"Word of God Speak"

May 8, 2013 (2 Samuel 15-16; Psalm 32; Matthew 25)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:5 NLT

Observation: David had committed sin against God and others. He stole another man’s wife and then had the innocent man killed in an effort to cover up and hide his sin. David was like a snowball rolling down a mountain and an avalanche was about to take place. Thankfully when David was confronted with his sin, he confessed it. He confessed all his sin to God and admitted his guilt. The fact that he stopped trying to hide his guilt proves he repented. Up until this point David told lie after lie and committed action after action trying to justify and hide his rebellion. Yet once he confessed and repented the act was over. He came clean, repented and was forgiven. Yet there were very costly consequences that he suffered on account of his sin, in spite of the forgiveness he received.

Application: Real tears of sorrow and regret often fall on altars’ each Sunday, yet few find the courage to confess their sins and repent as David did. Too many times the guilty are simply continuing their act of rebellion in spite of being at an altar praying. To confess our sins is more than saying, “I’m sorry”. To repent is more than simple profession. To confess our sins is to agree with God and acknowledge He is right to declare us guilty. To repent means to turn from sin and forsake it completely. When we truly confess and repent we openly proclaim to the world our intention of forsaking that sin in order to follow God faithfully and obediently. We deserve justice, yet when we confess and repent God gives us grace instead. He forgives us and takes away the guilt.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for accepting my confession and repentance. Thank You for the grace You give to sustain me to endure the consequences of my sin. Lord, I am guilty, but You have pardoned. I deserved justice, but You had mercy and gave me grace instead. Thank You, in Jesus name, Amen!

May 2, 2013 (1 Chronicles 16; Psalm 106; Matthew 19)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Again and again He rescued them, but they chose to rebel against Him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin. Even so, He pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries.” Psalm 106:43-44 NLT

Observation: Israel failed to follow God’s commands as ordered. They rebelled against God and did not destroy the heathen nations that occupied the land God was giving them. Instead they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They ended up worshipping their idols which led to their downfall. How quickly they forgot what all God had done for them. He freed them from Egyptian slavery, led them across the Red Sea on dry ground and then provided Manna from heaven for them. Again and again God rescued them; again and again they rebelled against Him. They were finally destroyed because of their sin.

Application: How many times has God had to rescue you because you rebelled against Him? How quickly have you forgotten all that God has brought you through? Is your life a replica of the children of Israel? Our goal should be to learn from the mistakes that our forefathers made. We should be careful to remember God in all situations and circumstances. We must seek Him for direction and counsel. We must learn to trust Him and count on Him to deliver us from all evil. Yet if we rebel against the one that rescues us what hope do we have? We must cry out to God, “save us and forgive us!” We must be diligent to keep ourselves unspotted by this sinful world and never forget God. He loves us with unfailing love and hears our cries, He’s listening for a cry of repentance so He can rescue us and bless us once again!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for Your unfailing love. I praise You for who You are and all You’ve done! Plant Your word deep within my soul and let it grow and produce fruit You will be well pleased with, in Jesus name, Amen!

May 1, 2013 (1 Chronicles 14-15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18 )

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18:35 NLT

Observation: The king decided to bring his accounts up to date. In the process one that owed him millions of dollars was brought in. The man did not have the money to repay the debt, so the king ordered him, his wife, his children and everything he owned to be sold to repay the debt. The man fell at his master’s feet and begged for mercy. The king was moved with compassion and forgave the man’s debt in full. But the man went out and found one that owed him little by comparison. Yet when this man fell at his feet and begged for mercy the man had none. He ordered the debtor to be thrown into prison until every last cent was repaid. The wicked servant had no idea his forgiveness was about to be overturned because of his lack of mercy on others.

Application: “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” This scripture should make us tremble. The thought of my heavenly Father overturning my pardon is heart wrenching. Oh how important it is to walk in the mercy and grace God has given us. Oh how important it is to extend to others the same mercy and grace God has extended to us. One day we will be called before the King to reconcile our account, what will be presented to Him? Will He discover we were wicked and unforgiving toward our brothers and sisters in Christ? Will we be revealed as wicked and unjust condemning others for the same things we were forgiven of? Let it not be so. Your pardon is being weighed in the balance against how you forgive others. Will it be found wanting?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the pardon You have given me through Christ. Let me not take it for granted even one day! Remind me of the grace and mercy You have given me and help me extend that same mercy and grace to others, even my enemies. Help me forgive them from my heart, in Jesus name, Amen!

April 29, 2013 (2 Samuel 4-5; Psalm 139; Matthew 16)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24 NLT

Observation: David asked God to search him for sin and point it out, even to the point of testing his thoughts. David knew that wrong thinking would lead to wrong living. Test me and know my anxious thoughts, point out anything that offends you. At this point in David’s life he was on the mountain. He had just been anointed as king of Israel and he seemed to be in touch with God on an intimate level. He sought God and obeyed God and followed His instructions carefully. David knew God had created him and formed him in the darkness of his mother’s womb. He knew God knew everything about him; he could never escape God’s Spirit.

Application: If you asked God to search you for sin what would He find? What about your thoughts? What about the very intents of your heart, are your motives pure and undefiled? One of the most beneficial prayers we could ever pray would have to be this prayer. Yet the answer to this prayer could mean serious decisions would need to be made on our part. What if God revealed some sin that was offensive to Him that you enjoyed, would you be willing to forsake it? Would you be willing to submit to God your whole heart and life? Are you willing to be searched by God? Are you willing to address the issues of sin He discovers? You are not hiding anything from Him, He knows all, sees all, and nothing is hidden from Him, not even your thoughts!

