11/15/2024

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 4:19-20 (NLT).

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

Paul is in a bad situation, in prison in Rome. However, he has been lifted up by his friends from the church at Philippi and his needs have been taken care of through their gift to him. He turns this giving around, saying God will provide for them as He has for Paul through them.

God knows our every need better than we do ourselves. We are often distracted by worldly things that aren’t necessary and may actually be harmful to us. God will only provide us with good gifts given in love and wants us to do the same for each other.

God’s amazing love and care is best shown to us though the gift of His Son, sent to save us from our sin. Jesus is the ultimate example of love, willing to suffer humiliation and death in our place that we might be redeemed. We can never repay what He has done for us, but we can share the blessings God has given us with everyone.

Heavenly Father, we are sorry for the times we have not been generous to those who need Your love and care. Help us to go in Your name, bringing comfort to all Your children. Amen.

11/14/2024

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 11:23-25 (NLT).

The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

The wise sayings found in Proverbs can teach us much, especially about our behavior and our relationships. These three verses all speak to our use of resources and that when we share with those in need, we ourselves are blessed. How we care for each other is important to God.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 9:9 “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” This is a quote from Psalm 112:9, a reminder that the command to be aware of and provide for each other is not a new idea, rather it is God’s plan for us from the beginning. We all need to consider what we have been given and how God calls us to use these gifts.

We know that expecting a return or repayment is not true giving. God gave us everything, including the ability to choose our actions, in the hope we will choose Him. In His generosity He gave us His Son to save us from our sins and show us the way to salvation. By accepting His love and His charge to us, we can be together with Him always.

Gracious God, thank You for all Your gifts to us. Help us to see Your abundant love and go to share Your blessings with all the world. Amen.

11/13/2024

Our scripture this morning is Mark 4:39-40 (NLT).

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

The Gospel of Mark shows us Jesus’ divine authority over demons, disease, death, and in this passage, nature. There are examples of His power along with parables to teach us the lessons we need to understand our relationship with God and each other. Above all we need to see Jesus as the reason for our hope and the rescue from sin we can’t accomplish on our own.

The disciples were still learning this and in a desperate situation they were afraid. We have the benefit of two thousand years of faith teaching and experience, but we still doubt. Often we turn to human things, thinking the answer must be more time or money or manpower. 

Jesus asks us all “do you still have no faith?” and sadly it is a valid question, then and now. We know what Jesus can do but we still struggle through our issues, trusting our feeble knowledge and strength rather than relying on our faith. We have His presence with us and in us to calm and comfort us, all we need do is go to Him.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we try to do it on our own, rather than accepting the love and forgiveness You offer. Help us to see our only way to You is through Your Son and send us to share this blessing with everyone. Amen.

11/12/2024

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 68:19-20 (NIV).

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.

There are very long Psalms (119, 176 verses) and very short Psalms (117, 2 verses), but all the Psalms call us to raise our voices in praise to the Lord. This was likely a processional hymn, recalling the journey of Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land and God’s mighty provision and protection for them.

This passage speaks of God as the one “who daily bears our burdens”. God loves each of us and when we are troubled He wants us to share that with Him. He already knows everything we go through but by bringing it to Him we can find relief and restoration. We need to have Him as a part of our daily lives.

In 1 Corinthians 15:22 Paul writes “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Choosing to accept Him is the only way to salvation. This is the promise that “from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death”, that by His love and our repentance we can be saved to eternal life. 

Gracious God, we are sorry for the times we have trusted our own ways and failed. Bless us to be energetic disciples, sharing the teachings of our Savior and Your love with the world. Amen.

11/11/2024

Our scripture this morning is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT).

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Doing the kingdom work Jesus assigned us often puts us outside our comfort zone. Paul is a prime example of this, the former Pharisee who once imprisoned the faithful now suffers imprisonment himself. However, Paul has been changed by accepting Christ and now counts his weakness as a blessing.

We find strength in our faith far greater than we have ourselves. God has promised His spirit to be with us and in us no matter what we experience here. Paul says “I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ.” 

Jesus told us that our faith would bring opposition from the world. In John 16:33 He says “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Through His strength and love we can be made whole, and blessed to go in His name.

Heavenly Father, we are often troubled by our weaknesses, physical and spiritual. Help us to see that Your Grace is all we need. Amen.

11/10/2024

Our scripture this morning is Proverbs 22:4-5 (NLT).

True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life. Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.

