pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: spirit


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A Word to Share

Reading: 2nd Peter 1:19-21

2nd Peter 1:21 – “No prophecy ever came by human will. Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

As we read the second half of this week’s 2nd Peter 1 passage, we first encounter an admonition from Peter. We recall from Wednesday’s reading that what he has to say is not some “crafty myth.” It is not something he heard from a friend of a friend of an acquaintance either. This is Peter’s personal eyewitness account of the experience and words that came from God. So, readers, “you would do well to pay attention to it.”

The transfiguration of Jesus was prophesied long ago. Both Daniel and Malachi foretold this moment. Both were speaking and then recording words that God gave them. Peter connects this to his experience on that mountaintop and to his life as he writes, “No prophecy ever came by human will. Instead, men and women led by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” This remains true. We cannot generate a word from God on our own. A word from God is a gift revealed by and through God and the Spirit. As we are given the words (or nudges…) and are given divine direction or understanding, it is then that “the morning star [Jesus] rises in our hearts” too.

These encounters with the divine hold great power. Often we do not fully understand or see how God was speaking or working in the moment. Only with a bit of time do we comprehend how God’s spirit gave us the words or guided the event, the conversation, the journey. On Tuesday morning a women shared her story with me and two friends at a coffee shop. She lost most of her roof in a 100+ mph wind storm one night – all but the roof over her bedroom. She then recounted piece by piece the ways that God has been present that night and in the days that followed. The Spirit opened her eyes to see God’s hand at work. There was joy and power in her story. Her faith was alive and bursting forth. What story or word of God do you have to share?

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your word spoken in scripture and for your presence in our lives yet today. Continue to reveal your glory to us in powerful ways, fueling our witness to the world. Open our eyes and hearts to these moments, big and small, when you become present in our lives and in our world. Open our minds to understand and to share our faith stories and encounters. Amen.


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A Word, An Answer, Direction…

Reading: Exodus 24:12-14

Exodus 24:12 – “Come up to me on the mountain and wait there.”

Photo credit: David Marcu

This week we go to the mountain. In all four readings the divine or holy become present on the mountain. Ancient writers often placed deity on mountain tops. It was the home of the gods. For Moses, out there in the desert, the mountaintop was a practical reality too. In the expanse of sand, it was identifiable. In our Exodus story, God says to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain and wait there.” Moses is once again invited into God’s presence and then is instructed to wait. On a personal level we too are invited into God’s presence. And at times we too must wait on God – for a word, for an answer, for direction…

Moses is told that God will give him some instructions – ten of them – that will be written on stone tablets. Moses is then to take these rules for life back down the mountain. He is to return to life amongst the people to teach them to live according to these ten commands that establish God’s will and way. As we are invited into God’s presence – in worship, in prayer, in fasting, in study – we too will learn and grow in our knowledge and love of God. We will then be sent as disciples to teach others about God.

As Moses prepares to go up the mountain, he instructs the people to wait. Wait for our return. Wait with Aaron and Hur. Wait for us to share our experience with God. We’re asked to wait at times. It is not always easy to wait. To wait upon God calls for us to trust and to be patient. In the waiting, may we sense God’s presence with us.

Prayer: Lord God, to wait, to trust, to be patient – not always easy but often necessary. Be present to us in Spirit in those times when we must wait to hear your word, answer, direction, guidance, encouragement, assurance… Remind us that you have the plan. Help us to understand that you voice, your whisper, your nudge… will come when we are ready to receive it. Thank you, God. Amen.


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A Growing Love

Reading: 1st Corinthians 2:6-16

1st Corinthians 2:10 – “God revealed these things to us through the Spirit.”

Picking up in 1st Corinthians 2 today we return to threads from last week’s reading in chapter 1. The wisdom of God is available to those who are “spiritual.” This wisdom is an ancient wisdom that has been present since “before time began.” Therefore this wisdom does not come from “today’s leaders,” then or now. This is the wisdom that “God has prepared… for those who love him.” And of great consequence, “God revealed these things to us through the Spirit.” It is through the Spirit that we “know the things given to us by God” and that we receive “words taught by the Spirit.” To those yet living by the ways of the world, these things remain “foolishness.”

This open line of communication holds great power. The Spirit knows our hearts and minds intimately because the Spirit dwells in the hearts of those who love God. Acting with this knowledge, the Holy Spirit seeks to lead and guide us deeper into relationship with God and with one another. Internally the Spirit leads and guides our prayers, our Bible study, our meditations and thoughts concerning the things of God. Through these internal practices we grow in our knowledge of God, and, more importantly, we grow in our love of God.

