Mar 15 A Donkey Speaks!

O God, do for me what You did for Balaam.

If I am ever on a reckless path, Father, send an angel to block my way.  Let a traveling companion turn me off the road, or crush my foot or stop me in my path until You open my eyes to see what is really going on from Your perspective.

If need be, send an ass to speak to me to get my attention!

Let me hear Your voice and be obedient, not drawn away into the world or the material riches it can offer.  Even though Balaam continued to bless Your people, as You had told him, he relied on sorcery to earn his living and ultimately betrayed Your people.

Help me stay focused on You and the blessings You give, like Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Your blessing to them was an answer to many of their prayers and the fulfillment of prophecy.  They were faithful to Your instructions in handling the blessing You gave them – their son John the Baptist.

Lord, help me be faithful to the blessings You give me.  And handle them according to Your instructions.

Let me grow strong in spirit as John the Baptist did, and proclaim Your wonders to others.

You have made a path of redemption, sent a means of salvation.  Jesus is His name.  In Him is the victory over death and all enemies.  In Him is eternal life.  I am ever humbled and blessed.  Amen

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80 

Apr 6 Blessing or Curse

“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.“  You presented the people with two choices.  Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed??

Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.

You did not hide who You are or how to please You from these people.  You plainly spoke to them through Moses.  As Your Word says, You did not place this knowledge beyond their reach.  They did not have to mystically ascend to the heavens or even cross a sea to find it.

Neither do I.  You proclaimed it before them in words they understood.  And You share it with me, in many translations and versions of the Bible so I can know one from the other, what brings blessing and what brings a curse..

I choose blessing.

Centuries later You spoke with the Pharisees, pointing out their hypocrisy.  They wanted to look good from the outside but were not living honorable lives.  You challenged them to be humble and teach the people truth instead of hoarding status.

You challenged them to put down pride and be humble before the people they were supposed to be teaching.  You warned them that they were hindering the people in their understanding of scripture by loading them down with superfluous requirements they themselves didn’t even do.

You accused them of revering the prophets You had sent, only after they had killed them. As You spoke to them, they could have responded to all this teaching and rebuking with humility and obedience.  But they did not.  You speak to hypocrisy in my life too.

Father, let me respond with humility and obedience.  I choose the blessing. 

Your Word is freely available to me.  Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing.  Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by example.

Help me live in obedience and humility to receive Your blessing.  Strengthen me to turn from hypocrisy and live in honesty in these times.

Only one way is life, all others are death.

I choose life.  Thank You for showing me the way.  Amen

Deuteronomy 30:1-20; Luke 11:37-54

A donkey speaks!

O God, do for me what You did for Balaam.

If I am ever on a reckless path, Father, send an angel to block my way.  Let a traveling companion turn me off the road, or crush my foot or stop me in my path until You open my eyes to see what is really going on from Your perspective.

If need be, send an ass to speak to me to get my attention!

Let me hear Your voice and be obedient, not drawn away into the world or the material riches it can offer.  Even though Balaam continued to bless Your people, as You had told him, he relied on sorcery to earn his living and ultimately betrayed Your people.

Help me stay focused on You and the blessings You give, like Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Your blessing to them was an answer to many of their prayers and the fulfillment of prophecy.  They were faithful to Your instructions in handling the blessing You gave them – their son John the Baptist.

Lord, help me be faithful to the blessings You give me.  And handle them according to Your instructions.

Let me grow strong in spirit as John the Baptist did, and proclaim Your wonders to others.

You have made a path of redemption, sent a means of salvation.  Jesus is His name.  In Him is the victory over death and all enemies.  In Him is eternal life.  I am ever humbled and blessed.  Amen

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80 

Apr 6 Blessing or Curse ?

“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.“  You presented the people with two choices.  Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed??

Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.

You did not hide who You are or how to please You from these people.  You plainly spoke to them through Moses.  As Your Word says, You did not place this knowledge beyond their reach.  They did not have to mystically ascend to the heavens or even cross a sea to find it.

Neither do I.  You proclaimed it before them in words they understood.  And You share it with me, in many translations and versions of the Bible so I can know one from the other.

I choose blessing.

Centuries later You spoke with the Pharisees, pointing out their hypocrisy.  They wanted to look good from the outside but were not living honorable lives.  You challenged them to be humble and teach the people truth instead of hoarding status.

You challenged them to put down pride and be humble before the people they were supposed to be teaching.  You warned them that they were hindering the people in their understanding of scripture by loading them down with superfluous requirements they themselves didn’t even do.

You accused them of revering the prophets You had sent, only after they had killed them. As You spoke to them, they could have responded to all this teaching and rebuking with humility and obedience.  But they did not.  You speak to hypocrisy in my life too. 

Father, let me respond with humility and obedience.  I choose the blessing. 

Your Word is freely available to me.  Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing.  Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by example.

Help me live in obedience and humility to receive Your blessing.  Strengthen me to turn from hypocrisy and live in honesty in these times.

Only one way is life, all others are death.  I choose life.  Thank You for showing me the way.  Amen

Deuteronomy 30:1-20; Luke 11:37-54

Mar 15 A donkey speaks!

O God, do for me what You did for Balaam.

If I am ever on a reckless path, Father, send an angel to block my way.  Let a traveling companion turn me off the road, or crush my foot or stop me in my path until You open my eyes to see what is really going on from Your perspective.

If need be, send an ass to speak to me to get my attention!

Let me hear Your voice and be obedient, not drawn away into the world or the material riches it can offer.  Even though Balaam continued to bless Your people, as You had told him, he relied on sorcery to earn his living and ultimately betrayed Your people.

Help me stay focused on You and the blessings You give, like Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Your blessing to them was an answer to many of their prayers and the fulfillment of prophecy.  They were faithful to Your instructions in handling the blessing You gave them – their son John the Baptist.

Lord, help me be faithful to the blessings You give me.  And handle them according to Your instructions.

Let me grow strong in spirit as John the Baptist did, and proclaim Your wonders to others.

You have made a path of redemption, sent a means of salvation.  Jesus is His name.  In Him is the victory over death and all enemies.  In Him is eternal life.  I am ever humbled and blessed.  Amen

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80 

April 6 Blessing or Curse?

“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse.“  You present me with two choices.  Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed?

Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.

And they still do today.  But I choose blessing.

Centuries later you spoke with the Pharisees, pointing out their hypocrisy.  They wanted to look good from the outside but were not living honorable lives.  You challenged them to be humble and teach the people truth instead of hoarding status.

They refused your advice.  People still do today.

But I choose blessing.

Your Word is freely available to me.  Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing.  Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by your own example.

Help me live in obedience and humility to receive Your blessing.  Strengthen me to turn from hypocrisy and live in honesty in these times.

Psalm 78 says,“O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  Then they will put their trust in God, not forget His deeds, and keep His commands.”

Only one way is life, all others are death.  I choose life.  Thank You for showing me the way.  Amen

Deuteronomy 30:1-20; Luke 11:37-54; Psalm 78:1-8  

Mar 15 A donkey speaks!

O God, do for me what You did for Balaam.

If I am ever on a reckless path, Father, send an angel to block my way.  Let a traveling companion turn me off the road, or crush my foot or stop me in my path until You open my eyes to see what is really going on from Your perspective.

If need be, send an ass to speak to me to get my attention!

Let me hear Your voice and be obedient, not drawn away into the world or the material riches it can offer.  Even though Balaam continued to bless Your people, as You had told him, he relied on sorcery to earn his living and ultimately betrayed Your people.

Help me stay focused on You and the blessings You give, like Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Your blessing to them was an answer to many of their prayers and the fulfillment of prophecy.  They were faithful to Your instructions in handling the blessing You gave them – their son John the Baptist.

Lord, help me be faithful to the blessings You give me.  And handle them according to Your instructions.

Let me grow strong in spirit as John did, and proclaim Your wonders to others.

You have made a path of redemption, sent a means of salvation.  Jesus is His name.  In Him is the victory over death and all enemies.  In Him is eternal life.  I am ever humbled and blessed.  Amen

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80 

Oct 11 A tree planted by the water

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.  That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes… 

 

 

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’”

Father, what a clear picture comparing those who trust in You and those who do not.  I have lived in the desert.  I have seen bushes living in the wasteland.  They do not grow tall or look healthy.  They barely look alive.  And they don’t last long.

And I have seen tall, lush, green, long-lived trees that grow by the water.  Saturated with the moisture they need, they can withstand periods of extreme heat and drought.  There is enough to sustain green leaves that gather the sunlight.  And there is always sufficient energy and life in these trees to produce fruit in season.  What a contrast!

Lord, let me be a tree planted by Your water!  When planting, one plans the location based on the needs of the tree.  Its roots grow quickly in the direction of the water.

I desire this blessing, so I will turn away from trusting in man’s philosophies and knowledge.  I will not count on my own strength to accomplish what the world would lead me to do.  But I will turn to You for guidance.  I will trust in Your wisdom, Your strength, and Your purpose for my life.

As You are the Living Water, I drink deeply of Your love, Your truth, and Your provision for me.  My roots are my faith, which is solidly grounded in the truth of who You are; and my identity which comes from You.  So when heat comes as hardship and trials, it is You who sustains me and Your power that produces fruit in me.

Even now, Lord, I seek direction on issues I face.  Please speak to me and give me Your perspective and insight.  And make me bold to act on what You say.  I place my confidence in You.

And this is the confidence that I have: not that things will always turn out well, but that regardless of how they turn out, You will be there with me, and use it for good.

Father, You are the One I praise.  You are the One I serve.  You are the One I worship.  You are my Hope and my Healer, my Savior and my Strength, my Fortress, my Refuge and my Reward.  And I am blessed.  Amen

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Mar 15 A donkey speaks!

O God, do for me what You did for Balaam.

If I am ever on a reckless path, Father, send an angel to block my way.  Let a traveling companion turn me off the road, or crush my foot or stop me in my path until You open my eyes to see what is really going on from Your perspective.

If need be, send an ass to speak to me to get my attention!

Let me hear Your voice and be obedient, not drawn away into the world or the material riches it can offer.  Even though Balaam continued to bless Your people, as You had told him, he relied on sorcery to earn his living and ultimately betrayed Your people.

Help me stay focused on You and the blessings You give, like Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Your blessing to them was an answer to many prayers on their part and prophecy on Your part.  They were faithful to handle that blessing as You instructed: their son John the Baptist.

Lord, help me be faithful to the blessings You give me.  And handle them according to Your instructions.

Let me grow strong in spirit as John did.  And I will also proclaim Your wonders to others.  You have made a path of redemption, sent a means of salvation.  Jesus is His name.  In Him is the victory over death and all enemies.  In Him is eternal life.  I am ever humbled and blessed.  Amen

Numbers 22:21-23:30; Luke 1:57-80 

Oct 11 A tree planted by the water

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.  

That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes… 

 

But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. 

They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’”

Father, what a clear picture comparing those who trust in You and those who do not.  I have lived in the desert.  I have seen bushes living in the wasteland.  They do not grow tall.  They don’t look healthy.  They barely look alive.  And they don’t last long.   And I have seen tall, lush, full, green, long-lived trees that grow by the water.  What a contrast!

Lord, let me be the tree planted by Your water!  When planting, one plans the location based on the needs of the tree.  Its roots grow quickly in the direction of the water.

Because of this, the tree is saturated with the moisture it needs to withstand periods of even extreme heat and drought.  There is enough to sustain green leaves that gather the sunlight to store as energy.  There is always sufficient energy and life in this tree to produce fruit in season.

I desire this blessing, so I will turn away from trusting in man’s philosophies and knowledge.  I will not count on my own strength to accomplish what the world would lead me to do.  But I will turn to You for guidance.  I will trust in Your wisdom, Your strength, and Your purpose for my life.

As You are the Living Water, I drink deeply of Your love, Your truth, and Your provision for me.  My roots are my faith, which is solidly grounded in the truth of who You are; and my identity which comes from You.  So when heat comes as hardship and trials, it is You who sustains me and Your power that produces fruit in me.

Even now, Lord, I seek direction on issues I face.  Please speak to me and give me Your perspective and insight.  And make me bold to act on what You say.  I place my confidence in You.

And this is the confidence that I have: not that things will always turn out well, but that regardless of how they turn out, You will be there with me, and use it for good.

Father, You are the One I praise.  You are the One I serve.  You are the One I worship.  You are my Hope and my Healer, my Savior and my Strength, my Fortress, my Refuge and my Reward.  And I am blessed.  Amen

Jeremiah 17:5-8

June 29 Standing firm

O Father, how Your heart must ache when Your people choose to turn away from You!

You have given me all I need for an abundant life, yet the society I live in, and the one the Israelites lived in, pull people away from You to continually seek after other things.

When the kings over Your people were bad, they worshipped idols in the open, even sacrificing living children by fire.   They fought battles according to their own strength, or bought allies with the treasures from Your Temple.

When the kings were not evil, and led the people back to worship You, they still did not remove the high places and Asherah poles, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

The values and attitudes of their society had become so evil, that this behavior was accepted by even the good kings. But it was not acceptable by You. And eventually You sent armies from the east to conquer and capture Your people, taking them into exile.   This was as You had promised. You outlined their options for blessing and cursing, and they made their choice.

Lord, how often in my life do I allow the ungodly values of my society to sway me, divert me from what You have told me is true? Often what is evil is accepted as good. And even the good leaders abide by it as if it were ok.

Do we think as a society that there will be no accounting? That’s what the Israelites thought. Didn’t work out so well for them. And I fear it won’t work out in my times either.

When Your Word spread in Ephesus, people who practiced sorcery burned their scrolls, and idol worshippers stopped buying the silver idols. As the economic impact increased, so did the opposition!

Society today would also prefer that believers keep their faith to themselves. When it begins to impact political issues or economic factors, there is friction.

Father, as You have called me to live in the world, You have also separated me, set me apart from it. Help me understand how to be ‘in’ the world while being separate from it. Remind me to question values, holding them up against what Your Word says. Only then will I know I am on solid ground.

Show me if there is any value or attitude I need to change to be right with You. And strengthen me to do it, amid, or even against, the pull of society. Amen

2 Kings 15:17-16:20; Acts 19:13-41

Apr 6 Blessing or Curse?

“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse“. You present me with two choices. Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed?? Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.

You did not hide who You are or how to please You from these people. You plainly spoke to them through Moses. As Your Word says, You did not place this knowledge beyond their reach. They did not have to mystically ascend to the heavens or even cross a sea to find it. Neither do I. You proclaimed it before them in words they understood. And You share it with me in many translations and versions of the Bible so I can know one from the other. I choose blessing.

Centuries later when You ate with a Pharisee, and the others questioned, You spoke plainly to them about the hypocrisy of their lives. You told them it was more important to live a pure life in terms of character and attitude rather than just ‘look good’ from the outside. They were to give to the poor, not neglect justice, and be instruments of Your love. You challenged them to put down pride and be humble before the people they were supposed to be teaching.

You warned them that they were hindering the people in their understanding of scripture by loading them down with superfluous requirements they themselves didn’t even do. You explained how they hid the key to knowledge so no one could enter in the door the key would have unlocked. You accused them of revering the prophets You had sent, only after they had killed them.

As You spoke to them, they could have responded to all this teaching and rebuking with humility and obedience. But they did not. You speak to hypocrisy in my life too. Father, let me respond with humility and obedience. Again, I choose the blessing.

Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing. Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by example. One way is life, all others are death. I choose life. Thank You for showing me the way. Amen

Deuteronomy 29:9-30:20; Luke 11:37-54

Oct 11 A tree planted by the water

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.  That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes…  But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’”

Father, what a clear picture comparing those who trust in You and those who do not. I have lived in the desert. I have seen bushes living in the wasteland. They do not grow tall. They don’t look healthy. They barely look alive. And they don’t last long. And I have seen tall, lush, full, green, long-lived trees that grow by the water. What a contrast!

 

Lord, let me be the tree planted by Your water! When planting, one plans the location based on the needs of the tree. Its roots grow quickly in the direction of the water. Because of this, the tree is saturated with the moisture it needs to withstand periods of even extreme heat and drought. There is enough to sustain green leaves that gather the sunlight to store as energy. There is always sufficient energy and life in this tree to produce fruit in season.

I desire this blessing, so I will turn away from trusting in man’s philosophies and knowledge. I will not count on my own strength to accomplish what the world would lead me to do. But I will turn to You for guidance. I will trust in Your wisdom, Your strength, and Your purpose for my life. As You are the Living Water, I drink deeply of Your love, Your truth, and Your provision for me. My roots are my faith, which is solidly grounded in the truth of who You are; and my identity which comes from You. So when ‘heat’ comes, hardship and trials, it is You who sustains me and Your power that produces fruit in me.

Even now, Lord, I seek direction on issues I face. Please speak to me and give me Your perspective and insight. And make me bold to act on what You say. I place my confidence in You. And this is the confidence that I have: not that things will always turn out well, but that regardless of how they turn out, You will be there with me, and use it for good.

Father, You are the One I praise. You are the One I serve. You are the One I worship. You are my Hope and my Healer, my Savior and my Strength, my Fortress, my Refuge and my Reward. And I am blessed. Amen

Jeremiah 16:16-17:18

Apr 6 Blessing or Curse

“See I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse“.

You present me with two choices. Who in their right mind would choose to be cursed instead of being blessed?? Yet although You spell out very clearly the requirements for each; time and time again people chose to disobey, bringing curses into their lives.

You did not hide who You are or how to please You from these people. You plainly spoke to them through Moses. As Your Word says, You did not place this knowledge beyond their reach. They did not have to mystically ascend to the heavens or even cross a sea to find it. Neither do I. You proclaimed it before them in words they understood. And You share it with me, in many translations and versions of the Bible so I can know one from the other. I choose blessing.

Centuries later when You ate with a Pharisee, and the other Pharisees questioned, You spoke plainly to them about the hypocrisy of their lives. You told them it was more important to live a pure life in terms of character and attitude rather than just ‘look good’ from the outside. They were to give to the poor, not neglect justice, and be instruments of Your love.

You challenged them to put down pride and be humble before the people they were supposed to be teaching. You warned them that they were hindering the people in their understanding of scripture by loading them down with superfluous requirements they themselves didn’t even do. You explained how they hid the key to knowledge so no one could enter in the door the key would have unlocked. You accused them of revering the prophets You had sent, only after they had killed them.

As You spoke to them, they could have responded to all this teaching and rebuking with humility and obedience. But they did not.

You speak to hypocrisy in my life too. Father, let me respond with humility and obedience. Again, I choose the blessing.

Your Word, O Lord, is freely available to me. Your Word teaches me how to live in a way to receive Your blessing. Not only that, but Jesus, You came to show me and teach me by example. One way is life, all others are death. I choose life. Thank You for showing me the way. Amen

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:20; Luke 11:37-54