Blog Archives - Vernon T. Jones MTS, Spiritual Consultant, Author

Scripture Reflection: Day by Day!

5/29/2014

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. . . . Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." Acts 2: 42-43, 46-47

This passage shows how the early Church Community functioned in the time right after Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The first few chapters of Acts give us a picture of a community that seemed to get along for the most part, and attempted to follow Jesus’ teaching.

They were open to being taught, they were in prayer, they shared their material possessions, and they broke bread together. They sought the will of God and looked out for each other, and out of all of these actions many joined their community. They also lived Day by Day!

They didn’t seem to be overly concerned about the future, for they trusted that the Lord God would take care of them. Living day by day is also a good way to live on this spiritual pilgrimage. Trying to figure out where God may be leading you in the future can be very challenging. Most of the time all we can see is the next step on our journey. Attempting to look too far ahead may only confuse and overwhelm us. May you be open to living day by day as the early church lived and trust that the Holy Spirit will show you the long-range spiritual steps!

Prayer, Lord God may your Holy Spirit guide me day by day, and help me to trust that my future is in your loving hands! Amen. Vernon T.

Scripture Reflection: Discipline Yourselves!

5/27/2014

“Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed.” I Peter 1: 13

On this spiritual pilgrimage we often refer to the spiritual practices of prayer, Bible study, and reflection. Making it a daily habit to take part in these practices is so important to becoming a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ. Doing something no matter how small of an effort, brings us along on our journey, and over time will allow us to see more of God’s vision for us.

This verse notes that our minds should be prepared for action as we discipline ourselves and as we set our hope on the grace of Jesus Christ. This grace is a free gift from God through Jesus life, death, and resurrection. When our minds are engaged and alert as we take part in these spiritual practices, we can then become more open to the growth that is directed by the Holy Spirit. May you spiritual habits enable you to see this hope in Jesus!

Prayer, may my spiritual practices allow me to embrace the hope and grace freely given to me, and may this be shared with those I meet today! Amen. Vernon T.

Ministry Update: Synod Workshop titled “Christianity: A Call to Discipleship.”

5/22/2014

Scripture Reflection: Old Self into a New Self!

5/19/2014

“ . . . seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” Colossians 3: 9b-10

Two months after my high school graduation, I started working in a steel mill’s open-hearth department. I continued to work full time for nearly nine years until I earned my undergraduate degree. I had many different jobs during my time there, and some of the jobs required me to either get really dirty, or be around a lot of heat causing me to perspire quite a bit.

Thus, I normally had to take off the work clothes and shower before putting on my street clothes. It was a wonderful feeling to remove the dirty and smelly work clothes after my shift was over. After the shower and putting on the clean clothes I felt almost like a new person.

In this passage from Colossians we have the image of being stripped of the old self (old clothes) and being renewed into a new self (new clothes). The reader is encouraged to leave behind the old practices that they were once involved in, and to be renewed with the knowledge of a new life in Christ.

As we take part in the spiritual pilgrimage, the practices of the old self (old clothes) maybe something we don’t feel like wearing any longer. Somewhat like when I couldn’t wait to get off my dirty clothes after my shift was over. While striving to become a lifelong disciple of Jesus Christ, may you leave behind those old things that prevent you from being renewed. May you be clothed with your new self (new clothes) in the image of Christ!

Prayer, Lord of the new life, please clothe with a new self in Christ, and may that new self be a witness of the good news to those I meet today! Amen. Vernon T.

Scripture Reflection: The Mind of Christ Jesus!

5/15/2014

“If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. . . . Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, . . ." Philippians 2: 1-2, 5

The Philippians’ Letter was written to the Christians living in the city of Philippi as a form of encouragement. This passage conveyed the importance of having the same mind that Jesus had, which expressed itself in love, compassion, sympathy, and in sharing the Spirit. The followers there were to live in unity, being of one accord.

It seems easy to read in our Bibles about how we should have the mind of Jesus Christ, but very challenging, to say the least, to express this and then live that out in our modern-cynical society. There are so many strong forces, systems, and barriers around us every day, which makes even attempting to live this way, difficult at best. No matter how long we have been on our spiritual pilgrimage and taking part in our spiritual practices trying to have the mind of Jesus can at times be overwhelming.

However, seeking to have a mind of Jesus, that is one of love, compassion, sympathy, and being led by the Spirit shouldn’t be thought of as an impossible task. From my own experience and from the writings of many spiritual authors, being faithful is far more important than being successful. Once we acknowledge that any results of spiritual practices belong to God and not to us that might help us to better understand our role as a disciple of Jesus. If we are faithful to our calling of striving to have the mind of Christ Jesus we have done our part, and what happens after that and around us is in God’s hands. Blessings on your spiritual journey as you seek to have the mind of Jesus!

Prayer: God of love, may your Holy Spirit give me the courage to open my mind and soul so that it can be the same as Christ Jesus, and may this allow me to share your love with those I meet today! Amen.

Ministry Update: Vernon's Book Discussion Class at St. Paul, May 7, 2014

5/12/2014

Ministry Update

5/8/2014

During the upcoming Joint Michigan Lutheran (ELCA) Synod Assembly, I will be doing a workshop and taking part in a book signing. The workshop is titled "Christianity: A Call to Discipleship.” The workshop will offer guidance and encouragement to disciples in all stages of their spiritual pilgrimage. I will be signing copies of my book, Discipleship and this will be done in connection with the “Steeple People” book store, which is housed in Trinity Lutheran Seminary. If you attend this Assembly, I hope to see you.

Ministry Update

5/5/2014

This past week I was able to do a presentation on Prayer to the Caring Ministry volunteers at St. Paul. These volunteers call on people at St. Paul who are unable to attend worship on a regular basis, or who are struggling with some life issue. They wanted to know more about prayer in their own lives and about prayer when they make visits to their care receivers. The group is made up of Stephen Ministers, Eucharistic Ministers, and Caring Visitors. They provide a very valuable and meaning ministry at St. Paul.

Scripture Reflection: Broken Vessel!

5/1/2014

“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye wastes away from grief, my soul and body also. For me life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing; my strength fails because of my misery, and my bones waste away . . . I have passed out of mind like one who is dead; I have become like a broken vessel . . . But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.” Psalm 31: 9-10, 12, 14-15

Many of us have had times when we have felt like what was expressed in verses 9-10. These verses outline a life that is filled with distress, grief, sorrow, declining strength, and whose body is worn down. For those of us who have gone through periods like this one, it is extremely difficult to function or to maintain any hope.

The writer goes on to say that their body is like someone who has died, and they feel like a “broken vessel.” A broken vessel can’t do what it was made to do, that is to hold something liquid, thus the owner has no use for the vessel any longer. For it to be of any use, it must be repaired or it will have to be torn away.

How this relates to the spiritual pilgrimage is that as imperfect human beings, we too are broken and need to be repaired. One way that this can be done is when we ask God for the forgiveness of our sins and trespasses. As we attempt to strive for the kingdom of God, an important daily step is the act of repentance, turning around, or conversion, however you state it.

This can be often overlooked by those on this spiritual journey because it can be viewed as a once in a lifetime action, rather then a daily one. When this is done, we can then repeat the words in verse 14 that we can trust in the Lord God, whose hands we are in! Vernon T.

Prayer: God of repaired vessels and humans, help me to daily ask for this repentance and to be made whole again, so that my new life can be shared with those I meet today!