The “Examined” Spiritual Life

We began our study of the Apostles Creed in Sunday school today and had a great discussion. I am excited about this study and believe it will challenge all of us to deeper faith and understanding of the Word. (By the way, if you ever wondered what “the quick and the dead” means, it is “the living and the dead.” Good question, Barbara!)

Many years ago, at his trial for challenging the accepted beliefs of the time, Socrates insisted, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This is true, as well, of our spiritual lives. When talking about celebration of the Lord’s Supper, Paul told the Corinthians, “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28,29). This is Paul’s version of Socrates’ statement. We need to examine ourselves so that we don’t fall into a rut that is less faith and more religious practice. He wrote to them again, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

After church today our session (church board) met with representatives from our presbytery’s Committee on Ministry. This was a triennial visit to touch base with our church and to see how things are going. The letter we received from them provided many questions to help us gauge our mission at Ebenezer. These questions are applicable to each of us as Christians, as well, so I thought I would adapt and share some of those in this week’s article so you could use them to examine your own life and faith, prayerfully and with the Holy Spirit’s help.

A healthy Christian focuses on strengths. What are some of your strengths? Ephesians tells us that God has given gifts to everyone. The gifts differ, but they are all given that the body of Christ might be strengthened. What gifts have you received from God? Consider your strengths and talents, then ask if you are using those gifts as God would want. Pray about what you can do in the kingdom of God to help further the gospel and strengthen the body.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us” (Romans 12:6).
Paul identifies the gifts of prophecy, service, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different tongues and interpreting the same (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12). Are you good at encouraging others? Do you have a ministry of praying for those in need? Are you able to speak a word to help someone who has questions about his or her faith? Determine your strengths and dedicate them to the use of God, your spiritual service.

A healthy Christian responds rather than reacts. What are some things that you have had to respond to recently in your Christian life? How many relationships have been ruined, or damaged greatly, because of reaction or over-reaction? The Bible calls us to be thoughtful and considerate, not only of those we like, but also of those for whom we hold contempt. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:33,34). James told his readers, “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” Take time to understand others instead of jumping at the chance to be right. Think and pray about your response to a situation instead of reacting without thought.

Healthy Christians develop caring relationships. What are some ways you care for others? Throughout the Bible, God’s people are called to be an extension of God’s compassion. Some of the most caring actions are the simplest: a card for someone you haven’t seen lately, a visit to the nursing home, helping someone in need, donating food to the OACAC food bank. When we give of ourselves, not just from our excess, we show God’s care for others. These relationships extend further in our lives to co-workers, neighbors, and others in the community. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

Healthy Christians challenge one another. What are some ways you challenge your friends and family to faith? Despite what some believe, the Christian life is not a marathon we run alone. God has placed us in a family, and part of that family relationship calls us to challenge each other in faith and spiritual growth. Hebrews commands, “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (3:13), and Paul told the Thessalonians, “He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:10,11).

Are you a believer in Christ? Examine your life, strengths, responses, relationships, and how you care for and challenge others. You might be surprised by what you find, and you will definitely receive guidance when you invite the Holy Spirit to accompany you in this journey.

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay Glunt
revmkg@sbcglobal.net

 

Who Will You Be?

Another wonderful Sunday at Ebenezer Presbyterian! We missed a few of our friends because they weren’t feeling well. Hope to see you next week!

Next Sunday we will begin a study of the biblical foundations of the Apostle’s Creed. This collection of faith statements presents a summary of Christian doctrine. It was written at least 150 years after all the apostles had died and was put together to by church leaders to pass on the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. In fact, in many churches the Apostle’s Creed is still an important part of the Christian education program.

Sunday school begins at 11 a.m. in our fellowship hall. We are at the corner of Main and Garrett. I look forward to meeting you there. Whatever church you choose this Sunday, make it a point to go to Sunday school. You’ll be surprised what you can learn there!

Who Will You Be?

