Remembering Day

Gen 9:16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."
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I like Memorial Day! Somewhere along the line we are just too busy to remember those heroes who laid down their lives for us. And we shouldn't be! Right now, at our high school, a "remembering" stone stands to help us remember some local heroes that we should never forget. Please this "Remembering Day", remember those who fought and died for us, our true heroes.
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Indulge me in this remembering a moment. The word remember is used 120 times in the NIV Bible. That is a lot of times in 66 books. The favorite of mine is the one used in our text: God will remember the covenant with His people and won't destroy them again by flood.
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I don't want God to forget me. Too many of us are forgetting Him; I will try to remember Him.
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Please, God, don't forget us. We need you, your power, your hope, your salvation.
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And I am very grateful. Hope you will be too.

God, thank you for remembering us. Please let us never forget you. And thank You, for those heroes who gave their lives that I might freely worship and adore you through my Savior Jesus. In His name, Amen!

Is It Nothing to You, All Who Pass By

Lam 1:12 "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the LORD brought on me in the day of his fierce anger?

xYou might have heard of Kevin Carter. Carter was a famous South African photographer who won the Pulitzer Price for feature photography. He was the first to shoot a picture of a South African "Necklacing", execution by a tire filled with gasoline forced around a person's body which was set afire. He experienced the gruesome side of human nature.

xHis prize photograph was of a starving Sudanese girl, about 5, who was trying to walk to a food station. The little body was so weak it could hardly move. In the background of the picture, a vulture was waiting for the child to die.

xCarter says that he shooed the vulture away, but nothing more. His report is that the small child began to walk on her own. What happened to the child, no one knows. On July 27, 1994, Carter put his camera down and took his own life at the age of 33, his friends contending that he suffered from doing nothing for the child when he could have.

xI don't know the truth of the last claim, but I do know this: Jeremiah's question in Lamentations rings out loudly and clearly today. Jerusalem, in its day, was begging, hoping, that somebody would help and try to change; it never happened. Our world today is Satanic chaos: jobs gone, family relationships devastated, finances at an all time low, and at this writing people are even walking around Vandalia with medical masks in fear of the H1N1 or Swine Flu. We don't know what to do. My prayer is that our dying breath will be "Yes, God, we care for you, for your Son, for our churches, and for our world."

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Father, please teach us to look past the chaos of the world and see you. Help us to look into your heart and love Christ and others through Him. In Jesus name, Amen!

Join Us for Easter Sunrise Service

The Mulberry Grove Ministerial Alliance is hosting an Easter Sunrise Service at the First Church of Christ on Maple Street. It will be held on Easter Sunday, April 12th, beginning at 6:30 A.M. There will be a fellowship breakfast following the worship service. Hope to see you there.

Simple Heart, Simple Love

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have ever lasting life! -- John 3:16

If you would Google or Yahoo images of hearts, all kinds of pictures will come up. You would find an assortment of designs. Valentine shapes, human heart pictures, even two cats lying mirrored next to each other in the form of a heart, would grace your screen. Valentine shapes have become exotic and fancy; sometimes they are simple letting the basic design of the heart shape itself speak the language of love.

Sometimes I get very flowery in my words. But I'd like for this blog to be simple in design instead of complex. I'd like the scripture for our lesson to simply remind us what true love is all about.

Dear God, please teach us simple, life-supporting, God pleasing love, just as you have shown it and Jesus demonstrated it. Thank you, in Jesus name! Amen.

Candlemas Day?

