S - Titus 2:2 (NASB)
2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in [a]perseverance.
O -This message to Titus is a reminder for how they were to conduct their lives. Obviously man's nature has sin in it, but God has redeemed us through Christ and wishes us to live a better life than that which the fall of Adam brought about.
A - The application for me is to dissect and meditate on living a life that is temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Since I am now an older man I have no excuses, I can relate to each one of these traits, I have lived them at one time or another, and have examples of people who have been in my life who have exampled these traits. I need only check myself periodically to be sure the draw of a life which seeks worldly treasures or wordly glory, or worldly pleasures will draw me away from this godly living.
P - Lord thank you for today's word, may it be sealed to my heart. I pray Lord you help me walk out these day's ahead in your perfect plan for my life. Help me to to look to you for guidance and correction if necessary, and help me to resist the temptations of this world.
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Saturday, June 27, 2020
Turn away from the ways of the world
S- 2 Tim 3:2-5 (NASB)
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness, although they have denied its power;
O- This is a warning to Timothy about what type of people will become the dominant culture in end times. All the these traits show disobedience to living a life obedient to God and in his perfect design on how we are to live.
A - The application for me is to see this as a warning to me. I have at times had one or more of these traits show its head in my own life, even after receiving salvation of Jesus Christ. It doesn't mean I have failed, it just means I have succumb to the ways of the world which in the end will be misaligned with God. I must be careful not to live in these ways; but when I find myself venturing into an area that is unhealthy, I must repent and seek God, correct back to His ways.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your love and grace. I confess I wandered in a few of these personal traits and I know repent for all the wrong I have done. I ask for your grace and guidance on how to recover those parts of my life affected by these sins. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.
Friday, June 26, 2020
My season in the belly of the fish
S - Jonah 2: 2-10 (NASB)
“I called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the [b]depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
3 “For You had cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current [c]engulfed me.
All Your breakers and billows passed over me.
4 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from [d]Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 “Water encompassed me to the [e]point of death.
The great deep [f]engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6 “I descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars was around me forever,
But You have brought up my life from [g]the pit, O Lord my God.
7 “While [h]I was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 “Those who regard [i]vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.”
O- Jonah said these words from the belly of the fish after 3 days there. His head and heart had been realigned back to the Lord and he recognized he had survived because of the grace of God, despite his disobedience.
A - The application for me is to recognize my own disobedience and my own season in the belly of the fish. It was a toxic season, designed to turn my heart back to God. I confess that it was my doing, my falling away from God, away from my role as husband and father that brought me to this season. I also proclaim the reality of God's grace. I stand here today proclaim with joy that I am back on the right path and starting a new season. God has provide a new occupation, provided housing for my family and kept in a location where we can continue to heal and grow.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and love. I couldn't have made it through this season without you , despite my own shrinking away from you. Thank you for the joy you have restored to my heart. I pray that you continue to show me the path you have for me, and guide my steps. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.
“I called out of my distress to the Lord,
And He answered me.
I cried for help from the [b]depth of Sheol;
You heard my voice.
3 “For You had cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the current [c]engulfed me.
All Your breakers and billows passed over me.
4 “So I said, ‘I have been expelled from [d]Your sight.
Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 “Water encompassed me to the [e]point of death.
The great deep [f]engulfed me,
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6 “I descended to the roots of the mountains.
The earth with its bars was around me forever,
But You have brought up my life from [g]the pit, O Lord my God.
7 “While [h]I was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
And my prayer came to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 “Those who regard [i]vain idols
Forsake their faithfulness,
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.”
O- Jonah said these words from the belly of the fish after 3 days there. His head and heart had been realigned back to the Lord and he recognized he had survived because of the grace of God, despite his disobedience.
A - The application for me is to recognize my own disobedience and my own season in the belly of the fish. It was a toxic season, designed to turn my heart back to God. I confess that it was my doing, my falling away from God, away from my role as husband and father that brought me to this season. I also proclaim the reality of God's grace. I stand here today proclaim with joy that I am back on the right path and starting a new season. God has provide a new occupation, provided housing for my family and kept in a location where we can continue to heal and grow.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and love. I couldn't have made it through this season without you , despite my own shrinking away from you. Thank you for the joy you have restored to my heart. I pray that you continue to show me the path you have for me, and guide my steps. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Faithfully stewarding abundance
S- 1 Tim 6:6-11,17-19 (NASB)
6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. 8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [g]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, [h]perseverance and gentleness.
...
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good [m]works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
O- The timelessness of Paul's message to Timothy speaks to the Godly truth about our lives and how we are to live it if we want to be truly content. Being able to be content in all things is the secret to this life, God's provision is real, but if we are provided beyond having food and shelter provided for is that is all just icing on the cake. Unfortunately I have observed and even been guilty of letting the love of money distort my view in the world. The more the wealth and privilege you have the more temptations this world throws in front of you, even to the point of wandering awaiting our faith. Verse 18 gives us the guidance of how to live in a life of abundant provision by the Lord, we are to do good, and be rich in good works, being generous with your wealth and not storing it up money for the accumulation of wealth , but rather storing up good works to build a foundation for the future.
A - The application for me is to reevaluate my goals in this second half of my life. The lord has gifted me with gifts and talents, and now a second career as a small business owner and a chance to provide abundantly for my family. I must take this abundance and invest in contentment by using this abundance to do good works for the community I am in.
P - Thank you Lord for your word, your provision, and most of all your Grace and love. Your message is timely as I come out of the valley of darkness into your abundant promised land. I must not forget my lessons of what brought me to the valley, and faithfully steward the resources you have given me. Lord help me to see your vision for my life, and guide me along the way that I may not wander far from your path. I pray all this in Jesus name.
Monday, June 22, 2020
Be nourished in words of Faith
S - 1 Timothy 4:6-10 (NASB)
6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the [b]sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But [c]have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
O - After a very long break and season of walking through the valley, I am coming out on the otherside, through God's grace I am here and restoring my love for Him and faith in His ways. This passage Paul is advising Timothy on how to live and lead the local church. He said to constantly be nourished by words of faith and sound doctrine, and not follow the ways of the world (gossip).
A - The application for me is to renew my vigor and spirit to seek to be nourished by God. Having walk through the valley of darkness I am coming back to Jesus and the word of God and am committed to daily seeking God's face and being fed by His word.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for never giving up on me, for showing me love and Grace, and teaching me how to love like you do. Help me to be a good steward of this life you have given me, I pray all this in Jesus name.
6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the [b]sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But [c]have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
O - After a very long break and season of walking through the valley, I am coming out on the otherside, through God's grace I am here and restoring my love for Him and faith in His ways. This passage Paul is advising Timothy on how to live and lead the local church. He said to constantly be nourished by words of faith and sound doctrine, and not follow the ways of the world (gossip).
A - The application for me is to renew my vigor and spirit to seek to be nourished by God. Having walk through the valley of darkness I am coming back to Jesus and the word of God and am committed to daily seeking God's face and being fed by His word.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you so much for never giving up on me, for showing me love and Grace, and teaching me how to love like you do. Help me to be a good steward of this life you have given me, I pray all this in Jesus name.
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