Victory Comes from God

 Scripture:

"Victory comes from you, O Lord. May You bless your people."

Observation:

The Psalmist tells us here that victory comes from God. He then asks the Lord to bless HIs people. What I see here is that God is not a loser. He is always the victor. He doesn't get defeated! My victory is not in myself, it is in and through God Almighty.

Application:

If I know victory comes from God, then I need to stay close to Him at all times. Just like the Psalmist, I want the Lord to know that victory doesn't come from myself, but from God, who fights my battles and defeats my enemies. Victory is not the accomplishment of hard work and individual effort, it comes from the Lord. We must rely more on Him and relax more in confidence that God always wins.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to trust You more. You are my victory. Victory comes from You and You alone. Help me not to lean on myself and my understanding, but in all my ways to ackowledge You. You are incredible and it is a pleasure to serve You.

Yours,

Jeff

Hidden Treasures

 Scripture:

"In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3NLT).

Observation:

Pauls says this simple statement that is very powerful when you think about it. He says that in Christ lie all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Everything we need for insight, wisdom, knowledge, perspective, etc. is found in Christ. He is the source of everything we need.

Application:

Sometimes we try hard to figure everything out and to make our lives work smoothly, when everything we really need is in Jesus already. I should spend more time with Him and less time trying to figure everything out. He had all the knowledge in the world and knows my best next move. He knows exactly what I need. I should be running to Him more and leaning on my own understanding less and less.

Prayer:

Lord, in YOU are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You are the source of everything I need to know for my future and present. Help me to lean less on my own understanding and more on You. Let my time with You be more productive. Let me hear Your voice more clearly and see what You are doing.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Wisdom is Greater Than Ours

 Scripture:

““Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭38‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬

Observation:

God is speaking to Job here and puts him in his place in a big way. He asks Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” He then goes on to say, “Tell me, if you know so much.” Wow! He let Job have it. This was a moment of reckoning for Job. God was calling him out for thinking he knew it all and was wiser than everyone else.

Application:

We should never think more of ourselves than we ought. Humility always wins with God. When we exalt ourselves, He will make sure we get a good dose of humility. ‬We must never think we are greater than we really are. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. We are extremely limited in our knowledge and wisdom. As long as we know that, we are in a good place. He is unlimited, we are limited. We must trust Him. He knows best.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to trust You more and myself less. Help me to have a right and godly perspective on everything in my life. Teach me Your ways and walk with me. Show me Your truths and Your wisdom. More than anything, keep me in step with You.

Yours,

Jeff

Recognizing God’s Voice

 Scripture:

“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭33‬:‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The youngest of Job’s counselors spoke up and told him some pretty good stuff. In this verse he tells Job that God speaks all the time, but people don’t recognize it. This is a powerful truth. God does speak to His people, we just need to be in the place to hear it.

Application:

One of the goals of my life and a continual prayer every morning is that God would open my ears to hear His voice. He does speak to His people, we just need to give space to hear Him and attune our ears to hear Him. I don’t want to miss anything God wants to speak to me. I don’t want to fail on anything He gives me to do. I want to hear accurately what He is speaking and I know the problem is not with Him, it is with me.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, open my ears so I can hear Your voice clearly. Open my eyes to see what You are doing. Let me not miss out on Your will because I didn’t hear Your voice. Teach me to focus in and listen well to Your voice. Open the prophetic voice in my ears that I may hear.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord

 Scripture:

“And this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”” ‭‭Job‬ ‭28‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Job is speaking here about wisdom. Just before this, he says that wisdom cannot be found in the depths of the ocean, beneath the lower parts of the earth, or in the heavens. He speaks much about wisdom, then comes to this conclusion, “The fear of the Lord is true wisdom.” It was the Lord who made everything we see. He waters the earth and provides sun when we need it. He causes the tides and keeps everything in motion. Fearing Him truly is the wisest thing we can do. 

Application:

God created everything we see and He can end it all at His demand. The place we should remain is in the place of humility and fearing Him. Humility realizes that God is greater than every other philosopher. We must learn to humble ourselves before God’s mighty hand and let Him work in our lives. We must learnt to submit to Him in all areas and let Him have control. Fear of the Lord will keep us on the right path.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You so much. Let me walk with the wise and understand the fear of the Lord better. You are God and I am not! Help me to realize that more each day. Teach me to listen to Your voice and obey in the fear of the Lord. You are amazing and it is an honor to serve You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Treasure His Word

 Scripture:

“I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭23‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Job says some words here that are quite powerful when you think about them. He says that he never departed from God’s commands and he treasured God’s words more than daily food. He was in the word and he was obedient to the word.

Application:

I want to be in the place where I treasure God’s word more than daily food. His words are life and truth. He word is powerful and gives life. His word, applied to our lives, changes everything. There are times when I am very hungry for the Word of God and there are times that the Word is a discipline. I want to stay on the hungry path where God’s words are life satisfies my soul.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live completely for You. Teach me to follow Your ways and help me to live them out in my daily life. Let Your Word be a priority in my life. Help me to walk in obedience to Your word. Let me tremble at Your words and walk in them carefully. I want to honor Your word with my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Defender Of Innocence

 Scripture:

““You must defend my innocence, O God, since no one else will stand up for me.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Job cries out for God to defend his innocence. He says that no one else will stand up for him. Job felt like he couldn’t trust anyone to step in and fight for him. Therefore, he relied on God to do what his friends wouldn’t, defend him. Job had tried to defend his innocence to his friends and now he was appealing to God.

Application:

When things are going wrong, we often feel like there is no one we can turn to. There are times of loneliness, when you feel like nobody is fighting for you and you are all by yourself. We must learn from Job to turn to God, who is our defender. Jesus is our defense attorney. We should never feel we have to defend our innocence. We should let God defend us.

Prayer:

Lord, You are faithful and true. You are awesome and I love You much. Teach me not to try to defend myself, but to rely on You to be my defense. You are better than me anyway. Teach me to rest and let You be my defender when accused of things.

Yours,

Jeff

My Advocate

 Scripture:

“Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high. My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭16‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Job had been through a huge amount of pain and suffering. On top of that, his friends were telling him he must have sinned against God in order to go through the terrible things he was facing. Job knew, through it all, that he had an advocate in heaven. Therefore, he put his trust in God and poured out his tears to the Lord God. He pleaded with God because he knew God was a good God..

Application:

In the New Testament, it is clear that Jesus is our advocate. He speaks on our behalf before the Father. I need to walk in confidence that I have a defense attorney that is the best. He will defend me before the Father. Sometimes big time criminals appear very confident that they can get away with anything because they know they have good attorneys to get them out of any problem. We can have the same confidence that Jesus will intercede for us before the Father, We can know that results will work out because we have a great representative.

Prayer:

Lord, increase my faith! Let me live a life that pleases You. Help me to know deep in my spirit that I have an advocate who represents me to the Father. Teach me to walk according to Your ways while knowing I have a strong advocate in the courthouse of heaven who will represent me well. Increase my confidence in You Lord.

Yours,

Jeff

Perspective in Problems

 Scripture:

 “He does great things too marvelous to understand. He performs countless miracles.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Job didn’t understand why he was going through the loss of everything, but he also knew the power of God. He understood that God can do anything. He attributes to God here marvelous things and countless miracles, yet he had just lost everything. Job kept his perspective through difficulty.

Application;

It is important to keep the right perspective through difficulties. In the middle of difficult times, we should remember that God is the God of the impossible. He has done countless miracles in the past and will do them in the future. I want to have a good perspective of God in the good times and in the bad times.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to keep the right perspective and know that You are still God and still awesome, even when I haven’t seen the breakthrough I may have been looking for. Help me to never forget the countless times You have brought me through difficulties and not question why I may be going through problems again.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

I Choose Faith Over Fear

 Scripture:

“What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.”” ‭‭Job‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Job had been tested with losing everything, even his health. His wife’s recommendation was to curse God and die. This one verse tucked into the text of Job reveals something much deeper than we see at first sight. Job had always feared losing his kids and his possessions. He had dreaded something happening to them. Fear never brings good results. Faith always wins. Apparently Job had feared that day of testing. He always sacrificed for his kids, possibly because he was scared they had messed up in their walk with God.

Application:

What you fear, controls you and dominates your life. Fear of God is very healthy, but fear of anything or anyone else is dangerous. Fear causes us to lose faith every time. Fear opens the door to the enemy. God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. We must hold onto faith and not be led by our fears in any area of life.

