10 Years In Daily Study

Today marks 10 years of daily studying the Word of God consistently. According to my records, I written over 2000 pages containing over 950,000 words and made 1925 blog posts (more if you count before my blog started). And what have I gotten out of all this time with the LORD; just getting started.

As a Christian and follower of Jesus for over 40 years of my life, I was not consistent in my independent study of Gods Word. I was and do consistently attend church and even bible study, yet until 10 years ago, I was not in daily study of His Word. Oh, I could recite some scripture, and knew my way around a hymnal, but I was not in daily commune with the LORD based on my learning from Him.

10 years ago a friend of mine challenged me to read and study Gods Word and send her an email as an accountability exercise. And the accountability worked, as we are here now 10 years later, and I am still studying Gods Word daily.

“¹⁶All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV)

Learning is a lifelong process and should not be left to a few instances and expect to get the kind of depth of learning to last a lifetime. There is learning and then reviewing and then studying again to fully understand. And then just when you think you have learned it all, you find another perspective that changes everything. This is what is/has happened to me over this 10 years. I have gone through the same passages a number of times and each time God reveals something new, at least new to me.

I mentioned that I am just getting started after all this time and that is absolutely the truth. God is not done with me yet and daily I pray that He will reveal more and give me the opportunity to share it with others. 10 years in the daily study of Gods Word and I have not even scratched the surface. The LORD has more for me I am here for it.

What does your study of Gods Word look like? Are you getting His word from your weekly attendance of the church service? What if you were to take a few minutes every day to dive into His Word and see what He has for you?

The LORD Is the Gate and We Find Our Needs in Him

I am from the rural parts of Texas. Now, where I am not a farmer or rancher, I did grow up around acreage and livestock. Where anyone can get into the land by simply hopping over or going through the fence, there is a difference when coming through the gate. The gate is where the provision comes.

“²But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” – John 10:2-3 (ESV)

It is quite the thing to see when the farmer or rancher comes through the gate into the pasture land. The livestock immediately come around knowing that they will be fed or cared for. They will follow the truck of the farmer to the barn and wait patiently to be addressed by the farmer as they know he cares for them. They know sound of his truck. They know the blowing of the horn. They know it is time to be cared for.

Now, as for us kids, we could go through the fence to get to the pasture to play ball or fly kites or another other thing and we were not bothered by the livestock at all. We could be out there for hours without seeing a single animal, until the farmer, would come through the gate. The livestock know.

“⁷So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.’” – John 10:7-9 (ESV)

Jesus is our shepherd and we know Him. We come to Him when He calls. When He comes through the gate, we know He is there for us. We will follow. He provides for us and cares for us and feeds us. He gives just what we need and we know Him. We know that when we are with Jesus, we are in the good pasture and will find and have all we need.

There is only one way to find peace and care and comfort, through the LORD. When we find Him, we find all we need. The LORD does not just come through the gate and care for us, He is the gate to our safety and protection and provision. We will find it all when He comes for us and when we go to and through Him.

Where are you looking for provision? Are you running to the first to come near you? What if you were to look for the gate that is Jesus and know that where He is you will find provision?

Stay Persistent in Your Prayer

“¹⁷pray without ceasing,” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)

Paul, in writing to the church at Thessalonica told them to be in continuous prayer. I see this as being persistent in reaching out to the LORD. Notice that Paul’s directive is not specific for any subject other than prayer and communication with the LORD. I believe this to be the case today.

“⁷And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” – Luke 18:7 (ESV)

Jesus even addressed continued prayer in, “The Parable of the Persistent Widow” that the above verse comes from. The widow comes to a judge all the time for justice to which the judge finally provides for her. Where the judge was worn down thanks to the persistence of the widow.

God will not be worn down. As we know of God’s character, He acts in His time and we are to wait on Him. But, that does not mean that we are not to make out petitions known, even continually. God wants for us to continue reaching out to Him. We are to pray all the time for those things that we are in need. Remember that He does say to ask and you shall receive. So we must keep asking.

