Scripture: Judges 7:2 "The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.'
Observe: Gideon had 32,000 men to fight the Midian and God said you have too many. God did not want Israel to get confident in their own ability and think that somehow they were responsible for the victory over Midian.
Apply: I am constantly doing things on my own strength and power. God wants the credit for all things in my life and because of this I need to be asking Him for wisdom and strength so that WHEN WE (me and God) succeed, HE gets all the credit, praise and glory. Do I over prepare for things because I am doing them on my own strength?
Prayer: Jesus, you can take an army down to 300 from 32,000 and still win...to you belongs praise! Help me today to give you my battles and ask you to fight for me. Any victory I have is because of you and you alone.
SCRIPTURE "Luke 8:22-25 (AMP) 22 One of those days He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, Let us go across to the other side of the lake. So they put out to sea. 23 But as they were sailing, He fell off to sleep. And a whirlwind revolving from below upwards swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger. 24 And the disciples came and woke Him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And He, being thoroughly awakened, censured and blamed and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there came a calm. 25 And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)? And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him? "
OBSERVATION 1. It was Jesus idea to go across the lake to a gentile region. 2. There were at least 4 professional fishermen aboard,, acquainted with this lake, boats, etc. 3. A wild, dangerous storm comes. 4. The disciples are so afraid, they tell Jesus they are drowning. 5. Jesus calms the storm, and then asks about their faith.
APPLICATION Every new storm I encounter, presents a faith challenge. Am I going to believe that the God of the universe is in control? Or am I going to give into fear and believe that destiny/ or Satan/ has taken control of my circumstances. I might be in real danger, but I need not fear. Just run to Jesus with my helplessness. Another question to add for my purging time. In what area is my faith at this moment being tested???
PRAYER Lord, sometimes it seems like you were really hard on the disciples. They didn't yet know that you could control the weather (actually everything). My faith becomes weak too, when I'm tested in a new area. Even if I have seen you demonstrate your faithfulness to others/or before. I have also seen you allow the storm/disease, etc. to continue unchecked. I think of Casting Crowns song on I will trust you in this storm. At the moment, I see no storm. Just the challenge of remaining faithful to you and spending extra time praying for Brno, and studying Czech the next 2 months before I move to Brno. Lord, help me to not rely on self for this, but to ask for your help on a daily basis. I can't gut it out for 2 months. Thank you for helping me want to study Czech again
Title: The God Time Forgot S: Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations.
O: When God makes a promise, He is promising an outcome, not a timeline. He will bring the promise of fulfillment when it best suits His purposes- He never forgets.
A: If He promises something, you can count on it. In fact, you can count on it to the point that it doesn't require any faith at all- it is that certain. If He promises to never leave you or forsake you, He won't Even if it looks like He has. If He says he will protect me, He will. Even if I don't undertand how He's going that.
P: Lord, thank you that you keep your promises. You are Great and Glorious- you alone are capable of fulfilling your promises. You don't even call them promises- it is simply your word. Let God be true and every man a liar. Help me rest in you, Lord. Help me take my circumstances in stride, and prise you in the storm, because you will see me through. This life is but a breath. Give me endurance. Help me to know the Truth, speak the truth, and rest in the truth. I need no further defense than the truth. Amen. JTF
Title: "Deep Roots" Scripture: Psalm 52:8 "But I am like a healthy olive tree, my roots are deep in the house of God. I trust in your faithful love forever."
Observe: David had a close relationship with God, he trusted in His love. He compared his relationship with God to a healthy olive tree.
Apply: If I talk and pray to God my roots are deep in the house of God.
Pray: Dear God, help me to have deep roots in your house by praying and reading your word.
Scripture: "And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, & patiently produce a huge harvest." Luke 8:15
Observation: Jesus is explaining how different hearts (soil) respong to God's word (seeds). He said that the seeds that fell on good soil were like people who hear God's word & cling to it - they continue to grow deep in faith, share the Good News, & make disciples
Application: "patiently produce a huge harvest" stands out to me. so often I feel like I need to have it all figured out - like I've "arrived." I need to remember that God's sanctification will last my entrie life & that I won't "arrive" until I'm in heaven. I need to continue to pursue a relationship with Jesus, know & obey his word, & share the Good News with others. As I put one foot in front of the other this way, Lord willing a huge harvest will be produced from my life.
Prayer: Father God, I pray that my heart will be fertile soil for your Word to fall on and grow in. I want to be one who clings to your word - give me a passion for your word & sear it on my heart. Enable me to be faithful in passing that word on to others as you lead. i pray that as I know you more & am more faithful in obedience, you'll use me to produce a great harvest for your Kingdom. In Jesus Name - Amen!
Scripture: 1Cornithians 12:18 "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be"
Observation: "just as He wanted them to be" God has a plan, a reason for each of our gifts/abilities/talents. As hard as we may work it may never come to be. God's plan -- "he wanted them to be" - this needs to be on the front most part of our minds/thoughts.
Application: God created me with gifts and talents. What are they? He was very specific in my make-up. I am special to him and within His story. I need to honor that and NOT make myself into something I'm not created TO BE. TO BE as God planned. TO BE as He wanted.
Prayer: Father God, I'm an idiot at times. I try to do and be something/someone I'm not. Help me to accept who I am and who You wanted me to be - Open my heart up to the acceptance of what YOU wanted.
Title: God is Jealous for His Glory
ReplyDeleteScripture: Judges 7:2 "The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.'
Observe: Gideon had 32,000 men to fight the Midian and God said you have too many. God did not want Israel to get confident in their own ability and think that somehow they were responsible for the victory over Midian.
