Lean not on Me

Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7

Romans 7:22-23 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; ²³but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.

If you read Pauls letters, you will notice a struggle within him. He loves God however there was a battle inside of him that he was struggling to overcome. He knew all about love and justice, God and satan, the bible and the law of the land. He was strong and intelligent and weak all at the same time. And Paul wasn't alone, because that is all of us. We, I, love God with all my heart and soul yet the enemy is waging a war inside of me and making me weak at times so that I fall into his sin.

Proverbs 3:3-6 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.⁴ Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

When satan wants to battle within me, instead of fighting him back with my bad words or just even giving up...I love. I don't love satan but i love myself. I trust that God will forgive me and has already forgiven me, i trust in the unconditional mercy of God and his surrounding grace that is everywhere.

v.3 when love and faithfulness becomes a leech and sucks me dry, is when I forgive easily. I look at people who have hurt me with the eyes of the Lord. When love and faithfulness are like a tattoo - it hurts at first because its hard to love my enemies, but once it heals its there forever and the mercy and grace of God is layed upon me.

v.4 When you love others and you show them by respect and kindness, not only will other people see it, but God sees it. He knows when I am extra nice to someone, when I open the door for someone, when I give my seat, when I help another. He sees when I go out of my way and others may not appreciate it or even care, but God does.

v.5-6 When i trust God and trust Him with even my weakness He will stir me in the right direction. He will make sure that I am in the right season of my life and doing the things that i'm supposed to. Sometimes I want to stir my own car and make a right or left but when its time for God to stir the wheel, He will make it known and take over from there.

Lord,
Thank you for your love and kindness that has been poured over me. Thank you for making me who I am, how I am. I know that I have strengths and many weaknesses but I pray and ask that you continue to pour your love and grace over me. I want your love to be the mascot inside of me cheering me on to keep going and searching for you. I love you with all my heart and soul, keep me in your path and if you see me stirring away take over and start driving.
I forever love you always
Amen

Are you a Follower?

1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 98; Romans 2 Romans 2:12-13 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous

The Romans were people who lived by their law. They lived by their rules, yet Paul was trying to explain Gods law, Gods rules. His are different from land laws therefore they should be regarded differently.

It is better for me to say I won't do something and actually do than say I'm going to do something and not do it. Because I can tell someone something and I can say something but if i don't do something about it than I am just a coward. Gods want me to live what I believe. And when i do that than i am righteous in His eyes.

v.28-29 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

Gods looks at our hearts because that is where He will see if we are truly His followers. A word is one thing but an action is another. If I say I'm a follower yet stay quiet...I'm not a follower. If I say I'm a follower and I share the gospel and follow the Lords commands...I'm a follower.

Lord,
Thank you for allowing me to get spiritually circumcised. I can cut out the things of the world through you. I know I still have things to work on and parts of the world to cut out of my heart, help me with those things. I want to walk straight and be righteous before you. Show me the things I need to cut out so I can start on the straight and narrow.
I forever love you always
Amen

I am weak but He is strong

1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; Psalm 97; Romans 1

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

One of Pauls dreams was to minister to the Romans. These were the physical people who took Jesus into their hands and nailed him physically to the cross. These people were ruthless, they knew no mercy and didn't care. These were the exact kind of people that Paul loved and wanted to get close to.

Who the Romans were are the people most of us are afraid to even speak to. We go to the streets and see someone on the floor and instead of seeing if they are ok, we walk pass them judging them thinking they are just drunk. The Romans were people that carry guns, that kill for territory, that look scary on the outside. Yet, Paul saw them as Gods creations and wanted to reach out and help them.

As followers of Christ and disciples of Paul, we are to follow the example. Help those, however they look like, in finding the truth about God. When someone walks into these doors we are to open our arms and give them a loving hug. Jesus would want me not to be scared of how someone looks, because my fight is not against flesh and blood but against principalities. My war is with the spirit world and how the devil thinks he could handle me. My battle is not my own to fight but I have the Lord to protect me from any fear.

I have no excuse to make when I ignore someone. The fear is my own because God didn't give me a spirit of fear but a spirit of peace and love. If I see someone that I don't think would listen my first instinct is to walk away, but the Lord wants me to move forward and talk to such people. My weakness is the Lords strength therefore my power is in Him.

