"He is my Loving God and my Fortress, my Stronghold and my Deliverer, my Shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me...." (Psalm 144:2)
"He who Loves God is never weary of serving Him. He is sure to dwell with God in heaven if he has God dwelling in his heart. So that to Love God is the truest self-Love. He who does not Love God does not Love himself.
Love to God evidences sincerity. To Love God is a better sign of sincerity than to fear Him. Repentance is no better than flattery when it arises only from fear of God's judgments and has no Love mixed with it.
Do you Love God? Then you may be sure of God's Love to you. As it is with burning glasses, if the magnifying glass can set a fire, it is because the sun has first shined upon it. So if our hearts burn in Love to God, it is because God's Love first shined upon us." (Thomas Watson)
MEDITATION:
I Live in the Light.
I appreciate and value the Divine qualities of Strength, Imagination, and Judgment, which God has instilled in me.
I accept my unlimited potential and the provision needed to fulfill my destiny to be the best that I can be.
Deeply grateful for All that has been given and All that is to come, I embrace the Good God provides with joy and thanksgiving.
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
In Christ,
Jim
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Thursday, July 3, 2008
God's Faithfulness by Dr. Jim Savage
Romans 6:12-23
Life gains meaning and purpose when we are willing to spend it for something greater....
We have been released from slavery for a greater service. Freed from slavery to sin, we Now face Paul's "so now." What is the "so now" that encompasses our lives, that requires redirection and reorientation?
Christ did not come to make our lives easy, but to make our lives Great, not to fill us with ease and comfort but with the Energy of a Great Cause.
Are we ready to give ourselves, fully and completely, to the Cause of Christ? (Disciplines)
THE FACE OF LOVE:
"It is the purpose of God that the heart of Christ shall be revealed to His people. It is the will of God that "the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God" should be revealed to us "in the face of Jesus Christ."
Where there is the shining of the face, we know there is more than forgiveness. There is favor and disposition to please. What a wonderful view of the Light of His countenance the favored disciples must have had who were witnesses to His Transfiguration.
We are told that His face did shine as the sun. And so when the Lord makes the Light of His countenance to shine upon any of His people, in the measure in which with unveiled face they discern the beauty of the Lord, there is a moral and progressive change into His likeness." (Hudson Taylor)
"Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing Love." (Psalm 31:16)
AFFIRMATION:
Prayer by prayer, we affirm peace and understanding for the world.
Even in a world of many different religions, cultures, and belief systems, there is One family of God.
Right where we are, we can work toward the Greatest Good of All.
We remember that world peace begins with each one of us. We are committed to being peacemakers at all times and in all situations.
Dear Lord, rescue us from aimlessness and meaninglessness. You call for our commitment. May we serve You this day not only with our lips but with our hearts, not only with our words but with our lives. Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
In Christ,
Jim
Life gains meaning and purpose when we are willing to spend it for something greater....
We have been released from slavery for a greater service. Freed from slavery to sin, we Now face Paul's "so now." What is the "so now" that encompasses our lives, that requires redirection and reorientation?
Christ did not come to make our lives easy, but to make our lives Great, not to fill us with ease and comfort but with the Energy of a Great Cause.
Are we ready to give ourselves, fully and completely, to the Cause of Christ? (Disciplines)
THE FACE OF LOVE:
"It is the purpose of God that the heart of Christ shall be revealed to His people. It is the will of God that "the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God" should be revealed to us "in the face of Jesus Christ."
Where there is the shining of the face, we know there is more than forgiveness. There is favor and disposition to please. What a wonderful view of the Light of His countenance the favored disciples must have had who were witnesses to His Transfiguration.
We are told that His face did shine as the sun. And so when the Lord makes the Light of His countenance to shine upon any of His people, in the measure in which with unveiled face they discern the beauty of the Lord, there is a moral and progressive change into His likeness." (Hudson Taylor)
"Let Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your unfailing Love." (Psalm 31:16)
AFFIRMATION:
Prayer by prayer, we affirm peace and understanding for the world.
Even in a world of many different religions, cultures, and belief systems, there is One family of God.
Right where we are, we can work toward the Greatest Good of All.
We remember that world peace begins with each one of us. We are committed to being peacemakers at all times and in all situations.
Dear Lord, rescue us from aimlessness and meaninglessness. You call for our commitment. May we serve You this day not only with our lips but with our hearts, not only with our words but with our lives. Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
In Christ,
Jim
Thursday, June 26, 2008
PERCEPTION.....GIVE US A SIGN by Dr. Jim Savage
PERCEPTION.....GIVE US A SIGN
Psalm 86:1-10; 16-17
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me......"
Is it wrong to ask God to show himself, to prove himself, to give us a "sign" of His Goodness?
The Israelites are rebuked and disciplined many times for putting God to the test, for insisting on more evidence of His Goodness and Power than He's already abundantly provided. (Ps 78:41-51) But here the psalmist's motives are clearly not for his own benefit. He is not doubting God or demanding that the Lord demonstrate His character in a tangible way just so he'll feel better. Rather, he wants the evidence of God's Loving Presence to rebuke and shame the people who have no faith in the Almighty, to whom the psalmist owes his life.
Like the prophet Micah, we need not hesitate to pray that God will help and honor us so that His Glory will be revealed to the arrogant and unbelieving. (Mic 7:8-10) (Women of Faith Study Bible)
Our lives are ever changing. Part of our Spiritual Journey calls for us to embrace the moments of change in our lives. Not with the fear and trepidation that so often people exhibit, but with exhilaration and, as Ed Hays said, "with anticipation."
We willingly acknowledge that no matter how carefully we plan, LIFE, as John Lennon once famously said, "...is what happens when we are making other plans."
And we're OK with that because we are Living with Christ.
AFFIRMATION:
Willingly do I drink the cup of this day and all that it holds: All the blessings, All the challenges, All the opportunities for me to learn.
Be with me, Jesus, that I might live this day as Your compassionate disciple.
Make me Aware of Your Presence even when the answers to my prayers are not what I want or expect.
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:2)
In Christ, Jim
Psalm 86:1-10; 16-17
"Hear, O Lord, and answer me......"
Is it wrong to ask God to show himself, to prove himself, to give us a "sign" of His Goodness?
The Israelites are rebuked and disciplined many times for putting God to the test, for insisting on more evidence of His Goodness and Power than He's already abundantly provided. (Ps 78:41-51) But here the psalmist's motives are clearly not for his own benefit. He is not doubting God or demanding that the Lord demonstrate His character in a tangible way just so he'll feel better. Rather, he wants the evidence of God's Loving Presence to rebuke and shame the people who have no faith in the Almighty, to whom the psalmist owes his life.
Like the prophet Micah, we need not hesitate to pray that God will help and honor us so that His Glory will be revealed to the arrogant and unbelieving. (Mic 7:8-10) (Women of Faith Study Bible)
Our lives are ever changing. Part of our Spiritual Journey calls for us to embrace the moments of change in our lives. Not with the fear and trepidation that so often people exhibit, but with exhilaration and, as Ed Hays said, "with anticipation."
We willingly acknowledge that no matter how carefully we plan, LIFE, as John Lennon once famously said, "...is what happens when we are making other plans."
And we're OK with that because we are Living with Christ.
AFFIRMATION:
Willingly do I drink the cup of this day and all that it holds: All the blessings, All the challenges, All the opportunities for me to learn.
Be with me, Jesus, that I might live this day as Your compassionate disciple.
Make me Aware of Your Presence even when the answers to my prayers are not what I want or expect.
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:2)
In Christ, Jim
Monday, May 19, 2008
GOD LIVES IN COMMUNITY by Dr. Jim Savage
Here....Now....Always
Jesus frequently proclaimed that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him and that He would send the "Advocate," or Holy Spirit, to the disciples to continue to guide and companion them. Jesus not only promised that God would live in community with the disciples but also declared the Reality of a Divine Community. Trinity Sunday highlights the deep Mystery of God in Three Persons living in Divine Community and invites the church to reflect that Divine Community in the contemporary world. (A Guide To Prayer For All Who Seek God)
REFLECTION: "Life Together" Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
"In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and Love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest Good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?"
AFFIRMATION: Believe! (Richard Baxter FRIEND):
"Who is more suitable for our love than Christ? His Godhead and humanity, His fullness and freeness, His willingness and constancy, all proclaim Him your most suitable Friend. Although your eyes have never seen your Lord, yet you have heard His voice, received His benefits, and lived close to His heart. He taught you to know yourself and Him. He opened that first window through which you saw into heaven."
