A Norvell Note – Page 35 – Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus.

Whatever Comes

Vol. 19 No. 45 | November 12, 2017

The first words I wrote when starting my journal entry this week were… First, I need words for my article. My fingers immediately started typing Matthew 6:25-34. Wow, I thought, that was quite possibly the quickest response ever. Thank You.

Now you know the origin of many of my articles- a specific prayer for the perfect words to convey my message for the week. The answer is not always so quickly revealed, nor does it always apply so directly to me as this passage did from Jesus.

Please take a couple of minutes to read it for yourself, and then I will share a couple of thoughts on why it is so meaningful to me this week.

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. (Matthew 25-26)

Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. (Matthew 27-29)

If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matthew 6:30-33)

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:25-34, MSG)

I have never been one to worry too much about what I am going to eat; food has always been plentiful. I have never worried too much about what I will drink (unless I don’t have access to a good cup of coffee on some mornings); I have always been able to find something to quench my thirst. And clothes? Just this week I made another attempt at culling out some of my clothing. (Yes, you can, in fact, have too many t-shirts.) Since I have been blessed to always have enough, I have never been overly preoccupied or felt any sense of guilt when I read the words above. I can honestly say, without hesitation, that God has always provided, and I do my best to express my gratitude regularly for all his provisions.

But this time, the part of Jesus’ message that stood out was the last two sentences. I read it from several versions and translations and specifically selected the Message for the way these two lines are written:

As I read these words, I realized that although I rarely get worked up about anything, I do lean towards the side of perfectionism and have a slight tendency to make sure everything in my life is in order. So, when I read, “and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow”, I realized, oh… He is talking to me.

Of course, my inner critic often reminds me that I should have figured this message out by now. Obviously, I have not. My brain is constantly processing how I will handle or control this or that when it happens, so I will be 100% prepared for whatever comes my way.

As a result, I am in danger of not giving my entire attention to what God is doing right now. (My inner critic loves it when I do this). So, I have to keep reminding myself…

God will help me deal with whatever comes up when the time comes.

Thank You, Father, for directing me to this passage today as a reminder that You always do and say what needs to be done and said at the perfect time. Thank You for reminding me that You are always doing something glorious and mind-blowing, and if I will allow myself to look and listen and observe, I will be astonished. Then hopefully I can relax and truly live today knowing that You are way ahead of me at making the world a better place, and all I have to do is to enter into that process with You. Thank You, Father, for Your words that speak so clearly to me and maybe to someone else who needs to hear them.

Tom

A Wisp of Fog

Vol. 19 No. 44 | November 5, 2017

We received another reminder this week of how quickly life can change or end when Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov drove his truck along a bike path on the West Side of Lower Manhattan, killing eight and injuring twelve. These twenty people were simply enjoying a beautiful afternoon when, without warning, their lives were changed forever.

As the reality of yet another senseless act of violence sank in, my thoughts once again returned to these verses from the writings of James chapter 4:13-15.

And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.’ (The Message)

It would seem that after all these years and all the reminders, ‘being but a wisp of fog’ would be imbedded firmly in my brain. But it’s not. Whether it’s another terrorist attack, another death of an elderly mentor, a death resulting from an alcohol-related automobile accident, the shooting of another teenager, or another child succumbing to cancer, the shock is always there. The news of a life coming to an end is always a painful and unsettling reminder that we really are…nothing but a wisp of fog.

My intention is not to elicit guilt for the time that has passed or insinuate that any of it has been wasted, or do I want to instill panic that you have little of it left. I just want you to think about what you are doing with this little wisp of fog God has given you.

As you read these words, you are healthy, wealthy and wise. You are full of life, your heart is strong, your brain is clear. You have plans and you are making more. You have dreams and you will keep dreaming more. So as your mist floats along, I offer these suggestions.

Enjoy it!

Jesus said, “A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” (John 10:10, The Message) No need to wait until the end of your life for eternal life to appear. Enjoy it now! Live fully. Live abundantly. Live lavishly. Live completely.

Spice it up!

Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” (Matthew 5:13, NIV) As the salt, God wants you to preserve what is good, “You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth.” (The Message) Have fun along the way and encourage others to have fun. Be generous when others are being selfish. Be gracious and kind when others are rude and discourteous. As Tim McGraw sings, “Always be humble and kind.” (Actually, I think Jesus said and lived that first.)

