Receive My Spirit and Walk in the Light

Today's Reading: Exodus 14-16; Acts 2

Exodus 14:4 (ESV) 4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord.” And they did so.

Choose My Blood or The Destroyer

Today's Reading: Exodus 12-13; Acts 1

Exodus 12:32 (ESV)32 Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!”

To See or Not to See

Today's Reading: Exodus 9-11; Luke 24

Exodus 9:34 (ESV)34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Fear & Love

Today's Reading: Exodus 6-8, Luke 23

Exodus 6:7
I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

Surrender the Flesh

Today's Reading: Exodus 3-5, Luke 22

Exodus 3:6 6 And he said, c“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 

It's Not About Me

Today's Reading: Exodus 1-2, Psalms 88, Luke 21

Luke 21:1-4
1 Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “ Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Take the Son

Today's Reading: Genesis 49-50, Psalms 8, Luke 20

Psalms 8:3-4
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word): Lord please speak to me today and let me know what you are telling me in your Word, amen.

Lord- Thank you for David's psalm about your majesty and your immeasurability. Please remind me of this constantly whenever I would become discouraged by my circumstances. Thank you that although you are immense compared to your creation, your love still drove you to the cross and that was no doing of ours but it was for your good pleasure.

Jeff see the story of the vinyard below and know that my Son is a stumbling block to the Jews. He did not shy away but made it clear to them that He was the coming messiah. They have rejected the wisdom of the prophets and now they reject my Son...

Luke 20:13-18
Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘ What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him. ’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘ This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours. ’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” 17 But he looked directly at them and said, “ What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ’? 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Isaiah 8:13-14
But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. 14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Acts 4:11-12
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Psalms 118:21-22
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

Daniel 2:44
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,

So see Jeff that while the nation Israel is my chosen people, they have not received my Son, without whom there is no salvation. Be certain Jeff that my Son is the cornerstone for everything you attempt to build in your life.

See that Jesus easily managed the deceitful questions of the religious Jews of His day when they tried to trap Him in a statement that could bring Him into captivity of the Romans or otherwise may have harmed His approval amongst the Jews that hated paying taxes to Caesar...

Luke 20:22-25
Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, 24 “ Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “ Caesar 's.” 25 He said to them, “ Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar' s, and to God the things that are God 's.”

See Jeff that you are created in my image and Jesus is explaining that you are to surrender yourself to me alone. See Jeff that the life you live is not your own..."render to God the things that are God's."

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

But also see that I expect you to be subject to authority Jeff. Do not take lightly your need to honor those in authority, for the sake of their role...

1 Peter 2:13-17
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover- up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Next they questioned my Son regarding the resurrection of the dead since some did not believe in this. His response established that I am Lord of all and that He reigns as my Son over all...

Luke 20:34-36
And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 36 for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

See Jeff that marriage is an institution for this life but not for the one to come as you will each relate to God individually and there will be no further need for procreation. See how my Son continues on regarding the resurrection...

Luke 20:37-38
But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 38 Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.”

Jeff, see that Jesus is pointing out that the reference made to the patriarchs is indicating that they live, although they died many years prior to Moses writing about this burning bush experience. So my children live in spirit after their flesh dies. Jeff, invest in the spirit because you will continue on through eternity not in the flesh but in the spirit.

Also see that I am God of all and your life is mine if I am your Lord...

Romans 14:7-9
For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

So see that I am Lord of those that are dead (asleep, really. Awaiting the resurrection of the dead) as well as you and the other believers who are alive. Remember that you interpret scripture with scripture...know that my earlier reference to not being God of the dead was specifically to make the point that the patriarchs were not dead in the sense the Saduccees were thinking.

Jeff, the religious Jews stopped questioning Jesus because they saw that they were completely incapable of trapping him in His words. See that Jesus then went to the offensive and questioned them on their rejection of His identity as the Christ...

Luke 20:41-44
41 But he said to them, “ How can they say that the Christ is David 's son? 42 For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at my right hand, 43 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 44 David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

See that David, who came long before in the genealogy of Jesus considered the Lord (the messiah) to be His Lord just as He considered God the Father to be his Lord. This is the meaning of the Lord of my Lord. Jesus points out that this relative of David's is in fact the Son of God.

After Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension, see that the disciples declare to the Jews emphatically that my Son is the Christ who brings salvation and that any who would repent and claim Jesus as Lord will be saved...

Acts 2:36-38
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So Jeff, rejoice that you have my Holy Spirit living in you and He will empower you to do my work. Know that your old life of self, your old life of sin, your old life of failure is passed away and it is all nailed to the cross as now you live...

Colossians 2:13-14
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Application:
Today I will make sure that I am offering myself in surrender to God as I belong to Him.
Today I will honor authority.
Today I will rejoice that He considers my failures and my old life to be nailed to the cross.
Today I will seek to me a witness to the salvation that only comes by the Son and I will have compassion on others.

Prayer:
Lord thank you for your Word. Please show me how it is you would have me make the above application today as I proceed at work and through my day. Please guide me in how to surrender and how to best carry your message of redemption to those that would repent and put their trust in you.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!
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Mercy Does

Today's Reading: Genesis 47-48, Psalms 10, Luke 19

Luke 19:2, 5-6
And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich...5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “ Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

Don't Shrink Back; Look to Me and Pray!

Today's Reading: Genesis 44-46, Luke 18

Luke 18:1
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Not For Merit

Todays Reading: Genesis 42-43, Psalms 5, Luke 17

Psalms 5:7
But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.

Whom Do You Serve?

