GIVING PEACE A CHANCE

February 21, 2025

ISAIAH 2:3-5


“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

The above Isaiah passage calls us to learn the “ways of the Lord”. The way of peace. My how we need to learn the Lord's ways today in our world. Some days as I read the news feeds, I am overwhelmed with nations who seem to believe that training for war is the best way to deal with conflict and differences. Centuries upon centuries have shown us that violence only leads to more violence. 

How we need to follow this above Bible passage in our day. Read it again, 

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, 

to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”

We acknowledge from todays scripture, and many others, that God promises to do justice and to set things right among the nations, which implies eliminating the causes of war — causes like aggression, oppression, greed, imperialism, the drive to dominate. As a result, nations will feel secure enough to turn their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. In other words, the nations will turn costly weapons designed to kill into agricultural implements that increase food production and enhance human well-being. Imagine!

I long for world like that, don’t you?

As a follower of Jesus Christ, we are called to be peacemakers, to pray for peace in our hearts, to pray for a world in which “Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.”

So, let us join together in praying for peace in our communities, towns and cities, country, and world and let us pray that God’s Kingdom will come and God’s will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. 


LET US PRAY

You alone, O God of Creation, who in the beginning brought order out of chaos, light into darkness – you alone can help us in these days of tensions, threats, crisis, conflict, war and rumors of war.

Come to the aid of nations and leaders who need your guidance. Come to the aid of those standing in harm’s way.
Come to the aid of all who need your assuring and loving presence.

Strengthen us in faith and calm the fears within us that are many. Help us to trust in you for our lives and our future.

Forgive us for our sins, especially for our failings as peacemakers. Forgive us for the divisions among us. Renew our spirits and increase our resolve to pray fervently for peace.

Protect us from any evil that surrounds us. Lift the hearts of the sorrowful. Bring healing to the sick and the wounded. Comfort the dying and the bereaved with your love.

Above all, give us assurance that as Lord of all, you are in control. Give us hope and give us peace on earth, lasting peace.

God of peace, God of love, fill our hearts and our minds with the peace and love that only you can give. We, your people, eagerly cry to you, O Lord. You are our answer. You are our hope. Come to our aid. In Jesus’ name.

Amen

A REFRESHED HEART? YES PLEASE

 

FEBRUARY 20, 2025

Psalm 139:23-24

23Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!


Psalm 147:3

3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.


Psalm 23:3

3He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake


Jeremiah 32:17

17‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.





The term ‘refresh’ assumes that a person was ‘fresh’ at some point. Refresh is a verb that means to restore something that has been lost or diminished. In this case, freshness. So, the first question we must ask is, does your spirit need to be refreshed?

I will take the risk of believing that for many, perhaps most, alright, probably all of us, we thirst for a refreshment of our spirit. So let us seek with faith and joy the refreshment that God so clearly desires for us.

Our verses above remind us of God’s “refreshing role”, “he restores our soul”, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”, He leads us “in the way everlasting”, and his ability to do this rests in who God is, the Creator for whom “nothing is too hard.”

If you are like me, you are likely in need of being refreshed. Life can be tough can't it? It's cares, stress, responsibilities, can drain us. I hear from many folk these days, that their spiritual supplies have been drained. There are many causes for this drained experience.

Grief, loss, fear and anxiety, busy lifestyle, family struggles, societal tensions, world unrest .... need I go on? While we might justify our depleted spirits, God's word reminds us that is not the way we are meant to live. 

So lets pray together today, as fellow believers for God’s promise of refreshing to fall on all of us. Let Jeremiah's words sink deep into our spirits today "Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you."


A PRAYER OF REFRESHMENT

God,

I want to step into all that You have for me with boldness and confidence. But if I’m being honest, I’m uncertain of what the future will hold—and that can feel unsettling.

Search me, God, and refresh my heart.

Right now, please help me to surrender my expectations, and transform my mind as I draw near to You.

Search me, God, and align my heart with Yours.

As I pursue the plans You have for me, let me remember what You’ve already helped me overcome. You have already made a way for me to know You. You have already made a way for me to experience eternal life with You. Nothing is too hard for You!

Search me, God, and heal my heart.

Whatever the future holds, I know You hold me. Nothing is impossible for You.

Restore me, God, and make me new.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

THE PRESSURES OFF: SURRENDER

February 19, 2025



Psalms 131:1-3

1My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. 3Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.



