God’s Help Wanted (Seven Gifts) 

"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

 If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.

  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;

 if it is encouraging, let him encourage;

if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously;

 if it is leadership, let him govern diligently;

if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
    (Romans 12; 6 & 7, NIV)

                 Paul’s message to the Romans lists seven specific gifts. Each of us has been blessed with some of them and can use them in our every day lives. We are bombarded with opportunities. God's "HELP WANTED," asks us to use our gifts to do His work. We are therefore facing two challenges. One is to recognize the gifts given to us. The other is sharing these gifts in our daily lives.                   

 It is the sharing of these gifts in a loving Christian way that brings us peace.

Thought for Today: Today let us focus on our gifts. Let us understand them and how to use them to help ourselves and others.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, again we pray for an end to the pandemic, peace and justice in a troubled world. We are trying to understand what everything means and our piece in it all. We feel too small to help. We pray that we may recognize our gifts and use them to help the world.

 

 Friendships 

"Husbands, love your wives,
just as Christ loved the church
and gave himself to her."
(Ephesians 5:25, NIV) 

            In his book Bread for the Table, Henri Nouwen stated, “Strange as it may sound, the table is the place where we want to become food for one another. Every breakfast, lunch, or dinner can become a time of growing communion with one another.”

 

Intimacy is not only a marriage or "significant other" issue. In my business world, several of us have met the evening before sales meetings for a prayer dinner. Yes, we skipped the welcome happy hour and free buffet to be together. There is a closeness that exists within that group.        

 Another business associate shared with me that his small company starts each week with a prayer breakfast. You can feel something special when dealing with those guys, even when you do not know exactly why.

     Within a relationship, husband-wife, parent-child, good friends or in other instances, intimacy makes a partnership. Closeness and intimacy create trust and confidence between friends and family!

Thought for Today: We all like to feel comfortable and intimacy within a group creates a warmth that we all love. However, we are often guarded with our feelings when in groups. We are conservative and hold back. This week let us think more about letting our inner selves be seen by others. Let us share our Christian love and create more intimacy with our friends and associates.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we seem to be living in a world with hate and revenge commonplace. Young mothers as human bombs, nations terrorizing other nations and in business, there are too many lose-lose negotiations. We of faith are searching for your will in all of this. Today we pray that we can understand and contribute to friendships and worldwide Godly solutions.
Amen

MLK Birthday!

 

MLK Birthday

“It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me,

But it can keep him from lynching me,

And I think that’s pretty important.”

Martin Luther King               

                This quote is neither biblical or spiritual but very true and real. It does not make a great philosophical statement, there is not a spiritual or social justice meaning; it is a simple truth. Living and having the right to pursue freedom always needs to be protected.

             Other quotes by MLK have a deeper meaning, spiritually and are more often used. Below are the ones that seem to be popular in the media: 

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.

"Strength To Love," Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

A favorite is:

 

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

And as Christians, we need to demonstrate that we have the faith to take the first step. 

Thought for Today: One word; acceptance!                                                                                                            

 Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we do not pray for forgiveness of the past discrimination and separatist social acts of our forefathers. We need to accept them and move forward. Today we pray for the guidance and will to contribute to peace and acceptance through Jesus's love.

Serenity!

 

Serenity Prayer

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courageto change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

    As we go into the New Year, peace and tranquility always seem to be part of our NewYear’s goals. Last year we did too much. One more committee at church, the kids need a

coach, how can we get everyone to every game, lesson class, etc? Oh, the boss wants us

50 hours a week too!!

    It takes faith and courage to let go and let God play a role in our lives.

"I... will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body..."Philippians (1:20). 

At work and in our daily lives, we often fail to take the risk of allowing God to take control. How often we do not accept the spiritual help available. We will handle it all. Where is our humility when we try to do it all?

"... humbly accept the word planted in you,

which can save you." James (2:1).

 

    We tend to forget the basic rules taught to us by our faith. When we are taking control, adding stress to ourselves, do we ask for the help available?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God...and it will be given to you." (James 1:5)

 

    We are told to keep God at the forefront in our search for this inner peace."And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."Philippians 4:7)

 

    The serenity prayer is simple. We all know that simple is good Let us start the “NewYear” with this thought in mind.

Thought for Today: Let us focus on peace and tranquility in our lives; with our families, neighbors, and coworkers.

Prayer for Today:  Let's use the serenity prayer, this week and for the year,especially when overstressed. 

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year 

"Not that I have already obtained all this,
or have already been made perfect,
but I press on to take hold of that
for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.
But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize
for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. “
(Phillipiens3:12-14; NIV) 

        Happy New Year. For the next few weeks, athletic clubs will be filled with "New Year’s resolutionists". Diet programs will come and go, self-improvement books will be purchased or at least the dust will be blown from last year’s cover! Does that sound familiar? Have you had a few resolutions fall by the wayside? Paul would not have written the above on New Year’s Eve, but it is appropriate. There are a lot of new goals today: weight, fitness, financial goals, etc. Paul is asking us to look at our spiritual goals. "...Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize.” Hold that thought as you proceed through the New Year.

Thought for Today: Let us look ahead at the opportunities that exist for us.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father as this New Year begins, hear our serenity prayer:

"God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference." 

Hear this for all the world's people so that your love and peace may dominate this New Year.
Amen