Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. (Acts 11:19 NIV)
The building of the Christian Church begins with the apostles Preaching to the Jews. It was their belief that they were to change the Jewish faith from the inside out. They suffered far more than just a few slammed doors. They were pretty much run out of town after Stephen was stoned. And they weren't having much success preaching to Jews in the places to which they were scattered.
Oddly enough, though, some of them began preaching to the Greeks and other Gentiles... And they were winning people over right and left. New churches began popping up all over the place. God was doing a new thing! Once they realized this and restructured their ministry, they were unstoppable... Even in the face of persecution.
When is the last time you took a good look at the ministry(ies) you have been called to? Are you still getting good results, or is God trying to tell you to restructure... Or maybe even to move on to something new?
Often when our churches are enjoying strong growth and involvement, we know we have found God's direction. But when, a few years down the road things change, we keep trying to revive the old ministries with the old success and we only find disappointment. Even then, we keep trying, because if God led us there once, he will lead us there again, right?
Not necessarily. Maybe God has something new in mind. But if we keep insisting on beating that dead horse, we will never figure it out.
It can be hard to tell if we need to move on, because success isn't always about numbers. But there are signs:
Does God continue to raise up leaders for this ministry, or is it a struggle to find someone who reluctantly agrees to lead?
Are people still excited about the ministry, or are they just going through the motions?
What does God say? Have you been listening?
It might be time to find that new direction God has been trying to get you to see.
Father,
Give us the spirit of discernment that we may follow the new paths you have laid out for our churches, our ministries and our lives. Amen.
Joys: seeing Donna feeling so good; looking forte ward to book club and time with friends tonight; beautiful weather in January
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Authority
All the people were amazed and said to each other, "What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!" (Luke 4:36 NIV)
We think of being possessed by demons as a pretty old notion, don't we? Except for an occasional horror movie about denomic possession, we really don't think about it at all. We certainly don't give it any credence in our own lives.
But during Pastor Chad's sermon yesterday I had a small epiphany. Chad was talking about how the possessed man in the scripture reading had given authority to his demons, but Jesus had authority over the those demons.
What are our fears and addictions in our lives if not demons? And why do we continue to struggle with them, if not because we ourselves give them authority over us? And how do we get rid of these demons? We give Jesus authority over us instead.
We may believe that we have given Jesus authority over us, and we may have...to an extent. But in every corner of our lives where we retain fears or addictions, we find the areas in which we have not allowed Christ's authority to fully enter.
The problem is, we grow comfortable with our demons. We say we want them gone, but giving authority to Christ to drive them out requires change and change requires work. And so we continue to limit our lives by allowing our demons to control those portions of it.
Jesus wants authority over our entire lives so that we might have it abundantly. He stands at the door and knocks. Will we invite him in... Completely?
Lord Jesus,
Open our eyes to those demons we have grown comfortable with and give us the courage to give you authority over them and ourselves. Amen.
Joys: fun weekend with Cecelia; my precious Sunday school class;lunch with the family
We think of being possessed by demons as a pretty old notion, don't we? Except for an occasional horror movie about denomic possession, we really don't think about it at all. We certainly don't give it any credence in our own lives.
But during Pastor Chad's sermon yesterday I had a small epiphany. Chad was talking about how the possessed man in the scripture reading had given authority to his demons, but Jesus had authority over the those demons.
What are our fears and addictions in our lives if not demons? And why do we continue to struggle with them, if not because we ourselves give them authority over us? And how do we get rid of these demons? We give Jesus authority over us instead.
We may believe that we have given Jesus authority over us, and we may have...to an extent. But in every corner of our lives where we retain fears or addictions, we find the areas in which we have not allowed Christ's authority to fully enter.
The problem is, we grow comfortable with our demons. We say we want them gone, but giving authority to Christ to drive them out requires change and change requires work. And so we continue to limit our lives by allowing our demons to control those portions of it.
Jesus wants authority over our entire lives so that we might have it abundantly. He stands at the door and knocks. Will we invite him in... Completely?
Lord Jesus,
Open our eyes to those demons we have grown comfortable with and give us the courage to give you authority over them and ourselves. Amen.
Joys: fun weekend with Cecelia; my precious Sunday school class;lunch with the family
Friday, January 27, 2012
Learn Something New
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:21, 22 NIV)
It's hard to hear God's voice when we think we already know it all. Maybe we've attended the same church regularly all our lives, or we've read the bible cover to cover a couple of times. Maybe we have a pastor in the family or been to seminary ourselves. Whatever the case, there are many things that might cause us to believe we have heard all that needs to be said about God and Jesus Christ. We know we still need to worship and work to apply our knowledge, but is there really anything else to know?
God always has new things to teach us because he is always doing new things! But we have to give him our ear. We have to be willing to hear something new even if it challenges what we always thought to be true.
In order to learn new things we have to have open and teachable hearts. We have to be willing to admit that we don't know everything and that perhaps some of what we think we know may be wrong. The best place to start allowing God to teach us is with the Bible. Praying through the Scriptures is a wonderful technique to hear God speak. You can find instructions for this here: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2008/09/How-to-Pray-the-Bible.aspx
Make it your goal to learn something new from God this Lent.
Father,
Keep us from the prideful belief that we know all we need to know about you. Open our hearts to your teaching. Amen.
Joys: getting a a good start on a project for Lent; looking forward to seeing Cecelia; Friday!
