1 Thessalonians 3:1-13
Lord, thank you for this revelation from Paul's life. Help me to realize that the difficulties I face in life will benefit my character and I will grow as a result of enduring them. Help me to remember that you are always present to help me and to strengthen me.
Lord people are always watching me, please help me to remember this and to deal with my difficulties in a way that will glorify you and be a good witness to then on your behalf.
When opposition comes, just as Paul did, I must trust in the power of God and stay obedient to His calling. See 1 Thessalonians 2: 1-20.
Lord, help me to REFINE myself to be more accountable to You and Your guidance to me. Help me to deny my pride and to be more submissive to Your Truth. Help me to release my need to control people and things in my life that I cannot and should not control.
Lord, I want to be fully confident in Your power so that my commitment to Your Truth will be increasingly reflected in my life.
To You my Lord and my Savior be the glory in everything I say and everything I do.
Acts 21:13 NIV
"Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
To be ready to be bound and to die for the Lord Jesus. This is truely the greatest sacrifice I can give my lord. But to die might not mean to stop life, it might mean to live life, to give everything to Jesus, my time, my money, my affection, my all. I am far from being prepared to be bound for my Lord let alone to die for him. Yet to be his disciple I must. I must put everything I consider dear aside and give my all to Jesus.
My Lord, on this wonderful Sunday in the beauty of your nature, I commit to you my all. Help me to prepare to be bound for you, to be ready to die for You, to give you my all in all. Lord to you be all the glory.
Acts 20:29 NIV
"I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock."
How often do I hear a good message in church or during quiet time only to set it aside in the hours thereafter. As Paul says,"after I leave savage wolves come" when I am vulnerable, I must be vigilant, I must stand strong in the world, in the face of savage wolves. Satan is lurking, he is looking for the opportunity to wreck me. But if I dwell in the nugget of truth that I recieve daily, I will be able to overcome.
Lord I need your help in the face of temptation. I need your help to keep your word strong in my heart. Spirit reign in me, flow your strength into me, so that I can be your man. To stand strong against Satan's wolves. "I can overcome anything through Him who gives me strength." To your my Lord be the glory.
Acts 16:30-31 NIV
He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."
It's a simple formula, believe in the Lord and you will be saved, you and your family. Once we have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, this passage might be considered complete, and I might be inclined to move on. But, salvation has three parts: 1) Gods complete forgiveness of all my sins, 2) life eternal with God in heaven, and 3) living a life of Gods purpose. The first two are gifts that I receive when I (and my family) become believers; the last is something that I (and my family) work out because of my gratitude and my love for Jesus as my Savior. I must continue my salvation each day I am alive; me and my household. To love God (worship) and people (fellowship), to serve and help others, to grow in my relationship to God (maturity), and to tell others of their opportunity with Jesus in the center of their life; me and my household. I must not only do this myself, I must, as the priest of my home, encourage my family to do the same.
Lord thank you for this nugget, thank you for reminding me of this special message that I would have missed if I did not write it down. Lord help me to implement a life of salvation for you, to live out your purposes for your kingdom; help me to do what you want me to do and to help my family to do the same. Through my modeling, and mentoring a purpose driven life, let my family see and develop a desire to do this as well. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." To you my Lord and my Savior be the glory.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 NIV
"It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart."
From the movie "The Secret of Jonathan Sperry". Too many people die without knowing Jesus. When I am in "a house of feasting", I become insensitive to the spiritual needs of people. I get caught up in the folly of the moment; and the real need goes unnoticed. But when I go to "a house of morning" the only thing present is spiritual need; and I am reminded of what the Lord expects of me, which is to tell others of a destiny that could be theirs through Jesus Christ.
Lord I thank you for this reminder, through the movie and through my scripture reading today. I pray Lord that you will give me the courage and wisdom to speak for you. To be boldly subtle in telling of the destiny that awaits everyone through Jesus Christ. To use the movie as a possible "icebreaker", and to encourage others to speak of you as well. To you Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, be the glory.
Ecclesiastes 6:1-2 NIV
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
This is a good lesson for me. Help me to be content with what I have. Don't give me more than I need so that I fall into the trap of wanting more and missing the opportunity to enjoy what you have given me. Help me to be content. To you my Lord be the glory.