Hebrews 5

The author of Hebrews expresses his frustration with the readers not growing up in faith. He uses the image that they are infants still drinking mild, when in fact they should be eating solid food.

What about you? Would the author be frustrated by your progress in faith? Or are you doing the acts of faith that help your faith mature? Those acts would include scripture reading, prayer, presence in worship, giving, serving others, fasting, participating in a Sunday school class or bible study....with the start of the new year it would be great time to put a plan in place for your spiritual maturing.

Hebrews 4

Hebrews 3

Hebrews 2

Hebrews 1

Luke 1

I have always found it amazing that Zechariah does not believe the angel when told that Elizabeth would have a child. Why would a priest not believe his prayer had been answered? What would he not believe the angel of God? Of course, how often do I not believe God?

I pray that you have a blessed Christmas Day.

Luke 2

I wonder what Mary is thinking as she prepares to give birth in a barn. Her pregnancy has been a miracle that was foretold by the angel Gabriel. Surely if this was the work of God she wouldn't be giving birth in a barn?

The angels appear to the shepherds. It must have been an amazing sight. The angels tell the shepherds to go and see the child. What if the shepherds visit is not so much to see the child but as an assurance to Mary? To let her know that God is still acting and she has not been forgotten.

I think we need those moments of assurance. There are times when our faith is pushed to the limit, when we feel worn down. Those little signs from God that we are not alone give us the courage to carry on with our faith.

Luke 3

I wonder what would happen if we started the Christmas Eve Candlelight service by calling the congregation "a brood of vipers"? I doubt if the message would be well received. The crowd listening to John seems to receive it very readily. In fact, the different groups ask what they must do to change. I don't think we need to communicate as John did, but I do think the question of how we should change is appropriate for us. Have you ever considered asking God in prayer what you must change about your life?

Luke 4

"Isn't this Joseph's son?"

The people of Nazareth have an image of Jesus in mind. The image is that he is just a hometown boy and he couldn't possibly be anything special. They have him trapped in an image and no amount of teaching or miraculous signs can change their image.

We lived in a small town for four years. It was a great experience. But one of the things I noticed living in the town is how people never forgot other's past. They talked about what each other did as children or young adults and never seemed to let some people grow up.

Watching them, helped me realize how I do that. I can form an image of someone in my mind and nothing can change that image. Do you do that? Do you judge a person in a particular way and keep looking for little signs that your judgement is correct? In doing so we never allow for a person's life to be changed.

Luke 5

"Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

When Jesus told them they would catch men, do you think they could ever conceive that one day there would be 2.1 billion Christians? It is staggering when you consider how Christianity begun to think that 2.1 billion people believe today. But think about this. If those 2.1 billion Christians do not tell the next generation of people about Christ that Christianity could cease to exist. Jesus is depending upon us to tell the next generation of what God has done for us.

Luke 6

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

We are not very good at evaluating ourselves. We are much better at evaluating/criticizing, critiquing other's. In fact, don't we spend far more time talking about others than we do quietly reflecting on our own behavior? Isn't it much easier to fix the behavior of another than to change ourselves? Jesus' challenge is for us to be honest with ourselves. We have enough issues that we don't need to be harping on others.

Luke 7

The story of the sinful woman is fascinating. Consider these points:
- She was considered a "worse" sinner than the Pharisees. Do you look at some people as sinners? Do you cast judgement on others as the Pharisees did her?
- Jesus acknowledges the depth of her sin, but then compares the depth of her love. She has expressed her love to Jesus in an amazing manner.
- Jesus forgives her sins. We understand that as normal, for the people around Jesus is was a scandal.
- It doesn't matter the state of our soul or life when we meet Jesus. Jesus takes us where we are and offers us new life. Salvation is not about us, it is about the gift of God.

Luke 8

Jesus uses the parable of the sower to describe how the word of God touches our lives. As you read this passage, what type of soil is your soul? Are you open for God's word to grow deeply in your life? Does God's word grow for a short period of time and then get crowded out by other pressing matters of life? How is the soil of your soul?

Luke 9

"For he who is least among you all, he is the greatest."

One of the lessons we learn from Jesus is that God looks at the world differently than we do. The least is the greatest. The greatest is the one who serves. We are to love our enemies. We are to turn the other cheek. A vital aspect to being a Christian is learning that God sees the world differently than we do and we are to change how we see the world.

Luke 10

What struck me about Jesus sending out the 72 iwas the difficulty of their task. Jesus prepareed them for conflict and rejection. They went out knowing their job is difficult. They return with joy because of how God worked in their midst.

It is not easy to be a person of faith. We hope that somehow God will smooth everything out and make life easy. But living out our faith is no easier now than it was for the 72. God doesn't promise that it will be easy, God promises to always be with us.

Luke 11

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened."

When my father was alive, virtually every conversation ended with my dad asking the same question, "is there anything I can do for you?" He loved me and wanted to make sure that I had everything that I needed. That experience with my dad came to mind as I was reading this passage. I see this as an expression of God's love and care for us. God wants to be with us and help us in life. Jesus teaches in this passage that in prayer God invites us to lay out all of our needs.

Luke 12

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I want you to evaluate your life today. I want you to evaluate where your treasure is. Here are some questions I want you to use to evaluate your life:

Where do you spend most of your time?
Do you worry? If yes, what do you worry about?
What do you do with your discretionary income?
What gets you excited?
Do you have any actions that you hide from others?

There may be many more questions you would add to this list. The important thing is for us to think through our lives and what we treasure.

Luke 13

This is an interesting image that Jesus used in comparing the Kingdom of God to a mustard see. The Kingdom of God is wherever God reigns. When we submit our lives to God and live as God wants us to live, the Kingdom of God is present in that moment. A mustard seed is a tiny seed which grows into a significant tree. In comparing the mustard seed to the Kingdom of God one idea is that the seemingly insignificant acts that you do in obedience to God can be used by God to do great things.

Luke 14

Who do you invite to dinner? Do you invite your friends? Neighbors? Those who have invited you? Do you ever consider inviting "the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind"? Jesus challenges us to look at the world and others in a different way.

Luke 15

Luke 16

"You cannot serve both God and money"

I have never heard anyone say that they serve money. I have I never thought that I served money. I don't know if serving money is something that a person intentionally proclaims. I fear that serving money is something that subtlety happens in our lives. We never are quite satisfied with how much we have. We must have the newest technology. We are working the long hours to earn a better living for our families. We never proclaim that we are serving money but our actions give witness to the service.

This is a hard balance for us. We need money to live. We live in a culture that teaches us we never have enough and with just a little more we will be happy. Yet, we know that life is found in serving God not money. We have to find a way to always remember that money is a tool for living, not the reason for living.

Luke 17

In response to Jesus teaching that you should forgive a brother seven times in one day, the apostles say, "Increase our faith!" They realize they will need help to forgive as Jesus has taught them. Forgiveness for little offenses is easy. Forgiveness when we have been either repeated injured or deeply wounded is very difficult. Yet, that is what Jesus asks of us. He asks not only because it can bring healing to the relationship with the person who has harmed us, but also because of what it does for us. When we harbor animosity towards another, our soul is not right. Forgiveness brings peace to our souls that is not possible when anger/vengeance/animosity reigns within us.

Luke 18

Luke 19

Whenever I read the story of Zacchaeus, the children's song about him starts running through my mind. "Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he....". I have always had good thoughts about Zacchaeus and I can't help wonder if it is because of the song.

The people in his community had bad thoughts about him, he was considered a sinner. They could not conceive of any good coming from him because of his past behavior. I wonder what they thought when he said he would give half of his possessions to the poor and pay back four times what he has cheated from anyone? Would they give him a second chance?

Do you give people a second chance? Do you allow people the opportunity to change or do you always hold their past against them?

Luke 20

"Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"

Money provides a great challenge to the life of faith in God. We need money to live. Saving money for the future is important. Yet, there is a fine line between using money for what is necessary in life and money becoming the dominant force in life. I don't believe it is an issue that we solve with a single decision. Rather, I believe that use of money must remain an on-going issue that we are constantly evaluating.

Luke 21

Being a follower of Jesus changes the manner in which we handle our money. The opening story of the widow's generosity one of many examples that Jesus gives us about generosity. I believe that most followers of Jesus want to be generous. The struggle is how to balance our daily needs and still be generous. This struggle is compounded in America because of how much we perceive as being a "daily need". We continually raise our standard of living and struggle to be generous.

