God's Gifts

God's Help Wanted (Seven Gifts) Paul's message to the Romans lists seven specific gifts. We have been blessed with some of them and can use them daily. God's "HELP WANTED" asks us to use our gifts to do His work. We, therefore, have two challenges. One is to recognize the gifts given to us. The other is sharing these gifts in our daily lives. The sharing of these gifts in a loving Christian way brings us peace. Thought for Today: Let's focus on our gifts, understand them, and use them to help ourselves and others. Prayer for Today: we pray for peace and justice in a troubled world. We are trying to understand what everything means and our piece in it all. We feel too small to help. We pray that we may recognize and use our gifts to help the world.

Let the Glory Be God's

Let the Glory Be God's "The LORD is my strength and shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped." (Psalm 28: 7) The "Super Bowl" takes place in January, and enormous numbers are associated with it. Numbers like 200 million people watching on TV, six million dollars for a thirty-second ad, five hundred million added to the area economy- Oh yes, some competitors and coaches from both teams will attend a prayer meeting and bible study Sunday before the game. They are members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. My sports history goes back to age six as a YMCA swimmer, and my 60-plus years of associating with athletes have convinced me that they are not a group to be proud to know. Their years of competition and "winning is everything" attitude have negatively influenced them for the most part. On Super Sunday, there will be members of the "Fellowship" who have kept a balance in their lives. In sports, I find them a pleasing and significant minority. They represent what I feel every Christian and person needs to be: The best they can be with an appreciation of the Lord and Jesus Christ. Below is the last paragraph of their competitor's creed. "I give my all every time. I do not give up. I do not give in. I do not give out. I am the Lord's warrior- a competitor by conviction and a disciple of determination. I am confident beyond reason because my confidence lies in Christ. The results of my efforts must result in His glory. Let the competition begin. Let the glory be God's." Thought for Today: Let us enjoy today by being the best we can be while keeping the Lord in the forefront. Prayer for Today: Father, today we pray that we will keep you in our lives, that we will be fair in our dealings and competitions. We pray that we will be good examples of your commandments through our faith. Amen

Soar Like an Eagle

Soar Like Eagles "... those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40: 31) Photo By Stephanie Symmes In the nineteen fifties, a bald eagle was a rare sight. Now 60 years later, they are soaring over shopping centers, eating fish out of the local lakes, and generally hanging out with us. Seeing them makes it easy to see why our founders selected them as a national symbol. They are big, majestic, and beautiful birds. Their revival as a species shows us how humans can contribute to God's creations and the world. We changed a few rules, respected the Lord's way, and the Bald eagle is now a common sight. We are always searching for ways to make a better world, a way to soar. I spent my early years in engineering working for AT & T, a huge company. A lot of the policies seemed restrictive and bureaucratic. The younger engineers in the department, including myself, thought we would change the world right NOW. That was not the way company systems worked. When frustration with the system came to the surface, our trainer and mentor often advised us to "Rise above it and move on." Eagles do that. There is a story about Eagles rising above storms. They sense the storm coming and use the wind to rise above the dangerous currents and ride out the storm. In many instances in life, we need to keep our faith while staring at negativity, the storms of life. We count to ten, punch a pillow, and ask the Lord for support when we are wise. When we involve our faith while handling our storms, we minimize our stress and significantly improve our quality of life. Thought for Today: Let us use our faith in the Lord to rise above the problems of everyday life. Prayer for Today: Let us pray to find a way to serve "God's will" rather than "our will" as a country.

Serenity Prayer

Serenity Prayer "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference." As we go into the New Year, peace and tranquility always seem to be part of our New Year's goals. Last year we did too much. One more committee at church: the kids need a coach. How can we get everyone to every game, lesson, class, etc.? Oh, the boss wants us fifty hours a week too. It takes faith and courage to let go and let God play a role in our lives. "I... will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body..." Philippians (1:20). At work and in our daily lives, we often fail to take the risk of allowing God to take control. How often do we not accept the spiritual help available? We will handle it all. Where is our humility when we try to do it all? "... humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." James (2:1). We tend to forget the basic rules taught to us by our faith. When we take control, adding stress to ourselves, do we ask for the help available? "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask God , and it will be given to you." (James 1:5) We are told to keep God at the forefront of our search for this inner peace. "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7) The serenity prayer is simple, and that is good. For the new year, let's keep it simple. Thought for Today: Let us focus on peace and tranquility with our families, neighbors, and coworkers. Prayer for Today: Let's use the serenity prayer this week and for the year, especially when overstressed.

Persistence

Persistence "Then Jesus told his disciples... that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1) Bob Dylan's lyrics said, "Times, they are a-changing…" and maybe not for the better. One of life's constants is change. It is like an endurance event or marathon. There will be ups and downs along the way that necessitates keeping our eyes on the prize. It takes persistence to get to the end. We need to "…always pray and not give up." There is a long year ahead, and there will be changes and some stresses: careers, finances, health, to name a few. The holiday season is a period of stressful joy due to all the activities. In January, reality comes to the forefront, starting an annual endurance event called the Year. Dr. Benjamin Mays wrote the poem "God's Minute." I have only just a minute. Only sixty seconds in it. Forced upon me, can't refuse it. Didn't seek it, didn't choose it. But it’s up to me to use it, I must suffer if I lose it, Give account if I abuse it, Just a tiny little minute, But eternity is in it! Mays had it correct, but we must consider a whole year. Thought for Today: Today, let us pray for people in need who are dealing with challenging life issues such as COVID-19, family stress, financial stress, or others. As charity begins at home, it is a given that prayer also does. Have a great day. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we pray for smooth sailing through the rough seas of life. We pray for ourselves and others who are in need. We pray that we will do better and seek a way to do your will here on earth.

New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” Psalm 46:7 Today, rather than focusing on a new beginning, let’s give thanks for the blessed year that has passed. There are both positive and negative memories, and we may ask why we did some dumb things. Or why something great happened? Whatever the case, the Lord was with us, and we must be thankful. Thought for Today: Let us be thankful for last year and prayerful about our future. As we move forward, let’s remember two of my favorite themes. Keep healthy in your spirit, mind, and body. Also, when in doubt, “Just do it!”

2024!

Gifts "For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, In accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, And these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." (Romans 12:3-6) Christmas has passed, and we were all involved in its materialism at some level. The advertising, the gift-giving, and the holiday cards all lead us away from its meaning. It is not about the gifts that were given and received by people. Earlier this year, we read about the gifts that God gave us. Paul's letter to the Romans has a special meaning. Verse nine of Romaans twelve lists seven of God's gifts. It is essential to understand God's blessings and recognize our gifts. We need to know where we fit in God's world and how to apply His gifts in our lives. These gifts matter- They are not advertised on TV or in the newspaper. They are given to us by Him to use. Thought for Today: As we approach the New Year, let us think about who we are and what gifts God has given us. Let us learn to use these gifts to make our lives and the lives of others better. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, self-improvement always seems to be an objective at this time of the year. Each year I focus on "my improvement" and sometimes do not recognize the tasks you may have set forth for me. I pray that this will be the year that "my improvement" is accomplished by identifying your gifts to me and finding a way to do your work with them. Amen