pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Praying and Sharing

Reading: Ephesians 6:18-20

Ephesians 6:18b – “Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers.”

Today’s verses follow Paul’s famous “Armor of God” passage. In this passage Paul writes about God’s protection against the “tricks of the devil.” This battle is won by holding fast to truth, justice, faith, and salvation. One holds fast by and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

As our verses for today begin, it is the same Holy Spirit that guides and empowers our prayers. Just as the Spirit is God’s constant presence in the hearts of believers, so too are our prayers to be offered “all the time.” For Paul, we are to live a life of prayer, both for ourselves and for one another. For Paul, praying should be as natural and regular as breathing. As the verse continues, Paul encourages us to “Stay alert by hanging in there and praying for all believers.” Here he is connecting back to his previous thoughts on the battle with the “spiritual powers of evil.” It is a battle that impacts all believers so we are to pray for one another. Always.

Paul models the life of prayers, asking for prayers for himself. As he sits in chains, he desires to continue spreading the good news – this “secret plan” or mystery that invites all people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Even in his difficult circumstances Paul wants to make the gospel known to as many people as possible. So he asks the Ephesians to pray for him to have “the confidence to say what I have to say.” Although we cannot pray this for Paul, we certainly can pray this for all who seek to share Jesus with others today. May this be both our prayer and our action.

Prayer: Lord God, as the battle is constant, help us to lift our prayers constantly. Whisper, nudge, and otherwise remind us of the need for and of the power of prayer. Place prayer ever in our hearts and on our lips. Open our eyes to the opportunities to share our faith today. Fill us with a holy confidence to step forward in faith. Amen.


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Love as Well

Reading: Romans 12:17-21

Romans 12:21 – “Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.”

Photo credit: Kate Remmer

Our five verses from the end of Romans 12 come from a section in which Paul is arguing that love is the primary command. In and over and through and around all things, first apply love. Paul is elevating here what Jesus lived out. If we, like Jesus, allow love to lead and guide all that we say, think, and do, then we will be continuing Christ’s work of building the kingdom of God here on earth.

In verse 17 Paul warns about repaying evil with evil. That’s our natural reaction, often our first thought, isn’t it? It’s what we see in the culture all around us. Be upside-down instead. Choose love. Choose the good. In this spirit we’re encouraged to “live at peace with all people.” Paul offers some realism here: “to the best of your ability.” Some folks want nothing to do with getting along with others. Their evil intents guide all of their actions.

Paul, however, doesn’t advise us to avoid such people. Leave all the revenge and paying back to God. Paul does advise us to look for our opportunities – our chances to be love. If the one who is our “enemy” is hungry then feed them. If they are thirsty then give them a drink. In loving on such as these, we are piling upon them our love, a way of sharing faith that could one day influence them too. In this way, we will be living out Paul’s wonderful admonition: “Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.”

While we may think that Paul is channeling his inner Jesus with all of this “love your enemy” talk, he is quoting from Proverbs 25. Love was at the core of who and what Jesus was, yes. But love is also at the core of the Old Testament. This should be no surprise. God is love. May we be so as well.

Prayer: Lord God, empower us today and every day to be love when the world expects hate. Guide us to ever choose the good, eschewing the temptation to do harm. Through our counter-cultural and upside-down life draw others towards Jesus Christ, our earthly model of love and peace. Amen.


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Steadfast Forever

Reading: Psalm 111

Verse 7: “The works of God’s hands are faithful and just; all of God’s precepts are trustworthy”.

Psalm 111 begins with praise to God. The psalmist praises God for the great works and glorious and majestic deeds done for the people Israel. As followers of the Lord we too can praise God for the ways in which God has worked in our lives. The psalmist celebrates the manna in the desert and the victories over their enemies. For the Israelites, these are examples of God living into the covenants. As believers we can recall times when God has provided needed food or other resources at just the right time. We can remember those experiences when God has led us or even carried us through a time of trial. We too have come to know how faithful God is to those who love God.

Verse seven connects the ‘why’ we praise God with the ‘how to’ of knowing this God. Here we read, “The works of God’s hands are faithful and just; all of God’s precepts are trustworthy”. In the Israelite world there was a perceived connection between obedience to God and being blessed by God. As Christians we believe that God is trustworthy, steadfast, faithful, and upright. We believe that God provided redemption for us through his son Jesus Christ. We too live with fear (or reverence) of God and seek to be obedient to God’s will and ways. Yes, to God belongs eternal praise! But as Christians we do not see an illness or a difficult loss or diagnosis as evidence of our unfaithfulness. We do not connect conflict at work or at school as a sign of a lack of faith. Instead of these trials being evidence of sin or other failings in our faith, we recognize them as opportunities to draw closer to God, to rely more on God’s strength or peace or guidance or comfort or… Jesus promises to be with us always, to never leave or forsake us, assuring us that we will never be alone. God is steadfast forever. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Loving and faithful God, in the good days and in the bad days, you have always been there. You are there in the ordinary and in the routine. Thank you for being with me in all things. You are an amazing and wonderful God! Amen.


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The Bread of Life

Reading: John 6: 24-35

Verse 27: “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life”.

Photo credit: Paz Arando

In our passage Jesus begins his words to the crowd pointing out the real reason that they have sought him out. They have come again for more food. In a time when most were subsistence farmers or basic laborers, where many experienced hunger and other affects of poverty regularly, it is natural to seek more food. In our time many people live with this same scarcity mentality, living day to day, just trying to get by. They too are attuned to opportunities to attain resources that aid in their survival.

The crowd has exerted effort to attain more food. They have crossed the lake in hopes of another meal. In his teaching Jesus invites them to more, not once but twice. In verse 27 Jesus says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life”. Jesus invites the crowd past the physical food that doesn’t last and on to the eternal food that does not perish. He invites them to consider a relationship with the Son of Man, to believe in Jesus. The crowd speaks of the manna that God gave daily for years in the desert, trying to revert back to their need for food and to their scarcity mentality. Jesus again points them past the physical food that God gave their ancestors and on to the “true bread” that stands before them and offers “life to the world”. Jesus again invites them to come through him and to believe in him. He promises that those who do will never hunger or thirst again.

Physical thirst and hunger exist in all of our communities, no matter how small. As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to meet these needs. Yes, yes, yes! Today’s passage also invites us to go deeper, to also connect people to the bread of life. How will you begin to do both of these things in your community today?

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide me to meet needs both physical and spiritual. The needs are so great. Fill the fields with workers, Lord. Amen.


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Faithful Journey

Reading: Psalm 1

Verse 3: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season”.

Psalm 1 draws a clear distinction between those who walk in the way of the Lord and those who do not. The psalmist describes the faithful as blessed, prosperous, and enduring. The faithful do not join in with the mockers and sinners. By contrast the wicked will be like chaff – they will quickly perish. When presented in these terms, it is easy to identify which destiny one would prefer. Eternal life or be burned up in the fire? Easy choice, right?

Yes, the destination matters, but the journey, the day to day of living, is where the destination is really determined. Because of that our Psalm also speaks of the journey itself. The first area of focus is internal and personal. Blessed is the one who meditates on God’s laws. Blessed is the one who carves out time each day to better know and grow closer to God. The second component of our journey is external or outwardly focused: “He [or she] is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields it fruit in season”. A tree is an excellent choice. A tree has longevity and permanence. Our journey of faith should parallel this. We should drink of Christ’s nourishment steadily and regularly. We should walk faithfully, day after day, all of our lives. This is the “abide in Christ” idea that we have been thinking about lately. The external is revealed in how this daily abiding affects our daily living. It shows in the ways we bear fruit in season. Our “seasons” are the ministries and opportunities that God presents us with as we journey with Christ through this life.

The seasons vary: Sunday school teacher for some, mission team participant for others; serving at the local humane society for some, being on the Trustees or Finance team for others; playing or singing in the band or choir for some, mentoring a person on parole or one in recovery for others. This is but a tiny list of the ways that God can and will use us to “bear fruit” if we are simply willing.

Two questions to ponder: Where do or can you serve on God’s team? How are you rooted in the one who “watches over the way of the righteous”?

Prayer: Blessing God, day by day you seek to walk closely with each of your children. Day by day you bring new opportunities to stand faithfully, to work to build your kingdom one piece of fruit at a time. By the power and presence of the Holy Spirit open my eyes and heart to walk and serve you faithfully all of my days. Amen.


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The Chance to Witness

Reading: John 1: 6-8

Verse 7: “He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe”.

The opening verses of John’s gospel are beautiful and introduce Jesus to the readers in a way unlike the other three gospels. So too is the way that John the Baptist is introduced and brought into the story of Jesus. In verse six we hear, “There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John”. It is simple and straight forward, but tells the reader all we need to know. In Luke 1 we have a detailed description of the events leading up to and of John’s miraculous birth. Like Mark, John jumps right into the meat of the story. John describes it this way: “He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe”. This verses contains two pronouns and a reference to “that light” that beg further thought and draw the reader into exploring the text.

