Faithfulness Always Wins

 Scripture:

“He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.”  ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The author of Hebrews was describing Jesus at this point. He had talked about many awesome things concerning Jesus, but here he says Jesus was faithful to the Father just like Moses. When God wants to honor someone, He calls them FAITHFUL.

Application:

Sometimes faithfulness is not something we think of as a characteristic that is incredibly important, but it is absolutely important to God. Faithfulness means you do what God asks you to do faithfully. Faithful usually is not used when describing something you love to do, but something tedious that you continue to do for a long time. Faithfulness is an attribute God is attracted to. When He comes, may He find us faithful.

Prayer:

Father, let my life exemplify faithfulness. Help me to never get ahead of You, behind You, or out of Your will. Teach me be faithful in every area of life. Enable me to do what You ask, nothing less and nothing more. Help me to see Your will for my life and to serve faithfully in whatever season I am in. I want to be like Jesus and Jesus was faithful to the one who sent Him.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Reigns Forever

 Scripture:

“You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭5:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Lamentations is Jeremiah laments the fact that Judah was taken into captivity by Babylon. After four chapters of lamenting, and right at the end of the book, he writes this verse. He had complained and whined all he could whine, then came back to who the Lord is. His throne endures all generations and He never changes.

Application:

We need to realize that God is who He says He is. He is the eternal, all-powerful, God! He does reign forever and ever. Our best play is to humble ourselves before Him and walk in His paths instead of our own.  We have seen the goodness of God for so long that we have forgotten the severity of God. We must remember that He is love, but He is also justice and righteousness.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are amazing! You love and generosity is beyond comprehension. Your justice and righteousness are also without compare. Help me to view You correctly as the lover of my soul, yet the one I will stand before in judgment one day. Help me to represent You well to those I speak to.

Your Son,

Jeff

Hope in God and Wait Patiently for Him

 Scripture:

“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3:25-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The Book of Lamentations is a book of laments that Jeremiah cried out to the Lord because his people were taken away to Babylon. God had empowered the Babylonians to come and capture His people and to empty Jerusalem of its treasure. In this verse Jeremiah comes back to the goodness of the Lord and tells us that God is good to those whose hope is in Him and to the one who seeks him.

Application:

Even in punishment and struggles, God is good to those who seek Him and whose hope is in Him. He is always compassionate on those who turn to Him in their struggles. No matter how bad it gets, He always hears a repentant heart. We are to wait quietly for His salvation and to put our hope and trust in Him. As we do that, He will rescue us every time.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to wait upon You patiently. Teach me to represent You fully and completely. Show me how to keep my hope alive, even when things look really bad around me. Show me each day the steps You want me to take. Open the right doors and close the wrong doors in my life. I want to be in the center of Your will at all times.

Yours,

Jeff

Charge it to Me

 Scripture:

“So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.” ‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1:17-18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing here to Philemon, asking him to received Onesimus back as a brother instead of a slave. Onesimus had apparently run away at some point from being Philemon’s slave. He tells him to welcome his former slave as he would welcome himself and if he had sone anything wrong, charge it to Paul. Paul was asking to pay any debts Onesimus had because he was now a brother instead of a slave.

Application:

When someone turns to Christ, they are a new creature. He that was a slave is no longer a slave, but a brother in Christ. Paul’s words, “charge it to me.” Are so important. When we are helping people, sometimes we are going to have to go the extra mile and say, “charge it to me.” Love helps people and pays a price to show that. I don’t believe in being used by people, but there is a time to help people at your own expense. We must decipher when to do that.

Prayer:

Lord, as usual, I ask You to give. Me wisdom and guide me to make right decisions and to treat people as You would want me to. I want to be led by Your Spirit more and more each day. Help me to help others and to treat them as You want me to treat them. Let me be a direct reflection of how You would treat people on this earth. Help me to value what You value.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Lost Sheep and Shepherds

 Scripture:

““My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭50:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Judah had been in Babylonian captivity and Jeremiah is prophesying destruction on Babylon. Even though Babylon was empowered by the Lord to punish Judah, the Lord will punish them for doing it. God always looks out for His own, even when He is punishing them. 

Application:

God is always looking to restore His people who have strayed away from Him. In this passage, He says the shepherds, He entrusted their care to, have led them astray. As a shepherd in the modern sense, I don’t ever want to lead people the wrong direction. I want to hear what the Lord is saying and deliver the right word and lead people in the right direction. May it never be said of me that I led people astray, away from God’s will for their lives.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for blessing me in so many ways. I take very seriously my walk with You and I ask You to help me stay in check in every area of my life. Let my life reflect Your well and lead people the way You want them led. Teach me to walk with You and fulfill Your plans in the earth. I am Yours. Use me for Your glory.

Your Son,

Jeff

Restoration in Punishment

 Scripture:

“I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials,” declares the Lord. “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,” declares the Lord.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭49:38-39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

These two chapters in Jeremiah speak about the destruction of Amon, Edom, Damascus, etc. but at the end of each judgment that is pronounced on them, something similar to the above is spoken.  God says to them, “I’m going to judge you because of what you have done, “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come.” God always follows judgment with blessing.

Application:

The heart of God is to bless the nations. He desires that all come to Him and follow Him.  When they don’t, He will bring judgment, but after judgment He always pronounces blessing. God will allow hard things in our lives because of disobedience, but His heart is always to cause us to repent so He can bless us again. He loves to bless His people, but needs us in repentance and humility so He can do it. 

Prayer:

Lord, I want to live in Your blessing and see the day of good things. Thank You for Your incredible blessing in my life. You are amazing and I love serving You. Help me to walk in obedience to You at all times and to be a pleasure to You through my life. Help me to serve You well and to represent you correctly. Let my heart be on fire for You all the days of my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Mouth Obedience or Life Obedience?

 Scripture:

“Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the Lord our God.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭42:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah was told by a group of people to go and get the word of the Lord because they were ready and willing to obey His word. They knew that obedience would bring blessing.  They said with their mouths that they would follow whatever the Lord spoke through Jeremiah, but when it actually happened, they didn’t obey.

Application:

I call these guys mouth obedience people. They say with their mouths that they will obey whatever the Lord says, but when it comes to actually doing it, things change. We must never be people who obey with their mouths, but not their lives. It is better not to make an oath than to make one we are not going to keep.  God would rather have us actually obey Him resistantly than to say we will obey and then not do it. 

Prayer:

Father, help me not to be a lipservice person, but to obey You in all things. Teach me to not say yes and then change my mind. Empower me to live the life You desire for me. I am Yours. I belong to You. Lead me. Guide me. Show me the way forward and give me the power to always say yes with my words and with my life.  Forgive me for the times I have said yes to You and then not come through.

Your Son,

Jeff

Obey the Lord

 Scripture:

““They will not hand you over,” Jeremiah replied. “Obey the Lord by doing what I tell you. Then it will go well with you, and your life will be spared.”‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭38:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah is having a conversation with the king about the Babylonians coming against them. He told the king that if he would obey the Lord, by doing what he told him to do, it would be well for him and his life would be spared. If he didn’t do what Jeremiah was saying, his life was in grave danger. Jeremiah knew he was speaking on the Lord’s behalf and that obedience was the only answer.

Application:

Obedience is the only answer. When we obey the Lord, we can expect Him to fight our battles and take care of us. When we refuse to listen to His voice and do only what we want to do instead of seeking His will, we will always make a mess of things. God still speaks and we must listen for His voice, As we respond and obey His voice, it will go well for us.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to follow Your voice and to do what You tell me to do. Thank You for leading me daily. I want to be a vessel in Your hands that You can use for Your purposes in the earth. I offer you my life. Lead me, guide me, and show me the path I should take at all times. I simply want to obey You completely.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Discipline

 Scripture:

“Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭36:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God speaks here to Jeremiah about the people of Judah and you can hear the heart of God ringing out about His heart. He longed for His people to repent and turn from their ways, so that He could forgive them and bless them. He was planning to allow their enemies to triumph over them, so that they would turn to Him and He could forgive them and restore them. God’s heart in discipline is always to cause us to return to Him so He can forgive us and restore us.

Application:

Hebrews tells us that those who the Lord loves, He chastises. He does this simply so we will turn from what we are doing wrong and run into His arms of love and forgiveness. When we mess up, God is not trying to punish us for our sins, He is simply trying to get us to turn back to Him and to trust Him.  His long game is always to bring us back so He can forgive us and bless us. He doesn’t revel in seeing us suffer. He simply wants us to depend on Him and trust Him.

