IN OR OUT

Jesus begins in the Sermon on the Mount by affirming
that everyone in his audience is called, loved, powerful,
and valuable. This was remarkable in his day because
the religious people in Jesus' day liked to say some
people are out and some people are in, and the way
that you get in is by doing things the right way and not
being sick. People like lepers and people with bleeding
diseases were believed to be cursed by God because
of a sin of their parents. There was this system in place
where some people were in, and some people were out. 
Jesus comes on the scene in the Gospel of Matthew in
Chapter 5, and he begins with the beatitudes in which
he says that everyone belongs. He begins by saying
"blessed are the poor in spirit." Don't misunderstand,
being poor in spirit is not a virtue. Poor in spirit means
you're spiritually bankrupt. Blessed are you if you mourn.
Blessed are you if you've been a doormat your whole life.
In Luke, he says blessed are you if you're poor, if you're
persecuted, if you're unwanted, if you're uninvited. Jesus
says to these people you are called, you are loved, you
are light, you are salt.

PRAYER:

Dear God, thank you for accepting me. Even through my
weakness, illness, and sin, I am loved by you and the
salt of the earth.

REFLECTION: If you were there in Jesus day, do you
think you would be in or out?

(Pastor Bobby Schuller)

EVERYONE IS INVITED

Verse

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore,
love is the fulfilling of the law.  Romans 13:10

Voice

But no one should ever be locked away
simply because they share the same race,
ethnicity, or religion as a spy or terrorist. If
that principle was not learned from the
internment of Japanese Americans, then
these are very dangerous times for our
democracy.         Fred Korematsu

Prayer

God, remind us that all of humanity is
invited to feast at your table.

adapted from Common Prayer

OUTSTRECHED ARMS

Verse

Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

Voice

The outstretched arms of Jesus
exclude no one, not the drunk in the
doorway, the panhandler on the street,
gays and lesbians in their isolation,
the most selfish and ungrateful in their
cocoons, the most unjust of employers
and the most overweening of snobs.
The love of Christ embraces all without
exception.    Brennan Manning

Prayer

Surround us with living saints who
remind us of the sort of people we
are trying to become.   Common Prayer
(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

(**A special note- Today is International
Holocaust Remembrance Day. Let us
remember the millions of innocents
murdered by the Nazis, the many
Christians who put their lives on the
line so that Jewish people might live,
and those who survived but still struggle
with bitter memories and crippling poverty.       
(International Fellowship of Christian and Jews).
WE REMEMBER THEIR DIGNITY AND
SACRIFICE

TORTURE

Donald Trump has just said that torture “absolutely”
works and that he would approve it in his
administration if his team agrees. That torture works
is a lie and a moral aggression that would directly
lead to the use of torture again by the United States.
As many diverse Christian leaders have said, torture
is anti-Christian. Will the Christians who supported
Donald Trump stand up against torture under his
regime? “Speaking the truth to power” is a necessary
and invaluable Christian practice and tradition which
may become central again in our witness to the
presidency of Donald Trump.

Perhaps John the apostle puts it best: “You will know
the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

(My Note- LET US REMEMBER EPHESIANS 4-
"We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and
blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s
trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But
speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every
way into him who is the head, into Christ…. So then,
putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to
our neighbors, for we are members of one another.”)

(Jim Wallis)

THOSE FOREIGNERS

Verse

God defends the cause of the fatherless and the
widow, and loves the foreigner residing among
you, giving them food and clothing. And you are to
love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves
were foreigners in Egypt.   Deuteronomy 10:18-19

Voice

you have to understand,
that no one puts their children in a boat
unless the water is safer than the land
Warsan Shire

Prayer

God, may our lives, and voices, say,
"welcome."
adapted from Common Prayer

(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

LET'S STAND TOGETHER

President Trump signed an executive order greenlighting
construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil
pipelines.

This action signals he prioritizes corporate oil interests
at the expense of environmental protection and the well-
being of Americans.

Tell President Trump: Keystone XL and Dakota Access
stand in opposition to our values.

As people of faith, we must stand together to resist
Trump’s actions that destroy the environment and
harm our fellow Americans.

This move comes a month and a half after the victory at
Standing Rock, where people of faith stood in solidarity
with the Water Protectors to protect our water and climate.

We’ve stopped Keystone XL and Dakota Access before.
Let’s stand together to do it again.

In faith,
The Sojourners Team
(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

POWER TO SAVE

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the
builders, which has become the Cornerstone. And there
is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name
under heaven given among men by which we must be
saved. - Acts 4:11-12

In the 1800s, Queen Victoria was crossing the English
Channel on her royal yacht.

