I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10

Sounds impossible, doesn’t it?  Can we all agree on everything, especially with a church so fractured, so divided among so many thoughts. 

Somehow I don’t think that’s what Paul was saying, yet he is calling the church at Corinth, and the entire church, to a higher ethic. 

Do you have a disagreement with church leadership?  Do you have an issue with a fellow members?  Consider Paul’s instruction, pray about it and then follow the way of Jesus to resolve things.  Do not let some minor issue fester until it becomes a break in fellowship.

During this Lenten journey, take time to pray about these things, decide if they are truly an issue, and if not, lay them at the foot of the cross. If they truly are a divide, go to the person and find a godly way to resolve your differences.  After all, the real enemy is not the church member you disagree with, rather the one who wants to destroy the church.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple. Psalm 5:7

Often people joke with me saying if they walked into a church the ceiling would crumble, or some other such “devastation”.  It is a way of saying they don’t attend worship – and deep down, there is something they have done or are doing that preclude them from the sanctuary.

It may be a joke from someone who just doesn’t want to go to church, yet deep inside there is something else.  Many people just do not feel that they are good enough to be in the holy space.  They believe their sinfulness makes them unworthy of God’s love.

Yet the psalmist makes it clear – we, through God’s love, can come into God’s house.  It is not about our holiness, rather God’s holiness and grace.  It is not about how good or bad we are, rather how much God loves us and wants our presence.

Our worth is not determined by us, rather by God for it is in God’s image we are created, and God’s actions we can be forgiven and redeemed.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, ¹⁰ your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹ Give us today our daily bread. ¹² And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:9-13

The Lord’s Prayer is one of the most recognized prayers in all history.  Jesus gave us this prayer as a gift.  Having difficulty in praying?  Say the Lord’s Prayer.  Need to pray with a group?  Say the Lord’s Prayer.  Want to know how God wants us to live?  Say the Lord’s Prayer. 

Once I made an emergency visit to a church member actively dying.  He had dementia and did not know who I was, nor did he say anything to me during the visit.  Until I prayed the Lord’s Prayer.  He joined with me in every word.  This was the last time we spent together on this earth, and it was powerful.  This prayer was a gift of grace from Jesus at that moment.

When we slow down and focus on each line of the prayer, we are not praying in vain or repetition, rather we are declaring our faith in God, and our desire to follow God’s will.

As you journey through this week, consider the Lord’s Prayer.  Say it slowly, meditate over each line, each word and allow the prayer to change you.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

 Now there was a royal official whose son lay ill in Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and begged him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” ⁴⁹The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my little boy dies.” ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started on his way. ⁵¹As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive. ⁵²So he asked them the hour when he began to recover, and they said to him, “Yesterday at one in the afternoon the fever left him.” ⁵³The father realized that this was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he himself believed, along with his whole household. ⁵⁴Now this was the second sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.  John 4:46-54.

The sermon on Sunday charged us all to pray for our neighbors and co-workers, even people we do not know, even people who do not believe in Whom we believe.  Here is a foundational scripture for this.

The royal official, probably a Roman citizen, had a sick son.  He heard about Jesus, but there is no reason to believe he was a follower.  He just asked Jesus to heal his son. 

Jesus doesn’t even ask him to follow, he just heals the son.  This is one of the many times in John’s gospel where Jesus heals outside of Israel.  Jesus’ ministry is world-wide, He is there for everyone, even those who do not know him.

Today, say a prayer for someone you know, even if they do not believe in God.  Pray for their needs and ask God to bless them. 

Peace,

Pastor Bill

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

We have begun a new week, one filled with great possibilities.  Maybe you start out your week thinking it will be the same as last week, or you have a situation that has not been resolved.  Maybe your weekend was filled with less than blessed activities, or you had difficult issues with loved ones.  Fear not because God is the God of new beginnings.

The psalmist reminds us that God is forgiving and loving.  God is compassionate.  Start your week with God, turn yourself back towards the Lord.  Seek the Lord with your heart and mind, ask for compassion and believe that you will receive it.  Then go out and make it a great week.

Pastor Bill

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Ps 41:1-2

Now that the Christmas lights are dark, the music no longer playing on the radio, the trees lining the streets for pick up and the assorted shepherds, wise men, animals and the Holy Family are packed away, it is easy to get into a funk.

The Christmas season is certainly exciting, but in the end it’s not about the excitement, it is about the incarnation, God coming to us as one of us. 

Do you thirst for God as that deer longs for the flowing streams? 

As you journey through this new year, seek God, thirst for God, take time to truly embrace that relationship and grow with God.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

May your Christmas celebration be filled with hope, peace, love and joy.

Pastor Bill

And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Luke 1:46-50

As you went to bed with flooding rains, and woke up to a steady drizzle, wet roads, flooded fields and a miserable sky this morning, did you think about what God has done for you?

We are one week away from the celebration of the birth of the Savior, and I am sure there is a lot of work to do.

But in the midst of your hustle and bustle this week preparing for the celebration, take a moment, reflect on all the blessings of your lives and allow your soul to glorify God.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Restore us again, God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Psalm 85:4-7

Do you need a fresh start this morning?  Do you need to repair a relationship?  Do you need to make a change? 

There is good news for you.  We do not have to wait for a special day, or a special ritual, rather we can just turn to God and start over. 

God’s unfailing love is there for you.  No matter what. 

Maybe you just need a little boost this morning, or you have serious situation that needs to be changed.  It does not matter; God is waiting for you.

May you find hope and peace in this upcoming week.

Pastor Bill

Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

The season of Advent is upon us.  Advent is a time of patient waiting, a time to remember the hope, peace, joy and love God brings us.  It is also a time to remember who God is, what God has done for us, and who God calls us to be.

Isaiah’s words are a great reminder that God is the potter, molding and shaping us, and when we allow this to happen, God will do wonderful things with us.

We just have to allow God to be the potter.

As you begin your Advent journey, be pliable, be willing to allow God to transform you.  Start by taking some quiet time each day with God, time to give up the busy-ness of the season and just be in God’s presence.

May you find hope, peace, love and joy this Advent season,

Pastor Bill