Today’s Community Scripture – 9/26/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/26/2024

by | Sep 26, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

 

‘The misfits among the people had a craving and soon they had the People of Israel whining, “Why can’t we have meat? We ate fish in Egypt—and got it free!—to say nothing of the cucumbers and melons, the leeks and onions and garlic. But nothing tastes good out here; all we get is manna, manna, manna.” ‘

Numbers 11:4-6 MSG

– Reflection:

                     What Are You Seeing?

When God brought the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, He led them on a journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. In the wilderness, there were no stores or water sources, so God provided them with manna to eat every morning. Despite witnessing God’s daily miracles, the Israelites focused on what they lacked. They took God’s provision of manna for granted, longing for the food they had eaten as slaves. Despite God’s presence and provision, their ingratitude led them to miss out on entering the Promised Land.

Where do we go from here?

The key to our journey is what we focus on. If we concentrate on the negative or what we lack, how long it’s taking, or what we don’t like, we will never find joy in the journey, and doubt will come. We’ll start complaining and miss God’s best. Maybe we have already started complaining and hardened our hearts. We’ll miss that all along the way, God is sustaining us, protecting us, providing for us, and ordering our steps. We have to recognize His goodness. We have to take time every day to thank Him for what He’s doing.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for guiding us on this journey. We are grateful for everything you are doing, for sustaining us, providing for us, and making our paths straight. We believe you are directing our steps and leading us to where you want us to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Coach Poston
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/2592024

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/2592024

by | Sep 25, 2024 | Community Conversations

– Scripture:

God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for ? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.” Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.

                           Genesis 18:13,15 MSG

– Reflection:

              Appointed Time

Twenty-five years had passed since God promised Abraham that he would “become a great nation.” At the age of ninety, Sarah laughed at the seeming impossibility of having a son. In response, God essentially said to her, “You may doubt and not see how, but I have already set the right time.” Even though the fulfillment took much longer than they expected, it happened at the appointed time, just as God said.

Where do we go from here?

“Remember this: Whatever God has promised you, He has already set the right time for it to happen. Even though it’s in your future, you need to understand that God’s timing may not be the same as ours. On your journey to seeing the promise fulfilled, you may face discouraging moments that make you want to give up. Instead of thinking ‘it’s never going to happen,’ shift your mindset to ‘it will happen at the right time.’ If you knew that the right time was coming in one month, you wouldn’t waste time worrying about it. God doesn’t reveal the exact timing, but He assures us that when the time is right, it will happen.”

Our Prayer for Today

“Father, thank you that we are not limited by our circumstances or seeming impossibilities. Thank you that what looks as though it’s too late to be fulfilled is not a problem for you. We believe that you have the right time, an appointed time, and that you will make it happen for us all in your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/24/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/24/2024

by | Sep 24, 2024 | Community Conversations

– Scripture:

First let them make a Chest using acacia wood: make it three and three-quarters feet long and two and one-quarter feet wide and deep. Cover it with a veneer of pure gold inside and out and make a molding of gold all around it. Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Make poles from acacia wood and cover them with a veneer of gold and insert them into the rings on the sides of the Chest for carrying the Chest. The poles are to stay in the rings; they must not be removed. “Place The Testimony that I give you in the Chest.

                            Exodus 25:10-16 MSG

– Reflection:

          How do you care for your most prized possession?

Consider something that you deeply value and hold significant. How do you care for it? How do you display it? What precautions have you taken to ensure its well-being? The tablets of the covenant law were highly prized by the Israelites. These tablets symbolized God’s covenant with the people, outlining how they should relate to one another and to God. God’s handwritten word was inscribed on the stone, symbolizing God’s promise to be with the people. The covenant law was not just a set of rules to be protected at all costs; it was a constant reminder of God’s deliverance and relationship with the people. Just as God’s breath gives life to the world, God’s fingers crafted the covenant. God has always been and will always be intimately involved in the rhythms of the relationship with His people.

Where do we go from here?

