Signs and Wonders

Scripture:

“The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade.” ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬ 

Observation:

In the Early Church and in the ministry of Jesus, signs and wonders was normal when people were preaching the Gospel. The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. From the launching of the Church in Acts chapter two, healings, miracles, and wonders were part of the church of Jesus. 

Application:

The Gospel is powerful and should be confirmed with signs following. Jesus produced miracles, the apostles produced miracles, and I believe we should be seeing more miracles in our midst as the church of Jesus Christ. Miracles should follow the preaching of God’s word. Whatever is hindering the flow of the miraculous in my life and ministry needs to go. I want to be part of a true New Testament Church.

Prayer:

Father, confirm Your word with signs and wonders as You did in the beginning. Holy Spirit come and fill Your Church with power once again. I don’t want to conduct special marketing packages to get people interested in the Gospel, I want them to see Your raw power at work. I long to see You heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Confirm the word I preach with signs and wonders. Let Your Gospel have more impact in this region. Holy Spirit I need You!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Nothing Unfulfilled

 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 verse declares a very special statement concerning God’s people. It tells us that as they entered the land that He had promised them, not a single on of all God’s promises to the Israelites was left unfulfilled. Everything He spoke to them, He did! God is faithful to His word. He will do what He says He will do.

Application:

God leaves nothing undone. He does what He says He will do! This should give us incredible faith and confidence in Him. We must learn to trust God more and live a life of faith because we can trust the one who is faithful. We don’t have to worry about the things God has promised. He is faithful to bring to pass what he says He will bring to pass. My job is to align myself with His will and do what he asks of me. He then will do what He said he will do.

Prayer:

Father, let my life not be a hindrance to Your plans and purposes, but an asset. Help me to fulfill everything You have asked me to do. Teach me to walk in obedience all the days of my life. Help me to trust You more and more each day. I want to live a life Your can bless and prosper.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Faith Confessions

 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 eight-five years old. He had been into the Promised Land forty-five years earlier and saw the land. At eighty-five, he came to Joshua asking for the hill country the Lord promised him forty-five year earlier. There were giants in that area, but his response at eighty-five was that if the Lord was with him, they would drive the giants out of the land, just like the Lord said. He was standing on the word of the Lord forty-five years later with even greater faith.

Application:

I want to have the faith of Caleb as I get older. I want the faith to accomplish great things for God as I grow older. I don’t want to settle in and just take whatever is coming to me. I want to accomplish more in my latter years than in my former years. I want to be taking mountains full of giants in my old age, not settling down for a long winter’s nap.

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith! Help me to never give up Your promises to me. Help me to stand in faith and believe You until Your word comes to pass. Let me accomplish everything You have prepared for me. Let me walk in step with Your Spirit that I may be empowered to excel in everything I do. Let my life bring You glory and honor as I surrender to You. Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in my life, my family, my church, and my community.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Fights Your Battles

 Scripture:

“Joshua conquered all these kings and their land in a single campaign, for the Lord, the God of Israel, was fighting for his people.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭10‬:‭42‬ ‭NLT‬

Observation:

This verse tells us that when God fights your battles, you will win decisively. Joshua conquered ALL these kings and their land in a single campaign because God was fighting for His people. Joshua and his army absolutely defeated decisively, every enemy in the Promised Land when they obeyed the Lord. Their obedience cause the Lord to fight their battles.

Application:

We like to fight our own battles, defend ourselves, prove ourselves right, etc. but God takes great joy in fighting our battles when we know we can’t win. When we walk in humility before our God ad obey what He says, He will fight our battles and all our enemies will be defeated. Humility and obedience always win with God. He delights in fighting our enemies when we are fully submitted to Him. He delights in blessing a people who are walking in obedience and faith.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I humble myself before You. Help me to serve You well and walk in Your ways. Teach me to know Your voice and obey quickly. Go before me and defeat every enemy. Provide land and buildings for Word of Life. Make provision for Your people as we follow after You. Let Your Kingdom come and Your will be done in my life and ministry. Fight my battles I pray.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Keeping Courage

 Scripture:

“chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.”  ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭7‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Israel had just entered the Promised Land and had a massive victory by the hand of the Lord in Jericho. After that, Achan took some things from Jericho they were told not to take. He hid them and didn’t want anyone to know. Next they went to Ai and Israel was defeated because of Achan’s sin. This loss immediately paralyzed Israel with fear and their courage melted away. 

Application:

It is amazing in our lives how we can be doing so good and see the blessings of God. We can feel confident in Him, but then when one things happens, we are paralyzed with fear and our courage immediately goes away. When we are on the mountaintop, our faith and confidence is amazing, but one loss and our faith is shaken and our confidence and courage disappear. We cannot be led by our feelings, nor by our winds and losses. We must be led by our God and keep our trust in Him.

Prayer:

Father, don’t let me be swayed by outcomes or when things don’t go as planned. Help me to remain confident when I don’t see the breakthrough, rather than getting upset and losing confidence. Teach me to live in faith, no matter what is happening around me. Let my courage never melt away and help me to never allow fear to control my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

All Nations

 Scripture:

“He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The Jordan River had just opened for God’s people to cross on dry ground. Joshua told 12 men to build a memorial out of 12 stones from the middle of the river. He wanted his people to be reminded of what the Lord had done for them in opening the river. It then says he did it “do all the nations of the earth might know the Lord’s hand is powerful.”Joshua wanted the whole world to know how powerful God was.

Application:

The heart of God from the beginning has been that all nations would know Him and follow Him and His ways. Throughout the Bible we see God favoring Israel, but constantly telling us His “why.” God’s “why” has always been so that all nations will see His goodness and turn to Him. God has always had a heart for the Gentiles. Paul’s mystery was that God had a plan all along for the Gentiles and not only for the Jews. I want my life to let “all nations” know the goodness and the power of my God. He is worthy of the whole world knowing about Him.

Prayer:

Father, help me to love every nation as You love every nation. Let my church be in the position to do more in the nations to proclaim Your great name to all the earth. Enable and empower us to carry Your message to the ends of the earth. I want all nations to know Your glory! You are amazing and have blessed my life. I want the whole world to know what You have given me.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Helping Others Win Their Battles

 Scripture:

“Your wives, children, and livestock may remain here in the land Moses assigned to you on the east side of the Jordan River. But your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Joshua is speaking to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. They had already received their portion of land on the east side of the Jordan River. Joshua and the rest were about to cross the river to go possess the land of promise and kick out all the enemies found there. Joshua told the 2-1/2 tribes that the fighting men from their tribes needed to go across and help everyone else fight, even though they already had their own property. They were to stay with the rest until everyone had their land, then they could go back to their own land.

Application:

When God blesses our lives, it doesn’t mean we don’t need to fight for others to inherit their blessings. Rest comes when everyone has their possession of land. Once we have grasped our promises by faith, we must help others into God’s precious kingdom. We are not saved to just inherit our promises. We are saved to help others inherit theirs as well. Serving and helping others is always something the Lord loves. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for giving me salvation, healing, deliverance, and freedom. Help me to walk with others and help them receive what I have been blessed with. Teach me to love others the way Your love others. Help me to not get lazy, but to continue to help doing the work of the Kingdom. Give me the strength to bring many into the kingdom before I see You face to face. Let me see the extension of Your kingdom through my life around the world. I give myself to You for Your purposes in my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

God‘s Not Afraid of Our Questions

 Scripture:

“Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”” ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to all His disciples, but Thomas wasn’t there at that time. He didn’t believe Jesus was alive when the other disciples told him. When Jesus appeared a second time, Thomas was there. Jesus didn’t rebuke Thomas for his lack of faith. He simply told him to put his finger into the wound in His side and to look at His hands. Jesus wanted to increase the faith often Thomas, not make him feel bad.

Application:

Jesus isn’t afraid of our questions. He isn’t condemning us for our lack of faith. He allows us to have questions while following Him. Rather than rebuke Thomas, He simply confirmed truth for Thomas. He demonstrated the miracle instead of destroying him as a person. We need to know that it is okay to wrestle with our faith once in a while, God will confirm who He is in our time of questioning. God loves us enough to demonstrate His goodness to us. 

