Life engaged with God

New Guest: Like this one, most entries are devotional. Those related to Car Biz can be located by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first entry, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. I hope you'll record your responses as you read, since these entries serve best as the first remarks in a coversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Monday, August 2, 2010 Devotions: Ps 77, 80; Jdg 6:25-40; Acts 2:37-47; Jn 1:1-18

I cry aloud to God, that He may hear me. I reach out to Him whenever I am in distress. And when I dwell on God and His goodness, my pain lessens, my heartbeat slows, and I can rest. Lord, You are good; You work wonders for Your people. Give ear, Shepherd of Israel, and let Your face shine upon us. You have chosen a people for Yourself, and called us forth, blessed and cared for us. Turn to us again, and restore the joy of our salvation.

YHWH called Gideon of the tribe of Manasseh, and promised to be with him forever. Gideon had the mission of delivering Israel from the Midianites, nomadic raiders from the East. Gideon was amazed, and offered YHWH a sacrifice and built an altar to honor Him. The same night, YHWH told Gideon, 'Take your father's seven-year-old bull, pull down the altar he has built for Baal, and the Asherah pole besideit. Build an altar to YHWH your God on top of the stronghold here, and offer the bull as a burnt offering, using the wood from the Asherah pole you cut down.' Gideon did as God told him, using ten of his personal servants to help him; he did all this by night, because he was afraid of his family and the men of his community. When the town discovered what Gideon had done. But Gideon's father Joash protected his son, and challenged the worshipers of Baal, earing for himself the nickname of Baal's opponent. The forces of Midian, Amalek and related nomadic Eassterners assembled in the Valley of Jezreel to oppose Gideon. And God's Spirit possessed Gideon and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites assembled to follow him, and he sent out messengers who gathered forces from Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali. Twice, Gideon reconfirmed God's intention by use of fleeces – once a wet fleece on dry ground, then a dry fleece on wet ground. At that, Gideon was ready to obey God and face his enemies.

Those who heard Peter's Pentecost sermon were cut to the heart, convicted of their sins, and asked 'Brothers, what should we do?' Peter told them: 'Repent and be baptized, each of you, into the name of Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and all that are far away—every one whom the Lord our God calls to Him.' Peter testified to them, and urged them to be saved from their wicked generation. So those who accepted his words were baptized, and that day, about three thousand souls were added to Christ's church. And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowshing, and to the breaking of bread and the prayers. All were in awe, and the apostles did many wonders and signs. All who believed were together and had all things in common. They sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they ate with glad and generous hearts, praising God and favored by all the people. And the Lord added to their numbers day by day those who were being saved.

John connected Jesus with Genesis: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of humankind. TH elight shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John came from God. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. John was not the light, but he came to bear witness to the light. The true Light who enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who beliveed in His name, He gave the power to become children of God, children born not of blood or of the passion of the flesh nor of the will of man, but born of God. The Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us, full of grace and truth. We have beheld His glory, glory as of the only Son from tohe Father. John bore witness to Him, crying , 'This is He of Whom I said, "He Who comes after me has surpassed me, because He was before me."' From the fullness of His grace we have all received one grace upon another. For the law was givent through Moses; grace and truth came through the Messiah Jesus. No one has ever seen God, but God the Only Begotten, Who is in the Father's bosom, has made Him known.