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2024 Creative Redemption 3 4 24 Relationships Over The Desire To Be Right 12 12 24 2023 Descending To Greatness 3 6 23 A Season Of Expectation 12 3 23 Remember Who You Are 12 20 23 |
2022 Aligning Our Hearts With God 3 11 22 Including Peter 4 19 22 An Unsung Christmas Hero 12 12 22 2021 Love That's Demanding 3 1 21 Nothing God Won't Do To Be With Us 12 6 21 |
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Monday, March 4, 2024 Creative Redemption by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: Romans 8:28 (NLT) – “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Message: I have a cherished childhood memory from when I was six, walking through a fabric store with my mom at Easter time. They were having a coloring contest for kids, featuring pictures of bunnies in Easter baskets. I was really excited about it and brought the picture home to show off my artistic skills. I got a bit carried away with my excitement and colored the picture at lighting speed, accidentally tearing the part with the rabbit’s tail. I was devastated, thinking I had no chance of winning the contest. I tried using tape, but the tear was still there. Finally, I went to my Mom, asking for help. In a loving and clever response, my Mom said, “Don't worry, Christopher, we’ll fix this.” She reappeared with a cotton ball, creatively patching up the tear on the rabbit’s tail. “There you go!” she announced. “Now you’ve got a creative tail. Finish the picture.” Encouraged by her solution, I completed the artwork, and we returned to the store to submit my entry. To my surprise, a few days later, I got a call saying I was one of the two winners. We hurried to the store, and I proudly claimed a stuffed bunny as my prize. Reflecting on this story, I’m reminded that God can turn our mistakes into something good. In a similar way to how my Mom creatively fixed the torn tail, God can transform setbacks and failures into moments of triumph. So, in times of trouble, let’s remember that with God, every problem can be redeemed and transformed into a thing of beauty. Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the reminder that in moments of our own shortcomings and mistakes, Your redemptive love is ever present. Just as a torn bunny picture was transformed into a victory, may we trust in Your creative power to turn our flaws into triumphs. Grant us the wisdom to see setbacks as opportunities for Your grace to shine through, and may our lives be a testament to the profound truth of Romans 8:28. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Wednesday, December 11, 2024 Preconcern by Kim |
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Scripture: Matthew 11:28 (NIV) – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Message: As a child our son Sandy was famous for his ability to say precisely what he meant, using words no one had never heard before, yet leaving no doubt what he was trying to say. There was the much loved “underbelievable”, yet my favorite has always been “preconcern”. To this day our family uses it often, especially in times of stress or overload. Most of us can get “preconcerned” pretty easily – my mother would have told me I was borrowing trouble, and she was probably right. I was looking at the calendar the other day, saw how late Thanksgiving is this year, and immediately became “preconcerned” (there are only 26 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas!). I had, in a matter of minutes, allowed the feelings of being overwhelmed about meals and gifts and extra activities to creep in – I was “preconcerned”! And to what end? Am I the only one who cares if we have the right gifts that are wonderfully wrapped, the house looks festive and there is an abundance of food. No one else is worried about it. They’re not “preconcerned” at all. In the New Testament, it is easy to find examples of “preconcern”. In Matthew 12:9-14, the Disciples were (pre)concerned about Jesus’ healing the man with the shriveled hand on the Sabbath. Jesus assured them it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath. No need for “preconcern”. Each Advent season, I start by consciously focusing on the gift that we all receive at Christmas. The gift that makes our days and lives worthwhile, and for some just even bearable. Misplaced priorities abound during this season for many of us. I read somewhere that Jesus was sent by His Father to refresh us in hard times – to come to Him when we are weary and burdened to find that place of rest. My Advent prayer for all of us is, “To take advantage of the rest that is waiting, especially during the self-imposed moments of ‘preconcern’.” Who is it we plan this celebration for? Prayer: Lord Jesus, we pray that we can be mindful of our moments of “preconcern”, especially during this Advent season, and turn our hearts and minds back to the reason we are celebrating Your birth. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Kim Showalter |
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Thursday, December 12, 2024 |
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Scripture: Ephesians 4:2-3 (NLT) – “Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” Message: I experienced my call to pastoral ministry in high school. During that time, a young associate pastor joined our church and became a mentor. Before I left for college, I asked him for advice. He paused for a moment, then said, “It’s not about being right; it’s about relationships.” He explained further, “In college, you’ll encounter many different ideas and meet people, including fellow Christians, who see the world differently. You might be tempted to avoid building relationships with them. Don’t. Always remember, ‘It’s not about being right; it’s about relationships.’” Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 remind us of this truth. As God’s people, we are called to live with humility, gentleness, and patience – qualities that help us navigate our relationships with grace. He urges us to make allowances for each other’s faults and to work toward unity through love and peace. It’s easy to get caught up in proving ourselves right, especially when we feel strongly about something. But in our pursuit of being right, we can lose sight of what matters most – our relationships. Rather than focusing on winning an argument, Paul calls us to focus on humility and love. This doesn’t mean abandoning or softening our convictions. It means holding them with gentleness and patience, recognizing that how we treat others matters just as much as what we believe. Relationships flourish when we extend grace, kindness, and forgiveness, even when we disagree. Peace and love are what bind us together. So the next time you find yourself in conflict, pause and ask: “Am I focused on being right, or on loving well?”. When we allow the Spirit to guide us, we reflect a love that strengthens relationships and brings us closer together in peace. Prayer: God, thank You for the relationships in our lives. Help us to embody humility, patience, and gentleness in all our interactions. Guide us to hold our convictions with grace, always remembering that we are called to love and seek peace above all else. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Monday, March 6, 2023 by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: Mark 9:35 (NLT) - "[Jesus] sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, 'Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.'" Message: At the time of this writing, our children are about to turn five. (They'll be five by the time you're reading this devotional.) They're at that stage where they're constantly identifying their future professions. Right now Hannah says she wants to be a nurse; Noah wants to be a superhero. Both are admirable, though I am unsure of the precise training for becoming a superhero! It's fun to hear children dream of their careers. Amanda and I intend to raise Hannah and Noah with the knowledge that so long as they work hard, they can be whatever they want to be in life. On the other hand, it seems hardly any of us children unhidden or adult - dream of becoming the one thing Jesus says we must be if we're desiring greatness. True greatness, according to Jesus, is found in servanthood, giving our lives for others even as Jesus gave his life for us. By the world's standards, servanthood may not seem appealing. It may even seem insane! However, in God's kingdom, servanthood is the only thing that matters. Will Willimon tells the story of Sarah, an exceptionally bright student at Duke University who excelled in her classes. Much to the disappointment of some of her professors, Sarah didn't seek a lucrative or power-wielding career; instead, she became the pastor of a small church in a poor community. One day Willimon and a colleague at the university decided to drive by the church campus to visit Sarah. As they sat in the rundown parking lot and looked at the dilapidated building, the colleague commented, "What a waste of talent! What a waste of life!" But it wasn't a waste. Sarah, who had given her life to God, knew that God had called her to serve this community. She wouldn't dream of being anywhere else. What do you want to be when you grow up? What do you hope to become? May it be a servant. Even if others don't understand, you'll be achieving greatness. Prayer: Lord God, help me to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. By Your grace, help me to achieve greatness by being a servant of all. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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First Advent Sunday, December 3, 2023 Amanda |
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Scripture: Luke 1: 31-32 (NLT) – “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.” Message: During this Advent season, as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the birth of Jesus, I find myself reflecting on my own journey of pregnancy. It's a unique experience to be expecting a child during this special time, and I can't help but wonder how Mary, the mother of our Savior, must have felt. In Luke 1:31-32, we read about the angel Gabriel's message to Mary, telling her that she would conceive and give birth to a son, Jesus, who would be called the Son of the Most High. As I read these words, I can't help but draw parallels to my own journey of pregnancy. Just as Mary must have felt an overwhelming sense of wonder and amazement at the news of her pregnancy, I too am filled with awe of the life growing within me, a reminder of God’s creation. Like Mary, I am called to trust in God’s plan for my life and the life of our unborn child. Mary's faith and obedience in accepting her role as the mother of Jesus inspires me to surrender to God’s plan for my own child. Just as she prepared for Jesus, I prepare for my child with excitement. Advent, a season of hope, teaches patience and the beauty of new beginnings. As we journey through this Advent season, let us remember Mary's faith, trust, and hope. Just as she played a vital role in God's plan of salvation, we too play a significant role in nurturing and raising the children entrusted to us. Let our pregnancies be a reminder of the miracle of life and the profound responsibility we have as parents. Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the miracle of life. May this Advent season be a time of deep spiritual reflection and anticipation as we await the birth of our Savior and the arrival of our own little blessings. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Amanda Jones |
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Wednesday, December 20, 2023 Remember Who You Are by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: 1 John 3:1 (NLT) – “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” Message: Christian Herter was the Governor of Massachusetts in the 1950s. The story goes that during his re-election campaign, he arrived late at a barbecue, having skipped breakfast and lunch. Hungry and desperately wanting to fill his stomach with food, he was disappointed when he received only one piece of chicken from the serving woman. Politely, he asked for a second piece of chicken, but she insisted on one piece per person. Herter, usually modest and unassuming, decided to invoke his position as Governor, saying, “Madam, do you know who I am? I am the state’s Governor!” Unfazed, the serving woman quickly responded, “Do you know who I am? I am the lady in charge of the chicken! Move along, mister.” That woman knew who she was, didn’t she, and refused to let anyone stand in her way. Do we know who we are in relation to Almighty God? It’s easy to feel small and unimportant in such a big world. It’s even easier to experience these feelings when we encounter people who intimidate us and situations that overwhelm us. But Advent and Christmas powerfully remind us that God, from all eternity – the One who spoke galaxies into being, put the stars in their places, and holds the universe in his hands – stooped low into the mess of our world, scooped us up, and claimed each one of us as God’s own. Therefore, we matter. We have worth. We are children of the King of Kings! It is not that we are more important than other people, but we are important nonetheless and should not forget our place in the family of God. As we journey to the manger and experience the miracle of Christmas, hold onto your primary identity as God’s child. Allow the knowledge of that identity to shape how you see yourself. Prayer: Lord God, thank You for making us in Your image and infusing us with worth and value. Thank You that in Jesus, You came to be our Savior. Help us to remember our importance, especially on difficult days, and celebrate our identity in You. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Friday, March 11, 2022 Aligning Our Hearts With God by Amanda |
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Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) – “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Message: Our daughter Hannah, who recently turned four, has a deep attachment to her stuffed bunny, whom she affectionately calls “Bun Bun”. She has had this bunny ever since she was a baby; in fact, it was one of the first stuffed animals given to her. Bun Bun brings Hannah so much joy. While Bun Bun frequently goes missing, we always manage to find her (or she manages to find us). At a young age, we develop a deep attachment to something – maybe to a toy like Bun Bun, a blanket, or something similar. As we get older, our attachments change, but what remains the same is our deep desire to cling to something. I can’t help but think that our attachment to earthly things (whatever those things might be) mimics the attachment we’re all meant to have with God. The primary reason God made us is for relationship. The apostle John writes that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Out of this love, God called us into existence and put within us a deep longing for God. Further, until we acknowledge our dependency on God, surrender our lives to Him, we will never be satisfied. St. Augustine puts it best, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”1 May all of us allow our hearts to be at rest in the God of love whom Jesus reveals. Earthly things won’t fill the void that only God can fill. Prayer: God, thank You for creating us and having this deep desire to be in relationship with us. Forgive us when we search for earthly things to bring us satisfaction and help us to see that our hearts are restless until they rest in You. Thank You so much for always seeking us, guiding us and giving us the ultimate peace that nothing in this world can fulfill. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. Amanda Jones 1. “The Meanings of Ideals in Life” by Albert Schweitzer. 1935 © Copyright. Published by The Silcoatian, UK. Silcoates School Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
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Eastertide, Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Including Peter by Pastor Chris |
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Scriptures: Mark 16:7 (NLT Emphasis added) – “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” Mark 14:27-31 (NLT) – “On the way, Jesus told them, ‘All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say, “God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.’ Peter said to him, ‘Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.’ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, Peter – this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.’ ‘No!’ Peter declared emphatically. ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!’ And all the others vowed the same.” Message: The other day, I was going through a box in my office when I came across various letters I’ve received over the years (I throw many things away but never letters). As I sat down and read these letters, my heart filled with gratitude. I fondly remembered different life periods from which these letters came. When I finished, it occurred to me there is a word for what I was doing: reminiscing. Many of us enjoy doing that, don’t we? We love to take a stroll down memory lane and call to mind past experiences. However, I don’t think Peter wanted to reminisce about the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus. After all, Peter had done the unthinkable – denied Jesus three times even though he had adamantly claimed he would never fall away (Mark 14:27-31). I imagine intense feelings of guilt and shame overtook Peter in those moments. Perhaps that’s why the angel singles Peter out in his message. Think about it. The angel could have said, “Now go and tell his disciples”, and left it at that. Peter was a disciple, and so he would have been included in that category. But instead, the angel says, “Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter.” The angel mentions Peter (and no other disciple) by name probably because he knew how much that meant to the desponded disciple. May all of us recognize that even in moments of intense failure, God is always seeking us out and offering us a second chance. Thanks be to God. Prayer: Lord God, thank You for singling Peter out in the message You gave through the angel that first Easter. Thank You that You never give up on us even when we fail and let You down. Help us to bask in Your forgiving grace as Your Spirit works to restore us. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Monday, December 12, 2022 An Unsung Christmas Hero by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25 (NLT Extract 1:24-25) – “When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.” (Please read the entire text in your Bible.) Message: Typically, the walls of old and well-established universities are donned with portraits of former presidents, founding charter holders, and top-level donors. But in 2019 Professor Mario Moore, who teaches at Princeton, decided to change that. Rather than honoring the women and men who always get honored with these portraits, Moore decided to celebrate blue-collar laborers who help keep the campus functioning in areas of maintenance, facilities, dining, grounds, and security. Moore’s inspiration came from his father, an everyday man who worked ordinary jobs, who never failed to look out for his family. Moore hoped his project would shine light on unsung heroes whose contributions make the world go round, and yet whose contributions often go unnoticed. When I read the above story, I immediately thought of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Joseph, too, was an everyday person (a builder / carpenter by vocation) whose contributions in the Christmas story often go unnoticed. For example, while the Gospels contain words about Joseph, they don’t contain any words from Joseph. We have recorded words from virtually every other figure in the Christmas story – Mary, the angels, and even the shepherds – but none from Joseph. For this reason, some have referred to Joseph as “the Silent Character of Christmas,” – the one who stands in the background. But lest we forget, God used Joseph mightily when He entered the world through Jesus. In addition to making sure his betrothed made it safely to Bethlehem, Joseph was among the few to witness the birth of Jesus. He even got to parent Jesus during Son of God’s formative years. While God could have certainly used somebody else, we should marvel that He used Joseph. My hope is that all of us will be reminded that God continues to use such everyday people to accomplish His purposes. Thanks be to God. Prayer: Lord God, thank You for Joseph and his contributions to the Christmas story. Help us to follow in his footsteps and serve You with no concern for our own recognition. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Monday, March 1, 2021 Love That's Demanding by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: Mark 10:21 (NLT) - "Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. 'There is still one thing you haven't done,' he told him. 'Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Message: In the story of the rich young ruler, there's plenty to talk about. However, I want us to focus on the phrase "Jesus felt genuine love for him". When I was in seminary, I studied premarital counseling as I'd be offering premarital counseling to couples. One exercise involved asking couples to write down all the things they love about their partner - the things that give them butterflies and make their heart skip a beat. Then on a separate sheet they were asked to write down all the things they don't love about their partner - the things that annoy and put them off. (When one partner asks for a second or third sheet, you know the relationship is in trouble!) At the end of the exercise, the pastor / counselor reminds the couple that they're marrying both the things they love as well as the things they don't love about their partner. Because love doesn't seek to change the other person, right? This line of thinking doesn't seem to apply to Jesus; the first thing Jesus does, after feeling love for the man, is He demands change. What are we to make of all this? Let me be clear. It's 100% true that Jesus loves us EXACTLY as we are, and that His love for us will never change or go away. However, it's also true that Jesus' love calls us into a way of life that's often difficult and demanding. In the church we call this discipleship - picking up our cross and following Jesus, even down hard paths. The rich man was tied to his wealth, so he chose not to follow Jesus. Did Jesus still love the man? absolutely. But Jesus loved him too much to change the standard. The truth is Jesus loves you. He loves me, too. So, during this season of Lent, prayerfully ask yourself this question: "Down what hard path is Jesus' love leading me?". Prayer: Lord God, thank You that in Jesus You love me as I am. Please help me to celebrate that love and to be obedient to whatever hard path Your love leads me. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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Monday, December 6, 2021 Nothing God Won't Do To Be With Us by Pastor Chris |
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Scripture: John 1:14 (NLT) - "So the Word became human and made his home among us." Message: It should come as no surprise that with three-year-old twins in the house, Amanda and I read a lot of children's books these days. It's one of the things we enjoy most - reading books to our kids. Not long ago, we read one of my favorite books from childhood, The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. Let me summarize it. One day a young bunny comes to his Mom and announces, "I'm going to run away." The mother answers, "If you run away, I will run after you, for you are my little bunny." Given his mother's determination to come after him, the bunny says he will become a fish and swim away. The mother then answers that she will become a fisher and fish for him. As the story continues, the bunny comes up with other ideas of what he will become. However, each time the idea is defeated, because the mother is determined to become whatever she must in order to find him. He becomes a rock on a mountain, so she becomes a climber. He becomes a flower in a garden, so she becomes a gardener. On and on the story goes until the very end, when the bunny finds himself unable to come up with any more ideas. "Shucks," he says, "I might as well just stay here and be your little bunny." So that's what he does. I love this story because it cuts to the heart of Christmas: God becoming a human being in Jesus just to be with us. Fredrick Buechner puts it this way in "The Hungering Dark." "Those who believe in God can never in a way be sure of him again. Once they have seen him in a stable, they can never be sure where he will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depths of self-humiliation he will descend in his wild pursuit of human beings." The cry of baby Jesus is God's way of crying out to us, "There is nothing I won't do to be with you." Be grateful for that truth. I know I am. Prayer: Lord God, forgive us for running away from You. Thank You that, in Jesus, You came after us. Help me to live as Your child in this world. Amen. Pastor Chris Jones |
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