12/31 - Luke 8:22-25

Luke 8:22-25

Jesus calms the storm. Usually, the storm we need calmed is not on the sea but in our lives. Problems, stress, pressures, fear....they build in our lives. We feel in turmoil, as if our lives are a storm. When storm grows in our lives, we tend not to make the best decisions. Spend a few minutes in quiet reflection today. Consider your life and where your storms might be. Ask for God's guidance and direction to calm your storms.

December 30

Luke 7:11-17

We believe that in Jesus, God came to live in our midst. To be with us. In this passage you can see what a difference that makes. When Jesus sees the widow grieving the death of her child, the passage says "his heart went out to her". We can know that in the struggles of our lives that God is with us.

12/29 - Luke 5:17-26

Luke 5:17-26

When I was in Israel our guide taught us that around the Sea of Galilee most of the homes had roofs that could be removed. In that region it can get rather hot. They used this type of construction so that they could remove the roof and allow the heat trapped in the house to escape. Consequently, for these men to remove part of the roof would not have been that difficult.

What does seem amazing about this story is the boldness of the men in finding help for the paralytic. They were willing to do whatever necessary to bring their friend to Jesus. There is nothing half hearted about climbing on the house, removing part of the roof and lowering the man to Jesus.

12/28 - Luke 5:12-16

Luke 5:12-16

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

In this passage we see Jesus dealing with the needs of another and caring for himself. He healed the man, and spent time alone with God. We need both in our lives. Serving others is central to the life of faith. But we need the spiritual basis of time alone with God to replenish our souls to serve others.

December 26

Luke 2:21-52

In this reading the story picks up with Jesus being 8 days old. The passage then jumps to his return to the temple at 12. If you move on to chapter 3, the story has John and Jesus as adults beginning their ministries. We often want to speculate regarding what happened in the years between the stories. What scripture gives us is sufficient for salvation and understanding how to live the life of faith. It does not attempt to answer every question that we might have.

Decenber 25

Luke 2:1-20

May God bless you today as we celebrate how God has intervened into human history on our behalf.

December 24

Luke 1:57-80

After John regain his ability to speak, he prophesied. The final lines of his prophesy are "To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." Into the darkness of our world Jesus came to give us light by which to live.

December 23

Luke 1:1-56

No one fears a baby. We might fear the responsibility of caring for a baby. We might be afraid of harming a baby. But a baby does not strike fear in the heart of a person the way the appearance of the angel Gabriel did. Every time Gabriel showed up he had to say, "Do not be afraid". Just his appearing caused fear. The appearance of a baby does not cause fear. Put a baby in the center of a room and everyone watches the baby. You could probably make the case that we are drawn to babies. We make funny faces when we look at babies. We change the tone of our voices when we speak to them. When a baby cries we want to comfort the child. No wonder that when God came into the world, God came as a baby. If God had come in might and power, people would have run. Since God came as baby, we come to see, no one is afraid of a baby.

December 22

Matthew 2

Try to imagine what Mary and Joseph are feeling. Angelic proclamations of God's intervention in their lives. A virgin pregnancy. Magi arriving after the birth too bring gifts for their child. Fleeing their country to escape from Herod. At some point they must have been wondering what would happen next! The one constant is that God is with them. They may not understand why events are unfolding as they are but they have faith in God. That faith is the guiding force of their lives.

December 21

Matthew 1

This week we will read the Matthew and Luke versions of the birth stories of Jesus. Notice in Matthew's story the role of Joseph. He is the main actor, Mary is only mentioned. What we see of Joseph is a man wanting wanting to do the right thing. When he believes that Mary has been unfaithful, he decides to just divorce her quietly. When the angel gives him instructions, he follows them immediately. He is portrayed as righteous man who loves God.

December 19

Daniel 6

Daniel is clear about what is most important to him. He does not let anything stand between himself and his relationship with God. We have read how he turned down the finest foods and now how he exposes himself to being thrown in with lions. He values his relationship with God above all else. Spend a few minutes today thinking about what you value.

December 18

Daniel 5

The son, Belshazzar, had the same issues as his father. He did not learn from his father's mistakes. Do you learn from the mistakes of others?

I heard a saying once. Goes something like this, we can either learn lessons from the pain of our own experience or the wisdom of others. It is much easier to learn the lessons from others, we just don't seem to believe the lessons unless we experience them ourselves.

December 17

Daniel 4

Daniel's interpretation of the dream ends with instructions of how Nebuchadnezzar might avoid the dream being fulfilled. Daniel says, "break away now from your sins by doing righteousness". In essence, he tells him if he starts living in right relationship with God, he might avoid this disaster. But Nebuchadnezzar does not listen.

When I look at Nebuchadnezzar, I see myself. There are times that I know the right action but somehow I end up doing just the opposite. Why do I act that way?

12/16 - Daniel 3

Daniel 3

What values are at the core of your life? What values are driving your life? We seldom encounter a situation that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do in this passage where our values are so clearly brought into focus. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego respond with a stance that their belief in God is more important than their lives. I have never encountered such a life and death decision, have you? However, I do believe that we encounter many situations where our values are much more subtly challenged. Those situations are also very difficult because it is so easy to justify why giving in for this moment really doesn't matter that much.

December 15

Daniel 2

What is amazing about Daniel's situation is that he never complains. He never asks why. He doesn't get upset that he is living in captivity. He simply lives a life of obedience while living in Babylon. In the moment when he really needs God, in dealing with the dream, he speaks words of praise about God to the king. He lives with a confidence in God that is not based on the circumstances that he sees around him, but out of a deep relationship with God.

December 14

Daniel 1

This week we will be reading from Daniel. Watch the obedience of these young men. They stay committed to their faith regardless of what they encounter. In the first chapter, the story centers on what they eat. Daniel declines the best food the Babylonians had to offer to continue eating vegetables. Why? He did not want to defile himself with their food. He could have easily justified why it would be best for him to eat their great food, but he stood in his faith. Where do you need to stand in your faith today?

December 12

Judges 2

Why do people struggle to be obedient to God? In this passage the angel speaks to the people and they wept at their actions. However, they quickly forget, turn to other gods, and the consequences are enormous. Why do people live that way?

Why do we struggle in our obedience? We know how Jesus calls us to live, yet look at what we do. Why are we pulled between what God wants us to do and what we want to do? We know in the end which is better, so why do we struggle so?

December 11

Numbers 22

The donkey sees what the Balaam does not. The irony is how Balaam treats his donkey while the donkey is saving him. Do you ever become so intent on your task, like taking a trip, that you miss what is happening right in front of you?

December 10

Exodus 3

"The angel appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush"

Do we want God to tell us what to do? We say yes. We want guidance and direction from God. The irony is that so often in the bible when God gives a person direction, such as the angel does in this passage, the person doesn't want to do what God wants him/her to do.

I think what I want from God, is for God to tell me to do what I already have decided what I want to do. In essence, I want God to say "yes" to what I want. Unfortunately for me, God generally has different ideas than I do. Most of what God wants from me is taught rather plainly in scripture. Sometimes as plain as an angel speaking in a burning bush. The issue is not whether or not God will give me direction, the issue is will I be obedient to what God asks?

December 9

Genesis 32

The "man" was most likely an angel. Generally when angels appear in scripture it is to speak a message from God. Jacob needs more than a spoken message. Jacob has always run when things got difficult. This angel does not let him run. He forces him to struggle. As morning comes Jacob realizes that he has spent the night wrestling with the angel, he has encountered God. His life is changed. His name is changed from Jacob to Israel as a sign of how he has changed. That is right, this is the Israel. His name eventually is used for the whole people, nation.

Who would have ever thought an angel would "wrestle" with a man. Sometimes God acts in ways we don't understand because God knows just what we need.

December 8

Genesis 22

Abraham faith in God is stunning. Being willing to offer your son's life as a sacrifice is quite amazing. (A side note. God never required human sacrifice in scripture. The Israelites were surrounded by many other people whose gods required human sacrifice. Ancient Jewish people used this story to teach their children that God would did not want human sacrifice.) Abraham arrives at the spot but an angel speaks from heaven at just the right moment. I can only imagine how much relief Abraham felt in that moment. The depth of Abraham's faith was obvious. He was willing to submit everything to God. Are there places in your life where you hold back from God?

