tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42757921081125585312023-11-16T07:01:41.003-05:00UALC Daily WorshipBible Readings and Resources for your Time with God.Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.comBlogger4114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-23364926696752256192021-11-03T00:00:00.002-04:002021-11-03T00:00:00.213-04:00Sacrifice<p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>PRAYER PRACTICE</b></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pray out loud for God to speak to you through your reading. Thank God for giving us His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God through the passage.</span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>DAILY READING</b></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews+11%3A17-19&version=NIV">Hebrews 11:17-19</a></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>REFLECTION</b></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">by Katie Borden</span></span></p><p><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman";">Resurrection.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The more I read today’s passage, the more I’m overcome with the power of resurrection.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Aaron preached a few weeks ago from the Genesis text where the events that are referenced in this Hebrews passage are first introduced in Scripture. He reminded us that much of what we see happening here is a testament to the sacrifice that God made for us of his one and only Son, who was resurrected and who lives eternally. Thanks be to God!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">But before we talk any more about resurrection, we have to talk a little bit about death, for resurrection does not come without a death first.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">So let’s talk about sacrifice.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Sacrifice is often messy. It’s painful. That’s been true for a long time. In Abraham’s day, sacrifice meant something (or someone) had to die.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I think that is still true today, though the death may look a little bit different. Rather than laying down animals on an altar of stone, we find ourselves putting to death desires or dreams that may seem good in and of themselves, but are not what the Lord has in mind for us.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Real talk: I kind of despise sacrifice. Experiencing the dashing of dreams and the letting-go of loves is heart-wrenching and painful. But as I’ve laid relationships and careers and finances upon the altar of my heart, I’ve found that what I’m left with is Jesus. Not the anxiety of figuring out how to cling to the things I feared losing, but rather the presence of the One who allays all fears and brings more life and love and hope into my life than any of those things could possibly bring. The things that will suck life from me are put to death, and in their place I am granted the life-giving presence of the resurrected Jesus. What a move from death to life!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Now, if you or I had to make these sacrifices by our own power, we’d be sunk. The cost to our fleshly selves just seems too great, doesn’t it? But thanks be to God that his Spirit moves us toward life and works this life-giving faith in us, just as he did in Abraham. The Spirit of the Lord equipped Abraham to trust that God is always, always, <i>always</i>, <i>ALWAYS</i> faithful, and the promise we have of life in the Spirit is the most trustworthy and true gift we can receive.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Lord, grant us faith by Your Spirit to surrender the things that will put us to death, and instead open our hands to receive life in You.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-23334997595196658412021-10-28T00:00:00.005-04:002021-10-28T00:00:00.210-04:00Prosperity and Peace<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Deuteronomy++15%3A1-6&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Deuteronomy 15:1-6</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Prosperity and Peace</span></b></p><p>by Judy Webb</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I need to confess upfront that when I read these six verses
for this daily reading I flinched. First off, I knew I needed to research and
see just what this section is about. I am familiar with the Jubilee season, as
a number of years ago it was our (UALC’s) focus. It was during this time I
learned about the value of paying off debts and even more so, the value of not
acquiring debt in the first place. It was during this season our congregation
paid off a huge loan, making us debt-free.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu9yZQBDCDJQkiN5EHSzFAFEJolWUXk064FnS35jsaXuag5MFcBIZN8nfX6QAKZCWoTNO9ZtF-ib_pfyjoFX2_mPm6IENX13nRbiI0jX_Rr4tZjJR4McEKtF6BjkHs7Ee3iRZGcE6uKLm/s233/debt+free.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="233" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIu9yZQBDCDJQkiN5EHSzFAFEJolWUXk064FnS35jsaXuag5MFcBIZN8nfX6QAKZCWoTNO9ZtF-ib_pfyjoFX2_mPm6IENX13nRbiI0jX_Rr4tZjJR4McEKtF6BjkHs7Ee3iRZGcE6uKLm/s0/debt+free.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>A few years after this lesson, I took a class on gaining
financial independence, called “Financial Peace.” I still live by the principals
taught during this course. As I read up on this chapter of Leviticus in a commentary
I learned even more about the practice and importance of gaining financial
peace and independence.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">“At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This
is how it is done: every creditor shall cancel every loan they have made to a
fellow Israelite. They shall require payment from anyone from among their own
people, because the Lord’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed.”
(Deuteronomy 15:1-2)</span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">This was a common practice; money was always loaned with the
understanding that in seven years the debt would be canceled. So, there would
be no long-term debt. As Israel obeyed this command, there would never be a
permanent under-class in Israel. Ingenious! While some may have periods of misfortune,
there was always to opportunity to rebuild financially on a regular basis.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">While this is not widely practiced today, these principles
of obtaining financial peace are important. It is the way we control our
desires for more. It is how we learn to be content with what God has provided,
and in turn practicing generosity toward others. </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">“For the Lord your God will
bless you as He has promised…”</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">(verse 6</span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">a</i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">)</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span>Dear Jesus, </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Show me how to practice this sort of financial well-being. Bless the fruits of this effort with a generous spirit and a peace-filled life.</span></span></p>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-22507630351054006132021-10-27T00:00:00.001-04:002021-10-27T00:00:00.267-04:00<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LEV.27.1-25.NIV" target="_blank">Leviticus 27:1-25</a></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Deal or No Deal</span></b></p><p><i>by Judy Webb</i></p><p><i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Vow: a solemn promise, pledge,
or personal commitment; to dedicate or devote by a vow.</span></i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Our reading today in Leviticus
can be confusing, or one could simply dismiss it as not applicable to us today.
The lesson is about redeeming a promise or pledge to God. Have you ever found
yourself in a desperate situation and attempted to barter, or bargain with God?
How many of us have cried out to God words like: "Lord, if you will get me
out of this situation, if you will only make the cancer go away, if you will
provide the money I need, I will …" Fill in the blank. Likely we didn't
really mean to strike up a deal with God, but we didn't know how else to fix
the situation. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Making a vow to God was common
practice years ago. Faithful believers of God often showed their love and
devotion by offering up their belongings or dedicating a person to the Lord. In
1st Samuel we read about Hannah, Samuel's mother. She had been unable to
conceive because <i>"the Lord had closed her womb." </i>(1
Samuel 1:5) When she finally conceived and gave birth to Samuel she told her
husband, <i>"After the boy is weaned, I will take him and present him
before the Lord, and he will live there always."</i> (v.22)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">There are other vows that were
made with evil intent or self-serving motive. In the book of Judges 11:30-31 we
witness such a vow. <i>"</i></span><i><span style="background: white; color: #121212; font-size: 13.5pt;">Whatever comes out of the door of my house to
meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD’s, and I
will sacrifice it as a burnt offering.” Then Jephthah went over to fight the
Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. </span></i><span style="background: white; color: #121212; font-size: 13.5pt;">Unfortunately for
Jephthah, it was his only child who appeared at the door. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Praying to God his mercy and his help is different
from making a vow. Especially when our vows are more of a bargain. We think we are striking a
deal with God. When we have faith in God and
believe that he wants the best for us, we only need to pray and trust that <i>his
will be done</i>.</span><span style="font-family: "Bahnschrift",sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Dear Lord, give me the faith to pray and trust that you hear my plea. Your will is more important than my desire. Help me to realize that you only want what is best for me and those I love. Give me a heart to grasp that you see the big picture, and I don't. I will trust and obey you. Amen.</span></div>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-59309894984068181692021-10-26T00:00:00.048-04:002021-10-26T00:00:00.238-04:00Reward for Obedience and God's Commands<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><b style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com). This is the last day for fresh new content.</span></b></h3><p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 125%;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 125%;">Spoken Prayer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 125%;"> –
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;">Out
loud, pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving
us His word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what
you hear from God through the passage.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large; line-height: 125%;"><b>DAILY REA</b><b>DING</b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+26%3A1-13&version=NIV" target="_blank">Leviticus 26:1-13</a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></p><div data-draftjs-conductor-fragment="{"blocks":[{"key":"5v6ui","text":"Reward for Obedience and God's Commands","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}}],"entityMap":{},"VERSION":"8.55.3"}" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Reward for Obedience and God's Command</b></span>s</div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">by Tom Richards</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">Today’s reading is from the book of Leviticus.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">My study bible says “Exodus gave the
directions for building the tabernacle, and now Leviticus gives the laws and
regulations for worship there including instructions on ceremonial cleanness,
moral laws, holy days, the Sabbath year and the Year of Jubilee”.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">The theme of Leviticus is holiness.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt;">We read about holiness in Leviticus 20:7 and
several other places.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13pt; mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Consecrate
yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep my decrees and follow them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am the Lord who makes you holy.”</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;">With this background, our assigned reading highlights
two of the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus chapter
20).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The First Commandment as stated in
the Lutheran Catechism is “You shall have no other gods.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Third Commandment is “Remember the
Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;">I have often thought that if we could keep the First
Commandment we could probably do well with the remaining nine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Jews had a problem with idolatry throughout
their history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story of the golden
calf found in Exodus 32 is an example.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, don’t we have the same problem
today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Money, career, recreation, self …
all have a way of becoming “gods” in our life and inevitably, sin follows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;">And what about the Third Commandment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Exodus 31:12, we read <i>“Then the Lord said
to Moses, Say to the Israelites, you must observe my Sabbaths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will be a sign between me and you for
the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you
holy"</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Observing the Sabbath seems to
align with “You shall have no other gods.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we take time to honor God with worship and rest on Sundays, aren’t
we stopping our pursuit of other gods?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Isn’t this a way to show others and ourselves that God is important
enough to be our top priority --- that we have “no other gods”?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;">God called the Israelites to obedience to these
commandments because it was for their best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The remainder of our reading focuses on the blessings that resulted from
this obedience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does the same for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We may not always see “rain in its season”
from an earthly perspective, but clearly demonstrating obedience to God’s
commands leads us to our best life, and most importantly, a closer walk with
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 107%;">Father, thank-you for direction in our lives through
your commandments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that we can
never meet the requirements of the law through our own efforts, but because of
Jesus, we are justified and holy in your eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an incredible blessing!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen</span><o:p></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-69713164561721582802021-10-22T00:00:00.008-04:002021-10-22T00:00:00.277-04:00October 22 | Philippians 4:10-13<h1 style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p></h1><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><b style="font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com). This site will have new content until <u>October 26, 2021</u></span></b></h3><h1 style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">PRAYER PRACTICE<br /></span></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;">Pray out loud for God to speak to you through your reading. Thank God for giving us His Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God through the passage.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">DAILY READING<br /><br /><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PHP.4.10-13.NIV">Philippians 4:10-13</a><br /></span></span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">REFLECTION<br /></span></span></h1><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Contentment<br /></span></span></h3><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">by Pastor Jeff Morlock<br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><p style="background: white; line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUjJ0RulTcrRXPteS2M2tn2HytNNQ92XFacrXWekG9rtwCdwgIYKLk4kPvMG0EK1OV6nIjozpXEnZy7WdpM-wVPOXDWllpwnpUpaqxuzvZeDUKYwY195ajgLpe7VzAmABR5EumN1Y6jQ/s283/contentment+%25282%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="283" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSUjJ0RulTcrRXPteS2M2tn2HytNNQ92XFacrXWekG9rtwCdwgIYKLk4kPvMG0EK1OV6nIjozpXEnZy7WdpM-wVPOXDWllpwnpUpaqxuzvZeDUKYwY195ajgLpe7VzAmABR5EumN1Y6jQ/s0/contentment+%25282%2529.jpg" width="283" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We
humans are born dissatisfied.. From infancy we want what we want… <i>now</i>! By
nature we tend to seek what’s new and better and more. Biblical contentment is the opposite, though – <i>not</i> having everything you want, but wanting
everything you have! Like God’s love, grace, peace, hope, forgiveness, and more. Contentment is resting in Jesus and
his gifts. But our fallen hearts tend toward restlessness, and the desire to acquire,
which sometimes looks like loving things and using people. </span><br />
</span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="color: #404040;"><br /></span><span style="color: #404040;">
Notice how the sneaky apostle tries to subvert that tendency here by thanking
the Philippians for their concern on his behalf, and by reminding them that,
though he is in prison, he is completely trusting God to provide for all his
needs. And why wouldn’t he? If </span><span style="color: #333333;">God sent His Son to suffer, bleed, and die to save Paul from condemnation
on account of his sins, how could he not thank and trust God for the present
and future, too?</span><span style="color: #333333;"> </span><span style="color: #333333;">Though Paul was encouraged by and thankful for the gifts delivered
to him by </span><span class="text">Epaphroditus on behalf of the Philippian
congregation (v. 18), </span><span style="color: #404040;">he wants them to know that his well-being is <i>not</i>
dependent on outward circumstances; that neither being in want nor having
plenty can meet the deep needs of his heart, or theirs.<br />
<br />
In fact, Paul equally regards poverty and wealth as trials! We continually seek
the latter, of course. But Paul portrays both poverty and wealth as demanding
extremes that can weigh heavy on the human spirit, wreak havoc on our emotions,
and distort our personalities.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><span><span style="color: #404040;"><br /></span><span style="color: #404040;">
In fact, Paul equally regards poverty and wealth as trials! We continually seek
the latter, of course. But Paul portrays both poverty and wealth as demanding
extremes that can weigh heavy on the human spirit, wreak havoc on our emotions,
and distort our personalities.</span><span style="color: #333333;"> Yet t</span><span style="color: #404040;">he secret to victory over<i> both</i> of these challenging
circumstances is Christ, who supplies strength. A life lived in and through the
Lord is a life without strife, a life adequate to meet any demand placed upon
it, because of the sufficiency of Jesus. He is more than enough for every
situation, and continually available to those who believe<br />.</span><br /><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">For
your prayer time today, consider this: The opposite of contentment is covetousness.
Is there anything you’re coveting today that you need to confess? S</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">omething you want, something
you’re waiting for, or something you feel like you’ll never have that has
become an idol? </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Spend some time meditating upon Psalm 23:1. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;"><span>“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall
not be in wan</span>t” (I lack nothing).<br /></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 107%;">Prayer: Thank you,
God, for not always giving me what I want, for my desires are deceitful. Empower
me to let go of what my flesh desires and the world tells me I need so that I
may be completely satisfied in you and your provision. In Jesus’ name. Amen.</span></span></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Roboto; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></p></h4><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-25668646802920018232021-10-21T00:00:00.005-04:002021-10-21T00:00:00.277-04:00<p><span style="background-color: white;"><span data-offset-key="foo-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></span></p><h3><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com). This site will have new content until <u>October 26, 2021</u></span></b></h3><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span data-offset-key="foo-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>DAILY READING</b></span></span></span></p><div data-draftjs-conductor-fragment="{"blocks":[{"key":"3knig","text":"DAILY READING: ","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":16,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":14,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor1\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":14,"length":1,"key":0}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"eb6h9","text":"John 3:16-20 ","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":12,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":12,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":0,"length":12,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":12,"key":1}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"6mtf1","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"fs63i","text":"For more help use this Bible Study method","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"key":2}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"3cget","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":3}],"data":{}},{"key":"ecnl8","text":"REFLECTION","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":10,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"89fr4","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"4cf32","text":"Reflection Title","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"153r1","text":"by Author Name","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"fh0ph","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"6hu5d","text":"The reflection text goes here... Replace this placeholder text with your blog post. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"241kf","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"gim0","text":"If you decide to reference the scripture directly, please italicize like the example below. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"b7vhf","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"4udml","text":"And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":163,"style":"ITALIC"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"6dp37","text":"Revelation 19:9 ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"e5875","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"9thii","text":"To add an image, click on the round \"+\" button on the left of the line where it will go. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"fqc7v","text":"Click Here to an instruction video on formatting. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":49,"style":"UNDERLINE"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":49,"key":4}],"data":{}},{"key":"8672r","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"4amms","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":5}],"data":{}},{"key":"bha6u","text":"PRAYER PRACTICE","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"4ajmd","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"eund4","text":"Name of Practice: Description for prayer practice","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":16,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"21pv9","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"8cppi","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":6}],"data":{}},{"key":"8uquq","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}}],"entityMap":{"0":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.3.16-20","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"1":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.3.16-20","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"2":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"target":"_blank","rel":"","url":"https://docs.google.com/document/d/135ChIoV41CtVkiwCVJfLtKeiSzbmcYLQ7hXFNnOG0hQ/edit"}},"3":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"4":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://vimeo.com/591194886/23828f4475","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"5":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"6":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-image","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"config":{"alignment":"center","size":"content","showTitle":true,"showDescription":true,"textWrap":"wrap"},"src":{"id":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png","height":270,"width":1920,"original_file_name":"Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png","file_name":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png"}}}},"VERSION":"8.52.5"}" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><h3 class="_7WTt1 _3qYRK public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="cqjbl-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="cqjbl-0-0"><span style="color: #f89823;"><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/EXO.19.3-6.NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 19:3-6</a></span></div></h3><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="94vda-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="94vda-0-0"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="5s3bi-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="5s3bi-0-0"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="5s3bi-0-0"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Treasured</b></span></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="4jm0c-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="4jm0c-0-0"><span data-offset-key="4jm0c-0-0">by Judy Webb</span></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="f1j07-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="f1j07-0-0"><span data-offset-key="f1j07-0-0">
<p class="MsoNormal">Writing for Daily Worship has helped me to fall in love with God’s Word. My passion for it has deepened and I find it such fun as well as a joy to discern what the respective readings say to me. I enjoy digging deep and discovering how God wants to talk to me each day. Sometimes He is telling me to keep doing what I am doing, sometimes I sense He is communicating a change needs to happen. Other times I just relish the feel of love and acceptance from the words written on the pages of my Bible.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The reading today is no exception. I have to share with you that I have struggled with contentment these past few years; especially since retiring, selling my home of 40+years, and moving into a condo community. I longed for the days when I had a bigger place, a backyard I could spend time gardening in. It was so bad that I began to dream of buying another home and going into debt. How ridiculous.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span class="text"><i><span style="background: white;">“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself.</span> <b><sup> </sup></b>Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.” </i></span>(Exodus 19:4-5)<o:p></o:p></span></p>Then God used my negative attitude, and my ungrateful heart, to teach me a lesson in contentment. As I would whine about my life, I sensed God’s displeasure. I began to examine all he had done for me up to this time and was ashamed of my ungrateful spirit. He has provided for me is so many ways, and none of which do I deserve. <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">HE IS ENOUGH. I should know that when I look back at my life and see his hand everywhere. I see the times he <i>‘carried me on eagle’s wings’, </i>the times he bailed me out of financial troubles, when he rescued my heart from grief and assured me that I would see my husband again. When I honestly take a good hard look at where I am and at all I have because of his goodness, I realize I am a treasured possession.</p><p class="MsoNormal">God told Moses to tell the Israelites that they too will be His treasured possession when they obey him fully and keep his covenant. As God’s people we must be set apart and we must think and act differently than the world in general. It will be more than enough when we realize we are Prized Possessions. <o:p></o:p></p></span></div></div><h2 class="_2G1WZ _3qYRK public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="636l0-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="636l0-0-0"><span data-offset-key="636l0-0-0">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></div></h2><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="865le-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="865le-0-0"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Prayer </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Journal</span></b><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> – To begin </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">your daily worship today, grab a pen and paper and write out a prayer to God. </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Give thanks to God for all that He gives. And then finish with supplication –</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">with your prayer requests to God. When you are done, tuck this away somewhere </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">(so you can read it later and see how God has answered your prayers) and then </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">move into hearing from God through His Word.</span></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr rich_content_line-height-1_38" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-0">
</div></div><figure class="_2zSkX _2xaV9" contenteditable="false" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="5enbs-0-0"><div class="_1BaDs _2OtS3 CKAfH _1CBud _3L9s_ _1au4D f3bms4w _3eCPQ undefined kWFic" data-focus="true" role="none" style="cursor: default; position: relative;" width="20"><div class="_2kEVY" data-hook="imageViewer" role="button" tabindex="0"><div class="_3WJnn f3bms4w"><img aria-hidden="true" class="OzAYt _3ii3f" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_300,h_300,al_c,q_5/file.png" style="opacity: 0;" /><img class="OzAYt _3xs9_" height="123" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_1110,h_156,al_c,q_90/620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.webp" style="opacity: 1;" width="874" /></div><div></div><div></div></div><div class="aWTlU" data-hook="componentOverlay" draggable="true" role="none"></div></div></figure><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0"><span data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0"></span></div></div></div>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-82046555064838146682021-10-20T00:00:00.007-04:002021-10-20T00:00:00.256-04:00Pictures of God's Kindness<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+2%3A17-23&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ruth 2:17-23</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">Pictures of God's </span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Kindness</b></span></p><p>by Karen Burkhart</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Savvy students of the Bible know to always be on the lookout
for the grand story of God in the telling of the Bible's many little stories.
Scholars call this grand, overarching story, the metanarrative. The
metanarrative of the Bible is the story of the redemption of mankind by Jesus
Christ. It is, perhaps, no more beautifully showcased than in the book of Ruth.
I encourage you to read through all four chapters of this layered love story in
one sitting to see the clearest display of the redemptive theme. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">As you read, you may notice that God is not mentioned often,
though it'll be hard to miss His incredible “behind-the-scenes” involvement in
the story of Ruth. And though you'll find no mention of the coming Messiah, you
will uncover an irresistible picture of Him in the person of Boaz, making him a
“type” of Christ. A type is something or someone from the Old Testament that
foreshadows something or someone in the New Testament. I love the wisdom of God
to weave such foretastes of Jesus into the Word of God--and into the very lives
of those who came before Him.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Knowing that Boaz is a type of Christ, it’s good to ask,
“What does the person of Boaz teach me about what Christ is like?” Of course,
we have to be careful to avoid making one-to-one comparisons because Boaz IS
NOT Christ. From today’s passage, I think it’s safe to say that Boaz typifies
Christ in three ways: </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">1) He notices the marginalized 2) He shows relentless
kindness to the living and the dead and 3) He redeems people.</b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Certainly,
the book of Ruth is not the only place in the Bible we uncover these traits of
Christ, which lends greater confidence to my assertions. Also bearing witness,
though far less reliable than Scripture, is my own personal experience walking
with Christ. </span><b style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just this week, in fact, I experienced this Christ who notices
the marginalized and never stops showing kindness to the living and the dead.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">While in Canada helping my dad get settled into his new
apartment, I noticed his walls were looking a little sterile and needed some art.
Adding warmth and interest to my dad's surroundings is more important than ever
now that my mom is gone. Because my dad lives in a small rural community with
few stores, I decided to see what Facebook Marketplace may have to offer. I set
the market radius to about an hour’s drive from my dad’s apartment hoping it
would turn up a few suitable pieces. And it did! My dad dismissed one for not
being his style and then we learned another had already been sold, so we were
left with just two options and they were ideal in color and size. I texted both
sellers individually and told them I was interested but would need to figure
out how to pick up the art since they were both about an hour from us. On a
whim, before hitting send, I also let the sellers know where we were located.
The thought crossed my mind, “you never know—they might happen to have a reason
to travel our way.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP6-90H1dDqsjEv9INR9Y4mr96wVCR1N1BE_DVEytyQLn-okdMXwKpWzghbCtvnB5OKcVSaBVzpB09XJJ02iu1owfXuMXuOaTNin6NTA8CMTUHTvCcqHniqOwNlfgmj9uN_IiSX2ly8bt/s960/karen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwP6-90H1dDqsjEv9INR9Y4mr96wVCR1N1BE_DVEytyQLn-okdMXwKpWzghbCtvnB5OKcVSaBVzpB09XJJ02iu1owfXuMXuOaTNin6NTA8CMTUHTvCcqHniqOwNlfgmj9uN_IiSX2ly8bt/w150-h200/karen.jpg" width="150" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not long after, I got a response from one seller and she
said, “My husband is going to be in your town tomorrow night, and he could drop
it off for you!” Then, she added, “I just noticed you enquired about a second
piece as well? Do you want both?” I was floored--I hadn’t even noticed it was
the same seller for both and couldn’t believe that we would be getting
home-delivery! The next night, right on time, a nice young man came to my dad’s
door with the artwork in hand. I immediately hung the pieces and stood back and
marveled--they fit perfectly and the colors coordinated with everything else in
the room, as if I had designed the room around them.</span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><!--[if mso & !supportInlineShapes & supportFields]><span
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</v:shape><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span><![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Finally, I marveled at my God who notices the empty wall
spaces of an</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gPTroj6JlSn5P2aHJmjoftA0G9k2mkpXG7UCTCahUFz1njZDbmaV-FlHWsxtawCCW4AG2YV1mgl6NNJKuKfpQLxHyPgZAuz0YXTVOcM2NE58-aONSn5CfnH69pgiCbiIiZuq4rdHULyF/s960/karen+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gPTroj6JlSn5P2aHJmjoftA0G9k2mkpXG7UCTCahUFz1njZDbmaV-FlHWsxtawCCW4AG2YV1mgl6NNJKuKfpQLxHyPgZAuz0YXTVOcM2NE58-aONSn5CfnH69pgiCbiIiZuq4rdHULyF/w200-h150/karen+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">eighty-five-year-old widower living on his own for the first time
in his life. And He didn’t just notice him, He also showed great kindness by
arranging for personal delivery in a timely fashion so I could hang them before
I left town. You know who else God showed kindness to? My mom. God answered her
prayers for my dad to be cared for after her passing. You see, not even death
can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39)<o:p></o:p></span><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p><br /></p>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-48862817836932937442021-10-19T00:00:00.008-04:002021-10-20T13:21:09.024-04:00The Lord Will Provide - A Place and a Promise<h3 style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com). This site will have new content until <u>October 26, 2021</u></span></b></h3><h2>DAILY READING:</h2><h2><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.bible.com/bible/111/gen.22.1-18.niv">Genesis 22:1-18</a></span></div></h2><div data-draftjs-conductor-fragment="{"blocks":[{"key":"bl4mv","text":"DAILY READING: ","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":16,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":14,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor1\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":14,"length":1,"key":0}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"5b43o","text":"Genesis 22:1-18","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"key":1}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"d9bse","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"a9idk","text":"For more help use this Bible Study method","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"key":2}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"adgd1","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":3}],"data":{}},{"key":"cr87j","text":"REFLECTION","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":10,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"dq6ih","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"bh7an","text":"The Lord Will Provide - A Place and a Promise ","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"d5s51","text":"by Dan Kidd","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"4cmbg","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"3tiof","text":"Knowing what we know about God, this is an odd and uncomfortable story. We know that ours is not a God who demands sacrifice for his pleasure—especially not human sacrifice. He is the God of life, love, and provision. But this this is an important early chapter, as Abraham (and with him, all of humanity) is learning about who Yahweh is relative to the gods and religions around them. Yahweh had, to this point, been ambivalent about how much he could trust Yahweh. He’d followed God out of his homeland and been promised the blessing of a nation more numerous than the stars—blessed that through him, the world would be blessed. But Abraham had often acted in his own self-preservation, looking not for Yahweh’s provision; twice he’d lied about his relationship with Sarah (fearing the for his safety, he’d claimed she was not his wife, but his sister, and then handing her over to be the bride of Pharaoh and the Abimelek). Abraham had also come to doubt God’s promise about his bearing a son, and so he married Hagar despite Yahweh’s plan that Sarah would birth Isaac. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"ctomn","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"60dft","text":"Despite his failures, Yahweh had been faithful to care for Abraham. In today’s passage, we see evidence that Abraham may have learned his lesson. God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac—his “only son”—in Moriah. But when Isaac becomes curious that the sacrificial lamb is conspicuously missing, Abraham responds, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Perhaps Abraham now understands the Lord’s character enough to trust that despite appearances, Yahweh will come through once again. His faith is confirmed. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"85uk4","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7vujj","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":4}],"data":{}},{"key":"b03hq","text":"Abraham named that mount in Moriah his learned confession, “The Lord will Provide.” There would now be a place on the map, a mountain standing tall and true, that proclaims the character and care of our God. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"a0kjs","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7e2ng","text":"This is the truth about God: He will provide. We can trust that God is for us—that what he says will be will be. Certainly, there have been times, and there are times to come, when all does not seem right or well to us—times where we’ve convinced ourselves that our fate rests on our grit and cunning. But Abraham learned otherwise. Let us have faith that God is generous and capable, and let us put our full trust in his will and way.","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"17v5t","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7dd42","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":5}],"data":{}},{"key":"dmcvv","text":"PRAYER PRACTICE","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"978vg","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"arrv7","text":"Cup Prayer: This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":10,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"drmad","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"6pl7q","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":6}],"data":{}},{"key":"79us5","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}}],"entityMap":{"0":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.3.16-20","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"1":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://www.bible.com/bible/111/gen.22.1-18.niv","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"2":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"target":"_blank","rel":"","url":"https://docs.google.com/document/d/135ChIoV41CtVkiwCVJfLtKeiSzbmcYLQ7hXFNnOG0hQ/edit"}},"3":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"4":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-image","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"config":{"alignment":"right","size":"small","showTitle":true,"showDescription":true,"textWrap":"wrap"},"src":{"id":"23d42a_2e8d894a09df4e86bd1ddc070d666c3c~mv2.jpg","height":3248,"width":4872,"original_file_name":"pexels-pixabay-417173.jpg","file_name":"23d42a_2e8d894a09df4e86bd1ddc070d666c3c~mv2.jpg"}}},"5":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"6":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-image","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"config":{"alignment":"center","size":"content","showTitle":true,"showDescription":true,"textWrap":"wrap"},"src":{"id":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png","height":270,"width":1920,"original_file_name":"Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png","file_name":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png"}}}},"VERSION":"8.55.3"}"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></div><div data-draftjs-conductor-fragment="{"blocks":[{"key":"bl4mv","text":"DAILY READING: ","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":16,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":14,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor1\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":14,"length":1,"key":0}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"5b43o","text":"Genesis 22:1-18","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"BOLD"},{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"key":1}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"d9bse","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"a9idk","text":"For more help use this Bible Study method","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"UNDERLINE"},{"offset":23,"length":18,"style":"{\"FG\":\"textColor5\"}"}],"entityRanges":[{"offset":23,"length":18,"key":2}],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"adgd1","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":3}],"data":{}},{"key":"cr87j","text":"REFLECTION","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":10,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"dq6ih","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"bh7an","text":"The Lord Will Provide - A Place and a Promise ","type":"header-three","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"d5s51","text":"by Dan Kidd","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"4cmbg","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"3tiof","text":"Knowing what we know about God, this is an odd and uncomfortable story. We know that ours is not a God who demands sacrifice for his pleasure—especially not human sacrifice. He is the God of life, love, and provision. But this this is an important early chapter, as Abraham (and with him, all of humanity) is learning about who Yahweh is relative to the gods and religions around them. Yahweh had, to this point, been ambivalent about how much he could trust Yahweh. He’d followed God out of his homeland and been promised the blessing of a nation more numerous than the stars—blessed that through him, the world would be blessed. But Abraham had often acted in his own self-preservation, looking not for Yahweh’s provision; twice he’d lied about his relationship with Sarah (fearing the for his safety, he’d claimed she was not his wife, but his sister, and then handing her over to be the bride of Pharaoh and the Abimelek). Abraham had also come to doubt God’s promise about his bearing a son, and so he married Hagar despite Yahweh’s plan that Sarah would birth Isaac. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"ctomn","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"60dft","text":"Despite his failures, Yahweh had been faithful to care for Abraham. In today’s passage, we see evidence that Abraham may have learned his lesson. God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac—his “only son”—in Moriah. But when Isaac becomes curious that the sacrificial lamb is conspicuously missing, Abraham responds, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Perhaps Abraham now understands the Lord’s character enough to trust that despite appearances, Yahweh will come through once again. His faith is confirmed. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"85uk4","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7vujj","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":4}],"data":{}},{"key":"b03hq","text":"Abraham named that mount in Moriah his learned confession, “The Lord will Provide.” There would now be a place on the map, a mountain standing tall and true, that proclaims the character and care of our God. ","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"a0kjs","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7e2ng","text":"This is the truth about God: He will provide. We can trust that God is for us—that what he says will be will be. Certainly, there have been times, and there are times to come, when all does not seem right or well to us—times where we’ve convinced ourselves that our fate rests on our grit and cunning. But Abraham learned otherwise. Let us have faith that God is generous and capable, and let us put our full trust in his will and way.","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"17v5t","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"7dd42","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":5}],"data":{}},{"key":"dmcvv","text":"PRAYER PRACTICE","type":"header-two","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":15,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{"dynamicStyles":{"line-height":"1.38"}}},{"key":"978vg","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"arrv7","text":"Cup Prayer: This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":10,"style":"BOLD"}],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"drmad","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}},{"key":"6pl7q","text":" ","type":"atomic","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[{"offset":0,"length":1,"key":6}],"data":{}},{"key":"79us5","text":"","type":"unstyled","depth":0,"inlineStyleRanges":[],"entityRanges":[],"data":{}}],"entityMap":{"0":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.3.16-20","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"1":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"url":"https://www.bible.com/bible/111/gen.22.1-18.niv","target":"_blank","rel":""}},"2":{"type":"LINK","mutability":"MUTABLE","data":{"target":"_blank","rel":"","url":"https://docs.google.com/document/d/135ChIoV41CtVkiwCVJfLtKeiSzbmcYLQ7hXFNnOG0hQ/edit"}},"3":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"4":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-image","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"config":{"alignment":"right","size":"small","showTitle":true,"showDescription":true,"textWrap":"wrap"},"src":{"id":"23d42a_2e8d894a09df4e86bd1ddc070d666c3c~mv2.jpg","height":3248,"width":4872,"original_file_name":"pexels-pixabay-417173.jpg","file_name":"23d42a_2e8d894a09df4e86bd1ddc070d666c3c~mv2.jpg"}}},"5":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-divider","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"type":"single","config":{"size":"large","alignment":"center","textWrap":"nowrap"}}},"6":{"type":"wix-draft-plugin-image","mutability":"IMMUTABLE","data":{"config":{"alignment":"center","size":"content","showTitle":true,"showDescription":true,"textWrap":"wrap"},"src":{"id":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png","height":270,"width":1920,"original_file_name":"Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png","file_name":"620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png"}}}},"VERSION":"8.55.3"}"><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Lord Will Provide - A Place and a Promise</h3><h4 style="text-align: left;">by Dan Kidd</h4><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="2c48j-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2c48j-0-0"><p style="text-align: left;"><span data-offset-key="2c48j-0-0">Knowing what we know about God, this is an odd and uncomfortable story. We know that ours is not a God who demands sacrifice for his pleasure—especially not human sacrifice. He is the God of life, love, and provision. But this this is an important early chapter, as Abraham (and with him, all of humanity) is learning about who Yahweh is relative to the gods and religions around them. Yahweh had, to this point, been ambivalent about how much he could trust Yahweh. He’d followed God out of his homeland and been promised the blessing of a nation more numerous than the stars—blessed that through him, the world would be blessed. But Abraham had often acted in his own self-preservation, looking not for Yahweh’s provision; twice he’d lied about his relationship with Sarah (fearing the for his safety, he’d claimed she was not his wife, but his sister, and then handing her over to be the bride of Pharaoh and the Abimelech). Abraham had also come to doubt God’s promise about his bearing a son, and so he married Hagar despite Yahweh’s plan that Sarah would birth Isaac. </span></p></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="86ah-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="86ah-0-0"><span data-offset-key="86ah-0-0">Despite his failures, Yahweh had been faithful to care for Abraham. In today’s passage, we see evidence that Abraham may have learned his lesson. God calls Abraham to sacrifice Isaac—his “only son”—in Moriah. But when Isaac becomes curious that the sacrificial lamb is conspicuously missing, Abraham responds, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Perhaps Abraham now understands the Lord’s character enough to trust that despite appearances, Yahweh will come through once again. His faith is confirmed. </span></div></div><figure class="_2zSkX _2xaV9" contenteditable="false" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="3ru4m-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1BaDs CKAfH Pm7AB _2k5Ep _1vY1i _3cenV f3bms4w _3eCPQ undefined kWFic" data-focus="true" role="none" style="cursor: default; position: relative;" width="20"><div class="_2kEVY" data-hook="imageViewer" role="button" tabindex="0"><div></div><div></div></div><div class="aWTlU" data-hook="componentOverlay" draggable="true" role="none"></div></div></figure><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="2fuf-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2fuf-0-0"><span data-offset-key="2fuf-0-0"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzxqN2D6Qg9CMswVr4Zi1nu-OKIK0YZqWBZ-HxP2vdO_OK9bkn3VudF8CH-i6wrHQvbChgzhu1dq29zyYNWKLgp3KM0H4iBDO7VVUwCA3iXiEMhgPYuBc4S9GnyUVsh9yMenIny7X7AkZ6AAsj5eX2UpYH_rz8h6T47p_MXh6OkffxUDZR_-t57cYz=s2048" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzxqN2D6Qg9CMswVr4Zi1nu-OKIK0YZqWBZ-HxP2vdO_OK9bkn3VudF8CH-i6wrHQvbChgzhu1dq29zyYNWKLgp3KM0H4iBDO7VVUwCA3iXiEMhgPYuBc4S9GnyUVsh9yMenIny7X7AkZ6AAsj5eX2UpYH_rz8h6T47p_MXh6OkffxUDZR_-t57cYz=w275-h183" width="275" /></a></div>Abraham named that mount in Moriah his learned confession, “The Lord will Provide.” There would now be a place on the map, a mountain standing tall and true, that proclaims the character and care of our God. </span></div><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2fuf-0-0"><span data-offset-key="2fuf-0-0"><br /></span></div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="2mkk4-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="2mkk4-0-0">This is the truth about God: He will provide. We can trust that God is for us—that what he says will be will be. Certainly, there have been times, and there are times to come, when all does not seem right or well to us—times where we’ve convinced ourselves that our fate rests on our grit and cunning. But Abraham learned otherwise. Let us have faith that God is generous and capable, and let us put our full trust in his will and way.</div></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="8ihoe-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="8ihoe-0-0"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">PRAYER PRACTICE</h2></div><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-0"><span data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-0" style="font-weight: bold;">Cup Prayer</span><span data-offset-key="ctcj2-0-1">: This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.</span></div></div><figure class="_2zSkX _2xaV9" contenteditable="false" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="5enbs-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1BaDs _2OtS3 CKAfH _1CBud _3L9s_ _1au4D f3bms4w _3eCPQ undefined kWFic" data-focus="true" role="none" style="cursor: default; position: relative;" width="20"><div class="_2kEVY" data-hook="imageViewer" role="button" tabindex="0"><div class="_3WJnn f3bms4w"><img aria-hidden="true" class="OzAYt _3ii3f" src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/620454_ede5e97015644e5ea01c3f4576ee04e7~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_300,h_300,al_c,q_5/file.png" style="opacity: 0;" /></div><div></div><div></div></div><div class="aWTlU" data-hook="componentOverlay" draggable="true" role="none"></div></div></figure><div class="_25Ehb _3qYRK Zn7O0 public-DraftStyleDefault-block-depth0 public-DraftStyleDefault-text-ltr" data-block="true" data-editor="editor" data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="public-DraftStyleDefault-block public-DraftStyleDefault-ltr" data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0"><span data-offset-key="9i4b5-0-0"></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-31614902180398879302021-10-18T00:00:00.025-04:002021-10-18T00:00:00.298-04:00My Grace Is Sufficient<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="color: #114499; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com)</span></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></b></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 18pt;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Out loud, pray for God to
speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving us His word. Ask the
Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God
through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 18pt;">DAILY READING</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+12%3A7-10&version=ESV">2
Corinthians 12:7-10</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 18pt;">DEVOTION / REFLECTION</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My Grace is
Sufficient<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Pr. Dave Mann<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This passage
is a favorite of many. Perhaps that is
because we can identify with people who are honest about their challenges in
life. The Apostle Paul accomplished so
many great and glorious things in his life, and yet he still had difficulties. Not every prayer uttered by Paul did the Lord
answer the way Paul wanted. He prayed
three times for the Lord to remove this thorn, but the Lord had answered with a
different plan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The question
comes to mind, “What was this thorn in the flesh that Paul had?” There is indeed no end to the speculations. Commentators have imagined all manner of
diseases and infirmities. Here are the
two which are the most commonly proposed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Weak speaking
ability or a speech impediment -- It is hard to imagine the Apostle Paul not
being able to communicate well or that he stuttered, but in 2 Corinthians 10:10,
he echoes back to the Corinthians their critique of his speaking ability. <i>“His speech is of no account!”</i><br /><br /></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Poor eyesight –
You recall, of course, that Paul was blinded by a great light during his
conversion experience. That blindness
lasted three days. And though Paul was
healed of the blindness through the prayer of Ananias, some have theorized that
there were linger effects. In Galatians
6:11, Paul comments on his handwriting style which was marked by large letters.</span></span></li></ul><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But these are
just theories, nothing definitive. We
will probably never know this side of heaven the specific identity of Paul’s
thorn in the flesh. And I think it a good
thing that we don’t know. As it is, each
of us can imagine the Apostle being plagued by something similar to our own
challenges. The Holy Spirit can create a
bridge between Paul and us, and also the One who was sufficient for Paul can be
sufficient for us as well. We can easily
consider, “If Paul needed the grace of God, how much more do I need it? If Paul could be made strong in his weakness,
then God can do a similar work in me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here can be
our motto:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness…For when I am weak then I am strong.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit, serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before you pray, identify your thorn in the flesh. <i>Lord God, Healer, Sanctifier, do your work in me that I may behold
your healing power when you so choose.
Let me also experience your sanctifying power as I discover that your
grace is sufficient to sustain me during life’s difficulties. In Jesus’ name. Amen.</i></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-35012677665793767232021-10-17T00:00:00.045-04:002021-10-17T00:00:00.260-04:00He is Enough<p><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;">Lectio</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"> –
Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God
to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now
ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may
mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready
to really hear from God through His Word.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+16%3A1-18&version=NIV"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Exodus 16:1-18</span></a></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>He Is Enough</b></span></p><p>by Elaine Pierce</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt 45 days ago. They witnessed the parting of the Red Sea that saved them from the Egyptians who would have surely captured them, killed many of them, and enslaved them again. God delivered them from Pharaoh. They were headed to the Promised Land. But what are they doing, just 45 days into this trip? They are complaining.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>"In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.....If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." </i> Exodus 16:2-3. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S8LfwmtG_biNStHwXvAXv5z_RlCzhlfJe4T7vVodYbmSBmMnb6SswOx2ytx2Yb4fhyRp26nstJSZMb4v6Ng8Jz1msCWdc9Sz4LjBC5akJtC1Mz1_A0r6YbyaTKlRVP_GYiG5edH_CKQ7/s300/enough.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="211" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4S8LfwmtG_biNStHwXvAXv5z_RlCzhlfJe4T7vVodYbmSBmMnb6SswOx2ytx2Yb4fhyRp26nstJSZMb4v6Ng8Jz1msCWdc9Sz4LjBC5akJtC1Mz1_A0r6YbyaTKlRVP_GYiG5edH_CKQ7/s0/enough.jpg" width="211" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">They direct their complaints to Moses and Aaron, but Moses rightly reminds them that he and Aaron are obeying God's commands: "You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord." And then, God himself appears: "There was the glory of the Lord appearing in the cloud." The rest of this chapter and describes the manna from heaven that God provided for his people. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Would I have been among the complainers just 45 days into this journey? Unfortunately, I think I would have joined in the chorus of negativity. It's so easy to lose sight of God's promises when there are bumps in the road. When the rain comes, I long for blue skies and sunshine. It's easy to get discouraged when I focus on the problems instead of the Problem Solver. When the people followed Moses' directions, they found that they each had enough food for each day. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a beloved Passover song called "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p1pabOX3fc">Dayenu,</a> " Dayenu is Hebrew for "it is enough." Listen to the song and the words, and thank God for giving you enough. He blessed Abraham, and promised to make him the Father of a great nation. He keeps his promises. We so easily fall into sin and are lost when we lose sight of his goodness and faithfulness. And yet, he welcomes us back with open arms. I could conclude with many, many verses that focus on God's promises. Here's one that I long for you to hold onto:</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Psalm 145:8-9: The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. </span></b></p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-19515351531966499592021-10-16T00:00:00.048-04:002021-10-16T00:00:00.287-04:00Stand Firm<p><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com)</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DAILY
READING</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #121212; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/EXO.14.13-18">Exodus 14:13-18</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Do I Believe This?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">by Mary Alice McGinnis</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">One year ago in September, I went
in for an overdue annual mammogram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
next day, I received that phone call, saying that I needed to schedule a follow
up exam for an ultrasound. </span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">They scheduled me for an appointment on Monday, September
29, 2020.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">On Friday at 6 pm, I received an automated
voice message that said, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“You have an appointment on
Monday, September 29<sup>th</sup> at 9 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">You have an appointment on
Monday, September 29 at 10:15 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">You have an appointment on
Monday, September 29 at 11:30 am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">You have an appointment on
Monday, September 29<sup>th</sup> at 12:15 pm.”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My heart went into panic mode, I knew
this was serious.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">It was after 6 pm on a
Friday, so there was no one I could call for an explanation as to WHY I had
been scheduled for so many appointments.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Trying to stay calm, I called my
boss, “I won’t be in to work on Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
have to have some more tests.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A flood
of tears came bursting out, barely able to squeak out the next words, “I think
I have cancer.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">That weekend, I determined to
memorize this scripture and hold on to it, no matter what was ahead:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through
your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has
happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” <a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/PHP.1.NIV" target="_blank">Philippians 1:18b-19</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">In today’s reading, Moses is
standing before the Israelites who are fleeing </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Pharaoh</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Things are not looking good.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Their situation seems impossible.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There seems to be no way out.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Yet Moses confidently stands
before them and says, <i>“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the
deliverance the Lord will bring you today.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">How could he be so confident?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He held on to one truth, the truth God Himself
had told him. “The Egyptians will know
that <b>I am the Lord when I gain glory</b> through Pharaoh, his chariots and
his horsemen.” </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">We don’t always know what God’s deliverance
will look like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we DO know that He
loves us more than we can possibly imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, He made the ultimate sacrifice for us, giving up His Only,
Beloved Son, to save us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">When I finally heard those
terrifying words, “Mary, you have stage 1 breast cancer,</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">”</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> I had to let that
reality set in.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Then I began to cling tightly to
the rest of Paul’s words in Philippians 1:20.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18.6667px;">“</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed,
but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted
in my body, whether by life or by death.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 18.6667px;">”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/PHP.1.20" target="_blank">Philippians 1:20</a></span></p>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Where in your life is God calling you to a deeper level of trust?</span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjacI0d5RJJoofWWcuvLmZpFmhbjjDo2e4LPKdWVpVRi4U0jKFxqT_AbY2g3SoveByMK4PAHy2zsg6fPL8DIfjeu7rVK96TvnMiQwfiSnkVLwFE6KIzAzznx01kot7F2BFhA9k0nhIYmfGUE-NOR31Wqb5oNGYP99kyR9dOun0L8nZxueWJ0acBTppVZA=s259" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjacI0d5RJJoofWWcuvLmZpFmhbjjDo2e4LPKdWVpVRi4U0jKFxqT_AbY2g3SoveByMK4PAHy2zsg6fPL8DIfjeu7rVK96TvnMiQwfiSnkVLwFE6KIzAzznx01kot7F2BFhA9k0nhIYmfGUE-NOR31Wqb5oNGYP99kyR9dOun0L8nZxueWJ0acBTppVZA" width="259" /></a></div><p></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What terrifying, insurmountable circumstances
in your life are begging you to ask,</span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">“Do I really believe that God
loves me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Do I really trust Him NO MATTER
WHAT?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Do I believe in His own divine
time, in His own perfect way, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">HE WILL DELIVER ME? </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Not for my comfort and ease, but
for HIS GLORY?”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your amazing
Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also thank You for the
impossible circumstances in my life that are teaching me how much You love me.
Help me in my weakness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fill me with You
Holy Spirit’s power so I can confidently hold on to this promise, <i>“Do not be
afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you
today.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24pt;">Prayer Practice</span></b></p><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Cup Prayer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin, and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety, or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.</span></p>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-27534820883937434722021-10-15T00:00:00.128-04:002021-10-15T00:00:00.265-04:00The Plague of the First Born<p><b style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found </span><a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (</span><a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-weight: 400;">) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com)</span></b></p><p><b style="font-size: x-large;">DAILY READING</b></p><p><b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+11%3A1-10&version=NIV" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: medium;">Exodus 11:1-10</span></a></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>DEVOTION/REFLECTION</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Plague of the First Born</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By David Thompson</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As a child, at times I didn't have a great relationship to my older brother. I was a middle child and he was three years older. No matter how many times I heard the Sunday school story of Moses and the plagues, I never remember wishing the 10th plague on my brother. I don't believe anyone in modern times or even New Testament times thinks about God allowing plagues to be visited on a whole group of people. Yes, some television preachers have been heard saying that this disease or those viruses are God putting a curse on a group of people. However, as much as when the "bad guys" get it, it is tempting to attribute that to God, it is not true.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In today's passage, it is said that "God hardened Pharaoh's heart." I've read this a number of times throughout my life and believed it as written, however, with further study, it became clear to me that God doesn't work that way. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart, long before the plagues. The same can be true with us today. God doesn't cause calamity to fall on us, but rather our own choices bring consequences that are oft times bad or hurtful. And look at Pharaoh's final response to Moses and to God. He simply wanted all Hebrews (Moses and God) to go and not come back. This decision instead of going to God and repenting of his sins was a bad one.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">How many times do we make a similar mistake? We try to fix it ourselves or we may even blame God and harden ourselves against God. We do this instead of doing what God wants us, and Pharaoh, to do in such bad times. God wants us not to leave His presence, but instead, He wants us to come closer to Him. When bad times hit, pray. God, through Jesus Christ, will always forgive us of our sins and draw us near to Him. In so doing we can see a situation more clearly and take the steps needed to come out of the other side of the problem. And perhaps, if we cannot take care of the problem by staying in it, He will show us a way out.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Dear God, help us today to know that you don't cause our troubles, but that you are always there to help us. Bring us nearer to you and as always forgive us of those things that too often we bring on ourselves by the hardening of our hearts. Thank you. Amen.</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 23.3333px;">Lectio</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: 400; line-height: 23.3333px;"> – Read today’s passage through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now ask God to help you see what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Don’t expect to get a clear word every time but always be ready to really hear from God through His Word.</span></span></b></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-52784700943954420292021-10-14T00:00:00.156-04:002021-10-14T00:00:00.302-04:00Darkness That Can Be Felt<p><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fff2cc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Dear Readers, We want to let you know that we are moving to a new platform. Your morning reflections can now be found <a href="http://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" target="_blank">here</a>. You can sign up to have them emailed to you each day, just like you do now on this site. Again, the new platform is located on the UALC website. (<a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship">https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship</a>) Contact Judy Webb if you have questions (judithannie.webb@gmail.com)</span></p><p><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 18pt;">PRAYER
PRACTICE</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Prayer Journal</span></b><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> – To begin your daily worship today,
grab a pen and paper and write out a prayer to God. Give thanks to God for all
that He gives. And then finish with supplication – with your prayer requests to
God. When you are done, tuck this away somewhere (so you can read it later and
see how God has answered your prayers) and then move into hearing from God
through His Word.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DAILY READING</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Exodus+10%3A21-29&version=NIV" target="_blank"><o:p> Exodus 10:21-29</o:p></a></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DEVOTION / REFLECTION</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Darkness That Can Be Felt</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">by Judy Webb<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 13.5pt;">Our reading today brings
us to the ninth plague, the plague of darkness. There have been times in our
lives where we have found ourselves in darkness. Perhaps a storm has knocked
out the power and the lights are gone. The blackness of the dark day is thick
feeling, ominous and frightening.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Moses now finds himself
near the end of this battle with Pharaoh. When the stubborn ruler reneged, once
again, on his promise to release the Israelites, God uses Moses to dip the
nation into total darkness. One can only imagine the chaos and confusion that
descended on the land.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mksczWtza1gsPZhJQQWKmJcKQGYggj7tDSjHhDxgtYcxa0uS_rbyOb2TigROs4FFuVgzq2fy3VmNOwUnzI1NBNj9uBy3T-f_FrlNaRwtloKQG48IxIIlINKioaiTL0lm6-zT_8E5x5k5/s1080/Darkness+that+can+be+felt%2521+%25281%2529.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mksczWtza1gsPZhJQQWKmJcKQGYggj7tDSjHhDxgtYcxa0uS_rbyOb2TigROs4FFuVgzq2fy3VmNOwUnzI1NBNj9uBy3T-f_FrlNaRwtloKQG48IxIIlINKioaiTL0lm6-zT_8E5x5k5/w215-h215/Darkness+that+can+be+felt%2521+%25281%2529.png" width="215" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">When our lights go out, no matter how
temporary, we run to get the candles and flashlights. Children cry out in fear
and panic sets in. We don't like darkness; we are afraid of losing control over
our steps. The reading states that<i>, “Yet all the Israelites had light in the
places where they lived.”</i> (Exodus 10:23b). God certainly knows how to make
a nation feel special, chosen even. If there were any doubt before, the
Israelites should feel confident now. This was no normal darkness. One
commentary described it as having a supernatural element. <i>A darkness
that can be felt!</i> (v21)</span><o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Pharaoh would not back down. He said they
could leave, but that they couldn't take anything with them. Moses rejected
this offer and Pharaoh said to Moses, <i>" Get out of my sight!. Make sure
you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die."</i>
(v28) An interesting choice of words given that total darkness has descended
over the land. Darkness often symbolized judgment and knowing the Egyptians
worshipped the sun, this was most likely more serious than we can know.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The final blow is yet to come. Come back
tomorrow for the continuing story, God's Story of Redemption and Salvation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy6rDkdiMNr7cIQggDFU9XIqhyphenhyphen89qFwKeiP8Cvpi7c2CB6meycUQnJ6ZXFQkh0kfnufEX5Gna2f3Sn5aDWcOdq87q6XDxOwVWFJ4XZlht0JUhi3RMpbJYZI5T1ucUcljB9Pt0jj4EtRKD/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPy6rDkdiMNr7cIQggDFU9XIqhyphenhyphen89qFwKeiP8Cvpi7c2CB6meycUQnJ6ZXFQkh0kfnufEX5Gna2f3Sn5aDWcOdq87q6XDxOwVWFJ4XZlht0JUhi3RMpbJYZI5T1ucUcljB9Pt0jj4EtRKD/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background: white;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><p></p>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-344168901217485072021-10-13T00:00:00.303-04:002021-10-13T00:00:00.273-04:00Aaron Speaks for Moses<p><b><span style="background: white; font-size: 18pt;">PRAYER
PRACTICE</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15pt;"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Prayer Journal</span></b><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> – To begin your daily worship today,
grab a pen and paper and write out a prayer to God. Give thanks to God for all
that He gives. And then finish with supplication – with your prayer requests to
God. When you are done, tuck this away somewhere (so you can read it later and
see how God has answered your prayers) and then move into hearing from God
through His Word.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DAILY READING</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+7%3A1-7&version=NIV" style="font-family: arial;">Exodus 7:1-7</a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Aaron Speaks for Moses</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<o:p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">by Karen Burkhart<span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></o:p></o:p></o:p></o:p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last
week, I wrote about the story of Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael, and
Isaac. Though Ishmael was the firstborn, God did not choose him to
establish the family line through which the Messiah would
come. Instead, God chose his younger brother, Isaac. In
today’s reading we see again God bypassing the older son (Aaron) to call the younger son (Moses) to a vital mission. Throughout Scripture,
there are at least seven other younger brothers whom God exalted: Joseph,
David, Jacob, Gideon, Solomon, Ephraim, and Abel. I love how God is
not bound by our cultural norms and expectations—He can do whatever He wants,
with whomever He chooses. Consider what the Lord said to Samuel about David,
who was the youngest of eight:</span></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><i><sup><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></sup></i></b><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “Do not consider his
appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> does not look at the things
people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> looks at the heart.” (1
Samuel 16:7)</span></i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The story of Moses and Aaron is
different than the examples mentioned above in at least one obvious way: God
didn’t completely sidestep the elder brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather,
He enlisted Aaron in the mission of Moses, as spokesman. As second born
myself, I can’t help but feel for Moses who had to endure his older
brother speaking on his behalf, though I imagine the bigger burden was
with Aaron who had to humble himself to take instructions from his baby
brother. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To understand why Aaron was called
to come alongside Moses, we have to go all the way back to the story of the
burning bush in Exodus 3. From there, we learn that after hearing God’s instruction
to go to Pharaoh, Moses pushed back not
once, not twice, but <i>five</i> times, culminating in, “Please send
someone else!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Though Moses didn't get exactly what He wanted, God did meet him part way. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I'm struck by how bold Moses was to
suggest to God that He may have chosen the wrong person and that He should send
someone else. I'm even more struck by how patient God was with
Moses. God could have said, "Fine! I'll send your brother Aaron in
your place!" But he didn't--He accommodated Moses' insecurities, giving
him Aaron as a <i>partner</i>, whose strengths would complement his
weaknesses. Obviously, God knew this partnership would be the end result
so It's curious to me that He didn't just start there. Perhaps God wanted
Moses to really <i>feel</i> his inadequacy so that He would welcome help
from his brother, Aaron. Any good parent or teacher knows that children are far
more accepting of help when it's <i>their</i> idea. God is
so kind to account for our sin nature and shortcomings in His Divine plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: medium; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Have you ever felt inadequate for the
tasks to which God has called you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you
been known to recount your shortcomings and even offer up other candidates for
the missions you’ve been called to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
so, you’re in very good company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rest
assured, God doesn’t make mistakes and He won’t cast you aside even when you
try to sideline yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accept your
weaknesses as an opportunity to unwrap the gift that is the people of God--the Body
of Christ--perfectly designed and lacks nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Look around. Maybe God's got an Aaron waiting in the wings to come alongside you. Imagine what you could do for the Kingdom of God together. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dLf-e1vIs4mNwGFnxlmDzAWkF2cU-2IdIRU2M_8EySKC_sZow_7u6KK5BTcPu82DiRd-TycwORPRqbeaasqESBDw0EkiXd95cclKIWL3OSSSMWp6NilYDQzq49NvomjU5jivWAj0vGqt/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2dLf-e1vIs4mNwGFnxlmDzAWkF2cU-2IdIRU2M_8EySKC_sZow_7u6KK5BTcPu82DiRd-TycwORPRqbeaasqESBDw0EkiXd95cclKIWL3OSSSMWp6NilYDQzq49NvomjU5jivWAj0vGqt/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-17119561171757371572021-10-12T00:00:00.058-04:002021-10-12T00:00:00.321-04:00Moses Meets Pharaoh<p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">Prayer Practice</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Breath
Prayer</span></b><span style="line-height: 125%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray
a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply,
and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His
presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit
in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him
to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for
just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s
Scripture.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 15pt; line-height: 21.4px;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+5%3A1-5&version=NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 5:1-5</a></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">A Stubborn Faith -- Moses Meets Pharaoh</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;">by Tom Richards</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">As I looked
at today’s reading and some of the verses that come before and after Exodus
5:1-5, I was impressed by Moses’ and Aaron’s “stubborn faith”. Moses encountered God in </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyLSZn-qmczCEwpbzhotOJfrJ2bivuAvHYJ1bFfk7uyC1eJS58zz8paohRUT_H9BQdhwiE1GtAy4OX9LpSD8YWySOfyW9wR4zLnwDyuVmux9_-55eAhAcerq3p-Y3C3cljLrYp7rTFdOc/s1080/%25E2%2580%259CSo+now%252C+go.+I+am+sending+you+to+Pharaoh+to+bring+my+people+the+Israelites+out+of+Egypt.%25E2%2580%259D.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqyLSZn-qmczCEwpbzhotOJfrJ2bivuAvHYJ1bFfk7uyC1eJS58zz8paohRUT_H9BQdhwiE1GtAy4OX9LpSD8YWySOfyW9wR4zLnwDyuVmux9_-55eAhAcerq3p-Y3C3cljLrYp7rTFdOc/w200-h200/%25E2%2580%259CSo+now%252C+go.+I+am+sending+you+to+Pharaoh+to+bring+my+people+the+Israelites+out+of+Egypt.%25E2%2580%259D.png" width="200" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />the burning bush in
Exodus 3 and was told of his mission to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites
to freedom. In Exodus 3:10 God says <i>“So
now, go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sending you to Pharaoh to
bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”</i><i> </i>Moses was reluctant to accept this assignment, to say the least. However, he finally obeys God. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;">As Moses is preparing to go to Egypt God
makes an interesting statement in Exodus 4:21 <i>“The Lord said to Moses, “When
you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have
given you the power to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>But I will
harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.</u>”</i> That had to be hard to hear for Moses, but
with the support of Aaron he moves forward – returning to Egypt, addressing the
Israelites and sharing God’s plan, and then to Pharaoh as we see today.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Big surprise
(Not!), Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go! In fact he is pretty emphatic about this as
we read in Exodus 5:2 <i>“Who is the Lord,
that I should obey him and let Israel go?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">As the story
develops, we see Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh repeatedly until finally the
Jews are freed to leave Egypt and head to the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Moses was
reluctant, but he was ultimately obedient to God’s calling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that did not mean things went
smoothly for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, things were
anything but smooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet, with God’s
help, Moses (and Aaron) remained faithful and continued to follow His command
regarding the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">I am guilty
of thinking that if you do the right things then you get the results you
want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are obedient to God’s
commands, things will go smoothly with your health, finances, relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, that is not always true
(remember <i>“But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go”</i>!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet,
like Moses we are called to have a “stubborn faith” because we have a “stubborn
God” who pursues us as his children and desires nothing more than to lead us
out of slavery to the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">Thank you
Father, for the faith of Moses (and Aaron), for the fact that they were human
and had feelings that many of us have had, and yet demonstrated a “stubborn
faith” in you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Help us demonstrate that
same kind of faith, even when --- or perhaps especially when, things do not go
“smoothly”.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Amen</span><o:p style="font-size: 13pt;"></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgGSzQUlEhuGsPLSBoPDV-rl4vmUi70BTgt_tsgU_1LA559sQNR7eMIqyEGnXHW3AuEIobpW38zZhlp_eWIKMSAquKYlyIFRyJGtytqx3tEBX8qdcCVDvRt_MYPNxzNg_EbYo7gvuZSJC/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvgGSzQUlEhuGsPLSBoPDV-rl4vmUi70BTgt_tsgU_1LA559sQNR7eMIqyEGnXHW3AuEIobpW38zZhlp_eWIKMSAquKYlyIFRyJGtytqx3tEBX8qdcCVDvRt_MYPNxzNg_EbYo7gvuZSJC/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-48348470822534777802021-10-11T00:00:00.033-04:002021-10-11T00:00:00.272-04:00Aaron and Moses Meet<p><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Out loud, pray for God to
speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving us His word. Ask the
Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God
through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+4%3A27-31&version=NIV" target="_blank">Exodus 4:27-31</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">Aaron, Moses, and the People of God</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">by Pr. Dave Mann</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Sometimes it is helpful to understand that in the biblical record,
long stretches of time may have been shrunk. One paragraph can easily carry us over months and years. Understanding this point can help us develop patience
as we struggle through our own problems with God’s help. Such instances are represented in today’s
passage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">The Lord directed Aaron to seek out Moses in the wilderness, and
then Aaron eventually met up with Moses on “the mountain of God,” which is
Mount Sinai (v. 27).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine Aaron’s
journey from Egypt to somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula (or even in Arabia
according to some biblical scholars) – all on foot!<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Then, Aaron and Moses took time to get caught up on what had
transpired over many years of separation, especially concerning the call God
gave to Moses to lead the people out of Egypt (v. 28).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember that Moses had complained to God
that he was not very good at public speaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God had replied that Moses’ brother Aaron would be part of the team
(Exodus 4:10-17).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses had to explain
all of this to Aaron to get him in on the deal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Then, in the very next verse (v. 29), Moses and Aaron are speaking
with the gathered elders of Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
implies that the brothers made the journey together all the way back to Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then in verse 30, Aaron spoke to the people
of God and did the signs for them that God had shown him through Moses. How long did all of this take?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at least months, if not years, to get
all of these events together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">How long have you been praying and waiting for the Lord to act?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s hand may take longer than we envision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he will be faithful to his Word.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">But then, look at what happens in verse 31.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The people believed!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They saw that the Lord had visited his people
and that he had seen their affliction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something
happened in their hearts when they realized that the Lord understood their
pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the response of the people of
Israel? – “they bowed their heads and worshiped.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Likewise with us, when we know that God weeps with those who weep,
when we know that God understands, when we know that God is with us in our
pain, there is a connection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In that
moment, may we also bow our heads and worship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Thank you, Lord, that you are not unaware of the difficulties in
our lives. Help us never to lose heart,
but rather to stay constant in prayer, keenly cognizant that you are present
and that you will be faithful to your promises.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><i><span style="color: black;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_kI0IKemIsmTpHn2X9Xl7oVVPjWVsB0Wdx3PBN0LBtrTwOIbz7H__ORxH7jMpQLOtZpxCRchfaMV1nlRSZ6lCvQVsXC9N_6kA3b8mg5BfHH20PdV_ZSq5H_Hz3rcisIIs8I9rEQLAd_j/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_kI0IKemIsmTpHn2X9Xl7oVVPjWVsB0Wdx3PBN0LBtrTwOIbz7H__ORxH7jMpQLOtZpxCRchfaMV1nlRSZ6lCvQVsXC9N_6kA3b8mg5BfHH20PdV_ZSq5H_Hz3rcisIIs8I9rEQLAd_j/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-39734516175046800892021-10-10T00:00:00.054-04:002021-10-10T00:00:00.252-04:00I am Who I am<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 125%;"><span style="font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;">Spoken Prayer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 125%;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> –
Out loud, pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Praise God for
giving us His word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out
what you hear from God through the passage.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Exodus+2%3A23-25%3B+3%3A1-15%3B+4%3A10-17&version=NIV">Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17</a></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>I am Who I am</b></span></p><p>by Elaine Pierce</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRiNpi67QZSV977lIa3nKLIlpGTWW4M4rkNhd8xdkgzmDUFteK5CBLGcfyrrO4_pDYIzFOoyM0d-ouOjDWYV6T44BqkdHtoXWtswDqo4NTZ-4BYQmULyBq3Qm39gf1HKd-2YAQCuNQPPv/s236/I+am.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="236" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikRiNpi67QZSV977lIa3nKLIlpGTWW4M4rkNhd8xdkgzmDUFteK5CBLGcfyrrO4_pDYIzFOoyM0d-ouOjDWYV6T44BqkdHtoXWtswDqo4NTZ-4BYQmULyBq3Qm39gf1HKd-2YAQCuNQPPv/s0/I+am.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">As we continue to 'open the book' and engage with God's word, we come face to face with another fascinating character. Moses is one of those people who is well-known outside of the Judeo-Christian world. Everyone knows about Moses saying to Pharaoh, "Let my people go!" We can picture him in his flowing robes, long hair, his staff firmly in hand, as he confronts the most powerful man on the planet and tells him he is not going to obey him any more. And of course we know about how he parts the Red Sea - miracle upon miracle take place as he leads the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But before he does all of that, he has an encounter with God that is almost indescribable. God calls to him from a burning bush - a bush that is consumed with fire but is not consumed by the flames. He meets the one true God in this burning bush, and God reveals his plan to Moses. He is going to use Moses to bring his people out of slavery to a land flowing with milk and honey. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So Moses quickly agrees to this plan. Well, not exactly. Moses comes up with lots of excuses about why he's not the right guy for this job. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">-I'm not a good speaker. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">-I don't even know your name for sure, God.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">-The people won't believe me. They know about my past, and they don't trust me. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">- Send someone else.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">God is patient with Moses (until he's not - see Exodus 4:14). And you know how this story turns out: Moses and his brother Aaron lead the people out of slavery, and 40 years later, they finally enter the promised land. Lots and lots of missteps and adventures along the way. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So where do we go with this passage of scripture? We can focus on how Moses finally realizes that when he trusts God, God will provide what he needs to be the leader of these chosen people. Or we can focus on the character of God. When Moses asks God to tell him his name, God responds like this:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"I am Who I am." (Exodus 3:14). And then he reminds Moses that he is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. This is a God unlike all other gods. He cannot be controlled; he cannot be fully known. Moses knows the stories of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He knows God's faithfulness to his unfaithful people. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">God remembers his people. He hears their cries. He will accomplish his purposes. And he will use Moses. He will use you. He will use me. We aren't perfect, but when God calls, let us answer. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-vFC7Lfh0RB-qCUeFg9px4Olds35AHeOcTdFk7J3k-Jo46AzCp8ey59LSiS0ItyoLSZO5eM_odSneNiAgip37v_x_VVsuoe8MGz2-r9iQqyqvjc_CUHEqSSqFMJk39Mfa5FNLsbexmmf/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-vFC7Lfh0RB-qCUeFg9px4Olds35AHeOcTdFk7J3k-Jo46AzCp8ey59LSiS0ItyoLSZO5eM_odSneNiAgip37v_x_VVsuoe8MGz2-r9iQqyqvjc_CUHEqSSqFMJk39Mfa5FNLsbexmmf/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-18350268332691471542021-10-09T00:00:00.047-04:002021-10-09T07:39:15.992-04:00Death of Jacob<p><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24pt;">Prayer
Practice</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Spoken Prayer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Out loud,
pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving us His
Word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear
from God through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DAILY
READING</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.49.29-33">Genesis 49:29-33</a>, and <a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/GEN.50.1-6">50:1-6</a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Gathered to My People</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">by Mary Alice McGinnis</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In today’s reading, Jacob (Israel),
has just finished blessing and giving his final words to his 12 sons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><br /></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As Jacob lies on his deathbed, he
says, “I am about to be gathered to my people.” He then makes Joseph promise to
bury him with his grandfather, Abraham, his father, Isaac, and his wife
Leah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were his people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">When Jacob dies, it says he “breathed his last and was
gathered to his people.”</span></p></div>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">During this time of the Pandemic,
many of us feel disconnected and alone.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As
I am writing this devotion, I am preparing to have some long-awaited overdue time
with my sisters.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We have not seen each
other face to face in quite some time. I cannot wait to see their faces, hug
them, catch up, share some laughs, tell stories, and just share some special
time together.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In today’s vernacular, they are “my
peeps.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though we have vastly
different lives, we are family, we share a history and a sense of belonging
that time and distance cannot diminish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being together feels like coming home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In Jacob’s case, he was
dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet he looked forward to being “gathered
to his people.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">In a debate with the religious
leaders of His day who denied the resurrection of the dead, Jesus pointed to
the death of Jacob for a reminder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1pt solid white; padding: 2pt 4pt;"><p style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: none; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jesus says, “. . . have you not
read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the <b>God of Jacob</b>'? <b>He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.</b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Matthew 22:32 </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.22.32">https://my.bible.com/bible/111/MAT.22.32</a></span></p></div></div>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Jacob, who was of the lineage of the children of promise (children of Israel), knew something.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He knew that even though he was dying in a
foreign country (Egypt), he was not a citizen there.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He did not belong there.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Death was a reality, but he knew a BIGGER
reality.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He was going home to be with “his
people.”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He did not put his hope in just
being buried with them.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">He was going to
LIVE with them, together in their ultimate promised land, their home in heaven.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The great faith chapter, Hebrews 11, spells it out this way,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“All these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them
from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.
People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their
own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have
had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a
heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has
prepared a city for them.” </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews+11%3A13-16&version=NIV" target="_blank">Hebrews 11:13-16</a></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkro3FmjiIbucJT9o2qooJDPqHCWS2NEX1O48MDKOy90IiXoCsgRmlDaNaGWbZR9eH78tlG3kXMe76cvGuhibckcQ-0317gyb8WCF4UMI7kVjNHeIeVB2IdxRUj-24ZJMeOJ4wZ3TmhFfx/s828/243582841_1177353662760366_2134217836414362389_n.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="828" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkro3FmjiIbucJT9o2qooJDPqHCWS2NEX1O48MDKOy90IiXoCsgRmlDaNaGWbZR9eH78tlG3kXMe76cvGuhibckcQ-0317gyb8WCF4UMI7kVjNHeIeVB2IdxRUj-24ZJMeOJ4wZ3TmhFfx/s320/243582841_1177353662760366_2134217836414362389_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18.6667px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">If you are feeling like you don’t know who your people are or where you belong, let this song speak to your heart today.</p></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://youtu.be/vqIvoFWFhds" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">https://youtu.be/vqIvoFWFhds</a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thank you, Lord Jesus, for preparing
a home for me, a place where I belong, in Your presence, fully accepted and forever loved.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Thank You for the faith of those who are our spiritual family and those of courageous faith who have gone before us. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thank you for all of those who are
Your people, those whom You are not ashamed to be called their God. These are also my people.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">We look forward to that day when we will be gathered with YOU together in our Heavenly
Home.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-45762881252028928072021-10-08T00:00:00.014-04:002021-10-08T00:00:00.287-04:00God Blesses His Family<p><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Out loud, pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving us His word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God through the passage.</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0in;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+49%3A1-17&version=NIV">Genesis 49:1-17</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">DEVOTION / REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>God Blesses His Family </b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">by Jennifer Jerrome</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 15.84px; margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", Times, FreeSerif, serif; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent;">Family is a
funny thing.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">It’s the people we love the
most and often appreciate the least.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">Each
family is unique, and God loves to put all kinds of personalities together.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">That’s just what Jacob’s family was like.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Rueben – commander</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Simeon & Levi – aggressors</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Judah – ruler</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Zebulun – shelter</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Issachar – laborer</span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Dan – enforcer</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">As children
of God, we bring our different personality traits to the table, and He uses our
strengths and weaknesses for His good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like
the number of birds in the air and fish in the sea, God makes each of us with
intention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium; line-height: 107%;">And while we
may struggle at times with our identity and purpose, we are each necessary in
the family of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will not be
overlooked even when we feel invisible to those closest to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone has a role to play, so let’s explore
our God-given abilities and use them along with our brothers and sisters to the
benefit of His kingdom.</span></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD3EjtlE6KmGpZZlyQM_wTkHT-lauwi32xgWF6Ze8OrdmGKfEcXW_pN3DXkmgt0ta6fy1gEF35HnIyuX2SI0p-ArtW257iGwxS3py67XYr7umth5_SQan07RLwuyqveZi9FDNwsnfik8/s237/family.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="212" data-original-width="237" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD3EjtlE6KmGpZZlyQM_wTkHT-lauwi32xgWF6Ze8OrdmGKfEcXW_pN3DXkmgt0ta6fy1gEF35HnIyuX2SI0p-ArtW257iGwxS3py67XYr7umth5_SQan07RLwuyqveZi9FDNwsnfik8/s0/family.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-33864236814103288622021-10-07T00:00:00.005-04:002021-10-07T00:00:00.349-04:00Joseph Makes Himself Known<p><b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr", sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 18pt;">PRAYER
PRACTICE</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;">Prayer Journal</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"> –
To begin your daily worship today, grab a pen and paper and write out a prayer
to God. Give thanks to God for all that He gives. And then finish with
supplication – with your prayer requests to God. When you are done, tuck this
away somewhere (so you can read it later and see how God has answered your
prayers) and then move into hearing from God through His Word.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DAILY READING</span></b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr", sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><o:p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Genesis+45%3A1-11&version=NIV" target="_blank"> Genesis 45:1-11</a></span></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">DEVOTION / REFLECTION</span></b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr",sans-serif" style="color: #333333; font-size: 18pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Colorful, Memorable, </span></b><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 24px;"><span face="Avenir Next Cyr, sans-serif" style="color: #333333;"><b>Remnants</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr", sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black;">by Judy Webb<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsBmI1mpa0_b6FVwFVcIHzqEJm0u3WvUeD2EXYtbTiOHuQhoZazuHTZFXk3WRGHJUxS4321foYJUw4gqyW9QCSCiEhy2t0-Rc8YPkdzc99uvqfrBf1CcfAgRVcuB5i-MrZ7Gfm7mrDlKQr/s1600/h.jpg"><span style="color: #114499; text-decoration-line: none;"><br />
</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If you like happy
endings, today's reading will be to your liking. Let’s start with Genesis
45:4-5 (NIV)<br />
<br />
<i>“Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they
had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into
Egypt!<br />
<br />
And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling
me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”</i><br />
<br />
Look back at those times in your life when your cried out in desperation from a
heart that was breaking and you saw God in action. What a blessing! Joseph must
have cried out many times during the early years of his captivity, only to
realize his God had a plan all along.<br />
<br />
As family reunions go, this was a great one. It contained all the drama, tears,
and regrets you would expect when family, who have been separated for years -
no matter the reason - are reunited. God uses all of our sins, our pain, our
bad judgments, and wasteful ways, for His glory. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><i style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make
sure there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of
deliverance. So, you see, it wasn’t you who sent me here but God. </span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">Genesis 45:7-8<i>a </i>(NIV)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxxEg0gwS6pLE6R6ChCTvWcv9bGn-HjMw8D_iPSZxQYnGxed9Z1FtMrxYmKbaEpxB4dQhAjPVl6WThGCWoSISlFaNOYDYItXlpiLPkZel8wGMSNIgb1x6PyeyWcrXAWkN4qrbDMoiNTkx/s218/remnants.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="218" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxxEg0gwS6pLE6R6ChCTvWcv9bGn-HjMw8D_iPSZxQYnGxed9Z1FtMrxYmKbaEpxB4dQhAjPVl6WThGCWoSISlFaNOYDYItXlpiLPkZel8wGMSNIgb1x6PyeyWcrXAWkN4qrbDMoiNTkx/s0/remnants.jpg" width="218" /></a></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;"><br />The remnant spoken of inverse
7 are those who still believe but live in a world that is falling to
Satan’s wiles. God can and does work through the remnants to rebuild kingdoms.
The word remnant brings to mind a couple of things worth noting. </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: medium;">Quilt makers use remnants all the time. These colorful pieces usually have sentimental value, and boast colors that brighten every room. There is a memory in every leftover scrap of fabric used to create a masterpiece. Chances are your grandmother or someone very special created such a work of art for you.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">I wonder if Joseph’s famous coat of many
colors wasn’t fashioned from the bright garments of his ancestors. Is that
maybe a reason for all the fuss in the first place...not so much that it was
beautiful and colorful, but dearly treasured?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: medium;">There will always be a remnant, colorful, memorable,
and usable. No matter what man does, our God reigns.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.85pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8_9UTv4YJ-pF0-8yaaIq9aeGrpsh-o2IiTsnuzVoFhpjjZkbHYEDRAO1XmN_b3EjIrfzm_Ug5yXw5m09zaCsY_uMQsK6JbmTSRZuuMUVx1EPBncWAaSCSLAazO5zaOHl2Vs3mZPu0rYa/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8_9UTv4YJ-pF0-8yaaIq9aeGrpsh-o2IiTsnuzVoFhpjjZkbHYEDRAO1XmN_b3EjIrfzm_Ug5yXw5m09zaCsY_uMQsK6JbmTSRZuuMUVx1EPBncWAaSCSLAazO5zaOHl2Vs3mZPu0rYa/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a><span face=""Avenir Next Cyr", sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></div><p></p>Judy Webbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12421962580077150054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-12776408127389392662021-10-06T00:00:00.002-04:002021-10-06T00:00:00.292-04:00Joseph Sold By His Brothers<p> PRAYER PRACTICE</p><p>Spoken Prayer - Out loud, pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Prise God fir giving us His word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God through the passage.</p><p>DAILY READING</p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A12-36&version=NIV">Genesis 37:12-36</a></p><p>REFLECTION</p><p>Joseph Sold By His Brothers</p><p>by Katie Borden</p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You know the text in Ecclesiastes that states, “there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9)? Today’s passage in Genesis brings this phrase to mind. Envy, malicious intent, and all other manner of sin have been around since almost the very beginning.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In today’s passage, we see Joseph, the favored son of his father Jacob, deeply wronged and betrayed by his very own kin. Not only Joseph, but his father Jacob and everyone else in the story face the consequences of sin.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even when I search for a character in the story who is sinless, I am disappointed. I want to find Reuben’s proposition to be a “noble act”, but when I hold it in front of the purity of God’s sinless nature and his law, I see it for what it is: a cop-out. A “less harmful” or “less bad” solution is not the same as a good one.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And what are we left with at the end of verse 36? A young brother sold into slavery and carted off to a faraway land; brothers with the stain of sin on their hands; and an inconsolable father, grieving his favored son. It seems as if there is no way to make things right again. It seems as though Jacob will never see his Joseph again and that he will die in his grief. I have to imagine that the weight of the brothers' sin would hang heavy on their minds and hearts (the latter chapters of Genesis seem to indicate that this is the case).</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Without God’s intervention, this would be cause for despair. But isn’t it like our God to make a way where there seems to be no way? This account appears to contain a situation that can only end in sorrowful consequences for the sins of many involved, but at the conclusion of Genesis we learn that God uses this to bring about the saving of many people (spoiler alert!). And who is capable of righting these deep wrongs? No human being; only God. Thanks be to God that he brings light from darkness, healing in brokenness, and life from death.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">God, we thank you that, while we are incapable of bringing about good in our sinful state, you are constantly making all things new, and you are making a way where there is no way. Work in us your resurrection power, that our sin would be put to death, and that we would be brought to life in you.</span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-69145491017522805202021-10-05T00:00:00.012-04:002021-10-05T00:00:00.348-04:00Joseph's Dream<p><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p class="p3" style="color: #dca10d; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="text-decoration-line: underline;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+37%3A1-11&version=NIV"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Genesis 37:1-11</span></a></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Sweet Dreams Are Made of These, Who Am I to Disagree?</span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">by Dan Kidd</span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">As I’ve been reflecting on this passage, it occurs to me that there are a lot of ways this passage might speak to us and several things it might say. For instance, the persecuted Christian may resonate with Joseph as he suffers the ire of his brothers. We might reflect on how God uses providence to give Joseph a prophetic omen that sets into motion the very events that will lead to that prophesy coming true. We might even ponder the wisdom of Joseph sharing with his brothers a dream wherein they would be bowing down to him. But, what most struck me this time ‘round was how tragically typical is Joseph’s family’s response to his blessedness.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Joseph dreams that his brothers’ crops would bow down to his own, and then that the sun, moon, and stars would bow before him too. This is not well received. And of course it’s not. Who among us is likely to receive with poise and grace the declaration from our younger sibling or our own child that we will someday bow before them? I have a younger brother and a son, and in honesty, if either of them were to share this proclamation over me, it’s not likely I’d respond with a “praise be to God.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But, as it turns out, Joseph was right, and God would make it so, that his brothers and his dad would one day kneel before him as he stood esteemed beside Pharaoh. Joseph’s family rejected this whole proposition because they could not see nor accept the future and blessing the Lord had for Joseph. Not that Jacob did him any favors; Jacob knew firsthand how destructive playing favorites with sons could be, but he couldn’t help himself from treating Joseph above the others. Even still, none of us are particularly bent towards celebrating God’s blessings for others when we seem to be left out of the equation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Might we have a reason to expect better? For those of us saved and being transformed by the Spirit so that we might love one another, perhaps we really don’t have to live with the envy of those we love. Maybe God has more for us than to pout over the blessings of others—even if their blessing doesn’t seem to directly benefit us. I wonder if there may be room for us to celebrate the work and will of God in the lives of others simply because we want what God wants. That’s all a lot easier said than done. In fact, were we to try to muster up that kind of grace, humility, and charity we’d simply fail—every time. It is only because of the grace of God, the transformation of the Spirit, and the sure truth that our God is good and faithful that we could begin to shed our spotlight envy—our notions of the glory we deserve—and instead, we can celebrate the Lord’s work in, through, and for our sisters and brothers.<span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">PRAYER PRACTICE </span></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Cup Prayer</b> – This prayer will help you pour your heart out to God (Ps. 62:8). Begin with your hands folded together like an upside-down cup. Pour out before God all your fears, anxieties, guilt, sin, and shame. Tell Him what troubles you. Take time to be specific. When you feel like you’ve poured out your heart, flip your hands over, folding them like an open cup, ready to receive from God. Sit in silence, asking God simply to fill you with His Spirit. If your mind runs back to sin, shame, anxiety, or concerns of the day, flip your hands back over and pour it out to the Lord. When you are finished praying, read today’s Scripture and listen as God shares His heart back with you.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6B-ryxPee2f4iMfv9SCySKOjiGzJI-FU1EXrI6GQN1Bfv4BZhQi3MOJ2BkNbFfOaMrqA96d7P3S9DH8pp2AXTQk2BRC0o1VqvmTP2JERCL8xW_Qr5MU7LscFwm50J311kSZI0mkSaLKa//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="45" data-original-width="320" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6B-ryxPee2f4iMfv9SCySKOjiGzJI-FU1EXrI6GQN1Bfv4BZhQi3MOJ2BkNbFfOaMrqA96d7P3S9DH8pp2AXTQk2BRC0o1VqvmTP2JERCL8xW_Qr5MU7LscFwm50J311kSZI0mkSaLKa//" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><br /></span><p></p>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13694031038583453582noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-35712411176655902122021-10-04T00:00:00.027-04:002021-10-04T00:00:00.261-04:00Jacob Wrestles with God<p><b><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Out loud, pray for God to
speak to you through your reading. Praise God for giving us His word. Ask the
Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out what you hear from God
through the passage.</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+32%3A22-32+&version=ESV"><span style="font-size: medium;">Genesis
32:22-32</span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black;">DEVOTION / REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Jacob Wrestles with God</b></span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;">by Pr. Dave Mann</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">This story of Jacob wrestling with God is one that has perplexed