“⁸I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” – Luke 18:8 (ESV)

Our faith is demonstrated through our consistent and persistent asking of our Father to be there for us. We are to come to Him day and night, continually. We are to bring to Him all things. We are to ask for His will in our lives. We are to commune with the LORD and He will listen. But not only will He listen, He will provide for our needs speedily. He will address our needs in a timely manner. The LORD will give to us.

The LORD answers our prayers. Maybe not to the extent that we envisioned, but He does answer. Remember that the LORD provides for our needs not always our wants. We are directed to continually and persistently pray, “pray without ceasing”, and the LORD will answer our petition.

How are you praying? Are you asking once and expecting to be given? What if you followed the direction Paul and more of Jesus, to be persistent in your prayer to receive from the LORD?

Rejoice in the Found

As I study this morning on the word “find(s)” I am brought to the parable of the lost sheep that Jesus tells to the tax collectors, sinners, Phaisees, and scribes.

“³So he told them this parable: ‘⁴What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? ⁵And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, “Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.” ⁷Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.’” – Luke 15:3-7 (ESV)

What I see this morning is the words used by Jesus to describe the reactions and emotion of the shepherd at finding the sheep. Notice that it is not celebration, but rather joy. The shepherd is joyful at the finding of the one sheep and calls on others to have joy with him. And this of course translates to the joy in heaven when one sinner repents.

I know what you might be thinking, “well isn’t there a celebration that the shepherd calls people to?”. Yes, you are right, there is a celebration, but that celebration is defined as an occasion of rejoicing, not simple celebration. There is a permanence to the joy and not a fleeting party. Parties come and go, but rejoicing is more long standing. Like a wedding, we attend to rejoice in the union that is to last and the reception comes later.

The LORD is out looking for His lost sheep, us. He is searching everywhere and exhaustingly so to find us and bring us into the family. Even as there are so many that have yet to be found, when one is, He rejoices and calls on others to rejoice with Him. We rejoice at the finding of just one and at the next and the next. The reunion of the lost with God is to be rejoiced.

What is your reaction and emotion when finding? Are you set out to celebrate and move on? What if you took time to rejoice at the reunion as God rejoices when the one is found?

Find Your Reward

Seek, seek, and keep seeking. Our reward will be found. We will receive that which we are due.

“²⁷For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.” – Matthew 16:27 (ESV)

Here is the thing. I am sure everyone feels confident that we should be rewarded for the work we do. Well, we will. We will find our reward based on what we are due thanks to the actions we take. But, our reward may not be what we expect.

I first want to be sure and give the following disclaimer, we are not earning anything. We are judged and rewarded based on the work we do. But that work is not to earn our salvation, rather the work is because of our salvation.

“⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

We will be rewarded according to what we have done in this world based on the work that the LORD assigned to us before we were born again into the Family of God. He assigned us work that is revealed to us with our time and study of His word and our gaining of understanding. We don’t do the work to be rewarded, but rather we do the work because we are blessed to call Him LORD.

I would be remiss if I did not speak of the reward gained by not accepting the gift of salvation. Look back to verse 27 from Matthew chapter 16 above. Jesus says that repayment will be according to what is done. That repayment, for those who have not done the work assigned (as they will not know of it without salvation), will be judgment and casting into the lake of fire. Yes, we will all be judged, but those who have accepted salvation and turned to do the will of the LORD will be judged faithful and rewarded with a place in heaven. All others will be judged and cast out.

So, we will find our reward. We will be repaid according to our work that the LORD assigned to us and was revealed at our salvation and study of His Word.

What is your reward? Are you looking for payment of heaven based on the work your doing? What if you were to do the work assigned because of your reward of heaven thanks to the gift of salvation from the LORD?

Lose Your Life to Find It

I am sure that you are like me in that you wonder when God is going to come through for you and take away pain and provide relief. Well, have you ever thought that maybe He is waiting on you to fully obey Him.

“³⁹Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” – Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

This morning I am reminded that in order for me to get the life I always wanted, I have to give up what I want and take up the cross for Christ. I have to deny my own self and provide for the glory of the LORD, then and only then will I reach the heights I was meant.

“²³And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’” – Luke 9:23-24 (ESV)

I do my best to not be concerned with myself and getting what I want. But, I have to say that it gets frustrating seeing others seemingly getting ahead and finding what appears to be an easy way of things and not getting that same thing myself. It is tough to see others enjoying the “finer things” all while I am doing what I can to get by. Even in my own home, I seem to give and give and give and yet receive very little other than that which is the norm.

