SCRIPTURE
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." (Psalm 9:10)
OBSERVATION
We have to know God to trust him. Knowing his name is knowing his character. Who he is and how he acts. What he will do and what he won't do. Once we know him, we can trust him. Until we know him we are just speculators. We make our best guess as to who he is. If the guess is right, we love him because he confirmed our theory. If the guess is wrong, we are not disappointed with ourselves we are disappointed with him because he did not meet our expectations. The problem is never God. In order to know him we must seek him. Embark on a journey of discovering who he is and what his word say about him. We have the promise that when we seek him he will not forsake us, or turn us away but he will reveal more and more of himself to us.
APPLICATION
I am to seek God in order to know God in order to trust him. If I don't really know him, I'm not trusting him, I'm trusting my perception of him. Like a mirage in the desert, the perception appears to be real but it is only illusory. I need to seek God the moment I get out of bed in the morning. To look for his activity and working in my life. To read what his revealed in his word. The more I know him the more I trust him because I am building my faith on who he really is.
PRAYER
Lord, I love the promise that you will not forsake me when I seek you. You don't play hide seek with me but you want me to know who you are in order to trust who you are.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Face to the Wall
SCRIPTURE
"Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. 'Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly." (2 Kings 20:2)
OBSERVATION
Hezekiah had just received news, through Isaiah, that he was going to die. He turned his face to the wall to dismiss Isaiah and enter into a solitary time with God. We can picture him lying on his bed, perhaps in the fetal position, looking at the wall to block out everyone else in the room. Isaiah came back and told him God heard his prayer and saw his tears. Prayer goes from our lips to God's ears and the tears that flow from our eyes are seen by God's eyes.
APPLICATION
Huh, a man crying in the Bible. Who would've thought? (Ok. Jesus did too and that's good enough fro me). Hezekiah wasn't afraid to pour his heart out to God and neither should I. In fact, Isaiah did not come back to rebuke him but encourage him...God truly did hear and see. When I need to, God allows me the pleasure of turning to the wall (blocking out everything else in life) and praying to him. If I ever feel that I can't face another problem, I can face the wall, and meet God there. I don't have to travel to Jerusalem to find the wailing wall, it can be found anyplace I turn to pour out my heart to God.
PRAYER
Father, thanks for meeting me at the wall. Hezekiah reminds me again, that you are the God who hears, sees, and cares.
"Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord. 'Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly." (2 Kings 20:2)
OBSERVATION
Hezekiah had just received news, through Isaiah, that he was going to die. He turned his face to the wall to dismiss Isaiah and enter into a solitary time with God. We can picture him lying on his bed, perhaps in the fetal position, looking at the wall to block out everyone else in the room. Isaiah came back and told him God heard his prayer and saw his tears. Prayer goes from our lips to God's ears and the tears that flow from our eyes are seen by God's eyes.
APPLICATION
Huh, a man crying in the Bible. Who would've thought? (Ok. Jesus did too and that's good enough fro me). Hezekiah wasn't afraid to pour his heart out to God and neither should I. In fact, Isaiah did not come back to rebuke him but encourage him...God truly did hear and see. When I need to, God allows me the pleasure of turning to the wall (blocking out everything else in life) and praying to him. If I ever feel that I can't face another problem, I can face the wall, and meet God there. I don't have to travel to Jerusalem to find the wailing wall, it can be found anyplace I turn to pour out my heart to God.
PRAYER
Father, thanks for meeting me at the wall. Hezekiah reminds me again, that you are the God who hears, sees, and cares.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
I'm in Deep Water
SCRIPTURE
"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook." (Proverbs 18;4)
OBSERVATION
Are deep waters good or bad? Since the rest of the verse makes a contrast, we can assume they are not good. Why? Jesus said the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. It is in the deep recesses of a person where deceit and the choice morsels of gossip dwell. Evil thoughts, false testimony, slander...words that wound are found here. The heart is the source of these deep waters.
In contrast, wisdom bubbles. It is a fountain of life. From the heart that is pure, the fountain of wisdom refreshes others. Not in an overpowering, forceful gush, but in a refreshing bubbling brook. A bubbling brook is calm and peaceful. Not the torrent of a raging river.