December 7

Genesis 16

The passages this week all include stories of angels. In this passage the angel becomes involved because of Sarai & Abram's impatience. They have been promised a child but Sarai has yet to become pregnant. Sarai gives her maid Hagar to Abram. The intention is that Hagar will bear the child that Sarai has not. Conflict arises between the woman and Sarai throws Hagar out. The angel intervenes to save Hagar. Islam traces itself back to Abram through Hagar's son Ishmael.

Do you ever grow impatient with God? Do you ever ask for God's wisdom but when you grow tired of waiting create your own plan? There is little patience found in our culture. Why do we choose to always be in a hurry?

12/5 - Titus 2-3

Titus 2-3

Do our actions save us? No. Salvation comes by God's grace. Salvation is a gift from God. But salvation doesn't mean that we have a one time experience and nothing has changed. We are saved from sin and are called to turn away from sin. That means that the way we live changes. We are not saved by those changes, but those changes reflect the gift of salvation God has given us.

These chapters deal with that changed behavior. Paul tell Titus what a life in Christ looks like. This is not about being legalistic, he is teaching him that salvation leads to a better way of living.

December 4

Titus 1

"They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed."

Our actions reflect what we believe. We can say we that we follow Jesus. We can say that our life is centered in faith. However, it is our actions that reflect what is in our heart.

December 3

Matthew 14

This chapter contains the last story in Matthew about John the Baptist. The stunning part of this story is that Herodias' daughter can have whatever she wants. She asks for John's head on a platter. I can't imagine the feelings that would drive such a request.

Learning to forgive is so important. When we hold onto anger or allow vengeance to grow in our lives, those emotions shape everything we do. Learning to forgive sets us free from the negative emotions that bring destruction to our lives. We often want to justify why we should not forgive, but not forgiving leads to terrible consequences. Like being able to ask for anything we want, and only wanting a head on a platter.

December 2

Matthew 11

Why would John ask if Jesus is the one? Hadn't he baptized Jesus? Why was he having doubts now? Doubt could come to him for many reasons. One reason for his doubts might be he had so much time to think while sitting in a dark prison cell. If Jesus was the savior, why was he in prison? Or maybe he had always envisioned the Messiah acting differently than Jesus was and it caused doubts. Whatever the reason, I believe that doubt is part of faith. Everyone at some point has questions and doubts, even John the Baptist. The issue is not whether we will have doubts, what is important is how we respond to our doubts. The greatest acts of faith come when in spite our doubts we still do the acts of faith. Doubt comes and goes but our actions are to remain constant.

December 1

Luke 3

Yesterday, we read about the announcement of John's conception by the Angel Gabriel. Today's passage begins his public ministry. He calls people to repentance. When they ask "Then what shall we do?", he is very specific with them. He offers instruction in generosity in verse 11, in verses 12-13 he tells tax collectors to be honest, and in verse 14 speaks to soldiers about their behavior. Repentance is not just saying we are sorry, it is changing the way we live. With each group John instructs them in how to change the way they are living. How would John challenge you to change your life?

11/30 - Luke 1:5-25

Luke 1:5-25

If you were in worship yesterday, this is the passage from which I spoke. The passage speaks a great deal about our relationship with God. On one hand we want God to act for us, like giving a child, on the other hand we struggle to believe when God answers our prayer. We want God but we want God on our own terms. Scripture teaches us that "our terms" are not helpful for us. Scripture invites us to trust God even more than we trust ourselves. Such trust is a very hard act.

November 28

Psalm 119:1-24

There are always forces that seek to shape our lives. Whether it is our culture, our desires or faith, our lives are being shaped. The choice that we have is whether or not we are intentional about determining what is shaping us. In this Psalm, the Psalmist wants scripture to be that which is shaping is life. He wants to "walk in the law of the Lord" and be shaped in the type of person God wants him to be.

November 27

Psalm 1

The Psalmist uses a wonderful image of a tree planted by streams of water. We have trees in our backyard that have grown around a small stream. The trees are massive and dominate our backyard. Everytime there is a wind storm, we have small branches all over our backyard. But the trees remain strong. Ths Psalmist uses of trees planted by a stream as an image of our spiritual lives. When our lives are planted in God's word, our lives are a steady and strong a massive tree.

November 26

Joshua 3

This is one of the biblical stories where God directly intervenes. Direct intervention is not the normal behavior of God. We ask God to directly intervene quite often but the way God normally acts is through the lives of people. But as Israel crosses the River Jordan into the promised land, God directly intervenes and parts the waters.

I am very thankful today that we have a God who has directly intervened into human history by taking the form of a human being to live in our midst. I can't imagine what life would be like without the coming of Jesus.

November 25

Deuteronomy 4:1-15

The writer is exhorting the people of Israel to obey the commands of God. He recalls how the people received the 10 commandments on stone tablets, He reminds them how they were taught the statutes and judgements of God. However, the easy part is learning, the hard part is obeying. Obedience to the ways of God often shifts us away from how we want to live. It forces us into decisions of trust. Who do we trust more, ourselves or God? Obviously, we are not the first people to struggle with this. The reason it is in scripture is that the people who received the commandments directly struggled with this. This is an ancient struggle that we live out every day.

11/24 - Exodus 20

Exodus 20

A couple of questions for you to consider:

Can you name all 10 commandments?
We talk about how important they are, yet we struggle to remember all 10.

Which is the hardest for you to obey?
As Americans I think there are a couple we struggle to follow.
- "the seventh day is a sabbath" Keeping a day of Sabbath, rest, is almost impossible for us. We believe that unless we are always doing, we will somehow miss life. The irony is that we create an incredibly fast pace of life then wonder where life went.
-"You shall not covet" It would seem that our economy is built on us never being satisfied and coveting what we do not have. The consequence is that in the midst of incredible abundance, we are in debt and wanting more.
- "You shall not take the Lord's name in vain" Taking the Lord's name in vain is so common we don't even pause when we hear God's name used in that manner.

November 23

Genesis 1

"Then God said, 'Let there be light', and there was light."

The Bible begins with the power of God's word to shape all of creation. There are many arguments over how the universe was created. The arguments of creationism, evolution, or the big bang are areas of discussion among people. The Bible does not try to enter those arguments, it simply states that the word of God is responsible. The scripture teaches that God is so powerful, that by speaking light came into being.

Yesterday in worship, Pastor Catherine Mutua spoke of the power of God's word, scripture, to shape our lives. The power of God's word to shape our lives is the reason we are encouraged to read scripture on a daily basis. As she said yesterday, there are many voices in our lives. We want the most influential voice to be the voice of scripture.

November 20

1 Peter 4:1-11

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."

When I read this passage I remembered a saying from many years ago. The saying went like this, "Every day in every marriage there are a multitude of reasons for divorce". I don't think that is literally true, but the concept that in every marriage there are a many reasons to be angry and upset with your spouse is true. What makes a marriage strong, is when the couple allow their love for each other to overlook the offenses. This is true not only marriage but of all relationships. Love is willing to look beyond the immediate action and forgive.

November 19

1 John 4:7-21

Thanks to Randy for writing the blog for the last month. He has really helped me out by doing so. Ken

"And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also."

John draws this section to a clear conclusion. If we love God, "we should love our brother". He doesn't say we should love our brother if our brother is nice, kind, giving or even lovable. Those are expectations we place on those we love. He doesn't give exemptions to loving if your brother is mean, unthinking or irresponsible. Those are justifications we use to not love. He simply understands that God loves us without qualifications and we should do the same.

November 18th

James 2: 1-13. In these verses James asks a question: 'Listen, dear brothers! Has not God chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and to possess the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?' But I am remembering a James who, only a few years earlier, was astonished at this notion: when Jesus informed his disciples that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, James shouted out in disbelief, along with the others, 'Then who can be saved!' They all believed that, without question, to be rich was a sign of God's blessing, not vice versa. Jame's admonishment, here in chapter 2, against showing favoritism is not a moralistic finger-shaking on how things ought to be, but is more a finger-pointing, based more on a glad new knowledge of how things actually are in the reality of God. Christ has turned the tables of this world upside down; we live in a new day, a new reality, and James points to it. Can I live in that reality today, I wonder? RS.

November 17th

Matthew 5:38-48. Jesus reminds his hearers of what they have been taught, and then takes them beyond that. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth is actually a part of God's law, and a civilized teaching that is meant to limit retaliation. If someone pokes out your eye, you are entitled only to poke out his (or her) eye--not to kill him, stomp on his dead body, enslave his family and burn his farm, as was the previous primitive custom: total anhilalation of the person who takes your parking space, or the last chocolate out of the candy bowl, or who votes for the wrong candidate; it's a good thing we've grown beyond that!

Jesus is not, it seems to me, reversing God's old barbaric law here, but is saying rather that his hearers need not be enslaved by eye for eye when it comes to matters of personal honor. They need not spend their lives giving tit for tat, trying to get even with persons who seek to drop them down a notch and put them in their place. They are, rather, the light of the world and the salt of the earth, second to no one; Jesus gives them ways to live that make this apparent. RS

November 16th

Deuteronomy 6. 'Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.'

A few days ago my son, Nathan, was showing me a copy of the 10 commandments--they were learning the commandments in Sunday School and he, I am proud to say, was wanting to put them on his wall. But Egad-Bad-Dad noticed that the commandments were on both the front and back of the sheet, so I told him that if he put them on his wall he would not see half of them.
'Oh' he said. But then I immediately thought of these few verses and realized how cold counsel was checking a warm heart. These did need to go up on his wall, and if, when I check this evening they are not, he and I will have some good time talking together about them and putting them up in a good place. But perhaps where they really need to go is on my wall! RS.

November 14th

Mark 6: 30-44. The story about Jesus feeding the five-thousand appears in all four gospels. In three of them it is also preceded by an account of the death of John the Baptist. Here in Mark (and in Luke), there is also the note that the disciples had just returned from their mission to tell Jesus all the things they had done and witnessed. But also on Jesus' mind is the death of John. Matthew lets us know that Jesus, on hearing the gruesome story of John's beheading, left with the disciples to get away to the desert. So, while it may be that Jesus wanted to reward his disciples for their work by giving them some needed rest and alone time, it seems to me that he also needed to get away to grieve the loss of his friend. This is something I really appreciate in a messiah! For him to carry on without a hiccup after such a loss would have taken him down several pegs on my messiah pole.

But there is no getting away just yet! The people, a large crowd, have followed Jesus on foot. Jesus and the disciples (more reluctantly) will get their rest later. I would do well to remember this story more often when I am tired and wanting only a refreshing beverage and my recliner! RS

November 13th!

Mark 5:21-43. Interrupting the story of Jairus and his daughter is the account of the woman with the flow of blood who snuck a touch of Jesus' robe and was healed of her condition after twelve years of illness and attempted treatments that left her worse off, not better. Something that has not occured to me before with this story is to wonder what would have happened had the woman not come forward when Jesus, sensing that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?' It was a large crowd, with many pressing round; she likely could have easily slunk away, healing in hand. Would Jesus have stopped right there, made everyone sit down, until he had found her out? And what if she had not admitted what she'd done? Would she have had peace?

There are a great many people these days who dabble in Jesus, who may read a bit about him or encounter him in some other passing way that leaves them truly impressed and having received some real benefit. However, until we come 'face to face' with Jesus, so to speak, and tell him the truth about our lives, it is likely that we will not be at peace. RS

November 12th

Mark 3:1-6. Since Jesus seems to have been aware, in all of their other meetings, of the inner thoughts of the Pharisees, it seems likely that here, too, on his return to the synagogue, he is aware of the hostile intentions of those in the room; and he asks his question accordingly.
He calls up a member of the synagogue who has a withered hand--we'll call him 'dear old Mr. Smith', for he and his condition have likely been a fixture of that congregation's life for years. His question to all present is not an innocent one, and it calls to mind some of his other poke-the-ant-hill-with-a-stick questions later on, for instance: 'The baptism of John--was it from God or from man?' 'What does our law allow us to do on the Sabbath?' he asks. 'To help or to harm?' Instead of the interesting and vigorous debate that normally would have ensured there is an obstinate silence.

Everyone is looking completely past Mr. Smith and his condition, showing no compassion, holding out no hope that here before them, perhaps, was the opportunity for his healing. If you want to know how to stir up the wrath and grief of God, here is your formula. RS

November 11th

Mark 2:13-17. While who can say for sure, it seems likely to me that Jesus knew the tax collector, Levi, the son of Alpheus, before he called him to 'follow me', and vice versa; it is likely that Levi also at least knew who Jesus was, had perhaps talked with him before, or had at least formed some kind of opinion of him, a favorable one no doubt. It also seems likely that he followed Jesus not because he hated his life as a tax collector and thought that Jesus could restore his reputation--for later on, when he is having Jesus to dinner at his house, all of his rowdie friends are still with him.

As in the previous verses, the Pharisees grouse about Jesus actions, again not to his face; and addressing them directly Jesus says to them that he has not come to call respectable people but those who outcasts--who are sick. Matthew knows that, even if it means leaving his lucrative tax office, he needs what Jesus has to offer; the pharisees don't think they need Jesus. Am I really aware, as Matthew was, of my need for Jesus? RS

November 10th

Mark 2:1-12. Due to the large crowd surrounding Jesus, four friends haul their paralysed friend up on the roof above Jesus, bust a hole in it, and through the hole lower their friend into the presence of Jesus, whereupon, seeing the faith of the four friends, Jesus turns to the paralysed man and says: 'My son, your sins are forgiven'--the very thing I would have said myself! No, it seems like an odd thing for Jesus to say.

No, I would not have said that; had I the confidence and ability to do so (and who says we should not have both of those things--not Jesus), I would have gone right to the 'I tell you, get up, pick up you mat and go home' part. And were I the paralysed man, I think I would have been happy to forego the 'Miss Congeniality' prize of having my sins forgiven; I would have wanted the grand prize of being healed of my paralysis! Jesus was apparently willing to leave it at the forgiveness part, healing the man only to prove that the had 'authority to forgive sins on earth.' Is having one's sins forgiven a bigger thing than being healed of whatever? Perhaps forgiveness is, indeed, a more powerful thing than we normally think it is. Perhaps it is really everything. RS

November 9th

Mark 1: 40-45. There is much to consider in these five short verses. A man with a dreaded skin disease comes to Jesus and says to him, 'If you want to, you can make me clean.' Jesus does heal the man and then sends him away with instructions not to tell anyone but to go to the priests so that the cure can be certified and so that he can have dealings with his community again. Depending on the bible you are reading, Jesus, as he encounters the man, is either moved with pity, compassion, anger or some other emotion. Also unclear are the reasons for his emotion and the meaning and circumstances surrounding the man's statement to Jesus. What does seem clear, at least from the Greek (which I am unable to read very well--acually not at all anymore--I have to rely on the commentators), is that Jesus emotions were very strong emotions--gut emotions. Jesus was not just mildly affected or interested in the man's plight--Jesus was engaged physically, spirtually and emotionally; and that, as far as I am concerned, is a requirement for any messiah in whom I would want to place my faith. RS

November 7th

Philippians 1. Paul writes his letter to the Philippians while in prison. His son in the faith, Timothy, is with him. But the Philippians are also with him: 'You are always in my heart,' Paul tells them in chapter 1. They are connected in the love and service of Jesus. This is a real connection, a real presence, accesed by the remembrance and thanksgiving of prayer. When we pray with remembrance and thanksgiving, we discover that our hearts are not empty. RS

November 6th

Galatians 2. While Acts paints a picture of Paul and the apostles in relative harmony, Paul's own letters, especially Galatians, suggest that his relationship with the twelve was strained at best. His encounter with Peter, in Galatians 2, probably did not help matters; it is hard to imagine Peter and Paul as 'pals' shooting pool and going to Cowboy games together!

