SCRIPTURE
2 Corinthians 8: 7 & 10 But just as you excel in everything- in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving. vs 10; you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.
OBSERVATION
Paul encourages us to "excel" in the grace of giving and then in verse 10 he sees even deeper than just the act of giving but recognizes they were the "first" to give but also to have the "desire" to do so.
APPLICATION
So many times I think about the people at Koinonia who give their time in service to others. I know they do it because they love kids, or they genuinely care that people are welcomed, or they have a heart to help others experience worship. Whatever passion motivates their service, they are so many times the "first" to give. They do seemingly small things, like this Easter many of them will be giving up their seats with their families and serve multiple services, just because they have put "others first" and most amazingly, they do it with the "desire" Paul writes about.
PRAYER
Father, increase this "grace of giving" in me, help me be one of the "first" to give and grow the "desire" to do so, in my heart. Thank you for all those on my team who are teaching me.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Hope of all the ends of the earth
Scripture:
Psalm 65:3-5 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgresssions. O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth.
Observation:
Overwhelmed and Hope, are directly opposed to each other. Exact opposites. Overwhelmed is defined as: to submerge; surge over; engulf; to defeat completely and decisively; to affect deeply. I'm reminded of the weight of utter hopelessness apart from God.
Application:
Even though its been 34 years since the gulf between me and God was closed...I remember the hopelessness and its overwhelming weight and its exactly the weight our old enemy Satan wants us to live under BUT you gotta love when the Scripture breaks through! "when we were....you forgave our transgressions", WOW! The Psalmist cries out..."You are the hope of all the ends of the earth!
Prayer:
My heart is filled with thankfullness and great joy, Lord for the freedom from the power of sin, I know in you! But I am increasingly aware of all those who don't know you yet and the forgiveness of sins and the overwhelming weights they carry. Let your forgiveness come in like a flood! You are the Hope of the earth! and I love you!
Psalm 65:3-5 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgresssions. O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth.
Observation:
Overwhelmed and Hope, are directly opposed to each other. Exact opposites. Overwhelmed is defined as: to submerge; surge over; engulf; to defeat completely and decisively; to affect deeply. I'm reminded of the weight of utter hopelessness apart from God.
Application:
Even though its been 34 years since the gulf between me and God was closed...I remember the hopelessness and its overwhelming weight and its exactly the weight our old enemy Satan wants us to live under BUT you gotta love when the Scripture breaks through! "when we were....you forgave our transgressions", WOW! The Psalmist cries out..."You are the hope of all the ends of the earth!
Prayer:
My heart is filled with thankfullness and great joy, Lord for the freedom from the power of sin, I know in you! But I am increasingly aware of all those who don't know you yet and the forgiveness of sins and the overwhelming weights they carry. Let your forgiveness come in like a flood! You are the Hope of the earth! and I love you!
Godly Sorrow
SCRIPTURE
2Cor. 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
OBSERVATION
When people hurt they often cry. Even though tears can be the product of great joy - sorrow in some form is more often the source. I can’t speak for you but when I see a person crying, I want to stop, listen and help them wipe away the tears. The problem, however, is the very tears that come from sorrow become the spring that waters repentance. If sorrow turns us from sin and helps us to follow Jesus more closely, then sorrow and tears becomes our friend.
APPLICATION
Before I seek to wipe away tears from the eyes of people, I will seek to discover the source. If God is using the tears to water the fruit of His Spirit in their lives and turn them around, I will not do anything to abort the work God is doing.
PRAYER
O Lord, help us to have a sorrow that leads to repentance.
2Cor. 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
OBSERVATION
When people hurt they often cry. Even though tears can be the product of great joy - sorrow in some form is more often the source. I can’t speak for you but when I see a person crying, I want to stop, listen and help them wipe away the tears. The problem, however, is the very tears that come from sorrow become the spring that waters repentance. If sorrow turns us from sin and helps us to follow Jesus more closely, then sorrow and tears becomes our friend.
APPLICATION
Before I seek to wipe away tears from the eyes of people, I will seek to discover the source. If God is using the tears to water the fruit of His Spirit in their lives and turn them around, I will not do anything to abort the work God is doing.
PRAYER
O Lord, help us to have a sorrow that leads to repentance.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Come Out
SCRIPTURE
2Cor. 6:17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
OBSERVATION
Living in the world and not being a part of the world is the challenge set before every Christian. We aren’t called to retreat to some mountain in order to remove ourselves from society but to live a Spirit filled life while integrated with the current culture.
APPLICATION
Francis Schaeffer wrote a book called: How then shall we live.
