In uncertain times such as these…

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Thank you, Howard Thurman.

Thurman’s invitation is grounded in the reminder of, and the abundance in, the graciousness at the heart of creation.

Okay. This all sounds good. And we want to say, “Yes and Amen”.

But I can tell you that there are times when I wonder. What about the times I don’t see the graciousness?

What about the times I see only darkness, when I see only the shadow side?

Here’s my conundrum; I do want to embrace this invitation to be more human and fully alive.

And I don’t want to run or hide from sadness, or the rawness. And I don’t want to give way to apathy, or to anger and bitterness.

So. What do I do with the darkness—the shadow side—in life?

What do I do with those veins of disappointment, doubt, disillusion, insecurity, disenchantment, un-fulfillment, heartache, shame—or, you name it—which can course through our psyche.

Over the years with Sabbath Moment, I have written about life’s “shadows”. I did not do so to generate interest. I wrote for some catharsis in my own soul, because some days, the shadows plague me. And, it turns out that whenever I did write about shadows, it did generate interest. And I’m glad I wrote, because in the writing (the speaking, the voicing, the embracing) I gave myself the permission to live there, find acceptance there—to find the sacrament of the present moment there—at least for the time being.

I know that there will always be someone, usually in the name of God, to tell me that I need to pray more, or believe more, or try harder, but I find restorative grace and healing in having someone say to me, “I don’t know if, or how, you lost your way today, but if it’s okay by you, I’ll sit with you on the back deck for a spell. Let’s just watch the sky, and see if we can’t relish, and take heart in the colors the shadows make at dusk.”

Yes, my friends, even in the shadows, wherever you are, be all there. Because even in the shadows, let us remember the graciousness at the heart of creation.

“Look round and round upon this bare bleak plain, and see even here, upon a winter's day, how beautiful the shadows are! Alas! it is the nature of their kind to be so. The loveliest things in life, Tom, are but shadows; and they come and go, and change and fade away, as rapidly as these!” Charles Dickens (Martin Chuzzlewit) “Sabbath Moments” Terry Hershey.com

Acts 2:17:18 Holy Spirit will change us and what we know to be truth…Jesus

Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 

Do not quench Holy Spirit in your life He is your lifeline in this world. Jesus said that it was expedient that He die and rise again so that Holy Spirit could enter into the lives of those who trust in Him for salvation. Listen to that still, small voice that will guide you and change you into the character of His Son. Carla

Acts 2:17:18 

‘And  it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,  

That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; 

Your sons and  your daughters shall prophesy, 

Your young men shall see visions, 

Your old men shall dream dreams. 

18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants 

I will pour out My Spirit in those days; 

And they shall prophesy.

The last days is a phrase that evokes Old Testament language associated with the final time before God’s purposes of making all things right on earth are fulfilled—which includes the Messiah’s victory and impending ultimate judgment of all, demanding that everyone repent (Numbers 24:14–17; Deuteronomy 4:30; Joel 2:28–29; Daniel 7). It marks the time when God will establish His kingdom over the earth and end oppression (Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28–29; Daniel 2:28). 

The events of Pentecost demonstrate to the Jewish audience that the promises made to them are fulfilled in Jesus, who is the true Messiah, and that the time of the last days has begun. In Joel, God’s full and final restoration of His people involves inner transformation by His Spirit (Joel 2:28–29). The Spirit’s ministry and the gifts He bestows are not restricted by social position or status   (1 Corinthians 3:16–23; 12:1–26). Faithlife Study Bible

Peter began his sermon by quoting Joel 2:28–32 from the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In that passage, God had promised that there would be a time when all those who followed Him would receive His Spirit, and not just prophets, kings, and priests. Peter pointed out that that time had come to pass. God would speak to and through all those who would come to Him, whether in visions, dreams, or prophecy. This was the beginning of the last days. God’s final act of salvation began with the pouring out of His Spirit. This final act of deliverance will continue to the end of this age. The NKJV Study Bible

Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

Joel 2:28–32 “

And it shall come to pass afterward

That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;

Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

Your old men shall dream dreams,

Your young men shall see visions.

And also on My menservants and on My maidservants

I will pour out My Spirit in those days…

Isaiah 44:3 

For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,

And floods on the dry ground;

I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,

And My blessing on your offspring;

John 7:37–39 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”…

This week, in remembering the graciousness at the heart of creation, we’ve talked about embracing the child within. And embracing what makes us come alive. And today, embracing what allows us to pause and be at home in our own skin. Sabbath Moments

Acts 1:8 Holy Spirit can do in us what we cannot!

