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November 15, 2013

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Family, Friends & Fellowship, Thanks & Praise

For Those Who Have Led Us on Our Faith Journey

So come on, let’s leave the preschool finger painting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it! [Hebrews 6:1-3 (MSG)]

Once we become “Christian,” we don’t stop learning and growing in our belief.

Today, O Lord, we offer thanks for all those who have helped us mature in faith. Thank you for our teachers, pastors and those who provide music with which to praise you. Thank you for those who work behind the scenes to keep your church functioning. Thank you for those who so freely extend the hand of Christian friendship. Thank you for those who offer hugs, prayers, words of wisdom and true examples of walking with Jesus. Thank you for those strangers, angels in disguise, who remind us of your presence when they pass through our lives. Finally, Lord, thank you for those of your servants who have given us challenging tasks that have expanded our talents and deepened our faith.

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November 14, 2013

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Prayer, Wisdom & Guidance

Listen to Him

Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” [Mark 9:7 (NLT)]

O Lord, we’ve talked about this decision and I still don’t know what to do. Help me; speak to me; show me the way. If not a burning bush, how about lighting a neon sign or sending a banner in the sky to guide me? Perhaps, however, I have been too busy pleading my case to hear your response.

Thank you for the reminder that I need to stop talking and start listening. You will tell me which path to take; I just need to be quiet in order to hear your voice.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. [John 10:27 (NLT)]

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November 14, 2013

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Faith & Hope, Trusting God

He Cares

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. [1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)] 

The more we trust Him, the easier life becomes. Our troubling circumstances may not change; in fact, they could even get worse. Yet, when we trust God, we change because the burden of our challenges has been lifted. Thank you, God, for your gift of hope and peace.

When I said, “My feet are slipping,” your mercy, O Lord, continued to hold me up. When I worried about many things, your assuring words soothed my soul. [Psalm 94:18-19 (GW)]

 

 

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November 13, 2013

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, Miracles, Trusting God

Expect a Miracle (Part 2) – He has No Limits

“A boy who has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish is here. But they won’t go very far for so many people.”

 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” The people had plenty of grass to sit on. (There were about 5,000 men in the crowd.) Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people who were sitting there. He did the same thing with the fish. All the people ate as much as they wanted. When the people were full, Jesus told his disciples, “Gather the leftover pieces so that nothing will be wasted.” The disciples gathered the leftover pieces of bread and filled twelve baskets. [John 6:9-13 (GW)]

Although the disciples’ resources were limited, they forgot that God has no limitations. In Jesus’ hands, the boy’s meager offering would be more than enough to feed the crowd.

Lord Jesus, don’t let our inadequacies and shortcomings constrain our vision of what we can do together. Don’t let us limit your work by deciding what is and isn’t possible. No matter how meager our resources may be, if we offer them to you, you can make them more than enough. You can multiply anything we give to you!

 For nothing is impossible with God. [Luke 1:37 (GW)]

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November 12, 2013

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Bible Stories, Faith & Hope, God's Promises, Miracles, Trusting God

Expect a Miracle (Part 1)

2013-11-12Toward the end of the day, the twelve apostles came to him. They said to him, “Send the crowd to the closest villages and farms so that they can find some food and a place to stay. No one lives around here.” Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish. Unless we go to buy food for all these people, that’s all we have.” [Luke 9:12-13 (GW)

Over 5000 people had followed Jesus and evening was approaching. The disciples saw the massive crowd and they knew they had a predicament. How could they possibly feed all of those hungry people? Although all four gospels report this story, none mention any of the disciples saying something like, “Jesus, we’ve got a problem; we need to pray!” or “Do you think we could find a way to feed this crowd? Could a miracle be possible?” No! Knowing they didn’t have enough money to purchase that much food, they simply suggested sending the crowd away. Jesus and his disciples had been healing the sick and lame. Jesus had freed people from demons, calmed a storm and even brought a young girl back to life. The disciples probably knew about the wine making miracle at Cana. Did it not occur to them that yet another miracle could occur?

Lord Jesus, forgive me when I don’t bring you my problems and trust you with a solution.

Jesus said to him, “As far as possibilities go, everything is possible for the person who believes.” [Mark 9:23 (GW)]

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November 11, 2013

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Church & Worship, Prayer

The Whole World is His House of Worship

2013-11-14O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place. [2 Chronicles 6:40 (NLT)

These were the words spoken by Solomon at the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Let us, however, never make the mistake of thinking that church is the only place where we can pray or that God will hear our prayers. His eyes are always upon us and He is always attentive to our prayers, no matter where we may happen to be.

He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. [Acts 17:24-25 (NLT)]