Online Ministry for the Week 9/12 - 9/18 2016

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

God of our salvation, you see your world laid waste with false worship, injustice, and indifference, and we tremble at your anger. Only in your tears, born out of vast love, do we find hope. Open to us the way of your tears— the way that leads us back to your love. Teach us to serve you and you alone, that you may deliver, forgive, and renew our world at last. Amen.

The Upper Room daily devotional: OLD FISH, NEW FISH

DAILY READING

• Monday (September 12, 2016): Psalm 94; Jeremiah 5:1-17; 1 Timothy 1:18-20 OR Psalm 73; Amos 7:1-6; 1 Timothy 1:18-20
• Tuesday (September 13, 2016): Psalm 94; Jeremiah 5:18-31; 2 Peter 3:8-13 OR Psalm 73; Jonah 3:1-10; 2 Peter 3:8-13
• Holy Cross, September 14, 2016
• Thursday (September 15, 2016): Psalm 79:1-9; Jeremiah 12:14-13:11; Romans 3:1-8 OR Psalm 113; Exodus 23:1-9; Romans 3:1-8
• Friday (September 16, 2016): Psalm 79:1-9; Jeremiah 8:1-13; Romans 8:31-39 OR Psalm 113; Ezekiel 22:17-31; Romans 8:31-39
• Saturday (September 17, 2016): Psalm 79:1-9; Jeremiah 8:14-17; 9:2-11; Mark 12:41-44 OR Psalm 113; Isaiah 5:8-23; Mark 12:41-44

ABUNDANT HEALTH

Kitchen Mission

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) In the kitchen, having the right things on hand equips you to succeed and is essential to your culinary success. Of course, the foundation of your basic pantry is complemented by an abundance of fresh, real, whole foods, but there are some everyday ingredients that will save you in a pinch and ensure that you are prepared to put together a quick, healthy meal in a matter of minutes. Stock your kitchen with everyday foods—namely, an abundance of fresh, non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, beans and legumes, whole grains, and seasonal fresh fruit.
—The Daniel Plan Team

Today's reading is a brief excerpt from The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life by Rick Warren, DMin; Daniel Amen, MD; & Mark Hyman, MD (Zondervan). © 2013 by The Daniel Plan. Used with permission.

 

NIV DAILY

Taken from NIV The Great Rescue Bible ©2014 HarperCollins Christian Publishing 

Joy (Galatians 5:22–23)  

Imagine your life saturated with unstoppable joy. You wake up every morning with a smile on your face and fall asleep at night with the same smile in place. Nothing can take away the joy you feel.

Read

God wants us to have that kind of intense, unshakable joy. What is this joy? It’s joy as in fun. Joy as in deep happiness. Joy as in belly laughs that reach down to our bones. God isn’t just about our happiness, but he does want us to be happy: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11).

But how do we get this joy? Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24). We receive joy from the Lord. It’s part of the fruit of his Spirit (see Galatians 5:22–23). And it comes from being in his presence (see Psalm 21:6).

Think

God wants us to experience and live in his unshakable joy. True joy from God doesn’t come from living in a bubble, nor does it come from living in ignorance of the world’s pain. It comes from a deep assurance that God is good and is working for good in all things.

God wants us to trust so deeply in him and his good heart and good plans that even the world’s toughest situations don’t shake us because we know that our Daddy is on the job. He wants us to walk through life at peace and rest because we are trusting in him.

Live

Part of the full life God wants for you is for you to be joyful. So when he says, “Cast all your anxiety on [me]” (1 Peter 5:7) and “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34), he’s steering you to him so you can rest in him and find true joy.

God wants you to experience deep joy—not to remove you from the world around you, but to give you the strength to live and to love others in the midst of it. Come to him and take him up on his offer.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Generous God, you are the king of the universe! Everything belongs to you, yet you graciously provide for our smallest needs. You sent your Son Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to redeem us. We are grateful for your blessings, for we have enough to share. Help us to be faithful in our use of the resources you give us. We return a portion of your bounty for the work of the church. May people in our community rejoice in your goodness, through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Luke 16:1-13)