pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: work


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Warning: Work in Progress – But Not Alone!

Each of us is a work in progress.  Some may be a little further along in their faith journey and some a little less.  But all of us must realize that there is still work to be done , still growth to experience.  All must heed Paul’s words found in Romans 3: “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Even though we constantly fall short, God also always pursues us.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are made aware of our sin.  When we confess that we have sinned and made an affront to God, it is the same Spirit that leads us to repentance.  Each time God blots out our transgression and remembers our sin no more.

The unending supply and depth of God’s love and mercy is amazing.  The constant presence of the Holy Spirit seeking to work on us confounds understanding.  It is like God cares for each and every one of us as if we were each His only child.

Each of us is not yet what we will be.  And each is not what we once were either.  Through the constant cycle of sin and repentance we are slowly made more and more into the image of Christ.  Apparently God has a very high level of patience as well.  As we continually say, “Lord, have mercy” we are acknowledging God’s sovereignty.  We cannot succeed on our own.  Only through God can we continue to run the race.  It is in this weakness that He is made strong.  This day, may we each come to fully rely on God, our redeemer and sustainer.

Scripture reference: Psalm 51: 1-5


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These Last Days

Paul proposes the idea that our waiting during Advent is not passive.  Often we speak of “expectant waiting” – waiting with the idea that Jesu Christ is always near and to be on the lookout to share Him with those we meet.  Paul calls us to live our days using what we have learned from Jesus and to be “zealous for good deeds.”

But we must also be careful to avoid too much of the activity and busyness that can typify this season of the year.  If we do not take this care then we can end up tired and grumpy by the time we arrive at Christmas Eve.  We must be vigilant to ask ourselves if we are spending time each day of Advent first seeking to draw closer to Jesus.  If not, we still have time to focus in on Jesus these last days.

In these last days of Advent, may we live as Paul suggests: working and resting in Christ – demonstrating for all just who this Messiah is that we are expectantly waiting for.

Scripture reference: Titus 2: 11-14


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Maybe It’ll Grow

Today I read about Benedictine monks.  Each day and week and year is filled with the same pattern – they work and pray and work and pray and work and pray and so on.  Each day is filled with this pattern.  They sleep at night and start the pattern over day after day.  Each prayer time is followed by a period of work.To praythey first center themselves and then they chant Psalms back and forth.  In a month, they pray through the book of Psalms.  Then they start over.

Paul writes often about the same integration of prayer and work.  The idea of regularly stopping our work to pray is found in others.  Daniel, for example, prayed three times a day at his appointed times.  Jesus even went so far as to suggest His disciples pray without ceasing.  But I think Jesus was suggesting we be attuned to praying here and there, whenever we felt led to pray for someone or something.  For the monks, Paul, and Daniel it was spontaneous prayer and also about engaging in formal times of prayer regularly each day.

What would that look like in our lives?  Could we set aside a time to pray upon arriving at work, during morning break, at lunch, during afternoon break, and before departing for the day?  Each prayer time could be specific and focused.  Perhaps this is a great experiment to try for a few days.  Maybe it’ll grow into weeks, months, years…

Scripture reference: 1 Thessalonians 2: 9-13


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Won’t You Join Him?

In Matthew 16 Jesus names Peter ‘the rock’ – the foundation of His church.  Imagine what the other disciples were thinking?!  Remember, Peter was the loud, in-your-face, foot-in-mouth, act-before-you-think guy in the group.  But Peter was also the only one who stepped out of the boat and took a few steps on the water.  He was also the only one who went to Jesus’ trials before the authorities.  It was here that Peter denied Jesus.  But Jesus saw in Pater what no one else saw.  He knew the denials would be used to build Peter back up.  Jesus saw Peter for what he was to become – the rock.

We too are all chosen by God.  We too are all empowered by Christ’s indwelling spirit.  We too all possess gifts and talents that God has given us to build up the kingdom here on earth.  We are to work together as the church.

Jesus is inside each of us.  Jesus living in us brings tremendous power.  His Spirit leads us to build community, to help each other grow in our faith, and to bring others into the family.  Jesus brings strength, courage, and compassion to or lives.  He sees our potential and wants to work within us to develop that potential.  Jesus seeks to work in and through us – won’t you join Him?

Scripture reference: Matthew 16:13-20