Scripture:
I Peter 3:9 "Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will bless you for it."
Observation:
Peter is talking to people who were facing persecution to a degree we have never had to experience. We tend to make excuses for our anger and attitude when someone doesn't treat us right. Learning not to retaliate is one of the hardest things to learn as a Christian because your human nature wants to insult and retaliate back. This never goes anywhere, but Peter reminds us that God has called us to bless those who persecute us. He closes with saying God will bless you for it.
Application:
Whenever I hear messages about the blessing of God and how to get it, I don't think I have ever heard a preacher say, "the way to get the blessing of God on your life is to not retaliate when people insult you and not to repay evil for evil". Peter says this brings the blessing of God. We must remember that God keeps accurate records and we must trust Him to repay evil. We must be people of blessing, no matter what people do to us. Our nature wants to fight back and we can even reason it with our thinking, but it is not God's way. When we humble ourselves, He lifts us up. He will fight your battles, He just may not do it when or how you wants Him to. Learn to speak blessing at all times and let Him deal with your persecutors.
Prayer:
Lord, hear I go again talking about trust. Teach me to trust You more. When people say and do hurtful things, help me to trust that You are in control and Your will is going to be accomplished. Help me remember that You keep great records and know every time I have ever been treated wrong. Help me to keep my mouth speaking blessing, even when it is hard.
I love You Lord,
Jeff
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Patient Endurance
Scripture:
James 1:12 "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him".
Observation:
James is speaking just prior to this about the testing of your faith and remaining strong during the tough times. Here we see that the blessing of God is a result of enduring testing and temptation. When we endure testing and temptation while standing firm in our faith, we increase the blessing of God in our lives. It also says that we will receive the crown of life that God has promised those of us who love Him.
Application:
Endurance is probably one of the hardest things to get in the Christian life. We like to think that following God means we will never have a problem. When we hear about endurance it means that there must be something in the Christian life that we have to endure and you only endure things that are not pleasant. If you want the blessing of God in your life, you must come to the place where God can trust that you will serve Him in the good times and in the bad times and that temptation won't make you fall. When you endure trials and temptations, you are letting the Lord know He can trust you in the thick and thin of life.
Prayer:
Lord, help me learn endurance. I want to live in the blessing of God and realize that endurance is a key to inheriting that blessing. I love quick results, but You love it when we continue to persevere when we are not seeing the results we want. Forgive me for trying to get ahead of you and make things happen on my own. I love you and trust you.
Jeff
James 1:12 "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him".
Observation:
James is speaking just prior to this about the testing of your faith and remaining strong during the tough times. Here we see that the blessing of God is a result of enduring testing and temptation. When we endure testing and temptation while standing firm in our faith, we increase the blessing of God in our lives. It also says that we will receive the crown of life that God has promised those of us who love Him.
Application:
Endurance is probably one of the hardest things to get in the Christian life. We like to think that following God means we will never have a problem. When we hear about endurance it means that there must be something in the Christian life that we have to endure and you only endure things that are not pleasant. If you want the blessing of God in your life, you must come to the place where God can trust that you will serve Him in the good times and in the bad times and that temptation won't make you fall. When you endure trials and temptations, you are letting the Lord know He can trust you in the thick and thin of life.
Prayer:
Lord, help me learn endurance. I want to live in the blessing of God and realize that endurance is a key to inheriting that blessing. I love quick results, but You love it when we continue to persevere when we are not seeing the results we want. Forgive me for trying to get ahead of you and make things happen on my own. I love you and trust you.
Jeff
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Divine Discipline
Scripture:
Hebrews 12:7 "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by it's father?"
Observation:
Just prior to this verse it tells us that the disciplines those He loves. If a father really loves his children, he wants what is best for them. He wants them to do well in every area of life and has to discipline them so they will become mature and learn to do what is right. If you don't discipline a child, you are not doing them a favor! If you discipline them, you are loving them enough to help them be successful in life. God disciplines those He loves and we must endure it if we want to become mature followers of Christ.
