Beautifully Broken Me - SOAPS

Jonah 2:8

2009-06-26T13:03:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

OBSERVATION: When we put anything ahead of God in our lives, we are not receiving our full inheritance. Non-believers forfeit their salvation (grace).

APPLICATION: 'Worthless idols' is a very broad term with a very specific explanation: anything we give more value to in our lives than God. This can mean money, material things and social status. These are at the top of the 'idol' list, and we are told to look out for their influence all the time in church. The not-so-obvious idols, the ones that are really sneaky and tend to trip up Christ-followers, are things like the desire for the approval of others and service work in the church. Don't get me wrong - this doesn't mean to stop serving. Jesus Himself told us that He came to serve and not be served, and He is our example for living a righteous life. What I am getting at is this: when the amount of time and energy that you use to serve others overshadows the time you invest in your relationship with God, your volunteer work has become an idol. The same goes for your desire for approval: when you seek the approval of man over the approval of God, your desire for approval has become an idol. Everybody loves an 'atta-boy' now and again, but when the desire for that approval overshadows your desire to please God, it also becomes an idol.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please reveal to me the 'idols' that are preventing me from giving 100% of myself to You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

2 Timothy 1:12b

2009-06-25T12:57:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day."

OBSERVATION: Whatever we face that troubles us, we can be sure that, when we give it to God, we can trust that He will take care of it for us.

APPLICATION: Sometimes when we pray for God to take on what worries us, we don't always believe that He will take care of it for us, so we still worry about it. This verse assures us that, not only does God take it from us, He 'guards' it for us, not ever forgetting it. He will take our troubles and keep them if we trust Him with them.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and caring about me so much that You would take my cares and worries upon Yourself so I don't have to bear them. Please help me to remember this when I am tempted to hold on to something for a while. I must trust You to take care of it in order to be free from it. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Timothy 6:6

2009-06-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "But godliness with contentment is great gain."

OBSERVATION: We should aim to seek God (godliness) and be content with what He has provided fro us.

APPLICATION: This verse is the summary of a mature Christ-follower: seek God and His ways and seek righteousness, and be content with what we have been provided with. If we do this, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and providing for me for all my needs. Please help me to be content with the material 'things' of this world that I already have. Instead of trying to collect more 'stuff''', help me to instead focus on You and on being righteous in Your eyes. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Timothy 5:8

2009-06-23T09:17:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

OBSERVATION: True believers take care of their family. Those who deny their family deny their faith.

APPLICATION: We are to take care of our family because, if we don't, we are denying our own faith. We often jump at the chance to sere strangers, but we forget that our own family may need us as much or more than anyone else.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to remember that my own family needs me to serve them and provide for them just as much as others need me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Timothy 4:8

2009-06-22T16:22:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."

OBSERVATION: Although physical health and fitness are of value, spiritual fitness is of greater value.

APPLICATION: Taking care of our bodies is something that our society puts an enormous amount of emphasis on. In fact, many people worship their own bodies instead of worshipping god. While physical health is important because God gave us these bodies and we should honor Him by taking care of them, our spiritual health - our faith - is much more important. Our bodies will be gone after this life, but our faith will remain into the next life.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for the earthly body You gave me. Please help me to honor You with this body. More importantly, please help me to grow my faith daily preparing for the day when I am home with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Timothy 3:13

2009-06-21T16:29:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus."

OBSERVATION: Serving well gives us an excellent understanding of what it is to desire to be like Jesus. This understanding will strengthen our faith in Christ.

APPLICATION: To truly serve without expectation of reciprocation is the essence of our faith in Christ. It is what He did for us, and as we mature in our faith, it is how we desire to be for others. Serving others matures our faith.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for showing me what it truly means to serve. I desire to be like You, and to serve others humbly and without expectation or motive. Your example gives me the desire to know You and to serve others as You served us. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

2009-06-20T16:33:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

OBSERVATION: Paul is saying that we need to pray for others, especially those in government, so we can live godly and holy lives.

APPLICATION: God hears our prayers and they make a difference in what happens in our world. By emphasizing that we pray for our government, Paul is talking about two things: 1) that our leaders will make decisions that are pleasing to God, and 2) that we will continue to be free from the persecution to live holy and godly lives.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for reminding me through Your Word that You hear my prayers. Please help me to remember that I need to pray for the leaders You put in place, that they will turn to You and make godly decisions. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Psalm 82:3-4

2009-06-19T16:39:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

OBSERVATION: It is the obligation of the strong to help those who are weak.

APPLICATION: This verse can be seen from two different angles: 1) the strong must stand up for and defend the weak, and 2) Christ did this exact thing for us. He delivered us from the hand of the wicked, defended our cause and rescued us with His sacrifice.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and for rescuing me from the dead. I praise You because You are the only One who was powerful enough to do this, and You did it, even while I was still a lost sinner. I will always be grateful for Your love and mercy for me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Colossians 4:5

2009-06-18T16:44:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity."

OBSERVATION: Choose your words carefully with non-believers so that you can speak the Truth clearly in all opportunities you are given.

APPLICATION: We spend time with non-believers every day. With those situations at hand, it is important to listen to the Holy Spirit inside to help us with how to approach them. Shoving God down some one's throat seldom accomplishes anything except to make a non-believer more set on resisting the Truth. Use gentleness instead.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me the desire to spread Your Word and Truth to non-believers. Please help me to be aware of what the Holy Spirit is prompting me to say so that I can be as effective for You as possible. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Colossians 3:12

2009-06-17T16:49:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

OBSERVATION: This verse gives us clear instructions as to how we should act as Christ-followers: be kind, gentle, compassionate, humble, and patient.

APPLICATION: With these instructions, we can know how God wants us to act in any given situation. We can try to be all of these things on our own, but generally we can't be all at once. With the Holy Spirit in us, we are given strength to be what God wants us to be.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your Word. this passage shows exactly how You want me to act. Admittedly I am lacking in some of these areas, but with Your help, I will work to achieve what You desire me to achieve. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Colossians 2:8

2009-06-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

OBSERVATION: We must be aware of those in this world who seem to speak the words of God but who are really supporting a religion based on man and worldly things and principles.

APPLICATION: It is imperative that we are vigilant in checking the words of those who we consider spiritual leaders against God's Word to make sure we are following Christ's principles and not human principles.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word that keeps me on the tight track. Please give me discernment in all situations so I can know what is Your way and what is man's way. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Colossians 1:21-22

2009-06-15T09:23:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

OBSERVATION: We were separated from God by sin until Christ died on the cross for us. When He did this, it paid the price we couldn't pay and allowed God to forgive us and see us as holy in His sight.

APPLICATION: It is easy to forget the significance of Christ's sacrifice for our sins. He made it possible for God to be with us, seeing us through the veil of His blood, holy and without blemish. This sacrifice is impossible to comprehend, but is something I will be eternally grateful for.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and for dying to pay the price I could not. Please help me to remember this act of selflessness every day as I go through my daily 'stuff' so that I never forget how great and unmatched You are to have made it. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Philippians 4:8

2009-06-14T09:29:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is tight, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

OBSERVATION: Paul is saying that we need to take control of our thoughts and choose to think about things that are noble, right, true, pure lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

APPLICATION: In today's world of 'pushing it to the limit' in terms of advertising and marketing, there is a flood of inappropriate things that we see and hear every day. By giving these guidelines, Paul gives us a way to consciously choose what we spend our time with. By focusing on God and His Word, we can stay clear of the impure and unwholesome things of this world.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please continue to help me make good choices that are honorable to you when I am reading or watching TV. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Philippians 3:13b

2009-06-13T09:35:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

OBSERVATION: We are to forget the past and move forward, submitting to God, so we can serve Him here until we can be in heaven with Him.

