Mana Article (newspaper devotional)

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(The local ministerial alliance does a weekly devotional each week in the newspaper.  This week is my turn to write it.  Here is the article for the week.)

Mana Article for week of June 13, 2007

Psalms 3:1-3
1 O LORD, how many are my foes!  How many rise up against me!
2 Many are saying of me,  "God will not deliver him."
       3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD;
       you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. 

David ran from open rebellion in his household, Absalom- One of David's favorite sons had decided to openly challenge his father and even seek to kill him.  While David's enemies and some of his friends did not think David would have any comfort at all.  David knew that the God he served was his strength in all things he would encounter.  God had sustained him trough battles, travel in the desert, loss of his family trough murder and kidnapping, encounters with wild animals.  While I can hear the cry of David wondering how much more would he bear, David still knew God would be there.  Part of 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 9 reads. And He said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness."   No matter what we face, no matter the pain we have encountered, God has said he will walk with us and give us his strength.  Isaiah 40:31 shows us that if we wait on God, he will renew our strength, we may be weary, but we won't faint, we will have strength to run!   

Southeast Oklahoma has seen more than it's share of pain and turmoil these last couple generations.  While more turmoil may come, if we hold on, and stay before God in prayer.  We will see victory, strength, and peace come again to our lives. 

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Mana Article for sept.  19, 2008

"Our Nose in the Corner"

Watching my niece crying a while back after being stuck in the corner after misbehaving; She would whine and cry about how we were picking on her. I got to thinking about the prophet Jeremiah.  He had watched his city of Jerusalem be torn down, and ended up writing the book of Lamentations.  All the chapters are filled with moaning of how God had quit answering the prayers of the people, and how the people were being tormented by their enemies.  But behold in the middle there was a set of verses that changed the pace of his thoughts.
Lamentations 3:21-23 "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of  the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

Of all things that Jeremiah had to think about that would bring himself down, he still remembered that God is there ready to comfort us in the trials we face.
The mercies of God are everlasting, ready to be applied every day.  Ready to be given to the soul that hungers for the encounter with him.
Just as my niece was crying out for someone to come take her out of the corner, God does wait for us to call on Him.
Job 35:10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
Why not try to see what God will do in your life.  He has the answers, even when the answer to our cry is no, He will still be there to carry you through the situation you encounter.   That is when we receive the greatest gift of his strength and his trust.  For he will not put on us more than He will help us bear.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[nwlife]

 

It's my week to write the devotional article for our local ministerial alliance, just thought I would swing you a copy here. 

Love Eternal

Song of Solomon 8:7

"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned."

Being single, many times people keep pestering me about this time of year. They always enjoy saying "love is in the year." But do people really understand what love is?  When we think it is all about falling in and out of love, we forget that love is really a matter of choice. People choose to continue relationships past the initial attraction. Do we understand that love means sacrifices are made?

When we think of love, what is the greatest example you can imagine or remember?  I remember my parents, that for years my mom stood beside my dad in sickness and health, and spent 9 months at his bedside as he laid dying. That is love.  I think of my parents adopting me, raising me as their own flesh and blood. Giving me resources for life that they didn't have to give- even when I disappointed them. That is love.

But more than those examples, I still think of a greater example of love. As often as I ran away from the belief in Christianity I was raised to hold, I still experienced the love of Christ. I still hear the calling to come home. That is what we celebrate in the seasons of the Christian calendar, the love of God wanting to reconcile with his creation that is tainted by sin and separated from him. God could have chosen to completely wipe out the human existence on many occasions, but has reached out to his people in so many ways throughout time. The Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Christ is our one and only path to participating in a love relationship that extends beyond eternity.

(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  It is not just a commitment to believing in Christ as Lord and Savior, but choosing to walk with him in all matters of our lives. It is the acceptance and returning of the love of our God.

