Using God's Gifts

"Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received." 1 Peter 4:10 NRSV

We have all received gifts from God that can and are to be used to serve God and God's children. The Holy Spirit has not left anyone without at least a gift or two or many to be used for the glory of God and in the ministry of the gospel of  Jesus the Christ for all people.

If you are gifted with musical talents; there is always plenty of room to join with others in ministering through music. If you teach, we need teachers. There are also those gifts and talents that some might think have nothing to do with the ministry of the Church. But, you would be wrong. We need people to plow the parking lot so people can get into the church to worship or to study and hear God's Word. We need janitors and sextons to help with the general upkeep and cleaning of the property that God has given to us. The Body of Christ needs people who work well with youth or really enjoy visiting our seniors. There are those who cannot, for whatever reason, are home-bound. You can pray. You can make phone calls to reach out to others who may be alone and lonely. Not one person in the church on earth has been left without gifts or talents to serve one another.

May God help us to joyfully serve the Lord and one another with the gifts that He has so graciously given to each of us.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Acts 6:1-7 Ministry of Word

Acts 6:1-7 NIV
As a lay person, I understood my primary call to be a prayer warrior. I also had gifts that enabled me to serve as a youth leader and was involved in many outreach programs that helped feed people and cared for them according to their needs. As a pastor, I consider my primary call to be not only as a prayer warrior, but also as evangelist; one who proclaims the Word, not only within the congregation; but, in the whole community or wherever I might be in both word and deed. It can be summed up in these three words:  "Prayer, praise, proclamation." We are all given gifts to be used according to the needs of the community; for the good of all. We work together, using our individual gifts, for the glory of God. One person cannot do it all. I thank God for the many faithful disciples at Zion Lutheran who, according to their gifts, serve one another and the whole community.

The apostles began running into problems not too long after the church was born. The church was growing quickly. There was way too much for twelve of them to do. They were busy trying to minister to everyone who was hungry; feeding thing with physical food. Consequently, they found themselves with less and less time for the ministry of the word; less time to feed them spiritually. So that they would be able to give their full attention to prayer and the ministry of the word, they chose seven men who would be in charge of making sure that everyone, including all of the widows, were fed.

May God fill each of us with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom so that we will know how best to use our gifts for the ministry and the power to use those gifts for the good of all and the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Malachi 4 - Rising Sun

Years ago, I was helping a group of teen-agers form a church youth group. It was their idea to start meeting regularly as a group and they wanted to have a name for the group. There were quite a few suggestions, which I do not recall. But, there was one suggestion that I will always remember. One teen-age boy suggested they should call themselves "The Rising Sun." My mind immediately went to "The House of the Rising Sun," a song, by the 60's band, The Animals, whose lyrics are not exactly fitting for a church youth group. The other "Rising Sun" that came to mind was Japan.

So, I asked him why he thought that would be a good name. I was surprised when his response took us directly to Malachi, chapter four. He actually knew book, chapter, and verse.

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves." Malachi 4:2

That a Jr. High youth would even know this verse, I found quite astounding! Who taught this child? It certainly wasn't me! How many adults have read this verse and then actually remember it if they have read it? It is certainly not one of those verses that I had committed to memory. But, he had. I spoke with him not long ago via a chat box on the internet. He is happily married and happily a father. And, to my delight he is still studying his Bible and actually knows about and what some of our great theologians of the past (and present) taught. God has put His Spirit in that young man (everyone seems young to me lately). The "Rising Sun," "The Sun of Righteousness," has shone upon him. Thanks be to God!

May the sun of righteousness rise with healing in its wings and shine upon all of you.

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

Ecclesiastes 12 - Remember Your Creator; The Conclusion Of The Matter

"Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”" (Eccl 12:1 NIV)

I cannot begin to count the times that I have heard that "religion" is for old people. I haven't quite figured out why anyone would think you have to be old to be in a relationship. That is what Christianity is all about, after all. It is about being in a relationship - being in a relationship with with God our Creator, our Redeemer, and our Reconciler. We have, through the blood of Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, been reconciled to God our Creator and to one another.

