James 1 - 5.24.2024

Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.

James 1:19-20
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 

Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?

‘How did he know?’, was what I kept asking myself as grandpa Hector, my wife’s grandfather and eventually my own, finished telling his story. Grandpa had been lamenting getting into a physical altercation over a parking spot.

“For what, mijo(son)??? It was over, nothing — nothing,” grandpa lamented as he struggled to get into his chair. “It’s not worth it mijo, just let it go,” he continued, as I continued to wonder how the Holy Spirit knew to prompt my grandpa to share this story with me as I walked into his house that afternoon.

Application - How will you apply this to your life?

So many of my worst stories begin, “I remember getting so angry that…” Lord Jesus, I don’t want to add to that list anymore. I still remember that day when I was ready to get into a shouting match (possibly more) over a rude honk-his-horn-maniac as I was struggling to search for directions on my hands free gps. And the story grandpa shared with me I know, I just know, goes with James 1 19-20. I still marvel that even before I shared my day with him that day, grandpa knew to share a story which exemplified the ‘be slow to anger because you suck when you are angry’ theme of the above verse.

For my life application, I would like to in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit, not get angry with my co-workers today, as they are doing who knows what besides their job. 

Prayer - Write out a prayer.

Lord, take the frustration and anger out of me today. And tomorrow. And the day after. And forever. Help me not to be a person ruled by anger and daily frustrations. Definitely help me to see that my human anger is a pitiful gauge for your perfect love and justice. I know this can only be accomplished by an act of supernatural Holy Spirit fueled power because I have struggled with this for so long. Help me to ‘let it go’ as grandpa once, and continues to through that story, shared with me. Turn me into a person who is slow to anger, so slow, that it’s like the anger is hardly there any more. Thank you, Lord.

In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.

-kenneth lee

Hebrews 13 - 5.23.24

Hebrews 13:5b-6 SOAP

S – 5b“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

O – Hebrews 13 is the last chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the New Testament. The author is anonymous, although the internal reference to “our brother Timothy” caused a traditional attribution to Paul.  These are the final exhortations strongly encouraging us in the loving way in which we should live, being content with all that God has already given us.

A – One thing Scripture should do in our lives is bring encouragement. We will ALL go through the storms. John 16:33 (NCV) I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.”

 We need to look past the storms, knowing that Jesus has victory over all of them. We may not see it in this world, in our lifetime. Just as Mary Oberg pointed out in Tuesday’s reading, Hebrews 11: 13 All these people were living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.

Sometimes these storms drag on and on…..and on and on! We don’t understand them, we don’t like them, and we certainly would like off the boat rocking us back and forth like a chew toy in my pups mouth! It feels unbearable at times. We WILL go through them regardless of if we want them or not and when we do, we have a choice… to let fear and worry get the best of us, causing us sickness, fatigue, anger and so much stress, OR we can trust in the Lord our God who IS our helper. He who tells us time and again that He is with us. He is right beside us, going ahead of us, and following behind us, protecting us, and blessing us in ways we cannot even imagine, nor will we ever know.  We may lose things or even people, we may suffer, people may hurt us and disappoint us, but God is THERE in the midst, helping us get through it all! Hold on to the ONE thing that we need.

P – Lord Jesus, it has been a season of storms for so many of your DSC family. My heart hurts for each of them. My prayers are for them and with them. I am walking through my own storms and I too, want off the boat! Help us to seek You with all our hearts, to continue to do Your Will, to bless others, to love others, to be your hands and feet and get out of our heads and into your Word and your Business! Give us faith where we are lacking to KNOW that you are with us and that there is nothing to fear or to stress about. Nothing is a surprise to you and you have something beautiful (just like a rainbow) at the end of each storm.  Please bring Your unsurpassing peace when we have the knowledge of Your mighty power, the knowledge of Your love for us, and the knowledge of Your heart for us, but don’t feel it. Help us to continue to encourage one another in every way! Thank you that we don’t need to worry.

- Crystal Flory

Hebrews 12 - 5.22.24

Scripture

Hebrews 12: 1-3 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Observation

1.     Let US run the race

2.     Fixing our eyes on Jesus

Application

Us – Notice the term us instead of me. Running is frequently a singular pastime, but sometimes a team sport. My daughter ran on the cross country team throughout high school and into college. The team practiced together, encouraged and challenged each other to be better, and hung out together. The goal was not to create one great runner, but to create a great team of runners. When they competed, they tried to stay together as one pack for as long as possible during the race. Likewise, following Jesus is not a solo endeavor – we need to be part of a team heading the same direction, who will support us and challenge us. Thank you to my DSC family!

Run the race – Cross country teams run a challenging 2-mile course, up and down steep hills and uneven paths, in rain, cold or extreme heat, trying to finish below 18 minutes. There are injuries, failures, and disappointments. It is a struggle! A Greek word for race is agona, or struggle. These runners acknowledge and accept the struggle in front of them – to them the prize is worth the struggle. Throughout the New Testament, we are urged to run the race. We have many promises in the Bible, but a life of ease is not one of those promises. Following Jesus means accepting that there will be hard times, but He is in control and will be with us through it all.

Fix our eyes on Jesus – Other races have “pacers,” whose job is to help a runner keep to a certain pace or help them stay on the course. Some of our team members can serve as pacers for us – people who mentor and disciple us. But our great pacer is Jesus. And we shouldn’t just look to Jesus, but FIX our eyes on him, focus all our attention on him, laying aside anything that distracts us from him.

Let us throw off everything that hinders – “Sin can hold us back. But there are also things that may not be sin but are merely hindrances that can keep us from running effectively the race God has for us.” (Enduring Word)  Some choices are between right and wrong (sin), but other times we need to choose between what is acceptable and what is BETTER.

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to spend time with you, practicing for the race ahead. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you, whatever comes my way, so that I can run the race set before me today with strength and endurance.

- Debbie Dunn