"Word of God Speak"

December 18, 2011 (John 2-4)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” John 3:36 NLT

Observation: The disciples of John the Baptist were concerned because people were going to Jesus to be baptized instead of John. John the Baptist now explains to his disciples that this is a good thing, not anything to be jealous about. John tells them that no one can receive anything unless God gives it to them from heaven. He also states that Jesus must increase and he must decrease. John said, Jesus testifies about what He has seen and heard, but how few believe what He tells them. John says it plainly; anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. But, anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment. Our obedience to the teaching of Christ testifies of, and proves, our belief in Him as God’s Son.

Application: Modern society tells us we only have to believe in Jesus as the Son of God to have eternal life. Yet, John the Baptist says, we must not only believe in Him but also obey His commands. Our obedience to His commands proves that we believe in Him. If we say that we love Him and do not the things He commands, we are a liar and His truth is not in us. We must not only confess faith in Christ with our mouths, but we must put that faith into action in our lives. Faith in Christ as Lord without action in our lives is nothing more than idle talk. When we place our faith in Christ as Lord and then put into action the faith we say we believe, we become alive. We begin to produce a harvest of good fruit that God has prepared for us long ago. Anyone who believes in Christ has eternal life, and anyone that truly believes in Christ will obey Him.

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 strong right arm that rises up and fights for me and wins! I need You Lord! You are my only hope! Hear my cry for help, come rescue me from the trap my enemy is trying to use to harm me. Deliver me from their wrath and oppression. Lift me up above the shadows of my past and set me safely out of my enemies grasp. Give me wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. In Jesus name, Amen!

December 17, 2011 (2 Peter 1-3; John 1)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.” 2 Peter 2:18-19 NASB

Observation: False teachers speak arrogantly boasting of their great knowledge and understanding. They twist the true word of God to make it fit their doctrine and man invented beliefs. They pull a scripture here or there and distort the overall message of the true gospel. They entice people to follow them by appealing to their flesh, preying on their emotions. These people are easily led astray because they are overpowered by those who live in sin around them. They are promised freedom by people who are enslaved to corruption themselves.

Application: Freedom. A quality of life we all desire. However, unless we fully surrender our lives to Christ it’s a quality of life we can never know. Freedom is not the right to do as you please, like most people believe. If we refuse to surrender our life and follow Christ we are not free. We are merely enslaved to the passions and desires of our own flesh. When we surrender our life to Christ completely, He frees us from the bondage of sin’s slavery. Christ frees us to serve Him, which in the end always works out for our good.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this wonderful day You have made! You are the awesome God of heaven and above You there is no other! I surrender my life to You completely all over again today, free me from the bondage of sins slavery! Reveal Your truth to me and cause my mouth to proclaim Your message of truth wherever I go. Protect my life from bringing disgrace to You name. Cause me to be a vessel that brings You honor and glory! In Jesus name, Amen!

December 16, 2011 (1 Peter 1-5)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:12 NLT

Observation: Peter is encouraging his Christian brothers and sisters to live in a manner that is pleasing to God. He reminds them that God’s eyes are watching over them and His ears are open to their prayers. God cares how they live. It matters to Him what they do. This reminder is so important because it is the key to receiving God’s best blessings. While His eyes and ears are open to those that do right, He turns His face away from those that do evil. If God’s face is turned against those that do evil, then only evil can come to them. A person can never experience the best blessings of God if they are on a continual evil path of destruction.

Application: I cannot think of anything more important than knowing God is watching over me and being completely assured He hears my prayers. This truth is great encouragement for me to remain faithful to my Lord and to do what’s right in His sight. I need Him to see me. I need Him to hear me. I need His faced turned to me, not against me. Who is stronger than God? Who can overpower Him? Who can deliver like He can? No one! He is our only hope. He is our only protection from evil. He is our only source of peace. He alone is the One that calms my troubled soul. Oh yes! I need Him. Watch over me Lord, and open Your ears to my prayer! Turn Your face toward me, see my condition and hear my feeble plea for help!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for all that You are! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for Your strong right arm that never fails! Thank You for Your ears that hear and Your eyes that see. Give me wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. Crush the plans that have been levied against me by injustice! Let the trap that was meant for me catch the one that laid it, in Jesus name, Amen!

December 15, 2011 (James 1-5)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected;” James 2:22 NASB

Observation: Abraham had great faith in God and he perfected his faith by his actions. When God told him to sacrifice his only son he was obedient. He took Isaac and prepared the altar, even got as far as raising the knife, when God stopped him. Now that’s faith. He was willing to do whatever God told him even if it was against his own will. Abraham was justified by faith because he took action.