Light it up!

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16, NIV) Do good deeds so God will be glorified. If someone sees you do something and praises you for it, don’t worry about it. You are His tool to bring light into darkness. Just do good and don’t expect anything in return.

If you make it your aim to enjoy life in this very moment, an interesting thing happens. You will automatically spice it up, and by doing that, you will light it up, brightening the path for other mists of fog…and who doesn’t enjoy that?!

Tom

Facing the day, like Jesus did

Vol. 19 No. 43 | October 29, 2017

This morning finds me sitting at my desk with my fingers on the keyboard and Gordon Lightfoot singing in my head: “I’m on my second cup of coffee and I still can’t face the day.” (Second Cup of Coffee) It’s not a particularly spiritual song, but that first line repeated throughout the song fits the morning and many others I’ve experienced throughout my six-plus decades.

Some days are just hard to face. No, I’m not depressed. I’m not sick or angry or tired. I’m not dreading what is ahead. There are just some days that are hard to face.

Many years ago, in an Expository Preaching class at Harding University, Dr. Jerry Jones took my sermon based on the Luke 9 account of the Transfiguration (verses 28-36) and the verse right after that (37), and ripped it apart. He explained that according to the rules of expository preaching the sermon was technically flawed, and that I could do better. Although I’ve preached several versions of that sermon since and usually had pretty positive feedback, I know he was right.

The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.

The point I was trying to make from that text (or more accurately, the way I was using the text to make my point) was how difficult it must have been for Jesus – receiving so much and praise on the mountain by Moses, Elijah and the Father – to come down and face a large crowd of people needing to take so much from him.

When Jesus came down the mountain, He was greeted with a man begging for Him to heal his son. Most likely, there were many others with equally pressing needs begging to receive His attention.

In my mind, this would have been a difficult day to face. After being lavished with love and affirmation on the mountain, He was now back in the thick of giving all of Himself, attending to the needs of a crowd of people who had very little understanding of His true identity. That, for me, would have been a ‘two or three cup of coffee’ morning.

What stands out to me every time I read these two passages together is how different the man I am is from the man I aspire to be. I want to be like Jesus, but some days I feel more like Peter- ‘can’t we just stay here? Jesus, have you forgotten all those people down there who want a piece of you?’.

In other words, there are days when I like to play it safe, days when I want to be on the mountaintop and stay there, days when I don’t want to be bothered by the demands placed upon me.

But the reality is, I want to be ready to meet the needs of the people, like Jesus did. I want to greet everyone I meet with a message of hope and a gentle touch, like Jesus did. I want to enjoy the time in the valley as much as the time on the top of the mountain, like Jesus did. I want to use my time on the mountain as a moment of reflection, refreshment and restoration so that I can be ready for what happens when I come back down to face the crowd. I want to be able to face the day, with or without a second cup of coffee, knowing I have taken the time to refuel and get ready for whatever or whomever comes at me, like Jesus did.

If you are reading this at the beginning of the day, I hope you can spend at least a moment with the Lord being reminded of His love for you so that you can be ready for the situations and people that will appear in front of you, like Jesus did.

If you are reading this at some point in the middle of the day, I hope you are comfortable with what God is doing through you, so you can see those in need around you and offer a message of hope and grace, like Jesus did.

And if you are reading this near the end of the day, I hope you can look back over the last twelve to sixteen hours and realize that even in you felt frail, immature and selfish, you were able to express love to someone, like Jesus did.

You may need a second cup of coffee to get you going (or a third and another later in the day), but if Jesus is living in and through you, you can face the day like Jesus did. He will provide refreshment when you need it. All you need to do is take it one day at a time and be a gift of mercy and grace to someone who needs it… like Jesus did.

Tom

Finding Peace Amidst the Chaos

Vol. 19 No. 42 | October 22, 2017

I took part in a discussion this week on the following verse:

Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10)

During the discussion, insight to the historical setting was given and different uses of the verse were shared. But mostly, the discussion centered around why and how this passage is meaningful in our lives.

For me, the New Century Version seems to capture the essence of the passage very well.

God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” I will be praised in all the nations; I will be praised throughout the earth.”

