Thursday, July 30, 2009

The greatest name of all

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:18-20 (NIV)

18 Then [the Sanhedrin] called [Peter and John] in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. 20 For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Good morning!

While attending a Faith Sharing© class at my church just a few short weeks ago, we talked about how we just can’t help ourselves when it comes to telling others about the love of Jesus Christ. Do you remember what it was like when you first invited Jesus into your heart?

I do not remember a time when Jesus was not there for me. I have always loved to sing, and when I was a little girl, my favorite part of the week was the Sunday school sing along at church. All of the children would gather in the fellowship hall and sit near the feet of our pianist. If I got close enough to the piano, I could feel the notes vibrate as our musician played the beautiful accompaniment. I loved watching her feet, as she pumped the piano pedals. I learned many songs about Jesus, as I sat at her feet and sang. One day in heaven, I intend to thank that wonderful musician for leading me to Christ. I may not recognize her face, but I would know her feet anywhere! They are forever beautiful to me. After church, I would run outside to our swing set and sail through the air on my glider, singing every Sunday school song I had learned that morning. I know my neighbors could hear me singing through their open windows, as the words of the songs floated through the breeze. I was sharing the love of Christ as I sang my joyful songs and I didn’t even realize it! I just couldn’t help myself.

I grew up in a culture when families went to church faithfully. Not only did we know our where our neighbors worshipped, but we knew the days and times of their worship services! There were several families on our block who attended the Catholic parish just down the road from our house. Our next door neighbor attended a Disciples of Christ church just a few blocks from our United Methodist church. There were many Sunday mornings when we would follow each other down the road as we traveled to our respective sanctuaries. On Sunday afternoon, my sister and I would go outside to play and we would sing Sunday school songs to our friends, retelling the stories of Jesus that we had shared that morning in circle. They would tell us about the art work they made during craft time during class. We loved re-enacting the preacher’s sermon with our own personal spin, of course! We would try to imitate our pastors’ voice inflection, as we recited the Scripture verses that he read out loud. We asked each other questions and tried to understand the deeper meaning of what we had learned. There is just something very special about being able to share our faith with our neighbors and friends.

How well do you know the neighbors in your subdivision today? Do you know something of their beliefs? Do they worship anywhere? Have you invited them to come and worship Jesus Christ with you?

Peter and John knew they could not obey the Sanhedrin’s order. They couldn’t wait to tell the world about their risen Savior, who is alive and working in the hearts of all who call on His name! In Jesus’ name, people were finding real joy, for the very first time in their lives. They knew what it meant to be truly loved and forgiven for all the wrongs they had committed against the Father and each other. Their bodies were becoming whole and healthy; their souls strong and encouraged in the faith. Who could keep the love of Jesus and His salvation story a secret? Who would want to? There is life-changing power in the name of Jesus. His name is the greatest name of all.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

Monday, July 27, 2009

The truth is in His name

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:17 (NIV)

17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name.

Good morning!

We used to play the telephone game at Vacation Bible School. Do you remember playing it? The children would all sit in a circle. The leader would start by whispering a short phrase into the ear of the child on their right. That child would then whisper the phrase to the next person, and continuing on until everyone had a chance to hear and convey the secret message. The leader would then announce the message as she originally said it, and the last child who received the message would speak the words she heard whispered in her ear. Do you think the messages matched? This game was used to teach a point about how we listen, filter and convey information to others. Have you ever tried to share a little truth but just didn’t seem to get it right?

This happens quite often on the worldwide web. I will receive a chain email, conveying what the sender believes to be a piece of important public information. It may pertain to some health issue or an important safety measure. Unfortunately, the message may be from a dishonest person trying to make a fast buck with a phishing scam. Not long after that first message is received, I often see a retraction with a personal apology from its sender, stating that the information forwarded was inaccurate. Has this ever happened to you?

The name of Jesus had become a household word among the Jews in Jerusalem. If you lived the city, you knew about the man who had spent the last three years of his life traveling from village to village, healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead to life. The Romans tried to stop all the Jesus gossip by killing him. They thought if they just eliminated the source, eventually all the gossip would cease and folks would lose interest in His name. The Sanhedrin didn’t know what to make of the new “Jesus” development. All of sudden, people like Peter and John were speaking the name of Jesus and crippled men were up walking around! There is wonder-working power in the name of Jesus! The Sanhedrin presumed the only way they could stop this new Jesus phenomenon was to forbid people from speaking His name out loud.

When we say Jesus’ name, we speak the Truth. He is the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. We somehow think our culture has evolved and changed from past generations. We look at these words written over two thousand years ago and wonder how they could possibly apply to our lives today. Take a closer look! Diversity teaches there are many ways to find God. If we speak Christ’s name, we are no longer respecting others’ belief systems, and we wouldn’t want to offend our neighbors. We are admonished not to speak the name of Jesus in our public schools or even in the workplace. And yet, His name is the only name that bears truth. People are saved and healed every day in Jesus’ name! We must learn not to hesitate to speak His name out loud, because Jesus Christ is the Lord of all.

What will you choose to do with the name of Jesus today?

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Just one more step of faith

Today’s Reading: Acts 4:15-16 (NIV)

15 So they ordered [Peter and John] to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and they conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.

Good morning!

There is no denying a faith miracle when it happens to you. I have asked for and received special permission to share my friend’s story, so that you might find encouragement and hope in the midst of suffering and loss.

Harold made a split second decision while riding a lawn mower along his property line Friday morning. He was mowing a familiar strip of land along the slope of a dam he had installed a few years ago. When the mower began to tip, Harold jumped off in the opposite direction, hoping it would somehow miss dragging him down the hill. The loss of sudden weight caused the tractor right itself, and when the mower landed, the blades caught Harold’s feet. In desperate need for immediate help, Harold began to cry out loud Jesus’ name. He doesn’t remember how he was manged to get back on the mower, or how he drove it several hundred yards to the front driveway of his home. When Harold reached the garage door, he stood up on what was left of his shredded flesh, while crying, “Please, Lord, help me take just one more step.” He punched in the correct keypad number and waited for the garage door to open. Harold crawled through the back door, into mud room, up a few steps and into the kitchen, where he pulled the telephone off the counter and onto the floor. He dialed 911 before passing out. A few seconds later, the dispatcher at the other end of the line was able to get his attention and talked with him, assuring Harold that help was on the way. He was air lifted to a nearby hospital where Harold is now receiving around-the-clock care.

The Sanhedrin did not dispute that a miraculous event had obviously occurred in the life of the crippled man. They, along with the rest of Jerusalem, were witnesses to his amazing healing at the temple gate. Still, the chief priests and elders refused to believe in the wonder-working power of Jesus’ name. My friend Harold can tell you all about what happens when you employ the power of Jesus’ name. What physical proof would you need to convince you to take just one more step of faith and trust Jesus to save you today?

We never quite know where our life’s journey will lead. Sometimes we end up in the places we would rather not be. My friend has a long recovery ahead. Yet, Harold’s faith in Jesus Christ is more than enough to see him through. Of this, I have absolutely no doubt. Please continue to pray for my friend Harold and his family, during this time of physical suffering and loss.

When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Jesus Christ is there. You may not be sleeping tonight, because you are grieving the loss of a loved one, or you are struggling with physical or emotional pain. You may be longing for a supernatural healing, a miracle to restore your loss of physical mobility. You may be struggling tonight with the heartbreak and pain caused by a failed marriage. Maybe you are missing your child, who is fighting a war half way around the world just to keep our country free and safe. My prayer for you is that you will know, without a doubt, that you are not alone. Jesus Christ feels your pain. He loves you so much and wants you to trust Him completely. If you will ask Him into your heart right now, He will run to you and you will sense His amazing strength. He will become your sure foundation and help in time of need. Cry out to Him today; ask Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life. He will help you take the next step of faith.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________

© Copyright 2009, Deb Spaulding

All rights reserved

Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.