SCRIPTURE
Luke 5:8-11 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
OBSERVATION
Most people recall this story in Luke 5:1-7 of the miraculous catch of fish. We teach it to even the youngest of our Sunday school kids. It's one of the first miracles that Jesus performs publicly.
But, it's not the miraculous catch of fish that caught my attention during this reading. What I became aware of is Simon Peter's reaction to Jesus. When he hears Jesus teaching the people and then witnesses the miracle in his nets, he falls at Jesus' knees and confesses to Him what a sinful man he is.
It brings to mind the feelings I experience whenever I feel the strong presence of God during worship or prayer. I know that I am really in His presence when I feel the remorse of my sins and the humility of my humanness. It's as though the closer we get to purity and holiness, the more aware we are of our filth. Scripture tells us that our ideas of righteousness are like filthy rags to God. We just have no concept as it relates to His perfect goodness.
And what happens next touches me. While Peter is feeling so inadequate in Jesus' presence, kneeling there at his feet, Jesus tells him, "Don't be afraid . . .". He gives Peter the words he needs to hear to leave it all behind at the spur of the moment without hesitation or regret. He reassures Peter, that despite the sinful man that he is, it's going to be okay -- Jesus is going to use him anyway.
APPLICATION
I think God is delighted with us when we humble ourselves in His presence and admit how horrible we are. His love for us must be similar to the love we feel for our kids when they humble themselves and confess a wrong they've committed. We want to reassure them of our unconditional love and let them know that it's going to be okay. Just as God does for us. Yes, we are filthy and fall short. But, He can and will use us anyway if we will humble ourselves and follow His direction.
PRAYER
Father, thank you for loving me despite how many times I mess up. Forgive me for knowing so little of true righteousness. I humble myself before You, knowing that you can and will still use me. Thank you for demonstrating unconditional love and fatherhood for us all. Thank you for Your Son.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
I Said No, You Can't Have That!
SCRIPTURE
(Genesis 3:1) "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"
OBSERVATION
To distort and control what God had created, satan played upon Eve's desire for what she couldn't have, and spoke through a serpant to her. He wanted Eve to focus her thoughts on the one tree that God had restricted them from so he asked if they had been restricted from them all? The answer of course was,"no, just one." Now he has her thoughts fixed on what she cannot have.
APPLICATION
There is now something in our fallen human nature, placed there by Adam and Eve, that wants to experience that which is not good for us. And we don't want anyone telling us we can't or shouldn't partake of it. Satan still whispers in our ears, "you deserve it, it's not going to hurt you, they just don't want you to have any fun." The root of sin comes down to self-gratification or self-exaltation. There are still experiences in life that if you listen with your spirit you will hear God saying, "I said no, you can't have that!"
PRAYER
My God, give me ears to hear Your restrictions, and keep my eyes focused on You, not on what I think I'm missing out on in life.
(Genesis 3:1) "Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?"
OBSERVATION
To distort and control what God had created, satan played upon Eve's desire for what she couldn't have, and spoke through a serpant to her. He wanted Eve to focus her thoughts on the one tree that God had restricted them from so he asked if they had been restricted from them all? The answer of course was,"no, just one." Now he has her thoughts fixed on what she cannot have.
APPLICATION
There is now something in our fallen human nature, placed there by Adam and Eve, that wants to experience that which is not good for us. And we don't want anyone telling us we can't or shouldn't partake of it. Satan still whispers in our ears, "you deserve it, it's not going to hurt you, they just don't want you to have any fun." The root of sin comes down to self-gratification or self-exaltation. There are still experiences in life that if you listen with your spirit you will hear God saying, "I said no, you can't have that!"
PRAYER
My God, give me ears to hear Your restrictions, and keep my eyes focused on You, not on what I think I'm missing out on in life.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
You're Lookin' Good!
SCRIPTURE
(Genesis 1:26&27) "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
OBSERVATION
Are you aware that you look like God? When you criticize or are unhappy with some aspect of your character or your physical being, you are criticizing the image of God. Were you also aware that part of God's image is to rule. He gave us authority to rule the earth and the things in and on the earth. Are you lookin' good in the way you rule? Or is life and it's current pressures ruling you?
APPLICATION
If you recognize that you are created in God's image with a specific empowerment to rule, what keeps you from reaching your potential? Fear and doubt are two pollutants that distort our self perception and create dissatisfaction in what God has created us for. Perfect love, God's love, casts out fear! Faith overcomes doubt.
PRAYER
God, give me the assurance to act in Your image, and rule over my own fears of what others think. May others see You when they look at me.
(Genesis 1:26&27) "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
OBSERVATION
Are you aware that you look like God? When you criticize or are unhappy with some aspect of your character or your physical being, you are criticizing the image of God. Were you also aware that part of God's image is to rule. He gave us authority to rule the earth and the things in and on the earth. Are you lookin' good in the way you rule? Or is life and it's current pressures ruling you?
