Month: November 2020

Tree of Calvary

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Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

This week on the election day, my wife spent almost 13 hours as I poll worker leaving me with I lots of free time alone. So during the day on Tuesday I worked on something God had been speaking to my heart about over the last week on learning to accept the passing of seasons in life. Slowly what began as a journal entry evolved into a rough poem and then into a song. Today I thought I’d share the first verse and chorus from Tree of Calvary. A video with this should be ready soon. Change is never easy because true change is irreversible and it means letting go of some things dear to us in order that we may take hold of things even better. May God bless you this week in your own life as with God’s help you are learning to let go so that you may reach out to all the great things that God has in store!

 
 
 

 To every life a season will come
 When autumn’s in the air
 And the cold winds blow, and the leaves do fa
 And change is everywhere
  
 Then I’ll lift my heart and sing to Him
 For His pardon rich and free
 His forgiveness washing all my sin
 From the tree of Calvary 

Tree of Calvary by Peter Caligiuri © 2020 All rights reserved

Looking in Our Window

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And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. Mark 6:5-6 ESV

When Jesus traveled about Galilee He made an impression on people because He was willing to touch anyone, even lepers and heal them. Because of this He was continually surrounded by all kinds of interesting people. Mary wanted to sit at His feet, while Zaccheus hoped to just see Him from a distance. The crowd around Jesus often looked a bit like a hospital emergency room, with folks lined up waiting to be seen, while others brought their loved ones and family. But back in Nazareth the scene was quite different. Since they couldn’t believe that Jesus was anything special the Bible tells us He couldn’t do many miracles there. Instead of healing teaching and spreading the good news, Jesus found himself unwelcome and even though there were just as many in need of His healing power, almost no one was able to receive it.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

So why not ask ourselves if the picture in our local church functions more like Nazareth or Galilee? Do sick people show up regularly but find that there is only a small staff on hand to help? Do we operate like a hospital with nurses out on strike and whose doctors are too busy meeting to review their retirement program to see new patients? When folks listen in by our doorway, might they hear a discussion of how to reduce the number of sick people allowed in or the excitement of finding a cure for Covid-19? So let’s ask ourselves the question today; “Are we in the business of shutting people out or providing a place to heal? God still forgives and restores lives. Crowds are standing just outside our windows looking in. What will they see today?

Hope in the Middle of Worry

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All our striving, worrying and stress comes from the mistaken belief that if we just tried a little harder or worked a little longer that we could win God favor. But Jesus Christ freely gives us rest for heart and soul as we discover in God alone our true acceptance and love and power to live for Him!

No matter what the world throws at us today or who wins the election – Jesus never changes. He is always the Good Shepherd and offers to be our friend. What is your answer to Him? This week’s song session includes Take my Life and Let it Be, What a Friend We Have in Jesus and Near to the Heart of God. May God bless you richly with His peace so that even with the world in chaos around us we can have a message of the hope of Jesus Christ.