iPray: 1 Corinthians 10: 7-8

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”  We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.  2 Corinthians 10: 7-8

Last week I made a bit of fun of the Israelites cows.  This week is no better, though instead of actual livestock, we're talking about cows of a golden variety.  This time the Israelites request Aaron make them gods to "go before them" (Exodus 32:1) because Moses was taking too long to come down from the mountain.  In a moment (of panic?  of impatience?  of craving?) they exchange God, who has proven to be their provider and sustainer, for a golden cow fashioned for them by Aaron out of their collective jewelry.  Not only that, they give credit to the golden cow as being the one that brought them out of Egypt.  What?  Even God, when talking with Moses, discusses how quickly they did this.  "They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them (Exodus 32:8a)." 

The Bible has a lot to say about revelry/indulging/idolatry.  It's a big deal when we place other things above God.  There is no substitute for Him.

There's really no better way to say it than to just let Scripture speak for itself. 

In Jonah 2:8 we read how "Those that cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." 

Forfeit grace?  For something worthless?  No thanks. 

Well said.  Ouch. 

In Jeremiah 2:5-6 we read

This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
    that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols
    and became worthless themselves.
 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
    who brought us up out of Egypt
and led us through the barren wilderness,
    through a land of deserts and ravines,
a land of drought and utter darkness,
    a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

 

They became worthless themselves.... They did not ask...

 

Well said.  Ouch.

 

Think on a time where panic, impatience, or craving "won out" over trust in God.  In the Israelites moment of waiting for Moses to return down the mountain, they would have been better served praying to their steadfast, trustworthy God, rather than simply jump ship, discard the previous ways in which God came through for them, and worship their golden calf. 

Psalm 115 might just be a great Psalm to pray through in your moment, whatever it may be, when you're waiting for God to act, and the panic, impatience, and cravings start to speak louder than the character and actions of God.  This Psalm puts the power/benefit/use of idols (nothing) in perspective to God (capable of everything...)

 

Psalm

115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

² Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
³ Our God is in the heavens;
    he does all that he pleases.

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold,
    the work of human hands.
⁵ They have mouths, but do not speak;
    eyes, but do not see.
⁶ They have ears, but do not hear;
    noses, but do not smell.
⁷ They have hands, but do not feel;
    feet, but do not walk;
    and they do not make a sound in their throat.
⁸ Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.

⁹ O Israel,^[a] trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.
¹¹ You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and their shield.

¹² The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
¹³ he will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both the small and the great.

¹⁴ May the Lord give you increase,
    you and your children!
¹⁵ May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!

¹⁶ The heavens are the Lord's heavens,
    but the earth he has given to the children of man.
¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord,
    nor do any who go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

 

PoC|Coverage is tonight, 6-8pm.  Come join us as we pray through and care for needs both near and far!

 

Pastor Celia

EXPLORE IT - 1 Corinthians 10:7-8

1 Corinthians 10:7-8   Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did-- and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

Our passage this week directs us back to one of my favorite Old Testament stories, Exodus 32.  In this passage, Moses is on the mountain with God, receiving directions about the Tabernacle as well as the Ten Commandments.  Because Moses was taking so long, the Israelites decided to give up on him and God and looked to create their own God.  Aaron gave them instruction to take off their gold jewelry and “fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf” (Exodus 32:4b).  When Moses returned, the story of what happened changed.  Moses asked Aaron what he had done and Aaron said he took the gold jewelry, “threw it into the fire, and out came this calf” (Exodus 32:24b).  I love this passage (I’m sure that seems strange).  But I love Aaron and the Israelites.  We are so very much like them!

Aaron and the Israelites get tired of waiting, they turn to something else, and then feign ignorance as to how it even happened.  As if saying, “We threw the gold in the fire and Poof! a golden calf came out.  So weird!  I have no idea how that happened!”  We can have a tendency to follow in these footsteps.  We get tired of waiting on God and decide to take matters into our own hands.  Sometimes we intentionally shake our fist at God and intentionally follow a path we know we should not be on.  But more often than not, we end up sinning and we have no idea how that happened. 

In counseling, I often hear people share their situation and then they say they have no idea how they got to the point of sin.  The thing is, we don’t just throw gold into the fire and out comes a golden calf, we have to fashion our lives with graving tools.  In other words, sin doesn’t just happen.  We make one small choice, one small allowance of questionable behavior, and it takes us slightly off course, so small, no one notices.  With enough small allowances, one day we realize we are no longer moving in the right direction.

