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

Say Yes to God

 Scripture:

“But Moses said, “O my Lord, please send anyone else whom you wish to send!”” Exodus‬ ‭4‬:‭13‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Moses understood that he was not a good communicator and that he would probably make Israel look bad if he spoke before Pharaoh. God was asking him to do the one thing he always struggled with, but was asking him to speak to the most powerful man in the world at that time. Moses asked the Lord to please send anyone else but him. In the end, Moses went and did incredible signs. His feeling of insufficiency caused it to be even more of a miracle.

Application:

God usually tells us to do things that are impossible without Him. He demonstrates His power in our weakness. He gets glory when we understand that we don’t have what it takes to accomplish what He tells us to do. God never lets us stay in our comfort zone. He always challenges us to do things we feel incapable of. Our job is to respond in faith and do what He speaks. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to always say yes to You. Help me never make excuses for not doing what You are asking me. Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Let my life bring You glory. Use me for Your purposes. Help me to never be confident in the flesh, but to lean on You at all times knowing what Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.”

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Multiplication in the Midst of Oppression

 Scripture:

“But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage you see that God’s people, the Israelites, were severely oppressed by the Egyptians. Even in their oppression, the Lord was with them and they multiplied and spread. You would think that in oppressive times, they would stop multiplying, but with God you can be blessed in the middle of your oppression.

Application:

In our weakest times, God has the power and potential to strengthen us and let His blessing come upon our lives. When we feel we are helpless and hopeless, God will give us all we need to multiply in the midst of difficult times. We must put our faith and trust in the God who turns troubled times into triumphant times. We can get stronger in the midst of our pain.

Prayer:

Father, help me to trust You more and to know You deeper. When I feel weak, teach me to remember what You did for the Israelites. When I feel like things are not going well, help me to be encouraged because I serve the God who can bless me in the midst of what seems to be oppressive times. You are faithful and I love You more each day.

Yours,

Jeff

Hearing God Through Unlikely People

 Scripture:

“As he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream about him today.”” Matthew‬ ‭27‬:‭19‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

While Pilate was dealing with the people concerning Jesus’ fate, his wife sent a message to him telling him not to have anything to do with Jesus because He was innocent. She told him she had not been able to sleep because of terrible dreams about him. She warned her husband and told him not to do anything to Jesus because He was innocent. 

Application:

God can use anyone to accomplish His purposes. God could have sent Elijah or Moses to speak to  Pilate, but God showed some tormenting dreams about Jesus to Pilate’s wife, who was not a believer, nor a Jew. Pilate ended up washing his hands to declare his innocence, but still allowed the crucifixion to go on. People shouldn’t have to pass our religious test for God to deliver a word through them. He can use anyone He wants, saved or unsaved, to accomplish His purposes. 

Prayer:

Father, help me to never judge the vessel, but to listen for Your voice in their voice. Help me not to miss a word from You because it came through a person that wasn’t godly. Teach me to hear Your voice spoken through any and all people. Open my ears to hear Your voice and help me to obey completely. 

Your Son,

Jeff

Over-promising and Under-performing

 Scripture:

“Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭75‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Peter denied Christ, then remembered his own words. Jesus said that by our words we will be justified and by our words we will be condemned. Peter was condemned by his own words. He said he would never deny the Lord, but he couldn’t live out what his mouth spoke. We have to be careful about the promises we make.

Application:

In business, they say it is better to underpromise and over perform than to over promise and under perform. We need to think through some of the things we speak. As believers, we do speak by faith, but sometimes in faith, we can over promise because we truly believe God is going to do whatever it is we have spoken. It’s better to walk in humility and let God work through you than to over promise certain results. We should use language like, “I’m going to give it my all and see what the Lord does,” rather than to promise results and not be able to do them.

Prayer:

Father, let me walk in humility and trust at the same time. Help me to walk in confidence in Your ability without over promising things I have no power over. Help me to represent You well in my speech. Let my mouth be used for You in ways that are appropriate to You. I want to say what You want me to say in the way you want me to say it. 

