Bless who?

Reading: Job 32-33, Psalm 61 and John 21

 

Scripture: Psalm 61:6-7, Prolong the life of the king; may his years endure to all generations! May he be enthroned forever before God; appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

 

Thoughts: listening to the way David wrote this Psalm it would seem that is was written when he was being perused by king Saul. When you have some pursuing you and trying to kill you, how many of us want to bless that person that is pursuing us? It is not in our nature to bless our enemies. Not only do we have these examples of David who is call a man after God’s own heart but Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek and to go the extra mile. Where is your extra mile?

 

Prayer: Father God, you are above all things, and created all things. You own the cattle on a thousand hills, and I thank you that you allow me to steward a portion of it. I thank you that you are always working in my life, leading and guiding me, molding and refining me. Open my heart to hear whom you want me to bless in your name and to go the extra mile for. Open my heart and mind the your leading and creative in me a man after your own heart. 

Practice makes .....

Reading: Job 13-14 and John 12

Scripture: John 12:49-50, For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.

Thoughts: This morning I was reading Moments with You by Denis and Barbra Rainey, and in todays Devotion they talked about writing a deed to your life and signing it over to God, and in doing so that we need to work on being selfless and when we sign it all over to God we work on doing all things that would show his authority in our lives. Then at the end of chapter 12 Jesus says he is only speaking and doing what the father say and does. When we take the time to release our selfish desires and seek the Father and listen to him, we start acting more like the Father. Yes, we will mess up, Yes, we will fall back into our selfishness, but with practiced listening and choosing God and His ways we will less often fall into those temptations. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. (Matt 6:33) 

Prayer: Father God you are the one who created it all, your grace and mercy abounds. You own the cattle on a thousand hills and you know the hairs on my head. I thank you that you are molding and refining me every day. In this time of change from one year to another, from one job to another, and from one way of thinking to another, I ask that you lead me and guide me, I ask that you help me to find the rhythm of life and that you are remaining my focus, and any place where you are being replaced in my priorities be put into it’s proper place and that you are the first in my life. 

Who sinned?????

Reading: Job 7-8 and John 9

Scripture: John 9:3, Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.  

Thoughts: One of the great and terrible questions that get brought to Christians is, “why does God let bad things happen?” Normally my answer it because we live in a fallen world and are given free will, and because we being called to by the sin and there are those who live in that sin there is evil in this world. Also this man who was blind from birth being thought of ether his parents sinning or he sinned in the womb. Jesus said that neither are true but he was born this way not to suffer but to show God’s glory. I have heard Romans 8:28 quoted to just say it will all work out, or God has a reason for this. Sure the sins in the world around us and the free will of the world bring all sorts of pain and hurt into our  lives, but it is how we walk though the situation and how we are showing God’s love through it all. We all have sinned no matter if it was a little white lie or you have killed hundreds we all have fallen short and need the redemption of Jesus Christ. The situation you are in may or may not be of your own making but when you release it to God and seek him he will help you to be restored. 

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful, you know the hairs on my head and the day of my life. You are the one who knit me together in my mother’s womb. I thank you that you are working in me that you are molding and refining me every day, that I may grow into deeper understanding. I ask that you help me to walk though my situations and to over come the struggles of living in a fallen world.