Ephesians 4:20, 22-24
20That is not the way you learned Christ! 22You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
I'm sure you've never said or heard the phrase, "That' s not how you were raised!" But, imagine for a moment, the tone with which a parent might speak such a phrase. Now re-read the above scripture.
We constantly need to be reminded that we have learned Christ, that we have been raised (whether we're 5 or 50 or 90) to a new life, a new self according to the likeness of God. So, hear again, the words that turn us away from the former life, the old self, and turn us toward the righteousness and holiness of our God-life. Again and again and again, God turns us back to God. Thanks, God, we need that.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Romans 11:34-35
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?’
The depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge -- O! While it's always true, most of us probably live day in and day out without giving a lot of thought to the magnificence of God. I've written before that it can be overwhelming to imagine God in all of God's ways... O, how rich, how wise, how filled with knowledge.
While we might forget, or simply not acknowledge it on a daily basis, remembering that God is God (and we're not) can be helpful. It's not up to us to shoulder the concerns of the world -- God has far more wisdom and knowledge to handle those things that come our way than we ever will. We are to turn to God for counsel, we are not expected to counsel God.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?’
The depth of God's riches and wisdom and knowledge -- O! While it's always true, most of us probably live day in and day out without giving a lot of thought to the magnificence of God. I've written before that it can be overwhelming to imagine God in all of God's ways... O, how rich, how wise, how filled with knowledge.
While we might forget, or simply not acknowledge it on a daily basis, remembering that God is God (and we're not) can be helpful. It's not up to us to shoulder the concerns of the world -- God has far more wisdom and knowledge to handle those things that come our way than we ever will. We are to turn to God for counsel, we are not expected to counsel God.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 55:16-17
16 But I call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice.
There is a sureness that the psalmist shares -- the Lord *will* save me; he *will* hear my voice. Is this a mantra that the psalmist repeats to get himself through the day? Is this the prayer before bed? Perhaps a little bit of both. While I'm sure that the Lord appreciates hearing our joys and thanksgivings, in addition to our complaints and moans, the truth is that there are days (weeks? months?) when complaints and moans dominate our conversations with God.
Let us trust that the Lord will hear our voice, and save us.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
16 But I call upon God,
and the Lord will save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon
I utter my complaint and moan,
and he will hear my voice.
There is a sureness that the psalmist shares -- the Lord *will* save me; he *will* hear my voice. Is this a mantra that the psalmist repeats to get himself through the day? Is this the prayer before bed? Perhaps a little bit of both. While I'm sure that the Lord appreciates hearing our joys and thanksgivings, in addition to our complaints and moans, the truth is that there are days (weeks? months?) when complaints and moans dominate our conversations with God.
Let us trust that the Lord will hear our voice, and save us.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, July 23, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Acts 2:29 Fellow Israelites,* I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Peter gave the sermon at the first big Pentecost celebration and he started by reminding the people that David was still dead. David, the great leader of Israel's past... David, the greatest king in Israel's past... David, for whom God seems to have had a soft spot... David, the writer of the psalms... David died and stayed dead.
Sometimes we think about or talk about Jesus as the greatest prophet and moral teacher in the history of the world. And he was. He taught brilliantly in parables. I believe his Sermon on the Mount would stand up to any political speech today as a great plan for how people can live together. He motivated thousands. He brought food and healing and love and hope throughout his nation. He did all that. And so have others, to varying degrees.
But Peter here is hinting at the key difference. What makes Jesus Jesus? What makes Jesus worth following and worshiping? He didn't stay dead. That makes all the difference in the world. Because not only did Jesus not stay dead but he promised that neither will we. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Peter gave the sermon at the first big Pentecost celebration and he started by reminding the people that David was still dead. David, the great leader of Israel's past... David, the greatest king in Israel's past... David, for whom God seems to have had a soft spot... David, the writer of the psalms... David died and stayed dead.
