Put your hope in the Lord

SCRIPTURE

Psalms 131

1 My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

OBSERVATION
King David knew when to rely on God's power and his hope was in God. This psalm is short and to the point. We all need to rest in God's presence and know that he is going to take care of us. Even though, King David was a mighty man and had every right to feel like he was something great, he did not take pride into his heart. He realized that God is the only person that could come to his rescue. God came to his rescue time after time, in every battle and every situation he faced. David knew how to rest in God's presence, like a child who knows that his mother is the only one who has nurtured him and protected him. God raised him up to be a mighty man and nurtured him along the way. So many times, I forget that God has helped me to get where I am today! He knows the hardship and trials that I have faced and he has helped me to put my hope in him. I know that without his hand of protection and provision I would have lost my way.


APPLICATION
David states that his heart is not proud and his eyes are not haughty. David knew where he originated from before he was anointed King. David was just a poor shepherd boy with no real purpose with out God's anointing. David knew that without God he was nothing and without God's nurturing he would of not survived. I want to walk in a way that shows humility and dependence upon God. I want to be like David who was able to quite his soul knowing that God will continue to lead, guide and sustain him.

PRAYER
Lord, I put my hope in you this morning knowing that you will continue to sustain me and my family. I know that you have given me your word and promises that I can trust in. Lord teach me how to walk the way David did. He knew that you were his only hope in time of trouble. Please continue to help me rest in your presence and quite my soul before you as I meditate on your goodness. You are always there for us and we can find joy knowing that you will be with us forever.

20/20 Vision

SCRIPTURE
Luke 20:20 -26  The pharisees tried to trap Jesus regarding money. They asked him a question that they thought they could trap him in. They asked him, " Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar? Jesus took this question and turned it into a Spiritual teaching. Jesus asked them to pull out a denarius and tell him what image was on the coin. They responded by stating Caesar's image.  He responded by stating, " Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and give to God what is God's. 


OBSERVATION
Jesus stated that the coin was made in Caesar's image and we are created in God's image. We belong to God. In Genesis 1:27 it states that man was created in his own image, in his own image he created male and female! We belong to God because he is our creator. God does not make mistakes he has created you either male or female. He is the one who decides how you are made. He is the artist, the sculptor and he has designed you perfectly. When you look in the mirror today realize that God loves you. 


APPLICATION
I am so thankful that God made me the way that I am. He knows all my faults and failures but he also knows my strengths.  He is has patience with me and know that the work that he started he will complete. So many times we get depressed or worried that we do not measure up to his expectations. I am glad that he is not finished with me. I am a work in progress!

PRAYER
Lord thank you for creating me in your image. Teach me how to be more like you. I want others to see you through me, so I pray that you will help me reflect who you are. I pray you will teach me how to bring glory to you. You are our creator and we give you praise. 

Faith Healing

SCRIPTURE
Arise, and go your way. Your faith has made you well.


OBSERVATION
This is an amazing verse because Jesus tells this Smaritan that his faith is the reason for his healing. There are other instances in scripture where Christ heals out of compassion, and of course, others where the person's faith brings about healing. This scripture seems especially significant because of the relationship beteween Jews and Samaritans at this time. Despite the turmoil beteween the two cultures, this Samaritan had enough faith in the "King of the Jews" to be healed!

APPLICATION
Faith...
Faith is something that cannot be asked for. The word says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. I want to have this kind of faith, and even on a larger scale! It would be amazing to say to someone bound in a wheelchair, "Arise in Jesus name and walk! Sense faith comes by hearing the Word of God, the more time I spend in His Word, the more my faith will grow!

PRAYER
Father, I pray that in my quiet time with you, when I am in your Word, that you would grow my faith by hearing your Word. I want to have a lifestyle of faith! Faith for healing, faith for provision, and faith for giving beyond my means!
Amen

I do believe!

SCRIPTURE
The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever- Do not abandon the works of your hands. (Ps. 138:8)


OBSERVATION
Here, in chapter 138, David is reflecting on the goodness, faithfulness, and love of the Lord. It's interesting to see how in verse 8, David knows that the Lord will fulfill his purpose for David's life, yet his ending request is for the Lord not to abandon the works of his hands!


APPLICATION
I feel like this sometimes. I know what the Lord can do and I know what the Lord has said that he would do. Instead of continuing to pray for something that he's already said that he would do, I need to continue to rest in the assurance that he will do it, and in prayer, give thanks for whatever it is that he said that he would do instead of repeatedly requesting the same thing! It's like the father who was asking Jesus for healing for his son who was being tormented by a Demon (Mark 9). Jesus said everything is possible for those who believe. The father responds, I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.

PRAYER
Father, help me overcome my unbelief! I do know that you are able to do all things, and that your purposes will be fulfilled in my life. Help me to rest in that assurance and trust in you fully.
Amen

Welcome all ye Sinners!

SCRIPTURE
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."


OBSERVATION
This scripture is awesome! The Pharisees were so "high and mighty" that they would not even allow themselves to associate with "sinners" and here, Jesus welcomes them!


APPLICATION
This is huge, not only personally, but on a corporate level. This is how we should be as a church! I don't want to be worrying about how many ex-cons, drug addicts, etc. are walking through the doors of the church! I want to be a person, who welcomes sinners just as Christ did! After all, no one is immune to sin!

PRAYER
Father, help me to be more open to accept people who might otherwise not be accepted! I want to learn from Christ's example!
Amen

Seasoning Salt

SCRIPTURE
"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
"He who has ears to hear, let him hear." (Lk. 14:34)


OBSERVATION
Jesus makes reference to salt in this passage, likely because it hit home to his listeners. Salt was very important to everyday life in that culture. It was used to enhance flavor and likely as a cure or preservative. Christ calls us to be the salt of the earth! We are to enhance the earth, preserve it's population.

APPLICATION
Being the salt of the earth is no easy task. We must first of all, be sure to keep our relationship with Christ, a strong one, and have regular "Koinonia" with other salty people. When we separate ourselves from other salt, or the source, our saltiness will begin to fade. Our priority should be our relationship with Christ. Stay close to the source and we'll be able to continually season the world with the love of Christ and in turn, one soul at a time, preserve the world!

PRAYER
Father, help me to ensure that I never lose saltiness! I want to do your will and be salt to this earth.
Amen

What's Your Motive?

SCRIPTURE
Ask all the people of the land and the priests, When you fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? Zechariah 7:5


OBSERVATION
God was giving a motive check here. What was the true purpose for their fast? Were they fasting unto the Lord, or were they fasting out of obligation, religion?


APPLICATION
This scripture is significant as we're in the midst of our 40 days of fasting, Fasting for Breakthrough. This scripture has made me to check my motives. What is the reason for my fast? Is it because it's a church wide fast? Honestly, the length of my fast is likely due to the 40 day corporate fast, but the reason...Personal Breakthrough, Corporate Breakthrough, etc. It's not out of obligation or a religious thing, but rather something that God has called me to do for this specific time.

PRAYER
Father, help me to continually check my motives. Whatever I do, I want to do unto you and not because of some sense of obligation. I pray for real breakthrough to happen over the remainder of these 40 days.
Amen