Only One is Worthy of All Glory

SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 4:11) "Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created."

OBSERVATION
John envisions the throne room of God and sees four living creatures and twenty-four elders around the throne. In this time and place they fall on their faces before Him and begin to chant how worthy God is.

APPLICATION
When we enter the throne room of God through our praise and worship, the focus should be all upon God and who He is. To focus upon ourselves and ask for personal needs in this time and place of worship and holiness is sacrilegious and out of order. To make personal requests here is to exalt yourself to a position of priority. There is no one, except God, who is worthy of all focus and attention. Don't pollute holy worship with self-gratification. There is a time to make your requests known to God, and there is a time to focus solely upon Him.

PRAYER
Lord, Your word says You know what I want and need even before I ask. I trust Your provision and desire to come to this holy place of total worship and focus on You alone. You are holy and righteous and worthy of all praise and honor.

What Made God Sick?

SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 3:15 & 16) "I know your deeds, that your are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth."

OBSERVATION
Another one of the churches that had compromised their walk with God was the church at Laodicea. These Christians had become lukewarm or complacent in their worship and service. God's desire is that they were either sold out for Him or not a follower at all. Their half-way commitment makes God sick, so to speak, to the point that he vomits them out of his mouth.

APPLICATION
Partial commitment is the seed bed for discontentment in any relationship. Setting conditions for our worship is not worship at all but a contractual agreement based on reciprical benefits. We must either serve God whole heartedly with no reservations, or not at all because God won't take second place in our life. That makes Him Sick!

PRAYER
Lord, I will serve You, and have no other god's before You. With all that I am I will give praise to You. I give You first place in my life.

Have You Lost The Way?

SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 2:2-4) "I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love."

OBSERVATION
John is writing this exhortation and addresses it to the church in Ephesus. He says they have endured alot, but they left their first love. Paul makes the point in I Cor. 13, that without love we amount to nothing. John warns the church that if they don't repent and return to His love, He will remove them.

APPLICATION
Paul writing to Timothy says all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching and training. I believe the contemporary church is guilty of leaving its first love and pursuing that which is politically correct. We must return to our first love and zeal for the cause of Christ or stand in judgement of being removed. Have we lost our way?

PRAYER
Lord, I repent of my overconcern for momentary security. Help me to be aware of the opportunities to love others for Your sake. Restore my first love of You!

Are You Listening?

SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 1:3) "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near."


OBSERVATION
John has been instructed to chronicle a prophetic vision for the seven churches scattered throught Asia. Inherant in the reading and application of these words is a blessing. The obvious blessing in John's life is the fulfillment of the Great Commission. As with most prophetic words with a judgement content, it is difficult to personally apply. John was not writing it to tickle the ears of his readers, but out of obedience.


APPLICATION
It is not enough to hear the prophetic words from God, they must be applied. That has never changed! Many people want to receive words of monetary gain or physical health, but there is a tendency to resist words that require personal sacrifice or a lifestyle change. Revelation literally means "the unveiling." God is about to expose what is, and what is to come. Are you listening?

PRAYER
God, cause my spirit to hear Your Spirit and give me understanding. Give disclosure of deeper insight into Your will for my life and how You want me to invest my life in others as time as we know it draws to its close.

The Influence of Pride

SCRIPTURE
(IIIJohn 9&10) "I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and he forbids those who desire to do so, and puts them out of the church."

OBSERVATION
Believe it or not, there are those who have self-advancing motivations in the church. If you do not follow their direction you may stand the risk of verbal assault or excommunication. In this case, John says he will expose the deeds and identify the false accusations when he comes to them.


APPLICATION
It is important to weigh the words of a man with the truth of God's Word, and his love for God and the church. When there is a great focus on the leader or significant people within the church, the seeds of pride will begin to flourish. Pride comes before destruction.

PRAYER
God, keep my focus on You. May those who hear my audible words, sense the spiritual realm of Your kingdom.

Sit Up and Listen to Your Teacher

SCRIPTURE
(IIJohn 9) "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son."


OBSERVATION
John is warning his readers about those who appear to be believers but deny the diety of Christ and the supremecy of His teachings. To abide in something means to live in it and it in you. The teachings of Jesus have the power of eternal life, but are difficult to impliment in the natural man.

APPLICATION
It is possible to go to far by not keeping the teachings of Christ, or simply compromising or denying the power there of. If we deny or chose not to apply the teachings of Jesus, we deny relationship with God the Father. Refusing to apply the lessons taught by "the teacher" will cost you more than detention after school. We all need to sit up and listen to the teacher.

