God’s Incredible Power

 Scripture:

“Take your sheep, goats, and cattle, and get out. But ask your God to be kind to me.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12:32‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

After all of the plagues had completed, Pharaoh was finally ready to let God’s people leave. After the death of every firstborn person or animal, the entire nation was grieving and had been through too much. He finally told Moses to take his people, his animals, and everything, and get out. But, while you are going, ask your God to be kind to me. Pharaoh had seen the power of the God do Israel and wanted God on his side, not against him.

Application:

When God demonstrates His power, even His enemies will want Him to be kind to them. When ungodly people see God’s power and might, they will want to be on His good side. I long to see God’s power revealed once again to those who don’t believe.  I want to see God’s power demonstrated in such ways that the news has to cover it and people beg God to have mercy on them. The move is up to God, but we must be ready and seeking Him if we want to see it happen in our lifetime..

Prayer:

Father, come and show Yourself strong in my generation. Demonstrate Your awesome power. Let the world see the goodness and strength of the God I serve. I want people to say, Your God is God and we will follow Him. I want to see people turn to God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. I long to see people converted in really ways. Come Holy Spirit and reveal Yourself once again that the world may know who You are and turn to follow You.

Yours,

Jeff

Too Good to Not Believe

 Scripture:

“When Moses told this to the Israelites, they were too discouraged and mistreated to believe him.”  ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭6:9‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

When Moses told the Israelites everything God was going to do, it says they were too discouraged and mistreated to believe him. This is a powerful statement. They had been beaten, used, abused, and things were only getting worse since Moses came on the scene. 

Application:

Discouragement and mistreatment can cause us to not believe what God is speaking into our lives. When you haven’t seen the answer for a long time and you received a prophetic word, it is easy to discount the word or not receive it because of what you have seen in the past.  There is a newer song out right now that I love called “too good to not believe.” When discouragement comes in, I have to look at all the incredible things I have seen God do in the past and remind myself, He’s too good to not believe. I want to live by faith and not by discouragement.

Prayer:

Father, help me to never cancel my future because of what I have seen in my past. Help me to walk in faith and believe whatever You are putting into my heart rather than the discouragement that would love to creep in. You truly are too good to not believe. I have watched you heal the sick, raise the dead, cause demons to leave people, and seen too much to not believe.  Help my unbelief.

Your Son,

Jeff

Taking Care of God’s People

 Scripture:

“God was good to the two women because they truly respected him, and he blessed them with children of their own. The Hebrews kept increasing”. ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭1:20-21‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

When Pharaoh decided to have all the boy babies of the Hebrews killed because they were getting to large and strong, two women, who were suppose to kill the children were actually helping them. These two women, it says here, were respected by God and He blessed them with children of their own. When you bless what God blesses, you will be blessed!

Application:

When we bless what God is blessing, we can expect to be blessed. When we take care of God’s people, God will take care of us. When we help God’s people, God will help us. If God will bless someone who is not even His, but helps His people, how much more will He bless His own children? I want to bless what God blesses and curse what God curses. I want to speak what He is speaking and do what He is doing. With Him on our side, nothing is impossible and we will lived blessed lives.

Prayer:

Father, help me to take good care of Your people. Teach me to walk with You at a deeper level. I want to live a life You can trust. Help me to care for Your people well and do what You are doing. Enable me to lead Your people well.

I Love You,

Jeff

True Power

 Scripture:

“Suddenly a strong earthquake struck, and the Lord's angel came down from heaven. He rolled away the stone and sat on it. The angel looked as bright as lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards shook from fear and fell down, as though they were dead.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:2-4‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

When Jesus was raised from the dead, there was power involved that this world can’t deny. When it was time for Him to come out of the tomb, an earthquake struck the place, and angel came down and rolled away the stone, and the guards shook for fear and fell down like dead men, as we would say slain in the Spirit. The God I serve is all powerful and nothing is too difficult for Him.

Application:

When I live my life, I need to live by faith in the God who can cause earthquakes, have angels roll away stones and cause guards to fall like dead men. I must never limit God in my life and what He is capable of. In 2022, I want to live with more faith than ever before that God can do what He says He can do. I don’t want my faith to limit Him from working in and through my life. Rather, I want to walk closer to Him than ever before and to see His power and glory revealed in and through my life. 

