The 23rd Psalm - Proactively

This morning I received an email that contained some interesting thoughts. The instruction was to send this to a specified number of people with the promise that something good was going to happen today to everyone who followed this instruction

.

After a few moments of meditation I rewrote the email in the spirit of my teaching moment this past Sunday. It speaks of what I have learned via my faith walk. I share it with you is hopes that you will be encouraged. Thanks for your time. -- John David

Thought Starters

(Not original with John-David)

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.'

When God takes something from your grasp, God's not so much about punishing you,

but opening your hands to receive something better. '

The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you'

The following is a faith statement, based on the 23rd Psalm, for today.It begins with a prayer.

God our Creator. Walk through my life and guide me in the steps I need to take to move me from worry to faith. In the name of Jesus, I invite you to help me pro-actively live Psalm 23.

An affirmation of faith based on the New Century Version (NCV) of Psalm 23

The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

I have everything I need

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

2 God lets me rest in green pastures. God leads me to calm water.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

3 God gives me new strength.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

God leads me on paths that are right for the good of his name

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

4 Even if I walk through a very dark valley, I will not be afraid, because God is with me.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

Gods rod and shepherd's staff comfort me.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

5 God prepares a meal for me in front of my enemies.

God pours oil of blessing on my head;[a]

God fills my cup to overflowing.

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I choose to live knowing that

6 Surely Gods goodness and love will be with me all my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Parking Lot "Appointments"

Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 5:19 PM

In recent weeks I have been thinking a lot about "Divine Appointments." It is increasingly clear that God has "appointments" for us that are "scheduled" but may not be on our calendars.

I say "us" knowing that my experience with this is a personal one. Not every personal experience can be extrapolated into a universal experience. I am confident, however, that what is happening in my life on this topic, is available to everyone.

Was it a "coincidence" that Jesus was at a particular well when the woman with multiple husbands came to get water? Did Jesus just happen to be speaking in a particular city when the woman with the issue of blood reached out to him in a crowd and in faith touched his garment? Did Jesus just happen to be going down a street, look up and see a particular tax collector in a tree? I think not. These were, in my mind, "Divine Appointments."

This afternoon I was returning from a meeting of the clergy association. I was across the street from the church when I saw a tall man looking intently through the doors of the church into the sanctuary. As I approached the corner he walked across the street then into the parking lot across from the restaurant across the street. Something told me to watch where he went. I made the decision to cross the street to the parking lot and approach him. When I called out to him he turned and waited for me to get closer.

Once we were within speaking distance I introduced myself to him and asked, if there was something or someone he was looking for at the church. In moments he poured out his heart and told me he was looking for fellowship because he was "missing Jesus." This was a phrase he used several times during the next two hours. You read that right. In the middle of the parking lot two tall men stood talking, praying, and crying about Jesus. I learned of his experience in another church that is no longer in existence, his marriage of twenty years, anabout his CD's and other recordings on a variety of religious and secular topics. He was not selling anything. He simply wanted to find a place that he could grow and develop his faith.

His wife is not a believer and he clearly wants that to change. I was encouraged by the earnestness of this man. I was blessed by his testimony of faith and his clear desire to be in fellowship with other believers. I was honored by his trust and sense that he could be completely honest with me about the desires of his heart. For the second time today, I heard a person express their frustration with church people" and their "simplistic answers" (his words not mine) to complex issues.

Only God knows the path this couple is on. Only God knows the plan that is exactly right for them. In the parking lot, "Nedd" and I prayed a prayer of thanksgiving for our meeting, for the things happening in our respective lives, and for what God is doing through these circumstances. "Nedd" was invited to join what is, for now, the Men's Bible Study" on Wednesday night. He and I will meet again in the next day or so for more discussion and prayer.

