"Word of God Speak"

March 19, 2012 (Joshua 3-6; 1 Corinthians 4)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20 NLT

Observation: Paul is giving the church at Corinth some real truth instruction. It’s not enough to just talk about faith, they must apply God’s word to their lives and live it out. Some of the members of the Corinthian church had become arrogant and were claiming to be followers of Paul or Apollos, but not living after their example. Many of them were fans of Paul or Apollos, but had not yet learned what it meant to be a follower of Jesus. Paul told them if the Lord would let him come see them again, he would find out if these men were acting under the power of God or not. Paul was not afraid of a hypocrite, he knew their true colors would shine forth when tried by the fire of holiness.

Application: The church of today is much like to Corinthian church with one exception. When the Corinthian people boasted of following Paul or Apollos, Paul was quick to correct them, and direct them back to Christ. Now days the preachers are the one’s who have become arrogant. They arrogantly, and ignorantly, allow people to boast of following them with no warning or redirection back to Christ ever given to them. Paul was quick to tell people, ‘follow me as I follow Christ’, now days it’s more like, ‘follow me and bring your checkbook with you’. Oh how we have disgraced the name of Christ for monetary gain. Oh how we have excused sin in order to profit worldly things. Oh how we have allowed people to be our fans, while turning them from being His followers.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily. Strengthen me to honor You in all that I do. Mold me into a vessel that brings You honor and glory. Rise up and fight for me against my enemies, cause them to be caught in the trap they lay for me. Help me Father to not just talk of knowing You, but to live in a manner that proves I’m Yours. For I understand that Your Kingdom is not just a lot of talk, it is living by Your power, in Jesus name, Amen!

March 18, 2012 (Joshua 1-2; Psalm 37; 1 Corinthians 3)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” Joshua 1:8 NLT

Observation: Joshua has taken over as leader of the nation of Israel. They are about to cross over the Jordan River and God is reminding Joshua of the promises He made to Moses. God assures Joshua that no one will be able to stand against him as long as he lives. God said, “I will be with you as I was with Moses, I will not fail you or abandon you.” He told Joshua, “be strong and courageous and careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave to you and do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Study this Book of Instruction continually, meditate on it day and night and be sure to obey it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Application: I’ve often heard many people boast of reading the Bible through in a year. I know of churches that make a big deal of completing this task. With a certificate and awards ceremony these people are praised and rewarded for doing a great thing. Don’t get me wrong, anything we can do to get people to read their Bible is a good thing, but God’s word clearly teaches us that we should meditate on it day and night. Not for just a year, but continually. Don’t read your Bible one time through in a year, but rather read it through every year from now own. Make it a goal of yours to seek God in His word daily for the rest of your life. Make the study of God’s word more than a “thing” you do, make it a life you live, continually.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day, I ask that You bless it and keep it for Your glory. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily. Thank You for Your word that instructs, corrects and encourages me. Show me the path You want me to walk, teach me Your ways and help me obey them. As I study Your word reveal to me the lessons You would have me to learn, in Jesus name, Amen!

March 17, 2012 (Deuteronomy 32-34; 1 Corinthians 2)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But they have acted corruptly toward Him; when they act so perversely are they really His children? They are a deceitful and twisted generation.” Deuteronomy 32:5 NLT

Observation: God chose the children of Israel as His own prized people. He blessed them and provided for them in ways they could not even imagine. He freed them from slavery and set them free to live for Him. But they acted perversely. They turned their back on Him, forsook His commandments and worshipped other gods every chance they got. It was a constant cycle, they would get themselves in a mess, repent and turn back to God, then as soon as they were comfortable and at peace they would turn their back on God again. They were a deceitful and twisted generation spotted by sin, and defiled by perverseness.

Application: How can we claim to be God’s people and act so corruptly toward Him? How can we abuse the grace of Jesus Christ and treat it as nothing more than a license to sin without judgment? How can we ignorantly claim to be God’s children when we act so perversely? Are we really His children? God’s children are not a deceitful and twisted people, but rather a holy and obedient people. The scriptures are our great teacher and a trumpet of warning against following a deceitful and twisted path. The example of the children of Israel should compel and encourage us to surrender to Christ and remain faithful to Him until the very end. Don’t forget God in your plenty and never turn away from Him to worship idols!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this wonderful day You’ve made. Thank You for Your word that teaches and instructs me in Your ways of righteousness. Help me remain faithful to You at all times. You are the awesome God of the universe and above You there is no other! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily. Thank You for Your strong right arm that never fails. You are the Rock of my salvation and the lover of my soul. Because of Your mercy and amazing grace I am blessed and walk in victory, in Jesus name, Amen!

March 16, 2012 (Deuteronomy 30-31; Psalm 40; 1 Corinthians 1)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT

Observation: Moses is giving the children of Israel some final words of encouragement. He has laid out all the commands of God, he has warned them about serving and worshiping other gods, and he is encouraging them to be strong and courageous when they cross over the Jordan river to siege the land God is giving to them. This land is full of giants, but Moses said, “be strong and courageous and don’t be afraid. Don’t panic before them for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will lead you in this fight and He guarantee’s victory! The land will be yours, but don’t forget God when it is!

