Seeking God’s Direction

 Scripture:

”The Israelites went up seeking direction from the Lord. (In those days the Ark of the Covenant of God was in Bethel, and Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron was the priest.) The Israelites asked the Lord, “Should we fight against our relatives from Benjamin again, or should we stop?” The Lord said, “Go! Tomorrow I will hand them over to you.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭20‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Terrible things were happening in Israel and God’s people were divided because the people of things happening. The tribe of Benjamin was starting to war against Israel and with the Gibeonites. The Israelites knew they needed instruction from the Lord and that they had turned away from Him. They came to the Lord seeking His direction and God spoke to them telling them exactly what to do.

Application:

When we are going through things that don’t make sense to us or that don’t feel right, we must go the Lord for direction. We need to make sure we are doing what He wants and not simply taking things into our own hands. His direction always leads to victory. Our direction leads to death and destruction. Running to God in difficult times and when going through difficult circumstances means our trust is in Him and that we are relying on Him to show us what to do. This is our position of greatest strength.

Prayer:

Father, when things get difficult, help me to seek Your guidance and not just do what I  feel like I want to so. Teach me to trust you above my own self. Let me always be a seeker of God and of truth as well as someone who does what the Spirit leads me to do. I want to serve Your purposes well in my generation. Lead me, guide me, show me what to do in all situations.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Confidence in God’s Direction

 Scripture:

”So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭27‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Paul was on route to Rome on board ship. There was a terrible storm that lasted a very long time. In the midst of the storm, Paul had a God experience where the Lord told him what was going to happen and that everyone was gong to make it. He told the non-believers on board, “take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

Application:

I want to walk with God like the Apostle Paul. I want to hear God’s voice clearly and give confident direction to those around me of what God is going to do. In the midst of struggle, I want to be rock solid and to bring peace into troubled situations because I have a relationship with God that is strong enough to handle anything. 

Prayer:

Lord, I want to know Your voice and hear it clearly so I can give confident direction in every situation. I don’t want to miss anything You have for me, no matter what that may look like. Teach me to trust You more and to walk in step with Your Spirit. I want to know You at a deeper level and to walk in confidence of who I am and what You are doing. 

Teach me More,

Jeff

God’s Got a Plan

 Scripture:

”That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬ NLT‬

Observation:

Paul was in the midst of defending himself before the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were treating him terribly and trying to find some way to prosecute him. It was very much like the Pharisees and Sadducees treated Jesus, looking for a way to trap Him. During that time, the Lord appeared to Paul and told him that just like he had been a witness in Jerusalem, he would also preach the Gospel in Rome.  God confirmed that things were not going to be easy, but that He had a plan for Paul’s life.

Application:

Sometimes God’s plans and our plans don’t seem to be aligning. I’m sure Paul had different plans for his life than being interrogated harshly by his own people, then sitting in prison for quite a while before being shipped to Rome for more imprisonment. God was working a way to get Paul to preach in Rome, as well as Jerusalem. The Gospel needed to be spread and God used the means He needed to in order to get Paul in the right place to be heard. Sometimes when we are going through some things we must realize that God has a plan that we may not understand right now, but if we remain yielded to Him, it will come to pass and His will shall prevail.

Prayer:

Father, I like the easy road that seems paved with success and blessing.‬ Your plans for my life may be difference than mine. When I don’t understand, speak to me. When I don’t see why I have to go through some things, speak to me. Speak to me like You spoke to Paul to confirm Your will for his life. Appear to me and show me what is to come. I yield my life to You. Keep me on track and encounter me as needed so I can understand what is going on around me. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Tangible Anointing

 Scripture:

”When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭19‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

When Paul was ministering the Gospel there were signs and wonders that followed his ministry. Here it says that handkerchiefs and aprons that touched his skin were taken to sick people and they were healed and delivered from demons. Paul had a tangible anointing that rested on him. When people touched Jesus, they were healed. When people touched Paul, they were healed.

Application:

When people touch my life, are they healed and delivered? I want my life to make a difference in the lies of those around me. I want them to be healed just because they came in contact with me. I want to walk in a tangible anointing that break yokes and removes burdens. I want God to flow and work through my life for His glory and the extension of His kingdom. I don’t want to minister for God, but with God.

Prayer:

Father, I want to work as one with You. I want Your presence and power to be revealed in my life at greater levels. Help me to walk in step with You each and every day. Teach me to do what You want done. Pour Your Spirit out upon a din my life. Here am I, use me for Your glory. I am Yours and Yours alone.

