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

Next Gen Ministry

 Scripture:

“Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell the next generation about your strength, and those coming after me about your power.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭71‬:‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David here is crying out to the Lord and asking God not to abandon him, even when he was old and gray. He asked God not to abandon him until he had told the next generation about his strength and power. He wanted desperately to tell the next generation about the goodness of God. Basically, he wanted the anointing to declare God’s works to the next generation, even in his old age.

Application:

As I get older, this has become very important to me. I want the next generation to hear the goodness of God and to hear the stories about what I have seen Him do. I want to remain strong so I can declare His praises longer and stronger. I want my health back so I can give Him the best of my life and tell His good deeds to the next generation.

Prayer:

Father, let me remain strong until I go to the grave. Let my life be used for Your glory. Let me declare Your works to the next generation. Give me the strength and grace I need to finish the work before me. Help me to walk through every open door and to declare Your goodness all over the earth in my older years.

Yours,

Jeff

The Awe-Inspiring God

 Scripture:

“You are awe-inspiring, O God, as you emerge from your holy temple! It is the God of Israel who gives the people power and strength. God deserves praise!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭68‬:‭35‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist here tells the Lord that he is awe-inspiring as He emerges from his holy temple. He gives God all the credit and honor due His name. The author acknowledges that it is God who gives people power and strength. Without God we are nothing. With God all things are possible.

Application:

I need a healthy awe of God in my life. I want to see God in every situation and be in awe of Him. He has amazed me throughout the years, but I want to live in awe of my savior. With the Psalmist, I declare it is God who gives people power and strength. It is He that deserves our praise. I want my life to point people to God, who gives us what we need for life and godliness.

Prayer:

Father, I want to live in awe of You. Move in my life, my family, my church, and my region in awe-inspiring ways. You are incredible and I love You with all my heart.Teach me to walk in Your ways and direct my steps oh Lord. You are worthy of all my praise and worship. Help me to lead Your people well and to accomplish all You have planned for me.

Yours,

Jeff

Confident in God’s Love

 Scripture:

“The God who loves me will help me; God will enable me to triumph over my enemies.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭59‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist confidently speaks here about God. He says that God loves him and will help him. He is confident that God will enable him to triumph over his enemies. He operated from a place of security, knowing God loved him and would bless his life by defeating his enemies.

Application:

I know God loves me, but it is good to be reminded this morning. I want to walk in more confidence about my walk with God. I know He loves me, but I want to devalue that better to others. There are some places where I need the Lord to triumph over my enemies. I want to be confident that He will.

Prayer:

Lord, I put my trust in You! You are my rock and my salvation. You are my God and I trust in You. Help me to walk in confidence concerning our relationship. Give me confidence that You will meet every need and fight every enemy. Arise and show Yourself strong in and through my life. Teach me to trust You more.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

That the Nations Will Praise You

 Scripture:

“I will proclaim your greatness through the coming years, then the nations will praise you forever.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭45‬:‭17‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This simple verse stood out to me this morning because it reflects my heart. The Psalmist says that he will proclaim God’s greatness in the coming years and that the nations would then praise God forever. He connected his proclamation to the nations praising God.

Application:

I want to spend the latter years of my life proclaiming the greatness of the God who has been my refuge, my fortress, and my strong tower all the days of my life. I want to tell every nation of the goodness of my God. I want the nations to give God praise. I want to declare the awesome deeds of the Lord all over the world for His glory. 

Prayer:

Father, in my latter years, use me for Your glory. Let me tell of Your greatness in all the earth. Let my life proclaim how awesome You are. Give me strength to walk through the doors You open and help me to represent You well. I want to tell the world that my God saves.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Permanent Access

 Scripture:

“As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity; you allow me permanent access to your presence.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭41‬:‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David tells us here that God upholds him because of his integrity and gives him permanent access to His presence. Our integrity holds us up and gives us access to God’s presence. This is powerful!

Application:

I want to live a life that God will bless. I have always wanted to please the Lord and walk in His ways. I want to demonstrate a life of integrity to those around me. Through Christ, we have already been given permanent access to the Father, but it is a good reminder to us of something we have, but don’t access as often as we should. I love the idea of permanent access through Christ. I don’t just have access when I’m having a good day, but because of Jesus, on my worst day, I still have access.

