Tradition

Tradition  

“Now, brothers and sisters,

I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you,

which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”

(1 Corinthians 15 vs. 1) 

            In thirty years as a sales engineer, I saw a lot of changes. In the seventies, it was called “show and sell.” We drove thousands of miles with our sample cases bringing solutions to the customer. Often, we had new technology and served as an educational force and consultant.           

Technologically, the products and sales process evolved as the advent of email and the internet minimized personal visits. In today’s world, the customer reviews the product options online, and the sales challenge is to assist in his selection process. In the 2000s, sales engineers are online with the customer reviewing products and applying them. The style is different, but our message is the same. We can meet your needs.           

Our church is trying to adjust to 2000 years of a changing market. We need to TWEET, POST, Email, and use the latest technology to send a 2000-year-old message to an ever-changing population. Our services are overhauled, so we refer to them as traditional, blended, and contemporary. They are often online. It is a challenge to service present-day needs.           

However, even though our communication has changed, the message has not and cannot. Present generations will find the help they need in an ancient message. Over these new mediums and through the different styles, we must hold firmly to the word. 

Thought for Today: For today, let’s marvel at the message; never changing, always true. The lord is with us. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are in a hurry. Our calendars are full, and technology gives us very little time to meditate. We pray for your guidance through it all. We pray for grace and solitude through Jesus. Amen

 

Mile Markers

Mile Markers 

“Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

(Psalm 40 vs. 12) 

            Each day of our life is a present and special in some way. Each has a memory, some fade but the great ones stay forever. We often catalog them, and many hide in our sub-conscious. Numbering our days is an excellent thought. 

            The major ones do not take rocket science to remember. I am an elder and remember where I was for Pearl Harbor (27 months old), JFK’s assassination, the twin tower assault, Ted Williams last at-bat (a home run at age 41). 

            The un-conscious ones are often more fun when brought to the front. Recently, an old friend from 1955 and I reconnected and reviewed our memories together; high school football experiences, school days, former teachers, and cheerleaders. He brought back so many memories that he called me one evening while online. We talked for two hours. 

            The Lord has been good to us. We are not wealthy but rich in memories, full of love, happiness, and wisdom. The numbering of our days has paid off in a worthy life. It will also work for you. 

Thought for Today: Today, we will create a memory. Whether it is a major or minor event remains to be seen. Either way, let us recognize its contribution to who we will be. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we thank you for all the great memories and blessings you have bestowed upon us. Today we pray that we serve your will here on earth as we go through our day.

Amen

 

Hope in Prayer

 

Hope Through Prayer

 

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.”

(Romans 12 vs. 11 & 12)

 

            Hold on to your faith; keep holding on. When the going gets tough, when choices are hard, when the stress builds, pray about it; turn it over to God. Paul’s letters repeat that time after time, and often we do not hear it. Our faith is not always strong, and we can be confused.           

In his message above, he talks about a great way to get through a day, week, or month. He is preaching a way of life through faith to confidence and peace.           

Memorize this one, try it, and you will like it.

 

Thought for Today: Let’s attack today with “fervor,” being “joyful,” and by all means prayerfully. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we give thanks for the day you have made for us to have. We thank you for the opportunity to do your will and contribute to each other’s peace.

Amen

A Still Place

A Still Place 

"Be still and acknowledge that I am God."

 (Psalm 46:10)           

The world is a busy place. Americans are overbooked; families are tied up every day with career and children's activities; empty-nesters seem to have filled the time with commitments; often, retirees do not know how they ever had time to work. That leads to a lot of stress, tension, and often family failures. That's correct; the family that plays too much together may not have enough quality time to survive. They do not have time to call for help.           

In his book Bread for the Table, Henry Nouwen says it this way, "These are words to take with us in our busy lives. We may think about stillness in contrast to our noisy world. But perhaps we can go further and keep an inner stillness even while we carry on … It is important to keep a still place in the "marketplace." This still place is where God can dwell and speak to us. …with that stillness, God can be our gentle guide in everything we think and do." 

Do you have a still place? How do you keep your sanity? 

Thought for Today: COVID and other varied conditions in our world are causing many of our friends and neighbors to go through unplanned changes in their lives. Let us pray that God will be a presence in their lives as they pursue new opportunities. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, the world around us is confusing, sometimes cruel, and always challenging to understand. Please allow us time to step aside and dwell upon "your will" rather than "our wants and needs." Let us find the peace or stillness to allow "thy will to be done on earth as it is in heaven."