John 8: 31-36

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

I didn't realize before that this quote has it's origin in the Bible. Of course it makes sense -- but I couldn't have told you it was biblical. It makes sense also to find it spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of John - the most poetic and philosophical of the gospels.

The idea of Absolute Truth was what drew me to the faith as a young teen - the years when I was busily claiming the faith as my own and figuring out my philosophical approach to the world. As I grew, I took on the ideas of mercy and forgiveness and love, and even freedom in faith...but it was Truth that drew me. And Truth that remains central to my understanding of God today.

Matthew 5

How familiar these verses are. I don't know how many times I have taught these to Sunday school classes or during VBS. But how often do I really think about what they mean? I think when we hear verses too often we loose what they are trying to teach us.

I think Jesus is trying to tell us that we don't have to be perfect or popular we just need to believe and work at being faithful to God. There are rewards in heaven that we will receive and we do not have to be perfect in our everyday lives. In fact we cannot be perfect and maybe that's why we have this teaching.

We should rejoice in God each day because he loves us and is always there listening and helping.

Readings for the week..

Monday: John 8:31-36
Tuesday: Matthew 5: 1-12
Wednesday: Proverbs 16:21-33
Thursday: Matthew 24:1-14
Friday: Amos 3:1-12
Saturday: Psalm 70
Sunday: Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Psalm 119:41-48

These verses give me pause. I attempt each day to obey God's word but come tragically short a good portion of the time. (v47)How I love your laws! How I enjoy your commands! These two statements aren't ones I easily share. My faith does not waiver but my humanness can set me in conflict to the will of God. I'm weak, selfish, insecure, fearful etc. at times. Reliance on the Father is my only true refuge and when I'm living with that focus all is good.

Malachi 1:6-2:9

God expects from us our first fruits.  What an exhausting thought, today.  After a long few weeks at my day job, to hear that a lot of that isn't really what God is looking for is deflating, but its true.  I give God blemished goods because I myself am tired or unmotivated to do the good that God put me on this earth to do. 

This came up for me this past week before the service at Bible study too.  We were talking about 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and what God was calling us to do in the chapter.  We spoke about life as a "human being" as opposed to a "human doing."  What a struggle it is!  When you do too much, you cannot be still enough to hear God's words.  But if you are to idle, then you are not giving God your best! 

But perhaps the crux of the matter for me is in that passage from 1 Thessalonians where Paul writes "we speak as those approved by God." God's grace (sans Kelly's "issue #1") allows us to be free of this worry and empowers us to do as much as we can without worrying that God does not love us because we don't do enough and give enough.  What we do though should be within God's commandments to love one another.  So whether it is within church walls or the walls of a big bank, we need to treat everyone as a child of God.

John 14:21-27

Welcome to the passage of thorny Biblical issues.

Issue 1 -- grace and works. Luther tells us (as does Paul) that we are saved by "grace alone". so what's with verse 21? "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me...and will be loved by my Father...and by me" I know that many claim that love/works is like chicken/egg....but to read this verse for what it IS -- not what we add to it -- is a thorny issue in the face of Paul and Luther.

Issue 2 --- the "Messianic Secret". Why does Jesus keep telling his disciples to keep quiet about who he really is? Or, in v. 22 "Why do you tell us and not the world?" And Jesus answers in v. 23...but the answer does not address the question, it merely continues the original speech.

Thank God for the Spirit! (literally!) For continually helping me to understand the things I don't. For letting me ask questions even when I don't have answers. For enveloping me in a faith that is as stimulating to my mind as it is to my heart.

Readings for the week

Monday: John 14:21-27
Tuesday: Psalm 43
Wednesday: Malachi 1:6-2:9
Thursday: Psalm 119:41-48
Friday: James 2:14-26
Saturday: Matthew 19:16-22
Sunday: Micah 3:5-12, Psalm 43; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12

Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53

If I was to pick a favorite place to read from in the Bible it would be the Gospels. Here the writer goes to great lengths to assure the reader of the authenticity of his account of Jesus' ministry.

Luke ends where Christianity begins. Christ has returned to open the minds of His Apostles to
understand the Scriptures. He wants them to share with the world the Word.

Jesus, the One without sin became sin for us, so that we may have life with the Father. His sacrifice gives to all the opportunity to walk in His Light.

Psalm 98

"Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. (Ps 104:1)"

Sure, its not Psalm 98, but it was the first thought I had after reading it.  This Psalm (98) is all about acknowledging the goodness of God.  You might have bad days, but God is Good, All the Time.

Readings for the week..

Monday: Titus 2:7-8,11-15
Tuesday: John 5:39-47
Wednesday: Psalm 98
Thursday: Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53
Friday: Matthew 17:22-27
Saturday: Psalm 1
Sunday: Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 1; 1Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

Psalm 24 Praise for Deliverance from Trouble

All my life I have turned to the Psalms for comfort and advice, when I pray I will seek them for guidance hoping to hear God's voice in the words. Usually  I can find Him there, but the direction He takes me is not always where I thought things would go.

Today, I am writing this post on the later part of Friday; I think God had me wait because the day needed to play out for me to see and hear what he needed me to understand.

In this reading I see that Psalm 34  is "Testimony to the goodness of God, who delivers the afflicted from their fears. That the Psalmist reports on God's hearing the prayer and invites others to know the goodness of the Lord through worship and trust." (Harper Collins Study Bible 1993)

So I read in verse 15: "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry." and verse 17: "When the righteous cry for help, the lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles."

I received an e-mail at work today from Laura who is now staying most nights with her parents in Brockton, Ma. Her parents need her more now to get through a normal day and Laura must carefully balance her time between their needs and her work. We were hopeful that with her Dad's return to the house, physical therapy, visiting nurses and meals on wheels that she could once a week return home here in Fitchburg for some rest. But I also know that God is wiser than us; he made sure Laura was in Brockton last night to help her Dad. Her Mom had gotten up in the middle of the night and fell trying to get back into bed. She could not get herself up and Laura's Dad panicked, called to Laura for help, who rushed in, lifted her mother up and placed her back in bed. Laura's Mom is OK, a doctors visit today confirmed she had no more than a scare and a bump on the head for her troubles, Praise God.

From todays reading I am also convinced that God's eyes are on Laura and her parents, righteous and faithful servants all of their lives, and that God made sure Laura was there last night to act on His behalf when her Dad called out. God sees us,  hears us, takes action and rescues us from our troubles, we just sometimes need to recognise that it is God that places others near and around us. He surrounds us with his love that is manifest in the actions of those he calls.

Isaiah 14:3-11

11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.

All that is of this earth and world is temporary. The Lord is forever. Praise God!
I starting going back to the gym last week. Why? Well among other reasons I have high blood pressure and eat like a 19 year old college freshman at times and I most likely have reached the midpoint of my life. Our Father expects nothing less than for us to rely on Him. Everything
else is temporal. This is not to say He wants me not to take care of my physical health but that
my reliance should be on my faith in Him and not of what this world brings to me.

1 Peter 5:1-5

God favors the humble. 

Today, a news story broke about the Red Sox collapse this past September.   The article talks about the clubhouse being in shambles.  Multi-millionaires whose sole job it is to play ball were becoming out of shape and disenfranchised.  This is the greatest sin of a ballplayer, to lollygag.  This is the time when a fan comes to grips with the amount of money these players are being paid.  On the flip side, the player with the perpetually dirty uniform and the constant hustle around the basepaths is immortal.  The player that hits the game winning homerun and then is quoted saying "this is a team game and I am happy to be a part of it" is the fan sweatheart.

We cherish their humility and blast their pride because we live vicariously through it.  But are we ourselves humble?

Song of Solomon 7:10-8:4

Really?!
So I ask if we can jumble the readings up a bit so I don't always have a Psalm...and you give me Song of Solomon, Jordan? Really?!

It's beautiful...no doubt about it. And the symbolism in this chapter is rich.

So, God loves us. And sex is good. And it's nice to read a part of the Bible narrated by a woman (and a woman in the Bible who thinks sex is good).

I find 8:1 very confusing. I was going along great with the love imagery, and it finishes up with the same...but that one line about being "like a brother" is a litle weird.

Psalm 96

This is a familiar Psalm and I one that makes me feel safe and secure in God. One of the special things about the Lutheran church is the singing that we do. I have always loved music and singing. It brings me joy and peace. When I am singing church songs I especially feel a contentment and peace, I feel closer to God somehow. In fact if you looked at my Ipod the majority of the music on there is Christian Rock. I love listening to it on my way to work in the morning, it helps me to ground myself in the day ahead.

