¹³Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Matthew 16:13-20

It is the ultimate question, who is Jesus to you?  We all know the Sunday school answer, but the true answer lies deep within our souls:  Who do you say Jesus is?

As you travel through this week, seeing the news, hearing both bad and good, ask yourself the question “who is Jesus and how would he respond?”.  Wrestle with this.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹⁰When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the LORD with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; ¹¹and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. Ezra 3:10-11

The exile was over and the people were returning to Jerusalem.  The building campaign had begun and the foundation of the temple was laid.  All of a sudden trumpets and cymbals cried out, as did the people, giving thanks for God had restored them, God kept the promise.

Perhaps you are still in your “exile”, or the situation does not look good, but look to these scriptures of Thanksgiving, for they tell us that God does restore, God does rebuild, God does recreate, and your time of restoration is near.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and his steadfast love endures forever.  Amen.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

⁶They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. ⁷When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; ⁸so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. ⁹During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. Acts 16:6-10

Have you ever been prevented from going somewhere or doing something?  Have you had a time when something just did not work out, and you ended up doing something else, something far more important?  Something Godly?

Sometimes we make plans and God interrupts them with a mission – we are sent somewhere else, or given a different job to do.  Paul had a plan, but it kept getting thwarted until he had a vision sending him to Macedonia.  Paul has experienced this, and we may have as well.  Often God is calling us to do something where we are, and preventing us from moving on, or God is calling us elsewhere – so our plans for “here” are not working.  In all ways, we need to pray and be open to the Spirit so we know what God is calling us to do.

As you journey through this week, ask the Spirit to guide you and see where you are sent.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

¹After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. ²He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. ³Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. ⁴Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. ⁵Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ ⁶And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you.  Luke 10:1-6

Did you notice something about this passage?  Jesus sent out seventy “others”.  Not Peter, James, John or the other twelve.  Not a name among them, but seventy of His followers.  He sends them, they go and as the passage continues, great things happen.

Names are very important in the bible.  If a name is mentioned, there is a reason.  Sometimes it is to show connections (family genealogies), or “pedigree” (Paul naming his teacher).  Sometimes names define the person (Thomas Didymus – the Twin).  In this case not having names means more, at least to me.

These unnamed followers are sent with a mission just as each of us are sent with a mission.  No names mean no exclusions – we are all sent out to be laborers for the harvest.  We are all sent to spread God’s love.

In this week’s journeys, be one of the seventy, spread peace and light.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Throughout the psalm, we are reminded that God is with us, God guides us and God provides for us.  If we accept that, if we truly believe that than, even when things are going wrong for us, we are blessed for goodness and mercy follow us. 

It does not matter if other people have issues with you, God offers you blessings, guidance, restoration and peace.  Believe this, claim this and live this.

Peace,

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. When shall I come and behold the face of God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me continually, “Where is your God?”  Psalm 42:1-3

The Psalmist gives us such a powerful image of our need for God.  This is not a “Sunday school” answer, rather a deep, internal need for the Living God – and then the Psalmist admits his pain – he does not feel God’s presence during a difficult time. 

If you have ever been there (and who among us hasn’t?), it is a deeply painful existence.  It is hard to go through trials and tribulations without feeling God’s presence, or feeling like your prayers have no answer.  Sometimes it even feels like God is not listening or your prayers are useless.  No amount of clever preaching or teaching can lift this feeling.  However, I can turn back to the Word as the Psalmist continues:

These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I went with the throng, and led them in procession to the house of God, with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God (v4-6).

If you are going through one of these times, know you are not alone. 

Peace,

Pastor Bill

 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

When we celebrate, what do we do?  We have a meal, we gather around the table.  When things are bad, what do we do?  We have a meal, we gather around a table.  When we are going through conflict in our lives, God still invites us to the meal, even with our enemies, our struggles around us; God invites us. 

Throughout the bible, anointing with oil is a symbol of God’s blessings and healing.  Even when we are going through trials and tribulations, God abundantly blesses us, anoints us and guides us.

As you journey through this week, consider how God prepares a table for you, blesses you and offers you abundance.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

In just over a month, we will see children walking around our streets wearing costumes including ghosts, monsters and vampires.  I was asked once about my thoughts on Halloween and all the new decorations available.  I responded that there is real evil in the world and it is not a kid asking for a piece of candy while wearing a monster mask.  Real evil, evil that allows children to starve, evil that continues warfare, evil that denies our humanity is real.  But God is stronger.

Every day we walk with God we need not fear evil for God is with us – that is the eternal promise.  And, not only does God walk with us, but God guides us, just as a shepherd.  The shepherd uses his staff and rod to guide the sheep, and chase away the predators.  In the same way, we can follow God’s guidance and avoid the evil around us (or better yet, not be afraid to confront it).

As you journey through this week, allow God to guide you.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

This is the heart of the gospel message, that we can be forgiven and restored.  We can be reconciled to God, through God alone. 

No matter what you have done in your past, you can be restored, God can restore your soul and lead you towards righteousness.  This is the good news!

As you journey through this week, know that God guides you and God restores you daily.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

God is aware we need to rest, so much that God create the Sabbath, a day of rest (not that we follow the concept very well). Yet here the psalmist after telling us that God will provide, immediately tells us God gives us something good – a place to rest.

I love the outdoors, especially sitting near water. It is a place of peace, a place where I can relax and even work out issues in my mind.

I assume David did the same thing as he sat in a green field or by still waters, writing his poetry, contemplating the universe and enjoying God’s provision.

As you journey through this week, spend some time in nature and allow God to speak to you.

Peace,

Pastor Bill