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

In Him

 Scripture:

“For in him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭17‬:‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Paul was addressing the people of Athens, who served and worshiped many gods. He explained that his God was the one they were looking for and then told them this phrase, “in Him we live and move about and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’” He was telling them that God was personal and involved in lives. He is so close that we can call ourselves His offspring. 

Application:

God is looking for people who will live, move, and exist, in Him. He wants children, not robots. He wants us to walk with Him, talk with Him, and work with Him. God wants to be the center of our lives, not ourselves. Life is meant to be about God and His desires, not us and our desires. Our very existence is about Him.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I love You’re so much. I want to live, and move, and exist in You. I want to look more like You each day. Take away from me everything that doesn’t look like You. Help me to reflect my Father well. Let people see Your image in my life. Be a father to me in every way.

Yours,

Jeff

Seeking and Sending

 Scripture:

“While they were serving the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, after they had fasted and prayed and placed their hands on them, they sent them off.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The church at Antioch is a great New Testament church model. They were Spirit sensitive and were a sending church. In this passage, the leaders were serving the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit told them to set apart Barnabus and Saul for the work they were to do. They fasted, prayed, and sent them to do what God was calling them to do. 

Application:

I want the church I pastor to be like the church of Antioch. I want us to be a seeking church and a sending church. I want our leadership to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit clearly and to send out those who are called into their destinies. I want to be a leader who sees callings and gifting, calls them out, and sends them when the Holy Spirit says it is time. 

Prayer:

Father, make me sensitive to Your voice. Help me to clear away all the other voices and to focus on Yours. Teach me to walk in obedience and to fulfill Your will in the earth. Help me to empower others and send them like the church of Antioch. Help me. Resource me. Empower me. I want to send sons and daughters into Your service.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

The Word of God Can’t Be Stopped

 Scripture:

“Immediately an angel of the Lord struck Herod down because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭12‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Herod had just sent away the guards who were supposed to be watching Peter in prison. Because Peter had escaped, the guards were being taken to be executed. At that time, people were worshiping Herod and he died from being eaten by worms, “but the word of God kept on increasing and multiplying.” Those opposing the Gospel were being dealt with, but God’s people were multiplying. 

Application:

Even when the world is in turmoil for their bad actions, God can still increase and multiply His church. Anywhere Christians are persecuted, there is also expansion and multiplication of God’s kingdom. Because of this, our thinking ahold be different. We don’t runaway from difficult things, we watch God expand His kingdom in the midst of difficult things. God blesses His people, even when they are being persecuted. This is the God I serve.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible and I love You with all my heart. Let the word of God increase and multiply here and around the world. Let Your Word go forth in these last days. Help me to do my part in finishing the Great Commission. Let me understand Your kingdom more each day. Show me things to come. Give me strength to follow You completely and wholeheartedly. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Obedience Isn’t Always Easy

 Scripture:

“So Ananias departed and entered the house, placed his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭9‬:‭17‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Ananias was a great person who walked in obedience to the Holy Spirit. He obeyed when obedience didn’t make sense. He went to the one who had been killing God’s people. He was sent there according his own words, “so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Saul was murdering Christians, but Ananias took a risk because God had spoken to him. 

Application:

Sometimes we have to walk in obedience, even when it doesn’t make sense and doesn’t appear to be safe. There are times when God will ask us to do things that are difficult. He may ask us to go places that are dangerous according to our own understanding. Our job is to walk in obedience. Just like Ananias, God may call us to do things that seem dangerous or risky. We are called to obedience, not only when that is comfortable.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be used for Your glory. Let my answer always be YES. Help me to say yes when yes is difficult and makes no sense. My life is in Your hands. Show me Your ways and let my life be an instrument You can work through because You know my answer before You ask. Let me fulfill every plan and purpose of my life. I want to be completely Yours.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

They Were ALL Being Healed

 Scripture:

“A crowd of people from the towns around Jerusalem also came together, bringing the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits. They were all being healed.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

There were several times when it was said of Jesus that “they were all being healed.” Here, it is being said about the apostles after Jesus ascended to heaven and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. When God is as work, people are healed. It is apparent in the life of Jesus and the life of the early Church. Healing and deliverance is a very real part of the Gospel message.

Application:

I long to see God’s kingdom come in greater and greater measure. I long to see more people healed by the power of God. It was the norm in the early church for people to be healed and it should be the norm for people today. The kingdom hasn’t changed. We have. As for me, I want to see God restore healing and deliverance to the Church. We see it sometimes, but I want to see the day when, “They were all being healed.” 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, remove from me whatever hinders You from working through me in healing and deliverance. Let my life be aligned well with You. Let Your kingdom come in stronger and greater dimensions. Let Your will be done in and through my life. Help me to accurately proclaim Your message and to demonstrate Your message as well with sign of following.

Yours,

Jeff

The Gift of the Spirit

 Scripture:

“Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When the Holy Spirit was poured out in Jerusalem, a crowd gathered and they all heard the 120 praising God in their many languages. Some thought they were drunk, and others were just amazed. Peter, trying to explain what had happened, stood up and explained to them from the book of Joel what was happening. He went on to tell them to repent and be baptized, then they would received the gift of the Holy Spirit. He continued by saying that this promise of the Spirit was for them, their children, and all who the Lord calls.

Application:

This promise continues today. God is still pouring out His Spirit on those who repent and are baptized. He still baptizes in the Spirit. As God’s people, we should continually be seeking Him and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. I don’t want to miss out on anything God has promised us. I want everything He has promised to give us. I want to see more people baptized in the Spirit than ever before. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to align myself with You and Your purposes. Pour out Your Spirit and baptize people once again. Let us see a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit. Help me to hear and follow Your voice and do what You speak. Let Your word be confirmed with signs and wonders. Awaken our hearts to the power of Your Spirit.

Yours,

Jeff

Don’t Put It Off

 Scripture:

“So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying the land the Lord God of your ancestors has given you?” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭18‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this verse we see that several of the tribes had not inherited and laid claim on their land. They had all gone in a fought for the territory, but these had still not truly occupied the land and divided it among the tribes. Joshua asked them this question, “How long to you intend to put off occupying the land the Lord God of your ancestors has given you?” God gave them the land, they just had to divide it among themselves and occupy it. 

Application:

There are times in my life when I need a word like this from the Lord. I know there are some things right now on my “to do” list that I feel the Lord wants me to do, but I haven’t done yet. As I was reading this morning, those words really struck me. How long do I intend to put off occupying what God has already said would happen? God does His part, then we have to do some things as well. I need to quit putting off what I know I need to do.

Prayer:

Father, help me to stop procrastinating on things I know You have given me to do. Help me to stop putting off things that I know need done. Empower me to live by faith and obedience. There are some things I need to step into and begin working on. Help me to occupy everything You have given me to do and not settle until they are done.

Yours,

Jeff

Faith That Remains

Scripture:

“Now, assign me this hill country which the Lord promised me at that time! No doubt you heard at that time that the Anakites live there in large, fortified cities. But, assuming the Lord is with me, I will conquer them, as the Lord promised.”” … “Caleb drove out from there three Anakites – Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, descendants of Anak.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬, 15:14 ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Caleb tells Joshua that 45 years earlier, when he was 40, he was promised the land of Hebron. At 85, he approached Joshua and  told him that it was time to inherit what he was promised. He had just fought many battles, helping Israel defeat all its enemies in the Promised Land. He still believed in the promise of God and wanted to possess it. He knew there were giants in the land, but still wanted to fight for it. In chapter 15 we see that he drove out three giants from the land at 85 years of age.

Application:

When God makes a promise, He will give you what you need to accomplish what He is calling you to do. We can’t limit God with our own minds. We must believe that God can still use us, even if we’re 85 and most people would have quit. Faith doesn’t retire, it continues to land for Jesus and extends His kingdom. As we get older, our bodies may fail, but our God will never fail. May we walk in giant killing faith all the days of our lives.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and glorious. Help me to never diminish what You are able to do in and through my life. Help me to walk in faith and not by sight at all times. I want to serve You well and finish all You have given me to do. Let my life be marked by supernatural faith and the results of that faith. Teach me to fully You well all the days of my life. May I never limit You because of my limited thinking. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

When God Fights Your Battles

 Scripture:

“The Lord routed them before Israel. Israel thoroughly defeated them at Gibeon. They chased them up the road to the pass of Beth Horon and struck them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled from Israel on the slope leading down from Beth Horon, the Lord threw down on them large hailstones from the sky, all the way to Azekah. They died – in fact, more died from the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭10‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬ 

Observation:

Notice in the first verse that the Lord routed them before Israel. There was no doubt that it was the Lord and not Israel who defeated their enemies. The people of Israel battled, but the Lord brought the victory. The Lord worked with them. He provided hail stones that killed more enemies than the army killed. When God fights your battles, the warfare isn’t fair.

