tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25580370860842663592024-03-28T14:53:41.393-07:00Christ Church One Year BibleJourney through the Bible with Daily Devotions provided by the Pastors at Christ ChurchChrist Church - Hickory NChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03844687459818203184noreply@blogger.comBlogger2630125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-52847384113281645212024-03-27T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-27T21:00:00.160-07:00 March 28<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #48a199; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22, Luke 8:4-21, Psalm 69:19-36, Proverbs 12:2-3 </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In many liturgical churches/settings, prior to the Scriptures being read, there is a prayer for illumination. Most are similar to this: “Lord, as the Scriptures are read and Your Word proclaimed, may we hear with joy what You say to us today.” Let your prayer today be that as you read God’s Word, you will hear </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">with joy</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> what God wants to speak to you.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">It’s uncharted territory. You’ve never had to deal with this kind of thing before. You don’t exactly know how you’re going to face this or get through this. Perhaps it is a medical issue. Maybe you’re looking at a relationship that is struggling. Is there a loss that you’re trying to process? It could even be a happy time that brings about a monumental change (graduation, move, job/career change). As the people of Israel were about to cross into God’s Promised Land, Moses reminded them of this: “recognize today that the Lord your God is the one who will cross over ahead of you….” That must have brought much comfort and peace to the people. The same God who had led them up to that point had not abandoned them (even in the midst of their rebellion and sinful actions). God was still leading them! It was true for them and it is true for you! God will cross over ahead of you into whatever uncharted land lies before you. Follow Him and you’ll never be lost.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">As the Lord was about to lead His people into the Promised Land, there must have been questions. What does this mean? Will there be new responsibilities? When God delivers on His promise, then can we relax and do whatever we want? Will God hold us to an even higher standard now that we are receiving His promise? Moses answers these questions with simplistic, but profound instructions: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">for your own good</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">.” God’s requirements had not changed, whether in the wilderness or the Promised Land, God remains the same. Where are you today? Are you wandering in the wilderness, trying to find your way, trying to discern God’s plan? Are you in the Promised Land attempting to understand what God now asks of you? He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Fear the Lord, live the kind of life that pleases Him, love Him, serve Him, obey Him…it’s for your own good that you do these things.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In order to have a garden that produces good crops, the soil must be prepared properly. When Jesus tells the parable of the soil, too many of us hear the story as passive Christians…or we put the emphasis upon the farmer/sower. To be sure, of the four categories of soil, the first (where “the devil” takes away the seed) doesn’t </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">seem</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> to have much of a defense. The other 3, however, involve soil preparation. Nobody would plant a garden among rocks. You wouldn’t expect much to grow if you planted among thorns. You only get a good harvest of crops when you plant in good soil. How receptive are you to God’s Word? In other words, how’s the soil of your soul? Are there rocks in your spirit that are preventing you from allowing the Word of God to grow deep roots in your life? Are the thorns of culture choking out what God is trying to do in your life? We want…we NEED to have good soil for God to work with. Plow up the rocks, pull out the thorns by the root, and allow the Lord to plant something within you that will yield a crop a hundred times over what you might have received before.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-66134614401261504382024-03-26T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-26T21:00:00.269-07:00 March 27<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 7:1-8:20, Luke 7:36-8:3, Psalm 69:1-18, Proverbs 12:1 </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Do you want some encouragement? Is being challenged or corrected what is needed most in your life right now? Pray to the Lord. As you read His Word, ask Him to meet the deepest needs of your heart and life right now. It may be from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms or Proverbs. Rest assured, God has a message for you from today’s readings. Pray and ask for revelation.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> In Deuteronomy 7, we read of the reason God chose Israel. It was because of His great love for them and the promise He made to their ancestors. We have a tendency in our culture to be extreme. We choose left/right (nobody likes the middle!). We are all-in or all-out. We operate in this same mentality when it comes to self-assessment. We either think we are pretty good people or we can’t possibly understand how anybody could put up with us. Extremism is all around us and even in us. The truth is, extremism is rarely productive, and often it is counterproductive. However you view yourself, and whatever is going on in your life today, remember this: “The Lord did not set His heart on you and choose you because you were more” (holy, perfect, attractive, successful, etc.) “…Rather, it is simply that the Lord loves you…” and He keeps His promises.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Look around you right now. Take notice of your surroundings: the furnishings, the decor, the people (perhaps), the area outside the window (if there are windows). Compared to much of our world, we are blessed with much more than we need in the United States. Sometimes, we feel a bit guilty about this. I don’t think it’s biblical to feel guilt about God’s blessings. I do, however, think we must be guarded when we realize just how much we have been blessed. Deuteronomy 8 gives us some instructions about this very thing: Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey His commands, regulations, and decrees. …For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in…be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God…He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful…” All that you have is a gift from the Lord: your family, your friends, your home, your car(s), your checking account, your clothing, and even the very breath of life which allows you to enjoy all of the Lord’s gifts. It’s all from Him. God wants to bless us, but He also warns us to be careful not to forget the source of our blessings and to be obedient to His commands.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">If we’re open to the Holy Spirit’s leading, we’ll often find a connection, a common thread, between the daily readings. Today, the connection is made between Deuteronomy 8 and Luke 7 fairly easily. The Old Testament lesson reminds us to enjoy God’s blessings, but to keep God’s commands. In Luke 7, we find these verses: “When a certain immoral woman from that city heard [Jesus] was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.” The woman with the alabaster jar of expensive perfume…how did she choose to use what God had brought into her life? She could have dabbed on the perfume and walked around town with everyone taking notice that she must be wealthy or important because of this expensive perfume. She could have placed it in her home for all her visitors to see this expensive item she owned. Instead, this “immoral woman” knelt at the feet of the Savior, washing His feet with her tears and hair. The perfume? It too, went to the feet of Jesus along with her kisses. What are you holding onto that you need to lay at the feet of the Master? Is it pride, greed, lust, anger, bitterness, resentment? Is it the resources and blessings that God has given you? Is it your very life that you need to commit/recommit to Him? The “immoral woman” left hearing these words from Jesus: “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” He wishes to speak those very words to you today. Will you come and kneel at His feet?