Something to Think About: A Great Awakening

Jesus to Peter at the beginning of His ministry:  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”  (Mark 1:16-17)

Peter after Jesus’ arrest:  “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” (Mark 14:71)

Jesus to Peter after the Resurrection:  “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep…..Follow me!”  (John 21:17-19)

Whom do you follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and the myriad other social media apps?  What sports teams, celebrities, musicians, pundits, and politicians fill your inbox and influence your life? 

If there had been a Facebook in the first century, you could bet Peter would have “friended” Jesus when Jesus was gaining popularity, then quickly “unfriended” Jesus at the time of His arrest, and then “friended” Jesus again, probably even earning a “top fan badge” after the Resurrection.  

My life, too, has been a wandering path of following Jesus, not following, and then following Jesus again.  What still amazes me is that as I look back, God’s presence was always there even when I was ignoring Him. Just like Jesus continued to love Peter despite Peter’s repeated denial he even knew Jesus.  

Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son describes this experience.  (Luke 15:11-32)  I am a living, breathing female version of the wayward son who came to his senses and headed home.  My Heavenly Father is just like the father in the parable: “But while he [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”  Gratitude overwhelms me. 

Most, if not all Christians, have this experience of wandering away and coming back to faith.  

People, gathered together as nations, have also wandered away from  God.  In the history books in the Old Testament - Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and others - we see Israel doing evil what is in God’s sight and then, God lifts up a new judge or a godly king to help the people do what is good in God’s sight again.  Sometimes He even used pagan kings like Cyrus and Darius.

In America’s history,  there have also been times called “Great Awakenings” when inspiring preaching helped rejuvenate Americans’ faith.  The First Great Awakening (1730s and 1740s) provided the spiritual foundation for the Revolutionary War.  The Second Great Awakening (late 1700s to early 1800s) spanned decades and underpinned the abolition of slavery and expansion of women’s rights.  The efforts at social reform that had commenced before the Civil War were picked back up in the late 19th century and continued into the 1930s and some consider this a Third Great Awakening.  Since then…..

Like it says  in the Book of Judges, “Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD…..”

It is time for a new Great Awakening.  It is time for us to be like the prodigal son.  We need to come to our senses and go home to our Heavenly Father.

But how will people hear the message of our sinfulness and God’s love and forgiveness in an era where the percentage of people attending church is at an all time low?   Who will replace the first Great Awakening’s Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield? Or the second Great Awakenings’ Methodist circuit riders?  

Perhaps in our time, it won’t be the preachers that make the difference but the people whose words and actions reflect the teachings of Jesus.  Who will be our leaders? Watch for them. Pray for them.  Be one of them.   

Know this:  We might abandon God, but God never stops pursuing us.  As individuals and as nations. 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You for Your patience with us!  Thank You for having compassion on us even when we turn away from You.  We remember with gratitude our ancestors who laid down their lives for freedom.  Help us also remember the judges and kings, the preachers and teachers, the missionaries and mothers who kept faith in You alive in the past.  Spark another Great Awakening.   May this rejuvenation of America’s trust in You also make itself known in the ballot box where we select the leaders of our communities and our nation.  Now that the American people have seen the evil in the policies and tyrannical leadership that surrounds us,  I pray they will reject them and replace them with servant leaders whose policies and leadership honor You.  Look on us with Your compassion, and welcome us home.  In Jesus’ powerful name we pray.   Amen.  

Jesus to Peter after the Resurrection:  “Simon son of John, do you love me?”  Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep…..Follow me!”  (John 21:17-19)

Something to Think About: The Great Reset

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” – Matthew 4:17 (NIV). Read Matthew 4:1-17 about Satan’s temptation of Jesus.

This week there have been numerous articles commemorating the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and “15 Days to Slow the Spread.”  I was reminded of how in true Saul Alinsky never-let-a-crisis-go-to-waste fashion Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum (WEF) announced their The Great Reset initiative. It’s purpose: “to use this unique moment in history provided by the disruption of economics, politics and our everyday life to catalyze a new approach to how our societies are run.”   https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/building-blocks-of-the-great-reset/

Over the past two years, the influence of WEF (established in 1971) has increasingly and maliciously infected governments, corporations, universities, media, the Roman Catholic Church and many mainline denominations.  Its tentacles reach long and deep and its list of “disciples” include political figures like Justin Trudeau, Emmanuel Macron and Pete Buttigieg, as well as corporate executives, media influencers, educators and others from around the world.

As I explored the WEF website I was amazed at how openly anti-Christ the whole enterprise is.  Their core tenets on basic things like human nature and property ownership are antithetical to Christian teaching and the foundations of Western Civilization.  Check them out for yourself.  

How could they be so influential?  As I read, I was reminded how Satan tempted Jesus.  

WEF’s promises, like Satan’s, sound good:  things like ending poverty and hunger, social justice, global sustainability, and world peace. But the devil, or course, is in the details.  Klaus Schwab and his Davos compatriots are tempting the world with a utopia by means that are nothing more than attempts at gathering power to themselves, power that belongs to us individually and to God.  Just like Satan did.  

Gallons of ink have been used exploring the depth of meaning in Satan’s temptations and Jesus’ responses.  Today, I simply want to share what Jesus said to Satan to help us resist these and other temptations.

 “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Our Heavenly Father knows our physical needs, as well as what we need emotionally and intellectually. He also knows that He alone can fill that God-shaped void in all of us. We find satisfaction for all our needs in God’s Word  - God’s Word in the Bible, in the creation He spoke into existence, and most of all in The Word, His Son Jesus.  

When faced with temptation:  Follow Jesus.

“It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

Jesus is referring to when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness:  “And he [Moses] called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the LORD saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) 

When faced with temptation:  Remember, you are not alone.  God is with you. 

Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Whom do you worship? Whom do you serve? What consumes most of your time, money and energy?  As Jesus later observed, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)

When faced with temptation:  Put God first. NFL legend Gayle Sayers put it this way:  “The Lord is first, my friends are second, and I am third.” 

