Amazing Grace

​S-Titus2:11-14 niv

11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickednessand to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

O- Oh how grateful I am for God's grace which He offers to all people.  It is this saving grace and tranformative power of the Holy Spirt in me that permits me to say no to worldly passions and live a live of self control and upright living.  Despite my sin and shortcomings, I can wait on the Lord's reappearing and settling the score once and for all.  Jesus' sacrife has once and for all redeemed us in our wickedness and purified us as His people.

A - The application for me is to first and foremost be grateful for God's saving grace, without it I would be stuck in my sin.  I no can focus on walking with self controlled and upright ways of living as I repent for my sins, He is good and faithful to forgive me my sins and lead me in his righteous ways.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for you amazing grace.   I receive it as the gift it is , and pray that you would help me to walk in a self controlled life that is pleasing to you.  I repent of my sins and ask you redeem me for your greater glory.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Seeking refuge in the Lord

​S-Amos 5:6 niv

6 Seek the Lord and live,
    or he will sweep through the tribes of Joseph like a fire;
it will devour them,
    and Bethel will have no one to quench 

Psalm 86:2-3,11

Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;

    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.

…

11 Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.

O - Seeking refuge in the Lord is the theme of these scriptures.  From Amos we see that we are to seek after the Lord in order to live,  the alternative is he will devour us. From David in the psalm, we see we are to seek protection in the covering of the Lord,  we achieve this by trusting in the Lord as our savior and not ourselves or others in the world.  We are reminded to call on the Lord all the day long , not just in devotional morning time. We are to learn God's ways so we can have an undivided heart and a healthy fear of the Lord.

A - The application for me is to seek after the Lord and his ways.  He is my protection from calamity and through His Holy Spirit He can guide me in His ways and keep my heart focused on Him and His glory.   When I do this He brings joy to me and my life and keeps me from depression and despair. 

P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for today's lesson may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray that you would be with me as I walk today, help me to be mindful of your ways and to guard my heart against any unrighteousness but seek you in all that I do.  I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.

Restore us Lord

​S-Psalm 80:21 niv

19 Restore us, Lord God Almighty;
    make your face shine on us,
    that we may be saved.

O - This Psalm comes from a time in which Israel and Judah had wandered from the Lord once again.  The psalmist here captures the attitude of restoration.  We are helpless without God saving us, our restoration requires God's face to shine upon us. 

A - The application for me is to have the same heart who yearns for restoration and reconciliation with God.   Like the need for sunshine to warm and grow us,  my soul yearns for the Lord's face to shine upon me and my family.  I confess I have wandered from His grace and need only to turn towards God and allow his grace and love to cover me.   

P - Dear heavenly Father , thank you for today's devotion, I pray it would be sealed to my heart.  I repent Lord for my lack of effort and seeking you on a daily basis.  I pray for your strength to get me to turn towards you and receive you in my heart and mind. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

slow to anger and abounding in love

​s-Joel 2:12-13 NIV

Even now,” declares the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
    with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your hear

and not your garments.

Return to the Lord your God,

for he is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

O - The prophet Joel is speaking to the people of Israel who have wandered away again from following the Lord.  He declares that the people are to return to God with all their hearts so that God can restore relationship and convent with His people.  The character of God is revealed for he is slow to anger and abounding in love of His people.  

A - The application for me is to remember that I am being called to return to God with fasting,mouring and weeping.  I must surrender my life to the Lord and quit wallowing in my own self pity.  

P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for today's devotion may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray that you would give me the motivation and strength to return my life to you with all my heart.  I pray that you would help me overcome my stumbling blocks.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

Do not forsake the Lord

​S-2Chron 24:20

This is what God says: ‘Why do you disobey the Lord’s commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”

O-This verse comes from the Israelites who have been wandering away from following the Lord and get caught up in following false gods like Baal.   This word is a simple reminder to follow the Lord and you will prosper ,  turn away and He will turn away from you.

A- The application for me is to heed this warning to turn back to God and his commands for me and my life.  I am to seek the Lord daily if not continuously and obey his promptings and direction.

P - Dear heavenly Father,  I need your help to make sure I am obeying your commands and not forsaking you.  My habits of late have been lazy and with great procrastination that I can't seemed to get past. I confess I have been allowing my feelings of inadequacy to take over and this leads me to shrink or shurk away from the duties I have before me as a husband, father, and son.  I pray all of this in Jesus name, Amen.

Walk in the way of Jesus

​S- Colosians 3:7–10 niv

You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

O -  Paul is letting the church at Colosia know how they are to live , renewed by Christ.  For before Christ we lived with anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language in our loves, but now we are to live renewed in Christ.  We are to put away all lies since these were practices of our old self.   

A - The application for me is to remember I have died to my old self and live a renewed life because of the cleansing of my soul by Christ.  I need to put away all the lies and live without the anger and malice from my mind and mouth.  

P - Dear heavenly father, thank you for your word to me today.  Help me to walk in this truth and to put away all lieing in my life.  I pray this in Jesus name, Amen

Seek the Lord in all things

​S-2Chron 15:2-4 NIV

The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law. 4 But in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them. 

O - The truth revealed here is that God is for and with us, always.   However, we must seek him in order to live in this truth.  We have free will and our choices have consequences.  Often times when we are facing consequences of not seeking but fleeing from God we are faced with the difficult decision to turn from fleeing him to greatly seeking him in all things.  It is when we run to him that we find his open arms waiting for us much like the prodigal son's return to his father. 

