1 Kings 17; Colossians 4; Ezekiel 47; Psalm 103

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”

“Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Then he cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?” Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!”

The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, “Look, your son is alive!”

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” – 1 Kings 17: 15-24 NIV

Faithfulness in Your instruction is what You want from us, Lord. Do I doubt what You can do if I am faithful? You can bring life.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. – Colossians 4:2-6(emphasis added) NIV

Open doors, Lord Jesus, to spread Your gospel. My grandfather was a very special man. With only little more than an 8th grade education, he worked day and night in our family’s produce store, providing for his family in the best way he could. My favorite thing about him, though, was that he would talk to anyone ,anywhere. Waiting in line at the post office, making friends with the grocery clerk. Everywhere he went, he made people feel welcome. He spread Christ through extending love to outsiders. Who is on the outside today that needs Christ’s love? Lord, make me a vessel.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

But from everlasting to everlasting
    the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
    and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
    and remember to obey his precepts.

– Psalm 103:11-12, 17-18(emphasis added) NIV

Your love is everlasting. When I explain to my kids the length of a car ride or try to put things in their perspective in teaching, I use reference points that they understand. Lord, how long is everlasting? I believe in Your love that truly is.

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1 Kings 2; Galatians 6; Ezekiel 33; Psalm 81-82

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. – Galatians 6:7-10 NIV

Some days I have to dig deep. The Lord doesn’t speak in obvious ways. He doesn’t give tangible signs that reassure me He is here. How bad do I want it, this gift of eternal life? Let me rest in Your peace, Lord. Let me seek you in the quiet. This is what will refresh me to keep doing good in Your Name.

When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ – 1 Kings 2:1-4 NIV

What will be my legacy when it is time to leave this world? Walking in the Lord’s Way, I hope to set an example for my children that will live on, to give encouragement by example and in word. Some days certainly better than others. Calling them and others on to be the best version of themselves is true love for them.

My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” -Ezekiel 33:31-33 NIV

Make my efforts and words be true to You, Lord, my motives pure and holy.

Defend the weak and the fatherless;
    uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked. – Psalm 82:3-4 NIV

There are so many superheroes in this world that give help to those in need. The coaches, the spiritual advisors, the teachers, social workers. They are nothing short of incredible. Giving the gift of time is the most precious of all. The movie Incredibles is one of my favorites. Each member of the family has their superpowers that can be called on when needed. Every situation needs a unique set of gifts, a different individual, to bring about the victory.

While I may not have the skills to save all, Lord, give me the eyes to see who needs my help and the gift of my time today. Amen.

2 Samuel 12, 2 Corinthians 5, Ezekiel 19, Psalm 64,65

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  2 Samuael 12:7-13

Nathan certainly doesn’t mean You Are the Man in the modern sense. The Lord used David in spite of his shortcomings.  The incident with Bathsheba was the most famous but there are many others and he still goes on to be such a tremendous leader maybe because of learning from the times he fell.  You use the weak to lead the strong. It takes a truly great friend to call you out and call you on to be a better person. How I appreciate the accountability.  It is so easy to become complacent and point the finger at others but I have to dig deep and make myself a better man.

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 

   2 Cor 5:17-19

The image of a Father bringing His child close in His arms really comes to mind. 

 How far away from me do you place my sins, Lord?  

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
    to you our vows will be fulfilled.
You who answer prayer,
    to you all people will come.
When we were overwhelmed by sins,
    you forgave our transgressions.
Blessed are those you choose
    and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
    of your holy temple.

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,

    God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
    and of the farthest seas Ps 65:1-5

You not only forgive the little ones, Lord, but when I am overwhelmed by my inadequacy in big ways, Your forgiveness knows no bounds.  

‘What a lioness was your mother
    among the lions!
She lay down among them
    and reared her cubs.
She brought up one of her cubs,
    and he became a strong lion.
He learned to tear the prey
    and he became a man-eater.  Ezekiel 9:2-3

Learning the basics of faith is for survival.  I cannot live without the food You provide.  Evangelization is the work of now. The time is short. How can I bring more people to You, O Lord?  

Your grace truly is enough for me, Lord. Be with me today.

1 Samuel 26; 1 Corinthians 7; Ezekiel 5; Psalm 42,43

 “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”

Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”

1 Samuel 26:22-25  NIV

Saul trusted his men for protection, as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane but was left open and vulnerable.  David saw an opportunity for mercy.  After being wronged, the human side wants revenge.  The human side wants to how hard it is to spare others?  The truly Christ like thing to do. God is the only one who never fails me.  I put my trust in leaders, friends, coworkers and without intention, disappointment is the result due to the human nature.  God does not disappoint. 

The Lord has given me life and how do I treasure it.  What a precious fragile gift!  God has given me another day to live for Him.  Let me make the most of this chance I have today. 

I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman^[i] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.  1 Cor 7:26-31 NIV

Social media makes it so easy to look to others seeming as though they have it all together.   The Lord has put me in my life at this exact time in this exact situation to build me and build His Kingdom. Lord, let me be content with where you have placed me and all that You have given me.  Nothing else will do.  I only want to be with You. 

Send me your light and your faithful care,
    let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you dwell.
Then I will go to the altar of God,
    to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
    O God, my God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.  – Psalm 43:3-5 NIV

Bring me into Your peace, Lord. 

1 Samuel 11; Jeremiah 48, Roman 9, Psalm 25

It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?”  But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? – Romans 9:16-21 NIV

Mercy abounds. It is free and complete. Once I am open to Your mercy, Lord, use me as a vessel. Take me today for Your special purpose. Touch hearts in Your Name.

Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh are destroyed;your sons are taken into exile and your daughters into captivity. “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come,” declares the Lord.- Jeremiah 48:46-47 NIV

Even after the long list of wrath that comes in this chapter, the scathing report on the poor job of those in Moab, they pay their price but then are restored. Thank you, Lord, that however far I fall, You still can restore me. You are so generous in the ourpouring of forgiveness. May I be the same.

Good and upright is the Lord;therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. – Psalm 25:8-11 NIV

Be thorough in Your instruction of this humble sinner, Lord. I cannot get better without being shown where I fall short. It is in love, that You show me the way I must walk. May I be a good friend in passing along this same blessing to others.