Read Pro. 20:12
We have two kinds of eyes: natural eyes and spiritual eyes. Ezekiel rebuked the people because they had eyes but couldn't see. Only their natural eyes were working. (Eze. 12:2) In 2 Ki 6 Israel was warring with Syria. Ezekiel told the king of Israel all of Syria's ambush points which made the king of Syria so mad he sent his army to capture Ezekiel. They surrounded the city where Ezekiel was living. Ezekiel's servant awoke to see the chariots of the Syrians surrounding the city and he excitedly told Ezekiel. Ezekiel told him not to worry then prayed that God would open his servant's eyes to see. When God did, the servant saw the mountains full of God's horses and chariots of fire surrounding the armies of Syria. When the Syrian army came down to talk to Ezekiel, he prayed that they would be smote with blindness. Ezekiel told them that this was not the city and he was not who they were seeking but he would lead them to the right city and the man. They blindly followed him and he led them right to the middle of Samaria. Then Ezekiel prayed that God would open their eyes. They saw that were captives of Israel. The King of Israel came out and asked Ezekiel what he should do with them. Ezekiel told him to prepare a feast for them then send them back home which he did. These soldiers refused to come back.
It is God that can open our spiritual eyes and ears that we can see into the unseen world and be useful for God.
Lord, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear. Cause us to hear your voice and obey and see what you want us to see and respond correctly.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Tues.'s Devo - Divers Weights
Read Pro. 20:10,11
In the Bible times the merchants measured with rocks they kept in their pockets. The unjust merchants carried two different rocks with the same measure written on them. One was lighter than the other. They would use the heavier rock to measure the sellers merchandise and the lighter rock to measure theirs thus cheating the seller. It was a common practice which God was always chastising them about. We also have these rocks in our judgment. We use them to measure a person's worth. We use the lighter rock on the people who meet our standards and the heavier one on the people we don't understand. Jesus spoke to the people about treating the rich and important different from the poor and meek. He sees everyone the same because to one he gave the ability to gain such wealth and to the other he didn't. It is hard for us to understand but I was reading today in Leviticus where God told them to treat the stranger that chose to live among them like they would treat a fellow Israelite. They were to have no respect of persons and neither are we. The next verse says that even children are judged by the way they act. Bottom line: God is the one that judges children and adults for their actions, not us. Our commandment is to love one another.
Lord, give us your eyes to see how you look at people and may we only judge ourselves and not others.
In the Bible times the merchants measured with rocks they kept in their pockets. The unjust merchants carried two different rocks with the same measure written on them. One was lighter than the other. They would use the heavier rock to measure the sellers merchandise and the lighter rock to measure theirs thus cheating the seller. It was a common practice which God was always chastising them about. We also have these rocks in our judgment. We use them to measure a person's worth. We use the lighter rock on the people who meet our standards and the heavier one on the people we don't understand. Jesus spoke to the people about treating the rich and important different from the poor and meek. He sees everyone the same because to one he gave the ability to gain such wealth and to the other he didn't. It is hard for us to understand but I was reading today in Leviticus where God told them to treat the stranger that chose to live among them like they would treat a fellow Israelite. They were to have no respect of persons and neither are we. The next verse says that even children are judged by the way they act. Bottom line: God is the one that judges children and adults for their actions, not us. Our commandment is to love one another.
Lord, give us your eyes to see how you look at people and may we only judge ourselves and not others.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Mon.'s Devo - The Judgment
Read Pr. 20:8,9
What a picture of what God will do in the end when he judges the earth. Ecc. 12:14 says that God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Daniel 7 gives us a vivid picture of the judgment. If an earthly king can scatter evil with his eyes then what can the King of Kings do whose garment is white and snow, his hair like pure wool, his throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire do? He has a fiery stream issuing from his presence and more than 10,000 ministering before him. He has the books before him that do not lie. In them lies the fate of all that have every lived. We will be asking verse 9: "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" when we see God is holy righteousness. Our righteousness is not going to stand. But we have a redeemer who will step in and plead our case. His blood is our only hope and his blood is enough!
