Worship into the Week- Trusting for Provision

 

Worship into the Week-  1 Kings 17:8-16

The Widow of Zarephath

This story certainly is a great reminder for us anytime

we doubt that God sees what we really need.

The widow was on the last of her goods.

Down to the last dregs.

Then a stranger shows up and engages in conversation.

But, he asks for the very last of her supplies.

And- she obeys and goes to makes Elijah

 something to eat with her very last things in her kitchen.

Her obedience is rewarded and she is blessed 

with an unending supply of flour and oil.

This part of her story ends well.

(But, in the next section of Scripture

 her son falls ill and dies.

But, Elijah restores her son to health.)

Lord, help me to remember that in the times

 of plenty and with less, 

we are always called to be obedient to YOU.

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Worship into the Week- Written on Your Heart

 Worship into the Week- Deuteronomy 6:1-9

The SHEMA

The Greatest Commandment

Love God-

with every fiber of your being.

The command is rather daunting- 

with all your soul, all your heart and all your might.

I can't even attempt that 

without the help of the Holy Spirit.

But, this command lays out the morning till night,

in your place and in your face model.

This prayer is usually considered the most

 essential prayer in the Jewish faith. 

So how can the THE SHEMA

 be helpful to a Christian today?

1. The Shema is a great reminder to Christians

 of the wholeness of our worship of God.

2. The Shema calls us to live a Bible-saturated life- 

in how we study God's Word 

and in our calling to make disciples.

3. The Shema keeps in the forefront of our lives that

obedience to God is out of love rather than duty.

4. The word Shema is Hebrew for Hear. 

It reminds us to declare our love for Jesus by listening 

to the Father and carefully living out our lives as a 

follower and disciple of Jesus with all our might.

It certainly is a wonderful reminder 

as we step out of the house and return each day.

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House Reno- October 2024

 

  October was a very busy month around here.

Started to side the shed. Put the not needed 

kitchen sink window in the shed to reuse.

Been trying to take things to RESTORE-

 but they have become rather picky these days.

Trying to keep things out of the landfill.

Moving along in the Shop space.

Daughter Number 3 thinks

 it looks like her guest room.

It really makes things look tied together

 when the side is going up on the house.

Loving the darker color with the brick.

In John's new office space, music room, guest room 

we went with the Sherwin Williams- Evergreen Fog. 

Then opened a new magazine that came to the house

 this month and it was the chosen color 

for their advertisement.

Went bold- and painted all the 

trim and doors the same color.

Perfect frame to see out of all the windows.

Then kitchen cabinets began to arrive.

This is the really fun part of a renovation.

Now I see why people pack up 

and move out on HGTV.

Living in a remodel is just plain challenging.

We give thanks for a helpful 

GC- Aldo Razo and his careful crew.

Primer on the feature gallery wall in the Hallway.

Custom shelves for John's books in the office

 is a great use of that bit of vertical space.

The LORI bed  (Murphy Bed) 

arrived ready to be put together. 

John's books include the library of his grandfather-

Rev. Fred Droegemueller.

Tried to make an Old Testament and New Testament side.

Sliding door for the space. 

Finished LORI Bed.

Monumental day-10-10-2024- 

all the carpet went out of the house

Countertops arrived.

Appliances starting to arrive.

THAT changes a space.

GE Cafe Appliances.

4 bar stools to fit the family 

with the most littles.

New stair railing.

Flooring is red oak hardwood 

with a light gray wash.

A monumental day to have an ice maker.

First one in our lives- seems like a great luxury 

to not have a freezer full of ice trays.

Trying out the coffee maker to 

replace the battered and leaking old one.

Continuing to give thanks that the years

 of "waiting"

to fix and repair are moving forward 

to make such a great space 

for our family and friends.

Worship into the Week- Justified By Faith

 

Worship into the Week-

Justified By Faith- Romans 3:19-28

Reformation observations have been the agenda

 in Protestant churches this past week.

Time for:

 Sola Gratia- Grace Alone

Sola Fide- Faith Alone

Solus Christus- In Christ Alone

Sola Scriptura- Scripture Alone

Soli doe Gloria- For the Glory of God Alone.

Contemplating words like:

justified

propitiation

righteousness

faith

It all hangs together in Jesus.

Giving thanks for the way that this great gift 

of grace has been given to me- 

as one who has fallen short.

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Calendar Journaling- October 2024

 

Scripture Doodles October 2024

Looking for where the Holy Spirit

 is moving this month.

Using the Devotions- Jesus Be in Me- by 

Sarah Hornsby.

Noticing the words that stand out in the readings.

Praying about that list.

4 colored pencils and some 

small squares that tell the story.

Worship into the Week- Occupied with Joy

  

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor

 Ecclesiastes 5:10-20

Solomon had a few things to say about

 the accumulation of wealth.

He knew that it didn't bring satisfaction.

Money can also easily disappear.

What will we remember of our 

work and toil here on earth?

When God occupies our hearts with JOY-

it is so much better of our daily walk,

We come and go.

Let us move in our days without

 our focus solely on money.

Let us find joy in the daily life of eating

and drinking as we go about our days and work.

It is pleasing to the Lord.

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Worship into the Week- Seek the Lord and Live

Worship into the Week-

Seek the Lord and Live:

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15

Here- Amos declares judgment on the kingdom of Israel.

There can still be time for repentance.

There is the warning that they are to set themselves 

apart from their wicked nation and seek good and not evil-

so that they may live.

Amos was a "herdsman and a dresser of sycamore trees."

(Amos 1:1, 7:14)

God called him to  be the truth teller to the people 

of the northern Kingdom of Israel.

 He was a "nobody" and his audience 

were the wealthy and powerful, 

and the religious establishment.

The words of Amos were dire and he was not welcome.

He comes to tell of a nation already dead.

They didn't pay attention to Amos since the "upper class"

 were doing well. His words are dismissed.

But, Amos gives hope.

"Seek the Lord and live." v.6

There is an opportunity for a turnaround and second chance.

His audience thinks they have been "seeking the Lord" 

since they worship at Bethel. 

So, there must be something more- a new way.

God was seeking a lifestyle that wasn't just "at worship time",

 but in all their dealings with people.

God was looking for hearts of compassion, 

justice at the "city gate", honest interactions,

and are for the poor.

Amos makes it pretty plain.

Seeking God is Seeking Good.

It is looking for the poor and vulnerable.

A remnant will remain through the Assyrian invasion

 and the Babylonian invasion. 

Are we ready to hear the warning of Amos today?

The poor are vulnerable, wealth is unfairly distributed, 

and economies are volatile. 

Not much has changed in the world centuries later.

The words of Amos are also a call for us to align with

seeking God in ways that also seek good.

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