Thursday 1/6/2005
Luke 8.1-25 - Jesus went through the towns and villages telling the good news about God’s kingdom -- He had his apostles with him and some women who he had healed. Jesus would tell the crowds stories - about things the people could relate to - like a farmer scattering seed - some seed feel on the road- on rocky ground- in thorn bushes - then the rest on good soil - only that seed produced a hundred time as many seeds. -- Listen to God -- the seed is God’s message - the seeds are people that hear the message - keep the message in good and honest hearts and produce a harvest with God’s messsage - it’s important that we do as Jesus just demonstrated and tell people in the towns and villages the good news of Jesus.-- Pay attention to how you listen! -- set the light of Christ out for all to see it - the family of Jesus are those people who hear and obey God’s message - then one day the disciples and Jesus got in a boat - a storm came and the disciples thought they were going to die - they woke Jesus and he calmed the storm - he asked the disciples-- Don’t you have any faith? -- God will take care of me - have faith-- So I need to prepare the ground for the message - to prepare myself - my life and my ministry to spread the message on good soil -- to take it out to my world -- I need to find the bed stand in my life where I can set the light of Christ up for all to see - prepare a special place in my heart and in my life for that light to shine brightly -- I need to have faith that Jesus will carry me through the storms of life - will protect and guide me and bring me safely to the shore where I can get out of the boat and continue to tell the good news of God’s kingdom -- Is the time in the boat - worship?- prayer?- study? -- then afterwards - get out of the boat with Jesus and tell others the good news.
Genesis 12 - God told Abram to leave his family and Haran - so Abram did - he took Sarai, his nephew Lot and all his stuff -- and left -- God had promised a blessing to Abram - They got to Canaan and Abram built an altar and worshipped God - then Abram started out towards the Southern desert - the crops failed so he headed to Egypt - Abram knew Sarai was beautiful and told her to pretend she was his sister so that the rulers in Egypt wouldn’t have Abram killed so they could have Sarai to themselves - well they did notice Sarai and were good to Abram because of how beautiful she was - Because of all this God struck the king with disease - The king found out that Sarai was Abram’s wife and got mad- He had married Sarai not knowing she was already married to Abram- so the king to Abram to take Sarai - get his stuff and get the hell out of Dodge - so to speak-- so what’s the deal here? -- I think Abram lost faith in God - he sinned - he was afraid for himself - he became selfish at Sarai’s expense and also at the expense of messing up the blessing of a great nation to come from Sarai and Abram - Abram was willing to give Sarai up to the kings harem and sex and possible child birth to save his own life -- it’s easy to say but it is what we must do - put our trust and faith in God - Jesus is with us in the boat during the storm - God will take care of the storm - just trust and have faith -- just?
Psalm 6 -Heal me - come to my rescue show your love and save me
Focus on the Light that comes down to me; that one and only light of Christ - then turn the lights on through me in this dark world in which I live. Let the Light that comes down light up in me and my world. Here and now.
Help others improve and protect their property and means of making a living
Matthew 2.1-12 - Herod smelled someone who may take his power -- well it wasn’t his power to begin with - the Wise men were sent to find Jesus - report back - they followed the light from the star that led them to where Jesus was - they worshipped Jesus and ditched Herod’s secret plan of finding Jesus -- the light of Jesus leads us -- listen to God and follow his light.
Philippians 1.12-21 - Even in the storms - even in the prisons - Christ is proclaimed - the message get out that Jesus saves -- tell the story of what Jesus means to you - even in the storms -- through the storms - Jesus saves - tell the story
Psalm 72 - Praise and worship God -- he alone does wondrous things - his glory fills the earth
Prayer - Jesus - let me walk with you, your disciples and the women -- lead me in telling the good news - lead me in telling the world my story - of how you are active in my life and how you have saved me and have come to save all people - for your love is great - your love goes way beyond any group of people - your love reaches out to all people - use me this day to love all people - just like you love them - lead me and guide me with your light - show me the place that I must place your light for all to see - help me prepare my soil - help me to have the wisdom to hear your word - to hear your call and to seek your direction - lead me away from my own misguided and sinful acts of selfishness - lead me away from protecting my own skin - help me to realize that you are in the boat with me - in the middle of the storm - that you can calm the storm - that only you save me - help me to realize how you come to me - I can’t come to you - only you come to me and for this I am eternally thankful - for this - I don’t deserve- but that love - that sweet smell of your saving grace permeates my world and all those I contact -- thank you for this gift of love -- thanks be to God! --- Amen
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