What is on your daily diet?

 

It seems that I have to constantly be  vigilant about what I eat and put in my mouth.   Many  television commercials encourages all of us to eat foods that are not very healthy for you with commercial after commercial about  foods often loaded with excessive calories and ingredients that are not very healthy. As someone said  many years ago, what we eat becomes what we are. 

I am becoming increasingly aware that it is important that I be concerned not just about what I put in my mouth, but also what I consume in my heart and mind through what I read, what I watch on television, and what I listen to on the radio or other mediums.     What is digested in our heart, mind, and soul is just as important as the things we put in our body.   Jesus speaks about that in Matthew 15.  

¹¹ What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them….”      ¹⁶ “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. ¹⁷ “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? ¹⁸ But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

What is on in your daily diet?    Is your heart, mind, and soul consuming what brings you joy, peace, and  hope?   Does this daily diet lift you up or bring you down?   Maybe we need to spend more time not just counting your calories, but also considering the diet of our soul.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall  

 

PRAYER

    O Lord and God,  forgive me for my focus on the health of my body and for my lack of focus on my heart and soul.  Through your grace and power, help me to feed  regularly on the bread of heaven, Jesus Christ.   Amen. 

I Knew It All Along

 

Many of you will remember the late Tim Russert, former NBC News political reporter that died several years ago.    In his book, Wisdom of Our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons,  he shares a story told by a woman whose Father was ill and was taken to the hospital.  The woman shares that she rushed to the hospital not just because of her concern for her Father, but because she felt that she needed to tell her Father that she loved him because she had never done that before.  When the woman arrived at the hospital, she found her father in a hallway because the Emergency Room was so busy.  With a combination of passion and urgency, she leaned over to embrace her father and said to him, “Oh, Dad, I love you. I love you so much and am sorry that I have never told you.”  As she embraced her father, he whispered in her ear, “That’s okay, Honey.  I knew it all along.” 

That Father is not the only one who knows he is loved by his child without being told.   Christ Jesus says the same thing in John 14: 23-24,  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.  You see, love in Christ is not so much something we say as something we do.    Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall 

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PRAYER

Lord,  through the power of your Holy Spirit help our love for you to be seen and  not just said.   We pray these prayers in the name of the One whose name and nature is  love, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Sign in the Yard

 

For sale.   I saw the sign go up in front of a home in our neighborhood.   I was not surprised to see the sign.  The owners were ready to move on.  Before I saw the for sale sign, I saw some signs that alerted me that  a home sale and move might be coming.  I had seen law enforcement cars and officers standing in front of the house conversing with those homeowners and their next door neighbor.   Local law enforcement officers were there talking to both homeowners not once or twice, but  several times.    Signs indicated that  there were issues between these two neighbors.  Shortly after the first visit of law enforcement to by neighbors  I saw a fence and “no trespassing” signs erected at one of these neighbors home along with bright lights shining around their house in the dark of night.  

I am sure there is a story about the issues between these neighbors.   I am certain there were things done and things said by all parties.   I know not the whole story, but I do know the end result-  a “for sale” sign and neighbors moving out.    There is another sign I need to tell you about.  “Thank you Jesus”, the sign says.   It is there in the yard of one of these neighbors.  The Jesus that sign talks about was asked about neighbors one day.   Luke 10 tells us about it:

²⁵ On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  ²⁶ “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”  ²⁷ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[d]”  ²⁸ “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”²⁹ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹ A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³² So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii^[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’³⁶ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”  ³⁷ The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”       Perhaps we need to begin to “thank you Jesus” not just by posting a sign in our yard but in how we interact with the people right next door.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER  -  Living and loving God, help us to love one another even as you love us.  Forgive us for the times we love you and others with our lips and not with our lives; through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Get Off the Bench!

 

Our local NFL team is the Carolina Panthers.   I have been to a few games thanks to the gift of free tickets.  During the last game I witnessed at Bank of America Stadium,  I got to thinking how that football game experience was a metaphor for disciples of Jesus Christ today.  There were 22 players on the football field at any given time, but there were thousands of persons who were spectators in the stands.   Sometimes it seems like we have just a few people who are busy doing the Lord’s work and a whole lot of people on our church membership rolls or even sitting in the pews who are spectators.   As the fans would cheer loudly when the Panthers did well and complain loudly when they did not, it often seems that there are a whole lot of folks who cheer or complain about the Lords work but too few people who are actually “giving their best to the master”.   I am reminded of these words of Jesus from Luke 10: 1-2 which say,  “ 1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two^[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”   If the Carolina Panthers are to have a successful season, they need some good players on the team.  If we as the body of Christ are to be faithful to the commission the Lord has given us to make disciples and follow Jesus, we need more than spectators on the sidelines.  We need workers on God’s team.  If you have been one of the “players” on the body of Christ team, thanks be to God.  If you have been simply a spectator,  God wants you out of your seat and in the game.  Quit being a bench-warmer!-  Pastor Randy Wall 

 

PRAYER

            Lord God,  your Son Christ Jesus called disciples long ago and he calls disciples today.    Give me courage to answer that calling and awareness to see how  I might live out that calling day by day;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made Today

 

June 2 is one of my favorite days of the year in our family because two important members of my family have a birthday today.   My Dad, Dennis L. Wall, was born on this day.  If Dad was living, he would be 89 years old today.   Today is also the birthday of my daughter, Heather Elizabeth.    When Heather was young, she would proudly tell everyone her age and even add ½ to her age.   However, now that she is an adult, she is a bit more  timid to share her age. 