From the context of the chapter and the historical images, it seems that God is speaking to the fact that the world around us often seems to be out of control. Storms, wars, floods, earthquakes, and general chaos are commonplace. It is very easy to get caught up in it all, but God encourages us instead to be still, to find peace amidst the chaos.

The three pauses (Selah) suggested by the musical director calls us to stop after reading or singing and ponder the things that are happening around us. Just pause. Be still for a moment. Observe what has happened. Reflect on what is going on around you. Ask yourself, “How am I handling all this?” Then, as the key verse suggests, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Followed by very 11, “The Lord God almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

As our discussion evolved, these practical certainties surfaced.

There will always be times when the world around us seems out of control. Every week, there is the potential for a new natural or man-made disaster. Disease claims another life. Apparent craziness overwhelms us.

No matter what is going on around you, God is still God and He is in control. So when you start to feel overwhelmed with the chaos around you or within yourself, this might be a good time to sing or hum Martin Luther’s “This is My Father’s World.”

But it isn’t always this easy at times, is it? We are a busy people. Staying busy, even just looking busy, has become a modern-day addiction. However, as difficult as it can be to slow down, there are times when we just need to be still, to cease all activity and quiet our minds. We need to take the time to we remind ourselves that God is God, and we do not need to stand-in for Him. Our rush to ‘get it done so we can rush toward the next thing’ lifestyle isn’t healthy or helping us find the peace that we seek.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (vs. 1) When trouble hits, pause and remember, “The Lord Almighty is with us.” (vs. 7) “Be still and know that God is God.

When I reflect on almost twenty years of writing these notes, I have probably written about this verse more than any other Biblical text. One would think that I would have gotten the message by now. I have for the most part. And then I get busy, things get chaotic, and the world around me and my own inner world seem to rage out of control.

But little by little, I am learning to listen when I receive the prompting to stop, get still, and remember that God is God.

The chaos will always be there if that is what we focus on. Perhaps this week is the perfect time to start a ritual to help you find your peace. It doesn’t need to be anything elaborate or complicated. Simply find a quiet place and say these words to yourself….

Be still and know that I am God.

Tom

The Gift of Memory

Vol. 19 No. 41 | October 15, 2017

This past Thursday, I headed to Memphis to join a friend for a charity golf tournament. The typical, random ‘thoughts-while-I’m-driving’ were floating around in my head until I got about forty miles from Memphis. I was suddenly consumed with the memory of driving down this same interstate exactly two years ago this week.

My sister had been very ill for several weeks. The family had kept in close communication with updates about changes in her health. After several days of little to no progress, I decided to go see her, despite the fact that she was so sedated, she most likely wouldn’t know I was there. As I was approaching Memphis, the late afternoon October sun hitting me in the face, I received a call from my brother saying she was not doing well at all, and he didn’t know how much longer she had.

My heart started racing as I sat trapped on I-40 West, stuck in the heavy, afternoon traffic, trying not to beat myself up for not going sooner. I finally got off the highway in an effort to find a quicker route and had just merged back on when my other brother called. She was gone. My heart sank and I could feel the pain rise up from the bottom of my soul.

As I approach that same intersection this Thursday afternoon, that scene and those events from two years earlier wash over me as if it had all just happened last week. And although I made it to my friend’s house and had a lovely evening of reconnecting and a beautiful day on the golf course, that painful memory lingered. It was a bitter-sweet reminder of the blessing and sometimes curse that our memories can be.

The curse of our memories is that they have the potential to enslave us to our past. If not channeled correctly, our memories will haunt us with our sins, mistakes, and failures. If we grant them the power, they can weaken and destroy us.

The blessing of our memories is that they can remind us of people, places, and events that have played a part in transforming us forever into who we are as God’s children.

When I remember that drive to Memphis two years ago, I am reminded of the unfathomable gift my sister was (and still is) to her husband, children, grandchildren, to me, my siblings, our families, and the multitude of other people who were fortunate enough to have their lives intersect with hers. There are few, if any, blessings that can ever compare with the memory I cherish of my sister.

I believe God has given us our memory as an opportunity to learn from our past and to remind us of who He is and how much He wants to be actively involved in our lives.

