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Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

April 29, 2013

I ran across this illustration and thought I would share it with you.

The Peace of Christ in a World of Chaos – John 14:23-29

One of the best newspaper cartoons of all time is Calvin and Hobbes. One day Calvin and Hobbes come marching into the living room early one morning. His mother is seated there in her favorite chair. She is sipping her morning coffee. She looks up at young Calvin. She is amused and amazed at how he is dressed. Calvin’s head is encased in a large space helmet. A cape is draped around his neck, across his shoulders, down his back and is dragging on the floor. One hand is holding a flashlight and the other a baseball bat.

“What’s up today?” asks his mom.

“Nothing, so far,” answers Calvin.

“So far?” she questions.

“Well, you never know,” Calvin says, “Something could happen today.” Then Calvin marches off, “And if anything does, by golly, I’m going to be ready for it!”

Calvin’s mom looks out at the reading audience and she says, “I need a suit like that!”

That’s the way many of us feel as we see the news and deal with life. Sometimes this world seems quite violent and people seem to be at each other’s throats. A suit like that would help, so we can say with Calvin, “Whatever may come my way, I’m going to be ready for it! Bring it on!”

Well, I don’t have a suit like Calvin’s to give you this morning, but I do have word for this morning: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

There is a defining phrase in that statement. One that tells us what kind of peace it is that Christ gives us. Listen to it again and see if you can pick it out: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” The defining phrase is: “Not as the world gives.” Do you see how that defines God’s peace? The world promises peace through the rule of law. Law and order is the only way for a society and a people to experience peace and law and order must be kept by the aggressive use of force. That’s the only way that the world can bring about peace.

But here is how Jesus will give you peace. If you obey his word He and the Father will come to you and make a home with you. Right in your heart. Not by force but by choice. They will abide in your heart bringing peace. The world’s peace is peace through strength. The Lord’s peace is peace through surrender…

Tags:Blessings, church, devotional, God, integrity, Jesus, john, Lectionary, Lord's, love, meditation, methodist, peace, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
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Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

April 24, 2013

Wow! Was last week something else! I have been doing a lot of pondering over the events that unfolded last week with the Marathon bombings, West, Texas explosion and the tragic death of one of our church members in a car accident. If you watch the news it doesn’t take long to begin to feel an oppressive weight come over you. So much news about the negative side of our human existence/life. It makes me wonder how people who don’t know that there is a better place after this life can go on functioning in a world gone so wrong. It makes me wonder why people support belief systems that teach such hate and use such destruction to carry a message that should be positive. It makes me wonder at the selfless giving that people will do even when faced with such tragedy. When a hatefilled act like the Boston Marathon bombing takes place there are always people who will immediately respond to the injured needs. When a fire and explosion happen there are people who will respond and put themselves at risk of life and limb. When either type of tragedy strikes, whether it is accidental or purposeful, people respond in all sorts of ways in order to help because they care. So, why do they care? I believe it is the Holy Spirit prompting them. Prompting them even if they don’t believe in God or the Holy Spirit or Jesus Christ as their Savior. I believe that the Holy Spirit prompts all peoples to do the good and right things and we even listen to it sometimes. For those of us who believe we must listen proactively, be ready to act as the Spirit leads us and really try to be the positive influence in the world that Christ calls us to be. For those who don’t believe continue to do the good and right things that you feel led to do. If both are listening and being led into the good and right things to do then the world will be a better place.

Have a blessed day,

Pastor Randy

Tags:America, Bless, bombings, boston, church, God, Jesus, love, methodist, Spiritual growth, study, texas, tragedy, united, west
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Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

March 25, 2013

I ran across this article or lead in to a sermon and found it really does apply to so many of us. Read it and meditate on it. Ask yourself what it is that Jesus Christ will save you from when you call on His Name?

Pastor Randy

Save Us

When we wave our palms and boldly cry out, “Hosanna,” do we dare imagine what we really want God to save us from? Save me from anger. Save me from cancer. Save me from depression. Save me from debt. Save me from the strife in my family. Save me from boredom. Save me from getting sent back to Iraq. Save me from the endless cycle of violence. Save me from humiliation. Save me from staring at the ceiling at three a.m. wondering why I exist. Save me from bitterness. Save me from arrogance. Save me from loneliness. Save me, God, save me from my fears.

In viewing Palm Sunday from that angle, we can begin to see the potential for some real depth in this celebration, for embedded in our quaint pageantry is an appeal to God that originates in the most vulnerable places inside of us; and it bubbles, almost beyond our control, to the surface. “Hosanna.” “Save us.” Please God take the broken places that will tear us apart and make them whole. We beseech you, God, jump into the water and drag our almost-drowned selves to shore. “Save us.” “Hosanna.”

Scott Black Johnston, Save Us

Tags:church, Common, devotional, God, Jesus, light, Lord's, love, methodist, Spiritual growth, united
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Peace in our Hearts Brings a Happy New Year

January 1, 2013

I hope everyone has a blessed New Year. I also hope that each and every one will seek out peace in their own hearts. Finding that peace, that only belief in God can bring, is the only way to find the peacemaker in your own hearts. As Christians we sometimes forget that there are things in and of this world that we hold onto. What seems to hold us back the most are our own opinions and inability to see that others have deeply felt opinions. Finding peace within our own hearts, that peace which surpasses all understanding, helps us to find ways and words that allow us to live in peace and in love with others. We must however always remember that we are all on our own walk with God and we are not all at the same mileage checkpoint. Be gracious to all in the New Year and keep moving in your walk with your Savior.

Peace to all throughout the New Year,

Pastor Randy

Tags:earth, God, hearts, Jesus, New Year, opinions, peace
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Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

November 30, 2012

Pastor John Jewell tells about a young boy a few years ago who at one of their Christmas Eve candlelight services expressed his excitement. Immediately after the benediction, this four year old broke out at the top of his lungs with, “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Jesus is born! Jesus is born! Let’s get going!”

It seems the boy’s parents had told the lad that he could not open his gifts until after the church service. Waiting was difficult for him, so just as soon as the service was over, he was thrilled that he could get on to the things that mattered most to him. (2) That lad didn’t understand the true meaning of Christmas, but he certainly caught its excitement. “Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! Jesus is born! Jesus is born! Let’s get going!”

So what do we do to generate excitement in our own lives around Christmas. You know that some of us will get depressed this Christmas because there might not be enough money to buy the presents we want to give to those we love. There will be some in our community who will go out and steal so that they can give others presents. There will be some who will be angry or depressed over lost loved ones during this time of year. There will be some who will go out and spend more than they have (plastic money) so that they can give to those they love or want to impress or perhaps are afraid of someone else being loved more. I have listed just a few of the many negative circumstances/emotions people will experience during this time of year and I am sure that this is not what Jesus would be encouraging us to do. So how do we deal with our own good or bad, negative or positive attitudes toward Christmas and how we build expectations and excitement during Advent.

First of all we need to think about what Christmas is all about. It is meant to be a celebration of the birth of Jesus and Advent (derived from the Latin word Adventus which means ”coming”) is about building excitement towards the day we celebrate His birth. First of all keeping our God and Jesus involved in our Advent is important. How about as we are thinking about what we will give we include God in our thoughts. We could pray for the person we want to give a gift to. We could pray about the gift we should give. We could pray over the gift God helps us choose. We could pray each day that our excitement would grow because we are truly thankful that whatever our gifts to others may be, we know that God really does bless those gifts and the person they are given to when we include Him in the process. So much effort is going to remove Christ from our celebration that it is very important to let everyone know the reason we celebrate the season and that our celebration gives all glory and honor to our God and His Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen

Pastor Randy

Tags:America, church, God, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, love, methodist, Scripture, united
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