Scripture:
John 9:4-5 "We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world".
Observation:
Jesus tells His followers that He must do the works of the Father who sent Him while it was day because night was coming and you can't work at night. The He adds, "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world". While He was in the world, He was the Light of the world. Now we are the light of the world.
Application:
While He was alive on this earth, Jesus was the light of the world. While here, He told us that we were the light of the world. Matthew tells us that we are the light of the world and that our good deeds should shine and glorify our Father in heaven. While He was here on earth, He shined as a light, He then left that job for us as His followers. We must shine!
Prayer:
Lord God, help me to reflect You well. I want my life to shine in darkness, bringing light to multitudes. As Christ shined forth Your light and truth, let my life shine forth your light and truth. You are amazing and I want to light up the world for You.
Yours,
Jeff
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
Know the Gift
Scripture:
John 4:10 "Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water'".
Observation:
Jesus was talking to a woman at a well who had a bad reputation. He asked her for a drink and she was saying that they shouldn't even be talking to each other, let alone asking for a drink. Jesus replies to her by saying, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is" asking you. He was letting her know that He had more to offer her than she realized.
Application:
Sometimes we don't realize the gift of God and who Jesus is. Jesus came to bring us the gift of salvation from our sins and to restore us to the Father. We must realize and recognize the gift and the who. We often don't realize that the greater one truly lives within us. We often don't realize that the Holy Spirit is truly with us today. When we realize it, we will live differently.
Prayer:
Father, let me live my life by the power of Your Spirit. Help me to walk in the gift of God and to know Jesus better. I love you and don't want to neglect the gift of Christ and what He wants to do in my life.
Your Son,
Jeff
John 4:10 "Jesus answered and said to her, 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water'".
Observation:
Jesus was talking to a woman at a well who had a bad reputation. He asked her for a drink and she was saying that they shouldn't even be talking to each other, let alone asking for a drink. Jesus replies to her by saying, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is" asking you. He was letting her know that He had more to offer her than she realized.
Application:
Sometimes we don't realize the gift of God and who Jesus is. Jesus came to bring us the gift of salvation from our sins and to restore us to the Father. We must realize and recognize the gift and the who. We often don't realize that the greater one truly lives within us. We often don't realize that the Holy Spirit is truly with us today. When we realize it, we will live differently.
Prayer:
Father, let me live my life by the power of Your Spirit. Help me to walk in the gift of God and to know Jesus better. I love you and don't want to neglect the gift of Christ and what He wants to do in my life.
Your Son,
Jeff
Saturday, March 28, 2015
Face to Face
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 34:10 "Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face".
Observation:
Moses had just died and went to be with His Father. Joshua was taking over and his story is beginning. In the text it is almost like an editorial comment that simply tells us that since then, nobody had known God like Moses, face to face. Moses knew the Lord, face to face. He walked with Him and talked with Him. He encountered Him often.
Application:
I want to know the Lord like Moses did. I want to know Him face to face. I want to walk with Him and talk with Him. I want to hear His heart and know His ways. I long to be in His presence. I believe there is so much more than what I have experienced in God and I am seeking Him today for more. I want to know Him intimately. There is a strong desire in my heart as His return approaches, to know Him more and more.
Prayer:
I want to know You. I want to follow You. I want to hear Your voice and see Your face. I long for You oh God. You are the source of life and every good thing. Meet me in my quiet times. Speak to me in my dreams. Share Your heart with me for the world. Show me things to come. I am Yours and I desire to know You more.
Yours,
Jeff
Deuteronomy 34:10 "Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face".
Observation:
Moses had just died and went to be with His Father. Joshua was taking over and his story is beginning. In the text it is almost like an editorial comment that simply tells us that since then, nobody had known God like Moses, face to face. Moses knew the Lord, face to face. He walked with Him and talked with Him. He encountered Him often.
