Stomachache

Reading: Job 20-21, Luke 15, and Revelation 10

Scripture: Revelation 10:9, So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.”

Thoughts: When reading this I felt like this applied to today and much of what media and politicians are saying. We are being told of these great ideals the peace and utopian future and the striving to get there. The sweet words and things we want to hear and even the call to fear the world around us can sound sweet but when we get down to the policies and when we have taken it in, it will be bitter in our stomach, it will turn us against one another and divide us more. It seemed like an interesting comparison of revelation and the way the media and politicians appear to be doing things today.

Prayer: Father God, your wisdom is great and your power overwhelms me, your creation cries out your worship and glory. I lay my perceptions at your feet and long to walk in yours. I thank you for the discernment you allow me to look through. I thank you for your Word and the opportunity to hear you though it every day. I thank you for your molding and refining you are working in my life. I thank you for my family and friend. I thank you for the opportunity to steward a portion of what it yours. I ask that you continue to open my eyes to the truth and walk in your ways. 

Sealed on our foreheads????

Reading: Job 17-19, Luke 14, and Revelation 9

Scripture: Revelation 9:4, They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

Thoughts: When I have heard people talking about Revelation and the end times, I hear primarily one of two things; I do not care I will not be here, or It will be the scariest time ever. There will definitely be somethings that will be scary, in this verse it leads me to believe that if there is a rapture before any of the crazy hits the fan, there will still be some here on earth in the fact that it says that those sealed will not be harmed. During this time when these locust-like creatures with scorpion stings come, those sealed may see them pass them by and attack others around them. Our hearts, souls, and body need to be surrendered to the Father daily and completely with our full faith and trust in Christ Jesus and what he did on the cross. I do not want to live in fear but be ready when the end comes. 

Prayer: Father you are in control, you know when the end will come and how it will come. I thank you that you are in control and long to not veer from your path. I thank you for your plan and your directions that I strive to walk in. I thank you for your molding and refining that you are doing in my life. I thank you for my family and those around me who are like family. I thank you for you your blessings and provisions you give us the opportunities to steward and use for your glory. Lead us and guide us in your ways and help us to keep our eyes on you when the world around us is calling for our attention. 

 

Lofty Speech

Reading: Job 15-16, Luke 13, and Revelation 8

Scripture: Job 15:2-3, Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good?

Thoughts: As I read this my mind also went to where Paul is writing to the Corinthians about not coming to them with lofty speech. It is easy so learn big words or find ways to sound intelligent. Do the words we use build us up or are they meant to build up others and point to God. After spending may years getting an education and writing papers and such where they are looking for that, we need to remember that it is not about us but about the one who made us and calls us his own. 

Prayer: Father God, your grace abounds over us all and your love drenches us. Your creation shouts of your glory. I lay my pride and lofty speech at your feet. I thank you for your refining in my life the removal of things, I ask you heat me again and remove more. Mold me into the man you need me to be. I thank you for my family I thank you for the provisions, help me to steward them properly. I ask that you help me to continuously lay down my lofty speech and walk in your path. 

What are you Doing?

Reading: Job 13-14 and Luke 12

Scripture: Luke 12:43-44, Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.

Thoughts: For the last few weeks stewardship has been on my mind, the idea of taking care of or using properly something that is not yours. When reading this passage, I saw this from a different point of view, normally when I have read this it was to get to the rest of the parable where it talks about how not to act. This passage also is saying that when we do our job that thing that has been placed before us to take care of and use properly, we will be blessed. What do you have and how is it being used? Are we using what we have, to further God’s kingdom or our own? 

Prayer: Father God, you own all things, you created all things, you are in control of all things. I long to relinquish my perception of control to you and walk in your path. I thank you that you have laid a path before us and given us a direction. I thank you that you are leading and guiding us. I thank you that you continually mold and refine me. I thank you for my family I thank you for my brothers and sisters in Christ who help point me to you. I thank you for your provisions that you place in my life to be stewarded. I ask that you help me to grow in your skills to steward better. 

