January 30: Of Misses, Miles, and Noses Under Two Inches of Water

A day late, for which I apologize.

Exodus 10:1-12:13

Matthew 20:1-28

Psalm 25:1-15

Proverbs 6:6-11

Someone once said to me something that remains so stark and so true: it doesn't matter if your nose is 2 inches under water or 200 feet under water, you are going to drown.  Another version:" "a miss is as good as a mile".  The same principle applies to partial obedience, as Pharaoh found out.

See, in today's reading, Pharaoh refuses to simply say "yes" to God.  After the first few flat no's, he started to relent.  First it was "yes, but just the men". That wasn't what God commanded.  Then, it was "yes, and with the women and children, but no livestock."  Again, that wasn't what God commanded.

What happened?  Did you notice that, even as he gave in partway, the insistence of God grew more terrible?  These  last two plagues were the worst - the locusts destroyed what was left of the crops, and then the angel of death killed all the first born males.  Pharaoh might as well have said "no" the entire time.

What to learn?  What to pray?  Father, when I seek to bargain with You, remind me that partial obedience is disobedience.  When You call, when You command, teach me to spare myself the pain Pharaoh endured by responding with a clear, unequivocal, unreserved "Yes, Lord."

January 29: Of God’s Love for Pharaoh

Exodus 7:25-9:35

Matthew 19:13-30

Psalm 24:1-10

Proverbs 6:1-5

Did God love Pharaoh and the Egyptians?  Or was every plague He wrought solely because He loved the Israelites?  I believe the answer is clear and unequivocal YES.  One hundred percent YES our God loved Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  

While do I believe this?  Because I think if God really just wanted to set the Israelites free, He could have unleashed the angel of death on every Egyptian - not just the first born.  And He didn't have to go through all the other plagues - the frogs, the gnats, the locusts, the blackness…none of them.  Angel of death, every Egyptian, from A to Z, and the Israelites would have been free. 

Why, then, all the plagues, all the suffering?  What did God want?  I believe He wanted of Pharaoh what He wants from all of us - to acknowledge Him, to set ourselves aside, and obey Him.  Had Pharaoh simply let the Israelites go - and worship, ostensibly - it wouldn't have been necessary for God to even turn the water to blood in the very first instance.  

So on one hand, it is fair to say that all this happened because Pharaoh was stubborn.  Curiously enough, on the other hand, it is equally fair to say all this happened because God's love was more persistent than Pharaoh's pigheadedness.  He just kept calling and calling, louder and louder.  Pharaoh reportedly did not die in the Red Sea.  If, indeed, he didn't, I bet he wished he'd listened to and obeyed God sooner.   

Father, sometimes in our lives, it is one thing after another, one trial after the next, one hardship on the heels of the former.  When this happens, remind us that, as with each of the plagues, You will have permitted everything that happens to us, out of Your persistent love. Not to punish us, but to call us to acknowledge you in ways we have yet to learn.  And please - help us to learn more quickly than Pharaoh.  

Blog post 28th January 2021

 Blog post

Exodus 5:22-7:25

Matthew 18:21-19:12

Psalm 23:1-6

Proverbs 5:22 -23

God is our shepherd and a dependable guide. Following God and obeying his commands is our only hope for eternal life and security.

When we allow God our shepherd to guide us we have contentment. When we choose sin, we go our own way and we cannot blame God for the environment we choose to create for ourselves. Our shepherd knows the  "quiet waters" that will restore us. We reach these places only by following him obediently. So when we are tempted to go on our own rather than the shepherds'  leading we are rebelling against  our own best interests. 

Back home I know a few people who have passed away due to COVID-19 recently, some of whom it was a sudden passing and others were alone and knew they had COVID-19, and I thought to myself how alone and scary  a person can feel to go through this alone. Now I don't know where they were spiritually before their passing  but I pray they had a shepherd. I'd like to think they weren't alone. Death casts a frightening shadow over us because we are entirely helpless in its presence. We can struggle with other enemies such as pain, suffering,injury, disease, but strength and courage cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only one person can walk with us through death's dark valley and bring us safely to the other side, the God of life, our shepherd. Life is uncertain, Shouldn't we want to follow the shepherd who offers us eternal comfort. God, the perfect shepherd promised to guide and protect us through life to bring us into his house forever.