Prayer:

Father, help me to never be afraid, but to fulfill Your will at all times and trust You in the process. Teach me to walk by faith and overcome all fear. Empower me to live a fear free life. Help me to walk with You and trust that You will take care of me completely. You have done an amazing job thus far. Help me to fear nothing but You and to have faith that You will take care of the details of my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Be Considerate

 Scripture:

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Paul was addressing a dispute between two ladies in the church of Philippi. At the end of that section, he wrote the above words. He told them to always be full of joy in the Lord. He then repeated himself and told them to rejoice. Then he added, “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” We are told here to be considerate of others in everything we do, remembering that Christ is coming soon. 

Application:

As we approach the coming of the Lord, we must learn to live in consideration of others as well. We must learn to live lives that hear what others are going through and try to understand. Being considerate means I try to understand people’s situations and honor them where they are. We don’t live life to ourselves. We must consider others and how our actions affect them. Our lives affect the people around us in profound ways, we must take this seriously as the coming of the Lord approaches.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible! Help me to walk humbly. Before You and to fulfill Your will with my life. Strengthen me in this area of considering others. Help me to be considerate of those around me. Teach me to be aware of what others are going through. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Love What God Loves and Hate What God Hates

 Scripture:

“Mordecai the Jew became the prime minister, with authority next to that of King Xerxes himself. He was very great among the Jews, who held him in high esteem, because he continued to work for the good of his people and to speak up for the welfare of all their descendants.” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Mordecai, Esther’s uncle who raised her and who sat at the gate of the palace, became prime minister of Persia, the most powerful country in the world at that time. He was a lonely Jew destined for destruction, but as he remained faithful to God and his people, God placed him in the second most powerful position in the world. He simply wanted to work for his people and make sure they were okay, and God raised him up.

Application:

When we are passionate about what God is passionate about, He will put us in places to make a difference. Just as Mordecai was a simple man who stood for his people, we must be upset with what upsets God. We must be passionate about what He is passionate about. When we give our lives to serving others, God works around us to put us in positions to make the most impact.

Prayer:

Father, let me be passionate about what You are passionate about. Help me to love what You love and hate what You hate. Teach me to walk in Your truth and help me to help others. Let my life be used for Your glory and the extension of Your kingdom. Fill me with Your Spirit and use my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Faithfulness is Always Rewarded

 Scripture:

“Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple. And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree.” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭8‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Mordecai served the Lord faithfully throughout his life. He did the right thing, when he didn’t know what that would do to him. He faithfully cared for Esther and raised her well. For years, he sat outside the gate of the king’s palace. His faithfulness through many years, ended with him in the palace wearing royal garments, a gold crown, and a cloak of fine linen and purple. He did the right thing, when that could have cost him his life. God sees every sacrifice, and He does reward those who follow Him completely.

Application:

When we remain faithful to God, we may not see quick results, but God honors our faithfulness. Faithful people always end up on top. God always raises the humble who continue to do the right things all the time. When we honor God in difficult situations, we can expect that He will eventually raise us up and promote us. God raises up the faithful.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and glorious! You are amazing and I love you with all my heart. Teach me to walk in Your ways. Help me to remain faithful to You and Your plans each and every day. Help me to always make the next right decision. When I don’t see results in front of me, help me to remain faithful. Let me serve You well in my years on this earth and let my life count.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Still Following

 Scripture:

“Esther continued to keep her family background and nationality a secret. She was still following Mordecai’s directions, just as she did when she lived in his home.” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Mordecai helped Esther get into the King’s palace and become queen, though she was a Jew. He helped raise her and made use she had whatever she needed. He told her not to let anyone know she was a Jew, just let them fall in love with her as a person. As she was promoted, this verse says she was still following Mordecai’s directions like she did when she was in his home. She remain obedient to her faith and family, even when she was away from them.

