Good day dear friends.
Prayers for a safe holiday weekend are in order. I would ask for rain but the last time we did that we had severe flooding and we don't need that! If you're traveling, please be safe. Enjoy the freedom to travel but don't neglect or take for granted your freedom to worship.
Here is our continuation of our study on Jesus' "I AM the resurrection and the life" statement.
Thursday: Read Revelation 7:13-17 and 21:1-7 In this “uncovering” as the title “Revelation” mean, what is “uncovered” about the life after this one? What are the continued promises revealed to the author of John? How do they speak to you?
The Book of Revelation means "the uncovering" or "revealing" as shared with John the Apostle. In it we find this first text from chapter 7:
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you are the one that knows." Then he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
And from that same last book of the Bible, chapter 21:
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." 5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Leave it to God to share with us one last book just in case we didn't believe His Son. Leave it to God to share a book where the "final things" are uncovered and revealed to one of the believers. Both passages are similar in that they speak of life beyond this world. The entire book, even with some of its confusing passages, shares what John saw while exiled on the Isle of Patmos. On a "Lord's day," while remembering he would have been in worship, was allowed this vision of what lies beyond. The promises of a place where we could be with Jesus is mentioned. A place where life is present is what is shared in this book. A place where where hunger, thirst, heat, tears, death, mourning, crying, pain, etc. will be NO more; this is shared with John as he's told, "Write this down."
It is still our choice to believe, as Jesus asked Martha back in John 11. You don't have to believe either. Your choice. What do you lose by believing? Nothing really. What do you gain? A whole new perspective on life that no one can take away. It's here where it doesn't hurt to have a childlike trust in what our heavenly Father has shared with us about the neverending care He has for us. If you stop and think about the wonderful blessings that have come in the form of loved ones, dear friends, close colleagues, etc., would you want to believe in a God whose powers are so limited that you would never see these folks again? I think not. My faith says we live a better life right now trusting in a God who has already provided for a great life in the hereafter.
PRAYER: God of neverending life, we praise You and thank You for what You have shared in Your word. Speak clearly to us today the message of hope and love that is ours. Keep constant in us the memory and joy of those who have passed on to be with You, and let us live our lives in ways that show our faith in You. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
JESUS IS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE!
Good day dear friends.
Nellie, the girls and I, drove down here to McAllen to be present at a dear friend's retirement party. While here we received the local paper and found out a dear member of our previous church, El Mesias, died a few days short of her 100th birthday; so, we were able to visit with the family. Please keep the Barrera family in your prayers.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Is it me or do you get the impression that the Apostle Paul is a bit angry at those who say there is no resurrection? Remember Paul is the one who had the Damascus Road experience (Acts 9) where the Risen Christ met him and converted him from being a hater of Christians to being the chief among the evangelists.
Here is that passage:
"12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The Apostle Paul had an near-life experience with the Risen Lord on the Damascus Road. He came face to face with Jesus who called him by name and questioned his life. Paul was blinded in that experience and spent the first three days of his new life as a Christian in prayer and fasting. He neither ate nor drank anything just spent it praying and listening to the Lord as the Lord revealed to him everything he needed to know about this new life he had as a believer. One of the things that the Lord revealed to him was how much Paul was to suffer for being a Christian and also how he was to die. Would you have still said yes to Christ had you know that? Paul did and one of the reasons is that the Lord revealed to him the power of resurrection and the promise of life beyond death. Paul especially said yes to Jesus because he experienced Christ's love and knew, as he would write later on, in Romans 8; that there is nothing that can separate us from that love.
Paul encountered the human condition. Paul's early message was filled with promises of Jesus coming soon. What happened was that the Lord did not come back in bodily form as Paul believed him to, and new Christians began to suffer persecution for their faith. Suddenly, families were being separated by death brought on by governmental interference in people's lives. And so some of the new Christians began to question the foundation of the faith which was resurrection of the dead. You can safely bet that Paul was frustrated if not angry by these fairweather Christians. He rails against them by saying if you believe that, then Christ himself was not raised. And if Christ was not raised then our faith is meaningless. And worse, your sins are still with you!
Paul knew, as should we, that God is faithful in His word. If the promise to us if resurrection then we can go to the bank with it. Life can bring whatever it wants to us, but it should not shake our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ours is a faith grounded in the surity of life beyond life as we have experienced it through Jesus.
PRAYER: Come Lord of life and bring all of us new hope and new strength to bear witness to the world about all that we believe and all that we have. Let us strive to live our lives in the fullness brought to us by Jesus so that in our living and our dying we would be yours. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Nellie, the girls and I, drove down here to McAllen to be present at a dear friend's retirement party. While here we received the local paper and found out a dear member of our previous church, El Mesias, died a few days short of her 100th birthday; so, we were able to visit with the family. Please keep the Barrera family in your prayers.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. Is it me or do you get the impression that the Apostle Paul is a bit angry at those who say there is no resurrection? Remember Paul is the one who had the Damascus Road experience (Acts 9) where the Risen Christ met him and converted him from being a hater of Christians to being the chief among the evangelists.
Here is that passage:
"12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied."
The Apostle Paul had an near-life experience with the Risen Lord on the Damascus Road. He came face to face with Jesus who called him by name and questioned his life. Paul was blinded in that experience and spent the first three days of his new life as a Christian in prayer and fasting. He neither ate nor drank anything just spent it praying and listening to the Lord as the Lord revealed to him everything he needed to know about this new life he had as a believer. One of the things that the Lord revealed to him was how much Paul was to suffer for being a Christian and also how he was to die. Would you have still said yes to Christ had you know that? Paul did and one of the reasons is that the Lord revealed to him the power of resurrection and the promise of life beyond death. Paul especially said yes to Jesus because he experienced Christ's love and knew, as he would write later on, in Romans 8; that there is nothing that can separate us from that love.
Paul encountered the human condition. Paul's early message was filled with promises of Jesus coming soon. What happened was that the Lord did not come back in bodily form as Paul believed him to, and new Christians began to suffer persecution for their faith. Suddenly, families were being separated by death brought on by governmental interference in people's lives. And so some of the new Christians began to question the foundation of the faith which was resurrection of the dead. You can safely bet that Paul was frustrated if not angry by these fairweather Christians. He rails against them by saying if you believe that, then Christ himself was not raised. And if Christ was not raised then our faith is meaningless. And worse, your sins are still with you!
Paul knew, as should we, that God is faithful in His word. If the promise to us if resurrection then we can go to the bank with it. Life can bring whatever it wants to us, but it should not shake our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Ours is a faith grounded in the surity of life beyond life as we have experienced it through Jesus.
PRAYER: Come Lord of life and bring all of us new hope and new strength to bear witness to the world about all that we believe and all that we have. Let us strive to live our lives in the fullness brought to us by Jesus so that in our living and our dying we would be yours. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, June 27, 2005
A MESSAGE FOR THE LIVING DAY ONE
Good day dear friends.
Yesterday we concluded our study of Encounters with Jesus in The Gospel of John with a message entitled, "A Message For The Living." It focused on Jesus' most powerful "I Am" statement he shared with Martha on the road to Bethany four days after her brother Lazarus' death: "I am the resurrection and the life..." His ministry with Martha and Mary was more centered on the living and thus it is with us and our encounters with death and dying. Jesus came to prepare us and to comfort us whenever we come face to face with death.
Here is today's study guide:
Monday: Re-read the passage from Sunday (John 11). Now jump a couple of chapters to John 14. Here Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death. What are the promises the Lord makes to them about death and dying? How do they speak to you. Do you believe these? Or, are you afraid? What more could God do to comfort and strengthen you?