After being tempted, “Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”  “Repent” is a one-word summary of Jesus’ responses to Satan. The word “repent” might have a negative connotation for some because in English it carries with it a sense of shame and remorse, but “to repent” in the original Greek, metanoia, means to change ones mind or purpose.  Repentance is about making a heartfelt change. To fight the temptations of Satan, the temptations of those promising utopia, the only answer is to repent – to turn away from whatever distracts us and to turn toward God and His purposes.  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, temptations surround us. The struggle of good versus evil is real. You provided the perfect new beginning for our world in the life, death and resurrection of Your Son Jesus. That is what changed everything. It is to Jesus we should turn to solve the world’s problems. Help us do that.  Help us repent. Help us resist the temptation to think we can make the world a better place without Your help.  Deliver us from the evil that surrounds us.  You, and you alone, are our only hope. In Jesus’ powerful name I pray.  Amen. 

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” – Matthew 4:17 (NIV). 

Something to Think About: Wars and Rumors of Wars

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. – Matthew 24:6 NIV

 

When I started writing this devotion, Russia was building up forces along Ukraine’s border.  A few days later, war is no longer a rumor.  Russia invaded and the battle for Kyiv is imminent.  Is this what it felt like to Americans when Germany invaded Poland?  My parents were married in October 1939.  Mom told me they were aware and concerned about what was going on, but hoped America would remain untouched by the conflict.  We know how that turned out. 

 

Jesus knew war, an outcome of our selfish human nature, is a fact of life. He encourages us, however, to not be “alarmed” that there will be wars.  Seriously, isn’t that the natural response?!?!?!

 

Here, as He often did, Jesus teaches us to develop a new perspective about the struggles we face and the evil we see.  Jesus wants us to view every aspect of our lives through Him, who He is and what He taught.

 

Just before his arrest and crucifixion,  Jesus told his disciples:  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)   And overcome the world He did.   

 

Keep your focus on Jesus.   For example, after talking about how we worry about money, food, and clothes, Jesus said, “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”  (Matthew 6:32-33 NIV)

 

Seek to follow God’s take on everything, from wardrobe to war.  So what is God’s will for us in this conflict between Ukraine and Russia? 

 

Jesus taught us to be peacemakers, to turn the other cheek and to love one another, including our enemies. That is the primary goal.  But we are also to hunger and thirst for what is right.  We are to love justice and mercy. 

 

The peace Jesus wants us to experience is more than an absence of war or conflict.  It is the inner peace that comes when we strive to do Our Heavenly Father’s will.  In some cases, that means standing up to the bully at the playground, and sometimes it means going to war.

 

After Constantine converted to Christianity in 312 AD, Christians were no longer the persecuted underdogs.  As world leaders, they now had to struggle with how to handle political and economic power.  St. Augustine of Hippo  (354-430 AD)  developed what came to be known as “Just War Theory.”  I can’t tell you if modern day military planners think along these lines, but as another war in Europe threatens the entire world it is something to consider. 

 

St. Augustine said, in essence, that wars can be engaged in, but only for just purposes.  They must be fought with a sense of morality and proportion.  Most of the western world acknowledges that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is wrong, but I’m also concerned America and our western allies are complicit in encouraging and prolonging this conflict.  Ukraine has its own of history internal strife and corruption.  

 

What are we to do?  We will only have peace in the world and in our own hearts, if we do the right thing, the God-honoring thing, both in Ukraine and in America.

 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, may Your will be done.  Help us keep our eyes on Jesus.  Give the leaders of today’s world Your wisdom in this moment.  The courage shown by the people of Ukraine in the face of Russia’s naked aggression is inspiring. Comfort and support them.  Inspire us to do what is good, right, and just.  Inspire us to do what will bring Your peace into our lives and into the world.   Amen.  

 

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. – Matthew 24:6 NIV

 

 

 

 

 

Something to Think About: Freedom

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32, NIV

 

Read :  John 8:31-47 for the full discussion

 

The left has now determined that freedom is dangerous. In Orwellian fashion, leftists claim that “freedom” is a code word used by evil people who want to overthrow the government.  For example, the Canadian truckers, like the January 6 protestors in the US,  are radical extremists that must be punished and controlled because of their cries for “Freedom.”  I’m sure they will also apply it as a smear to the Peoples’ Convoy of truckers now crossing America. 

 

While freedom is indeed dangerous to leftist governance, it is the guiding principle of conservative governance.  The whole point of the U.S. Constitution and its famous Bill of Rights  is to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”

 

What is this freedom the right holds so dear and the left fears?  Where does it come from? 

 

It comes from God. This was self-evident to America’s founders and to billions of men, women, and children  across the millennia.  Each of us knows we have the freedom to make choices, including the choice to accept or reject God’s guidance in our lives.  That choice, more than any other, has eternal consequences.  It we choose to accept God on God’s terms, and all that that entails, our freedom expands.  When we reject God, and God’s desires for us, our freedom diminishes.

 

God’s gift of freedom, like yeast that leavens a whole loaf of bread, has grown exponentially in the West where the life, death, resurrection, and teaching of Jesus Christ is accepted and followed. Why?  Because Jesus taught God’s truth by what he said and did, and it is God’s truth that sets us free to become the people we were created to be.  

 

As Christianity spread, the gift of freedom God granted to humanity has slowly expanded into all areas of human life.  Through the followers of Jesus, freedom has worked its way from our hearts, through our families, into our culture and finally, within the last 700 years or so, into our governments.  

 

This is the freedom we are on the very edge of losing.  Why?  Because we as a culture, as a nation, and ultimately as individuals are no longer adhering to what Jesus taught us about God, about human nature and about how best to live.

 

While I believe with all my being Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior, I strive to do more than believe.  I FOLLOW Jesus, and as he said to that group of believing Jews, that means ‘holding’  to his teaching.  Hold to it, abide in it, remain in it, do it! Let it be the guide for how you live. 

 

It is not a mystery what Jesus taught.  Love each other as God loves us.  How do we do that?  We can read about how in the Bible every day.  We can see it lived out in those who follow Him.  We can see it in the amazing world God created.  We can learn it through opening our hearts to Him in prayer.

 

Here’s the challenge:  If you want to be free, if you want to secure the blessings of liberty for your children and their children, seek God’s truth.  Not your truth, not my truth, not the left’s truth, not the right’s truth – but THE truth. 

 

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us.  Teach us your truth.  Help us live it!  Help us cherish and preserve your gift of freedom to us, our country and Your world.  Amen.

