Seek God's heart

 S - Psalm 25: 4-7  (NASB)

Make me know Your ways, Lord;
Teach me Your paths.
5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.
6 Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithfulness,
For they have been [b]from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoings;
Remember me according to Your faithfulness,
For Your goodness’ sake, Lord.

O  - This Psalm of David shows why David is a man after God's own heart.  He seeks God's ways and not his own;  he recognizes He is the God of his salvation;   he remembers God's compassion and faithfulness; he remembers the sins of his youth  and ask for forgiveness (forgetfulness) from the Lord.   David speaks of this as if speaking to a friend,  because God has been a friend to him.  He has been his good Shepherd.   God is willing to lay down the life of His only son to protect His flock. 

A - The application for me is to be like David and seek to be known by the Lord, and to know His ways.    I am to always seek the truth and seek His salvation through Jesus Christ.   I am to remember God's compassion and faithfulness.  I am to seek forgiveness for my sins and wrongdoings so that God's goodness may be glorified. 

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord to have a heart like David who seeks your truth and knows your compassion and faithfulness.  I pray all this in Jesus' name, Amen. 

Turn from the ways of this world

S - Proverbs 14:12 (NASB)

 There is a way which seems right to a person,

But its end is the way of death.

O - Matthew Henry: "We have here an account of the way and end of a great many self-deluded souls.

• 1. Their way is seemingly fair: It seems right to themselves; they please themselves with a fancy that they are as they should be, that their opinions and practices are good, and such as will bear them out. The way of ignorance and carelessness, the way of worldliness and earthly-mindedness, the way of sensuality and flesh-pleasing, seem right to those that walk in them, much more the way of hypocrisy in religion, external performances, partial reformations, and blind zeal; this they imagine will bring them to heaven; they flatter themselves in their own eyes that all will be well at last.
• 2. Their end is really fearful, and the more so for their mistake: It is the ways of death, eternal death; their iniquity will certainly be their ruin, and they will perish with a lie in their right hand. Self-deceivers will prove in the end self-destroyers. "  

A - The way of the world for many of us is what we grew up with.   Seeking celebrity, success, and wealth in the world.   We worship ourselves when circumstances find us favoring what we have earned by the works of our hands and thoughts of our mind.  In the end though, things we desire and pursue in this world end in death. For those who are shackled to earthly things shall be buried in the dirt and those who vask in the light of the world, Jesus, and repent , turning away from their sin and turning toward God will be saved and not just saved, but freed from their bondage.  

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

The good shepherd

S - Acts 20: 29-25 (NASB)  29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. 32 And now I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34 You yourselves know that these hands served my own needs and the men who were with me. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

O - My observation is that Paul was a good shepherd who will soon leave his flock.  But with his departure will come the wolves and cause his flock to disperse.   He reminded them he worked not for them but that his and his disciples who require nothing from those that received the Gospel.   He coveted nothing, no even the gold and silver ,  instead focused more on what he could give than that which he received.

A - The application for me is to continue on the path of Paul recognizing the spiritual warfare that will occur amongst those who are the front line.   Paul reminds them who their strength comes from, it comes from the Lord.

P - Dear heavenly Father,  thank you for today's word, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you continue to direct me in my vocation so that I won't miss the opportunities you are providing.   I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.

Sermon on Mars Hill

 S - Acts 17:22-31 (NASB)

Sermon on Mars Hill

22 So Paul stood in the midst of the [t]Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that you are very religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore, what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything that is in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might feel around for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and [u]exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His descendants.’ 29 Therefore, since we are the descendants of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by human skill and thought. 30 So having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now proclaiming to mankind that all people everywhere are to repent, 31 because He has set a day on which He will judge [v]the world in righteousness [w]through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people [x]by raising Him from the dead.”

O-My observations is that Paul's sermon on Mars Hill, is a sermon to us today.  For many believe in God or a spiritual being that looks over us , but they do not know His name.  So here Paul explains this is the God who created heaven and earth, and does not live in temples built on earth or resemble statues of hammered gold, but rather dwells in the hearts of the believers, and lives in the heavens, overlooking us, His creation.

A -  The application for me is remember Paul's sermon on Mars Hill when I find myself in front of non Christians who appear spiritual but do not know the God to whom they pray.  I am to share the good news that the God that is unknown to them is knowable.  That He sent His only son to die for our sins, that we might know Him. 

P -  Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this lesson this morning.  It is a reminder to preach the Gospel daily, even to myself.   Lord I rejoice in you love for me, that you reconciled me to you through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus.    I pray for forgiveness for having succumb to the temptations of this world, even though you have made a way out from it.  Lord I pray that you would cast out all the demons that torment me and tempt me to give in to pornography.  I pray that you would send them fleeing, and would declare none would fill their place.   I pray this in Jesus Christ' name, Amen.

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

 S -  Prov 9-10 (NASB)

9 Give instruction to a wise person and he will become still wiser;
Teach a righteous person and he will increase his insight.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

O - Fear when referenced to the fear of the Lord is the beginning or first thing needed for wisdom to be added to you.   Wisdom comes from the Lord and when we realize he is willing to give it to us, but also willing to allow us to face the consequence of doing the opposite of wisdom and face the consequences of that turning away from wisdom.   I wise person when given instruction will rejoice and apply it quickly to himself;  teach that same person and he will grow in his understanding.   It all comes down to gaining the most important knowledge of all,  the knowledge of who Jesus Christ is resulting in an understanding of the way to be reconciled with God and how to walk wisely in God's ways.

A -  The application for me is to maintain a healthy fear of the Lord.   I have not arrived already have I?   I have the beginning of knowledge and wisdom,   as I now understand who Jesus Christ is ,  my Lord and Savior.   As I sit here in the half time of my life I recognize I have learned much from consequences of lacking wisdom.   Now in the second half of my  life I vow to seek God's wisdom before my own.   First through scripture and then through the Holy Spirit within me. 

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for your word of wisdom today, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would show me your wisdom in all circumstances I will face.  I pray all this in Jesus Christ' name,  Amen.

Wisdom dwells with prudence

 S -  Proverbs 8:12-14   (NASB)
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride, arrogance, the evil way,
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 Advice is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.

O - My observation is that wisdom lives where one is prudent and knowledge is found in discretion.    Those who fear the lord, hat evil, and avoid pride and arrogance.   The mouth which is perverted is to be rebuked and I am to seek sound wisdom and advice.   This proverb is to remind me that I am to seek understanding because the power is mine to have.

A - The application for me is to recognize that I uniquely have the opportunity to receive the same wisdom that Solomon received if only I would have a healthy fear of the Lord and love of wisdom.  The path to understanding runs through the path laid out by wisdom.  I am too seek sound wisdom from the Lord and follow His path all the days of my life.   

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for this mornings devotion and sharing with me your wisdom.   I pray that I might write these words of wisdom on my heart so they might guide me all the days of my life.  I pray all this in Jesus' Christ name, Amen.

Wisdom of Solomon

 S - Prov 8:12-20 (NASB)

2 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
And I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride, arrogance, the evil way,
And the perverted mouth, I hate.
14 Advice is mine and sound wisdom;
I am understanding, power is mine.
15 By me kings reign,
And rulers decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles,
All who judge rightly.
17 I love those who love me;
And those who diligently seek me will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
Enduring wealth and righteousness.

O -