Alignment

Reading: Job 11-12, Luke 11, and Revelation 7

Scripture: Luke 11:11-12, What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

Thoughts: So often when I have heard people talking about this and the surrounding passages it is focused on the great gifts of God and this does speak to that. This morning as I read it my mind went to what are we asking for even though God is giving good gifts, but what are we asking for? God wants to bless us, but what are our motivations in our asking? Are we seeking his will, or our comfort, his directions, or a blessing on ours? How are we positioning ourselves before him who knows us better than we know ourselves?

Prayer: Lord God, you know our hearts, you know our desires. I long to walk in your ways, to let go of my desires and align my ways with your ways. I thank you that you lead and guide me, I thank you that you mold me and refine me. I thank you for those who point me to you and help me seek you more. I thank you for my family. I thank you for your provisions and the guidance in stewardship. I ask that you help me to align my heart to yours. 

Justifying myself

Reading: Job 9-10, Luke 10, and Revelation 6

Scripture: Luke 10:29, But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Thoughts: When I came across this passage this morning, I had the thought how often do I try to justify myself to God? After hearing the commandment of love and being reminded that we are to love those around us, he wanted defined parameters so that he could have permission to not do something or hate a people group. It is easy to look for those justifications, looking at a list of sins, or looking at a difference in beliefs and writing them off. Are we justifying who we speak to, or who we share the gospel with though our own biases or are we going to love our neighbor?

Prayer: Father God, your abundant love pours over this world, I am drenched in your love, your creation cries out your praise. I long to linger in your presence and love as you love. I thank you for all you are doing in my life, I thank you for your molding and refining you are continually doing in me. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you give us the opportunity to steward. I ask that you help me to love as you love, and to not justify myself to you.

How are you handling your plow?

Reading: Job 7-8 and Luke 9

Scripture: Luke 9:61-62, Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Thoughts: As I read this passage at the end of chapter 9 after the feeding of the 5000, after being told to take up our cross daily, it felt a little out of place but then I thought of what the agricultural environment would have looked like then. At that time, the plow would have a blade of some sort (metal, stone, or wood) that was on the end of a handle that also had a yolk system on it so work animals could pull it. When they would plow the person with their hands on the plow controlled where it went and how deep it went. As they plowed if they got distracted or started looking behind them the plow could dig in and get stuck or break the plow, it could come to the surface and skim across the top and be ineffective or when looking behind they can get off course. When comparing this to our walks I can see people so bogged down in something with their walk that movement becomes secondary or even tertiary what every is on their plate. Next I this is the most common thing in many churches is getting to the point where our efforts are only surface level we may be moving some dirt and making piles and lines but it lakes little work and looks like maybe something has been done. To get those strait lines in their fields they would pick a point way off in the distance to go towards, looking back we will get off that line we may get stuck or go to the surface. Our past will always be apart of us but when we lay our hands on the plow it needs to be our focus, noticing where the blade is in the ground and where we are going. When we spend too much time focusing on where we were, we will find ourselves off course, stuck, or completely being ineffective. How are you handling your plow?

Prayer: Father God, You are so wonderful, your glory shines upon us, your grace and mercy flow over us every day. I place my distractions and desires before you and long to walk in your ways. I thank you for the work you are doing in me for the molding and refining you are doing in my life. I thank you for family and friends, those who point me to you and those who walk beside me though the trials and tribulations of life. I thank you for your provisions, you take care of all. I ask that you help me to focus on that plow and where we are going. 

Unclean

Reading: Job 5-6 and Luke 8

Scripture: Luke 8:43-44, And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased.

Thoughts: In those days people with leprosy, discharges, women in mensuration or, anything that caused uncleanliness, were separated from everyone and if they came into a town or place where people were, they were to announce themselves so that people could get away. Her faith was not just believing that just touching Jesus’ robes would heal her but believe so that she went against the laws of the land. She was in the midst of this crowd and in Jewish eyes making everyone she touched unclean then to deliberately touch a teacher making him unclean. Her faith that healed her was not just in Jesus but so much so that she did something that possibly could have gotten her stoned to death for inflicting uncleanliness upon a crowd. Let our faith be so full that we do not worry about the consequences from this world and remember God is the one who provides all we need. 

