Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Lift Your Eyes Up” by Dave Good

Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. Once again my name is Dave Good, it is my honor to spend the next few minutes with you. I pray my words are a blessing and encouragement to you.

Today, I’d like to talk about the first week of advent. The first week of advent is marked by the lighting of a purple candle which is the candle of hope or the “prophecy candle.”  Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden, man has been in need of a Messiah. Our sins separate us from the presence of God.

At first, God gave us the sacrificial system in order to atone for our sins. The sacrifices were numerous and in many ways not sustainable. Thankfully we serve a God who had a solution from before the foundation of the earth.

I Peter 1:19-20 “but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you”God had a plan from the start.” (NKJV)

How did this plan manifest itself? I’m glad you asked. The hope of the Messiah was written in just about every book of the Old Testament. Everything written in the scriptures point to our need for a Savior.

“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” (Numbers 24:17 NKJV)

What I want you to notice about this verse is the Star. The verse says a star shall come out of Jacob. This is a clear promise for the upcoming Messiah. Let’s fast forward several hundreds of year and turn to the story of the Magi. The gospel of Matthew tells us: “saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:2 NKJV)

How did the magi notice the star? I mean, if you look up at the sky on a clear night there are countless stars twinkling in the dark. The answer is pretty simple. First, they were well aware of the prophecy concerning the Messiah. Also, they must of made it a habit to observe the stardom on a nightly basis so they wouldn’t be caught off guard and miss His arrival.

The arrival of the Messiah in the form of a newborn baby lying in a manger happened some 2000 years ago. Each year we wait expectantly to celebrate His arrival. This year, I feel it’s not only important to celebrate the birth of the Messiah but also to search the sky for his second coming. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!” (Acts of the Apostles 1:11 NLT) Did you catch that. The same why Jesus ascended into heaven is the same way he will return again.

My question to you is, “Are you searching the sky like the Magi? Are you watching intently for His return? Are you prepared for His return?” Those are crucial answers that need to be pondered.

Friends, as we draw closer to the birth of our Savior, let us not forget that his return may be just as close. I pray you take some time to examine your walk with the Lord and ask yourself, “Am I prepared to meet the King of Kings?” I pray you take the next couple of weeks and prepare yourself for His eventual coming. We don’t know when that time will come but if we prepare now we will allow the anticipation and excitement of his coming fill our hearts and lives today as we waiting expectantly for His return.

 

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Preparing Your Soul” by Dave Good

Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. Once again, my name is Dave Good and it is my honor to spend the next few minutes with you.

Today, I would like to talk about preparing your soul for eternity. No one knows how long they will have on this earth. I’ve seen people live 100 plus years and I’ve seen some lose their life at a very young age. Some are taken in the blink of an eye, due to a tragic accident or sudden illness, while others pass away slowly after a long battle with cancer or some other fatal illness. The point I’m trying to make here is that we just don’t know when our time is up.

I believe we serve an extremely graceful God who gives us every opportunity to secure a place with Him in heaven. I think back to the criminal hanging on a cross next to Our Savior on Calvary.

“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”” (Luke 23:39-43 NKJV)

While one criminal was mocking Jesus, the other criminal was able to see the truth. The criminals deserved to be put to death for the crimes they committed but Jesus did not deserve to die. The criminal’s declaration of his own sins and the realization of the injustice of Jesus’s innocence was the first step to securing his salvation.

If you put yourself in the criminal’s shoes you might be able to sort through his thoughts while hanging on a cross next to Jesus. The criminal knew what he did wrong. We are not told specifically in the story but you could imagine maybe murder, blasphemy, inciting a riot, or a threat to the powers to be, the truth is we just don’t know what he did. Whatever his crime was he deserved to be on that cross.

On the flip side, this criminal must have been aware of the life of Jesus. If you were living anywhere around Jerusalem, the works and miracles of Jesus were well known and talked about. The criminal must have figured things out as his life was hanging in the balance. He acknowledged Jesus and was offered salvation.

The reason I’m bringing this up to you today is because it’s never too late to secure your eternity. The criminal next to Jesus had only hours to live and I’m sure his life involved a lifetime of wrongdoings just like us. Jesus offered salvation at the very last minute and promised him a place in heaven. The only thing the criminal had to do was acknowledge and have faith in who Jesus was.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians 2:8 NKJV)

Jesus offers us grace, despite all that we have done wrong, if we only have faith. We need to have faith that Jesus lived a sinless life, died on a cross, and rose from the dead three days later. He paid the price for our sins and restored us to the Father. There is no other way.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)

Friends, I’m not sure what your past looks like or what sins you have committed over your lifetime but I’m here to tell you that it’s never too late to get right with God. If you put your faith in Our Savior he promises to meet us in paradise. I don’t know about you but that sounds good to me. Knowing I can spent eternity with the Father is the greatest gift he can give us. I urge you today, don’t put off your eternity. It’s never too late to accept the precious gift of salvation!

