Watchmen Warn

 Scripture:

““As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must warn them on my behalf.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭33‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel was told in this passage, that he was considered a watchman for the house of Israel. In other words, when he heard a word from God’s mouth, he was to warn them. A watchman looks out around a city or nation to see if an enemy is coming. They were set to know what is coming and to prepare the city of nation for what is coming. 

Application:

As a pastor, one of my primary jobs is to hear from God and know what He is saying. I must then deliver that word to His people. I have to watch what is happening in society, the church, the world, the nations, then seek God for what He has to say about these things. My ultimate job is to hear what God is speaking to the church, to our church, to our city, to our nation, and to the world. I need to then warn people about what is coming.

Prayer:

Father, help me to see what You see and hear what You speak. Open the heavens over my life and let me hear Your voice clearly. I want to say what You are saying and do what You are doing. Lead me. Guide me. Teach me. Help me to represent You well in my generation. Teach me Your ways and show me Your truths. Open my eyes as a watchman to see what the enemy is doing at the same time. 

Your Son,

Jeff

He is LORD!

 Scripture:

“When I turn the land of Egypt into desolation and the land is destitute of everything that fills it, when I strike all those who live in it, then they will know that I am the LORD.’” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭32‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Throughout Ezekiel, I keep hearing the same words over and over again. “Then they will know that I am the LORD.” The heart cry of God is to be worshiped. He longs for nations and peoples to know that He is the LORD. In this passage, He is speaking about Egypt, but throughout Ezekiel, the same words come about all the surrounding nations who have done Israel wrong or who worship other gods. 

Application:

God wants to be worshiped and honored as LORD. That goes for nations, as the prophets spoke constantly about, and it goes for us as individuals. When we are proud or boastful about what we have accomplished, God is not honored. He is awesome and we are not! He is incredible and we are not! The place of blessing with God comes from great humility before Him. We must realize that He is worthy of our highest praise and worship. He gave Himself for us and we should honor Him with our lives.

Prayer:

Father, You are the LORD over the entire world. You are LORD over the universe and all that makes it up. Your praise will continually be on my mouth and I will boast only in You. You are the source of every good thing in my life. You are my everything and I bless You my king. Help me to live in the fear of God and humility every day. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Revealing God’s Power

 Scripture:

““‘This is what the sovereign LORD says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭28‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel prophesies here that Israel will be gathered back together, after they had been exiled to the nations where God dispersed them. It says that God will reveal His sovereign power over them before the nations and that they would live in their own land again. The section closes by saying, “then they will know that I am LORD.” This speaks of what was happening right then in Israel, but sometimes there are double fulfillments in scripture. Israel becoming a nation again after 2000 years, was an absolute miracle. Now they are in the worldwide news every day. God is doing what He said thousands of years ago, what He would do.

Application:

The purpose of the restoration of Israel was, “Then they will know that I am the LORD.” God has restored Israel and made her powerful on the world stage. It is His doing and the world should stand up and take notice. What has happened there is a literal miracle. A people, a language, a nation that was gone for 2000 years re-emerges as a powerful nation that the world fears. Why? So we will know that God is the LORD over all the earth and that we would recognize Him and serve Him. We must live our lives knowing that God is working in our day and it is significant. I want to give my life to letting the world know that He is LORD.

Prayer:

Father, let my life bring Your glory. I want to make Your name famous in all the earth. Help me to live every day in service to You. Let Your light shine through my life and many turn to Christ. Lead me step by step. I want to follow You and Your plans accurately. I want to do Your will for my life every day.

I Am Yours,

Jeff

Difficult Obedience

 Scripture:

“Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the sovereign LORD.’” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭24‬:‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel was told by God that he was going to walk through a very difficult time. He was not to cover his lips or eat what people gave him. He was to let the people know that God was about to judge them and that they would go through an extremely difficult time. For Ezekiel, his wife died after he spoke to the people of God. He was told by God that this was an object lesson for Israel. This seems extreme, but God was trying everything to get His people to turn around. He was using Ezekiel’s life to demonstrate His intentions for His people. 

Application:

This seems very harsh of God. Would God really let Ezekiel’s wife die to get his point to Israel about their sins? Rather than think that way, we must realize the depth of God’s anguish when His people don’t follow Him or walk in His ways. Ezekiel’s wife paid the ultimate praise for Israel’s sin so that they would hopefully repent and be spared. Sometimes God allows things in our lives that are not fun or good. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We must realize that God has bigger plans. We must live our lives submitted to Him when it makes sense and when it doesn’t. We don’t know if Ezekiel’s wife was already sick and died or if she just died suddenly. What we know is, God was sending a message to His people. 

Prayer:

Father, I offer You my life. When I don’t understand why certain things happen to me, help me to see Your bigger picture. Teach me Your heart and help me to know Your ways. Let me walk with You closer than ever before. I am Yours. Keep me aligned with Your will at all times. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Distinguish

 Scripture:

“Her priests abuse my law and have desecrated my holy things. They do not distinguish between the holy and the profane, or recognize any distinction between the unclean and the clean. They ignore my Sabbaths and I am profaned in their midst.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭22‬:‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking to Ezekiel here about the condition of His people. In this passage he directly speaks about the priests. He says they have desecrated holy things, the don’t distinguish between holy and profane, and they don’t distinguish between holy and unholy. In other words, the priests were not differentiating right from wrong. They were accepting whatever happened instead of bringing correction.

Application:

From this passage, we can see that God takes sin and overlooking sin very seriously. He expects His people to distinguish what is right from what is wrong. Our society today doesn’t like leaders who speak truth about what is right and what is wrong in our nation. When we speak up, people get offended. When we don’t say anything, people get offended. As a pastor, I need to speak on behalf of God and distinguish what is right from what is wrong. I need to speak about what is clean and what is unclean. I need to be more vocal about what pleases God and what doesn’t.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. Help me to please You in the way I lead people. Empower me to speak Your truth in the midst of a generation that doesn’t want to hear. Let me accurately represent You and Your word and not take the easy road. Help me to say what You are saying and do what You are doing. I want to represent You well. Speak through me LORD.

Yours,

Jeff

God Raises and God Puts Down

 Scripture:

“All the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it!’”” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭17‬:‭24‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

The LORD had been telling Israel all hers sins and the punishment for them. He listed to them exactly what they had done and told them that they had prostituted themselves with other gods. At the end of this chapter, the LORD says something powerful, “I make the high tree low; I raise up the low tree. I make the green tree wither, and I make the dry tree sprout.” In other words, God can change anything. He can raise up and He can put down.

Application:

If God can raise up and put down, then our best response is obedience in every area. We are to trust the Lord and serve Him. We shouldn’t promote ourselves, but let Him work in our lives. He can make things happen that we have no power over. He can lift us up or put us down quickly. Our trust must be in Him. Our obedience, must follow our trust.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You well. Let my life bring You honor. I trust You with all I am and all I have. You are good and Your mercies are new every morning. Your faithfulness is great! Teach me to walk in a way You can bless.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Then They Will Know

 Scripture:

““Then they will know that I am the LORD when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among foreign countries.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭12‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Throughout the book of Ezekiel you hear the phrase, “then they will know that I am the LORD.” It is also through many of the prophets. Through the prophets one can hear the voice of the Lord telling His people that He wants them to know who He is and what they are missing out on. Sometimes when He blesses a people he says, “then they will know I am the LORD.” Sometimes when He curses a people, he says, “then they will know I am the LORD.” The bottom line is that God wants us to know He is God and that He is all powerful. 

Application:

God is looking for a people who will realize that He is all-powerful. He wants a people who know He is God Almighty. I want to respond by following Him completely and letting Him know that He is God over everything and everyone. He is the Most High God. I KNOW He is God and I want to serve Him completely.

Prayer:

LORD, You are awesome and I love You. You are the LORD of heaven and earth. You are God Most High, avoid every other thing. You are amazing and it is an honor to serve You. Help me to worship You as You want to be worshiped. Let my life be used for Your glory and the honor of Your name. Teach me to serve You well as I endeavor to represent You to those Your entrusted to me. Let my life be pleasing to You in every way and let is say, “I know You are the LORD”

Yours, 

Jeff

The Voice of God

 Scripture:

“The sound of the wings of the cherubim could be heard from the outer court, like the sound of the sovereign God when he speaks.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭10‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Scripturally, there are times when God’s voice is loud like a trumpet, shaking the heavens and the earth. There are times when His enemies shudder at the sound of His voice. In this passage, Ezekiel encounters the strong sound of the wings of the cherubim and compares the sound to the voice of God when He speaks. Apparently, Ezekiel didn’t always hear the still, small voice, but at times encountered the thinned ring voice of the Almighty. 