 

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32, NIV

 

In God We Trust Lesson Two: Gratitude

 Gratitude seems to be in short supply in America these days.  Grateful people are generous people and willingly help others.  Both the giver and receiver benefit.  Ungrateful people hoard what they greedily possess while other equally ungrateful people demand that they be given what they enviously desire.  Both sides lose.  Ingratitude is the source of class and racial warfare we see tearing up our country.  

Greed and envy have no place in the hearts of those who trust God.  Replacing these sins with the gratitude that comes from trusting God would go a long way to curing our cultural ills.  

There is so much for us to be grateful to God for!!!  Start with each other.  There is not a single person we have ever known or ever loved  - including ourselves - that was not created by God.  

There is not a single thing we possess or built from those possessions that did not originate from God.  Spaghetti to spaceships.  Eyeglasses to iPhones.  Minerals to medicines. Just think about it. There is nothing you can create without the building blocks that are gifts from God.

So often we think of God as only the Creator of the physical world, but He is also the Creator of our intangible world. Love and affection, joy and sorrow, anger and peace, emotion and intellect, justice and mercy, curiosity and patience, charity and generosity, forgiveness and tolerance, work and leisure, beauty and creativity, equality and freedom are all gifts from God. 

God’s greatest gift to us is Himself.  God is not a distant and disinterested deity, but a living and loving Father who wants to be an active participant in our lives.  Everything He has created, everything He has done for us, is because God, like a good Father, loves us.  God always has our best interest at heart - even when we disappoint Him and reject His guidance.  In the ultimate act of love, He sent His Son Jesus to sacrifice His life in order to remove our sin and reunite us with Him.  How can we not be grateful? 

If we say we trust God, but show no gratitude for all He has done for us, our trust is hollow.  Trust and thanks go hand in hand.  

Thank God for His generosity to you. Thank God today for your life, for love, for friends and family.  Thank God today for forgiving your sins and walking with you every day. But don’t stop there.

Show your gratitude to God by being generous to others as God has been generous to you.  Love the people God loves.  Serve the people God serves.  Forgive the people God forgives.  If we even tried to be as generous with each other as God is with us.....imagine how different the world would be.

In God We Trust: Lesson Number One

On July 30, 1956, “In God We Trust” became our national motto.  Is trusting God still part of our national DNA?   I believe it is.

It is a fact that American principles and values come to us through our Judeo-Christian heritage.  Our belief in the dignity of every human life, of equality, and of free will comes from God.  Our belief in hard work and charity comes from God. Our belief in justice and mercy comes from God. None of these ideas come naturally to human beings, they are godly values not human ones.

Trusting God begins with the humble recognition that these are His ideas - not ours. Our Creator has given us these things, and so much more, for our benefit!

John Adams famously said:  “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”  Human beings are not angels.  Human beings are not God. We are imperfect and selfish creatures. Human beings are sinful.

Isn’t it interesting that there are those who diligently work to purge the idea of sin from our culture?  Who tell us that people are “good,” when we are not? As a pastor, I fell into the trap of preaching and teaching about things that made people feel good about themselves, but rarely about sin. Please forgive me!

We need to fight back against the cancel culture that is trying it’s damndest to cancel God and at the same time put itself in His place.  They have already done a good job of purging God from our government, our schools, our entertainment and even some churches.  Enough is enough.

What Americans need right now is a refresher course in what it means to trust the One True God.

Lesson Number One:  “Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

Until we recognize we are all sinners, we will never trust God, we will never know the good He has in mind for us, and we will never fully experience how deep His love for us really is.

Admit you are a sinner.  Admit that you are not perfect.  Admit that you are not always good.  Admit that you are selfish.  Admit you fall short of God’s standards.  Look around, everyone else is a sinner too.

Then, start trusting God.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.”  Romans 3:23-24

Good News

Here is my present to you this Christmas:

I hereby give you permission to ignore the news, from whatever source you consume it, for the entire month of December!!  If you need to check sports, weather and holiday events in your community, fine, but that’s it.  I promise I’ll let you know if something big happens!  You deserve a break - as do we all!

Instead, I’ll be posting good news.  News that has helped millions of people for thousands of years.  Yes, I’m talking about the life and teachings of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke.  Jesus is the reason for the season, after all.

Happy reading - and Merry Christmas!  Let’s just get right to it!  

Good News from Luke 1

In which Luke presents his methods and reasons for writing his account of Jesus’ life. He introduces his narrative by telling of the conception of two babies -  JOHN, the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, and JESUS, the Son of God and Mary.  Elizabeth’s cousin.  Mary goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, and they rejoice in their miracle pregnancies. John is born.  Babies are good news!!

“I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.”

Read all of Luke 1 here:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+1&version=GNT

“Gratitude is the Key to Happiness”

Everyone wants to be happy, but what does gratitude have to do with it?  After some pondering, I realized that I am happy AND grateful but I had never connected the two. Most of the angry and unhappy people I have known were also very unappreciative of the people and the blessings around them.

Here is the whole quote from Dennis Prager, talk-show host and author.

Because gratitude is the key to happiness, anything that undermines gratitude must undermine happiness. And nothing undermines gratitude as much as expectations. There is an inverse relationship between expectations and gratitude: The more expectations you have, the less gratitude you will have.

Do you want to happier?  Be more grateful!  Start this Thanksgiving by showing your gratitude to your friends and family - and perhaps even the folks you run into throughout your day.

How good are you at expressing thanks?  Perhaps a revival of “please,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome” would go a long way to restoring some civility in your home - and beyond!

“Thanks Mom for doing all the cooking - again!”
“Good job carving the turkey, Dad!”
“Uncle Roger, I’m so glad you came.”
“Thank you, sir.  Have a great Thanksgiving!” (To the man who held the door open for you at the mall!)
You can also show your gratitude with more than words, but with actions.  Doing the dishes perhaps?

You get the point.  Express your gratitude. Don’t assume that folks know you appreciate them.  Don’t let anyone you love feel taken for granted.  None of us likes that.

BTW, God doesn’t like being taken for granted either.  Do you only talk to God  (you know, that prayer thing) in times of crisis?  Along the lines of, “Dear Heavenly Father, don’t let the cop give me a ticket!”  Or perhaps on occasions like Thanksgiving when grace seems a bit obligatory?  “Thank you Gracious God for all this food, blah, blah, blah.”