Application:
After being taught a strong prosperity message for a long time we have made God like the Santa Clause of the sky who only brings good gifts and blesses his children. Even Santa puts coal in stockings of those who were naughty. When you feel the discipline of God, don't run away, but welcome it and grow from it. He is disciplining you because He loves you and wants you to grow up. If we only do what feels good, we will never become better people. It is pain that brings gain! Endure the hard times and grow strong. Never give up on God! He may be allowing something difficult in your life to mature you as a father does his child.
Prayer:
Lord, teach us that being disciplined by You is not failure or your disappointment of us. Rather, we are disciplined because you love us. Help me endure discipline and learn from it. I don't want to continue to go around the same old mountains. I want to excel in life and grow into maturity. Make me stronger every day. I want Your discipline in my life.
Thanks Dad,
Jeff
Hebrews 12:7 "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by it's father?"
Observation:
Just prior to this verse it tells us that the disciplines those He loves. If a father really loves his children, he wants what is best for them. He wants them to do well in every area of life and has to discipline them so they will become mature and learn to do what is right. If you don't discipline a child, you are not doing them a favor! If you discipline them, you are loving them enough to help them be successful in life. God disciplines those He loves and we must endure it if we want to become mature followers of Christ.
Application:
After being taught a strong prosperity message for a long time we have made God like the Santa Clause of the sky who only brings good gifts and blesses his children. Even Santa puts coal in stockings of those who were naughty. When you feel the discipline of God, don't run away, but welcome it and grow from it. He is disciplining you because He loves you and wants you to grow up. If we only do what feels good, we will never become better people. It is pain that brings gain! Endure the hard times and grow strong. Never give up on God! He may be allowing something difficult in your life to mature you as a father does his child.
Prayer:
Lord, teach us that being disciplined by You is not failure or your disappointment of us. Rather, we are disciplined because you love us. Help me endure discipline and learn from it. I don't want to continue to go around the same old mountains. I want to excel in life and grow into maturity. Make me stronger every day. I want Your discipline in my life.
Thanks Dad,
Jeff
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Motivate One Another
Scripture:
Hebrews 10:24 "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works".
Observation:
The writer of Hebrews is talking about our response to what Jesus did on the cross. It should drive us to good works! We should be people who are looking for ways to be a blessing to others. Our minds should be filled with ways to motivate people to do acts of love and good works.
Application:
I am going to spend my day looking for opportunities to motivate people toward acts of love and good works. This is an action verse, which requires us to do something. I don't want to be a hearer and not a doer of the word. Ask yourself, "how can I motivate people toward love and good works today?", then go and do it.
Prayer:
Lord, today was a simple verse, but it is so powerful. You word is truth and as we do what it says, we will be transformed. I want to fulfill Your will on this earth for my life. Help me to do today what you have put in my heart. Let me be an encourager today toward love and good works!
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Hebrews 10:24 "Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works".
Observation:
The writer of Hebrews is talking about our response to what Jesus did on the cross. It should drive us to good works! We should be people who are looking for ways to be a blessing to others. Our minds should be filled with ways to motivate people to do acts of love and good works.
Application:
I am going to spend my day looking for opportunities to motivate people toward acts of love and good works. This is an action verse, which requires us to do something. I don't want to be a hearer and not a doer of the word. Ask yourself, "how can I motivate people toward love and good works today?", then go and do it.
Prayer:
Lord, today was a simple verse, but it is so powerful. You word is truth and as we do what it says, we will be transformed. I want to fulfill Your will on this earth for my life. Help me to do today what you have put in my heart. Let me be an encourager today toward love and good works!
I Love You Lord,
Jeff
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
He will Rightly Correct You
Scripture:
Jeremiah 46:28 "Do not fear O Jacob My servant, says the Lord, For I am with you; for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, for I will not leave you wholly unpunished".
Observation:
God is so awesome! He never gives up on His own. He "rightly corrects" us. God does correct His children, but His correction never means He has given up on you. He talks in this verse about totally destroying the nations that He has driven Israel to, but that He won't totally destroy Israel. He may punish His children when they run after other gods or don't serve Him, but He always comes back to them to give them another chance.
Application:
Knowing this characteristic of God causes many Christians to feel like they can live any way they want and God will always accept them. This is no way to live! God wants us to live according to His word. He wants to bless us and prosper everything we do, but He can't when we walk in disobedience. This characteristic of God should drive us to walking closer to Him every day instead of seeing how much we can get away with knowing God is not going to give up too easily on us. We must be people who pursue holiness first and foremost, without holiness, nobody will see God.
Prayer:
Lord, teach me to walk in Your ways better each day. Show me Your paths, that I may walk in Your blessings. I want Your hand of blessing and not Your hand of discipline. You are my rock, my salvation, and my deliverer! I love you with all my heart.
Your Son,
Jeffrey
Jeremiah 46:28 "Do not fear O Jacob My servant, says the Lord, For I am with you; for I will make a complete end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but I will not make a complete end of you. I will rightly correct you, for I will not leave you wholly unpunished".
Observation:
God is so awesome! He never gives up on His own. He "rightly corrects" us. God does correct His children, but His correction never means He has given up on you. He talks in this verse about totally destroying the nations that He has driven Israel to, but that He won't totally destroy Israel. He may punish His children when they run after other gods or don't serve Him, but He always comes back to them to give them another chance.
Application:
Knowing this characteristic of God causes many Christians to feel like they can live any way they want and God will always accept them. This is no way to live! God wants us to live according to His word. He wants to bless us and prosper everything we do, but He can't when we walk in disobedience. This characteristic of God should drive us to walking closer to Him every day instead of seeing how much we can get away with knowing God is not going to give up too easily on us. We must be people who pursue holiness first and foremost, without holiness, nobody will see God.
Prayer:
Lord, teach me to walk in Your ways better each day. Show me Your paths, that I may walk in Your blessings. I want Your hand of blessing and not Your hand of discipline. You are my rock, my salvation, and my deliverer! I love you with all my heart.
Your Son,
Jeffrey
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sowing and Reaping
Scripture:
Jeremiah 44:23 "Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord or walked in His law, in His statues or in His testimonies, therefore this calamity has happened to you, as at this day".
Observation:
The book of Jeremiah and the word of the Lord in this book constantly remind me that the laws of sowing and reaping are very true. When we sow bad seed, we will get bad fruit. You can't get around it! Jeremiah is constantly telling the people that they are going to pay for their worship of other gods. He reminds them of their waywardness and lets them know that punishment is coming. It seems like today most Christians don't believe God still punishes disobedience. We look at God as the Santa Clause in the sky who only brings wonderful gifts to His children. Punishment of children lets the child know they are loved and that the parent wants to see them mature into an adult who takes responsibility. God does chasten those He loves, that they may grow. He is the giver of every perfect gift, but He also knows how to discipline His children.
Application:
God loves us, but He loves us enough to try to get us back on track when we get off. He loves us enough to let things go wrong when we are not properly relating to Him. We cannot look at every bad thing that happens to us as being from the devil and every good thing as being from God. We must realize there is a law of sowing and reaping. Sometimes things are not good because we have an evil enemy. Sometimes things are not good because we have slipped up in our walk with God. We need to pray until we discern the difference.
Prayer:
Lord, let us walk close enough to You that we know the difference. Let us always hear Your still small voice beckoning us home. Let us understand Your discipline and grow thereby. Help us to walk in righteousness and truly experience Your incredible blessing. When we take a wrong step, do whatever it takes to wake us up and get us back on the trail. Keep us from falling into wrong thinking. I love You Lord and I appreciate the words of Your servant Jeremiah.
Your Son,
Jeff
Jeremiah 44:23 "Because you have burned incense and because you have sinned against the Lord, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord or walked in His law, in His statues or in His testimonies, therefore this calamity has happened to you, as at this day".
Observation:
The book of Jeremiah and the word of the Lord in this book constantly remind me that the laws of sowing and reaping are very true. When we sow bad seed, we will get bad fruit. You can't get around it! Jeremiah is constantly telling the people that they are going to pay for their worship of other gods. He reminds them of their waywardness and lets them know that punishment is coming. It seems like today most Christians don't believe God still punishes disobedience. We look at God as the Santa Clause in the sky who only brings wonderful gifts to His children. Punishment of children lets the child know they are loved and that the parent wants to see them mature into an adult who takes responsibility. God does chasten those He loves, that they may grow. He is the giver of every perfect gift, but He also knows how to discipline His children.
Application:
God loves us, but He loves us enough to try to get us back on track when we get off. He loves us enough to let things go wrong when we are not properly relating to Him. We cannot look at every bad thing that happens to us as being from the devil and every good thing as being from God. We must realize there is a law of sowing and reaping. Sometimes things are not good because we have an evil enemy. Sometimes things are not good because we have slipped up in our walk with God. We need to pray until we discern the difference.
Prayer:
Lord, let us walk close enough to You that we know the difference. Let us always hear Your still small voice beckoning us home. Let us understand Your discipline and grow thereby. Help us to walk in righteousness and truly experience Your incredible blessing. When we take a wrong step, do whatever it takes to wake us up and get us back on the trail. Keep us from falling into wrong thinking. I love You Lord and I appreciate the words of Your servant Jeremiah.
Your Son,
Jeff
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Restorer
Scripture:
Jeremiah 27:22 "They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I visit them, says the Lord. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place".
Observation:
Judgment, at this point, is being prophesied by Jeremiah and is coming to God's people. God says of the vessels of the Lord's temple that they will be carried away, but that they will return. Sometimes God allows things to happen in our lives because of our disobedience, but He always has a plan for restoration. He never judges us to hurt us, but to restore us. God always sees the restoration, even while He is allowing us to go through some things.
Application:
God has a plan. If you feel like the devil has stolen from you, God has a plan for restoration. If you feel like God hasn't been answering your prayers, God has a restoration plan already! He never allows us to stay in bondage. He knows it is coming before it comes, but He already has a plan for the deliverance of His people. Whatever you are going through, God has a plan of restoration. Maybe you have lost everything recently, God had a plan of restoration before it was lost. Depend on Him. Even if you are reaping what you have sown, He is a restorer!
Prayer:
Lord, let this word dwell in our hearts richly. Help me realize You always have a plan for deliverance and restoration. I want to trust You more in my life. You are awesome and I love the fact that You always have a plan.
Love you Much,
Jeff Jacob
Jeremiah 27:22 "They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I visit them, says the Lord. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place".
Observation:
Judgment, at this point, is being prophesied by Jeremiah and is coming to God's people. God says of the vessels of the Lord's temple that they will be carried away, but that they will return. Sometimes God allows things to happen in our lives because of our disobedience, but He always has a plan for restoration. He never judges us to hurt us, but to restore us. God always sees the restoration, even while He is allowing us to go through some things.
Application:
God has a plan. If you feel like the devil has stolen from you, God has a plan for restoration. If you feel like God hasn't been answering your prayers, God has a restoration plan already! He never allows us to stay in bondage. He knows it is coming before it comes, but He already has a plan for the deliverance of His people. Whatever you are going through, God has a plan of restoration. Maybe you have lost everything recently, God had a plan of restoration before it was lost. Depend on Him. Even if you are reaping what you have sown, He is a restorer!
Prayer:
Lord, let this word dwell in our hearts richly. Help me realize You always have a plan for deliverance and restoration. I want to trust You more in my life. You are awesome and I love the fact that You always have a plan.
Love you Much,
Jeff Jacob
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