Saturday 5/28/2005
Romans 3.9-31 - No one is acceptable to God! - They have all turned away and are worthless - All the Law does is point out our sin! -- Can you smell the stench?- that’s what the law does- allow us to smell the stench of our sin - God accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus - because of Jesus - God accepts us and frees us from our sins - God sent Jesus to be our sacrifice - So- it’s not because we obey the law that we are saved- it is only because God loves us so much he sent his son to die for our sins- we must believe this and accept it - God now accepts all people -- so now the law - that ability to smell the stench of sin is even more powerful - for Jesus saves us from our sins - that stench we still smell
1 Samuel 12 - Samuel gives a farewell speech - he is old- he reminds the Israelites of how many times they have turned their backs on God concerning leadership - and God has always provided for them - with Moses- Joshua and all the judges- and now they ask for a king - God has given them a king- but the real issue is that they keep turning from God- worshipping other gods - they have to stop this! - they must know that God is God and he is the only one- God will protect and preserve them and take care of all their needs- they don’t need to even try to make themselves into gods
Psalm 57 - God will protect me - I honor God above everything- I praise God for everyone to hear
God’s love reaches higher that the heavens and his loyalty extends beyond the clouds
Focus on my relationship with God-He is with me in love always
On the last day he will raise me and all the dead and give me and all believers in Christ eternal life. This is most certainly true.
Romans 1.16-17; 3.22b-28 - Don’t be ashamed of the gospel - the one who is righteous will live by faith - all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are new justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith - a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.
2 Timothy 3.10-17 - All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for, teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so the everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work
Psalm 78.1-8 - Listen to God! - Listen to his words- look for him in all places and learn and understand God
Prayer- Lord- forgive me- I know I sin - I know I fall short - I can smell the stench and need your forgiveness- direct my life this day - lead me - keep me from my dependence on myself or even the “kings” I have set up in my life - for I can only depend on you - you give me all I need- you equip me with all I need - you send me into your kingdom- you give me your inspired Word- for this I am so thankful- you speak to me and whisper your messages into me ear- for you are God -the creator of all- the creator of life- how much I praise and adore you - just one simple glance around and I’m amazed at your power- just one simple glance around - one partially open ear and I can hear you speaking through your creation- through your people- through all that exists- you are a powerful and almighty God - and I am way way way more than honored that you would even think of using me today -- I’m willing - I listening - I will obey -- send me today! -- Amen
Sunday 5/29/2005
Romans 4 - God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him. -- But you cannot make God accept you because of something you do. God accepts sinners only because they have faith in him. --this describes Abraham with faith- God gave Abraham this faith - even if I have a little faith or much faith - God has given this to me and I must use this gift of faith to follow God- to stay in his path - take his direction and trust him with all I have- just the teeny-tiny gift of a mustard seed of faith can move mountains- so God gives faith - but I need to use it and trust, hope, serve and obey God with my faith-- God is the creator of life at the world’s beginning, the one who restores order and integrity in the world’s crises, the one who bestows eternal life at the world’s end.-- Faith is not anything Abraham or I can do - it is a trust in God - the unwavering reliance brought to life by God’s promise of life - Faith is to live by what God does- not by what I do
1 Samuel 13 - So Saul is King of Israel - he gathers soldiers to go and fight the Philistines- Two thousand were with Saul and another thousand were with Saul’s son Jonathan- Jonathan attacks the Philistines at Geba- The other Philistines heard what had happened - Saul got the word out for all the Israelite soldiers to get together - the Philistines were really mad and they really hate Israel-- so a battle is brewing - the Philistines gathered their soldiers and the had a bunch of em -- the Israelites were afraid- they hid in caves, bushes and rocks -- they were shaking with fear- so Saul decides he needs to offer a sacrifice - he had been waiting for seven days for Samuel to come - but Samuel didn’t come- so Saul offered the sacrifice anyway -- well then Samuel decides to show up- Samuel told Saul that what he did was stupid - that Saul didn’t obey God and wait for him and that now because of this - no one in Saul’s family would continue on the kingship - God had chosen someone else-- I think there were some big ego problems between Samuel and Saul-- I think Samuel was jealous that God let and chose Saul to be king- I think Samuel always felt slighted by God - but that’s just what I think- who knows-- so the Philistines had control of Israel- they had another advantage- they had technology - they were able to work with iron and make points- spears- swords and tools for farming out of metal- the Israelites depended on the Philistines to help with these tools- so the Philistines knew that only a few people would have weapons of iron to defeat them -- so the Philistines had technology -- but if the Israelites were to worship God and only God- put all their trust and faith in him- the Israelites had the most powerful of all advantages-- God!