I am continually told by several people in the congregation "Tell me what you want me to do and I will do it." Not all of you reading this note worshipp in this community. Be that as it may, I write to invite/challenge you to join me:

• In prayer for "Nedd" and for his wife. Let God direct us in how to pray for them. Lets do our best to resist the temptation to put our "wish list" into God has already planned.
• In being willing to have our eyes opened so that we may see, more than ever before, the people God arranges for OUR "Divine Appointments."
• When/if that seems a bit frightening, lets be willing to let God calm our fears about it and watch God help us walk on the "water" around our "boat." I firmly believe that God is still in the business of miracle making. The greatest miracle is waiting to be done in your life and in mine. Lets make ourselves available for that work to be done.
• Lets study the lives of other believers who made a positive impact on people and situations in their world then choose to model their behaviors so that we can have a more positive impact on the world around us.

God is GOOD!

Let us, starting now, PRAISE GOD TOGETHER for what is being done in, around, with and through us.

Thanks for your time,

Any takers?

John-David

Six Degrees of Separation

John David’s Monday Morning Back Page

It is interesting to see where my mind goes when I step outside of my comfort zone,
and discover what Spirit, through scripture,
has to say about the spaces where I have chosen to live.

In recent days I became aware that an excellent explanation of the extent some people will go through to enhance their sense of worth will be presented by one of the Westchester hidden treasures. , . Opening on January 8th and continuing through February 13thh the Kentwood Players will present Six Degrees of Separation. The play brings to life a phrase that is common in 21st century conversations and observations.

Six Degrees of Separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one step away from each person they know, and two steps away from each person who is known by one of the people they know, then everyone is at most six steps away from any other person on Earth. The term was popularized by playwright John Guare’s intriguing, insightful exploration of celebrity and the games we play to elevate our significance. The plot of his play was inspired by the real-life story of David Hampton, a con man who managed to convince a number of people that he was the son of actor Sidney Poitier.

In Guare's play, Paul, the African-American protagonist, arrives at the doorstep of moneyed Manhattanites Flan and Ouisa Kittredge under the false pretenses that he is Sidney Poitier's son, having been violently mugged and claiming to have found them because he is a classmate of the couple’s kids. But Paul is not what he seems, and his presence in their lives becomes a catalyst by which everyone else entertains questions of race, class, money and morals.

The same line of thinking is done in the game known as “Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon” and in the book “The Tipping Point.”

To some degree we see this line of thinking when people identify with a team of their choosing. Without ever getting on the court, without breaking a sweat it is not uncommon to hear fans of the Los Angeles Lakers shout “We” won the championship.

The more I think about this the funnier it becomes. By virtue of several long term relationships I can say that I am only two or three “degrees” from several United States presidents, both California Senators, and countless other well known people. By extension this allows you to add one more degree and say that because you know me, and I know someone who knows someone else, and that person knows THE person, YOU are, therefore, a person of significance.

Sad to say but there are some who go to church and think that because they attend church with some degree of regularity, may do some good work from time to time, and may call themselves “a Christian” they get the rights and privileges that go with that title. A casual reading of scripture should help us understand that this is not the case. It is about a personal relationship with Jesus that makes this genuine. How one experiences that relationship, is of course, very individualized.

By the way, you are, by virtue of your active involvement at WCC, only one degree of separation from the actors in this production. Talk to Charlotte, (THE grand lady of the Kentwood Players) for ticket and other information about this production. I’ll see you there.


Thanks God. You have given me the plan.
I choose to get busy and work YOUR plan.

John-David

thelajohndavid@gmail.com
010310

A Rotary Club Prayer for Elected Officials

Prayers for political people present some interesting challenges at times. After thinking about this for a time, the following prayer is what I was guided to pray as the invocation where Congresswoman Maxine Waters spoke.

Wednesday, Aug 19, 2009

Speaker: Congresswoman Maxine Waters

Let’s take a moment to recognize the Spirit that unites all of us.

To You who are called by many names -- we take a moment to recognize your presence in our midst. We thank you for this time and this place. In the sacred writings you invite us to “Give to Caesar that which is Caesars’ and give to God that which is God’s.

In that spirit we thank you for the men and women who give of themselves in public service as elected officials. On this day, in the presence of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, we recognize that there are many smart and brilliant people on both sides of the aisle in Washington, in Sacramento and in Los Angeles. In these days of increasingly complex issues, we ask that you would bless them with the wisdom to know what needs to be done and the insight, compassion and reason to know how to do it. As we pray for them we also pray this same prayer for ourselves

Finally as we face the challenges of each day we ask you to help us all to remember the wisdom we first learned in kindergarten. Help us remember to “Stop, to Look, and to Listen.” This we pray. Amen.

John-David

thelajohndavid@gmail.com

Be Still and Know

John David’s Monday Morning Back Page

Be Still and Know

It is interesting to see where my mind goes when I step outside of my comfort zone,

and discover what Spirit, through scripture, has to say about the spaces I have chosen to live in.

One of my favorite passages in scripture encourages us to take time out and get away from whatever “normal” is a nd “Be still and know that I am God.” The more I live in that passage the more I come to comprehend the depth of that “I am.” I can measure the quality of my relationships with a person by how comfortable I am in silence with them. In this moment it seems that these are two sides of the same coin.

As we rebuild the physical as well as the spiritual parts of the church I find myself, in response to questions about what we are going to do about (fill in the blank) it was not uncommon to respond by saying some version of “Let’s sit here and let the room/issue/ministry tell us what it is called to be.” It has been interesting to discover the power of the “be still” moment. The more I allow myself to “be still” the more it becomes possible to “know” my surroundings, environment, people, and myself. Being still is my opportunity to become more aware.

This morning I am in something of a “retreat” setting far away from my normal setting. There are many things going on in my mind and spirit just now. The memorial service for Rev. Dr. David Stewart, one of my mentors is today but I am far way and not able to be present for the celebration of his life. It was he who alerted me to what has become an important area of service, that of serving the men and women in uniform. One of David’s areas of service was with the Civil Air Patrol. Today I am in an old building with lots of history in it. I have been told that there is a safe here. Over the years many people have looked for it. So far no one has found it.

Earlier today I was led to sit in front of one of the fireplaces and let the site and my thoughts talk to me. As I did that I became aware that there were several mysteries here. The safe is only one of them. There is, for instance, a door on the outside that leads nowhere. Inside the house that area has been closed off. It is a solid wall. In the fireplace room the entry way leading to the dining room is duplicated on the other side of the fireplace. Instead of leading into another room the area has been created to hold shelves that display artwork, books and other “homey” kinds of things. The more I looked at this particular room the more it offered clues about why no one has found the safe. Not everything was what it appeared to be. I was, in essence, being told to look beyond the obvious if I wanted to discover the safe and perhaps other mysteries. I wandered around the house for a while and saw many evidences of what Paul Harvey would call “The rest of the story.” Walls that appeared to be solid were not. Floors that appeared to be a solid surface were not.

When I think of myself and people I know we are similar to this building. A person who appears to be arch conservative or liberal for instance, often displays a side which reflects the exact opposite of that higher profile persona. A child can sometimes be described as “7 going on 35.” To a person who did not know him, in his uniform as a Civil Air Patrol officer David Stewart could appear formal and distant. Spend only a few moments with him, wearing the uniform or in civilian clothing, and you know him to be a wise and generous man. He shared the experiences of his life with me in ways that I shall be forever grateful. I am sometimes stunned when I discover that my strong “live and let live” spirit is occasionally put aside for a “this is the way it is” spirit. It takes “being still” with ourselves and each other to know the complexities that are within each of us.

As I reflect on this experience I am invited to become gentler with myself and others. Until I have been still with someone there is much I do not know about them. This gives “walking in the shoes of someone else” greater meaning. Given that we are so oriented to sound, talking and activity it may require me to be still with that person without them with me physically. It will be interesting to see how my relationships develop as I become a more dedicated practitioner in the art of being still.

Thanks God. You have given me the plan.

I choose to get busy and work YOUR plan.

John-David @ thelajohndavid@gmail.com

081509