After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered... and they believed the scriptures and the word that Jesus had spoken.
John 2:22
This scripture speaks to the heart of man. It is difficult to believe what you cannot see or touch. Not even the disciples that followed Him fully understood Jesus and His words. It took seeing the fulfillment of Jesus’ words, the PROOF, for them to truly understand Jesus and the scriptures.
In today’s world it is “Seeing is believing,” “Proof is in the pudding.” In this country there is even a state slogan “The show me state.” We as a society must learn to open our hearts and really listen to hear the word of the Lord.
For me, it is believing and trust in the intangibility of Jesus that brings me—peace of mind, joy for all things, grace of spirit, and hope for all.
Linda Dinges
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 6, 2010
...since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24
When I read this passage written by Saint Paul, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” my first thought was, okay, but really now, don’t some people fall just a bit shorter? You can’t help but look at the headlines in the newspapers, or search the internet, or look on someone’s Facebook page, without reading about someone who has “fallen short”! When I look inside my heart and see my own shortcomings, okay sins, they certainly don’t seem quite as bad as other people’s. How can my sins be anywhere near as bad as the person who sinned by cheating on their spouse, or the person who murdered someone? Don’t we all tell “little white lies” when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, or use God’s name in vain, especially when someone cuts in front of us in traffic, making us late?
But, Saint Paul reminds us that we are all sinners, not just some, but all. It seems we just can’t help it. We have a long history as sinners, and have proven that we are not capable of living the wonderful lives God wills for us. Just look in the Bible and you find plenty of stories of people who have “fallen short.”
Well, the Good News is that God loved us so much he gave us the gift of His son, Christ Jesus. A gift, pure and simple! With this gift God bestowed his Grace upon us, given freely, without any merits of our own. We did nothing to deserve it. And, what’s more, not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him! God set things right for us. We have been justified, pardoned and accepted, just as we are. We have been redeemed through Christ Jesus by the sacrifice that he made for all of us. What a Gift!
Linda M. Stewart
Romans 3:23-24
When I read this passage written by Saint Paul, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” my first thought was, okay, but really now, don’t some people fall just a bit shorter? You can’t help but look at the headlines in the newspapers, or search the internet, or look on someone’s Facebook page, without reading about someone who has “fallen short”! When I look inside my heart and see my own shortcomings, okay sins, they certainly don’t seem quite as bad as other people’s. How can my sins be anywhere near as bad as the person who sinned by cheating on their spouse, or the person who murdered someone? Don’t we all tell “little white lies” when we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings, or use God’s name in vain, especially when someone cuts in front of us in traffic, making us late?
But, Saint Paul reminds us that we are all sinners, not just some, but all. It seems we just can’t help it. We have a long history as sinners, and have proven that we are not capable of living the wonderful lives God wills for us. Just look in the Bible and you find plenty of stories of people who have “fallen short.”
Well, the Good News is that God loved us so much he gave us the gift of His son, Christ Jesus. A gift, pure and simple! With this gift God bestowed his Grace upon us, given freely, without any merits of our own. We did nothing to deserve it. And, what’s more, not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him! God set things right for us. We have been justified, pardoned and accepted, just as we are. We have been redeemed through Christ Jesus by the sacrifice that he made for all of us. What a Gift!
Linda M. Stewart
Friday, March 5, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 5, 2010
...Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true...
Romans 3:4
In this passage, Paul is telling the Romans that God is always true. This passage is preceded by a discussion as to whether you had to be a Jew in order to be a Christian. Paul’s answer was “no.” Recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.
This passage is particularly timely for me. In the recent weeks, it has become apparent that my life priorities are not in line with my core beliefs. I had an opportunity to reconnect with some old friends, whom, I believe God used to show me that it was time to re-evaluate my priorities. The tremendous flow of emotions that came over me on my ride home was impossible to ignore. The message that I kept getting from God was “when is enough, enough”? I then attended the Women’s retreat and the theme centered around emptying our life vessel of all of the unnecessary things, filling it with God’s love, and then sharing God’s love in our daily lives.
I allowed the friends that I chose to be with influence my priorities. I felt like I could never live up to their expectations, so my life centered on activities to win their approval, instead of making God’s love my priority. I got caught up in worldly priorities that mean absolutely nothing and benefit no one, and truth be told, made me constantly feel like I wasn’t good enough.
