Devotional 11-16-12

This past June three cats were dumped off on my street. The first one that I met was a beautiful calico cat. She endeared me and my neighbor who had just lost her husband in May. My neighbor started feeding her and to my delight took her into her home. That was a total surprise as she was definetly not a cat person. Right down to, "I am allergic to cats and I must wash my hands if I touch one." We took the cat to my vet and found out that she had been spayed. She is now living the good life in my neighbor's home. To me that cat was divine intervention for my neighbor. She needed that cat to come home to and take care of after the loss of her husband.

Well, that leaves the other two cats that were dropped off. They were two black and white tuxedo cats. They started hanging around between my house and my neighbors {obviously missing one of their siblings}.

Well,what and I supposed to do? I have two older dogs and an even older cat. I have vowed that my" tubes are tied " for any more animals in my life or in my home. I also realized that those cats were starving. I, being a softy, started to feed them. Of course, they showed up morning and night for food. One was really dear to me as she was so sweet and reminded me of the sweet cat that I had lost recently at thirteen years due to diabetes. The only problem was that as a result of feeding them and our living near the woods raccoons appeared, and I feared for the cats' safety. I was scared for them but try as I might I could not accept them into my home.

I finally had to accept the fact that I could do the best I could by feeding and loving them as best I could from a distance. I realized that they could survive with my providing for them -- just by feeding them out my back door. I would try to find homes for them, but who wants a cat? Nobody.

I just think that this brings to mind how we treat the people that we meet that are in need. I will feed them from a distance but will not get too close to them because we already have our "tubes tied" and have no more room in our heart for those that need help . They may have their raccoons that show up and make them run and are also scared for their lives.. We think we are doing enough if we feed them physically but those two cats are still scared to death living outside in the elements. They trust me a little but run at the slightest noise. Trust ,when you are hungry, is not gained by being feed physically. It is only gained by being shown love right where you are. A person in need can do their best, but if the raccoons show up then you have to run. I just have to hope the raccoons do not overcome my trying to take care of them from a distance. Who will win? I do not know. It will be cold this winter. The sad part is , will I worry more about those two cats or the unwanted humans that will be out there in the cold too? Most likely both, but sad to say, it will be from a distance. Guess I have learned a good lesson from those cats. Anybody want a cat?

Jean Ramsey

Devotional 11-9-12

Please read Hebrews 9:23-28.
"Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary"
Christ's sacrifice takes away sin. He will appear a second time to bring salvation to those who are eaagerly waiting for him.

Sacrificial rites in the old covenant were effective in cleasing the tabernacle and the furniture of worship. If this is true of the copy it is true also of the heavenly pattern. But whereas the blood of calves and goats was sufficient to cleanse the early shine, the heavenly tabernacle requires better sacrifices. And this the significance of Christ's self-offering. He does not minister in the early shine, a copy of the true one, but has entered heaen itself and there appears in the presence of God on our behalf. Moreover he does not perform this sacrifice repeatedly, as the high priest did annually in Israel but has accomposihed it once for all at the end of the age to put away sin.

The contrast between the earthly and heavenly shines, between the temporary and eternal, is joined with the biblical sense of God's purpose moving toward a goal The goal, or end, appears in the middle of history in Jesus Christ. Thus the author can speak of Christ's coming at the end of the age. But Christ still has his people on earth and therefore there is still movement toward the goal in the life of the church. Thus the author can speak of Christ's appearing a seond time, this time not the deal with sin -- his sacriice -- but to accomplish salvation for those who are waiting for him.

When Christ appears at the judgement he does not join the long line awaiting assessment but is Lord of the judgment and savior and deliverer to those who are waiting for him. He voluntarily shared our human experience and the outcome of his life and death is the trasnformation of the human situation. Death once meant only judgment. Those who are Christ's now can look beyond death to the deliverer.

Prayer:
Help us, O Lord, to be alert to signs of your coming. Help us to have our lamps trimmed and filled with oil, ready to go out to meet you. Help us ever to watch for your return, that we may not be found without oil in our lamps. Help us to be prepared when the cry is heard, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." Amen.

References:
The Wesley Study Bible (NRSV). Abingdon Press, 2009.
The Interpreter's One Volume Commentary on the Bible. Abingdon Press, 1971.
Prayers. H.S. Wallace. F.H. Revell Co, 1964.

Frank Hanshaw
 

Devotional 11-2-12

A Spiritual MRI

We can’t live with foreign objects buried in our bodies, or our souls!

What would an X-ray of your interior reveal?

