Dec 20 Stir up Your Spirit in me

Father, I wonder if I have been like the people Haggai is speaking to? 

You spoke to these people, telling them “You have planted much, but harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.”  I get the message.  Although effort is being made, until You are “in” it, only little will be accomplished. 

You made little of what these people did because their hearts were wrong.  But here comes the hope!  They listened to Your Word, and obeyed!  

“I am with you declares the Lord.  So the Lord stirred up the spirit” of the people so they would accomplish much!

I believe You placed in me a desire to be part of something bigger than myself, something monumental, that will glorify and honor You.  But it is something I will never be able to do on my own.

O Father, stir up Your Spirit in me!  Let me be empowered with Your blessing! 

It reminds me of an old song where the refrain goes

“little is much when God is in it.”

You told the people “the silver is mine and the gold is mine.”  I understand the tools and gifts and talents I will be using are Yours.  But what You can accomplish with them is incredible, indescribable, uncontainable!  Far beyond anything I can do alone. 

You told them “From this day on I will bless you.”  Father, let me live in Your blessing.  If I have been consumed with building my own house while disregarding Yours, then change my heart and my focus.

Show me – through Your Spirit stirred up in me – what to do.  Father, use me like Zerubbabel or Joshua or one of the remnant.  Help me not to fear, but to “Be strong…and work.  For You are with me.”   Amen

Haggai 1:5-15

Dec 20 Stir up Your Spirit in me

Father, I wonder if I have been like the people Haggai is speaking to? 

You spoke to these people, telling them “You have planted much, but harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.”  I get the message.  Although effort is being made, until You are “in” it, only little will be accomplished. 

You made little of what these people did because their hearts were wrong.  But here comes the hope!  They listened to Your Word, and obeyed!  

“I am with you declares the Lord.  So the Lord stirred up the spirit” of the people so they would accomplish much!

I believe You placed in me a desire to be part of something bigger than myself, something monumental, that will glorify and honor You.  But it is something I will never be able to do on my own.

O Father, stir up Your Spirit in me!  Let me be empowered with Your blessing! 

It reminds me of an old song where the refrain goes

“little is much when God is in it.”

You told the people “the silver is mine and the gold is mine.”  I understand the tools and gifts and talents I will be using are Yours.  But what You can accomplish with them is incredible, indescribable, uncontainable!  Far beyond anything I can do alone. 

You told them “From this day on I will bless you.”  Father, let me live in Your blessing.  If I have been consumed with building my own house while disregarding Yours, then change my heart and my focus.

Show me – through Your Spirit stirred up in me – what to do.  Father, use me like Zerubbabel or Joshua or one of the remnant.  Help me not to fear, but to “Be strong…and work.  For You are with me.”   Amen

Haggai 1:5-15

Mar 31 God makes a little a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was offered, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough food for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me and in each one of us that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You do not make mistakes.

What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, in these challenging times, help us each offer what we have.  Let us all look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts, asking that You bless us and break us to spread the gifts You have placed in each of us.  Use it to make a blessing for others that will bring honor and glory to Your name.

My resources are meager.  And my ability to make anything happen is feeble.  But I trust that in Your hands, You can do more than I could ask or even imagine!

Because You are the One True God, with You, nothing is impossible!  Amen

Luke 9:10-17

Feb 6 Little by Little

“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”

How well You, my Heavenly Father know me.  You know my strengths and also my weaknesses and limitations.

And You will never give me more than You know I can handle.

The challenge is: it is often more than I realize I can handle.  But You are always gentle with me, and faithful.

With the Israelites, You knew they would not be able to take possession of all of Your amazing gift of the promised land at one time.  You knew the blessing was too much for them with their limitations.  So You gave them what they could handle, and when they were ready, strong enough, You gave them more.

You’re like that with me too.  If I knew the full extent of the bountiful and abundant blessing You have in store for me, I would not be able to take it all in.  It would be too overwhelming and far too great for me to accept all at once.  So You show me the part I can accept, and work with me one step at a time.

Your forgiveness is a blessing.  But You are patient and do not overwhelm me by showing me all my sin at once.

Little by little, You teach me what is right and holy.  And little by little I see how I have fallen short of that, or have been downright disobedient.

And as I acknowledge my sin and accept Your forgiveness, I am blessed as You purify me from unrighteousness and free me from guilt and shame.

You know me so well, Lord.  And knowing what I will face, You prepare me with exactly what I need to meet each challenge, accept each blessing and appreciate Your hand at work in my life.

Go before me to prepare the way.  And prepare me, Father, to see and accept all that You have for me.

Help me be patient for Your timing.  Guide me and empower me to take the steps You have prepared for me.

Do not let me run ahead or lag behind.  But build me up, increase me, till I am ready to take possession of all that comes from Your hand.   Amen

Exodus 23:27-30

Dec 20 Stir up Your Spirit in me

Father, I wonder if I have been like the people Haggai is speaking to? 

You spoke to these people, telling them “You have planted much, but harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.”  I get the message.  Although effort is being made, until You are “in” it, only little will be accomplished. 

You made little of what these people did because their hearts were wrong.  But here comes the hope!  They listened to Your Word, and obeyed!  

“I am with you declares the Lord.  So the Lord stirred up the spirit” of the people so they would accomplish much! 

I believe You placed in me a desire to be part of something bigger than myself, something monumental, that will glorify and honor You.  But it is something I will never be able to do on my own. 

O Father, stir up Your Spirit in me!  Let me be empowered with Your blessing! 

It reminds me of an old song where the refrain goes “little is much when God is in it.”  

You told the people “the silver is mine and the gold is mine.”  I understand the tools and gifts and talents I will be using are Yours.  But what You can accomplish with them is incredible, indescribable, uncontainable!  Far beyond anything I can do alone. 

You told them “From this day on I will bless you.”  Father, let me live in Your blessing.  If I have been consumed with building my own house while disregarding Yours, then change my heart and my focus. 

Show me – through Your Spirit stirred up in me – what to do.  Father, use me like Zerubbabel or Joshua or one of the remnant.  Help me not to fear, but to “Be strong…and work.  For You are with me.”   Amen

Haggai 1:5-15

Mar 31 God makes a little a lot

A crowd came because they were hungry to hear from and be healed by You, Jesus.  In staying late, they also grew hungry physically.  Your disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish; not even enough to feed the twelve of them, much less a crowd of five thousand.

But You took what was there, looked up to heaven, gave thanks and broke it.  And that meager amount was miraculously multiplied to provide enough for more than five thousand people to eat and be satisfied, with more left over than there was at the start!

Oh Lord, You have placed gifts in me and in each one of us that are to be shared.  Like the bread and the fish, it may not look like much to begin with.  But You do not make mistakes.

What matters is not what things look like here on earth through man’s eyes.  What matters is that the gifts are available to be used by You.

So Father, in these times of crisis, help us each offer what we have.  Let us overcome the selfish, hoarding, greedy ways of the flesh and look to You with thanksgiving in our hearts.

Father bless us and break us to release the gifts You have placed in us.  Use what You have given us to make a blessing for others that will bring glory and honor to Your name.

Because of who You are: the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ, You can do more than we can say or do, more than we can ask or even imagine!

With You, nothing is impossible!  Amen

Luke 9:10-17

Feb 6 Little by little

“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”

How well You, my Heavenly Father know me.  You know my strengths and also my weaknesses and limitations.

And You will never give me more than You know I can handle.

The challenge is: it is often more than I realize I can handle.  But You are always gentle with me, and faithful.

With the Israelites, You knew they would not be able to take possession of all of Your amazing gift of the promised land at one time.  You knew the blessing was too much for them with their limitations.  So You gave them what they could handle, and when they were ready, strong enough, You gave them more.

You’re like that with me too.  If I knew the full extent of the bountiful and abundant blessing You have in store for me, I would not be able to take it all in.  It would be too overwhelming and far too great for me to accept all at once.  So You show me the part I can accept, and work with me one step at a time.

Your forgiveness is a blessing.  But You are patient and do not overwhelm me by showing me all my sin at once.

Little by little, You teach me what is right and holy.  And little by little I see how I have fallen short of that, or have been downright disobedient.

And as I acknowledge my sin and accept Your forgiveness, I am blessed as You purify me from unrighteousness and free me from guilt and shame.

You know me so well, Lord.  And knowing what I will face, You prepare me with exactly what I need to meet each challenge, accept each blessing and appreciate Your hand at work in my life.

Go before me to prepare the way.  And prepare me, Father, to see and accept all that You have for me.

Help me be patient for Your timing.  Guide me and empower me to take the steps You have prepared for me.

Do not let me run ahead or lag behind.  But build me up, increase me, till I am ready to take possession of all that comes from Your hand.   Amen

Exodus 23:27-30

Dec 20 Sit up Your Spirit in me

Father, I wonder if I have been like the people Haggai is speaking to?

I believe You placed in me a desire to be part of something bigger than myself, something monumental, that will glorify and honor You.  But it is something I will never be able to do on my own.

You spoke to these people, telling them “You have planted much, but harvested little.  You eat, but never have enough.  You drink, but never have your fill.”  I get the message.  Although effort is being made, until You are “in” it, only little will be accomplished.

It reminds me of an old song where the refrain goes “little is much when God is in it.”

You made little of what these people did because their hearts were wrong.  But here comes the hope!  They listened to Your Word, and obeyed!  

“I am with you declares the Lord.  So the Lord stirred up the spirit” of the people so they would accomplish much!

O Father, stir up Your Spirit in me!  Let me be empowered with Your blessing!

You told the people “the silver is mine and the gold is mine.”  I understand the tools and gifts and talents I will be using are Yours.  But what You can accomplish with them is incredible, indescribable, uncontainable!  Far beyond anything I can do alone.

You told them “From this day on I will bless you.”  Father, let me live in Your blessing.  If I have been consumed with building my own house while disregarding Yours, then change my heart and my focus.

Show me – through Your Spirit stirred up in me – what to do.  Father, use me like Zerubbabel or Joshua or one of the remnant.  Help me not to fear, but to “Be strong…and work.  For You are with me.”   Amen

Haggai 1:1-2:9

Feb 6 Little by little

“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.” 

How well You, my Heavenly Father know me.  You know my strengths and also my weaknesses and limitations.

And You will never give me more than You know I can handle.

The challenge is: it is often more than I realize I can handle.  But You are always gentle with me, and faithful.

With the Israelites, You knew they would not be able to take possession of all of Your amazing gift of the promised land at one time.  You knew the blessing was too much for them with their limitations.  So You gave them what they could handle, and when they were ready, strong enough, You gave them more.

You’re like that with me too.  If I knew the full extent of the bountiful and abundant blessing You have in store for me, I would not be able to take it all in.  It would be too overwhelming and far too great for me to accept all at once.  So You show me the part I can accept, and work with me one step at a time.

Your forgiveness is a blessing.  But You are patient and do not overwhelm me by showing me all my sin at once.

Little by little, You teach me what is right and holy.  And little by little I see how I have fallen short of that, or have been downright disobedient.

And as I acknowledge my sin and accept Your forgiveness, I am blessed as You purify me from unrighteousness and free me from guilt and shame.

You know me so well, Lord.  And knowing what I will face, You prepare me with exactly what I need to meet each challenge, accept each blessing and appreciate Your hand at work in my life.

Go before me to prepare the way.  And prepare me, Father, to see and accept all that You have for me.

Help me be patient for Your timing.  Guide me and empower me to take the steps You have prepared for me.

Do not let me run ahead or lag behind.  But build me up, increase me, till I am ready to take possession of all that comes from Your hand.   Amen

Exodus 23:27-30