As we move through life, we need to be mindful of every decision, making sure everything is moving us closer to God; that He remains first in our lives.  We cannot allow anything to come before Him or that thing becomes an idol in our life.  One little off course choice may seem harmless, but it paves the way for the next decision and the next.  Is there any place in your life that you seem to be heading in the wrong direction?  Any allowances you are permitting in your life?  Repent and pray for a course correction.  God is anxiously waiting for you to turn from all false gods in your life and turn to Him who is Truth!

Blessings,
Pastor Amy                                                                                                                                

READ IT! - iROCK - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 During the iRock sermon series, we're studying 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 each day.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

- I Corinthians 10: 1-13

PREPARE FOR IT! - iROCK - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 During the iRock sermon series, we're studying 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

- I Corinthians 10: 1-13

Living on Mission by Faith after the Big Reality Check

Living on Mission by Faith after the Big Reality Check

“…God was not pleased with most of them…” (1 Corinthians 10:5) Why wasn’t God pleased with them?

Long story short: God said, “I’m giving you this wonderful land.” So they went to check it out. They saw that the land was really good, but there were people living there. People that weren’t likely to say, “Oh, God gave you this land? Let me just move my stuff somewhere else so you can have it!” Reality check time: We are going to have to fight for what God gave us. We have to work for it. That sounds hard. That sounds scary and dangerous. I don’t think I want to do that. I don’t think God really is giving us this land.

Why wasn’t God pleased with them? They had no faith. “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

If we are going to live on mission, it is very likely that God will lead us to take some steps that require faith in Him. Did He prompt you to go grocery shopping for your neighbor who’s been sick? Did He prompt you be a friend to that person who always eats alone in the cafeteria? Did He prompt you to take care of a single mom’s kids once a week so that she can get something done? Did He prompt you to pray for healing for a person with serious health issues? These things take courage. These things take real work. These things take faith.

Remember, when God leads us to do something, He already knows what it will take to accomplish it. He doesn’t promise to make it easy, but He will provide.

Let’s practice Living on Mission by faith; trusting that when God makes a promise or gives direction, He is fully able to supply everything needed to make it happen – even when the going gets very tough.

Pastor Angela

iPray: 1 Corinthians 10:5-6

I HOPE YOUR COWS WERE HAPPY!

"Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did."  1 Corinthians 10:5-6

Disobedience and unbelief did not bode well for most of the Israelites.  Far removed from their experiences, it is easy to shake one's head and go "Tsk, tsk, silly Israelites.  God saved you. He parted the Red Sea for you.  He met your needs.  He fed you.  He quenched your thirsts.  He promised you something really, really, really nice.  Why don't you believe?  Why don't you trust? Why don't you obey?"

In Numbers 32, we read about how some of the Israelites wanted to settle in the nice land of Jazer and Gilead... apparently a nice hilly place for cows and grazing... but it was not the Promised Land.  God's response to Moses' request is rather straightforward: 

"The LORD's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath:  'Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of those who were twenty years old or more when they came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Issac and Jacob - not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.' " (Numbers 32:11-12).

Great.  I hope your cows were happy.  I bet the hills were alive with the sound of music, too.  Not.

It is easy to be harsh on the Israelites, yet I have found myself "right there" with them, lacking in belief, trust, and obedience, recoiling back to the same things that don't work, all the while having experienced the saving, miraculous awesome wonderment of God. 

There's gotta be a better way!

The word recoil is quite interesting, and in addition to springing back, it is also the word used to describe kickback from a gun.  Apparently there's some smart, physics-y law at work during this recoil, regarding the conservation of momentum.  I'll be honest, guns and physics, alas, are not areas of expertise of mine.  This conservation of momentum law makes it sound as if in a closed system (with no external forces acting on it) the initial and the final momentum will be equal.  So...  equal and opposite reaction... so... you always get what you always got.  Okay so let me take that and run with it... 

I don't want to give up on what God has for me (and others) trying to make some cows happy (in whatever form they come in.)  I don't want to settle.  Yet, I have lived in the "recoil"... when I'm tired.  When I'm grouchy.  When it's all about my "selfie".  When my equilibrium was threatened or at risk and I didn't want to give up control.  Though I longed for this "wholeheartedly" thing exhibited by Joshua and Caleb, I found myself "springing back" to attempting to rely on myself and my plan.  How did that work out for me?  (Not well.)  What's an Israelite to do?!?!  (Forget the cows and cling to Jesus...!) 

