pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Category Archives: Uncategorized


by Leave a comment

Striving as Light and Love

Reading: 1st Thessalonians 1:1-3

Verse 3: “Your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope.”

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians begins much as his letters to the Colossians or Ephesians or to Timothy or Philemon. He greets them and then offers words of thanksgiving for their faith and for the ways that they are living out their faith. This usually connects them back to when they were physically present to one another. This reminds them of their relationship with Paul and of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

After thanking God “for all of you” and letting them know that they are in his prayers, Paul mentions three things that he thankfully remembers as he prays for the Thessalonian church. Paul first mentions “your work produced by faith.” This is the tangible outreach to their brothers and sisters in Christ and to the world beyond the church. This is the humble service offered to the other, modeled first by Jesus. Next Paul mentions “your labor prompted by love.” If the work produced by faith was the “what,” then this is the “why.” Love is the driving force of our Christian life and of our community of faith. God’s love drove Jesus, just as it drives and prompts us to labor for God as our joyful response to God’s great love.

Paul closes this verse by mentioning “your endurance inspired by hope.” This is the “how.” In a world that assails and persecutes the church and their faith, it is their hope in Christ that allows them to faithfully press on. They know the end of the story so they can work and labor for and with Christ, assured of their salvation. May it be so for us as well as we too strive to live as light and love in a dark and hurting world.

Prayer: Lord God, through the power of faith, love, and hope, use me today to make your love known. Through your power, help others to know the light and love that you bring into my life. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Praise the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 99

Verse 6b: “They called on the Lord and he answered them.’

As I read Psalm 99, two parts stand out to me. Parts of the Psalm speak of God’s character and this draws us to worship God. The other parts speak of God’s call upon our lives and of how this draws us into a relationship with God.

The psalmist reminds us that God is supreme over all the earth. He or she also reminds us that God is mighty and that God loves justice. Yet God is also a forgiving God. Yes, at times God has some consequences for our “misdeeds.” Because this is who and what God is, we are drawn to worship and exalt God. This is the entry point into a relationship. As our relationship with God begins we are able to call on our God who hears and answers our prayers.

The psalmist provides a few examples of those who called upon the Lord: Moses, Aaron, and Samuel. Before they could call on God, though, they too had to respond to God’s call on their lives. They had to accept the call and make the choice to enter into a relationship with God. The same God continues to reign over all of creation. As we experience God’s character in many different ways we too are drawn into relationship. As this grows we come to trust that God will answer our prayers and cries. This is because God is a God of relationship.

So today and every day may we humbly come before the almighty and all-powerful God of all creation, the personal and intimate God who wants to be in a relationship with each of us. Coming before God, may we worship and praise the Lord our God.

Prayer: Lord God, in power and might you sit enthroned over the nations. In love and grace you reach out for a relationship. You are holy and righteous. And you want to walk daily with me, a sinner saved by grace. I am overwhelmed by your desire to be in this personal and intimate relationship with me. All I can do is praise and worship you for this great love. Thank you, God. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Go with Us, O God

Reading: Exodus 33:12-16

Verse 15: “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”

Photo credit: Ruthson Zimmerman

In our Old Testament text this week we once again find Moses interceding on behalf of the people. The golden calf incident has just occurred and God is upset with this “stiff-necked people.” God’s words about potential punishment and destruction have gotten the people’s attention and Moses’ attention. Moses’ intercession focuses in on God continuing to be with him and with the people.

Moses begins by reminding God that God once said, “I know you by name and you have found favor with me.” Moses wants to re-establish their relationship as the starting point for the continuing conversation. It is like saying, “Since we’re good friends…” before getting to the heart of the conversation. Moses begins by asking God to continue to teach him God’s ways so that he can know God and find favor moving forward. Moses wants the relationship to grow and develop. And then Moses reminds God that “this nation” (yes, this stiff-necked people) is (are) God’s people. This nation that God has asked Moses to lead? Yes, God, they are your people. The implied question remains this: Will you go with us, God?

God affirms their relationship, saying, “My presence will go with you.” Moses is relieved. Making sure that this is the promise, Moses says, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” Don’t send us on if you’re not going with us God. Moses knows that without God, the Israelites are just like all the other people. The same is true for us, for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, just as you went with Moses and the Israelites, be present to us and go with us. Through your presence, distinguish us from all the other people of this world. Going with us, help us to be different in the best ways possible. Use us to be love amidst the hate, to be peace amongst the violence, to be healing for the broken and suffering. Go with us, O God, as we seek to live as your light and love in this world. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Wedding Clothes

Reading: Matthew 22:11-14

Verse 12: “How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?”

Jametlene Respk

The wedding hall has been filled with guests – “both good and bad.” All we’re invited to come. As we continue in Matthew 22, the king comes and begins to mingle with the guests. Soon he noticed a man who was not dressed properly. The king says to the man, “How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?” While we might be puzzled by this question, Jesus’ audience would’ve known good and well that you dress (and act) for the occasion, especially if you’re invited by the king!

The man in question is bound and tossed into the darkness, where he will weep and gnash his teeth. This harsh metaphor is the reality that some people will face when they meet the King of kings. Then comes the point of the parable: “Many are invited but few are chosen.”

It can be tempting to respond to God’s invitation as this man did. He thought that he could just show up and be acceptable. Here is where some context is really important. Jesus is saying that there is a big difference between being called and being chosen. We are all called into a relationship with Jesus. Matthew’s audience would also understand that the wedding clothes were a metaphor for clothing oneself in Christ. To accept and live out Christ’s invitation into relationship was to put on Christ’s love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, compassion, hospitality… Understanding this, we can turn to our important question for today: Are you dressed in the proper attire for the great banquet of Christ?

Prayer: Lord God, day by day, as you call me into humble service, may I make the very intentional choice to clothe myself in Christ. Help me to soak in your word, to open my eyes and ears and heart to your Holy Spirit, and to find the strength and courage to live faithfully and righteously each day. Amen.


by Leave a comment

The Target Audience

Reading: Matthew 22:1-10

Verse 3: “He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.”

Photo credit: Possessed Photography

Jesus loved to tell a good story, to teach in parables. These were stories that were often set in real life so that people could relate to them. Therefore they were able to remember them. Parables are great ways to teach lessons or truths without actually naming the target audience. And best of all, the people knew there were deeper meanings to these parables, so they wrestled with Jesus’ teachings.

Once again Jesus begins, “The kingdom of heaven was like…” Jesus is talking about both the future kingdom of heaven and of the kingdom here on earth. These are to be like one another. When we get to heaven, we should say, ‘This looks a lot like earth.’ That is the truth that frames this parable. The parable reveals the reality that they are not alike.

The king (God) invites people (Israel) to his son’s wedding. They accepted the invitation. (The Jews see themselves as God’s chosen people.) The time comes for the actual banquet – all has been prepared (Jesus has come.) The king tells the servants to summon those on the guest list. The people refuse to come. Some even kill the servants (prophets). In a harsh but true statement the king says, “Those I invited did not deserve to come.” Undeterred, the servants are sent out into the streets (the world) inviting people (all people) to come to the banquet. The invitation is wide open. The banquet hall is filled! This is God’s intent for the kingdom of heaven – both here on earth and one day in eternity.

The target audience has layers. There is wrestling to be done. A target audience is the religious leaders and other Jews that have rejected the prophets and who now reject Jesus. Another target audience is those who have read this parable ever since it was written. How often we (you and me) reject the invitations of God – be they in the words in red or in the gentle whispers and nudges of the Holy Spirit. What then is Jesus teaching us yet today?

Prayer: Lord God, may the truths that you reveal to us today not just be a sting that we allow to fade away with time. May they lead us to step further into your kingdom here on earth. May we hear your voice calling us to the streets, to the places where the lost and lonely, the broken and the hurting reside. In and through us may they hear your invitation to the feast. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Prayer and Repetition

Reading: Philippians 4:5-9

Verse 6: “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Photo credit: Diane Simumpande

After encouraging us to “rejoice always” yesterday, as we continue in Philippians 4, we read, “Do not be anxious about anything.” As Paul often does in his letters, here he encourages us with the best choice or action and then he acknowledges the human reality. Yes, in a perfect world we would all go from rejoicing over this to being thankful for that to… But we do not live in a perfect world. Being anxious or growing fearful or allowing worry to preoccupy us… can be our human reality, especially in the world that we now live in.

Anxiety, fear, doubt, worry – these seem to rise up at night. During the day most of us are busy. This keeps these emotions at bay. Reflecting on the day just done or thinking about the days ahead, these can cause our troublesome thoughts to bubble up, especially when we lay down to go to sleep. With no phone, no TV, no distractions, these emotions can try to take center stage. Paul’s advice (and not just at night!) is this: “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

If we are able to lift that thing to God in prayer without raising our anxiety… then that is option one. Sometimes praying about it, though, raises our anxiety… In these situations ,we can offer words of prayer that focus on God instead. This kind of prayer can be a simple “Lord have mercy” repeated again and again. It can be the Lord’s Prayer or some other prayer or scripture that you know, repeated over and over. Or it can be a passage from the Bible, read over and over as a prayer lifted to God. As we offer these prayers to God, God enters our situation. The peace of God soon settles over us and “guards your hearts and your minds.” This presence of God keeps the anxiety… at bay. In everything, may we go to God in prayer. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, when those negative emotions begin to rise up, remind me to turn to you. Draw me into conversation, into prayer, into connection with you, allowing you and your peace to gently sift through my worry, fear, anxiety, doubt… Filled with your peace, bring me gracious rest. Thank you, God. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Rejoice? Yes, rejoice!

Reading: Philippians 4:1-4

Verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Today we turn to our Epistle reading. After a word of encouragement – “stand firm in the faith” – and some pleading to end a little in-fighting, Paul gives us verse 4. The directive is straight forward: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He says it twice for reinforcement. After a worship service when God was in the house – easy to rejoice! After some really good news – easy to rejoice! After a beautiful walk in the woods – easy to rejoice. Paul adds in a word, though: “always.”

When the stress of work begins to really weigh us down? Yes. When the worries about having or being enough mount up? Yes. When we are being attacked or abused for our faith? Yes. When the diagnosis is grim? Yes. When chained up in prison, sitting on death row? Yes. Oh, that last one? That’s Paul’s situation as he pens these words about rejoicing always.

Is it always easy to rejoice? Well, obviously, no. There are times when it is downright hard to rejoice. Paul would say, rejoice anyway! And do it again – make it a habit. We might not yet be able to rejoice in the stress or worry or abuse or… but we can rejoice in God’s love for us, in the gifts of forgiveness and salvation, in that time that God carried us through, in that time when God made a way when we saw no way, in that time when… Slowly but surely we will move from rejoicing for what God has done into rejoicing because God is there in the midst of our current stress, worry, fear, hurt… And, soon enough, we will be able to rejoice in the Lord always. May it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, the long walk of faith yields a heart rejoicing. Continue to walk with me, helping me to the place where I can rejoice in the lows and valleys of life, knowing you are there with me. Build up my trust and confidence and faith in you. Amen.


by Leave a comment

The Way to Abundant Life

Reading: Psalm 106:1-6 and 19-23

Verse 6: “We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.”

Psalm 106 begins by praising and giving thanks to God because God is good and because God’s love endures forever. To praise and give thanks to God for these things is something that we should do every day. The psalmist then notes that we are blessed when we “maintain justice” and when we “do what is right.” Living in alignment with God’s will and ways is a blessed way to live. This is the experience spoken of in verses 4-5. The people of God – when living as the people of God – they enjoy prosperity and joy. What blessing!

The Psalm suddenly turns in verse 6. It gets real honest. Here the psalmist writes, “We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.” This is as true for us as it was for the psalmist. Humanity is prone to sin. Left unchecked by the will and way of God, we become selfish and greedy and prideful… We become the one on the throne or we try and surround ourselves with things that make us feel safe and secure. We seek to achieve and gather, these things soon growing into idols. It might not be a golden calf, but it is certainly as temporal and manmade.

We make idols and lose our way for the same reason that the Israelites did: “They forgot the God who saved them.” We do this when we fail to do what the psalmist prescribed in verses 1-6. Praising God for the love and blessings, living out God’s justice and righteousness, and frequently confessing and repenting of our sins – these are the antidotes to becoming selfish, greedy, prideful… This is the way to abundant life, both now and into eternity. May this be the way that we choose to live day by day.

Prayer: Lord God, forgive my wayward and selfish decisions and choices. Strengthen me to change, to grow less selfish and prideful. Replace these with your justice and righteousness. Open my eyes to your works, filling my heart with praise and thanksgiving – for your mighty deeds and for your gentle touches. All praise and glory to you, O God! Amen.


by Leave a comment

Interceding

Reading: Exodus 32:11-14

Verse 13: “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

As we continue in the Exodus passage for this week Moses seeks God’s favor, interceding on behalf of the people. This is not the first or last time that Moses will do this. Nor is he the first prophet to do this. This practice is not limited to prophets either. The practice of interceding on behalf of one another is at the core of the community of faith.

Using the same language as God, Moses doubles down, asking, “Why should your anger burn against your people?” Moses reminds God that it was actually God who brought the people out of Egypt. This is a type of prayer that we pray too. We remind God of what God has done in the belief that God will do it again. Moses wants God to rescue them not from Egypt but from their sin this time. Moses also reminds God of the relationship and its foundations. First, Moses says, “Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…” Moses then reminds God of the promises. Yes, we too pray both of these prayer types too. We invoke our relationship (or another’s relationship with God) and we recall the promises found in the scriptures both as a reminder to ourselves and to God as well.

Can we change God’s mind with our prayers? Perhaps? Is God just using such prayers to reinforce our faith and trust? Maybe? While we do not know the answers to these questions, we do know that we are brought before God regularly and divinely. The Spirit interceded for us, often in groans and always in ways aligned with God’s will (Romans 8:26.) Christ himself also intercedes for us as he sits at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34.) I believe the content of these prayers comes from his time on earth.

May we too choose to stand in this long line of faith, interceding for one another, lifting one another before the throne of God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for being for us. Thank you for the ways that you, the three-in-one, intercede on our behalf – evidence of your great love for us. We know that you have good plans for us and that you seek to work these out. Help us to be a part of this today. Empower us to be a part of this great prayer effort today, both for ourselves and for one another. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Resisting the Urge

Reading: Exodus 32:1-10

Verse 7: “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.”

Moses was the Israelite’s connection to God. God spoke to Moses and he spoke to the people. The people spoke to Moses and he spoke to God. The speaking sometimes was crying out; it was sometimes grumbling; it was sometimes quarreling. The relationships between God and Moses, between Moses and the people, and between God and the people all had their ups and downs.

Way back in chapter 24 God calls Moses up the mountain after leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. Moses spends 40 days on the mountain, receiving instructions and the Ten Commandments from God. In today’s passage the people approach Aaron. They wonder what has happened to Moses. He has been gone a really long time. Without Moses, the people’s relationship with God has a missing part. So they take matters into their own hands, saying to Aaron, “Come, make us gods who will go before us.” Aaron collects jewelry and makes an idol shaped like a calf. The people worship this idol. Looking down upon the scene, God says to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” The Israelites are now “your people.” If they were truly God’s people, there would be no idol, right?

When I’ve gone to God asking for some guidance on a project or for relief from some situation or for healing for a loved one and the answer seems like a long time coming, I want to take matters into my own hands. I want to just fashion my own solution. I can be tempted to think that I know best. I can ponder becoming my own person, not God’s person. In these moments, may we remember today’s lesson. Even though it may not feel like it, God is right there. May we hold onto the relationship, resisting the urge to quickly abandon our God. And may we trust into our relationship with God, leaning even deeper into God’s love and care.

Prayer: Lord God, when I am tempted to elevate self or some other idol above you, remind me of the lesson learned in this Exodus story. Use that to remind me of your constant love and your sure care. Guide me to turn once again to you. Amen.