Saturday, March 6, 2010

"Keep Alert"

S-cripture: Mark 13:33,37
"Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come... And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake."

O-bservation: Jesus exhorts His disciples to stay alert by living each day with the expectancy that He could return any moment.

A-pplication: I will live today with a constant attentiveness to the presence of God. Jesus will return and when He does, I don't want to be ashamed, but rather be found faithfully doing what He has commanded - loving God and loving my neighbor. Question this morning: "how will I love God and neighbor today?". Question to ask myself before bedtime: "how did I love God and neighbor today?"

P-rayer: Dear Father,
Please keep us alert to your presence so that we may be found faithful when we meet Jesus face to face. Free us from being preoccupied with our own idols and agendas and help us to occupy our time here loving You and people in Jesus' name, Amen.


How will you live today so as not to be ashamed should Jesus appear?

5 comments:

  1. All these cities were fortress cities with high walls and barred gates. There were also numerous unwalled villages. We totally destroyed them—a holy destruction. It was the same treatment we gave to Sihon king of Heshbon, a holy destruction of every city, man, woman, and child. But all the livestock and plunder from the cities we took for ourselves.
    Part of Deut. 3:3-7

    Wow, I found myself so excited to get up and read this morning. Annie informed me my attempt to blog was actually successful. As I began with the above verse I was caught so off guard I found myself bowing my head and crying over what I had just read. I visualized the scene of fortress cities and unwalled villages being destroyed. I thought to myself I rarely watch a movie this violent- Who ARE YOU GOD. I found myself thanking Him for allowing me to see Him in this light. For protecting me,once again, from turning Him into a generic God that fits my comfort zone. I wanted to wake up my husband and show him this character of God. I needed to talk to someone who would understand this experience I was having and share it. I took and break and got a cup of coffee and realized that is what this blog is about. I know I am not SOAPing. That is new to me. Thank you for allowing me the ramble. I knew that those who are doing this could relate. This Awesome-God orders a Holy WAR. I am sure I have read these verses before but I have to admit never with such an impact on me. I pray that I can live this day in the reverence for God and His word that He deserves.

    Father forgive me for the times I expect you to just hand over the Promised Land without having to do battle in a Holy War. Forgive me for the times I may battle in an unholy war of my own making. May your word give us Godly wisdom and discernment today. May I know that a Holy WAR is ordered out of Love for your people. Okay, I think I am ready to finish the rest of today's reading.
    Tina

    March 6, 2010 6:27 AM

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  2. Today I am challenged by Deut 4:24 "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

    Hearing the command to love Him and others is not from some 'cosmic warm-fuzzy being' saying it is a nice idea to be loving. I was moved by Tina's experience this morning of the fearsomeness of the Lord and the battle we engaged in. And reminded by Sunny that Lord will return this time in judgment. Thanks!!!

    Today Lord help me to embrace the fullness of who you are and love others with this same understanding Help me share this truth (especially my family today) that you are not impersonal but personal, jealous for your honor and love, commanding us to obey as You will soon return.

    Ray

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  3. Sunny,
    I love your ending question. Sometimes, after I've interacted with people I don't know, I've thought something similar--"would I have acted the same way had I seen Jesus standing behind that person?" I must admit, I'm thinking of times that I have not acted lovingly.
    Very challenging!! Thank you for this reminder.
    -Tracey G

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  4. OMGosh...if I Corinth. 13 was not divinely wonderful enough to start off our Love Dare countdown on Sunday...we then got Mark 12:29-31 spoken to us yesterday morning through Ray on our first day...how awesome is He?!?!? More amazing, I got to work and went to the blog to take a peak (although I hadn't done my devotion for the day yet) and was filled with the Spirit immediately that I stopped to say a prayer before I began my day. Soon after, I turned to my perpetual Christian calendar that collects dust and rarely gets flipped (as I use a desk calendar & Lotus notes for my busy schedule), and the devotion for March 5th talked about spending time in God's word, listening to his voice, and obeying...aaack...freaky! But, I LOVE God! He's great that way!

    I shared with my home group last night how my day went peacefully yesterday at work, how my heart was filled with joy, and how I was able to feel & be loving towards people who normally irk me. God is great!!!!

    I got a late start this morning, but read through the whole reading plan, and turned on my laptop to check out the blog. Thanks Tina from Olympia for bringing me to tears and yes, confirming, we ALL get how great is our God! My chose verse for today was Deut. 3:22 = Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himelf will fight for you! I couldn't help but think how scared & nervous some of us are to break out of our shells our comfort zones, to reach out and love those we don't know or are different from, etc. But, God is with us, He will not forsake us, and He will fight for us as long as we remain faithful to Him!

    Thank you Father God for loving us with all your strength, greatness, and mercy. Help me to love others that I come into contact today. Help me to be fearless and faithful, as I listen to your promptings. Amen.

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  5. It's only day 2, and it's amazing to see God working in everyone's lives. Here's some insight into my devotion this morning:

    S: Deut 4:9-10: Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. 10 Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when he said to me, "Assemble the people before me to hear my words so that they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children."

    O: Through Moses, God instructed the Israelites to remember what he has done for them, and to teach their children about him. By doing this, they would continue to revere the Lord from generation to generation. Teaching their children about God would prepare them for whatever lies ahead in the promised land, which would be a different situation from their parents' generation.

    Similarly, we too must recognize the importance of teaching our children about God and all he has done for us through Jesus. Doing so prepares them for what lies ahead. Let us equip our children with the armor of God so they will be able to face whatever situation the world might throw at them, and so that we will continue to revere and worship God from generation to generation until Jesus returns to call his children home.

    A: What a privilege and blessing it is to teach our kdis about God! God has called me to teach in Kids' Ridge this month, and it is my joy to obey his command to "teach our children." It has not always been a joy--it was rather stressful as a new teacher. But God has really grown me, and I now look forward to the days I teach in Kids' Ridge. What's more, tomorrow's lesson is about praising God...may the kids learn to revere God and worship him!

    P: Lord God, thank you for the joy I have found in you as I teach our kids about you. May you equip all of the teachers in Kids' Ridge with the love and strength they need to teach. Give us all joy in serving you this way, and speak through us so our kids will know your love and truth. May we all learn to revere you, from generation to generation. In Christ Jesus, Amen.

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