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

Man of God

 Scripture:

“They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭30‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Hezekiah had been doing right things before the Lord. He restored everything concerning God’s worship among God’s people. There is a simple description of Moses in the passage because they were re-implementing everything Moses started. It refers to Moses as “the man of God.” 

Application:

I am not into titles, but if I ever wanted a title to be attached to my life, it would be “man of God.” People in the Scripture who followed God wholeheartedly may have been called a prophet, a king, or a priest, but one of the greatest titles I see in the word of God is ‘man of God.” Above every other thing I can be called, I have always desired that one day people would call me a “man of God.” I want to be a man of God in every aspect of the term. 

Prayer:

Father, make me a man of God. Help me to follow You wholeheartedly and let my life shine and represent You well. Teach me to walk with You closely as friend with friend. Let my life bring Your honor and praise. Let my ways be uplifting to You and Your kingdom. I want to be a man of God.

Yours,

Jeff

Taught to Honor God

 Scripture:

“He followed God during the lifetime of Zechariah, who taught him how to honor God. As long as he followed the Lord, God caused him to succeed.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭26‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Uzziah did his best to follow the Lord completely. He messed up in the end, but most of his reign, he was a very godly king. This passage tells how he followed God during Zechariah’s life because Zechariah taught him how to honor God. This passage makes one other important statement. “As long as he followed the Lord, God caused him to succeed.”

Application:

First, I need to be a Zechariah to some Uzziahs. I need to teach others how to honor God. I want to invest my life into those who are willing to follow God closely. I also want to see them succeed in everything they do because the Lord is with them. I want to see those I invest in become mighty in God.

Prayer:

Father, You are worthy of my very best. Help me to honor You well all the days of my life. Help me to be a blessing to the next generation, that they may exalt Your name and live powerful lives in You. Help me to be a Zechariah to some Uzziahs.

Yours,

Jeff

God Can Help or Defeat

 Scripture:

“Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭25‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Amaziah was hiring warriors and preparing for battle, but a prophet spoke to him about what he was doing. He was operating in his own wisdom and thoughts instead of seeking God. The prophet told him, “even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.” We always think of God helping us accomplish what we want, but He is also able to defeat us when we get off of His plan.

Application:

Sometimes, as people of God, we can charge in and try to accomplish what God doesn’t want us to accomplish. Sometimes we lean on the arm of the flesh to do what the Spirit needs to do. We need to remember that God is capable of helping or defeating. God can make us win or lose in battle. We always believe He will make us win only, but God can also shut doors in your face and cause you to be defeated when you don’t ask His guidance and do what He desires.

Prayer:

Father, help me to remember that You can make us win or lose. You are all powerful and I love You with all my heart. Help me to follow Your voice and not just the wisdom of my flesh. Teach me how to lead well. Help me to stay aligned with You and Your will at all times. Show me how to walk in Your favor and blessing.

Yours,

Jeff

The God Who Never Fails

 Scripture:

“Early the next morning they marched out to the Desert of Tekoa. When they were ready to march, Jehoshaphat stood up and said: “Listen to me, you people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem! Trust in the Lord your God and you will be safe! Trust in the message of his prophets and you will win.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jehoshaphat was nervous about a huge army coming from Edom toward God’s people. He decided to turn towards God with all his heart. He called the nation together to fast and seek God. Once God answered, Jehoshaphat was confident and told the people to trust in the Lord and they would be safe. He told them to listen to God’s prophets and they would win. They saw the Lord destroy the enemy armies and they had to do nothing. 

Application:

When we are in a covenant with God, He will fight our battles. He takes care of His own. He can deliver us from whatever comes against us. Just as Jehoshaphat told his people, we must trust in the Lord and trust the message of His prophets. Then we will win. We need to trust God and what He is speaking above our own wisdom and understanding. We should ask, “What is God saying about this?” 

Prayer:

Lord, I want to know Your voice and do what You speak to me. Open my ears so I can hear clearly. Open my eyes to see what You are doing. Help me to follow Your word and Your Spirit with all my heart. Fight my battles as I look to You. You are my rock and my fortress. You are my defender. Help me to win every battle. You are the God who never fails.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

The Blessings of Following the Lord

 Scripture:

“He said to the people of Judah: “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” So they built the cities and prospered.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Asa of Judah followed the Lord with all his heart. He told the people, “The land remains ours because we have followed the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” He understood that obedience to the Lord and serving Him in the way He wants to be served, is the best thing any people can do. He realized that it was the Lord who made them secure and not their own abilities. This verse closes saying “so they built the cities and prospered.”

Application:

When we wholly follow the Lord, we can expect His blessing on our lives. When we do things His way, instead of our own, we will prosper. There is great joy and peace in knowing that God is with us and fighting on our behalf. When we follow the Lord, we can expect wins because He will fight on our behalf. I want to fully follow the Lord in every area of my life. I want everything I touch to prosper because the Lord is with me.

Prayer:

Lots God, You are awesome and I love You with all my heart. You have been so good to me. Help me to walk out my days filled with Your Spirit and following Your voice. Help me to live a life that pleases You and that You can bless. Let my answer always be yes and my feet be quick to walk through open doors. Let my life be used for Your glory.

Yours,

Jeff

Decisions Determine Destiny

 Scripture:

“May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on his throne as the one ruling on his behalf! Because of your God’s love for Israel and his lasting commitment to them, he made you king over them so you could make just and right decisions.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭9‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Queen of Sheeba came to see if everything she heard about Solomon was true. She found out it was more and better than what had been described to her. When she saw the wisdom and reign of Solomon, she declared that God should be praised because He favored Solomon an hour him on the throne to rule on His behalf. She gave glory to God because of Solomon’s leadership. She even said that God put him in charge because of God’s love and commitment to Israel. Lastly, Solomon was put there to make right decisions for God and His people.

Application:

Your decisions determine your future. God put Solomon as king of Israel because he knew he would make right decisions. Those right decisions caused people around the world to be in awe of God’s kingdom that operated through Solomon. God puts people in positions to make decisions because decisions determine destiny. We must be people who learn to make right decisions. We must seek God and make decisions from His perspective. 

Prayer:

Lots God Almighty, help me to make right decisions for my family, my church, and for those I serve. Help me make decisions that will bring about Your destiny in the earth. I want to live a life that is surrendered fully to You. Show me the way forward and help me to make right and godly decisions.

Yours,

Jeff

Covenantal Loyalty

 Scripture:

“and prayed: “O Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth! You maintain covenantal loyalty to your servants who obey you with sincerity.” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭6‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As Solomon was dedicating the Temple he had built for the Lord, he prayed the prayer above. First, he declared that there was no god like our God. He then said that God maintains covenantal loyalty to His servants who obey Him. In other words, God remains faithful to the covenant He makes with people.

Application:

When we have sincere hearts, we can expect nothing by covenantal loyalty from God. When we keep our end of the covenant, He will always keep His end. He is faithful beyond our imagination. Our job is to be faithful to our end of the covenant, which means obedience to the ways and desires of the Lord. A covenant is an agreement. We have to agree to live how God tells us to live or the covenant is broken.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live faithful to the covenant. Help me to walk in obedience at all times to Your word. There is truly no god like You in heaven or on earth. You are amazing! Let my life shine for You and let me live an obedient life in every area. Show me each day how to live a life that is pleasing to You and I will walk in it. I want to uphold my end of the covenant.

