Devotions Archives - Page 5 of 8

Advent: A Time to Sing and Groan

Posted on Nov 30, 2017 in Blog, Devotions, Onward and Upward |

“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly

for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope.

For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Romans 8:22-25

Dear Servants,

This Sunday begins the new liturgical year with the first Sunday of Advent. The last few Sundays of the previous liturgical year focused on our Lord’s call for us to be prepared for His return. Now as we enter the four Sundays of Advent, the continued focus on the Lord’s return is coupled with anticipation of the celebration of Jesus’ birth, His first coming. This dual emphasis creates a tension – we celebrate the coming of our Lord and yet we groan from the long period of waiting to get there. As the days get shorter and the nights longer, we feel the spiritual darkness coming in around us, and yet in the midst of a dark world we proclaim the light of Christ has come! Liturgically, we try to visualize the tension with the purple color, usually associated with Lent, and yet we sing songs of joy like, “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” We add the Advent wreath, symbolic of life in the midst of death (evergreen and in the shape of a circle), and of hope in the lighting of one additional candle each week. On the first Sunday of Advent we add the Exhortation – a warning against receiving Communion without repentance – and in subsequent Sundays we say the Decalogue to remind us of our sin. But we continue to say, “Alleluia.”

The apostle Paul captures the spirit of Advent as he describes our groaning for our redemption in Jesus Christ with all of creation. Paul says much like a pregnant woman near her due date grows weary as she awaits the arrival of her new baby, so we wait expectantly. Christ came into the world over 2,000 years ago in fulfillment of all the Old Testament expectations. He has come into our hearts as we have opened ourselves to His love and mercy. And yet, Jesus will come again to complete our redemption at His return. Paul reminds us that we must continue in that hope and exercise patience as we wait. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to live in tension; it feels wrong. And yet doesn’t a season of tension express exactly what we as believers feel? It’s the now and not yet of the Kingdom. We are called the saints of God and yet we are still sinners in need of redemption. We bear the light of Christ and yet we do so in a “body of death.”

My prayer is that we will walk through the tension of the Advent season allowing ourselves to both sing and groan.¹Many around us have already rushed to the consumerism and holiday bliss because of the pain of life and yet we know that “for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Therefore we rejoice with tears and groan with hope. Pretty weird, right? Welcome to Advent!

Onward and Upward,

Gross, Bobby. Living the Christian Year. Intervarsity Press, 2009.

Mourn and Weep with Hope

Posted on Nov 9, 2017 in Blog, Devotions, Onward and Upward |

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?’ I said to him, ‘Sir, you know.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”

Revelation 7:9-14

Dear Servants,

As news of the brutal deaths of innocent members of First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, TX unfolds, I return to the readings from our All Saints’ Day service (Nov.1), particularly the reading from Revelation above. We may never know the human reasons for this and other killings, but we know the evil one works in human sinfulness to kill, steal, and destroy. I pray for these latest victims, remembering that they are just a few more of the countless victims of persecution against believing communities around the world each day. Jesus acknowledges such persecutions in His sermon from Matthew 5, verse 10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

How does Jesus call us to respond in the face of tribulation? He proclaims in verse 13, “you are the light of the world.” We respond to evil by proclaiming the light of Jesus Christ in a dark world. John’s Gospel says the darkness cannot overwhelm the light of Christ! (John 1:5) The Lord has given us gifts, talents, opportunities, and a place to testify to God’s goodness in spite of all that we must endure for a while. I was so encouraged Sunday by the believing community that gathered for worship. We were full of both praise and lament. God’s people must do both. I am also so thankful to many who have stepped into ministry leadership in various ways, especially over the last few months, to strengthen our church community. Each of you through your ministry involvement is making a difference for the Kingdom. Just being together matters!

Now, of course, even as we mourn with those who mourn and weep with those who weep, we do not do so as those without hope. For Revelation 7 goes on in verse 17,

“For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

and he will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Jesus is our good shepherd; He is with us through the time of tribulation and will bring us to a place where pain and sorrow are no more. In the meantime, we labor on, confident that Jesus who began a good work in us will see it to completion! (Phil.1:5)

Lots of great things to share with you soon. Keep praying!

Onward and upward,

Parish Bible Challenge | The One Year Bible

Posted on Dec 31, 2016 in Blog, Devotions, Parish Bible Challenge 2017 |

Since I became a Christian in my teen years, I’ve known that reading the Bible regularly is something I should do. Like most of you, I’ve struggled over the course of my Christian life to find a way to be consistent and at the same time actually benefit in my walk with Jesus. I’ve tried lots of things from devotionals with Scripture passages, daily reading plans that come on a sheet to check off each day, and the daily office of the Anglican Church. Then in 2010 I was with our Bishop Neil Lebhar for one of those clergy events and noticed at breakfast that he was reading a One Year Bible. For those unfamiliar, this is a trademarked Bible from Tyndale Publishing that came out back in the ‘90s. It gives you an Old and New Testament reading that allows you to read through the Bible in one year, plus portions of Psalms and Proverbs so that you read these along with the other readings. Yes, four readings per day. I knew about the One Year Bible from years before but figured it was just a passing fad. Perhaps it was, but prompted by +Neil’s witness, I picked up a One Year Bible and started reading daily. Since 2010 I have read through the entire One Year Bible five times. I’ve only managed to read the Bible in a year once, but despite taking longer than intended, I’ve kept at it, and let me tell you I have been so blessed in the process.

I will warn those of you that might decide to try this plan for 2017: it’s a good bit of reading. I probability read 20 minutes straight each morning (except days I miss). What I love is that by reading through over and over again, I have grown in my understanding of the overall flow and connections of Scripture. It’s also remarkable to me that often the Old and New Testament portions connect with each other in some unexpected way. For example, you read about the struggles of Joseph in Egypt at the same time you are reading about Jesus’ instructions to the disciples about facing persecution. I’m also continually blessed by the Psalms which speak so powerfully to the struggles of everyday life, and the challenge of Proverbs to live as a person listening to true wisdom. I can’t speak for the ladies, but every man would benefit from simply reading through the book of Proverbs every month.

My prayer is that some of you will purchase a One Year Bible, or use the free digital version available through the YouVersion app

(under daily reading plans) and challenge yourself to read through the whole Bible. Again, don’t get caught up in the “one year” thing. The benefit is really the process of reading the whole. For those who choose to try this plan, I am going to create a forum for sharing questions that are raised as you read through, particularly the Old Testament and some of the writings of Paul. Email me at alex@servantsanglican.org if you are interested in being a part of the group.

Happy reading…

Alex +

To read the vision behind the challenge, check out our previous post: http://bit.ly/2iput8Z

Bonus Devotional | Psalm 145:18-20

Posted on Dec 26, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“The LORD is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cries for help and rescues them. The LORD protects all those who love him, but he destroys the wicked.” Psalm 145:18-20 (NLT) (Context: Psalm 145)

God is always with you. I’ve heard this so many times, yet I still have moments when I feel He has abandoned me. One time that I thought God had left me was when my parents got divorced.

It was November of 2009 when they officially became divorced. They had already been separated for months before, but now my parents were no longer married, and there was an agreement in place for custody and child support and everything. At that time, I was only seven years old, and I didn’t quite understand Christianity. I figured, though, that I might as well say a prayer for the situation.

My many prayers for improvement were answered gradually. The first good thing about them separating was that I never had to hear them fight again which happened frequently when they were married. My mother, Kate Becker, introduced me and my siblings to the community of Servants of Christ shortly after she got divorced. The Lord provided so much support to us through the church in our first year there. Eventually, both of my parents got better jobs and became more financially secure.

I am not troubled nearly as much as the time that my parents got divorced currently, but when problems do occur, I often find myself seeking the Lord’s help. I am thankful the Lord rescued me from the pain of the divorce, and I truly believe that He is close to me when I seek Him.

Jeremy Griffin

Jeremy has been a member of Servants since 2010 and he was confirmed in 2015. He currently serves as an acolyte.

