October 31 2015 Are your sins counted against you?

Today’s reading was Romans 4 and Jeremiah 48-49

Scripture: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.” Romans 4:7-8

Observation: I love how Paul uses their scriptures to point those he was writing to and us today to the love of God and the Gospel of Grace. Just a few verses before this we are reminded that Abraham’s righteousness was counted to him because he believed God’s promise to him that his decedents would be as numerous as the stars. Then jumps to several hundred years to David who wrote in Psalm 32 the scripture that Paul quoted in Romans 4. 

Application: Just as Paul quoted David’s Psalm we need to remember that we are blessed because of the forgiveness that Jesus brought us on the cross. We are the ragamuffin, we are sinners and lawless. God came to us when we were still sinners to forgive us and call us back into his loving kindness. We need to remember we are all sinners and are needing his forgiveness come and accept the forgiveness and love that God has for us.

Prayer: Lord, help me to daily take my cross and toss it at your feet and not take it up again. You have cut our chains and cast them away and we thank you for that. Give us the strength to walk away from those chains and not go back to the burden that you took on for us and said that you don’t remember what we had done. Lord I think you again that you have delivered us from the evil one and claimed us with all our ugliness.

October 30 2015 I'm a sinner are you?

Today’s Reading was Romans 3, Jeremiah 45-47, and Psalm 86

The Scripture that stuck out to me was Romans 3:22-24, “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”

Observations: I am currently reading a book called The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. This verse in Romans is a foundation to the gospel that Brennan teaches, The Gospel of Grace. The Gospel of Grace is that we are ALL sinners but though the gift of Christ we have been brought into right standing with God.

Application: In case you are like I was for so long saying, “I am a Christian I go to church, my family are Christians. I know God.” But truly not understanding what it means to be a Christian. Christian was explained to me this way, first we have the word Christ witch comes from the Greek for Anointed One Jesus was anointed. Then “ian” was to refer to the “children of” therefore as Christians we are “children of the Anointed One” in Ephesians 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” We are adopted as sons and daughters of God. In being Children of God Romans 8:17 says, “and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Therefore as Children of the Anointed One, all of us Jew and Gentile alike (of witch I am the latter) have no distinction at all in Gods eyes though Jesus. We need to understand the gift of grace and as a Gift we need to accept it.

Prayer: Lord, I come before you and thank you for adopting me as a son and making me an heir with Jesus. I long for the day when I can see your face. I pray that everyone will be given the longing to go deeper into your word and seek you and find your love throughout your word and will see your great gift that you gave us through your son Jesus.

October 29 2015 where is your Priorities?

Today’s reading was Romans 2 Jeremiah 26, 35-36

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Romans 2:21-22  “you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?”

Today My Observation and application go together. This section of scripture is reminding us that we are to not judge others. Yes we are to keep from judging others but how does that look today. We need to not be those people who are one way at church, another at work, and still another when we get home. Getting to the scripture I focused on basically says what ever you are putting into your mind is what is going out of you. I know that when I teach others about something it always reminds me more how to do it. That is part of the reason I started this blog I get more out of teaching others then is do just reading the word.

I have heard many pastors say I’m preaching to myself. That is how I feel about every thing I put out there its not just for you this is what God is speaking to me about. We need to be focused on God, not just for a season or a class this needs to be a continual thing. God want to have fellowship with us. As we draw near to God he will draw near to us. When we have the faith in Jesus we can to tell the devil to flee in Jesus name and he must. We have dominion over this world.

Prayer: Lord, help us to put you in the heist priority; we need your help to seek you first every morning.  Lord, watch over us help us to not judge others, and creating a spirit of encouragement and love in each of us today.

October 28 2015 Can you see me now?

Today’s reading was Romans 1 Jeremiah 23 & 25

The scripture that jumped out at me was Jeremiah 23:23-24, “Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? Declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? Declares the Lord.”

Observation: I love how we get to see the sarcastic side of God some times. There are a few different places that I have seen it but my favorite is in Job 38 & 39 where God is answering Job’s questions with what I see as sarcastic rhetorical questions to help Job know his place, like Job we sometimes seed that too.

