Sunday, November 27, 2011

Show Me a Sign!

We’re a sign. We say something or point to something. We do this as an individual, and as a group. We are a group of people who wear the name of Jesus. Through the eyes of Jesus, we can see the work which God has already done in the people we meet.  And we decide to see the good work of Christ in them even as we walk beside them encouraging them to move ahead in their walk with Jesus.  The ability to spur each other forward with Jesus comes in the context of our relationship with each other. Our ability to love people into the walk with Jesus, and together in our walk with Jesus, is a sign. It’s a sign pointing people to Emmanuel, God with us, for us, in us. Everyone is looking for a sign from above. May we be a sign pointing to Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9 Is the inspiration for this blog post…Apostle Paul affirms the work of Christ in a group of Christians who had come along way, but had a long way to go, especially in the love of each other, shown in unity. He expected them to have long-suffering grace, combined with accountability.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

The Cure for Crazy

Ephesians 1:15-23

It is only fitting to give thanks for faith in our heavenly Father, and giving thanks for a love for our brothers and sisters, all of them, poured through us as we grow in faith in the Father. But, we can seek and expect that we will continue to grow up in faith and love, and it will be expressed in a continuing work in and through us: a growing intelligence and wisdom for every part of our crazy life in a crazy world! It’s not like this is a different thing! It’s simply the further work of God, who wants to be our everything! As we give thanks to God, especially this week, when we celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s not be content merely giving thanks for the past work of God, let’s expect further work! Our heavenly Father is ready and willing to bring us enlightenment for all the crazy issues of life!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Productive Energy

1 Thessalonians: 1-11

In the 2001 animated movie, Monsters, Inc., a whole city’s energy is generated by the screams of children in fear of the monsters that appear at night in the dark! A great story line, and, how true, that fear can generate a lot of energy, though rarely for positive gain! In fact, it is the energy created by the opposite of fear, faith, which propels us in the positive direction.

This passage of scripture reminds us that fear of what will happen in the end is not productive or even necessary. We have a description of our being taken care of in the end. We have the complete story of how we had our lives designed for a good life, now and forever.  The importance of the details of how the end will happen pales in comparison to the picture of our destination, and presence of our deliverer.