Ordinary Time: Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Sorry about the lack of devotional yesterday; I was out of pocket, Holly's uncle was rushed to the hospital in Bolivar, TN with a heat stroke. He's from Brookhaven, but just happened to do be working on a job in Bolivar when all this happened, which is only 45 minutes from Ripley. We give thanks to God that it was so close that I was able to go up and be with him until he was released yesterday afternoon. Please keep him in your prayers today.

Old Testament Lesson

1 Samuel 11:1-15

When the people stood as one, they were able to do great things. Saul lead them to the victory, but it was their combined efforts that made the victory possible. Without the people working as one, this would not have happened.

Imagine all that could happen if we work together. If we come together and work as for the common good; work for the kingdom together, across church and denominational lines, wow! Imagine what we could for our cities and towns, imagine what we could do for the kingdom. When we work together, with a common vision from God, we can do great things for Him!

New Testament Lesson

Acts 8:1-13

We see a bad thing happen. We see the church persecuted and we see Christians scatter. But, we see God bring something good out of it. We see the Gospel being spread across the world and being across that region being converted and finding God's love. God took this bad thing, and brought something very good out of it.

That's what He does!

Gospel Lesson

Luke 22:63-71

The people that were beating Jesus were so mad, so angry, so enraged that they did not see what they were doing. They did not see that they had the very Son of God in their midst, and instead of worshiping, they were abusing.

Be very carful of anger and rage. It will consume and destroy us.