Jesus, Author of All

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Imprint of God

Ephesians 1:3-10 The Message

The God of Glory

^3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

^7-10 Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we’re a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

For Reflection

In today's science plagued, irrational reliance on rationality and bolstering unsupported opinion, spirituality is often sublimated to pablum.  Self-centeredness and insipid, simplistic reliance on those who agree with us no matter what the cause has replaced honest and authentic discussion of the common good.  Our faith has been trivialized.

Remember Christ.  Remember grace.  Remember the healing hands of God.

Pray

that your eyes will see the path to righteousness.  Pray that your feet will take you into God-centered witness.  Pray that your hands will heal all that your life touches.  Pray that you will hear the comforting words from God.  Pray that you will taste the justice of grace. 

Jesus Reconciles All Things

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Imprint of God

Colossians 1:15-20  The Message

Christ Holds It All Together

^15-18 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

^18-20 He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

For Reflection

We are restored into God's household.  We are reconciled by the blood of Christ.  Christ holds us together.  Christ, the discarded stone, becomes the cornerstone of our redemption.  We are restored into the life God willed for us.  Say yes to God's call.  Say yes to obedience to God's gentle guidance. Say yes to the blessings of grace.

Pray

for strength in the face of uncertainty.  Pray for confidence in the Lord.  Pray for courage to follow in the way of Christ.

From Death to Life

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Imprint of God

John 5:24-27  The Message

²⁴ “It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.
^25-27 “It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.

For Reflection

How do we align ourselves with the Father?  Will doing good works align us?  Will membership in a Christian fellowship align us?  Will regular attendance to church services align us?  Will keeping God's commandments align us. Does it just take doing one of these things or do we need to do them all.

None of these things will align you with the father unless you do these things in response to your love of God.  In prayer we show our love of God. Even if our prayers are angry, praying recognizes the sovereignty of God.

Pray

that you will live your life as though you love God.  Pray that you will recognize God as the most important being in your life.  Pray that you will put God first. last and always in your life's journey.

Receiving Grace upon Grace

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Imprint of God

John 1:15-18 he Message (MSG)

¹⁵ John pointed him out and called, “This is the One! The One I told you was coming after me but in fact was ahead of me. He has always been ahead of me, has always had the first word.”

^16-18 We all live off his generous bounty,
        gift after gift after gift.
    We got the basics from Moses,
        and then this exuberant giving and receiving,
    This endless knowing and understanding—
        all this came through Jesus, the Messiah.
    No one has ever seen God,
        not so much as a glimpse.
    This one-of-a-kind God-Expression,
        who exists at the very heart of the Father,
        has made him plain as day.

For Reflection

We study the life of Christ so that we will begin to know and understand God's intentions for our lives.  Christ shows how to live righteous lives. God heaps grace upon grace.  All we have to do is accept God's grace and our lives will be changed eternally.

Pray

Pray and listen to your soul.  Pray that you will open your internal being in such ways that your external persona will match your internal one.

Becoming Children of God

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Imprint of God

John 1:1-14  The Message

The Life-Light

1 ^1-2 The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
    God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
    in readiness for God from day one.

^3-5 Everything was created through him;
    nothing—not one thing!—
    came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
    and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
    the darkness couldn’t put it out.

^6-8 There once was a man, his name John, sent by God to point out the way to the Life-Light. He came to show everyone where to look, who to believe in. John was not himself the Light; he was there to show the way to the Light.

^9-13 The Life-Light was the real thing:
    Every person entering Life
    he brings into Light.
He was in the world,
    the world was there through him,
    and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
    but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
    who believed he was who he claimed
    and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
    their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
    not blood-begotten,
    not flesh-begotten,  Our
    not sex-begotten.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and blood,
    and moved into the neighborhood.
We saw the glory with our own eyes,
    the one-of-a-kind glory,
    like Father, like Son,
Generous inside and out,
    true from start to finish.

 

For Reflection

 

GOD, THE CREATOR!

God created the universe, created humans and placed us in it.  God set us free to choose and guided our choices.  God blessed us and disciplined us.  And then God sent a piece of God's self, Jesus, so that we could see our souls in the image of God.  Our souls, our true selves, our interior lives that reflect God who created us.  You and I carry the imprint of God. Prayer is the key to unlock God's power.


