pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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The Sacredness of Life

“How lovely is your dwelling places O Lord almighty” is the opening line to he song, “Better Is One Day.”  Truly I believe God’s dwelling place is amazing – hope to find out one day myself!  The chorus to this song speaks of one day in His courts being better than a thousand elsewhere.  This too I believe to be true.

Psalm 104 speaks of all the living things God has created and sustains.  His Spirit breaths life into them and when He removes His spirit, death comes.  Within this psalm we can see and feel a sacredness to all of life, for He creates all life and is in all life.

Although we are living for that one days when we will enter His courts, we need to be equally mindful that as we wait we need to care well for all of His creation.  As Christians our great commission is to make disciples of all nations, not just some.  In the same manner, we are called to care for all of creation, not just what we find under our roof or in our neighborhood.

Psalm 104, verse 31 reads, “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works!”  And may we do our part in the living out of this psalm.


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Sprit Fall Upon Us

Ever been so thirsty your throat was dry?  In those cases a sip of water is so refreshing.  Water may be clear and tasteless yet it is better than anything when you are parched.

Have you ever watched water pouring along the curb or gutter or even a gully after a quick downpour?  It picks up debris and carries it away.  The water may even cut away at what it is washing over.  Water can be pretty powerful.

Remember the last time you stepped outside just after a good rain – can you smell the freshness?  The water cleanses away the dust and dirt and also refreshes the life of all it falls upon.

The living water that come when we enter into relationship with Jesus does all these things too.  If we allow the Holy Spirit to be the promised well of living water welling up in us, it will refresh and replenish our soul when we are feeling dry.  This living water will also work its way through the cracks and crevices to carry away the baggage and things that can weigh us down.  This living water will also flow from us, into the lives of others.

It is both a gift and a gift to be offered to others.  Join me in praying, “Come Holy Spirit!  Come!”


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Offering Our Best

Together, as a church, there is so much potential.  Each unique person contributes to the fabric and talents of the whole.  Each brings different gifts, ways of serving, and contributions of works.  When all work together to accomplish the work of God in the world, great things can happen.

Sometimes what each has to offer to the body of Christ is not readily seen.  Sometimes we have to search and maybe try a few things to see what our gifts of the Spirit are.  As members of the body, we can help each other to discover and nurture and use the gifts we have been given.

When those with the gifts of healing, teaching, discernment, prophecy, knowledge, speaking… work together for the glory of God, a unified body of Christ can do much.  How are we each fitting in?  Are we each giving the best of ourselves for the building of His kingdom?


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Time to Play!!

Ah, to play! Remember what it was like to spend all day just playing?  Maybe breakfast in front of a cartoon, a quick bike ride, a little sandbox time, a few games of tag…  Ah, the life of a child!

As adults it is important to play too.  Can you remember the last time you played?  Maybe if you are older you have been recently blessed by some play time with the grandkids.  Or if you are really young, you still play with your own kids.  But for many, one cannot even remember the last chuck of time spent simply playing.

Many of us adults think there is not ever enough time.  We allow ourselves to be too consumed with the tasks of the day and worry about tomorrow to simply play.  Surely we all have responsibilities, but play is important too.  It reminds us that all is not wrapped up in our jobs and other worldly things.  Play draws us back to our creator – the one who made all things for our pleasure.

For some of us, play may be reading a book.  It may be a walk in the woods.  Maybe it is a sport or a hobby.  Play provides spiritual refreshment and connects us to God in an elemental way.  This week, find a little play time!!


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Come On In!

Pentecost was such a public thing – God came calling when they were all gathered together.  Outsiders also heard the ‘wind’ and came to investigate.  There was a definite presence of God.

Of course, God had visited before – Moses a few times, with Elijah in the still small voice, in calling Eli, walking as Jesus on the earth… And God continues to be a presence in our world.  His presence in worship is the example I think of first – those times you can ‘feel’ God there in the midst of his disciples.

On Pentecost God appeared in the wind, in the fire that came to rest on them, and in various ‘new’ voices that they spoke in.  Today the Holy Spirit functions much the same way for us.  It is the ‘push’ or ‘nudge’ that guides or pulls us.  It is the warmth we feel in our hearts as we are drawn to minister to someone.  It s in the words that the Spirit brings to our mouths as we minister to one in need.

But there is a slight difference too.  God simply ‘busted in’ on the disciples. The Holy Spirit is a different thing.  We can certainly feel the presence of the Spirit too, but it is up to us to accept the Holy Spirit’s action in our lives.  In our walk today, may we make the choice to ay to the Spirit, “Come on in!”


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Healing Our Hearts and Minds

In Psalm 104 we read of God’s loving care for the earth and all its creatures.  God’s Spirit brings life to the animals, birds, plants, trees, waters, mountains, and even to us. His absence brings death to all these things.  All He creates is good.  All that is lost He mourns.

In our care of His creation we have done much that is wrong or bad for the earth and its creatures.  But we are leaning and beginning to rights our wrongs and to live with more attention to creation.  God’s Spirit guides us here too if we listen.  We can trust the Spirit’s leading and the Spirit’s lead to bring our efforts to fruition.

In our care for all of mankind, we still have some progress to be made.  In a world that produces much more food than it needs, no one should be starving.  In a world full of vast medical technology, no one should be dying of diseases that are preventable and/or curable.  In our nation of amazing resources and huge wealth, no one should be living in poverty.

Please pray with me today for God to continue to nudge us with the Spirit and to continue to bring healing to our hearts and minds so we can truly love all of His creation.


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Hello… remember me?

God is a mighty God who watches over us and cares for us.  He is a powerful, benevolent, and passionate God.  In Psalm 68 we read of God bringing rains of abundance upon His people.  We are blessed today too.

But how often we forget to praise His name for all He is and does for us.  Sometimes we may even start to think that success is because of our efforts and our own hard work.  Possessions start to fill our lives instead of God.

And then reality hits.  Life becomes hard.  A sudden illness, a conflict at work or at home, something to bring us back to the realization that we are not really the one in control.  We come to realize that only God is in control.  It is then that we turn back and say, “Hello God… remember me?”

All we have and all that we are comes from God.  Nothing is outside of God.  May we all learn to thank God each day so that we live always in His holy presence.  May we live this way so that He doesn’t have to say so often, “Hello child… remember me?”


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He Loves Us!!!

Satan is crafty and wise.  He is skillful.  And he is always on the prowl.  The angles and means of his attacks are actually quite impressive.  Satan uses many voices to plant fear, doubt, anxiety, guilt, lust… in our heads and hearts – some from inside our own heads, some from the voices of those we know, some from society and the media.At every chance he is working to build up our pride, our stubbornness, our individualism.  All with one goal – to pull us away from God.

But God doesn’t pull back.  He simply invites us into a relationship.  He says, “Here I am, come.”  He offers us love, no strings attached.  God is our true friend.  These things never change.

In our faith we need to be vigilant and alert to Satan’s attacks.  But just as sure as the attacks are to come, we can be even more sure of God’s love and care.  When we call upon  the saving name of Jesus, then Satan will flee.  God will strengthen us and will help us to be steadfast and firm.  God will never fail us because He loves us too much to allow that to happen.


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In His Time

Wait.  Be still now.  Seek Jesus.  Open up.  Listen.  He is faithful.

It is sometimes hard to discern between something we have dreamed up and something God is placing upon our hearts.  We must ask, where is the motivation to do this work coming from?  It may seem to be holy and righteous and goog, but it may not be ordained by God.  So how do we tell?

Prayer is the place to start.  But not just a “Dear God, show me the way.  Amen” type of prayer.  It must be a prayer of stillness, a prayer with all of your ears and heart, a prayer of listening.  A prayer that can be hard because it requires patience and time.

If it is God’s plan He will be faithful.  God will bestow upon you His “power from on high.”  The pieces will fall into place.  As you move into what God is calling you to, the Holy Spirit will fill you with conviction, courage, peace, perseverance, and His love.  He is faithful.  He is just.  He has a plan for you.  Trust in Him.


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Walking Boldly into the World

The period between the resurrection and the ascension was forty days.  This bridge between the three years that Jesus spent with the disciples and the ministry that was to come was so valuable to them.  They went from being sad, fearful, dejected, alone right after the crucifixion to feeling one of complete joy when the encountered the living Christ.  When the living Messiah ascended into heaven to be with God, their joy was made complete.

The risen Christ had taught them much in the time He walked the earth with them.  We are also blessed to be able to know His teachings and to learn to be like Christ through our study and reading of the scriptures.  As the risen Christ, He shows them (and us) the true meanings of the resurrection – that He has conquered sin and death AND that He can now send the Holy Spirit – to be with us all, every one of us, all the time.  This gift greatly expands His disciples and followers ability to minister to others.  It does the same for us.  The the presence of the Holy Spirit we are each empowered to proclaim the good news, to call for repentance, and to declare divine forgiveness for ourselves and for others.  Like the disciples, may we too walk boldly into the world, filled with the Holy Spirit, ministering in Jesus’ name.