Mission Faithwalk

                 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.  (II Peter 3:9) We’re back to that dreaded thing: patience. God is patient with us. It’s part of His nature. Unfortunately, it doesn’t tend to be part of ours. Oh, there are some patient people, and then there are those to whom the situation doesn’t matter and some who are passive rather than patient. It’s something we have to work on. There are two potential keys to discuss this morning. It helps us to be patient if we have the best interests of the other person at heart. In other words, if we love them. The second is that the thing we’re waiting for is in their best interest and not ours. In short, it’s easier to be patient when it’s not all about us. Or, it’s easier to be patient when we’re actually being “like the Most High” and not like ...

                 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”  (Matthew 16:24-26) Why does God allow bad things to happen? I don’t believe there is only one reason for any bad thing unless that answer is so broad that it is almost meaningless. But one reason that may fit at least some bad things is that God is trying to help us save our lives and our souls. But here we must stop to consider what is meant by saving our souls, and I must repeat my chorus about it not being “magical.” Losing one’s soul is a thought by thought, decision by decision thing. Think of what happens to someone who is addict...

                 “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”  (Leviticus 19:18) OK, folks. Don’t bear a grudge against Mr. Biden. Don’t bear a grudge against Mr. Trump. Feel free to add names, keeping in mind that the point of the exercise is that you not hold a grudge. Not against your teachers,  your parents, your siblings, your employer, or even against the long list of monsters who have populated our news casts over the decades: animal abusers, industrialists, serial killers, mass murderers, murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and even genocidal dictators. One big problem with this is that they deserve to be punished, etc. Yes, they do. But it’s almost certain that you aren’t the person assigned to deliver that punishment. It’s also likely that your holding a grudge won’t factor in the life of these distant people. You might inconvenience...

                 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24) Omnipresent: widely or constantly encountered; common or widespread (of God, everywhere all the time.) Pantheism: a doctrine which identifies God with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of God. (The Universe is God.) Panenthism: the belief or doctrine that God is greater than the universe and includes and interpenetrates it. (The universe is part of God.) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  2  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2) I’m writing this on Wednesday, and my thoughts are on words and definitions. When I read this verse, the idea that came to mi...

              But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (II Thessalonians 3:3)           And now, the other side of the coin from yesterday’s post. The point yesterday was not that God doesn’t strengthen us, but that Isaiah 40:31 doesn’t say that the Lord strengthens us. Today’s verse makes it clear that the Lord does strengthen and protect us. If someone wants to ask, “Well, which is it?” it’s both.           But here’s the thing. If we strengthen ourselves, we can take credit. When God strengthens us, He deserves the credit. And, in keeping with the post of a couple days ago, the strength He provides may not be as showy as Sampson tearing the gates from the city wall and carrying them up a hill (Judges 16.) It might be something very small, like the strength to notice someone needs a door held open. His protecti...

              but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:31)           People love this verse. It seems to promise an unending, superhuman supply of strength and endurance. Problem 1: It doesn’t say what we think it does. It does not say God will renew their strength it says that those who hope or wait (the old word) will renew their strength. They’ll get a good night’s sleep, eat and drink healthy foods, build their lives, build their families, study, exercise, learn new skills, seek wisdom, etc. They will renew their strength Problem 2: Hoping or waiting. This means accepting that now isn’t the right time, and trusting that God will make sure you don’t “miss the exit.” It may mean 430 years in captivity, or 25 years for the child to be born, or whatever – but God ...