In this exchange Paul, it seems to me, accuses Peter of forgetting who he is: he has been freed by Jesus but wants to go back to Egypt, to the slavery of the law. (I would be interested to hear Peter's take on this exchange but, unfortunately, we don't have that.) It is easy to forget who we are; it is easy to forget the water of our baptism, God calling our name, setting us free. It is easy to fall back into old patterns. No matter how far we think we have come along the road of freedom and transformation, sometimes all it takes is a trip back to a family reunion to make us realize how powerful the old behavior patterns are! Often we snap right back to our old roles without thinking. Perhaps if I focus on today--rembering today who I am--it will be enough. RS

November 5th

Luke 23: 32-43. Two criminals were crucified with Jesus, one on his right, one on his left. To the one who asked Jesus to remember him Jesus replies, 'I promise you that today you will be in paradise with me.' I notice that he does not turn to the other, the one who mocked him, and say, 'And you, buddy, this very day, will be getting the ol' knuckle sandwich!' It is important to remember that Jesus has just prayed concerning all those present who were mocking him, 'Forgive them, Father; they don't know what they are doing.' It is dicey to think that the 'nice' criminal was able to wrest from Jesus some privileged treatment for himself by paying Jesus a compliment at the last minute.

And when this criminal talks to Jesus about remembering him, he likely is hoping for more than a fond recall on Jesus' part. He does not want Jesus in heaven to say one day, 'O yes, I remember that guy; nice fellow!' He wants Jesus' to re-member him--to put him back together happy and whole; to do something on his behalf; to save him. The remembering of Jesus is far more than a 'calling to mind.' Yes, it is much more than that. RS

November 4th

Luke 22:14-23. All of the scripture passages chosen for this week have to do with remembrance. This account of Jesus sharing a last Passover meal with his disciples is told also in Matthew and Mark, and in all three accounts there are Jesus' words, at the breaking of the bread, that his disciples are to 'do this in rembrance' of' him. Only in Luke do we have Jesus also saying 'I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer.' Jesus' was not simply going through the motions, crossing all the t's and dotting all the i's of his Father's Messiah program on his way to saving the world. The disciples were his dear friends, and had become his family. Just as we might look forward with longing and anticipation to a Thankgiving dinner with loved ones, Jesus has looked forward to this Passover meal with his disciples, his friends. That is the thing I remember most about his last Passover. RS

November 3

1 Chronicles 16:8-36. It is a good thing to remember and give thanks, the more often the better! This psalm of David in, 1 Chronciles, marks the occasion of the return to Jerusalem of the Ark of the Covenant from the land of the Philistines; it is part of a great celebration of all the people. It is more than a good thing, however, to remember and give thanks; it is also a responsibility and a privilege. One of the first things David does upon the ark's return is to spread the wealth of privilege and responsibilty to others, that they might have ownership and leadership in remembering and giving thanks to God.

David does more, however, than ordain and delegate remembrance and thanksgiving: he leads by example, and a startling one at that. In the verses previous we see him gyrating around in a linen ephod (read G-string!), much to the consternation of his wife, Mical. No one, looking at the king, would doubt that he practiced what he preached when it came to giving thanks to and remembering God for all the things that God had done. Can others look at me, I wonder, and say the same? RS

November 2nd

Genesis 9. I notice an interesting thing in this chapter that I all too easily forget: that when God establishes the coveneant with Noah, it is with Noah and all that came with him out of the ark, animals included, and that the 'every living thing on earth' phrase is used not just once in passing but several times, as if to emphasize the point in Noah's mind so that he, and we, will remember it. This, it seems to me, is a very timely word for us all--that God's covenant relationship is not just with the human creation; the birds, animals, fish, and even the glistening sea monsters we read about earlier in the first chapter are also addressed by God and given responsibilities to fulfil. When we fail to remember the other living things that are a part of God's covenant with us, we ourselves become fragmented and forgetful of who we are. By and large, I would say that the animals have kept up their end of the covenant bargain! RS

October 31st

John 1. What an embarrasment of riches to comment on in John 1! At the end of this long chapter, when Nathaniel asked Jesus how he knew who he was, and Jesus says, 'I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you,' it likely means that Jesus knew that Philip was a serious student of the law of God, a serious seeker. Philip is flattered and impressed by Jesus' powers of observation and proclaims him the King of Israel on the spot, when others likely would have required a little more in way of evidence. Jesus responds by telling him, in effect, 'You ain't seen nothing yet!'--'You will see much greater things than this,' he says. But following Jesus means more than seeing and believing great things about him. In a few chapters, Jesus will be telling his apostles that those who believe in him will do the things that he has done; and even greater things than he has done! That, in my opinion, is plenty to chew on for one day! Are we prepared, willing, and expecting to do greater things than Jesus did? RS

October 30th

Ruth 4. It must have been a deep blow indeed to Naomi, and a cause of no little shame, to have had to move to Moab, and an even deeper blow when her two fine sons, Mahlon and Chilion, took for themselves Moabite wives. Moabites! EGAD! Moabites, as was very plainly stated in the law of Moses, were not permitted in the Israelite assembly. To marry a Moabitess was definitely marrying down not up. And even though she ended up getting on splendidly with her daughters-in-law, it was likely an embarrassment for her to return to Bethlehem with one of them in tow, even such an impressive one as Ruth.

But no-longer-bitter Naomi is singing a different tune about Moabites at the end of chapter 4, as she bounces her beautiful grandson, the future gandpa of King David, on her knee! Boaz has straightened out the issue of the other redeeming kinsman; Ruth is married and, we presume happy; because her mother-in-law is happy. All is right with the world. In the greatest of turnarounds, God, for Naomi, turns out to be not a mean old man in the sky but a beautiful young Moabite! RS

Ruth 3

Ruth 3. As a Moabit outsider, a woman, and a widow, Ruth is at the bottom of the societal heap; but her decision to leave her own land and people for Naomi and Naomi's God and people has made the Bethlehem headlines. She does not seem to realize it, but she is a celebrity, and for all the right reasons.

Her commitment back in chapter 1 has tongues wagging, has her employer and Naomi's kinsman, Boaz, feeling a good bit more energetic; it has even put the old bitter Naomi back in fine mother-in-law form! The two woman hatch a plot to nab the wealthy Boaz as a husband for Ruth, that ends up with a dolled-up Ruth sneaking around a grain pile and Boaz sitting up in the middle of the night singing Kum Ba Ya! The plan works; Boaz is thrilled at the prospect of having this hot-young-mysterious-foriegn-faithful girl as a wife. But oops! There is a problem, as we shall see tomorrow. In the end, living by commitment, creativity and wits gets you only so far. Naomi and Ruth must now sit by and wait and see if other help is forthcoming. RS

Thanks to Ken for inviting me to guest write in this space for a few days! ...Well, Ruth's commitment to down-in-the-dumps Naomi gets her no thanks and only the barest acknowledgement. We would have expected more; Naomi offers nothing. And on their return to her own country, Naomi, with Ruth standing right beside her, says to her old friends, 'I went away full, and now look: I come back with nada--zilch!' I'm sure Ruth apprectiated that.

It does not get much better from there for Ruth; at least not initially. At the beginning of chapter 2, Naomi is still little more than dead weight, offering very little help or encouragement. Things do begin to change, however, and on several fronts, during this chapter. Ruth's commitment to Naomi has set more things in motion than she has realized, which is what tends to happen with true commitments. Things begin to turn around for the good; but as we shall see in chapter three, Ruth's commitment will require more from her than patience, endurance, and hard work. Commitment will require of her, as it does of us, all of her wits and creativity. RS

October 27

Ruth 1

The first words of Ruth in the bible are powerful words. She tells Naomi that she does not want to leave her, even though the future looks very dim for Naomi and for Ruth if she stays with Naomi. Ruth declares, "Your people will be my people and your God my God." Ruth's commitment to Naomi and Naomi's God extends beyond the circumstances of the moment. That commitment is at the heart of Ruth's life. She is determined to build the rest of her life around that commitment.

October 26

Joshua 24

"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord"

Joshua is challenging the people in their relationship with God. He recounts all that God has done for Israel. He challenges them to turn away from other gods. He builds to verse 13 where he says "choose for yourself this day whom you will serve". Then he adds the phrase, "but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord". The decision of the rest of the nation has no influence upon him. Joshua is committed to serving God. Do the decisions of others make a difference in your faith?