Twenty-Eighth Day of Advent | Colossians 2:6-7

Posted on Dec 24, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions |

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (Context: Colossians 2:1-15)

I became a Christian at the age of fifteen, while sitting up in a live oak tree. Perhaps the location of my conversion is why this verse from Saint Paul became so important to my walk with Christ right from the beginning. “Rooted and built up,” this is what I’ve wanted most of my life since I surrendered my life to Jesus. Lord, give me deep roots in You and help me to grow up into maturity. It is still a regular prayer I pray, knowing I have a long way to go. The truth is even in the midst of living a calling to pastoral ministry, with all the faith required to lead a congregation to be faithful to the Lord, I am not immune from becoming stalled in my spiritual life. None of us are.

Paul tells the Colossians to continue just as they were “taught.” For years I was resentful that I didn’t have anyone to really disciple me in what it meant to “walk in him.” Of course my family was an encouragement, but because of different circumstances there wasn’t an older youth or youth leader that really met with me on a regular basis. Perhaps that’s one reason why I pray so much for a generation of spiritual mentors to be raised up at SOC. The truth is I’ve had to search far and wide for mentors through most of my Christian life. But even when I didn’t have a human to seek counsel from, Scripture taught me. Colossians 2:6-7 was one of those Scriptures I committed to memory early on in my walk. It reminds me that Jesus must be accepted as a gift from God and that growth is to be expected in the Christian life; it also reminds me the that the most important work I can do is teach people how to move forward – and of course all the above must be saturated in thanksgiving.

With that said, I am so very thankful for each and every member who has shared the various devotional entries during this Advent season. If you’ve read with any consistency, you know that Servants of Christ represents people of every stage of life. Yet the common denominator is that we’ve received Jesus, and we’ve all come to find Scripture as a source of learning, wisdom, and direction. Our prayer is that, as we enter into the wonderful season of Christmas, you too would make a fresh commitment to seeking the blessing of daily Scripture reading to the same end. During the season of Christmas, we will be sending out descriptions of different plans members of Servants have used to keep themselves accountable to reading Scripture. Some involve reading through the Bible in a whole year, but please understand the goal isn’t reading through in a year, but rather to seek daily guidance from God’s Holy Word.

To those who have read our Advent Devotional, I want to thank you for taking time to read. Consider what you might take from your study of Scripture to share with others when we put together another devotional.

Alex +

Alex Farmer is our founding pastor. Alex, along with his wife Jody and three small children, moved to Gainesville in 2002 out of a strong sense of God’s calling to build up the body of believers that ultimately became Servants of Christ.

Twenty-Seventh Day of Advent | Romans 1:19-20

Posted on Dec 23, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:19-20 (Context: Romans 1:16-32)

“They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” Psalm 145:7-9 (Context: Psalm 145)

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:7-11 (Context: 1 John 4:7-21)

God exists, He is good, and He loves you deeply. This, which the Scriptures above profess respectively, is the central truth of our lives.

Although it is an awesome proposition, I confess to you that I do have periods in my life where I thoroughly doubt this truth. My doubt, almost always, will result from some form of emotion-driven wrestling with what St. Thomas Aquinas in his work Summa Theologica addresses as the single most potent argument against the existence of God: the problem of evil. The argument goes: 1) If God were good, He would remove evil and suffering from His creatures; If He were omnipotent (all-powerful), He would be able to do what He wished; 2) But the creatures experience prevalent evil and suffering; 3) Therefore, God lacks either goodness, or power, or both. Although I have so far lived an unfairly fortunate life with little suffering of my own, I observe and am affected by the rampant suffering that exists all around us. Loneliness, depression, anxiety, addiction, financial distress, unemployment, poverty, violence, terrorism, war, racism, persecution, abuse, betrayal, injustice, pain, sickness and disease, tragedy, broken relationships, the loss of a dear loved one…the list goes on and on and is too much to bear. Where are You God?! How could You possibly be real when in the midst of all this awfulness You are seemingly absent or powerless?! I’m tired of waiting on You or trying to understand You and I just want it to stop. Unlike what St. Thomas Aquinas addresses as the second strongest (but much weaker) argument against the existence of God (i.e., that natural science can sufficiently and more reliably explain our reality), the problem of evil is powerful because it taps into our human emotions and can shake you to your core.

I eventually, but sometimes not easily, am able to recognize that, almost always, my doubt is nothing more than a wavering emotional response. Taking a lesson from CS Lewis, I strive to weather that storm by grounding my faith in reason: knowledge that is justified with the evidence of reason (of which the method of natural science is a subset), Divine revelation (which cannot contradict reason), and authority. (Paraphrasing CS Lewis from Mere Christianity: “that is why reason is such a necessary virtue; unless you teach your emotions where they go wrong you can never be a sound human, but just a creature dithering to and fro, with its beliefs really dependent on the weather and the state of its digestion.”)

Brilliant people have written books on a reasoned response to the problem of evil, but my novice summation is that it centers on four points. First, evil is not a thing that God created, condones, or is to blame for. It’s a wrong choice – the choice of those that God created (the ability of which is a necessary component in any true love story) of sin and selfishness that results in physical and spiritual suffering as a consequence as natural and unavoidable as broken bones from a jump off a cliff. Second, the true intellectual wonder is not that we experience suffering, but that we have experienced any goodness at all. Third, suffering can work for the greater good of wisdom. It is not true that all things are good, but it is true that “all things work together for good to those who love God.” (Romans 8:28) And finally, we are not able to fully understand the mystery of God, or how the problem of evil and the existence of suffering fits into our reality, but we can know, in a sense that is justified by reason, Divine revelation and authority, God’s solution to the problem of evil: His son Jesus Christ. God’s love sent His son to suffer amongst us and to die for us to defeat the power and consequences of evil. The cross is God’s love-driven part of the solution to evil. Our part is to repent, to believe, and to hope in the anticipation of an eternity fully in the presence of His love, together with all the saints, without suffering. That anticipation of our God is the heart of the Advent season.

So throughout this beautiful but troublesome life, and whatever suffering you have already or will experience, be grounded in and encouraged by the truth that God exists, He is good, and He loves you deeply. Our reality is an amazing love story, and you are a main character. And if and when in any emotion-driven moment that truth seems beyond belief, or even unsatisfying, know that you are not alone in this incredible journey.

Sean McDermott

In his own words: “Sean is 5’9’’ tall and 160 Ibs, and is currently watching the series ‘This is Us’ a few nights a week with his wife Caline in bed on her iPhone.”

Twenty-Sixth Day of Advent | Matthew 22:37-40

Posted on Dec 22, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘“Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV) (Context: Matthew 22:34-40)

This passage could be considered one of the fundamentals of the faith, but the more I try to wrap my head around it, the more convicting it becomes. I might be able to convince myself that I could (momentarily) love the Lord with all my heart, though I have less of a context for how to love Him with all my soul. A person’s spouse may be referred to as a “soul” partner, but if my love for my spouse is supposed to be the next best reflection of what godly soul-love looks like, then I am a pathetic indeed.

The most troubling is the requirement of loving with all my mind. I know exactly how, where, and when I distribute my attention and am all too aware of how I do not pour out my mind to the Lord.

The greatest commandment succinctly proclaims the terrifying depth of my sin nature and the second commandment does nothing to bolster my self-confidence. Because sin involves disobedience to these commandments, I can make a strong argument that I am in a constant state of sin. Only when I begin to understand the depth and pervasiveness of this sin do I begin to find myself in awe of Jesus and the kind of sacrifice He made.

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5 (NIV)

ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!

Justin Smith

In his own words: “Justin joined Servants with Nikki in 2011 and is currently serving as a lector. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion… oops, no, that was Benaiah (2 Samuel 23:20).”

Twenty-Fifth Day of Advent | 1 John 4:7-8

Posted on Dec 21, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God […] because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8 (Context: 1 John 4:7-21)

I have noticed that dog owners have an extra measure of love. I’ve never lived with a dog, until recently, when my daughter moved home with her Golden Retriever puppy. The puppy took up residence in my revered space, my kitchen, which is attached to the family room where my prayer chair rests. My morning routine of brewing tea, reading Scripture, praying and writing was immediately replaced with a puppy teething on my slippers and pulling on my pant legs to play, cries for attention as I sat down to pray, feeding, exercising, toileting, etc. I often left for work frustrated and complaining about what I saw as disruption to my coveted peaceful mornings.

On my 30 minute commute to work, I listen to Scripture. The word that was repeatedly catching my attention was “love.” 1 John chapters 3 and 4 repeat the word 34 times. I then remembered the words of Jesus when He shared the two greatest commandments in Mark 12:30-31, which are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

In that moment, God gave me a clearer understanding of a concept that I’ve heard thousands of times. We are here to love. That is our calling. That is our commission. Everything that we do and say must originate from love. (1 John 3: 18)

However, there are people and puppies that I find really hard to love. But, since God is love, and Jesus is God, and Jesus lives in me; then Jesus can love through me. I do not need to love in my own power; in fact, I find it impossible to love fully and satisfactorily on my own. Love involves mercy, forgiveness, and self-sacrifice, which are virtues that I do not automatically possess.

So, I asked Jesus to help me love my daughter’s puppy. And as God always does, He answered my prayer in amazing ways! As my resentment toward puppy faded, I found new ways to love her, such as taking her to the dog park where she could socialize with the other dogs and where I enjoyed getting to know their owners. I found the bonds between my daughter and I strengthening as I embraced this bundle of fur that she loves. Puppy has deepened my ability to love and reminded me that love is the reason that we are on this earth.

As I walk into my skilled nursing facility in the morning, I ask Jesus to love through me. The other day a coworker said, “Give me a hug, you have the sweetest spirit.” I was grateful that God had answered my prayer, and that the love of Jesus could be experienced through me.

Marianne Manasterski

Marianne joined Servants of Christ in 2013. She currently serves on the prayer team.

Twenty-Fourth Day of Advent | Isaiah 41:10

Posted on Dec 20, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

In the beginning of chapter 41 of Isaiah, God reminds the people of Israel that it is He who has delivered them from bondage, not man. God reassures Israel that they need not fear, but look to Him. Throughout the Bible, God uses those who are weak or flawed for His will: Moses stuttered; Ehud was left-handed, an oddity in those days; David was an adulterer and murderer; and Rahab was a prostitute.

As an introvert, I’m very comfortable serving in behind-the-scenes roles. I’ve struggled with feelings of inadequacy throughout my life. A few years ago, I read The 10 Second Rule by Clare De Graaf which challenged me to step out in faith when I hear the prompting of the Holy Spirit. It’s reminded me to put my trust in the Lord and to act, knowing that on my own I am weak, but I am just the instrument God is using in the situation. Paul reminds the people of Corinth and us when he writes that the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

God is in control; I need only be obedient and trust. It’s not only despite my flaws, but because of them that His power is magnified through His use of me.

Tracy La Cagnina

Tracy has been a part of Servants for many years, serving – as she says – in the background. She serves on Vestry, the Altar Guild, and the Mission Team; and it’s safe to say that not a single event happens at Servants without significant help from Tracy. From coffee hour to Alpha to “Beer and Hymns,” if it’s happening, she’s there with helping hands.

Twenty-Third Day of Advent | Mark 2:17

Posted on Dec 19, 2016 in Advent Devotional, Blog, Devotions, Guest Blogger |

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.’” Mark 2:17 (NIV) (Context: Mark 2:13-17)

This verse gives me hope daily. I lived outside the law early in life thinking only of myself, taking all I could. Then came a point when I found myself empty and desperate. Hope was gone. Nothing outside filled the hole anymore. I had stepped over the line and didn’t think there was any redemption for me. Little did I know God was calling me. He put me on my path back to Him. I came to Servants and began to read and hear His word. After hearing this verse and others like it I came to believe Christ died for me. That He loves me right where I am, so I surrendered my life to Christ as He did for me. Christ loved when I hated myself. He held me until I was ready to hold someone else. Today I am able to represent Christ to those who try to fill the hole the way I did and show them Christ’s love.

Mike Bey

Mike came to Servants of Christ in 2007. He currently serves on the vestry.