Jack’s Winning Words 12/3/20 

“God enters, by a private door, into every individual.”  (Emerson)  I can hardly imagine that God has His own door which allows Him access to what’s going on in my life.  Does He actually care?  Do you ever feel that way?  With all that’s going on in the world…with all of the needy people?  But, strange as it may seem, I do feel His presence (even as I write Winning Words).  I do sense that He is listening and caring as I offer prayers.  Do you feel the nearness of God?  ;-)  

EROM HONEST JOHN:  Somehow, I have ended up as an odd combination of objectivist and mystic...so, yes, I do feel God knocking every now and then.  It’s a knock that you can’t refuse!===JACK: Somehow, I have ended up as an odd combination of objectivist and mystic...so, yes, I do feel God knocking every now and then.  It’s a knock that you can’t refuse!

FROM HUMBUG JOHN:  Pastor Jack, I feel the nearness of God in the work of our church food pantry trying to meet a growing need for food, in creative online worship, coffee hours, and bible studies, in three promising vaccines, and in zoom calls planning new projects for our ministry. I feel God at work and this gives me comfort and hope. Peace, John===JACK:  The saving of Humbug, to me, has been a miracle of God, using your help...or has it been the other way around.

FROM KITTY B:  Today’s message feels like you wrote it for me. Thank you  ===JACK:  Our paths crossed for a relatively short time...but, Oh, the memories and good that came from that.===KB:  Our physical paths for a short time. You impact my spiritual side 5 days a week. Thank you===JACK:  There's a poem/hymn, "God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform."

 FROM ER IN SKO:  Always! I always feel like God is with me and listening, but I can honestly say that it wasn't until my dad passed away that I felt God's presence. As you know, God has been supporting me in the most positive ways in the last year. I am constantly overwhelmed that he finds the time to watch over little old me. He has so many bigger issues to handle. However, I am not going to question. I am so very thankful that he does!  I am also very thankful for you and your unwavering support!!!!!!===JACK: There's an old saying..."When God seems far away, who do you think has moved?"  I need to rethink the idea that God is always near, always ready to answer my needs in a way that is to my benefit.  I believe that God opens doors and leaves it to us to walk through them.===ER:  I see your point, but speaking from recent experiences, I would highly vouch that encouragement and gentle pushes from loved ones grease one's wheels.===JACK:  Who are we to place limits on how God works...The fact is that He works, often in mysterious ways. 

 FROM JJ IN SJ:  Jack,  if God has a private door in which She is near to me it is through the Great Mother Earth. A friend gave me a book, The Dream of The Earth, by Catholic Theologian, Thomas Berry. It still resonates with me. Thanks for asking.===JACK:  I remember a time when people discussed the gender of God.  I don't know that there was a resolution...and I don't care.  Now, we have to ask, Does God have  to L,B G,T or Q, L, to understand all?  It's enough that God has given each of a spirit to communicate with the Holy Spirit.  You give goood food for thought.

FROM NORM'S BLOG:  There was a popular TV game show that presented contestants with 3 doors, behind which were hidden either great prizes or great disappointments. Contestants were asked to choose a door. Life can seem like that sometimes. Sometimes we make the wrong choices and open the door to disappointment or worse. The choices that we are faced with in life can seem both scary and mysterious. We really can’t see what’s behind the doors.  However, over in the corner, maybe just out of our vision, there is another door and that door is clearly marked – “God is here”. We know that it is there, but our own ego sometimes stubbornly prevents us from opening that door. We keep trying to do it alone, to face our challenges on our own, and to exert our free will. What we fail to realize is that same free will is what allows us to open that fourth door and seek God’s help. When God gave us that free will he also put that door there in our lives. He put it there for two reasons – 1. Just in case, we needed to open it and get his help and 2. To give us a direct way to communicate with and worship Him.===JACK:  In a way...a scary thought...that God is ALWAYS there is hear what we say and observe what we do.  A loving thought to know that God is a God of grace.

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Another of my choruses that have blessed me over the years-- "Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus. He’s the Friend who always cares and understands. Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Him, And you’ll know Him by the nail-prints in His hands." 0;-) ===JACK:  He may be in the shadows, but He is always there.  Perhaps you also know this chorus:  "Oh, yes, He cares, I know He cares.  When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares."===REV:  Oh yes! A George Beverly Shea favorite at the Billy Graham Crusades!! 0;-)===JACK:  "Bev!" is an all-time favorite of mine.  How would you like to go through life with Beverly as part of your name?...almost as bad as, "A Boy Named, Sue."===REV:  Harry for my first name wasn't always easy to work with in grade school-- "Hairy! Hairy!" I've always went by H Paul McCullough . . . but in more recent times, the first name is always asked for placed on official documents. 0:-/===JACK:  They'd have a hard time referring to you as "hairy" these days.  Right now you are "pastor" and "friend" for how you impact people.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Yes I do – there was an interesting book review in the New Yorker about how such feelings are cultivated (especially in the born-again churches) where people pray for God to help them choose their shirt in the morning.  I’ve read other studies – Rutgers I think, that say people who are ill respond positively to prayer even when they do not know people are praying for them.  Hmmmm.  Our God is transcendent and imminent?  Something like that….===JACK:  Transcendent or imminent?  He is both; he is beyond comprehension...except as we know Him in the human form of Jesus.

FROM EMT SINGS IN TC:  Very often!===JACK:  Not often enough, for me.  

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Definitely. Sometimes more than others, but I converse with him throughout the day! When I have felt his presence powerfully, it has  been the feeling of waves and waves of Love enfolding me. Once I even heard a voice, "Dont' worry;I have called you, and I will care for you!", That was from Isaiah, but I didn't know my Bible that well, at the time!  I was wrestling with our decision to go to seminary and become clergy! We had two little boys and a very comfortable life at the time....===JACK:  Many people have said that they have "heard" the voice of God...Who am I to deny.  Once a church member called me close to his side as he lay in a hospital bed.  "Pastor, Jesus stood at the end of my bed last night and said that everything's gonna be all right."  I believed him and treasure that story.

FROM EILEEN WIDEX:  I feel him, sometimes when I least expect, sometimes when I want, but mostly when I need. Hope you are well🙏===JACK:  There's a poem, set to music: "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform."  Hearing is better since broken hearing aid tube was replaced.