The Church Prayed Very Earnestly For Him

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The Church Prayed
Very
Earnestly For Him

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Scripture

Acts 12

⁵ But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him.

Observation

Yesterday during our 11:20 worship service our church prayed specifically for 2 people who are facing very serious health issues. We believe that God responds to His children when they pray.

Right now there are so many people on my heart who need my prayers. I have so many that are dealing with sickness, and way too many that are dealing with broken relationships.

I am so glad that God cares. He wants to hear my requests. He wants to show me that He is more than able to meet those needs.

Who is on your prayer list that needs to be lifted up right now? Maybe you need a miracle yourself?

    'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3

¹³ Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. ¹⁴ Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

¹⁶ Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:13-16

   

Application

I will pray for those around me.  I have faith that God hears me. He will answer my requests.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, this is the confidence I have in approaching You: that if I ask anything according to Your will, You hear me. [15] And if I know that You hear me--whatever I ask--I know that I have what I asked of You. 1 John 5:14-15 (personalized)

 Daily Bible Reading Job 6,7,8; Acts 12

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My Heart Is Confident In You, O God

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My Heart
Is Confident
In You, O God

This Confidence Is Like A Strong And Trustworthy Anchor For Our Souls.

Scripture

Psalms 108

¹ My heart is confident in you, O God;
    no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
² Wake up, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
³ I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
⁴ For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
    May your glory shine over all the earth.

Observation

Don’t put your confidence in politicians. I don’t think I even have to mention that with all the untruths that are being spewed out during this pre-election period. What I would give for just one honest politician! I am sure that there has to be one out there somewhere!

Don’t even put your confidence completely in us pastors! We too are human and we will also let you down. Hopefully we will be a lot more sincere and honest than a politician, but we are still far from perfect.

So today my heart is confident in only One Person – the Lord Jesus Christ.

    But Jesus remains a priest forever; his priesthood will never end. [25] Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf. Hebrews 7:24-25 Hebrews 6:18-20

   “ … Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence.  [19] This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of heaven into God's inner sanctuary. [20] Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the line of Melchizedek.

 Application

I will thank the Lord among His people today as I go to church. How about you?

Prayer

¹ My heart is confident in you, O God;
    no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!
² Wake up, lyre and harp!
    I will wake the dawn with my song.
³ I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.
    I will sing your praises among the nations.
⁴ For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.
    Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.
⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
    May your glory shine over all the earth. Psalm 108:1-5

Daily Bible Reading Job 5; Psalms 108; Acts 10,11

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The Church Then Had Peace, And It Became Stronger … And With The Encouragement Of The Holy Spirit, It Also Grew In Numbers.

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The Church Then Had Peace,
And It Became Stronger …
And With The Encouragement Of The Holy Spirit, It Also Grew In Numbers.

It is my desire to be used by God to change my world. How about you?

Scripture

Acts 9

³¹ The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Observation

I believe that the church should always being growing. I don’t want our church to ever stop growing. I want us to reach the city of Tampa for Jesus.

I believe that we can do just that.

For our church to grow numerically we need to always have the ingredients found in Acts 9:31: 1. Peace within the fellowship 2. Church members must be growing stronger in Christ. 3. We must have the encouragement of the Holy Spirit.

The first century believers turned their world upside down. You and I can do the same thing.

Let’s start by allowing the Holy Spirit complete control of every part, every detail of our lives. No holding anything back, let’s give Him 100%!

Application

It is my desire to be used by God to change my world. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to be more focused on the people around me than on myself. Guide me. Show me anything in my life that doesn’t please You. Show me any sin in my life that I need to confess. Use me in the lives of those around me. I pray for the couple that I talked with today. I pray for their marriage. Do a miracle in their lives for Your honor and for Your glory. Help them to fight for their marriage and not give up. Help our church to continue to grow. Help those in leadership live godly lives so the rest of our church can follow their lead.