Blog from Matthew

Exodus 4:1-5:21
Matthew 18:1-20
Psalm 22:19-31
Proverbs 5:15-21

Matthew Chapter 18
"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become
like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

What does this quote mean? To me, it means a lot of things. Becoming like a child means relying on others to do things instead of
doing them out of your own power. To us, that means relying on God. Becoming like a child means becoming humble. Becoming like
a child means becoming innocent - and behaving innocently.

Does becoming like a child mean rejoicing? Children seem to rejoice a lot. Children seem to rejoice over small things. The Bible 
tells us to rejoice.

What about "childlike faith"? Have you heard of that before? Believing God when you don't understand. Believe God can do anything
even though you can't grasp how. Of course, you can't really understand it - the important thing is you believe.  

1/27: Becoming Innocent

Exodus 4:1-5:21
Matthew 18:1-20
Psalm 22:19-31
Proverbs 5:15-21

Matthew Chapter 18
"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become
like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

What does this quote mean? To me, it means a lot of things. Becoming like a child means relying on others to do things instead of
doing them out of your own power. To us, that means relying on God. Becoming like a child means becoming humble. Becoming like
a child means becoming innocent - and behaving innocently.

Does becoming like a child mean rejoicing? Children seem to rejoice a lot. Children seem to rejoice over small things. The Bible 
tells us to rejoice.

What about "childlike faith"? Have you heard of that before? Believing God when you don't understand. Believe God can do anything
even though you can't grasp how. Of course, you can't really understand it - the important thing is you believe.  

Bible Blog Post - 1/26/2021

Exodus 2:11-3:22
Matthew 17:10-27
Psalm 22:1-18
Proverbs 5:7-14

"But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. "He trusts in the Lord," they say, "let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.""
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭22:6-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

While we absolutely can experience times of despair, and while there are people out there who may mistreat us, we can hold steadfast with complete confidence knowing that God is so much greater than all of that. In fact, look at what God has provided us with at Grace Church. He has given us love, hope, friendship, honesty, opportunities to humble ourselves and to grow. He has given us a community of people from many walks of life, with many different experiences and upbringings, all with a common love for the Lord Almighty. We do not have to worry about facing rejection or ridicule for our faith when we walk in those doors. Instead, we are faced with love and acceptance for who we are in Christ. I cannot imagine walking into Grace Church and feeling the way that this Psalmist did, and I pray that there never comes a day that I can relate. When I walk through the doors of Grace, I excitedly make my way up the steps; I wave hello to the worship team, and I feel welcome; there is conversation after the service, and small group to look forward to. It. Is. AWESOME! When trials in life come about, God is fully present, as always, and I truly feel like I am surrounded by a community of loving people. This is what church is supposed to be like. Reading this Psalm, it pains me to hear how they mocked him, insulted him, and said let the Lord save him, as if the Lord saving him was some kind of joke. This is where the huge contrast stands out in my mind. Instead of mockery, and sarcastically telling someone "let the Lord rescue him" I can imagine someone at church saying, "the Lord WILL rescue you!", "Stay faithful!", "Do not doubt! Cast your worries away!" It feels SO GOOD to be surrounded by a loving church family. It feels SO GOOD to receives God's abundant blessings. It feels SO GOOD to be a part of this, to have friends who lift me up, friends who love Christ, friends who care about me, friends who listen with a loving ear, friends who feel comfortable talking about their personal walks with Jesus, and friends who are working to focus more on God and less on the worldly distractions. It's not easy to build meaningful friendships, at least it hasn't always been easy for me, but I'll tell you this - my difficulty with building meaningful friendships has gone away over the past year. I love the friendships that have formed at Grace, and I love the small group that we share. Our faith is what binds us, WE are the body of Christ. Let us work together so that no one in our Grace family ever feels alone and demeaned like this Psalmist did.

Dear Lord, thank you for your abundant blessings. Thank you for showing us what love is on a daily basis. Thank you for the gift of perspective; please help us to view the world and our circumstances with a lens that aligns with your perspective. Please reveal to us anyone who feels downcast like David, and use us as vessels of your love and light. Help us to lead them toward you. Heavenly Father, please grow our church, please extend our outreach, please use us to grow your kingdom in ways that we can't imagine. All that we have, and all that we are promised, is because of you. We thank you. Thank you, Jesus, for your ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for life. To live = Christ. We love you. Amen.

January 23: Of The Desperate, not the Deserving

Genesis 46:1-47:31

Matthew 15:1-28

Psalm 19:1-14

Proverbs 4:14-19

Tyre and Sidon, two cities north of Israel.  Not Jewish - gentile.  Sinful cities - so much so, Jesus uses them to make a point about the Jewish cities that rejected him.  Tyre and Sidon - for the Son of Man offering salvation, not the place one would expect to find the deserving.  

And it appears Jesus didn't.  The first reported encounter is with a Canaanite woman whose daughter is possessed by demons, and who wants Jesus to heal her.  She is UNdeserving - Jesus pretty much makes that clear: "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel", as it seems He is about to take his disciples' suggestion and send her away. 

But it turns out, while she wasn't deserving, she was something else: desperate.  She was pleading in her daughter's behalf, and she wasn't about to take no for an answer.  So when Jesus seems to cut her down even further, comparing her to a dog, she doesn't get angry or indignant.  She humbles herself, accepts his description, and says even the dogs are worthy of the scraps from the Master's table.  

We know the rest of the story - Jesus is astounded at the faith that is manifest in her desperation, and heals her daughter.  But is that the end?  Because I think the story doesn't close with a statement, it closes with questions.  

Those of us who are sinners, do we understand, as did this woman, that we are undeserving?  

Those of us who are parents, how well do we know our children?  Do we know them as well as this woman, who recognized her daughter was ill, was possessed?  Do we know what earthly influences possess our children?

And those of us who are parents, how much do we love our children?  Do we love them as much as this woman, desperately enough to set aside pride and plead for them before God?

Father, the world seeks to possess our children and keep them from You.  Worse, we are sinners and undeserving to come before You to seek Your help.  See in our undeserving selves such desperation of faith as you saw in the Canaanite woman, and break the world's possession of these children we love.  In Jesus's name we pray. 

January 22: Of “Oh, No…” Moments

Genesis 44:1-45:28

Matthew 14:13-36

Psalm 18:37-50

Proverbs 4:11-13

"I am Joseph!"  

Israel's sons had come to fear this Egyptian official. Can you imagine what they must have felt when he revealed himself to be the brother they'd sold into slavery? When they realized who he was, did the suddenly grow fearful of justice and righteous retribution? Like Adam and Eve long before them, did they want to run and hide, in fear and shame?  Did they have a seriously large "oh, no…" moment?

Probably.  But if they had, they would not have heard Joseph tell them not to be distressed, nor angry with themselves - Joseph's version of "peace be with you".  They would not have received the abundance of Joseph's blessing - the supplies they took back to Canaan.  And they would not have heard the plans Joseph had for his brothers and his father - to prosper them, and not to harm them.  To give them hope and a future amidst the famine.  

I see myself in Joseph's brothers.  I commit sin and, in doing so, hurt others.  And when confronted with, and convicted by my sin, I experience my own "oh, no…" moment.  And my instinct - like Adam and Eve's, and possibly Joseph's brothers - is to hide from God, depriving myself of His peace, blessing and plans.  Do you feel the urge to respond the same way?

Thankfully, God holds on to us even more tightly than Joseph did his brothers.  Thankfully God is even more forgiving towards us than Joseph was to his brothers.  Thankfully, God rejoices even more exuberantly and emotionally at our reunification than Joseph did, weeping, with his brothers.  

Father, when we sin and, inevitably, have to face up to our sin, remove from us the instinct to hide.  When we feel like turning away, overwhelm us with Your love the way Joseph did his brothers.  That way, instead of turning away, we might turn back to You, and receive Your plans for us, Your blessings upon us, and Your peace.  

Blog Post from Jenna

Gen 42;18-43:34

Matthew

Psalm 18;16-36

Proverbs 4;7-10

Sometimes  things happen to us that we don't understand why or are hurt and angry as to why they happen. Joseph's brother selling him off is not something that he would have thought his brothers would have done to him. But look at what God had planned for him. This brings me comfort as you might not like where you are now but trusting in God and knowing that ,we have his word,that we can take refuge in him, that he is our rock, that he gives us strength and is our protector.

 

Joseph was testing his brothers,he wanted to see how they had been to benjamin. He had to see if they had changed. Joseph could see the brothers were still carrying the weight of what they did to Joseph. Joseph did not treat them ill, instead of taking revenge he had shared a meal with them.Joseph showed his brothers grace,as does God.

