little things

This may be all over the place. But I have been thinking about how little things lead to other things. In the positive sense - asking, remembering and using a name can mean a lot. A positive impression and going the extra mile can make a connection for someone who has been far from Christ. I can't actually say why Brewerton UMC has been better and having more guests each week since the first of the year, but I like it. No brag here, just some joy in the ole pastor's heart. I do know one thing that is different, over 50 people are reading the Bible daily. Way cool. Some days, especially in Leviticus, that is not a 'little' thing.

For some reason Micah 6:8 drops in my head here - "Do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with your God." Those are not necessarily big things, but their impact can be. This is "what is good and what the Lord requires of us."

We're giving away free ice, snow and cold here in Brewerton if anyone wants any!

Salt and Fat

Leviticus 2:13 "Season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offerings. Add salt to all your offerings." Without salt in your food it seems to lack. Too much salt ruins it. There is the savory part of adding the salt to the grain offering. It completes it. There may be another part we miss. Salt was precious. It may have been more traded and valuable in some places than the grain. (I can see it now, some smart person will put some in Sunday's offering.) In any case it adds value to the sacrifice. IT marks the covenant promise with God.

On to another scripture - I just love this one especially in Lent - ready Leviticus 3:16 "All the fat is the Lord's." My friend, the rather large Rev. Bill Powell, often quoted it "All fat is the Lord's" he was either saying that he surely belonged to God OR that the fat on him was not his, it belonged to God. I prefer the plan that in making the sacrifices the fat was burnt up. So on to the fat burning plan. Exercise, take care of yourself and offer that fat to God!

"Going to the gym?" someone asks. "No, I am going to make an offering to the Lord." He says. ;-)

Sounds you rarely hear

Today as the wind whistled in the trees I heard the sound of the swish of the ice on the branches. It is a unique and rarely(fortunately) heard sound. The ice had formed on Friday night and the temperature and rain did not melt if off entirely yet.

What is the big deal about this? For one thing it is unique and I seldom hear it. I was pleased by the unique sound and joyful in the beauty which was heard in the midst of a potentially terrible thing. Fortunately no big limbs down or power off for days at a time here.

Don't we all need to heed the good amidst the bad? Such is true in our Bible reading. We can be overwhelmed by the wars or the amount of law in the Old Testament, or we can see the purpose and deeper revelation in the passage. What is behind the most obvious in a text? What is this teaching us about God.

In the case of the whispering ice I found a rare and pleasant sound and I am blessed for it.

Bible reading blossoming

At 3 weeks into the New Year I want list a few of the effects I have noticed from the upped Bible reading level in our church.
Guys getting together and discussing what they had seen and heard.
People more prepared for daily life, armed with the word and dangerous.
Increased enthusiasm overall.
People waiting for a shipment of study Bibles so they can dig deeper.
Support of each other for keeping with it.
Teens who are interested and want the full package, not a slimmed down version.
People reading together.
A variety of methods, times, places and ways to get it done. When you want it, you find a way.
Increased stirring of the Spirit.
Questions about how to apply what we are reading. Questions about Biblical culture and circumstances.

All in all I am so proud of those who have taken the challenge. We are seeing results in the mission field of Brewerton, NY.

Urgency

Luke 9:59 "He said to another man, follow me. But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the Kingdom of God"
Sounds cruel to say that you need to follow and not even bury your father. Nothing says that the man's father has died, just that he is not ready to come right now, he needs to wait and bury his father. If daddy is not dead it could be years and this is an excuse.
The kingdom of God is more important and more ugent than some of our customs and politeness. You don't have to agree with me on this, but I believe that it is more important and urgent than our excuses. "I can't because of this or that."
This whole section of scripture speaks of urgency. Get up, get going, leave the excuses... there is work to be done. There is also a matter of focus. I have been known to spread myself a little "thin" at times and then I am not focused on the most important things. Many things can distract from the best thing- we get to choose.
As I read scripture I read that some dropped their nets and folloowed Jesus. Some wanted to jump in and go to work or learn from our Lord. But others have excuses, questions, arguments to "strain at gnats" and still others work for Him in the contexts where they are already placed.
Do you have a sense of urgency? Does our Church have it? Does our denomination have it? Jesus was urgent... "follow me, let the dead bury the dead, don't look back, if you see your neighbor in need..."
Think on these things. How is your urgency in God's kingdom work these days?

New Year Bible Reading Program

I said I would post on the Daily Bible readings from time to time. I will not post every day. I can share some of my insights.

Luke 2:51,52 partial "Jesus was obedient to his parents in Nazareth and He grew in wisdom, stature and favor."

As I read about John the Baptist it read that he was filled with the Holy Spirit upon birth. But is says here that Jesus grew. He grew in multiple ways. He did not come out of the womb all "Godlike." He grew. If Jesus grew we all must grow. He grew in 3 ways. Wisdom, stature and favor with God and man. Wisdom - knowledge and smart. Staure - his body grew and matured. Favor- character. These 3 ways are about the complete growing man or woman.
I could dissect these words better. Especially favor.
Application - I am reading and studying a lot and that is for wisdom.
I seek to reform my dietary habits and to exercise so that my body lasts longer and is healthier while I am around. Favor - not to please everybody, but to please God by my moral and menail conduct.
Is there any area where I am slipping? In fact all 3 areas are places of regular battles aren't they?
Prayer - O God, reveal Your heart and plan for me. Help me to be humble and loving. Please keep my anger and arrogance in check so that people can see you and not me.

Where You Are, Where You Been and Where You Going

Most popular gift this year for adults seems to be the GPS. My grandson says, "Get a Garmin." Which is probably a sales slogan. Anyway, we seem to think we want to know where we are. We don't want to get lost. We savor the security of the electronic wizard. We boaters know, "Always have the paper charts in case the electronics go down." Side note, the fancy boats have this autopilot that will take you back the way you came. It remembers the 'waypoints." No, I do not have that fancy stuff.

What about spiritual GPS? Where are you on your life journey? Do you know what the next few turns ahead are going to be? I know where I will be tonight - with Mary and Joseph at the stable of Bethlehem, "She kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." I will also be with family. That is always a joy. I have taken my Sabbath in the midweek the past 2 weeks to examine myself to see where I am and to think about the year to come. All I know for sure is that GPS for me will have to include - going into the Word of God daily, making and singing Christ- centered music, reading other books that push me to be a better pastor and person, getting together with some of the guys in my church, meeting with my accountability group and keeping up the Mission work in Uganda and East Africa.

I am always open to great suggestions of books that will be of help.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Alan