Prayer:

Lord, You are incredible and I appreciate You more every day. Help me to see your discipline correctly. Help me to see that Your desire is always to bless me and help me, but in order to do that, I need to turn away from things You don’t want for my life and turn to You with all my heart. Help me to always be responsive to You. I never want to walk away or go in a direction that You don’t lead. I want to walk in step with You the rest of my life and to see Your good hand revealed.

Yours,

Jeff

God Blesses His People

 Scripture:

“I will satisfy the priests with abundance, and my people will be filled with my bounty,” declares the Lord.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭31:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah had been prophesying about the terrible time to come.  This was the word of the Lord, but the Lord never leaves us there. He always has a plan to bring us out and bring us into the place of His blessing. He longs to bless His people with abundance and bounty. He just needs His people to follow His ways.

Application:

God desires to bless us. He longs to have a people that are His own so He can be their God and they will be His people. He longs to have a people He can bless with abundance and pour out His favor upon. He simply needs people who will follow Him wholeheartedly. Our place is to follow Him with everything we have. His place is to bless us with abundance and bounty. When we do our part, He will do His part.

Prayer:

Farther, let my heart be faithful to You and Your kingdom. Let me live a life of obedience to everything You put in front of me. Help me to do Your will above every other thing. Teach me to hear Your voice and follow completely. I long to walk with You at a deeper level. I’m Yours Lord. Do in my life whatever You desire.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Restorer

 Scripture:

“The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭30:3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God is the God of restoration. In this passage, He has told Judah that they are going into 70 years of captivity in Babylon, but that  He would bring them back afterwards and restore them to their land. Even in God’s punishment, He is always thinking restoration. He always brings back to a place of order and blessing when we follow Him.

Application:

When you feel like the enemy is winning and things are going terrible, you can rest assured that God knows and will step in to turn the situation around. There are times we need to go through things, but we can know that God is always thinking about restoration. When things get bad, instead of thinking about how to get out of it, maybe we should simply trust that God will restore us because that is His nature. We should trust the God of restoration.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in confidence daily that You are the restorer of everything the enemy takes from me. I thank You for restoring everything around me. Thank you for restoring my health, my life, my family, my finances, my city, and my world. Thank You for restoring health to Sister Anne this morning. God of restoration, restore everything that is missing or broken in my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Relents

 Scripture:

“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.”  ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭26:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Judah has been walking away from God and His ways. Jeremiah and others had been calling them out and telling them. To repent or tragedy would come from God. Here God tells them if they will reform their ways and actions, that God will relent of what He had planned. 

Application:

Prophetic words are always conditional with God. If he prophesies that we are going to go through hard times, if we repent, He will change that outcome. His heart is for us to change. When we change, our outcomes will also change. God cannot help but know what we will do, but He doesn’t control it. He tells us where our actions will lead, then tells us to turn. If we turn, He cancels the bad things He had in store. His job is to convict, our job is to repent.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I want to live a life that You can bless. I don’t want to be a rebellious child, but one that listens the first time when You speak. Teach me to follow Yours ways.  Show me the path each and every day and help me to stay on it. When I mess up, warn me and I will repent. 

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Options

 Scripture:

““Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭21:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah was continually bringing hard words from the Lord to the people. It seemed he never had good news to tell them because they wouldn’t repent of their many sins. Here, the Lord tells the people, “I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.” God gave them two options, which He generally does. 

Application:

God usually gives us more than one option. He then allows us to choose life or death based on the the decisions we make. From the beginning, God us given mankind a will and options. We can serve Him or we can’t. We can choose Him, or choose the enemy. God gave us a free-will and we have to use that free-will wisely in following Him. We can do our own thing and not even consult the Lord in our decisions, or we can ask the Lord to guide us to make the right decisions. He wants us to lean on Him instead of just doing things on our own.

Prayer:

Father, life would be much easier if you controlled us like robots, but You have given us a free-will. You have blessed us with decision-making abilities. Thank You from trusting us with that, even though it backfires often. I want to always choose You and choose life. Help me to always take Your option. I never want to be out of Your will. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Delivered for a Purpose

 Scripture:

“The Lord said, “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will make your enemies plead with you in times of disaster and times of distress.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭15:11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The Lord here is speaking to Jeremiah about His people. He tells Jeremiah He will deliver him for a good purpose. God told him that He would make his enemies plead with him in times of disaster and distress. God has the ability to do anything He wants to do. He can cause your enemies to walk in disaster and distress, while He delivers you from their hands.

