Posts Tagged ‘study’
Lectionary Scriptures for 8-28-16
August 22, 2016Lectionary Scriptures for 8-21-16
August 15, 2016Lectionary Scriptures for 8-14-16
August 8, 2016Lectionary Scriptures for 8-7-16
August 6, 2016Pastor’s Ponderings, Wonderings, Wanderings
September 23, 2014Philippians 2:1-5
2:1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy,
2:2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
2:3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.
2:4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.
When Paul was writing this letter to the Philipians he must have really been trying to encourage them to change a lot about themselves. While Paul was writing to a church to thank them for being so faithful and generous, in so many ways he is asking them to go against so much of their own human nature. We just have to look at the two human traits that are so prevalent in so many people, selfish ambition and conceit, to know that there were some problems within the church at Philippi. It is natural for us to want more, to do better than others, to be honored in our daily lives. It is so natural that Satan will surely use those things against us and keep us from being the people that Paul is encouraging us to be. We get caught up in our own lives, thinking about our own needs and forget about just what Jesus taught us to do and who He taught us to be.
So you ask how can we be those people. How can we put aside our own feelings and desires and serve God. Well, Paul gave us the answer and it is in this next scripture below.
2:5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus
If we study scripture, read the teachings of Jesus, pray and meditate, allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate our thoughts and profess our faith to others we will move closer and closer to to being in the same mind that was in Jesus Christ. Our God graced us with Jesus Christ so that we would have a different model to follow than the one our flesh would follow.
Jesus said He was the way, the truth and the life! Study, Believe and Live,
Have a blessed day in Jesus Christ,
Randy
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
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
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 