Lord,
Thank you for your strength in me. I know there are times when I don't listen to your spirit and I do walk away. But I want to stop walking away and keep moving forward to you. Forgive me for not listening to your word.
I forever love you always
Amen

Mine and Yours Temple

1 Kings 4-5; 2 Chronicles 2; Psalm 101; 2 Thessalonians 3

2 Chronicles 2:4 Now I am about to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God and to dedicate it to him for burning fragrant incense before him, for setting out the consecrated bread regularly, and for making burnt offerings every morning and evening and on Sabbaths and New Moons and at the appointed feasts of the LORD our God. This is a lasting ordinance for Israel.
Solomon knew what God wanted him to do. David was supposed to build this temple but David came to the point in his life that he didn't have time because he was busy with the wars and fighting. Yet Solomon, a man of peace and wisdom, is young and has the time to build this temple for the Lord.

Even though Solomon built a whole temple from scratch, God wants us to build him a temple. The temple in our hearts, in our rooms, in our secret place. This temple is to be dedicated to God - the time that we spend in this temple is to be dedicated to God. All that we do, say, hear is for Him.
- "for burning fragrant incense" - this is for our temple to have a beautiful fragrance going around. This doesn't literally mean we need to burn incense in our temple, but for our temple to be a nice smelling place and place that the Lord would want to spend time in with us.
- "setting out the consecrated bread regularly" - the word is our living bread. When we are in the temple spending time with Him, this is the time we are to read the word. We are to set time apart to be with him and learn more about God.
- "for making burnt offerings every morning and evening" - we are to pray to him, offer him up our time which is sometimes a sacrifice. This is being obedient to him.
- "and on the Sabbaths and new moons and at appointed feasts" - praying to God every chance we get. Worshipping Him during our time off - dedicating it directly to Him and for Him.

Lord,
thank you for giving me the chance to build my own temple for you. I know i can't make one like Solomon but i know you didn't call me to do that. I am here to worship you in my temple during my dedicated time to you. I love worshipping you and reading your word. I am here for you.I forever love you always
Amen

Young and Wise

1 Kings 3; 2 Chronicles 1; Psalm 78; 2 Thessalonians 2

1 Kings 3: 7 "Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties."
Solomon was a young man when he became king. All he knew was that he saw his father be king and wanted to be like him. He knew that his father was a man after Gods heart and wanted to seek God too. Solomon was not a fighter, he was not a man of war, it was never implanted in him. David on the other hand was a man who wanted to fight for his country and for his God. As generations pass so do some characteristics. Solomon was quiet and kept to himself a lot. He wanted to have a great kingdom, one that God and his father David would be pleased of. As a young man he didn't know what to do and how to show his people that he could be their king.

v.9 "So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"

Even though Solomon was young, he was smart and he listened. He was an observer and he knew what he needed to be a great king. Wisdom.

At times, even though i am almost 30, i feel like i don't know enough to do what i do. I feel like I am too young and need more experience to be where I am, however God put me here and has kept me here for a reason. He wants me to be a pastor, a counselor, a friend to these young kids because He sees my heart. He knows my heart is for them and nothing else. He knows that I am here because He put me here and no one else at this moment can do what I do the way I do it. Same as for Solomon, even though he felt young and inexperienced, God grated him what he needed to be a great king.

Many of us no matter how old we are will make mistakes. We will not be wise at times and go down the wrong path. There will be times when we will not listen to Gods voice, as what happened to both David and Solomon, but they went back to listen to Him and followed Him once again. Whatever we ask for from God, ask from your heart but let God listen to your heart first before you open your mouth.

Lord,
thank you for listening to my heart. You know me better than I know myself and you know what I need more than I do. Show me what I need to do next and how to get there. I want to follow you all the days of my life.
I forever love you always
Amen

The Surface and the Heart

1 Chronicles 25-27; 1 Thessalonians 4

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹²so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

While Paul was going from city to city to spread the gospel, his life was crazy. He was constantly in jail or his life was always threatened. He didn't want the people he was ministering to to go through the same. Paul knew that he was chosen for that work for a reason, because God knew he could handle it. God knew the strength inside Paul and whatever Paul went through, he would keep his heart and eyes set on God. However, the people Paul ministered to, were not as strong as he was. They were baby Christians and barely knew the things of God. Therefore, he wanted them to stay out of trouble, yet not stay quiet about what they had learned about God.