God is the one true and constant in our life. It is only his approval that we should seek. Worldly proprieties will only cause frustration and send us into an endless cycle of thinking we are in “need.” This “need” is never satisfied if we choose to listen to legalistic critics and not stay centered in God’s love.
Molly Nussear
Romans 3:4
In this passage, Paul is telling the Romans that God is always true. This passage is preceded by a discussion as to whether you had to be a Jew in order to be a Christian. Paul’s answer was “no.” Recognition comes from God, not legalistic critics.
This passage is particularly timely for me. In the recent weeks, it has become apparent that my life priorities are not in line with my core beliefs. I had an opportunity to reconnect with some old friends, whom, I believe God used to show me that it was time to re-evaluate my priorities. The tremendous flow of emotions that came over me on my ride home was impossible to ignore. The message that I kept getting from God was “when is enough, enough”? I then attended the Women’s retreat and the theme centered around emptying our life vessel of all of the unnecessary things, filling it with God’s love, and then sharing God’s love in our daily lives.
I allowed the friends that I chose to be with influence my priorities. I felt like I could never live up to their expectations, so my life centered on activities to win their approval, instead of making God’s love my priority. I got caught up in worldly priorities that mean absolutely nothing and benefit no one, and truth be told, made me constantly feel like I wasn’t good enough.
God is the one true and constant in our life. It is only his approval that we should seek. Worldly proprieties will only cause frustration and send us into an endless cycle of thinking we are in “need.” This “need” is never satisfied if we choose to listen to legalistic critics and not stay centered in God’s love.
Molly Nussear
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 4, 2010
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
Romans 2:13
For me, the best version of this scripture is in The Message version of the Bible. If you are not familiar with The Message, its goal is to engage people in the reading process and help them understand what they read. It is not a study Bible, but rather "a reading Bible." The original books of the Bible were not written in formal language. The Message tries to recapture the Word in the words we use today.
This excerpt from Romans 2 in The Message made this teaching clear to me.
God Is Kind, but Not Soft
You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because He's such a nice God, He'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you're from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what He commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
Linda Rines
Romans 2:13
For me, the best version of this scripture is in The Message version of the Bible. If you are not familiar with The Message, its goal is to engage people in the reading process and help them understand what they read. It is not a study Bible, but rather "a reading Bible." The original books of the Bible were not written in formal language. The Message tries to recapture the Word in the words we use today.
This excerpt from Romans 2 in The Message made this teaching clear to me.
God Is Kind, but Not Soft
You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because He's such a nice God, He'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness He takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you're from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what He commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
Linda Rines
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 3, 2010
Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience?
Romans 2:4
As I read this passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans that was written in approximately 57AD, I can’t help but think of how in today’s society we are sometimes so super focused on who is right and who is wrong, who is the best at something and who is the worst, and “oh yeah” who are the sincere Christians, and who are not. We are told over and over we are not to judge but yet we do anyhow. We teach our children to treat each other as they would want to be treated, but yet we don’t. Paul reminds us earlier in this chapter that we have “no excuse” for judging others as we are guilty of the same things we are judging others of. I believe we are being reminded that we should rejoice with fellow Christians and not be bothered whether or not they are doing something the way we feel it should be done, but excited in what they are doing if it is for the glory of our Lord.
To sum up my thought on this passage, maybe if we can be quicker to listen and slower to speak, then just maybe the KINDNESS, TOLERANCE, and PAITENCE of Christ can shine through us, both in our actions and words.
Steven E. Dorsey
Romans 2:4
As I read this passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans that was written in approximately 57AD, I can’t help but think of how in today’s society we are sometimes so super focused on who is right and who is wrong, who is the best at something and who is the worst, and “oh yeah” who are the sincere Christians, and who are not. We are told over and over we are not to judge but yet we do anyhow. We teach our children to treat each other as they would want to be treated, but yet we don’t. Paul reminds us earlier in this chapter that we have “no excuse” for judging others as we are guilty of the same things we are judging others of. I believe we are being reminded that we should rejoice with fellow Christians and not be bothered whether or not they are doing something the way we feel it should be done, but excited in what they are doing if it is for the glory of our Lord.
To sum up my thought on this passage, maybe if we can be quicker to listen and slower to speak, then just maybe the KINDNESS, TOLERANCE, and PAITENCE of Christ can shine through us, both in our actions and words.
