Wichita, Kansas, United States - Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church Daily Devotional for Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Wichita, Kansas, United States - Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church Daily Devotional for Wednesday, 22 October 2014

Today please be in prayer for:

Dallas Peterson
Farlington UMC
Girard UMC
Parsons District

Dorothy Ellsworth
Grenola UMC
Moline UMC
Parsons District

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18th Sunday after: Pentecost/in Kingdomtide – Green This Week's Lectionary Scriptures:Scripture Texts:
Exodus 33:12-23
Psalm 99
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22
Scripture Text:
Exodus 33:12-13 Moses said to God, “Look, you tell me, ‘Lead this people,’ but you don’t let me know whom you’re going to send with me. You tell me, ‘I know you well and you are special to me.’ If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don’t forget, this is your people, your responsibility.”
14 God said, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.”
15-16 Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you’re with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we’re special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?”
17 God said to Moses: “All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name.”
18 Moses said, “Please. Let me see your Glory.”
19 God said, “I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I’ll call out the name, God, right before you. I’ll treat well whomever I want to treat well and I’ll be kind to whomever I want to be kind.”
20 God continued, “But you may not see my face. No one can see me and live.”
21-23 God said, “Look, here is a place right beside me. Put yourself on this rock. When my Glory passes by, I’ll put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. Then I’ll take my hand away and you’ll see my back. But you won’t see my face.”
Psalm 99:1-3 God rules. On your toes, everybody!
He rules from his angel throne—take notice!
God looms majestic in Zion,
He towers in splendor over all the big names.
Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you!
    Holy. Yes, holy.
4-5 Strong King, lover of justice,
You laid things out fair and square;
You set down the foundations in Jacob,
Foundation stones of just and right ways.
Honor God, our God; worship his rule!
    Holy. Yes, holy.
6-9 Moses and Aaron were his priests,
Samuel among those who prayed to him.
They prayed to God and he answered them;
He spoke from the pillar of cloud.
And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them.
And then God, our God, answered them
(But you were never soft on their sins).
Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain.
    Holy. Yes, holy is God our God.
1 Thessalonians 1:1 I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God’s amazing grace be with you! God’s robust peace!
Convictions of Steel
2-5 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.
5-6 You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.
Matthew 22: Paying Taxes
15-17 That’s when the Pharisees plotted a way to trap him into saying something damaging. They sent their disciples, with a few of Herod’s followers mixed in, to ask, “Teacher, we know you have integrity, teach the way of God accurately, are indifferent to popular opinion, and don’t pander to your students. So tell us honestly: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
18-19 Jesus knew they were up to no good. He said, “Why are you playing these games with me? Why are you trying to trap me? Do you have a coin? Let me see it.” They handed him a silver piece.
20 “This engraving—who does it look like? And whose name is on it?”
21 They said, “Caesar.”
“Then give Caesar what is his, and give God what is his.”
22 The Pharisees were speechless. They went off shaking their heads.
John Wesley Notes-Commentary:
Exodus 33:12-23
Verse 12
[12] And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Moses now returned to the door of the tabernacle, as an important supplicant for two favours, and prevails for both: herein he was a type of Christ the great intercessor, whom the Father heareth always. He is earnest with God for a grant of his presence with Israel in the rest of their march to Canaan.
Thou sayst, bring up this people — Lord, it is thou thyself that employest me, and wilt thou not own me? I am in the way of my duty, and shall I not have thy presence with me in that way? Yet, Thou hast said, I know thee by name, as a particular friend, and thou hast also found grace in my sight, above any other.
Verse 13
[13] Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
Now therefore, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me thy way — What favour God had expressed to the people they had forfeited the benefit of; and therefore Moses lays the stress of his plea upon what God had said to him. By this therefore he takes hold on God, Lord, if thou wilt do any thing for me, do this for the people. Thus our Lord Jesus, in his intercession, presents himself to the Father, as one in whom he is always well-pleased, and so obtains mercy for us with whom he is justly displeased, Shew me thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight - He insinuates that the people also, though most unworthy, yet were in some relation to God; consider that this nation is thy people; a people that thou hast done great things for, redeemed to thyself, and taken into covenant with thyself; Lord, they are thy own, do not leave them.
Verse 15
[15] And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
And he said, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence — He speaks as one that dreaded the thought of going forward without God's presence.
Verse 16
[16] For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
Wherein shall it be known to the nations that have their eyes upon us, that I, and thy people, have found grace in thy sight; so as to be separated from all people upon earth? Is it not that thou goest with us? Nothing short of that can answer these characters.
Verse 17
[17] And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken — See the power of prayer! See the riches of God's goodness! See in type the prevalency of Christ's intercession, which he ever lives to make for all those that come to God by him! And the ground of that prevalency, is purely in his own merit, it is because thou hast found grace in my sight. And now God is perfectly reconciled to them, and his presence in the pillar of cloud returns to them.