The rainbow is one example of a gift God has given us that serves as a reminder of His nature and love for us. It’s a rare and beautiful opportunity to take pause and reflect on His love and the magic that is all around us.

I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.” (Genesis 9:15-17, NIV)

Communion is another sacred gift God has provided to cultivate a relationship with us through his Son, Jesus, giving us an opportunity to regularly pause, reflect and express our gratitude for His amazing love.

For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22:18-20, NIV)

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-25, NIV)

The drive to Memphis will always remind me of a very sad October afternoon. But it will also always provide an opportunity to remember a wonderful lady who powerfully influenced my life. A rainbow can create a pause in my day that reminds me of how, from the very beginning, God has been by my side and is always doing good in my life. Even the simple act of eating and drinking creates an opportunity to remember that with God in my life, there is hope that is real, there is joy that is real, and there is peace that is real.

For me, it is a drive to Memphis. For you, it may be a song, a picture or letter, a piece of jewelry, or family tradition that serves as a reminder that God has been and always will be with you.

So this week, here is my gift to you – a reminder to take a moment when the opportunity presents itself, to remember, reflect and enjoy the gift of a memory.

Tom

I Love a Good Surprise

Vol. 19 No. 40 | October 8, 2017

I am writing this on an airplane headed to New York City on my way to Brooklyn. My wife had planned to make this trip to celebrate our oldest granddaughter’s sixth birthday. I had not planned to join her until a week ago when my schedule freed up last minute. We called our son to tell him but asked him not to tell the ladies (my daughter-in-law and two granddaughters). Surprise!

I have made similar trips through the years. I once surprised my daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter, and wife by walking into their church in Texas just as worship began and asking, “Excuse me. May I sit here?” I did a similar thing to my wife on Labor Day weekend on another visit to Texas. Surprise!

I have also been the beneficiary of a few good surprises myself. One Father’s Day, my son showed up at church to surprise me, and another time, my daughter showed up on Mother’s Day. On my 40^th birthday, my wife went all out by planning a big celebration which included videos, letters, cards and a “Hats Off to Tom Salute.” I did get a little suspicious on that one, however. For months leading up to my birthday, every time a certain friend called, my wife would take the phone into the bathroom. That was pre-cell phones, so that meant stretching the phone from the kitchen into the bathroom.

I love a good surprise, and I know someone else who likes them, too. His name is Jesus.

There are countless occasions when Jesus surprised both His disciples and His enemies, beginning with His decision to leave His Father in heaven and come to earth to lead us to salvation. He surprised those who followed him and those who opposed him by healing the sick on the Sabbath; by turning a few fish and pieces of bread into a meal that fed thousands; by showing compassion and offering forgiveness to a woman who was caught in the act of adultery; by spending time with members of the community considered outcasts or deviants; and by changing water into wine (what was said to be an exquisite wine at that!).

He surprised His family by describing the Kingdom as more important than his father, mother, brothers, and sisters. And He surprised His disciples by choosing passive resistance when attacked and asking them to do the same. He surprised the world when He selected ordinary and seemingly unsavory people to join Him in building a new kind of Kingdom, describing his purpose as serving instead of being served.

He continues to surprise us by the fact that He was willing to suffer and die on the cross as a way to provide forgiveness and salvation for all of us. And then there was the ultimate surprise, when He came back from the dead, rolling away the stone that covered the entrance to His tomb and proving us proof that he had in fact, risen from the dead.

Our God loves a good surprise. The surprises I have had a part in planning and the times I have been surprised pale in comparison to God’s surprises. And although I try to imagine it, I am pretty sure that what we’ll experience when our time here has ended will be the ultimate surprise. Perhaps the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will be greeting us with open arms, a big smile on their faces, shouting, “Surprise!

When was the last time you were really surprised? When was the last time you surprised someone? I hope you get the opportunity to surprise someone this week. And I hope you will allow yourself to be surprised by the One who started this whole business of surprising. Maybe it will be an awe-inspiring sunset, maybe it will be something profound you read in His Word. Even if you’ve read it before, maybe this time you will be surprised by the beauty and relevance His words have in your life.

God loves to surprise, so don’t be surprised when surprises you.

Tom

Don’t laugh. Believe

Vol. 19 No. 39 | October 1, 2017

Have you ever laughed at God?

