Posts Tagged ‘religion’

Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

March 28, 2013

Another interesting look at Holy Week and how we deal with it or not!!

The Tomb Is Easier than the Cross

In just a matter of days Holy Week takes us from the mountain of festive palms to the mountain of Golgatha’s despair. And that is why we resist it so. I mean, do we really need the emotional rollercoaster of Holy Week? What’s so wrong with just jumping from one parade to the next and skipping all the sacrifice and death stuff? What’s wrong with simply moving on to the joy of Easter, with its white bonnets, Easter eggs, family, friends, big ham dinner, and of course the empty tomb.

Well, I think we know the answer to that. For starters, an empty tomb, at face value, is a lot easier to deal with than a dying, bleeding Savior on a cross. Add to that all the pain and suffering that comes with Holy Week, is it any wonder that the human tendency is to try and ignore the events of the week and simply move on to the Easter celebration? But as much as we’d like to skip Holy Week we know that the only way to Easter is through the cross. We know where the parade of Palm Sunday leads and we also know that we’re part of that parade. That is to say, we know this intellectually. Our hearts are another story. Our hearts may be more in sync with the disciples and the fear and disbelief that led them to run away. It would seem that 2000 years later Jesus’ disciples are still running away.

Jeffrey K. London

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Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings

March 26, 2013

Cross palms

If I Can Be the Donkey…

Corrie Ten Boom was a famous Christian whose testimony of suffering in Nazi concentration camps and God’s grace through it all touched millions of lives. A few years ago, in a press conference following a ceremony in which Corrie Ten Boom was given an honorary degree, one of the reporters asked her if it was difficult remaining humble while hearing so much acclaim. She replied immediately, “Young man, when Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the back of a donkey, and everyone was waving palm branches and throwing garments in the road and singing praises, do you think that for one moment it ever entered the head of that donkey that any of that was for him?” She continued, “If I can be the donkey on which Jesus Christ rides in his glory, I give him all the praise and all the honor.”

About the Donkey

People often speak of donkeys in belittling terms. You may have heard the expression, “I’m just someone who has to do all the donkey work.” Or “So-and-so is as stubborn as a mule” (a mule is part donkey).

These sayings overlook the contributions of a truly valuable animal. Donkeys have served the human race for thousands of years. They were once prized as symbols of humility, gentleness, and peace.

In Bible days, donkeys that had never been ridden were regarded as especially suitable for religious purposes. So it was most fitting that Jesus sent for a colt to perform the royal task of carrying Him into Jerusalem. How enviable was that donkey’s mission! How like our mission as Jesus’ followers!

A missionary in China calls herself “the Lord’s donkey.” She’s a humble believer, “carrying” her Lord faithfully into town after town and training others to do likewise. The Lord has need of many such “donkeys” in today’s world, humble people who will carry Him into their Jerusalem and make Him known.

The donkey had to be untied before Jesus could use it. We too must be released from worldly attachments if we are to serve Christ. Are we willing to be the Lord’s donkey?

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Pastor’s Ponderings

October 3, 2012

Well it is that time again.  We will get to watch a debate tonight and hopefully the debate will help us make up our minds about who to vote for this November.  For those of us who have already made up our minds and for those of us who are still trying to decide I hope that in the decision-making process you use your ability to pray and trust God’s promise to hear those prayers to help you make the decision on whom to vote for.  No matter who you decide to vote for make sure that you do go to the polls and cast your vote.

I have heard some comments about the decision-making process for what political party or candidate is followed and ultimately voted for.  These comments trouble me some because they are about separating political decisions and religious beliefs.  I wonder how that can be done!  I firmly believe that when Jesus tells us that the most important commandment is:

”  Mar 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord, Mar 12:30 and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  

How can we “love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength” and then cast a vote without including Him in the decision about who to vote for. If we are to do as God tells us we absolutely must not separate our own political decisions from our religious beliefs. If we love God and believe in the teachings from the Bible we must use those teachings to guide us in “all” that we do each and every day. There is no decision that we can make that should not be a God led decision.  Please do not separate your religious convictions from your political decisions.  Politicians will be here today and gone tomorrow but our God will be forever. Trust in Him and allow Him to guide you through the decisions you will be making.

Have a blessed, peace filled day,

Pastor Randy

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