2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.



MATTHEW 10:39

“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”




We often resist this idea of surrender don’t’ we? Surrender in our culture means defeat, giving up, losing. However, the Bible's call to surrender to God brings victory and success.


When we cease pursuing our own self interests and the following of cultural (worldly) norms, we are promised eternal treasures that will never be taken away from us. God’s plans for us are infinitely better than anything we could plan and make happen on our own. Surrender to God's purposes is truly life changing.


Surrendering our lives completely to God releases us from the pressures imposed on us by the world. When the pressures off, and we see that our life is meant for more, than the endless pursuit of "treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal", which are all so temporary, that is how Jesus described it. Then the beautiful outcome of surrender to God is that we will experience the full meaning of Jesus words, "whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Life has meaning, purpose, and liberty.


When we let God be God, and surrender to the fullness of God's plan and promises for us in Jesus, we experience that God's "grace is sufficient for you (Us), that God's power is made perfect in weakness", and with God's sufficient grace and power we live our lives in freedom, and we "hope in the Lord both now and forevermore."

What I am reminded of in today's scriptures is that we have the opportunity every day to lay our lives down at the feet of Jesus in response to his great love and the "this is sure to be" promise of abundant life. May our lives be completely wrapped up in the goodness, grace and power of our loving Savior.

A PRAYER OF SURRENDER

God,

You give me the strength I need to overcome the obstacles I face. You take away my arrogant thoughts and You focus my eyes away from the things I cannot control. You alone have the power to turn my weaknesses into windows through which Your glory can shine through.

You hold my future, and You invite me to take part in the plans You have for Your Kingdom. So help me to lay down my uncertainties for the future and my unmet expectations from the past.

When I feel weak, help me to remember that You are strong. When I feel discouraged, remind me of the confident hope I have in You. Please calm and quiet my soul.

Today and every day, give me the confident assurance I need to lay aside anything that might hinder me, so that I can walk in a manner worthy of my calling. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.


Up for a challenge?

Re-read this prayer and then make a list of the areas in your life that you need to surrender. 

Then Picture putting those things in a box and then visualize handing that box to Jesus. Use this exercise to make space in your heart for the plans that God wants to reveal to you.

BE STRONG and COURAGEOUS

 

February 18, 2025

Joshua 1:9

9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”


Psalm 23:4

4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.



2 Corinthians 10:5

5We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,



Isaiah 55:8-9

8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.





At first glance, Joshua 1 may appear to be commands to summon the strength of a Superhuman and the courage of a lion. But digging into the original Hebrew meanings of “strong” and “courageous” reveals an important truth.

The Hebrew word for “strong” means to “fasten upon.”
Joshua had to cling to God, because the strength and endurance he needed for his life and calling could only come from the Creator.

The Hebrew word for courageous means “to be alert.”
Joshua had to be vigilant because, like we all know, distractions are everywhere and can lead us off course in our walk with God.

Here in Joshua 1, God reveals to us that to live in His promises, we need to cling to Him and be Alert for the many distractions that come our way.





A PRAYER FOR COURAGE


God,

You are my protector—in You I have all I need. But when trials come my way it’s easy to forget that You are still in control. Sometimes when I look at the world around me, I grow discouraged, and my thoughts start to spiral. I need You to make me strong and courageous.

So as I step into the plans You have for me, please give me the courage I need to trust in You. Remind me that You are with me, and that You will continue to instruct and guide me.

Show me that You are near.

Encourage me when I feel worn out, and renew my strength when I’m overwhelmed. Give me rest when I need it, and remind me of Your promises. Help me to take every thought captive as I give You my concerns.

Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts, and Your ways are better than mine. You give hope to the hopeless, and strength to the weak. You alone can renew my mind and remind me of my purpose.

Counsel me as I reflect on Your Word, and help me to apply Your truths to my life. Give me the courage I need to do what is right, and help me to pursue You above all else—always.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

TRUST ME: I KNOW THE PLANS

 

February 17, 2025

Proverbs 3:5-6

5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.




The God who created you has called you by name! And no matter your situation, God is constantly inviting you to take part in the plans He has for you.

This should be exciting, but when life gets overwhelming and problems keep mounting, it’s easy to start doubting if we can be the people God created us to be. When this happens, one of the best things we can do is intentionally slow down and seek God’s heart.