Prayer:

Father, I offer my life to You. You are my strength and the joy of my life. You are my everything! You are the source of every good thing in me. Help me to walk by faith this year as never before. Help me to do ALL that You want me to do and to never limit You in any way. Teach me to hear Your voice and obey completely. Let this be a year of fulfilling Your will and seeing Your power revealed in my generation.

Yours Truly,

Jeff

Ever Ready

 Scripture:

“So, my disciples, always be ready! You don't know the day or the time when all this will happen.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:13‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was telling His disciples about His going away and then returning to get His bride.  He was describing a wedding ceremony where the bridegroom comes at an unexpected time to get his bride. He tells His disciples “Always be ready!” Because you don’t know the day or time this will all happen. 

Application:

Jesus said this over 2000 years ago and today we are seeing the signs all around us. More than ever before, we must “always be ready!” We must learn to live every day like it could be our last. We need to have oil in our lamps and be ready to travel when the King returns to get His bride. I need to live every day like Jesus is coming at any second. I need to make the most of every opportunity.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live in step with You at all times. Teach me to follow You well and to do Your will above all else. Let me live my life “ever ready” to see Your awesome face. I can’t wait for that day, but until then, help me to live with your return in mind. Lately I’ve been looking up more than ever. Show me more of the day and hour we live in. Show me things to come I pray.

Yours,

Jeff

The Greatest Serve

 Scripture:

“Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭23:11‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus is speaking here concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees. They loved to be up front receiving the praise of men, but Jesus rebuked them and told them that the greatest among them should be the servant of the others. Greatness is God’s kingdom is not about being served, but about serving others and lifting them.

Application:

Serving others should be the emphasis of a leader’s life. We should be about making the lives of others better and lifting them up. Our life should decrease in importance and others lives should become more important. I need to learn to serve better and lift those around me. I want to be the person who help others become all they can be in God’s kingdom.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible and I love You with all my heart. Teach me to serve Your people well. Help me not to see myself as a leader, but as a servant of Yours and Your people’s. Teach me to lead according to Your ways and to serve according to You ways, I want to be a blessing to You and Your Kingdom. Let my life count for eternity.

Your Son,

Jeff

Faith

 Scripture:

“If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.””  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21:22‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

I love Jesus!  He would make simple statements that people would argue and rationalize over for centuries. The above words have been debated, fought, etc. When I read the words of Jesus, I don’t believe He is trying to hide something from me, but get something to me. Rather than simply believe what he said and stand on it, we tend to try to analyze what He said. Faith is the key to answered prayer.

Application:

When we pray, we must pray in faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen. Faith is believing something will happen, when you haven’t seen it yet. I want to increase my faith to believe simple verses like this. I want to be a person of faith and not unbelief. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God, so I need to get more Word into my life.

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith. Jesus said, “If you have faith when you pray, you will be given whatever you ask for.” I want to see that in my life in a greater way. Teach me more about faith and seeing prayers answered. Teach me to walk by faith and not by sight. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Faith Fights For Answers

 Scripture:

““Lord, this is true,” the woman said, “but even puppies get the crumbs that fall from their owner's table.” Jesus answered, “Dear woman, you really do have a lot of faith, and you will be given what you want.” At that moment her daughter was healed.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:27-28‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

This Canaanite woman came to Jesus asking Him to heal her daughter. She begged Him to heal her and Jesus called her a dog because He wasn’t sent to her but the the people of Israel. She told Him that even dogs get food scraps under the table. She was arguing with Jesus for the healing of her daughter. Jesus said of her, “you really do have a lot of faith” and her daughter was healed.

Application:

Strong faith is persistent. Strong faith will fight for answers to prayer. Strong faith doesn’t give up when the first answer isn’t what you wanted. Strong faith will continue to stand in the gap when others would have given up. I want to develop strong faith and not give up when God doesn’t move in my timing. I want to develop the kind of faith that Christ recognized in this woman.

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith! Teach me to fight for answers to prayer instead of passively taking no for an answer. Show me how to see more answers to prayer and help me not to faint when standing in the gap for someone. I know in my head that You want to heal more people, but let me fight for it with my heart.