Show your gratitude toward God through regular prayer and worship, and also by showing gratitude to those God loves....and that means everybody!

Just imagine how much happier you will be be when showing gratitude is your way of life.  Each of us will experience this to different degrees,  but I can tell you without any doubt that gratitude is the key to happiness in my life.  Happy Thanksgiving!

And here’s a little more from Mr. Prager:
Prager U: The Key to Unhappiness

Gratitude For.....

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?  I recently had an  “aha” moment about gratitude while researching my family history.

My maternal grandmother, Minnie Ketelhut, lived at a time when laundry was done with a washboard and wringer, when water came into the house through a hand pump and was heated on a wood-fired stove, and when the outhouse was OUT.  Without conveniences I take for granted, she took care of a husband, five boys and my Mom. She baked, canned, butchered, gardened, cleaned and regularly made homemade noodles for Mom, because Mom didn’t like potatoes!  Did I mentioned that she embroidered too - and enjoyed going to the opera, visiting her family and going to church?

She did what needed to be done despite all that life threw at her.  Grandma was born in Wisconsin in 1891. When she was 8, her father got sick and she had to quit school to help on the farm. Her fiancé died when she was 18, and her mother encouraged her to move to Detroit.  She married my grandfather who already had 4 young boys. She had three more children of her own, including one who was stillborn.  And then her husband got sick.

She and Grandpa moved to their hunting cabin in northern Michigan in the mid-1930s when the stress of the city overwhelmed him.  From the relative luxury of Detroit, she adapted to her new primitive home.  Her 13-year-old daughter, my Mom, stayed in the city and went to work for a family as a ‘mother’s helper.’  I can’t imagine how difficult is was for Grandma to leave her daughter!

As I tell her story, you might be wondering what about it makes me grateful. Is it that I have electricity and all sorts of modern appliances?  Is it that I haven’t experienced the tragedies my grandmother did?  No, it’s something more.....

I am grateful for the life lessons Grandma has passed down to me through my Mom.  You see, I never knew her.  She died when I was 6 months old.  Her legacy, however, lived on.

Hard work is good and necessary. Taking care of your family is important.

I can survive great adversity and thrive on the other side of it.

And the most important lesson of all - God is always with me.  Grandma’s trust in God was always a part of her life from attending a little Lutheran church in Wisconsin to a big one in Detroit.  She taught my Mom about the love of God, and my Mom taught me.

Love, perseverance and faith.  While I didn’t fully appreciate these lessons growing up, or even as a young adult, I now know they helped make me who I am. Thank you, Grandma, for sharing with me a few ounces of your quiet faithful strength.

This Thanksgiving, I am going to spend some time being grateful for those who came before me.  Whose life helped shape you?  Remember and be thankful.

Are Freedom and Liberty Important to You?

“Give me liberty, or give me death!” said Patrick Henry.

“Live Free or Die!” is the New Hampshire State Motto.

On Monday we humbly acknowledge Veteran’s Day and all those who have fought, bled and died to protect our freedoms. How passionate are you about liberty?  Is protecting it a consideration for you when you vote?

Politicians talk a good game about freedom and/or liberty, but listen carefully to what they are really saying.  It might not be what you think.  What do freedom and liberty mean to you?  Here are some thoughts.

Freedom applies to the individual. You are free to think, believe and say what you want. These are matters of conscience and reflect your deeply held convictions.  But people do not live in solitude; we are social beings.

Liberty is what freedom in community looks like; it is what determines how we interact with each other.  Think of liberty as “freedom plus morality.”  American morality has been historically grounded in our Judeo-Christian heritage, but today it seems more strongly influenced by contemporary culture.

I recently read an article about how the word “freedom” has been used more frequently over the past 100 years than “liberty,” especially in progressive circles.  “Liberty” was the more popular word up until the 20th century.  Why the shift?  Sadly, I think this is just another sign that  American culture is abandoning God and replacing Him with government.

Unless Americans, especially those under 40, turn their hearts and minds towards God, America will cease to exist. We might still be called the USA, but we will be unable to “secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.”   Why should this be the case?

The desire to be free resides in every human heart.  Our Creator put it there and for a very good reason.  It’s an essential part of God’s love for you.

Love, to be love, must be freely given.  Love cannot be commanded or coerced.  God freely gives His love to you. God has also given you the gift of freedom, so that you can decide whether or not to accept God’s love.  Because you can say “No,”  your “Yes” has meaning. Your response to God is the most important decision you will ever make.  In case you don’t know, freedom on the other side of saying “Yes” to God, is more powerful and more fulfilling than the shadow of it we experience when we don’t have faith.

There is a long history of the growth of liberty in Western Civilization, especially from the Middle Ages until the American Revolution.  The Declaration of Independence boldly affirms God-given rights, like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution protects these rights through its controls on political power.   The Bill of Rights specifically prohibits the government from restricting Americans’ freedoms to practice our faith, to speak our minds, and to protect our lives and property, among many others.  Constitutional amendments expand the blessings of liberty to more and more citizens, including those of all races and colors, both sexes, and folks age 18 or older.

While the framers knew that the nation they were creating would have citizens of all faiths and of no faith, they trusted that the majority would remain believers in a loving, good and holy God.  They knew that the future of freedom and liberty would depend upon it, because America’s love of freedom is inextricably linked to America’s love of God.

Are you passionate about wanting to reverse the trends threatening American freedom and liberty?    Start by saying “Yes” to God.  

Into the Fray

One year from now, on November 3, 2020, Americans will elect the next president, the entire House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, eleven state governors and thousands of state congressional leaders, county commissioners, city councilmen and school board members.   How will you decide who to vote for?

I would like to challenge you, my friends, to think long and hard about these choices.  Both Democrats and Republicans talk about values and the Constitution, but when they do they mean very different things.  What do they mean to you?

America is at a tipping point.  Two recent surveys reveal trends that greatly concern me, one about faith in God and another about our government.  About one-third of Americans, mostly those under 40, reject religion (primarily Christianity).  In the second survey, about the same number and age group, think socialism is a good political system.  Either of these trends weakens America.  In combination they are an existential threat to liberty - mine, yours and the generations that will follow us.

