Direct Connect for the Next Generation

 Scripture:

“While Jehoiada the priest was alive, Joash obeyed the Lord by doing right.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭24:2‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

This simple sentence is so powerful and so deep. “While” Jehoiada was alive, Jonah’s obeyed the Lord. As long as Joash had she spiritual father on the scene, he stayed on the right path, but when his spiritual father died, he started veering off of God’s path. 

Application:

We must not only be spiritual fathers to sons and daughters, we must help them to connect, not only to us, but to God so that when we go away, they remain strong in the Lord. I need to make sure people are not looking to me, but looking to God and connecting with Him directly. We must not only teach the next generation about God, but they must encounter Christ for themselves so their faith doesn’t die with a person.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to get people connected to the true vine and not just connected to me. Let my life bring people into relationship with You so that they can continue to grow long after I’m gone. Help me to build ministry well, so that people’s faith isn’t in a man, but in You my Lord. I want people to do right long after I pass from teh scene of their lives.

Obey God and Believe His Prophets

 Scripture:

“Early the next morning, as everyone got ready to leave for the desert near Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen my friends, if we trust the Lord God and believe what these prophets have told us, the Lord will help us, and we will be successful.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:20‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jehoshaphat understood some things about serving God and following Him completely. He was in a situation right here that seemed to everyone to be an impossible situation. He knew that impossible with man is never impossible with God. He told his people to trust God and believe the prophets and they would be successful. 

Application:

Trusting God and believing the prophets is difficult when the enemy is staring you right in the face. They were successful because they leaned on God and did it God’s way when God’s way made no sense in our human rational thinking. Sometimes following God means we have to go against our own senses in order to do what He wants done.

Prayer:

Father, You are awesome and I worship You. Give me courage and confidence to follow You and do what You speak to me, no matter what comes in front of me. Bless my life and ministry and fight my battles. I need You today to give me wisdom and insight in all areas.

Your Son,

Jeff

But Jehoshaphat Prayed

 Scripture:

“So when they saw Jehoshaphat in his robe, they thought he was Ahab and started to attack him. But Jehoshaphat prayed, and the Lord made the Syrian soldiers stop.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭18:31‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jehoshaphat and Ahab were going into battle together. Ahab told Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes, but that he would be disguised. Jehoshaphat did it.  King Ahab was hit by a random arrow and killed. Jehoshaphat was recognized and the soldiers thought he was Ahab so they started attacking him. He prayed to the Lord and God made the Syrian soldiers stop. God stepped in, right in the middle of a battle and made the enemy stop.

Application:

Some times we end up in situations that seem way out of our control. They seem impossible, but when we pray, we release the supernatural power of the almighty to work on our behalf and nothing is impossible for Him. When we are in the midst of battle and it seems everything is against us, we still serve a God who can protect us and give us victory in the middle of the battle. Our faith must always be in Him and not ourselves.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible.  Thank You for reminding me of this today. Work in my life and protect my family from every attack of the enemy. Teach me to walk with you and to follow Your will at all times. I want to do exactly what You want in my life. I want to be completely led and directed by You. You are my Lord and my God. Let my faith increase day by day as You fight my battles.

Yours Truly,

Jeff 

Confidence in God

 Scripture:

“That's why God is on our side and will lead us into battle when the priests sound the signal on the trumpets. It's no use, Israelites. You might as well give up. There's no way you can defeat the Lord, the God your ancestors worshiped.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭13:12‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Judah was being attacked by Israel. Israel had been following false gods and Judah had been following the Lord God of their forefathers. Judah sent this message to Israel, letting them know God was on their side and there was no way He was going to let them lose to a nation that had drifted away from Him. He tells them, “You might as well give up.”  The king’s confidence level in God was awesome.

Application:

When you know you have been serving God properly and following His ways, there is great confidence built up because you know God has got your back. As believers, walking with the Lord should give us the same confidence. Because we know we are living right, we can expect that God will step up and step in when necessary.

