5.18.15 "Go Has No Limits!"

Dear Lord Jesus, Please help me to hear and to understand the message that you want to share with me and through me.   I feel distracted and overwhelmed today, please quiet my mind and my heart with your Holy Spirit and fill me with your peace and inspiring message.  Amen.

Luke 11:1-8

1One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples” 

2 He said to them, “ When you pray, say:

“Father,

hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 

3 Give us each day jour daily bread. 

4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive

  everyone who sins against us. 

  And lead us not into temptation.’”

5 Then Jesus said to them,  “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loves of bread; 

6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 

7 Suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me.  The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed.  I can’t get up and give you anything’   

8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

What I take away from Jesus’s prayer and story is that God Has No Limits!

No Limits on Time,  No limits on patience,  No limits on power, or resources! 

We can never out ask God.   God’s door is always open. He is never too busy or too tired to listen to what we need to ask him. We can be like the neighbor in the story with our “shameless audacity” pounding on his door at all hours of the day or night!  We can and should continue to ask God for all of our daily needs! He wants to let it all out and put it all in his hands!

Many times I feel overwhelmed by the great needs that people have.   I want to help but I don’t know how.   I pray with them and for them, but not always sure what else I can do.  Some have financial need, some have health issues, while others have emotional issues and relationship issues.  So much hurt, so much pain!

Then God reminded me in Sunday’s service , that as I pour out all of these needs to him, he is able to take care of all of our needs, everyday.   All he asks us to do is to seek him, and to trust him and then follow him!

He may ask you to help with a specific need:  help a neighbor, visit someone who is sick our lonely, bless someone financially or with something they need. We never know how God is going to use us to carry out his plan and purpose for us.

The other thing is, that we can come to God and seek his forgiveness, no matter what we have done in our past, no matter what we have said or thought.   If we willing surrender ourselves to God and turn away from our past wrongs and seek his forgiveness, he will always forgive us.  There is no limit to God’s forgiveness!

There is an old song that just came to mind,  from Lamentations 3, the words are:

“ The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,

His mercies never come to an end,

They are new every morning!

Great is thy faithfulness, Oh Lord!”

Are we praying without ceasing?   Are we motivated to pray in all circumstances and keep praying?  Are we waiting on God, trusting him with our whole heart and leaning on him?  I know I am still learning to do this, it is a daily lesson to let go of my agenda and be open and available to follow God’s agenda for me.  And daily he reveals a little bit more of his plan!

Lord Jesus, I come to you today, with shameless audacity because I want All of you and all that you have for me today!

Please help me to surrender my will to you and receive your will into my heart.  I pray today that your kingdom will come and your will be done as you lead me and guide me.   Amen!

PD

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  How does it relate to the message from Sunday?  Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is:    Psalm 136

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. ² Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. ³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.

⁴ to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. ⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. ⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. ⁷ who made the great lights— His love endures forever. ⁸ the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. ⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.

¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt His love endures forever. ¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them His love endures forever. ¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; His love endures forever.

¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea asunder His love endures forever. ¹⁴ and brought Israel through the midst of it, His love endures forever. ¹⁵ but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; His love endures forever.

¹⁶ to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.

¹⁷ to him who struck down great kings, His love endures forever. ¹⁸ and killed mighty kings— His love endures forever. ¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites His love endures forever. ²⁰ and Og king of Bashan— His love endures forever. ²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance, His love endures forever. ²² an inheritance to his servant Israel. His love endures forever.

²³ He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever. ²⁴ and freed us from our enemies. His love endures forever. ²⁵ He gives food to every creature. His love endures forever.

²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.

5.15.2015 "Hard Sayings"

Matthew 5:38-48 (NIV) 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbors and hate your enemy.’  44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

These eleven verses contain some of the “hardest” sayings of Jesus found in the New Testament.  They are not “hard” in the sense that they can’t be understood, but they are “hard” in the sense that they are so difficult to live by.  Jesus commentary on the act of retaliation (vs. 38-40), to generosity (vs. 41-42) and the extent to which one must love (vs. 43-47) are so contrary to my human nature, that I want to quickly set these sayings aside and move on to Jesus’ other words of comfort, reassurance and love (for example, the Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount earlier in this chapter).

