Shine my light to all the world

Shine my light to all people 

S-Isaiah 49 NIV

6 he says:“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob    and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”

O-  God is speaking to the Israel through Isaiah.  They have been exile to Babylon and and a remnant of them remain in Jerusalem.  He will bring them back and restore them,  through Christ he will redeem them.  His plan is not just to restore the tribes of Israel but to redeem the gentiles as well so that all people will have hope in their salvation through the sacrifice of one, Jesus Christ.   

A - The application for me is to recognize that I am light to the world and that God wishes to safe all of his creation.   At work, at home, with my friends and family, I am to be a light.   My struggle comes at times when I allow how I am feeling determine if I shine my light.  During times of great stress and challenge, I am motivated and built to naturally shine my light.  My challenge lies in times of quite and rest during these seasons in between.   The summer has provided great rest and respite, but I find my moods and emotions not being where I wish I was when I was charging forward.   I know the answer lies in the daily sitting at the Lords feet and asking him to show me where he wants me to shine my light and then taking the talents he has given me and the strength he has provided and go forth and preach the Gospel to all nations.

P - Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson may it be sealed to my heart.  Lord help me understood who and where I am to shine my light today.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Love and serve one another

Love and serve one another 

S-1 Peter 4 NIV

7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.   8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.  9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.   11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

O- For context we know this is a letter from Peter to the local church, likely in Jerusalem.    His reason for writing was to encourage and correct behaviors that were likely rising up in the local church as conflict between members of the church occurred as they faced the trials of being the local church.  His encouragement was to remind them to keep a sober mind and be ready to pray because that is there spiritual weapon and defense against outside forces.  He then turns inward to say their highest principle to live by is to love one another deeply because this will cover whatever internal sins remain or pop up.  Seek to humbly serve one another so that you may support one another using the gifts God has given you.   When you serve,  serve with the all the strength and skill God gives you so that you can give Him all the glory and remain a humble of God’s strength, love, and grace.

A -  The application for me is to recognize that the end is near, and my time to pray, love and serve is now.   As a member of the body of Christ I must serve those in the church who are serving.  I must do so with a deep love and hospitality so that they might be encouraged and strengthened to continue their part in the body of Christ.     I have received the the gift of teaching and leadership and need to continue to use these gifts to love, teach and serve those God has placed in front of me.   

P - Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson may it be sealed to my heart.  Lord I pray that you help me to serve Chris Bryant in his search for a job at the shipyard.  I pray for wisdom and discernment for the words and actions that will help Him be aligned to your will for his life.   I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, Amen. 

Place my hope in the Lord

 Place my hope in the Lord

S- Isaiah 40 NIV

 30 Even youths grow tired and weary,    and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord    will renew their strength.They will soar on wings like eagles;they will run and not grow weary,    they will walk and not be faint.

O- Isaiah. Is telling this to Israel who is about to be sent into exile.  This is for the remnant that will struggle to maintain their hope in the Lord.  Even youthful vigor will not be enough on its own to maintain their strength.  But Isaiah leads them back to the source of their strength, the Lord our God.

A- in this season I find myself growing weary and no longer is my youthful vigor there to bail me out.  Today’s word encourages me to place my hope in the Lord and know he will renew my strength and when it’s time to run I will not grow weary.  

P - Dear Heavenly Father thank you for today’s lesson may it be sealed to my heart. Lord I pray for my mother in law Annelyn that you would be with her and help here to not grow weary but uplift her on wings of Eagles.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.

Guarding against the hubris of success and position

Guarding against the hubris of success and position 

S- 2 Chron 26 NIV

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.   4 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.   5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

 16 But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.   17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in.   18 They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests,the descendants of Aaron,who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.” 

O- Uzziah was not a bad King,  he was simply human.    Time and again we see God’s leaders start off right and not finish well.   From Moses to David and from David to up to Jesus,  many sought to lead the Lord’s people well and sought the Lords’ guidance and direction in their daily roles as leader.  They all fell though,  and Uzziah was no different.   Once he became powerful, pride or “hubris” became his downfall.   

A-  The lessons from this are significant to me, as the Lord has given me people to lead.  He expects me to steward this authority well.    I though and no better than Moses, David, or any of the Kings we read about in the Bible.  I am vulnerable to allowing arrogance swell up and my own position or success cause me to become unfaithful.   So what can I do.   I am not exactly sure other than seek God on this matter.  From this passage of scripture in verse 5 we see a part of the answer:

1. Seek God - in all decisions you are making he will not let your arrogance get in the way of making good decisions.
2. Fear God -   Not sure what comes first,  but out of a healthy fear of the Lord I will always want to seek the Lord for his direction.
3. Put a trusted prophet or priest as your advisor at all times.    While prophets and priests can’t bear the burden of leadership,  they stand as those who are constantly seeking and hearing the Lord, and a good one will be willing to share with you the truth of what God is saying about a situation.

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson,may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would guide me in every decision I make, and make known to me the prophets you have placed in my life.   I pray Lord that you would continue to guide and anoint me as a leader over your people and those you are calling to you.  I pray for protection from the Hubris that comes from success and positional authorities you have given me.  May I always fear you and seek you.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen. 

Godliness and contentment

Godliness and Contentment 

S- 1 Tim 6 NIV

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.   10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

O - This is Paul’s reminder to Timothy who he sent to a church (Ephesus I believe) to help them stay on track in their faith.  The young church, who likely received the Gospel with great joy was now in that period where the adrenaline of being saved begins to fade and the worries and wants of the world begin to draw you away from godliness and contentment.   He is instructing Timothy for himself as well as for those he is shepherding to be reminded how little we need, simply food and clothing and to learn contentment in all things, and to focus on the attributes of godliness and joy will be their’s.

A -  The application to me is to remind myself of this contentment.  My current circumstance has me abundantly supplied with food and clothing and shelter.  My work is very challenging and rewarding.    All seems to be falling into place for a season of peace and prosperity and I fully intend to enjoy this gift from God.  I however and keenly aware of the seasonal nature of this world, and that God has not called me to be a settler here.  So I must be content and focus on godly responses to my circumstances.   I cannot allow my circumstances to dictate my contentment or my responses.

P - Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s opportunity to reflect on all that you have done and are doing in my life.  I am content in you.  I pray that your spirit would guide me in godliness, and that I would continue to shine your light into this world.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Rejoice in the Lord, always

 Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS!

S- Final Exhortations4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.   7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.   9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

O -  Paul’s word to the Phillipians came from a place of wisdom and revelation.     In comparison to Solomon Paul may not had been as wise, but because of his revelation of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of heaven,  he was strong in revelation.    Solomon got wisdom early and lived a great and abundant life but in the end was melancholy and depressed.  Paul was just the opposite, he  struggled in his early years, and even when Christ stopped Him on the road to Damascus,  his life changed, but he struggled still for many years as he boldly preached the Gospel and was persecuted for it.   But toward the end,  while in prison,  he wrote to the church’s he planted to rejoice in the Lord,  let it be all joy, be gentle to all.    He said we can do that because the Lord is near (revelation).   We are not to worry , but rather we are to pray, because god will give us peace and understanding.      We should spend our time not focusing on the negative circumstances that surround us,  but rather on what is good, excellent and true.

A-  The application for me is recognize how blessed I am to have both the wisdom of Solomon and revelation of Paul at my fingertips at all times.   Even more so the revelation of Jesus Christ and the good news of the Gospel,  and now I have the Holy Spirit in me to guide me.   With all this I can and should rejoice in the Lord always!   I need not be anxious about anything, but just look around me at all that God is doing and has done.

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for today’s lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.   

Be happy in what you are doing today

Be happy in todays activities

S- Eccl 3 NASB

17 I said to myself, "God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man," for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.

18 I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

19 For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

21 Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

O -  Solomon’s reflections in Ecclesiastes comes from a place of having been the wise man of all time, who lived in a time of peace,  and had great wealth.  He explored wisdom, vanity, excess and even folly and sin.   Even though he sinned against God,  his wisdom never left him, so as he sits here in his later years we see the reflection which is the conclusion we all need to understand, and if we are wise we don’t wait until we are in our late years to heed these wise words.   Solomon’s bottom line is this - only God knows if you are chosen and will spend eternity with him in heaven.  This is just one of the fates that is possible for us.  The second described here is that we are like the animals of the earth who are created from the earth and return to dust upon their death.   Solomon then goes on to conclude in all his experiences and with all his wisdom he has seen nothing better than the man who is happy with what he is doing that day for that is where God has him and that is enough. 

A -  The application for me is to seek to be joyful in each day the Lord is given me, and to recognize that each day is enough for me to worry about.  All other energy is not necessarily wise.   I recognize the battle is with my flesh and my pride.  I like to think I am strategic and discerning, but when I review my record I am reminded that the Lords ways are better than my ways, and that I really couldn’t have planned my way to the life God has given me.   

P -  Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your patience with me as I grow in wisdom the hard way.  I thank you for the gift of Solomon’s inspired word, and that it would was over me and change my perspective.  Lord I pray that today you show me what it is to do, and who to interact with and I pray that in all things you would be glorified.   I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.