Life and All It’s Beauty    

 

     I have talked to many people in my years of ministry about their understanding of prayer in their life of faith. Some of them seem to feel that this is the means that is used to inform God of their needs and dreams, and God is helpless without their input.

     While there are others that realize that prayer is truly the strength of the faith.  It is the way that we open ourselves to God and listen for His witness to us.

 

     I found a beautiful poem once called "PRAYER."  See if it describes your prayer life:

 

     The Lord always listens to our prayers,

      But He does not always answer, 'Yes!'

      Sometimes He says, "Wait!"

      Sometimes He say, "No!"

      For He has something better for us.

  

     God's delays are not denials,

      He has heard your prayer;

      He knows all about your trials,

      He Knows your every care.

  

     God's delays are not denials,

      Help is on the way,

      He is watching o'er life's trials,

      Bringing forth that day.

  

     God's delays are not denials,

      You will find Him true,

      Working through the darkest trials

      Toward what is best for you.

 

     When God does not immediately respond to the cries of His children, it is because He wants to accomplish some gracious purpose in their lives.  If you are waiting for an answer of some heartfelt petition, don't become impatient. Commit the matter into the hands of your loving Heavenly Father and trust His wisdom.

  

Mid-Week Prayer

     Loving Father, there are so many times in our lives that we pray the prayers of today.  The ones that need the instant response, in other words, just pour some Spirit on our lives and make everything better.

     Help us realize that there are many things in our lives that can be answered right away, but they may not be the answers that we want to hear.  We seem to rush to You and are too impatient to hear, but give us the grace to do so in the Blessed name of the One who prayed for us all, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

     This has been Rev. Jim Massey. The next Epistle will be one that will touch us all in a different way. It is titled: "Mean Parents".

 

My Daily Decision?

    What are you going to do today?  Is it early morning and you are just beginning?  Are you getting ready to go to work or do some errands, and it seems like just another routine day?

     Or is it the middle of the day?  The morning has passed so fast, you cannot believe that the day is half-done.  You have a lot of work to finish before you can go home, and you are rushing through lunch so fast you hardly know you are eating.

    Perhaps you have finished the day and you are getting ready for bed, exhausted from your labors and you can hardly wait to find the security of a good night's sleep.

     Regardless where you are in the day, it is important to know that God is a part of it. Listen to this poem called:  "It's Up to You"

God gave you this day to do just what you would

You can throw it away -- or do some good.

You can make someone happy, or make someone sad.

What have you done with the day that you had?

God gave it to you to do just as you would.

You can do what is wicked, or do what is good.

You can hand out a smile, or just give 'em a frown.

You can lift someone up, or push someone down.

You can lighten some load, or some progress impede.

You can look for a rose, or just gather some weed.

What did you do with your beautiful day?

God gave it to you, did you throw it away?

 

     If you have finished today and are preparing for tomorrow, why not let this be the beginning of a new day?  If you are just starting, let this serve for some thoughtful moments during the day?

     Regardless of where you are right now, what are you going to do today?

 

Mid-Week Prayer

     Heavenly Father, what a shame to waste a day.  If we were to do that, would we waste a week, or a month, or a year?  Or what about a life-time, would it just pass us by as if we were not there?

     There are so many joys and opportunities in each and every day Father that we can lose sight of them if we focus only on the things that go wrong or disturb the routine.  Let us open our eyes and our Spirits to Your loving presence and then we will know that You are in each and every moment of now.  We pray these things in the blessed name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Loneliness

     One of the major factors of suicide among people today is loneliness.  It can break the heart, shatter the nerves, and affirm the fact that no one cares if a person wants that affirmation bad enough.

      Many people would simply say, "Get up and meet people. This is a big town; I don't understand how you could say you are lonely.  Why you have me, don't you?"

      But what about the people who are left alone when a loved one dies, or a dear friend of a life-time moves away? Or what about a parent who has lost a child, and can look around a room and see memory after memory of something they feel they can never have again?

 

     Well, let me give you some hope today.  It is a beautiful prayer that was written for people who live alone by Gaynell Pierce.

 

 

               Dear Lord, I invite You
                  to live with me here.

                Please stay with me always

                  through each passing year.

 

                I need the protection

                  only you can provide --

                Your guidance to know

                  Your truth from our lies.

  

               May all who would visit

                  meet You in this place,

                And through my words and conduct

                  feel Your love and grace.

 

                As long as you're here, Lord,

                  I'm never alone!

                Because of Your love, Lord,

                  this house is a home.

  

     When I read this beautiful prayer, it does not stop the loneliness, but it gives life the meaning necessary to face another day.

Mid-Week Prayer

          O God, we are never alone in Your presence.  Christ proved that in the Garden of Gethsemane when He asked the disciples to wait for Him as He went to pray.  They were tired and went to sleep and Jesus was by Himself.

      But that is not really true.  It is when we learn the prayer in the Garden that we realize that Jesus was with His Heavenly Father, and in the company of this loving grace, He was never without counsel and comfort.

      God, let us take our loneliness this day and open it to the light of Your presence so we might find strength and love forever.  We pray this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

  

     This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Next Epistle we will talk about decisions about the day.

 

Of All Things, A Door!

     If I were to ask you to list some of the most basic and important features of your home what would you put down.  The walls - because they keep the elements out; or the roof - because it protects us from the rain and the sun; or how about the windows - because they allow the sunlight to come in and they let us see out.  But what would be another one?

     What about the door?  The door is important because it assures us privacy in our lives.  It allows us protection and security, and it keeps the undesirables out, and gives us the right to grant entrance into our lives.

     Jesus knew how important the door was.  It was one of my favorite images that He used in teaching the disciples: "...he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."  

     "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them.  I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture." 
      Jesus is truly the door of our lives.  He is the door of our Spirit and our faith, and He is the entrance to peace and justice.  
    

Mid-Week Prayer

 Here is a beautiful prayer that is over the door of a chapel in Shrewsbury England:

 

     "Oh God, make the Door of this House wide enough to receive all those who need human love and a Heavenly Father's care; and narrow enough to shut our all envy, pride and hatred; and smooth enough to be no stumbling block to children and straying feet, but rugged enough to turn back the tempter's power. 
      Make it, our Father, the gateway of thine eternal and everlasting Kingdom for the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  

 

     This has been Rev. Jim Massey.  When you look at a door today, remember it is also the portal of Jesus Christ and you are one of His Shepherds.  The book of Revelation says: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me."

 

     In the next Epistle maybe we will find a cure for loneliness.