Application:
I want to know the Lord like Moses did. I want to know Him face to face. I want to walk with Him and talk with Him. I want to hear His heart and know His ways. I long to be in His presence. I believe there is so much more than what I have experienced in God and I am seeking Him today for more. I want to know Him intimately. There is a strong desire in my heart as His return approaches, to know Him more and more.
Prayer:
I want to know You. I want to follow You. I want to hear Your voice and see Your face. I long for You oh God. You are the source of life and every good thing. Meet me in my quiet times. Speak to me in my dreams. Share Your heart with me for the world. Show me things to come. I am Yours and I desire to know You more.
Yours,
Jeff
Friday, March 27, 2015
Our Faith is in the Lord
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed".
Observation:
Moses was talking to Joshua and preparing him to take the people of Israel into the Promised Land. I see here that his emphasis is not on Joshua being a great leader nor on anything relating to Joshua. His emphasis is on the Lord. He promises Joshua that the Lord goes ahead of him and is with him. He tells him that the Lord will not fail him or forsake him and because of that, he has no reason to fear.
Application:
What God is able to do in and through our lives is so much greater than we can imagine. When we make our lives about the Lord and not ourselves, He will go before us and be with us. He will not fail or forsake us and we have nothing to fear. When we make life about ourselves, the opposite is true; He doesn't have to be with us and go before us. When we make life about us and are on our agenda, we are on our own. We must keep Christ at the center of everything in our lives, when we do, we can expect success.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, thank You for sharing with me this morning. Help me stay on Your plan and not my own. I want to walk in Your blessing and see you prosper every area of my life. Thank You for working out the details on our new house and for blessing us immensely. You are amazing!
Yours,
Jeff
Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed".
Observation:
Moses was talking to Joshua and preparing him to take the people of Israel into the Promised Land. I see here that his emphasis is not on Joshua being a great leader nor on anything relating to Joshua. His emphasis is on the Lord. He promises Joshua that the Lord goes ahead of him and is with him. He tells him that the Lord will not fail him or forsake him and because of that, he has no reason to fear.
Application:
What God is able to do in and through our lives is so much greater than we can imagine. When we make our lives about the Lord and not ourselves, He will go before us and be with us. He will not fail or forsake us and we have nothing to fear. When we make life about ourselves, the opposite is true; He doesn't have to be with us and go before us. When we make life about us and are on our agenda, we are on our own. We must keep Christ at the center of everything in our lives, when we do, we can expect success.
Prayer:
Lord God Almighty, thank You for sharing with me this morning. Help me stay on Your plan and not my own. I want to walk in Your blessing and see you prosper every area of my life. Thank You for working out the details on our new house and for blessing us immensely. You are amazing!
Yours,
Jeff
Thursday, March 26, 2015
The Blessings of Obedience
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 28:13 "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above and not beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully".
Observation:
God makes some pretty big promises to His people in this passage. Of course they are dependent on the fact that His people will follow Him completely and do what He tells them to do. If they do their part, God promises that they will be the head and not the tail and that they will be above only and not beneath. He basically tells them that they will always be at the top of whatever they are doing.
Application:
God still delights in blessing obedience to Him and His ways. His people, who are truly serving Him and following His paths, can expect to be blessed. We should be at the top of the company, the job, the government, etc. God's loves to put those at the top who will give honor to His name. Walking with God has is privileges.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for making me the head and not the tail. Thank You for keeping me above only and not beneath. Thank You for raising my expectations this morning in the area of Your blessing. I thank You for promotion, increase and the blessing and favor of God coming stronger and stronger on my life.
You are amazing!
Jeff
Deuteronomy 28:13 "The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above and not beneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully".
Observation:
God makes some pretty big promises to His people in this passage. Of course they are dependent on the fact that His people will follow Him completely and do what He tells them to do. If they do their part, God promises that they will be the head and not the tail and that they will be above only and not beneath. He basically tells them that they will always be at the top of whatever they are doing.
