Thursday Thought - 9/12/2024 - Our hope is built?

The past 5 weeks, we as a church have been going through the letters that were given to John the Apostle from Jesus Christ, and then delivered to the 7 churches of Asia Minor.  These churches were started and run by John himself according to research, and he would check in with them periodically to commune with their leaders and their staff.

This model he established was much like Paul had done with the Acts churches, and what now modern denominations are doing with churches.  But unfortunately, this replication of what worked for these 1st century churches were a product of a watershed movement that was exploding all over that area of the world.  Not like the situation we find ourselves in now.

As I survey most situations now, the biggest reason that we have gone back to this cadre type of stability is because we are trying hard to NOT close churches.  When I read our news of the culture now, or when I am in meetings regarding the health and state of the church in general, we are finding that not only are churches closing, but people are not showing up to attend, and pastors are not staying pastors.

These 3 indicators are the main reason why we see the message of Christ being pushed aside, claimed as hate, and placed into the mainstream vision of what religion is.  And that is NOT Christ’s message. 

Jesus said:

John 17:3 NIV Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

John 15:13-16 NIV Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

Jesus wants relationship with us.  He doesn’t need us to solve everything, in fact He said through Paul:

Philippians 4:19 NIV And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

He just wants us to trust in Him, to obey Him, to follow Him.  It really isn’t that hard.  We think that we need to make it about what is going on in this world, or what is happening in our lives at the time, or about the injustices that we see all around us.  (and yes, there are many) But God is telling us over and over to just trust in Him.  Place our faith in Him.  He has a plan; He has things in control.  In fact, I am beginning to see that when I feel like things are completely out of control, that is when HE shows HE is completely IN CONTROL!

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Psalm 125:2 NIV As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore.

In the hard times we learn, and in the difficult times He knows we who believe will turn to Him.  Even those who don’t believe look to Him in hard times.  It’s unfortunate that this seems to be the only time we actually look to Him regularly.  Because it should be an everyday, every situation type of thing – but He knows us, He understands us.  And He will extend to us peace that only He can give, even when we only seek Him in tough times.

John 14:27 NIV Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.

Let’s focus on Him.  In everything.  Yes, it will be hard, uncomfortable and sometimes feel like we aren’t actually “doing” something.  But turning to Him in everything is courageous and fulfilling.  And it will guide us in relationship with Him.

Peace,

PTV

PS… I keep hearing that old hymn by Song by Edward Mote and William Batchelder Bradbury…

My hope is built on nothing less, Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

He is our hope and King.

Thursday Thought - 9/6/2024 - Faith on Friday

Have you ever pushed things off until you couldn’t anymore? (sort of like I did with this Thursday thought that is now be written on a Friday!)  Just trying to stave off the potential for not having to go through something?  If you have, then you know how it feels when it actually happens, and you have to go through it.

As a church we have been looking at the 7 letters in Revelation to the churches of Asia Minor.  The apostle John was given the messages by Jesus while John was on an island in a penal colony due to his apparent non obedience to the Roman rulers of the time.  Basically, he was preaching and teaching what Jesus taught and said and was banished for it.

But in these letters, we get to the point of my initial paragraph.  In these letters we find Jesus calling out these churches to do better.  To hold on.  To live their faith in all situations. And to continuing look to God’s word for the truth of any situation.

See in any type of harsh or hard situation, it’s the faith that we use during those times that keeps us focused on the right track – and building faith.  Isn’t it true that when you are doing well, when things are not making you “go through something” you don’t really need to stand on your faith, or even count on it.

So, we go through things.  Even things we don’t like.  Because God isn’t finished with us yet.  He is always shaping and molding, wanting us to seek Him in ALL things.  Even the hard to go through things.

At our church we have been saying, sure, its easy to hear the things that you want to hear and process those.  But it’s the things that we NEED to hear, that can be hard to get through.

I challenge us today to continue to put our faith in the One who loves us above all others.  To have faith that builds, and capitalize on that even in those harsh, hard times.  For He Never Fails, and He Won’t!!

Peace,

PTV

Thursday Thought - 8/22/2024 - In Cathedrals

Several years ago, now, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Italy.  It was for an anniversary for my wife and I which has become one that we will never forget.  When going to another country there are many things you must prepare for, and many things to worry about.  But for some reason, on this trip I was not too worried or uptight about how we were going to get around or even communicate with people.

Yes, you are right – I am Italian, and that should probably give me a reason to be more at ease than most on a trip such as this, however, that might mean something if I actually knew how to speak Italian, or at least knew something of the country that some of my grandparents came from.  But I don’t, and I know little about those times being that I wasn’t around.

And yet my comfort level was high.  In fact, it was probably as I entered my 50’s one of the surest times ever felt.  My confidence was high and so was my joy.  I ponder now why, and have only come up with this…

I felt the favor of the Lord.

Now if you have read my blog for any amount of time, you will figure out that I am a movie buff.  I have been since movies came out in the 1980’s came out that you could watch at home.  I have collected my favorites and enjoy having the option to even own digital copies now.

So, this phrase, that I felt the favor of the Lord takes me to a movie called “Chariots of Fire”.  A wonderful portrayal of Eric Lidell, a missionary who was also extraordinarily fast!  He ran for Great Britain in the Olympics and stood for his religious rights at the same time.  My kind of guy!!  And his quote in this movie which is in my top ten is “…when I run, I feel His favor…”

I get it.  There are things I do even now in my life in which I understand that because of the feeling the favor of the Lord brings.  And when I was in Italy, sightseeing, experiencing another culture, visiting the home of my relatives, and especially touring cathedral after wonderful cathedral, I felt the favor of the Lord.

When Brenda and I stepped off the train that took us to Venice – the city of waterways, and when we walked out onto the veranda off the train platform – The city stretched in front of us.  And through blinking tears and eyes wide with the beauty of Cathedral after cathedral and water roads, and the history and magnificence within it, and to whom these cathedrals were made to and for… It was breathtaking.

Psalm 84:11 NIV For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

So, think back to the last time you felt the favor of the Lord.  It might have even been this morning for you.  It most certainly wasn’t for me, as my dogs ran me in circles around our yard, but for you think of that time.

Take it in, breathe it in.  God wants us to be in His favor more, especially just in our regular everyday lives. 

I pray every day we can find a way to be in the favor of our Lord.

Peace,

PTV

Thursday Thought - 8/15/2024 - Where do we go from here?

It has been brought to my attention, that many times when we preach and teach the gospel that we do not follow through when people go through hard times.  It is quite simple for some to merely say “I will pray for you” or “I hope that things work out as God wills”.  And that is not to say that this may be all that a person can do at the time.  I realize and empathize with people whose lives are extremely busy or have many others who require your attention.  It can be a concern that our life puts us in from time to time.

So, is there another answer?  Or is there a complete answer.  Many times, when I find myself saying “I will pray for you” or “can I pray for you right now” – it might be the absolute best thing I can do.  We talk all the time about the power of prayer and how we believe and trust in it.  But we know how powerful and how important prayer is in James.

James 5:13-16 NIV Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

I am reminded of a song (Games People Play) by the Alan Parsons Project.

Where do we go from here

Now that all of the children are growin' up.

And how do we spend our lives

If there's no one to lend us a hand?

 It makes me think that yeah, we made it this far, but what about tomorrow?  And in my crazy connections in my brain, it reminds me of this verse that Jesus so sweetly tells us while He is preaching the sermon on the mount,

Matthew 6:34 NIV Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

It’s like we are saying, yeah – but what have you done for me lately?   I am not sure when we decided that we were the most important, but it sure is prevalent.  God tells us that He is in charge, that His plan is in place, and that He is in control.  Do we need more?

Now I realize there are people in this world that are very troubled.  They are in need of serious intervention in order to make a change occur.  But that is not the norm.  Most of us need to realize that God is in control, that these questions like Where do we go from here? Or how do I handle this situation are ready to be handled and settled by our Heavenly Father.

And in order for Him to do that, we need to be in a relationship with Him!  So, I wonder, is it our questioning about what we need, what we want, or how come things seem to be not going well for us. Or aren’t we just acting like children and stomping our feet?

Speaking for myself, I need to give things to God more, pray more, seek His face more, read scriptures more, and question less.  He will guide and direct.

Proverbs 16:9 NIV In their heart’s humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.

Peace,

PTV