It is HOT

This heat wave is something else but the worst part is it is also humid.

Stepping out the front door is a little like entering hell even in the morning. I guess it is to be expected in August with Global Warming as a big factor.

Thank God for air conditioning. I am stying in as much as possible.

2 in 1

There are two aspects of the Christian Church that are often confused as the same and they are not. One aspect of the church is the Social Institution and the other is the Community of Faith.

The social institution is the legal corporation that has officers, employees, buildings, contracts, and includes all the members, active or not. The institution conducts business and provides services of many kinds, like weddings and funerals. Both members and non-members use the institution much like a social club or government service. A social institution has obligations to its members but not to the world beyond.

The Community of Faith, is made up of active members who love God and truly care for one another. Community of Faith members find ways to help each other, often without being asked. They support the ministry of the church with love in giving time, energy, thought, tithes, and prayers. The community of faith has a primary obligation to God, a secondary obligation to others and a loving obligation to one another. The Christian Community is a shared experience of people bonded together as God's family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ forming the "Body of Christ," blessing everyone.

Some of us belong to both the social institution and the community of faith. Those who participate in the community find our deepest satisfaction in our religious life and our relationship with God and each other. Sadly there are some people who only belong to the social institution and they miss out on the best part of being "Church." 

Quiet Morning

In the quietness of the breaking dawn

It is my time for silent prayer,

With only the song of a bird

Ringing out on the soft Sumer air.

It is here I find a healing rest

And lift my heart to God

For the peace that can be found

And feel His love all around.

Table Grace

An old "Table Grace"

"Thank you Lord for food and laughter,

For those who cook, those who eat,

an those who clean up after."

200 Million Years

I found a wonderful web site HERE that shows continental drift from the long past up to 200 million years in the future.

It is awesome to study so enjoy.

Night Wonders

We had started a new church in a small country town and we lived in a rented house on the edge of town near the cemetery. The wonder of wonders for us was the night sky in brilliant array. With almost no city background lights the sky was filled with diamonds.

 

I remember an August night when I knew of a meteor shower expected to be awesome. For once we let the girls stay up very late and took blankets out on the front lawn. Shortly after midnight the show began  and for hours we gasp in delight as shooting stars crossed the heavens above us, No one slept through that,

 

Our daughters were quite young then and the memory of that event shared with them still evokes wonder and joy.  

Ahead of Ourselves

I dropped by the office of my friend Steve to ask for help with a project. While visiting I noticed a sign on his office wall that said, " Our business in life is not to get ahead of others, but to get ahead of ourselves. To break our own records." What a wonderful thought in a day of great competition between people and between companies.

 

Part of the great stress in our lives is the anxious feelings when we see others enjoying more success than we are. We should celebrate their success and not worry about our situation. We can then learn what we need to know to improve our own lot in life and our service to the Lord. If each of us were more concerned about our inner peace with God we could all get closer to God faster. Jesus calls us each to our own ministry and that should be our main focus and concern. How do we best serve Jesus with whatever gifts we have received?

 

We start each day with what we have right now and build from there. Yes there may have been mistakes in the past but we can learn from them and look to greater achievements of the future. We can rejoice in the success of others and learn from their efforts to add to our own. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are also part of our gift from God to help us grow stronger in our ministry.

 

Jesus calls on us to live in the light of God's love, to love God with everything with in us and to love our neighbor as our selves. If we follow the teachings of Jesus we will find ourselves helping others to get ahead and in doing so improve our own quality of life in God's light. Check out the third chapter of John and pray about it.