Yours,

Jeff

Wisdom and Discernment

 Scripture:

“Now give me wisdom and discernment so I can effectively lead this nation. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Solomon had the opportunity to ask God for anything he wanted. Given that opportunity, he asked God to give him wisdom and discernment so he could lead the nation effectively. Because of his heart in this matter, the Lord said He would give Solomon treasures untold and God’s blessing would be upon him. He asked right, and God have the rest.

Application:

Our heart should never be in pursuit of things. We should not be after more money, wealth, items, etc. we should want God first, then for Him to give us wisdom and guidance for our lives and the lives of those around us. More than more money, I need more wisdom and discernment to lead God’s people well. More than more staff, I need wisdom on how to lead God’s people well. We must pursue the right things.

Prayer:

Father, I look to You this morning. Give me wisdom and discernment. Give me an understanding heart that knows what to do each day. Show me how to interact with people. Teach me to lead well. Show me how to walk with You and lead others. I need Your insight. Let me hear Your voice clearly.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Promotes

 Scripture:

“The Lord greatly magnified Solomon before all Israel and bestowed on him greater majesty than any king of Israel before him.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭29‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David was a great kind of Israel who accomplished incredible things, but this verse says his sons and relatives Solomon was greatly magnified by the Lord before Israel and that God gave him greater majesty than anyone king before him. It’s hard to outdo David, but in God’s eyes, Solomon was more blessed than David. When God lifts a person up, it is powerful!

Application:

It is God who lifts up and who puts down people. It is God who promotes and who demotes. We should live our lives, not seeking promotion, but seeking God. When we seek Him first and foremost, the blessing follows. We must always walk humbly before our God because He can cause things to happen in our lives that we never could. He is awesome!

Prayer:

Father, you bestowed incredible favor and blessing on Solomon. You caused him to be blessed beyond measure. Help me to live a life that You can bless. Teach me how to operate according to Your ways. Are my life apart for Your glory and let me fulfill Your will in all things. Help me to serve You well and to make Your name great in all the earth.

Yours,

Jeff

Training Faithful Men

 Scripture:

“All these were the descendants of Obed-Edom. They and their sons and relatives were respected men, capable of doing their responsibilities. There were sixty-two of them related to Obed-Edom.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭26‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The home of Obed-Edom was known in the Bible as the only place besides the Tabernacle or Temple that housed the ark of the covenant without it causing some problems. He was blessed powerfully for housing the Ark of God’s Presence, apparently in a manner that God honored and appreciated. This verse tells a little more of the story. His sons and relatives were respected me who could do their responsibilities. 

Application:

When a man lives a life that God can bless, his generations are also blessed. Faithful men raise faithful men. I want to live a life God can bless and see my generations blessed because of my obedience. I want to set an example others can follow and demonstrate a way that works for becoming a man of God.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You completely. Teach me Your ways and Your heart. I want to serve You well in my generation and leave a legacy and inheritance for the next generation. Help me to follow You completely and to raise up faithful men who will teach others. Let a strong group of godly men arise that can be trusted with the riches of Your kingdom.

Yours,

Jeff

Insight, Understanding, and Obedience

 Scripture:

“Only may the Lord give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey the law of the Lord your God. Then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the rules and regulations which the Lord ordered Moses to give to Israel. Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic!” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭22‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As David was preparing to hand off his kingdom to his son Solomon, he told Solomon how to lead God’s people. He asked God to give Solomon insight and understanding so he would obey the law of the Lord. He added a promise, “then you will succeed, if you carefully obey the rules and regulations which the Lord ordered Moses.” Success comes from insight, understanding, and obedience. David then told Solomon to be strong, brave, and not to be afraid. 

Application:

To lead God’s people well, we need insight, understanding, and obedience to the things of God. When we do that, we have nothing to fear and we can be brave and strong. Submission to God and His ways is if they to effective leadership and walking in God’s blessing. We need to humble ourselves before Him and do things His ways, with His insight and understanding because He knows all.

Prayer:

Father, let me lead with insight, understanding, and obedience to You always. Teach me to hear Your voice and give me the wisdom to follow it. I long to walk in step with You at all times. I strongly desire to be filled with Your Spirit in greater measure. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Raises Up and God Puts Down

 Scripture:

““So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord who commands armies says: “I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God spoke through Nathan the prophet into King David’s life. God told David, “I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel.” God was in the entire process, even though the process wasn’t easy. It is God who raises up and God who puts down. 

Application:

We must realize that we are not in the positions we are in because we are good people or because we deserve it, but because God has a plan. David went through some terrible days after being anointed, but God let him know that He was with him all the way through and made him king of Israel. We must live our lives surrendered to the Lord in all things and trust that He will put us where He wants us and use us how He wants to use us. Our job is to remain humble and responsive when the Lord calls.

Prayer:

Father, help me to live humbly before You and to take every step You invite me to take. Teach me to walk in obedience every day and to finish the work You have given me to do. Help me to lean more on You and less on myself. I need You Lord. 

Yours,

Jeff

Speak to God First

 Scripture:

“David asked God, “Should I march up against the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” The Lord said to him, “March up! I will hand them over to you!” So they marched against Baal Perazim and David defeated them there. David said, “Using me as his instrument, God has burst out against my enemies like water bursts out.” So that place is called Baal Perazim.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭14‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David was smart enough not to trust his own decisions, but asked the Lord what to do. He knew it was God who fought his battles and therefore wanted to make sure he wasn’t going ahead of God. Once he heard from God, he marched, and God defeated his enemies. He declared that God used him as His instrument to burst out against his enemies.

Application:

We can be used by God to destroy the works of the enemy when we first hear His voice and do what He is doing. We can’t ask God to anoint us to do our will. We can only ask God to anoint us to do His will. The greatest place we can be is in the place of full surrender to God and His will for our lives. When we work with God, great things happen. When we work in our flesh, disaster usually comes. We must speak to God before we attack enemies.

Prayer:

Father, help me not to rush into battle, but to wait for You to dictate my steps. I want to be doing what You want me to be doing with my life. Help me to follow You well and anoint me to accomplish Your plans, not my plans, for my life. My life is in Your hands. Use me for Your glory and open the right doors at the right moment. I want to live a surrendered life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

His Presence is Everything

 Scripture:

“David’s power steadily grew, for the Lord who commands armies was with him.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭11‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Throughout the Old Testament, we are told about people of whom it would say, “and the Lord was with them.” Those people always prospered. Those people always won battles. Those people always lived very blessed lives that had a supernatural element to them. Here it says David’s power steadily grew because God was with him.

Application:

The greatest thing you can have in your life on this earth is God’s presence and power on your life. When God is with you, things go well for you and He opens doors for you that nobody can shut. He makes things prosper in ways we could never do alone. As for me, I know God is with me because He lives within me, but I also love when He manifests His presence and lets me know He is there. We should continually seek God’s presence in our lives and pursue Him with all our hearts.

Prayer:

Father, You are the best! You are my everything and I love You with all my heart. Help me to walk humbly before You. I want Your presence to be evident in my life. I want You to smile upon me and let Your supernatural favor and grace be upon me. Set me apart for Your purposes and let my life bring You glory and honor. I am Yours. Let my life count for Your kingdom. Bless our events this weekend with Your presence. Come Holy Spirit.

Yours,

Jeff

Raising and Releasing Warriors

 Scripture:

“Altogether the genealogical records of the clans of Issachar listed 87,000 warriors.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭7‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

It is interesting to read the genealogies of some of the people in the Bible. You find little things here and there about families. In this passage it talks about the sons of Issachar. 87,000 warriors came directly through his lineage. He raised warriors, who raised warriors, who raised warriors. It seems that had lots of babies as well because this is a huge number of fighting men from one ancestor. 