</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-63710809779911726992024-03-25T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-25T21:00:00.265-07:00 March 26<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 5:1-6:25, Luke 7:11-35, Psalms 68:19-35, Proverbs 11:29-31</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Pray today that God would offer new insight into something that you have been questioning, wondering about, struggling with through the pages of Scripture today. Trust that God has answers for each of us that are nestled away in the verses within the greatest book ever written!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Today we receive the Ten Commandments from Moses as well as Moses’ comments and teaching for living a Godly life. It's interesting that Moses spent so much of his time reminding the Israelites that there is only One God and that it is imperative that they remember that. Do you think Moses sees something coming after they enter the Promised Land? Guess you’ll have to keep on reading to find out. We also read of Jesus raising a widow’s son from the dead. This boy was in the coffin and on the way to be buried and Jesus stopped the processional and simply said, “Young man, get up”… and HE GOT UP!!! In the midst of all of that, John the Baptist sends messengers to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah that they had been waiting on. Jesus reassures John and his followers that He is the Messiah and that John is and has always been a part of the plan… preparing the way for one who is greater.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Proverbs speaks to the family and relationships that we have with them. Family is one of the greatest resources God gives us. They provide acceptance, encouragement, guidance and counsel. Bringing trouble to one’s family in any way is foolish because you cut yourself off from all they provide. It is crucial for us to diligently work to promoting and building a close-knit and strong family connection.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">How have you hindered the development of a strong family unit? How can you further strengthen your family unit? Commit today to investing in your family. Maybe there is some forgiveness that needs to be offered for the sake of reconciliation and family unity. </span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-85592948747052713452024-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-24T21:00:00.348-07:00 March 25<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 4:1-49, Luke 6:39-7:10, Psalms 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We live in an “I want it now” society. The internet has placed volumes of useful and useless material at our fingertips. We can watch television shows everywhere we go thanks to mobile phones and we can get from point A to point B without ever looking at a map. (Do you remember those?) That being said, we have often been guilty of allowing this mindset to enter into our prayer lives as well. Sometimes, we expect our prayers to be answered in our way in an instant, but this is not how God works. Today, pray for an understanding that God’s timing is perfect and that Scripture is often the answer that we are looking for and needing. We just have to do a little searching. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Moses now knows that he will not be able to enter into the Promised Land… even after all that he went through to get the Israelites where they are, God did not have it in His plan to allow Moses to cross the Jordan River. Now Moses urges the Israelite people to obey God when they enter into the Promised Land. He warns them against the temptations that will come and the opportunities to worship idols in this new land. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In Luke, we continue to read the teachings of Jesus when it comes to judging others and about the fruit that can be produced in the lives of other people.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">There are so many powerful moments in our reading every day that it is difficult to keep our notes manageable. The story of the Roman soldier has always had a profound impact on me as a follower of Christ. I see a faith that is so great that the soldier knows that Jesus can heal his slave without even having to be there in person. Talk about a faith that could move mountains. There is an unwavering assurance there and there is also something that Jesus values in each of His followers… a love of others. No matter their station in life, we are called to love and look out for the well-being of all people. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Two things to consider from our passages today. The first is for each of us to consider our life and the places where we may have erected idols that would hinder us from experiencing God to the fullest. Remember that an idol is anything that takes our focus and our attention away from God. The second thing to consider comes from the example of the Roman soldier. Find a way to look out for others today. Is there a way that you can love someone of “high value” today? We often write challenges in the Christian to the exclusion of those closest to us. How can you value someone closest to you today?</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-29447895555242657032024-03-23T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-23T21:00:00.143-07:00 March 24<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Deuteronomy 2:1-3:29, Luke 6:12-38, Psalms 67:1-7, Proverbs 11:27</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The power of prayer should not be underestimated. James 5:16-18 declares, "…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." God most definitely listens to prayers, answers prayers, and moves in response to prayers.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Pray today, that your prayers be as powerful as those of Elijah. Lifting our prayers to God never falls on deaf ears. Pray, in addition, for the patience and spirit to know that God is in control of all things and moves according to His Will.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Today, we remember through our Old Testament reading, the wandering of the people of Israel as a result of rebelling against God’s plan to deliver them into the Promised Land. We also read of the deliverance of God of the Israelites, 40 years later, into the Promised Land. The initial battles against the people who inhabited the land went the way that Caleb and Jacob said they would… God gave the Israelites victory over them. Luke tells us of the first few times when Jesus began to establish Himself as the Son of God. Even in the face of adversity from the Pharisees, we see Jesus standing up to their title and proclaiming that He is the “master even of the Sabbath”. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jesus was filled with so much valuable teaching and today is no different. Today, you will read of the choosing of the first apostles from the group of disciples that Jesus accumulated. We also read some of the most beautiful words ever spoken as we read the Beatitudes along with Jesus teaching of loving your enemy. In this passage on loving your enemies, Jesus isn’t talking about the love we often think of… He was speaking of a love of the will. This kind of love takes an act of will. Loving our enemies means acting with their best interests in mind. It means lifting them in prayer and we can do things that would be of help to them. Jesus said to love one another… He didn’t exclude anyone, even the people we don’t like and that may not like us. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Let’s pledge today to think of the best interest of others and place their needs ahead of our own… even those who would seek to attack our character. Let’s do the very thing that Christ asked us to do… love our enemies. How can you pray for them today?