This weekend thousands of children and even adults will be dressing up as part of the celebration of Halloween. Even though the origins of this holiday were part of Celtic practices, as the church grew in the lands originally conquered by the Romans, pagan holidays were replaced by Christian ones and the original practices blended in. By the way, the word “Halloween” is actually a contraction of All Hallows Eve, the evening before All Saints Day, November 1.

Early in my faith journey, I avoided Halloween and encouraged my churches to hold “Fall Festivals” where the kids could dress up and have fun in a safe environment, at the church. I didn’t participate in the “pagan” celebration any longer. As a newlywed we declined to participate by not passing out candy to children. Imagine my surprise when the child at my door was accompanied by the dean of students of my Bible school. At least he didn’t flunk me for not having any candy for his daughter!

Once I had children, everything changed. I remembered the fun I had dressing up as a child and going door-to-door with my friends. And I had a great time dressing my kids. I made costumes ranging from a train engine, to a pixie, to a race car driver, to a video game personality, not to mention Sponge Bob and Gary the snail. While I have certain restrictions—their costumes are not to represent evil or death—my kids can enjoy the celebration. I suppose I am comfortable with Christian children dressing up on Halloween because I have confidence that this one night of fun will not change who they really are—children of God.

As we grow and learn in life, we “try on” many things. Young people imagine what they will be when they grow up: a teacher, a mechanic, a lawyer, a doctor or nurse, and the list goes on. Throughout the years they investigate many avenues and, hopefully, by the time they reach college, they will have found a future that fits who they are. The problem with wearing costumes and masks, however, is not having fun and dressing up, or in trying out a new approach. The problem occurs when we fail to take off the masks in our everyday lives.

What masks do we wear? Jesus criticized the religious leaders because, although they had the appearance of being religious, they were largely selfish and unspiritual. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27).

The real shame of “dressing up” is when we do so all the time, when we portray what we WANT to be, but fail to make the choices to actually BE that person. Like the Pharisees and the leaders of Jesus’ day, many church members say the “right” words, carry the “right” Bible, and sing the “right” songs, but lack a growing relationship with God. God forbid that we should be so.

A young person once told me, “I can’t come to church yet. I still have too much wrong with me. Once I clean up my life I’ll serve God.” The truth is that nothing we can do will ever earn us “points” with God, only with people who look at outward appearances, at our dress-up selves (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus said that he came for those who needed help. “On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12,13).

So dress up this week and have fun, but after the party is over, take off the mask, put away the costume, take a deep breath, and be yourself, the person for whom Jesus died on the cross. Open your heart to God and to your brothers and sisters in Christ. As James instructed, “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 (James 5:16).

There will always be people who dislike one part or all of who you are. And I can guarantee someone will disagree with your choices in life. But God loves you just the way you are, and that’s a promise. Only after you have accepted God’s love and forgiveness, the Holy Spirit will help you make the changes that will transform you into the person God has planned for you to be.

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay
revmkg@sbcglobal.net

 

Jewels from Grandma’s Button Box

The Jewels in Grandma’s Button Box

How wonderful to see the sunshine streaming through our church windows Sunday morning. Goodbye, clouds. Hello sun! I hope you have had an opportunity this week to enjoy the departure of the clouds and return of somewhat warmer temperatures.

We have one more week for our study of the book of James. It has been a great time of growth for all of us. If you are interested in studying the Bible but don’t have a Sunday school class, why not join us at 10 a.m. next Sunday? We’ll have the coffee on!
When I was little I loved to look through my grandma’s button box. It was an old candy can with a picture of a fancy lady on the top in a beautiful gown. All over her gown were scrumptious-looking candies. I spent hours memorizing every part of that lid, but the real treasure was inside.

Children have an unjaded way of looking at things, and I was no different. These weren’t just cast-off buttons from dresses long worn out. Sure, some were just ordinary 2- and 4-hole buttons from shirts and house dresses. But there were many that I just knew were valuable. Among others, there were shank buttons of different colors and shapes that were encrusted with “diamonds” and “precious stones,” a few that were clear and faceted, and several black buttons with large, sparkly “diamonds” in the middle.

