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Beware of the Ringleader–Numbers 25:4

March 7, 2012 in 2012 Journey, God Speaks today, leadership, Prayer, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 25:1-26:65

The Lord issued the following command to Moses: “Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the Lord in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel.” –Numbers 25:4

Dictionary.com defines ringleader as “a person who leads others, especially in opposition to authority, law, etc.: a ringleader of revolutionary activities.”

I guess it’s safe to say that God was displeased with the ringleaders who led the men to defile themselves by having sex with the Moabite women (Numbers 25:1-3).

What did these ringleaders say to these men to get them to go against God’s Law?

Today’s reading doesn’t say, but here are a few possibilities:

  • These Moabite women are different; they’re not that bad.
  • It’s only this one time, no one will know.
  • God made our sexual desires.
  • If God didn’t want us to be with these women He should have kept them out of our sight.
  • Moses may have just made up this law because he’s to busy to go with us.
  • They’re having an amazing feast!  Aren’t you tired of this manna?
  • We don’t want to be rude, that’s not neighborly.

Have you ever had any of these thoughts before? Where did they come from?

Were you following a ringleader?

Whether someone was trying to lead you astray or the conversation was going on in your head, you were most likely following the master ringleader, Satan.  He is continually working to get us to go against the authority of our Heavenly Father.

The first question we should always ask ourselves when we are tempted to go against what we know is right is, “Who is talking to me?”

Am I the only person who has thoughts going through their head every waking moment and sometimes when I sleep?

Where do those thoughts originate?

Sometimes it’s God, sometimes it’s Satan, and sometimes it’s our human desires?

As a Christian trying to live a life that is pleasing to God, our goal is to listen to God, not Satan, or our own desires.

How do we know it’s God talking to us?  We must know His voice.

How do we know His voice?

  • Read God’s Word, the Bible-I believe we need to read it all to really know the nature of God; that’s why I love the One-year Chronological Bible. Because it’s written in the order that the events happened, it’s much easier to understand
  • Pray-talk to God
  • Meditate-silently wait for God to speak to you
  • Analyze your thoughts-where did that thought come from?  God, Satan, or my own desires
  • Keep a journal-everything is clearer when you write it down

Just like the ringleaders in today’s reading Satan will ultimately be put to death, but until that day our goal must be to follow hard after God (Psalm 63:8) and run from the ringleader who’s desire is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

Heavenly Father, we don’t want to be deceived.  Give us supernatural wisdom to know Your voice AND to know our enemy’s voice.  Speak loudly Lord.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 27:1-29:40

Be Assured…

February 24, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Absolute Truth, God Speaks today, Leviticus, The Power of Words, The Promises of God, Word of God with 2 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 23:1 through Leviticus 25:23

Show your fear of God by not taking advantage of each other.  I am the Lord your God.   –Leviticus 25:17

What is the fear of God?  In this scripture the word fear is translated from the Hebrew word yare’ (yaw-ray) which means to fear, revere, be afraid; to stand in awe of, be awed; to fear, reverence, honour, respect; to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe. (H3372, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)

Can you imagine a world where Christians never take advantage of other people?

I think God is telling us, if and when we really, really revere, honor and respect Him, we will be different.

How many times have we heard God tell the Israelites they were to be different?  It goes back to Leviticus 19:18 “Love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord.”  I never realized this was in the Old Testament!

How important is respect to you?   

I think for most of us, it’s a pretty big deal.  It makes sense since we were made in the image of God and respect is huge for Him, so it stands to reason that it would be important to us.  In relationships, respect in key. We could rephrase Leviticus 19:18 and say, ‘respect your neighbor as yourself.’ For God, lack of respect from his children is a deal breaker. It ties his hands.

It took a lot of respect to purposely “not” plant crops during the seventh year (25:8).  God told the Israelites that if they did what He commanded (give the land a Sabbath rest) then they could be assured that He will send blessings in the sixth year, so that the land will produce a crop large enough for three years.

This reminds me of the only thing I remember from my college math class.  If, then conditional statements…

They’re used every day in mathematical word problems; they’re a huge part of computer programs but most importantly there are hundreds of these statements in the Bible.  As parents we make these statements all the time but we don’t always follow thru; “be assured” God always follows through.

The more I think about it, I think this reverential fear/awe/respect is the foundation of a deeper walk with God. 