Application: What I’m seeing today is that God is reminding us that he is close to us always. As Christians we have his presence in us though the Holy Spirit. With God’s presences everywhere we can’t hide from God there is no secret place we can go that he can’t see us. In this that means we need to honor God with our lives no matter who is looking or not. It is so easy to get to the point where we are driving our car and someone cuts you off or just drives stupid and we start yelling at them, or we are home alone and we think hey I can get on the internet and look at things that are not what God wants us to be looking at. Remember that everything you do God is rite there with you doing it with you.

Prayer: Lord, we com before you today thank you for the great blessings that you have poured out on us and thank you for another day to worship and seek you Lord. We thank you for always being near and giving us your Holy Spirit to help anchor us in you. Lord we lift us our struggles with what we let out of our mouth and what we let into our hearts and minds though our eyes and ears. Help us to keep away from the things that cause us to fall.

October 27 2015 I don't get it.

Today’s reading was Acts 28, 2 Kings 24, and Jeremiah 22

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Acts 28:26-27 ‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Observation: This scripture stood out to me because of the fact that I have seen it in many places. Starting where everyone quoted is in Isaiah 6:9-10, then the Gospels record Jesus saying it in Matthew 13:14-15 and Mark 4:12. When a scripture is repeated multiple times it shows importance. Then there is the fact that Jesus quoted it as well giving it that much more credence and weight.

Application: We need to be diligent about seeking the Lord, if we are not open to the word and are like so many people in this world who dismiss the word for one reason or another.  It is easy for us to fall into that way of thinking and find ourselves being those who the verse was talking about, hearing but not understanding. To be able to perceive we have to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit working in and though us as well as being intentional about our time with God and his word. Find a reading plan and a journal about what you are reading.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be intentional with our walk with you, help us to set aside time that is yours where we spend time in your word and speaking to you. Help us to find that constant communication with you though out our day.

October 26 2015 Are you listening?

Today’s reading was Acts 27, Jeremiah 19 & 20 and Psalm 146

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Acts 27:10-11 “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said.”

Observation: We are called to share God’s love and insight to those around us. Paul tried to warn the Centurion from continuing the journey other wise there will be loss. Even though Paul told them that there would be loss if they continue the sailors convinced the Centurion that Fair Haven was not a good place to stay. I bet is sounded something like;

“Hey you don’t want to stay here, its boring and there will be nothing to do until spring when we can go again, But up in Phoenix there are lots of people and plenty to do over the winter. We ant to go 

there where we can find women to keep us warm.” 

That is how I read the Bible some times putting a human element into it. As they continued on they lost everything except their lives.

Application: We as God’s people need to listen and heed God’s warnings in our lives. Some times it’s a whisper in the breeze and other times it’s a 2X4 upside the head. Once we hear the voice of God we are also called to share what God placed on out heart. Before sharing always be sure to check what you are hearing against God’s word if it is from God then they will always support each other.

Prayer: Lord, help us to hear your voice and understand it. Give us the insight to verify what we are hearing and share it with those who need to hear you.

October 25 2015 May I have some more, Please?

Today’s reading was Act 25 & Jeremiah 17 & 18.

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Jeremiah 17:7-8, “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Observation: First to understand this we need to know what it means to be “Blessed” Many people use their fleshly eyes when looking at blessings we are going to have wealth and prosperity and want for nothing, this I believe is a false teaching. I’m not saying that God will not provide and he wants us to be poor but in westerner society has morphed blessing into a prosperity teaching. As I see it the blessing that is being talked about is the fruit of the spirit, Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” This is where the rest of the scripture jumped out, planted by the water… does not fear the heat…does not cease to bear fruit.

Application: We need to be that tree planted by the stream and always producing fruit. To do so we need to look at what this stream is. This stream is God and his word we are to be planted in the word of God always, continually be in communication with him. Like the song by Steven Curtis Chapman Let us pray says; “Let us pray, let us pray, everywhere in every way. Every moment of the day, it is the right time. Let us pray without end and when we finish start again. Like breathing out and breathing in, let us pray.” We are to always be speaking and listening to God, The best way to get yourself in tune with God’s voice is to become familiar with is God’s voice by diving deep into his word daily. The more time you spend listening to God speak though his word the more you will be able to hear him in your daily life.