October 24

John 13:1-11

The act of washing the disciples' feet during the last meal becomes a defining moment in his life. Jesus' servant heart is clearly portrayed. He models the attitude and action that he desires for his followers. He wants us thinking beyond ourselves to serving others. Have you washed the feet of anyone this week?

10/23 - John 12:20-26

John 12:20-26

"The man who loves his life will lose it"

This is a hard teaching from Jesus. The teaching forces me to reflect upon my life. What do I love? Where are my priorities? Spend some time today reflecting upon what it is about life that you love and what would Jesus have you change.

10/22 - Luke 10

Luke 10

Notice the number of disciples has grown from 12 to 72. The 72 are sent forth and have an incredible experience. "The seventy-two returned with joy" They had experienced the power of God and had seen "even the demons submit to us in your name". Jesus' response is his own joy. He says a prayer of thanksgiving and tells the disciples how blessed they are to have experienced this.

There are moments in our lives when God calls us to step beyond our comfort area to a new task. The danger is that we are so overcome with uneasiness or even fear, that we do not respond. The moment passes and we miss what God wanted.

October 21

1 Corinthians 12

The ministry fair we had last Sunday is a good example of the image that Paul uses in this chapter. I am very glad I am not in charge of all those ministries! In fact, I am not in charge of any of the ministries. If those ministries were dependent upon me to exist, it would not be good. But God does not call me as a pastor to do everything, God calls me to use my gifts in service. As God calls me, so God calls you to use your gifts. Those ministries are possible because a variety of people are using the gifts and abilities God has given them. The end result is a multitude of ministries that bless people's lives.

Spend some time today think about how God is calling you to serve.

October 20

Matthew 25:14-30

This passage is often used to discuss finances and how we handle the money God has given us. What if we use it to consider the abilities God has given us? What if we ponder the thought that God has given each one of us gifts and abilities for a reason? That until Jesus' return, God is counting on us to carry out the work of God. God is not only counting on us, but God has empowered us to carry out the service that needs to be done. If we think about the "talents" in the story as the abilities God has given us, how are you using those "talents" in service of God?

10/19 - 1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Peter 2:1-10

"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God"

This passage defines who we are. Notice in this passage, the you is plural. The description here is about me being part of the people of God, not a description of me.

We belong to God. As a holy nation, we are set apart for God. As priests we are to do the work of God. In essence, God is counting on us to do God's work.

October 17

Acts 9

I love Ananias' reaction to the Lord telling him to go to Saul. He has never considered that Saul might become a follower of Jesus. Why would he think that Saul might follow Jesus? Saul has persecuted Christians and has now sought to raise the level of persecution by traveling to find the Christians who have fled Jerusalem. Who would ever imagine that such a person would convert?

Saul's conversion is a story that reminds us to never give up on someone encountering God. You never know when or where it might happen.

October 16

Acts 8

"Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went"

In chapter 7 Stephen is put to death. His death is the beginning of a persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. The persecution forces Christians to flee to the surrounding countryside. Chapter 8 tells stories of how they proclaimed the gospel in these new areas.

This is a great example of how God can turn something that is bad, Stephen's death and the following persecution, to something that is good, the expansion of the gospel. The story is also gives us a glimpse of how the early Christians were always looking for opportunities to share what God had done through Jesus Christ. Wherever they went, they looked for opportunities to share their faith.

10/15 - Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:16-20

This passage contains what is called the "Great Commission." These final words of Matthew's gospel contain Jesus' marching orders to "go" and "make disciples". This commission has been viewed by Christians as instructions not only to the disciples but for all followers of Jesus. Our commission is to live our lives, through word and action, in such a manner that we share the story of what God has done for us. Who has God put in your life that needs to hear the story of what God has done for you?

October 14

Matthew 10:1-23

Try to imagine the feelings of the disciples as they are receiving these words of instructions from Jesus. It is one thing to watch Jesus heal a person, it is another thing to receive authority to do heal the sick, raise the dead, drive out demons from Jesus. Imagine how they felt as they walked away from him on this first mission. I believe they felt excitement, wondering what God might do through them, and fear, what if God did nothing, at the same moment.

We are called to go and tell. We may never raise the dead or heal a leper, but we have the same call to proclaim the kingdom of God as the disciples did. Who do you need to tell about God? Who do you need to invite to church? Pray about who you need to invite. Ask God to give you the courage and the opportunity to offer the invitation.

October 13

Matthew 9:32-34

"Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel."

There are moments in life when we are amazed. We can't believe what we have just seen or heard. A response similar to what the people have in watching Jesus cast out the demon. They could not believe what they had seen. The common reaction is to tell our story of amazement to others. The telling usually begins with something like, "You won't believe what....."

When it comes to spiritual experiences, we tend not to be quite as vocal. When we have an amazing experience of God, we tend to be less vocal. Sometimes it is because the experience was a very private one, other times it is because we are afraid of how others might react if they heard what happened. Yet, we are called to be witnesses for what God has done for us. What if God is counting on you sharing your experience to help another person?

October 12

Matthew 3

John gives witness to the coming of the Christ. John clearly understood his role. He was to prepare the way.

When we give witness to our faith, it is not about us. Giving witness is pointing the way to another. If we make it about us, we have missed the point.

10/10 - Luke 18:18-30

Luke 18:18-30

Christians have argued for centuries regarding what Jesus meant when he said, "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Some have said that he literally means the eye of the needle. Others have stated that the eye of the needle was a small gate in the wall of Jerusalem. Either way, what astounded the disciples was the idea that it is difficult for a rich man to get into heaven. They lived with the understanding that wealth was a sign of God's blessing. If a rich man can't get in, who can?

Why would it be a difficult for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God? What is important to remember in answering this is that you are the rich person. If you have the ability to read this on-line blog, you are probably in the top 10% of wage earners in the world.

Most likely the rich ruler walked away he depended upon his wealth instead of God. You are in the position of the rich man in this story. The rich ruler walked away from eternal life out of a desire to keep all that he had. Neither you nor I want to walk away. I don't believe God is asking me to give away all that I have, but I do believe that God wants me to use my financial resources as a tool to bring about God's work. What do you believe about your money and God?

October 9

Matthew 6:2-4, 24-34

The passage today comes from the sermon on the mount. This sermon, which runs chapters 5-7 is the longest single teaching that we have. Jesus repeatedly challenges our thoughts and views on life in this sermon. In these particular passages he challenges how we view and handle our money.

How do we give? Do we give in such a way that it draws attention to ourselves? If so, we have received our reward.

Do we serve money as a master? He compares worship of God with worship of money.

Do we worry about the things we own? He tells us to trust God and center our lives in the moment.

10/8 - 2 Corinthians 9

2 Corinthians 9

This is the second chapter in which Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to finish taking the offering they promised to take. He provides them multiple reasons to complete the offering. Here are some of them:

- He had told the Macedonians that the Corinthians were giving generously
- If you sow sparingly, you reap sparingly.
- God loves a cheerful giver.
- Your generosity will cause men to praise God.

Do you ever have to be pushed to give to a situation in which you know you should give? Between chapters 8 & 9, Paul uses many reasons. Which of the reasons he uses would be most effective with you in encouraging you to give?

10/7 - 2 Corinthians 8

2 Corinthians 8

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 we read Paul's instructions on how to set aside money for helping the church the church in Jerusalem deal with the famine. What we find in 2 Corinthians 8 (also in 2 Corinthians 9 which you will read tomorrow) is Paul is dealing with a problem. The people in Corinth have said they would give an offering but they have not done so. In these two chapters Paul pushes them to complete what the offering. Read back over the chapter to see some of the ways that Paul encourages them to complete the offering.

The ultimate reason comes in verse 9. We give because that is what Christ did for us. He became poor so that we might become rich. As people who follow Jesus, he is our example.

October 6

Mark 12:41-44 and 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

In the Corinthian passage Paul mentions the collection. This collection was for the Jerusalem church. Jerusalem had been hard hit by a famine. The Jerusalem church was running low on money to meet the needs of the hungry. Paul had agreed to take up an offering from the churches he had started in support of the Jerusalem church during this crisis. In this passage he offers instructions as to how they should give. He teaches that their giving should be a regular part of their lives "on the first day of every week". He further instructs that "each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income". In essence, when you have a good week, you give more. When you have a bad week, you give less.