Prayer:

Father, I have faith  and trust in You, but increase my faith. Increase my confidence. Even right now when I need a financial breakthrough, please step in and demonstrate Your goodness once again. Help me through this difficult situation. Heal my lat and Cheryl’s nerve in her arm. Provide for us as we have followed You completely.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Fire and Glory

 Scripture:

“When the crowd of people saw the fire and the Lord's glory, they knelt down and worshiped the Lord. They prayed: “The Lord is good, and his love never ends.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭7:3‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Solomon was dedicating the Temple he had built for the Lord. It was an amazing place and Solomon had spared no expense. He built a magnificent place for the Lord. At the dedication he sacrificed tens of thousands of animals to the Lord. He prayed and the Lord answered with fire and glory. The people saw the fire and glory and quickly knelt down and worshiped the Lord and proclaimed, “The Lord is good and His love never ends.”

Application:

We need some fire and glory experiences in today’s church that cause the people to kneel down and worship the Lord. We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our nation and in the world. When people see fire and glory, they can’t deny the presence and power of the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, send Your fire and glory. Send Your presence powerfully among Your people. Come and fill us to overflowing. Come and show us each step of the way. Come and manifest Your presence among us as we worship You. I long for Your presence to be so strong that the worst skeptic cannnot deny it.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Give God Our Best

 Scripture:

“No one can ever build a temple large enough for God—even the heavens are too small a place for him to live in! All I can do is build a place where we can offer sacrifices to him.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭2:6‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Solomon is speaking here about the Temple he was beginning to construct as a place to worship God. In the construction, he used 20 tons of fine gold in the process. That is unbelievable! He not only realized he couldn’t build big enough for God, but he couldn’t make it elaborate enough for God. He wanted to give God an incredible place to be worshiped. he didn’t settle for giving God a simple building, but took 150,000 men and 20 tons of gold to build.

Application:

What we do for God, we should want to do it with everything we have. Worship is expensive when we think of Old Testament offerings. In the NT world, the Holy Spirit lives in us and not in a building made with human hands. How much more should we honor God with our lives, our bodies, our souls, and our minds? God is worthy of our very best and we should sincerely give Him the very best of everything we have.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I am reminded this morning of Your incredible worth and value. Forgive me for the times I have take You for granted. I stand in awe of You this morning! You are worthy of my very best! You are worthy of my greatest sacrifice. Help me to have the right perspective when leading others in pursuit of You. Help me to lead well and to set an example of sacrificial worship.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Words From a Father

 Scripture:

“Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭28:9‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

David had made preparations for the Temple to be constructed and had just given orders about it’s completion. He told the whole nation to never walk away from the Lord, then he turned his attention to his son who would rule in his place and gave him these words, “obey him with all your heart and mind…if you turn to Him, He will hear your prayers… if you ignore him, He will reject you.”

Application:

David spoke encouragement to his son, yet he also told him the consequences of not following the Lord wholeheartedly. He told his son that God knows everything in his heart anyway, so he must honor the Lord with all his heart. We must live a life that pleases the Lord and do what He says, we must also prepare the generations behind us to do the same. We must not be afraid to say the hard things.

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Teach me Your ways and let me serve You well. Empower me to train up the next generation of ministers and servants of Yours. Help me to say what needs said and to live a life that is worthy of imitating. Bless my life, my family and everything around me and let me never be ashamed to tell of Your goodness.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Do the Little Things While Waiting for God to Show the Bigger Things

 Scripture:

“Each group, no matter how large or small, was assigned a gate to guard, and they let the Lord show them what he wanted done.” 1 Chronicles‬ ‭26:13‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

As the Temple was built, the tribes were assigned responsibilities in taking care of the Temple. In this passage, it tells us that each group was assigned a gate to guard. It was “everyone’s” job to guard the house of God, then they prayed specifically about what they were suppose to do besides that. 

Application:

Some things in the Kingdom just need to be done and everyone should pitch in and help because we are brothers and sisters, building our Father’s business. Some jobs we don’t need to even pray about, you just do it because it needs done. There are other responsibilities we must pray about and seek the Lord about. We should do what needs done while we seek the specific will of God concerning our lives.

Prayer:

Father, I give You my heart, soul, mind and strength. Help me to serve You well. Let me never get above stacking chairs and helping do what needs done. Help me to be an example of servanthood throughout my days. Besides that, show me daily what I need to be doing in my life. Lead me Holy Spirit and I will do what You lay before me. Open the right doors and show me the way forward and I will follow.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Success Comes With Obedience and Fearlessness

 Scripture:

“If you obey the laws and teachings that the Lord gave Moses, you will be successful. Be strong and brave and don't get discouraged or be afraid of anything.”‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭22:13‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

David was speaking here to his son Solomon, who would be the next king of Israel. He was preparing all the items needed to build the Temple in Jerusalem. God wouldn’t let David build it since he had shed too much blood, but David prepared everything for his son to build it. Here, he is instructing his son how to live a blessed life.

Application:

When we obey God’s laws and teachings, and live as He wants us to live, we will also be successful. We must be strong and courageous because not everyone will understand when we live differently that the rest of the world. This is where trust comes in. We must trust God and not be afraid of anyone. He will deliver us when we walk in fear of Him.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I love You with all my heart. Teach me to follow Your ways and listen to Your voice. Empower me to live a life that pleases You. Strengthen my heart to continue when I don’t see the results I want to see. Let my love and respect of You increase every day as I do m best to follow You well.

Your Son,

Jeff

No Other God is Like You Lord

 Scripture:

“It was your choice to do these wonderful things for me and to make these promises. No other god is like you, Lord—you alone are God. Everything we have heard about you is true.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭17:19-20‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

David realized that he had very little to do with becoming king and leading Israel at it’s most influential time. He realized that it was totally God and little to do with him. He declared, “No other god is like You, Lord - You alone are God.” He knew better than to take the credit for what the Lord had done.

Application:

Like David, I realize that every good thing in my life has not com from me or others, but from the Lord God Almighty. He is my source and resource. He is my everything. God has been so good to me all the days of my life. I am amazed at who He is and how good He has been to me. As a result, I simply want to serve Him more and more.

Prayer:

Father, every good thing in my life has come from You. You are my reward and my strength. Your goodness is beyond compare and Your faithfulness is incredible. I love You and want to represent You well in my generation. Teach me to do everything You call me to do and help me not to hold back in any area from You. 

Yours Always,

Jeff

Align me with You and Your People

Scripture:

“and then announced to the people of Israel: While Saul was king, the sacred chest was ignored. But now it's time to bring the chest to Jerusalem. We will invite everyone in Israel to come here, including the priests and the Levites in the towns surrounded by pastureland. But we will do these things only if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.”  ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭13:2-3‬ ‭CEV‬‬ 

Observation:

David had just been announced and anointed to be king of Israel. The first major thing he decided to do was to bring the ark of the covenant back to a place of honor.  It says here that it had been ignored under Saul. The Ark of the Covenant was the place where God manifested Himself in the OT. David two things, the presence of God and agreement with the people. The end of the verse says, “if you agree, and if the Lord our God wants us to.”

Application:

When we have agreement with people, or UNITY, and the blessing of God, we are unstoppable. Where there is unity, God commands His blessing, and where God’s presence is, great things happen. We should strive for unity in the body and long for the presence of the Lord. He is worthy of everything we have. 

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. I long for Your presence and Your touch in my life. I long to know Your voice and to walk with You at all times. I also want to lead people who are unified by Your Spirit and accomplish great things for Your Kingdom. Align me with You and with Your people so we can be effective in doing Your will.

The Lord Was With Him

 Scripture:

“Shallum son of Kore, as well as the other men in the Korahite clan, guarded the entrance to the temple, just as their ancestors had guarded the entrance to the sacred tent. Phinehas son of Eleazar had supervised their work because the Lord was with him.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭9:19-20‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, we are told that there was one family who were charged with guarding the temple throughout their generations, just as they had guarded the sacred tent in the wilderness traveling. One of them, Phinehas, became their supervisor because, “the Lord was with him.” There was something special about him that told those around him that the Lord was with him.

Application:

We know that the Lord is with all of us as His children, but there is something special about certain people who have spent time in His presence. There are some people who give the words, “the Lord was with them,” fresh understanding. These people seem to have the right attitude, the right decisions, the right words to say, they seem to get their prayers answered. As for me, I want to have the Lord with me in a special way.

Prayer:

Father, let Your hand be upon my life in a special way. Teach me to walk with You and never stray. Help me to fulfill Your purposes and plans for my life. Enable me to know what You want me to do at all times. Help me to make right decisions and let Your favor rest on my life. I want those around me, and unbelievers to see Your hand on my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Use Your Gifts

 Scripture:

“who was the father of Ophrah. Seraiah was the father of Joab, who settled a place called “Valley of Crafts” because the people who lived there were experts in making things.”  ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭4:14‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Seraiah was the father of Joan, who settled a place called “Valley of Crafts.” This was because the people there were expert craftsmen. They were crafters, but they gave their life to it and were known for it. They could make things others couldn’t. 