And... then there are those who are in their 40's and 50's (we're not quite young, anymore) who tell me that when they retire they will have more time for God. That's interesting. What makes them so sure they're going to live to retirement age? And... if they do live that long, they will have lived many years wasted as they chose not to live in God's eternal presence in the days of their youth. How meaningless is that - to choose to live without God's presence in this world? How meaningless is that - to wait 'till one is old to be in relationship with One who loves who so much? Live life in relationship now - before the opportunity is gone. Who knows when God will decide that the silver cord is to be broken, that it is time to return to the dust? 

Remember the parable of the man who decided to build barns to store his great wealth?  

   "Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
   And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
   “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
    “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
    “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:15-21)

Solomon reminds us: "Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, and the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel broken at the well, and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!""  (Eccl 12:6-8)

Today we read the last chapter of the wisdom of Solomon from Ecclesiastes. Solomon's summation advises us to fear God - remember who He is - He is God. 

"The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails—given by one shepherd. Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."  (Eccl 12:11-14)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Proverbs 29 - Righteous Thrive; People Rejoice

"When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice..." (Prov 29:1 NIV) " The righteous care about justice for the poor... (Prov 29 7a)"

The lesson from Proverbs today reminds me of a friend. Actually, no matter what I read this morning I would be reminded of her. Susie's funeral was yesterday.  She was/is a wonderful example of one who is righteous in Christ. Her faith was strong. Her faith in Christ led her in her journey here in this world.

After 20 years of following my husband around, he retired in our home community. Of course, I moved with him. It was a lonely and hectic time trying to figure out where we fit in. Susie had a craft and gift shop. I would often stop in just to talk to her. I could talk about anything to her. We often talked about the youth puppet team we were both involved with. No matter what was going on, Susie could help you find the good in it. When I was down, I would walk into that shop and I would find myself rejoicing. She was full of joy. She was full of life. She was full of Christ. She was filled with the righteousness of Christ.

She was always busy helping someone. She particularly loved working with children. Always at peace and with a smile on her face, she spent her life helping and bringing joy to others. She cared about justice for those who were in need.

After moving away, again, I have not seen her much. I would run into her now and then on my rare visits back home and we would spend some time talking. But, I thought about her joy and the joy she brought to others often. She has completed her journey. She will be missed. But, for all of us who find our righteousness in Christ, we have the hope of spending eternity with her in the Kingdom of God. With hope and faith in Christ Jesus we are confident that her joy has been made complete.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 25 - Forget My Sins, Please!

"Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness’ sake, O Lord." (25:7 NIV)

According to His mercy, the sins of our youth, are sins of the past and they are fogotten, blotted out by the blood of Jesus Christ.  Thanks be to God!

However, it would be nice if our neighbors' memories were as short as God's!  So often, it is difficult for people to move ahead with their lives, because everyone around them has this picture of a sin that they may have committed in their past and they just won't let go of that picture.  They build up walls and obstacles for the one who would like to move forward with their lives in service to God and community.

I left Upper Michigan when I was very young.  When I returned, after my husband's retirement from the Marine Corps, to my surprise, everyone thought I was the same person that I had been when I left.  Wow!  It was amazing!  It was like when I left, my life must have stopped or something.  I assure you, it did not.  It has been quite full of God's presence and guidance and refining!

I knew a faithful Pastor years ago.  He served in the same community that he grew up in.  After decades of ministry, there were still some who thought he could not have been really called by God to serve His Church.  (I assure you - he really was!)  But, they thought this about him because when he was in his early 20's, he had been caught driving drunk.  This, many of the people of the small community, never forgot. 

It is a good thing for all of us, that God in His mercy, pardons our inquity for His name's sake. Our sins of the past are just that - in the past.  They are behind us.  Let us look to each day as a new day to live in the presence of God.  And... not just we.  May God help us to allow our neighbor's to live for today and tomorrow, not stuck in the past.

God's Peace - Pr. J.