July 13, Reading 1 – Judges 6

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Once again we see the cycle of Judges: the death of the judge, the people do evil in God’s eyes; an enemy comes who oppresses them; they repent and call out to God and He sends another judge. We need Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God as our Judge. While He lives, we too will live! Notice that God’s word is not enough for Gideon – this is a judge who falls far short of Moses and Joshua!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, how precious is Your steadfast love! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

“When the people of Israel cried out to the LORD on account of the Midianites, the LORD sent a prophet to the people of Israel. And he said to them, …”

What does the prophet tell the people?

The same thing that Moses and Joshua exhorted them about not many generations previous.

REMEMBER!

The LORD led them up from Egypt and brought them out of the house of slavery.

Remember.

The LORD delivered them from the hand of the Egyptians and the hand of all who oppressed them.

Remember.

“I am the LORD your God,”

These are potent words for us today.

Remember.

It is the LORD who has led us from dead hearts and darkness, out of the slavery of sin – Into true life, hearts rebirthed, free from sin.

Remember.

It is the LORD who delivers us, rescues us, restores us each day.

Let us strive to remember all that the LORD has done and is doing for us.

* Creator God,

You have called us to be Your people – Thank You!

Thank You for Your word that always tells us the truth of what You have done.

Please remind us each day, write Your word on our hearts Lord God.

Amen.

July 13, Reading 2 – Isaiah 27

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Revelation 19 takes up this picture of Jesus with sword in hand going to conquer Satan – that ancient serpent! We will be the fruitful vineyard, because of God’s gardening in our lives!

SJA Notes

* Lord God, please open our ears to hearken to Your word today.

“In days to come Jacob shall take root, Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots and fill the whole world with fruit.”

What a life-bloom of hope is found right in the middle of today’s passage.

This is the outcome of God’s kingdom, come in power and might, that the fruit of the Spirit be filling the world around us.

We read in the letter of Galatians 5,

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

As we walk through the list of fruit, comparing our lives – Are we blossoming and putting forth shoots that fill the world around us with the fruit that God’s Spirit brings?

* Father God,

Please make us more like Jesus!

Mark us as a people that bear the fruit that Jesus did, the fruit that You the Holy Spirit bring.

Please grow us, cause us to blossom and flourish as kingdom people, bearers of Your word – The good news, lights in the darkness of this world.

Amen.

July 13, Reading 3 – 1 Corinthians 6

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

In verse 19, the your is again plural – “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.” We put the emphasis on you the individual. Paul puts the emphasis on you plural i.e. the body of Christ. Individual sin taints the whole body of which you are a part. Meditate on verse 11.

SJA Notes

* God Above, thank You for Your wisdom from on high – Please teach us today.

“Why not suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

Paul calls on us to behave in a very clear way with our brothers and sisters in God’s church.

Often our skin is very thin with each other, we can bleed easily. Often we are quick to take offence and to seek retribution, slow to maintain grace with patience.

Paul points out the folly of this.

“To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.”

This is not an easy passage to read or to accommodate in our thinking.

The message is clear.

Where is our trust?

Is our trust in human justice for a temporal wrong?

Or is our trust in the Eternal God who made us His people even though once we were His enemies?

When our trust is in God then our perspective on suffering, even at the hand of each other, is to be changed.

Remember Jesus’ words on prayer, that when ask God to forgive us our sins it is wrapped up with our own measure of forgiving others.

These words from Paul are to resonate,

“Why not suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?”

* God Above,

Thank You for Your love – That You have forgiven us, brought us into Your kingdom.

Please help us each day to be kingdom people.

Please help us to act with Christ-like attributes and behaviour.

Amen.