Verse 18
[18] And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
I beseech thee shew me thy glory — Moses had lately been in the mount with God, and had had as intimate communion with God, as ever any man had on this side heaven, and yet he is still desiring a farther acquaintance.
Shew me thy glory — Make me to see it; so the word is: make it some way or other visible, and enable me to bear the sight of it. Not that he was so ignorant as to think God's essence could be seen with bodily eyes, but having hitherto only heard a voice out of a pillar of cloud or fire, he desired to see some representation of the divine glory, such as God saw fit to gratify him with.
Verse 20
[20] And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Thou canst not see my face — A full discovery of the glory of God would quite overpower the faculties of any mortal man.
I will make all my goodness pass before thee — He had given him wonderful instances of his goodness in being reconciled to Israel; but that was only goodness in the stream, he would shew him goodness in the spring. This was a sufficient answer to his request: Shew me thy glory, saith Moses; I will shew thee my goodness, saith God. God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty. And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious - In bestowing his gifts, and is not debtor to any, nor accountable to any; all his reasons of mercy are fetched from within himself, not from any merit in his creatures, and I will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy - For his grace is always free. He never damns by prerogative, but by prerogative he saves.
Verse 22
[22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
I will put thee in a cleft of the rock — In that he was to be sheltered from the dazzling light, and devouring fire of God's glory. This was the rock in Horeb, out of which water was brought, of which it is said, That rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4. 'Tis in the clefts of this rock that we are secured from the wrath of God, which otherwise would consume us: God himself will protect those that are thus hid: and it is only through Christ that we have the knowledge of the glory of God. None can see that to their comfort, but those that stand upon this rock, and take shelter in it.
Verse 23
[23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
And I will take away my hand — Speaking after the manner of men.
And thou shalt see my back-parts — The face in man is the seat of majesty, and men are known by their faces, in them we take a full view of men; that sight of God Moses might not have, but such a sight as we have of a man who is gone past us, so that we only see his back. Now Moses was allowed to see this only, but when he was a witness to Christ's transfiguration, he saw his face shine as the sun.
Psalm 99
Verse 1
[1] The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved.
People — Such as are enemies to God and his people.
Sitteth — Upon the ark. He is present with his people.
Earth — The people of the earth.
Moved — With fear and trembling.
Verse 3
[3] Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.
Them — All people.
Verse 4
[4] The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.
Judgment — Though his dominion be absolute, and his power irresistible, yet he manages it with righteousness. The king's strength is by a known Hebraism put for the strong, or powerful king.
Equity — In all thy proceedings.
Verse 5
[5] Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
Foot-stool — Before the ark, which is so called, 1 Chronicles 28:2.
Holy — It is consecrated to be a pledge of God's presence.
Verse 6
[6] Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.
Moses — Moses before the institution of the priesthood executed that office, Exodus 24:6.
That call — Who used frequently and solemnly to intercede with God on the behalf of the people.
Verse 7
[7] He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.
Spake — To some of them: to Moses and Aaron, Exodus 19:24; 33:9-11; 1 Samuel 7:9, etc.
Verse 8
[8] Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.
Them — The intercessors before mentioned.
Forgavest — The people for whom they prayed, so far as not to inflict that total destruction upon them which they deserved;
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Verse 1
[1] Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul — In this epistle St. Paul neither uses the title of an apostle, nor any other, as writing to pious and simple-hearted men, with the utmost familiarity. There is a peculiar sweetness in this epistle, unmixed with any sharpness or reproof: those evils which the apostles afterward reproved having not yet crept into the church.
Verse 3
[3] Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Remembering in the sight of God — That is, praising him for it.
Your work of faith — Your active, ever-working faith.
And labour of love — Love continually labouring for the bodies or souls of men. They who do not thus labour, do not love. Faith works, love labours, hope patiently suffers all things.
Verse 4
[4] Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
Knowing your election — Which is through faith, by these plain proofs.
Verse 5
[5] For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
With power — Piercing the very heart with a sense of sin and deeply convincing you of your want of a Saviour from guilt, misery, and eternal ruin.
With the Holy Ghost — Bearing an outward testimony, by miracles, to the truth of what we preached, and you felt: also by his descent through laying on of hands.
With much assurance — Literally, with full assurance, and much of it: the Spirit bearing witness by shedding the love of God abroad in your hearts, which is the highest testimony that can be given. And these signs, if not the miraculous gifts, always attend the preaching of the gospel, unless it be in vain: neither are the extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost ever wholly withheld, where the gospel is preached with power, and men are alive to God.
For your sake — Seeking your advantage, not our own.