Application:

The Bible tells us in other places that the Sons of Issachar knew the times and seasons. They were not only warriors, they understood how to hear from God. As a spiritual father, I want to lead men, who lead men, who lead men. I want to build warriors, who build warriors, who build warriors in God’s kingdom. I want to pass on to the next generation everything the Lord has put in my life.

Prayer:

Father, let this next season of my life be given to raising and releasing sons and daughters who will today sons and daughters, who will change the world. Give me wisdom and insight concerning this and how to walk in it. Teach me to raise and release world changers for Your glory. Help me to father them well and to prepare them for service in Your kingdom.

Yours,

Jeff

The Blessing

 Scripture:

“Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!” God answered his prayer.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Te beginning of I Chronicles is a long genealogy. It tells all the names of the descendants of God’s people. Most of the people we don’t learn anything about, but once in a while a person gets an additional line or two of text. Jabez got a little additional description. It says he was born in pain, but he called out to God and asked God to bless him, expand his territory, and to let His hand be with him. He also asked that would not have to endure pain. Then it simply says, “God answered his prayer.” Then the genealogy continued to the next person.

Application:

Sometimes we have not because we ask not. I am one who doesn’t ask very much. I tend to be pretty self-reliant and don’t want to be always begging God for things. I need to learn that it is not a problem to ask my father for His blessing. I need to ask God more instead of leaning on the fact that He knows my needs before I ever express them. 

Prayer:

Father, bless me. Bless the work of my hands. Bless my family. Bless the church I lead. Bless my county. Let Your blessing be evident in my life and work. I want to see Your name glorified in every nation of the world. Empower me to do Your will and extend Your kingdom in and through my life. Help me to lead Your people well and to serve them with excellence. I want to represent You well. As we celebrate 25 years at Word of Life this week. Bless the weekend with Your presence and bless the church in every way.

Yours,

Jeff

One Bad Decision

 Scripture:

“The son of Carmi: Achan, who brought the disaster on Israel when he stole what was devoted to God.” ‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The first three chapters of I Chronicles is a detailed lineage of God people from Adam. In this geneology, very little is spoken about anyone. It is simply a list of who was born to who. Once in a while, there will be a very little information about one individual. When it came to Achan, he received additional information that said, “who brought disaster on Israel when he stole what was devoted to God.”

Application:

You can do a lot of good in your life, but it is usually the one bad thing you did that gets you remembered. You can work all your life to build a reputation, then lose it in a moment, causing you to be remembered as the person who fell from grace or did something terribly wrong. I’m sure Achan did some things right in his life, but he went down in history as the guy who stole from God and caused Israel defeat. I want to finish strong and be known for what I did right, not where I messed up.

Prayer:

Father, I want to represent You well throughout my life. I want to make Your kingdom look good, not bad. Help me to follow You completely and to make Your name great. You are worthy of my very best. Help me to live a life that brings You honor and praise. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Living For Eternity

 Scripture:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

Paul wrote this to the Corinthians and it is a good reminder about how we live our lives here on earth. He says we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ after we die. It states that we will be paid back, or rewarded, according to whatever we have done in our earthly lives. Like is a downpayment on our eternal rewards. 

Application:

Everything we do on this earth while we live here, will be judged one day. It will either be valuable or not valuable. God is taking good notes of every moment of our lives. As believers, we don’t have to worry about hell, but in heaven there will be a reward system. We need to live our lives knowing that one day we will stand before God and give an account. As for my, I want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Prayer:

Father, help me to live with eternity in focus. Help me to live my life producing valuable things for Your kingdom. Let my answer always be “yes” when You want me to do something. Teach me to live a life of obedience in everything I touch. Let my life be lived for Your glory.

Yours,

Jeff

Power in Clay Jars

 Scripture:

“But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing to the Corinthians here and tells them about the extraordinary power in him that belongs to God. That power, Paul said, comes from God and not from us. He used the analogy that we are simple clay jars, containing the power, but not the source of the power. Paul knew he had great power, but he also knew where it came from.

Application:

As God’s children, we have the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We should not shy away from the fact that we have extraordinary power, but we should never forget there that power comes from. We must always point to Jesus, and not ourselves. We are simple conduits of God’s power. We can do nothing without Him, but everything with Him. We just need to learn our place and walk with God to fulfill His purposes.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and glorious. You are incredible and I worship You. You are worthy of all my praise and worship. You are worthy of any sacrifice I need to make. You are my everything. Help me to walk in Your power, but remember that power comes from You and You alone. This world needs to see You working through people, but they need to know it is not the people, but God Almighty working through them. 

Yours,

Jeff

All Your Heart

 Scripture:

“The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant before the Lord, agreeing to follow the Lord and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being, by carrying out the terms of this covenant recorded on this scroll. All the people agreed to keep the covenant.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭23‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Josiah ran after God with all his heart. When he heard the word of the Lord, he went through Judah tearing down everything he could have previous worship of other gods. He did his very best to turn God’s people back to God. In this passage, he had just read the scroll found in the Temple and renewed a covenant with God with all his heart and being. Even the people followed him and entered a covenant with God. Unfortunately it didn’t last, but the heart was right.

Application:

We should tremble at the word of the Lord. When we read God’s word, it should shake us like it did Josiah. When we read the scrolls of the Lord, we should look to repent and turn completely to God. It is the natural response when we realize we have neglected the voice of God. I want to serve God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I want to serve Him well in my generation.

Prayer:

Father, forgive our half-heartedness. Help me to run to You and away from anything that You don’t approve of. Teach me to tremble at Your word and to live a life that pleases You. I want to see the blessings that follow a heart that is completely sold out to You. Let me never be a half-hearted Christian. I want to be sold out for You and Your purposes in the earth. 

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Angel Army

 Scripture:

“I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.’” That very night the Lord’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 men in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Assyria was coming after God’s people and King Hezekiah cried out to the Lord. It seemed there was no hope for God’s people. When Hezekiah cried out to the Lord, God decided to move. He was told that he would not have to defend against the Assyrians because the Lord would deter them. That night, an angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrians and they held quickly from God’s people. 

Application:

When the enemy threatens, we must remember that God can do far more than we think He can do. He can send angel armies to defeat enemies. He has resources we can’t even imagine. We must do our best to serve God, then know that we have a covenant with Him. He will fight our battles as we align ourselves with Him. God can handle any situation that comes our way. We must learn to trust Him more and believe He will take care of His own.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, I worship You! I glorify Your name. I exalt You! You are the only one worthy of praise. When the enemy threatens my life, or my family, or my church, let me respond in faith, knowing God will fight my battles. Let my faith in God grow to new levels. Help me to trust You above the reports of this world. Work Your miracles on our behalf I pray.

Yours,

Jeff

Obedience Brings Favor

 Scripture:

“He was loyal to the Lord and did not abandon him. He obeyed the commandments which the Lord had given to Moses. The Lord was with him; he succeeded in all his endeavors. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and refused to submit to him.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭18‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King Hezekiah was loyal to the Lord and did not abandon Him. He obeyed the Lord‘s commands that were given through Moses. Because he follow the Lord and was loyal to Him, it says the Lord was with him and he was successful in all his endeavors. Success comes from being in with relationship with God. He is the author of success. 

Application:

Success and victory don’t come from us or our hard work. The Lord blesses those who live according to His ways. He is faithful when His people are faithful. God rewards and honors those who listen to His voice and do what He says. God is with you when you walk in obedience and when God is with you, no enemy can prosper against You. 

