Tuesday, Ordinary 25/Proper 20 - Sept 23

ChapLynne
ChapLynne Posts: 31 Member
Meditation
Tuesday, Ordinary 25, Proper 20 brought the complaints to the foreground. The Old Testament lesson in Numbers revealed how the Children of Israel, and especially the foreigners that left Egypt with them, complained of eating the same food. God became angry with their attitude and the edge of the camps caught fire. They cried to Moses to appease God so that he would stop he fires. Moses prayed and God stopped the fires.
Moses simply asked God and God did what Moses asked, despite his anger with the people. To have such a relationship with God that a prayer affected that kind of response from God was an amazing thing. The people grumbled and Moses was their advocate and he persuaded God to protect them from the fires.
In the New Testament lesson, Paul had a final word for the church in Rome. Apparently, there were grumblers there, too. But not only complainers, there were people, who were divisive and adding rules and regulations to the truths that Paul had taught them. They were not doing things in service to God, though they claimed to be doing so, but instead they were doing things to benefit themselves.
A Methodist minister was given an assignment by the Bishop to take a church in Africa. The church had had 16 pastors in 17 years. He wondered what was wrong with the church, and discovered it his first day. One of the elders came to him to welcome him. “We’re glad you are here and if you do things like we want them, we’ll do just fine.”
That elder was a barrier to the church growing. The pastor called a spiritual advisor and his wife together to pray together. He said, “God there is no way I can fight with this elder or make him see his error. He’s chased 16 other pastors away in 17 years. I’m no better than they. Help me to find a way to make your church grow.”
He wasn’t as certain of his prayers as Moses was and the three of them fasted for several days until the following Sunday. After church, the elder came to him. “I am so sorry pastor. We’ve had a family emergency. We will be moving within the month and can no longer help you in this church.”
After the elder’s departure, the church blossomed and grew. The power of prayer and the obedience of a leader to God’s guidance can overcome even the most challenging of people. That pastor, like Moses, was dealing with divisive people and yet the prayer was sincere and God answered it swiftly.
Like Moses, we can take things to God in prayer and trust that our obedience will please God as Moses did. Then we can discover amazing things happening too.
Thanks be to God.
All Scriptures printed below are in King James Version for copyright purposes. However, clicking on the verse locations will take you to Biblegateway.com where the text is linked to more contemporary versions.



Manna was like Coriander Seeds
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3877/14493293153_00f3a1c1b8_z_d.jpg Spices Coriander Spices, Coriander seeds Iqbal Osman CCL

Prayer: Almighty God, Open my eyes that I might see. Open my mind that I might understand. Open my heart that I might make your words a part of me. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight. Amen







Ordinary 25, Proper 20
Bible Readings
http://legacy.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm 119:97-104;Numbers 11:1-9;Romans 16:17-20&version=KJV;ERV;GNT;NCV;NIV (multiple versions)




Tuesday, Ordinary 25, Proper 20

Psalm 119:97-104
Numbers 11:1-9
Romans 16:17-20


Daily Bible Verses to Memorize for Meditating

Philippians 1:21
King James Version (KJV)
21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.




Single Bible Study chapter to study




Romans 16:17-20
King James Version (KJV)
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.


OBSERVE:

Take a moment and write three observations of the verses. What strikes you? An observation is an observable fact from the Word.
1.

2.

3.

INTERPRETATION:

What do you interpret these verses to mean for you today?




APPLY:

Today, I learned _____________________________________and apply it to my life.


Prayer of Encouragement

Almighty God, we give you thanks and praise for the way you responded to Moses’ requests in protecting the people of Israel from the fires that burned after they grumbled. Help us not to grumble or be divisive like the Roman church and instead be open to the leading of God. In Jesus name, Amen



Conclusion
Tuesday, Ordinary 25, Proper 20 spoke of two leaders, Moses and Paul, both of them having an extraordinary relationship with God. The intimacy of their trust and obedience helped them accomplish great things.
The fires went out despite God’s anger with the Children of Israel. The New Testament lesson reminded the Roman church that divisiveness was not one of the characteristics of God. It was not what pleased God.
So many churches have that divisive spirit. I wonder how many would not see themselves as such, yet by God’s definition, they would be. We must self-examine and be certain that we don’t fall into that kind of trap, but instead do things to build the community of God up. We don’t want God to think of us as something which would be like the Devil to be bruised.
We can celebrate the good that we have opportunities to be like Moses and Paul; able to pray simply facing the complex issues directly. Our prayers should be simple and genuine, not given to division and undermining of the gospel. Let us strive to be honest and simple in our prayers, humble in what we do, so that our prayers will have as great an effect of Moses’.
Go out and be ready for God to do mighty things in your life—for the glory of God.*
Thank you for visiting ChapLynne’s Daily Encouragement and Bible Study. . God bless you.
*If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior and you are seeking, please contact me. A genuine and simple prayer, asking God into your heart for the forgiveness of your sins will also do.