I spent hours poring over those buttons, imagining the beautiful dresses and gowns they came from, and wondering about their value. I loved those buttons and hoped that someday those pretty buttons would be mine. Of course, that was long before I realized they were made of rhinestones and plastic, among other things.

Learning the truth about the buttons changed how I looked at them, even though I still thought they were pretty and would have loved to have some of them for craft projects. And thinking about them reminded me of a Victorian children’s hymn called Precious Jewels, especially the third verse:

Little children, little children
Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels,
His loved and His own.
Like the stars of the morning,
His bright crown adorning,
They shall shine in their beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.

According to the world’s view, most of us are like those buttons in my grandma’s button box. We are often cast off, odd, not fitting in with others. Some may view us as cheap, just a little button, not good for much else, just plastic and rhinestones. But God sees us differently. Just as I loved those buttons and wanted them for my own, God sees us as His precious jewels to shine in His kingdom. What the world rejects, Jesus died to save. The things that those “in the know” fail to recognize, God sees as valuable and redeemable. And what governments and administrations see as weak and worthless, Jesus will gather to His side.

Not sure you agree with me? Then listen to what the Bible says about your value.

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” (Luke 12:24).

“But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

By the way, while I was researching for this article, I found out that buttons are probably the most popular collectible in the world. Your “Collector” values your presence in His collection. You can count on that truth. God sees you as valuable not because of who you are or what you have done, but because you are God’s creation, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Don’t let anyone tell you any different. God loves you!

If you aren’t sure about God’s love and that you are truly lovable, come to church on Sunday and hear it from God’s Word. We’d love to have you join us.

Hope to see you soon,

Pastor Mary Kay
Ebenezer Presbyterian Church
revmkg@sbcglobal.net

 

How to Celebrate a Birthday

Many thanks to everyone for your wishes for my birthday.  It was a wonderful day for celebrating and for worship. 

Our gospel reading this week was from Mark 10, the story of the rich, young ruler.  He had a deep desire to know God beyond the normal “good living” of the day.  He already followed the rules, but wanted something more.  Unfortunately, when challenged with leaving everything behind to follow Jesus, he decided he wanted his “stuff” more than following Christ.  Our challenge for this week was to examine our lives and determine what we are holding as more important than filling that “God-shaped hole” in our spirits.

Speaking of birthdays, I did a little research on birthday celebrations.  In some cultures, birthdays aren’t even celebrated, and in some Asian countries everyone becomes a year older on the celebration of the new year, despite when they were born.  In other countries, two birthdays are celebrated:  a person’s actual date of birth and the feast day of the saint whose name they were given.  Some traditions include a birthday cake with items baked into it.  Folklore says that if you get the piece with the coin, you will be rich someday.

There are some strange traditions.  In England, the friends lift the birthday person in the air by his hands and feet and raise him up and down to the floor, one for each year, and then “one for luck, two for luck and three for the old man’s coconut!” A second one is from Atlantic Canada, such as Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland, where the birthday child is ambushed and their nose is greased for good luck. The greased nose makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch them (from www.birthdaycelebrations.net).

Birthday celebrations have become big business. I have to admit, I have been a part of prolonging that business with my kids!  Around the world birthdays are celebrated with family and friends, a time to be thankful for another year of life.  I know that some of us, women especially, don’t like to celebrate or announce our ages, yet there is something intrinsically valuable about celebrating the anniversary of our birth.

In Psalm 23, having already stated that the Lord is his shepherd, the psalmist also states “surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” I think that is a good start to our plan for celebrating the anniversary of our birth.  Every birthday celebration should include a time of thankfulness for God’s care throughout the year that is past and a prayer for the years to come. 

Proverbs states, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.”  The start of a new year is also a good time to remember and to honor those who have gone before.  In many cultures of the world, a child receives gifts only after honoring his or her parents, a practice that is kind of lost on our society. An important gift we can give to our children, to our friends, and to ourselves, is to stop and consider our lives in light of God’s wisdom.

