Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

July 6: Matthew 6, Exodus 23, Psalm 119:137 - 144

July 7: Matthew 7, Exodus 24, Psalm 119:145 - 152

July 8: Matthew 8, Exodus 25, Psalm 119:153 - 160

July 9: Matthew 9, Exodus 26, Psalm 119:161 - 168

July 10: Matthew 10, Exodus 27, Psalm 119:169 - 176

July 11: Matthew 11, Exodus 28, Psalm 120

July 12: Matthew 12, Exodus 29, Psalm 121

July 13: Matthew 13, Exodus 30, Psalm 122

July 14:  Matthew 14, Exodus 31, Psalm 123

July 15: Matthew 15, Exodus 32, Psalm 124

July 16: Matthew 16, Exodus 33, Psalm 125

July 17: Matthew 17, Exodus 34, Psalm 126

July 18: Matthew 18, Exodus 35, Psalm 127

July 19: Matthew 19, Exodus 36, Psalm 128

From Pastor Gary, SOULJournal From Pastor Gary, SOULJournal

THE RISK OF BIRTH

MADELEINE L’ENGLE This is no time for a child to be born,With the earth betrayed by war and hateAnd a comet slashing the sky to warnThat time runs out & the sun burns late. That was no time for a child to be born,In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;Honor and truth were trampled by scorn-Yet here did the Savior make his home. When is the time for love to be born?The inn is full on the planet earth,And by a comet the sky is torn-Yet Love still takes the risk of birth.gift. 

SAVORING
  • Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

 Just take a moment for all of it to sink in and savor the love.

Read More
From Pastor Gary, SOULJournal From Pastor Gary, SOULJournal

IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THIS HARD

When I said yes to God I must admit that I thought the rest of my life would be like the parting of the Red Sea.  Everything just going well and God just paving the way so that it all came easy.  So you can imagine my surprise that it has not been the story.  I wonder if Mary had some of those same thoughts? 

“I said yes to God, I am doing something of great significance, that I didn’t ask to do, so why is it so hard?  Isn’t God in this?”“Why can’t we stay here in Nazareth and have the baby, why does it have to be so complicated?” “Why can’t we find a room?  Being obedient to God should not be this hard!  This could not be going according to God’s plan.  Someone screwed up!”
  • Galatians 4:4 (MSG) 4 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law.
When the time arrived – in other words, God had planned all of these goings on.  The difficulty was all part of His plan!  And He did not spare His Son the difficulties either.

 SAVORINGIs there anything in your life this time of year that makes you say, “It is not supposed to be this way!”  If so, is it because of your schedule and priorities of is it beyond your control?Read Proverbs 3:5-6.  Is there anything in your life that doesn’t make sense, yet you are willing to trust the Lord and be obedient to His calling?Read Isaiah 46:10-11.  What comfort can this verse give you.

Read More