20-20 Blog

Scripture Focus:

Psalm 143:10
Teach me how to live to please you,
      because you’re my God.

Observation:

David asks God to teach him how to please God. How to please God is something that must be taught—not something we do naturally. It’s a learned behavior. What comes naturally is how to please ourselves.

Just like a child would be totally self-centered if not corrected by a parent, so we would be self-absorbed if we didn’t have God teach us how to walk in a manner that pleases him.

Application:

Don’t focus on your own comfort or having your own way today. Ask God to show you what would please him. Be willing to do what the Spirit of God whispers in your ear.

Prayer:

Father God, here I am. What would you like me to do today?

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Scripture Focus:

3 John 1:5–8 Dear friend, when you extend hospitality to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers, you make the faith visible. They’ve made a full report back to the church here, a message about your love. It’s good work you’re doing, helping these travelers on their way, hospitality worthy of God himself! They set out under the banner of the Name, and get no help from unbelievers. So they deserve any support we can give them. In providing meals and a bed, we become their companions in spreading the Truth.

Observation:

Hospitality makes our faith visible. God wants me to be hospitable to Christian brothers and sisters, even when they are strangers. The goal for hospitality is to make it worthy of God himself. When we extend hospitality to traveling evangelists, we become their partner in spreading the Truth.

Application:

I’ve never felt gifted in this area, but God isn’t asking me to be hospitable only if I’m gifted. I only need to do it as though I’m welcoming Him into my home.

Prayer:

Father God, when there is an opportunity to be hospitable, give me the grace to be gracious!

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 1:17
Say no to wrong.
Learn to do good.
Work for justice.
Help the down-and-out.
Stand up for the homeless.
Go to bat for the defenseless.
Titus 3: 14 Our people have to learn to be diligent in their work so that all necessities are met (especially among the needy) and they don’t end up with nothing to show for their lives.

Observation:

God cares about the needy. I see that over and over in the Bible. In Titus Paul says the goal of working is so that all necessities be met, especially among the needy.

Application:

I don’t always know how to implement this—does the panhandler on the street corner who is physically capable of working yet holds a sign as others hold jobs deserve to be helped? I can’t really answer questions like this, but I can have an attitude of help, and I can certainly help good causes, like My Father’s House.

Prayer:

God, give me your heart for people. You’ve always loved the down and out. Help me to love them, too, in a tangible way.

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Scripture Focus:

Psalm 112:5, 9 A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted with honor.

Observation:

This morning’s message at church was on helping the poor, and how that is God’s heart. Over and over in Scripture, including these verses, we see that it is the mark of true righteousness and greatness to be gracious to those less fortunate, to be generous when it is within our means to do so.

Application:

We are so blessed here in America. Compared to much of the world, I live like a queen with food to eat, a comfortable home, and enough money to do more than just survive.

As we’ve learned more about helping the poor, especially through micro loans, Charlie and I have made the decision to participate in programs that help the poor, not just through handouts that quickly are gone, but through giving them an opportunity to better themselves.

Prayer:

Father God, you are gracious, full of compassion, and righteous, and you want us to be like you. We want to partner with you to help the poor and needy, both physically and spiritually.

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Scripture Focus:

Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.

Observation:

There is a principle that is repeated with some frequency in the Bible: you will reap what you sow. Even the hidden things are known to God who searches the heart and tests the mind. Therefore, if I don’t like the fruit I’m seeing in my life, perhaps I’d better look at what I’m sowing.

Application:

I’ve heard it said that “Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.” God said it first long ago: You will reap what you sow. So what do I want to reap? Aaaah! Now that’s the question I must answer!

Prayer:

Father God, give me a vision for what can be when I follow biblical principles, and give me the courage to take steps in the right direction.

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Scripture Focus:

Titus 3:14 And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Observation:

A theme I see repeated frequently in the Bible is the idea of doing “good works.” In this verse we see that one way to do good works is to meet urgent needs. Doing good works involves helping people—helping the poor, helping widows in distress, giving someone a ride when they’re stranded, etc.

Application:

Be on the look out for a good work you can do in the name of Jesus. Jesus says that if you give a glass of cold water to a child, you’ve done it as unto him.

We just heard that a couple with three young children moved into the room we sponsor at My Father’s House. I’m so thrilled we can be a part of what God is doing to help that family!

Prayer:

Father God, you care so much about people in need. May I be your hands and feet, doing good works in your name. Amen.

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