So in this season of Easter coming up, it is not the argument of when the death and resurrection of Christ is to be celebrated--but the fact that we are able to celebrate the restoring of our souls to the presence of God. It is the celebration of God's perfect love.

Shalom, and God Bless.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[Gingerale]

Brothers, those are great! and what a tool for God to place in front of you!

[nwlife]

I Peter 3:15

15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

The other day out of the blue, a person started asking me questions about the faith I hold.  The very first question threw me off--Name the 10 commandments and where are they located? I could only remember about 6 of them, and wasn't for sure where they were.  It reminded me of this scripture in I Peter which tells us to always be ready with the answer for the hope in us.

So I have to ask, what separates a christian from other religions? What in your philosophy of life makes it so special from other modes of thought?  Are you able to give a reasonable answer for it?  What sources do you draw from?

In today's time we are looking for easy, but reasonable answers that don't exactly make us think.  It may not always mean you have to know from the top of your mind pages and pages of words to defend or define your hope, but at least know where to start.  Know your basics, so much of the christian followers in America seem to find themselves in the same situation I was in.  And it streams from lack of study or procrastination of it.  I speak not only to others but also more to myself.  That it is time for us to get back to the basics of our beliefs and learn them solidly again.

[nwlife]

Where True Freedom Lies

Galatians 5:13-14

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

In this day, people seem to forget what the holidays instituted at different times of the year really mean.  Do we really know what the 4th of July means to our history?  Do we really know the cost of what that day in time really brought?  That day was the single moment that put us on the destiny of history.  It was the declaration of independence, declaration of our freedom from Great Britain.  Many of the signers lost wealth, homes, families, and even their lives.  Bringing forward in time, a great quote came forth in the 1960's, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."  President Kennedy summed up the pride that every american should have in our nation.  I know that not every action our governments over the years have been great decisions, or even humane.  But when the times came, it has showed that we do learn our lessons and strive to correct the wrongs.

In all things, I have to ask; what does freedom means to you today?  True freedom comes with responsibility, a responsibility to serve each other. A quote from the early 1800's by william Hazlitt sums up what freedom really is.  "The Love of Liberty is the love of others.  The love of power is the love of ourselves."
As Galatians chapter 5 stated, we do not need to use our freedom to indulge in strictly ourselves, but rather to serve one another in love. 

[nwlife]

 
Unexpectant Grace...

Ephesians 1:3-4 3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Grace- A manifestation of favor- helping someone achieve something they have no ability to do so on their own.  How many of us ever really need something this simple manifested in our lives?  In church we always hear about the Grace of God, but what really is it?  It is getting undeserved gift of redemption from God.

But grace in effect  has 3 dimensions.  Prevenient grace- That which is with us from birth.  God drawing us to him, even before we are aware of our own existence.  (Jeremiah 1:5; John 6:44).  Accepting/Justifying Grace- the application of salvation.  It is where we stand guilty of sin before God, but the eternal sacrifice once given by Christ is applied to our lives.  Thus allowing us to approach the Throne of God with our petitions and prayers. The last is Sanctifying/Sustaining Grace- is that which walks with us in life, helping when we are weak to keep our strength.  As God teaches us what it is He disapproves us, this grace is what sustains us as those changes and teaching are applied in our lives.

But Grace is not just a theological point of view.  In this day and time, we are the body of Christ.  Applicators that God can work through.  Prevenient Grace is applied anytime we reach out and help someone in situations.  Ministry from the heart. Working at missions in food banks, visiting in nursing homes, helping in yard work for older people.  Many things you would never imagine, is grace being applied through us. God drawing people to him.  The greatest example from modern time is Mother Theresa from India.  Her lifetime service was grace given to people from God through her hands.

So overall, it is time to experience, and be a instrument of Grace.  For only through Grace and God's mercy can our lives be changed.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries
Pittsburg Methodist

[nwlife]

much of what I write is many times the same general theme, but it needs to be heard more and more I believe, so here is this weeks devotional article for our local newspaper.  I drew this week to write it.

What's in the Hand?
Luke 11: 50-51   "So that the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world may be charged against and required of this age and generation,     From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was slain between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against and required of this age and generation."

Strong words isn't it?  Wouldn't you just love to go hear a speaker that had been preaching love, doing great things, and only to hear a  phrase such as Jesus spoke on that particular day?   I don't think any of really would want to hear that phrase at any point of our lives.  In many places of the bible, there is recorded that a judgment is coming to each person (Hebrews 9:27; Job 34:11) and even to the nations of the world.

But in all of judgment that is preached, have you ever noticed that it is only one message, or one hand that is offered out?  The other is simply the extension of mercy.  Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy."  God is a just God, allowing the fruit of our actions/choices to come to pass, but He also delights in showing grace, mercy unto those who call upon Him, seeking to follow Him with all their heart. For Judgment begins at the house of the lord, and know we not that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost? (I Peter 4:17; I Corinthians 6:19).

We can either allow God to judge us now, with mercy and grace extended, or take our chances once life is ended, with no mercy, no grace, being only judged by our merits.    So which hand that is offered do you wish to take hold of, the hand of tempered mercy, or the hand holding the gavel?
Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[nwlife]

For Oct 9th...
Psalms 144:3-4 Lord, what is man that You take notice of him? Or [the] son of man that You take account of him? Man is like vanity and a breath; his days are as a shadow that passes away. (amp)

Sometimes I just like to take walks in the spring and in the fall.  I don't go far, but I spend hours there.  Of all places, I like to visit the local graveyards.  I look at the extremes of ages, the years they passed away. I wonder, is all our life listed between two dates?  What became of that in between?  I pass my mornings and afternoons there just thinking, what did these people see, experience, do in the short span of time they walked our planet.  And I realize my life is but a vapor in the spance of time.

But what facinates me the most, is when I find someone alive that really seems to really care about people.  Someone who will at any moment reach out to help someone truely in need. 

Usually when I find someone like that, you will see such kindness in the eyes. And it is like staring straight into the soul of Heaven itself.  I begin to cry at times then thinking of all God has brought into my life.  Seeing paths changed and consequences avoided. I am not saying that it is always easy, but I am constantly reminded that even though I am only placed in existance for such a short vapor of time, that God still thinks so much of his creation, He wishes to take a moment just to talk. 

It's just a thought, but a challenge still remains to be issued to all who took a few moments to read this article.  Why not try God and see if your life will change when you seek him with all of your heart.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day ministries

[nwlife]

The latest one of my devotions for the local newspaper, This is the very shortened down version of the radio broadcast for today.

Incense of Prayer
Revelations 3:3-4  “And another angel came, and stood before the altar, and had a golden censer; and many incenses were given to him,
that he should give of the prayers of all saints on the golden altar, that is before the throne of God. 4 And the smoke of the incenses of the prayers of the holy men ascended up from the angel's hand before God.”

My background in the Christian movement always emphasized prayer along with worship,  but little was I prepared for a thought I ran across the other day.  Why would I use a offering of incense? Why was it always used in the bible?  The incense was mixed with the prayers of the saints, and offered up unto God as a sweet reminder of his people.  But why would we still use it today? 
We would use it as a literal depiction of what is happening when we do pray. A quote from a monk I was reading,  “When we use incense,
and experience its aromatic perfume through our sense of smell, we are helping to involve the entirety of our person in worship.
We are to consecrate all of ourselves to God; mind, heart, will, strength, emotions and senses.”  What a thought, to use all of our senses in worship, not just feelings and verbal words or songs!

While some will never agree to use incense in any form, the general thought is this.- God calls us to prayer, throughout the day.  Prayer is the daily incense we as Christians offer to God. Martin Luther left a quote for consideration, “To be a Christian without prayer, is no more possible; to be alive without breathing.”   