During the course of the trip, her eye fell upon a tiny bird,
who with fluttering wings, tried to follow the ship.
Apparently, the bird had been attracted by the brightness
of the silk flag which floated at the masthead.
The queen turned to her daughter and pointed to the bird.
As they watched, they could see the bird was becoming
weak and weary, darting down to the waves, then climbing
back up, trying to find some place to rest. But as this bird
was a fragile creature used to the woods and not the
company of man, it refused to settle down on the ship.
With a faint cry it rose from the waves, soared up to the
masthead and, unsuccessfully, tried to rest upon the flag,
which had drawn it from the land -- away from safety,
shelter and home.

The heart of the queen was filled with pity and she
commanded her sailors to save the weary bird.
Wishing to please his Monarch every able-bodied man
jumped to do the job Victoria had entrusted to them. They
used every art and every device to capture that bird. Sadly,
all their efforts to rescue the bird only terrified it more.
At last it fell upon the deck at the feet of the queen.
Her majesty stooped and picked up the dead bird and held
it tenderly in her hands. Victoria, Queen over an empire
upon which the sun never set, had been absolutely
helpless in sparing the life of a single, small, scared bird.
Her good intentions had not been good enough; her power
had proven to be insufficient to the task.

I would like to point out that some things don't change.
In the worlds of politics, medicine, education and
philanthropy, there are many who, with good intentions,
are eager to try and save us. It is true, they are willing, but
it is equally true, they are not able. Most certainly, they
may assist you with simple problems and minor difficulties,
but they cannot correct or cure the great sickness of sin
that besets and condemns our souls.
Nobody can save us other than Jesus.

That is because Jesus alone
• has lived a perfect life so that our sinful imperfections might
be forgiven;
• has resisted every temptation so we might be found
innocent on Judgment Day;
• has conquered death and shown to this doubting world that
His sacrifice to save us has been accepted and is complete.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, we give thanks for those people of the world who
do their best to make a positive impact. Bless them in their
service. Most of all, we pray that every sinful soul may see
only Jesus can save from condemnation and damnation. In
Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

(Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

NOW IS THE TIME FOR FAITH TO FLOURISH

Two Critical Roles for People of Faith Under a Trump
Administration

1.   Faith must stand up for itself, for its values, for its
standards, and for its priorities.
2.   Leadership means sacrifice for the greater good,
instead of just the personal one.

YOU MUST STAND UP WITHIN, FOR, AND LIVE
YOUR FAITH!  IT IS MORE VITAL THAN EVER THAT
WE DO SO.  AND WE MUST BEGIN NOW!!!!!!!

And perhaps the value that our country needs most
right now, in an age of almost complete cynicism
about politics, is the power and promise of hope. We
can decide to spend our time, energy, and the gifts
of our lives to make this a better world — for those
around us, especially for those on the edges, and to
be good stewards of the creation itself. That’s who
people of faith are supposed to be; that is what we
are supposed to do. And there is no better time to
do that than right now. No matter what politics says
and does, it is always time for faith to flourish and
move forward.

(Sojourners,   sojo.net, Jim Wallis)

DONALD TRUMP TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES

INAUGURATION DAY

“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals,
for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” —
Exodus 3:5

Leaders can easily fall into the trap of being out of touch
with the people. Most leaders of nations enjoy luxuries that
the general public does not. It’s easy to become insensitive
to the needs of the common man or unsympathetic to a poor
man’s plight. God, on the other hand, says “Don’t you dare!
My people are my precious children.” Moses was commanded
to remain as sensitive as he was at that moment until the day
that he died.

Insensitivity is a trap we all can fall into. It’s hard to empathize
with the hungry if your stomach is always full, or to feel for the
homeless when we are enjoying the comfort and warmth of our
own homes. But, friends, we who serve the Lord are on “holy
ground.” We must remain acutely sensitive to the needs of His
children and do our best to meet them, whenever and however
we can.

A REMINDER TO PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP

“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
― Emma Lazarus
PLEASE DON'T TURN THEM AWAY

JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW

But now thus says the LORD, He who created you, O
Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I
have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you
are Mine." - Isaiah 43:1

Now most of you know John 3:16 -- the "Gospel in a
nutshell." You remember how it begins: "For God so
loved the world ...." That passage means the Lord
knows and loves everybody, which includes all the
billions of people who have ever or will ever live.
God loves everybody. Scripture is clear on that. But it
is also clear that He loves me, the individual.

When Jesus was born, it was to save me. When He
knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, He received and
carried my sins. When He died, that was for me ...
and so was His resurrection. And now, as Luther said,
"The Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel and
keeps me in the faith."

And that's true for you, too. You see, you are a very
special, a one-of-a-kind person to the Lord.

THE PRAYER:

Dear Lord, truly You are a great God. You have the
capacity to love and reach out to save an entire world,
but You do so one soul at a time. I pray that while
there is still time, the lost may come to know You,
appreciate You, and love You in return. This I ask in
Jesus' Name. Amen

(Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

KING'S WORDS

Verse

But let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.
Amos 5:24

Voice

If we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties
must become ecumenical rather than sectional.
Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe,
our class, and our nation; and this means we
must develop a world perspective.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Prayer

As we honor the legacy of Dr. King, and the work
of people involved in the Civil Rights Movement,
bless us with the wisdom you bestowed upon them.

(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

HOLY RESISTANCE

This is the season of Holy Resistance:  resistance
against white nationalism, misogyny, Islamophobia;
resistance against false news and spectacle;
resistance against the lie that America is the
greatest when fears the stranger, deports the
foreigner, and only protects the interests of those
of wealth and power.  And as Christians who take
Jesus at His word when He says, Whatever you do
unto the least of these, you do unto me," our holy
resistance extends to the church when it endorses
such lies or stands quietly on the side.

I WANT TO RESIST AS A DISCIPLE OF A
NONVIOLENT  REDEEMER AND LIBERATOR,
I WANT TO BE NON VIOLENT!

(sojourners)

FOR THE PRESIDENT ELECT

(please remember)
 Ephesians 6:12
    12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against
 the rulers of the darkness of this world, against
spiritual wickedness in high places

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE EARS

In the days following the ugliest election in my
life (I was born in 1945), I have seen few if any
commentaries on how this election impacted the
children of America.  Our kids hear our fears and
anxieties, as well as what they hear on TV or radio,
but they are not able to deal with and process those
fears as are adults.

     What is our Christian responsibility to help our
children to deal with and overcome the fear and anger they
feel when they hear the president-elect denigrate
minority groups and promote violence against
those who disagree?  This is truly a teachable
moment in every house of worship, and not just
for adults.  Our kids are suffering and we cannot
let the words of narcissistic bigot go unchallenged.
I urge us not to forget the children
(from sojourners Bill Turney, Houston Texas)-

THE IMMIGRANT

I see you but you don't see me
I am made invisible by you special powers
Not mine, I have no power
Your shiny car passes me
It does not have a speck of dirt
But I am filthy
Only me sweat shines at the bus stop
As it today in the fields
I smell like dirt
I know you are not hungry
Because I see you in your red car
Driving to a fancy restaurant
You do not I am hungry
Because you cannot see me
I had no lunch today
My belly hurts
But you cannot hear my emptiness
You only hear the music in you car
I see you but you do not see me
Perhaps all of me was left
In the woods where I slept last night
Or maybe the mosquitoes sucked my life away
One by on as they found me on the ground
Because I had not blanket to cover me
So I itch.  They saw though you did not.
I dream of home.  My mother and my sisters
Hungry, waiting for the money I will send them for food.
"America..... you will make lots of money
Our stomachs will be full
And you sister will have shoes
I hope my boss will pay me this week
I look at my boots
These boots took me 15 days in the desert
Now they will bring through the fields
And I wonder......
Is it the car that makes me invisible
Because I see you but
You do not see me
(Patricia Byrne)

REMEMBER "SANCTUARY" MEANS "PLACE
OF REFUGE," AND THAT HAS PROVEN
TRUE FOR MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE BECOME PART OF OUR
COUNTRY

THE WORD

Verse

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for
teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for
training in righteousness, so that everyone who
belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for
every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Voice

Be not simply good; be good for something.
Henry David Thoreau

Prayer

Lord, let our eyes be open to your word, that it
would lead us to work and actions that move
us closer to your kingdom on earth.

(Sojourners,   sojo.net)

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs. — Psalm 100:2

Few things bring us greater joy than serving our Creator.
When we are serving God, we are focused on what we
can give and not on what we are lacking. We focus on
what is good in our lives and not what is wrong. When
we contribute to God’s world we feel good about who
we are instead of upset about who we could or should
have been. When we bring joy to others, we can’t help
but light up with joy ourselves.

What’s more, serving the Lord is something that we can
do anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstances. In
times of abundance, we can give. In times of scarcity,
we can have faith. When things are easy, we can sing
out praises to God. And when times are tough, we can
call out to Him in prayer. In our homes or in our
workplaces – there is always someone to help or God’s
Word to share. The possibilities are endless.