Prayer:

Lord, let my life be a life of obedience to You and Your word. Help me to follow You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. You are my rock and the foundation of my life. Help me to serve You well. I want to represent You well in my generation. Teach me Yours ways. Let my life be a life of obedience.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Fully Surrendered

 Scripture:

“He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done. But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate to the Lord’s temple.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭34‬-‭35‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage is repeated in one way or another concerning many of the kings of Israel and Judah. Many of the kings did a good job and sought the Lord, but they didn’t go as far as eliminating the high places where other gods were worshiped in their countries. Many kings were defined with these similar words. They did a good job, but didn’t cleanse the land from the worship of other gods. God always pointed this out as a reason why they didn’t see the full blessing of God during their reign.

Application:

As God’s people, we are to eliminate every idol from our lives. We cannot serve God and still allow things in our life that God disapprove of. As I said the other day, partial obedience is still disobedience. We must be a people who are fully surrendered to God and hold no idols in our lives. If God says to do something, we must do it, and do it with all our heart. We must drive out from our lives anything that displeased Him.

Prayer:

Father, I  don’t want the words written about my life that I did a good job, but didn’t fully follow the Lord. If You want something removed, I want it removed. Help me to walk with You daily and to hear what You are speaking. Show me how to serve You well in my generation. I trust You and want to fulfill Your will for my life. Teach me, instruct me, show me, and I will follow. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Partial Obedience Partial Reward

 Scripture:

“The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.” But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel. He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭10‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jehu did well. He did much of what the Lord wanted him to do, but he partially obeyed. He left certain things in the land that did not honor the Lord. He had followed the Lord in destroying the descendants of Alan, but didn’t tear down all the Baal images in the land. He was blessed to have four generations rule over Israel. Even though he partially obeyed, he was blessed at some level.

Application:

I have always preached that partial obedience is still disobedience. This passage showed me that God honors obedience, even when it isn’t complete obedience. Jehu got four generations on the throne because he obeyed in certain areas. If he had obeyed fully, he would have seen his family blessed for more generations. The application is that the fuller our obedience, the greater the reward. I want to fully obey all that the Lord gives me to do.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, my life is in Your hands. I am trying to fully obey You in every area of my life. Teach me to follow You well and to walk in complete obedience. I long to see Your blessing on my life and everything I lead. You are incredible and I want to serve You well. Help me not to settle for partial obedience and partial blessing. I want to be all in.

Yours,

Jeff

Led by Money or Led by God?

 Scripture:

“Elisha replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.” ‭‭2 Kings‬ ‭5‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Naaman came to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. Elisha told him to dip seven times in the Jordan River. When he did it, he was healed. Naaman wanted to pay Elisha, but Elisha refused to take anything for the miracle. Elisha’s servant Gehazi saw this exchange and was upset. He saw an opportunity for an offering. Gehazi chased Naaman down and lied to him to get some money and clothes. When Gehazi got back to Elisha, he was confronted and Elisha told him that he saw the whole thing in his spirit and that Gehazi would be punished for what he did. Immediately, Gehazi had leprosy.

Application:

Don’t take shortcuts to God’s blessing. We must be people of integrity and faith. We must follow the Lord completely and do what he says, even when it seems we have good opportunities to be blessed. Every financial gift isn’t from God. Every blessing isn’t His hand. We must discern when to receive gifts and when not to receive gifts. We must listen to the Lord over all other voices. We must never use people for their resources. We must do things God’s way and not our own.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are incredible and I count it a privilege to serve You. Help me to walk in purity and integrity of heart. Help me to never be led by offerings or money, but to walk through the doors You open. Teach me to walk humbly before You. Help me to be led by Your Spirit and not by money or any other thing. 

Yours,

Jeff

Speaking God’s Truth

 Scripture:

“The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.”” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭22‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The king of Israel had lots of prophets who told him what he wanted to hear. They would prophesy according to what the king wanted. When Jehoshaphat heard about it, he asked if there were any real prophets left. The king said there was one, but the king despised him because he didn’t prophesy prosperity for the king, but disaster. Micaiah was known for prophesying truth, but not what the king wanted to hear. He suffered for the word of the Lord, but he gave it accurately.

Application:

A real prophet doesn’t speak what people want to hear, but they speak the true word of God. Sometimes that is a word of blessing, but sometimes that is a word of correction or instruction. I want to speak the true word of the Lord. I want to be a pure vessel that God can speak through. I don’t want to be influenced by the opinions of man or what man thinks of me. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk as a true man of God. Help me to speak what You are saying, and not what is convenient. Help me to hear Your clearly and to prophesy accurately. I want to represent You well in my generation. Give me courage and boldness , not to be influenced by the opinions of man, but to speak the oracles of God. Let my words be pure and accurate.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Repentance and Humility Always Wins

 Scripture:

““Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭21‬:‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ahab, just verses before this, was described as the most wicked king ever who was led by his wife Jezebel. He was told that he would die and that dogs would eat his body and how wife’s. When Ahab heard the word of the Lord, he fasted and prayed and humbled himself before the Lord. God changed his mind and decided not to bring disaster on him, but later, during the reign of his son.

Application:

God always looks favorably on repentance and humility. He always responds and takes care of those who humble themselves before Him. As soon as God’s people turn to Him in humility and fasting and prayer, He responds by changing situations and bringing life. God always responds positively to repentance. Recently, I’ve had interactions with some people who think God as abandoned them because God hasn’t answered their prayers. In each situation, I have said that God responds more to repentance than to tears. repentance turns the heart of God.

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You well. Help me to always be quick to repent when I get off course. Forgive my bad attitude recently and show me how to lead effectively. Teach me to follow Your ways above all else. Lead me in Your paths and show me your heart. I love You and want to reflect Your heart in all I do.

Yours,

Jeff

Supernatural Provision

 Scripture:

“She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family. The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭17‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God had spoken to Elijah the prophet to go to Zarephath where a pair would take care of him. The he got there, she was about to eat he and her son’s last meal because they had nothing left to eat. Elijah instructed her to feed him first, then she would have enough for her and her son’s. He said there would always be food in the house. She obeyed and God blessed her. It says her jar of flour never emptied and her oil jug never ran out. 

Application:

When God says He will provide, He will provide! Sometimes God asks us to do hard things. Like give away our last meal, but when we walk in obedience, we see His blessing on our lives. We must learn to trust God’s provision and know He will take care of us when we give ourselves completely to Him. I need to trust God more in the area of finances and know He will always take care of me.

Prayer:

Father, take my trust in You deeper. Let me see the good hand of God in my life and the life of the church I pastor. Provide for every need, and let Your Kingdom be established stronger and stronger in our region. Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Teach me to be a man of faith, who sees Your supernatural provision. Let me always be in step with You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Appointing for Positions

 Scripture:

“After this happened, Jeroboam still did not change his evil ways; he continued to appoint common people as priests at the high places. Anyone who wanted the job he consecrated as a priest. This sin caused Jeroboam’s dynasty to come to an end and to be destroyed from the face of the earth.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭13‬:‭33‬-‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

One of Jeroboam’s sins was that he allowed anyone who volunteered to be a priest at the high places. He didn’t do things God’s way, he did holy things in a manner that God didn’t approve of. He brought destruction on himself and his people because he was using people who were not approved by God to do work that a priest should do.