Daily Bible Reading Job 3,4; Acts 8,9

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Have You Noticed My Servant Job? He Is The Finest Man In All The Earth. He Is Blameless – A Man Of Complete Integrity.

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Have You Noticed My Servant Job?
He Is The Finest Man In All The Earth.
He Is Blameless – A Man Of Complete Integrity.

You and I can live extraordinary lives too!

Scripture

Job 1

⁸ Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Observation

What would God say about you? What would God say about me? 

“A man (or woman) of complete integrity” is that a description of whom we are? 

I also read about Stephen this morning in Acts 6, “Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit) …”

Both of these men lived extraordinary lives of faith … you and I can do the same thing.
You and I can live extraordinary lives! 

We can be examples of faith too. We can fear God and stay away from evil.  

Maybe one day the LORD will ask Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Eddy (put your name in place of mine)? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless – a man of complete integrity. 

He fears God and stays away from evil.”

Application

I want to live in such a way that it catches God’s attention. I want to make Him smile!  How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to be a man of faith. Help me to be a man of integrity. Help me to fear You and stay away from evil. You are Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You are my God.

Daily Bible Reading Job 1,2; Acts 6,7

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Put Me To The Test!

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Put
Me
To The Test!

You and I can’t out give our God.

Scripture

Malachi 3

¹⁰ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

Observation

Do you know of any other place in scripture where God says to put Him to the test?

I don’t.

This test comes with a wonderful promise!

In other words, if you and I will trust God and return to Him a tenth of what He has generously provided us then He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that we won’t have room to take it in!

Are we willing to trust God?

Jesus said pretty much the same thing, “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measure what is given back to you." Luke 6:38

You and I can’t out give our God!

Application

 I will look for ways to be generous this week. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, don’t let me forget that You own everything. I don’t own anything. Help me to be a good steward of what You have provided for my family and me. I realize that everything that I have is a blessing from You. You have been so generous to me. I am so blessed. Don’t let me be stingy.

Daily Bible Reading Malachi 3,4; Psalms 148; Acts 5

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For The Lord … Says He Hates Divorce And Cruel Men. Therefore, Guard Your Passions! Keep Faith With The Wife Of Your Youth.

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Nehemiah 13; Malachi 1,2; Acts 4

For The Lord … Says He Hates Divorce And Cruel Men.
Therefore,
Guard Your Passions! Keep Faith With The Wife Of Your Youth.

You were united to your wife by the Lord.

Scripture

Malachi 2

 

I’ll tell you why; it is because the Lord has seen your treachery in divorcing your wives who have been faithful to you through the years, the companions you promised to care for and keep. 

¹⁵ You were united to your wife by the Lord. 

In God’s wise plan, when you married, the two of you became one person in his sight. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. Therefore, guard your passions! Keep faith with the wife of your youth.

¹⁶ For the Lord, the God of Israel, says he hates divorce and cruel men. Therefore, control your passions—let there be no divorcing of your wives.

Observation

If your marriage didn’t work and you have experienced a divorce I want you to know that I am not trying to cause you pain today.

This passage is a reminder to me and to any other man that may be reading this that God takes our marriage commitment very seriously.

What do you need to change in your life and in your marriage for your spouse to once again feel like he or she is the #1 person in your life? Do it.

Do it today!

Malachi is talking to us men who have been married for a long time. He says to us, “guard your passions! Keep faith with the wife of your youth.” 

I am looking forward to celebrating 45 years of marriage with the love of my life on November 1^st. She is the best gift that God has ever given me.

Application

I plan to remain faithful to the wife of my youth. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, don’t ever let me neglect the wife of my youth. You were so good to me when You brought her into my life. I am so glad it was Kathy and not some of the other women that I see men married to. She is a keeper for sure. Bless her today. May Your face shine on her. Meet the deep needs of her life that only You can meet. Use her for Your kingdom, use her to help other women live godly lives and be good wives to their husbands. 

