Can our God tell people to shut up?

Day 21 was a day of reflection...SO...onto day 22 :).

Mark 1-3

Question: What surprised you in this passage? Why? I think sometimes we get this image of God stuck in our heads, an image of a quiet, slow to speak God. A God who doesn't want to hurt out feelings, and breaks it to us sugar coated. A God who doesn't know how to raise his voice, gentle. A God who has good etiquette. But if you read the first 3 chapters of Mark, you will be surprised. "Jesus, overhearing, shot back, 'Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? I'm here inviting the sin-sick, not the spiritually fit.'" He shot back?! He asked them a question with an obvious answer, sarcasm almost... and I love this about Jesus. I would much rather have a Jesus who is gentle, yet rough. A Jesus who is quiet, yet louder than I will ever be. A Jesus who obeys the rules of God, but not the rules of man.

Psalm 18:25-50

"This God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back." Does this sentence stir up any memories in you? How about desires? Memories: Fall. 2008. I was attending PUC. I was only there for a couple months, when I realized I wasn't ready for college. I had a desire to do "more" with my life. I wanted to be a student missionary. I wanted to do something for God, and for His people. I talked to the PUC missions people, and they told me it would easily be another year before I could go...that I should stay in school this year and we would begin to work on it and blah blah blah. I wasn't having it. So I finished the fall quarter, and went home, everyone told me to stay in college, told me that if I left I would never go back, told me this was a good idea, but to wait another year or so. There were people who I disappointed by leaving. I immediately began searching for mission jobs on the Adventist Volunteers website. There were plenty of your typical mission jobs in places like Nicarauga and Africa...but then I saw a job in England, and I was like, well that would be cool. I looked at the description, and loved it right away, I applied. It took a few months just to compelte the application process! It was so long and a lot of work and organization. I was feeling discouraged, and overwhelmed. But finally my application was processed and sent to the Church looking for a Youth Worker in England. The division in America that was sending me, advised me on a few things, I still remember the conversation I had with one of their employees. He asked me if I had ever been interested in going to one of the islands for a mission trip, that lots of college students go to these certain islands, and maybe I should think about it. I explained that no, I had applied for the job I felt God was calling me for. He said, well it is very likely that you won't get that job, there are a few people applying, and you should think about your other options. I was quite hurt, and annoyed, and responded with a no thank you I know what I want, and if it doesn't work out, I will consider your suggestion, thank and have a great day kind sir. UGH. And I wanted to hit someone. Everyone was telling me I couldn't do this, I shouldn't do this, and I just wanted to ask them if God told them that, and if he didn't, then to shut up. God didn't tell anyone to shut up, as far as I know. But when I got the job, and I left for England in July of 2009, 6 months after applying, everyone did shut up. God had a plan for me, and I knew it. "God set things right for me and shut up the people who talked back"


It sounds almost against our image of God to say he shut someone up, but maybe it's not.

Day 20

Genesis 47-50

((more on the story of Joseph))

"...Joseph continued to live in Egypt with his Fathers family..."

Question: Choose a key element in Josephs story. What makes it key?

The power of choice. Joseph chose to first of all forgive his brothers, and accept his situation. He chose to follow and trust God, and he chose to do his best. I am sure Joseph sometimes struggled with his decisions, just as any of us do, but, he always ended up making the right choice. He could have chose to hate his brothers, to run away from his position as a slave, he could have chose revenge rather than forgiveness, bitterness rather than acceptance. We can learn so much from Joseph, but I would say on of the main lessons, is that we do have power over the out come of our lives. We can choose to be angry, and resentful. Or we can choose to make the best out of our situations. If we trust God, he can turn the worst of situations into outcomes we never dreamed were possible. What choices will I make today that could change my life?

Psalm 18:1-24

"I love you, God - you make me strong. God is bedrock under my feet, the castle in which I live, my rescuing knight."

this almost reminds me of the cascada song...

''Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.

They wipe away tears that I cry.
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.
You make me rise when I fall.''...

How often do we take the time to write a song, a poem, a letter, to God? He's written us a whole book on his love for us, can we take the time to write him one back?

for God, thank you:

heart beating

breathe moving

mind thinking

all because of the life you gave to me

sin cleansed

destination planned

purpose bestowed

all because of the love you gave to me

Love, me.

Day 19

Man. I am bad at doing something everyday. God, forgive me for not being committed. Continue to remind me that this is important!!!

Genesis 43-46

(Joseph after revealing himself to his brothers)"...But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me. God was behnd it. God sent me here ahead of you to save lives..."

Thoughts: Humans have free will, so his brothers could have choice not to sell him as slave, which means God wasn't behind the initial action, he didn't make Josephs brother sell him, but when God saw them put him in the pit, he sent the right Slave trader to get Joseph, and from there on out never left him. God did send Joseph to save Egypt, but I am sure he had a plan B, hoping Josephs brothers would not be so harsh as to betray him. Even then, by being there for Joseph, and leading him, he gave Joseph a good heart, and Joseph was able to forgive deeply.

Psalm 17

"Go ahead, examine me from inside out, surprise me in the middle of the night - you'll find I'm just who I say I am. My words don't run loose."

God, I am who I say am, because you are who you say you are. I am constantly working to be the person you made me to be. The Audrey you have planned. Show me who I am. Show me who you are. I know you won't give up on me, I know you are my God.

DAY 18

day 18. progress. lol.

Genesis 40-42

Joseph continued...

"Then Pharoah said to his officials, "Isn't this the man we need? Are we going to find anyone else who has God's spirit in him like this?"

Oh I desire to have that said about me. To have people notice the God in me, the holy in me, the ALIVE in me.

1. In what ways do you see God working in this passage? : He obviously turned Josephs misfortune, into a great fortune! His weakness, into power.

Psalm 16

"Day and night I'll stick with God; I've got a good thing going and I'm not letting go."

Word, David, word.

2. How is your life similar to David's? Why? Because just like David, I have a choice to make, will it be God? Because it doesn't have to be. There are plenty of other options out there. But also, just like David, I have chosen to cling to the one true God, the God who can turn my misfortune into fortune, my weakness into power.

Day 17 - The V.I.P. list

Day 17

Genesis 37-39

Joseph. Man. Talk about a crazy life. This guy has decision after decision to make, and it is always the same one. Hate God? Or love Him. Forget him? Or cling to him. And everytime the world gives Joseph a reason to turn his back on God, Joseph takes one more step closer to God. And God doesn't ignore him. God blessed Joseph. Joseph is a slave ok, like that's a situation that won't be good no matter what, but then, God makes it the best thing that Joseph could have ever dreamt would happen (well he did dream it actually, lol).

Lesson? Stick with God, and God sticks with you.

Question: What is believable here? What is unbelievable?
It is believable to me that Joseph was tempted, and did doubt, but ended up making the right choice. I don't think he was some perfect little Christian, he was human, he just was a smart one. Nothing is really unbelievable? Families still betray each other, women still seduce men, men still like to have sex with women, and God still blesses those who follow him, what's unbelievable about any of that?


Psalm 15 GO READ IT IN THE MESSAGE VERSION - or any version

"God, who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? Walk straigh, act right, tell the truth. Don't hurt your friend, don't blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You'll never get blacklisted if you live like this."

Question: What is your reaction to this Psalm? You won't get blacklisted by God, but you WILL get blacklisted by everyone else. But who cares? If heaven isn't the party the world is inviting you to, why would you to be on their guest list? Forget their guest list, you're already on God's VIP list.

Day 16

WOW So I am bad at this so far, but I am still trying!!

I have done a few days just reading the devotional and not doing blog entries, so we will skip them, the one I finally did today is day 16. I need to be more committed... see...even student missionaries have trouble reading the Bible everyday! But once I start, I don't want to stop!

Day 16 Genesis 35-36

“Rachel died and was buried...”

Ouch okay so Jacob had just finished building this little altar for God because God came and told him “Hey I am the strong God” among other positive things, and then, the next thing we read about is that his wife dies giving birth to his son! So Jacob could do one of two things - He could have been angry at God and been like oh so you are so strong, not strong enough to save my Rachel though! Or been like, God thank you for coming and talking to me and reminding me who you are so when Rachel died, I remembered what you had told me and that your strength would get me through it. Well I know Jacob didn’t turn his back on God, so I would say he made the second choice. But wow, poor guy, all of a sudden he has no wife, but a crying baby.

Psalm 14 - THIS IS SO GOOD IN THE MESSAGE!!

“Do you think you can mess with the dreams of the poor? You can’t, for God makes their dreams come true. Is there anyone around to save Israel? Yes, God is around, God turns life around.”

Go God. Preach it brother. What now. The Bible just told everyone off. Like hey you, dream killer, get lost, I have God, and you, do not have anything on God.

1. What do you feel God values in these chapters?
He values making his presence known. He visited Jacob before Jacob needed him, so that when Jacob needed him he could look back and remember that he has a strong God.

2. What picture of God does this Psalm form in your mind?
A God who is looking, looking for his people, a God who is protecting his people, reminding his people that their dreams can come true. A God who cares about the dreams his people have, because he gave them those dreams. A God who saves. Who leads. Who doesn’t forget about us.