The Official Blog of Code-4 Ministries

Impacting Lives!

2009-08-27T20:30:00.002-04:00

Here is a copy of what I just posted on my personal blog. This minisrty is going to be HUGE thanks to God!

This story was relayed to me by a friend who is trying to get back into ministry:

"Today I was at my counselor's office and she suggested that I look into police ministry. She told me that about 80% of all police marriages end in divorce. (That is an accurate percentage.) She told me that she meets with a police officer who told her about this guy in Canton, Ga who has started a police ministry and wants to get in touch with him to learn about starting his own. She told me that she thought the name was Code-4 Ministries or something like that. I told her that I knew the guy who started it and that we talked on a regular basis."

There are a few things that make this story even more powerful:

1. I've never met this counselor!

2. I've never met the officer!

3. The counselor is two counties away!

4. The officer doesn't even police in my county!

5. She got the name right!

6. The officer wants to start his own ministry!

7. This ministry is only 2 months old!

8. All of my marketing is by word of mouth and social media!

9. She knew the damage that police do in a marriage!

10. This isn't happening because of me!

Like I said in #7; this ministry is only 2 months old!!! It already extends beyond county lines and professional lines! But you know what the best thing of all is? I can't take credit for any of it! This is bigger than something natural. It's SUPER-natural! This is all the work of GOD. I could try to spin it to make me look good, but what's the point? Give credit where credit is due! Listen, this is one of those things that you cannot explain! When I sent out almost 200 event invites over Facebook and only get 15 commitments, how do you say that it is my doing?

Even better, this is right on target with the vision for this ministry! Now, let's give credit where credit is due:

God, keep on advancing this ministry until it is too big for anyone to think that the credit belongs to a person!

365 Days Recap (What has changed)

2009-08-02T22:45:00.006-04:00

Wow! It has been a wild ride. I'll admit, it was tough and there were some times that I just didn't want to read. Lots of things happened so I'll try to bring you up to speed:

1. My father died. Here's the post.

2. My brother recieved Jesus Christ as his savior and got baptized! Here's the post.

3. I started blogging about this on LiveJournal, but I couldn't install a Google Analytics tracker, so I switched to Blogger. It was worth it!

4. I started off with a New King James Version of the Bible, went to a New International Version, and finished with a New Century Version. Incidentally the NKJV has spent some time in Iraq. I sent it overseas with a friend of mine when I was in the Marine Corps. The NCV is called Dad's Bible: The Father's Plan. I used Biblegateway for all of my passage lookups.

5. I learned the SOAP Note method from Greg Rohlinger, Pastor of Palm Valley Church in Goodyear, Arizona. He came to speak at Revolution Church to announce the loss of the pastor.

6. My wife's pregnant! As of now she is 10 weeks along and sick as a dog every day!

7. I started Code-4 Ministries! This has been the driving force behind finishing my study!

8. I have hit my 4 year mark volunteering at Revolution Church.

9. The pastor that inspired me to read the Bible had an affair. Here's his post. Here's my response.

10. My wife's brother got saved (at my house, in my hammock) and was baptized!

11. My wife tells me that I am not such an ass anymore! (sometimes)

12. I no longer work for Canton Police Department.

13. My son will start school on August 4.

14. I had an aunt die.

15. I have been in touch with several awesome people who lead police ministries in various parts of the country. I have traveled to Chattanooga, TN to observe a police ministry at work.

16. I've found a ministry mentor who is known for doing things above and beyond what is expected. You'd be surprised who it is, but I'm not telling yet!

17. And finally and most importantly, I've learned that people see a difference in the way that I live my life. They know that there is something different about me. I thank God for changing my heart and leaving his word on this earth for all of us to read.

That is all of the things that I can think of that have happened in my year long journey through God's Word. It has been a wild ride and I can't wait to start it all over again. Maybe next time I'll do character studies. Thank you for following along with me, I hope that I taught you something.

Acts 27-28

2009-08-02T18:54:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 28:31 "He boldly preached about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one stopped him."

O: Paul leaves us an open end for the book of Acts!

A: This is the last of my SOAP Notes! I find it fitting that the last verse of the last chapter of the last book on my reading plan is perhaps the most encouraging! I hope that with all of my new found knowledge that I can go teach the world about Jesus! And maybe, just maybe, no one can stop me!

P: Father, thank You for this incredible journey!

Revelation 18-22

2009-08-02T18:50:00.002-04:00

S: Revelation 19: 12-16 "His eyes are like burning fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him, which no one but himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. Out of the rider's mouth comes a sharp sword that he will use to defeat the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will crush out the wine in the winepress of the terrible anger of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his upper leg was written this name: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

O: Jesus has just revealed to us how he will come back to earth!

A: How's that for the loving, caring, glowing white robe, blond hair, blue eye Jewish Carpenter? Not the Jesus that we remember from Sunday School huh?

P: God, Your word always amazes me with its awesomeness!

Song of Solomon 7-8

2009-08-02T18:28:00.002-04:00

S: Song of Solomon 7:11-12 "Come, my lover, let's go out into the country and spend the night in the fields. Let's go early to the vineyards and see if the buds are on the vines. Let's see if the blossoms have already opened and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love."

O: The woman is talking to the man.

A: WWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! Is that girl talking about sex right there? Sure does sound like it to me! Sex in the Bible?!?! You can read it for yourself. Oh, but sex is only for married people. Don't forget!!!

P: Father, thank You for giving us an example of how we are supposed to be have sexually!

Psalm 149-150

2009-08-02T18:25:00.003-04:00

S: Psalm 149:5 "Let those who worship him rejoice in his glory. Let them sing for joy even in bed!"

O: This is a song about God's glory.

A: Do we praise God as often as we should? If we do, then we shouldn't be able to breath! Remember to keep God in your thoughts at all times, even when you've just woke up!

P: Father, thank You!

Ester 6-10

2009-08-02T18:19:00.002-04:00

S: Ester 6:10 "The king commanded Haman, "Go quickly. Take the robe and the horse just as you have said, and do all this for Mordecai the Jew who sits at the king's gate. Do not leave out anything you have suggested."

O: Haman, who had planned to kill all the Jews, has just been told to honor Mordecai.

A: Man, what a humbling experience that must have been. Talk about eating crow! Mordecai has just found favor with the king. We find out as we read that Haman was hanged for his plots against the Jews and Mordecai was given everything that Haman had. Talk about sweet justice!

P: Father, help me to remain humble!

Deuteronomy 32-34

2009-08-02T18:02:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 34:5 "Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in Moab, as the Lord had said."

O: Moses has just seen the promised land and has died.

A: Wow. What a life to have lived. Moses saw God face to face and lived to tell about it. 40 years of wandering in the desert. All of that great life and Moses didn't get to enter the promised land because of his sin. If Moses wasn't good enough to get into the promised land by his deeds, what makes you think that your deeds will get you into heaven?

P: Lord, help me to help people understand that there is only one way into heaven!

Jude

2009-08-02T17:58:00.002-04:00

S: Jude 9 "Not even the archangel Michael, when he argued with the devil about who would have the body of Moses, dared to judge the devil guilty. Instead, he said, "The Lord punish you."