A birthday celebration is a time to be thankful, but it isn’t a time for pride or arrogance.  Jesus told the story of the rich fool, who was having a tremendously successful harvest (Luke 12).  He tore down his barns, built new ones, and said to himself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”  But that night his number was up, and his riches and possessions were left behind.  As you celebrate your birthday or someone else’s, take time to catalog your blessings and possessions, but do so in order to be thankful.

A time of celebration can also be a time to share with others.  Several years ago, a friend invited me to her birthday tea. She told me that in her tradition the birthday person invites friends over to celebrate, and the hostess gives gifts to her friends.  What a novel idea! 

James wrote, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” When celebrating our birthdays and other special occasions, we can glorify God by using the opportunity to give gifts to others.  Celebrating a birthday is a great time to care for those less fortunate or to do something nice for someone else.

Several years ago, my daughter wanted to have a birthday party but wanted to invite too many kids.  As a compromise, I offered to let her invite as many children as she wanted IF she agreed to designate her party for a charity.  She chose the food pantry here in Springfield.  Twenty-some children, a birthday cake, and several games of bowling later, we had 6-7 boxes of food to deliver to Crosslines, and all the kids had a great time.  The next year her friends brought items for the C.A.R.E. animal shelter.  These parties cost me a little bit more, but the joy of knowing my daughter and her friends were helping others was worth it.

Whether you admit your age or not, when your birthday rolls around, why not include these four practices as a part of your celebration:  Thank God for the years of your life, remember the things you have learned and take time to honor those who have cared for you, inventory your life and your possessions and be thankful to God for all you have received, and take the time to share your blessings with others. 

Whether it is your birthday or not, my prayer is that you will be blessed as you seek God’s grace and recognize God’s goodness in your life.

Pastor Mary Kay

revmkg@sbcglobal.net

 

Living in the Land of If Only

I love Communion Sunday.  Celebrating at the Lord’s Table with other believers brings me back to my roots, to the reason I am a Christian:  the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  As we celebrated World Communion Sunday this past week, I was in awe of the thought that not only in Greenfield, but throughout Missouri, the U.S., and the world, believers were celebrating at the same table.  No, they weren’t all carved of wood in church buildings with stained glass windows.  Some may have been in storefronts using a folding table.  Others may have been in a home with doors and windows shuttered, hiding from an oppressive government. Nevertheless, for one day we recognized that we are one body, one people, the Body of Christ.  What a family!

LIVING IN THE LAND OF “IF ONLY”

We are all familiar with Dorothy who, after hitting her head, found herself in a strange land, seeking the wizard of Oz to get her back home. As she walked through that land with her strange companions—the tin man, a scarecrow, and a lion—she found many strange, frightening, and beautiful things.  But when she wakes up from her travels, at the end of the movie, we realize that it was all an elaborate dream.  But what a dream!

Unfortunately, mostly without the excuse of a bump on the head, we often choose to live in another land of wonder, the land of “If Only.”  In that land, we can ignore the realities of life around us. In the land of “If Only” there is no need for personal responsibility, no need for commitment, and surely no requirement that we consider others in our decisions.  Every citizen of the land of “If Only” can interpret his or her own circumstances in any way possible.

Instead of working to fix a problem, residents retreat to “if only I could get a new job,” or “if only she would change,” or some other “pie-in-the-sky” phrase to explain away their own problems or lack of growth.  In northern “If Only” people dream about winning the lottery, or the Home and Gardens or some other sweepstakes, but fail to use what they have now to make a difference.  Northern If-Only-ers can’t see the blessings of the present, but live in a dream world hoping that somehow, someway, something will change.

Denial isn’t the only problem in “If Only.”  West side residents specialize in regret and despair.  “My life would have been so different if only . . . (you fill in the ending).  Living in hopelessness because of the losses of the past is prevalent.  I can hear a young Marlon Brando whining, “I could have been a contender” (from the movie On the Waterfront.)  Someone caused their problems way back then.  It wasn’t fair, and they can’t change the past. But they can’t seem to accept the past and move on, just use it as an excuse for not trying anymore.

Residents on the south side of “If Only” live in the successes of their youth, when things were going right. “If only things could be like that now.”  The children of Israel lived in this neighborhood many times in history.  “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1).  Having once been a people mighty, strong and faithful to God, their desolation now kept them from finding peace and joy while in exile.

Are you living in “If Only”?  I have good news for you:  You can move into a better neighborhood.  There is plenty of room for you in God’s blessings and grace, but it takes a change of attitude.

First, recognize that without dependence and faith in God, in spite of lottery winnings, sweepstakes, or some other windfall, you will be tomorrow who you are today.  “As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. . . . I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (1 Corinthians 6:1,2). Don’t wait until tomorrow to put your life in God’s hands.  And if you are already a believer, don’t stay in “If Only.”  Trust God today and put feet on your faith, living a full life today where you are.

Second, if you are a western If-Only-er, using the wounds and/or failures of the past as your excuse for today’s despair, it is time to accept and/or admit the past and recognize God’s forgiveness.  Forgive yourself and forgive others.  “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1, 2).  The past has no hold on those who have found peace in Christ.  Lay down your failures, forgive those of others, and allow God to bring you freedom in mind and spirit.

Finally, if the pride of the past is keeping you from living a full, spiritual life today, it is time to let go of your past successes and joys so you can recognize God’s blessings today.  When the people of God were in Babylon, God spoke through the prophet saying, “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. . . . Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper’” (Jeremiah 29:4-7).  In other words, stop thinking about the past and live your lives.  In due time I will take you home.

Bloom where you are planted.  Faith in God tells us that wherever we are, God is there as well.  God has an office in “If Only” and is ready to relocate you to a place of peace and joy.  Affirm the joys of your past, forgive the lackings in yourself and others, and let tomorrow take care of itself.  Live today in the grace of today, or as Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry [or dream] about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:34).

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay Glunt
Ebenezer Presbyterian Church

 

LETTING GO AND LETTING GOD

Sunday brought another beautiful day of travel to Greenfield and another wonderful morning of Bible study and worship.  It was great to see June Davis, who is feeling better, and also to hear from Juliana West the good news about her daughter and granddaughter Stephanie and Marcie Noad’s continued recovery from their car accident injuries.  Of course, we continue to pray for them and for the young man who remains in the hospital from that accident.  We also remembered in prayer the young high-school girl who was hit by a car last week in Springfield.  These incidents remind us that, because we never know what the next moment will hold, it is important to keep our relationship with God current and fresh.

The study in James took us further into chapter 4 today, where James chastises the believers for putting their worldly relationships before God, cautioning them (and us) that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Humility before God requires that we (1) recognize God’s holiness and righteousness, (2) admit our own sinfulness and inability to attain that holiness, and (3) receive the grace and mercy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ.  Without these three, we will find ourselves in opposition to God.

Today’s lectionary included readings from Esther and Mark, and the theme of our worship service was “Letting Go and Letting God.”  Esther found herself in a place where she had to choose between the comfortable, secure life of the queen and standing up for her people. We often need to make hard choices, as well. Our challenge from these passages was to stand up for God’s purposes not only in our own lives and families, but in our society, as well. 

Next Sunday, October 4, is designated World Communion Sunday.  You may remember that this observance was first celebrated in 1936 in Presbyterian churches in the U.S. and overseas as a sign of our unity in the Body of Christ.  Through the ensuing years other Protestant churches have joined the observance, including the United Methodist Church, the Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Reformed churches, and others.  As you celebrate at the Lord’s Table this coming Sunday, even if you are not a part of the mentioned denominations, my prayer is that your congregation will join ours, and believers worldwide, in praying for unity in the body of Christ as Jesus also prayed.

LETTING GO

A good friend shared this anonymous piece with me this week, and I thought I would share it with you.  It is important that we “let go” of worldly things and “let God” work in our lives, but it also important to understand those things that we need to let go of so we can grow emotionally, as well as spiritually.

To “let go” does not mean to stop caring; it means I can’t do it for someone else.

To “let go” is not to cut myself off; it is the realization that I cannot control another.

To “let go” is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To “let go” is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To “let go” is not to try to change or blame another; it is to make the most of myself.

To “let go” is not to care for, but to care about.

To “let go” is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To “let go” is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To “let go” is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To “let go” is not to be protective; it is to permit another to face reality.

To “let go” is not to deny, but to accept.

To “let go” is not to nag, scold, or argue, but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

To “let go” is not to adjust everything to my desires, but to take each day as it comes and cherish myself in it.

To “let go” is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.

To “let go” is to fear less and love more.

My prayer is that this week you will find the grace to “let go” of the things that hold you back from faith and find the reward that comes from “letting God” work in your life. 

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay

revmkg@sbcglobal.net

 

TIMES AND SEASONS

Despite the rain on Sunday morning, we had a wonderful time of Bible study and worship. Our study of James 4 made us all contemplate our motivations in prayer.  James said, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (v. 3).

Out of curiosity I looked up this verse in The Message, a paraphrase of the Bible.  “You wouldn’t think of just asking God for [what you want], would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.”  Tough words!

James knows us!  Even separated by thousands of years, his words still challenge us and our approach to life.  In these challenging times, we pray for many things, and yet I believe we must remember Paul’s testimony in Philippians 4:12,13:  “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Should we ask for help from God?  Definitely!  But the secret is our relationship with God.  When we recognize that God is with us, no matter what the situation, we can pray with honesty and integrity, not seeking selfish gifts and the “easy way out” of our problems.  Why would God want me to go through a struggle?  Paul knows that secret, too.  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

TIMES AND SEASONS

It is truly hard for me to believe that by the time you read this it will be fall, a brand new season.  When I was a child, the change of seasons and passage of time often seemed to drag by, but as I’ve aged (don’t tell anyone), time seems to fly by, and I find myself wondering where the time has gone.  We learn from Ecclesiastes (and the 60s band, the Turtles), that there are times and seasons specific to each of our lives.  I no longer think as I did in the past.  My priorities have changed, and the important things, well, they have changed, too.

It is much easier to recognize the “seasons” when we talk about change of weather and the cycle of plant life.  But recognizing the seasons in our lives and what God is doing is much harder to do.  How can we understand what God is doing within us as we face each new day and each new season? 

First, it is important to recognize that there are only two things consistent in life:  God is always present and everything else will change!  Friends will come and go. Family members will be born and some will pass away.  We will gain possessions—some of which we will treasure, some we will cast away, and some may be taken from us.  Things will change, but God remains the same.

Second, it is imperative to recognize that God has a plan for each of our lives, not just an ethereal “get to heaven someday” plan, but a purpose.  “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11). These words were written in the context of Israel’s exile in Babylon, having been forcibly removed from their homes by Nebuchadnezzar.  In this context, God spoke through the prophet telling the people to settle down and live their lives to the fullest in their situation, knowing that one day God would return them to their homeland.  In each season of our lives, we need to “make the best” of whatever comes our way, knowing that each day is part of God’s working in not only our lives, but the lives of others through us. 

Finally, it is absolutely necessary to grow in faith as we are transformed into the image of our Savior.  Any plant that does not grow will be pulled from the garden and replaced with another.  And to live well in every season of life, we must be continually growing, changing, and developing our faith in God.  If I don’t know who God is, how can I know what God wants for me?  And if I don’t know what Jesus would do, how can I know what I should do?  Everything that comes into our lives has a purpose, many of which we may never know until the day we meet God face to face.  When we respond in faith to God, in every circumstance, even when we don’t understand, we will find ourselves not only being stretched, but also growing in hope and trust. 

Soon, the leaves will change and fall from the trees. We will take out our winter clothes and pack away those from summer and prepare our homes for the cold winds to come because we recognize the season in which we are living and the one that is to come.  In the same way, take time to think about the season where you find yourself today.  Approach each new experience with the knowledge that God is with you and will always be so, that God has a plan for your life and is working that plan out, and that each day is a new opportunity to grow closer to and become more like Jesus.  Enjoy fall!