Your Son,

Jeff

Seek Him

 Scripture:

”“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭17‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage Paul is preaching in Athens, Greece. The Gospel had been preached in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and now it was being preached to the ends of the earth. God speaks through Paul here and says that His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and find Him, though He is not far from any of us. In other words, He is close, but we still need to seek Him.

Application:

God is everywhere all the time. He is omnipresent, yet He desires us to seek Him out. He longs for a people who will seek His face and want to know Him. It is like when you lose something in a room. You know it is right there close to you, yet you have to seek it. God is closer than we think, but we must pursue Him. He is with us all the time, but we must be aware of His presence. We must fulfill His desire, that we be a people who will seek Him out.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a seeker of You. I want to spend my life seeking You and knowing more and more of You and Your goodness. Teach me Your ways and show me Your paths. Walk with me and let me hear Your voice. Show me how to respond in each and every situation. I want to live a life of holy pursuit.

Seeking You,

Jeff

Prove the Message

 Scripture:

”But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭14‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The apostles preached the Gospel in Antioch and the surrounding region boldly concerning the grace of God. God then backed up their words by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. The message was proved to be true by demonstrations of God’s power.

Application:

We need more of the power of God in our midst. I don’t want to just preach good messages, but messages that are endued with power from on high. I want to preach messages that are confirmed with signs and wonders. I don’t want to minister on my own, but backed by the Spirit of God who can prove the message is true. 

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, fill me with Your power. Help me to walk in step with You all the days of my life. Teach me to be more sensitive to your voice and let me be led by Your Spirit. Show me how to lead well. Back up what I speak with Your power and do miraculous signs and wonders once again to prove the message is true. Come Holy Spirit and move in our midst.

Your Forever,

Jeff

The Power of the Lord

 Scripture:

”The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭11‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This Scripture is so powerful because it is not talking about Peter, or Paul, but about scattered believers who began to preach Jesus wherever they went. As they preached, the power of the Lord was with them, and large numbers of Gentiles believed and turned. When the power of the Lord is present, it doesn’t matter if you have the apostles and bishops with you, people will come to Jesus.

Application:

We have moved from walking in power to making incredible performances in the Body of Christ. We go to extremes to get people saved. The early church simply preached Jesus and power followed, then people were convinced. I love doing every possible thing to grab an audience’s attention and help them understand God’s word, but if there is no power in it, it will not be truly effective. I want to walk in God’s power and not the wisdom of man.

Prayer:

Father, fill me with Your power. Let my teaching and preaching not be with words of man’s wisdom, but with Your power. Demonstrate Your power in and through my life so people will be truly converted and set free from all the powers of the the evil one. Teach me how to walk with You in deeper levels of faith. Let Your power always be sensed when I proclaim Your truth.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

But Lord

 Scripture:

”“But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God had told Ananias to go and pray for Saul. Ananias knew who Paul was and how he was persecuting Christians. His reply to God was “But Lord.” He had good reason, not to do what the Lord told him to do. He could have used the wisdom excuse, saying it was not wise to be going to pray for a man who was killing Christians. Nevertheless, Ananias did what the Lord told him to do, after a little convincing.

Application:

I know I have used the “but Lord” statement in my life on many occasions. As I enter the latter stages of life, I don’t want to miss out of what God is telling me to do, even if it doesn’t make sense or is dangerous. I want to be fully obedient and someone God can trust to do what He needs done in the earth. I want to walk in great wisdom, but I also want to walk in complete obedience. When they clash, I want to err on the side of obedience to God.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for loving me and working in my life. You are amazing! Thank You for lifting me up and setting me down in my motorcycle accident the other day. I still can’t comprehend how I ended up on my feet without a scratch. Your angels did something amazing to me. Help me to walk in obedience, when it makes sense and when it doesn’t.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

What Time is it?

 Scripture:

”For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.“ ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭3‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Peter was preaching about Jesus and made this declaration. He had described how Jesus ascended to heaven and then said, “He must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things.” There is a time when Jesus will return and I believe we are very close to that time. When it is time for the restoration of all things, Jesus will return.

Application:

We see signs all around us of the last days as described in Scripture. There is a time when the Father will send His Son back to earth to restore all things. He will reign for 1000 years and things will be like they were in the Garden of Eden. There will be peace and joy under His leadership. Until then, we wait and we work in the harvest fields of His kingdom. Jesus is coming soon to restore all things and now the Church must be about His business around the world. I’m ready for the restoration of all things, but I’m also ready to work for my master until that happens.

