peace pods

Our story

2010-05-27T17:44:00.000-07:00

This past month we've been reading, thinking, praying and talking about God's story, your story and our story. This past weekend was Pentecost and we were reminded that when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, they couldn't help but to tell their story to anyone who would listen.

A good story captures our imagination and often inspires us. We can also become so caught up in a story, that we are willing to invest hours, days, weeks or even years awaiting a finale - you Lost fans know what I mean.

Our stories, much like the stones in Joshua 4, mean something, not only to us, but to the people around us. We don't need to enthrall anyone with our story, but sharing it can help us develop a relationship or provide a guidepost to someone in need of direction.

Please consider sharing a part of your story. Here are some stories that have been shared recently:

Faith journey

2010-05-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

by Barbara P.

When I look back on my life so far to determine where and when I started my faith journey, I go back to a small country church. I am an eight-year old sitting in the pew with my grandmother and mother. It is revival time..a hot summer evening. There is an altar call and I am filled with an overwhelming urge to go forward—to declare my need for a savior and to commit my life to Him. I slip out of the pew and head down the aisle followed by my grandmother. You see, she was raised Baptist and this is a Methodist church….she is finally relenting and joining the church my grandfather’s ancestor founded back in the early 1800’s!

That was the beginning—not really—I know God had claimed me before I was even born—that was the beginning of my faith walk. I remember attending VBS on the church lawn, revival after revival, Young Life meetings and Young Life camp, attending Methodist and Baptist churches, and finally, attending a Lutheran church with my aunt and uncle and, once again, being drawn in by the message of love and forgiveness and hope.

I needed the message of hope. Like many other children, I am the product of a broken family. Throughout my childhood and adulthood, I have been touched by the life crises of various family members. I have experienced the sadness, hopelessness, anger, fear, and betrayal stemming from divorce, alcoholism, sickness, death, unemployment, and near poverty. My faith journey has sometimes been a roller coaster ride because of these experiences.

What got me through it all? It has to be my God and your God. Through my times of doubt and frustration, He has always been there and I felt His presence even when I wanted to be far away from Him. Why, I asked, was this happening to me? Hadn’t I been good enough? Where had I gone wrong? Finally, through many such experiences, the Holy Spirit finally got through to me…..God had not forsaken me. God had not betrayed me. God had not forgotten me. God loved and loves me!

I could get really carried away and tell you how much I feel the Holy Spirit’s presence now in those times of crisis that come to us all. But, I know it’s a very personal thing and your faith journey is not my faith journey. I only know that, more every day, through His presence in YOU comforting me, encouraging me, loving me that I see God more clearly. I feel His love in me and working through me and, thank God, I am learning to love you and His children—whenever they cross my path—more and more. God truly loves us and calls us to love God and love one another.

God bless you in your own faith journey. The way is not always easy but our God travels it with us.

When peace, like a river

2010-05-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

by Carey H.

What hymn or song speaks to me most?
The most meaningful hymn to me is “When Peace, like a river” by Horatio Spafford. Although, many songs and hymns are close to my heart; this hymn seems to speak to me on such a personal level.

Horatio Spafford was a Chicago businessman. He was taking his wife, Anna, and their four daughters to Europe when a last minute business crisis prevented him from making the trip with them. During the voyage, the ship sank in a violent storm and only Anna survived.

When Horatio Spafford learned of the terrible tragedy, he immediately set sail for Wales to reunite with his wife. When his ship reached the spot where the children drowned, he expressed both his grief and his faith in a poem:

When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll.
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well, with my soul.”

In the years since this wonderful hymn was written in 1857, Horatio Spafford’s words have blessed millions and helped them to find God’s peace in the midst of their tragedies; this is most certainly true for me.

What Bible reading is my best friend?
Romans 8 is the Bible reading that I most often turn to for comfort and strength; in particular verse 28 and verses 38-39.

The entire chapter reaffirms that we are Christ’s children through the Holy Spirit and that nothing in this earthly life can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Even if we cannot pray or choose not to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and assures us that no matter what may happen to us in this life, good and bad, it all works together for our good according to God’s will.

Romans 8 also validates Christ’s love for us: He died for us, He has forgiven us, He has given Himself to us through the Holy Spirit. If we are His, nothing can separate us from His love—what a wonderful, joyous, hopeful blessing! Amen.

Frank & Laverne

2010-05-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

by Carol B.

Frank was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer in April of 2009. He was Walt's nephew and a truly unique person. Frank was kindhearted, caring, compassionate and very generous of his time and talents to help others. He was also passionate about animals, especially his three Maine Coon cats. Loving and caring for animals is the important and close bond we shared. When Shelby, our Rottweiler, passed away in 2008 as a result of an aggressive cancer, it was Frank who called to express his sorrow and to offer consolation. He knew the pain and anguish of losing a beloved companion. I will never forget his kindness and how he helped me through that time

I began to walk dogs at the CASPA for my grief therapy and a month later met Laverne, a Black and Tan Coonhound estimated to be about 8 years old. She was picked up as a stray two months prior and had many medical problems. After her treatment she was ready for adoption. She seemed lethargic, closed down emotionally and needed love and attention. I thought, "You're old, you've got health problems and no one is going to adopt you". So, naturally, I did.

Frank met Laverne for the first time when we traveled to Connecticut for his father's memorial service and interment. He thought she was a cool dog and they seemed to like each other. Their next meeting was last July after Frank's diagnosis. He was receiving chemo-therapy but it was only palliative and his condition was in decline. On October 8th we drove to Connecticut for another visit. Early the next morning, Frank was hospitalized with breathing difficulty.

We were able to visit him several days later. In a little over two hours we covered many subjects. Even though Frank was weak, he insisted on talking and sharing his thoughts and concerns about the care of his beloved cats and his life and coming death with us. He said he accepted that he was dying and hoped he would be with God in a better place. He told us of discussions he had with friends regarding life after death and asking "Is there More? Well, Frank being Frank, he said he would try to return after death to let them know the answer. In listening to him, I realized that was my question too and asked him to add me to the list of people to contact. He began to explain that he wasn't sure how it would work. "It's not like I would just give you a poke". He said it would probably be subtle, that I would have to be attentive and be open. It would be something ordinary.

That was the last conversation we would have with Frank. We returned to Virginia the next day October 13th. Frank was moved to Hospice a couple of days later. His Mom, Dorothy, said the day we visited was really the last day that he was strong enough to carry on much of a conversation.

One week later we got the phone call in the morning telling us of Frank's passing the night before. I began to plan and get ready for the return to Connecticut for the funeral.

Now, Laverne has many quirks one of which is an aversion to thunderstorms. She can sense one coming 30 minutes before we can hear it in the distance. She pants and paces and drools and shakes. I noticed her walking into the dining room and standing there. This is unusual since she only uses this room as "pass thru". Her body was also shaking. I called her into the kitchen to calm her and wondered if there was a storm on the way, however, a look out the window confirmed sun and blue skies. No storm in sight. She returned to the dining room and stood there shaking. This action repeated itself for approximately 1 1/2 hours while I tried to calm her and figure out what was wrong.

I had my arms around her and was talking softly to her when I experienced a sudden and complete sense of calm and a feeling of peace. Frank's words flooded back to me........."it would be subtle, it would be something ordinary". I hugged Laverne and said, "Oh, Laverne, Its just Frank. You know Frank. He's telling us everything is OK! Not 10 seconds later, Laverne stopped shaking, calmly went into the family room, laid down and went fast asleep!

I believe God speaks to us in many ways but we need to be attentive and open and listening for the still small voice. In the beauty of nature and all of God's creations, He says, "I am here, see me!" He speaks to us in our joys and our sorrows. He speaks in the sudden and unexpected glorious flash of a shooting star in the early, still morning after a sudden loss. He speaks through our relationships and close bonds with family and friends, saying, "I am with you, feel my presence!" And yes, even through an old hound dog by the name of Laverne! "THERE IS MORE!"

It's Pentecost video

2010-05-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Equal justice

2010-05-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

by Kim W.

What is the great equalizer of humanity? I think I got a glimpse of it in the airport last Fall. I was scoping out the outlet possibilities while I waited for my flight. You'll always find the geeks and business men at the outlets. I sat down next to a business man, who was clearly sending out vibes to not sit there - but there weren't many other options to grab an outlet and frankly I felt I had every right to be there as him - right? He was on his cell phone - typical. But before I knew it, I was drawn into a conversation that shattered my preconceptions.

This white, middle-aged business man just recently learned that his wife had some sort of stroke that day at lunch. His wife is in intensive care, incoherent, facing possible surgery and further complications. As he talks to a doctor, I can feel all his walls crumbling down. He is desperate to find out what is going on and what he needs to do. He is hanging on by a thread, but maintains his composure and uses that business brain he's been training all these years to cover all options, possibilities and outcomes. I was completely drawn into his suffering. As his walls came down, my prejudices about white, middle-aged business men evaporated. We were both just humans then.

When I got on the plane, I started reading a manuscript, Why God? that my friend Bob M. asked me to read. Right on the first page, he writes that "when any of us stands facing a reality that is unbearable, we cry out against whatever fate or providence or divine plan or human purpose brought this pain to us ... the intensity of our sorrow opens our hearts to the sorrow of others."

I think that pure love and joy also have this equalizing property, but when speaking of justice issues, we are speaking of suffering. It's in the suffering that we can actually identify with those living in such different circumstances than ourselves. We all know what suffering feels like. We all feel some gut instinct to help our fellow man out of their suffering. We may not know what to say or do, but the instinct is there. It is this instinct that we need to follow into the uncomfortable world of those suffering injustice. It is this instinct that levels the playing field of humanity when we sit next to each other and start to listen.

The Upshot: Concluding the Sermon on the Mount

2010-04-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

by David Rudel

Day 1: Matthew 7:7-28

What do you expect at the end of a sermon? We all give sermons to others, or at least we imagine giving them occasionally. How do you finish yours?

Matthew 7:24-28 is not really the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. It is the conclusion of the conclusion. The larger passage from 7:7-28 is the conclusion of the sermon. In the body of the sermon (5:21 to 7:6), Matthew reports specific teachings and admonishments, the commands Jesus mentions in 5:19. The conclusion, though, includes no such specific requirements and possesses a different texture.

Does Matthew 7:7-28 incorporate the aspects you expect in a sermon’s conclusion? How?

What do you consider the basic purpose of the Sermon of the Mount (either in Jesus’ ministry or in Matthew’s presentation)? Does your reading of the conclusion support this view or ask you to alter it?

Day 2: Matthew 28:18-20
What common themes can be found by comparing the end of the Sermon on the Mount (verses 7:24-29) to the end of Matthew’s gospel (28:18-20)?

What imperatives are given in both? What justification is given for the commands discussed in both?

How does the wording of Matthew 5:19 connect the introduction of the Sermon on the Mount to the conclusion of Matthew’s gospel?

Jesus asks Peter, John, and the rest to make disciples of all nations. What does this word mean to you? Is this meaning reflected in the passage? Are there ways you see yourself fulfilling the call to make disciples? Are there endeavors you are considering that would fulfill Jesus’ call to make disciples of others?

What aspects of the conclusion of Matthew’s gospel (28:18-20) do not appear to have counterparts in either the introduction to the Sermon on the Mount or its conclusion?

Day 3: Luke 11:9-13
Comparing Matthew 7:7-11 to Luke 11:9-13 reveals something interesting. The “good things” that the Father will give according to Matthew’s gospel are rendered as “The Holy Spirit” in Luke’s account.

How does this relate to the conclusion of Matthew’s gospel mentioned in yesterday’s meditation? In particular, how does it relate to those aspects that might not have obvious parallels in the introduction or conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount?

Very rarely, a rabbi would arise who was said to have “authority” (Jewish term: semikhah, though many other transliterations are possible.) Such a rabbi had the right to promulgate new interpretations or rabbinical traditions. These teachings would then be passed down to later rabbis. This practice maintained a certain degree of consistency among the teachings of Judaism since rabbis were not generally free to make up their own interpretations.

But occasionally someone received special revelation for a short time and would do or say things while being “in the Spirit.” We normally think of this in terms of prophecies, but often it was for instruction. An utterance made while “in the spirit” was cherished and given special authority. The biblical writers use this idiom in Matthew 22:43, Luke 2:27, and Acts 19:21 to describe actions or words provoked by God’s call. The idea that the Spirit of God would be available to everyone all the time was probably incomprehensible, and it is unsurprising that the apostles spoke in such humbled terms of the Spirit’s availability. It is called the “gift” and the realized “promise” multiple times in Acts, and chapters 13-16 of John put the Spirit in the spotlight as well.

If we temporarily set aside the mental pictures Matthew 7:7-11 plants in our Western, individualistic minds, we can grope for how Jesus may have intended this message on a community-wide scale. The Sermon on the Mount repeatedly speaks of the “Kingdom of Heaven” that the Jews were expecting to come upon them as God’s people. The Jews of Jesus’ day commonly prayed for their national salvation. If Matthew 7:7-11 is an allusion to that, we see in the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount the first hints at one of the most amazing nuances of the coming Kingdom: that it would be a revolution by spiritual revelation. Instead of suggesting his Jewish brothers ask for an army to bring about their deliverance, he asks them to pray for the Spirit to come.

Just imagine living in a faith society where the Spirit of God had been almost silent for centuries, very rarely possessing anyone and only for short periods of time. How amazed early Jewish Christians must have been to find the Spirit pervading their community and touching all believers! That which was once desperately rare had become abounding, as though diamonds were falling like rain.

What role does the Spirit have in your life?

Day 4: Matthew 7:1-6 and Romans 11:11-21
In the sermon’s conclusion, Christ discusses the twin dangers of following those who should not be followed and failing to follow those who should be.

Christ’s final admonition, Do not judge lest you be judged, leads into this conclusion by suggesting the Jews in general are not being a good example to others. He tells them to remove the plank from their eye so they can see to remove the specks from their brothers’. And he follows that up with a curious statement: Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs, otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.

When this phrase is quoted today, people often think Christ is saying “don’t waste your time on those unreceptive to your message,” but there is nothing anywhere near Matthew 7:6 that suggests he has this in mind. It would be rather strange for Jesus to ascribe pearls of wisdom to those he had just called hypocrites and accused of having planks in their eyes. Furthermore, the idea that we should not engage those we do not believe are receptive would go against Christ’s own model. He debated the scribes and Pharisees in his own ministry and even addressed the aristocratic Sadducees, who were probably even less receptive to his views. His later disciples would similarly engage all manner of people, not allowing their prejudices determine who was fit to hear the gospel.

Instead, Matthew 7:6 is probably a reference to the danger of God’s favor passing to the Gentiles [“pigs” and “dogs” were both Jewish epithets for Gentiles, the former emphasizing their living outside God’s law, the latter emphasizing their idolatry]. By continuing in disobedience, the Jewish nation risked having their inheritance retracted and given to someone else. This theme has already come up earlier when Jesus asks in Matthew 5:13 (the only other place where “trampled” appears in his gospel): You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. This concern shows up several times later as well, in Matthew: 21:33-41, 22:1-10, 23:37-39, and perhaps 25:28.

We might think that his concern for the Jews is an academic one, irrelevant to us today. However, Matthew saw fit to capture this concern (as did Luke) in gospels many believe were written long after the Jewish leadership rejected Christ. How do Paul’s words in Romans 11:11-21 interpret the loss the Jewish nation suffered? Do Christians run the same risk?

Do you see the modern Christian church prone to dangers like those Christ and Paul warned their audiences against?

Day 5: Luke 6:46-49 and Exodus 23:20-32
Luke’s version of the conclusion to Christ’s sermon (note how Luke 6:37-49 matches up with Matthew 7:1-27 if verses 6-14 are omitted) can aid our interpreting of Matthew’s account. Fitting together Luke 6:46-49 with Matthew 7:21-27 suggests that Luke 6:46, Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and don’t do what I tell you? is Luke’s version of Matthew 7:21-23.

How does Luke 6:46 guide your interpretation of Christ’s words in Matthew 7:21-23?

In addition to comparing Matthew’s version to Luke, we can compare it to the scripture Matthew undoubtedly had in mind when portraying Jesus preaching laws on a mountain, an obvious reference to Moses on Sinai. The commandments given there composed the statutes for the Mosaic covenant, a “lease” of sorts between God and Abraham’s descendents for their occupation of the promised land.

Covenants between rulers and vassals in ancient times shared a common structure. After the stipulations describing what was required of the vassal came a set of blessings, a set of curses, and provisions for the ongoing validity of the covenant. In the case of the Mosaic covenant, the stipulations were the Mosaic Law (e.g. Exodus 20:1 – 23:19) and a short version of the blessings, curses, and continuity provisions can be found immediately afterward (Exodus 23:20-32). (A longer version can be seen in Deuteronomy, where the Laws span from chapter 5 through 27, the blessings, curses, and provisions for the continuity are found in chapters 28-32.)

The body of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-7:2) parallels the commandments given on Sinai, the stipulations for Israel’s occupation. It is unclear if the conclusion of the sermon is intended to be analogous to the blessings, curses, and provision for continuity typical for a covenant. Still, there are interesting parallels between Exodus 23:20-32 and Matthew 7:7-29.
What points of contact do you see between these two passages?

In the Exodus passage, the Israelites were told to destroy the altars of their pagan neighbors, and God promised to drive those idolaters from the land. How does this apply to us today? What altars are you called to smash down? What do you yearn for God to drive out from within you?

Day 6: Matthew 5:13-20
A common formula for public speaking is “tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them what you told them you would tell them, and then tell them what you told them,” referring to the introduction, body, and conclusion of a speech. So far, we have looked at the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount as its own entity, in comparison to Matthew’s conclusion to his gospel, in comparison to Luke’s account, and in comparison to the account of Moses giving the Torah. The final place to look for confirmation that we understand the sermon’s meaning is in its introduction.

How do specific sections of Matthew 5:13-20 match up with Matthew 7:1-29?

We tend to read the Bible in a piece-meal fashion, often remembering just a verse or short passage that speaks to us without reference to what part it plays in the writer’s overall design. When we see individual passages as relating to common themes in a letter, it can change our views on a passage’s intended meaning. Verses we assumed meant one thing we can find were really aimed at a different objective entirely. For each match-up you find, explain how seeing the introduction and conclusion in parallel modifies how you have viewed/interpreted the individual parts.

The Sermon on the Mount is a well known phrase. Many people have heard of it without being able to identify any particular part, other than perhaps the Beatitudes. If you overheard a group of people in a coffee shop laughing about how they all knew the phrase “Sermon on the Mount” without really knowing anything about it, what would you tell them?

Ask, Seek, Knock

2010-04-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

by Deb Meyers

Lord, I humbly ask that you reveal yourself to me this week in new and fresh ways. I seek to know You, not just know about You. Help me to dig a little deeper in Your Word, in order to gain greater wisdom and insight into You and Your ways. I trust that you have good things in store for me. Help me this week, to see the world and those in it, as you see it. Help me to love as you love. Amen.

Day 1 – Read Matthew 7:7-8.
The first phrases of each verse are astonishing, aren’t they? “Ask and it will be given to you.” “For everyone who asks receives.”

What do you think Jesus is instructing us to ask for? What is he promising to give us? Are there some requests you think are too little for God to be bothered with? Are there some things you think God is too small to accomplish? Miracles? I often call on God when I am in a crisis, and after I have exhausted all other means of handling a difficult situation myself. Do you tend to limit your requests of God to times of emergency or desperation?

Psalm 55:16-19 says: “But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning, and noon, I cry out my distress, and he hears my voice.” What is the psalmist asking of God? What assurances does he trust in? When is God available?

Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on paying for all the saints.” What is Paul instructing us to do? When are we to pray? What types of prayers are we to approach God with? What does it mean to “pray in the Spirit?”

Romans 8:26-27 also references the Holy Spirit and prayer: “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.”

What role does the Holy Spirit play in our prayers? What assurances are we being offered in this verse? How does God’s will play into the equation?
In the Lord’s prayer we ask: “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” We’ve studied this. What are we really asking for when we say this? Just before his arrest, Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 27:39) “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” What level of trust is Jesus placing on the will of God?

1 John 5:13-15 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

Do you ever preface or end your requests of God by asking for His will to be done, trusting that what ever He chooses is for the ultimate good?

I wonder if we miss out on many of the blessings God wishes to shower on us; some of the prayers he wants to say “yes” to, because we never bother to ask? I wonder if we miss out on seeing God’s answers to prayers, because we place limits on what we’re expecting to receive from Him and on the timing of His response? What do you think?

Suggested Closing Prayer:
God, Give me the courage to pray more often, in all times, in all places, for big things and small things. Increase my faith so that I actually believe that nothing is impossible for you. I don’t want to miss out on a single blessing you desire to give me, my loved ones or this hurting world. Help me to trust in your will; trust that you know what is best. Open my eyes to all the times you say “yes” in answer to prayer, so that I can praise you. Don’t let me lose faith in those situations when the answer appears to be no; when the timing is not right, or when you have a different plan, an even better plan, that is impossible for me to understand at the moment. May your Spirit constantly guide and direct my requests. Work in me and through me to bring your desired kingdom to earth. In Christ’s Holy name I pray. Amen.

Day 2: Seek (Re-read Matthew 7:7-8)
Look at the second phrase in each verse: “seek and you will find;” and “he who seeks finds.” Who/what are we to seek and who/what will we find?

In an earlier lesson on “not worrying” (Matthew 6:33) we learned “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things (food, drink, clothing,) will be given to you as well.”

Look at the following verses where the words “seek” and “find “ are used. Circle who or what we are to seek and find. Underline any other instruction given or benefits mentioned.

Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, be- cause anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

1 Chronicles 28:9 "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and under- stands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.”

Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart.

Psalm 105:4 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek His face always.

Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

Psalm 24:4 “One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in his temple.”

Day 3: Knock (Re-read Matthew 7:7-8)
Got it memorized? Look at the third phrase: “knock and the door will be opened to you.” “And to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

In the movie, The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy goes to Oz to find help in getting home. She approaches a huge imposing door at the castle in OZ and knocks. And a loud voice booms out: “The wizard isn’t in. GO AWAY!”

Unlike the response Dorothy received, Jesus is promising us something different. “Knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Imagine yourself approaching the door of the house of a dear friend. What kind of reception do you expect? Are you excited or anxious?
Imagine yourself approaching the door of a complete stranger. What thoughts, feelings, expectations come to mind now?

For me, it makes a huge difference if I know and trust the person behind the door. When Jesus tells me to knock and the door will be opened, how do I know if I will encounter a friend or stranger?

Friendships develop by investing time to get to know one another. Loving, trusting relationships don’t just happen. They require some intentionality. The same can be said about our relationship with God.

In Ephesians 1:17-19a, Paul prays: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

John 14:23, 26-27 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching, my father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things, and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Excerpts from the book “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world” (pg.72-73), articulate for me, the joy of knocking on the door and finding God, the author of love and friendship, on the other side.

He (Jesus) promised, “I will be here every morning early, meet with Me here and we will start the day together.” So morning after morning, I would come downstairs to the drawing room and He would take a book of the Bible...open it and then we would read together. He would tell me of its riches and unfold me its truths... They were wonderful hours together....It was a period when we had our Quiet time together...I started looking at (this quiet time) in a whole new way-not as a ritual, but as a relationship. And a relationship just doesn’t happen. It has to be nurtured, protected, and loved...The place at Jesus feet is a place where we can be comfortable, a place of transparency and vulnerability; a place where we are completely known yet completely loved. It is truly a place to call home.

Pray Psalm 25:4-5
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Day 4: The Heart of the Father (Read Matthew 7:9-11)
In this teaching, Jesus is showing us the heart of God the Father. He is reinforcing the invitation to come to God in prayer with our requests, trusting that God is kind and good and will bless us.

Read the following verses for more insights on the heart of the Father: Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Lamentations 3:22-25 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “the lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, the one who seeks Him.”

Jeremiah 29:11-14 “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, and will bring you back from captivity.” This promise was given through the Prophet Jeremiah to the Israelites while they were being held captive in exile in Babylon. Even in times of difficulty and hardship, God was offering his children hope and a future.

Are you enduring struggles and hardship? Have you experienced a time in life when you’ve been exiled or held captive: maybe by addiction; by depression; by bitterness/anger; by unforgiveness; by the need to be in control; by debt? Has your faith been held captive by doubts, skepticism, and unbelief?

God is offering us freedom, hope, grace, and countless other good gifts. We have only to reach out to Him in order to receive them. God doesn’t force Himself on anyone. He’s waiting for us to make the choice.

Pray that God would free you from what ever is standing in the way of a closer relationship with Him. Ask for him to give you strength if you are in a time of trouble. Ask God to increase your trust in him. Give thanks to God for the countless ways he has blessed you and His continued offer of grace.

Try living the remainder of this week with an attitude of gratitude.

Day 5: The Golden Rule (Read Matthew 7:12)
In this verse, Jesus is teaching the Golden Rule. He is asking us to step out and put the kingdom of God into action. We should treat others as we wish to be treated. And then he said that this command sums up all the Law and Prophets. The Pharisees, the religious leaders of this time, commanded the people to follow all the laws laid out in scripture, as well as countless other religious laws they had developed. There were so many rules it was impossible for anyone to keep them all. (Matthew 23: 1-7 & Luke11:46). Jesus was teaching something new. He was telling people about God’s intent; that at the heart of everything is love for one another. The love He speaks of is one of action.

1 John 3: 16 “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

John 15:9-17 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit— fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

1 John 4:7-8, 21 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God because God is love....And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.”

Loving one another may sound simple, but as my mom used to say, “The devil is in the details. Some things are easier said than done.” This is a command that we can only carry out, with God’s help. Ask Him today to grant you the courage, strength and power, to love as He loves.

Blinded by Our Own Sin

2010-03-19T17:40:00.000-07:00

by Jennie Carter

Day 1 – Read Matthew 7: 1-6
In Verse 1 Jesus says, “Do not judge or you too will be judged.”
In our culture the word “judge” can take on many meanings. It can mean what type of punishment ought to be imposed on a criminal, it can mean to discern between right and wrong; or it can mean to form an opinion or conclusion about another person, their choices, intent and heart.

The Greek word originally used in this passage is krino (kree-no) which means to decide (mentally or judicially), avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge, call to question, think, sentence to ordain.

For me “do not judge” refers to conclusions I make and/or think that call one into question and can have very damning consequences. My thoughts and judgments can be immediate and made on appearances or they can be made in response to someone’s words, belief system, choices, or actions. Sometimes I am aware I am making them, other times I am not. Most of the times I don’t verbalize them but sometimes I do.

When you read Matthew 7:1 what meaning does the word judge take on for you and how does it translate into your own life? Are there others you are quick to judge? Do you know them by name? Are there particular group associations or choices that trigger judgment in you?

Day 2 - Read Matthew 7:1-6, focus on verses 3-4; Read Romans 2:1 and Romans 3:9
Paul reiterates what Jesus is stating in His parable, that not one of us has the right to judge others because we have all sinned. Ironically, many times the sins that seem so present and obvious to us in others are sins that have taken root in ourselves.

All of us sin much more than others see and even more than we admit to ourselves. Jesus reminds us of this when He forgives an adulterous woman in John 8:7, stating to the crowd “if anyone of you is without sin, let him be first to throw a stone at her.”

What sins in others make you want to pick up a stone?
Are you knowingly throwing “stones” to make yourself look or feel better? Are you unaware of the “stones” you throw?

Take a minute to listen to or read the lyrics of the following two songs on judgment:
“What It’s Like” by Everlast (Note that lyrics are not “G” rated)
“If We Are The Body” by Casting Crowns

How, if at all, do these two songs speak to you?

What sins in your own life are you having trouble letting go of, or untangling from?

Take time to pray and ask God to open your eyes and heart to unrecognized sin and judgment in your daily walk.

Read 1 Corinthians 12:24-27 and be reminded that every single one of us makes up the body of Christ! I have to constantly remind myself that there is not one person Christ did not die for, not one.

Day 3 – Read Matthew 7:1-6, focus on Verse 4-5
“... first take the plank out of your own eye...”
One of the points Jesus seems to be making here is that instead of being quick to judge others we need to start with ourselves. Instead of becoming defensive, making excuses or justifying our actions we, like David, need to admit our sins, ask for mercy, forgiveness, cleansing and a heart right with God.

Read Psalm 51 - In verses 1-7 David is repenting, turning and asking for forgiveness. What sixth request of God is David making in verses 10-12?

How is it that following David’s lead in Psalm 51 will aid us in removing the plank form our own eye?

Read Isaiah 55:6-7 - I find great comfort in God’s word that tells me even in my sin He grants me do overs. God promises that if we seek God we will find Him, if we forsake sin and turn toward Him, He will have mercy.

Read Exodus 14:14 and be reminded that God is on your side.

Day 4 – Read Matthew 7:1-6; Read Psalm 5:13
David shows us that when we experience God’s forgiveness of our sins that we naturally want to share His mercy and love toward others. Judgment and condemnation seem to melt away.

Recall/write about a time you have experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness and how it opened your eyes to others.

When we catch ourselves judging others we need to recall our own “plank” and the amazing forgiveness shed for us on the cross.
Read the following passages and record, in your own words, what you hear God speaking to you in each about judgment.

Ephesians 2:7-9, James 2:13, Isaiah 55:9, 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Day 5 – Read Matthew 7:1-6, focus on verse 6
There have been many times in my life that I have been unable or unwilling to hear and heed God’s word and love in my life. If I am honest it is usually due to a barrier I have constructed – an idol I have in place, a sin that has become a crutch or I like to much to let go of, and/or pure stubbornness. Similarly there have been some I have tried to share God’s word and love with and find my head throbbing from the sudden crash into their “wall”.

In both scenarios, the “pearls” were trampled and unlike the positive outcome in Matthew 18:15, there was no “winning over”, at least not in that moment in time.

When we haven’t walked in another’s shoes, so to speak, and don’t understand their choices or the walls they have built then it makes it difficult for us to verbally share God’s love without coming across as pious or judgmental. It is equally difficult for our words to be received by one who feels misunderstood and/or shame thus the hyperbole “... they may trample them under their feet and the turn and tear you to pieces.”

What then are we to do if our pearls will just be trampled and we risk being turned on? Read the following passages:
Matthew 22:37-39 John 15:12 Ephesians 4:2-3 Hebrews 10: 24-25

We are called to love not judge.

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.” Mahatma Gandhi

How that looks will be different in each relationship but all begins in prayer.

Casting Crowns song, “Prayer For A Friend”, is an excellent reminder of lifting up those in need instead of judging.

I am reminded, as I end, that it starts with me and sometimes the “friend” I need to lift up in prayer is myself.

One can make a difference! “We must become the change we want to see.” Mahatma Gandhi

Carefree Living

2010-03-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

by Carey Hess

Day 1: Anxiety (Read Matthew 6:25)
When Jesus speaks about being anxious about our lives; He is really asking us about what is in our hearts and what is central in our lives. Perhaps a better term for anxiety in this sense might be “concern”. Our hearts need to be filled with something and Jesus wants them to be filled with Him, not with the things of this world. Are we concerned about how much money we make, getting ahead in our jobs, acquiring more “things” and buying fancier clothes? Jesus knows that if these are the concerns of our hearts; we will have no room for Him and God’s kingdom (Luke 10: 41-42). What dwells in our hearts becomes the focus of our lives and if our lives are focused on the things of this world; we cannot have a relationship with Jesus. If our concern is for worldly possessions and they become the focus of our lives then we will constantly be anxious that they will be taken away and/or that we need to acquire more “just in case” we don’t have enough.

God knows that we need food, clothing and shelter and He generously provides these to us but He wants us to make Him the main concern of our hearts by living in the Word and serving Him and others. If we worry and fret about hoarding material goods and are “concerned” that we might lose them then we will not be free to glorify and serve Him. Anxiety and stress over the “things” of this world do nothing but hinder our relationship with God (Philippians 4:6).

What are some situations or needs that cause you to be anxious and worry? Who or what do you rely on to get over your anxiety so that you can lead a carefree life?

Day 2: Lessons from the Birds (Read Matthew 6:26)
What a strange and wonderful thing Jesus does when He asks us to consider the nature and habits of birds in comparison to the way we live our lives. Jesus certainly knows His audience and He knows that the majority of the people that He is addressing are simple, agrarian, poor people; but they are people who certainly have a good understanding of nature.

If birds can fly around and be carefree; then why can’t we? God provides for the birds and they accept it freely and without worry that they won’t have enough or that they need a place to store it up for later.

God loves us so much more than the birds but we constantly fret that we won’t have enough to sustain us. But Jesus knows that first we must be fed with the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35). Jesus wants us to understand that “our daily bread” is a free gift from God. We are fed not by our own hard work but by God’s grace and we must daily accept it without questioning where it came from or how we got it. We need to understand that God provides for us daily all that we need and that everything that we have comes from God.

Only when we accept and are fed with the true bread of heaven will we be free from concern about having enough food to nourish our bodies (John 6:32-34).

Day 3: Life Span (Read Matthew 6:27)
Jesus wants us to take care of our bodies and not live our lives in a reckless manner; but He also knows that we are mortal and that our days are numbered (Psalm 139: 13-17). He wants us to live in the freedom of living each and every day secure in the knowledge that God is in control and we can rest knowing that we are the recipients of God’s grace and love.

Even if we might be terminally ill we are to live each day to the fullest by living in the Word; confident of God’s love and care for us. We are to be content no matter what the condition of our health or circumstances (Philippians 4: 8-13).

When our earthly life is over we are reassured that we will have a heavenly home waiting for us and will be in God’s presence for eternity (John 14: 1-4).
There is no better “Life” insurance policy than the assurance of God’s grace, love and care for us.

Day 4: Arrayed in Glory (Read Matthew 6:28-32)
Have you ever had the pleasure of stopping along a roadside to view a beautiful field of wildflowers? Perhaps the flowers were intentionally planted or perhaps they were miraculously grown from seeds carried by the wind or birds. It really doesn’t matter how they got there but their beauty is breathtaking. In God’s eyes we are even more beautiful and breathtaking.

God loved us so much that He created us in His own image (Genesis 1: 37). Surely, if God loved and cared enough about us to create us in His own image then certainly He has much greater plans for us than flowers that will wither and die.

Jesus isn’t speaking here about dressing us up in worldly clothing; He isn’t interested about what kind of clothing we are wearing but about whether or not we are being clothed for God’s kingdom. Whether someone is dressed in rags or haute couture; all are beautiful in God’s eyes. Jesus came to dress us in God’s grace and glory through the Spirit and the Word.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we, as God’s precious, beloved children, could see each other through His eyes and not judge one another by worldly clothing?

Day 5: First Seek the Kingdom (Read Matthew 6:33-34)
If we first seek God’s Kingdom and pray to do His will then we really have no room for anxiety or concern about our lives. Only when we realize that God is truly in control and that we are merely sinful humans that we can truly be free to live in the joy of God’s grace and love in Christ Jesus.

No one truly knows, except God, what the future holds but we still worry and stress out about our plans for the future. We try to make elaborate plans and schedules; we accumulate money and stock portfolios thinking that these things will provide for our future. But, what happens when pension funds disappear, a business fails, good friends abandon us, you experience the loss of a loved one or you experience bad health? It is during these times of anxiety that we can only be comforted by the assurance of God’s love, care and grace for us (Psalm 46).

Some of the best advice that I ever received was from a Pastor who told me: “when you are going through a very bad time; do something for someone else. Helping another person takes your mind off of your troubles, benefits the other person, and you are doing God’s will in the world.”

We only have this moment, this day to take care of and God wants us to make the best use of our time by living for Him and His kingdom.

Do you want to enjoy the carefree life? Only through listening to the Word, working for God’s kingdom, and joyfully living in His grace can we enjoy true freedom. What a blessing to know that God is walking right beside us during our moments of joy, grief, sorrow and heartbreak.

First seek His kingdom and everything else will be given to you (Luke 18: 29-30).

Where Your Treasure Is

2010-03-03T03:48:00.000-08:00

by Lisa Glassco

Day 1: Read Matthew 6:19-20
These verses remind me of people who have collections. Usually. The individual pieces in a collection cost little and it's only when the prices of the pieces are added up that the collector realizes how much money has been spent on it over time. These are indeed treasures that are endangered by moths, rust, and thieves. While there is nothing wrong with collecting things that bring pleasure to our hearts, there might be trouble if adding to the collection starts to become more important than helping others – when keeping the breakable pieces displayed is more important than letting children plan in the house – when things become more important than people.

What are the collections in your life? How much have you spent on them?

Day 2: Read Matthew 6:21
What is treasure? Is it the same for everyone? No, indeed! For our dog, treasure is any unattended food. For young children, treasure is a shiny stone or a stick shaped like a T. For pirates (at least in the movies), treasure is gold and jewels. What kind of treasure did Jesus have in mind? Anything people think is important, is my guess. He spoke earlier of the less-important treasures in heaven, treasures like showing mercy, making peace, living humbly, sharing blessings, and believing in God.

Where is your treasure? Would Jesus approve?

Day 3: Read Matthew 6:22-23
This is one section that I sincerely hope should not be understood literally. I have very bad eyesight. Without my glasses the world is, basically, lots of blobs moving around. This is very confusing. If I had to live without glasses to correct my vision, I would be walking in darkness. Maybe God is providing eyeglasses for us by giving Jesus as our direction and our light. As humans, we trip over decisions, blunder into (or out of) relationships, and walk uncertainly into bad situations just like people who need glasses trip, blunder, and walk uncertainly wherever they go, but our faith in God assures us that we are never alone. Through God's Word, we have a way to see more clearly, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are comforted.

Are you wearing your glasses today?

Day 4: Read Matthew 6:24-26
You cannot serve God and money, but money can serve God in many ways. Money can support churches, shelters, disaster victims, and charities of all kinds. A Christian's goal shouldn't be simply earning money to keep it, but earning money to give it away. Money shouldn't be simply earning money to keep it, but earning money to give it away. Money should be a resource that we earn and use to fulfill God's goals, not a goal in itself.

How are you using your money to further God's goals?

Day 5: Read Matthew 6:19-26
This whole passage is really about how to use money in ways that please God. We should not let earning or keeping it become more important than people. We should not fixate on it to the exclusion of anything else, especially God. We should be generous and use our resources to help others. We should keep our financial priorities straight and see the world through God’s eyes. There's nothing wrong with saving something for a time of trouble or inheritance for our children; we just need to remember to help our brothers and sisters too.

Who are you going to help this week? This month? This year?

Fasting (and Feasting)

2010-02-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

by Laura McAfee

Fasting and feasting: Feasting and fasting - Matthew 6:16-18
In these verses about fasting, Jesus doesn’t tell you what is more moral; a water fast or a juice fast. He doesn’t present the pros and cons of a one day fast versus that of a ten day fast. In fact, food is not mentioned at all here. The details on how to fast and the why of fasting are not mentioned in these verses. And although the easy part to understand is that Jesus is talking about the right attitude to have while fasting, what is invisible is the necessary opposite to fasting which is feasting. In the next five days we'll look at fasting and feasting, together in a rhythm of Kingdom Living.

Day 1 - Kingdom Living
Read Matthew 6:16-18, Luke 14:12-14
In these verses Jesus is taking off the mask of superficial religion and explaining to us how to deepen our spiritual practice with the right Intention: God and our relationship with God. Jesus says, "when you fast..." his assumption is that we will fast. He doesn’t say...if you get around to it..., should there be an opening in your schedule...., no, Jesus says, "when you fast....".

And Jesus continues with a deeper understanding, an expansion of how fasting has been done, how we need to be when we fast. He moves the conversation away from the action of fasting and the outwardness of it, to us and our inward intention of being closer to God. Jesus does this by first noting the problem with fasting... "do not look somber as the hypocrites do." Something we do to draw nearer to God has evolved (or dissolved) into a show, a superficial ritual meant to impress others. We lose the right intention when our actions are outward focused; our right action becomes a farce and a show for others.

Jesus then explains what we should be doing, "when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face." Something we do to draw nearer to God should be between ourselves and God. When we are inwardly focused on God and deepening our relationship with Him through fasting, we are fasting in accordance, in harmony with, Kingdom living. This same understanding is expressed with regards to feasting in Luke 14:12-14.

Just as in Jesus' teaching on fasting, the emphasis here is Kingdom Living and right intention. "When you feast (give a luncheon or dinner)" don’t do it for show and personal gain, but "when you invite" those that can never pay you back or add to your status and reputation.

Read Matthew 6:16-18 and Luke 14:12-14 back to back. Reflect on the do's and don'ts Jesus is using to make the contrast between Kingdom living and the other way.

What are the things you do to draw nearer to God that have slowly slipped from being about God? Maybe worship has become a habit without meaning, or actions such as volunteering, have become more about being known by others than about you simply serving God.

Let us confess to God our arrogance and pride that keep us from the fullness of living in Christ and pray that God will open our eyes to the ways we have gone off the path as we remember to praise our Faithful and Good Shepherd for leading us back to God.

Day 2 - Doing as Jesus does
Read Matthew 4:2-4, Matthew 11:19, John 2:11
The Sermon on the Mount reflects the deep authority of Jesus as teacher, as Rabbi. We are sitting at His feet together, listening to Jesus tell us what to do and how to be disciples, Jesus is teaching us about how to live in God’s Kingdom! And Jesus understands the saying.. "Do as I do"..

What does Jesus do? He fasts. Matthew 4:2-4 What does Jesus do? He feasts. Matthew 11:19

Jesus demonstrates the rhythm of feasting and fasting. He models a way to listen for God’s direction and to prepare ourselves for trials and temptation through fasting and he models a way to listen for God's direction and to celebrate life through community by feasting. In fact Jesus' teachings on the Mount occur (in the Gospel of Matthew) after 40 days of fasting. And in the Gospel of John, Jesus begins his earthly ministry with a miracle at a Wedding Feast. (John 2:11)

It is a rhythm that is duplicated in many different ways and forms throughout the Bible and is represented in our deep Christian tradition and teachings. Fasting and Feasting.

When I moved to New Orleans I was 22 years old. It was a shock when the Mardi Gras season rolled into town. It didn’t take me long to adjust to the constant parties and feasting. The King Cakes and parades were remarkable and really unforgettable. But it is only now, safely and sanely away from that life that I can appreciate the feasting before the journey of the Lenten season. When the King arrives in Jerusalem, we should feast! Sharing what we have, giving thanks for all we are, in Christ. The journey to the Cross, needs a focused heart and mind, a fast from the cultural insanity that constantly surrounds us. Feasting and fasting.

Take a moment to reflect on times that you have feasted with joy and a deep love of the group that was with you. Were you able to feel God's presence and joy in that experience? Can you look back at times of great celebration and imagine God's loving – kindness present at the table?

Day 3 - Already but not Yet
Read Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 9:14-15
We live with the tension of living with a fulfilled Old Covenant through Christ and living in a fulfilled yet unfinished New Testament. We feast because Jesus is with us and we fast to listen for God’s purpose for us while we wait for Christ's return. We live this tension every day. We feast in thanks and praise of the blessings God has provided us; for driving about in our cars, going to our jobs, buying groceries, drinking plenty of clean water to keep us well hydrated. We feast with others, sharing what God has so lovingly and abundantly put into our lives. Yet we fast and pray because the Kingdom is not yet fully here. We know this. We see this in the continued oppression, injustice, and disease of the majority of the world, such as, the 92% of the world’s population without cars, the over 1 billion people on this planet without clean drinking water, the 800 million people who won't eat today, and for the 1 billion or so who live on less than one dollar a day. We feast on the Bread of Life, on the very Word of God, in remembrance of Jesus. These are truly gifts of God that keep us in right relationship with God.

We fast from the things that keep us separated from God, the distractions, obsessions, twisted cultural norms and values that time and time again Jesus tells us are not the Way, not part of the Kingdom, or Kingdom living. Mark 1:14-15 "After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!'"

The Kingdom is near...

Where do you feel/see God's Kingdom alive in your life? Where do you believe the Kingdom of God is close but not yet?

Let us pray today that God pours out His Spirit on us with a fresh view of His Work and Will in our lives and that God will renew our vision of the blessings and the needs that surround us.

Day 4 - Self-control/Self-indulgent
Read Galatians 5:19-21, Galatians 5:22-23, Philippians 3:17-21, 1 Corinthians 10:31
'Binging and purging' is a serious eating disorder that received a great deal of attention during my teenage years in the 1980's. It has also become part of our culture in that it represents a vast consumer driven culture of binging. We gobble up T.Vs, computers, clothes, new cars, high end electronics, stuff, stuff and more stuff. It's a mind-set of binging, compulsively, without thoughtful reflection of need versus wants. However, there isn't a counter-balance such as a culture of purging. It seems 'purging' happens to us through calamity, disasters; purging comes unbidden and unwanted. Our culture simply does not take self-denial, discomfort, or the discipline of fasting very seriously.

These terms, binging and purging, express something more than food, they express a focus on acquiring our every want and desire often times accompanied by an attitude of entitlement. Galatians 5:19-21 speaks to the same kind of desire-driven compulsion that comes from a lack of self-control, a mindset of self-indulgence and self-absorption.

But, self-control, the kind of self-control that helps and encourages us in living the life Christ calls us to, is also the kind of self-control spoken of in Galatians 5:22-23. It is produced and strengthened through the Holy Spirit and in turning our lives to the lessons that Jesus offers us.
Read Philippians 3:17-19

Binging and purging are about such things as gluttony, pride, sickness, and idolatry... to name a few, while fasting and feasting are about God and our response to God. When we fast we allow God to be our focus and this shifts our minds dramatically. If we take a week off, ten days off, 40 days off from the computer, cell phones, unnecessary shopping trips, chocolate, whatever activity or thing keeps us in a place of non-attention to God, keeps us from reading Scripture, prevents us from praying, calling that friend or family member in need, being available to God’s will...if we intentionally take time off from those things, we will re-align ourselves with a mind centered on God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"

Day 5 - Spiritual Community- Joy and Solidarity
Read Jeremiah 36:9, Joel 1:14, Esther 4:15-16, Isaiah 58:3-11
Fasting can be and often is a solitary means of seeking God in our lives. But we see often in the Bible God's people fasting in solidarity or as an extension of a community in need. We read in the Old Testament that fasts are called for in times of catastrophe or profound injustice (Jeremiah 36:9; Joel 1:14, Esther 4:15-16). Fasting reminds us that together as people of God we carry heavy burdens and we turn to God in seeking a means for change. We fast together in a spiritual response to injustice that allows an inflowing of God's spirit to provide a clarity of vision and direction. In fact in Isaiah we read of a very different type of fasting. Isaiah 58:6-7 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?" We can see here that in calling for a fast from hoarding our food to sharing it with those that are hungry and in need... we are called to fast and potentially feast at the same time.

In an amazingly different type of cookbook, Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook, Joetta Handrich-Schlabach writes, "When affluence allows people to feast too frequently and independently of others, feasting loses much of its joy and integrity. It results in ill health and dulls our sensitivity to the needs of others. Reclaiming the feast may require learning to fast. Regularly abstaining from meat and other rich foods can be a spiritual act of solidarity. Reserving for special events foods we might easily afford, but that are luxury items in the world economy, unites us with those who have less."

The people of the Old Testament understood that feasting was a praise-filled, thankful community, remembering, worshipful, sharing of God’s gifts in the same way they understood that a fast is often times a community coming together in seeking God.

Fasting and feasting are also recognitions of our weakness and an admission of God's power - It may feel like the abundance in our lives is the result of our own effort, hard-work, and self-sufficiency but through a shared table we come to appreciate the source of all that we are and all that we have. In the same way, we fast to remember the God from whom all things flow.

The Prayer of God’s Kingdom

2010-02-25T05:23:00.000-08:00

by Christie Ridenhour

How many times have you said the Lord’s Prayer? For some, this is a large number; for others, the number may be small. A more provocative question might be,"how many times have I just recited the Lord’s Prayer and not really thought about what I was saying?" For me, this number is embarrassingly large.

I pray this week, that as our congregation reflects upon the Lord’s Prayer and on our prayer life overall, we are able to find deeper meaning and understanding of this gift from God. I pray that as we pray the Lord’s Prayer together in worship, that this prayer is not just recited, but that it is prayed with thought, reflection, and understanding.

As you begin each day's meditation, I call upon you to say the Lord's Prayer, slowly and deliberately. Focus on each word and phrase. Reflect on the goodness and grace of our Lord.

Day 1 – Read Matthew 6:5-6
By telling us what not to do, "do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corner, so that they may be seen by others," Jesus is giving us clear direction as to what to do with our prayers. He is asking us to be contemplative; to be sincere. Our prayers are not for public approval, but instead are a conversation, a supplication between the person offering up the prayer and God.

In verse 6, we are exhorted to "go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret." I don’t believe Jesus is directing us to hide when we pray, but instead to find a place without distractions; a place where we are comfortable, like our own room.

Do you find it difficult to pray? Are there distractions that "get in the way?" As you pray today, be deliberate in your prayers. Find a place where you are comfortable and where distractions can be shut out. Open your mind and your heart and hear God speak to you. Amen

Day 2 – Read Matthew 6:7-8
Are there no more comforting words than those found in verse 8, "...for your Father knows what you need before you ask him?" How comforting to know that even as I struggle to discern my own needs, God already knows them. As I wrestle to speak the "right" words in my prayers, the Holy Spirit is there to intercede on my behalf. Look at Romans 8:26-27. What a blessing to know that my hurts, happiness and hallelujahs are lifted up for me as I struggle to articulate them. As you pray today, reflect upon the words written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome. Give thanks that God knows our needs, even if we do not. Amen

Day 3 – Read Matthew 6:9
The exhortation to pray to "Our Father" begins in this verse. God as our heavenly father is not a new idea to the Hebrew people. In Isaiah 64:8, we are told, "Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." God is not just my heavenly Father, but is yours as well. He is the heavenly Father of us all, which binds us together as a community of believers. God's name is "hallowed." It is holy. It is sacred. Again, this is not a new concept to God's people. We are reminded of the Second Commandment (Exodus 21:7) to not take the Lord's name in vain.

In the Large Catechism, Part III, Line 38, Martin Luther writes: So that we should realize that we are under the great necessity of duly honoring his name and keeping it holy and sacred, regarding it as the greatest treasure and most sacred thing we have, and praying, as good children, that his name, which is already holy in heaven may also be kept holy on earth by us and all the world.

As you pray today, reflect on how you use the name of the Lord during your day. Do you use it in reverence? Do you treat it as the sacred name of your heavenly Father? Praise his holy name! Amen.

Day 4 – Read Matthew 6:10
God's kingdom comes to us through the Word and our faith in that word. God's kingdom will come to us in the final days, as we are given eternal life. God works through us such that his will can be done on earth. We provide the earthly body for that will to be done. In Galatians 3: 20, we are reminded that, "It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." As you pray today, reflect upon how you are the mirror of God. The love of God is bestowed upon you by our heavenly father and reflects from you to others. Let his love and grace shine on those around you. Amen

Day 5 – Read Matthew 6:11,13
These two verses address our need for protection. When we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" it is not just a reference to food, but refers to all that we need to survive. We are petitioning for protection from hunger, and from the elements. We also need protection from temptation. According to Luther, there are three kinds of temptation: the flesh, the world and the devil. Temptations of the flesh include: laziness, gluttony, fraud, drunkenness, unchastity. Temptations of the world drive us to feelings of: envy, hatred, anger – just to name a few. Then there is temptation from the devil. In the Large Catechism, Part III, Line 104, Luther writes:
that the [devil's] purpose is to make us scorn and despise both the Word and the works of God, to tear us away from faith, hope and love, to draw us into unbelief, false security, and stubbornness or, on the contrary, to drive us into despair, atheism, blasphemy and countless other abominable sins.

Without God's Word and assurances of protection from the "devil and all his empty promises," I would be afraid to get out of bed in the morning. As you pray today, read Ephesians 6: 10-17. Take up the entire armor of God and ask for protection from all that can separate you from Him. Amen

Revenge and Enemies

2010-02-19T02:49:00.000-08:00

by Irene Cernik

Day 1 - Read Matthew 5:38-39
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth-at first glance this passage looks radically violent, gruesome at best, if one subscribes to non-violence. On the other hand if a person condones retaliation for wrongs they have incurred then clearly this passage sets a limit to retaliation. According to ancient Jewish law the original intention was to set reasonable limits to retaliation and to the crime. For judges it formed the guideline for punishment-it was to be proportional to the crime. And so it seems that society needs justice and the law enacts it accordingly.

But hold on, the very next verse requires us not to resist, gulp, an evil person. Jesus says-yes the ban on retaliation holds but we must do more-we may not harbor hatred for our enemies and we must show personal kindness to evil doers! Could Jesus really mean that? Does this make any sense? Paul reminds us in Romans 12:17, “Repay no one evil for evil.”

Although these passages were familiar I never personalized them. Then a few years ago a close friend forced the application of these verses to my circumstances. The friend violated our family and many others with his evil. Initially I was full of disbelief followed by fear which later was replaced with rage and loathing. Naturally, justice would be upheld in a court of law, I assured myself. And then the “legal system” revealed its limitations and restrictions, according to the law, leaving me with...nothing. Nothing from a human perspective. At the point of utter personal despair and perceived failure of the justice system, God was able to fill me with his words and his ways. Through prayer, wise counsel and study of God’s word a heart of revenge and hatred was replaced with a heart for God. “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you” Isaiah 43:2. “Your heavenly Father...will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern” Mathew 6:32-33. “When your faith is tested your endurance has a chance to grow” James 1:3. Today, I no longer hate my former friend. In fact the opposite has happened. I pray for his welfare and restoration with Jesus. And, no, we haven’t reconciled.

Day 2 - Read Matthew 5:40-42
One Bible commentary refers to these verses with “four extreme cases follow in rapid succession”. If you are insulted by a slap to the face, go against the natural human tendency, and give the assailant the other side of your face. Huh? Jesus wants us to endure a slap in the face for HIS sake, maybe even two slaps. No reason is given. We are to follow Jesus’ example. Can you think back to a time when you were unfairly treated but you didn’t protect yourself, your personal honor? No one may have even noticed your non-reaction but if you took this stance for righteousness sake surely your father in heaven sees.

If anyone would sue you and take your coat let him have your cloak as well. Perhaps Jesus uses the example of the lawsuit since either it can be offensive to be taken to court or because lawsuits can involve false accusations. The strange logic of being stripped naked is possibly yet another reminder that we ought not be overly concerned about defending our honor nor avenging wrongdoers.

If anyone forces you to go one mile go with him go two miles. Readers of the bible will know that the cruel Roman occupiers forced Hebrew citizens to carry the Roman soldier’s equipment for a thousand paces. Complete humiliation-the Jews carried the weaponry that ultimately was used against them!

Resistance, Jesus says, is futile. After the Romans forcibly extract this service, Jesus says, freely give them another mile. Dear God, may we also go the extra mile for those that exploit us. Jesus, help us to not to stop at the point of anger and humiliation and dwell there. Allow us the grace to understand that you, Jesus, died for all-the cruel oppressor as well as the prideful and the innocent. Forgive us as we forgive those that sin against us. Amen.

Give to him who begs a loan from you and do not refuse him who would borrow from you. Give to the one who asks. Okay, so now we are to follow Jesus’ teaching and forget about checking credit, references, interest rates, deposit insurance, and contracts. Are you kidding me? Is there no limit? Once again Jesus demands reckless giving, free sharing, open door helping, nothing held back. Here we see this upside down world of Jesus in another astonishing way. He hits the wallet, the savings, the retirement, our worldly possessions, our home-everything we have worked for. It’s ours, we shout.

But what if it really isn’t ours? Then, we are God’s conduit on earth for the disbursement of His provisions. Nothing can be claimed/possessed by us in this kind of thinking. Radical thinking-yes indeed. But that is what Jesus was-radical love. Dear Lord, help us to be compassionate individuals and churches, help us with ministry to the needy and to the poor. Allow us to model your generosity. Amen.

Day 3 - Read Matthew 5:43
You shall love your neighbor. How do you define neighbor? Is it a physical address closest to your home? Is it your family members, perhaps your nuclear family and not your extended family? Is it the group of folks you spend the most time with, those that accept you as their own? Is it those that share the same continent as you? Do you still consider those once close to you as neighbor...your ex-spouse, that jerk next door, the friend that betrayed you, the boss you loved that put you on unemployment, etc.?

Day 4 - Read Matthew 5:44-48
Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
“I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you” John 15:12. Loving others as Christ loves you is costly. Think about the price Jesus paid to love us. He left heaven to live among us. He came to earth and was ridiculed, rejected, beaten, spit upon and crucified. Loving wasn’t comfortable nor convenient for him. It cost him everything.

Jesus calls us to love others the same way he loves humanity. So what are you willing to spend to love others? Will you give up comfort, convenience, popularity, time, energy or money? Will you step outside your world to get into the lives of others? Will you love the people that the world doesn’t love? What will it cost you? Are you willing to pay the price?

Day 5 - Read Proverbs 25:21-22
We close the week with words of wisdom from the journal: “A One Year Road Trip with Jesus”. “Inaction and avoidance are never options with Jesus. Neither is resentment or bitterness. Nor judgment.

You and I were once enemies of God, being dead in sin and unresponsive to the voice of God. And what was God’s way of relating to us? God initiated to us:
Mercy, not retaliation Blessing, not cursing Prayer, not gossip Good, not evil Forgiveness, not grudges Love, not avoidance.”

As you stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s teaching you “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do” Romans 12:2.

Cross my heart and hope to die

2010-02-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

by Mary Preston

Day 1 - Read Matthew 5:33-37
Perhaps you remember saying "Cross my heart and hope to die" when you were a child. We would make a promise and reinforce it by swearing such an oath. In other words, we REALLY meant what we said. This passage in Matthew quotes Jesus on the subject of oaths. Jesus says to not swear by heaven or earth or Jerusalem or by your own head. In the law followed by the Pharisees, it was common to swear by something. Yet Jesus says that we cannot change a hair on our head by swearing by it.

What do you swear by?

Why do we feel that it is necessary to swear by something? St. Augustine felt that oaths were beneath the dignity of a gentleman. This is similar to our expression, “my word is my bond”. Do we need to swear by something?

Day 2 - Read Matthew 26:69-74
Look at Peter when he is telling the lie that he does not know Jesus. He progressively shores up his statements so that the listeners will believe him. The first time he says that he doesn’t know what they are talking about. The second time, he denies it "with an oath", and the third time, calls down curses on himself if he lies.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says more than once that he is not abolishing the religious laws but is asking for a higher standard based on the spirit of the law. Oaths in the Old Testament were designed to restrict, to put a fence around serious statements (the word oath, horkos, in Greek has the meaning of fence or enclosure). But God himself takes oaths. They are not light ones – he promises to always be faithful to his people (Hebrews 6:16-20)

Day 3 – Read Deuteronomy 23:21
The writer of Deuteronomy urges us to follow through on our vows to the Lord. What vows (oaths) are helpful? Vows can help us when there are temptations. Vows/oaths are taken in religious and secular settings. They are used on formal occasions such as joining a church, getting married, getting citizenship, and obtaining voting privileges. Even though many might say, “it’s just a piece of paper” maybe in our weakness, this represents help staying the course of a commitment to a marriage or a church in times of conflict or tension.

Day 4 – Read Matthew 5:37
This verse is all about Jesus’ call to truthfulness. Sounds like a good idea. Yet, how often do we tell “little white lies"? Why do we do this?

Perhaps it is for our financial benefit “the IRS is a big organization, and won’t miss my money if I bend the truth a bit”. Another reason could be to please other people, or to not hurt their feelings. Have you ever told someone with a new haircut (that you secretly think is very unflattering) “I like your hair”? Sounds good in the moment, but perhaps she will always have that style based on your untrue compliment! Or “we really have to get together” when you have no such intention? Do we exaggerate either our troubles to gain sympathy (“I work so hard”) or our accomplishments to gain recognition?

Untruthfulness can ruin a relationship. Bonhoeffer says: “Untruthfulness destroys fellowship but truth cuts false fellowship to pieces and establishes genuine brotherhood”

Let me give you a painful example: A long time acquaintance and I were bemoaning her daughter’s inability to clearly tell an acquaintance that she really didn’t want to get together with her on New Year’s Eve. Yet, when the mom said, let’s the two of us get together, I was not honest in my response (I didn’t want to get together). I left the conversation with a sense of my dishonesty, and with a remembrance of the passage about the splinter in the person’s eye that I was criticizing and the log in my own. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Day 5 – Read Matthew 5:48
This standard of truthfulness is too high. It is too hard. We (I) keep failing at it. We feel guilty. And it doesn’t help to be told “Be ye perfect”. But there is help. One scholar translates this passage as a promise from God “you SHALL be perfect”. Read Matthew 6:13, 2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 John 5:18,19 for reassurance. God is with us, protecting us, helping us always. Tom Wilkens expresses this well (Un-American Activities: Countercultural Themes in Christianity p.118-119): “Guilt has gone out of favor in the last century or so. ... Theologies or philosophies that attempt to replace guilt with a comprehensive no-fault life policy are fraudulent. Get real. Get honest. Guilt requires a thick coat of forgiveness, not a thin cloak of therapy or rationalization. And forgiveness, like faith, is not achieved: it is given.” Grace.

Yes, being truthful is hard. Yet if we are, we don’t need to reinforce it with oaths. We could start by keeping our word in small things – for example “I will bring that article to you next Wednesday”. God is our strength in our weakness.

Sex, Love and Wholeness

2010-01-24T05:38:00.000-08:00

by Kim Wilkens

Day 1 - Adultery & Divorce
Read Matthew 5:27-32. What is your gut reaction to this text? For me, it starts with guilt because my focus immediately goes to the "divorce" section. I'm divorced. What does this mean for me? I find there are generally not many words of comfort for the divorced in the Bible. My next reaction is anger because as a female I don't like reading this patriarchal language where husbands seem to have all the rights. Did you also feel some strong emotional reactions to this text? Why do you think Jesus uses such strong language and disturbing imagery around the subject of adultery & divorce?

Day 2 - Betrayal
Sex is the ultimate intimate act with another. As such, it can also reveal our most vulnerable selves to another. When one experiences betrayal and/or abuse associated with this act, gut wrenching emotions, spiritual and possibly physical damage will surely follow. I think this must be why Jesus treats this subject so harshly. The consequences of heading down the path of adultery and unfaithfulness are destructive to all involved. Read Lamentations 1. Have you ever been betrayed? What did it feel like? What lasting effects did it have on your life?

Day 3 - Evil
It doesn't seem like any rational person would argue with the concept that faithfulness is good and betrayal is bad. So how come our actions are often in conflict with our reason? This is where evil enters the picture. Evil is not rational. Read Mark 7:1-23. Jesus reminds the teachers, the crowd and his disciples that evil resides in everyone. We cannot blame outside influences for the existence of this evil. What outside influences can do is make it very hard for us to overcome our resident evil. Consider how the values of our culture and the portrayal of sex and love in the media might influence your resident evil.

Day 4 - Love
Many people spend their lives "looking for love in all the wrong places". With so many false ideas and images about sex and love out in the world, how are we to recognize the real thing? In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul does a beautiful job of describing what love is.

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

Read the rest of 1 Corinthians 13. How is this kind of love possible? Have you seen or experienced this kind of love in the world?

Day 5 - Wholeness
Read Matthew 5:27-32 again. I wonder if Jesus uses such explicit language about losing body parts not only to capture our attention, but also to indicate how it is our thoughts of betrayal that begin the damage within us. Maybe it is not really the act itself that gets us in the end, but the way we let our hearts become twisted and broken with thoughts of adultery, indecency, envy and pride. Read Romans 8:31-39. Paul's words remind us that nothing can separate us from the love of God and that is where we need to turn to find forgiveness, reconciliation and a path to wholeness.

Practicing Reconciliation

2010-01-21T16:42:00.000-08:00

by Dave Poole

Following the beatitudes, Jesus discusses some legal issues that were hot topics among the religious leaders of his day ... topics like murder, adultery, divorce, etc. Jesus quotes from the Ten Commandments (the Law of Moses) stating what the Pharisees and teachers of the law would profess and practice (the “letter of the law”). But then Jesus takes it a step further with interpretations that went beyond the details of the law to clarify the intention of God’s will (the “spirit of the law”). This week we’ll look at the commandment against murder and Jesus’ interpretive expansion which includes anger. We’ll look at how anger affects our relationships in community, affects our relationships with each other, and affects our relationship with God.

Day 1 - Read Matthew 5: 21-22
Jesus reminds the people of the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” (or “Do not murder”) then interprets that commandment to include being angry with your brother. While it might be easy for most of us to avoid killing someone, it seems nearly impossible for us to avoid getting angry with someone. Why would Jesus put such a painfully difficult spin on this commandment? Jesus came to usher in a new community ... the Kingdom of God ... and anger expressed in name calling (“fool, idiot, stupid” i.e. character assassination) is a serious threat to a new, small community. Anger and insults could easily spill over into actions and lead to violence, especially in a culture where public honor was highly valued and any breaking of it required some response (recall Joseph’s reaction when he learned Mary was pregnant: Matthew 1:19 ... “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”). Matthew stresses communal harmony, forbidding angry insults because of their danger to the community.

Have you ever been angry at someone? Called him/her nasty names (even if only in your head)? Did you resolve it? Did you renew your relationship? Let us pray that in our community God will work in our hearts so that we may reach out to each other to reconcile our differences and rebuild our broken relationships.

Day 2 - Read Matthew 5: 21-22
When I was a kid and nasty name calling would erupt, my mother would try to soothe the hurts saying: “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can never hurt us!” I’m sure it was comforting to hear her calming words – but deep down inside I knew that words (name calling) really did hurt. And Jesus knew that too. He knew that speaking an- gry words could be like throwing gasoline on a fire – explosive. So Matthew tells us that Jesus interpreted “Do not murder” to show the intention of God’s will that we not be angry – that we not call each other names – that we not speak badly about our brother or sister or neighbor.

Has anyone ever called you a nasty name? How did you feel? Did it hurt? Angry attacks often provoke defensiveness ... and sometimes retaliation. Let us pray that God will give us the self discipline to speak well of others, and the courage to work out any hurts and angers that we may feel toward others or that we think others may feel toward us.

Day 3 - Read Matthew 5: 21-24
As a teenager, I suffered a few ordeals of breaking up with a girlfriend. (Maybe you experienced this too). It seemed to happen in those most vulnerable times of high school and college. Breaking up – trying to make up – only to later face another break up. It seemed to be a life experience painfully recycled. We even had songs about it back in the 60’s.

Now, as an adult, I wonder whatever happened to that effort to “make up”? It seems that when we “break up” now – when we have a falling out with someone or a disagreement over something, we are more inclined to just “write that person out of our life” rather than try to find a way to “make up” (to be reconciled). And yet Jesus says this is so important that even if we realize this in the middle of a worship service, we should go and “make up” (be reconciled) with that person ... and then come back to finish worshiping. Maybe this is why we include the sharing of the peace in our worship service.

Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will embolden us to go to the person with whom we have some dispute (or who has some dispute with us) and empower us to work with love, patience and persistence toward reconciliation.

Day 4 - Read Matthew 5: 21-26
God’s commandments were given not only to regulate our relationships in community with each other but also to prescribe our relationship with God. So if there is anger or discord in our relationship with another person ... how might that affect our relationship with God? In 1st John chapter 4 we read: “We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.” Jesus knows that our conflicted relationships with each other will inevitably contaminate our relationship with God. So again, reconciliation with our “brother” takes a very high priority.

Let us pray that we not hide or deny our broken relationships with any others, but that God will help us go in love to be reconciled with them. For God has said: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25: 40). Let us reconcile with our brother so that we may likewise be reconciled with God.

Day 5 -Read Matthew 5: 21-26
Why do you think Jesus expresses such urgency about our reconciling: “Settle matters quickly with your adversary ...” ? Jesus didn’t command us to not get angry (he got angry himself several times), but he commands us to deal with it constructively; not stew in it, not pretend it doesn’t exist, not let it fester inside us. Jesus knows that we tend to procrastinate, especially with unpleasant or difficult things we really don’t want to do. And he knows that if we stew in our anger or let it fester, it will trap us in a vicious cycle of unsatisfactory relationships and ultimately alienation from God. So he tells us to go to our brother/sister to settle matters quickly. He tells us to take the initiative to make it happen ... to take the first step ... to make the first move.

Let us pray that God will give us the courage to acknowledge our anger, the humility to go to our brother (or sister) with whom we have that disagreement, and the love to persist in seeking reconciliation.

A Visible Community

2010-01-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

by Alli Watson

Day 1 - Read Matthew 4:19; 5:13-16; and Mark 9:49
In calling the disciples, Jesus implores them: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”. Jesus is telling his disciples, past and present, “Follow me, and I will give you the tools you need to further the Kingdom of God”. What tools has God equipped you with? In what way(s) have you been “salted with fire”? Prayerfully consider how the tools God has blessed you with, are equipping you to serve and illumine God's Kingdom.

Day 2 -Read Mark 8:14-18 So to see...
We have been told we have tools to use to further God's kingdom. But how is it, that we come to faithfully employ them? Perhaps the first step in using our tools is seeing and becoming aware of where exactly it is that we need to use them. After the disciples failed to see the significance of the Lord before them, Jesus asks “Do you still not see or understand?” Is not God asking us the same question? What is it that we see in God's Kingdom? What is it that we do not see?

Day 3 Read Hebrews 3:7-8 and 1 Peter 3:15 So to hear...
In our world today, it can be very easy to point out injustice and disparity, and we are certainly called to use our tools to strive for justice. How do we, as Christian people, know what justice is? In essence, what is it that we stand for and how do our actions show it? Our God is a living God and so speaks to us through His word. We are invited to pray upon and listen to what it is that He is saying. What are you hearing God say to you about what you see in his Kingdom?

Day 4: Read Psalm 37:3-6 So to feel...
As Christians, we are incredibly blessed to have a God who seeks our hearts and souls. Not only does the Lord connect with us in sight and sound, He also engages our hearts so that we may feel. Let us pray that with all the Lord shows us and tells us, that we may be open to the Word, encouragement, and motivation laid upon our hearts by the Spirit.

Day 5 - Read Ephesians 4:7-16 So to do...
The Lord has blessed us with tools inclusive of and in addition to seeing, hearing and feeling. However, His intent was not for us to sit idly by and bask in the wonderment of the gift itself. Instead, we are called to use these tools! Let us pray that we forever recognize Christ as the head and join together in love, as we use our tools to work in His Kingdom and illustrate our lives in the light. in the light.

The Beatitudes

2010-01-03T03:52:00.000-08:00

by Jane Norris

Day 1: Uphill Climb
Read Matthew 5:1-2. Jesus climbs the hillside, away from the crowds gathering below, and his disciples follow. He leads them away from the crush of the world’s distractions and stresses -- and far above their comfort zone --and unrolls a blueprint for discipleship unlike anything they’ve heard before.

How hard is it for you to pull away from the responsibilities and delights of your world for devotions or Bible study? Are there routines you can establish in the new year to spend more time listening to the Word?

Read Matthew 5: 3-12 as if Jesus has pulled you aside personally to tell you something important. Try reading the passage aloud and truly hearing the words. Try physically stepping away from the place where you normally read your Bible. Do the words sound any different when you’ve stepped outside your routine?

Day 2: Emptied
Read Matthew 5:3, 4 and 5.

Many of the disciples, like the multitudes at the base of the mountain, must have thought Jesus would overthrow the unjust regime of the time and free his people in a more conventional way. To a disciple who had expected a freedom fighter, how confusing it must have been to hear that the kingdom belonged to the meek and the mourning.

But loss can be a more powerful spiritual catalyst than gain. Even the happiest relationships in our lives can consume our time and attention to the exclusion of everyone and everything else. The confidence that leads us to success in academics, athletics, arts and careers can shut us off to the indwelling of the Spirit if it slides into arrogance and entitlement.

Emptiness is never a void. Mourning does not require a death - - just a realization that no one other than God can take the best seat in your heart. Nor does meekness require weakness or wimpiness -- just a retreat from arrogance and selfishness and entitlement. In those moments in life when all the distractions of ego and self are gone, there’s more room for God. And true emptiness is a gift that came at a high price, because Jesus died to empty us of sin and condemnation.

Think back to a time in your life when you felt utterly empty. How close to God did you feel? Could the busyness of life be keeping you from God’s business? If you’ve lost what you’ve loved the most, could something even better lie ahead? Instead of feeling bereft by loss, can you picture emptiness as a clean slate, a chance to start over fresh?

Day 3: Filled
Read Matthew 5:6, 7 and 8.

Emptied of ego and attachments -- no longer working for bread that spoils (John 6:27) and finally hungry for Jesus, the bread of life (John 6:35) -- the disciple is satisfied, finds mercy and sees God. “You are my portion,” the psalmist says (Psalm 119:57).

Could you find the most nourishing things in life for yourself by seeking them first for others? Jesus told the disciples that whoever would be first among them must be a servant (Mark 10:43). Jesus asked his disciples to leave their families and their jobs behind. One by one, they did, to find a greater reward (Matthew 19:29).

The pure in heart will see wonders and find joy everywhere, because they’re looking for them (Philippians 4:8-9). People filled with mercy, confident that their own needs are met, will be able to recognize more of God’s mercies unfolding around them (Lamentations 3:22-24). If you look for the best in the people around you, does it become easier to see?

Read John 14: 25-27. Jesus promises that he does not give the way the world gives. In your own life, how has Jesus offered you something better than what you could find for yourself out in the world?

Day 4: Sent
Read Matthew 5:9.

People who help people patch up their differences with each other aren’t the only peacemakers. There also are peacemakers in the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5: 16-21), who help others get their hearts right with God.

The dictionary says that “reconcile” means “to make friendly again or win over to a friendly attitude.” You can minister to a hungry and seeking world without saying a word. In what ways can others look at your attitudes and actions and see your relationship to God? Has seeing God’s work in someone else’s life ever deepened your own faith?

The disciples, as new creations, spend the rest of their lives helping to bring others’ hearts in line with God’s. They return to a world in which Jesus’ words were their only instructions.

They have important roles in the kingdom, all right, but not as conquering heroes with promotions and titles and bankrolls. They stumble, they fumble and sometimes they get it all wrong. But they go where they’re sent, and they have everything they need to handle what comes their way. When they learn to rely on God, they’re able to accomplish far more than they’d ever dreamed because they have everything they need, as Paul explains cheerfully from a prison cell (Philippians 4:13).

Do you feel confident that you will have everything you need, whatever happens? If not, what would change your mind or convince you?

Day 5: Down the Mountain
Read Matthew 5:10-12. When the disciples come back down the mountain, they’re still as human as we are. They sleep through perhaps the most pivotal prayer in history, run away when Jesus is arrested and never manage to stop squabbling with each other. But they find their way into their new roles in a world that would never be the same -- a world that saw them as criminals, troublemakers and freaks.

By stepping out of the boat, the disciples rock the boat, making powerful enemies among those whose careers depend upon the safety of the status quo. Jesus knows how tough life will be for them on their new paths, but he prays to his Father to save them from evil, not from opposition and strife (John 17: 14-15). In this world, they, and we, will have trouble.

Peter, a fisherman who never dreamed he’d be thrust into public speaking -- the same guy who denied knowing Jesus -- steps up and becomes a shepherd and leader, just as Jesus said he would (John 21:15-19). James, who once sought to be first among the disciples (Mark 10:37), is the first to be martyred (Acts 12:2).

When you face strife or stress, do you believe that God will give you what you need to get through it? Does knowing that you are in pretty special company make it easier to face the struggles in life?

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount

2009-12-31T05:44:00.000-08:00

by John Herman

Day 1 – Read Matthew 4:17-25.
In these verses, Jesus announces the imminent arrival of the kingdom of God, and he begins to call people to become his disciples. In what ways does God’s kingdom seem present to you? In what ways does it seem “not yet?” For another look at the nature of the kingdom Jesus is bringing, read Luke 4:16-30. Compare the words Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 with the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount (the Beatitudes: 5:3-12). Taken together, these words of Jesus begin to give us a picture of the kingdom of God. This week we begin our study of the Sermon on the Mount. Pray that God will make this a fruitful study in your life, and in the life of Peace.

Day 2 – Read Matthew 13:44-46.
Matthew groups all of the parables in this one chapter. The parables are another way that Jesus expresses the nature and the call of the kingdom of God. What do these two brief parables teach us about the kingdom Jesus is bringing? With what kind of attitude should it be pursued? How do you relate these parables to Jesus’ statement in Matthew 6:33, to seek first God’s kingdom? Allow this to be the center of your prayer today.

Day 3 – Read Matthew 9:9-13 and Hosea 6:4-6.
Jesus continues to call people to become his disciples, in this story Matthew the tax collector. It seems that Matthew invited many of his friends (fellow tax collectors) to a dinner to meet Jesus. When the Pharisees complain that Jesus is not keeping the ritual purity laws by eating with “sinners,” Jesus tells them to go and study their scriptures (the prophet Hosea), where God says: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” How does that statement characterize the ministry of Jesus? What guidance does it have for your own life?

Day 4 – Read Exodus 20:1-21.
In this passage, the Ten Commandments are given to the people of Israel. Notice the words that God speaks immediately before the commandments are delineated (20:2). Even the commandments are given in a context of grace. God has delivered the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, and is leading them through the wilderness toward their promised land. The commandments are given to shape the people as God’s people and provide a foundation for their life together. Do you understand God’s commandments as gracious? For your good and the good of others? Which commandments are the most difficult for you? Why? Pray about this.

Day 5 – Read Matthew 5:17-20 and Romans 3:27-31.
We saw in an earlier reading this week that Jesus was accused of setting aside some of the ritual traditions. But in this reading (Matthew 5:17-20) Jesus proclaims that he has not come to abolish (overthrow) the law and the prophets, but to fulfill them. What does Jesus mean? How does he fulfill them? Then Jesus raises the bar for his followers, telling them that their righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. What is righteousness? How do we obtain a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees? Does God’s will go beyond what the law requires? When Jesus commands the disciples to go and make disciples of all peoples and to teach them to observe all that Jesus has commanded them, to what teachings or commandments do you think Jesus is referring (Matthew 28:16-20)? What commandments of Jesus are central in your life?

The Weary World Rejoices!

2009-12-17T14:51:00.000-08:00

Day 1
During this blessed week, we must take care not to worship Christmas, but to worship Jesus, God incarnate, who came that we might know and be reconciled to God through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. When you look in the manger, remember the cross. Read 1 Peter 1:18-20. Pause and pray. Now read Luke 1:1-25. Luke is precise and shares many details about the miraculous coming of the one who will herald the Messiah. What does he reveal about John the Baptist, even before John’s conception? Did you notice that John was to be filled with the Spirit even before his birth, and that he would be a Nazarite (Luke 1:14-15; Numbers 6:1-8)? Spend time in prayer.

Day 2
Be Still...God says, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10a). We sing, “Silent Night, Holy Night,” words which speak of the awesome and holy movement of God breaking into temporal history clothed in human flesh. Yet many are caught in the tyranny of the urgent and are in danger of missing the true blessing of Christmas: Emmanuel, God with us. Be still! Pray the Spirit will awaken your heart to the love and mystery of God as you read Luke 1:26-56. Notice how Mary moves from confusion and fear to faith, trust, submission, and praise. Tell God you want to trust God like Mary did; ask the Spirit to enable you to step into the mystery of God’s story.

Day 3
If possible, read the lyrics or listen to the song, “Mary, Did You Know?” by Greene and Lowry. Now read Luke 1:26- 56. Meditate on Isaiah 40:8; 55:11; Luke 1:37; and 2 Corinthians 1:20. How do these truths affect your faith walk? Ponder Mary’s response to the angel (Luke 1:38) and Elizabeth’s blessing for Mary (1:45). How did God confirm the angel’s message to Mary when she came into Elizabeth’s presence (1:41-45)? Notice that this happened before Mary shared her story. Read Mary’s song of praise again (1:45-55), and worship the Lord.

Day 4
As we approach a new year, it’s easy to pack up the decorations and forget about Christmas, but the wonder of God’s love and truth that God became human and walked this earth is too precious to dismiss with the season. Is the best Christmas gift you can give, perhaps, still waiting to be given? Have you loved someone in Jesus’ name and for God’s glory? Have you told anyone about God’s amazing grace? Have you been quiet long enough to hear someone’s heart cry and offer the greatest gift of all, Jesus? Slowly and prayer- fully, read John 1:1-14. Pray you will live the words of the old spiritual, “Go tell it on the mountain...and ev’rywhere...that Jesus Christ is born!”

Day 5
Be surprised by Joy...Meditate on John 16: 20. You will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. Learn the discipline of being surprised not by suffering but by joy. Be surprised by the immense healing power that keeps bursting forth like springs of fresh water from the depth of our pain. With a heart trusting that we will get what we need, and a spirit always surprised by joy, we will walk through this weary world participating in and witnessing miracles.

The Weary World Rejoices: Help One Another

2009-12-10T05:40:00.000-08:00

What should we do?
Day 1: Read Luke 3:7–18. Wouldn't we love to have some general outline of what it is we should be doing - to know what exactly is God's will for our lives? In a book I read recently, the heroine is about to embark on an exciting, scary, unknown adventure for which she feels ill-prepared. When she asks advice from a wise woman about what she should do, the woman tells her to simply focus on what's ahead. Maybe that is good advice for all of us. Maybe we shouldn't worry so much about having the right skills at the right time or look back on where we've been or try to plan out ahead the adven- ture of our life, but instead really focus on what's ahead of us. What opportunities to help one another are right in the path of our every day lives. These opportunities may often seem like potholes to avoid or construction zones to detour around until we find the smooth road again, but maybe what we are called to do is to mend the road we are on.

Follow my example.
Day 2: Read Philippians 4:8-9. Paul offers another clue about what we should do to help one another. First, we need to look and find where there is good, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, and excellent work being done in the world and think about that. Next, we need to do the things that we have learned, received, heard and seen from people doing this work. That first step may seem like a giant leap for us, but by following the example of another, we can find a measure of comfort that at least someone else has scouted the way ahead.

Always be gentle with others.
Day 3: Read Philippians 4:1-7. One thing you may not expect to encounter when trying to help another is resistance. Sometimes helping another means altering the status quo and that's where help meets passive, active and sometimes even angry resistance. With change, someone is going to have to give something up and even if it is for the greater good, that's not a normal human reaction. In our quick fix, just do it culture, the mantra we've learned is that "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." According to Paul, tough- ness is not going to get the job done, but gentleness, prayer and a thankful heart will bless us with the peace we need to carry on.

God is here to help you.
Day 4: Read Isaiah 12. It's interesting to me that the lectionary reading excludes verse 1 - the one where God is angry. While we don't know why the Psalmist felt God was angry with him, we can hear his relief and joy as he experienced comfort, strength and salvation from his Lord God. When we find ourselves in need of help, sometimes we may feel that "the world" is against us or that we are victims of circumstance or even that God has abandoned us and yet as Christians we are challenged to trust, to not be afraid and to look for the one in our midst who is here to help us.

I will lead you home.
Day 5: Read Zephaniah 3:14–20. Kelly Fryer writes that "God is on a mission to bless the world and bring it back home - holy and whole." Not only that, but "God wants us to help". If that's true, we've got a big job ahead of us and the truth is we probably won't be around to find out how things turn out. We might not recognize any of the ripples of love left by our acts of kindness, but I guess that's not really the point. We are going to get discouraged, frustrated, angered and saddened by the state of the affairs in the world, but that will be no excuse not to continue following God's way. God designed us with a purpose to help one another and as we struggle to fulfill this purpose, take comfort that God is with us leading us home.

Christmas Miracle Offering - South West Virginia Ministry

2009-12-03T17:10:00.000-08:00

One of the recipients of this year’s Christmas Miracle Offering is the South West Virginia Ministry Outreach of Peace, benefiting the people of Dickenson County, VA. Dickenson County is listed as the second poorest county in the United States. A group of Peace members have traveled to Dickenson County and feel God’s call to serve there: to share God’s love and be a blessing; to make a difference in lives that have known so much poverty, despair, and hopelessness.

Thus far, Peace is working through the Binns-Counts Community Center in this area to provide winter clothing for area residents; to provide new socks and underwear for approximately 500 children; and to supply gently used computers to upgrade the community center’s computer lab where classes are offered to help people build new job skills. Peace is also taking a group of adults and youth down to Binns-Counts the week of July 20-26, 2010, primarily to work on housing repairs. Funds from the Christmas Miracle Offering will be used to help meet additional needs uncovered by the ministry team as they continue to work closely with the Binns-Count Community Center Program Coordinator.

Dickenson County is truly an impoverished area. Here are a few statistics taken from the 2000 U.S. census:

    * Total population of the county – 16,395
    * In labor force (16 years+) – 41.7% (as compared with U.S. 63.9%)
    * Per capita income in 1999 $12,822 (compared with U.S. $21,587)
    * Household income less than $15,000 – 33%
    * Families with income less than $10,000 – 548
    * Families below poverty level – 16.9% (U.S. 9.2%)
    * Families below poverty level w/children under 18 yrs – 24.2%
    * Individuals below poverty level – 21.3% (U.S. 12.4%)

"Binns-Counts Community Center sits in the Cumberland Plateau region of Appalachia in Dickenson County—one of the coalfield counties of Virginia. Located on Route 63 between Nora and McClure, the center serves residents of Dickenson County as well as some in nearby Russell and Wise. The Mission of the center states: We are a non-profit grassroots organization established in 1974. We are committed to education, health care and decent housing for all. We are directed by a board of community people and staffed mainly by volunteers. We work in partnership with college, community and church groups."

Christmas Miracle Offering - Building Goodness Foundation

2009-12-03T17:06:00.000-08:00

One of the local recipients of the this year's CMO is the Charlottesville based non-profit organization, Building Goodness Foundation (BGF). Peace funds are earmarked for a project with the Mattoponi. The Mattoponi People are part of the Algonquin Nation of the Powhatan Confederacy. The Mattaponi Indian Reservation is one of the last and oldest of the 32 tribes that were ruled by Chief Powhatan. The great Chief Powhatan, father of Pocahantas, ruled most of Tidewater, Virginia when Europeans arrived in 1607. The story of Pocahantas and Captain John Smith began here.

Through the years both the Reservation's physical size and the number of Tribal members have been diminished. Today the Reservation consists of mostly woodlands and marsh, a portion being protected wetlands. At present nearly 60 people live on the Reservation. The Reservation sits on the banks of the Mattoponi River, one of the most pristine rivers in the Eastern United States. There are a small number of living facilities on the Reservation. The Peace Christmas Miracle Offering is earmarked for an identified need. The next project that BGF will undertake on the Reservation is the replacement of a worn out old trailer home. Two orphaned Tribal teenagers presently live in the trailer. Funds are needed in order for Building Goodness Foundation to proceed. Completed drawings have already been donated for the home. Next, BGF will use its resources of volunteer labor and reduced material costs to construct a modest durable wood framed home. Once complete it will allow these two young Tribal members to stay on the land, near family. The home will be owned by the Tribe and be passed on to future generations of Mattaponi Indians.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27.