However, we can’t simply set these verses aside, no matter how uncomfortable they may be to us.  When I think about retaliation, the recent conflict with ISIS comes immediately to my mind.  What is the Christian response to that situation?  The human side of me wants retaliation.  I am guilty.  Regarding generosity … every day I pass homeless on street corners and yet fail to take action.  Guilty again.  Finally, what about our Christian duty to “love our enemies and pray for those who persecute you”?  I can honestly say, that topic is not on my regular prayer list.  Guilty again.

Any time I start to get too comfortable with my personal worthiness for all that Jesus has done for me, I consider these verses and how high Jesus’ standards of Christian behavior really are.  It reminds me how I always fall woefully short of the mark … guilty of sins of both commission and omission.  I am ever thankful to God for the gift of his Son and his Grace in my life.

Blessings, John H

5.13.2015 "Love God! Love Your Neighbor as Yourself!"

Mark 12:28-34 ²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[b] 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

So not long after moving into our new home the house next door, which was also for sale, was purchased by…you guessed it…the neighbor from you know where. One of the most irritating things she did was to park her car in front of our house. There was nothing in my neighbor’s driveway, or in front of her house.   She wasn’t mowing her lawn or cleaning out her garage. There was no reason, in our minds for her to do this and it was done with such frequency it became a source of irrigate for us.   Sometimes, she would park it there for days while she was out of town. We became suspicious that perhaps she was involved in something that made her want to conceal where she lived. If that was the case we certainly didn’t want our house to be mistakenly identified as hers.

So we began to try to encourage her to use her driveway or park her car in front of her own home. When we tried to approach her directly we were meant with an icy stare and, “you don’t own the street, I’ll park where I want.” The behavior got worse. Next stop, the neighborhood association. That worked for maybe two weeks. Then the behavior worsened once again. At one point she parked in a way that partially blocked our driveway. She only moved it when a Code Enforcement officer show up to write her a ticket.

It was incredible how this affected us. We could get up in the morning in the best of moods, open the drapes and see that car and the day was downhill from there. Or we could come home after enjoying a great day and the driveway would be partially blocked.

We tried everything with no real success. Then we being the “Why Pray” series at church. It was during that time that we made a conscious decision not to pray about the situation, but to pray for our neighbor. We also took it a step further, anonymously sending her a card of blessing and encouragement.   To our amazement the behavior began to slowly change. It wasn’t overnight but gradually it came to an end. One Sunday as we returned home from church we noticed her getting into her car which now stayed pretty much either in her driveway or in front of her own home.  What was different about this Sunday is that our neighbor was obviously dressed for church.

Heavenly FATHER, why is such a simple commandment so very difficult to obey? Teach us YOUR ways oh GOD that we may know and understand the peace that comes from the love YOU freely give to us and expect us to give to each other. In JESUS name, amen.

5.12.2015 "To Pass By or Not to Pass By?"

Please pray with me: God of Heaven and Earth,

I love you!  I love you - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!  Thank you for giving me this time of connection with you.  Thank you for giving me the desire to stop and listen to what you are saying to me today.  I ask, heavenly Father, that you open my heart even wider so that I will be a good listener and that you will inspire me to apply these words and this time to what is currently going on in my life.  Please help me to focus by putting aside any distractions that might come my way in these next few minutes.

I love you, Jesus!  I love you, Jesus!!  I love you, Jesus!!!

Amen.

Romans 5:1-11

5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b]boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³ Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

In this Sunday's message, Pastor Zank preached on the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  He encouraged us not to "pass by" as the priest and the Levite did, but to "get in the boat" as Jesus did when his disciples were in a storm and as the Samaritan does in this parable.  Jesus told this parable in response to a man who, wanting to justify himself, asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Because of Paul's words to the Romans above, hopefully we will resist the temptation to try and justify ourselves.  You see, Christ has already justified us.  Paul says in verse 9, "Since we have now been justified by his blood…".  The reality that simple phrase unpacks for us changes everything!  We don't have to go around asking, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

It has already been done for us.  No more legalism, performance anxiety, guilt, or whatever else you want to call it.

