Today was a very important, memorable day at our church. It was Father’s Day, yes… and we honored our fathers and our Father in Heaven. But the real LIGHT of the day was the opportunity to be in church on this special Sunday when Mary Grace Reynolds, was presenting her first sermon as our official new pastor. MGR is fresh out of seminary, but she conducted the service as if she had ten years of experience! We are so blessed to have her at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, MT. If you ever are in our area on a Sunday, you MUST come and experience the Holy Spirit alive and well in this little community!!
Her sermon title was, “There’s a Light On.”
If you have followed my blog for a week or more, you know that most Sundays as I listen to the sermon, I take notes – and most of the time I take them in some form of poetry. Today was no exception. Here is what I heard through my JanBeek filter:
I feel the Holy Spirit Perched on my shoulder. How we understand where we’ve been Matters a lot as we grow older.
Even though this is a new beginning, We sit on the blessings and woes of the past. We incorporate these into who we are As we step into the future – at last.
Genesis One spoke to me this week. Looking at effortless, timeless majesty, We are reminded of God’s control As the mountains loom with no hesitancy.
God holds all the cards; we don’t! The utility of history – truth and facts – Reminds us to adapt historical records As we articulate how God in creation acts.
God’s power was articulated in Genesis By stories and memories told with persistence. The Israelites were reminded of their God Who breathed the world into existence.
The creation story reminded them of hope – The hope and identity they have in God. Our stories tell who and where we’ve been. They reveal our cracks, our cobwebs, our sin.
We can look back at the God Who turned the light on within us, And we notice God’s sovereignty – Grateful for how His Son freed sin from us.
The Israelites remember the pain They had in exile for so many years. We too remember the pain and grief Of life – and thank God for drying our tears.
As we move as a church body Into newness, remember the past. Recall how He kept the light on – And move joyfully into the future – at last.
God is in this place with us Sure as the sun continues to rise. We’re challenged to move forward now Knowing we’re guided by the Light of God’s eyes.
There’s a Light On! Embrace the Light! Amen.
Toward the end of the service, Mary Grace presented a beautiful Pastoral Prayer. I took notes as I prayed this prayer with her:
Holy God, be with us. Most High God, comfort and heal the afflicted. Lord, grant Your presence. Bring them out of their suffering. Lord, we know You can – and You do. Almighty God, whom we sometimes call Father, pour out Your spirit on all fathers who are working today to provide food for their families, and to keep them sheltered. Eternal God, whom we still call Father, You are so much more than earthly fathers. Make whole what has been broken. Most Loving God, we give thanks for all those we call father. Thanks for all those who sacrifice for their children. God, whom we call Father, we stand in praise and awe of Your Power. Remind us You are in the boat and You have the Light on! Amen
When I put the word “guidance” in my Pexel image search, this picture of a smart phone – bringing the GPS image to mind – came up on my screen. Is that your idea of guidance?
What kind of guidance does this second image bring to mind? Maybe allowing your surroundings, the sun and moon, the mountains, to guide you? Do they give you a sense of direction? Is that what guidance means to you?
A lighthouse guides ships through the night- Especially in a storm when it is hard to see the shore. This kind of guidance involves a light that points the way, gives a warning, keeps the vessel from crashing into the rocks.
I searched through many photos before finding the light that spelled guidance to me – and this one sort of does it.
It’s the Light that dawns Each morning as I look to the heavens And ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It’s the light of God that shines in and through me.
Where do you get your guidance? Do you pass it along to others Who are on the journey of life with you? Wise guidance from fellow believers is treasured.
If you look to others for direction And you play “Follow the Leader,” Be sure your guides are tuned in To the God of your Salvation!
In this Holy Week as we anticipate Easter, Look for guidance in prayer and the scriptures; Look for guidance in other Christ followers. Give guidance to the lost and help them.
Help them find their way this Holy Week To the foot of the cross where Jesus Showed us with His death and resurrection The true pathway to our final destination.
Jesus prays for our guidance daily
Let Him be your guide… And rejoice in the path He shows you: The LIGHTED Path to Eternal Life. Hallelujah! May He be your Guide forever!
EMBRACE GUIDANCE
Amen!
Have a Happy Holy Week! I send you lotsa love and hugs. JanBeek
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Yesterday I delivered some paperwork to a friend who is doing Bible Study with me once a week. It was a quiet Saturday morning – no wind (unusual for our windy valley). My friend wasn’t home, so I left the papers on her doorstep and texted her. When she returned home, the paperwork was long gone. The wind had come up and blew the packet to heaven only knows where!
Today’s sermon at the ZOOM meeting of Madison Valley Presbyterian Church here in Ennis, Montana was titled, “The Wind Blows Where it Will.”
Inspired by the scripture: John 3:1-17 (the story of Jesus & Nicodemus & the Holy Spirit) here are my sermon notes taken as I listened to Rev. Steve Hundley this morning:
The Wind Blows Where it Will
In the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus, two worlds collide. One is worldly and the other is Focused on where the Holy Spirit abides.
We often try to shrink our God Into something we can understand. But, we can’t fit God’s image Into something in this earthly land.
The dilemma we face is that We can’t think of God beyond Our own human capacity. That’s why it’s hard to respond.
John paints a picture of Nicodemus As a man of great knowledge. “Rabbi, we know…” he says, Addressing Jesus with a nudge.
Nicodemus thinks he has God Sized up and understood. He’s sure he knows how He fits Into this world… Oh, that we could!
Nicodemus tries to rope Jesus Into the narrow realm of “We know…” But every attempt fails. Jesus is a mystery – a wind that’ll blow.
It blows beyond our knowing. The Spirit blows beyond our capacity To understand with our finite minds. Does that surprise you and me?
We all have questions about the hereafter. No one can refute the image we hold, For our God’s life-giving grace Is bigger than can ever be told.
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light. But we cannot see clearly What God makes possible in His sight.
This scripture asks Nicodemus To let the Spirit carry him to A place beyond his imagination. It asks the same expansion of you!
“Rabbi, we know…” Ah, such assumptions!
John 3: 1-17
3:1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e]14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f]15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[g] 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Can’t embrace the wind! Even if we think we would like to… It can’t be contained!
Let’s try to embrace The beauty of God’s Spirit As it blows in us!
That’s a Bob Goff quote. His Spirit is Love personified. His book is “Love Does.” Do you know it?
And how about this oldie but goodie? Blowin’ in the Wind… Questions Nicodemus might have asked Jesus:
The answer is blowin’ in the wind. And with Easter upon us, the answer was hangin’ on a cross. Praise God, He is risen indeed!
The wind of the Spirit blows Into darkness and brings light.
The Wind Blows Where it Will
Thanks for visiting JanBeek today. May the Wind of the Spirit Blow Light into your darkness today. See ya tomorrow.
Freely share your light With all those who are near you Let it shine brightly
May your light inspire Those who need to know your Source Let your light shed peace
You can let the Light Shine through your soul to others You have that Light, too
As a Child of God His peace infiltrates your soul Let that peace escape
Embrace the Light!
My 1962 kindergartener, Ty Stiles, after whom I named my first child, died yesterday. I told you about him in a previous post: https://janbeek.blog/2021/01/09/embrace-hope/ on January 9th.
We have been praying for Ty. He had stage 4 liver cancer that metastasized. He was home on Hospice Care with his wife, Roxanne. Ty was a Child of God whose faith was strong. He told Roxanne that he wanted to – and was ready to – go to Heaven.
In my “Embrace Blueness” post 3 days ago, I shared how a broken heart resembles angel wings… and I wrote, “Ty is ready to let go pain. God is asking me to let go my blueness. Release the melancholy that blue sometimes represents, and instead, embrace the “delicate hues of sapphire, turquoise, and indigo” – and the promise of the vast blueness of Heaven where “Healing power pulses” and God is ready to transform the broken heart into angel wings.”