It's hard to hear God's voice when we think we already know it all. Maybe we've attended the same church regularly all our lives, or we've read the bible cover to cover a couple of times. Maybe we have a pastor in the family or been to seminary ourselves. Whatever the case, there are many things that might cause us to believe we have heard all that needs to be said about God and Jesus Christ. We know we still need to worship and work to apply our knowledge, but is there really anything else to know?
God always has new things to teach us because he is always doing new things! But we have to give him our ear. We have to be willing to hear something new even if it challenges what we always thought to be true.
In order to learn new things we have to have open and teachable hearts. We have to be willing to admit that we don't know everything and that perhaps some of what we think we know may be wrong. The best place to start allowing God to teach us is with the Bible. Praying through the Scriptures is a wonderful technique to hear God speak. You can find instructions for this here: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2008/09/How-to-Pray-the-Bible.aspx
Make it your goal to learn something new from God this Lent.
Father,
Keep us from the prideful belief that we know all we need to know about you. Open our hearts to your teaching. Amen.
Joys: getting a a good start on a project for Lent; looking forward to seeing Cecelia; Friday!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Self-Righteous Deafness
I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. (Galatians 1:11-16 NIV)
There is no doubt about it... Paul was on fire for Christ. Paul loved Jesus and he would not rest until everybody else knew him and loved him too. But this was not always so.
There was a time when Paul was still Saul and burned with passion for God... So much so that he was willing to kill those who did not believe as he did. Saul loved God and he really believed he was doing the right thing by trying to rid the world of these Christ followers. Saul was a Pharisee and knew the scriptures very, very well. He really thought he was doing what God would want him to do.
Saul thought he was acting righteously, but really he was acting self-righteously. I have no doubt that God tried to tell him in many different ways, but he would not listen. His self-righteousness made him deaf to God's voice...until finally God took away Saul's physical sight so that he could see the spiritual truth... And murderer Saul became our beloved Paul.
Paul is not alone in his deaf self-righteousness. We do it too. We find some scripture to support our argument and off we go... crusading for a god of our own design. We could memorize the Bible cover to cover and study the scriptures every single day, but if we don't take time to listen to what God has to say about applying them, we are in danger of becoming a Saul.
Saul believed the terrible things he was doing were right, and he believed it with all his heart and soul. It goes to show us that just because we believe something with all our heart and soul, it doesn't make it true. Ask God about the things you believe... and listen. Don't wait to be physically blinded in order to finally see.
Father,
As we fight our battles for your truth, please show us what is your truth and what is only our own self-righteousness. Let us always follow the path of love, grace and forgiveness rather than hate and vengeance. Amen.
Joys: a beautiful mountain hike yesterday; quiet time away from electronic gadgets; feeling refreshed
There is no doubt about it... Paul was on fire for Christ. Paul loved Jesus and he would not rest until everybody else knew him and loved him too. But this was not always so.
There was a time when Paul was still Saul and burned with passion for God... So much so that he was willing to kill those who did not believe as he did. Saul loved God and he really believed he was doing the right thing by trying to rid the world of these Christ followers. Saul was a Pharisee and knew the scriptures very, very well. He really thought he was doing what God would want him to do.
Saul thought he was acting righteously, but really he was acting self-righteously. I have no doubt that God tried to tell him in many different ways, but he would not listen. His self-righteousness made him deaf to God's voice...until finally God took away Saul's physical sight so that he could see the spiritual truth... And murderer Saul became our beloved Paul.
Paul is not alone in his deaf self-righteousness. We do it too. We find some scripture to support our argument and off we go... crusading for a god of our own design. We could memorize the Bible cover to cover and study the scriptures every single day, but if we don't take time to listen to what God has to say about applying them, we are in danger of becoming a Saul.
Saul believed the terrible things he was doing were right, and he believed it with all his heart and soul. It goes to show us that just because we believe something with all our heart and soul, it doesn't make it true. Ask God about the things you believe... and listen. Don't wait to be physically blinded in order to finally see.
Father,
As we fight our battles for your truth, please show us what is your truth and what is only our own self-righteousness. Let us always follow the path of love, grace and forgiveness rather than hate and vengeance. Amen.
Joys: a beautiful mountain hike yesterday; quiet time away from electronic gadgets; feeling refreshed
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Protecting You From Mayhem
God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NIV)
God is like an insurance company. You don't think so? Read the following insurance slogans and see if you couldn't attribute them to God:
Unlike insurance companies, with God there are no premiums to pay. Your benefits won't suddenly be cancelled after years of investment. You won't need to hire a lawyer to get God to keep his promises.
Psalm 46:1 would probably be God's advertising slogan if he were actually an insurance company: "God. An ever present help in trouble." Allstate would be envious.
Lord God,
Help us to put our faith in you so that we may live without fear. Even though our world may fall, you will stand by us. Amen.
Joys: Finally just going ahead and buying a Kuerig coffee brewer... Yum...so easy to try a variety of different coffee; gorgeously beautiful day yesterday; productive day at home yesterday and hiking today
an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1 NIV)
God is like an insurance company. You don't think so? Read the following insurance slogans and see if you couldn't attribute them to God:
Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. We live where you live.
You're In Good Hands With Allstate.
Have you met life today? Get Met. It Pays.
Gets you back where you belong.
Be life confident. Go Ahead. You Can Rely on Us.
Higher Standards!
Insuring Your Future… Today.
Taking care of what's important.
Ready for tomorrow? Make sense of it with Norwich Union.
Together we're stronger.
We keep our promises to you.