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith. Thank You for not rebuking me when I don’t understand things or walk in perfect faith and obedience. Help me to know Your voice and to do Your works on this earth. Let my faith increase and develop as I age. I want to walk more intimately with You in my senior years than in the past. Let me live a life that pleases You and that You can bless.

Yours Forever,

Jeff 

Finish the Work

 Scripture:

“I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This simple verse says so much! Jesus, in His prayer tells the Father that He brought the Father glory on earth by completing His work. That work was given by God the Father for Jesus to do. He completed His assignments and was ready to give His life. The most important thing I see is that God gets glory when we do what He wants us to do. Our lives should bring Him glory and His glory comes when we obey Him and do His will.

Application:

Our lives should not be for our own glory, but for the glory of God. We bring Him glory when we do what he tells us to do. When we live according to God’s ways instead of our own thinking, He gets glory. When we operate from Scripture and not our own minds, He gets glory. The bottom line is that obedience to God bring glory to God.

Prayer:

Father, I want my life to bring Your glory. Help me to live a life of obedience at all times. Teach me to walk with You and to fulfill Your purposes and plans for my life. Open doors and make Your plan clear so I can walk in it. Show me Your ways and teach me Your paths. I want to fulfill everything You have for me and bring Your the greatest glory. Be glorified in and through my life! 

I Am Yours,

Jeff

Much Fruit

 Scripture:

“But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Jesus, in this passage, is approaching His death, burial, and resurrection. He is going deep with His disciples about what is coming and how to live when it happens. He told them to remain in Him and they would be able to ask for anything they wanted and it would be granted. He also told them that producing much fruit makes them His disciples and brings glory to the Father. 

Application:

We must learn to abide, dwell, live, and remain in Christ at all times and all His words to remain in us as well. We must learn to walk in the Spirit and be led by Him. When we do, Jesus made some really powerful promises. I also see here that producing much fruit is important to God. I don’t want to settle for having a little fruit. I want to produce much fruit for the Kingdom. 

Prayer:

Lord God, let me abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit at all times. Let my life be consumed with the life of God. Fill me with Your Spirit and let me walk in step with You at all times. Let my life produce much fruit! Help me to be productive in everything I do. Let my life become more effective as I grow older. I want to bring glory to my Father. 

Yours,

Jeff

Know His Voice

 Scripture:

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me,” ‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Jesus said here that He was the shepherd and that His sheep listen to His voice. He said that they know Him and follow Him, therefore He gives them eternal life. They will not be snatched away from Him. Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd and said that they sheep know the voice of the shepherd. 

Application:

We are to be led by the Spirit and know the voice of the Lord in our lives. We cannot follow what we cannot hear. We must live to hear and do what the Father tells us to do. We must learn to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Hearing His voice and following Him is crucial to our walk as believers. We are not to just follow His writings, but hear and follow His voice.

Prayer:

Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and to walk accordingly. I want to know the voice of my shepherd. I long to hear Your thoughts on everything I do. Speak clearly and open my ears to know Your voice. Show me Your ways and teach me Your paths. I want to work with You to build Your kingdom on the earth as it is in heaven.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

The Devil is a Liar

 Scripture:

“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” ‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Jesus tells the people concerning Satan, “When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Grace and truth are found in Jesus, lies and deception are found in Satan. Out of Jesus flow grace and truth. Out of the devil flow lies and deception. Satan not only lies, he is the father of lies. They originate in him and he fathers them.

Application:

In our walks with God, we must always remember that Satan prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He devours those who listen to his lies. We cannot be deceived by the enemy’s lies and deception. We fight against deception by knowing the truth. Jesus is truth so we must focus our attention on him, then when deception comes, we will be quick to know it. We must also prepare ourselves because Satan loves to whisper to us that God doesn’t love us or isn’t happy with us. He loves to put false statements into our brains. We combat that with the truth of God’s word. We must believe God.

Prayer:

Father, help me walk out my life knowing You more intimately. I want to know You because You are truth and grace. Help me to walk in truth and never in deception. Teach me to walk as Jesus walked. I want to flow in the fullness of what Christ died to give me. Let my life be influenced by Christ and truth, never Satan and his deception.

Yours,

Jeff

Confirmation

 Scripture:

“I didn’t know he was the one, but when God sent me to baptize with water, he told me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’” ‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭33‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this text, John the Baptist is speaking about Jesus and how he knew Jesus was the Messiah. He basically said that when he was called by God to baptize, he was told that the one who the Holy Spirit came and rested on was. Going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He heard the word from the Lord and then it was confirmed when the Holy Spirit came on Jesus at His baptism.

Application:

As Spirit-filled believers, we believe the gifts of the Spirit are alive and active in the Church today. Many times we are looking for a prophet to come and prophesy over our lives, but really we need to hear from the Holy Spirit ourselves, then let it be confirmed by a prophetic voice or occurrence. Just like the Spirit spoke to John and then he saw the Spirit fall on Jesus, the Holy Spirit will show us things to come, then when they happen, we have our confirmation. Jesus said, “My sheep know my voice.” We need to know the voice of God and not go looking for a prophet.

Prayer:

Father, open my spiritual ears and eyes. Help me to see exactly what You want me to do at all times. Let me walk with You and talk with You. Let my heart be pure before You. Teach me to hear Your voice, then see the confirmation and validation as I walk in obedience. Let me always walk in step with You and not wait for a confirmation. Let that come as I follow Your voice.

Yours Forever,

Jeff 

The Word is LIFE!

 Scripture:

“These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭32‬:‭47‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

As the book of Deuteronomy is coming to a close and they are preparing to enter the Promised Land, God laid out His plans for blessing and curses if the people followed His commands or not. In this passage, the Lord says that the instructions He had given them were not empty words, but they are your life! He went on to say that if they obeyed the word, they would enjoy long life and occupy the land of promise. The Word of God is more than words on a page, it is life!

Application:

Life comes from knowing and obeying God’s word. His word must become life to us. Jesus said, “Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. God’s words are life and truth. We need to honor God’s word at all times. We should show respect and reverence for the word of the Lord. We must treat God’s word with respect because it is life to us. Life isn’t in the abundance of things, but is knowing God and walking in His word.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome! Let me fall in love with Your words again. Show me truths in Your word. Speak to me through Your word. It is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Your words are LIFE! Help me to treat them like they are. Help me to walk in obedience to Your words again and to fulfill Your will for my life every day.

I Am Yours,

Jeff

The Key To Life

 Scripture:

“You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. And if you love and obey the Lord, you will live long in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

At this point in the narrative, Moses is ready to pass leadership on to Joshua who will take God’s people into the Promised Land. Moses is giving his last words to the people of God before he dies and before they enter the Promised Land. He tells them how to make the choice for God that will bring blessing. He says, “You can make this choice” by loving the Lord, obeying Him, and committing yourselves firmly to Him. He goes on to say that this is the key to your lives.

Application:

The key to life, according to Moses and God Almighty, is to love God, obey Him, and to commit ourselves firmly to Him. When we do this part, God will bestow His blessing on our lives and we can live in all the blessings spelled out in Deuteronomy. He also says that this is a choice and that we can also choose to disobey the word of the Lord at which point all these curses come on our lives. As for me, I choose to love God, obey God, and commit myself to God. This is the key to life!

Prayer:

Father God, I love You with all my heart. Help me to obey You completely and to live a life You can bless. I committed myself to You many, many years ago and I am determined to live out my days in honor of You and Your words. Empower me to follow You diligently. Use me for Your glory and fill me with Your Spirit each and every day. Help me to make wise decisions and decisions that honor You.

Sincerely Yours,

Jeff

Blessings or Curses… Our Choice

 Scripture:

“If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬ ‭NLT‬

Observation:

In this passage, the Lord speaks to His children and tells them that when they enter the Promised Land, they better serve Him according to His covenant with them. If they obeyed His commands and operated as He said, they would be the head and not the tail, always on top and never at the bottom. If they didn’t do what the Lord wanted, they would be cursed beyond measure. 

Application:

When we choose to follow the Lord and live life as He tells us to, we are entering a covenant with Him. He is always good on His side of the covenant. When we do our part, He will do His. We must put the Lord first in every area of our lives. We must honor Him, pursue Him, and listen to His voice. When we operate according to His ways, we will get His results, which are incredible. His promises to those who obey Him are amazing. I want to live in His promises. Therefore, I must obey Him completely each and every day.