O: Jude, the brother of Jesus is telling the church about people who have come to destroy it.

A: Know you place! It might not be your place to tell someone that they are wrong, even though they are. Make sure that your heart is right before you confront someone. Oh and make sure that you aren't doing the same thing they are.

P: God, give me a discerning heart so that I can know my place!

Acts 25-26

2009-08-02T17:26:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 26:28 "King Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian in such a short time?"

O: Paul is telling King Agrippa about his changed life.

A: That's the million dollar statement isn't it? We aren't called to save people from an eternity in hell. All we have to do is tell them about Jesus and God will do the rest. We aren't called to save people, that Jesus's job. People say it all the time, "I can't just start believing in Jesus!" Well you could believe in the tooth fairy couldn't you. The tooth fairy can't give you eternal life in Heaven. Take your pick: tooth fairy or Jesus?

P: Lord, help me to realize that I can't always have the right words for people!

Revelation 12-17

2009-08-02T17:23:00.002-04:00

S: Revelation 17:14 "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. He will defeat them with his called, chosen, and faithful followers."

O: John is telling about how Jesus will conquer satan.

A: Call yourself a Christian? Mount up! It's time to put your money where your mouth is! God WILL call you to fight on his behalf. I hope that you were listening around Psalm 144:1!

P: God, thank You for allowing me to fight for your cause!

Song of Solomon 5-6

2009-08-02T17:20:00.003-04:00

S: Song of Solomon 5:16 "His mouth is sweet to kiss, and I desire him very much. Yes, daughters of Jerusalem, this is my lover and my friend."

O: The woman is telling the women around her about the man.

A: Is your spouse also your friend. I know that at one time, that was not the case for me. I could have cared less if I had gotten a divorce. Marriage is hard! Hard times call for friends. You need to make your spouse your friend. They have been there for you through all of the ups and downs and they know how you are feeling. Give it a shot.

P: Lord, thank You for putting a wonderful, Godly woman in my life!

Psalm 146-148

2009-08-02T17:17:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 147:4 "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name."

O: This is a song to God.

A: That is an awesome God. He counts the stars and names them all! On top of that, he has the earth to deal with, and then your problems on top of all that! What a workload! But hey, if he couldn't handle it, he wouldn't be God.

P: Father, thank You for keeping my in your sights!

Ester 1-5

2009-08-02T17:13:00.002-04:00

S: Ester 3:2 "All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor."

O: Haman was given a great honor by King Xerxes, but Mordecai would only kneel down to his God and no one else.

A: Stick to your guns! When you first start reading this book, it seems like Mordecai is going to suffer greatly for his choices. But as we continue to read, it becomes apparent that God has something special in store for Mordecai. If you make a decision, stick to it! Don't let the pressure of the people around you cause you to break your moral code. Keep strong. It will work out in the end!

P: God, help me to stay true to You, no matter what I am facing!

Deuteronomy 29-31

2009-08-02T17:09:00.004-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 30:12-14 "It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it."

O: Moses is telling the people that God's word is written for them.

A: There is power in these verses right here! We don't have to wonder what God wants us to do. We don't have to guess about what God expects from us! It's all right there in that dusty old bible that has a faded cover but the pages inside look brand new. Open it up and explore the world of opportunities that God has in store for you!

P: Lord, thank You for leaving Your word here on earth for all of us to read!

3 John

2009-08-02T17:09:00.001-04:00

S: 3 John 10 "So if I come, I will talk about what Diotrephes is doing, about how he lies and says evil things about us. But more than that, he refuses to accept the other brothers and sisters; he even stops those who do want to accept them and puts them out of the church."

O: John is telling the church that he will come to speak to them about Diotrephes not wanting new believers.

A: Is this how your church is? Are they just happy with the people that they have? I am going to say something dangerous right now: The church doesn't exist for Christians! Matthew 9:12 tells us that the church exists for the non-believers to be shown the way to Jesus! Christians are meant to go out and tell the world about Jesus. I know that that's not popular to say, but Jesus didn't say very man popular things. So go out and be a doctor!

P: Father, help me to understand that church isn't about me; it's about them!

Acts 23-24

2009-08-01T16:44:00.003-04:00

S: Acts 24:24-25 "After some days Felix came with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish, and asked for Paul to be brought to him. He listened to Paul talk about believing in Christ Jesus. But Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about living right, self-control, and the time when God will judge the world. He said, "Go away now. When I have more time, I will call for you."

O: Paul was telling the story of Jesus to Felix and his wife.

A: Imagine that a Biblical character shows the exact same behavior of someone who lives today. Jesus wants to radically change our lives and all we care about it why he wants us to change. We just want to have our God that fits in our box and the blue-eyed Jesus that just loves everyone for who they are. I heard someone who smokes pot say recently, "Well, God and I have an understanding about pot." Yeah dumbass, you're stupid! It's a habit (sin) and it's against the law (sin). You are living in sin and you think that God is OK with that?

P: Father, thank You for changing me even when I didn't want to be changed!

Revelation 7-11

2009-08-01T16:41:00.002-04:00

S: Revelation 9:20 "The other people who were not killed by these terrible disasters still did not change their hearts and turn away from what they had made with their own hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—things that cannot see or hear or walk."

O: God is destroying the earth.

A: Wow, people! You have just seen 1/3 of your friends die because of the exact thing that you're doing. Wouldn't that be enough to make you stop. Apparently not. This Biblical truth still applies today, just as they all do. We see people destroy their lives doing something and we think, "Ahh, he was stupid. I'll never get caught!" Let me know how that works out for ya!

P: God, help me to learn from other's mistakes!

Song of Solomon 3-4

2009-08-01T16:37:00.003-04:00

S: Song of Solomon 4:5 "Your breasts are like two fawns, like twins of a gazelle, feeding among the lilies."

O: The man is complimenting the woman.

A: Most Baptist preachers will tell you that this book is about the love that Jesus has for his church. What do you think? Does the church have boobs? Because that's what this verse is talking about. Women's breasts. I didn't make this up, I didn't write the book, I didn't make any changes in the way that the text appears in my Bible. What do you think: Church or Woman?

P: Father, thank You for giving us a book about sex and love and how it is supposed to be done!

Psalm 143-145

2009-08-01T16:33:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle."

O: This is a psalm of David thanking God for helping him win wars.

A: Everything that you do for the kingdom of God should be viewed as helping in the battle. God will prepare you for battle if you let him. But here's a warning, fighting a war is dirty. It's costly! Are you willing to endure the unimaginable to help advance God's kingdom?

P: Father, sign me up! I am ready to help advance Your kingdom!

Nehemiah 10-13

2009-08-01T16:30:00.002-04:00

S: Nehemiah 13:17-18 "I argued with the important men of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing you are doing? You are ruining the Sabbath day. This is just what your ancestors did. So our God did terrible things to us and this city. Now you are making him even more angry at Israel by ruining the Sabbath day."

O: Nehemiah has came back to Jerusalem to find that very few people had kept their promise to God.

A: When will we learn? God gives you chance after chance after chance but we just keep blowing it. We have in instruction manual on how to please God, but a majority of the people who call themselves Christians have never even read the book. That's a shame! That's why I am doing it.

P: God, help me to get through Your word so that I may help to teach people about you!

Deuteronomy 26-28

2009-08-01T16:28:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 28:1 "You must completely obey the Lord your God, and you must carefully follow all his commands I am giving you today. Then the Lord your God will make you greater than any other nation on earth."

O: Moses is telling the people about God's promises.

A: Wanna know how to make it in this world? There you have it! Do what God wants you to do and you will succeed. Oh, but that's success by God's standards, not yours.

P: Lord, help me to see that I can't measure success in a Godly way. Only You can!

2 John

2009-08-01T16:25:00.003-04:00

S: 2 John 7 "Many false teachers are in the world now who do not confess that Jesus Christ came to earth as a human. Anyone who does not confess this is a false teacher and an enemy of Christ."

O: John is writing a letter, presumable to a church, about false teachers.

A: How do you know if you're preacher is full of crap? Ask him if he believes that Jesus Christ ever walked on this earth. His answer will let you know.

P: God, thank You for sending your Son to this earth to die for our sins!

Acts 21-22

2009-08-01T16:20:00.003-04:00

S: Acts 22:20 "They also know I was there when Stephen, your witness, was killed. I stood there agreeing and holding the coats of those who were killing him!"

O: Paul is telling the people his story of salvation!

A: Man, you think that you've done some bad stuff! Paul, before God changed him name from Saul, used to kill the followers of Jesus! Like all the time, like that was his job. He got paid to do that! He actually made it more comfortable for people to kill Christians by holding their coats for them. That is a bad person right there. But at a different level, let me ask you this: Are you making it easier for people to dishonor God? Are you pressuring your friends to make un-Godly decision in their lives? Are you keeping a secret (holding the coat) of your friends who is cheating on his wife? Really when you think about it, we're no better than Saul.

P: Father help me to hold people accountable for the sin in their lives!

Revelation 1-6

2009-08-01T16:13:00.002-04:00

S: Revelation 3:15-16 "I know what you do, that you are not hot or cold. I wish that you were hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold—I am ready to spit you out of my mouth."

O: This is talking about the people of the church being indifferent to God.

A: Better be careful here! Let's not talk about mediocre people attending church. After all, your kid's soccer, baseball, basketball, football, travel ball games are more important than hearing God's plan you their life, huh? We'll break our backs trying to please our kids, or better yet, living through our kids because after all, Little Johnny's gonna get that scholarship 10 years from now so he better practice up! To HELL with your travel ball games! I really mean that. Get your kid to church so he can learn about why some athletes seem to be a little different (God). Why some aren't our marrying 5 and 6 women; but staying faithful to the one they have. I'm done. :)

P: God, help us to learn that we should be on fire for You!

Song of Solomon 1-2

2009-08-01T16:07:00.004-04:00

S: Songs of Solomon 2:7 "Women of Jerusalem, promise me by the gazelles and the deer not to awaken or excite my feelings of love until it is ready."

O: The woman in the book is madly in love!

A: I've been waiting to post my thoughts on this book for a LONG time! This woman is madly in love with her man, but they aren't married yet. So she tells her friends, "Look, we ain't married so I can't sleep with him yet. Keep me accountable for this and don't try to pressure me into it!" We need to have more friends like that. Instead of when we're out, having your buddies encourage you to get in some one's pants, they need to be smacking you in the head! Show that person some respect. Oh and show God some respect. Sex before marriage is wrong. I know that's not popular to say, but screw it! Well, not literally.

P: Father, help me to keep my sexual urges under control and show some self-control!

Psalm 140-142

2009-08-01T16:03:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 141:3 "Lord, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say."

O: David is asking God to help him control his tongue.

A: We have the ability to build people up with our words. We also have the ability to tear people down with them. We must guard our mouths as carefully as we guard our heats. On against offense and one against offending! We, as Christians, are supposed to set the example! How are doing in that area?

P: Father, help me to guard my mouth and let nothing but praise for you come from it!

Nehemiah 5-9

2009-08-01T15:54:00.002-04:00

S: Nehemiah 6:16 "When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God."

O: The prophet Nehemiah has rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem in record time. He knew that only God could accomplish such a great feat.

A: Every once in a while, God will do something so amazing that it could only be done with his help. It is in those times that we need to let God's glory shine! If we try to make it our own victory, people will see right through it. God gives us opportunities to work closely with him. We need to take advantage of every one of those opportunities and bask in the glory of being side by side with God.

P: Lord, thank You for allowing me the opportunity to see you work!

Deuteronomy 23-25

2009-08-01T15:52:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 25:3 "But he must not give him more than forty lashes. If he is flogged more than that, your brother will be degraded in your eyes."

O: Moses has just laid out the punishment that is acceptable for the people.

A: Be careful that when you are punishing someone you don't go too far. People that do wrong need to be punished, that is how they learn. But make sure that you are doing it with the right heart and in the right way.

P: God, help me to learn what is acceptable for punishment!

1 John 4-5

2009-08-01T15:49:00.002-04:00

S: 1 John 5:3 "This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome."

O: John is telling us how to love God.

A: This seems pretty simple doesn't it?!?! Do what God asks us to do and that show him that we love him. By the way, it pays to love someone who can raise you from the dead. That's friends with benefits!

P: Father, thank You for making it easy to love You!

Acts 19-20

2009-07-31T23:14:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 20:9 "Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead."

O: Paul is preaching all through the night and someone falls asleep.

A: Here it is! The first recorded Christian falling asleep in church! All the pastors out there shouldn't feel bad, because if someone can fall asleep with Paul preaching . . . . . Just sayin'! But you know what the cool thing is? Paul goes down and revives Eutychus and then goes back to preaching! How dedicated are you to showing people the love of Jesus?

P: God, help me to show your love to everyone, even if they fall asleep!

Malachi

2009-07-31T23:08:00.002-04:00

S: Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

O: God is speaking through the prophet Malachi and telling the people that they have been robbing Him.

A: Baaaaaammmmmmmmm!!!!! There it is! Here's your chance to test God! This is the ONLY place in the Bible where you will see God welcome you to test him! Go ahead, give it a try! I have! I stopped robbing God! And you know what, all of a sudden, I couldn't out give God! But guess what happened? I started robbing God again! And then guess what happened? Money troubles, just barely getting by! It never fails, the more money that you give to God, the more money that he gives back to you. Oh, it's not your money! Let's just make that 100% clear. God gives you the money, he's just seeing if you are a good steward of what he has entrusted to you! How's that going by the way?

P: Father, I need to stop robbing You. Help me in this sinful area in my life!

Ecclesiastes 11-12

2009-07-31T23:04:00.003-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 11:4 "Those who wait for perfect weather will never plant seeds; those who look at every cloud will never harvest crops."

O: The author is passing on more words of wisdom for our lives.

A: Man, let me tell you; God has spoken to me through this verse several times! You can't always wait for everything to be just so! Oh, by the way, the conditions are always right for God to use you! You cannot get your life straightened out with out him, so stop trying!

P: Lord, thank You for using me just as I am!

Psalm 137-139

2009-07-31T22:59:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 139:1 "Lord, you have examined me and know all about me."

O: This is a psalm of David talking about how God really knows us.

A: God knew everything that we were going to do and still loved us anyway! God knows when we are going to sin, but he still is there to accept us back with open arms. This never ceases to amaze me!

P: Father, thank You for always being there for me, even when you knew that I would hurt You!

Nehemian 1-4

2009-07-31T22:52:00.002-04:00

S: Nehemiah 4:23 "Neither I, my brothers, my workers, nor the guards with me ever took off our clothes. Each person carried his weapon even when he went for water."

O: Nehemiah had started to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem.

A: We need to always be on guard! The devil could attack at any moment, and usually will when you're lease expecting it. Always keep an eye open for the subtle attacks of satan. One battle at a time; that's how a war is won. We need to keep the devil at bay. Jesus has already won the war for us, we just need to keep the devil from winning as many battles as he can. Are you ready?

P: Father, thank You for giving me the instruction on how to keep the devil at a distance!

Deuteronomy 20-22

2009-07-29T11:23:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 22:4 "If you see your fellow Israelite's donkey or ox fallen on the road, don't ignore it. Help the owner get it up."

O: Moses is again telling us how to live in harmony with each other.

A: How about just be nice and helpful. Is it that hard to help each other? How many times have we driven by someone broken down on the side of the interstate? Is that the "Christian" thing to do? No. why not stop and at least ask them if they would like you to call a tow truck!

P: God, help me to remember that I am called to help other people!

1 John 1-3

2009-07-29T11:15:00.002-04:00

S: 1 John 3:9 "Those who are God's children do not continue sinning, because the new life from God remains in them. They are not able to go on sinning, because they have become children of God."

O: John is telling us about how Jesus changes us.

A: This is why we have an aversion to sinning after we get a new life in Christ! We cannot claim to love God and then disobey his word.

P: Father, help me to be obedient to Your words!

Acts 17-18

2009-07-29T11:08:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 18:25-26 "He had been taught about the way of the Lord and was always very excited when he spoke and taught the truth about Jesus. But the only baptism Apollos knew about was the baptism that John taught. Apollos began to speak very boldly in the synagogue, and when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him to their home and helped him better understand the way of God."

O: Apollos has begun his public ministry and has to be guided on his understandings.

A: I love this! Apollos just jumps in with both feet! Sure he has some things to fine-tune, but he just goes at it with no reservations! And then you see some people who have been at it a little longer reign him back in, make some adjustment, and then release him back at it! This guy is full steam ahead! He's like a freakin' pit bull after the prey! Why can't we all be that way about God?

P: Father, help me to be more like Apollos! Full steam ahead!

Zechariah 8-14

2009-07-29T11:03:00.002-04:00

S: Zechariah 12:10 "I will pour out on David's family and the people in Jerusalem a spirit of kindness and mercy. They will look at me, the one they have stabbed, and they will cry like someone crying over the death of an only child. They will be as sad as someone who has lost a firstborn son."

O: Zechariah is telling the people of Jerusalem that they have hurt God.

A: Ever said something and them immediately realized that you shouldn't have? And you know that it has hurt someone deeply? Like "Oh, that was bad!" Well just think, on a daily basis we stab God in the back with the selfish things that we do. When we love our money more than Him. When we love our things more than Him. One day, if we haven't already, we will realize the damage that we are doing to God and cry for it like we are crying over the loss of our firstborn son.

P: Lord, help me to always seek you in everything that I do!

Ecclesiastes 9-10

2009-07-29T10:59:00.002-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 10:10 "A dull ax means harder work. Being wise will make it easier."

O: The author is telling us about hard work.

A: Ever heard the phrase work smarter not harder? Well there you go, it's biblical! Yes, the work that we do for God is hard, but if we give ourselves an advantage, the work doesn't seem to be as hard. This is true of our lives too. If we can find a way to make our lives easier, we should. As long as it doesn't involve sin!

P: God, help me to appreciate the work that I am doing for You!

Psalm 134-136

2009-07-29T10:47:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 136:26 "Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love continues forever."

O: This is a psalm about God's love.

A: If God's love didn't continue forever, then boy would we be screwed! All of the times that we screw up, that we dishonor God, that we sin! Those are most definitely the times when God should take his love from us. He doesn't.

P: Father, thank You for always loving us!

Ezra 6-10

2009-07-28T22:29:00.003-04:00

S: Ezra 9:6 "I prayed, My God I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are so many. They are higher than our heads. Our guilt even reaches up to the sky."

O: Ezra has just found out that the people who went with him to Jerusalem have disobeyed God's orders.

A: Is this what we say when we have sinned against God? Or do we just say, "Oh, well God understands?" We need to get on our faces before God and repent of our sins!!!

P: Father, thank You for forgiving my sins!

Deuteronomy 16-19

2009-07-28T22:17:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 17:18-19 "When he becomes king, he should write a copy of the teachings on a scroll for himself, a copy taken from the priests and Levites. He should keep it with him all the time and read from it every day of his life. Then he will learn to respect the Lord his God, and he will obey all the teachings and commands."

O: Moses is telling the people that Kings need to keep God's word close to their hearts.

A: What a true scripture! Leaders need to make sure that they are doing what God is telling them to do, not what they want to do. Sometimes as leaders we have to make the tough decisions and those aren't popular. When we make those decisions and people talk junk about us, God is the only one who is there anyway! Keep God close to your heart, He may be the only one who's there.

P: Father, thank You for always being there, even when no one else was!

2 Peter

2009-07-28T21:41:00.003-04:00

S: 2 Peter 2:22 "What they did is like this true saying: "A dog goes back to what it has thrown up," and, "After a pig is washed, it goes back and rolls in the mud."

O: Peter is telling about people who were set free, but listened to false prophets.

A: All of our throw-up is waiting for us to come back to. A dog will go back to that! Even lovely fluffy the rat dog eats it. The only way for the dog to not go back to it is to train it. In the same way, we must be trained to leave our throw-up alone. We cannot keep going back to the things that we have left behind when we found our new life in Christ.

P: Father, thank You for teaching me to leave my past behind me!

Acts 15-16

2009-07-27T17:07:00.002-04:00

S: Acts16:32 "So Paul and Silas told the message of the Lord to the jailer and all the people in his house."

O: Paul and Silas, and everyone else at the jail, have just been set free by God and chose to stay in jail.

A: Who are the jailers in your life that need to hear about Jesus! From my perspective, I am the jailer. I literally take people to jail! I have never had one person witness to me about Jesus. I imagine that's because they've all been severely pissed that they are going to jail. But I take every opportunity to show the love of Christ to those in my car.

P: God, thank You for allowing me the opportunities to show people Christ's love!

Zechariah 1-7

2009-07-27T17:04:00.002-04:00

S: Zechariah 7:9 "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: 'Do what is right and true. Be kind and merciful to each other."

O: The prophet Zechariah is telling the people that God demands for us to be nice!

A: No matter how mad we are, God tells us to take a few deep breaths, count to 10, and be nice.

P: Father, thank You for teaching us how to treat each other, even though we don't do it!

Ecclesiastes 7-8

2009-07-27T16:49:00.003-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 7:20 "Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins."

O: The author calls to light a misconception that people that are good get into heaven!

A: There it is! There is hope for all of us. You can't be good enough to get into heaven and no one is exempt from sin! Everyone sins! Everyone does evil sometimes. It's just a matter of course. Next time you think that you are better than everyone else, just remember this!

P: God, thank You for sending your Son to this earth to die for the forgiveness of our sins!

Psalm 131-133

2009-07-27T16:41:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 132:3-5 "He said, "I will not go home to my house, or lie down on my bed, or close my eyes, or let myself sleep until I find a place for the Lord. I want to provide a home for the Mighty God of Jacob."

O: This is a song to God from the people going to Jerusalem.

A: Is this how we approach God in our lives? Can we say that we don't go to sleep until we have a place for God? Are we giving God enough time out of our day to feel connected with him? I give it my best effort, but some days I just feel like I haven't devoted enough time to God. We need to get better at that!

P: Father, I am sorry that I don't devote enough time to You!

Ezra 1-5

2009-07-25T16:21:00.002-04:00

S: Ezra 3:3 "Even though they were afraid of the people living around them, they built the altar where it had been before. And they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord morning and evening."

O: The Israelites started rebuilding an altar.

A: Even though you might not be making the popular decision, if it is the right one, stick with it! We can't always be the most popular person, so do what God is telling you to do and do it with joy. You don't need the approval of your friends. If they are your friends, they will support you no matter what you are doing!

P: Lord, help me to always do what is right!

Deuteronomy 13-15

2009-07-24T13:52:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 13:4 "Serve only the Lord your God. Respect him, keep his commands, and obey him. Serve him and be loyal to him."

O: Moses is warning us about false prophets and people who want us to serve other gods.

A: This is a simple lesson. Serve only God. Treat him like a father, in that you do what he asks and respect him as he demands.

P: Lord, thank You for making it easy to understand what is expected of us!

1 Peter 4-5

2009-07-24T13:25:00.002-04:00

S: 1 Peter 4:19 "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

O: Peter is telling us that we will suffer because we are Christians.

A: We always need to do what's right, but we must also be made aware that sometimes the right thing isn't the easy thing. There are probably more people doing the wrong thing because it's easy, than people don't the right thing. Just grin and bear it, you know what's right and what's wrong.

P: God, help me to always to what is right!

Acts 13-14

2009-07-24T13:07:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 13:51 "So Paul and Barnabas shook the dust off their feet and went to Iconium."

O: Paul and Barnabas were leaving the city of Antioch after being run off by religious women and leaders.

A: This seems like an unimportant piece of text, but it really serves as a warning. Shaking the dust off your feet is just like saying, "I've washed my hands of it!" I means that you're done and you will not help the situation. Be thankful that God hasn't washed his hands of us, even though he should!

P: Father, thank You for saving us from our sins!

Haggai

2009-07-24T13:04:00.002-04:00

S: Haggai 1:4 "Is it right for you to be living in fancy houses while the Temple is still in ruins?"

O: Haggai was telling the people that they needed to rebuild the Temple.

A: We must have our priorities in order. God needs to come first in your life! No second, or third, or last; first! Everything that we have comes from God, so how can we have anything without Him? Get God first and then everything will fall into place.

P: Father, help me to always make You first!

Ecclesiastes 5-6

2009-07-24T13:00:00.002-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 5:1 "Be careful when you go to worship at the Temple. It is better to listen than to offer foolish sacrifices without even knowing you are doing wrong."

O: The author is warning us about being stupid at church.

A: Sometimes it is just better to sit there and be a sponge! I have had many occasions to be a sponge but I didn't. We must always make sure our intentions are good when we open our mouths.

P: God, help me to always speak with wisdom!

Psalm 128-130

2009-07-24T12:58:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 130:3 "Lord, if you punished people for all their sins, no one would be left, Lord."

O: This is a psalm to God.

A: You really need this one explained?

P: Father, thank You for sending your Son to die on a cross for the forgiveness of my sins!

2 Chronicles 33-36

2009-07-24T12:52:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 36:16 "But they made fun of God's prophets and hated God's messages. They refused to listen to the prophets until, finally, the Lord became so angry with his people that he could not be stopped."

O: The people of Jerusalem had taunted prophets.

A: He could not be stopped! Keep poking the bear! We just keep on pushing and pushing and pushing, just to see how far we can take things. That's why people have affairs. They just keep pushing the limits until, BOOOOOMMMMM!!!!! A little flirting never hurt anyone, right? WRONG! You can only push God so far, and then He has nowhere to go.

P: God, help me to understand that you have the best of intentions for me and that I am an idiot for testing you!

Deuteronomy 10-12

2009-07-24T12:37:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 11:16 "Be careful, or you will be fooled and will turn away to serve and worship other gods."

O: Moses is telling the people that they need to guard their hearts of idols.

A: WOW! Moses points out a sad fact that still exists hundreds of years after his death! But I mean it's not like he couldn't see it coming. How many times had the Israelites already turned from God? A couple of times by now. God knows that this will happen, that's why he gives you warnings (see Zephaniah note). Guard your hearts and always keep your eyes focused on Jesus and what he is doing in your life.

P: Father, help me to always look for You in everything!

1 Peter 1-3

2009-07-24T12:32:00.002-04:00

S: 1 Peter 1:14 "Now that you are obedient children of God do not live as you did in the past. You did not understand, so you did the evil things you wanted."

O: This is a letter from Peter to several different people that were spread throughout the land.

A: "Why don't Christians just live any way they want to and then just apologize and ask to be forgiven when they want to?" Here is your answer. Once we have our hearts changed by Jesus, we cannot live the way that we used to. If Jesus has truly come into our lives, then we should not want to live that way again. We know better. It's just like smoking pot. It's hard to meet someone who has never smoked pot, but people grow up and understand the risks that it has.

P: Father, thank You for showing me that my past was sinful and wrong!

Acts 11-12

2009-07-23T16:39:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 12:23 "Because Herod did not give the glory to God, an angel of the Lord immediately caused him to become sick, and he was eaten by worms and died."

O: King Herod asked God for one more change, and he blew it!

A: What are the worms that are eating you in your life? Have you given credit where credit is due? Herod, just like you, could have avoided a miserable death if he had just show God's glory. Why deal with the worms any longer?

P: Lord, help me to show people Your love in everything!

Zephaniah

2009-07-23T16:31:00.002-04:00

S: Zephaniah 2:1-2 "Gather together, gather, you unwanted people. Do it before it's too late, before you are blown away like chaff, before the Lord's terrible anger reaches you, before the day of the Lord's anger comes to you."

O: Zephaniah is warning the people of Jerusalem about God's anger.

A: Wow, God warned the people who didn't like him! Is God trying to warn you about something is your life? Are you listening?

P: Father, give me a warning before my punishment so that I may correct my behavior!

Ecclesiastes 3-4

2009-07-23T16:23:00.002-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 4:10 "If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!"

O: The author is telling us that we aren't meant to go through life alone.

A: We were never meant to go through life by ourselves. That is why we seek companionship with other people. Well, unless you're like my wife and hate meeting new people! We need others to help us in our lives. Go find someone to do life with!

P: Lord, thank You for making me want a companion! I got a good one!

Psalm 125-127

2009-07-23T16:13:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 127:4 "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth."

O: This is a psalm to God from Solomon.

A: Why do you think that Solomon chose to use arrows to describe children? I think that it is because when we have children, we can mold them and shape them to do what we want. They can help or hurt, depending on who's using them. But I think what Solomon is trying to get at is that children can be taught to fight the right fight and help advance God's kingdom.

P: Father, help me to raise my kids in a Godly fashion!

2 Chronicles 29-32

2009-07-23T16:03:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 32:21 "And the LORD sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the leaders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons cut him down with the sword."

O: The Assyrian king had been insulting God.

A: Talk smack to God and find out what happens! The Assyrians were attacking and God didn't even let King Hezekiah fight! I can hear God now, "Oh no he didn't! Stand back Heza, it's about to get nasty right here!" Don't disgrace God with your words. Take advantage of every opportunity to praise Him for the things that He has done for you.

P: God, thank You for everything!

Deuteronomy 7-9

2009-07-10T15:23:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 9:6 "The Lord your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But know this: It is not because you are good; you are a stubborn people."

O: Moses is telling the people about God's plan.

A: We sometimes don't deserve what God gives us! We are stubborn and ungrateful! But God has a plan and you will get some things whether you deserve them right them or not! Deserving something is different than being ready for something. We can be ready to accept something and not deserve it!

P: Father, thank You for giving to me, even though I don't deserve it!

James 4-5

2009-07-10T14:57:00.002-04:00

S: James 4:17 "Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning."

O: James is giving us perhaps the most understandable definition of sin!

A: Ever had a lapse in integrity? Sinner. Really though, everyone is a sinner. That is why integrity is so high on my values list. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking. This is why forgiven people cannot just do whatever they want! They know the right thing to do, and their love for God helps them to do it!

P: Father, help me to always do the right thing!

Acts 9-10

2009-07-10T14:26:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 10:35 "In every country God accepts anyone who worships him and does what is right."

O: Peter has been told by God that he can teach to non-Jews.

A: Think that it's not right to tell other religions about Jesus? Wrong! No matter where someone comes from, God's love applies to them too.

P: Lord, help me to tell everyone everywhere about you!

Habakkuk

2009-07-10T14:18:00.002-04:00

S: Habakkuk 3:17-18 "Fig trees may not grow figs, and there may be no grapes on the vines. There may be no olives growing and no food growing in the fields. There may be no sheep in the pens and no cattle in the barns. But I will still be glad in the Lord; I will rejoice in God my Savior."

O: Habakkuk is praying a prayer of submission and telling God that he loves him!

A: How bad can your life get? Do you still have food to eat and water to drink? Habakkuk didn't have anything and he STILL told God that he was happy for Him. Are you a "fair-weather" Christian? Do you only praise God when everything is going your way?

P: God, thank You for saving me! No matter how bad things get, you are still God!

Ecclesiastes 1-2

2009-07-10T14:08:00.003-04:00

S: Ecclesiastes 2:24-25 "A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?"

O: The writer of this book, probably King Solomon, is telling us that life is about the simple things.

A: Even though no one really knows who wrote Ecclesiastes, this sounds like some Solomon wisdom right here! It's pretty simple really; Eat, drink, and enjoy life because God lets you! Putting God first in your life can help you to find the joy in the little things. Get to seeking and let God show you how to have a good time!

P: Lord, thank You for showing me how to enjoy the little things!

Psalm 123-124

2009-07-10T14:00:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 124:2 "What if the Lord had not been on our side when we were attacked?"

O: This is a Psalm of King David.

A: WOW! What if God was not looking out for us when we were attacked? What a world of hurt we would be in! Just think; God is always watching you and making sure that you are rescued! How powerful is that!?! Why wouldn't you want God on your side?

P: Father, thank You for being on my side!

2 Chronicles 25-28

2009-07-10T13:53:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 26:16 "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense."

O: King Uzziah was a very powerful king who made the mistake of entering the temple to do something that God reserved for the priests.

A: Hold your horses! Are you doing more than God wants you to do? Sometimes we can get so caught up in serving God that it becomes a matter of pride. "Well, I serve every Sunday and I haven't missed a single service in 3 years!" Really? How's that family life. I can tell you because it happened to me! Your family misses going to church with you! Stop being so prideful and make sure that you are doing what God wants you to do.

P: Father, thank You for opening my eyes and showing me that pride was hurting my family and my relationship with you!

Deuteronomy 4-6

2009-07-01T14:55:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 5:29 "I wish their hearts would always respect me and that they would always obey my commands so that things would go well for them and their children forever!"

O: Moses has been talking with God.

A: God wants what is best for you. But it all depends on what you do! He tells you right here that he want's nothing but the best for you. If you don't get it, it's your fault.

P: Father, thank You for looking out for me!

James 1-3

2009-07-01T14:28:00.002-04:00

S: James 3:9-10 "We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people, whom God made like himself. Praises and curses come from the same mouth! My brothers and sisters, this should not happen."

O: James is telling people about watching what they say!

A: If you don't have anything good to say, don't say anything at all! In light of what I have been reading on a certain social networking site, I feel that this is an appropriate set of scripture. We are all guilty of this, but I try really hard not to gossip. I have even been put on the spot to say things about people. Just walk away. Decline to sin! Go yell in your car about it. But whatever it is that is causing you to speak negatively about someone, deal with it. Oh, and then get over it. It's not worth sinning over again and again.

P: God, help me to keep negative words from my mouth!

Acts 7-8

2009-07-01T13:33:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 8:29 "The Spirit said to Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."

O: Philip is on the road to Gaza and sees a chariot. The man inside is reading from the book of Isaiah.

A: Here's your chance. You've prayed and prayed and prayed about it. God's thrown you a fastball straight down the pipe. No what are you going to do? God had set up Philip for a grand slam. The very next verse tells us that Philip RAN to the chariot! God will do great things in your life, but only after you take some action. RUN to do what God is telling you to do and you will see results that much faster.

P: Lord, renew my vision and help me to RUN to what You want for me!

Nahum

2009-07-01T13:09:00.002-04:00

S: Nahum 3:5 "I am against you, Nineveh," says the Lord All-Powerful. "I will pull your dress up over your face and show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame."

O: The prophet Nahum is telling the city of Nineveh that God will expose it and destroy it.

A: Wow, how embarrassing is that? Imagine God pulling up your dress and showing everyone what you really are. Are you hiding something from God that you don't want exposed?

P: God, help me to always be in Your graces!

Proverbs 31

2009-07-01T12:59:00.002-04:00

S: Proverbs 31:31 "Give her the reward she has earned; she should be praised in public for what she has done."

O: This is a proverbs from King Lemuel about what his mother taught him. He is giving the job description of a wife.

A: Husbands, it is you job to make your wives feel loved and secure. Proverbs 30 gives a description of a good wife, but you cannot lose the fact that there are instructions in there for men too. When was the last time you praised your wife in public? I know it's been far too long for me!

P: Lord, help me to always remember to show my appreciation to my wife. She deserves it!

Psalm 120-121

2009-07-01T12:11:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 120:2 "Save me, O LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues."

O: The psalmist is praying against lies that are being told against him.

