Genesis 1 - 1.26.24

Scripture Genesis 1:1-27

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

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Observation:

The God of the Universe took 6 days to create the earth. There was a process, one step, then another.  We often pray to God and expect an instant change, healing, or answer.  These verses gave me a new perspective as I read them. God takes his time and builds one thing upon another. Sounds like a sermon Pastor Levi shared recently.  Could the animals have survived if He created them before the land?  There are wonderful reasons for His process.  The dreams and plans God has for us have a process too. God created man in His image. He orders our steps and tells us to number our days, AKA plan.  Instant things can be gone as fast as they come. A good foundation and roots are important. I need to be sure I do this as well. 

Application:

I need to embrace that good things take time. God has a plan for me and one thing lays a foundation for the next.  May I change my expectation from now to what needs to happen first. 

Prayer:

Father God you can instantly work. However, there are times when to have a solid foundation, there is a process I need to go through to prepare me for all you have for me. Please give me patience to endure, eyes to see your hand, understanding to learn the lessons, and wisdom to do the things you are calling me to.  You love me and know what’s best. You will not withhold any good thing. Help me to trust you and walk in faith.  Amen

- Cindy Howard

Ephesians 4 - 01.25.24

SCRIPTURE -Ephesians 4:12

“Christ gave those gifts to prepare God’s holy people 

for the work of serving, 

to make the body of Christ stronger. 

OBSERVATION 

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul explains the very important function of the church.

Gifts are given—for a specific Purpose.

Here he speaks about the gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers.

These specially gifted people were given to the church for One ultimate goal—to equip God’s people. But there’s MORE! 

God’s people are then to go on to equip others!

APPLICATION 

Making Disciples 

At DSC our Mission Statement is: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples!

This is born out of the Two Most Important Commandments and Jesus Great Commission. If we Love God-

it is natural that we will Love and care deeply about what HE Loves.

God Loves and cares deeply about people—

“For God SO loved the world that HE gave his ONE and ONLY Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

(John 3:16 NIV)

In God’s Kingdom there are no spectators—

Everyone has been given gifts to grow His Kingdom and Bring Glory to His Name.

God gave gifts to the church SO that ALL believers would be equipped

to do the work of the ministry—of Sharing His GOOD NEWS!

“Christ makes the whole body fit together perfectly. 

As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, 

SO, that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

(Ephesians 4:16 NLT)

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

(I Peter 4:10 NKJV)

The church also grows AS it moves “out” to surrounding communities responding to Christ’s commission to GO.

“Jesus came and told his disciples, 

“I have been given ALL authority in heaven and on earth. 

Therefore, GO and “make disciples” of all the nations, 

baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. 

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

(Matthew 28:18-20 NLT)

PRAYER

LORD Jesus,

Thank You for Your Very Great Love for me. I pray Your Love continues to Change my heart for the things that are important to You. Pour out Your Spirit on Your Church Lord. Give us all a hunger and thirst to serve You with our gifts. Help me to hear Your Voice and move in obedience to Your calling wherever You Lead.

Thank You that we don’t need to travel to another country to “make disciples”-we can GO right in our own community every and any day.

YOU say the harvest is ripe. Here I am Lord, send me.

Amen. 

Tina L Kudelka

Ephesians 3 - 1.24.24

Scripture

He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; (Eph 3: 16-19, NKJV)

Observation

This is one of my favorite prayers recorded in the New Testament. Paul prays that God would grant us to be strengthened internally. That Christ would dwell in our hearts. That we would be rooted and grounded in love. That we would be able to understand the width and length and depth and height of the love of Christ for us,which is beyond human understanding. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Rom 8:39). 

Application

Let us pray that we will be "Rooted and Grounded" in love. God is love (1 John 4:16), and Jesus is the word who became flesh (John 1:14). We need to be rooted and built up in Him (Col 2:7). We can be rooted and grounded only if we allow our roots to go down into God's word. We need to renew our minds everyday by feeding on God's word, so that we can understand what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom 12:2). It is so critical that we spend time with God's word every single day, allowing the Word to wash us (Eph 5:26), and renew our minds. 

Prayer

Lord, please help me to prioritize my prayer time with you everyday. Help me to make you my first priority, so that I will not trade time with you and your Word for anything else. Along with Paul, I pray that you would strengthen me internally, that Christ would live in my heart. I pray that I will be rooted and grounded in you and in your Word. I pray that I will abide in you, and your Word will abide in me. I pray that you will help me to understand all the dimensions of your love, which passes knowledge.

- Asha Chacko George