Good Morning Very Loved, Walking By Faith, Co-Laborers! What a joy to learn, grow and serve with you all! God is at work, using us, and leading us to His new things! PTL! Seek Him about that and your purposes and roles. Maybe process that with a friend or Sarah or me. God has some great custom made things for you to discover and grow into! And that works best in teams! Please pray for those of us starting spiritual gifts trainings tonight. God is leading us deeper and will unite us in His plans and purposes as we learn how to grow into the people we are created and gifted to be.
Pray for our Donut Day and Bread ministry tomorrow and our Wed evening dinner huddle and today's Zoom huddle. Any and all are welcome to any of our gatherings. Bring a friend!
Check out my devos below. God was sure speaking to me. I'm praying He does to you as well. He really loves you! Sometimes He stretches you to grow you and test your faith. He is always doing some new things and He has some ahead for you and us. May we continue to abide in His love, seek his wisdom and direction and earnestly pursue His best for us and for those He is sending our way. May we live and love more and more like Jesus and learn to walk in his ways better! Amen! He really does love you beyond measure! ALWAYS! How might you show your love to Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength today?
ODB:
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When Abigail’s parents died tragically in a car accident, she inherited a large real estate portfolio. She also learned that her parents had arranged to place the portfolio in a trust. For the time being, she could access only enough money for her college tuition. The rest would come when she was older. Abigail was frustrated, but she later realized her parents’ wisdom in planning a measured delivery of the inheritance.
In Galatians 4, Paul uses a similar example to illustrate Israel’s situation as promised heirs of God’s covenant with Abraham. God had made a covenant with Abraham to bless him, and circumcision was a sign of that promise (see Genesis 17:1-14). However, the sign wasn’t the promise. Abraham’s descendants would await a future descendant who would fulfill it. Isaac was born and pointed to the future birth of a Son who would redeem God’s people (Galatians 4:4-5).
Israel, like Abigail, had to wait until the “time set by his father” (v. 2). Only then could Israel take full possession of the inheritance. What they wanted immediately would arrive in due time with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. All who put their faith in Christ were no longer slaves to sin, “but God’s child” (v. 7). A new covenant has been established. We have access to God! We can call him “Abba, Father” (v. 6).
By Matt Lucas
REFLECT & PRAY
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If you profess Jesus as Savior, how are you no longer a slave to sin but a child of God? What does it mean to know Him as Father?
Loving Father, thank You for sending Your Son to address the sin problem of the world.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Huiothesia is used only five times in the New Testament (and only by Paul). This word, translated as “adoption to sonship” in Galatians 4:5, is packed with meaning. Huiothesia is a compound Greek word from huios (“son”) and thesia (“placing”). Adoption took place when a child (almost exclusively males in the ancient world) was placed in a family that lacked a suitable heir. With adoption came privileges, rights, and responsibilities of family membership. Paul used the term adoption, but the concept of family membership is also present in John’s writing: “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! . . . Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-2).
Arthur Jackson |
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UR: Love Never Fails
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. - 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)
One day I was feeling lonely and discouraged. I was struggling with unemployment and felt as if no one cared about me. I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind, and I noticed a beautiful flower by the side of the road. It was bright yellow with delicate petals and looked like a ray of sunshine amid the gray day. I felt a surge of joy and gratitude as I admired it. God had sent me this sign, reminding me of God’s love and presence. God had not forgotten or abandoned me.
I thought of 1 Corinthians 13, which describes God’s love. It is patient and kind. It does not remember the bad things we do. It never fails. This reminder comforted and encouraged me. I decided to trust God more and share God’s love with others.
I picked the flower and gave it to a passing stranger. She smiled and thanked me. I felt a connection with her and with God. God loves us with an everlasting love that never fails.
Today's Prayer
Dear God, thank you for your unfailing love. Help us to recognize the signs of your love that surround us each day and to share them with others. Amen.
Sarah Young:
Chuck Swindoll
Joyce Meyer
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