Sunday, May 26, 2019

May 22nd 2019 Has the Lord Left???

Reading: Judges 14-16 and 2 Thessalonians 1-2

Scripture: Judges 16:20, And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the Lord had left him.

Thoughts: I know that when I was trying to keep up an appearance of a Christian, being a “Sunday Morning Christian” I was in some ways like Samson He was not to be touching dead things but he somehow got the honey out of the dead lion he was not to bring wine or strong drink but he walked through the vineyards. How close to the edge of the cliff of sin do we push ourselves to go before we fall off because we became so accustomed to being so close. Samson was worn down by telling lies and then have Delilah cry to him about the lying. Where are you drawing the line that you will not cross on the edge of the cliff or somewhere that you can keep yourself from sin.

Prayer: Father I thank you for loving me even when I walk too close to the cliff and even when I jump off. I thank you that you have welcomed me back into your arms. I ask that you help me to seek you and keep my eyes on you as your plans. Help me to walk through the doors you have opened and stop pounding on the doors that are closed.

May 21st 2019 It will Happen!!!

Reading: Judges 11-13 and 1 Thessalonians 5

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:24, He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Thoughts: I have been given visions and directions in where I am going. I don’t see how to get there, I don’t each step or the training or preparation needed to get there but what I do know is I have been called and he will make it happen. I have to be faithful to walk out the plans and listen to the Holy Spirit for when and where to take each next step.

Prayer: Father I thank you that you have a plan for me and have given me glimpses into what you have in store for me. I thank you that you provide all that we needs and pour your blessings into our lives. I ask that you help me to keep my eyes on you and seek you first and your kingdom.

May 20th 2019, Control What???

Reading: Judges 9-10 and 1 Thessalonians 3-4

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,

Thoughts: This is alway a reminder to me not only because it speaks of an issue that I am working on and seeking release from but also because I have verse 4 as a reminder tattooed on my wrist. I lost my eldest brother about 12 years ago in an auto accident and having control over our bodies and minds is something we struggled with together, getting into drugs alcohol and relationship we shouldn’t. Only through God’s grace and calling me home have I started turning from my ways and seeking his.

Prayer: Father I thank you for your love and that you are willing to call me home. I thank you for the provisions and blessings that you pour out on us each and every day. Open my heart to your corrections and refine me like silver burn off the things that are not of you and lead astray.

May 19th 2019, The true 300

Reading: Judges 7-8 and 1 Thessalonians 1-2

Scripture: Judges 7:7, And the Lord said to Gideon, "With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home."

Thoughts: As Gideon came down with over 30,000 men God knew that there would be the opportunity to boast of their own doings with the great numbers that came down so eventually it was brought down to 300 men. I love that these men were not chosen because they were the biggest and the baddest warriors but first they were willing to fight and second because of how they drank from a river. When I look at myself I don’t see a great warrior or any of the other common things we hear in the word that we are called to be. God said to take these 300 and go take out the Midianites I have already given them into your hand. What has God put in our hands that we have not claimed yet? What harvest is before us that we are looking past trying to find the next step.

Prayer: Father I thank you that you have chosen me to be among that 300 to go out and claim what you have placed before me. I thank you for the provisions and blessings that you pour out each day. I ask you to open my eyes to the harvest before me and I claim what you have for me.

Saturday, May 25, 2019

May 18th 2019 Prove it God!!!

Reading: Judges 5-6 and Colossians 4

Scripture: Judges 6:36-40, And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew. Then Gideon said to God, "Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew." And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. Behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said." Then Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said,

Thoughts: How often do we not believe the things we are told. God will tell us that we are going to do this or that and we don’t think we can do it and we question “God did I hear you right… here are some things you can do God to prove to me that this is what I should do.” I feel like I question God a lot about if he has the right guy for the job or how am I to do this things he as put before me.

Prayer: Father I love you and I seek to walk in your ways. I thank you for your love, provision and blessings you pour out on us each day. Open my heart to accept your directions and know I would not be sent if I was not whom you wanted to use in that situation.