The first “he” refers to John the Baptist. As we read last week, John the Baptist came as a “messenger” sent to “prepare the way”. John did so by preaching a “baptism of repentance” (Mark 1). “That light” refers back to verses four and five from the powerful opening of John 1. In Jesus we find “life” and John refers to this as “the light of men”, a light that the gospel writer describes as one that “shines in the darkness”. This light that shines in our darkness reveals the sins and struggles within each of us and in our world. This connects to the personal call in Isaiah 40 to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord by making “straight in the wilderness a highway for the Lord”. This involves clearing away the sin and other obstacles that keep us from walking in faith with Jesus Christ.

The “him” refers not to the witness but to the one to whom John the Baptist is witnessing, to Jesus Christ. It is in and on Jesus that we believe. Here John the Baptist is pointing away from himself and on to Jesus Christ. John knew his role, his place in the work of the kingdom of God. Reading on, in verse nine, John points even more directly to Jesus.

John the Baptist was a witness, one sent to testify, just as we are called to be and do. While none of us are likely to be in a street corner or out in a field preaching today (the modern equivalents of John’s place by the Jordan River), we will all have opportunities to witness to our faith and belief in Jesus Christ. When people notice our calm in the storm or our strength in the trial, when others take note of our generosity or of our kindness to all, these are opportunities to do as John did – to point to Jesus. He is the source of our calm, of our strength, of our mercy and grace. When given the chance to witness, may we point to the light of the world, to Jesus Christ our Savior.

Prayer: Lord God, may your light shine in me today. Through Jesus, fill me with a spirit of power. Use that Holy Spirit power to tell the story of what Jesus has done and will do for me and for all who believe. Amen.


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Radical Love

Reading: Isaiah 50: 4-9a

Verse 7: “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced”.

The Servant faced scorn and suffering without retaliation or violence because God was with him. The Servant was able to go beyond the abuse as well. To the abuser the Servant willingly offered himself for more abuse. In doing so, the abuser will be led to question their own actions. It is love in the face of hate, giving in the face of taking. Jesus did the same over and over. For Jesus, it was summed up in His encouragements to love our enemies and to offer your other cheek to the one who has just struck you. Jesus also lived this out. At the end, from the cross, Jesus prayed for forgiveness for those who placed Him on the cross. Through God’s presence, Jesus was able to extend love instead of retaliating with hate. Like the Servant, Jesus lived out Isaiah 50:7 – “Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced”.

This idea is so counter to what the world teaches and does. It us a radical love that makes the world take notice. In the world, it is not just get even but get ahead. It is done with emphasis to discourage another run at one’s money or status or position or popularity. It is power used to remind the other of who really has the power. It perpetuates the imbalance. But Jesus’ radical love offers even more than the one wants to take. When someone demands the shirt off of your back, Jesus asks us to give them our coat as well. It is a willingness to give more than is demanded.

Isaiah and the example Jesus set are calling us to look for opportunities to show love in unexpected ways. Returning from school one year I was in a drive through at a fast food restaurant. The line was long and moving really, really slow. In the other lane I noticed a woman who was clearly becoming more and more aggravated with the situation. She was pounding the dashboard and the steering wheel. She was yelling at the air in her car. I could feel her exasperation. When I got to the window I paid for her order. It was just a random act of kindness that I hope improved her day just a bit. It was small. But it is what we are called to do – to look for and to respond to others in and with love. May we all be blessed with opportunities to offer Jesus’ radical love today.

Prayer: Lord, grant me eyes to see and a heart to feel. Allow me the words to speak and the hands to serve today. If I find myself suffering, may I trust fully in your presence with me. Amen.


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Opportunities

Reading: John 12:1-8

Verse 3: “Mary took… expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair”.

Mary offered an extraordinary gift to Jesus in our passage today. Mary, being open to the lead and guide of the Holy Spirit, offers Jesus a gift. We read, “Mary took… expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair”. We know from Judas’ objections that this perfume was costly – worth 300 denarii or a year’s wages. While the value of the offering is significant, the personal nature of the gift is much greater. It is a beautiful scene of one follower giving her all for Jesus her Lord. To kneel and wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair is an act of humble and loving servanthood.

As we also read, Mary is helping to prepare Jesus for burial. Mary senses that Jesus is making His final stop at their house as He heads to Jerusalem for the last time. In her offering, Mary is joining Jesus on His journey.

We too will find ourselves in places and in moments where we have the opportunity to give generously to another. Our gift need not be worth a year’s wages although it could be if led and guided by the Holy Spirit. For some, such a gift is possible. Ultimately, though, the gift does not have to be valuable by worldly standards. What really matters is what is behind the gift. Mary’s gift came out of her love for Jesus as Lord and Savior. The gift would have been just as significant if it were inexpensive perfume. When we see a need or are led by the Holy Spirit to give generously and graciously and sacrificially and from the heart, our gift can be extraordinary too. A relatively small financial gift or the gift of our presence or the time we help out physically in a time of need – these offerings or gifts can make “all the difference in the world” to the person or persons impacted.

When we find ourselves in those opportunities, when led and guided by the Holy Spirit, may we too give all we can for the building of the kingdom here and in the future.

Prayer: Generous Lord, may your Spirit ever guide me to be loving and kind and giving to all I meet. Whether by my physical hands and feet or by my presence or by my monetary giving, make me responsive to the needs I encounter. May it be so. Amen.


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Pleasing

Reading: Psalm 19:14

Verse 14: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer”.

These words are familiar words. The sermon or message in many churches, mine included, begins with these words. These words ask God to be present in and through the Word proclaimed and to guide our thoughts and responses to the message given. It is a prayer for both the pastor and the congregation. I love how this prayer closes with the dual reminder that the Lord is our foundation and our mercy – our guide through life and our help when we get astray.

Many of us walk out the doors of worship on Sunday morning and return to the world and its ways almost immediately – cussing the one who cut us off in traffic or being rude to the waiter. Some if us might manage to make it to Monday morning before the world creeps back in. At work or school we gossip about the weekend or we resume the shady, worldly business or study practices that we felt convicted of just the day before. We find there is no shortage of ways that we can be displeasing to the Lord. The world is always providing opportunities or encouragement to do so. The battle is constant.

But so is God’s love. And His mercies are new every morning. And His grace is unending. The world is where we now dwell, so the lures of this world will be there. But Jesus had overcome the world. Through faith in Him, we too can walk in the light. Just as Sunday morning is that little boost to our faith and walk, so too can be our own daily time with God. When we read and study and meditate on God’s Word daily, He becomes more a part of our lives. When we spend time each day talking with God, our prayers strengthen our faith. When we open ourselves to the guide and direction of the Holy Spirit, our faith grows stronger still. When we choose to be faithful to our daily disciplines – time in the Word, time in prayer, time connected to the Holy Spirit – our walk with the Lord is closer. We find that we grow more and more into today’s verse. More and more often our words of our mouth and the thoughts of our hearts are pleasing to God. More and more the Lord is our Rock and Redeemer. May we each stay deeply in love with God, day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second. Amen.

Prayer: Lord, this moment and every moment, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Amen.


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God’s Presence

Reading: James 2: 14-17

Verse 17: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”.

Our faith rests in our relationship with God. As our journey begins, we first sense God’s presence in the world and in those around us. Then we come to a point where we realize that we too can have a relationship with God. Our faith journey leads us to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, as our hope, and as our salvation. We realize that grace is big enough for even our sins and we commit our lives to faith in Jesus’ saving power. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in our heart and we live from then on with Jesus’ presence within us, leading and guiding our continuing journey. Others begin to sense God’s presence in us.

Each day we will encounter others who do not have faith. Like we once did, they too can sense God’s presence. And here is the crucial moment, the time that really matters, the litmus test of our faith. As we encounter the lost, do we just offer to pray for them and maybe give them a Bible, really keeping our faith to ourselves? Or do we allow the words to become actions, walking alongside them, guiding them through the next steps of faith? As we encounter the needy, do we do like the man in our passage, simply wishing them well? Or do we spend time with them, understanding their needs so that we can actually meet them as best as we can, taking advantage of the opportunities to share our faith as they arise? As we encounter the broken and hurting, do we only offer a few words of sympathy or give our condolences? Or do we make the time to be present to them in their grief or pain? Do we bring a needed meal or mow an overgrown lawn? Yes, we have many opportunities and many ways to be both God’s presence and Jesus’ hands and feet in the lives of others.

In our passage today, James asks, “What good is it?” if our faith does not lead to action. What good is it if our faith does not make a positive difference in the world? James plainly states, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead”. How true.

Lord God, move me past my comfortable, easy inner faith. Move me outside of my tidy, little, personal relationship with Jesus and out into the real world. Help me to live a real faith that is shared and given to others, leading them to know you and the gift of salvation. Use me today, O Lord. Amen.