last one in montana

December 9, 2011

“And they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement.”

Acts 3:10-11

     The people around the lame man observed him as a man who had been changed. For his whole life he was the same person who begged for money every day on the street corner, then after God pouring His healing power on him, he was never the same again. He felt alive for the first time. I feel like I can relate to this man in a way. I came to Montana as one person, and am leaving a completely different person. When I look back on my experience I know why God brought me here. He wanted to break me down and make me get rid of certain things in my life, give me a boldness in my belief that I’ve always had inside me but never let it out very much, and force me to die to my desires and wants, in order to solely trust in Him. It’s been a memorable learning experience to say the least, one that I will never forget.

Application:

     I will keep up the new healthy habits, hold onto to my new friendships, and for the month that I am home, I will ask the Lord to continue to prepare me for the next part of my journey in Uganda.

December 8, 2011    

“And all the people saw him walking and praising God.”

Acts 3:9

     The people around them witnessed an amazing thing happen. They all saw a transformation in a human life happen right before their very eyes. They could choose to ignore that it was the Lord or admit the fact that they made a mistake about crucifying an innocent sinless man. The people could not deny that God had just used Peter to perform a miracle. So often in our lives we’re afraid to believe something because it’s not normal to what we are used to. But God is not normal; He is radical.

Application:

     I need to be more like Peter and believe in what God can do through a willing vessel that is not afraid to take a leap of faith.

December 7, 2011

“With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.”

Acts 3:8

     One of the most difficult things for me to do is worship Jesus during hard times. Because during these times it seems like the most logical thing to do is tell God about how bad we have it and hope for Him to fix it. We go from a person with great faith to a person who is questioning and doubting God once a tribulation occurs. The lame man reminds me of how I get so excited when God comes through to me like He always does, and then I always ask myself “Why did I doubt You?” A valuable lesson I’ve learned up here is to worship God in the good times and the bad times and dive into His word. He doesn’t just deserve our praise when we feel like giving it; He deserves it all the time. I think we tend to stop worshipping Him during the hard times because we become extremely vulnerable, and that makes us uncomfortable, so we would rather just fix it ourselves. But we don’t have that capability so it comes to the point when we flat out have to make a choice; Surrender to God, or keep doubting and complaining and see where it gets us?

Application:

     I will work on maintaining this mindset that I have learned here and give God everything I have in the good and bad times, and not be afraid to be vulnerable.

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, know that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” Romans 5:3

December 6, 2011

“And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.”

Acts 3:7

     After reading this I tried to put myself in the lame man’s shoes. Here I am having been crippled my whole entire life. Every single day is the same. Wake up, a couple men carry me to the gate of the temple and I sit and ask for charity from everyone who walks by. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have thousands of people walk by me, a man who can’t do anything for himself, every day without even getting a glance from anyone. Then on that lucky day the first people to give me thirty seconds of their lives end up healing me and transforming my life. How radical this must have been to literally see his feet and ankles regain strength. This goes to show what the mighty hand of God can do through those who are faithful. I’ve been looking at this through the eyes of the lame man, but in closing I want to point out the fact that Peter and John had their eyes open to the need at hand and did not ignore it like so many of us do so often.

Application:

     At home especially, I need to be more aware of people like this lame man. And when I minister to them, I will think bigger of what God can do through me and not be afraid to say a prayer of healing over them.

“So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” Galatians 3:5

December 5, 2011

“But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-walk!”

Acts 3:6

     The Disciples didn’t carry earthly values anywhere they went. Being rich and having all the cool things didn’t matter at all to them. How did they do such radical things then? I believe it was their confidence and faith in the Lord to heal and preach to all the people that they did. The disciples paint a perfect picture of what I want my faith to look like. “When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, “it shall be done to you according to your faith.’” (Matthew 9:28-29). There we have it, faith is key! It determines so much and it is the center stone of our belief in the Lord.

Application:

     I need to work on having more faith in God, and not limit what He can do for me and through me. Much easier said than done.

Not because of me

November 25, 2011

“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”

Colossians 3:17

     This is a high standard that nobody follows to the T. As I read this I am so thankful for grace, because it’s by grace that we are set free and that we have eternal life waiting for us. Since I am so blessed to be saying that, I know that I have done nothing to earn or deserve it, therefore every good deed or word should be all for His glory. There is nothing that I can do on my own strength, so who am I to think that I deserve credit for my own accomplishments? I don’t, God deserves it all because He gives me the ability to do great things, just like He did with His disciples as they humbly preached the gospel throughout all the land and healed many people in His name. In Acts chapter three, Peter and John came across a lame man who needed help. Peter healed the man in the name of the Lord and he was able to walk perfectly fine. John and Peter reacted to the people’s amazement at them by saying “why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power we had made him walk? The disciples took no credit for themselves, because they knew it was all the power of the Lord enabling them to heal the crippled man. This is the attitude I need to have all the time.

Application  

“But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you.” Acts 3:6

     I don’t have much, but what I do have is a life that is fully surrendered to God. I will live my life according to His will and purpose only.

unity

November 24, 2011

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:16

     This section of scripture has been talking about what it takes to have good unity. I believe as the body of Christ we all individually need to constantly be soaking up His word, which means we need to read and study the Bible. People say wisdom comes with age, but that isn’t entirely true. Wisdom is God-given. “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:5). “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.” (1^st Peter 4:12). Also, in the book of Job is a good example of young people being wise, as Elihu corrected Job for his wrong attitude towards the Lord (chapter 32). I believe how wise you are is a reflection of life experience and diligence in staying in the Word of God. As the body of Christ, we should always be there for each other, and call each other out when someone is living in sin. This is all necessary for better unity.

Application:

     I will be a true friend to those of who I am close to, and call them out in love if I see them doing something they shouldn’t. And I hope my true friends would do the same for me.

peace/thanksgiving

November 23, 2011

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15

     This is a very crucial area of life for me. I often worry about things that aren’t even a big deal. I’ve learned that God works everything out for my good (Romans 8:28) and even the bad things happen for a reason. Since we have no control over what happens to us, we’re best off to approach it as best we can and stay positive, because we are in control of how we react to hard times. “In God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid” (Psalm 56:11). And thankfulness, something that is lost in our society, is important in all of our lives. So many people don’t realize how good we (who live in America) have it. We couldn’t be more blessed to live in a free country, have three meals a day, a roof over our heads etc. Thanksgiving for example: even though it is a day where we need to give thanks, it should not be just one day a year, but a lifestyle.

Application:

     I will not look at thanksgiving as one day to be thankful, but will make it my goal to thank the Lord for something every day.

November 22, 2011

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.”

Colossians 3:14

     There are different kinds of love and different ways in which we express our love. In this verse, I believe its talking about agape love, which is other’s centered love, completely selfless. When we love in a way that puts others first, unity is inevitable. The hard part is finding that love for others, especially people that we don’t particularly get along with or even respect. We must remember that God has those individuals in our lives for a reason, and it is not to blow them off, but to love them unconditionally just as God loves us. If we don’t have love, we dont have unity, but even worst, we don’t have God. Again, I bring this back to Jesus and remember how His love for us never runs empty, so who are we to stop loving others?

Application:

     I will read over 1^st Corinthians 13 to remind myself of the standards that agape love holds to us believers.

“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who as given to us.” Romans 5:5

forgiveness

November 21, 2011

“Bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also you should.”

Colossians 3:13

     We often get so frustrated with the weaknesses and wrongdoings of other people that we want to fix them. But the fact of the matter is, we can’t. We can’t control others any more than we can control when the sun comes up. All we can do is what the scripture tells us, and in this case, we must forgive them when they wrong us. When I personally remind myself that God not only died for our sins, but that He forgives us daily, it makes it much easier for me to forgive other people. Who am I to judge? And who am I to try and fix someone else’s weakness? That’s God’s job. The verse also doesn’t say “forgive them if they apologize.” We are told to forgive regardless of repentance on their part. This has been an issue for me in the past and I am constantly working on forgiving others (not an easy thing).

Application:

     I have to keep in mind that my God is sovereign and all-knowing. In that, I need to find satisfaction in forgiving others when I am wronged.

fill me up

November 18, 2011

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

     Before you go driving or use a power tool of some sort, you must first make sure it has enough gas in it. If its empty, than the smartest thing to do is always to fill it up as much as possible so it will last as long as possible. In the same way, before we go out into the field (wherever it may be) I believe it’s important to be filled with the Holy Spirit first. Right now I am being poured into, and soon I will be pouring myself out to the needs in Uganda.

Application:

     I will continually ask the Lord to be filling me up with the power of His Holy Spirit and to prepare my heart for my six months in the field.

“Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you.” Mark 11:24

    

end times

November 17, 2011

“He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.”

Acts 1:7

     If God wanted us to have the ability to know when the end times are, then He would give us that ability. But He didn’t, so therefore we have no possible way of figuring it out through any estimates and calculations. This makes me think of all the people who are lost and are going to hell today if they die. I’m bothered by the fact that as of right now, many people that I know and am even close to, will not be in heaven. Because we do not know when the end times will be, I believe Christians must do everything within us to let God use us to expand the kingdom while we still can. Another thing I get out of this is that we are not to worry about when the end times are, because we (Christians) know where we are going when we die. “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough troubles of its own.” Matthew 6:33

Application:

     In applying this I will keep in mind the very important fact that the end times are near, as the Bible says so (Revelation 22:20), and work on being more aware of opportunities to talk to someone about Jesus.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angles of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” Matthew 24:36

special day

November 16, 2011 

“So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’”

Acts 1:6

     This is probably one of the many questions that were going through the disciples’ minds at the time. I’m sure it was very difficult and confusing for them. I know that I can personally relate to the disciples when it comes to not understanding what the Lord wants from me. This verse brings me back to three hundred and sixty-five days ago at my high school when Mike Rozell spoke and did his presentation. On this day a year ago I knew God had called me to come here. Of course I had to research a lot and asked a lot of questions to people   who had been to the program, but I knew eventually, even though I didn’t know when, that I would come here. One thing led after another and here I am. I had to wait quite a long time for this and it was always on my mind. But just like the Disciples, I had heard the calling, but I couldn’t go yet because it wasn’t time. This verse is about trusting God.

Application:

     When I KNOW that God has called me to go somewhere or do something, I will look back on this and remember that God was in control the whole time. I will look back to this for encouragement and reassurance of His sovereignty.

“Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.” 2^nd Corinthians 1:9

Power of the Holy Spirit

November 16, 2011

“For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:5

     Being baptized with water is an outward symbol and an inward commitment of our renewed relationship with the Lord. I think of it as becoming more serious with our relationship with God, and that every believer should do it. Then there is being baptized with the Holy Spirit. This I have not experienced for myself, but my understanding of it is what Margaret told me. She said, “When we are saved we have an internal understanding and relationship with the Lord, but receiving power from the Holy Spirit has an outward result, meaning God has anointed us to be able to do new things such as speaking in tongues for example.” Some Christians receive the power of the Holy Spirit right when they become saved, and some a few years down the road of their walk with God. It’s not a one-time deal; we progressively need to ask for God to empower us with His Spirit.

Application:

     I’m going to talk to Pastor Gennarino and Margaret to gain a better understanding of this doctrine, and then I’m going to start continually praying for the Lord to fill me up with the power of the Holy Spirit.

wait

November 14, 2011

“Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, ‘Which,’ He said, ‘you heard of from Me.’”

Acts 1:4

     When I first read this verse I didn’t understand what it was talking about. But after reading it some more and looking up other verses, I came across Luke 24:49 which says “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” I believe he is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit. This put the disciples in a situation in which they had to trust in Him and wait. Before they could go out and fulfill the Great Commission, they had to wait and be filled with the Holy Spirit first. In relating this to my situation, I am here at Potter’s Field Ranch preparing for battle, being poured into by the pastors and staff, and being vulnerable unto the Lord, letting him shape and mold me. Even though I am anxious, I am not ready to go out on the field yet, God still has me here to keep growing and learning more.

Application:

     I have less then a month left up here. I’m going to get up at 615 during the week to get more time with the Lord in the morning. I will also stay patient and remain open to what the Lord wants to do in me in these last few weeks.

“So with a view to righteousness, reap in accordance with kindness; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to rain righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12

confusion

November 11, 2011

“Let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his trouble no more.”

Proverbs 31:7

     If you read this verse without knowing the real truth of alcohol, then it sounds like a dream come true. I cannot say that I know how it feels to wake up from a hangover because I have not experienced it and will not. From the people that I have talked to about it I know that you do forget about all your troubles for a period of time, everything seems perfect, and then you wake up the next morning. With an intense migraine and constant throwing up, and probably a lot more than that, I think it’s safe to say that not only are you resumed into your misery, but you have even more pain than before. Never have I met someone who doesn’t regret having a hangover. Other than the fact that Lemuel is not supposed to drink at all, I don’t understand why his mother is saying this because it doesn’t make much sense to me.     

Application:

     I will listen intently to what other people have to say about this verse and hope that God will show me what it is saying.

“Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 19:20

Cant control others

November 10, 2011

“Give strong drink to him who is perishing and wine to him whose life is bitter.”

Proverbs 31:6

     We all know that an overuse of alcohol ruins lives. Nobody is supposed to ever get drunk, that’s a given. It says give it to those who are perishing. Perish is another word for destroy. I personally don’t understand why we should give alcohol to someone already on the verge of death. But I think Lemuel’s mother is just trying to make the point that he is a king, he must not drink alcohol, and let someone else drink if they want to. I believe it’s the same for us. We can’t control other people; we can only control ourselves and make our own decisions. We should never hand a bitter person a bottle of vodka, but we have to be ok with letting them have it if they choose, and make sure we don’t make the same mistake.

Application:

     I know people who are close to me that waste their lives with alcohol, and they know in their hearts that it’s wrong. I will never encourage it, nor judge them for it. I will only speak into their lives about it when God provides an opportunity.

November 9, 2011

“For they will drink and forget what is decreed and pervert the rights of the afflicted.”

Proverbs 31:5

     This verse seems like a warning for those under the authority of someone who drinks. The word decreed means decided, or determined. People get drunk, but don’t realize what the result of it is. It gives me a picture that looks like this: A pastor, or someone in leadership, is at a get together with some people and decides to have a few beers. As he gets a little drunk, he forgets that what he is doing is wrong and is causing other people to stumble. If they see their leader doing it, then they’ll get the impression that it’s ok. Getting wasted can cause people to do really stupid things that can get themselves or even someone else killed. This causes me to be more aware that things like this can and do happen, even to those who are higher in position. “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers.” (Psalm 1:1)

Application  

In applying this I will be more observant of people who have spiritual authority over me, and I will also keep this in mind for myself and know that when I have a position of leadership, people will be watching me. Therefore I will do my best to set a good example in everything I do.

alcohol

                       November 8, 2011  

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink.”

Proverbs 31:4

     When I was a lot younger I always got super hyper and excited whenever we went out to eat and my parents would have wine, because it meant that I could have a sip. I remember everybody jokingly said I would become the drinker of the family. I just had a desire to have alcohol; it was out of pure innocence from a child who didn’t know any better. Now that I’ve grown up, I know how dangerous it can be when overused, and I’ve seen with my own eyes what it does to someone, especially those who I am close to. However, I personally believe that having a drink every now and then is ok if the person can be mature about it and not get drunk. If it’s even a temptation to get drunk, then it would probably be wise to not even have any in the house. Even though I find no hard having some every once in a while; I would never have any in front of someone else if it caused them to stumble in any way.  “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18).

Application:

     I promise to never get drunk, nor cause anyone else to get drunk, even if it means me not having any.

Send me, I'll go

November 4, 2011

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:7

     I have been here for two months now and it feels like I just got here last week. Time goes by so fast! Well, todays the day that I find out where I’m going to spend six long crucial months of my life. I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time with great anticipation and it’s finally here. In relating that to this verse, I see that it says “love believes all things.” That part catches my eye. The reason is because for a while I had a preference of where I wanted to go, and I have had to give that up to the Lord through this process, which is not an easy thing to do. But I didn’t sign up for easy. “And again, I have put my trust in Him.” (Hebrews 2:13).

Application:

     I trusted God to get me here, and He did. I will also trust God with this and know that wherever I go is the right place.

“O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. Isaiah 25:1

Truth

November 3, 2011

“Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in truth.”

1 Corinthians 13:6

     Sometimes, the truth hurts, in can be very painful. Sometimes, it can be refreshing and a relief. We often don’t want to admit to things that are true, because it brings about in us a deep conviction that we don’t want to reveal. I personally can find it difficult to speak the truth to people around me especially when they are talking falsely about Jesus. I’m not a person who likes conflict. But it says “rejoice” in truth. I think of Jesus and how He always stood up for what was right, what was true. Even though the Pharisees and everyone else hated his guts for it, He rejoiced in it. “But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.” (Galatians 2:5)

Application:

     I’m going to pray for the Lord to give me boldness and strength to stand firm in His word, because it also took Jesus boldness and strength to endure all that He went through, from the beginning of His ministry to the end.

Do your best

November 2, 2011

“Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.”

1 Corinthians 13:5

     These verses are very humbling, especially when I ask the question “Do I not do these things also?” There is one area of this verse where God has been really working on my heart; which is taking into account a wrong suffered. As you all know I used to be a grudge holder and would never forget anything bad that someone did to. This was a very week area of my life and I am thankful that God pointed it out to me. That being said, there is much more. “Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek is own, and is not provoked.” I read this and get kind of overwhelmed because I feel like I have such high expectations to reach. But in reality what I’m doing is trying my best to be like Christ. There’s no reason to feel pressure about this.

Application:

This verse contains a lot. So I’m going to spend my alone time breaking it down word by word, and thinking about how I can improve in these areas.

I want to say thanks to everyone who has been praying for me throughout every week. God is showing me so much about myself that I never even realized. This experience has been life changing. Please continue to keep me in your prayers, they mean more than you know. These are my prayer requests:

1.  That God will continue to mold my heart and change me according to His will and purpose. (Phillipians 2:13)

2.  For my friends who have already deployed into the field, that they will be safe and God will use them mightily.

3.  That I will poor myself out to the Lord even more in this last month that I am here.

Is there anything that you need prayer for?

“Give ear to my prayer, O God; and do not hide Yourself from my supplication.” Psalm 55:1

patience

October 31, 2011

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant.”

1 Corinthians 13:4

     After reading this I immediately think of 1 John 4:8 “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” When we’re talking about the love that is mentioned in this verse, we’re talking about God. I’m not very good at being patient. I’m always in a rush for something that I want, which is very selfish. It’s probably one of my major weaknesses. When we took the personality tests I read about my results, it said I get annoyed with the inconsistencies of other people. And Part of being patient is tolerance of other people. I need to be better about accepting people for who they are and meeting them where they are at, because God made them that way for a reason.

Application:

     The next time somebody does something that makes me mad, I’m going to just pray for them right then and there, and work on making that a habit of mine.

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

October 27, 2011

“So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have only done that which we out to have done’”

Luke 17:10

     Jesus spent years traveling around and roaming streets healing and serving the poor, blind, crippled, anyone who was in need. Did He ever expect a thank you? Not once. That sums it up perfectly for me. As a Christian, I want to be like Christ. And He did everything freely unto God because He was supposed to.

Application:

     I’m going to ask God to give me His eyes in order to find the needs and for Him to show me how to be selfless when serving, because it’s so easy to expect something back.

Conviction

October 26, 2011

“He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?”

Luke 17:9

     My IBS has nothing to do with this verse, but it is what it is and God is doing something in me. It’s real, so I’m saying it. During on the mount (which is supposed to be alone time) I had a deep, yet hard conversation with two people yesterday. The conversation will not be repeated, but what God is showing me will be. I have always had a hard time confronting people when I’ve been hurt. Ask anyone from my family they will say it’s the truth. When I get hurt by someone, I aint telling them about it, I always hold it in without showing emotion. I’ll never forget what they did to me, even if it is a little thing. The rage is like a little snow ball, and when u role it in the snow it gets bigger and bigger until you can’t hold it in anymore. After talking to Margaret about this I realized this has to change, because my brothers and sisters here are around me literally 24/7 and I am not willing to let the devil use this to ruin my friendships/relationships anymore. It’s usually fairly easy for me to admit my weaknesses, because it’s part of being humble. But this is different because I’ve always handled being hurt by coping with it and riding the other person off. This is just a glimpse of what the Lord is doing to change me here. I’m very grateful that God is bringing this to my attention so that I can learn to confront people with love and handle this the right way.

Application:

     I am going to read and study Matthew 18 over and over again. And I will confront people who hurt me, rather it be incidental or on purpose, with love. And trust the Lord to help me from there.

If you’d pray for me about this, I’d really appreciate it

Heaven is my resting place

October 25, 2011

“But will he not say to him, ‘prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’”

     What I get from this verse is that we are living to be of full service to the Lord. Everyone loves to have vacations after working all year long. We’re tired; we need a break, fair enough. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But the verse says we must serve our master and then after that we can eat and drink. After we are done serving Jesus with our lives here, our “vacation” will be waiting for us in heaven. But that time has not come yet, there is still work to be done here. My life here should be a full time ministry because my ultimate resting place is eternal life in heaven.

Application:

     I will persevere through the bumps in the road and remember to keep living a life of ministry until my time here is done, when Jesus takes me home.

“And He was saying to them all, ‘if anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me’” Luke 9:23

die to self

October 24, 2011

“Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat?’”

Luke 17:7

      I have no right or reason to look for someone to applaud me when I serve someone who needs help. If I was doing it for that reason, then I am in the wrong place and it’s not true servant hood. We often look for some kind of reward after doing a good dead. But Why would we need one if it’s all for God anyway? “For whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God” (1^st Corinthians 10:31). This is where dying to self comes into play. When we die to ourselves then we are truly being humble before the Lord.

Application:

     To really be on the lookout for anything that needs to be done in front of my eyes and do it without expecting a reward.

October 20, 2011

“And blessed is he does not take offense at me”

Matthew 11:6

     When we aren’t afraid of what other people think, when we aren’t afraid to be different, when we aren’t afraid to be made fun of for standing up for Jesus, to be mocked or even physically attacked for our beliefs, we are true disciples of Christ. In Matthew Jesus warns His disciples that they will face resistance and people are going to hate them because of His name. How easy it is for us to respond with aggression and anger right back at those who hate us for loving Jesus. But if we do that, we are no different than they are. We are called to love our neighbors and pray for those who persecute us (Matthew 5:44). There is no shame in being a christian, and when we start to care about what others think about our beliefs, that’s Satan trying to get us to question what we are doing.

Application:

I’m going to pray for the next person who tries to bring me down for what I believe. I often just ignore what they say and leave it alone. But I am going to make an effort to intercede upon their lives because they are probably hurting deep inside.

“But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek; turn the other one to him also” Matthew 5:39

$$

October 13, 2011

“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:8

     To me this verse is a lot like handling money. Some people have a lot, some enough to pay the bills and have food on the table, and others who can’t afford either of those things. People often assume that the people with the most money are the happiest people, that money buys happiness. We tend to envy actors, singers, sports stars, all the people who have all the cash. But I can guarantee you that all those people who invest all their money for themselves and not for the Lord, are living miserable lives. I know of celebrities, who are as rich as one can be, yet the money doesn’t satisfy, they still revert to drugs or alcohol, or even abusing someone they “say” they love. It’s not the money itself that’s a sin; it’s the handling of it that leads to corruption. It’s the sowing to the flesh. I also know many people who are much less fortunate then I am, but truly live happy lives because they sow to the Spirit with what little they have, and they will have eternal life because of that.

Application:                   

I will always tithe 10% of what I earn and work on being more open to helping others out financially since I have been blessed in this area by my parents.

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income.” Ecclesiastes 5:10

He sees everything

October 12, 2011

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”

Galatians 6:7

     The day will come when we face the judgment seat of Christ and every decision we’ve made in our lives will be accounted for, both good and bad. There is nothing that we do that goes unseen by the Lord. We all have our deep secrets and do things that nobody else knows about, but God does, and He’s the only one who will ultimately account us for the decisions we have made. Bill Wilson, who runs the largest Sunday school in the world, which is in Brooklyn, New York puts it this way: “In life we all have choices, we make decisions, and we reap the consequences.” I don’t think it can be put any better way than that. We have no one else to blame for how our life is because it is a direct result of the decisions we have made in the past.

Application:

     I will seek counsel of older and wiser people when faced with difficult decisions to make.

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.” Proverbs 12:15

working on my weaknesses

October 12, 2011

“For each one will bear his own load”

Galatians 6:5

     What I get out of this is that my load is different than anyone else’s, and vice versa. God has placed certain burdens on my heart for a specific reason; He has brought me here for different reasons than he has brought others. That’s how I have to walk through it. I truly believe that since we (Christians) are saved and know where we are going when we die, that we should make it a life standard to minister and love on those who are lost, and ultimately make disciples of them (Matthew 28:19). That being said, we need to make sure we are on track with our relationship with the Lord. If we give ourselves the title of being a “Christian”, but are not pure in areas that me must be in order to lead, then we are not only hurting ourselves, we are leading others astray. “And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14). We must carry our load first so that we can enable ourselves to be true leaders.

Application:

     I’m going to spend the first few minutes of devotions in prayer, asking God what areas of my relationship with Him that I need to work on and how I can improve on them.

October 11, 2011

“But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another.”

     On every sports team there is a captain. His job is to be the leader of the team in every way. He is the one who gets on player’s case who is slacking, rather that be in school or in the games. The captain has to set the standards. But if the he does not set the example in the class room and on the field, then he has no position to correct his teammates. He must look at his work ethic, his grades, and his character first, before he can say anything to them. I think this verse ties in with responsibility, which has been a topic the last few days here at the ranch.

Application:

     I’ll be the one to initiate cleaning in the men’s dorm every weekend so that it always gets done.

“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” 2^nd Thessalonians 3:10

October 10, 2011

“For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

Galatians 6:3

     Everything that I am capable of doing is because of Jesus. More than that, everything I am, everything about me, Jesus created it all. When I accomplish something that deserves an earthly reward, I have no right to be cocky about it or even think that I did it on my own strength. I am not too good for anything or anyone. And if we think like we are, then we are living a great lie.

Application:

     I will keep this in mind and do my best to give God the glory for everything He accomplishes through me.

“Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:6).

numbers

October 7, 2011

“Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart.”

Acts 2:46

     I read this and instantly get a feeling of unity. What does it mean to be united? It’s when two or more are in agreement and stand together for something. As the body of Christ, we need to be united and have the same goal in mind, which should be the great Commission (Matthew 28:19). If a thousand people are a part of the same congregation but every individual has their own agendas, and no unity is amongst them, they will not make even a little impact on the world. But if a thousand people came together with the same goal and motivation, with the right leader in place, they could do such incredible things for the Kingdom of God! One person can only do so much, but if the entire body of Christ unites for a common purpose, then revival could be around the corner. In battle, if your army is not united in every way and you don’t have each other’s back, then the enemy already has you beat.

Application:

     When I’m on the field, I’m going to remember that I have my army right beside me and I am not alone. When the devil tries to bring me down and mess with my head, I will cling first and foremost to Jesus, but also communicate with those around me and tell them what I am going through so that they can help me fight the good fight.

“For where two or here have gathered together in My name, I am in there midst.” (Matthew 18:20)

compassion

October 6, 2011

“And they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.”

Acts 2:45

     As I read this I can easily think of dozens of homeless friends back home who are going hungry every day, have one pair of clothes, and are very lonely. People are in need all around us! How often do we see the homeless man (or woman) at the end of the street holding up a sign begging for a piece of bread? We are so quick to judge them and call them lazy when we haven’t even talked to them and don’t know their story. This is not meant make one feel guilty for having a cell phone, computer, a house to sleep in, and three meals a day, but is meant to make one realize that we have all these things for a reason; and that is to bless others. Jesus instructs us to do this: “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Matthew 19:21). Jesus painted a very clear picture for us.

Application:

     I’m going to keep this mindset and continue to minister to the homeless people of San Diego as long as I live there. I will also try to think of ways to make the ministry that I’m involved in grow.

friendship

October 5, 2011

“And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common.”

Acts 2:44

     Here at PFR (Potter’s Field Ranch), we all come from completely different backgrounds. We have people from California, Utah, Philadelphia, Oregon, Colorado, and Florida (Paige has been everywhere it would take too long to list all the places she’s lived). A couple days ago at dinner a few of us were eating together and we all stopped, looked at each other at the exact same time, and then Paige said “We are all so different.” This gave us a good laugh but when I think about it, it couldn’t be truer. We all like different things, come from different cultures, and we’ve all been through completely different situations in life. However, the one thing that binds our friendships together is the main thing we all have in common; we are all here for the same reason, which is to hear from God, and be discipled so that we can disciple others. From another standpoint, this actually makes us the same in many different ways in terms of seeking the Lord. It’s so cool to see God bring a random group of people together who are seeking the same thing! We’re all in this together, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Of course I miss my family back home, but I have a new family right here, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Application:

     I’m going to make sure I do my part to maintain these unforgettable friendships that I’ve made.

“A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)

    

October 4^th 2011

“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.”

Acts 2:43

     If we fully, completely, without a doubt understood and grasped what Jesus went through for us, I think we would be more extreme in our faith. The Passion of the Christ demonstrates very accurately what happened to Jesus the day of the crusifiction. We watch that movie; we cringe, cry, scream, and even turn away sometimes because it’s so hard to visualize the pain He endured. Jesus deserves us to be in awe of Him! I believe we often become comfortable or casual with our walk with the Lord. I am definitely guilty of this. Imagine if Jesus just chose to pass up that sacrifice. A relationship with Him wouldn’t even be an option. “Everyone KEPT feeling a sense of awe.”

Application:

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20. I’m going to memorize this verse and remember to never get comfortable with where I’m at, but to keep staying in awe of the Lord.