pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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His Great Love

God desires our openness and willingness of heart so that the Holy Spirit may dwell within each of us.  When we welcome in the Holy Spirit, we welcome in Christ.  When we are willing to live with Jesus Christ in our hearts, we begin to understand just how wide, long, deep, and high God’s love is for each of us.  With the understanding we begin to be rooted in that love; it becomes the core of who we are.

As communities of faith or congregations, this deep abiding love is what unites us.  The love of God draws us to one another in loving, caring relationships.  This love and sense of Christ dwelling in and among us begins to drive what we do as a people of faith.  This vast love of God takes the lead on how we love one another and how we love our neighbors.

God by nature and Jesus in example were all about being full of love.  When our cup is full of this love we are best able to extend and share His love with those in need of that love.  As our cup is filled by God, we begin to experience a life lived in His presence.

This love leads us to serve others, to care for others, and to minister to others.  We no longer seek to be in control or to hold onto power.  Instead we seek to empower others to live lives of faith and to claim this wide, long, deep, high love that God offers for themselves.  This love becomes contagious.  May we be contagious today.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 3: 14-19


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Introduce Jesus Today

Our faith is not something we just suddenly had.  We did not just wake up one morning as a Christian.  Inside each human being, created by God, is an inherent knowledge of God and a sense of His presence in us and in the created world.  But all the stories of Noah, Moses, David, Jesus – they had to be taught to us.  We had to learn how to sing and pray and study God’s word.

For many of us we learned these things from our families.  Some aspects of faith we learned from our personal families.  We saw Mom up early every morning reading her Bible and praying.  We said grace before every meal, whether at home or out at a restaurant.  Other aspects of our faith we learned from our church families.  We heard the stories in Sunday school, we went to church camp or VBS (Vacation Bible School), we were in worship.  Both families are so important in the development and growth of our faith.

But what about all the people who did not grow up in a family that practiced the faith?  How do they come to know God?  Do they even have a chance?

Of course they do.  They have us!  Just as both of our families have poured into us, so too we can pour into others.  Paul writes of being adopted into the family of God and becoming heirs with Christ.  There is no birth right.  All are invited.  Just as much as we want our own children to grow up to have a personal relationship with Christ, we should want this just as much for the stranger we meet.  Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.  He is the only way to God the father and eternal life.  Today, share your story of faith.  Introduce Jesus to someone He does not know yet!

Scripture reference: Romans 8: 14-17


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Happy Stepping

In the early days of the church, the Jews lived very much in isolation.  If you were a faithful Jew, you did not talk to people outside of the Jewish community.  You did not associate with outsiders.  You did not spend time with people who were not Jewish.  About the only exception were the Romans – they occupied the land and you really did not have a choice.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, those who carried on His work and message were good Jews.  They too were chosen isolationists and only brought the message and teachings to their fellow Jews.  Just prior to today’s passage, God had argued with Peter in a vision.  God showed Peter a collection of all sorts of animals and told Peter to eat.  According to Jewish customs, some of the animals were unclean and Peter refused to eat.  Three times God said not to call unclean what God has made pure.

Next a servant of a Roman centurion appears looking for Peter.  The Spirit tells Peter to go with these men, so he does.  He goes but I bet there was some questioning in his head and some wrestling with what this vision was all about.  While there Peter shares the story of Jesus and Cornelius’ family and friends are converted.  The Holy Spirit descends on these people and they begin to speak in tongues and to worship.  This is an ‘ah-ha’ moment for the early church – God is for ALL people.  Suddenly the vision makes sense to Peter.

Have you ever had one of these ‘ah-ha’ moments?  Has God placed someone in your path who you questioned as being worthy of you or your time, but in the end your time with “that person” was awesome and God worked mightily in the situation?  He can and will do both anything and amazing things.  Like Peter and many others, our role is to trust in the Spirit’s leading and to boldly step out there in faith.  Happy stepping!!

Scripture reference: Acts 10: 44-48


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One Step Closer

The good news of Jesus Christ is the greatest and most important news we ever received.  It is the information that forever changed our lives.  The story of who Jesus is, of what He did, and what He continues to do in our lives is a story that should continually be flowing out of each of us.  In order to do this we must know the stories of Jesus told in the Bible and also our own faith story.