Application:

I have learned to be sensitive to the still, small, voice of God in my life, but have always longed to hear the powerful, strong, thunderous voice of God that is undeniable. I want to encounter God is new ways and to experience His strong presence and voice. I long to hear the audible voice of God. Honestly, it is mostly because I don’t want to miss out on anything God wants me to do, so it would be easier to hear an audible voice. I want to hear clearly and obey diligently. 

Prayer:

Father, once again I come to You. Let my ears be open to hear Your voice clearly. I want to hear the thunderous voice of the Almighty. I long to know Your will for my life at all times. I love Your still, small, voice, but I want to speak accurately what You are speaking to Your people. Help me to hear better, but I also ask You to let me hear Your audible voice at times as men in the Bible seem to have heard it.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Then They Will Know

Scripture:

“The king will mourn and the prince will be clothed with shuddering; the hands of the people of the land will tremble. Based on their behavior I will deal with them, and by their standard of justice I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the LORD!”” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭7‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In our chapters today, God is speaking through Ezekiel about the terrible things that are coming on God’s people. He is saying that devastating judgment is coming Israel and Judah because of their continual sin and disobedience. In the midst of some devastating chapters, you still hear the heart of the Lord when He says, “Then they will know that I am the LORD!”

Application:

Even in the harshest discipline, the heart of the LORD is demonstrated when He says they will then know he is the LORD. I believe it is a whole lot better to acknowledge and serve Him before we have to face judgment, than to have to endure judgment in order to know Him. As for me, I want to walk in obedience, and not face God’s discipline, but it is beautiful to know that even in discipline, His heart is for people to know He is God.

Prayer:

Father, I want the world to know You are God Almighty. Let my life be used for Your glory. Teach me to walk in step with You and to obey everything You give me to do. I want to serve You well and I long to hear You say, “Well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord.” Let Your favor rest on my life and on everything I do. Let me live for Your glory and declare Your name to the nations of the world. 

Yours Forever, 

Jeff

Speak Truth and Leave it to God

 Scripture:

“You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.” ‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When Ezekiel was called by God to be a prophet to the people of Israel, the Lord prepared him. He told Ezekiel that they were hard hearted and would not listen to him. Even though he was told they would not repent and turn, he was given the mandate to tell them the truth and prophesy. In this verse he was told by God that he had to speak God’s words, whether they listen or not because they are rebellious.

Application:

There are times when God will ask us to do hard things. He always prepares us for those moments. He expects no less than obedience to His call, even when His call is hard. Our job is to deliver the message and do our part. We are not to evaluate outcomes when it comes to obedience. Many times as a pastor, this is difficult because we want good outcomes and for people to hear and change when we speak. The reality is, we are accountable to God to lead and speak whatever He puts in our hearts. We must then be good with the results. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow Your voice completely and to do what You speak to me. Teach me to walk in complete obedience, even when that doesn’t make sense to me. Let me hear Your voice clearly, that I may convey Your message to Your people well. Teach me to walk in step with You all the days of my life and to represent Your and Your message well.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Do Good and Share

 Scripture:

“And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As the letter to the Hebrews comes to a close, the author gives out some things to do and to think about. This simple phrase is a great reminder of how we should live our lives. He tells us not to neglect doing good and sharing what we have. He then adds one comment, “God is pleased with such sacrifices.” 

Application:

I want to live a life that God is pleased with. I understand works and don’t feel I need to work for my salvation, but I do want to live a life that God can bless and that God can honor. I want to do the things that please Him because He has done so much for me. I need to share what I have and do good at every opportunity, because this pleases God.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, show me daily how I can be a blessing to others. Help me not to neglect doing good and and sharing what I have with others. I want to be a generous person and a helpful person. Guide me into opportunities and provide the resources so I can be a blessing to more and more people.

Yours,

Jeff

Our High Priest

 Scripture:

“So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The author of Hebrews was talking about priests who had to offer their sacrifices for their own sins, then the sins of the people. Since Christ lived a perfect life, died, and rose again from the dead, He always lives to intercede for us. He doesn’t have to get cleaned so He can make us clean. We are clean because He is clean and He continues to make intercession for us. 

Application:

We have the perfect high priest. Jesus did everything required for Himself and for us. When we trust Him with our lives, we are justified by His blood. We must live, not wondering if we have been forgiven, but knowing that we have a better priest who died once, and now lives to intercede for us. We are made holy because He is holy. We are righteous because He is righteous. He is able to save us completely because He is perfect, not because we are perfect.

Prayer:

Lord, You are good and Your mercy and loving kindness are forever. Thank You for paying the ultimate price to be the perfect high priest. Thank You for interceding and working in my life to keep me on track. Guide me by Your Spirit every day and let my life bring Your praise. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Confirmed Witness

 Scripture:

“while God confirmed their witness with signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The author of Hebrews describes Jesus in the beginning of his letter. He then moves to speaking about how the early church functioned as witnesses of Christ. It says that God confirmed their witness with signs, wonders, miracles, and the gifts of the Spirit. We need God to back up and confirm our witness, our preaching, our teaching, etc. if we want to be effective in His ministry.

Application:

I don’t want to preach, teach, lead, or advance God’s kingdom without His confirmation. I don’t want to walk in the flesh, but in the power of the Spirit. I long for God to confirm the Gospel I preach with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts. I don’t want to present a powerless Gospel, but a Gospel that can truly change lives. I want the touch of the Almighty on everything I do. I don’t want to try to do a work for God. I want God to work through my life, doing what He wants to do. We need confirmation from heaven that we are preaching the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prayer:

Lord, confirm Your word with signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Spirit. I don’t want to operate, lead, function, preach, or teach without Your accompanying signs and wonders. Let Word of Life be a place where Your presence is tangible, powerful, and observable through what You are doing in our midst. Confirm Your Word with signs following and lives changed.

Your Son,

Jeff

Running Toward God in Troubled Times

 Scripture:

“But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you keep on forgetting us? Why do you forsake us so long? Bring us back to yourself, O LORD, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before,” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In the midst of lamenting over the deportation of Israel and Judah, Jeremiah takes another look at God and reminds himself who God is. He reminds himself during his trouble that God reigns forever. He does reveal his disappointment in that fact that God seems to have abandoned them. Finally, he asks God to bring His people back to Him for renewal back to how things were. He prophesied 70 years, but during that 70 years, he wanted God to turn things around.

Application:

When things are not going the way we want them to, we must remember that God reigns forever and that our seasons will change. Even when we feel like God has forsaken us or abandoned us, we can know that He hasn’t. He still has a plan. It just may not be according to our timing. It is according to His timing. All we can do during difficult times is to turn to God and not away. The answer is always found in running toward God, even when we feel disappointed by Him.

Prayer:

Lord, I look to You. You are the source and the strength of my life. Help me to keep my eyes on You through whatever comes against me or whatever happens to me. Teach me to walk with You, not complaining, but realizing that You are God and You are in control. Help me to be boldly confident in my walk with You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

New Every Morning

 Scripture:

“The LORD’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant!” ‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

It is believed that Jeremiah wrote Lamentations. It comes right after Jeremiah in the Bible. In Jeremiah, he prophesied that Babylon would overtake Judah and they would be captive for 70 years. At the end of Jeremiah, it happened. Lamentations is lamenting over what happened in Jerusalem and Judah. In the midst of lamenting over what had happened, Jeremiah writes these words, “The LORD’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant.”

Application:

After lamenting for a while because things haven’t worked out like we wanted them to in our lives, we must remember that God is still good and that his mercies are new every morning because His faithfulness is great. In the middle of difficult and trying times, we must remind ourselves that God is still good and He still has a plan for our lives. Every day we can say, His mercies are new every morning because great is His faithfulness.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible! I love serving You and walking with You. You are my source and my strength. You are my everything. Thank You for the honor of serving You and Your people. Help me to see Your mercies every morning, even when things are not going the way I wanted them to go. Help me to know deep in my heart that God has everything under control and that You are good!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Deepen My Understanding

 Scripture:

“I pray that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing that belongs to you in Christ.” ‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul writes to Philemon and tells him that he is praying that his faith will deepen his understanding of every blessing that belongs to him in Christ. There are blessings in following Christ that we may not even understand at this point in our walk. 

Application:

As for me, I want to understand every blessing that belongs to me in Jesus Christ. I don’t want to leave anything that belongs to me on the table. I want to know Christ like Paul, in the fellowship of His suffering and in the power of His resurrection. I want my understanding deepened of every blessing Christ has for me.

Prayer:

Father, open the eyes of my understanding to be able to see all that Christ has accomplished for me. Help me to walk in understanding and to leave nothing on the table that Christ died to give us. I want to serve You well in my generation and to know Your heart, mind, and will at all times. Teach me to follow You well. Deepen my understanding of spiritual things.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Always Plans a Turnaround

 Scripture:

““You descendants of Jacob, my servants, do not be afraid; do not be terrified, people of Israel. For I will rescue you and your descendants from the faraway lands where you are captives. The descendants of Jacob will return to their land and enjoy peace. They will be secure and no one will terrify them.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭46‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God had just spoken through Jeremiah about the destruction of His people and His powerful discipline of them for following other gods. He was telling them how bad things would be for them because of their disobedience, then He comes through with this verse and the following one saying not to be terrified because He would rescue them in the future and bring them back home where they would have peace and security, and no one would terrify them.

Application:

Even in God’s discipline and frustration with His people, He always has a plan to turn it around and bless them. He just needs them to repent and turn to Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. In our lives, we mess up and may even endure some of God’s discipline, but we can rest assured that when we repent and run to Him, He will make a way for us. When we respond to Him, He always answers. When we return to Him, He is faithful to return to us. 

Prayer:

Father, I don’t ever want to endure Your discipline, but when I mess up, help me to quickly repent and turn to You with all my heart. Teach me to humble myself before You. I don’t want to miss out on one thing You have planned for my life. Help me to live fully surrendered to You at all times. Guide me. Lead me. Direct and ordain my steps. I want to live in Your blessing all the days of my life and accomplish all You have for me!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Obedience When it is Difficult

 Scripture:

“We will obey what the LORD our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do. It does not matter whether we like what he tells us or not. We will obey what he tells us to do so that things will go well for us.”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭42‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Judah was being overtaken by Babylon and they asked Jeremiah to go hear the word of the Lord. They said, “We will obey what the LORD our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do… we will obey.” Jeremiah went to the LORD and got a word from God. The Lord told him to tell them that they should stay in the land and He would protect them from the Babylonians. They promised to do whatever the LORD spoke, until the LORD spoke. They decided to go to Egypt rather than obey the voice of the LORD. 

Application:

It’s easy to say, “LORD, I will do whatever You ask me to do. I’ll go where You want me to go and live how You want me to live.” These are wonderful promises we make to God, but God looks for action, not intent. He wants to know if we will really follow Him, or only if it is convenient. We constantly say things like, “God knows my heart” which is really an excuse not to put into action what God is speaking to us. Obedience needs to be our final voice. We speak with our actions. As for me, I want to do what the Lord speaks to me. I want to fulfill all that He has for me in my life. 

Prayer:

Father, help me not to be one who says one thing, but does another when times get tough. Help me to live for You completely and never surrender to the voices around me. Help me to walk in Your Spirit every moment of my life. Teach me Your ways and let me finish everything You have set apart for me to do. I am Yours.

Forever,

Jeff

Trust God

 Scripture:

“I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence. You will escape with your life because you trust in me. I, the LORD, affirm it!”’”” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭39‬:‭18‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

In this passage, God is speaking about Ebed Melech, an Ethiopian. It was a time of devastation for most, but this man was spared because he trusted in God. He wasn’t an Ethiopian, but one who trusted in God. Therefore, he was spared when judgement came. He escaped the same violence that killed  everyone else, why? Because he trusted God.

Application:

Trust and faith can be used almost interchangeably. When we have faith in God, and trust Him, He will make a way to protect us from every attack that comes against us. When we walk with Christ, we are covered from all attacks of the enemy. God honors faith. He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. As we seek Him, He fights our battles. That’s a really good trade deal.

Prayer:

Father, May I always be a seeker of You and a seeker of truth. I want to know You more and more each day. Help me to walk with You faithfully and to follow Your voice completely. May my life accomplish everything You planned for it to accomplish. Teach me to yield completely to You. Let me represent You well on the earth in my generation. I want to make You known in all the earth.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Real Struggles in Ministry

 Scripture:

' Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.'  Jeremiah 20:18

Observation:

In this chapter, Jeremiah is wishing he had never been born. He says that God made him become a prophet and that he would really rather do something else. He says that he is tired of being ridiculed for being such a negative prophet and always speaking of destruction. By the end of the chapter, he says this verse. He is depressed and wishes he had never been born. He sees nothing but bad, trouble, grief, and shame.

Application:

It is good to realize that even some of God's most powerful and accurate prophets struggled with times of wanting to quit. The Bible is beautiful in that it doesn't hide these things or soften them. We can see how people really felt in the Scriptures. For my application, I must admit that there are times I feel like Jeremiah and wish I could have done something else. There are times when I struggle because things have not happened like I wanted them to. There are times when I struggle because I feel like I have failed as a leader because people aren't following. My application today is that when I feel like that, I realize that Jeremiah and other incredible people of God had their days of struggle as well. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for making Your word real and honest about the lives of those in the pages. You didn't hide anything. You show us how they really felt. Thank You for being with me all the days of my life. Forgive me when I complain to You, and help me to remain faithful to all You ask of me. Help me keep a right perspective during times of trial and change. 

Yours Forever,
Jeff

The Pottery Barn

 Scripture:

' “I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’ ' Jeremiah 18:6

Observation:

God showed Jeremiah a potter's house and showed him the potter at the wheel. As the potter worked with the clay, it changed several times before the final product was complete. We, like Israel, are like clay in the hands of the potter, we must let Him work in our lives to make us into His desire for us. We can't self-create what we want. We must serve the potter and trust Him to work out the details of our lives.

Application:

We must live our lives in the hands of the potter. We must allow God to work on us, shaping us into what he has designed for us to be. We must stay on the wheel while He is working and not take ourselves off because we don't like the way He is working on us. Our place is to be pliable and workable clay in the potter's hands, allowing ourselves to be shaped into His image. We don't live our lives for our own purposes, but for the purposes of our Creator.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to live a life shaped by Your hands. Help me to accomplish everything You want me to accomplish. You are awesome, and I want to serve You well. Teach me Your ways and let me walk on Your paths. Guide my steps and work through my life. Pour out Your Spirit this week in Ghana as I share Your word. Let my ears be open to Your voice and my heart be pure.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Our Hope is in the Lord

 Scripture:

' Do any of the worthless idols of the nations cause rain to fall? Do the skies themselves send showers? Is it not you, O Lord our God, who does this? So we put our hopes in you because you alone do all this.”' 
Jeremiah 14:22

Observation:

In this passage, God's people cry out to Him because they have heard His plans of destruction for Judah. They told the Lord that none of the worthless idols can bring rain and the skies themselves cannot bring rain, but that the Lord can do this. Therefore, their hope was in the Lord. 

Application:

There is no sense in trying to serve ourselves or the gods of the people around us. It is God alone who can bring rain from heaven. It is God alone who can work on behalf of His people. Our trust must be in something solid that is trustworthy. Only God Almighty is really able to deliver us when things are bad, or heal us when we need healing. Our trust must not be in man or any idol. Our trust must be in the Lord. He alone is worthy to be praised and worshiped.

Prayer: 

Father, teach me to trust You more and to never try to work things out on my own. Teach me to walk with You throughout my journey. You are amazing, and I love You with all my heart. Help me to walk humbly before You. Move in power this week in Ghana. Touch many lives for Your glory. Let Your kingdom be extended through our work here.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Humility and Special Favor

 Scripture:

“My hand made them; that is how they came to be,” says the LORD. I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭66‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking here through Isaiah and tells His people that He shows special favor to the humble and contrite, and those who respect what He has to say. This is a very clear blessing for those who remain humble before God and who tremble at His voice. He promises “special favor.”

Application:

My place in serving God is to walk humbly before Him and to do whatever He speaks and puts into my heart. For me, I want to live in the “special favor” category. Therefore, I must walk in humility and contrition. I need to, as the end of the verse says, “respect” what God has to say. I want to live my life in obedience to God’s call and will for me. 

Prayer:

Father, You are my everything! Help me to walk in humility, contrition, and realizing that You made, You called me, You anointed me, and I can do nothing apart from You. I ask You for special favor this morning. Help me to walk in humility every day of my life and to follow You completely. 

Yours,

Jeff

Divine Intervention

 Scripture:

“Since ancient times no one has heard or perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who intervenes for those who wait for him.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah speaks in this passage about God. He lets us know that no one has ever heard or seen any God that comes even close to our God. He describes God by saying that He intervenes for those who wait for Him. He is not just a god out there to be worshiped, but He is a God who intervenes in the lives of real people.

Application:

In this beautiful passage about God intervening in the lives of His people, we see that there is one condition. He said God intervenes for those who wait for Him. Waiting is much harder than we like to think. God promises to come through for us, but we must sometimes be willing to wait. Waiting implies we are looking forward to a better future once God intervenes. 