Do you want to continue to live in a free society?  Do you want less government interference in your life and the lives of your children?  If so, over this next year, before you vote, you have some homework to do.

Think long and hard about what values and principles guide your life.  Where do you draw them from? Culture? Family? Faith?  What is important to you?   Who decides what is right or wrong?  What are our responsibilities are to each other?  The moral foundations of our society have their roots in Christianity.  Explore the teachings of Jesus for yourself.  Pray about it.

Think long and hard about the form of government you want to live under.  Many countries are considered democracies, but don’t have the freedoms Americans do. Even China and Russia hold elections. Read and reflect on the US Constitution, its Amendments and its all important Bill of Rights. Does it matter that America is a constitutional republic rather than a democracy?   Where have we strayed from the Constitution?  Are there changes would you like to see?

Do your homework!  Then, next November you will be ready to vote for politicians who represent you.  Remember, these folks are elected to serve you, not the other way around!

Over the next year, this Preacher Girl will be at it again writing every week or so to help you think about the America you want to live in now and bequeath to future generations.  As the Preamble to the US Constitution says:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

How valuable are the blessings of liberty to you? What are you willing to do to protect them?

Preacher Girl Is Back

Starting this Sunday, Preacher Girl will begin posting her thoughts again!  Watch this space or find her on Facebook at Preacher Girl Diaries. 

Clarity!

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.  (Psalm 119:105)

I have always been a very goal-oriented and accomplishment-driven kind of woman in my careers as a paralegal and nursing home administrator.  When I left the business world to go to seminary, my personality didn’t change, just my direction!  I told my mentor that I kept praying to God to give me clarity about my future ministry, but that I wasn’t being given the “big picture” answer I so desired. My mentor responded, much to my frustration, that God doesn’t promise us clarity.  God will not reveal to us the entire plan for our lives, but He will give us just enough light to see the next step in the direction He wants us to go.

It’s a lot like driving in the dark. Imagine your car’s headlights on an otherwise unlit country road.  You can’t see very far ahead. You are very, very focused on the road right in front of you!  You want to get home safely!  If you think you know better than what that small patch of light is telling you, you might try to turn into the darkness, but more than likely you’ll end up in a ditch.  Sticking to the light, even if the pace is slow, will get you where you need to go.

God’s Word is like that headlight, lighting up the path in front of us. Our light is God’s  Word in Scripture, in prayer, in worship, and most profoundly in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus asks that we follow Him, and  following Him is what I try to do every day.

In the many years since that conversation with my seminary mentor,  I have come to appreciate God’s wisdom in revealing His plan for my life, one little circle of light at a time.  Sometimes, I admit, that I veered off into the darkness, or focused too far down the road than was good for me.  Sometimes there were obstacles and difficult times I could have never navigated without Him. God was always with me, guiding me. When I am faithful to the light, my direction and purpose are clear.

I retired from pastoral ministry a few years ago.  Recently, I have taken the time to look back at where I’ve been and see where I paid attention to God’s direction, and where I didn’t.  And the most wonderful thing is that my retirement is part of the plan!  God is using me in ways that never would have been possible had my energies been focused on pastoring a church.  God’s will for each of us is amazing journey, if we will only follow His light.

What is your next step?  Are you following Jesus?  What is it that He wants you to do today?  Don’t be afraid you might make a mistake!  God uses every step we take, every experience, both good and bad, to draw us closer to Him and help us fulfill His will for our lives.

I came across this little poem by Scottish author, minister and poet George MacDonald to give you encouragement for today and the days ahead:

What God may hereafter require of you,
you must not give yourself the least trouble about.
Everything He gives you to do,
you must do as well as ever you can.
That is the best possible preparation
for what He may want you to do next.
If people would but do what they have to do,
they would always find themselves ready for what came next.

What is your next step?  Let Jesus light your way.

And if the Scripture verse at the beginning, got you singing, “Thy Word” by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, here is a link to them singing it on YouTube!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZlIVP9u0

Preacher Girl’s Guide to Voting

Believe it or not, Christians don’t agree on everything, including when it comes to voting.  God gives us grace in these things.

Whether its national, state or local elections, these are the primary things I look for in political candidates and other ballot issues.  What are your non-negotiables when it comes to voting?

For me, I look for candidates whose words and actions echo America’s mission statement, the Declaration of Independence. How they have lived their lives should reflect their belief that all people are equal and endowed by God with unalienable rights - like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  Yes, pro-life candidates are high on my list, as are those that want to limit the government‘s power (that liberty thing) as I follow my own dreams.

Further, which candidates are committed to protecting the rights laid out in the US Constitution’s Bill of Rights....

To live my faith, and live it “out loud,” in all aspects of my life.

To speak my mind, and speak it boldly.

To get my news from multiple sources, and not rely on a single source controlled by the government, a political party or any special interest.

To be able to gather with others to protest, to express my grievances with the government, in peaceful and orderly ways.

To be able to own and carry a gun to defend myself.

To know that due process and the rule of law apply to everyone.

To be assured that the separation of powers is maintained between the branches of the federal government as well as the powers retained by the states, and ultimately by the people....like me and you. For example, the federal government is responsible for protecting the country and its citizens, entering into treaties, establishing and enforcing immigration laws, and easing commerce between the states, but power over things like healthcare and education belong to states and individuals!   Too much power in the hands of a few is tyranny.

In addition to those things, I’m also looking for which candidates support entrepreneurship, promote a strong free market economy, protect private property and encourage good stewardship of the environment.  Yes, I mean capitalism.

And, of course, as a wealthy and powerful nation (and as individuals) we have a huge responsibility to care for the poor among us and around the world.  This not only means giving money, but also helping people rise out of poverty.  Freedom and capitalism do that better than any other political or economic systems the world has ever seen. I like candidates that recognize that!

So this is my checklist for evaluating politicians and other issues on the ballot.  Florida has 11 potential State Constitutional Amendments to vote on as well!  Lots to study!

Sadly, all of us humans are well, human.  We all make mistakes.  We all succumb to temptation.  Sometimes those failures disqualify folks for political office and sometimes they don’t.  That is up to the voters to decide.

