SPIRIT EMPOWERED

INVOCATION....  d365.org  (Rebecca Poe Hays)
The very nature of God's Spirit is to express power and to share it.

When so many feel powerless, it is good to know that God is generous, offering the Spirit's empowerment to all the world.

The offer is there for you now as well. Reach out, reach up for the power of the Spirit in your life.

 

SATURDAY, June 1  "Growing Tall"

Psalm 92:12-15 (Good News Translation)

The righteous will flourish like palm trees;
    they will grow like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 They are like trees planted in the house of the Lord,
    that flourish in the Temple of our God,
14     that still bear fruit in old age
    and are always green and strong.
15 This shows that the Lord is just,
    that there is no wrong in my protector.

Grow tall in the Lord!

A healthy plant magnifies the glory of its creator.

Fertilized by the soil of God's Word,
Nurtured by the light of God's Love,
Sustained by the waters of Spirit Baptism,
We grow strong and empowered in God. 
Ready to flourish and fully live
As a demonstration of the amazing God
Who created us. 
Grow tall in the Lord!   

BENEDICTION....  d365.org (Vicki Vogel Schmidt)

Come, Blazing Fire,
Anoint our tongues with the messages of peace;
Till, though blind, we see,
And deaf, we hear,
And imprisoned, find release.

FRIDAY, May 31 "Spirit Directions"  

Acts 8:26-28  (The Message)

Later God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

   The Spirit is God's e-mail system, postal service, text message, telegram - whatever era of communication you imagine - to deliver God's instructions to us. Unfortunately that message rarely comes as clearly as Philip's directive: "Go down the abandoned road to Gaza".  A bit bizarre, Philip probably thought.  But the key to this story is that Philip listened and Philip acted, however strange it might have appeared.  The result was a special encounter and conversion that would not have taken place if Philip hadn't responded to God's directions. 
     It takes practice to hear and respond to Spirit directions.  It takes time spent listening, time spent learning the ways and communication methods the Spirit uses with us personally.  When the message is understood, we are empowered to act, and the results can be an amazing interaction with God's glory. How does the Spirit speak to you? Are you prepared to listen?  To respond? Am I?

THURSDAY, May 30 "Bountiful Baskets"

Romans 5:3-5 (The Message)

There’s more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

But wait, there's more!
Don't just praise God for the grace and glory,  Praise God for trouble!
Praise God for the problems that arrive daily,
For trouble breeds patience,
And Patience builds character.
A character of which God approves.
The result? HOPE! 
And hope never disappoints.
When we wait in joyous expectation,
We will experience the love of God 
Poured out in every action,
Every relationship, 
Every detail of our life,
Both large and small. 
The blessings and power of the Spirit
Might just overwhelm us. 
Praise God for the suffering and trouble
And then wait with anticipation 
Of the good that will come in time.   

WEDNESDAY, May 29 "Open the Door!"

Romans 5:2 (The Message)

We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

Throw wide open the doors of faith!

Discover God's loving grace waiting on the other side. 

Love that overcomes guilt and pain. 

Grace that declares us worthy of such love. 

Love that frees us to fully live. 

Grace to enter a life of glorious adventure.

 God keeps the door open...always. 

Believe and fling open the door to your soul.

Stand on the threshold of the

Power of the Holy Spirit,  

The Power of LOVE. 

Throw wide open the door to GOD. 

TUESDAY, May 28  "Glorify the One"

John 16:14-15 (CEB)

He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and proclaim it to you.  Everything that the Father has is mine. That’s why I said that the Spirit takes what is mine and will proclaim it to you.

God, Christ, and the Spirit are One.

Glorified as One.

Proclaimed as One. 

What belongs to the One, belongs to each; 

To be announced. 

To be shared. 

To be delivered to all who seek it. 

When we take what the Spirit offers

We glorify the One. 

When we act and serve in the name of the One,

We glorify God.

We glorify Christ.

We glorify the Spirit. 

WHEN we act.

WHEN we serve.

Reach out and grasp the Spirit power.

Reach up and grasp the power of Father and Son.

Be a part of the Glory.  

MONDAY, May 27   "Tutor Spirit"

John 16:12-13  (CEB)

 I have much more to say to you, but you can’t handle it now.  However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you in all truth. He won’t speak on his own, but will say whatever he hears and will proclaim to you what is to come.