Thank You, Father God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Shalom,
Jim
Jesus frequently proclaimed that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him and that He would send the "Advocate," or Holy Spirit, to the disciples to continue to guide and companion them. Jesus not only promised that God would live in community with the disciples but also declared the Reality of a Divine Community. Trinity Sunday highlights the deep Mystery of God in Three Persons living in Divine Community and invites the church to reflect that Divine Community in the contemporary world. (A Guide To Prayer For All Who Seek God)
REFLECTION: "Life Together" Dietrich Bonhoeffer:
"In the Christian community thankfulness is just what it is anywhere else in the Christian life. Only he who gives thanks for little things receives the big things. We prevent God from giving us the great spiritual gifts He has in store for us, because we do not give thanks for daily gifts. We think we dare not be satisfied with the small measure of spiritual knowledge, experience, and Love that has been given to us, and that we must constantly be looking forward eagerly for the highest Good. Then we deplore the fact that we lack the deep certainty, the strong faith, and the rich experience that God has given to others, and we consider this lament to be pious. We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?"
AFFIRMATION: Believe! (Richard Baxter FRIEND):
"Who is more suitable for our love than Christ? His Godhead and humanity, His fullness and freeness, His willingness and constancy, all proclaim Him your most suitable Friend. Although your eyes have never seen your Lord, yet you have heard His voice, received His benefits, and lived close to His heart. He taught you to know yourself and Him. He opened that first window through which you saw into heaven."
Thank You, Father God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Shalom,
Jim
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Trinity Sunday: 1st Sunday After Pentecost
GOD LIVES IN COMMUNITY
Genesis 1......
The Bible's opening verses offer us our first glimpse of God. He presents himself as One who brings order from darkness, emptiness and formlessness. He separates light from darkness, sky from water, water from land. He commands His creation to "produce," to "mark" seasons and days and years to "govern" the day and night----all ways of establishing order.
1:3-4 "Then God said...."
The mode of God's creative Power is divine speech. All that is needed for the creation of light, even before the sun and stars have been created, is God's intrusive Word. That Word that creates also qualifies what it creates as "Good." At the utterance of the divine Word there is Order and Goodness.
"We can 'un-train' from our habit of thinking of time in the 'normal,' linear way. In an age filled with clocks and calendars, we have limited our natural abilities to choose how we traverse time in our lives......we can learn.....take profound spiritual steps toward achieving liberation from the ego, connecting to the universal consciousness, and overcoming the fear of death." (Fred Alan Wolf)
REFLECTION: Love In Three Words (Reuben Archer Torrey)
"God is Love is the greatest sentence ever written. It sums up the whole contents of the Bible. It is the subject of the first chapter of Genesis, it is the subject of the last chapter of Revelation, and it is the subject of every chapter that lies in between.
There is mighty Power in that one short sentence, Power to break the hardest heart, Power to reach individual men and women who are sunk down in sin and to lift them up until they are fit for a place beside the Lord Jesus Christ upon the throne."
"Whoever does not Love does not Know God, because God is Love." (1 John 4:8)
AFFIRMATION:
I Trust that Divine Order is always present. Spirit is at work in the details of life.
As independent as activities and surroundings may seem to be of one another, they blend together in an intricate pattern...the Journey of Life...Connection...Transformation.......
Even when I do not See evidence of Good taking shape and emerging, I Trust that it is there. Divine Order is present and All is coming together for Good.
"Trust in Him at all times, O people." (Psalm 62:8)
Shalom,
Jim
Genesis 1......
The Bible's opening verses offer us our first glimpse of God. He presents himself as One who brings order from darkness, emptiness and formlessness. He separates light from darkness, sky from water, water from land. He commands His creation to "produce," to "mark" seasons and days and years to "govern" the day and night----all ways of establishing order.
1:3-4 "Then God said...."
The mode of God's creative Power is divine speech. All that is needed for the creation of light, even before the sun and stars have been created, is God's intrusive Word. That Word that creates also qualifies what it creates as "Good." At the utterance of the divine Word there is Order and Goodness.
"We can 'un-train' from our habit of thinking of time in the 'normal,' linear way. In an age filled with clocks and calendars, we have limited our natural abilities to choose how we traverse time in our lives......we can learn.....take profound spiritual steps toward achieving liberation from the ego, connecting to the universal consciousness, and overcoming the fear of death." (Fred Alan Wolf)
REFLECTION: Love In Three Words (Reuben Archer Torrey)
"God is Love is the greatest sentence ever written. It sums up the whole contents of the Bible. It is the subject of the first chapter of Genesis, it is the subject of the last chapter of Revelation, and it is the subject of every chapter that lies in between.
There is mighty Power in that one short sentence, Power to break the hardest heart, Power to reach individual men and women who are sunk down in sin and to lift them up until they are fit for a place beside the Lord Jesus Christ upon the throne."
"Whoever does not Love does not Know God, because God is Love." (1 John 4:8)
AFFIRMATION:
I Trust that Divine Order is always present. Spirit is at work in the details of life.
As independent as activities and surroundings may seem to be of one another, they blend together in an intricate pattern...the Journey of Life...Connection...Transformation.......
Even when I do not See evidence of Good taking shape and emerging, I Trust that it is there. Divine Order is present and All is coming together for Good.
"Trust in Him at all times, O people." (Psalm 62:8)
Shalom,
Jim
Monday, May 12, 2008
TRINITY SUNDAY: First Sunday After Pentecost by Dr. Jim Savage
God Lives In Community
Matthew 28:16-20
"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee....."
The eleven do go to Galilee, and Jesus appears as promised. Jesus says He has been given all authority, and then He authorizes His disciples to make disciples of all nations, which is said to involve baptizing in the Trinitarian name and teaching the converts to obey all that Jesus commanded.
But Jesus does far more than just authorize and empower His "learners." He promises to be with them (Immanuel) as the divine Power, Presence, and Wisdom of God until the close of the age. Never again will they be bereft of Him. Thus, the Gospel closes with a presentation of Jesus as God's Wisdom, His wise Presence, who dwells within the People of God and guards and guides them.
As God's people we are called to live and call others to live according to the counterorder Wisdom of Jesus, the sage. The Gospel for learners is also the Gospel for teachers. Ultimately, there is only One Teacher, One Sage, One Wisdom-----Jesus.
REFLECTION:
Why did Jesus tell the disciples that He would be with them to the end of the age?
In what ways is Jesus Christ with us today?
Consider choosing one of those ways and attempting to be especially sensitive to Jesus' Presence with you this week.
SEEK LOVE (Andrew Murray):
"Has our daily habit been to seek being filled with the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Love?
When the body is divided, there cannot be strength. In the time of great conflicts, one of the mottoes is: "Unity gives strength." It is only when God's people stand as One Body, One before God in the fellowship of Love, One toward another in deep affection, One before the world in Love----it is only then that they will have Power to secure the blessing which they ask of God......Give yourselves up to Love, and the Holy Spirit will come. Receive the Spirit, and He will teach you to Love more."
"And Hope does not disappoint us, because God's Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)
AFFIRMATION:
We are All God's beloved creations and One in Spirit.
As divine creations, we have Love within that Connects us One with another.
Following the leading of God's Love within, I Connect with others. God's Love links us heart to heart.
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit! Amen.
"If we Love One another, God lives in us, and His Love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:12)
Shalom,
Jim
Matthew 28:16-20
"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee....."
The eleven do go to Galilee, and Jesus appears as promised. Jesus says He has been given all authority, and then He authorizes His disciples to make disciples of all nations, which is said to involve baptizing in the Trinitarian name and teaching the converts to obey all that Jesus commanded.
But Jesus does far more than just authorize and empower His "learners." He promises to be with them (Immanuel) as the divine Power, Presence, and Wisdom of God until the close of the age. Never again will they be bereft of Him. Thus, the Gospel closes with a presentation of Jesus as God's Wisdom, His wise Presence, who dwells within the People of God and guards and guides them.
As God's people we are called to live and call others to live according to the counterorder Wisdom of Jesus, the sage. The Gospel for learners is also the Gospel for teachers. Ultimately, there is only One Teacher, One Sage, One Wisdom-----Jesus.
REFLECTION:
Why did Jesus tell the disciples that He would be with them to the end of the age?
In what ways is Jesus Christ with us today?
Consider choosing one of those ways and attempting to be especially sensitive to Jesus' Presence with you this week.
SEEK LOVE (Andrew Murray):
"Has our daily habit been to seek being filled with the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Love?
When the body is divided, there cannot be strength. In the time of great conflicts, one of the mottoes is: "Unity gives strength." It is only when God's people stand as One Body, One before God in the fellowship of Love, One toward another in deep affection, One before the world in Love----it is only then that they will have Power to secure the blessing which they ask of God......Give yourselves up to Love, and the Holy Spirit will come. Receive the Spirit, and He will teach you to Love more."
"And Hope does not disappoint us, because God's Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Romans 5:5)
AFFIRMATION:
We are All God's beloved creations and One in Spirit.
As divine creations, we have Love within that Connects us One with another.
Following the leading of God's Love within, I Connect with others. God's Love links us heart to heart.
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit! Amen.
"If we Love One another, God lives in us, and His Love is perfected in us." (1 John 4:12)
Shalom,
Jim
Monday, May 5, 2008
POWER FROM BEYOND OURSELVES by Dr. Jim Savage
Acts 2:1-21
"When the day of Pentecost had come..."
Pentecost was the Jewish feast day, fifty days after Passover, commemorating the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai (Lev 23:15-21). This passage exhibits rich association with that event (Exod 19-20). Again, when important things happen, the community is "all together."
PENTECOST
The birth of the Church. The coming of the Holy Spirit. It all begins here. Or does it?
Turn back to the second verse of the Bible: "The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Gen 1:2). The Holy Spirit was present from the beginning of time. The Old Testament is filled with examples of how the Spirit worked in powerful and amazing ways, in unique situations and through specific people.
How then is the day of Pentecost a dividing line in human history? Because it is on this day that the Holy Spirit of God becomes available to every Christian man, woman and child. Previously, the Spirit revealed himself only occasionally and for unique works of God. Today, the Spirit never leaves. He lives in us, is ever with us and gives us the "righteousness, peace and joy" that is such a beautiful evidence of His work in our lives. (1 Co 6:19; Jn 14:16-17; Ro 14:17) (Women of Faith Study Bible)
"The practical question is: Do I adequately acknowledge the Spirit's role in the good actions I perform every day, or do I attribute them only to my own initiative and hard work? The scriptural model insists that if the action was good, the Spirit was present from the beginning to the end.......To the extent that I have not served in Love, I humbly admit my faults and ask for a greater increase of Grace to transform these areas. My reward for living in the Spirit is the habitual Peace and Joy I experience." (Richard J. Hauser, "In His Spirit")
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. The faithful today continue to receive this Gift of God-dwelling-within to provide direction, courage, comfort, hope, companionship, and peace. Amen.
Shalom,
Jim
"When the day of Pentecost had come..."
Pentecost was the Jewish feast day, fifty days after Passover, commemorating the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai (Lev 23:15-21). This passage exhibits rich association with that event (Exod 19-20). Again, when important things happen, the community is "all together."
PENTECOST
The birth of the Church. The coming of the Holy Spirit. It all begins here. Or does it?
Turn back to the second verse of the Bible: "The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (Gen 1:2). The Holy Spirit was present from the beginning of time. The Old Testament is filled with examples of how the Spirit worked in powerful and amazing ways, in unique situations and through specific people.
How then is the day of Pentecost a dividing line in human history? Because it is on this day that the Holy Spirit of God becomes available to every Christian man, woman and child. Previously, the Spirit revealed himself only occasionally and for unique works of God. Today, the Spirit never leaves. He lives in us, is ever with us and gives us the "righteousness, peace and joy" that is such a beautiful evidence of His work in our lives. (1 Co 6:19; Jn 14:16-17; Ro 14:17) (Women of Faith Study Bible)
"The practical question is: Do I adequately acknowledge the Spirit's role in the good actions I perform every day, or do I attribute them only to my own initiative and hard work? The scriptural model insists that if the action was good, the Spirit was present from the beginning to the end.......To the extent that I have not served in Love, I humbly admit my faults and ask for a greater increase of Grace to transform these areas. My reward for living in the Spirit is the habitual Peace and Joy I experience." (Richard J. Hauser, "In His Spirit")
Thank You, Loving God. Thank You, Christ Jesus. Thank You, Holy Spirit. The faithful today continue to receive this Gift of God-dwelling-within to provide direction, courage, comfort, hope, companionship, and peace. Amen.
Shalom,
Jim
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