Bearers of Gods truth

S - 3 John 1
¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.

O - John is writing this letter to a particular member of the church encouraging him to continue responding in the truth that has been revealed with how we as christians are to behave to one another and the world.  There was a member of this church who was making false accusations against John, and was not acting as a Christian should.    This very same concern occurs today, that though the truth is presented, some do not receive the truth completely and behave poorly.

A - The application for me is to recognize, in my home, at church, and in the work place I am to be a bearer of the truth.  I am to consider myself one who does good and is of God.   I know I fall short of Jesus' perfection on earth, but I must continue to try and be a banner bearer for Christ.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for todays lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.

New - old commandment - Love

S - 2 john 1:

Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

O -  John is sending a letter to someone specific at the local church, likely in response to what he has heard is going on in the church.  He speaks specifically to someone of some sort of leadership position , one that he likely discipled.   As a senior in the church he had likely not only experienced the ministry when Christ was on earth, but also now had the experience of a number of years leading the local church himself.   So these letters that the early apostles wrote are for the local church in that time, but in many ways are timeless, because the struggles of the early church, in many ways are the same struggles the Israelites found the themselves struggling with , and the ones we today.  This particular verse corrects back to the heart of every person, and every church,  our greatest commandments to love God and to love one another. 

A - The application for me is to focus on loving well in my life, at home, at work, in the church and in the world wherever and with whomever God places in front of me.  I still fall so short of loving like christ loves, but know that His word today.

P -  Dear heavenly father, start with me,  help me to love as you love, unconditionally, with grace.   I need my spirit corrected and even rebuked when I stray from loving my brother well.  Holy spirit come and refresh anew your spirit of love in me, so that I might be more and more like Jesus.  In Jesus name, Amen.

A change of seasons - coming back from Babylon

S-Jeremiah 28
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³ Within two years I am going to bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴ I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

O - God was good to the people of Israel in that he continued to speak to them through the prophet Jeremiah before, during, and leading out of their exile to Babylon.  This portion of scripture is speaking to the exiles in Babylon, that though they have been in exile for a season, the Lord is getting ready to bring them back.   

A -  The application for me is to be encouraged in this season coming back to Hawaii.  Encouraged that God's season in Monterrey had its purpose, for correction, growth, and rest,  but he is bringing us back to the land that we are called to.  

P - I am so thankful God for your perfect provision, and your loving kindness.  You know my heart and my limits, and my hearts desire is to follow you.  I am thanks for the season of rest in Monterey, the season of family strengthening,  I pray Lord your will and focuses for me and my family in this season would be revealed.

Beware of pride - we are all instruments of God

S - Isaiah 10
15 Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?
That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,
Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.
16 Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors;
And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.
17 And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame,

O - This warning or prophesy by Isaiah was about the Assyria leaders who God used to discipline Israel.   It spoke to their pride for being successful and how that arrogance vice reverence for the God who gave them that power and authority would be also corrected just as the Israelites were corrected.   You see as instruments of God we all can become prideful of our skill and success, instead of understanding without the hand of God we would be useless instruments.  This is a direct warning for all that pride begets the fall.

A- The application for me is to remember to stay focused on being a humble instrument of God in all that I do.  There are seasons of great success in which I can begin to feel pride welling up inside,the kind of pride that begins me to start trusting in my own success in my own power.  Without God I am nothing.   I must continue to remember that;  in seasons of success and in seasons of defeat it is the same lesson,  I am nothing without God.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotion.  May it be sealed to my heart.

Jesus our royal priest

Jesus our royal priest
S - Hebrews 7

22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.

O - Jesus is the priest that I could never be.   In this chapter of Hebrews the author explains the old testament Priesthood through Aaron and the tribe of Levi, and the giving of the law as something temporary and not complete.   This is the struggle of man, who while even desiring God cannot on his own self discipline achieve full reconciliation with God the Father without an intercessor who is perfect and will intercede for all time.   Jesus is our eternal priest and while we maintain a degree of imperfection in us, we have a royal priest who intercedes for us with God, so we may have continued relationship with God our father and creator.  

A - The application for me is that while I continue to stumble and even backslide,  I continue to have Jesus as my perfect priest who intercedes for me.  As long as I come repentant to him,  he is faithful to receive me,  and intercede for me.  I must not forget I still have my part to play, and that is keeping Jesus as Lord of my life.  I must go to him in confession, in need, and open to his guidance.  He is strong and faithful and delivers on his promises.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's devotion, may it be sealed to my heart.  Lord I pray now for a significant intercession, that if in anyway I have disobeyed, or sinned against you in this move, that you would forgive me.  I pray for help in healing any hurt in my family, in my marriage and my life tso that I may once again lead with hope, joy,, and all the fruits of the spirit in me.  Thank you Jesus for you choosing to be my priest, and choosing me.  I love you,  in Jesus Name, Amen.

Strengthening ourselves in The Lord

S-
Psalm 115
9 O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who [e]fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who [f]fear the Lord,
The small together with the great.
14 May the Lord give you increase,
You and your children.
15 May you be blessed of the Lord,
Maker of heaven and earth.


Jude

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life

O - Gods people must remind themselves frequently and externally and internally that God is mindful of us. For those that build up their faith in The Lord will pray in the Holy Spirit and be filled with his Glory. God has the the power, authority and heart to bless us, our houses, our marriages, our families.

A - The application for me is that I must allow God to guard Meyer heart and mind by filling it with his truth, as found in scripture, found in his spirit within me. I need to allow God to replace my anxious thoughts with his peaceful ones, to replace my fear with his promises, to replace past lies deep within me with His truths.

P - dear Heavenly Father thank you for your daily investment in me. I pray Lord for continued strengthening in this season. I trust in you and your ways, and declare my allegiance to you, my aloes and Savior. I pray all this in Jesus name.

Being a humble servant , to those God places in our lives as leaders

S-psalm 104:35 NASB
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
[aj]Praise [ak]the Lord!

Titus 2

6 Likewise urge the young men to be [c]sensible; 7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with [d]purity in doctrine, dignified, 8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

9 Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not [e]argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

Titus 3

3 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, 2 to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men. 3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another

O - there is something that I am reminded of as I read Paul's instructions to Titus. That is as we become born again, made new in Christ we experience a freedom that we have never before experience. This is the freedom from sin, no longer a slave to it. But this freedom is won by Christ, not so that we can ignore the leaders and rulers of the world but so that we may have an intimate relationship with God. We are however to understand that God wants us to love and win to Christ all whom he places in front of us. He is also sovereign over who is leading and in charge, so we must trust him and know that as those being led we are to be subject to authorities, and to be led with a gentle spirit, always ready to do a good deed.

A - The application for me is that I see The Lord has placed various types of leaders in my life, and how I have chosen to be lead or maintain an attitude of humble servitude has been the growing opportunity each and every step of the way. I must continue to try and humbly serve the leaders in my life so that I may serve God.

P - dear Heavenly Father , thank you for your gift of wisdom and understanding , help me Lord to be led by your spirit in the actions and behaviors I display in following the leaders you have appointed over me. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.