A: How many times have you been lied about? Or better yet, how many times have you said that it was a lie, but it really wasn't? Lies destroy our lives. And your lies destroy someone else's life. Think about that the next time that the rumor mill blows your way!

P: Father, help me to guard against lies!

2 Chronicles 21-24

2009-07-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 24:19 "Even though the Lord sent prophets to the people to turn them back to him and even though the prophets warned them, they refused to listen."

O: God was angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem because they had done wrong in God's eyes.

A: Who had God put in your life to show you what you are doing wrong? Are you even listening to that person? God has put specific people with us to tell us when we are doing wrong. God will give you plenty of opportunity to see that you are wrong. Will you listen?

P: Lord, thank You for helping me to see that what I had done was not pleasing to you.

Deuteronomy 1-3

2009-06-30T23:15:00.002-04:00

S: Deuteronomy 3:26 "But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter."

O: Moses is telling the Israelites that he cannot enter the promised land because of his sin.

A: Wow. Moses, one of the greatest doers of God's work is a fallen man. You know why? Because he is still a man regardless. He sinned and now he is reaping the reward of his sin. He spent 40 years leading these people in the desert and because of one indiscretion, he will not get to see the fruits of his labor. Sin comes with a cost. You will pay it sooner or later. Think about this; if Moses can fall, are you any better?

P: God, help me to understand that sin has consequences that I do not want to pay!

Hebrews 11-13

2009-06-30T23:06:00.002-04:00

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

O: The author is closing out his letter and reminding people that Jesus does not change

A: I think that this one is pretty self explanatory!

P: Father, thank you for being practical and steady!

Acts 5-6

2009-06-25T01:00:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 6:10 "But the Spirit was helping him to speak with wisdom, and his words were so strong that they could not argue with him."

O: Stephen was speaking to the religious people.

A: When God is speaking through you, you cannot be argued with! I experienced this just this week. Someone told me that they believed there was other ways to tithe besides with their money. After I shared a little Malachi 3:10 with them and talked about giving of their time, talents, and treasures, they changed the topic. I wish that I could tell you that my conversation with them was heard and will change their life. It won't. But I could not be argued with, because God was speaking through me and I was showing this person exactly why she was wrong. Can't win them all, right?!?

P: God, speak through me so that I can show people who You are!

Micah

2009-06-24T23:12:00.002-04:00

S: Micah 7:8-9 "Enemy, don't laugh at me. I have fallen, but I will get up again. I sit in the shadow of trouble now, but the Lord will be a light for me. I sinned against the Lord, so he was angry with me, but he will defend my case in court. He will bring about what is right for me. Then he will bring me out into the light, and I will see him set things right."

O: The prophet Micah is telling the people that once God judges and punishes them, he will shower them with mercy!

A: WOW! For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God! (Romans 3:23) Even though we fall into sin, God will restore us. God knows that we have done wrong, but will fight for us anyway. Just as a parent punishes a wayward child, that same parent sings praises to their child when he does right! How awesome is it knowing that we have a God that will be just enough to punish us and still love us. With that kind of power behind us, Christians should be an unstoppable force in advancing the kingdom of God!

P: God, help us show the world that You are truly God.

Proverbs 30

2009-06-24T23:05:00.002-04:00

S: Proverbs 30:2-3 "I am the most stupid person there is, and I have no understanding. I have not learned to be wise, and I don't know much about God, the Holy One."

O: This is a proverb from Agur talking about God's wisdom.

A: Talk about someone who's being a little too hard on themselves! Maybe they have just hit it right on the head! We are all just like Agur. In comparison of what some people know about God, we don't know squat! Most of us, me included have never read completely through the Bible. I know Pastors that have never done that! People, listen; We don't know much about God. Certainly no one know everything about God. The best that we can do it submerge ourselves in His Word and hope that God will reveal to us the things that we need to get by.

P: Father, thank You for being beyond our comprehension!

Psalm 119

2009-06-24T22:34:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 119:27 "Help me understand your orders. Then I will think about your miracles."

O: This Psalm is written about the Word of God. Incidentally, it's the longest Psalm.

A: We cannot understand the miracles that God does for us unless we understand his reasons for doing them. It sounds cool that God made the sun stand still for Joshua, but you have to understand the context in which he did it. Joshua was fighting a battle that he was tricked into fighting! This wasn't even supposed to be happening. Joshua had disobeyed God and entered into a treaty with the Gibeonites without consulting God first. What makes this miracle even more amazing than the sun standing still, is that fact that God did it, even though Joshua did something wrong. A miracle on it's face value is still an awesome thing. But when you understand the method to it, that miracle becomes so much more powerful!

P: Lord, help me to always remember to examine the WILL behind Your WAYS!

2 Chronicles 16-20

2009-06-22T14:44:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 20:15 "He said, "Listen to me, King Jehoshaphat and all you people living in Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord says this to you: 'Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God's."

O: King Jehosephat and the people have prayed about a large army attacking them.

A: If God wants us to do something, he will help us out. We see this over and over again in the Bible where God says that He will be with us in battle. This time is not different except that in verse 17 it says, "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the Lord save you. Judah and Jerusalem, don't be afraid or discouraged, because the Lord is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow. " God tell Jehosephat that the people don't even have to fight, they just have to show up!!! God is telling us that we just have to be willing and he will make us able!

P: Father, thank You for being beside me in everything that I do!

Numbers 33-36

2009-06-22T14:25:00.002-04:00

S: Numbers 35:22-25 "'But a person might suddenly shove someone, and not from hatred. Or a person might accidentally throw something and hit someone. Or a person might drop a rock on someone he couldn't see and kill that person. There was no plan to hurt anyone and no hatred for the one who was killed. If that happens, the community must judge between the relative of the dead person and the killer, according to these rules. They must protect the killer from the dead person's relative, sending the killer back to the original city of safety, to stay there until the high priest dies (the high priest had the holy oil poured on him)."

O: The guilt or innocence of a person will be determined through due process.

A: I think that it is no coincidence that we see an early application of due process of law in the Bible. After all, this country was founded on Christian principles. The legal processes were adopted from the Magna Carta, which is itself a Christian document. Whether you like it or not, this country was founded on Christian beliefs. We need to preserve that.

P: Father, may we never forget that this great country that we live in is truly yours.

Hebrews 8-10

2009-06-22T14:16:00.002-04:00

S: Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised."

O: This cautions people to persevere in their commitment to following Jesus Christ.

A: God doesn't forget that he had made a promise to us. He follows through in all that he promises. God is not forgetful, God is not unfaithful. He does as he says he'll do. The hope that we confessed is that God has given His Son so that our sins would be forgiven.

P: God, thank You for sacrificing Your Son so that our sins would be forgiven.

Acts 3-4

2009-06-08T14:00:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 4:13 "The leaders saw that Peter and John were not afraid to speak, and they understood that these men had no special training or education. So they were amazed. Then they realized that Peter and John had been with Jesus."

O: Peter and John were taken before the religious leaders for healing a crippled man.

A: The point to see here is that Peter and John had not received any formal education. They were just regular people doing what God had called them to do. So now what's your excuse?

P: Father, thank You for allowing normal people like me to spread your word.

Jonah

2009-06-08T13:57:00.003-04:00

S: Jonah 4:4 "Then the Lord said, "Do you think it is right for you to be angry?"

O: Jonah has just expressed his anger with God for not killing the people of Ninevah.

A: Examine your motives when you are angry. Is your anger righteous? Why are you mad? God doesn't always do what you want Him to do, but he does everything for a reason. The people of Ninevah repented of their sins. That is the point of this passage. It's not what Jonah wanted, it's what God wanted.

P: Lord, help me to see past my own selfish desires and see what you are trying to accomplish!

Proverbs 28

2009-06-08T13:53:00.002-04:00

S: Proverbs 28:23 "Those who correct others will later be liked more than those who give false praise."

O: This is another proverbs with ethical advice.

A: It is hard to do the right thing and correct someone who had made a mistake. Eventually though, people will come to learn that you have their backs. It is hard to defend someone who is wrong, but if you teach them what is right, they will thank you in the end. That is what good leaders do.

P: God, give me the strength to call someone on their mistakes!

Psalm 117-118

2009-06-08T13:48:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 118:13 "They chased me until I was almost defeated, but the Lord helped me."

O: The author of this psalm has been redeemed.

A: It is important to note that God only helped this person AFTER he had troubles. This person came to God in a time of need and God showed him favor. The key here is that God allowed this person to be chased and almost defeated. God left him to his own devices. We have the ability to choose our own paths and make our own decisions. God doesn't expect you to be perfect, he expects you to learn from your mistakes.

P: Father, allow me to make mistakes and help me learn from them!

2 Chronicles11-15

2009-06-08T13:44:00.003-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 12:8 "They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands."

O: To punish King Rehoboam for his unfaithfulness, God allows Shishak of Egypt to invade Judah and take the royal treasures.

A: When we serve God, we get rewards that we will never see when we serve someone else. Being a servant to God is rewarding, not only spiritually, but also monetarily. Well, that is when we serve God with our money. Finances are the only area that we find God wanting us to test Him. If we honor God with everything that we have, we will not be able to count all of the blessing that he gives us.

P: Lord, overflow my cup with your blessings!

Numbers 29-32

2009-06-08T13:39:00.002-04:00

S: Numbers 30:2 "When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said."

O: God is telling us that we are required to do what we tell Him we are going to do.

A: A man's word is really all that he has. You can be the richest man in the world, but if you can't keep your promises you're not worth much. That's why friends are so valuable. They have a tendency to value you and do what they say will do. This is a trait of integrity. I do not put much stock in someone who can't come through on their word. Nor should you.

P: Father, help me to always do what I say I will do.

Hebrews 5-7

2009-06-08T13:28:00.002-04:00

S: Hebrews 5:12 "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!"

O: We are being urged to grow in our commitment to Jesus.

A: It's time to grow up. If you are new to being a Christian, it's OK to soak up what you're being told. To quote a friend of mine "Even my 5 year old can feed himself." If you have been a Christian for some time, it's time to stop getting fed once a week and start immersing yourself in the word of God! Read it, examine it, and apply it. Most American Christians are educated far above our level of obedience.

P: God, speak to me when I spend time in your word!

Acts 1-2

2009-06-06T13:12:00.002-04:00

S: Acts 2:41 "Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About three thousand people were added to the number of believers that day."

O: Peter has just preached to a large group of people and 3000 of them became believers!

A: I think we need to examine who Peter was preaching to. If you go back to verses 5-6 you can see who had gathered. "There were some religious Jews staying in Jerusalem who were from every country in the world. When they heard this noise, a crowd came together. They were all surprised, because each one heard them speaking in his own language." That's right, Peter converted the RELIGIOUS JEWS!!!!! Those who were already religious found Jesus!!! How awesome is that. Maybe some of today's Christians should take a lesson from this.

P: God, thank you for sending Men of God to spread your word!

Obadiah

2009-06-06T13:07:00.002-04:00

S: Obadiah 1:4 "Even if you fly high like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, I will bring you down from there," says the Lord."

O: This book is a prophesying against the Edomites. Obadiah was warning them that God would destroy them.

A: Try as you may to get away from God, he's always there. Think that God can't possibly know what you've done? You are gravely mistaken. Hide where you want, God can reach you and pull you down. Come to him in humility and repentance and ask him to forgive you. It will be much more painless if you come down from where you are!

P: God, thank You for sending Your Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of my sins!

Proverbs 26-27

2009-06-06T12:55:00.002-04:00

S: Proverbs 26:27 "Whoever digs a pit for others will fall into it. Whoever tries to roll a boulder down on others will be crushed by it."

O: These proverbs have moral and ethical advice.

A: Did you see a kind of Wile E. Coyote image when you read that? You know, the "sly" brown coyote standing behind a boulder with a pry bar. Despite all of his efforts, the boulder falls back on him and the little sign pops out from under it that says "Ouch!". That is what we look like when we sit back and plot against others. We plan and plan, but never reap any fruits of our labor. Just stop trying to plot against others. Forgive them for what they have done and move on. I didn't say forget what they have done, or keep on hanging out with them. Just move on and let the past be the past. Learn from our mistakes and apply them to our future.

P: God, help me to get past my past and look towards my future!

Psalm 114-116

2009-06-06T12:50:00.002-04:00

S: Psalm 116:6 "The Lord watches over the foolish; when I was helpless, he saved me."

O: God has delivered the psalmist from death.

A: Thank God that he watches over the foolish. We screw up so many things that it seems like we can't do anything right. God knows our intentions. He knows when we are trying to do right and He will guide us in those endeavors.

P: Father, help me help my stupid self!

2 Chronicles 6-10

2009-06-06T12:43:00.002-04:00

S: 2 Chronicles 10:8 "But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him."

O: King Solomon has died and his descendant is now in power and has taken council from his friends.

A: Mom and Dad don't know anything. Grandpa is just a dusty old man who tells too many stories, right? WRONG! Maybe you should stop listening to your friends and start listening to someone with some experience. Not to say that your friends are stupid, but how many have ever walked where you are walking right now? If they screwed this up in the past, what makes you think that they have valid advice to give? Seek the advice of those who have went before you!

P: Lord, thank You for surrounding me for with people of experience!

Numbers 25-38

2009-06-06T12:37:00.002-04:00

S: Numbers 28:31 "Prepare these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect."

O: God is laying out the regulations and procedure for the sacrifices.

A: Obedience in the small things! If you can't be trusted with little, you won't be trusted with a lot! What is God telling you to do that seems to small to be insignificant? That same thing is probably what God is waiting for you to do before he fills your hands with abundance.

P: God, thank you for testing me!

Hebrews 1-4

2009-06-06T12:16:00.002-04:00

S: Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

O: The author (no one knows who it is) is telling everyone that God's word isn't dead and it still applies in your life.

A: You think that the Bible is an antiquated, dusty old book that doesn't apply to today's ways of living? WRONG!!! The Bible is living and active. You can't use the excuse that the Bible was written for a different time. People have sinned the same ways since the beginning of time. Sex, greed, lust, they have all been around for years. The Bible will stop applying to our lives when we stop sinning.

P: Father, thank you for giving me an instruction book!