Peace, Joy and Love

The Good News Today Is...advent is upon us. Advent is an anticipation of a coming. Christmas is coming - when we celebrate the advent of the baby Jesus. Advent also reminds us to anticipate the return of Jesus to reign on earth and bring us peace, joy and love. What wonderful gifts! I think we should start practicing right now so that we can fit in when this all takes place. In fact I think that's what we are supposed to learn to do during our time on this earth. Practicing peace, joy and love midst this crazy world we live in is not an easy task. It only takes one person to start it though and then it catches on - it might as well be me (or you!)

Thanks To Our God

The Good News Today Is...my family made it safely to visit for Thanksgiving. It is wonderful to be surrounded by family and friends during the holiday week. I am thankful to be able to sit and reminisce while sharing good food and drink. It is a time of refreshing and a time for giving thanks to our God in heaven for the mercy and grace that has been given to us. Make sure when you count your blessings and give thanks for them, you are giving thanks to God and not just that you are feeling thankful in general that you have been so blessed. Our praise is to be to the one who gives all to us. May the glory and honor be His.

Put God First

The Good News Today Is...even though I think I have more to do than I can possibly accomplish, I don't need to be filled with anxiety. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God." (Phl 4:6). I was tempted this morning to skip my morning time entry and to rush about to finish getting ready for company. I needed to remind myself that my company is coming to see me and not my house. I will get enough done so that my house is presentable, but if I skip my time with the Lord, I will be a wreck, and truly my house would not be that much cleaner. Priorities are important and God should always remain #1. He is to be exulted above all. This is the way to get through life without having a nervous breakdown...make God be first in your life. Everything else will fall into place.

Earthly Battles

The Good News Today Is...the battle belongs to the Lord. When we have troubles that seem overwhelming, when we have illnesses that are painful, when we seem to be in a place of deep darkness - the battle belongs to the Lord. There are those who are not able to see this truth and we need to stand in the gap and pray for them. Pray for deliverance, pray for protection, pray for discernment, and lift the battle up to the Lord. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil" (Eph 6:12) We can't stand up to these things without God to help us stand firm. Don't try to fight in your own power, but give it over to God to use His power. That is how these battles are won.

If God Ruled on Earth

The Good News Today Is...God will rule in the end. Enjoy this excerpt from www.the journeysofjesus.net: (Click to read the whole article.)

In its simplest terms, the kingdom of God that Jesus announced and embodied is what life would be like on earth, here and now, if God were king and the rulers of this world were not (Borg, Crossan). Imagine if God ruled the nations, and not Obama, Medvedev, Kim Jong-il, Mugabe, or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Every aspect of personal and communal life would experience a radical reversal. The political, economic, and social subversions would be almost endless—peace-making instead of war mongering, liberation not exploitation, sacrifice rather than subjugation, mercy not vengeance, care for the vulnerable instead of privileges for the powerful, generosity instead of greed, humility rather than hubris, embrace rather than exclusion, etc. The ancient Hebrews had a marvelous word for this, shalom,or human well-being.

Shalom - have a peaceful day!

Jesus a King

The Good News Today Is...Jesus was not politically correct. Jesus was a king with no earthly kingdom - how politically incorrect is that? It was difficult for Pilate to give Jesus over to be crucified because he had not technically done anything wrong. Yet being politically incorrect has its downside. Pilate followed the lead of the crowd and gave into the mob that was following the incitement of the Pharisees. As Christians we should not become politically correct just to pacify the multitudes. It is a time to stand on the truth and not cave into becoming politically correct. This means we are to believe the Word and live by the Word, while feeling compassion for those who are caught up in the world of political correctness. They are the prisoners. They are the deceived. May God have mercy on them.

Thanks For Everything

The Good News Today Is...the season of Thanksgiving is coming upon us. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a little over a week away. One of my facebook friends posted a challenge to post what you are thankful for every single day in November. I have to admit I didn't take this challenge, but I certainly am being blessed by reading what others are posting. Each day we should begin by reminding ourselves what we are thankful for - whether it is Thanksgiving or not. I was thinking that I should buy some post it notes and stick one on my kitchen cabinet door every morning with what I am thankful for that day. That way I can keep my notes as a reminder - right where I can see them every day. I think that if I kept the whole month's notes I would have a messy kitchen cabinet door that was truly inspiring! If I buy the bright colored post-it notes it would be a burst of thanks. Hmmm....I just might try it. We all need reminding that we are blessed in so many ways. It makes our glass half full for the day instead of half empty. Give thanks to your creator and redeemer for God is good - all the time!

