Fear the Lord

 S -  Deut 10:12-13   (NASB)

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to [d]fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the Lord’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?

O - These words are from Moses to the people of Israel before they enter the promised land. The Lord has freed them from captivity in Egypt, led and provided for them as they traveled through the desert, and now at the door to the promised land He has had Moses share with them their story of salvation.  So what do they need to do when they enter this land?   They need to fear God (to have great reverence)  walk in His ways and love Him, and serve Him with all your heart and soul.  They are to keep His commandments always.  Though these instructions are clear and very fair,  this will prove to be a heavy burden to carry.  Though it is God's good and perfect plan for His people, they will fall short and stumble generation after generation until Jesus comes.   He make possible and perfect the law by reconciling God's people with God,  by becoming the atoning sacrifice for their sin which separates them from God. 

A - The application for me is to fear God,  love Jesus,  live with Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  Because of his atoning sacrifice I might know God, and love God and because I know the good and perfect Love of God I can love others in my family, in my life like He loves me.  

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this word in Deuteronomy for me to ponder on.  I pray that it would be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord you teach me how to love you and love others.  I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen. 

Celebrating the Holy sacriment of Communion

 S -  Mark 14 :22-31     (NASB)

22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and [k]after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many. 25 Truly I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again, until that day when I drink it, new, in the kingdom of God.”

26 And after singing a [l]hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

27 And Jesus *said to them, “You will all [m]fall away, because it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29 But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all [n]fall away, yet I will not!” 30 And Jesus *said to him, “Truly I say to you, that [o]this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” 31 But [p]Peter repeatedly said insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing as well.

O - My observation is that Jesus has fulfilled the new covenant by allow his body to be broken for us and his blood sacrificed for our sins.   His sacrifice was Holy and pleasing to God and once and for all atoned for our sins. I am to take broken bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him.   I am to sing Hymn's in remembrance of Him.    As His disciples were scattered, so I will be a sheep scattered when the wolves come.  But I am not to scatter long, because the good shepherd call me, and I know His voice. 

A - The application for me is to practice communion in remembrance of Him.  His broken body and blood poured out for our sins.  I am to do it periodically so that I might not forget the new covenant He forged.   I was a sinner in need of a savior and he welcomed the chance to lay down His life for my sins.   Now I need to be cleansed in the blood of Jesus, that I might walk in His everlasting ways.   

p - Dear heavenly Father I pray in your name that this truth would be sealed to my heart.  That I would share the good news of His Holy and pleasing sacrifice once and for all of our sins.  I pray that this good news would change me from the inside out to follow God and His commandments to love Him and to love others.     I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen. 

Remember the things God has done

 S -  Deut 4:9   (NASB)

9 “Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. 

O - My observation is that the people of Israel as they were being led into the promised land and given victory over its inhabitants were reminded to keep the commandments the Lord had given them.   They had already stubbornly not entered the promised land the first time and now they were taking over a land from people who did not follow God but other gods.   He warned them to not forget what God had done for His people to deliver them from captivity in Egypt and provision in the desert.   Through Moses He gave them the law to follow in order to stay right with God.

A - The application for me is to follow the same guidance the people of Israel were commanded.  I  must remember what God has done in and around my life.  The Lord is my salvation and His ways are my ways.  They are written on my heart so I may never forget who He is and what He has done.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your salvation of my soul.  I pray I would walk rightly in you commandments.   I pray that I am reminded they are written in my heart, I need only to look inward and remember what you have done and are doing in my life.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ' name,  Amen.

The greatest commandment - love God

 S -  Mark 12 : 28-34   (NASB)

28 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [q]foremost of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

O - A scribe who was listening to the Sadducees argue with Jesus,  found Jesus' answers to be correct and recognize He was a good and faithful teacher of God's word in which He was an expert as a scribe.    This led him to ask Jesus a question not as a trap but as a genuine question to see if Jesus was a true son of God.  He asked Jesus what was the most important commandment and when He answered to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength,  and the second to love your neighbor as yourself.    He recognized how true Jesus was.   

A -  The application for me is to recognize how good and true Jesus is.    I am to follow this greatest commandment to love God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.  I know I fall short of this all the time as exampled in my sin.  But Jesus has resolved my sin with His good and pleasing sacrifice, so that I might repent and be restored in a loving and worshiping relationship with God the Father.  Oh not that I continuing sinning but that I would be made new and sin no more.    

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's reminder to follow your greatest commandment to love you with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.  If I am focused on this alone I will avoid sin.  Sin against you and sin against those I am called to love.   Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice for my sins, that I may be reconciled with the Father and follow Him in His Kingdom business.  I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen.

The Faith required for effective Prayer

 S -  Mark 11: 20-25   (NASB)

20 As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up. 21 And being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree that You cursed has withered.” 22 And Jesus answered and *said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted to him. 24 Therefore, I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you. 25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you for your [g]offenses

O - Jesus tells his disciples the power of having deep faith in God.   When led by God, and praying from the spirit of God within us,  we should have confidence in our prayer will be granted to us.   For if we believe we are praying God's will,  will not God grant the prayer? 

A - The application for me is to recognize how often I pray small prayers.   Not that small prayers are not important,  but more so that small prayers are more achievable or reasonable.   I often pray simply that certain scripture be sealed to my heart that it might affect my future decisions. Instead I might pray specific prayers in which my mind is transformed and that God's blessing be upon me that the promises of the scripture might be fulfilled in my life.  So that is the application for me is to pray specific and measurable prayers that are based on promises of God in His word. 

P- Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart and transform my mind.  I pray Lord that I would pray with the Faith that Jesus speaks to when He is speaking to the m about the fig tree.   I pray Lord for freedom of the bondage of Pornography,  a pray for restoration of my marriage from the past sins I have committed.   I pray for a blessing on each of my daughters that they may find men of God to marry.   I pray for each of their husbands that they may grow up knowing you and following you, having received salvation from Jesus' sacrifice they walk in freedom of sexual sin.   Watch over them Lord that their future and their children's future is guarded by your angels.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ' name, Amen.

Store up kingdom riches in heaven

 S - Mark 10:23-27   (NASB)

23 And Jesus, looking around, *said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus responded again and *said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were even more astonished, and said to Him, “[k]Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

O -   I sit here a rich man who knows and loves God, but struggles each day to live up to His standard.    The rich ruler here also was a good man but when Jesus told him to sell all his possessions and follow him,  he struggled.   There are many people who are well off who struggle following Christ.  That is why Jesus said it would be easier for a camel to go through an eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.   He does not say it is impossible only that it is very hard, and if not for God paying the price of His own son's life,  it would be impossible.  Now we only need to believe and receive God's grace and invitation to join Him in the Kingdom of Heaven.  

A - The application for me is to not hold tightly to my riches but offer them up daily to God for His kingdom purposes.  My riches today are to be used for Kingdom purposes and I am to store up Kingdom riches for the future.    

P - Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for this message and I ask that you seal it to my heart.  I pray you help me steward your riches well here on earth.  I pray all this in Jesus' name, amen.

Wisdoms seed

 S - Proverbs 2: 2-5   (NASB)

Make your ear attentive to wisdom;
Incline your heart to understanding.
3 For if you cry out for insight,
And [a]raise your voice for understanding;
4 If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
And discover the knowledge of God.

O - My observation is that I must pay attention to what wisdom God is speaking to me and incline my heart to understand it.   In my time of devotions I am to keep my heart and mind fixed and leaning in toward God and His word.  I am to listen to His word like a treasure hunter mining gems from the scripture.   In the end I will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.  

A - The application for me is to take my daily devotion time with utmost seriousness. It is here that God is depositing His wisdom to me.  I a healthy reverence will yield a wise mind, and I will act on this wisdom.  Today I will act on this wisdom and commit to finding a gem a day in which I ponder, reflect, journal, and plant deep in my heart.  

P -Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's gem, may it be planted deep in my heart where you will help it to grow and take root and become a great tree from which wisdom will grow.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.