APPLICATION
If you recognize that you are created in God's image with a specific empowerment to rule, what keeps you from reaching your potential? Fear and doubt are two pollutants that distort our self perception and create dissatisfaction in what God has created us for. Perfect love, God's love, casts out fear! Faith overcomes doubt.
PRAYER
God, give me the assurance to act in Your image, and rule over my own fears of what others think. May others see You when they look at me.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
What a Day of Rejoicing That Will Be!
SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 19:5&6) "And a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Give praise to our God, all you His bondservants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.' And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the almighty, reigns.'"
OBSERVATION
At the end of the judgements upon fallen mankind, a voice calls for praise of the most high God. After cleansing comes praise. Once justice has been served the way for Christ's return is open. And just like His triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, there will be a triumphal entry this time for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with enough celebrating that it sounds like thunder.
APPLICATION
When we allow Christ to cleanse our lives, praise results. All who become servants of the most high God have reason to rejoice. Those who have made themselves their own god will pay the price for sin and wail for eternity for their hardness of heart. You can wail in agony or you can rejoice in praise. It all depends upon what you do personally with Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, let me be found faithful sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all who will hear. I want to be a part of that great choir ushering in the triumphal entry at the second coming of Christ.
(Revelation 19:5&6) "And a voice came from the throne, saying, 'Give praise to our God, all you His bondservants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.' And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying, 'Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the almighty, reigns.'"
OBSERVATION
At the end of the judgements upon fallen mankind, a voice calls for praise of the most high God. After cleansing comes praise. Once justice has been served the way for Christ's return is open. And just like His triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion, there will be a triumphal entry this time for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with enough celebrating that it sounds like thunder.
APPLICATION
When we allow Christ to cleanse our lives, praise results. All who become servants of the most high God have reason to rejoice. Those who have made themselves their own god will pay the price for sin and wail for eternity for their hardness of heart. You can wail in agony or you can rejoice in praise. It all depends upon what you do personally with Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, let me be found faithful sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with all who will hear. I want to be a part of that great choir ushering in the triumphal entry at the second coming of Christ.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Wrath of God, Should I Duck?
SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 15:1) "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished."
OBSERVATION
Do not think that because God is merciful, forgiving, and compassionate, that He is not also angry, just, and a dispenser of wrath. The sins of mankind have not gone unnoticed. The book of Revelations, which literally means disclosure, is about the judgement of God against His fallen creation, disclosed or revealed at the end of time.
APPLICATION
There is a cost for sin that must be paid. We can apply the redemptive work of the cross, paid by Jesus to remove our sins, or we can pay for our sins ourselves. If you chose the later, you better duck! However, that will do you little good. The plagues and the judgements that will be poored out on sinful mankind leave no place to run or hide. The agony and the pain of God's wrath is a price that is tooo heavy to pay for momentary selfish gratification. With the blood of Jesus poored on our sins we can and are made holy, blameless, and perfect. No need to duck.
PRAYER
God, give me Your urgency to share the hope of Jesus with a generation Hell bent on pleasing themselves. Let my words be seasoned with Your love to bring conviction and repentence to lost souls in my realm of influence.
(Revelation 15:1) "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished."
OBSERVATION
Do not think that because God is merciful, forgiving, and compassionate, that He is not also angry, just, and a dispenser of wrath. The sins of mankind have not gone unnoticed. The book of Revelations, which literally means disclosure, is about the judgement of God against His fallen creation, disclosed or revealed at the end of time.
APPLICATION
There is a cost for sin that must be paid. We can apply the redemptive work of the cross, paid by Jesus to remove our sins, or we can pay for our sins ourselves. If you chose the later, you better duck! However, that will do you little good. The plagues and the judgements that will be poored out on sinful mankind leave no place to run or hide. The agony and the pain of God's wrath is a price that is tooo heavy to pay for momentary selfish gratification. With the blood of Jesus poored on our sins we can and are made holy, blameless, and perfect. No need to duck.
PRAYER
God, give me Your urgency to share the hope of Jesus with a generation Hell bent on pleasing themselves. Let my words be seasoned with Your love to bring conviction and repentence to lost souls in my realm of influence.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Power to Overcome the Evil One
SCRIPTURE
(Revelation 12:10 & 11) "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.'"
OBSERVATION
At the end of the ages Satan and his host are cast down and conquered. John gives the key to accessing the power to overcome satan in our lives: the blood of Jesus applied to the sins of a repentent soul; and the word of our testimony. Sharing with others what God has done and is doing for you will destroy the power and the hold that satan has upon you in any way.
