Watch Your Words

 Scripture:

“The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Solomon here compares words to a life-giving fountain.  He goes on to say that wicked people use words to hide their violent intentions.  Words can bring life or words can hide things.  Words can build us or words can tear down.

Application:

We must be very cautious with our words.  Death and life are in the power of our words and we will eat what we speak.  I want my words to be like a life-giving fountain that is a blessing to everyone around.  I want to harness the power of right words for the Kingdom of God.  I want the Holy Spirit to guide my tongue.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty, help me to harness my words for Your glory.  Help me to bring forth a life-giving fountain and not a stagnant puddle of death.  Help me to think before I speak and to only speak what You want me to speak.  Teach me to watch my words.  Let my mouth be used for Your glory and the extension of Your kingdom and let my words not bring shame or reproach on Your name.

Yours,

Jeff

Seek Wisdom

 Scripture:

““I, Wisdom, live together with good judgment. I know where to discover knowledge and discernment.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭8:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Wisdom, in this passage, is being personified and we are told the she lives with good judgment and that she know where to discover knowledge and discernment.  In other words, when you get wisdom, you get good judgment, and have access to knowledge and discernment.  

Application:

I need to continue to ask God for wisdom every day.  I need to pursue wisdom in a stronger way.  I want to walk in good judgement, knowledge and discernment.  It all begins with wisdom.  We should seek it like a precious jewel.  I want to do the right things at the right time, and in the right way.  I want to walk with the wise and grow in wisdom.  

Prayer:

Father, I want to be wise.  I realize that true wisdom is found in You.  You are the source of all that I need. Help me to pursue You more and more so I Can know what to do at any given time.  Show me how to be more effective for Your kingdom.  Let Your will be done in my life and let Your kingdom come more and more in my life.  I want to walk in wisdom, good judgment, knowledge and discernment.

Your Son,

Jeff

 Scripture:

“But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Paul tells us here that we are to be clear headed and to be protected by faith and love.  He then says that our helmet is the confidence of our salvation.  Faith and love protect us from whatever comes against us and our salvation keeps our head safe.

Application:

As we walk through these last days, we must remain alert and clearly hearing the word of the Lord.  We must walk in faith and love and never doubt our salvation.  As the end approaches, and during this time of pandemic and trying times culturally, we must live alert and protected at all times.  Now is not the time to stray, but to draw nearer and nearer to the cross of Christ. Now is the time we must turn to the Lord with all our hearts.

Prayer:

Lord God, help me to remain clear minded.  Help me to walk in love and faith and to increase those things in my life.  Teach me to hear Your voice more clearly every day.  I want to work with You to make Your name famous in all the earth.  Let my life and family be covered and protected from any attacks of the enemy that come our way.

Your Forever,

Jeff

 Scripture:

“For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭149:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

The Psalmist here says that the Lord delights in His people.  It is an incredible thought to ponder about that God would take delight in us.  We know we are human and have failed Him over and over again, but He takes delight in us.  He goes on to say that God crowns the humble with victory.  Victory comes through humility.

Application:

This morning I’m pondering the thought that God delights in my life.  It makes me want to live so much more holy and godly.  He delights in me anyway, but His delight draws me to want to serve Him better.  The second part speaks of gaining victory through humility.  When I walk humbly before God, He will give me the victory.  Victory, for me is not found in working harder, but in walking humbly and letting God defeat my enemies.

Prayer:

Lord God, help met to give you a life worth Your delighting in.  Let my life please You and bring You honor.  Teach me to walk humbly before You.  Show me Your ways and teach me Your paths.  Guide my life.  I am in Your hands.

Your Son,

Jeff

Remember, Ponder, and Think

 Scripture:

“I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, the Psalmist says that he remembers the olden days, ponders all of God’s great works and thinks about everything the LORD has done.  He spends times in deep thought about the LORD and how He has worked in his life.  

Application:

I tend to be a doer more than a thinker.  I like to be active in the Kingdom, doing the works of the Father, but there is something very powerful about remembering, pondering and thinking about the LORD and what He has done in our lives.  I need to get better at taking the time to simply sit and recall all the LORD has done for me.  He has done so much for me through the years, but somehow I have had the wrong thoughts that being active is better than sitting still and thinking.  Both are important.

Prayer:

Lord God, teach me to slow down and ponder Your ways and think about all the great things You have done for me.  You have saved me, healed me countless times, delivered me from the plans of the evil one. You have worked financial miracles in my life over and over again.  You blessed me in so many ways.  All I can say is thanks for adopting me into Your family. 

You are Amazing,

Jeff

Search Me

Scripture:

 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Here the Psalmist makes a request of God.  He asks God to search him, test him, and know his anxious thoughts.  It doesn’t seem very fun to be searched and tested by the LORD, but through searching and testing, the heart and anxious thoughts are found and can be dealt with.

Application:

There are not many people who would pray for God to test and search them because He might do it and they might need to change some things.  The reality is that God already knows all the above, it really only reveals them to us.  I want to be as pure as gold and refined like silver so I might more valuable to my king.  Whatever it takes to be more like the Father, that’s what I need to do.  If I need my heart and my thoughts exposed, do it LORD!

Prayer:

Father, I want to be more like You in 2020 than I was in 2019.  Help me to grow more and more into Your image.  Let me see things how You see them.  Help me to live a life that brings You honor and praise.  Pour out Your Spirit in my life every day.  Let me hear Your voice and see what You are doing every day of my life and give me the strength to do what You are doing in the earth.

Your Son,

Jeff

What HE Pleases

 Scripture:

“The Lord does whatever pleases him throughout all heaven and earth, and on the seas and in their depths.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭135:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage the Psalmist says that the LORD does whatever He pleases in the heavens, the earth and the sea.  God does what He want to do in the earth.  It is His and He has the ability to do whatever He wants.  God doesn’t have to be accountable to any man or man-made institution.  He is all-powerful and can do whatever He pleases.

Application:

I need to remember that God is always in control and does whatever He pleases.  He can bless.  He can curse. He doesn’t have to do what we want Him to do.  Our place is one of submission to Him and surrender to His will in our lives.  We must trust that He will do what He says He will do.  From that point, our job is to trust His goodness and follow His ways.  I need to stop trying to control God and let Him control me more.

Prayer:

Father, You do whatever You please and You don’t have to do what I want You to.  I surrender to Your will for my life.  Open the doors You want me to walk through.  Close the doors You want shut and help me to Walk out my salvation with fear and trembling.  You are my God and I will honor Your will.

Your Son,

Jeff