1 Corinthians 11:1

“And you should Imitate me just as I imitate Christ” -Paul

Paul isn’t sinless and he knows it. but to have the mindset of a sinless person is better than to plan to sin. People who “confess their sins” with the intent of sinning again have no reason to confess to begin with.

I will continue to force my mindset to be stable. To confess sins as they arise but to assume I will learn from mistakes, too.

Lord I pray that people wouldn’t plan to sin, because I can’t fathom a world where people want to do bad. I pray that people would want to do good no matter what their friends are doing. I pray for the college campuses this semester. that people would start making WISE choices and not basing decisions on the right and wrong.

Isaiah Six

Scripture Isaiah 6: 11-12 “Lord, how long will this go on?” And he replied, “Until their towns are empty, their house are deserted and the whole country is a wasteland; until the Lord has sent everyone away and the entire land of Israel lies deserted”.

Observation I can’t help but feel the burden of New England through this verse. That only when the country was in shambles did they look to heaven for God to save them. People do this every day and it’s a huge burden on my heart. People overlook God’s good works and turn to him only when things are wrong and they need this inconceivable miracle to bring them out of something that their sin put them into.

Application I take quiet pride in the fact that when God is good, he should be praised but when you need Him, He should also be praised the same. Although I do not judge, I do not believe in blaming God for bad things in your life. I believe in trusting God to see you through the rough times – that He is constantly building character. If you trust in God, goodness will come in whatever form He sees that you need it in. (NOT what form in which you want it)

Prayer God I pray that this town wouldn’t have to be a stump from which you replant a new people. I pray that the area of Middletown, CT would be reunited with your love in such a way that can’t be mistaken for anything less than a miracle. “even if a tenth survive, it will be invaded again and burned”. I pray that you change all of us, God. That each and every one of us would have a newly ignited flame to spread the gospel and make disciples. I pray that no religious people would be left and instead, you replace the religious traditions with a burning desire to know you as Lord – an intense override of love pouring onto the community.

Isaiah Five

Scripture Isaiah 5:11-12 spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk. They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties – lyre and harp, tambourine and flute – but they never think about the Lord or notice what he is doing

Observation The misconception most Christians have is that the problem is the alcohol. This verse makes it quite clear that alcohol isn’t the problem. The party is the problem. Why are you throwing a party? Why are you drinking – not what or how, but WHY? If you are celebrating because God did a great work, you are acknowledging Him. If you are partying for “fun” so to speak, “they do not know me. Those who are great and honored will starve and the common people will die of thirst.. What sorrow for those who drag their sins behind them with ropes made of lies!” We laugh at sin – at drunk people. But really, we should pity them. How pitiful – a person who drags around their sin making it a specticle without confession.

Application I think it’s important for people to know about the consequences of sin. “what sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter”. It’s important that people know the truth. It’s how to go about telling them that is the hard part.

Prayer I pray that when I evangelize and when I speak the truth into someone’s life that it would be spirit lead. That if I come across a person who is dragging their sin around I can show them how to alieviate that burden by coming to know Jesus. I pray that the words of the bible, since they are influenced by God’s greater power, that they would flow into people and not be blocked by their stony hearts. I pray that when I get the chance to tell anyone about Jesus and about sin and redemption, that Isaiah 5 would come to mind and I could explain God’s justness.

Isaiah Four

Isaiah Four

Scripture

Isaiah 4:5 Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land

Observation

This verse is intense. It talks about how God will protect those who were faithful to him when others weren’t.

Application

I’m taking this verse really seriously. There are serious consequences to actions we take and I will know that sometimes when it feels like I’m making a tough decision, even when everyone else seems to disagree with it, if it’s for God’s glory I can’t be faulted because God will have protection over me.

Prayer

God I pray that your protection is evident over Catalyst as we step out in faith with this Nehemiah project. I pray that because we’re following you through mike that we could feel the protection you have sent over us – like the cloud you sent over Mount Zion in Isaiah.