Those are good instructions for us. Giving should be a regular part of our lives One of the great things about tithing, which is giving 10%, is that it is directly tied to your income. The greater your income, the more you give. If you are out of work, there is no responsibility to give.

Our family tithes because of the teaching of scripture. How do you decide what you should give? What is the role of your faith in your giving?

October 5

Malachi 3

"Test me in this..."

This is the only time in the bible that God says, "test me". One thing I that says to me is that tithing was as difficult in the days of Malachi as it is today. There have always been financial pressures and choices that make giving 10 percent of your income difficult. But I think there is a reason that God challenges us to tithe, it is a great blessing to our lives. If you are not tithing, I would challenge you to at least begin moving toward tithing. It may not be possible for you to make the jump from what you are giving now to 10 percent in one year. However, you can create a plan to move up several percentage points each year until you are tithing.

Another line that caught my attention was that in tithing "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land". In the book "The Hole in the Gospel", which I would encourage you to read, Richard Stearns pulls together some startling numbers. He writes that if just the Christians in America would tithe, and the church would use that money to help others, every child in the world could be fed and educated, every person in the world could have clean water, and many diseases would be eliminated. If just Christians in the United States would tithe. If that happened, can you imagine what the nations of the world would say about the United States?

October 3

Psalm 100

This is my favorite Psalm. I love the way it describes entering into the presence of God with my mind centered on the Creator with praise and thanksgiving. I need this constant reminder. It is easy for me on Sunday morning to be distracted by many things; is the AC set for the right temperature, will the projection system work correctly, will I remember my sermon.....What is your attitude when you enter the sanctuary on Sunday morning? Maybe as you take your seat you could open the bible and read this Psalm to prepare your heart to enter the presence of God.

10/2 - Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:1-7

"Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you are also among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

Paul is called by God. He says that you are also called by God. He has received grace and apostleship as a means to invite those who do not believe to relationship with God. He writes in 1 Corinthians 12 that you have received gifts from God not for yourself but for the common good. In essence, God empowers us not for ourselves but to do the work of the community of faith.

One of the reasons presence in the community of faith is vital is that it allows us to serve the community. If we are not present, how can we build the relationships that allow us to serve others?

October 1

Setember 30 -- had to post in the comments - Ken

Tuesday, September 29

September 28

Acts 2

This week the passages focus on presence and being together in community.

What an amazing day is described in Acts 2. The disciples are together in the upper room. The Holy Spirit descends upon them like wind and fire. They move out into the streets to preach. 3000 accept Christ and were baptized.

One of the signs of how radical a transformation the people went through that day comes in verse 44. "All the believers were together and held everything in common." The passage does not say they were required to do this, but the response of the people was to do so. Can you imagine what would happen today if we said that every person who joined our church should sell all that they have and we would hold everything in common? I am not interested in doing this. I have to ask myself why I am not interested. Is it because I don't trust others to handle the money well? Or maybe it is because I like my money and my possessions a little too much? Are you interested in doing as the early church members did? If not, why not?

September 26

John 17

John 17 is a prayer of Jesus. He prays from himself, for his disciples and for all who will believe in him. When he prays for all who believe in him, he is praying for us. I want you to focus on Jesus' prayer for us. Spend a few minutes listing out what Jesus asks God to do for you and me (verses 20-26).

September 25

John 12:20-38

Have you ever longed for the voice of God to speak to you as it does to Jesus in this story? I have. There have been moments in my life when I felt God spoke to me clearly; in a dorm room while praying in college, before I received the phone call about moving to Grapevine, on my first trip to Kenya. The first time was a sense of encouragement about the direction of my life. The later two times changed the direction of my life. I was with others each time it happened, it was only while praying in the dorm room that anyone else sensed God speaking.

There have been many other times in my life where I felt direction from God. The general ways have been through scripture and the wisdom/ teaching of others. I have come to realize over the years that the hearing of God's voice is the exceptional moment in life, not the general practice. I long for those exceptional moments but want to be careful that my longings don't cause me to miss the way God has usually acted.

On a side note, I received very good news this morning. When we returned from the Kenya trip this summer, I reported that we had discovered that some of the funds we had sent for the Lanyiru Church had never been received by the church. Most of our funds are sent through the Meru Synod office and Bishop William. The funds to the Lanyiru Church had to be sent through a different Bishop. After a number of emails to various leaders, part of the money was found in August. The rest of the money was located yesterday and will be forwarded to the church next week. This is very good news!

9/24 - John 11:38-44

John 11:38-44

Jesus does many miracles in the gospels. He feeds the 5000, gives sight to the blind and cures those with leprosy. Seldom when he does a miracle is a prayer included in the story. In raising Lazarus a prayer is included. What is fascinating about this prayer is that Jesus says it is more for those who hear his prayer than for God.

You probably have someone that you are close enough to that you can just look at them and know what the other is thinking. Or you have looks you give each other that speak loudly without a word being said. Those experiences come from being closely connected to another. I think we catch a glimpse of Jesus' intimacy with God in this moment. His prayer is not for God, he and God are already connected in this moment, his prayer is for others who are listening.

Can you imagine a point in your relationship with God when you just know what God would be thinking in a situation? A situation where you don't have to think through what God would want you to do, you could just act.

9/23 - Matthew 27:45-54 &

Matthew 27:45-54 & Luke 23:44-49

That Jesus was on the cross as he says these two prayers is amazing. The Matthew prayer expresses a sense of abandonment, the Luke prayer commits his soul to God. Why would the gospel writers decide to include these prayers? Could it be because they give insight into the experience of Jesus? The Matthew prayer shows the physical agony he is experiencing, so great that he thought God had abandoned him. The Luke prayer suggests his openness to God at the end of his life.

If someone were to examine your prayers, what would the person learn about your relationship with God?

September 22

Matthew 11:25-27; 26:36-46

When I read the bible, I tend to spend time considering why the author would include what he wrote or wonder why he left something out. The gospels record so few of the prayers of Jesus. The gospel writers focus far more on what Jesus taught than what he prayed. These passages contain two of the prayers offered by Jesus. With the infrequency of his prayers, why are these two included? Spend some time considering what we can learn about prayer from the inclusion of these two.

September 21

9/21 - Matthew 6:1-15

This week we will be looking at passages in which Jesus teaches about prayer or prays. This passage contains the most famous of all prayers. A prayer that we recite so often that we may not pay attention to what we are praying. Spend some time today looking at this model prayer of Jesus. To give you another way to look at this prayer, here is the version from "The Message"

Our Father in heaven
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right.
Do what is best -- as above, so below.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.
You're in charge!
You can do anything you want!
You're ablaze in beauty!
Yes. Yes. Yes.

Sept. 19 - Acts 5:1-11

Acts 5:1-11

"Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events."

Is it any wonder that great fear seized the church? Why would Ananias and Sapphira lie about this? They were not required to give all their money. The money was theirs to use as they desired.

We can work hard at justifying to ourselves why it is OK to lie. Seldom is it a "lie", we just are exaggerating or omitting the full story. This story from the earlier church makes the point rather clearly that we should always speak the truth to God.

Sept. 18 - Matthew 27:11-66

Matthew 27:11-66

"I am innocent of this man's blood." "It is your responsibility!"

How can Pilate be innocent? He is the one who has the power to set Jesus free or put him to death. Just because he does what the crowd wants, the power to decide is his. He is the one who is responsible.

There are moments when it is easier to blame someone else rather than accept responsibility for my own actions. When I learn to accept responsibility, life will go better for me.

Sept. 17 - Matthew 26:31-75

Sept. 17 - Matthew 26:31-75


This is a bad night for the disciples. Many times you could ask "what where they thinking?"

Peter says he will never betray him
They fall asleep instead of praying
Judas with the crowd that comes to arrest him
One of his disciples draws a sword and attacks a person
All the disciples desert him
Peter denies him three times.

Jesus response, he dies for them. Jesus response was dependent upon what he was thinking, not what the disciples were thinking. Fortunately, it still is.

Sept. 16 - Matthew 26:14-30, 27:1-10

Sept. 16 - Matthew 26:14-30, 27:1-10

"Surely not I, Rabbi?"

What was Judas thinking? There has been tremendous speculation about what Judas was thinking among Christians for the past 2000 years. Some believe that Judas was trying to force Jesus into leading Israel to freedom from the Romans. Others believe that Judas felt betrayed by Jesus. Does it matter why he did it? The reason might make us feel better, but obviously it did not help Judas. Whatever his reason, the final act of Judas' life was one of regretting what he had done.

What I find of value in this is that neither Jesus or God gave up on Judas. Judas commits suicide, but it is not because he has been spurned by God. That was his choice If Jesus could forgive Peter for his betrayal, I can't help but think he would have forgiven Judas. I wish Judas would have given him the opportunity.

Sept. 15 - Mark 9:33-37

Mark 9:33-37

You have to wonder what were the disciples thinking when they were arguing who was the greatest? It is no wonder that they remain silent when Jesus asks them what they were arguing about. How could you be a disciple of Jesus and find yourself arguing with other disciples about who was the greatest? Their argument makes it seems as if they weren't paying attention. Do you have such moments? Where your actions or words make it appear that you are no longer paying attention to Jesus?

Sept. 14- Genesis 27

Sept. 14- Genesis 27

"Esau held a grudge against Jacob"

The older son was to receive the blessing. The words of the blessing would shape the rest of the son's life. They believed the father could only give one powerful blessing. Did you notice the difference between the two blessings? I would certainly rather rather have the blessing Jacob received. I can understand why Esau would hold a grudge. But why would Jacob steal this blessing from his father? Why would his mother help him in this? What was he thinking?

He was obviously thinking only of himself. Years go by. In chapter 32 Jacob has an amazing encounter with God. God changes his name to Israel. Yes, the Israel after whom the country is named. The the beginning of his life, where he is a thief, is not the only story of his life. We have a good who never gives up on us.

Sept. 12 - Matthew 18:13-20

Matthew 18:13-20

This is one of the teachings of Jesus that sounds great in theory, but is so difficult to practice. How often have you gone to talk to someone who has hurt you deeply that you are not related to? Our natural tendency is to walk away from the relationship rather then deal with the other person. Jesus seems to ask us to go against our natural tendencies a lot!

Sept. 11 - 1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14

Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift where the Holy Spirit prays through a person. When the person goes to pray, it is not the person praying but the Spirit speaking the words. No one can understand what is being said unless someone has the gift of interpretation of tongues. This person can understand what is being prayed and translates that to the others in the room.

The problem in the Corinth Church is individuals thought speaking in tongues was the greatest gift and were doing so in worship without someone to interpret. This did not help the body of Christ because no one could understand what was being said. So Paul writes "I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue."

Later he tells women to be quiet in the service and ask their questions to their husbands when they get home. It it very likely that some women were shouting out questions in the middle of the service and order in the service was being lost. Some have used this passage as justification for telling women not to teach in the church. I think that misses the point.

The of speaking of tongues and women shouting out questions raise the same issue. Both the speaker of tongues and the woman with questions are focusing on themselves and what they want to express in the service. Paul makes it clear when the church is together, what is best for the community is most important. The individual is to put aside his/her desires of the sake of the community. That was contrary to the thinking of the Corinthians and most Americans.

Sept. 10 - 1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13

"And now I will show you a more excellent way"

Paul writes he could have spiritual gifts such as tongues, prophesy, or faith but if love is not the underlying element in his life, these gifts are meaningless. God's love provides a way for us to have relationship with God. God's love reflected in our lives is at the core of our relationships with one another. If love is not present in our relationships, or if love in not central to how we treat one another in the church, we have missed the point.

Sept. 9

1 Corinthians 12

The image that Paul uses for the church is the body. We are all part of the body. Paul's teaching is clear that Christianity is not something we do in isolation but in community. We have been given gifts and abilities not for ourselves, but to serve the body. Our task is to learn what our gifts and abilities are and to use them in service. In doing so we serve Christ and Christ's body.

Sept. 8

Acts 6:1-6

The story of the early church takes a pivotal turn in Acts 6. The church has grown rapidly. They are caring for many people. The Grecian Jews feel that the Hebraic Jewish widows are receiving better treatment than Grecian widows. They complain. The Twelve, the apostles, feel the care of the widows is important but they need to give their full attention to preaching the gospel. So they appoint seven men, who all happen to be Grecian Jews, to care for the widows. The end result? More people take leadership in the early church and the word of God spread.

We are all called to serve in the body of Christ. The body is most effective when every part has a role. If you read the rest of chapter 6, you will see that an individual can have more than one role. As Stephen, chosen to serve the widows, takes on a second role.

Sept. 7 - Acts 2

Acts 2

This passages this week will be about the church. We begin with Acts 2 which tells the story of the birth of the church. The church begins with the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the believers. Jesus had given them instructions to go to Jerusalem to pray and wait. On the day of Pentecost, while they are together, the Holy Spirit comes and empowers them. A huge crowd gathers, Peter preaches a sermon that invites individuals to repent and be baptized. Three thousand turn to Christ that day. These new believers begin meeting every day with the disciples, who are now apostles, to be taught, pray and break bread together.

It is hard for me to imagine the world without Christianity. What would your life be like if you did not believe?

Sept. 5

Hebrews 11

This is the chapter of faith. The author recounts the great faith of many people of the Old Testament. Did the you notice some of the names of individuals that we read about failing this week? Great people of faith will have moments of failure. But they do not allow those moments of failure to define their lives. Do you?

September 4 - Matthew 26

Matthew 26

The failures of Jesus' disciples in this chapter are stunning. What must have Judas been thinking when he asked "Is it I?", or what did Peter experience when the cock crowed. After Jesus' arrest what went through the minds of the disciples who could not stay awake to pray with Jesus? While Peter follows Jesus after his arrest, what happened to the rest of them?

One crucial aspect for us to remember in considering their failures is what they ultimately did with their lives. Judas ends his life in despair but the rest become the leaders of the early church. Their failures were not the final word.

When we fail, it is not the final word. The forgiveness and redemption offered through Jesus to his disciples is offered to us.

September 3

2 Samuel 11

The first clue that something is wrong comes in the first verse. "In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men....But David remained in Jerusalem." David should have been with his army, that was where the king belonged. Instead he sent someone else. The story plunges into disaster from this point forward. He knowingly sleeps with a woman married to one of his soldiers. He tries to cover his action, but Uriah is righteous and will not sleep with his own wife while the army is at war. In desperation he creates a plan where Uriah will be killed in battle. After Uriah's death, David takes Uriah's wife to be his. The chapter ends with this "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord." Maybe one of the great understatements in the Bible!

Prior to this, most of the story about David has been one of his faith and obedience in following God. Here is fails miserably. But God does not give up on him. Spend a few minutes to read chapter 12 and see how God uses Nathan to draw David to repentance. In his repentance, he engages his life once again with God.

Next time you think that your actions are so horrible that God could never forgive you. Remember David's adultery and murder, and God forgives him. God will forgive you.

September 2

Exodus 3

Moses' conversation with God is rather extraordinary. Each time God speaks, Moses seems to question God. I find it rather amazing that a human being that speaking directly to God questions what God wants him to do! At least Moses is honest with his questions and doubts. He speaks them directly to God.

Having doubts about what God wants us to do is a rather common experience. When we have them we tend to hold them in, thinking there is something wrong with our faith. Maybe Moses has given us the best model of what to do with our doubts and struggles. Openly express them to God. God knows what they are already. Maybe in expressing them, we can move past them.

September 1

Genesis 12

The story of Abram is quite amazing. His response of leaving his home and all that he knows to follow God is a measure of his great faith. What is fascinating is that as soon as he runs into his first real problem, he forgets all about his faith. When the famine arises, he is afraid the Egyptians will kill him so that they could have his beautiful wife. Wouldn't you think after having the faith to follow God to a strange land, that he would at least plead with God to help him? Instead, he takes matters into his own hands and tries to deceive the Egyptians. It does not work out very well.

When I read Abram's story, I think of my own. There are times in which I have great faith in response to the call of God upon my life. No sooner have I had faith, then fear grips me over a simple issue and I create a plan that has nothing to do with God. Part of the struggle of faith is we keep wrestling control of our lives back from God.

