Posts Tagged ‘john’
Lectionary Scriptures for 12-15-13
December 9, 2013Upperroom Daily Devotional 12-5-13
December 5, 2013Upperroom Daily Devotional 12-4-13
December 4, 2013Lectionary Scriptures for 12-8-13
December 3, 2013Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
June 4, 2013
Jane and I were at the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church last week in Houston. We were staying in the Hotel Americas there at the George Brown Convention Center. A very nice place to spend 3 days. As you can tell from the picture above we were staying in a room facing the west. Normally I am not fond of the Houston skyline but when God says to pay attention to how He can clean up this world and turn whatever we make into a thing of beauty, I have to take a picture. Yes, it is another sunset picture that just made my day.
At conference we heard Kenda Creasy-Dean speak. She is a professor of Theology at Princeton University and I believe she specializes in youth. She spoke in reference to her book “Almost Christian: What the Faith of Our Teenagers is Telling the American Church.” She speaks to the issues of teenagers not practicing the faith that they were brought up in as they mature into young adults. She also speaks to the issues of the parents who raised those children and how they exampled their faith to those children. Not just whether or not the children were raised in church but how the parents own faith was lived out in everyday life. She mentioned the fact the we as believers are translators of our Gospel but I believe that we must be translations of the Gospel message. Everything we do should reflect the Gospel message of love for the world that Jesus taught us. That before everything else God must come first and love of our neighbor is to follow. We will then be a living translation of the Gospel Message.
Are you living the Gospel Message? Are you that living translation that people will see and say “wow” that person sure is different from most of us? Yes we are called to be different from the rest of the world! Jesus Christ was different. Because of Jesus Christ the Apostles were different and because of them and many others who were different the world is a better place. Don’t lose focus on who God calls you to be and you too can make a difference for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Most especially in those you are around everyday.
Don’t be an “Almost Christian” and most importantly don’t be responsible for others being “Almost Christians.”
Please meditate and pray about your own faith walk and have a blessed day,
Pastor Randy
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
April 29, 2013I 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…
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
April 10, 2013
Sunset on Canyon Lake last summer. Looking forward to this summer.
John 21:15-19
Jesus and Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
There is a lot of speculation around what Jesus is actually trying to get across to Peter. I am going to bottom line it for you according to what I think. Jesus wants us to love God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then He wants us to follow His example. Loving the Holy Trinity is not an option. Living a life that does not show love for your neighbor is not an option. Not necessarily the meaning of asking three times but who knows? What we do know is that Jesus exampled His love for the Father in Heaven to His disciples and us. He fed the children physically and spiritually. He tended to His disciples and He fed them as well. Could He mean communion, The Last Supper or teaching and preaching. Perhaps all? Maybe Jesus was helping Peter forgive himself for denying Christ three times. Psychology 101?
Lots of questions and lots of answers. Theologians have plenty of thoughts but I am more interested in what you think. What are some answers you can come up with after a little meditation on the Word?
Let me know what you think by commenting below…and have a blessed day.
Pastor Randy
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
June 15, 2012Our Bible Study time each week for the past 7 weeks has been centered around the book “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn. Dr. Alcorn does a wonderful job of reaching into the Bible and gleaning scriptures that refer to Heaven. This week we took up another book called “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper. I recommend either of these books as a very rewarding and inspirational read. In each of these books I am reminded that there is a very great reward that none of us living today deserve so let’s give thanks for our belief in Jesus Christ. It is just that belief that gets us that reward and there is nothing else required of us.
When I think about this gift God has given us it turns my heart towards the loving relationship that He desires us to have with Him. He loves us no matter what we do and that love poured out upon everyone on this earth helps me to think about returning that love to Him. Not because it is required but because when I think about Him my heart is warmed and His love is reflected in me and from me. When am I reflecting that love? When I am visiting those who are homebound! When I am smiling at those whom I meet each day! When I am helping someone in need! When I am doing the things that reflect God’s love for His world. I have to look at all of these things not as things I do but as God’s love for us being poured out from me as a willing vessel.
You see I truly believe that if you love someone you do things for them because you love them. God loves us and has done and is doing for us just because He loves us. Our response to that love should be that we show our love for Him by being His willing vessels that pour His love out on the world.
Smile at someone today! Better yet smile at everyone today! Smile because you know God loves you and because you know you love God! It is a marriage made in Heaven!
Pastor Randy
Lectionary Scriptures for 6-10-12
June 8, 2012Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
May 28, 2012
This is Memorial Day and it is a day of remembering and honoring those who have given so much for their country. While this can be a time of sorrow as we remember those who have sacrificed everything up to and including their lives, we must also remember why so many have sacrificed so much. Our freedom and our way of life depends on their sacrifice. So lets also remember those who are currently serving our country in all of the military armed services. Let’s remember them in our prayers. Pray for their safety, for peace and for sanity in this crazy world we live in.
As we are praying let’s remember that there is nothing in the teachings of Jesus Christ that supports war. His way is a way of peace that reaches out in love to all. Let’s remember that as believers in God and Jesus as the Christ we should be praying for our country to find peaceful solutions to all disagreements in this world. Too many times throughout history men have taken destructive paths in the name of Jesus and we must always remember that it is not a teaching of Jesus to cause harm to anyone.
So we must pray for our country and it’s leadership. Pray that they will seek peaceful solutions to every crisis we are facing as a country. When our leadership chooses or is forced into military action, then we must pray the action we take will be quick and decisive with little or no loss of life on either side. We must pray that all who are involved will come home safely and if they make the ultimate sacrifice then we must pray for their families to be filled with the grace of God and be able to reach out to the world with the love of Jesus Christ. Pray for all of those who serve in times of war because so many suffer from the stress of war and all of its horrors. Pray that they may be able to return home and live a life of peace with pride in their service to their country.
Well I guess the question is “Are you praying for those in the military, past and present, for your country, for those who have suffered loss of any kind?” I believe that our prayers for those who are or have been in service to our country and their families are the best way for us to remember and honor them.
Have a blessed Memorial Day by spending at least a part of it in prayer, Randy
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 