me for some time. Is this a negative
behavior of Jacob, which God allowed to happen but which we should not try to
imitate? Or, is it a good thing, a commendable
accomplishment, that Jacob wrestles with the angel (and therefore God)? Is this something that we should emulate? <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmAwYt3ilN-mkVo7wziYLj-xPc-HABTF_-7YMdZI2R2T4N9ZMgKmzU00HulUBry9fHAOydCKpMwXJONT_Nv7J3zEXRR3mi44PL-XoKJz7I-mKuaBYf5gDqWpvmJU5Rot2-08nLh1vjhbr/s300/wrestle.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="229" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDmAwYt3ilN-mkVo7wziYLj-xPc-HABTF_-7YMdZI2R2T4N9ZMgKmzU00HulUBry9fHAOydCKpMwXJONT_Nv7J3zEXRR3mi44PL-XoKJz7I-mKuaBYf5gDqWpvmJU5Rot2-08nLh1vjhbr/s0/wrestle.jpg" width="229" /></a></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">On the one hand, I can see that Jacob’s behavior is not something
that we should aspire to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should rather
calmly place our trust in God and believe that he is leading us to what is right
and good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consider these passages:</span></span><p></p><p style="margin: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">2 Chronicles
16:9 -- </span><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">For </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">the</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> eyes of </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">the</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span class="small-caps" style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">Lord</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> run to and and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is
blameless toward him. </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">Isaiah 26:3 -- </span><span style="background: white; font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">You keep him in </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">perfect</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;">peace</span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-indent: -0.25in;"> whose mind is stayed on you, because he
trusts in you.</span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Psalm 46:10 – Be still
and know that I am God.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">On the other hand, God desires us to live out a real-life
relationship.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">He does not want us to
pretend that we believe when we still have genuine internal struggles.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are numerous passages that indicate we should
live in this kind of intense struggle.</span></p><p style="margin: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Luke 18:1-8 – The widow in persistent prayer </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Luke 11:5-10 – The persistent neighbor knocking on the door </span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium; text-indent: -0.25in;">Philippians 3:12-14 – Paul’s exhortation to “press on” for the
upward calling of God</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">In the end, I believe both are true.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are times when we wrestle and struggle
with God in prayer, seeking to know his will for our lives.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">At other times, we are called to rest in Him,
to cease from our striving, knowing that his will is always for our good.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">From that time on, we may walk with a limp, with
the marks of being in relationship with God.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;">The key in this passage is verse 28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="text"><span style="background: white; color: black;">“Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but
Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have
prevailed.”</span></span><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span id="en-ESV-958" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Jacob’s identity is no longer “deceiver” or “trickster.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But now, his identity is in a relationship
with God, “Israel,” a wrestler with the Lord of the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May we engage with God in all our struggles in
life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we wrestle in prayer with the
Lord, he changes who we are and what we want, to match his will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: black;"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"> </span></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Lord of the
universe, there are times when life is struggle. Let my struggles be with you in prayer. As I plead my case before you, shape me and mold
me into the person you want me to be. In
Jesus’ name, Amen. </span></span></i><i><span style="color: black; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p style="margin: 0in;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="background: white; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WYGYUz3R-hcdgR_ZjyqN1TPq_Lq0QH-JzQrMc-_CPNAyI8Jcf_lgt6nmGnOjQXMgaXt2WIkY2-Lhx0EB3aKDl_8LrUAczrXCyctpOxgIQm5WbQ_LCCpbwplEiOMM7dAw9s9npkRkV7nY/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WYGYUz3R-hcdgR_ZjyqN1TPq_Lq0QH-JzQrMc-_CPNAyI8Jcf_lgt6nmGnOjQXMgaXt2WIkY2-Lhx0EB3aKDl_8LrUAczrXCyctpOxgIQm5WbQ_LCCpbwplEiOMM7dAw9s9npkRkV7nY/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></span></i></div><i><span style="background: white; color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-90407356395646005342021-10-03T00:00:00.051-04:002021-10-03T00:00:00.280-04:00God's Promise to Jacob<p><b><span style="font-size: large;">PRAYER PRACTICE</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 125%;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;">Spoken Prayer</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 13pt; line-height: 125%;"> –
Out loud, pray for God to speak to you through your reading. Praise God for
giving us His word. Ask the Spirit to help you read with faith, and to live out
what you hear from God through the passage.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">DAILY READING</span></b></p><p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=+Genesis+27%3A1-4%2C+15-23%3B+28%3A10-17&version=NIV"> Genesis 27:1-4, 15-23; 28:10-17</a></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">REFLECTION</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">God's Blessing is Yours</span></b></p><p>by Elaine Pierce</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you haven't read <a href="https://www.ualc.org/dailyworship" target="_blank">Pastor Dave's Daily Worship</a> post from this past Monday, do that now. His post focuses on the fact that God uses flawed, sinful people like Sarah and Abraham to do his work:</span></p><p><i><span style="font-size: medium;">"God chose to inspire the writing of the real sacred Scriptures with characters who are flawed, yet who grow in their trust in God...if the Biblical record had only shown the favorable sides, I know that I would feel like I could never measure up to such a standard. But as it is, the Bible is full of people who were 'saints and sinners, wimps and winners'"</span></i></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Today we meet another group of flawed people; in many ways a truly dysfunctional family. The parents, Isaac and Rebecca, each favor one of their twin sons over the other. Jacob and Rebecca deceive Isaac into believing that he is giving his blessing to Esau, when it is Jacob who receives it. (This is not the first time Jacob, whose name means 'he cheats,' has done this to his brother. There is definitely a pattern here.) </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGwEKfFAHhgwPvVmscC4roZfAnSHp0bRlDZucgnf2qXuFZIkZTfv6s7zaYqXZRLjVZl_b-161s_8xWkOhQ_B6r0YwX78tccxVHZnRGiSFlegofLyeF77wZqvyVL_YmexF4Ni-cLblSAB_/s229/father%2527s+blessing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="229" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGwEKfFAHhgwPvVmscC4roZfAnSHp0bRlDZucgnf2qXuFZIkZTfv6s7zaYqXZRLjVZl_b-161s_8xWkOhQ_B6r0YwX78tccxVHZnRGiSFlegofLyeF77wZqvyVL_YmexF4Ni-cLblSAB_/s0/father%2527s+blessing.jpg" width="229" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">In ancient times, the father's blessing almost always went to the eldest son, yet Rebecca loved her younger son, Jacob, more, and she plotted with him to steal Esau's blessing. (Be sure to read the rest of the story. You will learn that, despite being denied his father's blessing, Esau prospered, and eventually, he forgave his brother's treachery.) </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Whose blessing do you seek? You may be thinking to yourself, oh, that is so old-fashioned and archaic. In America, there is no hierarchy of 'blessing.' I have earned all that I have on my own; no one blessed me. And yet, deep down, all of us long for favor, whether it is from our earthy father and mother, or from our Father in Heaven - or from both. We may never have had to steal a 'blessing,' but we eagerly reach for approval, for affirmation that we are loved.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The good news is that God longs to bless us! He is eagerly waiting to bless you, and, my dear friends, he is not basing his blessing on whether or not you bring him tasty food like Jacob and Esau did for their father. He only asks that you come, just as you are, and receive his blessing. And in turn, he asks that you bless others. Is there someone who needs your love, your care? A phone call? A letter? A listening ear? </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Take a few minutes and listen to this song, <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=the+blessing&oq=The+Blessing&aqs=chrome.0.35i39j0i20i263i433i512j0i433i512j0i67j0i512l6.4586j0j7&sourceid=chr">The Blessing</a>. I first heard this when Covid was keeping us apart, and worship was online only. As I watched my computer screen fill with UALC members who each recorded their parts separately, and were then brought together through technology, I was moved as this virtual choir ministered to my heart and soul. Yes, the Lord will bless us. He will keep us. His face will shine on us. He will give us peace.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0u5VdC1zbrysRG551z62J-ZBfk630ygadUKnbybU_IDMqSD1wJ0ychdfoS-HI1lffZ_9DQKlmN-Q9H53rJNLlsIyf8Sn_btLe8tpk0BeIk8KfYcrkjUdJNiqwmXrpjVY96KHT-UlWEDJ/s1920/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="1920" height="45" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0u5VdC1zbrysRG551z62J-ZBfk630ygadUKnbybU_IDMqSD1wJ0ychdfoS-HI1lffZ_9DQKlmN-Q9H53rJNLlsIyf8Sn_btLe8tpk0BeIk8KfYcrkjUdJNiqwmXrpjVY96KHT-UlWEDJ/s320/Title_Open_Book_Fall_L3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4275792108112558531.post-71779862687255003672021-10-02T00:00:00.041-04:002021-10-02T00:00:00.283-04:00Isaac and Abimelech<p><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "inherit",serif; font-size: 24pt;">Prayer
Practice</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;">Lectio</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Read today’s passage
through once. Then spend some time praying and asking God to show you what you need
to pay attention to in the text. Read it again. Now ask God to help you see
what this text, and the part that has stood out, may mean for you. Don’t expect
to get a clear word every time but always be ready to really hear from God
through His Word.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">DAILY
READING</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://my.bible.com/bible/59/GEN.26.26-31">Genesis 26:26-31</a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="background: white; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">REFLECTION</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Be the Message</span></b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">by Mary Alice McGinnis</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">If you are like me, this story in
today’s passage is a little unfamiliar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let me set the stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaac was
the son of Abraham - whom God had promised to be the Father of many
nations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Abraham’s death bed, Isaac
is declared the child of promise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God declared
that He would fulfil His promise to Abraham through Isaac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">After Abraham death, Isaac was
living in the land of Canaan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
married to his wife Rebecca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaac and
Rebecca had twins - Jacob and Esau. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">At the time of today’s story, the
land of Canaan was experiencing a great famine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s say that their “supply chain” had dried up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The basic necessities of food and water were becoming
more and more scarce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The need to take
care of his family and fear of scarcity drove Isaac to flee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Isaac traveled south to a town
called Gerar. The Lord appears to Isaac and tells him not travel any further south
(vs 2-4), “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell
you. Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to
you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the
oath that I swore to Abraham your father. I will multiply your offspring as the
stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your
offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. . .”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">When Isaac settles in Gerar, he
and the Philistines are at odds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaac
is fearful they will take his beautiful wife, Rebecca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Philistines become jealous of Isaac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They try to sabotage him by filling up all
the wells his father, Abraham had dug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite
these setbacks, Isaac was gaining more and more prosperity and strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 14pt;">Verse 12-13 - “And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in
the same year a hundredfold. The Lord him, and the man became rich,
and gained more and more until he became very wealthy.”</span></p></div>
<div style="background: white; border: 1pt solid white; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 2pt 4pt;">
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Finally, the Philistine King Abimelech,
comes to Isaac, and tells him, “Go away from us, for you are much mightier than
we.”</span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Where do you find yourself in this
story so far?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is the fear of scarcity
driving you to flee to places God has not called you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it putting you are odds with those around
you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you find people mistreating you
or trying to sabotage you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is God
blessing you despite your hardships?</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Isaac kept listening to God and
relying upon His promise, and God continued to bless him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Abimelech could see it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isaac did not have to flaunt it or preach to the
King in any way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It became abundantly
obvious to this Philistine King.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
comes to Isaac and says, “We see plainly that the Lord has been with you. . . You
are now the blessed of the Lord.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing
the Lord’s blessing upon Isaac, the King asks him agree to a treaty between
them. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">What would your response have been
in that situation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do you think
Isaac decides to make a treaty with these pagan Philistines, the very ones who
tried to sabotage him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">I believe that sometimes, our
hardships, our obstacles, even the sabotaging of our enemies is a chance for
God to work a powerful message. </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Sometimes God asks us to tell the
message, but other times He asks us to allow our lives to BE THE MESSAGE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The message that God spoke to Abraham, and
then to Isaac was, “And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be
blessed. . .”</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs93SzYn5BuqCh-8vwtEleb6idN3RFxQzX00mr6zW_znw3hqFjcjaQn9NtfaIqcdDM8sF5ATBip5KWP-poiVlXluiS7tiaHKhsBPEPUrfQl8huoWxfeQuWv5BD6JdIS7JvQdcggEq1UAeq/s1000/Blessed.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1000" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs93SzYn5BuqCh-8vwtEleb6idN3RFxQzX00mr6zW_znw3hqFjcjaQn9NtfaIqcdDM8sF5ATBip5KWP-poiVlXluiS7tiaHKhsBPEPUrfQl8huoWxfeQuWv5BD6JdIS7JvQdcggEq1UAeq/s320/Blessed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Isaac could have retailed. He could have turned the King away. He could have wielded his power over him. But instead, Isaac remembers God’s calling to be a blessing as he had been blessed.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">God’s ultimate richest blessing have been given to us through the incarnation of the Savior, Jesus Christ - the offspring of Abraham
and Isaac.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><br /></span></p><p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">We now have a richness that
this world cannot ever give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a
peace that passes all understanding, a solid rock, and firm foundation, an eternal
hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">How might God be using your life
as a powerful message of His Divine, eternal blessings, the kind of blessings
that are abundant and everlasting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p style="background: white; border: none; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt; margin: 3pt 0in 0in; mso-border-alt: solid white .75pt; mso-line-height-alt: 10.8pt; mso-padding-alt: 2.0pt 4.0pt 2.0pt 4.0pt; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Thank you for blessing me, even
when life is hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know the blessings
I have in You are abundant and eternal and can never be taken from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Help me live my life to be a blessing to
others so they may come to know You too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0