We can always worship God, which means that we can
always be happy. No matter what! We don’t have to
pursue happiness. We just have to stop running away
from it – and serve the Lord today.

Try this ancient advice and think of how you can serve
the Lord today. How can you worship Him throughout the
day? Dedicate just one day – or even better – one week,
to give of yourself to God, to His children, and to His
world. You will be happy you did!

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

BACK TO NORMAL

And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.
And the favor of God was upon Him (Luke 2:40).
Read Luke 2:39-40.

Today we take down our Christmas tree, the lights, and all
the decorations. Finally, our house is getting back to normal.
Luke's account of that first Christmas is drawing to a close.
After completing all the tasks God's Law laid out for them to
do, Joseph and Mary left Judea and returned to Nazareth,
where they would raise Jesus. We know from Matthew's
account the reason the couple first left Bethlehem was
because Herod sent soldiers to murder the Christ Child, after
the wise men had come to visit. After spending some time
in Egypt, they returned to Nazareth.

Luke tells us that in Nazareth Jesus grew physically,
experiencing the normal development of a human being. But
he also accumulated the knowledge, wisdom and discretion
He would show throughout His adult ministry. In our Lenten
devotions in March, we will listen to Jesus' own wonderful
message of forgiveness, peace, salvation and eternal life,
and we will follow Him as He courageously faces bitter
opposition and a cross to save us from our sins.

In a sense life was back to normal for Mary and Joseph.
They were home now and Joseph could go back to his
carpenter's shop. But then again, once the Christ Child was
born their lives would never really be the same. This is true
for us too. Even though the trappings of Christmas are gone
for another year, the Christ Child has come into our homes,
and our lives will never be the same either.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into our world that first
Christmas, and coming into our hearts this Christmas. Keep
us strong in faith, filled with peace and joy until the day
You return to earth. Amen

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

THE DARK SIDE OF CHRISTMAS

(Simeon said) "And a sword will pierce through your own
soul also ..." (Luke 2:35).          Read Luke 2:34-35.

If you have lost a loved one in death, then you know the
pain the following Christmas when you feel that person's
absence so keenly. But what if you had known the year
before that would be the last Christmas you would spend
with them?

After blessing God, Simeon turns to Mary and says
something strange. She will see the nation of Israel reject
its Messiah and speak against the One God has sent to
them. This is something Mary has never heard before,
and probably never imagined would happen.

The angels only spoke of God's gift of salvation to all
people, of His love for the whole world in sending His Son.
But Simeon warns that when He is grown and begins His
ministry, there will be Jews who reject the salvation He
came to bring.

But Simeon tells her it will get worse. She will feel as if a
great broadsword is piercing her own soul. This is the
connection between our Advent devotions coming to a
close and our Lenten devotions beginning March 1. Mary,
the virgin mother who laid her Child in the manger, will
watch that same Son get nailed to a cross.

In all the Christmas memories Mary stored in her heart,
this may be the first cloud that appeared over her thoughts.
She will not only remember the moment when Simeon
prophesied it, but she will stand beneath the cross of her
beloved Son Jesus Christ. But the cloud will quickly pass
three days after His death, when her mighty Son rises to
life again -- victorious through all eternity.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You loved us so much You sent Your
Son to die in our place on the cross. Thank You for saving
us through faith in Him. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

DEPARTING

He took Him up in his arms and blessed God ...
(Luke 2:28a).           Read Luke 2:28-33.

Most of us really anticipate Christmas homecomings and
get-togethers, but few of us look forward to that moment
we have to depart. Saying goodbye is rarely easy, but it's
wonderful to leave on peaceful terms, returning to normal
life with warm memories of Christmas.

Simeon thinks of something similar as he steps up to the
young couple and takes the Child in his arms. He says,
"Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,
according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your
salvation." Many have taken Simeon's words to mean he
was old or close to death, but not necessarily. He had
spent years anxiously waiting to see the consolation of
Israel, and now the suspense has finally ended. Looking
down into the face of the Christ Child, he knows he can
live out the rest of his life with this peaceful, joyous
memory.

Simeon points out that God has prepared His salvation
before the face of all peoples. He doesn't want us to look
at a baby in a manger and get warm fuzzy feelings.
Instead, we are to be confident that Jesus Christ came
into this world to make us right before God. He came to
save us from death and hell by His suffering, death and
resurrection.