Psalm 58 - God rules the earth with justice
Focus on my relationship with God-He is with me in love always
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Matthew 7.21-29 - Just because I talk about God doesn’t mean that I’m so important- it could all be a big show- I must not only talk about God- but praise God- talk about what God does and boast of God not myself- then on top of that I must prove it’s all about God and not about me at all - I must act on what God commands me to do - to follow in his ways- to be an obedient servant of God and to serve and love others just as God has commanded- I have heard God’s Word- I must not be foolish - I must act on what I have heard - Jesus is my rock solid foundation - I must build my actions on this rock
1 Peter 3.8-18 - Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.-- repay with a blessing
Psalm 39 - Be careful not to sin with words - shut up when I need to shut up
Prayer- Lord Jesus- today is your day - today is the day to praise and honor you - to give you all glory - I come to you a sinful man- forgive me and restore me to your favor- lead me this day - lead me to use the faith you have given me- to use the faith given in ways you wish for me to use it - lead me to go where you would have me go - use me to do what you would have me do - for you are God- I put all my trust, hope and faith in you- you rescue me from all dangers- you heal me - most of all you give me life- an eternal life that I am now living- and it all coame ata great cost - thank you - I love you - I am yours. --- Amen
Monday 5/30/2005
Romans 5 - By faith we are made acceptable to God- Jesus has given me undeserved kindness- I will joyfully do the same to others- I will joyfully endure suffering for Christ also- it will make me a better Christian and a better child of God in the end- God, through the Holy Spirit has filled my heart with his love - to overflowing - I will let that run over to the world I live in - But wait! There’s more! - Suffering helps us endure-endurance builds character-which gives hope and that will never disappoint -- But wait! There’s more! - God has now accepted me because Jesus sacrificed his blood and life for my sins- Jesus made peace with God for me and now - even though I sin- and I am descended from sinful Adam - I also am descended from Jesus in a way and am a child of God- redeemed by a God so loving that he would give his life for me so that I may have eternal life -- Thanks be to God! -
1 Samuel 14 - Jonathan splits off from the rest of the Israelites with another soldier- he wanted to fight the Philistines- so he snuck up on them - but let the Philistines see him- Jonathan had told the soldier with him that God was so powerful that even a couple people could win the battle if God was on their side- so he agreed if the Philistines asked the two to come up the hill and battle them - that it must be God was on their side-- that’s what happened- so Jonathan and the soldier went to fight the Philistines with God helping them- they killed many - the other Philistines saw this and began to panic- then God sent an earthquake --about this time Saul’s lookouts finally figured out that someone had left camp - Saul had them find out who it was-- here it was Jonathan - Saul’s own son- Saul saw that the Philistine army was getting confused - they were so confused that they were killing each other- so now even the Israelites that were hiding began to come out- they say that the Philistines were confused- God had helped Israel win the battle that day - Saul really wants revenge on the Philistines now- so he makes his army agree not to eat before sunset- it they do they will be cursed - but this made the army weak - Jonathan was unaware of Saul’s warning and he took some honey and felt so much better- then a soldier told him about the curse Saul had made- after the others saw how much better Jonathan felt they took and ate some of the food the Philistines had -they ate meat without draining the blood- this is a sin against God- Saul wanted to attach the Philistines again - but he asked the priest to check with God first- well the priest said that someone had sinned- Saul wanted to know if it was himself or Jonathan or the Israelites- it came down to Jonathan- he had ate the honey- Saul wanted Jonathan killed but the soldiers defended Jonathan and wouldn’t let this happen- so Saul was at war with the Philistines as long as he lived
Psalm 59 - You are my mighty fortress, and you love me.
Jesus shows the way to live faith - live faith and respond to Jesus act of saving grace
It’s all about you first - then I ask you take care of “us” second-- but it is your name, your kingdom, your will that all come first.
1 Samuel 2.1-10 - Others in the past have sung praises to God- I need to tell my story - of how God is active in my life - how God gives me life- sing his praises to others- God is active in their lives too and is just waiting for all of us to turn back to him
1 John 3.11-24 - We should love one another- we have passed from death to life because we love one another- we know love through Jesus - he loves us so much he died for us to take on the punishment we deserved - love in action- if we love from our hearts in action we will not be condemned- remember that God is greater than our hearts and knows everything - God is love and in his love we can be bold and obey him in all we do - especially in love
Psalm 136 - God’s steadfast love endures forever and ever and ever
Prayer - Holy Spirit - today I give you thanks and praise for all the gifts you have given - for your gracious outpouring of love into my heart - an act of God- you give me love beyond any that I can begin to understand and expect me to act out that love- send me this day to act our love for others- to show them that deep love you have given to all people- to be willing to give it all in love- I give you thanks for Jesus who gave all in love for me and all people- a love so deep - forgive my sins - lead me - teach me - protect me in the battle of sin and death and evil of my world- I put on my trust- hope and faith in you - you are God - the creator of the universe- the creator of life - you are awesome in all you say and do and I will always follow you- I’m ready to follow Lord! -- Amen
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