APPLICATION
What is the source of hesitation we all feel when asked to share our testimony in a public place? Satan will speak fear and doubt into your ear to make you stop sharing with others. He is defeated if you share your faith, even though he wants to kill you, steal from you and destroy you if you do tell others about Christ. Defeat the devil in your life by making Jesus Lord of your life and telling others about it.
PRAYER
Lord, I surrender my fears to You and ask for Your empowering boldness to tell others about Jesus. At the end of the ages I want to be counted as one who overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony.
(Revelation 12:10 & 11) "And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.'"
OBSERVATION
At the end of the ages Satan and his host are cast down and conquered. John gives the key to accessing the power to overcome satan in our lives: the blood of Jesus applied to the sins of a repentent soul; and the word of our testimony. Sharing with others what God has done and is doing for you will destroy the power and the hold that satan has upon you in any way.
APPLICATION
What is the source of hesitation we all feel when asked to share our testimony in a public place? Satan will speak fear and doubt into your ear to make you stop sharing with others. He is defeated if you share your faith, even though he wants to kill you, steal from you and destroy you if you do tell others about Christ. Defeat the devil in your life by making Jesus Lord of your life and telling others about it.
PRAYER
Lord, I surrender my fears to You and ask for Your empowering boldness to tell others about Jesus. At the end of the ages I want to be counted as one who overcame the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Pay Attention to This!
SCRIPTURE Hebrew 2:1-3
Gifts for you!
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
OBSERVATION
Have you ever wondered if Heaven or salvation was a myth? Is Jesus coming down to earth as a baby in a manger just a cute story? As an adult we sometimes forget the miracle of Christmas. We forget what the Prophet Isaiah prophecied:
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
OBSERVATION
Have you ever wondered if Heaven or salvation was a myth? Is Jesus coming down to earth as a baby in a manger just a cute story? As an adult we sometimes forget the miracle of Christmas. We forget what the Prophet Isaiah prophecied:
In Isaiah 6:9 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is wonderful person who has come to give us the gift of life, the gift of Salvation, Peace, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He confirms everyday that he loves us through signs, wonders, miracles and gift of the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION
I am so glad that God does confirm salvation for us. What he did thousands of years ago is still for us today. It is not just a good read. The bible is not just another New York times best seller, only to be put on our shelves in a couple of months. We need to focus and pay attention to what he is doing today through his people. He is still the STAR of Bethlehem. He performs all types of cool miracles, and gives us signs. Several months ago I preached a message on a Wed night. I used a Country Western song called, " The three Wooden Crosses" by Randy Travis. I showed the music video and preached on how we need the Salvation of the Lord. That night we had 12 teens give their life to the Lord. I was so excited to see so many people respond to this message, but for me the miracle and the sign happen after the service as my family was driving home from church. One of my children looked up into the sky and said out loud, look dad there are three crosses in the sky. I looked up and the sky was dark but over our car was three clouds in the shape of perfect crosses. You can ask my children if you do not believe me, but that night God was giving me a sign. My children did not here the message or know about the video,They just saw the sign. This sort of things happens to me all the time, but they are not just for me they are for all of us.
PRAYER
Today, I pray that you will make your self known to all of us. Thank you for helping us with our unbelief. I pray that you will make your self known to those that have doubt or unbelief about your love, that you will give them a sign. I pray that you will give them a sign, like you gave the shepherds in the field on the day that you where born. I pray that you would give them a miracle this Christmas. I love you Dad, thanks for all the cool gifts this year.
APPLICATION
I am so glad that God does confirm salvation for us. What he did thousands of years ago is still for us today. It is not just a good read. The bible is not just another New York times best seller, only to be put on our shelves in a couple of months. We need to focus and pay attention to what he is doing today through his people. He is still the STAR of Bethlehem. He performs all types of cool miracles, and gives us signs. Several months ago I preached a message on a Wed night. I used a Country Western song called, " The three Wooden Crosses" by Randy Travis. I showed the music video and preached on how we need the Salvation of the Lord. That night we had 12 teens give their life to the Lord. I was so excited to see so many people respond to this message, but for me the miracle and the sign happen after the service as my family was driving home from church. One of my children looked up into the sky and said out loud, look dad there are three crosses in the sky. I looked up and the sky was dark but over our car was three clouds in the shape of perfect crosses. You can ask my children if you do not believe me, but that night God was giving me a sign. My children did not here the message or know about the video,They just saw the sign. This sort of things happens to me all the time, but they are not just for me they are for all of us.
PRAYER
Today, I pray that you will make your self known to all of us. Thank you for helping us with our unbelief. I pray that you will make your self known to those that have doubt or unbelief about your love, that you will give them a sign. I pray that you will give them a sign, like you gave the shepherds in the field on the day that you where born. I pray that you would give them a miracle this Christmas. I love you Dad, thanks for all the cool gifts this year.
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