Thursday, June 27, 2013
Weekly Sermon: Dear God, How is The Father, The Son And The Holy Ghost One?
Pastor Diehl answered the doctrinal question, 'Dear God, how is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit all one, yet different? And how were you created?' This continues our Summer Series, Dear God...
Weekly Sermon: Dear God, How is The Father, The Son And The Holy Ghost One?
Positive Thought For 06-27-13
Prayer: Kyrie Eleison
Prayer: Kyrie Eleison
Scott Lyons
6/25/2013
In my last article, I wrote about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I want to continue to focus on this parable and our great need for mercy. In this parable we read the words that gave birth to an Orthodox Christian prayer, the Jesus Prayer. In the liturgy of the Church, the Jesus Prayer began with the Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy). And the prayer grew. Part of the prayer comes from the parable itself when the tax collector prays, "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner" (Luke 18:13, NLT). He prays from the heart and goes home justified. Part of the prayer comes from the blind beggar at the end of the same chapter as the blind beggar cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38, NLT). The beggar finds healing. There is a similar cry from the ten lepers in the previous chapter. The Jesus Prayer grows out of these verses into the traditional form, which is, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Tax collectors, blind beggars, and lepers—this is what we are. This is our prayer.
This prayer flows from an awareness of my littleness, my nothingness, in the presence of God. It is not a plea for mercy from an angry god. It is not a belief that, if we say something over and over, a distant god might possibly hear and answer. Rather, it is trusting in God, being aware of his presence, and being aware of one's own constant, desperate need for his presence, just as one needs breath and life.
Because of our constant, desperate need for God, the Scriptures exhort us to pray always (Luke 18:1; 21:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18). This is understanding and practicing the presence of God, as Brother Lawrence wrote of it. God is with us, but we are not always conscious of his presence. When we pray continually, we draw our thoughts back to the reality of his presence throughout the day.
Having a prayer such as the Jesus Prayer is also useful in the fight against temptation. Barsanuphius, in Guidance toward Spiritual Life, says, "The incessant invocation of God's name, is a medicine which mortifies not just the passions, but even their influence. Just as the physician puts medications or dressings on a wound that it might be healed, without the patient even knowing the manner of their operation, so also the name of God, when we invoke it, mortifies all passions, though we do not know how that happens."
You can send up many different kinds of short, “arrow” prayers throughout the day. For instance, the people of God have always cried out the ancient prayer for help: "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me!" These kinds of prayer draw our minds and hearts to God, like little children running to the skirts of their mothers or reaching up and taking their fathers' hands.
If you are tempted to disregard the Jesus Prayer simply because of its constant cry for mercy, please do not yield. Instead, let's learn something of the word "mercy." Our modern sense of this word is more along the lines of, "Jesus, forgive me!" But this is not the primary intention of the prayer (though often it can and should be so in our lives). The word mercy comes from the same root: the Greek word for olive and olive oil. In the ancient Near East, Olive oil was used for a variety of purposes. Kings were anointed with it, signifying the presence, choice, and favor of God. More widely, it was used medicinally. It is perhaps best to view this constant cry for mercy as a cry for God to heal us, to make us whole, to be near—something which Christians from any faith tradition can understand and pray for wholeheartedly. When we ask for the mercy of God, we are asking for his nearness and for our healing, the necessary healing of our human brokenness. We continually need that healing until that time when we are like Christ himself.
So begin praying as the tax collector, as the blind beggar, and as the ten lepers: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Pray always, and be healed.
Scott Lyons
6/25/2013
In my last article, I wrote about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I want to continue to focus on this parable and our great need for mercy. In this parable we read the words that gave birth to an Orthodox Christian prayer, the Jesus Prayer. In the liturgy of the Church, the Jesus Prayer began with the Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy). And the prayer grew. Part of the prayer comes from the parable itself when the tax collector prays, "O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner" (Luke 18:13, NLT). He prays from the heart and goes home justified. Part of the prayer comes from the blind beggar at the end of the same chapter as the blind beggar cries out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" (Luke 18:38, NLT). The beggar finds healing. There is a similar cry from the ten lepers in the previous chapter. The Jesus Prayer grows out of these verses into the traditional form, which is, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Tax collectors, blind beggars, and lepers—this is what we are. This is our prayer.
This prayer flows from an awareness of my littleness, my nothingness, in the presence of God. It is not a plea for mercy from an angry god. It is not a belief that, if we say something over and over, a distant god might possibly hear and answer. Rather, it is trusting in God, being aware of his presence, and being aware of one's own constant, desperate need for his presence, just as one needs breath and life.
Because of our constant, desperate need for God, the Scriptures exhort us to pray always (Luke 18:1; 21:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18). This is understanding and practicing the presence of God, as Brother Lawrence wrote of it. God is with us, but we are not always conscious of his presence. When we pray continually, we draw our thoughts back to the reality of his presence throughout the day.
Having a prayer such as the Jesus Prayer is also useful in the fight against temptation. Barsanuphius, in Guidance toward Spiritual Life, says, "The incessant invocation of God's name, is a medicine which mortifies not just the passions, but even their influence. Just as the physician puts medications or dressings on a wound that it might be healed, without the patient even knowing the manner of their operation, so also the name of God, when we invoke it, mortifies all passions, though we do not know how that happens."
You can send up many different kinds of short, “arrow” prayers throughout the day. For instance, the people of God have always cried out the ancient prayer for help: "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me!" These kinds of prayer draw our minds and hearts to God, like little children running to the skirts of their mothers or reaching up and taking their fathers' hands.
If you are tempted to disregard the Jesus Prayer simply because of its constant cry for mercy, please do not yield. Instead, let's learn something of the word "mercy." Our modern sense of this word is more along the lines of, "Jesus, forgive me!" But this is not the primary intention of the prayer (though often it can and should be so in our lives). The word mercy comes from the same root: the Greek word for olive and olive oil. In the ancient Near East, Olive oil was used for a variety of purposes. Kings were anointed with it, signifying the presence, choice, and favor of God. More widely, it was used medicinally. It is perhaps best to view this constant cry for mercy as a cry for God to heal us, to make us whole, to be near—something which Christians from any faith tradition can understand and pray for wholeheartedly. When we ask for the mercy of God, we are asking for his nearness and for our healing, the necessary healing of our human brokenness. We continually need that healing until that time when we are like Christ himself.
So begin praying as the tax collector, as the blind beggar, and as the ten lepers: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Pray always, and be healed.
Devotional For Leaders
| I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. |
| John 13:15, NLT |
| The qualifications for being a leader do not consist solely of sitting behind a desk and barking out orders for others to accomplish. If that were the case, life as we know it would come to a standstill, with lots of talk but no action. Successful leaders are able to delegate duties to others but are also willing to perform them if necessary. I know of one grocery store chain where the CEO and his team of vice-presidents attend the grand opening of each new location. Instead of simply basking in the spotlight of another success, they get to work, helping the new staff. They can be seen stocking shelves, performing price checks, helping customers, and bagging groceries. They even gather shopping carts from the parking lot. Talk about setting an example for the new employees to follow! Jesus set the perfect example on the night he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. As the evening meal was being served, he got up from the table, grabbed a towel and basin of water, and proceeded to wash the feet of his disciples. Such a task was supposed to be done by a servant, but Jesus was willing to take on that role. Peter wasn't sure what to think of this, rejecting the foot washing at first. He had to be convinced. Later, Jesus informed Peter and the other disciples that leadership equals servanthood. It's not an easy truth for many leaders to apply to life, but Christ’s example that night makes an eloquent case. So the next time you're ready to tell someone what to do, think back to that evening meal when the Lord, on his knees, washed the dirty, smelly feet of those he loved--and for whom he later died. That's leadership in its highest form. How can you follow that example? |
Following Your Feelings
| Following Your Feelings |
| Numbers 25:1-18 |
Read
