I can do it my self!!!

Reading: Exodus 18-19 and Romans 8

Scripture: Exodus 18:13-14, The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?”

Thoughts: We have all had those moment when we say to someone or even just to ourselves, “I will just do it myself.” There are many situations where deciding to do it yourself is a valid options but most of the time when we say it is when someone it not doing something to your standards or fast enough for you. Just this weekend I spent my time doing little building projects with my kids. My 7-year-old daughter built a bird house, and my 5-year-old son built a wood racecar. There were lots of times where I wanted to take the hammer and nails away from them and just do it, because they didn’t know how, they are weaker and inexperienced in swinging a hammer, so they were very slow. If I would have taken over and just put them together, they would not be proud of these projects and they would not have learned anything. Moses was being the judge for Israel and not letting the people learn and grow but setting up the levels of judges and Moses was working himself into an early grave. We need to take the advice of Jethro and not take on every burden and every thing out there. Not only are we not called to carry the burdens of the world and do it all ourselves, along with our brothers and sisters in Christ, God has said that we are not going in alone we have Holy Spirit with us whom that Lord will channel his power through. 

Prayer: Father God, you are our wise councilor, you are the rally point, and the strength to overcome. I thank you that you are here with me every day, that you sent your son to pay the price that I can have the opportunity to walk with you as Adam once did. I thank you that you are here molding me and refining me into that man you have called. I thank you that you called the all and will equip those willing to step out and walk in that calling. 

It is coming!!!

Reading: Genesis 37-38 and Acts 20

Scripture: Acts 20:22-23, And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.

Thoughts: It has been my experience, and has been throughout the Bible that when we are given a direction and call from God, we tend to get of find opposition. When I heard God say to go pray for my aunt, I found all sorts of opposition within myself. Some were I had not talk to my aunt in years, I didn’t really feel like driving 300 mile one way, and it was a work day. Paul was set to go to Jerusalem and all along his trip everyone kept telling him that he was heading to prison and affliction. We may not be going to face imprisonment and affliction the way Paul did, but like Paul we have a calling to share the Gospel every were we go, and sometime we have a specific call like me to my aunt. I got to be a part of God healing my aunt because I listened despite all the thoughts and obstacles I saw. What have you been putting off and is it time to take that step? 

Prayer: Lord God you are the one who lead me and guides me. You own the cattle on a thousand hill, you created and love all, yet you still know me and the hairs on my head. I thank you that you are hear with me and leading me and guiding me. I thank you that you are molding and refining me every day. I thank you for you provisions and blessing that you pour out on us to steward. I thank you for the ability and opportunity to steward my family. I ask that you help me to continue to listen and walk the path you call me to. That you help me see the next steps as you promised when you said “I am the light to your path” 

I didn't know I didn't know

Reading: Genesis 36 and Acts 19

Scripture: Acts 19:2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Thoughts: Growing up I was part of a church that didn’t really teach on Holy Spirit or the spiritual gifts. I spent most of my life thinking of Holy Spirit as my super natural Jiminy Cricket that was to keep me from getting too far from God. In a way I was like these men who didn’t even know there was a Holy Spirit in that my understanding of him was not a full understanding. When we read the Word of God are we seeing the miracles and gifts in the early church and say well that was for them or are we walking in the gifts and authority that are promised in the scriptures. We have to make our own choices on if we are going to believe that these gifts and authorities apply to us today or not. I have seen miracles, and I have seen the proper uses of prophesy and tongues. I have also seen hokes and misuse of these gifts but when you hear Holy Spirit saying “Go Pray for that person.” and when you do you see that miracle it changes you as much as it changes those who were prayed for. 

Prayer: Father God, you have all authority, you have all power and all things are yours. I thank you that you call us to steward that authority and allow us to ask in your Son’s name for the miracles and wonders that you are calling us to. I thank you that you are continuing to grow me and prune me, shaping me into the man you called me to be. I thank you that you have allowed me to steward my family and the blessings you have for us. I ask that you continue to speak to my spirit and to my soul, lead me and guide me in all that I do. 

Taken aside

Reading: Genesis 34-35 and Acts 18

Scripture: Acts 18:26, He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

Thoughts: Later in the Bible we hear about an Apollos again in correlation with people arguing over who taught them and who was in the right. Here He was found teaching accurately yet only know the baptism of John, in his research he had not found the last pieces of information. Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and taught him so that he would have a full and accurate understanding. There are many times when I have been wrong or misinformed, and there are times where I have heard the inaccuracies of someone, the question is not who is in the right but how it is approached. Priscilla and Aquila took Apollos aside, they didn’t debate, or berate him publicly, they didn’t call him names or cancel him, they probably sat down with him over a meal and talked about the information they both had so that it can all be accurate. Are we having discussions about where our information is different or are we just pointing fingers and canceling one another? 

Prayer: Father God, you are the truth, and in you there is no falsehood. I thank you that you are leading us and guiding teaching us and giving us discernment. I ask that you continue to refine me and mold me into the man you call me to be. I ask that grant me the ability to communicate well and seek the truth that comes from you. 

Buying them off

Reading: Genesis 32-33 and Acts 17

Scripture: Genesis 32:20, and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’ For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.”

Thoughts: Whether it is with God, family, friends, or coworkers, we are going to offend, wrong, or otherwise have conflicts with others. In my life I have seen that so many people when trying to smooth out a conflict or disagreement, we have this tendency to use gifts, Jacob several thousand years ago was doing that very same thing trying to fix the bad blood between him and his brother. How often do we trying to get God to sweep things under the table by offering some sort of gift, those hail Mary prayers that sound something like, “I will go to church every week for the rest of my life if you only get me out of this.” Are we doing as Paul says in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” or are we going to just try to smooth it over with gifts? I feel we are fooling nobody especially God. Let us seek God and seek to live sharing His love and grace to those around us instead of trying to buy off someone. 

Prayer: Lord God you are the one who owns all things, you know all things. I thank you that you allow me to steward a small portion of what you have. I thank you that you sent your Son to bridge the gap that sin created between us. I thank you that you are molding me and refining me into the man you have called. I ask that you help me to live peaceably with others, to not seek to smooth things over with gifts, but to grow in relationship through your peace and love. Help me to be a beacon of light in this dark world. 

Called into a new adventure.

Reading: Genesis 31 and Acts 16

Scripture: Acts 16:9-10, And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Thoughts: I don’t know about you but it is easy for me to not listen when God is calling. In Pop culture there are many examples of people being called into this adventure or that destiny. Alex Rogan from The Last Starfighter, Ender Wiggin from Ender’s Game, and Luke Skywalker, all thrust into or call into this destiny. Paul had a Call in the form of a dream that a man from Macedonia was calling to come over there. Paul not only had a desire to go to what they called Asia at the time, to when he had the dream to go, it says that he “immediately sought to go”. When we hear God, are we excited and ready to head into the wild blue yonder that we have been called to or are we finding excuses that we can’t go? Are we saying equip me Lord I’ll go, here I am send me, or are we saying I can’t do that I’m not trained I don’t know how, I’m not able? We are called to a greatness in the kingdom of God, it will look different to each of us, we need to listen to God and his leading because we are called to save the World. 

Prayer: Father God, you are the one who leads and guides us, you know what is to come and what part we can play in overcoming the evil one. You own all things and allow us to steward your creation. I thank you that you are working in me, leading and guiding, molding and refining me. I ask that you help me to hear your voice and heed the calling that you are placing on my life. 

Stop trubbling them!!!

Reading: Genesis 29-30 and Acts 15

Scripture: Acts 15:19-20, Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

Thoughts: So often we focus on the long lists of don’ts, the sins and temptations that we are to avoid as Christ followers. We all have sinned in one way or another, we all have baggage that we have brought into our relationship with God. James was reminding the early Christians that the burden of all the “laws” that had developed over the years since Moses received the law and even the law itself was unobtainable except by one person Jesus. It is easy to say stop sinning and come to church, but that is what drives so many people from the church. A quote that has been attributed to many, “A church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.” We are to encourage and build up, we have been given the responsibility to be an iron that helps to sharpen others. Let us not just give a list of dos and don’ts but walk with our brothers and sisters in mutual growth. We are all in the same hospital we may have different afflictions, but we all have growth and healing to go through. 

Prayer: Lord God, you are the one who calls us and lead us. I thank you for that calling and the growth that you bring to us. I thank you that you are leading and guiding us, that you are molding and refining us every day. I ask that you help me to be the iron you have called me to be. Help me to be sharpened as I help sharpen others. Open my heart to your leading and help me to focus more on you.