That question must be answered. I think verse 7 gives us a clue when we are told to have weapons of righteousness in both hands. We must keep our eyes on God and our hands involved in doing right things. As our eyes are focused on Jesus and our hands extended to help people in His name, we can live the Spirit Led life.
PRAYER
Lord, please show us how to be an influence in the world rather than being influenced by the world.
2Cor. 6:17 “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
OBSERVATION
Living in the world and not being a part of the world is the challenge set before every Christian. We aren’t called to retreat to some mountain in order to remove ourselves from society but to live a Spirit filled life while integrated with the current culture.
APPLICATION
Francis Schaeffer wrote a book called: How then shall we live.
That question must be answered. I think verse 7 gives us a clue when we are told to have weapons of righteousness in both hands. We must keep our eyes on God and our hands involved in doing right things. As our eyes are focused on Jesus and our hands extended to help people in His name, we can live the Spirit Led life.
PRAYER
Lord, please show us how to be an influence in the world rather than being influenced by the world.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
The Blessing of Trouble by Donna Howard
SCRIPTURE
II Corinthians 4:17 NLT
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
OBSERVATION
This scripture says our present troubles are small but my mind wants to cry out to God “Have you seen what I’m facing”? It seems anything but small. It seems all encompassing and consuming. But God, in His abundant grace that’s poured out on us daily, gives us a new and different perspective – This small trouble is to shape us into a vessel that contains more of Him to give to a lost and dying world. He reminds us that we must have an eternal perspective. He didn’t call us to live lives of ease but to live lives of purpose and destiny.
APPLICATION
Pain and trouble are a part of growth, and let’s face it, a part of everyone’s life. My job or goal is to keep things in perspective…. It’s not about me, it’s about the Kingdom of God being revealed in my life.
I’ve had seasons of pain and struggle in my life that seemed as if it would crush me. However, it made me cry out to and cling to Jesus as my lifeline. That pain and pressure created in me a new sensitivity to the Holy Spirit … it plowed up the places in my heart that had become very hard. Then an amazing thing happened! This pain, this struggle, actually turned into a blessing that created new life and passion for Jesus in my life. This turn-around can happen anytime and anyplace if we will surrender ourselves to the living God to mold, shape and indwell us.
PRAYER
Lord, I do want to reflect Your Glory so people will be drawn into your Kingdom. But in order to do that, I must submit and allow you to work in all areas of my life. Give me the ability to rejoice in hard times realizing it is creating in me a “an eternal weight of glory”.
II Corinthians 4:17 NLT
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!
OBSERVATION
This scripture says our present troubles are small but my mind wants to cry out to God “Have you seen what I’m facing”? It seems anything but small. It seems all encompassing and consuming. But God, in His abundant grace that’s poured out on us daily, gives us a new and different perspective – This small trouble is to shape us into a vessel that contains more of Him to give to a lost and dying world. He reminds us that we must have an eternal perspective. He didn’t call us to live lives of ease but to live lives of purpose and destiny.
APPLICATION
Pain and trouble are a part of growth, and let’s face it, a part of everyone’s life. My job or goal is to keep things in perspective…. It’s not about me, it’s about the Kingdom of God being revealed in my life.
I’ve had seasons of pain and struggle in my life that seemed as if it would crush me. However, it made me cry out to and cling to Jesus as my lifeline. That pain and pressure created in me a new sensitivity to the Holy Spirit … it plowed up the places in my heart that had become very hard. Then an amazing thing happened! This pain, this struggle, actually turned into a blessing that created new life and passion for Jesus in my life. This turn-around can happen anytime and anyplace if we will surrender ourselves to the living God to mold, shape and indwell us.
PRAYER
Lord, I do want to reflect Your Glory so people will be drawn into your Kingdom. But in order to do that, I must submit and allow you to work in all areas of my life. Give me the ability to rejoice in hard times realizing it is creating in me a “an eternal weight of glory”.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Idol Of Worry by Kay Hurtado
SCRIPTURE
Judges 17:4-5 (NLT)
“So his (Micah’s) mother took two hundred of the silver coins to a silversmith, who made them into an image and an idol. And these were placed in Micah’s house. Micah set up a shrine, and he made a sacred ephod and some household idols.”
OBSERVATION
This portion of scripture discusses how Micah had stolen 1100 pieces of silver from his mother, and not knowing it was Micah who took them, she had cursed “the thief” who took them. When he told her he was the thief, she spoke a blessing over him and dedicated the coins to the Lord. Then, in honor of her son Micah, she had an image carved and an idol cast.
APPLICATION
How many times have I blessed you Lord, in the middle of a struggle, turned the issue over to You, and then taken it back again in worry? And not even meaning to do that, it’s happened. One particular area is in the worry over finances. Countless numbers of times I’ve declared that I would trust You to take care of our financial condition, yet worried it through, figuring it out in my own strength, only to find that my way wasn’t the way You had planned at all. My pride would not let go and completely trust You to take care of us financially. You revealed to me that my worry was like an idol. My thoughts, energy, and time were consumed with worrying about what I had given to You to take care of in the first place. I wasn’t asking for bigger and better stuff, I was just asking for You to provide, all the while worrying about how it would happen, and what I would do when it came. Well, you proved faithful! You always provided, and in the process You’ve taught me that worry adds nothing to my life but stress. No longer will worry be an idol to me because every time I venture back into that chartered territory, in Your faithfulness, You call me back reminding me that You are the same today as You were yesterday, and You will be tomorrow.
PRAYER
Of Father, how grateful I am for your Word. How blessed I am to be one that You care enough about to remind me of your faithfulness. Thank You that I can truly walk in my choice to trust You in the current challenge of our financial lives. Please continue to show me areas in my life where I have laid up idols without even realizing it. You are the One and only One that I desire to worship, and nothing else. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Judges 17:4-5 (NLT)
“So his (Micah’s) mother took two hundred of the silver coins to a silversmith, who made them into an image and an idol. And these were placed in Micah’s house. Micah set up a shrine, and he made a sacred ephod and some household idols.”
OBSERVATION
This portion of scripture discusses how Micah had stolen 1100 pieces of silver from his mother, and not knowing it was Micah who took them, she had cursed “the thief” who took them. When he told her he was the thief, she spoke a blessing over him and dedicated the coins to the Lord. Then, in honor of her son Micah, she had an image carved and an idol cast.
APPLICATION
How many times have I blessed you Lord, in the middle of a struggle, turned the issue over to You, and then taken it back again in worry? And not even meaning to do that, it’s happened. One particular area is in the worry over finances. Countless numbers of times I’ve declared that I would trust You to take care of our financial condition, yet worried it through, figuring it out in my own strength, only to find that my way wasn’t the way You had planned at all. My pride would not let go and completely trust You to take care of us financially. You revealed to me that my worry was like an idol. My thoughts, energy, and time were consumed with worrying about what I had given to You to take care of in the first place. I wasn’t asking for bigger and better stuff, I was just asking for You to provide, all the while worrying about how it would happen, and what I would do when it came. Well, you proved faithful! You always provided, and in the process You’ve taught me that worry adds nothing to my life but stress. No longer will worry be an idol to me because every time I venture back into that chartered territory, in Your faithfulness, You call me back reminding me that You are the same today as You were yesterday, and You will be tomorrow.
PRAYER
Of Father, how grateful I am for your Word. How blessed I am to be one that You care enough about to remind me of your faithfulness. Thank You that I can truly walk in my choice to trust You in the current challenge of our financial lives. Please continue to show me areas in my life where I have laid up idols without even realizing it. You are the One and only One that I desire to worship, and nothing else. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
To God be the Glory by Saci Stockton
SCRIPTURE
Judges 13:16-18 Amplified
"And the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Though you detain me I will not eat of your food: but if you make ready a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord. For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, What is your name, so that when your words come true, we may do you honor? And the Angel of the Lord said to him, Why do you ask My name seeing it is wonderful?"
OBSERVATION
In reading these scriptures it was apparent that the Angel would take no honor unto himself, even when it was offered, but only gave honor unto the Lord.
APPLICATION
: I am to give glory and honor to my Savior and Heavenly Father and not seek to be honored for my good deeds, even though those deeds may in fact be for the Lord Himself. I am nothing, there is no good in me except what comes from my Father. All honor and glory is His.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father forgive me when I have cherished the honor and praises of men. May all honor and praise be yours Lord. Help me to always defer to you when praise and glory come my way. Always lifting you up first and only....for you alone deserve the glory.
Judges 13:16-18 Amplified
"And the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, Though you detain me I will not eat of your food: but if you make ready a burnt offering, offer it to the Lord. For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to the Angel of the Lord, What is your name, so that when your words come true, we may do you honor? And the Angel of the Lord said to him, Why do you ask My name seeing it is wonderful?"
OBSERVATION
In reading these scriptures it was apparent that the Angel would take no honor unto himself, even when it was offered, but only gave honor unto the Lord.
APPLICATION
: I am to give glory and honor to my Savior and Heavenly Father and not seek to be honored for my good deeds, even though those deeds may in fact be for the Lord Himself. I am nothing, there is no good in me except what comes from my Father. All honor and glory is His.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father forgive me when I have cherished the honor and praises of men. May all honor and praise be yours Lord. Help me to always defer to you when praise and glory come my way. Always lifting you up first and only....for you alone deserve the glory.
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