Harsh Words

Proverbs 15:1  A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

I guess I am something of a dinosaur. The current craze of "political correctness" grates against my nature and character. It could be an aging thing, or I might just be getting fed up with the mantra of the current narrative being shouted from many towers. We foolishly think that those elected to public office, or those who gain prominence socially would speak words of wisdom. Sadly, that is often not the case. Ignorance has replaced wisdom in modern speech.

At some magical undefined date and time there came a shift in the beliefs of the country we call the USA. I cannot pin down the precise moment, but it happened nonetheless. And we are not a better country for that change. Without any doubt, Satan is celebrating. For we have arrived at a point where we elevate sinful behavior and decry those who speak out against sin. Some might say we are living in an age of social enlightenment. Those same words have been used on many occasions to justify all manners of despicable and and sinful behavior. Sadly the measure used to define this "enlightenment" is not written down. It is merely made up is someone or a group of people's head. And surprise, surprise the measure shifts to meet the convenience of the modern desires. Today when somebody choses to stand up for biblical principals, they are shouted down and called hate mongers. The words of Jesus from Matthew 23:13 ring awfully loud  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in." Jesus used soft words on many occasions. He delivered many messages with sweet words. But, on some occasions, when soft words had failed it was time for harsh words and tough talk.  The truth in ancient times was not warmly received. Unfortunately the same holds true today regardless of the perceived level of "social enlightenment".

Our problem is not different than in the days when our Savior walked this earth. Sin is sin and to not call it sin does not lessen the abomination before God it represents. Somewhere and somehow we as believers need to find the words of love to share the message that we embrace the sinner, we just reject the sin. We love those who sin, because we too are sinners. We do not accept sinful behavior as correct behavior. We cannot preach the holier-than-thou doctrine because we are not. We who are sinful and broken rely on the grace of God for our salvation. We acknowledge our broken condition. But, those who reject that they are broken a paving a path of destruction upon themselves and the generations to follow. If something is wrong, it is wrong. It does not become right because the vocal minority choses to say it is right. How well did that work out for Sodom and Gomorra? We need to pray because this is a God-sized problem that is Satan inspired & manmade. You and I by ourselves cannot solve this problem!

PRAYER: Father in heaven, give us Your words. We need Your words to change what needs to be changed. Inspire us with Your words to reach out in love to embrace the sinner, because Your Son embraced all mankind on the cross. Give us the words to share the message of forgiveness gained on the cross. We desperately need You Lord. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

The Joy And Peace Of Family

1 Chronicles 16:25-28 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,

The gathering of the clan is underway in Georgia. My family is assembling for our periodic, and unfortunately all too infrequent face-to-face sharing of time and lives. The back drop for this reunion is my wife Pam and I was the sermon at Grace Lutheran last Sunday. It was about family reunions and the difficulties that ensue. For many of you reading this, that too may be an element of your reunions past and present.

For my family, this reunion is markedly different. You see, each of us has changed since the times of the past. Gone are the anxieties of the past. Life and the challenges placed before us have forever forged a new person than the youth, or younger person we all were. We all have children in various stages of life. Some with the  innocence and glow of youth. Some who have children (and even grandchildren) embarking on the earliest stages of adulthood. Still others have adults where children once stood and grandchildren from those same kids. Time has changed everyone. Dad is older and feeling the toll of aging we all encounter. Mom is absent here, but still in our hearts and with Jesus. In her place is a very nice stepmom who is a great friend to all of us and the love of Dad's life.  Our lives are much different than in our past.

One of the most marked changes in all our lives is the role the Lord is playing. He has worked within each of us to forge a profound change. Each has found a relationship with the Lord. That has not been the case for all of us. Each in his or her own way has been through profound struggles. Each has at one time, or more than one time, reached the end of ourselves and all we could handle. Each, in our own way and time has found joy, strength and comfort in the Lord and his dwelling place. Our conversations at this reunion certainly are filled with memories of people, times and places from our common past. But for the first time, there is a common thread now that has not always been there. The role the Lord is playing in our lives is much different than in the past. That change is deep within the threads of our conversation. And frankly dear friends of the Risen Savior, that has made all the difference. I am truly blessed. My prayer for you this day is that you too will find that same difference at your next family reunion.