The Weary World Rejoices: Help in the Wilderness

2009-12-03T16:54:00.000-08:00

Forerunners and messengers advance the advent of our God. While John the Baptizer's voice in the wilderness may be the principal focus of the day, Malachi's prophesy could as easily herald the coming Lord Jesus as forerunner of the Lord of hosts. Finally all the baptized are called to participate in the sharing of the gospel. In so doing we prepare the way for the coming of the Lord and assist all flesh in capturing a vision of the "salvation of God."

After Four Hundred Years of Silence
Day 1: When Malachi’s pen fell silent in about 430 B.C., so did the prophetic voice in Israel…that is, until John the Baptist appeared on the scene in Judea. Read Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1-2; Mark 1:1-8; and Luke 3:1-6. Isaiah and Malachi prepared God’s people to watch for a special messenger, a messenger who would herald the Messiah, who is the living Message! At the exact moment in history, according to God’s perfect plan, John the Baptist came to prepare the people for the Savior. In this busy Christmas season, do you take time to listen for the Spirit’s voice calling you to embrace the Message? Create silence for Scripture, prayer, and listening to the Spirit’s voice.

Day 2: What do you know about John the Baptist? His father was a priest; his mother, Elizabeth, was a relative of Mary, mother of Jesus. Read Luke 1:1-25,36,39-45,57-80 and John 1:6-9,15-28. From before John’s conception, God had a plan for his life. John would point people to Jesus. Consider that it is God’s plan for each of us to help others see Jesus. John’s life was focused on what was most important (notice his first reaction to “meeting” Jesus: Luke 1:44). On what or whom is your life focused this week? Ask the Spirit to help you point someone to Jesus.

Day 3: At exactly the right time in history, the word of God came to John. The expression the word of God came is the same expression used in reference to God’s message coming to Old Testament prophets (Jeremiah 1:1-2; Hosea 1:1; Joel 1:1…); John speaks with authority, for he speaks God’s heart to the people; he is God’s chosen messenger. When we read God’s Word, do we read it as words written by men or as God’s message? What difference does the perspective make? Read Luke 3:1-6; what is God saying to the people through the voice of John? What is God saying to you? Ask God to help you make this Advent season a time of preparing to encounter Jesus.

Prepare the Way for the Lord
Day 4: In ancient times, because roads were not good, a king planning to travel sent a courier ahead to tell the people to prepare the roads, to make them as level and straight as possible. John didn’t come to tell people to do road repair, he came to tell them to prepare their hearts for the King. Read Mark 1:4-5 and Luke 3:1-6. To what internal preparation did John call the people? What was the external or public act that attested to their repentance? Why is it important that we realize we are sinners? Read Matthew 1:21 and 1 John 1:5-10. Reflect on your need for the Savior and on God’s immeasurablelove for you.

Day 5: Luke 3:1-6 and John 1:1-34 speak of God-ordained preparation for the revealing of Jesus as Savior. John the Baptist is the messenger sent to prepare hearts to receive Jesus, the Message. Where was John when God’s word came to him (3:2)? Why might the desert/wilderness be a fitting place to hear God’s voice? And then he pointed people to Jesus. If we are to see God’s salvation and then share the glorious Good News with others, we need time apart to hear God’s voice.

Worship: Sending

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Oct 3-4, 2009: Sending
Psalm 146; 1 Corinthians 11:17-26; Luke 24:33-35

Worship: The Meal

2009-09-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

September 27, 2009: The Meal
Luke 24:28-35
Peace Lutheran Church 25th Anniversary

Worship: The Word

2009-09-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

Sept 19-20, 2009: The Word
Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Psalm 119:57-72; Colossians 3:16-17; Luke 24:25-27

Worship: Gathering

2009-09-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

Sept 12-13: Gathering
Psalm 98; Ephesians 2:11-28; Luke 24:13-24

Finding God in Film and Literature

2009-06-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

In June, we begin a new series, Finding God in Film and Literature. We want to know where you have seen God in the world lately? Especially what movie have you seen or book you have read where you felt a God connection. Post your reviews here and we'll be on our way to collecting a great summer viewing and reading list!

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name

2009-02-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

40 Days with the Lord's Prayer

February 28-March 1, 2009

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Luke 11:1-13

In the year 1535, Peter Beskendorf, a barber and friend of Martin Luther asked Luther for his advice concerning prayer. Luther responded by writing a long letter called "How One Should Pray, for Master Peter the Barber."

The first thing Luther does in prayer is to prepare his own heart. ("It is of great importance that the heart be made ready and eager for prayer.") To do so, he might read the 10 commandments and their explanations from the catechism, or he might read from the psalms, or from the words of Jesus, or from one of Paul's letters, or a command from God in scripture that we should pray and that God will answer.

Then, when his heart has been warmed and is intent upon the matter, he confesses to God that he is an unworthy sinner. "But because thou hast commanded us all to pray and hast promised to hear us and through thy dear Son Jesus Christ has taught us both how and what to pray, I come to thee in obedience to thy word, trusting in thy gracious promise." ("Here I come, dear Father, and pray not of my own accord nor because of my own unworthiness, but at your commandment and promise, which cannot fail or deceive me." LC, 21)

Then he prays the Lord's Prayer through, word for word. And then he returns to focus on one part of the prayer and expand upon it. Luther advises Peter to let his heart be guided and stirred by the thoughts which are derived from this way of meditating on the Lord's Prayer. "It may happen occasionally that I may get lost among so many ideas in one petition that I forego the other six. If such an abundance of good thoughts comes to us we ought to disregard the other petitions, make room for such thoughts, listen in silence, and under no circumstances obstruct them. The Holy Spirit himself preaches here, and one word of his sermon is far better than a thousand of our prayers. Many times I have learned more from one prayer than I might have learned from much reading and speculation."

According to Luther, you can pray the Lord's Prayer thousands of times and not even taste it. The best way to pray it is to listen to all the thoughts it brings into your mind and heart. Let it become an experience of listening to God, listening to what God wants, listening to what God would teach you. That's what prayer can become. That must be what the disciples of Jesus observed when they witnessed the impact of prayer in Jesus' life.

Through the praying of Jesus, the disciples began to see that prayer was more than a religious duty; it could be the vital connection between God and themselves. "From the beginning to the end of Jesus' ministry, his disciples had a front-row seat to watch the greatest pray-er who ever prayed. And as they watched, they saw him filled with peace, wisdom, spiritual power, and grace. When Jesus prayed, they saw things happen." (Ortberg, Praying With Power, 12)

In our gospel reading, (Luke 11:1-4) the disciples ask Jesus to teach them to pray in that way. Jesus gives his followers a prayer form, (what we call the Lord's Prayer, but which might better be called a Model Prayer or the Disciple's Prayer).

This prayer form wasn't intended to become a ritualized prayer, that is recited from memory without thought. As we hear from Luther, and as the disciples saw in Jesus, it's benefit would be found more from the listening side than from the speaking side.

That's where we can also grow in prayer. The Lord's Prayer has become so familiar to Christians that we can recite it without even thinking about what we are saying (even in under 10 seconds). That is why we are spending 40 days with the Lord's Prayer this Lenten season, taking the prayer one petition at a time, so we may to pause to think about what we are praying (when we pray this prayer), so that we may pray this prayer with understanding and so that it may become for us a rich resource for meditation and communication with God.

Today we begin with the opening lines of this prayer:

Our Father…..in heaven…..hallowed be your name.

Together these opening words of the Lord's Prayer form a kind of paradox. God, the creator of all is "a transcendent God, a God to stand in awe of, a God clothed in mystery. God cannot be contained in any ideology or even theology." (French, Lenten Journey: 40 Days with the Lord's Prayer, 27) And yet God is our loving parent, desiring that we know him intimately.

God is called by many names in the Old Testament: Strong One, Rock, Refuge, King of Kings, and Most High. When God reveals himself to Moses, he uses the term Yahweh: which may be translated as: I am who I am, or I will be what I will be, or simply: I am (Ex 3:13-15) God is other. "In ancient Israel, the name of God was considered so holy that it was not to be spoken or written." (French, 32)

In the Old Testament, God is described and describes himself as a Father to his people, Israel. But in the New Testament, there is something quite new with the word Jesus uses to refer to God - "abba." It is one of the words children use for their parents (abba and imma, like our mommy and daddy). "Abba" was an everyday word, a family word. "No Jew would have dared to address God in this (intimate) manner. Jesus did it always, in all his prayers which are handed down to us." (Jeremias, The Prayers of Jesus, p. 97)

When Jesus invites us to speak to God as "our Father," even our "daddy," we can be assured of several things:

First, that God the Father wants to meet us in prayer. That God is accessible, waiting to listen to us, and to talk with us, like a mother to her child.
It means that we that we can approach God with a simple childlike confidence and trust.
Jesus goes on to describe God as the ideal parent who provides us with what we need. Jesus says that human parents have their obvious weaknesses, but in general they give their children the things they need. If human parents provide their children with the things they need, then how much more will the perfect parent, our Creator, give us what we need –the Holy Spirit.
By calling God our Father, we do not mean to say that God is masculine

or of the male gender. God does not possess our human traits. God is also portrayed in the Bible as having qualities attributed to females: like nurturer, life-giver, comforter. But God is neither male nor female. "The words father and mother both make the point Jesus was making when he taught his followers to pray 'Our Father.' We are dependent upon God as a child to a parent. We are to obey God as a child obeys a parent, trusting that whatever God asks of us will be good for us. We are to respect and love God as a child respects and loves a parent,

when the parental relationship is grounded in love and care for the child." (French, 25)

German pastor Helmut Thielicke puts it this way: Even more important that presenting our prayer petitions is our entering into communion, into a personal relationship with God the Father. The greatest blessing of prayer "does not consist of our receiving the specific things we have prayed for…We learn that the happy gift of prayer consists in receiving the fellowship of the Father, that he gives us his whole heart—that we can accept everything from his hand." (Thielicke, The Lord's Prayer, 37, 39) That's what it means to pray to God as Father.

After way pray "our Father," we then pray "Hallowed be your name." Which means, may your name be held holy. Of all the things Jesus teaches that we need to pray about, honoring God's name is first on the list. Why is that?

When we pray "hallowed be your name," we begin the prayer with praise and worship of God. Praising the Lord sets the tone for the entire prayer. Adoration of God puts us in the right frame of mind: we are reminded whom we are addressing, whose presence we have entered. We give God the honor and reverence due God.

(We are reminded that God is God and we are not. God doesn't need reminding that God's name should be holy—we need to be reminded of it.)

A Japanese solider approached a wise teacher. "I have mastered all of the martial arts," he said calmly. "I have risen to the highest rank possible for a man of my training. I now wish to learn about the spiritual life. Can you help me?" The teacher smiled and invited the man to sit at the table. "Let us have a cup of tea," before we talk further." After the soldier sat down, the teacher began to pour the tea into the man's cup. He filled the cup and kept on pouring until the tea was running over the table onto the floor. The soldier watched dumbfounded until he could no longer be silent. "Stop! It is full! The cup will not hold more tea!" Placing the teapot on the table, the teacher addressed the soldier, "You are so full of yourself that there is no room for God. It is not possible for you to learn, until you empty yourself." (White, Stories for the Journey, p. 63)

When we pray, hallowed be your name, we are led to ask ourselves: Whose name am I seeking to honor? God's name? Or my own? Here is Martin Luther's summary for this petition: "O dear Father, may your name he hallowed in us; that is, I confess and am sorry that I have dishonored your name so often and that in my arrogance I still defile your name by honoring my own. Therefore, help me by your grace so that I and my name become nothing, so that only you and your name and honor may live in me. (Exposition, 35-36)

Luther teaches us that we hallow God's name, we honor God's name, when we are

"gentle, merciful, chaste, just, truthful, guileless, friendly, peaceful, and kindly disposed toward all, even toward our enemies." Because the one in whose name we were baptized works these works in us.

I want to close the sermon by reading from the Psalms. Feel free to read along with me or to close your eyes and listen and meditate on what it means to hallow God's name. Here the psalmist gives us some excellent examples of honoring God's name. Psalm 95:1-7; 96:1-3; 97:1-6; 99:1-3; 100.

The psalmist invites to into praise and thanksgiving, as we honor God's name.

Transfiguration

2009-02-21T06:25:00.000-08:00

Transfiguration, B

February 21-22, 2009

Mark 9:2-9

The transfiguration event on the mountaintop is a strange event; it not only puzzled Peter and the other 2 disciples, it has also continued to puzzle biblical scholars. (The first three sermons I preached while in college were all Transfiguration Sunday sermons. At the time, I thought it was because the day was usually near Valentines Day, and the pastor wanted to take that time off. But later I considered he might have taken that day off because it puzzled him as well.)

To begin to understand what is going on in this transfiguration event, we need to review what has happened in the gospel up to this point. We need to do a quick study of the highlights of the first half of Mark's gospel. We the readers know who Jesus is from the very first words of the gospel. "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mark 1:1) We know that Jesus is the Christ, that is, the Messiah, and the Son of God. However, those whom Jesus calls to follow don't know that much at the outset; they think of Jesus as a rabbi. (The identity of Jesus is going to be the primary question on their midterm exam.) Only as they follow Jesus in his ministry, do they begin to learn who Jesus is, and learn what Jesus wants to teach them. What do they learn? Let's begin in chapter 1 and walk with them.

In 1:14-15, Jesus announces the arrival of the kingdom of God. (The kingdom of God is somehow present in the person of Jesus.)

In 1:27, the disciples see that Jesus has authority over the evil spirits.

In 1:34, they see that Jesus has power over diseases.

In 2:9-12, they see that not only does Jesus have the power to cure diseases,

but that he also has the authority to forgive sins (and only God has that authority).

In 4:41, Jesus demonstrates an authority over the natural world (he controls the wind and sea).

In 5:41-43, Jesus demonstrates power over death.

Like God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, in 6:41-44, Jesus provides the people with bread in the wilderness. (Just like the manna in the wilderness. And he does the same thing again for a gentile crowd in 8:6-9.)

The evidence is mounting. Surely the disciples now know who Jesus is, right?

In 8:14-21, they are in the boat with Jesus, and they realize that they forgot to bring bread. They have just participated in two miraculous feedings of large crowds.

They are sitting in the boat with the Bread of Life. And they're concerned about not having brought along enough bread. (8:17-18) They have eyes to see but cannot see. They have ears to hear, but do not hear. They don't understand. (It looks like they may fail the midterm.)

[Do you think that there might be some symbolism going on in the story about Jesus needing two tries to heal the blind man so that he can see clearly? 8:22-26]

Then we come to the heart of the gospel, the turning point. It's time for the midterm exam. What have the disciples learned? In 8:27-30, Jesus asks the disciples who people say he is. (Some think he's Elijah come back, or John the Baptist come back to life, or one of the other prophets.) But who do you say that I am? And Peter speaks up for them all: You are the Messiah. Thanks to Peter, the disciples get an A. But, as we'll see in a moment, it's a good thing it was multiple choice and not an essay question.

With that confession, (with the midterm exam completed), it is now time for the second half of the course. It is time for Jesus to tell his disciples more plainly what it means to follow him. What it means to live in the kingdom of God. And why they are heading to Jerusalem.

(Mark 8:31)
"Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." Whoa, wait a minute. Peter corrects Jesus in protest. This is not the kind of Messiah he wants. Nor is it the kind of life he wants for himself. Jesus hears Peter's protests as one more ploy of Satan to lead him away from the path to the cross, and he confronts Peter. " Satan, get lost! Peter, get out of my way! You have no idea how God works." (Message)

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, Jesus says, " If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me and for the good news, you will save it. What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself? What could you give to get back your soul? (CEV)

Our gospel reading (9:2-9) picks up right there. Jesus leads Peter, James, and John up a high mountain. His appearance changes, right before their eyes. His clothes shimmer, glistening white, whiter than any bleach could make them. Then Elijah and Moses come into view, and they are in deep conversation with Jesus. Peter thinks this is a great moment and suggests they build three booths for Moses, Elijah and Jesus. A cloud moves overhead, and from deep in the cloud, a voice: "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." The next minute the disciples see only Jesus. Coming down the mountain, Jesus swears them to secrecy. "Don't tell anyone what you saw until after the Son of Man rises from the dead." They are puzzled also over that, wondering what on earth "rising from the dead" could mean. (Message)

What is going on here? The transfiguration event is for the three disciples. The disciples need to hear God's declaration about Jesus. The voice is for their benefit. Jesus is God's beloved Son. They are to listen to him (Verb tense means they are to continue to listen to him.) Jesus speaks the truth (what God wants). Yes, Jesus is the Messiah. Even though he doesn't look like what they might have expected, even though his teachings about his coming death in Jerusalem are the direct opposite of what they would have expected in a Messiah, Jesus is the son of God, Jesus is the Messiah, and they are to listen to him; they are to follow him.

Why do they need this mystical experience, this affirming word from God the Father? Jesus has just spoken to them about the reason they are heading for Jerusalem (his death), and what it means to follow him (deny self, take up cross and follow). They do not understand nor do they want to understand. (Having eyes they cannot see; having ears they cannot hear.)

The road now leads to Jerusalem. Up until this moment, it has been rather easy to follow Jesus. From here forward, it's going to be harder and harder. It's going to be a difficult second half of the term. (And the disciples are going to need some remedial work to understand this message about following to the cross and denying themselves. Jesus reviews it with them 2 more times (Mark 9:31-32 and Mark 10:32-34.)

It's going to be a difficult second half of the term. The road to the cross is a difficult journey. Many will not make the sacrifice. (10:17-31 - If he who has everything will have difficulty, then who can be saved?)

In Mark 13 we hear that following Jesus will involve suffering and rejection for his followers.

It's going to be a difficult second half of the term. The final exam is about the cross. In the Garden of Gethsemane, we see the agony of Jesus as he prepares to give his life on the cross for the world. For the Gospel of Mark, the cross is where we see the identity of Jesus revealed. On the cross, Jesus reveals the compassion of God, a suffering love for the world, the forgiveness of sin, the reconciling of the world to himself.

How strange. How difficult to comprehend. God, who is all-powerful, hides himself in weakness. God, who is all wise, hides himself in foolishness. God, who is life, hides himself in death. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

The transfiguration event is a vision to help the disciples follow Jesus all the way to the cross. To go with Jesus even when it looks like he is giving in to evil. To listen to Jesus when it sounds like he does not understand the role of a Messiah.

To follow Jesus into the places of power where he will certainly be crushed. To learn that the way of Jesus is the way of death and resurrection. To learn from Jesus how to deny oneself and take up one's cross. To learn from Jesus that the cross is where we see God, and suffering is where we know God's strength. (2 Corinthians 12) To learn from Jesus that the call to follow Jesus is at once our death and our life, a new identity, a new life in Jesus Christ. (The transfiguration event is what the disciples need to keep them following Jesus to the cross and to the resurrection.)

How did the disciples do on the final exam? Most did not make it to the cross, and they got an "incomplete" for the course. Mark mentions some women who watched the crucifixion from afar. And Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish council, obtained permission to bury the body. And on Easter morning, some of the women, upon finding the tomb empty are given the message that the crucified Jesus is risen, and will meet the disciples in Galilee. Even though they got an "ioncomplete," their teacher will not give up on them.

Some biblical scholars think the story about the transfiguration is a misplaced story, that it belongs after the resurrection, instead of the middle of the gospel. I think not. The transfiguration event is a vision that draws the disciples forward, encourages them, and gives them hope for the difficult journey to Jerusalem and the events of Jesus' passion and death.

But it is also a sign. It is a sign that there will be a resurrection. Following the rejection and suffering and death, there will be a resurrection. The vision of Jesus shining so brightly is a message to the disciples. You won't understand this now, but remember this. Keep this picture in your heart. Remember this…this is how you will see Jesus on that day.

Walking Wet: Outward, Not Inward

2009-02-10T13:17:00.000-08:00

Day 1
Read 1 Corinthians 9:16-23. What does Paul mean when he says he has become all things to all people, that he might by all means save some? How can we distinguish between meeting people where they are and pretending to be something we're not, or falling into greater sin ourselves? Since we are all sinners, is any such distinction meaningful? Reflect on where your way of life shares borders with people who live or think differently, and how God might be calling you to meet them.

Day 2
Read Luke 10:1-12. Jesus says he is sending his disciples out like lambs into the midst of wolves. How can we live with this kind of vulnerability and danger, and still be good to the people already connected to us through family and faith community? How does the specific call Jesus places on his contemporaries translate into our present circumstances? Reflect on where God may be calling you to accept risk or sacrifice in order to make the Gospel known.

Day 3
Read Matthew 25:31-46. Jesus here uses language about judgment in a way that directly challenges his disciples to be in service to others, where in most of the Gospels such language is reserved for his dismantling of priestly hypocrisy. Where are we living up to this challenge as a faith community? Where are we falling short? How can we affirm and encourage each other to make this call to service central to our faith walk? Reflect on where God may be challenging you to meet the needs of the vulnerable and suffering around you.

Day 4
Read Matthew 5:14-16 and Matthew 6:1-8. Jesus tells people to let their light shine before others, so that their good works may be seen, but he also warns against praying in public, boasting of faith, and ostentatious good works. How do we know when we are spreading the Gospel through acts of love and service, and when we are glorifying ourselves or seeking to earn grace? Reflect on how God may be calling you to be bold in proclaiming God's love through words and deeds.

Day 5
Read Matthew 28:19-20. Matthew recounts these as the last direct instruction of Jesus to his disciples; we call it the Great Commission – go and make disciples of all nations. A principle of our theology is that God calls those who he wishes to call, or as Jesus puts it elsewhere in the Gospels, "the wind blows where it wants to." If the calling of disciples is the work of the Holy Spirit, where do we come in? How do we know when we are following the Great Commission, and when we are trying to do God's work for God? Is there a difference between seeking intellectual assent to theology or doctrine, and offering opportunities for the Spirit to work in people's hearts and lives? What does this look like? Reflect on where God may be calling you to invite others into relationship with Christ.

Walking Wet: Are We There Yet?

2009-02-05T15:56:00.000-08:00

Day 1
Read Mark 1:14-15 and Matthew 3:1-6. What do you think is the good news of which Jesus speaks? Why does following Jesus begin with repentance? What does repent mean? (change; turn around; reorientation) Why is repentance essential if we are to grow as disciples? Why might be your prayer of repentance today?

Day 2
Read John 15:1-4. In following Jesus, what is the one thing required above all else? Compare Luke 10:38-42. What does it mean to abide in Jesus? What other words would you substitute for abide? What are the times when you hear Jesus calling you to come out of the kitchen to sit at his feet?

Day 3
Read John 15:5-17. What is the relationship between these phrases of Jesus: abide/remain in me, love one another, and bear fruit? Some biblical interpreters suggest that the fruit God wants to produce in us is love. One definition of spiritual growth is "an increasing love for God and for others." What is helping you grow in your love for God and your love for others?

Day 4
Read Ephesians 4:11-16. The author of this letter draws a picture of a faith community maturing toward the fullness of Jesus Christ. Notice that spiritual growth occurs in the context of a community of faith. What is the connection between doing ministry or service and growing in Christ? Like John 15, this passage also mentions love as an essential ingredient in growing up in Christ. What is it about love that contributes to the strengthening of the body of Christ and to its unity?

Day 5
Read Genesis 12:1-4 and Hebrews 11:8-16. God called Abraham to leave his home and journey to a new place. Do you think Abraham was always wondering, are we there yet? Did he ever arrive? Do we ever arrive, or are we always on a journey? It has been suggested that if you are not uncomfortable, then you are not growing. Is this your experience? What do you think about the following quotation: "The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must renounce comfort as the ultimate value of your life." (Ortberg, If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat, 21) What do you think are the growth points in your life? In our congregational life?

Walking Wet: Walking Together, Not Alone

2009-01-29T03:27:00.000-08:00

Day 1 - Where is your Antioch?
Where is your Antioch, your community of faith and learning? Is it dead or dying? Is it alive and growing? Before you can figure out where your Antioch is, you need to know what an Antioch is. Read Acts 11:20-30. What are some of the characteristics of the community in Antioch? Do you find these characteristics in your current community of faith?

Day 2 - Beloved Community
We all want to be part of a healthy, reconciled, authentic community. This is something Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. named the beloved community, one with the type of spirit and type of love "that can transform opposers into friends". Depending on your experience of church, you may be thinking that either being beloved community in a congregation is a no-brainer or a pipe dream. Read Colossians 3:12-17. How do these words provide a model for beloved community?

Day 3 - Authentic Community
Achieving true community is rare. According to M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled and Beyond, most groups of people only achieve psuedo-community, where the assumption is that everyone is the same, with the same goals in mind, and that everybody will play nice. True community requires experiencing the chaos of our differences and the emptying of barriers to communication such as “expectations, preconceptions, and prejudices and emptying ourselves of the need to heal, convert, fix or solve."

Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. What do you think it takes to move beyond psuedo-community to authentic community?

Day 4 - Changing Community
The church is people in community, so the church represents a lot of different experiences, passions, disappointments, gifts, attitudes, disagreements, challenges, and beliefs just like the real world. How do we do church with all these unique perspectives messing about? Read Matthew 18:1-5 and Romans 12 then ponder this quote from take this bread by Sara Miles:

"You can't be a Christian by yourself. You can't be more special or holy. I was going to be changed, too, and lose my private church for a new one I couldn't control. I was going to have to work with the people I liked at St. Gregory's, and the ones who irritated the hell out of me, and Veronica, and a bunch of strangers I hadn't even met yet."

Can we be part of a community without expecting change, in
ourselves and in others?

Day 5 - Reconciling Community
Read 2 Corinthians 5:17-20. Consider the following words from
Becoming the Authentic Church by Gordon Cosby & Kayla McClurg:

"We are the recipients of God's atonement through Christ's life, death and resurrection, but how can we claim to have atonement, literally at-one-ment, with God if we are not reconciled to the
diverse family of God?"

How can we seek to know and be known by people whom society might call our "opposites", in order to overcome the barriers that we have been led to believe were inevitable? How does your faith community practice the ministry of reconciliation?

Walking Wet: Relationship, not Religion

2009-01-22T03:25:00.000-08:00

Day 1
Most people appreciate being called by name. Some are offended if their names are forgotten or mispronounced. God knows our names. God knows all about us, and yet God loves us. Read the following verses, basking in God's intimate love for you: Psalm 139:13-18, 23-24; Isaiah 43:1, 46:3-4; 49:15-16a; Jeremiah 1:4-8; and John 10:3-4. Some of these words are spoken to individuals or to Israel, but the heart of these messages is for each of us: God know us by name; God loves us and calls to us. Thank God for calling you by name. Embrace God's love.

Day 2
Love and belonging is a basic human need. Too often we humans search for love in all the wrong places. Our past human experiences cloud our understanding of God's unconditional love for us. Today is a new beginning. If you are suffering ask the great healer to live in your heart and accept the love He freely has already given you. "So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." 1 John 4: 16.

Day 3
Do you see your Christianity as a "religion" or as a relationship, a journey with God? Read John 1:35-51. Notice the eagerness with which these early followers of Jesus leave what is behind and put their trust in Jesus, and commit their lives to him. Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime with God and his son Jesus? Are you ready to re-commit your life to Jesus?

Day 4
Find a quiet spot away from all distractions. Turn off electronic devices, breathe deeply and talk openly and authentically with God. Whisper, shout, cry, smile. Don’t hold anything back. End by thanking Him for His love, be specific.

Day 5
Begin by reading Luke 6: 27-38. We demonstrate unconditional acceptance and love, based in the unconditional love and acceptance offered to us by Jesus. We serve others, regardless of what we think of their worthiness or circumstances, with no strings attached. Love will push us out of our comfort zone as we choose to do what is right, even to our enemies and no matter the personal cost. Commit to leave your comfort zone and serve others today. Service opportunities are posted in the Spirit of Peace (the weekend handout), the Peace E-zine, and on the ministry wall as you enter the church building.

Walking Wet: The call of baptism

2009-01-15T07:25:00.000-08:00

Day 1: You Are Invited!
Read John 1:35-43. In verse 39, Jesus invites us to "come and see." We have an "open" invitation…to participate in a relationship with him…any time, anywhere. And, the good news is that we can share this invitation with others. The invitation is a call to discipleship, fellowship, blessing, comfort, service, sacrifice, and life eternal. The following passages will give you more specifics: Matthew 11:28-30, 25:34; Mark 10:21; John 4:29, 21:12; and Revelation 3:20. Have you responded to the invitation? Come and see!

Day 2: He Knows Your Name
Have you ever walked into a crowd at a party and looked around for someone you knew who could call you by name? What a relief when you hear a familiar voice calling your name. God knows your name—He knows all about you and loves you unconditionally. Read the following verses which tell of the depths of His love for you: Psalm 139:13-18; Isaiah 43:1; 46:3-4; 49:15-16a; Jeremiah 1:4-8; and John 10:3-4. Thank God for knowing you and calling you by name.

Day 3: Is God Using Your Voice?
Read John 1:43-51. Take note of all the invitations that are given. Did these early followers of Jesus wait until their faiths were mature and they knew Jesus well before inviting others to "come and see"? They had been waiting for the Messiah and, upon meeting him, they were incredibly eager to invite others into relationship with Jesus. Have you ever talked with anyone about what Jesus means to you? Have you invited someone to church so that he/she might hear the good news? Read Acts 1:8 and Romans 10:8-15. The disciples began by sharing Jesus with those closest to them. Ask the Spirit to give you opportunities this week to share the love of Jesus with family and friends.

Day 4: Have You Shared the Invitation?
Yesterday, we noted all the invitations in John 1:43-51. Read the text again and notice that Andrew and Philip immediately invite others to come and meet Jesus. And those whom they invite, Simon and Nathanael, find that Jesus already knows them. Read John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4-6; and 2 Peter 3:9. God’s love knows no limits. We, too, are called to love without limit. Yesterday we prayed about sharing with those people closest to us. Is God calling you to deliver the invitation to those outside your circle of friends and family? The neighbor two doors down, the student sitting across from you, the mailman who stops to chat while working his route? Ask God for guidance and direction.

Day 5: Welcome to the Community!
Where do you feel most secure in God’s love? Is it in your family, in your church? When you're in prayer? One by one, Jesus invites the disciples into relationship with him. He calls them by name; he knows them intimately; he challenges them to "come and see" and to follow him. And he invites them into community. In John 1:41-46, notice how God uses the voices of Andrew and Philip to call others to Jesus. And just as he uses human voices to call people to Jesus, he uses human arms to embrace them and words to encourage them with Jesus' love. Read John 13:34-35; 15:9-13; 17:20-26. Thank God for your family, your friends and your faith community. Thank God for loving you unconditionally. Ask the Spirit to guide you in sharing this "welcome call" to those beyond the comfortable circle of family and faith community.

Walking Wet: Week 1

2009-01-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

Once you give God an opening,
the door will never again be closed.

Day 1: Mark begins his gospel by explaining that John the Baptist, in fulfillment of prophecy, came to herald the Messiah. After several hundred years of prophetic silence, John’s appearance must have stirred hearts and created eager anticipation for what God was doing in their midst. In these early days of 2009, is your heart stirred and do you eagerly anticipate God's presence and activity? Picture yourself with the crowd gathered at the Jordan River as you read Mark 1:1-11. Pray the Spirit will draw you into the scene and enable you to hear God’s voice.

Day 2: Carefully and thoughtfully, read Mark 1:4-8. What is the message John teaches as he prepares the people for the soon-to-be-revealed Messiah? Did few or many respond to his words? What does this say about the hunger of the people's hearts? Consider the baptism of which verses 4 and 5 speak. How might repentance, confession, and forgiveness prepare the people for meeting Jesus and receiving his baptism (vs. 8)? Do we understand our need for a Savior if we do not recognize that we are sinners? Read Matthew 9:12-13; Luke 15:10; 18:9-14; and 1 John 1:8-10. Pray a prayer from your heart or use David’s words in Psalm 51:1-12, 17 to form your prayer.

Day 3: Read Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22; and John 1:24-34. Jesus steps into the waters of the Jordan; God affirms Jesus as the beloved Son, and now Jesus is ready to begin his public ministry. John had been preparing the people for this moment; now the people can experience God's presence (Immanuel) in their midst in the person of Jesus. Jesus, though without sin, in humble identification with the people he came to save, steps into the water to be baptized by John. Jesus, the perfectly obedient, eternal Son, says, "yes," over and over, to God's will and mission for his life. Thank Jesus for setting aside his eternal glory and offering himself for you.

Day 4: For another look at this passage, read Matthew 3: 13-17. At Jesus' baptism, there was a public connection between Jesus and the Holy Spirit. The form of a dove was a visible endorsement of the Holy Spirit's presence. God's voice added to the weight of the moment. Jesus was the "real deal" – God’s only beloved Son in whom God was well-pleased. In addition to being a public endorsement, this was a very intimate moment between parent and child. The key word is "Beloved." How does it feel to be called "beloved," especially by God?

Day 5: What are the first words Jesus speaks as his public ministry begins according to Matthew 4:17 and Mark 1:15? What message fol¬lows (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17)? What are the commands; the promises? Consider that Jesus’ commands are the key that opens the door to discipleship. Why is repentance important; might it signify our realization that we need a Savior and our desire to be in a right relationship with God? Jesus also says, "Come, follow me." Do you hear the invitation? In the call to repent and to follow, it's Jesus who takes the initiative and invites us into relationship. Read Luke 19:10 and thank Jesus for inviting you to follow him.

We are called to deeper discipleship in Jesus Christ. Jesus was called to us by the love of God. His entry into the Jordan River was not for the forgiveness of sin—he knew no sin. It was so that God's presence could permeate every aspect of what it is to be human. Jesus will go where we all must go. Even without sin, he will enter into the waters of forgiveness. Sin no longer separates us from God's love.

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-01T16:56:00.000-08:00

The start of a new year often brings to mind the chance for new beginnings, hopes and wishes. Here are a few thoughts about hopes and dreams for this new year.

"In this New Year, we turn again to the Lord of hosts - praying urgently for the justice, righteousness and peace hailed by the birth of the newborn babe in the manger, the humble child, the Prince of Peace.

In these days of terrible violence, death and destruction in Gaza and southern Israel, the ELCA joins its voice with all in the region and around the world who call for an immediate ceasefire. The continuing loss of life, infliction of serious injury and devastation of property will only deepen hatred and divisions, and will serve no good end. Lamenting the recent escalation of violence, only negotiations, leading to a two-state solution, will bring about a durable peace with justice for both Israelis and Palestinians." - Bishop Mark S. Hanson

"that we'd be people & communities radically in touch with Christ's love for us & continue to risk our comfort, ego, time, money, and heart to offer mercy & compassion to others. that we'd be somehow known as those weird people who love other people unconditionally, tangibly, and in all kinds of crazy, unexplainable ways." - kathy escobar

What hopes and dreams do you have for 2009?

Questions: Who Does Our Church Belong To?

2008-11-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

Day 1
Read Psalm 95:1-7. As the season of Advent approaches, we may wonder how we will proclaim "Joy to the World" with the backdrop of economic fear and uncertainty. Many people and institutions are revisiting their priorities for this season. Think and pray about what your priorities are and where you hope to find joy this season?

Day 2
What does JOY stand for? It can be an acronym to remind us of who our church belongs to:
Jesus first
Others second
Yourself last
According to these priorities, first and foremost, our church belongs to Jesus. Read Colossians 1:15-20. What is Jesus' relationship to our church?

Day 3
Second, our church belongs to others. Read Matthew 25:31-46. What is Jesus' relationship to others? Think about the ways that Peace already “gives itself away” to others. Pray about new ways that Peace can make others a priority by helping those that are overlooked, ignored, lost or lonely.

Day 4
Finally, our church belongs to us. Or does it? Read Galations 2:11-21 & 2 Corinthians 3:1-6. What is Jesus' relationship to each one of us? How does this relationship affect our priorities at Peace?

Day 5
Read 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Paul experienced great joy at hearing about this new church in Thessalonia and prays that God will continue to increase their love for each other and everyone else until it is overflowing. Do we want to be a church where God can work through us to bring overflowing love and joy to the world? Pray for Peace to be a place where Jesus is followed and others can see and experience hope rising in God’s world.

Questions: Why do people need the church?

2008-11-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

Day 1
Read Ephesians 4:1-16. How many "ones" appear in verses 4-5? What point do you think these repeated words make? What relation might this have with ensuing verses, 7-16?

Connect verses 11-13 with these verses from 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 12, and 13. What are the purposes of the God-given gifts to God’s people? What gift has God given you to offer in the community? In the world?

Day 2
Read John 17:20-23; John 13:34-35. In John 17, Jesus prayed for all followers to be unified. What impact does unity (or lack of unity) have on the congregation? On you personally? On the community and world around us? Pray this part of Jesus’ prayer today.

Day 3
Read Acts 2:42-47. How has your experience with Christian community compared to the community described in Acts 2? Is there a way that you could help to move your community to a deeper level? What one step might you take?

Day 4
Read Matthew 16:13-20. Last weekend we read Mark’s version of this story (Mark 8:27-30). What do you think Jesus meant by these terms: keys of the kingdom, binding, loosing? Why did Jesus tell his disciples not to spread the word that he was the Messiah (at that time)? Do you think that command is still in force?

Day 5
Read 1 John 1:1-10. Do you recognize the words from 1 John 1:8-9? Why is confession important for the life of the individual Christian? Why is confession important for the life of the community of faith? Write a prayer of confession that you can use today and for the next few weeks.

Questions: What was the message of Jesus?

2008-10-31T02:53:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Read Matthew 5:1-12 and Luke 6: 21-24. Some believe these represent one sermon; others suggest the thoughts were common topics in Jesus' teachings. At the heart of these teachings is the truth that Jesus turns worldly perceptions upside down. Consider that true wealth, joy, fulfillment, peace, purpose, satisfaction…are found in relationship with Jesus. Do you seek fulfillment in the temporal, which is fleeting, or in the eternal? How do the words recorded in John 16:33 and 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; help us understand Jesus' words in Matthew and Luke? And yet, we mustn't simply spiritualize Jesus’ words, for they embrace our experiences today as well as look ahead to eternity. For example: we might experience physical or spiritual poverty, and Jesus is the one who meets us in our need and promises us his provision (Matthew 5:3; 6:25-33), and we are called to be Jesus to others (John 21:15-17). Ask Jesus to open your eyes to whom you should bless in his name today.

Day 2
Christ's Church: True Disciples -How does Jesus define true disciples in John 8:31? How would our churches be different if we lived this? In Jesus' conversation before John 8:31, he leads those with open hearts to understand who he is. To be disciples, we must know the one whom we follow. Read John 8:12,19b,23,54-58; the claims Jesus makes are ones only God can make. Notice again Jesus’ words in John 8:58, "before Abraham was, I am" (NRSV); now read Exodus 3:14. Spend quiet moments pondering what Jesus is saying. Jesus is God incarnate; he is the light of the world; he calls us to walk in his light. Praise and pray as you read 1 John 1:1-8. Ask the Spirit to help you walk with Jesus.

Day 3
Whose Values? Read James 2:1-10. What or who shapes your values? Do the light and love of Jesus make you yearn to be his hands and feet and heart and voice to others, or do you allow the world to instruct you about what is of great worth? Are you inclined to defer to those who are wealthy, powerful, and famous, to those who have great beauty or amazing athletic prowess, or do you respond to people as Jesus responds to them, seeing the dignity and worth of each individual? In the early church, and in our world today, these are real issues for Christians who desire to reflect the character of Jesus. Ask Jesus to mold your heart according to his eternal values.

Day 4
Setting the Standard Read James 2:1; how is Jesus described? Jesus manifests the glorious presence of God; he is truly Immanuel, and he sets the standard for our behavior and our love. Read John 13:34-35; Romans 15:5-7; Ephesians 5:1-2; and 1 John 4:9-12. Praise God we don’t have to love in our own strength (Romans 5:5; Philippians 4:13)! Nevertheless, loving others and treating them without partiality is not always easy. In the early church Jews and Greeks or a slave and his/her owner might find themselves worshiping together. What situations today might cause the same degree of unease? Ask Jesus to help you reflect his glorious presence in how you treat others.

Day 5
Hearts for the Poor- Apparently some in the early church were exploiting the poor; high interest rates and harsh treatment of debtors were common. As fellow members of the body of Christ, how should we respond to the needs of others? Read Deuteronomy 15:7-8; Proverbs 14:21,31; Micah 6:8; Luke 14:12-14; and Acts 2:43-47. Is there poverty that doesn’t involve financial need? (Consider physical, relational, spiritual, emotional…). Is your heart tender toward those who are in need? Pray that you have a compassionate heart.Tell Jesus you want to be compassionate.

The Way of Generosity: Responding to God's Generosity

2008-10-16T11:10:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Consider how God, in Christ, gives to us as you read Romans 5:8; Ephesians 3:17b-21; and 1 John 4:9-10. Do we trust God's love enough to come to God with hands and hearts wide open? In the passage from 2 Corinthians this week we read that Paul writes to the believers in Corinth and encourages them to give to the Jerusalem church, which is suffering persecution and is in great need. He teaches about sacrificial giving by using Jesus and the Macedonian churches as examples. Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. Pray you will understand and embrace the concept of sowing generously, and that you will see the privilege, joy, and benefit of giving from God's perspective. Pray the Spirit will lead you into an understanding of how you can live this out today. Read Hebrews 12:1-3 and run the race with joy.

Day 2
Tithing is the Scriptural standard for giving (Read Malachi 3:6-12), but if our hands are wide open, there is no limit to what God can move us to give and then do in and through us as we share what God places in our hands. And it doesn’t always begin with abundance - Read 1 Kings 17:7-16; Matthew 6:1-4; Luke 21:1-4; Mark 12: 41-44. (In these texts we see also a beautiful example of the phrase, "not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice." ) Prayerfully ponder giving or doing something outrageously, hilariously generous (anonymously, if possible). Allow the Lord to flood your heart with the joy of giving. Pray the lyrics: "We give Thee but Thine own, whate'er the gift may be; all that we have is Thine alone, a trust, O Lord, from Thee."

Day 3
Living Generously-Our motivation: We are to love the Lord and others wholeheartedly, and Jesus explains that that we are to love as he loves us, which means we are not only to love wholeheartedly but also sacrificially. The command is clear, but what might motivate us to live with open hearts and hands? It is not to earn salvation, for we are saved by grace. Read Psalm 100:1-5; Isaiah 58:10-11; John 15:9-12; Acts 20:35; and 2 Corinthians 1:20; 5:14-15; 8:1-5,9. Do words like gratitude, trust, God's promises, love, and joy come to mind?

Day 4
For God's Purpose, Mission, and Pleasure: Over a century ago, a speaker at a missionary convention, whose name has been forgotten, said, "Most people are not satisfied with the permanent output of their lives. Nothing can wholly satisfy the life of Christ within His followers except the adoption of Christ's purposes toward the world. Fame, pleasure, and riches are (nothing) in contrast with the boundless and abiding joy of working with God for the fulfillment of His eternal plans" (quoted in The Parables by Gary Inrig, p. 91; 1991, Discovery House Pub.). Read Luke 9:24-25; John 13:34-35; Acts 1:8; and 1 Timothy 6:17-19. Think about God's priorities; pray you will use what has been entrusted to you to live into God's mission.

Day 5
Our God, Who Blesses Us: Read 1 Kings 17:1-16. Did the widow become wealthy, or did she simply have enough? God also blesses us abundantly, but the best blessings are not material; consider the joy of being allowed to see more of God's glory and know more of Jesus' sweet presence in our lives. Read and pray Ephesians 1:17-19a; 3:14-21. Now ponder 2 Samuel 24:24; 2 Corinthians 9:7-11; Hebrews 13:5-8; and Isaac Watts' lyrics: "Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

Overview of Proposed Constitutional Revisions

2008-10-11T03:36:00.000-07:00

The last revision of the constitution of Peace Lutheran Church occurred in 1992. Since that time, the needs and ministry goals of this congregation and the requirements of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America have changed. Because much of the language and congregational structure of the existing constitution reflected the needs, requirements and ministry goals of a predecessor church body and outdated patterns of ministry in this congregation, the leadership team charged the Constitution Review Team to undertake the process of reviewing and revising the current constitution of Peace Lutheran Church with the following goals in mind:

· To streamline the constitution and make it easier to use and adhere to its requirements. The committee and the Leadership Team have found that many elements of the older constitution were better left as bylaws or continuing resolutions because they covered aspects of the congregation’s life that change frequently. Bylaws and continuing resolutions are easier to change than the constitution and are more appropriate venues from transitory issues and procedures. Many of the policies and procedures that could and will change would be more appropriately included in a Policy and Procedures Manual because they do not touch upon crucial matters of doctrine or good order in the life of the church.
· To create a constitution that will not go out of date: This means removing some specific language and replacing it with more general, flexible language. For example, the current constitution states that a congregational meeting was to be held on the last Sunday of Easter. The proposed constitution requires that such meetings be held regularly and recommends that the meeting be held in May.
· To create a constitution that reflects the values and patterns of ministry of Peace Lutheran Church: The proposed constitution reflects this congregation’s current practice of ministries forming and dissolving according to the interest, calling and ministry needs the congregation and its members while preserving all the structures which are necessary for the life of a congregation of the ECLA.
· To bring Peace Lutheran Church’s constitution into conformity with the constitutional requirements of the ELCA for all its member congregations. The ELCA periodically updates its constitution due to legal decisions or changes in the polity of the church and requires that these changes be taken into account in the constitutions of its member synods and congregations.

The changes listed on this page should not be considered as an exhaustive list of the changes that are proposed to the constitution. Rather, they are an overview of the principles that guided the revisions, and examples which illuminate the principles which guided our work.

Draft Constitution of Peace Lutheran Church (pdf)

Please feel free to leave comments on the proposed changes here or send them to churchoffice@plchurch.org.

The Way of Generosity: Opening Our Lives

2008-10-10T03:35:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Read Deuteronomy 15:7-11 and 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. Picture the compassion and generosity in the words "open your hand wide" (Deuteronomy 15:8). The needs around us these days are certainly overwhelming: natural disasters, wars, disease, economic crises, homelessness, hunger—the list goes on. Do these events and world conditions simply immobilize us or do we respond with our hands open wide? David Jeremiah writes, "What are our few dollars, small faith, and simple prayers in the face of such needs? (yet) The sweetest taste you will ever have is offering what is in your hand to God and watching Him multiply it and make a difference" (Turning Points, 2008, Vol. 10, #8, p45). Pray that the Spirit will move you to open your hands, open your heart, fill you with compassion, and make you generous in sharing your life with those in need—here in Hollymead, Charlottesville, Southwestern Virginia and, perhaps, even in far away places like Mississippi, Haiti, Honduras. Prayerfully consider the gifts God has generously given you—are you open to the possibilities?

Day 2
Read Joshua 24:14-15. What was Joshua's challenge to the Israelites as they entered the Promised Land? Recall again the events of the Exodus—how God provided for His people. Did they ever waver in their trust? Joshua tells the people to choose between gods and GOD, who has faithfully provided for them. We, too, must make choices about in whom or what we put our trust. Yesterday, we read Deuteronomy 15:7-11 and 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. Revisit these passages and then continue in 2 Corinthians chapter 8, verses 8-11 as well as chapter 9:6-15; note how God provides for, challenges, promises, and blesses the people. Pray for the Spirit's guidance; trusting God, pray for courage to share your life with others.

Day 3
Often we run after happiness and find it elusive, but God's Word promises us that we can live joyfully, even if our circumstances are not "happy." Have you thought about the difference between happiness and joy? Consider that one has to do with the people in our lives, our possessions and achievements (externals) and the other with the work of the Spirit within us—the "joy of our salvation". Read John 15:9-12; 2 Corinthians 8:1-2; Galatians 5:22; and 1 Peter 1:8-9. Pray that you will be filled with the abundant joy that only the Lord can give—filled to overflowing--sharing this joy with others.

Day 4
Jesus shows us what God's love looks like. As you reflect on Jesus, do you see God's relentless, immeasurable love; outrageous generosity; tender compassion; sacrificial service? Consider how we are to reflect these qualities as you read Ephesians 5:2 and Colossians 1:9-14; 2:6-7. Meditate on van Dyke's lyrics: "Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love; hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above." Pray you will joyfully reflect God's love to others.

Day 5
Paul tells the Corinthians that the Macedonians gave themselves to the Lord. What does this mean? Read Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 8:5,9; and Philippians 1:21a. On what are your heart and life centered? What are the riches Christ laid aside, and what riches are ours because of his grace (2 Corinthians 8:9)? Sing or pray Havergal's lyrics: "Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord, to Thee…Take my love, my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store; take myself, and I will be ever, only all for Thee." With open hands and open hearts, "serve the Lord with gladness."

The Way of Generosity: The Generosity of God

2008-10-02T14:02:00.000-07:00

Day 1
In worship this weekend we sang, "O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands hath made…." Does that include us? Do we really consider ourselves wonderfully made and truly belonging to God? Ponder your relationship with the Lord, who is both Creator and Redeemer, as you read and reflect on Psalm 24:1 and 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Day 2
Read Genesis 1:1-2:4a; Psalm 8:1-9; and 139:1-18,23-24. Some of the creation narratives are expressed poetically; did you hear the rhythms of God's grace in the poetry or music of the pictures of creation? We have spoken of God's power and glory made manifest in creation. Do you also see God's intimate love and grace? Consider how perfectly God suits creation to the needs of humans. Ponder the tenderness of God's grace and love (Psalm 8:5; 139:13-14). Worship God as you respond to God's love, glory, and grace.

Day 3
Read 1 Chronicles 29:14-17 and Matthew 25:14-30. David expresses that giving to God is a matter of the heart. Do you trust God's intentions; do you believe that God knows what will bring you the most joy, the surest security, and the greatest blessing? Do you trust enough to risk taking God at God's word or do you see God as the servant with one talent saw him (Matthew 25:24-25)?

Day 4
Do you think in terms of "mine" as you survey all that is around you (my home, my yard, my car, my money…)? How do we move toward the realization that God is owner of everything, and we are simply those who manage or care for it on God's behalf? Read Psalm 24:1 and Matthew 25:14-30. For those hearing Jesus tell the parable, the setting was familiar: wealthy landowners often left their estates or property in the hands of trusted servants. If we view things as belonging to God instead of as "mine", how might we react? Do we manage wisely the life and resources, which have been entrusted to us? Do we ever squander or hoard them? Think on this and pray honestly.

Day 5
How much time do we spend longing for what we do not have as opposed to delighting in what God has put into our hands to manage as faithful stewards? Do we serve the Master and delight in pleasing him, or do we seek to please ourselves and treat God as the one who serves us? Consider what a privilege and responsibility it is to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords; and we serve as beloved children and heirs (Romans 8:15-17)! Read Matthew 6:25-34. What do the words of Jesus have to say to us in these days of fear and anxiety over jobs, finances, investments, and pensions

Practicing the Faith: The Feet of a Servant

2008-09-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Read Micah 6:1-8. What in our way of life makes it challenging to "do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God"? How can we move as a fellowship and as individuals to a posture that reflects the teaching of scripture on mercy and justice?

Day 2
Read John 15:9-17. What does it mean to love one another as Jesus has loved us? Is love a feeling or a way of doing things? What do Jesus' ministry and passion have to tell us about the meaning of this passage?

Day 3
Read Matthew 25:31-40. Are we listening as a fellowship to this parable? Who are the "least of these" around us? What acts of mercy is God putting on your heart?

Day 4
Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. What part does fear of social embarrassment play in preventing us from living out the call to servanthood? Are we afraid of being "fools for Jesus"? How can we encourage, support, and learn from each other in this aspect of discipleship?

Day 5
Read Isaiah 61:1-4. In what ways are all of us the oppressed, the brokenhearted, and the captives? How can we act on God's call for justice and mercy in a way that includes all people, yet does not deny the differences in experience between individuals and communities?

Practicing the Faith: A Voice to Speak the Good News

2008-09-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Read 2 Timothy 1:1-7. What people helped you to come to faith in Jesus Christ? How did they speak the good news to you? Give thanks to God for their role in your life.

Day 2
Read John 4:5-29. What positive and negative associations do you have with the word "evangelism?" How do you think you came to have these thoughts? How does the Samaritan woman serve as an "evangelist" for her community?

Day 3
Read Matthew 28:16-20. Kelly Fryer asks us to reflect on these questions: What is "the point" of your congregation? Getting people in the doors? Or sending them out? How can you tell?

Day 4
Read Acts 17:16-34. How does Paul help the Athenians to see the presence of God among them? Who in your circle do you think needs to hear that God has and can make all things new? Pray that you may be available to God’s call to speak a word of hope.

Day 5
Read John 9:13-33. What would you tell someone about what you have seen and heard? How have the life, death, resurrection and teachings of Jesus changed your life?

Practicing the Faith – Having Knees for Prayer

2008-09-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Day 1
Read again the scripture we studied in worship this week. Luke 11: 1-3. Jesus gives us a model of prayer - what instructions do you see in these verses? Which of these do you need to implement? Now read Philippians 4: 4-7. What do you hear from the words of Paul regarding prayer?

Day 2
Someone once wrote that each of us is created with a God-shaped hole and that we will never be truly satisfied until we fill that space up with him. Unfortunately, many of us fill up on Snickers Bars! What do you turn to instead of God when you are feeling empty? (Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World)
God longs to have fellowship with us. Read the following verses and describe the metaphor Scripture uses to describe the intimate relationship we can have with God:
John 15:5
Romans 8: 15-16
2 Corinthians 11:2

Day 3
God Is Near -Read Psalm 145:17-18. David tells us that God is righteous, loving, and near. Who will know/recognize God's nearness? What does it mean to call on God "in truth"? Do we, do you, ever pray insincerely by praying to sound good or righteous or by praying without thought of what you are saying? God isn't impressed with lofty words or thoughtless rote; God longs for us to be honest in our prayers. God knows us intimately, and our honesty honors and recognizes that knowledge in our relationship with God. Read Matthew 6:5-8; Luke 18:9-14; and John 4:23-24. Tell the Spirit you want to be really honest with God today. Be still before God; then share your heart.

Day 4
Praise is an Aspect of Prayer -In Psalm 145, David begins and ends his prayer with words of praise and exaltation; in fact, the entire Psalm is a celebration of God's goodness. In the reading from Philippians, and in the prayer Jesus taught us, we are instructed to acknowledge the sacredness of God's name (Read Matthew 6:9). Is praise part of your prayer relationship with God? Praise helps us focus our eyes on the One who loves us infinitely. Consider spending time praising God every day this week. One way to begin making a habit of praise is to pray aloud a psalm each day; Psalms 145-150 work well for this.

Day 5
Think About God's Love…Jesus is about to die; the cross is only hours away, and Jesus prays. Read John 17 slowly and prayerfully. Jesus prays for God to be glorified. He prays for our protection, that we will love each other and embrace God's words of truth. He prays we will take the good news of God's love to the world and live God’s love in the world. Read John 13:34-35. We aren’t simply to love others as we love ourselves. What is to be the measure of our love? How does the world see Jesus? Take time to pray through all or part of John 17. Pray with an open heart. Then pray for whomever God puts on your heart; pray for the grace to love with Jesus' love.

Practicing the Faith: Arms of Love

2008-09-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

God is love, and God sent Jesus to provide the love and acceptance we yearn for. So powerful is his love that nothing can separate us from it.

Contrary to popular media love is not an emotion or feeling. It is a choice and action. Love becomes a decision that is not necessarily motivated by positive feelings but by our own experience of God's love and our willingness to pass that on.

When we accept the love God offers us in Jesus and allow him to live within us then we are able to demonstrate authentic love. When our words and actions say to others, "You are loved! You are accepted!" we point the way to Jesus and let others experience the love of God through us.

Day 1:
Read Romans 13: 8-14
Today begin at home. In your family setting try to put into practice: 1) love of neighbor as yourself; 2) love does not wrong your neighbor and 3) the golden rule.

Day 2:
Referring to Day 1: How would you say you did in your intentional love of family? Who in your family is difficult to love? How could you purposely love them this week? Pray that God's spirit will help, guide and lead you.

Day 3:
Read 1 John 4: 7-21, 2 Corinthians 5: 1-2
As you read these New Testament passages consider that God is the source of all love. As God abides in us his love is perfected in us. Fear is cast away when God's love fills us up. What is your own unique expression of love for Him? Tell God your deepest needs and thank him for his unconditional love.

Day 4:
Read Ephesians 3: 14-19
"Bow your knees before the Father" – have you ever tried to change your posture as you pray to God? Consider giving this a try today. As you pop into your child's room tonight slip down to your knees at their bedside and pray with her/him to the God of love.

Day 5:
Consider how you might serve others? Regardless of what you might think of their worthiness or circumstances are there people in our area that need a no strings attached kind of love? Loving your neighbor is easy here at Peace. Check out the Food Bank items needed this month and donate. Sign up to serve the monthly Salvation Army Soup Kitchen dinner service. Buy stamps and cards for the Fluvanna Women's Correctional Facility. Contact the local Bridge Ministry and partner with them to help men become productive citizens of our community. Join a youngster at Hollymead School with the upcoming reading buddies hour. Help others in the local community garden effort in downtown Charlottesville. Detailed information about these and many more opportunities to love our neighbors can be found: in "The Spirit of Peace" - a weekly informational sheet handed out before worship; visit www.plchurch.org; and by browsing through the welcome center at Peace.

Practicing the Faith: A Heart for Christ Alone

2008-08-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

We've begun a new series on practicing the faith. Following Jesus is a way of life. In the words of the apostle Paul, it is about Christ being formed in us. This is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Ever since the Christian church was established, Christians have "practiced the faith." They have practiced spiritual disciplines that put them in a position to love God and to love their neighbor. That is the purpose of spiritual disciplines: they help us to develop an intimacy with God and a fitness for service.

This Fall we are getting back to the basics with the marks of discipleship. This week we consider the most important mark, a heart for Christ alone. This mark often involves realignment of our priorities. We move from fitting Jesus into our agenda to being shaped by Jesus' agenda, from trusting in our plans and abilities to placing all our trust in Jesus. A heart for Christ alone transforms our lives as we relinquish our selfish pursuits and offer our whole selves into the service of Jesus.

Day 1:
Jesus' words in Luke 14:26-27 provide a glimpse into why being a disciple challenges the status quo. Read various translations to see how different words are used to try and convey the challenge of being a disciple:

You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot come with me unless you love me more than you love your own life. You cannot be my disciple unless you carry your own cross and come with me. (CEV)

Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (NSRV)

Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one's own self!—can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple. (The Message)

Day 2:
We begin this series by considering what it means to have a heart for Christ alone. Re-read Luke 14:26-27. How does this reading help explain what it means to have a heart for Christ alone? Consider how this might be challenging for you.

Day 3:
As Pastor John pointed out in his sermon, practicing faith in the burbs has it's own challenges. Jesus' call to follow him is a call that challenges the values of suburban life: the values of consumerism, comfort, security, and individualism. Read Matthew 16:21-26. How does this reading challenge you where you live?

Day 4:
Glenn McDonald says that a heart for Christ alone is the first mark of a disciple and its priority cannot be negotiated. However, we don't always travel a linear path in our faith walk. Consider one area of your life where you have substantially surrendered yourself to the leadership of Christ? What is one area where you continue to struggle?

Day 5:
Read Matthew 11:25-30. We may struggle with practicing the marks of discipleship, but is it really meant to be that way?

Dear Jesus,
Why do we linger, why do we wait;
We carry on without You.
You've always been here, but still we hesitate;
You have much in store for us,
if only we would come unto You.
Amen.

Resources:
The Disciple Making Church by Glenn McDonald
The Heart of Christianity by Marcus Borg
The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
www.biblegateway.com

the book of faith

2008-07-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

While we are talking the Bible, many other individuals, churches and organizations are talking the Bible as well. Are there ways we can talk the Bible together? The ELCA has started an initiative called The Book of Faith, Open Scripture. Join the Conversation.

"The Book of Faith initiative invites the whole church to become more fluent in the first language of faith, the language of Scripture, in order that we might live into our calling as a people renewed, enlivened, empowered and sent by the Word. This initiative is the work of the whole church. Each individual, each congregation, each synod, and each church-related organization is invited to participate and to help make the vision of the Book of Faith initiative a reality throughout the church. The first year of the Book of Faith initiative centers on inviting everyone to join the conversation, to make a commitment, and to become part of the initiative."

Check out this resource and let us know how you think we can participate.

we want to hear from you

2008-06-19T11:48:00.000-07:00

The weekend of July 12 & 13 we'll be starting a new worship series, Talking the Bible: Having Words with God. This series will be focused on the Bible and will look at things like what it is, why it is, and how we approach it? The worship design team enjoyed so much the interaction and dialogue generated with the Can U Hear Me Now? series, that we'd like to keep the conversation going. This time we want to know how you interact with the Bible and what questions you have about it. You can post your words here.

intrafaith dialog

2008-06-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-13

The weekend of June 7 & 8 we had an opportunity to exchange letters of encouragement with our sisters and brothers in Christ at St. Mark Lutheran Church and Grace & Glory Lutheran Church.
- Peace to Grace & Glory
- Grace & Glory to Peace
- Peace to St. Mark
- St. Mark to Peace

As with our interfaith justice and charity work, this intrafaith dialog is important in building up the body of Christ.

Peace to St. Mark

2008-06-08T08:00:00.003-07:00

Grace and peace to you, brothers and sisters of St. Mark, from your sister congregation in Christ, Peace Lutheran Church.

We are thankful for the opportunity to participate in this exchange of letters between the three area ELCA congregations. We are thankful for the affirmation of our unity in Jesus Christ, and for the words of encouragement we can offer to one another as we faithfully journey along the paths of ministry that God has laid for us to follow. And, it is our joy to frequently see you along our journey—and to know that it is for God’s purpose that we journey together.

(We give thanks to God for the faithful people of this congregation, St Mark Church, who have gathered in times past to pray and worship, teach and learn, serve and share their gifts. We give thanks to God for the speaking and hearing of the Word in your midst. We give thanks for the people who show us the face of Christ, and for all the ways God has revealed and continues to reveal Himself to and through this congregation.)

Although our congregations have been involved in joint ministry over the years, we see this present time as a kairos moment, the Holy Spirit working to bring us together in God’s mission. And we are thankful for Pastor Bill Stewart’s role in our renewing relationships. (May we never fall into the thinking that we are in competition with each other but rather that we are in cooperation with each other in God’s mission, as God designs the Body of Christ to be interdependent, needing all of its gifts and members to function at its best.)

Fifty-four years ago, St Mark Lutheran Church was officially organized as a congregation of the Lutheran Church in America. From the very beginning you have been committed to ministry with college students, and have supported this ministry through the Lutheran Student Movement. Likewise from the beginning you have been a congregation that nurtures, develops and encourages leaders for the greater Lutheran church at the national and synod levels; in years past St Mark had even had 20-plus members in attendance at every Synod event.

You have also been known for your strong commitment to serve your community, through the preschool, serving dinners for the homeless through the Salvation Army, resettling refugees, supporting Habitat for Humanity and the foodbank, and more recently by your involvements in PACEM and IMPACT, even hosting the IMPACT office.

We give thanks to God for all the ways God has used your congregation for God’s mission in this community.

Along with these important ministries, there have been challenging times as well. Times of anxiety…times of conflict…and times of change. We are aware that over the last few years St Mark has been in a time of tension and transition. On the surface, one could look at the smaller membership numbers and conclude that the strength of the congregation has diminished. However, God does not look at the appearance of things, but at the heart. Through the eyes of God we can see how St. Mark has been sustained by God’s grace, and strengthened in faith and leadership for its future mission. (When we are weak, God’s power is most able to be demonstrated.)

In a way, you have been on a similar journey as the patriarch Abraham.

In the middle years of his life, Abraham was called by God to leave everything that is familiar, safe, and meaningful to him: his country, his people, his father’s household, and to trust God for the future.

It seems that in the Bible, whenever someone is invited to a life-changing experience with God, that person is confronted with the voice of God that says leave, leave it all, and follow me.

To Abraham, the voice speaks:

"Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-2)

(To potential disciples, the voice of Jesus speaks: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. - Mark 8:34-35)

Abraham is called to obey the voice and to trust the voice.

(Abraham trusted enough to leave home, but not enough to put his survival in the hands of God. At times Abraham tried to secure his own future, to help God out in fulfilling his promises—to bring God’s promise about by his own means and according to his own timing.)

Through his journey with God, Abraham learned that God had a plan for him. That even in his old years, God wanted to bless him so that through him all the people of the earth might be blessed.

A congregation like St. Mark might be tempted to look back over its history and think that its glory days belong in the past. But God demonstrates that God is the God of the present and the future.

As God speaks through the prophet Isaiah,

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. (Isa 43:18-19)

And so, in the midst of the people of St. Mark, a new vine is growing.

God is preparing for you new things to do. God will be leading you to new places.

God has been leading you on a journey to learn to rely on God and to trust in God in all things.

Over the last two years, you have begun refurbishing your building and grounds and have prepared to welcome a new pastor. These are the signs of the new things that God is stirring up for you. They represent that same renewed spirit of anticipation and hope that Abraham, Jesus and His disciples knew. The arrival of a new pastor will bring about a new time of discerning God’s call into God’s mission. What a joyful anticipation that is for you and for all of us as your co-laborers.

We celebrate this new adventure with you and we pray for you in the words with which the apostle Paul prayed for the Christians in Rome:

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)

Peace to Grace & Glory

2008-06-08T08:00:00.002-07:00

Grace and Glory, June 8, 2008

Genesis 12:1-9

Grace and Peace to You Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I bring you greetings from your sister congregation, Peace.

We rejoice with you as you travel on this journey of faith, which God has set before you.

As our forefather Abraham was commanded to leave everything he knew and all that was comfortable; so you too have heard the call of the Lord to leave what you knew and all that you found comfortable. With the command to Abraham came a promise - a promise to “make of you a great nation” and a promise of blessing. With God’s command to Grace and Glory, He also brings a promise- a promise of love and of His redeeming grace.

Seeding, planting, nurturing and growing a new church brings with it much excitement, as well as concern and doubt. Maybe you are thinking to yourself:

“Look at all of the people coming to worship with us….but will they keep coming?”
“I love the design of our new church…but we will be able to afford it?”
“Look at all of the things we are doing…but look at all the things we have left to do”
“We’ve built the physical building… now what do we do?”

Excitement and doubt. These are emotions which have been with us for a long time. Look at Abraham. Do you think he was excited when God told him that he would “make of you a great nation”? How about later in the story of Abraham and Sarah, when God told them that they were going to be parents in their “advanced age”? Do you think that there was some excitement? Do you think Abraham and Sarah might also have had some doubts? I know I would have had a lot of doubts and a lot of anxiety. How one reacts to doubt and anxiety can lead us on a variety of journeys. Some of these journeys can be very unpleasant. Abraham’s and Sarah’s doubt put them on a journey filled with impatience. Abraham tried to take matters into his own hands, not trusting in the God of promise. His impatience backfired and Abraham learned a valuable lesson. This is a lesson which has withstood the passage of time. This is the lesson of faith. Once faith was accepted and relied upon, Abraham and Sarah were sustained and able to continue on God’s journey, not their own, and to go and to grow in their faith.

Today, our hope is that you continue the faith of Abraham and Sarah. We pray for your congregation to continue to be open to what God has in store for you - for you as individuals and for you as a community of faith. We also pray for you to continue to build upon the mission which God has begun here in Fluvanna.

We come here today as part of your faith community. We join with you at the Lord’s Table, a feast which unites us all. We come here today to offer ourselves as partners in your faith journey and to rejoice with you that God is with us always. We remain your sister congregation and as such we are near – spiritually and physically. We are happy to help you at any time and you remain in our prayers as you continue to grow.

In closing, as Paul writes in Romans 15:5-6:

May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amen

Grace & Glory to Peace

2008-06-08T08:00:00.001-07:00

To all the members of Peace, I extend the peace and joy of Christian love and commitment from the members of Grace and Glory.

We feel a special kinship with Peace in a variety of ways. As you began worshipping in a Firehouse, we began in a fitness center. We were fortunate through God’s grace to grow and serve our respective communities. Both of our congregations have been served in their formative years by Pastor Stewart. Most importantly, our congregations share a common message – the Gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ and salvation.

As our congregations develop strategies to determine how we can most effectively bring that message to our communities, we struggle with questions to be answered and decisions to be made. We are faced with an increasingly diverse audience – young, old, a variety of races and ethnic groups, some with Lutheran background, others with non-Lutheran or no church background at all. All have needs, and we reach out as members of Christ’s body to meet those needs through the message of God’s grace.

In this regard, it is a positive sign to note the cooperative efforts among the three churches – St. Mark, Peace and Grace and Glory – to find ways in which we can join together in worship and ministry. The Easter Vigil service was an initial effort in that direction. Your participation, with the baptism of 4 new members of your congregation was certainly one of the high points of the service.

Your mission trips to Honduras and Togo have shown your strong faith in the Lord.

There are are also special situations in each of our congregations that present unique challenges to our members. Peace congregation is exploring the development of a new ministry in the in the Ruckersville area, and expanding facilities at the present location.

Grace and Glory has begun the process leading to the construction of its first church home. This is a major undertaking as we seek to balance needs with resources, hopes with realities.

Coming to grips with these issues can be a daunting task. At times doubts and uncertainties can erode confidence. But again, Peace and Grace and Glory have something in common with which to face the future – FAITH.

To put some clarity in what faith is, the Webster’s dictionary defines “faith” as the complete trust, confidence, or reliance in someone.

“Trust”, on the other hand, is a firm belief or confidence in the honesty, integrity, reliability, and justice of another person or thing. The words are not interchangeable, but can be considered so when describing different situations or relationships that we encounter in our lives.

The lessons today, coincidently, offer us some powerful examples of people of FAITH. In Romans, St. Paul speaking about faith, cites the example of the Old Testament patriarch Abraham who in spite of his advanced age, believed in God’s promises. To quote Romans, “He grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.

In Matthew, a tax collector, who, when called by Jesus to “follow me” simply got up and did just that. Later in the same reading, we hear the examples of the ruler whose daughter had died and the woman who suffered for years with a hemorrhage. They too had faith that Jesus could and would use his healing power.

Psalm 50 says “call on me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.”

In the world of the 21^st century nothing seems to stay the same for very long. Change is the order of the day. Our congregations too, must adjust or adapt to meet the realities presented by their mission fields. But while the methods or forms of our ministry may change, the message remains constant – God’s grace for all – buoyed by our own faith in God’s word, and by our example, we can boldly proclaim that message whatever the future holds.

Your congregation has been a blessing to this community for many years, and we share your faith in God’s plan to share the good news.

St. Mark to Peace

2008-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

LETTER OF ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE CONGREGATION OF ST. MARK TO PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as from your brothers and sisters in Christ here at St. Mark in Charlottesville. We are writing to encourage you and offer our support in your many good works in Charlottesville and beyond, from those who share both your goals and your struggles.

Our congregations share much in common. In addition to being Lutherans in Charlottesville, our congregations have shared similar experiences.

Our common faith and inspiration through the Holy Spirit has inspired both of our congregations to become missional in purpose, being Christ’s presence in the community and the world. We honor your affirmation that “We believe we have been blessed by God to be a blessing to others”, and commend the many ways that your mission is manifest. Like St. Mark, the congregation of Peace is involved and contributing to the work of IMPACT and PACEM in helping the poor and disadvantaged in the Charlottesville region, and we see your commitment extending to global missions as well, as does our own, through your work with the ELCA Hunger Appeal, Christmas Miracle International and with mission work in Honduras and Togo.

We at St. Mark are encouraged by these demonstrations of your commitment to live lives of active faith in the world; we find much in common with your mission work both locally and worldwide, and feel that these are very parallel to much of our own social ministry. We give thanks for these manifestations of faith in action, and the blessing to the community that Peace Lutheran is offering in these ministries. We also feel that these works, along with our common faith background, draw us close together as a joint Lutheran faith community.

We also share common struggles. Both of our congregations have endured upheavals, changes of pastoral leadership, and personal struggles which seem beyond our control and can seem discouraging and disheartening to the mood of the community. We write to encourage you that you are not alone in experiencing these issues, and especially encourage you, as St. Paul did, to endure the sufferings that these challenges can bring.

St. Mark has gone through its own similar struggles both as a congregation and on the individual level, and we are able to encourage you in this because we have gone through a long transition in pastoral leadership and feel blessed that we anticipate new pastoral leadership to come to St. Mark. We have truly come to understand what St. Paul meant when he wrote to the Romans that “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

We especially encourage you to have faith in each other as a congregation and as the body of Christ in the world, and to cherish the relationships, the worship and the ministry that you undertake together. Perhaps because of mutual suffering through challenging times, while you may feel discouraged at times, you can rejoice that together, you can bear each others burdens, and appreciate what each of you means and contributes to the whole of Peace Lutheran, and what your congregation can mean in the Charlottesville community and the world. Having endured similar challenges, while we have been tested and sometimes discouraged ourselves, we have found ourselves stronger in faith both individually and collectively, and know you can come to the same resolution, through prayer, mutual support and encouraging and supporting one another.

We therefore look forward to walking with you in the journey of faith, as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, and as fellow Lutherans working in mutual ministry to the glory of God and the benefit of our neighbors and God’s children both near and far. We hope to hear of continuing good news from your good works and from the growth of your congregation, knowing that the grace of God can accomplish far more than our mere human efforts. How much may we expect God to bless our congregations, when we ask him to give us what we need, materially and spiritually, to do His will?

We praise God for your presence in the community, and we look forward to working with you in the vineyards of ministry in Charlottesville. Hopefully we will have more opportunity to meet and encourage one another face to face.

With love and encouragement of the Holy Spirit,

The congregation of St. Mark Lutheran Church, Charlottesville

signposts of God's love

2008-05-29T13:27:00.000-07:00

During worship a couple of weekends ago, we learned about two signposts of God's love, one going on locally at the Bridge Ministry and another going on globally with the Honduras Mission Center plans. A couple of folks have just come back from a Building Goodness project in Pearlington, MS. Soon others will be leaving for a medical mission trip to Haiti. By the fall, we're hoping to coordinate and staff a Reading Buddy program for a local school.

We are learning that there are so many paths that we can take to "go in Christ" and one of the ways that Peace can facilitate God's work out there is to help folks figure out:
- what's going on?
- who's doing what?
- how can I get hooked up?

Toward that end, I'd like to start collecting information about the signposts of God's love that you are involved with, what opportunities to serve are available and how you can be a link between Peace and the signpost.

Some of the information I'd like to start collecting includes:
- organization/mission name
- description of organization/mission
- what are the opportunities to serve?
- how can you help hook someone up?

Leave a comment or send this info to me and we'll see where the signposts lead us.

In or Out?

2008-04-26T08:12:00.001-07:00

Message recorded: 4/26/08 from the Can U Hear Me Now? series.

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Acts 10:1-22

more info @ plchurch.org

An Honest Message, an Honest Life

2008-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 4/19/08 from the Can U Hear Me Now? series.

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Mark 5:1-20

more info @ plchurch.org

week 3 devotions - can U hear me now?

2008-04-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

An Honest Message, an Honest Life

Day 1: This week we are challenged to come before Christ and one another honestly and openly. What in the world does this look like you might ask yourself. A first step could be to pray to God and honestly tell Him who and what you really are. Tell God how sorry you are for all the times you turned your back on Him and thought you were in total control. This is an act of honesty before God is called repentance.

Several weeks ago we heard Pastor John tell us that the Holy Spirit had called him to personal repentance. But clearly it was to take place here, openly at Peace, so that others could have the opportunity to join the journey of coming before God honestly and openly as well. Wednesday evenings at 6:30 – 7:00pm is now the time of gathering honestly before God and before one another. Have you made this a priority item on your "to do" list?

Read Psalm 8: 1-9. Make a list of anything that you have done or said in the last few days that grieved God and receive His forgiveness.

Day 2: Practicing being real in front of God will help us to be honest in front of others. When people see us trading superiority for respect and certainty for acceptance and power for kindness they feel safe to approach us. This can lead to open and honest discussions about the struggles we've faced, the brokenness we’ve experienced and ultimately the trials we've come through. In sharing our vulnerability we will have a real impact.

Read Romans 15:7 & Philippians 2:4. Ask God to help you build bridges of relationships to those around you who need to know Him. Ask God today to help you become more caring, unselfish, and generous in your loving support of others and of their personal stories today.

Day 3: Why do we pretend? Why do we try to create an impression that we have it all together? Is it that we are afraid that when people learn who and what we really are that they will not accept us, not like us? Some of Jesus’ strongest words are for those who made a show of themselves, those who placed a lot of worth on power and position. Those who were more concerned with their own outer appearances and their own perceived superiority.

“When you stop being an imposter, only then can you become the person God created you to be.” Real Followers by Michael Slaughter.

Read Matthew 23: 23-28. After reading this passage turn to God in prayer. Dear Lord, remove my selfish desires. Remove hypocrisy and judgment from me. Fill me with understanding and compassion and show me how to see others as you see them.

Day 4: Sharing our failures with others just isn't natural. Or is it? How often have you caught a glimpse of yourself in other people's stories? Have you ever caught yourself thinking "well, so I’m not the only one that has suffered or been downtrodden"?

Consider that God has called us to live in community for a purpose. A portion of what we have experienced is for a reason that transcends our present affliction. Sometimes that reason is revealed much later through the interpersonal relationships with others who are in the midst of the thing we have already passed through. At that time God calls us (whether we recognize it or not) to share their journey by relaying a bit of our past brokenness, openly and transparently. As we are honest and real we invite others to do the same. We can be ourselves and allow others to do the same. This does not require us to share every detail of our past but to honestly admit that we are not perfect, that we are seeking to re-direct our lives to reflect God's word and his purpose for us.

Day 5: Another week is almost over. If you haven't had a chance to slow down and be still and know that he is God do so now. Take a deep breath and in that simple act of breathing thank God for who he is. The God of love and light.

God calls us to love in two directions – to love Him and to love others. How are you doing at each? What obvious, practical thing can you do to share God's love with people? What is right within your reach? You can't get around it: Love is part of your life as a Christian. Sometimes you might be blind to clear opportunities to show love. Ask God to open your eyes. Invite God to increase both love for God and love for people. Ask God for courage to obey Him and to love others unconditionally.

week 2 devotions - can U hear me now?

2008-04-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

Good News or Bad News?

Day 1: Last week we considered God’s call to get the Gospel message out, in particular to the next generation. We touched on how we do church together, and how that is perceived by others outside the church. We talked about an old message for a new generation.

Read Acts 2:42-47 to examine how the first followers of Christ, the early church, engaged in fellowship together. Make a list of the ministry activities they did. Note how and where and when they did them. How does your experience of Christian community compare to this description? Do you see the life of the early church reflected in the life of Peace as a community of believers?

Day 2: The early church sets an example of how new believers are joined into a community growing in Christ through fellowship, prayer, and teaching. How does the church collectively speak to a challenging and skeptical world needful of God’s unconditional love? What picture do we paint through our attitudes and actions?

Read Galatians 5:22-26. Paul speaks to the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of Christ in us. The result of this fruit is to fulfill the intended purpose of the law – to love God and our neighbors. Which of these qualities do you want the Spirit to create in you?

Day 3: As Christians, we accept Christ as our Savior and our Redeemer. We are in the world, yet called to be different. Does that make us better than others?

Read Matthew 5:13-16. Jesus has left the crowds behind to focus his attention on teaching his closest disciples. He has just shard with them the Good News of what are called the Beatitudes, best known for their poetic form beginning "Blessed are…" -- the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted. Then Jesus teaches about Salt and Light. How might the Spirit act through you, to bring out the best in others? As a Christ-follower, how do we shine before others? Are you quiet, when you should speak? Do you go along with the crowd? Do you ignore the needs of others, tending to your own? When others see you, do they see the light? If they ask, do you reveal the source?

Day 4: We hear the undertone of judgment often associated with organized religion and look to guidance on how to avoid this trap. The 'J'-word most associated with Christianity would seem to be Judgment, not justice, not joy. Jesus speaks quite clearly to his followers about judging others.

Read Matthew 7:1-5 carefully. How does Jesus' admonition about judging resonate with you? Do you think that Jesus is teaching his disciples to abandon all critical thinking and discernment? Is there a more subtle message which we can apply to our lives?

Day 5: Reflect on the selected readings for this week. In what ways has reading this scripture changed how you view church? What might you do differently? We hear criticism that as a body, we sometimes come across to the unchurched and people seeking God's love as being both judgmental and hypocritical. The lyrics of a popular song, "If We Are The Body", by Casting Crowns, read: "A traveler is far away from home. He sheds his coat and quietly sinks into the back row. The weight of their judgmental glances tells him that his chances are better out on the road." How do you see opportunities at Peace to be salt, and light? The song concludes: "Jesus paid too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come. We are the body of Christ." Pray that through your attitudes and actions that you reflect the light of God’s unconditional love. Ask God for discernment, rather than judgment, that you bring out the best in yourself and others.

Good News or Bad News?

2008-04-12T07:57:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 4/12/08 from the Can U Hear Me Now? series.

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Matthew 5:13-16

more info @ plchurch.org

week 1 devotions - can U hear me now?

2008-04-07T15:37:00.000-07:00

An Old Message for a New Generation

Day 1
We just heard the Easter message of Christ's resurrection and we are filled with gratitude for God’s extravagant love for us. As we read in the scriptures, the last words Jesus spoke on earth were to his disciples, and they reflected the very heart of his mission. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations….teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28: 19-20) Today, as followers of Christ, we are called to pass on the good news of life in Christ to others as well.

Reflect on Matthew 28: 16-20, Luke 24: 36-53 and Acts 1: 3-9
Jesus' charge to go and make disciples is called the Great Commission, and it was directed to each of his followers. Prayerfully consider how you are fulfilling the Great Commission within your family, at work, or in your neighborhood.

Day 2
In worship this weekend we heard that "It's up to the current generation (older generation) to figure out how to pass on the faith to the next (younger) generation. It’s up to the insiders to learn how best to pass on the faith to the outsiders. To commit to do whatever needs to be done to help the next generation come to know God." And we also heard that we are living in a culture that is increasingly open to Jesus, yet people are increasingly suspicious and untrusting of Christians and the church. One of the ways we can change this trend is to ask ourselves if we are obeying Jesus' prayer to be in the world or whether we are living isolated lives in the Christian subculture. (Dan Kimball)

Read Matthew 9:36–38. What was Jesus’ response when he saw the crowds of people?
Read Luke 19:10. What does Jesus come to do?

Jesus described himself as coming to seek and save the lost, and he was confident that he had passed this passion on to his followers. The definition of seek demonstrates that this is an active word…to "look for" to "go toward" to "endeavor".

Who are you currently seeking?

Day 3
As missional people, we are not supposed to keep this abundance of life to ourselves. Like Jesus, we are to seek the lost. But this is so big. So, how do we do this?

1. With protection. Read John 17:15 What did Jesus pray for us?
2. With the power of the Holy Spirit. Read Luke 12: 8-11.
3. With reverence and respect. Read 1 Peter 3:13-16.

Day 4
We have read that we are to be missional people – to be "ambassadors" of Jesus in our communities, to serve, to build relationships in our culture. But what about our church, which is supposed to be the expression of Jesus and his body. What can we do here? What if we teach our church to be salt and light?

Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-20 and Colossians 4:5-6 and consider how our attitudes impact others, and how we could begin within these walls.

Day 5
We are called to go out, to pass on the story, to bridge the gap of generations, culture and communication. Pray this week that God will give you a heart for the Great Commission, and an open mind to walk in someone else’s shoes, to begin having these conversations. This week we learned that the Holy Spirit empowers us to tell others about Jesus and bring glory to God. We do this with our words and with our lives. Go back and read Acts 1:4-14 and John 17:1-11 and consider that in John 17, we have Jesus' prayer on the night before his crucifixion, and in Acts 1, we find Jesus’ followers in prayer before the outpouring of the Spirit on Pentecost. Pray for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit on your life.

Dear Church Letters

2008-04-05T14:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Church,
"How the heck are you? Learned anything lately? Surviving all your international projects? On the brink of any crazy ideas? I hope, of course, that you and yours are well. Me? Well, I'm not exactly basking in the spiritual high life. I am not always fine these days. And unfortunately, it's not just me, Church. Many of my peers seem to be calling in sick as well." - Sarah Cunningham from Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation

In our next worship series, Can U Hear Me Now?, we'll explore how different generations are choosing to interact with the church and why. One of the resources we'll be using is Sarah Cunningham's book, Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation. She speaks from the twentysomething perspective and expresses her disillusionment with church stemming from things she's experienced at church like hypocrisy, exclusivity and lack of authenticity. She also admits that part of her disillusionment comes from her own preconceived ideas about what church should be and how that hasn't matched up with the reality that churches are communities of flawed individuals.

We invite you to share your Dear Church letter. What's your experience with church and how has that affected your relationship to the church? Do you have ideas about how the church can better communicate with and equip the next generation to live the faith? How can the church communicate more effectively across generations? What barriers does the church need to overcome? What's the church doing right?

We'll certainly use your letters as we plan this worship series and we may use excerpts in worship, adult education and/or devotional material. You can write your letter anonymously here by submitting a comment or you can e-mail your letter to kimxtom@yahoo.com or drop your letter off at the church office. Do you have friends or family disillusioned with church? Please ask them if they'd like to write a Dear Church letter.

Up To You Lord

2008-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Song recorded: 3/15/08

Song: Up To You Lord
Performed by: Peace Praise Band

more info @ plchurch.org

Helping homeless feel at home in school

2008-03-15T04:53:00.001-07:00

Grumbling

2008-02-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 2/23/08

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Numbers 11:1-15

more info @ plchurch.org

God Provides

2008-02-16T16:54:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 2/16/08

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Exodus 16:11-21

more info @ plchurch.org

God's Grace

2008-01-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 1/05/08

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Luke 15:11-32

more info @ plchurch.org

Christmas Miracle Offering 2007

2007-12-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

Peace on Earth?

2007-12-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 12/01/07

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Isaiah 2:1-5

more info @ plchurch.org

Where Else Would We Go?

2007-11-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 11/24/07

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Luke 23:33-43

more info @ plchurch.org

Limping Away

2007-11-17T17:00:00.000-08:00

Message recorded: 11/17/07

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Genesis 32:22-31

more info @ plchurch.org

Is Doubt Wrong?

2007-10-20T11:27:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 10/20/07

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Luke 7:18-23

more info @ plchurch.org

Searching for the one

2007-09-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 9/15/07

Speaker: David Hively
Scripture reference: Luke 15:1-10

more info @ plchurch.org

How Did They Get Invited?

2007-09-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 9/01/07

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Luke 14:1-24

more info @ plchurch.org

A Gospel of Inconvenience

2007-08-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Message recorded: 8/18/07

Speaker: John Herman
Scripture reference: Luke 12:49-56

more info @ plchurch.org