One of the ideas that my dad taught me about money was deciding how much was enough. To make decisions about what standard of living was enough and how much money in the bank was enough. If we never decide how much is enough, we will always be tempted to want more, we will never be satisfied.

Luke 22

In the midst of the final evening, Jesus tells his disciples, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." In that moment he is referring to the temptations that faced them that evening. I wonder if they took him seriously, for they immediately fell asleep.

Do you ever pray for God to keep you from falling into temptation? It might be helpful to add this to your prayer life. Such a prayer acknowledges that you fall into temptation. In addition, it might push you to face what tempts you most. On of the best ways to stay away from sin is to acknowledge what tempts you and stay away from the temptation.

Pray for Pat this morning.

Luke 23

I am amazed at how Jesus responds to the people around him while he is hanging on the cross. He prays for forgiveness for those involved in his crucifixion. To the one criminal he offers eternal life. The events so move one guard that at Jesus' death he says, "Surely this was a righteous man." Jesus' character remained the same through every event of life, even during the worst moment of life.

Jesus models for us a life of consistency. Does your life reflect such consistency? Is your behavior the same in private as it is in public?

Luke 24

"But they were not able to recognize who he was."

On the road to Emmaus two of the disciples are in a very deep conversation about what has happened to Jesus. Their conversation is so intense that when Jesus joins them they don't recognize him. Not until later in the morning when he breaks bread with them do they realize that the stranger is Jesus.

This story begs the question of how often to do we miss Jesus? How many times has Jesus tried to prompt our hearts to action, but we were so involved that we missed the prompting? How often has someone in need been brought directly into our path by God but we missed the moment? The story calls us to pay attention for we never know when or how the Lord might appear to us.

Saturday, November 28

We watched a football game late last night that ended in a disastrous manner. The kicker of the favored team missed a short field goal to win the game and then missed another in overtime. The end result was that his team lost. While I was cheering for the opposing team, I felt incredible sympathy for the young man. It is tough to fail. It is really tough to fail on national television.

We all fail. The issue in life is not whether we will fail or not, rather the issue is how we will respond to failure. Our lives are shaped by how we respond to our failures. Remember Judas, he failed Jesus in his betrayal. Judas' response was to commit suicide. Peter failed Jesus at the same time by denying him three times. Peter's response was being open to Jesus and he ultimately became a great leader in the early church. How about you? How do you respond to your failure?

Read the story in John 21:15-23. The story is of Peter's first encounter with Jesus after denying him three times. Reflect on how Jesus would respond to you regarding your failures.

Friday, November 26

I accidentally deleted the list of scriptures that Cindy chose for this week. So, if you have the scriptures for today and tomorrow, please list them in a comment. Until I have them, let me comment on what I did this morning.

Kenda & I left the house at 2:50 AM to go to Kohl's for their Black Friday specials. I have never gone out early like this before. I took my video camera because I thought it would make good sermon material. I was amazed at what an event it was. The number of people that we talked to that had been out all night shopping, how much of a social occasion it was a family members were out on a shopping adventure. I am amazed at the brilliance of retailers that have turned "Black Friday" into a holiday experience. To top it all off, we saved a lot of money!

The spiritual side of all of this is what has happened to our preparation for Christmas. In the midst of such well thought out shopping experiences, can I still prepare my soul for Christmas? Do I allow the rush of everything to keep me from slowing down enough to see the work of God around me? To remember why there is such a celebration at Christmas, I read Matthew 1:18-25 this morning. I invite you to do the same.

Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus' teaching on the end times is to always be prepared. The teaching is not to figure out the time or to attempt to manipulate people. The teaching is to live our lives in such a manner that we are prepared no matter when he returns.

I pray that you have a great Thanksgiving. Spend time in prayer giving thanks today. Express to those you love how thankful you are for them and your relationship with them.

Isaiah 35

Habakkuk 2:1-4

"but the righteous will live by his faith"

What does it mean to live by faith? Does it mean you blindly believe there is a God? Does it mean that nothing else matters besides faith? Does it mean that faith gives meaning to life? Does it mean that faith is at the center of your life?

Let's consider this from another perspective. We know what it looks like when someone lives by appearance. We know when we see a life driven by greed. We know when a person's life is dominated by sports, career or possessions. We recognize when an individual's life is being driven by these things because of where their lives are centered. A life being lived by faith has the same sort of centering. There will be other activities and interests in life, but it is faith that is at the center. Is your faith at the center of your life?

Isaiah 2:1-5

"And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks."

The image of changing their tools of war into tools of farming is very powerful. The image reflects the hope that we have that someday we can live in peace.

While what happens on the national level is beyond of our influence, what happens on the personal level we can influence. What are you doing to bring about peace in your relationships?

Acts 3

The crippled man is healed and Peter preaches his second sermon. In both situations he turns the attention away from himself towards inviting people into relationship with Jesus. When Jesus called Peter, his invitation was "to become fishers of men". Peter is now living out that call.

How has Christ called you? What is it that Christ would have doing?

Acts 2

In my sermon last Sunday, I talked about the transformation of Peter. When Jesus called Peter to follow him, Peter was a hard working fisherman. In this chapter Peter has taken the role as the early leader of the church. We read his first sermon of the emerging church. At the conclusion of his sermon, 3000 people believe.

It amazes me that Jesus could see Peter as he was, a fisherman and see him for what he could become, the leader of the early church. When God looks at us, God sees us in the same way. God clearly understands who we are. But God also knows what we can become. It is to this potential that God calls us to service.

Mark 16

"And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by signs that followed."

The Gospel of Mark concludes by the disciples living out the gospel. We want to know the gospel message, but we are not just to know. We are to live it out through out lives. So that when others see us, they see the work of God in our lives. How are you living out the gospel message?

Mark 15

"Some women were watching from a distance."

The women had to be there. The passage tells us the women had been followers "and cared for his needs". My guess is that their love for him demanded that they be close by as he died. They could not stop his death but they could not abandon him in those terrible hours. Of course, this is just speculation. But what else could be the answer to their presence when the disciple are no where to be seen and his enemies are in control? They loved him and in the final hours of his life they expressed it in the only way possible. They were present.

Mark 14

Why did Judas betray Jesus? This question has led to endless discussions among Christians. From our perspective it is hard to understand. Why would someone betray the one who had come to save him? We know that Judas ends up in despair for his actions. His suicide makes that obvious. But we will never know what drove his actions.

We find ourselves often guessing at the motives of others. We may have been harmed by another or mystified by their actions. Our speculation of the motives of others will never get us very far. What we are called to be responsible for is our own actions. To be constantly reflective and introspective of what is driving us. We want to be certain that our motives are driven by our faith and not our selfish emotions.

Mark 13

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on Guard! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come."

The chapters is about the return of Christ. Jesus teaches what the signs will be and how to prepare. He concludes with the idea that "No one knows that day or hour". Many like to speculate when the time will be. But it is only speculation. No one knows. What Jesus does tell us to do is to be prepared. That means that we live in constant preparation so that whenever Christ returns, or we die, we are prepared.

Mark 12

This chapter contains some of the more prominent teachings of Jesus:
- "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"
-"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself."
- "They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty put in everything -- all that she had."

Our American culture is wrapped around money. Spend a few moments considering how you might tie these three teachings together around how we handle our money.

Mark 11

"Jesus was matter-of-fact: 'Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake - no shuffling or shilly-shallying - and it's as good as done.'" (From the Message)

In verse 22 Jesus tells the disciples they can tell a mountain to move. They statement raises questions as to just exactly what does Jesus mean. That is why I appreciate how "The Message" translates this verse. It puts Jesus statement in the context of living in relationship with God. Jesus is not giving us a blank check of power, Jesus is saying when our lives are engaged with God, great things are possible.

Mark 10

"whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all."

While we may have heard this saying of Jesus many times, it is contrary to how we live. Everything else about life declares to us that to be served is the position in life we want to obtain. To be served means that we are the greatest of all. Yet, Jesus teaches just opposite. Jesus teaches that our place in life is not to be served but to serve. In His kingdom, that is greatness.

Mark 9

"I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!"

The comment by the boy's father is descriptive of the faith experience. Belief and unbelief exist in this life in the same moment. This is a common experience in the life of faith. Faith & fear, belief & doubt, can co-exist in our lives. The father in this passage sets the example for us. His belief helps him turn to Jesus to ask for assistance with his unbelief. The question is not whether we will have doubts, questions or unbelief, the question is can we turn to God in those moments.

