Welcome to the JCPC Daily Reflections Blog. Reflections are daily devotionals authored by JCPC pastors, staff and members and provide insight, guidance and comfort to help you make it through each day. If you’d like to receive Reflections each day via email, provide your email address.
Seek the Lord and His strength: Seek His face continually.
-I Chronicles 16:11
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
-I Thessalonians 5:16-18
This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
-I John 5:14
The Holy Hands in Prayer Team consists of 17 people. The prayer list is updated each Tuesday and sent via e-mail to the team. Emergency prayers are sent via text message to the team. Any prayer that we are given is held in complete confidence by each team member. Names or anonymous requests are received. A request may be anonymous, and listed anonymous. I would like to know how to follow up on the request. If someone is comfortable with the prayer request being put in the daily Reflections, I will give that information to the secretary of the church. Prior to the pandemic we met together every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM and daily at home. Now we pray at home daily.
When the Holy Hands in Prayer Team prays, these scriptures are some of the 790 Bible verses that tell us to pray, pray in worship, or praise prayers. We invite the Holy Spirit to be present with us as we pray and guide us as we pray. We seek His Word. We offer prayers of Praise and Adoration. We confess our sins and ask for forgiveness. We lift up prayers for each of the needs of our congregation. Finally, we thank the Lord for listening and responding. Prayer is the most powerful tool that God has given us to live in our world. Yet many times we don’t use this tool. We have witnessed many answers to prayer since we started this team seven years ago. Some of these have been miracles. We definitely have an awesome God.
If any of you are in need of prayer or have someone else that needs prayer, please contact me to put you on our prayer list. If you have an emergency, you can call or text me.
Prayer for Today
Gracious Lord: thank You for all Your abundant mercies and blessings. Forgive us for not taking the time to spend with You as we should. Thank You for loving us in spite of our many sins. We thank You for forgiveness. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
George Whitefield (1714–1770) was one of the most gifted and effective preachers in history, leading thousands to faith in Jesus. But his life wasn’t without controversy. His practice of preaching outdoors (to accommodate large crowds) was sometimes criticized by those who questioned his motives and felt he should speak only within the four walls of a church building. Whitefield’s epitaph sheds light on his response to others’ harsh words: “I am content to wait till the Day of Judgment for the clearing up of my character; and after I am dead, I desire no other epitaph than this, ‘Here lies George Whitefield—what sort of a man he was, the great day will discover.’ ”
In the Old Testament, when David faced harsh criticism from others, he too entrusted himself to God. When Saul falsely accused David of leading a rebellion and he was forced to hide from Saul’s approaching army in a cave, David described being “in the midst of lions,” among “men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords” (Psalm 57:4). But even in that difficult place, he turned to God and found comfort in Him: “For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies” (v. 10).
When others misunderstand or reject us, God is our “refuge” (v. 1). May He be forever praised for His unfailing and merciful love!
Prayer for Today
Abba Father, I praise You that I can be accepted by You forever because of Your Son. I take refuge in Your perfect love today. Amen.
Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
-Luke 10:36-37
"You say you love the poor. Name them."
Peruvian Priest
My dear friend Joel and I were in youth ministry in the small town some years ago now. He went on to be active in freeing kids from child trafficking. He shared this quote with me and it was a constant reminder to not just serve the poor, but become a brother to them and make their struggle my own, their reality a part of mine. I came across the quote again this week and thought of how much I miss my friends from the shelter at First Pres. I miss Freddie who checked on me like a dad, asking how my boys were. I miss Marilyn who would ask me for ties and bow ties for her grandsons when they had graduations. I miss Rainbow who used to give my oldest son complicated breakfast orders of fancy foods and garnishes, even though the food was the same each Sunday morning.
This challenged me. I’m confident that the decisions of our partner organizations to operate differently in Covid has been wise. I’m confident our decisions as staff, session, and the parents and kids in the youth group to be cautious have been wise. I’m also confident that as we are vaccinated and protocols are implemented, we need to return to the work that needs doing to serve and become brothers and sisters to the least of these, to learn their names and stories. The work may look different now, but we are called to it. We must be wise and safe, respecting the health of those we serve, who often will be the last to receive medical attention and vaccines, but also as quick to give help as we can.
When you receive your vaccination, I know you’ll make a mental list of things you can do, people you can see, and ways you can return to “normal life.” I hope you’ll think of this moment and name the people you can serve. And if you don’t know them by first name yet, come see me, come join me, and I’ll introduce you. I’ve introduced many of our youth. This year, whether it’s back to normal or a new normal for you, seek to serve. We have a lot of work to do.
Prayer for Today
Lord, make me a neighbor, make me a brother or sister, and make me compassionate to the least of these. Amen.
This past Easter Sunday was a glorious day at Johns Creek Presbyterian Church! I hope you were able to attend our In-person worship service under a tent on our ballfield, attend our Drive-In service, or watch it Online. I know some of you did more than one -- and maybe someone attended all three! I hope you will let me know if you did.
Gathering for worship in-person on our ballfield reminded me how much I miss worshiping with others. Like all of us, I look forward to the near future when we can gather again together indoors and safely worship God. As we have shared, our plans are to add an 11:00 AM indoors worship service with masks and social distancing beginning May 2nd in our Great Hall, provided the present downward trends in Covid cases continues. Our “Signup Genius” will work the same way it did for Easter Sunday to reserve seats for those indoor services. We will also continue both our Drive-In and Online services for now.
This Sunday we begin a new sermon series based on the book of 1 John. Last Sunday we read the Easter story from the gospel of John. But this Sunday we began this brief epistle written by John. Because one of the main themes of this epistle is love, I'm calling the series “1 John - a love letter.” If the gospel of John tells the whole story of the life of Christ from beginning to end, 1 John distills the teachings of the gospel message to its basic fundamentals. One Bible scholar even suggested that beginning reading 1 John would give a new believer an excellent foundation in the faith, from which he or she could progress to reading other parts of the Bible.
Martin Luther said this about 1 John: “This is an outstanding epistle. It can buoy up afflicted hearts.” In stormy times such as these, my guess is that all of us could use having our “afflicted hearts” buoyed up! I hope you will plan to join us this Sunday!
Prayer for Today
Loving God, may the good news of Easter continue to lift our hearts today and every day. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus, the risen Christ. Amen.
This Easter weekend marked some firsts for families in over a year.
What were you able to do this Easter that you were unable to do last year?
Some words that come to mind as I reflect on Holy Week and Easter in the midst of navigating this stage of the pandemic... Savor... Weep... Rejoice...Remember...Mourn...Hope...Joy.
We were finally able to spend quality time with family that we have seen in small spurts in small groups mostly outdoors in the past year.
Sharing the joy of Easter and the little things with Will and my nephews was a gift this year. Worshipping together at Drive In Service was a gift this year. Easter lunch at home with family was a gift this year.
What are some ways you savored, wept, rejoiced, remembered, mourned, hoped or experienced joy this Holy Week and Easter Sunday?
As I think back to last year at this time, I have taken the time to name those things that brought these emotions and experiences to the surface.
We have all been through a lot over the past year. Embrace the miracle of Christ’s resurrection with new eyes, new ears, and a new heart.
John 20:30-31 “Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.”
Prayer for Today
Gracious and Loving God,
Thank you for the gift of life today. Open our eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to know the deep love you have for us.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. -1 Peter 4:10-11
Hope everyone had a blessed Easter.
Many of you know me, and for those who don’t, I am a lifelong Presbyterian and currently serve as an Elder and leader of the Caring Team. Our team is made up of three distinct groups that help people in their times of need: Prayer, CanCare, and Stephen Ministers.
Though the Caring Team is made up of three teams, we sometimes overlap and frequently communicate with each other. For basic support the Prayer Team lead by Alice Ann Nilsen on Tuesdays will pray for your needs publicly or anonymously. Kay Royal leads the Atlanta chapter of CanCare whereby newly diagnosed cancer patients are matched nationwide with cancer survivors to help guide them on their journey and give them hope. Rebecca Eldridge and I lead Stephen Ministry, a nationwide interdenominational organization that is trained in helping people through difficult situations: loss of a job, illness, divorce, or bereavement. Stephen Ministers have a privacy code whereby the care receivers are held in strict confidence that even the other Stephen Ministers do not know the care receivers. A Stephen Minister can also be assigned from a different church if needed. Pastor Gray Norsworthy is the staff support for our team and brings many years of professional experience in congregational care.
All of us on the Caring team feel called to take an active role in the caring ministry. As members of the body of Christ we are all called according to our gifts to help others. If any of your friends and families have needs for care, please reach out to any of the leaders and we will help guide and insure the right people can help. We are also always looking for new volunteers that feel called to the Caring ministry and have regularly scheduled training classes for new associates. Your Stephen Ministers are now helping with the daily Reflections to increase awareness or caring needs and resources.
Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.
-Mother Theresa
Prayer for Today
Father, through the Holy Spirit help us always see and hear the needs of others, guide us in bearing the burdens of others in compassion, just as your Son did for us. Amen.
From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o-clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "This one is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him." But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"
-Matthew 27:45-54 (NABRE)
The last words of Jesus (from the cross) were the opening words of Psalm 22: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And those who didn’t understand thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah...
Do you ever think it seems that everyone around Jesus was constantly missing what was happening right in front of their eyes? The disciples were often noted for missing the point throughout his ministry...
