"Word of God Speak"

March 1, 2014 (Numbers 28-29; Mark 8)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” Mark 8:36-37 NLT

Observation: Mark’s original audience, the Romans, knew what “taking up the cross” meant. Death on a cross was a form of execution used by Rome for dangerous criminals. A prisoner was forced to carry his own cross to the place of execution, signifying submission to Rome’s power. Jesus used the image of carrying a cross to illustrate the ultimate submission required of His followers. Jesus is not against pleasure, nor did He say we should seek pain needlessly. He is however openly teaching all of us of the heroic effort that is needed to be His follower. Jesus wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. His example of willing submission was a demonstration of what is required from us. We must willingly submit to His power, just as He willingly submitted to death on a cross.

Application: When we have properly submitted to Christ’s authority our goals and motivations change. Our outlook on life becomes more about His will and our actions reflect a surrendered and submitted attitude. Spending all of our time seeking pleasure no longer makes sense to the submitted follower of Christ. Worldliness that is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless. The born again, surrendered, and submitted follower of Christ understands the value of their soul. Nothing is worth more. True followers of Christ have their eyes fixed on Him and are submissive to His plans and desires no matter how uncomfortable the situation may become. They prove they believe and trust in Him by how they live. Their soul is secure because they have rightly submitted to Christ as Lord and Savior.

Prayer: Dear Lord, many people are being led astray by a false doctrine that suggest nothing is required from us for our soul to be secure in You. Yet Jesus plainly teaches us the truth. We must submit and surrender to You, just as He surrendered to the death on a cross. Help us Lord! Stop the mouths of those that are distorting the truth of real salvation. Open up the blinded eyes of a culture that has forsaken You! Save us from ourselves and rescue those that are being led astray, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 28, 2014 (Numbers 24-27; 1 Corinthians 13)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT

Observation: One of the most important aspects of life is growing, not only physically but spiritually as well. As people we must learn to grow from children into mature adults applying the lessons life has taught us. As we grow into maturity we must remember to temper all of our learning with love. Love is the supreme attribute of a person that is growing mature spiritually. Though we may not have all the answers and we may not fully understand the reasoning behind every action others take, we can put away childish understanding and conduct ourselves in a manner that pleases and honors God. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand it’s on way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It would serve us well to remember this the next time we encounter our enemies.

Application: Though some people struggle accepting this personal responsibility at some point in life we all have to “grow up”. Age really has very little to do with growing up. Some have passed from child to adult at a very young age. I myself have been working a full time (40 hour plus a week) job since I was 14 years old. Circumstances beyond my control demanded I work and help support my parents and sisters. Sometimes it seems I was catapulted from kid to man overnight, but the reality is really much different. Honestly I didn’t “grow up” until I was 27 years old. I made a mess of my life working like a man and making decisions like a child up until that point. Then Jesus found me! He delivered me from the depths of immature despair. He pulled me out of the miry pit and planted my feet on the solid foundation. I’m still building, and growing, on that foundation and I pray I never stop.

Prayer: Dear Lord thank You for that faithful day You found me. Thank You for the love and compassion You had on the mess I made of my life. Protect me from my enemies. Protect me from outside sources that try to harm me. But most of all protect me from myself. Help me grow and learn to conduct myself in a manner that is well pleasing to You, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 27, 2014 (Numbers 21-23; Mark 6-7)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.” Mark 6:12 NLT

Observation: Jesus sent out His disciples, two by two, with a message for the people. He gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits. He sent them out with nothing, expecting the ones that received their message to provide for them. Their message was a message of repentance and turning toward God. It was a powerful message that changed lives and impacted communities. It was also a message that was rejected by many. Jesus instructed His disciples how to handle those situations as well. “But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” (Mark 6:11 NLT)

Application: The message the disciples delivered was a much different message than what we hear mostly today. Notice they were not sent out to get a verbal confession of faith from as many as they could. It also was not a competition between the groups of disciples of which could get the most commitments. They were not sent out to invite people to know Christ only, they were sent to instruct people to repent and turn to God. They had no “sinners prayer” that once verbally repeated counted as a conversion. The message they delivered was a message of repentance from sin and turning to God. A powerful message that changed people’s lives and transformed entire families. This message of repentance and turning toward God is the only message that will positively impact people, families, cities, states, nations and the world.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your wonderful presence. Thank You for Your mercy and grace that provide and protect me every day. Fill my mouth with the proper message You desire for me to speak. Teach me how to repent and turn to You. Help me to surrender my will and commit myself completely to You today, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 26, 2014 (Numbers 19-20; Psalms 28; Mark 5)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” Numbers 20:12 NLT

Observation: The Lord had told Moses to speak to the rock; however, Moses struck it, not once, but twice. God did the miracle; yet Moses was taking credit for it when he said, “Must we bring you water from this rock?” For this he, and Aaron, was forbidden to enter the Promise Land. Moses knew how detailed God is; after all it was Moses that had recorded all the procedures and rituals that had to be followed just as he was instructed. Yet here he let his frustration with the people cost him. The people had complained to the point that Moses was sick of them, yet he should have kept his eyes focused on God and His will. When God asked us to do something, or say something, He expects us to do it just like He said.