Being a Christian doesn't mean you have to live a dramatic life. It doesn't mean you have to be like Paul or any other grand evangelist. It just means you have to be you. However God created you, that's how He wants you to be. God wants us to live a good life but with the possibility of bad times crossing our paths.

Paul said "lead a quiet life and mind your own business" which means be kind to everyone, don't get involved in stupid drama. Do what God has called you to do and keep your focus on that

"work with your hands just as we told you" means be a hard worker, show others that your not a lazy person.


"your daily life will win the respect of outsiders" means what you do in your daily life should be an example for those who just see your surface. Paul wanted our surface to be so good that when people get to see who we are on the inside - they wouldn't see a difference.

"not dependent on anyone" means our dependency is on God and not on material things. God doesn't want us looking at others and what they have and asking others for favors or for money. God wants us to directly look at Him, ask Him, confide in Him.

Lord,
Thank you for your powerful word that you have. Thank you that you gave such simple yet powerful wisdom to Paul so that even today thousands of years later I can still use it. Help me to depend solely on you and your word everyday of my life. Forgive me of my selfishness and blindness to the things of the world, and cleanse my surface to look like my heart.
I forever love you always
Amen

Don't look to Strangers

1 Chronicles 22-24; 1 Thessalonians 3

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. 8 But this word of the LORD came to me: 'You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, [a] and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'

God has a plan for everyone, each and every single person. But when we fall out of Gods will, even for a moment, what God wanted us for that moment could change. God wanted David to build a temple for him and planted it in his heart to do so. But when David walked out of Gods will and killed Uriah to be with Bathsheeba, God saw something in Davids heart that he never saw before. And knowing that David had that type of sin in his heart, he couldn't let him build the temple.

God wanted a man of peace and rest. A man who was different from everyone else. David, when he was younger was that kind of man. He loved singing and song writing, yet was a warrior at heart. And when that warrior took over, God knew that he wasn't the right man. So God had to use Solomon. Solomon wasn't a man of war or blood shed. He was a man of wisdom, peace, and rest. God wanted a temple built knowing that no war would come and destroy it.

God has plans for me, but if i walk out of his will he is going to choose someone else until i get back into his will. I would rather have my child complete Gods will than some stranger, but for me that's not possible right now. So i have to work harder to make sure when God calls me to do something, I do it and put my whole heart into it. My sin cannot take over Gods will for me or else i could miss out on the greatest things in life.

Father,
Thank you for calling me your daughter. For calling me into your will. I want to hear you, clearly, and follow you, clearly. Search my heart and make it clean so I know what you want me to do in life. I want to be with you and in your will, I want to complete it, use me Lord.
I forever love you always
Amen

Awe Factor

2 Samuel 19-20; Psalm 55; Matthew 28

Matthew 28: 19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^a]">[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Jesus had a mission. His mission was to make sure to get his message out to the world in whatever way possible. But there was a problem. Even though he performed miracles and taught better than the teachers, he was dead. And with death comes closure, comes somber, comes trying to get over someone. However Jesus wanted his death to be different. He wanted to relay a message therefore had to do something even more dramatic than rise someone from the dead: He had to raise Himself from the dead. Because the moment he brought in the awe factor was the moment that those doubters would start truly believing.

If Jesus wouldn't have risen from the dead, than he would have been known as a great teacher and someone who died for a cause. He wouldn't have been known as a Messiah as a king or as the Son of God. Jesus had to get his message across and use those people who were closest to him. He had to be dramatic and real for the gospel to be spread. And the way that we learned that Christ was real, is the way we need to show others to stop doubting.

Jesus may not be here to perform miracles, but he left his Holy Spirit to guide us to make disciples. Disciples means "learner" which means we are to be teachers. Teachers of the word, teachers of miracles, teachers of the gospel to make it real and modern. God remains the same, The Bible remains the same, but the people are different and we are chosen to make those disciples from all over the world and change this world one disciple at a time.

Father,
Thank you for making me a teacher of you. Thank you for choosing me to be one of the few to go out and have people learn about you through me. You could have chosen anyone but you saw something different in me. You saw my heart and you used it for your glory. Thank you for loving me the way you do and keeping me safe in your arms.
I forever love you always
Amen

Wicked Counsel

2 Samuel 13-14; Matthew 24

2 Samuel 13 :3-5 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ⁴ He asked Amnon, "Why do you, the king's son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." ⁵ "Go to bed and pretend to be ill," Jonadab said. "When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.'

