February 19th and 20th

Saturday 2/19/2005
Matthew 1 - Interesting part here is that Jesus family line passes back through Joseph - but Joseph was not Jesus real father - Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit - she was a virgin - so in a sense Jesus was adopted - very fitting I think because we are all actually adopted anyway -- then when you look back to Judah and see the family line and think of all the people in that line that led to Jesus - it wasn’t much different from all the others- just a bunch of people that God used in various ways and God loved them all - Joseph was told by an angel to take Mary as his wife so Mary became pregnant - Jesus once again come to the people - up close and personal - inside Mary - Mary is healed and saved through Jesus.
Exodus 20-21 - The ten commandments- oh how the people were afraid of God - how they feared his voice from that mountain - like all the thunder the lightening - they were not to approach God - only Moses - God comes to us - he gave them laws and came to the people through the law - how they are to live with each other and live with God - day to day - God comes again to the people in Jesus- close - but God always comes to the people - I can’t do anything to get to God -I must depend on him to come to me - then I will chase after him like a little kid - don’t really need to but I will anyway
Proverbs 9 - Respect and obey the LORD! - This is the beginning of wisdom.
Struggle with temptation is good. Rely on the Word and feel the temptation but turn from the sin and face God.
I wished him dead - but he gave me the money - is this my sunrise or sunset -- Forgive me Jesus for hanging you on that tree - I wished you dead - thank you Jesus for saving me not with silver or gold but with your precious blood and life- you gave me the money -- you have given me a sunrise and a new life to live this day in praise and service and trust in you -this is my sunrise not by sunset - I will turn to you - Thanks be to God!
Help your neighbor keep what is his.
Romans 4.1-5, 13-17 - It depends on faith - Believe and have faith in God’s blessing
Colossians 1.9-14 - Don’t cease praying for each other - that they may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding -- please God -be strong and prepared to endure
Psalm 49 - Don’t be afraid
Prayer - Lord- You come to us - you come to us personally - I give you thanks for all you do for me - all the blessing you grant - all the healing you give - make this day a day to rejoice in the love you have shown to me- It’s a day to go and play - to see your glory and to prepare in a great praise to you tomorrow -- but right now - I will praise you and play today -- Amen
Sunday 2/20/2005
Matthew 2 - King Herod began to worry about Jesus -- so Jesus , even though he was born very humble - in the barn - word must have spread - there must have been much talk amongst the people for Herod to even consider this - the miracles told in the stories must have been very impressive to the people - Herod sends the Wise men to locate Jesus - Herod finds out from the Jewish Leaders where the Messiah is to be born - Then God guided Joseph - with his adopted Son to go to Egypt - an adventure for sure - Joseph was fully depending on God - Joseph was on an adventure with a call from God - go! - and Joseph went - The Wise men didn’t go back to Herod - so Herod was pissed- he had his soldiers kill all the boys who lived near Bethlehem two years old and younger - God turns it around again here- babies who gave their life for the life of Jesus in a sense -- or at least they had their lives taken because of Jesus -still a wonderful honor - I think they have a special place in heaven today - But think too of the parents of those children - the pain - the mourning - another special room in heaven - after Herod died - an angel came to Joseph and told him to move back to Israel -- Joseph on an adventure for God -- What adventure is God leading me on this day?-- God turns it all around - thinking of the Israelites -- they escaped death and went from Egypt to Israel -- here Jesus escapes death and moves from Israel to Egypt.
Exodus 22-23 - God was and is very loving -even in all the laws and instructions he gives the Israelites - he cares for them and wants them to get along and gives them the rules to live good lives together- heed this love -- it’s interesting how in the laws you can see the culture and the personality of the people of that day - I think that the common laws were meant to change throughout time - but at that time - God needed to give laws that the people needed- today God gives gifts to men and women to be able to legislate- create - change and make laws that we need to live in harmony with each other- and judges to make those decisions - God has called many people through these vocations and they are ministers just as much as anyone else is a minister - the big difference between some is if the person is acting on a call from God or just satisfying some selfish desire.
Proverbs 10 - the words of good people are a source of life - love overlooks the wrongs that others do - accept correction, and you will find life - I like the literary pattern - if this then that -- positive -negative- or negative-positive-- this is like a buffet of wisdom and guidance
Struggle with temptation is good. Rely on the Word and feel the temptation but turn from the sin and face God.
I wished him dead - but he gave me the money - is this my sunrise or sunset -- Forgive me Jesus for hanging you on that tree - I wished you dead - thank you Jesus for saving me not with silver or gold but with your precious blood and life- you gave me the money -- you have given me a sunrise and a new life to live this day in praise and service and trust in you -this is my sunrise not my sunset - I will turn to you - Thanks be to God!
Encourage loyalty to your neighbor of all the people in his life.
John 3.1-17 - A man - in the night - a talk with Jesus - discuss the spiritual birth - how can I be born spiritually - an adventure - the wind blows wherever it chooses - God can spiritually blow me wherever he chooses and I don’t know where it comes from - and adventure into the unknown - will I trust God? - will I believe and have faith in God? - will I go to that unknown place in faith- trust and hope? - will I hear God’s call and obey? - will I go play? - will I even walk out the door? - God love me so much he did this very thing for me - he sent Jesus out to my world - to my heart - to show me that real deep deep deep love not a one of us can begin to understand - but I sure will try to - I sure will show what I can of it to others - I sure will go and play and run out that door to the world I live in and follow God’s lead when presented -- It’s time to go now - It’s time to go play-- there’s a huge reason for all this - look at verse 16 -- yes -- George’s verse -- I’ll pick up George on the way out -- See ya later!
2 Kings 19.14-19 - You are God - you alone - save me I pray!
Psalm 106.1-12 - Look at all God has done - past and present - trust in him - put all my faith right there where it belongs - not on some thing or effort of my own.
Prayer - Lord this new day - this day of your resurrection - I give you thanks for the journey - for your journey into Egypt - your journey back to Nazareth - your journey to the cross - your ministry - for the Israelites journey - out of Egypt - and most of all for your journey into my heart - I give you thanks and praise for that journey especially given to me - my journey of life - my journey of ministry - for baptism and that beginning of the journey long ago - feed me this day with your body and blood - the bread and the wine of life and sustain me in this journey you have me on - this play you have me do - thanks for choosing me to be on your team - now show me they way - tell me the rules of the game and I’ll go and compete for you with all I have - I’ll fall down a time or two - but you will be there - I’m ready to go whatever and wherever - you never know what’s next - that’s what makes it all so fun - I must trust and depend on you - cause I never know where your ministry will take me -- thanks for the adventure of the journey of ministry for you -- Let’s go now - let’s pick up a few friends on the way and form a team - we have a foe to compete against -but I know that you already have the plan figure out --- Amen