Pray

Pray every day.  Pray every hour of that day.  Pray every second of that day.  Make your lives a living prayer in response to God's love and grace.  Pray now about everything.  Pray about nothing.  Invite God to feed your soul.

With Everlasting Love and Compassion

The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 42:5-9  The Message

The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life

^5-9 God’s Message,
    the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
    laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
    makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
    I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
    and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
    opening blind eyes,
    releasing prisoners from dungeons,
    emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name.
    I don’t franchise my glory,
    don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
    I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
    I’m telling you all about it.”

For Reflection

God called Christ to be a living covenant to each of us.  We not longer have to live in the dark prisons of our own making.  We can choose to be free.  We can choose to be a child of God

Pray

so that you become closer to God.  Pray often.  Pray about anything.  Pray about every thing.  Pray in private and listen for God's call.

The Glory of the Nation Restored

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

I

Isaiah 60:19-22The Message (MSG)

What’s That We See in the Distance?

^8-22 “What’s that we see in the distance,
    a cloud on the horizon, like doves darkening the sky?
It’s ships from the distant islands,
    the famous Tarshish ships
Returning your children from faraway places,
    loaded with riches, with silver and gold,
And backed by the name of your God, The Holy of Israel,
    showering you with splendor.
Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
    and their kings assist you in the conduct of worship.
When I was angry I hit you hard.
    It’s my desire now to be tender.
Your Jerusalem gates will always be open
    —open house day and night!—
Receiving deliveries of wealth from all nations,
    and their kings, the delivery boys!
Any nation or kingdom that doesn’t deliver will perish;
    those nations will be totally wasted.
The rich woods of Lebanon will be delivered
    —all that cypress and oak and pine—
To give a splendid elegance to my Sanctuary,
    as I make my footstool glorious.
The descendants of your oppressor
    will come bowing and scraping to you.
All who looked down at you in contempt
    will lick your boots.
They’ll confer a title on you: City of God,
    Zion of The Holy of Israel.
Not long ago you were despised refuse—
    out-of-the-way, unvisited, ignored.
But now I’ve put you on your feet,
    towering and grand forever, a joy to look at!
When you suck the milk of nations
    and the breasts of royalty,
You’ll know that I, God, am your Savior,
    your Redeemer, Champion of Jacob.
I’ll give you only the best—no more hand-me-downs!
    Gold instead of bronze, silver instead of iron,
    bronze instead of wood, iron instead of stones.
I’ll install Peace to run your country,
    make Righteousness your boss.
There’ll be no more stories of crime in your land,
    no more robberies, no more vandalism.
You’ll name your main street Salvation Way,
    and install Praise Park at the center of town.
You’ll have no more need of the sun by day
    nor the brightness of the moon at night.
God will be your eternal light,
    your God will bathe you in splendor.
Your sun will never go down,
    your moon will never fade.
I will be your eternal light.
    Your days of grieving are over.
All your people will live right and well,
    in permanent possession of the land.
They’re the green shoot that I planted,
    planted with my own hands to display my glory.
The runt will become a great tribe,
    the weakling become a strong nation.
I am God.
    At the right time I’ll make it happen.”

For Reflection

When God speaks of the "nation," God is not talking about America, England, Italy, or Canada.  God is speaking about the people of God, the Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God, has been, is, and will be.  God's Kingdom will be realized in full by all peoples in God's time.  God will make it happen.

Have you committed to the Kingdom of God?

Pray

that you will participate with God as a citizen of God's Kingdom.  Pray that your actions will be sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  Pray that  you will never lose sight of God.s Kingdom.  

