Scripture: Acts 3:11-16
Summary: After Peter and John heal the lame man, everyone is astonished. Peter tells them that they didn't heal the man with their own power, but with the power of faith in Jesus Christ.
Thoughts: Peter says "the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you." The disciples were able to do amazing things because they had faith in Jesus. Especially in this time of Advent, while we are awaiting the birth of the Christ child, I wonder what miracles we might be a part of. I have seen lives changed by Christ. So why is it that I still lack faith in the power of faith in Jesus? Why am I hesitant to trust that God will provide what I need: healing, food, shelter, work? What kind of miracle do you need in your life? How might you be a miracle in someone else's life during this season in which we wait for a glimpse of the child who changed everything?
Prayer: God who sent Jesus to earth to be God with us, help us to have faith in you. Help us to be a miracle in another's life this holiday season. Let us open our hearts to the child you sent. Amen.
Showing posts with label child of God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label child of God. Show all posts
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
2 Peter 1:1-4 - How much is enough?
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:1-4
Summary: May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ. His power has given us everything that we need. The things he has given us can help us escape the corruption of the world.
Thoughts: As I read this scripture I keep coming back to one line: "His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." If God has given us everything that we need, why do we continue to struggle so hard to get things for ourselves? We teach our children that they have to make the best grades in school, so that they can go to the best colleges where they need to make even better grades, so that they can get a job making the most money, so that they can buy the biggest house and marry the best looking spouse. Where does it all end? If God has given us everything that we need for life why do we continue to try to get more? At what point do we get off of the merry go round and take a job that we love? When is it enough? Perhaps, instead, we should teach our children to have well rounded lives and to find a vocation that gives them a sense of fullfillment, rather than a high paying job. Let's show our children, through our own choices, what a well rounded, fulfilled adult looks like, so that they will have something meaningful to strive for.
Prayer: God, you have given me everything that I need "for life and godliness." Let this be enough for me. Amen.
Summary: May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the righteousness of God and Jesus Christ. His power has given us everything that we need. The things he has given us can help us escape the corruption of the world.
Thoughts: As I read this scripture I keep coming back to one line: "His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness." If God has given us everything that we need, why do we continue to struggle so hard to get things for ourselves? We teach our children that they have to make the best grades in school, so that they can go to the best colleges where they need to make even better grades, so that they can get a job making the most money, so that they can buy the biggest house and marry the best looking spouse. Where does it all end? If God has given us everything that we need for life why do we continue to try to get more? At what point do we get off of the merry go round and take a job that we love? When is it enough? Perhaps, instead, we should teach our children to have well rounded lives and to find a vocation that gives them a sense of fullfillment, rather than a high paying job. Let's show our children, through our own choices, what a well rounded, fulfilled adult looks like, so that they will have something meaningful to strive for.
Prayer: God, you have given me everything that I need "for life and godliness." Let this be enough for me. Amen.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
1 Peter 5:5-6 - Authority of elders?
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5-6
Summary: The younger should accept the authority of the elders. Be humble in your dealings with one another.
Thoughts: After reading this scripture, it would be easy to fall in to the trap and turn to my kids and say, "See, the Bible says that you should accept my authority!" On the surface, I agree with this statement, because children need their parents to attempt to keep them safe and teach them how to be good people. So when you tell a small child not to run in to the street, it is important that the child listen to you. At some point, however, my children are going to have to be able to make decisions for themselves because I won't be there to help them. They will have to decide for themselves if they want to run in to the street (or whatever!). So now that my kids are older, I am trying to step back and allow them to make their own decisions and live with the consequences. But for all of us, younger and older, it is important to remember to be humble with one another. Because we can all learn from each other. Some of the most important lessons in my life, I learned from a young person, which is why I love my work in youth ministry! Adults, we need to remember that the youth are children of God and bring a unique perspective to share with us. Youth, perhaps you could give us a little bit of credit for our life experience, and listen to us on occassion. As children of God, we need to have a large dose of humility in our dealings with one another.
Prayer: God help me to be humble with all people that I meet, young and old. Amen.
Summary: The younger should accept the authority of the elders. Be humble in your dealings with one another.
Thoughts: After reading this scripture, it would be easy to fall in to the trap and turn to my kids and say, "See, the Bible says that you should accept my authority!" On the surface, I agree with this statement, because children need their parents to attempt to keep them safe and teach them how to be good people. So when you tell a small child not to run in to the street, it is important that the child listen to you. At some point, however, my children are going to have to be able to make decisions for themselves because I won't be there to help them. They will have to decide for themselves if they want to run in to the street (or whatever!). So now that my kids are older, I am trying to step back and allow them to make their own decisions and live with the consequences. But for all of us, younger and older, it is important to remember to be humble with one another. Because we can all learn from each other. Some of the most important lessons in my life, I learned from a young person, which is why I love my work in youth ministry! Adults, we need to remember that the youth are children of God and bring a unique perspective to share with us. Youth, perhaps you could give us a little bit of credit for our life experience, and listen to us on occassion. As children of God, we need to have a large dose of humility in our dealings with one another.
Prayer: God help me to be humble with all people that I meet, young and old. Amen.
Monday, November 8, 2010
James 4:11-12 - judging others
Scripture: James 4:11-12
Summary: Don't judge each other.Be a doer of the law and not a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge, so who are you to judge your neighbor.
Thoughts: When I read this scripture I find myself thinking about a young lady I know. There was a rumor circulating that she had made some bad choices, involving illegal drugs and sex. When I heard the rumor, I was obviously concerned about her well being, knowing that those kind of choices could have serious consequences for her. But my bigger concern waas the way that other girls in our group began to treat her. And I began to think about how Jesus had treated the people around him: how he had accepted people who had made poor choices in the past. So I began talking to the girls who I heard talking about this young lady. Trying to stress to them that we wanted our church to be a safe place to be, even for people who had made bad choices. Because when you are really honest, you realize that we have all made bad choices in our lives. And although we may consider other people's bad choices worse than ours, who are we to judge someone else? This is what I see as the crucial point of this scripture. Who are we to judge our neighbors or to judge another youth at our church? Perhaps we can focus more on the person and less on their past. Isn't this what Jesus did?
Prayer: God help me to see past the external facade of each person to see the child of God within. Amen.
Summary: Don't judge each other.Be a doer of the law and not a judge. There is one lawgiver and judge, so who are you to judge your neighbor.
Thoughts: When I read this scripture I find myself thinking about a young lady I know. There was a rumor circulating that she had made some bad choices, involving illegal drugs and sex. When I heard the rumor, I was obviously concerned about her well being, knowing that those kind of choices could have serious consequences for her. But my bigger concern waas the way that other girls in our group began to treat her. And I began to think about how Jesus had treated the people around him: how he had accepted people who had made poor choices in the past. So I began talking to the girls who I heard talking about this young lady. Trying to stress to them that we wanted our church to be a safe place to be, even for people who had made bad choices. Because when you are really honest, you realize that we have all made bad choices in our lives. And although we may consider other people's bad choices worse than ours, who are we to judge someone else? This is what I see as the crucial point of this scripture. Who are we to judge our neighbors or to judge another youth at our church? Perhaps we can focus more on the person and less on their past. Isn't this what Jesus did?
Prayer: God help me to see past the external facade of each person to see the child of God within. Amen.
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