Month: August 2021

Scripture: Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Observation: I call myself a Christian and I will not deny that to anyone. I pray and read my Bible every day and ask God for guidance, but do I do His will? God makes it clear what He desires, but so many times my will prevails over His. My laziness and selfishness gets in the way of doing my best for God. That is what doing the will of God is all about doing our best to honor our Master. God doesn’t ask us to do anything beyond our gifts and abilities, but to do our best in loving and honoring Him.

Application: I need to put God first in my life where He belongs. I need to give God the glory and praise in what He has called me to do in this life. To serve when the opportunities come up and have my eyes open to His will at all times. That a day doesn’t pass that I have peace in my spirit that God is pleased with me for that day.

Prayer: My Father I sit before you as your child wanting to please my Dad. I can’t say I don’t know your desires, because you make them clear each day. Take away any distractions from me and give me the strength and courage to do your will every day. I love you Father, may I live a life pleasing to you.

Scripture: Matthew 6: [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Observation: That is me I worry about tomorrow, today just about everything. I don’t know why I lived long enough to see how God provides for me each day and I know He is in control and all I have to do is let go. Yet I still make the decision to worry and allow the enemy to steal my joy.

Application: There is nothing to worry about. I still need to plan things out, but when it comes to an obsession and then worry takes over I need to give it to God and trust in Him. I believe that is why God put Proverbs 3:5,6 in my heart when I was going through my struggles to let me know I need to trust.

Prayer: Dear Lord guide me to trust in you with all my heart and lean not in my understanding but in all my ways trust in you.

Scripture: Matthew 5: [16] In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Observation: God surrounds me with people every day. At work with my employees, cadets and faculty. So what do they see when they see me. Is my light so blinding they squint or is it dull and no one sees me any different than any pagan. I live my life on a dimmer switch I have days that I honor God and others where I honor me. I believe that is living my life lukewarm neither bright or dark.

Application: God has given me so much, that I need to boast about my heavenly Father to others. I look at people who stand strong in their faith no matter what they are going through and remain bright to others. That is the life I want, I pray I burn out before it’s time to go home.

Prayer: My Lord you are worthy of my best and I should be so filled with the Holy Spirit that it should simply spill out on others. Give me the opportunities to shine in the lives of those you put in my path. May I be on fire for you until you extinguish the flame.

Scripture: Matthew 4:10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”

Observation: I use this scripture often when I find myself listening to the devil. When my mind is idle and I start drifting off the enemy takes the opportunity to put thoughts in my head that are evil and I catch myself listening and being drawn in, but when I catch myself I say the words of this scripture. When I’m not serving or worshiping God, I’m worshiping the devil and that is a wakeup call for me.

Application: In everything I do stop and think to make sure that it honors God and is what pleases Him. Analyze my actions, thoughts and words to make sure they line up on what God wants of me. Keep in my heart that if I’m not doing God’s will on doing Satan’s.

Prayer: Dear Lord you are worthy of all my love, all my praise and all my obedience. Keep me on the right path and guide my steps so the path leads to you.

Scripture: Matthew 3: [17] And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Observation: I know God loves me. He has taken good care of me and is always watching over me, but is He pleased with me? I can’t see how. He has given me so much yet I bear so little fruit. He opens doors of opportunity for me, but I go through so few. When it is time to go home what words will I hear from my Father, “this is my son, whom I love? …”

Application: I know what I need to do to please God and that will take some dying to myself. All He desires is written in His word, God wasn’t trying to keep it a secret, He wants my obedience. He wants me to put Him first and then others as Jesus did. God showed us the example in Jesus what He wanted to see in us love and obedience. I need to put God before anything and that includes myself.

Prayer: Dear Father I do want to hear the words that you are pleased with me and I know how I have let you down in the past. Start me fresh now and guide me on how to honor and please you each day.

Scripture: Matthew 2: [22] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,

Observation: All throughout God’s word he warns is children through dreams and prophecy. God is always watching out for His children even to this day. God has guided me in this life and has kept me from harm or I would have been dead 23 years ago. I’m so busy making decisions in my life and goals without God’s assistance, yet He is always there and wants to help me make the right decisions and to bless me. God is my map through this life and so many times I walk blinded and stumble each day.

Application: One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11 “the plans I have for you, declare the Lord…” God has the plan, not me and I need to ask each day His guidance to what He wants me to do. Most of the time I know what He wants because I avoid it because it is either difficult or against what I want to do. God guides me like a good Father would guide a child that he loves keeping them from danger and not giving them everything they want because it is not good for them.

Prayer: Dear Father I thank you for your constant protection and love in my life. I know you are guiding me through this life to get home with you and that you have some errands for me to do along the way and blessings to get. Speak to me in dreams or during the days so that I might understand clearly what You desire. I love you Dad.

Scripture: Matthew 1:22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Observation: When you read through the Bible God always fulfills his plans, and He does that in each one of us. It’s hard to believe the God of all would even care about us let alone have a specific plan for our life. Unfortunately because of free will we stray from God’s plan instead of letting God fulfill it in our life. I look back on my life and it’s amazing the lengths God went to make sure I came to Him. I shouldn’t be here, I should be burning in Hell instead of writing this, but God’s grace is amazing.

Application: I still have free will, which I wish I didn’t have and that God would should automatically guide my life. I need to die of myself so that I can see God’s plan more clearly. Last night when I got that email that someone needed my testimony to help them get on the path of God’s plan it helped me see more clearly God’s plan for me.

Prayer: Lord please take charge and fulfill your will in my life. Take the distractions away and open my eyes to what I should be doing for you. Take this self-centerness and laziness away and fulfill the plan you have for me.