The Exiles Will Return

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 60:1-7 The Message

People Returning for the Reunion

60 ^1-7 “Get out of bed, Jerusalem!
    Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight.
    God’s bright glory has risen for you.
The whole earth is wrapped in darkness,
    all people sunk in deep darkness,
But God rises on you,
    his sunrise glory breaks over you.
Nations will come to your light,
    kings to your sunburst brightness.
Look up! Look around!
    Watch as they gather, watch as they approach you:
Your sons coming from great distances,
    your daughters carried by their nannies.
When you see them coming you’ll smile—big smiles!
    Your heart will swell and, yes, burst!
All those people returning by sea for the reunion,
    a rich harvest of exiles gathered in from the nations!
And then streams of camel caravans as far as the eye can see,
    young camels of nomads in Midian and Ephah,
Pouring in from the south from Sheba,
    loaded with gold and frankincense,
    preaching the praises of God.
And yes, a great roundup
    of flocks from the nomads in Kedar and Nebaioth,
Welcome gifts for worship at my altar
    as I bathe my glorious Temple in splendor.

 

For Reflection

Conducting our life in ways that are predominately influenced by the common culture in which we live is very much like living in exile.  God made us in God's likeness.  Our natural state is not dominated by selfish desires, ambitions to become powerful, or ruthlessness.  Our natural state is to be loving, compassionate, just and forgiving beings as full of grace as God.  Responding the the living God  who resides within you is your ticked to burst out of exile and into a rich life as a child of God.  Who you are in the common culture is so much less than who you could be in the Kingdom of God.

Pray

that you will respond to God's call for reconciliation.  Pray that you will allow yourself to be filled with the glory of God.  Pray that you will always "bathe in the glorious temple.":

Anointed for Ministry

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Luke 4:16-21  The Message

^16-21 He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

God’s Spirit is on me;
    he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor,
Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and
    recovery of sight to the blind,
To set the burdened and battered free,
    to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, “You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place.”

For Reflection

God's spirit is within each of us.  God wills each of us to spread the Gospel Message to all, according to the talents with which we have been blessed..  It is our task to bring others out of the darkness of their common lives into the light of a God-centered life.

Pray

that you will study the scriptures, pray, and discuss your faith in the fellowship of the faithful so that you will always be in-tune with a God-centered life.

A Light to the Nations

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 42:5-9  The Message

The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life

^5-9 God’s Message,
    the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
    laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
    makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
    I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
    and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
    opening blind eyes,
    releasing prisoners from dungeons,
    emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name.
    I don’t franchise my glory,
    don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
    I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
    I’m telling you all about it.”

For Reflection

Whatever Isaiah has proclaimed as God's word to Israel, God now proclaims to each of us.  As God, the father,  breathed life into human kind and kept us safe, God now provides a path to escape our human condition and become the human beings God intended us to be.  God knows if we are faithful, righteous people others will see the truth of our way and accept God's overture for salvation.  This is our salvation work in response the the love of God.

Pray

that through the demonstration of your faith, you will bring others into the light, and open their eyes and hearts the the promise of God.

Nations and Idols are Nothing before God

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 40:15-20  The Message

The Creator of All You Can See or Imagine

^12-17 Who has scooped up the ocean
    in his two hands,
    or measured the sky between his thumb and little finger,
Who has put all the earth’s dirt in one of his baskets,
    weighed each mountain and hill?
Who could ever have told God what to do
    or taught him his business?
What expert would he have gone to for advice,
    what school would he attend to learn justice?
What god do you suppose might have taught him what he knows,
    showed him how things work?
Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket,
    a mere smudge on a window.
Watch him sweep up the islands
    like so much dust off the floor!
There aren’t enough trees in Lebanon
    nor enough animals in those vast forests
    to furnish adequate fuel and offerings for his worship.
All the nations add up to simply nothing before him—
    less than nothing is more like it. A minus.

^18-20 So who even comes close to being like God?
    To whom or what can you compare him?
Some no-god idol? Ridiculous!
    It’s made in a workshop, cast in bronze,
Given a thin veneer of gold,
    and draped with silver filigree.
Or, perhaps someone will select a fine wood—
    olive wood, say—that won’t rot,
Then hire a woodcarver to make a no-god,
    giving special care to its base so it won’t tip over!

For Reflection

When astronauts look from outer space at the world below them they see a beautiful planet, a single entity, an organic totality of life. I would like to think that this is what God sees.  God does not see the political divisions of nations and states.  God does not see towns and cities. God sees like an organist plays, not one note at a time but all notes working harmoniously together a single, powerful,  beautiful sound.

