Vernon T. Jones MTS, Spiritual Consultant, Author
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Scripture Reflection: Walking with God!

6/30/2016

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". . . Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. . . . Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him." Genesis 6: 9b, 22

The story of Noah and the great flood is one that we probably all learned while we were young, and is one that peoples from all walks of life know well. We remember about God talking to Noah, about God’s displeasure with the human race, the directions about making the ark, the flood coming, and what happened afterwards. Sometimes we miss the fact that Noah was righteousness, walked with God, and did what God commanded him to do.

God chose Noah and his family to be the ones who would start the earth’s recreation after the flood because of how he lived his life, and because of the kind of person he was. Beside these verses the scriptures don’t give us a lot of details about Noah, other then that "Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord," (verse 8).

We, however, can learn from what is noted about Noah and we can apply it to our spiritual pilgrimage. Being a righteous person, walking with God, and doing what God commands us to do, can come out of our spiritual practices of prayer, Bible study, and reflection. When we take part in these practices, we open ourselves up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit has been sent to direct, to comfort, to help us along our travels, and to show us how to walk with God as Noah did. May you be open to the Spirit’s direction in your life, so that through the highs and lows of this earthy journey, you can still feel God’s presence in your life, no matter what you may be dealing with at the moment!

Prayer: Holy Spirit, please help me to open to walking with God and following the direction given, so that I may be an example to others that I meet today, of God’s desire to walk with us! Amen. Vernon T.


Copyright © 2016 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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Discernment!

6/23/2016

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"Discernment . . . is a perilous practice that involves self-criticism, questions, and risk–and it often redirects our lives. . . . In emerging Christianity, discernment is the spiritual process through which ‘metanoia’ being ‘born again’ in God’s truth, beauty, and love, occurs. . . . For centuries, discernment has been understood as the way of spiritual maturity."

Diana Butler Bass, Christianity for the Rest of Us
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Scripture Reflection: Old Self into a New Self!

6/16/2016

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" . . . 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! Vernon T.

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

Copyright © 2016 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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Discipleship!

6/9/2016

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"The word ‘disciple’ occurs 269 times in the New Testament. ‘Christian’ is found only three times and was first introduced to refer precisely to the disciples. . . . The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for the disciples of Jesus Christ. . . . The disciple of Christ desires above all else to be like him."

Dallas Willard "The Spirit of the Disciples"
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Scripture Reflection: God Is Near!

6/2/2016

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"So that they would search for God and perhaps grope for him and find him—though indeed he is nor far from each one of us. For ‘In him we live and move and have our being;’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’" Acts 17: 27-28

For many years I have tried to learn and memorize Bible verses. I started doing this to help with my low self-esteem after reading positive thinking books that encouraged practices such as this. I found this practice to be helpful for me, and it has been continued. The middle part of this passage is one that has helped me lot.

"In him we live and move and have our being," I think this says so much for us who are struggling with life’s challenges. The fact that in God we can live a renewed life daily, in God we can take steps knowing that God will walk with us, and in God our very being and existence can make it through whatever comes our way.

Think of using scripture as a way to reinforce your spiritual practices, try memorizing scripture as a way of coping with life’s ups and downs. It will not keep you from having problems in life, but it may help you get through them. This verse would be a good one to start with, and you could even personalize it like this. "In God, I live, move, and have my being!"

Prayer: Lord please help me to feel your presence near me, and may your presence give me the courage and wisdom to boldly live today knowing that you are with me! Amen. Vernon T.


Copyright © 2016 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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    Author

    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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