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Does God Care Who Won the Super Bowl?

2/12/2024

Super Bowl LVIII is over with the Kansas City Chiefs winning in overtime over the San Fransisco 49ers. The game meant a lot to the players and football fans, but did it mean anything to God?
Brock Purdy, the 49ers quarterback, makes his relationship with Jesus Christ known during interviews. Should God have tipped the game in San Fransisco's favor so Purdy's testimony could be heard by millions?
Good thing I am not God, or I would have left out the strong believers on the Chief's team.
I do not expect that God would manipulate a football game based on whether one team has more Christians on it than the other team or even if one team has more people fervently praying for them than the other team.
God is honored by a losing quarterback who still loves Him after a disappointing loss. He is honored by teams that play hard and play fair. He is honored by fans who keep the perspective that football is a game.
Life is a bigger playing field and who crosses the end zone into a relationship with God is what matters most to Him.
Mark 8:36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world yet forfeit their soul?

All Lives Matter

1/22/2024

Since 1984, January 22, has been recognized as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. What does that mean? Sanctity of Life believes that all lives matter - not because they have potential of productivity but because all lives matter to God.
>Human Life has value.
Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.
>Life begins before conception.
Psalm 139:13-16 "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be."
>The Unborn Deserve Justice.
Exodus 21:22-24 22 “If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. 23 But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”
>We are Responsible.
Proverbs 31:8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute."

Martin Luther King Jr day

1/15/2024

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr, I am posting an assortment of quotes listed on goodreads.com. Adding my comments to them would reduce his voice.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”

“There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they'd die for.”

Martin Luther King Jr. born January 15, 1929, assassinated April 4, 1968.

Christmas Peace

12/11/2023

Each year, Linus tells Charlie Brown the true meaning of Christmas and quotes Luke 2:14 from the King James version, "..On earth peace, goodwill toward men." These are the same words in the carol, "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear" - "Peace on earth, goodwill toward men."
Where is this peace on earth? Russia is invading the Ukraine, Hamas attacked Israel and a number of smaller conflicts that do not make the news are waged.
Since the 1611 publication of King James Bible version, older manuscripts have been discovered. The New American Standard Bible reads: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among people whom He is pleased." The New International Version reads, "Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth peace to those whom His favor rests."
This agrees with Jesus' words recorded in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
If you are a Christian, you can have peace this Christmas, even if troubling events are happening around, you or to you. Take heart.

Thankful During Thankless Times

11/20/2023

Thanksgiving is a time when we are to give thanks. Some year giving thanks is hard because of the thankless year we are living because of challenges and struggles.
The apostle Paul had a number of those years.
2 Corinthians 11:23b-38 ....I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

In spite of Paul's hardships, he knows it is God's will to be thankful.
Paul writes:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Paul is not delusional. He knows that Christ has overcome the world. He knows that giving thanks keeps bitterness away.

Our church began a five for five days challenge. Write down five things you are thankful each day over the next five days. Your heart will grow softer as your list grows larger.

Painting Weathered Wood & Spiritual Applications

10/9/2023

A summertime project high on our to-do list just got done before the snow flies in Minnesota. Procrastination is the culprit for not getting our very weathered porch railings painted earlier. My wife has gently hinted that we replace the wood railings with composite railings. Although paint is costly, composite railings are more so.
Two things came to my mind while we painted will wearing sweatshirts:
1. My wife is right. When the railings need painting again, we will replace them.
2. Painting over weathered, rotted wood is like confessing sin without turning away from the sin.
The railings are going to need painting again quite soon because the wood is so bad. Painting does not fix the problem.
Confessing sin does not fix the problem either. The sin is forgiven by the LORD, but the sin problem is not fixed and will reappear and need to be confessed again.
The old wood of temptation needs to be replaced with new material; new patterns of behavior.
Paul writes to the believers in Philippi some new patterns:
Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or heard from me or seen in me-put into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Cleaning Calf Pens

9/4/2023

Labor Day became a day to clean calf pens. This was my doing when I was dairy farming. There were no days off or holidays from the cows, so it seemed like a good choice.
The cows are long gone, and I have been serving as pastor for more years than I been a dairy farmer, but the farmer came out in me once again today.
I weeded the garden, dug up onions, picked beans and picked apples while the temps climbed onto the 90's setting a record for Minnesota.
Jesus was criticized for doing miracles on the Sabbath. He told his critics that His Father is always at work and that He is doing His Father's work.
Labor Day is a good holiday to consider if we are working for our Father, whether we are blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, raising children, or retired.

Stung by a Bee!

8/23/2023

August, is a time of year in Minnesota, when wasps, hornets, and bees are busy. Their busyness means they show up in places where we are doing stuff.

One of the things I do each day is picking up apples that have fallen off our three apple trees. It is a big apple year, and the fallen apples almost fill a five-gallon pail. The apples are not ripe for us, but the bees enjoy them and are buzzing.
Usually, they are kind of intoxicated by the cider, so I am not too concerned until I got bit earlier this week! The bee was small, but the hurt was big! My finger throbbed until evening.

It made me think about hurts people get from small things. Rudeness, impoliteness, gossip. It starts small but the stinger gets in and really hurts.
Jesus is the only antidote. Let Him take the stinger out, so you can get back to enjoying life as is should be enjoyed.

What is in Your Hand?

8/14/2023

Simple question. What is in your hand? Perhaps a phone, a pencil, a tool, or a dirty diaper.
God was convinced that Moses was the person to lead Israel out of Egypt. Moses was not convinced. God asked Moses that simple question, "What is in your hand?". Moses, the sheep herder, had a staff. God had Moses throw it down and Moses ran away because his staff had become a snake. Apparently, Moses had the same affection I have for snakes.
God told Moses to pick the snake up by the tail. If I had to poick up a snake, it would NOT be by the tail where it could easily wrap around and bite me!
Moses picked up that snake and it turned back into his staff.
God's message for Moses, for you and I is that He can take whatever is in your hand and turn it into a demonstration of His power.
Check out Exodus 4:1-20.
Let me know what God has used in your hand to demonstrate His power.

Concerns

8/7/2023

Our world is filled with concerns that range from a nation's engaged in military action against another nation to the closing of a business. There were similar concerns during Jesus' time on earth. Nations were at war, people had health needs, there was homelessness and hunger. Jesus spent time praying to the Father and only did what the Father called Him to do.
I believe one of His disciple's noticed a connection between Jesus praying and Jesus doing the Father’s will about concerns around Him.
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
As important as breathing is to your physical life, praying is to your spiritual life.
The effectiveness of your spiritual life is directly connected to your talking and listening to the LORD.
Take your concerns to the LORD in prayer.