Yours,

Jeff

All Nations

 Scripture:

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24‬:‭14‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

One of the signs of Jesus soon return was that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached throughout the whole world. We all tend to look at the other signs of the last days and leave this one out. Today, around the world, the gospel is being preached like never before in every nation on the earth. We are seeing revival in places we never thought possible. God is pouring out His Spirit in these last days.

Application:

God doesn’t preach the gospel. He uses us to preach His gospel. He has chosen to work through people. The only way for this prophecy to come to pass is if God’s people are willing to go and preach the Gospel in every nation of the earth. We need to raise and release sons and daughters for the harvest fields. We should be doing everything we possibly can to extend the Kingdom of God throughout the whole world. 

Prayer:

Father, use me for the extension of Your kingdom. Provide the resources as we endeavor to take the Gospels to the ends of the earth. Open doors and I will walk through them. Let me be part of this last days harvest of the earth. I want to work together with You to extend Your rule and reign. Empower me to do Your work, to send others, and to preach the gospel in all the earth.

Yours,

Jeff

Produce Fruit

 Scripture:

“For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭21‬:‭43‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Jesus was talking to the teachers of the Law about the kingdom of God. He was letting them know that tax collectors and sinners would enter His kingdom before the religious, if their hearts were not right. In this verse, Jesus tells them that the kingdom will be taken away from them and given to those who will produce its fruit. He is looking for fruit.

Application:

The religious Scribes, Pharisees, and teachers of the Law were looking for religious behavior, Jesus brought the focus back to fruit. We Gentiles were let into this awesome kingdom so we could produce fruit. Fruit is what impresses Jesus, not works. He expects His kingdom to grow and develop it belongs to those who produce fruit. We should be more concerned about producing fruit with our lives. If it is important to Jesus, it is important to us.

Prayer:

Father, let my life produce much fruit. Let me walk with You and fulfill all Your plans for me. Help me to walk in step with You all the days of my life and let my works produce much fruit. I want to see Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I want to be a fruit producer.

Yours,

Jeff

Persistent Faith

 Scripture:

““Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭

Observation:

Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock, and that the door would be opened to us. He continued and told us that everyone asks receives, everyone who seeks, finds, and everyone who knocks, gets an open door. The key is in the tense of the verbs. We must ask and keep on asking. All three verbs imply continuing to ask

Application:

I am not good at asking some something over and over. As a leader, I tend to ask once, then do it myself if it isn’t done. I’m not good at asking someone for something over and over again. I usually take over and do the job myself. I do the same with God. I don’t like to bother God with my problems. I need ti continue seeking till I find.

Prayer:

Father, help me to have persistent faith and to never give up on Your breakthroughs. You are faithful to provide for your children. Enable me to have persistent faith and trust in you that causes me to keep on asking.

Yours,

Jeff

Don’t Worry About Tomorrow

 Scripture:

“So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭34‬ ‭

Observation:

At the end of his famous sermon on the mount, Jesus makes this simple statement. After telling his people not to worry about what to eat or drink, etc. he tells the, not to worry about tomorrow because each day has enough trouble of its own.

Application:

Sometimes we worry ourselves about things we have no control over anyway. We can’t be controlled by worry, but should be controlled by what the Spirit is saying to do each day. I want to walk in step with the Spirit all day every day.

Prayer:

Lord, align my ears with your voice and let me hear you clearly. Help me not to worry about things I have no control over anyway. Let me walk in step with you today in Cuba and every day.

Yours,

Jeff

Speaking Prophetically

 Scripture:

“Jacob called for his sons and said, “Gather together so I can tell you what will happen to you in the future.” Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭1‬ ‭

Observation:

Joseph not only could interpret dreams, he was also prophetic. He had a prophetic word about each of his children. He was a fantastic leader in Egypt, but he was also a man of God. Great fathers speak over their children’s future. 

Application:

I want to speak prophetically over my sons and my spiritual children. I want to be a man of God who knows the voice of God and speaks it accurately. I want to hear what God is saying and declare it to others. 