Yours,

Jeff 

Rest

Scripture:

 “If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭CEV

Observation‬:

Jesus told those following Him that if they were tired from carrying heavy‬ burdens that they should come to Him and He would give rest. According to this passage, rest isn’t the result of more sleep, but of coming to Christ. When we come to Christ and walk in oneness with Him, there will be rest in our our hearts and the result will be better sleep.

Application:

Rest is a very godly principle that we neglect so often in our modern society. God implemented a Sabbath day of rest and demonstrated it for us in the very creation of the world. If God demonstrated rest to us, we need to follow Him in this area. Learning to rest in a 24/7 information overloaded generation is not easy, but we must continue to pursue this because it is very godly. It is the one “Ten Commandments” that we neglect constantly. God is more interested in our obedience than how much work we do. Obedience sometimes means rest. We must take time out to rest IN Christ instead of just work FOR Him.

Prayer:

Lord God, teach me to rest well. Help me to implement Sabbath into my life in a better and stronger way. Teach me to use my Sabbath day, not just to sleep, but to enter deeper into my relationship with You and truly rest. I want to live a life that honors You and make decisions that honor You. Help me to realize that rest is as much part of Your agenda as work is.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Rock Solid

 Scripture:

“Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:24‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus says here that we need to not only hear, but obey His teachings. When we hear, and obey, we will be like the person who built their house on the rock. It goes on to say that when the storms come, the house on the rock will stay firm and the house without a strong foundation will crumble. Obedience is the key to a strong foundation.

Application:

We need a strong foundation now more than ever. We are living in turbulent times.  Timothy called them “perilous’ times or “difficult” times. Now, more than ever, we need a strong foundation in Christ to be able to weather any storm that comes our way. In this story, there was one thing in common, both had storms. The difference is that one had a strong foundation and one didn’t. We must learn not to just read or listen to God’s word, but apply it, implement it, and obey it. We have to put the Word into practice in our lives, then we won’t have to worry about the storms.

Prayer:

Father, teach me not only to read and hear Your Word, but teach me to obey it, follow through on it, and implement it in my life. I want to live and unshakable life that is built on Your words. I don’t want to be tossed around in the storms that are coming, but to be confident, strong, and ready for whatever comes. As we walk the path of these Last Days, teach me to live a rock solid life of obedience in every area.

Your Son,

Jeff

Treasures in Heaven

 Scripture:

“Don't store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them.”  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:19-20‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus is speaking here in His most well-known teaching called the Sermon on the Mount. He tells the crowd not to store up treasures on earth, but to store up treasure in heaven. Anything down here can be corrupted, get old, and destroyed, but what is in heaven is eternal. Jesus was teaching them that eternal things are more important than temporal things.

Application:

How do we store up treasures in heaven? The only thing that can go to heaven with us is people. The only thing treasured in heaven is people. I need to live every day with eternity on my mind. I don’t want to live with great hopes of what I can have on this earth. My hope is in heaven. In heaven, it won’t matter what we owned here on earth. There’s not going to be a rich section and a poor section. There’s not going to be a higher educated section and a lower education section. If I want to make a difference in heaven, I must be about my Father’s business here on earth. I must live for the extension of His kingdom here and now. This puts my treasure in heaven.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, let my life bring You glory and honor. Help me to live with eternity in mind every day of my life. Enable me to bring more people to heaven when I come. Help me not to get overly obsessed with things here on earth. Help me keep Your perspective on things. I don’t mind having things, but I never wants things to have me. Keep me on the right path.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Holy Spirit and Fire

 Scripture:

“I baptize you with water so you will give up your sins. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:11‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, John the Baptist introduces Jesus by saying, I baptize with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He shifts the attention away from himself and onto Jesus. In his proclamation about Jesus, we can see the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a primary reason Jesus came. This is recorded in all four Gospels when John speaks of Jesus and what He came to do.

Application:

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is so important for believers. John the Baptist literally introduced Jesus to the world by saying He came to baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. We should have a stronger emphasis on the baptism with the Holy Spirit. If John said this the reason Christ came, we should want to see more and more people filled with the Holy Spirit. Whatever hinders people from receiving this wonderful and powerful gift, I want eliminated this year. I want to see more people filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:

Father, pour out Your Spirit in and through my life. Let more people be baptized in Your Spirit this year than ever before. Let Your church be filled with fire and power! Move by Your Spirit. Come Holy Spirit and fill Your people to overflowing. In 2022, let this precious and powerful gift be received by more and more people. Help me to know how to communicate it well so people can receive.