Application:

As God told Jeremiah He would deliver him for a good purpose, so He speaks to us today. God delivers us, not just to deliver us, but He has purpose in everything He does. There is a purpose why we are born again. There is a purpose we are in the family we are in. There is a purpose why God stepped into our lives. He has a purpose and a plan for each of us. Our place is to find out what that purpose is and walk it out while He defeats our enemies.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk in my purpose and destiny. Help me to discover all You want me to do in my life. Let my life be lived for Your purposes and let me do everything You have prepared for me to do. Teach me to follow You closer each day. Let me fulfill the purposes of God in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

Prophesying Lies

 Scripture:

“Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭14:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah hears from the Lord about the prophets who are prophesying what the people want to hear instead of what the Lord is truly saying. God says that these prophets were not sent by Him and that they are prophesying false visions, divination, idolatries, and delusions of their own minds. He goes on and says these same prophets will die by the same things they are saying won’t happen. God doesn’t like when His people put words in His mouth and say it is Him.

Application:

We need to be very cautious when we speak on God’s behalf. God doesn’t take it lightly when He is falsely represented. We must seek the Lord and honestly hear from Him or be silent. To speak on His behalf when He hasn’t spoken is dangerous territory. Of course His word never changes and we are safe when we are rightly preaching the Bible, but when we step into prophesies not in the Scripture, we must know we are hearing from the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, help me to accurately represent You at all times. Help me to hear Your voice clearly and convey Your message appropriately. I love to speak prophetically, but I don’t want to do it out of my own flesh or my own thoughts. Thank You for the incredible gifts of the Spirit. Help me to walk in them well and to say what You are saying. I don’t want to prophesy lies.

Yours,

Jeff

Mighty in Power

 Scripture:

“No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭10:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jeremiah had been decrying Judah for their sins of idolatry. He constantly was condemning them for believing in gods they had made with their own hands. At this point, Jeremiah begins to worship the true and living God. He says God is great and His name is mighty in power.

Application:

No matter what goes on around us or what happens in these last days, we must always remember that our God is mighty in power and that He is great. There is nothing too difficult for God! He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all I could ask or imagine. He is faithful, trustworthy, and powerful! We need to know in this season where it seems the enemy is getting some victories, that our God reigns and nothing happens without His knowledge.

Prayer:

Lord, teach me to trust You more each day. Help me to live a life that knows Your mighty power and your outstretched arm. Teach me to walk in faith, knowing who You are, even when things around me are not favorable. Give us wisdom concerning Coronavirus and politics. Help me to preach what You are saying and not just what is popular politically. Let me truly be led by Your Spirit.

Your Son,

Jeff

Listen When He Calls

 Scripture:

“While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭7:13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God was rebuking Judah for their constant sins of looking to and worshiping other gods. God here is speaking to them through Jeremiah and telling them that while they were serving other gods, He was calling out to them to turn from their ways, but they did not answer. God was trying to draw them back to Himself, but they weren’t hearing Him.

Application:

We must learn to constantly be attuned to the Spirit of the Living God. When we walk away and start doing other things and not putting Him first, His voice will be silenced. We must continually seek the Lord and do what He says. If we don’t, we are open to all kinds of deception and wrong thinking. As God’s people, we must hear His call.

Prayer:

Father, let me always be in a position to hear Your call. When You speak, I will move. When You call, I will follow. Help me to live as ONE with You and let me obey every word You put in my spirit. Teach me to hear Your voice clearly. I want to finish strong Father. Teach me to always hear and answer Your call.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Speak What He Says

 Scripture:

“But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.”  ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

When God called Jeremiah as a prophet, he replied that he was too young.  The Lord said to him, “You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.” This message was for Jeremiah, but it also applies to all of us who are filled with the Spirit of God. Jesus lived this out for us as an example. He said, he only did what He saw the Father doing and only said what He heard the Father say.