Prayer:

Father, let me live my life as one who has permanent access to You. You are my everything and I love You more every day. Help me to live, not feeling distanced from God, but close enough to realize I have permanent access at any time of any day. Today at Disney, remind me that I have permanent access to the power and presence of God.

Your Son,

Jeff

Look to God for Help

 Scripture:

“Those who look to him for help are happy; their faces are not ashamed.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, David tells us that those who look to God for help are happy and they are not ashamed. Rather than looking to Him to help us, we often look to ourselves, our friends, our family, etc. This verse lets us know that we should look to God.

Application:

As a believer, our first response in every situation Should be to look to God for help. When trouble comes, as it often does, we need to look to God for help rather than trying to figure out and fix everything ourselves. When we do that, David promises us that our faces will not be ashamed. My first place to run needs to be to Jesus, no matter what the problem is. 

Prayer:

Lord, let my eyes be open and my ears attentive to Your Word and Your Spirit. Help me to always look to You for help. You are my resource. You are my God and I trust in You. Teach me to keep my eyes on You at all times. Show me how to trust You over leaning on my own understanding.

Yours,

Jeff

Joy Comes in the Morning

 Scripture:

“For his anger lasts only a brief moment, and his good favor restores one’s life. One may experience sorrow during the night, but joy arrives in the morning.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭30‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this verse, the. Psalmist declares that God’s anger lasts only a brief, short moment, but his favor restores a person’s life. He finishes by saying that we may have sorrow at times, but that will be brief because joy comes in the morning. In other words, God will bring us through every difficult season. He will bring joy when the world has brought us sorrow.

Application:

We cannot allow discouragement to ruin our lives. When we have setbacks, we must look to the Lord and know that it won’t last forever. We serve a God we can trust. He will bring joy into our lives again! There will be times when it feels like God is mad at us or things are not going the way we pictured, but we can also know that favor and joy are coming. 

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Help me to live according to Your words. When I go through difficulties, help me to remember that You are faithful, reliable, and that You will bring me out. Let it sink deep into my heart that joy will come again, no matter how difficult the current season is.

Yours,

Jeff

Depend on the Lord, Not Yourself

 Scripture:

“Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we depend on the Lord our God. They will fall down, but we will stand firm.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭20‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬ 

Observation:

This little couplet of verses is a great reminder to put our trust in the Lord and not in the things we think can help us. God wants to be the one we trust, not ourselves. When we do this, the Psalmist says we will stand firm and those who depend on other things will fall down. 

Application:

Sometimes it is easier to trust doctors, attorneys, people, machines, computers, etc. than is is to trust God. It is easier to trust what we can see and control than to trust in a God we can’t see and cannot control. He does what He wants to do, and we have to trust He will always do the right thing. The good news is that He is faithful and haas never failed His people. 

Prayer:

Father, increase my trust level. As in video games, let me level up my trust walk. Help me not to trust only the things I can control, but to believe You are good and Your plans for my life are wonderful. Let me trust You more this week and believe You will do what You say You will do.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Trust God’s Faithfulness

 Scripture:

“But I trust in your faithfulness. May I rejoice because of your deliverance!” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist was asking God when He was going to overthrow his enemies and bring justice. The Psalm was basically saying, How long will You allow bad things to happen and You not intervene? He seemed frustrated, but in this verse he gives some wisdom, “but I trust in Your faithfulness.”

Application;

Psalms like this help me because there are times when it seems like God is not answering our prayers. There are seasons when it may seem like He is distant. At those times, we must remain like David and trust in God’s faithfulness. We may not understand why He allows certain things to happen, but we know in the end, it always turns around and He always delivers. 

Prayer:

Father, teach me to trust Your faithfulness. You have always been faithful to me and always come through for me, but sometimes it is not when I want You to. Help me to trust You more and to remain in faith when things are not going the way I want them to go. When I see how You have worked in my life, I should never wonder if You are going to work on my behalf, but I do. Help me to trust You more.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

A Life God Can Bless and Prosper

 Scripture:

“He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this first Psalm, the Psalmist describes a person who is righteous and flees from evil. It says he is planted like a tree whose leaves never fall off and that produces fruit at the right times. He says of that person that he succeeds in everything he attempts. 

