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“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen” – The Book of Common Prayer
Jesus said in John 6:48-51: “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
A constant theme in the background of this Lenten season has been how much we need to rely on Christ. We always fail in our human weaknesses, but with the power of Christ in our lives, we can be victorious.
This week, what has been in the background has come to the forefront. We learn what is most important for our lives: that we eat from the bread of life that is Christ. Earthly food can only sustain and give us strength for a limited time. Heavenly food can sustain and give us strength for eternity.
We must constantly partake of the bread of life so that we may be sustained throughout this life and the next. We cannot hope to overcome sin without this heavenly food.
As we continue this Lenten journey, be sure that as you are fasting you are also partaking of Christ so that you may overcome all adversity.
Showing posts with label Devotionals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devotionals. Show all posts
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Sunday, March 7, 2010
3rd Sunday of Lent 2010
“Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.” – The Book of Common Prayer
What a sobering thought: We are hopeless and helpless, both physically and spiritually. So often, we think that we can do it ourselves. We rely on God for the “big” stuff, but figure we are strong enough to handle the “little” stuff.
However, this should come as no surprise. Even when humans have everything going for them, they seem to mess it up. Consider Adam and Eve. They had everything anyone could ever want, not only physically but also spiritually. They had God coming down out of heaven every day to walk and talk with them, yet when they listened to the serpent, instead of God, they failed.
The Apostle Paul is another prime example. Before he became a Christian, Paul was Saul, “The Hebrew of Hebrews.” However, even this great writer of the majority of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
We need to remember the exhortation given to us by Jude: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” When all else fails the love of God sustains us.
We are not alone. As those who profess faith in Christ, we have the creator of the universe on our side. Christ is willing to help, guide and protect us from all “adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, remember that we cannot do anything on our own. We need the power of Christ to guide and protect us through every circumstance in life.
What a sobering thought: We are hopeless and helpless, both physically and spiritually. So often, we think that we can do it ourselves. We rely on God for the “big” stuff, but figure we are strong enough to handle the “little” stuff.
However, this should come as no surprise. Even when humans have everything going for them, they seem to mess it up. Consider Adam and Eve. They had everything anyone could ever want, not only physically but also spiritually. They had God coming down out of heaven every day to walk and talk with them, yet when they listened to the serpent, instead of God, they failed.
The Apostle Paul is another prime example. Before he became a Christian, Paul was Saul, “The Hebrew of Hebrews.” However, even this great writer of the majority of the New Testament said in Romans 7:15: “For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.”
We need to remember the exhortation given to us by Jude: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” When all else fails the love of God sustains us.
We are not alone. As those who profess faith in Christ, we have the creator of the universe on our side. Christ is willing to help, guide and protect us from all “adversities which may happen to the body, and from all thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul.”
As we continue our Lenten journey, remember that we cannot do anything on our own. We need the power of Christ to guide and protect us through every circumstance in life.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
2nd Sunday of Lent 2010
“O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ thy Son; who with thee and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer
Historically, one of the purposes of Lent was to bring back into fellowship those whose sin led to excommunication. While our sin has not led to excommunication, all of us sin on a daily basis. No one is perfect. We have all gone astray.
We constantly need God to bring about repentance in us. Repentance is a word that is tossed about quite frequently in the Church, yet its frequent use can cause it to lose its meaning.
Repentance means more than just expressing regret for one’s past sins. Repentance is a complete turning, a changing of the mind. It is a conscious decision to leave the sin of the past and move to a glorious new future in Christ.
However, we need Christ’s help. We should be praying on a daily basis for Christ to bring us “again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of [His] Word.”
As we continue this Lenten journey, ask Christ to bring you to repentance and to help you to hold steadfast to the faith.
Historically, one of the purposes of Lent was to bring back into fellowship those whose sin led to excommunication. While our sin has not led to excommunication, all of us sin on a daily basis. No one is perfect. We have all gone astray.
We constantly need God to bring about repentance in us. Repentance is a word that is tossed about quite frequently in the Church, yet its frequent use can cause it to lose its meaning.
Repentance means more than just expressing regret for one’s past sins. Repentance is a complete turning, a changing of the mind. It is a conscious decision to leave the sin of the past and move to a glorious new future in Christ.
However, we need Christ’s help. We should be praying on a daily basis for Christ to bring us “again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of [His] Word.”
As we continue this Lenten journey, ask Christ to bring you to repentance and to help you to hold steadfast to the faith.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
1st Sunday of Lent 2010
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan; Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. – The Book of Common Prayer
In this Lenten prayer for the first Sunday of Lent we hear echoes of the book of Hebrews:
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Our Savior, according to Scripture, was tempted in every way that we are. He is in heaven right now waiting to give us mercy and grace. As we continue our Lenten fast we will be tempted to break the fast, to give in to our human weaknesses and sin. Our Savior knows our weakness and our hope rests on His holy word that we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Let us hold true to our commitment to fast, search our hearts and seek God this Lenten season.
In this Lenten prayer for the first Sunday of Lent we hear echoes of the book of Hebrews:
"Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Our Savior, according to Scripture, was tempted in every way that we are. He is in heaven right now waiting to give us mercy and grace. As we continue our Lenten fast we will be tempted to break the fast, to give in to our human weaknesses and sin. Our Savior knows our weakness and our hope rests on His holy word that we can “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Let us hold true to our commitment to fast, search our hearts and seek God this Lenten season.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Advent - Week 4 : Peace
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
And this One shall be peace. -- Micah 5:2-5a
In this great Messianic prophecy we hear echoes of Isaiah. Micah tells us, “And this One shall be peace” and Isaiah tells us, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
All throughout Scripture, God promises peace to His children. In Leviticus, God promises Israel that if they will keep His covenant “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land“ (Leviticus 26:6).
Our God is the God of peace. He wants to bring peace to your life and mine. However, the thing that prevents that is what we do. More accurately, it is our sin. We sin everyday, willfully and unknowingly. God in His infinite love and mercy uses anything and everything He can to bring us to repentance and set our lives on the right path. In many cases this includes the lack of peace in our lives.
God wants to give us peace, and when we find that we are truly resting in Him, we have a peace that passes all understanding. And we also have the promise from His word that in the end, if we are faithful to Him, we will enter into His eternal rest and peace. We will live and reign with Him forever in paradise. That thought should bring us peace and hope now in the midst of all the chaos of this world.
As we begin the final week of our Advent journey, let us remember that everything God does is for us, that the hope we have in God, the love He freely gives and joy that trusting God brings should lead us to peace. Knowing that we serve the God of the Universe, who made the effort to save us and direct our lives, should inspire us to follow Him daily and in that effort find peace.
The following are promises and examples of peace from God’s Word. As you read each days passage, if you are not at peace, take time to ask God why. He will show you, as He desires to bring peace to your life.
Monday - John 16:32-33
Tuesday - Psalm 4:7-8
Wednesday - Hebrews 13:20-21
Thursday (Last day of the Season Advent) - Job 5:22-24
Friday (First day of the Season of Christmas) - Merry Christmas - Luke 2:1-20
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
And this One shall be peace. -- Micah 5:2-5a
In this great Messianic prophecy we hear echoes of Isaiah. Micah tells us, “And this One shall be peace” and Isaiah tells us, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).
All throughout Scripture, God promises peace to His children. In Leviticus, God promises Israel that if they will keep His covenant “I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none will make you afraid; I will rid the land of evil beasts, and the sword will not go through your land“ (Leviticus 26:6).
Our God is the God of peace. He wants to bring peace to your life and mine. However, the thing that prevents that is what we do. More accurately, it is our sin. We sin everyday, willfully and unknowingly. God in His infinite love and mercy uses anything and everything He can to bring us to repentance and set our lives on the right path. In many cases this includes the lack of peace in our lives.
God wants to give us peace, and when we find that we are truly resting in Him, we have a peace that passes all understanding. And we also have the promise from His word that in the end, if we are faithful to Him, we will enter into His eternal rest and peace. We will live and reign with Him forever in paradise. That thought should bring us peace and hope now in the midst of all the chaos of this world.
As we begin the final week of our Advent journey, let us remember that everything God does is for us, that the hope we have in God, the love He freely gives and joy that trusting God brings should lead us to peace. Knowing that we serve the God of the Universe, who made the effort to save us and direct our lives, should inspire us to follow Him daily and in that effort find peace.
The following are promises and examples of peace from God’s Word. As you read each days passage, if you are not at peace, take time to ask God why. He will show you, as He desires to bring peace to your life.