Prayer:

Father, You are good and Your mercies are new every morning. You are faithful to those who are committed to You. Thank You for loving me and adopting me into Your incredible family! You are the best. Help me to follow You completely. Let my life see Your blessings and never Your curses. Empower me to walk in obedience at all times and to see the benefits of walking with You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Promises Promises

 Scripture:

““When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭23‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬

Observation:

God tells His people here and in the following verses that it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. God takes this very seriously. A vow is really a covenant, and God is always very serious about a covenant. This passage tells us to be prompt in doing what you promised the Lord, because it will be looked at as sin. 

Application:

Breaking a vow should be seen as lying. When we make a vow to do something and don’t do it, that makes us a liar. We should let our yes and yes and our no be no. As believers, we should not say that we will do things and then not do them. We should not tell God we will do something and then not follow through. He expects us to fulfill our vows. It is better not to make one than to break one.

Prayer:

God, we all have a tendency to make vows and promises to You, especially when things are not going well for us and we find ourselves in a bad situation. Help me not to say things in an urgent situation that will cause me trouble later. Help me not to make promises I can’t keep. Teach me to refrain from making promises I know I won’t fulfill.

Your Son,

Jeff

Help Your Neighbor

 Scripture:

““If you see that your neighbor’s donkey or ox has collapsed on the road, do not look the other way. Go and help your neighbor get it back on its feet!” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This word was given to the Israelites as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. It is a simple statement about what to do when you see your neighbor in need. When something goes wrong at your neighbor’s, help get it fixed would be a 2025 translation. It could also encompass seeing your neighbor’s car broke down.

Application:

The bottom line is that we should be people who care about our neighbors and help them when they have a need. Being a good neighbor is a lost art in America and the church needs to restore what it means to be a good neighbor. As believers, we influence best those we serve the most. If you I want to impact my neighborhood for Jesus, I must look for people with needs and help them.

Prayer:

Father, let me see the needs around me. Let me be a blessing to my community and a helper of those in need. Don’t let my eyes be so focused on myself that I don’t see the needs around me. Teach me to be neighborly.

Yours,

Jeff

Greatly Blessed

 Scripture:

““There should be no poor among you, for the Lord your God will greatly bless you in the land he is giving you as a special possession.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭15‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God’s people are about to enter the Promised Land in this verse. As they are preparing to go in, He tells them of how He will bless them in the land if they follow His commands. Here He tells them that there should be no poor among all of Israel because God was going to GREATLY BLESS them. When God greatly blesses something, it will prosper and affect everything around it.

Application:

As children of Abraham, we are blessed to be part of God’s covenant with his descendants. When we truly live a life that God blesses, we should be able to eradicate the poverty around us. I would love to see God’s church so blessed that there are no poor among us whatsoever. I would love to see the day when every believer is thriving and not just surviving. We also would have to get the right heart when He blesses us. A heart that shares with, and gives opportunity to the poor.

Prayer:

Father, You are so good! I long to see a people so blessed that there are no poor among us. I long to see the fulfillment of Your promise to the children of Israel. Let poverty be erased in the lives of my people. Let the people of my church and those around us be GREATLY BLESSED, so much so that there would be no more poverty among us. Free Your people from the bondage of poverty.

Your Son,

Jeff

Your Choice

 Scripture:

““Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭11‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking here to His people as they are about to enter the Promised Land. He told them exactly what was expected of them and then told them they had a choice. That choice was the difference between and blessing and a curse. If they obeyed, they would be blessed. If they disobeyed, they would be cursed. God gave them a plan, but the choice was theirs to make.

Application:

God always gives us a choice in what we are going to do. He wants to be chosen by us. He wants His children to choose life and blessing, but He leaves that up to us. He could have built robots who would do everything He said, but He made us in His image. He made us with a choice and gave us the power to choose for ourselves. We make the choice, He provides the blessing or curse. He put the ball in our court and we have to act on it. 

Prayer:

Father, let me always choose life, love, obedience, and submission to You and Your will. Speak clearly to me about what You want me to do. Open Your Word to me and take me deeper. Show me how to live a life that pleases You. Reveal to me more and more Your will. I am Yours!

Forever,

Jeff

In Your Plenty… Don’t Forget

 Scripture:

““But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8‬:‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The Lord speaks to His people just prior to entering the Promised Land and tells them He is going to bless them and cause them to overtake everyone in the territory He was giving them. He told them He was going to prosper them and make them successful, then added this verse. “That is the time to be careful. Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord.” 

Application:

The greatest tests are not always in our lack, but in our prosperity. When we are poor and cannot make it every day without God’s provision, it is natural to walk in His ways and seek Him. At those times we need Him desperately. When we prosper and the Lord allows us to see success and good times, it is easy to stop seeking the Lord and to forget that it was His doing. Our greatest tests will come in success, not poverty. When we are blessed, we must keep our eyes on the Lord and realize it was Him and not us who brought us victory and success.

Prayer:

Father, You have done so much in my life in the past year. You have set me free from decades of debt and I am totally thankful. I know it was Your hand, and not my own, that brought me to this place. Help me to never think it was something I did or that I don’t need You anymore. I desperately need You. Help me to seek You in the good times as passionately as in the difficult times.

Your Son,

Jeff

Blessed in Every Way

 Scripture:

“You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

When God’s people were approaching the land He had promised them. He reminded them of their covenant with Him. If they kept their part, He promised that they would be blessed more than any other people. He said none of their people would be childless, and that He would keep them free from every disease. He made incredible promises if His people would simply obey Him. Today, we are in a new covenant that is better than the old one. God still takes care of those who walk in humility and obedience to Him.

Application:

If we want to live a blessed life, we must do our part of the bargain. As for me, I want to serve the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I want to walk in His favor and live a blessed life. Therefore I must be ready to live in constant obedience to Him in all things. As I do, His blessings will overtake my life.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk with You every day of my life. I want to live under Your covenant and fulfill my obligations in that covenant. Help me to say yes to everything You want me to do. Empower me to live how You want me to live. Show me each and every step to take. Speak clearly to me and let me be a good follower of Christ. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

A Jealous God

 Scripture:

“Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses is speaking to God’s people before the end of his life and before Joshua will lead them into the Promised Land. He tells them not to forget God’s covenant with them, especially concerning idols. He goes on to describe God as a consuming fire and a jealous God. He doesn’t want to be shared with any other gods. He doesn’t want half-hearted devotion. He wants a fully committed people who will follow Him and His ways completely. 

Application:

God is a jealous God. He wants our complete attention and doesn’t want to share us with any other gods. He wants to be first place in our lives. As God’s people. We must live in a way that honors Him as King of all kings and Lord of all lords. God wants complete devotion and He deserves it for all He has done for us. I need to live fully committed in every area to the Lord. I need to live a fully devoted life.

Prayer:

Father, don’t let me get off track. Help me to live a life that pleases You and brings Your honor. Let my life bring Your praise. You are awesome and I love You deeply. Help me to live wholeheartedly surrendered to You and Your will. I trust You. 

Completely and Forever Yours,

Jeff

Unwilling

 Scripture:

“But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭1‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses is speaking to God’s people just before they entered into the Promised land after 40 years in the wilderness. He is retelling the story of sending in the 12 spies to look at the land. Of course 10 came back saying it was impossible and 2 said let’s go up at once. The people sided with the negative report instead of the faith-filled report. Here Moses describes them as “unwilling to go up.” 

Application:

The root of unwilling deals with the will. Our will is powerful and can wither be submitted to God or we can be self-willed. When a child doesn’t want to obey, we call them as strong-willed child. Our will must be submitted to Christ when we become a follower of His. We don’t want to be strong-willed, defiant, children of God. We want to be obedient children of God who live by faith instead of by our will. As for me, I want to live the Joshua and Caleb life, not be “unwilling” to do what God puts in front of me to do.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are great and glorious! You are awesome and powerful! Help me to always be willing to do what You ask of me. Teach me to beauty of obedience to You at all times. Help me to live a life surrendered to You at all times. I don’t want to be a strong-willed child, but a servant of the One True God. Give me a willing heart.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Speaking ALL God’s Truth

 Scripture:

“Moses told the Israelites all that the Lord commanded him.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭29‬:‭40‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This simple passage is so powerful! Moses is seen as probably the most godly man who ever lived. He had powerful interactions with God. When God spoke to him, he didn’t waiver about whether he should tell th people of Israel what the Lord had spoken. He boldly declared what he heard from God. He told them ALL the Lord commanded him to. 