APPLICATION: Forgetting the past is by far the most difficult thing to do as a Christian. When we are feeling down, it is so easy to dwell on our past mistakes and shortcomings. Instead, we need to continually look forward, keeping our eyes on Christ, and accept forgiveness. We can only turn our lives over to Him completely when we do this.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your mercy and forgiveness. Please help me to stay focused on You so I can move forward in my relationship with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Philippians 2:3

2009-06-12T09:42:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

OBSERVATION: Rather than look for the reward in helping others, we are to be humble servants, putting everyone else ahead of us.

APPLICATION: Paul isn't telling us to believe that we have no worth; quite the opposite is true. Because of grace, we are sinners who are washed by the blood sacrifice of Christ, and have a lot of worth in God's eyes. Instead of serving people with the motive of getting something out of it for ourselves, we are to serve, expecting nothing in return. In other words, we are to be humble servants.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me a servant's heart. Please help me to keep You in the forefront of my thoughts and actions when I make decisions. This will keep me truly humble. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Philippians 1:6

2009-06-11T09:47:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "...being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

OBSERVATION: God started working in us when we became believers, and He is going to complete the work He started.

APPLICATION: When we become Christ-followers, God begins working in us to continually bring us closer to Him. On days when we are feeling stagnant and stalled in our faith, we have hope in the fact that God always finishes what He starts, and He is not finished with us yet.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. I put my trust and hope in You when You say that You aren't finished with me yet. I long to grow closer to You, and I love being able to count on this fact when I am feeling down about my spiritual walk. You are still working on me on the days that I feel far away from You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 6:7

2009-06-10T12:22:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men..."

OBSERVATION: When we do our work, Paul says that no matter what we do or who we do it for, do it as if we are doing it for God and not for men.

APPLICATION: When we do our daily work, no matter what it is or who we work for, work as if everything we do is done for God. By doing this, not only will we assure we will do our best, we take the approval of others away as a motive to work.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for allowing me the opportunities to serve You. Please help me to always do my best, seeking Your approval, not others' approval. I desire to dedicate my actions and work to You to use for Your Glory. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 5:24

2009-06-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Now as the church submits to Christ, s also wives should submit to their husbands in everything."

OBSERVATION: Wives are to submit to their husbands as the church submits itself to Christ, meaning that, as the spiritual head of the household, husbands are to guide their family in the way God has set out for them. Wives must trust their husbands' relationship with Christ to lead him and therefore his family.

APPLICATION: Submission is a difficult concept , as it involves trusting someone else to have power over you and the ability to make decisions for you. If the one you are submitting to has a strong relationship with Christ, the 'submitter' will not be taken advantage of, as Christ will be guiding them in their decisions and behavior. Just to be clear: this doesn't mean that wives are to be doormats; husbands are to take Christ's example of His care for His bride - the church - and apply that love and protection and gentleness to his own family.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for providing me with such a strong, godly husband. I know that he has my best interests at heart, and, guided by You, he is the one encouraging the spiritual growth of our family. I am truly blessed. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 4:29

2009-06-08T12:39:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

OBSERVATION: We should only speak words of encouragement and helping, not words that tear people down.

APPLICATION: Words can hurt more than actions do. Because of this, we need to watch what we say to others, making sure we are being encouraging while still speaking the Truth.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. I know that, many times, I speak without considering the consequences of what I am saying. Please help me to be more aware of what I say to others so I can be encouraging and supportive of others. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

2009-06-07T13:09:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him - for this is his lot."

OBSERVATION: Man should be satisfied with the life God has given him.

APPLICATION: God provides everything we need, yet we keep striving for more: more money, more possessions, more social status, etc. We must learn to be satisfied with what we have because it is what God has given us and therefore what He wants us to have. We need to our jobs the best way we can, take care of the possessions He give us, because it is His, not ours. We were born with nothing, and we will die with nothing. Therefore, it is our obligation to use what He gives us to His glory for the short time e are here on this earth.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for providing exactly what I need. Please help me to be satisfied with that, and not be always looking for more. I want to glorify You in all that I do. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 2:10

2009-06-06T15:39:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

OBSERVATION: Each of us is created individually and uniquely by God to serve Him and do His good work here on earth.

APPLICATION: God has spent time and creativity in creating each one of us. He considers us His workmanship or masterpiece, and each of us is different and uniquely special to Him. With this knowledge, we need to care for this one-of-a-kind artwork with love and gentleness, obeying Him and preparing ourselves to do the good work He has for us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. I love that You made me who I am, and that I am unlike anyone on this earth. You are the Creator of the Universe as well as the Creator of me, and my heart's desire is to do Your will. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Ephesians 1:17

2009-06-05T15:31:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

OBSERVATION: Paul is praying that God will reveal Himself supernaturally to the Ephesians so they can get to know Him on a deeper level.

APPLICATION: When we spend time in God's Word, much of what is written is clear because the Holy Spirit is in us, showing us the meaning in a supernatural way. Even when we are having a hard time understanding passages, we can and should appeal to God through prayer for supernatural wisdom and understanding. He is faithful to us in providing understanding in this way, if we are truly seeking it.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word and for providing the means by which I can understand it. I love the 'treasures' You provide me with when I ask for Your help in comprehending some of the passages. Thank You for making it a personal experience between us. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 16:17-18

2009-06-04T15:25:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people."

OBSERVATION: Paul is advising that we stay away from people who are deliberately trying to pull us off the path God has for us with false teaching.

APPLICATION: It is easy to listen to persuasive people speak and have what they say sound logical to us. We need to be diligent in checking their teaching against the Bible to ensure we are not deceived.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in me and for the Word You gave to me. Both of them aid me in my quest to grow closer to You and to becoming the woman You want me to be by giving me ways to know the Truth. Please protect me from false teachers and give me discernment when I need it. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 15:5-7

2009-06-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "May the God who gives encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

OBSERVATION: This is a prayer for the Romans that they allow themselves to rise above the 'stuff' and join in unity to accept one another so they can, as one, glorify God.

APPLICATION: Sometimes it is easy to slip into 'judgement mode' with our fellow Christ-followers. Christ, however, died to take our place so we are free from judgement, and we need to remember that, as Christ-followers, we have a common purpose: to praise and honor God.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to not be judgemental of my fellow Christians, but instead be encouraging and accepting of them so we can promote unity in Your church and glorify You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Proverbs 24:3-4

2009-06-02T15:12:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

OBSERVATION: The house is our relationship with God and understanding the Word of God is what establishes the relationship. God imparts bits of knowledge through His Word that are 'treasures' to us.

APPLICATION: The cornerstone and foundation of our relationship with god is in Christ. Because Christ bought our sin debt, the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to understand the Word of God, and the things we learn are the treasures we fill our house with.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your sacrifice for me and for the gift of Your Word. Thank You for sending me the Holy Spirit to help me understand Your Word. Please help me to apply my understanding to my life in a way that gives glory to You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 13:1a

2009-06-01T15:07:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."

OBSERVATION: Christ-followers are to submit to the government of their own land because God is who put those leaders in place.

APPLICATION: We are to follow the law of our land and submit to its rulers, as long as doing so doesn't conflict with God's commandments. God is the one who put these leaders in place, but, if they create laws that would cause us to disobey God, we must submit to God's authority and be prepared for the consequences.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your involvement in our government. Please help me to support those You ave put in charge, and please help me to stand strong in my obedience to You if I am asked to compromise my beliefs for my government. You are the sovereign ruler of all. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 12:1

2009-05-31T15:02:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."

