Looking for an earlier Watchword?
- Why Resurrection? - Why Resurrection?: The Resurrection is the center piece in our faith story. We say, without apology, that without the Resurrection there would be no Christianity, no Christ. Our trust in the resurrection is more than our anticipation that we will leave this world someday and go to heaven. on the contrary, it is a bold confidence that God’s kingdom, presents, and power are visible in our world today and that there is a whole new creation beginning. Why Resurrection? Because it is the beginning of new life, fresh grass growing through the hardness of hate, corruption and decay, a light shining in the darkness to signal a better way, a new way. Why Resurrection? That’s why. So be it. Continue reading
- Abide with Me - Abide with Me: I think too often when we hear that phrase ‘be strong and of good courage’ we may think of action heroes coming to the rescue, saving us from really bad things, at the very last moment. But it is God saying to us to abide in his word and not lose faith, He will walk with us through this present Jordan. As believers in Jesus Christ we need to allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit then to reach out with courage and compassion to others who are suffering through this time. We cannot do this on our own, that’s the reality of our frailty. But we can do it with Jesus who will give us the strength. We are never alone when we speak the truth in love. Continue reading
- In Times Like These - In Times Like These: You cringe when go to the gas station to put gas in your car, remembering a time when a gallon was under $2.00. Perhaps you are in the grocery store and you stand there shaking your head at the price of a pound of bacon…$13.00, and decide, ‘No way”. You go to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription that in past months was always $12, but now the clerk tells you, $27. You sigh, deeply. In times like these, it is easy to let fear grip our hearts and occupy our minds. What we heard last night in the latest news, causes even more fear, if we let it. I love the hymn, Joyful, Joyful, we adore You. The greatest thing about it is you don’t even have to sing it. It’s a prayer, and perhaps it’s one we need today: ‘Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the Light of day’. Continue reading
- The Warmth of My Bed - The Warmth of My Bed: It was 6:10 a.m. and I felt lousy. It was a Wednesday morning and my Bible Study group would begin work on Exodus Chapter 4, at 7 a.m. Yesterday had been a busy day and I had gotten to bed late. I never set an alarm because I’m usually up before 5 a.m., except for this morning. I stood beside the bed in the morning chill, then I pull back the covers and slipped between the sheets, still warm. It felt so good! I drifted back to sleep. Ten minutes later I was wide-awake, now debating about going to church. The dread that I felt just ten minutes before had disappeared like early morning mist with the awareness that my Lord was present with me. Let me make this clear, this was not an unusual happening. I felt the same sensation many times before. However, the vividness of the experience was a little different and it struck me with an awareness that this had been the voice of the Holy Spirit. Continue reading
- What is Patriotism? - What is Patriotism? What is patriotism? Remember this -- "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." Does it change after someone experiences war? Every generation seems to redefine patriotic behavior. In the aftermath of recent terrorism and war, Americans are faced with how to think about freedom and how to protect it. Does patriotism mean displaying the flag or practicing dissent or both? Our veterans challenge us with provocative questions on the nature of our patriotism and offer highly personal answers. At the core of anyone who serves this country for the good of all our neighbors and friends, is an awareness of dedicating a portion of themselves to this nation. It becomes engrained, and at some point, each of us has been struck by the notion we we are doing it for all, every one of us. As it should be. Continue reading
- Please Send Anyone Else - Please Send Anyone Else: My Bible study group is studying Exodus and in our last meeting I was asked to read a portion of Chapter 4, including the passage listed above. I have to say that these meditations included in Watchwords are, for the most part, the result of my reading other devotionals, the Bible, inspiration that I get from listening to other pastors. So equipped, I write the Meditation. We all thought it was pretty hilarious when I read oh Lord I’m not very good with words. But there’s another phrase in that passage that struck me -- O Lord, please send anyone else. Have we ever been in that position? I mean you and I are moved to respond to the nudging of your Holy Spirit and you think all kinds of ways to get out of having to act. There is nothing that God is asking us to do that requires perfection. Continue reading
- Speak, Lord, for Your Servant Is Listening - Speak, Lord, for Your Servant is Listening: How does God speak in your life? Have you heard Him in whispers and inspirations that touch you at just the right time, and the right circumstance? Or did His message come to you in the positive test for Covid-19 that required you to step out of your rushing life activities for a time? His meaning? “Take a break.” Does the voice of God sometimes come in conflict with our own wants and desires? Of course. Does it occur to you that the voice of God comes to us in Scriptures, through his son, and regardless of what the message is, every message, without exception, reflects the two Greatest Commandments, to love God and love others. Continue reading
- Put Up Your Dukes - Put Up Your Dukes: We don’t think that being a Christian will mean we will engage in battles, and yet they come our way. The fight may be in our being tempted to sin and, in effect, renounce our faith. The fight might be in the struggle you encounter when asked to donate your hard-earned cash, or time, compassion, love for your “neighbor”, as defined by God. all battles belong to the Lord. It is our job to recognize that our struggles are in the hands of God and live accordingly. With Christ on our side we are free to live like God will deliver us, like he works to protect us from harm. Continue reading
- What’s Next? - What’s Next? What’s next? In the 1999 TV series, West Wing, there are multiple episodes where the President, played by Martin Sheen, after hearing all the discussion on a topic, asks the question, ‘What’s next?’ which signals the end of one topic, now is the time to move on to the next. What’s next? For the apostles, the followers of Jesus, and members of The Way, the temple is behind them. The tongues of fire and the wind is behind. What the Master had promised, the Holy Spirit, was now within them. But, now, there on that street in Jerusalem, or there on your main street, or down the corridor, or around the corner, the question: What’s next? Where does this leave me? What’s next? For you, for me, each of us, we all have a “next”, directed by the Holy Spirit that is speaking to us. Continue reading
- Miracle Grow - Miracle Grow: Plant and flower lovers know all about Miracle Grow for their “babies”. As advertised, Miracle Grow provides essential nutrients and encourages growth and health in plants. Well, we happen to know about another “miracle grow” that touches every aspect of our lives. This miracle grow provides essential ingredients for growth in faith, hope, and love. A Life of Christian growth, based on the Word of God, has two phases that are inseparable: Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, and feed my sheep. Continue reading
- Friendship with Jesus - Friendship with Jesus: We sing, what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege it is to carry, everything to God in prayer! We sing it, but do we practice it? What stops us? Pastor Allen Jackson has a good take on the love that Jesus has for us, in this recent devotional -- “Peter quotes Isaiah 53:9 to remind us that Jesus, the Messiah, was perfectly sinless. Then he says, He himself bore our sins in his body. … “He himself” is a way of adding emphasis to the person being described. Jesus didn’t ask His closest friends or family to share the burden. Continue reading
- Parable of the Trees - Parable of the Trees: Two farmers went out to plant orchards in adjacent fields, an old farmer and a young farmer. They both set out to plant five fruit bearing trees. The old farmer dug five holes for his trees, placed a sapling in each hole, covered the roots with good soil and tamped it down good, and was done. The young farmer did the same, but also built a little reservoir around each tree, and filled that with water and feed for the tree. Months later the old Farmer’s trees were thriving, with green fruit hanging off the branches. The young farmer’s trees were showing signs of stress, and the fruit sparse, small and disappointing. Like any other parable there is a moral to this. The old farmer’s trees had to send their roots deep to find water and nourishment, and in the process, they strengthened the whole tree, creating a healthy source of fruit. The young farmer had taken the need to strengthen the root system away from the trees by providing everything they needed without having to work for it. Continue reading
- Hypocrisy - Hypocrisy: So, when someone brings up the matter of hypocrisy, our mind wanders to our acquaintances, maybe we look around the congregation, or perhaps we recall an incident where there was tension and conflict and maybe the subject of all that tension was a difference of opinion – they were wrong and you were right. Or were you? We look around and maybe in our prideful mind we conclude that there are so many where that label fits. Yes, we look around, but dare we look in the mirror? I think we’re good at deceiving ourselves, salving our conscience. But we are still stuck with this simple question: “How do my rationalizations square with all of those influences and beliefs that brought us to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior?” Continue reading
- All About Paul - All About Paul: What do we know about the apostle Paul? We know that he was born in Tarsus, which is modern-day turkey. That he was brought by his family to Jerusalem and enrolled him in the rabbinical school. We know he became a Pharisee at an unusually young age, probably 24, and was a rigorous defender of Judaism to the point where he established a reputation for persecuting those who were following the fledgling Christianity. We are most familiar with his travel to Damascus to find Christians there and bring them bound to Jerusalem, when he had an encounter with Jesus the Christ, a year after the crucifixion, which Paul had witnessed. Following this encounter, Paul spent some three years in the Arabian wilderness. Continue reading
- Priorities and Contentment - Priorities and Contentment: Priorities and contentment? Is contentment a priority for us? Or, are our priorities preventing us from experiencing contentment? What is contentment, anyway? Why should we make it a priority in our lives? One definition tells us that contentment is a state of happiness and satisfaction. For some, the accumulation of wealth leads to contentment. In Paul’s letter to Timothy he cites contentment paired with godliness as “great wealth”. Continue reading
- Unanswered Prayers? - Unanswered prayers? Nonsense! Never happen. You must not be paying attention! One of my favorite Country and Western ballads is a song by Garth Brooks, entitled “Unanswered Prayers.” In that story-song we learn that earlier the young man did not get his prayer answered when he asked, but later learns the prayer was answered in far better way than he hoped. For me, that is a picture of us. Can we accept the fact that God answers all prayers in the best way, every time, not just some time. Do we trust that? Does our lack of patience interfere with our faith and belief? The things that Jesus taught about prayer are supernatural truths He reveals to us. Continue reading
- Short, Sweet and True - Short, Sweet and True: Wait, or rely, upon the Lord. Do not rush to your own actions or panic when seasons of life take a turn for the worse. Seek the Lord, and wait on him. He is good and awesome and for us. Those times when things seem to be turning “for the worse” may last a few days, or they may last many years. Whatever hand you are dealt, know that God knows and is prepared for whatever may come. Let Him be your refuge and your rock, for he is ever faithful. Continue reading
- Favorite Passages - Favorite Passages: Favorite Bible passages. Most of us have them. Maybe it was a passage that we memorized when we were a child and it stuck with us, taking on real meaning when we became adults and we drew closer to our Lord. The Proverbs passage was a favorite of Glenn Hawkins, a long-time member of Men in Mission, the men’s Bible Study group at our church. He spoke of how meaningful it was to him at an especially difficult moment in his life. That testimony had an impact on my life and the lives of others. Philippians 4:13 is a passage that touched the lives of so many of my friends and loved ones over the years when strength to overcome difficulty was needed. That passage had power to calm and to bring courage in the face of overwhelming odds. So, what is your favorite passage? What is there about that passage that has drawn you? Does it bring you closer to God? Continue reading
- Practice, Practice, Practice - Practice, Practice, Practice: I occasionally get devotionals from Allen Jackson Ministries, and the one I received recently came at a time when I was working on a meditation on the subject of Giving. Jackson deals with an aspect of our generosity, or lack thereof, that, I believe, we all experience, if we were honest. We weigh our giving against an imaginary sense of our security, as if we are the source of that security. How wrong we are! Continue reading
- Great Experiment - Great Experiment: As was explained in a previous Watchword, I was part of a gathering of church members, in a program of five supported disciplines which we called The Great Experiment. Each member of the group was committed to practicing the disciplines, which included: Meeting each week to pray and share. Give two hours each week to God. Tithe 10% of your earnings. Spend 30 minutes each morning, privately, in prayer and meditation, 10 minutes of the time reserved for journaling the work and blessings of God in our lives. Witness our faith experience to others, outside of our group and church. Although they appear to be simple and within the reach of any person, these disciplines contain the greatest concentration of power in changing of a human life. The key elements of each discipline are summarized in this Watchword. Continue reading
