pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: God


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What Is Right and True

Reading: Psalm 27:1, 4-9

Verse 1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?”

Photo credit: Darold Pinnock

This week’s Psalm begins with words of faith and trust in God. As you read these words, David’s faith oozes out, his trust shouts aloud. Moving into verse 4 we see the source of his faith and trust. Here David asks just one thing – to dwell in God’s presence all of his days. Even though an enemy may attack, even though an army may besiege him, David trusts that God will keep him safe and that God will “set me high upon a rock.”

In this life we will face enemies and attacks. Last night at youth group we talked about doing the right thing. It is a moment when we sometimes falter, fearing what may happen to us, worrying about what others may say or think about us. Fear of the potential trial or of the cost of doing what we know is right and just can paralyze us. In David’s words we are reminded today that God is with us and that God has been and always will be both our helper and our defender.

Today we remember and celebrate one who lived these words and truths out. Today we remember and celebrate a pastor who chose to stand for justice and equality. Fear could have easily won the day many times. The threats and violence would’ve silenced many people’s voices. Day by day, Martin Luther King, Jr., clung to his light and salvation, to his stronghold, to the one rock upon which he stood. As his fellow saints who walk the same path of faith, may we too choose love instead of hate, trust instead of fear, and hope instead of defeat. God is still at work for the good in all things. In faith and trust may we stand for what is right and just.

Prayer: Lord God, what examples of faith. From the one who sought you with all of his heart to the one who trusted you with his very life, may we be encouraged and inspired. As we seek to trust in you, O God, and as we strive to be love to and for all people, deepen our faith in you, our rock and our light. Amen.


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Come and See

Reading: John 1:35-42

Verse 41: “The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah.'”

As we turn again to John’s gospel today we see that two of John the Baptist’s disciples leave him to follow Jesus. After hearing John declare Jesus “the Lamb of God,” Andrew and another disciple follow Jesus down the road. Noticing someone is tailing him, Jesus asks them what they want. They ask where he is heading – this is a polite way to ask if they can join him. Jesus responds by saying, “Come and you will see.” Jesus invites them to join him – and not just for the day.

Andrew then exhibits a practice that we all should emulate. Knowing in his heart that Jesus is the Messiah, he goes and finds his brother. Simon comes and sees Jesus too. Without introduction, Jesus identifies Simon by name and informs him that he will be called Cephas (or Peter in Greek).

A few questions come to my heart as I reflect on this passage. First, how regularly do I come and see Jesus? This can be going to church, reading the Bible, praying, fasting… Second, who is our Simon? Who is our brother or sister, our neighbor or friend, stranger, or relative that needs to come and see Jesus too? And, third, how will we connect the two? We can pick them up and bring them to church or Bible study. We can take them to coffee or to lunch…

In our hearts we know that Jesus is the Messiah. May we invite and help others to come and see the Lord.

Prayer: Lord God, you are my all in all, my rock and my redeemer, my Savior and my friend. This day use me so that others may come and see the Christ. Amen.


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The Lamb of God

Reading: John 1:29-34

Verse 29: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

Turning to John’s gospel today and tomorrow, we begin with Jesus coming toward John the Baptist. As he approaches John says, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” These are unique words to apply at this time in Jesus’ ministry. Usually we call Jesus the Good Shepherd when referring to sheep and shepherds. For most of his ministry, Jesus is not the lamb. At the end, yes, Jesus goes to the cross as our perfect sacrifice. We get the lamb references then.

Yet in today’s passage, as Jesus’ ministry is about to begin, John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God. Since the days of Passover a perfect and spotless lamb (or goat) was the offering made to God as the people of God remembered how they were freed from slavery in Egypt. Each and every year the rescue story is celebrated and remembered. To see Jesus in this role immediately identifies him as the one who rescues, redeems, restores, and saves. It is a powerful image to be placed in the minds of the Jews.

Continuing on, John the Baptist offers proof that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the one who comes to save. John recounts the Spirit coming down and remaining on Jesus after he was baptized. This fulfills what God said would happen. Jesus is the son of God. Not only will he take away the sins of the world, one day the Christ will defeat all evil, claiming final victory as he establishes the new heaven and earth. For the salvation Christ offers and for the final victory yet to come, we say thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, today we are reminded of such great news. You came in the flesh to take away our sins, to rescue us from captivity to self. One day you will come again to banish all evil as you create heaven here on earth. Day by day, lead and guide us to make this vision more and more of a reality here and now as we await your final return in victory. Amen.


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Receive and Practice Grace

Reading: 1st Corinthians 1:1-9

Verse 4: “I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given you in Christ Jesus.”

Photo credit: Fuu J

After the introduction and greeting Paul turns to thanksgiving. As we begin 2 days with this text, we begin today with verse 4. In this verse we read, “I always thank my God for you because of God’s grace given you in Christ Jesus.” Thanking God for the gifts that we have received and for the gifts that we see in others is a habit that Paul practiced regularly and that we should practice regularly. But let us not be thankful just for the gift. Let us also be thankful for the ways in which the gift is manifest in our lives and in the ways that the gift helps us to witness to Jesus Christ.

In that spirit let us consider the gift of grace a little deeper today. Grace is something that we receive from God that we are also to extend to others. God’s grace does not hold us accountable for our mistakes, our failures, our shortcomings, our sins. God’s grace continues to love us as we work through these things. We are to look at and treat others this way. When a friend makes a mistake, for example, and our gut reaction is to cut ties, grace calls us to move past that and to continue being their friend. God’s grace offers us forgiveness without expecting us to do anything to earn it or to prove we’re worthy of it. Grace is not conditional. It has no strings attached. Because God offers grace this way, we cannot say to another, “I’ll forgive you if you ___.” We simply say, “I’ll forgive you.”

These are but two of the ways that we receive God’s grace and, in turn, extend grace to one another. Grace is just one way that we reflect Christ to the world. Today may we be grace-full.

Prayer: Lord God, your grace reveals your heart to me. It is powerful and transforming. As I grow in grace, use me to be grace in the world more and more, day by day. Amen.


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Growing and Encouraging

Reading: Psalm 40:6-11

Verse 10: “I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.”

The Psalms tell the story of faith – from the good to the bad. There are laments and there are songs of joy. In our faith we experience highs and lows plus a whole lot in the middle. And God is there in and through it all. Almost all the Psalms speak of God’s activity (or apparent lack thereof) with the people of God. In this week’s Psalm David expresses a desire to bring glory to God, both personally and corporately. In verses 6 David recognizes that simply offering sacrifices, just going through the motions of flopping down a hunk of meat on the altar, is not what God desires or requires. In the same way God does not require or desire us to show up to worship just to daydream through worship.

In verses 8-10 David shares how he brings God glory. He does so by sharing his faith. Following the desires of his own heart, David has sought to fill his heart with God’s law. Not his head but his heart. This empowers David to proclaim his faith. In verse 10 we read, “I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.” David shares how God has been and is and will be faithful. He speaks of the salvation that he has received and that God offers to all who believe. David is reflecting on what God has done in his life. That bolsters his faith. By speaking aloud, David is also encouraging others. He is helping others to see how God could work in their lives. He closes by asking for God’s mercy and for God’s protection.

May we too reflect and grow in our faith. May we too proclaim and help others to grow in faith. May we speak of God’s faithfulness and righteousness and of the salvation and protection that we receive from God. May our proclamations bring God the glory as we grow in faith, encouraging others to join us on the journey of faith.

Prayer: Lord God, you are awesome and wonderful. You are compassionate and gracious. You hem me in and you go before and behind me. You bless and protect. You forgive and you offer life. Each day may I proclaim these truths as I express my thanksgiving for your presence in my life. Amen.


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Our Rock, Our Redeemer

Reading: Psalm 40:1-5

Verse 4: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.”

In today’s 5 verses from Psalm 40 David encapsulates much of our faith. He begins with a reality: “I waited patiently for the Lord.” Seeking God, lifting prayers – these are not a guarantee of an immediate response from God. Patience is often required. As was David’s experience, so too will God turn to us. God will hear our cry. I love the imagery that David uses to describe this in verses 2. God lifted him out of the “slimy pit” and “out of mire and mud.” What great descriptors of the valleys and times of suffering that we all must endure in this life. But better yet is God’s response. God placed David’s feet “on a rock,” on a “firm place to stand.” What joy and relief we find when God does this for us. To feel like we’re standing on solid ground instead of slippery or shifting ground, this too puts a “new song” in our mouths as we praise the Lord for our rescue or redemption or restoration…

The second stanza begins with these words: “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord.” That does not mean that we won’t face trial and suffering. Again, these are part of life. When we trust in God we do not turn aside to “false gods.” We do not allow our own pride or the “wisdom” of others tell us we’re ok on our own. We trust into what God has done and into what God has planned for us. We recall the many ways – “too many to declare” – that God has lifted us up and set our feet upon the rock that we call Jesus Christ. As we do, may we sing out our praises for the Lord our God, our rock and redeemer.

Prayer: Lord God, your constant presence leads and guides, it rescues and redeems. I thank you for lifting me, guarding me, shielding me, rescuing me, redeeming me, restoring me… Your love surrounds me and knows no end. I rejoice in you, my Lord and my Savior! Amen.


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God Has Chosen You

Reading: Isaiah 49:1-7

Verse 3: “You are my servant… in whom I will display my splendor.”

The words of Isaiah that we read this week speak to a people in utter defeat. Jerusalem lies in ruins, many have died, and most of the rest of Israel has been driven into exile. Our passage begins with a call to the “distant nations,” to those feeling isolated and alone. It is a call to remember that Israel was God’s “before I was born.” It is a reminder that they are still the people of God, even in the midst of the current darkness.

As the current people of God we too will have times when all feels like it lies in ruins, when it seems pretty dark. We will lose a job or a loved one. We will suffer illness or persecution. We will sin and separate ourselves from God and one another. Our church or our denomination will experience a tearing apart. There is no shortage of the hardships and trials that can and will befall us.

Into Israel’s darkness God promised a return, a redemption, a rescue story. God will be their reward and their strength. God will gather them back from exile. God promises, “You are my servant… in whom I will display my splendor.” This world and its troubles – they are temporary. God is not. On the other side of this darkness – whatever it is – there is light and hope and salvation for Israel and for you and for me. God is faithful and true. “The Holy One of Israel… has chosen you.”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reminder that you are every bit as present in the darkness as you are in the light. You have chosen me, you have chosen all of us to be blessed as we walk in the light of your love. Remind us again and again of this truth as we seek to walk as a light to the Gentiles of our day. Amen.


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Preach and Testify

Reading: Acts 10:34-43

Verse 42: “God commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one.”

Today we join Peter as he is witnessing to Jesus Christ. He begins with a realization: God accepts all people who do right and fear the Lord. Peter is stepping outside of his previous belief that God was just for the Jews. The vision he has and his experience with Cornelius and family has opened his eyes and heart to understand just how big God’s love is. Peter then shifts to telling of Jesus – the one who brought “the good news of peace,” the one who was “anointed by the Holy Spirit” following his baptism, the one who was raised from the dead, the one who appeared to many of his followers, the one who “commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one.” All of these things were eye and heart opening for so many people.

Jesus continues to open eyes today. He is the good news that transforms people’s lives, coming to live within us in Spirit once we learn to do right and fear the Lord. Jesus continues to offer restoration and redemption, giving life where there was none. He still calls us to preach the good news and to testify to how Jesus has changed our lives. Just as Peter and the other disciples were an integral part of opening eyes and hearts to the power of Jesus Christ, so too are we each vital to the ongoing building of the kingdom of God here on earth. Day by day may we preach and testify to the good news of Jesus Christ, living as an extension of Christ himself.

Prayer: Lord God, may the hope I find in Christ be the light that guides me and may the change that he has wrought in me be the fuel that drives my witness. Use me each day to reveal the good news of Jesus Christ to all I meet. Amen.


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Great Things

Reading: Psalm 29

Verses 3 and 7: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders… The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.”

Photo credit: Luka Savcic

In Psalm 29 David describes the voice of the Lord. In his words we get a sense of God that is powerful, majestic, and forceful. It is in contrast to the words that God spoke over Jesus at his baptism in Matthew 3. As we read those words earlier in the week, God was compassionate, encouraging, and engaged. Yes, there is power in the words of God in Matthew 3, but they also reveal a God who is personal and intimate. As we consider these ‘sides’ of God, we gain a fuller and a better understanding of God.

David writes, “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders… The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.” Just as it does with David in our Psalm, the voice of God draws us to worship God. The voice of God brings us strength. For me, the power in the flashes and rolls of thunder reminds me of how big our God is. In a storm I can sense God’s presence. There are, of course, other ways that one can “see” or “hear” God’s voice and presence – in a sunset or sunrise, in the waves crashing on the shore, in the birds singing, in the gently moving clouds… It is important for us to see and hear God, to be reminded of God’s power and presence.

The words of the Psalm also remind us that we can and do see and hear God in personal ways too. As God did with David and Israel, so too does God give us strength and peace. God reassures us with signs of power and majesty that are more than sufficient for our needs and desires. When we find ourselves struggling or hurting or broken, it is important to remember that God is near us, that God is all around us, and that God is able to do great things. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, your name is great and you are worthy of our praise. Your majesty and power surround us, your glory is revealed to us. This day also be personal and intimate. Draw near to those on our hearts who need you today. Pour out your love and healing so that they too may praise your name. Amen.


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Blessed with an Epiphany

Reading: Matthew 2:9-12

Verse 9: “They went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them.”

Today, on Epiphany, we return to the story of the Magi. In this time and space we will focus on the revelations of God and why we see them at times and miss them at other times. In the passage the Magi see the star that is the sign of a newborn king of the Jews. Herod cannot see the star. Yes, he claims to want to go and “worship” this new king. In reality he wants to go and eliminate a potential competitor.

What allowed the Magi to see the sign? And what kept it ever before then? The Magi were attuned to the prophecies and to what they meant for humankind. They were not Jewish but they did understand that the Messiah was not a king in the earthly sense. If it were so, they would not have come that far to worship a future king of a tiny, insignificant nation. They came to worship one who would transform the world. The Magi brought gifts of great wealth. The Magi were focused upward. At the opposite end was Herod. He was focused only on self and on earthly power and control. The star bright enough to follow for hundreds of miles was well outside of Herod’s vision.

I’ve experienced what Herod did. I’ve been around people with a vision, with a God-driven purpose in sight but have failed to see what they could see. My doubts or selfish concerns kept me from seeing the signs of God’s hand at work. Maybe you’ve been there too. Maybe you too have been inwardly focused or prideful or unsure. Only when our heart is tuned to God will we be blessed with an epiphany of what God is doing or wants to do in our lives or community or world. So may we choose to live with a heart turned toward God. Then we will be in a place to see and experience the power and glory of God. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the times that you’ve opened my eyes and heart to your presence, plan, and purpose. When I start to turn inward, when I begin to get selfish, pry open my faith and trust in you. Remind me again that you are the God who moves mountains, who heals the hurting, who rescues the lost, who mends the broken, and who redeems the wayward. Amen.