Because of Jesus' suffering on the cross for me, I have been set free to do good works and "get into the boat" with whomever God is calling me to serve.  As Pastor Zank spoke of, I now can act out of real empathy and compassion and not just out of empty sympathy.  Knowing and experiencing God's awesome love for me really motivates me to serve Him by not passing by, but rather "getting in the boat" with my neighbors.

May God grant us the desire and the ability to do His will!

Mark

5.11.15 "Life to the Full"

The Scripture for today is John 10:1-8 10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ² The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵ But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶ Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

⁷ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  Have LIFE to the FULL!  Jesus’ words are so promising – so inspiring and yet, confusing.  Having LIFE to the FULL in a world where there is sickness, death, divorce, crime, hate, and brokenness – things that suck the very life right out of us.  How do we have life to the full when the very breath in our body is being sucked out by sin and pain?  I have been reading “The Divine Conspiracy” by Dallas Willard.  He states “Jesus offers himself as God’s doorway into the life that is truly life.”  Think about a doorway for a moment.  When I come home from work, I enter a doorway into my home, a place of rest and sanctuary for me.  When Gary and I married, he carried me through the doorway of our first home and we began a new life together as husband and wife.  When we are baptized and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior – we step through a doorway to a transformed life of forgiveness and salvation.  Doorways – entrances, gates – as we step forward in faith we experience transformation.  Yes, we still live in this broken and painful world but with Jesus, we can experience LIFE to the FULL!  We can cling to our Savior in the midst of pain and turmoil – he will comfort and strengthen us.  When we cry out to him, he listens to our heart.  He will give us comfort in the midst of trial, joy and peace as we live in this broken world and protection against the evil one who comes to steal and kill and destroy.

Lord Jesus, thank you for being our Good Shepherd.  Thank you for coming that we may experience life to the full.  Help us, Jesus, to reach others with the good news so that they can live a life transformed – LIFE to the FULL!   I love you, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Kelly

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  How does it relate to the message from Sunday?  Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is:    Matthew 13:31-32

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

5.8.2015 "RECEPTIVE SOIL FOR THE SEEDS"

Matthew 13:23 New International Version (NIV) ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

A few weeks ago, Mick and I spread Bermuda seed around the site of the new Point of Grace driveway at the North end of our property.  The ground was extremely muddy from the recent rains and caked up on our shoes.  There was even a huge storm that evening, so the seed got plenty of rain.  It has even rained several times since then.  But so far, we have not seen any new grass sprouting.

We did not rake or till the soil.  We could not water, other than what God has provided, because there is no water at that end of our property.  We spread the Bermuda seed and left it, and so far-no results!

This verse reminds me of our spreading the grass seed.  I must read the word, hear the word and understand the word.  If I really pay attention to His teachings, I will grow and in turn spread more seeds for others to grow.  The passage doesn’t say what is good soil, or that it won’t be rocky or full of thorns/obstacles.  It doesn’t even say how long it will take to produce a crop.  It doesn’t even explain why the crop might “yield a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

God, if I am receptive to His Word, determines the yield and the fruit that I bear on His time table, not mine.  God provides the seed, I am responsible to hear it, receive it, understand it and then distribute it throughout His kingdom.

I could be discouraged that the grass seed that Mick and I distributed hasn’t grown.  Or, I could be encouraged that the seeds are maturing and just can’t be seen visibly yet.  How do I know that my work was fruitless?  How do any of us know that the people that we come into contact with daily haven’t been touched by our love for Jesus Christ?

Mick & I planted the seeds.  You and I can plant seeds as we go about our daily lives.  We may not see the grass growing now, or as fast as we want it to grow.  We may not think that we are making a difference in people’s lives today.  But give it time!  God can do wonders with us, and the people we come into contact with, on His time table-not ours.  Our job is to be receptive, understand and spread the Word and then let God takeover!

Dear Lord help me to be more receptive to Your Word.  Help me to spread Your Word to each person I come into contact with.  Help me to not be discouraged when I don’t see or get the results that I want immediately.  Help me to remember that it is my job to help spread the seeds and Your job to grow, mature and multiply the crop on Your timetable and according to Your plan.

Amen

Jerry

5.6.15 "So ... is your heart ready…for the rest of the story?"

