pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: guide


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Baptism into the Family

As Paul baptizes the twelve men in Ephesus, the Holy spirit comes upon then and they are filled with its presence.  They cannot deny the change that has occurred in themselves.  Outwardly there are signs as well – they begin to speak in tongues and to prophecy.  Much like the first Pentecost, this is a powerful moment.  It is also a great example of the power of the risen Christ.

Baptism remains a powerful experience.  It is s huge moment in each believer’s life and walk of faith.  As we are baptized, we are formally welcomed into the family of God and we are marked by Him.  All of our lives we carry this mark – child of God.  As part of our church family we are also part of the larger family of God, a huge network of believers past, present, and future.  Many will pray for you as needs arise just as we in turn intercede for others.

Baptism is also our first step towards our eternal destination with the risen Christ.  As the Holy Spirit dwells in each of us, the Spirit guides, leads, nudges, convicts, and prompts us to live a life worthy of our calling as a child of God and as a disciple of Jesus Christ.  Our new internal compass is always present and active in our lives.  May we tune into the Spirit’s presence in our lives so that we more closely walk with Christ, our hope and our salvation.

Scripture reference: Acts 29: 1-7


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God’s Mighty, Loving Hands

Sometimes a situation or a conflict can become so consuming that we lose sight of God and our faith.  We allow ourselves to be lost in the trial and forget our God who can and wants to save us.  Like Moses, when he came down the mountain and found the people worshipping the idol, we too can lash out and allow our frustrations to rule us.

But God calls us to be faithful to Him and wants us to go to Himself first all of the time.  God so loves us and seeks to have the most intimate relationship we can muster up.  God longs for us to think of and go to Him in both the good times and in the times of trial.  He wants to just pour strength and guidance into us to lead us through those times when we are angry or frustrated or perplexed.

Despite all of this, we still fail now and then.  We still seek to solve it or to work it out on our own.  But soon enough we are on our knees.  Having borne all we can bear, we  turn to Him.  Without condemnation and without judgment, God comes to our side.  And when the crisis has passed, we wonder why we did not turn to God at the beginning.  (I bet God wonders this too.)  Yet as we grow in our faith, we learn to turn sooner.  We come to learn that it is ALL in God’s mighty. loving hands all of the time.  May we all learn to make God our first stop.

Scripture reference: Exodus 34: 1-12


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Words of Life

In Psalm 19 we find some great insights into the Word of God and its role in our lives.  This Psalm shows the value of the word and its effect on our lives.  It is not a burden but a delight to live as a child of the word of God.  It guides us as we seek to walk in His ways.

In the word we find God’s perfect law, which revives our soul.  The word is trustworthy and brings us wisdom.  His word is right and clear, bringing joy to our hearts and light to our eyes.  God’s ways revealed through the word are true and yield righteousness in us.

God’s words guides and leads us along the path that He intends us to walk.  It is vibrant and living and remains relevant to the choices and decisions we make n our lives.  May we learn to love to spend time in the Bible, growing in our depth of faith, drawing ever nearer to God.  His word is a lamp to our eyes and a guide to our feet.  May we grow dependent on the Bible and its words of life.

Scripture reference: Psalm 19: 7-12


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Faithful and True

Have you ever done something or ventured somewhere with a guide or expert that you never would have alone?  If I were to go white-water rafting or skydiving or up Mount Everest, I would want a pretty skilled guide right there with me, leading and showing the way.  Imagine stepping to the door or the airplane and hearing your guide say, “Hope I packed the parachutes right, today was my first time packing a chute.”

In your walk of faith have you ever stepped outside of your comfort zone or made a ‘leap of faith’?  When we do these things we do so with the confidence that He is right there with us.  He walks right alongside of us – ready to catch us when we stumble, ready to show us the way when we feel a little lost, ready to whisper in our ear just what needs to be said, ready to give us courage when we begin to have doubts.  He is our rock, our comforter, our expert guide.

Knowing He is always by our side gives us the confidence and knowledge to step up or out for Him.  He will never leave us, He will never forsake us.  May we walk boldly, for He is faithful and true.