Paula Wiseman

Faith and life meet in a story

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Something to think about as you start a new week

Monday Meditations are quick posts designed to get you thinking about God. They provide a fresh perspective as you jump into your routine.

 

Emmanuel

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God was manifested in the flesh… 1 Timothy 3:16. That’s Emmanuel.

We tell the story every Christmas. It is as familiar as it is foundational.

But don’t pass over it. Consider it.

GOD

The God who thundered on Sinai, whose train filled the temple, who spoke the world into existence…

Chose

To reveal Himself to us (That’s amazing enough)

He chose to reveal Himself AS one of us.

He chose to identify Himself WITH us. (Our Emmanuel)

So that He could ultimately call us His very own.

God did that.

The Old Testament opens with God.

The New Testament begins with God with us.

Scripture ends with us in God’s presence for all eternity.

Amen

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Amen.  

It comes from the Hebrew word for firm or trustworthy
By the time of the New Testament church, the congregation spoke the word at the end of a public prayer.  

Amen.
So be it.
Let it be done.  

In Revelation 3:14, Jesus calls Himself the Amen.   

Amen isn’t just a tag at the end of our prayers.
It’s an affirmation that we understand we have asked the Sovereign Lord of all to move on our behalf.
It testifies to our confidence in Him.
It means we are assured of God’s faithfulness, and His character.
So our prayers are heard.  

Amen!

Too Discouraged to See God at Work

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Too Discouraged to See God at Work

Exodus 6:9 “When Moses told this to the Israelites, they were too discouraged and mistreated to believe him.” (CEV)  

Moses told them God had heard.
He was marshaling His mighty power on their behalf, fulfilling His promises, pouring out His grace.  

And they couldn’t see it.  
All they knew was their situation and how it left them.  
Discouraged.
Despondent.
Beaten down.
Broken.  

They couldn’t see His hand in their circumstances,
and yet, He was doing far more than they asked.    

Is He working on my behalf in ways I can’t see?
Is He working on your behalf in ways you can’t see?  

Yes.

Don’t believe me – pray like Elisha 2 Kings 6:17 “Open my eyes that I may see.”

Are We Willing?

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Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Mark 1:40-41

We aren’t lepers, but we have junk that eats away at us.

Junk that makes us feel like outcasts, like we are unwelcome, like we don’t belong.

But here’s what we do. We put words in Jesus’s mouth.

“This is what you deserve.”

“This is your punishment.”

“Things are never going to get better, never going to change.”

That’s a tragedy.

The reality is, if we have the boldness to approach the King of Kings, look how He responds.

He is moved with compassion.

He stretches out His hand.

He touches us.

He says, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Be healed. Be restored.

He is willing.

Often more willing to answer than we are to ask.

Is Anyone Left Out?

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Is anyone left out?

Jesus said to love God.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37.

He said we should love fellow believers.

 “[L]ove one another; as I have loved you.” John 13:34

Jesus said to love our neighbors.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39

In Luke in the story of the good Samaritan, He explained our neighbors included anybody we came in contact with.

He also said to love our enemies.

“[L]ove your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

See who Jesus mentioned? Is anyone left out?
Do we leave anyone out?

Submit vs. Resist

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Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Submit means to be in obedience to. To yield to. To consent to the authority of. It is passive.

Resist means to rebel against. To exert force in opposition. To withstand. It is very active.

These are opposites. But James links them.

We cannot be in obedience to God without resisting the devil.

Nor can we oppose the devil without submitting to God.

It works in reverse, too. If we resist God, we end up giving in to what Satan wants for us.

In verse 6 though, James says God gives grace to the humble, that is, to those who submit to Him. Grace, His unmerited favor.

What does Satan give?

Submitting to God. Resisting the devil. It should be easier than it is.

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