Today's church happenings: 10-12 Bread Ministry at Fellowship Hall doors. 6PM Dinner for all who will come (pizza party!) followed by the Chosen series and Family Ministries lesson and crafts for the kids.
We continue to read through the Gospel of John. This week chapter 6 (a few verses daily) and answer 3 questions: What's going on here? What's God saying to me? What specific and measurable things will I do about it? Sunday we will be discuss your thoughts and questions and answers to John 6:22-71. Come prepared for some hard teaching from Jesus as we prepare to receive the Lord's Supper. Sun is World-wide communion Sunday. We celebrate at 10. (Note: our doors are locked at 10:10 for the safety of all) Bring a friend! Children's Church is available as well.
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Good Morning Seen, Know, Loved, Created for His Purpose Children of God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth and Us! You are known, loved, have meaning and purpose! PTL! Dwell in His loving presence this morning! Rejoice for you are fearfully and wonderfully made--God's masterpiece, made new in Christ and enabled to accomplish all the greater things God has for you! (Eph. 2:10). Rejoice! You may feel like God is distant or doesn't see you. You may feel useless or overwhelmed, but God knows, cares and is standing there with open arms of love and help for your journey. Be still. Draw near and know that He is God! Check out ODB below and answer their questions: "What does it mean that Jesus knows your name? How might you similarly encourage others?" Keep working at living and loving like Jesus!
The UR (below) also speaks into overloading your schedule and not honoring God's healthy rhythms. Working from rest and walking yoked to Jesus at His pace and doing the things He has for you should not be wearying or a heavy burden that drags you down. Be still and know.
I was pinched today by TWFYT (below). It really ties to the above. We are known and God wants to know us. We grow in relationship with Him and learn to hear His voice and become familiar with His ways as we mediate on Scripture. It is best to turn off the noise, be still and listen to hear. Ask for understanding and an open heart and mind as we engage with God through His Word and begin to sink our roots deep in Him. We recharge for the day as we draw in Living Water from the Living Word of God. And as we do what He reveals and desires we will prosper. He has good plans for you, custom made. We need to work on the processing with others and making God's plans balanced with the things we need to do to survive and thrive in this world. We have responsibilities in God's Kingdom and in our earthly lives that need good balance. Being still and spending time with God each day is like taking your vitamins with OJ and we step into the day prepared with deep roots for whatever may come our way. We are also becoming more familiar with His voice and better able to respond to His directing.
In the beginning of John 6 studies we find Jesus feeding the 5000. He will take care of your physical needs too. He walks on the water. he's always walking towards you in your storms and able to calm your rough seas. And He pronounces that He is the Bread from Heaven--our manna. Taste and see that the Lord is good and with you and for you. Then go forth ready to live and love like Jesus today! I just prayed for you to see, hear, and know how much you are loved and to understand and do your purposes well today. Have a great day! Shalom! See you tonight!
ODB: (Our Daily Bread)
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Natalia went to a different nation with the promise of receiving an education. But soon the father in her new home began physically and sexually abusing her. He forced her to care for his home and children without pay. He refused to let her go outside or use the phone. She had become his slave.
Hagar was Abram and Sarai’s Egyptian slave. Neither one used her name. They called her “my slave” or “your slave” (Genesis 16:2, 5–6). They merely wanted to use her so they could have an heir.
How different is God! The angel of the Lord makes His first appearance in Scripture when He speaks to a pregnant Hagar in the desert. The angel is either God’s messenger or God Himself. Hagar believes He’s God, for she says, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (v. 13). If the angel is God, He could possibly be the Son—the One who reveals God to us—making an early, preincarnate appearance. He says her name, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” (v. 8).
God saw Natalia and brought caring people into her life who rescued her. She’s now studying to become a nurse. God saw Hagar and called her by name. And God sees you. You may be overlooked or worse, abused. Jesus calls you by name. Run to Him.
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
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What does it mean to you that Jesus knows your name? How might you similarly encourage others?
Thank You, Jesus, for knowing my name. I rest in Your love for me.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Biblical names are significant because they give meaning to the events that accompany the naming. In Genesis 16, two names tell us more about who God is. In the naming of Hagar’s son, Ishmael (v. 11), God revealed Himself as the God who hears our prayers, for Ishmael means “God hears.” In response, Hagar named God “You are the God who sees me” (v. 13) or El-Roi. The Lexham English Bible translates it as: “She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, ‘You are El-Roi,’ for she said, ‘Here I have seen after he who sees me.’ ” Yahweh is the all-hearing and all-seeing God.
K. T. Sim |
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UR: (The Upper Room)
More than we can chew
[The Lord says], “Be still, and know that I am God.” - Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
The dog came out from under the deck with a piece of naan bread in her mouth. She obviously had a buried stash of food. On occasion, she’s been known to swipe food scraps. No matter how large the scraps are, she is determined not to let them fall from her mouth or let them be taken from her; so she tries to eat large pieces of food in one mouthful.
This morning I heard the phrase, “You’ve bitten off more than you can chew” and thought of the dog. At times we commit to responsibilities and deadlines without measuring the impact they will have on our lives. We may then find ourselves with over-filled mouths, wondering how we’re going to chew it all.
When we’re under pressure and feeling burdened, simply being still is often the hardest thing to do. It can feel counter-intuitive when we have so much on our plate. But in stillness, we remember God. We can then cast our cares on God and ask for wisdom and direction.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Loving Father, give us peace to be still before you even when we have bitten off more than we can chew. Give us the wisdom to deal with whatever is before us. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
TWFYT (The Word for You Today)
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