A Weekly Walk in the Word

Acts 20:28 – 31  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I (Paul) leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears  

Happy Rally Sunday!  Today is the day that many churches kick off their Sunday school year, offering several educational opportunities for children and adults. How will you contribute to Christian education in your church?  Will you be a shepherd to the flock? Or will participate as a student?

A group of women in my church met at my house this week after taking the summer off, to begin a new Bible study.  I praise God for these women and their commitment to study God’s word.  Their relationship to me and our church is such a blessing.

I challenge you to dig deeper this year in your knowledge of Christ…..  attend a Bible study, stay for Sunday school, shepherd the flock!

Philippians 4:12-14  Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have yet taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

It seems like just yesterday we were taking the training wheels off our boys’ bikes….  and today they are participating in our town’s Jesse James Bike Tour, riding the 100 mile getaway route.  Their goal was to complete the course by 2:00 in the afternoon. They encountered several large hills on the road and a strong headwind.  It was closer to 4:00 when they pulled back into our driveway. But, they completed the ride. Through their extensive training over the entire summer, they overcame today’s obstacles by pressing on to finish the 100 mile route!

As I press on toward the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus, I know that I can not reach the prize on my own. Jesus took hold of me during those days when the training wheels came off, when I struggle up a hill or when I am riding into a headwind. The road I am on may take unexpected turns and the timing may not be what I had planned, but I press forward. I know Jesus is with me….  so I press onward in peace and gladness.

Enjoy your journey heavenward in Christ Jesus!

Ecclesiastes 5:19-20  Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work – this is a gift from God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.

Happy Labor Day Weekend! As we take a day to reflect on the work we do throughout the year, are you content and happy with your work?

Earlier this week, my husband and I worked on the unending task of pulling weeds in our flower beds. At the end of the day, we had quite a pile to take to our city compost site. On the way, we noticed a widowed neighbor halfway up the block with a large pile of weeds accumulated in her driveway. When we stopped to ask her if we could add her weeds to our load to dispose of them, she was in tears. She had no way to dispose of her weeds. Within minutes, we had her pile added to our truckload and drove away. Such simple work, but such meaningful work that made a difference in someone’s life!

This morning I took my cup of coffee to the garden to think about the work I do. God has blessed me in so many ways, and one of those blessings is the ability to work. My favorite days are when I am busy and at the end of the day when I crawl into bed, I am exhausted. I feel that on those days, I have lived!

Take time this Labor Day to reflect on the work you do. Praise God for the opportunities you are given to work!

Revelation 21:23  The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Have you seen pictures or heard enough from last week’s eclipse? It was a cloudy day in Minnesota, so this is the best picture I was able to capture…. Not quite the brilliant photos I have seen posted on social media. But even through the clouds, I was able to see the bright light we were advised to avoid.

There will come a day when we are with God, that the sun and moon are no longer needed because we will dwell in His presence which provides every bit of light we need. The sun and moon may still exist, but they will be eclipsed by the bright light flowing from God himself. We will be freed forever from the darkness of this earth by God’s glorious radiance.

Luke 10:25-37  –  On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”  He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”  “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied.  “Do this and you will live.”  But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”  In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’  “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” 

Our daughter begins her third year at Colorado State University tomorrow. She takes great pride in being a CSU Ram! One of the first things she heard during a CSU visit was “Rams take care of Rams”. She instilled this declaration on an entire class of incoming freshman when she was an orientation leader for the college. The students take this to heart. They not only study together, they work together. They help each other out. They don’t leave someone behind.

When we live in community, we care for each other. Maybe it is time to expand the communities in which we live. Instead of only caring for the people in your house, genuinely care for those next door, those in your town, your state, your country, the world. “Go and do likewise.” How will you care for your community this week?

Humans take care of humans.

Psalm 137:4  How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?

When I travel, I have people ask me all the time…. “So, where are you from?” Such a simple question, asked to strike up conversation with someone we have just met. Yet, I am never quite sure how to answer their question.

I was born in South Dakota. I lived in Wisconsin for 30 some years. Then I moved to Iowa where my family and I lived for 8 years. Currently, I have lived in Minnesota for 7 years.

As I struggle with how to properly answer their question of where I am from, I never struggle with the question of where I am going. Because, I know Jesus has gone before me down every road and every struggle I have encountered. He is preparing a home for me where I will dwell with him forever!

Where are you from?

More importantly, where are you going?

Psalm 23:4-6  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,,,,, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the lord forever.

How do you say goodbye to someone you love? This week I attended three funerals in four days. And on the day I didn’t attend a funeral, I put our daughter on an airplane to go back to college. It was a rough week at our house!

I watched my cousins say goodbye to their mom, a six and three year old say goodbye to their dad and a good friend say goodbye to her husband. I am not going to lie, it was hard. We shared tears and stories of the ones we loved and lost all week.

The only way I can get through days like these is by knowing death is not the end. Jesus loves the people we have lost and Jesus loves you and me. Because of His love, death is not the end. We will be reunited with the friends and family we have lost. What a day of celebration that will be! Until then, those of us left to complete our walk on earth will lean on Jesus and continue to love each other through the emptiness we feel today.

Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

There are few things in life that make a parent happier than when your grown children take the time to call you. My son and daughter spent the summer in Texas and my other son in Iowa. When any of them call, you can bet I drop everything to listen to their stories. They don’t always have big news to share but I love hearing about their daily adventures or how work is going. Their calls are the highlight of my day!

Jesus feels the same way when his children call on him in prayer. He longs to listen to our big news, our needs and our daily adventures.

On Friday I lost my Aunt Elma and a wise close family friend, Andrew who lost his fight with leukemia. I won’t hear their voices again until we meet in heaven. And that makes me very sad. Take the time to talk to your parents, your kids and Jesus this week. You will all be blessed by the conversation!

John 2:1-10  On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine”.  “Dear woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”   Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”  They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.  He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

This was Jesus’ first miracle. And what a way to start…

I had the privilege of bar tending (OK, I poured glasses of wine) at a friend’s son’s wedding last weekend. I love weddings! The couple glowed with their love for each other. They were very organized with several cases of wine and a delicious meal for their guests. We didn’t run out of either. It was a magical evening with many helping to make the evening run smoothly.

Jesus began his ministry serving others in love. He understood the importance of celebrating love. His focus has never changed. It remains the same today. He loves you!

Acts 20:35  In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive”.

This week was my husbands birthday. I began planning to make his special day, well, special. I chose his favorite cake (chocolate) and a new recommended restaurant for dinner. But what gift do I buy for a man who has given me so much. Nothing seemed worthy of giving to the one who means the world to me. Everything seemed to fall short in comparison to the love we share.

Giving to God feels much the same to me. What do I have that is worthy of giving to Him who has provided me with all of my needs and a crazy amount of my wants too? I give Him my heart, my life, my time. I try to give back to others so that He may be seen. I heard at an early age that you can never out give God. It is so true!

I decided to give my husband a small gift to represent outings we are going to take together throughout this upcoming year. We enjoy spending time together exploring new places. The trips don’t need to be big or extravagant. As long as we are together, we are happy and content.

What is the best gift you have ever received? What is the best gift you have ever given?