May light shine from you As easily as birds’ songs Cheering all near you
Thanks for visiting. I pray you feel the warmth of that LIGHT within you. Let it shine!!! Let it sing of God’s love in you. See ya tomorrow. Hugs, JanBeek
Trying to decipher John’s Interpretation of Christ’s birth Is like trying to grasp smoke. He says God’s Word created the earth.
And he explained that the Word Was the Light and the Life – – – Rejoice! He speaks as John the Apostle And switches to a heavenly voice.
John strips away the layers covering The original Word of God to earth. He helps us hear with spiritual ears The meaning of Christ’s unusual birth.
The Book of John is ethereal As he shares God’s creative power. He emphasizes that saying is doing Words are like a bud that produces flower.
So, when we say something, We need to think of the impact Those words have on others. Words spoken ripple out – no taking them back!
Just as God’s Word has the power To create light out of darkness, Our words also have the power To create beauty out of starkness.
So, a lesson of John’s Gospel Is to warn us: Watch what you speak! If you speak untruths carelessly, The results will not be what you seek.
Life and death are in the power Of the tongue – – – We eat its fruit. If you want your daily meal sweet, Use your tongue’s power for Truth.
The Word became flesh and made His home among us – He appeared In the form of our Savior, Jesus. Start here – Start where darkness was cleared.
Be Light for a Dark World.
Everlasting God, remind us again that Your Son is the light of the world, the way, the truth, and the life. Lead us by your light and truth. Looking for Jesus, let us find Him knowing that it is He who has come looking for us.
Talented musician and poet, Laura Sullivan, can look at her stats and know they spell SUCCESS. No doubt about it! When you earn your living as a musician – and you play to be heard, getting two and a half million listeners has got to be a rush. Don’t you think?
How About You?
How about you? Do you care how many followers you have on WordPress? Do you count a successful post by how many likes you get? Or by the number of comments? Or by the viewers the stats show?
Looking at your daily stats can reveal patterns that give you clues about what titles or numbers of posts per day can do.
BUT, they can be very discouraging.
What? All that effort and only 16 likes or comments?
When I look at my stats by the years instead of weeks or months, Wow! How encouraging! What a lot of improvement I made after I decided to post on a regular basis!
Hmmm, do those stats define success for me?
No! I won’t let numbers define me! But, look at those likes and comments for this 2020 year. Now, that can get my blood rolling through my veins at a quicker pace, can’t it?
Is it Numbers?
Oh no, wait! Are numbers why we do this? Are we motivated by our ability to reach out? Do our world views show us what we’re about?
Beware the Comparison Game!
When Cristian Mihai (The Art of Blogging) shows us his world map, every continent is colored in. It’s easy to play that comparison game – and decide you’re never gonna be good enough. Don’t fall into that trap!!
Define Your Purpose
Why do you blog? Is it for numbers? I doubt it!
Some people do it for money … they are full time bloggers and stats mean income. I understand that. But, my guess is that the majority of us are in it for the joy of being inspired and being an inspiration.
That’s my purpose! To spread positivity and optimism and to help us all just “Love One Another” more unconditionally.
When I get a response like the one below, that’s what makes it all worthwhile. That’s what makes my heart swell.
I want to be a “Beacon of Light and Hope.” Don’t we all??
Yesterday I receive this comment:
Whose Light?
Yes, I want to be a beacon of hope and light … and be unafraid to tell you where that light originates! I can’t fulfill my purpose alone! Only as I am connected to my source am I authentic enough to inspire. It’s not a candle that keeps burning on its own!
This is Vissoie, Switzerland. Our daughter and son-in-law have a restaurant here. Isn’t it beautiful?
We missed our visit with them this year. We are not even able to go to California to celebrate Christmas with our son and his family there. I bet we are not alone. Many of you are missing your visits with your family this Christmas, too.
We’ll miss being with our son, Ty, and having my sister, Sally with us this year.
What are you missing?
Photo by Maximiliano Ignacio Pinilla Alvarado on Pexels.com
Like this sad looking dog, we can sit around and look all mopey. We can focus on what we’re missing. Or we can go to Ann Kaplow’s blog this morning, try focusing on the positive, and answer her question, “Can you find something to celebrate in today’s images?”
Celebrate the fact that even though we feel the darkness of this Coronavirus and the isolation caused by this pandemic, we also can experience the LIGHT! The Light still shines – and we can reflect it!
Focus on the Reason for the Season
Let us not focus On the things we are missing But on our blessings
The light of God surrounds me The love of God enfolds me The power of God protects me The presence of God watches over me Wherever I am, God is.
My Sanctuary
I repeat that prayer As I begin every day, Standing in this spot.
I turn off the light And let God’s light shine through me – Reflecting His Love.
Everywhere I go, I have faith that everything Has His protection.
My view from my sanctuary
The Bible is full Of protection promises Here’s three hours worth!!!
No, I don’t expect you to sit here for three hours and listen to all these scriptures, but they prove a point… just as that nursing baby proves a point. Protection is out there. Protection is yours. “Wherever I am, God is.” Believe it! Own it!
God is my refuge… my Savior. Jesus said, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.”
I pray you feel His protection this day, too.
God bless you!
I hope you found comfort here.
The Lord is my Shepherd…. He refreshes my soul and guides me along the right path. Fear no evil…
Where’s God? Is God asleep? It seems to me In these days of COVID He is fast asleep at the helm. Where do His miracles abide today? God does not sleep in dark times; He lights a candle and waits for our enlightenment to see His path and find the dawn.
I was inspired by Dwight at Roth Poetry who wrote his quadrille using “Abiding Love” as his subject. Thank you, {{{Dwight}}} – I loved your poem. You will, too, dear WordPress friends! Check it out at
Care About Stats?
Do You Study Your Stats?
What do your stats tell you?
Talented musician and poet, Laura Sullivan, can look at her stats and know they spell SUCCESS.
No doubt about it! When you earn your living as a musician – and you play to be heard, getting two and a half million listeners has got to be a rush. Don’t you think?
How About You?
How about you?
Do you care how many followers you have on WordPress?
Do you count a successful post by how many likes you get?
Or by the number of comments?
Or by the viewers the stats show?
Looking at your daily stats
can reveal patterns
that give you clues
about what titles
or numbers of posts per day
can do.
BUT, they can be very discouraging.
What?
All that effort
and
only 16 likes or comments?
When I look at my stats
by the years instead of weeks or months,
Wow! How encouraging!
What a lot of improvement
I made after I decided
to post on a regular basis!
Hmmm,
do those stats
define success for me?
No! I won’t let numbers define me!
But, look at those likes and comments for this 2020 year.
Now, that can get my blood
rolling through my veins
at a quicker pace,
can’t it?
Is it Numbers?
Oh no, wait!
Are numbers why we do this?
Are we motivated by our ability to reach out?
Do our world views show us what we’re about?
Beware the Comparison Game!
When Cristian Mihai (The Art of Blogging) shows us his world map, every continent is colored in. It’s easy to play that comparison game – and decide you’re never gonna be good enough. Don’t fall into that trap!!
Define Your Purpose
Why do you blog?
Is it for numbers?
I doubt it!
Some people do it for money …
they are full time bloggers and stats mean income.
I understand that.
But, my guess is that the majority of us
are in it for the joy of
being inspired
and
being an inspiration.
That’s my purpose!
To spread positivity and optimism
and to help us all
just “Love One Another”
more unconditionally.
When I get a response
like the one below,
that’s what makes it all worthwhile.
That’s what makes my heart swell.
I want to be a “Beacon of Light and Hope.”
Don’t we all??
Yesterday I receive this comment:
Whose Light?
Yes, I want to be a beacon of hope and light …
and be unafraid to tell you where that light originates!
I can’t fulfill my purpose alone!
Only as I am connected to my source
am I authentic enough to inspire.
It’s not a candle that keeps burning on its own!
The flame is “This Little Light of Mine” and I don’t intend to hide it under a bushel!
Let it SHINE!!!
Who or what electrifies your light?
What prompts your posts?
Is it to inspire?
Let the stats speak…
But don’t let them be your only motivation.
SHINE!
Thanks for visiting
JanBeek.
See ya tomorrow.
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