My people

Scripture:

^{Jeremiah 2:13} "My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Observation:

"My people have forsaken me..." the truth is, we spend way too much time trying to find ways to not have to depend on the Lord. We try hording, saving, storing up all in the name of responsibility. Sometimes i wonder if the underlying issue is that we don't want to have to trust in a spring that the Lord says will sustain and provide for us. We create cisterns to hold what the Lord intended to give us daily.

Application:

I need to spend time daily drinking from the spring of living water. The spring that never disappoint or fails

Prayer:

Lord i need you today. I need to drink deep of you today. Help me stop trying to create cisterns that will never hold what i think they will. I love you my Jesus

Search my heart

Scripture:

Psalm 139:²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Observation:

nothing is hidden from the Lord. Nothing! Even the darkness is light to him. I love here how the Lord is so aware of all i say and do. He even knows the number of my days. He even knows the wickedness in my heart. Yet He still loves me.

Application:

Knowing He knows me, has to lead me to a place of response to him. What will my response be? Like David, to see the Lord on my heart condition

Prayer:

Lord, search my heart and know my ways... I love you my Jesus

Live life knowing

Scripture:

Matthew 11:² John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, ³ “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,^{a]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Observation:

Are you the Messiah? I love this question only because it reminds me that all of us need a savior. even John (his cousin). you  would think that after the "I'm not worthy to untie his sandals..." remark that John would have had a pretty good idea who Jesus really was. I am always surprised when i read this passage because i always think he should have known better. It leave me to wonder myself, do i know the Savior of my life? should my actions match up with what i say i believe and have confessed in the past. I am no different than John who knew better

Application:

I want to live my life knowing and showing that i know the Messiah my savior. I want to live and have it be seen by all that he has marked me both my past and my future. God is so good. even I'm my times that i feel "locked up" like John. i never want to loose sight of my master

Prayer:

Lord, Hello me to always see you, and recognize you even in the hardest times of my life. John knew you. it was only in his imprisonment that he questioned you. Help me to live knowing. I love you Jesus

Vengeance in the Lords

Scripture:

Psalm 141:8-10 ⁸ I look to you for help, O Sovereign Lord. You are my refuge; don’t let them kill me. ⁹ Keep me from the traps they have set for me.  from the snares of those who do wrong. ¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me escape.

Observation:

I love how vengeance is always to be the Lords. So often i feel like my responsibility is to be the "justice bringer" to the church. My Job is really to bring people to Jesus and let him deliver the justice.

Application:

I need to be be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry for starters. secondly is to not feel it my job to be the one to deliver on my own version of Justice. My calling is to run to You my rock and deliver. My strength and peace

Prayer::

Lord i need you to help me in this. I want to walk in purity and wholeness as i deal with others. I will trust you in your delivery of justice. I love you my Jesus

A heart for the lost

Scripture:

Matt 9:12-13 When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” ¹³ Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’^{e]" style="line-height: 0.5em; ">[e]} For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Observation:

i think its funny that Jesus came for those who "know thay are sinners" yet we in church spend the majority of our time with those "who think they are righteous". What is our problem? When are we finally going to see what matters most to the Lord?

Application:

I want a heart for the Lost! I want a heart for those who know they are sinners. 

Prayer:

Lord change me inside and out. I want to be more like you with a heart for the lost. I love you my Jesus

No stealing Gods thunder!

Scripture:

Acts 13"22-2322 The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!”23 Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.

Observation:

Wow!!! I think it is funny that the Lord didn't strike the people for worshiping man with worship that belonged to him. Instead, he struck the man who took the worship unto himself. 

Application:

When will we ever learn. God is God. He alone is to be worshipped. He alone is to be praised. He alone can receive worship. Over and over in the New Testament, we see people falling down and worshiping Jesus. although he says Get up or rise, he never rebukes them. The times when people see and angle and they fall and worship the angle quickly states don't worship me!

Prayer:

Lord help me to never take your worship. People are people, they will worship what and who they want. I however need to make a choice to receive or divert the worship or glory back to you. I love you Jesus

Scripture:

Acts 9:15-16 Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Observation:

"... I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake." No one ever seems to talk about this "suffering" some how we think that a walk with the Lord is to be void of any suffering. My guess is that if you were to talk to Paul, he would tell you he lived a blessed life. In fact He said "my life is poured out like an offering to the Lord" IOW: my life is only here to bring glory to the Lord. All along, Paul lived blessed

Application:

I want to embrace the life that was preordained by the Lord that includes its share of suffering. I don't really like to write this, but i know it is true

Prayer:

Lord, help me to love you and love the life you have planned for me. Your will is good. very good. I love you my Jesus

A clean heart

Scripture:

Psalms 51:10 (NIV)

¹⁰    Create in me a pure heart, O God,

    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Observation:

the words of this passage of scripture come from a heart crying out to be brought back into right relationship with the Lord. the obvious answer to the request is obviously "Yes". God always seems willing to create in us clean and pure hearts. the real issue is will we ever allow him access

Application:

Truly, I want a clean heart. I find my cry for this is when i pull myself away from you and begin to dabble in sin. I want a new heart that wants only you. Is it possible? I want to please you.today. This day. only. tomorrow I will again cry out to you my Lord

Prayer:

I love you today. I need you

Scripture:

Psalm 27: 13

13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living.14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous.Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Observation:

I love the fact the the Lords goodness is not dependant on my willingness to wait. the Lord invites me to wait (in confidence knowing that he will show up). What a secure place it is to know the greatness of the Lord who will never let me down. 

Application:

I need to remember to wait and always remember when i cant see the other side of an issue, that the Lord is working. He is truly in control and willing to work out his good pleasure and plan

Prayer:

Lord, I need you. You say in your word that if i learn to wait on you I will find new strength. I need your strength. I love you my Jesus