And help the men of our church love their wives as Christ loves the church.

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For The LORD Watches Over The Path Of The Godly

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Nehemiah 11,12; Psalms 1; Acts 3

For The LORD
Watches
Over The Path Of The Godly

 Nothing touches my life that does not have the permission of my Heavenly Father.

Scripture

Psalms 1

6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

Observation

God is watching over the path of my life. He is in control. Nothing touches my life that does not have the permission of my Heavenly Father. He knows what is happening to me today. He is watching over me!

¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
 
² But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
 
³ They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
 
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do. Psalm 1:1-3

Maybe you are going through a dark time in your life. Could be that you are facing uncertain difficult situations? 

What should we do? 

Go back and read and hold on to the Promises of God ... that is what we should do!

 Application

I will hold on to the Promises of God not only for myself but also for others who are facing extremely difficult situations today. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, because You are my Shepherd, I have everything I need! You let me rest in the meadow grass and You lead me beside the quiet streams. You give me new strength. You help me do what honors You the most.  Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way. You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow! Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home. Psalm 23

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I know That You O LORD Are Always With Me. I Will Not Be Shaken.

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Nehemiah 9,10; Acts 2

I know That You O LORD
Are Always With Me.
I Will Not Be Shaken.

No wonder my heart is glad!

Scripture

Acts 2

²⁵ King David said this about him:
‘I see that the Lord is always with me.
    I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Psalm 16
⁷ I praise the Lord, because he guides me,
    and in the night my conscience warns me.
⁸ I am always aware of the Lord's presence;
    he is near, and nothing can shake me.
⁹ And so I am thankful and glad,
    and I feel completely secure,

Observation

Peter knew that King David said this in Psalm 16 about Jesus Christ. What an amazing knowledge of the word of God!

Even though these words are prophetic and speak about our Lord and Savior I still agree with them for my life today. And so I say, “I see that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. And so I am thankful and glad, and I feel completely secure.

Do these verses speak to you as well?

Application

Monday … it means we have a week ahead of us! Lets claim these verses as we take on this week. I will not be shaken! How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, keep me safe for I have come to you for refuge. I say to You O Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from You.” The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!

Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land You have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!

I will bless You O Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know that You O Lord are always with me. I will not be shaken, for You are right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Daily Bible Reading “Nehemiah 9,10; Acts 2”

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But You Will Receive Power When The Holy Spirit Comes Upon You. And You Will Be My Witnesses, Telling People About Me Everywhere

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Nehemiah 7,8; Acts 1

But You Will Receive Power
When The Holy Spirit Comes Upon You.
And You Will Be My Witnesses, Telling People About Me Everywhere

Scripture

Acts 1

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Observation

My witnesses, telling people about me everywhere –as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ – our main task is to share about how Jesus Christ has changed out lives. We don’t do it in our strength. We share with power!

What does that mean? It means that when you and I talk about Jesus to others what we say has the power to change the direction of their lives.

Everywhere … includes everyplace … doctor’s office, grocery store, hospital, office at work, our neighbors, people on the bus, taxi drivers, people sitting next to us on airplanes, the gym … everywhere!

Application

I will look for the opportunities that God brings my way to be His witness. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to be Your witness this week. Give me the opportunity to share with those You bring into my life. Don’t let me miss a single person You send my way. Help me bring You glory and honor by the way I live. You are my Lord and my Savior.

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I Will Sing Praises To My God With My Dying Breath

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Nehemiah 5,6; Psalms 146; Luke 24

I Will
Sing Praises
To My God With My Dying Breath

Scripture

Psalms 146

¹ Praise the Lord! Let all that I am praise the Lord.

²     I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
    I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Observation

Praise the LORD! Let all that I am praise the LORD. I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Worship is not just for Sunday mornings! I love Sundays and I am already looking forward to our praise and worship time tomorrow morning, but let’s not wait until Sunday!

