Introducing David

1 Samuel 16:1-13

August we are introducing Friendship as our theme at LHC kids. We will study the life of David.

When we first hear about David, God pulls a Moses moment. You know the moment. God appoints the least expectant one to lead His people.

Gods tell Samuel to go to the house of Jesse and there he will find the new king to rule over Israel.

Jesse has 8 sons. He brings the oldest 7 to see Samuel. The youngest he keeps to tend the sheep.

Samuel assumes God will tell him to take one of Jesse's oldest sons. They are strong, tall and handsome. Yet God chooses the youngest, David. A boy who is out tending the sheep.

This famous verse is present here........

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

God is referring to Saul at the beginning of this passage. Saul is the strong, handsome one. God has rejected Saul and God is telling Samuel to 'get over' Saul. In God's eyes Saul is no longer king. God will appoint the next king and he may not be strong and handsome. A mans appearance is not as important as a mans heart.

I have to park here. As a women I am concerned with my outward appearance. Before we go out I always ask my husband, "Do I look okay?" Or if I am going somewhere with girls I traditionally ask, "What are you wearing?" I might even say, "Do I look fat in this?" (transparency).

When I reflect back on how I feel about people in my life I hold dear. Do I care if they haven't gone to the hair dresser in 6 months? Do I care (unless it is affecting their overall health) if they put on 5 pounds? Do I care if they aren't wearing the latest trendy clothes?

No! I love them for who they are! I love their spirit. I love when they make me laugh! I love seeing them with their kids. I love having a deep conversation with them. I don't care what they are wearing or how their hair is fixed!!!!

God is so good. He tells us what He looks at and if we are completely honest with ourselves we will see that that is what draws us to people. Its how he wired us. Only if we are living in the world (what man says) will we feel differently. In God's world we reflect on how He made us. We are drawn to someones heart!

This should even apply to choosing leaders (spiritual or secular). We should look at their integrity. We should look at their heart. We shouldn't care where they bought their clothes or if we like their hair style. Or how handsome and tall they are (remember Saul).

Go hug a friend and tell them how much you love their heart!!!

See you Sunday!

Genesis 45 - Joseph and his family

After Joseph revealed himself to his brothers he gave God the glory and honor. A big switch from the Joseph who bragged about his coat and made his brothers so angry with his boastful stories of his dreams to rule over them that they sold him to slavery.

The stories Joseph told his brothers about his dreams were true and from God. But Joseph was not discerning and made everyone angry.

In Genesis 45 we meet a new Joseph. This Joseph learns a little about discernment. This Joseph forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery. This Joseph promises them riches beyond what they could ever imagine. No strings attached.

Joseph tells them this; "But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and save your lives by a great deliverance. So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt." Genesis 45:7&8

Joseph is giving God all the glory and yet forgiving his brothers who could have cared less what happened to Joseph, years before. They threw him away. They were glad to be done with him.

So Joseph weeps with them (vs.14&15), sends them back to Jacob (their father) with donkeys, food, clothing, etc. Enough for all their family's, and the journey back to Egypt.

Joseph showed us how God forgives us and showers us with goodness even though we have sinned against him. All we have to do is ask and God forgives. No strings attached. Because we are God's children he grants us grace and forgives us. Joseph granted forgiveness and riches because they were his brothers.

What a great story to teach our children. Especially about sibling relationships and forgiving those who have wronged us.

Also, this story teaches us that God has a plan. During those ugly situations where we cannot imagine God being a part of, He is. He is all knowing.

We need to realize that even in circumstances when people are ugly and disappointing us, He still has a plan. We may hate the situation when someone dumps us, a parent abandons us, a child rebels against us, or a family member steels from us. In all those (and many more) it is still God's plan. Who are we to stand in the way of God's plan for our lives? Even when it is ugly!

Forgiveness is one of the hardest things for us to do. We feel as if we deserve the last word or the acknowledgment we are right. We need to move past that.

We need to form this attitude, this prospective; "It is NOT about me. This is about God's plan. What am I going to do with this situation to honor Him?"

Have a forgiving weekend!

Joseph Sold Into Slavery

Happy Wednesday! Blogging from NY were it is 68 degrees, raining and we are praying it stops before the Yankee game tonight.

Genesis 37

Joseph is the favorite son. Every family has one don't they? If your not the favorite than you are the one that resents that sibling at some point in time in your life.

I think about raising kids and how they all need to learn a level of discernment. Joseph loved to brag about his coat and his dreams. We may have one child get all A's and their brother or sister don't. Or you may have a child that does what you tell them (the first time) and the other seems to forgets and needs to be reminded 5 times.

Kids are kids and we are the same. God doesn't have favorites but sometimes he blesses us. So what we do with those blessings are what matters.

Joseph made his brothers so angry by bragging about his beautiful coat and his dreams that he would rule over everyone someday, that they couldn't stand it any more. They plotted to get rid of him somehow. They nearly had him killed but one of them had a voice of reason and decided selling him to slavery would be a better option.

So when God does bless us isn't it important to recognize those blessings as Gods blessing and not ours? Just like teaching your children their gifts are different than each others. School grades may come easy for one but the other may have to study more.

It took Joseph a long time to learn an important lesson. Because our talents and knowledge come from God, it is more appropriate to thank him for them than to brag about them. Later, Joseph gives God the credit.

Have a great day!

In Him......

Laurie

Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus is the rock of courage. He would go anywhere, talk to anyone without a whimper of fear. It must have been so frustrating for him to teach courage to his disciples. And it must be more frustrating for him to see us struggle with courage.

