 |
Home | Mission Statement | Video Gallery | Audio Gallery | Photo Gallery | Daily Manna | Testimonies | | Links | Contact us |
 |
For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
 |
| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Sunday, September 11, 2022
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Responsibility for Your Actions Bible Verse:Exodus 22:1-6 (The Message) "Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep. If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed. Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double. If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard. If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution. " Message:
One notable aspect of the Old Testament is a code of specific laws that were given to the ancient Hebrews. Most of these laws, especially concerning forms of worship and specific penalties are no longer followed literally, except in the most Orthodox of Jewish communities. Many of them, however, are very close to our modern civil and criminal laws.
Politics, law, and religion were integrated for the Hebrews. There was only one set of laws that applied to every facet of life. Today, in the West, these are considered separate spheres of activity, but the Hebrew law influences in every aspect of our lives, even after 3,000 years.
One great general principle can be seen in the passage quoted today: we must be responsible for damage that we do, either directly (such as by stealing) or indirectly (such as keeping an animal that eats someone's garden). It is natural for a person to try to avoid punishment and loss; and life teaches us that we can often avoid punishment and loss by shirking responsibility.
If we are driving and hit a parked car in an isolated spot, how tempting is it just to drive away? Very! And our minds can create rationalizations with such brilliance and creativity. His insurance will pay for it. He was parked wrong. Her brand new Mercedes is so much more expensive than my old junker, she can afford it and she'll rip me off on the repairs. The reasons that people can invent to avoid the consequences of their action are uncountable.
But we must remember two things. First, earthly goods are an illusion; becoming too attached to them is a barrier between us and God. We do not put our faith in earthly goods, "where moth and rust doth corrupt,"; we accumulate our treasure in heaven, "where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."
And second, love of money and sinful pride — the two things that drive us to deny responsibility when we have cause some sort of damage — are two of the most basic sins that we suffer from. Both pride and love of money are highlighted in the Bible as the cause of many evils.
Meditation : Prayer : Into your hands, O Lord, Jesus Christ, my God, I commend my spirit. Bless me and all those who pray in faith of You this day and throughout the coming week; save us and grant unto us everlasting life.......Amen |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