Application:
God still delights in blessing obedience to Him and His ways. His people, who are truly serving Him and following His paths, can expect to be blessed. We should be at the top of the company, the job, the government, etc. God's loves to put those at the top who will give honor to His name. Walking with God has is privileges.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for making me the head and not the tail. Thank You for keeping me above only and not beneath. Thank You for raising my expectations this morning in the area of Your blessing. I thank You for promotion, increase and the blessing and favor of God coming stronger and stronger on my life.
You are amazing!
Jeff
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
God Turns Curses into Blessings
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 23:5 "Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you".
Observation:
In this text, I see the love of the Lord. He loved Israel so much that turned the curse of Balaam into a blessing. They were trying to pay Balaam to pronounce a curse on God's people, but God wouldn't let him. God turned around and made him bless His people. God has the ability to make your enemies bless you.
Application:
God's love is incredible. He truly wants to bless His people and will go out of His way to do it. He will turn a curse into a blessing for those who love Him and are called for His purposes. Pursuing God with all our heart has it's benefits. He is a good God who will defend His people and turn bad things into good things on our behalf.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your love. You amaze me by how much You love me. I have let You down over and over again, but You stand firm and bless me continually. You are good! I want to be more like You. I want my life to reflect You. Thank You for turning curses into blessings.
Your Son,
Jeff
Deuteronomy 23:5 "Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you".
Observation:
In this text, I see the love of the Lord. He loved Israel so much that turned the curse of Balaam into a blessing. They were trying to pay Balaam to pronounce a curse on God's people, but God wouldn't let him. God turned around and made him bless His people. God has the ability to make your enemies bless you.
Application:
God's love is incredible. He truly wants to bless His people and will go out of His way to do it. He will turn a curse into a blessing for those who love Him and are called for His purposes. Pursuing God with all our heart has it's benefits. He is a good God who will defend His people and turn bad things into good things on our behalf.
Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your love. You amaze me by how much You love me. I have let You down over and over again, but You stand firm and bless me continually. You are good! I want to be more like You. I want my life to reflect You. Thank You for turning curses into blessings.
Your Son,
Jeff
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
The Lord Fights Our Battles
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 20:3-4 "He shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you'".
Observation:
God told Israel that as they were approaching battle, they should not be afraid or intimidated because of the enemies because it was Him that would be fighting. He was not going to leave them on their own, it was His battle and He would defeat their enemies. He told them that He would fight for them, therefore there was nothing to fear.
Application:
As New Testament believers, God also want to fight our battles, but we must trust Him. We tend to live our lives and fight our battles independent of God, but He wants to defeat our enemies. He wants us to trust Him in every area of our lives. When He defeats our enemies, we should honor Him and demonstrate our appreciation to Him. He wants to fight our battles, but He is restrained when we start fighting on our own without Him.
Prayer:
Father, teach me to trust You more. You are my defender, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. You are the one who has already defeated my enemies. Help me to walk a walk that is pleasing to you and that You will bless. Defeat my enemies and bring about victory in my life. I will declare Your victory to the ends of the earth.
Yours,
Jeff
Deuteronomy 20:3-4 "He shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you'".
Observation:
God told Israel that as they were approaching battle, they should not be afraid or intimidated because of the enemies because it was Him that would be fighting. He was not going to leave them on their own, it was His battle and He would defeat their enemies. He told them that He would fight for them, therefore there was nothing to fear.
Application:
As New Testament believers, God also want to fight our battles, but we must trust Him. We tend to live our lives and fight our battles independent of God, but He wants to defeat our enemies. He wants us to trust Him in every area of our lives. When He defeats our enemies, we should honor Him and demonstrate our appreciation to Him. He wants to fight our battles, but He is restrained when we start fighting on our own without Him.
Prayer:
Father, teach me to trust You more. You are my defender, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. You are the one who has already defeated my enemies. Help me to walk a walk that is pleasing to you and that You will bless. Defeat my enemies and bring about victory in my life. I will declare Your victory to the ends of the earth.
Yours,
Jeff
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