Vernon T. Jones MTS, Spiritual Consultant, Author
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Glorify God in Your Body

4/25/2024

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“Or do you not know that your body is a temple [sanctuary] of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.” I Corinthians 6: 19-20

These two verses come at the end of a passage written by the Apostle Paul where he talks about glorifying God in one’s body and spirit. He wants his readers to know that their bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Additionally, that their body is a gift from God, and not something that they own for they were bought with the price of Jesus’ sacrifice, and that is why God should be glorified in their bodies.

The implication is that because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit, we should treat our bodies with respect and attempt not to do anything that would cause them any harm or to abuse them. That is something that is both easy and challenging to do.

We probably all know what should be done to take care of our bodies; eat right, exercise, get enough rest, stay away from food or anything that could bring harm to our bodies with overuse, or using too much of any additive stimulant that has adverse side effects, etc. However, because we are all imperfect humans we fight in maintaining a healthy balance in this regard.

If we can try to visualize that the Holy Spirit is in our bodies, and that we are the temples for this Spirit, it may help us treat our bodies better. This is an area that I have battled my entire life. Even though I can be disciplined in certain areas of the care for my body, like with exercise, certain foods have been my downfall countless times in my life. This is something that I have prayed about and also thought about how to handle in many different ways. Sometimes I am okay for a while, but it is still a real struggle with me.

No matter what your situation is in caring for your body, on your spiritual pilgrimage may you feel the Holy Spirit within you, and may that presence help to glorify God in your body! Peace. Vernon T.

Copyright © 2024 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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​Keeping God’s Word

4/18/2024

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“Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” John 14: 23

Keeping God’s word in our hearts can come out of our daily spiritual practices. As we daily strive to have God’s word be a part of our lives, we come to realize that this spiritual pilgrimage is not a one-time event but an everyday one over a person’s lifetime. Jesus said that when we keep his word that we will be loved and that the Lord God and Jesus will make their home with us. Having them make their home with us can be a very comforting thought.

When my late wife, Judy, and I got married we really needed their presence with us. Beside the normal issues that confront young married couples we had several others thrown in. When we got married, I was still working full time in the steel mill and both of us were taking college courses.

A significant challenge that we faced was that we were from different faith traditions and ethnic backgrounds. She was raised in a Roman Catholic home, and both her parents were from the Italian heritage. I grew up in an American Baptist Church and my heritage was mostly African-American. We got married at a time when this type of marriage was not accepted as it is today.

Despite these differences, we both were very involved in our church traditions, and had a growing faith as children of God. We had faith that God was with us and would dwell with us, and this helped us through many difficult periods in our married lives.

​Our life was far from perfect, but our faith in God helped us grow to have more faith in each other. Looking back with what we faced when we started out makes me realize that without the Lord dwelling with us, I am not sure we would have made it. When Judy passed away, we had been married for more than twenty-eight years.

All of us have times in our lives when we are not sure if we can make it another day. Please be encouraged to keep the word of God in your heart through taking part in your spiritual practices. This may not keep you from all of the problems in your life, however knowing that you are loved and that you will not be alone, might help you make it another day! Peace. Vernon T.  

Copyright © 2024 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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​Walk Humbly with Our God

4/11/2024

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“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6: 8

This passage has often been used to indicate how humankind should treat other humans, and about how God wants us to live and move in our lives. In the verses just prior to this one Micah is stating what God does not want from us; burnt offerings or any of the material things of this earthly life; but God wants us to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.

When we attempt to walk humbly with our God, we are also attempting to strive for God’s kingdom in our lives in this present time. When we do this, we are trying to put God’s will first in our lives before anything else. As I have stated often, this is a very challenging concept for me that has to be learned over and over. As a fallible human being I daily must turn my focus to walking with God.

When I was going to college part time and working in the steel mill full time, I was thrown out of school twice for having too low of a grade point average for the number of hours I was taking. College work was challenging for me, and when I tried to take too many courses while working, I did not do well. My focus was on my own timetable, and me trying to look good by over working myself, and doing too much versus walking humbly with God, and having my focus on God’s kingdom and a time frame that were actually better for my wellbeing.

After almost being thrown out a third and final time, I was very embarrassed and humbled by this and had to take a different approach if I wanted to continue. I had to step back and look at what I had done that had not worked and try to do something new. Thus, over the next three quarters I only took one course each quarter in order to concentrate my efforts on that one course, in order to work my way off of probation. I was able to do that, and after that period I took a more reasonable number of classes and was able to obtain my bachelors’ degree.

Be humbled in this case helped to get my focus off of what I thought I wanted, versus walking with God toward God’s kingdom in my daily life. There may be times in your life when you have to humble yourself before the Lord as you strive to become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ, hopefully your spiritual practices will give you the courage and wisdom to do just that! Peace. Vernon T.

Copyright © 2024 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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Responsive Prayer for Easter (The Easter Season lasts for 50 days)

4/4/2024

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“O Christ, in your resurrection, the heavens and the earth rejoice. Alleluia!
By your resurrection you broke open the gates of hell, and destroyed sin and death.
 
Keep us victorious over sin.
 
By your resurrection you raised the dead, and brought us from death to life.
 
Guide us in the way of eternal life.
 
By your resurrection you confounded your guards and executioners, and filled the disciples with joy.
 
Give us joy in your service.
 
By your resurrection you proclaimed good news to the women and apostles, and brought salvation to the whole world.
 
Direct our lives as your new creation.
 
God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the waters of death, you raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
 
“Book of Common Worship---Daily Prayer” Westminster/John Knox press

Picture is “Christ Appearing to Mary” From Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery, Artist Albert Pinkham Ryder, 1885, Public Domain


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    Vernon T. Jones earned his Master of Theological Studies Degree from Trinity Lutheran Seminary after a lengthy insurance industry career. Jones has assisted people with incorporating into their faith journey the discipleship practices that are outlined in his upcoming book and his presentations. 

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