Sometimes we think about or talk about Jesus as the greatest prophet and moral teacher in the history of the world. And he was. He taught brilliantly in parables. I believe his Sermon on the Mount would stand up to any political speech today as a great plan for how people can live together. He motivated thousands. He brought food and healing and love and hope throughout his nation. He did all that. And so have others, to varying degrees.
But Peter here is hinting at the key difference. What makes Jesus Jesus? What makes Jesus worth following and worshiping? He didn't stay dead. That makes all the difference in the world. Because not only did Jesus not stay dead but he promised that neither will we. Thanks be to God!
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 22, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
John 20:18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Mary Magdalene said "I have seen the Lord." You have seen the Lord too. I know you have. You've seen God bringing hope into your heart at your grandmother's bedside as she died. You've seen God offering you a place to rest when you didn't think there was any room in the inn for you. You've seen God giving you a word of hope that let you get through another dreary and downcast week. You've seen the Lord. I know you have.
I also know, or at least I can guess, that you haven't felt like you could quite put it into words. You haven't felt quite worthy to tell anyone that you've seen the Lord. Because you're not a pastor. Because you're not a brilliant writer. Because you don't write amazing songs. Mary Magdalene felt the same way. She was a woman. She was an outcast woman. She followed Jesus but wasn't counted one of the Twelve Apostles. And yet God chose her to bear the message the first time. Mary Magdalene told the Easter story the very first time. If she could do it, so can you.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Mary Magdalene said "I have seen the Lord." You have seen the Lord too. I know you have. You've seen God bringing hope into your heart at your grandmother's bedside as she died. You've seen God offering you a place to rest when you didn't think there was any room in the inn for you. You've seen God giving you a word of hope that let you get through another dreary and downcast week. You've seen the Lord. I know you have.
I also know, or at least I can guess, that you haven't felt like you could quite put it into words. You haven't felt quite worthy to tell anyone that you've seen the Lord. Because you're not a pastor. Because you're not a brilliant writer. Because you don't write amazing songs. Mary Magdalene felt the same way. She was a woman. She was an outcast woman. She followed Jesus but wasn't counted one of the Twelve Apostles. And yet God chose her to bear the message the first time. Mary Magdalene told the Easter story the very first time. If she could do it, so can you.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 119:97 Oh, how I love your law!
It is my meditation all day long.
The law gets a bad rap. God's law, I mean. Too often we associate it with oppressive laws that tell us all the fun things we'd like to do but aren't allowed to do. And I think we in America have a particular problem with this because we confuse freedom with a lack of law and structure. God's law is not a list of don'ts. Part of God's law is a list of don'ts. Yes, we are not allowed to do things like kill and steal and bear false witness and covet our neighbor's donkey.
But that's just one part of God's law. God's law is really about teaching. God's law is God's way of guiding and teaching us to live the fullest lives that God has offered tou s. God's law includes love and humility and grace and graciousness. God's law includes hope and promise and mutual respect and prayer. Now that's a kind of law I could love and I could meditate on all day long.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
It is my meditation all day long.
The law gets a bad rap. God's law, I mean. Too often we associate it with oppressive laws that tell us all the fun things we'd like to do but aren't allowed to do. And I think we in America have a particular problem with this because we confuse freedom with a lack of law and structure. God's law is not a list of don'ts. Part of God's law is a list of don'ts. Yes, we are not allowed to do things like kill and steal and bear false witness and covet our neighbor's donkey.
But that's just one part of God's law. God's law is really about teaching. God's law is God's way of guiding and teaching us to live the fullest lives that God has offered tou s. God's law includes love and humility and grace and graciousness. God's law includes hope and promise and mutual respect and prayer. Now that's a kind of law I could love and I could meditate on all day long.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
We all know in a secular, regular educational context that the most important step in learning something is to recognize that you need to learn it. Those who "know it all" will never learn. The most widely-acknowledged brilliant people in human history are all united in one thing: they recognized profoundly how much they did not understand. It's a common maxim that the more I know the more I know that I do not know.
The same is true of our relationship with God and our understandings of the divine and of our relationship to God. Proverbs puts it that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." That common biblical phrase "fear of the Lord" gets a bad rap in our day because we think of fear as hiding under the table cowering. That's not at all what we're talking about here. In this case, what the writer of Proverbs is saying is that the beginning of wisdom, the first step to understanding the world more deeply comes when you recognize that God is God and you're not. There is a difference between you and God. It's obvious, but we all need reminders.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
We all know in a secular, regular educational context that the most important step in learning something is to recognize that you need to learn it. Those who "know it all" will never learn. The most widely-acknowledged brilliant people in human history are all united in one thing: they recognized profoundly how much they did not understand. It's a common maxim that the more I know the more I know that I do not know.
The same is true of our relationship with God and our understandings of the divine and of our relationship to God. Proverbs puts it that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." That common biblical phrase "fear of the Lord" gets a bad rap in our day because we think of fear as hiding under the table cowering. That's not at all what we're talking about here. In this case, what the writer of Proverbs is saying is that the beginning of wisdom, the first step to understanding the world more deeply comes when you recognize that God is God and you're not. There is a difference between you and God. It's obvious, but we all need reminders.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Monday, July 19, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Exodus 18:8 Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had beset them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.
We struggle sometimes to come up with the right words to use when we want to tell others about our faith, when we want to do some faith-sharing or evangelism. Moses was one who struggled with words. You may remember that when God first called him to go to Egypt and talk to Pharaoh, Moses resisted saying he wasn't a good public speaker. But Moses found the words when he had a story to tell. Moses had an amazing story to tell about God's power and God's faithfulness.
So do you. God has given you life out of death. God has given you hope out of fear. God has brought light into your darkness. You have a story to tell. Your story is different than Moses' story and it's different than my story, but you've got one.
Once we've got the story, sometimes we struggle with an audience. With whom do we want to share our faith? Who around us might benefit from hearing the story? Here Moses is a great example as well: notice Moses tells the story to his own father-in-law. Faith-sharing often starts very close to home. So what's your story? And who might benefit from hearing it?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
We struggle sometimes to come up with the right words to use when we want to tell others about our faith, when we want to do some faith-sharing or evangelism. Moses was one who struggled with words. You may remember that when God first called him to go to Egypt and talk to Pharaoh, Moses resisted saying he wasn't a good public speaker. But Moses found the words when he had a story to tell. Moses had an amazing story to tell about God's power and God's faithfulness.
So do you. God has given you life out of death. God has given you hope out of fear. God has brought light into your darkness. You have a story to tell. Your story is different than Moses' story and it's different than my story, but you've got one.
Once we've got the story, sometimes we struggle with an audience. With whom do we want to share our faith? Who around us might benefit from hearing the story? Here Moses is a great example as well: notice Moses tells the story to his own father-in-law. Faith-sharing often starts very close to home. So what's your story? And who might benefit from hearing it?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For more information about all of the ministries of All Saints, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org To share your story or your responses to this devotional, visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot.com
Friday, July 16, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
To him be the glory. I think it's part of who we are that we want credit for what we do -- what we write, what we say, our list of accomplishments (though not always our failures), and our place in life. Yet we're reminded through this letter to the people in Ephesus that it's God who works within us to accomplish far more than we could on our own.
In fact, the scripture reads "far more than all we can ask or imagine," that's where the glory should go. Thinking too much about the time-space continuum of something that we can't imagine begins to hurt the brain a little bit, but there's also a beauty in recognizing that God's power that is at work within us, is so much bigger than we can even dream. So dream big and the give the glory to God, because God's power is so much more, always.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
To him be the glory. I think it's part of who we are that we want credit for what we do -- what we write, what we say, our list of accomplishments (though not always our failures), and our place in life. Yet we're reminded through this letter to the people in Ephesus that it's God who works within us to accomplish far more than we could on our own.
In fact, the scripture reads "far more than all we can ask or imagine," that's where the glory should go. Thinking too much about the time-space continuum of something that we can't imagine begins to hurt the brain a little bit, but there's also a beauty in recognizing that God's power that is at work within us, is so much bigger than we can even dream. So dream big and the give the glory to God, because God's power is so much more, always.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Thursday, July 15, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Hebrews 5:5-6
5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you’;
6as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’
We talk about appointments as something that fills our calendars and keeps us busy throughout the day, but scripture and our Christian lives also talk about being appointed, or an appointment to an office or a calling.
On a particularly busy day, I'm not sure that thinking about my calendar as a gift from God will be all that helpful, but I'm willing to give it a try! How does our outlook for the day change when we think about how we have been appointed by God (through our baptism) to be God's people in the world? Are your appointments for the day ways that you can live out that calling? Hold the people and things on your calendar in prayer today.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,
‘You are my Son,
today I have begotten you’;
6as he says also in another place,
‘You are a priest for ever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.’
We talk about appointments as something that fills our calendars and keeps us busy throughout the day, but scripture and our Christian lives also talk about being appointed, or an appointment to an office or a calling.
On a particularly busy day, I'm not sure that thinking about my calendar as a gift from God will be all that helpful, but I'm willing to give it a try! How does our outlook for the day change when we think about how we have been appointed by God (through our baptism) to be God's people in the world? Are your appointments for the day ways that you can live out that calling? Hold the people and things on your calendar in prayer today.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 25:16-18
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me* out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
This psalm also includes the image of God removing the feet of the afflicted one from the net, a powerful image of the grasp that our afflictions can have on us. We turn to the Lord, assured of God's grace and mercy to relieve our troubles. Sometimes, though, recognizing that our feet are trapped in the net and that we need to turn to the Lord can be a difficult step.
How often have we wanted to shoulder the burden of our troubles all on our own, calling out with a weak attempt for help, "Oh, I wish someone would help me" but never really turning our worries and distress to God. Our appeal for forgiveness to God does not go unanswered; God does relieve the troubles of our hearts.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me* out of my distress.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
This psalm also includes the image of God removing the feet of the afflicted one from the net, a powerful image of the grasp that our afflictions can have on us. We turn to the Lord, assured of God's grace and mercy to relieve our troubles. Sometimes, though, recognizing that our feet are trapped in the net and that we need to turn to the Lord can be a difficult step.
How often have we wanted to shoulder the burden of our troubles all on our own, calling out with a weak attempt for help, "Oh, I wish someone would help me" but never really turning our worries and distress to God. Our appeal for forgiveness to God does not go unanswered; God does relieve the troubles of our hearts.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
ASLC Devotions-- Tuesday
Proverbs 19:11
11 Those with good sense are slow to anger,
and it is their glory to overlook an offense
One of my favorite scripture passages and references to God includes the phrase "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." I love that description of God and have found myself coming back to it again and again. Now I recall a similar passage in Proverbs and recognize the value for all of us in being slow to anger and overlooking of offenses.
The opposite of the proverb would be quick to anger and keeping of offenses. As mortals we probably fall closer to that end of the spectrum than to the godly end of the spectrum, and yet I feel that we could all turn toward being slow to anger and overlooking offenses. Peace to you today, as you (and I!) practice being slow to anger.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
11 Those with good sense are slow to anger,
and it is their glory to overlook an offense
One of my favorite scripture passages and references to God includes the phrase "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." I love that description of God and have found myself coming back to it again and again. Now I recall a similar passage in Proverbs and recognize the value for all of us in being slow to anger and overlooking of offenses.
The opposite of the proverb would be quick to anger and keeping of offenses. As mortals we probably fall closer to that end of the spectrum than to the godly end of the spectrum, and yet I feel that we could all turn toward being slow to anger and overlooking offenses. Peace to you today, as you (and I!) practice being slow to anger.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Monday, July 12, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
James 2:2-4
2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’,* 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Last week Pastor Seth made the point that Martin Luther wasn't such a fan of the book of James, and there are definitely parts of the scripture that don't fit neatly within our Lutheran theology. But that's not reason to throw the whole book out! We talk a lot about hospitality and welcoming in the church -- we want people to feel comfortable and welcome here, or in any congregation. But there are many things that we do that probably stand in contrast to what we say we want to do.
However, all are welcome -- and all receive a seat of honor at the Lord's table -- to worship God. Come, sit here. Hear the Word of the Lord.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
2For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’,* 4have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
Last week Pastor Seth made the point that Martin Luther wasn't such a fan of the book of James, and there are definitely parts of the scripture that don't fit neatly within our Lutheran theology. But that's not reason to throw the whole book out! We talk a lot about hospitality and welcoming in the church -- we want people to feel comfortable and welcome here, or in any congregation. But there are many things that we do that probably stand in contrast to what we say we want to do.
However, all are welcome -- and all receive a seat of honor at the Lord's table -- to worship God. Come, sit here. Hear the Word of the Lord.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Friday, July 9, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
Acts 7:9-10 ‘The patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favour and to show wisdom when he stood before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He was carted off to a foreign place.
Do you have problems today?
God rescued Joseph from slavery. God raised Joseph up to be Pharaoh's right-hand-man. God used Joseph to save Egypt and many other nations. God used Joseph to save his own family: the ones who had sold him into slavery. God saved Joseph.
God is able to handle your problems too.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers. He was carted off to a foreign place.
Do you have problems today?
God rescued Joseph from slavery. God raised Joseph up to be Pharaoh's right-hand-man. God used Joseph to save Egypt and many other nations. God used Joseph to save his own family: the ones who had sold him into slavery. God saved Joseph.
God is able to handle your problems too.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
James 2:18 But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
Martin Luther wanted to take the book of James out of the Bible. It tends at times to argue against his emphasis on faith saving us and us not earning our salvation. I'm glad Martin didn't succeed in his anti-James quest. There are some good reminders for us there. Like this one, which is just this: don't worry so much about whether your works save you, but if you don't have any, I have some questions about your faith.
If you say you have faith in Jesus Christ Sunday morning, and then steal a car Sunday afternoon then we better talk about your faith. If you say you have faith in Jesus Christ Sunday morning and then give or take a bribe at work on Monday morning, then some conversation about what your faith is exactly might be in order. That's what it means. There are fruit that grow from faith. The fruit don't save you, but they are visual cues.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Martin Luther wanted to take the book of James out of the Bible. It tends at times to argue against his emphasis on faith saving us and us not earning our salvation. I'm glad Martin didn't succeed in his anti-James quest. There are some good reminders for us there. Like this one, which is just this: don't worry so much about whether your works save you, but if you don't have any, I have some questions about your faith.
If you say you have faith in Jesus Christ Sunday morning, and then steal a car Sunday afternoon then we better talk about your faith. If you say you have faith in Jesus Christ Sunday morning and then give or take a bribe at work on Monday morning, then some conversation about what your faith is exactly might be in order. That's what it means. There are fruit that grow from faith. The fruit don't save you, but they are visual cues.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Psalm 119:73 Your hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
The beginning of wisdom is knowing that you don't know. The beginning of learning is knowing that you have something to learn. The beginning of a relationship with God is knowing that you're not God. Knowing that God has made you and molded you, and you are not a self-made woman/man is the key.
Once you acknowledge that, you can ask for understanding. Once you acknowledge that God is God and you're not, there's room in your life for God to come in and grant grace and gifts. Once you know that you are in need of God's wisdom, it'll start to pour in.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
The beginning of wisdom is knowing that you don't know. The beginning of learning is knowing that you have something to learn. The beginning of a relationship with God is knowing that you're not God. Knowing that God has made you and molded you, and you are not a self-made woman/man is the key.
Once you acknowledge that, you can ask for understanding. Once you acknowledge that God is God and you're not, there's room in your life for God to come in and grant grace and gifts. Once you know that you are in need of God's wisdom, it'll start to pour in.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Monday, July 5, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus says the Lord:
Stand at the crossroads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
We are offered the path of life. We are offered the path that we need to walk in God's way. We know what the way looks like. We may quibble about the specifics, but we basically know what is the way of life that God requires of us. It's like a path that's been laid out before us and we stand at the crossroads ready to take the first step.
And most of us turn and take another path. You may call it the path of least resistance. You may call is the path of comfort and wealth. You may call it the path of social pressure. Whatever you call it, we know it's not God's path. And yet we turn and walk.
The brilliant thing about God though is that there is always another path for us. God's path is always open to us. So take the step with me today.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Stand at the crossroads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way lies; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
We are offered the path of life. We are offered the path that we need to walk in God's way. We know what the way looks like. We may quibble about the specifics, but we basically know what is the way of life that God requires of us. It's like a path that's been laid out before us and we stand at the crossroads ready to take the first step.
And most of us turn and take another path. You may call it the path of least resistance. You may call is the path of comfort and wealth. You may call it the path of social pressure. Whatever you call it, we know it's not God's path. And yet we turn and walk.
The brilliant thing about God though is that there is always another path for us. God's path is always open to us. So take the step with me today.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Visit http://aslcdevotions.blogspot for conversation and http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more details on all our ministries. Worship with us this weekend at 5 pm Saturday and 9 am Sunday.
Friday, July 2, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Friday
2 Corinthians 8:1-7
We want you to know, brothers and sisters,* about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4begging us earnestly for the privilege* of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking* among you. 7Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you*—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
We rarely print the entire scripture reading for the day, instead choosing to use a verse or two for reflection. Sometimes, however, the scripture moves from verse to verse and there's no good place to stop it for reflection. So, today, I've included the whole reading as it pertains to generosity.
I invite you to do your own reflection about what it means for you to be generous, for you to give first to the Lord, for you to do so with abundant joy.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
We want you to know, brothers and sisters,* about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4begging us earnestly for the privilege* of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking* among you. 7Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you*—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.
We rarely print the entire scripture reading for the day, instead choosing to use a verse or two for reflection. Sometimes, however, the scripture moves from verse to verse and there's no good place to stop it for reflection. So, today, I've included the whole reading as it pertains to generosity.
I invite you to do your own reflection about what it means for you to be generous, for you to give first to the Lord, for you to do so with abundant joy.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Thursday, July 1, 2010
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
Romans 7:14-15
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin.* 15I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Paul really struggled with the idea of wanting to do what he knew he should do, but feeling captive to the flesh that remained in slavery to the desires of the flesh. I'd say, "Poor Paul," but really, I think we can all relate to knowing what we should do and then doing the complete opposite. So how do we find hope?
Well, we confess our sins to God. We strive to do the right thing, knowing that we will always fall short of perfection. We remember that we have been washed by the waters of baptism. And, we gather in a community to hear the proclamation that God loves us, still.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am of the flesh, sold into slavery under sin.* 15I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Paul really struggled with the idea of wanting to do what he knew he should do, but feeling captive to the flesh that remained in slavery to the desires of the flesh. I'd say, "Poor Paul," but really, I think we can all relate to knowing what we should do and then doing the complete opposite. So how do we find hope?
Well, we confess our sins to God. We strive to do the right thing, knowing that we will always fall short of perfection. We remember that we have been washed by the waters of baptism. And, we gather in a community to hear the proclamation that God loves us, still.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
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