Lectionary Scripture for February 5th, 2012
January 30, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wanderings, Wonderings
January 25, 2012Last night I watched the State of the Union Address by President Obama. It really got me to thinking but not necessarily about the things he was talking about. It was a state of the union and it was his view of how things were going with the United States. What he has gotten done and what he hopes to achieve.
It made me think about Jesus and His ministry. About what He has gotten done and what He hopes to achieve. We sometimes look to the leaders of our country to help us with our lives. We have faith in them because of what they tell us. Which is so often what we want to hear. Jesus told us so much in His short three-year ministry. Much of it words that we really didn’t want to hear. Words, however, that we needed to hear. Words that would heal us and help us through our lives if we would just hear them. I believe that if we would just listen to the words of Jesus we would hear the solutions to many of our problems today. That’s interesting isn’t it. Someone 2000 years ago could tell us about ourselves and how to solve our problems today.
Wouldn’t it be a great thing if our politicians listened to the words of the Savior of the world and used those words to help solve the problems of the world. Wouldn’t it be a great thing if we elected people who had compassion and genuinely cared about humanity and were not so interested in their own careers and selfish agendas. Now I am not saying that all politicians are bad but I am saying that there are many who are misled.
As Christians we are to be led by the one we believe is the Son of God. He will not mislead you. Try Him out as the one who can help solve those problems you need help with. I believe He can and will if you will depend upon Him.
Pastor Randy
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
January 23, 2012In one of our Bible Study times in Matthew 18 we heard Peter ask the question “How many times must he forgive his brother who has sinned against him, 7 times? Jesus tells Peter not 7 times but 77 times. In other words forgiveness is so important that we cannot put a number or limit on our forgiveness. If we never learn anything else from Jesus’s teachings we must learn that there is no limit to our love for our neighbor and no limit on our forgiveness.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks we ever can face is our unwillingness to forget those harmful things done to us that we are supposed to forgive people for. It is imperative for us as Christians to always remember that forgiveness and forgetting go hand in hand. You see the blood of Jesus Christ covers each one of us as believers and it means that God not only forgives us of our sins but forgets those sins as well. He can no longer see those sins because of the precious gift of Jesus Christ blood be poured out upon this earth.
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done. We also ask that we are forgiven as those who have sinned and we ask to be forgiven as much as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. This prayer and the premise it sets for us is so important for our lives and the peace that God promises us.
How often do you pray the Lord’s Prayer with unforgiveness and hurt in your heart? Can you forgive and forget? They are two inseparable words and promises. Practice these two words and life will get much better.
Have a blessed day while remembering that you are forgiven,
Randy
Lectionary Scriptures for January 29th, 2012
January 23, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wanderings, Wonderings
January 22, 2012
In our Bible Study on Wednesday nights we went over the transfiguration on the mount at the beginning of Matthew 17. In all the wonderful things we saw there, there was a message from Peter. Peter looked at Jesus as he stood with the Prophet Elijah and the Law Giver Moses. These two men were so important to all Jewish people for their past, present and future. Here was the Messiah with heroes from the past and all Peter wanted to do was build some tents. When he should have been watching in awestruck wonder he wanted to get busy and do a good deed for some very important saints. When Peter should have been worshiping his Lord He was wanting to do some work to support them.
Now wanting to work for the mission is not a bad thing but it is often what we think of instead of just spending time in worship. Our faith is exampled in what we do but even more so in how we worship, praise and live our lives. We cannot be faithful in what we do if we are not growing through our study, meditation, prayer and understanding of His way. Being busy in God’s work is important but is not all that He wants from us. Giving Him our hearts, minds and physical capabilities are all important. Focus on Him and His way and He will live within you and guide you. He will lead you into the time for worship and the time for work.
God’s peace and blessings,
Randy
Lectionary Scriptures January 22, 2012
January 16, 2012Lectionary Scriptures for January 15th, 2012
January 9, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
January 7, 2012This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Great Granddaughter meets Great Grandparents. Georgia Ann got to meet her great grandparents Friday the 6th. Her great-grandfather will turn 92 on January 8th and Georgia will turn one month on the 12th. This age difference got me to thinking about all that my dad has seen and all that Georgia has an opportunity to see. The changes that have happened during my father’s 92 years have been amazing for his life and for the way he lived it. Georgia’s life will be filled with changes that will be even more amazing and will affect the way she will live her life in astounding ways.
I hope to baptize Georgia in the next few months. Georgia’s parents will accept responsibility for her spiritual growth and someday she will go through confirmation classes and confirm her belief in God and Jesus Christ. As I think about all that Georgia has to experience as she grows I am excited as the promise of scientific knowledge grows exponentially. The wonderful things that she will see and the changes that will affect her life will be many and many will be brand new discoveries. While there will be many changes it is our hope that her belief in God and her parents efforts at sharing their beliefs with her will be a solid foundation that gives her the one constant that will help her center her life. Her belief will help to center her life around consistent moral values that will lead her through all the changes that will take place in the world around her.
It is a new year with lots of new experiences for us all. Allow your beliefs to center your heart and mind around all the changes that take place in your life. Those who do have a much better chance at enjoying life as it comes to them.
Our baptism is the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ. We are called to grow in our knowledge of His way and in His Spirit. Remember your Baptism and remember your covenant relation with your God.
Randy
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
January 3, 2012
I am the one with just his nose sticking out. The one in the yellow is my brother Jim who lives in Utah. We are at Snow Basin which is just down the road from where he and Dianne live. Beautiful country with more post card picture scenes than you can shake a stick at. The trail we are about to ski is down the hill to the right.
In reading this scripture from Mark we see Jesus begin His ministry. We see Him subject Himself to John’s Baptism. John was offering baptism as a means for the Jewish people to show their repentance and return to righteousness.
Obviously Jesus did not need this baptism for repentance or righteousness but instead subjected Himself to it to show us the right and good way. He set this example for us as a way to start our lives anew. His baptism was the start of His ministry and is to be the start of ours also.
Our baptism in Jesus Christ is also a time of revelation to us about our lives. Just as God revealed to Jesus that He truly is the Son of God He reveals to us that we are His children. If we are truly repentant and seeking righteousness we will see our lives, the sin in them and work towards righteousness in Jesus Christ. What Christ came to give us is the realization that His blood has washed us clean and given us the freedom to worship Him even if we are living in sin. Our baptism is a sign of who we are in this world, a people living with sin in and around us but forgiven by the sacrifice Jesus has made for us. His baptism gives us the revelation that we are His children, washed clean and living in His righteousness.
How we live our lives in Christ is kind of like learning to snow ski. You just have to point your ski’s downhill and use the skills you have learned, hope that what you know will get you to the bottom of the slope and know that next time it will be a little easier. When we fall we get back up and get going again in the direction that leads to the bottom of the hill. Living our lives in Christ is knowing Him as our Savior in a way that we want to carry His message to the world. We sometimes start out with very few skills but know that our knowledge of and in Him will get us started down the right trail. We may make mistakes that we can learn from and make our trail easier next time. The most important point to realize is that Christ gives us the courage to step out in faith that will lead us down the path to guiding others into His saving grace.
In order to begin skiing we must point our ski’s downhill, give a little push, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again. In order to become a child of Christ we must push ourselves to the altar, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again.
God’s Peace and Blessing to all,
Randy
