Tag Archives: One Purpose

Lent Day 21

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Navigating the Wilderness

I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.  1 Corinthians 9:16-27  Paul already knows that not everyone will receive him as an apostle in Christ but it won’t be for lack of trying. As a believer he celebrated with the Jews, practiced law with the Pharisees, prayed with the Gentiles and ate with the marginalized. With all the world has to offer, detours in life are bound to happen. No one promises that the journey will be straight. Don’ suffer the detours! Remember, the purpose for the journey never changes; to proclaim the gospel, and to praise and glorify God in order that others may also come to believe.

 

 

Building The Body

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I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field… 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:15  Gifts of the spirit are given to build the body of Christ and divisions are self-defeating and contrary to God’s will. Don’t be deceived. Those who are spiritual discern all things… (1 Cor. 2:15). One God – One Purpose – One Reward.

Kibbles & Bits

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As I watch Orpheus, my Italian Greyhound eat his food I notice that he meticulously picks over the bits in order to eat the kibbles. I wonder if all dogs do this. He eventually goes back to eat the bits I suppose because he is either still hungry and realizes he’s not getting anything else until the bowl is empty, or he figures he may as well eat them since they are just sitting there. He doesn’t have the capacity to throw them out although on occasion he has spit the bits out onto the floor to which he later returns to eat. Now I don’t know which are the kibbles and which are the bits, but it’s the soft chewy ones that occasionally end up on the floor. Sometimes we treat life exactly like Orpheus treats his food. The things in life that we like we keep and other things in life we wish we could get rid of we often just toss aside and hope they just go away but they never do. Sooner or later we have to deal with it because somehow or another it is part of what sustain us. I suppose it’s important to remember that what God gives is always good. Sometimes it’s kibbles and other times it’s bits. Either way by God’s grace all of it has one purpose; God’s purpose. So, blessings to all and enjoy the weekend! Remember to go forth into the world thanking God for the kibbles and the bits, and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

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Lent: Day 26 – In a very busy waiting room of a hospital located in an urban city, a man impatiently makes his way to the medical station and rather authoritatively says to the woman sitting at the desk, “How long is this going to take? Don’t you know who I am?” The nurse immediately moves to the desk microphone and announces over the intercom “I have a man here in the waiting room who doesn’t know who he is can someone please help him find out?” Very cleverly, the nurse helps this man to understand that it is not her job to know who he believes himself to be. What she does know is that he is one of many in the waiting room in need of attention. As the body of Christ we are one of many who believe, one of many with different gifts, one of many in need of God’s love. God has enough grace for each of us, enough to heal our mind, soul and body all in his time. We have only to be patient and trust that he does know who we are, even when we forget and just as faithfully, when others against us, forget who they are.

Exodus 1:6-22 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us…But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel.

Mark 8:27-9:1 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Psalm 69: 1-23

 For it is for your sake that I have borne reproach,

     that dishonor has covered my face.

I have become a stranger to my brothers,

     an alien to my mother’s sons.

Christ The Only Lead

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Lent: Day 5 – As humans we have an uncanny propensity to latch on to people. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for no one person is an island unto one self. Personal, business or otherwise, I believe we need relationships. As mature adults, our relationships, in connection with how we think and respond to one another, says something about who we are. For example, Paul in all of his education had one goal, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would believe. He did not consider, that it was his responsibility to speak in educated terms, thus selectively appealing only to those who could understand what he was saying, by using eloquent speech. No doubt we are all drawn to people who are most like our selves. We have a tendency to travel the journey, in the direction of who we believe our selves to be. However, as Christians, regardless of the road we travel, it should always lead to the one common goal to proclaim the gospel. What purpose does it serve us, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, to argue about the road we travel as long as Christ is the only lead we follow? Lent is the opportunity to create a habit of meditation and contemplation of the scripture, in order that the Holy Spirit becomes the one who leads us to God who guides, supports and protects us along the way. Then ultimately, God’s purpose prevails.

1 Corinthians 1:1-19  …for Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

Mark 1:1-13  He (John the Baptist) proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

Genesis 37:1-11  His brothers said to him (Joseph), ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Are you indeed to have dominion over us?’