Mark 8

Chapter 8 is considered a turning point in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus asks the disciples who he is and in a moment of clarity Peter declares, "You are the Christ". Peter understands. Jesus then tells the disciples what it means for him to be the "Son of Man". Jesus' definition of the Messiah is not what Peter wants. Therefore, Peter rebukes him. It is fascinating how in one moment Peter sees so clearly and in the next moment he misses it entirely.

Peter is just like us. The honesty of the Bible is so helpful for it does not hide the flaws of the disciples. It allows us to see their greatness and their failures. It makes if clear why we need a savior.

Mark 7

In the midst of the discussion about following the law, Jesus raises the issues of people "setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" While we don't have the law to follow, we do have direction from Jesus about how to live. Teachings on forgiveness, mercy and love. We may not have the law to turn aside but we certainly face the temptation of overlooking the teachings of Jesus when they become difficult or inconvenient. We often find it easy to justify why we shouldn't have to forgive someone who has harmed us deeply. That type of justification is a moment of overlooking the teachings of Jesus.

Mark 6

Jesus sends out the disciples for the first time to act in his name. I wonder how they felt? I imagine they had a sense of excitement mixed with apprehension. The excitement of wondering what could happen and the fear of wondering what could happen. Do you ever feel that way? I think it is a common feeling when we are stepping out in faith to do what God wants. We are excited, yet there is fear. Fear is part of life. In living a life of faith we will have fear. We want to make sure that our faith helps us push past the fear.

Mark 5

Which do you value more, the life of a human being or the economy of your town? The obvious answer would be a human life. That is until the economy is damaged by Jesus casting the demons out of "Legion" and sending the demona to the pigs. The demon possessed herd of pigs raced down the hillside into the lake and were drowned. The livelihood of many people is destroyed and they want Jesus to leave. They see that "Legion" has been healed, but they pigs are dead. Jesus should leave. Do you ever value your possessions over another human being?

Mark 4

Jesus tells the parable of the sower and the seeds. The parable is about us. This parable calls us to reflect on what is happening within us. What type of soil are you? Do you allow space in your life for God's word to grow up in you? When life becomes busy do you unintentionally push God to the side? Has our culture become so deeply embedded in your life that Godly ideas just bounce away? Is there a great harvest of God's work flowing out of your life?

Mark 3

"He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts"

Can you imagine the frustration of Jesus? He had come to show the way to God. He was offering new life. The response? They are waiting to see if he will heal a man's hand on the Sabbath so that they can accuse him. The religious leadership does not understand and only a handful of the people barely understand. Ultimately, however, this is not about the people's response. Jesus' actions were about the love of God. A love that wanted to offer a way to life to humanity. That love drove Jesus to a cross for a people who never quite understood.

Mark 2

Tax collectors were despised in Jesus' day. Part of the reason they were despised is that the tax collectors acted on behalf of the Roman Empire, they were collaborating with the oppressing government. A second reason is the tax collector is the one who told the citizens how much their taxes were. Citizens didn't get a bill from the government, like we do, they got the word from the tax collector. That always raised questions of how much went to the government and how much went to the tax collector. Needless to say, tax collectors were not invited to many dinner parties.

The place of tax collectors in the culture makes it astounding that Jesus invited Levi to be his disciple. Levi's calling is a clear indicator of who Jesus wants to follow him. He wants everyone, even the people that we think are the worst in town.

Mark 1

A couple of thoughts as we begin reading Mark.

- Notice how often Mark uses the phrase "immediately" or "at once". There is a constant feel of urgency to this gospel.

- The gospel mentions nothing about the birth of Jesus. The gospel begins with the prophet John speaking in the wilderness and Jesus as an adult. There are questions we have, such as what happened in Jesus' childhood, that the writer of Mark is not interested in discussing. When studying scripture it is important to see what questions the passage is answering, they may not be the same questions we want answered.

- Jesus' first words in Mark are, "The time has come." "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" What do Jesus' first words tell us is the focus of his message?

Philemon

Onesimus was a slave owned by Philemon. He escaped Philemon and somehow ended up connected with Paul. Onesimus served Paul. Paul was sending Onesimus back to his owner Philemon. He writes that he could order Philemon to receive Onesimus but he does not. He simply appeals to him as a man of faith to welcome his escaped slave home as he would welcome Paul into his home. He wants Philemon to offer forgiveness.

When we have been deeply harmed, forgiveness can be very difficult. Our natural desire pushes us to revenge. Yet, God calls us to what is not natural, to forgive. For in forgiving we not only offer grace to the other person, we do something for ourselves.

Titus 3

"Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him."

Have you ever noticed how once someone in a group starts complaining, the whole group joins in? The complaint could be as simple as a comment about the weather or how a team (Cowboys) is so bad. Or the comment could be directed towards someone everyone knows. The temptation is for others to pile on with their comments. I don't think we are intending to do harm in such moments, but there is destructive power in such words.

The destruction can be so great that the instruction in this passage is warn the speaker twice, then cut off relationship with the person. That seems harsh until one considers what the consequences of divisiveness can be. While we may be leery to cut someone off, this passage is clearly a word to remember in regards to the words we speak.

Titus 2

"It teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions"

When we say "yes" to God, we are saying "no" to anything that is not of God. Unfortunately, it is very hard at times to say 'no'. That is the struggle of temptation. The very thing I know I should turn from, is so attractive. It seems so good. But when I learn to keep saying 'yes' to God, that 'yes' puts boundaries on my life that are a great blessing. That 'yes' keeps ungodliness and worldly passions from driving my life. The 'yes' helps me become who God intended me to be.

Titus 1

Paul is giving instructions to Titus on how to appoint leaders in Crete. The list of qualifications is found in verses 6-9. He lists very high standards for leaders. Paul has a different expectation for leaders than those who follow. He recognizes the influence the leader has on the community of faith and wants to insure they lead in a Christ like manner.

How do you lead? I am far from perfect. But one aspect of being a pastor is that I realize that others are always watching my behavior. It is an unspoken line of accountability that is good for me. Whether you are a church leader or not, you have influence on others. Do you live your life in such a manner that it invites others to Christ? Others are watching.

2 Timothy 4

If you ever thought that the Apostle Paul got along with everyone, the end of this chapter dispels that idea. He names individuals with whom he has had problems. The comfort I find in his statements is that even this great early church leader had relational issues. So it should not come as a surprise when I do. This does not excuse my difficult relationships. The scripture is clear in a variety of places (love your neighbor as yourself, love your enemies) that I am to work diligently in my relationships. I just find it helpful to remember I am not the only who has relational issues.

2 Timothy 3

Two verses caught my attention in reading this morning. The first is part of the sin list early in the chapter. He writes, "always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." The concept that we can learn but never acknowledge it by living it out is one area in which I struggle. I can learn but fail to apply.

The second is verse 16, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped to do every good work." Want a reason to read Scripture on a daily basis? Paul says it prepares us to do good work. Of course, reading Scripture gives us the head knowledge. It is up to us to have the self-discipline to live our that knowledge.

2 Timothy 2

"And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind of everyone, able to teach, not resentful."

Do you quarrel? There are moments in life when we should quarrel. When the issue is justice, standing up for the rights of another, those are great moments to make a stand. But if we are honest that is seldom the reason we are in arguments. More likely it is because our feelings are hurt or we did not get our way. Enormous damage can be done to another person or a relationship when we quarrel. As Lord's servants we hold a different value than getting our own way. The value is love and concern for the other person.

2 Timothy 1

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

This verse has been important to me for a very long time. It is a verse that I say to myself when I face a difficult task. It reminds me that I am not alone, that God is with me, and that God will help me through.

1 Timothy 6

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil."

Notice Paul doesn't say that money is the root of all kinds of evil. Money is not good or bad. It is the value that we as individuals and as a group give to money that causes problems. We are tempted to value money over relationships and people. It could be argued that we value money over everything.

1 Timothy 5

Paul lays out rules for helping widows. It is clear that he believes Christians should provide care for widows but the care is provided for within boundaries. He offers qualifications for receiving the support and conditions under which the widow should not receive support. He understands that there are circumstances in which it is better to not help the widow.

My tendency is to want to help anyone who asks. I don't want to be the uncaring person who says "no" to a person in need. Yet, there are times when by "helping" the person I may make myself feel better but I am not providing the assistance the person really needs.

We want to be generous. Yet, we should be clear on our motives when we help another. Does our motive arrive out of concern for the other person or out of our desire to feel good about our actions?

