October 30, 2015

Mark 6:  3  Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon?Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

There are so many examples of the faith of the people around Nazareth, but the hometown people can't believe it. This guy is no one special. It offends them that the Messiah grew up with them. The other people,Jairus, the woman who had been bleeding for so long, even the demons recognized Jesus and had faith in him. 

Even in Job today, there is a reference to the faithless. Job 21:  15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
    What would we gain by praying to him?’

I have spent a lot of time worrying about faithless friends and family. I realize how difficult it is to be faithful. To suspend disbelief and to follow something you will never see is quite a task. But the best people I know have done that. They are always trying to be the best servants they can be of a God they feel in their hearts. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am Yours. I give my life to You. I am sad for those who don't share this special relationship. Be there for Your people and show us how to best serve You. 

Amen

October 28, 2015

Mark 1:   45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

Jesus told the healed man not to tell. In fact, he gave a strong warning that he should only show himself to the priests to follow the procedure given in Mosaic law. 

Of course he told everyone. It was life-changing!  The result was that Jesus became a celebrity. He was forced to stay out of sight. The people found him anyway. If only people today were so easily influenced to seek our Saviour!

Prayer:  I am so sad. People I know, including myself, are hurting. Life is so hard. Where can I go for healing?  Guide me to the lonely place where You are found. 
Amen

October 27, 2015

Acts 27:  25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 

Paul is on the ship on his way to appeal his case to Caesar.  He told them not to sail, but they wouldn't listen.  Now they have been caught in a horrible Nor'easter.  They think they will all die, but an angel has appeared to Paul and told him otherwise.

I need this kind of pep talk.  Everything seems so uncertain, and I can't be sure my judgment is good.   Grief still follows me around.  And yet I know what God has told us.  It will all be okay in the end.  If it's not okay, it's not the end.

Prayer:  Lord, I need Your guidance and comfort.  I am floundering in a sea of grief and change.  Show me the way to go.
Amen

October 24, 2015

Acts 19:  15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 

There were some followers who were brothers, and they were traveling around casting out demons when one spoke to them. This caused a great deal of fear among the other followers, and people confessed their sins. 


I don't know about the response of the followers to this. I am guessing that it would be very scary if a demon spoke like that. I am thinking that confessing sins might not be people's reaction today. I think it's kind of haunting to think of demons that way. Would we want demons to acknowledge us?

Prayer:  Lord, I need comfort. I was just frightened by the man stumbling around outside in the semi-darkness. I pray for him, but I also pray for those of us inside the condo. Who is this guy?  
Amen

October 23, 2015

Acts  17:  32  When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”   

Paul is in Athens, where there were many people interested in discussing philosophy. He has been trying to teach the Message in public and the synagogue. The people had mixed reactions. 

The resurrection of the dead is what caught my attention. I am spending my first night alone in Mother's condo. I was worried that the sadness would overwhelm me. It hasn't. She isn't here, and there have been moments when that seems very strange, but I am fine. I am comforted that she is where she needs to be. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am so grateful for the legacy left here by my mother. She had such a wonderful life in this home, and now she has moved to Your place. Praises to a God who has given us the promise of eternal life. 
Amen

October 22, 2015

Acts 16:  15  When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

The story of the conversion of Lydia never caught my eye before. Paul and Silas have tried to go to a town, but the spirit of Jesus wouldn't let them enter. Then Paul has a dream telling him to go to Macedonia. He goes, and they find a group of women at the gate to Philippi. One of them is Lydia, and she invited them into her home. It was also there that they returned after their stay in prison. 

The dream and its results are what caught my eye. Because the spirit of the Lord wouldn't let them go to the wrong place, they end up with these great new disciplines and the amazing story of the jail stay, complete with earthquake. And through it all, Lydia is there for them. What a great Christian lady!

Prayer:  Guide me, God, as You have guided Your followers throughout time. Open my ears to the message You have for me. So many great things will await me if I am listening for Your guidance. 
Amen

October 21,2015.

Acts 13:  41 " Look, you scoffers,
    wonder and perish,
for I am going to do something in your days
    that you would never believe,
    even if someone told you.’[e]”

This is a quote from the OT which Paul uses in the synagogue at Pisidian Antioch. He says that to explain why the Gentiles have now been called by God. 

I just loved the words. I am going to do something...that you would never believe. Yeah, that's about right. A man, born in a stable to a virgin, is saved from death by Herod's army as an infant, only to be crucified by the manipulation of officials in the Jewish church. 

Prayer: I know that You are capable of anything You want to do. I can't understand why You choose so many actions, but I trust Your wisdom. Let Your will be done in this troubled world. 