PRAYER
Lord, let Your teachings motivate my actions, and Your Spirit empower my emotions.

Plans to Prosper You . . .

SCRIPTURE
Jeremiah 29:11-14 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity."

OBSERVATION
Of course, everyone loves Jeremiah 29:11. We claim it because we all want to prosper and have hope and a future and not be harmed. However, we sometimes fail to continue on, to Jeremiah 12 and beyond. This is a conditional promise. We, first, must seek Him with all of our heart. We must call upon Him and pray to Him and He will listen to us. God promises that when we seek Him with all of our heart, He will be found, and He will bring us back.

When we step out of line of God's will for us; when we are knowingly disobedient, how can we expect God to prosper us? He is a loving Father who wants the very best for us. Sometimes the things we desire are not the very best for us. Sometimes the paths we choose, without first seeking His direction, are not the paths He would choose for us. There is a definite order to be learned here. "Call upon me", "come and pray to me", "I will listen to you", and "I will be found by you", and "I will bring you back".

APPLICATION
I'm going to memorize these verses in a different order, starting with verse 13 and 14, then proceeding to verse 11. Because I don't ever want to take God's promise for granted if I am living outside of his will or making decisions without first consulting Him. Now, when I need the comfort of Jeremiah 29:11, I will first ask myself if I'm living up to my end.

PRAYER
Lord above, thank you for the reminder to seek You; to call out to You; and to do it with all of my heart. Thank you for always having my best interest at heart. Let me not ever forget to make all choices that would line up with Your will for my life and the lives of my family. Amen.

Walking in the Light

SCRIPTURE
1 John 1:5-7 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.


OBSERVATION
John is sharing some of what the disciples learned from Jesus while He was with them. He contrasts the light, which is goodness against darkness, which is evil. Of course, God is the light. There is no evil whatsoever in Him. God is truth and holiness and purity.

John warns us against saying that we have fellowship with Jesus and and then living a life that does not practice it by walking in the darkness (i.e. living a life that contains evil).

As I think about God's light - His goodness, His holiness, His purity - it makes everything of this world seem dirty and ugly. Naturally, that is not the case however, I can use His holiness to weigh the things in my life that fall short of an existence filled with light. I can evaluate choices, people, situations, issues and decisions based on what would fall in line with God's light. If every decision I make is evaluated through these lenses, most should be very clear and meet with His approval.

APPLICATION
I need to base my thoughts, words and actions on whether or not they fall into the "light" or "darkness" category. Although the phrase WWJD (What would Jesus do?) is cliche and overused, it does apply. I prefer to think about how I would think, look and act if I were standing in the presence of God. My choices need to be pure enough to meet with His scrutiny at all times.

PRAYER
Father, I thank you for your Word. I will continue to pour your guidance and wisdom into my life and into the lives of my children. We will continue to seek Your "light" and eliminate any areas of darkness that may come our way. Please continue to remind us and convict us when we begin to go astray. Amen.

PTL

SCRIPTURE
Psalm 105:1-4 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

OBSERVATION
As I read about Psalm 105, I learned that it was written to be presented to Israel during an annual religious festival. It was an exhortation to Israel to remember what the Lord had done for them since the covenant with Abraham and, in great detail, the deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.

But, what I most loved about the chapter was the opening four verses. Can any of us not feel compelled to thank the Lord for what He has done in our lives? Are you not compelled to call on His name, sing to Him, praise Him, rejoice in Him when you recall his great blessings in your life? I reflect on what my life was like before Him. I sometimes even dare to imagine what my life would be like now without Him. That motivates me to present my undying gratitude and thankfulness to our mighty God.

The psalmist goes on to encourage us to 'make know among the nations what he has done" and to "tell of all his wonderful acts". I have personal stories of when God was with me through a difficult time or situation. I can recount physical and emotional healing in my life. Am I sharing that with others? He didn't bring me through those things just because He loves me. These experiences are to be shared so that He is glorified in the telling.

Lastly, I observe that we are to "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." I have got to take everything to Him FIRST. I will be in the middle of a situation or challenge and then remember that I can take it to God. And I tell myself, "That should have already happened, silly!". But . . . I am getting better.

What great verses - they have so much in them . . . worship Him, tell others about Him, seek Him!

APPLICATION
I'm going to refer to these verses occasionally to remind myself to keep my prayers balanced between worship and supplication. I want to spend more time entering into a time of remembrance of all that the Lord has done for me.