 

 

Isaiah Three

Isaiah Three

S cripture
Isaiah 3:18/24 Shame will replace her beauty

O bservation
The majority of chapter three deals with pride and loving things. The scripture tells us that God will literally strip away everything that is holding you back from being closer to him. If that means your hair, then bam. You’re bald. ‘now you can stop spending time doing your hair and make up and focus on God’. That’s basically the whole point of this passage.

A pplication
A huge application for me is that it’s not that God doesn’t want you to be happy and have nice things. However, when you are blessed, you should then bless another with that blessing. A good example is when I first got my truck I was really pumped about it and I really did go show it off to people. After doing that I felt a little guilty and rethought why God would bless me with a great vehicle that has such versatility. Now I let the signs team use it to put the catalyst road signs up every week. That’s a pretty pertinent example to this, I think. especially because back in the old testament they didn’t have stuff like we do today. They just had their jewelry, robes and beautification to gloat over. Today we have so many things in the way and it’s a serious issue.

P rayer
God I pray that people, including me, would stop worshiping stuff. I pray that I would put away things that don’t honor you. And when I cheer for a team or shower praise over the engine in a car I would be reminded of how You treating the people of Judah in Isaiah 3. I pray that you would remove the pride in us so we can come before you shamelessly.

Isaiah Two

Isaiah Two

S cripture
Isaiah 2:22 Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?

O bservation
Throughout this chapter Isaiah is warning the people of Judah that God will judge them one day, and on that day people with sin will go running for fear of the “glory of His majesty” [2:21]. Usually when I read scripture like this I get so pumped about that day. This time it struck fear in my heart. Not for myself, but for those around me. My family, friends, etc. “They are as frail as breath” – recognizing that people are mortal and God can take them up at any moment – that our lives are super frail compared to the glory of God’s reign. “Don’t put your trust in mere humans”- referring to the fact that we are unreliable. We fail. we make mistakes and  have self-motivating tendencies. In the sight of God we should be motivated by Him. We should rely on God and God alone, not on others on this earth.

A pplication
The main take away for me is that We’re Frail and We Fail. If this is depressing to you, take a look at your salvation! God is strongest and we are weak. We have no means to live but through Him alone. This is exciting! We fail? yeah! all the time! every day of our lives we have thoughts.. we make promises.. we demonstrate our limitations as human beings which glorifies the righteousness and holiness of God! Dang, that’s pretty sweet.

P rayer
Hey God. Thank-you for allowing me to humble myself before you; to realize my limitations on this earth; to know that nothing can be done without you by my side. I’m honored to be “chosen” to do your work. We’re chosen when we say YES to you – and God, I will never say no to your opportunities. I pray that You open these opportunities in an obvious way so I will know your path for me. I pray that I can have patience as you work, and know that sometimes you’re building my character before I can get to work for a plan you have in place for me. Thank-you for loving us in the inconceivable way you do. Bless all these people soaping, and change their lives because of it.

Isaiah One

Isaiah One

S cripture
Isaiah 1:13 I want no more of your pious meetings

O bservation
God is telling the Israelites that he is sick of their burnt offerings and ridiculous festivals. God wants the people to stop worshiping things on earth [idols: Isaiah 1:29]. And as much as I can say I’ve never offered a bloody calf to God before, sometimes it’s easy to celebrate things that aren’t of God. It’s easy to go to church because it’s a routine. It’s easy to show up at 7:30 on a Sunday and go through the motions… But God wants more from us. He wants us to “do good” [Isaiah 1:17] and “seek justice”.

A pplication
I really heard from God moving from Isaiah 1:13- 1:17. Instead of inserting God into my schedule and sometimes letting him become routine, I seek him. I make sure when I pray it’s like a juggernaut
God gives suggestions of how to get out of this routine of worshiping idols – “Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.” Those will keep you busy!! That first part I really took to heart, in cohesion with the second one. Helping the oppressed is a huge place I’d like to be, especially through Invisible Children in Uganda. This really spoke to me about my calling in the missions field.

P rayer
God – I pray that I would make you the biggest priority. That nothing would be before you on my to-do list. I pray that Catalyst Church reaps the work they are doing by putting you absolutely first in everything they do. I pray that people wouldn’t worship on Sunday mornings because the band is awesome, but because YOU are awesome. =]