Application:

Long term obedience brings the blessing of God. After Esther was promoted into the position of queen, she didn’t forget how she got there. She remained faithful to her upbringing. We must never forget who helped us get to the place we are currently. We must continue to do the right things, even when we have been promoted. Obedience to God and our God-given authorities is always the right thing to do. When I see Jesus, I want to be “still following” His ways and commands.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, help me to never forget how You have blessed my life. Help me never forget the obedience that caused Your blessing to fall on my life. Help me to remain faithful to You on every side, in the good times and in the bad times. I want to still be doing the right things all the days of my life. Teach me to follow You well.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Never Stop

 Scripture:

“I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Paul is closing his letter to the Ephesians in this passage. In his closing, he says that he is in chains, but still preaching this message of the Gospel and the mysterious plan of God. He asks them to pray that he will keep on speaking boldly for God as he should. Paul identified himself as God’s ambassador. He knew he was obligated in that role until God was done with him. Paul knew who he was. He knew what he was called to do. He also asked people to pray that he would keep on speaking boldly, though in prison.

Application:

I want to live out my life doing the will of Him who sent me. I want to stay on focus and finish everything He has called me to do. As with Paul, I feel like speaking for God is not a choice, but a calling, a commission, or a sending. Therefore, I don’t have much choice in the matter. “I should” finish out my life doing what God has called me to do. No matter what happens to me, I want to do what God called me to do.

Prayer:

Father, You called me a long time ago and Your hand has been with me throughout my life. Help me to remain faithful to Your calling and to accomplish all You want me to accomplish. Teach me to follow Your voice and finish what You speak to me. Give me wisdom and strength to finish what You started. You sent me. Help me to live as one who is sent and never stop.

Yours,

Jeff

First Things First

 Scripture:

“The priests and Levites first purified themselves; then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭12‬:‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

When Nehemiah was ready for the dedication of the city or Jerusalem and the wall they had built, the priests came to restore worship and order to the city. The priests and the Levites first purified themselves, then they purified the people, the gates, and the wall. There is an order when we serve God. Self must be purified before we can help others.

Application:

In the back of my mind I can hear joy mother telling me “You can’t clean dishes with a dirty dish rag,” The item doing the cleaning must be clean or it can’t be effective in cleaning other things. Sometimes when I clean my motorcycle, I pick up a rag that has been used before and it smears instead of cleans. As a minister, my life has to be clean before I can help clean others. God works through pure vessels. I must keep my walk with God fresh and my heart pure so that He can flow through me untainted by other things.

Prayer:

Father, cleanse me and purify my heart. Let my hands be clean from any wrongdoing and let my heart be pure. Let Your river of life flow through me unhindered by the pollution of this world. Cleanse my mind, my heart, and my life from anything that would stop up the river of Your Spirit. Let me be clean and then pour Your Spirit through me.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Hunger for God’s Word

 Scripture:

“They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭9‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This passage stands out to me because, when they found the book of the Law, they stood for three hours while it was read and explained, then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord. They had returned to the land they were exiled from for 70 years. This generation didn’t grow up in the synagogue or Temple, yet when they heard the Word of God, they honored it, and responded to it.

Application:

When we hear the Word of God, we must read it as if our lives depended on it. We should appreciate the Word we take for granted. We should honor God’s word with great reverence. Personally, I need to go deeper in God’s Word. I want to know more and understand more. I want to have the same respect for God’s Word that would make a people stand for three hours to listen to it, then repent for three more hours.

Prayer:

Father, make me sensitive to Your word. Let me never take it for granted, but appreciate it, read it, and live by it. Let me truly hunger for Your Word. Let Bible reading and study not be a discipline, but a deep desire to know You more. Show me Your ways and teach me Your paths. Guide me through your Word and Spirit. I let Your Word come alive in my life and change me with it.

Yours,

Jeff

Determination

 Scripture:

“They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah had rebuilt the wall and was trying to finish the doors and gates. God had done an incredible thing, but his enemies were determined to shut him down and make him discouraged. They intimidated him, manipulated him, and fought against him, but he finished what the Lord wanted him to do. This verse said he continued the work with even greater determination.

Application:

There are times in our lives when the enemy wants to discourage us, frustrate us, and tell us we are failures. Our response must be like Nehemiah, work with even greater determination. When discouraged, there is a tendency in most people to slow down and stop trying hard. In God’s kingdom, discouragement should make us work harder and with greater determination.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. Help me to respond to pressure well. Help me to work with even more determination when things are not going well and people are against me. Show me when and how to be determined. Guide my heart and let me walk in step with You at all times. Show me when to fight, when to build, when to heal, and when to rest.