I love to picture the scene......Jesus on the shore, watching the boat (you know Jesus can see for miles) anticipating how his disciples will react to the storm. Of course he knows the outcome but He waits patiently.

I would have been terrified. More so than the disciples were. These guys were fisherman. I am certain this was not their first storm. I would have been in the fetal position praying my little heart out!

They see Jesus. Peter recognizes Him but wants confirmation. He gets out of the boat and walks to Jesus. In the midst of the storm and the terrifying conditions Peter starts to sink. Jesus comments on Peters lack of faith, yet He is right there to rescue him.

vs. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them; "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

Peter started to sink when he took his eyes off of Jesus and started to focus on what was around him.

We do that. Don't we? We think we are fixed on Jesus. We get distracted or caught off guard. We lack courage. We lack faith. As soon as we regain focus on Jesus he lends us a hand and pulls us back up so we can walk on water again.

He is the only one that can rescue us. Jesus is the only one who can give us enough courage to weather any storm.

Have a blessed week.

In Him......

Laurie

The Walls of Jericho

Joshua 6

We all know the story of Joshua and the trumpets around the city walls of Jericho.

Read the chapter. The details of this complicated instructions for the battle seem to be a bit absurd at times. Why the trumpets? Why 7 times?

My Bible (NIV) notes say that it may have been because God was making it undeniably clear that the battle would depend upon him, and not upon Israel's weapons and expertise. That is why priest carried the ark, not soldiers. Or it may have been God's method of taking the city accentuated the terror already felt in Jericho (2:9). Or maybe the strange military maneuver was a test of the Israelites faith and their willingness to follow God completely.

Regardless of the reasons. Joshua was such a great leader. He followed what God told him to until the bitter end.

I am reminded of goals when I hear this story. How easy it is to quit in the middle when it gets to tough.

Like training for a race or staying on a diet. Or maybe giving up something that is bad for you....smoking, drinking, drugs, cursing, driving to fast, eating ice cream. you know what I mean.

It gets really tough at some point. Sometimes so tough it hardly seems worth the effort and it seems so easy to quit rather than suffer through. You know. Just hang it up. Who will notice? This is just my thing! Right?

Well when you give up those things with a promise to God, guess who you let down? God! Joshua wasn't going to let God down. So he followed through until the bitter end. He could have given up. Everyone would have agreed it was a crazy idea. But how would Joshua have handled his relationship with God if he gave up?

When we follow through until the bitter end the results are well beyond what we imagine. When we quit? Well.....we just have to start all over again!

So, don't quit! Persevere! God will give you strength.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Have an awesome week.

In Him.........

Laurie

Numbers 14 - Spies

Numbers Chapter 14 in The Message begins like this:


The whole community was in an uproar, wailing all night long. All the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The entire community was in on it: "Why didn't we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? Why has God brought us to this country to kill us? ........


Soon they were all saying it to one another: "Let's pick new leader; let's head back to Egypt."


When I reflected on these passages I realized how often I'm discouraged with where I am. Sometimes I want a new direction, a new road, a new 'leader'. Then I have to realize right in front of me is God's plan for me. God's blessings for my life is where I am. I am on a journey God laid out for me. What is my deal?


Does God wait for me to pick another path? Choose my own leader? Make another road?


No God waits to see what I am going to do with the current journey He already has me on. God's plan is the perfect plan. We can never choose a better one.


So often we pray, "God get me out of this 'mess'." When we should be praying, "God help me hear your voice through this mess. God let me know your will for me. God show me joy in this situation. Give me courage to weather this storm. Give me guidance through this rough patch. Show me, God, what you want me to learn from this journey."


One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 5:3-5.

We are full of joy even when we suffer. We know that our suffering gives us the strength to go on. The strength to go on produces character. Character produces hope. And hope will never let us down. God has poured his love into our hearts. He did it through the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us.

Sometimes we need to stop grumbling, embrace the journey God has us on and gain strength that builds character!


I cannot sum it up any better than Paul!


Have an awesome character filled week.


In him......



Laurie

Courage - Numbers 13: 16-33

A new summer month is upon us and we are teaching the children throughout the month of June about courage!

They will follow the life of Joshua. Joshua was Moses successor as leader of Israel.

Joshua is introduced to us in Numbers Chapter 13. The story of the 12 'spies' God (through Moses) sent to 'check-out' the land.

Read Chapter 13 of Numbers this week. I promise it is great. God doesn't pull any punches. God gets angry.

Sometimes I tend to stay in the New Testament so I can get my Jesus fix. But sometimes I need to know more of God's character and I find myself digging into the Old Testament! It is good for your growth. I promise you.

After reading this chapter I remind myself of those times I am faced with tough choices that are not 'for sures'. You know what I am talking about! Should I marry this person (what if it doesn't work out)? Should I take this new job (what if I end up hating it)? Should I move to this city (what if it snows)? Should we have children (what if I never have a restful night sleep)? Etc.

Eventually you take a leap of faith and make a decision. Or maybe you don't.

When you don't is it because you are afraid? Or is it because you are not trusting God with this major decision?

When you talk to your kids about courage you probably remind them that you are always there by their side. You probably tell them you would never let them do anything that would harm them.

God gives us that same encouragement. God does not promise the road will be easy. He does promise if we chose a road with courage He will lead us. God will always be at our side. God will never abandon us.

It takes courage! It takes faith!

I pray your choices are reflective of your faith that God gives you courage.

Have an awesome week!

In Him......

Laurie