"Word of God Speak"

February 5, 2012 (Exodus 39-40; Psalm 15; Acts 12)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Who may worship in Your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter Your presence on Your holy hill?” Psalm 15:1 NLT

Observation: David wants to know who can worship in God’s presence, in His sanctuary? Here’s his answer, “Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.”

Application: The Bible tells us that God is a Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In our world today, we have turned God’s holy place into just another place. People enter into buildings we call churches with no reverence or fear whatsoever, totally disrespecting the God they go to worship. It has become easy for us to disrespect God’s church house because we have willingly and openly defiled His true house, our bodies. Our standards for living should not come from our evil society but rather from God. The standards David named above are not burdensome to the true follower of Christ, they are embraced and reveal the depth of our relationship with Him.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for this day You’ve made. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that protects and provides for me daily. You are the awesome God of heaven and Your deserve to be reverenced and respected. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness and fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Help me to live the standards David outlined in Psalm 15. Teach me Your ways, guide me into Your truth, and protect me with Your righteous right hand, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 4, 2012 (Exodus 37-38; Psalm 19; Acts 11)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” Acts 11:18 NLT

Observation: God sent Peter to preach the gospel message to Cornelius and his household. Cornelius was a Gentile and had no right to the gospel message according to the Jewish believers back in Jerusalem. When Peter returned from the house of Cornelius the Jewish believers criticized him for entering in to his house and eating with him. But Peter explained the vision God had given him and told them of the events that had taken place. When they heard what Peter said they picked up stones and began to stone him. Well, not really. They actually realized their error and ceased objecting and began praising God. They realized that God, in His mercy, had given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting also.

Application: The privilege of repenting. Have you ever really thought about it in that manner? Where would we be if God, in His mercy, had not given us this privilege? Our attitude about repentance shows a lot about the way we view it. To come before Christ with the attitude that Christ owes us forgiveness because we ask Him for it, could not be a more arrogant and prideful attempt to restore our relationship with God. True repentance comes with humility and realizing that we are not owed the opportunity, but rather given the privilege of repenting. God’s gift of eternal life is found in the privilege of repentance. Have you exercised the privilege God has given you?

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day You’ve made, bless it and keep it for Your glory. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provides and protects me daily. You are my God, my Rock, my Provider, my Protector, my Peace, my Joy and my Redeemer. You give me great privileges. Thank You for the privilege of repentance. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 3, 2012 (Exodus 35-36; Acts 10)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: Men and women, don’t prepare any more gifts for the sanctuary. We have enough!” Exodus 36:6 NLT

Observation: The construction was about to begin on the sanctuary that God had told Moses to build. But before the construction could begin a sacred offering for the Lord was requested by Moses from the people. All whose hearts were stirred and whose spirits were moved came and brought their sacred offering to the Lord, both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing. In a short time more than enough was brought and gave by the people so Moses gave the command and sent out a message stating, we have enough to complete the project God has commanded.

Application: Wow! Moses told them there was enough, don’t prepare any more gifts for the new sanctuary project. I’m doubtful we would ever hear such a comment from a church leader today! The church leader would say, “people just don’t give like that anymore” but I don’t believe that’s necessarily true. It took God stirring the hearts of the people and moving their spirit to accomplish this victory in Exodus 36. Now days we trust and rely on our motivational efforts to stir and move the people into giving, rather than allowing God the privilage of working in the lives of His people and manifesting His glory in them. No one can stir a person like God can, no one can move a spirit like God can, no one can make a heart willing like God can, no one.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day You’ve made, bless it and keep it. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me daily. I praise and worship You for who You are. You stir my heart and move my spirit to complete the work You’ve called me to do. No one motivates me better than You. No one compels me like You do. You are the awesome God of heaven and deserve the best praise and honor. Help me be willing to give according to Your will, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 2, 2012 (Exodus 33-34; Psalm 16; Acts 9)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.” Exodus 34:7 NLT

Observation: Here, the Lord is speaking to Moses. He tells him of His mercy and unfailing love to multitudes of people. He forgives their iniquity, rebellion, and sin, but He does not excuse the guilty. He lays the sins of parents upon their children and grandchildren, the entire family is affected. We can clearly see the favor of God on those who repent and seek forgiveness of their sins. We can also see clearly the results of walking in sin and rebellion, refusing to repent and turn to the living God. The wages of repentance is life everlasting and God loves to give this gift to all who call upon His name. The wages of sin is death and the devil never fails to pay.