Our growing love of God naturally leads to a growing love of neighbor. This is reflected in our external behaviors – in the words we speak, in the actions we take, in the sins we increasingly repent of. In these ways we are being God’s light and love to the world. As the Spirit lives and works in and through us, we love deeper and we shine brighter. Doing so we reveal the glory of God to the world, drawing others towards God, starting them on the path of making sense of what was once “foolishness.” By our witness and example, may God in Christ be glorified.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit that works both in us and through us. Lead and guide us to be both receptive and responsive. As your Spirit fills us with love and wisdom and as your Spirit reveals our gifts to us, take us out into the world to share this love and to employ our gifts to bring healing and wholeness to our world. Amen.


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The Power and Presence

Reading: 1st Corinthians 2:1-5

1st Corinthians 2:4 – “My message and my preaching weren’t presented with convincing wise words but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power.”

Photo credit: Kate Remmer

As we begin the first of two days in 1st Corinthians 2, Paul reveals how the wisdom and power of God works in everyday lives. Paul did not come to Corinth preaching with big, fancy words. He did not come with well-polished speeches produced by professional writers. Paul’s focus was first and foremost on Jesus Christ, then on presenting Jesus as crucified (and resurrected and alive.) His attitude was not one of superiority or arrogance. No, Paul recalls how he was there with “weakness, fear, and a lot of shaking.” That can be the feeling when we too are relying on the Holy Spirit to show up and move in and amongst us.

Paul chooses to meet his audience where they are at. Remember, Paul was a “Pharisee amongst Pharisees.” He certainly could have used big words and waxed on eloquently. But, at some point, even in the right intellectual circles, this human wisdom runs out, it falls short. The power of the cross that flows through the Holy Spirit – it is boundless and endless. It can rescue the greatest sinner and it can humble the most arrogant saint. This is because the Spirit meets us where we are at and, if we are willing, will take us where we need to go.

Again and again Paul has personally experienced the power and presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is the foundation of his faith and of his preaching. We too have experienced the power and presence of the Holy Spirit many times in our lives. May this be our foundation as we “preach” Christ to the world, whether in word or deed. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, the essence of you and of who you are resides in our hearts, not in our minds. So as we go out into the world today, guide us to speak and act from the heart, allowing your love, compassion, empathy, grace, peace, hope… to flow into other people’s lives. May our “argument” be guided and fueled and driven by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit living in us. By this power and presence use us to build your kingdom here on earth. Amen.


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All Because of Me

Reading: Matthew 5:10-12

Matthew 5:11 – “Happy are you when people insult you and harass you and speak all kinds of bad and false things about you, all because of me.”

As we read on in the Beatitudes today, Jesus invites us to stand for righteousness. Although standing for what is right and just in the world will bring harassment, insult, lies, slander, and worse, to stand for what is right remains the call of the faithful. Jesus encourages us to “be full of joy and be glad” in these times of standing for what is right and just, “because you have a great reward in heaven.”

How might one find joy and gladness when harassed, insulted…? We find joy and gladness in the midst of suffering evil because we are following Jesus’ words and example. In the scriptures we find this lived out again and again. Today Stephen and Paul come to mind. Stephen was stoned to death for proclaiming Jesus as Lord and Savior. He offered joyful praise and extended mercy to his killers as they hurled the stones. Paul writes again and again of joyfully serving Christ even when in chains, after being beaten… The joy and gladness comes through the presence of the risen Christ in the midst of insult, harassment, falsehoods… “all because of me.”

We see this lived out today as people stand against injustice and harassment and false narratives. We see it today as people stand and speak against the abusive power over being applied in the streets of our nation. We see it in our prayers that express our solidarity with those in harm’s way, those who are joyfully being the presence of Christ, placing themselves against these evils. Lord, be present in Spirit, to lead and to guide, to protect and to strengthen.

Prayer: Lord God, in the times, places, and spaces where insult, harassment, and falsehoods are the reality, strengthen and encourage your people to stand and speak for what is just and right and good. For those not physically present, lead and guide the prayers of your people and all else that can be offered as support and encouragement. Heal our land, O God. Pour out your peace and righteousness. Amen.


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Using Our Voice

Reading: John 1:29-42

John 1:30 – “He who comes after me is really greater than me because he existed before me.”

