 Scripture: "now you face other nations more powerful than you are, but the Lord has already started forcing them out of their land and giving it to you," (Deuteronomy 4:38 CEV) "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19, 20). Application: We are fortunate to live now. God already has established His kingdom on earth, and the only necessary, adequate, and eternal sacrifice already has been made in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We now have Jesus Christ's Great Commission: "Go." We use God-given technology and neighborliness toward those unlike us. This is the way we give honor to God and help save this world. Quiet, humble service, without fanfare or histrionics. That's how we conquer. Strong as steel. Gentle as a feather. Prayer: Thank You God for seamlessly commissioning every one of us toward good works to honor You beautifully. Amen.  Scripture: [Moses said] "The Lord has helped us and taken care of us during the past 40 years that we have been in this huge desert. We've had everything we needed, and the Lord has blessed us and made us successful in whatever we have done." Deuteronomy 2:7 CEV Application: We shouldn't distance ourselves from any story in the Bible, including the entire Old Testament. These are inspired historical records. They reveal the character of God: how He loves us, what hurts or angers Him, how He is faithful beyond our obstinance. Relating to these true records helps us cultivate a stronger relationship with God, even approaching the closeness of the relationship Moses had with Him. Prayer: Help us see ourselves in every record of the Bible, and certainly, help us see Jesus and Your love for us, dear God. Amen.  Scripture: "When peacemakers plant seeds of peace, they will harvest justice." James 3:18 CEV Application: There's so much beauty in knowing that we each can be justice planters in our community gardens. Like any garden, it all begins with planning. We start in our little windowsills of the mind by planting peaceful thoughts and sowing kind words. Then we take our seedlings outside and share them with people we don't know. And then we wait. It's going to take time, but our forests of peace will grow. In our lifetime, we will harvest a portion of the justice we cultivated. Prayer: Your Words of encouragement help us to be hopeful in a cynical world, and we thank You for this, God our Father. Amen. |