Application:

When we are aligned with the Lord and doing His will, we can trust the He will enable us to do what we cannot do. When we are walking with Him, no enemy is too big to conquer and no giant is too big to kill. He uses unfair tactics for those who serve Him diligently. When we are attacked, we must remember that the same God who threw hailstones at Israel’s enemies, has our backs and will use unique warfare to destroy our enemies. 

Prayer:

Father, You are good and I worship You. Help me to live a life of faith, conquering territories for You and Your kingdom. I want to know You more. I want to hear Your heart and walk closely with You. Work on my behalf as I serve You wholeheartedly. I am Yours.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Lord’s Advice

 Scripture:

“The men examined some of their provisions, but they failed to ask the Lord’s advice. Joshua made a peace treaty with them and agreed to let them live. The leaders of the community sealed it with an oath.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭9‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Joshua and God’s people had just crossed the Jordan River, destroyed Jericho, and Ai. The people of the region were terrified of Israel and her God. The Gibeonites acted like they had come from very far away and asked for a treaty with Israel. Joshua eventually realized that they lived close by and were lying about where they lived. This verse tells us how this happened, “they failed to ask the Lord’s advice.” They didn’t or ask God about Their treaty with the Gibeonites.

Application:

As a leader, I need to always consult God on everything I do and every decision I make. Sometimes what seems like the right thing, or a no-brainer, may be a set up by the enemy. We need to consult with God about everything we do, especially when it is in His name. I want to represent the Lord well. Therefore, I need to know His will and seek His face, not just do what seems right in my own eyes.

Prayer:

Father, help me not to take the Holy Spirit for granted. Help me to walk humbly before You all the days of my life. Teach me to follow Your voice and not just do what everyone else does. Help me not to simply do what is easy, but to take Your road. Help me to make right and godly decisions. Show me how to lead your people well.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Recognize the Lord’s Power

 Scripture:

“He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power and so you might always obey the Lord your God.”” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God had just caused the waters of the Jordan River to stop flowing and allowed His people to walk into the Promised Land on dry ground. He told them to  set up 12 stones so their kids would be reminded about what the Lord had done for them. One of God’s purposes in this was to so that the surrounding nations would recognize God’s power and that His people would always obey the Lord.

Application:

We should stand in awe of the God who can do the impossible. We should never say no when God speaks to us. We should honor Him more than we do. God set reminders for His people so they would always remember what He was capable of and so they would obey Him. We need to walk humbly before our God and fear Him. He is awesome!

Prayer:

Father, help me to follow You well. Teach me to tremble at Your word. Let my answer always be yes! Help me to respond to You as I should. You are incredible and it is an honor to serve You. You have taken such good care of me all these years. You are faithful and I love You with all my heart.

Yours,

 Jeff

Empowered, Sent, and filled with Peace

 Scripture:

“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.” And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” ‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

After the resurrection, Jesus met His disciples and spoke with them. First He spoke peace over them because He knew they were struggling with everything that had happened. Second, He sent them, just like the Father had sent Him. Third, He breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit. He sent them, empowered them, and gave them the peace they would need to fulfill His mission.

Application:

Jesus doesn’t send out His people unprepared. He gives us everything we need in order to fulfill His mission. Sometimes we struggle with feeling like God has truly empowered us with His Spirit to fulfill His mission. He has literally taken away every excuse before He even sent us. We must walk in confidence and boldness as we complete His mission. 

Prayer:

Father, You are my peace! You are my strength. You are my rock! You are everything I need to fulfill Your purposes in my life. Help me to stay attuned to Your voice and to finish every assignment You send me on. Help me to live as one who is sent at all times, not just on Sundays in the pulpit. Let my life reflect You every day and in every way. 

Yours,

Jeff

Set Apart and Sent

 Scripture:

“Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭18‬-‭19‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Jesus is praying to the Father. He says that He sent His disciples into the world just like the Father sent Him. He then said, “I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.” Set apart is where we get the word “sanctified.” Jesus sanctified us, or set us apart, so we could be sent. 

Application:

We must come to the realization that Jesus set us apart and sent us into the world for God’s purposes. As He was sent, He sent us. As He was set apart, we are set apart. When a person is sent, they have a mission. Their mission is not of their own choosing. A sent one’s mission is the mission of the one who sent them. We must realize that Jesus chose us to separate us and send us as His ambassadors in the world. We must live for His purposes and fulfill His mission. We cannot live unto ourselves.

Prayer:

Father, You set me apart many, many years ago. You sent me on Your mission many years ago and I want to fulfill every assignment You have for my life. Help me to live life on Your mission and not my own. Teach me to walk with You and be confident that I have been set apart and sent to live a life on mission for God.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Love One Another

 Scripture:

“My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Many times Jesus said things like, “If you love me, keep my commands.” In this passage He gives his commandment to His disciples, “Love one another just as I have loved you.” Jesus always had a beautiful way of narrowing down the teachings to the main things. He actually boiled it all down in another place to, love God with everything you’ve got and love your neighbor as yourself. The big command of Jesus is to love one another. 

Application:

The heart of the Good News is to love one another. Jesus wants us to live in His love and to work from that place. Jesus loved people. He loved imperfect people. He loved people with issues. We should learn to love like Jesus loved. One of His own disciples was going to betray him, yet Jesus, knowing it, loved him right to the very end. I need to love like Jesus loved.

Prayer:

Father, fill me with Your love. Let Your love flow through my life and teach me to demonstrate it well. You are my everything and I want to represent You well. Teach me Your ways and let me walk in Your Spirit. Let Your love flow through my life.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

I Want to Know Him

 Scripture:

““I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me –” ‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was speaking about His love for those He had been sent to. He spoke of their closeness and how they know the voice of their shepherd. He then stated, “I know my own and my own know me.” As believers we know and are known. We can have a close, intimate, relationship with Christ. He already knows us, but we can always know Him better. 

Application:

Knowing Him should be the pursuit of our lives. Jesus said that His sheep know Him, but many of us don’t feel like we know Him all that well. I know I deeply want to know Him closer. I want to know His heart and understand His will for my life. There’s an older worship song that says, “I want to know You. I want to hear Your voice. I want to touch You. I want to see Your face. I want to know You more.” This song expresses my desire.

Prayer:

Father, I want to know You more. I want to hear Your voice and see Your face. I want to walk with You as Adam did in the garden. I want to see Your glory. I long to know You deeply and to follow You closely. Take me deeper and open my eyes and ears to see and hear You clearly. 

Yours,

Jeff

Initiative

 Scripture:

“Then Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing on my own initiative, but I speak just what the Father taught me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus says here that he did nothing of his own initiative, but He spoke what the Father taught Him. This is such a powerful statement. Jesus was the lead follower of the Father. He only did what He saw the Father do and only said what He heard the Father say. 

Application:

In our society today, we honor initiative. We like people who take initiative and get things done. The problem is that our initiative is self-initiative. We think we can do anything if we just try hard enough and show enough initiative. I am much better off being the lead follower than the leader. I want to live like Jesus who did nothing of His own initiative, but He did what the Father showed Him. I want to follow God well and do His will.

Prayer:

Father, I give myself to You. You are worthy of my life and all that I am. Help me to follow Your voice and not to push things through my own initiative, but to follow through on what You initiate. Teach me to hear Your voice clearly and to walk out what I hear. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Working for the Right Purpose

 Scripture:

“Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.””  ‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus had just fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish. People were amazed at what had happened. They had found Him on the other side of the lake and began coming to Him. He told them that they only followed Him because they had eaten the food. He then responded with this statement, “Do not work for the food that disappears, but for the food that remains it eternal life.” 

