Today’s Community Scripture – 4/22/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/22/2024

by | Apr 22, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

Servants, respectfully obey your earthly masters but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave or free.

                                Ephesians 6:5–8 MSG

– Reflection:

                 It All Matters

God designed us and built us for his work. Work is his gift to us, not his punishment, nor even a necessary evil. It’s how we’re brought into how he’s blessing and helping his sons and daughters. How do you think about work? What do you think about your work? Is it something you look forward to? Do you have to drag yourself there? Is it a calling? Is it a means to an end? Work shouldn’t separate you from your faith. It should be an expression of your faith.

Where do we go from here?

God provides his blessings and help through people through us. The blessing of a house is given by God, but through the people who build it, who assist in its purchase, like the realtor and the banker; who make and sell the furnishings, who maintain it, and even those who insure the house against its loss. All this seemingly secular work becomes sacred when it’s done (1) to love and serve God and his purposes and (2) to love and serve God’s sons and daughters. It may not seem like it sometimes, especially with supply chains as long and complex as they are today, but it does. There’s no menial or meaningless work as long as it positively helps someone else.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for allowing us to be a part of God’s blessing, giving us the ability to help others. May it continue to give us purpose and meaning to our lives. Keep us from tha dark thoughts of how negative work and helping another can be, and continue to allow us to see how helping another is your plan that will bring us joy and strength of community. Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/16/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/16/2024

by | Apr 16, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

 – Scripture:

”Old enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building The Temple of the God of Israel. They came to Zerubbabel and the family heads and said, “We’ll help you build. We worship your God the same as you. We’ve been offering sacrifices to him since Esarhaddon king of Assyria brought us here.” Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the family heads of Israel said to them, “Nothing doing. Building The Temple of our God is not the same thing to you as to us. We alone will build for the God of Israel. We’re the ones King Cyrus of Persia commanded to do it.”“ ”So these people started beating down the morale of the people of Judah, harassing them as they built. They even hired propagandists to sap their resolve. They kept this up for about fifteen years, throughout the lifetime of Cyrus king of Persia and on into the reign of Darius King of Persia.“

                             Ezra‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭5 ‭MSG

 – Reflection:

               Keep Your Vision In Front of You

I ask this knowing the answer already; with all the people in the Bible that overcame huge obstacles how did they keep their eyes on the goal in front of them? There are so many things that I have not gotten to because of fear of the unknown, just can’t seem to get out of my own way, and the one that sets me back every time expectations. I know I am close to something happening for the community I am in or myself and family personally, I can feel the tension. Now I need to take another step to make sure we don’t lose ground but continue to gain ground. There is a passage in Ezra 4 that speaks to something similar, but he had the final piece to keep him moving towards his goal. When there is nothing but what has been shown to you how do you keep moving?

 – Where do we go from here?

There has to be a way for us to complete tasks, and stay motivated without seeing the finished product itself or a piece of that finished product. When we have faith it helps us move through everything, to keep a dream alive we have to have unwavering faith. Right now we are all at a place where the world is eating up all of our dreams, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is up to us to honor what GOD did for us on the Cross all those years ago. Finish what he started, some of us won’t, some of us will but all of us have to believe that it can be done. I also want to be able to say at some point “ It is finished ”. As we start our days today, remember what has been placed on your heart and work toward making that happen. There are quite a few of us out here with you that will be doing the same things.

 Our Prayer for Today?

Father, thank you for keeping us each and everyday watching over us while we try to find a way through to the work you have placed in front of us. It is you who we honor each day that we wake up trying to make this world a better place than it was when we were placed in it. Lord help us to fight the spirit of procrastination, and all other pieces that keep us from moving towards our goals. With all the grace and mercy you give us each day, we are all able to say. Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/12/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/12/2024

by | Apr 12, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!