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for the promise of your blessings, the ones we have seen and the ones we have yet to see. We thank you for another day to worship and praise you and see more wonders that you have in store for us. Lord, help us to plant ourselves Near your stream of living water and help us to know your voice and respond to you.

October 24 2015 Are you Guilty?

Today’s reading was Act 25, Jeremiah 15 & 16, and Psalm 10

The scripture that stood out to me was Acts 25:11 “If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.”

Observation: Paul had been summoned again and those accusing him had nothing but a dispute about the resurrection of Jesus our Christ. After having two governors hearing his case and finally king Festus hearing it and asking him if he wanted to go back to Jerusalem to be tried there he pulled his trump card out, as a Roman Citizen he can appeal to Caesar himself. Paul was saying that I’m a citizen and I want to go to the highest court to plead his case there witch would be sharing the Gospel with Cesar.

Application: There are a couple ways that I am seeing an application in this, first is don’t claim to be innocent of something you have done. We are all found guilty of our sins and though Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, he paid the penalty for us so that we can be in rite standing with God.  

Second application I saw was when we are innocent we need to appeal to the highest court. As citizens of heaven that court is in heaven with God, meaning pray for all those involved and seek God direction in that situation. We are told that we will be despised for Christ’s sake. John 15:18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the Great gift you have poured out on this world though your Son, Christ Jesus. You have taken away our sins and washed us white as fresh fallen snow. You provide such great blessings giving us what we need both physically and spiritually. Lord, I ask you to help me to stop claiming innocence of things I know I have in my life and surrender it to you and seek you and default to your love and will when people come against me and I am innocent. Help me to appeal to your courts not the courts of my mind or of the world.

October 23 2015 Where are you inclining your heart to?

Today’s reading was Acts 24, Jeremiah 13 & 14 and Psalm 141

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Psalm 141:4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds in company with men who work iniquity, and let me not eat of their delicacies!

Observation: To me this was a cry of my heart like it was a cry of David’s I don’t want to be going after evil things and let wicked things get you unfocused from the things of God.

Application: It is so easy to let the things of this world distract us and get our focus off of God. Starting at the end of the verse with “let me not eat of their delicacies” I feel that this is talking about the pleasures of sin. Sin is pleasurable for a time like a decadent meal it is good wail it lasts but once you are done with that meal you are back to your normal things. God does not say we can’t enjoy that pleasures of this world but we are to do it in a way not to sin. That is where the first section comes in of seeking God and not letting our hearts incline or go after evil or do things with people who do things we are called out of. We will have a Microphone in the life of people who do what we did, but we are not to go back to doing that after being raised up called out.

Prayer: Lord, help us to incline out hearts only to you and seek your daily. We thank you that you have given us such a great beautiful world to live in and enjoy every day we just ask your holy spirit to touch us so that we can know what to walk away from and when to talk away.

October 22 2015 Can you run with horses?

Today’s reading Act 23, Jeremiah 11&12, and Psalms 97

The Scripture that stood out to me today was Jeremiah 12:5a “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses?”

Observation: This Scripture reminded me of 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” And these are showing that God knows there are Challenges ahead of us. There are going to be things set before us that don’t seem possible but he has called us to do it. We need to keep the faith and keep moving forward and finish that race.

Application: We need to prepare for what is to come there are going to be trials and tribulations in our lives. With God, who can stand against us? To prepare for and know if we are running the right race and fighting the right fight we need to stay in the word and seek the Lord. The more time you send in the work and fellowshipping with God and his people the better you will become at overcoming the trials and tribulations of this world. You need to know who to overcome the evil one in Jesus name. Don’t come into a trial without having the full armor of God on.

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek you and use your word to prepare us for the trials that are coming. Help us to run with horses.

