What does the Spirit say to the churches

John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Today we start on a series entitled “What does the Spirit say to the churches.”

The great Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to discover the magnetic meridian of the North Pole and to discover the South Pole. On one of his trips, Amundsen took a homing pigeon with him. When he had finally reached the top of the world, he opened the bird's cage and set it free. Imagine the delight of Amundsen's wife, back in Norway, when she looked up from the doorway of her home and saw the pigeon circling in the sky above. No doubt she exclaimed, "He's alive! My husband is still alive!"

So it was when Jesus ascended. He was gone, but the disciples clung to his promise to send them the Holy Spirit. What joy, then, when the dovelike Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost. The disciples had with them the continual reminder that Jesus was alive and victorious at the right of the Father. This continues to be the Spirit's message.

The word Helper in this verse above is also translated as Advocate or ‘Paraclete’ and has many meanings. It can mean a defence lawyer in a court of law, who stands beside the defendant and supports them in making a case. It can mean any person who stands by you and gives you support and comfort. The Spirit plays that role in the Church after Jesus has returned to his Father and that role continues still.

The role of the Spirit is to help the disciples keep in mind all that Jesus has told them. The Spirit is the inner voice of God who will lead those who listen to the fullness of truth and will help them to understand the full meaning of Christ for them and for the world. Let us listen to the Spirit speaking to us today.

Lord, I often feel my life is shapeless and going nowhere. Thank you for the gift of the great Spirit of God, who is by my side, defending me, consoling me and teaching me the ways of love. ‘Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in me the fire of your love.‘ Amen

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs 28:9 God has no use for the prayers of the people who won’t listen to him.

So often prayer becomes a monologue a recital of our wants to God. Where as the real sense of prayer is more about listening and waiting upon God. Mother Teresa says,  "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer."

Prayer is inviting God into our circumstances, into our hopes, into our fears, into our dreams, and into our pain. Prayer is not working our way through a grocery list of requests that we desire God to perform or answer the way we expect him to. Prayer allows us to live relationally with God. Living relationally means you can learn to talk to God, listen to God, and think about God throughout your day—as you wake up in the morning, soak in the tub, drive to your next destination, sit in your favourite chair, go on a walk, compete in a volleyball tournament, or relax in a favourite place of rest.

Loving God, give us hearts that listen for your word.
Let us imitate the Good Samaritan, who does not turn away from suffering.

Help us listen.
            May we listen to those who struggle daily for dignity.
            Let us hear your voice in the stories of those on the margins.
            Help us always see what binds us together as sisters and brothers.

Help us to heal.
            May we be willing to stand in the place of others.
            Let us be open to difference that we may arrive at understanding.
            Help us to seek reconciliation that our world may reflect justice.

Help us respond.
            May our faith move us to action in the public square.
            Let us work with others of good will, finding solutions together.
            Help us exercise political charity, seeking the common good and dignity for all.

Lord, give us the courage to trust in your hand guiding us.

Give us the courage to respond like the Good Samaritan, setting aside divisions to attend to the needs of the other. May we know and see your love present in our communities, made real in the ways we love one another.

Amen.

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs 27:19  As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

Reflections come in many guises and through many mediums. Somewhere in the beginning of each day, you probably find yourself looking at your reflection in the mirror. Many of us never give a second thought as to how that reflection is produced. All surfaces reflect some light, but only a special type of surface reflects light in such a way that it can form a mirror. In 1835 German chemist Justis von Liebig devised a process for coating plates of glass with metallic silver. This was the beginning of the mirror as we know it today and helped it become a common household item. The mirrors in our homes are made in similar fashion by evaporating a very thin layer of silver onto glass.

From this Proverb we could well ask, are we the mirror that God wants us to be? Just as it takes that right material (silver, which is a precious metal) to make the best mirrors, God desires for our hearts to be filled with His Spirit so that we can be a clear reflection of His glory. The Apostle Paul states this truth in Second Corinthians 3:18 when he wrote, “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” As we allow the Holy Spirit of God to control our lives, He can make us the right reflections He has purposed for us to be.

Faithful God,

you have called us to be a light shining in the world.

Make us reflect the light of Christ,

so that people see your love and goodness

in our words and actions.

We ask this through your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.

Perhaps we have all heard of the phrase, “adding fuel to the fire!” And maybe, just maybe we have all at one time or another stoked fuel on a family feud.

This idiom of adding fuel to the fire can be traced back to ancient Rome and The history of Titus Livius who lived around 1AD: “Not withstanding my remonstrance, you have added fuel to this fire, by sending to your army a youth who burns with an ambition of sovereignty…

Elsewhere the saying is defined as to make a situation or conflict intensify, especially via provocative comments.

