Greetings fellow travelers,
I must apologize profusely for my lack of postings. The holiday season has been a bit more intensive this year than in the past. There has been much going on around here getting my home ready for my sisters' arrival from my former home in Buffalo, NY (And No, there is not 6 feet of snow on the ground yet to trudge through -- YET!!!) There has been whole a lot of running and driving around for supplies. The weather has been more rainy than I remember and more than once I have found myself seeking refuge amongst dry places in malls, Big Lots and Home Depot.
Today's devotional passage is
Psalm 68:33-35 (HCSB):
33 to Him who rides in the ancient, highest heavens.
Look, He thunders with His powerful voice!
34 Ascribe power to God.
His majesty is over Israel,
His power among the clouds.
35 God, You are awe-inspiring in Your sanctuaries.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
May God be praised!
Finding refuge is not a concept that most of us relate to in the physical sense. We have our comfortable homes and vehicles and the freedom to come and go without restraint. The physical freedom we experience can sometimes hide the emotional need for refuge, until someone or something brings it all to the surface and we cannot avoid or ignore the reality of our need. It is at this very important point in time that our concept of God comes more and more into focus.
If we are not careful we can spend all our lives around the circumference of the circle of knowing God and never actually get to the center of it. It is easy to get caught up in the mechanics of living a Christian lifestyle and not truly understand what it means to take refuge in a Christian Life.
Focus on the word 'sanctuaries' in verse 35. Webster defines this word as "sacred, a holy place, as a building set aside for worship, a place of refuge or protection" The image is one of a church or other building where we go to find relationship with friendly faces or even God.
However, in this Christmas season when we await with growing anticipation the birth of the Christ Child, instead of the word 'sanctuaries' - substitute the word 'Manger' !!!
re-read the 35th verse ---
God, You are awe-inspiring in Your MANGER.
The God of Israel gives power and strength to His people.
May God be praised!
Now reread the whole Psalm with the word 'MANGER' .
Meditate on this during this season. Taking Refuge in the SANCTUARY of the MANGER which gave refuge to the Christ Child -- Emmanuel 'God With US'!!!
Merry CHRISTmas
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
finding your life - then giving it back
Devotional reading: Psalm 34: A Psalm of David when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.
A song of praise and thanksgiving to God sung by David when he faked insanity to save his life. He 'lost' his 'soul' that he would be sent away from the presence of man and so live another day. We prefer to lose ourselves when confronted by the ultimate enemy that even in our own great strength, we prefer 'flight' over 'fight' and run or skulk away.
Feigning madness? Faking temporary madness - and then singing a song of thanksgiving to God? This just does not sound like something to thank God for. I mean, if there was faith in God and in His message of "I am with you always"? Then why would you need to fake it to make it? Why would you feel the need to temporarily convince someone you have 'lost your mind body and soul?' I mean is or are there times when you feel safer being pseudo-insane? Do you feel safer being driven away from the company of mankind because you just cannot deal with what is going on in the circumstances of the moment you are locked in? Confronted by the enemy of enemies against which you have no sure defense or will to fight? Mother said there would be days like this. But so many days and all in a row!!?? I loved my Mom, but come on. What can happen next?
Unemployment? Disability? Foreclosure on home? Family in crisis through catastrophic illnesses or otherwise? Changing careers in midstream by necessity, not by choice? Raising children, Making decisions about caring for your aging family members at home or sending them to care facilities. Divorce, separation, death perhaps? Anything and everything that can loudly and proudly declare that the human condition is upon our lives threatening our very sanity. Life just seems to be ceaselessly cascading on us, and well, we just want to lose ourselves - get away from it all because there just seems to be one too many battles we must choose to fight.
The central questions in life - Why me? Was I born for this? Who am I that my Lord should choose me for all these 'honorable' and 'blessed' moments? What am I - God's pin cushion?
These questions are troubling until you find the answers that ring the truest for you. These questions can be difficult if not standing next to impossible when you have no foundation in faith - no image of the light at the end of the narrowing tunnel. Being human, we require a revelation of meaning in our lives far beyond the overwhelming pictures or images of crises.
What revelation of sanity do you need to seek? Are you seeking? Sometimes, we get so focused on how we seek the answers that we overlook just how intently others are seeking to help us out of the toughest of spots? Who could be seeking you at this moment? When you are confronted by the 'ultimate enemy' do you feign insanity? Feign faith in the love which died to save you?
God Bless
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Art of Serving
Devotional Reading: Matthew 20:20-28
The art of serving.
Wait a minute.... There is an art form to serving?
Wow, this is something I have to really think about! I know there are a myriad of art forms to painting a picture, to sculpting, to delicate embroidery and most every form of crafting there is. But to serving?
But what sort of serving aspires or inspires us to create an higher art form out of it - a Van Gogh or Picasso or Rembrandt of serving??? In our home, serving means serving a meal or a drink three times a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hardly believe that such simple things as these can rise to the level of the most amateur of art forms. I mean sometimes we use paper plates and plastic silverware. No masterpiece by any means you can think of. At Thanksgiving and Christmas we have guests for dinner and serve them dinner.
I can think of several different higher end restaurants me and Sharon have been to, even some of the finest ones we could afford, and the service has usually been at or well above standard. But hardly anything I would commission someone to put on canvas, sculpt out of marble or whatever other medium you can imagine. I would not even think of doing such a thing - probably would never even cross my mind to do it.
I recall our meal times on our honeymoon cruise. Four star dining rooms three times a day and one night a five star banquet on board the luxury liner. What an awesome experience. A fine dinner at a expensive, upscale restaurant yields a rich illustration of the meaning of service. With fine music playing in the background, You are escorted to your table and handed a menu of exotically named dishes you can't pronounce. Exotic foods, drinks, decadent desserts - you would never think of preparing in your kitchens. A waiter or waitress stands off to the side of a table. In formal white tie attire they wait off to the side of their tables, they are observing every move of every member of the dinner party. They are well practiced in their powers of observation.
They flawlessly take your orders, bring you your drinks. When a glass is half full, they are their to fill it back up. They prepare the meals to order and serve them on the finest dinner ware. When the last bite of food is taken off a plate, they remove the plate from the table and bring out the next course. A nearly seamless operation -- a fine tuned symphony of motion for the guests. When a diner gives even the slightest nuanced expression of need, the wait staff quickly discerns the need. They are highly trained to notice - and they seem to notice everything. They comeback frequently to your table to ask how things are. They pour refills of water, sodas, coffee with a big smile on their faces. If anything is not right, they are bending over backwards to make things right. They take their service very seriously and work quite passionately. In this way, I scrumptiously witnessed the art of service rising to the levels of a Van Gogh or Picasso painting.
That is the posture of a Christian who is called to be a living sacrifice for the Lord. We are to be "noticers." We are to be highly trained in interpreting the sign's of the Spirit's work, and we are to step into the picture at every slight prompting. Like the waiter or the waitresses, we are content to stand in the background, completely and intentionally unnoticed, blending in so we we will not interrupt the evenings natural course.
But when our services are required, we are to step momentarily into the picture - unobtrusively and only for a specific purpose. We are assigned to only one table for the entire evening. We exist for its pleasure.
That's a far cry from the lives of most Christians. We want to serve the Lord and our neighbors, but all too often we have our own agendas. Some of us do not stand in the background very easily, and others of us do not know when to step out of them. We can discern and react to the subtle signals of our spouses, a child's health, a bosses expectations, a rough-running car engine or an aging appliance, but we are clueless when it comes to the subtle working of God. Sometimes, we just learn too slow or tragically, not at all.
Like the wait staff aboard the cruise ship, we need to be highly trained and have the high desire to work. We need to enjoy the art of service - AND IT IS INDEED AN ART FORM -- beautifully and delicately preformed. We need to derive our pleasure not from seeing the items of our own personal agendas checked off, but from our quick, decisive, yet unobtrusive roles as one's who meet the needs of others. It is our calling, and according to Jesus, it is the way to greatness. We live to serve our God and all of our neighbors and each other. So ... this Thanksgiving and Christmas season be the best servants you can be. Many will be blessed.
God Bless
The art of serving.
Wait a minute.... There is an art form to serving?
Wow, this is something I have to really think about! I know there are a myriad of art forms to painting a picture, to sculpting, to delicate embroidery and most every form of crafting there is. But to serving?
But what sort of serving aspires or inspires us to create an higher art form out of it - a Van Gogh or Picasso or Rembrandt of serving??? In our home, serving means serving a meal or a drink three times a day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hardly believe that such simple things as these can rise to the level of the most amateur of art forms. I mean sometimes we use paper plates and plastic silverware. No masterpiece by any means you can think of. At Thanksgiving and Christmas we have guests for dinner and serve them dinner.
I can think of several different higher end restaurants me and Sharon have been to, even some of the finest ones we could afford, and the service has usually been at or well above standard. But hardly anything I would commission someone to put on canvas, sculpt out of marble or whatever other medium you can imagine. I would not even think of doing such a thing - probably would never even cross my mind to do it.
I recall our meal times on our honeymoon cruise. Four star dining rooms three times a day and one night a five star banquet on board the luxury liner. What an awesome experience. A fine dinner at a expensive, upscale restaurant yields a rich illustration of the meaning of service. With fine music playing in the background, You are escorted to your table and handed a menu of exotically named dishes you can't pronounce. Exotic foods, drinks, decadent desserts - you would never think of preparing in your kitchens. A waiter or waitress stands off to the side of a table. In formal white tie attire they wait off to the side of their tables, they are observing every move of every member of the dinner party. They are well practiced in their powers of observation.
They flawlessly take your orders, bring you your drinks. When a glass is half full, they are their to fill it back up. They prepare the meals to order and serve them on the finest dinner ware. When the last bite of food is taken off a plate, they remove the plate from the table and bring out the next course. A nearly seamless operation -- a fine tuned symphony of motion for the guests. When a diner gives even the slightest nuanced expression of need, the wait staff quickly discerns the need. They are highly trained to notice - and they seem to notice everything. They comeback frequently to your table to ask how things are. They pour refills of water, sodas, coffee with a big smile on their faces. If anything is not right, they are bending over backwards to make things right. They take their service very seriously and work quite passionately. In this way, I scrumptiously witnessed the art of service rising to the levels of a Van Gogh or Picasso painting.
That is the posture of a Christian who is called to be a living sacrifice for the Lord. We are to be "noticers." We are to be highly trained in interpreting the sign's of the Spirit's work, and we are to step into the picture at every slight prompting. Like the waiter or the waitresses, we are content to stand in the background, completely and intentionally unnoticed, blending in so we we will not interrupt the evenings natural course.
But when our services are required, we are to step momentarily into the picture - unobtrusively and only for a specific purpose. We are assigned to only one table for the entire evening. We exist for its pleasure.
That's a far cry from the lives of most Christians. We want to serve the Lord and our neighbors, but all too often we have our own agendas. Some of us do not stand in the background very easily, and others of us do not know when to step out of them. We can discern and react to the subtle signals of our spouses, a child's health, a bosses expectations, a rough-running car engine or an aging appliance, but we are clueless when it comes to the subtle working of God. Sometimes, we just learn too slow or tragically, not at all.
Like the wait staff aboard the cruise ship, we need to be highly trained and have the high desire to work. We need to enjoy the art of service - AND IT IS INDEED AN ART FORM -- beautifully and delicately preformed. We need to derive our pleasure not from seeing the items of our own personal agendas checked off, but from our quick, decisive, yet unobtrusive roles as one's who meet the needs of others. It is our calling, and according to Jesus, it is the way to greatness. We live to serve our God and all of our neighbors and each other. So ... this Thanksgiving and Christmas season be the best servants you can be. Many will be blessed.
God Bless
Monday, November 7, 2011
Delays ...... Delays ...... Delays ...... Wait for it ...... Wait for it ...... Ok, I'll get to it tomorrow ...... Maybe
Devotional Reading: Matthew 25: 1-13 - Parable of the Ten Virgins
My wife Sharon will be glad to tell you that I am bad at putting things off. It is not that I mean to do it, but, it just ends up happening that way. I will put things off to the last minute. I will keep promising to clean off the porch, pick up my dirty clothes, clean up my office. The list goes on and on. Without due dates or ultimatums, things wouldn't get done. Why are there delays? Good question:
1. Because we can not or do not create a sense of urgency.
2. Because it is just not very high on our priority list.
3. Because (and I hate to admit this) we just get lazy about it.
Being prepared is one of the most important things we can be. We make all sorts of preparations to do all sorts of things in this life and preparing in advance makes things allot easier and removes allot of the consequences - which I lovingly call 'frying pan moments' which my wife will not so occasionally remind me of by dropping a hint or two.
My latest effort at delays began about a year before we were married - May 2010 - when I promised her that I would clean up and clean out the room she wanted for her crafting. I promised her that I would clean out all my bachelor stuff - That took almost a year to do. Then after we were married, I promised I would bring her stuff over from her previous residence - that is still ongoing (moan). But thanks be to God for birthdays. And for her birthday present, I finally called in a handyman and had the room fixed up. I went to Home Depot and got all kinds of paint pallets for her to choose from. She selected her choice of colors and this past Saturday, we spent our time taping the room off. Now the next step is to actually go up there and paint the room as and when she always wanted it.
Sometimes in life we live for the deadline, and don’t take advantage of the present time. How many of you have had teachers who told you this assignment is due in three weeks so start working on it now? You spent the first week saying, ’I still have two weeks to get it done’. You spent the second week saying, "next week, I’m really going to get started." You then spent the day before the assignment due cramming at the library, furiously searching the internet for resources; working at lightning speed to get it done, complaining every step of the way that the teacher gave you too much work to do and did not give you nearly enough time to do it the way they wanted it. UGGGHHH
There is a danger in living for the deadline. The danger is, we don’t know what is going to happen in our lives between now and the deadline. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are smarter than we truly are. We want to think we can control the future - ours and everybody else's, but we can’t - and the frustration mounts up.
When you were a kid, did your mother ever leave on a Saturday and tell you, "I want this house completely cleaned when I get back." You intended to clean the house, but there was something you wanted to watch or some game you wanted to play, or somebody you wanted to talk to on the phone, so you did those things instead. But Daddy comes home first -- surveys the condition of the house -- Hand on hips he stares at you -- What did Momma tell you to do? As we waited till the last minute for momma to show before we got started - Daddy surprised us.
From our devotional reading - ten bridesmaids waited for the groom to gather up his bride.The text tells us that the groom was a long time in coming and the bridesmaids fell asleep because they became drowsy. For whatever reason, the five unwise ladies didn’t bring sufficient oil for their lamps. Perhaps they thought they would have enough time to buy more or that the others would share with them. But they waited until the last minute when the groom showed up at the last minute to take care of business. They were unprepared. They did not use their time wisely to be sure that all was in readiness. Prior Planning Prevents Pretty Poor last minute Performances.
These bridesmaids became tired, maybe time got away from them, maybe they fully intended on sometime going and getting the oil they needed for their lamps. I want to tell you that good intentions do not equal good actions. There are many people in the world who have good intentions, and you know that they say road paved with good intentions leads to, don’t you? I would be willing to bet that these bridesmaids were great people, probably great friends who were excited about the wedding; they just waited until the last minute. Perhaps they thought they had more time to fix their slight problem. This is a valuable lesson that we can take to heart and learn; we are not of assured more time before Jesus’ return. Many people are living the way that they are because they are sure they
have more time. They will change their actions later because they have plenty of time to make it right. They will be more faithful at another time; they will be more generous at some other point. Time is the one commodity we are not guaranteed. The real tragedy of this parable is the tragedy of being unprepared for something important.
We have to be prepared at all time to meet our Lord, and if we do not make those preparations we have to be willing to face the consequences of not doing what we were supposed to. The thing is that we are not left in the dark about what we are supposed to do, in fact most people know right from wrong, and know what God expects of them, but they don’t because they feel time is a luxury. Today, if you are delaying in making preparations for Jesus’ return than I want to tell you that you need to make those preparations. Keep your lamps filled with faith, hope and love.
I wonder what went through those five girls heads when they heard the shouting that the bridegroom has come. It probably wasn’t total thrill and excitement. It was probably a, “what are we going to do”, deer caught in the headlights moment. They realized that the time had come and they hadn’t prepared and they were not ready. It was too late; there was nothing they could do. When they tried to fulfill their duties - they were turned away!!!
Perhaps the five unwise virgins thought that their preparation really didn’t matter. We know that they thought they could just make it by anyways even though they were unprepared. Perhaps the 5 unwise virgins thought they really wouldn’t be forbidden to enter the wedding just because they forgot a little oil for their lamps. Many people live their lives like that, they feel that God will overlook the details of their lives -or they may feel that they will be alright because they are good people, but it just doesn’t work that way. I just got married 18 months ago and I can tell you the importance of getting the details right. The wedding is more inspirational to more than just the couple being married. Long term Preparation makes a difference. Planning the Details make the difference. For when you get married, Your memories will make the difference in the lives you will both live together.
God Bless
My wife Sharon will be glad to tell you that I am bad at putting things off. It is not that I mean to do it, but, it just ends up happening that way. I will put things off to the last minute. I will keep promising to clean off the porch, pick up my dirty clothes, clean up my office. The list goes on and on. Without due dates or ultimatums, things wouldn't get done. Why are there delays? Good question:
1. Because we can not or do not create a sense of urgency.
2. Because it is just not very high on our priority list.
3. Because (and I hate to admit this) we just get lazy about it.
Being prepared is one of the most important things we can be. We make all sorts of preparations to do all sorts of things in this life and preparing in advance makes things allot easier and removes allot of the consequences - which I lovingly call 'frying pan moments' which my wife will not so occasionally remind me of by dropping a hint or two.
My latest effort at delays began about a year before we were married - May 2010 - when I promised her that I would clean up and clean out the room she wanted for her crafting. I promised her that I would clean out all my bachelor stuff - That took almost a year to do. Then after we were married, I promised I would bring her stuff over from her previous residence - that is still ongoing (moan). But thanks be to God for birthdays. And for her birthday present, I finally called in a handyman and had the room fixed up. I went to Home Depot and got all kinds of paint pallets for her to choose from. She selected her choice of colors and this past Saturday, we spent our time taping the room off. Now the next step is to actually go up there and paint the room as and when she always wanted it.
Sometimes in life we live for the deadline, and don’t take advantage of the present time. How many of you have had teachers who told you this assignment is due in three weeks so start working on it now? You spent the first week saying, ’I still have two weeks to get it done’. You spent the second week saying, "next week, I’m really going to get started." You then spent the day before the assignment due cramming at the library, furiously searching the internet for resources; working at lightning speed to get it done, complaining every step of the way that the teacher gave you too much work to do and did not give you nearly enough time to do it the way they wanted it. UGGGHHH
There is a danger in living for the deadline. The danger is, we don’t know what is going to happen in our lives between now and the deadline. We deceive ourselves into thinking we are smarter than we truly are. We want to think we can control the future - ours and everybody else's, but we can’t - and the frustration mounts up.
When you were a kid, did your mother ever leave on a Saturday and tell you, "I want this house completely cleaned when I get back." You intended to clean the house, but there was something you wanted to watch or some game you wanted to play, or somebody you wanted to talk to on the phone, so you did those things instead. But Daddy comes home first -- surveys the condition of the house -- Hand on hips he stares at you -- What did Momma tell you to do? As we waited till the last minute for momma to show before we got started - Daddy surprised us.
From our devotional reading - ten bridesmaids waited for the groom to gather up his bride.The text tells us that the groom was a long time in coming and the bridesmaids fell asleep because they became drowsy. For whatever reason, the five unwise ladies didn’t bring sufficient oil for their lamps. Perhaps they thought they would have enough time to buy more or that the others would share with them. But they waited until the last minute when the groom showed up at the last minute to take care of business. They were unprepared. They did not use their time wisely to be sure that all was in readiness. Prior Planning Prevents Pretty Poor last minute Performances.
have more time. They will change their actions later because they have plenty of time to make it right. They will be more faithful at another time; they will be more generous at some other point. Time is the one commodity we are not guaranteed. The real tragedy of this parable is the tragedy of being unprepared for something important.
We have to be prepared at all time to meet our Lord, and if we do not make those preparations we have to be willing to face the consequences of not doing what we were supposed to. The thing is that we are not left in the dark about what we are supposed to do, in fact most people know right from wrong, and know what God expects of them, but they don’t because they feel time is a luxury. Today, if you are delaying in making preparations for Jesus’ return than I want to tell you that you need to make those preparations. Keep your lamps filled with faith, hope and love.
I wonder what went through those five girls heads when they heard the shouting that the bridegroom has come. It probably wasn’t total thrill and excitement. It was probably a, “what are we going to do”, deer caught in the headlights moment. They realized that the time had come and they hadn’t prepared and they were not ready. It was too late; there was nothing they could do. When they tried to fulfill their duties - they were turned away!!!
Perhaps the five unwise virgins thought that their preparation really didn’t matter. We know that they thought they could just make it by anyways even though they were unprepared. Perhaps the 5 unwise virgins thought they really wouldn’t be forbidden to enter the wedding just because they forgot a little oil for their lamps. Many people live their lives like that, they feel that God will overlook the details of their lives -or they may feel that they will be alright because they are good people, but it just doesn’t work that way. I just got married 18 months ago and I can tell you the importance of getting the details right. The wedding is more inspirational to more than just the couple being married. Long term Preparation makes a difference. Planning the Details make the difference. For when you get married, Your memories will make the difference in the lives you will both live together.
God Bless
Monday, October 31, 2011
Living happily as God's People - Created to Shine
Devotional Readings: Matthew 5:14 - 16 , Genesis 1:1-6, John 1:1-9, 8:12, 1John 1:1-7
Human Happiness -- sometimes these two worlds and words just do not fit. Being human and Being happy. Two completely separate states of being. Yes, we are all definitely human beings with the full array of human features - A head, Arms, Legs, Feet and so on. We have a heart that beats, a brain that does it's best to think and blood that courses through our arteries and veins to keep us alive. Yes, we are all 24/7 human beings.
Happiness -- Psychologists say that people need three things to make them happy. First of all they need something to do. Secondly they need something to love. Finally they need something to look forward to. I think Scripture agrees with this. However, to be truly happy and satisfied we must make sure that we are doing the right thing, loving the right thing, and looking forward to the right thing.
Everyone needs and wants something to do! There are a lot of things that we can do to make us happy, but if there is one thing we fail to do we will never be satisfied!
-I am happy when I go hunting or fishing
-I am happy when I go see a friend or loved one
-I am happy when I go to church and experience a good service
-I am happy when I have fun with my kids
-Fill in the blank for yourself:
-I am happy when I go hunting or fishing
-I am happy when I go see a friend or loved one
-I am happy when I go to church and experience a good service
-I am happy when I have fun with my kids
-Fill in the blank for yourself:
"I am Happy when I _________________"
-Some people are happy while they are high on life or on drugs, Some are happy when they are feeling low.
-Some people are happy while they are skiing, or snowmobiling, Some are happy reading books or doing puzzles.
-Some people are happy while they are partying. Some people just prefer to be happy alone in their own homes.
-Some people are happy while they are camping. Some are content walking the streets or living under bridges.
-Some people are happiest in the light of day while others are more content walking during the day and at night in the darkness (In Barrow, Alaska the sun sets in mid-November and doesn’t rise above the horizon again until mid January.)
In the very beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, there was only a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep (Genesis 1:1-2). The very first thing God spoke into existence: "Let there be light". The light was declared 'good' and it was separated from the darkness. The light was called 'day' and the darkness 'night'. And this was the first day (Genesis 1:5). And so life was created in all it's forms -- created that they may all shine.
The Apostle John tells us that Jesus was there in the beginning too. That He was the true light coming into the world (John 1:9). He shone into our darkness, but our darkness did not comprehend Him. John takes Jesus' identity a step further. He tells His disciples - He tells us - that we are also lights in the world. The One who came to shine uses the lanterns which are our lives, that He himself kindled by His great love for us at His resurrection. The light of our redemption was light by His eternal spark. We have a bright and holy purpose:
- 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
We are called to the awesome responsibility of being 'shining cities on a hill which cannot be hidden'. However, there is an even higher calling than that. We are to shine as lights because Jesus is the true Light. Our holy calling is to Reflect Him, to Display Him, and to worship Him by being the beacons, the lanterns by which He reveals Himself to others. Radiating Jesus is the highest honor we can give Him and the greatest source of life giving light that we can share with others who are defining their lives by their journey's through the darkness of a secular world.
Jesus is the Light of the world (John 8:12). This is something that early on in my own faith journey, I found very hard to believe. Even as my sisters preached these words to me so long ago when God, Jesus Christ were the furthest things from my mind, these words held no relevance to me. I was content to walk in the darkness for many years because darkness defined much of my life's circumstances and I my eyes became too accustomed to it. I can now look back in 20/20 hindsight, that I could never have stood in the Light of life because I was too pained up by the darkness. And I had had enough experience with pain to know I did not want anymore when I looked into any kind of bright light. Light is a wonderful and beautiful thing to behold. It is a miraculous healer - once you are bold enough to accept not just it's brightness but also the pain of it when you look at it first thing in your morning.
Consider your present and consider your future. We will be shining His light and reflecting His glory long after we are done with darkness of this world. It wont be because someone will need convincing; it will simply be because of who He is. Our shining is more for the sake of His eternal glory as it seeks to bring understanding to the present darkness. It shines the light of heaven into a dark and dismal night. It's warmth makes our lanterns burn brighter.
Do you reflect light or darkness into the world you live in? Do you reflect Jesus? Have you ever been able to put your darkness aside - even for a small period of time - simply to be like Him? There is no greater task. Our primary responsibility to those who walk in darkness in this world, as His servants and His children, is to show His kind of light to others. The Light of His grace. The Light of His love for all, the Light of His mercy and forgiveness, the Light of His salvation. To put on illuminate His kind of works, pray His kind of prayers, tell His kind of stories, and seek His kind of justice. All these things are to permeate everything we do on behalf of the children of His kingdom.
WHY? Because He is light, and we were created to shine. 1John 1:1-7
Gob Bless
Monday, October 24, 2011
Expressions of Love
"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach." Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Devotional Reading: Song of Solomon 4:8 - 5:1a, Matthew 22:34:40
I must admit to you that I do not often get a chance to read this passage of Old Testament Scripture. My wife has often encouraged me to spend more time with this Book. However, much to my need to confess one too many "maybe later's," I am finally getting around to it. Because for the past couple of weeks at church we have been inspired to consider expressions of our love for each other and our love for God and amazing God's love for us. Our spirits have been lifted through a simple and timeless expression called a hug - our hugging each other and God hugging us. I really love to hug and I 'm sure God loves to hug too.
You know, sometimes people just need a hug. They need that warm feeling of affirmation that says, "yes, you matter! That says "yes, you are loved!" they need to feel "hugged by God" in the sight of their family, friends, coworkers and acquaintances. From my experience, a small hug makes a big difference. When you have no other gift to give - hugging is the ideal gift. Great for any occasion, fun to give and receive, shows you care, comes with its own wrapping and, of course, is fully returnable. Hugging is practically perfect. Sometimes it feels so much better to express our love for each other as hugs rather than to put it into words. Sometimes it maybe better for us to experience God's love for us as universe sized hugging.
We imagine that we understand what love really means, and we are right; it is the best we have to offer of us. Yet, when I really meditate about it, from passages such as Song of Solomon, the Gospels and the New Testament, I come away with only the faintest of ideas what love really means to God who IS love.
Sometimes when we catch a glimpse of this cosmos-compelling love, we are often stunned by how small our own expressions of love can be, for ourselves, for each other and for God. Nevertheless, love is the chief "family resemblance" that we have with God (if one would dare to to put it like that!); the one who sincerely, unselfishly loves himself as he loves his neighbor is very near to the kingdom of God.
The Song of Solomon is a wonderful collection of graphic songs or poems affirming the goodness of physical, romantic love. The church has traditionally understood this unusual book as an allegory of the relationship between God and Israel or between Jesus and His Bride the church. For me, this book affirms that our relationship with each other and with God is characterized and nurtured by faithfulness and reciprocal love. And for me, their are few expressions of love that demonstrate these qualities than the simple 'hug'. A hug overcomes all boundaries. It speaks words within the mind that cannot be spoken. Helen Keller said "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart." Love one another as God loves you, hug one another as God is most certainly hugging you right now and you will be happy; it is as simple and as difficult as that.
Love is the main thing. All that God has done from the creation of the world until this day has been to demonstrate the love that God has for each of us. Is love your main thing? What have you done to demonstrate your love for God? What have you done to demonstrate your love for your neighbor?
Let us pray;
I love you, Lord. Teach me how to love you more today than I did yesterday. Show me which neighbors I need to learn to love more than I did yesterday. I want to honor You. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen
Monday, October 17, 2011
Great and Precious Promises
"There is a living God .... He means what He says and will do all He has promised." -- James Hudson Taylor (Founder of Overseas Mission Fellowship www.omf.org)
Devotional Readings - John 5:1-9, 2Peter 1:1-4 (message)
Imagine for a moment you are the lame man trying so desperately hard to reach the healing waters of the pool. For the past thirty eight years you have tried to reach the ever so near promise of healing, but have come up short. It seems every one else passes you by. No one tries to help you help yourself. What an enormous feeling of discouragement he must have felt. Time after time, year after year, he keeps coming back and time after time he encounters failure. My thought when I read this passage is Why? For what purpose, beyond the obvious desire to get well, does he keep coming back -- only to fail? Why not just camp out at the edge of the pool waiting to stick his finger or toe in? Or just plain give up. I mean -- the very definition of insanity is repeating the same action again and again expecting different results.
Is the guy crazy for doing what he repeatedly fails at? Or is there another angle to this story that we should take some time to consider. That angle is the angle Jesus is taking as He carefully looks at this man from a distance. What is Jesus meditating on as He considers the scene before him? Perhaps He is wondering if the lame man really wants to get better. Perhaps he is also considering the actions of those who keep moving beyond the lame man without the slightest offer of assistance? What lesson does He want the lame man to learn. What does he know about the lame mans heart that He can use to teach others of God?
He strides up to him and the next thing we see is the miraculous -- He speaks of healing and the lame man walks home.
Now imagine how you would feel if Jesus walked up to you and said, "I am sending you on a mission to live a godly life and to represent Me to your world? This won't be an easy mission, but I will give you everything you need to succeed. I will be there with you the whole time, but you won't be able to see Me. Never the less, will walk with you everywhere you go, and whenever you need anything for this mission - anything at all - I will give it to you. It is My promise to you."
Would you accept this mission? It is not a hypothetical question. You have already been chosen for this mission, and, if you are reading this, you have already probably accepted it and this devotion has served as an affirmation of a plan God has set into motion for your life. You have probably been searching for some sort of affirmation or promise from God that, if you followed through with what's been placed before you, His Presence will go with you (Isaiah 43:1-7; 55:10-13).
The promises of God Himself - very great and precious promises, we are assured that no matter what we run into, that no matter what we encounter after we take the first step - God WILL be there for us. Everything you need for life and godliness after the journey begins is available to you. The only catch -- And there always seems to be one of those things nearby too -- You have to know the promises, and you have to ask Him in faith to experience them to their fullest. Other than that, there are no other overriding restrictions.
Do you believe that? Do you realize that everything for life and godliness has been promised to you? Do you understand that every time we say we could not help ourselves, that we did not have the necessary resources or capabilities for the mission, or we always chose like the people who passed by the lame man, to keep walking on by for our own selfish reasons refusing to offer assistance, that we are deceiving ourselves and contradicting the conditions of His promises? The great and precious promises which are rock solid guarantees says that everything we need is already waiting for us? Pray on that for a while.
God's great and precious promises are like a forgotten storehouse containing priceless treasures waiting to be discovered over and over again. The treasures within it are mind boggling. The ignorance about them is likewise just as mind boggling too. There is a gap between the fact of the promises and our willingness to believe them. The promises are everywhere - and God invites you to count on them completely.
God Bless
Devotional Readings - John 5:1-9, 2Peter 1:1-4 (message)
Imagine for a moment you are the lame man trying so desperately hard to reach the healing waters of the pool. For the past thirty eight years you have tried to reach the ever so near promise of healing, but have come up short. It seems every one else passes you by. No one tries to help you help yourself. What an enormous feeling of discouragement he must have felt. Time after time, year after year, he keeps coming back and time after time he encounters failure. My thought when I read this passage is Why? For what purpose, beyond the obvious desire to get well, does he keep coming back -- only to fail? Why not just camp out at the edge of the pool waiting to stick his finger or toe in? Or just plain give up. I mean -- the very definition of insanity is repeating the same action again and again expecting different results.
Is the guy crazy for doing what he repeatedly fails at? Or is there another angle to this story that we should take some time to consider. That angle is the angle Jesus is taking as He carefully looks at this man from a distance. What is Jesus meditating on as He considers the scene before him? Perhaps He is wondering if the lame man really wants to get better. Perhaps he is also considering the actions of those who keep moving beyond the lame man without the slightest offer of assistance? What lesson does He want the lame man to learn. What does he know about the lame mans heart that He can use to teach others of God?
He strides up to him and the next thing we see is the miraculous -- He speaks of healing and the lame man walks home.
Now imagine how you would feel if Jesus walked up to you and said, "I am sending you on a mission to live a godly life and to represent Me to your world? This won't be an easy mission, but I will give you everything you need to succeed. I will be there with you the whole time, but you won't be able to see Me. Never the less, will walk with you everywhere you go, and whenever you need anything for this mission - anything at all - I will give it to you. It is My promise to you."
Would you accept this mission? It is not a hypothetical question. You have already been chosen for this mission, and, if you are reading this, you have already probably accepted it and this devotion has served as an affirmation of a plan God has set into motion for your life. You have probably been searching for some sort of affirmation or promise from God that, if you followed through with what's been placed before you, His Presence will go with you (Isaiah 43:1-7; 55:10-13).
The promises of God Himself - very great and precious promises, we are assured that no matter what we run into, that no matter what we encounter after we take the first step - God WILL be there for us. Everything you need for life and godliness after the journey begins is available to you. The only catch -- And there always seems to be one of those things nearby too -- You have to know the promises, and you have to ask Him in faith to experience them to their fullest. Other than that, there are no other overriding restrictions.
Do you believe that? Do you realize that everything for life and godliness has been promised to you? Do you understand that every time we say we could not help ourselves, that we did not have the necessary resources or capabilities for the mission, or we always chose like the people who passed by the lame man, to keep walking on by for our own selfish reasons refusing to offer assistance, that we are deceiving ourselves and contradicting the conditions of His promises? The great and precious promises which are rock solid guarantees says that everything we need is already waiting for us? Pray on that for a while.
God's great and precious promises are like a forgotten storehouse containing priceless treasures waiting to be discovered over and over again. The treasures within it are mind boggling. The ignorance about them is likewise just as mind boggling too. There is a gap between the fact of the promises and our willingness to believe them. The promises are everywhere - and God invites you to count on them completely.
God Bless
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Managing a God created in our own image
When we invent our own ideas of God, we simply create Him in our own image. Kenneth FW Prior
Devotional Reading: Exodus 32:1-8
While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law - which by the way began with “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth (Exodus 20:3-4)." - the recently redeemed people of the covenant were at the bottom of the mountain making a false god. Despite an overwhelming body of evidence that the transcendent God of the universe had powerfully delivered them from Egypt and promised them a land of their very own. With a promise like that in my hip pocket, I might just be a little slow in my effort to mess things up. However, the people decided that after a few days with an absent leader, the promise was just so much hot air and bluster. So faith and belief fell right off the cliff into a bottomless chasm. The God who had redeemed them with a mighty hand and an out stretched arm just up and disappeared; could not be found anywhere. So they did what we all sometimes do when God seems to leave us behind at the worst possible time to fend for ourselves - We create a new one in our own image.
That is the tendency of the human heart. We want a God who is always accessible, a God that we can see and reach out to and touch and even taste - kinda like Mom's best homemade Apple pie. And when the true God offers us Himself, "accessible" turns into "intrusive." We want our slice of the pie Mom made so lovingly - but we don't want Mom around to cut any of the slices for us or when we eat it. What we really wanted was a God who we could control and manage. God was okay as long as all He did was bake the pie. When you think about this, it is more comfortable this way. We don't really want God to lead us into the kitchen on His terms; we want a God who will bake the best Apple Pie and then leave it on the table for us to enjoy at our own convenience. We create an illusion of contentment, create an illusion of faith. It is a small price to pay for our autonomy, a small price we are willing to pay just to get our bellies full of Apple Pie.
But it always turns out to be a huge price, much more devastating than we first allowed ourselves to believe. We don't always factor in the incredible belly aches from too much sugar etc. We don't always take the time to remember the bland taste of Maalox or Pepto Bismal to settle our stomachs down and so on. No matter where we choose to put our faith - in our cast iron stomachs or God - no matter who we credit with knowing it all, it turns out in the end, that there is only one who does, only one who can deliver us from ourselves - and, truth be told - that is God. Truth is not a personal choice. Truth is true, whether we follow it or not.
We live in an age of relativism. Truth is relative. If the true God is too absent - or too present - for us, we will just make one that is most convenient to our circumstance. That way, our God can command us only what we want Him to command us. And we can follow Him only when it makes the most sense for us to do so. The people of the covenant made for themselves a golden calf and said "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” What shape would your own idol be:
Fill in the Blank: "This is my god, ________ O family of mine, who brought me up from the land of Egypt.
God Bless
Devotional Reading: Exodus 32:1-8
While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law - which by the way began with “You shall have no other gods before Me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth (Exodus 20:3-4)." - the recently redeemed people of the covenant were at the bottom of the mountain making a false god. Despite an overwhelming body of evidence that the transcendent God of the universe had powerfully delivered them from Egypt and promised them a land of their very own. With a promise like that in my hip pocket, I might just be a little slow in my effort to mess things up. However, the people decided that after a few days with an absent leader, the promise was just so much hot air and bluster. So faith and belief fell right off the cliff into a bottomless chasm. The God who had redeemed them with a mighty hand and an out stretched arm just up and disappeared; could not be found anywhere. So they did what we all sometimes do when God seems to leave us behind at the worst possible time to fend for ourselves - We create a new one in our own image.
That is the tendency of the human heart. We want a God who is always accessible, a God that we can see and reach out to and touch and even taste - kinda like Mom's best homemade Apple pie. And when the true God offers us Himself, "accessible" turns into "intrusive." We want our slice of the pie Mom made so lovingly - but we don't want Mom around to cut any of the slices for us or when we eat it. What we really wanted was a God who we could control and manage. God was okay as long as all He did was bake the pie. When you think about this, it is more comfortable this way. We don't really want God to lead us into the kitchen on His terms; we want a God who will bake the best Apple Pie and then leave it on the table for us to enjoy at our own convenience. We create an illusion of contentment, create an illusion of faith. It is a small price to pay for our autonomy, a small price we are willing to pay just to get our bellies full of Apple Pie.
But it always turns out to be a huge price, much more devastating than we first allowed ourselves to believe. We don't always factor in the incredible belly aches from too much sugar etc. We don't always take the time to remember the bland taste of Maalox or Pepto Bismal to settle our stomachs down and so on. No matter where we choose to put our faith - in our cast iron stomachs or God - no matter who we credit with knowing it all, it turns out in the end, that there is only one who does, only one who can deliver us from ourselves - and, truth be told - that is God. Truth is not a personal choice. Truth is true, whether we follow it or not.
We live in an age of relativism. Truth is relative. If the true God is too absent - or too present - for us, we will just make one that is most convenient to our circumstance. That way, our God can command us only what we want Him to command us. And we can follow Him only when it makes the most sense for us to do so. The people of the covenant made for themselves a golden calf and said "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” What shape would your own idol be:
Fill in the Blank: "This is my god, ________ O family of mine, who brought me up from the land of Egypt.
God Bless
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The Potter's Hands
God is the Potter and we are the clay .......
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. JEREMIAH 18:1-10 NRSV
Scottish Minister George MacDonald said that God's fingers can touch nothing but to mold it into loveliness.
