Tuesday - Friday 12-15-09 - 12-18-09

Quick recap of devotions for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

~ Tuesday ~

1 Kings 3:28 "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment."

As I read this the thought came: "Do I have godly wisdom". Honestly no I don't. However God has blessed me with the opportunity and privilage to be around men of God who truly have godly wisdom. I need spend more time with them, asking them questions gleaning from the wisdom that God has given them. I can look back and see the times where I have wasted amazing opportunities to glean and learn from godly men.

I need to be on the look out for opportunities to learn from men of God who have godly wisdom. Instead of barging head-first thinking I have all the answers I need to seek counsel from those who have wisdom.

~ Wednesday ~

1 Kings 8:22 & 54 "And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:" vs. 54 "And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven."

I want us to note in vs. 22 that Solomon began his prayer standing, yet when he finishes praying in vs. 54 he was on his knees. As you read in chapter 8 you will find that Solomons prayer is asking God to restore Israel if (rather when) they sin against him. There is much we could go into here but for the sake of time let me put it briefly.

When was the last time the reality of my sin drove me to my knees?

When was the last time the grossness of my sin drove me to my knees before a holy God?

When was the last time my inability to save myself driven me to my knees?

I think that as Solomon prayed and began playing scenarios through his mind, the harshness of sin began to hit him. He realized just how unholy we are and how holy, righteous, and loving God is.

~ Thursday ~

1 Kings 11:14 & 16 "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father." vs. 16 "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father."

How dangerous it is to not have heart that is perfect with the Lord. How dangerous it is to not go fully after the Lord. Here we see Solomon perhaps the wisest man to ever live and yet according to verse 16 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord. All of the "good" things Solomon did ultimately didn't matter, because his heart was not perfect with the Lord.

It is not enough to appear to seek after God, or seek after him half-heartedly. I can look back and see how I "went not fully after the Lord", my heart was turned away from God it was caught up in my lusts and desires for the things of this world. These verses really helped me to take stock and make sure that I am going fully after the Lord.

Real quickly I want to look at the danger of not having a perfect heart with the Lord, the danger of not going fully after the Lord. Here is the danger that we find in verse 14: "His heart (turned away) after other gods." How deadly this sin of not having a perfect heart that is set on God is. Oh may my heart never turn from fully seeking after God, may I have a perfect heart before the Lord my God.

~ Friday ~

1 Kings 13:24 "And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase."

To bring you up to speed on this story: Here God had commanded a man of God to prophecy to the king and return home without eating or drinking. The man refused the kings offer to be rewarded and to dine with him. On his way home though he was deceived by an old prophet who claimed to have seen an angle who told him to invite this man of God to eat and drink with him. The man of God went to the old prophets house and ate and drank with him. He left there and went to go back home, God had a lion kill him for disobeying.

When God gives me a command he really does intend for us to keep it, it is not just a suggestion. So often though it seems as if that is what I do, I do not take seriously what God has called me to do.

May I keep from not taking to heart what God calls me to. May I seek to obey with all that I have. May my heart be perfect before the Lord.

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,

Monday 12-14-09

2 Samuel 19:1-2

1 ¶ And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

As I read these verse the love that David had for Absalom becomes very evident. There is not doubt that David loved Absalom very much.

It struck me though, I mean I knew that Absalom was David's son yet Absalom was the son who had murdered another one of David's son, Absalom was the son who had attempted to usurp the kingdom, Absalom was the son who would have killed David in order to become king.

Yet through all of that David loved Absalom. Verse two says that "victory was turned into mourning" what seemed glorious for the people in that a enemy to the kingdom was defeated was a great tragedy for King David.

As I thought about how much King David loved his son, even though Absalom caused him much grief. It brought to mind how much more God loves me, oh how I have cause him grief and pain, yet God became a man (what a wondrous thought in and of it's self) and hung on a cross and died for me.

How David's love for Absalom pales in comparison to the love that God has and is.

Love through the infallible Christ Jesus,

Monday 111-20-09

1 Samuel 7:3 ¶ And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Wow, what a great verse! I just want to pull out a couple things that really stood out to me.

"If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts"

Here the children of Israel have forsaken the Lord, they have gone after "strange gods". They must now forsake these "strange gods" and with their whole hearts return unto the Lord.

They must needs to prepare their hearts, or put the Lord overall so that there is no room for 'second place' in their hearts and lives.

They needed to "serve him only", so crucial to not only return to the Lord with all their hearts but to continue to seek him by serving him.

Finally it is the Lord who is going to deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines. I will never rely or trust on Christ if I think that I have some capability to deliver myself. I am nothing, I have no ability to flee from temptation, I have no ability to live a Christ honoring life, I have no ability to preach the gospel, however I can do all these things not by own power but God who actually does them through me.

Seek first the kingdom of God,

Why I believe that our Christocentrism portrays an asymmetrical Trinitarianism.

I believe in being Christ-centered, which at least in the way I view it is being gospel-centered. Let me explain what I mean by "Christ-centered". I believe that there is one God, made up of three parts, the first person (or the head of the trinity) is God the father, the second person is Jesus, the third being the Holy Spirit. To be Christ-centered (or being Christ centric) means to make Christ the central theme.

If you read the scriptures they seem to point to Christ. Take for example the first death in the bible, it was a picture of Christ's blood which was to be spilt for us, and his death that would purchase us life. The theme of the bible is the gospel which (at least for me) seems to give much credit to the belief of being Christ centric.

However let us look at another aspect of this. In John 16:14 we see that the Holy Spirit's job is to glorify the Son. In John 14:13 we see that the Father is glorified through the Son. Without the Son glory is neither given nor received. You see being Christ centric does not undermine the trinity it makes it glorious.

I do not in the least bit deny the importance of the Holy Spirit, or the Father. I believe that they are vital to the trinity, and the daily Christian walk. Let me explain each time I teach, preach or witness I ask the Holy Spirit to come and speak through me, I do not deny my need of the Holy Spirit to be able to do these things. Again when I pray I pray to the Father, just as Jesus taught us to and showed us to by example.

In closing I believe that a Christ centric outlook on the trinity leads to good hermeneutics, it leads to a proper outlook on the bible, and it leads to a right view of the trinity. I do not pretend to be some great theologian, or know all sorts of doctrine. However I do want to be "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim 2:15)

Tuesday 11-10-09

Deuteronomy 20:3-4

3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

I love these verse and am going to commit them to memory (by God's grace). To set the scene a little bit God is telling Moses what the priest is the say when the people are going to battle against someone.

God says that he is the one who is going with me to fight for me against my enemies to save me.

So whether I am fighting lust or pride, or I'm going out to witness, or I'm teaching or preaching, I must remember that:

I need to let not my heart faint. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to fear not. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to not tremble. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to never be terrified of obeying what God commands me to do. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

What amazing and encouraging verses!

Please pray for bro. Tony and Mrs. Stacey Howeth. God has used them mightily in my life to grow me and challenge me and I thank God for them. It is my privilege to ask you to join in praying for them and Ethan as they face this trial. Ask God to give them wisdom and clear guidance, also please pray that God would miraculously provide for their every need!

Remember no matter what the trial it is the Lord your God who goes out before you to fight for you, to bring himself glory,

Monday 11-9-09

Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy 12:23

for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

My flesh wants both the pleasures of this world and the blessings of God. That isn't why Christ came to die, I mean he didn't come and die so I could get my insurance policy and go on living a sinful and wicked life. We cannot have the flesh and the blood. I honestly don't know how to communicate what is in my heart any better then I have. I pray that

Please pray for Ethan Howeth, he underwent surgery today for the gunshot wound in his lower leg. I did not get any specifics although I heard it went well, Praise God for that! Please though continue to pray for him that God would touch him and work a miracle to heal him. Also ask God to comfort and grow the Howeth family during this very difficult time. Most importantly ask God that he would receive maximum glory through all of this.

Monday 11-2-09

I was reading this afternoon in Numbers 22 where I ran into the story of Balaam and him talking to a donkey. While this did almost make me laugh it also made me do some heart digging. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Numbers 22:32-34

32. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

33. And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

Alright to help set the scene: Balaam has been called upon by an enemy of Israel to curse them. Balaam is in route to this evil man, riding on his donkey, his donkey sees a angel of the Lord blocking the path and ends up scraping Balaam's foot against the wall. Balaam had not seen the angel of the Lord, and started beating his donkey. God opens the donkey's mouth and speaks through him to show Balaam the error of his ways. Then Balaam finally sees the angel of the Lord and starts this conversation.

