Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

To Catch a Thief
Psalm 119

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. v105

Today's devotion once again focuses on sin and how it "easily entangles" us (Hebrews 12).  As the devotion states, we should be able to identify Satan, and my recent posts point to how scripture (in our heart) serves as a key defense against Satan.  Prayer and the assistance of my brothers and sisters in Christ are also key defenses.

A key way that Satan has been able to distract me is through worry - worry about the future.  Although I should plan for the future, I should not worry - these are two separate and mutually exclusive actions.  You can do both but you should not do both.  I fall down by doing both.  Forgive me Jesus!  I know You have blessed me despite my worry - thank You Jesus!  Please help me turn from my sin towards You.  Help me take encouragement from Your words, such as those from the Psalms.  I know that "no word from God will ever fail (Luke 1:37)"; I also know that if I "[c]ome near to God, ...he will come near to [me] (James 4:8)". 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and I know You will never leave me or forsake me.  Thank You for being a God that loves me so much - You love me despite my brokenness.  Help me overcome my worry and turn towards You Jesus.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer, including the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me trust in You and not worry. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

Putting Out the Spirits Fire
1 Thessalonians 5

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. v19-22

As I have posted recently, Satan is all around us and on the "prowl". The only way to defeat sin is through Jesus Christ. 

A vivid example of how Jesus defeats Satan and sin is from Matthew 4 (see also Mark 1 and Luke 4) where Jesus is tested in the wilderness but uses scripture (Deuteronomy) to guard His heart.

See also Proverbs 3 as referenced here and other references here about the importance of staying near to God to guard our heart.

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:5-8

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God, creator of all things, capable of all things, knowing of all things and full of mercy and compassion for me...I am not worth such a gracious God...I continue to be full of worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me guard my heart by staying near to You, Your Word, the church, and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the remaining side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer. How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow?

Satan Exposed
Hosea 4

The Israelites are stubborn, like a stubborn heifer.  How then can the Lord pasture them like lambs in a meadow? v16

According to this perspective, "through Hosea the Lord tells the story of Israel’s disobedience, His discipline, and His steadfast, faithful love...."

The story of Israel's disobedience in Hosea (and throughout the Old Testament) is the story of all believers and it reinforces both the need for Jesus to enter the world and the unimaginable love of God to "give His one and only son....John 3:16)".  There was only so much the Israelites and all of humanity could do to be saved from what we truly deserved ("For the wages of sin is death....Romans 6:23)...Jesus had to die in our place and the Father had to send Him for this purpose.

Today's devotional speaks to my stubbornness...my need to have control...my way, my arrogance....a dangerous path indeed and one that is not only sinful but also one that can lead to complete destruction.  Jesus cares for me like no earthly father can...I must allow Him to pasture me like a lamb in a meadow.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are my heavenly father and You are my provider...of all my needs, physical, emotional, spiritual, etc.  I need not look anywhere else...I am deeply grateful for how You provide always...yet often I fail to trust You and I trust in my own powers...and of course this fails and then I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome such sin and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me trust in You alone to pasture me like a lamb in the meadow.  Give Lisa strength. Give me strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Taking the Hit
Acts 20

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. v24

Today's devotion focuses on sacrifice as a demonstration that we are willing to serve God and expect God's greater reward.  Yet another theme of this devotion that was implied and should have been more explicit is one of control.  I have had difficulties turning control of my life over to God and He has graciously molded me in this area, demonstrating immense patience, compassion, mercy, etc. in the process - Thank You Jesus!

My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God full of love and compassion for me...You are merciful and patient with me, even though I am not deserving.  Again Jesus Thank You.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love and dispense grace to others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion...

Misplaced Passions
Proverbs 3

My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion...v21

As I posted a couple of days ago, sin is real, on the "prowl" and it wants to and can "devour" us.  God is where I should place my full trust and faith as my protector.  I have my God, His Word, the Holy Spirit, and the church, including my brothers and sisters in Christ, to protect me and my family.  Help me be the Spiritual Leader of my household to protect my family from sin.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and ONLY You have and can protect myself and my family from sin...yet I often place my faith in my own abilities or I get lazy and fall down in my duties as Spiritual Leader of the household.  Forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the remaining side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.

You Have a Gift to Give

Ephesians 3

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. v7

The devotion today is a powerful reminder that grace is not meant to be kept but instead is meant to be given...to others just as freely as it was given to me.  Core to this message is that we all have something to give...grace.  Of course, God gives each of us different spiritual gifts, but we have at least one in common and that is the gift of grace and the ability to allow grace to flow through us to others.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God - so full of patience, grace, compassion, mercy, etc...Thank You Jesus but I am not deserving of such blessings.  I often fail to give others grace and I know this disappoints You so please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 The Wannabe God
1 Peter 5

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. v8

I have previously posted on the need to stay alert and of sober mind as encouraged by Peter.  No doubt, Satan is real and we need protection.  Protection is afforded through God alone - and God arms us with His Word, the Holy Spirit, the church, etc.  

The Bible provides many vivid examples of how God protects us, including how God protected Jesus from Satan in the wilderness, how God protected Daniel from the lion's den, etc.

God is real, able to defeat sin and death, and He always protects us - see also references to other posts here.

Thank You God for how You protect us!

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God - full of love, compassion, mercy, etc.  You protect me even though I am not deserving of such mercy - I have sinned in my life and I know that wages of sin are death.  But You have rescued me and You continue to rescue me - thank You Jesus!  Worry is still active in my life so please forgive me Jesus.  I know You tell me not to worry.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

Arrival
Psalm 139

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

God knows me, even better than I know myself.  He of course, then, knows what is best for me - His will and purpose for me is perfect, as is everything about God.  Paul refers to life as a race (1 Corinthians 9), with the prize being Heaven and eternity with Jesus.  I must submit to Him and His will for my life - this is my race.  When I do, He promises to bless me.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God - I know You are with me every day and all of the time.  You are with me when I sit and when I rise.  You know everything about me, including my sin...and You are for me.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a God.  I worry far too much.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please cure and heal Lisa of her cancer, including all of the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.

Relating to the Rascals
Philippians 2

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness. v5-7

I sometimes puff myself up by thinking of others (good or bad) in relation to myself - sinful! As the scripture above from Philippians indicates, Jesus did not seek advantage or glory for himself; instead he sought out those whom He knew needed the love and compassion of Jesus...and He served those who needed it. 

We not only need to serve, we need to seek out those who share the most powerful bond of all - love of Jesus Christ.  This is what drew the early believers in Acts together:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  Acts 2:42-47

We not only pray, encourage and support one another but we also "sharpen" each other and help each other grow in Christ:

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27:17

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You sought me out...knowing how broken I am...You suffered and died for me, then rose from the grave, defeating both sin and death, giving me the gift of forgiveness for my sins and eternity in Heaven with You.  What a great God and thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such a gift.  I am full of pride and I know this is sinful.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Help me overcome my stress and anxiety - all while forgiving me for my worry.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and help her fully and quickly recover from the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

...and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

God’s Influence in Us
Ephesians 1

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. v18-21

God provides His children the Holy Spirit and I suspect many believers fail to grasp, myself included, the "incomparable great power" available to believers. It is easy to fall back into habits that focus on faith and trust in earthly powers but this is not only sinful but also fruitless as the powers of this world will come and go - God does not.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

...

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a God that is worthy of my praise as Your power is incomparable and You make it available to me through the Holy Spirit.  And I have seen this power at work in my life and in the lives around me...You are an awesome God.  Thank You for coming to earth to save me and for the Holy Spirit...and so much more...I am not worth such love and blessing.  I continue to have faith in earthly powers that come and go.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.   Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me lover others as You do.  Help grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[J]ust as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Imitation
Matthew 20

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” v25-28.

Today's devotional focuses on Christ's call for humility and to serve.  From the devotional:

In a man’s world, authority and service often have an inverse relationship. The more authority, position, and power one possess the more that man is served. These guys get new titles and assistants, new offices and parking spots, and heaps of flattery and accommodation. In some cultures men don’t even need power or position to earn servitude.

Jesus breaks the rules to serve in person. Watch Him in the gospels, He encourages, He makes breakfast, He hugs kids, He touches, he heals, He shows up.

For me there are two messages here...I need to demonstrate and model Jesus for my sons and for all that know I am a believer.  As part of modeling Jesus, I must die to self (deny myself), serve others, pick up my cross and follow Jesus.

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God that is not only worthy of my praise, but also my full attention and devotion.  I must learn Your ways, commit them to my heart and be more like You...for my own good, for the good of my family and for the glory of You so that I can draw attention and bring others to You.  I love You Jesus. You have blessed me beyond what I deserve.  I am often thinking of myself, worrying, etc.  Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me treasure my wife!  Help me be humble and serve others, including Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me lead effectively with You as my model.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The Battlefield of Coasting
Proverbs 16

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. v18

The key sentence for me in this morning's devotional is the following: "If there is one aspect of spiritual battle that remains more hidden than others among Christians, it’s coasting."

Coasting not only implies arrogance as the devotional suggests, but also being passive about what God calls you to do and then not doing it because you simply are not in action about God's call.  Coasting comes into play for me because I procrastinate.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are always in action...acting on behalf of all Your children and calling them to You...dispensing grace, compassion, love, etc.  What a great God You are....You provide the Holy Spirit, Your Word, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the church, all as weapons in my battle against coasting...Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessing Jesus as I do worry and procrastinate.  Please forgive me and help me turn from and overcome such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me be in action (according to Your will!) and avoid coasting!  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and relieve her of the side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Holy Spirit Impact
2 Corinthians 12

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. v9

The devotional encourages us to dispense grace and mercy in the same we receive it from Christ.  I love how this works as Pastor Jason spoke on this very topic yesterday...albeit in the context of adoption.  The devotional provides as an example the relationship of parents with their children vs Christ and His children....again not a coincidence as this topic is heavy on my heart as we try and help Zach work his way through his through his teenage years.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God full of love, mercy, compassion, patience, etc...for me.  I know You chose me, knowing everything about me, sin and all, then You willingly became flesh and suffered and died for me.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet I am not worth such a sacrifice.  I am lazy, my prayer life falls short and I am often short on mercy with others.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength. Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and all of the side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

1 Peter 5
Night Vision

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. v8-9

From the devotion, the key takeaway is this:

Notice that he doesn’t give just anyone living wisdom for the fight. He looks for the difference between the intellectual understanding and practical application.  We all know lots of guys, pastors, and full-time theologians who have been given the Intel that God provides and are still getting slaughtered by the enemy. The Bible says the more spiritually undivided you are the better your Intel gets. More integrity, more clarity, “He stores up sound wisdom for the upright…. Is a shield to those who walk in integrity.”

Francis Chan uses 2 Peter 1 to emphasize how Jesus wants us to "make every effort"...to be in action.  Help me be in action...help me make every effort.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what an awesome God You are....You make every effort all the time...for all of Your children...including myself!  Thank You Jesus!  Forgive me for not making every effort.  Help me turn from my laziness and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me make every effort.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of this cancer, including all of these side effects from chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.



 

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

1 Peter 5
My Face or His Face

In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. v5-6

The below statements in the devotional really speak to me in how I often feel "entitled".

Will you be the man that says, “I deserve better than this?” Or will you be God’s man who says, “I’m willing to wait for your timing on this one Lord,” The languages of entitlement, conditions and selfishness are not spoken in the land of humility. They are foreign tongues that make sense only to those men given first to pride, masking their fears of being truly great by wasting their influence and affluence on themselves.

Feeling entitled and prideful is sinful - nuf ced.  I need to be humble - the last shall be first.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You left the side of God in Heaven to come to earth for me, then suffered and died for me.  You lived a life of humility, serving others, being full of love, compassion, mercy, etc. You did all of this so others could have forgiveness and eternal life in Heaven with You.  How awesome are You!  Thank You Jesus for the most incredible gift of all time!  I am not worth such gift yet You provide it out of pure grace.  Once again thank You Jesus.  Forgive me for my pride and arrogance.  Help me overcome and turn from such sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and then love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength. Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure Lisa of her cancer and help her shake lingering side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3 NIV
Time to Contribute

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. v5-6 (NIV)

As I wrestle with questions about how God wants me to serve Him in ministry, this statement in the devotional cuts to the heart: "Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. ".  

I often feel that I know what my paths should be yet I should focus solely on what God sees as my path.  "Lean not on your own understanding" is key here because I often lean on my own understanding.  "Make your paths straight" is also key because I often feel blocked in my career yet if I view how my career unfolds from God's perspective I am more likely to see how God's path is unblocked.

See also postings here and in particular this post from Acts 5.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus You are an INCREDIBLE God whose wisdom far surpasses that of man.  I am deeply thankful that You provide Your Word, Your Holy Spirit, the church, brothers and sisters in Christ, and of course that I can spend time with You to discern Your words and will for my life.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love and blessings...I often lean on my own understanding and I have other sin of selfishness, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer and help her recover from side effects of chemo and radiation.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your Message today and every day. 

Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction.

Proverbs 13
Holy Spirit Relationship

Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction. v15

We don't realize that we tell and live lies all the time...and one of the most deceitful lies we can tell is the rationalization of sin...we either think or say that it is OK.  It's not...we need to be "cut to the heart" as they were in Acts 2 when Peter spoke after the Holy Spirit appeared at Pentecost.  

Proverbs 13:1 is critical here in my view:  

"A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes."  

This verse underscores how important it is to heed the father's advice and for me it's about Jesus, my Heavenly Father.  I can only have good judgement when I heed and take to heart Jesus' teachings for me.  I must understand, apply and obey His teachings...only in this way can I live true as the devotional encourages us to do.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, what a great God You are that You provide Your Holy Spirit, Your Word, Lisa, my family, my church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, etc. all to help guide and teach me in Your Word.  What blessings!  Thank You Jesus.  I am lost without You and all of the help and support I get from You.  I need You in my life.  Forgive me for not being all of the man You intend for me as a husband, father, worker, son, etc.  Help me turn from my laziness towards You.  Help me be the man You intend for me in all roles.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of her cancer.  Please heal her of the side effects of chemo and radiation...quickly!  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Luke 22
Surgical Strike

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” v31-32

I know that there are areas of my where sin persists..."dark corners" of my life as the devotional puts it.  I do try and rationalize my sin and I also know that God knows when I sin...that nothing is hidden and there are times when I knowingly sin AS I am sinning...I deserve death (Romans 6)...not just for my recent sin but for ALL of the sin I have committed in my life.  Yet God knows all about my sin, He came for me, then suffered and died for me...me specifically.  He blesses me beyond what I deserve.  

Please forgive me and welcome me back to Your arms Jesus!  Help me defeat sin in my life.  Help strengthen my faith.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus You are an amazing God that You walked as a man, experienced temptation and difficulty just as I do...yet You never sinned and then You beat both sin and death, rising from the grave!  You are full of compassion and love for me...even though I am not deserving.  Jesus please forgive me!  Thank You for all of the blessings You pour out for me but please forgive me for my lust and sin.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer.  Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach, and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message today and every day.