The Divine Mentor: God is a God of Light and Love by: Ziahlita Peterson

Happy New Year! I am excited about reading through the Bible in 1 year using the Divine Mentor reading plan. The S.O.A.P. method (Scripture, Objective, Application and Prayer) is a guide to understanding what He says to our hearts.

Today’s Reading (Jan 1, 2014)

Genesis 1-2

Luke 1

My Scripture(s): Genesis 1:16-18 and Genesis 2:17

Scripture: Genesis 1:16-18 (ESV)

“And God made the two great lights – the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night – and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.”

Objective:

This says to me that our God is light not darkness.  Even in the night that we call darkness he gave us the moon so that we have light even in the darkness. 

Application:

I will work at remembering that nothing dark is of God.  Everything visually starts with light both great and small.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for allowing me to see another year and giving me the opportunity to become pleasing in your eyes.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 2:17 (ESV)

“…but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Objective:

By Adam and Eve eating of the tree they forfeited eternal life for themselves and the generations to follow.  This is what God meant by them dying.  This is also the moment that we (human beings) were warned that our actions will have consequences.

Application:

This verse is one of many that remind me how grateful I am and should always be for Jesus Christ our Savior.  Without Jesus Christ we would have nothing but death to look forward to.  Now we know that by doing what is required of us we can choose eternal life.  I choose eternal life and will spend each day working to be pleasing to God. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for giving us your Lamb and allowing us the opportunity to receive eternal life.  I will work daily to be pleasing in your eyes.  I thank you for being a forgiving and merciful God for when my days are not pleasing.  Please continue to show me mercy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

To truly have eternal life

Today’s Reading 12/31/2013

Revelation 19 – 22

My Scripture is Revelation 22:14 KJV

“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”

This verse summed up my life for me.  I have not been as disciplined as I should in my scripture reading this past year and just this past week I made a promise to myself to be in the word daily in 2014.  This verse reminded me that though our jobs as followers of Christ is to make disciples we must also know the commandments.  I must admit that in my biblical and spiritual goals not once did I consider truly knowing all of the commandments.  I believe in my heart that I have eternal life because I have proclaimed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and have been biblically baptized.  This verse tells me that I must do everything required of me to truly have eternal life.

Just as I have set my goals for 2014 in my personal, business and spiritual life I must add learning the commandments.  I have learned that personal and public accountability are great tools that keep me on task.  So I am publically stating that for 2014 and beyond I will take my time with Jesus more serious and make it my number 1 priority and it no longer be as soon as I get time or remember priority.  I desire the gifts that Jesus wants me to have by being His faithful servant.

I pray that I receive the strength necessary to complete everything that is His will. In Jesus’ name Amen

An Ending and a Beginning

Divine Mentor Reading: Revelation 15-18

Scripture: "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14 NASB)

Observation: Revelation is an exciting book to study but can be confusing and difficult to understand and interpret. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for John, isolated on the Island of Patmos, to see these visions of the end time to come. Regardless of your depth of study or the interpretation you accept, this verse says it all:  Those of us who faithfully follow Jesus, our Lord of lords and King of kings, will be victorious whenever and however the world ends.

Application: As I come to the last two days of 2013, I look back over the year that is coming to an end. I am grateful that it was a relatively calm year for our family - no major events or serious illnesses. Many of my friends have loved ones who went home to be with Jesus. Many of these same friends ( and others) have loved ones who became followers of Jesus! Through it all, God was actively involved in our lives. I am now looking forward to 2014, excited about what God has planned!

Prayer: Father, I love You and trust You with my life and the lives of those I love. Thank You for the past year of blessings You have given and lessons You have taught. Thank You for the New Year to come!

The Divine Mentor: Be Still: By Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading: 
Revelation 10-14

The verse I chose today is Revelation 13:9:
If anyone has an ear, he should listen.

This verse is repeated throughout the book of Revelation.
I thought - what happens when I truly listen?  The only way 
for me to listen to God is to be still!
When I am still...

I reflect
I rest
I think
I pray
I journal
I see more clearly
I know He is God
I learn to trust God
He speaks truth to me.
It sets me free from busyness
The Holy Spirit melts my hard heart

We live in a society that values busyness: busyness can be a sad and seductive addiction.  "Being Still" is the standard for serious followers of Christ.

What happens when you are still and listen to God?

Divine Mentor: Walking in Love: by Laila Wahba

Rev 2.2-6
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."

The church in Ephesus seemed to be quite a great church, and the angel of the church of Ephesus- seemed to be a good and conscientious man: toiled in patient endurance ie a hard worker; could not stand sin; tested to make sure that teaching is biblical; evangelized in the name of Jesus, did not grow weary.
Who can ask for more in a minister? in a church worker? in a church administrator or from anybody who is in ministry for hat matter?
Surely The Lord must be really pleased with such a servant. Surely He cannot find fault!!!!!
But sometimes we get so engulfed in ministry that we forget what Christ is all about; what God is all about: God is LOVE. If we do not walk in love, we are not His children, even if we give up our bodies till we burn in ministry (1Cor 13). The one and only thing that sets us apart from others, that shows we are a disciples is love- nothing more, nothing less. It scares me to read that if Ephesus does not go back to love, that Jesus will remove its lamp stand from its place, which He did. Today Ephesus church is in ruins, it no longer exists.

Lord, today as I tarry in your field, let me first and foremost repent of my lack of love. Forgive me for the times I judged others, the times I did not show mercy, the times I was too busy in ministry to see the needs of others. Forgive me for the times I was too busy doing stuff for You that I forgot to love my neighbor, forgive me for the times I thought of some not worthy of love.
I repent today, help me do the works of my first love, when I first came to you many years ago, when all I could think of was to bring a smile to Your Face.
Pour Your love into me by Your Holy Spirit, cause only then will I be able to love others. 

Divine Mentor: Call out to The Lamb: by Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading:  Revelation 5-9

When I started reading these chapters, again I was reminded of all the names of Christ.

The book of Revelation as well as all the others books in the Bible point to Christ.

I have read Revelation many times - and this one verse always puzzles me:

Revelation 6:16
And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb...

The unbelievers in the midst of the tribulation cry out to the rocks to fall on them and kill them.  Their reaction puzzles me.  Why didn't they call out to God to save them???

When I mediated on this verse, I realize many times I do the same thing as the unbelievers in the midst of the tribulation.  When I am faced with conflict or spiritual warfare, instead of looking to God for guidance I look to others for advice.  Also, I will complain or be judgmental about the situation instead of turning to the Word.  I may even sleep when I should be in prayer because I do not want to deal with the conflict. All these unbelievers had to do was seek Christ and He would have given them eternal life.  

My first response and only response in the midst of tribulation should be to call out to THE LAMB.

Divine Mentor: Names of Christ: by Debbie McGrath

Reading for Today: Revelation 1-4.

Lately, I have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas and have missed my time in the Word.  This morning I knew nothing would stop me from being in the Word.  As Revelation states, when you read the Words of Christ you are blessed.

When I read these 4 chapters, I quickly noticed all the names of Christ.  These names reveal the majesty, the power and the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I have listed them (may have missed some), and I mediated on each name and what it meant to me. Which one speaks to you???

1:4     The One who is, who was and who is coming.
1:5     Faithful Witness
1:5     First-born from the dead
1:5     Ruler of the kings of the earth
1:8    The Alpha and the Omega
1:8    The Almighty
1:17  The First and the Last
2:1    The Living One
2:18  Son of God
3:7    Holy One
3:7    True One
3:14  The Amen
3:14  The Faithful
3:14  True Witness
3:14  Originator of God's creation
4:9    One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever