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

Scripture:

Rev 19:10b... For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.^[d]”

Observation:

Far too often we seem to have this notion that "Prophecy" is for telling the future. and that future is all about us. How selfish we are. I know that you say in in the Bible that Prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus. IOW: the prophetic word given should lead us back to Jesus. All the time

Application:

I want to be careful to listen to the word of prophecy given from me and to me, that it give clear witness to Jesus. that he gets the glory and not I

Prayer:

Lord thank you for your word. Thank you for the words of the Bible that correct me and keep me on track. Far too easily, I read your word with self-centered glasses. I only usually want to read it for whats in it for me. That is so selfish. Help me see your words both written and prophetically given to always lead back to you. I love you my Jesus

Questioning the Lord is never a good idea

Scripture:

Job 38:1-3

38 Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind:

2 "Who is this that questions my wisdom

with such ignorant words?

3 Brace yourself like a man,

because I have some questions for you,

and you must answer them.

Observation:

"Brace yourself like a man" wow! I can honestly say that I never want to hear those words from the Lord. When it comes right down to it, God is God and there is no further discussion. Somehow we feel justified in our approach to telling God what he needs to do or fix. When I think of how silly that is, I am embarrassed

Application:

How dare I approach the Lord and demand an answer. He is the Lord. I want to trust him because he is the Lord

Prayer:

Lord, help me to know you and your Lordship. I love you 

True Discipleship

Scripture:

1 Cor 11:1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ

Observation:

When will we start to live lives that intend t be followed? when will we start out each decision with the fact that i plan on people watching and seeing the right way of doing things. for some reason we seem to think that our lives are our own and our decisions are all but ours to defend. I want to establish a walk that can be followed and sought after. Paul says to follow me as i follow Christ without any notion that he has personal feelings one way on another. it is almost as if Paul believed that his life would never be his own. What is our problem? Isn't this what the Lord wanted us to think? Is not the life lived for Christ to be a life lives in front of the world? I want to live a life as an example to follow.

Application:

I want today to be a day where I live for others. Not a day lived for my self. I want to make choices that truly believe that people are listening and will follow. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to make wise choices today. With a boldness, I want to tell the world, follow me as i follow Christ. I want to mean it with all of my heart. I love you my Jesus