So,thank you God for the grace you show us!.God help us to live a Christ like,to have grace like Joseph and help us to be as  Judah was and take responsibility  for our actions. That when faced in a situation where we can write or wrongs …..we have the courage and strength to do so. It is only through you that we can.

--

Jenna Spencer

1/20: The Wheat and the Weeds

Genesis 41:17-42-17
Matthew 13:24-46 <-
Psalm 18:1-15
Proverbs 4:1-6

"Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while
everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat
sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
"The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds
come from?
"'An enemy did this,' he replied.
"The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
"'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow
together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be
burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'"

- And later Jesus said -

"The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of
the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of
the age, and the harvesters are angels.

Have you ever been asked "Why is the world the way it is?" "Why does God let these bad things happen?"

"You believe in God when there are so many things wrong with the world?"

First, I think one of the first things I might say to a question like that is, we don't know everything God has done in the world.
I do believe God steps in on many occasion and stops certain things from being as bad as they could be. How many times has
that happened in my own life, I don't know, but I know it's happened.

Still, the world can be a terrible place and many people are suffering. What does the parable of the sower tell us?
This world is not the final product. The world isn't supposed to be like this forever. We're not in the final stage of things.

It's an imperfect world. The Bible tells us in this verse and others, that someday it will all come to an end and a new world
will begin. That one will be perfect. I feel that God is the God of the best possible outcome. Sometimes, that means things have to 
be difficult. Everything that happens, good or bad, is all leading up to something new and perfect. Everything will be put in its place.   

Apple of Your Eye

Apologies for the delay - this is for yesterday's reading!

Tuesday January 19th

Genesis 39:1-41:16

Matthew 12:46-13:23

Psalm 17:1-15

Proverbs 3:33-35

Why do you read the Bible?

Do you read it because it's a part of your routine? Because you feel like you should? Because you want to learn? Because you want to grow closer to God? 

Today, I learned something old - those who hear the word and understand it are the ones who produce a crop. It made me realize that when I'm reading the word, my goal needs to be to understand it. From understanding God's word, we can be fruitful. This means we can learn how much he loves us, and once we understand that, we can't help but share with others.

In Psalm 17:8, David asks God to "keep me as the apple of your eye". I didn't understand this when I first read it, so I did a little reading of commentaries and studying what exactly this meant. The first thing I learned was that "keep" implies that we are already the apple of God's eye. He's not asking God to make him the apple of his eye, because he believes he already is. This is such wise insight from a guy who hasn't even witnessed the depth of God's love through His sacrifice of His son. 

Secondly, to be the apple of someone's eye means "little man of the eye" and usually refers to the reflection of yourself that you can see in other people's pupils. David is asking God to watch him so closely and not lose sight of him.

Thirdly, being the apple of God's eye means being protected. Who knows if God has eyelashes, eyebrows, or cheekbones to act as protection, but as humans, we can imagine the eye being very important and very protected in the design of our bodies. Just because we are the apple of God's eye, it doesn't mean that we won't deal with attacks, or that we will win all of our earthly battles, but you are in God's sights and He is with you through the battles. 

I encourage you to read God's Word with the goal of understanding it so that you may develop fruit in your own life. Don't be afraid to ask questions of fellow believers if you don't understand something in the Bible. Or search online for deeper discovery.

Let's pray: God, keep me as the apple of your eye. Help me to know that You are my protector. Help me to understand how valuable I am to you. Help me to study your Word and grow in knowledge and understanding so that I may love others and produce great fruit. Amen.

January 16: Of Fools And Children

Genesis 32:13-34:31

Matthew 11:7-30

Psalm 14:1-7

Proverbs 3:19-20

The dictionary defines foolishness as "the lack of good sense or judgment".  It goes on to define judgment as "the ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions."  Foolishness, then, would seem to be either the inability to come to sensible conclusions, or the refusal to do so.  

David calls out this foolishness in people who have denied God's existence and, having deprived themselves of His help, pursue earthly security and satisfaction on their own strength, through sin and corruption.  And a fat lot of good that does them.  For all their power, despite their best efforts, David notes "there they are, overwhelmed with dread". 

Jesus on the other hand talks about a wisdom that is despite the earthly knowledge that guided the corrupt, a wisdom revealed "to little children".  He calls out those who reject the Good News, denouncing their refusal to make considered decisions and come to sensible conclusions having seen the miracles He'd wrought.  And He tries to remind them what they are missing - as overwhelmed with dread as they are, they could have His rest, just by following Him.  

It would be right to say the people in Jesus's time were ridiculously stubborn.  It is likely equally right to say that stubbornness is just as pervasive today.  And it is absolutely true that the first stubborn person I see each day, I see in the mirror.  

So Jesus, I want You to know I am weary and burdened.  Let me exchange my worldly go-it-on-my-own stubbornness for the heart and mind of the child that sees what Your Father reveals.  Let me exchange my plans for Your yoke.  And let me find Your rest.  

January 15: Of Being Unafraid

Genesis 31:17-32:12

Matthew 10:24-11:6

Psalm 13:1-6

Proverbs 3:16-18

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care." - Mt 10:29

I always understood this verse to mean that because God provided for the sparrows, He would provide for me as well.  Today I read it and saw something else entirely: the verse doesn't say the sparrows don't fall to the ground - it says they will.  And it says it happens on God's watch.  And yet, He says, "don't be afraid".  Is that possible?

It is.  In the morning, my wife and I are going to a wake, to remember a woman the fruit of whose life has been such a blessing to us.  She was old, and she'd been ill, and she knew death was approaching.  Yet not only was she unafraid, her daughter told us she was joyful in her final days, singing many hymns interspersed with some Frank Sinatra.  She knew that even then she was not outside her Father's care.  

Hers is not the only story like this I've heard.  My parents have told me a few stories of friends who have awaited their passing from this earth with such joy and anticipation.  These friends - they loved their families, their sons and daughters, but they loved God more, and so were prepared to go home to Him even if it meant leaving earthly family behind.

Jesus calls us to acknowledge Him.  Acknowledgement requires that we know who Someone is, and recognize that They are present.  I want to learn to acknowledge Jesus - to know who He is, to know He is here with me.  And I want to learn to approach not just the end of my days on earth, but each day that I have before then, unafraid, knowing I am in His care.  

Father, as the psalmist prayed, "give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death".  Give light to my eyes, and teach me to "trust in Your unfailing love", so that "my heart rejoices in Your salvation" every day, whatever my condition, whatever my situation.  

Blog post

Bible blog 14th January, 2021

Genesis 30: 1-31:16

Matthew 10:1-23

Psalm 12:1-8

Proverbs 3:13-15

"Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is far more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is far more precious than rubies nothing you desire can compare with her."

This verse I feel is the foundation for today's blog. Living for God in a deceitful world can be lonely., but know we are never alone in our battle against evil. When we feel alone I pray we may seek other believers for strength and support.

I pray we go to the lost and spread the word, that Jesus will give us the words and opportunities, we must just listen. Jesus prepared the disciples for persecution. God chose them to spread the word about him. The bible teaches us that Gods message of salvation is for ALL people.  We may face hostility like the disciples but we must find a balance between wisdom and vulnerability to accomplish Gods work. 

Living for God often brings on persecution, but with it comes opportunity to tell the good news of salvation. So weather we are lonely or asking for something we  trust in God when nothing seems to happen even if it's difficult as it may be harder to live with the consequences if we take matters into our own hands. Resist the temptation to think that God has forgotten you, have the patience and courage to wait for God to act.

I pray we continue to be in constant prayer, that we read the word to increase our wisdom so that we ourselves can prepare for those opportunities that may arise,

Amen

--

Aimee Spencer

Bible Blog Post - January 12, 2021

Genesis 26:17-27:46 

Matthew 9:1-17 

Psalm 10:16-18 

Proverbs 3:9-10

Good evening, Grace Family!  I wish you all a healthy new year full of love, joy, gratitude and perseverance.  May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:22.

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

Imagine a faith so strong, that you would carry your friend on a mat all the way to see Jesus, confident that He could heal him.  Try and picture that scenario -  I can't imagine it was an easy feat.  I know that Matthew does not give as much detail regarding this as the accounts in Mark and Luke, but if you read those gospels, it explains that the crowd was so big that they were not able to get in through the front door to see Him, so they went up on top of the roof, made a hole, and lowered their friend down into the home through the roof.  That takes determination.  That takes love.  That takes hope.  That takes great faith.  Then, after all of that effort, Jesus didn't choose to heal the man's paralysis immediately; instead, He first forgave him for his sins.  I can only imagine what the paralized man was initially thinking, as he lay there, still paralized, in front of the Messiah.  Did he experience confusion?  Anger?  Hopelessness?  Did he immediately feel the weight of sin lifted off of him?  I wonder if his faith was tested in that moment, when he was so close to Jesus, yet not physically healed. 

The teachers of the law thought this was blasphemous, saying that only God could forgive sins.  Jesus acknowledged the criticism in their thoughts, and asked them, what is harder?  To forgive sins, or to heal a paralyzed man.  With that, He healed the man and told him to get up, take his mat and go; and so the man got up and went.  I think that the act of getting up is yet another example of great faith, because it leads us to believe that the man really did think that in that moment he was healed.

I love this story in the bible.  No matter what we have going on in life, no matter what illness or loss, the greatest gift that we could possibly receive is the forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ.  Not only did Jesus give him forgiveness, but He healed his body as well.  These two acts, paired together, really highlight the hope that we can find in Jesus.  He can heal us physically, mentally, and emotionally, and He can give us life.

Dear God, please help all of us to remain strong in our faith, trusting in You, seeking Jesus with all of our might.  Through Jesus, we are forgiven, we are saved, we can experience healing, hope and joy.  Heavenly Father, we praise you, we give thanks to you for your insurmountable power and authority in our lives, helping us each day to be victorious against the enemy in Your name.  Please help us to pick up our shields of protection, to pick up our friends when they need carrying, and to keep our eyes, minds, hearts and spirits aligned with you.  In your name I pray, amen.

Amanda

January 9: Of People Who Should Have Been Toast

Genesis 20:1-22:24

Matthew 7:15-29

Psalm 9:1-12

Proverbs 2:16-22

As a husband, Abraham was toast.  No way he could stand up to Abimelek, who had just taken his wife.  But God intervened.

As a mother, Sarah was toast.  No way a woman her age was going to get pregnant, much less give birth to a healthy child.  But God intervened.

As people still alive, Hagar and her son were toast.  Lost in the desert, food and water gone, mother so bereft of hope she leaves her son to the certainty of death alone.  But God intervened.

And as an heir to his father, Isaac was literally going to be toast.  Bound and lain on an altar, a knife about to extinguish his life.  But God intervened.

When Abraham was watching them take his beloved, beautiful Sarah away, he had no idea what God would do.  Nor Sarah, as she counted her days of fruitlessness, nor Hagar as she and her son drained the last drops of their water.  Nor, certainly, Isaac, whose emotions I cannot begin to imagine, watching his father bind him and prepare to plunge the knife.

Impossible, helpless, hopeless situations all of them.  But God intervened, though they might not have known He was there, did not know He would, nor HOW He would. 

Why?  Because, as the psalmist says today, He "reigns forever", and "is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble."  Therefore even when we think He isn't there, He is; and even when we don't know when or how, He IS in control and He does intervene.  So that, again as the psalmist says, we can "give thanks to You, Lord, with all my heart", and "tell of Your wonderful deeds."

Father, when we are faced with the trouble and trial, problem and pain, helplessness and hopelessness, teach us to give thanks to You, certain of your presence, your power, and your provision and protection.  And give us peace.

January 8: Of Step by Step Instructions to Eliminate Worry

Genesis 18:16-19:38

Matthew 6:25-7:14

Psalm 8:1-9

Proverbs 2:6-15

With everything going on in the world, how do we not worry?  And yet, that is God's instruction in today's NT reading.  Four times in the first 10 verses we read some version of "do not worry".  It doesn't get more explicit than that.  And while God's words may be easy to read, when someone is sick, or we are out of work and the rent is due, or when a loved one is acting irresponsibly and we are unable to do anything about it, it is harder to take God's instructions into our hearts and minds.  It is hard to NOT worry.   What do we do to make it easier to obey?  Today's readings seem to give us a pretty clear step by step.  

First, we can remind ourselves of who God is, and who we are to Him.  In the psalm we read that God is majestic, and has set His glory in the heavens, and yet He is mindful of us, He cares for us, and has crowned us with glory and honor.  

Second, in Matthew, we are instructed to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness".  Why?  Because then, we are in God's care, and all that we need today - food, clothing - will be given to us as well.

Third, when in doubt, when we lack, we can always talk to Him and ask Him.  How do we know?  Because in the OT, we see Abraham did it.  Not only did God listen to Abraham, God let Abraham reason with Him.  And the proverb tells us that wisdom will enter our hearts and knowledge will be pleasing to our soul.    

And fourth, we're counting on a lot here.  How do we know God is good for all this?  Because, as Matthew reminds us, if we who are evil try and give good things to our kids, how much more, then, will God give us good things as only He knows how?  

Father, when we worry, remind us please of who You are, and who we are to You.  Remind us that it is better to seek You, and trust that You will provide, because You are good and because You love us.  And please help us to obey Your command - help us not to worry.

Blog From Jenna

Thursday 7 Jan

Verses

Gen 16:1-18:15

Mat 6:1-24

Psalm 7:1-17

Proverbs 2: 1-5

 

I always love it when I read the word and it relates so much to what I or we may be experiencing. I am so excited to be writing the blog this year and I can't wait for it to transform and strengthen my relationship with Christ and my Grace family.

Yesterday what took place at the capitol building was shocking and I got angry and turned my focus to the violence that was taking place. Instead of watching the news (being repeated) for a few hours wasting away valuable time, I could have been doing something far more productive. So much has happened in America since I have come back, personally and the country itself in regards to the election and COVID-19. During this difficult time, people may have lashed out with one another due to being in lockdown. We may have said something or something might have been said during this period. It has led me to work on my forgiveness which has always been something I have struggled with. We may have in the past held onto the pain that a friend or person has caused, crazy I know right.  I have learnt from fellow friends that it is not good to do that as bitterness and anger may arise. In order to move forward and grow, we must simply not hold onto bitterness and anger. We may feel that we can do it on our own instead of giving it to God.

In Matt 6:14 for if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others and their sins, your Father will not forgive your sin."

I would encourage us to not hold a grudge against one another. There may be times that we feel it is impossible to forgive, but I pray that we overcome this with God's strength and pray to God to help to forgive and be with us during these moments. Let us try next time we have a moment to sing Psalm 7 verses 1-17 and give thanks to God as he assures us of our worth and to remember that our mighty and powerful God has us in the palm of his hands.

 

January 6

From Matthew 

January 6

Matthew Chapter 5. 27-48

Verse 43 - "You have heard that it was said. 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

Have you ever found it hard to love your neighbor? No, I'm not talking about disliking somebody.
I'm talking about loving and helping somebody that you actually get along with.

Sometimes helping our neighbors requires us to enter into situations that make us uncomfortable.
Meeting somebody's family, being in a group, going places you've never been before. For some
people, these things can be scary!

It happened though! God put something in front of you and you knew what you had to do.
Let's thank our Father for these things. He knows how hard it is for us. He knows that what
some view as a simple task - others view as an extraordinary feat. From the outside, it may look
like you did something small. In reality, though, it was a real hurdle for you.

Again, let's thank God for these things; he's giving us opportunities to live for Him. They may seem small to other people - but it's a big deal in God's eyes. He knows!

Scrabble

Genesis 11:1-13:4

Matthew 5:1-26

Psalm 5:1-12

Proverbs 1:24-27

This morning I started my day reading the beginning of Esther. I know, this is not in the passages for today. But hear me out! Esther had a lot that was out of her control - even though she fell into orphan life, she got picked up by Mordecai, taken into the King's Palace, and welcomed into the role of queen, ultimately saving God's people from being wiped out! My takeaway was that God puts us in places for reasons and that he uses people in crazy ways that we couldn't imagine ourselves. Sometimes I feel like it's a bit similar to the game of Scrabble: We are the letters, God is the speller. We each have our own identity, but God will put us where we can score the most points for Him.