Application:

It is easy to tell some or most of what the Lord speaks to your heart. God wants us to be reliable and faithful to declare ALL He speaks to us and not just what feels good to us. We don’t want to be the people who tell all of the wonderful blessings of following Jesus without telling the horrible future of those who don’t repent and come to Christ. As a speaker, teacher, etc. I need to speak the WHOLE counsel of God. I need to speak ALL that God speaks to me. I want to be a man of God like Moses, therefore I must be willing to speak ALL that God speaks to me, not being worried about the consequences.

Prayer:

Father, let me be found faithful in declaring ALL You want me to declare. Help me to speak the WHOLE truth and not just the appealing parts. Show me how to communicate Your words in simplicity and in power. Let my words accurately reflect ALL that You want me to communicate to Your people. Let my life be pure before You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Commissioning Sons and Daughters

 Scripture:

“Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭27‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The Lord commanded Moses to lay hands on Joshua in front of the whole assembly of Israel. He commissioned him publicly, expressing his confidence in his spiritual son. Moses let it be known publicly that he trusted Joshua and believed in him to be the next leader of the nation. 

Application:

There is a time when our spiritual sons and daughters need to be recognized, laid hands on, and sent out in front of our people. There is something very powerful about people observing a man of God supporting, laying hands on, and sending out the next leader. When a powerful leader like Moses affirms his replacement in the eyes of the people, it brings affirmation and strength to the next leader. This transition is very powerful and must be demonstrated in our churches.

Prayer:

Father, help me to identify sons and daughters to send into Your ministry. Show me how to prepare them best and how to publicly send them out. Help me to follow You well and to set up the next generation for success. Use my life for Your glory and let me fulfill every plan You have for me.

Yours,

Jeff

Faithful to the Word of the Lord

 Scripture:

“‘Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything of my own accord, good or bad, to go beyond the command of the Lord—and I must say only what the Lord says’?” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭24‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage we see Balaam speaking the word of the Lord and not what Balak wanted him to speak. Balak wanted him to speak curses over Israel, but Balaam would not. His response, when told he had been disobedient to the king, was to tell him he couldn’t be bought with all the silver and gold in the palace. His last statement was, “and I must say only what the Lord says.” 

Application:

As a man of God I must speak what God is speaking on every occasion. I must never compromise the message because certain people may not like it or because large givers might leave. I must be faithful to the Word of the Lord at all times and trust Him that if I do what He tells me to do, He will take care of me and provide for me. I want to be a man of God who is faithful to the call, no matter what the price.

Prayer:

Father, find me faithful to Your word. Help me to follow You well and to speak what You are saying at all times. I want to walk in step with You and to deliver what You are saying. Strengthen me in my inner man to trust You more and not to worry about people being upset with me. I want to serve You well all the days of my life. I want to be faithful to the word of the Lord.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Face Down

 Scripture:

“Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭20‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The people of Israel were led into the wilderness. They were getting tired of manna and had been without water for some time. They complained to Moses and Aaron about this, wishing they could go back to Egypt and die there. Moses and Aaron did the right thing. They didn’t argue about who was right or wrong, they went to the presence of the Lord and fell facedown on the floor. God’s glory then appeared to them and God spoke to them concerning their next move.

Application:

When we don’t understand what is happening around us, our best position is face down. When we don’t know what to do in any given situation, our best posture is facedown. We need to humble ourselves before the Lord and learn to worship Him facedown. He is the only one worthy of facedown worship. It’s time for God’s people to get off our high horses and lay facedown before Him as an act of humility and submission. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to live my life facedown. Let me live a life You can bless and that sees Your glory. I long for You. Help me to live in a way that pleases You. I give You my life and ask You to fill me to overflow with Your precious Holy Spirit. Let me always remain facedown in worship of my King.

Yours,

Jeff

Convinced of the Call

 Scripture:

“Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea:” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭16‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬

Observation:

Moses was confident of the call of God on his life. In this case, his authority was being questioned and he responded by giving instructions that would prove that he was leader, not by his own will, but by the will, purpose, and plan of God. He declared that it was not his idea to do the things he was sent to do. 

Application:

It is easy to question the call of God on our lives. There are times when it is questioned and our confidence level shrinks. Moses stood in total confidence because his calling wasn’t his idea, but God’s idea. When we know we have been called by God and that we are doing His will, we can walk in confidence. It is important, especially in ministry, to know your calling and to walk in it. When we are doing what God wants us to do, He will back us up. When we are operating in the flesh, we don’t have that support.

Prayer:

Father, You have been so good to me. You called me when I was young and You have walked with me all my life. You have worked so many miracle I can’t recount them all. Help me to fulfill the rest of everything You have prepared for me to do. Work out every detail in my life to bring You glory. Let my ears always be open to hear what You are speaking. Guide my thoughts and direction of my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Struck Down

 Scripture:

“these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord. Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14‬:‭37‬-‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Twelve men were sent in to look at the promised land and bring back a report on what it looked like, what the people were like, and what kind of fruit the ground produced. While they were there, they saw giants in the land and fortified cities. Ten spies came back and said, “we can’t go in, we will be destroyed.” Joshua and Caleb came back and said, “The Lord is with us. We must go in at once.” The ten spread their negative word until all Israel was ready to go back to Egypt. The ten were struck dead with a plague and the rest were forced to live in the wilderness 40 years.

Application:

Don’t give what God didn’t ask for. God didn’t ask them their opinion about whether they could defeat the people living there. He just asked for a report about what and who was there. They were scared and spread their fear throughout the crowd. These men were struck down for their actions. God took swift and powerful vengeance on these men for spreading their negativity and He blessed Joshua and Caleb for their positive report. As for me, I want to spread goodness, faith, obedience, and vision for the future. I want to speak what God is speaking and live a life of faith, never disbelief. 

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious! You are amazing in every way. I am still in awe of Your presence in our midst yesterday. Help me to move with You and to do what You want me to do every day. Help me to live a life of faith and obedience to what You speak. I want to live a life that honors You and spreads hope and vision instead of negativity and unbelief.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God and Moses

 Scripture:

“When Moses entered the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the atonement cover on the ark of the covenant law. In this way the Lord spoke to him.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭7‬:‭89‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses had the Tabernacle constructed exactly as God commanded him. When Moses needed to speak to the Lord he entered the tent of meeting and God’s voice would come to him from between the cherubim on the mercy seat. He clearly heard from the Lord everything he was supposed to do. 

Application:

I have always been jealous of God’s relationship with Moses, and others in the Bible. Moses heard clearly what the Lord was saying in detail. I long for detail. I enjoy following the impressions in my heart that Lord puts there and knowing it is His voice, but I long for the audible voice of God so I can accurately do what He is calling me to do at any given time. I want clarity in our communication.

Prayer:

Father, open my ears and eyes to hear and see what You are doing in the earth in my generation. I want to hear clearly and not wonder, “Is this God or is this me?” I want to know Your voice and follow it with all my heart. Speak to me Lord. Show me things Lord. I want to know You more and more.

Yours,

Jeff

The Aaronic Blessing

 Scripture:

““ ‘ “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ’ “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬-‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This blessing was given to Aaron as a way for him to bless the people of Israel. God told him to do it and He would put His name on them and would bless them. God’s blessing follows obedience. When we obey His patterns and instructions, we receive His blessings. 

Application:

We are all considered priests in God’s kingdom now. We are a kingdom of priests. Therefore, we can pronounce this incredible blessing over people’s lives. When we do, God promises to bless them. We need to speak blessings from our mouth and not curses. We need to release the goodness of God on people instead of curses. What we say is so important. I want my mouth to be filled with blessings and not curses.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, let Your praises be always on my lips and Your ways in my thoughts. Help me to walk in a way that pleases You. Let my mouth be a speaker of Your blessings and not curses. Help me to use my mouth wisely. Show me more. Take me deeper. I long to walk with You closely. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Give Me Ears to Hear

 Scripture:

“So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭2‬:‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God told Moses exactly how He wanted the people of Israel to travel when the cloud and pillar moved in the wilderness. Each family, or clan, had to camp in a certain location, north, south, east, or west of the Tabernacle. They were to group around their banners and camp as a group. He also told them what order to go in when it was time to move. They were given very clear instructions and the did everything the Lord spoke to them.

Application:

I was struck this morning by the word “everything.” They didn’t do most of what the Lord told them to do. They didn’t everything that the Lord told them to do. My end game is to hear the words “well done good and faithful servant.” In order to hear those words, I must do everything the Lord gives me to do. In order to do that, I must hear clearly what I am to do, then I must have the heart to do what God said. As always, I want a listening ear to hear what the Lord is speaking to me. I want to be obedient, but need to hear clearly so I can.

Prayer:

Lord God, open my ears to hear Your voice clearly. Let me not be led astray through other means, but let me hear Your voice. I long to hear Your voice I long to know You intimately. I long to walk with You and hear the desires of Your heart. Open my spiritual ears and eyes so I can see what You want for me, then give me the strength to do what You are speaking.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Power From on High

 Scripture:

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭49‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus had died and resurrected on the third day. In this passage He was with his disciples and told them, just before He ascended to heaven to, “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Jesus was clear that they shouldn’t begin doing everything He had left them to do until they had been clothed with power. 

Application:

We tend to move ahead with our plans and ask God to empower them. Jesus told His disciples to wait for power, then proceed forward. I am guilty of moving forward in my own strength at times when I should have waited for the power of the Spirit. As a Spirit-filled person, I want to walk full of God’s power and not just with a message. I want to be clothed in God’s power as I preach His message. I believe that power is mandatory in the proclamation of the Gospel. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to be clothed with power from on high. I need Your presence and Your power to flow through my life. I don’t want to argue religious jargon, I want to walk in power. Fill me to overflowing with Your Spirit. Let me be led by the Spirit, filled with the Spirit, and empowered by the Spirit. Holy Spirit, come and rest on my life. I don’t want to do ministry without You. Your presence is everything to me.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Faithful People Multiply What They Are Given

 Scripture:

““He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus tells this story about a nobleman. He was going away and gave one Mina to ten diffent people. When He returned, He wanted to see what happened to the people and with his money. One man had made five more with what he was given, another man made ten more, and on man brought back the one which he was given and returned it to the nobleman. The man took it away and gave it to the one with ten. He then stated, “everyone who has, will be given more, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”

Application:

As stewards that God has entrusted things to, we must be faithful and productive. We must work with what we are given to multiply results for God. We cannot just sit on what we have. We must use it for God’s glory. He has given me so much. I need to be faithful and productive for my master. He is worthy of my very best.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to follow You well and to use what You have given me well. I want to be a good steward of everything You have blessed me with. Show me how to be productive for Your kingdom. Show me how to multiply ministry and extend Your Kingdom into all the earth.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Unworthy Servants

Scripture:

“So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ ”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

Observation:

Jesus told a story here about a servant and his master. When the servant finishes in the field and comes in, Jesus said that the master doesn’t say sit down and rest, you worked hard. The master tells him to prepare dinner for him. Jesus then says that when we have done everything He asks of us, our response should be “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.” 

Application:

Rather than feeling like we have done our work for Jesus and have arrived to some level where we deserve to be rewarded, we should remain understanding that we are unworthy servants who just did our duty. As humans, we like to be rewarded and feel we deserve to be treated good. We should see ourselves, not as those who deserve a break, but as unworthy servants who are simply doing our duty. This doesn’t fly very well in 2025. We like to be honored and rewarded for our service. I need to live a life of service, knowing that a reward is coming in eternity.

Prayer:

Father, help me not to expect to be rewarded on this earth. Help me to live a simple life of serving people with a great attitude. Convict me when I get off base on this. Show me when I need to repent for a bad attitude of somehow feeling I deserve better. Teach me to walk in true humility and to do exactly what You speak to me. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Faith That Jesus Would Commend

 Scripture:

“I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭40‬-‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

A man brought his son, who was demonized, to Jesus’ disciples but they were not able to cast the devil out of him. The above verse describes His reaction. Jesus responded to the fact that His disciples couldn’t cast out a devil by saying they were an unbelieving and perverse generation. He went on to ask how long He was going to have to put up with them. The bot came to Jesus and was immediately set free. 

Application:

Sometimes it’s good to ponder what it would be like if Jesus walked with us today. I wonder how many times He would have to call me an unbelieving and perverse generation. I wonder if what I am doing would be commended by Him as appropriate or would He think I lacked faith. I want to live a life of faith and to do what Jesus would do on this earth. I don’t want any demons hanging around that Jesus would want gone. I walk to walk in step with the Spirit and live a life of faith.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live a life You would be happy with. Increase my faith. Help me to walk in such a way that You would be honored and blessed. Teach me to do what You would do in every circumstance. Lead me daily into Your will for my life. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Lord Lord - Obedience

Scripture:

““Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭46‬-‭48‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

Observation:

Jesus asks a powerful question in this passage. He asks why people call Him Lord, Lord, but do not do what He says. He goes on to demonstrate that a house built on a strong foundation will remain strong during a violent storm and flood. Building on the solid foundation, according to Jesus, is doing what he says. Obedience brings God’s blessing and gives you a solid foundation.

Application:

We need to be cautious about calling Jesus our LORD if we are not going to do what he says. The term LORD implies that we obey whoever the Lord is. Just the word itself tells us we need to walk in submission to Him. We must learn to live submitted lives and obedient lives in the Kingdom. Our job is to do what He says if we are going to call Him Lord.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, I want to serve You well in my generation. I long for Your presence and I want to live a life You can bless. I want to see Your kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help me to walk in submission to You and Your will all the days of my life. Show me how to walk with You and to live according to Your ways. I want a strong foundation. Lead me and show me what to do each and every day!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Light and Glory

 Scripture:

“a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Simeon had been serving the Lord God Almighty for many years. He had been told by the Lord that he wouldn’t die until he had seen the Messiah. When he saw Jesus, he knew he had seen the Messiah. He said these words about Jesus, “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” This is how Jesus was introduced to the planet by a great man of God. 

Application:

As a Gentile, two-thousand years later, I can say that Simeon’s word was extremely accurate, Jesus has brought incredible light to the gentiles and is the glory of Israel to those gentiles especially. Israel didn’t receive Christ when He came the first time, but they will in the future. The gentiles have received this incredible revelation and we see Jesus as the glory of Israel. Although His own still don’t realize it, He is the glory of Israel and is the reason the whole world watches Israel. Sometimes in life, those closest to us won’t see who we were until much later. That’s okay, we are more like Christ when that happens.

Prayer:

Father, You sent Your Son into this world and Your own people didn’t realize it. You then allowed us Gentiles to be graphed into your tree. You have lit our world. Let Your people see and realize that Jesus is the glory of Your people Israel. Let my life be used to bring revelation to the Gentiles and for the world to see Your glory through Jesus. Use my life to extend Your Kingdom.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

God’s Favor When We Obey

 Scripture:

““ ‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭26‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God is telling the people of Israel here that when they do what He asks them to do, He will look with favor on them and make them fruitful. He tells them He will keep His covenant with them. God blesses those who are in covenant with Him. He makes some powerful promises to His people who are walking according to His ways. 

Application:

God is a God of fruitfulness, multiplication, and blessing. He loves to bless His people with overflow. He makes covenant’s with His people and tells them that if they will live as He says, He will bless them, prosper them, make them victorious over their enemies, and will multiply them. As I always say, when we do things God’s way, we get God’s results. I want to align my life with the word of God and walk in His promises.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in Your will at all times. Teach me to live as You desire and not just according to what is comfortable to me. Show me how to live a life that pleases You and let Your blessing of fruitfulness surround my life. May Your favor rest on my, my family, my church, and my region. 