1 Timothy 4

Paul is mentoring Timothy in this book. Giving him guidance in where to focus his attention and what to ignore. This is a great life lesson. It is easy to sidetracked. I think it is especially easy for us to be sidetracked. There are so many things competing for our attention, there is so much information available at our fingertips, there is just so much to life. We are constantly tempted turn out attention to whatever is loudest at the moment, in doing so we can push aside what has the ultimate value in life.

1 Timothy 3

There are higher expectations for leaders. These expectations include how the leader deals with family, perspective on money and self-control. If you are going to lead in the church, this chapter raises the expectation of your behavior and conduct.

1 Timothy 2

This chapter is used by some to try to limit the work of women in the faith. I want you to read the several of the controversial verses from the Message translation.

"And I want women to get in there with men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful before God and becoming beautiful doing it."

"I don't let women take over and tell the men what to do. They should study to be quiet and obedient along with everyone else."

Notice the Message has the phrases "get in there with men" and "along with everyone else". Women aren't seen as limited Christians, they are right there doing the work of God.

1 Timothy 1

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners -- of whom I am the worst."

Our relationship with Jesus Christ is founded on the grace of God. In response to God's grace, God asks us to acknowledge our need of that grace. God wants us to confess that we have done wrong, to acknowledge that we have fallen short in our behavior. Such confession is not easy for it requires self-reflection. Self-reflection is rather uncomfortable and something we often avoid for we are forced to be honest with ourselves. Yet, change in our lives can never really come until we are willing to be honest with ourselves.

2 Thessalonians 3

Paul was addressing a problem the Thessalonians were having in the church. There were some in the church who were lazy. They would not work and depended upon others to take care of them. Paul teaches to not let them get away with such behavior. "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

What does this teaching have to do with us? I have a couple of thoughts:

- We live in a time when finding a job is difficult. As a church we want to help people who are out of work.

- There are some in our society who don't want to work. They attempt to work the system to receive free food and financial assistance. We have set up a systematic way to do a background check on any stranger who comes to the church for assistance. We want to help those who are legitimate, but not encourage those who simply avoid work.

- Children get caught by the behavior of their parents. That is why we are involved in weekend food. We are providing food to almost 900 children each weekend in GCISD. We don't think any child should be hungry.

2 Thessalonians 2

"stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you"

I remember in the 1970s there was a great deal of teaching in Christianity that the end of time was near. Books that taught Jesus' return was imminent like "The Late Great Planet Earth" were best sellers. Many people spent enormous amounts of time trying to interrupt the signs in the book of Revelation. I think Paul is writing to the Thessalonians in such a time. People are looking for signs. They are wondering when Christ will return. Paul, in essence, tells them to settle down. Their task is to hold on to their faith. Christ will return at the right moment, until then just live a faithful life.

2 Thessalonians 1

"We're so proud of you, you're so steady and determined in your faith despite all the hard times that have come down on you." (The Message)

Paul praises the Thessalonians for their continued faithfulness in the midst of difficulties. Anyone can have faith when life is easy and good. The challenge is when life is difficult, when questions arise, when we see no way out...will we have faith in those circumstances. The Thessalonians do and Paul praises them.

1 Thessalonians 5

When will Jesus return? There has been much speculation about the time of Jesus return. Individuals and groups have tried to read the signs and guess at the date. They are never correct in their guesses. Paul writes here they never will be correct. Paul teaches that Jesus will return when we least expect his return.

He does, however, add another thought. We are to live as expectant people. We are to live our lives always prepared. Not trying to guess the time of his return but living a life that is always ready.

1 Thessalonians 4

When we die what happens to our bodies? Do we stay in the grave? Do we go immediately to heaven? Paul teaches in this chapter that we wait in the grave until "the Lord himself will come down from heaven". He writes, "the dead in Christ will rise first". While Paul was writing this as a word of hope, that the dead will not be forgotten, I think it brings a sense of unease for many people. The thought of their bodies remaining in the grave is not good.

When I read Paul's words in Thessalonians, I remember Jesus' words in Luke 24. Jesus is on the cross. One of the criminals hanging next to him asks Jesus, "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus' response is "today you will be with me in paradise". No waiting. Straight to heaven. I like what Jesus teaches much better.

1 Thessalonians 3

You can feel Paul's love and concern for his friends in this chapter. He just had to know that they were well and growing in the faith. He rejoices in hearing the news that they are doing well.

Take a few minutes this morning and pray for those whom you love. Pray for their faith. Pray that God will bless them.

1 Thessalonians 2

"For you are our glory and joy."

The people in church of the Thessalonians are Paul's children in the faith. He is seeking to nurture them, to help them grow in their faith.

Do you have any children in the faith? Do you have anyone whom you have shared the gospel? We are called as followers of Jesus to share what Jesus has done for us that others might know him.

1 Thessalonians 1

"In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit! - taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble." (The Message 1:6)

I was struck by the line of "taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble". Life is seldom all good or all bad. It seems usually the good and the bad come together. For example, you get a promotion at work. The promotion is great, a salary increase is appreciated but now you have more responsibilities and demands on your time. Or having a child is a great experience, except it reorients your entire life. The joy and the trouble come together. The challenge is when the trouble comes can I still be open to the joy of the presence of God in all circumstances?

Colossians 4

"Devote yourselves to prayer"

Prayer is expressed in a variety of ways. I know individuals who are committed to praying for an hour every day. Others have long lists of people and problems for which they pray. Some move in and out of prayer all day long. One friend prays every time she comes to a traffic light. There is not one set manner of prayer. What is important is finding a way in which prayer is a regular part of your life. We want prayer to become part of who we are.

Colossians 3

"Set your heart on things above, not on earthly thing."

Paul not only gives these instructions, he gives us examples of what he means. We are to put aside sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language and speaking falsehoods to one another. These are practices of earthly things. In place of those things we are to put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and thankfulness. He lists out a rather stark comparison of how our lives should be transformed.

Colossians 2

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving."

Our faith journey begins as we accept Jesus Christ as Lord. The acceptance of Christ is the beginning, it is not the final destination. We are invited every day to live in connection with Christ. With Christ being the foundation of who we are and how we live.

Colossians 1

"And he is the head of the body, the church"

Jesus is the head of the church. We aren't to lead the church, Jesus is. We are to follow Jesus' lead. As long as we keep that in mind the church will be on the right path. When we forget that we are to follow Jesus, the church will become something that was never intended.

Philippians 4

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."

What do you think about? I don't know about you but what I think about how a huge influence on my emotions and how I feel. I choose the things upon which I dwell.

What type of entertainment do you watch? With children we are concerned about what television shows or movies they watch. We rate shows as for their appropriateness. We protect our children. Why do we think as adults anything is fine? As we pour those images and stories into our lives do we ever consider how such entertainments shapes our minds? How we dwell on such images? Paul certainly would have much higher hopes for me.

Philippians 3

"I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God called me heavenward in Christ Jesus"

Did you ever think about your spiritual life in terms of a goal? Paul certainly does. He understands that his life is centered in spirituality. His goal in life is to live out his faith as he has been called by Christ. What is your goal?

Philippians 2

Philippians 1

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Paul makes it clear that his life is centered on Jesus. As long as he is alive he is following Jesus. In death, he will be with Christ. Either in life or in death, he is about following Jesus.

Galatians 6

"If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day is out." (The Message)

Paul brings his book to close with a series of statements on how to live the life of faith. This is the line that struck me. I might be frustrated with the actions of another person, but I need to be careful. In the the coming moments I may need the same forgiveness I am offering the person. I am very aware the temptation to want others to always forgive me, while being slow to forgive others.

Galatians 5

Galatians 5:23 But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This was one of the first scripture passages I memorized. It is an amazing verse. Consider what it says about the type of life that God wants for us. The greatest experiences in life are summed up as the fruit that God's spirit will bring to our lives.

Galatians 4

"Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."

Paul continues on the theme of grace and law in this chapter. God has given us grace, called us to be his children. With that adoption comes the rights and privileges of being God's child. Yet, the people continued to go back to the law and the slavery of the law.

The irony for us is the only religious law we have to deal with is our own legalism. We forget that God calls us into relationship, not a list of rules.

Galatians 3

Salvation is a gift from God. The struggle that Paul deals with in Ephesians 3 is that we want to make salvation about our efforts. Instead of receiving the gift of grace, we want to try to earn it by following the law or creating our own structure. It is simply not possible. Grace and salvation are a gift from God.

Galatians 2

The early church struggled with whether a person had to become a Jew first to be a Christian. In this chapter we capture a glimpse of this struggle. Paul felt he was called to preach to the Gentiles. He was part of the leadership that understood that a person did not have to become a Jew first. Yet, there was strong push back on this decision. The push back was strong enough that it influenced Peter. Thus Paul speaks of his confrontation with Peter over his wavering on this issue.

This issue has not been an issue in the church for a very long time. However, the struggle to remain strong in your belief when others are pushing back on you is a current day issue. It is difficult to stand firm in what you believe when others are pushing on you.

Galatians 1

Erma Hollingsworth died last week. I thought of her in reading this passage. Erma kept up with all the newest ideas in popular Christian theology. I am referring to those books about the faith that become best sellers. But what she would do is read them, then compare the ideas presented in the books to her beliefs that she had held for years. She didn't just accept a new idea because it sounded good, she reflected and compared the new idea.

Paul is upset with the Galatians because they have simply chased new gospels. They have abandoned what they were taught to chase something new. He wants them to do the very thing Erma did. Evaluate, judge and then decide.

Ephesians 6

As Paul concludes his letter to the Ephesians he writes that our real struggle in life is a spiritual one. The struggle is against the evil spiritual forces of this world. He writes that God has given us the tools of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and prayer to deal with this struggle. He calls us to put this on to be able to deal with the daily struggle.

Ephesians 5

This is how "The Message" translates verses 1-2

"Watch what God does, and then do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that."

Ephesians 4

"In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry."

Don recently shared with me that this verse has been a guiding force in his life. He uses this verse as guidance for how to deal with not only anger, but all negative emotions in life. When any negative emotion come upon him, he quotes this verse to himself, putting the name of the emotion in the place of anger. This practise has helped him learn to deal immediately with the negative emotions of life.

Ephesians 3

"through the church"

Paul understands that it is God's intention to work through the church. I don't believe God is speaking of the institution, for the church was not old enough at the point Paul wrote this to be a large institution with a great deal of structure. I believe that Paul is referring to the gathering of people. As the church has grown over the centuries God does work through the institution but I believe that God's intention is to work through the people. God does not work exclusively through the church, but that is the way God usually works.

Ephesians 2

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God - not by works so that no one may boast."

This verse is a tremendous summary of God's work for us. Grace is God's gift. I don't earn grace. I don't deserve grace. Grace is what God gives to me. Grace is God's way of salvation for us.

Grace is what distinguishes Christianity from the other religions of the world. Virtually every other religion requires the person to do something to earn or deserve relationship with God. Christianity is the only religion in which relationship with God comes as a gift.

Ephesians 1

"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him him to be head over everything for the church"

The church is the community for Christians. The bible knows nothing of Christians who are not part of the church. As people of faith we are to live in community together. As a community we are to do the work of God. Yet, we not in charge of the church. Jesus is. Jesus is our leader and we are to follow his direction.

Acts 28: 7-10

Publius welcomed the stranger Paul into his home.

Hospitality is a special gift. In practicing hospitality we are expressing our Christian faith for we are acting on the basis of the needs of another person. We are loving our neighbor as ourself. Some seem to practice hospitality naturally. For the rest of us it becomes an intentional act in which we consider the needs of the other person. We open our lives to help the other feel welcome and at home.

Luke 2: 8-20

Shepherds, angels, a manger, in a strange town, the birth of her child....a lot is going on in Mary's life. In the midst of all this the passage says, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." She reflects on her life.

Reflecting on our lives is not in fashion at the moment. Reflecting takes times, there is not instant gratification but it helps us sort through what has meaning and value. It is well worth the time to spend a few moments pondering your life.

Psalm 100

"On your feet now -- applaud your God!" This is the way the "Message" translates verse one. Several images came to mind as I read this passage. One was being at a football game and the crowd raising to their feet in excitement to cheer the team. The other was being at a concert and the crowd raising to their feet to show appreciation for the performance. I doubt that the Psalmist had either of those images in mind but there is no doubt that he is calling us to express our thanksgiving to God for all that God has done for us.

2 Kings 4: 8-17

Elisha responds to the generosity of the women by giving her the gift of a child. Women in the ancient world we defined by their children. For this woman, it was the perfect gift. A gift she never expected. She was just being kind to the prophet, she wasn't acting in hopes of receiving in return.

How do you receive gifts? Some struggle with gifts, thinking that somehow they haven't deserved the gift. But a gift is not about what we deserve. A gift is given in love, not because of effort. The gift of grace that God gives to us is never about our effort. Grace is always about God's love.

2 Samuel 9: 1-13

Mephibosheth had everything going against him. He was Saul's grandson. (Saul was the terrible King that had attempted to kill David on numerous occasions. David had ultimately conquered Saul.) He was lame in both feet. He thought he was a dead dog. The one thing he had going for him was he was Jonathan's son. (David and Jonathan had been great friends.)

In honor of his friendship with Jonathan, David restores all that Saul had to Mephibosheth. What an amazing gift in honor of his friend. Yet maybe more than an amazing gift it shows the recognition of the importance of a very good friend. What about your friendships? How valuable are they to you? How have they blessed your life?

I will not be blogging again until Tuesday, Sept. 7

Genesis 18.

Geneis 16

I find it humorous that Sarai has the idea of her maid servant Hagar bearing a child for her. When Hagar becomes pregnant she taunts Sarai. Sarai's response, blame Abram for this mess. I think it would have been funny to watch Abram's the moment Sarai blames him. Of course, if they hadn't become impatient with God's timing this problem would have never happened. Do you ever become impatient with God? Expect God to act more quickly?

Genesis 15

Abram has questions. God has made a covenant with him about becoming a great nation, yet Abram does not have a child with his wife Sarai. He has questions for God of what is to become of his family.

There are moments in which everyone has questions about God, life and faith. Often we are ashamed that we have such questions. However, I believe that such questions are a natural part of of the life of faith. Faith pushes us to live at the edge of life. To believe when we struggle with the direction of life, to believe when we struggle to see the future. The issue is not whether or not we will have questions, the issue is how will we deal with the questions we have.

Genesis 14

Melchizedek enters the story rather unexpectedly. In the first 13 chapters of Genesis there has been nothing about a priest of God. Not only is he introduced but Abram recognizes who he is and gives an offering to the Lord through him. Melchizedek offers a blessing over Abram.

The insertion of Melchizedek is a reminder that God is always working in ways that we had never imagined. God has brought Abram to this new country, but God has already been at work in the country.

Genesis 13

The size of Abram & Lot's herds force them to separate. What is interesting is that Abram lets Lot choose what land he wants. Lot chooses the best land and leaves the hills for Abram. What I find so fascinating is that Abram is the uncle, the leader and the one called by God. By all rights he should have chosen first and told Lot where he was going. He didn't claim the best. He allowed Lot to choose the best.

Of course in response God tells Abram that all he sees will ultimately belong to his family. But that promise came after Lot chooses.

Genesis 12

This chapter is perplexing. In the beginning of the chapter Abram shows amazing faith in following God. That faith seems to disappear as he begins to enter Egypt with Sarai. Abram has the faith to leave everything to follow God, but when the first challenge arises his confidence in God is gone. It is amazing how quickly fear can overcome faith. Maybe the greatest moment of faith is when we are afraid, yet still act in faith.

Joshua 1

Moses has died and Joshua takes his place in leadership. In reading this chapter I was struck by how God repeatedly told him to "be strong and courageous". Leadership is never easy. Leadership seems easy when someone else is in the leader's role. When someone else is leading we can second guess their actions and think about what we would do. There is no pressure when someone else is leading. When we step into the leadership role, there is an entirely different feel. There are moments when doubt and fear take over. It is little wonder that God repeatedly tells Joshua to "be strong and courageous". God knows Joshua will have difficulties. He will experience moments of fear. What God wants of him is to stand firm in his faith and do the right thing.

Deuteronomy 34

Moses got to see into the promised land, but he was not able to enter the land. Can you imagine how he felt when he saw the land after leading the people of Israel for so many decades through the wilderness? I wonder if he was content in dying once he saw the land? Was the idea that he had lead the people to the edge of the land enough for him?

Pray for Erma's health today.

Deuteronomy 33

We have fast forwarded in the story of Moses to drawing near to the promised land for a second time. Moses is very old now. The people have wandered in the wilderness for a second time. Before his death, Moses never gets to enter the promised land, he blesses the people. He recounts experiences and different tribes in pronouncing the blessings.

We have the opportunity to bless people every day. The words that we speak can build people up or tear them down. It is our choice what we say and how we use our words.

Pray for college students as they move to their campuses.

Numbers 15

The Israelites are given instructions on how to present an offering to the Lord. The offering is given to ask for forgiveness of their sins. Through the work of Jesus we no longer must present an offer to receive forgiveness. We are forgiven as we simply ask.

The story about the man breaking the Sabbath caught me by surprise. I had forgotten that a man was put to death for breaking the Sabbath. The Sabbath is the day set aside for rest and worship. The man worked by gathering wood on the Sabbath. If you think about it, the Sabbath is probably the most neglected of the 10 commandments in our culture. But it is listed right along with adultery, murder and the others. God takes it very seriously. The irony is that it is a commandment that is very much for our good. God created us needing rest, so God commanded that we take the rest. We tend to think we have too much to do to obey God.

Numbers 14

What an amazing discussion between Moses and God. God is fed up with the disobedience of the people. Moses seeks to change God's mind and save the people. God relents but determines the consequence of their disobedience is that they will not enter the promised land. Those over 20, excluding Caleb and Joshua, will die in the wilderness. There is consequence to their sin.

We are forgiven our sin. But the forgiveness of God does not mean all of the consequences are removed. If for example, I become angry while driving and have an accident. God will forgive my anger, but I still have to deal with the consequence of having an accident. Or if I say something inappropriate to someone, I can be forgiven but I still have to deal with the person.

Sandra Tate's surgery went well yesterday. Please pray for Rich today as he struggles with bone marrow transplant.

Numbers 13

It is fascinating that God has led the people of Israel through the wilderness for years. God has provided food and water. Yet, when they come to the land that God has promised them, the spies think it is up to them. All thought of God seems to have vanished. We are really no different. It is very easy for us to forget God when we face challenges. That forgetfulness leads to fear. Whenever I get afraid, I have to remember that I am not alone. God is with me.

Pray for Sandra Tate this morning as she has surgery.

Genesis 11

Two thoughts about this chapter.

1. Amazing how quickly humanity moves away from God. The story of creation is followed by the story of Adam, Eve and the serpent. The story of Noah's ark is followed by humanity being totally disconnected from God and wanting "to make a name for ourselves". We are not much different. We drift away from God very quickly if we are not intentional in life.

2. Notice how the length of the life spans begins to drop rapidly. As humanity moves away from the story of creation, their lives shorten.

Genesis 10

The list of names gives a history of the countries that develop around ancient Israel. Over the centuries they fight and battle each other. But they are all related and connected back through Noah. They are all family.

Genesis 9

Humanity gets a new start but there is immediately a problem with Noah and his son Ham. The flood gave humanity a fresh beginning but sin is still part of the human condition. We continue to feel the consequences of sin on our lives. We experience the consequences of our own sin and the consequence of the sin of others.

A temptation we face is to blame the consequences of our sin on God. For example, let's say that someone has a destructive personal habit. The consequence of that habit is cancer. The temptation is to ask "why would God allow me to have cancer?" As a pastor I hear such comments on a regular basis. We want to blame others, even, God for the consequences of our actions.

At the heart of Christianity is the willingness to confess our sin. To acknowledge that we have done wrong. The power of such confession is that it opens the door to God's forgiveness.

Genesis 8

Chapter 8 concludes with God's promise to never destroy all the creatures of the earth again. But God has intervened on behalf of humanity many times since the flood. Through Abraham, the prophets and finally in Jesus.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus is the ultimate intervention of God on behalf of humanity. The theological word we use for God's act in Jesus is incarnation. Incarnation means that God took the form of a human being to be in our midst. Through the incarnation God shared life with us and showed us how we are to live.

Genesis 7

I wonder what it was like for Noah to wait for the flood to come. He had staked his whole life on building this huge ark. I imagine that at some point questions started to arise. Did he really hear God? Did God really say to build an ark? What if I am wrong? I imagine it was a huge relief when the water did come.

I think it is natural to have questions in the midst of faith. When obedience takes us to the edge, there are questions that arise at the edge. It is in the midst of those questions that faith is defined in our lives. When we follow through in the face of questions, that is the time of our greatest faith.

Genesis 6

"Noah did everything just as God had commanded."

Noah was an obedient man. He followed all the directions that God gave him. How are you with obedience? I don't thing obedience is easy. It is an act in which we decide to deny what we want to do. I tend to want to tell God what God should do, rather than listen for what God would have me do. How about you?

Acts 14

The man in Lystra can't walk. The the power of God the man is healed. The crowd wants to give credit to Paul & Barnabas. Paul & Barnabas reject this credit, they know that by the power of God the man was healed. The odd thing about this story is how quickly this crowd is turned to stoning Paul and leaving him for dead.

Have you ever noticed in the bible how the crowd seldom does the right thing? Whether it is stoning Paul or calling for the crucifixion of Jesus, crowds can quickly turn. The question we face is how often do we get caught up in the crowd? How often do we make choices on the basis of what others are doing?

Acts 12-13

The description of Barnabas & Saul's journey is rather amazing. They encounter a sorcerer & false prophet, darkness comes over the sorcerer's eyes, they preach the gospel and multitudes respond, and they are expelled from a region. I have never been on such a journey.
What amazes me is the courage of these men. To walk into a city in which there are no Christians and begin proclaiming Jesus as Lord is a very courageous act. At times I get nervous telling just one stranger about my faith. I can't imagine walking into a city where no one believed. Could you do that?

Acts 9

Saul's reputation proceeds him. The Christians are leery to be with him. Their caution is easy to understand. Once he starts preaching, the Jewish leaders seek to stop him. The persecutor becomes the persecuted. This must have been an odd transition for Saul. The Christians aren't very welcoming and the Jews are against him. But Saul just keeps moving forward. His life is not about what others think of him.

Acts 7-8

Stephen's final word's of forgiveness are rather amazing. That Saul, who becomes Paul, is there and gives approval to his death is a dramatic way to introduce a man who becomes a great leader in the church. A couple of thoughts about this introduction:

- I appreciate that the bible never hides the flaws of its characters. Nothing is written here to make Saul appear better. We see his behavior clearly.

- If Saul can convert anyone can. When we have loved ones who are far from God, we can keep praying for the opportunity for them to draw close to God.

- Everything about Saul is dramatic. He approval of Stephen's death. The appearance of the Lord to him. My life never seems so dramatic! I am glad.

August 2

Acts 4

This week the scripture passages will focus on the story of how Barnabas and Paul/Saul are introduced into Acts and how their lives intertwine. But before we get to Barnabas' introduction, there is line about Peter and John. In a description of Peter and John it says in verse 13, "that there were unschooled, ordinary men". Most of the early leaders of the church were ordinary men. What makes them extraordinary is their willingness to follow their faith. We may look at ourselves and say how could I do that? That is exactly the point. It is not about us. It is about God working through us.

At the end of the chapter Barnabas is introduced. His name is really Joseph but the apostles give him the name Barnabas. His name means "Son of Encouragement". That gives us a glimpse into his character. What phrase would others use to describe you if they were giving you a new name?

July 30

Esther 9 - 10

The story of Esther was recorded during a very difficult time in Israel's history. They were oppressed and without a country. They wondered if God had forgotten them. They questioned their future. Esther's story was a powerful one that offered hope. It reminded the people that God is always at work, even when you cannot see the actions of God.

I believe that is a lesson that we need to remember. Difficulty and tragedy is a part of life. We are called to have faith in the midst of the struggles of life. We are to remember that God is always with us and will somehow bring good out of every situation.

July 30

Esther 7 - 8

The King responds to Esther's pleas, Haman is destroyed, his property given to Esther and the Jews are saved. My only problem is how the new proclamation from the King now gives the Jews freedom to kill their enemies. That feels as bad as the Jews enemies killing them. Why is it that we just can't get along with people?

Sin is very powerful in our lives. Think in this story how many people die as the consequence of Haman's hatred of Mordecai. We can see incredible consequences of sin in the world; oil spills, war, fear, crime... The amazing thing is that God wants to forgive our sin and give us a chance to start anew.

July 29

Esther 5 - 6

"But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate."

Haman's hatred of Mordecai is shaping his life. He tells his family of all that he has, how well his life is going, but it is meaningless because of his hatred of Mordecai.

I believe that a large part of why God calls us to forgiveness is what it does for us. If I don't forgive that anger begins to shape my life. Think about this in regards to Haman. He has become the second most powerful person in the Persian empire, yet he can't enjoy this because of his feelings towards one person.

Is there someone in your life that you need to forgive?

July 28

Esther 3 & 4

Haman is enraged that Mordecai would not bow down before him. Mordecai had defied the law, but there was no reason to punish all of the Jews. One of the temptations we face in life is to be angry or afraid of a particular person and then project those feelings to a whole group of people. A Jew offended him therefore all Jews must be destroyed. Our temptation is to project our feelings on the basis of skin color, country of origin or language. Have you projected your feelings as Haman did?

July 27

Esther 2

Quite a transformation for Esther, so goes from being an orphan to becoming the queen. The crucial thing in life is not what happens to us but how we chose to respond to those events. I can't control the forces of life upon my life but I can control the decisions that I make.

July 26

Esther 1

This week we will be reading the book of Esther. Chapter 1 sets the context. Xerxes is the king of Persia. He is an incredibly powerful man who throws a huge party. Two ideas about their culture come forth in dramatic fashion. The first is no one should say "no" to the king. When the Queen turns down his command to display her beauty he is enraged. The second idea is that wives are to be submissive to their husbands. To reinforce the idea, Xerxes has that proclaimed all over the land.

Reading a passage like this focus attention on how different our culture is than many of the ancient cultures. It is good to look at those differences. Sometimes, as in this situation, I am glad that our culture is vastly different. Other times, I see the weaknesses in our culture and how it needs to change. I do believe it is good to look at our culture with a critical eye. While this is a great place to live, it is far from perfect.

July 23

1 Corinthians 10

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Paul make is clear that we have a choice when it comes to temptation. God will not allow us to be tempted in such a way that we are simply overwhelmed and have no choice but to fall to the temptation. I can walk away from temptation. When I give into temptation it is because I chose to do so.

July 22

1 Corinthians 9

Have you ever thought about being spiritually competitive? Not where you compete with others, but where you strive to do the very best you can. Isn't that what Paul is teaching when he writes, "Run in such a way as to get the prize." He is encouraging us to strive with all of our ability to grow in faith.

July 22

I Corinthians 8

The whole discussion about food offered to idols is very foreign for us. The point that Paul is driving towards is that there is nothing wrong with eating meat offered to idols, the idols aren't real. However, if there are individuals who are weaker in the faith that believe it is wrong to eat this meat, then he will not eat the meat. He does not want to be the one that causes those weak in the faith to question their faith. He willingly gives up eating the meat for the good of another. We don't face the problem of eating meat, but we do face the same dilemma regarding other issues. For example, if you are out to dinner with a friend who is an alcoholic, do you order a drink? I would think not. The love of our neighbor calls us to set aside something we might enjoy for the good of the neighbor.

July 21

I Corinthians 7

Paul believes the end of time is near. In the face of such a dramatic time, he thinks it is best to not be married. He sees that marriage divides the person's attention. He doesn't condemn the person who is married or one who chooses to get married. It would be fascinating to know what Paul would write if he knew that 1900+ years later Christ had not returned. I wonder if he would have changed what he wrote? Personally, I am glad I got married.

July 20

I Corinthians 6

Obviously, Paul has reasons that he is writing the Corinthians. He knows a great deal about what is taking place in their church. He is upset that they are taking each other to court. Surely, if they are brothers and sisters in the faith they can find a way to settle their disagreements. Why do they have to use the courts to deal with their problems? How about you? Do you have problems with anyone in the church? Have you been willing to deal with the problems?

July 19

I Corinthians 5

Paul asks us to hold each other accountable in our actions. He specifically deals with a man having sex with his step mother. He tells them they can't ignore this but must bring it out into the light. This sort of confrontation seldom occurs. We are no different than the people in the Corinthian church, we would just rather ignore the situation. But Paul wants us to challenge the actions of brothers and sisters in the faith for the good of their souls. He believes this action has the chance of saving the person.

July 17

1 Corinthians 4

In reading this chapter you can see that Paul is having problems with the Corinthian church. There behavior has been not appropriate for people of faith. He is not trying to shame them but he is challenging them.

Even in the early church people behaved badly. If that is the case, we should not be surprised when Christians do the wrong thing today. Being a Christians does not mean we will be perfect. We will still sin. We will do the wrong action or say the wrong words. What makes us different as Christians is our willingness to admit our wrong and our willingness to offer forgiveness.

July 16

I Corinthians 3

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

Have you ever heard someone say, "You shouldn't do that in the church!" It is usually a parent correcting the behavior of a child. The statement is sign of respecting the church building as a place set apart for God. As a place set apart for God, it requires changed behavior.

Paul teaches in this passage is that it is our bodies that are the temple of God. The church is a place that is set apart for God, but it is within us that the Spirit of God resides. You are the holy temple of God.

July 15

1 Corinthians 2

"I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate--I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it -- so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else." (The Message)

I don't put the idea of fear and the Apostle Paul together. I have always thought of him as fearless, as this amazing him who just did what God wanted. I have never considered that he would face fear as I do. It would seem the issue then is not whether I have so much courage as to never have fear, the issue is do have I have the courage to overcome my fear.

July 14

1 Corinthians

"called to be holy"

You may not think of yourself as holy. Typically, we think of people who are holy as the extraordinary people. Individuals who do amazing acts of faith. People like Mother Teresa are holy. What scripture teaches is that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior we are made holy by God. Holiness means that we are set apart for God. As we become Christians we are set apart by God to be the children of God. That is what makes us holy. You are holy in God's eyes whether you see yourself that way or not.

July 13

Romans 16

"Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and Innocent about what is evil"

Obedience is a word we enjoy discussing when talking about the behavior of others, we don't necessarily enjoy talking about our own obedience. Parents love this word when talking about their children, but how do we like this word when considering our obedience of God? At times obedience means turning aside from what we want to follow the desires of God. It is hard to be obedient to God.

July 12

Romans 15

"We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves."

Paul teaches us that we are connected to each other. I am not an isolated Christian that lives only in connection with God. My life of faith brings me into a community of believers.

At times being in a community of faith brings great joy. Friendships emerge in the community. Love and support is apparent. At other times, frustration and disappointment are the fruits of the community. We find ourselves wondering why we are in this community or what is the point. In the last two chapters Paul has been addressing one of the parts of the community life that can be frustrating, dealing with those who are weak in the faith. Paul teaches that we are to help those who are weak in the faith. We may not like what they say or do but they are part of the family of God. As part of the family, we do what we can to help them.

July 10

Romans 14

"Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgement on disputable matters"

As we grow physically, so we grow spiritually in our faith. Physical growth is related to age, spiritual grow is not. You can encounter a young person who is very mature in her faith. Or you can encounter a person who is old and yet is not very mature. Within a church you will encounter all different levels of spiritual maturity.

Paul asks us to have patience with those who are spiritually immature in issues that are disputable. Our task is to help them grow up. Notice how he uses the word "disputable" instead of saying in "all" matters. I believe that in matters that are essential to faith, Paul would have us correct and teach when we hear or see actions that show weak faith. This doesn't mean we are judging or condemning but acting as a parent does in helping his son grow into maturity.

July 9

Romans 13

"Don't run up debts, except for huge debts of love you owe each other" (Message)

This chapter consists of reminders concerning how we should live. I stopped on the one about debt and love. Did you ever consider having a debt of love? It is an interesting concept. But think of the people in your life who have invested themselves in you. Your parents, children, spouse, friends.... Consider how much they have invested in your life, often without asking for anything in return. This is not a debt we have to repay, but we do repay it every time we invest ourselves in someone else. Our lives are blessed as others have invested in us and our lives are blessed as we invest in others.

July 8

Romans 12

"And be not fashioned according to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

I think this verse represents one of the greatest challenges of the life of faith. Our lives are constantly being shaped or fashioned according to the world. It happens so quickly that we don't even realize what is happening.

I experience this when I go to Kenya. There I see the struggle of poverty and am confronted by the materialistic manner in which I live. I vow I will change. But when I return to America, within a few hours I am already slipping back into old ways. It happens so easily and quickly.

The challenge for me is to stay so connected to God that I am aware of what is shaping my life.

July 7

Romans 11

"Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes." (The Message)

This chapter is a complicated discussion of the place of Jews and Gentiles. Paul is arguing that there is a place for all people. The Jews turning from God opened a way for Gentiles. But God has not rejected the Jews, there is still a place for them. He ends with the chapter with this verse that everything comes, happens and ends up with God. It is all about God.

A basic thought to keep in mind is that our relationship with God begins with God. We live our lives in response to God. God always acts first and we live in response to what God has done. If we keep that in mind, it helps us keep a better perspective on life.

July 6

Romans 10

"After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on his terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it." (The Message)

In this chapter Paul is talking about the Jews and their relationship with God. His concern expressed in the verse is that they have tried to deal with God on their own terms. I think this is a temptation that we fall into also. We try to have our relationship with God be with what we want. We want God to act in a manner that works well with our wishes. In essence, we want God to submit to us. Yet, the basis of Christianity is our willingness to submit to God. To accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. I don't know about you, but I find this to be a daily struggle.

July 5

Romans 9

"It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy"

Our relationship with God is about God. The relationship is not about me being good enough or working hard enough. The relationship is not about my earning God's love. The relationship is a gift that God gives to me. My role in this relationship is to merely receive the gift of mercy. As I open my life to God, the gift changes everything.

July 3

Romans 8

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

I can recall memorizing this verse in Sunday school early on. It is one thing to know the words and to be able to repeat them for a prize, it is another to know the words and understand the truth behind them. When I think of this verse, I automatically think of hard times-maybe because this is when I tend to hear it. If I am going through a bad time, or a friend has hit a rough patch, why is it this verse that is offered? I think this verse is a reminder that when we give our life to God, He is going to protect us and look over us as His own. What we often forget is that by accepting God's gift, it doesn't mean that everything in life is going to go smoothly and perfectly-that is not what God promised us. Paul tells us, that despite the things we may go through, we are not alone, we are never separated from God's love. That despite the troubles and turmoils we may have here on earth, there is a kingdom waiting for us in Heaven. That is the 'good' in all of this; the promise of a place in Heaven, the promise that our souls will be raised and will live forever, that they will not have to know death.

-Jenni

July 2

Romans 7

So is the Law of God good or bad? Does it cause us to be righteous or to be evil? Paul clearly tells us that the Law is not a bad thing, a sinful thing. The Law, however, causes us to recognize what sin really is-it tells us what is right and what is wrong. Paul is saying that sin uses the Law and tricks us into wanting what we are told not to do. The Law tells us to not be envious-well our friend gets a new thing and suddenly we want it. It is not the Law of God that is causing us to want what we are not supposed to want, but rather the sin in the world. Every day is a constant battle against committing sin. It is everywhere, lurking in every corner, waiting for us. We must be in tune with what God wants of us, of the path He has laid for us-I think it is then that we will be able to recognize sin and try to avoid it.

-Jenni

July 1

Romans 6

Although all our sins of the past, present, and future have been forgiven by God, it does not mean that we can continually sin. What Paul is saying here is that we become slaves to our actions. If our actions are sinful, we become a slave to sin. He is calling us to be slaves to righteousness, or slaves to God. The truth of the matter is that we will sin, and for that we must die. With the death of our physical bodies, though, comes the gift of eternal life of our souls. This was what God promised us when He sent His son, Jesus, to bear our sins and hang on the cross.

-Jenni

June 30

Romans 5

I don't think it's any coincidence that Paul repeatedly writes of God's love for us. That it is because of His good grace alone that we are acceptable to Him. It is a message that is heard so often but forgotten so quickly. From the beginning of man (Adam), there was sin present on this earth, the punishment for that sin and all of our sins was death. This was true until Jesus came to be, live, and die. There is no longer fear of God's wrath or anger come judgment day. He sent His son, who bore ALL of our sins, so come that day, we will be able to stand in joy-face to face with our Maker.

I think the other important part of this chapter to mention is verses 3 through 5. "We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure." When I think of suffering, my first thought is not 'glad.' I think the point Paul is trying to make is though we have the Spirit in our lives, it does not mean we will live a perfect life without hard times or strife. He is reminding us that though these things may happen, we do not have to do them alone, that God is there, fighting with us-giving us the strength we need to go on. This is a strength that we must ask for and look for, because it sometimes comes in unexpected ways.

-Jenni

June 29

Romans 4

Once again, God proves the grace that He has for us. He proved this gift of grace through Abraham, who was accepted by God as he was. No action that he had performed caused him to be acceptable to God-in God's eyes, he was already perfect.

God made a promise to Abraham...and to us! He sent His son, Jesus, to earth to die, so that one day we may stand before His throne and be accepted into the gates of Heaven. As I said yesterday, nothing that we do can get us in-that's God's decision. God has decided that we are all worthy, all we have to do is have faith in Him and Him alone.

-Jenni

June 28

Romans 3

I think this chapter of Romans is a testament to God's character. It is not because of anything we did-any kind act or good deed-that we were saved by God. It is because of our faith in Him alone, and His great mercy, that we have been reborn and offered life eternal. The image of the gift comes to mind, often used to teach children about God's love and grace. I can picture God sitting in His throne with an immaculately wrapped package in His outstretched hands, waiting for us to receive it. He has given it, but it is not ours until we take it and accept it through acclamation of our faith. Verse 23 blatantly tells us: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Some people may hear this and give up hope of being accepted by God. The miracle of it all is that despite our sins and our perceived inadequacies, God loves us and still wants us to accept the gift of grace that He has given us. He's offering us a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card. He is offering us freedom from our sin, so that we may live forever with Him.

-Jenni

June 26

Romans 2

"God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind." (The Message)

These verses represent the true, unbiased nature of God. I think it also tags on to a theme of yesterday-that God can use us just as we are, just as He created us to be. God loves us for who we are, how we are, despite what society or our peers may think of us. This is great news! How many times have I bought into what other people think about me? I hear a rumor that's been spread, so I think it's true. It doesn't have to be this way! What if we could take the knowledge that we were created in God's perfect image, therefore, if we follow His ways and His Commandments, we are perfect in His eyes. I would call myself a perfectionist, and I've learned over the years that being perfect is almost impossible, there is always a way to be better, to score higher, or go farther. With God, we don't have to judge ourselves, He does that for us, through his non-judging eyes. The only way to achieve perfection is to live in the image that He created for us, to live out His Word and in His ways.

-Jenni

June 25

Romans 1

This letter to the Roman's seems significant to me for a number of reasons. First, that God would use Paul, formerly Saul-a sinner, to spread His Good News and share of his good works. Just in the way that Paul's life can be used for God, ours can, too. Cindy Ryan told me that God can use us just the way we are- I think that is something very important to remember. No matter who we are, we have been chosen by God, we are important to Him.

Second, this verse strikes a chord. "They know about God, but they don't honor Him or even thank Him." v. 21 (Contemporary English Version)

I think a lot of people get lost in knowing about God, but not KNOWING God. Knowing Him personally, relationally. It's so easy to turn away in tough times, to blame God, or find an alternate means of worship, to turn to false promises of other idols, to beat our own paths. It is in times like these that we are knowing about God, but not honoring Him. Especially in today's society, with so many options for religious practices, we must be intentional in our effort to know and live in relationship with God, otherwise we will get lost in simply knowing about Him.

-Jenni

June 24

Acts 28

26 You will listen and listen, but never understand. You will look and look, but never see.
27 All of you have stubborn hearts. Your ears are stopped up, and your eyes are covered. You cannot see or hear or understand. If you could, you would turn to me, and I would heal you. (Contemporary English Version)

You will listen and listen but never understand-look and look but never see. Wow. That is so powerful. God is speaking the hard truth. The part about looking and never seeing especially rings true. How often do we pass God's creations and God's miracles, daily? How often do we SEE and recognize that God is the reason for that being there. So often the seeing and recognizing is missed. We take things for granted-we start removing God from the picture, we start forgetting about Him. Like He said, if we did see Him, we would turn to Him for healing of our hearts and souls. We would turn to Him for the forgiveness we need.

-Jenni

June 23

Acts 27

Do you see God in the wind? I do. Through the wind He is creating a barrier, as if saying "Stop! Stop! This is not where I want you to go, this is not what I want you to do." The wind carries the boat where it pleases, it takes it off its original track. I think this is what God does to us so often. He is like the wind, blowing us where He chooses, where He knows is best.

The men were scared, but Paul remained faithful. He listened to and heard God speak to Him, promising protection. Though it was a hard journey, God eventually led them safely to shore.

I believe He will do the same for us, if we are willing to be like Paul and surrender ourselves to Him. I think this is a perfect example of His protection. He does not promise that it will be 'smooth sailing,' but He does guarantee that He will lead us to the place where we need to be.

-Jenni