Prayer: Dear Lord, search me and know my heart. Help me know how to deal with any sin You find. Lead me in the right and protect me from the wrong. Point out anything in me that offends You. Give me the courage to surrender all to You. Strengthen me to submit in full assurance of Your love. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday, in Jesus name, Amen!

April 25, 2013 (1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order.” Matthew 12:44 NLT

Observation: The religious leaders accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of satan. They considered themselves to be the God sent holy ones of their day. Jesus directed at them an illustration of what happens when an evil spirit is cast out of a person but that person doesn’t fill their house with godly things. The evil spirit comes back and discovers the house empty. Since the house has been cleaned, but not filled, the evil spirit discovers there’s room for him and others to move back in. So the evil spirit goes out and finds seven other spirits more evil than himself and they all move in! So the person ends up worse off than before. This was the case with the Pharisees, they had been cleansed on the outside, but inside they were occupied by multiple evil spirits.

Application: It’s not enough just to be cleansed, we must also be filled. Just cleaning up one’s life without filling it with God leaves plenty of room for satan and his friends to return. Many people try to rid themselves of the things they know God doesn’t approve of, but they fail to ever fill themselves with the things He does approve of. To tear down and destroy the idols in our lives is a good thing. To rid ourselves of sinfulness that displeases God is wonderful. To come to an altar of repentance is great and is the first step, but it’s not the only step. We must also fill ourselves with the things of God. We must seek Him and be filled with His Spirit. We must submit to Him and become obedient to His will completely. In doing so we will not only be cleansed and in order, but our spiritual house will be filled with the things of God leaving no room for satan to enter with any of his friends!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your Spirit that fills me. Father help me not only clean my house, but help me also fill it with the good things of Your kingdom. Keep my house so full of You that there’s no room for satan or his friends! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day, I especially need Your guidence today, in Jesus name, Amen!

April 22, 2013 (1 Samuel 25-26; Psalm 63; Matthew 9)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.” Matthew 9:31 NLT

Observation: Two blind men followed Jesus crying out, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” They followed Jesus all the way to the place where He was staying and followed Him right into the house! Then Jesus asks them a question, “Do you believe I can make you see?” The blind men answered, “Yes, Lord we do.” Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Their eyes were opened and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them not to tell anyone about this because He was not trying to make a name for Himself as a miracle worker. He healed physical conditions because He had compassion on people, yet His main purpose was spiritual, not physical.

Application: How joyful and wonderful it must have been to be physically healed. These two men followed after Jesus and were determined to get something from the only one that could give them what they really wanted and needed. They had faith that Jesus could heal them and because of this faith they were healed. All Jesus asked of them was to keep quiet about it. He didn’t mind them being overjoyed but He didn’t want to distort what His real purpose was by making a name for Himself as a miracle worker. I find it quite amazing that after receiving such a wonderful blessing it was too much to ask for these men to keep quiet. Even in our blessings we should remember to be obedient to Christ and His words. If He sternly warns us to keep quiet, we should obey Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I can only imagine how these men must have felt the day You opened their physical blinded eyes, but I know full well how it feels to have spiritually blinded eyes opened. Like these men I cannot keep quite about the healing You have performed in my life. Thank You for allowing me the privilege of proclaiming to the world that Jesus Christ has healed and opened my blinded eyes! In Jesus name, Amen!

April 19, 2013 (1 Samuel 22; Psalm 17, 35; Matthew 6)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Then the king said to Doeg, “You do it.” So Doeg the Edomite turned on them and killed them that day, eighty-five priests in all, still wearing their priestly garments. Then he went to Nob, the town of the priest, and killed the priests’ families – men and women, children and babies – and all the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats.” 1 Samuel 22:18-19 NLT

Observation: Saul can no longer contain his rage against David. He has turned the situation around in his own mind and is now claiming David is trying to kill him! Because Saul was so obsessed with killing David he worked himself up into frenzy. He suspected a conspiracy among Jonathan, David and the priest. He ordered his bodyguards to kill the priest but they would not, so he turned to Doeg and told him to do it. Eighty-five innocent priest and their entire families were slain that day because of the wrath of a wicked king. God warned the children of Israel about wanting a king, but they demanded one. Now we are beginning to see the harvest come from the rebellious seed that was sown.

Application: Why would God allow eighty-five innocent priest and their families to be killed? When we witness such horrid events we often ask why. We wonder how a loving God could allow such evil to prevail against innocent people. We must remember it was not God’s plan for the people to have a king other than God Himself. It was not God’s plan for the people to go astray, it was their choice. The people had rejected God and His standards and suffered the consequences of their choices. The same is true today. If we reject God and cast Him out of our lives, don’t blame Him when the harvest comes from the seed we’ve sown. Often time’s innocent people will suffer because of the decisions made by others. God uses these horrible events to gain the attention of His people. He will draw His people back to Himself at all cost.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day! Thank You for Your wisdom that far surpasses my understanding. Thank You for Your word that is provided for our learning and instruction. Help us not make the same mistakes as our forefathers did. Pass by and open our blinded eyes! Encourage us to cry out to You, the only one that can save us! In Jesus name, Amen!