Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The harvesters are paid good wages
Sunday, March 27, 2011
From STEVE: True worshipers worship in spirit and in truth
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well
Friday, March 18, 2011
We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
He knew human nature
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Pause here and go through Listening Prayer or at least take a few moments to listen to what you just read.
My Invitation
v. 24 But Jesus didn't trust them, because He knew human nature
Lord Jesus, people were beginning to trust in You---but You didn't trust them because You know human nature. Wow Lord, I've never noticed this but it in some weird way it brings me comfort and perspective as I deal with people in my life that disappoint me, most often myself! You're inviting me to see that it's foolish to put faith or home in humans who are by nature unfaithful. As I am! The actions of those who trusted You and then turned on You brought You grief, but didn't rock Who you were or why You walked the earth. There is really freedom in this truth.
Freedom for me to know You know me so well and You know I am unfaithful---and you still love me and serve me and lead me and forgive me and bless me etc.---daily grace---which brings me freedom to walk through the failures and disappointments brought to my life by others, feeling the pain, but not putting my trust in them to the point that their choices have power over my state of being; my identity; my fullness in You.
You're reminding me today to trust in You alone; experiencing Your grace which is sufficient to cover my human-ness and powerful and abundant enough for me to extend (overflow) Your grace on to other humans like me.
Monday, March 14, 2011
What is innocence? Psalm 37
Friday, March 11, 2011
Earthquakes, tsunami and love
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Right here in the crowd
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Lent
Shaping Your Lenten Discipline
"To begin, we might consider disciplines of abstinence that help us clear out the clutter of those things that distract us from God. Whether we fast from foods that comfort our emptiness, from caffeine or alcohol that keep us stimulated, from aspects of media or technology that keep us distracted, from words that keep us overly-enamored with our own thoughts, from mindless spending that keeps us numb, from addiction to the spotlight that keeps us dependent on other people’s praise…disciplines of fasting and other kinds of abstinence help us to clear the decks for spiritual action.
As we clear out the clutter in our souls, we become more finely attuned to what is really going on in our lives spiritually and the invitations that are there for us. As we experience a broken and contrite heart in the face of what we are seeing, the way is opened for God to teach us wisdom in our secret heart."
Listening Prayer (click on link and see my post below) may be a great option for you to clear out clutter during this lenten season.
The world did not recognize Him
Monday, March 7, 2011
Passion for God's house
Forty and Flying Free!
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