Below is a Prayer that I invite you to pray slowly as you come before God today, perhaps use this prayer all week. If a particular line stands out to you, pause and reflect on the words, and ask God what he might be wanting you to notice. 


A PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE


God,

You know my heart. You understand my deepest wants and needs, and You know my every intention. You know me better than I know myself. There is nowhere I could run to escape Your presence, and nothing I could hide from You!

You alone are worthy of my praise.

I don’t always know what to ask for when I pray. My soul is weary, and I am tired. I often worry about making the right decision—but I want to live a life that honors You.

Even though I may feel like I can’t move forward or see what’s ahead—You see me. And You know me. So please guide me. Show me the paths that lead to abundant life and draw me near when I am tempted to stray from You.

I will always place my hope in You because You know all things, and You hold my life in Your hands. You are my strength in times of need, and You are my salvation.

So hold me close, Lord, and teach me to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given me. Direct my steps as You guard my life, because I want to glorify You.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.




Spend a few minutes this week in silent reflection. Ask God to show you how He is guiding you into a new season, and what areas of your life you need to continue to trust Him with.

HOW to CONTEND FOR the FAITH

 

February 14, 2025

Jude 1:20-25

20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, 21 and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.

22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.

24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Jude is a brief letter, but it packs some powerful teaching in a few verses. Yesterday we left off with the suggestion that Jude's hope was that this community of Jesus would recognize in these "scoffers" a situation that needed to dealt with. Using the Old Testament, and leaders of the New Testament, Jude showed that the situation of discrediting the Gospel of Jesus was not really unexpected. There had been warnings about such a reality.

So, how should a situation like this be dealt with? Jude comes back to the theme of  "contending for the faith." What do the followers of Jesus do? How do Jesus people handle such unsettling situations of community life? Excommunication? Give the "scoffers" the boot for not towing the community line? Thats what we see in political parties, and other organizations in our society. 

Jude's message was that God’s grace through Jesus demands a whole-life response not just intellectual assent. Notice that the letter does not criticize or focus on the "scoffers" theology but rather on their immoral way of life. Here Jude is applying what Jesus told his disciples: “If you really love me, you’ll obey my teachings” (John 14:15). And for the followers of Jesus in every age, how we live is the most reliable indicator of what we actually believe.

Notice what Jude says is we "contend for the faith" with MERCY!!  Now thats a shocker isn't it? No shunning, no ignoring, no kicking people out of the community. MERCY.  Read the verses again "22 And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. 23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives."  

Nortice, Jude is not afraid to take strong action against behaviors that dishonor Jesus. His mercy is not soft or weak, look at what his images indicate, fire, fear, and defiled bodies. Jude’s mercy is severe. But it is mercy nonetheless, for its hope is not merely to punish, or get some measure of revenge on the "scoffers" but to save them.

When someone is spiritually disoriented, condemnation only makes them feel more hopeless. Jude 1:22 tells us to be merciful to those who doubt. Compassion is what rescues and shows direction.

When someone’s faith is wavering, the best thing we can do is show mercy and point them to Jesus. In Christ’s eyes, no person is beyond hope. The community of Jesus treats each person with respect and tries to dis­cern what kind of discipline or direction might lead them back into the fold.We all know what it’s like to doubt. The One who rescued each of us can rescue others too, yes even "scoffers."

That is grace.

SCOFFERS

 

February 13, 2025

Jude 1:14-19

14 Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones 15 to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

16 These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.

17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. 18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.



The low battery chirp on smoke alarms, while annoying at times, (mine usually start their chirp in the middle of the night), is an important feature and a constant reminder that we are placing ourselves and our families in danger if we don’t take action. Ever think that would be great if we had a similar built in alert that would go off when we meet people who will cause us harm?

Our reading today says that Christian leaders who came before Jude warned that dishonest people would cause destruction among the community of Jesus. Jude reiterates their warnings, saying, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit” (Jude 1:18-19).

Jude warns us about these people so we won’t be fooled by smooth-talking and settle for anything less than the message of the Gospel. The Gospel, is perhaps best described for us in the famous John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." God through Jesus wants a relationship with each of us, and no matter who you are or what you’ve done, Jesus came to the world for you and me. Jesus didn’t come to start another religion, or to point out our faults, or to belittle us. Jesus came to rescue us, and that’s good news!