Application:

In the church, volunteers are hard to find, so we end up putting people into positions they are not ready for. We are quick to give titles that people haven’t earned. I am guilty of giving people positions they were probably not ready for, nor called to do. I need to be more cautious in this area. We shouldn’t just appoint and approve to fill positions, but we need the right people in the right places, who are called by God to be there.

Prayer:

Father, You are awesome and I love You. Thanks for the rebuke this morning. Forgive me for filling positions and empowering people who are not ready for the role or position, or not called for the place where they are serving. Help me to approve what You approve in all things. Help me not to do what is convenient, but what is right in Your eyes at all times.

Yours,

Jeff

Covenant Agreements

 Scripture:

“You must serve me with integrity and sincerity, just as your father David did. Do everything I commanded and obey my rules and regulations. Then I will allow your dynasty to rule over Israel permanently, just as I promised your father David, ‘You will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭9‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage is God’s response to Solomon dedicating the Temple he had built and dedicated to the Lord. He had asked for the Lord’s blessing. The Lord said, “You must serve me with integrity and sincerity… Do everything I commanded and obey all my rules and regulations.” This was a covenant between God and man. He continued to say that He would allow Solomon’s dynasty to be permanent. 

Application:

God always works in covenant with His people. He always keeps His end of the agreement when we keep our end of the agreement. Many times today, people want God to love them, forgive them, and heal them, but they don’t want to live for Him completely. We must come to God His way, and not simply in a way that is convenient to us. He will fulfill His promises, but He also expects us to fulfill our part of the agreement. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in covenant with You at all times. Teach me to follow Your words and walk in a way that honors and respects You. Let my life be a life of submission to You and Yours plans. Empower me to live the kind of life You can bless.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Wisdom From God

 Scripture:

“People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom.” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭4‬:‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God answered Solomon’s prayer to have wisdom for leading God’s people. People came from all nations to hear Solomon’s wisdom. God had given him such wisdom that the world saw it and wanted it. Everyone was amazed at the wisdom he led with.

Application:

Knowledge comes from study, wisdom comes from God, or a lot of experience. In Solomon’s case, it came from God. As God’s people, we should always be seeking His wisdom and want to hear His voice. When God gives His wisdom to an individual, the world takes notice. 

Prayer:

Father, increase my wisdom in every area. Teach me the things I need to know and help me to walk with the wise. I long to serve You well in my generation. You are worthy of my very best. Let my wisdom make You look good like Solomon’s did.

Yours,

Jeff

Be Strong and Become a Man

 Scripture:

““I am about to die. Be strong and become a man! Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you by following his instructions and obeying his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,” ‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As David was about to die, he called for Solomon and spoke with him. He told him to be strong and be a man! He followed that with a commission to walk in God’s ways, obeying His commands, regulations, and laws. He closed by saying that Solomon would succeed if he did these things.

Application:

Sometimes in life we need to be told to man-up. We need to stand strong in certain areas and be manly enough to make hard decisions. We need to put Christ first in every area of our lives. I need to be a man concerning leadership and holding people accountable. I want to see the blessing of God on my life and ministry in greater measure.

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious. I worship You with all my heart. You are worthy of my very best. Help me to man-up and do what You have called me to do. Help me to lead well in Your kingdom. Teach me to fulfill all You have given me to do and help me to accomplish it well. I am Yours and I want to succeed in every task You set before me.

Yours,

Jeff

Trust God in Difficult Times

 Scripture:

“Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him. Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David was in the process of fleeing from Jerusalem because his son Absalom was prepared to take over his kingdom. While he was fleeing, another man came to him cursing him and saying all kinds of terrible things about him. Instead of having the man killed, which most kings would have done, he left it in the hands of God. He thought that maybe even God told the man to curse him. David believed that good and bad come from the hand of the Lord and that God notices our condition.

Application:

We are called on to trust God with our lives. Sometimes people say terrible things about us and even try to get us in trouble, but our hope must always be in the Lord. God sees every detail. He knows every lie told about us. He understands what is happening around us and we can trust God to fight our battles and to take care of us. He is trustworthy. We must learnt to let God fight and not take things into our own hands. God is faithful.

Prayer:

Father, help me to trust You more and more each day. Even when things look bad, help me to know You are working things for my good. Teach me to walk with You and to do excavator what You call me to do. I want to live a life of faith and trust. Help me not to accuse others, but to trust You more. You are my everything. 

Yours,

Jeff

So Much More

 Scripture:

“I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives into your arms. I also gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all that somehow seems insignificant, I would have given you so much more as well!” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

King David had gotten Bathsheba pregnant and had her husband killed in battle. Nathan the prophet came to him and confronted him about his actions. In that confrontation, the Lord speaks through Nathan and gives the above words to David. It shows God’s heart for us in a special kind of way.

Application:

Sometimes our actions stop the blessing of God from flowing in our lives. As a father, there are times I want to bless my sons, but they may be walking in disobedience, stopping me from giving what I intended. I think when we face the Lord, many will hear, “I wanted to give you much more but you…” God wants good things for His children, but His children must walk in obedience in order to receive His blessing. I don’t want to hear, “I would have given you so much more as well!”

Prayer:

Father, I wanted to walk in a way that You can bless. I want my life to be lived before You in such a way that You never withhold Your blessing from my life. Let my life represent You well and help me t be the person You want me to be. Bless my upcoming trip to Pakistan with Your grace and power. Let Your name be glorified in all things there.

Yours,

Jeff

Who Am I, O Lord?

 Scripture:

“King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point?” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David had accomplished much in life before becoming king. He had defeated Goliath, defeated and conquered regions while running from Saul. He became king of Israel. Shortly after being recognized as king, He comes in and sits before the Lord and says, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family that You should have brought me to this point?”

Application:

David’s humility before the Lord is a huge key to his reign and blessing as king. Rather than talking about what he accomplished and how he deserved to be king, he was humbled that the Lord had brought him to this point in his life. Humility before God brings great dividends. When we know we cannot do what needs done, God can get the glory. God will choose the humble over the proud every single time. God has been really good to me and I need to honor Him more for it. 

Prayer:

Father, who am I that You would bless me so kindly. You have been so good to me. You have opened doors for me that I don’t deserve. You have taken me places and done things in and through my life that I am unworthy of. Thank You for allowing me to honor of serving You. Help me to always walk before You in great humility. 

Yours,

Jeff

Overflow

 Scripture:

“David’s power grew steadily, for the Lord God who commands armies was with him.” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This simple verse is near the beginning of David’s kingly reign. God was with David and therefore, David’s power grew steadily. The more we humble ourselves before the Lord, the more He blesses our lives. David had the blessing of God on his life and his power grew steadily. 

Application:

The greatest thing we can have in this world is the presence of God. He can cause us to prosper and be in health. He can cause us to be blessed beyond measure. He is able to lift us up above the storms of life. More than anything else in life, I want the presence of the Lord to be with me. When He is with you, your prosper. When He is with you, you always have victory. I need God’s presence to be with me above all else.

Prayer:

Father, I want to walk with You. I want to know You and hear Your voice. I want Your presence to be evident in my life. May it be said of Jeff that the Lord was with him in everything he did. I long for You. Fill me up with Your Spirit and let me overflow onto others for Your glory.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Honoring Authority

 Scripture:

“The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people of Judah. David was told, “The people of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness to your Lord Saul by burying him.” ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage tells of the people of Jabesh Giliad. When they learned of King Saul’s death, they provided a proper burial for him. David was very impressed by this action. The fact that they honored the King, who was trying to kill David. David asked God to bless them for their support of the Lord’s anointed and kindness to him.