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

At Pentecost the Jewish believers in Christ were empowered by Holy Spirit. Supernaturally the gift of tongues was given that all who heard them speak could understand it in their native language. Holy Spirit would guide them into the commission to which they were given. To them the promises of their forefathers were fulfilled. The King of the Jews had visited His covenant people. They were to spread the Good News of salvation. To the Jew first and then in the grace of God to all who would by faith accept Jesus. Ultimately through them the promises of John 3:16 would come that in Jesus Christ the world could be saved. All praise and glory to our risen Savior who overcame the sins of the world. Carla

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The locations mentioned in this verse represent a geographical broadening in scope of the apostles’ mission, from Israel’s capital, to the land of Israel, and to the entire world. This also reflects the structure of the book of Acts: The Church spreads in Jerusalem (chapters 1–7), in Judaea and Samaria (chapters 8), and to the surrounding nations (chs. 9–28). 

The Greek word used here, dynamis, can refer to power displayed in miracles (Acts 2:22; 4:7; 19:11), or (more generally) the ability of God or people to carry out their purposes (3:12; 4:33). God will enable the apostles to accomplish His work, wherever and whatever it is. The apostles are called to testify about Christ—to proclaim the reality of His death and resurrection as well as His kingdom and lordship. Faithlife Study Bible

Instead of being concerned about the date of Christ’s return, the disciples’ job was to carry His message throughout the world. 

You shall receive power does not refer to personal power for godly living, as demonstrated in the lives of Old Testament saints (Abraham in Genesis 22; Joseph in Genesis 39; Moses in Exodus 14; Daniel in Daniel 6). This was power for a new task—namely, to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. 

Be witnesses is Christ’s command to His disciples to tell others about Him regardless of the consequences. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the 11 apostles who heard this promise became martyrs. (John died in exile.) God empowered His disciples to be faithful witnesses even when they faced the most vehement opposition. The NKJV Study Bible

Luke 24:47–49 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things…

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

Acts 8:1–25 Now Saul was consenting to his death.At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him…

Acts 2:1–4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting

…our job title, which is Tikkun olam. Literally, repair of the world. Tikkun—to repair the soil of the world with nutrients: kindness, a balm of generosity, a capacity to accommodate fragility, and a softness of spirit.

And I would add: this graciousness is alive and well when we “become like a child.” The invitation to remember and to reclaim the profound sense of joy, innocence and trust. This invitation allows us the gift of letting go of scorecards, and savoring the permission to be here. Now.

Gratefully and gladly, the full force of life and the gift of enough—the graciousness at the heart of creation—usually envelops me when I’m looking the other way, say for answers or magic or resolve (maybe a reprieve from moments of disquiet). It is a lot like grace in that way. It enters in, slows the heartbeat, and before you know it, you’re sitting still. Relishing, contemplating, savoring and just being, if only for a moment. And the magic or answers don’t matter anymore. These moments, when I become like a child, re-introduce me to a world that is antithetical to the world that tells me the five things I must do to get past, or get over, or stay on top.

And this from Anna Quindlen. “So here is what I wanted to tell you today:

Get a life. A real life, not a manic pursuit of the next promotion, the bigger paycheck, the larger house. Do you think you'd care so very much about those things if you blew an aneurysm one afternoon, or found a lump in your breast? Get a life in which you notice the smell of saltwater pushing itself on a breeze over Seaside Heights, a life in which you stop and watch how a red-tailed hawk circles over the water gap or the way a baby scowls with concentration when she tries to pick up a cheerio with her thumb and first finger. Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work... Get a life in which you are generous.” Excerpt from “Sabbath Moments”

While we may not immediately and fully grasp every Bible verse we read, we will always hear God's voice in Scripture. And it's not the voice of an inaccessible intellectual or an echo from a bygone era; it's the voice of a Father who loves speaking to His children.

After all, God's Word isn't just personal ... God's Word is a person! Jesus is "the Word [who] became flesh and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). When we read the Bible as though every holy word points to Jesus, we don't just learn past information about God but engage in present relationship with Him.

As Jesus prayed for His disciples just before His crucifixion, He said, "I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word" (John 17:20). Scripture is "their word," inspired and preserved for us by God Himself! You and I are "those who will believe"!

The Bible is for us. May this be a truth we never forget. First5

Ephesians 2:4-10 His grace is all we need!

Titus 3:4–5 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 

Grace arrived in the gift of salvation. On the Cross of Jesus Christ the sins of the world were hung. In Him we are reunited to our Creator.  We are created to be His hands and feet in the places that we find ourselves. His grace is sufficient for us.

