Amazing how God continues to work through us daily... I am often inspired by the Word of God & the Holy Spirit. “An exodus for us” – Repent or Perish – is our Exodus for you - for me... first in the Scripture readings today we find an awakening of the soul, the Burning Bush, then the Divine revealed to us, comfort and assurance then follows along with caution and instruction to not repeat the past, and finally Repent or Perish. See an Exodus for us too... God always provides a way, we must simply take off our own blinders and limitations of mind and heart to see and hear what God is showing, telling, and leading us to or from... at the Burning Bush we see Moses reply “Here I am” are we as willing to answer God's callings to us, do we go or do we find ourselves like Moses - who me? “who am I”... the Lord said - “ I have observed the misery of my people, and I have heard their cry, are we crying out to God or complaining to others who can do nothing about it. God hears our cries too, and will send help – is it you? God said to Moses “I will send you” ... a commission is always task oriented, and everything you will need provided you, if we find ourselves losing heart or getting distracted it is because we have gone off course and without following instructions, well haven't you tried to put something together, often we want the pictures, not the words. A Divine Call comes with Divine Assurance – God is with us – this however does not guarantee success – we bear some responsibility too – to carry out our part as faithfully as we know how. it is through the Words that we find our instructions on living our lives in union with God and each-other. A few side notes a Shepherd is a metaphor for Leader, and milk and honey are often referred to as goodness and righteousness... and “I will send you” defines the prophets role as a messenger from God, signs demonstrate the Lords power through him then and us now... can't you tell when a fellow follower of Christ is in or has the Spirit of the Lord upon them? It is the same for us today the Holy Spirit will lead and guide us all into all spiritual truth's. Let no one mislead or misguide you. God tells Moses I AM WHO I AM - “I will be whatever I will be” … this is my name forever, and this my title for all generations. What we call God, is as personal as our relationship with God... we too find comfort and assurance in God's presence – the key word here is IN for without it we are on our own, and can find ourselves grasping at straws or whatever else will come our way... The Holy place today is the Sanctuary within – created by God, not by human hands, have we allowed God a Sanctuary in us? God's loving-kindness is better than life itself; it is life itself – confident of God's help – we too give God the glory and praise of our testimonies and witness to others of all of Gods mercy and grace toward us... Night is traditionally a time of vulnerability and reflection and so is Lent... Night also can reference darkness; where in our lives are we still in darkness, hardhearted stuck in our own version of truth? Where do we need more light, reach for God and cling to His right hand He alone can get you through the nights of your life, “My soul clings to you; your right hand holds me fast”... for You are with me always... and if we truly believe always - we must learn to listen to the warnings we are given, that is why the Scriptures tell us “I do not want you to be unaware”... that is why we share our lives with one another, sharing our journeys with each other – Scriptures reminding us of the past so as to not repeat it, sharing what worked for you may help me, and vice versa; but do we learn or are we as stubborn as they – can we not learn from others or do we or must we endure it ourselves. Personally I prefer to learn from others, however sometimes it is necessary for us to learn first hand for ourselves – giving us the capability to help someone else – somewhere further down the road, 1Co. 10:13 tells us God is faithful and always provides a way out – our exodus – so what are we still being held back by? Repent or Perish here Jesus repeats Johns message of repentance, “I tell you” so what has Christ told us? Unless you repent!... we will perish. What you repent of is between you and God, I can not tell you what you need to repent for!!!... there are some who will try convince you otherwise, no one can – if they say otherwise, run, run fast and don't forget God will tell us – convicting our hearts and minds to what applies to us and it is God who can and will forgive us.... What in our lives do we need to repent of – know that God is waiting for you. Not that any would perish! He didn't create us to destroy us – think about it... God loves you as you are – what has God placed upon your heart what do you need to be led to or away from – Only the strength of Almighty God can lift that burden, lift that pain, bring you out into the fullness of life that God created you for, are you ready for it... step out boldly – repent and follow Christ - God's blessings mercy and grace await each of us... we simply must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit into all righteousness for us... and just like the fig tree, often used as another metaphor for Israel or Judah... and yet another metaphor – followers or not – however we find the owner looking for fruit – and not finding any a petition for more time – time, to nurture, feed and revive the tree yet another metaphor “us” meaning the soul, if we aren't careful we too can find ourselves being cut down, if we aren't growing producing sharing in the Ministry we are called to fulfill with our lives. And so we do find at last our Exodus in Christ... a new covenant with us along with a new commandment to Love as I have loved you... so in this Great Exodus will you stay or will you come.....
Heavenly Father, there is so much pain in the World caused by us, placing unnecessary burdens on others – our - selves... help us to always find You to lead us out in Exodus and a Holy relationship with You... in Christ's Most Holy Name we pray... Amen....
Rev. Terry J. McGuire 7:01 AM GMT | Read comments(1)February 19“ fear not ”
LENT serves as our annual invitation to come closer to God. It provides a time to look at our lives and ourselves, not so we may criticize ourselves more harshly but so we can identify the obstructions that keep us from God. What keeps us from feeling the presence of the divine in our every day? How do we hide from God, and why? Lent gives us a chance to look at such obstructions and to move them gently away so that we can come closer to the Love that gives us life, the Love whose triumph we will celebrate on Easter morning. - Sarah Parsons -A Clearing Season: Reflections for Lent
the Scripture Readings today guide us to reflect on our first fruits and our tithes – what do we give back – assurance of God's protection – a reminder “the Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” - and finally the temptation of Christ... immediately into Deuteronomy – I found God's gift of Grace – and that still Today holds great importance to us as it did them and future generations... often we find the Scriptures will and do apply then, now and to future generations, and do we heed them or dismiss them... when we cry out to the Lord, God will and does hear our voices, sees our afflictions and our oppressions and just as God brought us out of Egypt, God will deliver us too from our problems of today, this day... and when we see all the wonderful blessings that God has enriched in us, we begin to share those blessings with others, those truths with others... and find ourselves giving them all back to God - in and with grateful and humbled hearts - that we are privileged to reach just one, change just one persons life for the better, this day and prayerfully every day... and so we celebrate our bounty of heart, mind, and spirit... and the resources that God has supplied to us with all with who we come into contact with – with one another – what has God given you? What has God enriched your life with, what talents – skills – spiritual gifts are uniquely you... What do you share with others... reminding us we too were aliens and are to offer compassion to all who are or find themselves marginalized our past oppression is to serve as a reminder and a warning not to victimize or oppress others... God's deliverance of Israel from oppression of Egypt is a visible proof that it was divine, not human, action that gives freedom... can you hear that – it is divine – not human action that gives freedom... ultimately true freedom comes through Christ and remember everyone is to share in the bounty of freedom... so what do we offer back to God – past and present generations were one in an encounter with God – every worshiper is confronted with a fresh today... then, now and the future generations... so will we be remembered as the generation that shared in the joy of true freedom in Christ or continued the repression of a people different from ourselves, yet very much like ourselves, with blinders off, we find our brother our sister, our fellow sojourner... the Psalm offers unqualified divine protection and guidance – assurance to individuals in danger - the Lord will protect... God is rightly claimed to be present whether one is struck down or spared we are warned not to deliberately expose ourselves to danger – or violate the commandment – “not to put the Lord to the test”. Speaking in God's name, we are assured of God's faithfulness and constant protection – speaking in God's name, assures those who love God of God's certain help and protection – again one must say – experience teaches God's unfailing presence – which may or may not mean actual physical protection from harm... often it is our Spiritual protection - “the promise of God's active presence, holding one by the divine hand – seems the more appropriate assurance... and in our distress we see that “The Word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” - if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your hear that God raised him from the dead, You Will Be Saved... For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved – No One who believes in him will be put to shame” for there is no distinction, the same Lord is Lord of ALL and is generous to ALL who call on HIM... “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved”. Salvation consist of confession of Jesus' Lordship and belief that God raised him from the dead... in short His is who He says He is, and comes from and in the name of God... and it includes everyone who will believe – and believe not my way – not you own way – but through Christ and the Holy Spirit we too are saved, by faith - with mercy – through Grace...and finally in our Gospel lesson today – we see that Christ was full of the Holy Spirit, led by the Spirit, when we too are full of the Spirit we too are led by the very same Spirit... then we find a temptation from the devil, if you will... do this or do that then... then comes with so many consequences that often the devil fails to mention, so who do we follow – who do we place our trust in? We are told 'Worship the Lord your God and serve only him' are we Worshiping God or someone or something else. Who are we serving - God or ourselves or someone or something else... Christ reminded Satan and us “we are not to put the Lord our God to the test” we may not like the result, and when Satan had finished with him he departed from him until an opportune time, reminding us that we to can find ourselves en-battled with Satin over and over again attacking our weakness's – but when we turn to God instead it quenches the fire and the lies Satan continues to tell us, tell others – when we see and understand Gods unfailing Love for us - we must stand in the gap, we must make certain others can find their way to God, that Christ is waiting for them too... of the 3 temptations this one is the most subtle, since it involves not simply a literal reading of the Scriptures – but an understanding – rooted in a reality that is accessible in the Scriptures – but if prior to it - namely, God's own purpose, God's own ways. As the Son of God – Jesus knows the ways of God and in Luke he will reveal God's ways to others, and interprets the Scriptures in the light God's will... and if we read our Bibles and sit and listen to the Scriptures we find that God has always been in conversation with us – building a relationship with us, it is us who continue to fail to meet the standards that God has set out for us... individually – and collectively, we are all born free in Christ – “ fear not ” - let us be faithfully sharing that freedom with others and setting others ablaze in their freedom too... AMEN...
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Transfiguration Sunday and the moment we see Christ in and through someone else, and possibly yourselves… and so so many questions arise in this moment. when have you or have you experienced a transfiguration moment in your life? are we beholding by faith, believing what we do not see clearly, and trusting Christ for our eternal guidance and light through this journey here… are we being transformed into the Glory of God? we find Moses face shone when he spoke with God, and so another question comes to mind… do we talk with God or at God… and for Moses a veil, so do we veil our conversations with God, in Prayer – Petition or simply Thanksgiving… we need that quite time alone – no distractions just us and God. and listen even tin the quietness there’s a Blessing…
it is by Gods’ mercy and blessing that we are engaged in this ministry , we must not lose heart, even when it feels or looks as though we are going it alone, we are not. be transformed into the same image from degree of Glory to another the truth always wins, we can clutter our hearts and minds with so much that really takes up way to much of our time, the reality is that only sharing the journey with others, uplifting one another, loving one another, and being able to cry with one another even in times of great difficulty, we can and must see and bring out the best in others, so what does Christ say to you… what is the Spirit telling you you must do for someone else, how much longer indeed will we continue to shuck our responsibilities here… Love one another as I have Loved You… and He has and continues to – even when we make it hard to let anyone love us… open your heart – your mind accept the Love of Christ from you fellow brothers and sisters, we are all being transformed – so that we too may always be the Glory God has intended us from the beginning and forever… so will today be the end or the beginning for you…Amen
Rev. Terry McGuire
Today there are a few hundred churches observing Evolution Sunday as well as Transfiguration Sunday. Charles Darwins birthday is February 12 so Evolution Sunday is the Sunday closest to 2/12. It is a time to celebrate and honor the scientific method which has made possible so many advances in human knowledge. Some consider science and reason enemies of faith. This is unfortunate. It is important to remember what science can do and what it cannot do. Science seeks to know how this or that happens such as diseases or rainbows or thunder. It cannot tell us ultimately why things happen only how. In a way science seeks to remove the mystery of how things happen. Science tells us rainbows are sunlight refracted through raindrops. In another way, the more we learn the more we realize just how little we know. The Transfiguration story is right up there with the virgin birth, resurrection, walking on water, Jesus' bodily ascension into heaven for stories that make atheists, humanist, scientists roll their eyes in disbelief. They are also stories which fundamentalists vigorously insist really