The Lord Reigns

The Good News Today Is...although man has tried to stop the spread of the Gospel it has survived 2000 years and is still going strong. Crucifying Jesus, burning bibles, condemning churches - it's all been done, and is still being done in some places in the world. Yet the Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice! When Jesus told Pilate that he was a king, but his kingdom was not of this world, he was essentially saying that no matter what you do to me, my kingdom will survive. There is nothing on earth that can be done to destroy the kingdom of God. Our God has placed his kingdom within our hearts. It is there no matter the circumstances in life, no matter what our government does, no matter what happens at work, no matter what happens in our families. Things of man may fade away, but God will reign forever. Amen.

Thanks Giving

The Good News Today Is...we have so much to be thankful for.



Enjoy the skit guys! They are a lot of fun!

God is Not Far Away

The Good News Today Is..."God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though he is not far from each one of us." (Acts 17:27) We are supposed to seek Him. We are supposed to reach out for Him. We are supposed to find Him. This verse came to me as I have been writing my paper seeking commissioning from the American Baptist Churches of Maine. My paper asks me to explain my understanding of the theology of God, The Holy Spirit, Jesus, the bible, baptism, the Lord's Supper, salvation, etc. While writing this paper I have had to seek deeper than I have had to in the past. We can know what all of these things mean on the surface, but when asked what they mean to us personally, we have to look inside ourselves and discern what is really there. It has been a great exercise and I wish I had done this earlier in my life. When we seek, when we reach out, we do find Him, He is not far.

Thank You Veterans

The Good News Today Is...the veterans will be remembered. Thank you to all who have served our country to promote the freedoms we have. Thank you for allowing this to be a country where I have the right to believe in God and publicly worship. Thank you for your willingness to put your life on the line to protect what is right and true and good. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Spritually Awake

The Good News Today Is...I read a new phrase today; spiritually awake. Ah - I really like that. Most of us walk around in a spiritual fog day after day, possibly rousing ourselves to be awake for the one hour on Sunday that we attend church. (Well at least some of you stay awake in church!) Spiritually awake suggests that even in our crazy, fast paced lives, God is able to use us to work out his purpose in us and to use us to help others to do the same. As Eugene Peterson puts it - we should, "be reminded that none of us is the leading character in the story of our life." He continues that we are "not being led to see God in our stories but to see our stories in God's." That's being spiritually awake right there! Additionally we should remember this; "You have heard it said, 'God is in my heart,' but you really should say, 'I am in the heart of God.'" I am grateful for the people who publish these fine tidbits on line so that I can be reminded to awaken spiritually and live my life within God's story. There is no place I would rather be than right in the center of God's heart - feeling utterly, completely loved and knowing His unending grace.

Spiritual Challenges

The Good News Today Is...the Word always challenges us. Reading the bible is an exercise in spiritual fitness. It is very much like exercising the body. We resist getting started, we find it hard to do regularly, and it can cause pain as we grow in understanding. That is how I felt when I read the lectionary scriptures for this week. "When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains." (Mark 13:7-8) These are tough words and when I stretch my spiritual being into studying them, it hurts. Wrapping myself around such thoughts tests my faith and my understanding of the word. Yet spiritual exercise also cleanses me and refreshes me - even though it is hard. Pushing forward is the only way to have a spiritual break through - exercise your spiritual being and grow stronger in Christ. The rewards are awesome!

Resting

The Good News Today Is..."Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."(Mark 6:31) There is a time for quiet and rest and I am taking a few days off to go to a quiet place. I will return to regular posting next week - all rested up!

Give It Away

The Good News Today Is...God blesses giving. Some of you may not know this because you never give anything, or you only give out of a sense of duty. God blesses the giver with the willing heart. The giver who gives not looking for anything in return. If you believe that God has given you all that you have, then you should be willing to give at least some of what you have back to the ministries that promote God's Word and glorify His name. If you don't give, you won't have any way to receive and your life will become stale. Nothing in, nothing out, no change, no value. Give of your time, your money and of your free will. Accept the newness and freshness in your life that your giving makes room for. You will be more fulfilled than you ever expected. Try it you'll like it!