I have one more week until my wedding. It is an exciting week as well as a very busy week. Not only do I have events that are necessary to be done in ministry, I also have events that need to be done for the wedding. And then there is the house and the progress of construction. Many things are going on this week. Have we anticipated all of them. I think that we have.
Which leads me to the main reason for my post. Prioritizing everything that needs to be done. I see so many things that are yet to occur. I have reduced my "to do" list to not many. And yet what truly comes first? Jesus said it best, saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your souil, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now you may be asking yourselves, "What does this mean to me?" It means that before all the craziness of life begins to occur and the stresses and strains of works begin to bring you down, love of God is the beginning of all of it. And you will see, when loving God first helps us to deal with the procesess of things that have to occur. I'm not sure if you realized that we are the highest priority of God. He loves us so much, that He created this universe and world, jus for us. We human beings are central and the highest priority of God. That is why God the Father sent God the Son into our world so that we are saved from our sins. All God did and contiues to do, is with us as His first priority. Because we believe this, we then love God in return. As ones who love God first, we notice that priorities of life look different, or take on a different hue. They are still important and necessary. But I think that you will begin to look at the priorities of life with a change of perspective.
Please let me know what you think.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
One more week
I have one more week until my wedding. It is an exciting week as well as a very busy week. Not only do I have events that are necessary to be done in ministry, I also have events that need to be done for the wedding. And then there is the house and the progress of construction. Many things are going on this week. Have we anticipated all of them. I think that we have.
Which leads me to the main reason for my post. Prioritizing everything that needs to be done. I see so many things that are yet to occur. I have reduced my "to do" list to not many. And yet what truly comes first? Jesus said it best, saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your souil, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now you may be asking yourselves, "What does this mean to me?" It means that before all the craziness of life begins to occur and the stresses and strains of works begin to bring you down, love of God is the beginning of all of it. And you will see, when loving God first helps us to deal with the procesess of things that have to occur. I'm not sure if you realized that we are the highest priority of God. He loves us so much, that He created this universe and world, jus for us. We human beings are central and the highest priority of God. That is why God the Father sent God the Son into our world so that we are saved from our sins. All God did and contiues to do, is with us as His first priority. Because we believe this, we then love God in return. As ones who love God first, we notice that priorities of life look different, or take on a different hue. They are still important and necessary. But I think that you will begin to look at the priorities of life with a change of perspective.
Please let me know what you think.
Which leads me to the main reason for my post. Prioritizing everything that needs to be done. I see so many things that are yet to occur. I have reduced my "to do" list to not many. And yet what truly comes first? Jesus said it best, saying, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your souil, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Now you may be asking yourselves, "What does this mean to me?" It means that before all the craziness of life begins to occur and the stresses and strains of works begin to bring you down, love of God is the beginning of all of it. And you will see, when loving God first helps us to deal with the procesess of things that have to occur. I'm not sure if you realized that we are the highest priority of God. He loves us so much, that He created this universe and world, jus for us. We human beings are central and the highest priority of God. That is why God the Father sent God the Son into our world so that we are saved from our sins. All God did and contiues to do, is with us as His first priority. Because we believe this, we then love God in return. As ones who love God first, we notice that priorities of life look different, or take on a different hue. They are still important and necessary. But I think that you will begin to look at the priorities of life with a change of perspective.
Please let me know what you think.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
What Motivates Us
I find it fascinating to listen to people and find out what motivates them. For some, it's money. For others, it's doing the right thing. And for still others, it's "living the good life," as if I knew what that all means. To me, if I'm motivated to do something, then I will do that. Motiviation for a cause, for example, will determine people's actions.
So what motivates us in our life with God? Is it trying to please Him? For some Christians, that might work, for a while. Yet we either already knew or we find out while we're trying to please God, is that we will fail. It's not that God is arbitrary, or even that He sets so lofty standards. It is because we get tired trying. Our motivation begins to wane because it is almost impossible to please God by means of our actions. So what motivates us? It is God's love for us. In Psalm 30, King David writes about the source of our motivation to serve God, please God, and worship God. God so loves us that He saves us, even when we sin and fall. What motivates us is God's love in Jesus Christ's life for us. Jesus' life of perfect obedience to the will of God. Jesus is more than an example of holy living. He is holy living. He "lived himself" right to the cross. His death upon the cross for the forgiveness of our sins is a great motivator for our life, worship, and love of God. Jesus' resurrection gives us great encouragement, peace, desire, and strength to live everyday as new people. Finally, Jesus' ascension into heaven moves us because we know that there is a place in heaven waiting for us.
