A Word from Colossians

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel  that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,  so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,  and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:3-14

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Not for Our Own Glory

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else. Galatians 6:3-4

When we do something great, we enjoy the applause more than we’d like to admit. I think it’s ok to feel good when we’re praised, but we have to be careful how we respond. When someone gushes over us, it becomes all too easy to start thinking too highly of ourselves. We start to believe that the great things we do (or the great way we look) define us and make us great people, we may even view ourselves as better than others in comparison. As Christians, we know how important it is to be humble, but regretfully, we sometimes let those prideful thoughts take hold anyway. How easily we forget that everything we are and every good thing we do is a gift from God. So instead of expecting attention from others, we should be expressing our gratitude to God for what He has given us. He deserves the glory, not us!  The basis of our self-worth is our identity in Christ.  Only in Him are we valuable and capable of doing great things. Therefore, we shouldn’t need to look to others for approval or comparison, for we will always have a source of joy within us.  When we evaluate ourselves by worldly standards, talents, achievements, learning, rank, wealth, looks, etc., we tend to think too much of our worth in the eyes of others, and miss our true value in God’s eyes.  Instead, we should evaluate our worth based on our Christian character; that’s all that really matters, after all. Does our devotion to Christ show in all that we think, do and say?  If so, then we can take pride in that, being careful to remain humble.

Prayer: Dearest God, forgive us for the times we think too highly of ourselves. Help us as we learn to be your humble servants. And thank you so much for the many gifts you have given us. May we always strive to use them for your glory and not our own. Amen

Sharon Irvin (reprinted for the Eastridge Daily Devotion Book, published in 2008)

Obedience

“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”  Genesis 22:17-18

But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. 2 John 1:6

Sometimes obedience doesn’t look the way we may think.

Years ago, I volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels in the small town in which I was living. One house on the route stood out on this bitterly cold winter day. It was tiny, basically a shack. Paper-thin walls, windows frosted over with no insulation. The elderly woman living in it kept warm with a wood-burning stove or something similar, I can’t recall. I do recall thinking: this woman can’t be comfortable here. It’s too cold. This seems unsafe.

As the day went on, I thought more about her. As evening approached and it became even colder, I felt a nagging sense of unease, thinking about her circumstances.

I thought I needed to check on her. I'm not sure what I would’ve found, or what I would’ve done having found it, but I felt called to get in my car and go see her. Never mind that she had probably survived many cold, bitter winter days in her little home…today was the day that I noticed her!

It was so cold.

When I arrived, she was warm, cozy, and pleasantly surprised, maybe even amused, to see me. (Notice that I said SHE was warm and cozy…it still seemed too cold to me.) Feeling a bit foolish for having ventured out to check on someone who was doing just fine, I got in my car and went home, doubting my “message” from God that I was to go check on her. Even though my visit felt unnecessary, I was, however, glad to see that she seemed comfortable.

In our Pauses for Pentecost study (a word a day), one day’s word was: Listen. The author refers to a biblical scholar who had studied over 1,500 Biblical references and came to the conclusion that God’s biggest complaint is when we don’t listen. When I shared this story with my Bible study group, they assured me that I WAS obedient. The way they saw it, I was following God’s call…it didn’t matter that I didn’t swoop in to “save the day”, I was simply doing as God had asked. Maybe, they argued, I was called to simply let this elderly woman know that someone cared.

Prayer: Dear Lord, sometimes it’s hard to know what you’d like us to do. Sometimes it’s crystal clear. Help us to listen to your voice so that we can discern your will. Forgive us when we miss it. Help us to understand that sometimes it’s the small moments of obedience that add up to a life lived serving you. Amen.

Donna Gustafson

Election Day

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Timothy 2:1-2 NASB)

The Non-Game

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Honor your father and your mother. Exodus 20:12

Nebraska is a unique place. Our football team, after being used to winning nine games a season and having five national championships, lost their first six games in 2018. Yet, our coach is humble, the fans are patient, show signs of kindness and self-control and are faithful for sure. Ninety thousand showed up for the seventh game.

