Always Be Joyful

Always Be Joyful

"Always be joyful. Keep on praying.
No matter what happens, always be thankful,
for this is God's will for you who belong to Jesus Christ.
(1 Thessalonians 5:15-16)

            When writing during a summer sunrise, it is cool, clear and the view from our balcony is beautiful and serene. There is no difficulty being joyful and praying. It is a great moment, but.

            This month has been a challenge in our world- Racial and financial inequities are being protested, the pandemic seems to be accelerating and last evening severe weather was rampant! But today is the first day of the rest of our lives and we need to rejoice in it.

            Out of adversity comes greatness. Today there are hundreds of beautiful people volunteering to help in the cities that lost buildings in riots; more are collecting and distributing food for the unemployed due to the pandemic; many are simply praying for love to prevail and bring joy!

            In summary life is not always great and it is sometimes difficult to “Always be joyful” but we can always “Keep on praying”.

Bless you, all.

Thought for Today: Let’s find a way to enjoy life despite the challenges. Let us recognize the challenges will make us stronger and that the Lord will see us through.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord today we thank you for the joy in our lives and the ability to sustain it in hard times through prayer. Amen

Consequences

00719 Consequences

"Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification."

(Romans 14:19)

            Yes, we are beating on the same drum. That is because it is an important drum to beat; not for those we call “Them” but for us. The term “network” became popular in the 1980s and generally referred to business relationships and started as a business terminology. It has grown.

            The internet has created more formal systems of business and social networks. In a social network people are called friends and I like that. In my Friends list of over 200 or so people, my grandparents would exclude over half my friends. That is half the opportunities to learn, enjoy, assist, and help. It would be sad!

            We each have a right to form our groups and decide what to say and who to share it with. An example, Christian Friends and God is my Spinach have been viewed in over 160 countries around the world and supports people; not just Christians. It is a humble effort for “peace and edification”. 

            My point is that the exclusionary attitudes taught in the 1950s are a deep-rooted problem. When we exclude others we are the losers! Paul closed with the term “…mutual edification." And we lose that when we exclude.

Thought for Today: Today extend our Christian love to everyone we meet and not exclude anyone!

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we give thanks for the Grace of Jesus and the forgiveness of or faith. We have not been perfect in our treatment of others. Today I pray for the gift of love and that I may accept and love everyone.  Amen

Independence, Freedom!

Independence 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 5:1)

                Independence is what makes America great and our many freedoms make this a great place to live. Our constitution is based on our ability to self govern. Below is a quote from Abraham Lincoln about our system.

“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it.”

Pray for the future of America!

Thought for Today: Today let’s celebrate our independence by obeying the Lord’s commandments.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, our country celebrates its independence. Our freedoms are based on your laws and our abilities to obey them. Today we pray for spiritual growth, honesty, integrity, and ethics.

Amen

Listen!

00626 Listen 

“Listen, accept what I say;
and the years of your life will be many.”

(Proverbs 4 vs. 10)

 

            Driving to the trail to do my morning walk there were a father and son in the car behind me. The son was wearing a headset and probably listening or viewing something on his phone. The Dad had his phone up to his ear. In our apartment complex there are parents with their children but on their screens. Screens and blue tooth are an integral part of society today; we are together but separated by technology. 

            So, as not to sound too much like an old fogey, I need to admit that most of my communications today are with text, email, or social media. It is a great way to stay in touch with people and the twenty-two members of our family! My question is, “Are we missing out on closeness…or increasing our contact? 

            In the ancient 1950s, my folks and I rode together a lot and they would not turn on the radio. It was our time to talk. Often, I was getting grilled but once in a while, it was my turn to ask and question. I especially liked to quiz my mom when we were riding to school, she was a teacher and always had the inside scoop. My dad was a talker and with him was my time to listen and learn. I do not remember much about what I learned but we sure talked. There is a closeness to a personal conversation that we may be missing. 

            Observing in my mirror there was no conversation between the boy and his dad. They were in different worlds. Sometimes my grandkids do that to me when I pick them up from school. Alone time is important, use it! With that said, the increased communication through technology makes keeping in touch easier. 

            My conclusion for today is nothing. Times are changing and people change with the times. We are parents charged with raising and mentoring the next generation. Prayerfully our love and Christian values will be passed on. 