Yours,

Jeff

Forgiveness

 Scripture:

“You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing. Don't be afraid! I will take care of you and your children.” After Joseph said this, his brothers felt much better.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭50:20-21‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

When Jacob passed away, Joseph’s brothers were scared once again. They thought maybe he was nice to them because he didn’t want to upset his father. They came to him to ask forgiveness for all they had done in selling him as a slave. Joseph’s response was a beautiful one. He said they tried to harm him, bu God turned it around so he could save them and take care of their families. No retribution here, just real forgiveness.

Application:

You know you have really forgiven someone when you are willing to take care of them and their families. Real forgiveness takes the idea of punishment for wrong doing and places it in God’s hands, then treats those people with love and kindness. God honors real forgiveness. Jesus said if we can’t forgive others, God can’t forgive us. We must learn to release from punishment and trust God to do the right thing, then love the person who has hurt us.

Prayer:

Father, help me to never hold a grudge or unforgiveness in my heart toward anyone. Teach me to walk before You with a pure heart. Help me to love and help those who have hurt me as a witness to You and Your kingdom. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

It Was Always God’s Plan

 Scripture:

“After all, you weren't really the ones who sent me here—it was God. He made me the highest official in the king's court and placed me over all Egypt.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭45:8‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

When Joseph finally revealed himself to his brothers, he knew they would feel guilty about what they did to him. His response was priceless. He told them that they didn’t send him to Egypt, but God did, and He did it to be able to take care of them. God not only blessed him and turned his sorrow into joy, but God placed him over all Egypt. He let them know that God was with him al the way and that it was actually God’s plan coming to pass as he had seen in his dreams many, many years prior.

Application:

Even when it seems your enemies triumph over you for a season, God may be setting you us for a massive victory. God uses to the situations of our lives to bring about His will. Sometimes He has to allow certain things to happen that may not feel good to us, but He knows the outcomes and is willing to let us go through some difficulties in order to make His victory more sweet. The story gives God even more glory because of the pit, and Potiphar’s house and the prison. It makes it clearly something only God could do and He gets the credit.

Prayer:

Father, I want to live a life in oneness with You. I want You to be with me all the days of my life. When I struggle at times, let me know You are with me and its all part of Your plan. Teach me to wait patiently for You to move and raise me up. Let me have the heart of Joseph.

Yours,

Jeff

Completely Forgotten

 Scripture:

“but the king's personal servant completely forgot about Joseph.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭40:23‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker were thrown into prison with Joseph, there Jospeh interpreted their dreams accurately. He had one request, don’t forget me when what I said happens. Of course, life always has twists and turns.  The butler completely forgot about Joseph and left him in prison until the king needed a dream interpreted. The king brought Joseph out of prison so he could interpret the dream, and the rest is history.

Application:

Sometimes in life it is easy to feel forgotten. Most people truly have good intentions, but somehow forget the promises they have made. The beauty of God is that He never forgets where we are. He knows every time we are forgotten and doesn’t forget his promises to us. They may not come when we want them to, but His promises will come to pass if we remain faithful. With God, there may be times when we think He has forgotten us, but He hasn’t. 

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to know deep in my spirit that You never forget Your promises. When I feel forgotten or overlooked, help me to know that my hope is not in any person, but in You. You are my rock and my foundation. You are my sword and shield. You are my strength and my deliverer. You never forget. Help me to trust You in that.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God WITH Us

 Scripture:

“The jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭39:23‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Joseph had a couple of dreams that got him in trouble with his brothers. They sold him into slavery, where God blessed him and he was given charge over a powerful man’s home. From there he was falsely accused of something he didn’t do and put into prison.  This verse find him in the prison where it says, “the jailer did not worry about anything, because the Lord was with Joseph and made him successful in all that he did. In this story, we continue to see that the Lord was WITH Joseph and made him successful in everything. 

