Be a humble servant

​S-Matthew‬ ‭23‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

‭‭O - Jesus is teaching his disciples how not to act like the Pharisees and religious leaders who exalt themselves above the people they are meant to serve.  His disciples are to be servants and humble themselves before the people and not exalt themselves.   They are to follow Jesus' example and seek the lost and sick and restore and heal them.  

A - The application for me is to seek to humble myself before the Lord and people.  I am to be a servant to all those God puts before me , especially my family.  I am to serve them through my words and actions so that I can't be accused of being double minded.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotion may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord you help me be humble in all my actions and deeds.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Setting God's people free from slavery

 S - Exodus 3

The Burning Bush

3 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the [a]west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of [b]a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, “[c]I must turn aside now and see this [d]marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

7 The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. 8 So I have come down to deliver them from the [e]power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 9 Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. 

O - My observation is that I need to be ready to follow the prompting of an Angel of God.  Whether it be a burning bush, or a the Angel Michael who presents himself to me so that I might prepare to receive a communication from God,  I am not to be shocked or afraid but rather listen humbly what my Lord has to say.  Since I am a decendent of Abraham God remembers His covenant with Abraham and will find a way to set free from captavity anyone in my family who remains enslaved.   

A - The application for me is to recognize that is alive and active and is wanting to set His people free.  Even though I may be in exile from the land of my captivity God can still use me to set my family free.  It may seem large and impossible to do this, but with God all things are possible.  I pray Lord that you would use me to set my family free from the bondage in which they live.  For my dad Ed, for my mom Jan, and my sister Lisa,  I pray that you would set them free so they might know and follow you.  I know you have never left or forsaken them and that now is the time for them to take the steps toward your freedom.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to your heart.  I pray Lord that you would begin the process to set your people in my family free.  I know I can't do it myself but with you on my side I cannot lose.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.  

Lay down my life for the calling of Christ

 S - Luke 14: 26 -35   (NASB)

26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not [r]hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who are watching it will begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to face the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Otherwise, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and requests terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not [s]give up all his own possessions.

34 “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be [t]seasoned? 35 It is useless either for the soil or the manure pile, so it is thrown out. The one who has ears to hear, [u]let him hear.”

O - Jesus is speaking to His disciples and the thousands who had gathered to here Him teach and see Him heal the lame and afflicted.   He tells them the kind of people who will be able to follow Him and receive healing from the one who sent Him.  They needed to give up their entire life and follow him,  carrying each their own cross.   He explains to them it is important they count the cost of this choice to follow Him, much like the person who sets out to build a tall skyscraper must count the cost to build the building before they start so they have confidence they will finish it.   Therefore each one of us needs to count the cost of following Jesus and should follow Jesus as His disciples have.  

A -  The application for me is to be sure I understand the cost of following Jesus.   I must consider separating myself from my mother and sister,  from my wife and daughters,  for my fathers and their son and daughter.     I must pick up my cross that I must bare in order to follow Chris for the cause of winning souls for the Kingdom of God.  For what King would fight a war against a far superior army without having assurance they will be victorious,  it would be better for them to surrender and become slaves.  

P - Dear heavenly Father, help me to follow the example of Jesus,  your chosen one.  Help me to lay down my possessions on the alter as an offering to you.   Then equip me in the full armor of God so that I might fight our great enemy Satan who seeks to kill and destroy all of Gods people.   I want to be know as Joseph,  follower of Christ, and warrior for God's elite fighting force and a friend to the sons of Man.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen. 

Following Christ: a servant first

 S- Hebrews 12:5 (Nasb)

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are punished by Him;
6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”

O - I have never been one to back down from discipline,  God has put in me a spirit of excellence, and sometimes the confidence I display does not show the humility that Christ displays.   I am competitive and sometimes that causes me to make choices that are unwise.  However, the Holy Spirit is given to me to make wise decisions,   often time decisions that are opposite to the thoughts of the world.   I am called to do good works and sometimes that means I need to show others the path to righteousness by teaching them what not to do.   The Holy Spirit is my counselor, but I must heed His counsel or fall short of God's best for my life.   I have an obligation since I have made myself a slave to Christ, to behave in a way that honors Christ.  I am not to be boastful but rather humble myself before leaders that God has placed before me.     