Now we might be going wow how stupid does a guy have to be to sit there and talk to an animal? Shouldn't he have realized something was up with the first word the donkey spoke? Here's what it got down to for me, Balaam was so blind and set in what the angel called a perverse way that couldn't see a clear sign like a donkey talking or and angel of the Lord blocking his path.

Yes it struck me oddly that a man was talking to a donkey and the donkey was talking to him but what struck me so far beyond that was this. Am I so set in any perverse way that I could not see God's direction in my life? Also this thought plagued my mind: What will it take for God to get my attention? am I sensitive to his leading or am so blind to his calling that I couldn't see it if an angel were standing in my path?

There is so much more that this text contains that time keeps me from covering at this moment but hopefully we'll get into it a a later time.

Please pray for a young man named Andy he got saved recently and had been coming to church every service. In the past couple weeks he stopped coming to every service and wasn't there Sunday morning. My heart has been heavy for him the past week or so, please pray that God would show him the necessity of being in the fellowship of other believers, and being under Godly preaching. Ask the Lord to do a work in his heart, and that he would keep him from the evil one.

God Bless,

Tuesday 10-27-09

Leviticus 20:23-24

23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

God is telling the Israelites that they are to be set apart for him. That they are not to defile themselves with the things that the nations of this world do.

God commands them to not walk in the manners of the nation which had cast out of the land. He says that they had committed evil, and that he abhorred them for it, and cast them out of the land because of it.

However he also makes it clear that he expects them to be different from the other nations. He is giving them this land flowing with milk and honey and he is their Lord God.

As I read this I was convicted, I've been bought with Christ's blood, I am no longer enslaved to sin, I am not to entangle myself with the cares of this world, yet I find myself play the harlot with this world.

This question burned in my heart and so I ask it to you:

If you are saved then Christ is your bridegroom, when he comes will he find you completely set apart for him? or will he find you playing the harlot with this world and sin?

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Father forgive me for the uncountable ways I have fallen short today of your glory. Please father draw me to yourself... Lord please grant me repentance that I would not follow after my sin but after you...

Seek first the kingdom of God!

Thursday 10-22-09

Sorry I forgot that I hadn't sent this out until now.

Exodus 32

In chapter 32 we see the children of Israel using the blessings that God gave them for evil. They took the some of the gold that they had plundered from Egypt and melted it down a made a golden calf to worship. We can do the same things with the blessings that God has given us, we can use them to either glorify him or we can use them to do evil.

Am I using what God has given me for him? or am I using them for evil?

God Bless,

Wednesday 10-21-09

Exodus 25:1-4

1 ¶ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.

3 "This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze,

4 blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair,

Remember back a few chapters when God told Moses to tell the children of Israel to borrow as much jewels, gold, silver and raiment as they could carry? Well God had a plan for them doing that, I don't believe that he had them plunder Egypt like that just to make the themselves rich and well dressed. I do believe that God did want to bless them and show to them how he could provide, but he didn't give them all that stuff just so they could horde it to themselves, he gave it so that they might give it back to him.

God has given me so much a car, a computer, the word of God in my mother tongue, the ability to speak, think and talk, he has given me resources such as commentaries, dictionaries, and concordances so that I can study his word, the list is endless. However the point is the same, God didn't so richly bless me so that I could horde all that I have to myself, he has given these things to me so that I can use them for his glory.

God Bless,

Tuesday 10-20-09

Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

Exodus 14:16-18

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

When I've read this story before I always just sort of imagined that God got the Israelites out of a jam. However God had beautifully orchestrated this crisis and solution so that he would be brought glory. God hadn't messed up or miss calculated, he knew exactly what was going to happen.

I'm not sure how to phrase what these verse taught me, the least I can say is that they definitely attest to the complete sovereignty of God!

Please pray for the Holt family, they are missionaries to Chile. Just recently the church found out they they had to vacate their current facility, they are asking us to pray along with them that God would provide the money to build a building of their own. Pray and ask God to provide for the needs there, so that God's work in Chile would be able to continue, that souls would be saved and that God would be glorified.

May God be glorified through you,

Sunday 10-18-09

Exodus 3

Exodus 3:11 ¶ And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

I don't believe that this was Moses realizing that he was incapable of accoplishing the tasks that God set before him on his own, this wasn't Moses realizing that it must be God to speak through him and do the work. This is Moses looking for a way out, this is Moses afraid of getting embarrased.

As I was reading in Exodus it made me start to realize how much I really do need God in all that he has called me to. You see if Moses had just trusted that God would work through him I don't think he would have been worried about what to say or if the people would have believed him.

