Ash Wednesday

                                             

Psalm 51: 1-3 “¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.”(NRSV)

 Ashes, suffering and pending death, never seems like a great topic to start a conversation with someone.  We participate in the service of Ash Wednesday as we begin the season of Lent. During the 40 days prior to Easter we are to be in a state of repentance. You see we place ashes on our foreheads to remind us of the suffering that Jesus encountered during his trial, crucifixion and death.

The ashes that are placed on our foreheads as an outward symbol of suffering actually are made from the burning of the palms that we use as a reminder of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

What a contrast; we see the palms as joyous in the celebration and then the ashes as a sign of death and suffering.

These ashes we wear as a symbol of all the suffering we experience through the separation of our relationship with God through our sin.

Once we complete the journey of Lent, we once again see the glorified and risen Christ. The one who came to reclaim us from our eternal suffering to a place of relationship and love that God has for all God's children.

So wear your ashes, as a sign of repentance for the sin we have committed and how Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice for each one of us!

In The Cleft of the Rock

It has been many many months since I had the opportunity to sit and write some of my reflections from the porch. 

Now that the snow has arrived and the porch floor is covered in the gleam and sparkle of fresh new white snow, many may say that they are in the midst of experiencing heart ache and pain. Both spiritual and physical discomfort.

These past months I have learned that I need to remain in the cleft of the rock. A place where comfort and peace can be found!

My prayer for all, is that we can find such a place. So hold onto this truth which is found in the Song of Solomon 2:14 


"My dove in the cleft of the rock.
in the hiding places on the mountain side,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet,
and your face is lovely" (NLT)

Let us take this verse and hold it in our hearts as we come to a place of enjoyment, hope, joy, peace, love and expectation this Christmas Season!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

                                     A Fresh Encounter... 

I have been reading a book with this title, authored by Henry and Richard Blackaby.  I have discovered that we all need a fresh encounter from time to time.  We need a fresh awakening in our life with God, we need a freshness in the air we breathe, just as we experience after a rainstorm.

Here in America we have experienced 2 great awakenings in the life  and history of the Christian church. The First Great Awakening occurred during the 1730's and 1740's. This awakening happened in the churches, it was noted to have strengthened the protestant churches to a point of bringing people into that experience of a fresh encounter.  Then during the 1800's The Second Great Awakening took place on our shores here in America. This movement was reaching the unchurched people and bringing them in droves into the churches across this great country.

Then in the 1960's- 1970's we had The Charismatic Renewal. This was both found in the Roman Catholic church and the protestant churches through the experiences of the young people known as the Jesus Movement.

Today I am praying for a fresh encounter with God which will reach both the church and the unchurched people. 

I pray that God reveals this fresh encounter for all people; so that we learn to focus our hearts and eyes on the Creator of the universe, through the love and grace we receive, because of the greatest sacrifice known to humankind. The death and resurrection of the Son of God, who freely gave his life; so that all people would experience eternal life!

Let us today be in prayer for this fresh encounter like we have never experienced before. That God through the power of the Holy Spirit would bring an everlasting change to every heart in the world!

                                 Can I get an AMEN!

Walking In Your Brother's Shoes

Jesus spoke to us through his teaching in the Scripture about peace.  A peace that comes to us through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Today in many of our churches people are desperate to find peace. Peace for their broken hearts; peace for their broken families; peace for their broken spiritual lives.

How can we as Christians, those who proclaim to be followers of Jesus Christ help others to find the peace they are yearning for?

It is easy to say to a person, here read this book or I will pray for you! But have you really allowed yourself to get to know that person. Have you spent time listening to their story?

Jesus did just that, Jesus spent time with the people who needed what he had the most!

Jesus sat and ate with them, Jesus walked with them...all over the place...Jesus washed their feet, Jesus fed them.

Can you say that you have done any of these things this past week?

Have any of you walked with someone so that you could truly understand their ideas that may be different than your own? Not saying that you agree with them. But have you taken the time to listen!

Can you honestly say that you care enough about your neighbor to take the time and have a meal together, to show that person that they have sacred worth?

Jesus did just that. He showed the woman at the well how to not be thirsty, he spoke to the woman found in adultery, he chose Judas to be a part of God's big plan for our salvation.

Let me take a moment to challenge each one who reads this, to do something this week for someone besides yourself.  Take some time to walk in your neighbor's shoes!

Cloudiness

     Sometimes the cloudiness in our vision is because there is a problem that causes us to not see clearly; this cloudiness could be caused from a medical condition, like the forming of a cataract. 

    It might be caused from a weather condition, fog has rolled in off the seashore. 

    Sometimes it might be cloudy because of an agenda that a group of people have on a political issue that they are trying to get others to agree with.

Cloudiness is something that we could legitimately see every day if we live in certain areas of the world. We could see this cloudiness in our own lives every day. 

This reminds me of the Scripture story that talks about the Israelites that followed the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night: Exodus 13:20-22

"They moved on from Succoth and then camped at Etham at the edge of the wilderness. God went ahead of them in a Pillar of Cloud during the day to guide them on the way, and at night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light; thus they could travel both day and night. The Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night never left the people." (The Message)

Moses knew that without the cloud the nation of Israel could get lost...Remember these folks were lost for 40 years in the desert!

One thing that comes from this story is the fact that if cloudiness is on our lives it might be GOD made and GOD sent for us to follow. BUT we must first discern that the cloud is a God thing or a nature made thing.

Moses knew God because he had an encounter with the Creator on the mountain. My belief is that Moses was the right man for discerning that the cloud was GOD given. 

My question is: have you experienced a visitation from God lately; to help you figure out if the cloudiness in your life is nature made, man made or GOD provided?

My suggestion is: we spend time with God every day to learn the difference between cloudiness that is caused by disease or a cloud that is placed before us out of a life of oppression, sin and separation from the ONE who loves us more than we can comprehend!

Calming Wind and Water

My reading  today encompassed the story about how Jesus calmed the wind and the water.

                                            Matthew 8: 23 - 27 
talks about how his followers were fearful of the storm that came up very quickly.

You see in this story is a group of men that had gotten in a fishing boat with Jesus. Jesus was exhausted from his time of teaching and preaching, so he fell asleep. A storm comes up and the wind begins to blow hard and the water begins to churn violently.

These followers became so afraid, they yelled at Jesus to wake up and do something. Can you see these men trembling and fearful in the midst of this storm?

How many times have we gotten fearful in our lives because difficult issues have developed and we have screamed out to God to 

                                     DO SOMETHING!

In the midst of the storm, there can be fear, there can be exhaustion due to stress and anxiety.  

Jesus shows us very clearly how we should act when we are facing the rough waters of life.

Stand up and say to the circumstances...Be Still!  

Many of you may say that is so easy to say but so hard to do! I agree! It is so much easier to say than do!  Many of us may have the urge to run as fast as we can from life and the craziness that life can bring our way.

Jesus tell us "Be Still and Know that I am God"
                                                                        Psalm 46:10 (NLT)

Are you ready to let God still the wind and waves in your life? Are you ready to be still and understand that God is with you, no matter what you are facing?

Hope so.  

              Give it a try and see how God works!

Walking With God

Many people wonder what it means to walk with God. Some people think it is all about worship on Sunday mornings, some believe it is all about forms and styles of worship services. Others believe it is certain forms and styles of prayers.

I would encourage you to read the gospels found in the New Testament. Jesus teaches us very clearly what walking with God is about!

First we must fall in love with Jesus, who came to this earth as a human; to live , die and be resurrected for our sake. Second we must learn to fall in love with God's Word. We need to yearn to read and gain understanding of the stories told in the written text. Third we need to learn to love one another, just as God loved us first!

Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. ..." (NRSV)

Luke 11:28

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” (NRSV)

Ephesians 6:24

May grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ forever.(CEB)

What do we learn from the generations of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

Deuteronomy 7:9 "You know that the Lord your God is the only true God. So love him and obey his commands, and he will faithfully keep his agreement with you and your descendants for a thousand generations." (CEV)

LET'S TAKE A WALK!

Until next time,

Rev. Patti