pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: life


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Coincidence?

Just got back from our mission trip to Seattle yesterday.  It was an adventure!!  Bus 1’s radiator started going out on the second day of the trip and they needed to get it replaced.  The bus company lined up a replacement bus to help drive us to our work sites in Seattle.  On Monday morning we walked onto the ferry to Seattle as two of our buses lined up to load onto the ferry.  Due to low tide they would not allow the buses onto the ferry.  So we set off to serve in Seattle with our lunches and water on the buses.  Yet the replacement bus was already at the ferry depot, waiting to provide rides.  Coincidence?

Abraham sent his servant to a far away land to find a bride for his son Isaac.  He sought a woman from God’s people living in a distant land.  There was no previous arrangement of connections – just go and find a willing bride.  A woman willing to leave her family and homeland, to go to a far land and marry a man she has never met.  Sounds easy, huh?  No wonder the servant doubted.  Bot, lo and behold, the first woman he meets at the well in Rebekah and she is willing to go and marry Isaac.  And her family is willing too so they bless her and the rest is history.  Coincidence?  I think not.

There were many other instances on our mission trip where we were able to look back and see God’s hand at work.  I’m sure there are many instances in your life where you can see the hand of God at work also.  If you think not – look harder – they are there.  God is a part of our lives.  The more open and inviting we are to His presence, the more we come to know that presence.  Hear His promise: “I will not forg et you!  See, I have engraved you on the palm of My hands.” (Isaiah 49: 15-16)

Scripture reference: Genesis 24: 34-38, 42-49, and 58-67


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The Sacredness of Life

“How lovely is your dwelling places O Lord almighty” is the opening line to he song, “Better Is One Day.”  Truly I believe God’s dwelling place is amazing – hope to find out one day myself!  The chorus to this song speaks of one day in His courts being better than a thousand elsewhere.  This too I believe to be true.

Psalm 104 speaks of all the living things God has created and sustains.  His Spirit breaths life into them and when He removes His spirit, death comes.  Within this psalm we can see and feel a sacredness to all of life, for He creates all life and is in all life.

Although we are living for that one days when we will enter His courts, we need to be equally mindful that as we wait we need to care well for all of His creation.  As Christians our great commission is to make disciples of all nations, not just some.  In the same manner, we are called to care for all of creation, not just what we find under our roof or in our neighborhood.

Psalm 104, verse 31 reads, “May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord rejoice in His works!”  And may we do our part in the living out of this psalm.


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God Needs Time

In John 14, Thomas’ concern is so often our concern too – “how can we know the way?”  Jesus’ words of reply show us.  He is the way, the truth, and the life.In my head I know this to be true.  Yet at times I struggle to live this out in my life.  I doubt and question.  I wrestle with God for control of my life.  I want to follow John’s way.  But then I realize that I am insufficient.  God is necessary.

In both weakness and conceit, I need God.  In one to give me strength and in one to humble me.  At all times, God is good.  At all times He gives me just what I need.  It is our task to take in the things God offers at all times.

To be able to do so, we must really know Him.  To know Him requires frequent trips back to the basics – time in the scriptures, bowing in prayer, lifting our voice in praise, serving others.  The list goes on.  All are paths to come to know the way, the truth, and the life.  Faith is a pretty simple thing.  We must give of ourselves – mostly in time – to come to really know the way, the truth, and the life.


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Arriving Sooner

As the two disciples walked towards Emmaus, the loss of Jesus was heavy on their hearts, but the story of Jesus being alive provided some hope.  As I read these verses in Luke 24 I can gear some excitement in their voices as they ponder the possibility.  But there is still a little doubt and confusion because they don’t fully understand that it is all part of God’s plan.

We have all been there – in the midst of some heartache or struggle – questioning why and feeling oh so lost.  And then suddenly He is right there, walking alongside of us, right in the here and now.  And like Jesus walking along the road to Emmaus, He too speaks into our situation and we begin to come out of our sorrow or confusion.  God’s plan starts to come into focus.

We begin to see again that we are part of God’s plan, and we continue to walk on.  But we walk with a new warmth in our heart for that little taste of heaven has put a little bounce in our step.  As we continue on our journey of faith, the taste of heaven becomes a taste for heaven as God becomes a 24/7 part of life instead of a here and there part.  We become a part of helping heaven being a part of this life.  And like the two on the road to Emmaus, we wonder why we didn’t “arrive” sooner!


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Jesus, Our Superhero Model

Jesus was an amazing combination of real human and heavenly God.  He was like a superhero – normal person most of the time – yet now and then demonstrating the amazing.  And true to superhero code – He never used his powers for his own good!  But more often than not, Jesus was a humble servant – to any and to all.

We most often live in the ordinary.  Just a simple person, getting by day after day.  Yet once in a while we have the chance to step into the amazing.  We have the opportunity to live beyond the human limitations.  Sometimes we find it in a time of prayer or perhaps during worship.  It is that amazing moment simply being in His presence.  Sometimes we find it when we step out of our own comfort zone and into another’s world to engage them where they are at.  This idea is what awes me about Jesus – he accepted all he met at face value and offered what he could to them.  So often when we do for others, they are certainly helped but it is us who has gained the most.

In John 10:10 Jesus promised, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  Got your cape and tights ready?  Where will you find and give life abundantly today?


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Walking a Spirit-led Life

In Romans 8 Paul calls us to live a life in the Spirit instead of a life in sin.  In one we choose the things of God and in the other we choose death.  In one we ask the Spirit to come and dwell in us, to become a part of our very essence.  We humbly admit to God, “I need You.  I cannot walk this path on my own”.   In the other we say, “I can do this on my own.  I can handle this.”  Yet we fail.  Even when we choose to live the spirit-led life, we stumble and fall.  But He is right there to pick us up, to dust off the sin, and to set us back on our walk with Him.

Paul promises that when we choose to live a spirit-filled life, we will find peace.  He is not promising a life of no problems.  But Paul is promising that within the trials we will have peace because of the spirit dwelling in us.  Living with His guiding hand upon us is of great comfort and peace.

Choosing a spirit-led life will exceed any expectations we have for these earthly bodies that we inhabit.  When we choose to let Him lead, we begin to live into an external promise.  We begin to live with an eye on His kingdom that will come again and with an eye on bringing that to reality.  As we dwell in and live into that promise, life is exciting!  The journey is much better when we know where our end will take us.

Guide us this day, O Lord, to choose to walk your path today.  Lead us to live into the Spirit so that we may walk as your child today and to honor You in all we do.  Amen!


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In Charge by One

When Samuel went to Bethlehem to anoint Israel’s next king, he was looking for what we often look for in a leader –  strong, powerful, mighty, charismatic…  Some of these are surface characteristics but others are ‘hidden’ or are things we can sense about someone.  But this is some of the typical list that we look for in our leaders.  They are also characteristics that many of us would like applied to ourselves as well!

But God told Samuel ‘No, no no!’  God told him that it is what is in the heart that matters.  In essence, God told him, ‘To rule my people Israel, faithfulness to me is what matters.’  A heart for God is what counts.  To rule or leas from the perspective of God is what is needed.

It is still what matters today.  It does not matter if you own your own business or if you are in charge or a large number of people.  To live with a heart turned to God matters just as much as if you are only leading yourself.  Most of us fall somewhere in between owning our own business and leading just ourselves.  It does not matter.  Leading a God-filled, spirit-led life is ALL that matters.  And we each are fully in charge of whether or not we live that way.  Seek God.  Love God.  Share God.


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Drinking at the Well

When you think of ‘living water’ what do you imagine? Do you see a gently bubbling spring or a huge waterfall pouring over a cliff? It really does make quite the difference. So when Jesus said that he was the living water, what image did he have in mind?

And what does Jesus offer us? The living water is life-giving to us. The living water washes us clean. The living water offers us hope and is a glimpse into eternity. It is something that we can live without but something we shouldn’t live without. Life is so much better when one allows the living water of Jesus Christ to be a part of our life.

Today may the living water of Christ refresh and renew you. May it make you clean again. May you drink deeply of His water!!!


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Blessings or Curses?

Blessings and curses. Like the ‘life or death’ choice this one seems so easy. Who wouldn’t choose blessings? Who in the world would ask for a big old heaping of curses? (At least not on themselves!)

When our choice is life with God, then we are committing to love Him, to listen to Him, and to trust in Him. Notice that all of these things involve us choosing to engage God in some way. All of these things involve us saying we are plugged into God and His plan for our life. The result is blessings. The blessings go both ways too!! We are blessed by God’s presence and how it affects the way we live out our days. God is blessed because when we are in this right relationship with Him, we are also in a right relationship with those in our worlds. We love and care for others.

When our choice is to not do all of these things, the result is curses. Maybe these sometimes come in the form of calamity and bad things. Maybe it looks like things just are not quite going right for us. But in either case, this is not the work of God. We are more suspect to the lies and work of the evil one when we are not close to God. When we are far from God we see things in a different way. Instead of turning to Him, we turn to ourselves or food or …

This choice between blessings and curses can be seen in big and small ways. In big ways we can see it in a tragedy. The family that loves and trusts in God looks at the loss of a loved one so much differently that a family of non-believers. Both families hurt for the human loss of life and grieve over the missing relationship. But the faithful family has a sense of peace and hope. They do not have the ‘what now’ questions and doubts.

In small ways faith allows us to get through a trial at work, an argument with our spouse, a challenge with one of our children a little differently – we know there is a higher purpose, a greater calling to our life. Our trust and faith in God allows us to see past the crisis while we are yet in the midst of it. The hope and peace that comes from Him allows us to work through the crisis filled with a sense of His presence – we know we are not alone. And this makes such a difference!

Blessings or curses? Just as Moses loved and wanted the people to choose God and life and blessings, so too should we want all people today to choose these things. And it is in the way we live out our faith in the real places of life that we are a witness to those in the dark. It is in the way we do the day to day things and it is in the ways we engage the world. May we choose to share faith, life, and blessings today!!


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Choices We Face

Life and prosperity or … death and destruction? Seems a pretty simple choice when put that way, doesn’t it? When one thinks in these terms concerning the big picture, it is hard to imagine many choosing death and destruction. But in the day to day decisions, we don’t always see things in this way. How easy it is to choose something that leads more toward death and destruction than towards life and prosperity!

In our decisions, if it is painted as “good” versus “evil” most would choose good. Few would explicitly choose evil. In life versus death we often think that death is so far away and it hardly seems a decision. If our neck were in a noose or if we had a gun to our head, then the choice would seem more real but it would hardly be a choice at that point! But Satan is much trickier than this!

Once one is on the path of following Christ it can seem almost easy. The daily following of God’s ways and His commands leads to a sense of contentment and knowing that no matter what, you are loved. Storms of life seem to be a bit less rocky; although they do come, there is a peace that resides in Christ that allows us to lean into Him during the trials of life.

But much can keep us from the path and much can pull at us once on the path. Sometimes is it just us – our ego, our judging attitudes, our need to be in control, ______ … you fill in your blank! Sometimes it is the messages culture and the media throw at us. So much points to other gods and idols. Sometimes it is so hard to see the path that leads to life eternal. But in those times, we can pray simple words asking the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Through our faith, God will show the way. Come Holy Spirit, come!!