</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-75921561095582828392024-03-22T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-22T21:00:00.138-07:00 March 23<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 36:1-13, Deuteronomy 1:1-46, Luke 5:29-6:11, Psalms 66:1-20, Proverbs 11:24-26</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In 1982, the Today show in New York City scheduled an interview with Reverend Billy Graham. When he arrived at the studio, one of the program's producers informed Graham's assistant that a private room had been set aside for the reverend for prayer before the broadcast. The assistant thanked the producer for the thoughtful gesture, but told him that Mr. Graham would not need the room. The producer was a bit shocked that a world-famous Christian leader would not wish to pray before being interviewed on live national television. Graham's assistant responded, "Mr. Graham started praying when he got up this morning, he prayed while eating breakfast, he prayed on the way over in the car, and he'll probably be praying all the way through the interview."</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">May our prayers be ongoing and never cease. Pray for a never-ending prayer life… one where every moment of life is lived in a spirit of prayer and praise. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> In Deuteronomy we read of Moses giving God’s instructions to leave Sinai and travel to “the wilderness east of the Jordan River” (1:1). So, Moses appointed leaders for the tribes because the numbers of Israelites had grown so much that moving and managing such a large group of people had become too difficult. We also read of the spies that were sent ahead of the Israelite nation to check out the Promised Land and bring a report of their findings. This report albeit positive also brought on rebellion from amongst those that have quickly forgotten that the Lord is with them.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">As nations, businesses, and even churches grow, they become more and more complex. Conflicting needs and problems arise. It is no longer possible for one person to handle the burden alone; therefore it is necessary to share the leadership load. This is what Moses did.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Just like Moses shared the leadership load with others, it may be necessary, from time to time, for you to share the leadership burden with others. This not only helps you as a leader be more effective but it also allows others to share in the load and exercise their own God-given gifts and abilities. </span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-16554079637013812672024-03-21T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-21T21:00:00.179-07:00 March 22<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 33:40-35:34, Luke 5:12-28, Psalms 65:1-13, Proverbs 11:23</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Today, lift to the Lord your praise and adoration for who He is. It's easy to ask God for things, but we rarely utilize our prayer time to give God the glory that He is worthy of. In our busy world, we live in a “get down to business” mindset, but God wants to hear that we appreciate Him and are thankful for the reality that He is a gracious and forgiving God. Today let your prayers be about glorifying Him first. This should be the beginning of all of our prayers. God first…us later.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We read in Numbers today of the Israelites preparing to move in and take possession of the Promised Land. In doing so, the Israelites were instructed to wipe out the existing inhabitants completely. Here we see God being one who is set on ridding the land of those who had inhabited it for generations. God warns that to not completely rid the land of these wicked inhabitants would create a situation of great irritation in the future. We are called to do the same thing in our own lives… throwing the old way of life away and moving ahead into our new life of obedience. Like the Israelites, we must decide for ourselves whether to stamp out our former ways or allow them to claim residence beside the new way of life. To settle for the latter is to not truly embrace the new way of life… it is straddling the fence of life, with one foot in the past and one in the future. Where are you today?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Luke records two miracles of Jesus in today's reading… one where Jesus healed a man with leprosy and the other a paralyzed man. In both cases, the faith of the men played a major role in their healing, but in the case of the paralyzed man, it was not only the man who was faithful. The men who carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus and even went so far as to open a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was and lowered their friend down in front of Jesus also demonstrated great faith. I am always amazed in this verse at Jesus' response to the Pharisees during this exchange. Jesus never got upset or angry with the Pharisees challenging Him for forgiving the man’s sins, He simply asked them which would be easier… forgiving him or healing him. So Jesus being who He was… did both. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Psalms 65 says, “What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you for you answer prayers, and to you all people will come. Though our hearts are filled with sins, you forgive them all.” Just as Christ forgave the sins of the paralyzed man, we can have our sins forgiven by the very same Christ. All we have to do is trust in Him and ask for the forgiveness. Ask for God’s forgiveness today and, like the Israelites, push out the wickedness within your heart so that you can begin a new life in Christ today.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-29484584490718399372024-03-20T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-20T21:00:00.141-07:00 March 21<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 32:1-33:39, Luke 4:31-5:11, Psalms 64:1-10, Proverbs 11:22</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Pray today that Scripture would come alive in your heart and mind. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and unlock something new and meaningful for you and your life while you read and study today. Pray for your family… those close to God and those far from Him. Pray that God would, in His own way, create opportunities for sharing your story and your journey with God. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The Old Testament story today is one that, if not careful, you will miss a major point where many are guilty. Moses made an assumption that the tribes that wanted to live on the other side of the Jordan were doing so out of selfish reasons. Ever been there? It is crucial for us to find out all of the facts before we come to a conclusion on something. Just because something may sound suspicious doesn’t always mean that it is being done out of bad motives. We also read a remembrance of the journey that Israel has made thus far all the way back to the very beginning of the Israelite people.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We read some of this just yesterday in our New Testament reading where Jesus was rejected in His hometown because of who they saw Him as being and not who He was in God. Today, we see Jesus moving on and doing amazing things in Capernaum where He casts out a demon (did you notice that the demon knew WHO He was… what was it that kept those in Nazareth from seeing WHO Christ was?). Jesus also calls James and John as disciples after doing the impossible and showing some awesome fishing skills!</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In the story of Jesus calling James and John, Jesus teaches an important reality about who He is and how we are to follow Him. Jesus demonstrates that even though the instructions that we are to be faithful to in our lives may not make sense, we are to be faithful in fulfilling that which is expected. It didn’t make any sense to think that just by throwing the nets over the other side of the boat, that it would make any difference, but we see that in their following Jesus’ instructions, it yielded a great reward. And so it should be with our own lives… we must be faithful in our own following even when it may not make the most sense. We are to remain faithful.