Application:

We all have differing gifts and talents. These must be used for the Lord and His purposes. Whether crafting, building, writing code, or anything else, God gives us gifts and expects us to use them for His glory and our benefit. When we use our gifts, the whole body is enhanced and blessed. These experts also stayed in their lane. Everyone knew, if you need craftsmanship, go to that tribe. We must have an area of expertise that blesses those around us.

Prayer:

Father, let my gifts and talents be used for Your kingdom. Teach me to use them well and to do all You ask of me. Help me to see others gifts and talents and help them be used for kingdom purposes.

Yours,

jeff

The Fear of the Lord

 Scripture:

“Achan, who was a descendant of Zerah and the son of Carmi, caused trouble for Israel, because he kept for himself things that belonged only to the Lord.”  ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

This passage falls in the middle of a long line of descendants and a lengthy genealogy. It is just stuck there in the middle of a bunch of names on both sides. Achan was remembered for one thing, he kept for himself the things that belonged to the Lord. He caused his army to fail because of His disobedience to God.

Application:

What belongs to God, belongs to God. We can’t make up our own rules when trying to follow God. We do things His way, or not at all. Our obedience level always determines our trust level. God can only trust those who have proven themselves trustworthy. When God says not to touch something, we can’t go there. We must walk in the fear of the Lord in our generation once again. 

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk in the fear of the Lord in my life. Let me never take Your ways for granted. Help me out follow You well all the days of my life. You are the only one worthy. You are the only one who is mighty and I desperately need You in my life. Teach me to walk in the fear of the Lord, but to know the love of the Lord at the same time.

I’m Yours,

Jeff

Generosity Wins

 Scripture:

“God can bless you with everything you need, and you will always have more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:8‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells the Corinthians here that God can bless them with everything they need, and more than enough to do all kinds of good things for others. He goes on to say that God gives seed to the farmer, who will plant the seed and bring about a harvest so others can eat. When we sow, we will reap.

Application:

God wants His people to be generous people. We should be the most generous people around. As believers, we should be those who give more than those around us. We should help those in need and not complain because God sees who sows seed and who doesn’t. He blesses those who sow with more. Our trust must be in Him because He is the only one who can multiply seed in our hands.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be more generous. Let my life count for more every day. Let generosity be a staple of my life and give me the ability to be a source of blessing to those in need. Bless me that I may be a blessing. Show me each step of the way and let my life be fertile ground for You to bless.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Blessed to be a Blessing

 Scripture:

“It doesn't matter how much you have. What matters is how much you are willing to give from what you have.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Paul, in this passage, is speaking to the Corinthian believers concerning giving to help others. He says it doesn’t matter how much you have, but how much you are willing to give from what you have. God is more concerned about our giving than our saving.

Application:

The world wants more, more, more. It cries out wanting to have more money, more stuff, more tech, etc. Our goal shouldn’t be to have more, but to give more. It has been said, “when you get blessed, raise your standard of giving, not your standard of living.” Powerful statement. If you focus is on giving, God said He would give seed to the sower. Givers always have enough for themselves and enough to share with others.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to live as a giver and not a taker. Teach me to follow Your ways and to live a selfless life. Help me not to compare myself with others concerning what they have and what I have. Teach me to be content, yet to increase my ability to give. Bless me so I can be a blessing.

Your Son,

Jeff

Leaders Set the Example

 Scripture:

“And the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people joined in the covenant.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭23:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Observation:

During Josiah’s reign, the book of the Law was found and brought to him. He gathered everyone together as a nation and had the Law read to them publicly. He then made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and keep His commands with all his heart and all his soul. The people followed the king and entered into a covenant that day with YHWH.

Application:

Real leaders set and example and then people follow. Just as Josiah made a covenant and the people followed, people will follow what their leader does, not just what he or she says. I want to be a leader that leads people closer to God and into covenant with Him. I want to lead by example and demonstrate how to serve God well and accomplish great things in His kingdom.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. I want my life to be a life of obedience to God first and foremost. I also want to be an example of what walking with the Lord looks like in my generation. Help me to lead well and to seek Your face wholeheartedly. Help me to set a good and right example of how to walk with God.