A - The application for me to to recognize when I am forsaking the Lord, vice seeking Him.   I must, especially in challenging times,  run to Him for he is a strong fortress and provides a safe place to run to.  I know this in my head and at times my heart fails me.  It is in these times I must remember to choose Jesus over my circumstances.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your unending grace.  I confess I have not been dilegently seeking you , instead I sit in my shame and avoid you all together.  I come back today seeking you love, grace, and firm direction in my life.  I pray you forgive me for my wandering ways and help me regain the trust and faith I once had. I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

​s-Phil 2:3-4

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

O- 

Discerning what is best

 S - Phil 1: 9-11 NIV

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

O - Paul's words of wisdom to the church at Phillipi is too exhort them to increase their love by gaining knowledge and insight so that in this increased love they will be able to discern which ways are the best.   This increasing in wisdom is a process of sanctification which comes after salvation and leads us in ways Christ intends His church to live.  

A -  The application for me is to remember to strive to increase my godly love by seeking wisdom and insight that comes from the Lord.  The Holy Spirit resides inside me so that I can discern and decide on what to say and do in all circumstances.  It is from God's boundless love for me that I can strive for boundless love for my family and friends, even those who are merely aquaintences.  

P -  Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's word that inspires and fills my heart with your love.  I pray Lord that you give me the discernment on how to act and live through my current circumstances including how to choose the best counselor and how to handle my financial mess.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

​s- Eccl 12:13-14

13 Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.

Psalm 94:11

11 The Lord knows all human plans;
    he knows that they are futile.

eph5:25-33

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[c] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Speaking truth

​S-Eph 4:25-28 (NIV)        

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

O- Paul here is speaking to the church of Ephesian and in these verses is reminding us how to behave.  We must put off all falsehood and speak truth because we are all one body of Christ.  We are human anger and jealousy may be emotions that we feel but we are to beware of how we react to those feelings in that they don't lead us to sin.  If we do anger we should not let the day pass without resolving our anger or it plants a seed that the enemy of our soul can grow.  If we are sinners we must stop and put our sinful ways aside and use the energy we used to steal for something good and useful and to share with those in need.

A -  The application for me is to put off all falsehood that I have told in my life, to turn from this bad habit and to walk in the light of the truth that I and God know is true.  Each day I need to make sure I am grounding myself in God's truth about the feelings I am experiencing, and not allow the negative feelings like anger and fear to cause me to sin.  

P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for your unending patience with me.  I am a sinner and hate the sin that is in me.  I pray that you help me speak and live your truth and put away all falsehood in my way of speaking and living.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen

approaching God

​S-Eph 3:12

12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 

O- In this letter from Paul To the Ephesians, I he is explaining to the Gentiles what God has revealed to him. He’s explained good news that Jesus has come to reconcile both Jews and Gentiles.  The good news is that Jesus has reconciled all once and for all that now through Christ in our faith in him we can approach God with freedom and confidence.

A-The application for me is to recognize That I do can walk in this confidence. How do I cancel a daily basis approach God with freedom confidence knowing he is my God. I can trust in him to listen and to speak truth into my life.

P-Dear heavenly father thank you for this word today will it be sealed to my heart. I pray that you would speak your truth and wisdom into my life.

saved by grace

​s-Eph 2:4 -5,8-10

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

…

 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

O-oh how wonderful it is to be saved by grace. God through Jesus Christ has made it possible for all of us to be saved. And there is nothing that we could do to achieve the salvation for it is the free gift from God through Christ Jesus sacrifice. Without it we would be stuck mired in our sins .

A-Application for me is to recognize that despite my sins which weigh me down I am free and forgiven. If only I would confess with my mouth sins of my flesh God sees and knows my heart and forgives me of my sins. His amazing grace that makes it possible for me to move on. As I contemplate lessons in my marriage and my transgressions to my wife I confess than the Lord so that I might be reconciled first with God, and then  my wife.

P-dear heavenly father thank you for this word thank you for your grace. I pray for freedom for my past sins; sins of my marriage. I pray that you heal me and my marriage of the wounds I have caused Abby. I pray this all in Jesus Christ name, amen.

A wife worthy of praise

​s- Prov 31:30

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

O - Fear of the Lord is the beginning of righteousness, and when this is found in another, especially a wife this is worthy of our praise. This is the key understanding to how we are to assess our wives.  A wife who seeks the Lord in all things is a treasure to be admired and is worthy of our compliments and appreciation.

A - My wife Abby is a woman who fears the Lord.  She seeks out the Lord in her devotional time and He is  good and faithful to answer here.  Her relationship with the Lord is to be admired and praised.   How much more of an encouragement to me is her faithfulness to the Lord.  I must seek to listen to her heart when she pours out her thoughts and feelings and I must head her exhortations to grow in intimacy with the Lord.

P - Dear heavenly father, thank you for your inspiration and revelation through this devotion.  Thank you for appointing Abby as my wife.  Her faithfulness in pursuing you is admirable and worthy of praise.  I pray that you continue to inspire her and thus me.   I pray that you would open my heart and mind to being more open to you and less guarded.  Help my unbelief and set my eyes on you and your righteousness.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen