Scripture:

Nehemiah 1; Nehemiah 2; Psalm 133; Luke 22 (New International Version)

Observation: Nehemiah 2:12 I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on.

Nehemiah is living in another land and should be happy that he is not directly affected by the damage in his homeland, yet he is distraught and unable to do anything but think of his people’s suffering.  Though in a place of high importance, his heart breaks for his people and he desires to go back and help them.  Once he gets permission to leave, he takes his servants but refuses to tell them where they are headed.

Application: When God gives us a picture of what we need to do, we don’t always need to go tell everyone immediately.  We need to envision a plan to accomplish the picture before we jump to telling everyone what God has in store for us.  Often, when I decide that God has laid something upon me to do, I want instant buy in.  If I don’t get it, I question if it was really from God.  Nehemiah tells us to ponder the things that break our heart and wait for the right time to reveal the picture to others.  Sometimes without the vision it is hard to see the process of getting there.

Prayer: Lord, show me the vision and pictures of the things you want me to do.  Let me know your plans for me in color.  Don’t hide your plans from me but allow me to be wise enough to implement your plans because of your desire, not mine.

Scripture for today:  1 Samuel 14; 1 Chronicles 4; 2 Corinthians 13 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:   2 Corinthians 13:5 - ⁵Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? ⁶And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. ⁷Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed. ⁸For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection. ¹⁰This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. 

Observation:  Paul is asking the christian people to examine themselves to see if Christ is truly in them.  He wants them to realize that they have done nothing against the truth.  No, only things that are in line with Christ if Christ truly is within them.  He states that those that are in christ must do things withing the authority of the Lord and are for building up, not tearing down.

 Application:  I hate the word “examine.”  It just sounds painful, not a word that I would like to hear very often.  Why?  Because it does not bring about happy images or great outcomes.  Usually when something must be examined there is an understanding that something is amiss.  Something is wrong.

Paul tells the people that they should examine themselves to see if they are truly doing the things of the Lord.  Are they truly building up and not tearing down?  Are they doing things that God desires?  Who is within them and making the decisions?  That is a question I must ask myself daily.  It is so easy to get caught up in the world and forget the heavenly battle going on around us.

Prayer:  Lord, let me build up those around me.  I am a better demolisher that constructor.  Let me do the opposite of my human nature.

Scripture for today:  Genesis 18; Genesis 19; Psalm 3; Luke 7 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  Luke 7:24  After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27This is the one about whom it is written: 

   ” ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, 

      who will prepare your way before you.’ 28I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” 

Observation:  Jesus asks the people what they hope to see.  He wants them to clarify what a prophet really is and how they are looking for a prophet when there was one, John the Baptist, the whole time.  He questions them as to their expectations.  He wants them to know that John was and is the true messenger and that he is and was the prophet of Christ.

 Application:  What are my expectations?  Am I able to clearly see what God has put before me?  Can I see the real servant of Christ or am I looking for the glossy image?

Jesus’ ways are not mine and I must seek to understand him and his ways.  I need to know what he is doing in my life and seek him in everything.  He is the true master and I should always be on the lookout for him in my life.

 Prayer:  Lord, let me look for your working in my life.

Scripture for today:  Genesis 15; Genesis 16; Genesis 17; Luke 6 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:   Genesis 17:19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.  I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 

Observation:  Even though God promises Abraham and heir, he is unwilling to trust God completely.  He takes the matter into his own hands and has a child with a servant, not his wife as God promised.  When the child is born jealousy arises between his wife and servant.  When the child is born, the servant and son, Ishmael, are cast out and sent away to die.  However, God intervenes and saves Ishmael but not before declaring his covenant will be established with Isaac.

 Application:  Are we always responsible for the blessings and curses in our lives or are they inflicted upon us by others at times?  Clearly according to this story, others can dictate our path regardless of what we choose to do.  When one sins others feel the pain.  Sometimes for a lifetime.

I wonder how Ishmael felt about this ordeal.  Was he full of hatred toward God or not at this time?  The scripture says he was a teenager at this time and I doubt he was thrilled with the path his life story was taking.  However, he was unable to change the outcome despite his desires.  And sometimes that is just the way things are.  We cannot pick our parents or family and their decisions effect us all.

 Prayer:  Lord, let me turn to you instead of the world for understanding.

Scripture for today:  Genesis 1; Genesis 2; Luke 1 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. 

Observation:  In the story of creation there is a definite break between the dark and the light.  God allows one to stand for the day and the other for the night.  Before anything or anyone is created, God feels it necessary to delineate the dark from the light – a separation between the two if necessary.

 Application:  Is light always good and dark always bad?  Or sometimes are they backwards or unconceivable intertwined?  Do we allow ourselves to become so comfortable in the light that we no longer see the darkness?

I often wonder what God had in mind as he set about creating the world.  What was he doing just prior to this that he decided to make its existence come true?  And, once he decided that he chose to delineate dark and light first.  Should I do the same and am I even able to ascertain which is which anymore?  I feel the longer one is a Christian, the harder it is to see the darkness from the light.  They just begin to look rather gray.

 Prayer:  Lord, let me know the difference.

Scripture for today:  Revelation 1; Revelation 2; Revelation 3; Revelation 4 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  Revelation 1:12  I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 

Observation:  John sees Jesus and gives us a description of what he sees.  Stranded on the Island of Patmos, a revelation is given to him in signs and images of what will happen in the end of time as we know it.  He even gets to see an image of Jesus.

 Application:  One of things that bugs me about the Bible is that it is written my men.  I would love to have had a woman’s description of Jesus.  Though John gives a description, he does not tell us the things woman want and need to know.  Typically male, he gives us a physical description but I want more.  I want to know how his eyes looked, what color they are, how they shine when he looks upon us.  I want to know how his hair gleams and what length it is.  White as snow and eyes that are blazing fire are one thing but I want a better description of his emotions.  

I believe Jesus is the Prince Charming of all Prince Charmings.  Strong and muscular, I see him as one never to be forgotten.  Able to do anything, I believe there is a tenderness in his eyes that know the mess we have created.  I think he will look upon me with strength and tenderness.  I think he will be more beautiful than anything my eyes have ever seen.

I know John tried but the Jesus I know will come for me will be no Santa Claus but will be my Savior.  Mighty and holy, strength and power, tenderness and love all rolled into one incredible being.  He will be the most beautiful of all!!

Prayer:  Lord, I cannot wait to see your beautiful face and feel your strength on the day you come back for me.  Thanks for saving my life!!

Scripture for today:  Philemon 1; Hebrews 1; Hebrews 2; Hebrews 3; Hebrews 4 (The Message) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  Hebrews 4:14-16  Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. 

Observation:  Paul is writing to the Hebrews to remind them of the power of Christ.  He does not want them to grow weary but he pleads with them to remain strong and to remember where their strength comes from, God.  He is the strength they need, he is the power they desire.  He is reminding them of the past in order for them to have a future.

 Application:  Paul today would be telling us the same thing – now that you have Jesus don’t let it slip away.  Money slips away, power slips away and even health can slip away.  Friends definitely come and go, they don’t stay forever.  Life comes and goes, like the ocean upon the sand.  However, Jesus will never change and he is the unchangeable agent.  It is his power that we lose and never tap in to, much like forgetting to plug in a refrigerator.  We have the power only when we choose to plug into it.  Otherwise we will go through life under charged because we never knew we had the power.

 Prayer:  Dear Lord, let me tap into your power each and every day.  Let me live with you.

Scripture for today:  Romans 13; Romans 14; Romans 15; Romans 16 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  Romans 14:7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 

Observation:  Paul is telling the church of Rome that they are not responsible for the things they are doing but it is through God that they are able to do the things they are doing.  To live in Christ is to die to oneself and Paul is telling them that they do die to the Lord if they believe.

 Application:  What is worth dyeing for in today’s world?  Do we truly believe that one can live and die through Christ because we belong to the Lord?  Today that is a sense of indebtedness that one does not like.  However, the Word is clear that when I choose to follow Christ and give him my life, I am no longer mine but his.  Truth.

 Prayer:  Let me be the real deal.

Scripture for today:  2 Corinthians 3; 2 Corinthians 4; 2 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 6 (The Message) 

Scripture-My special verse today:   2 Corinthians 4:7-12If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. 

Observation:  Paul was cautioning the people from thinking too highly of them and not being realistic.  He did not want them to worship the people bringing the message so he continually told them to look at the mere person bringing the message and hear the message as from God.

 Application:  The fact that God would use someone like me to tell others about Him is about the stupidest plan I can think of.  I mean I fail, I get mad, I have no patience at times, I am unable to have a day without committing some sin or another, yet, God has chosen to use me to tell others about his son Jesus Christ.  What a crazy, insane plan.  I often wonder if God ever regrets that he chose this way to win the world to Christ.  I hope in some small way people can hear my message and look beyond me to the God, Creator of all.  Without Him in my life, I am without!!

 Prayer:  Lord, use me to tell others about you, despite my shortcomings and thank you for never giving up on me.  I would have a long time ago.

Scripture for today:  Job 39; Job 40; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 14 (New International Version) 

Scripture-My special verse today:  1 Corinthians 14:8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 

Observation:   Paul is warning the members of the church at Corinth that having spiritual gifts but using them selfishly does not build up the body of Christ.  Rather, it keeps others away and creates a sort of clique within the church.  Specifically he was speaking of “Speaking in Tongues” because the people must have been competing in this area.  However, they were speaking in them but no one could understand them so it was useless for building up the church.  He tells them to seek the spiritual gifts that build up the church.

 Application:  Do I seek spiritual gifts that build up the church?  Do I really want things to glorify me or God?  I have to be careful to not come across like I have “spiritual secrets” and turn others off from the church and ultimately God.  We are all brothers and sisters of Christ and should speak and act in a way that makes others want to draw near to God.  Though I do not speak in tongues, I must be careful that I don’t speak “christianese” and turn others off from the church.  There is really not any difference between the two if those outside cannot interpret the speech.  No, I need to speak in a way that points others to Christ.

 Prayer:  Lord, let me speak words you choose and that draw others close to you.