October 21 2015 "Who am I"

Today’s Reading was Acts 22 and Jeremiah 9&10

The scripture that stood out to me was Acts 22:27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

Observations: Paul a Roman Citizen knew the laws and customs of what the government could do to him. Later he attests to the fact that he was born a Roman as the Tribune had bought his way into the citizenship.  Also Paul knew who he was both in relationship to the government and God. As Paul knows who he is in the eyes of the government and God we need to know and understand that we also have a citizenship that is above the common. In Ephesians 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,” This is telling us though Jesus we have been Adopted into the Kingdom of heaven.

Application: We need to accept the gift of that adoption and claim the new citizenship and all the perks that come with. We are to live as citizens of our new home. I have come to like the phrase “Not Of This World” it reminds me that I’m just a sojourner here and just passing though and I nee to keep God and my home as my primary focus.

Pray: Lord, help us to focus on where we are adopted into and there our home is now. You have great blessings in store for each of us and we just need to open ourselves and see you and your kingdom. We thank you for the blessings that you have already poured out on us and say thank you in advance of those on their way.

October 20 2015 What Fruit?

Today’s reading was Acts 21 and Jeremiah 7&8

The Scripture that stuck out to me today was Jeremiah 8:13 When I would gather them, declares the Lord, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave them has passed away from them.

Observation: When I read this if reminded my of when Jesus cursed the fig tree in Matthew 21 “And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once.” A plant with no fruit is little use, in Jeremiah 8:13 God is warning his people about not having fruit and the story in Matthew speaks to having the appearance of fruit yet not having any.

Application: Matthew 7:20 Jesus said “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” We are all known by out fruits. Whether we are producing fruit, not producing fruit, or even producing bad fruit, we will be know not only by the Father but by man. The fruit of man is so easily corrupted and spoiled we need to focus on the Lord and producing His fruit.

Prayer: Lord Help us to seek you Lord so that we may produce good fruit and spread the word though people wanting to know what is making us different.

October 19 2015 Don't be alarmed.

Today’s reading Was Jeremiah 5&6 and Acts 20

The scripture that stuck out to me was Act 20:10b-11 “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed.

Observation: After raising Eutychus from the dead Paul had a midnight snack and went back to teaching, he didn’t make a big deal of it or call attention to it, instead said He’s good. I the same way Jesus would do miracles and not draw attention to the fact that it was done.

Application: First and foremost with the Authority and Dominion God has given us we have the ability in Christ’s name to heal and raise people. Second we need to have unyielding faith that is will be done. Third we need to not draw attention to the fact that we did it. It is awesome to see and be apart of a miracle but that we are not here to say look at me or get praised.  Matt 6:5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” I Believe that this applies to great things we are to do in Christ’s name.

Lord help us to have the faith to do what we are called to do and claim the authority and Dominion over this world that you gave us.

October 18th 2015

Today’s reading was Acts 19 and Jeremiah 3&4.

SOAP= Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
If you would like to read along I am reading the first two sections of the OSL reading plan. One day in the future I may start doing all three sections. I just encourage you to get into the Word daily if the word is not being read then how can your spirit connect to God. 

The scripture that popped out to me today was Acts 19:23b “there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way.”

My Observation was: I love the way the author of Acts described this riot in Ephesus, “no little disturbance” as we continue to read we find that this Demetrius guy got everyone in an uproar and many of them had no clue what was going on. This entire thing was started by a man afraid of loosing his livelihood because of someone (Paul) was telling people that their gods were not gods. Paul was spreading the good news of grace and forgiveness known then as “The Way” and this was how to be saved and go to heaven.

My application was: we can expect “no little disturbance” if we are doing what God calls us to do. There will be those who will see the truth and fallow The Way and others that will appose us and many who don’t know that they are for or against, and are just there because there is a riot to be apart of.  As writing this I was reminded of a song from 1995 by the artist Carman called R.I.O.T Righteous Invasion of Truth. We are called to start riots by invading this world with the truth of God’s love.

Lord Help us to speak boldly and have the strength to keep speaking out when the world comes against me, help us create a riot for you Lord that can not be contained.

More blessed then I know.

