March 28, 2017 You are there!!!!

Reading: John 19, Numbers 2 and Psalm 46

Scripture: Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Observation: Growing up I heard the first part of this scripture hundreds maybe even thousands of times. Today it hit me that the second half of the verse was not really talked about. 

Application: The reminders I got growing up of God being my refuge always gave me a picture of a Large house or building that I knew was somewhere i could run to if a star was coming. Then being my Strength because growing up I was a very skinny guy and didn’t have much muscle to speak of I had this mental image that God made me bigger then the guys the worked out all the time. It is so easy to when we are in the middle of something where we can’t see our own thoughts beyond the trial let alone seek God, But the second half of the verse said a very present help. This tells me that he is never far from us and is always willing to help us though a situation we just need to seek him and fallow what he has or us. 

Prayer: Father I love you and you are so wonderful. I thank you for sending you son to pay the price for us. I thank you for being near to us as our refuge, strength and being there when when we are in trouble. I thank you doe your blessings and provisions that you take care of each day. I ask you help us to stay in your word and see you, as that is the only way to be able to have you in the forefront of our mind when the trials come. 

March 27, 2017 Thats not fair!!!!!!!

Reading: John 18 and Numbers 1

Scripture: Numbers 1:49-50, "Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle. 

Observation: I know that it is human nature to want what we don’t have or say things like “Why doesn’t he have to do this too?” So as each tribe and household came up and reported the number of men 20 years old and up to find over 600000 men who were of age for war. I would think there were some mom in those groups thinking why do my husband and sons need to be in this army and those Levites got out of it. 

Application: Just because we are not getting the think we think we need to have because others are getting is or thinking that it’s not fair that those people don’t have to participate in something. The levites as those in charge of the tabernacle and the ark they were not in the army but not being in the army my guess is they also didn’t get to go into the cities to take things after a battle and didn’t get portion of the land they got cities. To me this is a great reminder that God has different jobs for each of us and different compensations for that job. We are called to do what we are called to do and be good stewards of what we are given. 

Prayer: Father I thank you so much for having a job for me and the provisions and blessings you give us. You are so amazing and I fall to my knees before you and worship you. I ask that you help us to see that even though our jobs and pay can differ we are all working to your glory.

March 22, 2017 What you are going to do, do quickly.

Reading: John 13, Leviticus 20-21

Scripture: John 13:26-27  , Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly." 

Observation: For the longest time I thought that when Jesus did this and called out Judas that he was going to betray him I pictured it as this big ah ha moment where he points out to everyone there. As I read this a different picture came to me. As they sat there after Jesus had said someone would betray him, Peter turns pokes John whispering, “Hey ask him who it is!?!?” Then John turns to Jesus and asked him starting verse 26, I don’t think is was loud or made a big deal because when Jesus then gets Judas’ attention and said, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” That got everyones attention because at that point John make a point that people though he was going to go do something for Jesus to prepare for the feast or give to the poor. Why would the others be thinking that if Jesus had made a big announcement that Judas was the betrayer and wouldn’t he change his plans if he was called out. I don’t know if there is a great theological debate over this of differing views but after reading this account again this is how I read it. I also don’t think it was just the twelve and Jesus in the upper room at this point in his ministry he had over a hundred followers but the twelve were those closest to him and were chosen, later it says that when they chose someone to replace judas he had to have been with them from the beginning. At the prayer after the Ascension of Christ there were over 120 people there so my thought would be that at least some of them were there at the supper too. 

Prayer: Father I thank you that you open our minds and hearts to your word, and thank you that you gave us this living word that is sharper then any two edged sward. I thank you for your provisions and blessings you have for us and ask that you help us to seek you every day. 

March 21, 2017 How do i get out of this??????

Reading: John 12 Leviticus 18-19

Scripture: John 12:27, "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.

Observation: I don’t know how many times I was going through something and though and even prayed “Lord take this from me.” When it comes to temptations and trials in our lives he has three ways he helps us with them. 

Application: The first way is God will deliver us from the trial, He May put distance between us and the situation removing the temptations. Second he will strengthen us through the trial. He may not take it from us but he may give us the strength and joy to get though the trial, a great example is the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace. God protected them in the fire. Third is he will deliver us by the trial. This means that there may be situations that we go through that could bring us home to heaven. Just like the female student at Columbine High School  shooting where she would not renounce God and they killed her for it. God will help us through all situations when we ask his help may just come in a form we don’t know or understand

Prayer: Father I thank you for the help and deliverance you have given me thus far in my life and I ask you to help open our eyes to the help you provide. I thank you for your provisions and blessings. I pray for the hearts and souls of all who are affected by tragic lose show your love to them through you church. 

March 20, 2017 The Scape Goat

Reading: John 11 and Leviticus 16-17

Scripture: Leviticus 16:20-22, "And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.

Observation: At times I like to look into the history of a word or saying just because I find them interesting and today I was reminded where the term “Scape Goat” came from. Aaron would have to confess everything the people did over this goat before sending it into the wilderness. As good as it would have been for that goat after watching the bull and other goat get sacrificed right in front of it and as Aaron comes up to it with blood all over him and then just being sent into the wilderness.  

Application: I am grateful that we don’t have to every time we sin bring an animal sacrifice to an alter. I know that there would be lots of blood on my hands. Jesus being guiltless and the spotless lamb paid the price one and for all. We no longer need a scape goat to send our sins out of camp Jesus paid the price we just have to accept that free gift by believing he did what he said he would do. 

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful giving us a picture of how your son would fulfill the covenant you made with Abraham and Moses and creating a new one with us today. I thank you for sending your son to be that sacrifice so that we could have the eternal life with you. I thank you for your provisions and blessings. I ask that you help open our eyes to the truth of your love and the blessings you have for us. 

March 18, 2017 I can see Clearly Now!!!!

Reading: John 9 and Leviticus 14

Scripture: John 9:25, He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 

Observation: Growing up in the church the word testimony scared the snot out of me. Not only do I have the fear of speaking in front of crowds as most people do I also was scared about what I should say or do during the times I would be asked to speak. I would also have that fear with praying in a group, I would think I would need to have these long eloquent prayers with thees that thous in them. 

Application: When it comes down to it I learned that God is not going to only listen to the King James prayers where it would be helpful to add a few marbles into your mouth when praying. The first language that God’s word was written in was Hebrew so if we were to need to pray in the original languages we would have to be in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. God does not care how many times you say his name, he does not care what language you use, all he wants is for us to develop our relationship with him and talk to him. When it comes to our testimonies just like the blind man said, “One think I do know, that though I was blind , now I see.” All we need to do is say this is where God found me and this is what he has done in my life thus far and I am still a work in progress.

Prayer: Father I thank you for saving me and opening my eyes to the truth of your love and the gift of your forgiveness and eternal life. I thank you for the provisions you give us each day and the blessings you grant us. I ask you to help give us the boldness to tell our story and to pray every day. 

March 17, 2017 Hey you do look that Old!?!?!?

Reading: John 8 and Leviticus 13

Scripture: John 8:58, Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 

Observation: This morning I don’t have anything really jump out at me saying this is what I needed to write about. This passage I like and enjoy the reminders that come from it. I have to admit that The Trinity is one of the hardest things for us humans to gasp, there are many analogies out there like The Trinity is like an egg. These analogies are the best way we have to explain. This passage is one of those times where The son used a term that was associated with the father to describe himself. Moses was told tell them “I Am sent you” and here Jesus said “before Abraham was, I Am.” All of the trinity, that is God was present in the beginning and each show up in different manifestations though the word. The book and movie The Shack shows the trinity as three people but there are times they act as the same entity and I thought this was an interesting depiction of Father Son and Holy Spirit. There are many times I need the reminder that God “IS”, he is not a “was.” It is easy to think of God as an abstract idea of a force from the past but He started it all, he has been here through all the ups and downs, and he will be here after we join him in heaven.