Prayer:

Father, empower me to live in these last days. Help me to be effective for You while I wait for the return of Christ. Let me be found faithful in all things. Use my life for Your glory and to prepare people for Christ’s return. When Jesus comes again, I want to be ready and extending His kingdom in all the earth.

Your Son,

Jeff

Personal Experience Matters

 Scripture:

”The people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him—those who had personally experienced all that the Lord had done for Israel.“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This verse points out that God’s people served Him throughout the generations who saw His miraculous intervention. Those who saw His mighty deeds in Egypt, the wilderness, and in defeating Israel’s enemies in the Promised Land, followed Him wholeheartedly, but those who never saw firsthand began to stray.

Application:

Every generation needs a move of God. Every generation needs to see a great outpouring of the Spirit. If not, we see a turning away. It is those who have a personal and powerful encounter with the Lord who follow Him the rest of their days. We need to see God move in this generation. Our children and grandchildren need to see the power of God and not just hear stories of the past. We must demonstrate to the next generation that God is who He says He is and that He is real and powerful. Every generation needs a personal encounter with God Almighty.

Prayer:

Father, pour out Your Spirit on my generation. Move powerfully on the earth  and let this generation see Your powerful right arm. Let me never live on the stories of yesterday, but on what You are doing today. Let my life be a demonstration to the world that You are who You say You are. Let the people I serve and minister to have a personal encounter with You that the enemy can never deny.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

He Fulfills His Promises

 Scripture:

”Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭21‬:‭45‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This passage declared the faithfulness of God to His people so well. It reminds me this morning that not a single one of all God’s promises will fail. He is a God who does what He says He will do. The question is whether we can hear His voice clearly and know what He Said He would do. We have the Word of God, which is full of His promises to us, but we also have the Rhema Word of God for our particular lives. 

Application:

I want to see every promise the Lord has given me fulfilled in my lifetime. I want to live out His will in my generation. I don’t want to leave earth with unfulfilled promises because of my lack of faith, etc. I want to accomplish everything the Lord has for me to do. He is faithful and I want to fulfill His will in and through my life.

Prayer:

God Almighty, You have always been faithful to Your people. You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. Help me to walk out every promise You have placed on my life. Let me fulfill everything You have planned for me, not leaving anything on the table that You desired for my life. Let me walk in step with You and know Your heart. Let me never say no due to fear or lack of faith, but let me be someone You can trust to do what You want done.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

How Long Are You Going to Wait?

 Scripture:

”Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭18‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God had given the land to the people of Israel as their possession, but the had to go in and fight for it. At this point in time, most of the region had been conquered and God’s people had taken possession of most of it, but there were some who still hadn’t taken possession of their property. 

Application:

Jesus purchased so much at the cross concerning our lives. He purchased our salvation, our healing, our deliverance, our victory, etc. but sometimes we don’t take possession of what He died to give us. Just like the people of Israel, it is ours. We just have to take possession of it.There are times in our lives where we need to fight for what is ours to take possession of it. God has done His part and we need to do our part in order to inherit it. When someone dies, a will is enacted, but if one of the inheritors never makes a claim on what it theirs, it will be turned over to the state. Some things are already ours, we just have to claim them and enforce them.

Prayer:

Father, I don’t want to leave anything on the table that You have given me. I want to inherit everything Jesus died to give me. Help me never to be satisfied with walking in less than what You have purchased for me and mine. Increase my faith and help me to take initiative to claim what is mine.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Increase my Faith

 Scripture:

”So give me the hill country that the Lord promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said.” Joshua‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Caleb was now 85 years old and the verse before says he was still able to travel and fight as good as when he was in his prime. He asked Joshua to give him what the Lord had promised him forty-five years prior. He acknowledged that the giants were will living there, but also said, “If the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land.” He knew that if God was on his side, nothing was impossible. 

Application:

We should never fear whatever is in front of us because we serve the God who can defeat any enemy and change any situation. Fear and faith cannot coexist. I want to live my life like a Caleb, with complete faith and trust that, no matter how old I am or what condition I’m in, God will see me through. I want to live in faith like that. I want to know in my heart what the Apostle Paul said, “If God is for you… who can be against you?” I want my faith and obedience to increase at this stage of my life.