The players won that game and doused our first-year coach with Gatorade after the win. At the post-game interview on television the coach said he didn’t deserve that honor from the team because they just won one game. I know what he meant. When the tennis boys doused me after winning the conference championship, I was elated. We had earned it.

The football games in Nebraska unite us all in one. It doesn’t matter if the whole country is divided in politics, when we gather at Memorial Stadium, we are one. I have a new mission statement for our family-We are all Separate but we are One. My son and his wife turned fifty this October and I offered them a trip somewhere to celebrate together. Guess what, they chose coming to Nebraska. We were able to get tickets for eight of us to go to the game that was never played. Yes, lightning, which no human can control, stopped the game. Did that ruin the night for us? No, not one bit. We had gathered together as a family; sixteen of us had a great time. The memories of running to the car in the rain, not having seen a game and meeting the rest of the family that had watched it NOT happen on TV will be a lasting memory for us.

The highlight for my sister’s family, after her daughter and family traveled to Lincoln to be together and attend a Nebraska football game, was to see our new coach win the seventh game. As mothers, we found joy in having our families together. It does not take the win to feel the true Spirit and love of family.

Prayer: Oh Lord, God of all, thank you for giving us all these wonderful things which are against no laws. Thank you for our families and the joy we have being together, mothers, fathers, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Amen.

Sandra Hilsabeck

Claiming the Tree of Life

Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.  Psalm 1:1-3

Many of us have been in grief and horrified by the shooting at the Tree of Life Synogogue in Pittsburgh on October 27^th.  A friend and I attended a memorial service at Tifereth Israel Synogogue in Lincoln. It was reassuring in the midst of this tragedy that so many from many faith traditions were in attendance at this memorial service. It was a united voice – a concert of voices that would agree that hate has no home in this community or elsewhere in the United States. 

One point made a profound impression on me: the Tree of Life as portrayed in Psalm 1. It is descriptive of those who walk in the way of the Lord – who meditate on the Law of God --- God’s Word every day and night. They are like a tree planted by streams of water. That tree is a tree of life that bears fruit and will prosper. My encouragement is that we find the solace of this fruit bearing tree – of God’s Word – God’s Spirit Who ministers not only to this community, but more so, to the Pittsburgh community and to those directly impacted by this tragedy. Yes, God cries with us and we with each other. God is with us in this  as Emmanuel – God with us in Jesus Christ. May we find comfort, strength, and a voice that has the courage to say, “No more!”

Prayer: Most gracious God, keep us nurtured and strengthened through Him Who is our Vine and we are His branches. Fortify us with Your Spirit. May we bring words and deeds of life to a world that is so encumbered by death. Let this day be a day for living in the name of Him Who is the Resurrection and the Life, Jesus Christ. Amen

Rev. Dr. John Duling

Today

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Today is here! Start with a smile and resolve to be agreeable. Do not criticize. Refuse to waste valuable time.

Today has one thing that is equal with everyone—time. We will draw the same salary in seconds, minutes and hours.

Today-do not waste time, because the minutes wasted yesterday are as lost as a vanished thought.

Today-refuse to spend time worrying about what might happen. Spend time making things happen.

Today-refuse to spend time worrying about what might happen, Spend time making things happen.

Today-be determined to improve yourself for tomorrow you may be wanted, you must not be found lacking.

Today-be determined to do things you should do. Determine to stop doing the things you should not do.

Today-Begin by doing and not wasting time. In one week you will be miles beyond the person you are today.

Today-Stop saying” If I had time for you will never find time for anything—if you want time you must “take” it.

Today- Do not imagine what you would do if things were different. They are not different. Make success with what material you have.

Today-act toward other people as this might be your last day on earth.

Do not wait for tomorrow. Tomorrow may never come.

Prayer: O God be with us as we begin another day. May we look upon this day as another day of opportunity. We thank you, that your love is not measured by an inventory of our progress, but in Christ Jesus, his life, death and resurrection. Sustain us all with your strength and love. Amen

Delbert Olmsted (reprinted from the Eastridge Daily Devotional, published in 2008)