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Overcomer - January 29, 2017

1/29/2017

"for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:4-5

LISTEN: Mandisa, "Overcomer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htIA7IE5dXI

There is always a lot of hype at the annual Grammy awards. Behind the scenes, however awards were given for categories that are considered "too boring" for the general viewing audience. One of these awards a few years ago, which I remember fondly, was the best contemporary Christian Music Song, "Overcomer," as performed by Mandisa.

We love overcomer stories. People who make it rags to riches. A person with a handicap succeeding at an athletic event. Someone struck ill but who makes a comeback. An addict or alcoholic who with the grace of God becomes clean and sober. The person that doesn't give up despite the odds. The person who has faith in themselves, in another person, in a special project. The one who won't take no for an answer. The individual who loses and keeps off the weight.

These stories inspire us. Just as inspiring are the other victories we achieve that may not sound as spectacular to some. How about overcoming stinginess? Overcoming gossip? Overcoming envy, jealousy, resentments? Overcoming impatience or a bad temper? These traits sit in the shadows of our heart. They are resistant. If we think sticking to a diet is hard, try sticking to a diet of generosity -- where we give more from our pockets, compliment others more regularly, and pitch in with a good attitude when we are asked -- or do so automatically when we see the need?

It is helpful to remember that the apostle Paul and the gospel writer John often use the word "world" in a specific sense: those forces which are hostile, rebellious, opposed to God's will. Through faith in Jesus, we receive the grace to address the internal and external powers that would destroy the vision and the abundance of life God imparts to each of us. So an overcomer/victor is not just some one who gets the gold medal or is a success story that makes it to the news. Each one of us is called to be an overcomer -- of whatever challenge we face that keeps us from loving fully, as Jesus would have us.

What do you have to overcome? Seriously? A bad temper? An ungenerous spirit? Being judgmental or critical of others? Do you ignore the plight of those in need? Do you fight with others? These are the habits of the "world" Paul warns us about. Paul tells us in Romans:

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)

So let our minds be renewed and reshaped by the mind of Christ, which is the mind of sacrificial love and compassion; selflessness, reconciliation and forgiveness; mercy and justice.

The mind of Christ is our goal. What do we have to overcome to achieve it?

Let us be overcomers!

Pray: "God, show me what I need to overcome -- renew my mind and heart with the Love and grace of Jesus."

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Peace from Jesus - January 22, 2017

1/22/2017

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"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33

Listen: Yolanda Adams, "I Told the Storm," " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVIPymcDpbA

I love collecting stories that speak to our life and faith challenges. They give a new twist, a fresh insight into the teachings of Jesus and how we are to apply them. Today, as we dig our way out from the major snow storm that hit the Northeastern United States yesterday, we reflect on the storms life sends our way -- illnesses, difficulties with work, changes in relationships, financial problems, emotional turmoil. These life storms chill us to the bone, leave us gasping for breath;knock us over, obstruct our vision, send us skidding and slipping on the road we are on. We are often forced to slow down, work our way home, to safety, inch by inch. When we are in such dire straits, we remember that Jesus said frankly we would have troubles. However, in Jesus, we also have peace. Not a peace that makes things better with a snap of a finger. Not a peace that implies an absence of conflict. The Scriptures call it a "peace that passes all understanding " (Phil. 4:7). It is a peace that we can't comprehend. Peace is God's very nature and is conveyed to us through God's love and grace. We may not feel it, in the human ways we are used to. It is there spiritually -- through the grace of God, the practice of prayer, bible study, worship and service. We find we the presence of God's peace in the midst of struggle. Like a tea bag in hot water, God's peace can fill in the darkest of times -- God is with us. Always. So let us pray for and cultivate peace as we draw close to Jesus; let us hang on to peace as we are led through the storms to the clearing ahead.

Grandmother Says…Carrots, Eggs, or Coffee; “Which are you?”
A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved a new one arose.
Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter, she asked, “Tell me what do you see?”
“Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied.
She brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they got soft.She then asked her to take an egg and break it.
After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.
Finally, she asked her to sip the coffee. The granddaughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked. “What’s the point,grandmother?”
Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity–boiling water–but each reacted differently.
The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. But, after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.
“Which are you?” she asked her granddaughter.
“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?”
Think of this: Which am I?
Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?
Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff?
Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?
Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.
When the hours are the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate to another level?

Pray: "Peace-Bearer -- we face so many challenges and decisions. Show us how to cultivate the presence of your grace and peace through all we face. Give us the peace that passes understanding."

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Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 15 2017

1/15/2017

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“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 children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matt. 5: 43-48

Listen: Stevie Wonder, "Happy Birthday" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY0OVWJbKlc
(written in 1981 as part of the campaign to make Dr. King's birthday a national holiday)

Today is the birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose life and witness to civil rights, the power of reconciliation and social justice challenged the American conscience. The message of his life and writings continue to be prophetic for us, calling us to the teachings of Jesus and the Hebrew prophets: "And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" Micah 6:8.

In 1957, Dr. King delivered a sermon entitled "Loving Your Enemies." Dr. King reflects on the difference between like and love. God doesn't call us to like our enemies. God says to love. We may not like our enemies -- or even some people in our lives. We may not like what they say, what they do, or how they make us feel. However Jesus does instruct us, his followers to love -- and as Dr. King points out, the the word used for love here is not eros (physical love or passion) storge (love between mother & infant, family members) or phileo (love of our affections) but agape, divine infused love that seeks the welfare of another regardless how we feel about them.

Agape love transcends feelings, affection and physical attraction. Agape love does not come naturally to us. As receive the grace of agape we practice it: by praying for those who maltreat us, feeding those who hurt us, by not seeking the destruction of those who would seek our lives. Agape love is not the same as being a doormat or masochistic. Agape love is acting as Jesus did. Jesus got angry. Jesus spoke out forcefully against hypocritical religious leaders. But not once did Jesus condemn his enemies to hell or seek to make them suffer. Instead we see Jesus teaching us to forgive (The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32) and give extend ourselves to those in need -- even our enemies (the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37). Agape action is summed up in Jesus, saying those first words on the cross -- after hours of torture, interrogation, betrayal, and desertion: "Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

After his "I Have a Dream Speech," King was considered the most dangerous man alive by the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover. What Hoover could not articulate, but King knew, was that agape love is the most powerful energy on earth. It can heal and transform hearts, communities -- even our world, if we would open our lives to it. Followers of Jesus -- we are called to agape. So this day, let us pray for the grace of agape action -- sacrificial deeds that brings us reconciliation and justice.

Today, pray for someone who has hurt you. Bless someone you judge poorly. Help someone you do not like. Place in God's loving hands those you consider enemy. Then we will be on the road to "perfection," -- wholeness -- completeness of being -- truly God's desire for our lives.

Pray: "Agape-God, give us the grace to seek the welfare of all your children -- not just those who are our friends. Teach us to love like Jesus, and to dream like your servant, Dr. King."

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Landfill Harmonic - January 8, 2017

1/8/2017

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"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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. 1 Sam. 16:7"

Listen: Landfill Harmonic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXynrsrTKbI

Landfill Harmonic: "My Way" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--dJf81pKCo

Looking over saved inspirational messages from the past few years, I came across this piece about a slum built on a landfill in Cateura, Paraguay, outside the capital, Asuncion. It is one of the poorest places in the country. 1,500 tons of waste are dumped there daily. The people of Cateura are garbage sorters. 2,500 families eke out a living by sifting through the trash, separating out what is recyclable or resellable. Children play a main role in sorting and selling the trash.

One day, a garbage picker found something that resembled a violin and showed it to musician Favio Chavez. The pair began to construct other objects from the dump, and made a operational violin. A violin is worth more than a house in Cateura. The search was on. Other items were found, and soon a cello, a flute and a drum were made. The amazing thought occurred to them: could a children's orchestra be forged in this most desperate of places? Starting with a few children, Chavez began to teach them music. Over the years it has grown to an orchestra of 35, children of all ages, some with very little musical talent; but with the desire to participate. Chavez continues to teach music to the children of the "garbage dump," and the music of the orchestra has reached the ears of the outside world. It is a message of how in desperate circumstances miracles can happen. The miracle for Cateura is found not only in the beauty of the music, but in the awareness and activism that has resulted to address the abject poverty in which the children grow up.

