Monthly Archives: January 2016

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on January 31, 2016
Tags: , Storms   

Things To Do During A Blizzard — Rev. David J. Schreffler

 

January 31, 2016

“That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the east side.” So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink. Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re about to drown?” Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm. Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don’t you have any faith?” (Mark 4:35-40)

As I sit writing my devotions, the Eastern Mid-Atlantic States are preparing for the blizzard of 2016 – another “Snowmageddon”. The panic has set in. I am planning to go to the grocery store for one item – ground turkey. Can you believe that I went to the store last evening, at 10:30 pm, and they were completely wiped out of ground turkey. What is up with that? Is everyone planning to make burgers with ground turkey during the storm? I can understand the bread being low, the milk shelf being empty, but ground turkey?

Since I am planning on being stuck inside for one, maybe two days, I have compiled a list of things you can do during a blizzard.

1. Read the bible. There is nothing that helps to pass the time than to pick a book, like the Psalms, and decide to read it through from beginning to end. Pick one of the books you seldom hear in church – Proverbs, Leviticus, Ruth, or Malachi. Maybe even give Revelation a try. Read the bible.

2. Write a letter to someone you love. We do not write each other any more. We send texts, we send email, but we rarely receive a hand written note unless it comes from our grand mother or a great-aunt. Write a letter to someone you love.

3. Play a board game. We have some great board games that we never have the time to play. They are either in a box in our basement or stacked away on a shelf in the den. Find a board game that takes a long time to play (like Monopoly or Life) and spend some quality time together. Play a board game.

4. Teach yourself to play the guitar. I have decided after forty years of wanting to play the guitar that I am teaching my self to learn to play the guitar. Yes, you need to have a guitar in your residence, but if you don’t there are virtual guitars on the internet. Evening imagining yourself doing something will help in learning – and the internet can teach you finger positions until you find a guitar. And, I would bet that if you ask your neighbors, those within walking distance, if someone has a guitar you can borrow, you will find one. Teach yourself to play the guitar.

Anything you do when it is storming outside helps you to stay calm. Look at Jesus – he was asleep in the stern of the boat when the storm hit. Being busy helps us to keep our minds off the worries of life. And if you are reading about Jesus, or about one of the prophets of G-d, it may help keep you calm.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on January 30, 2016
Tags: , ,   

We Are The Body – Working Together – Not Attacking Each Other —- Rev. David J. Schreffler

                           January 30, 2016

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.” (1 Corinthians 12:18-25)

Recently Glenn Fry, co-founder and guitarist/singer for the 70’s band The Eagles passed away at the age of 67. They stated his death came as the result of losing a long battle to rheumatoid arthritis, acute ulcerative colitis, and additional complications from pneumonia. From What I know of rheumatoid arthritis, it is a disease that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body’s tissues. In addition to causing joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis sometimes can affect other organs of the body — such as the skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels. From what we know about the body, it is amazing to us that it might attack itself — it is counter-intuitive to think it would do this. The body usually works so well together it is like a symphony of motion, flow, and coordinated effort. In fact, Paul used the body and how it works together to describe the church: “God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.” But, of course, as in the case of Glenn Fry, the body can turn on itself – to destroy.

And this was Paul’s concern as well – that the people of G-d, working together like a body and its individual members, would work in concert rather than against one another to destroy. Once again, this is why we read the bible, because there is so much wisdom to be found within its pages. Where else might we read in such eloquent terms how we are to live, act and treat one another with such a clear analogy – we are the body of Christ, and as such, we are to work together, not against one another. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need for you, nor the head say the same to the feet. As the body of Christ, we are stronger together than we might ever be as individuals. And when we read these words written by someone as wise and intuitive as Paul, it gives us courage to put these words into action.

Continue reading the word of G-d found in the bible my friends. There is wisdom in its pages – true wisdom.

Pastor Dave