Bible Studies

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Week's End Meditation - Here We Are Again

Reflections:

• In 1 Kings Elijah has won. He has proven God's sovereignty by defeating the prophets of Baal and had them put to death. But, instead of rejoicing, he is fleeing for his life as Jezebel reaches out to eliminate her foe. In the wilderness Elijah prays that he had been diligent in following God's plan and yet, God's people continue to turn from Him. Elijah feels that he is the only one left and he will soon be killed. In a whisper God speaks to Elijah and says: "Go back the way you came."
  
  
• In his letter to the Galatians, Paul continues to outline his case of faith as the pathway to salvation versus adherence to the Law. We are all one in our sinfulness and our inability to earn our salvation. Whereas the Law is a code of ethics to use in modeling a holy life, our only access to salvation is through our faith in Christ. In our faith, nothing else matters. It is faith that makes us one in Christ and fulfills all of God's promises.
  
  
• In Psalm 42 the verse, "as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God," reminds us that God has instilled within us a desire to know Him. In times when we feel separated from God and our tears have been our only sustenance, it is important to take the time to remember those days when we felt close to God. This reminds us of God's faithfulness as a Rock. He will always be near.
  
  
• In our Gospel lesson in Luke, Jesus confronts a man so filled with demons that they call themselves Legion in reference to the largest Roman military unit. The man had been controlled by these demons in such a way that he was no longer a productive part of society. They controlled him and defined him. Like this man, the demons that fill our lives, control and define who we are. By allowing Christ into our hearts we will be transformed. Our lives will be defined by his love, we will be known by a new name, and, through our joy, we will go back into our lives and tell others of the freedom that is available in Christ.
  

Inspiration:

"God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life."

We all know this promise that is found in John 3:16 very well. And yet, we perish and die each day of our lives. We strive hard to do what we think we should do. We get glimpses of the ministry God has called us to follow and then we work. We work and work and work until our hands are raw, our backs sore, and our frustrations abound. Even in the midst of our greatest achievements we feel a sense of defeat. 'Maybe it should have been better.' 'Perhaps we didn't give it our best efforts.' And then we remember the damaged relationships along the way and our grief grows. Our nerves are on edge and our emotions raw. Suddenly a remark is made. "It was nice but…" And then our world crashes down around us. The demons of pride and selfishness take control and the naked truth of our sinfulness is laid bare.

Our verses this week systematically address these issues of failing and provide us with concrete methods of overcoming and defeating the demons we face in our lives. When we have given up and see no hope, we are to run to God and listen for His still small voice. We are to accept that nothing we do will gain access to the kingdom of Heaven but in the same token, we are reminded that we cannot fall from His grace simply by failing to live holy lives. Our faith in Christ assures our destiny and this, alone, should provide hope in all circumstances.

We also learned that we have been designed to seek God – He has instilled in our hearts a desire to search for Him always. This helps us to remember that we are His children and no matter how lost we become, our thirst for Him will draw us close, again and again. His faithfulness is like a rock, solid and immovable.

Finally, Jesus showed us that the demons that threaten our lives can and will be driven into the pit when we stop and turn everything over to Him. They may have a firm grasp, tenaciously holding on to the control they have over us, but Jesus has the final victory well in hand and no matter what demons we face, our destiny is assured.

Closing Prayer:

Forgiving and Gracious Father: Why do we despair? Why do we find ourselves continuously worried about the success of our ministries and whether we will be good enough to earn your love? Just as Elijah fleeing from Jezebel's scorn, we now come running to you. Your calling has led us onto difficult paths. Victories have come but they don't always seem so bright. With the victories we often find ourselves being chased by hordes of criticism or bands of apathy. What should we do? We long for your voice. Our souls thirst for your advice and guidance. We feel alone. And then we are reminded that we are not out here trying to earn a free pass. "Our" ministry is really your ministry. Our success is not to be measured by human standards. However things turn out, when we feel like we've failed and we are all alone in the world we need to remember that you are in control and our worry is for naught. Once again we are reminded of your grace and forgiveness. Once again we read Paul's word and come to realize that we are not separated and alone. Once again we read of Christ victory over the demons of this world. Oh gracious Lord, once again we thank you for your love. Amen.

FUMC Devotionals

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