Apply: I am constantly doing things on my own strength and power. God wants the credit for all things in my life and because of this I need to be asking Him for wisdom and strength so that WHEN WE (me and God) succeed, HE gets all the credit, praise and glory. Do I over prepare for things because I am doing them on my own strength?
Prayer: Jesus, you can take an army down to 300 from 32,000 and still win...to you belongs praise! Help me today to give you my battles and ask you to fight for me. Any victory I have is because of you and you alone.
Jesus calms the storm.
ReplyDeleteSCRIPTURE
"Luke 8:22-25 (AMP) 22 One of those days He and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, Let us go across to the other side of the lake. So they put out to sea.
23 But as they were sailing, He fell off to sleep. And a whirlwind revolving from below upwards swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in great danger.
24 And the disciples came and woke Him, saying, Master, Master, we are perishing! And He, being thoroughly awakened, censured and blamed and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; and they ceased, and there came a calm.
25 And He said to them, [Why are you so fearful?] Where is your faith (your trust, your confidence in Me—in My veracity and My integrity)? And they were seized with alarm and profound and reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him? "
OBSERVATION
1. It was Jesus idea to go across the lake to a gentile region. 2. There were at least 4 professional fishermen aboard,, acquainted with this lake, boats, etc. 3. A wild, dangerous storm comes. 4. The disciples are so afraid, they tell Jesus they are drowning. 5. Jesus calms the storm, and then asks about their faith.
APPLICATION
Every new storm I encounter, presents a faith challenge. Am I going to believe that the God of the universe is in control? Or am I going to give into fear and believe that destiny/ or Satan/ has taken control of my circumstances. I might be in real danger, but I need not fear. Just run to Jesus with my helplessness. Another question to add for my purging time. In what area is my faith at this moment being tested???
PRAYER
Lord, sometimes it seems like you were really hard on the disciples. They didn't yet know that you could control the weather (actually everything). My faith becomes weak too, when I'm tested in a new area. Even if I have seen you demonstrate your faithfulness to others/or before. I have also seen you allow the storm/disease, etc. to continue unchecked. I think of Casting Crowns song on I will trust you in this storm. At the moment, I see no storm. Just the challenge of remaining faithful to you and spending extra time praying for Brno, and studying Czech the next 2 months before I move to Brno. Lord, help me to not rely on self for this, but to ask for your help on a daily basis. I can't gut it out for 2 months. Thank you for helping me want to study Czech again
Title: The God Time Forgot
ReplyDeleteS: Psalm 105:8 He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He commanded for a thousand generations.
O: When God makes a promise, He is promising an outcome, not a timeline. He will bring the promise of fulfillment when it best suits His purposes- He never forgets.
A: If He promises something, you can count on it. In fact, you can count on it to the point that it doesn't require any faith at all- it is that certain. If He promises to never leave you or forsake you, He won't Even if it looks like He has. If He says he will protect me, He will. Even if I don't undertand how He's going that.
P: Lord, thank you that you keep your promises. You are Great and Glorious- you alone are capable of fulfilling your promises. You don't even call them promises- it is simply your word. Let God be true and every man a liar. Help me rest in you, Lord. Help me take my circumstances in stride, and prise you in the storm, because you will see me through. This life is but a breath. Give me endurance. Help me to know the Truth, speak the truth, and rest in the truth. I need no further defense than the truth. Amen. JTF
Title: "Deep Roots"
ReplyDeleteScripture: Psalm 52:8 "But I am like a healthy olive tree, my roots are deep in the house of God. I trust in your faithful love forever."
Observe: David had a close relationship with God, he trusted in His love. He compared his relationship with God to a healthy olive tree.
Apply: If I talk and pray to God my roots are deep in the house of God.
Pray: Dear God, help me to have deep roots in your house by praying and reading your word.
Title: "Producing a Harvest"
ReplyDeleteMentor: Jesus
Scripture: "And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, & patiently produce a huge harvest." Luke 8:15
Observation: Jesus is explaining how different hearts (soil) respong to God's word (seeds). He said that the seeds that fell on good soil were like people who hear God's word & cling to it - they continue to grow deep in faith, share the Good News, & make disciples
Application: "patiently produce a huge harvest" stands out to me. so often I feel like I need to have it all figured out - like I've "arrived." I need to remember that God's sanctification will last my entrie life & that I won't "arrive" until I'm in heaven. I need to continue to pursue a relationship with Jesus, know & obey his word, & share the Good News with others. As I put one foot in front of the other this way, Lord willing a huge harvest will be produced from my life.
Prayer: Father God, I pray that my heart will be fertile soil for your Word to fall on and grow in. I want to be one who clings to your word - give me a passion for your word & sear it on my heart. Enable me to be faithful in passing that word on to others as you lead. i pray that as I know you more & am more faithful in obedience, you'll use me to produce a great harvest for your Kingdom. In Jesus Name - Amen!
Title: TO BE
ReplyDeleteMentor: Paul
Scripture: 1Cornithians 12:18 "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be"
Observation: "just as He wanted them to be" God has a plan, a reason for each of our gifts/abilities/talents. As hard as we may work it may never come to be. God's plan -- "he wanted them to be" - this needs to be on the front most part of our minds/thoughts.
Application: God created me with gifts and talents. What are they? He was very specific in my make-up. I am special to him and within His story. I need to honor that and NOT make myself into something I'm not created TO BE. TO BE as God planned. TO BE as He wanted.
Prayer: Father God, I'm an idiot at times. I try to do and be something/someone I'm not. Help me to accept who I am and who You wanted me to be - Open my heart up to the acceptance of what YOU wanted.