God sees the Kingdom of God.

Pray

so that you will live in God's Kingdom, following God's law, receiving God's blessings as promised by God's covenant.

God's Wisdom is Unmatched

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 40:12-17  The Message

The Creator of All You Can See or Imagine

^12-17 Who has scooped up the ocean
    in his two hands,
    or measured the sky between his thumb and little finger,
Who has put all the earth’s dirt in one of his baskets,
    weighed each mountain and hill?
Who could ever have told God what to do
    or taught him his business?
What expert would he have gone to for advice,
    what school would he attend to learn justice?
What god do you suppose might have taught him what he knows,
    showed him how things work?
Why, the nations are but a drop in a bucket,
    a mere smudge on a window.
Watch him sweep up the islands
    like so much dust off the floor!
There aren’t enough trees in Lebanon
    nor enough animals in those vast forests
    to furnish adequate fuel and offerings for his worship.
All the nations add up to simply nothing before him—
    less than nothing is more like it. A minus.

For Reflection

If he or she were engrossed in the common culture, they might question the wisdom of God.  The common culture is inhibited by the limits of human understanding and creativity.  God's wisdom, however, has no limitations. God is the source of wisdom.  We are merely pretenders of wisdom. 

God is not moved by fear.  We are.  God is not moved by selfish desire but, rather, by the desire to see God's creation flourish.  God is not moved by control, but rather by nurturing God's people.

So, when it comes to choosing to follow human wisdom or God's wisdom, which will you follow?

Pray

Pray frequently about everything.  Spend time in quiet meditation, listening to God's whispered advise and counsel.  Pray that when God-centered wisdom conflicts with human derived wisdom you will be willing and able to choose God.

God Leads Like a Shepherd

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 40:9-11  The Message

^9-11 Climb a high mountain, Zion.
    You’re the preacher of good news.
Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem.
    You’re the preacher of good news.
    Speak loud and clear. Don’t be timid!
Tell the cities of Judah,
    “Look! Your God!”
Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,
    ready to go into action.
He is going to pay back his enemies
    and reward those who have loved him.
Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,
    gathering the lambs in his arms,
Hugging them as he carries them,
    leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.

For Reflection

A powerful God!  The God who created the Universe.  A God that guided and protected God's chosen people.  A God that sacrificed God's son to the human condition so that we may know God and live righteous lives.  A God who promised to live in our hearts and guide us to rise and grow into the likeness of God.  A God that shares God's own self for our redemption.  A God who loves.  A God who forgives. A God who has faith in us.  A God who hopes for us.  A God who entrusts us with God's Kingdom.  A God of justice.  A God of Grace. 

That is our God, leading us into glory.

Pray

that you will strive to listen to God's whispers.  Pray that you will strive to be God-centered and to let that inspire and focus your life.

God's Word Stands for Ever

The Sovereignty of God
The Sovereignty of God

Foundations of the Earth

Isaiah 40:1-8  The Message

Messages of Comfort

Prepare for God’s Arrival

40 ^1-2 “Comfort, oh comfort my people,”
    says your God.
“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,
    but also make it very clear
That she has served her sentence,
    that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!
She’s been punished enough and more than enough,
    and now it’s over and done with.”

^3-5 Thunder in the desert!
    “Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road straight and smooth,
    a highway fit for our God.
Fill in the valleys,
    level off the hills,
Smooth out the ruts,
    clear out the rocks.
Then God’s bright glory will shine
    and everyone will see it.
    Yes. Just as God has said.”

^6-8 A voice says, “Shout!”
    I said, “What shall I shout?”

“These people are nothing but grass,
    their love fragile as wildflowers.
The grass withers, the wildflowers fade,
    if God so much as puffs on them.
    Aren’t these people just so much grass?
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,
    but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.

For Reflection

God's chosen People have been waiting a long time for salvation from the scourge of being conquered and the oppressive, hypocritical Jewish leadership.  They await a Messiah.  The time fast approaches, but can they accept the Messiah God is sending?  Can you?

Pray

that you will embrace the Holy Spirit that resides within you.  Pray that you can face the human condition with hope, courage. and confidence in God.