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay Glunt

 

AN APPEAL TO PEACE

Sunday the 13^th was a great day at Ebenezer. Our adult Sunday school continued our study of James with 3:13-18, contrasting earthly “wisdom” with God’s wisdom. We agreed that there is a way to test our “wisdom,” our choices in relationships, by comparing them with James’ description in verse 17. 

• Is the “truth” that I am speaking pure or tarnished by envy or selfishness?
• Am I being considerate of another’s feelings, hopes, or dreams?
• Are my actions submissive to God’s will for my life?
• Am I showing to others the mercy God has given to me?
• Do my words bring people together or cause cliques and separation?

During the children’s sermon, I showed the kids some tracing templates representing everything from a clown, to a dinosaur, to a monkey, plus a cat and a wind-up mouse. (One of the kids figured that one out!) I showed them how tracing those templates could help them draw a picture that they might not be able to make on their own.  Then we talked about how Jesus’ life is our template. By following the pattern of Jesus’ life, our lives can become a beautiful picture of God’s love. 

Sunday’s gospel reading, Mark 8:27-38, reminded us that Jesus calls us to carry our cross as we follow Him, not just when we want to or when everything is easy, but even in the hard times, the sorrowful times, and the moments of darkness and frustration.  We finished the worship service with the song, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus” as a commitment to follow the pattern of Jesus’ life, to seek and live in God’s will every day.

AN APPEAL TO PEACE

The church in Corinth was “successful.” They had growth, spiritually and in numbers. God blessed the Corinthian believers with strength, as well, but they had a problem.  In this urban church, the believers struggled with identity.  It wasn’t their identity in Christ—they had resolved that by putting their faith in Jesus.  Just after his greeting, Paul challenged the believers:  Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose (1 Corinthians 1:10).

 There it is:  The believers in Corinth were star worshippers.  By that I mean they picked out their “star” teachers, and that became their group’s identity.  The only problem was the church couldn’t agree on which “star” was the right one.  Some followed Cephas (Peter), and some Apollos, Some thought Paul was the teacher to follow. The church was divided.

 We are not unlike the Corinthians.  Although we all call on the name of Jesus, we each have our tenets, our distinctives, our traditions.  And each of us is sure that we have the “right” interpretation.  Having been Roman Catholic, Baptist, Church of God, Assemblies of God, and now Presbyterian, I’m more sure than ever that we all have something to contribute to the larger church. The Greenfield ministerial alliance does a wonderful job of portraying this truth.  Our combined worship services and outreaches throughout the year bring together the best of all of us as we together worship and serve God.

Paul challenged the Corinthians to be united under one banner, the banner of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We may worship in different ways, and in different locations, but the thread of the gospel ties us together.  “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (v.18).

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay Glunt

 

Living Faith

This doesn’t seem like August weather, but I’m glad to have it, especially the cool evenings.  Great walking weather!

Our Sunday school continues to study the book of James.  Today we studied 2:20-26, James talked about Abraham and Rahab and how their lives of faith were evidenced by their deeds. We had an interesting conversation about the difference between living lives of faith, evidenced by deeds, as opposed to lives filled with works, attempting to earn the favor and grace of God.  It all comes back to motivation. 

James tells us, “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26). It would seem that James is contradicting Paul’s words in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

The whole Reformation was built on the truth that salvation is a gift from God, one that cannot be earned through a good life or good deeds or good intentions.  Martin Luther and the other reformers emphasized this truth, and for that reason some were not wholeheartedly excited about the book of James.  Yet, with a closer look, we decided that James was not contradicting Paul, but rather taking Paul’s theology a step further.

The beginning of our spiritual lives is faith in God using the faith that comes from God.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  God gives us the ability to believe that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, and through that faith we are saved.  Paul tells us that faith is a gift from God, that God gives us the ability to believe. “But think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3b). 

We commit ourselves in faith to God and we are born again, a new life in Christ.  But if we stop there, we are stillborn, and our faith life, the expression of God’s gift to us, is dead, with no expression of life at all.  This is where James challenges us.  We cannot receive God’s gift and walk away without responsibility.  James wants us to have active faith, one that, because of God’s mercy and strength, demonstrates all that God is and can be in our lives.

We’ll be continuing our study in James next week.  Join us in Sunday school at 10 a.m.!  You’ll be glad you did!

A few “gems” I found on the web.

4 Things You’ll Never Hear in Church

•           Hey! It’s my turn to sit in the front pew.

•           I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went 25 minutes over time.

•           Personally I find witnessing much more enjoyable than golf.

•           Since we’re all here, let’s start the service early.

 Speaking of “growing up” in faith, Jesus told us that unless we become like little children, that is, to have childlike faith, we cannot enter the kingdom of God.  Think about when you were a child, and every adult was awesome.  They knew so much.  (It wasn’t until you became a teenager that every adult became an idiot!)

Childlike faith takes God at His Word, sees the beauty and glory in God’s creation, and sees the possibilities in this amazing world.  What does your faith say about you?  This week I’m including a poem I wrote for a friend’s little girl, expressing childlike faith.

My God is always with me
at daytime or at noon.
And when the sky is dark at night,
God hangs a shiny moon.

Deep inside my heart I have
a happiness that seems
impossible, but there it is,
just like in my dreams!

So as I learn and as I grow
I know He’ll always be
on my side and helping me
to be the very best me.

Now here I sit to say my prayers
and thank Him for His love
that brought me down to live with
Mom and Dad from heaven above.

© 2009

May you be blessed with faith that sees God’s hand in every aspect of your life, because, you know, even if you don’t see it, God is there with you. 

Blessings,

Pastor Mary Kay Glunt

atyourword@sbcglobal.net

 

The Final Reunion

We were privileged this weekend to see an old friend who traveled here from Colorado with a young adult group to minister to the homeless.  He and my husband worked together for several years, during college and seminary, and seeing him again was a blast from the past. 

I started to think about reunions today.  Whether a childhood friend, long missed family members, or fellow students, each of us has someone we want to see again soon.  The memory of my parents’ faces, whenever we would arrive in their driveway in Pennsylvania, made me long to see them again, as well.  But the distance between us is much farther than ever, now that they are both in heaven.  That distance will just make the reunion sweeter when it occurs.

How can I know I will see my loved ones again?  First of all, we known we will see heaven if we know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  For many years heaven was an impossibility for us, a closed door.  But all of that changed when God sent His Son to Earth.  He walked as we walk and grew as we grow, but the difference between us was righteousness.  Jesus, fully God and fully human, was perfect and without sin, and He became the sacrifice for our sins and those of all of God’s creation.  This salvation and forgiveness, the mercy of God, is a free gift to anyone who believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior (Romans 6:23).

Once we have believed in Christ, we can rely on the promise that we will be with Him in heaven one day.  Unlike the disinterested watchmaker who set the watch in motion but then walked away, God continues His work and involvement in our lives and has promised a place for us.  “Let not your heart be troubled;” Jesus said, “believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:1-4).

My grandmother, in her early 90s and bedfast, used to wonder why God had allowed her to live so long.  “I’ve lost all of my friends, my husband, one of my children,” she would say.  “What did I do that God doesn’t want me?”  I reminded her Jesus promised to build a home for her, and the angels probably had not finished the roof.  I was sure that as soon as the last shingle was in place, and the flowers were blooming, Jesus would call her home, and He did.  I believe she is waiting for me there.

Finally, the apostle Paul described our reunion with loved ones in his letter to the Thessalonians. 

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

A day will come for each of us when, whether through death or at Christ’s return to collect His Bride, we will meet Jesus face to face.  The most cherished reunion of all will be when we see our Savior.  The One we have known in our spirits will appear before us and welcome us into heaven.  Never again will there be loss or tears.  We will be with Him forever, along with our loved ones who have preceded us. 

Take every opportunity to let your loved ones know how you feel while they are with you, even if far apart.  But, be assured, if they have “fallen asleep” in faith, you will see them again as we celebrate eternity around the throne of God.

Blessings,

Mary Kay Glunt
Pastor, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church
Greenfield, Missouri