Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep....If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.

Matthew 10

Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep....If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. v9,14

At the end of Matthew 9, Jesus requests that His disciples "[a]sk the Lord of the harvest...to send out workers into his harvest field".  John Piper implies that the sending of the twelve is a response to prayer for more workers for the harvest.  Piper goes on to implore us to pray, and he provides many words on why and how we should pray - a good starter is here.  With regards to the sending out of the twelve disciples, Jesus wants the disciples to trust in Him as the provider and to focus on the message, not the outcome.  Pray for the outcome but remember that God is in charge of the outcome. 

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who has answered many prayers of my own and also those of others who have prayed for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not worthy of Your love and grace.  I daily miss the mark.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.

Psalm 63

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. v1

David cries out to God as Saul and his men seek him out to destroy him.  David's life is at stake and only God can sustain him.  We must feel the same way.  We need God more than we need water because God provides living water and everything else that sustains us - we are already dead in our sins.  We must seek God to rescue us and also go to God daily for our provision. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:6

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me - even though You know everything about me. Thank You Jesus!  I am not worth such love as I worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.

Deuteronomy 14

Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. v22

God requires us to tithe - it is a reminder that all of our blessings come from God and that we are to trust God to provide for us.

We must also care for our church leadership - who is referred to by Moses in v27.

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. 1 Timothy 5:17

Lord Jesus help me tithe so I have a reminder of how You are the source of all blessings and only You provide, that I must trust in You.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who has blessed me beyond what I deserve.  Thank You Jesus.  Yet my sin continues - I am harsh with my words. Please forgive me and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’

Genesis 14

“With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ v22-23

Abram is a righteous man here when he stops the king of Sodom from refusing to take a tenth of Abram's goods (perhaps made as a peace offering).  Abram recognizes that God alone is his source of blessing and that God provides for His needs.

We must be careful to recognize who is our provider - it is Jesus who gives us our daily bread.

See also posts here.

Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. Psalm 16:5

 

My Prayer: Lord, You provide during good and bad times - abundantly and for all of my needs.  I rest in You alone.  Thank You for the many rich blessings You provide.  I am not worth such blessings.  I continue in my sin. Please forgive me Jesus  and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.