Humility

Scripture: For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted Luke 14:11

As I was reflecting on this passage, it occurred to me that I am a compulsive list maker.  I make menu lists, shopping list, to do lists, appointment lists, etc.   I realized that in order to practice Christian humility that there were two things missing from my lists:

• Every day acknowledging that God is in charge

• In all I do following the golden rule                  

By putting these two at the top of our lists, whether they are written down (like I do) or just in our heads, there will be much more substance behind the phrase "have a great day".

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your written word and for reminding us that you are always at the top of our lists. In Jesus Name.  Amen


Kathy Kuehn   kkuehn001@neb.rr.com

   

Due Season

Scripture:

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.

2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.

5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty- and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

6 They tell of the power of your awesome works- and I will proclaim your great deeds.

7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

10 All your works praise you, LORD; your faithful people extol you.

11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,

12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

14 The LORD upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.

16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Psalm 145

This past summer, we drove from Lincoln to Idaho Falls, to visit my parents in Idaho. We packed ourselves, me and my husband, our two small children, my in-laws, and our dog, into our Ford Explorer and drove for two days. It was a long trip! So we brought with us pens and paper, coloring, stickers, movies and music. We played the license plate game, and the alphabet game. Or, rather, many different forms of the alphabet game. One of our favorites, predictably, is, "I'm going to the zoo and I see an Ape, Bear, Crocodile, etc...each person taking their turn with the next letter to name an animal. Another favorite version, "I'm going to the store to get an, Apple, Banana, Cookie, Donut..." As the trip progressed, more "points" were given for originality. Once something had been named, the trick became to name something else.

It's not a game I knew, or one of my devising. It comes from my mother-in-law, a former elementary school teacher, who also happened to be one of the first Reading Recovery teachers in Northern Ireland. Obviously, we weren't just playing a game. Anyone related to an educator knows that games aren't just for fun. They are helpful learning tools.

In some senses, this Psalm is just a really, really old version of the alphabet game. But its not only teaching us the Hebrew alephbet. It is also a catechism, or a learning tool to teach us about God. More specifically, it is teaching us how to pray to God.

ALEPH

I will extol you, my God and King,

and bless your name forever and ever.

BET

Every day I will bless you,

and praise your name forever and ever.

GIMEL

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

his greatness is unsearchable.

...all the way to tav, the last letter. Symbolically, this is a hymn of praise, then that encompasses all of life, and all possibilities of life, not limited by the words, but unlimited in expression.

This Psalm is one of the central prayers of the people of God, repeated in some families and traditions three times a day. It reminds us of God's greatness and God's goodness, as well as our reliance on God. It takes us back to the days of manna and quail in the wilderness, that foundational experience that tells us God will not let us starve. God does provide. God will take care of our daily needs.

One of the other interesting things I learned about this Psalm in preparing to preach it is that it is often used before meals, three times a day, in many Jewish homes. In some senses, it is a prototype to the Lord's Prayer, a "pray in the way King David taught us...." In fact, some scholars have noted the similarities between Psalm 145 and the Lord's Prayer, suggesting that Jesus was once again using a well known prayer to teach a new way to pray.

Prayer: Lord of all Creation, teach us to pray in new and familiar way to you, O God. As we enter this season of considering our blessings, remind us that all our blessings are gifts from you. Amen.

Melodie Jones-Pointon

Sunday, October 23

Preparation for preachers: questions to guide biblical reading

Scripture:  "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" -Luke 18:13

When we preachers are at our best, we study a Bible passage thoroughly as we prepare for each sermon. We usually ask a series of questions about the passage, most of which help us discover what this text says to the people who will hear the sermon. Recently I heard a presentation that challenged me to bring new questions to the text, to help encourage my listeners to respond in a particular way.

These questions came at a fascinating consultation at Princeton Theological Seminary concerning a center for church planting and revitalization. Planters, professors, and denominational leaders joined together to dream about what this new ministry might look like, and how it might help support efforts to develop and renew congregations who more consistently join in God's mission to the world. These congregations seek to live in a way that the people who primarily benefit from the worshiping community's or church's ministry are not the members, but rather people in the community or world.

Lisa Marie Bowens, assistant professor of New Testament, helped lay the groundwork for the consultation with a presentation about the most faithful ways to approach a biblical passage in order to invite and challenge listeners to join God's mission. Drawing on the work of Michael Gorman in Elements of Biblical Exegesis, she presented a list of questions that had the room buzzing. In addition to my regular questions, I'm going to incorporate the ones she suggested the next time I prepare to preach a sermon.

•             What does this text say, implicitly or explicitly, about the Missio Dei (Latin for "the mission of God") and the missional character of God?

•             What does this text reveal about humanity and the world?

•             What does this text say about the nature and mission of God's people in the world? About the church as an agent of divine mission rather than an institution or civic organization?

•             How does this text relate to the larger scriptural witness in both testaments to the Missio Dei and the mission of God's people?

•             How does this text call us to participate in God's mission?

•             What powers that could deceive, seduce, and harm the world or the church does this text unveil and challenge and call us to unveil and challenge?

•             How does this text call us as God's people to be both different from and involved in the world?

Whether you're studying the Bible as a preacher or as an individual, these questions are helpful. I look forward to seeing how they orient us outward in evangelism and service, to participate in the divine mission to the world.

Charles B. "Chip" Hardwick, Director, Theology, Formation, and Evangelism

Prayer:  Praise to you, abundant God who knows no scarcity! Praise to you, living God who makes all things possible and new! Amen.

From the Presbyterian Mission Yearbook of Prayer for October 28th. 

Judging Others

Scripture: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ... Matthew 7:1-29  

My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? James 2:1-4

Many of us run into those who, in their daily lives, struggle for things we may take for granted: food, a home, lives that are not ruled by extreme ups and downs.

So, what do we do? We help them. We feel pity for them. We love them, in our Christian way. But we don't necessarily want to spend time with them, or become friends with them. Something might rub off on us. We don't have anything in common with them, or so we believe. We may have our own issues and weaknesses, but our particular problems and failings are "not as bad". This attitude is dangerous. It turns our dealings into "us vs. them" mentality, when it should really be: all of us together, making our way in this world.

Recently I gave a ride to a woman whose life is hard right now...she's far away from family, her health is failing, and she struggles to find work. It was on a particularly busy day for me, and she was late getting ready. I felt impatient, inconvenienced. She is close to my age, and was asking me about my family, even though her English is not good. One thing she said that was so simple, but has stayed with me: "you have a good life". It made me realize that the little things like being late, being busy, are small problems to have. She's right, I have a good life! I am blessed, and should share those blessings with others. It's great that we give food, money, clothing...but let's give our time and friendship, also.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to notice those with less. Help me to reach out and be a friend. Give me ears to hear, so that I may truly listen to the needs of others around me. Amen. 

Donna Gustafson    office@eastridge.org

Rejection of the Lord, No Regard for the Lord

Scripture: Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel. Therefore, the LORD'S anger burns against his people; his hand is raised and he strikes them down. Isaiah 5: 24-25a They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, but they have no respect for the work of His hands. Isaiah 5:12 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5: 20 But the LORD Almighty will be exalted by His justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness. Isaiah 5:16

Isaiah, the prophet tells many times in chapter five about the people disregarding His deeds, building great mansions, living great lives and all the time rejecting His laws. Sound like the U.S.A. today?

God tells how the great houses will become desolate because of their rejection of Him. Our country has forgotten the laws. God tells us we will be humbled. The Ten Commandments are on the Hall of Justice in Washington D.C. It is time we regard them.

The Lord used imperfect people many times in the Bible such as Moses who said, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Jonah ran away from God but God called him back.

Prayer: Oh LORD God Almighty, guide each and every one of us to turn back to your justice and be holy as you are holy. Help us to place high regard on your righteousness. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Fret Not

Scripture: Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at the wicked; For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out. Proverbs 24:19-20 (Mark 13: 7, John 15:18, Hebrews 10:30, 1 Peter 5:8, Nehemiah 8:10, and Philippians 4:19)

We all remember September 11, 2001 and we see the terrorist attacks on multiple nations today. We forget the words in Mark about the wars and rumors of wars. In John it tells us that we will be hated and they hated Jesus first. But I love the words in Hebrews that the vengeance belongs to God alone.

Henry M. Morris III, D.Min. writes in Days of Praise, "The challenge for most of us is that we forget that the enemy is not merely this or that terrorist group (there have been countless such groups over the millennia), but 'the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour' as said in 1 Peter. If we are constantly in turmoil over the latest iteration of evil displayed in living color every day on our evening news, our souls will never gain peace. It is the 'joy of the LORD' that brings us strength" as in Nehemiah.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to remember that you are with us. Vengeance is yours, Lord. Give us wisdom to be on the lookout for the devil in our lives right here in Lincoln, Nebraska. Guide us to be thankful and delight in your words saying that you will supply what we need. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Spotlight on history: Presbyterians in Seattle

Scripture:  "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." -Jer. 31:33

Within two months of the chartering of the city of Seattle, seven Presbyterian men and women gathered in George Whitworth's home to organize themselves as the First Presbyterian Church of Seattle. Their session first met in 1873, as Whitworth preached alternate Sundays with a Methodist minister. Their first sanctuary was built at the corner of Third and Madison streets in 1877. The church grew rapidly, by 1894 boasting 643 members, and moving into a new building at the corner of Fourth and Spring.

In 1901, the congregation called Mark A. Matthews, a Georgian fundamentalist, to the pulpit. He described the congregation's religion as "thoroughly orthodox, fundamental to the core, premillennial, free from heretical tendencies, modernistic views" and his appeal resonated. By 1907 First Seattle was the third largest congregation in the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. at 2,550 members. Their third building, erected that year for $5 million (more than $12 million in 2016 dollars), had a cinder track on the roof and audio apparatus in the pews for the hearing impaired. The congregation became the largest in the denomination in 1910, and owing to this influence, Matthews was elected moderator of the denomination in 1912.

Rev. Mark A. Matthews, First Seattle's longest-serving minister was known for his fiery rhetoric and for his espousal of Progressive-era causes, such as consumer safety, temperance, and abolition of prostitution. He was instrumental in the recall of Seattle Mayor Hiram Gill in 1911, served on the Seattle Milk Commission, hired a private detective to search out relationships between the businesses of Seattle's Tenderloin district and local politicians, and testified before Congress on behalf of Japanese immigrants. Matthews was at the same time an opponent of women's rights, a diehard enemy of organized labor, and an anti-Semite. A frequent visitor to Woodrow Wilson's White House, he advocated for the forced removal of recent immigrants from Eastern Europe, owing to their allegedly innate communism and anarchism.

By the time of his death in 1940, Matthews's church had 8,818 members in 26 branches, run by a session of 110. Gradually, most of its branches and Sunday schools became independent and still number among the largest and most diverse in the denomination.

David Staniunas, Presbyterian Historical Society

Prayer: God, we look to you this day and ask that the Holy Spirit would move in our lives, our neighborhoods, our churches, and our cities to make us one. Amen.

From the Presbyterian Mission Yearbook of Prayer