We love God and serve God because of His great grace given to us by Jesus. Jesus is our great motivator.
So what motivates us in our life with God? Is it trying to please Him? For some Christians, that might work, for a while. Yet we either already knew or we find out while we're trying to please God, is that we will fail. It's not that God is arbitrary, or even that He sets so lofty standards. It is because we get tired trying. Our motivation begins to wane because it is almost impossible to please God by means of our actions. So what motivates us? It is God's love for us. In Psalm 30, King David writes about the source of our motivation to serve God, please God, and worship God. God so loves us that He saves us, even when we sin and fall. What motivates us is God's love in Jesus Christ's life for us. Jesus' life of perfect obedience to the will of God. Jesus is more than an example of holy living. He is holy living. He "lived himself" right to the cross. His death upon the cross for the forgiveness of our sins is a great motivator for our life, worship, and love of God. Jesus' resurrection gives us great encouragement, peace, desire, and strength to live everyday as new people. Finally, Jesus' ascension into heaven moves us because we know that there is a place in heaven waiting for us.
We love God and serve God because of His great grace given to us by Jesus. Jesus is our great motivator.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
The Reality of Jesus
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, who is, and who will be, the Lord Almighty." This quote is from Revelation 1:8. It is one passage that links us to who is Jesus and who is God.
The world has been struggling with the reality of who is Jesus since the first generation of Christians died and rose to heaven. The first generation is also the "eye witness" generation. These are the ones who saw Jesus. Even a few of the eye witnesses needed a little assistance to believe. One of the Twelve, who was Thomas, needed some help to believe. Once he saw Jesus stand before him after a week, Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." Thomas believed because he saw Jesus raised from the dead. Even in this time of miracle, Jesus speaks to Thomas and to us as well. He tells Thomas, "You believe because you have now seen me. Blessed are those who will believe even though they will not see me." Jesus is talking about us. He is saying that we, who are many generations separated from the eye witnesses, believe in a Savior and Lord who lived, died, and rose to life that we've never seen. It is awesome.
But who is Jesus? Is he man or God? Is he 50% man and 50% God? The world has struggled with that question for millenia. And the reality of Jesus doesn'i make sense. We can't wrap our logical and rational minds around the belief. Many popular points of view attempt to remove the "Godness" out of Jesus. It is being reported that Jesus was a man only. Jesus was, and contiues be human. He showed the apostles the scars of the nails, thorns, and whips. Yet Jesus is raised from the dead. Only God did that. So what's a person to do? He or she BELIEVES that Jesus is not 50/50. He's 100/100. Jesus is fully human and fully God. Jesus came to give to us life from death, forgiveness from sins, and life everlasting. The Bible tells us that. That is what we believe.
And that belief fuels and spurns us on to living with God living in His promises. Jesus is both God and man. He was sent in the world to save it, to save us by himself. Only the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, who is, and who will be does that. And we are healed and renewed.
Remember this today. We believe in one we cannot see who changed our lives. And it's awesome.
The world has been struggling with the reality of who is Jesus since the first generation of Christians died and rose to heaven. The first generation is also the "eye witness" generation. These are the ones who saw Jesus. Even a few of the eye witnesses needed a little assistance to believe. One of the Twelve, who was Thomas, needed some help to believe. Once he saw Jesus stand before him after a week, Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." Thomas believed because he saw Jesus raised from the dead. Even in this time of miracle, Jesus speaks to Thomas and to us as well. He tells Thomas, "You believe because you have now seen me. Blessed are those who will believe even though they will not see me." Jesus is talking about us. He is saying that we, who are many generations separated from the eye witnesses, believe in a Savior and Lord who lived, died, and rose to life that we've never seen. It is awesome.
But who is Jesus? Is he man or God? Is he 50% man and 50% God? The world has struggled with that question for millenia. And the reality of Jesus doesn'i make sense. We can't wrap our logical and rational minds around the belief. Many popular points of view attempt to remove the "Godness" out of Jesus. It is being reported that Jesus was a man only. Jesus was, and contiues be human. He showed the apostles the scars of the nails, thorns, and whips. Yet Jesus is raised from the dead. Only God did that. So what's a person to do? He or she BELIEVES that Jesus is not 50/50. He's 100/100. Jesus is fully human and fully God. Jesus came to give to us life from death, forgiveness from sins, and life everlasting. The Bible tells us that. That is what we believe.
And that belief fuels and spurns us on to living with God living in His promises. Jesus is both God and man. He was sent in the world to save it, to save us by himself. Only the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, who is, and who will be does that. And we are healed and renewed.
Remember this today. We believe in one we cannot see who changed our lives. And it's awesome.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Joys of Ministry
Ah the joys of ministry.
Now some of you may be thinking that I'm being sarcastic. No, I'm not. Even though the day was intense ministry. And it started yesterday.
I lead a group for people who are in the cycle of grief after the death of a loved one. Currently there are three people in the group. Last night, only one of them came. It became a great ministry opportunity and some good counseling was done. Then a young man came up as we were finishing. He's been AWOL from my Thursday Bible study for a few weeks. Well, he was caring for his great grandmother the last two weeks and she died Monday morning. So I did some great ministry and counseling to him. Then I received a phone call from another member who is struggling with loss of another kind and she is very angry. Some great opportunity for ministry and counseling occurred then too. Earlier in the weekend a young man died as a result of a car accident. This young man was a friend of a family at our congregation. I went to the funeral today and some great ministry occurred, just by me being there for my family and sharing in their sorrow. Tonight I went to a viewing of the great grandmother of the young man in Bible study. Some great ministry occurred tonight. I will attend the funeral tomorrow. And the piece de resistance was a fourth member emailed me about a friend where she works whose son died suddenly.
Now you may think, "Wow, what a tough two days." You see, I don't call these days "tough." I see them as intense and powerful. Yet the power does not come from me. It comes from God the Holy Spirit. He guides me in what words to say, or in some cases what words not to say. The Holy Spirit guides me to be there for our members and the people who are not. They need the comforting presence of God's saving grace and love. The Holy Spirit uses my skills and experience to bring His presence and love to all people with whom I have contact. And sometimes that presence is saying nothing.
When things go wrong, whether they're death, separation, illness, or sorrow, God's healing presence comes to us. Most of the time it is through caring and loving Christian friends and family who love us, grieve with us, share God's Word, and support us by means of the power and strength of God. The season of Easter brings to us in sharp reality His love as sent His Son to live, die, and rise of life. Easter is the climax of the great redeemer work of God the Father through God the Son.
Now some of you may be thinking that I'm being sarcastic. No, I'm not. Even though the day was intense ministry. And it started yesterday.
I lead a group for people who are in the cycle of grief after the death of a loved one. Currently there are three people in the group. Last night, only one of them came. It became a great ministry opportunity and some good counseling was done. Then a young man came up as we were finishing. He's been AWOL from my Thursday Bible study for a few weeks. Well, he was caring for his great grandmother the last two weeks and she died Monday morning. So I did some great ministry and counseling to him. Then I received a phone call from another member who is struggling with loss of another kind and she is very angry. Some great opportunity for ministry and counseling occurred then too. Earlier in the weekend a young man died as a result of a car accident. This young man was a friend of a family at our congregation. I went to the funeral today and some great ministry occurred, just by me being there for my family and sharing in their sorrow. Tonight I went to a viewing of the great grandmother of the young man in Bible study. Some great ministry occurred tonight. I will attend the funeral tomorrow. And the piece de resistance was a fourth member emailed me about a friend where she works whose son died suddenly.
Now you may think, "Wow, what a tough two days." You see, I don't call these days "tough." I see them as intense and powerful. Yet the power does not come from me. It comes from God the Holy Spirit. He guides me in what words to say, or in some cases what words not to say. The Holy Spirit guides me to be there for our members and the people who are not. They need the comforting presence of God's saving grace and love. The Holy Spirit uses my skills and experience to bring His presence and love to all people with whom I have contact. And sometimes that presence is saying nothing.
When things go wrong, whether they're death, separation, illness, or sorrow, God's healing presence comes to us. Most of the time it is through caring and loving Christian friends and family who love us, grieve with us, share God's Word, and support us by means of the power and strength of God. The season of Easter brings to us in sharp reality His love as sent His Son to live, die, and rise of life. Easter is the climax of the great redeemer work of God the Father through God the Son.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Easter Greetings
Yes, I know. It's the day after Easter. We had a great celebration. There were 191 people in worship yesterday combining both services. It was a great day from my perspective for several reasons. 191 people heard the Word and God. And God promises that when His Word goes out, it has an effect on people. So 191 people were effected. I had a great lunch with my daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and financee. And we shared the Easter greeting. The Easter greeting in our congregation and my tradition is, "Alleluia, Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed, Alleliua!" I have said those words on almost 50 Easter Sunday services. It is an acknowledgement of the risen Jesus Christ. He was murdered and crucified so that we do not pay the consequences of sins, that is, death. And the grave did not keep Him. Jesus is God, the second person of God, burst out of the grave. Through His resurrection, He brings to us the reality of resurrection. Our lives are resurrected in HIm. Our lives are bound to Him and His life is bound to ours. That is why the greeting to each other on Easter is so awesome. It is an awareness of Jesus' love for us. And in our traditions and calendar, the SEASON of Easter has six more weeks of it. So we repeat the greeting throughout the weeks ahead. So, "Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, Alleluia!"
Friday, April 06, 2007
Changes to the Blog
I started to think the other day, that "Pastoral Prose" wasn't going to get a lot of looks. I thought that it sounded "churchy." So I brainstormed for a title to better describe what I want to do. And "And the Truth will set you free" came to mind. I think it better suits want I want to share and discuss. That is, the truth that God gives.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
A Week for Heaven
You know the phrase, "I'm having a ____ (fill in the time frame, day, week, month) from _______." Well, I'm having a week from heaven.
Now that sounds weird, especially when you read my previous posts. But from my perspective, today's title isn't weird at all. Things go wrong all the time. It doesn't make any difference if you're a "good" person or a "bad" person. Sin is a common denominator when it comes to creating havoc. And you can't leave Satan out of the picture. Yet, through all the things that are happening in my life and the lives of the members of my church, I see God working in me and in them. I see faith in action and I see the action of God. Now sometimes to see the action of God in a particular situation you have to look back. You look back at the events and see how God has directed or at the very least influenced the outcome. For example, the ongoing saga of my house sale. Another mortgage underwriter has gotten in the way of the process. The person works for the mortgage company which the couple who are buying my house is using. The underwriter is challenged the liscencing of another person in the process. I have no idea why this is happening. The buyers of my house are fit to be tied. I'm not that happy either. There are moments in this process when if I didn't laugh, I'd be crying. Yet I can't help but wonder, if I didn't believe in God how would I be reacting? I suppose I could have done something very rash. God says that the fruits of having God's Spirit in you are, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodnesss, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23). If God was not part of my life, how balistic could I have gone? I shudder at the possibility.
And finally, I have to look at Jesus. I look at what He did for me. He endured the wrath of all people, through the leaders of the Jewish people and the Roman soldiers. I look at what they did to Him. I see their uncontrolled anger, fear, hatred, and basic human malice. I see me in them when I get rip roarin' mad at people and situations. Yes, I'm a pastor and I get mad. I also see Jesus enduring all of that in order to save me from myself, my sins, the influence of Satan, from death, and from hell. Jesus did it all for me. Wow! It boggles the mind.
During this week, which we call "Holy Week," we celebrate the specialness of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. When I post tomorrow, I'll talk more about "Holy Week" and it's meaning for Christians.
Now that sounds weird, especially when you read my previous posts. But from my perspective, today's title isn't weird at all. Things go wrong all the time. It doesn't make any difference if you're a "good" person or a "bad" person. Sin is a common denominator when it comes to creating havoc. And you can't leave Satan out of the picture. Yet, through all the things that are happening in my life and the lives of the members of my church, I see God working in me and in them. I see faith in action and I see the action of God. Now sometimes to see the action of God in a particular situation you have to look back. You look back at the events and see how God has directed or at the very least influenced the outcome. For example, the ongoing saga of my house sale. Another mortgage underwriter has gotten in the way of the process. The person works for the mortgage company which the couple who are buying my house is using. The underwriter is challenged the liscencing of another person in the process. I have no idea why this is happening. The buyers of my house are fit to be tied. I'm not that happy either. There are moments in this process when if I didn't laugh, I'd be crying. Yet I can't help but wonder, if I didn't believe in God how would I be reacting? I suppose I could have done something very rash. God says that the fruits of having God's Spirit in you are, "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodnesss, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23). If God was not part of my life, how balistic could I have gone? I shudder at the possibility.
And finally, I have to look at Jesus. I look at what He did for me. He endured the wrath of all people, through the leaders of the Jewish people and the Roman soldiers. I look at what they did to Him. I see their uncontrolled anger, fear, hatred, and basic human malice. I see me in them when I get rip roarin' mad at people and situations. Yes, I'm a pastor and I get mad. I also see Jesus enduring all of that in order to save me from myself, my sins, the influence of Satan, from death, and from hell. Jesus did it all for me. Wow! It boggles the mind.
During this week, which we call "Holy Week," we celebrate the specialness of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. When I post tomorrow, I'll talk more about "Holy Week" and it's meaning for Christians.
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