PRAYER
Lord, I praise You for who You are and all You have done for me. As I reflect, I see Your hand on my life at all times - guiding, protecting, disciplining, encouraging, teaching. Thank you, Father! I pray that I will get better at involving you FIRST AND FOREMOST in my daily challenges and opportunities . I thank you for Your Spirit and pray He will continue to fill me until You are spilling over onto others. I love you!

Blessed by Believing

SCRIPTURE
John 20:29-31 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.


OBSERVATION
As I re-read this Scripture, I was reminded of my own personal search for answers about God. I wanted evidence - tangible proof that the Bible was irrefutably true. Eventually, God brought me to a place where I was to walk away or to step out in faith. Obviously, I chose faith.

So, as Jesus is proving Himself to Thomas, he tells the disciples that those who believe without seeing will be blessed. That's us! That's me! That is all current and future believers.

The last sentence of this passage made me realize what a huge responsibility the disciples must have felt . . . to tell others of what they had actually seen. And from those few who saw firsthand sprang forth a church of millions and millions!


APPLICATION
Now that the hard part is over (believing without seeing), it is now this disciple's responsibility to tell others so that they, too, can have life in His name.

I need to remember how I used to doubt, just as Thomas did, and apply those memories to how I am to approach telling others about Jesus. Our responsibility is no less than what was placed upon the original disciples. Of course, we can't do it without the Holy Spirit. But, with the Holy Spirit, we can continue to add to His church and more and more will have life in His name!

PRAYER
Father, thank You for offering me life in Your son's name. Forgive me for ever doubting yet knowing that I and many others would. You are compassionate and all-knowing even in dealing with stubborn individuals and "doubting Thomases'. Assist me, Holy Spirit, in reaching others who doubt the existence of an "unseen" God. May I be as bold, wise and convincing as John was.

Leave a legacy

SCRIPTURE Psalms 112 1-6
1Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.
2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man
5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.

OBSERVATION
This psalm gives us two keys to a blessed life. Is it really this simple? There have been hundreds of books written on having an abundant life. Motivational speakers charge you extraordinary amounts of money to come and hear them talk about being successful in life. God's favor towards people who fear him is very generous. The man who genuinely respects God, delights in his Word and follows his commandments will have wealth and riches in his home. What is the secret to finding God's favor? I believe God makes it simple to serve with a joyful heart. Find joy in following commands not just reading about them. Cheerful obedience is the only acceptable obedience. I want to serve God out of joy not grudgingly. I want to praise God because of who he is! I want to be a person who is remembered as someone who delighted in serving God with a joyful heart.
APPLICATION
I believe that studying the commandments is a good thing, but it is a great thing when we actually follow them. Self righteous men praise themselves, but the person who has been made righteous by the Lord's grace and goodness gives all praise to the Lord. I want my children to be strong leaders and influential in our community. I want them to be blessed and to remember God's favor is upon them because their father delighted in God's commandments. Even though the world is getting darker, God's light will shine upon us because we belong to him and we serve him with all our heart, mind and strength.

PRAYER
Lord teach us how to fear you and follow your commandments. Give us a joyful and obedient heart. I know you have promised us your favor, and I ask for you to bless us and our children. There are no riches that can rival your love. Prosperity and peace we pray will be poured out on those who serve you with cheerful hearts. Guide us in doing right and help us to be righteous. Lord help me to leave a legacy that will glorify you.

The

SCRIPTURE  Psalms 93

 1 The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; 
       the LORD is robed in majesty 
       and is armed with strength. 
       The world is firmly established; 
       it cannot be moved.

 2 Your throne was established long ago; 
       you are from all eternity.

 3 The seas have lifted up, O LORD, 
       the seas have lifted up their voice; 
       the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.

 4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, 
       mightier than the breakers of the sea— 
       the LORD on high is mighty.

 5 Your statutes stand firm; 
       holiness adorns your house 
       for endless days, O LORD.

OBSERVATION
Summer is always a great time to visit the coast and relax on the beach.  It is relaxing to sit on the beach and just take in all the sounds of the waves crashing. 

It is amazing to see the waves crashing on the shore and against the rocks. Relaxing and taking in all the scenery is a great way to meditate on who God is. The ocean's power is great but God's power is mightier. I love walking on the beach and letting the waves crash on me, but sometimes the waves are more powerful than they look and can knock you down and take you in deeper than you wanted to go. Sometimes we forget that the God we serve is all mighty and he created everything. At anytime he can knock us down! I am reminded of God's presence when I look at the breakers. His presence can be overwhelming but he wants us to relax and enjoy his presence. 


