Date: 06-20-2020

Title: Good Advice For A Father

(S) cripture:
    2 Chronicles 20:12 (NASB) “O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”

(O) bservation:
    In the face of an approaching army that outnumbers their own army Jehoshaphat begins to pray for deliverance. This verse is at the end of the prayer. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” The only place to turn was to the Lord. That was good for him and the nation and is great advice for us today.

(A) pplication:
    Tomorrow is Father’s Day. I am reminded of what a daunting task it is to be a good father. The world in which we live seems to be attacking from all sides the idea of family and especially fatherhood. Many give up and cut and run leaving child rearing to the mothers. It is not easy and the task is hard and yet in this verse we have the most practical advice I could ever give or receive. “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” That is the key to being a good father. Keep your eyes on the Lord. He will provide and show the way to be and do what He wants. I am reminded of another verse, in 2 Chronicles 16:9 are these words “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” When our eyes are on the Lord and our hearts are completely His, we can be sure His eyes are on us and His support, guidance, direction and will is ours. That is the way I want to live.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, today I will keep my eyes on You. Help me to be the father and grandfather you want me to be. Thank you for my children. I am so blessed because they are walking with you. Help me to continue to be an example for them. Amen

Date: 06-19-2020

Title: Flowing Oil

(S) cripture:
    2 Kings 4:6 (NASB) When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not one vessel more.” And the oil stopped.

(O) bservation:
    The oil flowed until every jar was filled and the woman’s needs were met. This is evidenced by the prophet telling her to sell the oil, pay her debts and to live on the rest. God gives us all we need to meet to meet our needs. Not more than we need but all we need.

(A) pplication:
    Too often we look to ourselves or our jobs to meet our needs and in doing so we neglect to remember that God is the source of all we need. Our jobs and our abilities are all from Him.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, today I will trust you and remember that you are my source and have promised to meet my needs according to your riches in Christ and not in my ability to provide. Remind me when I think I am sufficient in myself. Thank you for all you have provided and let me use these resources as you would have them used. Amen

Date: 06-18-2020

Title: Shipwrecked Faith

(S) cripture:
    1 Timothy 1:18-19 (NASB) This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, 19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

(O) bservation:
    Paul charges Timothy to remain true to what God has called him to do. He is to hold on the faith and a good conscience. Those who reject this find themselves shipwrecked in regard to their faith.

(A) pplication:
    I have seen many shipwrecked people because they have looked to themselves as the source of their faith. Many have convinced themselves that some of their behaviors are “OK” even though God says it is wrong and that leads to a shipwrecked life. I want to be so aware of God’s presence and truth that I will not violate what He wants me to do. Today I will focus on my faith in Christ and confess my sinful behavior so that I can work from a clean conscience. I want a strong faith not a shipwrecked one.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, Keep me straight and work in my life so that I might please you. Make me aware of the rocks in the way so I might navigate around them and not shipwreck my faith and life. Amen

Date: 06-17-2020

Title: A Father’s Influence

(S) cripture:
1 Kings 22:43 (NASB) He walked in all the way of Asa his father; he did not turn aside from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places.

(O) bservation:
Father’s Day is this coming Sunday and that makes reading this passage today very interesting. Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of his father, Asa. What a gift to have a father that walks after God. I think of my own father and grandfather and the example they set for me. It was an example of faithfulness. Each had their flaws but their example was one that followed Christ.

(A) pplication:
I have sought to be that kind of father. I have prayed that and now witness our daughters following you, and their families too. I want my example to be pleasing to you and have an impact on my grandchildren too.

(P) rayer:
Father, I thank you for the father and grandfather you gave me and for the time I had with them. I was fortunate to watch as they modeled what a Godly man could be. It was an example I have tried to follow and to set for my children and grandchildren. I want my life to honor them by honoring you first. Amen

Date: 06-16-2020

Title: Something I Must Do

(S) cripture:
    Colossians 3:8 (NASB) But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.

(O) bservation:
    In Christ, God did for us what we could not do for ourselves, forgive our sins and birth us into His family. But now that we are Christians and His Spirit lives within us there are some things that we can and must do. We are to begin to live as His children and to rid our lives of things that displease the Lord. We are to lay them aside. It is an action that we must take.

(A) pplication:
    In this passage Paul indicates that it is our responsibility to lay aside these sinful practices. We are not to “wait” for God to remove them by some miracle. We are to live with a new set of behaviors. We are to put off the old and put on the new. This is our responsibility. We can no longer talk, think and act the way we did before we met Christ. Today I commit myself to taking action in this area.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, I ask that you make yourself so real to me that I will respond by laying aside the things that displease you and put on the new life you have provided for me. I want to live a life that reflects my faith in you. Amen

Date: 06-15-2020

Title: What Are You Doing Here

(S) cripture:
    1 Kings 19:9 (NASB) Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

(O) bservation:
    Elijah has just had a great victory over the prophets of Baal. God has moved mightily through him. In this victory Elijah had all 450 prophets of Baal killed. The nation has returned to the Lord and Elijah should be on a high. King Ahab though tell Jezebel what happened and she threatens Elijah and he runs away in fear. We find him in a cave and God asks, “What are you doing here?”

