cyrus was the king of Persia, where God’s people had been in exile.  In this passage, it says that God moved the heart of Cyrus to make a proclamation to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.  Cyrus was the most powerful king in all the earth at that time, yet the God of Israel spoke to him and changed his heart toward God’s people and told him to rebuild their temple.  When God wants to get something done, he can use anyone He chooses to get the work done.

Application:

Sometimes, I can limit what God wants to do in my life by only seeing my current level of resources.  The fact is, God can have the king of a nation that doesn’t serve Him donate all the money for us to build what God wants for us if He wants it to happen.  God has the resources, and if those resources are in the hands of a king that doesn’t serve Him, He can turn their hearts and have them bless my life.  God can resource His kingdom through ungodly people if He needs to.  My goal must be to do what God is doing and speak what God is speaking, then He will make my enemies bless me if He has to.

Prayer:

Father God, You are amazing and I thank You for this word today.  You turn the hearts of kings and those with resources to accomplish Your will.  Bless my life, bless Word of Life and bless Hearts for the Harvest so we can do more for Your kingdom.  Use whoever is necessary to build Your kingdom.

Your Son,

Jeff

You Will Reap!

 Scripture:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells us here that we should not give up on doing well because WE WILL REAP, if we don’t give up. He was writing to the Galatians because they were being drawn back into Judaism and keeping the Law.  He was telling them to love each other, do good to each other, and to help each other.  In telling them this, he tells them they will reap if they just keep on going and doing these things.

Application:

We can’t give up on doing the right thing.  When we haven’t seen an answer to our prayers or God is not doing what we think He should do, we cannot give up.  We must continue to seek Him and do the right thing, knowing that reaping day will come.  A farmer doesn’t see fruit from his work for a long time, but he does it knowing that if he just does the right thing, he will reap at the proper time.  In God, we can’t give up when things don’t go our way, we must continue to serve and help, knowing our day is coming.

Prayer:

Father, help me to never give up before You do.  Help me to understand that doing the right thing for a long time always bring results.  You have called me and assigned me.  Help me to never give up too fast before You do Your work and demonstrate Your goodness.  

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Grace and Faith

 Scripture:

“He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”  ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells us here that we have been redeemed so that the blessing of Abraham could come to the Gentiles and that by faith we receive the promise of the Spirit.  In other words, we are descendants of Abraham and we have been adopted into the family by Christ.  Because works and strict obedience to the Law didn’t get us here, then works and strict obedience won’t keep us here.  We are a people of grace.

Application:

Everything we have a Gentiles is grace based and faith based.  We can’t earn our salvation and we are not born into it.  We receive everything by grace through faith.  It is crucial that we don’t fall back into works and Law instead of grace and faith.  We even received the promise of the Spirit by grace through faith, not because we were really good people.  Grace and faith should cause us to want to live good lives, but they are not the requirement for salvation or even the promise of the Spirit.

Prayer:

Father, help me to stay off the treadmill of works and Law and on the flight of grace and faith.  Help me to serve You out of joy because You have given yourself for me and not because I have to because of the Law.  You are my God and I want to serve You well in my generation.  Empower me to live a life full of grace, truth, and power so others might see Your life in mine.

Your Son,

Jeff

Pay Attention

Scripture:

 “The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.”  ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭33:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This scripture is so sad.  It tells us that God was speaking to Manasseh and his people, but they were not paying attention.  The results were devastating and not what God’s will was.  When we don’t play attention to what God is saying, we can expect devastating results.

Application:

God is speaking!  Are we listening?  Am I paying attention or just doing what I want to do?  Does God have my attention?  These are great questions.  I never want to be in a place where I’m not paying attention to the voice of the Lord.  I want to know what He has to say to me every day.  When God speaks, I want to be listening.  The problem is, it is easy to neglect the voice of God because I get busy doing what I think I’m suppose to be doing.  I want to live tuned into the voice of God at all times.

Prayer:

Father, I want to pay attention to Your voice.  Forgive me for the times You have spoken, but I have not paid attention.  Forgive me for the times I was too busy to hear what You were saying.  Help me, especially during this Sabbatical, to hear Your voice and to follow completely whatever You put into my hands to do.  I want to serve You well and I want to pay attention.  Speak Lord Your servant is listening.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

And So He Prospered

 Scripture:

“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.”  ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭31:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Hezekiah went after God and did all he could in serving the Lord and doing what God wanted.  He worked hard to obey the Law and God’s commands.  It says here that he sought God and worked wholeheartedly to serve Him.  It then adds these simple words, “And so he prospered.”

Application:

God delights in prospering those who wholeheartedly follow Him and serve Him.  Those who put God first and do things God’s way instead of their own will always be prosperous.  God does prosper His people when they honor Him with their lives. Our place is to work wholeheartedly and serve God passionately, God’s job is to prosper us.  I want to serve God with all my heart, soul mind and strength and I also want to walk in His prosperity.

Prayer:

Father, I love You and give myself to You completely this morning.  Have Your way in my life.  My life belongs to You and You alone.  Bless the works of my hands and let my family prosper in every way.  Show me how to lead Your people well and to accomplish all that You have put in my heart and in my hand.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

As Long As

 Scripture:

“He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”  ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭26:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

King Uzziah became king as.a young man and was king for many, many years.  Here it says about him the Zechariah instructed him in the fear of God and as long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.  As long as he sought the Lord and the Lord’s counsel, he was blessed and successful.  When he got away from that, he fell quickly.

Application:

There is never a time in our lives that we should just coast along on what God has done in our history.  We need to continually seek the Lord throughout our lives.  As long as we seek Him, we will see success and the blessing of the Lord.  It is dangerous to get to the place where we feel we can do things in our own flesh without seeking the Lord.  We must always seek the Lord’s counsel and guidance all the days of our lives.

Prayer:

Father, help me to always be a God-seeker.  I want to know You more in my old age than I did when I was young.  Help me to never rely on yesterday’s stories of what You have done, but on my current walk with You.  I want to walk in step with You until the end of my life.  Give me the strength and the passion to do it and do it well.

Yours,

Jeff