Amen

October 17, 2015

Acts 7: 55  But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

Stephen has told the story of the Jewish faith to make the point that the people were never faithful, even with all God did for them.  They even killed his prophets, and now they have killed the Messiah too.   That made them furious.  When he tells them what he sees in heaven, they drag him out of town and stone him to death, as he asks God to forgive them.

It's a horrible story, as the same people who are responsible for Jesus's death try to stop the Christians from spreading the faith.  But it's a great story, too, as Stephen sees the glory of heaven and our risen Saviour in his rightful place there.  It gives me hope in my time of grief.  I will meet my mom in that same place.

Prayer:  Lord, I want to see the glory Stephen saw.  Fill me with the Holy Spirit, that I may do Your will as Stephen did.  Guide my thoughts and actions to better serve You.  You are an awesome God who has prepared a wonderful place for all Your people.
Amen

October 15, 2015

Acts 4:  10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.

The disciples are called before the Sanhedrin to explain the healing of the lame beggar at the Beautiful gate.  The leaders demand an explanation, and they want to prevent the disciples from doing more, but they are powerless because everyone knows the man was lame and is now healed.  This is Peter's response.

I pray for healing all the time, for myself, loved ones, acquaintances, and even strangers.  Wouldn't it be awesome to have the kind of faith that ensured that my prayers could be answered on the spot?  Or would that be a disaster?  Would I find myself mobbed?  Could I take the pressure?  I guess I am not the kind of follower that I could be....

Prayer:  I pray for healing in the lives of those I know.  I pray for the grieving, the ill, the injured, those who are hurt inside by the thoughtless acts of others.  Be with Your people, Lord.
Amen

October 14, 2015

Acts 3:  8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.

The lame beggar at the Beautiful Gate asks for money.  But Peter heals him in Christ's name, and he follows the disciples into the temple.  People recognize him, and they rush over.  Peter tells them the whole story of Christ and tells them to repent.

I just liked the imagery here.  I can see the man, walking and jumping as he praises God.  Everything about his life is different now.  He has hope, and he will not have to beg anymore.  He has control of his body and his life, but he recognizes the One who gave him the new life.

Prayer:  I praise my God.  I look at the autumn splendor, driving through a tunnel of gold.  I am awaiting the return of Ron and Daniel after their hunting trip.  I sit in my cozy home, listening to music and watching the day fade away.  For all these blessings, I thank you, God.  You are so good to me.
Amen

October 13, 2015

Acts 2: 39  "The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

It's Pentecost, and the church is born. The people are amazed to see the Galilean disciples speaking in all their different languages.  They even accuse the disciples of being drunk, but Peter tells them that is not the case.  They are merely sharing the promise, foretold by prophets, that we are all heirs to life eternal through Christ.

I'm so glad I heard and heeded the call.  I am grateful for all those in my life who are also followers.  I pray for those who cannot or will not hear.  

Prayer:  Lord, please let all your children's eyes be opened to the truth.  If I can assist in that, let me see the ways I can serve You.  The promise is real to me, and I would ask that You make it real to Your people all over the world.  We need to hear it.  Open our ears.
Amen

October 12, 2015

Nehemiah 8:  10  Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The city is ready.  The people have gathered to hear the Levites explain the word of God to them.  It made them cry, but Nehemiah says they shouldn't.  They should celebrate!

I have suffered another bout of grief this evening.  It is strange how it comes over me, and it is amazingly physical.  I am having trouble eating on  a daily basis.  I turned to praise music to lift me out of my funk today.  The joy of the Lord indeed!

Prayer:  Lord, I need Your strength and comfort as I battle the sadness and anxiety brought on by my grief.  I am still so sad.  I believe that only You have the power to relieve my suffering.  Be with me.
Amen

October 10, 2015

Luke 24:  52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 

This chapter starts with the women at the tomb, and it ends after Jesus has appeared to the 11.  He has talked about his destiny and how it was fulfilled.  He eats fish with them after breaking bread with Simon and Cleopas.  Then he ascends into heaven, and they begin a new mission.

I wanted the summary, the real point of the chapter.  This was it, in my eyes.  The church is established on the truth that death has been defeated.  Jesus wasn't the ghost they feared.  He was the risen Lord.  That's certainly worthy of worship!

Prayer:  I worship with great joy, too, the resurrected Christ who died for me.  I am hopeful, even in the face of the grief caused by the death of my dear mother, because I know we will be together in paradise with our Lord and his Father.  Praise be to God!
Amen

October 8, 2015

Luke 21:  34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap."

Jesus talks about the fall of Jerusalem and the second coming.  There will be trouble all over the world, and those in Jerusalem will need to get out, with no one new coming in.  We, as Christians, should stand tall and look for Christ.  But there will be many who are not taken in the rapture, because they never had time for a relationship with God in this life.

The trap analogy is tough.  There is much to take our attention away from our faith.  We want to have a good time.  We have so many responsibilities.  It's strange to think that carousing and drunkenness would weigh down our hearts, though.  Anxiety, sure.  But even the pursuit of the pleasures of life can wwigh us down.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to remember to give my time and attention to my faith.  Don't let me be trapped by the mundane affairs of daily life. Keep my focus on the true purpose of my existence--to serve You.
Amen

October 7, 2015

Luke 20:  36 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children,since they are children of the resurrection. 

third year in a row for this verse!

The Sadducees try to trick Jesus with a story of a woman who married many times to brothers.  They ask who will be her husband in heaven.  Jesus says people in heaven aren't married at all.He offers Moses's prayer at the burning bush as further proof that there is life after death.

I sometimes get aggravated with people who announce the death of a loved one by announcing that heaven got a new angel.  No, people don't turn into angels.  But here Jesus says that they are LIKE angels.  I like to think about Jo, Mother and Daddy and all the others I loved in heaven like angels.

Prayer:  I am still grieving, Lord, and I need comforting images to keep me from descending into sadness and anxiety.  Be with me.  Remind me that my loved ones are safe with you, and that we will have a great reunion someday.
Amen

October 6, 2015

Luke 19:  5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him,‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’

Zaccheus was up in the tree, because he was too short to see Jesus otherwise. Jesus knew about that, and he knew Zaccheus's heart. Zaccheus repented and tried to make restitution for the wrongs in his past. 

I wish things were as clear to me. I don't know people's hearts, and I can be cold as ice. Maybe I walk right past the person who needed my help, totally involved in my own life. 

Prayer:  Lord, I need You to let me see Your people and their needs. Warm my heart to the work You would have me do. Guide my words and actions to serve You. 
Amen

October 4, 2015

Luke 17:  6 He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.

Jesus has talked to the disciples about forgiveness and causing others to sin. They ask for increased faith. This is his reply. 

This chapter is kind of hard to follow. It starts with a warning against leading others to sin, then jumps to forgiveness. Then he talks about the relationship between servant and master. The power of faith compared to the mustard seed comes in the middle. The imagery is great, however, as the tiny mustard seed becomes a great tree. A tiny bit of faith can be a great tool, and we must do whatever we can to protect it in ourselves and others. 

Prayer:  I want to grow my faith. I want to help others grow their faith. I remember the legacy of faith my mother and her Hesse family gave me on what would have been her 93rd birthday. Praise be to God for the gift of faith we shared. 
Amen

October 3, 2025

Luke 16:  26 "And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”

This story is not an easy one. Lazarus has lived a life with little, as the rich man came and went, not even regarding the suffering of his fellow man. Now both are dead. The rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus to comfort him with water. Abraham tells him no. It's too late for repentance now. He won't even honor the rich man's request to send Lazarus back to warn his family. They wouldn't get it. 

I'm struck by the rich man's requests. He still thinks he's superior to Lazarus!  Yeah, he and his family will never get it. They honor money and status. They don't see the real value in people. 

Prayer:  Lord, I hope that I am never like the rich man in this parable. Help me to see all Your people as You do. Guide me to do the things that decrease the suffering of my fellow man, even if it's not easy. 
Amen

October 2, 2015

Luke 15:  2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.’

Jesus is hanging around with tax collectors and other sinners. His response to this criticism is to tell of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the prodigal son. 

I'm thinking of the criticism of the Pope. My daughter was incensed about his meeting with Kim Davis. I'm thinking he was doing what Jesus would have done. He would have been hopeful that she would respond to him with Christian brotherhood. 

Prayer:  I pray for people of faith everywhere. We are often attacked for our beliefs. Help us to stand together while tolerating individual styles of worship. Keep Your church alive. 
Amen

October 1, 2015

Luke 14:  11  "For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Jesus is eating at the house of a Pharisee. He offers this advice when everyone is seated. He noticed how they jockeyed themselves into the prime positions. He says we shouldn't do that, for fear we will be humiliated when a greater person comes along.  Then we will have to give up that great seat. We should choose the worst seat, and maybe we will be moving up when the host notices. 

I'm thinking about my own ego. I always imagine how well received my actions will be, and I am disappointed when that doesn't happen. I guess I needed to hear this story right now. Humbling myself should be near the top of my "to do" list. 

Prayer:  Be with me today as I prepare for my colonoscopy. Help me to endure the discomfort. Give the doctor a steady hand, and let the results be good. Be with all the others who will suffer today. Your people need You, and I do too. 
Amen