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*Monday's Blessing* _*Prayers on La Playa*_ _October 26, 2020_ Today's Scripture & Insight:... Psalm 148 || Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 911; 1 Timothy 6 _"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted." Psalm 148:13_ During a trip to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary, my husband and I read our Bibles on the beach. As vendors passed and called out the prices of their wares, we thanked each one but didn’t buy anything. One vendor, Fernando, smiled wide at my rejection and insisted we consider buying gifts for friends. After I declined his invitation, Fernando packed up and began walking away . . . still grinning. I pray God will bless your day, I said. Fernando turned toward me and said, He has! Jesus changed my life. Fernando knelt between our chairs. I feel His presence here. He then shared how God had delivered him from drug and alcohol abuse more than fourteen years earlier. My tears flowed as he recited entire poems from the book of Psalms and prayed for us. Together, we praised God and rejoiced in His presence . . . on la playa. Psalm 148 is a prayer of praise. The psalmist encourages all of creation to praise the name of the Lord, for at his command [everything was] created (v. 5), for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens (v. 13). Though God invites us to bring our needs before Him and trust He hears and cares for us, He also delights in prayers of grateful praise wherever we are. Even on the beach. _Reflect & Pray_ What will you praise God for today? How has He inspired you to praise Him after hearing someone else’s story? _Dear God, we were told in scripture to pray without ceasing. We pray that we would always have a sense of Your presence and always have the channels of communication open with You no matter what time of day it is or where we are. Thank You for the gift of prayer and for filling us with songs of praise to You. It's in Lord Jesus' name we pray. Amen!_ *Our Daily Bread* *V I N E Y A R D M I N I S T R I E S*

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? Psalms 11:3 As believers in Christ , we had very good beginnings. Our cultural foundation was strong because we built our house upon the Word of God, and that is a sure foundation. Matthew 7:24-27 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening...Continue reading

*Sunday's Blessing,* _*Strong and Courageous*_ _October 25, 2020_ Today's Scripture & Insight: Joshua 1:19 || Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 68; 1 Timothy 5... _"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5_ Each night, as young Caleb closed his eyes, he felt the darkness envelop him. The silence of his room was regularly suspended by the creaking of the wooden house in Costa Rica. Then the bats in the attic became more active. His mother had put a nightlight in his room, but the young boy still feared the dark. One night Caleb’s dad posted a Bible verse on the footboard of his bed. It read: Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; . . . for the Lord your God will be with you (Joshua 1:9). Caleb began to read those words each nightand he left that promise from God on his footboard until he went away to college. In Joshua 1, we read of the transition of leadership to Joshua after Moses died. The command to be strong and courageous was repeated several times to Joshua and the Israelites to emphasize its importance (vv. 67, 9). Surely, they felt trepidation as they faced an uncertain future, but God reassuringly said, As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you (v. 5). It’s natural to have fears, but it’s detrimental to our physical and spiritual health to live in a state of constant fear. Just as God encouraged His servants of old, we too can be strong and courageous because of the One who promises to always be with us. _Reflect & Pray_ What are your deepest and most persistent fears? How can meditating on God’s promises help you overcome your fear and anxiety? _Faithful Father, we thank You that You’re always with us in our fears. Help us to trust Your promises when doubts creep in. You told Joshua to be courageous and You tell us the same today. We know that You will guide us through every situation and we know we can trust in You. Give us the peace that passes all understanding. We thank You Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen!_ *Our Daily Bread* *V I N E Y A R D M I N I S T R I E S*

*Shabbat Shalom and Blessed Weekend to you,* _*Surviving Drought*_ _October 24, 2020_ Today's Scripture & Insight: Jeremiah 17:58 || Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 35; 1 Timothy 4... _"The one who trusts in the Lord . . . will be like a tree planted by the water." Jeremiah 17:78_ In April 2019, a suburban neighborhood in Victorville, California, became buried in tumbleweeds. High winds pushed the rolling thistles into the development from the adjacent Mojave Desert where the plant grows. At maturity, the pesky weed can grow to up to six feet in heighta formidable size when it releases itself from its roots to tumble with the wind to scatter its seeds. Tumbleweeds are what I picture when I read Jeremiah’s description of a person whose heart turns away from the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5). He says that those who draw their strength from mere flesh will be like a bush in the wastelands and be unable to see prosperity when it comes (vv. 56). In sharp contrast are those who put their trust in God instead of people. Like trees, their strong, deep roots draw strength from Him, enabling them to remain full of life, even in the midst of drought-like circumstances. Tumbleweeds and trees both have roots. Tumbleweeds, however, don’t stay connected to their life-source, causing them to dry out and die. Trees, on the other hand, remain connected to their roots, enabling them to flourish and thrive, anchored to that which will sustain them in times of difficulty. When we hold fast to God, drawing strength and encouragement from the wisdom found in the Bible and talking to Him in prayer, we too can experience the life-giving, life-sustaining nourishment He provides. _Reflect & Pray_ How has God sustained you in times of drought? What can you do today to drive your roots more deeply into relationship with Him? _Father, thank You for breathing Your life into us and sustaining us through life's most challenging times. We pray for those today who are struggling or suffering and ask that You would encourage them and give them strength today. Thank You Lord. It's in Lord Jesus' name we pray. Amen!_ *V I N E Y A R D M I N I S T R I E S* *Our Daily Bread*

*Happy n Blessed Friday,* _*Nice Shot?*_ _October 23, 2029_ Today's Scripture & Insight: Psalm 136:1026 || Bible in a Year: Jeremiah 12 1 Timothy 3... _"To him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever." Psalm 136:10_ When Walt Disney’s Bambi was re-released, moms and dads relived childhood memories with their sons and daughters. A young mother, whose husband was an avid outdoorsman with an impressive trophy room, was one of those parents. With her little ones at her side, she experienced with them the gasp and groan of the moment when Bambi lost his mother to a hunter. To this day she’s reminded at family gatherings of her embarrassment when, in all innocence, her little boy shouted out in the theater, Nice shot! In time, we laugh at the embarrassing things our children say. But what are we to say when the people of Psalm 136 do something similar? Israel, God’s chosen and rescued people, celebrate a love that endures for all creation and for themselvesbut not for their enemies. The psalm sings the praises of him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt (v. 10; see also Exodus 12:2930). Doesn’t that sound a bit like a shout of nice shot at the expense of someone else’s mother, sister, father, brother? That’s why we need the rest of the story. Only when the lights come up in the resurrection of Jesus can the whole world be invited into the joy of one family’s stories, tears, and laughter. Only when we receive Jesus as our Savior and are made alive in Him can we share the wonder of a God who loves everyoneat His own expense. _Reflect & Pray_ What reason is given twenty-six times for this song? What lyrics show that the heart of God reaches beyond those who sing the words? _Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Son to save us from the chores of sin that enslaved us. Thank You for the gift of restored relationship with eternal life with You. Lord, as we go through our day, please point out people who need You and give us the courage to tell them about Your love and forgiveness. May our lives shine in such a way that they see You in us and are convinced that You are their only hope. Thank You Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen!_ *Our Daily Bread* *V I N E Y A R D M I N I S T R I E S*