APPLICATION
 I am aware of your mighty power and you are awesome! I am so glad that you have created this world for us and that you want us to enjoy your Holy Spirit. Your Spirit is powerful and can be overwhelming, but you are gentle as a dove with us. Thank you for wanting to spend time with us and helping us to know that we can relax in your presence. Let the peace that passes all understanding take over me today. Just as we love spending time at the beach I look forward spending time with the God who created it. Your so Majestic!

PRAYER
Lord even though I am not at the beach today I can enjoy your presence and relax. It is a wonderful feeling to know that at anytime I want I can sit with you the all mighty creator and see your beauty. You are so creative and and amazing. I pray that people who are looking for peace today will find it as turn to you. Please send your Spirit to those who are overwhelmed or who have stress today. 

American Idols

SCRIPTURE  Psalms 96-1:6

 1 Sing to the LORD a new song; 
       sing to the LORD, all the earth.

 2 Sing to the LORD, praise his name; 
       proclaim his salvation day after day.

 3 Declare his glory among the nations, 
       his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; 
       he is to be feared above all gods.

 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, 
       but the LORD made the heavens.

 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; 
       strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

OBSERVATION
Psalms 96 encourages us to declare his glory among the nations! As I read this Psalm I asked myself have I done what the Lord is asking me to do. Have I declared his glory to my neighborhood, community, country and other nations? I believe God is asking me to declare his praises not only here in our community but in the world. Telling people about his wonderful and marvelous deeds is easy when he has done so much for me! Although, it is easy to tell people in our community about his good works,  it does take time, energy and money to go to the nations! Is this scripture only for missionaries who go out to other nations, or is God asking us to declare his praises as well? 


APPLICATION
Today, we have the luxury of sitting in our home and getting on the Internet and chatting with people who live in London, Mexico or Brazil. We really do not have any excuse not to declare his praises. We can send emails out to Pastors who are working in orphanages. We can send money to help support missionaries. We can go on short term missionary projects. There are so many creative ways that we can declare his glory among the nations. When people from other nations think about America, do they think about all the Idols, Hollywood Stars, Fame and Fortune? Do people from other nations view Americans as people of praise who love God and worship the Majestic King of Kings. I believe this passage of scripture has encouraged me to do a better job of declaring his praises. If only people in my community know about God's wonderful deeds then maybe I need to declare his praise louder and more effectively. 

PRAYER
Lord forgive me for not declaring your praises through out the nations. Lord you know that I love you and what others to know you. Teach me how to proclaim your salvation day to day. Lord I want others to know how great you are. Let me be your Ambassador to other nations. Send me Lord, to people who are longing to hear about your goodness and mercy. Thank you for your loving kindness and the Salvation you have brought to my family. 

A Fuitful LIfe

SCRIPTURE

John 15:1 ¶ “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
John 15:3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
John 15:5 ¶ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

OBSERVATION

Every true believer I have ever met has a desire to be fruitful. Every true believer I have encountered is grateful for a relationship with God that is based upon His decision to be our friend. (John 15:15) In this text we discover the importance of an ongoing relationship with God. In the context of this relationship, believers are able to produce fruit. Apart from a living relationship, you may be able to produce results in the strength of your flesh but you can’t bear fruit. When we do things in our own power, we are not merely handicapped or hindered but hopelessly paralyzed. We can do nothing of lasting value apart from Him. Relationship is key to everything! When we relate to God on an intimate basis and not merely as an acquaintance, He helps us develop and grow. It is not always easy or fun. There are times of pruning, breaking, adjusting, chastisement, cleansing and correction. The end product however, is a life that is pleasing and useful to God .

APPLICATION

What does it mean to abide in Christ? What are the signs of someone who is not taking advantage of this great privilege? How will I know I am abiding? Do I have any noticeable fruit that is being produced? Am I doing things in my own power or in the strength of His power? Is there anything that is unproductive in my life that needs to be pruned away?
Today, I am seeking God to help me find the answers to these questions. I am deciding to stay as closely connected to Jesus as I possibly can.

PRAYER

Lord, as I look at my life, I don’t see as much fruit as I would desire. Please help me produce more and much fruit so that others might taste of your goodness and be fed. (Ps 34:8)
May the fruit of my relationship with you be evident to all (1 Tim 4:15) and may you be pleased to use me in the extension of your Kingdom.