Am I relying on God to work through me to bring himself glory? or am I to caught up my fleshly worries?

Ask God to awaken the Christians in America to the great need for Evangelism and Missions.

May God grant you peace,

Saturday 10-17-09

Genesis 39

Genesis 39:2-3

2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Notice here how the Lord is with Joseph, and it is the Lord who makes him prosper. Also it was so evident that is was God who made Joseph prosper that Potiphar the master of the house noticed it.

Now not long after God blessed Joseph's work and everything was going well, Potiphars' wife lies and accuses Joseph of attempted rape, well Potiphar throws Joseph in prison.

Genesis 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

As I just reread this verse this really struck me. That is that Joseph was shown mercy, he was a sinner he didn't deserve God to prosper everything he did, he didn't deserve to work for a high ranking official, he didn't deserve anything but hell. Yet God showed mercy on him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. I act like I deserve so much, I do not deserve anything but eternity in the lake of fire, I don't deserve salvation, I don't deserve the word of God in my language, I don't deserve to have God work in my heart, the list goes on and on and on... I have been the undeserving recipient of God's grace and mercy (not to mention love!), and yet I am so unthankful...

I love this story it is such a beautiful example of God's sovereignty. Joseph almost was murdered but God used Ruben to keep Joseph alive, then Joseph gets sold into slavery, and God works it so that he gets sold to this high ranking official, then Joseph gets thrown into jail for a crime he didn't commit, while in jail Joseph basically does the 'wardens' job for him. I am looking forward to finishing the story hopefully tomorrow and seeing how else God is going to work mightily in Joseph's life.

Grace through Jehovah Jireh (The Lord who provides)

Friday 10-16-09

Genesis 25

You probably remember the story of Esau selling his birthright, I'll help refresh your memory though. Esau goes out into the field because he was a "cunning hunter" he spends all day out there looking for something to kill he walks all over looking for some fresh tracks or something to give him an indication that there is some game out there. Well evening comes and he is so tired from walking all day in the heat and he walks in the door just beat, I mean he's whooped, well anyway he walks in the front door and smells something really good, as he walks into the kitchen he sees his brother Jacob stirring some red stew. Well to help make a long story short Jacob being the wheeler-dealer he was ends up selling that stew he was fixing for Esau's birthright, no big deal right? wrong if I remember right the birthright contained 70% - 90% of what the father had, and the remaining 30-10% was divided up among the rest of the sons.

If Esau had spent time investing in what he was going to inherit I doubt that he would have made the hasty decision he did to sell it. Think about it if he had laboured and put time into caring for the sheep, cattle, and the family affairs do you think he would have sold it all for a big bowl of stew?

Right about now you start wondering: wheres the personal application? Well it's this am I a Esau or a Jacob and I don't mean am I hairy, or am I a swindler I mean am I pouring myself into God's business, am I seeking to further his kingdom, am I doing everything I can to 'grow my inheritence' since I am a co-heir with Christ? Or am I an Esau who is content with the things of this world, and would throw away my inheritance for temporary pleasures?

It says in Genesis 25:24 that "Esau despised his birthright." By no means can we lose our salvation, however I do think that we can waste it. Am I comfortably saved in Sodom? or am I seeking salvation for Sodom?

Please pray for the Sunday school class God has allowed me to teach at Macedonia. I believe that God wants to use us to be witnesses of him here in our Jerusalem. Ask that God would truly burden our hearts with the souls of the lost, and that we would seek opportunities to share Jesus with others.

Fight the good fight of faith!

Thursday 10-15-09

Even as I am writing this the power is out (Thank the Lord for laptops!), and my battery is dying, so it is going to be a little brief.

Genesis 14:19-23

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21 ¶ And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

A couple quick observations.

1. It was obvious that it was God who had delivered Abrams enemies into his hand.

2. Bera the king of Sodom was only intrested in himself and his reputation.

3. Abram knew that it was only God who could grant him the victory, and promised to give God the glory that was rightfully his.

4. Abram had already made up his mind to give God glory, before the temptation to take the glory for himself was ever presented.

There is more that I was hoping to get into with this story, but we'll just have to save it for another time.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you,

Tuesday 9-1-09

1 Cor 3:7-8 "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

A couple of observations that I made:

1. Every Christian is a planter and a waterier. The planter is one who spreads the gospel fervently. The waterier is one who teaches and disciples others who have died to self and live for Christ.

