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Day Three:
Tuesday, July 31 st
Today's Blog Posted By: Dana August and John Rappolt
Dana: Hey, John, what did you do today?
John: We went down to the LA Food Bank, where we sorted tons of food including donated pasta, canned meat, snacks, and fruits and veggies. What did you do today?
D: Well, I did all that too, but more importantly, I showered.
J: Thank God.
D: Speaking of which, worship was awesome last night...
J: Lead by yours truely.
D: Well, of course, plus Sarah, Ryan, and Marisa. I love how much everyone is getting into God and truely making a joyfull noise to Him.
J: Joyful, yes, in sync, no. But whatever, it's tons of fun.
D: You know who else is fun?
J: I don't know Dana, who else is fun?
D: Well, John, our lovely leaders of course!
D & J: CHUCK CHUCK CHUCK CHUCK!
J: Yeah, our small group leader is the best.
D: Obviously, but don't forget our other leaders, Jillian, Janet, Skye, Kristan, Laura, Jim, and our amazing cooks John and ChaCha.
J: Oh, suuuuccchhhh gooooooddddd fooooooddddd. The chicken, the tuna, the hamburgers, the lasagna, the sandwiches-
D: Stop, I don't want to drool on Jonathan's computer.
J: Sorry, my bad.
D: It's okay, I still love you.
J: And so does God!
D: Yes, so does God.
J: You know what else I love?
D: No, what?
J: The beach.
D: In reference to our afternoon activity?
J: Yeah, it was really fun, full of body surfing, ulimate frisbee, and just hanging out with each other. The water was kinda nasty, but it felt good.
D: It was green.
J: Yes it was.
D: Anything else?
J: No, not unless you have anything else to say.
D: Yeah, no, I don't.
J: Well, then, have a good night parents, and remember to look for tomorrow's blogs!
D & J: Adios!
Prayers: Health, showing God through our actions, finding God and connecting with Him not only in worship, but throughout the day, leader sanity, relationships forming and continuing to grow, and a good night's sleep.
Speak God’s Love
To begin your time of reflection, open yourself to what God wants you to hear. Call for the Holy Spirit to infuse you life in such a way that we might all be rooted together in the love of Christ and that we might all show that with every word from our mouths..
The story of Job is a powerful example to us about remaining rooted in God when life is not going well. Job lost is sizable flock of livestock, his numerous servants, and all 10 of his sons and daughters. Then he developed painful sores over his entire body. His three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (great names, huh?) came to sit with him and didn’t say a word for 7 days because they saw how much pain Job was in. After hearing Job’s repeatedly scream out to God for an
explanation, they spoke..
Read Job 15:1-6.
What did Eliphaz accuse Job of? What did he see Job doing wrong?
Read Job 8:1-10.
What did Bildad accuse Job of?
What “advice” did Bildad relay to Job?
Read Job 11:1-8.
What advice did Bildad offer to Job?
Read Job 16:1-8.
How did Job react to the words of his friends?
How might have Job’s friends shown their love more effectively to him in his terrible time?
Read Ruth 1.
Who are the people close to her in her life that Naomi lost?
What emotions might have gone through her head at this point?
Who did Ruth lose in her life?
Why do you think Naomi tried to send Ruth and Oprah away?
How did Ruth respond?
Why do you think Ruth stayed with Naomi?
How were the actions of Ruth more rooted in love than those of Job’s friends?
Ruth, in addition to giving up her entire life for Naomi, was widowed. Yet, through her grief, she realized where her love needed to be and she left everything.
· Who are you not fully loving because it’s easier to not?
· What words of encouragement have you spoken today? yesterday? What words of love did you choose not to speak?
· We are a family and we need to look at each other with a love Christ patterned for us. Look at 1 Peter 1:22-23. Are you loving those around you deeply? Are your words showing that?
· How have your words to the people in your life brought honor (or sadness) to God?
· What is it going to take for you to constantly speak God’s love? A change in view point? A change in friends? Someone else in your life to hold you accountable to your standards?
Last year, we spent time with Ephesians 4, when Paul encouraged us to grow up, stop acting like little children and speak the truth that is completely and firmly rooted in the love of Christ. Today is the day that we speak God’s love. Do not put off your appreciation for one another, do not put off loving as Christ did. How are you going to do that today? Who are you going to look in the eyes to speak the love of God? If you are to follow God, it needs to be in your actions AND words. Spend the remaining time reading 1 John 3:16-18 and seeing where you might root yourself in those words daily...
Want More? Check these out…
Luke 6:43-45
Ephesians 3:16-19
2 Corinthians 6:3-10
Hebrews 10:19-25
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