(A) pplication:
    How often do we run in fear at the first opposition after a great victory for the Lord? We see God do great things and then we must think he is powerless in the face of a new attack by the enemy. That says more about our faith than his power. Today I will trust God in the face of opposition. I will not be afraid because He is stronger than anything I will face. I want to be able to know and to articulate an answer to your question, “What are you doing here?”

(P) rayer:
    Lord let me trust you today. Let me help others to trust you. Help me to answer wisely your question, “What are you doing here?”

Date: 06-14-2020

Title: Life Verse

(S) cripture:
    2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB) “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”

(O) bservation:
    King Asa was fearful of king Baasha of Israel and so mad a covenant with king Ben-hadad of Syria for support against king Baasha. Asa prevailed over Baasha with the support of Ben-hadad. The seer Hanani confronts Asa with the words of verse 9 because “Asa relied on the king of Syria rather than on the Lord”. The admonition of verse 9 is one we each should heed.

(A) pplication:
    As a college student I was encouraged to find a verse in the Bible that I wanted to reflect in my life. When I came across verse 9, I knew I had found mine. I know that no one verse in the Bible is more important than ay other because it is all God’s Word to us. That being a given it is still good to find a verse you want to reflect your life. Most of my friends found verses in the New Testament but this from the Old Testament is mine. “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB) I want the Lord support and so my heart must be completely His and when it is not I experience conflict in my spirit and life. Today I commit again to having this verse be reflected in my life.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, my heart is yours. Use me today in whatever way you choose. Make me the person you created me to be. Amen

Date: 06-13-2020

Title: Right Thinking

(S) cripture:
    Philippians 4:8 (NASB) Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

(O) bservation:
    I heard a speaker say, “You are what you think more than you think you are.” Proverbs 23:7 (NASB) For as he thinks within himself, so he is…” The core of our thoughts define who we are. These control our speech and actions. To change we must first change the way we think and the content of our thoughts. Here Paul is telling believers to focus their thought on the things that point us to the Lord. These thoughts then become the core of our being. To live as maturing and faithful Christians we need to think on the right things.

(A) pplication:
    Today I want to focus my thoughts the things that point me to the Lord and not away from Him. I ask the Lord to make me keenly aware of things that do not match the criteria mentioned in this passage that may capture my thoughts. Today I want to focus on those things and let them control my speech and actions.

(P) rayer:
    Father, thank you for the promise of your presence. Fill my mind with thoughts that are pleasing to you and good for my spiritual life. Amen

Date: 06-12-2020

Title: Glance-Gaze

(S) cripture:
    Philippians 3:13-14 (NASB) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

(O) bservation:
    Paul gives us a way to move forward in our walk with the Lord. He says to: 1) Forget what is behind 2) Reach forward to what is ahead and 3) Press on each day. We are so often paralyzed by our past that we do nothing or we are so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Rarely do we press on each day doing the things God has instructed us to do. Think how free we would be if we let go of the past; focus on the goal of heaven and live each day moving forward.

(A) pplication:
    In college I remember hearing a sermon titled “Glance-Gaze” based on this scripture. The message was to glance at and learn from our past but we can’t live there. We are then to gaze at the goal of knowing Christ better. Then each day we press on toward the goal. That is the way I want to live. Released from the past that I cannot change and ever moving toward the call of Christ in my life. I want to be focused on Christ and His purpose for me and faithful in moving toward them each day. William Carey, one of the first missionaries once said, “If he give me credit for being a plodder he will describe me justly.” When things get tough I want to be known as a plodder. I will press on step by step.

(P) rayer:
    Lord, there is much to forget or to let go of and there is a goal to move toward. Let my focus be on you and step by step moving toward you each day. Amen

Date: 06-11-2020

Title: Choosing Good Counsel

(S) cripture:
    2 Chronicles 10:8 (NASB) But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.

(O) bservation:
    Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders and took the advice of his young friends. That action divided the kingdom. He had rejected the advice of the elders for the self-serving advice of the young.

(A) pplication:
    There are decisions I must make, some are personal and others affect larger numbers of people. As part of the church staff we are having to make decisions about how and when to what level do we re-open services after the covid-19 shut-down. We must be wise and listen to the advice of our mature leaders and not just to the young and energetic. With maturity comes wisdom of experience. The last thing we want to do is to foolishly move forward and thus divide our people. We want the wisdom to move forward in unity and in ways that honor the Lord.

(P) rayer:
    Lord as we make decisions lead us to the counsel of wise leaders. The leaders that will look for the overall health and well being of the church. With that counsel then give us the courage and wisdom to lead. Amen