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Practicing Peace” by Pastor Randy

Happy Monday!!! Let’s start the week by learning how to have peace by putting into practice three things that Paul writes to the Philippians about.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 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. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:4-9)

REJOICE – Praise is a great habit to form for anyone who wants to know peace no matter their circumstances. When we rejoice always, whether in the midst of something good or something bad, it helps to shape our worldview by reminding us that we serve a God who is always in control and who deserves our praise even when we don’t understand why we are going through something. When we focus on the storms all we see are the winds and the waves and we reactively worry and stress butwhen we focus on God everything else fades away and then, whether the storm subsides or not, we have peace even as we walk through it.

REQUEST – Paul says that we are to present our requests to God through prayer, petition, and praise. It’s one thing to give something to God in prayer but it’s another to actually leave it with Him. Too often we tell God our troubles but then proceed to worry about them and try to work them out in our own strength rather than actually relying on Him. It’s no wonder that we do not know God’s Perfect Peace when we don’t ever allow Him to truly carry our burdens for us as Christ encourages us to do in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” However, when we cast our cares on Him as well as praise his for past help, we not only feel peaceful but we are reminded of how He has already helped us in the past and we are even more at peace having the assurance that He is able to help us at this point in time as well.

RENEW – Much like in his letter to the Romans (12:1-2) Paul gives instructions about being transformed by the renewing our minds. He explains that we are to take captive each thought for Christ by taking control of what we think about. He says that we need to choose to think about those things which are: true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy.Easier said than done though, right? What we also need to understand is that one of the main factors that contributes to what we focus on is what we fill ourselves with. If we spend all day listening to gangster rap with graphic lyrics we will most likely not have a lot of material to work with later hen we are trying to think about something pure. Or if we spend all night watching the news or trolling FB we probably stay up stressed rather than go to sleep without a care in the world. In order to dictate what we dwell on in our thought life we need to be more discerning about what we decide to fill our minds with.

So how are you when it comes to experiencing God’s Peace in your life? Do you think Paul makes some good points but are skeptical about their effectiveness or have you actually put them into practice? What is one thing that you can do today to take back control of your thought life while simultaneously giving God control over your current circumstances?

 

 

 

 

 

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Following Christ on the Narrow Road” by Pastor Randy

Good morning! Here is your Monday Motivation to follow Christ on the narrow road no matter what this week.

The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.


“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

After sharing with the crowd in John 6 that he was The Bread of Life and that his followers would need to eat his flesh and drink his blood many got upset at Jesus.

“At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” (John‬ ‭6:66-69‬)

Friends, though the world may turn away we must be willing to continue on that narrow path like the true disciples who were determined to follow Jesus even when they didn’t understand everything he was asking them to do, even when he told them things would be difficult ahead, and even when everyone turned away. They did this because they believed he was The Way, The Truth, and The Life and that there was no way back to The Father but by him. And so they took the harder more difficult path. Which one will you take?

It’s easy to follow Jesus in the manger but much more difficult to follow Jesus on the cross.

It’s easy to follow Jesus when he says to love our neighbors until he explains that our neighbors are sometimes our enemies.

It’s easy to follow Jesus when he promises to forgive us but much harder when he says we must also be willing to forgive others.

It’s easy to follow Jesus when we’re healthy and well fed but what about when we get sick or lose our job?

It’s easy to follow Jesus when he says things that are comforting but what about when he says things that are convicting?

Will you follow Jesus this week only when it’s easy or will you choose the narrow path no matter what?

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Change Your Mind” by Dave Good

Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. Once again my name is David Good. I am so excited to spend the next few minutes with you. I pray my words impact your life and bring you closer to God.

Today, I want to talk about changing your mind. For some of you I know changing your mind is easy. Heck, sometimes I change my mind several times just trying to order dinner. Seriously though, the type of change I’m talking about will change you entire life.

The change I’m talking about is about restoring, refreshing, and renewing your mind for good. In order to turn your life around it is important to renew and change your mind. Before I met Christ and allowed him into my life I talked like the world, I walked with the world, and I thought like the world. I just wanted to fit in, you know be cool, and be accepted by my friends and loved ones. This kind of thinking often led me into trouble, disappointment, and ultimately a feeling of emptiness. Once Christ entered my life and I started seeking him though my life and my mind started to change drastically.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV.

God instructs is to put off our old self, forget those old desires, and change our mind. This change leads to righteousness and holiness. Sounds pretty straightforward and simple to me. If I allow God to change my mind I will live a holier life.