Application:

The focus Jesus was bringing to the people and to us was that we should keep our focus on eternal fruit instead of just working for a paycheck. The only thing that lasts forever is an eternal soul. We must keep our focus, not on just providing food for our stomachs, but food for our souls. The only thing we can take to heaven is souls. I need to be more focused on eternity and getting as many people to heaven as possible.

Prayer:

Father, use my life to build Your kingdom. Let my heart be pure before You. Show me how to reach more people for Christ and to extend Your rule and reign. Help me to focus on eternal food and not just feeding my family and having something to eat myself. Help me never to work for a paycheck, but to work for You and trust You with my pay.

Yours,

Jeff

The Spirit Without Measure

 Scripture:

“For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.” John‬ ‭3‬:‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, John the Baptist tells his disciples about Jesus. This phrase he uses is so powerful concerning being filled with the Holy Spirit. He says that Jesus speaks words from God and he doesn’t give the Spirit sparingly. In other words He gives the Spirit in great measure. He’s not stingy about giving us the Spirit. He overflows us with Him.

Application:

We need to see that the Holy Spirit has been given “without measure”. He is not given sparingly. In other words, we have enough of the Spirit to do anything and everything God asks us to do. We don’t get a limited dose of the Holy Spirit. We are never lacking Holy Spirit power when we are working for Jesus. He provides all the Spirit we could ever need. We are never inadequate when sharing the Gospel or praying for people. We have everything it takes to get God’s will and word accomplished. 

Prayer:

Father, let me live on overflow of Your Spirit. Help me to never understand it what is possible when the Holy Spirit gets involved. Teach me to walk in step with the Spirit and to follow completely. Let me never have a small minded mentality, but to know that I am overflowed with the Holy Spirit and power. Let me minister in great confidence, not in myself, but it You.

You are Amazing!

Jeff

Impartation

 Scripture:

“Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had placed his hands on him; and the Israelites listened to him and did just what the Lord had commanded Moses.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭34‬:‭9‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse takes place just before the death of Moses and the people of Israel were about to enter the Promised Land. Joshua was their new leader. It says here that Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had place his hands on him. Knowledge can be learned, wisdom is imparted. Joshua received from Moses when Moses laid hands on him.

Application:

There is something very powerful about the laying on of hands for those in leadership. There is a transfer that happens in the spirit when a man of God lays hands on someone who is going into leadership. We don’t honor this very much anymore, but it is crucial . Joshua received something very real when Moses laid hands on him. A spiritual father must know when to lay hands on a person in front of others to recognize the spiritual calling on their lives. I want to lay hands on the next generation of.ministers and impartial into their lives something very real and powerful.

Prayer:

Father, let my life be aligned with You. Let my heart be pure and teach me when to lay hands and send. Show me how and when to do this. As we prepare for Father’s Day and our sons and daughters conference, let there be a very real impartation when we lay hands on those who come. Let Your power, wisdom, strength, anointing, etc. come upon them for service in Your kingdom. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Calling Out and Commissioning

 Scripture:

“Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it. The Lord is indeed going before you – he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Moses called out Joshua in the presence of all the people. It was commissioning day. Moses knew he was about to die and brought Joshua before all the people to demonstrate a transition of power and authority before them. He spoke prophetically to Joshua about what he would do and what the people would do. He then told Joshua that the Lord was going to be with him and would not fail or abandon him.

Application:

Commissioning sons and daughters to fulfill their assignments is part of being a true spiritual father. I need to do better at seeing God’s calling on people’s lives, equipping them for ministry, speaking prophetically over them, then releasing them to do what God has called them to do with my blessing. I want to give the end of my life to raising up sons and daughters who will go farther than me and accomplish far more than I ever could. I want to be intentional about ministry legacy.

Prayer:

Father, help me to do all You want me to do in life and ministry. Enable me to raise and release sons and daughters here and around the world. Give me the resources, the strength, and the anointing to walk this out in my life. I feel the call and want to do good at this. Help me to fulfill everything You have for my life. Teach me to think in ages and generations.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Always on Top

 Scripture:

“The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always end up at the top and not at the bottom, if you obey his commandments which I am urging you today to be careful to do.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28‬:‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As the children of Israel were preparing to enter the Promised Land, God told them how to have His favor and blessing on their lives and their country. He said that if His people would obey Him completely and wholeheartedly, He would bless them in every area. This verse says they will always be the head and not the tail, the top and not the bottom. In other words, God will cause favor to rest on your lives if you live them according to His ways.

Application:

When we live completely for the Lord our God, He still blesses His people and causes His favor to rest on their lives. When we obey Him, He takes care of us. God is looking for people who wholeheartedly follow Him. When He sees that, He pours out His blessing and favor on their lives. They always end up on top and never on the bottom. Bad things may happen, but God always turns it around for a testimony for them. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to live in Your complete and total blessing. I want to always end up on top and never on the bottom. I want to see the good hand of God touch everything I touch. Thank You for the many blessing You have given me throughout my life. Let my life honor You and let me be blessed.

Your Son,

Jeff

Honoring God’s House

Scripture:

“For the Lord your God walks about in the middle of your camp to deliver you and defeat your enemies for you. Therefore your camp should be holy, so that he does not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭23‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage is actually referring to doing your business outside the camp and using a spade to dig a hole for your excrement and covering it. The bottom line is that God wanted the place He works to be holy and unblemished. Because God walked in the middle of the camp to deliver and work among His people, He wanted the place to be holy and undefiled.

Application:

In the Old Testament you can hear the heart of God and His seriousness about holiness and purity. In the New Testament we see less regulations and more relationship with the Spirit, but at the same time, we should honor the Lord in the place where He is worshiped. We should preserve the place of worship as a place where God is honored. He doesn’t live in tabernacles made by hands anymore, but out of honor and respect for God, we should maintain purity in our walk with Him and in the place He is worshiped. 

Prayer:

Father, I long for Your presence. Help me to do better at honoring the place of Your presence. Help me to walk in purity. My body is the temple of Your Spirit and I want to live a life that brings honor to Your name. Let my life bring You glory. Let my church facilities bring Your glory. Let all that I do bring You glory. You are worry of the very best. 

Forever Your Son,

Jeff

Don’t Be Afraid… God is With You

 Scripture:

“When you go to war against your enemies and see chariotry and troops who outnumber you, do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt, is with you.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, God tells the people of Israel not to fear when they see enemies that are far bigger than them in weaponry and numbers. He told them not to fear because He was with them. God was letting them know that, no matter how big their enemies were, He would take care of them and defeat their enemies. This gave God’s people great confidence. 

Application:

When things happen in our lives, we must remember that God is greater than whatever is happening to us. Every enemy is under His feet and He is able to deliver His people out of the worst situations. He is faithful and takes care of what is His. Our job is to walk by faith and trust Him rather than always trying to fight the battles on our own. No matter how big the problem… our God is bigger!

Prayer:

Father, let me see You in all Your glory. You are incredible and I worship You. Help me to not fear when things don’t seem to be going as I thought they would. Help me to trust You more and more. Fight my battles and deliver me from every attack that comes against me. Let me fulfill everything You have in mind for me. Let my eyes always be open to see You and let my ears be attentive to Your voice. I want to serve You well.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Prophesy Accurately

 Scripture:

““But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this verse, we see how serious God is about prophets who represent Him and His word. He wanted to make sure prophets accurately represented Him and clearly spoke what He was speaking. They could not prophesy on their own volition. If they prophesied in God’s name, something God hadn’t authorized them to speak, they were to be killed.

Application:

God takes prophetic words very seriously. We operate in a season of grace right now, but under the Law we see the heart of God and how serious He is about certain things. He doesn’t like to be inaccurately represented. He takes is very seriously. When we give prophetic words, we need to make sure God is speaking and not our own flesh. Prophecy is powerful and is used by God to accomplish His purposes, but we must seek accurate and articulate prophecy.

Prayer:

Father, help me to speak Your words powerfully and accurately. I want to represent You well in my generation. Teach me to hear Your voice and communicate accurately and clearly what You are speaking. I love prophetic ministry and know You use it strongly, but I want to operate in it with accuracy and integrity. I want the genuine gift to flow in and through my life. I want to be a vessel that You can use.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Loyalty

 Scripture:

“You must follow the Lord your God and revere only him; and you must observe his commandments, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As God’s people were about to enter the Promised Land, He reminded them about how they were to live and how to be blessed in the land they were entering. In this passage, He told them they must revert Him, observe His commands, obey Him, serve Him, and remain loyal to Him. God expected total devotion and loyalty to Him for all He had done for His people.

Application:

The word that stood out to me today was loyalty. God expects loyalty from His people. He has done so much for us, we need to be loyal to Him. Loyalty means that God is first in our lives and that we don’t stray for any reason. Loyalty infers that we remain faithful to Him, when things are good and when things are not good. Loyalty means He can count on us. I want to live a life that is loyal to the Lord, a life He can trust and depend on. Loyalty infers that God doesn’t have to compete with other things in our lives.

Prayer:

Father, help me to remain loyal to You at all times. You are awesome and have done great things in my life. Teach me to follow You completely and to remain loyal at all times. Let my life be completely devoted to You. Thank You for all You have done in my life to this point. Help me to reflect You and Your will to those around me. Let Your light shine through my life. 

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Humility When Blessed

 Scripture:

“Be careful not to say, “My own ability and skill have gotten me this wealth.” You must remember the Lord your God, for he is the one who gives ability to get wealth; if you do this he will confirm his covenant that he made by oath to your ancestors, even as he has to this day.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭8‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Moses, as he is approaching the end of his life and God’s people were about to enter the promised land without him, told them that when they became prosperous and eliminated their enemies, they should never forget God. He told them to never forget that it is God who gave them the power to get wealth and it was God who brought them into the land and fought their battles. It is God who gives us the ability to get wealth. Every good thing we have, has come from God. 

Application:

We must never walk in pride and arrogance, thinking we have made ourselves rich and prosperous. As God’s children, we don’t take credit for the things we accomplish. Without Him, we can do nothing and He is the reason we have everything we have. We must always walk in humility before God and let Him raise us up. He deserves all the credit and honor, not we ourselves. He can bless us and He can take it away. Our trust must never be in ourselves or our hard work, but in the Lord. Everything we accomplish is because He has been good to us.

Prayer:

Father, You have been so good to me. Thank You for always taking care of me and providing for my every need. You have always provided for me and my family. Let my life bring Your praise and glory. Let all that I do and all that I am bring You the honor for Your name. You are the source of every good thing in my life. I am Yours, and I don’t take Your blessing lightly.

Thank You,

Jeff

Chosen and Adopted

 Scripture:

“For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭7‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is speaking through Moses at this point and tells him that the people of Israel had been chosen to be God’s people and that they are prized above all others on the face of the earth. In the New Testament, we gentiles are grafted into Abraham’s family. We are chosen, just like the people of Israel, and inherit the promises of Abraham. 

Application:

I need to see myself as God’s chosen. He chose me when I was still unloveable. He chose me when I wasn’t very valuable. He chose me to be His and that gives me great confidence. God has chosen me to do His work on the earth in this time. I must be confident in the fact that I am chosen of God and therefore, have privileges that come with that. He is my father and I am His son.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible! Thank You for choosing me. Thank You for adopting me into Your family. Help me to follow You well and to live according to Your ways. I want to serve You well in my days and finish all You have prepared for me to do. I want to leave nothing undone that You desired for me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Run TO God When You Mess up

 Scripture:

“But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭4‬:‭29‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This passage comes just before the people of Israel came out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. The Lord told them that if they disobeyed Him, they would be scattered around the world. Then He added, “but if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find Him, if, indeed, you seek Him with all your heart and soul.” God promised them that if they turned to Him wholeheartedly, no matter what they had done, He would be found by them.

Application:

When we mess up, often we try to run away from God. This passage reminds us that God knew the Israelites were going to mess up, but gave them a prescription for when they did. God doesn’t expect perfection, but He does require a heart and soul that seek Him. Even under God’s judgment, He made a way of escape. We should run to God when we mess up. We can trust Him!

Prayer:

Father, help me to always run to You when I mess things up. Rather than running away because I feel like I let You down, teach me to run towards You with all my heart and soul. In good times and in bad times, I want to be a pursuer of God. I want to live a life that pleases You above all else.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Encourage Them

 Scripture:

“However, Joshua son of Nun, your assistant, will go. Encourage him, because he will enable Israel to inherit the land.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭1‬:‭38‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Moses was describing why the people of Israel had to wander in the wilderness for forty years. It was because they didn’t want to go in due to fear of the people in the land. God told Moses that they would wander for forty years because of their unbelief, but Joshua would be enabled to lead Israel to inferior the land promised to them. God told Moses to “encourage” Joshua. The next forty years, Moses encouraged and trained Joshua for what was coming.

Application:

When you see leadership on someone’s life, encourage them. Speak into their lives. When you realize that someone has leadership potential, they will need spiritual fathers and mothers. They will need someone to help train them, encourage them, and prepare them for what God will do in and through their lives. We must be people who encourage the next generation.

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You well in my generation. Help me to see who You are raising up and show me how to encourage them. Help me to put courage into next gen leaders. Teach me to lead well, but also to prepare and raise up the next generation of people who will lead Your church. Help me to speak into lives that will one day be in ministry. Help me to train them well.

Yours,

Jeff

Eliminate the Old

 Scripture:

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, then those whom you allow to remain will be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your side, and will cause you trouble in the land where you will be living.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭33‬:‭55‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When the people of Israel were going into the Promised Land, God told them to drive out all the inhabitants of the land. He told them that if they didn’t, they would be irritants in their eyes and thorns in their eyes, and would cause them trouble in their land. God told them exactly what to do, but they compromised and have paid a heavy price for that compromise.

Application:

What we don’t eliminate of the enemy in our lives before Christ, will always irritate and be like thorns to us. When we come to Christ, we have to put to death the old man. We have to remove from our lives the things that are not pleasing to the Lord. What is not removed becomes a hinderance to our walk with God later in life. I would rather deal with it and eliminate it early in my walk, than to fight with the ramifications of it later. Better to have strong discipline now, then to have issues later.

Prayer:

Father, cleanse me and me the person You want me to be. Let my life be pleasing to You at all times. You are worthy of my very best. Teach me to walk with You in sincerity and truth. Help me to live life You can bless. Let my life bring Your praise and glory.

Yours,

Jeff

Humility

 Scripture:

“(Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.)” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Miriam and Aaron had just spoken against Moses because Moses had married an Ethiopian woman. God placed leprosy on Miriam for judging and speaking out against Moses. God’s defense of Moses was this verse, “Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.” God always defends the humble.

Application:

Humility is one of the most godly character traits observed in Scripture. God always blesses the humble and raises them up. Pride, on the other hand, is always rejected by God. God likes us to be in a place where we walk in humility, depending on Him completely. I want to be a person who walks in true humility before the Lord. He is awesome and to be respected by all. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to live like Moses before You. Let my heart be full of humility and let pride be far away from me. Teach me to live in dependence on You at all times and not be self-reliant. Help me to trust You more and self less. I want to walk humbly before You and accomplish all You have prepared for me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Releasing God’s Blessings

 Scripture:

““Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the way you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: “The Lord bless you and protect you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”’ So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭23‬-‭27‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The above blessing is the words given to Aaron to bless God’s people with. God told him that when he blessed them with this language, God would put His name on them and would bless them. It was his benediction that caused the blessing of God to come upon His people. He gave specific instructions about how to bless people with God’s blessing. 

Application:

As I often say, “when we do things God’s way, we get God’s results.” I want to be blessed and I want the people around me to be blessed. In the New Covenant, we are a kingdom of priests and all of us are able to release the blessing of God over people. I want to become a source of blessing to many. I want God to bless those under my care. Therefore, I must bless them according to God’s ways. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk with You in clarity. Leroy my life bring Your honor and praise. Teach me to be a blessing to those in my care. Let my heart be pure and my ears attentive to You and Your words. I want to be a conduit of Your blessing. Help me to do it well.

Yours,

Jeff

Fully Obedient

 Scripture:

“So the Israelites did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they camped under their standards, and that is the way they traveled, each with his clan and family.” ‭‭Numbers‬ ‭2‬:‭34‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

At the end of chapter one and chapter two of Numbers is the phrase, “So the Israelites did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses.” They had seen God do some of the most incredible miracles ever recorded in getting them out of Egypt and it caused them to be very obedient. They had also seen what their disobedience brought in a few situations. They realized that the fear of God was the beginning of wisdom. 