A friend made a request of God that seemed outlandish. She boldly asked God to intervene and basically fix her son’s marriage. When you heard what she had prayed for, you couldn’t help but laugh. You gently tried to remind her that God doesn’t work like that, but she doesn’t care what you think. She is desperate and believes God can do it, so she asked.

A few weeks later you saw your friend again and asked how things were going with her son’s marriage. She immediately began to cry. “You cannot imagine what God has done. The very day I started praying for he and his wife, my son had lunch with an older gentleman from his church and shared what was going on. The man listened to him, prayed with him, gave him the name of a Christian counselor, and promised to stay in touch with him. He and his wife made an appointment, and after three sessions with the counselor, my son called and told me things have greatly improved and they are on the road to recovery.” Perhaps you shouldn’t have laughed, you thought to yourself

At the dinner table, your wife mentioned a friend from church who received a frightening diagnosis from her doctor. This friend has meant a lot to your family through the years, so your wife suggests that the family remember to pray for her. Later that night, you are putting your son to bed, and he begins to pray, “Dear God, please take care of Mrs. Thomas. She is really sick and we want her to get well. We don’t want her to die.” You kissed him on his forehead and smiled at his innocence as you walked out of the room. When you shared it with your wife, her eyes welled up with tears as she said, “Well, I said we needed to pray for her.”

For the next two weeks when you put your son to bed, he prayed the same prayer for Mrs. Thomas. And when the family prayed at meals, he reminded whomever was praying to pray for Mrs. Thomas. Then one night, just as you were about to sit down for dinner, your wife receives a call from Mrs. Thomas. All you heard was, “Oh, I am so thankful and happy for you. Thank you so much for calling.” She wiped tears from her eyes as she sat down. “That was Mrs. Thomas. She’s okay. The doctor told her today the tests showed that everything is clear.” Your son listened intently, and as your wife finished talking, he did a fist pump “Yes!”

There is a scene in the Jesus story where He was laughed at for doing the seemingly impossible.

While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.

When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep. “But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. (Matthew 9:18-26, NIV)

Is there something you want to ask God to do, but you are hesitant because it seems like too much to ask? Please, ask.

Are you seeking God’s help in a situation that seems hopeless? Please, keep seeking.

Are you knocking on a door that has not opened, and you are beginning to wonder if it will ever open? Please, keep knocking.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, NIV)

The more I learn about the way our Father works, the more I am reminded that He loves to do the impossible, surprise the unsuspecting, convince the doubter, and amaze even the believers. Laugh if you want, but I choose to believe.

Tom

The God of Peace

Vol. 19 No. 38 | September 24, 2017

The headlines from the last few weeks have included hurricanes, earthquakes, racial protests and riots, major tensions with Korea, terrorist bombings, and then someone predicted the world was going to end. If that does not make your blood pressure rise, think about your own stuff: your boss puts you in charge of a huge project with a very short turnaround; your child gets sick at school and then gets sick again in your car on the way home; your dog has to go to the vet; a strange light appears on your car’s dashboard; you forgot to pay your electric bill; a crown comes off your tooth; and you realize the milk has gone bad just after you started drinking it.

This is the world I live in. How about you?

You rush to get things done only to discover you have more to do. You feel stressed, rushed, overcommitted, overworked, and overwhelmed. You cannot concentrate, you have trouble sleeping, you can’t find time to exercise, and you want to eat everything in sight.

I can relate. I get that way too sometimes. But usually, after I fume and stew for a while, frustrated that I cannot fix everything, I eventually realize that God is nudging me back toward Philippians 4. So, I read it again.

5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8 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 received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:5−9, NIV)

Then, I read it again, asking God to show me what He wants me to see. And this is what He shows me.

Remember to be gentle to everyone. When you are under stress, you may get angry, irritated, and frustrated and forget the fact that I am near. Be gentle with yourself. Be gentle with others. I am near you. (5)

Relax, takes a few deep breaths, give all your anxieties to me so that you can receive and enjoy the peace I have for you. (6-7) You cannot handle all of this alone. I can. Let me take it from you in exchange for my peace.

