GIDEON, HE'S OUR GUY

 September 15, 2023

Judges 6:11-16

Then the angel of the LORD came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash of the clan of Abiezer. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the LORD is with you!” “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The LORD brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the LORD has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.” Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” The LORD said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”

 

Judges 7:1-9 

So Jerub-baal (that is, Gideon) and his army got up early and went as far as the spring of Harod. The armies of Midian were camped north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. But the LORD told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the LORD told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. The LORD told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon. That night the LORD said, “Get up! Go down into the Midianite camp, for I have given you victory over them!

Judges 7:16-22 NLT

He divided the 300 men into three groups and gave each man a ram’s horn and a clay jar with a torch in it. Then he said to them, “Keep your eyes on me. When I come to the edge of the camp, do just as I do. As soon as I and those with me blow the rams’ horns, blow your horns, too, all around the entire camp, and shout, ‘For the LORD and for Gideon!’” It was just after midnight, after the changing of the guard, when Gideon and the 100 men with him reached the edge of the Midianite camp. Suddenly, they blew the rams’ horns and broke their clay jars. Then all three groups blew their horns and broke their jars. They held the blazing torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, and they all shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Each man stood at his position around the camp and watched as all the Midianites rushed around in a panic, shouting as they ran to escape. When the 300 Israelites blew their rams’ horns, the LORD caused the warriors in the camp to fight against each other with their swords. Those who were not killed fled to places as far away as Beth-shittah near Zererah and to the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

 

Sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned.

Today we read of a guy named Gideon. Not only was Gideon from the weakest clan in the tribe of Manasseh but also he was the weakest person in his family. He was definitely an unlikely person for God to choose. Later, God leads Gideon into battle against the Midianites, an enemy tribe, with 38,000 men. Then, God tells Gideon he has too many warriors, and if they defeat the Midianites, it’ll look like they did it by themselves. So, Gideon sends 20,000 men home. God said that’s still too many, so eventually, Gideon is left with only 300 men. The Lord gives Gideon and Israel victory over the Midianites with only the 300 soldiers, which certainly wasn’t what Gideon had originally planned.

When we think about the future and what God has in store for us, it’s important to remember that things won’t always go as we plan them.  There will be twists and turns, ups and downs, maybe even a few U-turns.

I was reading recently an article that said there are three, unwritten rules of plans we should follow:

1.) Plan to start over. Life is a series of starting over again. Learn to start over. When plans change, roll with it. You never know what God might be up to. Embrace the current season you’re in.

2.) Plan to say no. Sometimes, we have to say “no” to good things in order to say “yes” to the best things. We can’t do everything. Pray for wisdom to know where God would have you invest your time to serve and glorify his name.

3.) Plan to be creative. God’s plans can sometimes take us down paths we don’t expect. For Gideon, this involved using what he had, clay jars with torches instead of normal battle-ready weapons. Use the gifts God has given you today. Don’t worry about what other people have. Recognize that what God has given you with His help goes further than you can imagine.

THE NEXT STEP IS ENOUGH

 

September 14, 2023

 

Genesis 12:1-4

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

 

Genesis 17:1-9

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.” Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.

 

Psalms 119:105 

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

 

 

When I was young I was told that God “has a plan for your life”? You too? I am not that little child any more, I have learned something about God’s purposes and plans. Here is the key thing I have learned: God’s plan isn’t as complicated as we often think.

Today we read from the Old Testament, a snippet of the story of Abram. Genesis 12:1 says God told Abram to leave his native land and go to a place that He would show him. Leaving your home and native land, for a place you haven’t even heard of yet? That sounds frightening and intimidating! I don’t know how that message sits with you if you were asked to do the Abram thing. For me, I know it would take me more than a couple verses to do what Abram did in response. In Genesis 12:4, it says that “… Abram departed as the Lord had instructed …”

What strikes me is that God never gave Abram the complete picture or blueprint, or a little map. Instead, God's instructions to Abram were focused on the very next thing He wanted him to do.

If you have read the Abram story, you likely know that because of his obedience, God later changed his name from Abram to Abraham, which means “father of many.” And Abraham went on to become the father of many nations! Abraham appears in Hebrews 11 in the often called Bible’s Faith Hall of Fame. “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8)

Abram is a great example of someone who lived by faith, even when he could only see a part of God’s plan for his life. Abram certainly wasn’t perfect, but his life was full of moments of obeying God, even when, to most of us, it did not make sense.