According to the www.stormfax.com weather almanac, Groundhogs Day had its early beginnings with a pagan celebration of Imbolc! When the German settlers arrived in America in the 1700's they brought the celebration of Candlemas Day with them, which was based on this celebration. According to the tradition, if the weather was fair on Candlemas Day, which was half way between the start of winter and the start of spring, it was a sign that the ravages of winter would continue. If, on the other hand, the day was not so nice, the folklore pronounced that early spring was surely on its way. Interestingly enough, the Germans watched for the shadow of a badger. In Pennsyvania, the groundhog was chosen as it would arise mid-winter from its hibernation. In February, 1841, a store keeper, James Morris of Morgantown, PA, noted this in his diary: ..."Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
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1Timothy 4:7 reminds us: "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly."
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Of course, Groundhogs Day is a fable, an old wives' tale. And of course, it has nothing to do with our salvation or even our Christian life. Like many other celebrations, it was started by pagans and followed by the world. These kinds of things are a lot of fun to study and know about, but certainly are not for the gain of Christian. I wouldn't say don't enjoy Groundhogs Day. But I would say, we need to spend as much time or more time learning the truth of God's word for our lives.
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Current statistics tell us that 10 out of 10 of us will die! Do you find that statistic shocking? We probably would say we don't, but we may not have really thought about it! Follow Paul's advice to Timothy! Don't pay attention to the fables; train yourself to be Godly!
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Dear God: We have a lot of fun with the traditions of man. But please help us to be able to know where and how to draw the line. Help us to become very serious about knowing you. We will die! Help us to be ready to stand before you because we have accepted Jesus!. In His name, Amen!

Read John 1:45-48

If we had to assemble a team of workers to accomplish some task, we would most likely look for people with the skills we needed and the temperament to work together for the project we had in mind. Obviously Jesus knew the skills of the disciples he chose but they are not apparent from John's writing.

Here is Nathanael resting under a tree - hardly sounds like an eager worker - and his first comment is a disparaging one about a neighboring town. What we might hear in town about someone from Keyesport. He does not sound like a team player. But Jesus knew what he wanted and he convinced Nathanael to join the team.

When we look for prospective disciples we need to rely on Jesus' vision and not our own. We do not need to be selective to our standards - to look for people who we think are qualified. We need to invite everyone and let God qualify them.

Lord God, help us invite whomever we find and trust in you to do the selection. Amen.

Christ, the Light!

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:9-13)

My daughter is accustomed to having a nightlight burning in her room at night when she sleeps. There is a measure of comfort to her to know that the light is burning. Occasionally the bulb in the nightlight will burn out. For my daughter it is a frightening experience when this happens at night-time. If she wakes and the light is not there she calls out to let me know that something is wrong. By replacing the bulb, her fears are calmed and the whole household can return to sleep.

Jesus tells us that he himself is the light of the world. Without this light, we cannot see, we cannot find comfort. With the light of Christ we are comforted and we can enjoy life calmly. The light was first introduced into the world at the first Christmas. Today, Christ-followers carry the light of Jesus in their spirits. While the light will not burn out (like a nightlight’s bulb), we must let it shine out through the things that we do, and the way that we live.

This is the message of Christmas—Let your light shine!

Father, shine the light of Jesus brightly this Christmas, and throughout the new year. Amen

Joy

And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." (Luke 2:10-12)

Join me in singing the following old hymn:

There’s within my heart a melody

Jesus whispers sweet and low,

“Fear not, I am with thee; Peace be still

In all of life’s ebb and flow.”

Songs like this fill my heart with the same thrill that strikes me when I think about the Nativity. That thrill can be described in one word: JOY.

The old preacher said that Christians should live a life that is guided by joy. He explained that meant that we should approach life in the following manner:

o Jesus

o Others

o Yourself

This Christmas season, let us put J. O. Y. into practical use in our lives.

Heavenly Father, remind us of the joy that came down at Christmas. Help us to make that joy the hallmark of our life. In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

Love

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17)

I love Mexican food. It doesn’t always love me back (especially if it’s spicy), but I love Mexican food. I believe that I could eat Mexican food at least five times a week if my stomach would hold out. But my love for Mexican food is simply a passing thought when I think of love.

The movies have taught us that love is something that can develop overnight, or something that we fall into, like a vat of goo. We have so cheapened love that we don’t really know what love is.

Christ taught us what love is: He left all the glory that belongs to him to become a simple man living simply in a simpler time than our own. He made his first cradle in a manger, in a stall that was probably located behind a house in a crowded city. And he did all this for the express purpose of taking my place in death for my sins. That is love—true love. That is the love we sing about and remember at Christmas. Share it this season!

Father, Help us love one another enough to tell each other about your love for us. Amen.

Peace

You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

One of the verses of a favorite children’s song says,

I have the Peace that passes understanding
Down in my heart;
Down in my heart;
Down in my heart;
I have the Peace that passes understanding
Down in my heart;
Down in my heart to stay.

It’s that peace that, sometimes confusing to the world, is so much a part of life with Jesus Christ. It is a peace that came to Earth in the form of a Baby in an out of the way place. It is that same peace that is deposited in the hearts and lives of everyone who trusts the Savior that the Baby was and is.

This season let us spread the peace that passes all understanding.

Dear Father, May your peace be in, around, and through us this day, and throughout this season. Amen.

Hope

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:7)

It’s an interesting word. We so often misuse it. We say things like, “I hope he calls today,” or “I hope I get a raise,” or “I hope my package comes today.” These statements are not really statements of hope, but personal wishes or desires.

True hope is that thing that we know for sure is going to happen, and it makes us thrill at the thought of its occurrence. Hope is more concrete than a wishy-washy wish. Hope is foundational. Hope springs from Jesus Christ. Our hope is not to see him, or even to be with him at some future date. No, He is our hope.

This season, when we think about His coming and why He even bothered to become a man to dwell among us, let us remember that our hope is set in Christ Jesus. He is our truth and our way—He is the truth and the way. Hope is that knot that we can tie on the end of a rope and hold to, when we’ve reached the end of ours.

Set our hope on You, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Advent

On this Thanksgiving Day, I would like to invite you to begin thinking about the Advent of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Advent season begins this Sunday and I will once again be offering weekly Advent thoughts to ponder. If you would like to get a head-start on the Advent season, you may want to see last year's entries.

• Week 1, Hope
• Week 2, Peace
  
• Week 3, Joy
  
• Week 4, Love
  
• Christmas Eve, Christ

Enjoy the reruns and come back each Sunday (and on Christmas Eve) in 2008 to Worship the Christ and His Advent with us.

Thankful for . . . Faith

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith does so much for the follower of Christ. It is the beginning point of real life; it is the hope for a future; it is the redemption of past mistakes. Faith exercised builds more faith. Faith itself is the pinnacle of all that can be said about a Christ follower.

In the words of hymn writer John Yates:

Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.

Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
(“Faith is the Victory”)

Father, increase our faith. Amen.

Thankful for . . . Family

I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (II Timothy 1:3-7)

My family of origin may be somewhat like yours. Then again, maybe not. My father was a preacher of the gospel—Baptist by tradition and choice. He was a man full of faith, and that helped to instill in me a desire to follow the same road. My mother was a school teacher, sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity. In any case, she was always quietly living the faith before my siblings and me.

One reason that I’m thankful for family is the strong ties to faith that were given to me—even as a youngster. Not everyone has those memories or those roots. Here is a list of the things that family often brings to a person:

Love

Belonging

Care

Friendship

The list could grow and grow. This week let us be thankful for our family—the one we have by birth or by choice.

Father, thank you that you created family, and that you blessed the institution of family. Amen.

[Please feel free to add to the list of thankful reasons for family in the comment section.]

Thankful for . . . Church

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

With all the faults that people both without and within the church it is still the greatest place to be. Some of my fondest memories are of the church. It happened to be one of my favorite destinations as a child, and throughout my life.

A group that we had for small children was called “Sunbeams.” I have two basic memories from this group:

1. Graham crackers are for dunking in red Kool-Aid®, and
2. Before the end of the meeting, you must sing the song –

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for Him each day;
In every way try to please Him,
At home, at school, at play.

A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam;
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for Him.
(Nellie Talbot, “I’ll Be a Sunbeam”)

Father, may we always be excited about what goes on in Your church, Amen.

[Feel free to post a comment with your favorite memories from church.]

Thankful for . . . Country

Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." And they marveled at him. (Mark 12:17)

At a loss to say it better than the poet of old, here is a statement of my thankfulness for my country:

America

My country,' tis of thee, 

sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; 

land where my fathers died, 

land of the pilgrims' pride, 

from every mountainside let freedom ring! 

My native country, thee, 

land of the noble free, thy name I love; 

I love thy rocks and rills, 

thy woods and templed hills; 

my heart with rapture thrills, like that above. 

Let music swell the breeze, 

and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song; 

let mortal tongues awake; 

let all that breathe partake; 

let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong. 

Our fathers' God, to thee, 

author of liberty, to thee we sing; 

long may our land be bright 

with freedom's holy light; 

protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

(Samuel F. Smith)

My prayer is that you are as thankful for your country as I am for mine.

Lord, thank you for providing a safe country in which to live. Help us to all be as conscientious with our citizenship as you call us to be. Amen.

I Am Thankful for . . .

November is the month of Thanksgiving. Over the next few weeks we at Mulberry Moments will be posting devotions telling things we are thankful for. We invite our readers to participate. You may do this in one of two ways:

1. Post a comment in response to our devotional thought for the week in the “Comments” section, responding to the “Thankful” thought for the week, or
2. Emailing your own “Thankful” devotional to me at the following address – office(at)fbcmulberrygrove(dot)com

Our weeks will be arranged as follows:

• November 2-8: Country
• November 9-15: Church
• November 16-22: Family
• November 23-29: Faith

Thank you for participating.

The Grass Is Always Greener . . .

Mat 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
Mat 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee upon the waters.
Mat 14:29 And he said, Come. And Peter went down from the boat, and walked upon the waters to come to Jesus.
Mat 14:30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.
Mat 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and took hold of him, and saith unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

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According to the website www.deproverbio.com, that old proverb "The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side of the Fence!" dates back in American form to 1957. In other sentence structures and words, similar phrases date to the late 1800's and a Latin derivative was stated by Erasmus of Rotterdam and put into English in 1545 by Richard Taverner. But common American usage is said to come from 1957.

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In 1983, James Pomerantz proved that optical and perceptual laws alone will make the grass at a distance look greener to the human eye than the blades of grass perpendicular to the ground. (ibid) It is suggested that even horses and cows prove this to be true when you watch their behavior in pastures seeking out the most tasty grass (as far as the cows are concerned, but not for me!)

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Of course, the truth of the proverb holds so true for each of us. We are constantly seeking the new job that will be just perfect. It, of course, fails to meet expectation when we have been there at least 8 hours. And, why is it, that after the first mortgage payment, something seems to be wrong with that house that seemed so perfect when the realtor opened the door the very first time? And that new car or electronic toy--after a couple of hours of fiddling with it, your spouse wonders why you got that thing anyway because you complain and whine when the newness wears off.

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Peter was excited with the prospect of walking on the water when he saw Jesus. It could have been the excitement of seeing Jesus or perhaps it was just stepping out into the vast unknown, where no man, but Jesus, had gone before. But for Peter, when reality stepped in, faith stepped out. He found himself splashing in the waves in a very undignified and fearful position, as the excitement of the moment was gone.

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"Death and the grave are never satisfied, and neither are we," says Proverbs 27:20 (CEV) Maybe we should be! We love desserts, but when we know we can't have them, we can be satisfied because we made up our mind. I can't afford that new car in this economy--so I will get to work in the car I have or one that will make do. Wanting is all a state of mind! Even when the grass looks greener, it really isn't. Just like the grass in the proverb, it's an illusion. Christians don't have to fall for it. Christians just need to trust God a little more and themselves a little less. Funny how that always works out!!!

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Dear God, teach me to be happy with what I have! You always know what I need and you are all I need! Thank you for the death of Jesus and the life it brings! May it always be enough for me! In Jesus' name, Amen!

Conversations Over Coleslaw

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
(16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
(17) After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
(18) Therefore encourage each other with these words.





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I think we should popularize the idea of getting a cup of coleslaw and talking to each other. I know coleslaw doesn't have the same image as a cup of fine roast coffee and in most places coleslaw doesn't cost $3-$5 a cup. Of course, it isn't good with cinnamon and whipped creme and all the latte flavors. But still, some interesting conversations can be had over coleslaw.

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Let me see if I can explain myself. Obviously, coleslaw is made from cabbage and vegetables just don't have the appeals that a steaming hot cup of coffee has, especially served in an atmosphere with tall tables and light conversation. But, perhaps my recent experience will connect with you.

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Just yesterday I was working with one of my fellow employees at our local fish emporium, otherwise known as Long John Silvers. Our job was to make coleslaw for the next day. The gleaming white slaw making tub was scoured and sanitized and waiting for the crisp fresh cabbage and carrots to be added, along with the creamy sauce that gives LJS slaw its unique and delicate flavor. (That's an awfully flowery statement for slaw, isn't it?) As she was adding the cabbage and carrots we began to strike up a conversation! And our attention turned toward the state of the world and many people that we knew. In a God-moment I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to say that our hope is in Jesus Christ and one of these days, HE IS COMING AGAIN! She looked over the top of her glasses a moment and in a profound tone of voice said something like this, "Yes, and I think it is going to be soon, very soon!" This conversation of encouragement about the Lord's return continued right through the slaw making process. And we both felt significantly encouraged that we might make it through another day of work and another day of life by God's grace; we just needed to hold on to the hope of Jesus and remember that what we are experiencing here "ain't all there is"!

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It doesn't take a coleslaw party to encourage people with the return of Christ! It can be over the waterfountain at your job, a piece of pie at the end of supper, or even a simple text message over the phone. You know, as well as I do, we are living in an age when we see things falling apart. The stock market on which we have relied is nosediving one day and surging the next. Leaders are not trusted. And most of all, we feel so insecure! We can take hope. Heaven may or may not be a lot like earth. But my hope is this: I trust Christ! Whatever happens, WHATEVER happens, He will be there to support us in difficult times. I kind of like that. Jesus is NOT a crutch; He gives strength to my legs to make the most of these days for Him. I trust He will so work in your life as well.

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Father God, we haven't a clue about what will happen tomorrow. We don't know if we will have money or if we will all be poor! But help us to realize that we will always be rich in Jesus Christ; that when the money fails, He will always be there. It is a difficult thing for the world to accept, but yet the truth is so good! In Jesus name, Amen!

You've Got the Power

Act 4:29-31
(29) And now, Lord, take notice of the threats they have made, and allow us, your servants, to speak your message with all boldness.
(30) Reach out your hand to heal, and grant that wonders and miracles may be performed through the name of your holy Servant Jesus."
(31) When they finished praying, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim God's message with boldness.
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We are churches so powerless? I wonder if it is because those people who claim to love the Lord are stymied into believing there is nothing to stand firm for. This is a short thought, but yet so true -- the early church prayed for the ability to do miracles to glorify and testify to the amazing power of God in Jesus Christ. I wonder if we believe that modern day (?) church can have that same power or if folks believe we are just powerless and can't do a thing. As our special guest preacher said this morning, "It's time to get up off our butts and get busy!"
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My 5 year old granddaughter told me that some of those words might not be appropriate! But in all honesty some of our so called Christian actions aren't appropriate either -- especially when it involves not serving God when we know better!
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Dear God, please remove the blinders from our eyes and the doubt from our minds and help us to serve you with our whole hearts! Help us to honor you and honor Christ our Savior and may the world learn of Him through us. In Jesus name, Amen!