In order to share our faith with another we do not need to know everything about Jesus and the Bible.  But we do need to have a solid knowledge base.  The Holy Spirit will prompt and remind us of the words we need at just a certain moment.  For the Spirit to be able to do this we must also do our part, spending time in the Word – reading, studying, reflecting.

We also need to know our own faith story well enough to provide witness to another person.  To stumble and bumble through any presentation is bad.  It is even worse when it is the most important story in our personal story book.

Once we are personally prepared to offer witness, we must be attuned to the Holy Spirit.  Just as Philip was led to a person who was ripe to hear the Word, we too will be led.  Just as Philip trusted the guidance of the Spirit, we too must trust the Spirit.  Lastly, we must have a willing heart.  Are we willing to share what has the power to change another’s life forever?  Do you remember when you were saved?  do you know the power of Jesus Christ in your life?  Help another person one step closer to Christ today.

Acts 8: 26-31


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Led by the Spirit

Philip was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, a place that is usually unsafe, especially alone.  He followed the Spirit’s lead.  In our own journeys of faith how often have we felt the nudge to go somewhere we questioned?  In those times when we allowed our inner fears to trump the nudge, each of us probably missed an opportunity to share our faith.

As Philip drew near to the eunuch, he heard him reading from Isaiah, “.. led like a sheep to the slaughter…”  Again led by the Spirit, Philip engaged the man in conversation.  How many times has God opened our eyes to someone who was wrestling with a passage of scripture or some other challenge life has brought their way?  Here to we each probably felt the nudge or heard the still, small voice saying “Go.”  Again we maybe missed the chance to share our faith or to bear another’s burdens as we chose to flee instead of to go.  We allow all the questions and doubts to again trump the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Philip was not seminary trained, he was just Spirit-led.  He did not have some extra-special connection or pipeline to the Holy Spirit. He had the same connection we have – through our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Philip trusted the nudge.  Philip was committed to sharing the good news.  In this instance he forever changed a man’s life.  This week we will all probably have the opportunity to share our faith.  May our faith allow us to make the same decision Philip made: to go where the Spirit leads and to trust in our Lord and Savior.

Scripture reference: Acts 8: 26-40


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The Second Line

“God is love” is a widely used statement.  When I ask my Youth to describe Jesus using only one word, the word they always choose is “love.”  If we ask how much God or Jesus loves us, we know we cannot quantify the answer.  Their love for us is so vast we cannot comprehend it.  In the Bible our greatest example of ‘how much’ is found on the cross.  In this we get an inkling not only of how much but also the idea that love is intended to be shared or given away to and for others.

In my Upper Room Devotional book, today’s reading contains these words: “The person with true love from God displays the same kind of unconditional love towards all just as Jesus evidenced that agape love toward us.  We do not even consider refusing the needs of a sister or brother in need.”  If you were like me, you were thinking “yep, yep, yep…” as you read the first sentence.  Then you too got to the second sentence.  Conviction time!

As I wrestled with that second line, I came to realize this was really true of Jesus – He didn’t refuse anyone.  As I went further with these thoughts, I came to again see that this idea extended to the cross.  He didn’t die for some of our sins or for a select group of sinners.  Jesus died for all the sins of all the people.  When we are called to follow the example of Christ and to love our neighbors, God means all the people, all the time.  May God grant the strength, faith, and love necessary to walk this path of unconditional love and to do as Jesus did.

Scripture reference: 1 John 3: 16-24


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The Shepherd

Psalm 23 is probably the most well-known psalm.  It is so well-known because of its content.  It speaks so beautifully of the relationship we have with God.  In the words of the psalm we hear how fully David trusts in God because he knows God is always there.

In the psalm God is in the role of the shepherd.  David, and later Jesus, will come to play the role of shepherd as well.  In all of these cases the people are the sheep under the loving shepherd’s care.  This care is spelled out so so richly in Psalm 23.  Today we are the sheep as well.  In this care we find our needs are met.  We find times of rest when we refresh our souls.  We find both guidance and protection.

Beyond these basics, we also find care that extends to our spiritual and emotional needs.  The Good Shepherd prepares for us a table and blesses us with oil.  With Him we are assured that goodness and mercy will be with us all of our days.  Within this relationship we come to see that we do indeed dwell in the house of the Lord all our days.