This all sounds amazing but one question remains. How in the world can we change our minds like that? The answer is that you can’t do it by yourself. God and His Word has to play a vital part in your new mindset. I can honestly say that what I think about now is completely different than what I thought about even 10 years ago. Back then my mind was filled with worldly views and selfish and evil thoughts. My mind was a mess.

Thankfully when I accepted Christ he began a reconstruction project on my mind and attitude. His spirit filled my life with joy and love unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. That is when I fell in love with the Word. Taking the time to read my Bible and meditate on its verses and stories has changed my mind forever.

I fill my mind with Psalms of praise and Proverbs of wisdom and they have been pushing out the filth of my old mindset. The only way I can explain this is by giving you an example. Your mind is like a computer hard drive. It only has so much space to store data. If you fill up the hard drive with filth and a worldly mindset there is very little room for God. What the Word is capable of doing is rewriting the hard drive. The word washes over the filth and restores your mind with more Godly thought. After a while, and a lot of studying, your mind becomes renewed and changed for good

Friends, if there was one piece of advice I can give to you that will change your life it would be this: Read your Bible each and every day. Spend time reading, listening, and applying the Word of God to you life. God gave us the Word as an instruction guide to life. This book will change your mind and your life forever. It will change how you talk, how you walk, and most importantly how you think. My daily Bible reading has been one of the best habits I’ve ever started. If this Book can change a wretch like me I promise you it can do the same for you, all you have to do is open it and start reading.

I pray my words were a blessing and prompts you to change your mind for good. Until next time have a great week.

 

 

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“The Power of Planting a Seed” by Pastor Randy

Earlier today I got a reminder that you never know how or when you might have an impact on someone’s life. As I shared in my “Refill with Randy” video yesterday (check it out on FB or YouTube if you haven’t watched yet) I am currently in a season of ministry where I enter into a person’s, a family’s, or a church’s life for a set period of time with a specific purpose.

The reality is that there have been opportunities to do this throughout my ministry. One way this would happen is when I would be asked to officiate a funeral for a family that isn’t connected to a church or pastor. That happens much more frequently now that I am working at Hospice, I’ve officiated 4 funerals over the past 8 days, but it would happen every now and again when I was pastoring full-time as well.

I always found that those were unique opportunities to show the love of Christ to those who are hurting and in need of hope. Unfortunately, sometimes you only get to interact with them for that that short period of time and so hope you make an impact but often never know.

Well this morning, as I was standing at the front of the funeral home watching the family come in, a young man walked over to me and said, “I don’t know if you remember me but you did my mother’s funeral in 2011.” I asked what his mother’s name was and he shared. I apologetically said that it was a long time ago, that I remember that I did her funeral but that he must have been much smaller then. He then went on to tell me that he just had to stop me to thank me for all of the beautiful things I shared at his mother’s service and how it had impacted him. I thanked him for taking the time to let me know and offered to reconnect with him in the near future.

Ironically, as much as I hadn’t known how much my words back then had impacted him he probably didn’t realize how much his words this morning impacted me. We all have those days when we wonder if what we do matters, especially if we don’t always see fruit immediately, and so his comments gave me a timely reminder to continue scattering gospel seeds whenever and wherever regardless of whether or not I can see the impact. In Mark 4 Jesus says that…

“The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Mark 4:26-29 NLT

And Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians…

“I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:6-9‬ ‭NLT‬

The point is that whether you are doing the planting, the watering, or the harvesting, all are equally important and we simply need to trust God to make the seed grow.

So friends, I just want to encourage you to ask God daily for opportunities to partner with Him for the purpose of growing His Kingdom and, whether you ever see the fruit or not, trust that with God’s help there is always hope when you take the time to plant a seed.

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Begin Again” by Pastor Randy

Welcome back friends!!! Well technically you didn’t go anywhere, since we were the ones who took a hiatus, but either way it’s good to be back with you. And, if you’re new, please be sure to subscribe so that you can receive new posts in your inbox every weekday from myself and fellow blogger Dave Good.

Today seemed like an appropriate time to talk about how as Christians we need to constantly Begin Again. I’m not talking about falling into a futile pattern (as some do) of sinning, asking forgiveness, and then starting the cycle of sin and saying sorry day after day after day. Sorry, the preacher in me started coming out there.

What I am talking about however is our need to start everyday with a fresh-filling of The Holy Spirit, an intentional time of prayer & study, and a renewed focus on putting God’s agenda ahead of our own.

The Christian life was never meant to be static or talked about in the past-tense. Rather, it is a relationship that we must invest in on a daily basis just like any other that we want to succeed.

When you first start dating someone you think about them all the time, you let them know how you feel often, you make sacrifices in order to spend time together, you hang on every word that they write to you, and you can’t help but share how you feel about them with others.

And then something happens… , passion gives way to passivity and prioritizing your relationship is replaced with keeping up the routine. Sound familiar? What if that didn’t have to be the case? What if everyday you began again in your marriage. What if you renewed your passion for your spouse by spending time with them first thing every morning, stayed in contact with them throughout the day, intentionally told them how you feel, and, rather than going to bed angry, admitted when you are wrong and choosing to begin again.

Imagine what your marriage might look like if you followed even a few of these suggestions? I’ll admit that even as I am writing them I am feeling convicted to be much more intentional in practicing what I preach consistently when it comes to “loving my bride the same way that Christ loves the church”.

Now imagine what your spiritual life might look like if you applied these same principles to your daily walk with God. Much like dating, when someone first becomes a Christian they might be so elated having been set free from their sin that they can’t get enough of their Savior. Each day starts with prayer, the Bible truly does feel like The Living Word that you can’t get enough of, and you tell anyone who will listen about who Jesus is and how he changed your life.

And then something happens… passion gives way to passivity and prioritizing your relationship with The Lord is replaced with rituals and routine. Sound familiar? But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?

What if you begin again? What if you ask God to renew your passion and refill you with His Holy Spirit? What if you make a deliberate decision to start each day by simply asking God to go with you throughout the day? What if you spent even 15 min. a day rereading His Word and allowing it to speak into your life? What if you gather with others on a regular basis to encourage and motivate one another in your relationship with The Lord? What if?

Friends, I am committing to BEGIN AGAIN everyday in my walk with Christ and I invite you to join me. Please share what practices you find helpful in reigniting your passion for your First Love and sustaining it for the long run.

“I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2:2-5‬a (NLT‬‬)

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:24-25‬ ‭(NLT‬‬)

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“It’s Time to Put God’s Plans First” by Dave Good

Good day!!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM’s “Refill with Randy” blog. Once again my name is Dave Good and it’s my honor to share the next few minutes with you.

Today, I want to talk about God’s perfect timing. In Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 we learn that, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” (NIV)

If you take a minute and let those verses sink you I am confident you will discover that nothing is by accident. God has a timing for everything in our life. In Jeremiah 29:11 God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I don’t know about you, but I had plans for my life. I had dreams I wanted to achieve and goals I wanted to accomplish. I call this Dave’s Plan. I pursued my plan for most of my earlier life and I am happy to report that I accomplished almost everything I set out to do. I am not boasting or bragging because it was only by the grace of God that I was able to do this. Despite all the good things I’ve done, God had bigger plans for me.

Almost 20 years ago, God took my dreams and shook them to the core. He flipped my world upside down and set me on another course. This is the period in my life that I accepted Christ as my Savior. My whole world was falling apart and God was in the process of rebuilding it back right. Since then, Jesus has captivated my life and instilled new dreams and new goals.

One of the dreams I have since been nurturing is to one day preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Early on in my life this dream was not even a consideration because I was too worried about starting a career, beginning a family, and buying a car, to worry about my relationship with Christ. Boy how my life has changed! God took my priorities and refocused them on Him instead of the world and I am so glad he did.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving God in many ways. I taught Sunday school to the kids, I’ve helped with Vacation Bible School, and most recently I’ve led Bible studies on Wednesday night. Sometimes I just shake my head when I think about how God is using me. I don’t deserve to be used like this, to be honest none of us do, but yet God’s amazing grace permits us to be useful.

When I look back on the twists and turns of my life I can start to see God’s Plan and not just Dave’s Plan. I also know that God had to clean me up quite a bit so that I could even become aware of God’s Plan for my life. Thankfully He has been refining my life, giving me knowledge and wisdom, and restoring my heart and mind to His standards ever since.

Friends, I am here today to tell you that God has a plan for each and everyone one of us. He has instilled dreams in our heart for His purpose. Those dreams will come true if they are a part of His Plans and not just ours. The only way to figure out those dreams are to abide in Him, following Him and His Word closely, and to prioritize His Will for our lives. Among other things we do this by spending time in prayer, searching His Word, and getting to know His Ways. All this won’t happen over night but, if we are faithful and consistent, He will turn His dreams into ours. Then when the time is right our dreams will come true and all for His glory.

I hope my words encourage you today to dream big and allow God to fulfill Your dreams

Until next time…

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Spring Cleaning” by Dave Good

Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the Refill with Randy Blog. My name is Dave Good and I pray that my words will be an encouragement to you and add some blessing to your life.

Today, I’d like to talk about spring cleaning. I know most of you are probably going to say, I hate cleaning. Lol. I know this isn’t the best topic but I think you will find out it can be a rewarding experience. I would have to say spring is one of my favorite times of the year. If you take a few moments and look around you will soon see signs of life everywhere. The weather is starting to get warmer, the trees are starting to bud, flowers are emerging from their winter slumber, and the grass is turning a vivid shade of green. The world is starting to awake from the long winter hibernation. To me, this is an exciting time of the year. 