APPLICATION
More often than I want, I can find myself in deep water. Speaking things that are not helpful to others (unfortunately it is my family who gets splashed with the worst of words). However, the words I speak are to be pure and right so they reflect what is truly in my heart. Instead of babbling I need to bubble. When I've attained wisdom (the practical knowledge of who God is and what he desires for my life) it is to naturally bubble to the surface, refreshing others. Words are powerful things. I don't want to wallow in the well but flow like a fountain.
PRAYER
Lord, may the words of my mouth reflect a heart that reflects you.
"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook." (Proverbs 18;4)
OBSERVATION
Are deep waters good or bad? Since the rest of the verse makes a contrast, we can assume they are not good. Why? Jesus said the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. It is in the deep recesses of a person where deceit and the choice morsels of gossip dwell. Evil thoughts, false testimony, slander...words that wound are found here. The heart is the source of these deep waters.
In contrast, wisdom bubbles. It is a fountain of life. From the heart that is pure, the fountain of wisdom refreshes others. Not in an overpowering, forceful gush, but in a refreshing bubbling brook. A bubbling brook is calm and peaceful. Not the torrent of a raging river.
APPLICATION
More often than I want, I can find myself in deep water. Speaking things that are not helpful to others (unfortunately it is my family who gets splashed with the worst of words). However, the words I speak are to be pure and right so they reflect what is truly in my heart. Instead of babbling I need to bubble. When I've attained wisdom (the practical knowledge of who God is and what he desires for my life) it is to naturally bubble to the surface, refreshing others. Words are powerful things. I don't want to wallow in the well but flow like a fountain.
PRAYER
Lord, may the words of my mouth reflect a heart that reflects you.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Kill the Cow
SCRIPTURE
"So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people. Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his servant." (1 Kings 19:20)
OBSERVATION
Elijah was to anoint Elisha to succeed him as a prophet. He found Elisha in the field with twelve yoke of oxen, driving the twelfth pair. Before Elisha followed Elijah he want back and said good-bye to his family. Then he slaughtered the oxen, chopped up the plow, and set out to follow Elijah.
Elisha's commitment to follow Elijah as prophet (follow God's call on his life) meant he jumped in wholeheartedly. He was not going back. He sold out his old life to be sold out to Elijah and his new calling. What if the new gig didn't work? It didn't' matter. By faith he got rid of it all and set out, trusting God for his future. God calls us to total abandonment and surrender to his purpose and mission.
APPLICATION
I've got to kill the cow. That old thing I hang on to just in case. Just in case this following Jesus thing doesn't work, I may need a fall back position. But there is no fall back position. It's either all Jesus or nothing else. What oxen do I have that I need to slaughter? What is the plowing equipment that I need to burn? Elisha illustrated Jesus teaching that "no one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom." I need to look ahead. Trust God for my future. He calls me to a life of total surrender. That means letting go of all else until I'm just holding him. He is enough.
PRAYER
Lord, I need to release my grip on the things that hold me so I can hold on to you.
"So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people. Then he set out to follow Elijah and become his servant." (1 Kings 19:20)
OBSERVATION
Elijah was to anoint Elisha to succeed him as a prophet. He found Elisha in the field with twelve yoke of oxen, driving the twelfth pair. Before Elisha followed Elijah he want back and said good-bye to his family. Then he slaughtered the oxen, chopped up the plow, and set out to follow Elijah.
Elisha's commitment to follow Elijah as prophet (follow God's call on his life) meant he jumped in wholeheartedly. He was not going back. He sold out his old life to be sold out to Elijah and his new calling. What if the new gig didn't work? It didn't' matter. By faith he got rid of it all and set out, trusting God for his future. God calls us to total abandonment and surrender to his purpose and mission.
APPLICATION
I've got to kill the cow. That old thing I hang on to just in case. Just in case this following Jesus thing doesn't work, I may need a fall back position. But there is no fall back position. It's either all Jesus or nothing else. What oxen do I have that I need to slaughter? What is the plowing equipment that I need to burn? Elisha illustrated Jesus teaching that "no one who puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom." I need to look ahead. Trust God for my future. He calls me to a life of total surrender. That means letting go of all else until I'm just holding him. He is enough.
PRAYER
Lord, I need to release my grip on the things that hold me so I can hold on to you.
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