Month: March 2018

Happy Easter !!

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Matthew 28:
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead,[b] and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
I have always loved the fact that Jesus first appeared to the women. I think that he knew that they would believe what they saw before them.
Lord bless those of us who believe without seeing. AMEN
easter

Mind yourself

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Difference of rite ought not to involve differences of faith-———Christopher Dawson

Sometimes I think that we spend as much or more time pointing out the flaws of other denominations that we do about other religions. Some feel that their path is the only one and want to be sure that everyone else is wrong.

God is so far beyond out understanding that none of us can claim to have the only truth. Don’t waste time putting down others.

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Gracious Lord, remind us to mind our own search for you and not someone else’s. AMEN

God with us

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scar

God never promised that life would be free of problems. There is no magic wand that can be waved to banish our troubles. Our strength to survive each day comes from God’s promise to be with us. Each struggle that we get through gives us the wisdom to survive the next. God helps us to learn and gain the strength to fight the next battle.

Intimate God, we give you thanks for your love for us and your healing presence in our struggles. AMEN

Light and Love

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“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”          …………………Martin Luther King, Jr.

When we are in the dark….with no light at all we feel disoriented. We need light coming from somewhere to give us balance and perception. We need the light. We need it to survive. Without light plants will not grow. The earth would be barren.

Just as much as we need light we need love. We need someone to hold up the mirror of love and show us our goodness. Without that we are barren.

God is willing to hold that mirror for us and let his light shine through us. Love and light give us life.

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Amazing God, your grace has given us what we need to live as you call us to. Help us to remember that. AMEN

Lift us

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Psalm 61:2
From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
I often feel like I’m getting caught in a flood. Things become overwhelming and I’m sinking. We are so busy in today’s society that we take on more than we can manage. Then we can feel ourselves being buried.
When we feel this way we need to call on God to help us slow down. He is the only one who can lift us out of the mire onto the rock that is higher.
lift me
Faithful God, we take on more than we should. Help to make us wiser about our limits and when we fail and are sinking lift us to the rock that is higher. AMEN

Just Love

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Let your religion be less of a theory and more of a love affair. ———— G.K. Chestertson

just love

We are told to love the Lord our God with all our souls and all our hearts and all our minds. We are not told to prove that God exists. We are just told to love Him. Can we let go of all our trying to understand all of this and just love?

God of love, help us learn to just love you with all that we are. AMEN

Renew my spirit

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Psalm 51: 10-12

10 create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and put a new and right[b] spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from your presence,
    and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and sustain in me a willing[c] spirit.

This is one of my favorite Psalms. I frequently think that my heart needs cleaning out. I have let too many unkind thoughts sneak in. Sometimes my mind is made up about someone and I see them through dark glasses. That opinion might have come from gossip or a too quick judgement on my part. My opinion colors my relationship with them. I need a new and right spirit.

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Loving God, help me to clean out my heart of wrong thinking and unfair ideas. Put your spirit within me. AMEN

Afraid?

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It is human to be afraid. It is what we do about it that matters.……….Suzanne Boyd

Sometimes we can’t help being afraid. Sometimes if we are not afraid then we can’t see the situation clearly. The question is what do we do when this happens?

afraid

We often have to begin with a deep breath and another assessment of the moment. In the next moment we must turn to God. Prayer asking for his aid and  sitting quietly just letting God surround us helps. Picture yourself held in his arms. Seek his peace.

This may not solve the problem but it will remind you that you are never alone. We are always in God’s care.

Intimate god, you have promised to be with us no matter what. Help us to see you. AMEN

Freedom is a gift

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To fear the Lord is the beginning of freedom. ——————-Ecclesiastes 1:14a

It is very a very strange fact that in giving ourselves freely to God we become free ourselves. It is in “fearing” God that we gain our very souls. To “fear” him is to acknowledge that he is God and he is in control. Yet his way of control is to give us freedom. We can choose him or not. We can love him or not. We can”fear” him or not. It is up to each of us.

freedom with God

Intriguing God, your way to control is to give freedom. Hep us to use our freedom for you kingdom. AMEN

Grasp peace

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the word gives. Do not let you hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. —————John 14:27

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I really wish that I were never afraid. Fear can take over when something goes wrong. We have so many things to fear; poverty, homelessness, crime, disease, depression, anxiety, job loss.

We could spend each day cowering in our homes, afraid to go out. Sometimes we do, but God doesn’t want us to live like that. He has given us his peace. All we have to do it take it. Sounds easy bit it never is.

God, Father and Mother of us all, remind us that we are your children and that you wish only good for us. Help us to grasp your promises and your peace and never let go AMEN