S - Tit.2.6-8.nasb
Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
O - This word to Titus from Paul, is an exhortation on the youthful Christians at a local church, who are learning to walk the faith. Youthful energy and exhuberance needs to be captured and exhorted, but also focused and shaped to ensure the witness they bring about in the how they do the work of the ministry is as much a witness as their public proclamation of faith.
A - The application for me is to understand how I might partner with the youth and young adult leaders to instruct, encourage and shape them to be the leaders of God's church. Specifically for New Hope Manoa the calling to reach the young adults and youth in our community and have a growing connection and love of God.
P - Dear heavenly Father, help me to apply this scripture to my calling in this season, transfer my heart, and guide my words and actions so that I might be your hands and feet to serve the youth and young adult leaders. I pray this in Jesus Christ name, Amen.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Prayer for soul gladness
S - psa.86.1-5(nasb)
Incline Your ear, O Lord , and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. Be gracious to me, O Lord, For to You I cry all day long. Make glad the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon You.
O - This is the prayer of my heart in this season I am in right now. The psalmist understands that the Lord is our salvation and refuge. He is our strong tower and capable to deliver us.
A - The application for me is to posture myself correctly and pray this prayer of contrition. Lord right now my soul is weary and desperate to be refilled. I am trying with all my last bits of energy to focus on you, your word, and the people you are calling me to. Lord thank you for your grace, and helping these waves of doubt pass, and allowing my soul to be filled with your healing and for the holy spirits guidance.
P - Dear heavenly Father, I confess I have been chasing the idol of title CAPT for the significance and security it symbolized in my life. I repent and turn toward you Lord, Give me strength and courage to follow you into this new season. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Incline Your ear, O Lord , and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man; O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You. Be gracious to me, O Lord, For to You I cry all day long. Make glad the soul of Your servant, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in loving kindness to all who call upon You.
O - This is the prayer of my heart in this season I am in right now. The psalmist understands that the Lord is our salvation and refuge. He is our strong tower and capable to deliver us.
A - The application for me is to posture myself correctly and pray this prayer of contrition. Lord right now my soul is weary and desperate to be refilled. I am trying with all my last bits of energy to focus on you, your word, and the people you are calling me to. Lord thank you for your grace, and helping these waves of doubt pass, and allowing my soul to be filled with your healing and for the holy spirits guidance.
P - Dear heavenly Father, I confess I have been chasing the idol of title CAPT for the significance and security it symbolized in my life. I repent and turn toward you Lord, Give me strength and courage to follow you into this new season. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Surrending your ministry to Jesus
S - http://bible.com/100/2ti.2.1-16.nasb You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness,
O - Paul here is instructing Timothy who is now disciplining his own ministry in his own church on how to equip the people. First, he is to entrust the things he learned from Paul to other faithful men in the church who can teach others. These are words of equipping and words of warning. To focus on the calling and teaching God's truth to other leaders.
A - The application for me is apply this first to my family, to speak God's truth into my girls in a way that gives them a foundation for setting their own foundations for decision making. My hearts desire is to see them know God's truth, have a personal relationship with Him, follow the Holy Spirit in them. The same is for the ministry that I may participate in, that they have a knowledge of God's truth, that they know and have a personal relationship with Christ. That they are able to hear and follow the holy spirits prompting.
P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for you calling, thank you for your word. Help me Lord to apply these truths to my life. I recommitt, reconfirm Jesus you are my Lord and Savior, that I fall short and repent of my disobedience. Lord I ask that your word would become my words,and that your eyes would be my eyes, and my hands, heart, and mind would serve you.
O - Paul here is instructing Timothy who is now disciplining his own ministry in his own church on how to equip the people. First, he is to entrust the things he learned from Paul to other faithful men in the church who can teach others. These are words of equipping and words of warning. To focus on the calling and teaching God's truth to other leaders.
A - The application for me is apply this first to my family, to speak God's truth into my girls in a way that gives them a foundation for setting their own foundations for decision making. My hearts desire is to see them know God's truth, have a personal relationship with Him, follow the Holy Spirit in them. The same is for the ministry that I may participate in, that they have a knowledge of God's truth, that they know and have a personal relationship with Christ. That they are able to hear and follow the holy spirits prompting.
P - Dear heavenly Father thank you for you calling, thank you for your word. Help me Lord to apply these truths to my life. I recommitt, reconfirm Jesus you are my Lord and Savior, that I fall short and repent of my disobedience. Lord I ask that your word would become my words,and that your eyes would be my eyes, and my hands, heart, and mind would serve you.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
serving our masters
S - http://bible.com/100/col.3.8-24.nasb But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
O - Paul's words to the church at Colossus was a word of encouragement and guidelines on how to carry out God's mission for the church. He did not say do everything in your power to build influence and take control of the circumstances so that you may be in charge and tell everyone about the good news. What he did say is to obey your masters and serve; however, the difference would be the why and for whom you serve with a willing heart. We are to work as unto the Lord.
A - The application for me is a strong reminder that I will have masters in and of this world, and I am to serve as a witness to whom we serve. When we serve with love, passion, and excellence our masters receive a spirit of service that they wouldn't from someone serving out of requirement. When we serve from a place of the love of God and the love of others, we are able to answer the question why when asked , because God saved me, through his son Jesus from the ultimate bondage, death by sin, my chains have been loosed and now I serve out of gratefullness for the freedom I have found in Christ.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you today for your word and your spirit. May your spirit fill me and drive out the spirit of doubt, anxiety, and depression , so that I may serve you with a cheerful heart, and glorify your name.
O - Paul's words to the church at Colossus was a word of encouragement and guidelines on how to carry out God's mission for the church. He did not say do everything in your power to build influence and take control of the circumstances so that you may be in charge and tell everyone about the good news. What he did say is to obey your masters and serve; however, the difference would be the why and for whom you serve with a willing heart. We are to work as unto the Lord.
A - The application for me is a strong reminder that I will have masters in and of this world, and I am to serve as a witness to whom we serve. When we serve with love, passion, and excellence our masters receive a spirit of service that they wouldn't from someone serving out of requirement. When we serve from a place of the love of God and the love of others, we are able to answer the question why when asked , because God saved me, through his son Jesus from the ultimate bondage, death by sin, my chains have been loosed and now I serve out of gratefullness for the freedom I have found in Christ.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you today for your word and your spirit. May your spirit fill me and drive out the spirit of doubt, anxiety, and depression , so that I may serve you with a cheerful heart, and glorify your name.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Finding contentment in God and not the world
S - 1 Tim 6:6-19(nasb)
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
O - Paul's words penetrate my heart today because I know he speaks to the barriers for me to finding contentment and peace. Today I fear I have chased something that is not of God but of the world and have wandered from my calling to simply love and follow him. I am lost in this season because that which I have been chasing these past couple of years, while exciting, motivating, and thrilling, has depleted my soul to the point of despair. Paul's words encourage me today to fix my hope on God, and to focus on doing good, being rich in good works, generous and ready to share with those God places in front of me.
A- The application for me is to press forward, focusing on what is true and lovely, listening for the spirits prompting and trusting in the ways of God and not my own ways. Today I am blessed with two great girls who are deserving of all my love and service, a great woman of God who is deserving of all my love and support. God has placed great men of God in my life and given me a vision of who he created me to be. I am confident not in myself but in who He has created me to be.
P - Dear heavenly Father, today is a hard day for me to wake up and feel confident in what I am doing in this season. I only know to hold on to your word and you leadership of my life. In this season, I pray that you sustain me, and help me to be the man that makes you proud. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
How to treat one another
S 1 Timothy 5.1-2 (nasb)
Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father, to the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.
O - This is Pauls advice to Timothy as he is likely thinking of the many challenges of leading a local congregation in the the day to day operations of the local church. I sense Paul has learned that the work of the ministry - to deliver the Gospel to world has the fruit of creating many believers and even some disciples of the work of the ministry. As this community is building the pastoring of the flock becomes more and more important. People are coming to Christ from all different stages in life, and while we are transformed and made new - all still carry either of the stigma of who they were (attitude and beliefs) or position in life (whether great or lowly in stature). But in Christ we are all brothers and equal and worthy of love in the site of God. Now some are called to be apostles, some pastors, some teachers, some to care , some to pray. But how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ is not be based on the old self or the external view (age, wealth, or prominence) but rather with love and respect; we become literal family members and are to treat each other with the same brotherly or fatherly love God has command us to show our family.
A - The application for me is to understand that I am called to lead, teach, and be led and taught by my fellow members of the body of Christ. I need to recognize that God has both humbled me to submit to my elders in the church for teaching and rebuking, as well as to be able to lead with love elders and the youth. I must not be timid or overbearing, but to teach and lead with confidence in who Christ is in me, and with a gentleness and love that comes from the outpouring of God's gentleness and love for me.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus, thank you that you died for my sins, and that you continue to pursue me and my heart through the many seasons of my life. I am strengthen by your word today and encourage to love and lead as you have called me to do. I pray that you would lead my heart and mind today to do respond to your word, and your spirits prompting at home and at work. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Seek godliness , not self discipline
S - 1 Tim 4:6-10 (NASB)
6In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
O - Paul is letting Timothy know that you have been given all you need in Christ, God's word, and the examples of godly men in your life. He warns him though that there will still be a temptation to rely on your own self discipline and efforts during trying times, and even moments of success. We must be sure to avoid the enticements of worldly books and philosophies. Instead focus on Godliness with your eyes fixed on God.
A - The application for me is correct back to a focus on Godliness and not self discipline. To trust more in the spirits leading that my own thoughts. I am to love, and be generous, for the sake of displaying God's love and generosity. In this rebuilding season I will have a tendency to focus on my self discipline and what I can accomplish, instead I need to focus on the word of God, and what God is speaking to me through devotions, and the Holy Spirit. The warning in hear applies to me as well as to be careful and aware of the temptation to follow teachings of the world. While God is in many things, there are many attractive things that are not of God.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this time, and message for me today. I pray Lord that you help me to walk by faith and not by sight. I pray that in the days and months ahead you correct me gently, but correct me when I am going astray from Godliness.
6In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; 8for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. 10For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.
O - Paul is letting Timothy know that you have been given all you need in Christ, God's word, and the examples of godly men in your life. He warns him though that there will still be a temptation to rely on your own self discipline and efforts during trying times, and even moments of success. We must be sure to avoid the enticements of worldly books and philosophies. Instead focus on Godliness with your eyes fixed on God.
A - The application for me is correct back to a focus on Godliness and not self discipline. To trust more in the spirits leading that my own thoughts. I am to love, and be generous, for the sake of displaying God's love and generosity. In this rebuilding season I will have a tendency to focus on my self discipline and what I can accomplish, instead I need to focus on the word of God, and what God is speaking to me through devotions, and the Holy Spirit. The warning in hear applies to me as well as to be careful and aware of the temptation to follow teachings of the world. While God is in many things, there are many attractive things that are not of God.
P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this time, and message for me today. I pray Lord that you help me to walk by faith and not by sight. I pray that in the days and months ahead you correct me gently, but correct me when I am going astray from Godliness.
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