I'll let you read Chapter 11 from your own Bible. In John chapter 14 we find these words (selected verses):
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe F116 in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going." 5 Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me....18 "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them." 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?" 23 Jesus answered him, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. 25 "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
John 11 and 14 are for me standard funeral texts. John 11 with Jesus' powerful declaration about Who He is and what He promises, and John 14 for the preparation He has to make with His disciples. As close as they were to Jesus and as much as they had seen while serving with Him, they were not prepared for the death of Jesus. Verse one of that chapter has Jesus' comforting and powerful words to them: As always, "don't be afraid" but this time in the way He phrased it, "Let not your hearts be troubled." It goes deep into the experience He himself had felt at Lazarus' grave. Verse 33 of that chapter says "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved." This leads to verse 36 that the old King James versions says, "Jesus wept." Jesus was cautioning his disciples to be ready for His death but in a way that would not paralyze them from doing the work that still lay ahead for them. His words include a glimpse of what lies in Heaven. Look at verse 2 of chapter 14, Jesus mentions the room there is in His "Father's house." And He also mentions the preparation that is going on even now to make room for those who die in the Lord.
The key words are these: How do they speak to you? Can you find the comfort Jesus intended for us in those words? Imagine yourself there by Jesus' side after He has spoken about His own death. Imagine yourself going back just a few days to the graveside "service" Jesus held at Lazarus' tomb and how you witnessed the power of God through Jesus over death! Would not have stayed with you?
It is a natural thing to fear the unknown and that's probably the scariest thing for many people about death. But for us the Christian we should not fear death. It is just a continuation of our journey with the Lord.
PRAYER: Dear God of neverending life, speak to our hearts today. Speak loudly and clearly especially to those who are afraid. Speaking lovingly and gently to those who still mourn the passing of a loved one. May the message of hope brought by Jesus be ours today and always. We pray in our Savior's name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
GOD WANTS US SPIRITUALLY WHOLE
Good day dear friends.
We continue our week of the theme, "I Was Blind, But Now I See." We find these words about Jesus in Luke 4:
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isai'ah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
There are several sermons in this passage, the first one bein in verse 16 about Jesus "going to church." It was his custom to be in the synagogue on the sabbath day. I heard a "comedian" just tearing away at Jesus and faith and he and the audience thought it was hilarious to say, "Jesus never went to church, why should I?" Uh, look again.
On that occasion of worship Jesus read. He read from Isaiah. It must have been a different version from the one included in our Bibles for Jesus has added, "recovery of sight to the blind." Not in Isaiah. It may have been Luke who added those words as to what the prophet Isaish said. The point is, for someone, that Jesus could bring sight back to the blind is a big deal. Mark 8 records Jesus as being upset with the disciples and asking them, "Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes , and fail to see ? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?"
Even today it is a big deal to have your spiritual sight restored. That means being able to finally "see" what God may have been trying to show you all along. Sometimes it simply because what God wants to show us does not go along with what we think we want or is best for us. Surrendering completely to the Lord brings with it our sight restoration. Jesus' message to his home crowd was that God wants us to be spiritually whole. God shares good news, freedom, sight, liberation from oppression. It's ours. If we just believe and accept.
PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit and share with us the wholeness God intended. Let us surrender completely to you to receive the wholeness that is ours. Open our eyes and our minds to fully understand all that you are sharing. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
e.v.
We continue our week of the theme, "I Was Blind, But Now I See." We find these words about Jesus in Luke 4:
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isai'ah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
There are several sermons in this passage, the first one bein in verse 16 about Jesus "going to church." It was his custom to be in the synagogue on the sabbath day. I heard a "comedian" just tearing away at Jesus and faith and he and the audience thought it was hilarious to say, "Jesus never went to church, why should I?" Uh, look again.
On that occasion of worship Jesus read. He read from Isaiah. It must have been a different version from the one included in our Bibles for Jesus has added, "recovery of sight to the blind." Not in Isaiah. It may have been Luke who added those words as to what the prophet Isaish said. The point is, for someone, that Jesus could bring sight back to the blind is a big deal. Mark 8 records Jesus as being upset with the disciples and asking them, "Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes , and fail to see ? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?"
Even today it is a big deal to have your spiritual sight restored. That means being able to finally "see" what God may have been trying to show you all along. Sometimes it simply because what God wants to show us does not go along with what we think we want or is best for us. Surrendering completely to the Lord brings with it our sight restoration. Jesus' message to his home crowd was that God wants us to be spiritually whole. God shares good news, freedom, sight, liberation from oppression. It's ours. If we just believe and accept.
PRAYER: Come, Holy Spirit and share with us the wholeness God intended. Let us surrender completely to you to receive the wholeness that is ours. Open our eyes and our minds to fully understand all that you are sharing. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
e.v.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
CALL THE NEIGHBORS!
Good day dear friends.
We continue with John 9 and the theme "I Was Blind But Now I See."
We take up the study of this important chapter of John with verse 8:
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." 10 But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." 12 They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet." 18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus F80 to be the Messiah F81 would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." 25 He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 26 They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.
Nothing like a good ole miracle to stir the neighborhood. A miracle, by the way, is something you can't explain for it defies all known explanation. It fits into the category of supernatural for it goes beyond natural explanation. You could have had your own miracle or have seen a family member or friend experience one and all you can really do is shake your head and thank God. In the churches I've served, some gave up drinking and that for their spouses was a miracle. Some may have even quit running around on their spouses, and that was a miracle. Some may have stopped the abuse of their spouse and/or family. Some have had all three, and that was a miracle. I've even had people visit the church after such experiences just to see Who or what could do such things. In this case of John 9, a man born blind, who more than likely sat on the street to beg, now can see, and leave it to his neighbors to be the ones to begin the "buzz;" to use The Message's version of this verse. When a mriacle occurs you have to tell somebody. It may be part of our I can't believe something like this has happened and telling someone makes it possible to have someone confirm that for us. And that's precisely what happened in this neighborhood. Some asked, "Is this the same man?" Some said yes, others said no, that is only looks like him. And that's a great explanation for miracles; someone switched our boy!
Yet they all asked him, how did this happen? The man could only share what he knew; This man named Jesus made a little mud and put it on my eyes, he told me to wash and I did and now I can see! They asked then, where is he? The man can only answer, I do not know.
The Jewish tradition is that once a person was healed; he should be brought to the rabbi and have this healing declared. The intention was to involve the whole community of faith and to have it be a part of their celebration of what God can do. Sadly, it became a power the rabbis cherished, for they could either declare it a true healing from God or something unexplained and even not of God. The latter happens here. First, the day of this healing upset them. To make a paste was, as Pastor Leslie pointed out Sunday, considered to be like kneading and so labeled as work. The idea of no work on a Sabbath had been well defined through the ages and by Jesus' day the crossing of a "t" or dotting of an "i," was considered work. This that Jesus did was a lot of work in their eyes. And they even went so far as to say this man who did this has to be a sinner.
The once-blind man was questioned. He, after all, knew or should know about this Jesus who had done this. The man angers the religious for his answer was that Jesus had to be a prophet. How could someone more holy than us be around these parts? is the question they probably asked. Worse, some may have thought for this man to have claimed he was once blind and now is declaring Jesus a prophet is probably mentally ill, call his parents. The parents come and the parents knew the rabbis and their power and their declaration that anyone who claimed Jesus was the messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue; so they give the classic, "He's of age, ask him!" Again, the man can only say what he knew. "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." This they could not accept and further questioned him and by now the man is tired and asks, "Why are you asking so much? Do you want to be his disciples as well?" The result was this man, made whole by God's Son, is now thrown out of the synagogue. The man who wanted a place to worship, to celebrate his new life now in the fullness of God's love, is thrown out on the street.
What do you have to celebrate in your life that has come from God as a complete and unexpected blessing? Have you chosen to tell the neighbors and get them buzzing about what God can do? Have you gone to your church to share those good news about what God has done in your life? Or are you angry with God about something and haven't shared it with any, keeping this your little secret?
Have you asked God for God to perform a miracle in your life? What is it that you need? Go ahead and ask. Then share the good news!
PRAYER: Come holy One and touch my life with the miracle I need. You have known my need for some time and I ask now, in Jesus' name, for that to be the blessing I need. Once I receive it let me tell my family, my neighbors, and my church; for Yours is the glory for all you have already done and all that You will do! In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed day!
e.v.
