March 28, 2008

I will be away from internet access until Tuesday, April 2nd.  Please continue to check in and leave a prayer or a comment.

I heard a praise song yesterday entitled, “You Are Able”.  I can’t remember the exact words but the gist of the song was that with God’s help we are able to get past anything that comes at us on any given day.  Not only are we able to endure but we are able to rise above and move forward.  Easy? No.  But we have at our reach what we need in Jesus.  Even when he seems so far away, Jesus is as close as a whisper.

I found the lyrics:

He Is Able

Rory Noland, Greg Ferguson

He is able more than able To accomplish what concerns me today He is able more than able To handle anything that comes my way He is able more than able To do much more than I could ever dream He is able more than able To make me what He wants me to be © 1989 Maranatha Praise Inc.

Peace

Jim

March 27, 2008

Psalm 9 is attributed to King David.  The Psalm is written to “the director of music,” and it is written to a tune called, The Death of the Son.  David writes (and sings), “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.” NIV.

When I think about that, that David wrote such praise to God to the tune of a song called the death of the son,I am reminded of the need to praise God in all things.  If God is our first love, as John says (Revelation 2:4), then nothing should alter our relationship with God.  That’s tough stuff.  And I think, what is it that stops me from praising God?

Spend some time thinking about that.

Peace

Jim

March 26, 2008

I have internet access today, don’t know about tomorrow.

Easter is past, and I hope everybody does not just forget about it for another year.  It is three days past the resurrection.  I am left feeling tired and in some cases exhausted.  I can’t imagine what the disciples felt.

But I am reminded this morning that the resurrection still means life, and it still means that Jesus is Lord, and it still means that God continues to help us overcome things that get in our way…such as things that threaten our livlihood, things that frighten us, things that tell us we’re not good enough, things that interfere with our relationship with God.

Use this week to consider what it means for us individually, that Jesus is Lord.

Peace

Jim

March 24, 2008

The sun came up this morning, and as I stood watching the beauty of it all I was reminded of yesterday.  And I thought, “What is God’s plan for today?”  It almost makes one shiver to think about what God might do today especially after reviewing what God has done in the past.

I may be out of touch for a few days as I am not sure I’ll have internet access while I’m gone.  I encourage all to enter a comment whether I post or not.  Just go to comments and write from your heart a devotion, prayer or just an observation from the day.

Peace

Jim

March 23, 2008

Today is Easter!  What does Easter mean?

 SURPRISE!

Peace

Jim

March 22

Yesterday morning I listened to Tony Campolo’s sermon “It’s Friday!  But Sunday’s Coming!”  I am reminded that on Friday Satan thought he was in control.  But on Sunday, not only was God in control but God proved he had been in control all along.

Sometimes it seems as though our best isn’t good enough.  Sometimes it seems like we get through one thing only to encounter another issue.  Sometimes it seems that no matter what we do we just can’t overcome some obstacles.  Easter tells us that God is bigger than our best, bigger than our issues, and bigger than any of our obstacles.  God is in control whether times are good or bad.  What we all need to understand is that God loves us so much that he overcame death to prove that to us.  Easter Sunday says God is in control.

As Tony Campolo says, Satan may dance on Friday…but Sunday’s coming!

Peace

Jim

March 21, 2008

Our service last night (Maundy Thursday) was a time of confession and pardon, proclamation of the Word and Scripture, and a remembrance of The Lord’s Supper.  The somber mood of that service can be depressing for some as we remember how our Lord suffered and died.  It hurts our heart to think of an innocent one suffering unjustly for what we think to be a just cause.

But we are never to forget that just as Jesus suffered and died, he also rose again.  In fact we should not mention the death of Jesus without the resurrection of Jesus in the same sentence.  We serve and worship the God of the resurrection, we serve a living Christ.  We are not Good Friday people, we are Easter morning people.

God help us to remember our living heritage.  At each new sunrise show us new evidence of the empty tomb.

Peace

Jim

March 20, 2008

As I continue to think about the week, I was reminded by a friend that part of this week’s activities should be a time to, “Be still and Know that I am God.”    Far too often we are making too much noise that we don’t hear the still small voice interacting with our spirit. 

I noticed yesterday in our noon prayer service, as we spent a few quiet moments together in prayer, that my own speaking to God was good but to just be still and allow God to speak was a need in my own life. 

Take time today to be still, and listen for the still small voice to penetrate our sometimes hard and fast exterior, our hard and fast mindsets, and our sometimes hard and fast hearts.

Peace

Jim

March 19, 2008

I continue to study Holy Week.  As I think about Jesus’ teaching that week I notice the intensity with which he speaks.  The closer he gets to the cross, the more intense he seems to me.  What I draw from that is Jesus seems to realize that his work on earth is done, and he has some last minute instructions to give, and those instructions get more detailed as the week goes on.  Look through the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ last days, and seek out the teaching  and the examples he gave.

God, we seek you through Jesus.  Show us yourself.  Forgive us when we’re like the religious leadership of Jesus’ day, and help us understand your teaching.

Peace

Jim

March 18, 2008

I spent some time today studying Easter, and the idea that not only on sunrise Easter morning but at each new sunrise God has something in mind for the day.  Each new day brings new possibilities of what God might want to do.  In fact, it seems that God definitely does have plans for each new day… its just that sometimes we are not on the lookout for what God intends to do.

What that tells me is that just as on the first Easter morning when God had a plan to reveal himself in the resurrected Christ, God still has a plan to reveal himself in the resurrected Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit.  Knowing that, then, how should I react to each new day?

Something to think about…

Jim