A-  The application for me is to recognize that God has put a spirit of excellence in me, and I am not to take advantage of this but rather humble myself and be the greatest servant of all, because the first shall be last,  I am to do so out of love for God and His kingdom, storing up treasure in heaven and not in this world.  Though my flesh may fail, God's spirit in me will never fail. Since I have been made whole in Christ, I must guard my heart and my actions.  For out of my heart my words and actions will come.   First to serve Christ, then to show humility.  I am to serve those Christ love, for the building up of believers and not the tearing down of people.   He has not given me a spirit of timidity but one of strenghth, so I should guard my testimony by sharing all I have for the building of His kingdom and service to His will. 

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this scripture that you have revealed to me.  May my words be pleasing to you and may my actions honor you.  I pray for the right words to live today better than yesterday, always seeking your best in life.  I pray you give me righteous words to provide and serve your people.  Help me to be the leader, teacher, and man of God you have called me to be.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Commit you plans to the Lord

Commit your plans to the Lord

S- Proverbs 16 NASB

1 The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.

3 Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established.

O -  These proverbs are from the Lord, given to Solomon the wisest man for all time,  and tell us more about our character and God’s design for us.   Because of sin we often will fall short of living by these proverbs, heck even Solomon fell short of following his own advice.  I am reminded that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom because without a healthy respect that God will hold us accountable for what we know the right thing is now that he has revealed it.   That fear of being disciplined and corrected most of the the time is enough for me to give pause prior to acting.  In the case of these three connected proverbs I am reminded I have plans in my heart but they should not guide my words if the plans are not from the Lord (my plans are sometime selfish and more like wishes).  What comes out of my mouth needs to be from the Lord otherwise it is not true and causes me and others to stumble.   I of course act in a manner I believe to be right and even believe to be righteous, but I am too fall short in these areas as my motives are sometimes coming from a place of hurt and bitterness and with a desire for revenge.     In the end my work is important to me and I make my own plans and then ask God to bless it vice committing my job and efforts to the Lord and allowing Him then to establish my plan. 

A -  The application for me is to recognize that I must commit my life, actions, words, and job to the Lord as the starting point.  If I do this with all my heart, mind, and soul, he will guide my words, motives, actions each and everyday and I will be able to glorify him in all the things I do.   So easily written,  not so easily lived.  Despite that I am excited and encourage to give this my full effort.  

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for todays lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord you would forgive me my transgressions and arrogance as I have made plans that I have not committed to you.  I do that now, lay down my life and ask that you would establish my plans, guide my words, and actions.    I desire to be your light in this world full of darkness.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Laying down my right to br right

Laying down my right to be right

S- 1 COR 8 (NIV)Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols8 Now about food sacrificed to idols:(A) We know that “We all possess knowledge.”(B) But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.   2 Those who think they know something(A) do not yet know as they ought to know.(B)   3 But whoever loves God is known by God.[a](A) 

O - Here Paul is teaching specifically about food sacrificed to idol, but he outlines a important principal about the difference between possessing knowledge and having love.     We can possess the knowledge of what is right and wrong, but more important is love.   Therefore Paul comes to the conclusion that he knows there is only one God, and that idols are idols and have no real power, and therefore food sacrificed to idols is not necessarily sinful to eat, however if it causes someone else to stumble in their relationship with God he would gladly give up his right to be right.   That is because loving others is more important than being right.

A - And that is the application for me , remember Joe,  loving others, showing God’s love for them, is more important than being right.  So if I am going to represent Christ, I must lay down my right to be right, and show love.

P - Dear Heavenly Father help rid me of my pride and help me humble my self and love others.  I confess I have not been steward the people you have given me to love well, and I pray you would help me rid my anger and frustration, and replace it with your peace, so that I may display Christ’s love for them. 

Servant leadership - come humbly, speak boldly in Christ

S-1 Corinthians 2 NIV 

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom,…

O-  Paul in his letters to the church’s he planted always seemed to come humbly at first, making sure it was know that he did not come on his own power and wisdom, but rather it was because of Christ, and the testimony about God that he was there.   He delivered the message of Christ, and often in his letters provided course corrections to the church’s because they had wandered in some way from the Gospel. 

A - The application for me is how I am leading my team at work.  They are not perceiving me as a humble servant leaders who came wanting to help, but rather perceive it is all about me.  This wrecks me, as I know that is not my heart or mind.  I feel I have failed Christ in my walk, because I have failed to make sure it is He they see and not me.     But I see I now need to genuinely come like Paul came, “in weakness with great fear and trembling” as I demonstrate God’s love in the message I deliver to them, I came to serve, and not be served.

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s message, may it be sealed to my heart.   I pray Lord that you would help me to be the leader that you need me to be here at PSNS.   I pray that you walk before me in these circumstances helping me to show them your love and delivering your message.  Forgive me for the times where my pride got in the way of your love.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Dealing with false witnesses and going to War

 Dealing with false witnesses and going to war

S-Deut 19 NIV

Witnesses15 One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.(A)   16 If a malicious witness(A) takes the stand to accuse someone of a crime,   17 the two people involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the Lord before the priests and the judges(A) who are in office at the time.   18 The judges must make a thorough investigation,(A) and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false testimony against a fellow Israelite,   19 then do to the false witness as that witness intended to do to the other party.(A) You must purge the evil from among you.   20 The rest of the people will hear of this and be afraid,(A) and never again will such an evil thing be done among you.   21 Show no pity:(A) life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.(B) 

 Going to War20

 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(A) do not be afraid(B) of them,(C) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(D) you.   2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.   3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(A) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.   4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(A) to fight(B) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(C)” 

 Going to War20 When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours,(A) do not be afraid(B) of them,(C) because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with(D) you.   2 When you are about to go into battle, the priest shall come forward and address the army.   3 He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted(A) or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them.   4 For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you(A) to fight(B) for you against your enemies to give you victory.(C)”   5 The officers shall say to the army: “Has anyone built a new house and not yet begun to live in(A) it? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else may begin to live in it.   6 Has anyone planted(A) a vineyard and not begun to enjoy it?(B) Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else enjoy it.   7 Has anyone become pledged to a woman and not married her? Let him go home, or he may die in battle and someone else marry her.(A)”   8 Then the officers shall add, “Is anyone afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his fellow soldiers will not become disheartened too.”(A)   9 When the officers have finished speaking to the army, they shall appoint commanders over it.   10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace.(A)   11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject(A) to forced labor(B) and shall work for you.   12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city.   13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it.(A)   14 As for the women, the children, the livestock(A) and everything else in the city,(B) you may take these as plunder(C) for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies.   15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance(A) from you and do not belong to the nations nearby.   16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes.(A)   17 Completely destroy[a] them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.   18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods,(A) and you will sin(B) against the Lord your God.   19 When you lay siege to a city for a long time, fighting against it to capture it, do not destroy its trees by putting an ax to them, because you can eat their fruit. Do not cut them down. Are the trees people, that you should besiege them?[a]   20 However, you may cut down trees that you know are not fruit trees(A) and use them to build siege works until the city at war with you falls. 

O-  This the book of instructions to the Israelites before they go to war and take the promise land.   It dealt with both the rules of how they are to maintain themselves a good and faithful society that trusts and follows God, as well as directed specific activities they should do to keep themselves as free from sin as possible.   Here we se a series of verses on how to deal with liars.  It is discussed in terms of dealing with false witnesses.  This comes right after the section on justice.    The next group of text informs the Israelites on how to go to WAR.   It discusses to leave behind those who have concerns for their life, their family, or just plain faint hearted is excused.  For the rest the lord is with them and they need to understand the Lord with defeat their enemies and not them.    They are to show no mercy and leave anyone alive in the land they go because they are not of God and will become a cancer among the Israelites.    The principle is this,  go to battle knowing the Lord is with you, don’t be faint hearted and trust in Him to defeat your enemies.    Lastly leave no remnant of the past behind because the cancer that remains though small will for sure cause death later.

A - The application for me is real and it is today.  Today I face giants,  Markle, Williamson and Greene regarding my future at PSNSY.    Dave has been a cancer in the department that has caused a good leader to behave poorly in how he chose to lead me as his operations officer.   I need to understand that Dave is a false witness and needs to be dealt with.  I will give this to the Lord, but remain available to be the tool that God uses to correct Dave.    In terms of the battle I go in with a group of people not present but that have my back, and I know God has their backs.   I will not be fainthearted,  I will stand my ground, and trust in the Lord.  I have nothing to fear, because He is with me, therefore I have no reason to be defensive, or strike out in anger, but simply need to be a good and active listener.   The Lord will strike down those in His path for my life. 

P - Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would be with me today, let my words be your words,  guard my heart and mind from my flesh.   I pray you would go before me and defeat my enemies.  Give me the courage to be humble and not reactive.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ name,  Amen.

What if I gave everything?

S - What if I gave everything - Casting Crowns

All my life I longed to be a hero
My sword raised high, running to the battle

I was going to take giants down
Be a man you would write about

Deep in my chest is the heart of a warrior

So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You

I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end

So why am I still standing here

So afraid what it might cost to follow You
I’d walk by faith if I could get these feet to move

But I don’t want to live that way
I don’t want to look back someday

On a life that never stepped across the line

So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You

You’ve given me a faith that can move a mountain

But I’m still playing in the sand

Building little kingdoms that’ll never stand

I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end

I’m so tired of standing here
What if I gave everything to You

What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You

Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters

What if I gave everything
What if I stopped holding back from You

Starting now I’m stepping out onto deeper waters

I want to see some mountains move

Ready to give everything

Say goodbye to standing here

O -  This Casting Crowns song spoke to me this morning.  It reminded me of the hero's of legendary faith in the bible like David, Moses, Abraham, Joshua,  Paul - who stepped out boldly and served God.   I can imagine they went through a similar conversation with God as these lyrics represent.   As they were being prepared to serve a part in God's plan for His people, they certainly faced self doubt, self deception, and at times even false sense of self worth. 

A - The application for me is the title of the song.  What if I gave everything.  I find myself asking myself this question because I know I have given my heart to Jesus,  but the question still remains why am I holding back all of me.  I know the answer to that question lies in an underlying fear of losing other parts of me that I have built up without God's help necessarily.   The treasures of security in my job and paycheck from the Navy,  the Castle of my house in Hawaii,  the entitlement of my position as Operations officer at a large Naval Shipyard.   The application remains to lay it all down before the Lord as an offering. None of what I have achieved has come from me but rather through the gifts and talents God has gifted me with, the provision He has provided, and the grace over my mistakes and missteps.  

P - Dear Heavenly Father, I come this morning humbled by what you have done in my life, how you are able to use all of me, in all my weaknesses for your purpose.  My prayer is that you would help me lay it all down before you and give you everything,  all of me and all I have, for all of you.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen. 

Whatever takes

Falling too fast to prepare for this
Tripping in the world could be dangerous
Everybody circling, it's vulturous
Negative, nepotist

Everybody waiting for the fall of man
Everybody praying for the end of times
Everybody hoping they could be the one
I was born to run, I was born for this

Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Always had a fear of being typical
Looking at my body feeling miserable
Always hanging on to the visual
I wanna be invisible

Looking at my years like a martyrdom
Everybody needs to be a part of 'em
Never be enough, I'm the prodigal son
I was born to run, I was born for this

Whip, whip
Run me like a racehorse
Pull me like a ripcord
Break me down and build me up
I wanna be the slip, slip
Word upon your lip, lip
Letter that you rip, rip
Break me down and build me up

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top, I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Hypocritical, egotistical
Don't wanna be the parenthetical, hypothetical
Working onto something that I'm proud of, out of the box
An epoxy to the world and the vision we've lost
I'm an apostrophe
I'm just a symbol to remind you that there's more to see
I'm just a product of the system, a catastrophe
And yet a masterpiece, and yet I'm half-diseased
And when I am deceased
At least I go down to the grave and die happily
Leave the body of my soul to be a part of me
I do what it takes

Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do whatever it takes
'Cause I love how it feels when I break the chains
Whatever it takes
You take me to the top, I'm ready for
Whatever it takes
'Cause I love the adrenaline in my veins
I do what it takes

Play "Whatever It Takes" on Apple Music

     PLAYLIST

Oh my soul

S - casting crows - Oh my Soul

Oh, my soul

Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you’re weary, from fearing you lost control

This was the one thing, you didn’t see coming
And no one would blame you, though

If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away, so no one knows
No one will see, if you stop believing

Oh, my soul

You are not alone

There’s a place where fear has to face the God you know

One more day, He will make a way

Let Him show you how, you can lay this down

‘Cause you’re not alone

Here and now

You can be honest
I won’t try to promise that someday it all works out
‘Cause this is the valley

And even now, He is breathing on your dry bones

And there will be dancing
There will be beauty where beauty was ash and stone
This much I know

I’m not strong enough, I can’t take anymore

(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)

And my shipwrecked faith will never get me to shore

(You can lay it down, you can lay it down)

Can He find me here
Can He keep me from going under

Oh, my soul

You’re not alone

Repenting of my sins, learning to love and lead the way God needs us to

Repenting of my sins, learning to love and lead the way God needs us to
S- Exodus 4 NASB

24Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood”—because of the circumcision.


O - Commentary by Matthew Henry


I. How God met him in anger, v. 24-26. This is a very difficult passage of story; much has been written, and excellently written, to make it intelligible; we will try to make it improving. Here is, 1. The sin of Moses, which was neglecting to circumcise his son. This was probably the effect of his being unequally yoked with a Midianite, who was too indulgent of her child, while Moses was too indulgent of her. Note, (1.) We have need to watch carefully over our own hearts, lest fondness for any relation prevail above our love to God, and take us off from our duty to him. It is charged upon Eli that he honoured his sons more than God (1 Sa. 2:29); and see Mt. 10:37. (2.) Even good men are apt to cool in their zeal for God and duty when they have long been deprived of the society of the faithful: solitude has its advantages, but they seldom counterbalance the loss of Christian communion. 2. God's displeasure against him. He met him, and, probably by a sword in an angel's hand, sought to kill him. This was a great change; very lately God was conversing with him, and lodging a trust in him, as a friend; and now he is coming forth against him as an enemy. Note, (1.) Omissions are sins, and must come into judgment, and particularly the contempt and neglect of the seals of the covenant; for it is a sign that we undervalue the promises of the covenant, and are displeased with the conditions of it. He that has made a bargain, and is not willing to seal and ratify it, one may justly suspect, neither likes it nor designs to stand to it. (2.) God takes notice of, and is much displeased with, the sins of his own people. If they neglect their duty, let them expect to hear of it by their consciences, and perhaps to feel from it by cross providences: for this cause many are sick and weak, as some think Moses was here. 3. The speedy performance of the duty for the neglect of which God had now a controversy with him. His son must be circumcised; Moses is unable to circumcise him; therefore, in this case of necessity, Zipporah does it, whether with passionate words (expressing her dislike of the ordinance itself, or at least the administration of it to so young a child, and in a journey), as to me it seems, or with proper words-solemnly expressing the espousal of the child to God by the covenant of circumcision (as some read it) or her thankfulness to God for sparing her husband, giving him a new life, and thereby giving her, as it were, a new marriage to him, upon her circumcising her son (as others read it)-I cannot determine: but we learn, (1.) That when God discovers to us what is amiss in our lives we must give all diligence to amend it speedily, and particularly return to the duties we have neglected. (2.) The putting away of our sins is indispensably necessary to the removal of God's judgements. This is the voice of every rod, it calls to us to return to him that smites us. 4. The release of Moses thereupon: So he let him go; the distemper went off, the destroying angel withdrew, and all was well: only Zipporah cannot forget the fright she was in, but will unreasonably call Moses a bloody husband, because he obliged her to circumcise the child; and, upon this occasion (it is probable), he sent them back to his father-in-law, that they might not create him any further uneasiness. Note, (1.) When we return to God in a way of duty he will return to us in a way of mercy; take away the cause, and the effect will cease. (2.) We must resolve to bear it patiently, if our zeal for God and his institutions be misinterpreted and discouraged by some that should understand themselves, and us, and their duty, better, as David's zeal was misinterpreted by Michal; but if this be to be vile, if this be to be bloody, we must be yet more so. (3.) When we have any special service to do for God we should remove as far from us as we can that which is likely to be our hindrance. Let the dead bury their dead, but follow thou me.


A- The application for me is deep and cutting. At times as a leader I have empathized with Moses for the leadership burden he bore. Now I am convicted by his own disobedience and weakness. I must address what this means to me as a leader or I will find myself in a similar position of Moses, facing an Angel of God's sword or the disfavor of the One who I have committed my life to serving. God's grace is sufficient to forgive me the area's of my disobedience that I am willing to confess and repent for. For me I confess today the following and sincerely pray that God will forgive, heal and restore me in these areas:


1.  Husband:  I confess I have not loved my wife like Christ loves the Church.   I know He has shown me this truth and called me to love my wife as well as Jesus does.   I may know the why's behind where I get my attitude problems when speaking with my wife, whether it be anger or biting sarcasm,  I must begin seeing her how God does, and speaking words (including body language) that makes here feel safe and loved, unconditionally.  She truly is God's gift to me long before I even had a relationship with Him.

2.  Leader:  I confess I am not ready to lead God's people anywhere, because I have not stewarded what little he has given me well.   Like with Abby, my biting sarcasm, or direct harsh words have sent a signal to those I lead that I care more about what they can produce, than I care about them.  I must stop using the excuse that my heart is good, when my words and attitude don't match my heart, that it is simply a skill thing that I need to work on.  There are things in my life that have led me to be the way I am, and many of them are not of God.  I need to literally die to these old self reasons that I allow myself to excuse my bad behavior.  Through repentance and healing, I hope one day to be worthy of leading God's people in ernest.

P -  Lord I come desperately seeking your forgiveness for my sin of pride that has allowed me to excuse my bad behavior, and ask that you once and for all,  heal me of the past hurts I continue to carry with me.  I pray Lord that you help the old me disappear, and the new creation to be fully revealed to my wife and those you have placed in my life to lead and love.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Giving God the glory in my leadership opportunities

Giving God the glory in your leadership opportunities

S-Genesis 41 NASB

15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” 17So Pharaoh spoke to Joseph, “In my dream, behold, I was standing on the bank of the Nile; 18and behold, seven cows, fat and sleek came up out of the Nile, and they grazed in the marsh grass...

O -  Obviously Joseph was one of the great Old Testament leaders, and here we see him at the moment his great quality and character becomes recognized by the Pharaoh.   As Joseph is called in to interpret a dream for the Pharaoh, it is not necessarily a friendly environment, the Pharoah is upset that none of his people can interpret it.  Joseph is brought in because the cupbearer that he interpreted a dream for while in prison, remembered him and therefore he was recommended to the Pharaoh.  Joseph’s quality and character are revealed in his leading statement “It is not me; God will give the Pharaoh and favorable answer”.    Wow,  Joseph knows exactly who the source of his talent comes from and takes no opportunity to take credit, but rather gives glory to God.

A - The application is for me to apply Joseph’s attitude and character to my own leadership at work and at home.   At work I am to recognize where my source of good ideas and talent come from.  It is years of experience and the DNA I was born with but all these come from God.    I am to recognize God has me right where He wants me, and when the time comes to speak up in front of the “King”. I must be ready to give God the glory,  humbly present what God is revealing to me, giving it to the King to act on.   I must guard against arrogance and Ego when things are going well in my favor, and against dispare and depression when times are not going well,  because in both cases God is on the throne and guiding my every step.

P - Dear Heavenly Father thank you for today’s revelation may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would continue to speak loudly into my life.  Lord I repent for the times my own pride has gotten in the way of me giving you all the glory, and where my depression has gotten in the way of me hearing your voice, and I allowed my attitude to reflect a genuine lack of faith in who you are.  I pray Lord that you would help me in the current situation of the trip to Japan and the NS08 visit, that you might give me the words to speak to the SYCDR about the why’s for me to go to Japan.  Lord I also pray that if it is not your will that I go, that you gently correct me and prevent me from focusing on the wrong thing.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.