Love,

Jeff

Memorials

 Scripture:

“Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ ”” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Memorials are items that are set up to help us remember certain things. God used memorials quite often with His people so they would remember how He worked with them. In this passage, God told His people that once per year they were to live in temporary shelters for seven days to remind them of living in tents for forty years as God provided for them in the wilderness when He brought them out of Egypt. 

Application:

We don’t worship memorials or worship at memorials, but they are good reminders of what the Lord has done in the past. There are times when we need to have reminders of God’s provision in our lives. It demonstrates to our children and reminds us of God’s faithfulness. We are to remember what the Lord has done for us. Memorials bring back good memories and show others what the Lord has done. Cheryl and I have been talking about making a special place for our mom’s Bibles. They are filled with incredible prayers, and thoughts about their children and we want to honor that in some way and set them as a reminder of what God did in their lives as they followed Him.

Prayer:

Lord, show me how to use memorials that honor You and what You have done in my life without becoming idols in any way. Help me to use wisdom in doing things to remember, but not to live in the past. Show me the balance of remembering the past, living in the present, and preparing for the future. Lead me each step of the way as I endeavor to honor You.

Yours,

Jeff

Different

 Scripture:

“You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭18‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God’s people were meant to be different than the rest of the world. God spoke clearly here to His people and told them not to do what the Egyptians did, nor what the Canaanites do. He told His people that they were not to live like the people around them. They were to be different. 

Application:

Something in our human makeup always wants to be like the people around us. We don’t like to stand out in a crowd. We tend to like people to like us and so we try to be like the people around us. God’s people were not meant to be like everyone else. We were made to be different. We should not copy the patterns and behaviors of the world. We are to be set apart and different in every way. We must learn what it means to come out from among the and be separate. I believe much of why we don’t see God working stronger in our lives is because we don’t do things God’s way.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live a life that pleases You. Help. Me not to be concerned with what people think about me, but with what You think about me. Teach me Your ways and let my life reflect them accurately. I don’t want to serve the gods of this world in any way. I want to be completely Yours. sanctify my life as I pursue You each day. Give me strength to stand out from the crows and live differently than those around me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Clean Vessels

 Scripture:

““ ‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.’ ”” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭15‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

These three chapters have been one law after another about when things are considered unclean. It included everything from houses, to beds, to clothes, to people, etc. In this verse, God tells why He had them deal with unclean things so scrupulously. He didn’t want them to die in their uncleanness for defiling His dwelling place among them. God doesn’t take well to those who defile His dwelling place. 

Application:

We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit and the dwelling place of God Almighty. Our bodies are His temple. From the OT we can see how serious God was, and is, about anything that defiles Him. As believers, we should offer our lives as holy, separated, sanctified, vessels for God to work in and through. He works through clean vessels and we must offer Him ourselves as cleansed and pure. We need to get rid of anything He is not pleased with.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to walk with You daily. Let my life be a vessel You can work through. Sanctify me. Purify me. Let me be set apart for Your service. Let my life bring You praise. Empower me to live a life that You can bless. Teach me to live in such a way that I host Your presence well.

Sincerely Yours,

Jeff

Unauthorized Fire

 Scripture:

“Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, contrary to his command. So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭10‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬

Observation:

In this passage we see that Aaron’s sons offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which was against His command. Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and killed them. God was demonstrating that even a good thing done in a wrong way is not good. God has a way of doing things and He wants us to walk in His ways. When we live according to His commands, we will be blessed beyond measure. When we do what we feel is right and acceptable, we will not see His blessing.

Application:

We must do God’s things God’s way. We can’t simply do what seems right to us. We must honor the Lord by doing what He says to do in the way He says to do it. There are many good things that are not God things. There are many things we can do as a church that are good, but not what God wants us to do. I want to walk in step with Holy Spirit and walk in ways that He can bless and prosper.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing! Help me to lead Your people well. Help me to offer only the fire You want and nothing else. Help me to build a church Your way and not in ways that seem right to man. Help me to honor You in everything I do. Be glorified in my life. Help me not to offer unauthorized fire on Your altar. Lead me on and help me to follow.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Will, God’s Glory

 Scripture:

“Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

After Moses received the instructions about all of the offerings for the priests and the Tabernacle, he followed them closely. When it was all ready, exactly as the LORD said to do it, Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, came out, blessed the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to ALL the people. God’s way of saying, “you did everything I asked and fulfilled my desires,” was to let all the people see His glory. 

Application:

When we do things God’s way, we get God’s results. God’s way of saying everything was done correctly according to what He had spoken was to let the people see His glory. When we follow God’s patterns, we can expect His glory. Moses and Aaron were extremely diligent to do exactly what the Lord had told them to do. They implemented everything precisely as the Lord had told them, then God’s glory came for the people to see. Many times in church leadership, we do what we think is best instead of seeking the Lord, then we expect His glory. His glory falls on obedience, not smart organizational leadership and marketing strategies. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to know exactly what You want me to do each and every day. Help me to do what You say, and not what others think. Teach me to implement Your desires and not just what makes sense to me. I want to follow You well, but I need clear direction. Show me what to do each day, then empower me to do it. I am Yours.

Forever,

Jeff

Keep the Fire Burning

 Scripture:

“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This verse, and others, speak of the fire on the altar in the Tabernacle. The priests were not to ever let the fire go out. It was always to be burning. They had to carry out the ashes daily and bring new firewood, but they were not allowed to let the fire go out. God started the fire, but the priests had to take part in keeping the fire burning. 

Application:

These type verses always speak to me about my walk with God. God started a fire inside of me many years ago when He saved me, but I have to upkeep the fire. I have to spend time with Him daily in prayer and in His word to keep the fire burning. God initiates the fire, then we have to maintain the fire as believers. I want to live on fire for God. There are times when the fire is higher and hotter. There are times when the fire is more like embers and coals. The difference really isn’t in God, it is in how much wood am I putting on the fire. 

Prayer:

Father, don’t let my love grow cold. Let Your holy fire burn in me. Help me to always keep fresh wood on the fire of our relationship. Walk with me every day and let my heart burn for You and Your presence. You are my everything. You are my strength. You are my source. Add fuel to my spiritual fire today and let my life be an offering to You.

Your Son Forever,

Jeff

Hearing Clearly

Scripture:

“The Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting. He said, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Right here at the beginning of the book of Leviticus we see the Lord calling to Moses and speaking to him from the tent of meeting. The Lord clearly speaks to Moses as friend with friend. He clearly told Moses exactly what to do concerning ministry for the priesthood and the people. There was not questioning, “was this God or was this me?” He knew God had spoken to him. God gave him incredibly clear instructions for many things.

Application:

In my life, I want to hear the voice of the Lord more clearly. I long for Him to show me things and tell me of things to come. I want to be able to clearly and accurately discern what the Lord is saying to me, to my church, and to my nation, as well as anywhere I am invited to speak. I want to hear word for word like Moses did.

Prayer:

Father, I want to know You more. I want to hear Your voice and to know Your thoughts. As Moses received the words of Leviticus, I want to clearly hear Your voice. Teach me to listen well and to hear what You are speaking in my generation. Give me ears to hear and a heart to apply what I hear. Open my ears and my eyes to hear and see what You are doing. I want to walk in step with You Lord. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Self Confidence

 Scripture:

“Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭14‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Peter made a statement of confidence in himself when Jesus told His disciples about His soon arrest and trial. Jesus had said that they would all fall and walk away from Him. Peter rose up and said, even if the rest fall away, I won’t. Jesus told him he was weaker than he thought he was and that he would deny Christ three times before the rooster would crow in the morning.

Application:

Sometimes it’s easy to think of ourselves higher than we ought. We should always be careful when we think we would stand, because any of us can fall if put into the right situation. Humility says, I’m gonna do my best not to fall. Pride says, I will never fall. God opposes the proud and gives grace to to the humble. It is dangerous to think we are stronger than we really are. Jesus had to prove to Peter that he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. We need a realistic and humble outlook on life.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk in humility and never say never. Help me to walk in step with You at all times, knowing that even Peter could be deceived and walk out on Jesus. Help me to walk as You would want me to each day. I am Yours. Show me how to keep a realistic view of myself and what I am capable of.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Loving God With ALL

 Scripture:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

When Jesus was asked the question, “Which is the most important commandment?” His response was powerful. He said to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Loving God with ALL we are is Christ’s first and most important commandment. In this passage I hear the word ALL four times. I think He is trying to let us know that God wants ALL of us.