OBSERVATION: Instead of killing something as a sacrifice, Paul urges us to make our minds and bodies 'living' sacrifices to God.

APPLICATION: Paul is telling us that, to please God, we need to sacrifice the things of this world - sinful acts, sinful thoughts, worldly desires - and become, through obedience to God, living sacrifices for Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me, even when I am disobedient to You. Please help e to always desire to be obedient to You and to live as You want me to live. I desire to please You and I want to fulfil the plans You have for me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Proverbs 15:14

2009-05-30T14:57:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly."

OBSERVATION: Wise choices in what we choose to study and gain knowledge from is the way God wants us to fill our time.

APPLICATION: We have so much knowledge and information coming at us from all sorts of places that it is hard to distinguish good from bad. We have also become numb from and complacent to some information that is actually inappropriate and harmful. We need to use discernment with God's guidance to 'feed' our minds righteous information and do our best to keep the unrighteous information out.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for the mind You have given me. Please help me to make good decisions in what I read and watch, and to stay away from what can harm me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Proverbs 12:16

2009-05-29T14:52:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult."

OBSERVATION: It is better to not react when someone insults you instead of showing annoyance at that person.

APPLICATION: When others insult us, it is human nature to want to immediately strike out at them. This verse tells us to be prudent by overlooking this insult. In doing so, we are imitating the love God has for us when we do things that are insulting or annoying to Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for being so patient with me. I know that I am constantly doing things that could try Your patience, and I appreciate the mercy You offer to me instead. Please help me to be more patient with others when they do things that could try my own patience. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Proverbs 8:22-23

2009-05-28T14:38:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began."

OBSERVATION: The first thing God created, even before He created the earth, was wisdom.

APPLICATION: Wisdom is the first thing - the foundation - of God's creation. By seeking wisdom before all else, we are seeking God and His ways. We all have knowledge, but using it wisely and making godly decisions is what helps us to follow the path God has for us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the wisdom You give to me. Please help me to make choices based on that wisdom so I can better honor and serve You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 8:26

2009-05-27T14:30:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

OBSERVATION: Even if we don't know what words to pray or even what to pray for in a situation, the Holy Spirit knows our hearts and will intercede by speaking our prayers to God on our behalf.

APPLICATION: It is important to pray, even if we don't know or understand what to pray for. Some situations may be not meant for us to understand, except that, if we feel we should pray, we need to pray anyway. The Holy Spirit will know the right words to use and will express them on our behalf.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your Holy Spirit that lives in me. Please help me to remember that when I feel an urgency to pray for someone or for a situation that I need to ask for intercession if I don't know how to pray at that time. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Proverbs 1:7

2009-05-26T14:24:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

OBSERVATION: Fear of the Lord is the way to find truth. Truth is knowledge, and God directs us as to how to use this knowledge wisely.

APPLICATION: It is not enough to know a lot of 'stuff'. If we don't use the knowledge we have in a way that God teaches us (in other words, 'wisely'), we are just fools who know a lot of 'stuff'.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me a thirst for learning. Please teach me to use the knowledge I gain with discernment so I can be wise and not full of useless facts. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 6:16

2009-05-25T14:18:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey - whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness."

OBSERVATION: The master we serve is who we choose to obey/be slaves to.

APPLICATION: Where and how we spend our time and treasure will reveal who we consider our master. Only by seeking God and obeying His Word can we be truly free as His slaves.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word that teaches me where I should spend my time, talents and treasures: with You. Please help me to turn from the other influences in my life that are not keeping me on Your path. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 5:18

2009-05-24T14:13:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men."

OBSERVATION: Adam's sin brought death to all mankind, but Christ's sacrifice brought life by making a way to be with God for eternity.

APPLICATION: By accepting Christ into our hearts and recognizing that we need His saving grace, we are able to escape death and have eternal life.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the sacrifice that You made so I could be with You for eternity. Please help me to share Your Word with others who don't know You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Romans 4:13

2009-05-23T14:06:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith."

OBSERVATION: Abraham's faith in God's promises is what made him righteousness in God's eyes; not his adherence to the laws.

APPLICATION: No matter how I try to please God with my actions, I cannot earn righteousness. Only my belief in Christ's sacrifice and my faith in the justification that sacrifice bought for me will make me righteous.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your sacrifice that paid for my sins. I have faith and confidence in knowing that I am forgiven of my debt because You paid it for me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

2 Corithians 9:12-13

2009-04-09T10:36:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else."

OBSERVATION: Paul is urging the Corinthians to keep their promises and to be obedient in regards to their commitment to giving. Paul says that the recipients of the gifts and offerings given out of joy and obedience will be thankful to God and praise Him for His gifts (offerings).

APPLICATION: When we obey god and give as we should - with a joyful and cheerful heart - we enable God, through the local church, to bless others who, in turn, praise God and turn to Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. I praise You for the blessings I have been given. Please help me to remain obedient to You and to give with a cheerful heart so You can use my offerings to bless others in need. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

2 Corinthians 8:12

2009-04-08T22:14:00.004-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have."

OBSERVATION: If someone tithes from their heart with a willingness to please God, the amount is not important; it is the willingness of the giver that God wants to see.

APPLICATION: God doesn't need our money, but He did command us to tithe 1/10 of our income to the local church. God isn't looking at the amount we give, but at the willingness to sacrifice what we have. He is looking for our willing hearts and at our desire to please and obey Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gifts You have given me, both spiritual and material. Please help me to remember that both of these gifts are from You and that it is my responsibility to use them for Your glory, giving with a joyful, willing and obedient heart. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Samuel 2:25

2009-04-07T21:51:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "If a man sins against another man, God may mediate for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?"

OBSERVATION: In Old Testament times, when men would sin against other men, God had a justice system in place to deal fairly with the crimes. But when men sinned against God - in this instance it was priests deliberately choosing sin - the judgment was very harsh.

APPLICATION: In Old Testament times, priests were the representatives of God who could intercede on behalf of the people so the people had a way to atone for their sins. The priests were held to the very highest standards of God's laws because they had to remain clean and pure in order to intercede for sinners. When Christ died and took our sins upon Himself, He became the highest priest of all, forever interceding for Christ-followers on our behalf.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for being my advocate when I sin against God. You paid the price for my sins and keep me free, and I am forever grateful for and humbled by Your Grace and Mercy. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

2 Corinthians 6:3

2009-04-06T14:44:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited."

OBSERVATION: We must be aware of all of our actions so that people will not use a negative perception of an action of a Christ-follower as an excuse not to believe the Truth..

APPLICATION: Although many things we choose to do aren't illegal, they aren't necessarily good for us to do. This is even more true when we are in the presence of non-believers who don't yet understand that we are still capable of sin even though we are saved. Because of this perception, when we sin or even don't sin but do something to cause a non-believer to question our motives or actions, we become a "stumbling block" to that person on their journey to Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your saving Grace. Please help me to remember that I am Your ambassador here on earth, and that my motives and actions meed to be pure and not a stumbling block to a non-believer. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

2009-04-05T14:26:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

OBSERVATION: When Christ died for the sins of all, He made a way to reconcile that "balance" of sin in us by paying the price we could not. When that transaction occurs, we are made new: reconciled to God with our debt paid in full. From there we are to go out and appeal to non-believers as God's ambassadors, so they might be reconciled as well.

