Keeper of the Flame!

In the jungles of South America, anthropologists have learned the most important and honored job in some tribes was to be the "keeper of the flame." Since fire was so precious, and it took such effort to recreate it, one member was entrusted with the responsibility of keep the flame alive. During the night, the flame keeper added wood to the fire. In the rain he had to protect it; when the tribe moved, he kept it alive. His was a vital task.
In your life, who keeps your “fire” alive? Who is given the sole responsibility of keeping our path safe and alive? I think we should offer this job to the one who will be the most diligent with it.
There will be times when we will need to add fuel to the fire of our life and the Holy Spirit will grant us that fuel. He will give us insight and courage to fan the flame in ways we could never understand. He will encourage our words and give us the motivation to move forward in both our life and faith.
If you are not sure whether your flame is even burning, just ask Jesus Christ to come into your life right now and He will set your life aglow with His glorious fire of love.

Mid-week Prayer

Holy God set us afire with Your strength for the coming week. If there is darkness in our thoughts and emotions, then come with the fire of Your love and burn away the pain and enlighten all we can be - for Your Glory. In Christ's blessed name we pray. Amen.
This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Next week we will look at the prayer answering power of God. Join me again for another Mid-week Epistle.

That Is "A"!

What in your life can you be certain of? That is a wonderful question. Let me answer it by the story of Dr. Lloyd Douglas, author of the famous novel, The Robe. He tells of visiting a friend, a somewhat eccentric violin teacher.
"Well, what's the good news today?" Dr. Douglas greeted him. For an answer the teacher stepped over to a metal device suspended from a silk thread and struck it a sharp blow with a little mallet: "That's the good news for today! That note, my friend, is 'A". It was 'A' yesterday. It will be 'A' tomorrow, next week, in a thousand years. The soprano next door wobbles abominably, the tenor over yonder sings unspeakably flat, and the piano across the hall is out of tune. Noise and confusion all about me, but that is 'A'.
Now for musicians that is good news. It gives you a plane to work with when you tune your instruments and harmonize your songs. But if you are not a musician, that might not seem very important to you.
Let me give you some good news that is true to everyone. In Hebrews 13:8 we are told: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He is the only one who can offer you forgiveness and salvation. No preacher, no church, no one else. That is the Good News for today and everyday.

Mid-week Prayer

Lord God, come into our hearts this day and make the music ring with the Good News of Jesus Christ. When we put Word and Music together for the glory of God, the message rings throughout the world and it can begin in Your heart. For the glory of God be that note of truth this day. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

This is Rev. Jim Massey. Just like the good news of a certain note always being an “A”, and Jesus Christ being the same Yesterday, today, and forever, be certain that I am always thankful for the love and prayers that Christians share for one another. Join me next week for another Mid-week Epistle.

Attitudinal Living!

This past Sunday in our Sunday School lesson we were studying the 51st Psalm. Verse 10 opens with the words: “Create in me a pure heart, O God…” The challenge of the word “Create” has been on my mind since then. How does God still create in my heart? What would I need to have Him create that will enable me to continue on this wonderful journey?
Then I began to wonder, what do I put in the way of God’s creative process? What obstacles cloud my path that are not as easily seen as a mountain, but still cause me to fall?

I am reminded of Victor Frankl, who spent a long time in a concentration camp during the war. He describes what it was that made life tolerable for some while others simply gave up and died. "What was really needed was a fundamental change in our attitude toward life," he said. "We had to learn that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life ... daily and hourly."

We need to live in much the same way. Some people expect something from this world as if they were owed it by the fact they were born. Those people seem to draw all the strength out of emotions and desires and are discouraged continually because things do not "go their way."

To the Christian, we find that we are the ones who are empowered to challenge life to the fullest. We bring all our strengths and desires into the fact that we are loved and called by the Son of God to care and give hope to everyone. It is a challenge to find what God expects us to do!

Mid-week Prayer

Loving God, with this prayer I begin a new blessing from You. Open my eyes to those around me and let me give joy and happiness through a simple smile and an uplifting word. What a glorious blessing to walk through life following You. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. I pray that God continues to “create in you” the love and strength that is needed for every day of serving Him. See you next week in another Mid-week Epistle.

A Doing Faith!

A man once told me about the unique way he read the Gospel Lessons in the Bible. He would begin reading his daily devotions and when he came to a place where the Scripture told him to go and do something, he would go that day and complete that task. Then the next day he would come back to the Scriptures and begin again.

