Pastor's Ponderings: Old Testament bible study of Psalm 55 (May 21, 2026)

May 21, 2026:  Thursday Bible Study on Psalm 55

Blessings and Peace for you this morning, and every day. At 5:30AM today, I was out in the refreshing quiet and comfort of 63 degrees. God's creation is beautiful! I can't quite say the same thing for the morning at 9AM when the heat was coming up and the drivers were getting much more aggressive. Even in our lives, someone who we have trusted, perhaps a friend, or a casual acquaintance, or a family member, or a co-worker with whom we have had a solid relationship at work, seems to suddenly not be the person we thought they were in our life.  Perhaps there has been a clash of values, or morality and ethics, combined with aggressive behaviors that are tough to get through, especially when our previous relationship with that person seemed to be, or perhaps even truly was, so good. There is a great deal in this Psalm 55 about just such problems. The Psalmist writes that it is not always enmity from outside running over us, sometimes it is from a person, or group of people with whom we have been close. The Psalmist then tells us, and this is truly a great way to deal with such difficult circumstances, throw it at God! Our prayers are not always soft, gentle, reminders to God about the needs of those for whom we care. Sometimes our prayers are a vehement striking out at God. I know what you are saying. "What?! We can't pray like that to God!"  Did you ever have a two- or three-year-old tear into you because they were not getting the good thing that they felt was their right at that moment? Did you stop loving them because this was just step too far? Of course you didn't. Hopefully, you approached them in the calm of your greatest parenting skills, gently and lovingly reminding them of better ways to behave and filter their anger out so that they can act decently. Since God is our parent, should we expect anything different from God? It really is OK to let-fly in our prayers of frustration. God still loves us, and if we trust Him, His answer will come, maybe not immediately, but trust me, it will come. Or maybe I should have said, trust God. When we lose confidence or feel hurt because of the breaking of a close relationship, God's answer may be a new relationship or help in ways that really surprise us. Psalm 55 confronts the person who has become a deceiver. God is always faithful to His children. Of course, you and I know that sin is constantly breaking into people's lives, and sometimes it does more than break in, it breaks people's lives, both the perpetrator's life, and the life of its victim. The light of the life in which we live is the presence of our LORD, which can't be extinguished by sin. We need to always remember this.

Psalm 55 is a Psalm for the betrayals of trust that too many people live with today. One such circumstance is rape. It is most often accomplished at the action of people who have been trusted, a loving family member, a co-worker, a teacher or coach, or any other person who has been in a relationship with the victim. Maybe this Psalm speaks to each of us in a much stronger way when we read it in the context of such a violent breaking of trust.

Today is the final day for our Psalm study until the Fall of this year. I know that we are all inundated by the quantity of emails which we get, and some of you who have been a part of this particular study may feel that it is one more thing too far. With the encouragement of others in this study group, I have been thinking about an expansion of my Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Scriptural studies. If you feel that this is too much time for you to commit to doing Bible study, then you always have the option to hit the button to place it in your trash bin of deleted emails.

A Reminder - there will be no Acts of the Apostles studies for two weeks. They will resume on Monday, June 8th. Thanks again for letting me share with you during the week too.

With the Love of Christ, Pastor Kim

Pastor's Ponderings: Tuesday Bible Study on Acts of the Apostles 17:16-21 (May 19, 2026)

May 19, 2026:  Tuesday Bible Study on Acts 17:16-21

Good morning, dear friends. Today is a big day at our house, James will be walking for graduation this evening, and another day tomorrow will be busy as Jared graduates from middle school. It has been a busy couple of days, and it doesn't look like the week's busy schedule is going to ease up.

To that end I am going to get started on Paul's time in Athens without the support of Timothy and Silas. Athens is a community that is full of well-educated philosophers, the people of the city in its community square, and Jews in the synagogue as well. It is a really good thing that Paul was already an experienced debater and teacher, or it would have been likely that his time in Athens would have been short and probably shut down, but the people of Athens liked new ideas, and were always ready to take time to listen to what was being said in their midst.  So, what exactly was it that Paul was faced with as he debated the Epicurean philosophers? They had specific ways of dealing with the information that they encountered.

1.       They believed that everything happened by chance. You and I know that Paul never saw chance in God's action through Jesus Christ. All of God's actions were with intent and purpose.

2.     They believed that death was the end of all things with nothing to come afterwards. The very message that Paul had been carrying and sharing from city to city and region to region was about the gift of life now and in eternity through Jesus Christ.

3.     They believed that there were gods, but that they were remote from the world and its people Paul knew Christ as the most intimate presence in his own life, and the lives of those who had come to believe in Him. He was never distant, having promised that he would be with the believers until the end of the "age". (does this mean eternally?)  This is what Biblical scholars have come to believe.

