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Here is today's communion meditation.

When Jesus sent the twelve disciples out in his name to heal, he told them in Matthew 10:12-15 and Mark 6:10-11...

As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Matthew 10:12-15

Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” Mark 6:10-11

Yesterday we talked about dealing with rejection when we are trying to do good, but people won't receive it. In this scripture we see the disciples going out to do good, but Jesus tells them there will be people who reject them and won't receive them. The first thing they must do when they are rejected is let their peace r...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

The last couple of days we have been talking about catching and throwing bids. A bid is an attempt to connect with someone. When other people throw bids our way and we don't catch the bid for whatever reason and fail to connect it is very dishonoring for the other person and they may feel rejected. In the same way when we start to throw bids to the important people in our lives there may be times when they also fail to catch the bid. During these times the feeling of rejection may arise. Feeling like you were trying to do good and be a blessing, but the other person wouldn't receive it. It is important to handle these situations with grace. 

Think of Jesus... He was rejected by the people in his hometown. Even his own brothers were treating him with contempt. The priests and leaders of the Jewish people who were supposed to be his people rejected him. He is the stone the builders rejected. But he was full of grace and truth a...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

Yesterday we talked about catching bids, which means honoring other people's attempts to connect with us. Today we are discussing throwing bids to other people. An important part of connecting with God and the important people in our lives is throwing bids their way in a style that makes them feel cherished and valued and is meaningful to them. They may like to connect in a way that is different from what we like. What do they like, what are they interested in, and what pushes their buttons?

As an example, I have one daughter who likes to bake and another who likes to dance. To one of them spending time baking is meaningful while to the other watching her latest dance moves is meaningful to her. A great way that I have found to get better at throwing bids to other people is to spend a couple of minutes before bed visualizing the upcoming day for the important people in my life. Then looking for opportunities to do something m...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

I once read about a concept called "catching bids," in a marriage book called "Cherish," by Gary Thomas. 

In the book Thomas says that catching bids is one of the best predictors of marital happiness and divorce. A bid is anytime your spouse tries to connect with you. For example, do they initiate a conversation, ask you to do something with them, try to give you a hug/kiss, or initiate intimacy. Catching the bid would mean that we stop whatever we are doing (even if we think it's more important) and honor their attempt to connect. The best marriages he says catch about 85% of all bids. 

I think this concept is important for all of our relationships, because to not catch a bid is dishonoring to others. The last two days we have talked about the Fear of the Lord, being deep honor and respect for God. And God is also throwing bids our way every day, and it's important to stop what we are doing and catch His bids.

Something I ...

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Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.

There have been studies done where people are dropped off in the middle of nowhere and told to navigate their way out without any navigation tools. During these times the people's default tendency is to walk in circles, because they keep making small decisions that are biased in one direction more than the other. This especially happens when they are faced with obstacles that they have to navigate around. But if the people are given landmarks or tools to tell direction then they can usually find their way out. 

In life sometimes we get stuck in vicious cycles and we end up going in circles over and over, despite putting in the effort to move forward. In these times you must have something to navigate with, and I believe God's grace is meant to be the standard that we use to navigate our lives. 

To stop going in circles we must do something different and allow his grace to navigate us out. This means we must rely on and tr...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

Every time we take communion it's important that we take it with the Fear of the Lord. Isaiah 33:6 says that the Fear of the Lord is the key to the treasure.

Down below is a passage on the Fear of the Lord from my book The 8th Date.

Multiple times in the book of Proverbs, we read that the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of both wisdom and knowledge. Developing wisdom, understanding, and knowledge all start with the Fear of the Lord. For a while, I wondered what the Fear of the Lord was. It doesn’t seem like a loving God would want us to be terrified of him. Imagine two different fathers. One father is physically and emotionally abusive, while the other is kind, loving, and always wanting to help you become great. The second father is constantly speaking life to you and gently mentoring you on how to truly live. The first father generates fear about being in his presence. With the second father, you would be afraid of not h...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

What is the fear of the Lord? The Amplified Bible defines it as reverence and regarding God as truly awesome. I think of it as awe, honor, and respect for him, where we fear not having God in our lives, and make it our goal to do what is pleasing to him. 

The other night I was reading Deuteronomy 31:9-13 with my kids and it says...

9 So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 Then Moses commanded them: “At the end of every seven years, in the year for canceling debts, during the Festival of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law before them in their hearing. 12 Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the wor...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

Romans 14 provides advice on how to live in a way that is both pleasing to God and receives approval from people. Sometimes it can be hard to do both of these at the same time, because in an attempt to honor God we push others away. Down below is a passage from Romans 14:13-18 but I would encourage you to read the whole chapter of Romans 14 for context. Prior to this passage it talks about the important of conscience and not violating our own conscience or the conscience of others. To live in a way that is pleasing to God and approved by people, means we stop judging others and put no stumbling block in their way. 

Here is the passage from Romans 14:13-18 

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone r...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

Today we are continuing in Colossians chapter 1 and going into the first section of chapter 2. Our communion today is a time to meditate on these scriptures and receive these amazing promises. 

Colossions 1:24-29 + Colossians 2:1-5

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously con...

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Here is today's communion meditation.

Yesterday we went over the first part of Colossians chapter 1. Today we are taking communion over the next two paragraphs. 

Colossions 1:15-23

 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of...