     When we are very small, our parents explain things to us in simplified, 'easy to understand', terms.  We aren't capable of grasping complex concepts at an early age. As we grow older and mature, we slowly add more complex knowledge and insights to our understanding of life.  
      Likewise, if God tried to explain all there is to know about the "Laws of the Universe" we would be overwhelmed in mass confusion.  Our brains would be on overload!  So instead, Jesus gave us what we could understand, and we continue to have the luxury of an in-house tutor, the Holy Spirit, to guide us as we grow. Bit by bit that understanding empowers us to be more God-like in our speech and actions.  But we have to 'attend class' - we have to attend to the Spirit to allow such empowerment to happen!  How well have I listened to my 'tutor' lately??  


SUNDAY, May 26    "Thank You Notes"

Psalm 92:1-4 (The Message)

What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks,
    to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
To announce your love each daybreak,
    sing your faithful presence all through the night,
Accompanied by dulcimer and harp,
    the full-bodied music of strings.

You made me so happy, God
    I saw your work and I shouted for joy.
How magnificent your work, God!

     Every Christmas growing up, I remember finding a package of Thank You notes tucked into my stocking from Santa Claus.  It was a gentle reminder that we need to acknowledge the gifts we have received.  

     The book of Psalms is filled with Thank You notes to God written by David, songs of praise and thanksgiving. When was the last time we voiced our thanks to our Creator?  Perhaps today is a good time to WRITE out our thanks, in whatever form seems right and appropriate.  

My heart overflows with thanksgiving
For all your gifts, Creator God!
For the majesty and beauty of our world,
For the intricate design and web of all life.
You touch our senses with your magic and glory,
You send daily reminders of your presence. 
When I turn my eyes to the glow of sunrise on the hills
I see you, God, reflecting your love to the world. 
When melodies of the songbirds dance in my ears,
I hear you, God, bringing joy to our hearts. 
When I bury my nose in the depths of a rose,
I smell you, God, filling our world with aromas of grace. 
When I caress the velvet ears of a puppy,
I feel you, God, holding us safely in your arms. 
And when I savor the bread of the communion meal, 
I taste you, God, at one with your world. 
Thank you, Loving God, for the gift of your Son,
For the gift of your Spirit.
Alive in our senses, 
Alive in our world.
Alive in us.
Thank you, God. 

SPIRIT BORN

INVOCATION....  d365.org (Rebecca Poe Hays)
Is there anything more promising, more hopeful than the birth of a child? In the cradle, the world is alive with possibility.

The same God who birthed the world into existence, and all the promise that is held by creation, is still at work bringing new life through the Spirit.

Prepare yourself now for the possibility of your own renewed birth, for the assurance of something new.

SATURDAY, May 25 "Adventurously Expectant"

Romans 8:15-17 (The Message)

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what’s coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we’re certainly going to go through the good times with him!

Spirit-born into the Family of God. 

Our adoption is sealed by flame,

Marked with love by Father and Son. 

We are Children of God. 

Through good and bad, 

Poverty and prosperity,

Persecution and praise.

Resurrection life is a roller-coaster ride
Of highs and lows. 
May we always be 
Adventurously expectant, 
Searching and seeking 
For the revelation of our next mission,
To receive our inheritance,
To rejoice as a family together.  
Spirit-Born into the Family of God. 
Amen! 

BENEDICTION...  d365.org  (Rebecca Poe Hays)

The sun gives rise to the newness of every day.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.

The Spirit of God is at work in every moment,
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.

FRIDAY, May 24 "Trials to Peace"

John 14:27 (CEB); Isaiah 26:9 (MSG); Philippians 3:20 (CEB)

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. ... Don’t be troubled or afraid.

When your decisions are on public display,
    everyone learns how to live right.

Our citizenship is in heaven. We look forward to a savior that comes from there—the Lord Jesus Christ.

     Three verses. (Thankfully short!) Three devotional sources today. Again, d365.org is a repeat verse from earlier in the month (May 8). Walk Thru the Bible  focused today on the need for friction (trials) to achieve perfection, noting an Isaiah scripture.  And finally, Our Daily Bread and a Philippians passage spoke of our heavenly citizenship.  How in the world might all three tie together into a daily memo from God?  Ponderings....

     When we are reborn in the Spirit, we are nothanded a guarantee as well to a life without trial.  All will not suddenly become easy.  In fact, much will be harder.  It needs to be that way for us to grow both spiritually and physically.  (History has proven that our race thrives under distress and grows complacent under prosperity.)  Yet, we are better able to cope with difficulty because we have the assistance and comfort, the PEACE, that comes through the presence of God's Spirit.  It is always easier to face a challenge with a friend by your side!  This peaceful state of being is our heaven in this time and world.  In my mind our heaven is the peace that results from our relationship with God.  Here and now. Through thick and thin, poverty and prosperity. Trials only make the relationship stronger.  

    Our Spirit-born trials bring us closer TO God and the heaven-like peace that comes from a relationship WITH God.   

THURSDAY, May 23 "Anew"

John 14:25-26 (CEB),  Philippians 3:13 (CEB)

I have spoken these things to you while I am with you.  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I told you.

 ....I do this one thing: I forget about the things behind me and reach out for the things ahead of me. 

    There is some assurance that I AM remembering my Bible more when I find the Scripture reading for the day and think, "We just did that one!"  And sure enough, searching my blog, I found the John passage was used just earlier this month!  Checked the Lectionary, and yes, the John verses 25-26 were listed twice!  Hmmm....So for variety,  I decided to venture into my Walk Through the Bible devotional and found the Philippians passage for today.  It seemed the two could connect....

     The Holy Spirit stirs a rebirth within us.  We are Born Anew to live and praise as if God is alive within us.  We have the assurance of new outlooks, new hopes, new approaches, new relationships....through Spirit Birth.  This birth allows us to forget the past, to forget old mistakes and sins, and strive to do and be something totally new.  And all along the way, we have a wonderful Spirit presence reminding us of just what ANEW really means!  

     With the gift of Spirit birth, what NEW possibility might you explore today?  What's on my agenda?

BENEDICTION...  d365.org  (Rebecca Poe Hays)

The sun gives rise to the newness of every day.
The moon and stars provide just enough light
To remind us of tomorrow.

The Spirit of God is at work in every moment,
So walk in whatever light you have,
Giving birth to the promise of God in you.

WEDNESDAY, May 22 "Spirit of Truth"

John 14:16-17 (The Message)

I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

Advocate, Helper. 
Companion, Friend. 
The Holy Spirit has many names.  
Truth is another.  God's truth. 
God in our hip pocket.
Always with us. 
Always loving us. 
Always providing guidance.
A cheer when we succeed.
Encouragement when we struggle. 
We struggle often. 
We make mistakes.
We may forget our Spirit is there.
But Truth never leaves us. 
Check your pocket,
Find the Spirit of Truth,
Maybe today is a great day 
For a little chat
With God's Truth. 

TUESDAY, May 21 "Because"

John 14:11-14 (Good News Translation)

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If not, believe because of the things I do.  I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do—yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son.  If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.

     Believe BECAUSE of what I do.  If we have doubts about the godliness of Christ, questions on how God and Jesus are one and the same, then just believe because of what HAPPENS when Jesus acts. The 'proof is in the pudding' so the saying goes.  
     Spirit-Born means to live with God within us.  Spirit-born means we have the opportunity to speak and do like our parent-God.  With the help of the Spirit, we have been given the opportunity to become God-like on God's behalf.  The proof is in our actions.....in what we DO.  May we take action within our families, our churches and communities, and our world BECAUSE of what we believe, BECAUSE of the Spirit alive within us.   Starting today.... 

MONDAY, May 20 

"Spirit Residence"

John 14:8-10 (The Message)

Philip said, “Master, show us the Father; then we’ll be content.”

“You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.

     

Philip is one of those who thinks Seeing is Believing.  Give me proof! Just SHOW me God and I will believe.  And Jesus says, 'You've seen me, you've seen God."  God resides in Jesus, God resides in the Holy Spirit, God can reside in you and in me.  Now that's a rather scary notion -- that the Creator God of all the Universe would even WANT to take up residence in our broken and wayward bodies.  But the option is there through the blessing of the Holy Spirit.  To be Spirit-Born means to accept the Spirit of God alive within us, to allow the Father to 'craft each word into a divine act.'  We aren't capable of such on our own, but with God all things are possible!  Our actions CAN BE divine.  Wow.   

SUNDAY, May 19  PENTECOST SUNDAY! 

"Happy BIRTHday"

Psalm 104:24, 27-30 (The Message)

What a wildly wonderful world,God!
    You made it all, with Wisdom at your side,
    made earth overflow with your wonderful creations....

All the creatures look expectantly to you
    to give them their meals on time.
You come, and they gather around;
    you open your hand and they eat from it.
If you turned your back,
    they’d die in a minute—
Take back your Spirit and they die,
    revert to original mud;
Send out your Spirit and they spring to life—
    the whole countryside in bloom and blossom.

