Followers of Christ

 Good Afternoon, dear reader. A blessed Monday to you! Rejoice for the sun is shining and the weather is warming!! ☀️☀️

As I learn about the different things in the Bible, you are learning right along with me! So, this morning I wanted to clarify the difference between a Jew, a Gentile and a Christian. Basically, being Jewish is a matter of birth. A Christian is anyone who is reborn into the belief in Jesus Christ. A Gentile is pretty much everyone else. 

It would seem in Biblical times people were hung up on staying within one's own religious community. Their beliefs were so strong that they would view others not of their faith as "unclean". This doesn't mean they didn't shower or wear clean clothes. They were considered morally impure. It is much like when we see Jesus sitting with those who were lepers, prostitutes, and unbelievers. Why would He lower Himself like that? So, when Peter was confronted by the Jews, they were not very happy with him. This was an affront to Jewish law.

How could he dine with immoral people? Such barbarians! Peter then explained to them how he had had a vision and in that vision, he was told that any creature created by God was not unclean or unworthy. This was an irrefutable argument. Chalk one up for Peter!

The sheep and the shepherd are back again, but this time Jesus compares Himself to the gate of the pasture. He is the one who keeps the sheep in place. It's much like when we first come to Jesus. We open the gate of our soul to Him. We allow Him to come into our lives. We know that He will not harm or deceive us. We come to Him willingly. Think of it this way, the beginning of the 23rd Psalm.. "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." The Psalm is all about the peace of God, of knowing we will be fulfilled by Him. He will give us rest, nourishment and everlasting life.

Sorry, this is so brief. I'm still feeling under the weather and a little fuzzy-headed. Hopefully, I will be feeling better soon. Remember to always remain a nice human. 😇

Father Bill gives us a deeper understanding of today's readings:

https://youtu.be/sBsW7T242lk

A Leap of Faith

Good morning and a blessed Saturday to you, dear reader. I hope this finds you well. As we draw near to Holy week, we look at what it is to have faith and allow God to guide us each day.  

In today's world, it's not an easy task to be a Christian. There are so many ways which will lead us astray of God and His plans for us. Sometimes it can feel like we are the lambs being led to slaughter. How many times have you done something, then regretted it, because "it seemed like a good idea at the time"? I know I'm guilty of it. I imagine God must be banging His head up there, wondering what it will take to get us to listen. He keeps trying to send people to deliver His message, but people being people, we often don't pay attention. Sometimes it takes a holy uprising, so to speak, to get us to realize that we've lost our way. 

I think that God decided to send down Jesus to us to see if maybe a "kinder and gentler" approach might work better. Sometimes that old fire and brimstone just don't cut it. Jesus preached forgiveness and peace. But, still, people would not listen. Who was this Man who talks a good a game? He's not from around here. We are suspicious of strangers. They must have some sort of ulterior motive. They're looking for something. Jesus was the ultimate stranger in a strange land. 

Sometimes we can't see what's in front of us. Maybe there is no "end game", maybe
there is no ulterior motive. Sometimes it is what it is. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it must be a duck! And that's what Jesus is.. He's our duck. He is what He appears to be. A simple Man, sent from God, on a mission. 

That's what we see here, in John's reading. Word of Jesus has spread far and wide. But people are still doubtful. He speaks so eloquently and with conviction. He is cool and confident. Some are willing to risk it and not believe He is who He says He is. But, still others, not so much. Maybe this is Him. Just because He's not from around here doesn't mean it can't be Him. Just because He speaks with such knowledge and compassion.... 

When we believe in Jesus, we have to take that leap of faith. We have to trust that Jesus is who He says He is. I can personally atest to the fact that I have a hard time just saying ok, Lord, take this and YOU deal with it because I can't. Will He really do it? What will happen if I don't do anything except rely on Him to fix it? But that's what it means to have faith. That's what it means to believe. That's what it is to be a follower of Jesus. We step out of that fear, that darkness, that uncertainty. 