Joseph and Mary both marvel at the things Simeon says
about Jesus. For the first time they learn He has come
not only for the people of Israel, but for people of all
nations. Through Luke's words we, like Simeon, have
looked upon the Christ Child: our Lord and Savior.
Because of His life, death and resurrection, we can pass
the rest of our days in peace and faith.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, thank You that I can depart this
Christmas season in peace, having seen Your salvation
in the Child of Christmas, Your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

EXPECTATIONS

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he
would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ
(Luke 2:26).        Read Luke 2:25-27.

We are moving further away from Christmas Day. For
most of us life is returning to normal. Back when I was a
child I would be back in school by now, or I would know
that it was only a few days away. Time passed for Jesus
too. He didn't stay a baby. Like every other child He
quickly grew. In our reading He is now more than a month
old, and Mary and Joseph take Him to Jerusalem for His
presentation.

At the same time they carry Him into the temple courts,
an Israelite man enters. Luke describes Simeon in much
the same way he had spoken of John the Baptist's father,
Zechariah, when he first introduced him. Both men were
righteous through their belief in God, firm in their faith,
and waiting anxiously for Him to keep His promise and
send the Savior. The Holy Spirit had given Simeon a
remarkable promise: he would not die before he had
seen the Christ. During his lifetime the Messiah would
come, and Simeon would see Him with his own eyes.

Simeon was a rare Israelite in his day. By the Holy
Spirit's guidance, he understood the Old Testament
promises accurately. The Christ would comfort His
people by saving them from their sins -- not by driving
out their earthly enemies, as most Jews expected.
And this very day Simeon feels a powerful urging from
the Holy Spirit to go to the temple. As he passes
through the temple courts, he is drawn to a young Boy
being carried by His mother and father.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, You revealed Your Son to Simeon.
As I read the Bible, reveal Him to me that I may know
His salvation and praise You forever in heaven. In
Jesus' Name. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

SET APART

... they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to
the Lord (Luke 2:22b).                  Read Luke 2:22-24.

I was really rough on toys when I was a kid. Few of the
presents I opened on Christmas day actually lasted
through the 12 days of Christmas. Sadly, I realize now
that only two of all those great toys still survive to this
day: a Tiny Tonka bulldozer and a gas-powered Cox
mini-van. The van doesn't run, and the bulldozer has a
few rust spots on it, but those two toys stand apart as
special to me because of their physical connection to
my long-gone childhood.

Today's devotion is about the day Jesus was set apart
as someone special. After the eighth-day circumcision,
the next big event for firstborn male children was their
presentation at the temple in Jerusalem, when they
were 40 days old.

The firstborn male child of each family was set apart as
holy to the Lord. And among all the Jewish boys
presented, this Son was unique. Through His miraculous
conception, Jesus was the only male Child who truly
stood apart from all His fellow Israelites, the only One
who was actually holy to the Lord, in, and of Himself.
In His presentation Jesus was officially set apart and
presented to the Lord for the unique work He would
undertake, saving all people from sin, death and hell.
Through faith in Him, God sets you and me apart from
all people, so we may serve the Lord and share Jesus'
story with those around us.

THE PRAYER:

Heavenly Father, through Your Son Jesus Christ, You
have set me apart as holy. Equip me and all your
children in Jesus to share His wonderful salvation with
those around us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)

EVERYTHING IS NEW

And at the end of eight days ... He was circumcised ...
(Luke 2:21).

New Year's Day was always an exciting new beginning.
If the old year had brought us pain and misery, we
could rejoice that it was over, gone, behind us. And in
the dawning of a new day, there was the hope the New
Year would be so much better.

This day was also a new beginning for the Baby Jesus.
Jesus is eight days old, and it is now time to circumcise
Him, according to the Law of the Lord. This ceremony
made Jesus a member of God's people Israel. It also
bound Him under the Law, obligating Him to keep that
Law perfectly. As our Substitute, Jesus perfectly obeyed
God's Law, so His perfection, holiness and righteousness
might be ours, covering our failings, our flaws, and our
sins.

But His circumcision carries with it the reminder that
Jesus will not simply cover our sin, He will remove it from
us -- forever. On this eighth day of His young life, Jesus
first sheds His blood for us, but it will certainly not be the
last time He does this. On a dark day some 30 years into
the future, Jesus will shed His blood and die on the cross
to satisfy God's wrath against our sins.

The symbolism of His circumcision and our Baptism both
remind us of God's work, cutting off our sinful nature or
drowning it. In Baptism God makes us new creatures, so
we can stand before Him spotless and pure through Jesus
Christ.

What a way to start a New Year!

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, in Your circumcision Your blood was first shed
as our Substitute. Cut the sin from our hearts, that we may
enter this New Year in Your holiness and purity. Amen.

(Advent Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries)