Here in the “Pew” like most people we are hoping and praying for a better year. Hope is an expectation for a certain thing to happen and not everyone hopes for the same thing. Gratitude is a simple a word but the doors it opens can and will be a blessing to those who practice “a little gratitude” often. Right here at the start I would like to change “who practice  a little gratitude” to read… those who live a life of gratitude. I did a lot of reading on this and one thing was clear… this one word, nine letters in all generated more information than I expected. The question I asked was this… what are some of the attributes of gratitude? Consider this. There were two paths of interests that interested me. One of course was the biblical inquiry…the other a simple secular view. So here is the secular view with one caveat. Most of these are to be found in the biblical review of this action. First thing, Gratitude is a verb. It is an action that you do, show, practice and does not do well in a passive state. So Let’s get started.

-Compassion: Gratitude can make people more compassionate and empathetic. It is a sign that a person is willing to make an effort to understand and share your feelings. 

-Mindfulness: Grateful people are mindful and live in the moment. They are aware of what is going on around them which helps them understand your feelings better.

-Expressing gratitude: Grateful people regularly express thankfulness to others. Gratitude is such a compelling emotion that it motivates us to share it with others.

-Appreciating everything: Grateful people look for things to appreciate every day. 

-Positive emotions: Gratitude can trigger positive emotions like joy and compassion. Such a behavior also adds that positive feeling of Joy to our every day lives. 

-Better sleep quality: Feeling grateful can lead to better sleep quality. Whaat? We all can relate to how important it is to lie down at night with a peaceful mind free of turmoil and stress.

-Increased optimism: Gratitude can make people think more positively. Think of the good things in life… that’s in the scripture.

-Connection to others: Gratitude can foster kindness and love, which can help people feel more connected to others. God did not intend for man to be alone. Gratefulness strengthens relationships and fosters good things happening.

-Switching attention: Gratitude can help people switch their attention from toxic emotions like envy and resentment. As written before…think about the the good things.

Practicing gratitude can create a positive social environment. When people regularly express thankfulness, it can encourage others to do the same. Like all good things there is so much more that I could write…Small word…gratitude…but a big message.

Life is Good

Jk

 Except for a few spots here and there the snow is gone. I have shared with you the fact that I can no longer walk. Knee went south and the doctors say it ain’t coming back. I tore a tendon and the surgery to repair it did not work. Of course there is always a re-do or some other procedure but at 81 I decided to just adapt. So now my world is drastically altered and the lives of those around me are also adversely affected. It takes about thirty minutes to get ready for the day…cleaned up, dressed and other stuff. All this is proceeded by going from the bed to the wheel chair and getting to the bathroom. From bed to wheel chair to bathroom about 10 minutes. I am for all intents and purposes home bound. Medical visits are a logistics nightmare. I have reached the point where I can get in and out of a car but I require help to do that. The stress and extra work on my wife are visible but love her heart she has adapted quite well. I see very few people, and don’t get a lot of calls. It does get lonely at times but that is to be expected. I kinda got into the old man retirement thing and loved it. I would grab my laptop and head for Panera or Starbucks…love coffee…work on my blogs and Sunday School Lessons. Over the past few years I met a lot of of people over a cup of coffee and I know we solved a lot of the worlds problems but it don’t seem much better. Church…now that is another thing I miss…or more accurately…need and miss very much. So I invite you to Ponder This. I am in reasonably good health over all. I have the big three…Food, Shelter, Clothing and a wife and daughter who take good care of me. I love to write and God has given me the tools to do just that and although I do seem to be slipping a bit, God always makes a way. The point is I am beginning to understand that word…Gratitude… So I ask you today to … Stay focused on the good things… and Ponder This… Gratitude involves being thankful and appreciative for the good things in your life. 

Kurt

Well, we are in the new year and I am going to ask you to go with me back a few years ago in The Pew…2016 to be exact. I use the Upper Room for my morning devotional time and an article in the February issue, some years back led me to this topic. The article was submitted by Bob G. Wood from Tennessee.  An old joke tells about two Israelites who were following Moses across the Red Sea just after God parted the waters. One comments to the other, “Can you imagine what this mud is doing to our sandals? They’re probably ruined.” We are a lot like those two in the joke; we are so focused on the negatives and worries of our lives that we completely miss the miracles and blessings all around us. I believe for many of us the act of being grateful is not at the top of our list. While I was wandering around in the Archives I ran across this scripture from another post from another day… Philippians 4:8    Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

The above scripture is one of my favorites. Most of last week using the church newsletter and other means of communicating my Pastor shared that he had a very important message he wished to share with us…on Sunday, January 5 at both services. The message was about Gratitude…Thankfulness and how that simple little act can change our world, people around us and most importantly the world around us… “but” now that word always opens my ears. The “but” was it was gonna cost us. Unlike some folks I don’t always equate “gonna cost us” with money. There will always be some money involved however I got this from what else he had to say. Pastor spoke of how messed up the world has been these last four years… no don’t go there! Politics plays into it but the hate, divineness and just plain lack of civility, I use this a lot…as Pogo once said… “The enemy is us.”

Don’t know if he will read this or not, if I got it wrong…sorry. After I had some time to think about it, well I don’t mind saying that’s “brilliant”. Oh I can assure you that Bill Gates and I as some folks like to say “went out there” to check this out. Pastor has challenged us to take this next year and make it  A Year Of Gratitude… Now first off he said as many a Preacher has said in the past… “it’s in the Bible.” It is referred to as gratitude or giving thanks and the apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament talked and wrote about it a lot. Believe I would be right if I also mentioned so does some folks in the Old Testament. Let’s pause a moment here a look at that word again…Gratitude.  A simple word, just nine letters and it is going to change the world? Consider this from the web site gotquestions.com .

“When we are thankful, our focus moves off selfish desires and off the pain of current circumstances. Expressing thankfulness helps us remember that God is in control. Thankfulness, then, is not only appropriate; it is actually healthy and beneficial to us. It reminds us of the bigger picture, that we belong to God, and that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). Truly, we have an abundant life (John 10:10), and gratefulness is fitting.”

I left the above scriptures links open and you can click on them to read if you wish. Come back and join us in “The Pew” next week…in the mean time… Show a little Gratitude for the good things.

Life is Good

jk 

A new year and I don’t know where to start. I finished my blog for this week…will post on WordPress this Saturday. There is a lot going on, that’s for sure. Lot of stuff out there to to ponder. I got to say I thought that after the election was over we would settle down a bit and take care of business. Ponder this…The soon to be President of the United States has said…I emphasize… said. We need to take the Panama Canal  back, We should think about Canada becoming a state and maybe even buying Greenland! Now as a T Man… I must ask why? We can’t take care of what we have, our backyard so to speak is a mess. I sorta think we ought to do some yard work first before we acquire more ground. No levity intended here. A large part of our back yard is on fire… some say due to poor decisions of those who lead. So I ponder if it is not wise to do a little weeding first. For the past three years there has been a massive wagon train…if you will, of folks heading toward our back yard. I compare it to the old wagon trains that headed west…to the promise land, many years ago. That prompts me to ponder this. All you folks who curse this nation, spit on and burn our flag and I have to get this in…disrespect our God, seek to marginalize people for their faith, color or what not… Why this steady stream of people risking everything they have…literally wearing or carrying it on their backs want to come here. Have they got it so good they just want a little misery to even things out?  Might be to our advantage if you folks took a little trip. 

A little cold here on the porch…so I will wrap this up. It has been suggested that we spend some time being grateful for what we have. Good thoughts lead to good things happening. Maybe we ought to plant a few flowers among the weeds and choke them out. Ponder That!

jk

As the Christmas season comes to its end we pack away the symbols of the season and return to our everyday tasks and purposes. In Luke 1:76-79 we find a reminder of what is to come.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

The child in this instance being John The Baptist. He would go on “ before the Lord to prepare the way for him.” We have celebrated the birth of that child that The Baptist would go on to “clear a path for.” Now we as noted before, we put away the holiday lights and stuff…but there is one thing…the light that can’t be put away. Our subject this day is taken from the Book of 1 John 1:1-5. 

According to most scholarly estimates, the book of 1 John was written around 65 to 95 years after Jesus’ birth, with the most likely time frame being around 90-95 AD; meaning it was written several decades after Jesus’ life and ministry. We are seeing today as John did then, that there are many factors that seek to dim that Light…God Among Us…Jesus Christ. I am not the best at numbers but I think it safe to say that John had the same view of things well over 2,000 years ago. John seeks to reassure the people of the early church that their faith in Christ…the light he writes and preaches of is a certainty. It is an early day plea if you will…not to put that light away. Let’s break it down as to what John sees. First of all there is division between two schools of thought. There were many false teachers who sought to advance their own thoughts and become leaders of this movement for selfish reasons. Remember the New Testament was not complete at this time. Many churches were easy prey for pretenders to teach their own version of Christ and in doing so advance their own position and gain influence in this new way. It was being said that Christ perhaps was two different persons dependent on the situation. At times he was just like us…at other times he was a divine being among us. It was difficult for certain divisions to accept the truth about Christ…they were unable to do so because they lacked a relationship with the true God. John wrote this letter to set the record straight on some important issues, particularly concerning the identity of Jesus Christ. John spoke and wrote about the basics of faith in Christ. His narrative and strong writing at least gave them a solid basis on which they could reflect honestly. This did not mean they had to be perfect…John introduced the concept of admitting your sins, seeking forgiveness and the fact of the Divinity of Christ…God among Us. To truly know God we must admit or sins, forgiving others frees us to love others just as God loves us. So first priority would be to promote a Fellowship with God within the Christian community. A fellowship of believers that would lookout for others. Christians must have Love for one another and a Love for God. Joy is the essence of Christianity there are those who discourage it and John sets true repentance before the believers…simply put a godly sorrow will bring about a Godly Joy. It is John’s aim to set Jesus Christ…The Light Of The World before all people…believers and otherwise. Fellowship with God, Fellowship with one another and peace and joy in this world can only be found in Jesus Christ.

Have you heard from the Lord? Just like today with all this information technology available we still have one thing in common with people in those early times of the church. We need more than just opinions and views…What would God have us do? John steps out and speaks plainly…

1 John 1:1–4

What we are telling you about is that which was from

the beginning, that which we heard, that which we saw

with our eyes, that which we gazed upon, and which

our hands touched. It is about the word of life that we

are telling you. (And the life appeared to us, and we

saw it, and testify to it; and we are now bringing you

the message of this eternal life, which was with the

Father and which appeared to us.) It is about what we

saw and heard that we are bringing the message to you,

that you too may have fellowship with us, for our

fellowship is with the Father and with Jesus Christ, the

Son. And we are writing these things to you that your

joy may be completed.

Note here…

-He says that he has heard Christ.

-He says that he has seen Christ.

-He says that his hands actually touched Christ.

I wish to just share with you in this first time in “The Pew” this new year a plea to not put THE LIGHT away until next year. 

1 John 1:5

And this is the message which we have heard from him

and which we pass on to you, that God is light, and

there is no darkness in him.

Come out of the dark and into the light…Don’t put it away!

Life is Good

jk 

Thank all of you for your support this past year. May this New Year ahead strengthen your relationship with God through Prayer, Study and Devine Guidance. May God’s Peace that passeth all understanding be with you…Now and Forever.  jk

Please Click on the Link Below

 Christmas letter Pew 12.23.24 pdf  

James Strange, a New Testament and biblical archeology professor, wrote this:  Writers of the gospels of Matthew and Luke “are so laconic about the [Nativity] event because they assume the reader would know what it was like. [W]e have no idea how difficult it was.”

Sometimes words are just not enough, thus the saying that a “picture is worth a thousand words”….. and since there are no actual pictures from that time we are reduced to just the words. Fortunately we do have written records of that time, and there are biblical archeologists whose studies print a vivid picture in our mind and of course theological based studies of the lives people had in those times. As noted above Matthew and Luke were rather sparse in their words used to describe the difficulties and challenges such a trip would present to Joseph and Mary. I share with you some words from Deacon Frederick Bartels in an article he posted 12 January 2019. While I am paraphrasing his words I wanted you to know the Deacon’s excellent  writing on this subject is my source of information. 

