Daily Readings for Sunday Oct. 9, 2005

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS LEADING TO
Sunday October 9, 2005

Monday:
Job 1-2                          The Story of Job
We must read these chapters to understand any of the rest of the book.  Everything hinges upon these first verses.  And Yes, you are now entering the fog of Job, so do not expect to understand everything.  In fact be wary of those who claim to fully understand this book.  That said, reading and pondering this book is time well spent as we grow in Christ Jesus.  Mandatory Reading!!  You Can Do It!!
Tuesday:
Job 13-14                                 Job Speaks
We skip ahead to read some of Job’s thoughts.
Wednesday:
Job 19 & 38                 Job and God Both Speak
The story moves along.  What is Job learning?
Thursday:  
Job 40-42           God Speaks & Job Responds
A wonderful “God Thing” story ending.  
Friday:    
1 Corinthians 15:42-58      About Resurrection
To be a new creation requires a new body.  And yet, this newness of life in Christ Jesus is Spiritual not physical.  This changes everything about the meaning or human value of our physical suffering.  Doesn’t it?
Saturday:  
Job 42:1-6                         Job Repents
Job has finally correctly recognized God and has offered worship and praise.  Job has repented before God even as we know that God had found him without fault early in this story.  Job is a difficult story with many twists and turns which are interpreted different ways.  What was God’s purpose in this suffering of Job?  We read the newspapers, reflecting upon the current events of today and wonder if our lives don’t parallel Job’s in the path of suffering.  If only we understood suffering and were able to find value in our struggles.  That is our task this week.

Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: Job 42:1-6          
Sermon Title: “Suffering for What?”

A Little Closer to Home…

I am writing this as Hurricane Rita prepares to slam into the Texas gulf coast. My goodness, in all my life I have never seen a hurricane season like this year. Week after week those of us in the safe mid-west have stood by and watched as storm after storm has taken its toll on lives all along the Gulf and mid-Atlantic coasts. Bringing this closer for me is the fact that Cheryl and I have visited both the Florida panhandle and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina this year. Both areas are prone to hurricane damage and have seen high winds and waves over the past few weeks. And now, we wait for Rita. By the time you read this we will probably know the exact place where Rita will make landfall and have seen the early damage reports.

We are isolated from the hurricanes here in Iowa. Yet, we have our own storms and many who live along the coasts would never want to deal with our tornadoes and cold winter season. Funny how what we have grown up with feels more manageable than what for us is unknown. To be afraid of the unknown is a human response to the world around us. This fear is as old as humanity. I imagine Adam and Eve’s fear as they start a new life outside the garden.

There is no place in the church for fear. Our faith leads us to hope in what we cannot see and to have faith in the eternal love and grace of our God. Storms will come and go to be sure. And yet, this is not a place where storms will wreak havoc on our souls. I see the storms in your life. Some of these storms are only brewing on the horizon, some are gaining strength and we prepare to withstand the impact, while others have made landfall and are raising issues and causing us to rethink our lives. Consider the storms in your life. Consider the calm in God’s presence, as if you were the eye of a hurricane. I encourage you to live without fear, knowing the love of God will stand all tests and all storms life can send our way.

See you Sunday, Rev. Dave Weesner

Scripture for Sunday September 25, 2005

I know I have a couple weeks of scripture readings going on the blog at the same time here so be sure you are on the right week with me. I will be heading out to Denver next week to be with family so I am going to post this now and hope you will go with the right week as dated. Blessings. Dave.

Monday:
Hosea 1-4 Trouble in the Family
These first four chapters will offer you way more than you are expecting. Does God really act in this way? To get a modern day picture of the Book of Hosea get a copy of “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers. This is the book my daughter in laws keep reading over and over and over. Talk about a love story. God really, REALLY loves us.
Tuesday:
Hosea 5-8 More Trouble
Israel and Judah are having all kinds of problems with God. Remember there is a divided Kingdom at this point in history. Judah is the southern Kingdom, Israel is in the North.
Wednesday:
Hosea 9-11 God’s Compassion
Keep reading and you will find God being compassionate in spite of Israel’s ingratitude.
Thursday:
Hosea 12-14 The Big Finish
More judgment is followed by an impassioned call for Israel to return to God and find relationship.
Friday:
Luke 17-18 Keeping Our Finger in the NT
It is good to reflect our thoughts from our Hosea reading upon a Gospel reading. Read about the coming of the Kingdom, the ten lepers, the Pharisee and the tax collector, and Jesus blessing the children. Identify idea links between these passages of Hosea and Luke.
Saturday:
Hosea 14:1-2 Mercy in God
The Lord God is offering reconciliation for all sin. Read carefully these two verses and consider their implied message. We can infer that God is indeed creator, redeemer, sustainer. We can infer that there is no other place where we are able to find this mercy love than in the love-presence of this God. Unique, powerful, awesome. Redemption during autumn is particularly attractive, don’t you think? Identify signs of God’s mercy in your life.

Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: Hosea 14:1-2
Sermon Title: “Redeeming Love”

Scripture Leading to Sunday September 18, 2005

Monday:
Amos 1-3 God is Not Happy With Israel
We are going to read the prophet Amos this week. He seems to denounce these four things:
1. Israel’s Reliance upon Military Might
2. Grave Injustice in Social Dealings
3. Abhorrent Immorality
4. Shallow Meaningless Piety
Wow! Was Amos watching daytime TV?
Tuesday:
Amos 4-6 God’s is Still Not Happy
Like a daytime soap, the story continues on.
Wednesday:
Amos 7-9 Five Visions of God’s Judgment
From plumb lines, to summer fruit, to …
Thursday:
Matthew 10 Jesus Sends the Disciples
A insightful chapter to center and focus our lives. Some of this stuff sounds really tough. gee whiz
Friday:
2 Corinthians 9 About Helping the Poor
Paul the apostle shares his thoughts about ministry. He is clear that as God’s children we should go about doing ministry, not just talking about ministry. Far too often I find myself talking about ministry when my heart wants to really be out there doing something extra-ordinary.
Saturday:
Amos 7:7-9 The Plumb Line
This is the particular scripture we are looking at on Sunday. Now that you have read the entire book of Amos you have a pretty good idea of the plumb line and its purpose. What is God Plumb Line exactly? Is it righteousness, grace, or love? Is the standard the same for every one of God’s children? How should we go about holding one another accountable in the way in which we should live? What is God saying to us as we reflect upon our response to current events? I know; too many questions. I hope to have some thoughtful answers to share with you on Sunday.

Sunday: Reflect and Worship
Scripture: Amos 7:7-9
Sermon Title: “God’s Plumb Line”