20/20/20 Challenge Day #9

Today's Reading
Genesis 24
Luke 9:37-62

Genesis 24:12

O Lord, God of my master, Abraham," he prayed. "Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master Abraham."

Observation

The prayers of the ancients seemed to carry some key components.  They were audaciously big, driven in faith by a promise, yet they always gave room for the sovereign will of God.

These men and women seemed to know what they needed.  They didn't, however, assume they knew what was best as far as the path and timing of the answer, so they trusted in God by letting him lead and guide the way.

Application

If my prayers lack any of these components, they'll become anemic and faithless.

If they are only audacious, they can easily become about me and my success.  If they are only prayed in God's sovereign will, they give an attitude of resignation that says, "do what you will, I'm only here for the ride," making us spiritually lazy.

They key then, is to pray audacious prayers that are covered by the sovereign will of God and sought after because of the promise that He has laid out before me.  This is the kind of prayer and attitude that God wants me to walk in.

Prayer

Father God, challenge my heart to believe and pray for bigger things.  Let my heart be submissive to your will and let the promise that you have set before me drive me to my knees to believe you for the best.  In Jesus name!

20/20/20 Challenge Day #8

Today's Reading
Genesis 21:1-7
Genesis 21:22
Luke 8:16-25

Luke 8:5

A farmer went out to plant his seed.  As he scattered it across his field..."

Luke 8:15

...and patiently produce a huge harvest.

Observation

The personal pronouns jump out at me in this passage, "his seed," and "his field."  The farmer's job was to use what God had given him to plant in the field in which God had provided.  He didn't plant other's seed and he didn't use others fields.  He was faithful where he was placed and with what he was given.

Application

Like the farmer, we are called to plant the seeds God has given us in the fields that he has provided us.  Some fields are bigger than others as well as the supply of seed.  The important thing is to remain faithful.

It's foolish and unwise to compare ourselves to what others are doing and have.  Our attitude must always remain faithful in the place he's planted us and be happy and celebrate how he's growing the efforts of others around us.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for planting me in Tampa.  For blessing me with seed to sow for your kingdom.  Help me to be faithful in what you have given me, and give me the wisdom to see it grow exponentially for your kingdom.

20/20/20 Challenge Day #7

Today's Reading
Genesis 19:15-16
Psalm 3
Luke 7:1-35

Psalm 3:7

Arise, O Lord! Rescue me, my God!

Slap all my enemies in the face!

Shatter the teeth of the wicked!

Victory comes from you, O Lord.

May you bless your people.

Observaiton

David's enemies were physical people.  They were rulers and despots who had lined him up in their cross hairs and were physically trying to steal his kingdom out from under him.

Our enemies are not physical (Eph 6:2), but rather they are enemies that are out to destroy our soul, the kingdom of heaven in us.  Psalm 18:16-19 says they are powerful, too strong to subdue and they attack us at our weakest points of distress.  They mask themselves as helpers and as allies, but when invited in the y peel back their masks, attack us and leave us for dead.

However, they are no match for Jesus.  When our faith is in him, he supports us and provides a way of safety and rescue (1 Cor 10:13).

Application

The key is for us to know who our enemies are.  What are the things that tempt you most, that come at you in your times of distress.  We must, with the power of the Holy Spirit know and recognize them and know what triggers them as well.  Once the Holy Spirit reveals them, we must then allow the Holy Spirit to support us, lead us to the place of safety and rescue us.  This is his work, what he has been sent to us to do.  He effectively leads us by knowing the triggers and teaches us to walk away from them and to seek help for them when they show themselves.

Prayer

Jesus ,by your Holy Spirit living in me, reveal to me my enemies.  Let me recognize and know the very things that have the power to entice me and mask itself as hopeful things, yet in reality can only destroy.  Reveal the triggers, the situation, thoughts and place where these masked enemies lurk and lead me away from these things.  

20/20/20 Challenge Day #6

Today's Reading...
Genesis 15
Luke 6:22-49

Luke 6:45
A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.  What you say flows from what is in your heart.

Observation

The heart is a huge reservoir of all the things that ever happened to a person.  What we allow into that reservoir will have a huge impact on the quality of the water that flows out into the valleys of our own lives, which will have a huge impact on how the crops of our lives grow.  

If we allow negativity, bitterness, pride and such in, it will turn our waters brackish and the fruit of our lives will be less than desirable.  If we allow grace, mercy and forgiveness in then it will sweeten our water and bring life to all it touches.

Application

Am I guarding my heart against all bitterness, pride and unforgiveness?  Am I walking through life with huge amounts of grace, even when people don't treat me the same way?

Only the Holy Spirit can give me the strength and wisdom to turn the sinful things flowing in into streams of living water. 

Prayer

Jesus, guard my heart by the power of your Spirit.  Help me to turn what has the potential to harm me wand others into streams of living water through your grace.

20/20/20 Challenge Day #5

Today's Reading
Genesis 12
Luke 5:1-11

Genesis 12:1

Then God said the Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land I will show you."

Observation

The word "native" means, from which we were born.  It carries with it a familiarity and comfortability that requires little faith to survive.  When God called Abram from his "native" home, he called him from comfort to something far greater, however the path to get there was not an easy one.

Abram, for most of his life, had not sight of the end, however his trust in God kept him walking in the right direction.  He truly brings meaning to the verse in Hebrews, "We walk by faith and not by sight."

Application

I must constantly find direction and hope in Abram's story.  Too often I get discouraged because I can't see the end, the results and the fulfillment to the calling which God has set me apart.

Abram teaches me that faith is not about seeing the end, but about faithfulness in the journey.  It's the journey in which growth takes place, where the gospel truly takes route and it's the faithfulness in it, that eventually leads us to the results.

Prayer

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6).  Jesus, may that not only be my prayer but also the path that I live out daily.