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Aggressive Approaches

  Controversy has to be addressed in relationships and the only effective way is by addressing it with a direct, honest, win-win approach.

  Examination

  What controversy do I need to address?

  What is my natural way of approaching confrontation?

  Who do I need to address in a healthy, assertive aggressive way?

  Dedication

  I will enter into controversy in a healthy manner.

  January 24 – Heirs From Errors

  Meditation

  Genesis 49.28 This is what their father said to them when he blessed them, giving them each the blessing appropriate to him.

  Examination

  I have made some big mistakes in parenting but I still have the right to bless my kids. If I am not careful I can let my past errors keep my kids and grandkids from being future heirs. Since I cannot change the past failure I will allow it to set me up for future blessing of my children by:

  1.Asking forgiveness for the past mistakes and forgiving myself.

  2.Acknowledging what is good in relationship now.

  3.Affirming children for their personal positive character traits through verbal and written communication.

  4.Accept their return blessing with humility.

  Have I asked my children for forgiveness for my past mistakes?

  To what extent have I forgiven myself?

  How am I blessing my children with the blessing that is appropriate to them?

  When is the last time I wrote a positive affirmation to my kids?

  How open am I to accept my children’s return blessing?

  Dedication

  I will bless my children with a positive future.

  January 25 – Two Sides of Love

  Meditation

  Matthew 16.17… 23 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.” v23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!”

  Examination

  In narrative of Matthew 16 is somewhat perplexing at first glance. The story is told of a usual day in the life with Your disciples where You pose an unusual question. You asked, “Who do people say that I am?” Peter shoots back a quick response by saying, “You are the Son of the Living God.” You give an incredible commendation to Peter, saying his words are what the church will be built upon.

 

  Just a few verses later upon mentioning that You are going to face death in Jerusalem, Peter again speaks out, this time warning You not to go. Peter receives a chastening rebuke, being called “Satan”. If not fully examined, the wide disparity in Your remarks would appear to signify radical, unhealthy mood swings. Upon closer observation, I see that You were displaying balanced love.

  Love comforts and confronts. If I am to love accurately I must have a healthy balance between the two.

  What comes most natural for me; the comforting side of love or the confronting side of love?

  How can I have better balance in my display of love?

  Who do I need to show love by comfort?

  Who do I need to show love by confrontation?

  Dedication

  I will accurately balance the comforting and confronting sides of love.

  January 26 – Passion, Patience and Purpose

  Meditation

  Exodus 2.12 glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

  Examination

  In order to find my purpose it may take bridling my passion and practicing patience. I can try to accomplish Your will on my own initiative or I can allow You to develop me. Moses sensed his purpose as a leader and deliverer in his youth and acted on this. As a result of this impatient eagerness he was removed from a place of active movement to a place of inactive development. It is one thing to know Your will it is another to know the timing of Your will. To accomplish Your will it will take a combination of living by passion, and practicing patience so I can be in touch with my purpose

  How am I trying to accomplish Your will in my own initiative?

  What am I passionate about that may not be good timing to act on right now?

  To what extent am I compliant to the patient process?

  How am I combining passion, patience and purpose?

  Dedication

  I will do practice patience in the things I am passionate about.

  January 27 - Throw Away Staff

  Meditation

  Exodus 4.2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,’ he replied. V3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”

  Examination

  Any time You ask someone a question in Scripture it is not for Your knowledge but for the one being asked. The dialogue here concerning the staff between You and Moses gives such knowledge to Moses. It also gives me direction as I listen in on this discussion. Here are the lessons from the dialogue:

  1.Acknowledge what I have. You take what I have at hand and use it. You want me to use what I have at my disposal.

  2.Throw it down. You want me to throw down what I have to see what becomes of it.

  3.Pick it back up and use it for a greater purpose. The staff before was used to lead and direct sheep but now it was to be used to lead and direct Your people. The ordinary staff is from this point on referred to the Staff of God (v20)

 

  Like Moses staff, if I acknowledge what I have in hand and am willing to throw it down You can take ordinary and make it extraordinary.

  What questions do I sense You are asking me lately?

  What do I have that could be used of You?

  How willing am I to give up what I have?

  What could possibly be used in a more effective way for You?

  What are You calling my attention to that I already have that could be used in a more effective way?

  Dedication

  I will be willing to throw down what I have that it might be used in a more effective way for You.

  January 28 - Prayer and Sex

  Meditation

  Matthew 19:5 …the two will become one flesh’?

  Examination

  I am so thankful for the gift of two becoming one flesh. I enjoy the pleasure of sex physically. You enjoy me having such pleasure because it is to be much like my connection with You spiritually. Prayer and sex have a lot in common:

  There are many great similarities to connectedness with my spouse physically and the spiritual connectedness with God in prayer.

  How aware am I that my connectedness with my spouse is a reflection of my connectedness with You?

  How open am I to make requests spiritually and physically?

  How am I exercising faith and hope spiritually and physically?

  How vulnerable am I spiritually and physically?

  How submissive am I spiritually and physically?

  How confident am I spiritually and physically?

  Dedication

  I will put emphasis on the spiritual and physical expressions of connectedness.

  January 29 - Practically on Purpose

  Meditation

  Exodus 9.16 but I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

  Examination

  Your purpose for my life is most often displayed most practically. I often treat finding Your will as some mystical adventure when in reality it is grounded in what is already happening in my life. As I am honestly and earnestly seeking You for purpose I must believe that You display Your will. You help me to know Your purpose in six ways:

  1.The present. When I like something I should keep it and if I dislike something I should lose it as an active way of determining Your will.

  2.The passion. When I have an enthusiasm for doing something I should keep doing it for it indicates. Your reason for my being.

  3.The proficiency. When I know I am good at something and that is confirmed by others there is g
ood chance it is Your purpose.

  4.The people. When You surround me with people who assist me this is an indication of Your intention.

  5.The profit. When I find something and can make it better than I found it demonstrates functioning in Your will.

  6.The progeny. When I set things in motion to help those who follow me creating sustainability it indicates Your purpose.

 

  Finding and knowing God’s purpose for my life shows up in His practical provisions of my life.

  What do I need to keep in my life that I really like?

  What do I need to lose?

  What am I passionate about?

  What do I know that I am good at and is confirmed by others?

  What do I take and make it better than I found it?

  Who am I creating a better way for?

 

  Dedication

  I will look for the practical indicators of Your purpose.

  January 30 – Daily Investment of $1440

  Meditation

  Exodus 12.10 Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it.

  Examination

  If I were given $1440 dollars today with the stipulation that I must use it all up so that I could get the same amount tomorrow how would I use the money? Today I have been given 24 hours or 1440 minutes. How have I used this time well. What are my plans to make the most use of this. You give me this many minutes each day. If I had to give an account for this investment I wonder how it would look.

 

  Today I have been given 1440 minutes as a gift by The Eternal Investor in my life. If that was converted from minutes to dollars how well have I used that investment?

  How am I a good steward of the time I have today?

  Do I end the day knowing I have lived it with passion, the kind of passion that brings a sense of enjoyable tiredness?

  Have I done everything today with all my heart?

  January 31 – Dates to Commemorate

  Meditation

  Exodus 12.14 This is the day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord.

  Examination

  There are great things that You are doing that I need to commemorate. Things daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and in a life time. I find myself so often pressing for the next accomplishment I don’t remember what has already been done. As I think of this now I wonder what is the last great day I have commemorated? What is the last blessing I have recalled and been thankful for? Remembering how You showed Your faithfulness in the great days will help me function with expectation in the every day.

  Observing and celebrating positive things of the past sets me up for noticing and anticipating positive things for the future.

  What am I commemorating in my life?

  What is the last blessing I have recalled and been thankful for?

  When did I experience a great day that needs to be commemorated?

  What about my life can be commemorated by generations to come?

  What have I remembered today as an act of Your favor?