Spiritual Growth

"I gave you milk, not solid food,

for you were not yet ready for it

Indeed, you are still not ready."

(1 Corinthians 3 vs. 2) 

            Several years ago June and I made a decision that our families would not remember us as angry old people. We decided that based on our time spent interacting with elderly people as Stephen ministers. Recently I have been involved with two such people and have concluded that somehow being happy has everything to do with spiritual growth. Let me share a story with you from a recent Saturday.

            My friend and I were volunteering at a race in a very cold April rain and many volunteers were complaining. My friend stated that as bad as it was he was dreading his next appointment even worse. Trust me, we had been out in the rain for four hours serving over 8000 participants and worse seemed impossible!

            He was going to his parents place to do a few odd jobs that his dad could or should not risk doing any more. He said that somehow dad would get angry, be disagreeable and be dissatisfied. He could not understand why. In my usual big mouth way I asked him about his dad’s spirituality. The answer was that mom and dad go to church every Sunday!

            This lead to my favorite discussion: religious versus spirituality! You see, there are a lot of people who attend church every week that do not experience spiritual growth. In a recent discussion it was said that too many religious people just never get to know the Holy Spirit! I believe that the people who are edgy, angry or uncomfortable fit that description.

            In summary, the Lord wants us to be happy, cheerful and appreciative. He has given us the tools and we need to use them every day. The tool we have is faith and the Holy Spirit. We need to keep them in mind and in our hearts to be happy! 

Thought for Today: Today let us use Paul’s message about the milk and drink our milk but demonstrate with our happiness and spirit that we are ready for the Lord’s solid food. That food results in our happiness and peace.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we pray for all who are experiencing anxiety and anger. We pray that they may find peace and tranquility through the Holy Spirit.

Amen

 

 

           

Focus on Ourselves!

Thought for the Week: Let us focus on ourselves and our talents. Let us recognize that we have special gifts, given to us by the Lord to use for Him. 

John Wesley said it this way: Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.

 

Romans 12 verses 10-13, NIV

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.

Never be lacking in zeal,

but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and

faithful in prayer.

Share with God’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality

Spring

It is hard to think about spring this year because we still have 10 inches of hard packed snow on the ground. For you friends in warmer climates please remember that I write in Minnesota. 2012 was our first snowless March in over 100 years and we northerners are paying the price this year. 

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.

This is what the ancients were commended for.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command,

so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

(Hebrews 11:3, NIV) 

Spring is a test of our patience and vision. We are tempted to believe that summer has arrived only to be brought back to reality. We will often get a week of cloudy, cold and windy weather after several weeks of warm weather. Bulbs pop through the ground and get covered with frost or even snow. Our hoses are on the reels and we worry they will freeze. The lawn needs to be mowed but it is too cold to sit out and enjoy it. 

June and I have been remembering some of our late spring weather happenings, the cruelty of it all. In 2010 on the last Saturday in April, Get In Gear race day, we had 6 inches of snow and 30 mph winds. On April 10^th in 2006 we altered our evening plans because on a blinding snow squall that evening. Those are two recent events that closed golf courses, challenged our psyche and left no doubt who was in charge! 

A friend used to say “Spring has come the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is.” English teachers may shudder on that one, but it has a good message. We do wonder where the flowers are and are generally impatient while we wait. We buy flowers in pots and find warm places for them. We want to rush the season. There needs to be a prayer called “Hurry up God.” Spring is also a great time for visions. We know that at His pace, God will make things green and colorful. The frost will go away, the buds will open up and the color will return to nature. We know this will happen and we trust in it as we trust in our faith.  

Thought for the Week: This week let us stop and smell the roses that aren’t there yet. Yes, they have not come out yet, but we know that they will. Spring is a great example of God’s power and wonders, let us enjoy it. 

Prayer for the Week: Dear Heavenly Father, Hurry Up! Yes, we on earth need you to step up the pace! Bring us our spring flowers, warmer weather, fishing season and all that we enjoy.

While you are at it, let’s eliminate the hungry, the poor and have world peace! Now let us ask for how we may help. This week we pray that we can contribute to these tasks, that we may find a

place to help serve your will in our world.

Amen

Happiness Is

Thought for the Week: This is the day (week)  that the Lord has made, let us rejoice! We will experience ups and downs but with the hope of God in our hearts, the downs can be short, the ups can be high it can be a week of joy. It is our choice.

Aristotle said it this way: “Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.” 

Romans 15verse 13, NIV

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace

 as you trust in him,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Trust

“I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me.

Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

 (Philippians 4 vs. 10-13) 

            It always amazes me and reinforces my faith when something Paul said 2000 years ago applies directly to today’s world. For several years our free world economy has been flaky. Trust in government has faded as the leaders of America and the world have become polarized. The advent of Ponzi schemes and fraud by high powered executives have hurt the trust we need in our financial markets for them to be strong. Even at low levels of government doubt in their ability to perform are stronger than ever. Frankly, it is scary to me because our country is built on trust. Look at your money, “In God We Trust.”

            My Good News is not meant to be political and that seems to be the case today but I promise to turn this around! You see, Paul is pointing out a simple truth and we need to pay attention to it. In a recent telecast televangelist Joel Osteen put it this way, “We do not know what the future holds but we do know who holds our future.”  Hmmm, there is something to think about. 

Thought for Today: Today and always let us take time to focus on our savior. Let’s take a few minutes to appreciate and welcome Him into our life. 

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, today we give thanks for Paul’s words and encouragement. We pray that we may accept his advice graciously and lean on you to get through our daily stresses.

Amen

Make a Difference!

Thought for the Week

 We will encounter bad news this week and is important to overcome it and make a positive contribution to those around us. Today let us show others our hope for future generations. 

John F. Kennedy said it this way: "One person can make a difference and every person must try."  

In Psalm 19, the psalmist says:

Psalm 19 verses 1-4, NIV 

“The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

 There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.”

Success

 “I saw that wisdom is better than folly,

Just as light is better than darkness."

(Ecclesiastes 2:13NIV) 

In our democratic society, we are pressed into a competitive market place for our goods

and services. That is supposed to be what makes America great. Success is often a

matter of having more "stuff". We are building 5,6 and 7,000 square foot houses, owing

bigger boats, luxury cars abound etc. All this is very good for the economy, but is it good

for our souls? 

Aristotle Onassis definition of success was to "... keep climbing higher and higher-just for

the thrill."  

Barbra Streisand said, " success for me is having ten honeydew melons and eating only

the best part of each."  

Because you are reading this Good News today, I pray that your definition is more

closely better represented by Dr. Gary Rossberg's perspective:

    " Success is not just a matter of money, power and ego, but also issues of the heart-

like compassion, bravery, generosity and love. It is an issue of character, not

performance. ...of being the person God wanted you to be, not how much salary you can

pull down. ...".  

If we sit in our homes surrounded by our "stuff" and still feel underachieved; If we sit on

the couch next to our spouse and still feel lonely; we should go back to the simple things

we learned growing up and search our faith for the definition of success. We will find that

Rossberg is very close to the answer. 

Thought for the Week: This week, let us look at our calendars and try to evaluate

where our efforts are taking us. Let us review our goals and our interactions with others.

Let us fit our lives into Rossberg's perspective rather than the more material views of

success. 

Prayer for the Week: Dear heavenly Father, in our world terror seems to be taking over well beyond faith and love. Somehow we pray for an answer as to how it all fits Your plan. We pray for your guidance and somehow for the ability to keep the power of your light above the darkness that seems to be closing around us.

Amen