“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse for not knowing God.” Romans 1:20
Dear Friends,
May is a special month for me. My two sons were born in May exactly 3 years and 8 days apart. It was the month I became a mother. Not everyone can be a mother, but as the scripture tell us, we all can see and know God.
Something I realized during a recent trip back to New York is that we can become comfortable when we stay in one place. In this I mean that we take our surroundings for granted. Even those who live near the Great lakes, we can look at them for so long and forget the power that created them. We could even forget to thank God every time we make our way to the shores of Michigan. When we begin to take for granted the people and places round us, we can easily lose sight of God.
During my trip to New York, I looked out of the plane window and gazed at the beauty that I saw as we took off and landed. During previous trips, I would look down on the land below me and see the beauty rather than the chaos that we experience with both feet on the ground. Sometimes it takes a bird’s eye view of our world to regain our awe and wonder of all that God has made.
Sometimes it takes a trip back home to realize how much things have stayed the same and how much things have changed to see God’s movement in the world. John and I found that not everything was where it belonged: Buildings modified, torn down, and/or new ones built in their place.
People were different too. Great nieces who were children when we left are now young ladies. Brothers and sisters are older, grayer than before. My grandson, now 8 years old, is going to karate classes and able to order his own food at the restaurant.
One of the places we went was to a church I served at from 2011-2015. The building is still there and some of the members. Others had passed and one woman we knew well had Alzheimer’s. During my time, they found a heart for mission and that has continued. They now collect food, clothing, and hygiene products to give out to the community once a month. The basement that once served as Sunday school and a fellowship hall has been converted into a place where people can come for assistance. Now, after ten years, they are now without a pastor and must discern God’s next chapter in their faith community.
Following Easter, it is a time when we too must discern where God is leading Christ’s church here in Mount Clemens. This means taking the time to see how God has been in our midst and discern where God is leading us this year and for years to come. Over the next month or so, you could be asked to complete a survey on worship, hospitality, building and grounds, service, and the like. I hope you will take part because it will be the basis for setting goals for our church going forward.
I, also, hope that you will take time to “smell the roses” while seeking to see and know God that occupies the spaces all around us. See Christ in the people you know, appreciate them for the blessings that they bring to this world. And thank God for the beautiful things we see daily. Take a step away from the routines of the day to see and know God.
I thank God for you,
Pastor Kathy Nealand
“So, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2
“I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2
“Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?” Matthew 21:42
"Walk by the Spirit . . . led by the Spirit . . . live by the Spirit . . . keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:16, 25
“[Paul Gives Thanks to God] I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.” -1 Corinthians 1:4-5
“Honor the Lord with your substance and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10
As we begin a new season in the church, it is good and right to think about what we mean when we pray “give us this day, our daily bread.” It is all about God’s provision. If we see God as a parent, we know that if we have a need, God will provide exactly what we need. The scripture verse above proves the case. Ask and it will be given to you. Knock and the door will be opened.
All children are precious to God. Psalm 139 speaks to God knowing us before we were born. At our conception we are “children of God.” We belong to God by way of grace. However, it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we know that we are children of God (John 1:12). To acknowledge that we are children of God is a sign that our rebirth from above has begun to take place in our lives. It says that we accept the fact that regardless of our age, we need and want to be parented by our heavenly Father.
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:8-9, NIV)
You have found a Bible that you want to read. But where do you start? There are many programs out there that helps a person to read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in one year. I would not recommend this approach without understanding how the Bible is laid out. In both the Old and New Testament, the books are broken down by category. In addition, there are various sources that have influenced the content of these books. Even though we believe that the Bible is inspired by God, there are different voices that tell God’s story from their perspective. Scholars believe there are four sources of material that makes up the Old Testament. (Yahwist, Elohist, Deuteronomist, and Priestly). For the beginner, what is most important to keep in mind, is that if you see a story repeat, or you sense a change in the language, the differences may be because you are hearing the different voices. For instance, there are two creation stories. The first one is believed to come from the oral tradition of the Elohist and the second comes from the Yahwist. In Genesis 1, God is seen as a distant figure, while in Genesis 2, God is personally involved in what is happening in the Garden of Eden. Read them for yourself while thinking about the differences and similarities are between them. Listen for the different voices. The first five books are considered the Torah or The Law books. They begin with the creation of this world and continue with the story of the early people including when God gave Moses the laws for the people to live by. They are: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy The next books are the History books of the Old Testament. Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther The next category are the Wisdom books: Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon The last section are the books of the Major and Minor Prophets. Hint: The minor prophets are not minor in their importance, only in their length. Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahem Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zachariah Malachi This website gives a brief description of each of these books. https://www.biblestudytools.com/books-of-the-bible/ Now that you have an idea of the categories, you might want to start with Genesis, Exodus and the history book. Inspirational readings can be found in the Wisdom books, in particular the Psalms. Whatever direction you choose to go in, you should read the introduction section for each book, so that you have a better idea of content, context, and purpose. Have fun! Next week I will cover the New Testament.
