making plans

​s -Prov 16:1-4

To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,

    but motives are weighed by the Lord.

³ 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.

Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

O- Solomon's wisdom on what and how we are to make plans of action for ourselves is a good reminder of the partnership we must be in with the Lord.   We make plans from within our hearts and minds but how to go about making these plans come to fruition is up to the individual to seek the Lord for His proper way to go about it.  We are to understand that what we dream of from our hear seems good to us, but the Lord assesses our motives and thus the outcome of our desires.  Solomon offers a solution to simply commit to the Lord the things you do and he will establish the way for you to go about it.  In Roman's Paul gives sound advice for keeping alignment with the Lord.  We are not to conform with the patterns in the world we see but rather allow the Lord to renew our mind so we can test and prove what his perfect will is.

A - The application for me is to recognize my pattern of making plans and then asking the Lord to bless my plans instead of presenting the desires of my heart and allowing Him to search my heart and make sure my motives are pure.   It is from there that the Lord can and will establish plans I can follow.  I have been falling short in my prayer life and communion with God and it shows as my plans are not clear or firmly established.   I must get back to a place where I commune with God and allow the Holy Spirit to transform my mind to one aligned with God and His perfect will.

P - Dear heavenly Father,  help me to be a man who walks in wisdom and is obedient to your perfect will for my life.  I confess I have fallen short so many times and have defeated myself by following my desires instead of following you.  I pray this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

​s- prob 14:9

9 Fools mock at making amends for sin,
    but goodwill is found among the upright.

O-

​S- Prov 4:23-25

23 Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;

Prov 6:23-25

For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life,
24 keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
    from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.

²⁵ Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
    or let her captivate you with her eyes.

Romans 8

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

O- 

To die in Christ is to gain new life

 S-Rom 6:1-4,11-12 NIV

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.

O - Here Paul is teaching the church in Rome what it means to have died with Christ and been born again.   In particular we have died to the sin that used to reign in us, but have been set free from that sin and are now slaves to Christ or His righteousness.   Before Christ whether we desired to do right or just plain sinned for selfish reasons we were slave to that nature and all fall short in this old testament way of living.  But we have a savior who has freed us from our sin and dwells inside of us now guiding and prompting our living toward righteousness.

A -  The application for me is to be reminded of my baptism where I died with Christ and all my sins, but was raised again new.  I am to be renewed in Christ and divorced from my sinful nature.  It is because of what Christ has already done I am able to walk in freedom.  I merely need to die to my old self and embrace the new creation that God has made me.

P - Dear heavenly father thank you for today's word, may it be sealed to my heart.  I lay down my past sinful ways and look forward to the new creation you have made me to be.  I pray for the courage and wisdom to walk in your righteous ways.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

hope in our suffering

​s-Romans5:3-5

 3 Not only so, but we[c]also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

O-Paul here is explaining to the believers in Rome where their hope comes from amidst their suffering. Out of suffering we learn perseverance which produces character and out of character hope. Out of hope gods love through the Holy spirit  in our hearts. 

A-the application for me is to persevere through the trials I face because through this character and hope will be revealed through the Holy Spirit.  

P-Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your promises in your word .  I pray for perseverance, character and hope through three trials I am facing. Help me to see the way forward during this time of uncertainty. I pray this in Jesus name Amen.

repentance

​s - 2 chron 6:36-39

36 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; 37 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly’; 38 and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name; 39 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause. And forgiveyour people, who have sinned against you.

O- Forgiveness is in the dna of the lord.  Even before christ, Solomon knew the people of Israel would sing and fall short.  His prayer called on God’s grace.  The key was repentance for the sins that were committed, and for the people to turn away from their sin and back toward g God.

A-the application for me is to repent for my sins, specifically the adultery I committed in my marriage. I repent for all my actions that violated my marriage covenant.

P- Father thank you for your love and Grace. Help me lord to lead a life worthy of your grace and love. I am so sorry I have fallen short of your best for my life and my marriage. I pray this in Jesus c name amen 

rid myself of deceitful ways

​s- psalm 101:7

No one who practices deceit
    will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
    will stand in my presence.

O-  The wisdom of David is for all who will listen to sound advice..  he ensures no one who  is eventful does not dwell in his house or even is broughk into his presence.

A- this verse convicts me as I have been one who has lied and been deceitful in my own marriage.  It is for this reason I seek to fully disclose to my wife all my sinful ways regarding my sexual misbehavior .

P-lord grant me the courage and wisdom on how to best reveal to my wife my sinful and deceitful ways. I pray this in Jesus name amen.

put my trust in the lord

​s psalm 78:7-8

Then they would put their trust in God
    and would not forget his deeds
    but would keep his commands.
8 They would not be like their ancestors—
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
whose hearts were not loyal to God,
    whose spirits were not faithful to him.

O-in the part of the psalm the psalmist is speaking about the people of Israel who were rescued from Egypt.  Gods own people in the Old Testament dispute both great faithfulness to keep his command’s . But they also at times were stubborn and were not loyal to the lord.

A- I feel convicted by  this passage that I am that part of gods people that was stubborn and rebellious.  I have forgotten the face of God. I need to remember who God is and what he has done for me.  

P- Dear Heavenly Father thank you for your Grace and patience with me.  I pray lord you would help me to strengthen my faith and trust in you. Remind me of all you have done and taught me.i pray this in Jesus name amen.

integrity of the heart

​s 1Chron29:17

17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity

O-These are David’s words as he is getting ready to hand over his throne to his son Solomon. David knew what it takes to lead Gods people, it takes integrity of the heart.  

A- This scripture speaks to me today as I sit before the Lord doing my devotions I want to have a heart of integrity.  I admit that at times my heart wanders and chases things of this world but I am striving to bring my heart back to a heart for God.

P- Dear Heavenly Father I pray that you help me search my heart and remove all that is not true. I pray this in Jesus name amen