Let’s praise Him right now!

Application

I will praise the LORD all day today. Let all that I am praise the LORD!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. You keep every promise forever. You give justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. You free the prisoners. You open the eyes of the blind. You lift up those who are weighed down. You love the godly. You protect the foreigners among us. You care for the orphans and widows, but You frustrate the plans of the wicked. You will reign forever.  Praise the Lord! Psalm 146:6-10

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Today You Will Be With Me In Paradise

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Nehemiah 3,4; Luke 23

Today
You Will Be With Me
In Paradise

Scripture

Luke 23

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

⁴⁰ But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? ⁴¹ We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

⁴³ And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Observation

The thief on the cross did not deserve to go to paradise. You and I don’t deserve to go either.

Are you going to paradise when you die?

Jehovah Witnesses talk a lot about paradise. In fact, from what I understand they think that Heaven is already full and if you are good and do the right things then you will get to live in paradise here on Earth.

Heaven is not full! But you and I can’t get there by being good or doing the right things.

You and I just like the thief on the cross do not deserve to go to Heaven. We deserve to go to hell.

In those moments on the cross this one thief realized that he was nailed next to Deity. He realized by faith that Jesus was Who He claimed to be and the thief trusted in Jesus for his salvation.

    For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our . Lord Romans 6:23

Eternal life is a gift. Have you received the Gift of Eternal Life?

    But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12

    "I assure you, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24

   

Application

I know that I will go to Heaven when I die. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me Eternal Life. I will never perish. No one will snatch me away from You, John 10:28

   

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Father, If You Are Willing, Please Take This Cup Of Suffering Away From Me. Yet I Want Your Will To Be Done, Not Mine.

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Nehemiah 1,2; Psalms 133,134; Luke 22

Father, If You Are Willing,
Please Take This Cup Of Suffering Away From Me.
Yet I Want Your Will To Be Done, Not Mine.

Scripture

Luke 22

⁴² “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Observation

Pain and suffering surrounds all of us. If you are like me you are praying and asking God to heal someone who is going through pain and suffering. Cancer and other crippling debilitating diseases attack our lives or the lives of those we love.

We pray for healing. We pray for God to take away the pain and the suffering. Sometimes, many times God says “yes” and He heals those we love.

I deal with pain on a daily basis. Not the intense pain that others experience, but enough to make me feel bad, enough to make me cranky and irritable. I would love for it to go away, but so far that has not been part of God’s plan for my life.

Last night at Wednesday night dinner at our church I sat by a young man named James. Eight years ago James was diagnosed with the disease called MS and for the past 2 years James has been in a wheel chair unable to walk. He is right handed but no longer has much use in his right arm.

He said to me, “Pastor Eddy, I just want to be able to walk again.” My heart goes out to James. Lord, I want James to be able to walk again too. Tears come to my eyes as I write this.

This side of Heaven we are never going to understand pain and suffering.

Father, if you are willing please take this cup of suffering away for James. Yet I want Your will to be done, not ours.

Application

I will continue to pray for those who are going through pain and suffering. I will never give up.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I will never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 (NLT and MESSAGE)

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But She, Poor As She Is, Has Given Everything She Has

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Ezra 9,10; Psalms 131; Luke 21

But She,
Poor As She Is,
Has Given Everything She Has

God doesn’t bless my stinginess … yours either!

Scripture

Luke 21

21 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. ² Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.

³ “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. ⁴ For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Observation

What does the story of the widow and her giving her two small coins have to do with you and me? Everything!

Jesus was teaching us a huge lesson on kingdom living. The lesson at least for me this morning is this: God is not concerned in the amount of my offering, but He is watching how much I hold back for myself. God is concerned with how I use the resources He has provided me. 

Do I trust Him with everything? Does my giving reflect my trust in Him?