We need to intensely and consistently seek out and seek after THE external force that can change us up and free us from recoiling... from always getting what we've always gotten.  From resorting back to tendencies to settle.  I'm pretty sure, as children of God, we want to unleash MOMENTUM for the Kingdom of God, not conserve it.  :) 

In light of this week's passage, and our overall sermon series (iRock:  the end of self-revelry), let us prayerfully consider the following questions together: 

Have you ever settled?  Reflect on that experience.
Was what you settled for better than what God has for you?
Have you ever found yourself in a cycle where you recoil back to your own tendencies and comfort zones, much like the Israelites did?
Do you believe God can help you (and everyone you know) overcome that?
Do you long to follow God as Caleb and Joshua did... wholeheartedly?
Do you believe God can help you (and everyone you know) do that?

Dear Jesus,
I believe You can save and provide for everyone I know.  I don't want to get in the way.  Help me turn to You daily so that I don't recoil back to my ways and settle.  Help me be transformed and changed by You so that I can reflect Your love toward other people.  Don't let me settle.  Instead, settle me down in Your presence every day.  Amen.

Join us at 6pm tonight, at PoC|Coverage, where we will spend some time praying for everyone we know that we believe Jesus can save AND provide for...

Pastor Celia

Family It!

Family It!

Supplies: Bible, a straw for each person, and a cotton ball

SHARE
When I (Pastor Todd) was in the 3^rd grade I had two friends:  Michael & David.  These guys were my best friends.  Sure I had other friends, but Michael & David were at the top of the list.  We were dreamers and schemers and planners and inventors who were always making up some big big Trio-sized trouble or wonder.  One October we decided that the three of us were going to create and host the world’s best haunted house in Michael’s garage.  We jumped in with all six feet and spent every minute of recess writing out the plan, imagining costumes, guessing our fortune that we just knew we would make, and brainstorming awesome ways to scare all our customers.  As the planning went along, I found that David was a bigger “believer” in our haunted house dream than Michael.  Perhaps Michael doubted because he never really ran the idea by his parents.  I don’t know.  But all I knew was that David was a believer, and Michael doubted.  David just knew we could pull it off and that it would be a hit.  Michael was afraid we’d fail and be embarrassed.

READ
For the next several weeks, we’re going to be exploring 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13 together. Read this passage with your family. Today we are focusing on verses 5 and 6.

PLAY
Gather around your table with your family and place a cotton ball at end of the table (the starting line).  Give each person a straw and say, “Each person will take turns seeing how far we can blow this cotton ball.  The person who blows it the farthest wins.”  Before you start, ask each player who they believe will be the winner.  Ask each person why they voted the way they did.  After the game, compliment the winner with high-fives all around!

THINK
In my story about my friends, Michael and David, I discovered that one of my friends believed and one did not.  I’m not sure why Michael doubted, but it didn’t make me or David feel very good.  It’s not fun knowing that someone doesn’t believe in you.  

In the Bible story, Paul (the writer) says that most of the children of God didn’t please God.  Actually, if you read the story of Joshua and Caleb and the Spies who were sent to scout out the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14) you can see that God had big plans, big big dreams, for His children.  He promised to give them the land.  The spies were sent in to look around, and all but Joshua and Caleb began to doubt.  Only Joshua and Caleb believed that God would bring the victory.


Discuss
1)  How do you think it made Pastor Todd and David feel when Michael did not believe in them?

2)  How do you think it made God feel when the spies did not believe in Him?

3)  How do you think it makes God feel today when we do not trust Him?

4)  What is something that you need to trust God for right now?


PRAY
Jesus, sometimes it’s hard to trust you, but we know that Your Word says that you have big plans for us.  Please forgive us when we do not trust you, and teach us to trust you more. We love you. Amen.


REPLY
Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog? We'd love to know about it! Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together. If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

EXPLORE IT - 1 Corinthians 10:5-6

1 Corinthians 10:5-6 “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”


When we go to a bookstore, we look around and see category titles, or genres, inviting us to consider different kinds of books.  We may see Historical Fiction, Romance, Sci-Fi, Drama, Comedy, Non-Fiction, and many others.  When we read a comedic book, we approach it differently than a dramatic book.  The same is true for Scripture.

Just as a bookstore has many genres of books, the Bible has many different genres within it.  There are historical accounts, narrative, poetry, prophecy, letters, apocalyptic, and many others.  We would read a poetical book, like the Psalms, differently than we would read an apocalyptic book, a book describing the end of times like Revelation and parts of Daniel.