We continue with John 9 and the theme "I Was Blind But Now I See."
We take up the study of this important chapter of John with verse 8:
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some were saying, "It is he." Others were saying, "No, but it is someone like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." 10 But they kept asking him, "Then how were your eyes opened?" 11 He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash.' Then I went and washed and received my sight." 12 They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see." 16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?" And they were divided. 17 So they said again to the blind man, "What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened." He said, "He is a prophet." 18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?" 20 His parents answered, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus F80 to be the Messiah F81 would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him." 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, "Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner." 25 He answered, "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." 26 They said to him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" 27 He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?" 28 Then they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." 30 The man answered, "Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing." 34 They answered him, "You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?" And they drove him out.
Nothing like a good ole miracle to stir the neighborhood. A miracle, by the way, is something you can't explain for it defies all known explanation. It fits into the category of supernatural for it goes beyond natural explanation. You could have had your own miracle or have seen a family member or friend experience one and all you can really do is shake your head and thank God. In the churches I've served, some gave up drinking and that for their spouses was a miracle. Some may have even quit running around on their spouses, and that was a miracle. Some may have stopped the abuse of their spouse and/or family. Some have had all three, and that was a miracle. I've even had people visit the church after such experiences just to see Who or what could do such things. In this case of John 9, a man born blind, who more than likely sat on the street to beg, now can see, and leave it to his neighbors to be the ones to begin the "buzz;" to use The Message's version of this verse. When a mriacle occurs you have to tell somebody. It may be part of our I can't believe something like this has happened and telling someone makes it possible to have someone confirm that for us. And that's precisely what happened in this neighborhood. Some asked, "Is this the same man?" Some said yes, others said no, that is only looks like him. And that's a great explanation for miracles; someone switched our boy!
Yet they all asked him, how did this happen? The man could only share what he knew; This man named Jesus made a little mud and put it on my eyes, he told me to wash and I did and now I can see! They asked then, where is he? The man can only answer, I do not know.
The Jewish tradition is that once a person was healed; he should be brought to the rabbi and have this healing declared. The intention was to involve the whole community of faith and to have it be a part of their celebration of what God can do. Sadly, it became a power the rabbis cherished, for they could either declare it a true healing from God or something unexplained and even not of God. The latter happens here. First, the day of this healing upset them. To make a paste was, as Pastor Leslie pointed out Sunday, considered to be like kneading and so labeled as work. The idea of no work on a Sabbath had been well defined through the ages and by Jesus' day the crossing of a "t" or dotting of an "i," was considered work. This that Jesus did was a lot of work in their eyes. And they even went so far as to say this man who did this has to be a sinner.
The once-blind man was questioned. He, after all, knew or should know about this Jesus who had done this. The man angers the religious for his answer was that Jesus had to be a prophet. How could someone more holy than us be around these parts? is the question they probably asked. Worse, some may have thought for this man to have claimed he was once blind and now is declaring Jesus a prophet is probably mentally ill, call his parents. The parents come and the parents knew the rabbis and their power and their declaration that anyone who claimed Jesus was the messiah would be thrown out of the synagogue; so they give the classic, "He's of age, ask him!" Again, the man can only say what he knew. "I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." This they could not accept and further questioned him and by now the man is tired and asks, "Why are you asking so much? Do you want to be his disciples as well?" The result was this man, made whole by God's Son, is now thrown out of the synagogue. The man who wanted a place to worship, to celebrate his new life now in the fullness of God's love, is thrown out on the street.
What do you have to celebrate in your life that has come from God as a complete and unexpected blessing? Have you chosen to tell the neighbors and get them buzzing about what God can do? Have you gone to your church to share those good news about what God has done in your life? Or are you angry with God about something and haven't shared it with any, keeping this your little secret?
Have you asked God for God to perform a miracle in your life? What is it that you need? Go ahead and ask. Then share the good news!
PRAYER: Come holy One and touch my life with the miracle I need. You have known my need for some time and I ask now, in Jesus' name, for that to be the blessing I need. Once I receive it let me tell my family, my neighbors, and my church; for Yours is the glory for all you have already done and all that You will do! In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed day!
e.v.
Monday, June 20, 2005
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Good day dear friends.
We had a wonderful Sunday as we welcomed The Rev. Leslie Tomlinson and her husband, Kit Tomlinson, as part of our ministry team. Pastor Leslie preached on John 9 and we were blessed in hearing her message. We'll continue focusing on her theme of "I Once Was Blind, But Now I See." I had selected Hymn 98, "To God Be The Glory" during the week and as we sang it I became aware that it was written by Fanny J. Crosby who at the age of six weeks was blinded. Never one to receive pity, she held the hope that upon her death the first face she would ever see would be that of her Savior. Her faith and hope are captured in the many of the hymns we sing. Her being sightless did not stop her from being a blessing or from seeing blessings so many of us take for granted.
We will concentrate on different parts of this chapter each day of this week, and we'll begin with the first seven verses.
Here is that text in The Message version of The Bible:
1 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?" 3 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. 4 We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. 5 For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light." 6 He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes, 7 and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and washed - and saw."
The disciples, having Jesus as their source of knowledge about so many things, especially the things of God, as they came upon a man born blind wanted to know if this blindness was a result of sin. "Were his parents sinners and thus their child was born blind?" or "Was this man a sinner that he lost his sight?" We have to believe it was later that they discovered the man had been born without sight. But it was an honest question. Does our sinfulness cause us to suffer, even to the point of losing our sight? Jesus answered them by saying the right thing, "You're looking for someone to blame." And we could spend hours debating who is to blame for almost everything, but what Jesus says is wonderful: "Look instead for what God can do." Back to the life of that awesome Christian hymn writer, she never stopped praising her God because she was blind. Instead she looked for ways to serve God and to make God's name known. In a situation that might have stopped most of us from fully living, she came to life.
In the story John tells us, Jesus wants the disciples to see the power of God at work even in those born without sight. He spits on the ground, makes a mud paste and applies it to the eyes of the man. The Son of the Creator, like His Father, uses his fingers and the dust to make something new. Keep in mind the reference to Genesis 2 when "the Lord God formed man out of the ground." After the man has the mud on his eyes he is told to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. No complaining about how dare you get your saliva in my eyes! Or what do I need mud in my eye, now I have to walk all the way to the pool to wash this junk off! The man obeys and receives his sight.
We tend to overlook another of the "I am" declarations found in this passage. Remember it is John's Gospel that has many of Jesus' declarations about who he really is. Here Jesus again makes a declaration and it is found in verse 5, "I am the light of the world." It's an appropriate remark given they were dealing with a man living his life in total darkness. Jesus wants the disciples to see that He brings light to the world and is the light of the world. To the man born in darkness to receive the gift of sight was to make the leap from darkness to light. As we'll discover later in the passage, he also made the leap from nominal faith to full faith in Jesus.
Where are we this day? Are we living our lives in darkness, busy complaining about the dim light or no light at all? Or are we using what we have to praise God and make God known to all?
PRAYER: God of light and power, come to us today in a way that brings us to life. Let us glorify you with all we have. Let the light of Christ Jesus be seen in us today and all days. We pray in Jesus' precious name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We had a wonderful Sunday as we welcomed The Rev. Leslie Tomlinson and her husband, Kit Tomlinson, as part of our ministry team. Pastor Leslie preached on John 9 and we were blessed in hearing her message. We'll continue focusing on her theme of "I Once Was Blind, But Now I See." I had selected Hymn 98, "To God Be The Glory" during the week and as we sang it I became aware that it was written by Fanny J. Crosby who at the age of six weeks was blinded. Never one to receive pity, she held the hope that upon her death the first face she would ever see would be that of her Savior. Her faith and hope are captured in the many of the hymns we sing. Her being sightless did not stop her from being a blessing or from seeing blessings so many of us take for granted.
We will concentrate on different parts of this chapter each day of this week, and we'll begin with the first seven verses.
Here is that text in The Message version of The Bible:
1 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?" 3 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. 4 We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. 5 For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light." 6 He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man's eyes, 7 and said, "Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam" (Siloam means "Sent"). The man went and washed - and saw."
The disciples, having Jesus as their source of knowledge about so many things, especially the things of God, as they came upon a man born blind wanted to know if this blindness was a result of sin. "Were his parents sinners and thus their child was born blind?" or "Was this man a sinner that he lost his sight?" We have to believe it was later that they discovered the man had been born without sight. But it was an honest question. Does our sinfulness cause us to suffer, even to the point of losing our sight? Jesus answered them by saying the right thing, "You're looking for someone to blame." And we could spend hours debating who is to blame for almost everything, but what Jesus says is wonderful: "Look instead for what God can do." Back to the life of that awesome Christian hymn writer, she never stopped praising her God because she was blind. Instead she looked for ways to serve God and to make God's name known. In a situation that might have stopped most of us from fully living, she came to life.
In the story John tells us, Jesus wants the disciples to see the power of God at work even in those born without sight. He spits on the ground, makes a mud paste and applies it to the eyes of the man. The Son of the Creator, like His Father, uses his fingers and the dust to make something new. Keep in mind the reference to Genesis 2 when "the Lord God formed man out of the ground." After the man has the mud on his eyes he is told to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. No complaining about how dare you get your saliva in my eyes! Or what do I need mud in my eye, now I have to walk all the way to the pool to wash this junk off! The man obeys and receives his sight.
We tend to overlook another of the "I am" declarations found in this passage. Remember it is John's Gospel that has many of Jesus' declarations about who he really is. Here Jesus again makes a declaration and it is found in verse 5, "I am the light of the world." It's an appropriate remark given they were dealing with a man living his life in total darkness. Jesus wants the disciples to see that He brings light to the world and is the light of the world. To the man born in darkness to receive the gift of sight was to make the leap from darkness to light. As we'll discover later in the passage, he also made the leap from nominal faith to full faith in Jesus.
Where are we this day? Are we living our lives in darkness, busy complaining about the dim light or no light at all? Or are we using what we have to praise God and make God known to all?
PRAYER: God of light and power, come to us today in a way that brings us to life. Let us glorify you with all we have. Let the light of Christ Jesus be seen in us today and all days. We pray in Jesus' precious name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
GOD PROVIDES EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!
Good day dear friends.
We continue to trust the Lord for all the needs we have before us. Louise Pollard is in need of our prayers. She is at Hays Nursing Facility here in town.
Funeral plans for Robin Brown have been finalized: Visitation on Wednesday night from 6 until 8 p.m. Funeral service at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. We're asking our ushers to please be early to help with the crowd we're anticipating. Please continue to hold Del, Kapp, Penny, Eric and their families in your prayers.
What act or event in your history stands out as something very special and powerful? As we read today's scripture hear how strongly the Jews feel about how God provided for them during their Exodus.
Tuesday: Read Exodus 16:1-31. Who is providing nourishment for the people in the wilderness? What work did the people have to do to receive this? How can you explain all that happens in this passage? What message does it speak to your heart?
Here is The Message version of this passage:
1 On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt, the whole company of Israel moved on from Elim to the Wilderness of Sin which is between Elim and Sinai. 2 The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!" 4 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test them to see if they'll live according to my Teaching or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration." 6 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel, "This evening you will know that it is God who brought you out of Egypt; 7 and in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against him. You haven't been complaining against us, you know, but against God." 8 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him. Who are we in all this? You haven't been complaining to us - you've been complaining to God!" 9 Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard your complaints.'" 10 When Aaron gave out the instructions to the whole company of Israel, they turned to face the wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God visible in the Cloud. 11 God spoke to Moses, 12 "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll realize that I am God, your God.'"
13 That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. 14 When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. 15 The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was. 16 And these are God's instructions: 'Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.'" 17 The People of Israel went to work and started gathering, some more, some less, 18 but when they measured out what they had gathered, those who gathered more had no extra and those who gathered less weren't short - each person had gathered as much as was needed. 19 Moses said to them, "Don't leave any of it until morning." 20 But they didn't listen to Moses. A few of the men kept back some of it until morning. It got wormy and smelled bad. And Moses lost his temper with them. 21 They gathered it every morning, each person according to need. Then the sun heated up and it melted.
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about four quarts per person. Then the leaders of the company came to Moses and reported. 23 Moses said, "This is what God was talking about: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to God. Whatever you plan to bake, bake today; and whatever you plan to boil, boil today. Then set aside the leftovers until morning." 24 They set aside what was left until morning, as Moses had commanded. It didn't smell bad and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, "Now eat it; this is the day, a Sabbath for God. You won't find any of it on the ground today. 26 Gather it every day for six days, but the seventh day is Sabbath; there won't be any of it on the ground." 27 On the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather anyway but they didn't find anything. 28 God said to Moses, "How long are you going to disobey my commands and not follow my instructions? 29 Don't you see that God has given you the Sabbath? So on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. So, each of you, stay home. Don't leave home on the seventh day." 30 So the people quit working on the seventh day. 31 The Israelites named it manna (What is it?). It looked like coriander seed, whitish. And it tasted like a cracker with honey.
Forty-five days into their new freedom, the griping begins. For some, and you know these brothers and sisters, they gripe from day one. Never happy, never content. Always finding fault in something. And the newly freed people of God are wondering aloud, "Why couldn't God let us die in comfort?" Notice how comfort is associated with food. "Lamb stew and all the bread we could eat" is that with which they identified most. Never mind they were no longer working long hours in the hot sun building pyramids and other buildings for their masters as slaves; they were upset because they were now walking away from their captors to their own promised land (and only 45 days into this 40 year journey!) and it is only food they could think about. Sound familiar?
God provides for the journey. In this early part of a very long journey of faith, for God intended for the people of Israel to truly become His people, God promises that He would "rain down bread from heaven," and He does. He provides meat in the form of quail and a "bread" that formed on the ground that the people called manna (Hebrew for "What is it?"). God only asked for their obedience in following His gathering instructions. They had to catch the quail, but they did. They had to stoop over to pick up the manna, and they did. They were just instructed to only take what they needed and not to try to hoard any of it for later. In other words, God said, "I will provide, trust Me every step of the way. Don't get ahead of Me!"
If you've ever moved from one city to another for a better job, you may have identified with all that was involved in uprooting and in making a move meant to better your life. My family as a boy moved from Kingsville, TX to Houston in 1965. We had to. It wasn't necessarily for a better job, it was just to have work. My dad found employment in the big city and lived there for about six months getting established before we could join him in that move. It was not easy leaving behind family and friends or the comfort of the small town that we knew well to a huge city that we knew would be filled with crime and danger all around. Reflecting now, God was with us. One memory from that move was a Friday night when my dad was late coming home and we had run out of food. Dad got paid every Friday and he would get home about five-thirty and we would head to the supermarket to buy groceries and we would enjoy our Friday night supper as a celebration of Dad having a job and having money with which to buy food. But on this particular Friday Dad was late, we had no phone (Kids, cell phones probably weren't even an idea in people's minds back then!) so we had no idea of where he could possibly be. We jsut sat on our sofa and the five of us kids wondered where Dad could be and Mom tried not to act nervous. The youngest of the kids were getting restless and hungry and this started to make Mom a bit more nervous. We lived in a quadplex, actually an old wooden home divided into four apartments. We lived upstairs and only another family lived in the other apartments downstairs. Just two families, the Lopez and the Valverdes. My mom and the lady downstairs were good friends and the woman from downstairs came up to visit and Mom told her our situation. The lady said, "I only have a can of Spaghetti-O's, but you're welcome to have that!" And she ran downstairs and back up with that one can of Spaghetti-O's for the five of us. I don't know how much water Mom added to that small can but I do know we had a satisfying supper and that held us until about nine when Dad came home announcing our introduction to "overtime."
God provides for us every step of the way if we have the faith to trust, to be patient, to do our part, and to walk with Him.
