Author: Pastor Doug

Our scripture this morning is Philippians 1:4-6 (NLT).

Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Paul expresses his confidence “that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” This simple statement tells us much about our faith and our call to be part of what God is doing in the world. It speaks of His presence with us, the power of prayer and our responsibility to spread the Good News.

First, we learn that God will never stop what He is doing in our lives to help us strengthen our relationship with Him and our brothers and sisters. We read in Isaiah 41:13 “For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” He is always there for us.

Paul says “Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy.” He knows that prayer is effective and it does us good as well when we pray for each other. He also reminds them (and us) that we are all “partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.” All of these work together to allow us to use our gifts as Jesus commanded to “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times when our energy and focus fade and we don’t accomplish the work You have for us. Refresh us and send us to share Your love with everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT).

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

This passage leads me back to Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” Paul writes that God can “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Our understanding of what God can do is limited; we need to open our hearts and minds to Him in order for His gifts to work through us.

God can certainly do whatever He wants, but He often chooses to work in the world using us as His representatives. When we are in connection with Him and listening for His guidance we can do amazing things. History is full of such examples.

Paul had been the “Persecutor General” of Christians originally. God chose to change him and when he accepted God’s call, he went on to spread the Gospel in unbelievable ways, traveling thousands of miles in an era when people rarely left the region in which they were born. God’s “mighty power at work within us” allows us to go in His name and share His love with the world.

Gracious God, You forgave our sin and brought us back to You through the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Bless us to be energetic bearers of the Good News everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Romans 12:1-2 (NLT).

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Paul writes about the gift God has given us of ourselves. Sometimes we don’t fully appreciate how we are wonderfully created. However, Paul is speaking about more than just the physical shell our spirits inhabit.

He teaches “let them be a living and holy sacrifice”, which means much more than just our flesh and blood. The CSB Study Bible: Notes call it a “dedication of the total person to living for God’s honor.” That’s a pretty tall order but Jesus has shown us the way.

He told us there would be opposition and obstacles, but if we allow God to transform the way we think as Paul puts it, we can be complete in body and spirit. God loves everyone and He has a purpose for each one of us.

Heavenly Father, we are awed at the wonder of Your creation, given to us in trust. Help us to use all our resources wisely, including ourselves. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Habakkuk 2:13-14 (NLT).

For as the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.

Everything owes its existence to God who spoke them into being. While we don’t necessarily think of nature offering praise to God, it does so by its very being. In Psalms 19:1-2 we read “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known.”

We were made to be in a relationship with God and offer our praise, too. Revelation 5:13 tells us “And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” 

When the Pharisees told Jesus to quiet His followers as they cheered His entry to Jerusalem, He replied “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:40). We are all part of the chorus of creation and we offer Him our thanks and praise.

Heavenly Father, we are amazed at the wonderful world You have made for us and filled it with good things. Bless us to be good stewards of everything You have given us and go to share that blessing with all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Hebrews 11:1-2 (NLT).

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.  Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

Paul reminds us that before the coming of Christ people connected to God by faith alone. Martin Luther wrote “we are saved by faith in Christ alone”, meaning no amount of good works without a connection to the Lord can lead to salvation. Jesus told us “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Faith means we believe in something outside ourselves, that God will keep His promises when we follow the path Jesus set for us. It’s still faith alone, but He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us. Now we can be part of what God is doing in the world.

Jesus sends us out in faith to share His message of love with everyone. We are called to be the voice of forgiveness and the hands of healing. May we go in His name to bring the world to Him.

Heavenly Father, You gave us the promise that all who believe in Your Son will be saved. Bless us to be energetic disciples and spread the Gospel everywhere. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Luke 19:38-40 (NLT).

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

I read this passage this morning and thought “wait, Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter have already passed!” Perhaps on the calendar the days we recognize for these celebrations has passed but as my grandfather the pastor used to say “every week is Holy Week and every Sunday is a Resurrection.”

I find myself feeling the same way about Advent and Christmas passages. While it is important for us to remember these events in our faith life as special, we need to make them part of our everyday life. Jesus taught that our relationship with God and each other is not something we take out at holidays and then put away until next time.

I encourage you to read the Christmas and Easter passages this week. It may seem a little different, but that’s the point – scripture was given to make us feel and act differently! They’re not just for certain times of the year, but promises from God for our lifetime.

Loving Lord, You have given us Your Word to save and instruct us. May we live in the light of scripture and share the love You first gave us. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 9:2 (NLT).

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

The prophet Isaiah spoke to Israel some 800 years before the birth of Jesus. He wrote to warn them (and us) of the danger they faced due to their disobedience. God has been extremely patient with us but at some point He moves to correct our behavior.

In a later passage Isaiah says “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). After Jesus begins His public ministry we hear Isaiah quoted in Matthew 4:16 “the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”

John’s Gospel tells us “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it” (John 1:4-5). Jesus is that light, sent to shine God’s love into our lives and call us to go in His name to share the light with everyone.

Gracious God, in Your love and mercy You sent Jesus to be the light of the world. Help us to follow His light and bring the Good News to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 34:18-19 (NLT).

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

This psalm sounds like wisdom from Proverbs. It tells us that when we reach rock bottom – broken hearted and crushed spirit – we find God waiting to help us.  The sad part is it doesn’t have to be this way. God is always there for us, but we usually rely on ourselves until we are out of options.

In Ezekiel 11:19 we read “And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.” This is our biggest problem, not trusting that God always has our best interest in mind. We often turn to God as a last resort, rather than calling on His strength and love in every situation we face.

Putting God first in all we do builds our relationship with Him and our brothers and sisters. When we ask “what’s in this for the kingdom?” rather than “what’s in this for me?” we find a wealth of strength and help. God will make a way for His children to be comforted, equipped, and sent in His name to share the Good News.

Gracious God, You have called us to be part of Your work in the world. We pray for Your guidance in all we do. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 Corinthians 3:7 (NLT).

It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

Paul speaks to the church at Corinth about faith sharing. Earlier in this passage it tells us some had gotten wrapped up in the messenger rather than the message. It’s not important who brings the message or how it is delivered, only that it is the word of God for our salvation.

This speaks to our problem of comparing and judging based on things that don’t really matter. If I compare my sermons to those of Billy Graham I’d feel unpolished and uneducated. If I compare my outreach to Mother Theresa I’d feel lazy and selfish. This is the whisper of evil that comes from comparing – “you’re not good enough!”

Paul says it doesn’t matter who brought the message or who we were baptized by, only that we have accepted Jesus and let the Holy Spirit guide our actions. We musn’t get distracted by how others are doing things! God has given each of us resources and opportunities to tell those around us about His love.

Loving Lord, we are amazed that You call us to be part of Your plan for creation. Bless us to be a voice of love that reaches Your children no matter where they are are. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 5:13-14 (NLT).

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.

John writes this passage to encourage believers regarding salvation and prayer. We are saved by Christ’s sacrifice and blessed to make requests of God in His name. Jesus told us this in John 16:23, saying “At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.”

This is more about our connection to God than request fulfillment. When we spend time in prayer we open our hearts and minds to Him. God is always available to hear us because He is always present with us.

Jesus came to show us a better way to live, loving God and each other, and sharing the Good News with the world. The only thing we need to follow our Lord is faith in God’s promise and the willingness to use our gifts for the good of God’s children.

Gracious God, we are thankful for the blessing of salvation through the gift of Your Son. May we go in Your name to all our brothers and sisters that they may know the joy of Your love. Amen.