pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Monthly Archives: November 2014


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All the Sheep

When Christians reflect on the parable of the sheep and the goats, in general we think we are all sheep.  We consider ourselves to all be in the flock, under the care of Christ, the Good Shepherd.  Ezekiel 34 points out, however, that all sheep aren’t always good sheep.

Even with the flock that is our church, sometimes a sheep can try to bull its way or its agenda through the other sheep.  Sometimes a group of sheep fail to take the whole flock’s wellbeing into consideration.  Sometimes the flock doesn’t notice the ones on the edge, struggling to make it out there on the margins.

As Christ’s body we are all connected together, all a part of one another.  The Good Shepherd is concerned with all of the sheep.  He calls us to be concerned with all as well.  As we grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ, we too gain eyes to see the needs and hearts that seek to love.  As Jesus cares for and loves us, we are in turn empowered to love and care for each other, especially the ones that are struggling and lost.  The blessings that God has entrusted us with are meant to be shared so that all may be blessed.

Scripture reference: Ezekiel 34: 20-24


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Call of Christ

Christ chose to come and live among us.  God incarnate made the choice to walk in a human body. In the form of Jesus, God stepped out of heaven and down among us.  The people who lived with Jesus and witnessed His life were blessed to be in His presence, as are we who read about Him 2,000 years later.

In today’s culture, we are impressed when a president of a big company spends time with the workers or when a celebrity athlete spends time in a school or hospital.  At times we too are called to step out of or normal circle and to spend time ministering to the poor, the widow, the orphan, the prisoner.  For some it is a similar step to what Jesus did, willingly offering self for other’s benefit.

Christ set the ultimate example of giving when He submitted to death for our benefit.  Jesus Christ became totally powerless in order to gain ultimate power over death.  He had to be weak and vulnerable in order to gain strength and glory.  We are not called, in general, to give our lives for another, but we are all asked: what can you offer?

Scripture reference: Ephesians 1: 20-23


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Amazing Love

As I think about my children, my wife, my parents, I am thankful for their love.  Two night ago we went to a concert with some of my Youth.  The singer of one of the bands spoke of a song that he wrote for his dying grandpa and he encouraged us to remember to tell those who we love that we love them.  Abby, my daughter, came running up and gave me a big hug.  It was so special.

In this simple act of love, I caught a glimpse of God’s love for us.  It was so simple and pure, yet also so powerful.  We have a God who loves and treasures us more that we can imagine or fathom.  This love is there to lift us up when we are down.  It is there to lift us higher when we soar.  We cannot do anything to make God love us more and we cannot do anything to make Him love us less.  His love is that amazing.  Thank you God for your great love!!

Scripture reference: Ephesians 1: 15-19


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Well Done

The shepherd is looking for a few good sheep.  He searches for us so that He can gather us up, take us to good pasture.  There He will tend to our needs.  If any wander off, He will seek them.  If any hurt, He will heal them.  Ezekiel lays out a kind, loving, caring shepherd role for Christ.

Isn’t it comforting to know that Christ the King is such a loving shepherd?  Yet Jesus is also the King of kings and Lord of lords – absolute, sovereign, and in total control.  Ultimately Christ came to sit as judge over all of creation.  For us this is a present and future reality.  For some this is a discomforting thought.

On a day to day basis Christ is a loving, caring, nurturing shepherd, kindly caring for all the sheep.  And what is our response?  To do the same for other sheep, even for those who are lost?  When we choose to live and love as Jesus did, then we have no fear of Christ as judge.  Because on the day when we stand before Him, seated on the throne, He will say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”  Can’t you just see Him smiling as He repeats, “Well done”?

Scripture reference: Ezekiel 34: 11-16 and 20-24


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Gifts or Assets?

Each opportunity that God lays before us come with some degree of risk.  If the opportunity is to share our faith story, we risk rejection or maybe ridicule.  If the opportunity is to help someone in need, we risk being a frequent ask.  If it is trying a new ministry, we risk failure.

Each of these things calls for us to risk something.  Anytime we invest ourselves or our talents, there is a chance we will gie something away.  This is a good thing.  We are often not ‘losing’ something but are giving to another and it blesses us both.  But for many of us and many in the church, we are averse to risk.

God blesses us all abundantly.  In reality, all is His.  For some the blessing is financial, for others it is an abundance of time.  Each of us also have talents and skills that He has blessed us with.  Each of us have gifts to offer.  How we look at these gifts from God largely determines what we do with them.  Do we see the gifts as just that or do we see them as assets?

Assets are to be managed and kept safe.  Gifts are to be used and to be given away. For a moment think about God and manna, deliverance, land, provision.  Think about Jesus and healing, kindness, love.  Now, do you have gifts or assets?  May we give to others richly, blessing them as God has blessed us.

Scripture reference: Matthew 25: 14-30


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Fellow Travelers

Often times when we go on a journey, we like to have company go along with us.  This is especially true if it is a long journey.  We have someone to talk to, someone there in case we have trouble, and someone to keep us focused on the journey.

Our journey of faith is long and should be one of continual growth and development as we move along our “path.”  It is a journey meant to be made in the company of other Christians, but how often we try to go it alone.  We don’t usually mind sharing the good things in life or even coming together at a funeral in or common time of grief, but sharing our inner demons and struggles is much harder.  Yet it is in the honesty and accountability that we find strength and power.

Jesus himself turned to others in times of trial and struggle.  The Holy Spirit walked with Him in the desert and often He turned to the disciples for prayer and support.  If Jesus needed others to be with Him, how much more so do we.  May we find and be for others fellow travelers along the road of faith.

Scripture reference: Judges 4: 1-9


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Faithful Followers

During my quiet time in the morning I can focus pretty well on God.  As I read, pray, ponder, and write faith is at the center.  But as the rest of the day unfolds, I can lose that focus on God for periods.  He pops back in here and there, but I should seek His presence and direction on a more regular basis.

It is easy to plunge into the day, seeking to check things of my “to do” list instead of seeking Him.  It is easy to get caught up in a “what if” moments instead of getting lost in Him.  It is easy to wallow in indecision instead of bathing in His guidance and direction.  Each of these is a choice.

So how do we choose wisely and in a way that honors God and develops our relationship with Him?  Paul offers us some suggestions in 1st Thessalonians.  First, prepare ourselves for the day by putting on faith and love as our breastplate and the hope of salvation as our helmet.  Arm ourselves with God as w begin to face the day.  Come back regularly as we feel a chink developing in our armor.  Second, encourage and build each other up.  Knowing we have support and having the right outlook goes a long way towards helping us walk the path that God intends for us.  This day, through His strength and through the support and with the prayers of our Christians brothers and sisters, may we be the faithful followers we are called to be.

Scripture reference: 1 Thessalonians 5: 6-11


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Ours to Invest

In the Parable of the Talents, the three servants had a choice in what to do with what they were given.  Two chose to risk a little and work the gift and it grew.  One chose to bury the gift in the ground.  The two were rewarded for their efforts and the one was scolded and tossed aside.

Each of us are also given much.  We may not have huge sums of money to invest, but we all have gifts and skills that God blessed us  with AND we all have time.  The question we face is this: how will we invest what God has given us?  God has given us what has been called “divine capital” to invest, but we get to choose how or even if we are going to invest it.

Are your gifts invested or are they buried?  Are you active in pursuing God and your faith or are you just warming a pew every once in a while?  God’s call to us is to be invested in our faith, in the lives of others, and in the building of the kingdom.  And the best news is that God is right here, ready to assist us as we invest.  Just like in the parable, God wants to see us use what we have so that it will grow.  Happy spending!!

Scripture reference: Matthew 25: 14-30


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In Each Moment

Shortly after Christ’s death and resurrection, the believers starting asking “When?”  As in, when will Jesus return?  The early thought was that He would return in their lifetimes.  It turns out ‘soon’ is longer than 2,000 years!!

Paul’s response in 1 Thessalonians still applies today as we are still waiting: what does it matter?  He tells them (and us) to live as a child of the light and nothing else matters.  It is still true today – if we are fully living out the faith that Christ calls us to, then “when” doesn’t matter.

But we like to procrastinate, don’t we?  Live fully for Christ each moment of the day?  I can start that next year or maybe the year after that.  Yet the reality is that the only time that we are guaranteed is right now and we’re not even sure we will make it through the day.  So why wait?  Paul tells us that Jesus will come like a thief in the night, at an hour unexpected.  The only way to be ‘ready’ is to live each moment like it might be our last – loving God and neighbor with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Scripture reference: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-5


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Allow Him

Think about a time when you felt trapped in a situation or when you felt that you were being treated unjustly.  If it got desperate you were looking for any way out.  At that point you would have taken a hand or a piece of good advice from about anyone.We’ve all been there.  And if we cried out to God for help, He was right there to share the burden or to maybe send relief or show a way out.  In need, we seek Him.

Yet in our day to day, how often we simply go it alone.  Even when it gets a bit hard, we put our head down – not to pray but to barrel through, to try and do it on our own.  God so wants us to seek Him, to be our all in all.  God will even send people across our paths that can offer a hand or a good counsel, but how often we miss them.  It is sometimes hard to look up when our head is bent down.

If we come to God each day with all of our thanks and with all of our needs, then we are more open to seeking His presence and allowing Him to lead in our lives.  The more we choose to honestly connect, the better the connection, the more in touch with God that we are.  Allow Him to draw near and to help carry that burden.

Scripture reference: Judges 4: 1-9