Application:

I want to fit into this category of person. I want to always have leaves on my tree and to yield much fruit for the Kingdom of God. Lastly, I want to succeed at everything I attempt. I want the blessing of Almighty God on my life. This Psalm is attached to obedience. It is those who live godly lives who see these things. As for me, I want to live a life that God can bless. I want to live aligned with His purposes and plans for me. 

Prayer:

Lord, I give myself to You. Guide me. Guard me. Lead me into Your will at all times. Help me to live a life You can bless and prosper. You are faithful and true. Teach me to hear Your voice and to respond accordingly. Show me how to walk in Your blessing. Meet every need in my life and family. Meet every need in the church and the ministry I lead. Prosper my life and let every need be met. 

Yours,

Jeff

The Appearance of Wisdom

 Scripture:

“Even though they have the appearance of wisdom with their self-imposed worship and false humility achieved by an unsparing treatment of the body – a wisdom with no true value – they in reality result in fleshly indulgence.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul writes to the Colossians about their works-based righteousness. In this text, he talks about doing things to look spiritual. These things appear to have wisdom, but are self-imposed and demonstrate false humility. He says this is a wisdom with no true value. He uses the words, “an unsparing treatment of the body.” 

Application:

Any works we do in order to get God’s favor, really get us nowhere. It can look very spiritual to fast, pray, and destroy the flesh by every means, but it usually just brings attention to the one doing it and not to God. These things we need to do, but we must do them with the right heart. Our heart in fasting and prayer should be that Christ would be glorified in and through our lives, not to make God to what we want Him to do. We can’t twist God’s arm by mutilating our bodies. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk this walk with You every day. Teach me to be disciplined without being overly legalistic. Show me how to balance legalism and righteousness. Lead me by Your Spirit into all truth. I want to serve Your purposes in my generation. Help me to reflect You more and more as I grow older. You are my focus and the joy of my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Christ in You the Hope of Glory

 Scripture:

“God wanted to make known to them the glorious riches of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Colossians here and tells them about the incredible mystery of the Gentiles, which is Christ in us, the hope of glory. We, as Gentiles, have been given access to God through Christ Jesus. We have been grafted in as adopted by the Father. Now, by faith, Christ lives in us. Literally, the hope of glory lives in us now.

Application:

If Christ lives in me, then my life should resemble the life of Christ. I should be doing the things He did while He walked the earth. This idea is a great mystery and full of glorious riches. We have access to God, not through obligations, rules, and ceremonies, but because of the precision blood of Jesus. If Christ is in me, I don’t want to do anything to cause Him shame or reproach. I want to live a life worth Him dying for.

Prayer:

Lord God, thank You for adopting me into Your family. Thank You for the great mystery You have given to the Gentiles. Help me to live a life that reflects what Jesus died to give us. Teach me to walk in Your ways and to finish the work of Christ. Let my life be an offering to You each and every day. Help me to live effectively and build Your kingdom with every breath. I am Yours!

Forever,

Jeff

Stand Still and Consider

 Scripture:

““Pay attention to this, Job! Stand still and consider the wonders God works.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭37‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This word is from Job’s friend Elihu. He tells his friend to stand still and consider the wonders of God’s work. This phrase stood out to me as something valuable to do at times. We should ponder the works of God and think about the things He has done.

Application:

It is good to think upon the goodness of God and to meditate on His word and His works. I need to spend more time contemplating my walk with the creator of the universe. What He has done in my life has been nothing short of incredible and I should think more often of all He has done. It is good to reflect on God.

Prayer:

Father, help me to slow down enough to meditate on You. Teach me to stand still and consider the wonders You work. Help me to be a disciplined thinker. I want to know You more each day. Take me deeper in my walk with You. You are incredible!

Your Son,

Jeff

Fear God and Run from Evil

 Scripture:

“And he said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord – that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’”” ‭‭Job‬ ‭28‬:‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Job reminds us that the fear of the Lord is wisdom and turning from evil is understanding. The best life is one that flows in wisdom and understanding, neither of them is possible without God, who is the source of both. The short of this verse is simply that wisdom and understanding come from a strong pursuit of the Lord.

Application:

Wisdom and understanding will take us to good places in life. The source, and what we must seek, is the fear of the Lord and turning from evil things. When we do our part, God does His because we are in a covenant. We need the fear of God back in our lives, which causes us to turn from evil things. We have declared God’s love so much that we have lost our fear of God. We need a healthy fear of God that causes us to repent of things that He wants us to.

Prayer:

God Almighty, You are awesome and I worship You. Help me to walk in the fear of the Lord at all times. Let my life reflect Your ways. Cleanse me and purify me I pray, from anything that displeases You. Help me to serve You well in my generation. Pour out Your Spirit on this missions trip in Dominican Republic and let Your will be accomplished.

Yours,

Jeff

Follow His Steps

 Scripture:

“My feet have followed his steps closely; I have kept to his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my allotted portion.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Job is determined that he has done nothing wrong. He way confident in his righteousness. He knew all along that he had not sinned or done anything wrong. He says that he had treasured God’s words more than his allotted portion. 

Application:

We should live our lives knowing that we are innocent of anything that could be spoken against us. Integrity gives you confidence in your walk with God. When we know we have lived a good life and done what the Lord wants us to do, we can be bold and confident in our walk with Him. We need to live lives that are above reproach in every area. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of something, we should deal with it quickly.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You completely and to do Your will at all times. Let my life for used for Your glory and never bring a reproach on Your name. Help me to live a life worth following for those who look up to me. Teach me to walk in humility and sensitivity to Your voice. Move powerfully here today in the DR and let many come to Christ.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

My Redeemer Lives

 Scripture:

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that as the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God,” ‭‭Job‬ ‭19‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Job understood what he was going through more than his friends thought he did. He understood that he hadn’t done anything to deserve what he was going through. He knew his situation would turn around if he could just hold onto God. He knew his redeemer lives and that he would see God one day, no matter what was currently happening in his life.

Application:

We need to always know seep in our hearts where we are in our relationship with God. We need confidence in God and our salvation. We can only have that confidence when we are sure of our walk with God. The beauty is that we can have assurance and confidence in our God and in His word. He will do what He says He will do and we can have confidence in that. 

Prayer:

Father, You are the best and I worship You. You brought me into Your family and blessed my life. Help me to follow You well and to walk in confidence every day. Teach me Your word. Show my things and teach me to obey You completely. I want to fulfill Your will in every area of my life. I know my redeemer lives and he will stand on the earth! Bless our Dominican Republic trip this week as we do our best to extend Your kingdom.

Yours,

Jeff

The Awesomeness of God

 Scripture:

“He makes nations great, and destroys them; he extends the boundaries of nations and disperses them.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭12‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Job has a lot to say about who God is and how He works among people. In this verse he says that God makes nations great and He destroys them. He attributes extending and contracting the boundaries of nations to the Lord. Job saw the awesomeness of God in everything. He gave God credit for everything that happens in this world. 

Application:

I need to see God’s handiwork more and be in awe. It is easy to leave God out of the picture in certain things. There are times when we feel like we make things happen, but without God, we are sunk. We must give Him credit where credit is due. God takes care of the big things and the little things. He oversees nations, yet is concerned with every sparrow. He is incredible.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I humble myself before You. You are great and You are awesome! Your ways are above my ways and Your thoughts are above my thoughts. Help me to see Your hand in every area of my life. As I go take the Good News to the Dominican Republic, guide my steps and use my life for Your glory. Touch many lives this week as we go on mission for You.

Yours Always,

Jeff

Discipline From God

 Scripture:

““Therefore, blessed is the man whom God corrects, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also bandages; he strikes, but his hands also heal.” ‭‭Job‬ ‭5‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

There are several times in Scripture that we are told that we should not despise the discipline of the Lord because He disciplines those He loves. Here it continues and says that He wounds and strikes, but that He also bandages and heals. We are told not to despise God’s discipline.

Application:

God disciplines those He loves. Just as a parent disciplines their child to make them a better person, God disciplines us to help us course correct when we need to. We need to welcome God’s grace, love, forgiveness, and kindness, but we must also welcome His discipline and plan for our lives. I want to be told what to do and not to do. I want God to shape me and develop me. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to receive Your discipline in my life. Teach me to follow You completely. Let my life reflect someone who trusts You and Your ways. Help me to walk in step with You at all times. You are my everything and I welcome Your discipline when I get off track. Help me to respond well when it comes.

Yours,

Jeff

Peace From God

 Scripture:

“Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

There is a promise here in the Scripture. It says that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus when we, in every situation, are not anxious, but pray and petition with thanksgiving. Our job in this is to relax and bring our prayers to God, then we can expect to walk in God’s incredible peace. We should be full of peace and not anxiety because we are people of prayer.

Application:

We have to learn to relax and bring our needs to the Lord in prayer. When life gets stressful, we must bring it to God with thanksgiving, then we are promised that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. When we do our part, God does His. I want to walk in God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding. I want to see the fulness of His goodness in my life.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are mighty and awesome! You are incredible and I love serving You. Help me to leave anxiety behind and to walk in Your peace at all times. Help me to relax during the stressful times and know that You are in control. Teach me to pray effectively and to walk in Your surpassing peace.

Yours,

Jeff

Suffering for Others to be Blessed

 Scripture:

“and most of the brothers and sisters, having confidence in the Lord because of my imprisonment, now more than ever dare to speak the word fearlessly.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing here to the Philippians from a prison cell. He states that God’s people now had more boldness to preach God’s word fearlessly because of his imprisonment. He was honored to serve his prison sentence because it was helping the Body of Christ grow strong. He knew his imprisonment was empowering the Church and he rejoiced in that.

Application:

We must learn to live like the Apostle Paul. We must be willing to suffer for Christ if it means that others would be stronger in Christ. Of course we would rather prosper and be in health at all times, but we must have the attitude that we are willing to suffer for Christ if it blesses someone else and strengthens their faith. We must learn to live selfless lives.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible and it is an honor to serve You. You are my rock and my salvation. You are my hope and my help. Teach me to live a selfless life. Show me how to prefer others above myself and to live for Your kingdom above all else. Help me to have the right attitude toward suffering and difficulties. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Divine Reversals

 Scripture:

“The king then removed his signet ring (the very one he had taken back from Haman) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther designated Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s estate.” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭8‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Mordecai was faithful to God and was blessed for it. He did the right thing at all times and humbled himself before the Lord. He walked in step with the Lord and God favored him for it. He ended up receiving the signet ring of the king and living in the estate of the second most powerful man in the empire. 

Application:

When God turns things around, He does it with class. God is faithful to His people when they are faithful to Him. When I read Scripture, I see so many times when God’s people were in terrible situations, but God brought them out with incredible blessings, wealth, and honor. He had a way of promoting those who are faithful to Him. We must trust God and seek him like Mordecai did.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be faithful when it looks like things are not going well. I also ask You to step in and provide Your incredible favor and provision when it is needed. You are awesome and I love the way You bless and take care of Your people. Let my life be aligned with You at all times. Provide the resources for me to extend Your kingdom around the world.

Yours,

Jeff

God Plus Nothing Equals Everything

 Scripture:

“When it became the turn of Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai (who had raised her as if she were his own daughter) to go to the king, she did not request anything except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who was overseer of the women, had recommended. Yet Esther met with the approval of all who saw her.” ‭‭Esther‬ ‭2‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When women were brought before the king in hopes of becoming the next queen, they brought gifts with them for the king. They were given whatever they wanted to give to the king. When it was Esther’s turn, she didn’t ask for anything special. She went as she was, yet she met the approval of everyone who saw her. She didn’t need anything extra because God was with her.

Application:

God plus nothing equals everything. When God is on your side, favor will come upon your life. When you have God’s favor, you don’t need anything else. Others can have more qualifications, but you will get the job. Others will have extra gifts and talents, but you will be promoted. When God placed His favor on your life, you will stand out from the crowd.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are incredible! I want to walk in Your favor and blessing. I want to live a life that You can bless in every way. Live in and through my life. Use me for Your glory and let Your goodness and grace be evident to those around me as I serve You with all my heart. You are the best!

Your Son,

Jeff

Ambassador in Chains

 Scripture:

“for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may be able to speak boldly as I ought to speak.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing here from a Roman prison. In prison, he sees himself as an ambassador in chains. He doesn’t ask them to pray that he will be released from prison, but that God will give him the ability to speak boldly as an ambassador in chains. He was not looking for a way out of his problems, but to be a bold witness in the middle of his problems.

Application:

When bad things happen to us, the natural reaction is to want to get out of a bad situation. Rather than looking to get out of every bad situation, we should pray for God to use us in the midst of the situation. As for me, I want God to be glorified in my life in the good times and in the bad times. 

Prayer:

Father, help me not to complain when things go wrong. Help me to see Your hand in everything that touches my life. I trust You and ask You to use me in the good times and in the bad times. You are worthy of my very best and I want to give that to You. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Even in the Desert

 Scripture:

“For forty years you sustained them. Even in the desert they never lacked anything. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭9‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezra is worshiping God in this passage for all He had done for the people of Israel. He recounted many of God’s incredible provisions through the years for His people. That verse stood out because of the words, “even in the desert they never lacked anything.” It continues by saying their clothes didn’t wear out and their feet didn’t swell during that forty years.

Application:

If God was able to take care of 2-3 million people in a desert, He can take care of me, my family, and the church I lead. When we are aligned with God’s plans and purposes, He provides and takes care of His people. There are times when life feels like a desert, with not a lot of growth and life, but God can provide in the midst of the desert. Even in the bad places of life, God is still our provider.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are incredible and I love You much! Help me to walk by faith in the are of provision. When I feel like I’m in the desert, provide for me and my family. Take care of the church You sent me plant. Help me to lead according to Your will and ways. Provide the land and buildings we need as a block. Provide the finances for our current place and enough to hire the help we need.

Yours,

Jeff

With the Help of Our God

 Scripture:

“When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw this, they were greatly disheartened. They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah and his team rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem in 52 days, while being taunted by their enemies. When it was completed, their enemies were disheartened. Their enemies realized that God was involved in the process. They knew the God of Israel was working with them once again and they were filled with fear. 

Application:

When we are walking with God, we can expect some miraculous intervention at certain periods. During those times, we know that God is working with us to accomplish His will in and through our lives. I want the hand of God to be visible in my life. I want the enemies of God to see His faithfulness in my life. I want to live a life that makes the enemy fear because it is evident that only God could do the things that are accomplished.

Prayer:

Father, I love walking with You and serving You. You are my strength and my song. You are my rock and my salvation. You are the source of every good thing in my life. I want testimonies that let the world and the devil know that God is with me. I long to see Your miraculous power demonstrated around my life. You are my everything. Be glorified in my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Pray, Fight, and Work

 Scripture:

“When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Nehemiah was trying to do what the Lord had called him to do. In the process, the enemies of Judah began to torment him and his workers. When he inspected what was happening, he reminded the people not to be afraid of their enemies, but remember the great and awesome Lord. HE then told them to fight on behalf of their brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and families. He encouraged them by reminding them that God was awesome and their families were worth the fight.

Application:

When I feel overwhelmed by all that is on my plate, I need to remember the great and awesome God I am working for, then I need to make it personal and fight for my family. As Mark Batterson says, we need to pray like it all depends on God and work like it all depends on us. I need to pray hard and work hard to fulfill all God has given me to fulfill.

Prayer:

Father, help me to honor You well in everything I do. Help me, when I don’t see things going well, that You are still great and awesome. Help me to trust You when I don’t see You working on my behalf. Also, empower me to fight for what I need to fight for and work for what is important to You and Your kingdom. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Add Fasting When Necessary

 Scripture:

“So we fasted and prayed to our God about this, and he answered us.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭8‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse shows the power of fasting and prayer. Ezra had called the people back to God and was making a fresh covenant with God and the people. He was repenting, praying, and seeking God for His blessings. In the process, he decided to add fasting to the mix and began to humble himself before the Lord. When he did, it says very clearly, “and He answered us.”

Application:

Sometimes we have to add fasting to our prayer regimen in order to see the breakthrough. Fasting is a form of humbling ourselves before the Lord and acknowledging that we cannot make it without His intervention. Fasting is not a way to bend God’s arm, rather it is a way of aligning us with His will, then He can bless us. I need to spend more time in fasting prayer in my life.

Prayer:

Father, show me when to add fasting to my prayers. I see the power of fasting in this verse. I want to be able to write as the Ezra did, “and He answered us.” I know You always hear me, but I want to see some answers to my prayers. I want to see some breakthrough in some areas of my life. Teach me to hear Your voice and to walk humbly before You all the days of my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Favor and Strength

 Scripture:

“Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, who so moved in the heart of the king to so honor the temple of the Lord which is in Jerusalem! He has also conferred his favor on me before the king, his advisers, and all the influential leaders of the king. I gained strength as the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭7‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ezra communicates here about what the Lord had done in having Cyrus, a Babylonian king, encourage him to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. He not only encouraged him, he blessed him, gave him favor, resources, and everything he needed to get the job done. Ezra declares here that God moved the heart of the king to honor God’s people. God had the king give them favor. It was God who gave him strength to accomplish what he was called upon to do. More than anything else, he said that he had strength because the hand of the Lord God is upon him. 