Application:

We are not called to speak our feelings about the Bible. We are called to speak what God is speaking and to do what God is doing. It has always been my desire to speak what God is speaking at all times. The difficult thing is when you are not hearing clearly or hearing as much from Him. In those seasons, we must seek the Lord for a word for His people instead of going to our own thinking and rationale. He is always speaking, we must tune in.

Prayer:

Father, let my ears always be open to hear what You are speaking. Help me to boldly declare Your truth at all times. Open my eyes to see what You are doing and give me strength to do what I see You doing. I want to accomplish Your will on the earth in this day. Reveal Your will to me at all times and use my life for Your glory.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Productive Lives

 Scripture:

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In the passage, Paul is telling Titus that their people need to learn to devote themselves to doing the good stuff. He says they need to provide for urgent needs and they shouldn’t live unproductive lives. Paul expected the lives of his people to be productive. He wanted to make sure everyone that needed help was getting help and that everyone was taking part in doing the work of the ministry.

Application:

I have to ask myself periodically, “Is my life productive?” It is a hard ask, but I do it sometimes just to keep my focus and my heart in the right place. I don’t want to live a life that doesn’t produce anything. I don’t want to be the fig tree Jesus cursed because it wasn’t providing fruit. I want my life to bring produce for the Kingdom. In order to do that, I need to evaluate sometimes what I am doing with my time, my abilities, etc. Am I being productive in life. I’ve heard it said this way, “You are either a consumer or a producer.” I don’t want to simply consume the work of others, I want to produce.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be productive for You and Your kingdom. Help me to live a life that produces and multiplies. Enable me to serve You well in my generation. I want to extend Your kingdom to the ends of the earth. Help me not to make excuses, but to step out and take initiative on the things that need to be done.

Yours,

Jeff

Humble and Contrite

 Scripture:

“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The Lord, speaking through Isaiah, says that He made everything we see. He goes on to say that He looks on with favor those who are humble and contrite in spirit and who tremble at His word. God loves it when His people humble themselves before Him. He loves it when His people take His word seriously. When we acknowledge Him in humility, we see results.

Application:

Pride never impresses God. He is the eternally existent one who is all-powerful. What impresses others, doesn’t impress Him. He is more impressed with humility and contrition that He is with our accomplishments. When we remain humble, He receives the praise and honor. When we walk in pride it is pulled away from Him. We must walk humbly before the Lord and take His word seriously. It is only then that we will walk in His favor.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live as a humble and contrite person. Teach me to live a surrendered life that You can use and that You can walk with. I want intimacy with You. I long for Your presence. I long to be with You more and more. Come Holy Spirit and lead me in every part of my life. Show me what to do next. Show me how to be the husband Cheryl needs and the father my sons need. Teach me your ways and help me to tremble at Your words.

Yours,

Jeff

WAIT

Scripture:

 “Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah speaks here about God. He says that no one has seen or heard any God besides Yahweh. In other words, there are no other gods in the earth.  All other gods are the work of men. Men are the work of our God. He completes the statement with the words, “who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.”

Application:

Our God is all-powerful and the creator of everything around us. He is not only all-powerful, but all-knowing. He knows all of us and the number of hairs on our head. He allowed the author to describe Him as the God who ACTS on behalf of those who WAIT for Him. My job is to wait. Rather than taking things into my own hands when they don’t happen fast enough, my place is to wait on God.  Waiting doesn’t imply doing nothing, rather, it implies waiting in faith, trusting God to act.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are all-powerful and all-knowing. You are worthy of all my praise! Teach me to wait and be patient with You. I know I tend to be impatient and I ask You to help me to wait on You for the things I know You will do eventually.  Enable me to wait well for Your timing in each situation.  Help me to never go ahead of You because I want to see things happen, but to wait on You and Your timing in all things. You have been amazing to me! Help me to live for You well and represent you well to those around me.

Yours,

Jeff

Double Portion

 Scripture:

“Instead of your 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.”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Isaiah tells us that instead of shame, we will get a double portion.  He says as well that we will inherit a double portion in our land. Double portion, biblically, is the portion given to the eldest son.  He received double the inheritance that the other children received in Bible days. The firstborn was special and received double, just for being born first. I’m sure this caused a lot of hard feelings among siblings.