Verse 6
[6] And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
Though in much affliction, yet with much joy.
Verse 8
[8] For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
For from you the word sounded forth — (Thessalonica being a city of great commerce.) Being echoed, as it were, from you. And your conversion was divulged far beyond Macedonia and Achaia. So that we need not speak anything - Concerning it.
Verse 9
[9] For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
For they themselves — The people wherever we come.
Verse 10
[10] And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Whom he hath raised from the dead — In proof of his future coming to judgment.
Who delivereth us — He redeemed us once; he delivers us continually; and will deliver all that believe from the wrath, the eternal vengeance, which will then come upon the ungodly.
Matthew 22:15-22
Verse 15
[15] Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
Mark 12:13; Luke 20:20.
Verse 16
[16] And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men.
The Herodians were a set of men peculiarly attached to Herod, and consequently zealous for the interest of the Roman government, which was the main support of the dignity and royalty of his family.
Thou regardest not the person of men — Thou favourest no man for his riches or greatness.
Verse 17
[17] Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
Is it lawful to give tribute to Cesar? — If he had said, Yes, the Pharisees would have accused him to the people, as a betrayer of the liberties of his country. If he had said, No, the Herodians would have accused him to the Roman governor.
Verse 18
[18] But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
Ye hypocrites — Pretending a scruple of conscience.
Verse 20
[20] And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription
The tribute money — A Roman coin, stamped with the head of Cesar, which was usually paid in tribute.
Verse 21
[21] They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
They say to him, Cesar's — Plainly acknowledging, by their having received his coin, that they were under his government. And indeed this is a standing rule. The current coin of every nation shows who is the supreme governor of it. Render therefore, ye Pharisees, to Cesar the things which ye yourselves acknowledge to be Cesar's: and, ye Herodians, while ye are zealous for Cesar, see that ye render to God the things that are God's.
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Today’s Devotion:
Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Becoming New" for Wednesday, 22 October 2014 - Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-14 That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
A New Life
14-15 Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.
16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.
21 How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
If anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!(2 Corinthians 5:17 (CEB))
When I became a Christian at the age of 19, I thought I had to change my personality. I assumed a Christian should be quiet and reserved. For someone like me who was outgoing and loud it was a struggle. I felt that I was supposed to be someone else. But when I grew in age and in faith, I realized that the change I needed was actually a new outlook, focus, and vision of the life God had planned for me.
I discovered that God loves us both before and after we become Christians. God’s children come from all over the world: we look different; we speak different languages; we have different personalities. And that is part of God’s big, beautiful plan. When we decide to follow Christ, we know the new change within our hearts is one that comes with great blessing and the true meaning of life.
God made me with this outgoing personality, and that enables me to easily engage people and invite them to church or Bible study. God made each of us, and we can embrace who we are and confidently be ourselves in God’s name.
Read more from the author.
"Putting God First"
Thank you for reading my meditation. I wish I could tell you that I followed Christ and obeyed him instantly. During my college years my faith would come in waves and diminish just as fast. I attended church and studied the Bible but did not live the Christian lifestyle. God was patient with me and knew I still had many lessons to learn. In my early twenties and after I graduated from college I placed faith on the back burner but God continued to call me.
When I was 25 I got engaged and was married for 4 months and then divorced. This was my breaking point. One day when my nerves got the best of me I grabbed a phone book and called every psychiatrist and psychologist in the area, but no one could see me. I called the local Methodist church and was in tears and told them I needed to see someone and I was going through a divorce. The pastor met with me just 15 minutes after my call. He counseled me for a couple of months. I decided to put God first in my life. I became a church member, started to tithe and got involved and helped launch a singles ministry.  This same pastor officiated at my wedding 3 years later. 
I believe God is able to turn any trial into a blessing.  Our experiences happen so we may be a witness to others whom may be experiencing the same thing. God can use anything for good.  We may not understand at the time but God’s grace always prevails. 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us that trials are only to test our faith, to show that it is strong and pure. And if our faith remains strong after being tried, it will bring us honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 
That was 11 years ago. I'm now 36 years old and have a very blessed life. I'm married to the love of my life and we have two healthy children. We are active in our church, Emmaus group and Sunday School.
I write all this to tell you that I truly did not live God's best for me until I placed God first in my life. Matthew 6:21 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be. Jesus is my treasure, and the more I follow the more he reveals his love for me.
May this inspire you to pray for God’s guidance in your life and in others’ lives.
I'm humbled that I am able to share my experience and God's blessing in my life with you.(Cindy Garrard)
The Author: Cindy Garrard (Florida)
Thought for the Day: God loves us before and after we become Christians.
Prayer: O God, we embrace our newfound life with comfort and joy. Amen.
Prayer focus: New Christians
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Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church
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