Application:

When you do right things, God will take care of you. In this instance, it was the right thing to honor the position of king, even though they may not have loved the person who was king. If we believe the God raises leaders and brings down leaders, we must then show it with our actions. We need to honor those in authority over us, whether we like what they do or not. They are appointed by God to bring about His will.

Prayer:

Father, help me to honor those in positions of authority above me. Teach me to walk in humility and to treat leaders with dignity and respect. Show me how to honor well those You have positioned over my life. I want to walk in Your hair and blessing all the days of my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Faithful and Reliable

 Scripture:

“Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭29‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Achish, the king of the Philistines, said this about David. In this story, David had lived among the Philistines for quite a while during the season when Saul was trying to kill him. While among the Philistines, David and his men fought with them and helped them as much as he could. David, while fleeing from his own king, lived among a foreign nation, demonstrated being reliable and faithful to King Achish. To Achish, David was as reliable as the angel of God.

Application:

Am I faithful and reliable when things are not going well for me? Am I faithful while running for my life from the attacks of people? I want to be faithful to the Lord and His calling, no matter what the circumstances are around me. I want to be found faithful and reliable to those around me. I want to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, no matter what is going on in my personal life. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to fulfill Your will for my life in everything I do. Help me to have the right attitude when it feels like things are going backwards instead of forward. Empower me to be faithful and reliable in every situation. Let my life bring Your honor and praise. Teach me to represent You well in my generation.

Yours Always,

Jeff

Authority and Submission

 Scripture:

“The Lord rewards each man for his integrity and loyalty. Even though today the Lord delivered you into my hand, I was not willing to extend my hand against the Lord’s chosen one.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭26‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David had just had his second opportunity to kill Saul, who was pursuing him to kill him. This verse is part of his conversation with Saul after David had the opportunity to kill him and didn’t take it. First, he says that God rewards integrity and loyalty. He then said that God delivered Saul into his hand, but David was not willing to kill the Lord’s chosen one. David had a deep respect for authority.

Application:

When we serve God, there will be people who don’t like us. Our job is to remain loyal and walk in integrity. Our job is to walk humbly before the Lord and He will fight our battles and confirm His calling on our lives. God puts authorities in place and we need to honor them as David did. Just as David refused to lift a hand against God’s authority, we should allow God to fight our battles and remain humble before Him.

Prayer:

Lord God, teach me to walk gimmicky before You and to allow You to fight my battles. Help me to trust You at all levels. Teach me Your ways and let my heart be pure before You. Pour out Your Spirit this week in Pakistan. Heal, deliver, set free, bring new life, and fill people with Your Spirit. Let my answer always be yes to You. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Vindication

 Scripture:

“May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This statement came from David just after he had the opportunity to kill king Saul, who was on a mission to kill David. David had the chance to vindicate himself and kill the man who was desperately trying to kill him. David’s words were powerful in that moment. “May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you.” David was trusting God, not himself, to bring vindication. 

Application:

There are times when people do things against us. There are times when people say things or do hurtful things, but our response should be like David’s. We must love people and leave them in the hands of God. We must return love for hate that comes at us, then trust God, not ourselves, to bring vindication. It is easy to strike back, but God wants us to trust Him. We don’t have to defend ourselves when we have the awesome God on our side. I choose to let God fight my battles.

Prayer:

Lord God, You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. Help me to trust You in this area of my life. When people come against me, empower me to trust You to take care of the situation. Show me how to respond in a way that pleases You. Help me to trust You instead of myself. I don’t want to take things into my own hands. I want to walk, trusting that my God knows best and will take care of my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

The Spoils of Past Victories

 Scripture:

“The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you struck down in the valley of Elah, is wrapped in a garment behind the ephod. If you wish, take it for yourself. Other than that, there’s nothing here.” David said, “There’s nothing like it! Give it to me!”” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭21‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

David was fleeing from Saul for his life. King Saul wanted David dead and David had no weapon available to him. He was running away from the king, who had many powerful soldiers after David. The only sword available to David as he was fleeing, happened to be the sword of Goliath, whom he had defeated and who made David popular in the first place. God used a past victory to provide for a present problem. 

Application:

Sometimes God will use the spoils of past victories in our present situations to remind us where we came from. God will use things won in past victories to help us remember how powerful He is and that He has everything under control. We must never forget past victories. We don’t dwell in the past, but among some spoils around isn’t a bad thing either. We should value things that God has done in our past to remind us when things are difficult that God will always come through for us. He is faithful! 

Prayer:

Father, help me to never forget the things you have done for me in the past. Help me to walk in faith at all times because I have seen You work in my past. You have done so much in my life through the years. Help me to never forget and to never be afraid of present situations because I see the spoils of past battles in my life. You are awesome!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Presence Changes Everything

 Scripture:

“Now David achieved success in all he did, for the Lord was with him. When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭18‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Lord was with David and made him successful in everything he did. This caused King Saul to be afraid of him. When God chooses to bless you and fight your battles, people get nervous. You can’t control someone who has the Lord with him or her. The presence of God in our lives makes us successful.

Application:

When we pray, we should seek to be one with God. His presence changes everything! His presence brings success. His presence brings victory. His presence defeats our enemies. Our secret is not in our power, but His. Our abilities are multiplied with Him presence. When we seek first the kingdom of God, He will add all these things into our lives. 

Prayer:

Father, I want Your presence above all else. I want Your presence to be evident in everything I do. I long to be one with You. I want to fulfill Your will, and not my own. I want to do what You are speaking and not lean on the arm and wisdom of my flesh. Help me to live a surrendered life to Your will. Let Your hand be upon my life for Your purposes.

Yours,

Jeff

Follow God, Not Others

 Scripture:

“We will be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us and lead us and fight our battles.”” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Israel had lived under judges, who God would send to rescue them in trouble, and to rule for a season. Then they would decide to do their own thing and everything would fall apart. They would then cry out to the Lord, and He would send them another judge. They wanted to be like all the other countries around them and have a king. They wanted a monarchy, but God wanted a theocracy. Even though God always rescued them and sent them a deliverer when things got bad, they wanted a permanent king to rule over them.

Application:

It is easy to fall into the category of those who want to live by their own thoughts and agendas rather than the way God wants us to. We always think we know what we need better than God. Rather than trust Him and follow Him according to His ways, we try to figure things out ourselves and operate from our own minds instead of being led by the Spirit. As for me, I don’t want a king or a self-made decision, I want God to lead my life and direct my steps. I want to fully follow Him and not just do what seems right in my own eyes. I don’t want to live like everyone around me. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to keep my eyes on You. When things are not good, help me not to look to my own means, methods, and plans, but to put my eyes on You. You are my leader! You are guide! You are my GPS! You are my map! Help me to follow You instead of telling You what to do in my life.

I Am Yours,

Jeff

The Fear of the Lord

 Scripture:

“The residents of Beth Shemesh asked, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭6‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The ark of God had been captured by the Philistines. It was taken to several Philistine cities. In each place the people broke out with sores and mice invaded that land. They sent it back to the Israelites because they couldn’t handle being under the punishment of the Lord. It came back to Beth Shemesh where 50,000 were struck dead for looking into the ark. They asked the question, “who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God? To whom will the ark go up from here?”

Application:

Beth Shemesh was judged by God for not honoring the Ark, which was the place of God’s presence in their day. They were afraid because of the presence of the Lord. They clearly understood that God expected holiness if they were going to house His presence. In our lives, we should honor the Lord. We are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We should live in the fear of the Lord at all times. He is with us and in us. Therefore, we should be careful about allowing sin into our lives. We should walk in obedience to the Lord at all times because He is all-powerful. 

