Thursday
Oct 29
Today in our prayers we remember David, Linda, Jenna, Jessica and Matt Queior. |
Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him,“You shall love the Lord you God, with all your heart, and with all your
soul and with all you mind.
This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it, ‘You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
My dear friends
Jesus came into the world to give us the Good News that God loves us, and
that God is love. How did Jesus love us? He gave his life for us. The
Gospel is really simple - God loves you, God loves me.
The question that naturally follows is, “Do you love God?” The question
after that flows from the first, “Do you love others as you love yourself?”
Jesus calls these the central questions of the religious person. The
devotions that follow this week will examine these questions: Do I truly
love God, others, and self? Only you can answer. Only you know your heart.
God bless you,
Pastor Tom |
Monday
Oct 26
Today in our prayers we remember Jennifer Pratt.
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Scripture Reading: I Timothy 4:7b-8 & 15 Train yourself in godliness, for, while physical training is of some value,
godliness is valuable in everyway, holding promise for both the present life
and the life to come. Put spiritual things into practice; devote yourself to them so that all may see your progress.
My dear friends,
St. Paul tells us that disciples of Jesus need inner training in “godliness.” Godliness training cannot be a human work. It is God’s work.
We do not have the power to change ourselves interiorly. We cannot “make
ourselves godly!” Only God can do that. After all, it makes sense. We are
not godly or holy by nature. We can only become godly or holy if God, the
Holy one bestows the gift. St. Paul persistently maintains that holiness and
righteousness are gifts of God. The spiritual disciplines of prayer,
confession, study, fasting, meditation, and service put us on the path to
inner transformation. Furthermore, it is essential to remember that the
path itself does not lead to this transformation. The spiritual
disciplines put us in a place where God can work the change in us.
This inner transformation generates love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
hope, etc. It also creates disciples. Regardless of our employment, God
calls us all to be disciples. Discipleship is both an honor and a
responsibility. It is an honor to be called by our Creator and Redeemer.
It is a responsibility because we always represent more than ourselves.
Disciples represent Jesus. It is also dangerous work, because the work of
God’s people is so often counter cultural and the world will neither
understand it nor respect it.
God bless you,
Pastor Tom
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