PoG Blog Heavenly Father, we come to you this day on bended knee, seeking to walk in the ways of Your Holy Son. May our time together bring glory and honor to your Holy Name. This we pray, in the precious and powerful Name of Jesus, Amen!

Matthew 13:10-12

(NKJV)

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

¹¹ He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

(MSG)

¹⁰ The disciples came up and asked, “Why do you tell stories?”

^11-13 He replied, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn’t been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears.

When I first read the verses for today’s blog, by themselves, I couldn’t make sense of why they had been chosen to stand alone for our study and reflection. But as I pondered over them…it became pretty clear to me that Jesus, the Master Teacher, was setting up the “in-depth” teaching to come by imparting wisdom to his disciples…and to you and me…that had to be understood before moving on.

You see, I don’t think the disciples were really that interested in the form or method of teaching. No, these young in the faith, spiritually immature bunch of committed Christ followers wanted an explanation of the story…they were thirsty for understanding!

Jesus first makes it pretty clear that there are two distinctive classes of “hearers”…those who had “been given insight into God’s kingdom”…and those had not. Jesus is also making it abundantly clear that this “insight” into His and His Fathers’ Kingdom is a gift! Not something that was awarded based on intellect or moral character or for any other reason except by His good Grace...so that ” Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely”. And to the contrary, those whose hearts are not prepared…

“But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears”.

So…is your heart ready…for the rest of the story?

⁹ But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,     nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—

¹⁰ these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.      

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (ESV)

Blessings to you and yours,

jwb

5.4.2015 "Faithful Sowers"

Matthew 13:4-7   (NIV) ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

As I ponder the passage above considering the sower instead of the soil the seed is sown in I’m impressed with the dedication of the sower.  He continues to sow wherever he is.  He lives his life surrendered to the LORD and sows faithfully during the normal living of his life.  He doesn’t need a special situation or place.  Sometimes he is intentional about sharing and casts his seeds on whoever is listening.

As the sower we only need to be concerned about sowing the seeds we have been given.

Even if we think a person will not be receptive or that we do not have enough seed to sow we need to trust Jesus and sow our seeds of faith.  We do not know how it will be received.  Only God knows.  We are told to faithfully plant the seeds and trust God with the results.  Jesus tells us about 3 kinds of bad soil and only 1 good soil.  All seeds sown will not sprout and grow.  We still need to sow.  Some seeds will be fruitful.

We had a patch of soil one time that we planted a bush in and it died shortly after it was planted.  My husband bought some fertilizer, new soil and a new bush.   He worked the new soil and fertilizer into the existing dirt and planted the new bush.   We were hopeful it would grow.  We checked it every day.  After a few months we noticed the bush was starting to wilt.  We watered it and tried to keep it going but it still died.

That is the way it will be with people.  We can plant the seeds, nurture and water them but each person has the choice to let the seeds of truth take root in their heart and life and grow to bear more fruit.  Revelation 3:20 tells us that Jesus will stand at our door and knock.  If we hear His knocking and open the door Jesus will come into our life.  Every person has the choice.  Jesus gives us the privilege of sowing His seeds but he does not make us responsible to make it bear fruit.

We need to prayerfully and faithfully sow the seeds of the truths of Jesus.  We never know when those truths will take root and grow.  If we don’t go and tell people we will never see fruit.

Will you join me in prayerfully sowing the seeds of the truths and promises of Jesus, that you know, to all those in your life?

Dear Heavenly Father,

We Love you and we want those in our life to love you too.  Help us tell people about you.   Remove any fear we have.  Help us become strong and courageous witnesses for you.

In Jesus name we pray,   Amen!

CJS

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  How does it relate to the message from Sunday?  Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is:    Galatians 2:20

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

5.1.2015 "Opportunities for Doing Good"

The Scripture for today is Galatians 6:7-10 ⁷ Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.⁸  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

“Opportunity” – a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place.  “Do Good” – be beneficial for.  Paul’s letter to the Galatians exhorts (encourages) Christ followers to not become weary in doing good.  We are promised that our actions in doing good will produce a harvest at the proper time.  Practically speaking – when do opportunities present themselves?  In my life, I find that those opportunities show up when I don’t expect them.  They show up when I am not paying attention and sometimes I miss them. They show up when it’s not convenient.  They show up when I would really like to do something else.  So how is that favorable?  If I define favorable as “winning approval” – “pleasing” to God - then simple acts of goodness are seeds that will ripen to harvest in the proper time.  I met with a lady this week whose life has exploded into crisis due to her husband’s addiction and subsequent violence.  We have lived in the same neighborhood for about 10 years.  I honestly wasn’t expecting these circumstances.  I had other tasks to accomplish during the time that we met but God had other plans.  HIS daughter, HIS beloved child, was hurting.  She needed to talk, she needed prayer, she needed to know that she is loved, and she needed to know that her Father is walking with her throughout this season.  He will NEVER leave her.  He will NEVER forsake her.   My act of doing good was SMALL – I listened, I prayed, I hugged, and I spent time with her.  Her God is BIG – he will carry her, redeem her pain and restore her peace.

Not all opportunities involve a brother or sister in crisis.  Many  times my opportunities are just ordinary, everyday actions – kindness to others, maintaining calm and peace in the midst of tension, modeling the behavior that I desire my children to live out, sharing my time or treasure with others, practicing hospitality, sharing words of encouragement, celebrating with others…. How do I ensure that I authentically do good to all people?  That I sow to please the Spirit?  It isn’t easy for me, to be honest.  The old me struggles with selfishness, sloth, arrogance, and self-absorption.  It is not a pretty picture.  But thanks to Jesus, there is a new me.  A new me who seeks to do good - to sow to please the Spirit.  As I live out my new life in Christ, each day brings new opportunities,

Lord Jesus, your compassions never fail; they are new every morning.  I get a clean slate and a fresh start when I come to you with a contrite spirit.  Thank you for loving and saving me.  Give me a heart like years.  Help me to reach others with the news of your love, salvation and grace.   I love you, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

Kelly

4-30-15 "YOUR Feedback on Resurrection Unleashed!"

Welcome to the POG Blog! We just finished our four week journey through “Resurrection Unleashed!” What were the key messages and insights that you received from the series?  What scripture verses, realities or practical tools most resonated with you? How does living a life in which Resurrection is Unleashed relate to your life right now?  Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

4.29.15 "Learning to Walk by the Spirit!"

Galatians 5:16-21New International Version (NIV) ¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever^[a] you want. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

I feel like a war is battling in my head between the spirit and flesh.   I hate to admit that that the flesh is in power sometimes and I become angry or jealous. Of course right after I become self-indignant with whatever it is I feel “entitled” to I become consumed with guilt. The guilt can last for days if I don’t take it to Jesus and tell Him what I have done this time. When my daughter has had an argument with one of her friends I watch her try and dance around telling me what happened at school or with her friends when something has gone a miss. I know that if she just tells me she will feel much better, but she holds on to it just as I do when I don’t want to tell Jesus what I have done.   I’m very thankful that we have a Father that loves us no matter what and even when we give into temptation Jesus still loves us. I’m still learning how to walk by the Spirit and I’m sure that I will continue to learn till the day I die.

Father, thank you for your patience and love for us. Please fill us with your Spirit so that we may be your light and walk away from temptation.

Peace and Love,

Priscilla

4.28.15 "Life by the Spirit"

Thank you for checking out today's blog.  God has promised to speak to us through his Holy Word.  St. Peter wrote, "men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit".  That means one way God desires to be in relationship with you is through the regular reading and study of scripture.  Before getting into His word please pray for God's inspiration and presence in your life, right now, as you are reading this blog.  Believe that God is with you and that He hears your prayers.  Ask Him to shut all distractions so you can focus on what He has for you today.  May God bless your time of meditation! Galatians 5:13-15

Life by the Spirit

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Love your neighbor as yourself.  St. Paul is saying the entire law can be summarized with this simple command.  Don't know about you but I really love myself well.  I make sure I am well fed and taken care of.  I can see the needs of people around me, but I am always balancing those needs with my own.  Just being honest!

On Sunday, Delton was preaching from Galatians 5:19, "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;…".  He mentioned the root of all of these "acts of the flesh" is self-centeredness; putting my needs before the needs of others.