Application:

When the Lord is WITH someone, he always seems to prosper them and raise them up above their peers. The biggest goal of our lives should be to have the Lord smile upon us and bless us with His presence. When God is pleased with someone, He makes them successful in everything they do. I don’t want to try to make myself successful, but I do want God to bless my life, which brings success in every realm. I need to live a life that pleases God first and foremost so He can bless it.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, my life is in Your hands. Help me to follow You closely and to do Your will at all times. I long for oneness with You. I want to see what You’re doing and hear what You’re saying. Tune me in and let me walk in step with You. As You were WITH Joseph, I want You to BE WITH me every day.

Your Son,

Jeff

Defined by Where You Settle

 Scripture:

“Magdiel, and Iram. These clans descended from Esau, who was known as Edom, the father of the Edomites. They took their names from the places where they settled.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭36:43‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

This passage says that the descendants of Esau took their names from the places they settled. The children of Israel always took names that meant something and, generally were prophetic names concerning who they would become. The thing that stood out to me here was that they were named by their surroundings instead of being named by their father. They were named for where they were instead of where they were going.

Application:

You will be defined by what you settle for or allow in your life. Will I be defined by where I have been or where I am in life right now or will I be defined by the prophetic revelation of God’s plan for my life? Will I be defined by what God sees in me or by what those around me see? I don’t want to be known for what I see around me, but by what my Father says about me.

Prayer:

Father, you named me Jeffrey, heavenly peace. Let me be defined by what You have to say about my life and not what others, or circumstances, or achievements, etc. have to say about my life. Help me not to be defined by where I am in life, but by You Lord. Help me not to settle for what others say about me, but to know what You have to say about me. Let my life reflect Your glory.

Yours Forever,

Jeffrey

Wrestling with God

 Scripture:

“The man said, “From now on, your name will no longer be Jacob. You will be called Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32:28‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jacob was on his way back home to his family after serving Laban for 20 years and building his family. He was preparing to meet his brother Esau for the first time after they had parted twenty years before. One night he wrestled with a man, who turned out to be the Lord. When the Lord wanted to go, Jacob told him, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.” He wrestled with God for his blessing. He wouldn’t let go until he had God’s blessing on this life. 

Application:

Jacob was already a very blessed man, but he understood the power of God’s blessing. He knew that when God blesses someone, everything will be okay. He knew it would go well with his brother if he was blessed by God. He knew he would prosper if he was blessed by God. We must learn to wrestle for the blessing of God in our lives. We must learn to seek God until He blesses us. His blessing on our lives can change any situation. His blessing can change everything. When God blesses you, even your enemies realize you are blessed.

Prayer:

Lord, bless me. Bless my family. Bless Word of Life. Bless Hearts for the Harvest. Bless everything You put into my hand. I want to live a life that is blessed by You. Help me not to give up in any area but to seek You until my life is blessed in every way. Let the world see my life and know that God has blessed me. I’m willing to wrestle. I’m willing to go after that blessing.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Presence

 Scripture:

“Jacob woke up suddenly and thought, “The Lord is in this place, and I didn't even know it.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭28:16‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jacob had just had his proverbial “Jacob’s Ladder” dream. When we woke up, he thought to himself, “The Lord is in this place and I didn’t even know it.” He came to realize that God was Omni-present, everywhere, all the time. He didn’t feel like God was there, but he suddenly realized, God is not only in one location or another. He is as close as the mention of His name.

Application:

Sometimes God is closer than we think. When we look at situations and problems in our lives, we must realize that God hasn’t disappeared, or gone away. Sometimes when we think God it’s far away from us, He is right there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. He allows Himself to feel distant to cause us to seek Him, but really He is as close as the mention of His name. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are everywhere, but You are right here. You are closer to me than it feels like. When it seems You are far away and not answering my prayers, help me to stand strong and know that You haven’t gone anywhere, rather, You want me to seek You more and more. Help me to always be a seeker of Yours. Let me realize that You are with me at all times and never leave me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Blessed and Highly Favored

Scripture:

“Abraham was now a very old man. The Lord had made him rich, and he was successful in everything he did.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭24:1‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Here we see Abraham as an old man. He had obeyed God and followed what the Lord had told him to do. He was willing to offer his only son, his promised son, Isaac as an offering to the Lord. He had followed the voice of the Lord throughout his life and was blessed because of it. Here it says the Lord made him very rich and he was successful in everything he did. God does bless his obedient children!