Your Son,

Jeff

Cry Out to God

 Scripture:

“Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, saying, “Now, O Lord, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.” 2 Kings‬ ‭20:2-3‬ ‭ESV‬

Observation:

King Hezekiah had just heard he was going to die, but decided he would appeal to the Lord to get that sentence changed. He decided to turn to God instead of away. He reminded God of all he had done for the Lord and God gave him fifteen more years.

Application:

God does change His mind sometimes when we pursue Him. What is prophesied doesn’t have to happen. When we seek the Lord, things change. We need to run to God when we get bad news and not away from Him. We should cry out to Him from the depths of our soul and He will hear and answer.

Prayer:

Lord God, move in my life. Minister to my family. Restore health and bring your healing. I cry out to you and ask you to remember all we have done for You. I love you and need your intervention.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Don’t Fear Anything But God

 Scripture: 

“Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’”  2 Kings‬ ‭18:30‬ ‭ESV‬

Observation:

Assyria sent some messengers to mess with the minds of Gods people.  They tried to undermine their faith in God and tell them no other gods have been able to stand against them. They were trying to get the people not to trust their leader, but to trust their fears.

Application:

The enemy always tries to get us to trust our fears I stead of trusting our God. He wants you to lose confidence in God, but our God is greater, stronger, more powerful, and able to do the impossible. Our faith can’t be in our fear, but in our God.  He is able to deliver from absolutely anything!

Prayer:

Father, help me to doubt my doubts and increase my faith in You. Let fear never control my life or future, but let me fear You more. Teach me to walk in greater confidence in You.

Your Son,

Jeff

Go Hard or Go Home

 Scripture:

“Elisha became angry with the king and exclaimed, “If you had struck it five or six times, you would completely wipe out the Syrians. Now you will defeat them only three times.”” 2 Kings‬ ‭13:19‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Elisha had told the king to hit his arrows on the ground.  He struck the ground three times and Elisha said if he had struck the ground five or six times he would have defeated his enemy, but three times means they will remain.

Application:

I tend to be pretty passive and not very aggressive. It has always been my personality, but there are times to go hard or go home. I know I need to be a stronger and less passive leader at times, but this has always been a problem for me.I want to lead well and finish ever task the Lord has for me.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to be a stronger, more decisive, leader.  Help me to love people, yet confront what needs confronted. Teach me to lead Your people well.  Let me be less passive and truly take a stand when things are not right.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Lead to Righteousness

 Scripture:

“Joram asked, “Jehu, is this a peaceful visit?” “How can there be peace?” Jehu asked. “Your mother Jezebel has caused everyone to worship idols and practice witchcraft.”” 2 Kings‬ ‭9:22‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Joram asked how there could be peace when Jezebel had caused everyone to worship idols and practice witchcraft. Leaders make a huge impact on this they lead.

Application:

As a leader, it is crucial that we lead in a godly manner and toward God Himself and not away from Him. People follow leaders and their decisions have consequences in people’s lives. There is no peace for people led by the wrong leaders.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a leader You can trust. Teach me to walk with You and to never lead Your people astray. I want to lead well and to see the day of Your blessing. 

You’re the best!

Jeff

Ahead of the Enemy

 Scripture:

““None of us, Your Majesty,” one of them answered. “It's an Israelite named Elisha. He's a prophet, so he can tell his king everything—even what you say in your own room.”” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

The king do Syria was upset because every time he tried to go after Israel, they would move from where he was headed. They seemed to be able to anticipate his moves. He asked his people who was informing the enemy and they told him it was Elisha. They said he is a prophet so he tells the king everything, even what is said in your bedroom God reveals to him.

Application:

I want my spiritual ears open to hear what is said and to see what others do not see. I want to know the plans of the enemy before they happen. I long for God almighty to show me things to come and things going on around me more and more clearly. I long for God to reveal Himself in greater ways.

Prayer:

Father, let the prophetic gift grow stronger in my life. I want to see what You are seeing and know what You need me to know. I don’t want anything in my life that hinders You from speaking clearly to me. Open my spiritual ears to hear what You are doing and what I need to do. Take me further into the prophetic gifts.

Your Son,

Jeff

Spiritual Fatherhood

 Scripture:

“After they had reached the other side, Elijah said, “Elisha, the Lord will soon take me away. What can I do for you before that happens?” Elisha answered, “Please give me twice as much of your power as you give the other prophets, so I can be the one who takes your place as their leader.””  ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭2:9‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Elijah knew he was being taken away shortly and Elisha was following him wherever he went. After crossing a river on dry ground, Elijah asked Elijah what he wanted from him. Elisha replied that he wanted twice as much power as the other prophets, the firstborn son’s amount, thus verifying he had received the inheritance of the father.

