Posts Tagged ‘methodist’
April 6, 2012
Last night at Wesley United Methodist Church we held a Holy/Maundy Thursday Service. We read from John 13:1-17, 31-35 and from 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Read the Passion of Christ from John 18:1-19:42 and received Holy Communion.
We received Holy Communion last because we wanted the Passion of Christ to be fresh on our minds and in our hearts when we received the gift He has given us.
We are fast closing out the season of Lent. A time when we should be focusing more on Christ and less on ourselves. Remembering Jesus’ teachings about being servants to all. In Jesus’ day the lowliest of lowly jobs was to have to wash someone’s feet. The footwear of choice was a sandal of some sort and feet were usually pretty dirty. Walking around in the streets of Jerusalem was a dusty endeavor with all kinds of animal droppings and such to be dodged so it is pretty easy to understand why Jesus used such a lowly example of servant hood to example to His disciples what it meant to be a servant to others. He showed them in His washing of their feet that the love He had for them was able to go to extremes for them. Even the extreme of willingly, voluntarily giving His very own life for them. In giving His life He exampled the very depths of suffering that He would go to because He loved them (us) all so much. Such depths as being beaten, spit upon, whipped in the most cruel and punishing way to cause the most damage without causing death. Then He was paraded through the streets carrying His own Cross to be nailed to it and left to die.
Who among those you know would be willing to do that for the one’s you love! Many over the centuries have given their lives for what they believe in. They have become Martyr’s for the cause and love of Jesus Christ. That is the extreme example so what do you do in your every day life to example Jesus’ love for everyone you meet every day. That is really why He gave himself up for us. To help us think about thinking about others. How do you serve every day? What are your thought’s about people and who they are? Why do you ignore those in need? Questions we all need to dig deep down into to search our own hearts and maybe we can allow the Holy Spirit to work within us.
Have a blessed day by being the servant to the world and the one’s you love that Christ calls you to be,
Pastor Randy
Tags:1 corinthians, church, Gospel, grace, growth, hope, Jesus, john, Lectionary, light, love, methodist, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united, world
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | 1 Comment »
April 2, 2012
Tags:1 corinthians, Acts, church, Common, Easter, Isaiah, john, Lectionary, lent, Mark, meditation, methodist, Psalm, Revised, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, Spiritual growth, study, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
March 26, 2012
Tags:Bless, Common, God, Jesus, john, Lectionary, lent, Mark, meditation, methodist, Psalm, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spiritual, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
March 20, 2012
A scene from my life in Church at St. John’s UMC in West Orange, Texas came to mind the other day and it got me to thinking. Many years ago we were having an evening worship service and during several of the songs a lady who had been visiting our church began to jump up during the song, dancing around and holding up her fingers at the mention of different names. Certain names would be represented by certain numbers. When I asked our Pastor at the time what was going on with the lady he told me that she believed in Numerology. Check out Wikipedia for a definition of Numerology.
I am not a Numerologist nor do I believe in Numerology. But I do place a lot of faith in Numbers. Numbers such as 3:16 found in the Gospel of John or 22:37-39 found in the Gospel of Matthew. There is 13:1-13 found in Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians or 3:1-17 found in his letter to the Colossians. There is 4:11-13 in 1 John and so many more that remind us of God’s love for each and every one of us.
So I guess you could say I believe in numbers. Those numbers that lead us into a divine relationship with our God and His Son. An individual and personal relationship that we each can find in the scriptures found in the Holy Bible and experience if we give our heart to Him.
Don’t let belief in some other way deceive you or distract you away from God’s way of love and peace in this world. There is but one way to eternal life and that is through belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. His Holy Spirit is here touching you right now. All you have to do is acknowledge Him and give your life to Him.
Have a blessed day,
Randy
Tags:church, God, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, john, kindness, love, methodist, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | 1 Comment »
March 19, 2012
Tags:Common, ethics, Hebrews, integrity, Jeremiah, john, Lectionary, lent, Lord's, methodist, Prayer, Psalm, readings, Revised, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, Spiritual growth, study, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
March 12, 2012
Tags:1 corinthians, Bless, church, Common, ethics, exodus, integrity, Jesus, john, Lectionary, lent, methodist, psalm 19, psalms, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spiritual, study, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
March 6, 2012
I hope everyone had a great weekend. Spent some time in church, in meditation and in prayer. It was a beautiful weekend here in Orange, Texas. Plants are really budding out and spring looks like it is here.
Along with spring comes my time for going to the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church Course of Study School. It is a continuing education opportunity for me and we delve into Theology, Administration, Spiritual Growth and many other topics which concern the role of being Pastor.
