Month: May 2020

Drinking the Cup

Scripture: John 18:11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

Observation: The Father has each given us a cup, a purpose in this life. It will not be a cup like Jesus, even though some might be put to death for our faith. The cup will be full of sharing the gospel in some way, to help bring others to the Father in Jesus name. We are called to spread the gospel, to love God with all of our heart, mind and soul and to love others as ourselves. Each one of our cups will contain these ingredients.

Application: To realize I’m not here for myself, I’m here to fulfill the person my Father has given me. Pray each day for direction and freely give myself to the task the Gad has set before me.

Prayer: Good Morning Father may I always thirst for what is in the cup you gave me. May I never become content just taking sips but that I would desire to be full of your will.

Obeying God’s Word

Scripture: John 17:6 I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed you word.

Observation: The Holy Spirit has revealed to me God in my life. He has touched my heart and mind that I can see clearer yet I desire Him so much more. I am trying to obey the word and place it in my heart to do what is right and pleasing to God, but it seems I always come up short. I belong to Jesus and my Father and I do want to please them and be obedient to the calling they put in my life.

Application: To make sure I am in the Word each day and that I pray to seek God’s direction in my life. I need to know what God desires of me and be obedient in following His plan for my life. I so desire to hear the words will done good and faithful servant and to bring a smile on my Lord’s face.

Prayer: Dear Lord speak to me each day so that I may know you more and your desires for me. I’m here to serve you and to glorify your name. Help me spread the gospel and have others know the love you have for them as you have for me.

Remaining to Bear Fruit

Scripture: I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Observation: Remaining in Jesus is to do what he commands me to do. He has shown me how to live this life with obedience to God the Father and with love caring for the needs of others above my own. If I continue to be obedient I will be able to bear fruit for my Lord because I will be in His will. To determine the things I need to do or not in my nature for I am a sinner it will take the working of the Holy Spirit to get them done.

Application: I need to continue to pray each day morning and night and to study the Word to know what I should be doing. My desire is to do the will of the one who created me so I need to be obedient and to stay on the vine for direction and nourishment to complete the task God has created me for.

Prayer: Dear Lord apart form you I am nothing and can do nothing. Hold me close to you and guide my steps on this journey and show me how to make you proud of me.

Do I love and Obey?

Scripture: John 14:15 “If you love me, you will obey what I command.

Observation: I tell Jesus I love him each day and yet do I obey His commands? Not always. My laziness, self-centerness, greed and pride stand in the way at times. If I truly love Jesus like I say I do and my desire is to serve and please him I must first obey what he commands. Jesus wants the best for me and died in my place to prove it. Obeying him is my act of love for him.

Application: Before I do anything I need to ask myself does this honor God? Am I obeying his commands am I working with all my heart as working for the Lord, am I loving my neighbor as myself, am I being lustful in thought, am I being honest? These are just some of his commands that I break almost everyday. Everything I do should please God. Think before I act and be obedient.

Prayer: Dear Lord you are worthy of all my love, praise and obedience. Fill me with the Holy Spirit and guide your servant. I can’t do this alone I am a sinner and weak. Strengthen me to glorify you.

How to Show to be His Disciple

Scripture: John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Observation: We are to stand out in this world, there should be a difference that others can see that makes us stand out for Jesus. Jesus tells us that we must love one another and by doing so people in this world will take note. Everyone wants to feel loved and part of something and that their life has purpose. If Christians will unite and display the love of God for each other people will be drawn by that.

Application: I need to stop judging others especially in the church and learn to simply love them. To look at others the way Jesus would with love. I need to love others the way I want to be loved and accepted. God has surrounded me with people some are Christians and others need to hear the gospel of Jesus, both are loved by Christ and that is what I need to do.

Prayer: Dear Lord I thank you for loving me, a sinner. Open my eyes to the way you see others. Take away any judgmental ways and open my heart to look at others in amazement of you creation and love them simply because they are yours.

Who do I Try to Please?

Scripture: John 12:43 for they loved praise from men more than praise from God.

Observation: Lately I’ve been doing more serving, I’ve been doing Street Evangelism, Teri and I went to Camp Alandale to help get things ready, I’m doing a small group coming up this Wednesday, things that should honor God. However I tell others these things to impress them and in doing so I believe I miss my blessing. These things should be done for God’s glory, not mine. I do look for the praises of people above God’s. I want to look holy at the expense of not being Holy.

Application: I need to continue to do even more services for God and leave it at that. When people notice to give me praise I need to point to God who gives me the talents and gifts to do these things. All things I do should bring glory to God. May I not miss another blessing God has in store for me because of pride.

Prayer: Dear Lord I’m your servant and you deserve the best I have to offer. Continue to strengthen me to do what is good in you sight and that you will get all the glory and praise which are yours.

Jesus Wept

Scripture: John 11:35 Jesus Wept

Observation: I was reading in another book about the traits of Jesus and the strongest of them is love. Everything He did on earth was because he loved the Father and He loves us. In all He did I can picture that He did everything in love whether healing, teaching or the time he spent with his disciples I believe his love always showed through and here it is proven again that Jesus loves so much he wept over his friend. God in flesh full of love and compassion weeping over us because we were dead in our sins.

Application: Jesus gave us two things that we must do, love God with all or heart, mind and soul and to love each other as ourselves. I plan to spend the rest of my life doing just that. Make it my number one and two goals in this life and that it would be evident to everyone around me. That I would love so much that I would weep for those who don’t know my God.

Prayer: Dear Lord I thank you for your love that you couldn’t bear when you saw me dying in sin that you reached out and saved me, I owe you everything, show me how to love in away that will please you.