Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I joke that I’m a bitter old man. I like my coffee bitter. I like my beer bitter. I like my chocolate with a hint of bitterness. I’m really not bitter – at least in my heart. However, right now, as I type, I’m more than a little disappointed. Why? I had a big weekend coming up with lots of celebrations. And then – COVID! For that I’m a little bitter.

Our Old Testament lesson this week is about bitterness. Naomi is a woman who seems okay. Her family finds refuge from a famine. Her sons get married to local women. Things are okay … until her husband dies and then her two sons die. Leaving her all alone in a foreign country with nobody to look after her. Which means one thing – without a man to care for her, she’d be left to a life of poverty. Her life went from sweetness to bitterness. (Ruth 1:1-5)

But bitterness isn’t the end of Naomi’s story. Things started looking up when she heard “the Lord had visited His people and given them food.” (Ruth 1:6) So she decided to return home. And one of her daughters-in-law, Ruth, decided she’d return with her saying, “Where you go I will go … your God (shall be) my God.” (Ruth 1:16) 

What Naomi may not have realized is that throughout her bitter suffering, God was with her, providing for her. As we read the rest of the Book of Ruth we see God providing Naomi comfort, even restoring her family through Ruth. Ruth ends up marrying a man named Boaz and having a son Obed. Obed fathers Jesse who fathers David, the shepherd who would become king of Israel and part of the long line leading to Jesus, the Messiah. (Ruth 6:13-17) 

Naomi’s bitterness was real – just as ours is real. But throughout it, God promises to be with us – sustaining, rescuing, and leading us through the bitterness into the sweetness of eternity. We catch a glimpse of this promise in the life of Naomi.

                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Michelle Arseneault on Wikimedia Commons

Dear Saints,

When we think of laws, we generally don’t think of them as “good”. They might be necessary, but “good” is not a typical descriptor. After all, we don’t typically like things placing limits on us or hemming us in. On first glance, that’s what laws often seem to do. But when we think about it, laws do benefit us by creating order in our lives and helping us see where to go and how to get there the best way.

God’s word has two main themes. One of them is called “the law”. The law describes the things we’re supposed to do or not do to live the lives God created for us to live. But often the law seems to limit our fun and hem us in. However, Paul tells us, “The law is good, if one uses it lawfully.” (1 Timothy 1:8) 

And how is the law used “lawfully”? It’s not intended to oppress us, limit us, or hem us in. It’s intended to show us the ways in which God created us to live. It also shows us the ways in which we all act, in one way or another, as “lawless and disobedient” sinners who need God’s mercy and grace …

Which brings us to the other theme in God’s word, “the gospel” – the good news. We, along with Paul, the other Apostles, and every disciple of Jesus Christ, have all fallen into sin. But the good news – the gospel – for all of us is “the grace of our Lord overflowed for (us) with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus … (who) came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:14-15) which includes you and me (Romans 3:23). Through faith in Jesus, the law shows us our need for a savior, that our savior is Jesus, and that we are forgiven.

And we’re forgiven for a reason … for Jesus to display His love to others through us so others might also believe in Him for eternal life. Yes indeed, the law is good!

                                                                                Saint By God’s Grace,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: StockVault.net

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Three easy steps! Don’t you love it when a problem is solved in “Three Easy Steps”?! The reality is that though the promise of these easy steps is alluring, it’s often not easy. And then, when it gets tough – as it often does – we can get frustrated and quit.

One of the problems we face is sin. But because we’re baptized Christians, we can think this problem is easily solved. Simple – become a disciple of Jesus and be forgiven. And that’s true to a point. But there’s more to living as a disciple of Jesus than simply being forgiven. Jesus tells us there are three steps to becoming His disciples. But He also tells us they are “not-so-easy” steps saying, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own (family and friends) … bear his own cross … and renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26-27, 33) Three steps, but not so easy.

“Hating” is a strong word – and here it means to “disfavor, disregard” in the sense that one must put God and His commands ahead of even family and friends … even if it might cause those relationships to break apart. He also commands us to “renounce” – that is to say, “Goodbye” to our worldly possessions. In between, we’re called to “bear our crosses” – understanding that giving up family, friends, and possessions that get in the way of truly following Jesus might be painful to do while we live this life. But this “not-so-easy” three step process is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.

Fortunately, God doesn’t expect us to follow these steps alone. He sends us the Holy Spirit who guides us to count the cost of what it’s going to take to follow Jesus and then helps us to follow Him to the end. Let us then trust God to do just that … to lay the foundation and then build-up our lives in such a way that we will finish it, entering God’s kingdom for all eternity.

                                                                                In His Grace,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

CREDIT: DALL-E3 AI

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Hearing and listening, these are two very different things. Hearing is passive. It happens automatically. Realize it or not, you hear all kinds of things – cars passing by, a building’s beams creaking, others’ voice. But most of these sounds are tuned out. Listening involves hearing, but it’s active. When you listen, you pay attention and try to understand the sound to learn. Both start with the ear, but listening goes much further … into the mind and even the soul as the sounds heard change you.