You see, when it comes to God’s purpose and plan for our lives, that’s often how God works, speaking to us through His Word (the Bible) and providing us guidance for the next few steps in front of us. It has taken me a long time to discover that this is all God’s plan really is. It is a series of next steps we take in obedience to God.

Psalm 119:105 says that God’s Word is a lamp to guide our feet and a light to our path. This verse wasn’t talking about the type of lamp you have in your bedroom that lights up the whole room. Rather, this verse was referring to what would essentially be a small candle. It wouldn’t provide a lot of light, only enough to see what was straight in front of you.

Like Abram, God isn’t going to give us the full blueprint for our lives. If He did, we wouldn’t need to live by faith and trust in Him! God wants one step at a time of obedient following.

The way I have it figured is that things turned out alright for Father Abram/Abraham and it will for us as well.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR US TOO

 

September 13, 2023

 

Joshua 1:1-9 

After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Hebrews 13:5-9 NLT

For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The LORD is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

 

Do not let fear stop you.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, I know you have been there. In those seasons, would you agree, that we often feel like we don't know what we are doing? 

Well, in todays reading, Joshua was in the same situation. Put yourself in Joshua's position.  Moses the only real leader the Israelites had ever had. He was what we might call the GOAT, (Greatest of All Time) and Joshua had been Moses’ assistant. Then, Moses dies, and the entire burden of leading the Israelites was on Joshua. Now put yourself there, your Joshua, what are you experiencing? There would be some heavy duty pressure on your shoulders, those are some big sandals to fill. I suspect we would all feel a considerable amount of FEAR.

 So, as God is giving Joshua instructions, in makes total sense that God says three different times: 

Be strong and courageous.

God knew Joshua had a huge task in front of him. He knew Joshua was probably scared out his mind. But God also knew that He had a plan and that He was going to go with Joshua. God was saying Joshua your my man. That is why Joshua could be strong and courageous, he knew he had God on his side.

Here is the comforting good news in this story: God will go with you, too. As God was with Joshua, God will be with us. Today, Our Creator says :"be strong and courageous", "Be strong and very courageous," Be strong and courageous, Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” 

You may be dealing with an unexpected setback, as you follow God's path and call, or maybe your afraid about the future, or maybe you do not feel like you know what to do. God is with you. We might not get the full blueprint of where God is leading us, yet we can trust God with our future, knowing His plans are always, always, better than our own.

Finally, we must remember and know that God cares about us and loves us more than you can comprehend. No matter what life throws at you, God will never leave you nor forsake you. Life changes, but God never changes, and neither does His love for us. Our second Reading above ends with the truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So remember this: God’s plan may not always be clear, but it’s always better than you can ask for or imagine. And when you truly know and believe that, you are ready for anything, because when God is at work anything can happen!! 

 I want to pray the words of the Apostle Paul over you today from  Ephesians 3:12-21.

_______

 

I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. 

Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND

 SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

Jeremiah 29:1-14

This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.

It said: This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 

Yes, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the LORD. 

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

 

What happens when we don’t see God’s plan? 

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah was a prophet delivering a message from God to His people who had been exiled to Babylon. This certainly isn’t where they wanted to be. It wasn’t the plan. Instead of God rescuing them right away, He tells them to “build homes, and plan to stay” (Jeremiah 29:5 NLT) and to “work for the peace … of the city where I sent you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NLT)

A few verses later, God says, … “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.” Jeremiah 29:10 NLT

Seventy years! Let’s admit it most of us aren’t patient enough to wait for something for 70 seconds, let alone 70 years.

All of that is the context of the very next verse that you’ve likely heard before: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

Here are three things about God’s plan we should always keep in mind:

1.) Good plans can take time. God told the Israelites they would be in captivity for 70 years. A lot of the people hearing that message would never see the other side of that promise. Sometimes, it might feel like it’s taking forever for God to reveal His plan to you. Do you remember yesterday’s emphasis? God’s plan for your life is more about who you are than what you do. That truth comes into play here, we keep trusting our faithful God, and walking in his way with expectation.

2.) Waiting seasons aren’t wasted seasons. Notice that God didn’t tell the Israelites to just wait and do nothing for seventy years. He told them to work for the peace and prosperity of the city He sent them to. Wherever you are right now, God will use you to glorify his name. Don’t miss out on making an impact in the now, the present, by waiting for a situation God hasn’t put you in yet.

3.) God’s plans are good. Whatever season you find yourself in right now, the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 holds true: God does have good plans for you, plans for a future and a hope. It may not seem like everything is working out right now the way you would like, but if you continue to trust God with your future, you’ll see good on the other side of it.

Let Us Pray

God, we want your plan for our lives. We may not understand everything, but we know your path is the best way for us. God, we trust in you completely. Please reveal your path for us, in your perfect timing. Help us to bring glory to you, in the meantime. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

A GOOD PLACE TO START

 

September 11, 2023

Matthew 6:33-34 NLT

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today

 

Matthew 22:34-40 NLT

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

 

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

 

James 1:5 NLT

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

 

 

God’s plan for your life is more about who you are than what you do.

What should I do? You have probably asked that question a lot, especially if you have a major life decision to face.

A religious leader asked Jesus in the Bible: “Which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” (Matthew 22:36) In other words: what should I do?

In the next verse, we see Jesus’ reply: “’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)

You see, I believe from experience, my own and that of others, when we try to figure out what God’s plan is for our lives, Jesus actually gave us the starting place. Jesus said we can start understanding life and purpose by doing two things:

1.) Love God.

2.) Love other people.

We may not always know God’s will, fully and clearly, but we can always continue to walk in God’s ways. What does that mean? It means that even if we don’t know what’s next for our lives, we can continue to obey what God has called us to right now. That means following Jesus’ way, living a life of truthfulness and honor, and loving every person God puts in our lives.

And here’s the best part: When we follow Christ, He gives us wisdom through His Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13) He renews our thoughts (Romans 12:2) and helps us focus on the right things. When we surround ourselves with wise people (Proverbs 13:20), they’ll help us make the right decisions, too. And one of the best ways we can find wisdom is through prayer. In fact, James 1:5 says that if we ask God for wisdom, He will give it to us!

Let us follow Jesus' teaching and start with Loving God and Others and watch where God's spirit leads us.

THE TABLE OF KINDNESS

 

September 8, 2023

2 Samuel 9:13

 

“So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.” 

 

The Old Testament book of 2 Samuel details the life of David. After David, as God’s own choice, assumed the throne as Israel’s King, he asked if there were any other relatives of Saul still living, Saul, the previous king who, in jealousy, had tried to murder him. In those days it was common for a new king to kill the rest of the royal family, so there were no other challengers to the throne. David reasons for seeking out Saul’s relatives was not to eliminate them, rather he wanted to show Saul’s family kindness because of his relationship with Saul’s son, Jonathan, who had died in a battle.

Johnathan had a son who was crippled and living in hiding because he was afraid that David would kill him. Can you imagine what Johnathan’s son Mephibosheth, must have felt emotionally when King David sent for him. He did not know David’s reasons as is evidenced in his response before the King. When Mephibosheth came to David, (expecting to be killed) he fell on his face and paid respect to the new King. David responded and said, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Johnathan and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father and you shall eat at my table always” (2 Samuel 9:7).

This story, at a first look, just looks like a nice little story, but it holds much more than that. This situation described is like our relationship with God. We are vulnerable, weak, fragile and broken and yet God has a place for us at His table, regardless of our flaws and shortcomings. He loves us so much and wants us to get to know Him.

This story seems small and short but it is full of love and reflects God’s amazing love. David’s promise to Johnathan’s son is like what God’s grace gives to us. In other words, if you will allow me to say it, we are like Mephibosheth.

·         We were in hiding.

·         We were separated from our Creator King.

·         God then took the initiative to step toward us, seek us out as recipients of  his kindness.

·         Our separation from God was because we didn’t know God’s character and His love for us.

·         God extravagantly blesses us with the gift of abundance that goes beyond anything we had before.

·         Now we have an open invitation and place at the King’s table.

·         No matter who we are, what we have done, God’s  unconditional love is extended to us.

I invite you to read 2 Samuel 9 and read the story with a fresh pair of eyes and see how David’s kindness is a reflection of God’s kindness to us. It’s a beautiful image to read and realize that God comes to us in kindness and invites us to eat at His table always. Our response is to sit down, and get to know how great our God is. 

FRIENDSHIPS and FELLOWSHIP

 

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Acts 2:42

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

 

 

For those of us who have them, strong friendships are blessings in our lives. These relationships can help motivate us closer to Jesus and bring us joy. I believe we all know from experience that developing strong Christian friendships does not happen instantly. Fellowship is an important quality in pushing one another closer to God while building close bonds with each other.

In the New Testament, we find a very important word, koinonia. This Greek word roughly translates to fellowship. What is fellowship in the Bible? Well, fellowship relates to community and coming together with a common goal, to bring glory to God. Ultimately, fellowship is about God.

Now on a practical level fellowship involves us loving, caring, and looking out for each other. As we serve Christ, we can also look for opportunities to be there for one another. You may think of other examples of Fellowship, but here a few that came to my mind.

·         Going to Church and Worshipping together

·         Praying together

·         Studying scripture together

·         Eating together

·         Doing tasks together

·         Playing together

I have come to understand that at the heart of it, Biblical fellowship comes back to Christ and pursuing him in all of life.

When it comes to friendships and developing relationships with other Christians, fellowship allows us to connect and unite. Biblical fellowship allows us to encourage one another and push each other closer to Christ. It is possible of course, to have friendships with non-believers and we should, these relationships keep us sharp too. Yet those friendships formed through a common love and a mutual respect for Christ and his word can be so rewarding and enriching.

It is also important to remember that strong friendships do not just appear. They take effort and consistency on our part. It is so, so, worth it!

 

“… if we walk in the light, as he is in the light,

  we have fellowship with one another . . .”     1 John 1:7

LET IT SHINE

 

SEPTEMBER 6, 2023

 Matthew 5:14-16

 

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

 

You run your hand across the wall, struggling to find the light switch in the pitch-black room. After some searching, your fingers graze the switch, and you inwardly celebrate finally finding it. As the switch is flipped, the room is engulfed in light. Every aspect of the room that was hidden moments before is suddenly visible and the darkness, is gone.

Anyone who has been in a dark room or outside at night knows how powerful a simple light can be. Even one light can change the entire environment. In the Bible, Jesus calls us to let our lights shine. I have found a good way to remember this is to recall the children’s song, "This Little Light of Mine." You know how it goes right?

“This little light of mine

I’m going to let it shine

Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!”

This means that we reveal Jesus love and reflect his light in the world. Shining our lights does not have to be a big extravagant gesture. In fact, most times it is the simple everyday things we do and the way we live that show Jesus light to those around us. It could be as straightforward as staying positive when other people have a negative attitude. Or perhaps, praying for someone who is struggling through a difficult time. Or feeding the hungry, or helping our neighbor. When we do these things, we are reflecting Christ and glorifying God.

In the world, there is goodness and people glorifying God. However, there is also the opposite. There is darkness, suffering and sin. John 1:5 reminds us that the “light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The light of Jesus, and that light in us, dispels the dark places in our world.

With the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help, we always have an opportunity to be a light. We can choose to pursue peace, hope and love in a time when there seems to be none. We can care about others when they might not care for us. We can follow Christ when the world is going the opposite way. Our lights can consume the darkness, with Christ our lights will not go out, but will glow and shine.

Let our response today be to sing with the children, “let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”

 

A FRESH START

 

SEPTEMBER 05, 2023

Lamentations 3:22-23

 

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 

 

Today marks the beginning of a new season. At least that’s what many people feel, summer holidays are done, a new school year begins for Children and Parents, for College and University students, for those beginning a new life stage – new career, marriage, maybe retirement. Let’s be honest: We all need fresh starts and new beginnings at times.

The wonderful reality about being a Jesus follower is that we are given a fresh start every day. Every morning God is calling us to deeper places, providing us with the opportunity to start Fresh. Each new day, his love, wisdom, and forgiveness are waiting for us. His mercies (compassions) are new every morning, as our text says.

Maybe between last September 5 and today we can say that it was the best year ever for us, or maybe it was the hardest. Either way, our verse today gives us the promise of something new. The invitation is for each of us to take the time to reflect on what should remain in the past, (stop here make a mental list of things to leave behind) and pray for what we want this year to be filled with, we then move forward in hope.

So, as you take the time to reflect today, I want to challenge you to think about what you need more of in your life moving forward and ask God to help position you toward those things that will strengthen and make for a life full of hope.

Remember, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

LET US PRAY

Lord, help me to leave what is in the past in the past. I ask for a fresh start today. Would you please reveal to me the things that are harmful in my life that I need to leave behind, and give me eyes to see what you want this new season to be about? Thank you for your faithfulness, that you never give up on me. Thank you for new beginnings. Amen.

 

ABOUNDING in the WORK of the LORD

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

 Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters ….

1 Corinthians 15:58

“therefore...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

I know that Labor Day is a secular holiday, yet I believe it is a holiday that Christians should easily embrace and celebrate. Not simply because we desire a day off, but because within the scheme of God’s creation, labor is one of the primary ways in which we express our likeness to God and our love for neighbor. As we participate in building a world in which human beings thrive and flourish across all areas of life.

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, we read “therefore...be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” Paul isn’t just talking about his own work, or that of those who assisted him in ministry. Labor within the Christian Community is not just about ministry, although its is about ministry. Christian labor is larger than ministry purposes. I feel that Paul is talking about the ordinary work of all the people that would have first heard the letter read in the context of worship, the wealthy and the poor, the powerful and the powerless. Our labor matters - within the Christian community, and as part of world, in both contexts work matters. Jesus’ resurrection anchors our lives within a  new way of taking up any type of work as one in the Lord and in the way of the Lord. 

Reflect on the teaching below in our contemporary Testimony about work and labor.

Our World Belongs to God  

Contemporary Testimony CRCNA

Our work is a calling from God.
We work for more than wages
and manage for more than profit
so that mutual respect
and the just use of goods and skills
may shape the workplace.
While we earn or profit,
we love our neighbors by providing
useful products and services.
In our global economy
we advocate meaningful work
and fair wages for all.
Out of the Lord’s generosity to us,
we give freely and gladly
of our money and time.

 

 

 

Let us pray to the Lord of all creation, from whom comes life and work and purpose.

Almighty God, when you formed us lovingly out of the dust of the earth, you breathed into us the breath of life and gave us work and purpose for living.

 

Through our work, you made us co-creators with you, shaping the world in which we live.

You gave dignity to our labor by sending your Son to labor with us.

 

By our labor, you enrich the world.

By our labor, we enjoy the fruits of creation.

 

By our labor, we find direction and purpose.

By our labor, our families are made secure.

 

For providing varieties of work and for blessing us by our labor:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who plow the field and those who make the plow; for farmers and farm workers, for steelworkers and machinists; for those who work with their hands and those who move the earth:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who tend the sick and those who seek new cures; for doctors and nurses, for scientists and technicians; for those who keep notes and those who transcribe:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who think and those who create; for inventors and explorers, for artists and musicians; for those who write books and those who entertain:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who work in offices and those who work in warehouses; for secretaries and receptionists, for stockers and bookkeepers; for those who market products and for those who move them:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who inspire our minds and those who motivate us; for teachers and preachers, for public servants and religious servants; those who help the poor and those who work with our children:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those whose labor is tidiness and cleanliness; for janitors and sanitary workers, for drycleaners and maids; for those who produce cleaning products and those who use them:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

For those who sail the waves and those who fly the skies; for captains and attendants, for astronauts and deep sea divers; for those who chart and those who navigate:

We give you thanks, O Lord.

 

You bless us all with skills and gifts for labor.

You provide us opportunities to use them, for the benefit of others as well as ourselves.

 

Guard and protect those who labor in the world.

Bless the work of our hands, O Lord.

 

Look kindly upon the unemployed and the disabled.

Give health to the sick, hope to the bereaved.

 

Keep us from laboring only for greed.

Make us loving and responsible in all that we do.

 

Creator Lord, you are the source of all wisdom and purpose, you are the blessing of those who labor. Be with us in our labor to guide and govern our world. Give all men and women work that enhances human dignity and bonds us to one another. Give us pride in our work, a fair return for our labor, and joy in knowing that our work finds its source in you; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen