pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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The Ways to Connect

In times of trial or stress, how do you connect to God?  In what ways do you draw strength to get through the situation or that season in your life?  I think there are a variety of answers to these inquiries.  For me, and perhaps for you, the answers are not always the same.

Often it is spending more time in prayer.  Through prayer we can become more aware of what God’s will is in our present situation.  Through prayer we can come to understand the other person, the situation, or even ourself better or in a different way.

At other times it is finding encouragement or strength is God’s word.  Maybe it is a favorite psalm or words of Jesus that you have memorized.  Or it could be a passage you open up to or that you search for speaks into your situation.

Or it could be a song or hymn that you sing that brings you the hope, God’s love, or the strength or understanding that you need just then.  Song can lift our spirits.  For others is may simply be time spent sitting in the sanctuary or chapel.  Or it may be a walk in the woods or a bench in the park by the water.

There are so many ways we can connect to God.  That is one of the things I love most about our God.  It is not only through a book or only one other way.  We have a God who always seeks to be connected to us and is open to many ways to do just that.  I am thankful for both God’s desire to be present in my life and for the many ways in which I can draw close and spend time in that presence!

Scripture reference: Psalm 105: 1-6


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Living Each Day in the Word

Blessing come to us as Christians when we seek God with all of our hearts. The blessings may be things like comfort and a good life. But this is not a guarantee. The only sure thing is that by seeking we can come to know Him more.

As we come to know and live by God’s ways and as we seek to live out Jesus’ example, our knowledge of God will grow. As we continue to do these things our relationship with God grows.

With knowledge comes understanding. The words on the page become more than just words. We come to see the Bible as the living, breathing Word of God. And we must stay in the Word as it can reveal something new to us each time we read a passage. When we are seeking, often the book will meet us where we are.

As our understanding grows, our relationship begins to shift from head to heart. We move from a concept of loving God and neighbor to actually living it out in our daily lives. Our faith becomes how we live. May we all seek to live each day in His name!!

 

[Side note – this and the last post were from this weekend.  I was without internet connections!!]