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful, you give us all we need, you pour out blessings we do not know or understand. I lay my pride and my comfort before you. I thank you for your molding and refining you are doing in my life. I thank you for being my family together and bring those friends who point me to you. I thank you for your provision and blessings. I thank you for all you are and all you do. I ask that you help me to walk in your strength and to have the faith and boldness to walk the path you have before me. 

The next right thing

Reading: Job 3-4, Luke 7, and Revelation 5

Scripture: Job 3:11-12, Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse?

Thoughts: So often when we are going through trials or things are hard, we talk about Job and all the things that were done to him and that he did not sin or curse God. As I was reading this sounded like the ravings of an extremely depressed man. I know we have the differing view from this side of the cross. Job is sitting there asking why am I here? Why did I not die in the womb or at birth. Job like many people do not know or see their purpose in the is world. We all cannot be Billy Graham or Chris Tomlin or name any other influential person, but we all have a part to play we all are part of the body of Christ. Just as Anna says in Frozen 2 “But you must go on and do the next right thing” We are call to a life of ups and downs battles and wars, but God had places something before us to keep striving for when we arrive at that step, he will reveal the next right thing. 

Prayer: Father God, you are so wonderful, your glory shines from all creation, your love overflows my cup. I lay my desires at your feet and look to you for the next right thing. I thank you for all you are doing in my life the molding and refining that you are doing daily. I thank you for those you have brought into my life and point to you. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that are new every day. I ask that you help me to see the next steps and walk in your way. 

 

Crowns

Reading: Job 1-2, Luke 6, and Revelation 4

Scripture: Revelation 4:10-11, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Thoughts: John is being shown heaven and the things that must happen and here at the end of this chapter John is shown these twenty-four elders throwing their crowns before God and worshiping. When Jesus taught the disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9-14, after saying how great God is, he said in verse 10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In this prayer we are taught that we want to want God’s kingdom to be reflected here on earth in us and things to be like they are in heaven. So, are we casting down the crowns that have been placed upon us and worshiping the one true King? We are not meant to be searching for glory the Lord lifts up those he wills and brings down those he wills. Do not seek your glory or your crown seek to glorify God in all you do.

Prayer: Father God you are above all and in all, your glory is shouted by all creation. Lord left your will be done here, help me to work in your plan and shine a light on your in all I do. I thank you for all you are doing in my life, the molding, the refining, and the redirection you place in my life when needed. I thank you for my family, I thank you for the men who help point me to you. I thank you for your provisions and blessings that you give us to steward and I ask that you help me to steward well over what you are giving us. Help me to cast down any crowns that I have gathered for myself or ones that have been given to me, these are not my identity, my identity is in you. 

Where is the compass pointing???

Reading: Genesis 9-10, Luke 5, and Revelation 3

Scripture: Revelation 3:3, Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.

Thoughts: Just life the early Christians there are times where we will make mistakes, when we make mistakes that takes us off God’s true north, like placing a magnet near a compass it no longer points north. If we are not repenting and not removing that magnet from our compass that is to be pointing to God. We have been told of the signs of the times but without repentance we will not recognize what God is doing and he may come against us or turn us over to our evil desires (Psalm 81:12)

Prayer: Father God, your ways a better than my ways, your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, your creations shines your glory to all. I lay my life before you, I seek to walk in your ways and by your might. I thank you that you are watching over me. I thank you that you are refining and molding me into the man you need me to be. I thank you for my family. I thank you for those you have brought around me who keep me accountable. I thank you for your provisions your leading and your guiding in my life. I ask that you help me to see when I have developed or place a magnet near my compass and how to remove it in your name. 

An Opportune time?!?!

Reading: Genesis 6-8 and Luke 4

Scripture: Luke 4:13, And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Thoughts: The devil left until an opportune time, he did this with Christ trying to find opportunities to tempt or get him to mess up so that he could win against God. He is doing the same thing today, we have the authority to cast him out, to tell him to go and to ask for God’s strength to overcome something, but he will leave until an opportune time. I have heard churches meaning to or not make it sound like once you come to Christ you no longer have any issues or troubles, that is a lie from the pits of hell we are at war, our desires vs the devil’s desires vs God’s plan, and desires. The devil will use everything he can to distract and get our desires to stop aligning with God’s plan. We can cast him out but he will return at an opportune time to try again.