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Proverbs tells us that wicked talk leads to the tearing apart of cities. Covenant today to make your words uplifting rather than words of destruction. Who can you build up today with a simple, authentic compliment?</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-2223500325089620752024-03-19T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-19T21:00:00.138-07:00 March 20<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 30:1-31:54, Luke 4:1-30, Psalms 63:1-11, Proverbs 11:20-21</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Pray today that God would open your heart and mind to the message that HE has to reveal through Scripture today. Lift up our leaders within our church as we seek to serve the church and God’s Kingdom to the best of our abilities. Pray for our families and our ministries as we do our very best to reach millions of people by developing thousands of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. Finally pray for revival… that people would turn from their wicked and selfish ways and turn to God. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Today we read in Numbers of the vengeance of God on the Midianites for leading the Israelites into idol worship. While the wrath of the Lord was swift and total, we see the warriors not follow the instructions of Moses, which had come from God when they brought the women, and children back as spoils of war. None of the men had survived. Moses further instructs the warriors to finish the task at hand with the destruction of the women, who had led the Israelites into idol worship. Next we see a beautiful scene of thanksgiving as the warriors, none of whom were hurt or killed in battle, gave an offering of gold from their plunder to God as thanks for their victory and safety during battle. What a beautiful example of thankfulness in the midst of chaotic times! </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In Luke’s Gospel we find ourselves at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee where He was rejected in His hometown. The people only saw Him as Joseph’s son and could not see that Scriptural prophecy was standing before them in the form of a man.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Today, we read in both the Old and New Testaments about gratitude. On one hand, the Israelite warriors had a sense of gratitude for their victory and well-being in battle. The Nazarenes did not have any form of gratitude towards Christ because they were blinded by Jesus being “Joseph’s son”. It is critical to our overall health and especially our spiritual well-being to have a sense of gratitude when it comes to the person and workings of Jesus Christ.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Let’s commit today to be people of gratitude and not people blinded by the culture by placing Christ in the second chair of life. Where in your life should you be more thankful than you are? Make it a priority today to demonstrate thanks in those areas in life where you should be more thankful than you show.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-21515553669390142552024-03-18T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T21:00:00.159-07:00 March 19<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 28:16-29:40, Luke 3:23-38, Psalm 62:1-12, Proverbs 11:18-19</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank"> </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father, thank You for Your Holy Bible. It encourages and corrects, it guides and reminds me everyday of Your faithfulness and my need for Your perfect sacrifice for me. Your life was the ultimate sacrifice for my sin once and for all. Thank You for Your life, death, and resurrection today Jesus. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> In Numbers this morning we read about the prescribed offerings that the people of Israel were to make. Many of these offerings were made as a means of atonement for the sin of the people. If they were not meant for sin, they were dedicated to the Lord as an offering. Then they had Passover offerings as memorial, meant to be performed to remember the work of the Lord in the past. I think we could learn something from the people as they perform these sacrifices and offerings. These symbolic acts helped the people to be thankful for what God had done and also communally encourage the people to give unto the Lord from their own resources. It reminded the people, as we often need to be reminded, that everything we have is a gift from the Lord.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In our New Testament reading we see Luke providing Theophilus with an account of the genealogy of Jesus. This man did not just appear out of nowhere. He is from the lineage of David as prophesied by the prophets before. We have to remind ourselves sometimes as New Testament Christians entrenched in the Bible belt that Jesus was a real historical figure who we can trust. Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for and the EVIDENCE of things unseen. We don’t have blind faith in Christ, we have evidence and substance to support our belief.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Proverbs reminds us this morning how important it is to be a person of integrity especially when it comes to what we earn and make for a living. The promise is sure, the one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-3053177776624406232024-03-17T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-17T21:00:00.262-07:00 March 18<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 26:52-28:15, Luke 3:1-22, Psalm 61:1-8, Proverbs 11:16-17 </a><span style="color: #403f42; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father, “Here my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge and my strong tower.” Lord, may we trust in Your authority and strength in our lives today and may Your Holy Spirit be ever present with us. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">What a special passage of scripture in Numbers 27:12-23 as we read about the succession of leadership from Moses to Joshua. The qualification for leadership over the people was very simple. “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.” The only need we have to be spiritual leaders is whether the Spirit of God resides in your life. If you are shepherded by the Spirit of God then you will be faithful to shepherd God’s people. It is also encouraging to read how much Moses cared for his people and did not want for them to be without a Shepherd to lead them into the Promise Land.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> John the Baptist was a man set apart to prepare the way for Jesus. His message was simple, “Repent for the forgiveness of sins.” The first step in the lives of any follower of Jesus is still the same, repent. Many of us forget that we must have faith to believe and we must have faith to repent. They are not mutually exclusive. Any person that believes in Jesus also repents and anyone who repents also believes. The distinguishable difference noted in the text is that John baptized with water, but Jesus will baptize people into the Holy Spirit.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We are reminded in Proverbs today that kindness and graciousness go a long way and are beneficial to us as well. On the contrary, violence and cruelty only hurt us and those around us. Let’s practice a gracious and kind spirit with those we interact with today.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-34358276329539792432024-03-16T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-16T21:00:00.143-07:00 March 17<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 26:1-51, Luke 2:36-52, Psalm 60:1-12, Proverbs 11:15</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Oh Father, “That your beloved ones may be delivered, give us salvation by your right hand and answer us!” Lord, You alone are our security and our defense. May we trust in Your unfailing love and faithfulness in our lives today. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">There were 601,730 people in Israel over 20 years of age not including teens and children. Amazing to think that this enormous group of people wandered around in the desert for 40 years. It’s no wonder the Lord had to set up the laws for living. I have to remind myself that these laws were for the good of the people. We have to remember today that the laws that God has established are not only a blessing to us but also for our good and for our well-being in living together as His Holy people.