Monday - John 16:32-33
Tuesday - Psalm 4:7-8
Wednesday - Hebrews 13:20-21
Thursday (Last day of the Season Advent) - Job 5:22-24
Friday (First day of the Season of Christmas) - Merry Christmas - Luke 2:1-20
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Advent - Week 3 : Joy
Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“ Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
“ I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the LORD. -- Zephaniah 3:14-20
Something amazing happens in this passage of Scripture: “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” So often we rejoice over what the LORD has done for us, that we do not realize that He rejoices over us.
We forget that our sins grieve God, that He endured horrific torture and death in order to secure our salvation, so when we are restored He rejoices, which in turn should bring joy to our lives.
The God who created everything rejoices over us when we are restored to righteousness. We can see the joy of God in the story of the prodigal son. The father is so joyful the son has returned that he restores everything to the son. So it is with God--when we return He rejoices and restores everything to us, which should bring us joy.
As we continue this Advent journey together, let us never forget the joy we have in being restored to God and the joy He has in restoring us.
The following are examples from God’s Word in which we are given reasons to rejoice or in which God rejoices because of us. Read each day’s example, and let the hope that God brings and the love He pours out on us to bring us eternal joy.
Monday - 1 Peter 1:6-9
Tuesday - Psalm 5:11-12
Wednesday - Luke 2:9-11
Thursday - Jeremiah 33:8-9
Friday - Luke 15:8-10
Saturday - Isaiah 9:2-3
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“ Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
“ I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the lame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
At that time I will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the LORD. -- Zephaniah 3:14-20
Something amazing happens in this passage of Scripture: “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” So often we rejoice over what the LORD has done for us, that we do not realize that He rejoices over us.
We forget that our sins grieve God, that He endured horrific torture and death in order to secure our salvation, so when we are restored He rejoices, which in turn should bring joy to our lives.
The God who created everything rejoices over us when we are restored to righteousness. We can see the joy of God in the story of the prodigal son. The father is so joyful the son has returned that he restores everything to the son. So it is with God--when we return He rejoices and restores everything to us, which should bring us joy.
As we continue this Advent journey together, let us never forget the joy we have in being restored to God and the joy He has in restoring us.
The following are examples from God’s Word in which we are given reasons to rejoice or in which God rejoices because of us. Read each day’s example, and let the hope that God brings and the love He pours out on us to bring us eternal joy.
Monday - 1 Peter 1:6-9
Tuesday - Psalm 5:11-12
Wednesday - Luke 2:9-11
Thursday - Jeremiah 33:8-9
Friday - Luke 15:8-10
Saturday - Isaiah 9:2-3
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Advent - Week 2 : Love
“Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“ But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.
“ Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years. -- Malachi 3:1-4
What a strange way to start a week of focusing on God’s love. This is a message from the prophet Malachi on what it will be like when Messiah comes. It does not sound very enjoyable. He will come and purify so that we can offer an acceptable offering of righteousness to the LORD.
The process of purification is not always an enjoyable one. It involves removing things in our lives that separate us from God. Some of those things we may not want to admit we struggle with, or we like the sin in our lives and do not want to be purified of it.
But when the Messiah comes, we will be purified. We will be able to make the offering of righteousness that the LORD desires, and this will all be accomplished because of the love of God, a God who is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b) is willing to send His Son to purify us so that we can be in relationship with Him.
As we continue this Advent journey together, let us remember that everything we have or ever will have comes from the hand of a loving God.
The following are examples of God’s love for us from God’s Word. Read each day’s example and take time to meditate on it and thank God for the love He bestows upon you.
Monday - Romans 5:6-11
Tuesday - Deuteronomy 7:11-13
Wednesday - John 3:16-17
Thursday - Psalm 42:5-8
Friday - 1 John 4:9-12
Saturday - Psalm 136
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,”
Says the LORD of hosts.
“ But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap.
He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the LORD
An offering in righteousness.
“ Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
Will be pleasant to the LORD,
As in the days of old,
As in former years. -- Malachi 3:1-4
What a strange way to start a week of focusing on God’s love. This is a message from the prophet Malachi on what it will be like when Messiah comes. It does not sound very enjoyable. He will come and purify so that we can offer an acceptable offering of righteousness to the LORD.
The process of purification is not always an enjoyable one. It involves removing things in our lives that separate us from God. Some of those things we may not want to admit we struggle with, or we like the sin in our lives and do not want to be purified of it.
But when the Messiah comes, we will be purified. We will be able to make the offering of righteousness that the LORD desires, and this will all be accomplished because of the love of God, a God who is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b) is willing to send His Son to purify us so that we can be in relationship with Him.
As we continue this Advent journey together, let us remember that everything we have or ever will have comes from the hand of a loving God.
The following are examples of God’s love for us from God’s Word. Read each day’s example and take time to meditate on it and thank God for the love He bestows upon you.
Monday - Romans 5:6-11
Tuesday - Deuteronomy 7:11-13
Wednesday - John 3:16-17
Thursday - Psalm 42:5-8
Friday - 1 John 4:9-12
Saturday - Psalm 136
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Advent - Week 1 : Hope
‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, ‘that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:
‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. -- Jeremiah 33:14-16
A good definition of “hope” is to look forward to something with desire and have a reasonable confidence that it will happen.
The hope we have is something that the world does not understand. Where the world sees only death, poverty, war and disease, we can see the promise of God. We know that one day He will return and restore all things.
As Christians we know that what God has promised He will fulfill. We have God’s Word that states “that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” The Bible is filled with promises that God has fulfilled, and this one is no different. It has not been fulfilled yet, but we have the desire and reasonable confidence that it will happen. We have the hope of God’s promise, the promise that we will live and reign with Him forever, that all things will be restored, that there will be no sickness or death, and the entire world will be at peace.
As we travel this Advent journey together, let us remember that our hope is based on nothing less than the Word of God.
The following are promises of our hope from God’s Word. Read each day’s promise and take time to meditate on it, thanking God for the hope you have in Him.
Monday - Isaiah 2:1-5
Tuesday - Matthew 24:36-44
Wednesday - Micah 4:1-4
Thursday - James 5:7-10
Friday - Isaiah 35:1-10
Saturday - 1 John 5:1-12
‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. -- Jeremiah 33:14-16
A good definition of “hope” is to look forward to something with desire and have a reasonable confidence that it will happen.
The hope we have is something that the world does not understand. Where the world sees only death, poverty, war and disease, we can see the promise of God. We know that one day He will return and restore all things.
As Christians we know that what God has promised He will fulfill. We have God’s Word that states “that I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.” The Bible is filled with promises that God has fulfilled, and this one is no different. It has not been fulfilled yet, but we have the desire and reasonable confidence that it will happen. We have the hope of God’s promise, the promise that we will live and reign with Him forever, that all things will be restored, that there will be no sickness or death, and the entire world will be at peace.
As we travel this Advent journey together, let us remember that our hope is based on nothing less than the Word of God.
The following are promises of our hope from God’s Word. Read each day’s promise and take time to meditate on it, thanking God for the hope you have in Him.
Monday - Isaiah 2:1-5
Tuesday - Matthew 24:36-44
Wednesday - Micah 4:1-4
Thursday - James 5:7-10
Friday - Isaiah 35:1-10
Saturday - 1 John 5:1-12
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Abraham
“Now the Lord said to Abram, go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you….So Abram went forth as the Lord had spoken to him…” Genesis 12:1-2a; 4a
“By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8
Something new and amazing is going on here. This is not just another man listening to the voice of God, stepping out in faith. This is Abram, the father of faith. The man who would later be renamed Abraham, the father of many nations; the man who would one day offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. So many great things this man did, and the one thing he is remembered most for in the book of Hebrews is that when God called he went.
What was so special and so amazing about Abram going “forth as the Lord had spoken to him”? In Thomas Cahill’s book The Gift of the Jews we begin to see a picture of what was so special with this one act of faith.
From what we understand of the history of the region Abram came out of there are many things that make this such an extraordinary event. First, God was probably one of many gods Abram worshiped. Abram in all likelihood had no concept of one all sovereign God. And yet, at this strange command Abram goes. Second, Abram was coming out of a land where the status quo was more important than it is today. There really were no ‘dreamers’ or ‘optimists’. In their worldview history moved in cycles, seasons changed, you were born you died and the only reason to offer homage to the gods was to ensure a good harvest, so the cycle would continue. There was no concept of God directing history towards an ultimate goal (as the Christians and the Jews believe).
What was so amazing was that God was calling Abram out of everything he knew and believed: everything familiar, his home, his family, his entire view of the world and how things worked. God was calling Abram to a whole new way of thinking and living. And the most amazing thing is that Abram went. No questions asked, no excuses, he just went.