August 31

Genesis 3

This week we will be reading a series of passages about prominient biblical characters. The common characteristic of each passage is that these great people of faith fail. As you read these stories, I want you to think about your own life of faith. There are moments where we clearly are obedient, and there are times we are not. What can you learn and how can you grow from the times you have failed?

There are a couple of fascinating aspects to this story in Genesis 3:
- that Eve would take the serpent's advice rather than be obedient to God.
- that when Eve realized what she would get from eating the fruit, she had to have it regardless of what God had said
- not only did Eve it the fruit, she involved Adam.
- Adam chose to listen to Eve instead of being obedient to God.

Here is a couple of thoughts for you to consider:
Where do you turn for advice?
Do you ever chose to listen to yourself rather than God?

August 29 - Psalm 149 & 150

Psalm 149 & 150

The call to praise, along with the reasons to praise in Psalm 150 is a fitting conclusion this book. We have read calls and reasons to praise and give thanks to God many times in the Psalms. The Psalmist has taught us that praise and thanksgiving are at the heart of the life of faith. Praise and thanksgiving sets the tone of our lives and helps us keep a proper perspective. They keep our spirits turned to the Lord.

August 28

Psalm 147 & 148

"the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.'

Ever wonder what makes God happy? With my families and friends I find myself on a regular basis attempting things that will be pleasing to them.. I enjoy making others happy, don't you? Do you have the same thoughts about pleasing God? I must confess that I generally think about what God can do to make me happy.

The word "fear" in this passage does not mean to be terrified. Fear means a healthy respect. An understanding of who is the creator and who is the creation. When we fear in this manner it keeps our relationship with God in order and provide a foundation for a great relationship. God is finds joy when we have such a perspective of God. God is happy.

August 27

Psalm 145 & 146

"The Lord is good to all, he has compassion on all he has made."

I want to think that God is on my side. I long for God's thoughts are similar to mine. I guess if I am honest, I want God to be like me. The problem is that such thinking is backward has everything backward. God doesn't want to be like me, God wants me to be like God. God sent Jesus to show us how to live, how to love one another, to help us understand how God sees the world.

This verse is a powerful word on how God sees the world. God "has compassion on all he has made". Think of the implications of that. God has compassion on people I don't like, on people I think are evil, on people that I am against. If that is the case, and I am to be like God, consider how I should change to be like God.

August 26

Psalm 143 & 144

"for no one living is righteous before you"

To be righteous before God means we live in a in right relationship with God. Righteous living is to act as God calls us to live. This verse reminds us that none one is righteous. We all fail. We all fall short (Romans 3:23). None live completely as God wants the us to, that is one reason that Jesus said no one is good.

What is astounding is that God's love is extended to us even while we are doing the very things God does not want. God's love is not dependent upon our behavior, God's love arises from the nature and character of God.

August 25

August 25 - Psalm 141 & 142

The Psalmist is free with God to express his frustrations, doubts, concerns and joys. There is no aspect to his life that he does not lay before God. In chapter 142 he writes of sharing his complaints and troubles with God. When he wears out and feels alone he goes to God. The Psalmist gives us a model of prayer. Our prayer lives are to be open and honest discussions with God. As we are honest with God in our prayer life, it opens our lives to the involvement of God. Opening our lives to God's involvement is always good.

August 24 - Psalm 139 & 140

Psalm 139 & 140

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

Psalm 139 gives us a glimpse of the understanding God has of each of us. The Psalm describes God surrounding us, and knowing our thoughts. In essence, God knows everything there is about us for God created us.

You are God's creation. You are created in a unique manner with a purpose in life. The greatest moments in life come when we understand that purpose and live it. What is that purpose? What if it begins very simply by seeking to follow the way of Jesus every day? In doing so, we will be open to what God brings our way.

August 22

Psalm 137 & 138

The despair in Psalm 137 is almost overwhelming. Israel has been conquered by Babylon. The leadership of Israel has been taken as captives to live in Babylon. This Psalm is written by one of those captives. They see no hope. They see no future. They are wondering where God is.

That the Psalmist would go to God in pray in the midst of such despair is an amazing act of faith. Even though the Psalmist does not see God and feels abandoned by God, he reaches out to God. For me that is amazing faith.

I think it is much the same for us. When everything in life is great, faith is barely necessary to believe in God. It is when life is very difficult, when we wonder where God is or we just don't feel like believing, that is when the depth of faith is revealed. When we still reach out to God in the midst of our doubts.

August 21

Psalm 135 & 136

"His love endures forever"

Psalm 136 is a beautiful piece that proclaims God's love for us. The Psalmist begins with creation and moves through some of the great moments of Israel's history in recounting the way God has acted. Every act God is seen as a means of God's love reaching out to humanity.

Make this your prayer today. Spend time thinking back over the key moments of your life. For me it would be moments like when I accepted Christ, the day I met Kenda, the different churches I have served, the birth of our children and grandchild. After thinking of the moment say the phrase "His love endures forever". Let the remembrance of the moment and the acknowledgement of God's presence be your prayer.

August 20

Psalm 133 & 134

"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!"

It is great when a group gets along well. When a family, a team, or a group of friends is united, it is a wonderful feeling. When we as individuals can set aside our own desires for the benefit of others, our lives are mutually blessed. In your life you have many different groups you are around. Are there groups for which you are willing to set your own desires aside?

August 19

Psalm 131 & 132

"I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me."

One of the problems of living in an information age is that we hear about every problems. The major issues of our day are constantly before us. Issues such as health care reform, Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, the economy.... We discuss these issues with our friends, knowing we want them fixed, but we really have no more solutions than world leaders. Yet, they become our problems. We hear on the news about a crime that has taken place in Florida or California and somehow if feels as it has happened next door. The consequence is we live in a very safe community, but it feels dangerous.

I think a great deal this issue of how do you live in an information age and not "concern myself with great matters". I believe it is one of the reasons we have so much stress in our culture, a stress that I never feel when I travel to Kenya, for there I am "disconnected" from access to the information. My challenge is to deal with the issues that are present in my life, and trust God with things that are too great for me.

August 18

Psalm 129 & 130

"If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, therefore you are feared."

As I was trying to turn on my computer this morning, my cat felt the need to walk between me and the computer screen. I don't know what she was doing, but she kept getting in my way. I removed her gently once. Then a second time. The she walked across the keyboard, causing the computer to do things I did not want. I chased her out of the room.

Now I could settle in to read the scripture, focus on God and what do I read, a prayer of thanks that God does not keep a record of sin. I had a prayer of thanks that God treats me better than I treat my cat. A word of thanks that God does not chase me away.

August 17

Psalm 127 & 128

"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain"

I believe that reading scripture on a daily basis is one way the Lord builds our house. The regular exposure to scripture opens our lives to the influence of God. You may not feel God every day but the discipline of the practice helps you draw near to the Lord. That allows God to guide and direct us in the ways that are pleasing to God.

August 15

Psalm 125 & 126

Psalm 126 celebrates the Lord bringing the people back from captivity, most likely captivity in Babylon. The Psalmist understands that the Lord worked a great work on their behalf. Giving thanks and praise to God are the point of this Psalm. What is not spoken of in this time of praise is why or how they ended up in captivity. If a person read only this Psalm, the person would miss a great deal of the story. That is one reason it is so important to read all of the Bible. In reading all of the Bible when we come across a particular word of praise or thanksgiving, we can read it in the context of the whole story. Otherwise, we could read a passage like this and believe that only good comes for those who love the Lord. Thus missing that these people had seen their country conquered, Jerusalem destroyed and spent 70 years in captivity in Babylon.

August 14

Psalm 123 & 124

"If the Lord had not been on our side"

The Psalm acknowledges that "if the Lord had not been on our side" there were times when Israel would have been destroyed. I think for us, we should turn this statement around. The question is not whether God is on our side, the question is are we on God's side? Have we positioned our lives to be involved in the work and movement of God in the world around us?

August 13

Psalm 120-122

These three Psalms have verses that are often quoted.

"I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me."
"I lift up my eyes to the Lord, where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
"The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life"
"I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'"
"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

I want to encourage you to memorize scripture. Learning passages like these can bless your life. It incorporates the scripture into our daily lives and allows us to recall the passage in a moment of need.