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Posts tagged ‘religion’

Dogwood

Day 4 of the A-Z activity of “What Makes Me Happy.”

Little did I realize when I chose Dogwood for my D word what I would learn about this beautiful tree (now a large bush)!

Dogwood and Daddy are in the same pocket of my heart. This picture of my daddy was taken under the dogwood tree in my brother-in-law’s back yard in central California about two and a half decades ago. I treasure it because it captures my father’s sweet disposition and kindness so perfectly. That tree is not gnarled and twisted as the Legend of the Dogwood tree suggests. But the blossoms are as the legend describes in this poem I found on the Internet this morning:

I didn’t know this legend until now. How did I miss it all these years? Did you know it?

What’s the D word that makes YOU happy?

Category:

Bible Lessons, Family, happiness, Jesus, Life and Death, Love

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Accept His Love

 Here are my sermon notes from today’s message

by Rev. Jean Johnson

at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church

in Ennis, Montana…

based on Mark 10:17-31

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“Come Follow Me”

 

The rich young ruler

Appears in Gospels, three.

He must be very important.

Who is he to me?

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Well, he was told to sell

Everything he owned

And follow after Jesus –

Leaving riches he had sown.

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Jesus looked at the man

And loved him through and through.

He offered him eternal life.

Has He offered that to you?

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Yes, Jesus tells us

To come and follow Him.

He loves us even though

His request seems mighty grim.

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He wants us to relinquish

All the things we have and love.

He asks that we give all

In response to God above.

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”All” may not be the same

For you as it is for me,

Because it’s all we love so much

That it’s taking away what’s free.

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Depending on possessions

For comfort and for peace

Takes away the chance for gifts

And blessings that never cease.

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The rich young ruler

Wouldn’t give up a thing,

And so he lost the chance

To eternally hear the angels sing.

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Don’t make the ruler’s error.

Don’t miss God’s gifts for thee.

Give up the things that bind

And accept His love for free.

 

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Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Jesus, Living in Christ's Family, Love

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Do You Reek?

I don’t control

Others’ noses.

Some say I reek!

Others say

It’s a Holy Fragrance.

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Because I know Him,

Because I praise Him daily,

I adopt the joy of His Presence,

And come out smelling

Like a rose.

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Because I love Him,

Because I immerse myself

In His Scripture daily,

I come out smelling

Like a rose.

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Because I worship Him,

Because I hang out with Him,

I absorb His fragrance

And come out smelling

Like the aroma of Christ.

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You are His fragrance

In a world of smells.

You gather His aroma

As you know, praise, worship,

Love, and hang out with Him.

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God Bless You,

My special Blogging Friends.

Immerse yourself in Him,

And you’ll come out

Smelling like a rose, too!

Category:

Faith, Jesus, Love

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Share Your Saltiness!

Share Your Saltiness!

.

(If you’ve followed my blog

for awhile, you know it’s my habit

to take poetic notes while listening

to Rev. Jean Johnson’s sermons

in our Ennis, Montana Presbyterian Church.

If you’re new to JanBeek, now you know!

Here are my notes from today’s message

based on the scripture in Mark 9:38-50)

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I take salt for granted.

I simply know it’s good.

I understand it preserves

and flavors food – as it should.

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Salt is a part of life.

It’s here among us all.

So, why did Jesus talk

About lack of salt this fall?

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Where’s the Good News

In Jesus’ message of salt?

If salt loses its taste,

Am I, dear Lord, at fault?

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We, as the church, are called

To be the Salt of the Earth.

If we lose our saltiness,

We forget our Christian birth.

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Born into the faith, we’re given

The spices of zest and grace.

We’re called to season every need,

To help each hurting face.

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Our salt is meant to sprinkle

Both saint and sinner – the same.

Remember, we all are sinners, too,

So share your saltiness in Jesus’ name.

.

Amen?

(And this Sunday afternoon I’m wondering,

Do you s’posed Jesus might have had this

salty sharing in mind? Come on over!)

Oh goodness! Is that sacrilegious? Or just some of my saltiness spilling out?

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Poetry, Serving One Another, Sharing

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Persistent Prayer

Answered Prayer

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Recently
I posted about the heartbreak
of not seeing my great-grandson
as often as I would like to.
In spite of the fact that
he and his mom & dad live
less than five minutes from us,
we are fortunate if we see him
once every three or four weeks.

I have prayed often about
this situation that makes me sad.
Well, God does hear our prayers,
and his busy parents do care.
Yesterday they came by and
we were able to spend
three quality hours together.
What a joy!

Do you have a prayer that
you feel God is not hearing?
Don’t give up! Keep asking.

Remember the story in Luke 18
of the persistent widow
who kept nagging the judge
because he seemed to care nothing
for the poor and the needy?
“My rights are being violated,
Protect me!” she nagged.

