Location, Location, Location!
You have been speaking to me, Father, and You know that my heart’s desire is to clearly hear what You have for me. Give me a burning desire to draw closer to You, to spend time with You in prayer. My relationship with You must be the most important thing in my life – everything else will fall into place when You, Father, are at the center. Amen.
Matthew 4:12-17 (<<click the green)
As I have sat here pondering this passage, Lord, I was curious to see where all these places were. I recognize the names of them but I really didn’t know if they were close together or far apart.
After looking at one of the maps in the back of my Bible, I figured out that Judea is a region of Israel where Jerusalem and Bethlehem were. The wilderness where You were tempted was here as well. So putting that all together, You probably had to travel approximately 45 miles to get to Galilee, where Nazareth and Capernaum were located. That’s about a 15-hour walk! But where You chose to center Your ministry was of extreme importance. Many important things would take place in Judea but equally important was what would take place in Galilee.
As is the case today, You are always in the right place at the right time. For the third time in four chapters, Matthew refers to a proclamation of the prophet Isaiah. Yes, it’s important to realize Your relocation fulfilled prophecy but it also put You in a place where there would be many people who needed You on so many levels.
Lord, You go where You are needed. In Galilee, there were many Jews but there were many Gentiles there as well. Isaiah refers to the people in this area as those “who sat in darkness” and “those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow”. For those with no true hope, Hope has come. For those in darkness, “a light has shined.”
I know You are always with me, Lord, but I would pray that You would shine brightly through me. I am in a land of darkness – a land where “death casts its shadow”. Use me to touch the lives of those in my location. May I bring Hope. Amen.
Oct 4th, Wed, 6:22 am
I Can Do Whatever You Call Me to Do
Thank You for another day, Father. I most certainly was not perfect today but feeling Your presence alongside me helped me to make many right choices. I am grateful that You continue to work with me.
Matthew 3:13-17 (<<click the green)
I think we’ve all struggled with feeling that we weren’t qualified to shoulder some responsibility that was set before us in our past. Many times we’ve taken up the task at hand and maybe some of have lingering doubts that we made the right decision in not doing so.
In today’s passage, we find John diligently proclaiming the coming of the long-expected Messiah. The Old Testament “prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”(Matthew 3:3)
John had cleared the way and here came Jesus – the Messiah!
I’m sure John was grateful that he had obeyed God’s calling on his life – it was a big task. It was a hard task. But with God’s help, he had done the right thing and doing it with the best of his ability.
Then Jesus asked John to baptize him.
“What?! Wait a minute! I am the one who needs to be baptized by you…” But when Jesus replied, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires”, John readily complied.
It was a big request, but John was obedient.
Lord, sometimes You call us to things that we think are beyond what we are capable of…but You know best. You do not call us to fail but to succeed. And quite often we are not the ones to define those terms. Lord, You alone can see all the interworkings of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. May we obey. May we have confidence in You. May we be diligent. I can do whatever You call me to do.
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Oct 2nd, Mon, 7:44 pm
Winnowing
Father, it has been a long but fulfilling weekend. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to celebrate my dad’s birthday with him and then be able to go to church with him today – that is a rarity for two pastors. Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the blessings given.
Matthew 3:11-12 (<<click the green)
One of the never-ending tasks of my full-time job as a Jewelry Supervisor in a Kohl’s Department Store is keeping the floor of the jewelry bay behind the case line clear of clutter. Inevitably freight needs to be processed, display components need to be stored away, signs and toppers must be put back in the right area, things that are not jewelry need returned to their proper departments, etc., etc.
As I read today’s passage, Lord, it states that You “will clean up the threshing area.” John the Baptist uses an illustration of a farmer “separating the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork” in order to accomplish that task. Lord, You are the farmer who will separate the chaff – those who are unrepentant – from the wheat – those who repent and believe that You are who You claim to be.
The winnowing fork is used to throw the grain into the air, the chaff – the worthless outer shell – blows away while the heavier wheat kernel – the useful portion – falls to the ground. The wheat is gathered to use. The chaff is burned.
John is prophesying as to what the coming Messiah will someday do. We are still waiting for it to happen – and we can surely be grateful for Your patience, Lord – but most assuredly it will happen.
Lord, I have repented and I truly believe in You. The day for cleaning house is getting nearer every moment. May I be ever diligent in being about the work of Your kingdom. Use me as You will to show others the need for repentance. Amen.
