March 1, 2023 — “Stop Letting Things Get in Your Way”

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.” Matthew 4:1-11

We are a people who try to juggle a lot of things. Our lives are filled with responsibilities, with obligations, with appointments for our parents, and practices for our children. Too often in the process of juggling all of our responsibilities, we forget to try to work in some time for G-d. As I said in a recent sermon, we become too accustomed to giving G-d what we have left, including our time and attention, instead of giving G-d what is right. A discipline we can take this Lent is to give up some of our busy-ness and give G-d more of our time and attention. We have to make an effort to stop making excuses and allowing other things to get in the way of our focus on our faith lives. Or, in other words, we have to stop letting “things” get in our way. Obstacles come in all kinds of shapes and sizes: some are made of our own devices, others are thrown at us by obligations, even by Satan, and some just become excuses. This Lent, make an effort to stop allowing obstacles to get in your way of a stronger relationship with G-d.

Let us pray: Dear G-d, I don’t ask to be delivered from temptation, I ask to be delivered from evil and for Your help in my daily battle to make good choices. Grant me the patience and focus to grow deeper in love with Your Word. Amen.

Pastor Dave

February 28, 2023 – “Is Lent About Testing or Teaching?”

“Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.” Deuteronomy 6:16

When we encounter a text like this, one of the first questions we must ask is: “What happened at Massah?” In Exodus 17, the Israelites have been traveling in the Desert of Sin, and they are thirsty. They quarrel with Moses saying “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to have us die of thirst?” The Lord tells Moses to take his staff and strike a rock, and water will come forth. Moses names the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord.

The bible is clear that we are not to put the Lord to the test – Jesus will use this argument against Satan while Satan is testing and tempting him in the wilderness. So when we consider a Lenten discipline to follow each season of Lent, there needs to be some thought as to what we choose to do. Will we be testing ourselves, you know testing our faith, or will we be seeking to learn a lesson about our faith?

So, whatever it is that you choose to do for Lent, and even if you choose to do nothing, use these 40 days to, if nothing else think about your relationship with G-d. You do not need to do great, intentional things during Lent. You can simply read one verse of scripture every day during Lent. And if you do, take time to think about what it is you have read. What does scripture mean to you? How does G-d speak to you in the verses you have read?

 You have forty days – why miss this opportunity for real, intentional learning?

Let us pray: Dear G-d, you seek opportunities to teach us about You – about our relationship with You. Give me time today to contemplate my relationship with you and what I can do to respond to that relationship. Amen.

Pastor Dave