Scripture:
II Samuel 5:3 "So there at Hebron, king David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel, and they anointed him king of Israel."
Observation:
When David made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel, he was anointed king of Israel. David wasn't anointed king over all Israel until a covenant was made with the elders. Apparently the two were intertwined in that day so that when you made the covenant, you could be anointed. We aren't told what the covenant was, but we know it happened before being anointed.
Application:
God anoints those who are in covenant to do his work. I believe that when God sees you are serious about His work and are in covenant to see His will done in the earth, then you can walk in His anointing. In others words, the Lord doesn't anoint those who are not serious about his business. When you walk in covenant, you can also walk in anointing.
Prayer:
Lord, we made a covenant many years ago about my life. It belongs to You and You alone. I will go where you open the doors and do what You want me to do as long as I live on this earth. I am yours! Help me to walk in a greater level of anointing as I seek to do Your will and not my own in this earth.
Yours,
Jeff
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Ask the Lord
Scripture:
II Samuel 2:1 "After this, David asked the Lord, 'Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?' 'Yes', the Lord replied. The David asked, 'Which town should I go to?' 'To Hebron', the Lord Answered".
Observation:
I love that David has this conversation with God. He asks a simple question and gets a simple and clear answer. He asks a second question and gets another very clear answer. David was called a man after God's own heart. We know he was a seeker of the Lord and relied completely on the Lord, but he also heard from the Lord very clearly.
Application:
My application today is really just my prayer request. I want to hear the voice of the Lord more clearly every day. I am going to pursue Him with all my heart until I get simple, clear answers like David did. I want to know the Lord intimately and walk with Him according to His ways.
Prayer:
Father, open my ears to hear Your voice and open my eyes to see what You are doing in the earth. I will seek You until I find You and hear Your voice clearly. Help me to stay on this relentless pursuit and to continue to seek You. You have promised that you would be found my me when I seek with all my heart.
Yours,
Jeff
II Samuel 2:1 "After this, David asked the Lord, 'Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?' 'Yes', the Lord replied. The David asked, 'Which town should I go to?' 'To Hebron', the Lord Answered".
Observation:
I love that David has this conversation with God. He asks a simple question and gets a simple and clear answer. He asks a second question and gets another very clear answer. David was called a man after God's own heart. We know he was a seeker of the Lord and relied completely on the Lord, but he also heard from the Lord very clearly.
Application:
My application today is really just my prayer request. I want to hear the voice of the Lord more clearly every day. I am going to pursue Him with all my heart until I get simple, clear answers like David did. I want to know the Lord intimately and walk with Him according to His ways.
Prayer:
Father, open my ears to hear Your voice and open my eyes to see what You are doing in the earth. I will seek You until I find You and hear Your voice clearly. Help me to stay on this relentless pursuit and to continue to seek You. You have promised that you would be found my me when I seek with all my heart.
Yours,
Jeff
Monday, May 14, 2018
Value Lives
Scripture:
I Samuel 26:24 "Now may the Lord value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May he rescue me from all my troubles."
Observation:
David refused to kill Saul, who was chasing him down to kill him. David refused because he didn't want to take things into his own hands. He decided to trust God rather than take the king's life. Since he had valued king Saul's life, he could ask the Lord to value his life.
Application:
Valuing people and trusting God to work in them is huge. Our job is not to get revenge on everyone who does us wrong, but to love people and value them. When we do that, our life becomes more valuable. When we add value to people, our value increases. We need to learn to add value to people.
Prayer:
Father, help me to add value to those around me. Today, let me add value to someone. Let my life become more valuable because I choose to value people.
Yours,
Jeff
I Samuel 26:24 "Now may the Lord value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May he rescue me from all my troubles."
Observation:
David refused to kill Saul, who was chasing him down to kill him. David refused because he didn't want to take things into his own hands. He decided to trust God rather than take the king's life. Since he had valued king Saul's life, he could ask the Lord to value his life.
