Category: Daily Prayers

Testing the Lord

I read these verses and wonder when I have tested the Lord rather than trusted Him.

Matthew 4:7

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test

Isaiah 7:10

Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test

Deuteronomy 6:16

“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you. And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you

Exodus 17:5

Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the Lord said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not

Serve With All Your Heart

Have you ever had a time where you have chosen to serve God with all of your heart and become more of a servant to others?  And then everything around you goes into conflict, confusion, people misunderstanding you, and something important to you seems to be taken away?  Satan is the crafter of lies and speaks to our heart where we are struggling.  We need to be mindful of him and remember our strength is in the Lord alone.  Scripture says “if we resit the devil, he will flee”.

God, please protect us and lead us from these attacks.  Flood our hearts and minds with knowledge of your word and expose these lies and temptations so that we have clear choice to resist and not fall into temptation.

Matthew 4:3

And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread”

1 Thessalonians 3:5

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain

Hebrews 2:16

For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted

Hebrews 4:14

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need

Servant for God

“with whom I am well pleased”.  Have you ever given thought to being a servant for God every day of your life, not just on Sunday?  What would this servant life look like?  This life would begin with a heart desire to honor and glorify God – this life would seek to be used by God – this life would listen for that quiet small voice of God speaking to their heart and would obey – this life would stay in God’s word knowing it will produce fruit in a willing heart – this life would seek the best for others.  Everyday we choose in our heart what we will desire. Keep God first.

 

Matthew 3:17

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased

2 Peter 1:18

For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:4

even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved

1 John 5:10

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life

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Bearing Fruit

Bearing fruit comes from a choice we make in our lives.  This choice is not to bear fruit that brings notice or recognition to us individually but rather to bring glory and honor to God.  God will use each one of us for His purpose.  How great would that be, for Him to be able to use us because we choose to honor and glorify Him.

Matthew 3:10

Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire

Luke 13:6

“A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground? ’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down

John 15:2

Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit

2 Peter 1:6

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self- control, and self- control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind

Acceptable in God’s Eyes

We must continually be on guard for that which the culture accepts and what is acceptable in God’s eyes.  Paul said “what manner of person ought you be, in light of the grace mercy and love freely given to us from God.  Our fruit is a direct reflection of our heart and the desire, or lack there of, to live our life in obedience with single purpose to honor and glorify God in all we think say and do.

Matthew 3:7

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance

Acts 26:20

that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance

Acts 14:15

“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them

1 Samuel 12:21

And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself

Confess, Repent, Trust

What must a person do if they rightly believe that there is but one God and each person will give account of himself to God.  – Confess there sins, repent, and be baptized, trusting in – clinging to, – relying on the redemptive work of Christ on the cross.  Thank you Lord for opening our heart and mind to the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Matthew 3:1

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins

Acts 19:17

And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices

Romans 14:11

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.”

 So then each of us will give an account of himself to Go4

Listen and He Will Lead

I read verses like these and am amazed by their quick action upon having a dream.  Wisemen changed the course back home, Joseph got up in the middle of the night and took his family to Egypt.  God speaks to us in many ways and leads us down paths that protects us.  What He is saying to your heart today?  How is He leading you?  Are you listening?  Is it your desire to hear Him?

Matthew 2:13

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod

2:12

And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way

Job 33:15

In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on men,

while they slumber on their beds,

then he opens the ears of men

and terrifies them with warnings,

that he may turn man aside from his deed

and conceal pride from a man;

he keeps back his soul from the pit,

his life from perishing by the sword

Come to Worship Him

“And have come to worship him”.  These men did not know of the redemptive gift of Christ on the cross, nor did they know grace and forgiveness.  Yet they came to worship him.  Let’s jump ahead more than 2000 years.  We live in a time where the Word of God, His promises, commands, and guide to life are written down and accessible.  Through scripture we find hope, love, faith, power, joy, patience, gentleness, kindness and learn about the Grace and Mercy of God.  How much more should we worship Him for what He has done, is doing, and promised yet to do.  

Matthew 2:3

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel

Mica 5:4

And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth.

 And he shall be their peace

God With Us!

God with us!!!  I am with you always. I will never leave you or forsake you.  How many times do we need to hear this before we trust Him fully?  There is nothing confusing in what is stated – it is very clear.  So why is it so hard for us to fully commit to Him, to live with one desire – to honor and glorify Him alone?  Choose today to set your desire on Him and see where He leads you the rest of your life.

Matthew 1:23

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel

Matthew 28:20

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age

Hebrews 13:6

 “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,

 “The Lord is my helper;

 I will not fear;

what can man do to me

Impossible Situation

I wonder how many times I have felt the situation I was in was impossible?  Why would I think like that at times when I need God the most?  We are called to live in His power not our own. For whatever reason,  I need to confess, many times I try to do it on my own power for my own purpose.  He can do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine.

Matthew 1:20

“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the Lord

Job 42:2

“I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted

Jeremiah 32:17

‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you