Prayer

Never Lose Hope

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

As caregivers we struggle daily to serve and honor the lives of the most fragile members of our society. The violence suffered tonight at the veterans home in California leaves me unspeakably sad. God have mercy is our prayer. Who will join with me in trusting Him to plant a seed of hope today?

pastorpete51's avatarWalking With Lambs

The still unfolding story of yet another deranged man with a gun – this time at a nursing home touched a nerve with me tonight. Whatever the motivation for the violence will soon be lost in another shouting match over 2nd amendment rights and gun control. The three dead employees will soon be forgotten by everyone but God. But in spite of the night of hatred, division and fear that seems to get darker by the hour there is still hope. God has not nor will He ever abandon us. If we cry He is listening. When we lie awake sleepless with anxiety, He stands watch. In the deepest despair He plants a seed of hope. God’s kingdom whether in the life of an individual or a community always starts with the tiniest of seeds. Will you plant your seed of hope with me tonight in prayer that together we…

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Receiving Christ Today

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

“Open our eyes Lord- we want to see Jesus!” went the chorus we sang some years ago. I used to imagine getting a vision of heaven during worship or an ecstatic experience at the altar. But God (who is so much more practical than I) takes moments like that to upend my schedule with some else’s need. He does not give me time to prepare or ask my opinion. Like the scene from the film “Evan Almighty” when Steven Carell who portrays Noah complains to God (Morgan Freeman) ” This whole building the ark thing is really not part of my plans here!”

When he finishes God begins laughing, then says Your plans!….people want to change the world- don’t know how to begin.”

We want to see Jesus but don’t know where to begin to looking for Him. But the God who has all the power of the universe cupped in His hand chooses to send us a little one. Then He waits in wonder to see what we will do when that someone doesn’t fit in with our plans and goals. Almighty God is watching to see what we will do when people around us need our mercy. When we take our child to school after he has missed the bus for the 3rd time or helped our neighbor who sometimes steals our parking spot shovel snow from theirs Jesus is there. When we turn off our television or miss a midweek prayer meeting to make a hospital visit He will be waiting. All the big important things we thought we should do today may be still undone at bedtime but we will have received Jesus if along the way we have stopped to listen to our child’s whispered prayers!

Today’s Service

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

In my quiet time this morning it was as if God held up a mirror to show me how little I valued those moments compared to Him. Yes I lingered for a brief prayer and spent time in His word; but all the while the wheels of my mind were sprinting ahead towards my future plans. Yet as the apostle Peter points out to us –

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8

We all too often lose the value and purpose of the moment of prayer and quiet because the hurry within our hearts drowns out the still small voice of God. We demean the intimate contentment with the Lord Jesus as if something later in the day or tomorrow or next year has more value in His eyes.

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But God delights in the moment. He rests in it as Jesus rested by the well. He has no sense of hurry or fearful anxiety of urgency.

He is never forced into action in a crisis. He rests in the moment like a butterfly who happily enjoys each flower without wishing He could hurry on to the next. He is not only the way and the truth – He is also like the clock of life itself and all time stands still in His presence. There is neither tomorrow nor yesterday with Him. He is the Great I Am! Whatever humble word, shy smile or simple sacrifice Jesus gives us for today is more precious to Him than any act of service we are planning for the future. The God who knows the beginning from the end also knows our hearts. If we will simply walk with Him by faith in this moment, His promise is that He will walk with us all down through the corridors of eternity!