PRAYER: Father in heaven you give us family in our lives. And while we may not always accept that as a blessing, You have truly given us a visible link to our past and the lives we lived in that past. You have reached out to each family member in Your own way and in their own way our family members have embraced, or stepped away from that outstretched hand. For those who are firmly in Your embrace we give thanks. And for those who still have not grasped the love that You hold in Your hands, waiting for them to accept we ask for Your patience and perseverance. Help us Dear Lord to find the words and the love to share Your love in the way You would have us share. Let us put aside our past differences and embrace our families with that same love which You embrace all of Your with. We ask this in the name of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.

Let The Morning Bring Me Word

Psalm 143:8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Yesterday was a cloudy and rainy day in paradise. Having a day off from all the business of activities while on vacation turned out to be a good thing. It was a good day for a bit of introspection & navel gazing type thinking. Ye ole hamster on the wheel in my brain had a real work out!

I have a morning routine of sorts. One element involves checking my e-mail. Delivered to my in-box each day is a daily scripture from KLOVE, Zondervan NIV, along with a more lengthy old and new testament bible study. I do not have to open a bible to lookup verses, these just arrive. The morning brings me word of His unfailing love. Many mornings they are words of encouragement or a good strong reminder of the why and what I believe. Today was no different. The KLOVE Psalm 143:8 scripture came from the New Living Translation (NLT). I shared the New International Version 1984 (NIV 84) translation with you in the opening verse to this devotional. The Bible in the NIV 84 and English Standard Version (ESV) are the preferred translations for me. In these translations I find comfort and understanding of what God would have me learn of His love for me and all mankind. In these translations my path is illuminated more clearly than in other translations. I liken this to the story of Pentecost from Acts Chapter 2. The same message delivered in different languages to be heard by those listening with different backgrounds or origins. It is truly wonderful how easily the Word of God is so freely available in our world today. The only barrier for a person to overcome is the desire to hear or read His Word. While it brings comfort to some, it can surely bring distress to others. His Word shows us the path He would have us walk. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. This path may not be the path we are walking, and it may convict us of our sinful nature. His Word will certainly lead you to find Jesus and the unfailing love the Father has for all of us.

Do you have a daily bible reading plan? Below are a few of links to find a source of daily reading and inspiration.

www.BibleStudyTools.com

www.KLOVE.com

www.thenivbible.com

PRAYER: Father, thank You for Your Word that both convicts us and comforts us. Help us to daily find Your Word and the message You would have us learn in Your Word. Amen

Grace And A Pelican

2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

My mornings sitting in my chair beachside offer me the opportunity to see nature at work. The waves most mornings gently roll into the shore. Manta rays jump from the water and slap the surface upon reentry. The charter boats head up the coast in search of a catch to please their clients. And then there are the pelicans. Pelicans are not the most graceful of birds. Large bodies and big wings do not make for aerial acrobatics. It takes a lot of effort to lift that body into the air. Keeping it in the air also requires considerable effort. The pelicans along the coast of Cabo San Lucas, and other coastal areas, have learned how to glide along the waves. Just in front of a gently rolling wave is an air current that generates lift. As long as the can stay just in front of the wave, the pelicans have the lift they need to fly as far as the wave will take them without having to flap their wings to generate lift for flight. Watching the pelicans reminded me of how people approach grace and salvation.

