Daily (Matthew 6:11)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “daily.”  I think that one of the most known passages in the Bible is the Lord’s Prayer.  And right in the middle of it is a phrase that God figured that we needed to hear.  Why do you think that JC had in mind when he gave this prayer to the disciples?  For one, JC knew the immediate needs that the peeps following him needed.  He was very in tune with his audience and those he loved, and did ministry.  I mean, there is so much rich stuff in this little passage and we often overlook what we may learn from it…

“Give us today our daily bread…”

~Matt. 6:11

My question is: are you allowing God to fulfill your immediate needs?  Some of us even forget what those needs are. In fact, we want to focus our time and effort on stuff that we think is important, when in reality we should be thinking about totally different stuff.  My prayer is that you would search your heart and let God speak to you.  He will give you what you need for the day, both physically and spiritually.  When we look to him we are showing our trust in his plans for us.  Give God a little room to work, and he will.

Praying for you,

mo

Equip (Mark 8:1-10)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “equip.”  Living a life of leadership and servanthood begins with making a foundation that is strong upon which God can build.  JC models this in the book of Mark.  in this following passage it is the second time that he feeds a mass of peeps, teaching his disciples how they can provide food for everyone present.  the deeper lesson is that the Father can and will provide for al of our needs; we need only to look toward that fulfillment and trust his ways.

“After Jesus gave thanks for the fish, he told his followers to give them to the people also. All the people ate and were satisfied. Then his followers filled seven baskets with the leftover pieces of food.”

~Mark 8:7-8

My question is: how is JC equipping you for new opportunities this year?  In this passage he allows teh disciples to grow from consumers to contributors. he gives them what they need, while showing them how to serve others in the process.  My prayer is that God gives you a heart that focuses on serving others, and that he equips you with the ability to make a difference for the Kingdom.

Praying for you,

mo

Protect (Amos 2:4-16)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “protect.” God decided to pass judgment to his peeps through the prophet Amos. Not the best job in the world to have, but Amos is the one who got the assignment.  Some may think that God is a pretty mean dude for all the judgment on the Israelites, but sometimes they needed a good whoopin’ to keep them in line.  I remember when I was growing up that my mom was never opposed to the “rod of correction.” Hey, what can I say, she was a southern girl who knew the power of a tree switch.  But I knew the she was always doing what was best for me; it was her job to protect me and help me grow into the man she intended.  God knew what he was doing…

“I brought you up out of Egypt, and I led you forty years in the desert to give you the land of the Amorites. I also raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites from among your young men. Is this not true, people of Israel?” declares the Lord.

~Amos 2;10-11

My question is: how has the Lord protected you over the years?  God has cool plans for you and sometimes I am sure you screw it up… just like me, like all of us do.  But God is not about judgment without reason.  My prayer is that God helps you identify the need for correction in your life.  He will protect you and and give what is needed to succeed in life.  Take heed to his decrees and live a life worthy of your calling.

Praying for you,

mo

Prune (Jeremiah 27:1-8)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “prune.” God is a loving father that needed to give direction to his peeps, even though sometimes the decisions made were not always the most fun.  In this passage we see that Jeremiah is the true prophet of God that is called to make some predictions and decisions that he knows will not be received well by the others.  But since this is the correct counsel and prophecy, he must give that message.  God does these things to prosper his will and lead the Israelites to righteousness…

“Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: With my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth and its people and the animals that are on it, and I give it to anyone I please.”

~Jer. 27:4-5

My question is: how is God going to use this year to prune and shape your life? Just as God used prophets to speak to the Israelites, he will speak to you through friends, circumstances, and his Word. My prayer is that this year the Lord increases your ability to lead and serve others by shaping your own life from within.  God is going to do good things for you and all of his believers.  I know that your year will be fruitful as you look toward serving him.

Praying for you,

mo

Intention (Amos 3:1-2)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “intention.” God’s peeps had a hard time every now and again realizing that he had called them to a higher standard as opposed to other nations. He was very specific in what he expected from them because they were to become a model for the world to see and emulate. This is a tall order, but God knew it was possible and the world was hurting so bad for people to step up and be what is good in the midst of a lot of bad stuff…

“Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt…”

~Amos 3:1

God was pretty upset because he expected more from the ones he loved and chose as his people. They had all that was needed to change the world by choosing obedience. My question is: in this New Year how do you plan to follow God’s plan in your life? We do not have the luxury of not caring. We have been given another year to live out God’s word and show others why they should choose his goodness. My prayer is that you find the people in your life that will keep you accountable in the coming months. Let’s change the world.

Praying for you,

mo

Central (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “central.” Moses had to lead God’s peeps through some pretty crazy times. There were tons of laws and policies and enough other rules to drive anyone batty! But with all this going on God really only needed the Israelites remember one thing and then most other stuff would come to work out. And that one thing was to keep the main thing the main thing. Obedience, justice and charity were absolutely central to God’s message and covenant with Israel…

“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”

~Deut. 15:10

My question is: can you make time on this last day of the year to sit down and ponder God’s covenant – both in the lives of the Israelites, and you personally today? I know that our Lord has a great agenda for you this next year. My prayer is that you put in your goals to give back to God more than you ever have before. Allow him to use you and all that you are to advance the kingdom. Hope you had a great year; this next one will be even better.

Praying for you,

mo

Precarious (Joshua 10:1-43)

Good morning ladies,

The word of the day is “precarious.” Can you imagine being in Joshua’s position when God called him to lead the Israelites into the next chapter of history? The peeps just lost the only leader they had for the last 40 years; and Joshua was to follow that act! The Israelites still had not reached the Promised Land and in front of them was a huge river and bunch of cities with walls. Not a good situation. But Joshua stepped up and took on that crazy task…

“Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

~Josh. 10:25

Here’s my question: are you continually moving forward during both the good and bad times of your life? Sometimes we want to slow down because we get overwhelmed. All of us have been in a precarious situation or two, as Joshua faced. My prayer is that when you come across those situations you are reminded of the times God has pulled you through to victory. God will give you favor… hit this new year running hard and looking toward the Creator!

Praying for you,

mo