Interpreting Old Testament wisdom can sometimes be difficult. We know that our faith doesn’t guarantee us wealth or position here on earth but rather the “treasure in heaven” that a life lived in God promises. We also know that sickness or failure are not direct punishment for our behavior. God doesn’t work like that.

Faithful people take Christ’s statement from Matthew 5:45 to heart: “For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.” God has set creation in motion and things proceed according to His will. When we accept His love, we accept that our reward is not here, but in Heaven.

If we expect our faith to make us wealthy or popular, we didn’t get the message. Faithful people can be wealthy or popular but faithful people can also be poor, sick and rejected by society. We know that our circumstances here are not an indicator of our inclusion in His kingdom.

Gracious God, help us to see that Your love is universal and not related to our earthly status. Bless us to go to all people, no matter who they are, bearing Your love. Amen.

11/9/2024

Our scripture this morning is Colossians 3:12-13 (NLT).

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

Paul often wrote to churches experiencing conflict, communities in disagreement regarding the practice of faith or worldly events. He reminds them that as God’s people we have been called to love one another first and foremost, even when we disagree. Jesus didn’t give us any “unless” or “however” escape clauses in His commandment.

We have read various lists from Paul regarding the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the gifts of the spirit (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12). This list of virtues is slightly different, but continues the lesson regarding how we are to treat each other, especially when we don’t agree. 

Losing our patience or temper means ignoring the Spirit with which we have been blessed, at least temporarily. I won’t tell you it hasn’t happened to me, too many have seen me at my worst base humanness. Afterward, I’m always sorry and then angry at myself for the outburst. God wants us to know there is forgiveness from Him when we repent, but also the need to forgive those involved, including ourselves.

Loving Lord, You have shown us the only way to salvation, through Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us to live out the faith we profess in our hearts through loving words and actions. Amen.

11/8/2024

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT).

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Paul has a sharp lesson for us here: our attitude is important to our work for Christ in the world. How we act and react affects our discipleship. Paul wrote this and several of his letters from prison, not usually considered a selling point. However, just as Jesus did, Paul accepted his situation and kept on doing the work he had been given.

Paul got past a problem many of us have, what other people think of us. This involves comparing, never a good exercise, and assuming we “know what they think”, as if we were mind readers. All of this plays into distracting us from our primary purpose, sharing God’s love with the world.

We read “you must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”. In order to do that we must understand what He taught and did and why. If our love for Him is only based on success we are going to be disappointed. If our love for Him is dashed by failure, we need to re-examine His message. Jesus told us to keep going, no matter what we encounter.

Heavenly Father, You sent Jesus to save us all. Help us to see ourselves not as factions or groups but Your beloved children, all blessed and all created for a purpose. Amen.

11/7/2024

Our scripture this morning is Romans 8:1-2 (NLT).

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Paul speaks very clearly here, teaching that by the gift of the Holy Spirit we are forgiven and freed from the power of sin and death. Jesus promised God’s presence would be with us always through this blessing (John 14:16) and that we should not fear anymore. 

If we are not afraid, we can go boldly to share the Good News with the world. In 1 John 4:18 we read “perfect love expels all fear” and in His love we are made whole. This is the charge Jesus gave us, to carry His love everywhere (Matthew 28:19).

You don’t have to plant a church or travel to far away places to accomplish the work Jesus left to us. There is plenty to be done right here, right now. Our brothers and sisters need God’s love and His Word regardless of our situation or location. Know He is with you always!

Loving Lord, we sometimes feel alone and forgotten. Help us to see Your spirit present in us to strengthen and free us from fear, that we may go in Your name to all the world. Amen.

11/6/2024

Our scripture this morning is John 14:25-27 (NIV).

All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Jesus was always pushing His disciples further in their faith journey. The first step was following Him, listening and learning. Step two is His crucifixion and resurrection, which they must also experience. Finally, Jesus ascends to the Father but promises His Spirit will be present with them and in them that they may carry on His work.

We are all part of step three, but we must still learn and experience the first two steps personally. We may not know Jesus as a physical human presence but through the gift of the Spirit we are blessed and nourished by His teaching, and called to share His love with the world.

The world is full of doubt and fear, but we have been given the Spirit as a shield and a guide. We can trust what He has told us for all eternity. No matter what you are experiencing today, hear this blessing from Jesus Himself: “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Heavenly Father, we have often made a mess of the beautiful creation You have given us. Forgive our selfish and willful disobedience, give us new hearts to care for each other and the peace only You can provide. Amen.