Do you remember when you took art class in Elementary School? The teacher would come around to where you were seated and just plop this wet glop of clay in front of you and tell you to make something? You would just kind of stare at it for a while and wonder "Okay, now what do I do this thing?" And you would just sit there and ponder for several minutes before you got started.
I never really got beyond the "ash tray" stage because I just did not have the talent or the imagination to create anything more abstract. Other kids in my class were going to town creating vases, jars, bowls and so on. They just 'dug in' and created something quite sophisticated and beautiful. I just created 'blah' and remained satisfied that I created something i could take home and give to my Mom and DAD.
For the more creative children, they were given the choice of creating more advanced items that allowed them to use spinning wheels and so on. They could create an art project that would eventually be placed on display at the end of the year at the school art festival. There were some really beautiful pieces made.
Today, we are involved in a lifelong art project called - life. We want our lives to turn out the best way possible for us, so we are consumed with crafting circumstances, people, work, and dreams to our own advantage. We plan for the best education, the best job, the best family, the best neighborhood, the best of everything we can think of, constantly trying to shape ourselves into the right form. Whether consciously or not, we are all very diligent craftsmen.
There is a Craftsman who is more skilled than us, though, and if we were to trust Him to shape us into something more beautiful, He would. After all, clay cannot really do much on its own. We try to make art ourselves, and we end up with only a slightly re-shaped blob of clay - not much to look at and certainly not destined for any gallery for display. However, when the Master Artist makes art for us, His work can be positively breathtaking. He has a gender vision of beauty than we do.
We are reluctant to relax in the hands of the Potter for one main reason: we forget why we exist. We assume that clay exists for the sake of it's own feelings or dreams. We focus on "clay esteem," "clay actualization," "clay fulfillment," oblivious to the infinitely larger purpose of our formation.
Clay really exists for the Potter alone. When the Artist is allowed to do His work, the clay displays the creativity of His heart and mind.
Are you allowing the Potter to do His work? Never resist it, even though there is no guarantee that it will be a comfortable process. In fact, it almost certainly will not be; if clay could feel, the bending, and twisting would likely be excruciating. The trials of your life are like the tools of the Potter. They gouge you for the sake of beauty. But the finished product is glorious. It has to be; it comes from the heart of the Potter.
God says 'trust in Him completely. There is nothing more beautiful than His artwork on display for all to see.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. JEREMIAH 18:1-10 NRSV
Scottish Minister George MacDonald said that God's fingers can touch nothing but to mold it into loveliness.
Do you remember when you took art class in Elementary School? The teacher would come around to where you were seated and just plop this wet glop of clay in front of you and tell you to make something? You would just kind of stare at it for a while and wonder "Okay, now what do I do this thing?" And you would just sit there and ponder for several minutes before you got started.
I never really got beyond the "ash tray" stage because I just did not have the talent or the imagination to create anything more abstract. Other kids in my class were going to town creating vases, jars, bowls and so on. They just 'dug in' and created something quite sophisticated and beautiful. I just created 'blah' and remained satisfied that I created something i could take home and give to my Mom and DAD.
For the more creative children, they were given the choice of creating more advanced items that allowed them to use spinning wheels and so on. They could create an art project that would eventually be placed on display at the end of the year at the school art festival. There were some really beautiful pieces made.
Today, we are involved in a lifelong art project called - life. We want our lives to turn out the best way possible for us, so we are consumed with crafting circumstances, people, work, and dreams to our own advantage. We plan for the best education, the best job, the best family, the best neighborhood, the best of everything we can think of, constantly trying to shape ourselves into the right form. Whether consciously or not, we are all very diligent craftsmen.
There is a Craftsman who is more skilled than us, though, and if we were to trust Him to shape us into something more beautiful, He would. After all, clay cannot really do much on its own. We try to make art ourselves, and we end up with only a slightly re-shaped blob of clay - not much to look at and certainly not destined for any gallery for display. However, when the Master Artist makes art for us, His work can be positively breathtaking. He has a gender vision of beauty than we do.
We are reluctant to relax in the hands of the Potter for one main reason: we forget why we exist. We assume that clay exists for the sake of it's own feelings or dreams. We focus on "clay esteem," "clay actualization," "clay fulfillment," oblivious to the infinitely larger purpose of our formation.
Clay really exists for the Potter alone. When the Artist is allowed to do His work, the clay displays the creativity of His heart and mind.
Are you allowing the Potter to do His work? Never resist it, even though there is no guarantee that it will be a comfortable process. In fact, it almost certainly will not be; if clay could feel, the bending, and twisting would likely be excruciating. The trials of your life are like the tools of the Potter. They gouge you for the sake of beauty. But the finished product is glorious. It has to be; it comes from the heart of the Potter.
God says 'trust in Him completely. There is nothing more beautiful than His artwork on display for all to see.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Promise and Paradise
Jeremiah 29:13-14
The Message (MSG)
13-14"When you come
looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding
me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be
disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.
Listen to this promise from the Lord: The Jews in exile would be restored back to what they had lost - The Land of Promise.
That is always the way of God for those who earnestly seek Him.
Job, after all his troubles, was given double what he'd lost because he clung to God and never let go.
Joseph was made doubly fruitful in the land of his affliction because he never lost sight of the God who was always with him, even in an Egyptian prison.
When God's people lose what they were promised - whether through their own sin or someone else's - and continue to seek Him where He may be found, the result is always better than the first. God's abundance never decreases the second time around.
So it has been from the beginning. Adam and Eve fell and were exiled from the Garden,and it is a long, long exile. However, God makes a promise to all those in this world who seek Him with all their heart: They WILL find Him, and in finding Him they will be restored to what was lost. And from what we know about God's restoration, the next paradise will be much better than the first. The Garden of Eden was only the beginning. The best is yet to come.
That is how we are to live in this world: as citizens of what is yet to come. Their is no grief, no sin, no problem, no frustration, no captivity, no abuse that cannot be redeemed, and the redemption will be more than worthwhile.
The Apostle Paul assured us that the glory to be revealed will far outweigh anything in our present circumstances; that (1Corinthians 2:9) "no eye has seen or ear heard what God has in store for those who love Him. We should work hard to live like it is our second nature to know that.
If we live like we know what is coming - with a smile of anticipation we can hardly suppress - people will ask us to explain the hope we have within us (1Peter 3:13-16). We can tell them of the restoration God promises and how to get in on the plan. We can introduce them to the God who wants to be found. We can end the captivity of many.
Listen to this promise from the Lord: The Jews in exile would be restored back to what they had lost - The Land of Promise.
That is always the way of God for those who earnestly seek Him.
Job, after all his troubles, was given double what he'd lost because he clung to God and never let go.
Joseph was made doubly fruitful in the land of his affliction because he never lost sight of the God who was always with him, even in an Egyptian prison.
When God's people lose what they were promised - whether through their own sin or someone else's - and continue to seek Him where He may be found, the result is always better than the first. God's abundance never decreases the second time around.
So it has been from the beginning. Adam and Eve fell and were exiled from the Garden,and it is a long, long exile. However, God makes a promise to all those in this world who seek Him with all their heart: They WILL find Him, and in finding Him they will be restored to what was lost. And from what we know about God's restoration, the next paradise will be much better than the first. The Garden of Eden was only the beginning. The best is yet to come.
That is how we are to live in this world: as citizens of what is yet to come. Their is no grief, no sin, no problem, no frustration, no captivity, no abuse that cannot be redeemed, and the redemption will be more than worthwhile.
The Apostle Paul assured us that the glory to be revealed will far outweigh anything in our present circumstances; that (1Corinthians 2:9) "no eye has seen or ear heard what God has in store for those who love Him. We should work hard to live like it is our second nature to know that.
If we live like we know what is coming - with a smile of anticipation we can hardly suppress - people will ask us to explain the hope we have within us (1Peter 3:13-16). We can tell them of the restoration God promises and how to get in on the plan. We can introduce them to the God who wants to be found. We can end the captivity of many.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Happy Hearts
Happy Hearts ........
21 Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
22 Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
23 O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before. Joel 2:21-23 NRSV
There are a lot of of hard commands in the Bible. This is not be one of them. Well, it shouldn't be one of them. The instruction to be glad and rejoice should be the most enjoyable command of all. If we ever need permission to be happy people, this is it. God's own Word tells us to.
Why, then, don't we rejoice? Perhaps we do not know why we, forgetting that God would not tell us to be glad unless we had a really good reason to do so. Or maybe we obsess about what we do not yet have, focusing on the half-empty part of our glass - or the 99% full, as it most likely is. Or perhaps we worry
about the future, not realizing that negativity is nowhere mentioned as a characteristic of Godliness.
Regardless of the reason, the command to rejoice - reiterated many times over in the Bible - seems unrealistic. But it is only unrealistic to those who ignore who God is, and what He has promised. When we refuse to rejoice, to acknowledge His Deliverance, His provision, His favor, His power, His presence, and everything else He tells us is ours by faith. In a sense, it is slander. We impugn His character by focusing our attention on the negatives of the world rather than on the positives of His Kingdom. We tend to forget that the negatives are temporary and the positives are eternal. When it comes to our moods, we have grossly misplaced our priorities.
Psalm 103:2 tells us not to forget any of God's benefits (a gentle rebuke, by the way, to those who do not think we should focus any attention on what God does for us.) Remembering His benefits not only encourages us. The fact that the Bible is very persistent in its instruction for us "to be glad".
No where in Scripture is negatively rewarded. Only those who look to God in hope and faith are honored.
Spend some time today listing God's benefits. Let yourself be glad.
21 Do not fear, O soil;
be glad and rejoice,
for the Lord has done great things!
22 Do not fear, you animals of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
23 O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before. Joel 2:21-23 NRSV
There are a lot of of hard commands in the Bible. This is not be one of them. Well, it shouldn't be one of them. The instruction to be glad and rejoice should be the most enjoyable command of all. If we ever need permission to be happy people, this is it. God's own Word tells us to.
Why, then, don't we rejoice? Perhaps we do not know why we, forgetting that God would not tell us to be glad unless we had a really good reason to do so. Or maybe we obsess about what we do not yet have, focusing on the half-empty part of our glass - or the 99% full, as it most likely is. Or perhaps we worry
about the future, not realizing that negativity is nowhere mentioned as a characteristic of Godliness.
Regardless of the reason, the command to rejoice - reiterated many times over in the Bible - seems unrealistic. But it is only unrealistic to those who ignore who God is, and what He has promised. When we refuse to rejoice, to acknowledge His Deliverance, His provision, His favor, His power, His presence, and everything else He tells us is ours by faith. In a sense, it is slander. We impugn His character by focusing our attention on the negatives of the world rather than on the positives of His Kingdom. We tend to forget that the negatives are temporary and the positives are eternal. When it comes to our moods, we have grossly misplaced our priorities.
Psalm 103:2 tells us not to forget any of God's benefits (a gentle rebuke, by the way, to those who do not think we should focus any attention on what God does for us.) Remembering His benefits not only encourages us. The fact that the Bible is very persistent in its instruction for us "to be glad".
No where in Scripture is negatively rewarded. Only those who look to God in hope and faith are honored.
Spend some time today listing God's benefits. Let yourself be glad.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Every breath I take ..... I take for .... who? Psalm 34
Welcome to those whose spirits have been drawn to this page,
"Let your first 'good morning' be to your Father in heaven" --- Karl Maeser (founder of Brigham Young University)
This mornings devotion is suggested by my wife Sharon. Sharon is working diligently on a program for a women's retreat weekend at West River, Maryland on October 14 - 16 2011. It is titled "Let go, Let God, then what? Listening for the voice of God. For more information, please contact the office at Hiss United Methodist Church 4106685665.
What would happen if we decided to let every thought and every breath bless and worship God? Imagine the result if His name were affectionately on our lips as we lay down at night, as we turned over in our sleep, as we awoke in the morning, as we went about our daily business. Would such a perspective radically change our hearts? Probably, yes. Would it change our world? It's likely. What if we were to start on a Sunday night after we had spent the morning at church, the afternoon and evening meditating on God's presence. Our last thought before we go to sleep is a prayer for a good night's sleep. Then upon awakening, our first thought is to say 'good morning,God!' Would it change your world? Would it change your family's world if they were to hear you say Good Morning to God first thing in the am?
Anytime in the Bible someone gives himself to worship, God does amazing things through that person. Blessings abound. God's work is done on earth as it is in heaven. What prevents us from such a pervasive sense of His worth in our lives on a Monday morning? Are our schedules for the week just too busy? Or does it go much deeper than that? Perhaps it is a suspicion that He has not been as good to us as Scripture declares that He is. Or maybe it is a subtle, or not so subtle resentment that he has not paved our paths with silver or gold and has allowed us to taste the bitterness of life's all too many trials.
Whatever reasons we can come up with, we should ask ourselves if a worship filled heart is worth the Monday morning sacrifice that we would otherwise give over to business, apathy, and disappointment. If we really want to get more than a small vision of God working in and around us, we should never claim to be too busy. We would never be too apathetic, we could never be disappointed with His will for us. We would likely have a far better understanding that underlying everything we go through and every responsibility we are given is the loving hand of a God who is leading us closer to Him. The end result is a greater blessing than any earthbound human can imagine.
Our understanding of worship may need a major restructuring. The daily devotional, if practiced at all, usually gets a few minutes of early morning energy or late night exhaustion, and weekend worship services have tended far more toward performances that we watch or rituals that we mindlessly repeat such as arriving on "church" time (five or ten minutes late), and then watching the clock to be sure the worship leader gets us out on time so we can eat.
"Let your first 'good morning' be to your Father in heaven" --- Karl Maeser (founder of Brigham Young University)
This mornings devotion is suggested by my wife Sharon. Sharon is working diligently on a program for a women's retreat weekend at West River, Maryland on October 14 - 16 2011. It is titled "Let go, Let God, then what? Listening for the voice of God. For more information, please contact the office at Hiss United Methodist Church 4106685665.
What would happen if we decided to let every thought and every breath bless and worship God? Imagine the result if His name were affectionately on our lips as we lay down at night, as we turned over in our sleep, as we awoke in the morning, as we went about our daily business. Would such a perspective radically change our hearts? Probably, yes. Would it change our world? It's likely. What if we were to start on a Sunday night after we had spent the morning at church, the afternoon and evening meditating on God's presence. Our last thought before we go to sleep is a prayer for a good night's sleep. Then upon awakening, our first thought is to say 'good morning,God!' Would it change your world? Would it change your family's world if they were to hear you say Good Morning to God first thing in the am?
Anytime in the Bible someone gives himself to worship, God does amazing things through that person. Blessings abound. God's work is done on earth as it is in heaven. What prevents us from such a pervasive sense of His worth in our lives on a Monday morning? Are our schedules for the week just too busy? Or does it go much deeper than that? Perhaps it is a suspicion that He has not been as good to us as Scripture declares that He is. Or maybe it is a subtle, or not so subtle resentment that he has not paved our paths with silver or gold and has allowed us to taste the bitterness of life's all too many trials.
Whatever reasons we can come up with, we should ask ourselves if a worship filled heart is worth the Monday morning sacrifice that we would otherwise give over to business, apathy, and disappointment. If we really want to get more than a small vision of God working in and around us, we should never claim to be too busy. We would never be too apathetic, we could never be disappointed with His will for us. We would likely have a far better understanding that underlying everything we go through and every responsibility we are given is the loving hand of a God who is leading us closer to Him. The end result is a greater blessing than any earthbound human can imagine.
Our understanding of worship may need a major restructuring. The daily devotional, if practiced at all, usually gets a few minutes of early morning energy or late night exhaustion, and weekend worship services have tended far more toward performances that we watch or rituals that we mindlessly repeat such as arriving on "church" time (five or ten minutes late), and then watching the clock to be sure the worship leader gets us out on time so we can eat.
Scripture, however, constantly affirms that worship is a VERB, not a noun. It is something we choose to do, not something we choose to sit through; something that engages us on a Monday morning after church, not something that we watch pass us by as we go through our week. The Biblical view of worship sees it as a daily lifestyle rather than an isolated act on Sunday mornings. Paul wrote to the church at Rome "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:1-2 NRSV).
Let us pray ......
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God,
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
So shall I never die,
But live with Thee the perfect life
Of Thine eternity.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Promised Prompting -- Acts 18:24 - 19:10, Philippians 2:12-13
Blessings and peace to those who the Holy Spirit has guided here,
My devotion to you this morning is from Philippians 2:12-13 (AMPLIFIED)
12Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).
13[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Perhaps the most relaxing off all of God's promises is that He is at work in us. He does not tell us to conform to the image of Jesus and then leave us alone to do it. He does not send us out on a mission and then cross his fingers to hope for our success. He does not urge us to live Godly lives and then blow up when we fail. No! Every step of the way He is there. And, as these verses indicate, He is not just working on our behavior from the outside. He is transforming us from within.
That's what it means for God to work in us to will and to act according to His good purposes. His values shape our wills, our inner drives, our ambitions and dreams. And then His Holy Spirit helps us with the always difficult follow-through, acting on those impulses that He has placed within us. Far from being handed a religion that tells us to shape up, we are gifted a Savior who gets inside to shape us. The promise of our transformation is that God is busy gutting our earthly temples and lovingly renovating them from within. He is a master Craftsman at work.
The comforting part of this promise is that when we have deep internal desires to do something entirely consistent with the stated plans and purposes of God, those desires are almost certainly God-given. And when we are driven to act on these desires with a strategy and a worthwhile agenda, we are almost certainly God-driven. The fact that He is at work in us both to will (desires) and to work (behavior) for His good purposes is a tremendously relaxing fact. Once our prayers have determined that we're motivated by the Holy Spirit and not by the flesh, we can trust that our work is not just our agenda, but His as well.
That means, of course, that He will see it through. The sovereign God who sees the future doesn't abandon projects midway through completion. If He started His work in you, He is committed to see it through. Rest in that truth, and trust what He is doing in your heart. There is a holy agenda shaping/transforming your life.
My devotion to you this morning is from Philippians 2:12-13 (AMPLIFIED)
12Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).
13[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Perhaps the most relaxing off all of God's promises is that He is at work in us. He does not tell us to conform to the image of Jesus and then leave us alone to do it. He does not send us out on a mission and then cross his fingers to hope for our success. He does not urge us to live Godly lives and then blow up when we fail. No! Every step of the way He is there. And, as these verses indicate, He is not just working on our behavior from the outside. He is transforming us from within.
That's what it means for God to work in us to will and to act according to His good purposes. His values shape our wills, our inner drives, our ambitions and dreams. And then His Holy Spirit helps us with the always difficult follow-through, acting on those impulses that He has placed within us. Far from being handed a religion that tells us to shape up, we are gifted a Savior who gets inside to shape us. The promise of our transformation is that God is busy gutting our earthly temples and lovingly renovating them from within. He is a master Craftsman at work.
The comforting part of this promise is that when we have deep internal desires to do something entirely consistent with the stated plans and purposes of God, those desires are almost certainly God-given. And when we are driven to act on these desires with a strategy and a worthwhile agenda, we are almost certainly God-driven. The fact that He is at work in us both to will (desires) and to work (behavior) for His good purposes is a tremendously relaxing fact. Once our prayers have determined that we're motivated by the Holy Spirit and not by the flesh, we can trust that our work is not just our agenda, but His as well.
That means, of course, that He will see it through. The sovereign God who sees the future doesn't abandon projects midway through completion. If He started His work in you, He is committed to see it through. Rest in that truth, and trust what He is doing in your heart. There is a holy agenda shaping/transforming your life.
Friday, August 12, 2011
DISCIPLESHIP ACADEMY LEARNING EVENTS WITHIN THE BALTIMORE WASHINGTON CONFERENCE
Discipleship Academy Fall Classes NOW Open for registration – For detailed information regarding fall classes and other trainings offered through the Discipleship Academy go to www.bwcumc.org/Academy or contact your regional administrator.
There’s something for everyone:
Lay Speaking Ministries
School of Church Leadership
Courses for nurses in Health Ministry: This fall the first of the two-course sequence in Basic Faith Community/Parish Nursing will be offered by the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore on Saturdays. The courses are open to registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in any field. Successful completion of the two-course sequence results in a Basic Faith Community (Parish) Nursing Certificate. For more information, contact Dr. Pat Fosarelli at pfosarelli@stmarys.edu or 410-864-4204.
Study on war and terrorism available: A study guide, “Christian Understanding of War in an Age of Terror(ism),” is available for congregations. It was developed by the 2011 Ecumenical Centennial Gathering of the National Council of Churches (NCC) and Church World Service held in November in New Orleans. The introduction to the four-part congregational study stresses the need for faith communities to continue the conversation about war and a just peace. The paper on war, with study guide attached, is available for download at Christian Understanding of War in an Age of Terror(ism).
Resource on Social Principles: The General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) has developed bulletin inserts featuring individual United Methodist Social Principles. Designed to be included in church worship bulletins, the inserts can be downloaded for free. This new resource includes 12 Social Principles under Social Community and highlight positions approved by the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, on issues such as immigrants, health care, religious minorities, racism and children’s rights. For information and to download the inserts, go to Social Principles Bulletin Inserts. For more information about this new resource or Social Principles training opportunities, contact the Rev. Neil Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, at (202) 488-5611.
Health Kits for Haiti Collection: UMCOR needs and welcomes Health Kits. And supplies are being depleted in other places. Any of the seven kits are needed - school, flood buckets, birthing, and others. Kit assembly and delivery instructions can be found at http://www.stmatthews-bowie.org/ under Missions/St. Matthew's Disaster Response/Outreach HUB. Check for delivery times at 301-262-4691 (Irene Schneider) or e-mail missions@stmatthews-bowie.org. They may be taken to Mission Central, 5 Pleasant View Dr., Mechanicsburg, Pa., about an hour north of Baltimore. The phone is 717-766-1533. Groups may wish to deliver kits and spend a day or part of a day volunteering. For more information about visiting, volunteering and other kinds of kits and supplies needed, visit : www.missioncentral.org.
There’s something for everyone:
Lay Speaking Ministries
- Annapolis Southern Region - 2 locations – register by September 1
- Community Crofton - Sept. 17-Oct. 10
- Trinity Prince Frederick - Sept. 7-Oct. 5
- Baltimore Region – 6 locations – register by September 15
- Wesley UMC - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- St. James - Oct. 4-Oct. 25
- New Waverly - Oct. 1-Oct. 29
- Mt. Vernon - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- Mt. Olive - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- St. Matthews - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- Washington Region - 2 locations – register by September 15
- Asbury DC - Oct. 1- Oct. 2
- Glen Mar - Oct. 1-Oct. 2
- Western Region - 4 locations – register by September 1
- Wesley Chapel - Sept. 12-Oct. 10
- Middletown - Sept. 17-Oct. 15
- Asbury Frederick - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- Camp Manidokan - Oct. 28-Oct. 29
School of Church Leadership
- Annapolis Southern Region - 2 locations – register by Sept. 1
- Community Crofton - Sept. 17-Oct. 10
- Trinity Prince Frederick - Sept. 7-Oct. 5
- Baltimore Region fall classes - 6 locations – register by Sept. 15
- Wesley UMC - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- St. James - Oct. 4-Oct. 25
- New Waverly - Oct. 1-Oct. 29
- Mt. Vernon - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- Mt. Olive - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- St. Matthews - Oct. 1-Oct. 22
- “NEW” Online Classes offered this fall
- Deepening Your Effectiveness – 4 weeks of online interactive discussion followed by 2 days of classroom study - led by Rev. Vicky Starnes Oct. 17-Nov. 19 - register by October 1
- Priesthood of all Believers – 4 weeks of online interactive discussion followed by a 1 day classroom study – led by Lesley Carter Oct. 10-Nov. 5 - register by Oct. 1
- United Methodist Polity – 4 weeks of online interactive discussion followed by 2 days of classroom study – led by Rev. Cynthia Moore Sept. 19-Oct. 17 - register by Sept. 15
- “NEW” Webcast Class – Same class offered in all 4 Regions on same day Sept. 10, 2011 – watch for details and when to register on the Discipleship Academy webpage
- Starting New Worship Services – led by Rev. Andy Lunt
- CLM Class of 2010-2012 Module 3 - Register by Sept. 1
- Trinity Prince Frederick Sept. 14-Oct. 26
- Timonium Sept. 17-Oct. 29
- First Hyattsville Sept. 12-Oct. 31
- Christ-Ballenger Creek Sept. 6- Oct. 18
- LaVale Sept. 13-Sept. 25
- CLM Class of 2011-2013 is now accepting applications. Download and return your application by Aug. 15. Then register online for the class location in your region. – Register by Sept.1
- Queens Chapel - Sept.19-Nov. 7
- Lakeside Waldorf - Sept. 20-Nov. 1
- Epworth Chapel – Sept. 21-Nov. 2
- Christ DC – Oct. 1-Nov. 15
- Emory DC – Sept. 19-Nov. 7
Courses for nurses in Health Ministry: This fall the first of the two-course sequence in Basic Faith Community/Parish Nursing will be offered by the Ecumenical Institute of Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore on Saturdays. The courses are open to registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in any field. Successful completion of the two-course sequence results in a Basic Faith Community (Parish) Nursing Certificate. For more information, contact Dr. Pat Fosarelli at pfosarelli@stmarys.edu or 410-864-4204.
Study on war and terrorism available: A study guide, “Christian Understanding of War in an Age of Terror(ism),” is available for congregations. It was developed by the 2011 Ecumenical Centennial Gathering of the National Council of Churches (NCC) and Church World Service held in November in New Orleans. The introduction to the four-part congregational study stresses the need for faith communities to continue the conversation about war and a just peace. The paper on war, with study guide attached, is available for download at Christian Understanding of War in an Age of Terror(ism).
Resource on Social Principles: The General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) has developed bulletin inserts featuring individual United Methodist Social Principles. Designed to be included in church worship bulletins, the inserts can be downloaded for free. This new resource includes 12 Social Principles under Social Community and highlight positions approved by the denomination’s highest policy-making body, the General Conference, on issues such as immigrants, health care, religious minorities, racism and children’s rights. For information and to download the inserts, go to Social Principles Bulletin Inserts. For more information about this new resource or Social Principles training opportunities, contact the Rev. Neil Christie, assistant general secretary, Education & Leadership Formation, at (202) 488-5611.
Health Kits for Haiti Collection: UMCOR needs and welcomes Health Kits. And supplies are being depleted in other places. Any of the seven kits are needed - school, flood buckets, birthing, and others. Kit assembly and delivery instructions can be found at http://www.stmatthews-bowie.org/ under Missions/St. Matthew's Disaster Response/Outreach HUB. Check for delivery times at 301-262-4691 (Irene Schneider) or e-mail missions@stmatthews-bowie.org. They may be taken to Mission Central, 5 Pleasant View Dr., Mechanicsburg, Pa., about an hour north of Baltimore. The phone is 717-766-1533. Groups may wish to deliver kits and spend a day or part of a day volunteering. For more information about visiting, volunteering and other kinds of kits and supplies needed, visit : www.missioncentral.org.
Baltimore Washington Conference and Local Community happenings and Family fun Activities -- August 12, 2011
Hispanic Heritage Month: The observance from Sept. 15-Oct. 15 celebrates the culture and traditions of Hispanic Americans. The observance begins in mid-September because the 15th is the anniversary of independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; the 16th for Mexico; and the 18th for Chile. United Methodist Communications provides a number of resources to celebrate, learn and support Hispanic neighbors. They become available Aug. 15, free to download. DVDs of the materials will also be available for the cost of shipping. Check out: QuickTime (MP4); Windows Media (WMV); Rethink Church Immigration video; General Board of Global Ministries’ National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry brochure; UMC Giving offers a moment for mission, newsletter nuggets, offertory prayer; and General Board of Discipleship has a “Liturgy for the Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month” among its resources.
2011-2012 Adventure Devotional Guide: This lectionary-based devotional guide connects Monday to Sunday through lessons from the Old Testament, Epistles and Gospels with thoughts and reflections from Bishop Schol and 11 pastors from the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This essential resource provides one year of readings for individual or group Bible study. Purchase the Adventure Devotional Guide in book form or view each day’s devotional electronically.
Pocket size book with daily Scripture readings, reflective questions, daily prayers, and room for journaling. Purchase online at BWC website - $5.50 each (including shipping), or purchase at the Cokesbury Store at 11711 East Market Place in Fulton, (beginning Aug.15). Order online at: http://www.bwcumc.org/resources/adventuredailydevotional.
Electronic Version (no charge) includes daily Scripture readings, reflective questions and daily prayers.
o BWC website each day at http://www.bwcumc.org/resources/adventuredailydevotional
o Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/bwcumc
For additional information or a paper order form, e-mail: pbowen@bwcumc.org.
Women's Equality Day: On July 19-20, 1848, the First Women's Rights Conference was held in Seneca Falls, NY. It took 72 years of unrelenting campaigning for U.S. women to finally win the right to vote. Then, in 1971, at the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as "Women's Equality Day." The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The observance of Women's Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women's continuing efforts toward full equality. Learn more about Women's Equality Day here.
DREAM Sabbath: The Interfaith Immigration Coalition, of which the General Board of Church & Society is a part, is organizing the DREAM Sabbath observance with support from United We Dream. Congregations can pick a Sunday between Sept. 16 and Oct. 9 for their DREAM Sabbath. They are urged to Sign up for a Sunday online to ensure the sponsors and others in their area are aware of their participation. The DREAM Act is bipartisan legislation pioneered by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill, and Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah. The sponsors hope to have many "DREAM" students speak to congregations during the observance to assist faith leaders in educating and mobilizing their congregations. The DREAM Sabbath packet includes planning resources, sacred readings, reflections and more to help plan an event. Congregations should feel free to adapt materials to their own needs, and are encouraged to share the toolkit with others. The packet is available at DREAM Sabbath Toolkit. For more information, contact Bill Mefford (bmefford@umc-gbcs.org), director of Civil & Human Rights at the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society, (202) 488-5657.
Older Adults Day Away: The fall Older Adults Day Away will be held at West River Tuesday, Sept. 20, with the theme “Churches are Created for Growth.” The Rev. Andy Lunt, Director of Congregational Development, will be the keynote speaker and the Rev. Karin Walker will lead Bible study and worship. Afternoon workshops will focus on church growth, World Missions Day, Real Questions on Real Estate, UM Archives, boat rides and more. Cost is $28 per person, which includes lunch and snacks. For more information, go to : http://bwccampsandretreats.com/WRDayAway.html.
Discipleship Opportunities UPDATE - Petitions for General Conference: United Methodists can submit petitions for consideration by the 2012 General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, until Sept. 27, 2011. According to church law, “Any organization, clergy member, or lay member of The United Methodist Church may petition the General Conference.” Detailed instructions for submitting a petition are available on the General Conference website. Petitions must be submitted via e-mail to petitions@umpublishing.org or through the website. The deadline for mailed or faxed petitions was July 1. Petitions should indicate whether they have general church budget considerations.
Thrift store opening: Arnolia UMC, 1776 E. Joppa Road in Baltimore, will hold a Grand Opening for its new Thrift Store Monday, Aug. 22, at 11 a.m. The store will carry men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing and household items for residents in the Parkville area, but for any who would like to come. It will be open Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and the second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds from the store will help support the outreach ministries of the church. For information, contact the church at 410-665-7005.
New preschool: Beechfield UMC, Baltimore, announces the opening of Word of Life Christian Academy. Now enrolling for the pre-K program (ages 3-5) - classes begin Sept. 6. Download the flyer here for more information.
Take Action on the DREAM Act: Religious leaders announced plans for DREAM Sabbath, a faith-based campaign to encourage congregations to focus a worship service on the DREAM Act, which would provide undocumented students with an opportunity to earn legal status. Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, which includes the UM Board of Church & Society, unveiled the plan. Click here to learn about DREAM Sabbath 2011, which will take place in congregations around the country from Sept. 16 to Oct. 9. Read more»
Susanna Wesley House Annual Fundraiser: Susanna Wesley House will hold its annual fundraising luncheon event, Inspired to Serve, on Sept. 17 from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center. This will be an afternoon of great food and great deals at the silent auction and nearly new table. Be inspired by speaker Sabrina White, President of the Northeast Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Women. While serving as Board President from 2001-2003, Sabrina was instrumental in implementing (and renovating for) the current model of assisting homeless women and children in attaining independence and self-sufficiency. Seating is limited, so order tickets today. All proceeds support the mission of Susanna Wesley House. For more information call 410-837-3787, e-mail SusannaWesley@verizon.net, or visit www.SusannaWesley.org.
Change the World: Mark the Date! Oct. 8-10 for Change the World Mission Workday in your community. Imagine 15,000 United Methodists all working together in mission in their communities. Plans are underway for a conferencewide event this fall. The Change the World Mission Day will celebrate the spirit of United Methodism, a faith built on social action. Congregations will be encouraged to move outside the walls of their local churches to serve in their communities. More details will be announced as they become available. You can download a flyer or register your church or organization now by going to www.bwcumc.org/events/changetheworld.
Concert: Seventh Day Slumber's Small Town America Tour - Concert will be in Springfield Barn in Williamsport, Oct. 16. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets: inside standing room only, $15; lawn seats, $10. For tickets contact Diana Church, Williamsport UMC, 301-223-7040. Three great bands: Seventh Day Slumber, Cory Lamb, and Southbound Fearing. On this date only, LaVale UMC's youth drama team "Unchained" will be featured. Sponsored by the Cumberland-Hagerstown District (CHD) Youth Council and the Town of Williamsport. Proceeds will go towards future CHD Youth Council projects and activities.
‘Youth for Eco-Justice’ looking for participants: Young Christians ages 18-30 years are invited to apply for an ecumenical program addressing the links between environmental and socio-economic justice, jointly organized by the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. “Youth for Eco-Justice” starts with a Nov. 26-Dec. 10 training and immersion in the context of the international climate change negotiations (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa. The postmark deadline for applications is Aug.15. Apply here
2011-2012 Adventure Devotional Guide: This lectionary-based devotional guide connects Monday to Sunday through lessons from the Old Testament, Epistles and Gospels with thoughts and reflections from Bishop Schol and 11 pastors from the Baltimore-Washington Conference. This essential resource provides one year of readings for individual or group Bible study. Purchase the Adventure Devotional Guide in book form or view each day’s devotional electronically.
Pocket size book with daily Scripture readings, reflective questions, daily prayers, and room for journaling. Purchase online at BWC website - $5.50 each (including shipping), or purchase at the Cokesbury Store at 11711 East Market Place in Fulton, (beginning Aug.15). Order online at: http://www.bwcumc.org/resources/adventuredailydevotional.
Electronic Version (no charge) includes daily Scripture readings, reflective questions and daily prayers.
o BWC website each day at http://www.bwcumc.org/resources/adventuredailydevotional
o Twitter at: http://twitter.com/#!/bwcumc
For additional information or a paper order form, e-mail: pbowen@bwcumc.org.
Women's Equality Day: On July 19-20, 1848, the First Women's Rights Conference was held in Seneca Falls, NY. It took 72 years of unrelenting campaigning for U.S. women to finally win the right to vote. Then, in 1971, at the behest of Rep. Bella Abzug (D-NY), the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as "Women's Equality Day." The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The observance of Women's Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women's continuing efforts toward full equality. Learn more about Women's Equality Day here.
DREAM Sabbath: The Interfaith Immigration Coalition, of which the General Board of Church & Society is a part, is organizing the DREAM Sabbath observance with support from United We Dream. Congregations can pick a Sunday between Sept. 16 and Oct. 9 for their DREAM Sabbath. They are urged to Sign up for a Sunday online to ensure the sponsors and others in their area are aware of their participation. The DREAM Act is bipartisan legislation pioneered by Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill, and Sen. Orin Hatch, R-Utah. The sponsors hope to have many "DREAM" students speak to congregations during the observance to assist faith leaders in educating and mobilizing their congregations. The DREAM Sabbath packet includes planning resources, sacred readings, reflections and more to help plan an event. Congregations should feel free to adapt materials to their own needs, and are encouraged to share the toolkit with others. The packet is available at DREAM Sabbath Toolkit. For more information, contact Bill Mefford (bmefford@umc-gbcs.org), director of Civil & Human Rights at the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society, (202) 488-5657.
Older Adults Day Away: The fall Older Adults Day Away will be held at West River Tuesday, Sept. 20, with the theme “Churches are Created for Growth.” The Rev. Andy Lunt, Director of Congregational Development, will be the keynote speaker and the Rev. Karin Walker will lead Bible study and worship. Afternoon workshops will focus on church growth, World Missions Day, Real Questions on Real Estate, UM Archives, boat rides and more. Cost is $28 per person, which includes lunch and snacks. For more information, go to : http://bwccampsandretreats.com/WRDayAway.html.
Discipleship Opportunities UPDATE - Petitions for General Conference: United Methodists can submit petitions for consideration by the 2012 General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, until Sept. 27, 2011. According to church law, “Any organization, clergy member, or lay member of The United Methodist Church may petition the General Conference.” Detailed instructions for submitting a petition are available on the General Conference website. Petitions must be submitted via e-mail to petitions@umpublishing.org or through the website. The deadline for mailed or faxed petitions was July 1. Petitions should indicate whether they have general church budget considerations.
Thrift store opening: Arnolia UMC, 1776 E. Joppa Road in Baltimore, will hold a Grand Opening for its new Thrift Store Monday, Aug. 22, at 11 a.m. The store will carry men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing and household items for residents in the Parkville area, but for any who would like to come. It will be open Mondays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and the second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds from the store will help support the outreach ministries of the church. For information, contact the church at 410-665-7005.
New preschool: Beechfield UMC, Baltimore, announces the opening of Word of Life Christian Academy. Now enrolling for the pre-K program (ages 3-5) - classes begin Sept. 6. Download the flyer here for more information.
Take Action on the DREAM Act: Religious leaders announced plans for DREAM Sabbath, a faith-based campaign to encourage congregations to focus a worship service on the DREAM Act, which would provide undocumented students with an opportunity to earn legal status. Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, which includes the UM Board of Church & Society, unveiled the plan. Click here to learn about DREAM Sabbath 2011, which will take place in congregations around the country from Sept. 16 to Oct. 9. Read more»
Susanna Wesley House Annual Fundraiser: Susanna Wesley House will hold its annual fundraising luncheon event, Inspired to Serve, on Sept. 17 from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the BWC Mission Center. This will be an afternoon of great food and great deals at the silent auction and nearly new table. Be inspired by speaker Sabrina White, President of the Northeast Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Women. While serving as Board President from 2001-2003, Sabrina was instrumental in implementing (and renovating for) the current model of assisting homeless women and children in attaining independence and self-sufficiency. Seating is limited, so order tickets today. All proceeds support the mission of Susanna Wesley House. For more information call 410-837-3787, e-mail SusannaWesley@verizon.net, or visit www.SusannaWesley.org.
Change the World: Mark the Date! Oct. 8-10 for Change the World Mission Workday in your community. Imagine 15,000 United Methodists all working together in mission in their communities. Plans are underway for a conferencewide event this fall. The Change the World Mission Day will celebrate the spirit of United Methodism, a faith built on social action. Congregations will be encouraged to move outside the walls of their local churches to serve in their communities. More details will be announced as they become available. You can download a flyer or register your church or organization now by going to www.bwcumc.org/events/changetheworld.
Concert: Seventh Day Slumber's Small Town America Tour - Concert will be in Springfield Barn in Williamsport, Oct. 16. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets: inside standing room only, $15; lawn seats, $10. For tickets contact Diana Church, Williamsport UMC, 301-223-7040. Three great bands: Seventh Day Slumber, Cory Lamb, and Southbound Fearing. On this date only, LaVale UMC's youth drama team "Unchained" will be featured. Sponsored by the Cumberland-Hagerstown District (CHD) Youth Council and the Town of Williamsport. Proceeds will go towards future CHD Youth Council projects and activities.
‘Youth for Eco-Justice’ looking for participants: Young Christians ages 18-30 years are invited to apply for an ecumenical program addressing the links between environmental and socio-economic justice, jointly organized by the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation. “Youth for Eco-Justice” starts with a Nov. 26-Dec. 10 training and immersion in the context of the international climate change negotiations (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa. The postmark deadline for applications is Aug.15. Apply here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)