Application:

I want to live in a healthy fear of God that would cause me to obey Him in every detail of my life. I want to serve God well in my lifetime. I don’t want any unfinished business that He has given me to do. I don’t want anything left undone of all He has required of me. I want to live a life of obedience in every area of life. I need His strength and  power to do all of that. I also need an open ear to hear what He is speaking at any given time. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You completely and to accomplish all You have given me to do. Help me to have a healthy fear of You and to serve You well. I want to represent You with integrity and character. I want to make Your name great in all the earth. Go before me and lead me with Your voice. Help me to know what to do in every situation. Teach me to follow the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire so I end up at Your destination and not one of my own making.

Yours,

Jeff

Clothed With Power

 Scripture:

“And look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭24‬:‭49‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus had died, was buried, and resurrected on the third day. After the resurrection, He met with His disciples and opened their minds to the Scriptures. He confirmed with them that He had risen from the dead, then He commissioned them to take the Good News of His resurrection everywhere, but told them to go to Jerusalem where they would receive the promise of the Father. They were to stay in the city until they had been clothed with power from on high. 

Application:

Jesus didn’t want His disciples to go out and speak on His behalf until they have been clothed with power from on high. There is a big difference between being filled with something and being clothed by something. One is internal and one is external. I want to be filled and clothed. I want the Holy Spirit inside my life to change me and upon my life to change the world. I want to be clothed with God’s power and to walk in His presence. 

Prayer:

Father, apart from You, I can do nothing. Fill me with Your power and clothe me with Your power.Leet my life be consumed with You, inside and out. Pour out Your Spirit in and through my life. Let me be a vessel You can clothe with power and one that is filled with power from on high. I don’t want to minister without You and Your presence. I don’t want to preach without being clothed with Your power. Take me deeper Lord.

Yours,

Jeff

Sacrificial Obedience

 Scripture:

“He said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all offered their gifts out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had to live on.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus called attention to an offering time where some such people were putting a good about of money into the receptacle. He pointed out a little widow woman who put in a very small amount, but Jesus praised her because they had given out of their wealth and she had given out of her poverty. Jesus recognizes what is leftover after we have given more than how much we give.

Application:

Jesus isn’t very impressed with how much we give. He is more impressed with how much we have left after we have given. He wants to know that we are all in and will ask us at times to confirm that through our obedience. In our lives, we need to walk in surrender to the Lord in every area. We must be willing to sacrifice for the cause of Christ.

Prayer:

Father, You are worthy of it all! You have Your very best for me and You are worthy of my very best. Help me to live in a constant state of obedience. Let my life bring You honor. Let my gifts be sacrificial and my offerings be complete. Let my ears be open to Your voice and let me hear clearly what You want me to do, then give me strength to do it.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Never Give Up in Prayer

 Scripture:

“yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out by her unending pleas.’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them?” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭18‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NET‬‬ 

Observation:

Jesus told this parable about a woman who came to a judge and continued bothering him until he ruled on her decision. She bothered him until he was worn out by her constant pleading. Finally, he gave up and gave her what she requested, not because he wanted to, but because he was tired of hearing her. At the end of the story, Jesus said, “Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night?” 

Application:

Sometimes, we have to continue bringing certain things to God until He answers. There are times we need to be persistent in prayer. Some things we must cry out for day and night until God answers our prayers. I don’t want to give up on anything God has prepared for me. I don’t want to miss out on anything God has for me because I quit asking too soon. First, I must pray in accordance with His word and will, then, I must stand in faith and bombard heaven until He answers.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your word. Teach me to never give up in prayer, but to continue in faith when I believe there is something You want to do. I pray this morning for the land and building our church needs. We want to go from renting to owning this year. Show me how to continue steadfast in prayer until I see the deliverance. I pray for Cheryl to be completely healed and strengthened. Restore her youth I pray. Let my sons serve You faithfully all the days of their lives. Build Your kingdom through Word of Life and Hearts for the Harvest I pray. Renew my strength as well. Heal my voice that I may declare and sing songs of praise again.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Helping Those Who Can’t Repay You

 Scripture:

“But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was teaching here about taking care of the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. He tells us that we will be blessed if we invite this group of people into our lives and our homes because they can’t repay us. He closes with the words, “you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” Sometimes our reward comes immediately, sometimes it is delayed, and sometimes it will happen when we see Him, but we will be blessed for doing right things.

Application:

The poor are always on the heart of God. Throughout the entire Bible we see God’s heart and words telling us to take care of the poor. There are also promises for those who take care of the poor. He promises blessings for those who take care of the poor. When we take care of the poor, we are taking care of Jesus. We cannot look away when we see someone in need.

Prayer:

Father, help me personally to see what You see. Let me see people as You see them. Help me to not look away from the poor, but to bring them dignity and blessing. Let Word of Life do better at taking care of the poor. Help me to have a right perspective on giving to the poor.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

No Excuses, Just Yes

 Scripture:

“But Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭9‬:‭60‬-‭62‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Two people came to Jesus saying they wanted to follow Him, but they needed to go take care of some things that would be considered important to most people. Jesus wasn’t impressed. He wanted complete and immediate responses when He invited someone to follow Him. He actually told them both that anyone who puts his hand to the plow and looks back, isn’t fit for the Kingdom of God. 

Application:

Jesus still expects complete and immediate responses from those who say they follow Him. When He speaks, we must move. Excuses don’t work in the Kingdom of God. They are not acceptable. God wants a people who will move at His command and say yes when He calls. I want to live a life of no excuses when it comes to obeying Christ. I want my answer to always be yes.

Prayer:

Lord, help me not to make excuses about why we can’t do things that You have put in my heart. Help me to be a quick and resounding yes when You speak to me. I want to serve You well in my generation. Open my ears to hear Your voice clearly and give me a heart to always answer yes.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Don’t Judge or Condemn, but Forgive

 Scripture:

““Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭37‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

These words from Jesus are powerful and practical. We receive three commands, in the midst of others from Jesus. These three come with commentary. We are told by the Master not to judge, not to condemn, and to forgive. The promises are that we will not be judged, not be condemned, and will be forgiven. The benefits of these three decisions are powerful.

Application:

As for me, I don’t want to be judged by others, condemned by others, and I want to be forgiven by others. Therefore, I have to give these three away to those around me. I will receive what I give. I want to be a person who God can bless. I want to walk in joy and peace. I want to do to others what I want them to do to me. I need God’s help to accomplish this kind of living.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to live like You want me to live. Help me not to judge, or condemn people. I want to leave that in Your hands. Help me to forgive quickly and completely, like I want to be forgiven. Teach me to walk in step with You at all times. Show me how to live this kingdom life every moment of every day. Let my life bring You glory as I endeavor to walk in Your ways.

Your Son,

Jeff

Jesus, the Baptizer

 Scripture:

“John answered them all, “I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming – I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

John lets us know some powerful truth in this passage. People thought he was the Christ, the anointed Messiah that was coming to Israel.His reply was that he was only preparing the way for the Christ. He told them that he was only baptizing in water for repentance, but that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. John’s introduction of Jesus was not savior of the world, but baptizer in the Holy Spirit and fire.

Application:

Jesus did come to save the world from their sins, but at His introduction by His forerunner, He was described as baptizing people with the Holy Spirit and fire. This happened on the Day of Pentecost, but He still baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. He is still the baptizer. We should pursue, not only salvation and forgiveness of sins. We should pursue a constant in-filling of the Holy Spirit. I want to live life full of the Spirit and fire. I want to fulfill the will of Jesus in my life. I want to be fully surrendered and I want to do everything he wants me to do. 

Prayer:

Lord, I give myself to You. Baptizer me once again in Your Spirit. I hunger for Your. I thirst for You. You are my everything. Light the fire inside of me again  and let it never go out. Let me live the true Spirit-filled life. Let Your Spirit fill me and overflow onto others. Let me be fully aligned with You and Your will at all times. Let me be sensitive to Your voice and do all You speak to me. 

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Provides Enough for us to Obey

 Scripture:

“I will command my blessing for you in the sixth year so that it may yield the produce for three years,” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

 In this passage, God told the Israelites to let their farmland have a Sabbath every seven years. They were told to let their land rest for one entire year. The problem is, in year seven, there is no crops to harvest and in the eighth year, you have to wait until the harvest. The land would actually go almost two years before there was another harvest. Knowing that, God told them He would provide enough in year six to last three years. What an awesome God!