In John 1, John the Baptist is out in the wilderness baptizing and proclaiming the coming Messiah. Lots and lots of people were coming out to see John. It would’ve been easy to look at the large crowds and to think pretty highly of himself. John the Baptist does not do what most of us would do. Instead he remains humble and serves as God has called him to serve: as the “voice crying out in the wilderness.” John knew that he was not the Messiah (or Elijah or…) He knew he was the voice calling people to Jesus.

In verse 29 John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” These descriptors fit with part of who the Jews expected the Messiah to be. John can name Jesus this way because he saw God’s word come true as the Spirit descended upon Jesus after he was baptized by John. This presence empowers Jesus to be the one who “baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” With these words, with his voice, John the Baptist clearly identifies Jesus Christ as the Messiah come into the world.

Today our world is filled with many voices. Some are clearly of this earthly kingdom. Some are clearly followers of Jesus who seek to share the good news. Many voices are a mix of these two. They try and sound like Jesus – even using a snippet of his words as a sound bite. Their lives and actions, however , do not look like Jesus at all. And where do our voices fit in this mix? We are called to be like John the Baptist, pointing to Jesus the Messiah, using our voices to carry his message of love to the world, using our hands and feet in humble service to our God. May it be so for all who seek to follow Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, make our hearts as sure and steady as John’s was. Make our words as true and our actions as pure. In all things and in all ways, use us to point others to Jesus. Amen.


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Open Eyes, Shining Light

Reading: Isaiah 42:5-9

Isaiah 42:6 – “I, the Lord, have called you… I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant… as a light to the nations.”

Photo credit: Devin Avery

Today we return to where we began the week, turning again to Isaiah 42. Our verses for today are still about the servant, but God’s role is also a focus. Verse 5 establishes who God is: the creator and the giver of breath to all who walk on the earth. These words remind us of God’s power and of God’s control over the world. This power is extended to humankind in the next verse, where we read, “I, the Lord, have called you… I will grasp your hand and guard you, and give you as a covenant… as a light to the nations.” This echoes our chosenness found in verse 1 and it fleshes out how God’s spirit works in our lives. The Spirit leads and protects us as we step forward in faith, seeking to be a light to those around us.

Verse 7 begins with “to open blind eyes.” While this is primarily about being the light to others, sometimes it is our own eyes that need to see. We can overlook our own failures, we can ignore the one God is leading us to, we can be so busy or preoccupied that we don’t see the need right in front of us. At other times we do go where the Spirit is leading us and we are part of God’s work that frees those in prisons and brings light to those in darkness. This seeing and freeing can be from physical places but can also be from emotional, relational, and/or spiritual things. These imprisoning factors are often intertwined and connected. This can complicate the situation or compound the need, but we need to always remind ourselves that nothing is impossible when God is leading, guiding, and working in someone’s life.

Our reading closes with a reminder that while God has done much in the past, God is still at work and will remain at work in our lives and in our world. The “new things” of God are the promise that God will continue to grasp our hand, to guard us, to open blind eyes, and to send us out as a light to the world. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, first we ask you to shine your light into the dark pockets in our hearts and lives. Open our eyes to the things that need to die in us, then grasp our hand as we work to uproot these evils. Once made right with you, send us out to be light for others, opening the way for your love to bring healing, making them whole. Amen.


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Dearly Loved, Spirit In-Dwelled

Reading: Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:16 – “He immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him.”

As Jesus is beginning his time of public ministry, step one is to be baptized. He travels from Galilee to the place along the Jordan River where John the Baptist is preparing Israel for the kingdom of God that is drawing near. Jesus is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire – not water. John the Baptist has just identified Jesus in this way. So as Jesus comes to be baptized, John protests. Recognizing Jesus’ greatness, John asks, “Yet you come to me?” Jesus says, in essence, “Yes, I do.” For Jesus, this is a step of solidarity with all who seek the coming kingdom of God. And this is a step towards righteousness. It is from this moment that Jesus will enter the wilderness to test his own righteousness.

After being baptized by John, “He immediately came up out of the water. Heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and resting on him.” God becomes present to Jesus in two ways. First, the Spirit of God descends and rests on Jesus. Second, God’s voice affirms Jesus, declaring love for him and happiness from him. In these ways, God is preparing Jesus to face Satan’s temptations in the wilderness after fasting for 40 days. Today, in baptism, the Holy Spirit is invited into the waters so that the Spirit will come to rest in the heart of the baptized. In the words and prayers, both pastor and congregation declare God’s love and their love for the one being baptized, pledging to walk with them as they grow in faith. Dearly loved, Spirit in-dwelled, one is prepared to bring much happiness to God. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, just as the waters of baptism are just water without your Spirit, so too are we just flesh and bones without your presence in us. So we ask you to be ever-present in our hearts, O God. In this way, empower and encourage us to be righteous and to live justly. Amen.


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Lord of All

Reading: Acts 10:34-43

Acts 10:36 – “This is the message of peace he sent to the Israelites by proclaiming the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all!”

As cultures and as individuals we are well-practiced at placing ourselves and others in categories, boxes, distinct groups, pecking orders… There are a variety of reasons that we tend to do this. It is easy. But easy is cheap. It discards our uniqueness. It makes us feel better about ourselves. But it is an artificial and temporary identity. It gives us places to fit in, to belong. “Fitting in” – it is shallow and limited. It is freeing. We don’t have to worry about, care for, or make space for “them.” This excludes and disrespects whole swaths of people and/or groups in one fell swoop.

In today’s Acts reading, Peter’s speech comes after Peter has been summoned by God to go to Cornelius’ home. This Roman centurion was about as far outside of any box that Peter thought was acceptable as one could get. Yet here Peter was, right where God wanted him to be. That’s the thing about the Holy Spirit – it will do the same with us if we hear, listen, and follow. When we go there, where the Spirit leads, we will come to truly know what Peter learned: God shows no partiality.

In his speech, Peter states that acceptance into God’s family comes through worshipping God and living a righteous life. Luke writes, “This is the message of peace he sent to the Israelites by proclaiming the good news through Jesus Christ: He is Lord of all!” To be this message of peace is to be a person who is open to include all people, who finds worth and value in all people, who seeks to find common ground with all people. This is the example set by the one who did good and healed, who died and rose again. This is the one who offers forgiveness of sins to all who believe in him as Lord and Savior. It is a wide-open invitation. The only qualifier, the only requirement, the only need is belief. Jesus can be Lord of all. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, in love you call all people to a saving faith. In grace you call us as we are: sinful, flawed, selfish. In mercy you show us who and what we can be for you when we walk faithfully and live righteously. With forgiveness, you restart our journey again and again. We thank you today for always being a God whose heart is bent on forming community and building relationships. Guide us, shape us, and form us to have your heart. Use us to share the goods news of Jesus Christ: he is Lord of all. Amen.


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The Lord’s Voice

Reading: Psalm 29:1-5

Psalm 29:4 – “The Lord’s voice is strong; the Lord’s voice is majestic.”

Photo credit: Rainier Ridao

Psalm 29 offers praise for God’s power and glory. It begins with a scene in heaven, where the divine beings worship God’s glory and “holy splendor.” In verse 3 the scene shifts to the earth. Here the Lord’s voice is over the waters. This image evokes many things. It first connects back to the Genesis 1 story, where God was the creator. God’s voice hovered over the waters and brought order and purpose. The voice of God swept out over the waters as a wind – the Holy Spirit. It was not booming and powerful, but was quiet and steady. This is how we most often experience the voice and Spirit in our lives.

The “waters” would evoke fear and awe in the original audience’s heart and mind. In that culture, the waters were an untamed place of chaos and raw power. The depths were unknown and unstable. Yet in this Psalm, readers then and now are reminded that God is in control of all things – even the chaotic and unknown. This is a good reminder for us in those times when our lives and world feels chaotic and unstable.

The Psalm then declares, “The Lord’s voice is strong; the Lord’s voice is majestic.” David uses an earthly example to demonstrate this. God’s powerful voice shatters cedar trees. Here where I live, we recently experienced this as 100+ mph winds shattered and toppled and uprooted many trees. Hearing the wind howl and then seeing the results, I was reminded of God’s power in and over the created world.

At times, God’s voice speaks this way into our hearts and lives too. A strong word of conviction humbles us. A powerful nudge shakes us out of our preferred complacency. A gust of love lifts us up and sets us on our feet once again. And then, at other times, God’s powerful and almighty voice becomes quiet and still, gently guiding us, meeting us right where we are at. For all of the ways that God speaks, in our world and in our hearts, we say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, we rejoice today for the many ways that we hear your voice. In the mighty and unmistakable, in the quiet and steady, in the word and in the world, you speak again and again. For the deep love that drives this constant connection with you, we offer our thanks and our praise. Amen.