Recently we have started the process of buying a house. When we started we had a list of things that we wanted and started looking for a place and we would find townhouses and condos in our price range we could afford, but we wanted a house a place for your family to grow. Having such a hard time finding something we started thinking maybe we would have to stay in our apartment and deal with the struggle of apartment living for another year. As we struggled we continued to pray for the things we wanted.

As we relinquished our home to God, I happened to find this house in the small town I grew up in. In the pictures it looked to be everything we were looking for and started thinking that this would be to good to be true. The house was a little more then we were thinking. The day I found the house online I drove by the house seeing that it was perfect for our little family I got my wife to contact our realtor so we could go look at the home.

When we came to look we found the pictures did do it justice and the house was everything we expected it to be. We fell in love with this little house and immediately we started praying over this house and the family that lived there as we went and wrote up an offer. The next day they asked for another day because they had promised someone that they could come look at the house. That day we wrote a letter to the sellers letting them know about us and what we would hope to do in this home if the accept our offer and what it would mean to us.

The next day we received a letter in response, accepting our offer and we started the process of getting the inspections and having repairs and things done. Though out this process we found that this family were also believers. One of the first things that we saw that helped us to know that this was God's will for us was a verse we had made pivotal in our wedding was decoratively displayed on the wall by the front door. The verse is Joshua 24:15 "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

We have now been in this home for a few months trying to adjust to new schedules and new bills when my student loan payment increased, other  bills were higher then expected and we didn't know how we were doing to pay our bills when a friend asked if I was interested in a job that would put me in a way back into the industries that I left after going to school. I thought why not I have always enjoyed working with my hands and I have not been enjoying my work after being moved to a position I didn't want.

So just as things got tight enough that I though about reducing how much we give to the church to get by, we resolved to not reduce it and we would figure it out as it comes. The Lord paced this job before me and blessed us with a job where I will be making $3/hour more then what i had been making, cut my driving distance in half, and gave me a schedule that allows me time with my family and more time to serve and fellowship with those around me. On top of these blessings that we can see and measure we also know that he has been making things last longer then normal and protecting us from the evil one.

We are standing with out mouths wide open expecting more and knowing that we can never out give God so as we have been blessed we do our best to bless others. Let us all feed and tend the sheep around us, we are called to be that light to the world, God has given us this home He is welcome here and we want to be sure that his people are welcome as well and not just the saved ones.

October 17 2015 Something new

The Lord has placed a bit of a urging on my heart. This urging is to share the readings I’m going though and what the Lord is speaking to and though me. I recently started taking the second level of an intense discipleship program called OSL (Operation Solid Lives). This program has a reading pain and part of it the strongly encourage you to journal about what you are reading using the SOAP Method.

If you are not familiar with the SOAP method it is taking time to write in but what you are reading. For instance today’s reading was Acts 17 and Jeremiah 1-2 and out of that reading the scripture that spoke to me was Jeremiah 1:7 “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” This would be your S of SOAP the Scripture that spoke to you today.

Next is the O and the O is your observations about the scripture that the Lord made stand out to you. You can read the same scripture many times and because of the difference in your life sense the last time you read it something different will speak to you.

Today my observation: We all love to quote Jer 1:5 where god says that he knew us before we were formed in our mothers womb, but forget the context of that verse. God was sending Jeremiah out and appointing this kid as a profit to go out and tell people what God said this or that. I that day any age youth were not considered anything or anyone until they became a man.

Next we have the A and A is for application. This is what you feel and hear God telling you as how to incorporate this scripture into your life.  Yes I do believe that you need to test what you are hearing by testing it against other scripture God’s word will never contradict itself therefore if the Holy Spirit give you an application and other scripture uphold that you know its from God and it’s a good application.

Today’s Application: We need to remember that not only that God knew us before we were formed, but also that even as youths ether physically or just in faith we are sent out. We are called to shine the light into the world so that they will know God as well.

Finally the P is for Prayer this is simple write down the pray you have on this situation and what is going on in your life if you like.

Prayer for today: Lord help us to hear your voice, to go and speak to those you tell us. You have called us to speak into the lives of those around us give us the boldness to overcome our objections and share your love.