After a demanding trip to Bethlehem and finding room only in a cave that was being used to stable live stock, what would this trip had been like for Mary and the child in her womb? Deacon Bartels asks a question that requires we go beyond the written word. Most of us have a very firm picture in our minds of what Mary was like. An alabaster complexion, clothed in ornate robes whose hands had never seen a day of ordinary household work. But in reality Mary was an ordinary Palestinian Jewish girl, poor and as we have come to learn of extraordinary faith and abilities. Truth is Mary would have been no different from other Jewish woman of her place and time. Her day would be one of tedious chores and duties to be done, having none of the modern every day technology available to aid her. She would start at sunrise or maybe a bit sooner preparing a meal, then there would be water that needed to be brought in, carried by hand in jars or wine skins. The water would be used for drinking, cleaning, bathing and washing clothes. Ground wheat-flour and other food ingredients had to be gathered and of course firewood to cook with and heat to provide warmth in the cold mornings and evenings. All of these things would require, as some estimate, at least ten hours of work. I think we can say she had to be strong and efficient. Joseph was a carpenter and his day began at sunup and would last till there was no light left to work by. I imagine his face would be of a ruddy complexion, with lines reflecting the responsibility of family and providing for them. His hands would be the rough calloused hands of a working man. He would be a strong and resilient man. Further more it very likely that both Mary and Joseph were, as many of the people of that time illiterate to some degree. Because of where they lived it is possible they had limited knowledge of some Greek and Latin. They most likely lived in a small complex, four small one room houses with dirt floors which were connected by a shared courtyard for cooking and other daily needs. Most of these complexes were shared with kin. It would have been a good thing because the women would be able to help each other with water, wood and other needs. It was not an easy world to live in. They were taxed by both the Temple and the Roman government and people of bad intent were all about them.

Moving to the journey they were about to make it could not be said that they did not know the dangers of taking such a trip, not to mention that Mary was heavy with child at this time.  Mary and Joseph were aware of all the dangers of such a trip. They would have to travel about sixty miles and at best given her condition ten miles a day would be all they really could expect. There would be wild animals, bandits and desert robbers to contend with. Weather would also be a factor as temperatures in winter in this area would be a bone chilling 41 degrees at night and rise into the high forties during the day. I don’t know why but I have always read or been told that the desert temperatures at night felt much colder than you would think. They would have had to have warm clothing, build a fire each night to protect themselves from predators and of course to keep warm as they rested. Their provisions would have consisted of bread, herbs, oil and some dried fish. Water was carried in wineskins. Yet all these things did not intimidate Joseph or Mary.

At this point we switch our attention to the Shepherds. Luke 2 verse ….8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 

 Theirs is a unique position. One of  the little known facts…things not included in Luke 2: 8-14. They were only about eight miles from Jerusalem in the fields near Bethlehem, that we are told but the reason while practical, is not that well known. These shepherds  were tending sheep that had been designated for sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem and most likely the property of the Temple. These shepherds were educated in the specific quality of sheep needed for sacrifice and it was their job to protect them from being hurt, damaged or blemished. Shepherds were in general looked down on by most people. Tending sheep was a 24/7 job and required the shepherds attention at all times. Realistically there were many of the daily religious practices that they couldn’t practice because of the demands of their job. They were rarely in the synagogue for worship or instruction and their fellow Jews looked down on them for it. It must be noted that the task of shepherding was an honorable job and often fell to the youngest son in the family. It has always had a place in Jewish history and in that part of the world was part of the history of all the people living in those times. God got some great leaders from the ranks of shepherds. It is here that the angel came on high to announce the birth of a Savior… He who is Christ The Lord. 

The weak, average, illiterate, lowly in status…the shepherd … to him was first given the news of man’s salvation to come. This birth, this one who by God’s intent has come among us…God incarnate, would go among those of similar standing. He would become a tradesman from an uneducated working class family. When time for his ministry came upon him he chose twelve others, fishermen and such, from the northern region of Israel which at that time was considered to be inferior to the rest Israel. He who’s coming was told to these lowly shepherds keeping the sheep…He would become a shepherd of men and some of their people Fishermen of men.

Life is Good

jk

On the porch this week I invite you to join me and Ponder… Have we reached a point in society that we have become desensitized or just overwhelmed by the meanness of others? Last week another shooting…a school shooting…a Christian School. From that pull out these three words… shooting, school, Christian. Starting about 1913 it was decided that good reporting would contain at least Five W’s

 Who? – Asking about a person or animal

  What? – Asking about an object or action

   When? – Asking about a time

   Where? – Asking about a place

   Why? – Asking about a reason or cause

Then someone must have asked how Did this Happen? When you look at the list above it would be fair to say most of those questions are answered…but wait. How about why? Not hard to answer that. The reason…well nobody knows why but the cause was the gun. “The Gun” caused this. Please understand this. People died in this latest shooting…and please know this. Most of the time a firearm is involved in bad situations someone will die or at least require more than a bandaid. I am not going to plow this ground again. This is my take on the whole Firearm issue. The social justice warriors, the agenda driven activists and then add the politicians, this thing ain’t going to get solved. After every shooting it’s the same old Mantra from the same people and organizations and well meaning folks. 

A 14 year old is dead…the hopes dreams and the life she may have lived is now over. A 42 year old lady…a teacher leaves a husband and three children to wonder why. The one that fired the shots…a youngster that no one really knew…lost the fight to the pressures of life and the misery that sometimes comes with it. But we who are left here ask the same questions to no avail. Now this may be a bit hard to take but here is my Ponder on this gun thing. As nation and a society we have chosen to allow this “gun” to live among us… Here is the hard truth…Guns can and often do Kill but they have to have help. Lay a fully loaded gun on a table in the middle of a mall and it can not do a thing without help. We will struggle with this loss of life, pick up the pieces and move on…except for the families who lost loved ones, the children that were there that day in the mist of that carnage and make no mistake, it will always be imprinted in their minds. 

Nuff said, some of you will get this most of you won’t. Pogo a cartoon of some time back while traveling on an endless river had this message for us.. “We have found the enemy …they is Us”

Ponder That!

Kurt

As you know “The Pew” loves the Word…and we try hard to share and make your day a little stronger through the hope and comfort of God’s word. Sometimes we like to stray a bit and examine a little closer what’s behind the words we are reading. We are close to the day Christ was born and all the many parts of the story are coming together to fulfill the prophecy that will start us on the path of reconciliation with our God. Today we spend some time in the village of Bethlehem.

First off how did such a town rise to such prominence? That’s a simple question for most anyone to answer. Bethlehem was the birth place of Jesus…Christ…The Messiah. Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach and means “anointed one” or “chosen one.” …..Anointed One… In that time anointing someone with oil was a sign that God was consecrating or setting apart that person for a particular role. Someone with a special God appointed purpose. In old testament times people were anointed for the positions of prophet, priest, and king. God a long time before through Isaiah foretold the coming Deliverer, chosen by God to redeem Israel (Isaiah 42:1; 61:1–3). This Deliverer the Jews called the Messiah. Now let’s move on to Bethlehem, an city of that time whose importance in the Bible comes from its relationship to Jesus Christ. Both Matthew and Luke wrote that Jesus was born in the humble village of Bethlehem. Some other points…also known as the City of David. Bethlehem was also mentioned in… 

Genesis 35:19…So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem.)NLT…

A few points of interest about Bethlehem. Bethlehem is near bountiful fields within the Judean desert. The village of Bethlehem is situated about five miles southwest of Jerusalem in the hill country of Judah. It’s fertile fields, orchards, and vineyards surround it. It is also a place of diverse people of all cultures of that time. In New Testament times it was or had become a rather humble village. But all that was about to change…Bethlehem was soon to fulfill the prophecies of old. For it is here that Joseph returned due to the decree of Caesar Augustus to register and pay taxes…with him, heavy with child was Mary…and here as prophesied in the City of David was born The Messiah…King of the Jews. More than a place on the map, it was the place where our Lord and Savior was born…the beginning of the reconciliation of God to His People. 

Life is Good

jk