Application: I’ve noticed an unhealthy theme developing in a lot of churches today. Works has almost be down graded to an unimportant aspect of the christian life. There is very little emphasis, if any, on works in this modern day church. We encourage people to believe, but not act. We tell people to trust, but not obey. We’re guilty of offering them a faith that promises joy, free from responsibility. Faith without works is useless. It’s like salt with no flavor, it’s like a light bulb with no electricity, like a swimming pool without water. If you truly have faith, put into action!

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your wonderful grace and mercy that sustains me daily. Help me put my faith in action, being obedient to You completely. Perfect the measure of faith You’ve given me by the works You perform through me. May I be salt with an abundance of flavor, in Jesus name, Amen!

December 14, 2011 (Hebrews 12-13; Jude)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.” Jude 19 NASB

Observation: Here Jude reiterates the warning of mockers and false teachers in the last days. He tells us they cause divisions within the church because they are worldly minded seeking the things of the world instead of Christ. Building earthly kingdoms, rather than God’s heavenly kingdom, they are devoid of the Holy Spirit, being led by satan and his demons.

Application: Never in history has the church of God been more divided in America. It seems like there’s a church on every corner, each with it’s own belief and agenda. Massive mega churches just blocks apart, surrounded by hundreds of smaller churches that wouldn’t dare be caught working together for Christ with each other! What has divided us? Doctrine. We have become so sure and arrogant that our interpretation is correct that we have cast aside building the kingdom of God in exchange for building our greater understanding kingdom. Unless we return to the Bible as the source and foundation for our doctrine this division will continue to multiply itself.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I praise and worship You for who You are. You are the awesome God of heaven and above You there is no other! Help me build Your kingdom. Keep me from being or becoming worldly minded. Keep my eye’s focused on You! Help me teach truth. Not fantasy or fairy tale, but real truth, regardless of what others do. Draw Your people to Your truth and reveal it to whom You choose, in Jesus name, Amen!

December 13, 2011 (Hebrews 9-11)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Patient endurance is what you will need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” Hebrews 10:36 NLT

Observation: Hebrews encourages believers to persevere in their Christian faith and conduct when facing persecution and pressure. The race that we run is not a sprint, but rather a marathon. The race must be run with patience and endurance. We must overcome sin and the power of wickedness in our lives by the Holy Spirit of Christ that lives within us. Patient endurance is what we need to continue to do God’s will. We must continue to fight for the faith and defend the gospel message of Jesus Christ even when we are surrounded by sin and wickedness. We must remain steadfast and confident that if we hold on to Christ until the very end, we will receive all the He has promised.

Application: There is much talk of eternal security in our world today. Salvation is presented by many as a “free” gift that cost you nothing. A gift you receive now, and can never be lost. Yet that representation of the gift of salvation is not necessarily true. For if we receive the gift of salvation now, and it can never be lost, why is there a need for patient endurance? The truth is, the free gift of salvation comes with great responsibility. Notice the scripture above inserts that patient endurance is needed to continue to do God’s will. Also notice, the promises are received after one has patiently endured and been found faithful to the end. We can only trust that our eternity is secure as long as we are faithful and obedient to Christ to the very end.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Thank You for Your word that warns me, and reminds me, to remain faithful. Grant me the patient endurance that I need to continue to do Your will. I eagerly look forward to the promises You have made to all that are faithful until the end. Give me wisdom to know what’s right and the courage to do what’s right, even when it’s hard. In Jesus name, Amen!

December 12, 2011 (Hebrews 5-8)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “For ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” Hebrews 6:7-8 NASB

Observation: The ground is a man’s heart, or life. Grace rains down from heaven and waters the soul with unexplainable love producing a harvest of good fruit from the seeds that were sown. The seed planted in ones heart is the word of God. If we sow the right seed we will reap the good harvest and a blessing from God. But if the word of God is sown in ground that produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed. When ground produces a harvest of thorns or thistles it ends up being burned.

Application: The good seed of God’s word produces a harvest of good fruit when sown into a heart well prepared. The heart of man must be tilled up and prepared for God’s seed. A message of conviction and repentance acts as the tiller of a man’s heart. It prepares the heart to receive the seed God has in store. If the ground is not prepared properly the seed will not be nourished and a healthy harvest will be impossible. For a bad tree cannot bear good fruit, neither can a good tree produce bad fruit. Preparation of the heart is essential to producing a healthy harvest.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for Your grace that rains on us from above. Let it nurture me and produce a crop You will be well pleased with. Praise and honor to Your name, which is above all names. For You are the One that makes the seed grow into a bountiful harvest. May the seed that’s been sown in my heart produce a useful crop that demonstrates Your blessings, in Jesus name, Amen!