Creation is not finished!

Creation happens anew each day.

A physical new birth or Spirit born. 

With the Spirit, all things can be created anew. 

Today is a day of rebirth,

A BIRTHING day for the Spirit within us. 

A BIRTHDAY for the community we call church. 

A day to 'spring to life' and blossom 

In God.  

Happy BIRTHday!

Is it wrong to 're-issue' scribbles?  I guess it's just another form of rebirth!  But my Pentecost drawing from last year was the SAME scripture....It works!

SERMON NOTES:  Acts 2:1-21  Rev. Katy

• Our Sanctuary is aflame with Pentecost!
• The tongues of fire are in front of us, but we might not understand or recognize them.  
• Do we need a translator?  

GOD-POWER

INVOCATION....d365.org  (Joshua Hays)

Is there any greater display of power than the power it takes to raise the dead to life? For the earliest believers, it had to be a jolt just to be close to the power displayed in Jesus.

That mighty "lightning bolt" has been seen and heard through the centuries and can be seen and heard still in the lives of Jesus-followers today.

That's good news; especially if you're in need of a jolt of God's power today.

SATURDAY, May 18  "Empty Sky, Full World"

Acts 1:9-11 (The Message)

These were his last words. As they watched, he was taken up and disappeared in a cloud. They stood there, staring into the empty sky. Suddenly two men appeared—in white robes! They said, “You Galileans!—why do you just stand here looking up at an empty sky? This very Jesus who was taken up from among you to heaven will come as certainly—and mysteriously—as he left.”

How much energy is spent looking for Jesus, 

Gazing upwards to the empty skies of heaven?

How much of our resources spent in 

Predicting the day and the hour of his return? 

For what?  
It will neither change the hour,

Nor alter the circumstances. 
That's God domain. 
Rather than look UP FOR Jesus, 
Look FORWARD to the return,
And then turn our energy OUT 
To the very full and hurting world
At our doorstep.  
This is our call in the meantime.  
To minister to those in need,
To reach out with grace and compassion,
To step beyond the comfort of our own lives,
And into our hurting world. 
And while there, 
We just might find Jesus working,
Side by side with us.  



BENEDICTION    d365.org 

(Joshua Hayes)

Feel the power that rises beneath you,
Raising you up to embrace the life
That God intends for you to know.

Carry yourself, then, with humble confidence,
Aware that it is the very hand of God

That holds you upright and alive. 

FRIDAY, May 17   "Dream Big!"

Acts 1:6-8 (The Message)

When they were together for the last time they asked, “Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?”   He told them, “You don’t get to know the time. Timing is the Father’s business. What you’ll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and

Samaria, even to the ends of the world.”

     We've all heard the phrases, "You get what you pray for", "you get what you expect" or with students, "Set high goals and they will achieve them".   The disciples are still thinking too small, "Is it time for Israel now to be restored?"  Surely, Israel is included in God's lofty goals, but the Kingdom is to include all creation, not just one part.  That's a big goal!  Not one we can accomplish alone, but along with high expectations, God has provided the tools for success: the Holy Spirit.  We can DREAM big because the Spirit has the God-power to DO big!

     Are our plans for God too small?  Are we limiting God to OUR expectations rather than God's?  Perhaps we need to once again heed Mother Theresa's advice and "Dream Big. Act Small."  

     As I read through this passage a second time, I focused more on the beginning with the question of the disciples, "Is Israel going to get the prize now?"  I can just imagine Jesus holding his forehead in frustration, thinking, 'They STILL don't get it! What must I do or say to get the magnitude of this resurrection power through to them?'  Could this be God's response at times with us? Is God shaking his head at our lack of faith?  

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS LIMITED ONLY BY OUR OWN EXPECTATIONS. 

THURSDAY, May 16  "Reading Directions"

Acts 1:4-5 (The Message)

As they met and ate meals together, he told them that they were on no account to leave Jerusalem but “must wait for what the Father promised: the promise you heard from me. John baptized in water; you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit. And soon.”

     Have you ever been faced with a new project and in your eagerness to get started, just forged ahead without reading the directions or being trained?  And the results?  Often, less than ideal.  
     The disciples are eager and excited, filled with the rush of the resurrection and Jesus' appearances.  They want to share with the world.  But Jesus knows they can't do it alone.  They need to wait for help.  They need to gain the power that comes from the Spirit.  They need to 'read the directions!'  That direction comes in the form of the Holy Spirit alive within us.  When we operate with that kind of power, with the assurance of God's direction, our efforts will merit success.  Our witness will be fruitful.   
     Pentecost is upon us.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church community, is imminent. Our directions are soon to arrive!  May we have the patience to stop and read them!  
  
RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT IS SOMEWHAT LIKE STOPPING TO READ DIRECTIONS FROM GOD. 

WEDNESDAY, May 15

"But Wait...There's More!"

Acts 1:1-3  (The Message)

Dear Theophilus, in the first volume of this book I wrote on everything that Jesus began to do and teach until the day he said good-bye to the apostles, the ones he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days. In face-to-face meetings, he talked to them about things concerning the kingdom of God.

    The book of Acts is like the second part of an infomercial.  Luke has introduced the amazing new product, Jesus, in his Gospel, and now, "There's more!"  And in Acts we hear just how the power of the God through the resurrection expanded and began to witness through the Holy Spirit at work in the disciples.  

    We all have the opportunity to be part of this world-wide infomercial, to grab hold of the God-power alive in the resurrection, to bring heaven to earth, to be a part of the 'more'!  May we prayerfully consider our role, seek God in all part of our lives, and watch the power of the Spirit come alive in and through us. 

TUESDAY, May 14  "BLESSING BOOKENDS"

Luke 24:50-53  (CEB)

He led them out as far as Bethany, where he lifted his hands and blessed them.  As he blessed them, he left them and was taken up to heaven.  They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem overwhelmed with joy. And they were continuously in the temple praising God.

     These verses conclude the Gospel of Luke, which thus begins and ends with blessings - Blessings from God to Zechariah in the temple in Chapter One and blessings from Jesus and a return to the temple by the disciples at the end.  Blessings encourage, support, promote peace, motivate, and even more, grant a little God-power to the receiver.  Blessings are more than just saying grace before a meal.  We can BE and LIVE blessings! 

      How can we approach each day as the Gospel of Luke, beginning and ending with Blessings?  To arise in the morning with praise and gratitude to God gives us cause to seek and use our God-power during the day.  To lay our head down to sleep with a blessing on our lips reminds us of God's presence and activity in our lives.   Bookend your day with Blessings and feel the God-power alive within you! 

  

       

MONDAY, May 13  "EMPOWERED"

Luke 24:44,49  (The Message)

Then he said, “Everything I told you while I was with you comes to this: All the things written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets, and in the Psalms have to be fulfilled.”.....
What comes next is very important: I am sending what my Father promised to you, so stay here in the city until he arrives, until you’re equipped with power from on high.”  

Jesus is the answer to scripture.
He was and is the central message.
The Resurrection was God in full glory.
The fulfillment of centuries of prophesy and hope.
To believe is to be a part of this amazing event.
To believe is to live in constant praise.
To believe is to be jolted with God-power
To believe is to use the power...
To share the power....
To be empowered by God FOR God.

SUNDAY, May 12  "Celebrate God!"

Psalm 47:1-2, 5-7  (The Message)

This is the Scribble for Psalm 47
from my book,
Make a Joyful Scribble Unto the Lord

Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
    Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
    astride land and ocean.....

Sing songs to God, sing out!
    Sing to our King, sing praise!
He’s Lord over earth,
    so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
    sovereign, he’s King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
    people of Abraham’s God.
The powers of earth are God’s—
    he soars over all.

     Just think for a moment of celebrations .... the extravagance of the Presidential Inaugural events, week-long Oscar Award parties,  the ticker-tape parades of World Series or SuperBowl Champions.  We know how to celebrate!  We know how to offer accolades to someone or some group - food, festivities, fireworks, and days of celebration. What a show of excitement for singular events of questionable importance in the BIG scheme of the world....

     God, our Creator, all-powerful God, now THAT is another story for celebration!  God is worthy of any and every moment of praise.  Psalm 47 is our reminder to join in worshipful applause with song and dance, with our whole self, to the God who loves us deeply, cares for us compassionately, and is ever-present for us. 
     Our God, with power beyond belief, is a God of the individual.  This is a God to celebrate!  Praise and applause!  Worship and service!  Sing to our God!

SERMON NOTES:  Rev. Katy, Baker City FPC,  Acts 16:16-34

• Focus not on Paul and Silas but on the unnamed slave girl
• True healing in Christ seeks to free us all from bondage
• Choose to be enslaved...but ONLY to God.