The concept of grace can be difficult for some to grasp or accept. Many will think grace is too easy. Their perspective is it cannot be that easy to be saved. They will try to earn their salvation. They worry about how much they need to do to earn what they seek. In doing so they miss out in the joy of just believing we have a loving God who sent His only Son to die for us so that all may be saved. Ephesians 2:4&5 remind us that But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. This grace is not earned. This grace is certainly not something we can earn because by our nature, we are sinful. Try as we might, we stumble more than once each and every day. And so when we finally come to grips with the reality of our situation, we can fully appreciate how important grace is. Thinking back to the pelican, the bird would have to be continuously flapping it's wings to maintain flight, Unfortunately, with a body like the pelican, they cannot fly very far before becoming exhausted. The pelicans have learned to glide with the wave fronts. We too need to put aside our foolish effort to earn the grace that is already freely given. We need to embrace the grace. And in doing so, we find the peace from God of knowing we are loved and we are saved. When you think you need to go back and earn grace, remember the lesson of the pelican and glide along the wavefronts. And may the grace and peace of God be you all of your days.

PRAYER: Almighty God, Your gift of grace gives us the lift we need. Help us to remember that gift is given with love and accepted by faith. Give us the words to share that good news with those who do not know or reject that gift. Let our words be soothing, comforting and filled with Your love. This we ask in the name of Your loving Son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Saved By Grace

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Recently, while visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mexico I was asked about my home church Grace Lutheran in Pocatello The questions asked were the normal why there, what is it like, what brought you there? It was an opportunity to share I deeply appreciated.

The early church, the "Acts 2" church is a model that most churches seek to emulate. A few get it right. And some get it VERY right. Some will focus solely on clergy led study of the word. In this church model, ordained ministers lead all studies offered or sponsored by the church. It is a model that appeals to some worshippers. Others will sponsor bible studies that augment the weekly Sunday worship service. The studies are not all led by an ordained minister. The majority are led by a lay person. By that I mean someone who is not a minister, preacher, etc. my wife Pam and I belong to what is called a small group. It's a small group of 15. We meet on Thursday evenings, study the word, break bread, pray, share some wine, and we share our lives. We are a group of people who have lived through the trials and tribulations of life. Illness, loss of family members ear and far, death of spouses, death of members, children problems of all kinds have help forge a relationship we each hold precious and dear. We have added new members as others have moved away, or passed away. The Lord in His grace and love has put this group together and we are blessed. We share life, love, laughter and most of all, we share a love of, and for Christ. Jesus is the center of our group. My prayer for you on this day, a day the Lord has made is that you would find such a group in your life.

PRAYER: Father, on this day, please reach out to those who are hurting, lost without You in their lives. Guide each of us to share Your love and Your Word. Help us, with Your Holy Spirit to be Your hands and feet. This we ask in Jesus' name, Amen. 

Saved By Grace

Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Recently, while visiting Cabo San Lucas, Mexico I was asked about my home church Grace Lutheran in Pocatello The questions asked were the normal why there, what is it like, what brought you there? It was an opportunity to share I deeply appreciated.

The early church, the "Acts 2" church is a model that most churches seek to emulate. A few get it right. And some get it VERY right. Some will focus solely on clergy led study of the word. In this church model, ordained ministers lead all studies offered or sponsored by the church. It is a model that appeals to some worshippers. Others will sponsor bible studies that augment the weekly Sunday worship service. The studies are not all led by an ordained minister. The majority are led by a lay person. By that I mean someone who is not a minister, preacher, etc. my wife Pam and I belong to what is called a small group. It's a small group of 15. We meet on Thursday evenings, study the word, break bread, pray, share some wine, and we share our lives. We are a group of people who have lived through the trials and tribulations of life. Illness, loss of family members ear and far, death of spouses, death of members, children problems of all kinds have help forge a relationship we each hold precious and dear. We have added new members as others have moved away, or passed away. The Lord in His grace and love has put this group together and we are blessed. We share life, love, laughter and most of all, we share a love of, and for Christ. Jesus is the center of our group. My prayer for you on this day, a day the Lord has made is that you would find such a group in your life.

PRAYER: Father, on this day, please reach out to those who are hurting, lost without You in their lives. Guide each of us to share Your love and Your Word. Help us, with Your Holy Spirit to be Your hands and feet. This we ask in Jesus' name, Amen. 

Why do you look for the living among the dead?

Luke 24:1-6 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: “

We have arrived at the E day of the C&E Lutheran church-goer season. C&E stand for Christmas and Easter. Some folks chose to attend worship services on Christmas & Easter only. I guess their thought process is getting their spiritual tank refilled twice a year, and on really big days, is enough. My heart goes out to those who chose this type of faith. You miss so much the rest of the year. Certainly you miss all those good Lutheran potlucks!

The tomb is empty! He is risen indeed Alleluia, Amen! These are the words we long to hear each Easter morning. This Disciples rejoiced when they heard he had risen. Although slow to accept that possibility, it  brought joy to their hearts. Personally, I struggle during Lent with the concept of annually walking through the Ash Wednesday through Good Friday activities. The reason I struggle is I know what happened. I accept the Gospels as truth. Being reminded of the trials and tribulations of Jesus and His Disciples is good. But I just hold so dearly to the love shown on that cross, and knowing the tomb will be empty on Easter morning. I know am imperfect by the best of my own efforts. I routinely fail. A sinner is what I am. But I am made perfect in Christ. (Colossians 1:28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.) My sins are no longer red. Rather they are washed white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”) I am saved by grace by grace through faith. My only hope rests on the words of Ephesians 2:6-9 (And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.)  

Others may chose to not accept the promise of life and salvation. They may go through life desperately trying to earn grace. Sadly this will be in vain. And others who accept grace still feel a need to do something to help earn grace. It is as if the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was not enough. Faith can be a struggle for many. Almost as if they are constantly working a deal with God. “God if you show me your love by doing ________, I will continue to believe in you.” My heart also goes out for this group. Theirs is a long and difficult faith walk. 

Today we listen with anticipation to the words of the angels from Luke 24. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:” Our hopes and our prayers rest not just the Jesus who died on the cross for our sins. Our hopes rest with the whole Jesus. This Jesus who died on the cross and was raised from the dead. That Jesus was seen in a resurrected state by thousands, not just His disciples. That is my hope. And that is the lesson to be shared. We do not look at just the cross. We look with great hope and the promise held by the empty tomb. Share that message today and everyday with those you encounter in your life. It is a life giving message.

PRAYER: Almighty God, You who raised Jesus from the grave are our sole hope. We place our trust in You Lord. No other way to grace will work as a substitute. The gift of grace given is one we seek to hold on to in our hearts and minds. Help us to stay convicted of that promise. Give us the words to share with those who do not hold firm to that promise. We as this in the name of our Risen Savior, Your Son Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

He Claimed To Be The Son Of God

In walking through the Season of Lent this year, I sought to align the sequence of events in the Gospels with how they are presented in a time line. At different times in our Christian walk, some parts of scripture stand out more than others. This year, for me the verses shown below are in sharp focus. In a earlier devotional I spoke of how the truth can be inconvenient at times and hard to accept. For the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the High Priests, Jesus was an inconvenient truth. Jesus spoke a truth that was not in synch with the truth as espoused by the Jewish rulers of His day. The truth Jesus spoke threatened the livelihood and the very existence of the Jewish rulers. At some point, the rulers knew they would lose their status and place in leadership. So extreme measures were viewed as appropriate. 

John 11:45-53 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

When Jesus was betrayed by Judas, He was brought before Annas for what we would call today a preliminary hearing. The results were predictable. The wheels of justice, as determined by the Jewish leaders were set in motion. 

John 18:19-24 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”  When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded. “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”  Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.

After the preliminary hearing, Jesus was taken to Caiaphas the high priest. The foregone conclusion that he was guilty and should die was to play out for all to see. Jesus did not back down. He remained firm is His convictions, and this played into the hands of those who sought to end the threat he posed to them.