But, that is just it. I am not called to receive. I am called to give. To give of myself for others and more/most importantly, to give to the LORD all of me. I am not to be looking for my own life and seemingly getting ahead in the eyes of others. I am to be giving all of myself to the LORD and to others. I am to take up the cross of Christ and carry it for Him. I am to place my own down and follow Him. It is not about me it is about Christ and the spreading of the gospel to all of those around me.

I know that I am here to do the work of Christ. I know that I am made for great things. I also know that it is not supposed to be easy. It is not supposed to get me anything specific in this world. I know that my joy is found in the joy that is the face of God. I work so that others can relax and enjoy. I give to Lori so that she feels the love I have for her. I provided for my boys so they could get on with life. I will gladly wear the same 7 shirts each week. I will gladly drive the 30 year old car. I will gladly give up for myself to ensure that the LORD is glorified. And in return, I will find life everlasting in the presence of the LORD in heaven.

What are you working for? Are you working to find your life? What if you were to forget about your own life and worked to provide for others and the LORD, knowing that you will find your life in the presence of the LORD?

Seek and Find the LORD

I know that I have written on the seeking of the LORD and finding Him. Well this morning I have been brought back to that once again. We are to truly seek Him and we will find Him.

“⁷Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV)

The title of this passage in my ESV Bible is, “Ask, and It Will Be Given”. Where the passage is about asking for and receiving, I am looking to the first two verses that point to seeking and finding. When we seek we are earnest in our action. We are not just looking or searching, we are on a mission to find. When that is the case in our interactions with the LORD, He will provide.

I was going to add the word “truly” before “seek” in the title, but then I remembered something I had heard recently. When we add an adverb to an action, we tend to seem desperate and unsure. We are calling attention to something that should not need attention brought to it as it should stand on its own. Seek for example means: “to try to find, obtain, or achieve something, usually through purposeful effort or formal request” according to my quick search in Google. The “purposeful effort or formal request” give us what we need to know about seeking. The verb creates its own intention. There is no need for the adverb to escalate. So seeking stands on its own as purposeful and formal.

Seeking the LORD is purposeful and formal. It is not something that we do casually in an attempt to show something to others. We seek deeply and when we do, as Jesus notes in the passage, we will find. When we seek the LORD, we will find Him as He is looking for and waiting for us. David has given the same charge to Solomon to seek the LORD and be found by Him.

“⁹And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.” – 1 Chronicles 28:9 (ESV)

And see the charge of David, our actions are to be “with a whole heart and with a willing mind”. Not just on the surface and for optics of those around us, but with purpose and formally. We are to “seek” the LORD and He will be found by us.

What does your finding of the LORD look like? Are you casually looking for Him to do big things for you? What if you were to seek Him, with purpose and formally, knowing that He will be found by you?

Find an Excellent Wife

“¹⁰An excellent wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.”

— Proverbs 31:10 (ESV)

A bit challenging for sure to find an excellent wife. How can we know?

Finding an excellent wife is something that all of us are wanting. I know that I found one in Lori. As you look further into verses 10-31 of Proverbs 31, we see the qualities that make an excellent wife and Lori fulfills them.

You see it is about devotion to the LORD and to the husband and the household that make her excellent. Not that she is the crown jewel of physical beauty to others in the community. It is not that everyone sees her and some trophy at my side. It is not that she is at the forefront of every event or organization. It is simply her devotion to God, family, and home. Lori is all of those things and I tell people all the time that I am spoiled by her and having her as my wife.

We find our excellent wife by looking in the right places to start. We can find her in the house of the LORD. We can find her following in the patterns of her mother. We can find her actions as she is growing up. She is out there waiting for us, we only have to go looking for her.

I remember hearing growing up that I was the kind of man to marry, not to date. I was thoughtful and caring and measured. Not exciting or risky. I see the excellent wife as having similar qualities. She is the one who puts others before herself. She is more concerned with consistency and contentment than the thrill of what could be. She has beauty, beauty found in her love and care and devotion. These are the things of the excellent wife and when you look at the verses of Proverbs 31 this is what you will find.

Finding an excellent wife is not hard, it is just something that we have to seek. It is easy to look for a wife, but it takes patience, determination, conviction to find the excellent wife. We have to know where to look and what to look for and not just see what is on the outside. We can find the excellent wife when we look where God directs.

What is an excellent wife to you? Are you looking for the physical trophy wife to hang on your arm? What if you were to find the excellent wife that God has for you, the one who is caring and measured and is devoted to Him, you, and the household?

Find a Wife, It is Good

Of course finding a wife is good. Lori and I have been married for 29 years and I would not have it any other way. But what and why is it good has to be explored.

“²²He who finds a wife finds a good thing

and obtains favor from the Lord.”

— Proverbs 18:22 (ESV)

Here we see it in Proverbs. Being married to your wife is a good thing and God looks down on the relationship smiling. But why is God smiling? Because He made things this way.

“¹⁸Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit fore him.’” – Genesis 2:18 (ESV)

God recognized that man should not be alone. He should have a companion, a helper, a wife, to get along in this world. So, God made woman. But, He did not make her like every other beast of the earth. He made her from a part of man. She was created and brought specifically to man to be his companion, helper, wife to get along in this world.

“²¹So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²²And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.” – Genesis 2:21-22 (ESV)

God brought woman to man and consecrated the first marriage. And He smiled at what He had done.

Let’s go back to man finding a wife and it being good. You see, God created the first marriage between man and woman. He knew we needed a companion, a helper, a wife to get along in this world and so He made it happen. When we are out there in this world alone, we are missing out. We are meant to be with our wife. We are meant to find our companion. We are meant to find our helper. We are meant to find our wife to get along in this world and God knows it is good and will be smiling on the relationship.

I am blessed to have Lori in my life. I am blessed to have her to love. I am blessed to have her as my companion. I could not make it without her as my helper. I love her for who she is and who she is to me. I found my forever wife and God is looking down on us with favor.

What is your view of finding your wife? Are you seeing her as just something that is done? What if you see her as God’s purposeful good companion, helper, and wife to get along in this world?

Find Life and Peace

“³⁵For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains favor from the Lord,”

— Proverbs 8:35 (ESV)

Again, I am in chapter 8 of Proverbs which is titled “The Blessings of Wisdom”. Here we are hearing wisdom speak to us and we are gaining from her. Above, she tells us that when we find her, we find life and favor from the LORD. Boy is she correct.

You see, we are not defined by what is happening to you in the moment, it is how you deal with it and what happens next. We will all be subjected to things happening in our lives. Some of those will be good and some not so good. It is how we proceed next that defines us. We can choose to be defeated and act as such, or we can choose to just get on with things and realize that was just a moment and the next moment is yet to come.

When we choose defeat, we choose to be a victim. It is difficult to move forward when we are feeling sorry for ourselves. Yet, when we choose to get on with things and realize that moment of challenge as just a moment, we are moving forward with and in life.

Wisdom gives us life in that we are able to just move on with things realizing the moment. When found, wisdom provides our way forward and way through and way out. We are not sitting and dwelling on the defeat, we are moving on to the next. We find a life after and not just what we experienced before.

Wisdom also gives us peace. Peace to know that we are not stuck in whatever situation we are in. We have comfort in knowing that life goes on after. We are anxious for what is next, but we do not worry for what comes we accept it and move forward with it.

Lori and I have our son Aarron who is deployed with the US Navy. I have not seen him since Christmas and Lori has not since March. Are we concerned for him and his safety, yes. Are we worried for what is next, no. You see, this is the life he chose and we are wise enough to know that. We have met the challenge of the moment and look forward to what is next. We are at peace with where he is and what he is doing and what God has in store for him. We are anxious for his return and looking forward to when we get to see him and hug his neck again, but we are able to move forward with life and have peace with all that comes.

Wisdom is not just something that provides for our ability to conduct tasks. Wisdom provides for our full state. When we find her, we find life and peace.

What do you find with wisdom? Are you satisfied with the ability to conduct things? What if you were to see and accept that when you find wisdom, you find life and peace?