So how will we know a “scoffer” when we meet one? Jude gives us a few signs:

1. They do not have the Holy Spirit in them.
2. They teach based on natural instincts, not the Bible.
3. Their goal is to divide people, not unite people.


Jude is saying that “scoffers” follow selfish un-Christlike desires. Peter, John, and Paul all alerted in their writings that corrupt teachers would arise and distort the good news, denying Jesus by their actions (1 John 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 3:1-9; 2 Pet. 2:1-3). The Apostle Paul, described these ungodly ones as those who are “lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2-4). What these Christian leaders were saying was just echoing  Jesus’ earlier warning of the same thing (see: Matt. 7:15-19).

Remember, this isn’t what Jude had wanted to write to this community of believers, recall that he opens the letter with these words, “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people."

You see, anytime a warning appears over and over in the Bible, we should understand such repetition as God trying to get our attention. These warnings can be compared to the chirping of a smoke alarm, serving as reminders and guidance to alert us from potential risks and to take action. With all these examples, Jude is hopeful that this church wouldn’t need any more convincing that these teachers have to be resisted and dealt with.

 

TAKE A PICTURE

 

February 12, 2025

Jesus’ half brother, Jude, wrote this letter to confront lies about the faith. The struggle to know what’s true about Jesus is as real today as it was in 65 AD. Yesterday we saw that Jude began this letter reminding us of the importance of “contending” for truth. Standing up for Jesus and the Gospel, pushing back and defended the integrity of the message that they had believed.

The reason for the letter is that Jude had become aware of a crisis that was facing this early Christian community, that of “false teachers” and teaching. This brief background helps us to understand a little better todays reading from Jude.



Jude 1:5-7

5 So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. 6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. 7 And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment.


We take and post pictures, collect souvenirs, and establish traditions to remind ourselves of special relationships and events in our lives. Nostalgic cravings aren’t new. We have a shelf full of Photo Albums at our home and from time to time we grab one, look through it a recall people and experiences, and have a few laughs at our fashion trends from years ago.

Just like thumbing through old photos, looking back at our walk with Jesus can help us see His faithfulness and provision in ways we perhaps didn’t recognize in the day-to-day.

In Jude 1:5-7, Jude recalls several examples of God faithfulness in rescuing his people and the consequences of resisting God’s purposes. Now I know today’s reading is not as easy to read and think about as say, John 3:16’s God’s amazing love for the world, however, I believe it is important to understand that in each of the examples that Jude recalls from the pages of the Old Testament story, while God’s justice is carried out, Jude looked back and recalled all God had done, he found the courage to face the future.

Throughout the Old Testament, the nation of Israel built monuments and established traditions to help them remember God’s power and faithfulness (see Joshua 4:20-24 12 Stones at Gilgal, Exodus 12 Passover). 

We, too, can keep a record of God’s work in our lives. My Mom kept a notebook by her chair of pages and pages of prayers she had brought before God, and when answers to those prayers came, she went back and put a check mark by each one. It was for her a record of God’s work and faithfulness in her life and in the lives of others.

Keeping a journal of what we are learning in our Bible Reading, memorizing meaningful verses, and sharing our story of God’s faithful watch and care, are some ways to draw strength for the future from what God’s done in the past.

I think, we get so caught up with what’s happening today, we can lose sight of how far we’ve come in our walk with God, and the many places and situations where God’s faithful love is evident. Collecting snapshots of God’s faithfulness along the way, when troubles and doubts threaten to overwhelm us, we can look back on those moments and step confidently and courageously into the future.

What’s one way you can collect evidence of God’s faithfulness each day?

ARE YOU A CONTENDER?

 

February 11, 2025

Jesus’ half brother, Jude, wrote this letter to confront lies about the faith. The struggle to know what’s true about Jesus is as real today as it was in 65 AD. Jude reminds us of the importance of “contending” for truth.

Jude 1:1-4

1 This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.

I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ.

2 May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

What gets you fired up? Maybe it’s politics, a sports team, or time with family. Wouldn’t you agree that when we love and value something or someone, we passionately defend it and them? For Jude, the thing that fired him up, the thing he passionately defended was Jesus’ reputation and message.

Jude says, when people teach things about Jesus that aren’t true, we should "contend for the faith” that was entrusted to us (Jude 1:3). To contend means to affirm, maintain, argue, even insist. The Message Bible paraphrases verse 3 this way: "I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish…”

Our salvation is a gift, and Jude encourages us to resist distortions of Gospel truth with courage and patience. The reason for this resistance and push back is so that others can hear the same message and receive the same gift of grace that Jesus offered to all. This isn’t about being right and winning a debate, no, Jude has “others” in sight.

Jude will remind us that in order to recognize falsehood and contend for truth we need time with Jesus, speaking to Him in prayer and learning about Him in the Bible. The assumption Jude makes, is that we will never passionately defend someone we don’t know. And we can never distinguish lies from truth without time in God’s Word.

Jesus’ reputation and teaching are worth defending. The Gospel’s “good news” is something worth contending and fighting for. Just think about where you were before you said yes to Jesus and how your life has changed. The transformation through Jesus that you have experienced yourself, and witnessed in others. Can anything else matter more? So, what Jude is saying to us is “Stand up, Stand up, for Jesus!”

BEING YOURSELF

 

February 10, 2025

PSALM 139:13



“For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.”

I want to start off today with something I often say when officiating a wedding. Standing in front of me are a Bride and Groom, who have said that the person standing beside them is the choice of their heart to spend their life together. They are, in the words of scripture the “two becoming one.” Beautiful isn’t it? 

Yet, I also add this to what I say:

Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction --together. Love makes burdens lighter because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone.

It is something like this that happens when we Open our hearts to God, there is a beauty, a oneness, a unity that results, but this does not mean that who you are, your uniqueness as a person somehow disappears.

You see, God will never ask you to be anyone other than who you are. He’s not asking you to be just like other believers. He’s not asking you to copy those around you that seem to be well-liked or accepted. In other words, God doesn’t spend time trying to cover up who we are. Rather, God devotes himself to uncovering who we truly are—who he made us to be.

Psalm 119:13 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” God formed you wonderfully and uniquely. He gave you a personality, gifts and abilities, and a calling all your own.

God looks past all the exteriors we create to try and fit in. He sees through all our efforts to cover up what makes us unique and different. He sees us for who we really are women and men fully loved and accepted by our Creator.

Craig Dennison writes the following:


“Discovering your identity begins with a journey with God to your heart. If you’re wondering who you truly are, you need not look past yourself, but rather, with the Holy Spirit, take an honest look at yourself. Don’t shy away from your insecurities. Don’t shy away from that which makes you different. Allow God to reveal how he sees you. Allow him to reveal to you the true desires of your heart. And allow him to lay a secure foundation for you built on his unconditional love that you might live vulnerably and honestly.”

Today, allow God to reveal how he sees you. Ask him how he has formed you and made you unique. And allow him to empower you to be yourself today.

THE PRESSURE IS OFF

 

February 7, 2025

Hebrews 11:27 

"By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible."

Psalm 56:11

" in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?"

I wonder how many of us would describe ourselves as a people pleaser? Do you find yourself considering what others might think when making your decisions?

Certainly, our culture today has made us more sensitive to how others perceive us. It seems we live under the critical eye of others, this causes many people to live their life with a measure of fear that our choices or decisions may not be acceptable to others.  That is a lot of pressure to live under.  Living in the space of trying to please others, leads to a miserable and unproductive life.

I believe that Moses’ life exemplifies the kind of freedom and authenticity that can come from focusing on God’s perspective. Dispite objections and hard situations, Moses we are told, "persevered because he saw him who is invisible". Moses’ faith in God enabled him to keep focused and accomplish what God called him to do. Notice our verse above tells us that Moses could stand with God and his people, without fear of even the most powerful earthly ruler at the time.

As the Psalmist says, “in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” May that be true of all of us God followers as well. With our focus on our Creator God and his purposes and calling for us in Jesus Christ, the pressures off!!

THE TREASURES THAT AWAIT

 

February 6, 2025



Matthew 6:24 

"24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Hebrews 11:24-26 

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward.

As we continue to look at the life of Moses and how God used a seemingly ordinary man to undertake extraordinary feats, we’re reminded today of his intentional choice to be faithful to God, despite the challenges he faced.

Moses had a choice to make. In our modern world a life filled with riches, power and pleasures at any time would be the "right" choice to make. The Biblical story tells us repeatedly that there is something of a far greater reward than temporary and momentary treasures of this world. We see that Moses was devoted to God, even though he faced incredible outside pressures from day to day. His resolve to be faithful did not put him on "easy street", no, being devoted to God had some tough costs for him, however, Moses had made his choice and pre-decided that no matter what comes his way he would always yield to God’s will and purpose. 

Faithfulness to God is not accidental. We don’t just fall into it, you must, like Moses, at some point say "I have decided" to follow God no matter the cost. Moses is characterized throughout the Bible as one who was faithful and obedient to God's direction. We are told that he "spoke to God face to face as with a friend." In our verses above about Moses, we read he, "regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward." Moses knew there was a greater reward awaiting him.

In Christianity, we can expect several future rewards, often referred to as crowns in the Bible. 

Here are a few of them:

Crown of Life: James tells us that this crown of life is for all those who love God (James 1:12)

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

Crown of Righteousness: In 2 Timothy 4:8 we are told that "there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”


Crown of Glory: “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
(1 Peter 5:4)

Crown of Rejoicing: “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thessalonians 2:19) The crown of rejoicing will be our reward where “God will wipe away every tear . . . there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).


Imperishable Crown: “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is disciplined in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) All things on this earth are subject to decay and will perish. Jesus urges us to not store our treasures on earth “where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).

Thanks be to God!!

RUN, RUN, ... YOU CAN DO IT

February 5, 2025

Hebrews 12:1-3 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

As followers of Jesus, we have each been given "the race marked out for us" to run. There are times in our lives when the race becomes exhausting, and we don’t think we have what it takes to continue, the tank is empty, and living in faithfulness, staying on course, can seem to great. We simply want to give up, or at least that is what the enemy of our souls plants in our thought life. 

But the writer of Hebrews, is writing to people who were in the struggle big time, suffering harsh consequences for  "running the race marked out for them," as followers of Jesus. The author of Hebrews draws these fearful and discouraged people's attention to the faithful witnesses who have gone before them, and who are now cheering them on. 

That is a wonderful image for us too, dont you think. We are on the track, and in the stands, cheering us on are not just some ordinary spectators, but people who have run the race before us, and they know the battle and the struggle to be faithful. From their stories and witness we are encouraged to throw off the hindrances of sin, doubt and earthly entanglements; we are told in our reading today that our success depends upon our ability to fix our eyes on Jesus. He’s at the finish line. And focusing our gaze upon Him gives us clear direction for our life course.

So, as we run, let us glance every once in a while into the stands and see our cheering section, you will recognize some faces, Moses? sure, but also of family, Moms and Dads, siblings, Grandparents, faithful fellow worshippers, earthly companions who witnessed into our lives God's faithfulness and who kept their eyes fixed on Jesus, "who fought the good fight, and finished the race." (2 Timothy 4:7)

Moses had plenty of distractions, discouragements, and deterrents along the way. But he was in continual relationship and conversation with God, taking one step, one day at a time. "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." (Hebrews 11:24-26)

What distractions keep you from focusing your eyes on Jesus and running with perseverance the race marked out for you?

Do not dispair!

"since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders".... And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, ... For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Amen!!

FROM WHO ME? ..... to HERE I AM!!

 

February 4, 2025

Exodus 3:1-11

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Moses was an Israelite who, by  God’s purpose and plan, was spared the consequences of other Jewish baby boys, raised in the Egyptian Pharoah’s household, he escaped an edict that saw all other Jewish baby boys executed in that day. Moses as an adult, perhaps you recall this, fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who he observed beating a fellow Hebrew. 

Moses is now living as an ordinary shepherd, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. There is nothing more ordinary than shepherding sheep. That is why in the Christmas story that these "ordinary" people, called shepherds were among the first to hear the Good News of Jesus birth was such a shocker. 

It was in this ordinary everydayness of Moses’ life that God appeared to him in flames of fire from within a burning bush. Notice, that God had a most extraordinary assignment for Moses: deliver the oppressed people of Israel from slavery in Egypt.

God may not be asking you to deliver an entire nation from centuries of oppression, but Moses’ story shows how God can take an ordinary person, from an ordinary existence, and accomplish His great purpose in and through them.

What might God desire to do in and through you? 

You may relate to Moses’ response to God, “Who am I?” That is, why in the world would you choose me for this task? This seems to be the human response to God's call, certainly Biblically at least. Here is what we do learn in the Bible is that God will use who He will use. And despite Moses’ fierce objections, God did just that.

I would like to invite us all to think about this question today:

Have you sensed any nudges from God to act upon something and you’ve disregarded it for the same kinds of objections Moses gave God?

I pray for all of us, that we might be encouraged by Moses’ story to respond with "Here I am God."

OF GREATER WORTH

 

February 3, 2025

Hebrews 11:24-28 

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.


Many years ago, there was a song that was popular in Christian circles called "Ordinary People". Maybe some of you remember the song. Here are the opening lyrics:

Just ordinary People

God uses ordinary people

He chooses people just like me and you

who are willing to do what He commands

God uses people that will gave him all

No matter how small your all may seem to you

Because little becomes much 

as you place it in the masters hand.

This week we will be looking together at one of the most ordinary of people that God used in extraordinary ways, Moses.

In Moses’ story, we see him both refusing and choosing, refusing a false identity and choosing instead to live into his identity as one chosen by God. When we, like Moses, learn to live into your identity as a child of God, there is no limit to what God can do through us. If you’ve ever wondered if God could use you, this week our reflections will show you a resounding “YES”.

In verse 26 of Hebrews 11, we see that Moses considered doing God's will of greater value than all the riches and wealth of Egypt. Moses embraced a God honoring value system for his life and lived by it. Sure, if you know his story, you know that his values at times, cost him much, they came into conflict with the values of the society in which he lived. Here is the thing that stands out, Moses considered that what God had in store for him to be of greater worth than all else he could embrace.

Take a few moments today and answer this question:

What godly values have you established and committed to live by in your own life?

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

January 31, 2025

Deuteronomy 4:1, 6-7

4 Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?


God is calling us to join him where he is already at work. Being co-labors with God is acknowledging that God is in constant pursuit of humankind. That God, the creator, wants a deep and loving connection with the people he has made. The Bible in many places reminds us that God is Near, and not aloof from his creation. Psalm 139, for example instructs that there is nowhere we can go that God won’t be.

In the book of Deuteronomy there is a long, long speech that Moses is making to the people of Israel, not long before his death. These are his last words; they are the things he desperately wants Israel to remember. And one of those things is summed up beautifully in verse 7: "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon Him?

In these verses, Moses is describing something the Israelites had that nobody else had, a God who was near to them, who cared about them, who took an active and ongoing part in their daily lives. Now, that wasn't the sort of thing Baal did, or Asherah, or any of the other so-called gods the Israelites had heard of! It isn't the sort of thing the Greek or Roman gods did either.

Moses reminds the Israelites of what the real God is like, someone who is holy, wise, just, and rational. Someone who actually cares for human beings, someone who doesn't have to be bribed to help, because He already loves us and wants the best for us. Moses wanted the people that he has led to remember, and by extention you and me to understand, that the Lord our God, is always near to us, and pays attention to our prayers and what is going on in our lives. 

The Old Testament people of God knew this God, because He had already come near to them to save them. He rescued them from slavery in Egypt, and split the Red Sea so they could walk to safety. He gave them His commandments on Mt. Sinai, and gave them food and water all the years they wandered in the desert. This God was near to them, and they knew His character, His personality. They knew they could trust Him.

And what about us? If God was near to the believers of Moses' day, how much more can we say that now that God has come in the flesh, "the word made flesh", incarnate in Jesus? The great, holy, all-wise God came down from heaven to become one of us, a true and authentic member of the human family. 

As one of us, He lived and served and healed and taught; and when the time came, He suffered and was nailed to a cross, all to redeem us, to save us, to bring us lost people to Himself. God came near to us and is with us forever, because Jesus is our Immanuel, "God with us."

You see, God doesn’t just meet us when we read Scripture or spend time with him in prayer or worship him in song, He is always with us. He is always available to us in our daily rhythms of life.

I pray that we will meet God today where he is already at work and may we know the comfort of his presence, and may we share something of his heart with the people around us who desperately need to know a God who passionately loves them and wants the best for them.

NOT ME SURELY!

 

January 30, 2025

2 Corinthians 4:7 

But we carry this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.



I was rereading the Moses story recently and One of the things I love most about Moses’ story is how ill-equipped he seemed to be for the task God called him to. By his own admission, he was slow in speech and tongue (Exodus 4:10-12), lacking the natural ability to speak articulately. And God was calling him to publicly speak with the Egyptian Pharoah on behalf of all Israel! 

Moses’ story is a great example of the truth of the well known saying, that "God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips those He calls." Moses begged God to send someone else, but through his weakness, God’s power was on display. We see that in Moses’ life, and I pray we see this in our lives too.

The Apostle Paul in our verse today encourages us to recognize that we carry a great treasure, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and God has specifically called us to share it, despite any misgivings we may have. Saying yes to God, saying yes to this call, means learning to step into His faithfulness along the journey. Remember, "God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips those He calls."

QUALITY and QUANTITY

 

January 29, 2025

John 2:6-10

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”They did so,


9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

John tells us that these six stone water jars held 20-30 gallons. So that means there must have been at least 150 gallons of wine! Enough for a wedding, and then some. That is abundance!

But there is more than that. This is the best of the best of the best. The steward says, “Everyone brings out the choice wines first and then when the guests have had too much he brings out the cheaper wines. But you have saved the best till now”. Here is quality and quantity!

The Bible says: “Things beyond our seeing, things beyond our imagining, things beyond our hearing … have all been prepared by God for those who love him”. The best he has kept for us.

The Apostle Paul wants us to see this generous heart of God and so he says God works in ways “above all we can imagine or ask” (Eph 3)… so he prays that we know ‘the height and length and breadth of the love of Christ”. Jesus himself speaks often about our generous God giving to us abundantly, “pressed down, shaken together, running over."

I was reading recently about a “box waller”, this was an individual that would go house to house in rural India, selling puffed rice. People would bring their containers to him so that he could fill them. But as he poured the cereal into the containers he banged the sides to make sure more cereal could fit in. As he shook and banged the sides the rice settled so yet more could go in. It was “pressed down, shaken together running over”.

That is Jesus’ picture of our generous God. I mean by any standard 150 gallons of wine is mega, mega abundance. It’s a sign of the way God acts. God is generous. God is Gracious. God is glorious. There we have the GLORY IN THE ABUNDANCE.

In the very ordinary things of life we need to know this is the way God works. God is in the business of taking ordinary things and ordinary people, and transforming them so we can know abundance.

IT'S DONE

January 28, 2025



John 2:5-10

“Do whatever he tells you.”

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.
7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”




So we are considering the question in light of Jesus turning "water into wine", how does this sign or miracle show God’s glory? Yesterday we suggested that one way to answer that question was to see Glory in the Ordinary.


Today lets reflect on perhaps the most obvious theme GLORY IN THE TRANSFORMATION. Jesus transformed water into wine. It was a “creative act". Think about it, the whole process of wine making (planting, growing, ripening, harvesting, pressing) was squeezed  into a moment. In my view that is the ultimate picture of transformation! It is not the work of a magician, but the work of our Creator God. 

But that’s just surface meaning. (Remember “Signs’ point to a deeper meaning!) John says the transformation took place within pots used for ceremonial cleaning. The Jews were always washing hands, before a meal and between each course. They washed with their hands down, then with their hands up! Their religion demanded outward rituals which were onerous and tedious, and Jesus, and later on Paul, would called them empty practices, but not meaningless, as this pointed ahead to the coming of the Messiah when "newness" would be ushered in and the cleansing work would be completed.

So Jesus gives a sign of the transformation his ministry will bring. Some things will be made obsolete, some things will be made new. After all, the stone jars can no longer be used for ritual cleaning! They are filled with wine and useless for washing. The wine was God’s amazing gift of grace, and it has nothing to do with human effort or ritual. It is sign of the kingdom and its newness. Jesus was  demonstrating his glory in this transformation reality. 

We don’t have to “DO” rituals to be Right with God. He does it all for us, it is a gift, just as this wine was a gift. All this hints at what God is going to do through Jesus. Through Jesus’ work on the cross we are accepted as righteous. Jesus has done it all for us. 

Sometimes you will hear that there are two approaches to religion: It is either “Do” or “Done”! Someone reading this will be thinking of all the things they must DO to make themselves right with God. But this miracle is a sign that shows God’s glory, of transforming religion from Do… to Done. 

So think about that the next time you take communion. As you hold the bread and the wine say to yourself “It’s Done”! Jesus has taken my sin and has given me new life as a gift,  like that wine in our Gospel today!