God’s word is spoken all the time. The question is, do you listen to it … or just hear it? God desires for us to listen to Him, “See that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns from heaven.” (Hebrews 12:25) God speaks to His people – in the old days through the voices of His prophets, apostles, and Son Jesus as they walked the earth. Today He speaks to us through His word and His church. Yet too often, while we might hear it, we don’t listen to it. We’re a little like the people who told Jesus, “We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.” (Luke 13:26) The problem is, they thought it was good enough to simply be in Jesus’ presence. They heard Him teaching, but they didn’t listen. And because they didn’t listen, nothing changed. Their hearts remained hardened. Their words and actions remained selfish. Their faith remained dead. And, as Jesus warns, they wouldn’t be able to enter the kingdom of heaven through the narrow door.

But God desires for us to listen to Him so we can enter His kingdom through the narrow door. So let us actively listen to God and respond, “striving for peace with everyone, and for holiness” that we may “obtain His grace” and see the Lord face to face. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

                                                                                In His Grace,

                                                                                Pastor Jim

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

July 31st is a key date in the baseball season. It’s called the “trade deadline.” By a certain time on this day, teams must trade for the key player they think is going to help them succeed in the season, the playoffs, and the World Series. However, sometimes, it’s not about adding a great player. Sometimes teams unload a player who’s become a distraction. Suddenly, through “addition by subtraction” the team improves.

Jesus has many nicknames, including “Prince of Peace.” It’s odd to hear Him say, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” (Luke 12:51) Then He describes whole families divided against each other – parents and kids, kids-in-law and parents-in-law. How can a “Prince of Peace” cause so much division? It’s a little like “addition by subtraction.”

For many, peace is only lack of conflict. If you’re not fighting, you’re at peace. To many this often looks like going along to get along. Even if I see something wrong, “I’m not going to make waves. You do your thing, I’ll do mine.” Even followers of Jesus often don’t want to make waves. So they let others do things counter to God’s word without lovingly calling them to repentance for their sin – all in the name of “peace” … a lack of conflict. 

Unfortunately, when “peace” between people exists in this way, peace between God and man doesn’t. Sin is conflict between us and God as we disobey His will for us. In calling for division, Jesus calls on us to call sin what it is - SIN! Even if it creates division in the world’s eyes. He desires people to know their sin and then repent of it to receive God’s forgiveness – the peace that surpasses all understanding and leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom. It's only by dividing people against their sinful nature – even if it causes conflict this side of heaven – that true peace, unity in Christ, is possible. This is the ultimate addition by subtraction.

                                                                                    In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                    Pastor Jim

CREDIT: Scribble Wizzard on FLICKR

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We worry. Some are more relaxed about it, but deep inside we all worry. It might be health and appearances – what are they going to think about me? Or finances and things – how am I going to be able to get (fill in the blank)? And once we’ve got it – how am I going to keep (fill in the blank)? Or something we did in the past – how’s that going to bite me in the future? Whether we admit it or not, we’re all worriers.

Even the great Bible Hall of Famer Abraham worried! So, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Abraham worried that maybe God won’t fulfill His promise to make a great nation from him and his wife Sarah. “O Lord God, what will You give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” (Genesis 15:2) But God, faithful to His promises, has Abraham look to the heavens He created. “Count the stars if you can,” He says, “‘So shall your offspring be.’ And he believed the Lord.” (Genesis 15:5-6) And the writer of Hebrews affirms Abraham’s faith, “Therefore from one man … were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven …” (Hebrews 11:12) just as God had promised. 

God, the creator of all things seen and unseen, not from visible materials but from His word and word alone, (Hebrews 11:3) encourages us, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.” (Luke 12:22) If He feeds the birds and clothes the fields, things which God has placed under our stewardship and dominion … how much more will be care for us both now in this life and even more in the life to come? Remember always, He sent His own Son into His creation to ensure that He can “give you the kingdom” and all that it has. So, don’t worry, God’s got you covered. Trust Him. Have faith in Him … now and for eternity.

                                                                                    In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                    Pastor Jim

CREDIT: pexels.com

Dear Saints,

I’m thankful I’m not part of the Royal Family. Though I don’t mind getting dressed up occasionally, Royals are expected to get dressed up – all the time! Not just for fancy dinners, dances, or church, but all the time. One time a royal made some unflattering headlines because she wore blue jeans into the Royal Box at Wimbledon. 

There is one kind of getting dressed up that should be all the time. St. Paul often uses “getting dressed up” imagery when teaching about Christian life. He says, “(Don’t act like you used to), seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the Creator.” (Colossians 3:9-10) 

However, unlike the process of getting ready for a big, fancy occasion, which takes time, God “puts on the new self” instantly when He clothes us in His righteousness in baptism. In that instant, we become a new creation – the “putting on” has been completed. However, the result of the “putting on” … “is being renewed.” Renewal is a constantly on-going process, it takes time. And, what’s more, it’s not us, but the Holy Spirit, dwelling in us, that’s doing the renewing. He renews us as we hear God’s Word. Through the Word, knowledge from above gradually transforms into the image of God, our creator (Colossians 3:1-2,10).

It’s hard to see this renewal taking place in the moment. However, if we look back at our lives and compare where we were at one time and where we are today in our walks of faith, I’m willing to bet you’ll see “earthly” things the Spirit has “put to death” (Colossians 3:5) – they longer excite or move you. Are there still earthly things that move us? Yes, but the same Spirit also moves us to receive God’s forgiveness while, at the same time putting those things to death. Then, one day, we’ll become the image of our creator in fullness. “(We) will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3:4) 

                                                                                    In Christ’s Love,

                                                                                    Pastor Jim