W.I.S.E. Bible Study

 “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you. ” Matthew 6: 37-38 Last night NFL football started. Ahh the “Monday morning quarterback” syndrome begins. This syndrome is indicative to how we judge others. You should of…You could of…boy that wasn’t your best decision…the quotes go on. Yet we don’t know what’s going on for the person or why they decided what they did. Perhaps the person is “kicking” themselves for the decision and being judged only adds salt to their wound. Instead of judging, perhaps we can just walk with someone. If needed using love and gentle guiding help a person to get on the right path. I try to have the last line in my head so that when I begin to judge I am reminded we are...

 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 What is a burden to you? The term burden has a negative connotation to it, doesn’t it? Yet a burden can be an obligation that you need a break from. A burden can be just figuring out lunches every day for work or school. Burdens. Maybe today you just need a break from…Galatians reminds us that we need to help each other out. Shoulder a burden today. Lord grand us clear vision to help someone out. If we are in need of relief grant us courage to ask for help. May our burdens be shouldered today, and may they become moments of your grace on the path…

  As I look at my garden, tomatoes that need to be picked, I am reminded of this passage from Genesis “As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” Genesis 8:22 I think about now, the time of harvest and time of preparing for next years planting. Yet, my discernment is what is it that I need to plant in my life? What weeds or unwanted things have grown in my life that need to weed out? I do not want to lose focus and know that there are seasons of life. Today in prayer think about what seeds you need to plant, what you have harvest and what your garden needs. Lord, thank you for the day. Help us to weed our garden of life. Show us the seeds that need to be planted, what needs harvesting and what needs to be pulled. Grant us your presence as we continue on the path…

 In the stillness of my house, I study chapter one of the gospel of Matthew. Matthew starts with a geology of Jesus. He tells the birth of Jesus through the lens of Joseph. What struck me is this: “ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21God speaks to Joseph in a dream. Joseph listens and believes the dream. History is written. I close my eyes and try to listen to God… “Beth, daughter of mine….” Is there a decision of mine that God needs to speak to me about? The biggest decision I made was to retire early. I do have two goals in retiring early. First, my health. I joined a gym and have been conscientious of what I eat and drink. Second, writing. I wanted...

 If there was ever a reason for community or “us” (a “u” and a “s”ombody) it is this: Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Fellowship is important. Having somebody that we can count on is important. Yet sometimes I think we forget that whenever there are two or more together so is Christ amongst us. When something unexpected happens and we gather, he is there waiting to join in. When we celebrate something, we gather, he is waiting to join in. The point is to acknowledge Christ being there, so the gathering becomes “in his name.”  I was always struck when on a fire or rescue call how Christ was present. Sometimes it was just giving me the right words to say, or sometimes someone else’s actions made the difference. Many brought Christ with, not just a chaplain. I can’t say I was a stellar chaplain. I learned many lessons that have shaped me, because Christ was present. Christ was present even in moments that t...

Today’s reading comes from the Gospel of Luke. “And he also told them a parable. “No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.” Luke 5:36-37 Old wine skins are no longer pliable, that is, they have no give. They are not flexible. Fermentation of new wine cannot happen. If I am to allow for Christ to work in me, I need to possess a new wine skin. I need to be flexible. I need to be pliable. Being a Christian is not easy, and for someone who is ridged, having no room to rethink their paradigm or even room for change it is impossible. Your “skin” will tear and the new wine will spill out. I am reminded to discern where I may still be closed to hearing God’s words and implementing them in my life. Sometimes we follow others with confining inter...