Application:

When we pray for a double portion, we are actually praying for the eldest son’s inheritance. What we are saying is that we want to be God’s special firstborn children who receive double what everyone else gets. I am just glad to be called a son of God. I don’t need special recognition for being eldest.  I love that my Father blesses my life and makes me want to serve Him more and more. I love just being part of the family and I’m content wherever He says go and doing whatever He says do.

Prayer:

Father, I’m must glad to be in the family. You don’t have to treat me special because I don’t deserve it. You have blessed my life exceedingly through the years and I am so thankful. You have enlarged my territory and blessed me over and over again. I’m just here this morning to say thank You for all You d o in my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Access to Healing and Glory

 Scripture:

“Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.”  ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:8‬ ‭NIV‬

Observation:

Isaiah says here that “then” your light will break forth, your healing will quickly appear, your righteousness will go before you, and God’s glory will guard you from the rear. The question is “when is then?” Then, in the context is when we walk in righteousness, justice, and keeping our tongue from destroying others. When we do our part in helping bring justice, God will help us, heal us, and surround us. 

Application:

We need to be involved in more taking care of the poor, helping those in need, and bringing real deliverance to those in bondage. This passage tells us that when we do that, we will see the glory of God and God will take care of us. When we take care of those who can’t take care of themselves, God takes care of us.

Prayer:

Lord, show me each day how to live in your Kingdom. Let my life be a resource for others. Help me to live out this verse today. Let my eyes be open to the needs of those around me. Help me to see through Your eyes what needs to be done.  Help me to represent You well in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

His Thoughts and Ways

 Scripture:

““As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭55:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage we are reminded that God’s ways and thoughts are way higher than ours will every be.  It is like as far as the heavens are above the earth.  WOW! We must realize that God created everything we see and realize He has been around from eternity past.  He knows things we will never know.  

Application:

Realizing God is the ancient of days and how awesome His thoughts are, we must learn to trust Him completely with our lives.  He knows best. He knows every detail. Nothing surprises Him and nothing astounds Him.  He is God and we are clay.  I need to stop trying to figure everything out in my life and trust Him more and more.  He is trustworthy and I need to learn to trust Him.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to trust You.  Help me to realize that Your ways are higher than my ways and your thoughts are truly higher than mine. Therefore, teach me to walk with You and to be wise because I seek You constantly. Help me not to make any decision on my own. I need Your input on everything I do.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

What to Remember, What to Forget

 Scripture:

"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." Isaiah 46:9 

Observation:

Yesterday we were told to forget the former things because God was going to do a new thing.  Today He says, "Remember the former things." This may seem confusing because in one chapter we are told to forget the former things and here we are told to remember them.  Apparently, there are some things to remember and some things to forget.

Application:

Remembering the powerful things of God in our lives is a great thing.  Being reminded of what He has done in the past gives us hope and faith for the future. Remembering how He delivered and saved us is great for us, but some things we need to forget.  We need to forget our hurts and remember the victories.  We must forget the old way of life, but remember that He has made all things new.

Prayer:

Father, help me forget what needs to be forgotten and to remember what needs to be remembered.  Show me how to live in step with You and to be guided by Your Spirit at all times. Lead me by Your paths of righteousness.  Let my heart be filled with great memories and let it be freed from wrong things.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Don't Dwell on the Past

 Scripture:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18

Observation:

Isaiah tells God's people to forget the former things and not to dwell on them.  This seems in opposition to what God usually tells His people.  He usually tells us to remember the things He has done. He usually told them to set up stones of remembrance.  Here, He tells them to forget the past because He is doing a new thing. He tells them it is springing up and that He was making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. 

Application:

Sometimes the past can be our greatest hindrance to the future. We tend to long for God to do what He has done in the past.  We should appreciate what God has done in the past, but never limit what He can and will do in the future. God can do anything He wants to do. If He wants to move differently than I'm accustomed to, I need to change. If He chooses to work in ways I don't understand, then so be it! I never want to get crusty and stuck in a way of serving God that makes me feel good, but I want to do what God is doing here and now.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding me this morning not to get stuck in the former things.  We always say, "God is moving".  Help me to always move with You and do what You are doing.  Teach me not to get stuck on the way things use to be, but help me to embrace what You are doing in the here and now. I don't want to make idols out of old moves of God. I want to see rivers in the wasteland.  I want to walk with You into all that You want to do.  Don't let me limit You in any way.

Yours Forever,

Jeff