Wednesday, July 27, 2011
' without '
AMEN...
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Saturday, June 25, 2011
' who – ever '
so are we preaching peace or divisions, inclusion or exclusion, and of who... the Truth in the Living Word is difficult at best to discern – however the Holy Spirit will help us in finding the true meaning and then show us what it is and how we are to share it with others - in what and how we say – what we say about the Living Word often without ever saying a word...
God has chosen us... “humans” to be in covenant with... to be in relational fellowship with... for all generations... not just yesterday's or not even just today's... but all – ours, theirs – past, present and future generations... God loves us so much as to give us Christ as an example to live by... and a new Covenant... of Grace, over Law... knowing that we can and never would satisfy the letter of the law... and so only in our humiliation can we recognize our Salvation by God... our invitation to “come” participate in the new covenant of Grace... Grace and Sin are to one another as “either” is to “or” - Sin is described as (things in which you are ashamed) the Holy Spirit convicts you of it... not I – and certainly not others... the Spirit will not allow you to understand anything that isn't Truth!!! nothing anyone else says or does can convince you of anything that God hasn't wanted you to hear, see or learn... no one can ever tell you that – something means this or that and you believe it unless the Spirit gives you understanding and that it is Truth the Spirit will never miss-guide you, people can, but the Spirit won't let you accept anything that isn't truth!... I can't convince you something is true anymore than anyone else can... and no amount of proof can ever convince some that just are unwilling to hear the Truth... Sin is anything we allow to separate us from God... the tenision between the two realities remain unresolved, humans by nature – sin, believers by (their new) nature – do not... believers are human but believers also represent a new type of humanity. Paul sets the law and Christ as opposite means: what the law could not do, Christ has done... and still today we see and hear of others who continue to set distinctions or exceptions to full equality for all... injustices against others different from our selves... the homeless, the hungry, the you fill in the blank.... who are you - leaving out... excluding from Worship, Fellowship or Relationships... who is next to you, here, - at the restaurant, - at the dinner table, in your neighborhood... where ever you are, where ever you go... who is the ever we should be reaching out to, we are told that whoever is willing to follow the example Christ has given us, none of them will lose their reward... We are all - to be a Holy Temple, acceptable to God, but who are we acceptable to – God or Man?... and are we living our lives so reflective of the example that has been given us, often without ever saying a word, who-ever – welcomes you welcomes Me; are we truly Welcoming others by the lives we live, even when we think others are not looking? What did they see? Are we Welcoming... are we giving, are we..... showing others that if God can love one such as us, then God truly loves even them; we must also be careful not to neglect the physical needs of others while providing the Spiritual or vise versa... Let us be present, be real, be open to all that God has awaiting us - with welcoming and loving hearts for we all matter to God; If who-ever includes us all, - then shouldn’t we also then matter to each other... Scripture tells us we are to be found out-giving to one another: Are We? May we always give and receive Love, without distinctions, exceptions or fail... amen Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Friday, June 10, 2011
' so I send you '
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
have we learned nothing
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Stages of Faith & Age
in a recent thread i was following a friend shared a link on Spiritual Stages… “Stages of Faith” and of course some liked the information – others thought it strange… but we do go through stages, weather we like it or not… adolescence, puberty and adulthood, we also go through Spiritual Stages, of beginning a new relationship with Christ and learning and growing in our faith and then teaching and preaching to others… this came to mind… in commenting about the stages we do go through from adolescence to adulthood; adulthood is the most difficult – we can become so hard hearted, disappointed, cold uncaring because of our journey to adulthood, we forget to look at everything with the eyes and heart of a child… I wrote this in my journal: when we have finally reached maturity – spiritually and physically – I pray that we always remain with the heart and eyes of a child… always looking and learning with fresh, new, expectant hearts of joy – not with hearts and eyes of stone. disappointment – un willing – un caring, very sad, we long to be mature, and forget to be a child…
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
going alone