Today, try and have a bit of a conversation with Jesus. Give whatever your burden is to Him. Take that leap of faith. He will hear you. I promise. And, as always, dear reader... be a nice human. 😇

***Pray and meditate on Psalms 142 and 143***

Have a listen to Father Bill. He pretty much speaks of what I have written. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u86ozLIx4AI 

Some musical encouragement, Chris Tomlin "I Lift My Hands"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c24En0r-lXg

A New Creation

Good Morning, dear reader, and a blessed Sunday to you!! This morning we are looking at becoming a new creation in Christ. The two parables we read tell us about someone who has fallen away, but then repented and was received with great joy!

We see this same theme in Joshua, but in a slightly different manner. The Israelites have come through some awful trials. They are now on their way to a new, and better, life. They celebrate the feast of Passover joyfully. This is their new beginning. They remained faithful to God's word and followed His path. They are free to celebrate. They are free to worship God. 

In the Gospel readings this morning, Jesus uses parables, stories that teach a basic truth or moral about life, to demonstrate His point that even if it is one soul who departs from Him, it is still important to Him. He will seek out that one person and console them with His love and forgiveness.

In our first part, from the Gospel of Luke, we see the story of the lost sheep. The people who were assembled could not understand why Jesus would invite the sinners and the tax collectors to eat with Him and to pray with Him. Why would someone as Holy as Jesus choose to be with these kinds of people? Jesus uses the metaphore of the lost sheep to explain it. We should not ignore or foget the ones who fall away. We need to seek them out. We need to bring them back into the fold. We need to reassure them that Jesus loves them just like He loves the faithful and obedient ones. We need to celebrate the ones who choose to come back. We need to love the ones who voluntarily leave their sins behind so they can follow Jesus. 

In the second part of the parable, the prodigal son, we see how the son who stayed on to help his father, the one who remained faithful to his father, become indignant when the son who ran off to squander his fortunes, was welcomed back with a big celebration. Why would his father do that? This one did not stay to help. Rather, he went off to spend what was given him, to indulge in things that were sinful. What he didn't understand was that the son who wandered away was the one who CHOSE to come back and seek forgiveness. He was truly sorry for what he had done. It required him to humble himself to his father and beg forgiveness. It's a difficult thing to admit we were wrong, to admit our failings. It's quite the vulnerable place for most of us.

In our readings from 2 Corinthians, we are reminded that when we go to Jesus and admit our sins, when we admit our weakness, when we repent for our sins, we become new. We are given a second chance through Jesus's love for us. He will never turn away from one that willingly comes to Him. He reminds us that no matter how far we may have fallen, He will always be there to catch us. He will always forgive us if we are truly sorry for what we have done. It's not an easy task. And it shouldn't be. If it were easy, we would just keep doing what we were doing, and keep asking for forgiveness. But it doesn't work that way. We need to suffer, in a sense, for what we did. And we have to try and not do it again.

When Lent begins, it is a good time to reaffirm our choice to follow Jesus. We need to take the time to rekindle the flame of our excitement. It is also a time to celebrate with those who are newly born into God's family! It is our chance to help lead them along the path! 

Take some time today to be thankful for your faith. Take time to celebrate Christ and what He sacrificed for us. Remind yourself WHY you chose to follow Him. And, as always, dear reader, be a nice human. 😇

“A Prayer Of Affirmation Of Faith”**

Father, we are grateful to be Your children. It is not by our own goodness, behavior, or generosity that we purchase or earn this standing. It is because of Jesus, who came clothed in human flesh so that He might reach His own people and release them from their sins. Though many reject the Gospel message, we choose to believe and gratefully declare that we are the children of God. Nothing can compare with such privilege or power as we make our earthly journey below and anticipate eternity in heaven above. In the name of Jesus, we reaffirm and joyfully proclaim our decision to follow You all the days of our lives. Amen.