Prayer: Father you are so amazing and I stand in wonder before you. I thank you for thinking of me each and every day and that you love me enough to know the hairs on my head and collect every tear I cry. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you have for us each and every day. I ask that you help us to keep you in our hearts minds and on our lips. 

March 16, 2017 Snap Judgment

Reading: John 7 and Leviticus 11-12

Scripture: John 7:50-51, Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?"

Observation: Nicodemus being a Pharisee knew the law and after spending time with Jesus knew that he didn’t deserve death as so many religious people were calling for. Then he used his knowledge to try to convince those seeking his life that maybe they should sit down with him and learn what he is saying first before sentencing.

Application: I know I have the tendency to snap judgements. Just the other day for my job I had to go into a gentlemen’s club to replace a bar-gun. Later that night at a men’s group we were talking about the situation I was in and said, “I felt sorry for those girls most of them who get into that industry have something broken inside causing them to seek that attention.” What Nicodemus is saying before we judge some we truly need to know them and what motivates them before we say anything. I am lucky that I have the opportunity to go back when they are not open to do some more work and I will be praying over that building and the girls that work there. 

Prayer: Father, I love you so much and I thank you that you give me the opportunities be your light. I thank you for the provisions you have for us and the blessings you give us each day. I ask you to be with the young ladies of the adult entertainment industry, I ask that you touch them in a way only you can and help them to be drown to you. I claim the downfall of these den’s of debauchery though out my city, county, and state. I thank you for the focus you gave me during the business hours I was at this club to do the work needed and ask you help me to keep my eye strait ahead and not look to the left or the right. 

March 14 2017, Answer the question!?!?!?

Reading: John 5 and Leviticus 7-8

Scripture: John 5:6-7, When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me

Observation: What struck me when reading this was how often I don’t answer the questions  that have been asked of me, or even listen to others. In this day and age in this part of the world it has become easy to be self-reliant thinking we don’t need help from anyone and don’t want anything from anyone. Even though just like this lame man we need someones help. 

Application: Not only do we need wot quiet ourselves so we can listen to God and hear him properly. We need to stop wining that no one is helping get in the pool when God has offered to make us whole. 

Prayer: Father I thank you for making me whole and pouring out your forgiveness on me when I fall on my face. I thank you for your provisions and blessings you give us daily. I ask that you help us to hear you better and answer the questions asked and find the truth you have for us. 

March 8th, 2017 Now you've done it?!?!!??!

Reading: Romans 15 and Exodus 34-35

Scripture: Exodus 34:1, The Lord said to Moses, "Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.”

Observation: I know that I have a tendency to throw things when I'm getting frustrated. Over the years I have gotten much better about it but I could easily see why when Moses came down and saw the them worshiping this golden calf just throwing them down and I would have screamed and yelled at them. 

Application: We don’t know how much time passed between when he broke the tablets and when God told him to make new ones. No matter if Moses had time to cool down for a few hours or days but then God comes and says in the morning have these new tablets ready. Moses had a short amount of time to with only hand tools to carve these tables. I know I have had to replace or repair the things I have broken and the hole time I’m there going what was I so stupid I will never do that again. As much as God loves us and wants us to be with him in heaven and has and will continue to forgive us but there is alway a consequence for Moses if was that he had to make the new tablets for us it could be a repair or replacement of something or a broken relationship that takes lots of time and work to repair.

Prayer: Father I love you and I stand amazed at how you love us. I thank you for your love, your provisions and the blessings you pour out on us each and every day. I come asking to help us to learn to control our anger and frustration and to release it in a way that honors your and does not lead us into sin. 

March 7th, 2017 Gimme Gimme Gimme Gimme!!!

Reading: Romans 14, Exodus 32-33 and Psalm 1

Scripture: Exodus 32:1, When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, "Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."

Observation: So often we think ourselves better then the Israelites because we don’t have to sacrifice or do all these rituals that they had back then. God many times called the Israelites a stiff necked people, that appears to me to be saying they are stubborn and set in their ways and that could be putting it lightly. On top of being stubborn they were also impatient. 