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We get a rare glimpse in Luke today of Jesus as a boy. There are a few things that we can gather about His childhood that are truly significant. The first is that even as a child, Jesus’ mind was on His heavenly Father. He wanted to be in His Father’s house. It is also powerful that even as a child He amazed the religious leaders with His understanding and answers to their questions. But what I believe is extremely encouraging is that this passage ends with saying “Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” Jesus being like us as a man had to grow in His relationship just like you and I. He had to read the law, He had to grow and love and care just like us. I am so thankful we have a Lord that we can relate to and learn from.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The reading in Proverbs this morning gives us a very practical practice “He who puts up security for a stranger will suffer harm, and he who hates striking hands in a pledge is secure." In other words, don’t be quick to make a deal. Especially if it is uncertain whom it is with or what it is about.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-56111326612400347012024-03-15T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-15T21:00:00.140-07:00 March 16<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 24:1-25:18, Luke 2:1-35, Psalm 59:1-17, Proverbs 11:14 </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father, I pray with David “I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.” Lord, may I remember to seek You in the morning and allow You to guide me through my day. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">A sobering story in Numbers 25 this morning reminds us of how important it is that we do not waver in our devotion to the Lord. The people of Israel went after the daughters of Moab and culture of people who worshiped the false god Baal. God strictly forbid this behavior in His law. At one point a man had the audacity to bring one of these women into the camp before the eyes of Moses. This bold sin by the people of Israel caused a plague on the people that killed 24,000. The plague was stopped finally when the woman and man were killed in the camp. These stories of unfaithfulness with foreigners in the Old Testament speak metaphorically to us not to cheat on God with the “foreign women” of the world. God calls us to be set apart and holy and not to mingle with sins that only pull us more into the world and not apart from it.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">As I read Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus this morning I couldn’t help but be struck by all the details. We get the names, Caesar Augustus, Quirinius governor of Syria, and the places, the city of David, Nazareth, Judea, Bethlehem, etc. The Christmas story of Jesus' birth gets so sensationalized in our society that most think it a fairy tale or folklore. But here we see facts and unarguable historical events. I am encouraged that Jesus' birth was a true and historical event that changed the whole course of human history.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">One of the hardest Christian disciplines is receiving instruction or correction from others. Yet Proverbs tells us that we should have an abundance of counselors in our lives. I hope that we can seek out some people in our lives who can give us the counsel we need.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-44983418836596043262024-03-14T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-14T21:00:00.139-07:00 March 15<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 22:21-23:30, Luke 1:57-80, Psalm 58:1-11, Proverbs 11:12-13 </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Lord this morning Your scriptures teach us about our mouths and our words. The Proverb reminds us that often a man of understanding remains silent and that a trustworthy man does not go around gossiping. Lord help us today to be good stewards of our words and our mouths and that every word would be for Your glory. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We read the famous story of Balaam’s donkey this morning. I chuckled to myself when I read that once the donkey began speaking to Balaam that without skipping a beat Balaam converses back with the donkey. I think I would have been so shocked or scared that I wouldn’t have been able to have a conversation with the donkey. But Balaam was blinded with anger. The angel of the Lord spoke to Balaam and told him that it was the donkey that actually saved him from being destroyed by the angel. God will get our attention in many ways. I pray that we won’t be as blind as Balaam when the Lord seeks to speak to us in unconventional means.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">It’s amazing how we can see similarities in our Old Testament reading and our story in Luke. In Numbers God causes a donkey to speak. In our New Testament reading we see that God restrains the mouth of Zechariah until his son is born because of his doubts about his birth. Just as God declared, when John was born Zechariah finally speaks, “His name is John.” After nine months or more of silence Zechariah learned his lesson and the first words from his mouth were to reaffirm the instructions that God has given to him in naming him John and to trust in the Lord. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> A powerful word from Psalm 58 today reminds us how important it is for us not to seek justice for ourselves. The soul reason for Christians not to seek to avenge themselves is found in the confidence that God is just and He will reward the righteous in due time. May we remember this when we feel the need to justify ourselves to others.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-1646323426536193392024-03-13T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-13T21:00:00.136-07:00 March 14<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 21:1-22:20, Luke 1:26-56, Psalm 57:1-11, Proverbs 11:9-11</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jesus, we pray along with David today “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge.” Oh Lord, You fulfill Your purposes in us and we ask humbly today Lord that You would get glory in our lives. Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In today's Old Testament reading from Numbers we see the Israelites making the same complaints they continue to make, “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” God had enough with their faithlessness and bad attitudes and so He sent fiery serpents among the people that bit them and killed them. But the Lord also provided the solution for healing. Moses was instructed to make a bronze serpent and if the people would look at it they would live. John tells us in the New Testament, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” We hold in us the curse of sin, and Jesus became that curse for us when He was lifted up on the cross. We must look to Him to have our curse removed.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">What a beautiful song that Mary sings to the Lord in Luke 1:46-55. I am sure Mary knew of the troubles she would face as an unmarried pregnant woman in Israel, but yet to be gifted with the task of bringing the Savior into the world far exceeded her personal trials. My prayer is that we will recognize the exceeding blessing it is to serve the Lord today. It far outweighs the struggle along the way.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We read in Proverbs today how destructive the mouth can be. It can destroy a neighbor or if left unguarded even an entire city. May we carefully consider the words of our mouth as we go through this day.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-61983026646687580702024-03-12T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T21:00:00.156-07:00 March 13<p><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Numbers 19:1-20:29, Luke 1:1-25, Psalm 56:1-13, Proverbs 11:8 </a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Lord, Your word tells us in Psalms today that You have kept count of my sorrows and You put my tears in Your bottle. What a comfort that is Lord that You care about my grief. You take note of my troubles. Lord may we say along with David this day with all confidence that “You are for us!” Amen.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In the Old Testament reading today we see a picture of Moses and Aaron in disobedience to the Lord. This disobedience brought about the consequence of not entering into the Promise Land. God specifically told Moses to speak to the rock and water would pour out of it. Moses instead struck the rock twice to make the water come forth for the people. This reminds us how important it is for us to listen carefully to the instruction of the Lord and not to turn from it or seek to modify His commands to our liking or desires.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">What is so special about the beginning of Luke is the amazing historical evidence we see in Luke writing to a historical figure in Theophilus that can be proved to be a real person in the first century. Sometimes I get caught up in the stories of scripture and forget that they are real letters written to real people. This should greatly encourage us as we read today. We can be sure of the reality, infallibility and sufficiency of the scriptures.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Zechariah had some doubts about what the angel of the Lord told him concerning the birth of John the Baptist, and it cost him. For nine months Zechariah could not speak because he doubted that the Lord could do the impossible in him and his wife in their old age. Let’s practice trusting God at His word. Let’s believe that if He says it, He will do it! </span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-21087382180842381132024-03-11T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T21:00:00.142-07:00 March 12<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 16:41-18:32, Mark 16:1-20, Psalm 55:1-23, Proverbs 11:7</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father God: Your ways are not my ways and sometimes Your ways make no sense at all to me. Teach me Your ways. Grant me understanding. Let me make decisions based on Your WORD. I pray for wisdom that I might be a blessing to others and honor You.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">14,700 people died in the plague that followed the earth opening up and swallowing Korah and 250 of Israel’s leaders. (Numbers 12:49) How we interpret events is important. There had been a contest. Would God accept Moses’ sacrifice or Korah’s? God accepted Moses’ sacrifice and Korah and the 250 leaders were swallowed up by the earth. But Israel muttered among themselves. They still had not learned that God declares what is right and what is wrong and who leads and who does not. But are we willing to let Him lead or do we constantly revert to leading ourselves?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">It is not an enemy who taunts me—I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me—I could have hidden from them. Instead it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God. (Psalm 55:12-14) Those closest to us hurt us most. And…we hurt those closest to us. Hurt is unavoidable. It is going to happen. But hurt can be overcome, if it is not avoided.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The scriptures tell us about hurt. The WORD admonishes us not to let the sun go down on our wrath. (Get right before you get in bed!) Leave your offering at the altar and be reconciled first before giving it. (Yes, forgiving is even more important than giving.) Get right with anyone you have hurt before you take communion lest any number of sicknesses befall you.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-58066229275414194032024-03-10T21:00:00.000-07:002024-03-10T21:00:00.377-07:00 March 11<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 15:17-16:40, Mark 15:1-47, Psalm 54:1-7, Proverbs 11:5-6</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Father, help me to be quick to listen and slow to speak…even slower to anger. Remind me to offer praise before I venture out with correction. And help me to stop rebellion in its tracks by talking things over with You before getting on a soap box and shouting my dissatisfaction to others.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">We see a full blown rebellion against God and God’s man, Moses, starting in Numbers 11:16. Korah, a leader in Israel, conspired with two other leaders, Dathan and Abiram, to rebel. In a nutshell, they thought Moses was acting “too big for his britches”. 250 other leaders rebelled as well. They approached their leader, Moses, by saying, “We are as spiritual as you…and just who do you think you are anyway?" There are very few things as dangerous as ambition without humility. Korah wanted power. And he thought he would better handle power than Moses. The next day there was a contest.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Would God accept Moses’ offering or Korah’s offering? We know the story. The ground opened up and swallowed Korah and his fellow 250 leaders. Moses, although not perfect, was God’s man. God puts spiritual authorities in our lives. Although not perfect, they are nonetheless sent to us from God. We need to know that. And we need to be very careful in how we respond to authority.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In Mark 15:21 a passerby named Simon was coming in from the countryside, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. Simon did not wake up early that morning and say to himself, “Today, I have a date with history.” The scripture declares that Simon was forced by soldiers to carry the cross. Why Simon? Why not someone else? Was Simon barrel chested and strong? We don’t know. All we know was that he was forced to carry the cross. This much I do know. Simon had a date with history. What he did that day would be talked about throughout the ages. We, too, have a place to be and things to do each day.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Start each day by simply saying, God, I want to be at the right place at the right time with the right people today. If there is a cross that I must bear…so be it. Help me to understand that You are at work. I'm not at this point in time by accident. Help me be Your vessel today.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-12020145298192145862024-03-09T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-09T21:00:00.197-08:00 March 10<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 14:1-15:16, Mark 14:53-72, Psalm 53:1-6, Proverbs 11:4</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Father, help me to understand that the size of my problem is not where I should focus. Help me to focus on the size of my God!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The children of Israel had experienced the miracles of God in their deliverance from Egypt. Now they were faced with circumstances that challenged their belief system. Was Moses their true leader? Had God put them in this desolate wilderness? Were the obstacles that lay ahead too great? The children of Israel had started strong, but now they were collapsing as a people as they yielded themselves to doubt, murmuring, and rebellion.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Most of us remember very well coming to that point in our lives where sin had so enslaved us that we needed a deliverer. The same thing had happened to Israel. They had been enslaved in Egypt. God had raised up Moses to deliver His people. Likewise, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to deliver you and me.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The children of Israel started strong. They left Egypt with the wealth of Egypt. But shortly after they entered the wilderness their strong faith and willing obedience began to crumble. Many of us start strong in the faith but when life doesn’t go our way we find ourselves, like Israel, longing to go back to the way things once were. Many give into these longings and return to life as it was before.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The wilderness journey of Israel mirrors into our life journey. We have the opportunity to choose God’s way and God’s plan and act on both. Or, like Israel, we can walk in circles all our lives until our bones bleach in the wilderness. God has planned “the land” for us. But we have a choice. We can choose the wilderness and die walking in circles.