Walk In The Light

1^st John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1^st John 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

1^st John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Dark and light can’t occupy the same space at the same time. This isn’t even possible. Darkness is the absence of light. So since God is light, there can’t even be any darkness in Him. He is perfect and there is no evil in Him. We are lying to ourselves and to the Lord if we are walking in darkness and saying that we are in fellowship with Him. Sin separates us from God. Just like in the garden when Adam and Eve sinned. Before they sinned, they were in fellowship with the Lord and they were walking with Him. It takes one sin to separate us from the Lord. If I am in sin, I can’t be in fellowship with the Lord. If I walk in the light and believe in His Son, I am cleansed of all of my sin. Past, present and future. Jesus’ blood cleanses our sin. When we are walking in the light and not in darkness we are cleaned by the blood of Jesus and then we can have fellowship with one another. I want to be in fellowship with the Lord and now walking in darkness. I want to grow in my relationship with the Lord and be completely filled with His Spirit. I want to be in His word and I want Him to be the center of my life.

Application

Today I will spend at least an hour reading my Bible and praying to grow deeper in my relationship with the Lord. He is my everything and I can’t be in fellowship and grow in my walk with Him if I am not spending time with Him.

Agree To Meet

Amos 3:3 "Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?

Two people have to be in one accord to walk together. They should have a goal that they are both reaching for or the same destination in mind. If two haven’t agreed to meet they will have different destinations. This will cause them to not even be able to walk together.

2^nd Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

When two are unequally yoked they can’t walk together. We should be pushing each other to the goal. We shouldn’t be hindrances for each other in our walks with the Lord. Jesus as well came to this Earth and walked among us. He is now in Heaven and unless we have agreed to meet how can we walk together with Him. If we aren’t living a life that is with the goal of getting to heaven, we can’t walk with Jesus. Just as we should be in one accord with believers, we should be in one accord with the Lord. We should want what he wants and seek after Him.

Romans 15:5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

Romans 15:6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is how we as believers can walk together. When we are one in accord with Jesus. And when we are walking together we will both have the same desire. That desire should be to glorify the Lord.

Application

Today I will pray for unity in our group and that we would all be one in accord with Jesus Christ. 

Stay Awake

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

Luke 12:38 If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!

Luke 12:39 But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.

Luke 12:40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

As Christians we should never fall asleep in our service to the Lord. We should remain faithful in our service to the Lord and not waver or fall away. Just as the master in this parable that comes back and sees that their servant is awake. We too should be awake as servants of the Lord. Even when the master isn’t here. We should serve in the little things. The Lord sees us and he knows what we are doing at all times. He is always with us, but we should also be ready for the coming of Jesus. 1^st Thessalonians 5:2 says, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” No one knows when the Lord is going to come again, so we should always be ready. We should be serving Him no matter what.

I’ve talked to people who say that they are going to live their lives how they want to now and then at the end of their lives they will decide to become a Christian. This way of thinking is scary to me. You could be crossing the street and get hit by a car tonight. I don’t want to live for today and give up eternity with the Lord. Living for the Lord is so much better than living for myself anyway.

Application

Today I will keep an attitude of being a servant the whole day.

He Calls Us Friends

John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

Before this Jesus called His disciples servants and now they are friends. We should have a relationship with Jesus that isn’t just that of a servant and a master, but that of friends. Friends have a closeness. More than a servant and a master. They know each other, trust each other and tell each other everything. This is the relationship that Jesus wants with us. He doesn’t want us to only look at Him as our master, but also as our friend. Jesus has made known the reasons behind what He is commanding us and he tells us all that He has heard from His Father. I want to have this closeness with Jesus, my savior and the creator of everything. He is saying that he calls us friends. I can have this relationship with Jesus. For a relationship to grow you need to spend time with that person.

Application

Today I will constantly come to the Lord in prayer and I will read my Bible for at least an hour and listen and wait on the Lord.

Called To Serve Not Be Served

Matthew 20:26 It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

Matthew 20:27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

Matthew 20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Jesus came into this world and turned it upside down. In society there is kind of a triangle of power and the people at the top of this triangle are the people that have the most power and they don’t expect to serve other people and they aren’t really expected to serve people. People at the bottom of the triangle are more the people that serve others. They don’t have as much power as the people higher up in the triangle. Those in authority and those that have power shouldn’t hold that over the people that are under them. Jesus came into this world serving and he left this world serving. Jesus turns this social triangle upside down. He is saying that the greatest among the people should be the of the people. Not lord it over them, but to serve them. Jesus came to be a servant to all. He died on a cross for us and he is the ransom for our sins. He died on that cross for our sins. To save us and be the ransom for us.

Application

Today I will look for every opportunity to be a servant. 

I am an Unworthy Servant

Luke 17:7 "Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'?

Luke 17:8 Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'?

Luke 17:9 Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?

Luke 17:10 So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'"

A servant has duties that they are supposed to perform. As Christians and followers of Jesus, we too have duties that we should do. A servant shouldn’t get any special treatment or special recognition for doing what they are supposed to do. We as Christians shouldn’t get praise for what we are supposed to do either. We should be doing what has been commanded to do and when we do this we shouldn’t then look to the people around us and expect or even want praise. We should do it humbly and only wanting God to be glorified through what is being done. I don’t want to get recognition for what I do. I want the Lord to be glorified in what I do. We just read missionary books in class and I had Samuel Morris. He came to America from Africa and had so much faith and was so filled with the Holy Spirit that when he prayed everyone was changed and looked to God. He had a childlike faith with no doubts. Whenever something would happen people would look to him and praise him kind of. Samuel hated this more than anything, because in life all he wanted was for Jesus to get praise and glory. So he would always put the attention back onto the Lord. I am an unworthy servant. As John says when he is talking about Jesus,

John 1:27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."

I not even worthy to untie the sandal of Jesus. I’m not even worthy to be called a servant of God. I am privileged to be called a servant of God. I don’t want praise for serving the Lord and doing what we are called to do.

Application

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” I will give thanks to the Lord in everything and glorify his name in everything. I will also pray and thank Him for allowing me to be His servant.

Follow Him

John 12:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

To be a servant of Christ we must follow him and be his disciple. I want to follow Jesus and be an imitator of Him. He was a servant to all and I want to be the same. If I am a servant of Christ, He will be my master and I will obey him. We should die to ourselves and then we can bear fruit. If we are living for ourselves and our own desires, we can’t bear fruit. Verses 24 and 25 say,

John 12:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 12:25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

When we die to ourselves and live for Christ we gain our lives. We can’t gain eternal life without dying to our self, believing in Christ and living for Him. Jesus is in heaven and if we are servants of Christ we will be with Him in heaven. John 14:3 says,

John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

We will be with Jesus in Heaven and I want the Lord to say to me well done like in Matthew 25:23 “His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'” Jesus says that what we do to the least of us we do to Him. So I can serve Him by being faithful in the small things and by serving everyone Matthew 25:45 says, “Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'”

Again only through Christ can we come to the Father. By being a servant of Christ the Father will honor me. Not by serving myself or even by serving this world, but I serve Jesus. In everything I do I should be serving Jesus and glorifying His name.

Application

I will look for opportunities to serve Christ. I will show his love and glorify is name through my service to Him. I don’t want to get any glory from anything that I do. I want all of the glory to go to Him. Today I will be faithful over the small things that I see and I will do the

Made of Many Members

1Co 12:14  For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

1Co 12:15  If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.

A body cannot function without many members. If the body was just hands, or just feet it wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything. There are many different parts to the body and when they are all working together and in obedience to the head they can accomplish a lot. We as the church are the body. Just like in the human body the church has many different parts and we have Christ as the head. We should all be obedient to Christ. Not everyone has the same skills or gifts. So we are all going to able to accomplish different things. Just because not everyone is going to be preaching doesn’t make it any less important. The hands are just as important as the mouth and the feet are just important as the hands.  Every part of the body is important. Belittling yourself as useful in the body doesn’t change that you are a part of the body. If a foot says that they don’t belong to the body, it doesn’t change the fact that they are still connected to the body. So feet should do what they can do. Every part of the body has a purpose so just like the body, in the church every person should do what they can do, because every person is useful for the body when they are all obedient to the head and working together. If there are two feet, but they are trying to walk different directions the entire body will suffer and not be able to go anywhere. So the body of Christ should be obedient to Him as the head and be united together.

Application

Today I will pray that the Lord would strengthen the entire church and that He would continue to use it and expand it. I will also pray that God would continue to show me where in the body I should be.

Free From All, So Now Serve

1^st Corinthians 9:19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

In Christ we are free from the law. We have grace and forgiveness from our sins, but that doesn’t mean we should just sin as much as we want to. Since we are now under the law of Christ we are saved by grace not by what we do, but also since we are saved we shouldn’t want to sin. We are free from the chains of sin and Jesus has set us free from the bondage that comes from a life of sin. Yes, we are still going to sin, but we shouldn’t want to sin, because we are forgiven. I want to glorify God in everything that I do. I don’t want to just sin, because I can. I want to die to myself and my desires and become a servant to all. Firstly, I want to serve God in everything that I do and do everything unto the Lord. I also want to serve everyone I am with. I don’t want to be focused on myself, but I want to first be worried about other’s needs. I can be a witness to others by sharing the love of Christ through my actions. If I am only worried about my own needs, I am not living a life that shows the love of Jesus. By sharing the love of Jesus through my actions I hope to bring people to Jesus and I hope that they would see the love that Jesus has for us all. John 13:1 says,

John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Jesus washes the disciple’s feet and he is serving them and showing the love that he has for them. I want to be like Jesus and love until the end and be a servant of all.

Application

Today I will be a servant and die to myself. So today at all of the meals I will pick up plates from people. 

Three Strand Cord

Ecclesiastes 4:12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

“And though a man might prevail against one who is alone” It’s not good to be alone. The enemy can prevail against us much easier when we are alone. When we are alone we don’t have someone to come beside us and encourage us and pick us up when we fall. Just like David had Jonathon, we should have someone to come beside us and encourage us. Verse 10 of this chapter says,

Ecclesiastes 4:10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

In life we will fall and we will have hard times so we should have other believers in our lives who encourage us and help us press on in what God has for us. Unity among believers is a very important thing. “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Rope or cord is twisted together and it is so much stronger when twisted together than it is in single strands. The same goes for us. When we are by ourselves, we are weak, but when we are in unity with other believers we are much stronger. Also when I think of a threefold cord it makes me think of me as being one strand, another believer being the second strand and the Lord being the third strand. Or as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we are in fellowship with other believers and the Lord is in it, the enemy will have struggles breaking it. Another way I thought of a threefold cord is multiple believers in fellowship and unity.

Application

Today I will pray for unity in our group here and that we would be able to stand against the enemy and his attacks. I will also look for opportunities to encourage my brothers and help them press on in the call God has for them.

All Things To All Men

1^st Corinthians 9:22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

Paul isn’t saying here to sacrifice what we know to be true in the scriptures and to compromise. He isn’t saying to now go do what the world is doing. Instead we should change to the customs and of the people we are trying to save. If we are causing people to stumble or be in unbelief because we don’t have convictions about certain things, but they do. We should stop so that they may be saved or so that we won’t cause a brother to stumble. Verses 9-13 of chapter 8 say,

1^st Corinthians 8:9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

1^st Corinthians 8:10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?

1^st Corinthians 8:11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.

1^st Corinthians 8:12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

1^st Corinthians 8:13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

This could be talking about the ungodly and the “weak” believers. We shouldn’t cause our brothers to stumble so we should become as them so that they may be saved for the work that God has for them. If they have convictions about something and we are causing them to stumble, they aren’t going to be able to be fully used by God. We should be there to encourage them and die to ourselves and become as they are.

Romans 15:1 We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Application

If I see a brother or sister in the Lord who has a conviction about something and I don’t I will die to myself and become like them. For example, if listening to Christian rap makes someone here stumble, I will stop listening to it.

Through Love Serve One Another

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

We were called by Christ and in Christ we have freedom from the law. The law judges us and we have to follow what it says. If we do anything that is drawing us away from God or that is against what God says we are sinning. So we are sinners and we are saved from the law. Jesus paid the price for our sin by dying on a cross and being the perfect sacrifice for us. Even though we have this “freedom” in Christ, we shouldn’t just do whatever we want. We are under Christ still, so we should strive to follow the commandments. We may not have a conviction about something, but that doesn’t mean we should do it. If it causes a brother to stumble, then we shouldn’t do it. Romans 14:20-23 say,

Romans 14:20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

Romans 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Romans 14:22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.

Romans 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Even if we aren’t convicted about something if we are causing another brother to stumble by doing it, we should stop. This is a process of dying to ourselves and our own desires, because of the love we have through and in Christ. God loved us, so we can love others. God sent his son down to this earth to be the sacrifice for our sins. He allowed his son to be nailed to a cross, spat on, mocked and beaten. He saved us from our sins. If Jesus can sacrifice everything for us, we should be able to sacrifice our own desires for others. We should be serving each other. This goes along with dying to ourselves. Not only do we now not do something, because it causes a brother to stumble, but we now serve each other as well. We are in the Spirit and we are serving each other, though love. We should now be grumbling because we had to give up our own desires and serve each other. We should do this with joy!

Application

Today I will put others needs before my own and I will sacrifice what I want for others. I will do this by picking up dishes at each meal and by helping when I see a need. 

Obey Your Leaders

Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Who our leaders are is explained in verse 7 Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” So our leaders are the people in our lives that are above us and that are speaking the word of God to us. We aren’t to obey our leaders if they are telling us to do something that is wrong or that would be sinning, but we should listen to them if it lines up with what God says. We should obey our leaders with things that are commanded in God’s word and just everyday tasks. These are the people who are speaking the word of God to us so they have a big impact on our lives and they are watching over our souls, they aren’t trying to control what we do. Leaders have to give an account for the people that are under them. If we are disobedient how would they be able to give an account for us joyfully and without groaning or grumbling. If we are disobedient and don’t submit or obey our leaders it doesn’t help us, but it hurts us.

Application

Today I will obey the leaders in whatever I am asked to do

Obey Your Parents

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

“Children” so those who are under their parents still. We are to obey our parents. As children or being under our parents we don’t always know what is best for us. We are obeying God by obeying and honoring our parents. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” So with fathers obeying the Lord as well they will be bringing their children up in discipline and instruction of the Lord. The verses say “in the Lord” and “in everything” so children are to obey their parents unless it is contrary to the will or the word of God. If parents are telling their kids to steal, cheat or lie, this isn’t what God wants us to be doing. Obeying our parents is what is right and what pleases the Lord. This is God’s design for order in the home. It is also god for children to be taught the law and obedience from a young age. Not just doing whatever they want, but learning to be in submission to someone and obeying what they say. This is a model for obeying the Lord.

God has commanded us to honor our father and mother in Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” By honoring our father and mother we are honoring God, because this is what he has commanded children to do.

Application

I will honor my parents by asking what they think I should do in my life and taking their advice.

Slave to Sin... Or Freedom In Christ?

Romans 6:16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?

We can’t serve two masters. God wants us to serve Him alone, not the things of the world. If we are slaves to sin how would we be able to be effective for the kingdom of God? Verses 6-11 say,

Romans 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Romans 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 6:9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Romans 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Jesus died for our sins and our old self died with Him on that cross. Our life of unrepentant sin and of being a slave to sin is over. Not only does our old life of sin die, but we should now be living a new life for and with Christ. Not only did we die with Him, but also raised with Him as a new creation as 2^nd Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Verse 14 says, Romans 6:14 “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” We have grace and forgiveness from our sins, because there is no way that we can just stop sinning now that we are saved, but this doesn’t mean that we should just sin as much as we want since we are forgiven. We should strive to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Being a slave to sin leads to death, but being a slave to God leads to eternal life. There was no fruit from our lives of sin, but now in our new life our fruit leads to sanctification. Like verse 21 says, “But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.” Living a life that is obedient to the Lord leads to righteousness. We are only righteous through Jesus and Him cleansing us.

Application

Today I will pray for my brother who is a slave to sin and a life of drugs. I will pray that he would be set free from the bondage of that life and turn to the Lord.

Obey God Before Men

Acts 5:29 But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.

Acts 5:31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 5:32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."

The verses before this Peter and the Apostles are teaching about Jesus and the Sadducee’s put them in prison. During the night an Angel of the Lord came and brought them out and gave them the command too, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."  The Sadducees are upset with the Apostles and then the Apostles respond to them that they must obey God rather than men. The Angel of the Lord told them to do something so they listened to the Lord before they listened to what men told them to do. In verses 30 and 31 they share what God did in sending Jesus and that he came to be the sacrifice for our sins. He not only died on the cross but he also rose from the dead and is at the right hand of the Father as Leader and Savior. “we are to witness to these things” We should be witnessing to non-believers how Christ has worked in our lives and what He did for us. The Holy Spirit leads us to do this and God has given the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him and believe in Him. I want to be a witness to Christ and what He has done.

Application

When I feel the Holy Spirit leading me to be a witness I will do whatever the Spirit is leading me to do.

Obedience Through Suffering

Hebrews 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

“Although he was a son,” This is talking about Jesus and Jesus is the Son of God. He was God’s only son and God sent Jesus into this world to die for our sins and be the sacrifice or propitiation, which means the perfect payment, for our sins. He suffered death on a cross and he was obedient to the Father all the way to death. Not only did Jesus suffer the death of the cross but he also suffered beatings and hardships of the world. Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

“he learned obedience through what he suffered.” Jesus learned obedience through what he was going through. Jesus was perfect and did not sin so he was always obedient to the Father’s will. He learned this obedience through what he suffered though. Jesus didn’t want to die on the cross he asked the Father to take the cup from him, but he was still obedient to the Father’s will. In my life it usually takes trials for me to learn something. I am a stubborn person so when I go through trials or I suffer I usually learn obedience through it.

Application

Today I will pray that God would continue to show me His will and that I would be obedient to it.

Satisfied In You

Psalm 17:15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

“As for me” David is making a contrast from what he was just saying about the wicked man in the verses before. He is saying unlike them, “I shall behold your face in righteousness.” Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” We are only righteous through Christ and His sacrifice for us. So we can behold the face of God because of the righteousness we have through Christ. “When I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.” Thinking of death as going to sleep as it is seen in Acts 7:59-60,

Acts 7:59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Acts 7:60 And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

 This is talking about the first martyr of Jesus Christ, Stephen. He was stoned to death and it says that he fell asleep. This is for him dying. So awaking from death I will be satisfied with God’s likeness. I will be in heaven with the Lord and I will truly be satisfied.

1^st John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

I don’t have to wait until I am in heaven to be satisfied in the Lord though. I can always be satisfied and content in Him. Whenever I awake, so every morning I want to be satisfied in the Lord. He is an amazing God and he is so worthy of my praise and worship. He created everything. We can’t even fathom how big and how amazing our God is. He wants to have a relationship with me so He sent His only son to this world to save me… Me? A sinner who is completely unworthy of the free gift that God has given me. Yes, God came to this world to save me. Why wouldn’t I be satisfied in this amazing God who loves me more than I can even imagine. 

Content In Everything

Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Here Paul is explaining to the Philippians that he is content in whatever situation that he is in. In the next two verses he says,

Philippians 4:12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Like Paul is saying here, I want to be able to be content in whatever situation. I want to be content in the Lord in any situation. I want to know how to be brought low and how to abound. Since I can do all things through him who strengthens me, it doesn’t matter what situation I am in. It doesn’t matter if I am poor or rich. God is the one who gives me strength and I can be content where he has me. This verse doesn’t say I am content when I am abounding or everything in life is going great. It says, “for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” The part of this that says, “I have learned” tells me that it wasn’t something that just happened or came naturally, but through trials and different circumstances he learned how to be content.

Application

Today I will pray that God would teach me how to be content in any situation.

Content In The Lord

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Things can become idols in our lives and money is one of those things. We can look to people, belongings, money or lifestyles before we look to God and these are idols in our lives. So “Keep your life free from the love of money” This isn’t saying don’t have money, but it is saying not to love money. 1^st Timothy 6:10 says, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” Loving money can draw us to the world and what we can buy, instead of drawing us to the Lord. “and be content with what you have” I have Jesus and since I have Jesus I can be content. The next thing that is said is, “I will never leave or forsake you.” So we have Jesus and he will never leave or forsake us. At times I feel like God isn’t speaking to me or like I don’t feel him, but this isn’t God being distant from me. This is me not drawing near to Him. I can be content being poor or rich. Money shouldn’t matter to me. Jesus will never leave or forsake me so why would I not be content? Hebrews 13:8-9 say,

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.

I want to be content in God alone so today I am fasting. I am hungry right now and this verse really speaks to me. Food isn’t going to draw me closer to the Lord. I want the Lord to be my everything not food or money.

Application

Today I am fasting because the Lord is more than enough for me and I want to be devoted to him.

Help Me Be Content

Luke 3:14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages."

Soldiers are here while John is baptizing and answering the crowd and tax collectors. The soldiers ask what they shall do. He is telling the soldiers not to threaten people to get money or goods from them. This is a normal thing for soldiers to do. The soldiers would sometimes accuse fellow soldiers to impress their officers. They would be able to have more than normal wages could afford. Then John says, “be content with your wages.” This can be a hard thing in life. John is telling the soldiers to not get more money from evil practices, but to be content with what they are getting for the wages. In life a lot of the time we want more than we are given, but here John is saying to be content with your wages. “Be content” so don’t complain or grumble about wanting more or don’t take unlawful action to get more money. Where in my life am I not content with my “wages” do I grumble or want more? Even though I have more than enough. I should be content with what I have. Philippians chapter 4 verses 11-13 say,

 Philippians 4:11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

Philippians 4:12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

God is all that I need. I should be content whether I have an abundance or I have need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. I can be content with my wages, because I am content in the Lord. Circumstances aren’t what bring me contentment, but it is the Lord who strengthens me.

Application

Today I will pray that the Lord would show me where I am not content and that He would work in me to change those areas. 

Godliness with Contentment Is Great Gain

1^st Timothy 6:6-8

1^st Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,

1^st Timothy 6:7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.

1^st Timothy 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.

True godliness with contentment is better than anything that money can buy or anything in this world. Godliness here means true Christianity. We possess nothing when we come into this world and we can’t take any of our worldly possessions with us when we die. Food and clothing are the main things that we need to live and we should be content with these simple things. We shouldn’t strive to be rich or have a lot and not be content until we are, but we should be content where the Lord has us. I want to be content where God has me. Not always wanting something more or something else that I don’t have. God gives me everything that I need and I want to be content in this. Being content in God alone is great gain.

Application

Today at our meals I will not take seconds because I want to be content with what I need. I don’t need more food so I won’t take it. 

Do Not Be Slothful

Hebrews 6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Being sluggish or slothful can deprive us from having faith and hope in the promise that God has for us. I want to be diligent in all that He has for me. “imitators of those” Abraham was a man of faith. He laid down Isaac in a complete surrender of the thing that he loved the most. He had faith in God’s will for his life. He was patient in the promise of God as well. I want to have faith or confidence in God during trials, knowing that his promises are true and that He has a perfect plan for my life. Patience is needed during trials. God is working in our lives and we need to have confidence in this and patience in trials and we will inherit His promises. Hebrews 6:11 says, “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,” With earnestness of the full assurance we will not want to be sluggish. The end is Heaven and we should be diligent with no doubts in the hope of God. Romans chapter 4 verses 20 and 21 say,

Romans 4:20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God,

Romans 4:21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.

These verses are talking about Abraham. We should be like him; we should have full assurance with no doubts in the promises of God.

Application

Today I will be diligent in all that I do and not be slothful or sluggish. Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” So I will do everything as for the Lord. 

The Lord Is At My Right Hand

Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

“I have set the LORD always before me” I want to be in the presence of God at all times. I want to be in His presence during the day as I am living my life and during the night and as well as when I am by myself. I want Him to be at my right hand. This phrase brings to mind what a right hand man is. For me this would be someone I would come to for wisdom, guidance, protection, and they would be my friend and I would be close to them. I would trust this person with my life. They would be my best friend the person I would look to when in trouble and the person that I would most enjoy being around. I want the LORD, the creator of everything, to be at my right hand. With the Lord at my right hand I will not be shaken.

Psalm 23:4 says “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

I will fear no evil because God is with me and because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God gives us peace even through trials or hard times. This peace surpasses all understanding, because it is from God. His peace will guard my heart and my mind in Christ.

Application

Today I will pray for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes before I go to sleep and continually coming to the Lord throughout the day.

God's Strength

Colossians 1:11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,

“May you be strengthened with all power”, In trials we should have power and strength and through them we will be strengthened. Not our own strength, but the Lords.

Eph 3:16 says, “that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

God gives us the power that we need. It isn't by anything we do but by asking him and he will grant it to us through his Spirit that is in us. During this time in IGNITE I have already found myself tired and I have exhausted my own strength and been stretched in ways that I know I am not able to do on my own, but by asking the Lord to give me what I need He always has. The strength is according to God's might and His glory. Through these times of trial I want to be rejoicing not grumbling or complaining.

2^nd Corinthians 8:2 says, “ for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.”

I want to have an abundance of joy even when I am in a severe time of testing. The Lord puts us through trials to grow us.

Application

Today I will pray that the Lord will continue to give me strength in what I am doing and that all I do would be glorifying to Him.

Patient Endurance

Luke 21:19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

By your endurance, or patience, you will gain your lives or posses your souls. When Pastor Don was here he talked about the patience in Nehemiah Chapter 2. Nehemiah was patient in where the Lord had him. Patience builds character and God grows us by bringing us through trials. Romans chapter 5 verses 3-5 say,

Rom 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

Rom 5:4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Rom 5:5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Paul says here that we should rejoice in sufferings because it builds endurance. And we know from Luke 21:19 that by endurance we will posses our souls. So how can we endure trials? This doesn't mean simply tolerating them but trusting that the Lord will give you what you need to get through the trial and stepping out in faith. Verses 12 through 15 say,

Luke 21:12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

Luke 21:13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness.

Luke 21:14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

Luke 21:15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

In these verses Jesus is saying that he will give them what they need. We should not give up in trials but this also isn't by our own strength that we are able to get through the trial. It is by the power of God. We should be standing firm and praying and trusting in the Lord, because if we are doing this we will gain our lives. Those who truly have faith in Christ will endure for his namesake. So since we endured the trial trusting in Christ and bearing witness to his name we gain life and show that we truly have faith in Christ.

Application

Today I will pray that the Lord would show me where I am relying on my own strength in trials and not relying on him.

Praying For His Will Not My Own

Colossians 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

When they heard about the churches faith in Christ they prayed without ceasing. Verse 4 says that they always thank the Lord for them when they pray. This church is expanding and growing in the knowledge of the Lord and his love and grace. 1^st Thessalonians 5:17 says “pray without ceasing” and this is what the apostles did. The apostles were constantly coming to the Lord with their prayers and when they were praying they were lifting up the Colossian church. As verses 10 through 12 say the apostles are praying for this for this for the church.

Col 1:10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Col 1:11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,

Col 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

In the verse 8 the church shows that they have a desire to do God's will so he is now saying that they pray that the church would have a clear understanding of God's will for them and that it would be in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. They shouldn't be looking to this world for wisdom about what to do, but what they are doing should be God's will and it should be in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Application

I will ask the Lord in prayer to show me his will for me and what I should do and I want it to be in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. I don't want it to be my own thoughts but I want His thought to be my thoughts and I will pray for missionaries that I hear about even if I don't know them.

Teach Me To Number My Days

Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

We have a limited amount of time on this earth. “So teach us to number our days” Psalm 39:4 says "O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!” Without God my life is just useless toil. I want to make my life count towards the kingdom of God and I want to be the vessel that the Lord uses. I don't want to waste my life. I want to number my days and make each day count. Our lives are fleeting and we should be used by God through our lives. Since we know that are lives are fleeting we should act wisely. Not earthly wisdom, but Godly wisdom. With the goal of my end (heaven) in mind I should be living a life that looks different from the world. Not living for myself, but living in a way that I am impacting the world for the kingdom of God. This can be in everything that I'm doing Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Having this verse in mind will change the way that I act when given a task I don't want to do or just in everything that I am doing. I can have a heart of wisdom from fearing the Lord, numbering my days, living with simplicity and godly sincerity.

Application

In everything that I do whether it is washing dishes, sweeping or even sharing the gospel I should to it to the Lord not to man. I shouldn't be looking to man for approval or to impress anyone. With my days numbered I will live for the kingdom and not for this world or for myself.