Prayer:

Father, teach me to wait. Help me to walk in patient expectation of Your promises. Lord, I’m with Isaiah, the world has never seen or heard of a God like You. You never fail and always come out as the victor. Help me to live in faith, knowing that You will intervene in the situations of my life. 

Yours,

Jeff

The Rest of the Promise

 Scripture:

“to strengthen those who mourn in Zion, by giving them a turban, instead of ashes, oil symbolizing joy, instead of mourning, a garment symbolizing praise, instead of discouragement. They will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the LORD to reveal his splendor.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse actually continues a word from verse 2, which is very familiar. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me and has anointed me to… in this verse “strengthen those who mourn in Zion, giving them a turban instead of ashes, oil of joy instead of mourning, praise instead of discouragement, and they will be called oaks of righteousness, trees planted by the Lord.” This is the rest of the promise that Jesus came to fulfill. These trade offs are incredible promises to God’s people, but we have to walk in them. 

Application:

We need to shift our thinking from mourning, discouragement, and ashes, to joy, praise, and righteousness. Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry preached the text right up to this point, and probably this as well. He came, not just to deliver us, heal us, and free us, but to give us joy, praise, and righteousness. We must make the decision to walk in what Jesus has already provided. Today, I choose joy, praise, and righteousness. I want to live for what Jesus died for.

Prayer:

Father, let Your joy fill my life! Let Your peace fill my life. Let Your love fill my life. Let me represent You well in all that I do. Teach me Yours ways and help me to walk in Your paths. You are incredible and I love You more each day. Let my life reveal Your splendor as the end of this verse says. Reveal Yourself through my life. I give it completely to You for Your purposes.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Sabbath Rest

 Scripture:

“You must observe the Sabbath rather than doing anything you please on my holy day. You must look forward to the Sabbath and treat the LORD’s holy day with respect. You must treat it with respect by refraining from your normal activities, and by refraining from your selfish pursuits and from making business deals. Then you will find joy in your relationship to the LORD, and I will give you great prosperity, and cause crops to grow on the land I gave to your ancestor Jacob.” Know for certain that the LORD has spoken.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage I see the importance God puts on observing the Sabbath. He tells His people they must look forward to Sabbath and treat it with respect. He reminds them that they are to refrain from their normal activities on that day, then they would find joy in their relationship with the Lord. He adds that He will make them very prosperous and would bless their crops if they would love the Sabbath.

Application:

When God rested on the seventh day, it wasn’t because He was tired. He was showing us the importance of what later would become one of the Ten Commandments. When I look at Sabbath in the Old Testament, I see God promises incredible things to those who follow it and do what He says. We are not under the OT Law anymore, but we can definitely learn from it what God wants for His people. He wants us to rest in Him and trust Him with the results by taking a day to honor Him.

Prayer:

Father, help me to Sabbath well and to trust that You will take care of things in my life when I honor You with one day per week. Teach me to walk with You and to honor Your commands. I want to live in such a way that You can bless my life. Help me to trust You more and to walk in obedience to Your commands. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Don‘t Be Ashamed or Fearful

 Scripture:

“Don’t be afraid, for you will not be put to shame! Don’t be intimidated, for you will not be humiliated! You will forget about the shame you experienced in your youth; you will no longer remember the disgrace of your abandonment.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭54‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah speaks to God’s people here saying that they will not be put to shame. He told them not to be intimidated because they would not be humiliated. He encouraged God’s people to forget about the shame of their youth and to forget about the disgrace of their abandonment. This promise comes to all of God’s children.

Application:

God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. As believers, we need to forget about our shame because we are cleaned by the blood of Jesus Christ. We need to stop thinking through a shame based mindset. He that the Son sets free, is free indeed. We are meant to live in freedom, not fear. We are to live by faith, not fear. We should never be intimidated, no matter how bad things look at the time because God will bring us out. We have nothing to fear because we have the Lord on our side.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk in faith and not fear. Teach me to trust that You know all things and that You have my nest interests in mind. Help me not to walk in fear, but to know I have heard from You and then be bold and confident. Help me to lead Your people well. Let me never lead from a shame-based mindset, but by a faith-based mindset.

Your Son,

Jeff

Overwhelming Joy

 Scripture:

“Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return; they will enter Zion with a happy shout. Unending joy will crown them, happiness and joy will overwhelm them; grief and suffering will disappear.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51‬:‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah speaks to God’s people here saying that those whom the Lord has ransomed, will have a happy shout, and overwhelming joy. He says that grief and suffering will disappear from them. These are incredible promises for God’s people who are ransomed.

Application:

The cross paid our ransom as New Testament believers. Therefore, we can claim this promise as our very own. This morning I am claiming unending joy as a crown, and overwhelming joy as mine. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and Should be a significant part of our lives as Christians because of the Holy Spirit. Grief and suffering have to go away from our lives because we have been ransomed.

Prayer:

Father, I claim Your joy, happiness, and peace in my life. I thank You that Jesus paid the ransom for my life and therefore, I don’t have to live in suffering and grief. Help me to walk in the Spirit every day of my life. Teach me to follow Your ways and to live a full life. I want to represent You well in my generation.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Self-Description

 Scripture:

“This is what the LORD, your protector, says, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you how to succeed, who leads you in the way you should go.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭48‬:‭17‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking in this passage and He tells His people that He is their protector. God protects what belongs to Him. He goes on to say that He teaches us to succeed and leads us in the way we should go. We are never left on our own to figure things out. He is with us, protects us, leads us, and teaches us how to succeed.

Application:

God delights in blessing His people. He loves to prosper those who are fully committed to Him. He is faithful to His word and does what He says He will do. We can trust our God. He is the only one who can lead us into all truth and bless our lives with prosperity. We must learn to trust Him more and more each day. We must listed for His voice and follow Him completely. We can then walk in His abundant provision. 

Prayer:

Father, You are good and Your mercies are new every morning. You are my strength and my shield. You are my help and my source. Thank You for loving me, caring for me, and showing me my next steps at all times. Continue to guide me into all truth. Lead me into a life that You can prosper. Help me to accomplish everything You put me in this world to accomplish. I am Yours.

Forever,

Jeff

Joshua and Jordan

 Scripture:

“For I will pour water on the parched ground and cause streams to flow on the dry land. I will pour my spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your children. They will sprout up like a tree in the grass, like poplars beside channels of water. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD,’ and another will use the name ‘Jacob.’ One will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and use the name ‘Israel.’”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭44‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

This is a word for Israel given by Isaiah. He says that God is going to pour water on dry ground and make streams flow on dry land. He said He would pour His Spirit on their offspring and bless their children. He said they would be like trees along the banks of a river. He said one would say, “I belong to the Lord” and the other would write on his hand, “The Lord’s”. My sons are Joshua and Jordan Jacob. 

Application:

I am taking this word today as a prophetic word for my personal direct descendants. I want to see God pour out His Spirit on my two sons. One of them already has “YHWH” tatooed on his hand (wrist). They are both “Jacob” by name. Joshua has a tatoo of Psalm 23:4 “I will not be afraid because You are with me.” 

Prayer:

Father, I thank You for this today. I claim that both my sons will have an outpouring of Your Spirit in their lives. May they walk with You and know You intimately. Let them follow You and grow into trees of righteousness.  Let them both be set apart for You and Your purposes.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

God’s Not Tired or Unwise

 Scripture:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is an eternal God, the creator of the whole earth. He does not get tired or weary; there is no limit to his wisdom. He gives strength to those who are tired; to the ones who lack power, he gives renewed energy.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah brings a powerful word to God’s people. He tells them that God does not get weary and there is no limit to his wisdom. He ten tells them that God gives strength to the tired and renewed energy to those who lack power. Basically, He gives us whatever we need to keep on going forward.

Application:

God is infinitely wise and powerful. Therefore, nothing is beyond Him and He can be trusted with whatever we give Him. When we are tired, He gives us strength. When we are faint, He restores us. We can trust God with every aspect of our lives. In our weakness, He is made strong. He is faithful, generous, kind, and powerful. He is able to defeat any and every enemy that we face. Our job is to humble ourselves before Him and glorify His name.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible and it is an honor to serve You. Help me to serve You well and to never forget Your awesomeness. Help me to never forget that You are the source of every good thing in my life. You are my strength when I am tired, my joy when I am down. You are my peace in a storm and my fortress when under attack. You are my everything and I bless You this morning.

Yours,

Jeff

Intense Devotion

 Scripture:

““For a remnant will leave Jerusalem; survivors will come out of Mount Zion. The intense devotion of the LORD who commands armies will accomplish this.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭32‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah gives King Hezekiah a word about the enemies of God and their overthrow of Judah. God told him that only a remnant would be leaving Jerusalem at this time and that survivors would come from Zion. He then reminds the king that “the intense devotion of the LORD who commands armies with accomplish this.” 