And did you read what happened next??? Read it again! The earth quaked... the curtain of the temple was torn... the rocks split open... and if THAT wasn’t enough, resurrected dead were coming out of tombs, walking around, appearing to many in the holy city?? And this was long before the Walking Dead series... Can you even imagine??? It’s as if God the Creator were saying PAY ATTENTION ALREADY—THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!! If you read a little further, you'll see that the centurion and his men didn't miss a beat. It could be no one else. With all of the sudden chaotic events occurring at the moment of Jesus' death, this had to be the Son of God!
So on this Good Friday, I encourage you to read the Biblical account again, contemplating who Jesus really is, and remembering the purpose of his death and resurrection, to cancel our sins, and restore our broken relationship with God, so that we may have everlasting life!!
How will you respond? With thanks and praise to God? Of course! We hope you will worship with us (online or in person) on Easter!
Prayer for Today
Holy God, when this Lenten journey is over, help us to continue walking with you daily beyond the joy of Easter morning. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
-Joshua 24:15
#JOSHUA2415
If you had asked me what an influencer was as a teenager, I would have said someone popular who gets people to do something. I would never have guessed it would become an actual term or career possibility. But the truth is, it’s just new jargon for an ancient job. The term could be applied to far more important people in history who were leaders, judges, teachers, prophets, house-church hosts, clergy, and community organizers. It certainly applies to Joshua and his most devoted followers. The book of Joshua is not at all about God’s special people who always have, do, and will attain victory because God loves them the most. It IS a story of how obedience to God by God’s chosen people AND outsiders leads to victory for all of God’s faithful followers.
Joshua leads his people into the Promised Land. They encounter people who are morally corrupt, people who lead evil lives and sacrifice children. Those who repent and follow God are spared. And when God’s people rebel and do wrong, they fail. When they repent, they are again victorious. The last two chapters of the book are Joshua’s big farewell speech, a reminder of God’s faithfulness and a warning that they should remain faithful in return. Joshua warns them that they have only two choices - to embrace the culture and priorities around them, to worship and idolize and indulge in what people in their land glorify... OR... to worship and serve the Lord. His household will do the latter.
What message could be more relevant in our modern world or in Holy Week as Easter and Spring Break approach? Gallup poll released its 2020 findings about Faith communities this week. For the first time in America’s recorded history, there are more people who are NOT members of churches, synagogues, or mosques than those who are. Membership in houses of worship are down to 47%, to say nothing of attendance (in-person or online). Like the Israelites, we can carry our church with us wherever we go, worshipping at home, in our tabernacle tents, or on vacation. And like them, our worship will be a sign to the people in the land around us. Will we worship only at the altars of resorts, sleeping in, stadiums and fields, or the other distractions of our land, or will we and our household serve the Lord? Whether you join us for drive-in, or in the tent on our ball field, online, or the church nearest your vacation destination, or on a beach, carve out the time, take a selfie where you are, and tag it #JOSHUA2415. I’d love to see where you are, but even more, I’d love for you to influence your sphere of our land. Happy Easter! He is risen!
Prayer for Today
Wherever I go each Lord’s day, help to carve out the day for you. This Easter, use me and my family to influence the world by my presence in worship. Help me lead by example and tell a story with my priorities. Amen.
So, what happened on the Wednesday of Holy Week or what we call “Holy Wednesday?” According to the daily lectionary reading from John's gospel, it could have been these words spoken by Jesus:
“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say — ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.
– John 12:27-36, NIV
I wonder why the voice that came from heaven was understood by some to be thunder, but others to be an angel speaking to Jesus? Presbyterian author and pastor Frederick Buechner has suggested on more than one occasion that much of the Christian faith is ambiguous enough to suggest more than one explanation for events like the one above. As in this case, it may seem like only thunder to some, while to others it sounds like an angel speaking. Faith really does require us to take
"a step" - the outcome of which we are not 100% sure. Faith is always an act of trust, but God promises to always be trustworthy!
Prayer for Today
Trustworthy God, give us the faith and courage to follow you – one step at a time. In the strong name of the Crucified and Risen Christ we pray. Amen.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.
-1 John 4:7
As we move through Holy Week I have shared some resources with families to talk about the parts of Jesus’ life that happened this week. One resource I shared is an Easter Story nesting egg and book. Each day you open the egg to find another smaller egg and reveal the story of that day. Today’s passage connects with the deeper message of Jesus’ ministry and how we are called to love one another.
How do you show love? What is your favorite way to receive love? Jesus brought a radical message of unconditional love and it wasn’t always well received.
You likely have people in your life that are easy to love and give love so freely to you. You may also have people in your life that you find challenging to love.
I imagine that at times Jesus even found it challenging to love, but he found a way. He was creative in his approach when things were hard or people weren’t as receptive.
How can you be persistent, patient, creative, and unconditional in sharing love this week?
Go and give it freely following Christ’s example.
You can find more Holy Week at Home resources here:
Loving God, thank you for the many ways you love us and our neighbors. Guide us this week to be open to the unusual ways we can share your love. In Christ’s Name, Amen.