Ephesians 2:4-10 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We are secure and loved beyond our human comprehension in the agape love of God. Our Godhead works together for our protection from evil. In them we are changed from a heart of stone into His heart of love for all of His creation. Yet we die we live. Carla

Because of Adam’s sin, the entire human race is spiritually dead. Only God can grant new life and save us from this predicament. Out of His mercy, God gave His Son for us while we were yet His enemies. He loved us long before we loved Him (1 John 4:9, 10). In addition to making us spiritually alive, He determined that we would sit in heavenly places with our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

God desires to demonstrate His kindness throughout eternity through Christ Jesus His Son. This has nothing to do with our own merit. It is only because He is merciful and kind that He reaches out to save us. Christians have been saved by grace. The grace of God is the source of salvation; faith is the channel, not the cause. God alone saves. Salvation never originates in the efforts of people; it always arises out of the lovingkindness of God. Truly, “salvation is of the Lord” (Jon. 2:9). The past tense of the verb saved in this passage indicates that the believer’s salvation has already occurred in the past, at the Cross. 

Salvation is the gift of God. We cannot do anything to earn our salvation. Some suggest that the gift of God modifies the word faith in this verse. Thus Paul is saying that even our belief in God does not originate in ourselves. This too is a gift. The NKJV Study Bible

God’s abundant mercy, which characterizes Him throughout the Bible (Exodus 34:6–7), is epitomized by His willingness not to punish “children of wrath” but instead to save believers through His grace (Ephesians 2:5). Through union with Christ, believers receive new life that reverses the effects of death (Romans 6:4–11; John 3:16–17). 

Those who believe in Christ participate in His death and resurrection. Consequently, believers share in Christ’s resurrected life—life that is indestructible, in union with God, and led by the Spirit. The basis of salvation is grace —God’s undeserved generosity toward people. God demonstrated His grace through Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. 

You are saved In this context, the Greek word used here, sōzō, refers to God delivering people from death and giving them life. Because believers are identified with Christ’s resurrection, they also share in life that is no longer subject to death. 

Believers share Christ’s position of authority at the right hand of God by virtue of their union with Christ. In Christ Jesus  emphasizes the centrality of Christ. 

The Greek word used here, pistis, for faith can refer to belief, trust, faith, or loyalty (faithfulness). 

People cannot accomplish salvation through their own effort. 

Works in this context, the Greek word used here, ergon, may refer to the Jewish law or to specific components of the law that are related to Jewish ethnic identity (i.e., circumcision, food laws, Sabbath observance). The idea of works also might include any actions motivated by a desire to earn favor or right standing with God. 

Good works are different from the works of verse 9. Here Paul is talking about acts of faithfulness and service to God (Colossians 1:10). Faithlife Study Bible

Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”

Ephesians 1:20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 

Colossians 2:8–3:1 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily…

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life

And for Sabbath Moment, here are two invitations to take with us into this week.

"Awake, sleeper, to the beauty around you. Rise up from your dreams to catch the scent of a new day. The Earth opens its arms to you, inviting you into a bright morning of sacred love. Step out into the world with confidence. Walk in certainty. Be fully alert to the messages in every flower, the whisper of every cloud passing overhead. This creation was made for all of us, a gift of discovery beyond description. Walk in beauty, each step a prayer, until the evening comes, the peace of eternity wrapping you in its blanket of stars, dreaming visions of the holy, until the last light lingers, alone in the stillness of the night." (Thank you, The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston)

We Are the Fundamentalists

we are the fundamentalists

not those who claim the name

but those of us

who believe in human rights

for everyone

who believe in fundamentals

of fairness

of equality

of equity

who believe in recognizing injustices

of past of present

and being accountable

for ending them

who believe in caring

for nature

who believe in restoring

in maintaining

the environment

who believe in working toward peace

toward freedom

for all

yes we are the fundamentalists

“SabbathMoments”

When we are scared, frightened, lonely, anxious, or confused, who do we run to? We have an option to turn to the world or turn to the Word of our heavenly Father. Psalm 119:89 tells us, "Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens." 

God is our safe Person, and His Word is our safe place. 

Specifically, we can put our faith in the Scriptures because they are sacred, authoritative and sufficient for us.

When we say the Scriptures are sacred, we are talking about how they are worthy of respect and honor because God Himself is the divine Author (2 Timothy 3:16). Theologian John Calvin famously comments that the Scriptures "come from heaven, as directly as if God had been heard giving utterance to them." In other words, when we read the Scriptures, it is equivalent to God speaking directly to us!

God's Word is "living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). God says, "My word ...shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose" (Isaiah 55:11). 

And He has given us the gift of seeing and hearing that sacred Word through the Bible. First5