                                 Romans 13:11–14 MSG

– Reflection:

                  Living With Urgency

No question, a lot of us are living in “I know, I know” mode . . . in “I’m gonna do it, but just not right now” mode. We know what’s important; we’ve just convinced ourselves we’ve got all kinds of time. And, because life is crazy busy right now, we’ve resolved to get around to doing what we should be doing later—when things slow a bit. We’ll change our ways later. We’ll get around to living out our faith later. It couldn’t possibly be. Waking up this morning was just like waking up yesterday. Tomorrow’s sure to be the same. There’ll always be plenty of time . . . right? Well, Peter wrote that God’s right now “restraining himself” because he loves you and me (2 Peter 3:8-9 MSG). He’s “holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost. He’s giving everyone space and time to change.” But, warned Peter, it won’t last forever: “. . . when the Day of God’s Judgment does come, it will be unannounced, like a thief.”

Where do we go from here?

When the last day comes, the “space and time” God’s been giving us will vanish. So Peter made his appeal: “Since everything here today might well be gone tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?” So Peter made his appeal: live with urgency. Take a look at your life. Where are you spending money and talent? Where and with whom are you spending time? What’s being neglected? What needs to change? Are you willing? It’s time; time to shift into “I’m on it” mode.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for the time we have been given to get out of our mess together. Time in my mind is endless, and I need these reminders to stay on task. Let us all get to doing the work we are put here to do before the thief shows up. Jesus, allow us this day to move for you and the work you have for us. In your name, we pray. Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/11/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/11/2024

by | Apr 11, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

– Scripture:

Children, time is just about up. You heard that Antichrist is coming. Well, they’re all over the place, antichrists everywhere you look. That’s how we know that we’re close to the end. They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong. But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it. I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you don’t know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn’t breed lies. So who is lying here? It’s the person who denies that Jesus is the Divine Christ, that’s who. This is what makes an antichrist: denying the Father, denying the Son. No one who denies the Son has any part with the Father, but affirming the Son is an embrace of the Father as well. Stay with what you heard from the beginning, the original message. Let it sink into your life. If what you heard from the beginning lives deeply in you, you will live deeply in both Son and Father. This is exactly what Christ promised: eternal life, real life!
I’ve written to warn you about those who are trying to deceive you. But they’re no match for what is embedded deeply within you—Christ’s anointing, no less! You don’t need any of their so-called teaching. Christ’s anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught.

                          1 John 2:18–27 MSG

– Reflection:

              Antichrists Everywhere You Look

How have we been tempted to consider our enemies to be antichrists? We might not go so far as to use the label but perhaps we treat our opponents that way. Have you or someone you love ever gone down the online rabbit hole in search of material to fulfill some prophetic claim?

Where do we go from here?

If you hear spiritual words used to demean or disparage others, pause and pray. Go back and read what the Bible actually says. Take the time to consider how, in your own life, you might be living “anti” the love and grace of Jesus Christ. With humility, ask God to guide you in faithfulness.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, we are tempted to judge others while refusing to look honestly at ourselves. Show us how we fall short of who you created us to be. By the power of your Spirit, equip us for faithful living. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/10/2024

Today’s Community Scripture – 4/10/2024

by | Apr 10, 2024 | Community Conversations, Prayers

 – Scripture:

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

                                  1 John 2:15–17 MSG

 – Reflection:

                  Loving the World

On Monday, there was an eclipse of the sun, and I was driving to my kid’s school to pick them up. An important event like this is happening, and I am driving to a school to pick up my dudes. You see, the world has a way of choosing for us what is important and what is not. I, however, was on a more important mission, picking up my dudes. It is important to me to follow the path that Christ placed before me. The world has a path, but it doesn’t lead where I want to go. I want what our Lord Jesus Christ wants, and that is a community that doesn’t judge, fight, or kill one another. We should support one another in this community, allowing an uplift of aid when needed, and ask if the others are doing well within this community. The same way I didn’t let a world event crowd out what was important to me is the same way we can’t let God’s Kingdom fall.

Where do we go from here?

It can be so easy for us to stake our comfort and stability in the ways we live in the world. A job might provide the ability to meet basic needs and some “wants”. Seeking new sights or places can bring excitement. This passage is a reminder to not become dependent on our understanding of the world. The world changes over time as cultural priorities shift and needs vary, but God’s presence is the one constant we can rely on. We can appreciate the many gifts of God’s creation, but it’s important not to allow them to turn into idols. I wonder what other things “of the world” might distract us from centering our lives around God’s promises.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank you for your consistent love. Help us to enjoy your world in ways that are life-giving while staying grounded in you. Amen.