Daily Dose of God&#8217;s Glorious Love

December 22, 2017 Friday Week 3 Day 6 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” Matthew 8:23–27 How many times have you wondered if God was really there or if God was there was He just asleep in the boat? The storms and troubles of life often threaten to swamp our little boats in the great sea of what we call life but often is just our attempt to exist. The disciples cry out to Jesus “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” You can almost hear the unspoken criticism that Jesus doesn’t really care! When we are hurting it is

December 21, 2017 Thursday Week 3 Day 5 “For 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. “Indeed, God did not send the son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.” John 3:16–21 Most people who have any contact with Church know John 3:16 but do you know the “rest of the story”? I had a member at one of the

December 20, 2017 Wednesday Week 3 Day 4 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. Luke 21:28 The season of Advent is a time for us to remember we must stand and look to God and be prepared because as redemption drew near in Christmas with the birth of Jesus and redemption will be completed as Jesus comes again to make all right and to complete His work of redemption. One thing I always wondered is if I would recognize the coming of Jesus the first time around? Would I like the Pharisees and the Sadducees miss what was right before my eyes and the message that should have alerted my ears and my heart? I would like to think I would recognize the coming of Jesus but the older I get the more uncertain I am. Even now so many people, even those who call themselves Christians not only are not looking for the coming of Jesus but they are unprepared. Some may ev

December 19, 2017 Tuesday Week 3 Day 3 Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 Do you see God as distant and unconcerned about you and your problems? Isaiah calls for us to bring everything to God and as the different translations say to reason or argue it all out. This implies a discussion with two points of view that are brought up, considered and a result achieved. Does this surprise you that God wants to hear from you and for you to listen to God and work through all that is between you and God? God desires to turn the red stain of sin from you by washing your sin so you can “ become like wool ”. God desires to take away everything that stands between you and He having a relationship together. The red of our stain is covered by the very red blood of the Child who was

December 18, 2017 Monday Week 3 Day 2 Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 19:16–19 We like to think of ourselves as being good but Jesus rips that from us here. The 10 Commandments are a reminder of our inability to be good and the first 4 are between us and God directly and the last 6 are how we should treat others. It is interesting to me Jesus only states the commandments that are about how we should be in relationship with each other and treat each other. Why not list the commandments about our relat

December 17, 2017 Sunday Week 3 Day 1 For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10 We forget that there is the bad side to the Good News. Or more likely we really just want to forget that the Good News that Jesus came to save us if that He came to save us from our sin. We like to forget that we are broken and that we have not just allowed sin into our lives but that we have enjoyed it! We like to remember our good deeds while trying to forget the bad deeds and to not see the darkness in our hearts. And judgment is something that brings fear into our lives like for many seeing a police car makes them slow down even if they are not speeding. Guilt and our hearts drive us to fear judgment. I remember a teacher I once had who told me that a test was not something to fear but that it was

December 17, 2017 John 1:19-28 Worth everything Third Sunday of Advent – Joy Rejoice for God has given all so you can have all. Psalter Reading Psalm 126:1-6 1 When the LORD brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! 2 We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, What amazing things the LORD has done for them.” 3 Yes, the LORD has done amazing things for us! What joy! 4 Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. Psalm 126:1-6 NLT 19 This was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders sent priests and Temple assistants from Jerusalem to ask John, “Who are you?” 20 He came right out and said, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 “ Well then, who are you?” they asked. “Are you Elijah?” “No,” he replied. “Are you the Prophet we are expecting?” “No

December 16, 2017 Saturday Week 2 Day 7 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. Isaiah 40:21–23 The Good News is not new, but a continuation of God speaking throughout all of time and from the “ foundations of the earth”. Even by the foundations of the earth. Some will say the Bible and God are old-fashioned and out-of-date. But notice it says it is God who sits above the circle of the Earth. How long before science would understand that the Earth was a circle? But God who had created the earth and the heavens understood that and His wisdom revealed it to his people As the B

December 15, 2017 Friday Week 2 Day 6 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. Luke 2:15–20 When Jesus was born Heaven and Earth were connected in a way that we have never experienced before. We see this in the song that the angels sang to the Shepherds rejoicing that God has come into the world and that redemption has begun! The shepherd's around Bethlehem were known for raising the sheep th

December 14, 2017 Thursday Week 2 Day 5 And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Luke 1:46–55 In a book I once read they used the Magnificat as a basis that God

December 13, 2017 Wednesday Week 2 Day 4 But we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:23—25 Michael Card wrote a song entitled “ God’s Own Fool ” and he tries to help us understand that the Gospel seems so not only foolish but that this is a stumbling block to many who want to “understand” the Gospel and how God should save us. Does it ever strike you that God became a human being so that He could take our sin upon Himself? In Philippians we are presented the amazing picture of God becoming a human and to serve us! Why did Jesus only heal some people? Why did Jesus let Lazarus die? Why did Jesus not want some to understand the Gospel and so He spoke in parables?

December 12, 2017 Tuesday Week 2 Day 3 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the spirit; for the spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:8–10 God has a plan and has prepared it for creation, humanity and for each of us which God reveals to us through the Holy Spirit. There is no one, not even satan, who can understand the preparations God has made and we can know they cannot because in their attempt to kill God they only helped God “finish” His plan. As human beings we have the arrogance to believe that we can learn about God and what He is doing in our world. We even have the arrogance to believe that this is our world.

December 11, 2017 Monday Week 2 Day 2 I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. I want you to know, beloved, that what has happ

December 10, 2017 Sunday Week 2 Day 1 Theme Love I want their hearts to be encouraged and united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2:2–3 So many in this world are driven to attain riches and from their riches they hope to achieve power. I remember reading about a man who had a lot of money and he said that it was much harder to keep money than get it. In his letter to the Colossians Paul not only defines riches but how to get true riches. We get riches by being encouraged and uniting in love with God and His children! For no matter how much money one has true poverty is to live without God and the fellowship of all believers! From love we get assured understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery which is Christ Himself through Whom we discover “ all the

December 9, 2017 Saturday Week 1 Day 7 For I hear the whispering of many— terror all around!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. Let your face shine upon your servant; save me in your steadfast love. Psalm 31:13–16 Christmas seems like such a happy family time of year where everyone is happy. But the truth is that for many Christmas is a time of remembering those who are no longer with us and the loneliness we feel. For others it is a time of terror as many Christians are being persecuted. Some are imprisoned, dying or praying their children would come back from slavery. For them it is a time to count the cost of following Jesus and realizing it is worth the loss of all now for the promise of the blessing of eternity. We are surrounded by terror and we can see the

December 8, 2017 Friday Week 1 Day 6 For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5–8 Hope is the theme for this week and hope is both unseen and something to come. God is the source of all hope and so we must be prepared to WAIT upon God. If we are not careful we may decide God is not going to answer our prayers when He wants us to wait for what is the correct time to answer our prayer. Only God knows what we need and when we need it. God also knows what we do not need and loves us enough to not give it to us! God is the foundation of our lives and is our needed help. Look at the at the words that show God is Who we should build our lives on. Hope – Roc

December 7, 2017 Thursday Week 1 Day 5 For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6—7 A Child. All of the hope for God’s creation and humanity which God created in His own image is held in a Child. God reveals to us that every child is a gift with potential to become part of the blessing and the redemption of creation and humanity. We often look beyond the birth of Jesus to His death and resurrection and miss the wonder of Christmas which is Christ and Mass and means God the Savior has come in the flesh, in human form. We look a