A remorse over a poor choice? A shame about the marriage that didn’t work or the temptation you didn’t resist? The guilty lies hidden beneath the surface, festering, irritating, and sometimes so deeply embedded you don’t know the cause.

And you can be touchy, you know, understandable, since you have a shank of shame lodged in your soul, Interested in an Extraction?

Confess! and Request! a spiritual MRI. Like the one in Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Confessors find a Freedom that Deniers don’t. If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins! He will cleanse us; Not might, could, would, or should. He WILL!

Prayer:
Oh God, look deep into my heart and find out everything I am thinking. Don’t let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true. In Jesus name, Amen.

In Love and Grace;
Jim Perry

Devotional 10-26-12

The following is taken from the book:Mountain Prayers: A Vacation for the Soul, Honor Books

Taking in the View

It's surprising how you can limit your own perspective at times. Worries and concerns can so easily cause you to see only what is directly in front of you. It's as if God is offering to show you the vista from a ski lift high in the Alps, but instead you crouch, with eyes downcast, on a hill the size of a pitcher's mound!

It can be hard to grasp the truth that this life on earth is incredibly brief compared to eternity---like a mist, or a wildflower that blooms for a little while and is gone. The finite mind cannot understand eternity! How can you ever begin to glimpse its enormity when your circumstances tie you to the ordinary, day to day events right around you?

An amazing transformation can take place within you, when you allow your Father's arm to lift you to the heights for a better view. Suddenly you feel both very small and very safe at the same time. You realize that the few years we are given on this earth must certainly be very precious to him: you want to know the purpose he's laid out for your life, once you see your existence for the brief, exquisite flash of light that it is.

“I’ll lift my eyes up to the mountains," says the psalmist. Lift up your eyes from the "boulders" that stand as obstacles before you and look to the endless peaks beyond. Take in the vastness of God's creation as a reminder that he is himself vast beyond your imagining.

Be encouraged, when problems seem to block your spiritual vision. God sees and knows all and he cares about you deeply. His promises and blessings are not just for this life--but life eternal!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I can hardly imagine spending eternity with you. It's one of those things that I believe but cannot grasp. You might say it's a promise too great for me. Teach me to live my life in light of eternity, for it is only then that I can see my life here as it truly is ---endless. Amen

Eternal life does not begin with death:
It begins with faith.
Samuel M. Shoemaker

Submitted by Kay Lewis

Devotional 10-19-12

Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world—
Red, brown, yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight;
Jesus loves the little children of the world!
Bible School song

The Children in Our Lives

The young children in our lives are such a blessing, aren’t they? We have eight grandchildren ranging in age from 15 months to nearly 18 years, and we treasure each moment we spend with them. Recently I spent most of the day with two of our eight grandchildren—my daughter’s two youngest, ages 15 months and four years. The day was filled with fun and laughter, and an exuberant amount of energy! No matter which of the grandchildren we share time with, we can count on lots of snuggling, the approval of art masterpieces, silly books, adventure books or school books, walks in the park, or a very competitive card game. There is always a big hug and kiss or two when our time together comes to an end and we have to say goodbye, at least for awhile.

There are children, however—perhaps in our own neighborhood and certainly in our region, our state, our world, who have rarely felt much joy in their lives. They encounter loneliness, fear, hunger and despair, neglect and abuse beyond what any of us can imagine. They may appear to live a “normal” life, but they may never feel the deep love and joy the children in our lives share every day.

The happiness and well-being of the children in our lives make it hard for us to think about these other children. It’s just more comfortable not to. And it’s easy to just take for granted that all children are like our own—happy, well-adjusted kids who have an abundance of toys and entertainment, eat three good meals a day, have a bath before bedtime, sleep soundly in a clean, comfortable bed, and start again the very next morning.

We hear about incidents of abuse and neglect, and we are shocked and saddened by the horrific story on the news. What we’re not aware of are the daily calls to Child Protective Services which hold no interest by the media because they’re too common. But abuse and neglect at any level is just that--abuse and neglect.

As a court appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteer I have learned first-hand what many of these children have gone through in their young lives. While I can’t share the stories of “my kids”, I can tell you that their sad encounters have been permanently imprinted on their lives. The court process of determining their future can be overwhelmingly long and frightening for them. I sometimes question my ability to be of any real help to them.

Jesus, however, tells us that we all can be of help to them by simply praying for them. We can pray for their safety and well-being; we can pray for the CPS workers who may have a case load of 30 to 40 kids; and we can pray that God will give us insight in learning other ways in which we can help. The power of prayer will open our hearts to these fragile kids, and they will also become the children in our lives. May we, through prayer, remember the thousands of abused and neglected children in our world. 

