Devotional Blog

Spring

4/27/2023

Spring is such a glorious time! The cold and barrenness of winter gives way to the new life of spring. Trees begin to bud. Flowers begin to blossom. The air is filled with the songs of birds. Everywhere there is life springing up. It seems so fitting that springtime follows Easter. The Easter miracle is not just a symbol of new life, but it is the power to find new life in a Risen Lord. Past failures are forgiven, guilt and shame are washed away, power for living is found in God’s loving grace, as we open our lives to God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

(verse of the week)
Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life, and have life abundantly” (John 10.10)

(prayer of the week)
Loving Father, thank you for forgiveness in Christ which lifts and restores me when I am weak and broken and offers me new life through the power of the resurrection. Help me to surrender my life to you and follow you in grace and love, amen.

(quote of the week)
Where there is no vision, there is no hope—George Washington Carver

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

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Earth Day

4/20/2023

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This week we celebrate Earth Day, when we appreciate our world and all its benefits and reflect on how we care for it. In Genesis “the book of beginnings” chapter two God placed people in the garden to work it and take care of it. We are literally commissioned by God to steward the earth like a gardener or farmer would their garden or field of crops. It is never ours; it is only entrusted to us to appreciate and use wisely. How are you doing with God’s commission to steward our world? Take some time and relax and enjoy the beauty and grandeur or God’s creation. It is full of bounty and blessing to enjoy, but we should also be good stewards for our Creator.

(verse of the week)
The earth is the LORD’S, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for He founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters. (Psalm 24.1,2)

(Prayer of the week)
Almighty and Loving God, thank you for the blessing of the universe and all that you created and the special blessing of our world. Help me to be a steward of all that you have blessed us with, and may I also steward each day of my life giving back to you by the way I use my gifts an talents. May your Spirit fill me and make me a new creation empowered by your grace and love. Fill me with your love, and may others see you in all I do, and give you thanks. Amen.

Blessings –Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out,
Like shining from shook foil. . .
Oh, morning at the brown brink eastward springs--
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast
And with ah! Bright wings—Gerald Manley Hopkins, “God’s Grandeur”

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

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Easter Isn’t Over

4/13/2023

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I love Easter with the surprises and celebrations and family dinners. And I love Easter worship with sunrise services, beautiful flowers and victorious hymns and messages of hope. Easter is a wonderful and blessed day to celebrate. But Easter isn’t over. The resurrection is not just about Easter worship once a year. For the follower of Christ, the resurrection is something we celebrate each day, as we daily walk with a risen Lord who cares about us. Peter writes that because of the resurrection we have a living hope that sees us through the darkest night or the most difficult trial as we persevere knowing and God has a plan and a purpose, and most of all, that God is there and God cares! And because of this hope in a risen Savior, we have an inexpressible and glorious joy.

(verse of the week)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1.3-9)

(prayer of the week)
Lord, thank you that you have brought forgiveness and grace in your gift of love on the cross, and promise and hope through the power of your resurrection. Help me to accept your love and grace, and share your love with others, through Christ Our Lord, amen.

(quote of the week)
Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime—Martin Luther

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

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Holy Week

4/6/2023

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This is Holy Week, a week when we pause form our busy schedules and walk again the path that Christ walked in Jerusalem to Golgotha bearing the cross, and there humbly gave his life, that we might know forgiveness and love. And we hear again the surprise and joy of Easter morning and the power of the resurrection with hope of new life and second chances for each of us. It is the story of love greater than any other love that can change lives. Take a moment and reflect on this scripture passage that Christians believe incredibly predicts the crucifixion centuries before it took place and beautifully paints the love of Christ:

(verse of the week)
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we considered Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. . .because he poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53.4-6,12 sel.)

Lord, help me to pause from the busyness of life and appreciate the great sacrifice of love you gave on Calvary. Help me to lean into your grace and love. May the Easter miracle become new again in my life and may I share your love with others near and far, through your power and to your glory, amen.

Let us celebrate the joy of Easter together!—Pastor TJ

(quote of the week)
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us—St Augustine

Listen to recent sermons by Dr. TJ Jenney at YouTube &
http://inspiresundaymessages.blogspot.com/
Check the latest leadership blog by Dr. TJ http://www.drtj.us

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