Application:

God doesn’t want a people who are partially loving Him. He doesn’t ask for a people who are 99% following Him. He asks for ALL. He wants us to love Him above every other thing in our lives. I want to serve the Lord in this way. I long to walk with Him in this level of love and commitment. I never want my love for God to grow cold. I want to serve Him well all the days of my life.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I don’t want to be halfhearted. I don’t want to partially in love with You. I want to love You with ALL my heart, ALL my soul, ALL my mind, and ALL my strength. I want to walk a fully committed life before You. Teach me to love You more each day and guide me into Your will for my life, my family, and my world.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

If You Can?

 Scripture:

““It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was approached about healing a demonized son. The demon would throw him into the fire or water. The man came to Jesus and used the words, “if you can.” Jesus didn’t seem to like those words. He put the question back to the man, “If you can?” Jesus then added the statement, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” In other words, the only “if” has to do with your faith and belief.

Application:

We must be people of faith. We need to understand the teachings of Jesus. With Him, there were no if’s. It was simply a matter of faith and belief. As God’s people, we should never doubt whether God can do certain things. We should never allow doubt into our hearts, rather, we should be people of faith who believe nothing is impossible for our God. We must never question what is possible for God. All things are possible to him who believes.

Prayer:

Father, You spoke words like this through Jesus. Help me to walk in them. Teach me to live a life of faith and obedience. I want to be one who never doubts. Help me to walk with You in strong levels of faith and to obey You completely at all times. I want to have great faith and to see the impossible things made possible because You are involved.

Yours,

Jeff

Wherever

 Scripture:

“And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭6‬:‭56‬ ‭NIV‬

Observation:

This passage tells us that WHEREVER Jesus went, the sick were healed. It says He went into villages, towns, and to the countryside. Wherever He went, sick people were healed. Jesus didn’t concern Himself with where He was. He didn’t just go the big cities. He went into big, small, tiny and throughout the countryside. The focus wasn’t on where, but on what He did.

Application:

WHEREVER we go, we should do what Jesus did. This speaks to me more about lifestyle than about mission trips. We should be doing what Jesus did. Therefore, wherever we go, we should be praying for the sick. Missions isn’t something we should go on as a one week trip, but a lifestyle wherever we go. We should do both! I want to be a person that extends God’s kingdom Wherever I happen to be at the time.

Prayer:

Father, help me to think more on living a missional life than about doing mission trips. Help me to live a life that bring people to Christ as a normal part of living. I desire to see people saved, healed, and delivered as normal living for me. Help me not to separate ministry time from personal time, but to live on mission for You 24/7.

Your Son,

Jeff

Undeniable Glory

 Scripture:

“So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭40‬:‭38‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

When Moses had finished everything the Lord told him concerning the construction of the Tabernacle and the  priests, the glory of the Lord came down in the form of a pillar of fire and cloud. It remained over the tabernacle their entire time in the wilderness travels. When the cloud and fire moved, the people moved. God was reminding them that He was with them.

Application:

When God moved in this passage, everyone could see it. Nobody was left out. Everyone could see this incredible sight. I dream of the day when God moves so strongly among His people that nobody can ignore it. I want to see God moves so strongly in such a way that the newscasters and reporters could not ignore it. I long for the day when God moves in such a way that people can’t deny who He is and what He does.

Prayer:

Father, reveal Yourself once again for all to see. Let nobody be able to deny who You are and what You do. Come and move among Your people in such a way that nobody could deny that it is You. May Your glory once again fill Your church. May Your presence be so real and manesifested that the worst skeptic has to admit that You are great. Pour out Your Spirit in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

Fluid Follower

 Scripture:

“Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

The disciples woke up in the morning and Jesus wasn’t there, He had been out very early in the morning in prayer.When they found Him, He told them, “Let’s go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” Apparently, going to nearby villages and preaching wasn’t on the agenda but the agenda changed while He was in prayer early in the morning. It continues by saying that traveled throughout the region preaching and casting our demons.

Application:

These verses cause me to think about how fluid Jesus kept His life. He remained free to do what He felt led to do, which came from time in prayer with His Father early in the morning. This was probably very difficult for His disciples to work under. People like to know where they are going next and what is the organizational strategy for what they are doing. Jesus would go out to pray, then come back and take the next steps. Traveling with Him wouldn’t seem like He didn’t have a plan or agenda except to wander from village to village. I need to live a little more fluid life so that I can be available to whatever God wants me to do at a moment’s notice. I want to operate out of the place of prayer and not just out of organizational planning. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in step with Your Spirit. Help me to be more concerned about what You have for me each day, than what I have on my agenda. I believe there is balance in this and I want to live a Spirit-directed life. Show me how to be more available to You and less worried about my organizational structure.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

God Fixes What We Break

 Scripture:

“The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses had come down the mountain with the commands of God written on stone tablets by God Himself. When Moses saw the craziness Aaron had allowed in making a golden calf and everyone worshiping it, Moses threw down the tablets and they broke into pieces. This verse says that the Lord told Moses, “I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” God fixed what Moses broke.

Application:

God is an expert at fixing the things we break. Moses lost his temper and broke the tablets, but God told him to go back up on the mountain and He would write on them again. Sometimes in life, we break things and mess things up. Sometimes we say things we should have never said. Sometimes we do things we should never do, but God always welcomes our repentant heart, and fixes whatever we broke in the process. His faithfulness is incredible and His forgiveness is wonderful.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. You have blessed my life over and over. Many times I have messed things up, but You fixed them for me. You are the one who fixes all the problem I create. When You say, “I’ve got your back.” You really do! Thank You for loving me and fixing th mistakes I have made. You are the one who turns evil into good and overthrows our enemies, even when we don’t deserve it.

Your Son

Jeff

People of His Presence

 Scripture:

“Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭33‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses had an interaction with God Almighty in the passage. God had said He wasn’t going with the people of Israel because of their rebellion in making a golden calf and worshiping it. Moses said that if God’s presence didn’t go with him, he didn’t want to go. Then he added, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”  God’s presence sets us apart!

Application:

We should be known as people of His presence. Those around us should see that we are different and should sense the presence of the Most High in our lives. Our lives should distinguish us from people who do not know Christ. We must ask how different our lives are than those around us. God’s presence in and on our lives should distinguish us from those around us. We should seek His presence as Moses did and let the Lord know that if His presence doesn’t go with us, we don’t want to go.

Prayer:

Lord, you know me and the cry of my heart. Cheryl and I have always desired Your presence and prayed this prayer. We want to be set apart by Your presence. Fill me Holy Spirit to overflowing. Let Your Spirit rest on my life and let the world see it and know that there is great blessing in serving You. Demonstrate Your goodness through my life. I don’t want to be like everyone else. I want people to know that You are real and experience that through my life. Let me represent you well.

Yours,

Jeff

Consecrated

 Scripture:

““For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭29‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, God tells Moses how to make and present a burnt offering to the Lord. God tells him that at this altar of burnt offering He will meet Moses and speak with him there. Also, God says He will meet the Israelites there and the place will be consecrated by His glory. God is very particular about His offerings and the details surrounding serving Him in the Old Testament. When every detail was fulfilled, He would meet with His people and His glory would be among them.

Application:

In the New Testament, we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We carry His glory in our lives. The word “consecrated” means set apart for the Lord’s use. In the same way the glory consecrated the Tabernacle, God’s glory consecrates our lives. In His presence, we are changed from glory to glory. In His presence, we are consecrated and set apart for His purposes. We must desire the Holy Spirit to consecrate our lives for His purposes and invite His glory to fill us.

Prayer:

Father, fill me with Your glory. Let my life be consecrated to You for Your purposes. Help me to follow Your voice and do what You ask me to do. Show me the way forward each and every day. Teach me Your ways and show me each day what I am to do. Lead me by Your pillar of cloud and smoke. I long for Your presence. I long for Your glory. Fill me to overflow I pray.