Verse 11-13 tells us to let the heavens, earth and sea, fields, trees and all creation rejoice for the Lord will come and judge the earth. But do not be afraid because he will judge righteously and faithfully. What a comfort that brings! We should all remember to take a moment this week, to enjoy all that God has given us. As we prepare for a long, cold winter take a moment to enjoy the beauty of Fall and all the colors surrounding us. God is good and his creation is ours. Let's all do our part to take care of it and cherish it.

Readings for the week..

Monday: Song of Solomon 7:10-8:4
Tuesday: Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13]
Wednesday: 1 Peter 5:1-5
Thursday: Isaiah 14:3-11
Friday: Psalm 34
Saturday: Amos 9:5-15
Sunday: Isaiah 45:1-7, Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13], 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22

Isaiah 24 V 17 - 23

Terror, and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

• You are officially caught between a rock and a hard place.
• You are like a deer caught in a headlight
• Nothing good can come from this

I woke up tonight to let the dogs go out for their (now) nightly business, which I sometimes dread, fearing there may be a skunk involved. There wasn't tonight and the time out was fairly short so I took it as a sort of victory. Then I made the mistake of reading Isaiah 24, verses 17-23. Ok, now how do I get back to sleep, I don't need to get up until 5:00am. Here is Isaiah telling me that I can run but I can't hide.

Wait..... I'm not one of the kings on earth, not by a long shot do I see myself as a pagan god. I can move on to Isaiah 25:
 "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things,"; but if there are any kings of earth lurking about, watch out, God is here ready to shake things up.

I will sleep again tonight knowing God loves me.

James 4:4-10

The author of these verses goes to great lengths to confirm the imperfection of his readers.
I as a believer am responsible for my thoughts and deeds with respect to how I carry myself
not only in my church life but in all my comings and goings. Unequivocally I falter all too often but
my mind and spirit are constantly battling to walk in the Light of Christ's Word. My brokenness
gives me strength to know that God is all powerful and without Him I am forever lost.

This world and all its trappings are temporary. That isn't to suggest though that vacation time,
watching the Patriots or annual bonuses aren't important to me.The Lord has given me all that I have and has carried me through life events that were much to much for me to survive without His guidance and grace. My journey is exciting, I enjoy the new experiences my church has afforded me and realize how fortunate I am to be involved.

Psalm 23

This morning I was awakened at around 4am for an issue at work.  Earlier in my career when these calls came in, my heart would sink to my stomach and I would spend the first hour of troubleshooting in panic.  I was useless.  So worried that I would not be able to fix it actually prevented me from being able to fix it.  As soon as I would calm down, the issue became more clear and more often than not, I would have a solution.  Now, with the confidence of knowing what I can do and what I have been able to do, I am able to be calm as soon as the call comes in. 

I don't think there is any way to be calm under pressure unless you have been under pressure a million times before.  When I read Psalm 23, for the umpteenth time in my life, I had a new thought (which seems to always happen with this psalm!).  The Psalmist could write these words with such conviction because this was not his first rodeo.  We need to walk with God many times before we know that God is always there for us.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!

I sometimes wonder about re-creation and reconciliation. God has forgiven me for times when I have hurt those around me pretty seriously. But the memory of my actions is a part of who I am. My self-reproach keeps me acting in the way I know God wants me to act, the way I want to act. My self-inflicted sorrow over those events helps me to become more fully the person I was created to be.

I am a new creation because of Christ's love, God's forgiveness. But in the words of Star Trek V (yes, the bad one)....our pain is what makes us who we are.

So how do I intertwine God's forgiveness and reconciliation and newness with my own memory - and my own growth that is dependent on remembering my sin?

Readings for the week

Hi everyone.  To allow people to get different types of readings (e.g. always blogging pslams) we are going to rotate through the readings. Hopefully it doesn't get too confusing.  So here goes:

Monday: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Tuesday: John 11:45-57

Wednesday: Psalm 23

Thursday: James 4:4-10

Friday: Isaiah 24:17-23

Saturday: Psalm 144

Sunday: Isaiah 25:1-9, Psalm 23, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14