literally happened just the way the Bible says. In my opinion what fundamentalists and atheists and secular humanists miss is that there is more to truth than just the facts. There is also metaphorical truth. A story doesn't have to be literally historically accurate to be true. The Wizard of Oz was not a literal being with magical powers but was, rather, an old man with some technology. But this ordinary old man was still able to give Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Lion what they sought by helping them to see they already had what they were looking for. Maybe the story of the Transfiguration really literally happened as the Bible says or maybe it was a change in the disciples perception of Jesus and they began to see Gods light shining through him. Thomas Merton said "We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining through it all the time". May our eyes be open to see God shining through. Amen
Rev. Ken Crooms
while preparing for today's simple message.... sometimes, never and always jumps to mind... in the Scriptures today we find a Vision of God in the Temple, us too... Thanksgiving and Praise – the Resurrection of Christ & Jesus call the 1st Disciples then as now...
And so do we find ourselves sometimes, never or always willing to see Christ in us and others, has God created a Temple in you... we are told it is possible, we must simply believe. Also do we find ourselves in Thanksgiving and giving Praise to God, sometimes, never or always... in all things we must remember it is God who has generously given to us that we may give to others. And the resurrection of Christ, we either believe it or we do not... for me I say yes and Amen... and just as Christ called the 1st Disciples then, we too are called by God into and to Christ. For all who the Father give me, none will be lost... “Holy, holy holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory, where do you see it? Sometimes it can be in the objects or surroundings or people we come across each and every day, here are a few illustrations; did you know Epiphany is an “ah hah” moment a sudden awakening, I hand once found a marble in our back yard, after months and months of mowing the yard – I hadn't noticed it until one day the sun was shining so brightly just on it enough for me to notice and pick it up... the inspiration that followed – was that sometimes we can find the Scriptures just like it... until the Son enlightens the word, we simply won't notice or understand it... another one; there was this huge old tree in the back yard, now by all accounts to the neighbors and all our friends this was a junk tree... however for the past 50 years it has shaded and protected the house, and once a year blooms the most wonderful flowers.... and still another, on my morning walks the other day I noticed that the cracks in the pavement, it was predawn, the street lights still on, and with in these very ordinary cracks, I realized that all to often we find ourselves in one of these boxes and sometimes we go through them quickly sometimes we stay awhile and sometimes we just get stuck in them. But necessary to complete the journey.... just like the first disciples – they were willing to follow and learn from Christ... are we, sometimes, never or always up to allowing Christ to be the forerunner in our lives? Are we willing to go and how far are we willing to go? The seed that is planted in you – are you nurturing and feeding it and with what? How often do we find ourselves singing the praises of God, for without You – I am nothing.... because of God's love and faithfulness, even when we do/are not... our strength is increased within us, through Christ who strengthens me, encourages, me, enlightens me, and emboldens me to do even greater things.... and so in hearing the Word, understanding.... though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me, even from myself... “the Lord will make good His purpose for me; O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands. And for you – each have purpose, have we found it yet? Are we doing all we can to fulfill it? And again the Good News, so what is the good news? That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to the twelve then others. Last of all, as one untimely born, he appeared also to me, “the church of God, all to often we forget it isn't ours but God's, let us always be found faithful... “But by and for the Grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace has not been in vain. Though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me, all to often we forget to give the credit back to God, there is no way I can do any of this without HIM. And in Luke “Yet if you say so,” I will - do we – sometimes, never or always do what we are asked to do - “Do not be afraid” for I AM with you always, and so they left everything to follow Him, what do we allow to hold us back – do we follow sometimes, never or always? May we always be found faithfully following Christ... Amen.