Application: The more I learn about the children of Israel, the more I understand our world today. We cling so closely to God in the wilderness, yet abandon Him in our times of plenty. How many times have you cleared the false gods and clutter out of your life in the wilderness, only to replace them with new gods and new idols in your times of plenty? When we cling to God at all times we can take courage. We can be strong and courageous because God personally goes before us making the way. We don’t have to live in fear or panic at the site of our enemies when we know God is with us. He has gone before us making the way for victory! He will not fail you nor abandon you, so be careful not to abandon Him.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day You have made, bless it and make it a wonderful day! Thank You for the confidence I have in You. I can be strong and courageous because I know You go before me. I don’t have to be afraid or panic before my enemies because Your strong right arm will not fail. You found me in the midst of the wilderness. I accepted You, and You delivered me and brought me out. I have not forgotten You in my times of plenty and I confidently trust in You to go before me and defeat my enemies. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily, in Jesus name, Amen!

March 15, 2012 (Deuteronomy 28-29; Galatians 6)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!” Deuteronomy 28:7 NLT

Observation: Moses tells the children of Israel about the blessings they will experience if they obey His commands. Their towns and fields, children and crops, herds and flocks, fruit baskets and breadboards, wherever they go and whatever they do will be blessed! The Lord guaranteed a blessing on everything they did and promised to fill their storehouses with grain if they would obey His commands and worship Him alone. He will rise up and fight against your enemies. When they attack you from one direction, the Lord will scatter them from you in seven different directions!

Application: The benefits of living for Christ and obeying His commands is more valuable than all the money in the entire world. Who could name the value of knowing and trusting in God to rise up and scatter enemies in seven different directions? How could such a blessing be measured? What would it be like to know and experience God’s blessings in every area of your life? Wherever you go and whatever you do, totally blessed! If you listen to the commands of the Lord and you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom! The children of Israel were not the only ones with whom God made this covenant. He made this covenant with those who stood before Moses then and with the future generations of those who are called His. Obey His commands and see if He is faithful, I know He is!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day you’ve made. Thank You for Your word that encourages, corrects and teaches me Your ways. Help me obey You Lord, in all that I do. Strengthen me to accept and delight in Your will, whatever happens. Walk with me daily and protect me with Your strong right arm. When my enemies attack me from one direction, scatter them from me in seven! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily, in Jesus name, Amen!

March 14, 2012 (Deuteronomy 25-27; Galatians 5)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.” Galatians 5:24 NLT

Observation: Paul is explaining the difference between the fruit produced from the sinful nature and the Spiritual nature of Christ that lives in the believer. The only way the believer can walk in the Spirit is to crucify the sinful nature, it’s passions and desires must be nailed to the cross of Jesus Christ. By faith in Christ the sinful nature is crucified and the once desolate soil begins to produce a fruit more wholesome than ever imagined. The evidence that one belongs to Christ is the observance of their sinful desires being nailed to the cross, and a new Spiritual fruit being produced in their lives.

Application: Contrary to popular belief, this nailing of our passions and sinful desires to the cross is not a one time event. In fact, its a daily event. We must daily crucify our sinful nature, passions and desires to the cross of Christ. If we fail to crucify our sinful nature we will find ourselves producing the wrong kind of fruit. Notice to that we must nail our own passions and desires to the cross ourselves, we can’t cast that responsibility onto someone else to do it for us. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. Old things are passed away and behold all things are new!

Prayer: Dear Lord thank You for this day. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily. Thank You for the fruit Your Spirit produces in me. Father I pray You would help me nail my sinful passions and desires to the cross of Christ and crucify them there. I pray for an abundant harvest of spiritual fruit You will be well pleased with in my life. In Jesus name, Amen!

March 13, 2012 (Deuteronomy 22-24; Galatians 4)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the Lord your God loves you.” Deuteronomy 23:5 NLT

Observation: Moses reminds the children of Israel of a time when God moved on their behalf. When they came out of Egypt the Ammonites would not let them pass through their land and attacked them only to be slaughtered by the children of Israel. When the children of Israel approached the Moabites they offered them no food or water and would not let them pass through their towns either. King Balak hired Balaam to curse the children of Israel, but God used Balaam to bless the children of Israel instead. God has a wonderful way of turning what the enemy meant as harm into good.

Application: How wonderful it is to know God is on your side! It’s only a slight thing for God to move on your behalf. He is known for making a way, where there seems to be no way. With just a word uttered from the lips of God, He can turn what satan meant as harm into a wonderful blessing of mercy and grace. He turns what satan desires as harm, into a blessing because He loves you. Yes God loves you. Not because you earn it, not because you deserve it, but simply because this is what brings Him pleasure. He loves you because loving is what God likes to do! His strong right arm has no equal and His mercy and grace provide and protect His children, because He loves them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, sometimes it’s hard to remember all the times You’ve moved on my behalf. Thank You for these reminders You give to me in the scriptures. I’m ashamed to say many times I’ve failed to even recognize and acknowledge how You have moved on my behalf, but I do so now. Father, please forgive me. Thank You for all the times You turned what satan meant as harm into blessings for me. I praise You for who You are! You are the awesome God of heaven and above You there is no other! Your strong right arm has no equal and rises to fight for Your beloved children. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily, in Jesus name rise up and fight for me now, Amen!