Updates (Page 2)

Dear SCC & Friends, I have been young… ~Psalm 37:25 Reflection #327                  A relationship with Christ is a sacred bond that no one can have for you… Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ~Matt. 16:13 followed by a very specific question requiring an answer, “Who do you say that I am?” ~Matt. 16:15 I remember praying as a teenager, “I may leave you, but please don’t ever leave me.” Even then, I knew I’d…

Dear SCC & Friends, Integrity of the upright… ~Proverbs 11:3 Reflection #326                Integrity may be defined as honesty, virtue and wholeness. It embodies truth, authenticity and moral character. Our character is who we are when no one is looking. ~Anon.~ Character is who we are at this present moment and is revealed through our thoughts, words and deeds. We can fool some people all the time and all the people some of the time but not all the people…

Dear SCC & Friends, Be patient… ~James 5:7 Reflection #325                Most of us like to be active, purposeful and productive. We were made to interact and socialize as part of a family, community and nation. Along the way we inevitably encounter trials, troubles and accumulated worries. John Newton was a former slave trader turned Anglican clergyman… He wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace,” and knew the importance of living in the present… “I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the…

Dear SCC & Friends, …as unknown yet well-known… ~2 Corinthians 6:9 Reflection #324                Without memory there is no culture. Without memory, there would be no civilization, no society, no future. ~Elie Wiesel~ The need to remember is a common thread throughout Scripture… The gift of memory allows us to relive moments, calling to remembrance our journey with the Lord and one another. Memorial Day is celebrated in the United States to commemorate and honor those who died in the service of their country.…

Dear SCC & Friends, Well done… ~Matthew 25:21 Reflection #323                Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like. ~Will Rogers~ Our value and identity is not to be derived from what others think or say about us… The fear of man brings a snare… ~Pr. 29:25… The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom… ~Pr. 1:7 In other words, wisdom first begins with a sincere reverence and expressed honor to God. What matters most in…

Dear SCC & Friends, …troubles… ~James 1:2 Reflection #322                Each day has enough trouble of its own. ~Matt. 6:34 It is not a big revelation, but troubles are here to stay…all kinds of troubles, problems, concerns, irritants, distresses and conflicts… You name it… It’s a never-ending list of unsolicited and often painful circumstances beyond our immediate control. The word trouble is derived from the Latin word turbo, which means to turn or stir… bringing about agitation or disturbance. Who is the man who has…

Dear SCC & Friends, The first to plead… ~Acts 15:39 Reflection #321                A blame shifter is a person who deflects responsibility for their actions by highlighting the perceived faults of another. Blame shifting has been around since the Garden of Eden right up to the present day. It takes maturity and discretion not to react when someone disagrees or challenges our opinion… When we first moved to California, I wore a coat and tie to church. A good friend who…

Dear SCC & Friends, …a sharp disagreement… ~Acts 15:39 Reflection #320                Is conflict spiritual? Is it bad? Have you ever been told to avoid it at all costs? The truth is conflict remains unavoidable even if we try to avoid it. Absence of conflict does not mean we have unity or even peace. I hate to admit it, but it has been conflict, be it unpleasant or untimely, that has driven me deeper into my need and reliance on the…

Dear SCC & Friends, If we confess… ~1 John 1:9 Reflection #319                  Making a good confession is a sign of strength even though it may seem like weakness… Forgiveness is always free. But that doesn’t mean that confession is always easy. Sometimes it’s hard… incredibly hard. It’s painful to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s care. ~Lutzer~ Our confession doesn’t make God aware of our sins since He is omniscient. Rather, He brings awareness to us regarding our sin (missing the…

Dear SCC & Friends, …for your testing… ~1 Peter 4:12 Reflection #318                  You don’t learn that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have. ~Corrie Ten Boom~ Sometimes the Lord calms the storm and sometimes He calms us in the midst of the storm. Either way, storms are part of life and stretch our trust in God be they physical, emotional or spiritual. The disciples were experienced fishermen and well acquainted with sudden storms on the Sea of Galilee. The lake is 700…

Dear SCC & Friends, …of first importance… ~1 Corinthians 15:3 Reflection #317 His Death …And it was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, the sun being obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Thy hands I commit My spirit.” And having said this, He breathed His last. Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God,…

Dear SCC & Friends, …Hosanna in the highest… ~Mark ll:10 Reflection #316                  Palm Sunday is a special time on the Church calendar to celebrate Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is the beginning of Holy Week, and what a week it was! We will never know this side of heaven what terrible struggles took place in the spiritual world between Palm Sunday and Easter morning. ~Rodney Buchanan~ So many times Jesus had told His disciples, “My time has not yet come.” …but now…