7-30-15 God is on My Team!!

This week, in addition to some swanky (and very skilled!) international dancing, we discussed Days 41-45 in the book "Whispers of Hope." When discussing, we looked at the theme, how this reading challenged our thinking, and what we should take away from the reading. 

Day 41 2 Kings 10:12-31	Then Jehu set out for Samaria. Along the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, he met some relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. “Who are you?” he asked them. And they replied, “We are relatives of King Ahaziah. We are going to visit the sons of King Ahab and the sons of the queen mother.” “Take them alive!” Jehu shouted to his men. And they captured all forty-two of them and killed them at the well of Beth-eked. None of them escaped. When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab, who was coming to meet him. After they had greeted each other, Jehu said to him, “Are you as loyal to me as I am to you?” “Yes, I am,” Jehonadab replied. “If you are,” Jehu said, “then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab put out his hand, and Jehu helped him into the chariot. Then Jehu said, “Now come with me, and see how devoted I am to the Lord.” So Jehonadab rode along with him. When Jehu arrived in Samaria, he killed everyone who was left there from Ahab’s family, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. Then Jehu called a meeting of all the people of the city and said to them, “Ahab’s worship of Baal was nothing compared to the way I will worship him! Therefore, summon all the prophets and worshipers of Baal, and call together all his priests. See to it that every one of them comes, for I am going to offer a great sacrifice to Baal. Anyone who fails to come will be put to death.” But Jehu’s cunning plan was to destroy all the worshipers of Baal. Then Jehu ordered, “Prepare a solemn assembly to worship Baal!” So they did. He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal. They all came—not a single one remained behind—and they filled the temple of Baal from one end to the other. And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, “Be sure that every worshiper of Baal wears one of these robes.” So robes were given to them. Then Jehu went into the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Make sure no one who worships the Lord is here—only those who worship Baal.” So they were all inside the temple to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty of his men outside the building and had warned them, “If you let anyone escape, you will pay for it with your own life.” As soon as Jehu had finished sacrificing the burnt offering, he commanded his guards and officers, “Go in and kill all of them. Don’t let a single one escape!” So they killed them all with their swords, and the guards and officers dragged their bodies outside. Then Jehu’s men went into the innermost fortress of the temple of Baal. They dragged out the sacred pillar used in the worship of Baal and burned it. They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day. In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin. Nonetheless the Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.” But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.
Theme	Jehu obeyed God and took on these big challenges, but held back.
How did this challenge you?	He is not a typical hero. He was deceitful (to the people of Baal), a bad driver, violent. Do I say I am willing to do all this BIG stuff for God, but fall short on the day to day??? NEVERTHELESS...even though Jehu was not living day-to-day for God, God still blessed him. This is God's mercy.  It is easy to serve when it's big and exciting.  No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,     and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy,     and to walk humbly with your God.  --Micah 6:8
What do you need to do?	I need to persevere in the small things, as well as the big things.

Day 42 Matthew 20:20-28	Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. “What is your request?” he asked. She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.” But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!” Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.” When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Theme	Being in the spotlight is tough. We shouldn’t crave that, but serve others humbly, not worrying about accolades and honors and recognition.
How did this challenge you?	I can pray and ask what I want and the Holy Spirit will reword it. I need to be more aware of my motivation when I ask. God's ways are not my ways.  I need to value the same things God values.
What do you need to do?	Realize that God has veto power. Sometimes He does not do what I pray and that is good...because what I'm praying is not good--no, I shouldn't say "not good," I should say, "Not Best."

Day 43 Nehemiah 4:1-6	Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.
Theme	Continuing the work, even when harassed or embarrassed or discouraged.
How did this challenge you?	He tattled to God about what others were saying/doing to him. Then he went on with his work.
What do you need to do?	God won't leave me stranded. I can tell all my frustrations and difficulties to God.

Day 44 Deuteronomy 29:29-30:4	“The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions. “In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you, and when you are living among the nations to which the Lord your God has exiled you, take to heart all these instructions. If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you. Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the Lord your God will gather you from there and bring you back again.
Theme	God doesn’t tell us everything. We couldn’t handle it.
How did this challenge you?	Return to the Lord Obey with all my heart and soul…THEN He will have mercy on me Gather us back.
What do you need to do?	Realize it's in my best interest to NOT know everything.

Day 45 John 5:16-19	So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
Theme	God never quits.
How did this challenge you?	I feel like God doesn’t have a plan for me and that I need to remind Him what He should do for me. I need to remember that He IS working. Always.
What do you need to do?	So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. --1 Corinthians 10:31