The covenant’s home is meant to reflect the beauty and uniqueness of the promise itself. The ark was to be constructed in specific ways to symbolize the holiness of God. Pure gold was used to encase the promise, mirroring the beauty of the relationship with God. The Israelites were not allowed to touch the ark itself but were always to carry it with poles made of acacia wood, maintaining a strong sense of reverence. Within the ark rested God’s very presence, signifying the indwelling of God’s self with the people. It was truly a prized possession and a beautiful promise!

Our Prayer for Today?

Father, please remind us daily of the uniqueness of your promise. Help us to focus on your Word, which is a wonderful and beautiful thing that surprises us every day. Thank you for your covenant with us and your promise of love and relationship. Amen.

Coach Poston
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/23/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/23/2024

by | Sep 23, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

GOD said to Moses, “Climb higher up the mountain and wait there for me; I’ll give you tablets of stone, the teachings and commandments that I’ve written to instruct them.” So Moses got up, accompanied by Joshua his aide. And Moses climbed up the mountain of God. He told the elders of Israel, “Wait for us here until we return to you. You have Aaron and Hur with you; if there are any problems, go to them.” Then Moses climbed the mountain. The Cloud covered the mountain. The Glory of GOD settled over Mount Sinai. The Cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day he called out of the Cloud to Moses. In the view of the Israelites below, the Glory of God looked like a raging fire at the top of the mountain. Moses entered the middle of the Cloud and climbed the mountain. Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

                             Exodus 24:12–18 MSG

– Reflection:

               Mount Sinai

Sometimes my wife asks me if I’ve seen a text or picture from her sister with updates about our nieces and nephews. I check my phone for missed texts and unread messages and tell her I didn’t receive anything. She insists that I should have received it because it was sent in the group text. After some back and forth, she checks her phone and realizes that the text was sent in a smaller group chat with just her mom, dad, and sisters. Has this ever happened to you? In every community, there are smaller groups within the larger community. Eventually, everyone will come together as one, but in this text, we see the value of smaller groups within the larger community, each serving a different purpose within the identity of the whole.

Where do we go from here?

The same dynamics occur in our lives, whether within family units, our neighborhoods, at work, or at school, and even here in the church. Where do you find joy and a sense of belonging within a smaller group of the whole? How does this smaller group continue to further the mission and ministry of the whole? Be cautious about situations where the smaller group is in opposition or tension with the whole (we will see that with Moses reading ahead!). But it’s truly a gift when we can find those places of intimate community within the larger group and together join in a unified ministry to serve and glorify God.

Our Prayer for Today

Father of our community, we thank you for bringing together people from all walks of life and for various reasons. Unite us by your Spirit so that we may honor you and form meaningful connections with one another. Give us the courage to engage with new groups and fill us with your love so that we may welcome others hospitably. Amen.

Coach Poston
Focused Development Organization
Middle School Coach

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/20/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 9/20/2024

by | Sep 20, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

One day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.” Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone. Jesus instructed him, “Don’t talk about this all over town. Just quietly present your healed self to the priest, along with the offering ordered by Moses. Your cleansed and obedient life, not your words, will bear witness to what I have done.” But the man couldn’t keep it to himself, and the word got out. Soon a large crowd of people had gathered to listen and be healed of their ailments. As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer.

                               Luke 5:1-16 MSG

– Reflection:

                Dare to Say No

When Jesus was on earth, everywhere He went people would come up and say, “Will You heal my child? Please come to my town. Teach us about Your kingdom. Show us a sign.” As the Son of God, He was anointed with power and went about doing good and healing, yet He knew His limits. He knew when He had to take time to replenish, so He often withdrew to pray and be refreshed in His Father’s presence.

Where do we go from here?

It’s important to recognize our limits. Are you feeling burnt out, overextended, or neglecting your main priorities? Remember, you have control over your schedule. Avoid taking on commitments that you know will negatively impact your health. Continuously adding to your schedule without taking breaks will only deplete your energy. It’s essential to be selective about what you commit to and perhaps even eliminate some good things in order to maintain your health. This isn’t about being selfish; it’s about finding balance. Are there any obligations you need to decline?

Our Prayer for Today

“Father, thank you that Jesus constantly went about doing good and healing, yet He knew His limits. We want to have His heart and to always be ready to give and help others, but help us to know our limits. Give us the courage to say no to commitments that cause us to live out of balance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”