APPLICATION: Verse 17 has always been one of my all-time favorites. The promise that we can't ever go back to who we were before we were saved is such a comforting one. While reading the verse this time, however, God highlighted the following 4 verses, showing how important it is to keep growing in our Christian life. Being saved/reconciled to God is an amazing step, but it is only the first step in our journey with God. Our next steps are to GO: go and spread the news of God's Grace and Forgiveness through Christ with the world.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your gift of salvation. Please help me to be bold as I share my story with others so that they to might find salvation through You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

2009-03-31T14:14:00.004-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."

OBSERVATION: Paul instructed the Corinthians to be on their guard against spiritual attacks, to stand firm in their faith when confronted by non-believers, to be courageous, and to be strong and to do all things in love.

APPLICATION: Like in Paul's time, as we await Christ's return, we need to be on our guard, to stand firm in our beliefs, to be courageous and bold as we speak about our faith, and to do all of this gently, out of kindness and love.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your Word and the instructions You give me through it. Please help me to be obedient and to be strong and courageous as I lovingly share Your message with the world. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Psalm 52:9

2009-03-29T14:03:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints."

OBSERVATION: David is comparing his faith in and devotion to God with a person who prospers from their evil deeds. In the end, it is the one who gives glory to God and recognizes that God is who makes us prosper and not the one who believes they did it all in their own strength who will be the prosperous one.

APPLICATION: People who prosper despite acting against God's will are acting against God Himself. Our hope and strength to accomplish anything should be in God and God alone, not in our own deeds. By relying solely on ourselves, we cannot help but act against God because He is perfect and we are not. Therefore, we must stay in His Word and allow ourselves to be led by Him to truly prosper.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your loving patience with me. Although I push at the boundaries You have set for me, You always mercifully guide me back to the path You have planned for me. Please help me to remain faithful, keeping my hope in Your name alone. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

1 Corinthians 8:9

2009-03-23T13:54:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak."

OBSERVATION: Even though we may not be doing anything against God or His laws, as mature Christ-followers we cannot use or Christian freedom to do something to trip up a new believer or non-believer.

APPLICATION: Anything we do needs to be done with sensitivity to those around us. For example, if I have dinner with an alcoholic, I won't have even one glass of wine, because that could be a stumbling block for that person.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for taking my sins from me. Please help me to be aware of others and their issues so I don't act in a way that could cause them to put up a barrier between You and them. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Mark 9:23b

2009-03-02T21:00:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Everything is possible for him who believes."

OBSERVATION: Believing in God means believing that He is capable of anything.

APPLICATION: A true believer knows that God can do anything, even if we can't imagine it to be possible. However, even though God CAN do anything doesn't mean that He WILL do everything. He will always keep our best interests at heart, so even if we ask Him to do something, He may not do it because it might not be good for us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me enough to NOT give me everything I ask for. I know You know what is best for me. As I spend more time in Your Word, please help me to understand better what You want for me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Mark 8:15

2009-03-01T20:52:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'Be careful,' Jesus warned them. 'Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.' "

OBSERVATION: Jesus was warning His disciples about allowing the Pharisees' or Herod's lies to take root in their hearts and minds because small negative thoughts grow into big negativity that could affect everyone around them.

APPLICATION: The analogy of yeast in bread dough is a great visual to use. With the smallest amount of yeast, bread dough grows to be many times its size and infests every part of the bread. In the same way, lies and negativity can start small, but will eventually overtake a person's heart and soul. We must be diligent in guarding our hearts from "yeast".

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to continue to spend time in prayer and in reading Your Word so I have weapons to guard my heart and mind from the lies of the world. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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1 Corinthians 13:12

2009-02-28T20:47:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

OBSERVATION: We only see and know a small portion compared to what we will see and know when we are in heaven with Jesus.

APPLICATION: Our human brains are finite and therefore are not capable of knowing or seeing all there is to know and see. Because of this, we cannot begin to understand God and His ways. He, on the other hand, fully understands all there is to know about me, because He made me down to the very last minute detail.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and understanding me. Please help me to always desire to learn more about You and about myself. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Numbers 21:8-9

2009-02-27T20:38:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The LORD said to Moses, 'Make a snake and put it up on a pole anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and put up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze shake, he lived."

OBSERVATION: Because of their disobedience, God sent snakes to bite the Israelites. Moses prayed to God to help them and God had Moses build the bronze snake on the stick and when they looked at it they would be healed.

APPLICATION: The snake bites represent the Israelites' sin, and the snake on the pole is a representation of Christ on the cross, who takes our sins from us. It was not the snake on the stick that healed, but the Israelites' faith in God that healed them. I am healed from sin; not by looking at Christ on the cross, but by my faith and belief in Christ's sacrifice - that is what heals me.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for providing a way to take my sins from me so I can be healed by Your sacrifice. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Mark 5:20

2009-02-26T20:18:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed."

OBSERVATION: When the man was healed by Jesus, he went out and immediately told people about his experience.

APPLICATION: The best way to tell people about Jesus is to tell others about how He has changed our own lives and what He is continuing to do for us personally.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for changing my life when You died for my sins. Please help me to be bold so I can share my experiences with non-believers. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 29:11

2009-02-25T20:14:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace."

OBSERVATION: God is the source of our strength and our Peace.

APPLICATION: As believers, we don't have to rely on ourselves for Peace or strength. God is able to be strong for us, and He can give us supernatural Peace.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for being strong when I am weak and for giving me Peace when I am troubled. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Mark 3:24

2009-02-24T20:10:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand."

OBSERVATION: When the people living in a country are fighting each other, it means that they cannot accomplish anything together for a common purpose.

APPLICATION: We cannot be both for and against god's plan. We must choose one or the other, or else neither belief is possible.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to rid my life of those things that keep me from committing 100% of my heart to You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 90:12

2009-02-23T20:06:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

OBSERVATION: We only have a finite number of days on this earth - a number that only God knows. We need to make sure we make them count.

APPLICATION: We should pray top God for wisdom so we can serve Him in the best possible way. Our time on earth is short compared to eternity, and we want to give our best to God.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me life. Please give me wisdom so I can do what You want me to do. Please help me be the best servant for You that I can be. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 27:13-14

2009-02-22T19:59:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

OBSERVATION: David knew that God would bless him, even though he went through many hardships and trials. God brought him through those trials and David did live to see God's blessings on his life.

APPLICATION: Although things can sometimes seem bleak and hopeless, we must be confident and have faith in the knowledge that blessings will come out of our trials, and that we will live to see those blessings.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. When I am going through trials, thank You for being by my side and not abandoning me. I also thank You for the lessons You teach me during good times and bad, and for the blessings You give me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 28:28

2009-02-21T19:54:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"

OBSERVATION: God offered the promised Messiah to His chosen people, and they rejected Him. As prophesied, God then offered Jesus to the Gentiles, and they accepted Him.

APPLICATION: When God gives us an opportunity to believe in Him or to serve Him in some way, we shouldn't let that opportunity slip away. We need to listen to Him and obey Him because we don't know if the offer will be made again (in the case of the serving) or when it will be too late to make a choice (in the case of choosing to follow Christ).

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and giving me the chance to choose You. Please help me to keep my eyes and ears open to see and hear of opportunities to serve You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 27:32

2009-02-20T19:48:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the life boat and let it fall away."

OBSERVATION: The soldiers had a choice to make: Believe Paul who assured them that God told him they would all live through the storm if they cut the rope to the lifeboat & let it go, or not.