While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the LORD's anger to blaze against his people.The LORD issued the following command to Moses: "Seize all the ringleaders and execute them before the LORD in broad daylight, so his fierce anger will turn away from the people of Israel." So Moses ordered Israel's judges, "Each of you must put to death the men under your authority who have joined in worshiping Baal of Peor." Just then one of the Israelite men brought a Midianite woman into his tent, right before the eyes of Moses and all the people, as everyone was weeping at the entrance of the Tabernacle. When Phinehas son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron the priest saw this, he jumped up and left the assembly. He took a spear and rushed after the man into his tent. Phinehas thrust the spear all the way through the man's body and into the woman's stomach. So the plague against the Israelites was stopped, but not before 24,000 people had died. (Numbers 25:1-9) |
Reflect
Dealing with emotions and desires can be tricky. When do you listen to them, and when do you hold them in check? This story illustrates both sides of that issue.Phinehas's actions reveals that some anger is proper and justified. Phinehas was angry because of his zeal for the Lord. But how can we know when our anger is appropriate and when it should be restrained? Ask these questions when you become angry: (1) Why am I angry? (2) Whose rights are being violated (mine or another's)? (3) Is the truth (a principle of God) being violated? If only your rights are at stake, it may be wiser to keep angry feelings under control. But if the truth is at stake, anger may be justified, although violence is usually the wrong way to express it. The Bible doesn't say how the Israelite men got involved in with the Midianite women. At first, they didn't think about worshiping idols; they were just interested in sex. Before long they started attending local feasts and family celebrations that involved idol worship. Sacred prostitution was a common practice among Canaanite religions. Soon the Israelite men were in over their heads, absorbed in the practices of the pagan culture. Their desire for pleasure loosened their commitment to God's laws. |
Respond
Have you relaxed your commitment in order to indulge your desires? Are you tempted to redefine God's standards to get what you want? When you are overwhelmed by your emotions and desires, talk with God about them and where they're coming from. Ask God for strength to handle your emotions rightly—whether to act on them or to control them—and ask for strength to live his way. |
Hebrews 10:24-39
Hebrews 10
24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.26 Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.27 There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.28 For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29 Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us.30 For we know the one who said,
"I will take revenge.
I will pay them back."*
He also said,
"The LORD will judge his own people."*
31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.* Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.33 Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.34 You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
37 "For in just a little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 And my righteous ones will live by faith.*
But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away."*
39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
Our Daily Bread 06-27-13
READ: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
For in fact the body is not one member but many. —1 Corinthians 12:14
Most regions of the world are familiar with the amazing phenomenon of snow. Snowflakes are beautiful, uniquely crafted ice crystals. Individual snowflakes are fragile, and they quickly melt if they land on your hand. Yet, en masse they create a force to be reckoned with. They can shut down major cities while creating beautiful landscapes of snow-laden trees whose pictures decorate calendars and become the subject of artwork. They provide pleasure on the ski slopes and joy for children as they make snowmen and ammunition for snowball fights. All because they stick together.
So it is with those of us who follow Christ. Each of us has been uniquely gifted with the capacity to make a contribution to the work of Christ. We were never intended to live in isolation but to work together to become a great force for God and the advance of His cause. As Paul reminds us, the body of Christ “is not one member but many” (1 Cor. 12:14). All of us are to use our gifts to serve one another so that together we can make a significant difference in our world.
Put your giftedness to work, joyfully cooperate with the giftedness of those around you, and let the wind of the Spirit use you for His glory! —Joe Stowell
Lord, teach us to use our strengths in cooperation with
the strengths of others. Help us to serve as one so that
we might know the joy of the power of our togetherness
for Your name’s sake and the advance of Your kingdom.
the strengths of others. Help us to serve as one so that
we might know the joy of the power of our togetherness
for Your name’s sake and the advance of Your kingdom.
We can accomplish more together than we can alone.
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