Application:

All of the school of the prophets were called the sons of the prophets, yet Elisha asked for a double portion, symbolizing being the firstborn son and the one who would receive the inheritance. He was looking to be a special son to his spiritual father. I want to walk in true spiritual fatherhood and raise up sons in ministry. I want to invest my life into those who can go farther and higher than I ever could. I want sons who will take the Gospel further and walk in more power that I could. 

Prayer:

Father, give me spiritual sons who can walk in Your authority. Help me to be a good father and teacher to them. Help me to know what they need from me at all times. Help me to invest my life and ministry wisely. I need Your guidance and direction on each detail of how this works. Let my sons stand on my shoulders and do great works for You Lord.

Your Son,

Jeff

Fear Destroys Destiny

 Scripture:

“Elijah was afraid when he got her message, and he ran to the town of Beersheba in Judah. He left his servant there,” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19:3‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Elijah had just called down fire from God and killed 950 prophets and followers of Baal. When he finished, Jezebel sent a message to him that he would be dead by morning. In this verse, he reacts in fear of Jezebel rather than with the fear of God. Elijah was a mighty man of God who confronted, but in this one instance, he caved in fear.

Application:

One instance of allowing fear to control you can destroy your destiny. Elijah ended up running away and surviving, but he also was told to anoint Elisha to prophesy in his place. Fear of Jezebel, though she was a powerful woman, caused him to miss out on things he should have accomplished. I don’t want to miss out on what God has for my life because I was afraid of someone or something. I want to fear God more than anything else.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to follow You well. Give me strength to speak up when I need to speak up and to be quiet when I need to be quiet. Help me to never fear people or what they may do, but to truly fear You above all else. Teach me the fear of the Lord that I may serve You well in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

You Can’t Have Things Both Ways

 Scripture:

“Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you try to have things both ways? If the Lord is God, worship him! But if Baal is God, worship him!” The people did not say a word.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:21‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Elijah is speaking here to Israel, Ahab, and the prophets of Baal. He tells them they can’t have it both ways, they either need to serve the Lord or serve Baal. He was bringing the people to a place of decision and placed a decision in front of them. Eventually he confronted them and said that the God who answers by fire is God and God sent fire down. 

Application:

You can’t serve God and mammon, Jesus said. You can’t walk in faith and doubt, James said. You can’t serve God and Baal, Elijah said. God wants us to know that He doesn’t share Himself with anyone or anything. He is God alone and we are to worship Him as such. We need to serve God wholeheartedly or not at all. It is time in our day to sell out completely to the Lord and to turn completely to God. We can’t serve God and ourselves.

Prayer:

Father, let me live a sold out life. Let my life be in complete obedience at all times. I want to serve You well and to make Your name great. Help me to walk this out day by day. I need You desperately. Help me to never compromise, but to declare Your truth at all times.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Ways and Our Ways

 Scripture:

“But Jeroboam kept on doing evil things. He appointed men to be priests at the local shrines, even if they were not Levites. In fact, anyone who wanted to be a priest could be one. This sinful thing led to the downfall of his kingdom.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭13:33-34‬ ‭CEV‬‬

Observation:

Jeroboam did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He allowed anyone who wanted to be a priest to become one and it says here that this sinful thing led to the downfall of his kingdom. His kingdom was destroyed because he allowed anyone to serve as a priest who wanted to instead of using God’s prescribed way of doing things. 

Application:

God has ways of doing things and we are to follow His ways. We must be cautious about simply doing what seems right to us and make sure we are doing things God’s way. When we do things God’s ways, we get God’s results. We can’t expect God to bless our decisions unless they are His will for our lives. We can’t just do what seems right to us, we must press in and do the will of the Father.

Prayer:

Lord God, forgive me for the times I have done what was right in my own eyes instead of looking to You and doing what You want. Help me to lean more and more on You and less and less on me. Teach me to walk with You well and to fulfill Your will at all times. I want to serve You well in my generation. Let my ways be Your ways and Your ways be my ways. I want to do ministry WITH You and not just FOR You.

Your Son,

Jeff