New Beginnings

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,

he is a new creation;

the old has gone,

the new has come!”

(2 Corinthians 5:17) 

            Today is the first day of the rest of your life; believe in it. We have a great chance every day to start over. Yesterday is past, tomorrow the future and today is a gift from God. It is up to us how we are going to use it; carry around our old baggage or go out and harvest new joys. It is our choice.

            To use a golf analogy, life is like match play, hole by hole versus day by day. A bad golf hole in match play does not cost you the match, it counts as one of eighteen! In life, a bad day is painful and certainly not wanted and may contribute to a bad week. However, it can be a bottom and life can be all uphill from there. We can turn bad into good.

            One of the benefits I get out of writing these is the phone calls and emails from readers. A year ago my mobile rang and it was a non recorded number. I was way too busy to answer a call from someone I did not know and was going to let it ring through. The old softie in me answered after four rings and it was from an old friend and Good News buddy. She was having a really bad day and gone to the Spirit of HopeUMC web site looking for relief. She found my messages and the first one she opened applied to her issue. She made my day by calling to say thanks for being there.

            If you are reading this today you are on the right track and giving yourself the opportunity for a better day. Meditation and prayer will jump start your day and open the window to the light of our faith.

Thought for Today: Today let us start a new beginning and reach out and help another do the same. 

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father we give you thanks for our many blessings and especially for a new day. Today we pray that we capture the joys of life that you lead us to and that we may help someone else also find them.

Amen

Draw Nearer to God!

"Therefore, brothers, since we have
confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
 by a new and living way opened for us  through the curtain, that is, his body,
 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
 let us draw near to God
with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith..."
(Hebrews 10:19-22)

        We often slip into moods that weaken our spirituality and faith. In life, fear, anger, lack of trust (doubt) often get more attention than they deserve. It is normal for humans to let them dominate their thoughts but it is also not a healthy way to live.

        At a meeting recently, the subject of "angry unhappy people" was being discussed. There are unfortunate people that have not forgiven enough. They have hung on to so many resentments that they have become cynical, angry, unhappy or all of the above. It almost seems that this is a penance for not practicing forgiveness.

We need to somehow live closer to Jesus example; to forgive and to believe that out of this life will come peace. Draw nearer to God. Spirituality and faith are works in progress. Let God take our hand to find peace and tranquility and continue spiritual growth.

Thought for Today: Today let us selfishly think about ourselves. Focus on our own faith. Certainly we will have opportunity to be angry and frustrated. This week we need to recognize when that occurs, act more like Jesus and "draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith... ".
Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we pray for the world leaders.  We pray that the world draw near to you and that peace will prevail.
Amen 

Our Rock

Our Rock

“There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.”

(1 Samuel 2 vs. 2)

            Growing up in New England we often fished in streams and frequently crossed them by stepping from rock to rock. When we stepped on a loose one or slipped from one we got cold and wet. The analogy I am getting at is we chose the wrong rock! That is not an option with God.

            The Lord is the rock of our life; our foundation and always with us. There are times when we forget that simple truth; when we feel lonely; when we will not let Him in to help. During those times we can feel cold and lonely. (Hopefully not wet!)

            Prayer and devotionals will help that situation. If you are reading this today you are probably sitting squarely on the rock.

Thought for Today: Today let’s be aware of our foundation; our rock!

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today I recognize you and give thanks for being my rock and foundation. Today I pray that I may recognize someone who has slipped from your rock and help them..

Amen

Forever

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

(Psalm 100 vs. 4&5)

            In the Saugus Massachusetts in the forties and fifties each school day started with saluting the flag, Psalm 100 and 23 followed by the Lord’s Prayer. It was a great reminder who we were and what America was and represented. I believe that repeating these daily was the best training for life that was passed on to us as youngsters.

            The overall theme of Psalm 100 is Joy through faith. Rather than say a lot about that. I will ask you to do a simple comparison in your mind. Today, think about those around you who do not seem to be joyful, those who seem angry, those having trouble with stress etc. Identify those people and pray for them.

Thought for Today: Today let us stay focused on being joyful Christians.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, today we give thanks for the grace guaranteed us by Jesus when he died on the cross. We give thanks for his grace and the joyous lives that we lead.

Amen

One Loving God

One Loving God

    " And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence

 on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him."
(1 John 16-17)

                I believe that somehow there is one God and we all will love Him!

Thought for Today: Love is a world leader. When it exists, people are happy and successful. When love is not present, everyone suffers. Today, let us search for opportunities to convert our anxious moments into positive events through caring and love. Let us recognize resentments, jealousies and other negative forces. Let's bury them with God's love.


Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are trying to live our lives showing love and compassion by following Jesus laws. We get confused by the hate in the world and in the neighborhoods around us and we get caught wondering what it is all about. Today we pray for some understanding of it and the ability to affect negative forces with our loving and caring ways.
Amen 

Peaks and Valleys

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith,
we have peace with God ...
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
perseverance, character; and character, hope.
And hope does not disappoint us, ..."
(Romans 5:1-4,)

        Life is full of peaks and valleys. It is very human to take credit for the peaks and blame something else for the valleys. It is hard at times to identify with our own "piece of the action" when there is pain. It is often hard to appreciate the lessons learned through the suffering process.

        We look to our faith more often when we are in a valley than when we are at a peak. Many people that visit our churches come through crises. Divorce, illness, grief, loneliness etc. are among the common reason for a visit. I have personally never greeted someone that told me that they had such a great week that they came to say thanks to God.

        However, one of the beauties of our faith is that we recognize God's role in helping get us to the next peak. We recognize God's role in getting us to the final peak. Each peak gives us a reason for a stronger faith, the lessons learned in the valleys gives us the "... perseverance, character; and character, hope" that carry us through out our lives.

Thought for Today: Today let us recognize if we are in a peak or a valley. Let us recognize the lessons we are learning if it is a valley and give credit to those things that helped make it a peak. Either way, let us give thanks to God.

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we are in a confused world. Many people are concerned about their future in tough economic times. There is war, fear, terror that seems to dominate the news. Certainly there are many needing a "peak" to help them out. This week we pray that through your Son Jesus, we all may find a peak and a way to share your Love with someone.
Amen 

Joy

Joyful

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

(Psalm 100 vs. 2&3)

Thought for Today: When you are feeling down and out- think about the joy of our faith!

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, today we pray that we can keep our focus on the joys of our faith and that we may share those joys with those around us.

Amen