JESUS STILLS THE STORM

Jesus proposed a journey to his disciples: “Let us go across to the other side of the sea.” He was ready to leave the crowd behind and venture into new territory.

Jesus asked experienced fishermen to take him there. Fishing, after all, was what they did for their living. Surely, they knew what they were doing and where they were heading. Their grandfathers and fathers most likely fished that sea.

Jesus Stills the Storm
Jesus rose up and said “Peace! Be Still”
Jesus’ words caused a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

The peace of Jesus is always available through faith, hope and prayer He dampens fear and helps people to have the courage and resilience to endure life’s storms.
How should the followers of Jesus live their lives?

The Teaching of Jesus
“Have faith” “I am always with you”
Do not be afraid
Live through forgiveness
Love your neighbour
Reach out to others

The raging storms in our lives call on us to draw on our reserves of faith. When the storms of life are raging, we pray for calm, we pray for stillness. We pray for God’s hand to put out fires and to calm the turbulence. The peace of the Lord be with you.

Yours in Christ

Debra

Today is Trinity Sunday, which falls on the Sunday following Pentecost each year. This day is dedicated to the Christian belief in the Trinity, God The Father, God The Son and God The Holy Spirit. Throughout the sermons on Sundays, I have consistently spoken of looking through the eyes of love, as Jesus taught us through his example. Love is foundational to the Trinity. The Trinity has radical consequences for Christian life. It is the specifically Christian way of speaking about God, [and] what it means to participate in the life of God through Jesus Christ in the Spirit.”

The belief in the Three-in-One God arose from how God was revealed to us. The Old Testament clearly teaches that there is only one God. Yet the New Testament has shown us that Jesus Christ is God and that the Holy Spirit is God. In seeking to teach clearly what we have been shown about God, the church has formulated the doctrine of the Trinity – one God in three Persons.

The Holy Trinity is about relationship. It is about collaboration and God communicating the nature of God, about our invitation into relationship with God by Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is also about our relationship and mutuality with each other, guiding, speaking, and declaring to one another the glory of God, Father/Creator, Jesus/Son, and Holy Spirit.

The beautiful painting on the front of this booklet represents The Trinity in a way that engenders an emotion in the viewer. How does it make you feel? What is it saying to you?

Yours in Christ

Debra

Do You Look Like Your Father?

Do you look like your father?

Romans 8:16 tells us “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Since we are God’s children, we need to grow to become more like him – to “look like Him”. Here’s how:

Galatians 5:22-23 tells us “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control.” This is a perfect check-list and spiritual exercise program for us to become more like our Father. Each day and each week, (i) chose one of the “fruit” to focus on, (ii) pray for understanding, (iii) research the nature of the fruit, (iv) list times and ways that you can display that fruit in your own life, (v) by faith, allow the Spirit to produce that fruit in you in those situations. Review, pray and practice again J

Love: Luke 10:25-37, John 3:16, John 15:9-17, 1Corinthians 13:1-13, 1 John 4:8

Joy: Philippians 4:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Psalm 16:11, 19:8, 28:7, Matt 13:44

Peace: Numbers 6:26, Romans 12:18, John 14:27, Psalm 34:14, Heb 12:11

Patience: Proverbs 19:11, Romans 8:25, James 1:19, James 5:10

Kindness: Ephesians 4:32, 1 Peter 3:9, Matthew 9:12-13, Ruth 3:10

Goodness: Psalm 23:6, Psalm 27:13, Psalm 116:12, Romans 15:14, 2Peter 1:5

Faithfulness: Luke 16:10, 2 Corinthians 5:7, Psalm 57:10, Romans 3:3

Humility: Proverbs 11:2, Ephesians 4:2, 1 Peter 5:6, James 3:13, Philippians 2:3

Self-Control: Proverbs 25:28, 1 Corinthians 7:5, Titus 1:8, Galatians 5:13-17