Application:

When God’s favor and blessing are on your life, even you enemies will have to bless you. God can use heathen to accomplish His purposes in the earth if He needs to. When God’s hand is on your life, favor and blessing come with it. For me, I want God’s hand upon my life for His purposes every day. I want to see his goodness. I need to have more faith that whatever God calls us to do, He will provide for.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Help me to believe that You can do what You say You can do. Teach me to walk in Your Spirit and to yield to Your will and desires. Let my life reflect Your goodness. Give me favor this year as we look to build a permanent home for the church I lead. Let Your favor and grace be evident upon my life.

Yours,

Jeff

Shouting and Weeping

 Scripture:

“When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by King David of Israel. With antiphonal response they sang, praising and glorifying the Lord: “For he is good; his loyal love toward Israel is forever.” All the people gave a loud shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Cyrus of Persia, a foreign king, felt from God to rebuild the Temple of Jerusalem for God Almighty. He heard from the Lord and started the work. HE was an outsider, but one who did what he felt the Lord wanted him to do. When the Temple was established, the priests and Levites, praised God how David had taught them. The people wept and shouted at the top of their lungs. They sang out, “For He is good; His loyal love toward Israel is forever.”

Application:

There are shouting seasons in our lives when we need to give God a triumphal shout, declaring how awesome He is. We must learn that God isn’t afraid of celebration, in initiated it in Israel’s day. There are times when weeping and shouting go together. Weeping at the goodness of God and shouting shouts of victory because we see His hand moving in our lives. We must be willing to do both. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. Teach me to follow Your ways. Help me to know when to celebrate and when to weep. Show me when and how to build a building for Word of Life. Provide the necessary things to get land and build for Your kingdom. Like David, I want to build a house for You in the region I have given my life to build Your kingdom in. Let me always be led by Your Spirit and not my desires.

Yours,

Jeff

Saved By Faith, Not Works

 Scripture:

“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female – for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to the promise.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage tells us that we are baptized into Christ and we are clothed with Christ. It goes on to say we are all one in Jesus Christ. We are not male, female, slave or free, but one in Christ. We are all Abraham’s descendants and heirs according to the promise. As Gentiles, we are given the promises and blessings o Abraham by faith and belief in Christ and what He did for us on the cross.

Application:

Christ lived a perfect, sinless, life. We, as Gentiles, are grafted into the family of God. We have been accepted and adopted into the greatest family ever. Even in the process, we are not judged on our obedience to the Law, but our walking in the Spirit. We have been given some incredible blessings and favor. God brought us into His family, not because we were good enough, but because Christ was good enough to cover all of our sins and trespasses. We are truly saved by grace through faith, not on anything we have done.

Prefer:

Thank You Lord for these great and precious promises. Thank You for allowing us access to the kingdom of God. You are incredible and I appreciate all You have done for me. Help me to follow You completely and to see Your good hand in my life. Help me to live a life that appreciates Your sacrifice Jesus and that advances Your kingdom and plans in the earth. You are incredible!

Yours,

Jeff

Consecrated Leadership

 Scripture:

“Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the areas belonging to the Israelites and encouraged all who were in Israel to worship the Lord their God. Throughout the rest of his reign they did not turn aside from following the Lord God of their ancestors.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭34‬:‭33‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Josiah was a great king, who started at a very early age. He followed the Lord God with all his heart and soul. He removed all the idols that other kings had set up. He tore down the worship areas of Gods other than God Almighty. He set his nation apart and brought the blessing of God. He turned them to God and the remainder of his reign, they followed him.

Application:

Sometimes walking in righteousness doesn’t make you popular immediately, but if you remain faithful to the Lord, people will be glad. When a leader wholly follows the Lord, those under his rule will experience the blessing of God and will follow after him. So much depends on the leader. As a leader, I want to lead people to follow God fully and completely. I want my life to be used to bring people into covenant with God so they can be blessed.

Prayer:

Father, use my life for Your glory. Help me to live in such a way that Your name will be glorified. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life. Help me to hate what You hate and love what You love.

Yours,

Jeff