Yours,

Jeff

Don’t Let My Love Grow Cold

 Scripture:

“In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭27‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

As God was giving Moses exactly what He wanted the Tabernacle to look like and exact dimensions and instructions concerning how each item within the Tabernacle was to be contracted, He told Moses about lamps outside the Most Holy Place that were never to go out. God wanted a lampstand and He instructed His servants to never let the fire go out. 

Application:

We don’t have physical Tabernacles at this point in our relationship with God, but I do believe there are things we learn from the Tabernacle that we can and should implement in our lives. This verse tells us to never let the lamps go out in our lives. We can say from this that God starts the fire within us, but we have to tend the flames to make sure they are strong and never go out. I must walk with the Lord in prayer and devotions so that fire never goes out. I want to live in constant relationship with the Lord and want to maintain His fire in my life. I don’t want my love to grow cold. I want to live a life on fire for God.

Prayer:

Father, as the song says, “don’t let my love grow cold.” Help me to live on fire for You at all times. Let my life count for Your kingdom. Work in me and through me for Your purposes. Let me walk in Your presence and fulfill Your purposes. Let my fire burn strong till the day I leave this earth and step into the fullness of Your presence.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Enemy of My Enemies

 Scripture:

“If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23‬:‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

When Moses was on the mountain of God receiving the Law, God spoke clearly to him. In this verse, God tells Moses that if he, and the people Israel, listen carefully to what He says, God would be an enemy to their enemies and He would oppose those who oppose them. What a powerful promise! 

Application:

As believers, we never fight our battles alone. God is with us! He promises us to make our enemies His enemies and to oppose the ones who oppose us. His instruction to us is that we must listen carefully or His word. This is called a covenant or an agreement. When we do our part, we can expect God to do His part. As for me, I earnestly desire to hear His voice clearly so I can follow accurately, then I want God to fight my battles.

Prayer:

Father, open my spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what You want me to do at all times. Let Your voice be as clear to me as my own. Teach me to walk in Your ways and show me how to hear Your heart. I want to fulfill every plan and purpose You have for me. Let me walk in alignment with You and Your word all the days of my life.

Sincerely Yours,

Jeff

Honoring God’s House

Scripture:

 ““ ‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This instruction was given to Moses on Mt Sinai when he received the Law. God told him to make an altar for offerings. He continued to say, “Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.” Church today is the place where we honor God. This passage says it is there that God will come and bless His people.

Application:

My generation has lost its honor and respect for the house of God. In the past, there was a great respect for the Lord’s house, the church. Although it is just a building, it is still a building that has been dedicated to the purposes of God. It is a place that has been set aside as a place of worship. We need to teach our children and those under my leadership to honor the church as God’s house and the place He comes to bless His people. We need to treat the building better than we currently do.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for not honoring Your house more and teaching our people to honor Your house. Help me to establish some guidelines for how to treat the house of God. I don’t want to become legalistic because I know You live in my heart and I am Your temple, but I also want to honor the place set aside to meet with You and for You to come and bless Your people. Help me to treat it with more respect and honor.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

My Healer

 Scripture:

“He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭15‬:‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God had just bought the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and they had traveled three days into the desert. They came to a place with some water, but it was bitter water and not good for them to drink. God showed Moses a piece of wood and told him to throw it into the water. When he did, the water was made pure and drinkable. It was after that incidence that the above verse comes and God reveals Himself as the Lord who heals you. There was a condition to the healing though, they must listen carefully and do what was right in God’s eyes. They had to keep His commands, and then the promise of healing would be theirs. 

Application:

Many want healing, but don’t want to walk in obedience to the ways of God. Covenants work both directions. When one party does what they are suppose to do, the other party gives what they agreed to. God is a healer, but He also want his people to walk in obedience to His word. I want to walk in divine health and for my body to be made well. I want to age well and not have any sickness or disease in my life. I’ve watched God heal so many times in my life. Therefore, I must walk in obedience to Him every day.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible and You are faithful to Your promises. Your love for Your people is awesome and Your word stands forever. Help me to walk in alignment with Your words and to obey Your decrees. Heal my body of everything that is not functioning properly. Renew my youth like the eagles as I honor You and obey Your words. I want to be healthy and have energy to preach Your word all the days of my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

When Your Enemies Want Your Blessing

 Scripture:

“Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Pharaoh had witnessed all of the plagues God brought on Egypt, yet would not let God’s people go into the wilderness to worship Him. Finally, the last plague, the death of every firstborn son in Egypt, caused him to permit them to go. On their way he asked them to bless him also. The one who would not let them leave and worked them as slaves, decided he wanted them to bless him on the way out. 

Application:

God takes care of His own people. He has the ability to make your enemies ask for your blessing! He can cause our haters to ask us to bless them because they see the hand of God on our lives. I must ask myself, have the people around me seen the hand of God on my life to the point that they want me to bless them? I must ask, am I living in such a way that my neighbors who don’t know God, would say, bless me? I want to live a life that God will bless, but I also want people around me to ask for my blessing.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and glorious. You are all powerful. Let Your hand rest on my life in increasing measure. Let my enemies want me to bless them because of Your goodness in my life. Help me to live in a way that You can work in and through my life. Teach me to walk with You. Let those who hate me want the blessing on my life that the world may see and know that You are God and that You are good!

Your Son,

Jeff

Proclaim His Name

 Scripture:

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭9‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

This verse takes place during the middle of the plagues of Egypt. God is speaking to Moses here about His plan and purpose in the plagues. He was punishing Egypt for not letting His people go to worship Him, but He was also telling Moses that He would show His power and that His name would be proclaimed in all the earth. One of God’s purposes in the plagues was that His name be proclaimed in all the earth. God wants His name proclaimed and goes to great extent to do so.

Application:

Today, we have the opportunity to proclaim God’s name in all the earth. God’s goal has always been that His name be worshiped in all the earth. Today, we are part of the extension of His kingdom around the world. We have the honor to spread His fame and glory among the nations. Rather than using plagues, we use every means possible to proclaim God’s name all over the planet. We must take seriously what God takes seriously, and the extension of His Kingdom has always been on His heart. 

Prayer:

Father, let my life proclaim Your name in every nation of the earth. Use my life for the extension of Your Kingdom. I desire to proclaim Your great name in all the earth. Help me to use every possible means for Your glory and honor and the proclamation of Your name. Let me be more effective and productive in the extension of Your Kingdom.

Yours,

Jeff

The Results are up to God

 Scripture:

“Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭5‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

Moses is having an interaction with God because when he stepped out to help God’s people to obey God, they were getting treated worse instead of better. He tells the Lord that ever since he started doing what God told him, the people were worse and God hadn’t rescued them. You can hear his frustration because he expected immediate results, or at least for things not to get worse. God reassured him that victory would come, but there was some things He needed to do to prepare the way.

Application:

Frustration is easy in ministry. Sometimes I do exactly what I feel the Lord wants me to do and there seems to be no results and possibly things get worse instead of better. Many times in leadership we take steps that we believe are God and He doesn’t seem to back them up or bring success in our time. We must learn that obedience is our goal, not success in our own eyes. When we obey, we are blessed! Our job is not to figure out what God is doing, but to do what He says, then trust Him. 

Prayer:

Father, there are many things I have done which I really felt were from You, but didn’t see the results I expected. Help me to trust You with those. Help me to walk in complete obedience, whether I see the breakthroughs I expected or not. Teach me to trust You more and myself less. Help me to see that my obedience will bring victory, just maybe not when I expected it.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Oppression and Multiplication

 Scripture:

“But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Observation:

God has always worked through His people by multiplying them in the midst of persecution and oppression. In this passage, the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied. In the New Testament, the more the church was oppressed, the more they multiplied. God has a way for proving who He is through blessing His people in the middle of their struggles. The greater the oppression, the greater the deliverance!

Application:

When we are going through trying times and seasons, we can rest assured that, the greater the oppression, the greater the deliverance. We can also know that, no matter how hard it gets, God will see us through to the other side. He still delivers His people. We may see difficulties, but our God is still a deliverer! We must trust His ways and walk in His truths. Eventually, we will enter the land of our promise. We won’t stay in bondage forever!

Prayer:

Father, help me to see past the present difficulties in life and realize that You are working a greater miracle through the process. Help me to maintain my faith while waiting on the breakthrough. Thank You for showing me this today. You are amazing and I love You more each day. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff