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01-04-2009, 08:11 PM
16 Moreover He called for a famine in the land;
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters,
He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the LORD tested him.
20 The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom. Psalm 105
-----
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Mark 1:29-34
-----
God is Precious
To know You, Oh Father, is wonderful and to be able daily to come into Your Presence is a delight.
Renew a right spirit within me, Oh Lord, that I may abound in Your Love causing me to believe all things and hope all things.
I will put my whole trust in Thee, Oh God, and in Thee alone will I rely.
You are Precious beyond compare and your gentleness and tender hearted mercies toward me takes my breath away and inspires me with great awe.
You are my God and the dearest of all my friends.
There is no greater desire within me than to walk with Thee and to talk with Thee along life's narrow way.
Just a touch from Thee, Oh God, just a touch from Thee would from all my life's troubles and woes set me free.
God, You are Precious to me.
Amen.
©01/05/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Quiet Times
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge n him" (Psalms 24:8).
Some of my favorite times are those quiet times when I feel myself engulfed by the warm love of God. His arms wrapped around me, holding me near to Him. He is truly a loving Father.
His love for us is never-ending. His grace is immeasurable. As His children, we should all know what it means to "taste and see that the Lord is good." This is often hard to do as we are so distracted by the cares of this life. But if we could just clear our minds and focus on God and His goodness, we might begin to understand this a little more each time we come to Him in those blessed quiet times.
Quiet Times
Quiet fills the house
as each have gone their separate ways
yet I am not afraid
within the quiet of this still embrace.
I bask in the warm hug
the emptiness provides,
and slip into the silence
to hide and seek alone.
A cup of coffee and my easy chair
prepare to add to this enchanting bliss.
I sink myself into them both,
a sweet kiss of morning love.
Revealing now in unchurned air
I move my hand as to beckon the letters
from the table drawer.
I open them and soon begin
to drink in every letter--every word.
Raising eyes briefly time to time
to query my aloneness in secure.
I feel enjoined within the hour
to my gracious God,
through love and letters,
within His living Word.
Quiet fills the house,
and all have gone their separate ways.
And I am loved
within the quiet of this lasting still embrace.
Today, take time to be with God. Tell Him you love Him. Tell Him what you love about Him. And lose yourself in His love. Be sure to clear your mind of all distractions. If you do not think that will be easy, ask God to help. You will not be disappointed. Just taste, and see that the Lord is good.
Day by Day Devotionals
-----
Read Genesis 13 -- 15 http://www.studylight.org/desk/?l=en&query=ge+13-ge+15§ion=0&translation=kjv&oq=
Highlights In Today's Reading:
A life-changing message is found in today's reading! See the blessings increase as Abram allows Lot to take advantage of him rather than fight for his rights.
Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren (13:18). The strife was a result of their prosperity, which often reveals hidden spiritual problems. But this strife gave Abram an opportunity to express his faith in God by making peace with Lot. He was much older than his nephew and was also the spiritual leader; therefore, he could rightfully have taken the best for himself. Instead, he graciously offered Lot the choice. And note, he didn't "preach" to him about his greed.
Lot is an example of the worldly-minded, professing Christian. Like so many today, he was more concerned over material gain that he was over spiritual blessings. When the opportunity came, he took advantage of the generosity of his beloved uncle Abram, chose the best land, and pitched his tent toward Sodom (13:12). Lot never recovered from that disastrous decision. He did not pray or consult the Lord about this decision. When he departed from Abram, he became much more influenced by the world, as shown in the fact that he obtained a position of prominence, sitting in the gate of Sodom (19:1). His desire was to have all the fertile valley (13:11); nothing less would satisfy him. Humanly speaking, it appeared that Abram had given everything to Lot (13:11). But Abram's faith and gracious attitude toward Lot was eventually rewarded (13:14-17; 15:1-5,17-21).
The devil desires to make us believe we must grab for the best. But the people who place their faith in God have no need to fight for their rights. No one loses out by putting God first in his life! I can assure you that the forces of evil do not want us to believe that when we trust in the Lord, we have chosen the best way to live (Luke 10:42). But, with the Lord's enabling, we can live victoriously even with our losses, our problems, our heartaches, and our pressures.
In the eyes of the world, Lot's gain was Abram's loss. But Abram's victory is shown in that it was he who later rescued Lot (chapter 14), rather than the other way around. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God (I Cor. 1:3-4).
Thought for Today:
Abram gave the first tithe recorded in Scripture as a worshipful act of praise and thanksgiving to God. Do we express God's worth by giving our tithes?
Christ Portrayed:
By the high priest, Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 4:15-16; 5:5-10; 7:1-4). Today Christ is our High Priest who is interceding in prayer for us and He alone is deserving of our gifts and service to Him.
Word Studies:
13:6 bear = support; 14:5 smote = subdued; 14:18 Salem = Jerusalem; 14:20 tithes = gifts of the first 10% of all material or financial increase; 14:22 I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD = Abraham made an oath (promise) to God; 15:3 seed = descendants; 15:4 thine own bowels = your own body; 15:5 tell = count; 15:13 stranger = temporary resident; 15:14 great substance = wealth; 15:15 go to thy fathers = die; 15:16 full = complete; iniquity = sin.
-----
HEAVY Get Help to Lift
Galatians 6:2
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Being a Burden Lifter
You would think I would get the hang of packing for the airlines after a few trips, but it only seems to be moving from bad to worse. After each trip I make mental notes: 1) Do not pack that item again, you didn’t use it anyway. 2) Don’t forget these items, it would have been nice to have them along. The last two trips my suitcase came back to me marked with an orange tag: HEAVY Get Help To Lift.
Now, I knew my suitcase was heavy, but was it really necessary to inform all my fellow travelers standing around the carousel?
Wouldn’t it be helpful if hurting people were as easily identifiable as tagged suitcases? They know their burdens are heavy. Sometimes so heavy they can hardly lift themselves out of bed in the morning. But how can others know they are hurting? Maybe these people, maybe you and I, should begin clearly marking our oppressive days with an orange tag: HEAVY BURDENS Need Help to Lift!
There’s no guesswork in the Bible on if we should help carry each other’s burdens. Galatians 6:2 commands us to do so, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
The question is how do we obey that command without the use of orange tags identifying those who need help with their heartaches and burdens? Let’s again go to the Bible for God’s Word on burden lifting.
Ask the Holy Spirit to clothe you with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). Have the attitude of Christ, looking not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2). Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2).
Would orange tags make it easier to identify the hurting people in your corner of the world? It certainly would. But is it the best option? No, God always provides the best way. Follow God’s commands for burden lifting, imitate Christ’s example in how He reached out to others, and let the Spirit lead and guide as you go about the task you’ve been called to: being a burden lifter for others.
Today’s Prayer:
Father God, thank You for Your word on burden lifting. Please help me to see the burdens that people are carrying. Give me eyes to see where the needs are. Give me ears to hear the cries of hurting people. Give me love that reaches out in compassion and understanding. I want to imitate Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
By Lenae Bulthuis
-----
1 Minute Daily Devotions
January 5, 2009
Actually, Money Can Buy Happiness
"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother." - Deuteronomy 15:7
Here's an interesting newspaper article I recently read. A research team at Harvard Business School has found that spending as little as five dollars a day on others will significantly boost your own personal happiness. A psychologist heading the study said, "We wanted to test the theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earned." So they had their subjects make a list of income as well as detailed expenditures, especially donations to charity and gifts to others. Then they rated their levels of happiness and there you have it - the more you spend on others the happier you'll be.
I'm not sure how much this study cost, but I think we could have saved them a whole bunch of money. In God's Word, Jesus has already said, "It's a lot more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) Giving to God - giving to others - is a sure-fired way to a happier, more fulfilling life.
-----
The Day of Rest
Bible Reading: Genesis 2:2-3; Psalm 62:1,5; 91:1; Matthew 11:28;
We are told in the Bible that God never slumbers or sleeps, nor does He grow weary. Why then, did He find it necessary to rest on the seventh day after the work of creating that He had done? I believe He did it as an example to us. We are not omnipotent. We grow weary and need rest. We also need time to delight in what we have accomplished during the week. But most importantly, we need time to come aside and commune with God. If you are not resting one day a week, you are missing an essential blessing.
Moment of Meditation: Both work and rest are essential to a successful Christian walk.
A Talk with Jesus: Jesus, when I am weary, I rest in You. I delight in what You have accomplished through me. I worship You. Amen.
For Further Study: Exodus 33:14; Joshua 21:44; 1 Kings 5:4; Isaiah 11:10; 30:15; 32:18; Jeremiah 6:16; Mark 2:27.
-----
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The total concept of who God is. His essence or His nature. Total love, mercy, grace, peace, forgiveness.
In constant fellowship with the Father.
Col 1:16a "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible"
Col 1:17 "And He is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Christ Jesus created the human mind long before science discovered the world was round. Have you discovered Christ Jesus as your personal Saviour?
-----
The Light of God’s Word
by Momong
Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25
1Jn.3:22—4:6 / Psa 2
…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.
(Matthew 4:16)
Lord, let Your light shine upon us
To help us make Your Word be known;
As we bring more souls to Jesus,
Let no none among us walk alone.
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Reflection
As St. John the Baptist had predicted — “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30) — Jesus began to expand His ministry as John’s role started to diminish. John was the harbinger of the Messiah, but his star must fade first before the Lord’s would shine. “He moved from Nazareth to make His home in Capernaum by the sea” because He was rejected by His own townsmen (Jn.4:44- A prophet has no honor in his native place), and to fulfill scriptures: “The coastlands will wait for His teaching” (Isa.42:4). Before Jesus came to Galilee, the people there were in darkness, because the Gospel had not yet been preached to them. His preaching of repentance, coupled with healings of all kinds of disease and affliction was the great light that had dawned upon them.
Before Christ and His teachings came into our lives, we were still in darkness. When we joined the BCBP community it was because we felt a great need to be reconciled with God once again, to put some meaning into our lives. We listened to His message, and learned to be truly penitent of our sins. And with our support group to help us, we found true peace of mind and soul. Jesus healed us, just as He did the thousands in Capernaum in Galilee. But our healing was just the beginning. After the Spirit tested and strengthened our commitment, we found that it was not only for our renewal that the Lord had called us; He was commissioning us into His service, in order to follow Him perfectly.
We have discovered the great light of the Gospel of Jesus, and it is now directing our lives. If we are to follow Him, we must spread this light to others who are still sitting in the darkness of sin, and who are still not aware of their need for repentance. This was and still is the message of Isaiah and the prophets of old, of John the Baptist, and of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is the vital message that all must heed to start the year right: Repent of all sinful ways of the past in order to start anew. May we live this new year in Christ’s eternal light.
Loving Father, we look back in repentance and look forward in hope, knowing that You have forgiven our sins as we strive to follow Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in all His teachings. Bless our new year with a new sense of purpose in the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
-----
“THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD”
“But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page25
“You live under the freedom of God’s grace.” Roman 6:14
For what it's worth: What I am today I never thought possible. Moreover, what I am today has nothing to do with me. When I was running the show, all hell was loose and running rampant. Fortunately, the pain back then was so severe I had to find relief, and ended up, of all places, with a bunch of drunks in Alcoholics Anonymous. That is the best spot on earth that I could have been. There I was accepted just as the mess I was. More significantly, there I found my heart’s desire: love and self-worth. Actually, it is more accurate to say that my heart’s desire was given to me rather than I found it. Because it is a gift, freely given, no strings attached, that I certainly did nothing to deserve. To receive the gift, I was saved from what I deserved. So easily I could have ended up like so many of my suffering brothers in a padded cubicle or a locked cell, being eaten alive from the inside out for killing someone while driving drunk, probably in a blackout. There but for the Grace of God!
God bless you!
Joe W.
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
17 He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
18 They hurt his feet with fetters,
He was laid in irons.
19 Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the LORD tested him.
20 The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
21 He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
22 To bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom. Psalm 105
-----
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Mark 1:29-34
-----
God is Precious
To know You, Oh Father, is wonderful and to be able daily to come into Your Presence is a delight.
Renew a right spirit within me, Oh Lord, that I may abound in Your Love causing me to believe all things and hope all things.
I will put my whole trust in Thee, Oh God, and in Thee alone will I rely.
You are Precious beyond compare and your gentleness and tender hearted mercies toward me takes my breath away and inspires me with great awe.
You are my God and the dearest of all my friends.
There is no greater desire within me than to walk with Thee and to talk with Thee along life's narrow way.
Just a touch from Thee, Oh God, just a touch from Thee would from all my life's troubles and woes set me free.
God, You are Precious to me.
Amen.
©01/05/2001 Jim Welch
-----
Quiet Times
"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge n him" (Psalms 24:8).
Some of my favorite times are those quiet times when I feel myself engulfed by the warm love of God. His arms wrapped around me, holding me near to Him. He is truly a loving Father.
His love for us is never-ending. His grace is immeasurable. As His children, we should all know what it means to "taste and see that the Lord is good." This is often hard to do as we are so distracted by the cares of this life. But if we could just clear our minds and focus on God and His goodness, we might begin to understand this a little more each time we come to Him in those blessed quiet times.
Quiet Times
Quiet fills the house
as each have gone their separate ways
yet I am not afraid
within the quiet of this still embrace.
I bask in the warm hug
the emptiness provides,
and slip into the silence
to hide and seek alone.
A cup of coffee and my easy chair
prepare to add to this enchanting bliss.
I sink myself into them both,
a sweet kiss of morning love.
Revealing now in unchurned air
I move my hand as to beckon the letters
from the table drawer.
I open them and soon begin
to drink in every letter--every word.
Raising eyes briefly time to time
to query my aloneness in secure.
I feel enjoined within the hour
to my gracious God,
through love and letters,
within His living Word.
Quiet fills the house,
and all have gone their separate ways.
And I am loved
within the quiet of this lasting still embrace.
Today, take time to be with God. Tell Him you love Him. Tell Him what you love about Him. And lose yourself in His love. Be sure to clear your mind of all distractions. If you do not think that will be easy, ask God to help. You will not be disappointed. Just taste, and see that the Lord is good.
Day by Day Devotionals
-----
Read Genesis 13 -- 15 http://www.studylight.org/desk/?l=en&query=ge+13-ge+15§ion=0&translation=kjv&oq=
Highlights In Today's Reading:
A life-changing message is found in today's reading! See the blessings increase as Abram allows Lot to take advantage of him rather than fight for his rights.
Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren (13:18). The strife was a result of their prosperity, which often reveals hidden spiritual problems. But this strife gave Abram an opportunity to express his faith in God by making peace with Lot. He was much older than his nephew and was also the spiritual leader; therefore, he could rightfully have taken the best for himself. Instead, he graciously offered Lot the choice. And note, he didn't "preach" to him about his greed.
Lot is an example of the worldly-minded, professing Christian. Like so many today, he was more concerned over material gain that he was over spiritual blessings. When the opportunity came, he took advantage of the generosity of his beloved uncle Abram, chose the best land, and pitched his tent toward Sodom (13:12). Lot never recovered from that disastrous decision. He did not pray or consult the Lord about this decision. When he departed from Abram, he became much more influenced by the world, as shown in the fact that he obtained a position of prominence, sitting in the gate of Sodom (19:1). His desire was to have all the fertile valley (13:11); nothing less would satisfy him. Humanly speaking, it appeared that Abram had given everything to Lot (13:11). But Abram's faith and gracious attitude toward Lot was eventually rewarded (13:14-17; 15:1-5,17-21).
The devil desires to make us believe we must grab for the best. But the people who place their faith in God have no need to fight for their rights. No one loses out by putting God first in his life! I can assure you that the forces of evil do not want us to believe that when we trust in the Lord, we have chosen the best way to live (Luke 10:42). But, with the Lord's enabling, we can live victoriously even with our losses, our problems, our heartaches, and our pressures.
