Day #45

Close your eyes and try to imagine a water spigot and a bucket.  If you were trying to fill the bucket with water, where would you place bucket to do that?  That’s right!  You would place it under the spigot.

God’s SPECIAL power from Day 43 and Day 44 can be viewed much the same way.  The power to live a life that is pleasing to God, on a day such as today, comes from placing yourself in the right spot, under God, to receive the blessing of His power.

A few things we must do each day is to confess our wrongs (even as they happen) and turn away from them (confess and repent).  The other thing is to sing praises to Him.  Heaven will be full of singing!  So why should our lives here on earth be any different.

Let’s start our time just like this…

Click on Our God is Greater.

Read James 3:14.

Remember from Day 44’s lesson that God wants us to be described as meek?  In the Bible, meekness is described as gentle.  Well, in verse 14 we see two things that are the opposite of meek.  What are they?

1.

2.

Bitter jealousy means that you are deeply longing for something that is not yours. 

Selfish ambition is self promotion.  It is all about “me.”  What can I do to let others see “me” and what “I” can do. 

The characteristics of bitter jealousy and selfish ambition are far different from the righteous characteristics of our God.   But, did you know that God can be described as a “jealous God?”  We know what our jealousy looks like, but what about God’s.

Read…    Exodus 10:3-5

Exodus 34:14

Deuteronomy 4:24

James 4:5

Do you notice a pattern?  God wants our relationship with Him to be exclusive, not allowing anything else to take its place.  His deepest desire is for this to be true of us.

God’s jealousy is longing for something that is rightly His… the praise, honor, loyal devotion, and adoration of His people.  He will not compete with our selfishness and excuses.

How about you?  Are there things in your life that take the place of obeying Him, spending time with Him, or living in such a way that there is absolutely no mistaking you to be a Christ follower?  Get under the spigot of God’s power to get rid of these things.  Live out what you have learned today… talk to God about your sin, turn from the sin, and sing praises to Him.

TARGET of the DAY

All of us, from time to time, can have many excuses for not obeying God, spending time with God, and living a life that has God written all over it.  We can also live like we are the god we worship… advertising ourselves instead of Him.  There are some hard decisions to be made.  Giving up things is hard.  What is he calling you to give up that is taking the place of Him?  He will never put up with being part of a schedule or an option in your day.