Todays Reading: Genesis 39-41, Luke 16

Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Son, Not Slave

Today's Reading: Genesis 37-38, Psalms 7, Luke 15

Luke 15:4
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety- nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?

Forsake All

Today's Reading: Genesis 34-36, Luke 14

Luke 14:11
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Personalize it method (Rick Warren's 40 Days in the Word):

Jeff, don't cast this message of humility off as simple.  I speak of life and death, heaven and hell.  This is salvation, this is life.  One who does not humble them self before me cannot follow me.  This one will be humbled at the end by being separated from me for eternity.  Jeff, I don't think you can understand how far this humility must go.  If you are not willing to cast down every preconception of who I am and what I am asking of you and every preconception of what it is to be my follower, then you are limiting yourself by limiting (grieving) my Spirit.  If you are not willing to release your position of supposed understanding and your position of how you balance your life, then I cannot (rather- I will not) lift you up.  If you are not prepared to give up all for my sake, then you are not yet humbled.  If you are not willing to choose me every time you wake, then you do not yet see the prize.  If you knew the prize, you would gladly pay the price...nothing could hold you back from complete and absolute surrender.  This is the humility of which I speak Jeff.

Jeff, this is the foundation upon which all of your life must be built (or rebuilt).  This is the starting point to achieving great things for my kingdom.  You must start with surrender of your will to mine in all things (i.e, your time, your money, your focus, your aspirations, your body, your mind, your emotions,...YOU!).

Open you heart Jeff and hear me...

Luke 14:26-28
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

Luke 14:33
So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

MacArthur Study Bible Note on Luke 14:28-

Only those willing to carefully assess the cost (vv. 28–32 ) and invest all they had in his kingdom were worthy to enter. This speaks of something far more than mere abandonment of one’s material possessions; it is an absolute, unconditional surrender.

Calvin's Commentaries-

It would be absurd to insist on a literal interpretation of the phrase, as if no man were a disciple of Christ, till he threw into the sea all that he possessed, divorced his wife, and bade farewell to his children.

Yet no man truly forsakes all that he possesses till he is prepared at every instant to leave all, gives himself free and unconstrained to the Lord, and, rising above every hindrance, pursues his calling.

From a sermon by John Piper on November 9, 1980 (speaking about what Jesus watched for while guests entered a dinner party)-

He looks for what they love. Jesus always watches until he knows where our treasure is. Because where your treasure is, is where your heart is, and Jesus wants the heart!No. He looks for what they love. Jesus always watches until he knows where our treasure is. Because where your treasure is, is where your heart is, and Jesus wants the heart!

Application:
Today I will look for how I can surrender everywhere I go
Today I will pray and ask that you reveal to me how surrender on the other side of every door I open
Today I will not presume that I know what you want me to do the next moment
Today I will not presume that my life is about gaining something for me
Today I will surrender what I perceive to be my rights in every situation
Today I will ask you for the filling and the empowering of your Holy Spirit to do these things that are impossible to me

Prayer:
Thank you Lord for loving me so.  Thank you Lord for speaking to me through your Word.  How amazing it is that you meet me here when I am faithful to come before you and seek you.  Please empower me this day to live surrendered to you as the branch on the vine.  Please show me how to humble myself and how to listen for your voice, for the guidance of your Holy Spirit.  

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Soli Deo Gloria!
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Strive and Confirm

Todays Reading: Genesis 31-33, Luke 13

Genesis 32:10-12
I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. ’”

I Love You Fiercely

Today's Reading: Genesis 29-30, Luke 12

Luke 12:4-7
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

May It Be You Lord

Today's Reading: Genesis 27-28, Psalms 6, Luke 11

Luke 11:2-4
And he said to them, “ When you pray, say: “ Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

Leave a Legacy; Extend Blessing

Today's Reading: Genesis 25-26, Psalms 6, Luke 10

Genesis 26:4-5
I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”

Genesis 26:24
And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham's sake.”

The Cost Seems Great Because We Are Blind

Today's Reading: Genesis 23-24, Luke 9

Luke 9:23-24
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Bind Yourself

Today's Reading: Genesis 20-22, Luke 8

Luke 8:11-15
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Luke 8:18
Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

Be Marvelous

Today's Reading: Genesis 18-19, Psalms 3, Luke 7

Genesis 18:17
The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

Genesis 18:32-33
Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Genesis 19:29
So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

Seek Satisfaction Only In Me

Today's Reading: Genesis 15-17, Luke 6

Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Be as The Worm on The Hook

Today's Reading: Genesis 12-14, Luke 5

Luke 5:2-11
and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon 's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “ Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “ Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

A Pure Sacrifice (He is Risen!)

Today's reading: Genesis 9-11, Luke 4

Luke 4:1-2
The Temptation of Jesus
1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

Before He Made Adam, He Chose The Cross

Today's reading: Genesis6-8, Luke 3

I will call today's study method search and see what you find...

Genesis 6:1-3
Increasing Corruption on Earth
1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

Abel's Surrender

Today's Reading: Genesis 3-5, Luke 2

SPADES Method (Kent Spark's adaptation of Rick Warren's SPACEPETS):

Genesis 4:3-7
In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Shout For Joy or Be Mute, Your Choice.

I started the life journal reading plan today in my Olive Tree Bible App.  This will take me through the old testament once and through the new testament twice in the next 365 days.

Today's Reading: Genesis 1-2 & Luke 1

Rooted in the Word

Psalms 1:3-4
He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Remain Separate to Know the Heart of God

Psalms 1:1-2
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

God's Abundance When We Risk

Philippians 4:19
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Pray for His Name's Sake

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.