Get your head back where it needs to be. You have drifted away from healthy thinking. Think about the lovely things and lovely people. Think about truth, nobility, and purity. Focus on things and people who are worth admiring and strive toward excellence. Think about these things, focus on these things, and take time to meditate on them. (8)

Live the way you have learned. You have had been taught by good people, and you have learned well the things of God. Stay true to that. (8)

Enjoy my peace. I am with you. I am always with you. I am near you. My peace is your peace because you belong to me. (8)

Does it seem like the world is going crazy? Does it feel like the things you cherish most are slipping away from you? The fact that you are reading this is proof that it is not too late to make some changes. Try reading Philippians 4 a few times, and let the peace of God work into your heart.

Tom

I Found the Answer

Vol. 19 No. 37 | September 17, 2017

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32, NIV)

I think I found it, the answer to the questions we have been asking ourselves since the beginning of time.

How can I make the world a better place?

What can I do to help stop the violence that is happening around us?

What can I do in my own little circle of influence to make life better for the people closest to me?

The answer isn’t profound. It doesn’t require a lot of energy, nor will it cost you a cent. It is actually very simple and something we all have the ability to do. \

Are you ready to hear what is going to change you and the world around you?

Be kind.

That’s it. Just be kind.

Be kind to your spouse, your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Be kind to your children, your parents and grandparents.

Be kind to your neighbors, your doctor and your patients.

Be kind to the cashier at the grocery store, the department store and the pharmacy.

Be kind to animals, the forests and our oceans.

Be kind to policemen, firemen and first responders.

Be kind to the postal worker, the FedEx driver and even the person who calls to tell you your credit is fine, but…

And most importantly, be kind to yourself. It starts there. It always starts there…

Tom

Everyone Is Welcome

Vol. 19 No. 36 | September 10, 2017

I have recently seen several church signs that say, “Everyone is welcome.” Maybe they have been there all along, but in light of current events, these signs seem to convey a more important message.

But my question is, ‘Why is it necessary for churches to say everyone is welcome’?

Every church sign I have seen carrying this message bears in some way the name of God, or Christ, or Jesus. But shouldn’t this go without saying? If the saints of God, Christians, and followers of Jesus are gathering, would it not be expected that everyone is welcome? But this doesn’t seem to always be the case

I remember a time when I invited a friend of mine with darker skin to attend a worship assembly in our congregation. I was promptly informed, “His church is up the road.”

I can also recall a friend telling me once about visiting what she called an ‘Awe shucks!’ church. The attitude she sensed when she walked through the doors was, ‘Awe shucks, we have visitors today’.

I hear about churches that make it very clear that if you had been married, divorced and remarried, you are welcome to attend, you just can’t do anything in the way of public service.

And then there are the church leaders who tell our youth ‘we’ need them; we need their energy, their spirit, and their ideas on worship. But when they try to inject the rest of the assembly with their energy, spirit, and ideas on worship, they are quickly shut down.

Sadly, these are not just preacher stories, except for the fact that I, a preacher, am telling them. I truly thought we were beyond these acts of intolerance, prejudice, and exclusion.

But I refuse to lose hope and choose to focus instead on the following demonstrations of tolerance and love for everyone, regardless of their age, skin color, sexual preference or place of origin.

As the children flocked in the streets to follow Jesus and were being shooed away by His disciples, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.”

As demonstrated in the Gospels, Jesus reached out and touched, healed, loved, and taught everyone who came to Him, despite the fact that other religious leaders condemned his style of ministry as flawed.

When Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

When Jesus proclaimed, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

When a boy strayed from his family, squandering all of the wealth of his inheritance, yet was still greeted with open arms by his father upon his return home.

I think of those who were forced to flee the rising waters of the Texas coast a couple of weeks ago, and of those who are fleeing the winds and rain of Hurricane Irma right now. I can only imagine that they are a desperately seeking a place of refuge where the doors are open and they are welcomed with open arms, regardless of their skin color, sexual preference, ethnic background or social status.

I think of them, of the devastation they have suffered, and all I can do is hope that if you have a sign in front of your church that says, “Everyone is Welcome”, you mean it. Or better yet, I hope that these signs will soon be unnecessary, that we will all work to come from a place of love, kindness, non-judgment, and acceptance.

Let us become those churches, ones governed so completely by the law of love, that people just know:

This church is a place of God, and everyone is welcome.

Tom

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