When we get to this place in our relationship with the Shepherd, the fears, doubts, and other concerns of life do not have a grip on us.  We trust in His care. We rest in His love.  When we know our Shepherd is walking with us through all of life, then we begin to live life to the fullest.  Not only do we live in and enjoy the abundance of God’s grace and love, but we begin to share Him with others.  Our cup overflows into other’s lives.  Through sharing how the Shepherd cares for and loves us, we help others to come into His care as well.

Scripture reference: Psalm 23


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The Spirit and the Story

We are all called to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him.  Where do I have to go to do this?  What is the cost?  Do I know all I need to know to accomplish this task?  These are probably the three basic questions one asks.

When the risen Jesus sent the disciples out to continue His work, He answered none of these questions.  Many people are called to the task of going forth to another country or city, but most of us are called to be at work right where we are.  By that I do not mean within the walls of our churches but out in the community in which we worship, work, play, and live.

To answer the first question, another question: what is your passion?  It may be among the homeless or it may be among bankers.  It may be at the jail or it may be at the ball park.  The cost.  Financially our God provides.  For example, when one commits to tithe, God faithfully responds by providing for their needs.  There is always money for what is needed after one dedicates the part to God.  We give to others out of love and out of the blessings that God has given us.  When we step out in faith and put our full trust in God, it is good.  He will not fail us.

For the last question, we look to the disciples.  They had the power of the Holy Spirit and the story of their lives.  Each of us also has these two assets in our arsenal.  The Holy Spirit will give us just the right words when we need them.  The Spirit will also lead, guide, protect, and intercede for us.  We all have a faith story.  This story of what Jesus Christ has done in our own lives is where to begin sharing the good news.  Those without need to know why they need Jesus.  Sharing how Jesus makes a difference in our lives is a compelling story.  Go forth, empowered by the Spirit, to share the good news of Jesus with the lost and the least.

Scripture reference: Luke 24: 44-48


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Resurrection Faith

It was said billions of times in churches and posted trillions of times on social media yesterday: “He is Risen!”  And after most times it was said or read, it was followed by, “He is Risen, indeed!” or “Amen.” Easter Sunday is full of celebration and joy over the resurrected Christ.  It is a wonderful day when we celebrate God’s gift of salvation.

On the day after Easter and each day forward the question is: how do I live out my resurrection faith?  Each day how do I experience and share the incarnation of God in Jesus and the resurrection that leads to eternal life?  On the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them His hands and side.  He gave them the Holy Spirit and sent them out into the world to continue His work.  In resurrection faith the disciples went out and rocked the world.

We too are empowered by the same Holy Spirit, called to share the good news of Jesus Christ so that all may come to know Him as Lord and Savior.  This is done in mostly small, personal ways: talking with our neighbor, listening to a co-worker at lunch, taking time to get to know the stranger in need.  It is about hearing another’s story and sharing our faith story.  It is all about developing a relationship with another so that we can share the relationship we have with Jesus Christ.

We are called and sent out by the same Christ that called and sent out the disciples.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit we too can rock the world.  This day and in the days ahead, may we each find ways to live out our resurrection faith.

Scripture reference: John 20: 19-23


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Go Forth

When asked, Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all our heart, soul, mind,  and strength.  He quickly added a second that was like the first: love neighbor as self.  These two are alike in two ways.  First, they both involve love, arguably the highest human emotion.  Second, they both involve a two-way relationship.  God’s love for us is unfathomable yet Jesus calls us to love Him back as close to this as we can.  In essence, with every fiber of our being.  In the second, our neighbor are also called to love us back.

Jeremiah 31 speaks of a time when God’s ways and laws do not need to be taught anymore because they will be written on all of our hearts. In our church communities we start to see what this looks like.  In these microcosms people know God and strive to obey His teachings.  People who gather together for worship, fellowship, and so on are known by God and are connected together through this relationship.  Once each is in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then their relationship with each other is changed.  All are loved equally by God.  Loving each other in the same way is the basis for this new community.

But… clearly not all are part of these loving communities.  In fact, the majority of people live their lives outside of a church family, outside of a relationship with Jesus.  I believe that if asked, Jesus’ third greatest commandment would be the great commission: go forth and make disciples (Matthew 28:19).  Jesus didn’t say to always stay in our churches.  He didn’t say to closely guard our little communities.  He said go forth.  Into the world.  The great love of and for God compels us to share it with others.  Is not the highest form of loving neighbor to share what is most important to us?  Go forth.

Scripture reference: Jeremiah 31: 33-34