March 2

Leviticus 26:13

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high

The people of Israel were set free and delivered by the hand of God.  I could only imagine their excitement and the feeling of being lifted out of their burden while they took their first steps out of Egypt and into their freedom.  There was a danger though, because even though they were no longer slaves in Egypt, their minds were still held captive in slavery which left them vulnerable to slip into old patterns of behavior such as idol worshiping.  As I read this I realized that we are so much like the people of Israel.  We too have been set free, but without an awareness of our freedom, we run the risk of slipping back into captivity.  The passage in Luke 4:18 tells of Jesus announcing His mission statement in the temple as He read from scripture Isaiah 61:1 "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners..."  The chains of slavery that bound us to our past along with our sins have been broken in Jesus Name. Jesus paid a very heavy price for that freedom and the bars of our yoke have been lifted and we now have been enabled to walk with our heads high as children of God, covered in the blood of His Son.  If we put anything else above that truth we are believing a lie and, like the people of Israel, our minds will be held captive in slavery.  If only the people of Israel would have stepped out in faith and received the freedom they were given they would not keep returning to worship false idols. If only we would as well.  "Go, your faith has healed you" Jesus said to the blind man (Mark 10:52).  Like the blind man, we too have been told to "GO" and walk in faith, with our heads held high, knowing that Jesus is carrying the bars of our yoke.





Randi

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Mark 10:13-31

"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

After reading this excerpt, I wished I could go back in time. I always believed in God, but accepting Him as my Lord and Savior did not come until later in life. And, like most people, I would go back and forth in my commitment. I feel that if I had been a "born again" Christian when my children were little, I could have given them more of an understanding about how important a personal relationship with Jesus really is. Children are so impressionable and eager to learn. If we can be a Godly example, they will learn what we exhibit in our everyday lives. Even though time may have slipped by, it is never too late to share our belief and encourage our children, no matter how old they may be, that all things are possible through Christ who gives us strength.

Lord, I pray for all of our children, that they may come to know and love You as their best friend. A friend who will never leave them or forsake them when everyone else may walk away. Father, I pray that you soften their hearts and fill them with a desire to want to know You and to not be swayed by the things or possessions of this world that man finds so desirable. Less is more, but knowing You Lord, there is no greater thing.

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Saturday, February 27, 2016

[Keesha Sullivan]

Increasing our Belief in God

            Do you believe that "Everything is possible for him who believes"? (Mark 9:23) Do you believe that God can turn your financial situation around? Do you believe that He can save that son or daughter that has been lost for decades? Do you believe that He can fulfill that aching desire in your life for companionship? Do you believe that He can still heal the sickness in your body? If you hesitated before answering any of those questions, know that you are not alone. 

It is easy to say that we believe for others or even tell people that we believe, but it is much harder to live it. This is what we saw in the scriptures today. We saw a desperate dad with a demon possessed son cry out to the Savior in unbelief. He had probably been to the doctors and others that couldn't do anything for him. This dad had even been to the disciples and they too did nothing for him. He was at the point where he wasn't sure if anything would ever change. He was at the point where he believed no one could really help, but he didn't want to fully give up. 

He said to Jesus, "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us" (Mark 9: 22). Jesus asks him, "If you can? Everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23). The man replies immediately and fully realizing his error, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

If you are at the point where you have done all that you can and you still need a touch from God in an area, just know that "everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23). The breakthrough is on the way! God can do anything; He can turn any situation around. He might not do it when we want Him to do it, but He's always right on time. 

Lord, the world has beat us down. It doesn't have any answers. The world cannot help us. We need You God. We need Your touch. Help us overcome our unbelief. Increase our faith and trust in You that You can do anything. Please heal our wounds and turn our situations around! We thank You that "everything is possible for [us] who believe" You can! (Mark 9:23). We love You God! In Jesus's name. Amen! 

Thursday, February 25

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Leviticus 16:29–18:30

Mark 7:24–8:10

Psalm 41:1–13

Proverbs 10:15,16

 

 

“During those days another large crowd gathered.  Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat.  If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.” (Mark 8:1–4)

 

“Blessed is he who has regard for the weak;

                the Lord delivers him in times of need.

The Lord will protect him and preserve his life;

                he will bless him in the land

                and not surrender him to desire of his foes.

The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed

                and restore him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:1–13)

 

 

These passages point to the compassionate heart of God.  In the first, the Lord Jesus Christ views 4,000 men – plus women and children – and wants to ensure that they are not left stranded and hungry.  In the second example, the psalmist David highlights the blessings that may accrue to “he who has regard for the weak,” thereby endorsing compassion for all through the righteous.

 

What does Jesus’s compassionate heart tell us?  He targeted His love to these folks’ direct needs.  In addition, He involved His disciples in serving and blessing those in need.  For both groups, Christ’s compassion drew forth greater faith.  Importantly, we see that Jesus takes seven loaves of bread, feeds the entire group, and then returns seven basketfuls to His disciples.  It appears that, should we join God in responding in compassion, He will take what little we may bring, multiply it, and refill us after we have poured ourselves out on behalf of others.  The same thesis runs through Psalm 41, too.

 

How may we appropriate God’s power to apply His compassion for those in need?  First, we may draw near to God and seek to serve under His auspices; we cannot push forward under our own strength.  Second, we may bring our resources and lay them before the Lord’s throne for His purposes.  Third, we may serve with abandon, trusting God for the refilling of our resources.  By showing compassion, we display God’s character and bring praise and glory to our Father.  As the worshippers described in Psalm 84:7, “they will go from strength to strength… ”

 

Whom may we love and serve in compassion?  How may we point to a compassionate God Who cares both for the recipient and the giver?

 

May we eagerly serve with Christ’s heart of compassion.

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your example of loving concern for hurting people.  We come to You today and seek Your heart, so that we may display this same heart of compassion.  We lay our small and insufficient resources before You, trusting You to increase them for Your purposes.  Make us ready to share Your love where it is most needed.  Empower us through Your Holy Spirit to persist in lovingkindness.  Thank You for indicating that You would refill our resources so that we may indeed go from strength to strength.  We love You and worship You as King of kings and Lord of lords.  In Your Name, amen.

 

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February 24

Mark 7

I think it's great that we go to the doctor once a year and check the physical condition of our hearts.  The doctor listens for certain clues that indicate whether or not our hearts are in a healthy state.  What the doctor can't see, however, is the spiritual state of our hearts.  What hurts are we holding on to that might slip out of our mouths in the form of sarcasm or a hurtful comment?  I believe this is what Jesus is talking about when He says "what comes out of a  man is what makes him 'unclean'" (v.20)  In Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45, Jesus tells us that "the mouth speaks what the heart is full of". Jesus explains that what we put in our minds is what comes out of our mouths. Lord I pray for renewal and transformation for all of us.  Lord I pray the words we speak reflect that we know You, that we spend time with You, and that Your words are what we choose because we love You. 





Randi

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Psalm 40:1-10

I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;

He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.

Lord, I am grateful that You hear my cry. I thank You for being the Rock on which I can stand!

The Lord works in mysterious ways, and all I can say is that I am grateful to Him for all He has done and is doing in my life. It's so nice to take the passenger's seat and watch His works unfold. Practicing patience daily and waiting on the Lord; what a peaceful feeling.

February 22: Of difficult conversations...

Leviticus 13:1-59

Mark 6:1-29

Psalm 39:1-13

Proverbs 10:10

Today's reading on Leviticus laid the groundwork for some very tough conversations.  Consider: a priest examines someone and concludes they have are sick and God's laws demand they be cast out - from family, life and livelihood.  No room for doubt, no room for second chances till the person was healed.  Just cast out.  That would have been a tough conversation, but one the priest was duty-bound to have, however painful.  Israel wasn't a sinless people - were there those who protested, vociferously perhaps, even violently?  I don't know...but it is easy to imagine how they might have done so.  

The truth is, God calls us to have tough conversations -  often the ones that involve someone we care about doing something they oughtn't.  We are called to have these often - as parents, trying to raise our children properly; as managers and employers, trying to help build an employee's career; as coaches and teachers, trying to get our athletes and students to achieve more than their natural inclinations might permit them.  Some of these conversations are tougher than others.  Consider: when my daughter was a child, I could have a clear, strong conversation with her, and she had to obey.  Today, she is an adult, and the best I can offer is the guidance of advice, example and support (or withdrawal of such).  The conversations I have with her aren't as easy, and I know she has the option to agree and follow, or not. And I know she struggles with many of the concepts I put forward.

If they are difficult, why are we called to have these conversations?  Because of love.  Because we are called to love the people we are meant to have them with.  I love my daughter - so I try to raise her right.  I love my friends - so I try to keep them from doing themselves the harm I fear they will cause.  

You know who else was prepared to have a difficult conversation?  John the Baptist, for one.  He didn't have it with a daughter-turned-adult, he had it with Herod, who had wanted to hear him speak, and whom he told that it was wrong for him, Herod Antipas, to have divorced his wife, and to have married his brother's wife.  Herod didn't take too kindly to that, and had John the Baptist imprisoned and, eventually, beheaded.  Did John know that ticking the ruler off might cost him his life?  I imagine it must have crossed his mind - but he had the tough conversation anyway.  [An interesting side note: John was proven right - the divorce proved bad for Herod Antipas, as his former father in law Aretas then waged war against him, a war that ended in Antipas's death in exile.]

Today, these conversations may not get you beheaded.  But having them may still exact great cost.  The world demands silent acquiescence when it comes to so many topics, an acquiescence premised on misguided compassion, an acquiescence that runs contrary to God's laws which, to the faithful, means those who acquiesce court far worse consequences later on.  Abortion is one; infidelity and extramarital sex are two others.  Even race can often be discussed only in one way.  

How are we to respond?  Thankfully, we have an example in our Lord who, when confronted with sin, rejected the sin but loved the sinner.  For while He did not condemn the adulterous woman, yet still He made clear where He stood on her actions.  "Is there no one left to condemn you?  Then neither do I condemn you.  Go - and sin no more."

Father I pray we know You well enough to know Your will, and care enough for our fellow man to speak that will to them, however difficult, by example and by word, not in condemnation but in love.