Prayer:

Lord, open my ears to hear your voice. Let my words be accurate and clear. Help me to speak your word and say what you want said. I am yours forever. Teach me your ways.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Very Best

 Scripture:

"Then get your father and all of your families, and return here to me. I will give you the very best land in Egypt, and you will eat from the best that the land produces." (Gen 45:18)

Observation:

When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, he told them to go get their father and bring him back to Egypt because he was going to give them the very best of Egypt. God had taken Joseph from a place of having nothing to being able to offer the best land and food of the country to his family. He went from a slave to the most powerful man in Egypt because God was with him. 

Application:

 When God is with us, everything can turn around. When God is with us, He can take us from slave to powerful leader in a relatively short amount of time. God can do more than we can imagine when we fully trust in Him. Sometimes we settle for okay when God has the very best of the land for us. Our Father loves us enough to give us the very best!

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing! You take slaves and turn them into princes. You transform lives and people. Help me not to settle on okay when You have the very best for my life. Help me to trust You and follow You in all things and fulfill Your will. I want to live like Joseph and know that God is with me and working on my behalf toward the very best.

Your Son,

Jeff

Success in EVERYTHING

 Scripture:

"The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master."

Observation:

Everywhere Joseph went, he succeeded, even when things were really bad. The reason for his success, "The Lord was with Joseph." God's favor was on his life in a special way. He not only succeeded; he succeeded in EVERYTHING he did. 

Application:

God loves us and wants good things for us. He wants His children to succeed in everything they do. That's the dream of every good father. We want our kids to be successful in every area. The key to this story is that "God was with Joseph." That should be our cry. When God is with us, things work so much better. When God is with us, favor comes upon us. God said if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us. Therefore, my application is that I much continuously draw nearer and nearer to God.

Prayer:

Lord, I want to abide in the vine. I want to remain connected to You as my source in every moment of every day. Teach me to walk with You and to fulfill Your will for my life. Be with me as You were with Joseph. Let EVERYTHING I touch be successful

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Blessing and Favor

 Scripture:

“But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, please stay here, for I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me on account of you.” He added, “Just name your wages – I’ll pay whatever you want.”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭30‬:‭27‬-‭28‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, we see that Laban was blessed because Jacob was working for him. He realized that God had blessed him because of who was working for him and he offered him whatever he wanted to get him to stay. Jacob wanted to leave, but Laban begged him to stay so the blessing on his life would continue because of Jacob.

Application:

When God decides to bless His people, those around them can see the favor and blessing of God. God blesses His people and causes them to prosper in such a way that the world around them wants to work with them. For us today, we must realize that God can bless our lives and make us productive above and beyond the norm. We must be diligent, but when we are God’s children, we can walk in His blessing to the point where nobody wants us to leave because they are being blessed by our presence. We must realize that the blessing is part of Abraham’s covenant and we are the descendants of Abraham. We should expect to live blessed lives.

Prayer:

Father, let Your favor and blessing fall on my life. Let me be prosperous in every way. Use the work of my hands for Your glory. My life belongs to You. Align me with Your purposes and let your blessing fall on my family, my church, and my region because You are with me.

Yours,

Jeff

Blessed Because of Obedience

 Scripture:

"I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions."

Observation:

In this passage, the Lord had appeared to Isaac and pronounced over him the blessing of his father Abraham. God promised to bless his life "because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions." Abraham and Isaac were blessed beacuse of Abraham's obedience to God.

Application:

Listening to God and obeying Him are the key ingredients to the blessing of God. God blesses those who hear His voice and do what He says. Many people are looking for some deep, hidden revelation for God to bless their lives, but I believe it is quite simple. I believe that obedience to the Word of God and the voice of the Lord brings about His blessing. My goal is to hear clearly and obey passionately.

Prayer:

Father, let me be a person who hears clearly and obeys passionately. Help me to walk with You in complete obedience in every area of my life. Let me abide in You continuously. Help me to fulfill everything You placed me on earth to fulfill. Let my answer to You always be "YES." I want to be blessed because I obeyed the Word and the voice of God.

Yours.