Prayer:

Father, You are worthy of it all. You are my everything. You have walked with me all the days of my life. Help me to represent You well and to live in faith and never in fear. Let me remain strong to the very end of my life. Empower me to live the Jesus-filled life until You call me home. Let no obstacle be too big or difficulty too strong and let my faith rise up to believe You will do what You say You will do.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Fights Your Battles

 Scripture:

”As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword.“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭10‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

As Joshua and the people of Israel were taking possession of the land the Lord gave them, they were not fighting on their own. They had God join them in the fight. On this occasion, the Lord fought their enemies with them and destroyed more with a hailstorm than the army destroyed with their weapons. This is when you know God is fighting your battles. 

Application:

If God is for us… Who can be against us? When God fights your battles, you will be victorious! He may not operate like we would, but His will shall prevail. When we fight our battles, our energy and resources are limited. When God fights our battles, we can rest in Him and work with Him and not for Him. My desire is to work WITH God on accomplishing His mission, not to just work FOR God. I don’t mind doing my part, but I need God to do His part.

Prayer:

Father, let me walk in You wisdom and guidance. Show me how to take every step and to live in Your blessing. As I get older, let me walk closer with You and receive strength from You. Teach me to be effective in my latter years of life. Show me how to let You fight my battles. Help me to trust You more and finish what You desire to accomplish in and through my life. I am Yours and want to live for your purposes.

Your Son,

Jeff 

Always Consult the Lord

 Scripture:

"So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord." (Joshua 9:14 NLT)

Observation:

The Gibeonites heard about how God was defeating all of Israel's enemies and those who lived in the Promised Land. They came to Joshua and acted like they were from a faraway place and wanted a peace treaty with Israel. They showed Joshua old bread and old wine containers to prove how far they had come. Joshua inspected everything but didn't consult the Lord. Israel ended up not being able to fully obey the Lord because they were lied to and thee leadership didn't consult the Lord.

Application:

No matter how good a proposal looks, we must always consult the Lord when options are given to us. He will lead and guide us into all truth, but He must be consulted with. As a leader, I need to make sure the decisions I make are from the Lord and not just something that seems good to me. I don't want to lead out of my own will but out of the will of God. I want to lead well and fulfill every detail the Lord has for me. Therefore, I must consult Him about everything. 

Prayer:

Father, reveal Your will to me clearly as you did with Joshua and Moses before him. Teach me to hear Your voice and obey Your requirements. Remind me to never make decisions without seeking Your face and knowing what You want me to do. I don't want to lean on my own flesh and wisdom, but on Your supernatural wisdom. Lead me Holy Spirit and I will do my best to follow.

Yours,

Jeff

When the Manna Stops

 Scripture:

”No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God had provided manna every day for His people for forty years as they journeyed through the wilderness. He continued this until the first day they ate crops from the Promised Land, then suddenly the manna stopped. They were now able to work the land and harvest food for themselves. God will work miracles in our lives for a season, but then expects us to take care of ourselves and use wisdom. 

Application:

As a NT believer, I can glean from this that God will provide for us supernaturally when there is no other provision. The Psalmist said he had never seen the righteous forsaken or God’s seed begging for bread. When we are in trouble and have no way to provide for ourselves, we can trust our God to take care of us supernaturally. When we have the ability to take care of ourselves, He expects us to take care of ourselves. We are to do what we can through and work to provide for ourselves, but when we can’t, we have a God who can and will take care of us.

Prayer:

Father, You have provided for all my needs throughout my lifetime. You are faithful and trustworthy. Thank You for loving me and caring for me. Thank You for providing for me when I needed it. Help me to be a hard worker, yet one who trusts in God. Teach me the difference between trusting God and being self-made or self-content. Thank You for never letting me fail.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Confirmation

 Scripture:

”The Lord told Joshua, “Today I will begin to make you a great leader in the eyes of all the Israelites. They will know that I am with you, just as I was with Moses.“ ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭3‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

As Joshua was entering the Promised Land and fulfilling what God had told Moses to do, the Lord told him that He was going to make him a great leader in the eyes of his people that very day. He told him they will know that God is with you like He was with Moses. When God shows up strong, leadership is confirmed. God has a way of showing up and doing amazing things to confirm a leader is following Him. This lets people know the leader is a man or woman of God.

Application:

Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe…” The early apostle’s ministries were approved by the miracles, signs, and wonders that happened in and through them. We don’t want to minister out of our own will, but to do what God is speaking and have Him confirm that we are His servants. We need signs and wonders today to let the world know that God is with us. I don’t want to be self-promoted, but God-promoted. I want His approval to show up on everything I do.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I love serving You. Let signs and wonders happen in and through my life. Confirm my calling in the eyes of Your people and those watching. I want to do Your will above all else in my life. Pour out Your Spirit. Heal the sick. Raise the dead. Cast out demons. Arise oh Lord and demonstrate Your power. Confirm my calling with Your presence and power.

Yours,

Jeff

Belief and Life

 Scripture:

”But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.“ ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

John says in this passage why he wrote the book of John. “So that you may continue to believe… and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.” Believing here is connected with having life in His name. Life and belief are very interconnected. God is the author of life. All life comes from Him. Belief in God and His Son Jesus brings eternal life to us.

Application:

I want to walk in real Zoe Life. I want to live the abundant life Jesus promised. That starts with belief or faith. I want to live in intimacy with Christ and to fulfill His will for my life every day. I want my belief to bring the life He died and promised to give me. I want the life of God Almighty to course through my veins and to work in and through my life. I long to be an instrument in His hands. Therefore, I pray, increase my faith and belief.

Prayer:

Father, I believe, help my unbelief. Teach me to hear Your voice and to follow Your ways. You are amazing and I long to serve You well. Let Your life fill my life. Let Your will be done in my life. Let my life be completely surrendered to You. Open doors in front of me and close doors that are not from You. Help me to yield myself completely to You every day of my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Oneness with the Father

 Scripture:

”As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground!“ ‭‭John‬ ‭18‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

When Jesus was about to be arrested and turned over to be beaten and crucified, He revealed His glory just a little bit. He simply said, “I Am he,” and the whole contingent of soldiers fell to the ground, overwhelmed by His glory. At this point, they understood who they were messing with. They all understood He wasn’t just another prisoner, but one who could call for 12 legions of angels to come and rescue Him. 

Application:

Jesus had just been speaking to His disciples about being one with the Father. When Jesus said, “I AM,” He was speaking truth. He was one with the Father, enough so that He could use the Father’s name. In this same passage, Jesus gives us the right to use His name. We must learn to walk in His power and reveal His glory. I look for the day when lost people are slain in the Spirit when they come against the Church. I look for the day when the glory of God fills the earth like water covers the sea.

Prayer:

Father, let me live fully yielded to You. I want oneness with my Father. I long to speak what You are speaking and to do what You are doing. When people see me, I want them to see You. Work in my life. Separate me, sanctify me, and let me reveal Your glory and awesome power to the world. 

Yours Forever, 

Jeff

Knowing and Doing

 Scripture:

”Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.“ ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

As Jesus was preparing to depart from this earth and be sacrificed on the cross, He said many powerful things to His disciples. He told them many things, then said, “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.” This statement stood out to me this morning  because i know many things, but God doesn’t bless us for knowing, He blesses us for doing.

Application:

It is not what we know or hear about Christ that God blesses. It is what we do with what we know. The application of knowledge is the priority for Jesus. He wants us to do the things we know we should be doing. His blessing always falls on obedience. Obedience to God puts us in the place of His blessing and I want to live a blessed life.

Prayer:

Father, I want to live a life that is blessed by You. Help me to obey the things You have already said through Your Word. Also, speak Your Rhema Word to me and let me walk in obedience to You above all else in my life. Let me live a life of obedience to You in the big things and in the small things. Let me hear Your voice and act accordingly. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Human Praise or God’s Praise?

 Scripture:

”Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.“ ‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

John records here that many Jewish leaders believed in Jesus, but wouldn’t admit it for fear of being kicked out of the synagogue. It goes on the say, “They loved human praise more than the praise of God.” This saying is so powerful because it is a battle everyone faces to some level.

Application:

Do I fear humans more than God? That’s a question we must ask periodically. Do we love the praise of people so much that we don’t follow Jesus completely? Our goal needs to be obedience to Christ, no matter what the cost, but walking that out when we have people we love right in front of us 24/7. I like being liked, but I must choose following what God wants me to do over what will make people happy.

Prayer:

Father, I want to live a life of complete and total surrender to You and Your will. I want to say YES to whatever You ask me to do. Help me with the desire to be liked by people and strengthen me to desire Your will above making others happy. Let my trust and faith be completely in You and You alone. You are the shepherd and I want to know my shepherd’s voice and follow Him completely. Let my love for You be much greater than my desire to please people.

Yours Forever,

Jeff