APPLICATION: God gives us assurances as Christ-followers that we can choose to believe or not. By choosing to trust in the Truth of His promises and letting go of the need to control everything (i.e. "cutting the rope") we allow ourselves to be open to His plans for us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your loving me. Please help me to trust in You so I can experience Your plan for my life. I want to submit to You because You have plans to prosper me, not to harm me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 26:29

2009-02-19T15:20:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Paul replied, 'Short time or long - I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.' "

OBSERVATION: Paul recognizes what the task is that he's been given: to tell people about Christ and what He can do for them. The rest is up to those people and God.

APPLICATION: God asks us to tell the world about what He can do for the people in it. After that, we aren't responsible for their decisions about their belief in Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me a heart for evangelism. Please give me the right words to say in each situation so they will speak to the hearts of the ones I am talking to. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Numbers 3:10

2009-02-18T15:14:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Appoint Aaron and his sons to serve as priests; anyone else who approaches the sanctuary must be put to death."

OBSERVATION: God set apart Aaron and his family to be the only ones able to serve as priests in the sanctuary. They would have to be holy and consecrated at all times so they could come into the presence of the Most Holy God.

APPLICATION: When Jesus died on the cross and took our sinful nature upon Himself, He appointed all of us who follow Him to be priests. We are all His tabernacle; we are His sanctuary.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and for dying for my sins so I could be a living sanctuary for You to dwell in. Thank You for removing the barrier between us so we can have a personal relationship with each other. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 24:25

2009-02-17T15:07:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "As Paul discoursed on righteousness, self control and the judgement to come, Felix was afraid and said, 'That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you."

OBSERVATION: Felix and his wife listened to Paul as he spoke about faith in Christ. He was happy to listen to him until Paul made the conversation"personal" by bringing up the life-change that had to happen and God's coming judgement. These things touch on a nerve, and Felix was suddenly forced to look at his own life by these standards.

APPLICATION: If we choose to be "Sunday Christians" and really just use church as a social outlet and a place to get "warm fuzzies", we are not truly allowing God into our hearts and lives to do the changing that is necessary to become righteous in His sight.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me enough to want to change me into the person You planned for me to be. Please continue to reveal the areas I have to improve in so I can continue to grow in my Faith and continue to become more like You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Leviticus 26:11-12

2009-02-16T15:01:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."

OBSERVATION: God is describing the rewards for the Israelites' obedience to all of His laws. He goes on to describe the consequences for disobeying His laws, which were devastating for the people. God's covenant with the Israelites was dependent on so many laws and perfect behavior that it seemed impossible to keep.

APPLICATION: The term "covenant" implies that there are two sides to the "deal", and when one side fails to live up to the terms, the covenant is void. When Jesus took our sins upon Himself and made a new covenant with us, He took on both sides of the "deal". We are no longer able to "do" anything to hold up our end because Jesus did it all.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the New Covenant You made with us. I am grateful for Your sacrifice that set me free from the law and the impossibility of keeping it's decrees. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 26:4-5

2009-02-15T14:55:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites; I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked."

OBSERVATION: David is commenting on the quality of people he spends time with and keeps as his advisers and friends.

APPLICATION: Our job is to be in the world but not of it. This means that, though we are to preach to a lost world and spend time in it, we are not to become a part of it.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to resist the temptations of this world as I spend time with the lost. Please keep my thoughts and words and actions pure so I can be an example of what You can be to them, because of what You are to me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 24:1-2

2009-02-14T14:49:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters."

OBSERVATION: God made everything, and it all belongs to Him.

APPLICATION: No matter how hard we work for "things", we must remember that everything is God's: The air we breathe, the food we eat, the money we make and spend -- everything. We must not take this for granted, and we must always remember to be thankful.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me, Thank You for the life You have given me and for the "things"You have given me. Please help me to be a wise steward of these gifts. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 20:28

2009-02-13T14:39:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God which he bought with his own blood."

OBSERVATION: Not only were the early church leaders supposed to go and spread the Word, they were required to make sure that the communities they visited were being taken care of and taught and held accountable.

APPLICATION: Our first job is to "go and make disciples", but we have to remember that we must follow up and guide the new believers as they begin their walk with Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me a heart for New Believers. Please help me to be a guide and support for them so they can grow in their relationship with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 19:11-12

2009-02-12T14:31:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and napkins that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them."

OBSERVATION: The Spirit of God was so evident in Paul that he was able to preach the Gospel and effect many believers. Those who had such strong faith in God and His power recognized the same in Paul. By touching Paul with their handkerchiefs and napkins and taking them to the sick and possessed, the believers' Faith in God's power to heal - not Paul's - cured them.

APPLICATION: Although it is easy to be caught up in the charisma of being around a Spirit-filled evangelist who can heal because God has given them that ability, it is important to remember that it is God and not man who can heal, and our faith must be in God alone.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your healing power. I praise You for healing my body, my mind and my spirit. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Leviticus 17:11

2009-02-11T14:22:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life."

OBSERVATION: God is explaining the reasons why He required the blood on the altars for His sacrifices: blood = life and sin = death. Only blood could pay the debt of death and atone for the sins of the people.

APPLICATION: The blood for the atonement of the Israelites' sin was a temporary payment, because the Israelites would continue to sin (as all humans do). Jesus' blood that He shed gave anyone who accepts His sacrifice atonement for past, present and future sins, because He lived a sinless life as a man, and died a sinner's death. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that we could never be: He paid it all, once and for all.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your blood that You shed to atone for my sins. You have brought me from death to life with You, and I am eternally grateful for Your sacrifice for me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 17:11

2009-02-10T14:14:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

OBSERVATION: Although excited about Paul's message and eager to believe it, the Bereans took the time to check Paul's information with the Word of God for accuracy.

APPLICATION: When pastors speak passionately about their beliefs, it is easy to be caught up in the emotion of the moment. Many speakers are very convincing in their convictions and persuade others to follow their beliefs without regard for what is true. It is our obligation to go back to Scripture to check the accuracy of the teaching we receive. God's Word does not change, and is the ultimate and absolute Truth.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Please help me to remember that it is the governing Truth of my beliefs. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Leviticus 10:10-11

2009-02-09T17:49:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses."

OBSERVATION: God distills the priests' job into one very clear sentence, essentially saying that their job was to help the Israelites learn right from wrong and to interpret the Mosaic laws for them with godly inspiration.

APPLICATION: As Christ-followers, God gives us authority to preach the Good News: Salvation by Grace alone. We need to point non-believers in the direction of following Christ and let God go to work on their hearts.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Please speak through me and help me to understand it so I can convey the message You want me to convey. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 15:10

2009-02-08T17:39:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?"

OBSERVATION: Peter was addressing the Pharisee believers who were trying to put more requirements into the process for Gentile to be saved.

APPLICATION: Peter pointed out that the "yoke" of the law had been to much for even the Jewish leaders to bear. Why, then, did they want to it of the Gentiles? to maintain authority and power over the Gentiles. Peter' speech was meant to keep the Pharisees from sinning again in their pride and quest for power. We need to be careful not to add to the requirements of God's Word. He doesn't require works for salvation, and neither should we.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your gift of salvation by grace alone. You make it possible that all can come to You for salvation without previous qualification. Please help me to remember this as I am sharing Your message with others. Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 14:17

2009-02-07T17:32:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

OBSERVATION: Paul and Barnabas are trying to keep the pagans from worshipping them and sacrificing to them. Paul's response is that God is evident everywhere, and His presence on earth cannot be denied.

