Purity 237

Purity 237 10/13/2020 

 

Good morning,

Today’s photo of a peaceful autumn stream scene come to us from a friend’s recent hike on the Windham path. It shows us that there is peace and beauty to be found in the quiet places of nature.

As I prepare to teach this week on forgiveness, I know that the greatest peace comes from receiving God’s forgiveness and when we share that gift by forgiving others.

The assurance of our forgiveness and our eternal life through faith in Christ is our life’s goal. Through our striving to find an identity and way in this world and through satisfying our selfish desires we often leave a trail of offense and destruction behind us. Sometimes we do it in ignorance and at other times quite intentionally, but either way, God sent Christ to reconcile our relationship with Him and to forgive even the most unforgivable sins by the world’s standards.

When we experience the peace that God wants to give us, we know the highest love we can hope to experience.

The word indicates that having been forgiven everything, we are to pass it along by forgiving those who have harmed us.

In doing so, we set two people free - the offender and ourselves.

So as you make your way through this life, please know that there is nothing you have done that can not be forgiven through faith in Christ and once received we are given the power to set others and ourselves free from the hurt and bitterness of unforgiveness.

God bless you all!

Purity 236

Purity 236 10/12/2020

Good morning,

Today’s photo comes from a friend who climbed the heights Rondaxe Fire Tower in top of Bald Mountain in Old Forge NY.

As we pull into a new week some are blessed with an extra day off, while others are off to work like any other Monday. On days like today people who have the day off often take advantage of the fact that others have to work and plan their day accordingly.

Just as the Rondaxe Fire Tower gives us a view that is far and wide, months ago I was looking ahead to this day and decided to use my holiday as an occasion to get a medical check up and scheduled a physical.

Of course what seemed like a good idea months ago, seems more like a burden and an obligation today!

However, I’m no spring chicken and after having friends recently diagnosed with cancer, I will dutifully fulfill my appointment because although I feel fine, what do I know?

Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living and I believe that is true. Periodically, we need to get a check up of how our life is going from an objective source who will tell us like it is!

Today my doctor will examine and take tests and make a recommendation for treatment. There is value in early detection of some disease so we should get regular medical check ups.

While our bodies are important, I would also stress the importance of doing a regular spiritual check up too. We may exercise our bodies but are we taking the same care to exercise our faith through a regular weekly or daily practice of communicating with God to make sure everything is okay in our spirit?

God is THE objective source of Truth and when approached He will certainly tell us like it is.

His advice may cause a conflict with how we are living our lives but we need to realize He is an expert and His advice is said with authority and love.

So as you go through life make sure to take care of your body but don’t be afraid to rise to new heights by taking a spiritual course of treatment from the One who made you, loves you, and has your best interests in mind when He tells you to make a change.

God bless you all!

 

Purity 235

Purity 235  10/10/2020 

 Good morning,

Today’s photo comes from my backyard, literally, and captures the setting sun over the Hudson River.

I share it today as a reminder to shine a light of hope in one another’s lives and because lights are on my mind because of this morning’s project.

A few days ago, I noticed the floodlights that shine light on my driveway were out. So last night I got a ladder and took out the bulbs, ran to Walmart for new bulbs, and ascended the ladder to replace them. The halogen work lamp type of fixture worked fine. But the spotlight fixture was only giving me half power and only if I turned the light bulb just so.

So this morning, knowing I had a choice of leaving it broken or dealing with it. I decided I wanted light on my driveway, imagining clearing snow in the dark early morning hours in the months ahead, so I ran to Lowe’s and bought a new fixture and some wire twist electrical caps and ascended.

The Holy Spirit must have been leading me to get those caps, because only as an afterthought did I grab a bag (and He speaks to us via intuition). My theory before ascending the ladder was that I would take off the mount to find caps and I could just switch them out but after loosening the mount I discovered just wire. So I stripped off the ends, connected the wires to the wires on the new fixture and put everything in place. I said a prayer and praised the Lord as I flipped the switch and discovered I had light on both fixtures! Hallelujah!

God gave us minds to figure things out, and the Holy Spirit to lead us when we miss something. So use your mind but make sure you listen for the Holy Spirit. Chances are He will save you from a lot more than a return trip to Lowe’s.

Keep walking and talking to God. And enjoy the long weekend! God bless you all!

Purity 234

Purity 234 10/09/2020 

 

Good morning and Thank God it’s Friday!

Today’s photo comes from a friend in Maine who captured the setting sun perfectly between two “fine feathered friends”.

I share it to celebrate the passing of another week and to encourage my friends to come to the Son of God to reconcile any distance between us and our estranged friends or family.

Last night at Celebrate Freedom, I taught on Amends and asking for forgiveness as a way to free us from any bitterness, anger or resentment we might still be carrying with us although years or even decades might separate us from the original offense.

One participant confessed that they have been holding on to bitterness over something that happened more that 15 years ago. But because of their desire to draw closer to God and to have peace in their life, they reached out to the person to offer their forgiveness for the harm done to them and to ask forgiveness for their part in this broken relationship.

