Becoming Like Him

Becoming Like Him “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him.” (Philippians 3 vs. 10 & 11) “Becoming like Him” is a great goal, and it speaks of faith, hope, and charity, three beautiful assets. Fortunately, we all have and experience them, Just not all of the time. Sometimes, we are not faithful and occasionally let our minds drift away. There are times when disappointment or depression leads us to lose sight of the hope we need. And charity often takes a back seat to perceived necessity. Ok, this is not Sunday, and I do not do sermons. None of us are perfect, and we will probably never attain anything like perfection. However, if you are reading this, you are doing the right thing now: meditating, enjoying a quiet moment, hopefully drinking your favorite beverage, and thinking about “What Would Jesus Do Today?” As Christians, our lot in life is striving for perfection, working daily on our spiritual growth, and being comfortable through Jesus. Thought for Today: Let’s look at our calendars for the next 24 hours and ask ourselves: What would Jesus do today? Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, we want to thank you for resurrection today. It is spring, and the message is all around us; holy week speaks about the roots of our faith, and the coming of spring reminds us of the wonder of your powers. We are blessed and give thanks.

Worst Enemy

Worst Enemy “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” (Psalm 51 vs. 2 & 3) Self-forgiveness is always a challenge. My worst characteristic is holding on to my transgressions and errors, feeling bad about things that happened 50 years ago! I believe most people are that way, but I pray they are not. In twelve-step recovery programs making amends to people you may have harmed is part of the process. Working with people over the years has shown me that at least half of those contacted do not remember the offense! That has always intrigued me. If my first statement is a fact, at least half of our internal remorse is unnecessary. We hang on to things that do not matter; we are our own worst enemy. That is not the case written by the Psalmist above. David talks about his affair with Bathsheba, and his conscience is bothering him deeply. He is praying for cleansing and forgiveness and will receive it. The question is, can he accept it? We are very hard on ourselves in our human world and need to develop more robust spiritual growth to find acceptance. Thought for Today: Today, let’s move on with our activities unencumbered by our internal memories. Let’s leave remorse behind and generate some positive memories! Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, like David, we have been holding on to past transgressions. Today, we pray that we may let them go and escape so that they do not affect the work we can do for you in the future. We know you will forgive us, and that is not our issue. Amen

Saint Patrick's Day!

00317 St Patrick’s Day “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5 vs. 1) Growing up in Boston, there was always a large St Patrick’s Day parade and celebration. It was great, mythical fun without a grain of truth. There were stories about a saint who drove the snakes out of Ireland, green beer, and buttons that said everyone was Irish today. Wikipedia does not mention green beer or parades but describes a great man who converted a country. St Patrick was an Irish saint who lived from 387 to 461. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. He allowed the Irish to become free of their demons (maybe snakes?) and experience the grace of Christ. We need to honor him for that today. Thought for Today: Today, let us honor a person who spread our faith and the grace of Jesus to the heathen population. Ok, let’s do it by drinking a toast with green beer. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we thank Saint Patrick and the many saints of the first millennium. They brought the grace of Christ to the world and made our lives special. We pray that, in some way, we carry on their work. Amen

Hope Through 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, choices are hard, and stress builds, pray about it; turn it over to God. Paul’s letters repeat that repeatedly, and we often 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 thank you for the day you made for us. We thank you for the opportunity to do your will and contribute to each other’s peace.

Amen