Counting Your Blessings

This time of the year with Thanksgiving approaching makes me as a pastor want to offer up thanks to God for the blessings that have transpired through the year.  Yes, as a pastor I do have my ups and downs in ministry.  Not everything turns out as I would like.   However, I realize that my ministry "runs" on God's grace and know that my own strength will not always carry the day.

Here is a list to what I offer up to God in prayer for what I am thankful at this time:

1.  Thank you for another year of ministry in Word and Sacrament.
2.  Thank you for the visitors who have come to explore ministry at Savior Divine.
3.  Thank you for helping us to get the financing for our bus ministry for this year.
4.  Thank you for some new riders on the bus.
5.  Thank you that we were able to repave our parking lot (and for the generosity of Moraine Valley Community Church)
6.  Thank you for the many people in the congregation who have helped in the different aspects of worship.
7   Thank you for the many people we have been able to serve through Elsie's Pantry and for the many vendors and individuals who have donated food.
8.  Thank you we were able to do a special concert in the summer to help us raise money for our ministry.

I feel that we have been blessed in many ways to carry out our ministry!

For what are you offering up thanks in prayer to God at this time of the year?  Is any of it connected to your experience at church?

The Ebola Virus Calls for Our Prayers

Last Sunday I prayed in worship that the Ebola virus would be contained and not spread.  I realize that it is not just the churches in Liberia and the other countries nearby that need to do the praying, but that this must be an international effort.  Just as various nations are going to help with dealing with this outbreak, there must be the prayers from folks throughout the world to deal with this devastating disease.

Now, it is reported that for the first time a patient in the United States has been identified with this disease.

We need to pray for the those afflicted.
We need to pray for the medical staff helping those who are afflicted.
We need to pray for other resources that are needed and are being provided.
We need to pray that this virus would not spread widely to other places.

Here is where you can come with prayer.  You may be one among many people praying.  Yet, I believe each person's prayer is respected by God.  I invite you to pray for the many different ways that help is needed.  It is a risk for the healthcare workers involved.  They are willing to help tackle this virus.  Hopefully, in short time the illness and death caused by this virus will disappear.

Praying to Determine What Is Best

I begin a sermon series on the apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians this coming Sunday.  As I was reading through the first chapter, I came across these words:

"And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless,...."
Philippians 1:9-10.

Paul would pray for those in Philippi in order that they would make the best decisions possible in living the Christian life and therefore stand well when Christ returns.  I noticed how Paul connects love with knowledge and insight.  Even in loving others, we might need some help.  For instance, if I am to love someone with whom I am on bad terms, I know it won't be easy. I might be unwilling do it.  However, if I am informed through what the Gospel means and Jesus words, I might reflect on "loving your enemy" and come to the conclusion that my love is to extend to this person.  If I then go ahead and show love in a tangible way, I might win this person over in my relationship (even for Christ).

Have you ever found yourself in a situation of not really knowing what to do?  This is why we might need to pray even for ourselves in loving others.  We would want to know how to respond properly so that we will be well-pleasing to Christ.

Praying for the Right Persons

Oftentimes, we find there are positions that need filling in the church or we are seeking volunteers for a special project.  My question is:  Is prayer a component in your decision making?

We can take our cue from Jesus himself...

"Now during those days he went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles:..."  Luke 6:12-13

You would notice here that it wasn't a quick one minute prayer on the run; rather, Jesus spent the entire night in prayer.  He realized the importance of selecting those who would help to launch his ministry to the world.

What we would also learn is that the disciples he chose may not have met our standards, whether it was an impetuous Peter or a sly tax collector by the name of Matthew.  We might have really questioned Jesus' choices.  On the other hand, because he was in prayer, he was led to select these specific individuals.  There was something special about each of those twelve in what they would contribute.

Our prayers for working with certain individuals in the church ought also to be as discerning.  From their appearance, we might not feel they are qualified.  However, we may be led by the Spirit to these individuals because of how God can use them.

Are you willing to pray for the important people you need to work with in your ministry?

Do You Have the Time to Pray?

Each of us has only so many minutes each day.  We need to eat; we need to sleep; we need to get our work done - whatever that means for us.  The question is: How am I using my time?  

It's been said that if you want to get something done, you make the time for it!  It doesn't take much in our fast pace way of living to get caught up in so many non-essentials.  Okay, so what about texting?  I certainly realize that there are times when texting is important to us.  We need to convey an important short message to a family member that we have arrived safely while on a trip.  But there are other times when texting is done just for the enjoyment of saying a few words to someone else.

Of course, texting takes some time whether it is a minute or two minutes.  But do you find at least that amount of time for prayer each day?  Do you become so burdened with the trivial things (read non-essentials) that your schedule crowds out prayer?

I invite you to take the time to consider what time you do give to prayer each day?  How do you value your relationship with God?

A Great Day for a Prayer Walk

I usually try to get more and more walking in each day.  I feel it is not only good for my health but also good for my mind.  It gives me thinking time.

Today, I decided to use my mind but in the form of a prayer walk down the streets around the church. As I passed by houses, I prayed for the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of those who live there.  I am not sure how many people don't know Christ as Savior and I don't know how many people are unchurched.  I feel I can always pray that the Spirit would work in those whom I passed by and they would be stirred to greater searching in their lives for having a closer relationship with God.

Sometimes, we wonder what can we all do for the kingdom of God.  It doesn't always have to be something of a great magnitude like an extensive service project.  It can simply be offering our prayers up to God to pray for those to grow in their faith.

If you have the time, I would encourage you to do such a walk!  It will be good for your health and also for the kingdom of God.

Jesus Praying for Your Faith

Certainly in the life of Jesus, we discover how much he is concerned about our physical needs.  We find him feeding the multitude and healing the sick.  Jesus also has a concern for our spiritual needs - as in our faith.  I recall the words of Jesus to Peter:

"Simon, Simon, listen!  Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."  Luke 22:31-32.

Jesus saw the power of Satan in the life of Peter and still wants Peter to remain strong.  I would believe that Jesus has the same concern for you and me.  He is continually praying that our faith would not depart from him.  He realizes the many temptations that come our way.  Satan is continually on the prowl to make us doubt God's promises and perhaps even God's existence and not to trust Jesus for our living.

In our own struggles with faith, we can rest assure that Jesus is praying to God that we will keep the faith until the end.  Do you believe this will strengthen your own faith?