often we can find ourselves feeling like we are going it alone… walking through this world all by ourselves, even with others in tow, our journey’s can seem very lonely… the good news – we are never truly alone… “for I Am with you always”… how comforting especially when we find ourselves feeling otherwise. there are however times that we must journey alone, to seek out new adventures in our lives, search our innermost selves, reflect on the journey we take. sometimes we are alone because we have chosen to be alone – other times because we have run everyone else off, and sometimes just because we fail to listen to that Still Small Voice… and it’s the only way to quite us… Ultimately we are never truly alone… even if to the outside world it may appear that way… we are all meant to journey with each other – in fellowship with one another – sharing ourselves – even in some of the most painful moments of our lives… all to often we only want to share the good stuff, however we are called to cry with each other as well… the next time you feel as though you are going it alone… stop and still yourself, now are you really alone? May your journey never leave you feeling like you are going it alone… Terry McGuire
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
just before dawn
on my morning walk this morning – it started to rain, so I turned and headed back to the house, just then it stopped, so I turned and continued to finish my walk, a different route than the everyday path I have been taking each and every morning for the past 2 weeks… another something I will have to share sometime later not today…. I love my morning walks, time to Pray – reflect on the thoughts and inspirations of the Spirit… This morning I noticed that the road while smooth enough to walk on has many cracks in it, making for some very unusual space and shapes in them. Got me thinking, funny how a cracked blacktop in the middle of darkness with casts of street lights can make one see a road so different… but none the less for today it did… here is what I saw – some of the shapes were small, some very large, some shaped very oddly and some as square as if cut by hand, hummm – anyway, within these shapes I began to see that sometimes our life takes us on different paths – and sometimes these situations last only a second the small shape that only the foot can step into, and others that last longer taking more steps to clear, some shapes make us go to the left or right to avoid a fall and others to keep us on track for finishing the walk, as the street turned to go on with my walk – I noticed that life also takes turns for us to take, sometimes we want a smooth uneventful walk, but sometimes it is the most difficult ones that help us to be able to help others… sometimes we are in a situation or circumstance that last only moments and other times we find them lasting years… I Pray what ever the walk, let us always walk mindful of each other & share the journey.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
in & out…
reflecting on the people past/present/future - good/bad that we allow into & out of our lives and how they shape who we are/have/will become…
so this really got me thinking – about all the wonderful people, and some not so much, that I have allowed in and out of my life, some have been called home - away from us all to soon for us, and others simply fade out of our lives and on with their own journey’s… some are good and some are bad - but all in all regardless of how we view their marks on us, they really do make us who we are and who we will become, past/present/future - each person leaves an indelible mark on us and us them, whether we like it or not… good and bad… sometimes we know the differences that we make in others lives, along the way. more times than not we don’t, all to often it is at funerals that we come to hear the impact we had on people, communities and the relationships we build along the way… the other thing that got me thinking is that we really do allow others in and out of our lives, just as we allow them into our inner circles, our inner most thoughts, our truest self at the very core, good and bad, we also allow them to go, to leave, to move on and sometimes we let them go completely out of our minds, the thoughts to painful, to keep them fresh in our minds, let alone our hearts, and so we say farewell, good riddens to some, and I will sorely miss you to still others… some we love others we hate, and the reality of it is that if we find we have hateful feelings for another, we really do love them, otherwise why would we give such energy to acting as though we didn’t, if they didn’t matter at all then why say that we hate them, you have to know them to hate them, now I admit that some people make it very difficult to love them most of the time, others make it so easy, we connect with them, almost immediately, and others it seems we have to struggle to make it work, and yet somehow we do, we come to realize that even the worst of us – reminds us of the worst in us… all to often it is the very things in ourselves that we want to change that we hate about someone else… sometimes the truth is to painful, for us to have them around us constantly reminding us we really do need to change that, but we simply just aren't ready or willing to… some times our friendships last a life time and others, only briefly, be thankful for each and every one of them, love each and every one of them – we never know the full scope of all the journey we take, but someday we will, and my Prayer for each of us is that we all will be greeted with “well done” – so the next time we are thinking of either letting someone in or out of our lives – let us give pause to what we are doing…. and remember “where others may see waste God see’s a blessing, always bring out the best in others”… Terry J. McGuire
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
“understanding but who's”
in our Scripture readings this week – we find a summons of the people to obey the law, to see and acknowledge God's glory in creation and the law and that we are all one body, with many members and even Christ's Ministry had acceptance and rejection, then and now...