Application: Just as these Israelites had been in Egypt for 400 years and most likely started falling into the Polytheistic mentality of the land they were in after being brought out by God’s mighty hand and they were in a lull in miracles they went back to what they new, “make us gods”. We need to be carful of that same mentality happening to us. We have grown up in a world that is growing more and more free and accepting of things God calls us to keep ourselves from. Just like the Israelites we want to go back to what we know and if we were not raised in the church or had walked away we know the pleasures of the world and know the instant gratification that has become so easy.  

We have to watch ourselves when it comes to the ways of the world and being like the Israelites. It is easy to go back to what we know and walk away from the blessings God has for us. By staying in the word, staying in fellowship and having accountability partners we can grow closer to God and in growing closer becoming more like him. 

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful and I thank you for all you do for us providing for all our needs and blessing us in ways we don’t always see. I ask that you bring into our life people who will draw us closer to you and help us to dive deeper into your word daily. 

March 6th, 2017 I Love you Man!!

Reading: Romans 13, Exodus 30-31 and Psalm 132

Scripture: Romans 13:8, Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 

Observation: Paul just finished with entire section about submitting to authority because the is no authority outside God. Then he goes on to giving things to those to whom they are owed. Then in many Bibles comes this little heading or topic that was not in the original writing just like there was no chapter and verse, making many people think topic change.

Application: Just as the law of love will fulfill the laws that were part of the Jewish traditions at the time, but also would go back to submitting to the authority. When you love (verb) someone, you want to do things for them you want to do what is best for them and you want to provide for them. Loving someone works no matter if the are above, below or to the side of your authority.

Prayer: Father You are so amazing. I thank you for all you have done for us, you provide all things we need and bless us with things we want. I ask that you help us to see your love and show and share love with all who are around us. You give us so much help us to give back to those around us love those around us.   

March 2, 2017 Am I dishonorable???

Reading: Romans 9, Exodus 23 ,and Psalm 119:137-176

Scripture: Romans 9:21, Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 

Musings: I’m not sure why this pops out to me almost every time I read it, maybe its because it sounds like God creates for dishonorable use. First thing this passage makes me feel like Am I made for dishonorable use? As I go back and start reading a little more closely to the context of this passage I start seeing the comparison to God showing mercy and hardening the hearts. It is so easy to look at something out of context and read the wrong things into it. As God was using Moses to bring his people out of Egypt God was showing mercy on Israel and hardening the hart of Pharaoh so that he could show his power and existence to the people of Israel. An interesting fact that in Egyptian history it has been discovered that after many hundreds maybe thousands of year of being Polytheistic (believing in many gods) there was this one Pharaoh after an event (possibly the plagues and exodus of Israel) changed their nation to a Monotheistic culture. What this passage and context I think is trying to say is whether God uses mercy, correction or a hardening of the heart his goal is alway to reveal himself to us so we can develop a relationship with him. God place us in the lives of others so that we can be a witness to the grace and mercy in our lives, as we do our part to reach out to others God will work on them in the arias they need. 

Prayer: Father it is amazing how through hardening and correction in the lives of others can bring about a belief. I thank you for offering us your mercy and correction and being sparing with the hardening. I thank you for your provisions and blessings in my life. I ask that you help us to be the light in this dark and lost world. 

March 1, 2017 DADDY DADDY DADDY DADDY!!!!!!!

Reading: Romans 8, Exodus 22 and Psalm 119:97-136

Scripture: Romans 8:15, For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" 

Observation: This jumped out at me because of what I read yesterday about how slaves are to be teated.  

Application: Paul said that we have a spirit of slavery in that God is our master and with him as our master we don’t need to fear. Moreover we have been adopted as sons and daughters and we have the right to cry our to our Heavenly Father as Daddy. As a father it melts my heart when kids cry out for their daddy to come help them and this has given me another perspective on how God views us.

Prayer: Daddy I love you and I am in amazement of your great power and grace. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you pour out on us each day. I ask that you help us to have the correct perspective of you one of a loving father waiting to pick us up and hold us close when we fall but also one that will help us to stay on the correct path.