Matthew 26:63-66 But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.

Things were complicated for the Jewish leaders. They could not themselves kill Jesus. To accomplish the desired end required they enlist the support of the Roman Governor of the region, Pontius Pilate. Pilate was between a rock and a hard place. He was charged with keeping the peace. The Jewish leaders were stirring up the citizenry. If Pilate could not keep the peace, he would be replaced and recalled to Rome where he would be killed for his failures. Try as Pilate might, he was being forced into taking an action he did not want to take.

John 19:7-11 The Jews insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.” When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”

John 18:37-40 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.

Matthew 27:22-24 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

John 19:14-16 It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 

And so the crucifixion of Jesus took place. He suffered the humiliation of the cross. It was a horrible, painful death from asphyxiation. But, Jesus submitted to the will of His Father and …

Luke 23:44-46 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

On this day after Good Friday, we look back on the events that transpired in that seemingly distant past. Our Good Friday worship services served as a reminder bringing the past into the present even if for just a short period of time. We grieve, mourn, meditate on our own sinfulness and remember that our sins also drove the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet. Our hands were also on the hammer that pounded each nail home securing Him to that cross. He bore our sins willingly because God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit love you and I that much. We are blessed beyond measure with that love and need to remember that. We look with anticipation towards the dawn of Sunday when Christ, the Risen Savior returned.

PRAYER: Our Father In Heaven, thank you.

The New Covenant In My Blood

Luke 22:19-20 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you."

I have discovered something about writing that most professional writers know and I did not. There is a thing called writers block. You hit a point where righting is no longer fun or productive. When you try to "power through" the block, it is miserable and so are the words you put down on paper ( or on the screen). There are times when you need to stop forcing the writing, take a break and regroup. Some folks hit that point quicker or more frequently than others. We are all unique. And when you have given the block time to pass, writing is once again a joy. You remember why you started writing in the first place. I suspect the same holds true in most creative endeavors.

The Season of Lent can serve as a reminder of the full weight of our sin and the price paid for that sin. We celebrate Lent to help us remember the gravity of our lives and how we chose to live our life. Without the reminder of Lent, my thought is we would become very complacent in our lifestyle and possibly our faith. We can easily take for granted the grace we fully rely on for our salvation. From Ash Wednesday through Good Friday the scriptures we read in church services and the messages we hear preached are focused on helping to remember the sacrifice on the cross. Jesus, Son of God, full member of the Holy Trinity died a very painful death for our sake. He did not seek glory, He did seek to serve and did so with the full measure of His life. Without Lent, we may forget “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you." Lent is also a time of renew of the spirit.

But Lent comes around once a year so we frail humans need a more constant reminder. And that is why we remember Christ in Holy Communion. The words of Jesus “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me," and "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you" become very tangible. The bread and the wine in with and under the words of Christ point us towards Christ. He is there in that bread and wine. We know this to be so, because he has told us it is so. The reminder of the sacrifice, and the new covenant that came with that sacrifice are brought forth for us to hold onto. When we forget how much it cost, or how much we are loved, the not-so-subtle reminders are right in front of us at the communion rail. If your regular worship service is missing the element of communion you are really missing something. The blood of Christ was poured out on the cross and in communion, we remember that act of sacrifice, love, and the gift of salvation we received. Friends of the Risen Savior, I pray that you will take the time to cherish the experience of communion during this season of Lent. Remember, Christ is really there for you.

PRAYER: Father, we thank You for the gift of Holy Communion. To opportunity to remember in a tangible way Your Son, His sacrifice, and our salvation all rolled up into one is a blessing. Help to experience this often and through Your Holy Spirit to fully grasp the length, width, and breadth of Your love. We ask this in the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Fall Into Temptation

Luke 22:39&40 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 

I have been enjoying the social media app Pinterest. This app allows me to browse pictures and dig into similar pictures posted by others who also enjoy Pinterest. It is an activity called Pinteresting. It is a diverting activity. And once  I figured out what it was diverting me from I realized it was not a good diversion. Like all things, Pinteresting only good in moderation.

We are surrounded by temptations. Not all temptations are bad. Some temptations are good. But all too many are not beneficial to our well being. Some among us fall victim to temptation to the point of addiction. Many become lost in addiction to the detriment of their lives, and the lives of family and friends. Addiction can be all consuming. I have family members and former family members who have and still struggle with addiction. It is a struggle that does not ever end. It is something that occupies many of my times in prayer. I pray for healing from the addiction I pray for peace in their lives. I pray for patience in their process of healing. And I pray for strength to overcome their addiction. There, but for the grace of God go I. I am blessed to not have the problems of others in my family and circle of friends. And I do not forget that blessing. The words from Jesus, from Luke Chapter 11, to His disciples regarding how to pray come to mind when I ponder temptation. Luke 11: 1-4 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

In or out of temptation, we need to pray. Pray for those lost to temptation and addiction. And pray a prayer of thanksgiving if you are not lost in temptation and addiction. We reach out in love and prayer because that is exactly how Christ would have us share His love.

PRAYER: Lord, our world is filled with temptations that are not good for us. Many of these temptations seek to turn us away from You and Your love. They would seek to fill a perceived hole we sense where no real hole exists. You provide all that we need and we forget that all to often. Help us to focus on You when we have temptation reaching out to us. Keep Your loving arms wrapped around us when we yearn for the emptiness of the temptations of the world.This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Truth Is Found In His Words

Mark 14:16-18 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”

An inconvenient truth can be a hard truth to accept. I had a favorite pocket knife. Emphasis on had. It is now been declared lost. I have no idea where it was lost. But, there is no denying the truth. It is lost and not to be found. I have held out faint hope it will surface somewhere in my travels. But alas, it is gone and I must order a replacement. 😼

Are you one who was raised reading the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible? The wording is old English and can be difficult to fully grasp. One word stands out to me, and it is frequently used in the KJV. Verily is used when talking about or speaking the truth. Verse 18 of Mark 14 reads And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. Today we might say, Really, one of you who is sitting here eating with me will betray me. No kidding. Regardless of who these words are spoken, the impact is devastating. For the disciples, they quickly discounted the act of betraying Jesus as improbable. Or perhaps their thoughts ran along the line He was speaking in vague spiritual terms, allegorically if you will. Through all the tribulations they had stood together. And for Jesus to speak of betrayal was unfathomable to them. Yet He spoke the truth. In Latin, Vox Veritas. But it is more than just the truth of the moment. Vox Veritas Vita (speak the truth as a way of life) would best describe Jesus. He did not pull any punches. He spoke the unvarnished and often unwanted truth. He knew of no other way to live His life. In His truth we find love, grace, redemption and salvation. To many of His time, and our time, His words are harsh, unkind, direct and condemning. And that does not sit well for many who chose to follow their own truth. You see the world has never wanted to accepted the truth as God spells it out. The truth of the world is so much more pleasant and convenient. You can have enemies you can hate and not have to worry about showing love to. You can live as you want and not as God tells you to live. Do as you please with of thoughts to ramifications is a motto taken up by many. It is a motto that has a very dead end. Dead for all eternity as a matter of fact. For if you believe in Jesus you are compelled to live as He tells you to live. You lay down your life so that you will gain you true life. Matthew 10:37&38 has stern words for those who seek to follow their own path. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  The truth, like it or not is found in the words of Jesus. Where you see the world try to direct you along another path, take fair warning. The words of the world are filled with deception, and ruin. Seek the words of truth dear friends and cling to those words with all of your being.

PRAYER: Lord we live in a world that is broken by sin and deception. The truth, Your truth stands out in sharp contrast to the lies of our world. Half truths we hear spoken are pleasing to the ear. But they lack the fullness of Your truth. Help us to discern Your truth and to cling to that truth when our world shouts out to do otherwise. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we might stay on Your path. This we ask in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

Do For Us Whatever We Ask

Mark 10: 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

We are several days past the first day of Spring. Our long walk in the west through the cold and snowy terrain of Winter is hopefully over. Warmer temperatures are prevailing at long last. Our prayers have been answered.

I have been giving a lot of thought to my prayer life. Is my prayer life as abundant as it could be? In a word, no. Am I asking God to submit to my will?  In a word, yes. My prayer life is a spiritual growth area. I guess you could call it a work in progress. And so, what about your own prayer life? Is it ripe for growth and improvement? All to often our prayers turn into something resembling our ideas of how God needs to conform to our will. All to often we rattle off a list of needs, desires or ideas on how things should be. We are just sure God has overlooked somethings in our lives that would make things so much better. We know that God is busy with so much, and he just needs to have things called to His attention. Does this sound familiar? Is it convicting?

In the season of Lent we often look closely at the Passion Week scriptures. In the Garden of Gethsemane our Savior is fervently praying to His Father. Mark 14: 35-36 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” In this moment and in that prayer we find insight into a proper perspective in praying. Jesus acknowledges His relationship, a very close relationship to His Father (Abba). He asks, hoping the trial that stands in front of Him could go away. And He also declares that His will, the will of Jesus, is not above the will of His Father.

We may not know or understand the will of God. All too often we are short sighted in our needs while God is taking the long view. Short term or long term makes no difference. To the 

Christian, God's will has to reign supreme in our lives. Praying with this in mind serves as a reminder to us and a way of showing humility before God. He is God and in charge, we are not. Let's keep that in mind before we go feel mHim how to run things in our prayer.

PRAYER: Abba, Father, Your will must stand supreme in our lives. All to often we place You second, third, or even last. We are focused on ourselves when we should be listening and abiding by Your will for us. Forgive our weakness and help us to better than we are. Help us to become as You would have us. Let Your will and not ours be done. This we ask in the name of Your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Who with the Father and Spirit are one God now and forever, Amen.

There your heart will be

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

I was walking through a local department store right after New Years day and observed the Christmas displays and wares were being quickly replaced by the Valentines Day materials. I guess we are being told to put Christmas behind us and move on to the next big marketing thing. I have one word for that, sad.

Where is your heart? My question is not anatomical in nature. Rather, it is spiritual in nature and direction. Really, where is your heart currently focused. Is your heart in your job? Is your heart in your exercise and diet program we all resolved to take on again this year? Is it focused on matters of the family? Or is focused on Jesus? Christmas should be fresh in our minds. The birth of our Savior celebrated just a few short days ago should still be lingering in our thoughts. For some the memory trigger may be the credit card bills, spawned by our gift giving efforts, arriving in the mail and e-mail. We tried to share the love of Christ with others in our gift giving effort. Sadly, just as we find in Matthew 6:19-21 these gifts are fragile and fleeting. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." Giving the gift of Christ to family and friends is something that cannot be stolen, rust away or be destroyed by moths. When we reach out with ourselves and share time, a meal, the word of God and simple kindness that is giving the gift of Christ. If you look back in scriptures you do not find instances where Jesus gave gifts that were materialistic in nature. He gave the word of His Father. He shared with all the message of grace, redemption, salvation, and forgiveness. He put a face on the love of God. When we step back and really look at what Jesus was all about we see something drastically different than the marketing aim of merchants at Christmas. We see love in a simple and pure form. Friends of the risen savior we should stop and reconsider where our heart is. Take some time, prayerfully consider where your heart is and put your treasure there. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

PRAYER: Father we reach out to You in prayer seeking Your will. Guide us in how we share Your love with those we treasure in our lives. Help us to find Your way. Let Your Holy Spirit fill our hearts with the faith and love You hold for all mankind. We ask this in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.