The course I am enrolled in this semester is “Our Theological Heritage: Reformation” where we delve mostly into Martin Luther’s influence but also delve into others such as Zwingli, Calvin, Bucher, Wycliffe and the disagreement between the Protestant movement and the Catholic Church.
In our discussion Martin Luther’s transformation from a work’s driven Monk to a Grace filled reformer gave me pause to think. I thought about how many of us in Church today have the mentality that the things we do in Church are what earns us God’s Grace. Martin Luther was struggling with being able to live a Holy enough life to earn God’s grace but never felt like he did. He was a monk who followed the rules and did the things expected of good monks but always felt like he was falling short of the mark. He tells us that what exposed him to the overwhelming grace of God was his meditation of Romans 1:17.
Good News Bible – Rom 1:17
For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.”
Martin Luther realized that his righteousness was not about what he could make himself do it was about believing in God and what He can do through you. Martin Luther came to the realization that having faith in God comes first and having faith in God is all that we need to have. The work that our faith will drive us to do will be what God calls us to do when He is ready for us to do it. Our faith will help us to live the life God calls us too. All we have to do is be ready and willing to hear His call and that is acting out our faith. Faith first, second, third, etc., etc. to the last. Acting upon our faith leads us into the work God will call us to do. Our faith helps us to realize that the Grace God has for us is there whether we acknowledge it or not and there no matter what we do. God loves us. That is what Martin Luther realized and is why his actions changed the world for ever.
God loves you and me. That is the Good News!
Tags:church, Common, faith, grace, Luther, Martin, methodist, Romans, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
March 5, 2012
Tags:1 corinthians, Bless, church, Common, ethics, exodus, integrity, Jesus, john, Lectionary, lent, methodist, psalm 19, psalms, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spiritual, study, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
February 27, 2012
Tags:1 corinthians, Bless, church, Common, ethics, exodus, integrity, Jesus, john, Lectionary, lent, methodist, psalm 19, psalms, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spiritual, study, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
February 23, 2012
We celebrated Ash Wednesday on the 22nd. If you were not in your church home then you missed an opportunity to start Lent in your house of worship. There is no better place than God’s house to make a commitment to change your life and to follow Him more closely.
Lent is not about being somber and in a mourning state because you are a sinner. It is about knowing you are a forgiven sinner and with a joyful heart make decisions that excite God and build His Kingdom. You see God doesn’t want us to roll around in sackcloth and ashes and cry and weep because we are living life in sin. He wants us to open up our hearts and our minds to the new testament teaching of Jesus Christ and go out into the world joyful and alive with the excitement that the knowledge of our Salvation lies in the saving Grace of God through the gift of Jesus Christ.
Lent is a time for us to focus with laser beam accuracy on the parts of our lives that we know are holding us back from being all that God calls us to be. Here are some give ups that can really help us realize the new life that Christ has put into us:
GIVE UP grumbling! Instead, “In everything give thanks.” Constructive criticism is OK, but “moaning, groaning, and complaining” are not Christian disciplines.
GIVE UP 10 to 15 minutes in bed! Instead, use that time in prayer, Bible study and personal devotion.
GIVE UP looking at other people’s worst points. Instead concentrate on their best points. We all have faults. It is a lot easier to have people overlook our shortcomings when we overlook theirs first.
GIVE UP speaking unkindly. Instead, let your speech be generous and understanding. It costs so little to say something kind and uplifting. Why not check that sharp tongue at the door?
GIVE UP your hatred of anyone or anything! Instead, learn the discipline of love. “Love covers a multitude of sins.”
GIVE UP your worries and anxieties! Instead, trust God with them. Anxiety is spending emotional energy on something we can do nothing about: like tomorrow! Live today and let God’s grace be sufficient.
GIVE UP TV one evening a week! Instead, visit some lonely or sick person. There are those who are isolated by illness or age. Why isolate yourself in front of the “tube?” Give someone a precious gift: your time!
GIVE UP buying anything but essentials for yourself! Instead, give the money to God. The money you would spend on the luxuries could help someone meet basic needs. We are called to be stewards of God’s riches, not consumers.
GIVE UP judging by appearances and by the standard of the world! Instead, learn to give up yourself to God. There is only one who has the right to judge, Jesus Christ.
Things like Chocolate and Sodas are not mentioned one time. Perhaps we have made the tradition of Lent a little to0 easy if all we can think to give up is something that feeds our sweet tooth but doesn’t really help our SWEET SPIRIT in Jesus Christ grow.
Have a blessed Lent. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
Pastor Randy
Tags:America, Ash Wednesday, church, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, kindness, lent, Matthew, methodist, repentance, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