In the eyes of the world, Lot's gain was Abram's loss. But Abram's victory is shown in that it was he who later rescued Lot (chapter 14), rather than the other way around. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God (I Cor. 1:3-4).
Thought for Today:
Abram gave the first tithe recorded in Scripture as a worshipful act of praise and thanksgiving to God. Do we express God's worth by giving our tithes?
Christ Portrayed:
By the high priest, Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 4:15-16; 5:5-10; 7:1-4). Today Christ is our High Priest who is interceding in prayer for us and He alone is deserving of our gifts and service to Him.
Word Studies:
13:6 bear = support; 14:5 smote = subdued; 14:18 Salem = Jerusalem; 14:20 tithes = gifts of the first 10% of all material or financial increase; 14:22 I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD = Abraham made an oath (promise) to God; 15:3 seed = descendants; 15:4 thine own bowels = your own body; 15:5 tell = count; 15:13 stranger = temporary resident; 15:14 great substance = wealth; 15:15 go to thy fathers = die; 15:16 full = complete; iniquity = sin.
-----
HEAVY Get Help to Lift
Galatians 6:2
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Being a Burden Lifter
You would think I would get the hang of packing for the airlines after a few trips, but it only seems to be moving from bad to worse. After each trip I make mental notes: 1) Do not pack that item again, you didn’t use it anyway. 2) Don’t forget these items, it would have been nice to have them along. The last two trips my suitcase came back to me marked with an orange tag: HEAVY Get Help To Lift.
Now, I knew my suitcase was heavy, but was it really necessary to inform all my fellow travelers standing around the carousel?
Wouldn’t it be helpful if hurting people were as easily identifiable as tagged suitcases? They know their burdens are heavy. Sometimes so heavy they can hardly lift themselves out of bed in the morning. But how can others know they are hurting? Maybe these people, maybe you and I, should begin clearly marking our oppressive days with an orange tag: HEAVY BURDENS Need Help to Lift!
There’s no guesswork in the Bible on if we should help carry each other’s burdens. Galatians 6:2 commands us to do so, Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
The question is how do we obey that command without the use of orange tags identifying those who need help with their heartaches and burdens? Let’s again go to the Bible for God’s Word on burden lifting.
Ask the Holy Spirit to clothe you with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12). Have the attitude of Christ, looking not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2). Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:1-2).
Would orange tags make it easier to identify the hurting people in your corner of the world? It certainly would. But is it the best option? No, God always provides the best way. Follow God’s commands for burden lifting, imitate Christ’s example in how He reached out to others, and let the Spirit lead and guide as you go about the task you’ve been called to: being a burden lifter for others.
Today’s Prayer:
Father God, thank You for Your word on burden lifting. Please help me to see the burdens that people are carrying. Give me eyes to see where the needs are. Give me ears to hear the cries of hurting people. Give me love that reaches out in compassion and understanding. I want to imitate Jesus. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
By Lenae Bulthuis
-----
1 Minute Daily Devotions
January 5, 2009
Actually, Money Can Buy Happiness
"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother." - Deuteronomy 15:7
Here's an interesting newspaper article I recently read. A research team at Harvard Business School has found that spending as little as five dollars a day on others will significantly boost your own personal happiness. A psychologist heading the study said, "We wanted to test the theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earned." So they had their subjects make a list of income as well as detailed expenditures, especially donations to charity and gifts to others. Then they rated their levels of happiness and there you have it - the more you spend on others the happier you'll be.
I'm not sure how much this study cost, but I think we could have saved them a whole bunch of money. In God's Word, Jesus has already said, "It's a lot more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35) Giving to God - giving to others - is a sure-fired way to a happier, more fulfilling life.
-----
The Day of Rest
Bible Reading: Genesis 2:2-3; Psalm 62:1,5; 91:1; Matthew 11:28;
We are told in the Bible that God never slumbers or sleeps, nor does He grow weary. Why then, did He find it necessary to rest on the seventh day after the work of creating that He had done? I believe He did it as an example to us. We are not omnipotent. We grow weary and need rest. We also need time to delight in what we have accomplished during the week. But most importantly, we need time to come aside and commune with God. If you are not resting one day a week, you are missing an essential blessing.
Moment of Meditation: Both work and rest are essential to a successful Christian walk.
A Talk with Jesus: Jesus, when I am weary, I rest in You. I delight in what You have accomplished through me. I worship You. Amen.
For Further Study: Exodus 33:14; Joshua 21:44; 1 Kings 5:4; Isaiah 11:10; 30:15; 32:18; Jeremiah 6:16; Mark 2:27.
-----
John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The total concept of who God is. His essence or His nature. Total love, mercy, grace, peace, forgiveness.
In constant fellowship with the Father.
Col 1:16a "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible"
Col 1:17 "And He is before all things, and by him all things consist."
Christ Jesus created the human mind long before science discovered the world was round. Have you discovered Christ Jesus as your personal Saviour?
-----
The Light of God’s Word
by Momong
Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25
1Jn.3:22—4:6 / Psa 2
…the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.
(Matthew 4:16)
Lord, let Your light shine upon us
To help us make Your Word be known;
As we bring more souls to Jesus,
Let no none among us walk alone.
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth He went and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, toward the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –- the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” From that time on, Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.
Reflection
As St. John the Baptist had predicted — “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30) — Jesus began to expand His ministry as John’s role started to diminish. John was the harbinger of the Messiah, but his star must fade first before the Lord’s would shine. “He moved from Nazareth to make His home in Capernaum by the sea” because He was rejected by His own townsmen (Jn.4:44- A prophet has no honor in his native place), and to fulfill scriptures: “The coastlands will wait for His teaching” (Isa.42:4). Before Jesus came to Galilee, the people there were in darkness, because the Gospel had not yet been preached to them. His preaching of repentance, coupled with healings of all kinds of disease and affliction was the great light that had dawned upon them.
Before Christ and His teachings came into our lives, we were still in darkness. When we joined the BCBP community it was because we felt a great need to be reconciled with God once again, to put some meaning into our lives. We listened to His message, and learned to be truly penitent of our sins. And with our support group to help us, we found true peace of mind and soul. Jesus healed us, just as He did the thousands in Capernaum in Galilee. But our healing was just the beginning. After the Spirit tested and strengthened our commitment, we found that it was not only for our renewal that the Lord had called us; He was commissioning us into His service, in order to follow Him perfectly.
We have discovered the great light of the Gospel of Jesus, and it is now directing our lives. If we are to follow Him, we must spread this light to others who are still sitting in the darkness of sin, and who are still not aware of their need for repentance. This was and still is the message of Isaiah and the prophets of old, of John the Baptist, and of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” This is the vital message that all must heed to start the year right: Repent of all sinful ways of the past in order to start anew. May we live this new year in Christ’s eternal light.
Loving Father, we look back in repentance and look forward in hope, knowing that You have forgiven our sins as we strive to follow Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ in all His teachings. Bless our new year with a new sense of purpose in the power of Your Spirit. Amen.
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“THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD”
“But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations.” Alcoholics Anonymous, page25
“You live under the freedom of God’s grace.” Roman 6:14
For what it's worth: What I am today I never thought possible. Moreover, what I am today has nothing to do with me. When I was running the show, all hell was loose and running rampant. Fortunately, the pain back then was so severe I had to find relief, and ended up, of all places, with a bunch of drunks in Alcoholics Anonymous. That is the best spot on earth that I could have been. There I was accepted just as the mess I was. More significantly, there I found my heart’s desire: love and self-worth. Actually, it is more accurate to say that my heart’s desire was given to me rather than I found it. Because it is a gift, freely given, no strings attached, that I certainly did nothing to deserve. To receive the gift, I was saved from what I deserved. So easily I could have ended up like so many of my suffering brothers in a padded cubicle or a locked cell, being eaten alive from the inside out for killing someone while driving drunk, probably in a blackout. There but for the Grace of God!
God bless you!
Joe W.