What did you say???

Reading: Numbers 3 and Luke 23

Scripture: ‭‭Luke‬ ‭23:39-40, One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

Thought: there is an old saying that a man’s last words gold. The words of great value we would think of Christ’s lasts words and the effort that it would take to even say them. I thought it was interesting that these two thieves were using these breaths that would have cost them dearly to take in to argue over who Jesus was, the pain and anguish it would have put them through to push themselves up using the nail in their feet to release enough strain on their arms and chest to take a couple breaths just to argue. When it comes to Christ there was the thief who mocked and the me who believed. We are just at guilty at those thieves are we going to be the one mocking someone or are we going to proclaim Christ through the pain and to the end?

Prayer: Father God, you are worthy of it all, you have created it all, you own it all and you are worth all my life. I thank you that you saw my worthy of redemption and have bought me out of my sin. I ask that you continue wot lead me and guide me, that mold me and refine me. I ask that you help me to remove the old faulty foundation of my life and help me to rebuild start anew. 

What are you lacking?

Reading: Numbers 2 and Luke 22

Scripture: Luke 22:35, And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”

Thoughts: I have been easily distracted by the extra finances that God has blessed my family with. We have had our ups and downs and have had times of plenty and times of scarcity, I feel like we just came out of a time of want into a time of plenty, and I am being asked to recall that I have lacked nothing even when I was off work for a couple months, we had more than enough. The next verses Jesus tells the disciples that now they can take extra money and swords because there is going to be adversity coming. When we are seeking God and walking out his plan there will be adversity, no matter if it is from a person or group apposing us or if we are finding ourselves with opportunities to be tempted or fall into sin, there will be something trying to stop us. That is why we need that sword. Let us always remember to take up the sword that God has given to us.

Prayer: Father God, you are the provider, you are the protector, you aren’t the one who owns it all and over comes it all. I thank you that you are taking care of us and that you are leading and guiding us. Thank you that you are molding and refining me into the man you have called. I still struggle and need your refining and the growth you have for me. I ask that you lead me in all that I do, help me to grow in my love for you and the strength to overcome the temptations that are surrounding me.

What have I done now,

Reading: Leviticus 20-21 and Luke 16

Scripture: Luke 16:15, And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Thoughts: Jesus talking to the Pharisees, these religious elitists, telling them to stop judging themselves by others and by how good they present themselves because God knows everything they do in secret. It is the same for us, we present ourselves with perfect lives and we have it all together, we don’t make mistakes or fall down, just look at my Facebook and Instagram. No matter how pretty of a picture we paint for others to see, God still knows the mess we have made and the dark and dirty things in us. What are we hiding? Of those things in our live that are being hidden, who are trying to hide them from? We all have a purpose and are called to something greater that what we think we are capable of. Let us lay down those things that we are holding onto and find the release from the things we hold ourselves to and let God speak life into us. Let us stop looking to the world for acceptance and exaltation and seek the one who can raise up for eternity and not just for a fleeting moment.

Pray: Lord God, you are the one who leads us and guide us, you know the hairs on my head, the chains that I hold onto and the things I have burdened myself down with. I thank you that you are the light and that you are my strength, you are the power that flows through me and calls me into a greater authority. I thank you that you are working in me, you are molding me and refining me that I can be the man you have called me to. I ask that you help me to see the places in my life where I have things to let go of, places that need your help and strength to overcome. Help me to root our any lies that I have built my life on that I can grow in your truth. 

The old is good?!?!?!?

Reading: Exodus 40, Leviticus 1, and Luke 5

Scripture: Luke‬ ‭5:38-39‬, But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, “The old is good.”‭‬‬

Thoughts: As I read this morning, the saying here at the end of Luke 1 really stood out to me. “The old is good,” there is something in almost every one of us that says “I don’t like change,” the comfort of what we know can cloud us to the benefits of the opportunity that comes with change. I know in my life there are chains and strong holds that I struggle to let go and strive for the change that we are called to. In my strength I can do nothing I would sit and drink my old wine of sin and never know the grace and peace of the new wine of Jahovah Uzzi, The Lord my strength. Are we going to surrender our old wine and wineskin to the one who can give us the strength and power to overcome those strong holds and throw those chains away?

Prayer: Father God, you are my strength, you are my comfort in times of need and you own the cattle on a thousand hills. You are the provider of all things you lead and guide us, you give us the strength and abilities to overcome all adversity, even when it does not look like what I think it should. I thank you for all that you do, the provisions that you give us, the blessings you pour out on us, and the refining and molding you are doing in each of us. 

Called out

Reading: Exodus 38-39 and Luke 4

Scripture: Luke 4:33-34, And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

Thoughts: I never noticed that this man with the unclean spirit was in the synagogue on the sabbath, in the presence of the awesome power of the Son of God, this spirit could not keep quiet and was compelled to yell at Jesus. There are many thoughts and beliefs throughout the global Church on the demons and spirits, I have seen manifestation of people who are being oppressed and tormented but something not of this world. Through out the Word we see time like this where spirits recognize and call out Jesus for who he is before he has made himself know. We need to be aware there is a spiritual world and it is a raging war. Let us not be caught too far to one side or the other, ether saying there are not spirits or daemons, or getting to the point where we are blaming everything that is bad on the daemons and spirits around us. 

Prayer: Father God you are so wonderful. I thank you that you pour your spirit of discernment onto us, that you lead us and guide us. I thank you that you are molding me and refining me. I ask that you help us to have an open heart and mind to the leading of your spirit and the schemes of the evil one. I ask that you lead me and guide me all my days.