If we really believe God is who he says He is, and He will do what He says He will do,

then belief, trust, commitment and discipline will follow.

I love the phrase, be assured!  Friends this is just one more reason to be combing through every Word of the Living God.

If He said it, then be assured it will happen!

Be Assured, what God has promised will come to pass!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Leviticus 25:24 through Leviticus 26:46

Yes, No, or Let Me Check–Which One Would You Choose?

February 16, 2012 in 2012 Journey, God Speaks today, Leviticus, Numbers with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading: Numbers 8:1 through Numbers 9:14, Leviticus 1:1 through Leviticus 3:17

It has been a year since Israel’s departure from Egypt and it’s now  time for the Passover celebration.  God reminded Moses of the importance of following all His decrees and regulations during this first anniversary Passover.

Some of the men had a problem that had not been previously addressed in the decrees or regulations—

“what if we are ceremonially defiled from touching a dead body; does that mean we cannot celebrate Passover?”

They came to Moses with this question, “why should we be prevented from presenting the Lord’s offering at the proper time with the rest of the Israelites?” –Numbers 9:1-8

Moses had three options:

  1.  Say, “No!”  After all, God had already given all the rules and regulations; if He did not mention this situation, the answer must be no.
  2. Say “Yes!”  After all, God had already given all the rules and regulations; if He did not mention the situation, the answer must be yes.
  3. Go  back to God and ask Him what to do in this particular situation.

It would have been easy for Moses to have chosen option one or two.  He made decisions every day, after all he was God’s chosen leader.

Moses did not choose either of these options.

Moses chose option 3: .  He told the men to wait until he received instructions from the Lord (verse 8).

From everything I have read it seems that Moses had more conversations with God than anyone else in the Bible.   Yet Moses didn’t take a chance and assume He knew God’s thoughts.

It would have been easy for Moses to have said…

  • “I’m too busy to wait on God!”
  • I’ll make a decision and ask God to bless it later
  • God has answered similar questions a certain way in the past so I’m sure of what His answer will be today
  • If I don’t give an answer I will not look like a strong leader

Maybe the reason Moses didn’t take matters into his own hands is because he had done that before and it didn’t turn out well.  Remember in Exodus 2:11-15, Moses was tired of seeing the Egyptians mistreating the Hebrews so he killed an Egyptian and hid the body in the sand.  I’m pretty sure Moses didn’t ask God about this one.

Unfortunately, I have chosen the wrong option too many times to count.  Life works so much better when we ask God about everything.  Why would we trust our judgment when we only have a small piece of the puzzle—the present?  God knows our past, present, and future.  His advice is always the best advice!

Let’s choose option three—Lord, I’m not moving until I get your instructions!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Reading:  Leviticus 4:1 through Leviticus 6:30

A Heart-Shaped Cloud–Exodus 40:34-38

February 14, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Exodus, God Speaks today, Holy Spirit, The Awesomeness of God with 5 Comments


Today’s Scripture: Exodus 39:32-40:38; Numbers 9:15-23

Once again (Genesis 1:1-2) we find the Spirit of God hovering over the earth.

Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.

Now whenever the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out on their journey, following it.  But if the cloud did not rise, they remained where they were until it lifted. The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it.

This continued throughout all their journeys. –Exodus 40:34-38

It’s so easy to read something in the Word of God and zoom right past it, but today the image of the Spirit-filled cloud lingered in my mind. It made me think of an early morning fog on an almost spring day.

In the South we have a lot of foggy evenings and early mornings, especially this time of year.  I live about a 100 yards from the bay; it’s amazing to watch the fog roll in and settle in the trees between our house and the water.  If you stay outside for more than a minute you can actually feel the mist from the fog.

I wonder…

  • If the cloud of the Spirit of God was like the misty fog rolling in across the bay?
  • If the Israelites could feel the of Presence of God as He hovered over the camp?
  • If the Israelites saw God’s Spirit hovering over them as a sign of His love?
  • If the Israelites took God’s presence for granted?

Can we have the Spirit of God hovering over us today?

And I (Jesus) will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. –John 14:16-17

New Testament Christ Followers have it so much better than the Israelites.  We have the Spirit of God in us, not just hovering over us.

But there is a problem.

It’s easier to follow something tangible like a cloud than to get quiet enough to listen and wait for the Spirit of God within us to direct us.

No wonder Satan, the enemy of God, works so hard to keep us mentally engaged with the things of the world; he doesn’t want us to get quiet enough to hear the “still, small voice” of the Living God.

What is God saying to you today?

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Love.  Thank You for making a way for me, a sinful, ordinary human being to know the love of my amazing God, Creator, Savior, and soon coming King!  Lord, speak to me today; show me Your way. Holy Spirit thank You for going with me on all my journeys.

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture: Numbers 7:1-89

The Finger of God–Exodus 31:18

February 10, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Christian Living, Exodus, God Speaks today, Holiness, The Promises of God with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Exodus 29:1 through Exodus 31:18

There were several amazing things in today’s reading…

  • God started talking to Moses in Exodus 25:1 and didn’t stop until Exodus 31:18 (Thanks to my hubby for pointing  this out!)
  • It was important to God that His priests were set apart in dress and ceremonial activities. –Exodus 29:1-37
  • God wanted to be with his creation:  “…there I will meet with you and speak with you.  I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence.  Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.  Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the Lord their God.  I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them.  I am the Lord their God.”  –Exodus 29:42b-46
  • In the Old Covenant each male Israelite was required to pay a ransom to get the Lord’s attention and purify their lives.  In the New Covenant, Jesus paid the ransom for us. –Matt. 20:28
  • God specifically chose Bezalel and filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts (Exodus 31:2).  Here’s a perfect example that shows ‘God qualifies who He calls’.
  • God knew that two heads were better than one and that it was important to know who was in charge, so he appointed Oholiab to be Bezalel’s assistant.
  • God made it clear that the plans had already been drawn and they were to be followed “exactly”.  They weren’t the design team; they were the implementation team.  –Exodus 31:11b
  • Setting aside a day to honor the Lord and be refreshed was a really big deal to Him. –Exodus 31:12
  • The covenant was written on two stone tablets by the finger of God! –Exodus 31:18

My eyes are filled with tears as I let the reality of Exodus 29:42-46 soak into my spirit.  God built the Tabernacle  because He wanted to be with his creation.  It makes me think back to Exodus 20:19, when the Israelites said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen.  But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”  As a parent I think about how God must have felt— my children don’t want to talk to me…I don’t know how God felt about it, but it makes me sad.  He wanted to be their God, He wanted to live among them and he wanted them to know that He was their God.  God wanted a relationship.  This is as true today as it was in Exodus 20—God wants to be our God and He wants us to know that He is our God!

Father God, write your Word on our hearts with Your finger!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Exodus 32:1 through Exodus 34:35

Lord, Can You Talk to Me Like Moses? Exodus 27:8

February 9, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Exodus, God Speaks today with 1 Comment

Today’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 25:1-28:43

Heavenly Father,

As I read Your detailed instructions for building Your Holy Place I couldn’t help but think, “I wish the Lord would give me those kind of instructions for my life.”

  • Turn left here
  • Say yes to that opportunity
  • No is definitely the answer to that question
  • Don’t do it, danger ahead!
  • Stop!
  • Go!
  • Yes!
  • No!
  • Wait!

As soon as the words walked through my mind, it was as if God said, “Dianne, I do give you those kinds of instructions.”

“My Word is your instruction book.”  “My Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit.”

If…

you go to the mountain.” (Exodus 25:40, Exodus 26:30, Exodus 27:8)

Heavenly Father, help us to “go to the mountain” each day to worship You and to get instructions for the day.  Help us to understand that daily time spent in Your Word, meditating on Your blessings, talking about the things that trouble us, asking for Your guidance and recording our thoughts as we spend time with You is just like Moses’ time spent on the mountain.

Lord, speak to us today!

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 29:1-31:18

Which One Would You Choose? –Exodus 20:19

February 8, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Christian Living, Exodus, God Speaks today, Prayer, Word of God with 3 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Exodus 22:16 through Exodus 24:18

As I read today’s reading, I thought it was very interesting that the Israelites did not want God to speak directly to them (Exodus 20:19).  This was right after God gave the people the Ten Commandments.  I wonder how different things would have been if the Israelites would have chosen to hear directly from God.  I see a similarity in today’s world.  If there were two options to being a Christ follower and you could choose, which one would you pick?

  1. Be in constant communication with God so that you know His ways, His thoughts, His Word and His desires
  2. Get a onetime list of all the dos and don’ts and follow that list each day

The Israelites definitely chose option 2. I think they thought it was the easiest way. But before we’re too hard on the Israelites, don’t many of us just want to go to church on Sundays and have the pastor “hear from God” and give us an executive summary. Let’s go one step further, don’t we sometimes want a pastor, teacher, friend or even a stranger to pray for us or someone we love, before we even whisper a prayer to God for ourselves.

Dear Lord help us to never settle for a second-hand experience with you!  Holy Spirit, draw us to your Word each day!  Jesus, Make us more like you!  Amen and Amen!

Here is my favorite rule in today’s reading:  “Take no bribes, for a bribe makes you ignore something that you clearly see.  A bribe makes even a righteous person twist the  truth.”   ~Exodus 23:8

Could we open the Bible to this page and have all of our politicians swear to live by this scripture?  **I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t resist  :-)

Have an Amazing Week!  Let’s Have a First-hand Experience with God!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow Scripture Reading:  Exodus 25:1 through Exodus 28:43

Stand Still…No, Get Moving!

February 5, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, Exodus, Faith, God Speaks today, Word of God with 0 Comments

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Exodus 13:1 through Exodus 15:27

Moses told the people “Don’t be afraid.  Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today.  The Egyptians you see today will never been seen again.  The Lord himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm.” –Ex. 14:13-14

The very next sentence…

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?  Tell the people to get moving!” –Ex. 14:15

There is a time to stand still and stay calm.

AND

There is a time to get moving.

I wonder when we get to heaven and ask God some of our “why” questions if He will say, “the problem was, you wouldn’t get moving!”

Maybe when we are scared to death and begging God to fix the problem, heal our child, save our marriage, restore our health, sell the house, or put some money in our account; we should be asking, “God, what do you want me to do?” “How do you want me to get moving?”

Don’t get me wrong, our God answers prayer.  I could keep you here for hours testifying to that fact from my “God” experiences.

Maybe, it’s both/and kind of thing.

Maybe, we need to pray like everything depends on God and “get moving” like it all depends on us!

A few additional highlights from today’s reading:

  • It was really important to God that the future generations knew about the rescue from Egypt (Exodus 13:8, 13:14)
  • When the people of Israel saw the mighty power that the Lord had unleashed against the Egyptians they were filled with awe before him.  They put their faith in the Lord and in his servant Moses.  (Exodus 14:31)

Just like many of  us (I’m at the front of the line) they were singing the right song on the wrong side of the sea.

It’s not faith when we believe after the miracle!

  • God gave Israel a standard to test their faithfulness to Him:

If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in  His sight, obeying His commands and keeping all His decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you. –Exodus 15:26

Lord, show us how this applies to my life today!

Dear Heavenly Father, there is so much wisdom in today’s scripture…

Word of God Speak…

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Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 16:1 through Exodus 19:25

If Only There Were a Mediator–Job 9:33

January 21, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Believing God in the Hard Times, God Speaks today, Job, The Awesomeness of God with 2 Comments

In today’s reading we see that Job’s second friend Bildad is basically a repeat performance of Eliphaz, except now he is attacking Job’s children (8:4).  But today I focused more on Job’s response than his Pharisaic friends. I was struck by the fact that Job knew God.  I mean he really knew Him.  Verse after verse Job describes the attributes of God.  Then I begin to question, how did Job get to know God Almighty at such depth, when there was no Bible at that time?

Today’s Scripture Reading:  Job 8:1 through Job 11:20

I think one way Job knew God was he “visited” with Him through stargazing.  In Chapter 9 verses 9 and 10, Job talks about the stars and the constellations.  The magnitude of the heavens caused Job to say “He (God) does great things too marvelous to understand.  He performs countless miracles.”

Last night my Husband Harry and I were outside “stargazing”.  It was a beautiful night, the stars were bright and each one seemed to have its own special attributes.  My thoughts always go to God when I look at the stars.

Taking the time to stare at the sky really puts you in your place.  You realize that the stars look like a dot but they are huge and you look huge but you’re really just a dot! I can just imagine Job sitting outside on a starry night and watching the sky, looking for God and saying, “Yet when he comes near, I cannot see him.  When he moves by, I do not see Him go (9:11).”

I have to say one more thing about star-gazing; it takes time.  We have to pull ourselves away from the noise of life and be quiet to get to know God. Whether, it’s looking at stars, enjoying nature, or reading the Bible and praying; it takes effort to know Him.  I’m so proud of you for making the commitment to take this journey to know Him more!

Job was grieving, but he was grieving with the knowledge that the God of the universe was overseeing his grief and somehow his God was bigger than all he had lost.  Yes, he questioned God; because he knew God knew the answers.  There’s comfort in that.  If Job had believed in the “Big Bang Theory” and not God, where could he have gone with his questions?

Job knew his limits:  “God is not a mortal like me, so I cannot argue with him or take him to trial (9:32).”  Even so, Job wanted to get closer:  “If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together (9:33).”  This is huge.  This cry of Job for a mediator was answered when Jesus Christ came to earth:

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

Jesus Christ, whom Job knew nothing about, would come and be exactly what he requested, our mediator.  S-T-O-P and let the impact of this thought permeate you—Job, knew he needed a Savior, a connector to God the Father; so that He could know God more–no one told him this, he just knew.

Dear Lord, thank you for answering Job’s request and giving us Your Son Jesus not only for the redemption of our sins but so that we could know You more!

Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Job 12:1 through Job 14:22

Where Does God Speak to You?–Genesis 46:1-4

January 17, 2012 in 2012 Journey, Genesis, Giving Our Best to God, God Speaks today, Holy Spirit, My story, Prayer, Priorities, Word of God with 0 Comments

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Today’s Scripture Reading:  Genesis 45:16-47:27

Does God speak to you in church? In the shower?  Through other people?  When you’re praying or reading His Word? When you’re enjoying the beauty of His creation?  In a dream? In the car?

God spoke to Jacob when he traveled…

For most of my working life I have been a road warrior.  Whether is was driving around my three-county area making Mary Kay deliveries or leaving town on Mondays and returning on Fridays teaching bankers how to sell; I’ve spent a lot of time in my car.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been driving down the road AND trying to write down something God placed in my mind.  I have been “off the road” for a couple of years and I really miss my time with God in the car.

With all of Jacob’s wives and drama, plus his responsibilities as a businessman, I’m sure he didn’t have much quiet time.  I know this is true in my life as well.

I guess the only time God could get me and my friend Jacob’s attention was when we were away from the daily routine.

It would be so much better it we could hear from God everyday.  I know, God didn’t speak that often in Old Testament times, but that’s not the case today.  Thanks to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return to heaven, He is now our constant intercessor, talking to the Father about our prayers and the Holy Spirit is our 24/7 direct line to Jesus.

Would you like to hear from God more often?  How bad do you want it?

Enough to stop and listen?

David Jeremiah writes in his book, “Prayer, the Great Adventure”:  Unless I’m badly mistaken, one of the main reasons so many of God’s children don’t have a significant prayer life is not so much that we don’t want to, but that we don’t plan to.  If you want to take a four-week vacation, you don’t just get up one summer morning and say, “Hey, let’s go today!”

Isn’t that how most of us treat our prayer life; we’re waiting to be “inspired” to pray?

I wonder if Jacob spent time each day talking and listening to God, asking for direction and guidance for the day?

Or… did he do like I’ve done for most of my life.  “Good Morning God, this is what I’m doing and where I’m going, please bless it!”

Satan, the enemy of our soul has sold us a lie, “The busier we are, the less time have to give to God.”

  • God doesn’t need our time, we are the ones who need His time.
  • The busier and crazier our lives get the more we need His discernment, guidance, and peace.

Martin Luther said it best:

“I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

Friends, it doesn’t make a difference where we pray, the important thing is to make time daily to be with God.  Let’s commit to one another that we won’t wait until we “find the time” to pray or until we get away from it all like Jacob.  Let’s make 2012 the year that we planned to pray!

Heavenly Father, forgive us for taking You for granted.  Help us to realize our need to spend time with You each day.  Please don’t stop speaking to us! Holy Spirit, teach us to make time to seek You!

In Jesus’ Name.  Amen and Amen!

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©2012, Dianne Guthmuller

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:  Genesis 47:28-50:26

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