CLOSE AND GENTLE

DEUTERONOMY 4:39 (MSG)
Know this well, then. Take it to heart right now: GOD is in Heaven above; GOD is on Earth below. He’s the only God there is.

PHILIPPIANS 4:5, 7 (CEB)
Let your gentleness show in your treatment of all people. The Lord is near... Then the peace of God that exceeds all understanding will keep your hearts and minds safe in Christ Jesus.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Let the closeness of the one God shape how you relate to people. 

DAILY FODDER
Would you use the word "gentle" to decsribe yourself? Why or why not? In the overall scheme of things how important is gentleness? Why? 

PRAYER
All-powerful God, the more we come to recognize your close presence, the more we are awestruck by your gentleness. You could easily squish us for walking out of line but you gently nudge us back to where we should be. I confess that l'm reluctant to operate as a gentle person. I want to impress people with my commanding presence, wit, and superior thinking. Show me how to stand-down and immitate your humility. I want to re-direct all attention your way. You are the one real God. Amen. 

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

WATCHFUL EYE

PROVERBS 5:21 (CEB)
The LORD’s eyes watch over every person’s path,
observing all their ways.

1 CORINTHIANS 4:5 (MSG)
So don’t get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the “Well done!” of God.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
We live our lives under the watchful eye of God, who fully understands what's going on. 

DAILY FODDER
Does God's watchful eye creep you out or encourage you? Why so?  

PRAYER
All-seeing God, I am grateful that you love me in all my humanness. Bring to light the dark thoughts or habits of mine that need correction, and please give me the desire to listen and change. Help me to keep judgments to myself and to let you enlighten others of their need for change. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

MISFITS

ISAIAH 2:11 (MSG)
People with a big head are headed for a fall,
pretentious egos brought down a peg.
It’s GOD alone at front-and-center
on the Day we’re talking about...

1 CORINTHIANS 1:27-31 (MSG)
Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

SUMMARY SENTENCE
God keeps our egos in check by working with misfits.

DAILY FODDER
Would you classify yourself as a "misfit"? Why or why not?

PRAYER
Glorious God, you are full of surprises! I'm grateful that you are unconventional enough to include people like me in your plan to redo the world. Forgive us for the times when we confidently let ourselves run ahead of you telling you how to do things. Hold me back so that I'm in full sync with your agenda and timing. I want to keep the focus on Christ Jesus. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.

MARRIAGE

EXODUS 20:14 (CEB)
Do not commit adultery.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:3 (CEB)
The husband should meet his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband.

SUMMARY SENTENCE
Keep sexual intimacy within the relational framework of marriage.

DAILY FODDER
Why does God feel the need to make 10% of his great commandments for Israel about keeping marriages pure? 

PRAYER
Creator of all life, I am grateful your word teaches us how to live respectfully with others. Thank you for highlighting the importance of loved ones honoring their intimate love. I am blessed that you choose to be in close communion with me. Give me grace to choose to live with your love and forgiveness for myself and for others. Amen. (Daily Texts, Ground Up Grace edition)

THE LORD’S PRAYER (ABP)
Our Father in Heaven,
     we hold your name in the highest regard.
Please come and establish your reign here on earth
     so that everything that happens here will align
     with what is happening in heaven.

Give us enough food for today.

Forgive us our wrongdoing,
     and we’ll forgive those who have wronged us.
Shield us from the trials and temptations that come our way.
Lastly, we pray that you will protect us from all forms of evil. Amen.