Application:

God is not only devoted to His people, He is intensely committed to His people. God’s devotion is intense! I love this picture. We can know that God is intensely devoted to us and that He will accomplish what He says He will accomplish in our lives. We can trust Him. He has proven Himself over and over again. Our job is to trust the commander of heaven’s armies to do what He says He will do.

Prayer:

Commander of Heaven’s Armies, You are worthy of praise and worship. You are my king, my rock, my fortress, and my God! You are everything to me. Help me to trust You more, even when the battles are raging against me. Help me to rely on You and Your intense devotion to me rather than trying to fight on my own. You are the commander I can trust.

Yours,

Jeff

Responding to Your Enemies

 Scripture:

“They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭36‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The king of Assyria was telling God’s people that they were going to be attacked and destroyed. He told them that their God would not be able to help them because none of the gods of the other countries had rescued them. King Hezekiah told them that God would fight their battles and defeat the Assyrians. When they were taunted by the Assyrians, the king told them not to respond. 

Application:

There are times when the enemy wants to taunt us and tell us we are going to fail. He wants us to think that God won’t rescue us. Sometimes silence is the best option. When we respond, it is easy to give into fear, panic, or thoughts of destruction. There are times when the best response is no response. Rather, we put our confidence in God and not ourselves. When the enemy can’t get a response, he gets nervous because he realizes that we are not going to be controlled by fear.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, show me when to respond and when to be quiet. Teach me to to battle well. Show me how to respond in each and every situation. Let my ears be open and my eyes be upon You. You are my help and my healer. You are my strength and my confidence. You are my everything.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

The Voice of God

 Scripture:

“You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, “This is the correct way, walk in it,” whether you are heading to the right or the left.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭30‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This is a promise given to Israel, and to us as children of God. In the context, God’s people were returning to Him and this is the promise of those who follow the Lord. It says, “You will hear a word spoken behind you.” That voice will tell you the correct way to walk. In the New Testament we are told to walk in step with the Spirit. We were meant to be led by the Spirit of God.

Application:

This verse promises us that we will hear the voice of the Spirit, showing us what to do and which way to go. When we need direction, we should listen for the voice of the Spirit. When we need guidance, we should listen for the voice of the Spirit. We should be hearing words spoken behind us giving us direction and leading us to a closer walk with Christ. As for me, I want to live a Spirit-sensitive life and to be led by Him every day.

Prayer:

Lord, You know my desire to hear Your voice clearly. You know every detail of my life and the direction I should be going at any given time. Guide me Holy Spirit. Teach me Mighty God. Show me things to come and help me prepare for them. I want to hear the voice of God clearly. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Exalt the Lord

 Scripture:

“O LORD, you are my God! I will exalt you in praise, I will extol your fame. For you have done extraordinary things, and executed plans made long ago exactly as you decreed.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭25‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah cries out to the Lord and says, “You are my God! I will exalt you in praise.” He started by making it personal. He declared God to be HIS God. He then moves into praise and exaltation. He declares that God has done extraordinary things and fulfilled His prophetic words. Isaiah knew God and was ready to extol His name.

Application:

The more we know God, the more we love Him. The more was know Him, the more impressed we are. The more we walk with Him, the more we see His awesomeness and want to extol His name. I want to know God more intimately every day. I want to exalt and extol the Lord forever. I want to see Him working and declare His praise.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You. You are worthy of my praise. I extol You. I exalt Your name. You are holy, righteous, mighty, majestic, and powerful. You are worthy of my very best. You are amazing! Help me to live in awe of You at all times and to declare Your goodness to the nations.

Yours,

Jeff

The Keys are in Your Hands

 Scripture:

““At that time I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. He will become a protector of the residents of Jerusalem and of the people of Judah. I will place the key to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭22‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, God says that He was going to summon Eliakim. Isaiah was to put his robe on him, tie his belt around him, and transfer authority to him. Then God says He will place a key on his shoulder of the house of David. When he opens the door, no one can close it and when He closes a door, no one can open it. Authority opens and closes doors.

Application:

When God anoints a person and gives them authority, He backs it up with open and closed doors. Keys are small, yet powerful because they can open large doors and gates. As a man of God, I must realize that God has put some keys in my hands. I must open and close the doors that He is leading me to open and close. Sometimes I am waiting for an open door, but the Lord is saying, “I have already given you the keys.” Using the keys and opening the doors is on us. There are times when God will open the doors and there are times when the keys are in our hands and we must open the doors.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for sharing this with me today. Help me to use the authority You have given me. Help me to take authority to open and close doors. Help me to lead well in this generation. Show me the way forward in every situation, then help me step into the doorway because I already have the keys.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Justice and Mercy

 Scripture:

“The LORD will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the LORD’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the LORD and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God speaks here about the Egyptians. It was the Egyptians that enslaved God’s people for 400 years, yet God still loves them and reaches out to them. He sent the plagues upon them in the past, the Lord reaches out to bless them. Here it tells us that Egypt will acknowledge the Lord’s authority and that the Lord would strike them, then heal them, then they would turn to Him.

Application:

Just as God deals with the Egyptians in this passage, He faithfully loves His people. His love is always reaching out to a people that have turned from Him many times and worshiped other gods. In this passage it says that God strikes, them, then heals them. God loves us and wants what it best for our lives, but we must pursue Him. When we turn to God, He listens and answers our prayers. Our place is to humble ourselves before Him. He then will listen to our prayers and heal us.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I worship You! Help me to live a life that follows You completely. Teach me to walk in step with your Spirit and to fulfill Your will in and through my life. I want to walk humbly before You and complete every assignment You give me. Give me and ear to ear and a heart to follow You wholeheartedly.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Love and Justice

 Scripture:

“Wail, for the LORD’s day of judgment is near; it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is a god of love, peace, joy, patience, and goodness, but He is also the God who will judge the living and the dead. His love can be trusted in beautifully, but so can His justice. In this passage, Isaiah delivers a warning to Babylon that destruction is coming and that God is going to judge them for their actions through the years.

Application:

God is to be loved, honored, worshiped, and also to be feared. He will stand as the judge of the whole earth one day and will judge the people of the earth. Right now we have a period of great grace where God is drawing people everywhere to Himself through His loving kindness. One day in the future, He will rule with a rod of iron and His enemies will be destroyed. We should live in the love of the Lord, but also the fear of the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord God ALmighty, You are great and glorious and I love You with all my heart. Help me nail the balance between the love of God, the mercy of God, and the judgment of God. Help me to accurately present You to the world as I preach Your word. Let me be precise in my preaching and teaching. I don’t want to misrepresent You in any way. I want to know You more each day.

Your Son,

Jeff

Emotional Praise

 Scripture:

“Sing to the LORD, for he has done magnificent things, let this be known throughout the earth! Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah had just told Israel that they were going through some difficult times, but that in the future, God was going to bless them. When blesses, he said they should sing to the Lord for the magnificent things He has done, they should tell the whole world, and try should shout and cry out because God is working among them. 

Application:

When God does something for you, the appropriate response is to demonstrate your emotions. He loves it when His people sing, shout, cry out, and declare His great name to the whole world. God instructs us here to do those things because of what He has done for us. Sometimes we act like we are not emotional creatures and that God doesn’t like us to celebrate, but throughout Scripture I see God telling us to demonstrate our emotions in response to His blessings.

Prayer:

God, never let me lose my praise and my shout. Help me to never become religious and pious, but to treat You how You want to be treated. I love to dance, shout, sing, and cry out to God. Teach me to do that with all my heart. You have done amazing things for me and I want to shout it to the nations.

Yours,

Jeff

Times of Encounter

 Scripture:

“They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” The sound of their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When Isaiah encountered the presence of the Lord, it was life-transforming. He saw seraphim crying out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy.” Their voices shook the doorframes and the temple was filled with smoke.  It was an awe-inspiring moment that changed him forever. 

Application:

In our lives, we need times where we strongly encounter God. I don’t believe we should be experience-based in our theology and beliefs, but I do believe that God encounters His people to build the faith and strength their walk. Encounters like this are throughout Scripture. Holy moments like this happened in the Old and New Testaments. There is no reason it should not happen today. My life has been marked by some awesome moments in the presence of the Lord. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to encounter You! I want to see You high and lifted up. I want to see Your throneroom. I want to experience Your incredible power. I want others to have some encounters like I have had in the past. Let me be a conduit for Your glory and power. Show me how to help people to truly encounter Christ. 

Your Son,

Jeff

The Justice of God

 Scripture:

“Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done. Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah begins his prophetic words with a strong rebuke of God’s people. In this verse, he declares the justice of God. He tells the innocent that they will be rewarded and the sinners that they will get what they deserve. He shows justice both directions, to the righteous a blessing and to the unrighteous a curse. 