The story of the "Landfill Harmonic" reminds us that what and who we might look upon as meaningless, useless or expendable, God sees as precious and instruments of grace. Our biggest landfills (think of Freshkills on Staten Island) are minuscule compared to the our spiritual and social landfills. We throw away love. We waste opportunities. We abandon hope, prayer and service to the dump heap, when we see little immediate value. Everyday we do this, like we throw away a paper coffee cup. Think of the story of how God chose David (1 Samuel 16). Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to anoint a new king among Jesse's sons. The first seven of Jesse's sons went before Samuel; each one Samuel thought was to be God's anointed. Samuel asked Jesse if there were any more. There was David, the youngest, unconsidered, in fact he was left behind to tend the sheep. David, the one ignored by the elders, was chosen by David, and grew to be the greatest King of Israel. What would have happened if Samuel had not listened closely to the Lord? How different would have been the course of Israel's history.

Let us be spiritually attentive to the landfills we create in our hearts -- memories, judgments, opportunities, intuitive nudges we ignore -- and perhaps we will find something significant and precious we have overlooked.

Think twice before throwing away an opportunity to love, to care, to help.

Pray: "O God, we have buried and thrown away so much in our lifetime. Help us be mindful, help us lovingly restore to glory what we have needlessly discarded."

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New Year Transformation 2017

1/4/2017

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"As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem Luke 9:51"

Listen to: For King and Country "Shoulders"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfiYWaeAcRw

So how are those New Year’s resolutions going? To lose weight or get to the gym? To declutter the closets? To spend more time with the children-grandchildren/parents/friends? To pay off debt? To pray more frequently?

The good news is that as we conclude the first week of January, 75 percent of us will have kept our resolutions. Not surprising, this figure decreases as the year goes on. After six months 46 percent of us will be plugging away at our resolutions. Change is hard, messy, and often requires reinforcement and multiple times of falling and getting back up again in order to succeed. Good resolutions require effort. The transformation we long for as a result of our efforts - and God's - can seem to take forever.

The Gospel of Luke tells us of one of Jesus' main resolutions -- his destiny, really. To go to Jerusalem.   This trip wasn’t for pleasure or for visiting family. This trip, Jesus knew, would result in his being rejected, arrested, put to death, and ultimately his rising again (Luke 9:21-22). Jesus’ motives would be misunderstood by his very disciples, who would abandon him, betray him and deny him. Yet Jesus maintained his resolution. This resolution transformed Jesus into our messiah - our savior - the One crucified and risen on our behalf.

Who could hold fast to such a resolution? One leading to suffering and death instead of a better personal life? I doubt there are many of us that could make and keep the kind of resolution Jesus had. Yet Jesus’ resolution was to follow his destiny.   Because he was clear with himself what he had come to do and bear witness to, Jesus was able to embrace the hardships as well as moments of success.

Ultimately, have we made it our resolution to follow our destiny – which is about more than losing weight, decluttering the closet or having less debt. We can get weighed down in the minutia of life if we are not careful. The New Year asks us to find our destiny. Seek it out. Follow it. Make pursuing that path our number one resolution. Pursuing our destiny leads to transformation.

What is your destiny? Where do you see your life heading?   If we don’t like the direction our life is going, we can change lanes. All this requires time for discernment, prayer, searching your heart’s desires and your dreams. There is no greater investment we can make than to discover our destiny and resolve to pursue it, like Jesus did. We are given one, precious life. We are created for a purpose. There is nothing more important we can do than living our lives with the same dedication and purpose toward loving service that Jesus modeled for us.

Perhaps our resolution this year should be to discover what our destiny is.   How does God want to use us? What are God’s plans for our life as the prophet Jeremiah once pronounced in 29:11:  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.”

How will our actions, our love, our resources contribute to the healing and transformation of our souls, our families, our communities and ultimately our planet? Our destiny lies somewhere therein.

Take time this year to figure out where life is taking you. Then with all resolve, follow your soul’s destiny just like Jesus did.

May that be one resolution we all keep this year: "be transformed by the renewal of your minds" (Romans 12:2).

Pray: God of our Destiny: Show each of us what you have created us to do. Give us the strength and determination of Jesus to follow through to completion. Amen.

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Overcomer - January 29, 2017

Peace from Jesus - January 22, 2017

Martin Luther King Jr. Jan. 15 2017

Landfill Harmonic - January 8, 2017

New Year Transformation 2017

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