Posts Tagged ‘love’
Upperroom Daily Devotional 8-13-13
August 13, 2013Upperroom Daily Devotional 8-12-13
August 12, 2013Pastors Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
July 24, 2013The first two paragraphs are from a sermon by Leonard Sweet and the rest is mine.
What you do is your history. What you set in motion is your legacy.” Are you just pouring concrete or building a skyscraper?
Every one of us wants to leave a “legacy.“ Something that outlasts our biological lives and can somehow continue to declare “I was here.” For a very few this is achieved through intellect or infamy, greatness or great sacrifice. But for those of us who know we are not Augustine or Martin Luther, or Christopher Columbus or George Washington or Albert Einstein or Martin Luther King, Jr. — we still have a gateway to a large-than-life memory. What is it?
Our story.
Our family. Our siblings. Our spouses. Our children. Our great-grandchildren. Our “story,” our life goes on, because we are remembered and recounted in the memories, in the roots, branches and leaves, of our family tree.
Our family tree (our grandchild Lila Jane) has just grown by one. The births of our children and grandchildren are times for us to stop and reflect on the legacy we leave behind. How will we be remembered? How will you be remembered?
I hope to be remembered as someone who loved family very much because I loved God and the savior, His Son. I hope that family will recognize that love for God in me, my love for them and be able to pass those two traits on to those who come after them. That is what I want my legacy to be.
As Christians, we are called to show God’s love for all peoples to each and everyone we meet. Go out and leave a legacy of love for family, friends, neighbors and our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Have a blessed day in Jesus Christ,
Pastor Randy
Pastor’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 24, 2013Wow! 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
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
March 25, 2013I 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
Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
February 10, 2013If you read these scriptures on what the Church calls Transfiguration Sunday you can get a sense of what our Church has been teaching for so many centuries. As we allow God to work within our hearts and minds we become transformed. For so many of us that transformation takes moments and for others it takes years. For so many of us we fall back into our human habits and ways and then feel God’s work within our hearts and minds and turn back to Him. This transformation experience for us as Christians means we grow in love for all the humanity that God has placed us in and we do it in our own times and way. We go through our daily lives living each moment making choices. Will He lead us or will our human will lead us? The more we practice following God’s will as taught in the New Testament we will grow in our thoughts, habits and practices of living a life of love for all of our brothers and sisters in this world.
A question for all of us to continually ask ourselves is:
Is God transforming me into the person Jesus Christ teaches us to be? Do one good deed today, say one kind word today, pray one selfless prayer today in the name of Jesus Christ and the answer will be a resounding yes!
Have a blessed new week in the name of Jesus Christ
Randy
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 