Prayer:

Father, let my life be lived in great fear and respect for You and Your presence. Teach me how to live with You as my Father, yet as the HOly One of Israel. Teach me the balance between crawling up into Your lap and walking fearfully before You. I want to serve You well and live in such a way that You can bless my life. Show me the balance.

Follow God Wholeheartedly

Scripture:

 “Then I will raise up for myself a faithful priest. He will do what is in my heart and soul. I will build for him a secure dynasty and he will serve my chosen one for all time.” ‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭35‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God was disgusted with Eli’s sons and determined that they both would die for their unholy lifestyles and for their terrible acts of rebellion while serving as priests of the Lord. Samuel is referred to here as the one that God would raise up as a faithful priest who would do what was in God’s heart and soul. God took Samuel, who was not of the priestly lineage, and used him to restore the prophetic and priestly ministry because he had a heart to do what the Lord wanted him to.

Application:

God always looks for a heart that will follow after His heart. He builds dynasties for people who represent Him well. He has always looked simply for the ones who follow His heart and soul. He uses, not the ones who most would choose, but those who know His heart and do His will. Our job is to follow the Lord wholeheartedly, then allow Him to bless our lives and our us in the places He wants us.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible! Help me to serve You well throughout my life. Let my heart walk humbly before You all the days of my life. Direct my steps and guide my life. Let my ears be attuned to Your voice and not follow the voice of another. As You open doors for my life, help me to walk through them confidently and boldly, knowing that You are with me and that You go before me. I want to walk in step with You every day.

Yours,

Jeff

God’s Source of Blessing

 Scripture:

“He will encourage you and provide for you when you are old, for your daughter-in-law, who loves you, has given him birth. She is better to you than seven sons!”” ‭‭Ruth‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Naomi’s daughter-in-law, who was not an Israelite, ended up redeeming Naomi’s family, possessions, inheritance, etc. God used a Gentile to bless one of His families. The Bible even calls Ruth better than seven sons. Sons are a blessing to have, daughters were not so much in those days. This Gentile daughter in law was better than seven sons. 

Application:

God can use whoever He wants, whenever He wants to she care of his people. Naomi really had no hope. She returned home with nothing, no husband, no sons, and no money. God took care of her through her Gentile daughter in law. Ruth had told Naomi she wouldn’t leave her and that she would assimilate into Israel’s culture and people. God’s avenue of blessing may not look like what we think. We must never through out what God wants to use because it doesn’t fit our pattern of how God does things.

Prayer:

Father, let me not call unclean what You have called clean. Teach me to follow You well all the days of my life. Show me Your goodness. Thank You for taking care of me all these years. Your faithfulness is incredible. Help me to walk by faith and not by sight. Use whatever means You see fit to bring Your blessings into my life. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Make Peace and Build People

 Scripture:

“So then, let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭14‬:‭19‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul had just written about eating, or not eating, drinking or not drinking, etc. because of your personal convictions. He said that we shouldn’t make another person stumble because of our choices and convictions. In this passage, he tells us rather, to purse peace and what builds each other up. 

Application:

We have a choice to make, do we promote peace by keeping our personal convictions to ourselves, or do we promote our feelings and interpretations of the Scriptures? We must be careful to ravine our lives and pursue what is going to make peace and build up others. We should not be doing things that cause our brothers and sisters to stumble. We should not Salome our freedoms to weaker Christians either. Our end goal should be to build others up in the most holy faith and to make sure they are strong. In other words, we live for others and not for ourselves.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in such a way as to build others up. Let my life be used to build You kingdom, not bring shame to it. Let me live in such a way that brings peace among Your people while hunting my personal convictions. Teach me to navigate being a pastor and leader. I want to set a good example and to demonstrate walking in the Spirit. Help me to live a life that makes for peace and builds people up.

Yours,

Jeff

A Godly Outlook

 Scripture:

“For those who live according to the flesh have their outlook shaped by the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their outlook shaped by the things of the Spirit.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Different translations use different words to describe the Greek thought in this passage. Generally, what is “outlook” here is “mind” or “thoughts.” The use of the word “outlook” is very thought-provoking. Your outlook is how you see things as you look out into the future. In this translation, it is saying that when we are led by the flesh, our outlook is shaped by the flesh and when we are led by the Spirit, our outlook is shaped by the Spirit.

Application:

Having a good outlook on life is important. A good outlook is an outlook of faith. To change our outlook, we have to change what we are led by. As for me, I want the outlook that comes from being led by the Spirit. Outlook is really about perspective. I want God’s perspective on the things that come up in my life and I want to have a good outlook. Therefore, I need to focus on being led by the Spirit and not the flesh.

Prayer:

Father, I want to be led by You. I want to walk with You and obey You at all times. Show me how to hear Your voice more clearly and teach me to walk in step with Your Spirit. I want to have the right outlook on life. Change my outlook I pray and let me be the person You want me to be.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Strengthen My Faith

 Scripture:

“He did not waver in unbelief about the promise of God but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully convinced that what God promised he was also able to do.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse is speaking about the faith of Abraham, who at 100 years old didn’t waiver about the promise that he would have a child with his wife Sarah, who was 90 years old. This verse says that he was “fully convinced”  that God would do what He said He would do. He didn’t waver in his faith, even though it seemed ridiculous that it would ever come to pass.

Application:

Am I fully convinced that God will do what He said He will do? I have to ask myself whether my faith level needs to be increased. There are certain things that I feel like maybe I have given up on, though I know God can still turn them around. I want my faith to be unwavering like Abraham’s. I want to live as a man of faith and not one who wavers when things are not going how I thought they would. 

Prayer:

Father, increase my faith! Help me to believe that when You promise something, it will come to pass. Help me to live by faith and not by sight. Let my eyes be on You and not on the circumstances around me. I want to be “strengthened” in faith like Abraham. Let my life be a life of faith that pleases You.

Yours,

Jeff

By Grace Through Faith

 Scripture:

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is arguing in this text with observing the law as a means to salvation. He lets us know clearly that Jew and Gentile alike have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He continues to let us know that we are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Though all have sinned, grace brings us to the redemption of Christ. It is by grace and through faith that we are saved. Works will never be enough to accomplish the Law.

Application:

I am justified because Christ was righteous, not because I am righteous. I am only righteous because of Jesus. Christ. I’m my own, I am filthy rags and dirty cloths. Apart from Jesus, I can’t save myself through my good works. Apart from Jesus, my debt cannot be paid. Thank You Jesus for taking my place, for bearing my shame, and for paying the debt I could never pay. You are incredible and it is a joy to serve You.

Your Son,

Jeff

I Need King Jesus

 Scripture:

“In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭21‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The three chapters I read today told a terrible story about things that happened in Israel. It was a horrible time in God’s chosen family. There was division, death, destruction, and they almost totally annihilated one of their own tribes. The last verse in the chapter says, “In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.” 

Application:

Each man doing what they think is right never ends well in history. We are not islands to ourselves and cannot simply be led by our own hearts. Today, everyone seems to want to be aligning with “their truth.” This is very similar to the statement, “Everyone did what he considered to be right.”  We must realize that there is only one truth and His name is Jesus. Any other truth isn’t really truth. We must live accountable to authority and to God Almighty.

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You completely all the days of my life. Teach me to follow Your word and not follow the imaginations of my own heart. Help me to do things Your way and not my own. I want to represent You and Your will to those around me. Let my life reflect Your glory. Help me to never settle for my truth, but to submit to Your truth.

Yours,

Jeff

Satan Wants Our Vision

 Scripture:

“The Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him in bronze chains. He became a grinder in the prison.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭16‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Samson had given the secret to his power to Delilah and she used it against him. The Philistines ended up capturing Samson and taking him to their place. The first thing they did was to gouge out his eyes. Even if his strength came back, then, he couldn’t overtake them. You can’t fight what you can’t see. 

Application:

Our enemy would like nothing more than to take our vision from us. Vision gets you up in the morning and keeps you moving all day. Satan likes to weaken us by stealing our vision or creating situations that make our vision seem hopeless. I can’t let the enemy steal my vision. I must remain clear and walking towards the vision God has given me. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to do what You want me to do. My vision is simply to accomplish all You have planned for me. Help me to remain focused on that at all times. Help me to evangelize the world and empower the church. Don’t let my vision grow dim or get too frustrated to follow it.

Yours,

Jeff

Called to Begin

 Scripture:

“Look, you will conceive and have a son. You must never cut his hair, for the child will be dedicated to God from birth. He will begin to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines.”” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When God spoke to Samson’s parents about the child they were going to have, He gave them certain instructions. He was to be set apart because he would “begin” to deliver Israel from the power of the Philistines. 

Application:

When God calls or when we step into something, we generally think that we will finish the work. From before birth, Samson’s parents knew he was going to begin something, not finish something. We like to accomplish and finish tasks, but sometimes obedience means starting something that someone else will finish. Other judges in this book delivered Israel from its enemies. Samson was told that he would “begin” to deliver God’s people. I’ve got to get better at thinking long term and generationally. Some things in life I am called to finish and some things I may be called to start. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to start what You want started and finish what You want finished. Let me accomplish all You want me to accomplish in my lifetime. Use my life for Your glory and help me to stay in step with You. Teach me to think about building things that someone else will finish. More than anything, keep me in step with You.

Your Always,

Jeff

What You Idolize Becomes a Snare

 Scripture:

“Gideon used all this to make an ephod, which he put in his hometown of Ophrah. All the Israelites prostituted themselves to it by worshiping it there. It became a snare to Gideon and his family.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭8‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In the context of this verse, Gideon asked for one earring from each soldier from the plunder they took when they defeated the Midianites. He melted the earrings, along with other jewelry he had brought home from the attack, and made an ephod from it. The Israelites began to worship the ephod instead of the God who gave them the victory, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family.

Application:

What you make into an idol will become a snare to you every time. In our generation, we would never make an image and bow down to it, but we make idols in other ways. The bottom line is that whatever we place ahead of Jesus in our lives will become a snare to us and bring defeat into our lives. When victory comes, we cannot worship the system, the weapons, the plans, or anything else. We must worship the God who brought the victory.

Prayer:

Father, never let me make any idols in my life of anything. Let my walk with You be pure and my relationship with You be red hot. Help me to follow You well all the days of my life. Teach me Your word. Show me Your truth. Keep idolatry from my heart and let me be pure before You. You are my rock and my fortress. You are the one  who receives all the glory in my life. Let that never change.

Yours,

Jeff 

Leaders Take the Lead

 Scripture:

““When the leaders took the lead in Israel, When the people answered the call to war – Praise the Lord!” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse is in the context of a song written to celebrate the victory of Deborah and Jael, who had defeated Israel’s enemies. The beginning of this verse stood out to me this morning. “When the leaders took the lead.” This verse implies that when the leaders took the lead, the people began to fight and the Lord was to be praised.

Application:

Sometimes we remain in stagnant places of defeat because God’s true leaders don’t take the lead. When leaders take the lead, the people begin to rally and show up to the battle. When leaders take the lead, God is praised and He works on behalf of His people. In my own heart I know that I don’t always take the lead as a strong leader, but I need to. I need to take the lead in certain areas of my life and church.

Prayer:

Father, help me to take the lead You have given me. Help me to hear Your voice, then act accordingly. Teach me to take the lead and to lead well. Help me to rally the troops for the right cause. Teach me to walk with You step by step and be bold enough to lead well, so Your name can be praised and Your people answer the call to war.

Yours,

Jeff

Angelic Preaching

 Scripture:

“When the Lord’s messenger finished speaking these words to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

I never noticed this before, but a few verses before this, the Lord’s messenger was described as the Lord’s angelic messenger. Generally, when I think of angels in the Bible, I think of one on one personal encounters. In this passage, an angel is addressing “all the Israelites,” and the people wept loudly. God sent angels to speak to the entire nation, but they still went and followed the gods of the cities they had defeated.

Application:

Sometimes we think that if we had some dramatic encounter with God that we would follow Him the rest of our lives. There will be people who don’t make heaven and cry out saying that they had done mighty works in the name of Jesus, but God will say to them, “I never knew you.” Our walk with God must be a walk of obedience, not of convenience. Discipline always wins the day over signs and wonders. I love signs and wonders personally, but I want to be rooted in obedience to the voice of God above all else.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk in complete obedience to You at all times. I want to follow hard and finish strong. I want to be welcomed with the grand entrance into the kingdom that Peter talks about. Let my life be used for Your glory. Help me to live in obedience over convenience. I want to answer yes to whatever You speak.

Yours,

Jeff

Retirement Thoughts

 Scripture:

“Paul lived there two whole years in his own rented quarters and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete boldness and without restriction.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭28‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul lived a life of fluidity. He moved around a lot saw every opportunity as an opportunity to spread the Gospel. At this point in his life he had been thrown out of many cities where riots broke out because of him. He had been through some incredibly crazy situations, but always sharing Christ. He ended up in Rome at the end of the book of Acts where he spent two years on house arrest welcoming people, proclaiming the kingdom and teaching about the Lord Jesus with boldness.

Application:

You never retire from your calling and purpose. In today’s church we talk about retirement as a time when we can rest, focus on ourselves, and enjoy riding out our days in self-gratification. We must slow down as we get older, but our purpose never dies. When our purpose and passion leave, there is a slow death and a lack of a sense of fulfillment. As for me, I will follow the voice of the Spirit and keep on sowing into lives until Jesus takes me from this planet. 

Prayer:

Father, let my life be used for Your glory in every stage. I want to serve You until the end of my life, continually investing in those around me. Teach me how to walk out my future in wisdom and grace. Show me when to slow down and when to keep moving forward. Teach me to walk in step with You all the days of my life. 

Yours,

Jeff

Believe and Become Like Me

 Scripture:

“Agrippa said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭26‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As Paul was standing before Agrippa he told his personal testimony. Agrippa then thought Paul was trying to persuade him to become a Christian during his defense. Paul responded to Agrippa by telling him that he prayed to God that Agrippa would believe and become like Paul, except for the chains on his wrists. Agrippa was very moved by Paul’s defense. Paul told him that he wanted all who heard him to be like him.

Application:

If I were defending myself before someone as high ranking as Agrippa, would I be sharing the Gospel with the judge, and those in the room? Would I be more worried about my own condition or the condition of those listening? Would I want people to have what I have, except for the chains? I want to serve God well in my generation and I want people to know Christ as I know Christ, but I want to be a better witness and have more concern for the souls of people.

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a soul winner. Let my heart be on the extension of Your kingdom in all the earth. Let me be ready for those who have questions to ask. Let my heart be so full of You that I would share about Your goodness, even while on public trial. Let me have a heart for the lost like the Apostle Paul had. Let me be more concerned about others than I am myself. 

Yours,

Jeff