Prayer: Lord God, you are consistent, unchanging, and unmoving. I place my life in your hands, mold me and make me in your image. I thank you for the molding and refining you are doing in my life. I thank you for those around me that point me to you when I get distracted. I thank you for my family and the joy they bring. I thank you for my community of brothers who are there for me. I thank you for your provisions and blessing that you have given us to steward and help those who need it. I ask for your strength to overcome the attacks of the evil one and the discernment to see them. 

I am my own man!!

Reading: Genesis 4-5, Luke 3, and Revelation 2

Scripture: Genesis 4:9, Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Thoughts: As I read this passage my mind went to my community, not the place where I live, but the people I surround myself with, these men are my Brothers, My Foxhole. As much as Cain was playing off that he was his own man and he had no responsibility to watch after his brother, We do have the responsibility for our brothers, be they biological or in faith. Though out the Word we are told of God’s love and that we are called to that same love like in Hebrews 13:1 “Let Brotherly love Continue.” When we are asked where is our brother? Are we going to reply with the I don’t know or are we going to be able to say I’m walking beside him? 

Prayer: Father God you bring us together, you give us those around us to help hold us accountable and continue to point us to you. My life if yours, I lay it at your feet and long to linger in your presences. I thank you for the work you are doing in my life and the molding and refining that you are doing in my heart and life. I thank you for my foxhole men, the brothers you have brought around me. I thank you for my family and the Joy they bring to this world. I thank you for the provisions and blessings and the opportunity to steward the men, family and provisions. Lead me and guide me in that stewardship. 

Whom do you submit to?

Reading: Genesis 2-3, Luke 2, and Revelation 1

Scripture: Luke 2:51, And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

Thoughts: Are we being submissive to those who are in authority over us? Jesus at 12 years old had the desire to be in the temple learning and discussing the things of the Father. Even though our desires are one thing or another, do we blindly follow our desires or are we being submissive to whom has authority. Yes, those who have authority over us will change and sometimes may be in opposition to God, but we are still to submit. Jesus being God and man he had All Authority and would later display that authority in his miracles and teachings, but he was still under authority and he submitted to his parents and to the governing powers. The best examples of this were his going to the cross as an innocent man and then he tells the people to give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what is God’s. We need to discern if and when to disobey earthly authority to submit to God’s authority when they are in conflict. Who do you serve?

Prayer: Father God, you are higher then all things, you are the authority above all authority, your ways are higher than our ways. I lay my life before you and seek after you. I thank you for the molding and refining you are doing in my life. I thank for the authority you have given me and for those who have authority over me. I thank you for my family and those close to me. I thank you for your provision and blessings that you give us to be stewards of. I ask that you help me and give me the strength to lead where you have given me to lead and submit where you have placed authority over me. 

Beginning or the end?

Reading: Genesis 1, Luke 1 and Jude 1

Scripture: Jude 1:18-19, They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

Thoughts: Here at the beginning of the year especially after one that had been as difficult as 2020 we normally talk about resolutions and things we plan on doing this next year. I had some of those thoughts, but I also know that the date has no real impact on the situation. Here on January 1, reading Jude it is talking about the end times or at least the later days of the church age, those people who are scoffers and ridicule us for following after God, they are going to try to tear down the church. We are daily watching a world seek after their own desires and passions and in doing so they are creating division not only in the church but in the world. The racial divide is growing not because more white people hate people of color but because our history is being removed and people are being told if we don’t put people of color over the white people then we are racist. The ungodly people who are devoid of the spirit will cause division. Here in a new year let us love and remember that all men are created equal. 

Prayer: Father God, you are in control, you are the one who created all men and all men are created in your image. Help me to remove any prejudices that have built up in my mine and heart and conform my heart to yours. I thank you for all you are doing in my life, the molding and the refining. I thank you for the direction you have given me I ask that you help me to understand the steps and move. I thank you for my family. I thank you for your provision and I thank you for the new year to continue in your ways.