Amnon had a problem and up until then he had controlled it. Even though he said he was in love with Tamar, he was just filled with lust for her. Going to Jonadab was the wrong idea because Amnon knew that Jonadab wasn't the wisest man. However, he took his advice.

2 Sam 13:12-14 ¹² "Don't, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me. Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing. ¹³ What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." ¹⁴ But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

Amnon couldn't control his urge any longer but he was pushed by Jonadab. And this is what got him killed. If Amnon would have talked to someone, like his father, he could have gotten everything he wanted and not been killed. But when someone seeks wrong counsel they end up with the consequences.

God brings wise people into our lives to help us make the right decisions. When we are conflicted with something, instead of trying to figure it out for ourselves we need to seek out a man or woman of God to help us look at things in a different perspective. After Amnon raped Tamar he hated her because he got what he wanted and all he wanted was to use her. He never loved her all he wanted was to sleep with a virgin girl and see how it felt.

Amnon was tainted from Jonadabs words and wicked counsel that he became wicked himself. If I don't want to be tainted and if i want to seek God than I need to seek those wise people in my life and look at God through them.

Lord,
Thank you for bringing wise people in my life. Thank you for those people that i can look up to and strive to be like them, especially in times in need. You are planted in them and have brought them in my path so i can seek you. I thank you for your holy spirit in me for guiding me and always helping me.
I forever love you always
Amen

Desperate times call for Desperate measures

2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm51; Matthew 23

2 Samuel 11:14-17 In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. ¹⁵ In it he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die."

¹⁶ So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. ¹⁷ When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David's army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died.

What would you do to try and hide your sin? David was willing to kill a man. Not everyone would go that far though many people are hiding something. Hiding because they are scared that someone would find out the truth. But why do people hide? Because some people are ashamed, others are hurt, and scared of the consequence.

2 Samuel 12:24-25
²⁴ Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and he went to her and lay with her. She gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. The LORD loved him; ²⁵ and because the LORD loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. <sup>b]">[b]

When a sin invades our lives its so hard to let it go. It becomes a part of us a part of our present and future. It may even define us for years. David was known as the man after Gods own heart. Then when he sinned with Bathsheeba he was known as the man who took this poor mans wife. The Lord doesn't like it when we sin and hide it. God wants us to be clean and be known for His child instead of the worlds pawn. David knew that he couldn't just leave Bathsheeba behind, he sinned with her and they went through a miscarriage together. David had to take responsibility and take the consequences as a man. And the moment David started thinking like a man of God is when God began blessing him again. God wants us to do something about our sin. Either expose it or get rid of it. And from that moment He will start blessing His children. Lord, Thank you for always watching out for me. I know there are things that i am hiding in my heart that i need to do something about. I can only do this with you being with me and never letting me go. You have always been there and i know you will always be there. I forever love you always Amen</sup>

The Long Road

2 Samuel 8-9; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Matthew 21


Matthew 21:28-31 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

²⁹" 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

³⁰"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

³¹"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.

It is better for a man to do things late than never do them at all. Jesus was trying to teach his people that its better late than never. Even if people go the long road by sinning and saying they'll turn to God and finally when they're older they do it instead of accepting Jesus and pushing Him to the side their whole life. Taking the long road is at times the better road for certain people. Peter was almost like the 2nd son because he said he would never betray Jesus yet did it in less than a minute. However he made the right choice when he repented once again and started ministering.

Matthew 21:21-22 ²¹Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. ²²If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Some people never turn to God because they don't get what they want. But God is telling us when we do turn to Him, when we do find the light at the end of the tunnel, the journey doesn't stop there. He wants us to pray and read His word and believe in Him. Its not a journey that ends because it keeps going till the day we get to heaven and our other journey begins.

If i want something to happen, if i want my journey to keep going than i have to keep praying. I will make the right decision, the one God wants me to make when i remain trusting in Him, in His word and His will for my life. When i stay in prayer and in worship is when God will speak to me and listen to my cry for Him.

Lord,
Thank you for allowing me to find you. Yes i may take the long road in trying to figure out what is right for me but i know when i do you are right there with me. Never let me go Lord
I forever love you always
Amen