Good News Daily Volume XIV August 17-23, 2014 Number 33 Sunday, August 17 2 Corinthians 13:1-11 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless of course, you fail the test? (v.5 NIV) My eyes darted upward; automatic reflexes kicked in. The sign over the door that announced the name of the church grazed my head. Simultaneously, a greeter caught one end and I caught the other before it could hit the ground. Are you trying to tell me something Lord? For months I looked for a new church home, searching and examining each church and myself. Now, I wondered, when is a sign a sign? What’s it mean if a sign falls on your head before you enter a church? Is it a yea or nay? It could mean stop—don’t enter, or it could mean the sign in your hands printed with bold letters is the one for you. Or, it could mean nothing at all. I continued to ponder these questions and soon realized this was not the church for me. Discouraged and disheartened, I continued my search. The Apostle Paul’s advice to the Corinthian church is relevant in today’s churches. Just as then, we must learn to lead holy lives and to be reconciled to each other. Judges 16:15-31; Psalm 118; Mark 5:25-34 Monday, August 18 Psalm 106:1-18 But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wilderness they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease among them. (vv.13-15) “Careful what you ask for, you might just get it,” Mom’s words echoed from the past as I read this Scripture. One Sunday afternoon I was visited by two friends. Like all six-year-olds, they tried to out-talk each other. One subject quickly led to another. Soon, one child began to tell me that she was praying for a dog although her daddy said no. She continued to tell how she prayed to find her Game Boy and the next day her daddy found it. So, she knew without a doubt that God answers prayers. Not to be outdone, the other child jumped in with her prayer that her aunt would stop treating her mom mean. She added that she didn’t know if God answered her prayer because her aunt lives far away. Before they could move on to the next topic, I told them that God doesn’t always answer prayer right away. It sometimes takes a very long time, and they should keep praying. In Numbers 11:18-20, the Israelites regretted getting what they asked for. Judges 17:1-13; Acts 7:44—8:1a; John 5:19-29 Tuesday, August 19 Psalm 122 “May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” (vv.7-8) What is it about the back row of a church that draws me? Eager to worship, my yearlong search for a church always brought me to the back row where I slipped in quietly. I could be obscure in the back row. No expectations. No judgment. I told myself it didn’t matter if anyone spoke to me or even if they knew my name. Jesus knew my name—that’s all that mattered. The view was great in the back row. I could see the worship team or choir, the pastor or whoever delivered the message, and the entire congregation. I could slip in and out with barely a hello directed my way. As I marked each church off my list, I realized it wasn’t enough. Eventually, I found myself in the fourth row pew in a church I now call home. Although I don’t know who’s doing what behind me, I share the love and grace of the Holy Spirit in the compassionate application of the Word as I sit amongst friends who know my name. Peace be with you. Judges 18:1-15; Psalms 120, 121, 123; Acts 8:1-13; John 5:30-47 Wednesday, August 20 John 6:1-15 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (v.9) “Take what you have in your hand and use it for the glory of God.” This concluded the sermon. My eyes darted from the note I was writing, to the pastor, and back to the pen I held in my hand. As a Christian writer, I often jot notes while listening attentively. My fingers closed over the pen as I whispered, “Let me use my gift for your glory.” How many times have I asked the Lord what I can do for Him? How will He use me? Expecting, or perhaps wanting something spectacular, I now realize I’m guilty of not listening. Use what’s in your hand for the glory of God. The boy in verse 9 willingly gave what he had in his hand—five loaves and two fish. Nowhere do I read that he questioned his own actions. The woman in Matthew 26:7, who poured the alabaster jar of perfume worth a year’s wages over Jesus’ head, used what she had to glorify the Lord. God’s already given us the gifts. Let’s use them for His glory. Judges 18:16-31; Psalm 119:145-176; Acts 8:14-25 Thursday, August 21 Acts 8:26-40 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (v.26) My small sewing business is so small that a better name might be Occasional Sewing rather than Shirley’s Stitching. One day, I was giving a sewing lesson to a young girl. We began by reviewing the parts of her sewing machine and how to prepare for sewing. I proceeded to show her how to place pins to hold the seam while sewing. She struggled to place the pins and pricked her finger. “Ouch,” she cried. “I have a better way.” I listened to her plan and followed with a patient explanation of what I wanted her to do, and why. I have a better way. How often do we question God’s plan for us. Could the Lord possibly want us to do such a crazy thing? God listens to our better way, but in the end He expects obedience. Just as Philip unquestionably obeyed God when he took the road to Gaza, we too, must obey God’s direction. In the end, we’ll find that although we may not understand the plan God has for us, His way always proves right. Job 1:1-22; Psalms 131, 132, 133; John 6:16-27 Friday, August 22 Psalm 142 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. (vv.5-6) I ran through the neighborhood pounding on doors in the middle of the night. “Please help me,” I cried. Finally, someone answered with words other than go away. Without opening the door, the woman hollered, “Hide in the bushes. I’ll call the police.” I crouched beside the porch, trembling, knowing my pursuer would come. In fear, I fought the darkness that threatened to overtake me and silently prayed, God! David was desperate when he hid in a cave and cried out to God for help. King Saul became jealous of David and vowed to take his life. He and his men pursued David, who, in his imperfect prayers, complained—a lot. “I pour out my complaint before him” (v.2). But David loved the Lord, and told Him all his troubles as if sitting across from Him: “It is you who know my way” (v3). Just as David knew without a doubt that God was with him, we can be assured that in our darkest hour, God is with us. One three letter word, God, is all the prayer we need. Job 2:1-13; Psalm 140; Acts 9:1-9; John 6:27-40 Saturday, August 23 Psalm 144 LORD, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow. (vv.3-4) I recently met a woman with a debilitating disease—crippled beyond imagination and barely able to speak. I listened closely as she struggled to tell her story. Her husband planned to leave her and take the children. In great despair, she attempted to end her life, hoping no one would find her before she completed the deed. But God, who sees and knows all, saved her from herself. He reached down His hand and recued her (see v.7). At first she was disappointed. Now, in blind trust, she believes God saved her for a reason, whatever it might be. Our existence is short and God doesn’t intend us to end it before His time. God brings our inert bodies to life with His breath. When He removes His life-giving breath, we will again return to dust. “Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…” (Genesis 2:7). Each of us are valuable to God. Let’s live for Him while we have time. Job 3:1-26; Psalm 137; Acts 9:10-19a; John 6:41-51 by Shirley J. Conley Used with permission from the BIBLE READING FELLOWSHIP PO Box 380, Winter Park, FL 32790 biblereading.org
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 12:21:15 +0000
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