"God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it."
John Wesley

Diane Feaganes

Devotional 10-12-12

WHEN WE CANNOT FIND GOD

Read Job 23 1-9

Job feels that if he could personally talk with God, He would understand and acquit him but he cannot find God to personally speak with him. Job feels his punishment outweighs his fault. Almost all of the chapters contain Job's complaints about the unfairness of God. Elihu tells Job how ignorant he is acting toward God. Finally, God does speak to Job and eventually, He blessed Job at the end of his life. But, are there times in our lives when we cannot seem to find God? Does it seem that God is hiding from us?

In my research about this Book of the Bible, I read a sermon by Rev. Amy Butler. It reminded me of the time in my life when I felt utter desolation and devastation. I prayed so hard for help but felt totally abandoned. I was angry with God. I felt God did not care. I am sure that some of you have felt that way at one time or another. Then another event not related to the first reason for pain and desolation happened.

I had to think of someone else and not myself. I got down on my knees and started talking to God, asking for help for someone else, not me. I begged God to place my loving mother in His arms and keep her as she went through open heart surgery. It was in 1968 when that kind of surgery was not to as safe as now. I learned to place my burden in His hands. I finally felt peace. I made it through the first situation, also. I like to think God had better plans for me.

I have learned in the years since then that we can find God in others when we feel alone. There is always someone whom we feel is close to God. The touch of a hand on your arm or shoulder by that particular person can mean so much. Our church family is part of that safe nest when we cannot seem to find God. But, I have learned that He walks beside us. He will be there when we turn it all over to Him.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father,
When we feel all alone, help us to remember that you are always there when we need you. Help us to trust in the God in your children. This way we will be surrounded by your love and understanding even more. Help us to be a Blessing to others. Amen

Carolee Brown

Devotional 10-5-12

In this mid-Pentecost season, a number of the lectionary readings have said some pretty powerful things about what we do with our lives if we are to be true disciples of Jesus.  As one example, the reading in Mark about Peter’s confession at Caesarea Phillippi asks some harsh questions.  Mark is the earliest of the gospel accounts written and is most direct and terse.  Matthew and Luke tame this story.  In Mark, Peter is rebuked for his understanding of who Messiah is.  In Matthew, Peter is praised for acknowledgment of Messiah and told that he is the rock on which Jesus would build his church.  Luke says nothing of what Matthew says, but he softens the exchange between Jesus and Peter, saying nothing about any harsh words between them as found in Mark.

 

Read this exchange between Peter and Jesus in Mark 8:27-38.

 

As the passage proceeds, Jesus says some scandalous things about who he is.   Peter believed that the Messiah is the one they had been expecting for centuries whom God would anoint to lead the revolt and overthrow their dictators and oppressors.  “You’re the one!”, Peter thought.  “We’re ready to pick up the sword and to be your captains to stir the people up to follow your lead.”  But Jesus in turn rebuked Peter in front of the other disciples:  called him a name – Satan.  “Shame on you, Peter!  I’m talking about the ways of God and your mind is trapped by your own expectations.  I am NOT going to be a worldly liberator who will free the people from tyranny.  You have your mind set on your own earthly expectations and not the ways of God.” 

More scandalous, Jesus told them that Messiah must suffer and be rejected by their own religious leaders – must be killed and rise again.

Still more scandalous, Jesus told the listening crowd that if they wanted to save their lives, they were to take up their crosses and follow Jesus.  “You who try to save your lives will lose them, and those who lose their lives for my sake and the gospel will save them.”

At first reading, we are not really threatened by this.  What are the chances that something will force us to make a discipleship choice that could cause us to lose our lives?  Actually and physically to suffer and die for Jesus?   For most of us, this is pretty remote, really.  But read the text again with the understanding of “trying to save our lives” meaning saving the way of life that is known, comfortable, prosperous, and safe when discipleship calls us to relinquish that comfort or prosperity or safety in behalf of the compassionate and merciful and peaceful ways of Jesus.   That’s different.  Threatening.  Hard.   Discipleship has its ultimate reward of blessing with God.  In the meantime, discipleship may be costly – costing us a way of life that is contrary to our Christlike calling.

O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.

O let me see thy footprints, and in them plant my own,

My cross to carry fully, to trust your strength alone.
Let me deny my lifestyle when varied from your ways.
Receive me then in Heaven at the ending of my days.

Rev. Jack Lipphardt