PRAYER: Help us as we walk, dear Father, for we sometimes get ahead of You and that makes us worry. Let us pace ourselves to Your pace. Let us seek to see how you are providing just what we need as we need it. Give us your grace and peace today and each day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed day.
e.v.
We continue to trust the Lord for all the needs we have before us. Louise Pollard is in need of our prayers. She is at Hays Nursing Facility here in town.
Funeral plans for Robin Brown have been finalized: Visitation on Wednesday night from 6 until 8 p.m. Funeral service at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. We're asking our ushers to please be early to help with the crowd we're anticipating. Please continue to hold Del, Kapp, Penny, Eric and their families in your prayers.
What act or event in your history stands out as something very special and powerful? As we read today's scripture hear how strongly the Jews feel about how God provided for them during their Exodus.
Tuesday: Read Exodus 16:1-31. Who is providing nourishment for the people in the wilderness? What work did the people have to do to receive this? How can you explain all that happens in this passage? What message does it speak to your heart?
Here is The Message version of this passage:
1 On the fifteenth day of the second month after they had left Egypt, the whole company of Israel moved on from Elim to the Wilderness of Sin which is between Elim and Sinai. 2 The whole company of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron there in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said, "Why didn't God let us die in comfort in Egypt where we had lamb stew and all the bread we could eat? You've brought us out into this wilderness to starve us to death, the whole company of Israel!" 4 God said to Moses, "I'm going to rain bread down from the skies for you. The people will go out and gather each day's ration. I'm going to test them to see if they'll live according to my Teaching or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they have gathered, it will turn out to be twice as much as their daily ration." 6 Moses and Aaron told the People of Israel, "This evening you will know that it is God who brought you out of Egypt; 7 and in the morning you will see the Glory of God. Yes, he's listened to your complaints against him. You haven't been complaining against us, you know, but against God." 8 Moses said, "Since it will be God who gives you meat for your meal in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, it's God who will have listened to your complaints against him. Who are we in all this? You haven't been complaining to us - you've been complaining to God!" 9 Moses instructed Aaron: "Tell the whole company of Israel: 'Come near to God. He's heard your complaints.'" 10 When Aaron gave out the instructions to the whole company of Israel, they turned to face the wilderness. And there it was: the Glory of God visible in the Cloud. 11 God spoke to Moses, 12 "I've listened to the complaints of the Israelites. Now tell them: 'At dusk you will eat meat and at dawn you'll eat your fill of bread; and you'll realize that I am God, your God.'"
13 That evening quail flew in and covered the camp and in the morning there was a layer of dew all over the camp. 14 When the layer of dew had lifted, there on the wilderness ground was a fine flaky something, fine as frost on the ground. 15 The Israelites took one look and said to one another, man-hu (What is it?). They had no idea what it was. 16 And these are God's instructions: 'Gather enough for each person, about two quarts per person; gather enough for everyone in your tent.'" 17 The People of Israel went to work and started gathering, some more, some less, 18 but when they measured out what they had gathered, those who gathered more had no extra and those who gathered less weren't short - each person had gathered as much as was needed. 19 Moses said to them, "Don't leave any of it until morning." 20 But they didn't listen to Moses. A few of the men kept back some of it until morning. It got wormy and smelled bad. And Moses lost his temper with them. 21 They gathered it every morning, each person according to need. Then the sun heated up and it melted.
22 On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, about four quarts per person. Then the leaders of the company came to Moses and reported. 23 Moses said, "This is what God was talking about: Tomorrow is a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to God. Whatever you plan to bake, bake today; and whatever you plan to boil, boil today. Then set aside the leftovers until morning." 24 They set aside what was left until morning, as Moses had commanded. It didn't smell bad and there were no worms in it. 25 Moses said, "Now eat it; this is the day, a Sabbath for God. You won't find any of it on the ground today. 26 Gather it every day for six days, but the seventh day is Sabbath; there won't be any of it on the ground." 27 On the seventh day, some of the people went out to gather anyway but they didn't find anything. 28 God said to Moses, "How long are you going to disobey my commands and not follow my instructions? 29 Don't you see that God has given you the Sabbath? So on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. So, each of you, stay home. Don't leave home on the seventh day." 30 So the people quit working on the seventh day. 31 The Israelites named it manna (What is it?). It looked like coriander seed, whitish. And it tasted like a cracker with honey.
Forty-five days into their new freedom, the griping begins. For some, and you know these brothers and sisters, they gripe from day one. Never happy, never content. Always finding fault in something. And the newly freed people of God are wondering aloud, "Why couldn't God let us die in comfort?" Notice how comfort is associated with food. "Lamb stew and all the bread we could eat" is that with which they identified most. Never mind they were no longer working long hours in the hot sun building pyramids and other buildings for their masters as slaves; they were upset because they were now walking away from their captors to their own promised land (and only 45 days into this 40 year journey!) and it is only food they could think about. Sound familiar?
God provides for the journey. In this early part of a very long journey of faith, for God intended for the people of Israel to truly become His people, God promises that He would "rain down bread from heaven," and He does. He provides meat in the form of quail and a "bread" that formed on the ground that the people called manna (Hebrew for "What is it?"). God only asked for their obedience in following His gathering instructions. They had to catch the quail, but they did. They had to stoop over to pick up the manna, and they did. They were just instructed to only take what they needed and not to try to hoard any of it for later. In other words, God said, "I will provide, trust Me every step of the way. Don't get ahead of Me!"
If you've ever moved from one city to another for a better job, you may have identified with all that was involved in uprooting and in making a move meant to better your life. My family as a boy moved from Kingsville, TX to Houston in 1965. We had to. It wasn't necessarily for a better job, it was just to have work. My dad found employment in the big city and lived there for about six months getting established before we could join him in that move. It was not easy leaving behind family and friends or the comfort of the small town that we knew well to a huge city that we knew would be filled with crime and danger all around. Reflecting now, God was with us. One memory from that move was a Friday night when my dad was late coming home and we had run out of food. Dad got paid every Friday and he would get home about five-thirty and we would head to the supermarket to buy groceries and we would enjoy our Friday night supper as a celebration of Dad having a job and having money with which to buy food. But on this particular Friday Dad was late, we had no phone (Kids, cell phones probably weren't even an idea in people's minds back then!) so we had no idea of where he could possibly be. We jsut sat on our sofa and the five of us kids wondered where Dad could be and Mom tried not to act nervous. The youngest of the kids were getting restless and hungry and this started to make Mom a bit more nervous. We lived in a quadplex, actually an old wooden home divided into four apartments. We lived upstairs and only another family lived in the other apartments downstairs. Just two families, the Lopez and the Valverdes. My mom and the lady downstairs were good friends and the woman from downstairs came up to visit and Mom told her our situation. The lady said, "I only have a can of Spaghetti-O's, but you're welcome to have that!" And she ran downstairs and back up with that one can of Spaghetti-O's for the five of us. I don't know how much water Mom added to that small can but I do know we had a satisfying supper and that held us until about nine when Dad came home announcing our introduction to "overtime."
God provides for us every step of the way if we have the faith to trust, to be patient, to do our part, and to walk with Him.
PRAYER: Help us as we walk, dear Father, for we sometimes get ahead of You and that makes us worry. Let us pace ourselves to Your pace. Let us seek to see how you are providing just what we need as we need it. Give us your grace and peace today and each day. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed day.
e.v.
Monday, June 13, 2005
TABLE GRACE
Good day dear friends.
We continue with our prayers of comfort for The Rev. Del Brown and his family. We pray for safe travel for family members coming to the funeral this week.
From Louisana we get this prayer request: "Please pray for Rev. James Haynes. He is meeting with his surgeon on Tuesday to schedule surgery to remove the cancerous mass in his colon. Neither chemo nor radiation will be used if it has not reached other organs. Pray for Millie "B" also --- she is more upset than Rev. Haynes."
We continued our sermon series "Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John" and we studied John 6:25-40 where Jesus made another of His "I am" declarations, and this one was "I am the bread of life." This seems very appropriate given this is Hunger Awareness month.
