Friday, June 15, 2018

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Friday, 15 June 2018 "Churchgoer: Seek God" by Caleb Reynolds - Acts 17:22-31

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living - The Global of the Nazarene's Foundry Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States for Friday, 15 June 2018 "Churchgoer: Seek God" by Caleb Reynolds - Acts 17:22-31.
Acts 17:22 Sha’ul stood up in the Council meeting and said, “Men of Athens: I see how very religious you are in every way! 23 For as I was walking around, looking at your shrines, I even found an altar which had been inscribed, ‘To An Unknown God.’ So, the one whom you are already worshipping in ignorance — this is the one I proclaim to you.
24 “The God who made the universe and everything in it, and who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in man-made temples; 25 nor is he served by human hands, as if he lacked something; since it is he himself who gives life and breath and everything to everyone.
26 “From one man he made every nation living on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the limits of their territories and the periods when they would flourish. 27 God did this so that people would look for him and perhaps reach out and find him although in fact, he is not far from each one of us, 28 ‘for in him we live and move and exist.’ Indeed, as some of the poets among you have said, ‘We are actually his children.’ 29 So, since we are children of God, we shouldn’t suppose that God’s essence resembles gold, silver or stone shaped by human technique and imagination.
30 “In the past, God overlooked such ignorance; but now he is commanding all people everywhere to turn to him from their sins. 31 For he has set a Day when he will judge the inhabited world, and do it justly, by means of a man whom he has designated. And he has given public proof of it by resurrecting this man from the dead.”
 (Complete Jewish Bible).
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The telephone pole had a picture of a lost dog and a promise of a reward. I saw the family walking down the block, tacking up the poster all over the neighborhood. I imagined them walking the streets and calling her name. They had probably enlisted friends and family to come and help, checking in frequently with the local animal control office. After a long search, it could seem futile to keep trying.
Many people think we must search for God like that family searched for their dog. As if God has wandered off, forgotten us, and lost interest in us. The Scripture says nothing could be further from the truth.
From the very beginning, the Word teaches that our God is not one who waits for us to call out to him, but He is constantly searching for us. Like the woman searching for a lost coin, the shepherd searching for the lost sheep, and the father searching for his lost son, God has spared no expense to reach out to us (Luke 15). When we call out to him, he always hears us, because he is the one searching for us.
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Hymn for Today: "My Savior's Love" by Charles H. Gabriel.
1. I stand amazed in the presence
of Jesus, the Nazarene,
and wonder how he could love me,
a sinner, condemned, unclean.
Refrain: How marvelous, how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous, how wonderful
is my Savior’s love for me!
2. He took my sins and my sorrows;
he made them his very own;
he bore the burden to Calvary
and suffered and died alone.

Refrain: How marvelous, how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous, how wonderful
is my Savior’s love for me!
3. When with the ransomed in glory
his face I at last shall see,
’twill be my joy through the ages
to sing of his love for me.

Refrain: How marvelous, how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
How marvelous, how wonderful
is my Savior’s love for me!
Thought for Today: But seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) (Complete Jewish Bible)).
Please pray: For the development of Christian leaders in the Congo Republic.
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