Application:
Valuing people and trusting God to work in them is huge. Our job is not to get revenge on everyone who does us wrong, but to love people and value them. When we do that, our life becomes more valuable. When we add value to people, our value increases. We need to learn to add value to people.
Prayer:
Father, help me to add value to those around me. Today, let me add value to someone. Let my life become more valuable because I choose to value people.
Yours,
Jeff
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Go To The Man of God
Scripture:
I Samuel 19:18 "So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth."
Observation:
When David was in real trouble and didn't know what to do, he went to the man who anointed him, prophesied over him and who he knew was a man of God. His life was endangered and he knew where to go when he was in trouble.
Application:
All of us should have a man of God in our lives who has prophesied over us, anointed us and helped us along the way. When they are the real deal, we should go to them when we don't know our next steps. My second application is that I want to be a man of God that people can come to when they don't know what to do about something.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, help me to never be to proud to go to a man of God when I'm in trouble to seek the Lord with me about my life. Empower me to be that man of God for someone else who needs direction. Bottom line Lord, I want to be a man of God.
Yours,
Jeff
I Samuel 19:18 "So David escaped and went to Ramah to see Samuel, and he told him all that Saul had done to him. Then Samuel took David with him to live at Naioth."
Observation:
When David was in real trouble and didn't know what to do, he went to the man who anointed him, prophesied over him and who he knew was a man of God. His life was endangered and he knew where to go when he was in trouble.
Application:
All of us should have a man of God in our lives who has prophesied over us, anointed us and helped us along the way. When they are the real deal, we should go to them when we don't know our next steps. My second application is that I want to be a man of God that people can come to when they don't know what to do about something.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, help me to never be to proud to go to a man of God when I'm in trouble to seek the Lord with me about my life. Empower me to be that man of God for someone else who needs direction. Bottom line Lord, I want to be a man of God.
Yours,
Jeff
Friday, May 11, 2018
Anointing Jealousy
Scripture:
I Samuel 18:12 "Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul."
Observation:
Saul realized he had lost the presence of the Lord and that David was walking in it. Saul realized David had the anointing of God in his life and he was lacking it. It was evident who was now anointed, but rather than seek the Lord for his anointing back, Saul attacked David.
Application:
It is easy in leadership to see the anointing on someone's life and get jealous, nervous, etc. When you lead and others begin to get recognition, it is hard not to get jealous and to let them lead. Our natural tendency is to fight to stay in our position of power, but we must trust God and not the arm of the flesh. Saul used his power to try to put down David, when he should have been seeking God and repenting.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be sensitive to You and Your voice in my life. Show me when I am jealous of others anointing. Help me to walk in confidence in my relationship with You and to humbly do Your will. Teach me how to empower leaders who are stronger than I am and not to run them away because of my insecurity.
Yours,
Jeff
I Samuel 18:12 "Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David and had turned away from Saul."
Observation:
Saul realized he had lost the presence of the Lord and that David was walking in it. Saul realized David had the anointing of God in his life and he was lacking it. It was evident who was now anointed, but rather than seek the Lord for his anointing back, Saul attacked David.
Application:
It is easy in leadership to see the anointing on someone's life and get jealous, nervous, etc. When you lead and others begin to get recognition, it is hard not to get jealous and to let them lead. Our natural tendency is to fight to stay in our position of power, but we must trust God and not the arm of the flesh. Saul used his power to try to put down David, when he should have been seeking God and repenting.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be sensitive to You and Your voice in my life. Show me when I am jealous of others anointing. Help me to walk in confidence in my relationship with You and to humbly do Your will. Teach me how to empower leaders who are stronger than I am and not to run them away because of my insecurity.
Yours,
Jeff
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Fear of People
Scripture:
I Samuel 15:24 "Then Saul admitted to Samuel, 'Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.'"
