A WORLD OF BUGS

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 3:20-24

VERSE FOR TODAY:Therefore, the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken (Genesis 3:23, New Long Version).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "For the Beauty of the Earth"

When my children were reluctantly preparing for a move from San Francisco to another part of the country, they tried to prepare my young grandson for the culture shock.

"Will they have a science museum?" "No"

"A Japanese tea garden?" "No"

"A Golden Gate Bridge?"    "No

"Well, what will they have there?" "Bugs."

"Just bugs?" "Just bugs!"

We're not in the garden of Eden any more. Our world is full of bugs, literally and figuratively. But it isn't full of just bugs.

In spite of the consequences of the sins of our ancestors, it is still our Father's world.

"Marred?" "Yes." It certainly is not what He intended it to be. We have brought "bugs" into it. It is an imperfect world full of imperfect people whom God continues to love. The consequences of sin bring hardship, but God does not desert us completely no more than He deserted Adam. The amazing thing is that He came to live among us and die for us in our world of bugs.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Father, we thank You for the world You made for us. Forgive us for marring it with our sins, especially our greed. Above all, we thank You for dwelling with us in our imperfect world and helping us to make the best of it. Thank You Jesus in whom we pray. Amen.

A PRAYER HOUSE FOR EVERYBODY

SCRIPTURE: Mark 11:12-19

VERSE FOR TODAY: My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56:7, Revised Standard Version).

HYMN FOR TODAY: I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord"

It is rare that we encounter The anger of Jesus in the Scripture. However, Mark and the other gospel writers record His fiery action against the money changers in the temple. He accused the temple keepers of turning the temple into a house of thieves; He insisted that it was to be a house of prayer for all peoes and nations

The temple was the dwelling place of God, as our bodies today are temple of God's holy presence. Christ was arguing that the temple was to be a place of prayer, as we are to be people of prayer. Yes, we can pray in a temple; we can pray in a church building; we can pray in a garden; we can pray at work; we can pray in the classroom. No one can stop us from praying, for it can be done in total secret as we pray to a God who sees us in secret.

Christ was advocating also that the temple was to be a place for all peoples and nations. The holy presence of God was not for the Jew only. God's presence today and forever is for Jew and Gentileor male and female,for black and brown, for poor and rich,for old and young, if they want His presence. Living on this side of the cross, we know that Christ Jesus came to and for all people everywhere.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways. Cause us to be unfailing input devotion to You, O God. Open our hearts to all people everywhere. May our prayers to You be constant. Bless our service in Jesus name. Amen.

Do Not Forget

"Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: 'I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.'"

Exodus 15:1-2

THAT A SONG OF PRAISE! The entire chapter lf Exodus 15 is a glorious praise song to the Lord after He opened a path through the Red sea. You can imagine the Israelites amazement when they saw the water parted like giant glass skyscrapers. Little wonder they sang on for twentt-one verses in music and melody.

But a few verses later, their joy turned to sour. Their song gave out. After three days of traveling in the desert without finding water, they grumbled, saying, "What are we to drink?" The songs faded all too quickly when they ran into trouble. The irony is, they grumbled about water! Didn't they remember God's miracle with water? They had just watched Him part a whole sea of it.

Our own songs of praise fade all all too quickly when we forget how God protects and provides for us. We need to take the advice God gave the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:9, "Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not for get the things your eyes have seen."

THE NEXT TIME YOU'RE TEMPTED to grumble or complain, think lf yiur favorite praise song and then sing it. It will be God's way of helping yiu not to forget His protection and provision in your life. Lord forgive me for having such a short memory of all the marvelous ways You're protected and provided for me. I thank You for all that You're done in the past and all You'll do in the future. I'm grateful to You. 

A SHOUT OF PRAISE

SCRIPTURE: Mark 11:1-11

VERSE FOR TODAY: Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord (Psalm128:26, Revised Standard Version).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Hallelu, Hallelu Hallelu, Hallelujah!"

Now we come to Jerusalem, the site of climatic act in the drama of Christ. This is the act the climaxes in the death and victory of our Lord and Savior. He entered into the city, and the crowds gave him "the royal treatment " However, they were totally unaware that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem to die.

Jesus entered into th ecity of Jerusalem on a donkey. We might not think such an entrance fit for a king. The President of the United States recently came to our city; he rode through the streets in a big black limousine. The Popecame to our city; he was driven through the streets in a big white limousine. The Queen of England rides through the street of London during official events in a beautiful horse-drawn carriage reminiscent of the famous Cinderella story. But Jesus came into the holy city humbly, in a manner that would not even befit you and me as we travel to worship in our best clothing.

The crowd's praised Him for who He was. He was coming to them as the great physicians, the Messiah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords. He was the Christ, the Don of the living God

 They loved Him; they adored Him; they praised Him.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Dear God, Creator of Heaven and earth, we bow before You as our  King, seeking always to fulfill Your will in our lives. May we praise You this day by living for You. In Jesus name, Amen.

PRAISE HIM PRAISE HIM!

SCRIPTURE: Psalm 9:1-13

VERSE FOR TODAY: Sing praises to the Lord, who dwells in Zion; declare among the people's His deeds (Psalm 9:11, New American Standard Bible).

HYMN FIR TODAY: "Praise Him! Praise Him!"

Praise is an expression not only of our appreciation, but of our understanding of the worth of the person being praised. Therefore it is imperative that praise be genuine and not hollow. In many years of working with children, I have learned to look for the things they are doing well, so that when I give praise they will recognize their worth. I don't want to look into the eyes of a child and see a lack of trust because I have given superficial praise. Hollow praise is detrimental, but genuine praise is valued.

Our praise to God must show those around us that we recognize His worth. It is hollow to praise God on Sunday, but live in such a way that our friends and co-workers never see our faith. A part of genuine praise is with sing to others of God's love and grace. When we do this often, our own vision of the greatness of God expands and our faith deepens.

Psalm 9 is one of Thanksgiving by David for God's  justice,  probably written after a victory over the Philistines, the heathen enemies that often troubled Israel. It affirms that God never ignores our cries for help it urged us to appreciate His worth and praise Him before men.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Father, we praise You for Your power, grace, and love. May our praise to You abound not only in formal worship and prayer, but also in our witnessing to others. Thank You for Your Word and the many examples it provides to aid us along the path of life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

SAVE THROUGH GRACE

SCRIPTURE: Acts 15:6-11

VERSE FOR TODAY: We believe that we are save through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they also are (Acts15:11, New American Standard Bible).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Marvelous Grace of Our Loving Lord"

Imagine you are a member of an organization in your community. You believe in the Organization's and you have met all of the requirements for membership

 But problems begin to arise with other members. Some insist you must meet additional requirements. They do not want to fellowship with you in social situations or the Organization's rituals, because they think you are inferior. That is essentially what was happening to the Antioch Gentile Christian's.

Some Jewish Christians, retaining the legalistic principles of the Mosaic law refused to fellowship with the Gentile Christians. These Gentile were perceived as lesser Christian's" Representatives of the Antioch Church were sent to meet with the apostles and sliders in Jerusalem. They deliberated the matter, and Peter spoke out clearly in defense of Christian freedom and grace. He had witnessed the conversion of Cornelius and God's acceptance of the Gentile on the basis of the gospel alone.

Let us remember that we are all saved through grace in the same way, and then practice unity in faith, liberty in opinions, and love in all things.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Thank You, Father, for Your saving grace. Forgive us when we develop attitudes that are unbecoming to Your children. Help us to be understanding of others and give us a flexibility that will allow for a diversity of opinions in the fellowship of believers. In JESUS' name, Amen

THE GREAT BLESSING

SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 19:18-25

VERSE FOR TODAY: In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth (Isaiah 19:24, New American Standard Bible).

HYMN FOR TODAY: "Make. Me a Blessing"

Israel lay between Egypt and invaded Assyria. They had been captives of Egypt and invaded by Assyria. Now Isaiah was prophesying that Egypt and Assyria, two warring nations, would Unite with Israel as the third party, and be a blessing in the midst of the earth. Even more puzzling to the Israelites, this union would be based on their worshiping together the God of Israel. According to Matthew Henry, noted eighteenth century scholar, the fulfillment of this prophecy likely occurred with the conversion of Egypt to Christianity, probably through the preaching of Mark.

The significant element in this prophecy is that Gentiles and Jews will worship together, and all will be blessed by the Lord of the three nation, Israel was the privileged one because this great blessing came through Jesus of Nazareth. Unfortunately, the majority of the Jew made the disasteous mistake of never believing the Jesus was the Messiah But God kept His promise. The church began in Jerusalem with Jews and open its doors to Gentiles. For almost two thousand years, it's has been a blessing in the midst of the earth.

Today, Christian continue the mission of keeping this blessing alive.

PRAYER THOUGHTS: Dear Father, throughout the ages You have remained steadfast, caring for Your people in prosperity and adversity. Thank You for Your love and care. Help us to be more committed to our.Christian responsiblity. In Jesus name. Amen.