I think for me one of the truest words ever spoken is this we save no one... we can be vessels for God, but it is still He who saves us... often when we say Amen, and done twice, Amen, Amen, we are in accord with what is said or believe it in our core, gifted by the Spirit to understand... and so it is that God has richly blessed us with people we can understand, by reading the Scriptures we can read and begin to see all the wonderful graces and mercy God continues to give us as a people, even after all these years of denial or even down right disobedience. And in our journeys along the way we begin to share all the wonderful blessings that God has given to us, and we begin to be used by God to enrich the life of someone else who potentially had no hope, never heard that God has created you so uniquely that God loves you just as you are and has plans for you too... we are to be attentive to the Spirit within us that God will never fail us, we may fail in our attempts, but even so God can turn them into a blessing too.... the commandment of the Lord is clear – Love as I have Loved You... and in the Psalms we find we do have undetected blind spots, personal errors and hidden faults, it is about our omission not commission of the faults, that we could possibly do anything with out God... really... and of course my favorite verse 14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight. O Lord, my strength and my redeemer” again in Corinthians we find we are of one Spirit, the body doesn't consist of only one member, but many, affirming the unity and the diversity of each and everyone of the members, and in doing so – we see it is God who has arranged the members in the body, each one of them as HE chose... and still we have the hardest time with this one... we can not imagine that we should have the same care for one another, that if one suffers, we all suffer, if one rejoices we all rejoice... and again we find we are cautioned about judging others... and yet we do it... it seems like we just can't help ourselves, I think for me that one of the greatest acknowledgements that the Progressive Christian Alliance has is that it is God who appoints us and calls us... we simply affirm that call... so many different Churches, Denominations, and Fellowships will certainly disagree... but we hold fast to the truths we are given, and the simplicity of that Call, to Love one another... I agree some make it very hard to love them... but we are to find the way around even the toughest exterior and find the heart of Christ in even them... it truly can be done... if Christ can do so must we... all to often, just like Christ in His ministry – some will agree, some will not... all we can do is to fulfill our mission, be the open vessels that God has placed exactly where we are... each of us have been blessed with so many wonderful gifts that even we haven't tapped into yet... allow the Spirit to work in and through us, reaching the captives, by circumstance, or lies they have been told before, or simply just never heard that God does indeed love them and wants a relationship with them too... and like Christ... we too can fulfill our Callings, our Missions, our Ministry's all within reach, what an awesome Ministry we each have been blessed with and when empowered by the Holy Spirit, watch out – the evidence of God shines forth in our lives – our words – our actions, even in our insufficient attempts the Holy Spirit can turn it into something incredible – usable – understandable to others, May the power of the Holy Spirit always be our guide, our voice, our witness to others in Christs most Holy Name... Amen, and Amen...
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Freedom
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Unity – in Mind, Body and Spirit
from our Scripture Readings this Trinity Sunday; we find in Isaiah 6:1-8 “A vision of God in the Temple” the Psalm 29, “the voice of God in a great storm”, Romans 8:12-17 “we find Life in the Spirit”, and in John 3:1-17 “we learn that flesh and Spirit belong together in the new, as Jesus envisions it” and so in “Mind Body and Spirit” we do come to unity as God had intended us from the beginning. now through Christ's redeeming sacrifice for us – we can be once again in harmony with God and with each other… here I see “Vision, Voice, Vocation, Victory” we are told our sins are blotted out and yet we continue to hold onto them as though they were our only thread to Christ – so if our sins are blotted out why do we continue to hold onto them and dwell upon them… we really need to learn to listen to the voice of forgiveness the voice of guidance the voice of victory… we are a loved and forgiven people – now we must live as such… and through the Psalms and else where throughout the Bible we are reminded that He is with us… always… the Lord shall give strength and the blessing of peace to his people. It is us who must listen, accept the gracious gifts – in Romans 8:12-17 tells us for all who are led by the Spirit are Children of God. the Spirit bears witness with our Spirit that we are Gods very own… no one can give it to you – and the greater blessing – is no one can take it from you… and in John 3:1-17 we lean that no one can see the Kingdom of God without first being born from above, born of the Spirit, “the wind blows where it chooses” so God blesses each of us with the Spirit and ours is to witness of Gods mercy and grace and gift of the Spirit for you for me for all who call upon His great name… to witness is an important vocation, because through witness the world comes to know the presence of God in Jesus through us… the presence of Jesus as the incarnate word, confronts the world with the decision to believe or not, and making that decision is the moment of self – judgment. the Gospels eschatology is defined by decision and self judgment. God’s judgment arises out of God’s love for the World. God sent Jesus to save the world… and the world will judge itself in its response to Jesus… for me the Kingdom of God is when we – you and I – are living in harmony with God and each other… are we living up to the fullest potential in Christ. are we living in harmony of Mind Body and Spirit… can others tell – do they see it? Victory is ours in Christ – claim your inheritance… be a voice for someone else – your witness helps others to see victory for themselves is possible… Amen. Rev.Terry J. McGuire
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Different Voices – One Message
How is it – that we hear, each of us? Because the Holy Spirit has rested upon you too – giving you the ability to understand the Word as God intends for you too. Because God wants an intimate relationship with each and everyone of us and to do so we must understand His Calling, His Word… For Christians around the world – Pentecost celebrates the climax of the Good News – that this day all the benefits of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ – rush into our lives and into the Church – through the gift of the Holy Spirit - “what does this mean” that Christ’s promise of a Comforter has come and rested upon you and rested upon me and rested upon the Church Universal. “that God declares it is He who will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh – when and to whom He chooses and so we are reminded in our smallness there is nothing we can do to make the Spirit manifest itself in us or through us, it is only by and through the power of God… and “everyone – everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall and will be saved” the gift of the Spirit will be with us too… the Spirit will help us in our weaknesses – we just have to come to terms with our own limitations and allow the Spirit to intercede on our behalf. God knows our hearts – have we surrendered everything, have we given way for the Spirit to fill us with all the wonderful Blessings that await each and everyone of us. “when the Advocate comes, the Spirit of Truth” you too are to testify – what has God done for you… the Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth; then you my friends – must go and share your journey’s with others – share God’s unfailing love for you and encouraging one another alone this journey together until at last Christ's face we shall see… and in closing dig deep with in – where and how may God be calling you to witness to God’s justice? Know that if God calls you into action God will also provide all that is necessary for you…
O’Lord do not abandon us now, rather, make your presence real, manifested in joy, grace and love… Amen…
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Human Rights
Human Rights can and will only begin when we all start treating each other with the same regard in which we wish to be treated… Human Rights are a GOD given right for every individual, to be treated with dignity, respect and equality that GOD has created each of us to have to be all that we can be. While remembering to appreciate the uniqueness of each of us and celebrate the diversity that GOD has placed in each of us. Human Rights can only begin to take root when we remember that each of us have the responsibility to Love one another as our selves, the rights that belong to the select few are the Holy Rights of ALL… only when we take off our own self inflicted blinders in humiliation, of self degradation, of self hatred towards others different from ourselves can or will we respect the individualities of a Life of one another as another Child of GOD. Remembering that if GOD is for them then who are we to be against them. It isn’t our place to condemn one another and yet we find it so easy to do on a regular basis. Based on many different factors and none; forgetting that it is GOD who has made each and everyone of us, uniquely individual as our finger prints and we are ALL created in GOD’s image. Then what are we doing? When will we start to recover the Human Rights each are each born with? Only when we begin to see the value of every single individual as one of GOD’s very own – no longer a disposable person in our society – a fellow brother – sister – neighbor. What if - it were I – what if - it were You – standing on the outside looking in and longing to be treated with the same Loving Respect and Dignity you were born with. Not until everyone has been restored with the same Human Rights – can we rest – can we stop Praying – can we stop working to stop the hatred – of self and others.
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
Friday, October 10, 2008
"undoing the Damage Done in the name of Religion"
Rev. Terry J. McGuire
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