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PSALM 98:1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

LUKE 10:41-42 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

What's worrying you today? Be honest about how you're doing at the moment and bring your concerns to God.

PSALM 35:18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise You

DAILY BIBLE READING: GENESIS 33-35 MATTHEW 10:1-20

JACOB MEETS ESAU THE DEFILING OF DINAH GOD BLESSES AND RENAMES JACOB "Arise, Go up to bethel and stay there. Make and altar" Jacob obeyed. "Put away the foreign gods, purify yourselves and change your garments so that I may make an altar to the God who answers me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone. God protected them by sending terror to the cities around them so they will not attack the sons of Jacob. He named the altar El-Bethel (the God of bethel). "Your name is Jacob; no longer shall your name be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.I am God Almighy: be fruitful and multiply, A nation nad a company of nations shall come from you. The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you and your offspring. God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him. Jacob set up a pillar of stone, poured drink offering and oil on it. THE DEATHS OF RACHEL AND ISAAC Benjamin was born, Rachel died in childbirth and was buried. Jacob's 12 sons:

Reuben

Simeon

Levi

Judah

Issachar

Zebulun

Joseph

Benjamin

Dan

Naphtali

Gad

Asher

Isaac died at 180years old, full of days and was buried.

THE TWELVE APOSTLES Jesus called to the apostles and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The 12 Apostles:

Simon Peter

Andrew

James

John

Philip

Bartholomew

Thomas

Matthew

James

Thaddeus

Simon the Zealot

Judas Iscariot JESUS SENDS OUT THE 12 APOSTLES "Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, proclaim as you go "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." You received without paying so give without pay. Acquire no gold/silver, no bag. the laborer deserves his food. Whatever place you enter, find out who is worthy and stay there until you depart. greet the house and if it is worthy, let your peace come upon it, if not, let it return to you. if they don't listen, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly I say to you it will be more bearable on the day of judgement for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. PERSECUTION WILL COME Behold, I am sending you out as a sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxioushow you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

GENESIS 5:21-24 The metaphor of walking with God is a prominent theme in the Bible. Waling describes a life of obedience and submission to His instructions. Genesis 5 says the Enoch walked faithfully with God. This imagery is also used throughout the book of Deuteronomy to remind Israel to follow the law by walking in it. In chapter 6, we see the explicit origin of this idea. Verses 4-9 are referred to as the Shema which means "hear", the first word in this section of Scripture: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one" In the Shema, Israel is encouraged to make God's law central to everything they do. Observant Jews today still recite this prayer daily. Other examples of walking imagery appear in the Psalms (1,15,119,128) and in the New Testament. (Col 3:7, 1John1:7, 2John1:6) by Matt Lucas

GENESIS 5:24 Enoch walked faithfully with God.

WALKING WITH GOD According to the US-NIH, Adults who walk >8k steps a day had a reduced risk of death over the following decade than those who walked only 4k. Walking is good for us. Walking is also communing with God. In Genesis 3. God walked with Adam and Eve "in the cool of day" In Genesis 5, Enoch walked faithfully with God for 300 years then God took him. In Genesis 17, God invited Abram to walk before Him as He renewed His covenant with him. Jacob described God as his Shepherd and spoke of his ancestors who walked faithfully. In the New Testament, Paul instructs us to walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:16) Walk with God daily. Surrender your life to Him and be guided by the Holy Spirit. That's the path to true health. How's your walk? by Matt Lucas

Reflect and Pray How would you describe "walking with God"? Today, as you reflect on Scripture, how will you follow and obey it?

Father, please forgive me when I've chosen not to walk with You, but pursued my own agenda. Help me keep in step with You, In Jesus' name, Amen.

CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE READING: JOB 1-5 JOB'S CHARACTER AND WEALTH Job was blameless and upright, fearing God and turned away from evil. 7 sons and 3 daughters. 7000 sheeps, 3000 camels, 500 yoke oxen, 500 female donkeys, many servants, greatest of all of the east. Job consecrates his offspring and rises early to make an offering according to the number of them all. "it may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Job did continually. satan ALLOWED TO TEST JOB "Stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has and he will curse You to Your face" "Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand." satan TAKES JOB'S PROPERTY AND CHILDREN a lone surviving servant reported to job that the Sabeans struck them and took all. another reported that the fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and livestock. Another reported the Chaldeans raided the camels, Another reported a great wind came across the wilderness and struck and the house fell on all his children. Job arose and tore his robe, shaved his head and fell on the ground worshipped. "Naked, I came from my mother's womb, naked shall I return. the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. satan ATTACKS JOB'S HEALTH "Job still holds fast his integrity although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason" "Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out Your hand and touch his bone and flesh and he will curse You to Your face." "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life" satan struck Job with loathsome sores. Job's wife tells him: "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." Job replied: "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this, job did not sin with his lips. JOB'S 3 FRIENDS Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar made an appointment and came to show sympathy and comfort to job. they wept and tore their clothes, sat with him 7 days and nights. no one spoke to him. they saw his suffering. JOB LAMENTS HIS BIRTH Job cursed his birthday, "For then I would have lain down and been quiet, slept and at rest. the small and the great are there, and the slave is free from his master.Why is life given to the bitter in soul, who long for death but it comes not. ELIPHAZ SPEAKS: THE INNOCENT PROSPER

NAMES OF JESUS FOR ADVENT: IMMANUEL Immanuel is a Hebrew name which appears in the Book of Isaiah as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew interprets this as a prophecy of the birth of the Messiah and the fulfilment of Scripture in the person of Jesus. The title Immanuel literally means “God with us.” Both Isaiah and Matthew affirm that the Christ who would be born in Bethlehem would be God Himself who came to earth in the form of a man to live among His people. (Isaiah 7:10-14), so we can have confidence in God’s goodness in Christ that we have all we need. To know Christ is to know God. We can take great encouragement and comfort in living this side of the cross. The faithful people of God in the Old Testament looked forward to the Son of God, and we have seen the fulfilment of God in Christ who lived a perfect life and went to the cross to save us. What a wonderful blessing to know the Son of God in such a way.

ISAIAH 7:14 14Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.