Mark 1:1-45
Have you ever been to the eye doctor for a new set of lens? Are you in need of an eye examination? Jesus ministry was just beginning while John the Baptist ministry was coming to a head. John was just completing his last assignment while Jesus was fulfilling his first move into ministry.
As Jesus was being baptized by John the Baptist, the word declares in verse 10, "the heavens opened up over the Lord, the Spirit descended on him and a voice out of heaven said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
Immediately the Spirit led Christ into the wilderness for 40 days enduring temptations from Satan. It's cold in the night and scorching temperatures in the day. Hell plans to destroy Christ before the Father ever launched His son into ministry.
Jesus not only pressed through the temptations from Satan, but also would soon learn that his cousin John the Baptist would be taken by Herod placed in prison and would be beheaded.
How would Jesus press through the lost of his cousin John the Baptist? Were not Elizabeth and Mary pregnant the same time, and were not their baby boys born months apart? How would the Lord get focused on his mandate with the loss of John, one whom there was a dear bond?
Something awesome took place at Jesus baptism. God's Spirit came upon him and said "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased,"The heavenly Father knew what His Son needed to forged ahead with the issues that were at hand.
Too many things in life will attempt to latch onto your spirit in moving forward with God's assignment. God has the power to give you a new set of lens. He wants us to see what He sees in order to press through ever hurt and pain and sorrow in life. There have been times in my life that things have tried to weigh me down in going forward.
What's holding you back today in moving forward with the will of God? Has something wrecked your emotions in fulfilling your assignment? Pain with a divorce, a runaway child, the loss of your employment, a hick-up or a hurt in your ministry, a bad lab report?
Shake it off, today God still opens the heavens, he still sends His spirit and He still says, "This is my beloved child in whom I am well pleased." It was those words from the Father that would catapult the Lord through the wilderness and through the loss of His cousin John the Baptist.
What would have happen to the thousands of lives who would have missed their miracle, their transformation had the Lord not placed on a new set of lens for the future. It's amazing what a new set of lens can do in moving forward into His will and plan. Go ahead; let him reset your lens today for your future.
dannysdevotional.com oceanwayag.com
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Saturday, February 18, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Rest...What's That?
Exodus 31:1-18, 35:1-3 Psalm 127:2
God is clear that we are to take a day and rest and honor and focus on Him. If God himself could work six days and take a day off, surely we can as well. It's amazing to me how busy we stay in America. When I travel overseas to Central America, it seems they have a bit slower pace. I'm not sure that's all bad. At noon for two hours it's siesta time, wow maybe we have it all backwards in our country?
I'm not convinced things are getting any better. The mind never shuts off. We say "Oh I have to check in on my twitter, my face-book, my iphone, my e-mail accounts, my work, my bank account, my bills, my kids, my spouse, my friends, my golf game, my fishing trip, my, my, my, my do we ever chill out and rest?"
If God designed our bodies to rest, and we rebel against the manual, guess what, something somewhere will break? The body requires rest. The average teen-ager needs 9 hours and the average adult needs 7 to 8 hours a night. How much do you sleep at night? Does your body ever go into the deep sleep mode? I have been guilty of allowing to much to get on the plate. It's imperative to be attentive to God's blueprint and layout for our lives.
People wonder why they live all fearful and frazzled and frustrated, and agitated, and irritated? Have you ever seen a kid who was getting fussy because he or she needed their nap? Adults are no different, each of us need to take a day that we chill out and honor God.
The average Christian 15 years ago gave 11.1% of their time each week to charitable corporations and churches. Today that same figure is less than 2% a week they give of their time and talents. Years ago people would not miss more than 2 or 3 Sundays a year in church. Now the average saint goes to church 2 to 3 hours a month to church. You know why? People have gotten so busy with their lives.
Studies show preachers would have to preach the same message 3 weekends in a row for everyone in the church to hear the message. Is something going wrong? Could it be that we are drifting away from the principals of the living word of God? Did God really say that we are to set aside one day a week and rest and honor him? Could that turn around our focus, our worship and our first love to God?
Have you set aside a day this week to rest and honor and focus on God? Don't forget, He's the one who cares more than anyone else about your physical and emotional and spiritual well being, and yes your being with Him for eternity.
dannysdevotional.com oceanwayag.com
Monday, February 13, 2012
A Fallen Tragedy
Adam and Eve had everything going for them until they broke the boundaries that God had spelled out for them. Everything went downhill when they chose to eat of the forbidden fruit from the tree of life.
Next we see Adam and Eve hiding from God. Why would they be hiding from God, the one who had created them, and the one who has blessed them?
Fear grips their hearts as God begins to speak to them. God ask; "Where are you?" Adams response was; "I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked." Why would Adam have a reason to be fearful? Why would he be afraid?
This is the first conversation with God since their disobedience in eating the fruit from the tree of life. Choosing your own agenda spells heartache and grief in life. Choosing your own road your own path will cause you to live without peace and fellowship with God.
Adam and Eve had fallen into the trap of believing a lie from the serpent Satan. He tells them; "the only reason God has told you not to eat from the tree of life, you will be like God."
There is no one else like God. There is no truth in the devil's words. Tell me who else can hang billions of stars and name them all by their name? Tell me who else can create the air to be 21% oxygen so a man can breathe normal air into his lungs? Let's say the air was 50% oxygen, each time one tried to light up a match, we would all be toast.
Tell me who else can create the sun to be 93 million miles away from the earth so that were not crispy creatures from being overheated, or frozen to death because any other distance and we wouldn't survive.
There is no better life than living out the blueprint God drew out for your life. Anything less is a fallen tragedy. Choose today to GET UP. Fall into the everlasting arms of Christ. He's waiting for you. You will never regret it; all of this life and eternity will say so.
Oceanwayag.com
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Is The Load To Heavy?
Exodus 18:1-27 VIDEO LINK FOR THIS MESSAGE AT THE BOTTOM
I'm certain that before automobiles came around they teamed up horses according to the load factor in the wagon. If they were transporting an extra heavy load, over several hundred miles they would team up more horses.
Jethro, Moses father-n-law has observed something that this great leader has missed. He is sitting from morning to the evening counseling the people of Israel with their issues and struggles. I can't imagine carrying the weight of two to three million people and their problems.
Jethro says, "Moses the thing you're doing is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that is with thee. Choose you out leaders who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and hundreds and fifties and rulers of tens."
The reason that many leaders burn out is because they fail to set up a God system where they are not carrying the entire load. If you have ever tried to pull a boat or a heavy load up a mountain, you will quickly see why you need a lot of horses under the hood to make it over the hill.
Are you a leader who has assumed to much of the load? Have you taken more on yourself than you should? The reason 85% of pastors quit within 25 years is because they have failed to take Jethro's advice. The demands on pastors today are incredible. Is there a plan to succeed? Is there a way to keep your head above water?
Moses chose leaders and he kept his head above water. If more leaders would take this advice from the Lord, there would be less burn out and survival for leaders. God cares more about your own personal spiritual health than He does your ministry and what your able to do for the Kingdom of God.
Pray for your pastor as he seeks out God's chosen leaders for the journey and the ministry. There is a way to keep pressing and persevere into the plan that God has called each of us to accomplish.
By the way, are you one of those called horses under the hood to serve your pastor so together you'll make it over the hills and mountains that are before you. God never called any of us to do this thing alone. A team, a God system will conquer great mountains and enemies before us all.
http://oceanwayag.com/index.php/media/videoshare
I'm certain that before automobiles came around they teamed up horses according to the load factor in the wagon. If they were transporting an extra heavy load, over several hundred miles they would team up more horses.
Jethro, Moses father-n-law has observed something that this great leader has missed. He is sitting from morning to the evening counseling the people of Israel with their issues and struggles. I can't imagine carrying the weight of two to three million people and their problems.
Jethro says, "Moses the thing you're doing is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that is with thee. Choose you out leaders who fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and hundreds and fifties and rulers of tens."
The reason that many leaders burn out is because they fail to set up a God system where they are not carrying the entire load. If you have ever tried to pull a boat or a heavy load up a mountain, you will quickly see why you need a lot of horses under the hood to make it over the hill.
Are you a leader who has assumed to much of the load? Have you taken more on yourself than you should? The reason 85% of pastors quit within 25 years is because they have failed to take Jethro's advice. The demands on pastors today are incredible. Is there a plan to succeed? Is there a way to keep your head above water?
Moses chose leaders and he kept his head above water. If more leaders would take this advice from the Lord, there would be less burn out and survival for leaders. God cares more about your own personal spiritual health than He does your ministry and what your able to do for the Kingdom of God.
Pray for your pastor as he seeks out God's chosen leaders for the journey and the ministry. There is a way to keep pressing and persevere into the plan that God has called each of us to accomplish.
By the way, are you one of those called horses under the hood to serve your pastor so together you'll make it over the hills and mountains that are before you. God never called any of us to do this thing alone. A team, a God system will conquer great mountains and enemies before us all.
http://oceanwayag.com/index.php/media/videoshare
Friday, February 10, 2012
How Long Did The Song Last?
Exodus 15:1-27
How long through the week does your praise last from a Sunday morning celebration service? How long do you continue to rejoice after your breakthrough? Israel had just crossed the Red Sea; they've watched God drown Pharaoh and his army before their eyes. On the other side of the sea, Miriam with her tambourine leads a celebration of victory.
As they move ahead into the wilderness, they travel three days without finding any water. When they come to Marah, they soon find out they can't drink there because the waters are bitter. The celebration didn't last very long; they began to complain to Moses, "So what are we supposed to drink?"
There will never be a time in your life that you don't need the hand of God to move for your life. God doesn't allow us to go very far pass our victory before we realize we need another breakthrough, another miracle. God shows Moses a tree, he cast it in the water and the waters are made sweet.
2000 years ago there was another tree that our Lord hung on to bring about our victory over every bitter difficulty in life. Losing your job, your home, divorce, cancer, being falsely accused, dealing with a rebellious child can all be bitter. It's so easy like Israel to complain in our bitter ordeals. Learn from Israel, whining and complaining isn't going to fix your dilemmas. Every breakthrough that you need is found in the cross. Jesus paid for every hurt and sorrow that we face.
Praise is a sign of our confidence in God. Where was the tambourine, where was the celebration, where was their confidence in the God who spilt the Red Sea just three days before? Do we really believe that the God who started us on this journey is able to complete what He started?
Take your eyes off of looking back to Egypt, your old life in sin, take your eyes off of looking around, it may not look encouraging, take your eyes off of looking down on your bitter situation, rather lift up your eyes to the one who is more than able to complete what He started in you. Be confident of this very thing that He which begun a good work in you shall perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.
Moses looked to the Lord, and God gave him the answer to move pass their bitter situation. He still turns the bitter waters sweet today. How else are you going to know His greatness, unless He has proven to you that He can make your bitter waters sweet? Keep singing, keep worshipping, and keep pressing towards the one who is more than enough to make your bitter waters sweet.
Oceanwayag.com dannysdevotional.com
As they move ahead into the wilderness, they travel three days without finding any water. When they come to Marah, they soon find out they can't drink there because the waters are bitter. The celebration didn't last very long; they began to complain to Moses, "So what are we supposed to drink?"
There will never be a time in your life that you don't need the hand of God to move for your life. God doesn't allow us to go very far pass our victory before we realize we need another breakthrough, another miracle. God shows Moses a tree, he cast it in the water and the waters are made sweet.
2000 years ago there was another tree that our Lord hung on to bring about our victory over every bitter difficulty in life. Losing your job, your home, divorce, cancer, being falsely accused, dealing with a rebellious child can all be bitter. It's so easy like Israel to complain in our bitter ordeals. Learn from Israel, whining and complaining isn't going to fix your dilemmas. Every breakthrough that you need is found in the cross. Jesus paid for every hurt and sorrow that we face.
Praise is a sign of our confidence in God. Where was the tambourine, where was the celebration, where was their confidence in the God who spilt the Red Sea just three days before? Do we really believe that the God who started us on this journey is able to complete what He started?
Take your eyes off of looking back to Egypt, your old life in sin, take your eyes off of looking around, it may not look encouraging, take your eyes off of looking down on your bitter situation, rather lift up your eyes to the one who is more than able to complete what He started in you. Be confident of this very thing that He which begun a good work in you shall perform it till the day of Jesus Christ.
Moses looked to the Lord, and God gave him the answer to move pass their bitter situation. He still turns the bitter waters sweet today. How else are you going to know His greatness, unless He has proven to you that He can make your bitter waters sweet? Keep singing, keep worshipping, and keep pressing towards the one who is more than enough to make your bitter waters sweet.
Oceanwayag.com dannysdevotional.com
Thursday, February 9, 2012
It May Get Worst Before It Gets Better
Pharaoh tells his taskmasters to make the people come up with their own straw to make the brick. Before the masters would bring them their straw to them, but now they are required to go out and collect their own straw without any change in their quota.
The people get very angry with Moses for stirring up more pain and work for them. They don't understand why things have gotten worst for them. Moses has told them that God has come to deliver them but this wasn't part of the deal. Why have things gotten worst? "Moses you didn't tell us that this action was going to make things worst!"
On the road path to freedom and deliverance always come more difficulties and stress. Pharaoh is not about to turn lose of a good thing. He has all these people's free labor making his products and building his dreams. Why would he turn Israel lose? "I will show them who's in control, I will let them think twice before they mess around with my dictatorship."
You may be praying for your kid that is running from God, a spouse who is backslidden, a boss who is under great conviction from God. Don't expect things to get better just yet. Satan doesn't want to turn lose of one that is on the wrong path and plan of death and destruction.
Praying for your family, your friends, your neighbors are so critical. You may say, "The more I pray the worst things get." This was true in Moses day and is still true today. Don't be dishearten and discouraged with more added stress. This is only a sign that the enemy of their soul does not want to turn lose of the grip that he has on their deceived path.
Keep pressing in with your prayer and fasting. God is the one who shows up to deliver people from their hold in bondage. Have things gotten worst? It's just a sign that deliverance is on the way. Remember God is the great deliver and He alone has the power to set men free.
dannysdevotional.com Oceanwayag.com
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Glory To Rebuke To Glory
Most of us have experience a roller-coaster ride at Disney World or some other amusement park. One moment you're ascending to the top and the next your descending down to the bottom. A lot of us can identify with Peter. He's on a high revealing who Christ is, but next he's is at the bottom, with his foot in his mouth, being rebuked for saying those things that are far from God.
All of us have allowed our flesh to botch things up and have said things that were not from God. In Matthew 16, Jesus ask Peter; "Who do men say that I am?" Peter says, "Some Lord say that your Elijah or a prophet. Jesus then ask, "Who do you say that I am? Peter says, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." Jesus says "Peter, flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my father which is in heaven."
Peter then comes off his high mountain, turns around and rebukes Jesus for foretelling his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer things before His mission is over here on earth. Peter declares, "Never Lord " Jesus says to Peter, "get thee behind me Satan."
What would the Lord do with Peter now? What would become of him after this rebuke? Would Jesus throw him away, would he send him to the junkyard? It's interesting to me how at one moment Peter's trajectory path is saying things from the Lord, and the next be so far off in left field.
Now Jesus has said to Peter, "Get thee behind me Satan, thou sayest not the things that be from God." Is it now over for Peter? Is he finished? Would the Lord change his mind about Peter's future? "Absolutely not." In Matthew 17, Jesus selects Peter, James and John. He takes them up on a high mountain. Suddenly appears Moses and Elijah. Why would the Lord be includimg Peter in this experience on a high mountain after a failure, after really botching things up? After blowing it?
Yes, Jesus takes Peter, one that he has chosen and is transfigured before he and James and John. What is Peter doing in the bunch? Didn't he just miss it? Didn't he just blow it, didn't he just rebuke Christ in moving forward with his Father's plan? Why didn't the Lord throw Peter out of this glorious moment in history?
Jesus is showing you and I that none of us is righteous, none of us are perfect, and none of us deserve to be caught up into these heavenly moments. Jesus reminds all of us, "The calling of God is without repentance." God never changes his mind about the call on your life. You may really mess things up with your life, but that will never change the call, the mandate, the assignment that God has for you.
In the name of Jesus, "Get up and move forward with God's love and mercy and compassion and call that will never change over your life." The Lord wasn't through with Peter and he's not about to change his mind about you. Eccl 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
oceanwayag.com dannysdevotional.com
All of us have allowed our flesh to botch things up and have said things that were not from God. In Matthew 16, Jesus ask Peter; "Who do men say that I am?" Peter says, "Some Lord say that your Elijah or a prophet. Jesus then ask, "Who do you say that I am? Peter says, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God." Jesus says "Peter, flesh and blood hath not revealed this to you but my father which is in heaven."
Peter then comes off his high mountain, turns around and rebukes Jesus for foretelling his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer things before His mission is over here on earth. Peter declares, "Never Lord " Jesus says to Peter, "get thee behind me Satan."
What would the Lord do with Peter now? What would become of him after this rebuke? Would Jesus throw him away, would he send him to the junkyard? It's interesting to me how at one moment Peter's trajectory path is saying things from the Lord, and the next be so far off in left field.
Now Jesus has said to Peter, "Get thee behind me Satan, thou sayest not the things that be from God." Is it now over for Peter? Is he finished? Would the Lord change his mind about Peter's future? "Absolutely not." In Matthew 17, Jesus selects Peter, James and John. He takes them up on a high mountain. Suddenly appears Moses and Elijah. Why would the Lord be includimg Peter in this experience on a high mountain after a failure, after really botching things up? After blowing it?
Yes, Jesus takes Peter, one that he has chosen and is transfigured before he and James and John. What is Peter doing in the bunch? Didn't he just miss it? Didn't he just blow it, didn't he just rebuke Christ in moving forward with his Father's plan? Why didn't the Lord throw Peter out of this glorious moment in history?
Jesus is showing you and I that none of us is righteous, none of us are perfect, and none of us deserve to be caught up into these heavenly moments. Jesus reminds all of us, "The calling of God is without repentance." God never changes his mind about the call on your life. You may really mess things up with your life, but that will never change the call, the mandate, the assignment that God has for you.
In the name of Jesus, "Get up and move forward with God's love and mercy and compassion and call that will never change over your life." The Lord wasn't through with Peter and he's not about to change his mind about you. Eccl 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit."
oceanwayag.com dannysdevotional.com
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