My deep, deep thanks for three special ladies, two of whom put up with crazy pastor's last-minute ideas for props. Mary Jo Everitt and Sherry DeMarcay put up bread machines to bake during worship so that folks could "think" about bread. It worked! Thank you dear ladies. And to Kate McWhirt, one of our lay speakers who helped Sherry lead the 11 a.m. and me the 8:30 services. You all did marvelous jobs from what I heard! Thank you!
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: Read the 23rd Psalm. Meditate on verse 1. What does that verse mean to you today? What did it mean to you when you first read it? Do you understand it to mean that God completely provides for us? Read now verse 5. Bring to your mind that image of God preparing a table for you. Who’s there? What’s on your table?I
I learned this Psalm first in Spanish, later in my King James Bible in English, so here is that precious Psalm in KJV:
A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I didn't pay attention to the meaning in Spanish nor did I understand verse one in English. I heard it and almost thought aloud, what does it mean that I don't want the Lord as my shepherd? How did this ever get into the Bible? This is a preposterous declaration! Thank God for loving Sunday school teachers! It was better explained to me that with God being my shepherd I would not be in need. And that has been the case for me. I have had all of my needs provided as I believe so have yours. We may not always have gotten exactly what we wanted, but God provides for what we need. I shared the story from my history of The Rev. Bud Roussett, now of the Rocky Mountain Conference, who invited me to have lunch with him at his dorm room on the day I had no food. A feast was set before me of one scrambled egg, a slice of whole wheat bread, with all natural peanut butter. I wonder why Bud declined my offer to have menudo some weeks later? ;) True it was my first experiment in making it, thanks to my Mom sending me the recipe, but turning down menudo? What kind of mountain man is that? (Bud prided himself in being a mountain man!)
If you have access to this email, you have access to probably most of your needs. What could we possibly want? God provides for us! In reading verse 5 we see David making the declaration that God even provides a wonderful celebratory meal in the presence of those who would rather see us starve! Eugene Peterson's translation, The Message has it this way:
"5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing."
Some might say I have no enemies, and someone once wrote it's not necessarily human enemies that we go up against. Life sends us sometimes enemies of a different nature such as illness or worry. This Psalm says if we trust in God even in the midst of these trials, God blesses us with celebrations!
Yesterday while listening to Del, Penny, Eric and Jamie remember Robin, this came out loud and clear, that Robin while even facing this illness celebrated life, such was her faith and trust in God. Pastor Leslie and I visited her last week and she laughed when I told her that Jody, our music director, had given Robin permission to be away from the choir during the summer. Robin knew the choir was on summer break. So she laughed.
However you imagine that "table" to be for you, make it a celebration! Invite God to that table and give God the glory for all that you have! I believe it was in the movie "Antwone Fisher" where the main character longs for family and his recurring image of family and celebration is to sit at this lusciously appointed table with all the foods you can imagine. But for him it wasn't so much the food as it was the idea of belonging. We belong to God!
PRAYER: Our Father, who provides all, provide for us this day that which we need to celebrate life and all that you have shared with us. Even in the midst of the enemy of sorrow or sadness, let us see Your goodness setting a table of peace and comfort. Share with us a double heaping of hope. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
We continue with our prayers of comfort for The Rev. Del Brown and his family. We pray for safe travel for family members coming to the funeral this week.
From Louisana we get this prayer request: "Please pray for Rev. James Haynes. He is meeting with his surgeon on Tuesday to schedule surgery to remove the cancerous mass in his colon. Neither chemo nor radiation will be used if it has not reached other organs. Pray for Millie "B" also --- she is more upset than Rev. Haynes."
We continued our sermon series "Encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John" and we studied John 6:25-40 where Jesus made another of His "I am" declarations, and this one was "I am the bread of life." This seems very appropriate given this is Hunger Awareness month.
My deep, deep thanks for three special ladies, two of whom put up with crazy pastor's last-minute ideas for props. Mary Jo Everitt and Sherry DeMarcay put up bread machines to bake during worship so that folks could "think" about bread. It worked! Thank you dear ladies. And to Kate McWhirt, one of our lay speakers who helped Sherry lead the 11 a.m. and me the 8:30 services. You all did marvelous jobs from what I heard! Thank you!
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: Read the 23rd Psalm. Meditate on verse 1. What does that verse mean to you today? What did it mean to you when you first read it? Do you understand it to mean that God completely provides for us? Read now verse 5. Bring to your mind that image of God preparing a table for you. Who’s there? What’s on your table?I
I learned this Psalm first in Spanish, later in my King James Bible in English, so here is that precious Psalm in KJV:
A Psalm of David. The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
I didn't pay attention to the meaning in Spanish nor did I understand verse one in English. I heard it and almost thought aloud, what does it mean that I don't want the Lord as my shepherd? How did this ever get into the Bible? This is a preposterous declaration! Thank God for loving Sunday school teachers! It was better explained to me that with God being my shepherd I would not be in need. And that has been the case for me. I have had all of my needs provided as I believe so have yours. We may not always have gotten exactly what we wanted, but God provides for what we need. I shared the story from my history of The Rev. Bud Roussett, now of the Rocky Mountain Conference, who invited me to have lunch with him at his dorm room on the day I had no food. A feast was set before me of one scrambled egg, a slice of whole wheat bread, with all natural peanut butter. I wonder why Bud declined my offer to have menudo some weeks later? ;) True it was my first experiment in making it, thanks to my Mom sending me the recipe, but turning down menudo? What kind of mountain man is that? (Bud prided himself in being a mountain man!)
If you have access to this email, you have access to probably most of your needs. What could we possibly want? God provides for us! In reading verse 5 we see David making the declaration that God even provides a wonderful celebratory meal in the presence of those who would rather see us starve! Eugene Peterson's translation, The Message has it this way:
"5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing."
Some might say I have no enemies, and someone once wrote it's not necessarily human enemies that we go up against. Life sends us sometimes enemies of a different nature such as illness or worry. This Psalm says if we trust in God even in the midst of these trials, God blesses us with celebrations!
Yesterday while listening to Del, Penny, Eric and Jamie remember Robin, this came out loud and clear, that Robin while even facing this illness celebrated life, such was her faith and trust in God. Pastor Leslie and I visited her last week and she laughed when I told her that Jody, our music director, had given Robin permission to be away from the choir during the summer. Robin knew the choir was on summer break. So she laughed.
However you imagine that "table" to be for you, make it a celebration! Invite God to that table and give God the glory for all that you have! I believe it was in the movie "Antwone Fisher" where the main character longs for family and his recurring image of family and celebration is to sit at this lusciously appointed table with all the foods you can imagine. But for him it wasn't so much the food as it was the idea of belonging. We belong to God!
PRAYER: Our Father, who provides all, provide for us this day that which we need to celebrate life and all that you have shared with us. Even in the midst of the enemy of sorrow or sadness, let us see Your goodness setting a table of peace and comfort. Share with us a double heaping of hope. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
DRAMATIC NEW BEGINNING!
Good day dear friends.
We continue to pray for all who are on our church's prayer list. We
also lift up Robin Brown, who is in good spirits but needs our
prayers for healing. For Jo Ann Small in a rehab hospital in
Luling, TX, far from church family and loved ones. For Barbara
Carson in ICU at CTMC. Also, prayers of healing and comfort for
Trician and Tommy Hays of Lexington, KY. Tricia experienced a
miscarriage and we ask God comfort her and Tommy. Tommy is a member
of our conference and he and Tricia were in Corpus for our annual
conference session. And our annual conference made statewide news
in that over 148 people got sick at the conference (we made the 6
o'clock news in Corpus and Ft. Worth!), and the state is
investigating the cause of these illnesses. From our delegation,
Nellie, Kim, Kate McWhirt, Leslie Tomlinson, and myself were sick.
Pray for healing of those who may still be ill.
The text for today is from Acts 9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing
threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the
high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at
Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or
women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was
going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He
asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be
told what you are to do." 7 The men who were traveling with him
stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8
Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could
see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into
Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate
nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Anani'as.
