BECOMING A NEW PERSON

IS WHAT GOD WANTS – for all of us. The way the world knows God is very different from the way we can come to know God, through prayer and in growing into a relationship with God. There is a longing to build a relationship with God in all of us, put there when we were created by God. Some of us run from it with great fear, and work very hard to block the call of God’s voice. It may be behind drug and alcohol use in some. And there are others who embrace the call from God, and even in fear, begin responding to God. These are the two most common of the major life choices we each make. God is with us in these choices and never abandons those who do not choose a life with God. For those who do choose to hear God, the road to a new and different life begins. Learning to live as Christ has shown us means we treat others differently than we might have, and see God’s creation in a different light.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul helps us see what this new path may be like.  16 “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.”  How does this passage help us understand our new life with God, and our relationship to others? We begin by seeing others through God’s eyes. When we know others as God’s children also, how can we treat them with anything less than love? We know now that Jesus was God’s son, and showed how we are to love one another. To become a new person in Christ is to live in love towards all others. But we cannot do this as humans, but only when we rely on God working in us to fully live as new people in Christ. When we know this new life is because all of our sins have been wiped away as if we never did them, we must also share this with others. It cannot be a secret, because if we know God’s forgiveness, then we need not feel any shame. Prayer is the process that will help us grow into accepting all this, and bring us to a new strength of purpose. We will receive new skills, in order to do new things for God. Through prayer, we will be taught how we are able to do things we never imagined. In faith through prayer, we will understand and be empowered.   Transforming God, you know our past and still love us. We are grateful that you love us unconditionally. Help us accept that we have no reason to be ashamed. Help us hold our heads high, and forget the past, so we may look toward a very different future with you as our guide. Empower us to do what you need us to do. In the name of Christ, who died for us.   Amen.      PEACE

SMILES AND LOVE

ARE GIFTS OF JOY FROM GOD – to all of us. Where do you find your joy? For me, it is God, people, nature and music. I have been in singing groups since I was seven years old. It feels like a gift from God to get such joy from singing. It can also be a source of emotional release. As a new pastor’s wife, I used to sing at the top of my lungs by myself in the car. It was better than screaming. But mostly I sing to express praise and joy. I usually smile too, just can’t help it. Smiling actually changes the tone of your singing voice for the better, something I learned back in high school Glee Club. It takes effort to smile – 22 muscles come into play, and yet when a smile expresses joy it seems effortless. How do we feel when someone smiles at us? Does it make us want to smile too? Does it turn a bad day into something more rewarding? It fills my heart with joy to see others smile. I especially love to see those faces that are literally transformed when they smile. Their whole being seems to light up.

I like to think that since God created our faces to smile, that we should, whenever we have the slightest reason. We only have to consider the gift of forgiveness God gave us all.   16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”   If that doesn’t give us enough reason to smile, consider what life would be like without it. When I consider this gift and the gift of my own life, I cannot help but smile. Those who regularly smile make me wonder how God has touched their lives and what they are doing to live a joy- filled life. It can be reflective of the love of God, available to each of us. God loves us without reservation, so smile if you feel it. I’m reminded of the old children’s song – “If you’re happy and you know it, say AMEN!”    Loving and merciful God, who have given us the potential for lives full of love and joy. Help us see creation and its beauty as a reason to know joy and to share it with others. Guide us in learning how to forget our own worries sometimes, in order to share a smile with others who need to know what joy looks like. Guide us to sense when others need the touch you bring through a smile.   Amen.      PEACE

WE CAN’T LIVE A GOOD LIFE

IN OUR OWN STRENGTH – but how many times during each day do we fall into the trap of kicking ourselves and saying “we should have done better.” There are also voices of others, ready to criticize the way we live, ready to hold us to impossible standards. An unhelpful daily devotional I read adds this passage that takes us in the wrong direction.  “A bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.” – Titus 1:7-8 Sadly there are far too many people who think that coercing others into an upright life will work. That is not the way God works in us.

Sadly the church through the centuries has pulled passages like this out of context, and has used them to put us down, trying to shame us into behaving. At the end of this chapter we get a clue to bring us back.    16 “They profess to know God, but they deny God with their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.”  Unfortunately Paul does not take the opportunity here to continue this verse to its conclusion: that we do NOTHING in our own strength. The problem in this situation that Paul speaks about was a lack of folks willing to live an intentional life of loving service for and with God. So verses 7 – 8 suggest the kind of intention we need to make, but then it is only God who can bring that commitment into being.

It is only in our relationship with God, minute by minute that we have a prayer of living up to the standards Paul suggests. Giving ourselves up to judgment and criticism leaves us open to the work of evil, and takes the opportunity to make us feel bad about ourselves when we can’t live up to this standard. That leads us to death. Committing to God is the way to life. Good things will come into our lives when we allow God to guide us in all our decisions and actions. It is the miracle of a relationship with God, that God will act in and through us, showing us how to do everything in love. Our lives will be transformed. It is then and only then that we can live the good life God wants for us.    Merciful God, we humbly ask for your help and support, through your presence in our lives. May we feel your unconditional love, giving us strength to turn off the judgment others are quick to throw at anyone. Help us believe to our core, that nothing will separate us from you, so that your love may spread through us to others.   Amen.      PEACE

LEARNING TO SEE

LEARNING TO SEE
HOW GOD IS GUIDING US – is POSSIBLE. We need God’s help, through prayer, and from others who have experienced God themselves. God is always with each of us. How that happens is a mystery, but it does happen. Since God is with us every day, all day long, it benefits and blesses us when we learn to recognize how God guides our lives. It can also be one of the ways we can use to start a closer relationship with God.

At a Missions meeting recently, one person proposed an idea to begin a discussion among all the local churches, centering on what mission outreach is being done in our small town. She said she just felt compelled to do this. Knowing her and how she talked about what she could see being accomplished, I definitely believe she is being led by God to do this. When we have a strong compulsion to do something we know in our hearts is the kind of thing God wants us to do, if it is in line with what we know of God, and can see examples in scripture, we can be assured that it is from God. It is one way God has of telling us how we can contribute to the building of God’s kingdom. At those times when we hear people say, “I just feel it is something we ought to do,” and it is in line with the things God has told us to do, then we can know they are being led by God, even when we don’t realize that is what is happening. God is leading all of us to do things for the kingdom. God is reaching out to each of us. What is God calling you to do?     O God, who guides us in love, we pray you will show us ways to recognize how we are being led by you. Help us learn to see you working in and through us, and feel the gratitude of being a part of this work. Thank you for the joy it will bring as a gift and motivation to continue in the path we have been given. Thank you, Lord.   Amen.      PEACE

DELIVER US FROM EVIL

DELIVER US FROM EVIL
A LESSON FROM LIFE – I will not soon forget. My DH and I had supper out, then went to an informal worship, and finally to a committee meeting. At that meeting some wonderful things happened, and my heart was too dulled to appreciate them, or rejoice for those folks, while praising God for working in their lives. My whole body felt like it weighed a ton, and I was extremely fatigued. In addition, I was hit with how long it takes for people to grow in the faith, and it felt like a millstone around my neck. The specifics may be different, but this is an all too frequent experience for us humans. Negative emotion drains the energy from us, and blocks joy. That night I prayed for forgiveness, and God gave me a measure of peace.

The next day is when the understanding came. I had had a very frustrating experience at the restaurant, and on top of that was scolding myself for forgetting an item I was supposed to bring to the meeting. I should have recognized how evil was influencing my thoughts but I didn’t. I had lost my focus, and let these distracting emotions divert me from being involved with God. It gets worse though. I talk a lot about guarding against evil thwarting God’s plans, and then it happened to me. A better lesson I cannot imagine. I wasn’t listening to God, but got caught up in useless emotion, that could not accomplish anything. I forgot whose I am.

Tomorrow I will talk more about the amazing things happening to people in that meeting. But for today, know that evil is prepared to move into our lives in a split second. “Deliver us from evil” is a prayer I will start my day with, and add the humble request to protect us during the day, as we encounter frustration and other negative emotions. Give them to God. As an action item, it is the best and most powerful action we can take.   Strong God, who will protect us from evil when we ask it, help us recognize when we have lost focus, and forget we are your children. Guide us each day to focus on your love for us all, and teach us to take it into our very being, so evil will have no way in. Strengthen us through your love, to think of all others in love, and stamp out other reactions that get in the way of our life with you.   Amen.      PEACE

IT IS BY GOD’S DESIGN

THAT WE ARE GIVEN – specific gifts.  In 1 Corinthians 12:  4 we hear “There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit.  5 There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve.  6 And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everything we do.  7 Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good.”   The apostle Paul lays out God’s plan, with each contributing their gifts from God to the common good.

It is a life long process to develop our walk with God, learning the purpose for our lives, and discovering the gifts we have been given to accomplish God’s purpose. How is all that possible? This is where we put our trust in God. God has designed the process. We will NEVER accomplish it in our own power. It will only happen because of God’s grace, that unconditional love God shows all of us, and in the atmosphere of a living relationship with God. So it becomes vital that we allow God to help us discover what our specific gifts are, in order to help God achieve God’s plan. We know from scripture that those plans are good, and we will benefit and know joy in the process.   Loving and gracious God, we are grateful that through a relationship with you we will learn our place in your plan, and be guided to use the gifts we have been given. Help us discover who you have designed us to be, and through your guiding love help us share our love and gifts with others, for your sake. Amen.      PEACE

WHAT A JOY IT IS

TRUSTING GOD TO SHOW US THE WAY- to use the gifts God has given us, in the ways God intended. Feel the energy, know the blessing that comes with living out the kind of life God wants for us. This is joy, given by God, when we are in a loving relationship with God, trusting God to show us the way we should live each day. This privilege is not earned, but it comes because we trust God is loving, all powerful and in the end will bring the kingdom into being. It will be worth it to depend on God in this way, and for our reward, we will experience the joy that comes from living this kind of life. Joy comes from living in the knowledge that God is always as close as our thoughts and prayers, and feeling how wonderful this relationship with God can be.

In Philippians 1 Paul says,  9 “This is my prayer for you: that your love will grow more and more; that you will have knowledge and understanding with your love;  10 that you will see the difference between good and bad and will choose the good; that you will be pure and without wrong for the coming of Christ;  11 that you will be filled with the good things produced in your life by Christ to bring glory and praise to God.”  When we follow the path God lays out for us, we will see glimpses of the kingdom, like what Paul describes here. We will know hope that comes from seeing the vision of what is to come, when we live our lives as God needs us to do, and in relationship with God. This is the only way it will work.   Sustaining and hopeful God, who lives with us each day, through all our experiences, we thank you for the blessings that come when we accept this life. Help us grow in the understanding and trust we will need to follow the way Jesus showed us. Guide us as we learn to see the path as you wish it to be. Keep us in your care and give us the tools to do your work, for your sake.   Amen.      PEACE

MORE GIFTS

THAN WE CAN COUNT – are given to us by God, through grace. We do not deserve them, so there can be no pride attached to it. Only God knows why we are given the gifts we receive. In 1 Corinthians 12 we hear one understanding of this. “8 The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives faith to one person. And, to another, … gifts of healing. 10 The Spirit gives … power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And [God] gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. … 11 One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person.”

Discernment is a kind of prayer where God’s Spirit helps us understand things that might seem so difficult we need God’s help to understand and then make decisions on how to move forward. The process of discernment depends on the kind of relationship we have with God. This is wisdom or spiritual understanding, and it only comes from God. In discernment, we pray for understanding of our purpose, and ask guidance in living out that purpose. The Holy Spirit then gives us understanding in keeping with our ability and our commitment to live out God’s will. Does this sound hard to do? It is not, if we allow God to do this work within us. In other words, this is another way to picture what a life with God is like. We ask for understanding, and God helps us figure it out, in a way that makes sense to us. God has given all these tools to live our lives in keeping with God’s purpose for the universe. If we wish to be faithful to God, this is a process God will help us learn.   God of wisdom and love, we need your guidance as we try to make decisions in our lives. Help us use love and prayer to see what you want us to do. Guide us to use the example of Jesus and those others whom you love in learning to live as you need us to do, in accomplishing what you want us to do.   Amen.      PEACE

WE DO THIS BY GOD’S GRACE –

SPEAK WITH AUTHORITY – as something we are called to do. “Give them what they may not want to hear and tell them what they may not want to do. Tragically we have really defected from this.” [John MacArthur from “Grace to You” blog] There are numerous references in scripture that refer to God giving us authority – to make decisions for our own life, moving our life towards God [Genesis 1:26-28]and authority to speak the words God gives us, in order that the progress toward God’s kingdom should advance. Job 22 – 26 “Then you will take delight in the Almighty and look up to God. 27 You will pray to God, and God will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows to God. 28 You will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you. 29 If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them. 30 Even sinners will be rescued; they will be rescued because your hands are pure.” In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul says, “I am an apostle because that is what God wanted.”

God has given me a voice as well, to speak for God, to advance the work of the kingdom, to give others courage to speak with authority, to encourage others to become part of the change God commands. I haven’t felt this for very long; it took most of my life, learning and growing with God to grow into this, a gift of the spirit. I am humbled by the trust God has placed in me, but I do not feel the weight of the burden. Christ bears that weight in showing us the way to live in God. I do feel the urgency though. It gives my life purpose, and I know that at this point in my life I can not turn aside from this task God has set in front of me. For most of my life, I didn’t know how to talk about my faith in a way that wouldn’t offend others or have them just walk away. I don’t have a formula for this. But I do know that once I said yes to God, and didn’t let anything turn me away, God began creating the opportunities, along with the strength and the words to do it. It is God who overcomes all the obstacles, and opens up ways for me to serve with my words, and my life. I stepped out in faith, and God showed me how to do the rest. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1, “We did this by God’s grace, not by the kind of wisdom the world has.” Gracious God, we pray that more of us will decide to put fear aside, and say yes to you, and whatever you have for us to do will be accomplished. Guide us through the fear, and give us the sure knowing of how you are calling us, and what we need to accomplish for your universe. Teach us how to speak and act with your authority and assurance, and always in love from you.   Amen.      PEACE

IT IS LIKE A PUZZLE

IT IS LIKE A PUZZLE – when we think that each of us, by God’s design, has some of the pieces to make the whole. The life God has designed for all creation is like a puzzle. When all the pieces are brought together and fit into the places they are designed to go, the puzzle will be complete, and God’s kingdom will be visible to all. Romans 8 helps us here.    28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

When we can look at life with this perspective, we see how important it is for each of us to do our part, to find all of our pieces that we are to contribute to the whole picture, and give them back to God to fit together into the whole. If we try to keep them, they are a fractured segment and not very much use to us. It is only in giving them up to God that we will see we have a place where we fit in, a contribution to make toward something much greater than ourselves. We will then truly begin to understand our reason for being, our purpose in God’s plan.    Creator God, who has designed an intricate universe, may we all find that place where we fit into God’s puzzle. Guide us as we seek you loving hand to help us use the gifts we have been given, for a greater purpose.   Amen.      PEACE