Application: The importance and necessity of repentance can never be stressed enough. Without repentance there can be no forgiveness. Without real repentance one will continue to walk in ways that are not pleasing to the Lord. To repent is more than just a thought. True repentance is a complete change of opinion, attitude, and actions. When we cry out to God in true repentance, seeking forgiveness of our sin, God shows His mercy and unfailing love toward us. He cast our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. But before we can enjoy this lavish unfailing love, we must repent and surrender to Him daily.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your lavish unfailing love! You have forgiven my iniquity, rebellion, and sin and filled me with Your Holy Spirit. You have made the wrong in me right. You have cast my sin of yesterday far away and You remember it no more. Your unfailing love embraces me daily, showing me Your way and will for my life. Through Your Son, Jesus, I’ve been pardoned and my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have been spared. Thank You for Your grace. Thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for Your unfailing love that offers us an opportunity to repent. In Jesus name, Amen!

February 1, 2012 (Exodus 30-32; Acts 8 )

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.” Acts 8:23 NLT

Observation: Simon had been a sorcerer for many years. When he heard the gospel message preached by Phillip he believed and was baptized. Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

Application: Sin is a non discriminating offender. Simon was a believer, that had been baptized, yet he was still sin’s captive. Sin leads those that are captivated by it to the depths of despair and stupidity. This is why we must deal with sin openly and immediately. Sin fills us with bitter jealousy and holds us captive to our own desires and lust. We will never begin to serve God the way we should if sin is not dealt with and addressed in our lives. We must surrender our lives to Christ totally to be set free from the bondage of sin. When we submit and surrender to Christ we are freed from sin’s power and control and bound to Christ as His slave. He purchased us with His blood and paid the price in full.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your wonderful mercy and grace that provides and protects me daily. You are the awesome God of heaven, I praise and worship You for who You are! I surrender my life to You and submit to Your will. Free me from the power and control of sin and bind me to Jesus as His slave. It’s a great honor to serve You as my Lord. I trust You and my hope is in You. You have proven Yourself to me over and over again through Your amazing power and forgiveness. Thank You. In Jesus name, Amen!

January 31, 2012 (Exodus 28-29; Acts 7)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!” Acts 7:51 NLT

Observation: The religious leaders were stubborn people who thought they had it all figured out. They were so threatened by the gospel of Jesus Christ that their hearts turned heathen and deaf to the truth. Truth was right before them, but they could not see. Why? They resisted and refused to allow the Holy Spirit to work in their lives. They were motivated and moved into action by their own wisdom and understanding, rejecting God and killing the prophets, just like their ancestors did.

Application: If the lessons of history are not heeded, we are destined to repeat the same sins. We must learn to surrender ourselves to Christ and His will for our lives and heed the lessons of our forefathers. Many people today would not count Stephen as being a successful minister of the gospel. But the day Stephen left this earth he looked steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. For some reason I think when he looked at Jesus, he must have seen Him smile.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this wonderful day You’ve made! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provides and protects me daily. You are the awesome God of heaven and deserve to be praised and worshipped! I love You Lord. Help me not be a stubborn heathen with a heart that does not hear Your words of truth. I desire Your Holy Spirit to fill me, comfort me, and guide me in all things. In Jesus name, Amen!

January 30, 2012 (Exodus 25-27; Acts 6)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.” Acts 6:10 NLT

Observation: The men from the First Synagogue of Freed Slaves could not out wit Stephen and his gospel message. The Holy Spirit that filled Stephen flummoxed the Freed Slaves and embarrassed them to a point of rage. So they did what every good ole Jewish boy would do in those days, they got people to lie for them! They said to themselves, “If we can’t shut him up by our own wisdom we will use a lie to stop him.” Little did they know that God would use Stephen from generation to generation to teach men about steadfast faith.

Application: Pride will often lead us to do things outside of our character. When we decide our way and understanding is right and everyone else is wrong, we open ourselves up for pride to make a fool of us. The Holy Scriptures need to be debated less and believed more. People need to see by the way we live what we believe. Our actions will always speak louder than our words. Our actions will make a bigger impact on those around us than our words ever will. When we walk in the Spirit, as Stephen did, we will be filled with wisdom from above and consumed with a Spirit of boldness to proclaim Jesus is Lord.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank You for this day. Thank You for Your word that teaches, convicts, corrects and encourages me. I praise and worship You for who You are! I thank You for Your protection and provision. Your grace and mercy are with me day by day. Fill me with Your wisdom and Spirit. Teach me to be a man of steadfast faith like Stephen. Help me do whatever You ask, be willing to go wherever You desire, and leave whenever You say, in Jesus name, Amen!