Oct 1st, Sun, 8:30 pm
What? Me Worry?
Father, today has been a very productive day…so productive that I am having a hard time keeping my eyes open! Thank You for the strength and ability to do what I’ve done. Thank You for the opportunity to speak to those who encourage me in what I do. Thank You most of all for the inspiration that You give me each and every day.
Philippians 4:6 (<<click here)
“Don’t worry about anything: instead pray about everything.”
I sit here worrying about how to respond to this passage. I sit here praying about how to respond to this passage. That’s just crazy! As I read this passage, my first thought was, “I don’t worry that much.” Now maybe there are things I don’t worry about that others do but I do worry about things. Some of those things to others would be silly. Like, many times I would really like responding to people’s posts on Facebook – I find things inspiring or sometimes posts just touch me, they make me think, they make me realize important things, they bring tears to my eyes. But then I worry, what should I say, how should I say it, will they think I’m stupid, or odd or that I’m out of touch with reality or that I’m putting too much into what they were saying. And this can occupy my thoughts for hours. That’s just crazy!
Lord, help me…Your Word says, “Don’t worry about anything.” Guide my thoughts and actions in directions that will impact Your kingdom. If something I can say or do will draw someone to You or shed a ray of light into the darkness of this world or will provide others with a quick embrace of Your love… so be it.
Jesus, help me to pray – and act – worrying just keeps the wheels spinning but gets me, nor Your kingdom anywhere.
Lord, You surely work in wonderful ways! I’ve told You “what [I] need” And right now “I thank you for all you have done” and all You will do. You love me and You want me to succeed – not success as the world defines it, but success in that I will more and more fulfill my role as Your child – bringing glory to Your name!
June 1st, 2015, Mon, 8:28 am
Press On!
Abba, You are so gracious to wake me every morning. Thank You for Your love and watching over me. Help me to focus on You throughout my day and to hear and heed what You would have me say and do and think upon. I praise You and I lift Your name on high where it rightly belongs!
Philippians 3:12-16 (<<click here)
Lord Jesus, enable me to mine the riches of this passage this morning – clear the cobwebs, block the distractions, please.
“Press on” “possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” “focus on…forgetting the past… looking forward to what lies ahead” “press on…to the end of the race” “hold on to the progress…already made.”
Don’t just sit back and pray it happens – push ahead! Lord, You know what I need. “Before the creation of the world, You knew me (and loved me! )” You know the perfection You have for me. Help me to diligently “press on”! – to put all my energy and effort into pursuing that and to coming to a full knowledge of what that means!
There’s nothing I can do about my past – failings, bad decisions, things which I think were undeservingly done to me – my goal TODAY is to focus on “looking forward to what lies ahead.” “Press on!” to what You have yet for me to do, to what I have yet to learn, to a still deeper relationship with You! I don’t know what all of that is or means but help me to trust You with it all!
Help me, give me the tenacity to not lose ground but to “hold on to the progress… already made” You’ve helped me come so far from where I was, Lord and I know my apprenticeship is nowhere near complete. I give You all the credit for progress made and cling to Your grace and mercy to carry me forward, upward- higher and higher! Solidify my grounding in You – strengthen my foundation. May the roots of my life delve deeper into You – fortifying me, feeding me the richness of Your resources. Storms will come. I pray you will enable me to stand tall, to not fall, and to get myself upon the “Rock that is stronger than I” Help me to be a lighthouse for You that will endure. Persevere! And because of that endurance that my light would shine all the brighter, constantly, deliberately drawing others to You!!
May 29th, Fri, 6:09 am
In searching for a picture for this post I was reminded of this song by Building 429 – check it out! 
♪♫♪ Press On ♫♪♫
Sometimes this world starts breaking me down
I get so lost I think I’ll never be found
And there are moments of fear and doubt
Even the best fall to the ground
I am a mess, I am a wrecking ball
I must confess that I still don’t get it all
Lord I believe that all Your words are true
Doesn’t matter where I’m going if I’m going with You
I press on, I press on, I press on
When I still don’t get it
I see the world through my jaded eyes
I get frustrated when there is no Why
I put my focus on worthless things
Even the strong fall to their knees
God only knows what we all need
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
I press on
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I will find in You
Life goes on, life goes on
But Your love will prove
All I need, all I need
I press on
Publishing: © 2013 Sony/ATV Tree Publishing /Havery Publishing (BMI), Pneumatic Man (ASCAP)
Writer(s): Jason Roy, Rob Hawkins