May 17th 2019 What is Above???

Reading: Judges 3-4, Psalm 14, and Colossians 3

Scripture: Colossians 3:1, If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Thoughts: I know that there have been times and probably will be more, where I started seeking after things that are not from above. It is a daily and sometimes a minute by minute discipline to seek what is from above and not go after the things of this world. The word says that sin is pleasurable for a time but will not fulfill. Just like the prodigal son went and had all his fun with his inheritance it didn’t last he ended up wanting to eat the pig food.

Prayer: Lord I long to sit at your table and serve as needed. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you pour out each day. I ask that you help me to stay focused on you and your direction and let the things of this world grow dim and fade away. You provide all I need and even things of want. I thank you again for all you do.

May 16th 2019 Unite my Brothers!!!

Reading: Judges 1-2, Psalm 133, and Colossians 2

Scripture: Psalms 133:1-3, Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.

Thoughts: This Psalm may have stuck out to me because both my call that I have been taking and my pastor have spent time on talking about the unity that should be in church. Not only in each individual church but the Church as a whole should be united. Biblically the first time Christians was used it was a put down and meant “Little Christ” Now two-thousand years later there are so many denominations and divisions in the Church the unity in the Church is gone and so many time even within a individual church. In the time this was written oil was seen as a representation of the Holy Spirit. I want to have the Holy Spirit poured out over me like the imagery, I want to be drenched in His spirit and His love.

Prayer: Father I long to be in your presence, I thank you for your provisions and blessings you pour out each day. I thank you for your anointing that you have given me and the plans for good and not bad that you have promised in your word.

May 15th 2019 Promises Promises!!!

Reading: Joshua 23-24, Psalm 99, and Colossians 1

Scripture: Joshua 23:5-6, The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you. Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left,

Thoughts: Joshua as he was getting to the end of his life and The Lord was giving Israel the country rest, Joshua told Israel that they are not done yet God will continue to push back and out the inhabitants of the promised land. Joshua’s words of encouragement and direction for Israel is also for us as we strive forward with God’s plan for our lives. We need to keep walking out upon the land promised that He promised us. We need to not get distracted by whatever shiny or pleasurable things that this world is putting before us.

Prayer: Father I thank you for your directions and your blessings that you pour out on us. Open my eyes and ears to see the next step to would out in. Help me to over come the lust that has been coming back to be help me to have a proper perspective of those around me and remember your love.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

May 14th 2019 Can I get a Witness

Reading: Joshua 21-22 and Philippians 4

Scripture: Joshua 22:34, The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, "For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."

Thoughts: As the people of Reuben and Gad wanted a reminder and witness to whom they belong and also to remind the rest of Israel that they are apart of them, we need those reminders as well. There are things from my past that are less about being valuable or significant but they remind me of who I was during the times I ran from God and played the Sunday morning Christian. I would live as I wanted 6.5 days a week and would try to look come Sunday morning for church and even volunteered to make it look better.

Prayer: Abba I thank you for coming to find me and give me reminders of who I was and whom I belong to now. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you pour out on us each day. Lead me and remind me who I am and whom I belong.

May 13th 2019 I Got This

Reading: Joshua 19-20, Psalm 53,  and Philippians 3

Scripture: Psalms 53:5, There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror! For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you; you put them to shame, for God has rejected them.

Thoughts: This Psalm was written when God would send his Holy Spirit for a time. There is much of the Old Testament where it says that the Holy Spirit filled them for a time or covered them or came upon them. I saw this passage as one where it was saying,“you are have no need to fear because I have got this” We have been given the authority and have the Holy Spirit within us to over come any adversary that the evil one can send our way.

Prayer: Father I thank you for you love and your authority that has given us to overcome and to declare your victory. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you pour out on us each day. I ask that you help me to walk in your authority and power, to put on your full armor.