“It’s a Wonderful Life” is a favorite of mine to see during the Christmas season.  The 1947 movie, starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, raises a question that is worthy considering  any time of year.   That question is:   What if I had never been born?   How would life be different if I had never been born?    As I remember my Dad on his birthday and think of who he was and as I think of my daughter Heather and the person she is,  I cannot imagine what life would be like without either one of them.  This world and my world is a better place because Dennis L. Wall and Heather Elizabeth Wall Hutchison were and are  in it.   I suppose it  is biologically correct to say that if my Dad had not been born neither would I and certainly my daughter Heather would not have been born. 

            In Psalm 139:14, the Psalmist praises God as he says: 

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,  I know that full well.

The Psalmist uses the word “fear” not to express fright or being scared.  No, he uses the word to express the kind of awe and wonder that one encounters in a God moment or worship.    I feel awe and wonder on June 2 as I think about two people in my life who were born on this day:  my Dad and my daughter, Heather.      I suspect that there are days you feel the same about some people in your life.   And you know what?  I suspect that there are some who say the same about you.   Have a joy-filled week, you “fearfully and wonderfully made” person-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

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PRAYER

Thank you, Lord,  for the special people in  my life.  My life is better and this world is better because of them.   Thank you, creator God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Always Remember

Memorial Day 2021 is only a few days away.  It is always the last Monday of May, and it is late as it can be in May since it is the last day of the month.    Memorial Day is a national holiday when we remember the many brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in serving our country in our armed forces.    Last Fall, I was in the Washington DC area and visited some of the sites there that serve as a memorial for those who served:   the Korean War Memorial, the Viet Nam War Memorial, and the World War II Memorial.   It is right and it is important that a grateful nation remembers and never forgets. 

Memorials and remembrance are not just a part of the fabric of our nation, but they are also important in the life of people of faith.   Numbers is probably not in the top five books of your favorite books of the Bible.   Despite that, read these words in Numbers 10: 8-10:

⁸ “The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. ⁹ When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the Lord your God and rescued from your enemies. ¹⁰ Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed festivals and New Moon feasts—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the Lord your God.”

Do you ever  take time to  really remember all that God has done for you?   In the life of the ancient Israelites, they offered memorial offerings to God remembering all that God had done, was doing, and would do for them.     It is easy to go into a “what have you done for me lately” in our relationship with God and forget all God has done for you particularly when we are overwhelmed by the trials and troubles of life.   I invite you as Memorial Day approaches to not only remember the sacrifices of those who served our country, but to take time in this week and in each day to remember and give thanks for the goodness and graciousness of our God.    Have a joy-filled week!-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

 

·Previous Book:Go to Job

·Previous Chapter : Go to Psalm 62

·Expand: show the entire chapter ofPsalm 63

·Next Chapter : Go to Psalm 64

·Next Book:Go to Proverbs

·Listen to this passage : Psalm 63

·View commentary related to this passage

PRAYER

Thank you, Lord, for all that you have done for me.  Help me, Lord, to show you my gratitude and thanksgiving for all your blessings by always giving you thanks and praise;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Lessons Learned from a Pandemic

 

            Our government and health officials have encouraged us in recent months to do our part to help contain this pandemic.   We have been told to wear our mask and not to gather for mass gatherings.   We have asked to maintain social distance from one another.   While these actions might have been good for our physical health and the physical health of others, I believe that it has not been beneficial for our mental, emotional, and spiritual health.    While I have not  seen any studies about it, I wonder if these social isolation has led to  increases  in the rates of depression in our population. 

            In Genesis 2:18, we read these words:   “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’”    We need to be in relationship and to interact with others.  Think about some of the social effects of this pandemic on normal activities:

·   Linited worship and religious  gatherings for important events  like Easter, Lent, Homecomings, Christmas, funerals, and music programs

·         We have been discouraged from gathering as a family for  good times and special occasions

·  We have been unable to gather in person to support our local sports teams, college teams, and professional teams

·       We have not been able to come together as a community for parades, Christmas tree lightings, and the like

While I am not questioning the merit of social isolation directives by our community and health leaders, I believe that it has not been good for the spiritual, emotional, and mental well being of the general public.   “It is not good for the man (and the woman)  to be alone”.   Perhaps one of the blessings of this pandemic is being reminded how much we need each other and need to be interact with each other.      I, for one, welcome the chance to be able to gather in large groups with people like you again.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER:     I  thank you, Lord and God, for the power, purpose, and possibilities of human relationships.   Forgive me for the times I have taken those human relationships and connections for granted.  Thank you, God, for the people in my life;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.