APPLICATION: The miracle of creation is evidenced in everything around us. There is no way any person can not acknowledge God's existence if they look honestly at the plants, the sky, the earth, animals and humans. There is no excuse not to believe in a Creator.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for revealing Yourself to me in so any ways. Please give me words to speak when I encounter people who claim they don't believe in You. Help me to show others who You are trough Your creation. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 13:2-3

2009-02-06T17:24:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off."

OBSERVATION: The leaders of the church at Antioch were fasting, praying and worshipping God, waiting for His Word on ow to proceed in their missionary journeys. In this time of fellowship, the Holy Spirit directed them as to His wishes.

APPLICATION: When we pray and wait on God for His direction, we are sure to do what is right in His eyes.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please help me to be patient and prayerful as I wait for direction from You. I know You only want what is best for me, and I need to remember that when I want answers before You are ready for me to have them. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 40:34

2009-02-05T14:20:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

OBSERVATION: Once the Tent of Meeting was built and purified, it was ready for God to move in. All of the Israelites knew He was there because God came in the form of a cloud and settled over the tent day and night.

APPLICATION: Although God could not be with individual people because all people were not pure, He made a way to be be 'among' the Israelites, not 'in' the Israelites. They were reassured of His presence because God provided a visual proof of Himself. Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we no longer need a special temple for God, because everyone who accepts His gift of Salvation immediately becomes a temple for God's presence - the Holy Spirit - to dwell in.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me so much that You died for my sins so You could dwell within me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 19:4

2009-02-04T14:13:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

OBSERVATION: David is praying to God that all he speaks and holds in his heart be pleasing to God.

APPLICATION: It is difficult to hold our tongues sometimes when we want to talk about someone. Gossip, profanity, negativity - these are all things God does not stand for or want us to participate in. We need to pray to Him for strength to keep us from sinning in these ways - either verbally or in our hearts and thoughts.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for helping me keep my mind on Godly things. I know that whatever I store in my heart will come out of my mouth. Please give me Your words to speak so I will not succumb to gossip, profanity or other destructive speech or thoughts. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 35:31

2009-02-03T14:06:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "...and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill and ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts."

OBSERVATION: Before Jesus died for our sins, God did not send the Holy Spirit to earth for everyone. He only sent the Spirit to certain people for specific purposes and tasks, and then took the Spirit back when those tasks were complete.

APPLICATION: What an amazing thing Jesus did when He died on the cross for us: He took our sin away so the Holy Spirit would have a place to dwell in each of us who have accepted Christ's gift of salvation by grace. We no longer have to wonder when God will remove His Spirit from us, because it will never leave us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for dying for my sins so I could be consecrated to You and dwell with Your Spirit forever. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 9:15-16

2009-02-02T13:58:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.' "

OBSERVATION: Even after all he had done, God still had a plan for Paul that included spreading the Good News of Salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike.

APPLICATION: We all know people who are very outspoken against God and Christianity. It is our tendency to not want to spend time around them and to write them off as 'lost causes'. But God's plan is often to use these unlikely disciples as powerful testimonies for Him. Who better to understand the power of God's forgiveness and grace than someone who once did not believe in Him, spoke out against Him, and was broken and saved by Him?

PRAYER: Lord, in many ways we are all a bit like Paul in that we all needed to be saved by Your grace and Mercy. Please help me to remember this when I meet people who are not believers and who are actively speaking out against You. Help me to pray for them for You to change their hearts so they can be testaments to Your great power. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 32:29

2009-02-01T13:50:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Then Moses said, 'You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you on this day.' "

OBSERVATION: By following God's command over the power of their emotions, the Levites killed all of the Israelites who didn't come forward for God when Moses asked them to, no matter how hard it was for them to do that.

APPLICATION: Although it is hard sometimes, we will, at some point, be forced to choose God's will over our friends and/or our family members.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Please give me the strength to be obedient to You and to stand strong in You, even if it angers my friends or family or causes them to turn against me. I desire to be a reflection of You, no matter what others think. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 7:51

2009-01-31T13:34:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!"

OBSERVATION: When Stephen was brought to the Sanhedrin under false accusations, he answered the high priest's questions with an accounting of the first five books of the Bible before continuing on to the prophecies about Jesus. At the end of his testimony, Stephen paraphrased Deuteronomy 10:16 as his final proof that the Jewish leaders had a history of rejecting God. By primarily using the first five books of the Bible, he was directing his testimony to the Sadducees, the powerful majority of the Sanhedrin who only believed those five books to be God's Law. By concluding with such a powerful verse, Steven was brought a very specific problem into relief: the leaders had fallen away from God and were rejecting Him (again) to save their power and position. Stephen knew that his words would offend the Sadducees, but they were also the Truth, and were a very powerful conclusion to his testimony.

APPLICATION: Stephen's point was made even stronger because he was wise enough to base his testimony on the foundation of the Sadducees' belief system, knowing that they would be very familiar with the accounting he gave.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Please move in me and help me to make Your testimony relevant to those to whom I am giving testimony. Please give me the right words to use in each situation. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 25:8

2009-01-30T13:27:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them."

OBSERVATION: God was instructing Moses on how to create a place that was holy and pure so He could again dwell among His chosen people.

APPLICATION: Since He created us, God has loved humankind so much that He developed ways to live among us. First in the Garden of Eden, then in the tabernacle's Holy of Holies and now in each of us through the Holy Spirit. How comforting it is to know that the God of the universe cares enough about us to make a way to be able to be with us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for wanting to dwell here with me. Because the blood you shed has paid for my sins, I have been sanctified and made worthy for You to dwell within me. Thank You for loving me enough to desire to be with me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 5:41

2009-01-29T13:19:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name."

OBSERVATION: After seeing what Christ had to endure before His death, the disciples were overjoyed at being 'flogged' for speaking His name and teaching about Christianity. They were standing up to the religious leaders in Christ's name, and were glad to accept their punishment instead of compromising and backing down.

APPLICATION: When we are worried about offending people or worried about what they will think when we are boldly proclaiming our Christian beliefs, we are allowing something else to be more important than Jesus' message. We need to be willing to be 'worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name'.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and for dying for my sins. I pray for the courage to be counted worthy of suffering disgrace for Your Name, because You suffered so much more for mine. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 4:16-17

2009-01-28T14:09:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'What are we going to do with these men?' they asked. 'Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.' "

OBSERVATION: Even with the evidence right in front of them, the Sanhedrin still denied Christ's status and were trying to stop the spread of Christianity. They even acknowledged the miracles of the disciples, but were more fearful of losing their political power then of recognizing and submitting to their Messiah.

APPLICATION: We can't always be politically correct as Christ-followers. There will be times when we will have to choose between submitting to Christ's authority or to man's authority. This may make us unpopular with our friends, our family, our community or our government, but we must be bold and stand up for Christ's Kingdom, not man's worldly point of view.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the boldness You give me to proclaim You as the only way. Please continue to encourage me to stand strong for You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 19:4-6a

2009-01-27T13:51:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

OBSERVATION: God was reminding the Israelites about the covenant He had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob if they held up their end of the 'bargain': Israel would be a kingdom of priests - of teachers - who would spread God's Word to the world.

APPLICATION: As a part of God's kingdom, it is a blessing to be able to be included in His new covenant that Jesus consecrated with us when He died on the cross.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your grace and salvation that has made it possible for me to be a part of your 'treasured possession'. As a partaker of Your new covenant, I praise You and worship You, for You have created a new me with the shedding of Your blood for my sins. I thank You with all that I am for that gift. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 14:14

2009-01-26T13:45:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

OBSERVATION: The Egyptians were coming up on the Israelites at the edge of the Red Sea, and the Israelites were terrified and started to panic. Moses encouraged them and assured them that God would protect them and fight for them in their place.

APPLICATION: It is difficult to trust in God when there is an immediate threat to our lives. We want to take control and believe that we know better how to defeat our enemies. We need to stand up to the fear of defeat and trust that God will fight our battles for us.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me, and thank You for Your Word. You promise me that You will fight against anyone or anything that will harm my relationship with You. Thank You so much for that promise. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Acts 1:11

2009-01-25T13:35:00.005-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'Men of Galilee,' they said, 'Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into Heaven.' "

OBSERVATION: The disciples were fixed on the spot where they had seen Jesus ascend into Heaven. When the 2 angels told them to stop looking at the sky, they realized that they had to get to work spreading the good news to the ends of the earth, as Jesus had instructed them.

APPLICATION: While we are always to be prepared for Jesus' return, we cannot spend all of our time 'looking into the sky' if it takes away from our main goal: to spread Christ's message throughout the earth.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for Your promise to return to us. Please help me to be productive in spreading the news of salvation through You, and not fixate on when You are going to return. I am ready to come home to You, but everything is done in Your time, not mine. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 24:44-45

2009-01-24T21:33:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "He said to them, 'This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that was written about me in the law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.' Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures."

OBSERVATION: Although the disciples had known the Law and had read the Prophets and the Psalms, they still didn't truly realize that Jesus was the fulfillment of every single prophecy ever written about the coming Messiah. It wasn't until Jesus "opened" their minds that they truly understood who He really was.

APPLICATION: It is easy to read through the Bible and write off the more fantastic stories as fiction, not as fact. The fact is that the Bible is all true - every word of it - and in it are all the prophecies that had to be fulfilled by the Messiah - Jesus. By asking Him to open our minds to the Truth of the Scriptures, we are truly able to understand them and their consistent telling of the way to eternal life: Jesus Christ.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Word, and for the gift of the Holy Spirit who will open my mind to the meaning of Scripture if I ask Him to do that. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Luke 23:45

2009-01-23T11:24:00.004-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "...for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two."

OBSERVATION: Jesus' death signified the beginning of a new era: by taking on our sins, God was able once again to dwell with His people. He was no longer housed in the ark at the temple, and the curtain was torn from top to bottom to signify that there would no longer be a barrier between God & man.

APPLICATION: By asking God to forgive my sins and confess my need for a Savior, I am set free from the law that binds non-Christians. Jesus' horrific death and subsequent resurrection gave me the gift of eternal life.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me and sending Your son, Jesus, to die for my sins. I am eternally grateful and I praise You with all that I am. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 3:11-12a

2009-01-22T11:11:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "But Moses said to God, 'Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?' And God said, 'I will be with you.' "

OBSERVATION: Moses lacked the self confidence to readily take up God's challenge of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. When Moses expressed his self doubt, God assured him that he won't be alone - that God would be with him all the way.

APPLICATION: Much of the time we suffer the same self-doubt as Moses, questioning whether or not we are qualified for the work God has for us. We need to remember that God doesn't always call the equipped - He equips the called, thereby ensuring we will need Him to show up so we can lean on Him, and so that it is evident that God is the one who is at work, not us. This way, all the glory goes to God.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for calling me to do Your work. I know that I am usually not remotely qualified to do what You ask me to do, but because of this, I am forced to rely on You for direction and for the tools I will need to do the work. Thank You for teaching me to be patient and sure of Your leadership, and to trust in You and not on my own understanding. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Exodus 2:24-25

2009-01-21T11:32:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them."

OBSERVATION: The Israelites were so overworked and oppressed that they prayed and "groaned" to God for His help in freeing them. God remembered His covenant with them and put His plan for their deliverance in motion.

APPLICATION: God hears our prayers and He keeps His promises. Though the Israelites had been oppressed for many years, God's plan was set for a specific time - His timing. We don't always understand why God waits to do some things, but we need to have faith and believe that He will do what He promises.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for keeping Your promises, even if You fulfil them in ways I wouldn't ever have imagined You would fulfil them. Thank You for being in charge of everything, because I know that You love me and only ant the best for me. Please help me to be patient and wait for You to work in Your time. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 20:25b

2009-01-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "He said to them, 'Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's.' "

OBSERVATION: Even with a question designed to implicate Jesus with either answer He could give, Jesus gives an answer to the Pharisees' question of 'to pay taxes to Rome or not?' that honors God in every way.

APPLICATION: When choosing to pay taxes or not, we generally choose to pay them, even if we don't like where they are being spent. We do this because we don't want to go to jail. By changing our attitude about paying taxes, we can be assured that we are obeying the law and obeying God. When Jesus says, '...and to God what is God's', we are reminded that everything is God's, regardless of who the money is actually given to. Maybe Jesus wasn't just talking about money for God - maybe He was talking about our hearts and intentions as well.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of Your word. I appreciate Your reminders that 1) I need to honor my government; 2) I need to obey You; and 3) it is all Yours anyway. Please help me to keep my attitude one of joyful obedience. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luyke 19:39-40

2009-01-19T11:11:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.' "

OBSERVATION: Jesus was pointing out to the Pharisees that even if the disciples did not announce Jesus' approach by calling Him the "King who comes in the name of the Lord," that it would not stop the fulfillment of the prophecies - that Jesus was the Messiah. The Truth would be told, if not by the disciples, then by others, even the rocks.

APPLICATION: Even if I choose not to proclaim my faith in Christ aloud, it doesn't change the fact that He is the Savior of the world. My commission is to "go", and I am given the responsibility of sharing Christ's message with whoever I meet. However, if I don't, someone else will.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me the desire to share Your story with the world. Please help me to see opportunities to step up and speak out for You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 18:41-42

2009-01-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Lord, I want to see,' he replied. Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.' "

OBSERVATION: The blind beggar had such strong faith in God's prophecies that he was able to "see" Jesus for who He was: the long-awaited Messiah. Even the disciples, who personally witnessed the miracles Jesus performed, wouldn't recognize Jesus as the God in the flesh until they "saw" the resurrected Christ.

APPLICATION: The blind beggar can be seen as a metaphor for all of humankind, before Christ's ministry and after His death, who have had to live by faith and not by "sight". In other words, we must believe in Christ's sacrifice for our sins before we can "see" Him clearly.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank You for Your gift of salvation and for allowing me to "see" You as my Savior. The faith you give me is my most precious gift, because it provides me the certainty of knowing that I belong to You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Psalm 5:11-12

2009-01-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "But all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, o Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield."

OBSERVATION: While the bible gives many examples of God's punishments, this passage speaks about His love and protection for His righteous ones.

APPLICATION: How comforting it is to know that, even in the midst of all of the ungodly "things" of this world, God spreads His blessing on us like a protective shield.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. It gives me so much comfort to know that You are my strength and my shield. I sing for joy at the certainty of knowing that You will always watch over me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Genesis 39:9

2009-01-16T07:47:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?"

OBSERVATION: Joseph served an earthly master as a slave, but his true Master was God. He knew right from wrong and he stood his ground, even though it caused him to be punished and put in prison. Joseph turned from temptation and resisted it because his faith in God and his obedience to God's laws were stronger than the power of the temptation.

APPLICATION: If I will keep God and His Word at the forefront of my thoughts and life, I too can resist temptation and sin. Even if I am punished for it here on earth, I know that I am pleasing God by obeying Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for giving me the strength to resist earthly temptations. I am far from perfect, but I know that if I keep Your Word at the forefront of my decision-making, that I will be able to resist what is not pleasing to You. Please continue to help me to desire reading Your Word daily. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 15:31-32

2009-01-15T08:52:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'My son,' the father said, 'You are always with me and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' "

OBSERVATION: In this parable, the older son - the one who acted responsibly - is jealous of the warm, loving, accepting welcome his irresponsible brother received upon returning to his home. The father reminded him that the older son was loved just as much as the younger son, and that they were celebrating the younger son's return home and his repentance for what he had done.

APPLICATION: God's perfect love is available to all of us - small and big sinners equally. He rejoices in each and every repentance. By continuing to judge someone or not forgive someone for their past after they have repented and are saved, we are 1) not rejoicing in their salvation, and 2) committing a greater sin because of that judgement. After all, sin is sin, regardless of the size of it.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for the gift of salvation. Thank You for the joy that fills me when I learn about people becoming new Christians. Please continue to fill my heart with the desire to seek out and draw people to You - plant the seeds - so they, too, can experience your love and eternal life with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 14:23-24

2009-01-14T08:42:00.004-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.' "

OBSERVATION: The parable of the great feast is a commentary on what the Jewish people were doing and how they were rejecting their Messiah. The "feast"/Jesus was offered first to the "guests"/Nation of Israel, but was rejected by them. The master was forced to go outside his guest list to find people to fill his table, just as Jesus went beyond His chosen people to find people who would accept Him and acknowledge Him to be the Savior of the world.

APPLICATION: God will continue to reach to the ends of the earth to find people to follow Him. It all started with the Nation of Israel, but the grace He offers is meant for all.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank you for reaching beyond Your chosen people to the rest of the world so that Gentiles would be included in Your plan of salvation. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 13:34-35

2009-01-13T08:40:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.' "

OBSERVATION: Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus is sharing His grief over Jerusalem's (here "Jerusalem" represents Israel & its religious leaders) refusal to acknowledge the words of the prophets proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah. As a parent desires to hold onto their children, Jesus uses a hen & chicks comparison to illustrate His desire to embrace His followers who have rejected Him. The desolate house Jesus speaks about represents two things: 1) the foretelling of God leaving the temple after Jesus' resurrection because He will again be able to live among His people, and 2) the emptiness of the religion the Pharisees had created for themselves.

APPLICATION: I am a child of God who can be gathered unto Him because of Jesus' sacrifice, and my "house" is not desolate because I accepted Christ's salvation.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for sharing the meaning of this passage with me today. I praise You for filling my "house" with the joy of Your salvation. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 12:51

2009-01-12T14:28:00.005-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Do you think I came here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."

OBSERVATION: Jesus was being very clear that He was not sent to earth to smooth over the relationships between the different religious factions. He came to require people to mack a choice: follow the God of Israel or follow their own convoluted version of religion. There was no walking the fence - people were going to be on one side or the other.

APPLICATION: God desires that I make a clear choice to be a Christ-follower or not. This choice may cause division in my family, my group of friends or my community, but I am being asked to stand strong in my choice.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for making the choice to follow You so clear to me. It is a yes or a no decision, and I choose yes. Please give me the strength to stand up to opposition, even when it is with people I love. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.
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Psalm 4:3

2009-01-11T14:20:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him."

OBSERVATION: David knew that God would hear him if he called, as long as he remained faithful and devoted to Him. God sets apart His faithful who live for Him and obey Him.

APPLICATION: I am set apart by God as His daughter because I have accepted His mercy and grace through Christ's sacrifice. Though I cannot earn my way to heaven - I have been assured of my place there because Christ died for my sins - putting my faith into action by doing good deeds, living as God wants me to, and obeying Him is what matures me spiritually. I was set apart when I accepted Christ, and my growth comes when I obey Him.

PRAYER: Lord, thank You for loving me. Thank you for believing I was worthy to be set apart for You and for ensuring that by dying for my sins. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Luke 10:23b-24

2009-01-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."

OBSERVATION: Jesus is reminding His disciples that they are seeing prophecy being fulfilled right before their eyes in Him.

APPLICATION: It took faith for the Old Testament prophets and kings to believe in God's promises, just as it does for us today. The disciples were given the privilege of seeing the Messiah in the flesh, and even they didn't always recognize the fulfillment of all of the prophecies, even though it was happening right in front of them.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to stay faithful and to believe in Your promises. Please help me to recognize Your works, even when they aren't obvious to me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen. .

Luke 9:49-50

2009-01-09T10:01:00.002-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'Master,' said John, 'we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.' 'Don't stop him,' Jesus said, 'for whoever is not against you is for you.' "

OBSERVATION: The disciples were jealous of this other man's power. It seems here like they felt they should be the only ones who could do certain things. Jesus makes it clear that, even if you aren't familiar with someone or their methods, if they are working to grow the Kingdom of God then we are to support them, not oppose them.

APPLICATION: When I am visiting other churches or meeting other evangelistic people, I need to support them, as long as they are preaching God's Word, even if I don't care for the delivery.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to remember that true Christ-followers are on the same "team". Help me to be supportive of other Christ-followers, even if their methods don't appeal to me. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

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Luke 8:25

2009-01-08T16:28:00.001-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'Where is your faith?' he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, 'Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.' "

OBSERVATION: Even after following Jesus for such a long time, His disciples didn't understand exactly who He was: God here on earth, not just a man.

APPLICATION: Even after accepting Christ's salvation, we don't always realize who He was, His sacrifice, or the enormity of what He did to save us.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always search for a deeper understanding of the death You died in my place so I can live. Thank you for loving me enough to save me from my sin so I can spend eternity with You. In Jesus' precious name I pray, amen.

Luke 7:41-43

2009-01-07T08:11:00.005-07:00

SCRIPTURE: " 'Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him 500 denarii and the other 50. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now, which of them will love him more?' Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.' 'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said."

OBSERVATION: All of us have sinned, so we all have a debt to pay. When we receive salvation from Christ, our sin debt is paid, no matter the cost, because sin is sin in God's eyes. Those who truly recognize the enormity of this cancellation of our debt because it was paid with Christ's blood are the most grateful.

APPLICATION: I am grateful for my salvation, and the more I understand how enormous Christ's sacrifice was, the more grateful I become, because I recognize more and more the depth of my sin that was forgiven.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the salvation You have provided for me. Please keep me always aware of how great the sacrifice You made was in order to overcome death in my place. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

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Luke 6:46

2009-01-06T12:51:00.003-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"

OBSERVATION: Don't ask for God's help or guidance if you don't intend to follow it.

APPLICATION: Being a Christ-follower is an all-or-nothing thing. We don't get to pick and choose the parts we like and reject those we don't. We must obey all of His commands, not just the "easy" or appealing ones. Remember: it is not our comfort God is concerned about; it is our hearts.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word and the guidance it provides. Please help me to be obedient to You, even when I don't want to because it isn't easy. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

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Luke 5:31

2009-01-05T12:00:00.000-07:00

SCRIPTURE: "Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.' "

OBSERVATION: Jesus knew He was sent to save sinners - i.e. everyone - from death. In order to do that, He needed to spend time with those people who recognized their own sin and their need for a savior, not with the self-righteous religious leaders who refused to recognize their behavior as sinful.

APPLICATION: I need to spend time outside of my "bubble" of Christian friends and family and teach those who aren't Christian about salvation and how to get it.

PRAYER: Lord, thank you for the gifts of Christ-following family and friends. You use their support and love give me the foundation I need to build upon. Please help me to reach beyond my comfort zone to witness to those who don't know You. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.

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