The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." He answered, "Here I
am, Lord." 11 The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street
called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tar'sus
named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a
vision a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that
he might regain his sight." 13 But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I
have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to
your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the
chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." 15 But the Lord
said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to
bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of
Israel;"
One of the most dramatic stories of new beginnings is perhaps the
one least expected. What we could have expected from someone like
Saul of Tarsus was a successful life as a hater of Christians. And
his hate was based on his love of religion. He saw a need and a
solution to this need: Rid Judaism of those preaching Jesus, for
this was hurting their religion. And the best way to rid themselves
of Christians was to arrest them and even put them to death.
I've always been impressed with Saul of Tarsus for what he had
accomplished up to that point in his life. His was young, well
educated, politically and religiously connected, and served the
church as a lawyer. What more could he have wanted? Well, the
answers my friends, is that the Lord wanted him. Jesus saw in Saul
something that could benefit the Kingdom of God. You see, Saul was
wrong in his fanatical approach to his religion. Our God and the
God of the Jews, is a God of life, not death. To go around seeking
to imprison those who disagree with us is not God's way. Yet, in
Saul he saw the promise of what could be.
The story is a dramatic one. Jesus knocks Saul of his high horse,
blinds him with the radiance of His presence and allows him to
rethink his religion and relationship with God. This is a new
beginning if ever there was one. From a faith that believed only in
the form of God, to a faith that now knows the power of God. From a
faith that searched the written word to a faith that experienced the
Risen Word, Paul comes a long way. Paul now knew a living, loving
God. And this God revealed to Paul even what he was to suffer for
the sake of Christ. And still Paul said yes.
How can you say anything else when you've come face to face with the
power of God? How can you say No to the love of God?
Saul found himself in a new beginning of faith that started with
prayer and reflection. Three days without eating or drinking
anything, just time in prayer. And not just the "Dear God, here is
what I need" sort of prayer, this was TWO-WAY prayer. It was during
this time that Jesus revealed to Saul all that he would need to
begin his ministry. Jesus talking, Saul listening. Saul talking or
asking, Jesus listening.
What new beginnings do you need for your life? Is your prayer life
a two-way conversation with God? Have you slowed down enough to
allow God to speak to you? Have you spent quiet time with the Lord
so that distractions don't keep you from hearing what He has to say
to you? Don't wait to be knocked off your high horse! Listen today
and start a new beginning today!
PRAYER: God of new beginnings, help us to start anew our
relationship with You. Let this day indeed be a day of new
beginnings. Let us listen with new ears, see with new eyes and love
with a new heart. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
We continue to pray for all who are on our church's prayer list. We
also lift up Robin Brown, who is in good spirits but needs our
prayers for healing. For Jo Ann Small in a rehab hospital in
Luling, TX, far from church family and loved ones. For Barbara
Carson in ICU at CTMC. Also, prayers of healing and comfort for
Trician and Tommy Hays of Lexington, KY. Tricia experienced a
miscarriage and we ask God comfort her and Tommy. Tommy is a member
of our conference and he and Tricia were in Corpus for our annual
conference session. And our annual conference made statewide news
in that over 148 people got sick at the conference (we made the 6
o'clock news in Corpus and Ft. Worth!), and the state is
investigating the cause of these illnesses. From our delegation,
Nellie, Kim, Kate McWhirt, Leslie Tomlinson, and myself were sick.
Pray for healing of those who may still be ill.
The text for today is from Acts 9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing
threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the
high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at
Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or
women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was
going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice
saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" 5 He
asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came, "I am Jesus, whom you
are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be
told what you are to do." 7 The men who were traveling with him
stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8
Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could
see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into
Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate
nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Anani'as.
The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." He answered, "Here I
am, Lord." 11 The Lord said to him, "Get up and go to the street
called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tar'sus
named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a
vision a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that
he might regain his sight." 13 But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I
have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to
your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the
chief priests to bind all who invoke your name." 15 But the Lord
said to him, "Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to
bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of
Israel;"
One of the most dramatic stories of new beginnings is perhaps the
one least expected. What we could have expected from someone like
Saul of Tarsus was a successful life as a hater of Christians. And
his hate was based on his love of religion. He saw a need and a
solution to this need: Rid Judaism of those preaching Jesus, for
this was hurting their religion. And the best way to rid themselves
of Christians was to arrest them and even put them to death.
I've always been impressed with Saul of Tarsus for what he had
accomplished up to that point in his life. His was young, well
educated, politically and religiously connected, and served the
church as a lawyer. What more could he have wanted? Well, the
answers my friends, is that the Lord wanted him. Jesus saw in Saul
something that could benefit the Kingdom of God. You see, Saul was
wrong in his fanatical approach to his religion. Our God and the
God of the Jews, is a God of life, not death. To go around seeking
to imprison those who disagree with us is not God's way. Yet, in
Saul he saw the promise of what could be.
The story is a dramatic one. Jesus knocks Saul of his high horse,
blinds him with the radiance of His presence and allows him to
rethink his religion and relationship with God. This is a new
beginning if ever there was one. From a faith that believed only in
the form of God, to a faith that now knows the power of God. From a
faith that searched the written word to a faith that experienced the
Risen Word, Paul comes a long way. Paul now knew a living, loving
God. And this God revealed to Paul even what he was to suffer for
the sake of Christ. And still Paul said yes.
How can you say anything else when you've come face to face with the
power of God? How can you say No to the love of God?
Saul found himself in a new beginning of faith that started with
prayer and reflection. Three days without eating or drinking
anything, just time in prayer. And not just the "Dear God, here is
what I need" sort of prayer, this was TWO-WAY prayer. It was during
this time that Jesus revealed to Saul all that he would need to
begin his ministry. Jesus talking, Saul listening. Saul talking or
asking, Jesus listening.
What new beginnings do you need for your life? Is your prayer life
a two-way conversation with God? Have you slowed down enough to
allow God to speak to you? Have you spent quiet time with the Lord
so that distractions don't keep you from hearing what He has to say
to you? Don't wait to be knocked off your high horse! Listen today
and start a new beginning today!
PRAYER: God of new beginnings, help us to start anew our
relationship with You. Let this day indeed be a day of new
beginnings. Let us listen with new ears, see with new eyes and love
with a new heart. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Monday, June 06, 2005
NEW BEGINNINGS
Dear friends, God's grace and peace be with you is my prayer.
Yesterday, Pastor Rob preached his farewell sermon and it was on new beginnings. Actually it was on "Firsts." Rob shared the many firsts in his life: First car, first friend, first kiss with his wife, first child, first grandchild, etc. What he had never experienced was his first goodbye as a pastor which happened yesterday. As many of you who regularly read this devotional know Rob leaves us as associate pastor to become the founding pastor of the Hays County New Church Start. We'll hold Rob and Sandra his wife in our prayers as God leads him to this new start.
Here is the text for today:
2 Corinthians 17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ , he/she is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is,in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
This is the text that comes to mind when I think of new beginnings. In our relationship with Christ, Christ brought to our lives a newness of life. The physical side of life still matters but in Christ the spiritual side seems to make all dimensions of our lives better and fuller. Christ calling us to newness! We have in our hymnal a beautiful hymn, "This is a Day of New Beginniings" based on Revelation 21:5, where Christ says, "Behold, I make all things new." That is the beauty of our faith that we believe in a God of newness. God calls us to be new in our relationship with Him and with others. When our sins were taken away they stayed in yesterday and even better, these sins were taken away and sent to a place where they shouldn't bother us any longer. The newness is a life lived away from sin.
In my ministry I have seen that happen to so many people. In my first student charge I visited with a man undergoing some personal problems. His very appearance portrayed a man whose life had seen many experiences that were not the kind to be shared with others. In fact, this man when he was a boy had run away from home to join the circus. Having grown up in an era where that was one of the jokes and possible alternatives to life, to come face to face with one who had actually done that was incredible. I shared with him the gospel message and he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. The following Sunday he and his young family came to church and I couldn't recognize him! He had a new appearance. Christ had made him new! He offers the same to us today.
If we come to Christ and surrender our sins to him, he will take those sins from us and make us new. The brightness of his joy and love will even help us look new to others.
PRAYER: Gracious God of new things, make us new today. Let us surrender our sins to you and allow you to bring us newness of life. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and NEW day!
e.v.
Yesterday, Pastor Rob preached his farewell sermon and it was on new beginnings. Actually it was on "Firsts." Rob shared the many firsts in his life: First car, first friend, first kiss with his wife, first child, first grandchild, etc. What he had never experienced was his first goodbye as a pastor which happened yesterday. As many of you who regularly read this devotional know Rob leaves us as associate pastor to become the founding pastor of the Hays County New Church Start. We'll hold Rob and Sandra his wife in our prayers as God leads him to this new start.
Here is the text for today:
2 Corinthians 17 Therefore, if any one is in Christ , he/she is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is,in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
This is the text that comes to mind when I think of new beginnings. In our relationship with Christ, Christ brought to our lives a newness of life. The physical side of life still matters but in Christ the spiritual side seems to make all dimensions of our lives better and fuller. Christ calling us to newness! We have in our hymnal a beautiful hymn, "This is a Day of New Beginniings" based on Revelation 21:5, where Christ says, "Behold, I make all things new." That is the beauty of our faith that we believe in a God of newness. God calls us to be new in our relationship with Him and with others. When our sins were taken away they stayed in yesterday and even better, these sins were taken away and sent to a place where they shouldn't bother us any longer. The newness is a life lived away from sin.
In my ministry I have seen that happen to so many people. In my first student charge I visited with a man undergoing some personal problems. His very appearance portrayed a man whose life had seen many experiences that were not the kind to be shared with others. In fact, this man when he was a boy had run away from home to join the circus. Having grown up in an era where that was one of the jokes and possible alternatives to life, to come face to face with one who had actually done that was incredible. I shared with him the gospel message and he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. The following Sunday he and his young family came to church and I couldn't recognize him! He had a new appearance. Christ had made him new! He offers the same to us today.
If we come to Christ and surrender our sins to him, he will take those sins from us and make us new. The brightness of his joy and love will even help us look new to others.
PRAYER: Gracious God of new things, make us new today. Let us surrender our sins to you and allow you to bring us newness of life. We pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and NEW day!
e.v.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
BUT YOU'RE DIFFERENT FROM ME!
Good day dear friends. Greetings from Corpus Christi, early in the morning, it is indeed sparkling and not pouring like yesterday.
Here is our text for today from John 4: 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)
Yesterday morning my blood pressure went up. In our meeting as the conference board of ordained ministry, a special case came up about a person on probation. He had moved midyear because of his "success." This particular person is a Mexican American. He has had for many years a very successful radio program in Spanish about the gospel. It has helped him in the areas where he's served. Last year he was appointed to a small church in the San Antonio district and he moved his radio show to a SA radio station. He announced on the air that he was to be the pastor of this small church in this small town, and pretty soon the church was filling up with people that liked his program. The leadership of the church was furious about the fact that now, instead of being the same (you can read whatever you want in this) church they had been for years, it was filling up with people different from them. Yes, definitely a racial situation. The leadership complained and cussed at the charge conference to the district superintendent (also a Mexican American) and one "leader" even cussed the DS about his motives to turn the entire district into "a Mexican church."
It is today, June 2, 2005, year of our Lord. It is the 21st century. And questions like the one the Samaritan woman asked Jesus are still being asked in places where one would least expect, like the church. You have to know that Jesus was a "pronounced" Jew. There were racial lineages of Jews in the Samaritans, but no love lost between the two. This woman recognized Jesus for being a Jew and I'm guessing it was his appearance for "Kiss Me I'm Jewish" buttons did not yet exist. That encounter with a racially different person led to this woman's village coming to know the love of God. What sort of encounters are happening in our churches? Are there still traces of racism in us? Do we judge someone by appearance and not give them a chance to be our brother or sister simply because they're darker or different in appearance from us?
While in Galveston this past week my cell phone rang and the caller ID showed it was Kim Burke. I answered and she apologized for bothering me but she had to share that her son Jordan, 5, had been in the bathroom for a while and when she checked on him, found that he had found a suntan coloring lotion she sometimes uses, and Jordan had it all over his face, arms, tummy. "Jordan," she asked, "What are you doing?" He replied, "I'm wanna look like Pastor Eddie!"
Jordan can tell he and I are different on the outside but on the inside this little guy that I'm going to miss so much has connected with what we both share in common. Our differences have not stopped us from loving each other.
PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit and set on fire our hearts with love for everyone. I pray that even those who refuse to look at those different from us would receive a blessing that would change their thinking about racial differences. Bring love and mercy to our shared ministry. Let us truly be the people of God. Let the encounters in Your church bring salvation from attitudes and hatreds that 'kill, steal, and destroy.' We pray in the name of He who loves all, Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Here is our text for today from John 4: 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.)
Yesterday morning my blood pressure went up. In our meeting as the conference board of ordained ministry, a special case came up about a person on probation. He had moved midyear because of his "success." This particular person is a Mexican American. He has had for many years a very successful radio program in Spanish about the gospel. It has helped him in the areas where he's served. Last year he was appointed to a small church in the San Antonio district and he moved his radio show to a SA radio station. He announced on the air that he was to be the pastor of this small church in this small town, and pretty soon the church was filling up with people that liked his program. The leadership of the church was furious about the fact that now, instead of being the same (you can read whatever you want in this) church they had been for years, it was filling up with people different from them. Yes, definitely a racial situation. The leadership complained and cussed at the charge conference to the district superintendent (also a Mexican American) and one "leader" even cussed the DS about his motives to turn the entire district into "a Mexican church."
It is today, June 2, 2005, year of our Lord. It is the 21st century. And questions like the one the Samaritan woman asked Jesus are still being asked in places where one would least expect, like the church. You have to know that Jesus was a "pronounced" Jew. There were racial lineages of Jews in the Samaritans, but no love lost between the two. This woman recognized Jesus for being a Jew and I'm guessing it was his appearance for "Kiss Me I'm Jewish" buttons did not yet exist. That encounter with a racially different person led to this woman's village coming to know the love of God. What sort of encounters are happening in our churches? Are there still traces of racism in us? Do we judge someone by appearance and not give them a chance to be our brother or sister simply because they're darker or different in appearance from us?
While in Galveston this past week my cell phone rang and the caller ID showed it was Kim Burke. I answered and she apologized for bothering me but she had to share that her son Jordan, 5, had been in the bathroom for a while and when she checked on him, found that he had found a suntan coloring lotion she sometimes uses, and Jordan had it all over his face, arms, tummy. "Jordan," she asked, "What are you doing?" He replied, "I'm wanna look like Pastor Eddie!"
Jordan can tell he and I are different on the outside but on the inside this little guy that I'm going to miss so much has connected with what we both share in common. Our differences have not stopped us from loving each other.
PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit and set on fire our hearts with love for everyone. I pray that even those who refuse to look at those different from us would receive a blessing that would change their thinking about racial differences. Bring love and mercy to our shared ministry. Let us truly be the people of God. Let the encounters in Your church bring salvation from attitudes and hatreds that 'kill, steal, and destroy.' We pray in the name of He who loves all, Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
A PRAYER FOR ALL ANNUAL CONFERENCES
Gracious God of all, today is a day of meetings as annual conferences begin here and in various places around the world, but we pray we make it a meeting with You and what You still offer to us and the world. We pray first for the safety of all clergy and lay members as they travel from their homes to the meeting place. Send your angels to protect each from all dangers. As all arrive may they do so with joy about being in fellowship with other believers. May your Holy Spirit help us to truly love one another especially those who already believe they don't love some because of differences both seen and unseen. We pray that your Spirit of Truth would also prevail in our understanding of Your call to all to offer Christ. May the task of making disciples be made easier with Your strength. May we indeed offer Christ to all. We pray in Jesus' precious name. Amen.
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