pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: journey


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The Story for All

Paul reminds the Ephesians of life before Christ.  He reminds them how they used to be strangers or aliens, of how they were excluded, and of how they were not good enough to be a part of the family of God.  He does this to elevate their joy over Christ’s reconciling work on the cross.  Through the cross Christ broke down all barriers and gave all access to God.

At times people still feel excluded from God.  At times the things I do create space between God and I.  My sin creates separation.  But through His blood I find grace and mercy and reconciliation.  Then I am restored to the family of God.  I regret where I was but rejoice over finding my place again in the family of God.

This story Paul tells the Ephesians (and us) is a story many need to hear today.  Lots of people think they are not good enough, not worthy enough.  Some think their stains are too dark to ever be washed clean.  Others keep a distance because they fear they will fail because the demons they wrestle with are strong and usually win.  The story for all of these and more is the same story for us.

For all of us, this is a journey. It does not matter where you start, it only matters that you start.  For all of us, we will stumble.  This does not matter either because Christ is always there, extending a hand and welcoming us back through His blood.  Christ calls us all.  As followers we have heard the Word.  It is our call to share this good news with the least and the lost so that all can make their claim in the family of God.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 2: 11-22


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Walking by Faith

Paul reminds us that we walk by faith and not by sight.  Envision with me, just for a moment, your feet walking along a stony path.  See just the bottom of your legs and your feet and the path.  Hear the sound of the rock underneath your feet.

What is it that you see and hear?  Are your feet moving right along, steadily crunching the gravel as you stride?  Or are your feet skipping along making a scuffling sound in the stones?  Or are they moving haltingly and unsteadily, offering up an uneven pattern of noise?  Or are your feet still, making no sound at all upon the rocks?

Depending on how our lives are at the present moment, we may be breezing along the path, at a standstill, or somewhere in between.  For a season our walk of faith might be steady, but at other times it is not.  Life can distract us, disruptions can halt our progress.  Peaks and valleys come and go, but we always must keep moving forward in faith.

In faith we do continue to walk forward, ever seeking to draw nearer to He who stands at the end of our path – Jesus Christ.  By keeping our eyes on Christ, we can always move closer whether we run, jump, skip, walk, or barely move forward.  At times the next step may seem unclear or unsure, but we know by the faith in our heart that He is there, ever calling us along our journey of faith.

Scripture reference: 2 Corinthians 5: 6-10


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Make a Difference

The person of Jesus has been gone a long time.  His presence, brought to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, has been with humankind ever since.  Some believers spend a lot of their time looking to heaven through the disciplines of prayer, meditation, worship, and study.  To know and understand Jesus more and more is definitely a part of our journey of faith.  All of these means of grace develop our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Many are comfortable with the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives in terms of how it helps them in these pursuits.  But our faith life is not all about looking up – it is also about looking in and looking around.  Faith is not meant to be lived in isolation or even with just our fellow believers.  The Spirit calls into our passions and seeks to use our God-given gifts and talents to be a difference-maker in our world.

As Spirit-filled followers we are called to be the kingdom of God here on earth. The Spirit leads us to wrestle with the things of this world – racial tension, economic injustice, violence, corruption… – the things that cause the heart of God to hurt.  We are called as followers of Christ to come alongside folks who struggle with these things and to lead the way for change in helping our world become the place God desires it to be.  We are to work for a world where justice and equality and fairness are the norms, not the exceptions.  Each of us must ask the Holy Spirit where we are called to minister in this world.  The twelve were sent out to make a difference in the world as they spread the message of the gospel.  This is our call as well.

Scripture reference: Acts 1: 9-11


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Together

As we move toward Holy Week, we must have a sense that we need to be prepared to walk with Jesus through the trials of the last week of His life.  At times on that journey, the forces of evil were in full force.  It is at times physically painful, at times emotionally painful and at times it is even spiritually painful.

Psalm 118: 24 reads, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  This verse can apply to each day in the week ahead.  Every morning when we begin our day, we can use this verse to garner strength for whatever may come personally and for being present in the events of the week as we walk with Jesus.  Every day God has made.  All things of that day too.  It is a mater of attitude to give each day to God.

It is also a matter of company.  The ‘let us rejoice’ is plural.  We are all in this together. All Christians should walk through Holy Week together with Jesus.  Whether your community is your small group, your church, or the group that reads this today, there is power in practicing our faith together.  There is unity and there is strength.

Holy Weeks is a week of highs and lows.  At times the forces of evil seem to rule the day and at times God is clearly triumphant.  It is as important to celebrate the highs together as well as to walk through the tough stuff together.  May our faith draw us together as we prepare to journey with Jesus through Holy Week.

Scripture reference: Psalm 118: 19-24

 


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One Small Step

At the very beginning of the story in Mark, Jesus was just a rabbi.  The news of who he really was wasn’t out yet.  In Mark, he began his formal ministry teaching in the synagogue, where he also cast an evil spirit out of a man.  What stood out to the people was the authority by which Jesus taught.

That day Jesus also went to Simon’s house, one of the first disciples.  There he healed Simon’s mother-in-law.  News of the man Jesus began to spread because by night many people from the town were brought to Jesus for healing and others were brought so that he could cast out their demons.  Someone more than a good teacher was present.  But Jesus would not let the demons speak – they knew who He really was.  As the day wore on, people must have been wondering just who or what this Jesus was.

For some today this is still Jesus – a nice person who had good teachings and maybe healed and did a few other amazing things.  Some call them ‘miracles’ but…  They like and respect him but do not commit to Him.  They may even follow some of his teachings but are not all-in for Him.  They are not quite willing to surrender their lives to this man Jesus.

Yet this step of knowing about Jesus is a first step.  It is a beginning.  It is the start of the Holy Spirit at work in their lives.  It is the first evidence of seeds planted and starting to take root.  As believers we must be sensitive to the curious and the seekers among us.  We must share our stories and experiences, to help faith become more ‘real’ for them.  We are just one small step along their journeys of faith.  May we be a good step for all.

Scripture reference: Mark 1: 29-34


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In Christ’s Way

God calls us to a life of holiness.  In living a life of holiness we are called to live with God’s love being our guiding light.  Although we are imperfect in our human form, we are called to emulate our perfect God.

In daily living we are called to build others up, to pray for all we encounter, to do good and to do no harm, to serve and to give to others.  Elements such as pride, greed, envy, and such are not welcome in our hearts.  Our covenant with God calls us to holiness.  And through this covenant we find God’s power being present to help us accomplish this calling.

Paul looked at holiness as a holistic or complete package.  It involves our body, mind, and soul living a life worthy of Jesus Christ. Our journey of faith should lead us closer and closer and closer to Christ.

God knows we are imperfect creatures.  As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, we are also reminded that Jesus walked this earth too.  Although He was without sin, He felt all of the emotions and things we deal with and struggle with.  Jesus is on our side.  He intercedes for us.  God calls us to perfection, seeking to make saints out of our imperfection.  The road is narrow but His love never fails and His hand is always upon us, guiding and leading us to walk in Christ’s way.

Scripture reference: 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-24


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Fellow Travelers

Often times when we go on a journey, we like to have company go along with us.  This is especially true if it is a long journey.  We have someone to talk to, someone there in case we have trouble, and someone to keep us focused on the journey.

Our journey of faith is long and should be one of continual growth and development as we move along our “path.”  It is a journey meant to be made in the company of other Christians, but how often we try to go it alone.  We don’t usually mind sharing the good things in life or even coming together at a funeral in or common time of grief, but sharing our inner demons and struggles is much harder.  Yet it is in the honesty and accountability that we find strength and power.

Jesus himself turned to others in times of trial and struggle.  The Holy Spirit walked with Him in the desert and often He turned to the disciples for prayer and support.  If Jesus needed others to be with Him, how much more so do we.  May we find and be for others fellow travelers along the road of faith.

Scripture reference: Judges 4: 1-9


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All Is Not Lost

Matthew 22 contains several series of questions that the Sadducees and Pharisees ask Jesus.  They are the religious leaders of the day and their queries have two purposes: to prove themselves correct and to trap Jesus, this radical upstart.  Yet with each question Jesus stings these experts in faith by drawing them back to the scriptures and the true meaning of God’s word.  After each encounter the leaders go away bruised and defeated, and probably a little angry too.

We too go away a bit bruised and defeated when we take the time to reflect on how we do honoring the two great commandments Jesus names in verses 34 to 36.  Love God with all of my heart, mind, and soul?  On a good day I might come close part of the day.  But my pride,my judgmental nature, my sense of needing to be in control – they each take their turn leading instead of me allowing God to lead.  Love my neighbor as self?  I could maybe do okay if I got to pick the neighbor.  But my neighbor is everyone I encounter and I struggle daily – with those I know and those I don’t and sometimes avoid.  Maybe you can relate.  Maybe you too are like the Sadducees and Pharisees.

But all is not lost – we are on a journey of faith.  Each time we stumble, Christ helps us back up.  He reassures us of His love for us.  He reminds us to love others as He first loved us.  And He sends us back out each day, to matter and make a difference for His kingdom here on earth.  Each day we meet the world, seeking to meet it as Jesus did – right where it is at.  We seek to offer what we can to whomever we can, to make a difference one person at a time.  And we do.  Thanks be to God.

Scripture reference: Matthew 22: 34-36


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Day by Day

Have you ever faced a task that seemed monumental or so large that you didn’t even  know where to begin?  Maybe it was a huge pile of dirt or rock or wood that needed to be moved.  Maybe it was 30 years worth of pictures that needed sorting and organizing.  Sometimes it is hard to get started and sometimes we even want to give up in the middle.  Yet when we step back and look, we can see that the pile is smaller or that things are starting to take shape.

In our faith journey, that perfection in Christ that we are called to can seem monumental or huge.  At times we feel lost in the race, unsure of our footing, not quite able to see around the next curve.  Sometimes we feel that there are more questions than answers.  But we do not lose hope.

Paul knew the goal and the call of God heavenward through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Paul also knew the journey was made day by day, step by step.  Our journey is the same – day by day and step by step.  On this journey too, we can step back and see progress and growth.  In this we find the encouragement to continue to fight the good fight, to pursue the prize of our own call heavenward.  And day by day we draw ever nearer.

Scripture reference: Philippians 3: 12-14


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Walk Boldly in Faith

Paul deeply loved the churches he started and those he nurtured along in their faith, yet he also felt the pull of heaven.  His journey had been long and at times trying.  As he sat in prison and reflected on his journey, he could see that there was work yet for him to do.  The churches he was shepherding still needed his help to continue to grow in their faith.

Paul also had a sense that just as he was continuing the work of Christ, so too would others continue his work.  As he sat in prison, Paul also had a sense that through his faithful example, others we being strengthened in their willingness to be bold for Christ.

Each of us have others that we help to grow in their faith.  It may be family, friends, or coworkers.  It may be the people in our small group.  And just like Paul, our faithful witness to Christ matters to those in our sphere of influence.  As we walk out our faith journey, we too carry Christ with us as we provide an example for others.  May we, like Paul, walk boldly and full of the love of Jesus Christ.  May our faith be the light that helps others along their journey with Christ.

Scripture reference: Philippians 1: 21-26