²⁶Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.²⁷And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.²⁸We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:26-28

Spend at least15-20 in silence.  Find a comfortable place with as few distractions as possible.  Work on clearing your mind.  Count your breathing if you need to, but clear your mind of the to do list.  Let your thoughts wander to a place of serenity and calm.  Let the Spirit intercede for you.

I have to be honest, I'm starving for the Holy to intercede for me and help me let go of being in control.  Yes, I admit I'm a control freak....I'm a first born to 2 first borns!  What do you expect?  Anyway, the idea of spending time letting go this morning is empowering.

March 20

²²By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.²⁶Let us not become conceited, competing against one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26

This is one of my favorite passages as a pastor.  It’s clear from reading this that patience comes as a fruit of the Spirit.  It’s a product of the Spirit’s activity.  The cool part of the Spirit is that the Spirit is most active when we are focused on the Lord and not on the distractions that move our attention.  To pray for patience to is to pray we be focused on the Spirit!  To pray for patience is to seek for our attention to be taken away from that which distracts us from the Lord!  To pray for patience is to seek not to have what we need patience for be the center of our attention.  AMEN!

“God isn’t late with his promise as some measure lateness.  He is restraining himself on account of you, holding back the End because he doesn’t want anyone lost.  He’s giving everyone space and time to change.”  2 Peter 3:9 (The Message)

Recent personal experience—I have noticed in the last day or two that exactly at the moment I am complaining about the patience level of someone else, it means that I am the one lacking patience.  This scripture is a terrific reminder that God’s patience is required not only for other people, but especially for me!  Of course, usually in me this creates a response of, “God, give me patience, and give it to me right now!”  So, please, God, help me to develop and to appreciate patience.  Help me to realize that your patience with me has resulted in my faith, and to so live with others that they see not only my patience but yours at work.  Help me to recognize and appreciate patience other people are showing to me.  Your patience is grace, Lord.  Thank you.

It's Sunday...a day to worship.  It's a day to spend time with God offering praise and glory to the one who created us.  As I got up to the birds chirping and the sun coming out for another record breakingly gorgeous day I thought that was going to be easy!

²²By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, generosity, faithfulness,²³gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against such things.²⁴And those who belong to

Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

That was the sermon text.  The message was simple....we are called to be focused on God so the Spirit can move and the fruit blossom and grow in our lives.  Then I asked for prayer requests and looked around the room and was overwhelmed by the chaos of life filling people's lives.  Life can be VERY difficult and the chaos can be consuming.  That's when the message simplified and became simple for me personally.  Do we allow the chaos to suck us in and be in control or do we stay focused on God, let Him be in control and let the Spirit blossom and grow in our lives.

I came home to be entranced again by the magnificent wonder of God's amazing creative power.  And to know this same God loves me and wants to be in relationship with me.  I choose God.  I choose the God who created this amazing world and gave me life and breathes new life into the creation every moment to be my center and NOT the chaos.

It's Sunday.  A day to choose and a day to worship.  What will you choose?



Acts of Random Kindness.   Today is a day to do something kind for another person you DON’T live with.  Part of living out our faith is sharing it and one of the best ways to share faith is to be kind to another person.  How many ways can God use you today to be kind to other people?

I have to be honest, I think this is one of my favorite devotion days this Lent.  I hope you find as much joy today as I hope to. 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9 (NRSV)

The unmerited favor of God; that is what I was taught God’s grace is.  Grace is not grasped at our reached for; it is simply received as a gift.  Salvation is exactly like that.  We do not grasp for it and we do not control it, for ourselves nor for any other person.  We receive it, and we invite others to receive it.  It is completely humbling that as gracious and grace-filled a person as Mother Theresa spent a large portion of her life longing for but not experiencing in her heart a confirmation of God’s grace for her.  And yet we will all say that God’s grace was certainly there for her.  May we be blessed to receive, give, and truly experience God’s grace in our lives.

Today is supposed to be a challenge of silence.  But it just doesn't seem appropriate after watching the storms this morning.  Patricia and I sat on the front porch and watched the lightening, heard the thunder, watch the hail and rain, felt the gentle coolness of the air.  Our faces were lit to watch all of it together.  First of all, we've both been sick so the ability to sit up and do anything is amazing!  Second, sharing a God moment is always powerful for us.

So, a new challenge for today...share the power of God with someone today.  Have a mutal experience of God's creation.  Watch a squirrel, a storm, the sunshine, nature...whatever!  Just do the God with with someone!