Because of her persistent badgering,
the judge finally did something
to see that she would get justice.
In verses 6-8, Jesus told the people,
“Do you hear what that judge,
corrupt as he is, is saying?
So what makes you think
God won’t step in and work for justice
for those who continue
to cry out for help?”

I cried to God for more time
to spend with my great-grandson.
God knew I am dependent
on my granddaughter to bring  him here.
God heard my persistent prayer.
God didn’t mind my badgering.
God was teaching me patience.
And appreciation.

Thank you, God, for answering
my persistent prayer.

Keep asking, my friends.
God is listening.

Category:

Bible Lessons, children, Faith, Family, Gratitude, Love

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Free Gift

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Free Gift

Don’t let your past
Keep you from the Throne of Grace
You are forgiven.

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Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Haiku, Love, Promises, Sharing

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Self-Love

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Self-Love

You’ve been told many times
That you have to love yourself
Before you can freely give
Love to someone else.

Well, toss that idea away.
It’s a lie – it’s pure deceit.
If that’s an idea you cling to,
You’re headed for defeat!

The love you have to give
Did not come from yourself.
It came from your divine Maker.
He gifted you with this wealth.

You were made in His image.
You were loved from the very start.
You have love that’s overflowing
From your Heavenly Father’s heart.

Accept with joy the unconditional gift.
Then pass it on to all you meet.
You’ll find by giving back that love,
Love is a two-way street.

I love you, dear and precious reader.
I love that you came to visit.
I freely give my love to you…
Pass it on!
Self-love’s not a prerequisite.

Category:

Giving, Love, Sharing

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Let His Love Light Shine

Sermon notes from 6/3/18 – Rev. Jean Johnson’s message inspired by Mark: 2:23 – 3:6 – filtered through the ears & pen of Jan Beekman

Let His Love Light Shine

 

We are servants of God,

So, do not lose heart.

The glory of God has shined

In and through us from the start.

 

Jesus Christ is our Lord.

He rose victorious from the dead.

His resurrection assures us

When we die, we’ll live instead.

 

The Lord surely restores us.

He guards and lovingly guides us.

The Lord, our God, is here

In us; seeking, He finds us.

 

Through the Holy Spirit,

God communicates. Hear Him speak.

We are called to carefully listen –

To obey boldly; don’t be meek.

 

Christ’s Glory is the glory of

Truth and Love shining through

In the midst of death and decay.

It’s forgiveness for me and for you.

 

God calls us to continually be

Followers in Truth and Love.

Our job is to live the Gospel message.

Let His Light shine through you from above.

 

Amen?

Amen!

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Living in Christ's Family, Love, Serving One Another

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New Life

… the strength of His — ?

How would you finish that?

Here are my notes from Easter Sunday’s sermon.

What does this message say about God’s strength?

When you die, your body is buried.

Life’s circumstances can bury us, too.

But God comes and unburies us.

That’s the Easter story – true.

God grants us peace in Truth.

He promises to save our souls.

He removes the stone that

Seals us from our goals.

I cannot roll the stones away;

They’re too heavy for me to lift.

But Jesus, in His death & resurrection

Opens the sealed. What a gift!

In His death of pain and suffering,

Jesus took our stones of grief.

He opened The Way to joyful life –

He cleared the Path. What a relief!

Life unburied is a new creation.

Christ took the old – rolled it away.

Christ is risen – your old life’s buried.

What will you do with New Life today?

Category:

Bible Lessons, Faith, Life and Death, Love

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Taste

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TASTE

It’s a matter of observant living
To determine your preferred taste.
Experience, family, childhood
All form the world we’ve faced.

Some choose spices like ginger.
Some put honey in their tea.
Some wear clothes of pinks and blues.
Reds and greens are right for me.

Is religion a matter of taste?
Do we make God what we like?
Do we choose our Scriptures
As we’d select a trail to hike?

Do we choose to interpret
What we think the words should mean?
Is ours a God of condemnation,
Or does He wipe our sin slates clean?

Is your God one who loves us all
Or does He only favor those
Who are righteous through and through –
From their heads down to their toes?

The “Chosen People” are the ones
Who are called to show what it is
To be totally, wholly, unconditionally
Loved by God, to be forever His.

We are called to love as freely
As God loved us as sinners.
He didn’t reserve His affection
For only the faultless winners.

If that had been the message,
We’d all be lost for sure
Since none of us is spotless, perfect.
None of us is sinless, pure.

God sent His Son, Jesus,
To help us get a taste of living His Way.
Love extravagantly as Christ did.
Determine to taste and spread His love today.

Amen?

Category:

Faith, Living in Christ's Family, Love

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