I know businessmen that understand this spiritual truth. They are very generous and God blesses them because of their generosity. I also know some businessmen who just don’t seem to understand this kingdom principle and they struggle, really struggle.

But let me get back to me … everyday I am tested with how much I trust my Heavenly Father. He watches me as I make choices. Will I choose to be generous or stingy? God doesn’t bless my stinginess … yours either!

³⁸ Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38

Application

I will look for ways to be generous this week. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to think about this passage as I go about my week. Show me ways that you want to be generous. Don’t let me be stingy. Help me to trust what You say in Your word when you say, “ Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!

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I Felt Encouraged Because The Gracious Hand Of The LORD My God Was On Me.

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Ezra 7,8; Luke 20

I Felt Encouraged
Because
The Gracious Hand Of The LORD My God Was On Me.

God’s gracious hand can be on us to … how? … by …

Scripture

Ezra 7

28b… I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me.

Observation

God moved in the heart of King Artaxerxes, to give Ezra the priest, gold, silver, oil, to furnish the Temple of God and to purchase animals for offering sacrifice.  

God can work in and through any person on this earth! God moves the hearts of men and women.

God moved in the heart of King Artaxerxes and God also moved in the heart of Ezra.

The difference between the two men, King Artaxerxes and Ezra the priest, was that God’s gracious hand was on Ezra.

God’s gracious hand can be on us too … how? … by walking in obedience.

Application

²⁸ Jesus replied, “… blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:28

I will strive to walk in obedience so the gracious hand of the Lord is on me. How about you?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to live out this day in obedience so that I can be encouraged by Your gracious hand. Guide me through this day. Help me to be aware of Your presence every moment. Help me encourage those around me. Don’t let me be discouraged by anything that comes my way today. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Nothing is too hard for You!

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For The Son Of Man Came To Seek And Save Those Who Are Lost

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Esther 9,10; Luke 19

For The Son Of Man
Came To
Seek And Save Those Who Are Lost

If you were to die today where would you spend eternity? 

Scripture

Luke 19

¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Observation

Do you remember when you were spiritually lost? Has there ever been a time in your life when you turned from sin and self and turned to the Lord Jesus Christ and asked Him to save you?

1. If you were to die today where would you spend eternity?

2. If you were at Heaven’s gate and God asked you, “Why should I let you into my Heaven?” What would you say to Him?

Salvation is a conversion experience. Zacchaeus was spiritually lost and Jesus saved him.

What is your story? How did you come to put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation? Think about what I just asked … do you have a God story?

Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Yes … Not yet?

Application

I will continue to share the Gospel with every one I can.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You for my salvation. Thank You for bringing someone into my life to tell me about Jesus. Help me to do the same thing for the people that You bring into my life. Don’t let me miss an opportunity to share my faith.

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We Are Unworthy Servants Who Have Simply Done Our Duty

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Esther 1,2; Psalms 150; Luke 17

We Are
Unworthy Servants
Who Have Simply Done Our Duty

Want to know how to increase your faith?

Scripture

Luke 17

⁹ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. ¹⁰ In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”

Observation

⁵ The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” ⁶ The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea,’ and it would obey you!

⁷ “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? ⁸ No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ ⁹ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. ¹⁰ In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” Luke 17:5-10

…………………

The disciples are struggling with the teaching about forgiveness that Jesus shares with them in verses 1-4. They realize that Jesus is asking them to do something that is humanly impossible – to unconditionally forgive people!

They blurt out in response to His teaching, “Show us how to increase our faith.” He responds to their request with an illustration of a master and the role of his servant and reminds them and He reminds us that we are to just do our duty. 

So how do we increase our faith? We increase our faith by being good servants, or in other words, by being faithful, by being obedient. 