Yours,

Jeff

The Gracious Hand of God

 Scripture:

“And please give me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

When the king saw Nehemiah sad for the first time ever, he asked what was the matter. Nehemiah told him that he had heard his city was destroyed and burned. The king gave him permission to go rebuild it. Before he left the king’s presence, he asked for a letter instructing Asaph to give him the materials he would need to rebuild the city walls and gates. It says, “And the king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.”

Application:

I see the words, “because the gracious hand of the Lord was on me.” Or “because the good hand of God was on me.” Or “Because the Lord was with me.” They saw God in every good thing that happened to them. I want to be able to say, “because the good hand of God was on me.” Or “because of God’s favor and blessing…” More than anything, I want to be able man of God who sees the good hand of God in my life.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live in such a way that those around me can see the good hand of God on my life. Teach me to walk in step with You. Lead me. Guide me. Show me the way forward each and every day. I want Your gracious hand on my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Trust in God

Scripture:

 “So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

This passage reflects Ezra’s trust in God. He needed to have his people carry thousands of pounds of silver and gold back to Jerusalem. There would have been bandits and attacks along the way, especially when word got out that they were transporting lots of gold and silver. He didn’t feel right asking for help so he leaned on God. He led the people to fast and pray that God would take care of them, and He did. God saw his faith and showed up to help.

Application:

When we feel like there are impossible situations around us that we have no way of winning, we must fast, pray, and seek the Lord for His guidance and protection. He is able to help us and to guard us along life’s journeys. He still takes good care of those who trust in Him. The problem is, we tend to trust ourselves and our way of doing things rather than trusting the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to trust You more each day. Help me to You over my own thoughts and wisdom. When things are difficult, let me always turn to You and not to my own understanding. My understanding is limited, Yours is unlimited. Help me to see through Your eyes and to trust Your strong right arm.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

The Gracious Hand of God

 Scripture:

“And praise him for demonstrating such unfailing love to me by honoring me before the king, his council, and all his mighty nobles! I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me. And I gathered some of the leaders of Israel to return with me to Jerusalem.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭7‬:‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Ezra had been sent by the King of Persia to make sure the Temple had been built correctly and to dedicate it to the Lord. It is so interesting the three kings of Persia thought it was important to build the Temple and let God’s people go back to Jerusalem and worship Him there. Ezra felt honored to be honored by the king and his nobles. He was encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord was on him and he gathered some leaders of Israel and returned to Jerusalem. Ezra could sense that the good hand of God was on him and this was God’s doing.

Application:

I love it when the favor of God and His good hand comes upon my life. He has opened doors and done things in my life that are beyond belief. It is only God who can put you in places like that. It is His hand on your life that makes all the difference. When You are fully submitted to the Lord, He will put you on special assignments. He will open doors that seem impossible to open. You will stand and know that the good hand of God was on your life. It is very humbling.

Prayer:

Father, let Your good hand be upon my life. Let Your presence guide and guard me. Show me each step and help me to follow You well. I want to walk in step with You. I long for Your presence and Your touch on my life. Let You special favor rest on my life and help me to walk in obedience to whatever You open before me. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

What Counts

 Scripture:

“It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭15‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The entire letter to the Galatians is about people coming into the church and trying to push circumcision and following of the Jewish Law onto believers. They were making the Gentiles feel that they were not going to make it to heaven if they were not circumcised. Paul stood vehemently against this and told the Galatians that what matters is your relationship with God, and not the works of the Law. In this Scripture, he says what matters most is having been transformed into a new creation.

Application:

What matters most isn’t whether we follow certain Laws, but that we are made new in Christ and transformed by the power of His blood. The goal of the Gospel is new life. It is Christ in us, the hope of glory. It is about being led by the Spirit so we don’t fulfill the desires of the flesh. We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth and to show us how to live in this powerful Kingdom.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to walk in step with Your Spirit and. Transform my life more and more into the image of Christ. Let my heart, mind, soul, and body be submitted to Your Spirit at all times. Teach me to walk closely to You and not be legalistic. Let me be relationship driven. Show me where to draw lines. As a leader, show me the to walk the legalism and grace walk gracefully and effectively. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Independence Day

 Scripture:

“But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In Galatians, Paul writes to them to confront the fact that they were falling out of grace and back into the Law as a way to be holy. In this passage, he says that we are all prisoners of sin and that God’s promises of freedom comes, not by the Law, but by believing in Christ. It is interesting that Paul fights this so hard because he was a Jew of Jews at one point in his life. He was truly set free from the silvery of the Law.