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Practice praying what God says rather than what you might feel. Translate your prayers into actions based on what God has said rather than what you feel in any given moment. Know assuredly that there will be obstacles. Know that life won’t be a picnic. But also know that God will be right there with you.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-14900167119688311352024-03-08T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-08T21:00:00.142-08:00 March 9<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 11:24-13:33, Mark 14:22-52, Psalm 52:1-9, Proverbs 11:1-3</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> Lord God, teach me, train me, direct me, and correct me. Help me to delight in what You say rather than to camp out around what the world about me is saying. Remind me that Your manna is the true bread from heaven and Your provision for me. Help me not to cry out after the meat of Egypt. Help me to understand that as good as the quails seemed to be… the result of Egyptian meat was a plague and much death.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In Numbers 11:12 we read that Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses. They went on to say, “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” Our leaders are not perfect men. They have faults and failings. And sometimes we fail to understand that God made them our leaders and as such we must honor them in spite of their shortcomings. God dealt severely with Aaron and Miriam by striking Miriam with leprosy. We need to be very careful how we speak about our leaders. God is well able to deal with those in authority. We are called to pray for and honor our leaders. When we do so the Lord will deal in a mighty way with those in authority.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Mark 14:38 finds Jesus saying to His disciples something very profound but often missed. “Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” Jesus had been alone with His heavenly Father just before His betrayal. He had asked His followers to watch and pray with Him. Rather than doing so they had fallen asleep. The possibility of overcoming temptation is real when coupled to PRAYER. Jesus did overcome temptation that night. His followers did not. PRAYER is a huge weapon. SLEEP is an enemy of prayer.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Peter knew he was about to be tested. Yet he failed to prepare for the temptation that was just ahead. Peter went to sleep. Peter did not pray. Meanwhile, Jesus was not sleeping and Jesus was praying. Temptation rarely sneaks up on us. More often than not we see temptation coming. But choosing to do something about it…well, it is on us. Do we pray before we choose to watch a certain tv show? Do we pray before we decide what to order off the menu? Do we pray before putting ourselves in a one-on-one situation with the opposite sex? Watch and pray. It makes all the difference!</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-12016636833007937422024-03-07T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-07T21:00:00.170-08:00 March 8<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 10:1-11:23, Mark 14:1-21, Psalm 51:1-19, Proverbs 10:31-32</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Lord, life is a journey. And my prayer is not that You would make my journey easy. Rather Lord, I pray that my journey would honor Your name. Help me not to complain when things don’t go my way. Help me to be thankful deep within and by faith to voice my thankfulness even when I feel anything but thankful.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> In Numbers 10 and 11 we read how Israel began its journey across the wilderness. All began well, there was the clear sound of trumpets to tell Israel what to do. And there was order. When it was time to march there was order in the marching. So many things start well. But somewhere into our journey what we think should happen and what is really happening seems very far apart. Discouragement sets in. There is great temptation to complain to your leaders and for your leaders to complain to God. God intervened for Israel. They got the meat they wanted. They got so much meat that they grew sick of it. Remember, getting what we want may not be the best thing for us. Ask God to give you what you need and not what you want.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jesus shares with His followers in Mark 14:7, “You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me.” A woman had come to Jesus and poured out expensive perfume over His head. She was obeying a prompting in her spirit. Those about her felt she was wasteful and that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But Jesus knew that something far more important than feeding the poor was going on. And Jesus said that this deed would always be remembered throughout history. Sometimes acts of faith and obedience to a prompting from the Holy Spirit just don’t make sense. But never lose sight of the bigger picture. Jesus was telling His followers not to miss the eternal realm while living in the natural realm.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The Holy Spirit is sometimes called “the hound of heaven.” He will prod you repeatedly sometimes to do something that just seems to make no sense. We shouldn’t be foolish and chase the wind just because a crazy thought pops into our minds and needs to be taken captive. At the same time though, should we have a recurrent thought or prompting we shouldn’t summarily dismiss it. Take that prompting to the throne of grace. Examine it in the light of God’s word. And seek God for confirmation.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-83390514741283636582024-03-06T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-06T21:00:00.135-08:00 March 7<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 8:1-9-23, Mark 13:14-37, Psalm 50:1-23, Proverbs 10:29-30</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father, forgive me for the many times I have tried to get You to go where I wanted You to go. Remind me that I’m to follow You, not the other way around. The children of Israel could watch the cloud of Your presence and know when to stay still or when to follow after. I have Your WORD and I have Your Holy Spirit living within me. Help me to focus and get to really know both. Then, when You move, I will move as well.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Numbers 9:21 tells us concerning Israel , “So they camped or traveled at the Lord’s command, and they did whatever the Lord told them through Moses. The children of Israel saw that the place of God’s presence was overshadowed by a cloud by day and by fire at night. There was no doubt about where God was. And when the cloud or fire moved…the children of Israel moved. Oh, that following God were so easy today! Today, we have far more than commandments written on stone. We have 66 books written by men of God full of the Holy Spirit. And we have the Spirit of God indwelling us. But we must focus on both in order to follow. We must get to know God’s Word like Israel knew Moses’ words. And we must get to know the cloud by day and the fire by night which is the Holy Spirit in us.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Mark 13:35 tells us that we must keep watch for we don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let Him find you sleeping when He arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: watch for Him! My golden retriever, Scooter, lives a dog’s life. He is one happy dog. But the focus of his day is his human mommy and daddy---us. His eyes and ears are always towards us. Who is the focus of your day? Are you always waiting and watching for the promptings of the Holy Spirit?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Start everyday by putting God first. Don’t leave your home until you have looked for Him. Just utter a simple prayer, “God I’m here and I want to watch for You and follow You today.” Quiet yourself. Wait. He knows you are looking and He rewards those who seek His face.</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-79436069792129122302024-03-05T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-05T21:00:00.146-08:00 March 6<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 6:1-7:89, Mark 12:38-13:13, Psalm 49:1-20, Proverbs 10:27-28</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">PRAY: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Father God, help me to listen. Help me to wait on Your presence and Your words when I pray rather than being in a hurry to pray out everything stirring around in me. Help me to slow down and wait.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">READ:</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> In Numbers 6:24-26 read: </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">"The Lord told Moses to tell his brother, Aaron, to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">May the Lord bless you</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">And protect you</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">May the Lord smile on you</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">May the Lord show you his favor</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">And give you peace."</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Words matter! Aaron is given the power and authority to bless or curse as a representative of God.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">What a difference we can make in the lives of others when we listen for God’s voice and then bless those He puts in our pathway each day.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">EDIFY: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In Mark 12:33 Jesus shares with His disciples that a giving heart is not measured by how much one gives but by how much of what one has that he or she gives. The poor widow as she is referred to in this passage gave all that she had. Wasn’t she actually “rich”? Our faith and our trust grow as we give. Giving is not about what I’m losing. If that were the case no one would willingly give. Giving is all about what my gift might do when it is given freely, joyfully, and dedicated to God’s work.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">PRACTICE: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Great intentions become powerful decisions and life changing actions when we take the plunge into obedience. Decide to bless someone today with your words. Pray for them first. Listen for God’s leading concerning them. Then take the time to speak words of encouragement and thanksgiving to them.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Decide to be a crazy giver by giving extravagantly. Don’t just give until it hurts. Give until your joy replaces that “What have I done?” feeling!</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-14473900673386756192024-03-04T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T21:00:00.141-08:00 March 5 <p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 4:1-5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, Proverbs 10:26</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Prayer: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">God gives specific duties to those serving the Levites and of the particular “clans” as it were. Each one has a specific duty in order to enable prayer and worship. The most important responsibility you and I have now is to prepare our hearts before we read scripture to hear the Words of God as they speak to us at this moment. So let’s pray, “Dear God, grant us wisdom now. Let us have ears to hear and open our eyes as You reveal Yourself to us.” In Jesus’ name.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In viewing the text today we see the importance of purity in the camp. It appears to be unfair that God would send folks out of the camp but if there was a contagious disease spread by physical contact then it is paramount that young children, babies, and pregnant women not come into contact with skin disease which could infect and kill smaller children and frail adults. So, these purifying guidelines exist only to protect persons from harm from those who are sick and cannot help their illness. This does not mean the Hebrews are to forget those who are sick. But, they also are not to allow the sick to infect others.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">The Marcan account of our reading states that some Sadducees came to pose a question to Jesus about whose wife will a particular woman be in heaven after she marries several brothers due to each of them dying. The irony, and Jesus fully knew this, was that the Sadducees didn’t even believe in any afterlife so the entire question was a moot point for them. But, not for Jesus, so He ran with the query only to turn it back on them by stating the obvious fact---they do not know the scriptures. They only know their own editorial portions which they bent to justify their own faith and judgmental attitudes. Jesus nailed them when He said, “God said to Moses, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. So He is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.” Now, have I made a serious error by not trusting the Word of God? Have you made a serious error by choosing to believe some of the Word of God but not all of it? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Love your neighbor is in the Marcan account today. We are challenged to love our neighbor not just in words but in deeds. Do you have someone on your heart to invite to worship? Pray first, then do you love them enough to invite them to join you at church?</span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558037086084266359.post-61568885505496864722024-03-03T21:00:00.000-08:002024-03-03T21:00:00.136-08:00 March 4<p><a data-link-type="web" href="https://subsplash.com/christnc/ccmedia/li/+jfdw5zf" style="color: #0a74db; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; white-space-collapse: preserve;" target="_blank">Numbers 2:1-3:51, Mark 11:27-12:17, Psalm 47:1-9,Proverbs 10:24-25</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Pray: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">There are persons who wander off and get lost. There are some who deliberately just leave like the prodigal son in Luke 15. There are others who drift away 2% at a time and after six months or a year they find themselves farther away from God than they ever intended. Let's pray compassionately for those who have drifted and those who have deliberately wandered away. If you are that person, please know that in this devotion I have already prayed for you.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Read: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">Jesus’ authority is called into question when He calls into question their own sense of authority in asking Him trick questions. Jesus often follows up a question with a question. Perhaps we should come to the Bible with more questions than preconceived notions and presumptions. Perhaps we are truly beginners when it comes to understanding the God who created the universe.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Edify: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;">In the Old Testament text we see that everyone is counted. Why? Because in God’s economy everyone counts. The Lord doesn’t operate off of the standard that if we have the majority then that is enough. God cares for every person. As we read let's remember how the Lord had the Hebrews count every person. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-weight: bold;">Practice: </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif;"> So Jesus instructs them to render to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God. It appears on the surface that there is a separation of church and state. A separation of things which belong to the government and things which belong to God. Yet, when one really ponders this reality we come to understand, WOW, what do you really mean? For everything belongs to the Lord. God has created heaven and earth. God has created our bodies and they don’t belong to us but are gifts for us to steward while we are in them. One day we will give up our bodies to death and our spirits will live with God forever. One day the United States of America will end, crumble into the ash heap of history. Yet, God and His Kingdom will endure. So, Jesus is saying again, render to Caesar those things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. I would add, do everything as if it is done unto the Lord for He owns all that exists. How will your life be different today because you embrace this reality? How will you live differently? </span></p>Christ Churchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04810067625505811737noreply@blogger.com0