I could think of many places where that would be simple to do, and others where it could truly challenge you to give up everything for Jesus. But isn't that what Jesus calls us to do daily? We are to be the walking examples of His love in this world. What do you think He is calling you to do right now?

Mid-week Prayer

Lord Jesus, give me the courage to go this day to a friend and speak a word of encouragement. Give me wisdom in a way I can help lift a small burden from their heart. Then we will all walk in the glory of Your Word and trust in all You have promised to Your children. In Your name we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. As you tavel with others this week, use a strong "doing faith" way of life. And then join me next week for another way to have Attitudinal Living.

Put Your Work Where Your Promise Is!

A young boy, on an errand for his mother, had just bought a dozen eggs. Walking out of the store, he tripped and dropped the sack. All the eggs broke, and the sidewalk was a mess. The boy tried not to cry.

A few people gathered to see if he was OK and to tell him how sorry they were. In the midst of the words of pity, one man handed the boy a quarter. Then he turned to the group and said, "I care 25 cents worth. How much do the rest of you care?"

Sometimes it is simple to tell someone you will pray or even promise to do a labor, and for some reason you forget. It is when the words and the actions of your life become one that we can make a difference in the world today. James 2:16 points out that words don't mean much if we have the ability to do more. "If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead."

Mid-week Prayer

Holy God, sometimes our empty words ring around the world. Today, let our words become the true measure of our love for You. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. This has been Rev. Jim Massey. I know all of you can spare a quarter for a child. But it is more important that you be willing to spare your life for Christ. The Bible gives us many challenges. Join me next week and we will see how you can daily live with the Word.

Checking In!

Long ago I was told the story of a man named Jim. Every day at noon he went into a church and quickly came out again. A minister was watching and he wondered what he could be doing, he was in there such a short time. One day, the minister approached the old man and asked him the question. "I go to pray," the old man said. "Come now," said the pastor, "you are never in the church long enough to pray." The old man replied: "Well, you see, I don't try to pray a long prayer every day at noon. I just go into church and say, 'Jesus, it’s Jim.' It's just a little prayer, but I guess he hears me."
Sometime later, Jim was injured and taken to a hospital. There, he had a wonderful influence on the entire ward. Grumbling patients became cheerful, and often the ward would ring with laughter. One day, the supervising nurse said to Jim, "The other patients say that you are responsible for the remarkable change in this ward. They say that you are always cheerful."
"Yes, I am," Jim replied. "You see I can't help being cheerful. It's my visitor." The nurse was puzzled. She knew that Jim's chair in his room was always empty, for he had no relatives. "When does your visitor come?" the nurse asked. "Every day," Jim answered. "Every day at noon He comes and stands at my bedside for a few seconds. I see Him and He smiles at me and say, 'Jim, it's Jesus.'"
Maybe today is the right time for that truly short prayer. Maybe it is also time to listen as you work, struggle, or wonder. Maybe in your heart what you will find is Jesus standing right beside you.

Mid-week Prayer

Holy God, how many times have we been too busy to take just a moment and lift our voice to You? The prayer does not have to be long, just faithful. That is the way Jesus is with us. Glory to God. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. What a joy to seek the live the promise of Jesus when He said: "I will be with you to the end of the age." Join me next week and we will find ways to put our work where our promise is.

Can You Sleep At Night?

A farmer needed a hired man. After trying several, all of whom failed to meet his standards, a quiet man walked up to the farmer and asked for the job. "What qualifies you for this job?
The man answered, "I can sleep at night." That wasn't the exact answer the man was looking for, but he was getting desperate so he hired the man.
Later on, there was a terrible thunderstorm. The farmer awoke, ran to the hired man's room and tried to arouse him. He could not.
Muttering to himself, the farmer went outside into the night and the driving rain. He found the barn doors securely closed, the hay stack well covered and the tractor put away in the shed. There was nothing he could do but return to the house and go back to bed. Then he understood why his new hired man had said, "I can sleep at night."
Jesus told much the same parable with the ten maidens. Five were prepared for the arrival of the bridegroom and five were foolish and tried to rush things through at the end. Which are you? One who is anxious about everything or one who sleeps well at night?

Mid-Week Prayer

O God, we know that You keep watch over all things. We rest assured in the fact that You will guard and keep us from harm. But You also ask us to do our part by preparing and growing a life that is secure in Your way. Help us to find more of Your strength daily as we prepare for Christ's Holy coming. In His name we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. As you place your heart and desires in the hands of God, realize that He never slumbers or sleeps as the Psalmist tells. In so many ways that message gives us comfort and strength to not only sleep at night, but the true desire to live in the day. See you next week for another Mid-week Epistle.