“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?
The inspired, hopeful scripture and another inspirational Sunday sermon from our dear Interim Pastor, Brian Conklin, yesterday at Madison Valley Presbyterian Church
The Glorious New Creation
17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating, for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy and its people as a delight. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it or the cry of distress. 20 No more shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days or an old person who does not live out a lifetime, for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. 21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. 22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat, for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain or bear children for calamity,[a] for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.
The world seems very fragile Seems everything’s falling apart Between despair and hope we are Wondering how to take heart
Promises and warnings go hand in hand Isaiah speaks of a new world beginning He promises the Kingdom has arrived But Luke reports Jesus’ warnings of sinning
Luke 21:5-19 NRSV Updated Edition
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”
Signs and Persecutions
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’[a] and, ‘The time is near!’[b] Do not go after them.
9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance, 15 for I will give you words[c] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.
Jesus tells of a world that trembles He encourages us to stand and endure “By your endurance you will save your soul” Dig deep into your heart and persevere
We’re caught between joy and sorrow We’re asked to trust God even when we Can’t see evidence of His promises The Kingdom of God is now and not yet to see
Where you see the church planted, you see Signposts that point to the kingdom to come God’s love wins out over human nature So keep speaking peace over poverty and slum
God’s love holds us together when we feel The world is falling apart at the seams May we see even now glimpses of this New Heaven and New Earth – and know what it means.
Today our 9 1/2 month old pup, Kenny, received a new toy in the mail from our bonus daughter, Laina. She seems to find just the right things for us and for Kenny, and manages to send them just when we need them most. Cookies and a book for Bob. A special message and gift for me… her timing and choices are perfect! Kenny really is enjoying his new toy:
Kenny is so playful! He heard this video and it really set him off!
I hope you are having a lovely, playful start to summer, too. Kenny wears himself out and then goes to sleep. Cheers, my friends!
Happy 2nd day of Summer. I hope you’re having beautiful weather. Our rainbow tonight as beautiful as they come!!
God bless you and give you peace. We need peace in this world. Let’s create it in the corner where we are!
God bless you all… and pray with me for peace in this troubled world.
When you’re in your mid-80’s and both your parents died before their 90th birthdays, it’s natural to think about your own death.
It’s the winter season of my life. Family and friends are leaving this earth before me. Many are a decade or more younger than I.
Yesterday I received a message from a friend. Her husband has been battling lung cancer I’ve been praying for him and his wife daily. He developed pneumonia recently.
Along with his other health issues, lung cancer and interstitial lung disease, she wrote, “That wasn’t a good mix!” Sadly, he passed away.
But soon the “sadly” changed to “gratitude.” She continued, telling me, “… alert, no pain, and telling stories right up to the end.” What a wonderful blessing that was!
No, this isn’t him, but I can imagine the scene. “All of us were with him,” she wrote. “He said he was ready to meet Jesus. His faith was unbelievably strong.
He let everybody know he was joyfully checking out.” My friend played Merle Haggard’s song on her cell phone: Sing Me Back Home, and put the phone by his ear. He smiled, closed his eyes, “So long ’til we meet on the other side.”
How d’ya wanna die? I’ve decided my friend’s scenario is the one I want when I leave this earth. How about you?
T is for Trouble! KT is for Kenny Trouble!! How long do you think it took Kenny to remove these 8 tassels?
Where did they come from?
Oh, my poor pillow!! Four tassels gone from each end!!!
I was up in my sanctuary having my peaceful time in prayer, Bible study, and devotionals. And Kenny?
He was barking at Bob to come play with him!
Bob didn’t see him sitting by the door asking to go out. A dump in the floor was the consequence. Oh my!!!
Kenny sure can get into trouble when we don’t pay attention to him.
We need to keep our noses alert to Kenny trouble!
How about you? Do you spell trouble with a capital T when you’re ignored?
Yup, me, too!
Facing Trials
In the journey of faith, we encounter various trials that test our strength, resilience and patience. The Bible reminds us that facing troubles is part of life, and rather than shunning them, we can embrace them as opportunities for growth. These challenges, while tough at the moment, can refine our character and deepen our reliance on God. By reflecting on Bible verses about troubles, we can find encouragement and hope, realizing that God walks with us every step of the way. Our “Oh My!” can change to “Oh Thanks!” as we turn in prayer with those trials. God, will You play with Kenny?
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1:2-3
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” – 1 Peter 5:10
Ah yes… God will make us strong and steadfast. But God, will You restore my pillow? And what about this rambunctious Kenny? Oh my, will You send over a playmate for him? Oh, and while You are at it, will you send over a buyer for our kayak? It’s too heavy for Bob to manage it these days. We took it down from its hooks on the garage ceiling… and it’s sitting outside waiting for the right person to come and buy it … and enjoy many years of kayaking fun (just as we have).
Kenny would love to go out on Ennis Lake with it. Wouldn’t you? Oh my! I need to do my French lesson and this pup wants to play. Come play with him!!
Sending playful fun your way. Hugs, too… from JanBeek
All the AI images depicted a man’s hands with tools.
Is that what image comes to mind when you think of the word REPAIR?
Since I am in a healing mode after my nasty fall when we were in Italy, and my leg is healing from an ugly cut earlier this month, my image for repair comes from a different place. I am looking for God to repair my body! Here is scripture assuring me, He will do that!!
“For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord…”
God uses the healing hands of His servants to help repair our bodies when they need it. I am so grateful for the physical therapist, the nurses, and the doctors who help to repair our wounds, our breaks, our cuts, our boo-boos!!
What comes to mind for you when you think of the word REPAIR?
Maybe it is the repair of a broken relationship. If so, I willl pray that this Christmas season with God’s help, you can do that! God bless you with whatever repair you need. I pray it will come to pass!
