Scripture
Exodus 3:2-3 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush, and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up."
Observation
The Lord got Moses' attention when he saw the bush on fire but not burning up. Moses had to go and see this marvelous sight. It was then that God spoke to Moses. . .
Application
When one of the little ones I was watching recently decided to throw toys at a younger sibling, I gently placed my hand on their shoulder and said, 'You must not throw toys, someone will get hurt.' A few minutes later, another toy flew across the room. Eye contact, both hands on the shoulders, and a firm voice, 'Do not throw toys, someone could get hurt' - and a pop in the diaper area - commanded a response from the surprised little one that was testing boundaries, 'Yes Grammy, ok. No more toy throwing.' I got the little one's attention.
What does it take for God to get my attention? God wants to speak to me and in the busyness of my day to day stuff, I have found myself deaf to the Holy Spirit promptings to 'Come away, stop what you are doing, listen, I want to talk with you. Come and see what great and marvelous things I want to show you.'
I must remember to 'Listen - to what God is saying to me, Inquire - to ask Him to speak and teach me, Faith - to have faith and believe that He has a plan and purpose for me, and Experience - to live out what He says, and just do it.
Prayer
Father, I don't want to miss it! Help me stay focused and stay on course by nurturing my relationship with You by sitting at Your feet with eyes that are open to see You, ears that are open to hear You, and my heart open to love You more and more. You have my attention Lord. In Jesus Name, A-men.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Lord Will Fight For You
Scripture
Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them."
Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.
v 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, He made them drive with difficulty . . .
Observation
The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy; and he is relentless. BUT, the Lord will fight for us - we need not say a word!
The Lord caused their chariot wheels to literally come off! The walls of water came crashing down on the enemy while God's people went through the sea on dry ground! We are NOT defeated! God is on our side! The enemy was totally wiped out and God was honored and glorified! The people feared the Lord that day, and put their trust in Him and in Moses.
Application
Don't quit or give up in the midst of the assaults from the enemy. Trust in God. He sees (Ex. 14:24) and will bring the enemy into confusion. He saves me and He's the One who will reign forever and ever!
Prayer
Father, thank You for Your strength when I am weak, and for Your great power when I am powerless. I can trust in You when the enemy pursues and wants to bring me down.
I lift up my eyes unto Thee Almighty God, my help comes from You. May I honor and glorify Your Name, You who reigns forever and ever. In Jesus Name, A-men.
Exodus 15:9 The enemy said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be gratified against them; I will draw out my sword, my hand will destroy them."
Exodus 14:14 The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent.
v 25 He caused their chariot wheels to swerve, He made them drive with difficulty . . .
Observation
The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy; and he is relentless. BUT, the Lord will fight for us - we need not say a word!
The Lord caused their chariot wheels to literally come off! The walls of water came crashing down on the enemy while God's people went through the sea on dry ground! We are NOT defeated! God is on our side! The enemy was totally wiped out and God was honored and glorified! The people feared the Lord that day, and put their trust in Him and in Moses.
Application
Don't quit or give up in the midst of the assaults from the enemy. Trust in God. He sees (Ex. 14:24) and will bring the enemy into confusion. He saves me and He's the One who will reign forever and ever!
Prayer
Father, thank You for Your strength when I am weak, and for Your great power when I am powerless. I can trust in You when the enemy pursues and wants to bring me down.
I lift up my eyes unto Thee Almighty God, my help comes from You. May I honor and glorify Your Name, You who reigns forever and ever. In Jesus Name, A-men.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Believe - Have Faith
Scripture
Luke 1:19-20, 45
The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.
Observation
There are consequences to not believing in what God speaks to us. Doubting limits us from receiving God's promises - faith and belief draw us closer. Blessing comes when we believe that God will fulfill, complete, & finish what He says He will do. His promise is a seal that binds our hearts to His. If He says it, He will do it.
Application
Have faith! Believe His words. The things He has spoken will come to pass. Put all doubting aside and trust in God and believe.
Prayer
Father, help my unbelief. I do have faith and I believe. The enemy of my soul tries to place seeds of doubt in my mind. I draw near to You O God and place my whole being in Your loving care. I trust You. I love You. In the midst of every life situation, let faith in You arise! Crowd out every seed of doubt and let faith have the victory! In Jesus Name, A-men.
Luke 1:19-20, 45
The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.
Observation
There are consequences to not believing in what God speaks to us. Doubting limits us from receiving God's promises - faith and belief draw us closer. Blessing comes when we believe that God will fulfill, complete, & finish what He says He will do. His promise is a seal that binds our hearts to His. If He says it, He will do it.
Application
Have faith! Believe His words. The things He has spoken will come to pass. Put all doubting aside and trust in God and believe.
Prayer
Father, help my unbelief. I do have faith and I believe. The enemy of my soul tries to place seeds of doubt in my mind. I draw near to You O God and place my whole being in Your loving care. I trust You. I love You. In the midst of every life situation, let faith in You arise! Crowd out every seed of doubt and let faith have the victory! In Jesus Name, A-men.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
"Embrace the New"
Scripture
Revelation 21:5
And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Observation
Jesus Christ, King of kings, Lord of lords, sits on the throne of God and says, "Look! See! Behold! I am making all things NEW!
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, 'Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become NEW!'
Write down what I am saying - for these words are faithful and true. Everything God says in His word is true - write it down, journal it, so you remember when things get tough - when situations come up that you don't understand, you can take God's word to heart. I can believe what God says because He is trustworthy.
Application
God says to me, "Embrace the New"
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, 'Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something NEW. Now it will spring forth, will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
Embrace the New. I am a new creature in Christ. Old things are gone. Don't look back at past failures or heartaches, mourning or grief - look forward. It's a NEW time, a NEW season. Embrace the New with joy and rejoicing, with faith and anticipation.
Prayer
"Father, I believe You
Jesus, I receive You
Holy Spirit, I now free You to create in me NEW life." A new way of thinking, a new way of loving You through prayer and praise, a new way of loving people by giving of myself and letting Your glory and power flow through me. I yield myself to You for this New Year of 2012. Help me to embrace all of the new and move forward knowing that what You have begun in me, You will complete. In Jesus Name, A-men.
Revelation 21:5
And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."
Observation
Jesus Christ, King of kings, Lord of lords, sits on the throne of God and says, "Look! See! Behold! I am making all things NEW!
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, 'Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a NEW creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become NEW!'
Write down what I am saying - for these words are faithful and true. Everything God says in His word is true - write it down, journal it, so you remember when things get tough - when situations come up that you don't understand, you can take God's word to heart. I can believe what God says because He is trustworthy.
Application
God says to me, "Embrace the New"
Isaiah 43:18-19 says, 'Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something NEW. Now it will spring forth, will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
Embrace the New. I am a new creature in Christ. Old things are gone. Don't look back at past failures or heartaches, mourning or grief - look forward. It's a NEW time, a NEW season. Embrace the New with joy and rejoicing, with faith and anticipation.
Prayer
"Father, I believe You
Jesus, I receive You
Holy Spirit, I now free You to create in me NEW life." A new way of thinking, a new way of loving You through prayer and praise, a new way of loving people by giving of myself and letting Your glory and power flow through me. I yield myself to You for this New Year of 2012. Help me to embrace all of the new and move forward knowing that what You have begun in me, You will complete. In Jesus Name, A-men.
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Do you love Me?
Scripture
John 21:15-22
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
Observation
Jesus asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me?" Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, take care of my sheep. Then Jesus told Peter the kind of death he would die and glorify God. Jesus said, "Follow me!" And Peter's response was, "Well what about John, what about him?" Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
Application
Well Lord, what about him or her? What about them Lord? What will happen to them? Will they love you and serve you all of their days? Will they fall away? What's going to happen to them, the ones I love and care about? How will they glorify You?
And Jesus says to me, "That's not for you to worry about or even to know, you just follow me and keep loving me by serving and loving people." I hear the Lord ask, "Do you love me? Follow me. Don't look to the left or to the right, do not be drawn away from the path I've set before you. . . follow Me."
Prayer
Father God, may my life glorify You. I want to follow You all the way! Help me to stay focused on the things You have called me to do. What's going on in the lives of others is Your business not mine.
In Jesus Name, A-men.
John 21:15-22
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
Observation
Jesus asks Peter 3 times, "Do you love Me?" Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, take care of my sheep. Then Jesus told Peter the kind of death he would die and glorify God. Jesus said, "Follow me!" And Peter's response was, "Well what about John, what about him?" Jesus answers, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me."
Application
Well Lord, what about him or her? What about them Lord? What will happen to them? Will they love you and serve you all of their days? Will they fall away? What's going to happen to them, the ones I love and care about? How will they glorify You?
And Jesus says to me, "That's not for you to worry about or even to know, you just follow me and keep loving me by serving and loving people." I hear the Lord ask, "Do you love me? Follow me. Don't look to the left or to the right, do not be drawn away from the path I've set before you. . . follow Me."
Prayer
Father God, may my life glorify You. I want to follow You all the way! Help me to stay focused on the things You have called me to do. What's going on in the lives of others is Your business not mine.
In Jesus Name, A-men.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Keep Loving and Be Nice in Jesus Name
Scripture
1 Timothy 1:5
But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
Observation
The end result, our goal, from all the teachings, the hours and hours of instruction and training in God's Word - the bottom line is it's all about love from a pure heart - a clean heart, a teachable heart. Learning to love God and love people with a good conscience - with no evil intent or malice brooding. Finally, have faith - genuine, unfeigned - real faith in God.
Application
Keep loving even when . . . I'm hurt by others, and feel betrayed, rejected, and discouraged. Yes, forgiveness is showing love. So forgive as Christ has forgiven me. Yes Lord.
Keep my conscience clear of any evil plan to retaliate or seek revenge. Do good. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Yes, send them a Christmas card without any expectation of receiving a card back.
Keep my faith in God. Guard my heart. Keep believing that nothing is too difficult for God. Sow seeds of love, faith, hope, and joy in the Lord.
Prayer
O Father God, how I love Your Word! Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I might have the power to love like You love - to forgive like You forgive. Help me keep my focus on You through life's situations and people challenges. Make me a sower of good seed to tell others what great things You have done for me. Help me keep loving and to be nice in Jesus Name. A-men.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Christmas Call!
Scripture
2 Thessalonians 3:13 But as for you brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.
Observation
Don't lose heart or grow tired of doing things you know to do and have been trained and instructed to do. Live a disciplined life, and work hard at what you've been called to do.
Application
My instructions: Appreciate those who labor among you, live in peace, exhort, encourage, and just help people. Be patient with everyone. Rejoice and be glad and very happy, pray, give thanks, and keep away from any appearance of evil.
Prayer
May You O Lord direct my heart and direct my steps into the steadfastness - patient endurance of Jesus Christ; that You would give me what I need to learn to love others. Teach me Lord I pray. . . and Father, thank You for the Christmas Call! You knew how things have just been piling up these last few days and how discouraged & overwhelmed I've been feeling. I know that You are with me, and now I've got a new perspective. Help me keep my thoughts upon You and keep pressing on to know You more and more! In Jesus Name, A-men.
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