Life as a Christian who is a pastor
It is good to be a Christian. You join a church not be eligibile for a scholarship, but to be apart of the body Christ. There is accountibility in the church. I wonder if folks don’t get baptized/join the church because they will be held accountable. Sure does make one think.
Wow! A recent article from the AP gives some good information. The Interstellar Boundary Explorer {Ibex} is 200,000 miles from Earth and is collecting particles that are seeping through the bubble that is around our solar system (http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-puzzled-region-outside-solar-system-231423099.html).
Now, some will say that science and faith do not mix. While others will say it does. It can be spurious to find something in the Bible and point to a “new” find as proof of what the Bible says as being right. I placed parentheses around new because it is new to us. What if the Bible and the primitive, less-Enlightened minds whom wrote/edited the Bible are correct in the description of how things are and how they work in this universe? There is a bubble around our solar system that keeps cosmic radiation from entering our solar system, and therefore keeping it from us. That is what the article says.
What does the Bible say? Isaiah 40:22 says that the Lord sits above the “circle of the earth” (NSRV). Job 22:14 has Eliphaz telling Job that God walks on the “dome of the heaven.” The context of this statement is that God is high in the heavens and yet God knows what is going on here on Earth.
Just from these two passages we see that there is more to Creation (which includes all of space) were made, maintained, and interacted with by the Lord God. I am not saying that science is wrong in describing the material that is around our solar system as a “bubble.” I am saying that faith allows us to see this article and comprehend the science fact as confirmation of a Biblical premise.
The great, big God who made the heavens and the earth has set up protection for those whom He loves. God loves all of His creatures (that would include you and me) and He does what is necessary to show that love. Our atmosphere protects us from solar radiation. The space giants, Jupiter & Saturn, protect us by absorbing meteors/comets that could have impacted Earth. Now, science says there is a “bubble” around our solar system protecting us from cosmic radiation. My faith in God is not based solely on this science fact. However, this science fact confirms/reinforces to me the knowledge of God’s love.
On the other hand, faith leads me to believe that there is much in Creation that God uses to show His grace and love. Let us explore, hypothesize, and confirm the Biblical premises that God has concern for us, the ones He has created. Science need not be our “god.” Faith need not be our “god.” But together science and faith can help us understand who God is and what He wants for us.
In Christ’s Service,
John Grimm
Friends,
To prepare for the Resurrection, we are to live for/with Christ now. Otherwise, how can we know the gain the God has for us? We live as forgiven people. We forgive people. We keep close to Jesus in our living days. The youth at the Resurrection event in Gatlinburg were reminded a bit of this idea. Committing ourselves to Jesus Christ is not just a one-time thing. We re-commit ourselves to Jesus Christ everyday. Who knows who is watching you live with Christ? There is more than God watching you! May all who see you live with Christ know Jesus Christ.
In Christ’s Service,
John Grimm
Gladeville-Mt. Olivet Circuit
The United Methodist Church
Jesus wants everyone. But does everyone want Jesus? When we do call upon Jesus, our life changes. We are not the same. This happens because we admit that we are no longer in control of our lives, but that Jesus is Lord of our lives.
I like the quote: “Believing in Jesus is a personal decision, but it is not private.” I don’t remember to whom this is credited to, but the statement is evident in how we live. Continuing to call on Jesus therefore means that our actions, attitudes, and words show that in deed Jesus is Lord of our lives.
I pray that all who read this may be able to call upon Jesus, and that continually throughout their lives. All of our lives will be different when we do!
As a pastor, I have witnessed people leave the church. Some were hurt by someone in the church. Others were forgotten by the church. Even others did not like what the church was doing. Each of these situations of leaving the church causes more pain. Paul, in Romans 9, mentions his grief and anguish about his own people not placing faith in Jesus.
As a pastor, it causes me grief to see people leave the church. What about you, do you grieve for people who have left the church? Or is your grief more about those who have not found Jesus through the church?
We can pray for those who have left the church. God will soften our hearts as we pray for them. And God will give us the words to say to those for whom our hearts are in anguish.
Will you pray for those who left the church?
Where in your life do you need God to help you fight temptation? Wherever it is, God can help you. He has give you His word – you can live with it. God is available – He is not far from you. He has you in His sights. God is able to give you more than the world can.
God can get you through your temptations. Are you ready for God in your life?
When we face temptations, how do we avoid giving into the temptations? One thing I have discovered is that I can ask: Does Jesus need _______ ?
This sounds simple, but if Jesus doesn’t need what I am tempted by, then do I really need it? Maybe that is what we can understand from the story of Jesus being tempted. He didn’t need to use his power for his own benefit. He didn’t need test God. He didn’t need to worship anyone but God. Those are the same things that I don’t need. I don’t need to use my power for myself. I don’t need to test God. I don’t need to worship any one other than God.
How do you avoid temptations?
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 Matthew 5:38-48 February 20, 2011
Before I was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church, one series of questions I was asked was:
1. Are you going on to perfection?
2. Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life?
3. Are you earnestly striving after it? (2008 Book of Discipline, ¶336 (United Methodist Publishing House, Nashville: 2008), p. 246)
My answer to each of those questions was, ‘Yes.” What was I thinking? We can’t be perfect. There is no perfect person in this world. And I say to you, than what are we doing as Christians who happen to be United Methodists? We United Methodists use several methods to live out God’s holy call on our lives. These methods are the means to which we know God and reflect his glory in this world.
John Wesley wrote that, “our doctrines are three, that of repentance, of faith, and of holiness. The first is the porch, the second is the door, and the third is religion itself.”( F. Belton Joyner Jr., Being Methodist in the Bible Belt, (Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville: 2004), p. 3) In other words, repentance gets us to the porch of religion; faith is the door into the house; and holiness is our religion. That is holiness is our way of life as we live in the grace of God. God starts us on the road to being holy, being perfect. And Jesus shows us the way to live.
A. God is holy (Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18)
1. He speaks to the whole congregation of Israel
2. We shall be holy
3. We get to be holy by loving our neighbors
a. Leave/give food to the poor & the alien (v. 9-10)
b. Buy what you need/want, be honest, use words wisely (v. 11-12)
c. Be honest with your neighbor, act honorably to the deaf & blind (v. 13-14)
d. Seek justice for all (v. 15-16)
e. Love your neighbor as yourself (v. 17-18)
4. God has taken us from captivity to sin. We have repented of our ways and we are facing God’s way of living. This way of living, being holy, involves our entire lives. As God has loved towards us, then we love him, and those around us, in the same way. To stress the importance of God’s way, Jesus taught and lived the way to live.
B. Jesus shows us the way to live (Matthew 5:38-48)
1. Turn the other cheek; give your cloak and coat; go the second mile; give to everyone who begs of you (v. 38-41)
2. Love your enemies (v. 42-47)
3. Be perfect as God is perfect (v. 48)
4. John Wesley – perfection
a. Not free from ignorance, freedom from error, freedom from infirmities, or freedom from temptations
b. Perfect as not to commit sin (John Wesley, “Christian Perfection,” Albert Outler, John Wesley, p. 254-271)
c. Perfect love/entire sanctification/holy (John Wesley, “The Scripture Way of Salvation,” Albert Outler, John Wesley, p. 275)
d. Means of Grace – public worship, private & family prayer, The Lord’s Supper, reading & studying Scripture, fasting – We open ourselves to God
5. We can be holy/perfect! God wants us to be this way. He uses every means possible to get us to that point. We experience his grace through being justified and sanctified. Through this process, no matter how long or short it is, we become perfect in love. Some of us might even become perfect in this life to not even commit sin!
Are you going on to perfection? This question is not only for United Methodist Elders. This question helps each Christian understand how total our devotion to God is.
Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this life? What else would we want out of life?
Are you earnestly striving after it? If you are, then how is God’s grace working in your life so that you totally love God and love your neighbor, even your enemies, as yourself?
We can be perfect – in love, and maybe even from sin, in this life.
Let’s pray: God, you want me to love you completely and to love my neighbors, and to even love my enemies. Your grace has gotten me to this point. I want to work with you on me so that I can be perfect in love. As I grow closer to you, show me, by the power of your Holy Spirit, how to live without sin. In the Name of Jesus the Christ I pray. Amen.
I believe in Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 1:4-9 June 27, 2010
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. That is what the Apostles’ Creed says that we believe. We have stated this belief several times in our lives. What are we saying?
Are we saying we believe like the demons do? You know that demons shudder at the idea of Jesus. Or does our believing go deeper than that?
Notice the 3rd word. “In” is a powerful word. It means not just a topical or superficial belief. The word “In” means to go deeper. Yes, we know that 80% of the USA says there is a god. Many less than that show God their belief by worshipping him.
To put it another way, when we are baptized, we are placed “in” the water. That means we are placing our whole body, our whole person “in” God’s cleansing. It is therefore our whole person that believes in Jesus Christ.
A. Christ
1. Messiah
2. One appointed
3. Not a last name!
4. We have grace from God through Jesus (1 Cor. 1:4)
5. We need God. We need the one sent by God. We need Jesus! And we get more than we expect when we believe in Jesus. The beginning of holiness happens as we believe in Christ. All aspects of our lives are affected by Jesus. All the water of baptism, no matter how much water is used, affects our whole life. So, we believe in God’s only Son.
B. His only Son
1. At the beginning (John 1:1)
2. Acknowledged as his Son
a. Matthew 3:17 – his baptism
b. Luke 9:35 – the transfiguration
3. Lived as a son – does what the Father does
4. All believers in Jesus are part of a fellowship
5. We need a close relationship with God. Several times in our lives we have seen the “good old boy” system work. You know where someone is in need of something, and someone else can take care of it, but you only get that person through a good friend? Sometimes these arrangements keep individuals out of prime opportunities for employment, school, and other endeavors. But in this case, knowing the only son of God helps. And all people can have the benefit of knowing Jesus. We can believe in the Lord.
C. Our Lord
1. Strengthens us (1 Corinthians 4:8)
2. Not just mine or yours, but our Lord
3. We have fellowship because of God’s Son
4. We have fellowship with Jesus!
a. He pulls us up out of the miry bog and sets our feet upon a rock
b. He walks and talks with us along the narrow way
c. He saves us from ourselves and our sin
d. He rules well even when we make wrong choices
5. How do we believers in Jesus Christ come together? All of us have sinned. We all receive forgiveness for our sins in the Name of Jesus. All barriers come down; we are no longer black, white, rich, poor, male, or female. All those who have accepted the cleansing from Jesus’ blood say that Jesus is Lord by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is because we know Jesus that we can believe in him. And it is because Jesus knows us that we can believe in him.
You can believe that the oil gushing in the Gulf of Mexico is a bad thing. You can believe your political party. You can believe some of what you hear other people say. Yet, all this believing does is scratch the surface of what is important in life.
But you can believe in Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus Christ that we find the ability to live. It is in his only Son that we find God has others whom know him. It is in our Lord that we have the strength to live each day.
We can believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord because it is all true. I believe in Jesus Christ. He has helped me overcome temptations. He has provided other believers to encourage me. He has helped me have the words to say when I could not come up with anything to say. If I can believe in Jesus Christ, then can’t you also believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord?
February 28, 2012
pjwith2churches
