Let's all 'do good works'

Today’s verse of the day from Bible Gateway is  
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

As I read this verse, penned by the Apostle Paul in his letter to believers in Ephesus, a city in modern-day Turkey, the folks of God’s Country Cooperative Parish (GCCP) came to mind.

Locally, GCCP volunteers work hard every summer to fulfill Paul’s directive.

GCCP, which brings together United Methodist churches in Newberry, Paradise, Hulbert, Engadine, McMillan, Grand Marais and Germfask, coordinates with Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams from throughout Michigan and the rest of the country to assist local folks in need.

This group of Christian volunteers takes time from their summer vacations to make minor repairs to homes located in the GCCP area. VIM groups of United Methodists, coordinated by GCCP church and community worker Randy Hildebrandt, share their expertise throughout the 2,500 square mile area that encompasses these churches that operate under the GCCP umbrella.

According to the GCCP administrator’s Facebook page, “We are happy to host mission teams from all over Michigan and beyond to assist in sharing God's love with our hands and feet in minor home repairs - all summer long. We share God's love with a variety of outreach ministries in our seven communities.”

Basically, GCCP’s Mission Statement says it all, “God’s Country Cooperative Parish is to bring together people of the seven churches to provide mutual love and support for a greater impact serving Christ, community, and mission to all.”

Want to know more about this Christian team of workers, find them on Facebook by clicking here.  Be sure to take time to peruse the photographs from this summer’s projects. I promise, you will be impressed.

Perhaps each and every one of us can find a way, however small, to fulfill Paul’s directive as the folks of the United Methodist Church have done this summer.

May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way.

Do you really need to go to church?

Part 1 of ?

Do you really need to go to church?

I think – no.

Why?

Because, in my humble opinion, the people who populate church pews today seem to have adopted the holier-than-thou mentality, an attitude that does not belong in a God-fearing, Bible-professing group of Christians.

Jesus sure did not act that way.

Last I read the Good Book, Jesus came to save the sinners, not the righteous. Even the apostle Paul recognized this and confessed, “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” 1 Timothy 1:15 (NIV)

Why go to church if you come away upset? And, I am not talking about the upset that occurs when the pastor’s message hits too close to home, convicting me of my sin. I am talking the kind of upset that happens when your fellow Christians act in an un-Christian manner.

Why go to church if you spend the next week wondering what you did to deserve such treatment?

Why go to church if your fellow parishioners are cold and lack understanding?

Why go to church, if, when you need them most, your fellow Christians choose to turn their collective backs on your misery?

Think about it folks. What would Jesus have done? Would He have humiliated, intimidated, ignored His flock?

The answer is simple, no, He would not.

What Jesus did was take on our sins, all of our sins – yours and mine – nailed them to the cross, ensuring eternal life in Him, if only we believe.

Belief, however, comes with responsibilities.

We’ll explore some of those responsibilities as we work through this series in the next few weeks.

As you go about your day, I offer this prayer, Psalm 67 (NIV), for you and me –

1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
    and make his face shine on us—
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
    your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
    for you rule the peoples with equity
    and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
    may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
    God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
    so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Amen

Ponder this today...

Be the kind of Christian that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, “Oh no! She’s (or He's) up!”

Do you know Dorcas?

Truly the Lord is in this place!

Which is exactly how I felt as I participated in the first day of the “It’s Tough Being a Woman” annual retreat in Escanaba.

This year’s Christian get-together focused on Dorcas, aka Tabitha, the seamstress. Although little is known of this follower of Jesus Christ, only six biblical verses are dedicated to her existence, enough was gleaned by the retreat’s organizers to focus an entire weekend event around this dedicated woman of God.

The story of Dorcas is a saga of faith in a Savior, faith that was enriched by good works in His precious name. Dorcas cared for those in her hometown of Joppa by providing clothing to those in need. When she died, which is the account told in book of Acts, she was mourned by many. Her dedication and her reputation was such that when she passed away, Peter, one of Jesus’s original 12 disciples, was called to her side.

Through the Lord's mercy, Peter raised Dorcas from the dead! Can you imagine? Can you envision a scenario more miraculous than being restored to life by a disciple of the Risen Lord? Can you grasp the significance of this seemingly impossible occurrence?

Quickly, here’s the Bible passage about our weekend’s guest star – Acts 9:36-41 (NIV) 36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!” 39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.

Although we may never be raised from the dead by God, we can find eternal life by believing in His Son Jesus Christ. It’s a fact, and it’s promised over and over again in the New Testament as witnessed by this passage from the disciple whom Jesus loved – 1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Don’t forget that God will forgive our transgressions and purify us from our sin too. And, it’s all because he is faithful as John wrote in 1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

How simple is that? Believe, confess, enjoy life in Him. It’s a no-brainer in my estimation.

Besides, just think of all the fun you could be having as a true follower of Jesus. Check out the photographs attached to this blog to get a tiny taste of Christian interaction that, so far this weekend, has included pedicures, manicures, door prizes, scarf sewing and card making, not to mention praise and worship singing, special speakers, good food and much, much more.

Well, I see it’s getting late, 11:44 p.m. to be exact, and 6 a.m. comes pretty early. So good night, and may God bless each and every one of you. Amen.

With God, all things ARE possible

Romans 8:28-31 (KJV) And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

OK, Titus got shoved to the background, again. This time it was because a Florida friend of mine shared one of those Facebook quizzes, and I just had to find out “What Bible Verse are You?”

Well, mine came back Romans 8:28, which our pastor preached on several weeks ago. This particular passage has always been one of my favorites, especially when you add verses 29-31 to the mix.

In fact, verse 31b,  If God be for us, who can be against us? is probably the most encouraging message in the Bible, at least for me.

Think about it, sinner that I am, if I am a believer in Jesus Christ, no one can come between me and Him. No amount of torment or toil or harassment can cut me loose from my Savior.

In fact, those who would intimidate and repudiate only makes my faith in Him stronger.

You see, I find myself turning to the Bible for solace when evil people admonish and attempt to destroy – evil people who profess belief in the same God I pray to every hour of every day.

Obviously these satanic individuals do not know God’s love or forgiveness. Obviously they do not believe what Jesus said about either. Obviously they are not Christians, because if they were, they would abide by His direction on such matters.

Remember the new commandment Jesus brought to this earth found in John 13:34-35 (NIV) “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He had much to say about forgiveness too. Two verses that follow the Lord’s Prayer, to me, make it mandatory to forgive and forget. Do you know the verses? If not, Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV) “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

I really do not believe you can get any plainer than that, do you?

Love one another. Forgive one another. Live life as a follower of Jesus Christ. Can’t think of any better way to live out my days.

What about you? Do you love? Do you forgive? Are you a follower?

Think about it and live life according to His guidance. God expects it.

After all, with God all things are possible!

Until tomorrow – May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way. Amen.