A Child's Offering

~~~ Acts 5: 34-42 ~~~ Psalm 27 ~~~ John 6: 1-15 ~~~

One of the Pharisees speaks up on behalf of the apostles; stopping their execution. He is thinking, as in the past, the whole movement would soon blow over. They were just to be patient and wait. If they thought this nonsense was just of men then it would soon die a normal death...lack of interest. They foolishly thought this was just a fad and would pass. The apostles gladly accepted the flogging sentence and again ignored the demand to stop speaking in the name of Jesus. Of course they did not comply.

The apostles held tightly to the words of Psalm 27...

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; of whom should I fear?”

“...I seek to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.”

They believed these words and it was evident through their actions.

They were so confident in their faith that they nearly mocked the ruling Sanhedrin to their faces. You should be very careful if you ever find yourself in contradiction with the will of God. Fighting against God is not a pretty site. Fighting against God just leaves you empty, alone, and often bitter.

It is far better to be like little children and trust in God’s plan.

Nothing is ever wasted with God. Whatever you bring before God he will use and in fact he will multiply it many times over. Do not ever feel as if you have nothing to offer God.

Remember he fed five thousand with a child’s offering of ‘five barley loaves and only two fish.’ Jesus always gives thanks to the Father first. I think that is the clue to abundance...giving thanks first. Jesus does not worry that the meager offering will insufficient...he gives thanks for the offering that it is.

Come without money...come to the table of the Lord...there will be leftovers.

 Even the smallest fragments together create abundance.

Give to God whatever you have no matter how small or seemingly insignificant

he can and will put it to good use.

The offering of a child was enough to feed five thousand...

How encouraging is that?

Generosity of the Spirit

~~~ Acts 5: 27-33 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ John 3: 31-36 ~~~

Well the officials soon decided to execute them. Facing death, the apostles insist on obeying God rather than man. The Holy Spirit has reinforced the will of these men beyond normal capacity. So bold were they that they were openly accusing these very officials of putting Jesus to death.

They may have found strength in the words of the psalmist,  "...the Lord confronts the evildoers, to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.”

It is good to remember when faced with adversities to draw strength from the Lord. He is abundant in all that is good. We but need to draw from this pool of living water.

The gifts of the Spirit are not rationed, as John states. We know, however that the ways of the Lord are not our ways. The ways of the Lord are from above. The ways of the Lord are not subject to the whims of societal pressures.

The generosity of the Spirit is boundless. There is a constant out pouring of grace streaming from the Spirit. Our responsibility is to open ourselves to receive it. Just as we cannot put water into a closed container; we cannot make use of this abundant grace with a closed heart.

 

God the Father sent down his love incarnate in Jesus.

The words of Jesus are one with the Father.

“Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28: 20

I invite you to sit in a comfortable chair today and visualize your heart opening to receive God’s magnificent grace. Pray to receive the graces necessary to be the person God meant for you to become.

John 3:16 "God so Loved..."

~~~ Acts 5: 17-26 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ John 3: 16-21~~~

The apostles were busy about the Lord’s work of healing mind and body. The Sadducees could not tolerate this lack of attention; they were so filled

with jealousy. They tossed them in jail again only this time God sent angels to release them to preach in the temple area. I can just imagine the frustrated officials saying to one another, ‘What ARE we going to do with these guys?’

John 3:16

 probably the most quoted verse in the Bible.

“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.”

You can find this verse on everything from stationery to t-shirts....from mugs to manger scenes. It is unlikely that we could ever grasp the full meaning of just the first five words much less adding the last seven words.

God’s word through the power of the Holy Spirit brought forth the Son.

The Trinity at its best...for us

Divine Trinitarian Wisdom

Together in unity with one another

they created something that would forever hold our attention.

 

 

Love so great can only be returned through loving one another as best we can with all of our humanity.

Does It Get Any Better?

~~~ Acts 4: 32-37 ~~~ Psalm 93 ~~~ John 3: 7b-15 ~~~

We are reminded again of how the community lived together and joined all of their possessions for the good of the others. The apostles acted with great power from the Holy Spirit. Well known people even came with generous offerings and gave them to the disciples who distributed the funds to the needy.

Life was good.

They were living in the joy of the Lord.

Living in Joy makes all the difference in the world. Our society today rarely exhibits joyful living. Every night we are fed a steady diet of crime and violence...hardly what one would consider joy.

Nicodemus is a well educated person. What Jesus is saying to him cannot be learned from studying books. Jesus is speaking of things that blossom within the heart. The works of the Spirit are too mysterious to be captured in words.

We cannot grasp heavenly things, we accept them in faith.

Just as Moses lifted the serpent and cured the poisonous snake bites...

Our Lord was lifted upon a tree, the cross, to cure us of our sinfulness and purchase for us eternal life.

Everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.

Live your life intending to bring joy to those around you.

Spirit of the Living God

~~~ Acts 4: 23-31 ~~~ Psalm 2 ~~~ John 3: 1-8

Released by the authorities Peter and John returned to the people and openly prayed for God to intervene on their behalf.  Believing they were merely the instrument at the hand of the Lord. They prayed for the gift of fortitude and as they prayed the place shook with the power of God. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

Those things which one cannot see are more difficult to understand. If I hear an unfamiliar sound during the night I try to listen more intently. My brain begins trying to place the sound with something I have heard before.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, has a similar problem. He understands what it means to be born of a woman. Jesus was speaking about another kind of birth. He was referring to a birth from above; a birth of the Spirit which comes from God.
The Breath of Heaven remains here with us.

The 'wind' of the Spirit comes upon you without being seen.

Sometimes the spirit comes as a cool gentle breeze you hardly notice, but you know it is there. The ways you look at things are different. Other times the Spirit comes over you with the power of a tsunami. You are profoundly and forever changed. I have most often felt the power of the Spirit during a retreat, even if I am staffing. At times the Spirit is just a subtle brush of a rose petal across your cheek.

May the Spirit of the breath of the Lord rest upon you.

Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.

Believing without Seeing

~~~ Acts 4: 32-35 ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~ John 20: 19-31

The community of believers came together and formed what today we might call a commune. They lived in peace and harmony sharing and helping one another. They were of one heart and mind. (Acts 4:32b)

John addresses his letter to Beloved, because all of us who believe are truly the beloved of God. If we are to claim that title as our own then it follows that we must clothe ourselves in love. God’s love, John reminds us is in keeping the commandments. If we fervently keep the commandments we will live a faith filled life. The Spirit will come to testify in your heart.

We are in the upper room the disciples have sequestered themselves either out of fear of grief. Either way they are finding comfort and safety together.

Jesus appears standing before them...blessing them with peace...a peace that could only come from him. He repeats this blessing to be sure it is heard by each one of them. I am here to free you from this closed space. I am here to commission you...to send you out. And with that the Holy Spirit pours forth with his breath. Your breath comes from inside of your lungs. It is what keeps you living, but now the breath of the resurrected

Jesus is the Holy Spirit.

God the Father sent forth the Son to become human and now the Son sends out the Spirit to fall upon them as breath. We cannot live without taking in air...a breath...We cannot live spiritually without the breath of the Spirit in our soul. Many beautiful songs have been written to this effect.

But wouldn’t you know while this wonder is taking place one person is missing, Thomas. The others tried to tell him about this visit from Jesus, but he just could not grasp what they were saying.

A week later Jesus returns just for Thomas. Jesus cared enough to make another appearance so that Thomas could come to also believe. Thomas was valuable to Jesus. Jesus wants Thomas to believe. Come here Thomas touch the wounds in my hands and side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.

Jesus will not let one of those he loves be prevented from believing. He will come again...he will try to show you one more time.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

My friends, this blessing is for us...we are among those who have not seen yet believe. This blessing is for those who will come to believe in the future.

All that we have been reading these last few days has been written to help us believe with more conviction.

I believe, Lord, help my unbelief!

No 'Gag Order': Resurection News Spreads

~~~ Acts 4: 13-21 ~~~ Psalm 118 ~~~ Mark 16: 9-15

The officials try to take charge of the conversion events by forbidding Peter and John to speak in the name of Jesus. Peter and John are compelled to spread the good news. They cannot comply with the decreed gag order.

If you have ever spent much time with a mentally ill person you soon figure out that they may not have all of the facts straight. Their mind often plays tricks on them. Things that are not real may seem very real to an emotionally unstable person.

We know that Mary Magdalene had had seven demons driven from inside her. So it is not surprising that when she first reported having seen the risen Jesus; she was not believed. She was not taken seriously.

Later the reports of the two travelers were not believed either. Perhaps they were delusional from the desert heat or lack of drinking water.

Still later Jesus appeared to the eleven while they were eating. Jesus expressed to them his disappointment in their disbelief. He wanted to say, hey guys I told you I would be raised up on the third day....

Have I EVER told you an untruth?

Now that his mission has been completed he sends them all out to tell the ‘whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.’

This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad!

You cannot keep this to yourself. It is meant to be shared.

All of you who have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ, alleluia. Gal.3:27

Today join me in praying for all those who live in oppressive societies.

Pray for those who cannot proclaim the good news of the Resurrection.

Also remember in prayer those who have given their life while professing their belief in God.