Read Matt. 12
I had a dream last night that I was watching a woman in a farm house that was old and rundown. There was a big lamb in the house that was usually tame but it went mad. The woman had on an apron and tried to shoo it away with the apron. It grabbed the apron in its mouth. I knew she needed to get the lamb out of the house so I helped her open the door and drop the lamb down the 3 wooden steps when it landed it let go of the apron and we were free. Now the lamb was loose in the pasture and I knew that we would have to round it up before it got on someone else's land.
Later I dreamed I was in an old farm house sweeping the wood floors and the TV was on. Obama was rebuking the nation for letting this man reek havoc when no one knew he was in the country. I heard a thump and looked over in the closet and this old dirty-looking cowboy was making his way through the insulation and all the junk in the closet where he had been hiding out. I knew he was the man they were talking about on TV.
I think that these 2 dreams are connected. I think the lamb in the first dream became the man in the second dream. Yesterday I blogged about if you cast out a demon and sweep your house but don't fill it with the things of God then he will bring in seven other spirits more wicked than himself and the state of the man is worse than at first. In my dream I started out with a sheep that was tame. He turned into a very angry sheep who turned into a man who was wanted all over the nation. There is a big difference between a tame sheep and an outlaw. So since this is the last day of the year, maybe we need to take inventory of our lives and see what "tame" sins or habits we have in our lives and cast them out. In their place we need to fill that area with scripture and words of faith. We have to watch our imaginations and our fears because we don't want our lives taken over by the enemy.
Lord, show us the things we need to clean out of our closets and show us what to replace them with.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Thurs.'s Devo - Wake Up!
Read Pro. 20:13
There is no such thing as coasting in our spiritual life. We are either gaining ground or losing it. Today's scripture tells us not to love sleep or we will end up in poverty. The word poverty in the Hebrew means to drive out the previous tenants and possess their place. So if we fall asleep spiritually we will be possessed by evil spirits. Jesus talked about this in Matt. 12. It was the sabbath, a time when they were to be resting but Jesus was healing people and casting out devils. The Pharisees had a problem with him healing and casting out devils on the Sabbath. Jesus set them straight by reminding them of when David was hungry he ate the shewbread which was only allowed for the priests and he lived. Then he told them how the priests profaned the sabbath by working in the temple and were blameless. He went on to explain that when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he leaves for a time but comes back to see if their is any room for him. If that man has not replaced that evil with the righteousness of God then it will come back with 7 other spirits more wicked than himself and they will enter and live there. So we have to be constantly bringing in the kingdom of God in our lives by reading his word and filling our spirit with thoughts of faith and victory. Then we will possess our land and gain more territory.
Lord, open our eyes to doors we have opened to the devil so that we can close them and occupy our rooms with treasures of heaven.
There is no such thing as coasting in our spiritual life. We are either gaining ground or losing it. Today's scripture tells us not to love sleep or we will end up in poverty. The word poverty in the Hebrew means to drive out the previous tenants and possess their place. So if we fall asleep spiritually we will be possessed by evil spirits. Jesus talked about this in Matt. 12. It was the sabbath, a time when they were to be resting but Jesus was healing people and casting out devils. The Pharisees had a problem with him healing and casting out devils on the Sabbath. Jesus set them straight by reminding them of when David was hungry he ate the shewbread which was only allowed for the priests and he lived. Then he told them how the priests profaned the sabbath by working in the temple and were blameless. He went on to explain that when an unclean spirit is gone out of a man he leaves for a time but comes back to see if their is any room for him. If that man has not replaced that evil with the righteousness of God then it will come back with 7 other spirits more wicked than himself and they will enter and live there. So we have to be constantly bringing in the kingdom of God in our lives by reading his word and filling our spirit with thoughts of faith and victory. Then we will possess our land and gain more territory.
Lord, open our eyes to doors we have opened to the devil so that we can close them and occupy our rooms with treasures of heaven.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wed.'s Devo - The Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye
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.
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.
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.
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