Jesus and Me ... and the Cats

Ive heard "the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away" used in the context of dealing with times of tragedy, loss and grief.  I've been wondering lately if this was really in the Bible or if it's just one of those quotes people incorrectly attribute as scripture.  After doing a little research, I found that it's a misquote from Job 1:21.  The correct quote from the King James Version is:  "And [Job] said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." I haven't heard people include, "blessed be the name of the LORD," very often, but that's for another post.  I'd like to see put into popular usage the phrase, "the LORD has taken away ... and the Lord gives ...  Blessed be the LORD!' Consider these: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the ...

James 1:22-25 Matthew 20:20-28 "Put me to doing, put me to suffering [waiting/enduring].  Let me be employed by you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you."  from Wesley's Coventant Prayer This is part three of the series, "Whose We Are" based on Wesley's Covenant Prayer.  Please see an earlier post for the complete prayer. In Matthew 19:27-20, we find the back story for Matthew 20:20-28.  In the passage, Jesus was very honestly and very bluntly telling his disciples that to follow him meant that they had to give up everything.  Peter, subtle as always, blurts out, "So, what's in it for us?!?" Jesus replied, "I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, f...

Harley writes a column for the Parish Newsletter.  This is her "mewsings" from the upcoming April/May issue. Wow, do you know how much fun a plush Peeps is? It can be tossed and batted and carried all over the house. Aunt Blondie says that I'm so full of the joy of living that it tires her out just watching me race around the house. “I'll be glad when you start taking more naps,” she told me. Joy, now that's an interesting subject. Although they're used interchangeably, joy and happiness don't mean the same thing. Happiness comes and goes, but joy, especially the joy of the Lord, is a constant source of strength and hope that Christians receive from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It's a gift of grace. Because joy is from God, it can not be taken away from people, but people can allow it to be robbed from them by worries, troubles, stress, and even unforgiveness. Christians, empowered by grace through Christ Jesus, can take back their joy, chan...

Through Lent, I will be doing a series, "Whose We Are" based on Wesley's Covenant Prayer.  Please see an earlier post for the complete prayer. Matthew 9:9-13 (NRSV) As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner * in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting * with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ "Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will." A couple of weeks ago (March 7, 2011), I read a "Non Sequitur" comic strip by Wiley Miller that reminded me of the above ...

The best laid plans of mice and men (and pastors and cats) often go awry.  I couldn't get the link to work properly, so here's the prayer as you would find it at the Global Board of Discipleship site.   I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Through Lent, I will be doing a series on the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer.  See the link on this page to view the prayer. I Corinthians 6:12-20 Matthew 4:1-11 "I am yours and you are mine" When my father died, it put me into a kind of identity crisis.  My mother had died six years earlier, and at the age of 45, I felt like an orphan.  For 45 years, I was Art and Pauline's girl, and Art and Pauline were my parents.  Whose was I now? My friend, Melissa, who had recently lost her own father, reminded me as she reminded herself, that God is the father, the father, our father, and no matter what our circumstances, we are still God's beloved children. God is Father, in response to Satan's attempt to tempt Christ, Jesus declared that God is the source of life, and that we live, not just on bread alone, but on ev ery word that comes from the mouth of God.  God is also the Lord God, whom we are not to take for granted.  We cannot expect that God is at our ...

Matthew 6:1-16 Have you ever thought about what fasting means?  We break fast each morning.  We may do a 12-hour fast for some medical tests, but spiritually, what is fasting? Fasting is the setting aside of something (it isn't necessarily always food) so that we may intentionally and intensely focus on GOD.  In the Bible, people fasted during times of trouble and grief, when they were seeking God's will and guidance, or when they were struggling with their own sin.  Jesus fasted in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry, death and resurrection. Fasting is about the deepening of our relationship with GOD.  It is not a burden to be moaned and graned about.  It is not a way of earning spiritual brownie points with GOD or to brag about our own spirituality and righteousness.  All of these behaviors take the focus off GOD and puts it on us. Fasting is an act of worship that is a result of our belief in the promises of GOD and the Gospel....