Application

I will strive to do everything that Jesus wants me to do.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name. In the night I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek you. Isaiah 26:8-9 And I will receive from You whatever I ask because I obey You and do the things that please You. 1 John 3:22

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As Soon As I Pray, You Answer Me

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Ezra 5,6; Psalm 138; Luke 16

As Soon
As I Pray,
You Answer Me

Scripture

Psalm 138

³ As soon as I pray, you answer me;
    you encourage me by giving me strength.

Observation

King David realized that his God was listening to his prayers and God didn’t wait or put off answering him.

Sometimes I think that our not seeing God’s answer to our prayers leads us to believe that He has not answered or maybe even that God doesn’t care. David knew God was answering him even if David couldn’t see the answer.

I remember reading in Daniel where Daniel had prayed and God answered his prayer immediately by deploying the angel Gabriel to earth to better explain God’s plan to Daniel. But the angel Gabriel got held up because of spiritual warfare and didn’t arrive until many days later. Daniel 10:12-14

    'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.' Jeremiah 33:3

¹⁶ But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. ¹⁷ Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice. Psalm 55:16-17

Application

I will take this verse by faith and I will hold onto the fact that God hears and answers me when I pray to him.

 Prayer

Because You are my Heavenly Father I have everything that I need. I will call on You and You will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and I know that You hear my voice. 

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He Counts The Stars And Calls Them All By Name

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Zechariah 13,14; Psalms 147; Luke 15

He Counts
The Stars
And Calls Them All By Name

Hallelujah! Yes, praise the Lord!

Scripture

Psalms 147

4 He counts the stars
    and calls them all by name.
⁵ How great is our Lord! His power is absolute!
    His understanding is beyond comprehension!

Observation

As I read this I became curious as to how many stars our scientists say they are. 

Here is a quote from a website and even if it is not exactly accurate I think it gives us an idea of just how big of a God we have by the number of stars He created!

“By measuring the number and luminosity of observable galaxies, astronomers put current estimates of the total stellar population at roughly 70 billion trillion.” (skyandtelescope.com) Another website states, “This amount is about equal to the number of grains of sand on ALL of the beaches on planet Earth!!!”

In other words scientist don’t have a clue how many stars there are! Yet our God has them all counted and named!

It is even more precise to say that our God decided how many stars there would be and has given each one of them its name!

And to think that …

My God, the Creator of the entire Universe delights in me!

10 His pleasure is not in strong horses,
    nor his delight in brave soldiers;
¹¹ but he takes pleasure in those who honor him,
    in those who trust in his constant love.

Application

I will praise the Lord! It is good to sing praise to our God; it is pleasant and right to praise him. (Psalm 147:1)

Prayer

Hallelujah! Yes, praise the Lord!

Praise him in his Temple and in the heavens he made with mighty power. ² Praise him for his mighty works. Praise his unequaled greatness. ³ Praise him with the trumpet and with lute and harp. ⁴ Praise him with the drums and dancing. Praise him with stringed instruments and horns. ⁵ Praise him with the cymbals, yes, loud clanging cymbals.

⁶ Let everything alive give praises to the Lord! You praise him! Psalm 150

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Everyone Who Makes Themselves Important Will Be Made Humble

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Zechariah 10,11,12; Psalms 126; Luke 14

Everyone
Who Makes Themselves Important
Will Be Made Humble

Scripture

Luke 14

¹¹ For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Observation

Pride is my biggest enemy. How about you? Maybe you are too proud to admit it?

Serving God by serving others without worrying about being recognized should be the number one goal in my life.

The only thing that gets in the way of achieving this goal is “me”.

Do you have an “I” problem too?

Everyday you and I must humble ourselves and allow Jesus Christ to take His place as Lord of our lives.

 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

 Application

 I will ask the Lord to be Lord of my life today. I will yield control of my life to Him.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Take control of my life today. Give me Your heart for those around me. Give me Your eyes. Give me the desire to serve You today with all of my heart and soul. Don’t let sin creep into my life and cause me to get off track today. Be glorified and exalted through my life today. You are Worthy of All Praise!

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