Today's one year reading starts off in Genesis. Chapters 11 and 12 really contain a lot of historical events. They take place after God delivered Noah safely off the ark (God put Noah on the ark so that He could make humanity better). The people he left behind all spoke one language, and came together to build a tower to Heaven, ignoring God's instructions. God says "hmmm, don't think so!" God scattered people all over the earth in order to prevent man's wicked plans. Then we hear the account of Shem's family line, which leads to Abram and his wife Sarai. Sarai is barren, but we read one of the most famous promises of God to Abram in Chapter 12:2-3. "I will make you into a great nation". God put a barren woman as Abram's wife to show His power (and to remind us of the gift of waiting). Abram enters Egypt and instructs Sarai to pretend she is his sister, not his wife. God used Abram despite his imperfections. The end of the chapter has a wealthy Abram traveling "from place to place", but ultimately returning to Bethel, where he first built an altar and called upon the Lord. Bethel in Hebrew means "house of God". God brings us to places that are significant. And Abram called upon his name and worshipped Him.

God uses YOU despite your imperfections. God has put you in a place for a reason. God's timing is perfect. God wants you to score points for Him!

I encourage you to delve into scripture asking the "whys", because we can see God's hands working in amazing ways. Even when we don't know the reason behind why we are in certain places/positions, we can have faith that God will use it for His glory if we let him, and what a great thing that is!

January 2: Of Resolutions Regarding our Children

Genesis 3:1-4:26

Matthew 2:13-3:6

Psalm 2:1-12

Proverbs 1:7-9

Yesterday we wrote about the importance of reminding ourselves who God is, and developing the habit of learning what He wants of us - delighting the law of the Lord and meditating on His law day and night. Yesterday was about the importance of our relationship with our Father.  Today's readings are a great next step - they talk about the importance of a parent's relationship with their child.  

In the New Testament reading, we see Jesus's dependence on His earthly father.  Joseph heard, listened to, and obeyed God's command to flee to Egypt, keeping Jesus safe from Herod.  This tell us how important it is that in raising our children, as parents, we are to listen to God. 

In the psalm is an admonition to the child, to listen to his parents: "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching."  While seemingly directed at the child, it also makes the obvious point: as parents, we are to teach. 

And in the Old Testament reading, we see Adam and Eve's sin against God, and their subsequent disconnect between each other ("The woman…she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it") emulated in the sin of their son Cain, and his subsequent disconnect from his brother, Abel.   Which makes a third point: as parents, we cannot just listen to God and teach, we have to model the behavior. 

I know we already wrote about resolutions yesterday.  Today, a special resolutions section for parents seeking to raise Godly children.  Three resolutions: listen to God, teach our children, and model the behavior we want them to develop.  

Father, the children You have entrusted to us are precious in Your sight, and dear to our hearts.  Help us this year to raise them better than we ever have - by listening to Your guidance, teaching them Your way, and living a life of good example.  

January 1: Of Resolutions that Matter

Genesis 1:1-2:25

Matthew 1:1-2:12

Psalm 1:1-6

Proverbs 1:1-6

The most common New Year's resolutions have to do with the predictable two: health and money.  Things like "lose weight" or "stop smoking" or "save more money".  These are also the resolutions most commonly broken.

The good news is that we who make and break these resolutions mostly simply keep going.  Yes, perhaps a bit heavier, a bit poorer financially…but we go on.  That's because for most of us, there isn't much at stake with these resolutions.

Which begs the question: are there resolutions that REALLY matter?  Today's readings say there are.  The first one that stands out is to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on His law day and night.  Which kinda makes a second one a bit easier, because if we are spending all our time on His law, we won't have any time to walk in step with the wicked.

But who is this Lord upon whose law we are to meditate day and night?  Perhaps a third resolution would be good: to remind ourselves Who God is - Who exists before space and time, and after space and time - and everything within them - are gone.  And all that exists is the work of His hands.  Yes - including us.  Which means that the laws we are to delight in?  They are our operating manual, for good and productive use of the lives, the minds and bodies He has given us. 

That is what our church's daily blog is about: getting to know God, through the love letters, the stories, the operating instructions He gives us in His Word.  Today is day 1.  Perhaps, if you agree that the above three resolutions are far better than losing weight or saving money, you will consider joining us on this journey this year.  I promise it will be resolution well made - and you don't even have to take my word for it.  David says as much: these words are good "for gaining wisdom and instruction…"

f you are reading this on Facebook, please know that there is also an email distribution list.  If you would like to be added to that list, please feel free to send me a private message with your email address. 

Father, as we start the year, help us these next 365 days to focus on what matters: on You, Your word, Your ove, and Your plans for us.  Count us among those whose way You watch, and not among those who will not stand in the inevitable judgment.