Lord, thank you for the blood of Jesus that covers and takes away our sin.
What a picture of what God will do in the end when he judges the earth. Ecc. 12:14 says that God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Daniel 7 gives us a vivid picture of the judgment. If an earthly king can scatter evil with his eyes then what can the King of Kings do whose garment is white and snow, his hair like pure wool, his throne like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire do? He has a fiery stream issuing from his presence and more than 10,000 ministering before him. He has the books before him that do not lie. In them lies the fate of all that have every lived. We will be asking verse 9: "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?" when we see God is holy righteousness. Our righteousness is not going to stand. But we have a redeemer who will step in and plead our case. His blood is our only hope and his blood is enough!
Lord, thank you for the blood of Jesus that covers and takes away our sin.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Fri.;s Devo - Christmas Greetings
Tomorrow is Christmas! Merry Christmas!!! I am in Shreveport spending it with my family. This is a special Christmas because both my daughter-in-laws are pregnant with my first grand children. I already know that one is a girl and we have not had girls in our family. I have two brothers and 3 sons so that is going to be a change - a good one. Caleb and Katy are in the process of moving to Texas which means we are getting more and more spread apart (that would be called "enlarging our territory" Jabez style). So Christmas is a wonderful time to all come together. The great thing about getting older is that you have more time to center around what is important. Every Christmas becomes a little easier and more peaceful. However, next Christmas with 2 babies might be a little more complicated and noisy... in a great way. Children do bring life and wonder to life so I am so looking forward to seeing Christmas through their eyes. I pray that each of you have a very blessed Christmas and the ability to open your eyes to the blessing all around you instead of the lack of or abundance of presents under the tree. God's blessing supersede all earthly gifts. God bless you everyone!!! Remember: Unto YOU a child is born!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Thurs.'s Devo - Passing the Torch
Read Pro. 20:7
I am reading the new series by Francine Rivers. It is the story of her own heritage. It is a lesson on inherited traits and spirits. Whatever spirit the mother had she passed down to her daughter and it just kept being passed down getting worse and worse and reaping bad fruit because no one knew how to break the cycle. Todays scripture gives us the reverse. If we walk in integrity then we will pass that down to our children and they will be blessed. What a blessing it is to hear people honor your parents or your grandparents. Reputations are very important and more precious than monetary inheritances.
So how do you break the cycle of your ancestors? You speak to that curse or spirit and you bring it under the blood of Jesus then you replace it with what you want to see happen. You do this out loud. The devil cannot read your mind but he has to bow to words. Jesus defeated him in the wilderness with the words of his mouth. Jesus used scripture to do this. There is a scripture for everything you could ever need one for. So find the one you need and use it against him. You can cancel his assignments and replace them with God's will. Then your children will be blessed and not cursed.
Lord, help us to see the curses that have been passed down to us and cover them with your blood and replace them with righteousness.
I am reading the new series by Francine Rivers. It is the story of her own heritage. It is a lesson on inherited traits and spirits. Whatever spirit the mother had she passed down to her daughter and it just kept being passed down getting worse and worse and reaping bad fruit because no one knew how to break the cycle. Todays scripture gives us the reverse. If we walk in integrity then we will pass that down to our children and they will be blessed. What a blessing it is to hear people honor your parents or your grandparents. Reputations are very important and more precious than monetary inheritances.
So how do you break the cycle of your ancestors? You speak to that curse or spirit and you bring it under the blood of Jesus then you replace it with what you want to see happen. You do this out loud. The devil cannot read your mind but he has to bow to words. Jesus defeated him in the wilderness with the words of his mouth. Jesus used scripture to do this. There is a scripture for everything you could ever need one for. So find the one you need and use it against him. You can cancel his assignments and replace them with God's will. Then your children will be blessed and not cursed.
Lord, help us to see the curses that have been passed down to us and cover them with your blood and replace them with righteousness.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wed.'s Devo - Walking With the Wise
Read Pro. 20:5,6
Have you ever been around someone who you knew held great wisdom and understanding? We had a man and his wife to dinner one night and although they thought they were coming for fellowship, we wanted to pick this man's brain about his understanding of God. So the whole night we asked question after question and listened as this man unfolded his wisdom. He probably left exhausted, and thinking back, I guess it was a selfish thing to do but if I had Jesus eating at my table, I'm afraid I would have to pound him with questions too. Sometimes that is what it takes to get wisdom from the wise. The Bible is the book of wisdom but many of the great truths are hidden in plain sight. You have to draw them out. The disciples had to do that with Jesus. He told parables to the people but they asked him in secret to explain them. It is the simple that want to spill everything they know, but the wise hold it in and contemplate it till they know it is right, then they feel free to share it in the right time. Which takes us to the next verse that talks about the person who brags about all the good things he does to be esteemed of men but it is the man who is consistently faithful with out the need to tell everyone. The faithful man just does good things naturally without thought of how it looks to others.
Lord, help us to dig deep into your Word for hidden truths and surround us with mentors laden with understanding. Help us to be faithful in our walk in public and in secret.
Have you ever been around someone who you knew held great wisdom and understanding? We had a man and his wife to dinner one night and although they thought they were coming for fellowship, we wanted to pick this man's brain about his understanding of God. So the whole night we asked question after question and listened as this man unfolded his wisdom. He probably left exhausted, and thinking back, I guess it was a selfish thing to do but if I had Jesus eating at my table, I'm afraid I would have to pound him with questions too. Sometimes that is what it takes to get wisdom from the wise. The Bible is the book of wisdom but many of the great truths are hidden in plain sight. You have to draw them out. The disciples had to do that with Jesus. He told parables to the people but they asked him in secret to explain them. It is the simple that want to spill everything they know, but the wise hold it in and contemplate it till they know it is right, then they feel free to share it in the right time. Which takes us to the next verse that talks about the person who brags about all the good things he does to be esteemed of men but it is the man who is consistently faithful with out the need to tell everyone. The faithful man just does good things naturally without thought of how it looks to others.
Lord, help us to dig deep into your Word for hidden truths and surround us with mentors laden with understanding. Help us to be faithful in our walk in public and in secret.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Tues.'s Devo - Get Off the Couch!
Read Pro. 20:4
Lazy people will always find a reason not to do what they are suppose to do. They won't carry their weight and will expect others to help them when they don't want to help themselves. The problem is they can't even see that they are the problem. They have been taught this concept from childhood. One of the worse thing that happened to this nation was welfare. It was initiated by Pres. Roosevelt to help us get out of the Great Depression. It was only suppose to be in place for a few years to help people get back on their feet. But people became dependent on it and it would have been too much of a political disaster to take it away. So now, we have people that can't make over minimum wage or they will lose their welfare. Something is wrong. The answer lies in the Bible. The Bible says that if you want to eat you need to work. Even people with disabilities have talents they can be helped to use. Instead of paying people to manage welfare handouts, we need people managing jobs for people. I know there are programs out there for this and I am glad. We need more. Bottom line: if we can get the Bible principles in the hearts of people they won't be impoverished and needy; they will be part of a heavenly family that needs their gift and a place to be used.
Lord, thank you for your provision and the joy of working. May we do everything to your glory.
Lazy people will always find a reason not to do what they are suppose to do. They won't carry their weight and will expect others to help them when they don't want to help themselves. The problem is they can't even see that they are the problem. They have been taught this concept from childhood. One of the worse thing that happened to this nation was welfare. It was initiated by Pres. Roosevelt to help us get out of the Great Depression. It was only suppose to be in place for a few years to help people get back on their feet. But people became dependent on it and it would have been too much of a political disaster to take it away. So now, we have people that can't make over minimum wage or they will lose their welfare. Something is wrong. The answer lies in the Bible. The Bible says that if you want to eat you need to work. Even people with disabilities have talents they can be helped to use. Instead of paying people to manage welfare handouts, we need people managing jobs for people. I know there are programs out there for this and I am glad. We need more. Bottom line: if we can get the Bible principles in the hearts of people they won't be impoverished and needy; they will be part of a heavenly family that needs their gift and a place to be used.
Lord, thank you for your provision and the joy of working. May we do everything to your glory.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)