Application:

Today is Independence Day in America. It is the day we celebrate our independence from England and our freedom as our own country. On this special day, I am reminded that freedom always costs something. For the United States, it has cost many lives who have fought to protect our freedom. In the spiritual, Christ died so that we could be set free from the slavery of sin. Freedom brings an obligation to defend it. As believers, we must walk in our freedom and defend our freedom from sin. It no longer has power over us!

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious! You are incredible! Help me to walk in step with Your Spirit and to accomplish all You have for my life. Teach me to live in obedience and freedom. I want to live free from the power of sin and death. Help me to follow You completely in every way. Thank You Jesus for paying the price for my freedom.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Can Use Your Enemies to Bless You

 Scripture:

““This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go there for this task. And may the Lord your God be with you!”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭36‬:‭23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

God’s people in Judah had rebelled terribly against Him and worshiped and served other gods. Because of that, God sent the Babylonians to take them out of Judah and to destroy the Temple. God had told them they would be deported for 70 years. While they were in exile, God spoke to a pagan king named Cyrus and told him to build the Temple back at Jerusalem. God used the ungodly to build a place for Him to be worshiped and to send His people back to their homeland.

Application:

God’s blessings don’t always come like we think they will. God can use our enemies to be a blessing to us. He can turn the hearts of leaders and cause them to work for His benefit. We can rely on our God. He is worthy of honor, praise, and glory. I need to be reminded this morning that God can use our enemies to become our blessings and that nothing is impossible for Him.

Prayer:

Father, You have been good to me all my life. Thank You for healing me, saving me, and cleansing me with the blood of Jesus. Thank You for answering my prayers. Thanks for letting me see You high and lifted up this morning. You are incredible! Operate in and through my life and teach me to trust You more. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Wholehearted Obedience

 Scripture:

“In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭31‬:‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

King Hezekiah re-established worship of God Almighty by refurbishing the Temple, cleansing and appointing priests, and destroying the altars of all other gods. He reinstituted the sacrificial system and worship of the one true and living God. This passage says of him that in all he did, he sought the Lord wholeheartedly and, as a result, he was very successful.

Application:

This word “wholeheartedly” keeps coming up in my readings lately. I hear the Lord saying He doesn’t want me halfhearted in my walk with Him. He is drawing me closer and deeper in this season into wholehearted obedience to Him. I don’t want to give God part of me. I want to give Him all of me. I want to live a life that is a sacrifice to God. I don’t want to live 99% sold out to God. I want to be wholehearted in my walk with Him.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be one of wholehearted devotion to You. Remove anything that hinders my wholehearted walk with You. Let my life be a sacrifice for You and Your honor. Help me to walk in submission in every area and obedient even when I don’t understand. Help me to say yes when You want yes and no when You want no. Let me give you my wholehearted best in every area. Also let me see the results of wholehearted obedience, Your blessing.

Your Son,

Jeff

Work Hard and Pray

 Scripture:

“And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people, for everything had been accomplished so quickly.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Hezekiah had a heart to refurbish the Temple of God in his day. When he became king, at a pretty young age, he went to work restoring the Temple. He quickly finished the work and dedicated it in a way that was acceptable to the Lord. The people rejoined and gave offerings of their cattle for the sacrificial offering to the Lord at the dedication. This passage says that the people rejoiced  because of what God had done for the people and for everything that was accomplished so quickly. 

Application:

It is interesting that, after all the hard work the people did, and the sacrificial giving they did for the dedication, they said it was the Lord who had done these things for the people. The reality is, we can work as hard as we can, but unless the Lord helps us, it is useless. The best combination is us working hard and the Lord working with us to accomplish His purposes. As we give Him glory for what He has done, we see great things accomplished for Him. When we work together with God, we accomplish amazing results. When we work hard in our flesh, we get tired.

Prayer:

Father, help me to work like it all depends on me and pray like it all depends on You. Teach me to be effective as a leader and to walk in Your authority. Let my life bring You honor and praise. Do things in my life and ministry that are unexplainable with human words. Do things so that we can say, “We worked hard, but it was impossible without the Lord.” I want You to get all the glory Lord.

Yours,

Jeff