2. Ultimately our fleshly efforts at witnessing and teaching are not going to save anyone or make anyone grow in Christ.

3. God is the one who causes the growth, he will use us to bring us to him for salvation, and with others he will use us to teach and disciple them, however God is the one who will be doing the work in their hearts.

4. We will be rewarded or not rewarded according to our obedience in regards to our witnessing and disciplining.

Monday 8-31-09

1 Cor 2:4-5 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

How convicting these verses are, I mean to often I attempt to make my speech, teaching, and conversations enticing words of men's wisdom. Although I myself would want God to be glorified in all that I do, my pride which dwells within me doesn't seek God's glory but rather my own. Honestly though it scares me to think that I might teach or preach in a manner that I would be seeking others to look at me because of my knowledge, power, wisdom, or abilities rather then letting God's grace and power, through the Holy Spirit flow through me, so that God might be brought glory and praise.

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Father God thank you for this very breath in my lungs… thank you that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… Father I thank you for the ability, privlage, and even the responsibility of searching the scriptures that I might study to show myself approved unto you… Lord I ask that you would crush my pride that I would never attempt to entice anyone with my wisdom but rater I ask Lord that my teaching and preaching would be a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of your power that you would draw men to yourself for your exultation and honor… Please Lord continue to grow me in you each day...

Sunday 8-30-09

Romans 10

Romans 10: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Father thank you for making a way of escape from eternal torment and death… Thank you Lord Jesus for doing all the work necessary for salvation…. Lord God thank you that you included me in “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:14a&b “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?”

I thank you Father for including me in getting your gospel to the uttermost parts of the world… Father I ask that you would stir up your people in America, that we might recognize the great need of proclaiming your good news to every nation… Father I ask that we would obey your command of taking the gospel to ever nation that you might be glorified by the obedience of your children, and by the ones whom you would make new creatures through Christ Jesus….

Romans 10:14c "And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Lord God you commanded us in Matthew 9 to ask you to send laborers unto the harvest… So Father I ask that you would send preachers to be a light in this dark and dying world… that you might be brought glory and honor….

Romans 10:15a “And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”

Father please send me….

Saturday 8-29-09

I couldn't not find the paper that I had written down Saturdays devotions on. However I did remember that it was Romans 8:39-39, and that it was continuing to look at the greatness of God's love for us.

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Friday 8/28/09

Romans 5

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

What an amazing and mind-boggling Savior we have!

The amount of love that God has for us we will never fathom on this earth, in fact it will take eternity for us to fully understand God’s love.

Just thinking about the implications of this verse, that God loved us while we were sinners, and what that really says about his infinite and never-ending love. Here are a couple things that gave me a glimpse of a glimpse of a glimpse of God’s great love:

1. Romans 5:10 States that because we were sinners we were enemies to God. Enemies aren’t people that you love, enemies are people that you want defeated, crushed, alienated, and destroyed. Yet God loved us while we were enemies to him!

2. Romans 5:6 Says that we were “without strength” or basically helpless when we were sinners. God’s love and mercy were manifested to us in that while we were helpless and couldn’t do anything about our sin, “Christ died for the ungodly.”

3. Romans 6 makes it undeniably clear that the natural man is enslaved to sin, and John 8:34 says that if you commit sin that you are the slave of sin. So Christ died while we were enslaved to the thing, which God hates.

So not only were we enemies to God, we were enslaved to the thing which God loathes: sin; plus the fact that we were “without strength” to do anything about being an enemy of God or being enslaved to sin; and perhaps you also will get a glimpse of glimpse of a glimpse of God’s great love that he has for us, and just how true the statement in John 4:16 which is “God is love.”

Thursday 8/27/09

Romans 3

Romans 3:3&4 “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;”

I am so thankful that “the faith of God” and his power, mercy, justness, and faithfulness doesn’t rely on mans ‘believing’ to make it true. I’m thankful that Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and every other religion out there is false, think about it; does it make you glad that true Christianity (IE Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”) is the ONLY way to get to heaven?

As I sit here I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that confessing with the mouth and believing in the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is the only way to heaven.

Maybe it’s just me but it is so comforting and reassuring that I know that the God that I serve does care for me and love me. My God isn’t just ‘out there somewhere’ he has actually sent part of himself to dwell in me. Some might wonder how I derived these statements from these verses, and I know that I rest heavily on other passages to for some of these statements but honestly it was surprising just how clearly the Holy Spirit ‘spoke’ to me through these verses as I meditated on them.