Application:

If God can make land produce three years worth of vegetation in one year, He can provide whatever we need in order to obey Him. We need to see God as the all-sufficient one who supplies all our needs. I also see in this verse that if God asks you to do something, He will pay for it. God provides miraculously for those who follow Him closely and obediently. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your provision in my life. I ask You to provide miraculously for the church I pastor and for my family. As I diligently follow You and obey Your word and will for my life, please take care of those around me and provide for every need. Provide land and buildings for our church in one of the most expensive regions of our country. Provide the resources to build something that will be a blessing to Your and Your kingdom for many years to come.

Your Son,

Jeff

Reminders

 Scripture:

“You must live in temporary shelters for seven days; every native citizen in Israel must live in temporary shelters, so that your future generations may know that I made the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’”” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭23‬:‭42‬-‭43‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God instituted this feast of shelters so the Israelites would never forget what He did for them when they came out of Egypt. It was to continue forever as a reminder to them. The entire nation had to live in tents for seven days each year as a reminder of the their 40 years in the wilderness where God provided for them and when He brought them out of Egyptian captivity. 

Application:

God often had the people of Israel make memorials, or reminders, of the things He had done for them. Usually, it was to be able to speak to the next generation and remind them about the goodness of God. Reminders are needed in our walk with God because it is easy to forget what He has done for us when we are in difficult times. Reminders increase our faith in the present. They encourage us to keep on moving forward because God will surely come through this next time like He has done in the past.

Prayer:

Father, You are incredible and I love You with all my heart. Teach me to set reminders of Your goodness in my life. Help me to never forget, in a moment of despair, where You have brought me from. Help me to walk humbly before You all the days of my life, pursuing You and Your will. Open the windows of heaven and provide all we need to extend Your kingdom.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Disobedience and Vomit

 Scripture:

““‘You must be sure to obey all my statutes and regulations, so that the land to which I am about to bring you to take up residence there does not vomit you out.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭20‬:‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

As Moses was declaring all the Laws of God to the people, he included the statement above. He said they should obey all God said so the land they were going to wouldn’t vomit them out. If the children of Israel wanted God’s favor and blessing in the land He promised them, they needed to listen to and obey every command he gave through His servant Moses. When God prepared the Promised Land for them, He said if they didn’t follow His ways the land itself would vomit them out.

Application:

We must once again live our lives in obedience to the ways of God. He takes obedience to Him very seriously. If they people of Israel didn’t obey, the Promised Land would vomit them out. In other words, when we walk in disobedience to God and His ways, we shouldn’t expect things to go well for us. We can’t expect His blessings when we walk in disobedience. As for me, I don’t want to be vomited out of the place of God’s blessing.

Prayer:

Father, help me to walk faithful to Your calling. Let my life bring Your glory and honor. Teach me to hear Your voice and to respond with “Yes Lord” at all times. Let me live in such a way that Your blessing falls strongly on my life.  I want to serve You well and accomplish all You have planned for me.

Your Son,

Jeff

Cleansing

 Scripture:

““‘Thus you are to set the Israelites apart from their impurity so that they do not die in their impurity by defiling my tabernacle which is in their midst.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭15‬:‭31‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God has spent the last several chapters talking about cleansing impurities in our bodies, our clothes, our houses, etc. He went through a long list of things that would make us unclean, and therefore, not allowed to enter His presence. There were strict regulations for coming into the Tabernacle. These were given so that they would not die in the Lord’s presence.

Application:

My application today is to thank Jesus for being the ultimate sacrifice to get my sins and impurities cleansed because of His precious blood. So many things make us unclean, but Jesus died so we could be free from this list of obligations by putting our trust in His perfect sacrifice. It should also make us understand that God is a holy God and doesn’t like us to bring sin and iniquity or uncleanness into His presence. We may not need purification rituals, but we should take very seriously cleansing ourselves of all unrighteousness.

Prayer:

Father, purify my life this morning. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and let me live a pure life, filled with Your favor and blessing. Thank You for the cross. Thank You Jesus for fulfilling the Law and making a way for us to have access into the holy of holies. You are incredible and I appreciate all You have done for us. Let my life be an offering for all You have done for me.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Holiness Among the Priesthood

 Scripture:

“Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke: ‘Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.’” So Aaron kept silent.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭10‬:‭3‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, had just burned strange fire before the Lord. It was not done according to God’s command and His ways. When they did this, fire came out from the Lord’s presence and killed them. The Lord said to Moses, “Among the ones close to me I will show myself holy, and in the presence of all the people I will be honored.” In other words, God will deal with His priests before the People and they will honor the Lord. The priest was set apart to be holy from among the other people. 

Application:

God expects His leaders to walk in submission to His word. He expects those who are called by Him into ministry to live to a higher standard. We must learn to obey God, rather than question His ways or put Him in a box. As a leader, my life must be set apart and sanctified before the Lord. If I want to serve Him well, I must live to a higher standard and hold myself accountable to it. 

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious. You are amazing and I love You with all my heart. Help me to live a life that pleases You and that You can bless. Come Holy Spirit and convict me where I need convicted. Show me how to serve You well in my generation. Teach me Your ways and direct my steps. Help me to live a life that You approve of in every area. I want to see Your glory.

Yours,

Jeff

More of His Glory

 Scripture:

“Moses and Aaron then entered into the Meeting Tent. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat parts on the altar, and all the people saw it, so they shouted loudly and fell down with their faces to the ground.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

After Moses and Aaron did everything God had told them to do in preparing the sacrifices, the altar, the Tabernacle, etc. the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Then fire went out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offerings. The people couldn’t believe what they saw. They shouted and fell down on their faces when God really showed up. 

Application:

I love the presence of the Lord. I love it when He comes into a room with His incredible power and might. I love it when God manifests His presence where everyone sees it and knows it. I realize in these verses that it was great obedience that brought greater glory. After Moses and Aaron did everything they were supposed to do, God showed up in power. I want to see the Lord’s glory more and more. There is a stirring in my heart for more of God’s glory. I need to walk humbly before Him and walk in complete obedience, then He will manifest His glory more and more. I want to see Him face to face. I long for times when nobody can deny the presence of the Lord. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to be faithful to obey everything You tell me to do. Convict me where I need convicted. Change me where I need changed. Direct me clearly and I will do my best to follow You completely. Show me the way forward. I want to see Your glory. I long for Your presence. Come Holy Spirit and walk with me. Let me have an undivided heart.

Your Son,

Jeff

Keep the Fire Burning

 Scripture:

“but the fire which is on the altar must be kept burning on it. It must not be extinguished. So the priest must kindle wood on it morning by morning, and he must arrange the burnt offering on it and offer the fat of the peace offering up in smoke on it. A continual fire must be kept burning on the altar. It must not be extinguished.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭6‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God tells Moses here that the fire on the altar of the burnt offering was to never go out. It had to keep burning 24/7. It was never to be extinguished. This speaks of a continual place where we can bring our sacrifices and offerings. It is a reminder to us to keep our spiritual fires going at all times and never let them go out.

Application:

To keep a fire burning day and night, there must be fresh wood on the fire and there must be occasional taking out of the old ashes. The embers have to be stoked sometimes, or the fire will go out. In our spiritual lives, there are certain things that help us maintain our fire. This is our personal prayer and devotional time. It is our personal outreach time. When we continue to put fresh wood on the fire, there are certain fire will never stop burning, but there is action required on our part. We need to be faithful in taking care of the fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Prayer:

Father, never let my fire go out. Help me to keep the fire burning bright for You all the days of my life. Teach me to walk more intimately with You. Let my fire burn brighter as I age. I don’t want to go anywhere or do anything without Your presence. I long for You to move in my life and church. Come Holy Spirit and set us on fire again.

Yours,

Jeff

Bless the Priests

 Scripture:

“The remainder of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and to his sons – it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.” ‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Leviticus starts out with a listing of all of the sacrifices that were to be presented to the Lord. This one, called the grain offering, was unique because they were to bring it to the Lord, then bring the remainder to the priests, Aaron and his sons. The Lord then said, “it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.” In other words, this is important to remember as you sacrifice to the Lord, take care of God’s servants as well.

Application:

There are times when we should honor men of God who give their lives unselfishly for the Kingdom. According to this verse, “it is most holy from the gifts of the Lord.” In other words, It is important to honor those who serve God with a sincere heart and to bless them with offerings. I need to get better at this. I love to honor God’s servants, but I should make sure we really bless those who serve the Lord because it is a holy thing to do. I want to be a generous person who blesses God’s servants well.

Prayer:

Father, use me to bless Your servants. Teach me how to honor those who are working hard at serving You. I want to honor what You honor and put down what You put down. Help me discern well when to give, how much to give, and how to give whenever there is opportunity. I want my gifts and sacrifices to serve You and Your purposes well.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Accompanying Signs

 Scripture:

“They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs.]]” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

This is the final verse of the book of Mark. It describes what the disciples and followers of Jesus did after His ascension to heaven. They did what He said to do. They went out and proclaimed everywhere, and the verse tells us that the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs. After His resurrection, He was still working WITH His people through the Holy Spirit. He remained active, just through His followers. 

Application:

Many times when we think about evangelism or spreading the Good News, we think we are on our own and have to know everything in the Bible, but really when we go for Him, He will go with us. He stills works WITH us to confirm the word with accompanying signs and wonders. He may have gone to heaven and changed location, but He is still very active in and through the lives of His people. We should expect signs and wonders as confirmation that Jesus is working with us. We should also be busy going out and proclaiming everywhere that Jesus is Lord.

Prayer:

Jesus, work WITH me as You did with the early Church. Teach me to proclaim and demonstrate Your words effectively. Help me to go out and do what You said to do. I ask You for signs and wonders when I declare Your truths. Help me to walk boldly and confidently in obedience to Your word. 

Always Yours,

Jeff

Generosity

 Scripture:

“He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭12‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus showed His disciples this lady that threw two copper coins into the offering. It amounted to very little, but to her, it was a massive sacrifice because she needed that money to buy something to eat. She gave out of her poverty and everyone else gave out of their abundance. Sometimes, it’s not what we give, but what’s leftover after we have given.

Application:

Generosity is really observed by how much we have left after we have given. Sacrificial giving will cost you something, but it gets God’s attention. God has been challenging me about sacrificial giving for His kingdom and purposes. I’ve heard it said, when God blesses you, don’t increase your standard of living, increase your standard of giving. I want to live a generous life that God can bless.

Prayer:

Father, I want to hear Your voice concerning giving. You are the Lord of my life and I surrender my finances to You. Help me to listen and obey when You speak. Teach me to keep kingdom priorities above my own priorities. Let me have a generous spirit that listens and follows Your direction at all times. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Believe

 Scripture:

“Then Jesus said to him, “‘If you are able?’ All things are possible for the one who believes.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭9‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, Jesus was speaking with a man whose son, from birth, would be thrown into the fire or water because of a demon. The disciples of Jesus were not able to cast out the demon and get the boy healed. When Jesus arrived and was informed about the situation he asked the man what he wanted. The man replied, “if you are able, heal my son.” Jesus replied that all things are possible for the one who believes. 

Application:

We must realize that the all-powerful lives within us and that all things are possible when He is at work. Nothing is impossible for God, therefore, nothing is impossible for His people. Our job is simply to believe. His job is to make the miracle happen. We can never question “if” God can do something. He can!!! We must simply believe He can and will do what He says He will do.

Prayer:

Father, You are great and glorious. You are mighty and majestic. You are incredible and awesome. Help my unbelief. Let me be a true believer, who believes You not only can, but will step into every situation. Increase my faith. Help me not to see the impossible, but to know that You specialize in the impossible. You are amazing, let my faith grow each day!

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Just Believe

 Scripture:

“But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭36‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

While Jesus was healing and touching lives, Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, came to him and said his daughter was sick. As they were speaking, one of his servants came to him and told him not to bother Jesus because his daughter had died. The response of Jesus was so powerful. He told him, “Do not be afraid, just believe.” They walked to his house, Jesus resurrected his daughter and everyone witnessed a miracle. 

Application:

So many times in our lives we get bad news and the first thing that enters our mind and heart is fear of what will happen next. We generally begging to play out our downfall in our minds because something bad happened to us. Rather than listening to fear, Jesus told Jairus to “just believe.” Fear and faith cannot co-exist. I want to be a faith-filled person and not ever walk in fear. Fear is a manipulator, but faith changes things. I want to live my life fearless and full of faith.

Prayer:

Father, I want a simple walk with You that “just believes” what You speak. Increase my faith to see what You want me to see. Teach me to walk with You in confidence and boldness. Help me to overcome fear and to let faith guide my life instead of fear. Let my thoughts remain on You and let my response always be a response of faith instead of fear.

Yours,

Jeff

A House Divided

 Scripture:

“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭3‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was accused of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub. He replied that a devil can’t cast out a devil. He then offered this one statement, “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” This statement has powerful truth in it. Division destroys, but unity is powerful. There is no power in division, but there is incredible power in unity. 

Application:

In the Body of Christ, we must realize that we need each other. We need unity. A house divided against itself cannot stand. We need undivided heart, undivided homes, undivided churches, and undivided businesses. We cannot stand if we are divided. I want to be a unifier in the Body of Christ. I want to be a unifier in my home. I want to live with an undivided heart. 

Prayer:

Father, let me live an undivided life. Help me to serve You completely and never be divided in my devotion. Let my life bring unity to myself, my family, and my world. I want to build things that will last. Help me to unify Your people.

Yours,

Jeff

Marked by God’s Presence

 Scripture:

“For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, but fire would be on it at night, in plain view of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭40‬:‭38‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

When Israel did everything exactly as the Lord had told them to do it in preparation of the Tabernacle, He confirmed their work with His holy presence. Israel, in the wilderness, had a visible representation of the Lord’s presence. They could see the cloud by day and the fire by night. There was no doubt about where they were supposed to to go because they were led by the cloud and the fire. It was in plain view of everyone. Nobody could deny the presence of the Lord in their midst.

Application:

 We are to be known as a people who carry the presence of the Lord. The presence of the Lord should be the most significant difference between us and the rest of the world. We are to be a people who carry the presence of God in our lives. As for me, I want God’s presence in everything I do. I want confirmation that I am on the right track because of His manifest presence. I don’t want to miss a thing that God desires for me. I want to be a follower of His presence and one who walks in the presence of God. I want to live a life that pleases God in every area.

Prayer:

Father, let Your presence on and in my life be the hallmark of who I am. I want the world to know You. Help me to be a bearer of Your presence. Show me how to walk closer to You at all times. My heart cries out for You and Your presence. Come Holy Spirit and walk with me. Lead me and show me how to live a life that pleases You and honors Your presence and Your will. Unless Your presence goes with me, I don’t want to do anything.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Skilled Hands and Surrendered Hearts

 Scripture:

“Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person in whom the Lord had put skill – everyone whose heart stirred him to volunteer to do the work,” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭36‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When the Tabernacle was being built for the Lord God Almighty, Moses summoned those who had specific skills. He also used everyone whose heart stirred them to volunteer to do the work. Some people were used because they had the exact talents and skill sets needed for the Job. Others were used because God stirred their hearts to help out. God uses hands and hearts.

Application:

God uses hands and hearts that are offered to Him. He will use our specific skills to do His work. He will also take someone who doesn’t have the skills, but has a strong heart to serve, and use them. Skills can be learned when you have the right heart. I want a heart that is always stirred to do God’s work. I want God to have complete access to my heart and train my hands to do the work that needs done. 

Prayer:

Father, I offer my heart and my skills to You. Have Your way in my life. Use me for Your glory. I offer You everything I have. My heart is stirred to do whatever You ask me to do. Show me how to discern what is You and what just happened to open up to me. Help me to never refuse to do something because I don’t feel trained for it. I want to accomplish all that You have for me in my life.

Your Son,

Jeff

Leave Me Alone

 Scripture:

“So now, leave me alone so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭32‬:‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God and Moses were having a talk about the people God had just rescued from the hands of the Egyptians. The people had made an idol to worship and God wanted to destroy all of them and start over with Moses to make a great nation. When God said, “Leave me alone” to Moses, He was saying, stop interceding for them because I want to destroy them. The intercession of Moses stopped the hand of God from destroying His people.