Observation:
Saul admitted to Samuel that he had disobeyed the Lord when the Lord told him to totally destroy the Amalakites. He was told to destroy everyone and everything. When they got to it, his men brought back the king and brought back the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord. They did what seemed good to them and not what was ordered by God.
Application:
Proverbs says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death". Sometimes we are in positions where we can do things that seem right to us, but they are disobeying God. Saul admitted he was afraid of the people and what they thought. We can't be more afraid of people than we are of God. We must fear God more than anything else. We cannot allow fear of man to stop us from doing what God wants us to do.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, You are amazing and I love you with all my heart. Help me to fear You above all other relationships. I know obedience is better than sacrifice, but help me to live it out every day. Help me to over come the fear of people and what they think so that I may walk in complete obedience to You.
Yours,
Jeff
I Samuel 15:24 "Then Saul admitted to Samuel, 'Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord's command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.'"
Observation:
Saul admitted to Samuel that he had disobeyed the Lord when the Lord told him to totally destroy the Amalakites. He was told to destroy everyone and everything. When they got to it, his men brought back the king and brought back the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord. They did what seemed good to them and not what was ordered by God.
Application:
Proverbs says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is death". Sometimes we are in positions where we can do things that seem right to us, but they are disobeying God. Saul admitted he was afraid of the people and what they thought. We can't be more afraid of people than we are of God. We must fear God more than anything else. We cannot allow fear of man to stop us from doing what God wants us to do.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, You are amazing and I love you with all my heart. Help me to fear You above all other relationships. I know obedience is better than sacrifice, but help me to live it out every day. Help me to over come the fear of people and what they think so that I may walk in complete obedience to You.
Yours,
Jeff
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
God is our King
Scripture:
I Samuel 12:19 "Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die! they all said to Samuel. For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king."
Observation:
The people of Israel wanted to be like other nations and have a king over them. They wanted to function like everyone else instead of being a Theocracy, they wanted to be a Monarchy. God gave them what they wanted, but considered it sin to seek another king besides himself. By this point, they tell Samuel to pray YOUR God for us or we will die. They began to finally understand that they had rejected to the Lord reigning over them.
Application:
When we lean on the arm of the flesh and want to be like everyone else, we are actually missing out on God's best for our lives. There is nothing wrong with having a king, but if it is not what God wants for you, then it is wrong. There is nothing wrong with being like others, but as God's children, His will trumps everything else and we are to do His will. We cannot rely on our own intellects and imaginations to determine what He wants. Our job is to follow Him completely.
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to compare myself with others. Help me to be content with what You have given me and to pursue You more. Teach me to hear Your voice and follow exactly what You want and not what seems like the best thing to do. Show me the way forward. Bless the congregation I lead and let them see the incredible blessing of following You.
Yours,
Jeff
I Samuel 12:19 "Pray to the Lord your God for us, or we will die! they all said to Samuel. For now we have added to our sins by asking for a king."
Observation:
The people of Israel wanted to be like other nations and have a king over them. They wanted to function like everyone else instead of being a Theocracy, they wanted to be a Monarchy. God gave them what they wanted, but considered it sin to seek another king besides himself. By this point, they tell Samuel to pray YOUR God for us or we will die. They began to finally understand that they had rejected to the Lord reigning over them.
Application:
When we lean on the arm of the flesh and want to be like everyone else, we are actually missing out on God's best for our lives. There is nothing wrong with having a king, but if it is not what God wants for you, then it is wrong. There is nothing wrong with being like others, but as God's children, His will trumps everything else and we are to do His will. We cannot rely on our own intellects and imaginations to determine what He wants. Our job is to follow Him completely.
Prayer:
Lord, help me not to compare myself with others. Help me to be content with what You have given me and to pursue You more. Teach me to hear Your voice and follow exactly what You want and not what seems like the best thing to do. Show me the way forward. Bless the congregation I lead and let them see the incredible blessing of following You.
Yours,
Jeff
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)