November 30, 2016 Watchmen are you out there?

Reading: 1 Timothy 2, Ezekiel 33-34 and Psalm 114

Scripture: Ezekiel 33:1-6, The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman, and if he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people, then if anyone who hears the sound of the trumpet does not take warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But if he had taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman's hand.

Observation: As I was going though the reading this entire section stuck out at me. I have always had a hard time speaking to people face to face about God. I speak worse then I write. The idea that God not only watches what we do but also what we don’t do. Yes we are saved by the grace given to us by Christ Jesus but we do have a responsibility to call others. 

Application: Ezekiel said that if we share the knowledge we have been given with others and they choose not to change then its on them but is we keep it to our selves then their blood is on our hands. God desires all to be saved and come to know the great gift of God though his son Jesus. We are to be his watchmen, we have the knowledge that God has forgiven us and that he has a place for us in Heaven. Penn Jillette a devout atheist had this to say after a man gave him a Bible, “If you believe in heaven and hell or eternal life, how much do you have to hate someone to not share it with them.” We have been called to love this world to God though sharing the knowledge we have and to great gift of salvation. 

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful I stand amazed by your love and grace extended to me and I'm blown away that you can have that for everyone. I thank you that you have given us that grace, I thank you for the provisions and blessings that you give us each day. I ask that you help me to open my mouth to those who need to hear your love and your greatness. help me to be a light at my work and to those around me.

November 28, 2016 Where is your Joy now??

Reading: Philippians 4, Danial 1-2 and Psalm 137

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7, 12, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 

Observation: It is hard to rejoice and find the joy when things are going sideways. This last week here in the USA we celebrated Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving was started as a way to each year to remember the prosperity or even just making it though the last year. In this last couple weeks I have been going though some rough times with work scheduling stuff, my pregnant wife having a car accident, the holiday and finding part of my fence knocked down from a wind storm. In this it would be easy to just throw my hands in the air, scream hell and curse. Looking at my life in comparison to Paul and what he has gone though and was able to find joy. 

Application: Paul is writing this letter to the Philippians from prison and not a nice cushy American prison. Everything he knew and had from being a roman and a Pharisee had been taken from him and he was thrown into a prison that was most likely no more then a hole in the ground. In all these situations I have been trying to see God in them. God has protected my wife and unborn son, we had been talking about what we were going to do being that our family was getting ready to our grow our car no matter if the insurance company totals or repairs it we know that its the way it’s meant to be. God’s provision for us each day is so amazing he not only gives us the things we need just to live but he also shows his loving kindness to us each day. We all need to open our eyes and ears to the joy of the Lord.

Prayer: Father I stand in awe of your great power and love for me. You have the power to do any and all things and you choose to love me. I thank you for your love and provisions you pour out on us each day providing the things we need and the blessings you have for us. I ask you to help us to see the Joy you have for us even in the mist of a trial that if we relied on our own understanding and strength we would fall on our face. I thank you Lord for all you have done. 

November 14, 2016 Its not my fault I was raised this way.

Reading: Galatians 2, Ezekiel 17-18 and Psalm 20

Scripture: Ezekiel 18:20, The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Observation: Lately I have been struggling with my anger more. I get snippy and will pour gas one the fire of my anger until I and yelling at the ones I love the most. I struggle with calming down in the most of the situation. Once I have finished with what ever rant I was on I can drop it. I have for most of my life have blamed my father for teaching me how to have this reaction. In some ways I think I was one of his best students. As I intellectually want to change and be a better husband and father I allow my emotions to remain unchecked and volatile. 

Application: This scripture spoke to me in that back in the day and it has crept into some churches today, the thought that we inherit our fathers sin. Inheriting sin is why many of the churches who practice infant baptism do so. This scripture in the Old Testament tells us even though sin entered into the wold through one man Adam we are not going to die because of his sin we have inherited a sin nature. As much as I blame my father for making me someone who can’t control his temper and be a volatile man God said that the son will not suffer his father’s iniquities and the father will not suffer the son’s. The opposite is true as well we can not skate by on the righteousness of our parents or grandparents. We are responsible for our own actions. 

Prayer: Father I love you and stand in awe and wonder on how you can love me even though I fail so spectacularly. I thank you for each and every day I get to wake up and enjoy your creation and the family you have given me. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you give us each and every day. I as that you help me and any one else who is like me to stop blaming others and help us to learn what are our triggers and how to defuse them before they blow. 

November 7, 2016 Tearing down nations!!!!

Reading: Romans 11 and Jeremiah 51

Scripture: Jeremiah 51:20-23, "You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms; with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer; with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the young woman; with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders.

Observation: Today is the eve of Election day in the United States of America as proud of being a citizen here as I as I am. I am also so ashamed of what the election seasons have become. Jeremiah may have been talking to the nation of Israel after they had been taken away into Babylon but the Living Word of God speaks to us as well. 

Application: Here we all are called hammers and weapons of war. A hammer is a tool used for building and creating but it can also be weald as a weapon. Here in the USA we are the hands and tools in the government more then in many other nations being we get to vote. If we want God in our government and have Godly people in government we have to do the work. We have to be involved no matter who we vote for we need to pray and consider all the options and vote, not just on the big stuff but vote on all the position and all the issues. With all Christians rising up and voting for what God has placed on their hearts we will not see a change. Pray for our leaders and our country.

Prayer: Father I stand in awe of you and how you can rase up nations and cause them to fall. I thank you each day that your provide all our needs and many of our wants in your great blessings. You are so amazing and I thank you for all you have done. I ask that your will be done, open the hearts of those who are to vote in the next couple days and help them to see the way you want them to vote. I ask you to work on the hearts of whomever it is that will be elected in each position. Place a proper fear of you in their hearts and bring them Godly council. 

November 3, 2016 Feed the wolves!!!

Scripture: Romans 7:19-20, For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 

Observation: I can so relate to Paul on this one My heart and spirit want to do good and be kind to those around me like my family and coworkers and even those I interact with on a daily basis. With all my good intentions to be good and kind I have a great ability to be a jerk and think if only myself. Even though I she would not my wife has stories of times I have been a jerk.

Application: Paul is telling us about our two natures here first is the nature to follow after God and be love and to love as he loves. The second is our sinful fallen nature that we got though the fall of man. These natures are apposing forces we can look at them as wolves chained together but trying to go two different directions and you get to choose witch one is going to win by witch one you feed. You can feed the wolf that represents your relationship with God or you can feed the one that represents the sinful nature and chasing after the things of this world. The choice is yours do you pour good things into your heart and soul and seek after God or do you chase after the things that are of this world. 

Prayer: Father I stand in awe of your love and patience you have with me as I sometimes feed the wolf of this world. I thank you for sending your son to die on the cross and offer us the gift of forgiveness and a personal relationship with you. I thank you for the provisions you give us each day and the blessings you pour out on us each day. I ask that you help convict us when we are looking to feed the wrong wolf and help us to want to and enjoy feeding our relationship with you Lord. 

November 1, 2016 I don't know about that other guy!!

Reading: Romans 5, Jeremiah 21, 24 & 27 and Psalm 33

Scripture: Romans 5: 19, For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 

Observation: This is a great reminder that there are times where I forget or don’t think about how much Jesus did. Sure I remember that he died for my sins and that you can be saved too. Some times we forget that the true magnitude of what Jesus did. Just as the fall of man into a sinful nature though Adam and Eve eating of the fruit that they were told not to. 

Application: Being that we are living in a fallen world and in a day and age where distractions are so prevalent as well as the sin if selfishness, I have found myself knowing I am saved but thinking “I don’t know about that guy over there.” Paul was sharing in this letter to the Romans that just as the one act caused the world to become fallen the one act of obedience offered redemption and righteousness to the world. Romans says that many will be made righteous and we are covered by Christ’s righteousness.

Prayer: Father you are so wonderful and I thank you for sending your son and his Obedience that allows us to be covered by grace and righteousness. I also thank you for the provisions and blessings you have for us each and every day. I ask you help us to open our eyes and ears to how to live in the righteousness that you offer us though your son.