"Word of God Speak"

August 12, 2013 (Jeremiah 10-12; John 15)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 12:17 NLT

Observation: Jeremiah proclaimed a harsh message, which came directly from God. Those that heard his message turned against him and were plotting to kill him. Even his own brothers, members of his own family, turned against him and raised complaints against him. The Lord instructed Jeremiah not to trust them no matter how pleasantly they spoke. The Lord gave Jeremiah a message that was for many nations and many generations. The one thing the Lord desires from His people is their obedience. He has the perfect plan for their lives and will lead them beside still waters through green pastures. He will protect and defend His faithful ones, yet the book of Jeremiah proves He will also allow evil ones to be destroyed even if they are among His own people.

Application: The message and warnings recorded in Jeremiah are just as relevant and applicable today. It’s God that builds a nation up, and it’s God that brings one down. “But any nation who refuses to obey me will be uprooted and destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Its one thing to learn about God’s word, it’s all together a different thing to live out what you’ve learned. Many people have been educated by Theologians and have earned degrees of higher learning, but few actually put into practice what they’ve learned. Learning about God is easy, living the way He commands not so much. To live according to the standards of God we must be fully committed. A half-hearted commitment will only lead to discouragement. Obedience is what pleases God. He does not desire our money or our earthly material things, He desires our heart and we must love Him with all of it. We must surrender and submit fully. The biggest lie the church ever led people to believe was that living for Christ is easy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I know I have failed to be obedient to You. I’m sorry, please forgive me! My desire is to please You and do what Your word tells me. Help me crucify myself so that I can live wholly unto You. Strengthen me to stay where I need to stay even if the nation around me goes astray. Help me see You and hear You. My soul is desperate and in despair! Rise up Lord, come to my aid. Please don’t delay any longer my heart fails within me and my spirit is crushed! Provide and protect me with Your mercy and grace, in Jesus name, Amen!

August 10, 2013 (Jeremiah 5-6; John 12)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “This is what the Lord says: “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.” But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!” Jeremiah 6:16 NLT

Observation: Israel had completely forsaken God and His standards for living. From the least to the greatest their lives were ruled by greed, they were never satisfied or content. Even the prophets and priest were frauds offering superficial treatments for the people’s mortal wounds. They offered false assurances of peace, while God’s true prophets were proclaiming a dreadful time of great devastation. Were these phony priest and prophets ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all, they didn’t even blush! Fear of the Lord had been forsaken by the ones responsible for leading the people spiritually. While they were proclaiming a peaceful path, void of any correction only consisting of positive wishes, the Lord said, “Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Application: The recording of this historical event seems all too much like Déjà vu. We live in a time of obsession where greed, and the desire for more, rules the people. Modern day spiritual leaders have become obsessed with earthly material things and offer the same superficial solutions for the mortal wounds of the people. They sell hundreds of thousands of books each year encouraging people to experience God in a new way. Be your best wealthily self today, why wait! And if a true servant of God suggests we turn back to the old paths and walk in them, we are laughed at, just as Jeremiah was. We have ignored God and rejected His tested and proven way of living that leads to real peace and joy. We have forsaken God and His standards just as the nation of Israel did. The consequences for us will be the same. The old paths are not an old outdated way; they are God’s path, and the way! Stop at the crossroads and look around! 

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the old paths! Thank You for making a way for us to walk that indeed leads to Your pleasure and our peace. Set my feet on the old pathway that has been tested and proven. Direct my thoughts and actions to Your ways. Open my deaf ears and blinded eyes. Show me Your way! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day, in Jesus name, Amen!

August 9, 2013 (Jeremiah 3-4; John 11)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But despite all this, her faithless sister Judah has never sincerely returned to me. She has only pretended to be sorry. I, the Lord, have spoken!” Jeremiah 3:10 NLT

Observation: Israel went astray from God. They chose to worship idols made from wood and stone. They made the choice to worship the created, rather than the Creator. Israel had a sister, so to speak, it was Judah. Judah watched how God dealt with Israel’s adulteries. God divorced Israel. You would think Judah would have paid attention to that and learned from Israel’s mistakes, but no. Judah having no fear left the Lord too giving herself over to prostitution with idols. Judah acted like she was sorry but was never truly repentant. She only pretended to be sorry. God always knows the real truth. He knows the very intents of our hearts and sees everything we do. We would be wise to learn from Israel and Judah, but we prove ourselves to be just as ignorant by our own rebellious actions.

Application: Have you ever witnessed someone speak the words, “I’m Sorry” only to discover by their actions they were not sincere? Have you ever been to an altar and cried out to God confessing your sins only to return to them later that day? In essence, the people in these examples were only pretending to be sorry. Many people, in fact most people, are sorry when they get caught, but few actually feel sorry before the painful consequences begin. A broken heart and a contrite spirit will produce godly sorrow within a person that results in true repentance. This is the type sorrow God accepts. He desires true sorrow that leads to true repentance. True repentance causes a person to turn from their sin and walk in a newness of life. Yet true repentance can never be accomplished until godly sorrow has first filled our hearts. Then, and only then, can we truly return to God and be accepted.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for all You are. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day! Fill my heart with godly sorrow that will lead me to true repentance. Cause my heart to be turned to you. Accept my sincere expression of sorrow, forgive and cleanse me. Help me to learn from my mistakes as well as the mistakes of others, in Jesus name, Amen!

August 8, 2013 (Jeremiah 1-2; John 10)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “This is what the Lord says: “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me? They worshiped worthless idols, only to become worthless themselves.” Jeremiah 2:5 NLT

Observation: The people of Israel, God’s chosen nation, from one generation to another would come to God, and then forsake Him. God would do miraculous things for the people of Israel but they failed to remember the great things God did. The grass always looked a little greener in other pastures. The Lord gave Jeremiah a shocking question to ask the tribe of Judah. “What did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me?” God knew nothing was wrong with Him, but He was trying to get their attention, and He would. However, even in the face of such strong warning the people still chose to rebel against God. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

Application: Straying from God never turns out to be a good decision. Even though we may face trials and tribulations we don’t understand, remaining faithful to God is of utmost importance. Our ancestors strayed away from God. Our nation has forsaken Him. The laws that are being passed are a direct result of a people that have turned their back on God in search for the greener pastures of worthless idols. God brought us into a fruitful land flowing with milk and honey and we have defiled it by rejecting the One that gave it to us. Like Judah our actions will lead us into exile. We will, as a nation and as a people, experience what an evil and bitter thing it is to abandon the Lord and refuse to fear Him. Repentance from our sins and faith in Christ is our only hope for receiving God’s mercy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday! Forgive my sins; forgive my lust for greener pastures. Show me the way I should walk, the way that is pleasing in Your sight. My ancestors have left me no legacy; I must seek You on my own. May Your Spirit guide me into Your truth, in Jesus name, Amen!

August 7, 2013 (Zephaniah 1-3; John 9)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out of the Synagogue.” John 9:34 NLT

Observation: On the Sabbath day Jesus healed this man that was blind from birth. The religious leaders were upset because Jesus was threatening their system of religious government. They liked to rule the people with fear, that’s how they kept them in line. We know this by the response of the blind man’s parents. They feared being thrown out of the Synagogue by the Jewish leaders if they acknowledged Jesus in any way. They had been pre-warned! Here they are, the religious Jewish leaders and all their knowledge and one man that was born a “total” sinner trying to teach them. The leaders were insulted that such a low life would even consider himself worthy to be in their presence, much less teach them a thing. The Jewish leaders could teach, but could not learn because they already knew it all.

Application: Amazingly God will use total sinners to reach out to the well trained in an attempt to teach them. Yet today we face the same attitudes and prideful response from most religious leaders. They boast of their degrees of higher learning, yet often times they fail to see the forest because of all the trees! God is not bound or restricted by what or whom He can use to accomplish His purpose. Even a man born blind from birth can be used by God to teach the well learned and bring God glory. We must never become so full of knowledge that we can no longer learn. We must be careful to guard ourselves from such pride and arrogance. Seek daily the word of God and trust Him to use what He pleases to teach you.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday. Teach me Lord. Open up my blinded eyes and transform my prideful heart. Fill me with wisdom and understanding; protect me from pride and arrogance. Teach me by whatever means You deem good and allow me to learn the lessons You desire to teach, in Jesus name, Amen!

August 5, 2013 (2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 35; John 7)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to whom God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo.” 2 Chronicles 35:22 NLT

Observation: King Josiah did so many wonderful things. When the Book of the Covenant was found in the Temple ruins he turned from all the false gods and reestablished the covenant God had made with the people. He tore down all the idols and completely destroyed them. He read the Book to the people and they committed to be faithful and obey what it stated as well. Yet after all the good Josiah did, he failed to listen when God spoke through another man. Maybe Josiah became proud or puffed up because of all the good he did. Maybe he wouldn’t listen because he was fearful. Either way he failed to seek God about the matter and paid the consequences. Even though Josiah did many good things his family tree was not changed. When he died his son returned to doing evil in God’s sight. When he died Josiah’s grandson did evil as well.

Application: We must be careful not to become distracted by our success or become so puffed up in our commitment to miss God when He speaks. We must never begin to think if God wants us to know something He must speak it to us Himself. God works in mysterious ways and we must learn to discern how and when He speaks. We will never learn to discern His plans if we don’t seek Him. We must consult Him with every question. We must look to Him for all the answers we need. We must trust Him to make the right decision. We must be confident and not fearful. Fear causes us to make costly mistakes, while faith and trust in God propels us to victory.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday. Help me discern the direction You want me to go. Make my ears to hear Your instruction. Strengthen my heart to take courage and be strong trusting You to show me the way to victory. In Jesus name, Amen!

August 3, 2013 (Nahum 1-3; John 5)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But Jesus replied, ‘My Father is always working, and so am I.'” John 5:17 NLT

Observation: Jesus came upon a sinful man that had been sick for 38 years. Jesus asked him, “Would you like to get well?” He replied, ‘I can’t sir, for I have no one to put me in the pool when the water bubbles up.’ Jesus told him to stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!’ Instantly he did. However this miraculous healing took place on the wrong day to please the Jews. In the eyes of the Jews Jesus had sinned by healing on the Sabbath day, and He also caused the healed man to sin by instructing him to pick up his mat. The Jews were so blinded by rules they missed the opportunity to do good for God. Jesus said, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” Praise the Lord, God may rest but He never stops working! Jesus later saw the healed man and told him, ‘Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”

Application: Thank the Lord above that He never stops working. He is always moving on our behalf and is strategically getting things done. His timing is perfect and he knows what we have need of even before we ask. Yet there is more to this story than what may first appear. The man was sick and sinning and had been in this condition for 38 years. So why would Jesus ask him if he wanted to be healed? I mean, wasn’t that obvious? Well take a look at the actions this man took immediately following his miraculous healing. He didn’t know who had healed him so he could not tell the Jews who it was that told him to pick up his mat and walk on the Sabbath. But after Jesus saw him later in the Temple and told him to stop sinning, the first thing he did was run tell the Jews who it was that healed him. It was Jesus. From that day forward the Jews sought to find ways to kill Jesus. Did this man stop sinning, or did he continue to sin by betraying the one that healed him?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for always working, even when we don’t see the results immediately. Help me be faithful to You at all times. Plant a desire for You within my soul and cause me to feast at Your table daily. Thank You for Your patience and strength Lord, in Jesus name, Amen!