The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. Psalm 145:8-9

Sometimes things get out of hand.  You are running late, the traffic is worse than normal, someone keeps texting you and you reach your boiling point and snap.  It happens.  We all fall victim to our own tempers at different times.

The good news is our Lord is gracious and merciful.  God is slow to anger (and that is very good news because if there were anyone who should be angry at us, it is God). 

As you enter into this week, try to be slow to anger, find love even for the driver in front of you, and aim for compassion.

And if that fails, remember God is merciful so be merciful as well, even to yourself.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

 Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,
          your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. Psalm 89:5

For some, the Aurora Borealis was visible in our area last week.  Others commented on a recent sunrise and we, again, had the opportunity to watch a beautiful sunset with a crowd of people clapping. 

It is amazing how something as “simple” as a beautiful sky can change our moods and disposition.  Yet if you think about it, the heavens are praising God’s wonders.  As people clapped for the sunset, I could not help but think how they are giving God praise (even if they do not believe in God).

Nature is an excellent sign of God’s providence.  The earth springs forth fruits and vegetables, the trees give us a stunning display in the autumn, the sky provides a light show beyond any fireworks.  Walking through the woods can heal us as much as sitting by the side of a body of water.

As you travel through this week, take some time to enjoy this season, be outside, get fresh air and look around for you will see God’s handiwork.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:4-5

There is a saying “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”  Yet, sometimes we are to do the same thing over and over in the hope that something happens.  We are called to pray repeatedly and continually.  We are called to reach out to people who may not be interested in God. 

In this passage, the fishermen had been out all night with no luck.  They have done the work, yet now Jesus calls them to cast the nets out one more time.  As the passage continues, they catch so many fish the nets nearly break.  Jesus uses this miracle to show Simon Peter that he and the others will soon fish for people.

The difference between the men fishing all night long without any catch versus Jesus calling them out one more time?  Jesus is with them, and they are following what He tells them to do.

In your journey this week, listen to what Jesus is calling you to do, be obedient and watch the results.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹⁰And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” ¹¹In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Luke 3:10

We have been going through the house and packing up things we no longer use.  This includes clothing, DVD’s (yes, even video tapes), toys, books and anything else.  Some things go directly to people we know, others get donated.  It is a long process, but we need to thin things out.  It is amazing how many things one can collect over time.

In response to their baptism, people begin to ask John “how should we live” and John gives them some simple instructions.  If you have extra, give it to someone who has need.  If we all did this, even if only to clean out our closets, we could meet many needs in our communities, although there is a much better reason.

There are a lot of needs out there.  There are many struggling with many things and we can all help.  If we take the attitude of sharing what we have without judgement, we are doing God’s work.  This same attitude can then grow beyond your and my household, affecting all peoples of the earth.

Do you have an extra coat?  Share it with one who has none for that act of giving can move mountains.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

²¹“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. Matthew 5:21-22

Jesus is telling us something important here.  The commandment says “Thou shalt not murder” but He extends that to far more.  Jesus is saying we need to work things out with each other, to reconcile with each other, or perhaps to love each other.

This is where Jesus takes the law and applies it to our hearts.  It is so far much more than following a bunch of commandments and statutes, it is about our relationships with each other.

In this politically volatile season listen to the words of Jesus.  Watch your anger, work things out, reconcile and above all, love one another as He has loved us.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. John 10:27

One of the frequent questions to a pastor is this: “Does God still speak to us?”  I always respond “Yes, but are we listening?” 

Deep down you know the voice.  When you listen very carefully you can discern between your own wants and desires and what God wants.  Not to say our wants and desires are wrong, but we need to be very careful to wrap them up in God.  Yet when we listen carefully and prayerfully, we know the voice of the Shepherd.

What is the Lord calling you to do today?  What is He asking of you?  Listen carefully for you will know His voice.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

Imagine how wonderful life would be if we did this.  Just take a moment and think about it, if everyone, instead of getting so upset about things, would stop, listen (truly listen), not think about how to respond while the other person is talking, and not get so angry about everything.

We live in trying times, especially as the election approaches.  It seems like so many people are not listening, rather just talking over each other and getting angry.  Then we have world situations with constant battles and truly horrifying news every day.  This, of course can make us quite angry.  But what comes of that anger?  Does our anger change anything, or just cause more issues with those around us?

How can we change these things?  We can pray and then be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, then pray some more, for that is the way of the Lord.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:7

School has started for most of our children, some have gone off to college for the first time, and many adults are in some form of continuing education.

Learning is important for us, whether it is formal education, learning new skills and information, or studying the word.  We can always learn more.  Solomon tells us that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of the Lord.  This is not “I am afraid of God” rather fear should really be interpreted as awe, as in we have great awe about God for God has created everything (including knowledge). 

Never be afraid of learning new things, or of others learning.  Education is so important that Solomon tells us fools despise wisdom and instruction.

As your kids starts the new school year, find an area you can investigate and study for it is good for you.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41

If you really think about it, there is a lot of chaos going on all around us all the time.  There is always something happening that needs our attention (or at least we think so), there is always something that is a crisis for someone (but it does not mean it has to be a crisis for you).  There is always something to get worked up about, or something that must be done this very minute or the galaxy will implode.  Except it won’t. 

There are true crises and there are times when we can just rest in the storm. Jesus was tired and sleeping on the boat.  The storm arose and He handled it.  How often do we make a situation far more crisis-like and chaotic instead of just handling it (or better yet, turning to Jesus)? 

As you journey through this week, handle what needs handling and rest in the storm.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

PS:  I start my vacation on Monday August 12 so Monday Morning Meditation will be taking a brief hiatus – because I’m following the above words!