pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: word


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Immeasurably More

As we gather together in worship we get a glimpse of the community of faith in unity.  We come together in Word, in prayer, in song, in spirit, and in praise.  We come together on a regular basis to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and to find forgiveness as a people of faith.  In worship we are rooted together.

We are all equal before God and nowhere is that more evident than in worship.  In those seats in the sacred space young and old, rich and poor come together.  We unite as one regardless of social, economic, or ethnic background.  All come together to offer our praise and thanksgiving to God.  In world we are blended together.

It is in worship that we experience God’s power, authority, grace, love, forgiveness, and presence.  Out time in worship is a time when we are made new and refreshed to return to our lives in the world.  It is also a tie when we are equipped and empowered to go forth into the world to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.

During worship we come to see through Word, prayer, sacrament, and song that our God is indeed great.  We come to see that He can and will do immeasurably more than we can ask for or imagine.  We come to feel His power within us and we are filled with His desire to share His glory with people through all the generations.  His is a presence experienced in community – community with each other and with God.  May all find Him in community with others this day.

Scripture reference: Ephesians 3: 20-21


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Time for the Word

The disciples were sanctified by Jesus.  Through His words and actions the disciples came to know the truth.  They understood the ways of God.  Through sanctification they were marked as holy, set apart from the world.  God seeks to sanctify us as well.  As we grow in closeness to God, we become increasingly separated from the things of this world.  Just as Jesus told the disciples that they do not belong to the world, He tells us the same thing as He lays claim to our lives.

Since we belong to Jesus as His disciples, we know the path we are called to walk in this world. We are called to offer the world radical love, unexpected forgiveness, absolute justice, complete compassion, and sacrificial service.  In short, we are to live out the life that Jesus patterned for us so that all may come to know Him.

There is much beauty and good in the world. God loves the world and all that He created is good.  We can love these aspects of the world too.  But sin did enter the world and Satan continues to operate in the world.  As Jesus claims us and as we continue to grow closer to God, we are called away from greed and wealth, away from violence and corruption, and away from status and power.

In the midst of the world and this culture, how can we be sanctified, set apart for God?  It is God’s Word that sanctifies us.  Time in the Word draws us closer to Him.  Time in the Word builds up our armor and makes us strong so we can resist temptation.  Time in the Word lays out how we are to be in the world but not of it.  We must spend time in the Word of God, for there we too find truth.

Scripture reference: John 17: 17-19


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Pointing the Way

John the Baptist knew his role well.  He lived a very basic, simple life.  He did what God called him to do.  Although he had followers and many people came out into the wilderness to be baptized, John remained humble and true to his calling. His perspective never changed – always God’s servant and always speaking the truth.

As we move through Advent and closer to Christmas, excitement builds.  Christ’s birth precedes all of God’s promises being fulfilled in and through Him.  John knew just how important Jesus was to the world and put all of his focus and energy into drawing people’s attention to Christ.

Our role is really the same – to tell His story, to share our story, and to point people to Christ.  Through both our word and example we can help others to “make straight the way for the Lord.”  Our role is to point the way and to help others draw closer to the true and only reason for the season.

Scripture reference: John 1: 16-28


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God’s Living Word

God’s word can be like any other book we read – just words on a page.  Maybe the stories are even interesting and entertaining.  But if there is no application to our life or change made inside our hearts and minds, then the words are just letters on the page.

God’s word, whether read personally or proclaimed aloud, is a living, breathing book.  When we take it in, pray and meditate over it, and search for the meaning that a particular passage has for our life, then we are refined and molded by the Word.

When we open the Bible seeking to find, God will bring life and meaning to His word.  When we knock and open the scriptures, there are answers to unlock our situations and to satisfy our questions, to provide direction for our lives.

God’s word is meant to be lived out.  We live it out in personal ways – in the decisions we make, in the way we conduct ourselves, in the ways we draw close to God, and in the relationships we have with others.  We also live it out in community – in how we treat each other, in how we serve each other, and in how we love one another.

When we read or hear the words on the pages in the Bible and begin to live out what they say and teach, then we are allowing God’s word to live and breathe in us.  May we learn to breath in deeply and to live out boldly all that God has for us.

Scripture reference: 1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13


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Life in the Word

When Jesus taught He often used parables – stories that always had a point to them.  Sometimes the point was hard for His audience to get.  And sometimes the disciples struggled to get the meaning too.  Jesus wanted them to wrestle with the meaning.  Fortunately for us, Jesus often unpacked the parables for His disciples.  It is then that the meaning often comes alive.

We tend to remember a good story much longer than a list of do’s and don’ts.  We can remember many of Jesus’ parables and they continue to speak to us today.  They contain lessons and insights that will always be relevant to life in any day and age.  The Bible is truly a living, breathing book.

As we spend time reading His word, we are storing up instructions for life.  Soak in its rich teachings so that Jesus Christ may permeate all of your relationships, interactions, and life.

Scripture reference: Matthew 18: 23-35


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Finding True Joy

In the Old Testament people followed the word of God, mostly recorded in the Torah.  Early followers found joy living according to God’s ways.  Over time though, the law became cumbersome and burdensome.  The obedience that brought joy was replaced by 613 laws that were almost impossible to follow and brought condemnation and judgment.

In the New Testament the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Jesus’ yoke was easy and the burden light.  Obedience and joy in a life following Jesus came down to two ‘laws’ – love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love you neighbor as yourself.  After Jesus’ death and resurrection, God sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to guide us on the path that Jesus laid out.

In the Old Testament, a life lived for God hinged upon prayer, study, worship, and obedience to His commands.  Today our faith rests upon these same practices.  Through these habits or disciplines, we incline our hearts and minds toward God.  It is then that we walk His path and find our true joy.

Scripture reference: Psalm 119: 105-112


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Standing on the Word

Jesus faced much temptation – food when he was very hungry, comfort when he must have been hurting, and power when he was at his weakest.  Satan was persistent.

But Jesus was consistent.  Each and every time that Satan tempted him, Jesus responded with God’s word.  Within the words of the Old Testament Jesus found strength.  Through the word of God, Jesus found a unity and strength that helped him stand again evil.  This unity with his father is what brought him through.

It is what will bring us through as well.  Whether tempted by lust, greed, power, envy, want, fame, desire, anger, talent… there is a word that will speak to us.  God waits in His word to step into our life when we need him most.  In God’s word we can find strength to face down all that the enemy throws at us.  God is faithful.  His word tells us that he will not tempt us beyond what we can bear.  In Matthew 11:28, we hear his love: “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Rest from our battles, strength for the next fight.  May we rest and trust into God for all of our needs – and especially those where we must stand against temptation!


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Living Each Day in the Word

Blessing come to us as Christians when we seek God with all of our hearts. The blessings may be things like comfort and a good life. But this is not a guarantee. The only sure thing is that by seeking we can come to know Him more.

As we come to know and live by God’s ways and as we seek to live out Jesus’ example, our knowledge of God will grow. As we continue to do these things our relationship with God grows.

With knowledge comes understanding. The words on the page become more than just words. We come to see the Bible as the living, breathing Word of God. And we must stay in the Word as it can reveal something new to us each time we read a passage. When we are seeking, often the book will meet us where we are.

As our understanding grows, our relationship begins to shift from head to heart. We move from a concept of loving God and neighbor to actually living it out in our daily lives. Our faith becomes how we live. May we all seek to live each day in His name!!

 

[Side note – this and the last post were from this weekend.  I was without internet connections!!]