The passage we are reading during this sermon series, 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, is part of a letter or an epistle.  We read these words as if someone is speaking directly to us.  But, Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians, directs our attention back to narrative stories of the Old Testament.  Paul is encouraging us to consider Moses and the Israelites and to learn from their mistakes.  As we read through narrative literature in the Bible, we can enjoy the stories as benign accounts of things that happened very long ago.  Or, we can read these stories and observe the successes and failures of God’s people and learn from them.  Due to the Israelites’ evil actions, God was not pleased with them.  We need to guard our hearts from evil by staying focused on God and His direction.

As we read through Scripture, we must be careful to consider the genre and interpret accordingly.  As we address narrative Scripture, instead of reading them as simple stories, we must seek to learn from those who have journeyed before us.  Paul encourages us to see our ancestors as examples so we can run this race of life well.

Blessings,
Pastor Amy

READ IT! - iROCK - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 During the iRock sermon series, we're studying 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 each day.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

- I Corinthians 10: 1-13

PREPARE FOR IT! - iROCK - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

 During the iRock sermon series, we're studying 1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

- I Corinthians 10: 1-13

Living on Mission with Amazing Provision

Living on Mission with Amazing Provision

“All of them ate the same spiritual food, and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:3-4)

So, there are a couple of very interesting things in this small passage. First of all, I find it interesting that all of the people got the same food and water. No sirloin steaks for some and plain oatmeal for others. Manna and water all around! Everyone was on level ground, regardless of “rank.” God’s provision was supernatural and exactly what they each needed. This provision also lasted the entire time they were in the desert; it didn’t run out a month early. They were provided exactly what they needed for as long as they needed it. (If you haven’t read Pastor Amy’s blog post this week – do it! It’s so great!)

The other cool thing is this: they got water from a spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t traveled with a rock before. (Or have I?) Isn’t this a beautiful picture though? Jesus promised that He would always be with us, and He started proving it long before He made the promise! We can put all our trust in Him.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and be thankful for amazing provision from our Rock.

Pastor Angela

iPray: 1 Corinthians 10:4

Prayer is really a fantastic (and rather easy/quick) way to get our eyes off our "selfies".  As we continue on in our sermon series:  iRock:  The End of Self Revelry, how can we pray in light of our passage 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (with emphasis this week on verse 4)?  One useful tool is to pray through the acronym PRAY:  praise, repent, ask, yield.  For anyone reading the PRAY IT portion of the blog, let's just go ahead and do that today.  Why not?

iPraise:  Dear Jesus, Thank you for being my provider.  Thank you for being my sustainer.  Thank you for being ever-present.

 

"For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."  1 Corinthians 10:4b

iRepent:  Dear Jesus, Please forgive me for the times when I have not trusted You or depended on You, and for when I have stepped away from you to try to meet my own needs in ways that did not honor You.

"Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." 1 Corinthians 10:5

iAsk:  (If you have not yet spent time with Jesus asking the questions/praying the prayer posited to us this past Sunday, now would be a great time.  Trust me!  Jesus, myself, (and my ping pong ball, haha!) had the most amazing time on Monday with this, believe it or not!  Here it is:   Jesus, Show me who I am to you.  Show me my true "self."  Guide me in a good and honest discovery of my cravings.  What do I crave?  In what do I revel? 

"Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, 'The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.'" 1 Corinthians 10:7

iYield:  Dear Jesus, help me surrender to seeing myself as You see me.  Help me to surrender all my cravings to You.  Help me to trust you to meet my needs and to sustain me.  Help me revel in You.  Help me to be mindful of and thankful that you are ever-present.

"Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:12

PoC|Coverage is tonight at 6pm.  Join us as we pray it up!  We're better together, and it's more fun when you are there! 

Pastor Celia

Family It! Wednesday Family Devotion - "Pizza Machine"

Supplies: Bible; dictionary

SHARE
When I (Pastor Todd) was in the 3rd grace, our teacher, Mrs. Stevenson, gave us an assignment to draw a picture of and explain an invention of our own imagination. She told us to dream big. While I don’t remember what invention I created for the assignment, I do remember my friend, Joey, sharing his invention with the class. He was brilliant. See, we had these amazing rectangular pizzas that they sold in the school cafeteria and at our local skating ring. They were THE BEST. Anyway, Joey’s invention was a miniature pizza oven that you could wear around your waist. With only a touch of a button, it would dispense one of those ooey gooey pizzas whenever you wanted. His invention provided for all of your on-the-go pizza needs. Again, BRILLIANT!


READ
For the next several weeks, we’re going to be exploring 1 Corinthians 10: 1-13 together. Read this passage with your family. Today we are focusing on verse 4b.