Application:

As for me, I want to be on the blessing side of God’s justice and not the cursed side. I want to live a life that brings a smile to God’s face and makes Him want to bless me, not bring judgment into my life. Justice is coming one day when God will make every wrong thing right. I want to live in such a way that blessings flow and not punishment. 

Prayer:

Father, let my life be filled with Your love, Your grace, Your compassion, and Your strength. Help me to live with eternity in mind. When I stand before You, I want to hear well done good and faithful servant. Let my life be used for Your glory. Open doors and help me to walk confidently through them. Show me every decision I need to make. I want to follow Your voice and Your ways. 

Yours,

Jeff

A Crown of Righteousness

 Scripture:

“Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing here to Timothy. It is his final letter as he is fast approaching his own death. He declared that a crown of righteousness was reserved for him when he graduates to heaven. He then completed his thought by saying that it was also reserved for all those who have free their affection on His appearing. That’s anyone who is looking affectionately for the Lord’s appearing. 

Application:

Have I set my affections on Christ’s appearing? Do I live to receive a crown of righteousness? Do I live for the temporal or the eternal? These are questions we must ask ourselves. As for me, I want to receive a crown of righteousness. I want to live on this earth with eternity in mind. I want to be about my father’s business till He comes again.

Prayer:

Lord, You are everything to me. You are my life. You are my source and my resource. You are my hope and my help. Teach me to live with my affections on Your appearing. Let me live a life that honors Your name and expects Your return. I want to take as many people to heaven with me as possible. Help me to be effective in everything You entrust me with.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Waters Cannot Quench Love

 Scripture:

“Surging waters cannot quench love; floodwaters cannot overflow it. If someone were to offer all his possessions to buy love, the offer would be utterly despised.” ‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

We are told here that no waters can quench love. Even floodwaters can’t overflow it. In other words, love is super powerful. According to the author, it is something you can’t buy, no matter how rich you are. Love is a powerful force and people will do crazy things for it. 

Application:

We have to be careful with love. It has caused people to do crazy things. It can become a fire that cannot be quenched. Love is a beautiful thing, created by God to hold two people together throughout their lives. It is something valuable and powerful. Nuclear bombs are also valuable and powerful. We must handle love like a nuclear bomb, with great caution and respect. Love is meant to be shared between two people for life.

Prayer:

Father, let my love for You grow every day. To have been faithful and good to me and I want You to know that out of my love for You, I will scale mountains and preach Your word all over the earth. Let my love for Cheryl increase every day as well. Let me be the husband she needs and the lover she wants. 

Yours,

Jeff

Pursuing My Bride

 Scripture:

“O my dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places of the mountain crags, let me see your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.” ‭‭Song of Solomon‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Solomon is pursuing his bride. There is a deep desire for the groom to hear the voice and see the face of his beloved. He is pursuing her passionately. 

Application:

As a man, we are the pursuers of our brides. They need to know that we love them, and desire them. They should never question our love for them. We should be pursuing them constantly. My wife should feel the desire within me to be with her. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a better husband to my wife. Show me how to pursue her appropriately. Teach me how to show her love and to let her know how much I love her. Help me to be the husband that Cheryl needs every day and in every way. Let her feel from me how special she is.

Yours,

Jeff

Exercise

 Scripture:

“For “physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.”” ‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells Timothy here that physical exercise has value, but godliness has more value because it is good for mow and for life in heaven. He tells Timothy to focus more on things that will be eternal than things that will go away on earth. 

Application:

Physical exercise is good, but spiritual exercise is better. One makes us feel good now, the other works now and after we die as well. One is temporal and one is eternal. I like the fact that he doesn’t forbid exercise, he actually says it is valuable, but spiritual exercise is more valuable. We must take care of the temporal, while investing in the eternal part of us all the more. We need physical exercise, but we need spiritual exercise more.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a balanced person. Help me to take care of the body You gave me to work with while on this earth. Help me to lose weight and get this physical body healthy so I can serve You better, stronger, and longer on earth. Teach me to prioritize the eternal in my life. I want to invest in my walk with You. I want to know You more.

Yours Always,

Jeff

Fear God and Follow Him

 Scripture:

“Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man. For God will evaluate every deed, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

After much talk about everything in life being meaningless, Solomon closes his quotes with these verses. He summarizes everything he has pondered and tells us to fear God because He will evaluate every secret thing, whether good or evil. he tells us to keep God’s commands. After telling us how nothing really makes sense in this world, he tells us to fear God, because He keeps good records.

Application:

When life is at its end, we will stand before God. We will give an account for every idle word and every action in our lives. He knows every detail and we must live our lives knowing we will stand before Him one day. Our goal should be to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.” We should live for the approval of God and not the applause of man. 

Prayer:

Lord God, You are great and glorious. You are powerful and victorious. Help me to walk humbly before You and to fear You appropriately. Teach me Your ways and show me Your paths for my life. I need You and I ask You to help me navigate life in a way that is pleasing to You and that fears You.

Yours,

Jeff

Content or Craving More?

 Scripture:

“It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile – like chasing the wind.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭6‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Solomon declares here that contentment is better than having a heart that always craves more because following those cravings is like chasing the wind. Always craving more of something tells God and those around us that we are not happy with what God has provided for us. 

Application:

In America, we work super hard to get more and more stuff. We work hard to get positions, money, power, and prestige, but all of these are worthless in the scope of life. Paul said, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” We need to learn to be content where we are while being diligent at our work. There is a fine balance between working hard because we crave more, and working hard because we love God and want to represent Him well. Our hard work must come from a heart to please and honor God, not from a heart to increase ourselves.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be content with where I am while pursuing Your will and doing what You ask me to do with my life. Help me to be effective, yet without craving more and more. Teach me the balance of living a very disciplined life and being covetous of more things.

Your Son Forever,

Jeff

Wisdom, Knowledge, Joy, and Wealth

 Scripture:

“For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth – only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile – like chasing the wind!” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2‬:‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Solomon says here that God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to the one who pleases Him. He adds that the sinner has the task of amassing wealth, only to give it to the one who pleases God. I other words, God blesses His children with everything they need and the worldly work hard to get wealthy. 

Application:

In all of our getting, we must get wisdom and understanding. Following God has incredible benefits. We can expect unexpected blessings. We can expect to be the head and not the tail. We can expect to be the first and not the last, not on our merits, but because of the blood of Jesus Christ. We receive what we didn’t work for while the world works hard for everything they have, only to have it stripped away. As for me, I want to serve the Lord and walk in His blessings of wisdom, knowledge, joy, and wealth.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be fully surrendered to You at all times. Teach me to walk with You and to build Your kingdom. Give me wisdom, knowledge, joy, and wealth. Let me live in the place of Your blessing. I want to extend Your Kingdom more and more, but I need the resources to do it. 

Yours,

Jeff

Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Right

 Scripture:

 “But you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary in doing what is right.” ‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This simple verse is so powerful for our daily lives. We should not grow weary in doing what is right. In other words, we need to keep on doing right things, even when we don’t see the results we were looking for. 

Application:

When we live our lives the right way and do what is right, rather than doing what is easy or convenient, we can expect the blessing of God. We should not grow weary in doing right, rather, we should continue to work hard, follow the voice of the Spirit, and the good seed we are sowing will eventually overtake the bad seed and we will be blessed. 

Prayer:

Lord God, help me not to grow weary in doing the right things. Help me to walk in confident obedience to You at all times. I want to serve You well and I want You to be able to count on me in every situation. I am tired, help me not keep weary, but to be refreshed in my spirit. 

Your Son,

Jeff

When the Righteous Become Numerous

Scripture:

“When the righteous become numerous, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭29‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

I like this translation. Older translations tend to say “when the righteous rule”. This one says “when the righteous become numerous.” There is a big difference. In our political system, we have stood on electing righteous people based on this verse.

Application:

I have always addressed our politics by saying things like, “if we see revival in America and millions convert to Christ, the righteous will automatically get elected into office. Rather than focus on the position of one or two righteous people, our goal should be to see the righteous become more numerous than the unbeliever in our country. The way to see God’s blessing on our nation is through increasing the number of believers, not electing one person. We must see souls saved in increasing numbers, then we won’t need to worry about elections.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be used to bring in a harvest for You and Your kingdom. Help me to plunder hell and populate heaven. Teach me to reach more people. Help me to lead our church into being a disciple making church. Help me to lead well.

Yours,

Jeff

 

Patience and Words

 Scripture:

“Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a soft tongue can break a bone.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The author here speaks of patience and a soft tongue as powerful weapons in our hands. Sometimes, we fight hard for things that are not necessary and we simply need to patiently wait. A soft word at the right time or and in the right way, can break bones.

