Monday, a new day and a new week...

     Health-wise, I am finding a new normal with my digestive tract and thankful for some success in dealing with this.  God gives me the strength to accomplish what needs to be done and I am so thankful for the great day yesterday in church and Bible study.  I am concentrating on building myself up physically and mentally and spiritually for next Monday's round of chemo.


     God has slowed me down through the book of James.  This Sunday will be James 5:13-18.  I think this might be because I needed a clearer head to handle this passage.  It has been interpreted in so many ways.  I plan to go back to the original language to get a handle on what is being said and not go beyond it.  Initially, I think much of the mishandling of these verses is the affect of having a word that can be used in 2 different contexts and both being right.  We just need to figure out the right context for these verses and I think James' illustration of Elijah is the clincher for me.  I have had this over the years where a passage has been taken one way but it really means something different.  It is not that the first lesson is invalid because there are other passages to support it but this passage should not be used that way.  It is for something different and as equally important.  I will probably spend more time on the preparation of this message than any that I have done all year.


     Winter has returned to northern Michigan and held off the urge to tap some trees.  My thought today is that God is in control therefore live life like you believe that.


Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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