Application:

It is God who promotes, empowers, raises up, and blesses. God can take anyone, who is obedient, and raise them up as a testimony of his goodness. Just like Abraham’s obedience to the voice of the Lord and the Word of the Lord, caused him to have a blessed life, so our lives are blessed when we obey the Lord in all things. Our job is obedience, His job is blessing! Obedience positions us for blessing. Therefore, obedience to the word of the Lord is crucial if we want to live blessed lives.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to obey You fully and completely. Teach me to follow Your ways and walk in Your footsteps. Let my response to You always be yes and amen. Bless my life. Bless my family. Bless the church I lead and bless the ministry I lead. It all belongs to You for Your purposes.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Blessed

 Scripture:

“About this time Abimelech and his army commander Phicol said to Abraham, “God blesses everything you do! Now I want you to promise in the name of God that you will always be loyal to me and my descendants, just as I have always been loyal to you in this land where you have lived as a foreigner.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭21:22-23‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Abimilech and Phicol came to Abraham after some time of living near each other and said, “God blesses everything you do.” They went on to ask Abraham to make a peace treaty where they would always be at peace because they knew God was with Abraham.  God had so blessed Abraham’s life that those around him wanted to be on his side because they knew they didn’t stand a chance if they were ever against him.

Application:

I love to see people so blessed that their enemies want to have agreements with them. I want to live such a blessed life that those who don’t like me have to know that it is the blessing of the Almighty. I need to live in such a way that God would want to pour out His blessings on my life. God blesses obedience, therefore, I want to live a life of obedience to the ways and the words of God.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to live a life that You want to bless. I know obedience brings blessing so help me to walk in obedience in all areas of life. Teach me to hear Your voice and know Your word. This morning I pray like Jabez, Lord bless me and increase my territory.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Don’t Doubt What God Speaks

 Scripture:

“The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Does she doubt that she can have a child in her old age? I am the Lord! There is nothing too difficult for me. I'll come back next year at the time I promised, and Sarah will already have a son.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18:13-14‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

God had spoken to Abraham and Sarah about her having a child in her old age. The Lord asked Abraham two questions, “Why did Sarah laugh?” And “Does she doubt that she can have a child in her old age?” He responds to His own question by saying, “There is nothing too difficult for me.” God reminded Sarah that nothing was too difficult for Him and that this was nothing to laugh about. 

Application:

Things that seem impossible for us, are never impossible with God. He is all-powerful and we must remember that when He tells us He is going to do something, our place isn’t to laugh, but to believe. Sometimes God knows things that we don’t yet know or understand. He can show us things to come that we think are totally impossible. He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above what we can ask, think or imagine. We must never doubt when God speaks, rather, we should say like Mary, “be it unto me according to Your word.”

Prayer:

Father, I want You to speak to my heart. I long to hear Your voice and more clearly. I long to walk with You. When you share things with me, help me to never walk in doubt, but to believe by faith that what You say will come to pass. Teach me to walk in step with you at all times and never to doubt what You are doing. Help me to believe You over the science.

Your Son,

Jeff

Who Gets the Credit?

 Scripture:

“Abram answered: The Lord God Most High made the heavens and the earth. And I have promised him that I won't keep anything of yours, not even a sandal strap or a piece of thread. Then you can never say that you are the one who made me rich.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭14:22-23‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

The King of Sodom offered Abraham land, possession, and anything else he wanted except his family. Abraham’s response shows a reflection of his character. He told the King that he wouldn’t accept even a sandal strap or a piece of thread because he didn’t want the king to be able to say, “I made you rich.”  What he was saying was that God is his source and resource and he wanted everyone to know how he got so blessed. He didn’t want a human king to be able to o take any credit in what the Lord had done.

Application:

If our desire is to truly honor and bless the Lord, then we shouldn’t take credit for what He does in our lives. Like Abraham, we should not want anyone to get the glory except for the Lord. It is He who provides for us, takes care of us, and heals us. He is our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, and our trust must be in Him alone. I want to live a life that blesses God and can’t take the credit for.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and awesome in power. You are everything to me. Help me to follow You well and to bring You honor and praise with my life. When it’s all said and done, I want to be able to say, only “only God could have done the things done in that life.” Father, I don’t want anyone to get the credit for what You do in my life. You are incredible and I love You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Famous Last Words

 Scripture:

“they said: Let's build a city with a tower that reaches to the sky! We'll use hard bricks and tar instead of stone and mortar. We'll become famous, and we won't be scattered all over the world.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11:3-4‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

As God was scattering people around the earth, those in Babylon decided they would build a tower that would reach to the sky. In this passage you can see that it was all about them and their pride in what they could do. Four times pronouns like us, we, etc. are used. They were wanting to build and do everything on their own and leave God out of the picture. Their pride was their downfall.

