Time is a precious gift from God : from my perspective
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Welcome!
I welcome your comments regarding our shared ministry at St. Paul.
 If you would rather comment privately please, email me at Prshepherd@westriv.com

"Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes, 
"because if one falls down, his friend can help him up." 

I deeply desire to bring Christian comfort and the power of prayer to those who are challenged with sickness or circumstances in life. However, in this time of restricted visitation call me and I will attempt to contact them.

Please, assume that if you don’t tell us, we do not know. 
Call me at 301-4956 if surgery or hospital stay is imminent or if a visit could be helpful. 

Pastor Dennis
from my perspective…

    Breaking News, or Headline News, is updated by the hour and minute. The programs are designed to get our attention and to sell advertising. (Big surprise!) On the other hand, the Good News of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and is proclaimed today for an entirely different purpose.

    Mark begins his gospel with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mk 1:1, ESV) It sounds like Mark is reporting, “Breaking news! Pay attention! Something important has happened!” 


    Matthew begins his gospel, “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.” (Mt. 1:1) It sounds like Matthew is introducing a history lesson whereby we might learn something. Don’t get me wrong – I love history because I believe with George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 


    John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” (Jn. 1:1) This is something totally different. John invites us to lay aside our daily concerns and ponder life’s Big Questions concerning God and “The Word of God.” 


    Each year, we might take a measure of our life on Tax Day, an anniversary, or any number of other milestones. Regardless of the circumstances, we go through a process of reflection, evaluation, and decision-making. We might reflect on the Big Questions of Life, like “Who are we? And “How do I fit in with family and society?” or “What positive difference am I making?” 

    I will grant that the most common daily question is, “Am I happy.” But I believe the Bible teaches us that happiness results from how we think of ourselves and our relationship with others. Therefore, John invites us to ponder anew our relationship with the One God of the Holy Scriptures, as opposed to mental or emotional gods of pleasure, wealth or self-importance. 
In the church year, Lent is the season that encourages us to ponder our relationship with the one and only eternal God and one another or who we desire to become. 

    Join us as we explore Jesus’ great encounters with religious rulers, a disrespected woman from a disrespected people and His disciples. In John, Jesus, the Word of God, invites people to question who we are in God’s eyes and who He desires us to become to live a fulfilling life. (e.g. John 10:10)
As John informs us, Jesus, the true Word of God, comes into the world to save us from ourselves and the destructive temptations brought on by the evil lies of the great Satan. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17, ESV) 

Please join us in our encounter with the Living Word of God, your pastor, Dennis.

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Time is a precious gift from God

by Pastor Dennis on 07/15/15

Mark 6:30-34 Sabbath Rest

 

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20.8) Martin Luther asked, “What does this mean?” He answered: “We should fear and love God, and so we should not despise his Word and the preaching of the same, but deem it holy and gladly hear and learn it.”

 

What does the LORD say? “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:9–11)

 

What is required of Christians? In Christ we are free from the burden of the law for salvation but that does not lessen God’s instruction for our good to devote and set aside time to worship the LORD. In fact, because Jesus has freed and redeemed us we should gladly take time weekly to worship and praise Him. (see i.e. Acts 2.42-46, Hebrews 10.25, Gal. 4.8-10) Furthermore, just as taking daily nourishment is good for the body and necessary for life so is a daily meal of God’s word necessary for our soul, our spirit.

 

Let us pray: Lord Jesus you know our burdens and our shortcomings. We know time is a gift from You; moves our minds and wills to use it wisely. We place our lives at Your feet depending on Your mercy and grace to raise us up and give us rest. Amen (let it be so)

 

Next Sunday we will explore Jesus’ command, “Give them something to eat.” (Mark 6:37) Jesus commanded them to give out of the LORD’s abundance. His disciples feared it might cost too much (read: the LORD would not provide).

 

Let us ponder God’s Word this week: take time each day; imagine how Jesus’ words could affect your life and pray that God, the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of your heart to God’s message for you.

Monday: Deuteronomy 28.1-14

Tuesday: Mathew 6.19

Wednesday: Luke 12:22-34

Thursday: Matthew 13.18-23

Friday: John 14.23-30

 Saturday: Share what God has revealed to you with a friend.

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