Thought for Today:  Today let us be communicators with those around us. Let us share our love and faith as well as some hints on life. 

Prayer for Today: Today we pray for future generations. We pray that the technology that makes their lives simpler enhances their understanding of Jesus and his grace.

           

God is with You

00620 God is with Us 

"Now Moses was a very humble man,
more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth"
(Numbers 12:3)

Like Moses, we are not always enthusiastic about what God wants. We are a humble lot, conservative, and considerate of other's views and feelings. We are humble before God.

        However, in our lives, we are often asked to perform tasks that require an assertive posture. Many of us are leaders in the community, at work, and church; often in roles that require strength while still being humble. That is a challenging task!

   God's response to Moses was "...I will be with you." and he will be with us always.         

When you are feeling hesitant and inferior, God says, "I will be with you."

When you are wondering if you can make it another day with the job stress, He says, "I will be with you."

When you're faced with a tough decision and wondering what to do, He says, "I will be with you."

When you are experiencing great joy, God is with you.

You may be a bit reluctant, as was Moses, but we need to remember that as we go through life, God is with us always.

Thought for Today: We need to remember that we are not alone. Through our faith, we have help meeting our obligations. So take control of situations humbly and allow ourselves to be led through the tasks ahead.

Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father we thank you for being with us. We are often confused in a world of activity. Often when things go well, we feel that we controlled the situation. We pray that we can recognize your involvement in our everyday lives and have the forethought to give you thanks through our actions and prayers.
Amen
 

Peace

Peace 

“You will keep in perfect Peace

those whose minds are steadfast, 

because they have trust in you.” 

(Isaiah 26 verse 3)

            Peace is a direct result of faith and trust. When situations are not what we like we have options. One is to fear negative results that may occur; another is to focus on how we can avoid or minimize negative impact. It is important to stay on a positive track and be steadfast!           

In life, we need to keep our eye on the sky, look upward and outward for the positive results. Our news and media outlet rating systems have proven that bad news sells and it is important. The bad news about pandemics, riots, fires, murders are important to hear but carry the risk dampening our positive attitudes! 

As Christians we need to be steadfast and positive; have a positive outlook. We need to be the leaders in fairness, equality, and in displaying the social values taught to us by Jesus. We can help solve the world's issues when we are steadfast and trust in our faith. 

Thought for Today: Today be positive in the face of all challenges. Let’s snatch peace from the grasp of negativity. 

Prayer for the Day: Dear Lord, today we give thanks for the opportunity to have peace in our lives. We pray that we may focus on doing your will and that through our steadfast love we will have peace and contribute to the peace of others.

Peace through Faith

Peace through Faith 

"Flee the evil desires of youth,
and pursue righteousness, faith love, and peace...
...The Lord's servant must not quarrel;
instead, he must be kind, able to teach and
not resentful." (2Timothy2:24)           

Forgiveness is the way of our Christian life. It is not always an easy path. We Christians are challenged throughout our lives with anger and resentment. Sometimes we grow vindictive and just want to get even. Wow, what a curse. Is it possible to find peace through revenge? Absolutely not.

The news in 2020 has been traumatic, about Pandemic and bigotry…not much about love! So, what is next, and are we going to lead? …follow? …or just be spectators? I suggest there is an appropriate time for all three but that we each start with a self-evaluation! (and prayer!).

 

Sociologist Anne Curtis summed it up recently, “Social change happens in stops and starts. It moves along at a snail’s pace, trudging, like through molasses, then suddenly jolts forward when something big happens, often with expressions of violence (such as this). Violence has advanced social change for millennia… we need to make some really tough decisions about our own beliefs: Saying "violence is not the answer" ignores historical context. Between the lines, we're really just saying "I am more comfortable with the status quo."

 

Are you satisfied with our world?

 

In our churches last Sunday, we celebrated “Epiphany”. Webster defines it in our lives as "a moment of sudden or great revelation that usually changes you in some way.” It is time we started something new! If the Pandemic can cause us to think about a new reality, I suggest we use our Christian love to do the same.

 

            The Christian message is clear; we will find peace only when we have a strong enough faith to forgive and keep God through Jesus Christ at the forefront of our lives.

 

Thought for the Week: Let this week be the week we start the process of healing and creating true equality.

Prayer for the Week: Heavenly Father, we pray for peace and social justice. As your followers let us lead the way!