Communion BEFORE Action Aug.31

 

I try very hard to meditate upon every word I print. Please take time to think on, meditate, commune with the Holy Spirit Psalm 130: 1-2.

I realize God can work any order He has designed.

But I’m feeling more and more that He wants communion-recognition, open heart, giving the Holy Spirit permission to make any connections we need. They may seem pleasant or uncomfortable but remember He is in control. We should stop our time-infested activity long enough to submit to His will, even as we plead “I cry out of the depths.”

Then behavior can follow that pleases Him.

 

A Perspective Aug.30

 

As believers, if we are not careful, any given day, when health is good, money is good, time seems in our favor, we start to think, feel, and live like we are ok because we are in charge now. We got this!

And so, we let a day or more pass and we forget to pray, forget who we really need to depend on.

This may be one reason we need a genuine prayer time every day.

Stay simple: Read or say the Lord’s Prayer, then read Psalm 127:1, then talk to God with your own words as if he sits right next to you.

Let’s not be people who when we are well ,things are good, we think we are in charge. When we are sick, with no relief, we know we are not.

 

Actual Scripture Aug.29

 

Since scriptures are actually words of Jehovah,

We can learn to:

Taste the words (Flavor)

Feel the words (Emotions, joy-hurt-calm)

See the words ( Insight, light, knowledge)

Hear the words (Harmony, acceptance, peace)

Smell the words ( Prayer, Aroma, life-breath)

A Personal Prayer Aug.28

 

 

I admit

Lord, I have regretful times of powerlessness with some living issues. Often, I cannot or will not manage the courage or strength necessary to meet my spiritual and moral challenges. Help me know and remember you are here. I surrender my unsurrendered self.

About the Bible Aug.27

  

Scripture contains real [historical] stories that grab us and moves us outside of ourselves to show us and teach us what Jehovah God is doing to remake His creation. The words shake us awake to an all-powerful heavenly Father who somehow submitted His Son in submission to pay for the mistakes and sin we all have. We call this Grace, a heavenly power to help us go beyond our givens.

We read words that stab us and comfort us because they show our involvement in what God is doing. Besides the help of the Holy Spirit engaging us daily, what else can we do but thank Him every second when we even just see a flower, a baby, a new morning.

Thank you Lord for the truth of your Grace.

Pain in this world Aug. 26

What about all the aches, pain or hurt in the living of this world?

What about those that misuse you, family that lets you down, misunderstood goals or achievements gone wrong?

Of course, any discomfort needs healing ointment, the relief, the hope of something better.

Scars do happen, but that means they are healed. Scars on skin can be even tougher than the original. Scars of spirit can heal as well.

Our wounds can be an access to God because the love of Jesus absorbs the wounds. Say, Ouch God! Then we move on.

 

Solving Problems? Aug.24

 

From one observation, as slow or as fast, it seems God uses his created different parts, especially persons, to accomplish his plan for the universe.

So, prayer does matter when you seek and hit upon his plan. And since God is timeless, it’s ok to pray about the past, present, or future. Just talk to God about the stream of life.

“Lord, help us understand the past, nurture the present, and trust you with the future.”

Does God hide? Aug.23

 

Why does God allow such hurt in the world? Stuff like wars, destructive weather, disease, broken people seem all around us. He is God after all. Why not fix things?

The mystery of faith is He somehow allows our free wills to coexist, comingle with His all-powerful, omnipresent being. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. [Revelation 22: 12-14]. The tough part is we live in the in-between challenges.

The Connections Aug. 20

 

Each day, THINK about and connect the physical-material information of scripture---the heard, seen, touch of Jesus. Hug it with the spiritual---the faith, hope, forgiveness, and Grace. God gave us imagination to maintain his covenant and even seek the mystery of His amazing existence.

Seek and you WILL find!

What is a covenant? Aug.19

 

In the Bible, a covenant is like being a part of a family. As part of a family, good-bad-or indifferent, death ends a family covenant. 

Some families try to make their children into contracts, lives based on behavior only. Some churches try to make their congregations live mostly by contract behavior, “thou shalt and shalt not” emphasis. A covenant relationship with God means you are in a family based on love and forgiveness, not JUST behavior.

And although your life also ends in a death, God’s covenant promises through the physical death you can receive a new life with Him and the eternal family.

All those who will come to Him will NOT be thrown out.

 

Ever Free from Sin? Aug.17

 

Of course, it appears we are never totally free from our mistakes and sin. But with the scripture trying to liberate us [2Cor. 5-14 and 6:2] allows us to live Christlike(maybe not all the time), but if obedient to God’s word, we can be a witness more often than not. If we become good at it, which means be true to God’s covenant with us, then everyday can praise the Lord.

Understanding Book Revelation Aug.14

 

The inspired writer is John.

He is a pastor: He embraces all communities who live by Grace of Faith in Christ.

He is a theologian: His entire mind and being is saturated with Theo-logos, God’s word.

He is actually a poet: Through imagination, he shows us all other experiences of earlier scripture. He does not just give information. He draws us in to feel and experience his observations.

A significant scripture Aug.12

 

The prayers of people actually work to create history as well as history tends to create prayer. Revelation 8 on.

LEGOS Aug.10, 2024

 

My great grandson and I were going to play with Legos. I started making a building design. He grabbed some and said, “ Can I help?”

We made a building together, not quite as shapely as I would like, if I’d done it by myself.

Maybe this experience is a little like us with God in prayer.

We often ask God if we can help, and he lets us. He would have “built” better himself---by himself---but He let’s us join so we benefit from the sharing. He becomes a part of us, and we become a part of him.

Perplexing book of Revelation Aug. 9, 2024

 

Many believers are confused about the book of Revelation in scripture. All the crippled churches, angels, scrolls, what appear as monsters, all the crowds, thrones, speakers. All can get confusing.

But one thing is clear about the whole book.

In Rev. 1: 10, the writer John says, “he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day” Also In chapter 22 verse 9 [a word close to the last of the book] reminds John, “Worship God.” So, from beginning to end, it appears the whole book makes an important point.

We are not to worship angels, mysterious unknown creatures, or writers of scripture. We are to worship Jehovah God.

We are not supposed to be God with our imaginations.

Give the Lord our freedom to BE God. Worship Him.

 

Simple message of scripture Aug.2

 

Receive, Obey, Sustain, Share.

Receive like Wind.

Obey like Earth.

Sustain like water.

Share like Fire.

What do we want? Aug.1

We find ourselves in a culture that offers so many things, technology, pleasure, opportunities to acquire more of anything available.

But even as believers in an afterlife, what do we really need and want?

We have a desire, whether secretly or openly, for more personal intimacy and transparent honesty. We want and need a personal God, personal friends, loving family, and honest worship.

We long for what is real, what is honest, what and who can be trusted to help us along this journey of life.

    We know there is one who wants the best of what we want. He is one who helps us search for the right things, to be open to the possibilities of going beyond any negative, present circumstances. He does this because his essential self is love…. A love that promotes the right intimacy and transcends our mistakes and flaws. Holy Spirit Jesus is his name.