Spring is also the perfect time to do some cleaning and evaluation. One of the first projects I do each spring is get the garage and mower ready for the work that lies ahead. The mower oil and blades need to be changed, the porch and garage need swept and organized. There is work to be done all around the house. I know right now you are probably thinking what does all of this have to do with my Christian walk and ministry? I’m glad you asked.

Spring is a time of new growth, reorganization, and new life. I really think our Christian walk could use a season of new growth, reorganization, and new life too. I am not here to throw stones or point fingers but I really think if we are honest with ourselves, we would all agree. I can only speak for myself but I love the idea of breathing new life in my walk. A lot of the time we can get stuck in a bit of a routine or a rut. So the next question we need to ask is what are some of the ways we can grow and mature spiritually this spring?

1. Spend more time in The Word. One of the easiest ways to grow spiritually is to read your Bible more. I don’t care how long or how many times you’ve read the Bible, it will always speak to you in new ways. The Bible is God’s Living Word and you will never master the depth of it so keep reading it and rereading it.

2. Start a devotional. Another way to grow close to God is through the reading of devotionals. Pastor Randy and I have completed many devotionals together using the YouVersion Bible app. It is a wonderful tool to not only deepen your scripture reading but it also helps with accountability. I encourage you to take a look at it if you haven’t already.

3. Spring clean your daily routine. Since the topic of this entry is all about spring cleaning, I think this is a perfect time to take a look at our daily routine and get rid of some of the clutter. I encourage you to take a look at how you are using your time. How much time are you spending with the Lord? How much time are you spending on social media? How much time are you working ? How much time are you relaxing? All of this is important for a well rounded life yet, like everything else, it must be done in proportion. If we are spending too much time in any one of the list above our life could be out of balance and could lead to problems down the road. Spring is the perfect time to reorganize our daily routine to ensure a balanced daily walk.

Friends, Spring is the perfect time of year to fine tune our lives. Spring is a time of rebirth and I hope you seize the opportunity to breathe some fresh life into you walk with Jesus. I will never claim to have all the answers. I will never claim to know it all. The one thing I will tell you is that over the years I’ve used some of these things to deepen my own relationship with Jesus. I can assure you they are helpful because I’ve seen the fruits of it in my own life and I pray that you will too.

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Monday Checklist” by Pastor Randy

Happy Monday Morning!!! Sunday is over, the Super Bowl has been won, and now it’s time to start a new week. What’s on your checklist?

As much as I love my coffee the pics at the top of this blog is missing one major checkpoint. It should read…

☑️ wake up

☑️ make coffee

☑️ spend time with God

☑️ do amazing things

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John‬ ‭14:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

As Christians we are called to do amazing things as the pic suggests but we cannot accomplish anything in our own effort, even when overly caffeinated, so we must spend time with God so that we know His Agenda and are empowered to do accomplish it through the power of The Holy Spirit. Jesus started his days this way so who are we to try and do it all on our own?

“Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.” (Mark‬ ‭1:35‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

So what is on your Monday Checklist? I would suggest the following…

  • praying for discernment & direction throughout the week
  • reading God’s Word for information, inspiration, & transformation
  • listing steps to live out Sunday’s sermon throughout the week
  • choosing to have an attitude of gratitude regardless of your current circumstances
  • finding at least one person to encourage & inspire
  • being Christ’s hands, feet, & voice wherever you go

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“When Life Hurts” by Dave Good

Good day everyone. Welcome back to The GSM blog. Once again my name is Dave Good and I’m honored to spend this time with you. I hope you are having a great week, full of blessings. Today I would like to discuss a topic that I think we can all relate to at one time or another—when life hurts.

I don’t know about you but, although I am greatly blessed and God has does so much for me, there are those days when life just hurts. Jesus reminds of this fact when he says…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

Over the next couple of minutes I’d love to equip you with a few tools to combat the hurts of life.

1. Prayer – One of the easiest ways to deal with a hurt in this life is to pray about it. Prayer is like making a phone call to God. When life throws you a curve sometimes the easiest way to deal with it is to talk about it, you know get it off your chest. Prayer allows us to bear our issues before God anytime, any place. What a gift to have access to God himself when things aren’t going right.

2. Trusted Friends & Family – Another blessing God gives us are trusted family members and friends. I lost my mom almost 10 years ago and I miss have the opportunity to bounce my cares off her and ask her for advice. That being said, God does not leave us alone. God is gracious enough to also put trusted brothers, sisters, and friends on our path to assist when life just hurts. My advice is to not try and go it alone but rather reach out to your circle of trust and learn to overcome together.

3. Read The Word – God was so gracious to us to send down His Written Word. The Bible is the owners manual for navigating this world. When the hurts happen The Bible is a source for so much encouragement. The next time life knocks you down take some time to seek His Word and allow it to console you.

These are just a few ways to combat the adversity of this world. No one deals with the hurts of this life the same but I pray that some of the tactics I have found helpful will benefit you as well. However you choose to deal with the hurts of life I pray you do it in a healthy and constructive manner. Don’t allow the hurt to derail your growth or walk with the Lord

Thank you for you time. I pray my thoughts and suggestions were helpful and will ultimately allow you to navigate this world a little more efficiently. Until we meet again, may God bless you and heal all the hurts we encounter on a daily basis.

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Living By Faith” by Pastor Randy

I am currently reading through the Bible in a year, along with many others from my church, and every time I take on this challenge (around my 40th time cover to cover and my 3rd time going through w/ BFMC) I find myself looking in the mirror and finding new things to ask God to prune in me so that I can be one more like him.

In the book of Genesis there are numerous accounts of Abraham (the Father of faith) believing God’s promises but then trying to bring them about by his own means.

For example, we learn in Genesis 12:1-7 that…

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” (NLT‬‬)

All seems good but then after a famine hit the land and they had to take a detour through Egypt he told his wife to tell people she was his sister so that they would not try to kill him to get to her. On the one hand he was trusting The Lord and on the other he was trying to make sure The Lord’s promise would come to fruition through deception because he obviously doubted that God would be able to protect him.

This backfired of course and not only were they found out but he put innocent people in jeopardy when Pharaoh took a liking to her and subsequently God sent plagues on Egypt.

Abraham apologized, justifying his actions because technically Sarah was his half sister, but he didn’t learn his lesson because in Genesis 20 he did the exact same thing—this time putting King Abimilech in harm’s way. and, in between these two incidents he believed The Lord that he would have a son but, rather than trust that it could be through his wife, he had a son with her servant Hagar which caused enmity between the two women he put Abraham and Hagar;s son Ishmael in danger.

I could go on but you get the picture. Abraham did indeed have faith but he also wavered in that faith and the result was placing his own limitations onto GoD and trying to take care of business on his own.

I can relate. I feel like I have definitely been on a faith journey since making the decision to follow Christ three decades ago, and even more so these past few years since starting Go Scatter Ministries, and I have absolutely taken my fair share steps of faith on the belief that God was calling me to do so but I have also found myself trying to “make sure” some of those things came to fruition by my own effort.

No, I didn’t tell people Sheryl was my sister or sleep with her servant, but there have been times along that way that I have tried to provide for myself when God had clearly said He would provide for me. I don’t mean in getting a part-time job but with a number of attempts to get “any” job focusing on pay vs purpose. Thankfully God helped me stay on the path and has blessed me because of it but only in spite of myself at times.

How about you? Do you find yourself trusting God initially but then trying to fulfill His promise to you in your own? I feel like Christians do this all the time when it comes to tithing, they believe that God can sustain them but then, rather than giving Him the first fruits of their labor, they give a little or give out of their leftovers—making sure to meet their own needs first.

The fact is that we all do this to an extent in one or more areas of our Christian walk but the key is to learn from it and then not repeat it like Abraham did. We serve a BIG GOD Who keeps His promises so let’s give Him the benefit of the doubt and live by faith.

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Taking Time to Rest & Reset” by Pastor Randy

Happy Friday! Today’s blog is simply an assignment for you to complete over the weekend… Rest in the Lord.

In Mark 1:35 it says that “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”
‭‭

If you’re like most people you have had a busy week filled with ups and downs, quotas and deadlines, work and play, etc. and you are entering into the weekend a bit drained. That’s just how Jesus felt after ministering to people, healing them, casting our demons, and so forth and so he got up early, went to a solitary place, and spent time with His Father.

Now the purpose of this was two-fold: (1) to get away from the noise and constant demands so that he could recharge physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, and (2) to get still enough to be able to Hear His Father and understand what he should do next.

Friends, if it’s necessary for Jesus then you had better believe that it’s necessary for us so take some time over the weekend to go where you can be alone with The Lord for a little while and simply spend time talking, and more important listening, to Him. Allow Him to refresh you and give you direction so that you spend the next week living purposely for Him and not just spinning your wheels hoping that you are doing the right things.

Go to The Shepherd and He will give you rest.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.” (Psalms‬ ‭23:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Merry Christmas!” by Pastor Randy

Merry Christmas everyone! I am truly thankful for each of you and the support and encouragement you have shown me this past year. I will be back with new blog posts in 2022 but in the meantime I pray that God will bless you this Christmas and in the New Year!!!

“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.” [Matthew‬ ‭1:18-25‬ ‭NLT‬‬]

“At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.” [Luke‬ ‭2:1-20‬ ‭NLT‬‬]

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” [John‬ ‭1:1-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬]

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

Advent Week 3 – “Thursday” by Pastor Randy

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” [John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬]

Good morning friends, as we continue to think about love in regard to Advent I wanted to focus on this very familiar passage but from a little different perspective.

Most Christians, at least from my generation, can rattle off John 3:16 on the spot because it has become the go to verse for summing up the good news of the gospel. And rightly so because it shares the action God took to save us as well as the action we must take in order to be saved. But take a minute to consider this passage in the content of Christmas.

We tend to focus on the birth of Christ and his entry into our world but in order for us to receive him his Father had to first send him.

Imagine for a minute what that had to feel like from God’s perspective. Even as the Shepherds were about to go and celebrate Jesus’ birth He was aware that He had literally just sent him to his death.

Through my work with families through Care-Net I have counseled couples that are doing everything they can not to have to give their child up. Sometimes though a judge may deem it necessary to send the child to stay with someone else for a time if it means that the child will be better taken care of. What happened on Christmas was the opposite of that though! God was willing to send His only son to earth… to those who were created by him but would not recognize him… to those who would mistreat him and eventually crucify him. God sacrificed His son in order to save us.

Friends.. that is love.

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” ‭‭[Romans‬ ‭5:6-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬]

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Living Sunday’s Sermon on Monday” by Pastor Randy

Good morning! It’s Monday which means it’s time for you to start living the sermon you heard on Sunday.

When I would preach regularly at the church I pastored at I would often stand in the back to greet people as they left and inevitably I would hear things like, “Nice message” or “Good sermon Pastor”. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to hear feedback like that but it’s better to hear about how someone applied the sermon to their life.

In fact, after a while I started to respond to those who complimented me with, “Thank you! I would love to hear how you put some feet on it this week.” And you know what, after a while some started doing just that.

I would getting mid-week texts or e-mails telling me about their actions in response to the message and sometimes I would walk into church the next Sunday only to have someone run up to me excited to share a testimony. To me this was the most encouraging feedback that I could receive because it meant that the words that God was giving me actually impacted lives and the lives of others around them.

So… how will you start living yesterday’s sermon today?

How will you take a Scripture, a point, or a challenge that your pastor shared and put some feet on it?

How will you go from passively hearing God’s Word to actively living it today?

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.” (James‬ ‭1:22-25‬)

I would love to hear some ways that you are doing this and I’m sure that your pastor would love to hear it too!

Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“None – The Ninth Hour” by Pastor Randy

[This week I am sharing about the different hours of The Divine Office. If you are new here I would suggest going back and reading Monday’s (10/25) post to get a better understanding of what this is and why I am sharing about it.]

None, refers to the ninth hour, roughly mid-afternoon. Much like with Prime, it is a time to pray for perseverance and for the strength to continue bearing fruit. It is a time when one becomes aware of the sun’s eventual setting and the strength one needs to cope with the demands and responsibilities of life.

Philippians‬ ‭3:7-21‬ ‭“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” (‭‭NIV‬‬)

STAY STEADFAST MY SOUL


Stay steadfast my soul
when the waves seem too high
When my confidence wanes
and my well has run dry


Stay steadfast my soul
when the hurts of ministry cut deep
When I am sad
when I am tired
without tears
without sleep


Stay steadfast my soul
when from depression I can no longer hide
It is always hungry
all consuming
yet never seems satisfied


Stay steadfast my soul
when other’s voices drown out my own
When their troubles and their vices
on my weary shoulders find a home


Stay steadfast my soul
for it will all come to an end
When my Savior and Lord
comes back again


Stay steadfast my soul
continue to be fervent
And on that day He will say
Well done faithful servant

Randy LeBaron
Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Sext – The Noonday Devil” by Pastor Randy

[This week I am sharing about the different hours of The Divine Office. If you are new here I would suggest going back and reading Monday’s (10/25) post to get a better understanding of what this is and why I am sharing about it.]

Sext is Latin for the sixth hour. It takes place at midday when the sun is overhead and one has become tired and lost their motivation. It is a time for earnest prayer to resist temptation, to keep from being overcome by the demands and pressures of life. We are reminded of Christ being crucified at the sixth hour and we unite ourselves with Him. One is aware of one’s failures and mistakes and prays for true conversion even to the point of sacrifice.

I don’t know about you but this describes me after lunch when it’s hard to concentrate, easy to fall into a FB scroll spiral, and the only thing I am motivated to do is take a nap. It’s this time of day that I need be that much more intentional about how I spend my time. When I was pastoring I would often plan visitation at this time because then I was alone so I wouldn’t be tempted to go into a social media spiral and it was much easier to pay attention to another person than whatever project I was currently working on.

Psalm 55:16-23 “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me. God, who is enthroned from of old, who does not change— he will hear them and humble them, because they have no fear of God. My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.”‬ ‭(NIV‬‬)

In the strong name of Jesus Christ I stand against the world, the flesh, and the devil.

I resist every force that would seek to distract me from my center in God.

I reject the distorted concepts and ideas that make sin plausible and desirable.

I oppose every attempt to keep me from knowing full fellowship with God.

By the power of the Holy Spirit I speak directly to the thoughts, emotions, and desires of my heart and command you to find your satisfaction in the infinite variety of God’s love rather than the bland diet of sin.

I call upon the good, the true, and the beautiful to rise up within me and the evil to subside.

I ask for an increase of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

By the authority of almighty God I tear down Satan’s strongholds in my life, in the lives of those I love, and in the society in which I live.

I take into myself the weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, the word of God, and prayer.

I command every evil influence to leave; you have no right here and I allow you no point of entry.

I ask for an increase of faith, hope, and love so that, by the power of God, I can be a light set on a hill, causing truth and justice to flourish.

These things I pray for the sake of him who loved me and gave himself for me.

Amen.

Richard Foster
Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Terce – The Third Hour”

[This week and next I am sharing about the different hours of The Divine Office. If you are new here I would suggest going back and reading Monday’s (10/25) post to get a better understanding of what this is and why I am sharing about it.]

Terce simply means “third hour” in Latin is prayed mid-morning around 9am. Traditionally it is dedicated to the coming of the Holy Spirit which took place at mid-morning as stated in the account of Pentecost in Acts 2. It is time to ask for a fresh refilling of The Spirit and for strength for the day.

‭‭Acts‬ ‭1:8‬ “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (‭NIV‬)

Psalm 51:10-12 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” (NIV‬‬)

“Holy Spirit”

There’s nothing worth more

That will ever come close

Nothing can compare

You’re our living Hope

Your presence, Lord

I’ve tasted and seen

Of the sweetest of love

When my heart becomes free

And my shame is undone

Your presence, Lord

Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Come flood this place

And fill the atmosphere

Your glory God

Is what our hearts long for

To be overcome

By Your presence, Lord

There’s nothing worth more

That will ever come close

Nothing can compare

You’re our living Hope

Your presence, Lord

I’ve tasted and seen

Of the sweetest of love

When my heart becomes free

And my shame is undone

Your presence, Lord

Oh, Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Come flood this place

And fill the atmosphere

Your glory God

Is what our hearts long for

To be overcome

By Your presence, Lord

Oh, Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Come flood this place

And fill the atmosphere

Your glory God

Is what our hearts long for

To be overcome

By Your presence, Lord

Overwhelm us with Your presence God

Overwhelm us now

Oh, beautiful name

Let us become more aware

Of Your presence

Let us experience the glory

Of Your goodness

Let us become more aware

Of Your presence

Let us experience the glory

Of Your goodness

Let us become more aware

Of Your presence

Let us experience the glory

Of Your goodness

Oh Lord!

Holy Spirit You are welcome here

Come flood this place

And fill the atmosphere

Your glory God

Is what our hearts long for

To be overcome

By Your presence, Lord

“Holy Spirit” by Jesus Culture
Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Prime – The First Hour”

[This week and next I am sharing about the different hours of The Divine Office. If you are new here I would suggest going back and reading Monday’s (10/25) post to get a better understanding of what this is and why I am sharing about it.]

Prime, which is celebrated during the first hour of daylight, is a minor hour which many stopped observing around 1970. I include it however because it began in the 4th Century for a reason I find a bit humorous and one that I that I thought some on here might relate to.

Typically the monks would get up and begin their day with Lauds at Daybreak but some of the “lazy” ones would sleep in and not start their day until Terce. As a way of compromising with these monks who needed more sleep, but who they didn’t want to start their day without prayer and devotion, the practice of Prime began by offering a chance o pray and read Scripture together as the monks met to start their tasks for the day and it took place in between Lauds and Terce.

So for you non-morning people out there, who need more than just a cup of coffee to start your workday, this hour was created for you. 😇

Psalms‬ ‭5:3‬ “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” ‭(NIV‬‬)

Colossians‬ ‭3:23-24‬ ‭“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (NIV‬‬)

Jesus, I desire to start this day with you.
And yet, my mind keeps flitting to so many things:
the projects I want to accomplish,
the people I want to talk to,
the people I wish I didn’t have to talk to.
I wonder. Are these things distractions to spiritual concentration
or invitation to see God in the ordinary? I’m not sure.
Jesus, I know that you are that Center who knows no distraction.
So I offer up my mental fragmentation to you, O Lord my God.
May my scatteredness become your gatheredness.
As I am contemplating a thousand things,
Jesus, may I somehow be contemplating you.
Amen.

~Richard J. Foster; Prayers From the Heart