Application:

We, I, mine, ours, etc. are famous last words when dealing with the Almighty God. It is better to say, “If the Lord wills” then to declare what you are going to do.  James 4:15 tells us that we should actually say just that, “If the Lord wills, we will…” Pride is the root of destruction, division, hatred, envy, greed, jealousy, etc. We must never walk in pride about what we are going to do, but rather do what God wants us to do with our lives. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in humility all the days of my life. You are the only one worthy of anything. You deserve the glory and the honor and the praise. Teach me to say, “if the Lord wills” instead of “I’m going to do this or that.” Forgive me to the times I have lived out of my own heart and what I want to do instead of doing Your will for my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Seasons Happen

 Scripture:

“As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat; winter and summer, day and night.” Genesis‬ ‭8:22‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

After the flood waters receded and Noah came out of the ark he had made, God told Noah He would never again destroy the earth in that fashion. Rather, there would always be seasons. God told him there would always be planting and harvest, cold and heart, winter and summer, day and night. In other words, there will be seasons for everything. He was telling Noah he would rest assured that there would be cycles in the earth he could trust.

Application:

First the natural, then the spiritual. Just as God placed seasons after the flood and let Noah know that they would never stop as long as the earth remained, so we can rest assured that life also has seasons.  There are seasons of preparation, seasons of harvest and blessing, and seasons of waiting for the next season. There are times in our lives when things are producing incredibly and there are winter times when it seems nothing is happening and all is dead. The reality is, “This too shall pass.”

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, you created this earth and laid down ground rules through the rotation of planets and the moon. It is snowing today because we are in winter here in Virginia and that’s okay because it is expected in a winter season. I also know that Spring is just a few months away and this cold weather won’t last forever. Help me to be patient on things in my life and teach me to wait for the right season, the season You have prepared for me. Teach me not to rush the seasons, but to enjoy them as I walk with You.

Your Son,

Jeff

EVERYTHING

 Scripture:

“Noah did everything God told him to do.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭6:22‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Genesis six tells how far man had quickly walked away from God after the fall of man. God couldn’t find anyone righteous in the earth except for Noah. Therefore, God decided to destroy the earth with a flood. He would never send judgment on the righteous so He told Noah to build an ark to save him and his family. In this verse we are told that Noah did EVERYTHING God told him to do.

Application:

How may times have I partially obeyed God? How may times have I heard from God, then amended what he said to me to make it more acceptable to others? How may times have I walked in partial obedience? We need to live in complete obedience to the word of the Lord. He will protect us, shield us, and take good care of us, but we must do our part and obey Him in EVERYTHING. Noah’s list didn’t make sense because it had never rained, but he obeyed completely. I want to obey God completely with my life.

Prayer:

Father, partial obedience is not obedience. Forgive me for the many times I have obeyed the parts I felt good about and did part of what You told me to do. Forgive me for the times when I have edited what You have told me to something more palatable. Help me to obey You completely and in EVERYTHING.

Yours,

Jeff

When God Speaks

 Scripture:

“God said, “I command light to shine!” And light started shining.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

In the third verse of the Bible, God makes a very simple command. He says, “‘I command light to shine!’ And it started shining.” God spoke into darkness and light came into existence. With a simple four or five word phrase, depending on your translation, God made light to shine. His words are absolutely powerful!

Application:

Sometimes our problems look so big and we feel that we can’t overcome them. It is easy to look at our human situation and think that things are impossible and will never change, but one word from God can change everything. We must realize that one sentence from His mouth and everything can change. We must stop limiting God and we must start walking by faith and listening for what He is saying.

Prayer:

Father, let me never see anything as impossible for You. Let my faith increase more and more that You are the God who speaks four or five words and the whole world changes. Speak Your blessing over my life. Speak Your blessing over the church I pastor. Speak Your word over my region and let revival come. Help me to speak more like Your speak every day. Let me speak words of faith and power.

Your Son,

Jeff