Saturday, July 7, 2018

Freedom in Christ

 




So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. You are Free indeed. John 8:36 (NIV)

In what ways are we free in Christ?
·         God frees us from our sins.
We do not have a black cloud hanging over our heads because of that bad thing we did as a child.  He forgives us of our sins whenever we realize we have committed and ask His forgiveness.
·         We have access to Christ whenever we need Him.
We can call out His name at any time of the day or night.
                              If I can’t sleep, I have learned to talk to Him.
·         We have the freedom to know He hears our prayers.
Sometimes we have to wait to get answers.
                 But when we do, we realize that God heard and
                  chose to answer them.
         ·We have the freedom to be angry with God.
He can handle it. However, we must deal with that anger quickly.

         ·We have the freedom to worship God in the church of our choice.
Only God can tell us how to worship Him. He tells us through
His Word and His leading.




Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Celebrate Freedom


Quiet Spirit Writing Ministry


Today is America’s Birthday. She is 242 years old. People sometimes take it for granted that our nation even exists.  We also have those, down through the years, who fought so we could remain a great nation.  I wonder what Paul Revere and the Minute Men would think of America today.

We enjoy certain freedoms in our land that are unheard of in other parts of the world.
                        *We have peace: we don’t wake up or go to sleep to the sound of gunfire.
                        * We have the privilege of choosing our government leaders.
                        * We can worship God as we wish.
                        * We have the freedom of speech, within reason.

The men who wrote the Constitution by which our nation has been governed since 1789 used wisdom in creating a Bill of Rights, ten amendments to add to the document. Were you aware that there were 12 proposed in the original draft? I just learned this as I did research for this entry. Bill of Rights: A Transcription

I would like to explain about the picture I used for this post. Each year, on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day, our church displays a series of flags. The picture is of the ones that sit along one edge of our drive. These are just a part of the ones set out. The others are placed on the hill that overlooks the two thoroughfares that border the church property. I have tried in years past to photograph those but I haven’t been able to. If I were to try to get them from the roads, it would be impeding the flow of traffic and that would not be a wise decision.


Here is a picture of our rock garden, all dressed up for the holiday.

Quiet Spirit Writing Ministry





Monday, July 2, 2018

Celebrate


 

  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV)

 

From time to time, we have occasion to celebrate an event. We acknowledge upcoming births by attending showers or giving gifts for the baby after the blessed event.

Recently, our church honored the young people who graduated from high school. One of those young men’s family had an open house at the church.

Our society celebrates a man and a woman’s decision to spend their lives together in Holy matrimony. The friends of the bride may give her a shower of gifts for their new home. The guests at the wedding celebrate with the couple by also presenting the couple with items to aid them as they begin their new life together.

Several years ago, I heard a woman speak who had written a book called “Celebrate the Temporary.” As I remember the idea of the book, we could learn to take in stride the unexpected events of life. I sometimes find this hard to do.

As I read the Sunday newspaper recently, I saw an announcement about a couple who was observing their 65th wedding anniversary. In years past, I was acquainted with the woman through a good friend at our former church. Not every couple gets to celebrate that many years of marriage.

For quite some time, when a Christian goes to be with Jesus, the family chooses to have a “celebration of life.” I recently attended a going home service that actually was a celebration of the departed friend’s life. Her two surviving sons were upbeat. The pastor reflected on the lady’s life.
This past Sunday, as we do every first Sunday of the month, our congregation celebrated Christ by receiving communion. I attend the main service, referred to as the second service. On these Sundays, we receive communion in our seats. A smaller number of people attend the earlier service. Those in this service receive communion by intinction. Each one who partakes goes to the front of the sanctuary and receives the elements from the pastor and someone who assists him. As each person receives the bread, the pastor says, “This is Christ’s body broken for you.” The one assisting holds a chalice. The communicant dips his bread into the chalice and hears these words, “This is Christ’s blood shed for you.”

At special services during Holy week, different stations are set up to accommodate a large number of attendees. The pastors from guest churches help in serving the communion by intinction.

Actually, we celebrate the Lord each Sunday as we gather together to worship, by giving praise for all He has done for us.
  

I enjoy this praise song, Celebrate Jesus  I hope you do as well.

   

God Alone

  Jesus and the children at our church's prayer walk.          I will both lie down in peace and sleep;  For You alone, O LORD make ...