Prayer is an important part of my discernment process.   Asking God for guidance, especially when in doubt, is essential.  “Lord, is this the right person, is this the right policy,  for such a time as this?”

I’m an old-fashioned girl who likes to vote on Election Day and then stay up late watching the results.  Then whoever wins, I ask God to give them the strength and wisdom they need for the job ahead.

If you haven’t voted yet, please vote on Tuesday.  The future of America will be determined by our decisions.

Thoughts on Robert

I did a funeral service for an old friend this past week.  Robert Raymond Holmes, Sr. died, having lived 102 years and 5 months.  I loved Robert and know he loved me.  We just clicked. I got to know him like no one else as he told me his life story that we turned into a book at the time of his 100th birthday that he entitled,  “Serving God, Country and Family.”  That’s what Robert’s life was all about.  

His son Bob told us about how much Robert loved his family.  As we prepared the service, his daughters told me he was a beautiful person and a loving father.  That he was generous and kind.  Wouldn’t you love your kids to say that about you?  

A neighbor, John, sang “Arlington” as a testimony to Robert’s love of America and his service. 

When it was my turn, I talked about Robert’s love of God.  He didn’t wear his faith on his sleeve, but he knew Jesus and followed Jesus.  He learned about and grew in his faith through going to his sister’s Sunday School classes, through an adult lifetime of serving in the Catholic Church, and more recently being a part of the Methodist Church where I got to know him as his pastor and his friend.  

One of the things Jesus said, over and over in various was was simply,  “Follow me.”  Jesus said, “Follow me” to 4 fisherman, Peter, Andrew, John and James, a friend of Andrew’s named Philip, a tax collector known Matthew, and many others. A central part of Jesus’ ministry was asking the crowds to follow him and the new life he offered. He said something very similar to a Christian-persecuting Jewish Pharisee named Paul who then became a follower of Jesus in a very dramatic fashion.  He saw the light, if you will.   These real-life men and women, sharing the story of the resurrection of Jesus, changed the world.  Jesus continues to say “Follow me” to all of us. 

And what does following Jesus entail?  Well, simply put, it means following Jesus’ example and teaching.  Don’t think of a life facing Jesus’ back. Think of it like the words we sang from the hymn, “In the Garden.”  “And he walks with me and he talks with me and he tells me I am his own.”  Jesus is with us on the journey of life.  

All Jesus asks is for us to love each other like Jesus has loved us.  One rule.  Simple to remember, but hard to do.  Honestly, if a man can predict death and resurrection and pull it off, I think he is someone we should listened to!   Love one another, Jesus said, as I have loved you.  

If you were to ask me what following Jesus is like, what loving like Jesus entails, I would tell you he has comforted me at times just like this, sometimes through a sense of peace in my soul and sometimes through the hand of the person next to me. I never feel alone.  He has forgiven me when I didn’t deserve it. He has guided me to make good decisions and away from bad ones (you know, that nudge you get?) He always tells the truth.  And Jesus, has put people in my path who have made my life richer and fuller, like my husband Dave - and folks like Robert.  Those are some of the ways I am to love other folks as well. 

Robert was a good man and he lived a good life. The world could use examples of good men. I hope folks will look to his life and follow his example, because when look closely, you will see Robert, throughout his life, was doing his best to follow Jesus.  The word “loving” came up a lot when we talked about him.  None of us “love” perfectly, that why we should all be grateful for Jesus’ example of forgiveness.  Robert recognized his strengths and his weaknesses.  He was a humble and grateful man, and often talked about how blessed he was. He lived his life sharing those blessings with others.  When I look back on Robert’s life, I see ..

Jesus saying “Follow me,” when Robert talked about his guardian angels, comforting him and protecting him.  

Jesus was saying “Follow me,” when Robert described how he knew, without reservation, that Marie was the one for him. 

Jesus was saying “Follow me,” as Robert, and so many others, laid down their lives as soldiers in WWII.   Robert told me, “I think God wants us to win the war because Hitler was such an evil man.  He didn’t want to do it Himself.  He wanted the Army to defeat Hitler.”  

It was Jesus saying “Follow me” when Robert took advantage of the many opportunities presented to him - like when he was handed some clients to start his own tree surgery business. Robert, in his way, quoted Yogi Bera  - “When you come to fork in the road, take it.”  And he in turn mentored others and shared similar opportunities with them.  

It is a very interesting exercise to look back over your life and see where God’s loving hand has guided you, comforted you, forgiven you. And where you in turn shared those things with others.  Those are some of the places I see God at work in Robert’s life and Robert’s life at work in ours....   

But that is not all....In these last few weeks, Robert followed Jesus through the valley of the shadow of death. He remained a source of joy and inspiration to everyone around him.   And last Friday at 10:03 am Robert followed Jesus through the experience of death itself. On that journey, he, as we all do, went alone.  

Facing death, living through the death of someone we love, dying ourselves, are perhaps the hardest things we humans have to do.  Death is something that will happen everyone we know - even us.  

How we face death, deal with death, depends in large part about what we believe happens after death.  Some folks try real hard not to think about it.  Others  believe that this life is all there is, and when we breathe our final breath, that’s it.  We may have lived life well, tried to be a good person, but that’s it. When we’re dead, we’re done.  The end.  Those left behind grieve and try to find some comfort in memories alone.  

Christians have a different perspective  For us there is grief at saying good-bye, there is the comfort of great memories to be sure, but there is also the hope that we will be together again.  Christians, followers of Jesus, know there is more living to do after we stop breathing.  We know that death is not an end but as a new beginning.  

How do we know this?  Because we just keep following Jesus.  Jesus lived, Jesus died, and Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is alive now.  If we live following him, and die following him, we will also be following him beyond that grave.

Today we are celebrating that Robert is still following Jesus.  We don’t really know what that life will be like, but if you take the best parts of this life and make them better, I think that is a hint of what eternity is like.  New heaven and a new earth.  

It’s kind of like this story....There was an old country doctor who would take his dog along with him when visiting patients. The dog would remain outside while the doctor went in for the house call.On one occasion, the physician went to the home of a man with a terminal disease who didn’t seem to have much time to live. The man confessed to the doctor his fears about death and said, “What’s it like when you die?”

The doctor thought for a moment, then got up and opened the front door. His loyal canine friend, who had been waiting patiently on the porch, gleefully bounded in to join his master. The doctor turned to the dying man and said, “Do you see this dog? He didn’t have any idea what was on this side of that door. All he knew was that his master was there, and he wanted to be with him.”

“That’s how I feel about death,” the physician continued. “I don’t really know all the whats and hows about dying. I’m not totally sure what’s on the other side of that door. But I know who is there, and that’s enough for me. I’m looking forward to being with my Master.”

We know Jesus, and all those who have died following HIm, are waiting for us on the other side of death.  So take heart in your grief and your mourning. For while Robert’s physical life has ended, his loving spirit lives on. Robert is still following Jesus and my guess is, he is hoping that you are following Jesus too.   That is something to celebrate.

Use It or Lose It!

How is your soul?

We often ask each other, “how are you?” expecting an answer about health or general well-being. But, people are more than their bodies.  We are physical, emotional, rational AND spiritual beings.  We feel hesitant in asking about each other’s souls because the pervasive attitude in our day and time is that ‘faith is a private matter.’  But should it be?

Due to the influence of atheism, we have purged acknowledgement of the human spirit from not only conversations with friends, but from public discourse and public education. When we fail to acknowledge the dignity inherent in each other’s souls we create a dysfunctional society.  When we fail to nurture the souls of our children at home and at school, we abandon our responsibility to give them all the tools they need to live a full life.

Souls, like bodies, can be healthy or unhealthy.  As they say, ‘use it or lose it’!   If we don’t take care of our bodies with food, sleep and exercise, we become physically weak.  When we don’t take care of our souls with prayer, worship and other spiritual exercises, our spirits become weak. They may lose the ability to function altogether.

Many people today say they “believe” in God, but live just like atheists, failing to do anything to nurture and strengthen their souls.  Are you as intentional about taking care of your spiritual health as you are taking care of your body?

As you consider Jesus, think about the fullness of human nature, including the human spirit. History shows us people of all times and places acknowledge the human spirit and how our souls yearn to connect with a larger spiritual presence that we sense, but can’t see.  Part of Jesus’ amazing message is that God, in God’s great love for us, desires to connect with us too. And that includes you.

Exercise your spirit this week and read the Gospel of John, even if you haven’t read Mark, Matthew and Luke.  Be open to the possibility that the Spirit of God is reaching out to the spirit in you.

John wrote his account long after the others, probably in the mid to late 90s, almost 60 years after Jesus’ resurrection.   I imagine John as an old man thinking about all he experienced as he walked the length and breadth of Israel with Jesus and His disciples. John goes deep into the meaning of it all – the truth about God, about human nature, about love, forgiveness and so much more.

Read the first chapter, especially the first 18 verses, a few times and think back on them as you read the rest of John’s Gospel.  Grasp the significance that Jesus, who walked and talked, healed and taught, laughed and wept, ate and drank, lived and died, is God – the God of Creation, the God of Eternity.  As you read, watch what God does and listen to what God says.  Open the eyes of your body, your mind, your emotions and the eyes of your soul to Jesus.  

Dear Jesus, answer my questions about you.  Help me to see what I need to see and hear what I need to hear. Strengthen my soul.  Amen.

Not Fake News

One of the big debates in our world today concerns what news sources we can trust to deliver the facts. The term “fake news” has been coined to describe any number of phenomena – a biased selection of facts to shape a story, the insertion of the writer’s opinion into a news story, or in some cases, outright lies.
 
In the first century, I am sure that there was some “fake news” circulating about Jesus along with the truth. As Jesus’ original followers left Jerusalem to escape persecution, as others were executed, and as still others moved out into the world to spread the Gospel message, the early church wanted and needed to preserve their eyewitness accounts in writing. Bear in mind, because of the skill and expense required, only things of value and importance were written down. A written document is a big deal.
  
Mark and Matthew wrote primarily for Jewish audiences, showing how Jesus’ teaching intersected with Jewish law and how the writings of the Jewish prophets, especially concerning the long-awaited Messiah, pointed to Him.
The Gospel of Luke is directed primarily to the non-Jewish audience of his day. He emphasizes that Jesus came for all people, not just the Jews. As the news about Jesus and His resurrection spread, Gentiles (that is non-Jews) came to accept Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God. They believed in Him and sought to follow His teaching. There was a great debate in the early church if believers had to become Jews before becoming Christians, and thankfully for us pagans today, the answer was “no.”

Luke was a physician who travelled with the missionary extraordinaire, Paul. Paul established churches throughout what is now Turkey, Greece and Italy and wrote most of the letters that comprise the New Testament. He was executed by Nero in the mid-60s AD. With Paul and in his other travels, Luke probably met most of the major players in the early church. Like the historian he is, Luke investigated, talked to these eyewitnesses and those who knew them, read their writings and wrote his own account of the life and teachings of Jesus. He also wrote a history of the early church, The Acts of the Apostles.


Luke’s Gospel begins this way:


“Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.” (Luke 1:1-4)


My prayer this week is that as you read Luke, “you can be certain of the truth.” This isn’t – as it is so popular to say these days - “my” truth or “your” truth. There is no such thing as “my” truth or “your” truth. There is only “the” truth. The truth about our human nature. The truth about Jesus. The truth that is Jesus. Luke’s Gospel is not fake news. Check it out:


   https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/…


Heavenly Father, help us to see the true Jesus and the truth that He teaches us. It is in His name that we pray. Amen.

Teach Your Children Well

Do you remember the song “Teach Your Children” from Crosby, Stills and Nash?

You, who are on the road
Must have a code
That you can live by
And so
Become yourself
Because the past
Is just a good-bye

What is your code to live by?  

I hope you enjoyed reading Mark last week and learned something new about Jesus.  This week your assignment is the Gospel Matthew.  Rather than speed read - take a few days with it.

Matthew, one of the original twelve disciples, is its author.  Some of what you read will be familiar because much of Matthew is a repetition of Mark’s Gospel.  Matthew draws on Mark for what Jesus did, but adds a lot about what Jesus said.

If you are looking for a code to live by, consider what Jesus taught.  Jesus is the voice of God teaching us about God and how God wants us to live.  If your Bible shows Jesus’ words in red-letters, Matthew is quite colorful!