“By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8
Something new and amazing is going on here. This is not just another man listening to the voice of God, stepping out in faith. This is Abram, the father of faith. The man who would later be renamed Abraham, the father of many nations; the man who would one day offer his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. So many great things this man did, and the one thing he is remembered most for in the book of Hebrews is that when God called he went.
What was so special and so amazing about Abram going “forth as the Lord had spoken to him”? In Thomas Cahill’s book The Gift of the Jews we begin to see a picture of what was so special with this one act of faith.
From what we understand of the history of the region Abram came out of there are many things that make this such an extraordinary event. First, God was probably one of many gods Abram worshiped. Abram in all likelihood had no concept of one all sovereign God. And yet, at this strange command Abram goes. Second, Abram was coming out of a land where the status quo was more important than it is today. There really were no ‘dreamers’ or ‘optimists’. In their worldview history moved in cycles, seasons changed, you were born you died and the only reason to offer homage to the gods was to ensure a good harvest, so the cycle would continue. There was no concept of God directing history towards an ultimate goal (as the Christians and the Jews believe).
What was so amazing was that God was calling Abram out of everything he knew and believed: everything familiar, his home, his family, his entire view of the world and how things worked. God was calling Abram to a whole new way of thinking and living. And the most amazing thing is that Abram went. No questions asked, no excuses, he just went.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Palm Sunday
When we celebrate Palm Sunday, what are we truly celebrating?
In part we are not celebrating anything. Palm Sunday represents the beginning of the end for Jesus’s earthly ministry. Less than a week later he will be crucified and buried. He enters Jerusalem with celebration and excitement. The people are declaring Jesus to be their king and Messiah, the one who will deliver them and bring peace to Jerusalem. The entire city wonders who this man is and what is happening at the gate. The Pharisees know and do not like it, so they concoct a plan and set it in motion and Jesus is arrested, tried, falsely convicted and killed. He enters the city in victory and leaves in what appears to be utter tragedy. But that is not the end.
He rose from the dead and is in heaven interceding with the Father for us. And we are celebrating a future “Palm Sunday.” We are celebrating a day that will come when Jesus will once again enter Jerusalem in victory. Only this time it will not end in tragedy; it will result in Jesus setting up His eternal Kingdom, in which we will live and reign with Him forever.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Fifth Sunday in Lent
As we enter the last weeks of Lent we should look back and remember why we started this Lenten journey.
We started a 40 day fast because Jesus fasted. One of the goals of the Christian life is to be imitators of Christ, and we have a yearly fast as one way to help us accomplish this goal.
We started the fast because at various times throughout Scripture God calls his people to fast and pray. God called his people to step out of the normal routine of life for the purpose of removing sin from their lives and to draw them closer to Him.
This is the most important reason we fast, to allow God a chance to shake up our lives, to draw out of us the “sin that so easily ensnares” and to lead us into a fuller richer life with Him.
As we come close to the end of our Lenten journey and prepare for coming celebration of Easter, remember why you began the fast and be sure to finish it with the same purpose as you started.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Fourth Sunday in Lent
What a difference a week makes. Last week we were struggling with maintaining our fast and not wavering. This week it seems that the struggle is not so much maintaining our fast, but remembering that it is only temporary.
It has been long enough that now what was once a struggle may be becoming part of everyday life. Something that is not out of the ordinary. Which is more dangerous than struggling with keeping our fast.
Struggling to keep our fast means that we still feel like we are giving something up for God, that we are working to maintain the commitment we made. Now, if it becomes something not out of the ordinary, we may forget why we are fasting, why what we are doing is important.
As we continue on our Lenten journey, remember that you are fasting for a purpose. Do not let your fast become so commonplace that it loses its meaning.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Third Sunday in Lent
As we begin the third week of Lent, it might be tempting to let your fast slip.
Nothing permanent--just indulge this once. Break the fast because it is getting hard.
You may be saying to yourself: God will understand. After all, He created me. He knows I am not perfect. But, He also knows that you made the commitment to a Lenten fast.
Remember Jesus’s fasting and testing in the wilderness. He was in the scorching desert without food or water. He was tested to break His fast by none other than Satan. Imagine the pressure that Satan would put on the Son of God to sin, then compare that to the pressure you are feeling to break your fast.
Take strength and courage from the fact that Jesus did not break under the kind of pressure that we cannot imagine. Take comfort in the fact that He, according to the Book of Hebrews, is in heaven right now, interceding for you as one who has suffered and endured.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Second Sunday in Lent
This year as we continue our Lenten fast it is beneficial that we remember Jesus’s teaching on fasting. Matthew’s gospel tells us:
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Fasting is a private act between you and God, to be seen only by God. Remember that you are fasting not to earn the respect and favor of the other Christians around you. You are fasting to draw closer to God. It is a private act to show God how important He is to you, and as Jesus told us, God will see your devotion and reward you for it.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
First Sunday in Lent
Lent is a season of fasting and repentance. One of the most commonly asked questions is “Why do we fast at Lent?”
We fast at Lent first and foremost because Jesus fasted. He went into the wilderness for 40 days to fast and be tested by Satan. Lent is 40 days of fasting because of Jesus’s 40 days in the wilderness.
We also fast at Lent because God, throughout the Old Testament, called His children to a holy fast. One of the most poignant instances of this is found in the book Joel.
“Now, therefore,” says the LORD,
“Turn to Me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.”
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the LORD your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm.
Who knows if He will turn and relent,
And leave a blessing behind Him—
Most importantly, we fast as a way to draw closer to God. We actively remove something from our daily lives and replace it with prayer. We make the conscious effort to say to God, “You are more important than anything in my life. Please show me the areas in my life that I need to improve so that I can draw closer to you.”
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Ash Wednesday
“Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledge our wretchedness may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.” The Book of Common Prayer
Thus begins the liturgical Ash Wednesday Service. A service designed to remind us that we are sinners and are in need of repentance. It reminds us that we are made from the dust of the ground and that one day we will return to that dust. Ash Wednesday puts our lives in perspective with the universe. But, it also gives us hope that God, who is all-powerful, will forgive us if we truly repent.
Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of Lent, a season of repentance and fasting. It is a period of time for Christians to pause and take stock of their lives before the tragedy of Holy Week and the triumphant celebration of Easter. Lent is 40 days, modeled after Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the wilderness in preparation of His earthly ministry.
Wednesday February 25, 2009 is the first day of Lent. I would encourage you to find and attend an Ash Wednesday service. Let the ash that is placed on your forehead serve as a reminder of the dust that we are made of. Allow God to speak to you and direct your fast, so that it will challenge and change your life.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
4th Sunday of Advent - Peace
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 or Luke 1:47-55
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
We live in a world where the idea of peace seems to be a fantasy. Just turn on the news and the events and situations that present themselves are at times unbelievable. Someone has done something despicable to someone else. A husband is accused of killing his wife. A car bomb has killed innocent people in someone’s attempt to make a statement.
And even closer to home in our own lives peace is something that always seems to be out of our grasp. Things are bad at work, which for some reason we cannot leave at work. The test last week did not go well and next week’s test does not look any better. We feel sick and know something is wrong, but the doctors keep telling us that we are fine.
Yet Jesus speaks to us of peace in the midst of everything going on around us. This is one of those things that make us wonder (but would never admit to) if He remembers what life here on earth is like, because maybe He has been in heaven long enough that He sees everything through “rose colored glasses”.
But we must not forget that Jesus spoke these words while He was on earth. Before He was crucified, knowing what was coming. Jesus knew the pain, agony and death that was coming and He still spoke of peace. He spoke of a heavenly peace. A peace that we cannot understand. A peace that we would have in the midst of all the painful and frustrating experiences of this life. A peace that would make life not just bearable, but something we can enjoy.
The scriptures above are from the Revised Common Lectionary copyright ©1992 Consultation on Common Texts for Year B, the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26 or Luke 1:47-55
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38
“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
We live in a world where the idea of peace seems to be a fantasy. Just turn on the news and the events and situations that present themselves are at times unbelievable. Someone has done something despicable to someone else. A husband is accused of killing his wife. A car bomb has killed innocent people in someone’s attempt to make a statement.
And even closer to home in our own lives peace is something that always seems to be out of our grasp. Things are bad at work, which for some reason we cannot leave at work. The test last week did not go well and next week’s test does not look any better. We feel sick and know something is wrong, but the doctors keep telling us that we are fine.
Yet Jesus speaks to us of peace in the midst of everything going on around us. This is one of those things that make us wonder (but would never admit to) if He remembers what life here on earth is like, because maybe He has been in heaven long enough that He sees everything through “rose colored glasses”.
But we must not forget that Jesus spoke these words while He was on earth. Before He was crucified, knowing what was coming. Jesus knew the pain, agony and death that was coming and He still spoke of peace. He spoke of a heavenly peace. A peace that we cannot understand. A peace that we would have in the midst of all the painful and frustrating experiences of this life. A peace that would make life not just bearable, but something we can enjoy.
The scriptures above are from the Revised Common Lectionary copyright ©1992 Consultation on Common Texts for Year B, the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
3rd Sunday of Advent - Joy
Many people try to put joy and happiness in the same camp. They think that they are just different ways to say the same thing or convey an idea. However, that is not the case. Unlike happiness, joy has nothing to do with circumstances, joy comes from hope.
It is hard to talk about joy without talking about hope. As Christians our joy flows out of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Many who have no hope live lives of utter desperation without happiness, joy or satisfaction.
We we have hope because Jesus Christ has saved us from our sins. But, that hope only comes when we know what we are saved from. We are saved from the eternal consequences of our sins: separation from God. This hope brings us joy.
We have a hope that we will spend eternity with God, in a place where, as Isaiah tells us, ‘sorrow and sighing will flee away’ where ‘the lame will leap like a dear and the mute tongue shout for joy.’ The hope that this brings gives this life meaning and purpose. It makes this life bearable and it brings to our hearts joy.
The scriptures above are from the Revised Common Lectionary copyright ©1992 Consultation on Common Texts for Year B, the Third Sunday in Advent.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
2nd Sunday of Advent - Love
Isaiah 40:1-11
Mark 1:1-8
In one of the most familiar passages of scripture we are told why God sent Jesus to this earth. “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
It was because of love. The word “love” in our society today does not have the same power or meaning it used to. We love our car, we love TV show, we love the new video game, and we love our family. If one was not paying careful attention we may see our family put on the same level as the car, TV, video game or something else.
However, this does not seem like the kind of love that would cause God to send His Son to die on a cross for the salvation of humanity. Even Jesus commanded us to “love one another”. But what does this really mean?
Jesus tells us that “greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This is what love is. This is what we should mean when we use the word love.
Friday, November 28, 2008
1st Sunday of Advent - Hope
Isaiah 64:1-9
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:24-37
Sunday Nov. 30, 2008 marks the beginning of Advent, which also marks the beginning of a new cycle of the Christian year. The Christian year focuses the church on the major events in the life of Jesus.
Advent: The anticipation of His coming
Christmas: The celebration of his coming
Ephipany: Celebrating the visit of the Magi and later the baptism of Jesus
Lent: A 40 day fast, in honor of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, to prepare us for Easter.
Holy Week: A remembrance of the last week of his earthly ministry
Easter: The celebration of his resurrection from the dead.
Pentecost: The birthday of the Church
The overarching theme of Advent is anticipation. We remember the anticipation of the Old Testament saints who looked for the first coming of Messiah. We who are believers experience once again the anticipation we have looking for the second coming of Messiah.
This is why we focus on the theme of “Hope” for the first Sunday of Advent. Anticipation breeds hope. We see the fulfilled hope of the Old Testament saints who were waiting for the coming of Messiah. This should inspire us as we remember the hope we have that Messiah will one day return again and take us to live with Him forever in paradise.
Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19
1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Mark 13:24-37
Sunday Nov. 30, 2008 marks the beginning of Advent, which also marks the beginning of a new cycle of the Christian year. The Christian year focuses the church on the major events in the life of Jesus.
Advent: The anticipation of His coming
Christmas: The celebration of his coming
Ephipany: Celebrating the visit of the Magi and later the baptism of Jesus
Lent: A 40 day fast, in honor of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, to prepare us for Easter.
Holy Week: A remembrance of the last week of his earthly ministry
Easter: The celebration of his resurrection from the dead.
Pentecost: The birthday of the Church
The overarching theme of Advent is anticipation. We remember the anticipation of the Old Testament saints who looked for the first coming of Messiah. We who are believers experience once again the anticipation we have looking for the second coming of Messiah.
This is why we focus on the theme of “Hope” for the first Sunday of Advent. Anticipation breeds hope. We see the fulfilled hope of the Old Testament saints who were waiting for the coming of Messiah. This should inspire us as we remember the hope we have that Messiah will one day return again and take us to live with Him forever in paradise.
The scriptures above are from the Revised Common Lectionary copyright ©1992 Consultation on Common Texts for Year B, the First Sunday in Advent.
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