20-20 Blog

Scripture Focus:

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

Observation:

Becoming a Christian is not a complicated matter nor a set of convoluted rules to follow. Becoming a Christian is realizing I am a sinner and putting my trust in Jesus to forgive my sins and take over the position of “boss” in my life. (Become the Lord of my life.)

Religious people (sometimes that’s me) often create a set of rules that must be followed. This takes my focus off Jesus and onto myself and what I can do to be right in God’s eyes. Paul tell me to get back to the simplicity of the gospel and put my focus on Jesus being my Lord, one day at a time.

Paul also suggests that I periodically examine myself to see whether I am in the faith, whether Jesus lives in me.

Application:

Today I can trust Jesus in me to lead me. I don’t need to make it complicated, but I should examine myself to see if there’s evidence that Jesus is living in me.

Prayer:

Father God, may it be abundantly clear to me and to others that Jesus is living in me!

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Scripture Focus:

Job 17:1 “My spirit is broken,
My days are extinguished,
The grave is ready for me.

Are not mockers with me?
And does not my eye dwell on their provocation?

Observation:

Job is in a world of hurt—no doubt—and his “friends” aren’t helping him one bit. As he feels beaten down and ready to die, he admits that he’s dwelling on the provocation of his mocking friends. All he can think about is what his friends are saying, and they’re not a positive influence for him, not a good place to dwell.

Application:

My circumstances are what they are, but I must always choose to dwell on the truth, on God’s promises, and on his presence, for he is surely with me, even in the darkest hour.

Prayer:

Father God, may I sense your presence with me through today’s circumstances. May I listen to your Spirit’s leading and guiding as I lead and guide my company today.

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Scripture Focus:

Zephaniah 3:12 I will leave in your midst
A meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

Observation:

This is a theme repeated over and over and the Bible: God loves those who are humble and trust in him. Humility and trust are childlike qualities. As we mature, we tend to leave them behind, yet this is what God wants to see in his people. Is that why Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3?

Application:

Humility and trust. Those are the qualities I need to exhibit today. Humility and trust.

Prayer:

Father God, may I be like a child before you today, humble and trusting in you.

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Scripture Focus:

John 6:5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

Observation:

Jesus already knew what he was going to do to help the multitude get something to eat, but he asked Philip the question anyway: “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” He asked the question to test Philip. Jesus already knew the answer.

Application:

God will test me at times, too. “Linda, how are we going to solve this problem?” He already knows the answer. He already knows what HE is going to do. Will I pass the test? Will I look to him and say, “I don’t know how you’re going to resolve this problem, but I know you will!” and then trust him to do so without fretting and worrying?

Prayer:

Father God, I’m stewing over something today, but you have reminded me in your word that you already know what you’re going to do about it. This is just a test. So, God, I don’t know how you’re going to resolve this problem, but I know you will!

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Scripture Focus:

John 5:19–20 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

John 5: 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

Observation:

Jesus is God. In John 10:30 he said, “I and my father are one.” The leaders of the day understood exactly what he was saying and wanted to kill him because he equated himself with God.

Yet in John 5 he said, “I can of Myself do nothing.” And “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

If Jesus was totally depended upon God, how much more should I depend upon God?

Application:

The trick for me is knowing for certain what God wants. In some cases it’s pretty clear. In other cases, I’m not sure. Jesus says he looks to see what the Father is doing and follows suit. Oh, for eyes that could see what the Father is doing, so I could join him!

The ultimate question, though, is this: If I could see, would I follow? I hope the answer is yes. Jesus said, “I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me.” If I truly am seeking God’s will over my own, God will invite me to be part of his work in the world.

Prayer:

Father God, what are you at work doing around me today? May I join you in moving your work forward?

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 40:27–31 Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:

“ My way is hidden from the LORD,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Observation:

There is nothing I can add to these incredible verses. They have been like water to a parched mouth.

Application:

Wait on the Lord to renew your strength.

Prayer:

Father God, you are a big God! I put my trust in you that you will carry me through this season and give me the strength I need for today and the days ahead.

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Scripture Focus:

2 Chronicles 32:7–8 “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Observation:

Hezekiah and all Jerusalem watched with dismay as the mighty army of the Assyrians marched toward Jerusalem and set up camp all around. The odds were against him. How could he withstand such a mighty force?

Hezekiah did the right thing. He went to the house of the Lord to beseech God, and he sent messengers to Isaiah the prophet.

Isaiah’s words are amazing: “With him (the king of Assyria) is an arm of flesh; but with us the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.”

Hezekiah, in turn, spoke those words to the people, and they were strengthened.

Application:

When the odds look overwhelmingly against me, where do I turn? The enemy has an arm of flesh, but I have the LORD my God to help me and to fight my battles.

Prayer:

Father God, may I receive strength and faith from these words today, just as the people of Jerusalem did so long ago.

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Scripture Focus:

Isaiah 8:12–14 “ Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’
Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy,
Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.
The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear,
And let Him be your dread.
14 He will be as a sanctuary,
But a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense
To both the houses of Israel,
As a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Observation:

God can either be a sanctuary for us or a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense. This key to which it will be is found in verse 13: If we fear (revere) God instead of worrying about the perceived threats around us, then God will be a sanctuary to us, but if we let fear of man overtake us, then God will be a stumbling block to us.

This reminds me of Matthew 10:28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Application:

There is a lot going on in the world that I could worry about. Instead, I need to keep my focus and trust on God. I would rather have him be my sanctuary than a stone of stumbling!

Prayer:

Father God, it’s good to know that no matter what is going on around me, you are in control. Help me keep my eyes on you today.

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Scripture Focus:

2 Chronicles 24:4 Now it happened after this that Joash set his heart on repairing the house of the LORD.

1 Timothy 6:17–19 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Observation:

Joash set his heart on a worthy goal: repairing the house of the Lord. That required money, and because he had set his heart to do the task, he came up with a great idea of how to get the money to do it.

There is a principle here. Whatever we set our hearts to do, we can usually accomplish, but more important than getting something done is making sure that what we do is in line with God’s vision for us and benefits those involved.

Paul instructs Timothy to command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God. Therein lies the balance. If we can set our hearts to do the thing that God wants us to do, and do it with humility and trust in God, we can accomplish great things that are a blessing to ourselves and others.

Application:

I’ve had a sense of direction from God recently. Will I set my heart to pursue this worthy goal, and will I do it in such a way that all are blessed and God’s kingdom is advanced? May it be so!

Prayer:

Father God, keep my heart steady, trusting in you to bring about the goals and dreams you place in my heart, and may I be passionate about my goal without being self serving, so the outcome can be a blessing to many.

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Scripture Focus:

2 Kings 7:2 So an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?”
And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”

2 Chronicles 20:5–6 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”

Observation:

There are two ways to look at our circumstances—one is to see the enormity of our need and doubt that God can do anything about it. The other is to look at the enormity of our need and affirm that God is powerful enough to help us. It’s called faith. We not only affirm—we ask for help, as Jehoshaphat did. James 4:2 says, “Ye have not because ye ask not.”

Application:

What is my seemingly insurmountable problem today? Is God big enough to handle it? Yes. Then I need to ask him to handle it and believe that he will.

Prayer:

Father God, I trust in your provision for my need today, and I’m excited to see how you’re going to handle it!

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