Application:

I like things to happen quickly. Patience wins the day, so I need to learn patience better. Patience also deals with trust, when our trust level increases, our patience level increase because we trust that whatever we are waiting for is going to happen. I also want my tongue to speak right words, at the right time, and with the right heart.

Prayer:

Father, You are awesome and I ask You to help me to wait patiently on You. Help me to speak the right words. Let my life be used for Your glory. Teach me Your ways and reveal to me the path You want me to walk. I need You Lord. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Rewards Humility

 Scripture:

“The reward for humility and fearing the LORD is riches and honor and life.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This Proverb is short and sweet, yet powerful. It says that God honors humility and fearing God with riches, honor, and life. Our job is to walk in humility and fear God. He will then bring His blessing into our lives. 

Application:

As believers, we don’t pursue riches, fame, honor, prestige, etc. We pursue God and fear Him. When He sees our humility and our fear of Him, He rewards us with those things. Our pursuit is God, His rewards are awesome. Jesus said to seek first the kingdom and His righteousness and all these other things would be added to us.  We are to pursue the blesser and not the blessing.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are my everything and I appreciate You. Help me to walk in humility and to honor You with my life. Teach me the fear of the Lord. Show me the paths of righteousness and help me to walk in them. Let my pursuit be of You and not money, riches, or fame. You are my reward. You are the one I pursue.

Yours,

Jeff

My Plans or God’s Plans?

 Scripture:

“There are many plans in a person’s mind, but it is the counsel of the LORD which will stand.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

This Proverb is simple, but something powerful to consider. It basically says that we can make all the plans and ideas we want, but it is what the Lord wants that is going to happen. In other words, we should spend our time seeking the Lord for His plans rather than spending all our time developing our plans. His plans always work, ours don’t.

Application:

Planning is good and important in life, but before we plan, we need to know the will of the Lord. If our plans our simply “our plans,” they may or may not happen, but the plans of the Lord will come to pass. I need to seek God more to be on His agenda rather than spending time planning my future. He holds my future, so it is better to simply seek Him.

Prayer:

Father, I seek You this morning. You know the end from the beginning and You know how to get me where I need to be. My life is in Your hands. Help me to seek Your wisdom, guidance, and direction for my life. Help me not to lean on my own understanding, but to acknowledge You, seek Your face, then make our plans.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Purified by Fire

 Scripture:

“The crucible is for refining silver and the furnace is for gold, likewise the LORD tests hearts.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage tells us that the crucible and the furnace refine silver and gold. The author then goes on further to say that the Lord tests our hearts in the same way. The righteous will go through the fire sometimes, but it is not a fire of destruction, it is a fire of purifying. We must be open to God’s purifying fire and His blessing. He gives both.

Application:

There are times when God allows us to go through some very difficult situations. There are times when we are tested and tried by fire. These situations don’t feel good, but they produce faith in greater levels. They produce value and make us better people. When God is testing us, we must hold on, because we will come out more pure than before. We can’t give us when the heat goes up.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. You are my everything. You are my rock and my fortress. You are my strength and deliverer. Help me to know when I am being tested by You and when let me come out as pure gold. Purify my heart and let it be right before You always. Examine me and cleanse me of anything that You want out of my life. I am Yours and Yours alone.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Guard Your Life

 Scripture:

“The one who guards his words guards his life, but whoever is talkative will come to ruin.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This Proverb is powerful and true. It basically says that when we talk a lot, we will end up in a bad place, but if we guard our words, we guard our lives. Our words will make us or break us.

Application:

Words are super powerful in our lives. We end up becoming what we speak. We must be diligent to guard what comes out of our mouths. I want to know when to talk and when to be quiet. I want to hear the voice of the Spirit telling me when to be quiet and when to speak. I want to be Spirit led and Spirit driven. I want to live by this verse by speaking less, but what I say be more powerful. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible and I love You so much. Thanks for sharing Your word with me today. Help me to guard my mouth. Empower me to say less, but speak more authoritatively and powerfully. I want my words to matter. Help me to uplift You and Your kingdom through my speech. Let my mouth be used for Your glory. Show me when to speak and when to stay silent.

Yours,

Jeff

Anxiety or Joy?

 Scripture:

“Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This proverb is simple, yet powerful. It tells us that anxiety weighs us down, but encouragement brings us joy. Your is true that anxiety has a way of weighing us down and causing us to feel hopeless. They way out of anxiety is into the presence of the Lord. He is not anxious about anything. 

Application:

If anxiety weighs people down, I need to do whatever I can to be an encouragement to those around me. I don’t want to walk around weighed down and I don’t want those around me to live that way either. I want to be an encourager to those around me. I want to lift people up and not weigh them down.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible and I love serving You. Help me to serve You well in my generation. Help me not to be weighed down with the cares of this life. Teach me to trust You in every area. Let my life bring joy to those around me. Teach me to walk with You in joy and not anxiety. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Wisdom Cries Out

 Scripture:

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭8‬:‭17‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, it is easy to overlook who is speaking. Sometimes verses like this appear to be God speaking to us, and it is, but these are the words of wisdom. This section starts with “wisdom cries out.” Wisdom says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” 

Application:

When we love wisdom, wisdom loves us. God loves us at all times, wisdom doesn’t chase us down. Wisdom loves those who love wisdom and seek it. We are told that those who seek wisdom will find it. We should always ask God for wisdom. He is the source of all wisdom and we need wisdom to guide our lives. When we love and seek wisdom, we will find it and be blessed for it.

Prayer:

Father, let me be wise. Let me make right decisions and be led by Your Spirit. You are the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Teach me to mine for wisdom and to seek it out before I make any decisions in life. Help me to stay on Your course and fulfill Your plans for my life. Let me find wisdom as I follow You.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Words Bring Health

 Scripture:

“My child, pay attention to my words; listen attentively to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight, guard them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and healing to one’s entire body.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This proverb truly demonstrates wisdom for the reader. It tells us to pay attention and listen to God’s words. It says we must guard them and keep them in front of us. He continues by saying that God’s words are life and healing. 

Application:

In Exodus, God said, “I am the Lord who heals you.” In this passage we read that we should pay attention to God’s words because they bring life and healing to our body. Listening to God’s words is important, not only to our souls, but to our bodies as well. God’s word is alive and powerful and sharper than a two edged sword. It can operate on our lives if we let it. We must pursue God’s word and put it into action, then we won’t need to worry bout our healing. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I worship You. I need You Lord. Help me to love Your words because they more and more each day. Let Your word bring healing to my body and life to my soul. Let my life be centered on Your Word. Speak to me clearly that I may walk in Your will at all times. Show me each step to take and lead me in Your paths of righteousness.

Yours,

Jeff

He Makes Us Victorious

 Scripture:

“He has made his people victorious, and given all his loyal followers reason to praise – the Israelites, the people who are close to him. Praise the Lord!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭148‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse tells a little of what God does for His people. It says that He has made his people victorious and given us a reason to praise Him. The Psalmist gives God honor for everything in life. He says His victory comes, not from his own hands, but from the Lord. 

Application:

We must realize that every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord. We must acknowledge that our victories are His victories. Our wins are His wins because He is faithful to us and causes us to triumph in life. We must learn that it is God who brings every good thing in to our lives and give Him praise for it. He is worthy of it all! He is incredible and we should praise Him more and more. 

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious. Your name is greatly to be praised. You have blessed my life over and over through the years. You have blessed my family. You have made me victorious so many times. Thank You for taking such good care of me throughout the many years of my life. 

Yours,

Jeff

Focus

 Scripture:

“I will focus on your honor and majestic splendor, and your amazing deeds!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭145‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Three things the Psalmist says he will focus on concerning the Lord God Almighty. He declares that he will focus on the Lord’s honor, His majestic splendor, and His amazing deeds. These are a good place to start when we are focusing on the Lord.

Application:

Focus helps us achieve great things. What gets our focus will shape our future. It is easy to focus on all the negative things in life because they present themselves right in front of us. The fact is, we choose what we will focus on. I want to focus on the Lord, His honor, His splendor, and His amazing deeds. I choose to focus on God.

Prayer:

Father, help me to maintain my focus on You at all times. Let my heart be pure and my path be straight. Let my life be focused on right things. Help me to follow You completely and to remain focused during good times and bad times. I want to live a life focused on You and Your will in the earth. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Knows Me

 Scripture:

“You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God knows and understands everything about us. He knows when we sit down and when we get up. He knows the thoughts of our hearts and the intentions we have. He knows the what motivates us and what strengthens us. We cannot comprehend the vastness of His knowledge. He knows every detail of our lives.