Application:

Intercession is powerful Intercession moves the hand of God. Many time in Scripture, God intended to destroy His people for their many sins, but someone interceded before Him on their behalf. To interceded means to stand between or stand in the gap. An intercessor stand in between God and the people, asking God for mercy on behalf of the people. God always hears the cries of the intercessor. Our generation needs those who will stand before God day and night interceding for the people. May God have to tell me one day to leave Him alone because I am praying so much. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to honor the place of the intercessor better in my life and ministry. Let my life be a life of prayer and intercession for Your people. Teach me to hear your voice and act on what You tell me. Help me not to be like Aaron, who did what the people wanted, but like Moses who represented God well to those he was leading. Help me to lead well.

Yours,

Jeff

Consecrated

 Scripture:

“I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out from the land of Egypt, so that I may reside among them. I am the Lord their God.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭29‬:‭45‬-‭46‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God gave Moses and Aaron very precise details of how to set apart the priests, the objects of worship, the sacrifices, etc. for one purpose, “I will reside among the Israelites, and I will be their God… so that I may reside among them.” Everything taking place in the consecration of sacred objects and the priests, was so that God would dwell among His people. God went to extreme details because He wanted to dwell with His people.

Application:

We can answer the cry of God to be with His people by living consecrated lives to Him. He has always desired a people who would be completely His and He would be their God. We are the Temple of His Spirit and as we honor Him, He will work in and through us. He is looking for pure vessels He can dwell in. I want God to reside in me and to be one with Him. I want to live a consecrated life and walk with God as has been His cry from the beginning.

Prayer:

Father, I want to walk with You. I want to live my life for Your purposes. Dwell with me. Walk with me. Teach me Your ways and show me Your heart. I want to provide a place for You to dwell among Your people. Show me how to prepare my life as Your sanctuary, not our of legalistic regulations, but because I long for Your presence. I long to walk closely with You.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

A Dwelling Place for God

 Scripture:

“Let them make for me a sanctuary, so that I may live among them.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭25‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation: 

In this passage, God is telling Moses exactly how to make the Tabernacle. He went into great detail about exactly what it was to be like. The purpose for it is the heart of this verse. “So that I may live among them.” God went into great detail to prepare a place that He could dwell and live among His people. From the beginning, God’s purpose has to be with His people. 

Application:

In the New Covenant, we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. We are constantly being made into a place where God can dwell and live within us. The heart of God throughout Scripture is to BE with His people. Sin separated man from God and God has been working throughout history to make His dwelling place among people. He sent Jesus to die, so He could dwell within His people. Now, because of Jesus, the veil in the temple was torn and we have been filled with God’s Spirit. We have the ability to answer the cry of God for centuries, that “He could be our God and we could be His people and that He can dwell among us.  May we take seriously the fact that Christ now lives in us.

Prayer:

Father, let my life bring You honor. Help me to live in such a way that You can live among Your people through me. I offer You my life, my heart, my everything. Teach me to walk with You. Live in me. Teach me to walk with You and to honor Your presence in my life. Let me be a Temple you enjoy living in.

Yours,

Jeff

Covenantal Blessings

 Scripture:

“You must serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23‬:‭25‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This verse falls in the middle of Moses’ meeting with God and receiving all God’s commands and decrees. God was giving them the revelation of how to walk with God and to have His blessing on their lives. This one verse in the midst of an entire covenant, is powerful. God says that if we serve Him completely, He would bless our bread and water and remove sickness from us.

Application:

There are covenantal blessings when we walk with God as He tells us to. God promises here that if we serve Him according to His ways, and not the ways of the rest of the world, we will be blessed and He will heal our sicknesses. As God’s children, we must follow Him, not according to our ways, but according to His ways. When we do that, we can be assured that He will bless those who wholeheartedly follow Him. Hebrews tells us that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him.

Prayer:

Father, bless my bread and water, my provision and sustenance. Let Your blessings fall on my life. Take sickness from my family. Let Cheryl and me walk in divine health. Restore my youth like the eagles as I pursue You. Teach me to follow Your ways and to do Your will. Let my life be used for Your glory and the extension of Your kingdom.

Yours Always,

Jeff

Preparation before Presence

 Scripture:

“The Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and make them wash their clothes and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭19‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God spoke to Moses in this passage, telling him to sanctify the people because in three days He was going to come down on Mt Sinai in front of all of them. The people had to prepare for God’s presence. God knew He was going to come down so He warned the people to prepare themselves through sanctification. 

Application:

When God is going to move in power or manifest Himself, there is always a season of preparation. Preparation comes before presences. Many of us long for the presence of the Lord to come and touch lives. If we were to hear His voice clearly, it may be saying, “purify and sanctify yourselves because I am about to do some things.” Preparation and cleansing tells God you are serious with Him and ready for Him to come down in power. We should always walk in a spirit of sanctification, being set apart for the Lord and His purposes. 

Prayer:

Father, cleanse me. Purify my life. Show me the things I need to stop and the things I need to start. I long for Your presence. I long to see You move in the earth in greater ways. I long to see Your goodness revealed to the multitudes. Come Holy Spirit and show us Your glory. Help me to live a sanctification life that is ready for all You want to do.

Yours,

Jeff

Too Much

 Scripture:

“You will surely wear out, both you and these people who are with you, for this is too heavy a burden for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.”  ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses saw how Moses was judging the people all day long every day and confronted him about how to lead people. In this verse, Moses received the mentorship of his father-in-law who told him, “you are not able to do it by yourself.” Jethro saw what Moses was doing and realized quickly that what he was doing was not sustainable.

Application:

There comes a time in life and leadership when we must realize that we cannot do it all by ourselves. Sometimes in ministry I get worn out because I don’t share the responsibility. It becomes what Jethro said, “too heavy a burden.” I know I need to delegate more and more, especially as I get older and have more doors of opportunity opening around me. I need to trust the people around me more and more.

Prayer:

Father, help me to get rid of a savior complex and to release ministry and leadership to others. Help me to share the weight and responsibility with those around me. Teach me to be effective at raising sons and daughters who can help carry the load of ministry. Lead me Holy Spirit into the most effective years of my life. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Bless Me Also

 Scripture:

“Also, take your flocks and your herds, just as you have requested, and leave. But bless me also.”” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭32‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Pharaoh had seen all the plagues come against his country because he wouldn’t let God’s people go and worship Him in the wilderness. He had just witnessed the final plague, the death of every firstborn son in Egypt. His own son died along with every firstborn son in his nation. The sons of the Israelites were fine, so he told Moses and Aaron, to do everything they had requested, but he also asked that they would bless him when they did it. He didn’t want to be under God’s judgment one more day. He finally understood that God is all-powerful and he wanted to be on God’s good side from that point on.

Application:

Even skeptics and enemies of God, when they see His awesome deeds, will ask for His blessing. There comes a time in people’s lives who have struggled with God, when they will finally surrender to Him and desire His blessing instead of the results of their disobedience. Our place is to continue to declare truth to them, while waiting and watching God work to soften their hearts. Our prayer is always for those who don’t know Christ, to have an encounter with Him and ask for His blessing.

Prayer:

Lord, continue to work in those I love but that are not serving You. Do what is necessary to bring them to You. Let them see Your awesomeness and ask for Your blessing. Help me to represent You well as I speak to them. Help me to be a mouthpiece for God to those who are far from God. Let me speak what You are speaking and do what You are doing. 

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Declare His Name

 Scripture:

“For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with plague, and you would have been destroyed from the earth. But for this purpose I have caused you to stand: to show you my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭9‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

The Lord speaks in this passage through Moses and Aaron. He tells Pharaoh that He could have destroyed him by this time, but allowed him to stand for one purpose, “to show my strength, and so that my name may be declared in all the earth.” God allowed Pharaoh to live and see His mighty miracles, not to entertain Moses, but that His name would be declared in all the earth.

Application:

God’s intention, in every situation, is that His name be proclaimed to the whole world. His desire has always been that the whole world would be His people and He would be their God. If God wants His name proclaimed in all the world, I want to be part of doing what He wants. I want to be a voice for God in all the earth. I want to proclaim His goodness to people near and far. I want the world to know Jesus.

Prayer:

Father, help me to serve You well in my generation. Teach me to declare Your goodness in Loudoun County, VA and in the nations of the world. Thank you for letting me be part of Your plan in the earth in every nation. Empower me to do more for You and Your kingdom so You name may be praised in all the earth and that You may have sons and daughters all over the world.

Yours,

Jeff