**Source: https://adailyprayer.wordpress.com/2021/12/10/a-prayer-of-affirmation-of-faith/

Here is a wonderful song that reminds us we can never fall too far from Jesus's grace and mercy. https://youtu.be/Sa7PrjpE8dY 

Signs

Water. It's important. Something we need for survival. In the Bible, we see water as cleansing. It is used to baptise the believers, it is used to heal, to bless, to wash. Matter of fact, water is so important that it is mentioned in the Bible 722 times! In the story of the leper, he is told to bathe in the river Jordan seven times and he would be healed. Naaman got angry with this. He thought that God would come down and lay healing hands on him in order to be cured. He was expecting some sort of grand miracle. Instead, he is basically told to take a bath in dirty water. (At that time, the Jordan was a muddy river.) You'd think that was the last thing you should be doing!! 

Apparently Naaman's servants knew something he didn't. I guess Naaman figured he had nothing to lose if he tried this. At the very worst, he would still be a leper. So he did as Elisha had said. And voila! That did the trick! He was absolutely thrilled!! He then went back to Elisha and offered to give him gifts for this magnificent healing. But Elisha refused. He wasn't looking for anything other than helping this man as God had wanted.

When we pray for healing, don't we expect some great thing to happen like we see in the movies? Something that is an undeniable sign that God hears us? We always seem to be looking for the grand gesture, the big bright sign. We want tangible, unmistakable signs that God is moving in our lives. We tend to overlook the simple, the every day. There is a beautiful song by Laura Story called "Blessings" which reminds us that sometimes God's work shows up in ways we wouldn't expect. "What if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know Your here? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in diguise?" Sometimes the best things are the simplest things. And that's what God wants us to understand. Don't look for the big answer. Don't look for glam and glitz. Remember this acronym, KISS-- Keep It Simple, Stupid! lol 

Today's Gospel reading involves our first reading. I've often found that in order to understand the New Testament, you need to understand the Old Testament. Much of what we see in the New Testament harkens back to the Old Testament. It's a reaffirmation of the coming of Jesus, the birth of a Savior. We are reassured that these things will happen and that they were preordained by God, delivered through prophets, signs and symbols. 

Our story opens with Jesus being back in His hometown of Nazareth. He attends  temple on the Sabbath day (Yes, Jesus was a Jew.) He spoke eloquently and the people were impressed. But when He told the story of Naaman the Syrian, this story really made the crowd angry. The people of Nazareth want a glorious sign that Jesus is, indeed, the Man who will save them. Why should the people outside of this city, outside of this country be the benefactors of Jesus's healing? Why are the lowest of the lowley being helped? Why include the poor? Do they think these people aren't worthy of what God is giving because they are looked down upon? 

All of this enrages those at the temple and they throw Jesus out and try to kill Him. This will be a common thread as we work our way through the New Testament. It is the foreshadowing of Jesus's eventual death upon the cross. He is constantly rejected, His life threatened. How could this Man, son of a carpenter, be the promised Savior? Why does he include the ones who aren't a part of "mainstream" society? Why doesn't Jesus perform grand miracles to prove who He is? Surely this Man must not be who He claims He is. We see this doubt throughout the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Acts. 

When we pray, don't look for immediate answers. Don't look for the bright neon billboard saying that God heard you and will be with you shortly. It doesn't work that way. It's all in the timing, God's timing and not our own. Keep plodding on, waiting, and praying. You'll eventually get your sign, it just may not be in the way you expected.

Today, look inward. What kind of signs are you hoping for? What are your expectations? Take that inner reflection to Jesus and ask Him to help you have patience, hope and faith. Ask Him to remind you that it's in the little things. Keep an open mind and an open heart. It will come to you eventually.

Be blessed dear friends. And, as always..... be a nice human.😇

"Blessings" by Laura Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xRNrnh__SE

Today's reflection from Father Bill Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fatr7Y_Rp4A