Through their confession, we discovered they didn’t do it perfectly but I encouraged them that “it is finished” and regardless of the outcomes, response, or lack of response, it was their opportunity to move forward and not look back.

I pointed out that the thing about baggage is that it’s easy to pick up again. So we have to choose to lay it down and walk away. I warned them that the baggage will always be there and the enemy will even offer to pick it up and hand it to you, but we must refuse to pick those bags of offense up again by saying: “No, I have forgiven them. It is finished!”

So as we go into the long weekend, for some, let’s make amends, offer and ask for forgiveness, and leave the baggage behind.

Let me encourage and assure you that it’s much easier to leave that baggage behind when friends come to the Son, and walk away in the Spirit!

God bless you all!

Purity 233

 

Purity 233 10/08/2020 

Good morning,

Today’s photo was taken by a friend on a recent hike in an undisclosed location in upstate NY.  They didn’t share where this was perhaps as an oversight or because they wanted to keep it to themselves!

Either way, I share it because of its natural beauty and because it highlights a path through the woods.

Today is Thursday and although I sit in a natural darkness caused by a power outage caused by falling trees as I write this, I won’t hold a grudge against trees in general and not share a photo the displays them.  

And even though I am sitting in darkness doesn’t mean I won’t “leave the light on” for those who are seeking recovery, friendship, or a deeper relationship with God for our Celebrate Freedom meeting is still scheduled for 6:30 pm at Rock Solid Church basement tonight!

Although this photo doesn’t show you the end of this path, I can tell you that if you faithfully follow the path that Celebrate Freedom lays out,  you will find it leads to a new life of peace, joy, and purpose!

I have walked this path myself and I wouldn’t lead you astray.

In fact, I have looked ahead and was shocked to discover that our current course of meetings leads perfectly right to the holiday season  with our last lesson ending the week before Christmas.  

So if you have had enough of 2020, and just want out, come to Celebrate Freedom and I will lead you right to the holidays.  When we get there you will have a deeper appreciation for your life, a deeper relationship with God, and more than one reason to sing “Joy to the World!” 

God bless you all! 

Purity 232

Purity 232 10/07/2020 

 

Good morning,

Today’s photo was taken by a friend on a recent excursion on the Windham Path in Windham NY.

Being Wednesday, I thought it appropriate to share this shot that included a bridge as we cross into the second half of the week.

For many of us, although we might not want to think about it, we have crossed into the second half our lives. I don’t blame us for not wanting to thing about it because the idea of our own mortality can freak you out.

As I begin a new chapter in my life with a new home, I have come to the conclusion that this might be it. While I don’t know what the future holds, I chose my new home with the end in sight. It’s a smaller place, My bedroom is on the ground floor, and it even has a handicap shower. At times, I jokingly refer to it as the “end game” house.

But this morning as I was greeted by my cat, Marvin. My thoughts turned to the fact that my place is definitely a “one cat” house and considered Marvin’s mortality and the fact that this property contains the location that would one day serve as his grave and the idea of “end games” wasn’t very amusing. I had one of those cold stark realizations of the reality of death that just make you think “No! I don’t want to die!”

However, I was quickly reminded by the Holy Spirit of the fact that this life is not the end. My eternal destiny is secure in Christ. He assured us that He goes to prepare a place for us and that this world and death itself will be forever changed when He returns one day.

Our faith isn’t for sissies. The Apostles went to their deaths declaring Christ was Lord because they knew they would see Him again.

So we should prepare for the eventuality of our passings, in the event the recapture doesn’t whisk us away, but because of Christ we need not fear death. As long as we look to Him, we have a hope and a peace that goes beyond all understanding and that lasts from here to eternity.

God bless you all!

Purity 231

Purity 231

Good morning,

Today’s photo of some cows grazing in Mariaville NY was taken last week because it was a beautiful day and I like cows. After examining the photo I realized that one of the cows with a somewhat unique marking on its head was watching me!

I share it as a reminder that although we lead busy lives with lots to take in God is watching over us.

As we go through the continual changes of life, it is good to remember this and seek his presence and guidance.

Often in life, we face arbitrary changes that disrupt the ways we have done things that we were comfortable with. This week my work schedule changed arbitrarily and I am left with no choice but to adapt to it.

When changes like these come, it is really good to remember God is watching over us because our first inclination is to get angry and to complain!

Our illusion of control over our lives has been exposed for the illusion that it is. That illusion has been lifted for many in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions.

Corporate drones like me are subject to the whims of the corporation, from the top executives all the way to the local foreman. Knowing what we signed up for though, we drones understand that changes happen all the time and the best course is to accept them and to do our best under the new conditions.

If you ever ask for patience, beware for the testings and trials of life are usually the way we develop it.

Reminding ourselves of how fortunate we are to be healthy and able to work and provide for our families is another way to help us accept the changes that we face.

So with a little patience and the right perspective and attitude, instead of being angry at the things we can’t control, we can have peace knowing that the God who loves us is watching out for us and will help to lead us through any changes or trials we may face.

God bless you all!