4.     They believed that pleasure was the chief goal and end for people. No service or sacrifice out of thanksgiving to God for His blessings and love.

There were also stoics in the city of Athens, yet another group of debaters and thinkers. Their beliefs were different.

1.       The Stoics believed that literally everything was God. (fire, rain, trees, etc.) In the face of this belief Paul finds himself preaching about the One True Lord of all things. The Creator of all things, the Redeemer of all things, and the One who journeyed with his children guiding their lives every day.

2.     A bit more complicated is the Stoics belief that everything in this life is fated by the gods and a person just must accept whatever it is as the action of the gods.

3.     They also believed that every so often, the total of creation was destroyed in a great conflagration, and then the story of creation continued as the new took the place of the old.

I think that we can certainly begin to see the issues and beliefs that Paul was facing all on his own, but perhaps the best remembered story of Paul is when the philosophers took him to the Areopagus in the city. The name meant Mars Hill, and about 30 citizens were present on that hill in a court. The Athenians were taking Paul and his teaching to be judged. It is strange that our study divides this up in this way, because what comes next is transformative for the people as they listen to Paul's defense. Alas, this will come after the next two weeks have passed. The Acts study will resume after I have gotten back home. That will be on Monday, June 8th. Tune in there for one of Paul's great approaches to the lack of believers in Athens.

With the Love of Christ, Pastor Kim

Pastor's Ponderings: Monday Bible Study on Acts of the Apostles 17:10-15 (May 18, 2026)

May 18, 2026:  Monday Bible Study on Acts 17:10-15

When I begin this study today, it will indeed be in the morning, however Melody is under that weather, so she will not be driving today. That means that Transport for school, work, and Pima Medical are in my lap today. So, let's start again. Christ is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! In a few days it will be another year before we have the joy of that greeting being used in our worship life, and hopefully, it has been used in your homes too. Pentecost arrives this next Sunday, with red on the altar, and readings which bring us to the truth of our relationship with the Triune God, Creator, Redeemer, and the Sustainer of Life, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Throughout this year our Lectionary journey will take us to Holy Trinity Sunday, All Saints in the autumn, and Christ the King Sunday which carries our worship and living journey in Christ right back to Advent, and the preparation and waiting which characterize the new Church Year this next December.

Today we are in Acts 17:5-10 which gives us a picture of the harsh realities of being a missionary for Christ in the world of the Roman Empire and with Judaism and a host of other non-God-fearing religions, present in Paul's world. Paul has already been forced to leave cities and regions where his life is endangered by Jews who see Paul as a Pharisee who has betrayed his own people. This is an indication to us that it seems highly likely that the Jews would continue throughout their ancient history, and into the modern era, to lack the courage to know that their Messiah had already come to reveal God's love and forgiveness to his people. It seems they continue to look for a worldly king who will defeat their enemies, except the last great enemy of all people, death. When Paul taught about Christ, it was especially difficult for the Jews to accept his teaching, because they saw a crucified man as a convicted sinner and not a man who could ever be their Messiah! It is ironic, isn't it? They convicted an innocent man, the sin-free Son of God, and murdered Him on a cross like a common criminal, and then most Jews are unable to accept Him as Messiah because of their conviction on Christ, and, of course, they saw Paul as a traitor to his faith.  So, Paul and Silas are on the road by night again headed to Beroea. Apparently, the men of the synagogue in Beroea, were able to comprehend what Paul taught from their Scriptures. The text says that they were of higher character. This means that debate rather than conviction of heresy would be much more likely for Paul and Silas in that setting. But the people who objected to Paul's teaching in Philippi, found their way after Paul to continue their attacks on him. The people in Beroea received Paul's teaching with enthusiasm and excitement, but they had to send Paul away once again to keep him safe. This time Silas and Timothy stayed in Beroea while Paul escaped. From there those who were with Paul took him to Athens. This certainly seems like another major step in Paul's ministry as he arrives in a very influential, and important Greek city. In this passage, at its end, Paul asks the people who have brought him to Athens to take messages to Silas and Timothy to join him in Athens. The detractors from Beroea believed themselves to be doing God's will. But they were doing their own will and using God's truth, to be their support and certainty. It has always been a problem in the Church. People get too intense about an action or choice and fail to seek the Spirit's guidance through prayer and contemplation, and the Word. That kind of human-driven wisdom is difficult to overcome in the Church. The people who use it are absolutely convinced that their way is God's way! Now, Paul is alone in Athens without Silas and Timothy. Tomorrow we will see what kind of experience Paul has there by himself.

Thanks for being with me today. God bless you. In Christ's Love, Pastor Kim