Come Back

 Scripture:

“So now, come back to your God. Act with love and justice, and always depend on him.”  ‭‭Hosea‬ ‭12:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Hosea tells Israel that they have walked away from God and worshiped images made by hand.  He let them know that God was displeased with their behavior.  God cries out to His people, even after many attempts, to come back to Him.  He tells them to act in love and justice and to always depend on Him.  Notice part of their going away from Him was seen in not depending on Him.

Application:

In the Christian life, there are times when we drift.  Maybe we don’t turn our backs on God, but we simply stop depending on Him and trusting Him like we did early in our walk.  When we do this, we are telling GOd we don’t need Him anymore and that we can handle life on our own.  I hear Him calling, “Come Back.  Come back to walking in intimacy with Me.  Come back and walk trust me to open all the right doors in your life.  Come back and lean on Me again.  Come back and believe and trust in Me again.”

Prayer:

Lord, I come back to You.  I look to You.  Help me to not make decisions on my own, but to walk in step with Your Spirit.  Help me to live a Spirit-led life that is dependent on You.  Help me to walk in obedience at all times and to believe You can do what You ask me to do.  Help me to trust You more than I trust myself.

Your Son,

Jeff

Love and Not Obligation

 Scripture:

“I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.”  ‭‭Hosea‬ ‭6:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, God is speaking to His people.  They were offering sacrifices, but their heart was far from Him.  They were worshiping other gods and wanting to include worshiping the Almighty with worshiping the other things made by hand.  God spoke clearly and strongly letting them know He wanted their heart and not just their words and sacrifices.

Application:

It is easy to allow Christianity to become something we do instead of serving God out of passion and love.  God doesn’t want robots who do right things at the right times.  He wants people who long after Him and worship Him with pure hearts.  He wants worship fueled by love instead of simply obedience.  God wants us to seek Him out and desire Him.  I want my life to be a life of passionate desire for the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, you are awesome and I want to serve You well all the days of my life.  Let my love for You never grow cold and stale.  I want to finish my days in passionate pursuit and not religious obligations.  You are my heart’s desire and I long for You.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

Love Covers

 Scripture:

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”     ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Peter tells his audience that the end of the world was coming quickly.  He then tells them because of that, they should show deep love for each other.  He adds this little statement, “lover covers a multitude of sins.”  When God saw the very first sin, His love for man made him a covering.  

Application:

We often hear of tough love and many believe that real love confronts to bring healing.  I personally believe in both, but I also see what Peter is saying here.  There is a time when love will cover things over and a time when love will expose things to bring healing and restoration.  I am in a situation when I have to overlook some things right now and this verse is helping me.  There is a time for each type of love, I just need to hear from God as to when to display each.

Prayer:

Father, teach me to love like You love.  Show me when to be strong and direct and when to overlook or cover things.  Help me not to be an enabler, but to truly bring healing to multitudes.  I want to serve like You would serve and live like You would live. Teach me Your ways.

Yours Forever,

Jeff 

Accept His Authority

 Scripture:

“Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.”  ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭3:22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Peter tells us here that Christ has gone to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father.  He goes on to say that his position is above all authorities, powers, and angels.  They all accept His authority.  There is no doubt about His authority in heaven, 

Application:

There is no doubt about Christ’s authority in heave, but sometimes we struggle to believe that on earth.  We must have absolute confidence that Christ is greater than any other principality or power.  We must see Him like the angels and demons see Him.  He is greater than any person or thing that can ever come against us and He is interceding for us even now before the Father.  We must accept His rule and reign in our lives.  He is authority.

Prayer:

Jesus, let me walk in confidence each day that You are elevated above everything that could ever come against me.  You are higher and greater than an enemy arrayed against me.  You are my everything.  Thank You for loving me and placing me under Your authority.  Help me to walk in the authority You have given me as well.

Yours,

Jeff

Ten Times More Capable

 Scripture:

“Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.”  ‭Daniel‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Daniel and his friends had been deported to a country which was not there own.  They had to learn a new language and the culture of Babylon.  They quickly learned the language, culture and history of Babylon and the king was extremely impressed.  The king felt when he consulted with them that they were ten times more capable than any of his other advisors.  God can make us ten times for capable in the secular world and bring us to the top of our fields if we do things His way.

Application:

As children of the living God, we have the Spirit of God living within us.  We have the founder and creator of wisdom and knowledge living in our hearts.  We should stand out to the rest of the world as people who are ten times more capable, not only in spiritual things, but in secular things.  Christians should be seen as the most capable in every area of society.  God doesn’t just give us wisdom on how to live a godly life, He gives us wisdom that the world needs.  We should be the consultants that the world looks to when they need direction.

Prayer:

Father, let me stand out as ten times more capable than those around me so that You can be glorified in my life.  Help me to live surrendered to Your purpose and plan for me.  If you can bless Daniel and his friends in a country that was not their own and have kings asking them for their wisdom, then You can bless my life and let me consult leaders and influencers.

Your Son,

Jeff

Peace Farmer

Scripture:

“And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.”  ‭‭James‬ ‭3:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

James tells us here that peacemakers plant seeds of peace and get back a harvest of righteousness.  In the notes of the NLT it says they will reap a harvest of good things or of justice.  Planting seeds of peace really stuck in my mind as I was reading this morning.

Application:

I want to be a peace farmer in my generation and in this time in history.  I want to plant seeds of peace everywhere I go.  When we sow seeds of peace, good things, justice and righteousness will grow.  This world is in chaos and peace is one of the things Jesus died to give us.  I want to walk in peace every day and let the world know there is a better way.

Prayer:

Father, I give You my life today.  Let me be a peace farmer.  Help me to sow seeds of peace everywhere you lead me.  Jesus, You brought peace everywhere You went.  Let me walk in Your divine peace, which is a fruit of the Spirit and let my life exude peace to those around me in this crazy time we live in.

Your Son,

Jeff

The Lord is There

Scripture:

 ““The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’ ””  Ezekiel‬ ‭48:35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Observation:

Ezekiel describes His city in this passage along with the description of where each tribe would have their boundaries and would stay.  In the last verse, the Lord says “from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord is There’”.  He named the city as the place He would be.

Application:

In the Old Covenant the Lord was in one place at one time.  The city referenced about was called “The Lord is There.”  Now the Lord lives inside each of His people and wherever we go, His presence is with us.  He is not contained within a city or a building, but in the hearts of His people.  When people come in contact with us, May they say, “The Lord is There” or “The Lord is with him.”  May it be recognizable in our churches that “The Lord is There.”  I want to world to encounter Christ in a real way and when they walk in our building I want them to say, “The Lord is Here.”

Prayer:

Father, let me reflect Your glory.  Help me to walk in step with Your Spirit and to yield completely to Your will.  Enable me to demonstrate Your goodness to the world around me.  Let people say, “The Lord is There” concerning our place of worship, my home, my heart, and my life.  Let Your presence increase in my life.  I want more of You in my life every day.  Fill me up till I overflow.  I want more of You!

Your Son,

Jeff