Month: June 2021

Would You Do It For One?

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Matthew 25:40

I had just left the small prayer meeting we were having at the nursing home and small was the word of the day. Our tiny meeting had gotten even tinier and that afternoon as the elevator door closed behind me I was ready to give up. Then I heard a voice: no not an audible voice, but still a clear impression of a six-word question – “Would you do it for one?”

See in this day of the mega church, international worship conferences and YouTube videos with millions of views, it is easy to lose sight of individual people. But our God, who watches sparrows and counts the hairs on our heads never forgets a single one. He remembers a woman named Mary who stayed in her room for months at her nursing home because of Covid cases on her floor. He watches over Marcos, who is still confined to his bed and without a visitor for the last 18 months. He listens to the prayers of a nurse named Helen as she cares for them, day after day, and month after month. God knows, God sees, God cares and to Him they are all precious. He gave His life on the cross so He could reach out and touch them all – and He does that one person at a time. Would you be a servant to them for Jesus? It is never too late to begin!

To learn more about nursing home ministry you might find my newly revised book a useful place to start. Would You Do It For One? not only tells the story of how I got started , but also gives easy practical ways to get involved in your own community. If you have an interest in nursing home ministry and would like other resources, we also have a free weekly newsletter written by a small group of us. This morning I am so excited to be going out to two different homes to sing and be included in a special Father’s Day presentation. God bless and have a good week-end everybody!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1520108710

Early in the Morning

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord: Genesis 19:27

Often when we think of early morning prayer times, a picture of a hot cup of coffee and a Bible in your hand comes to mind. But Abraham had a different idea. He went outside and found a place to stand and listen to God. I can identify with Abraham because I have loved waking up super-early since I was a kid. One of my earliest memories is hearing my mom say, “Go back to bed, it’s only six o’clock!” Maybe I was hungry or maybe I just felt that I might miss out on something exciting if I lay under the covers any longer. Either way mornings remain special to me and today that time includes going outdoors, weather permitting. While I am out walking around our neighborhood, the song that often comes to mind is “This Is My Father’s World.” According to the story, this was also the hymn writer’s inspiration when he would head outside, telling his wife, “I’m going out to see my Father’s world.”

Some versions have attempted to “Improve” the song by removing all Father and male references. Such silly theology misses the point that we have not just a God but a Father in Heaven. He watches over us all through every night and is waiting every morning to greet us and speak to us about our day. There is nothing more important that we could do than to stand before him and listen. One day we will all stand before the Lord, why not freely chose to do so today? No one could ever love us like a Father who sent His only Son for us that we could spend every morning with Him in Heaven and worship at His feet!

Since it is Father’s day week I thought I would share my Father’s day video this morning which includes This Is My Father’s World. Have a blessed day everyone!

Perfect Peace

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You. Isaiah 26:3 NLT

We live in a culture so completely soaked in information, entertainment and media of all kinds, that the slightest interruption of our internet leads to frustration, anger and even panic. The idea of what the Bible calls perfect peace seems far – very far away. Sensing the loss of peace, you may have already tried a media fast or even shut off your cell phone for a while. But just like fad diets, these attempts usually fail dismally and though they give us a momentary breath of peace they rarely lead to change. Today’s scripture points out that the true lasting peace we long for only comes from God. Ultimately victory in a culture of information and communication frenzy comes only by our connecting on the deepest level with Jesus Christ.

Photo by mikoto.raw on Pexels.com

So how can I do that? Church services, while uplifting seem only like an island of safety a sea of turmoil. One step out of the sanctuary and I find myself pulling out my cell phone to check for messages or missed calls. So here is a word of advice. Start with small steps like enlisting the help of a friend (in my case my wife). Schedule prayer time and Bible study with that someone else on a daily basis so it doesn’t all depend on you. There is nothing shameful about needing others to walk by our side. Right away you will have conflicts as you readjust your use of time, but don’t give up. The perfect peace God has promised is worth it. As Pastor Rick Warren put it, “Keep moving forward. Even the snail reached the ark by persevering!”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com