Monday Mornings in the Scripture with the Scrawling Shepherd #2 of 33

 Monday Staff Devotions Monday, September 19, 2022 (#2 of 33)

The Harmony Ministries website can be found HERE 

and the website for Harmony Christian School is HERE

You can also find us on Facebook at Harmony Ministries and Harmony Christian School

,,,and on YouTube at Harmony Ministries on YouTube

To continue what I was talking about last week with John the Baptist:

Matthew 11:1-6

When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 

Have you ever had a moment, or a month, or a year of uncertainty!

You believe in God. You believe in Jesus. You know in your head, and even in your heart, that it’s all true, and that God is good, and He does love you, and He does care about what you’re going through, and He can fight your battles, overcome your obstacles, meet your needs, restore your joy.

But you need something, a word, a touch, a sigh to reassure you that Yes, it’s all true.

The songs you learned to sing as a child aren’t just nursery rhymes.

The stories of God’s victory aren’t fables, myths or legends.

John the Baptist went from prophet to prisoner, and all for doing what God had called him to do. He had been faithful, and now he was in jail, with little or no hope of escape or parole. So, he reached out for some reassurance, some certainty.

And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, adn the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”

We don’t ever get to see or hear or read about John the Baptist’s reaction to receiving this message back from Jesus. In fact, the next time we read about John, he has been executed. But I believe that he got the reassurance, the certainty, that he asked for. And so, I am convinced, do you and I when we seek God with open eyes, ears, hands and hearts.

2022-2023 Harmony Ministries Staff Devotions #1 of 33

Dear Blog Reader,

This is a new series of articles in my too-long-inactive blog. It was originally written and presented to the Faculty and Staff of the Harmony Christian School in Middletown, New York. Harmony Christian School is one of the major ministries of Harmony Ministries, also located in Middletown, New York.

The Harmony Ministries website can be found HERE 

and the website for Harmony Christian School is HERE

You can also find us on Facebook at Harmony Ministries and Harmony Christian School

,,,and on YouTube at Harmony Ministries on YouTube

Each Monday this year, I intend to share with you some of my favorite Bible verses/passages, particularly in the context of you and I being part of the same ministry staff here at Harmony Ministries.

This morning I’m going to start with my “Life Verse”: John 3:30

John 3:25-30

Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”

John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The who who has the pride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.”

Let’s take some time to consider what it is that each of us is seeking to accomplish here at Harmony Christian School. For some of us...

• It’s a job; 

• the schedule is nice; all the holidays, snow days, 2 months off in the summer; same schedule as your children

• It’s a steady, if modest, paycheck

• You’re gaining experience in your field; maybe working toward certification

Whatever your reason for taking this job, though, this is true for all of us: We are workers together in this part of the Kingdom of God.

To be successful, I believe it’s necessary to get myself--my ego, my ambitions, my pride--OUT OF THE WAY so that Christ can get the attention.

In short, He must increase, but I must decrease.