Steven E. Dorsey
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 2, 2010
Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed
the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way.
John 4:50
I found that the surrounding text provides interesting details about this situation. This story takes place in Cana of Galilee where earlier Jesus had turned water into wine. A nobleman's son was sick to the point of death at Capernaum. The nobleman heard that Jesus was there and asked him to go and heal his son. Jesus states that people won't believe unless they see signs and wonders. Jesus tells the man to return home, that his son is alive and he believed. When the nobleman returned home, his son was indeed well and he asked the servants at what hour the son's fever had left. He confirmed that it was the same time that Jesus had spoken to him. This led the whole household to believe.
When I first read this verse I thought it was ironic that I should receive it because I had a son that did die. However, I realize he received a healing also; not a physical healing like the boy in the story but a restoration of a different type. The first Easter after Benjamin's death, I found myself at one point in tears. They were both for sadness and joy at the same time. The deep sorrow over seeing what should have been my child's first Easter celebration was mingled with the fact that he had received the full "healing" of God because he is alive indeed as Christ is alive.
Jesus provided many signs to his Biblical followers and to us. Through the ultimate miracle of his own resurrection, he provides us with the encouragement we need to put our full trust in Him, whether we receive physical healing in this world like the nobleman's son, or spiritual healing in the world to come.
Laura Miller
John 4:50
I found that the surrounding text provides interesting details about this situation. This story takes place in Cana of Galilee where earlier Jesus had turned water into wine. A nobleman's son was sick to the point of death at Capernaum. The nobleman heard that Jesus was there and asked him to go and heal his son. Jesus states that people won't believe unless they see signs and wonders. Jesus tells the man to return home, that his son is alive and he believed. When the nobleman returned home, his son was indeed well and he asked the servants at what hour the son's fever had left. He confirmed that it was the same time that Jesus had spoken to him. This led the whole household to believe.
When I first read this verse I thought it was ironic that I should receive it because I had a son that did die. However, I realize he received a healing also; not a physical healing like the boy in the story but a restoration of a different type. The first Easter after Benjamin's death, I found myself at one point in tears. They were both for sadness and joy at the same time. The deep sorrow over seeing what should have been my child's first Easter celebration was mingled with the fact that he had received the full "healing" of God because he is alive indeed as Christ is alive.
Jesus provided many signs to his Biblical followers and to us. Through the ultimate miracle of his own resurrection, he provides us with the encouragement we need to put our full trust in Him, whether we receive physical healing in this world like the nobleman's son, or spiritual healing in the world to come.
Laura Miller
Monday, March 1, 2010
Lenten Reflection - March 1, 2010
... Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among the Gentiles for the sake of his name, including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ...
Romans 1:5-6
Not exactly something you’d put on a bumper sticker is it? Taken from Paul’s introduction, this sets the stage for the delivery of his gospel to the churches in Rome. Tension is evident between the Jews and the Gentiles, so Paul sought to unify the church by proclaiming the glory of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The obedience of faith that Paul calls for is not simply performing a good deed, or a kind gesture, an initial faith offering, but obedience built on an on-going faith. This is a faith manifested in honoring the name of Jesus, by being living examples called to belong to Jesus Christ. By associating ourselves with His name, we provide others the opportunity to judge us based on how we live out our faith. We can honor the name and live out our transformed lives or we can take the other path. It’s our choice. Every moment of every day. It’s our choice.
For the sake of His name, may we choose to live today and every day as an Alleluia to our King.
Earl Buffaloe
Romans 1:5-6
Not exactly something you’d put on a bumper sticker is it? Taken from Paul’s introduction, this sets the stage for the delivery of his gospel to the churches in Rome. Tension is evident between the Jews and the Gentiles, so Paul sought to unify the church by proclaiming the glory of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The obedience of faith that Paul calls for is not simply performing a good deed, or a kind gesture, an initial faith offering, but obedience built on an on-going faith. This is a faith manifested in honoring the name of Jesus, by being living examples called to belong to Jesus Christ. By associating ourselves with His name, we provide others the opportunity to judge us based on how we live out our faith. We can honor the name and live out our transformed lives or we can take the other path. It’s our choice. Every moment of every day. It’s our choice.
For the sake of His name, may we choose to live today and every day as an Alleluia to our King.
Earl Buffaloe
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