May 12th 2019 Encouragement, Love, and Joy


Reading: Joshua 16-18 and Philippians 2

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-2. So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

Thoughts: I love the reminders and encouragement that comes in so much of the Word of God. We are to encourage and love one another the way that Christ did for us. The Joy of the Lord will pour out on us as we are having the same mind as God. Seek to have the oneness with God that comes from knowing him so deeply that your voice and your love is his voice and love. 

Prayer: Father I thank you for you love for your guidance and the provisions that you pour out each day. I love you Lord and I seek to know you more and more each day. Open my eyes to your ways and your love and help me to pour out on others as you have poured on me. 


Saturday, May 11, 2019

May 11th 2019 Choices choices!!!

Reading: Joshua 14-15 and Philippians 1

Scripture: Philippians 1:21-23, For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.

Thoughts: Our home is in heaven with God the father, when we come into fellowship with God through Christ and what he did for us it is easy to start seeing how misguided the world has become. As we see the brokenness of the world we may want to just go to our true home. Paul was just like us in that sense. Paul both wanted to die and go home to Father God and wanted to stay and live as Christ to the world. I say as long as God leaves us on this earth, we are to live as Christ did and love the world around us. For as we work for the Lord and give Him the glory we can store our treasures in heaven where no one can take them away. I don’t want to be lifted up here, I want God to get the glory and if He deems me worthy to move closer at His banquet table then let Him call me up.

Prayer: Father I thank you for seeing me where I am and loving me enough to not leave me there. I thank you for your provisions and the blessings you pour out on us each day. I ask that you help me to live for you and point to you only. You are the one that give me the skill and abilities that are needed for your works.

Friday, May 10, 2019

May 10th 2019 Bondservant?

Reading: Joshua 12-13 and Ephesians 6

Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-6, Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Thoughts: Here is the United State the term bondservant is not used much and the understanding of it can be murky. A bondservant is someone who has a debt to someone and is working for them to pay it off. In the movie “Ready Player One” they have a debtors prison or Loyalty Center (in book) where people are sent to work off their debt and many build more debt in there causing them to never get out.

Paul here is talking to the bondservants but at other time he calls himself one to Christ. I feel that the position of “bondservant of Christ” that Paul put on is applicable to us all. We have a debt that we can’t pay to Christ, as we take on the mantle of bondservant this passage not only is saying obey God but those we work for. We all have to do something for income of some sort and we are to do it as if we are doing it for God himself. I repair equipment and talk to customers and the public in my job I try to do the repair the best I can and be the nicest person I can during the process. Do all things as if God is right there with you.

Prayer: Father I thank you for all that you do and all that you have before me. Thank you for the provisions and blessings that you pour out on us. I ask that you help me to keep you in mind and care for all those who I come in contact with.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

May 9th 2019 Stop the sun please.

Reading: Joshua 10-11 and Ephesians 5

Scripture: Joshua 10:12-13, At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, "Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.

Thoughts: We are daily in spiritual battle. We are at war, a war we know who wins. In our battle God has given us authority and power over the enemy and his Armor and weapons. In the most of this battle we can cry out in faith to God to multiply our time and stop the sun so that we have time to do all he called us to do in this war.

Prayer: Father I thank you for the authority you have given to us and the power to overcome all the attacks that the evil one. I thank you for the provisions and blessings you give pour out each day and the joy you give me. I ask that you help me to utilize the power you gave me to overcome where it is needed.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

May 8th Make a Copy!?!?!

Reading: Joshua 8-9 and

Scripture: Joshua 8:32, And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.

Thoughts: Here we see Joshua making a copy of the law, not that they needed another copy but in that day and age it was set as a president that with every new leader that they would make a copy of the law so that they new every little bit of the law. I as a leader of my house need to be in the Word regularly so that I know God and know His voice. I am grateful that I have been developing the discipline of being in the Word daily through the encouragement of our church and our leadership. Stay in the Word so that you can meditate on in like a cow chews his cud, chew on the word and let all the goodness get released into you.

Prayer: Father I thank you for your word and all your promises. I thank you for your provisions and blessings you pour out on us each day. I ask you to write on my heart and mind your words each day as I go through them.