Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

"If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him
be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).

President Theodore Roosevelt once owned a feisty
little dog that was always getting into fights with
other dogs and always losing. Once, after watching
Roosevelt's dog pick a fight and then taking the
usual beating, a friend said to the President, "That
dog of yours isn't much of a fighter, is he?" To
which Roosevelt replied, "On the contrary, he's a
very good fighter, but he's a bad judge of dogs. He
always underestimates his adversaries."

Time after time, Jesus' adversaries grossly
underestimated Him. The Scribes and Pharisees
who resented Jesus failed in their attempts to use
His words and deeds against Him. They failed in
their attempts to trip Him up and they backed off.

All too often we try to create situations in which we
can use another's words and deeds against them.
With our idle gossip, we try to put others to the test
or hold them to a standard that we ourselves are not
living up to. In hypocritical fashion, all too often do
a great deal of judging. Some of us have embraced
it as a way of life...

IS THIS YOU?  IS THIS YOUR WAY OF LIFE?

                       REMEMBER

"If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him
be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).

(some taken from Sunday Sermon On Line)

Scripture:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but
have everlasting life. God sent not his son into the world
to condemn the world but that the world through him might
be saved." (John 3:16,17)

Reflection:

This is a very familiar verse from the New Testament. I think
everyone knows John 3:16, 17. When I first read and studied
this verse I began to realize what the word "Love" really
means. I cannot even comprehend what it means to love
someone this much. In the Greek this word "Love", means
Agape, real love, the kind of love you give to someone and
not expect anything back for this love. The kind of love God
has for his children. Our God loved us so much that he gave
us his only son, He sacrificed his only child for the ones he
created. He gave us his son, he sacrificed his son, so that
we no longer have to suffer for our sins. He gave us his only
son so that we can live for eternity together with our father
in heaven. There is only one thing we have to do, all we have
to do is believe. That belief requires no sacrifice on our part.

What makes this whole concept of love even more exciting,
is that God sent his only son into this world not to condemn
us, not to judge us, not to put us down, but to lift us up and
save us. Now that's real love, that's the love of God!

In the reflections that I write I do not do this too often, but I
would like to give you an invitation, the kind of invitation that
makes a difference in one's life. I would like to invite you to
know the real love, "agape" of God. It is my hope and prayer
that right now in your life you feel God's real love to you. I
would like to invite you to open your heart To God's son
Jesus Christ and experience his sacrifice in your life. Right
now open your heart to the one that lifts you up to the one
that saves you, Jesus Christ.

God's love has meant so much in my life. I'm getting older
now and I'm starting to slow down. I'm beginning to realize
my own mortality and I am facing it unafraid. My life has had
its ups and downs but there has always been one consistency
and that consistency has always been and always will be
God's love for me. My life was changed years ago when I
accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. I can't explain adequately
what God son means to me. All I can say is this, "I Know He
Loves Me", and that's all I need.

Open your heart, your mind, your life, to Jesus Christ, and it
too will change. Do not be afraid only believe only love for
eternity!

Scripture:

"The sheep that belong to Me listen to My voice;
I know them and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

In a high school literature class, the teacher called
on a day-dreaming student to read aloud a paragraph
from an essay. When the reader had finished, the
teacher asked him to tell the class what the paragraph
he had just read meant to him. The classroom rocked
with laughter at his answer: "I'm sorry, but I wasn't
listening."

One thing is clear about today's world: there is a
serious shortage of good listeners.

We talk too much, most of us -- talk, talk, talk. And
even when we're not talking, we're not listening. We're
trying to think of what we're going to say when the other
person slows up enough for us to break in.

Listening is a loving way of affirming the other's real
worth as a human person. When you care enough to be
there and to give your full attention to the other, you are
saying, in effect, "I care enough about you to take time
to listen." Moreover, the person "who can no longer listen
to his brother, will soon no longer be listening to God,
either."

We who have identified with Jesus the Christ have been
taught a very special kind of love which, among other
things, is a listening love.

A young man was faced with making an important
decision that would affect the course of his life. He
considered his grandmother to be the wisest person
He knew, and so he went to see her. "Grandmother,"
He said, "I need to make the right decision about my
life and I've prayed about it. But I just can't decide.
Nothing happens when I pray. Tell me please, how
can I hear the voice of God?" The grandmother thought
for a while, then replied, "My dear grandson, I have
quite a different problem and, because of it, I don't think
I can help you. You see, I cannot NOT hear the voice
of God."

You hear what you want to hear. You hear what you're
listening for. If you want to hear the voice of God, you
cannot not hear it. God never gives up on you. God never
stops inviting you to be His own. The Good Shepherd
always keeps you within calling distance. If you don't hear
Him it's not because He's too far away or He's not speaking
loudly enough. It's because you are listening for other voices.

To listen to God's Word, really listen, we must turn toward
Him in the spirit of complete openness, love and trust.

Prayer:

Lord God please give me the gift of "listening". Lord I want
to listen to You and Your Word.  I mean really listen. I want
to turn to You in spirit of complete openness, love and trust.
I do love you Jesus and I place my trust in You.
In Your most Holy Name     AMEN