Tuesday 5/31/2005
Romans 6 - When we were baptized, we died and were buried with Christ. We were baptized, so that we would live a new life, as Christ raised to life by the glory of God the Father-- I think - If I had the choice I would be baptized by immersion-- Luther says the coming out of the water is like being born again to a new life-- while under the water I die to my old life-- I really nice thought - the person I used to be was nailed to the cross with Jesus- I may still sin- but I am no longer a slave to sin- I am dead to the power of sin but alive in the life of Christ - I give myself to God - I now want to be a slave to God- a slave that pleases God
1 Samuel 15 - Sometimes the Bible is difficult to figure out- God sent a message through Samuel to Saul- go wipe out the Amalekites- destroy them and all their possessions- slaughter everything- men, women, children, animals -- all of it- it just seems hard to me to see a God that commands such things-- but I trust God - so I figure there must be some fantastic evil here- or a lesson that really needs to take place- so Saul goes off to battle the Amalekites-- he wins of course-- but he killed everyone but King Agas- and they spared the best sheep and cattle- they didn’t want to destroy anything of value-- Saul even sets up a monument to commemorate the victory -- Samuel approaches Saul trying to find out why he didn’t do exactly as God had commanded- In Saul’s mind he still was doing as God commanded- Saul was going to sacrifice the best animals to God-- that seems like a good thing to me-- but Samuel told Saul that God doesn’t need his sacrifices- he wants Saul to obey him- not doing what God wanted is rebelling against God-- when Saul heard the message from this angle he repented and asked for forgiveness- all seems pretty ok to me-- but then Samuel said --no it’s not ok- the kingship is being taken from you by God and given to someone else- --the only thing I can’t figure out is why Saul didn’t kill King Agag-- well in the end Samuel took care of this by chopping King Agag into pieces-- I don’t know - it all seems strange to me-- the things I would expect from Saul-- Samuel did -- why kill like that??--I guess -- I need to trust God -- someday maybe it will make some sense-- I can make some out of it - but the actions all seem so extreme-- maybe that is the “passion” for serving God and obeying him???
Psalm 60 - God fights and wins all the battles- even the ones that I struggle with- it is God that I can trust in and place all my hope in
Jesus shows the way to live faith- Live faith and respond to Jesus act of saving grace
God is my Daddy- I can come to him in complete confidence
Luke 1.36-57 - at the presence and in the presence of Jesus- I am filled with the Spirit- my soul leaps for joy- it gives me passion to serve, love and obey God
Psalm 138 - For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly--God will deliver me- God will fulfill his purpose for me= his love endures forever
Prayer- Jesus- thank you for baptism - thank you for that death you died for me- that death you take me through - that death that brings life in you- you are God - I will serve, love and obey you - lead me this day - show me how to completely obey your commands - to completely do your will - that’s what I want - is to serve, love and obey you - to please you and make you happy - I turn over all my battles to you - trusting in your safety - trusting in your healing - trusting in you to provide me with all my needs. -- and I give you thanks for your everlasting love. -- Amen
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