Saturday 8-8-09

Acts 1

Acts 1:8 " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

What a beautiful verse! We find that we will receive power so whatever it is that God has in store for us to do isn’t and can’t be done in our own power. Next we see that the Holy Spirit is going to “come upon you” hold up for a second these are the only two prerequisites for the command that’s about to be given. Every true born again believer meets these two prerequisites, so that means that the upcoming command is for EVERYONE who is a Christian.

Now onto the command which I think is also a privilege, “ye shall be witnesses unto me” were to witnesses of Christ, and of what he came to earth and did (dying so that all may live). Next we get to find out where we are to be witnesses to " both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” When I read that I think of Romans 10:13-15a “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” we see that it is necessary to preach and send those to preach. I really think that sums up the command Jesus gave us in Acts 1:8: be witnesses wherever you are at, and send those to preach wherever you are not.

Friday 8-7-09

John 19

John 19:30 “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

“It is finished” what an exciting statement!

The way of salvation was complete; no longer necessary was the laying of hands on an animal’s neck while the throat was cut so that symbolically the sins would be transferred. No longer necessary the thousands upon thousands of lambs, doves, cattle to be slain. No longer only the Levites who could come before the God of heaven. No longer was salvation only for the Jews.

I don’t think I grasp the full meaning of those words, however I am so grateful that they’re true!

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Jesus thank you for dying for my sins… thank you for dying for my salvation… Father I thank you for loving us even though I was enslaved to sin… thank you for setting me free from sin that it is no longer my taskmaster… thank you for making me a new creature… Please Lord burden my heart with the souls of the lost… give me the desire to see souls saved… Please Father do a work in me so that you can do a work through me….

Thursday 8-6-09

John 14

John 14:16-17 & 26 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Vs. 26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

How Exciting! Jesus said that the Father would send a comforter or helper, this helper would be the Spirit of truth, his ‘job’ is to teach us all things, and bring unto remembrance what Jesus had said. This comforter or helper is called the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit (Vs. 26) and he will be with those who are believers forever (Vs. 16).

I don’t know about you but I think it’s exciting to know that God has sent part of himself to live in believers (Vs 16), to help them, and to teach them (Vs. 26).

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Lord God thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to come and live in those who believe…. Thank you for sending him to teach us all things…. Thank you God for living in me…. Help me to become more like you each day….

Wednesday 8-5-09

John 9

John 9:3 “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

The reason for this man being blind, was that God would be brought glory by healing him. Think about it, the biggest annoyance, hinderance, or thing that we think is going to keep us from serving God to our maximum potential, might just be there for no other reason then to bring God glory.

I’m thankful that I don’t have any physical limitations, like that blind man had. I mean I can walk, hear, speak, and much more, see I have a lot to be thankful for. However I complain a lot about those little insignificant annoyances, or hinderances that God is using to try to teach me to rely on him completely for dealing with them.

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Lord God thank you for giving me the ability to walk, see, hear, talk… thank you for giving me the bible in my language… Father please help me to rely completely in your strength so through my weaknesses you would be brought glory, honor, and praise….

Tuesday 8-4-09

John 3

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

If I understand the story behind this statement, a few of Johns diciples come to him telling him that Jesus was preaching and baptizing and that all men were coming to Jesus, and because of that most likely John was losing most of his diciples as well. I don’t think John the Baptist resonded the way his diciples expected, upon hearing that everyone was turning to Jesus, John basically said: perfect. John recognized that it wasn’t about him having the biggest ministry, it wasn’t about his name getting known, it wasn’t anything about himself getting magnified, in-fact he says the exact opposite he said “He (Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.”

--Father would you show me my need to decrease… and would you make it my hearts desire for you to increase… Help me to cheerfully obey everything that you have commanded me to do… Thank you for Jesus for dying for my sins…

Monday 8-3-09

Luke 22

Luke 22:8-13 “And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.”

God isn’t going to command us to do something without already having done the work. When Peter and John were commanded by Jesus to go prepare the Passover they found that everything was just as Jesus had said it would be, the room and everything that they needed were provided for. However they did have to obey exactly what Jesus had told them to do. I wonder how often we “rob” God of opportunities to use us because we won’t obey, I wonder how many blessings we’ve “robbed” God from giving us because we didn’t obey him.

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Lord help me to obey whatever it is that you put before me to do… Help me to rely on your perfect timing… Lord help me to obey in your streangth and for your glory… Father help me to do everything for our honor and glory…

Sunday 8-2-09

Luke 21

Luke 21:1-4 “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”

She gave ALL she had! This was no normal sacrificial offering, this was all out no-bars-held unreserved giving of everything that she possesed to live on.

I honestly can’t imagine what this world would look like if every true born-again believer gave like she gave. I don’t know about you but it blows my mind to try and imagine how God could work, what God would do, how many souls would be saved, how many bible believing, bible preaching churches would fill countries that were once thought impossible to get the gospel into.

I wonder if we rob God of glory that could be brought to him if we gave like this women. Think about it if we gave couldn’t God receive glory by: us giving, our churches being able to boldly proclaim the good news to this dark community, our churches being able to send out missionaries to proclaim the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. This last thought tickled me to death: couldn’t God receive glory by providing for our needs because we gave all we had to live on to him? I honestly believe God cold receive glory through all these things and so much more! However in order for any of those to happen; we MUST give, I MUST give.

Saturday 8-1-09

Luke 12

Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

What an amazing and awesome God we serve! In Isaiah 40 we find that he measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, that the nations of this earth are like a drop in the bucket or like a speck of dust on the scales to him.

Yet according to Luke 12:6-7 he knows every sparrow on this earth, and he knows how many hairs are on every one of the 6.5 billion people who currently live on this earth.

What an amazing and majestic God we serve, he measured out the waters which means all the lakes, rivers, oceans, all water on this earth in the hollow of his hand, yet he loves a cares for us so much that he would send his only son Jesus Christ to die so that we could have forgiveness from our sins and spend eternity with him.

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Father I thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sin… I thank you that you love us and care for us even though we sin against you… I thank you that you loved me even while I was in sin, and I thank you for continuing to forgive me when I ask… I ask Lord that you would help me to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind….

Friday 7-31-09

Luke 10

Luke 10:17 & 20 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through they name.” Vs. 20 (Jesus replied) “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus tells them that they are rejoicing over the wrong things; he commands them to rejoice in the fact that they are saved, and not that they could cast out demons through the name of Jesus.

They were excited about what God had done through them; Jesus tells them that it’s not the things here on earth that we need to rejoice over but rather that our names are written in heaven.

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Father I thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross that through his blood that he shed on Calvary I could be forgiven of my sins and spend eternity and beyond with you… Help me to not become bogged down with the temporal things of this world, but to keep myself wholly for you and the things that you have and will call me to do…

Thursday 7-30-09

Luke 6

Luke 6:26 “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you.”

Jesus is clearly warning us about being pleasers of men. How easy it is to get caught up in what others think of you, and trying to do everything you can so that “all men shall speak well of you”; instead of seeking to please the one who created us, and has given us the very breath in our lungs.

Luke 6:46 “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

God really does want us to obey what he has commanded us, even though it might not be glamorus, or easy, and we fail along the way we still need to love God with all of our hearts, and all of our souls, and all of our minds.

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Father please forgive me for wanting the approval of other men more then seeking to please you… Lord God I ask that you would give me a love for you, that I would truly love the Lord MY God with all my hear, soul and mind… Father give to me a desire to know and serve you unreservedly… Jesus thank you for willingly shedding your blood on the cross and dying to give me life….

Wednesday 7-29-09

Mark 12 & 14

I must be really dense but fortunately through my weakness the strength of God’s word can prevail! It’s been beautiful to see how God has been teaching me each day for the past several days about believing what he has said is 100% true, and acting in faith where he leads.

Mark 12:42-44 “And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

The story we know as “The Widows Mite” and act of unreserved sacrificial giving of money to God. The widow believing her needs would be met gave all she had monetarily for the kingdom of God.

Mark 14:3-6 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.”

The woman anointed Jesus believing that he was worthy of that vial of perfume that would have taken a common man at least a years worthy of wages to purchase.

Mark 14:36 “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

Jesus believed that God the Father could have “take(n) away this cup from” him, because as he stated “all things are possible with thee.” However he also believed that God the Fathers will was the best possible thing for him and he willingly accepted it.

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Father I ask the same thing that the man in Mark 9 did… I believe, but help my unbelief… help me Lord to obey you wherever you guide me… make me teachable to all that have for me to learn… please Father help me to love you with all of heart, soul, and mind….