Have a family member look up the following words in the dictionary:

• Provider
• Sustainer
• Omnipresent. 

 In your own words, what do these words mean to you?


THINK
In my story about my friend, Joey and his invention, it was clear that Joey wanted a solution to his pizza-craving need. He wanted an invention to supply a pizza whenever he wanted one, so his invention was ever-present. In the verse we read from the Bible, we see that Jesus is called a “rock” who was always with the children of Israel, always supplying their needs. That’s pretty cool.


APPLY
Just as Jesus was always with the children of Israel, He is always with us also. His name, Emmanuel, actually means, “God is with us.” How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus is always with you? It is good to know that we are being loved when our needs are being met. In what ways is Jesus meeting your needs? The needs of your family?


PRAY
Jesus, thank you for meeting our needs. Thank you for always being with us. You have not forgotten us. You are always looking for ways to take care of us. You are our ever-present rock. We love you. Amen.


REPLY
Did you and your family enjoy this devotional blog? We'd love to know about it! Our hope is to continue providing this weekly opportunity for families to do a devotion together. If your family did this devotion, please shoot us an email, text or just post a comment to this blog.

EXPLORE IT - 1 Corinthians 10:4

1 Corinthians 10:4  and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

Our passage this week directs us back to the Book of Exodus and the wandering Israelites in the desert, how they grumbled, and how God was with them and provided.

Exodus 17:1-7  The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" Then Moses cried out to the LORD, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The LORD answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah   {7 Massah means testing.} and Meribah {7 Meribah means quarreling.} because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, "Is the LORD among us or not?"  

When I was in Israel, I remember walking through a valley with rock on either side.  It was beautiful, but it was also dry and dusty as it hadn’t rained in quite a while.  I was thankful for the bottled water we carried.  But I remember coming up to a place in the rock wall where it almost looked wet.  Our guide explained that the sedimentary rock sometimes contains pockets just below the surface and is able to collect and hold water.  If we were to strike the rock, water would come out of it.  Because the rocks operate as a filtration system, the water would be clean to drink.  The miracle and provision of God wasn’t necessarily in producing water from a rock, but in the quantity of water.  By itself, the rock would naturally hold enough water for a handful of people, not enough for the entire nation of Israel.  God was with the Israelites and He provided for their needs just as God is with us and provides for our needs.

The challenge comes when God chooses to provide for our needs in one way yesterday and in a different way tomorrow.  In the Exodus passage, God asks Moses to strike the rock to produce water – which may not have taken much faith as this was a natural way to receive water in the desert.  Many years later (Numbers 20), the Israelites complain again about not having water, Moses again seeks God, and God again gives instructions on how to receive water.  The difference?  This time, instead of striking the rock, God tells Moses to “Speak to the rock.”  What does Moses do?  He strikes the rock.  He tried the old way when God was trying to reveal a new way.  Moses didn’t trust in God and it cost him entrance into the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12).

Many of us seek God for our needs, asking Him to provide for us.  We trust Him because He has provided before.  However, we need to be mindful that He might provide in a different way today than He did yesterday.  We must keep our eyes open, knowing that God is with us, in order to receive His provision.  He may be doing something new in your life, He may be looking to reveal something new about himself to you.  Keep an open mind, we serve an awesome God!

Blessings,
Pastor Amy

READ IT! - iROCK - I Corinthians 10:1-13

 During the iRock sermon series, we're studying 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 each day.

"For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

- I Corinthians 10: 1-13

Living on Mission and Remembering

Living on Mission and Remembering

Oh how easily we forget. Or is it just me? No, I don’t think so. I think we’re all forgetters sometimes.

Our passage this week opens up with, “I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago.” (1 Corinthians 10:1) Why shouldn’t we forget?

History has shown that people are creatures of repeating patterns. If we think specifically about the children of Israel, we can clearly see that they worshipped God then turned and worshipped idols, then repented and worshipped God again only to revert back to worshipping idols. Sigh. This makes me sad.

And then I think of my own life.

I have personally experienced these repeating patterns of bad decisions, bad behavior, repentance and worship, bad decisions, bad behavior, repentance and worship… repeat ad nauseam. (The good news is that we have an event called Encounter@PoC that helped me break this destructive cycle!)

We are so much more likely to repeat bad behavior if we forget where we have been and what we have experienced in the past. We’re also much more likely to worship when we remember how (and from what) God delivered us in the past.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and remember our history. We can avoid repeating bad decisions and bad behavior that keeps us from fulfilling our call, and return to worshipping the God who faithfully delivers us every time we turn to Him.

Pastor Angela