How can we break out of this focus on self?  It is only by remembering that through Jesus' resurrection we have a new life, a new identity (the sheet of paper Delton drew with the heart on it).  This new life is in constant tension with our old life and identity (the other sheet Delton used).  This old life is the one we started with, the one we lived in before Christ's resurrection was real for us.  This is the life we are prone to go to the minute something throws us off course; it's our "default setting".

This remembering we have a new life, by virtue of Jesus putting death to death, is something that has to happen - daily, hourly, even minute by minute.  It's the new life God intended for us to live through each second, minute, hour, day, and year of the rest of our lives.  So today, each time Satan comes to try and throw you off course, remind yourself that you have a New Life.  That will dramatically change the way we look upon ourselves and treat those God has placed in our lives.

To God be the glory!

Mark

4.27.15 "We are Christ's Family!"

Galatians 3:26-29 ²⁶ So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, ²⁷ for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The thing that resonates for me in this passage is family.  In CHRIST, we are all one family.  Growing up one of my favorite TV shows was a western, Bonanza.  Back then most of the shows on TV were about families, but I was like most kids back then and that meant being nearly obsessed with stories from the old west… and there was no family quite like the Cartwrights.   The show focused on the life and time of the wealthy and powerful Cartwright family, owners of a mega ranch called the Ponderosa.  Ben Cartwright was the quintessential patriarch, the silver haired self-made man who built the empire from the ground up.  There were three sons as different as day and night.  The oldest rugged, handsome, and smart.  The middle son a hulk of a man, a gentle giant who could bend a horseshoe with his bare hands and leave an “all you can eat” buffet in total shambles.  Then there was the baby of the family, also handsome but full of youthful mischief and immaturity.

Every week the family dealt with all sorts of drama with the potential to bring down the empire and completely destroy the family.  But each and every week the family survived and the overwhelming reason they survived is because they were family, and not just any family, Cartwrights.  Nothing, not earthquakes, droughts, sandstorms, serpents, sickness, bankruptcy, villains, or even the occasional love interest, could come between them or bring them down.  At least not for long anyway.

We are reminded in this passage that no matter who we are or where we came from, in CHRIST we are all one family, and not just any family.  In HIM, we are all of royal blood, the seed of Abraham!  That does not mean that like the Cartwrights we will not encounter earthquakes, droughts, sandstorms, serpents, sickness, bankruptcy, villains, or even the occasional love interest.  But it does mean that week after week, drama after drama, just like the family in that old TV series, in CHRIST, we will always prevail!

FATHER of all eternity we give YOU thanks and praise that through YOUR grace and the gift of YOUR son JESUS we are now part of the royal FAMILY.  When the drama comes today remind us that we are not like everyone else, we are FAMILY.  Remind us that we breathe the breath of the GOD of the universe once again and nothing can separate us from HIS awesome power.  In JESUS name, amen.

Jim L

Saturday's Blog

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today is Saturday which means YOU get to start the discussion on today’s scripture!  What is it saying to you today?  How does it relate to your life right now?  How does it relate to the message from Sunday?  Enjoy reading, meditating, and sharing your thoughts with others today!

Today’s Scripture is:    Psalm 113

¹ Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. ² Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. ³ From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

⁴ The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. ⁵ Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, ⁶ who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?

⁷ He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; ⁸ he seats them with princes, with the princes of his people. ⁹ He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

"More Than..."

The scripture for today is Romans 8:31-39!We have been journeying all week in this chapter..... now for the conclusion!

³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?³³ Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴ Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶ As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God is speaking loudly and clearly to me through these words.  Two words are grabbing my attention, "MORE THAN..."

God is a "more than" God which makes those who trust Him "more than"conquerors!  This is amazing.  Since He is "more than" enough then we can join Paul in saying "If God is for us, who can be against us? ³² He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

When I forget that He is the "more than" God ----I get in trouble and cause trouble!  Under temptation Eve fell for Satan's lie that God was not enough and she needed more than what He gave her!  So Eve and Adam looked to themselves for the "more than" they felt they needed!  It was and still is a disaster.  When I look to my own wisdom and resources and go against God to provide "more than" for myself I will always get less than I need.  I lose!

God proved His "more than" character when He raised Jesus from the dead! "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." He is the "more than"God! There is more good news!  Not only is God a "more than" God - He makes us "more than"people as we daily live by faith in Him. "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

So I get to believe today that God wants "more than" I can imagine for me today.  He is not stingy!  He is over the top gracious and generous!  I get to believe today that I am a "more than" conqueror as I live through the moments of today's life!  There will be plenty of temptation to think and act like God is not enough and I need to take things in my own control.  I get to say "no" to that voice and say "yes" to my "More Than" God!

Enjoy living in "more than"-ness today!

delton

4.23.15 "The Spirit Prays for Us"

Heavenly Father, thank you for a new day and a new opportunity to love and serve you. Thanks you for the gift of your Holy Spirit and for the wonderful work he is doing in our lives. Amen Romans 8:26-28 (NIV)

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

This passage in Romans is one of my favorites because of the comforting promises that it contains. It is fantastic to know that when we face turbulence and uncertainty in our lives and don’t know what or how to pray, the Holy Spirit is interceding for us before the throne of grace. What a tremendous gift.

Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is reminding us of several things in this passage. First, he reminds us that in our weakness when we don’t know how to pray about a situation, the Spirit is praying in our place. Second, he reminds us that the prayers that the Spirit is praying for us are always in accordance with the will of God. Third, through the prayers of the Spirit on our behalf, God is at work, answering the Spirit’s prayer for our good and his glory.

When we pray, we desperately want to be praying the prayers that are on the heart of God because we know that those are the prayers that God always answers. However, in our weakness and confusion when we don’t know how or what to pray, we can be confident that the Holy Spirit in us is praying perfect prayers that our Heavenly Father always honors.

I love what theologian N.T. Wright writes about the unspoken prayers of our heart, “God hears and answers the prayer which we only know as painful groanings, the tossings and turnings of an unquiet spirit standing before its maker with the pains and puzzles of the world heavy on its heart.”

Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit and for the prayers that He is praying in our stead when we are struggling to know what and how to pray. Amen.

jhf

4.22.15 "Life through the Spirit"

Dear Jesus:  Open my eyes to the message in Your Word today.  Teach my unteachable heart to see your love and sacrifice through these verses.  Free my mind from today’s to-do list, and send your Holy Spirit to turn my eyes to you!  Amen. Romans 8:14-17 (The Message)

^2-14 So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!

^15-17 This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!

I chose to meditate on The Message version of these verses because I think the wording is more “personal”.  I grew up in a very traditional church, who used the King James Version most of the time until I was an adult.  For some reason, it was easier to separate myself from the meaning of God’s words when they were more formal – big, scary, unfamiliar words to my central Texas ear.  For example, using “Holy Ghost” instead of “God’s Spirit”.  The word ghost was more of a scary word than a comforting word!

One of the phrases that gave me pause in this version was “It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children.” I’ve always known I was God’s child, but I never approached him with a “What’s next, Papa?  I called my father “Daddy”, so for me to pray to my “Daddy” immediately makes him feel more accessible to me, and loving.  I still call my father “Daddy”, because I lost him to leukemia when I was 12.  I was recounting a memory of him to a friend of mine recently, and she laughed when I called him Daddy.  She said it sounded so childish, until I explained that I never had an “adult” relationship with him.  He will always be “Daddy” to me!  What a wonderful way for me to connect with my God in a personal way, than to call him Daddy!  I like that!

Further on, it says when we call on our “Daddy”, he sends God’s Spirit to confirm to us that we really are his own, and because of Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection, we can look forward to life with Him, in eternity.  How awesome that a simple conversation with our “Daddy” can remind us of such a gracious inheritance.  An inheritance that we do not deserve, but that was bought and paid for by our Savior, Jesus. Jesus stood in our place to receive all the condemnation we should receive.

Knowing about this gift, we can look to the future with joy and excited expectation.  We’ve been assured of his love and forgiveness, so we can live on this side of heaven, with its ups and downs, all the while knowing that we have a Daddy that loves us, and is preparing a place for us with Him in eternity, to experience “good times”!

Dear Daddy:  Thank you for sending your Son to suffer in our place, and to conquer the evil in this world.  Please send your Spirit to remind me each day of this awesome gift, and to talk to you with expectancy, peace and joy!  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

kristi