Application: Oh how many times I’ve missed God’s best for me because I didn’t trust Him enough to wait on Him. Oh how much pain and grief I’ve had to endure because I chose to get ahead of God and work in my own strength. How many times I’ve missed out on the promises of God because of my doubt and unbelief. Let us learn a valuable lesson from Moses and never forget that there are serious consequences for disobeying God’s commands. Let us also learn a lesson from Aaron. The choice of Moses to work in his own way not only affected his life, but also Aaron’s. Neither Moses, nor Aaron would enter the Promised Land because of the actions of disobedience. As leaders we must be careful of the choices we make because we may just negatively impact the life of someone very close to us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for today. I praise You for who You are and all You are! Help me clearly hear You when You speak. Teach me to slow down and listen closely. Keep me from pride and arrogance. For I am only a vessel that You work through. If anything good comes from me, You did it. Work through my life like only You can, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 24, 2014 (Numbers 14-16; Mark 3)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice.” Numbers 14:22 NLT

Observation: The children of Israel, time and time again, had experienced God move on their behalf in many ways. They witnessed His miraculous works of deliverance and provision both in Egypt and in the wilderness in which they now lived. Yet when they heard the report of the twelve spies that were sent out to inspect the Promised Land they became dejected and lost hope for their future. They focused on what appeared to be an unmovable mountain and forgot all about the miraculous events they had already experienced. Caleb tried to remind them of the great power of God, but they refused to listen. God had spoken to the people through Moses many times and they continually ignored what He had to say. There is a consequence for ignoring the voice of God; in this case the stakes were high and the consequence detrimental.

Application: God speaks to us in many ways. Sometimes He speaks directly to our spirit and other times He speaks to us through others. Maybe a certain event takes place in our life that in reality is God speaking to us. But just because we hear Him that doesn’t mean we actually listen. Many times God speaks to us, but we don’t listen to what He’s saying. We don’t listen to what He’s saying because our ears are closed to His desires. Our own selfish desires often times stop up our ears from hearing and blind our eyes from seeing. We must remember there are serious consequences for not listening to, and obeying, the voice of God. The children of Israel should be an alarming example to us about how to listen, trust, and obey the voice of God. We must be careful to not only hear God’s voice, but listen to it and obey it when we hear it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I praise You today for who You are! Thank You for Your mercy and grace that are plenteous and constantly flowing from the throne above. Teach me how to hear Your voice and help me listen to Your voice when You speak. Place a desire within me that longs to obey Your will. Protect me from myself, in Jesus name, Amen!

February 23, 2014 (Numbers 12-13; Psalm 90, Mark 2)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Then Jesus said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27 NLT

Observation: The Pharisees and leaders of religious law were so filled with pride and arrogance it blinded them to simple truth. They went through the motions of keeping all the rules and had forgotten what the rules were put into place for. They were careful to “obey” the rules, even if it meant they were breaking them by keeping them. Love was not their motivation for keeping the rules, neither was it their motivation for condemning others. Pride, and self-righteousness, had taken control of their minds and corrupted their actions. The Sabbath that was created for their benefit had become their stumbling block. Sabbath rules had taken the place of Sabbath rest. The Sabbath was not created for us to be lazy and do nothing, it was created as a time dedicated for physical and spiritual restoration. Not a suggestion, or an option, but rather a special time provided by God to restore us physically and spiritually on a regular and continual basis.

Application: How gracious of God to so carefully provide for all of our needs. He knows exactly what we have need of even before we ask, the Sabbath proves this. He knew we would need a time of physical and spiritual restoration each week. He knew we would become weak and discouraged if we neglected this time. He knew we would drift into all sorts of evil and turn from Him as a nation if we didn’t have an intentional time set aside to rest and focus on Him each week. He knew satan would make sure we’re too busy. He knew the cares of this life would become more important to us than Him. Oh how wise our God is! Oh how merciful and gracious He is to provide us what we need even before we realize we need it! But will we receive it? Will we heed the wisdom of God and take part in the provision He has provided? Will we accept His wisdom and be blessed by His provision? I sure hope so.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for all the blessings and provision You have provided. Thank You for looking out for me even before I knew I needed looked out for! Thank You for the day of rest and focus You have provided for us each week. Help me to heed this time and use it as You intended. In Jesus name, Amen!

February 22, 2014 (Numbers 10, 11; Psalm 27; Mark 1)

From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:

Scripture: “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” (Mark 1:35 NLT)

Observation: After a long day of proclaiming the Good News at the synagogue Jesus went to Simon and Andrew’s home where He healed Simon’s mother-in-law of a fever. Then after sunset many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Him. The whole town gathered at the door to watch Jesus work. He healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and He cast out many demons. Surely this went on well into the night. Yet, early the next morning Jesus got up and went to an isolated place to pray. While the disciples were sleeping in, Jesus was praying. While the disciples were tending to the carnal needs, Jesus was tending to Spiritual needs. Jesus demonstrated to us the example of how we need to pray. If Jesus found it necessary to isolate Himself from outside distractions often for times of prayer shouldn’t we?

Application: Do you pray? I’m sure most of us would quickly answer “Yes!” to that question. But do we really pray? Do we intentionally make time to isolate ourselves from outside distractions and seek to be alone with God like Jesus did? I think most of our prayers are more like a list of wishes and desires that we quickly rattle off to God expecting Him to jump right to our request. Is that what we think Jesus was doing early that faithful morning when His disciples came looking for Him? (Mark 1:37) Was He there alone with God letting Him know His daily request? Somehow I just don’t have that mental image in my head. In fact, the image within my mind is a humble Jesus seeking strength from the only One that could provide what He needed. I see Jesus praising God for the miracles that were performed the day before and thanking Him for what all He was going to do later that day. I’m convicted as I type these words because I know it’s been quite a while since I really prayed.

Prayer: Dear Lord, forgive me for the way I’ve treated prayer. Forgive me for not intentionally setting time aside often for time with You alone away from outside distractions. Place a desire within me to commune with You. Lord, teach me how to pray, correctly. Help me understand that prayer is more than a list of all my request; it’s a time of spiritual nourishment that only You can provide. Thank You for Your grace and mercy that provide and protect me every day, in Jesus name, Amen!