I leave you with the verse from Psalms 141:2, (ESV) and the prayer a pastor I know posted online. “God, come close. Come quickly! Open your ears—it's my voice you're hearing! Treat my prayer as sweet incense rising; my raised hands are my evening prayers.”

“O Lord our God, Who has chased the slumber from our eyes, and once more called us to lift up our hands unto You in praise, accept our prayers and supplications, and give us faith and love. Bless our coming in and our going out, our thoughts, words, and works, and let us begin this day with the praise of the unspeakable sweetness of Your mercy. Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Brandon Parker---NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[nwlife]

I only had about 15 mins or so to write this one.  Got a late call to get this in before the deadline and the storm coming to oklahoma.

Phillipians 4:5-6 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Have you ever wondered why some people  get requests of their boss at work granted and others do not?  We usually think that it because of an inside connection, becoming a Yes person to what ever the boss wants, or just something along that line.  Have you ever considered that it just might be the attitude one has when approaching the boss with the particular request?

While scripture teaches to come boldly before the Throne of God with our petitions and prayers, it also teaches us to come respectfully, not begging, pleading, to approach with faith and trust that God's answer will be just. (Hebrews 4:16).

Our approach to God is similar to what does work for us in dealing with humanity as well.  1, we come sincerely and humbly, 2, not demanding a certain answer, 3, with thankfullness for what has been provided in the past. 4. Trusting that the right answer will be  granted.
And above all, before dealing with people, it helps to go and pray, to talk to God, so regardless of the results- that our attitude with others will be reflective of what God would want to have shown;  Especially if you are going to talk to your boss at your job about anything!

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[nwlife]

"Not Just for One Season"

Micah 6:8 (Amplified Bible) 8He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God?


With today starting the Christian lent season, What sums up it's focus? To spend time in prayer (justice towards God), fasting (justice towards self), and almsgiving (justice towards neighbor.) These are the three traditional focuses/justices of the season.


Originally, Lent was the time of preparation for those who were to be baptized at the end of the Easter season. Other people would use it as a time to focus on growing closer to God, giving up vices or things that were important to them. Many forms of fasting were used, much time spent in prayer, and doing charitable acts for others. But people over the centuries would have this focus only during Lent.

While Lent does lead up to Easter and the Christian celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, I have grown to see Lent for myself, as a celebration of Christ and his ministry. Of what He did when He walked the earth 2000 years ago. We are commanded to strive to be like Christ and continue His ministry on earth. (Luke 4:18, Matthew 28:19). Christ calls us to grow closer to him, but to also take notice of those around us who need help. It is not just a one season of the year, but the entire year round. (John 13:35) How many of us would be able to say we have done this for even one week? Can you say you have fulfilled any part of the fast that God has chosen for us to do? (Isaiah 58:6-10).

It is a challenge to start each day to strive to take one step at a time to fulfill the 3 focuses/justices of the Lent season, year round.

[nwlife]

It is again my week to do the local newspaper devotional for friday's edition.  Seeing that I am facing cut in my wages, and my hours at work, along with the mild putdown of some ministries from the message I heard at a church on last sunday.  This is an edited version of what I had been thinking on all week.  Hopefully you are blessed by these things I post!

"But I only got two pennies!"


Luke 21:1-4
1-4Just then he looked up and saw the rich people dropping offerings in the collection plate. Then he saw a poor widow put in two pennies. He said, "The plain truth is that this widow has given by far the largest offering today. All these others made offerings that they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford—she gave her all!"

While that is fun to debate about the amounts of the gifts, there is another message in the passage I believe is more important.  It is about trust and charity of the heart.
  We notice that the amount of giving from people to charities, churches, and community foundations is directly related to the amount of money being earned.  But that really is not the problem we truly face.  It is what we give in proportion to the amount that we trust in God to provide.

Many (including myself), give only out of what we think we can afford to give.  Only out of the "extra" that happens to be lying around, never realizing that the "extra" is more than likely a blessing that God wants us to share with others.  And it isn't just money we are talking about, but time in our lives.  What ever it is we have that we can give.
No matter if is a quarter at the soup line, or something given to a family who lost everything in a fire, or volunteering at the hospital auxiliary.

I DO NOT say go out and make huge pledges to a TV preacher expecting great returns and congratulations on our huge faith.  RATHER I say, go to your own community with the attitude of the following prayer.  "Father, I give from the abundance of my heart, and I ask it is multiplied for your kingdom, even if I never see the benefit of this gift myself.  Help me to trust that you will provide for my needs when the time is right."

  For the gift from the abundance of our heart, is greater than the gift from the abundance of our wealth.  Now Lord, I ask, let me remember these words when come the morning time.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries
Pittsburg Methodist Layspeaker

[nwlife]

Today is something
a change to see
walking away from words
I have spoken for years

setting my feet on stones
I hope are secure
for once placed there
I can not return.

new bridges built
crossed and then  burned
flames separate me
from paths thin I've worn

new flowers seen to bud
opening  to bloom
hopefully filled
with fruit of grace

For otherwise
there only awaits
the darkness
and eternity to face

[nwlife]

Here is this weeks article.  Hopefully you can glean something useful out of it.

"For the sake of the Sorrowful Passion"
I Corinthians 6: 9, 11-12 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?11And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

I sit and watch or listen to ancient Christian chants and lately the Divine Chaplet of Mercy at times in the night. As I listen to these styles of songs of worship sung, I immediately calm down when turmoil springs in my life.
In the conservative Wesleyan tradition I hold to, we teach the total depravity of man. It's definition meaning that if left to ourselves, we will seek the gratification of ourselves and never seek God.  But we also teach Prevenient Grace meaning that rather than abandoning his creation to judgment and damnation, God gave to every man and woman a measure of grace to be able to respond, to seek Him if and when He draws our hearts back to him. 

I examine my heart at times, and I still find myself sorely lacking in much.  I find that the things in my life, are no better than what is in the life of the rapist, murderer, liar, thief, sexually perverted and everything else listed in the scripture setting that starts this devotion. I find that all I can do is to throw myself upon the Grace of God, and let Him start the process of change in my life, and the salvation of my soul so that it may be said of me, and such were some of you. 
For it is because of the Passion of God for his creation, and the sorrow He had at the separation from his creation, and His desire to redeem us back to Himself that I do have the opportunity to hearken to the call of the voice of God.  It is entirely all by His grace.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries

[nwlife]

"Oh Father, that I might See"
Psalm 119:18 (ESV)
18Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

A woman having a bad day was asked to look at a picture of clouds and see if she saw Christ in it. 
She tried, but failed.  Seeing her frustration, the visitor told her that Christ always was looking at her,
even if she couldn't see him.  She felt challenged to look for Christ
in everyone and everything she came across.

Upon reading this story, my mind was instantly drawn to several encounters in the bible,
but especially to blind Bartimaus.  In each, Jesus was just passing by,
But those with the need kept crying out for mercy, regardless of the circumstances they encountered.
When Christ asked them what they desired, the answer was simply that they may see.

While their desire was just physical sight, Christ wants us to have a greater desire,
to turn our eyes upon him. The challenge is even when we are in suffering, or just having a bad day,
and it seems that God is no where to be found; we still keep looking to him.
For even David wrote in Psalms 139, how can I hide from the face (Spirit) of God,
even if I made my bed in hell, He is there.

For the moment God draws us, that is the moment we must respond,
we can no longer run from God, but only towards God.
So each day, let us look for the lessons Christ would teach us,
for the moment will surprise us when we are drawn to Him. 
May the desire of our hearts be Oh Father that I might see.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth;
Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Brandon Parker
NewLife 4 2Day Ministries
Alderson United Methodist