HE IS- HOLY

===========
Leviticus 19:2

God describes himself as holy. Holy means perfect, set apart, free from evil.
And God wants us to follow his example. The only way to holiness is through
spiritual transformation, becoming like the only perfect human—Jesus Christ.

Because God is holy, we should be and can be holy. We could never do this on
our own—only through Christ’s work in us. If holiness seems too lofty a goal,
think of it as a process. You became holy when you accepted Christ’s sacrifice
on the cross. You are becoming more holy as you follow him. And you will
become completely holy when you reach heaven.

TWO HUNDRED LAUGHS

==================
“A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22

It’s been said that the average child laughs two hundred times a day, while
the typical adult laughs only four times every twenty‐four hours. So what has
happened to us grown‐ups? Maybe it has something to do with those grueling
hours at the office, long lines at the grocery store, and piles of bills on
the kitchen counter.

Of course, life can be very difficult, and some people face serious obstacles
and hardships. But many of us frown or complain over relatively minor
inconveniences. I (JCD) knew a woman who made herself and her husband
miserable just because she had one more child than she had bedrooms in which to put them. Too many irritations come from a complete inability to appreciate the humor and blessings that exist around us. When your husband forgets to take the kids to their dentist appointment, or your wife accidentally gives away your favorite sweatshirt, or your toddler draws his version of the Mona Lisa on the living room wall—wouldn’t it be easier on everyone if you looked on the funny side of the situation?

Kevin Jones, dealing with increasing paralysis from Lou Gehrig’s disease, was asked to describe the worst thing about his condition. He replied, “My wife’s driving! She has to take me everywhere.”

No matter what you’re facing, a smile can only make it better.

Just between us…
================
How often do you laugh each day?

Do we keep our heavenly destination in mind when adversity strikes?

How could we add humor to the next difficult situation we face?

Prayer:
Dear God, when problems threaten to affect how we treat each other, help us tosee them in the perspective of Your unfailing goodness. Amen.

JESUS' BIRTH

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. — John 1:14, John 1:17–18

It all happened in a moment, a most remarkable moment that was like none other. For through that segment of time a spectacular thing occurred. God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb.

God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of His mother.

God had come near. No silk. No ivory. No hype. To think of Jesus in such a light is — well, it seems almost irreverent, doesn’t it? It is much easier to keep the humanity out of the incarnation.

But don’t do it. For heaven’s sake, don’t.

Let Him be as human as He intended to be. Let Him into the mire and muck of our world. For only if we let Him in can He pull us out.

IF YOU GIVE,YOU WILL RECEIVE

If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure,pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over.Whatever measure you use in giving—large or small—it will be used to measurewhat is given back to you (Luke 6:38

GOD’S PLAN FOR SEX

==================
Read Leviticus 18:3
===================
“So do not act like the people in Egypt, where you used to live, or like the people of Canaan, where I am taking you. You must not imitate their way of life.”

Reflect
=======
God’s laws in Exodus and Leviticus were launching a new culture. The
Israelites were moving from idol-infested Egypt to idol-infested Canaan.
Creating a new culture was much harder than adopting an established one.

As God helped establish this new culture, he warned his people to leave their Egyptian experiences and artifacts behind. He also warned them how easy it would be to adopt the Canaanites’ pagan culture. Canaan’s society and religions appealed especially to sexual immorality and drunkenness. The Israelites were to keep themselves pure and set apart for God.

Part of establishing this new culture involved building good relationships. Maintaining good relations meant not having sex with just anyone. If sexual relations were out of control, God knew the people would hurt and kill one another because of them. He knew that sex was intensely personal.

Respond
=======
If sexual abuse is part of your history, you know how much heartache it can cause. But you also need to know that God’s love for you remains unchanged. He still loves you deeply. Whatever your history, God wants to bring healing to your life through right relationships with him and others.

JESUS WAS A VERY BUSY MAN,AND YET,HE WAS NEVER TOO BUSY TO OFFER SALVATION.

Jesus was a very busy man. And yet, He was never too busy to offer a kind word to the men and women who crossed His path on a daily basis.

He stopped and spoke to the diminutive Zacchaeus who was perched in a tree to get a better look at the parade of followers.

He took a break from His travels to engage in one of His longest recorded conversations with a weary woman who was at a well.

He interrupted His schedule to comfort a mother who was in the funeral procession of her only son.

He took time to deliver a demon-possessed man who stood in His way on the shore.

He noticed a lame man by the pool of Bethesda who waited for the healing waters to stir. 

He comforted His crying mother as she stood at the foot of the cross.

He instructed the frustrated fishermen as He stood watching from the shore.

Jesus noticed…and then He offered words and deeds of comfort and concern.

It appears that each of these incidents in Jesus' life was an interruption in His packed schedule, but they were not interruptions at all. Each encounter was a divine appointment from His heavenly Father who controlled the moments of Jesus' days.

Could it be that God is sending you out on a special assignment each time you cross the threshold of your home? I wonder who will God put in your path today?

LET'S PRAY:
Dear Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see people who need a word of encouragement, a word of acknowledgement, or a word of thanks. Help me to slow down enough to see the needs standing right in front of me. Thank you for
giving Jesus as our example of how to care for a hurting world. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

UNSEARCHABLE

He is the mysterious master Creator who hung each star in the sky and calls them by name, yet He wants us to love Him, to trust Him, to know Him, and to worship Him.  That thought alone blows my mind and sets it to wonder! God invites us to participate with Him in a vibrant dance of abundant life through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Our amazing Heavenly Father bids each and every one of us to come to Him with questions, to be held by His love, to find peace, hope, and healing in His Son. He wants us to seek Him through prayer and to
experience new revelations of Him through His Word and through the Holy Spirit.

The voices of all of creation shout His praise! I encourage you to pause in this moment to consider Him… to respond to Him… to meditate on His glorious splendor.  As you do, He will increasingly become the all-satisfying desire of your heart. Even more than that, as you worship He will stir up a hunger in your soul to know Him even more.

Let's say with the psalmist, "I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable."  (Psalm 145:1-3)

UNSEARCHABLE
By Sue Smith and Gwen Smith

Lord, I know that your grace is sufficient for me
I know I am held by your love
And You're there when I call
You are strong when I'm weak
You delight over me from above

And You stir up a hunger that I can't explain
To know all the mystery of You that remains
 
Unsearchable greatness
Unsearchable wisdom
Unsearchable mercy to me
I am lost in the wonder of all that I know
Knowing there's much more to see
Cause you are unsearchable
You are unsearchable
 
Lord, I boast in Your glory that humbles the stars
Your name has such power and might
And Your goodness and kindness
Have captured my heart
Your Word keeps giving me life

And you stir up a hunger that I can't explain
to know all the mystery of You that remains…