Jeff

Increase My Faith

 Scripture:

"He responded, 'The Lord, in whose presence I have lived, will send his angel with you and will make your mission successful. Yes, you must find a wife for my son from among my relatives, from my father's family.'" Genesis 24:40

Observation:

Abraham is sending his servant to find a wife for his son. In the process, he makes a powerful statement. First, he says, "The Lord, in whose presence I have lived." We don't know exactly what this means, but it is apparent that Abraham walked closely with God. He knew the presence of God. Secondly, he was convinced that the mission would be successful because the Lord would send an angel to make it happen. His faith in God was exceptional. 

Application:

I want the faith of Abraham. First, he was willing to offer his firstborn son to the Lord. He obeyed God completely, knowing that if he obeyed God, God had the power to raise his son back to life. On this 21-day fast, I want my faith and obedience to God to increase. I also want to walk in the confidence that knows, deep inside, that God will send His angels to accomplish His purposes in our lives. I want absolute confidence that God's got my back as I follow Him completely. 

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, You are great and glorious! Increase my faith in You. Increase my trust that, if I obey You completely, everything will work out perfectly. I also want to live in your presence like Abraham did. I want conversations with You that are deep. Take me deeper in my walk with You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God Always Remembers Us

 Scripture:

“But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and domestic animals that were with him in the ark. God caused a wind to blow over the earth and the waters receded.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬

Observation:

God had flooded the entire earth because of man’s unfaithfulness. Every living thing died in the flood, except what He had told Noah to bring into the ark for safety. It was a restart for the entire population, including the animal kingdom. When the floods ended, this verse says, “God remembered Noah.” Even in discipline, God doesn’t forget His people.

Application:

There are times when we are disciplined by the Lord for our disobedience, but He always has a plan for our restoration. He doesn’t judge us, then give up on us. He always remembers us and comes back to restore things if we are willing. It is in God’s nature to bring restoration, even when He brought the punishment. 

Prayer:

Father, thank You for being long suffering with Your people. Thank You for not disciplining us, then forgetting us. You always remember restoration, even in Your discipline. Help me to reflect Your ways as well. Teach me to remember people and to restore relationships that have gone wrong. Help me to serve You and Your people well.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Walking with God

 Scripture:

“Enoch walked with God, and then he disappeared because God took him away.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭5‬:‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

This little verse is so powerful because it speaks of one of the only men who never died. This is all we know of him, but I would love to know more. The rest of the thought expressed said that he ended up living 365 years on the earth before he was taken by the Lord. We know one thing about him, he walked with God and God took him to heaven.

Application:

I want to live as one who walks with God. I long to be a real man of God that is in tune with my Father and doing His will in the earth. I want to know His heart, His voice, and His desires. I want to know Him deeply and powerfully. God is looking for those who simply want to walk in step with Him. His goal for us is that He would be our God and we would be His people. I want to be His people!

Prayer:

Father, teach me the secrets of walking with You like Enoch did. I am intrigued by this person You created and brought back to You after 365 years. Let my life be the life of one who walks with God. Let me live a life You can trust and that You are close to. I want to know You deeply.

Forever Yours,

Jeff

Decisions Determine Destiny

 Scripture:

“The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.””Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When God confronted Adam about his sin, he blamed the woman God had given him. Ever since that day, we humans have been known for making excuses for our disobedience. The decisions we make have dire consequences and we must take them seriously. Adam’s sin is still affecting the entire human race.

Application:

Our decisions affect those who are coming after us. When we make decision, they not only affect us, but our children and their children. We must take this into consideration when we want to do our own thing or disobey the voice of the Lord. We must not only think of ourselves, but think how my choices will impact those who are coming after me. Decisions have consequences and we must think them through before we flippantly make them.

Prayer:

Father, decisions determine destiny. Help me to make right decisions that will make a greater impact for You and Your kingdom. Help me to think through each decision I make so they are not selfish or self-centered. Help me do what is right above what is convenient. Teach me to walk in accordance with Your will all the days of my life. I want to walk in Your blessing and I want those who come after me to be blessed.

Yours,

Jeff