A minister once formed a mutual encouragement fellowship at a time of stress in one of his churches . The members subscribed to a simple formula applied before speaking of any person or subject that was perhaps controversial.

T--Is it true?

H--Is it helpful?
I--Is it inspiring?

N--Is it necessary?
K--Is it kind?

The3 rule of thumb was to ask yourself, “If what I am about to say does not pass those tests, I will keep my mouth shut!” And he says “it worked!”

Paul writing to the Philippians said, “Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realised. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Phil 4:8

Now there’s real fuel to fire the soul!

Well might we pray, “Gracious God, open my eyes today to whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—give me eyes to see and the grace to give You thanks for it all.” Amen

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs 25:28  Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.

Here are three takes on the concept of self-control:

Edmund Hilary the first man who conquered Mount Everest was asked by an interviewer about his passions for climbing mountains. He gave this reply: "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves."

Peter the Great of Russia is quoted as saying, "I have been able to conquer an empire, but I have not been able to conquer myself."

Hugo Grotius was a Dutch humanist said,“A man cannot govern a nation if he cannot govern a city; he cannot govern a city if he cannot govern a family; he cannot govern a family unless he can govern himself; and he cannot govern himself unless his passions are subject to reason.”

Researchers were surprised to find,” write Roy Baumeister and John Tierney in their fascinating book Willpower, “that people with strong self-control spent less time resisting desires than other people did.… people with good self-control mainly use it not for rescue in emergencies but rather to develop effective habits and routines in school and at work.”

In other words, habits eliminate the need for self-control. Self-control is a crucial aspect of our lives. People with better self-control (or self-regulation, self-discipline, or willpower) are happier and healthier. They’re more altruistic; they have stronger relationships and more career success; they manage stress and conflict better; they live longer; they steer clear of bad habits. Self-control allows us to keep our commitments to ourselves.

Paul in writing to the church in Rome out it this way. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)

Lord, I pray that the fruit of self-control will grow in me like a tree of strength. I pray that I will control what I say and do and make them subject to Your spirit. I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs 22:11 One who loves a pure heart and who speaks with grace will have the king for a friend.

It is interesting how often the notion of heart spirituality is referenced throughout the old testament. The heart is used in Scripture as the most comprehensive term for the authentic person. It is the part of our being where we desire, deliberate, and decide. It has been described as “the place of conscious and decisive spiritual activity,” “the comprehensive term for a person as a whole; his feelings, desires, passions, thought, understanding and will,” and “the centre of a person. The place to which God turns.”

Benjamin Franklin set himself 13 virtues that he would endeavour to embed within himself. If you like to become the heart of who he was.

These names of virtues, with their precepts, were:

1. Temperance - Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. Silence - Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. Order - Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. Resolution - Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. Frugality - Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. Industry - Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. Sincerity - Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. Justice - Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. Moderation - Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness - Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. Tranquility - Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. Chastity - Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

13. Humility - Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Jesus put this heart religion in focus when he said, “Blessed are those who are pure in heart—they will see God.”

Father, give me wisdom in my personal relationships. Help them to be healthy and to affirm the dignity of everyone involved. Jesus, when I am tempted to mock others, remind me of who I am, and my responsibility to portray you well. By your Holy Spirit grant me peace, so I can rise above the temptation to engage in petty and abusive behaviours. Amen.

Pondering Proverbs

Proverbs  22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.

Following on from Saturday’s posting the writer of Proverbs takes the notion of sharing with the poor from the stance of a duty to that of a blessing. What is interesting is that in the Hebrew Bible the word translated Blessed also means to kneel. So we could interpret  blessing in the context of sharing with the poor means we fully embrace the sense of living a life of humility.

C S Lewis on speaking of humility said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” He also stressed that, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

A young preacher once approached Dr. F. B. Meyer and asked how he could one day become as influential and well-known as Dr. Meyer. Dr. Meyer responded, “Don’t waste your time waiting and longing for large opportunities which may never come. But faithfully handle the little things that are always claiming your attention.”

How generous are we and what influences us to share with others?

Appetite says, “Be sensuous, enjoy yourself.”

Education says, “Be resourceful, expand yourself.”

Materialism says, “Be satisfied, please yourself.”

Psychology says, “Be confident, fulfil yourself.”

Pride says, “Be superior, promote yourself.”

Humanism says, “Be capable believe in yourself.”

God says, “Be wise, humble yourself.”

Jesus spoke of humility in these terms, “For everyone who tries to honour himself shall be humbled; and he who humbles himself shall be honoured.”

Merciful God,

give us the same attitude as Jesus,

who emptied himself

and was obedient to you

all the way to his death on the cross.

Make us eager to put others before ourselves,

and their needs before our own.

We ask this through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.