Application:

Nothing is secret from the Lord. He knows, not only everything we do, but why we do what we do. Our thoughts and desires are no secret to Him, yet He chooses to love us and accept us anyway. His love is incredible. Many times our love diminishes the more we know about someone’s failures and mistakes. God knows every detail, and love us through it all. This makes me want to live in total purity. I want what He sees to be as pure as refined gold.

Prayer:

Father, purify my heart. Let me walk before You in humility and patience. You are my rock and my defense. Teach me Your ways. Let my heart and motives be pure before You. Let Your will for my life be accomplished. Help me to live in a way that pleases and honors You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

God’s Loyal Love Endures

 Scripture:

“Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loyal love endures!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭136‬:‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this Psalm, the Psalmist speaks a phrase and then repeats, “his loyal love endures.” He does this over and over throughout the Psalm. The Psalm closes with these words once again. He wanted to remind the reader, or singer, that God’s loyal love endures and never fails.

Application:

Sometimes we need reminded of the loyal love of God. His love isn’t just love, it is loyal love. Loyal means it doesn’t go away quickly or easily. It is something trustworthy. God is loyal to us and we need to be loyal to Him. Our love for God cannot fluctuate because His love for us is loyal.

Prayer:

Father, let my love and my life be loyal to You. You are faithful and loyal to Your people. Help me to be loyal and faithful to You. Speak to me and guide me by Your Spirit. I want to know You more. Teach me the deeper things of God. Show me things to come. I want to walk in step with You at all times. Guide my path and direct my steps. I am Yours.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Loyal Love Brings Hope

 Scripture:

“O Israel, hope in the Lord, for the Lord exhibits loyal love, and is more than willing to deliver.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭130‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

This verse is simple, yet profound. It tells us to hope in the Lord because He shows loyal love. It finishes by saying that God is more than willing to deliver us. The words, “loyal love” are so beautiful. God wants us to trust Him in everything we do. He is more than willing to deliver us, but He needs us to put our hope in Him.

Application:

Hope gives you a good attitude towards the future because when there is hope, there is an understanding that things will get better eventually. Because of God’s loyal love, we can have hope for every situation. Lack of love increases despondency and decreases hope. When we feel loved, we also feel hopeful. We must trust God’s love and learn to hope again.

Prayer:

Father, help me to grow in my hope instead of wallowing in what is not happening. Help me to increase my faith. Teach me Your ways and help me to walk in Your paths. You are more than willing to deliver me. Help me to see that, understand that, and have hope because of that.

Your Son,

Jeff

Determined to Praise

 Scripture:

“I am determined, O God! I will sing and praise you with my whole heart.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭108‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist describes the fact that he is determined to sing and praise God with his whole heart. Determination means that you won’t stop, no matter what happens to you. The determined person will not be deterred from what they set out to do. The Psalmist was determined to praise God with his whirl heart.

Application:

There are times when worship is a delight and sometimes when it is more of a determination. Either way, nobody should be able to stop our praise. We should live determined to give God our very best praise. We should not let our circumstances determine our praise, but in every situation, we must be a people that are determined to sing and give God praise. 

Prayer:

Father, I am determined to give you praise and honor in and through my life. Let my whole heart be involved in my worship. I don’t want to give you something that doesn’t require much of me. I want to give You my very best. Help me to serve You well and to praise You with my whole heart.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Seek the Lord!

 Scripture:

“Seek the Lord and the strength he gives! Seek his presence continually!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭105‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist here encourages us to seek God. He also encourages us to seek the strength He gives and His presence as well. In other words, God is worth the pursuit. We are called to be continual seekers and the Lord is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Application:

It is easy to become self-reliant because we trust ourselves. God wants us to seek Him. He wants us to seek His presence, His power, His strength, etc. Throughout our lives, we should pursue the Lord continually because there is always more in God. He has a never-ending supply of everything we need. Our place is to seek Him concerning everything in our lives, then to trust Him to do what is best for us. Trusting God is central to a life of faith. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I seek You this morning. I want to know You more. I want to hear Your voice speaking clearly so I can follow accurately. I want to know Your heart and will for my life. Let me always be a seeker of God and one who is after Your presence. You are my everything! Fill me each and every day with what I need to serve You well.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God is Good, Loving and Faithful

 Scripture:

“For the Lord is good. His loyal love endures, and he is faithful through all generations.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭100‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist here quotes a refrain that was used very often in the Psalms. It is a reminder of God’s faithfulness. This is probably one of the most used phrases in the book of Psalms. It was something that was recited a lot. It helps us to refocus on who God is when things are difficult around us.

Application:

When things get difficult in life, and even when they don’t, this is a powerful reminder of our relationship with God and who He is. HE IS GOOD. HIS LOVE ENDURES, and HE IS FAITHFUL, not only now, but in all generations. Sometimes we need a reminder that God is good. Sometimes we need reminded that His loyal love endures all time. He doesn’t stop loving, because He is love. I need to remind myself that He is faithful.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being good, loving, and faithful to Your people. Thank You for adopting me as Your child and allowing me of honor to be Your son. Teach me to live like You more and more each day. Examine my life and my heart. Help me to remember when things are not great, that You are loving, good, and faithful. Increase my faith to live according to these virtues. 

Yours Forever,’

Jeff

Filled with Vitality

 Scripture:

“The godly grow like a palm tree; they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon. They bear fruit even when they are old; they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭92‬:‭12‬, ‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage speaks about the godly and how they grow and produce fruit. First it says that the godly grow like a palm tree, high like a cedar in Lebanon. Then the Psalmist says, “They bear fruit even then they are old; they are filled with vitality and have many leaves.” The godly age better and remain stronger and more productive when they are old.

Application:

As I get older, I want to be more productive for God’s kingdom. I want my life to matter for the Kingdom. I want to live a life filled with vitality and produce more in my old age than in my younger years. This passage tells me it is of inheritance of the godly and I want it. I want my body to be strong well into the future. I want my mind and spirit to be strong as I continue to follow the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. Teach me Your ways. Help me to walk on Your paths. I claim this verse for my life. I want to be more productive for Your kingdom as I get older in age. I want to be strong in body, soul, and spirit as I age. Give me my vitality back as I serve You wholeheartedly. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Devoted and Loyal

 Scripture:

“The Lord says, “Because he is devoted to me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he is loyal to me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse shows God’s heart toward those who are devoted and loyal to Him. It says that He will deliver them and protect them. When we are loyal and faithful to the Lord, we can expect Him to deliver us and protect us from every attack that tries to come our way.

Application:

Throughout the Bible God makes promises to us, but His promises usually have conditions. When we act a certain way, He will do certain things for us. Our job is to be completely devoted to the Lord and remain loyal to Him, then we can expect His blessings of deliverance from our enemies and protection. We can trust that God takes care of those who are faithful to Him. 

Prayer:

Father, let me be forever faithful to You as You are faithful to me. Help me to walk fully devoted to You in every way. Teach me to walk in step with Your Spirit and to live a life that is loyal to You in every way. I am Yours. Help me to live every day surrendered and faithful to You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Integrity and Blessing

 Scripture:

“For the Lord God is our sovereign protector. The Lord bestows favor and honor; he withholds no good thing from those who have integrity.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭84‬:‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist describes the blessings God places upon those who have integrity. He first says that God is our sovereign protector. He then adds that God give favor and honor to His people. He also withholds no good thing from those who walk in integrity. In other words, when we walk humbly before God and live according to His ways, we can expect favor, honor, and every good thing.

Application:

We need to live our lives with character and integrity. When we do, we can expect the blessings of God. When we do our part of the covenant, God does His. When we honor God, He honors us. Just like it pleases me to be a blessing to my children, God is pleased to bless His children that honor Him and live according to His ways.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to live a life You want to bless. I see the blessing of following You and living according to Your ways. Let my life bring You glory and let my ways be Your ways. Teach me to walk in truth and compassion. Empower me to live a life of integrity and honor. I want to live a life that You will bless. Your blessing is amazing and I want to live there.

Yours,

Jeff

Remember

 Scripture:

“I will remember the works of the Lord. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago! I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds!”” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭77‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist speaks here about remembering the works of the Lord. He reminds us to remember, think about, and reflect upon God’s deeds in our lives. It is important, especially when things get difficult, to remember what the Lord has done in our lives in the past. A good memory is powerful.

Application:

When things are not going as we planned, or things seem to have taken a turn for the worst, we must remember what God has done in the past. When we can’t see Him working in our lives right now, we must remember and remind ourselves of what He has done in the past. They say that past behavior is the greatest predictor of future results. When we reflect on what God has done in the past, our faith increases in the present.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I remember how You have worked in my life so many times. You have rescued me when it seemed like there was hope. You have helped me through many difficult situations. You have blessed me when it seemed like everyone had forgotten me. You have been faithful to me. Increase my faith for the future. 

Yours,

Jeff