Vernon T. Jones MTS, Spiritual Consultant, Author
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Scripture Reflection: The Lord Surrounds Us

11/29/2018

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“As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time on and forevermore.” Psalm 125: 2

There is a song, Jesus Be a Fence Around Me, that I love that has been recorded by many artists, but the version I especially like was done by Fred Hammond. The words ask that Jesus may be a fence all around us every day. 

This fence is with us as we travel, as we fight our battles, it guides our footsteps, it helps us when we fall, and during our hour of weakness. On your spiritual pilgrimage may you feel God’s fence of grace, love, and mercy all around you every day! Peace, Vernon T.  

 
Copyright © 2018 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved
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Scripture Reflection: Happy Thanksgiving!

11/22/2018

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“Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” John 6: 27

Happy Thanksgiving! I pray that you and your family have a great holiday, and can enjoy the many wonderful things that come with it. At some point reflect on the many things that you have to be thankful for and realize that there are many all around us that are less fortunate then we are.
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Also reflect on these words from the Gospel of John, where the only thing that will last into the next life is God’s love and what is done for God’s kingdom.

May God’s peace and love be with you and your family! Vernon T
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Scripture Reflection: Trusting the Spirit

11/15/2018

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“This will give you an opportunity to testify. So, make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.” Luke 21: 13-15

During my days in college and my time in the insurance industry, I learned to plan ahead. I still have that skill to a certain extent. Sometimes it comes in handy, but every once in a while, it can drive some people, including my wife, up a tree because of it. Don’t get me wrong, we all need to plan ahead at certain times in our lives.

However, when one is on this spiritual pilgrimage, there can come times when we just have to trust the Holy Spirit for the next step, or what we are to say in a certain situation. That can take patience and faith, when everything around us wants some quick action taken or words to be spoken. On your spiritual journey may you trust the Spirit for wisdom when a certain action or word is needed! Peace, Vernon T.

 
Copyright © 2018 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved
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Scripture Reflection: Keeping God’s Word

11/8/2018

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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 spiritual practices. When we refer to daily striving for the kingdom of God, we acknowledge the fact that this spiritual pilgrimage isn’t 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 wasn’t accepted as it is today.

Despite these differences, we both were very involved in our church traditions, and had a every 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 aren’t 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 one day at a time! Peace, Vernon T.

Copyright © 2018 Vernon T. Jones, All Rights Reserved

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Scripture Reflection: Walking Humbly with God

11/1/2018

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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 doesn’t 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. At that time for me college work was challenging, and when I tried to take too many courses while working I didn’t do well. My focus was on my own time table 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 hadn’t 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.

Being 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 © 2018 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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