As you read, imagine being in the crowd listening to what Jesus was saying.  Bear in mind, Jesus repeated many these words over and over in different settings and different ways.  It is much like how parents have to teach their children!  Matthew doesn’t repeat each lesson, but if you don’t catch it the first time, read it again.  Here are some highlights:

In Chapters 5, 6, and 7 you will read the famous Sermon on the Mount.  I think of this as Christianity 101.  It was Jesus’ initial orientation to his disciples about what following Him entails.

In Chapter 10, Jesus commissions the disciples to heal and teach and how they should go about it.

Chapter 13 is a collection of parables.  These are stories Jesus uses to explain things to us limited humans.  Here the parables are about the Kingdom of God, or what Matthew calls the Kingdom of Heaven.  There are also parables on other topics scattered throughout all the Gospels.

In Chapter 18, Jesus shares some radical ideas about being humble, about sin and about forgiveness.  

I am also rather fond of Chapter 23 when Jesus lays down a resounding denunciation of hypocrisy and the Pharisees.    No meek and mild Jesus here.

In Chapters 24-25 Jesus talks about what I call “Last Things.”  Here you will read about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and a series of parables about how God will judge our behavior and the consequences.

You may have noticed in reading Mark that Jesus told His followers three times about His death and resurrection  (Mark 8:31-32; 9:30-32; 10:32-34).   As you delve deeper into Jesus’ teaching this week, think about what I’ve heard Andy Stanley say:  “If a man can predict his own death and resurrection, and pull it off, I just go with whatever that man says.”  Think about that as you read the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+1&version=NLT

Blessed Lord Jesus, help us hear Your words spoken so long ago.  Make them new and alive to us today.  Help us take them to heart.  In Your Name we pray.  Amen.

Tell Me the Stories of Jesus

One of the biggest challenges for Christians is moving from a childhood faith to an adult faith.  I remember learning about Jesus as a child in Sunday School – stories watered down to a child’s understanding.  They gave me a good foundation, milk but no meat.  As I grew older, I never stopped believing in God, but my following of Jesus became, shall we say, lackadaisical?  I stopped going to church but still felt that I was a good person.  It was when my world fell apart that I turned back to Jesus, but more about that in a later post.

One of the most eye-opening things for me as an adult is reading the Bible. Getting the real story for myself.  I began to resent having been taught bits and pieces, fed by others who focused on the verses and stories they liked and ignored those they didn’t. I wanted the whole story.  If you are seriously considering following Jesus, you need to read the Gospel accounts of His life for yourself.

These first four books of the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – are eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life.  The people who wrote them either knew Jesus or talked to people who had.  Today, we easily believe the testimony of witnesses on the news and in court.  Why not believe the eyewitness testimony of those who knew Jesus?  Suspend, for now, any concerns you have about the authenticity of the Bible.  Accept the Gospels as true.  If you want more information, send me a note and I’ll get you the academic stuff that supports their veracity.

I’m going to ask you to read the Gospels, one each week for the next four weeks, beginning with Mark.

While Mark is the second book of the New Testament, it was the Gospel that was probably written first, somewhere in the early 50s.  This was barely 20 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Mark focuses on making the case that Jesus is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah. To put Mark in context, check out this excellent 5 minute video from The Bible Project   https://youtu.be/OVRixfameGY

Try reading Mark in one sitting. It is only about 12,000 words long.  In comparison, most contemporary novels are in the range of 80,000-100,000 words.  As you read, imagine yourself in the story – as part of the crowd, as someone who had a one-on-one with Jesus, or in whatever way tugs on your heart.  Ask yourself, could Jesus be the Son of God?  And don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t all make sense.  I came across a great quote from Billy Graham this week:  “You may never understand everything in the Bible, but you can understand something.”  

Read whatever translation you like, even that dusty old Bible on your bookcase!  Here is the link to the New Living Translation which I find readable and accurate.  (If you want to know more about translations, send me a note).

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1&version=NLT

Our Father, guide our reading.  Open our hearts and minds to what You want us to know.  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Considering Jesus

Whatever resolutions you have made for 2018, whatever improvements you want to make in your life, consider this:

 “Following Jesus will make your life better and make you better at life.” (Andy Stanley)

Following Jesus can help you with the change you’ve chosen to make in your life, whether it’s abandoning a bad habit or picking up a good one.  I can say without hesitation that this statement is true for me, and I really want it to be true for you too.  

How has Jesus made my life better?

Because of Jesus - I know I am loved.  I am important.  I am forgiven.  I am not afraid of death.  My life has purpose and meaning.  No matter my circumstances, there is a joy and peace within me that nothing can shake. I am hopeful. I am never alone.  Does any of that sound good to you?

How has Jesus made me better at life?  

Following Jesus has made me more loving, more compassionate, more generous, kinder, and more truthful.  He has made me less self-centered. Jesus encourages me to look at the world through His eyes and respond to the world the way He does - by putting others before myself.  Jesus points me toward choosing good and avoiding evil.  Whatever the world throws at me, Jesus gives me the tools to learn from it or deal with it.  Does this sound like the way you would like to live?

People reject Jesus for all sorts of reasons. Whatever it is that is keeping you from following Jesus, I am inviting you to put it aside for a time.  Be open to the possibility that Jesus is who He says He is.

Who is this Jesus I want you to consider following?  

Jesus is a real-life person.  He was a Jewish itinerant teacher who lived in Israel in the first century and died by crucifixion.   He was seen alive after His death by hundreds of people.  Word spread.  He and his teachings changed the world.

Jesus is God.  Christians describe Him as the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity.  The One True God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Three persons. One God.  God is love.  God is relational.  God is beyond what we can imagine and as close as our next breath.

If this is true, and I strongly suggest to you that it is, following Jesus will make your life better and make you better at life.  Suspend your disbelief.  Consider Jesus.  You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

In the days and weeks to follow, my goal is to introduce you to the Jesus who is my Lord, Savior and Friend.  My prayer is that as you read my posts, you will choose to follow Him too.  He makes all the difference in the world.

Spirit of the Living God, Open our hearts and minds for the journey ahead, so that we may come to know You as You want to be known and follow You as You want to be followed.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.  Amen.