The power to help you succeed.
Enriching the lives of people we touch.
Give your child an advantage for life.
The Company To Remember for Life.
Take away the risk and you can do anything
Because Change HappenZ.
Helping your plan for tomorrow... today.
Get more out of now.
Protecting you from mayhem.
Unlike insurance companies, with God there are no premiums to pay. Your benefits won't suddenly be cancelled after years of investment. You won't need to hire a lawyer to get God to keep his promises.
Psalm 46:1 would probably be God's advertising slogan if he were actually an insurance company: "God. An ever present help in trouble." Allstate would be envious.
Lord God,
Help us to put our faith in you so that we may live without fear. Even though our world may fall, you will stand by us. Amen.
Joys: Finally just going ahead and buying a Kuerig coffee brewer... Yum...so easy to try a variety of different coffee; gorgeously beautiful day yesterday; productive day at home yesterday and hiking today
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Wisdom and Humility
On top of the wall Wisdom cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: "How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:21, 22 NIV)
Wisdom is a great paradox. The more you attempt to gain knowledge, the wiser you are, however knowledge is not wisdom. And th wiser you believe yourself to be, the less wise you actually are. Both Psalms and Proverbs extol wisdom and encourage us to gain as much as we can, but to be truly wise, we can never know if we have succeeded. How's that for confusing? How's that for making wisdom even more elusive?
Wisdom and humility must go hand in hand. we must be humble enough to know that no matter how much knowledge we gain, there is always still an infinite amount of things to learn. And we must be wise enough to know that all of our knowledge is useless if we do not apply it with humility and wisdom.
A wise peron without humility is known as a "smart _ _ _," and we know they are not well thought of! A humble person without wisdom is often seen as weak and ineffective.they are easily influenced by others... For good or bad.
So let us pursue wisdom. It will be a life long pursuit, for if we are truly wise, we will be humble enough to believe we are not yet wise and must continue the pursuit.
Father,
All the very best things you have to offer us seem to confound our minds. Help us to be truly wise and truly humble. Amen.
Joys: expectation of a sunny day for hiking; time with Daniel, Tracy and Cecelia; planning a family vacation
and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:21, 22 NIV)
Wisdom is a great paradox. The more you attempt to gain knowledge, the wiser you are, however knowledge is not wisdom. And th wiser you believe yourself to be, the less wise you actually are. Both Psalms and Proverbs extol wisdom and encourage us to gain as much as we can, but to be truly wise, we can never know if we have succeeded. How's that for confusing? How's that for making wisdom even more elusive?
Wisdom and humility must go hand in hand. we must be humble enough to know that no matter how much knowledge we gain, there is always still an infinite amount of things to learn. And we must be wise enough to know that all of our knowledge is useless if we do not apply it with humility and wisdom.
A wise peron without humility is known as a "smart _ _ _," and we know they are not well thought of! A humble person without wisdom is often seen as weak and ineffective.they are easily influenced by others... For good or bad.
So let us pursue wisdom. It will be a life long pursuit, for if we are truly wise, we will be humble enough to believe we are not yet wise and must continue the pursuit.
Father,
All the very best things you have to offer us seem to confound our minds. Help us to be truly wise and truly humble. Amen.
Joys: expectation of a sunny day for hiking; time with Daniel, Tracy and Cecelia; planning a family vacation
Monday, January 23, 2012
Immediately!
They immediately left their nets and followed Him. (Mark 1:18 NKJV)
Mark's gospel uses the word "immediately" a lot. A quick search gives 35 instances of the word in Mark alone. That's a lot of rushing around! The word "immediately" gives a sense of urgency.
Some reasons to use the word "immediately" might include:
A scary warning from my doctor might cause me immediately take better care of myself.
A loved one arriving home after a long absence would make me immediately drop what I was doing to greet him.
A toddler headed for a busy street would make me immediately run to pull her to safety.
Winning the lottery would be cause for immediate celebration.
I'm guessing that when the disciples immediately dropped their nets to leave everything they knew to follow this itinerate preacher, they must have felt a sense of urgency... an innate knowledge that their lives were meant for more.
What if they had been more like us? What if they had decided to wait until the fishing season was over and they had more time for volunteer work? What if they had at least wanted to wait until they sold their portion of the business so they had some cash for the journey?
Why do we need to wait until Lent to start better study habits? Do it immediately! Why wait to join that ministry you feel led to until somebody asks? Ask them... Immediately.
We can waste our lives away waiting for the perfect circumstances to really follow Jesus... Or we can see the urgency of the situation and just do it... immediately.
Lord,
Help us to leave behind our procrastinating nature as though they were fishing nets, and follow you immediately. Amen.
Joys: buying some clothes that fit better...in a SMALLER size;lazy Sunday afternoons; my cute little preschool Sunday school class
Mark's gospel uses the word "immediately" a lot. A quick search gives 35 instances of the word in Mark alone. That's a lot of rushing around! The word "immediately" gives a sense of urgency.
Some reasons to use the word "immediately" might include:
A scary warning from my doctor might cause me immediately take better care of myself.
A loved one arriving home after a long absence would make me immediately drop what I was doing to greet him.
A toddler headed for a busy street would make me immediately run to pull her to safety.
Winning the lottery would be cause for immediate celebration.
I'm guessing that when the disciples immediately dropped their nets to leave everything they knew to follow this itinerate preacher, they must have felt a sense of urgency... an innate knowledge that their lives were meant for more.
What if they had been more like us? What if they had decided to wait until the fishing season was over and they had more time for volunteer work? What if they had at least wanted to wait until they sold their portion of the business so they had some cash for the journey?
Why do we need to wait until Lent to start better study habits? Do it immediately! Why wait to join that ministry you feel led to until somebody asks? Ask them... Immediately.
We can waste our lives away waiting for the perfect circumstances to really follow Jesus... Or we can see the urgency of the situation and just do it... immediately.
Lord,
Help us to leave behind our procrastinating nature as though they were fishing nets, and follow you immediately. Amen.
Joys: buying some clothes that fit better...in a SMALLER size;lazy Sunday afternoons; my cute little preschool Sunday school class
Friday, January 20, 2012
God Speaks
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:1, 6 NIV84)
Don't you love when God uses the scriptures to speak straight to your heart...and you know it? We know it, because like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, our hearts burn within us.
Several years ago I was feeling very conflicted over the death of a loved one who was not a Christian. I turned to scripture for answers and thought I would start with the verse that was the main source of my anxiety: "No one comes to the Father except through me." (verse 6)
But almost like a magnet, my eyes were drawn to verse 1: "Trust in God; trust also in me."
Those words, "trust me" just stood out bright and bold as if they had been framed in lights and I felt such a sweet peace. It was no accident that I had picked up that particular bible translation, because most of the others say "believe in me" or "have faith in me." God wanted me to know that I could trust him with the matters of eternity and I have been at peace about this ever since.
God speaks to us in many different ways. We just need to be willing to listen. But it's even easier to hear him when we give him opportunities... Like praying and then waiting in silence... Or opening our bibles to hear his voice through scripture.
God DOES still speak to us.
Father,
We thank you that you speak to us. Open the ears of our heart to hear you. Amen
Joys: YouTube video of Pastor Chad break-dancing on the TEC weekend; Chelsea's first doctor appointment... It's official folks, I'm going to be a grandma again! (more devotional material!; Friday
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:1, 6 NIV84)
Don't you love when God uses the scriptures to speak straight to your heart...and you know it? We know it, because like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, our hearts burn within us.
Several years ago I was feeling very conflicted over the death of a loved one who was not a Christian. I turned to scripture for answers and thought I would start with the verse that was the main source of my anxiety: "No one comes to the Father except through me." (verse 6)
But almost like a magnet, my eyes were drawn to verse 1: "Trust in God; trust also in me."
Those words, "trust me" just stood out bright and bold as if they had been framed in lights and I felt such a sweet peace. It was no accident that I had picked up that particular bible translation, because most of the others say "believe in me" or "have faith in me." God wanted me to know that I could trust him with the matters of eternity and I have been at peace about this ever since.
God speaks to us in many different ways. We just need to be willing to listen. But it's even easier to hear him when we give him opportunities... Like praying and then waiting in silence... Or opening our bibles to hear his voice through scripture.
God DOES still speak to us.
Father,
We thank you that you speak to us. Open the ears of our heart to hear you. Amen
Joys: YouTube video of Pastor Chad break-dancing on the TEC weekend; Chelsea's first doctor appointment... It's official folks, I'm going to be a grandma again! (more devotional material!; Friday
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Turn the Other Cheek
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. (Matthew 5:38, 39 NIV)
I read an interesting article on Living Lutheran about using nonviolence to transform society. The article states that there is the interesting possibility that
Rather than an act of weakness, turning the other cheek is actually asserting your inner strength... A strength that can only come through Christ.
Lord Jesus,
If we are ever put into the position of having to assert our strength for social or political change, give us the strength to do so nonviolently, through you who strengthens each of us. Amen.
Joys: homemade soup; smell of coffee brewing; Richard's daily phone call
I read an interesting article on Living Lutheran about using nonviolence to transform society. The article states that there is the interesting possibility that
The social change that has the most potential for lasting transformation can only come through nonviolence. And often, the training in nonviolence comes from religious traditions.We normally look upon "turning the other cheek" as weak or as humiliating. We believe it is allowing another to control us and to take superiority over us. But read this about the biblical reference of turning th other cheek from theologian Walter Wink:
Imagine if I were your assailant and I were to strike a blow with my right fist at your face, which cheek would it land on? It would be the left. It is the wrong cheek in terms of the text we are looking at. Jesus says, “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek … .” I could hit you on the right cheek if I used a left hook, but that would be impossible in Semitic society because the left hand was used only for unclean tasks. You couldn’t even gesture with your left hand in public. The only way I could hit you on the right cheek would be with the back of the hand.
Now the back of the hand is not a blow intended to injure. It is a symbolic blow. It is intended to put you back where you belong. It is always from a position of power or superiority. The back of the hand was given by a master to a slave or by a husband to a wife or by a parent to a child or a Roman to a Jew in that period.
What Jesus is saying is in effect, “When someone tries to humiliate you and put you down, back into your social location which is inferior to that person, turn your other cheek.”
Now in the process of turning in that direction, if you turned your head to the right, I could no longer backhand you. Your nose is now in the way. Furthermore, you can’t backhand someone twice. It’s like telling a joke a second time.
If it doesn’t work the first time, it has failed. By turning the other cheek, you are defiantly saying to the master, “I refuse to be humiliated by you any longer. I am a human being just like you. I am a child of God. You can’t put me down even if you have me killed.” This is clearly no way to avoid trouble. The master might have you flogged within an inch of your life, but he will never be able to assert that you have no dignity.
Rather than an act of weakness, turning the other cheek is actually asserting your inner strength... A strength that can only come through Christ.
Lord Jesus,
If we are ever put into the position of having to assert our strength for social or political change, give us the strength to do so nonviolently, through you who strengthens each of us. Amen.
Joys: homemade soup; smell of coffee brewing; Richard's daily phone call
Monday, January 16, 2012
I Will Follow
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." (John 20:21 NIV)
One small sentence that packs one huge statement! We know that Jesus has sent us to "Go out into the world to make disciples of all people..."...blah, blah ,blah... We've heard it hundreds of times... BUT, Jesus sends us AS the Father sent him. Jesus sends us IN THE SAME WAY in which the Father sent him.
The Father did not send Jesus to make a good life for himself. He did not send him to buy a big house or have 3 cars in his driveway. He did not send him to get a good education. And sadly, that is what many of his followers focus on as the main things of life.
If we are to be true disciples, we have a lot of reorganizing of priorities to do. Not many of us are going to be able to jump right in and be all that scripture implies we should be, but we need to start somewhere. We can start with trying to be more Christ-like in our daily lives... Loving who Jesus loves and serving like Jesus served.
At worship yesterday, our band offered a very fitting song... Listen to the words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02mOpdNDtY
Lord Jesus,
We claim to be your followers, but we are so far away from truly following. Help us. Amen.
Joys: lunch with the family; a room full of preschoolers in my Sunday school class; a fun weekend with Cecelia
One small sentence that packs one huge statement! We know that Jesus has sent us to "Go out into the world to make disciples of all people..."...blah, blah ,blah... We've heard it hundreds of times... BUT, Jesus sends us AS the Father sent him. Jesus sends us IN THE SAME WAY in which the Father sent him.
The Father did not send Jesus to make a good life for himself. He did not send him to buy a big house or have 3 cars in his driveway. He did not send him to get a good education. And sadly, that is what many of his followers focus on as the main things of life.
If we are to be true disciples, we have a lot of reorganizing of priorities to do. Not many of us are going to be able to jump right in and be all that scripture implies we should be, but we need to start somewhere. We can start with trying to be more Christ-like in our daily lives... Loving who Jesus loves and serving like Jesus served.
At worship yesterday, our band offered a very fitting song... Listen to the words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g02mOpdNDtY
Lord Jesus,
We claim to be your followers, but we are so far away from truly following. Help us. Amen.
Joys: lunch with the family; a room full of preschoolers in my Sunday school class; a fun weekend with Cecelia
Friday, January 13, 2012
Reachable, Teachable Minds
43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."-John 1:43
If I had to get a group of people together to change the world for God, I would ask people like Billy Graham, Bishop Hanson and maybe the pope. It only makes sense. We'd want people leading this change who knew as much about God and religion as possible, right?
But Jesus picked fishermen and tax collectors... People who probably knew LESS about God than anyone else. And that was the whole idea... Jesus didn't just come to change the world, he came to change our perception of God and if our perception of God is too fixed, we are not going to easily change our own minds, let alone the rest of the world. Jesus chose people with reachable, teachable minds and hearts.
Often our religious beliefs are indoctrinated through generations of tradition and teachings and we close our minds to any new ideas as heretical. But what if it is the Holy Spirit trying to introduce those new ideas? God gave us intelligence to use, not ignore. He invites us to find him even when science puts some of our traditional beliefs to the test... Even when our own critical thinking skills make us wonder about some of the things our parents and grandparents taught us.
God did not only speak to the prophets of old. He is still speaking to each one of us. He is still saying to the reachable, teachable mind, "Come, follow me."
Father,
Give us reachable, teachable minds and let us not fear new ideas, but test them against your word and your nature. Amen.
Joys: happy changes; a warm home; Friday
If I had to get a group of people together to change the world for God, I would ask people like Billy Graham, Bishop Hanson and maybe the pope. It only makes sense. We'd want people leading this change who knew as much about God and religion as possible, right?
But Jesus picked fishermen and tax collectors... People who probably knew LESS about God than anyone else. And that was the whole idea... Jesus didn't just come to change the world, he came to change our perception of God and if our perception of God is too fixed, we are not going to easily change our own minds, let alone the rest of the world. Jesus chose people with reachable, teachable minds and hearts.
Often our religious beliefs are indoctrinated through generations of tradition and teachings and we close our minds to any new ideas as heretical. But what if it is the Holy Spirit trying to introduce those new ideas? God gave us intelligence to use, not ignore. He invites us to find him even when science puts some of our traditional beliefs to the test... Even when our own critical thinking skills make us wonder about some of the things our parents and grandparents taught us.
God did not only speak to the prophets of old. He is still speaking to each one of us. He is still saying to the reachable, teachable mind, "Come, follow me."
Father,
Give us reachable, teachable minds and let us not fear new ideas, but test them against your word and your nature. Amen.
Joys: happy changes; a warm home; Friday
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Made By God
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. -Psalm 139:14
We all need this reminder from time to time. When we don't feel like we're good enough or capable enough or attractive enough or smart enough. Whenever we feel as though we don't measure up to others or to the task before us... we need to remember who made us.
God gives us everything we need to be who he created us to be. I can't do geometry? Oh, well... I guess that means God will not give me any tasks that will need that knowledge (for this I am truly grateful!) or he will give me that knowledge when the time comes for me to need it.
This Psalm doesn't only put me in awe of how God made me, but also of how He made others. It helps me to stand back and appreciate the talents and abilities and uniqueness of others without feeling inferior or jealous. Except, I'm sorry to say, in the case of those who have incredible singing voices and the ability to harmonize by ear. I will always be envious of them and their talents.
Lord,
You have gifted each of us with those abilities and talents needed to live the life you wish us to. Thank you for making me unique. Amen
Joys: The smell of coffee brewing; getting my 10,000 daily steps in even on a rainy day; getting some organization done on my PC.
We all need this reminder from time to time. When we don't feel like we're good enough or capable enough or attractive enough or smart enough. Whenever we feel as though we don't measure up to others or to the task before us... we need to remember who made us.
God gives us everything we need to be who he created us to be. I can't do geometry? Oh, well... I guess that means God will not give me any tasks that will need that knowledge (for this I am truly grateful!) or he will give me that knowledge when the time comes for me to need it.
This Psalm doesn't only put me in awe of how God made me, but also of how He made others. It helps me to stand back and appreciate the talents and abilities and uniqueness of others without feeling inferior or jealous. Except, I'm sorry to say, in the case of those who have incredible singing voices and the ability to harmonize by ear. I will always be envious of them and their talents.
Lord,
You have gifted each of us with those abilities and talents needed to live the life you wish us to. Thank you for making me unique. Amen
Joys: The smell of coffee brewing; getting my 10,000 daily steps in even on a rainy day; getting some organization done on my PC.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A Favorite Psalm
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 NIV)
Psalm 139 is my favorite psalm. It reminds me that God is with me even when I am not with him. This psalm always brings a deep peace to my heart whenever I read it or hear it. It came up in my prayer group last night and then again the first thing this morning in a devotion I read. It is God's way of reminding me that he is in control... His way of saying, "I got this."
It helps me to put my problems into perspective and maybe even try to take a little peek at them through God's eyes. When I can begin to do that I can feel the stress begin to melt away and I can begin to look for those beautiful icicles I talked about yesterday.
The psalms are a wonderful resource for comfort, strength and worship. If you don't have a favorite psalm, take the time to find one. Let it be your "go to" scripture every time you need to feel God's presence.
Thank you, God for being with me even when I am not with you. You truly never let go. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36V7ByKaGvg). Amen.
Joys: STAR prayer;a hike today!; Psalm 139
Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 NIV)
Psalm 139 is my favorite psalm. It reminds me that God is with me even when I am not with him. This psalm always brings a deep peace to my heart whenever I read it or hear it. It came up in my prayer group last night and then again the first thing this morning in a devotion I read. It is God's way of reminding me that he is in control... His way of saying, "I got this."
It helps me to put my problems into perspective and maybe even try to take a little peek at them through God's eyes. When I can begin to do that I can feel the stress begin to melt away and I can begin to look for those beautiful icicles I talked about yesterday.
The psalms are a wonderful resource for comfort, strength and worship. If you don't have a favorite psalm, take the time to find one. Let it be your "go to" scripture every time you need to feel God's presence.
Thank you, God for being with me even when I am not with you. You truly never let go. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36V7ByKaGvg). Amen.
Joys: STAR prayer;a hike today!; Psalm 139
Monday, January 9, 2012
Bleak and Barren Winter
You laid out the four corners of earth, shaped the seasons of summer and winter. (Psalm 74:17 MSG)
Generally speaking, winter is not my favorite season. It's cold... And often rainy too. The trees are barren. The grass is brown. When I got up to a cold Friday morning, the last thing I felt like doing is hiking. What is exciting about a cold, brown, bleak mountain... Especially after the spectacular Fall I had witnessed?
But... I had missed a few weeks of hiking over the holidays and Kevin had bought me some cool hiking gear for Christmas, so I dressed in layers and off I went.
Of course, I was so glad I went! The mountains held a lovely surprise. Although the day was warming up quickly, the waterfalls were still glistening with ice. It was as beautiful as it was unexpected.
Are you experiencing a little winter in your life right now? Perhaps things aren't going as you planned. Maybe you lost your job and are having a hard time finding employment. Divorce, health problems, or death of a loved one? Life looks bleak and barren?
Look for the icicles! Look for the things that happen in your winter that surprise and delight. They are there for sure. But sometimes when the winter cold gets the best of us, we don't want to venture too far enough into it to find the surprises... And we miss out on the special gifts God wants to give us.
Whatever your personal winter is like, go find the icicles today. It will warm yor soul to find them.
Father,
Thank you for th lovely surprises hidden within our winter. Amen
Joys: getting back into my weekly hiking;a fun Saturday with Cecelia; good worship on Sunday.
Generally speaking, winter is not my favorite season. It's cold... And often rainy too. The trees are barren. The grass is brown. When I got up to a cold Friday morning, the last thing I felt like doing is hiking. What is exciting about a cold, brown, bleak mountain... Especially after the spectacular Fall I had witnessed?
But... I had missed a few weeks of hiking over the holidays and Kevin had bought me some cool hiking gear for Christmas, so I dressed in layers and off I went.
Of course, I was so glad I went! The mountains held a lovely surprise. Although the day was warming up quickly, the waterfalls were still glistening with ice. It was as beautiful as it was unexpected.
Are you experiencing a little winter in your life right now? Perhaps things aren't going as you planned. Maybe you lost your job and are having a hard time finding employment. Divorce, health problems, or death of a loved one? Life looks bleak and barren?
Look for the icicles! Look for the things that happen in your winter that surprise and delight. They are there for sure. But sometimes when the winter cold gets the best of us, we don't want to venture too far enough into it to find the surprises... And we miss out on the special gifts God wants to give us.
Whatever your personal winter is like, go find the icicles today. It will warm yor soul to find them.
Father,
Thank you for th lovely surprises hidden within our winter. Amen
Joys: getting back into my weekly hiking;a fun Saturday with Cecelia; good worship on Sunday.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Happy Epiphany!
10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.- Matthew 2:10-11
Happy Epiphany! Today is the day Christmas decorations "officially" come down. I usually take mine down New Year's Day, but I think I'm going to be stuck with them until tomorrow.
Epiphany celebrates the day the wise men visited the Christ child. Tradition says three wise men, but we don't know how many. Tradition also makes us believe that they visited Jesus at the manger, but biblical scholars believe that Jesus was about three years old before the Magi got there.
I think the wisest thing about these wise men is that they knew who to bow down to... and it wasn't King Herod. What brings us to our knees? As Americans, we boast about not kneeling to kings and queens, and as Lutherans we don't kneel down to our bishops. The wise men instinctively felt the glory, power and beauty in the Christ child and it drew them to their knees in awe and wonder. They knew what many did not yet know... this child had more power in his little finger than Herod had in his whole realm of armies. They were truly wise men.
The magi are also known as the Three Kings. Here is a wonderful song to celebrate epiphany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e013hM0BRuA
May the Star of Bethlehem illuminate your new year all year long!
Lord Jesus,
We thank you for the light you brought into the world. Make us wise enough to know that to you alone should we kneel. Amen.
Joys: Getting back to hiking today; my reunion group; Epiphany
Happy Epiphany! Today is the day Christmas decorations "officially" come down. I usually take mine down New Year's Day, but I think I'm going to be stuck with them until tomorrow.
Epiphany celebrates the day the wise men visited the Christ child. Tradition says three wise men, but we don't know how many. Tradition also makes us believe that they visited Jesus at the manger, but biblical scholars believe that Jesus was about three years old before the Magi got there.
I think the wisest thing about these wise men is that they knew who to bow down to... and it wasn't King Herod. What brings us to our knees? As Americans, we boast about not kneeling to kings and queens, and as Lutherans we don't kneel down to our bishops. The wise men instinctively felt the glory, power and beauty in the Christ child and it drew them to their knees in awe and wonder. They knew what many did not yet know... this child had more power in his little finger than Herod had in his whole realm of armies. They were truly wise men.
The magi are also known as the Three Kings. Here is a wonderful song to celebrate epiphany: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e013hM0BRuA
May the Star of Bethlehem illuminate your new year all year long!
Lord Jesus,
We thank you for the light you brought into the world. Make us wise enough to know that to you alone should we kneel. Amen.
Joys: Getting back to hiking today; my reunion group; Epiphany
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Forgive
13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.-Colossians 3:13
What would you give for a pill that did all this:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Lowers heart rate
- lowers stress
- reduces hostility
- lessens symptoms of depression
- lessens symptoms of anxiety
- helps manage anger
- lowers risk of alcohol and substance abuse
- reduces chronic pain
- improves psychological well-being
- leads to greater spiritual well-being
- leads to more friendships and healthier relationships
Sounds like a miracle drug, doesn't it? But guess what... it's free! Studies have been done that show all this can be yours if you practice forgiveness.
Time and time again we withhold forgiveness because "they don't deserve it." But don't YOU deserve it? Don't you deserve all the wonderful healing properties that come with letting go of the resentment and bitterness you carry around? It has been said so many times, "Forgiveness benefits the forgiver much more than the one who is forgiven."
Martin Luther King once said, "We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive." Interesting. Forgiveness is something we must learn to do and then practice regularly. Once learned, all the benefits are ours. it begins with one small step... the decision to forgive. There is no better New Year's resolution. Learn to forgive and be healthier and happier this year!
Father,
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Amen.
Joys: Time to get Christmas packed away today; a little time with Kevin; the days beginning to get a little longer
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Trust God
Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. (Proverbs 3:5, 6 MSG)
I love the first few weeks of the new year...so fresh...so full of possibilities. We wonder: What will the year hold? How will I and my loved ones fare? But we know, with the possibility of every joy, good news snd delight also comes the possibilities of grief, bad news and disappointment.
It's going to happen this year just as it has in every other year... The good AND the bad. This is why I love this scripture from Proverbs and all the other passages like it... All those verses that tell us to trust God... Trust in the God who loves us... Trust in the God who knows all things... Trust in the God who will walk with us through both the good and the bad.
This trust takes the "scary" out of the new year and we can really find joy in the anticipation of the unknown... Because we know... Whatever happens... God is with us.
Father,
Help us to trust you more fully so that we may always face the future with joy and excitement. Amen.
Joys: a year of possibilities ahead; wise words that bring sound perspective; praying friends
I love the first few weeks of the new year...so fresh...so full of possibilities. We wonder: What will the year hold? How will I and my loved ones fare? But we know, with the possibility of every joy, good news snd delight also comes the possibilities of grief, bad news and disappointment.
It's going to happen this year just as it has in every other year... The good AND the bad. This is why I love this scripture from Proverbs and all the other passages like it... All those verses that tell us to trust God... Trust in the God who loves us... Trust in the God who knows all things... Trust in the God who will walk with us through both the good and the bad.
This trust takes the "scary" out of the new year and we can really find joy in the anticipation of the unknown... Because we know... Whatever happens... God is with us.
Father,
Help us to trust you more fully so that we may always face the future with joy and excitement. Amen.
Joys: a year of possibilities ahead; wise words that bring sound perspective; praying friends
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Creeds
Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. (John 14:11 NIV)
Most of us know - and maybe can recite from memory - the Apostles Creed. Many of you probably know the Nician Creed. There are other Christian creeds out there that we have seldom or have never used at Holy Cross.
Creeds are statements of belief. They gather the basic truths of our faith and combine them into a coherent statement of what we profess to believe. It helps us in a couple of ways: it tells ourselves what the church we belong to expects us to believe. It also helps us to examine our faith and it may even encourage us to study the parts we are not too sure of. Creeds are also a good way to let those outside the church know what we believe. Most of the Christian creeds speak of the very core of the Christian message... Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the birth, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ.
This morning, as the Christmas season begins to come to a close, I would like to share this creed I found in a devotional I read yesterday:
I love that last sentence: "I believe that I must be the first one to do so." I think that should be included in every creed.
Father,
Help us to really think about our faith and what we are expected to believe. Teach us to not be afraid to ask questions about those things of our faith we are not sure of. Amen.
Joys: a return to routine; exciting things coming for my family this year;a warm home
Most of us know - and maybe can recite from memory - the Apostles Creed. Many of you probably know the Nician Creed. There are other Christian creeds out there that we have seldom or have never used at Holy Cross.
Creeds are statements of belief. They gather the basic truths of our faith and combine them into a coherent statement of what we profess to believe. It helps us in a couple of ways: it tells ourselves what the church we belong to expects us to believe. It also helps us to examine our faith and it may even encourage us to study the parts we are not too sure of. Creeds are also a good way to let those outside the church know what we believe. Most of the Christian creeds speak of the very core of the Christian message... Father, Son and Holy Spirit and the birth, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Christ.
This morning, as the Christmas season begins to come to a close, I would like to share this creed I found in a devotional I read yesterday:
A Christmas Creed from Latin America
I believe in Jesus Christ and in the power of the Gospel which began in Bethlehem.
I believe in the One whose spirit glorified a small village,
of whose coming the shepherds saw the sign,
and for whom there was no room in the inn.
I believe in the One whose life changed the course of history,
for whom the kings of the earth had no power,
and who was not understood by the proud.
I believe in the One to whom the poor, the oppressed, the discouraged,
the afflicted, the sick, the blind and the leprous gave welcome
and accepted as Savior.
I believe in the One who, with love, changed the hearts of the proud,
and with his life, showed that it is more important to serve than to be served,
and that the greatest joy is in giving your life for others.
I believe in peace, which means justice among all peoples and nations
and love among all.
I believe in reconciliation, forgiveness and the transforming power of the gospel.
I believe that Christmas is strength and power, and that this world can change
if, with humility and faith, we kneel before the manger.
I believe that I must be the first one to do so. Amen.
I love that last sentence: "I believe that I must be the first one to do so." I think that should be included in every creed.
Father,
Help us to really think about our faith and what we are expected to believe. Teach us to not be afraid to ask questions about those things of our faith we are not sure of. Amen.
Joys: a return to routine; exciting things coming for my family this year;a warm home
Monday, January 2, 2012
Do Good
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16 NIV)
What a lovely and appropriate verse with which to begin the new year! Normally when we make resolutions they have to do with our physical health or our finances or our jobs... They tend to be inward focused. How often do our resolutions include doing good for others? How often are our resolutions about improving the lives of those around us?
Wouldn't it be great if we spent the whole year looking for ways to share? God has seen to it that the world has enough resources to go around. But it is his people that store them up or lock them away so that it appears there is not enough to go around. If governments and their people shared all the necessities of life no one would go hungry. Everyone would have clean water. No one would die because the didn't have access to needed medication. Everyone would be sheltered from the elements.
I'm not saying that we should redistribute the world's wealth... Not at all. If we simply shared from our own abundance, the world's needs would be met. It needs to start somewhere, so why not with us? Why not with those who bear the name of Christ?
This year, why not resolve to do one good thing for someone else or share something with one person each day? 2012 could change the world for the better.
Father,
Help us to be watchful for ways to share or do good each day of this year. Amen.
Joys: a wonderful few days with great friends at the beach; knowing that God can still make wonderful things happen even when we plan poorly; having had Richard at home for the holidays.
What a lovely and appropriate verse with which to begin the new year! Normally when we make resolutions they have to do with our physical health or our finances or our jobs... They tend to be inward focused. How often do our resolutions include doing good for others? How often are our resolutions about improving the lives of those around us?
Wouldn't it be great if we spent the whole year looking for ways to share? God has seen to it that the world has enough resources to go around. But it is his people that store them up or lock them away so that it appears there is not enough to go around. If governments and their people shared all the necessities of life no one would go hungry. Everyone would have clean water. No one would die because the didn't have access to needed medication. Everyone would be sheltered from the elements.
I'm not saying that we should redistribute the world's wealth... Not at all. If we simply shared from our own abundance, the world's needs would be met. It needs to start somewhere, so why not with us? Why not with those who bear the name of Christ?
This year, why not resolve to do one good thing for someone else or share something with one person each day? 2012 could change the world for the better.
Father,
Help us to be watchful for ways to share or do good each day of this year. Amen.
Joys: a wonderful few days with great friends at the beach; knowing that God can still make wonderful things happen even when we plan poorly; having had Richard at home for the holidays.