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One More Step

0 Comments 18 March 2012

Scripture
I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Joshua 1:3

Observation
God is into expansion and he uses us to do the walking for him.

Application
I should be expecting God to use me to walk out his will today. There are places he wants his kingdom to take over that require me to step out. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged.

Prayer
Father, help me to keep taking one more step. Amen.

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Courage is Prayer

0 Comments 16 March 2012

Scripture
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Observation
God can best use me when I step out with confidence. Timid steps and be lethal. Courage may look fool hardy, but when it is based in obedience it is the only thing that attracts the blessing of God.

Application
It’s odd that after a journey of a thousand courageous steps, that I’m often timid to take one more step of courage. But that step I will take.

Prayer
Father, view my stepping out as an act of prayer. My life is an act of intercession. My courage is not presumption; courage is my way of imploring you to rescue me.

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Obedience Brings Blessing

0 Comments 15 March 2012

Hear
All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:2

Obedience has rewards. They may take time, but the rewards will come.

Obey
I want to be more careful not just in obeying the Lord, but in not passing the blame when consequences come.

Teach
Gentle questions with those passing the blame could nudge them to discover God’s best for them.

Lord, show me how I may be living in disobedience and not even know it.

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Appealing to God

0 Comments 10 March 2012

Scripture
He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.
Deuteronomy 15:9

Observation
There is a type of prayer that is like a lawyer who lays out his case before a jury or judge for response. We are to “lay our appeal” before the Lord. Into that case, we put the evidence of injustice, his promises in scripture, and our faith.

Application
How powerful it is when we converse with the Lord. The great intercessors were great conversationalists with the Lord. Abrarham, Moses and Daniel all enjoyed dialog with the Lord that shaped his thinking.

Prayer
Father, help me to step up to the plate and to pray as a man talks with his friend. Amen.

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Expand

0 Comments 09 March 2012

Scripture
Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the western sea. No man will be able to stand against you. Deuteronomy 11:24-25

Observation
God wants to give us more. We must step out to take it.

Some want us to have less. They will push against our forward progress. This planet becomes a tiny place when 7 billion creatures in the image of God hit the dance floor. Toes get stepped on.

But still we must step out. No one can stand against a person God stands for. We must simply keep walking.

Application
There is a territory allotted to each of us. We will not find the boundaries of that territory until we start to explore. Walk north, south, east and west. Discover the land God has called you to inherit.

Prayer
Lord, today I choose to enlarge the place you have given to me. Surround me with many who will march out wide. Amen.

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Almost There

0 Comments 05 March 2012

Scripture
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:34

Observation
“Preacher, you’re almost saved!” That was how Jesus summed the man up. He was almost there, closer than most, but not quite there yet.

To his credit, the pastor agreed with Jesus about what pleases God most. Love God. Love people. Agreement with Jesus brought him close, but not close enough.

He was almost there. Just one more sentence would have planted him in the center of the kingdom of God. The words “Lord Jesus the Christ” would have done it. It would have worked for him. It will work for us.

Application
I’m the preacher man. I don’t want to be working in the house of God and miss the kingdom of God. Though I know I’ve said it before, I speak again with clearer faith: Jesus is the messiah of God and my lord. I know he has been risen from the dead. That confession must be as fresh in my mouth as the last breath I just took.

Prayer
Father, I don’t want to be the travel agent who tells others about distant places but never goes there for myself. I want to speak about the kingdom of God from the center of the kingdom of God. Jesus, you are the Christ and you are my Lord. Let your kingdom come. Amen.

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Numbers Matter

0 Comments 09 February 2012

Scripture
So the churches were being strengthened in the faith, and were increasing in number daily. Acts 16:5

Observation
Why are we so hesitate to talk butts on seats? The first Christians were constantly talking about how people showed up at the last meeting.

The American church has flat lined. It’s even declined. Sure there are glorious exceptions. But in most places there is no expectation that next year’s stats will be much different from this year’s.

The first Christians weren’t content with that. They expected more. They knew that behind each number was a person who mattered to God. They knew that decisions are eternal.

Some have a  notion that to be a loving church we must be small. The truth is, the choice to stay small is the most uncaring decision a church can make. Let me make it even more plain: when a church chooses not to grow it is heartlessly selfish. Why? Because it is wordlessly telling people it doesn’t know that it doesn’t want them in church or in heaven.

Application
We need to fall in love with numbers again because each number is a person. We need to have a passion for people to come to Christ. I want to have that passion in me. I want it to affect how we lead people through a sinner’s prayer. I want it to change how we follow up and include more and more people in the kingdom of God.

Prayer
Father, help me to lead a church that grows much because it loves much. Amen.