I have Secondary Progressive MS and have lived with the disease for twenty seven years. I have been under the care of a physician and neurologist for the past thirteen years. To this day, the only treatment that I have received is medication to relieve pain. Every two weeks, $300 is spent at the Pharmacist. I take high levels of…
Psalm 31:14Psalm 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh.
I said, “You are my God.”
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One day I was called by a friend. His wife had passed away suddenly the night before of an aneurism. I was the only Pastor he knew. Even though he had never attended the Church where I pastored, he trusted me enough to ask me to conduct the funeral.
Heidi and I drove to this little community to meet the family. Amidst all the sadness, there was anger at God for allowing this young women to die. The request was that I conduct a funeral without God.
I don’t do those kind of funerals.
I hardly need to say that the funeral was very sad. I led in the way that I knew best and extended the comfort of Jesus Christ even though the audience seemed to have no sense that he was there. The day ended with me helping the family bury the urn at the local cemetery.
No one expected what was to come next. In fact it is unthinkable to this day.
About mid-day, I received a phone call from one of the sisters. She was sobbing so very deeply. That very morning her Dad had dropped dead of a heart attack. When the police went to tell his wife, she too dropped dead of a heart attack.
Between the sobs the lady on the phone told me that several family members had allowed God into their lives and thought the parents should be open to thinking the same. The news had only deepened the father’s anger toward God.
I was asked to do this double funeral.
When I arrived on the day of the funeral, the high school gymnasium was already filled to capacity. A family representative saw me and asked that I come quickly to band room. “The family wants you to pray for them.” When I walked into that room, the entire family stood. Many where crying.
Jesus was in that room and everyone knew it. He was meeting each person where they were at. I began to speak with Jesus as one standing among us. Jesus opened eyes, mended broken hearts and began to bring a new hope. I saw this happen. I saw God come among us and answered prayer as we spoke them.
Ps 31:14Ps 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”
WP-Bible plugin">Psalm 31:14Psalm 31:14
English: World English Bible - WEB
14 But I trust in you, Yahweh. I said, “You are my God.”
WP-Bible plugin
But I trust in you, Oh Lord! I declare, “You are my God!”
Prayer happens where you are. You speak to him as though he is sitting beside you. He is your friend. He does care for you. You can trust him.
“Dear Jesus, I know you are God and today you are my God. I will trust in you. Forgive me for not always acknowledging you. You know my thoughts and everything in my heart. Please heal my thoughts so that I may see your ways clearly. Amen.
Luke 19:10Luke 19:10
English: World English Bible - WEB
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
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There’s always a reason why you do what you do. It can be something positive like a particular cause or something negative like anger or pride. “What drives you?” is not a question we ask of ourselves but it is a great way to look into our soul.
If you’re starting school, all of your actions will be connected to the answer to this question. Are you driven to fit in and be accepted among your peers? Is your answer connected solely to you, “I’m driven by my own interests” or is it bigger than yourself. A person may say that he is driven to make a difference among his peers.
We live our adult lives just like the first day of school. Your actions today will be driven by something. If you are driven by self you will USE people and things. If you are driven by something bigger than yourselves then you will BUILD into the lives of others. The first one will keep your soul reservoir empty and the latter will bring the greatest satisfaction life could ever offer.
If you were to ask Jesus that question, “What drives you, Jesus?” His answer would be “YOU.” He said that he had “come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10Luke 19:10
English: World English Bible - WEB
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
WP-Bible plugin). His answer was bigger than himself. If you feel like you’re not fitting in, Jesus came for you. If a driving force in life is anger, what people think of you or your personal pursuits, then know that Jesus came for you.
The self-driven life is empty.
The other-driven life is purposeful and rewarding.
Throughout today, watch your thoughts and actions and ask the question, “what is driving me”?
What drives you? Tell me what drives you in my forum. That’s where I’ve let you know “what drives Gerry Peters”
1 Peter 4:7-111 Peter 4:7-11
English: World English Bible - WEB
7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.
9 Be hospitable one to another without grumbling.
10 According as each has received a gift, be ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms.
11 If any man speaks, let it be as it were oracles of God. If any man serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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As I was going through College, got a job as a Limousine driver. We were new to the province but and I did not think about this factor being a problem. On my first day, I dropped off a client and was headed back to the office. The dispatcher called and asked where I was and when I’d be back. 10 minutes. I continued to drive, 10 minutes later, nothing looked remotely familiar yet. "When will you be in?" Any minute. Another 10 minutes and I noticed a sign, "Welcome to New Hamburg". Pulled over, got out a map and tried to discover where New Hamburg was. I was going in the exact opposite direction I was supposed to be going.
Recently rented a car that had a GPS system, Global Positioning System.
We need something like that in our life. That’s 1 Peter 4:71 Peter 4:7
English: World English Bible - WEB
7 But the end of all things is near. Therefore be of sound mind, self-controlled, and sober in prayer.
WP-Bible plugin. "The end of all things is near."
That could mean, "Christ’s coming is near." That word, "end" can also mean, "goal" as in 1 Peter 1:91 Peter 1:9
English: World English Bible - WEB
9 receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
WP-Bible plugin "for you are receiving the goal of your faith." What you’ve set out to accomplish is in sight, now pay attention.
In any case, this phrase is intended to get your attention. Serious days ahead.
This is the message to the Church. The charge to the Church. The Call of the Church has not so much to "doing" as it has to do with "being".
(7) "Therefore be"
Be what? 2 things
1. Clear-minded.
Get rid of the excess. The clutter, that which hinders. There’s something vitally important coming up, and so get rid of everything that so easily entangles us.
2. Self-controlled.
Calm & collected in our spirit. Not controlled by schedules / rules / agendas / tradition. Why?
#1 "so that you can pray" (7)
So that we will be free to pray. It is a calm and collected spirit that is conducive to the act of praying. That type of spirit results in praying. Put our Day-timer aside, worries & fears. In light of the serious nature of the days ahead, prayer is paramount.
I’ll never forget the day that the Gulf War broke out. I was at Lafontaine Terrace. Hearts were heavy. Power of Prayer was amazing. If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?
#2 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sin." (8)
We are to stretch this love far. When it’s there, we begin to overlook / forgive some of the less attractive qualities. Like in a healthy family.
How would you describe love within a family? warm, tender, concern, loyal, support, care, nurture, refuge.
Romans 12:10Romans 12:10
English: World English Bible - WEB
10 In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another;
WP-Bible plugin "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love" We may know that, in greek, "philadelphia" means brotherly love. "Philostorgos" (sotrgos = family unit / philos = love. Thus "family unit love")
When we love each other in this way, you become forgiving and caring. When there is sin, it’s acted upon in a loving, proper way. This can be Ladner’s most attractive quality.
The end is near: Therefore: pray & love.
#3 Care. "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling" (9)
Does it seem strange to you that in the midst of a crisis, serious days, Peter says, "I want you to have a cup of coffee with someone?"
Wait a minute! Are there not more important things to do? Why take time to care…
In today’s generation, we are being bombarded by messages of hopelessness.
If in these days, we cannot find encouragement from the Church, where then? In these days, many in the world are looking for a haven. It’s here with you.
Jesus Christ is coming again! Therefore,
1. Pray. We will move forward on our knees
2. Love. Stretch it. Love unlikely, like family
3. Care. Love the strangers…with grace.
Now’s when Peter addresses the fourth ingredient that needs to be part of the Church’s life, especially in light of the fact that Jesus is coming soon; especially in light of the act that the days in which we live in are numbered.
#4 Serve.
(10) Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. (11) If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides.
We must be a serving people.
Who? Every Christian must. Unite with others, allow themselves to be equipped to serve. We serve in the area that God has gifted you. I already know that God never holds back any congregation in the giftedness area. Every gift needed to do the work he wants done in Ladner is already here. Our work must be done n the context of prayer, unity.
The end of all things is near. Therefore:
What is the result?
God is glorified! Praise is brought to God. (11b) "so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen"
That, by the way is your calling. Bring praise and glory to God. When we are doing it the way God wants it done, we become attractive to the community, effective and we become very fulfilled in our personal lives.
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