“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God”
Have a lovely day filled with peace and the wisdom that comes from heaven.
Today’s sermon focused on the Good Shepherd. Here are my notes from interim pastor Brian Conklin’s message today.
Psalm 23 is one of the Bible’s Most memorized and loved scriptures. It is powerful, impactful, comforting. The care and protection are heartwarming.
The word shepherd means to be a friend – Be a faithful companion who cares. God is our friend, our closest companion. He is faithful; his presence surrounds me.
God guides me along the right paths. Solitude and quiet are part of my DNA. I reflect, marvel, and hear God’s voice. Solitude is not a sad time for me.
Life is tough; we encounter dark valleys, But as a person of faith, I’m comforted. I feel God’s presence and everlasting peace. My cup overflows… abundance is mine.
In a world of scarcity, I am blessed. God provides a voice to be trusted. His voice encourages me to follow Him to still waters. His still, small voice leads me to light, love and hope.
He is with me.
Hallelujah!
Amen?
Love, JanBeek (with my friend Stephanie at fellowship after church today)
By the way, we discovered today that Stephanie has a look-alike in Switzerland! My daughter, DeAna, sent me this photo of her choir girlfriends who were out enjoying social time together. It’s not hard to find Stephanie’s look-alike! I think they could be long-lost twins!!
Our daughter, DeDe, is the third from the right. Looks like they’re having fun, doesn’t it?
{{{Donna}}} posted this on her blog 6 years ago at https://thefathersfeet.wordpress.com/ She quoted Matthew … and I decided to repost this today to follow up on my post from yesterday where I explored the subject of seeking happiness. What are you seeking? {{{Donna}}} chose this:
Matthew 6:33-34 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. … Each day has enough trouble of its own… Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live … So don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. … “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.”
I asked Donna, “Do you know that song?” She replied, “I do!” and then she sent me the song she was singing.
Here’s the one I was singing:
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God…”
Here I am up in my sanctuary… early morning squished head!!
What is it you seek? Is it the Kingdom of God? Let’s pursue God first.
What are “all these things”? The scripture was referring to food and clothing… the basics… and reminding us how God takes care of the birds and the lilies of the field.
When I pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, I am seeking His wisdom. I am seeking the peace that only He can give. I am seeking understanding and the deep compassion that God’s Son taught us. I am seeking to exemplify His love ❤️ and the joy that comes with Trust in His Promises. 🙏🏽 I seek His righteousness so that I may exhibit greater patience, kindness, gentleness, and goodness.
Seek Ye first the kingdom of God … and all these things will be given unto you.
Jesus prays with me each day!
Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Pray for discernment I love the Lord’s perfect will Freckles and lashes!!
SnapChat can do wonders!
Hah!!
Do not let the world Trick you into seeking pride – It’s a dead-end street.
Do not let the world Trick you into seeking wealth – Not in hoarded coins.
Do not let the world Tell you what to dream about – Look in God’s Word.
Let the Son set you free. You shall know the Truth And the Truth shall set you free. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In all your ways acknowledge Him.
I pray for you, my friend… For your health, happiness, safety, And for God to guide you in His Way.
Sermon notes from Brian Conklin‘s message at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church today.
Isaiah painted a picture of people on their way. They arrive atop a mountain Where everyone has their say.
Nations shall not rise up Against other nations anymore. Isaiah promises our future Will hold that peace from shore to shore.
We’re all moving toward God’s judgement. Our hope is rooted to God’s future. Romans 13:11-14 says, “Live like people Who are headed for the dawn.”
God is asking us to wake up And be a people on the move… Moving toward God’s promised peace. Pick God’s goals as The Way you choose.
Don’t stop, my friends. The hike is worth it. The view is stunning from the top. You’re on a journey to the new Kingdom. So, be reminded: keep engaged; don’t stop.
Live in a way that causes you to see There is a beautiful Kingdom to come. Love, pursue peace, and resist darkness. Walk in the light of the Lord. Don’t be dumb!
No, Brian’s sermon didn’t include “Don’t be dumb!” I had to add that cuz it caught my mood – – – And besides, I needed something that rhymed with kingdom!
Happy first day of Advent! Did you go to church today? If so, what message did you take away? What does this Advent season mean to you?
What does it mean to have a date in the church called King Sunday?
When I googled it, I learned, “Though the date is variable, Christ the King always occurs in late November. This is especially providential in America, where elections happen in early November. After the long drama of election season, both winners and losers are reminded that Christ is the true King, and that his rules will ultimately judge all human authorities.”
It went on to say, “In the Presbyterian Churches, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA), at the Feast of Christ the King (Feast of the Reign of Christ) “the church gives thanks and praise for sovereignty of Christ, who is Lord of all creation and is coming again in glory to reign (see Revelation 1:4-8)…”
With that in mind, our sermon today at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church explored the life of Christ and how we interpret the Kingship of Jesus in today’s world. Here are my sermon notes:
This is the beginning Of Advent season. We get caught up In the season’s reason.
Yet as we move Into the humble life Of Jesus, we see A family facing strife.
Luke tells us of Jesus’ Arrival at Golgotha Hill And he asks us to look At the Truth – and be still.
Jesus (King of the Jews) was handed over To face death on the cross. Some people want to pass by That time of pain and loss.
We want to skip the crucifixion And go from Virgin Birth To Christ’s ministry and then His ascension from this earth.
But during this time of year, We need to embrace the season Of Christ the King’s ministry And see Jesus’ life’s reason.
Why was Jesus condemned When His was a life of love? He extended grace to all Who believe He was God above.
He was superior to all creation And He lived a life of peace. We need to align ourselves with Jesus’ teachings. He’s in our reach!
As people of faith, we must Reflect Christ’s justice and grace. Christ died to redeem us – Us believers who will see His face.
Endure – because Christ the King promised We will be with Him in Paradise. Pray for justice for all – Turn from evil, Accept His enduring Faith – and be nice!!
Amen?
I hope your Christ the King Sunday was a blessed one! Love ya, JanBeek
One of my blogging friends today wrote this message, “Wrote a tanka today to get into the rhythm of saying more with less. It’s a japanese short form poetry system with 5-7-5-7-7 syllable scheme. Give it a try!”
So I decided to do just that. How about you? You wanna give it a try, too?
I’m an open book Filled with whimsy and color Easy to be read Very hard to be ignored Noisy and provocative
God bless you, my friends. Have a Super Saturday. It’s “No Kings Day” here No, not “Hate America!” Protect our Constitution!
I’m picking to fight for more love unity and respect in this world!
With gentleness and respect I choose to fight for a better world
Fight to replace controversies and arguments with more love and joy.
Love, JanBeek
ben Alexander (David) from the Skeptic’s Kaddish blog https://skepticskaddish.com/ invited us to write a poem or prose with exactly 49 words today. So, the blog above does that. Thank you, David, for the challenge.
I can sit quietly and wallow in this life called retirement. Like a child wallowing gleefully in a mud puddle, bouncing, splashing, and a puppy rolling in it, I can roll through my days, bounce from one activity to the next, and make a splash as I enter my 14th year of blogging.
Once upon a time my blog had hundreds of followers but as time went by, things changed, I changed, and priorities changed. Life is like that. But I still maintained my connection with a small group of blogging friends. We have sent sunshine into each other’s lives. Come join us today!
After a few years of dwindling posts, I have decided to return to my quest to encourage love, joy, peace, faith and unity through daily blog posts. Thank you for joining me.
Waking each morning from a restful night’s sleep I can make myself a cup of coffee, climb the circle staircase to my sanctuary, and sit quietly in my rocker. I can (with the help of my hearing aids) hear the ticking of the clock.
I can sync my breathing to the clock’s rhythm. Try it.. You can do it, too. Slow down. Breathe
I can listen for the voice of the Almighty as I rock gently to the rhythm. I can read my daily devotionals and meditate on God’s Word. I can plan my day as I tune in to God’s will for me today.
Praise God! Count my blessings. Pray for my family, friends, country, and this world. Confess my shortcomings, and ask for forgiveness. I CAN live each day with purpose. You can, too. Let’s do!
Let’s sit quietly and ask God for guidance. You with me?
