Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX

In Matthew 16:13-20 we hear Jesus ask two very important questions. First Jesus asks His disciples who people say He is and of course the answers varied. They said John the Baptist, Jeremiah, Elijah or one of the prophets. Did you know that when that question is asked today there are still very varied answers? People will say a very kind person, a good person, a prophet and some will say a charlatan. Other religions will acknowledge Jesus as a prophet but not the Son of God. No divinity for Jesus there.

While we cannot disagree with answers like a good man or prophet we cannot stop there and neither could the disciples. Our experience with Jesus should lead us to confirming His Divinity and acknowledging His part of the God Head just as His disciples did when they were asked “Who do you say I am.” Because the disciples lived with Jesus and experienced His Ministry they were very sure of Who Jesus was.

Does your experience with Jesus confirm His Divinity? Have you claimed Him as “the Christ, the Son of the living God?” Have you claimed Him as your Savior? I believe the most important question we can ask ourselves is “do we claim Him through the interactions we have each and every day?” Do you claim Him at work, at your home, to your spouse, to your friends, at your social clubs, during your meetings, on the golf course, in the pool hall, at the bowling lanes? Well I think you get the message. This question “who do you say that I am” is the most important question that Jesus asks of His disciples. We are His disciples and if we are listening to Him we must claim Him as our God and our Savior. Everything about our lives must example to the best of our spiritual growths ability His Spirit living within us.

A worthy challenge because His Way is the Way of peace for the world. If we live by the teachings of Jesus Christ we will make the world a better place for others as well as ourselves.

Have a blessed, peace filled day and may your spirit grow in the knowledge of Jesus the Christ,

Randy

Have you ever felt like the Caananite woman who was willing to accept the crumbs from others lives. We all at one time or the other can feel left out and forgotten. We can learn a lesson from the woman in Matthew 15:21-28. There are many other stories in the Bible about being persistent in our seeking help from the Lord. Her need and her wisdom were reinforced by her belief in Jesus Christ, His healing power and the demonstration of that power He gave to the world. We have a story of a woman who was at the end of her experience in using the things of this world to heal her daughter and when she reached out to Jesus she was rebuked by the disciples and ignored by Jesus. Yet she came back again until she got His attention and He felt compassion for her. His words to her “Great is your faith” are the only time in the New Testament Jesus uses these words and He uses them on a Caananite woman. There are all kinds of cultural taboos for Jesus even talking to this woman, yet Jesus reaches out to her because of her faith. Jesus will reach out to you too. Be persistent, faithful and keep love for your God and your neighbor in your heart. Life can be better and trusting in Jesus will guide you into making it better.

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I have posted the above pictures because they are of our granddaughter’s birthday. Emilee is 14 now and a cheerleader. Some of her friends went out to eat with us and spent the night with her. As I looked at the pictures of her birthday, I realized that time is flying by. We are here on this earth for just a little while in comparison to how long the earth has been here. Emilee’s 14 years has flown by but as I looked at those pictures of all those beautiful teenage girls I remembered the picture of those beautiful flowers and remembered how fleeting the days we have here on earth truly are. Our granddaughter was born 14 years ago and it seems like yesterday. Those flowers were born just a few days ago and will be gone all to soon. By the way, Our lives are very fleeting but can be full of joy and happiness. Enjoying our lives to the fullest is very important for us and for our Christian witness. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see Him enjoying life to the fullest. Whether He was at a wedding or feeding five thousand, He was sharing with and caring for others in a way that showed them He loved them. Our lives may be fleeting but we are still called to share our faith with others and care for others. Sharing and caring is much more effective when we have joy in our hearts, smiles on our faces and the teachings of Jesus on our minds. A little effort on our part helps us to be prepared for those times when we have a real opportunity to bring people to a saving knowledge of our Savior. Take the time to experience the joy of fruitful witness.

God’s blessings, peace and joy to all,

Randy

What a beautiful picture of a flower in bloom and one getting there. I don’t know which I like the best the flower in full bloom or the one that looks like a perfect five pointed star. These flowers are out in front of our church and Rickey Johnson was out in front watering the flowers for me and he said look at the star. We again stood in awe of the beauty that God has built into nature for us.

In our Matthew Scripture from Chapter 14:22-33 we see just how God can use the weather to give us beauty in the scriptures. A storm blows up while the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee. They become afraid and rightly they should. Jesus knows their dilemma and comes to them, tells them not to be afraid and invites Peter to go for a walk on the water with Him. Peter is inspired and steps out of the boat and for a few moments he actually walks on the water. Peter then allows the turmoil going on around him to distract him and begins to sink into the water. His focus on Jesus is moved to the world around him and off of Jesus. Jesus reaches out to him and pulls him up out of the water and they climb into the boat. The storm is calmed and they complete their journey to the other side of the sea.

Fear, anguish, insecurity and perhaps other emotions were plaguing the disciples. It doesn’t have to be on a boat in a storm for us as disciples to feel such emotions. This world can bring us many trials and tribulations that we can be fearful about. If we listen to and look for Jesus during these storms He will lift us up and calm those storms. He will remove the fear and anxiety if we will just call on Him. His heart is peace and tranquility. He will share those traits with us if we let Him. The troubles may or may not go away but our travel through those troubles with Jesus will be much easier when we allow Him to share His peace and tranquility. He calms the storms by giving us the strength to face them with an inner peace that can only come from God. His way is the way of truth and life. It is the good life.

Have a great week filled with peace,

Randy

This is a sunset picture I took this evening. We have been blessed with many beautiful sunsets lately. Makes me wonder if Jesus was looking at this kind of sunset when He fed the five thousand.

Just a few thoughts about our lectionary scriptures from Matthew this week. Jesus feeds the multitudes and a miracle it truly is. He fed five thousand on the side of a hill and satisfied them. Hmmmm!!! Jesus is still feeding and satisfying today. His Holy word is full of hunger satisfying scriptures. You know the kind of hunger that just will not be satisfied until we commit our lives to His will and His way.

The hungry souls that are wandering this world are just waiting to be witnessed to by you and me. It truly is a responsibility that Jesus passed on to us. We must reach out to all who are hurting and in need so that Jesus is truly feeding the millions who are spiritually starving to death.

It was a miracle then and can be a miracle now. Are you filling the great commission of witnessing Jesus Christ to the world. It is good news to those who have never heard there is a God who loves them. Your witness could satisfy hungry souls wherever you are. Open your hearts and minds to the spirit and go out into the world you live in and feed those who are lost and hungry. It is the great commission.

Mat 14:16 But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

Mat 28:19 Therefore, as you go, disciple all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Mat 28:20 teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you each and every day until the end of the age.”

Have a great week full of God’s blessings and peace,

Randy

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Ever wonder what heaven is like. Jesus tries to give us some hints. In the Lectionary Readings from Matthew 13 Jesus gives us an idea. It is like finding a great treasure or a beautiful pearl. I found a great treasure in my daughter Tracie’s meal she fixed for us on Wednesday night of our vacation. It sure was good food and good for Jane and I to see our daughter who is showing more and more in her pregnancy. These two pictures give just a hint. Beautiful woman prepared a beautiful meal. Thanks to my son-in-law Jeremy for the prayer beads he brought back from Greece. It was his birthday on the 14th and Tracie had some special plans for him. We had a good time and Jane and I believe that Tracie and Jeremy have found great treasures in each other. Isn’t that what Jesus wants us to do, to find in this world, great treasures in each other. Love your neighbor as yourself and find many great treasures.

Peace and blessings to all,

Randy

In our lectionary reading from last week in Matthew we hear Jesus tell us that there will be useless people in our congregations. You know the weeds that grow among the wheat. Jesus is warning His disciples that the evil one would be planting useless people in amongst us. The trick is to keep out the evil one, not letting him plant those seeds. It is our thoughts and spiritual growth that keeps us all healthy and growing weed free.

We first need to look at ourselves and see if we are growing strong and producing good fruit. We then must look at others in our congregations and discern what we may do to turn them from being useless weeds and help them be the vibrant fruit bearing Christians God calls us all to be.

The picture below is of a sunset that we were blessed with on our vacation to Canyon Lake. Just like the scriptures that Jesus blesses us with, this sunset gives us pause to take a few moments to ponder this wonderful world we live in. Ponder the beauty in the world and ponder the beauty in the scriptures. They both can take our breath away with their beauty.

The next three Sunday’s Lectionary Gospel Readings are from the Gospel of Matthew.  Just like that beautiful sunset above (taken from my front yard with my BB) there is beauty in the scriptures.  Jesus gives the disciples some parables to ponder, he explains them and then gives them some more.   Doesn’t that sound like life as we know it.  Jesus explains something to us through the Holy Spirit and then something else comes up we have to struggle with until Jesus sees it is the right time for us to open our hearts and minds.

Hopefully we will always be trying to grow spiritually because our spiritual growth is what allows our hearts and minds to open to the possibilities that Jesus has for us.  The understandings that He can give us are what we need to make our lives the best they can be.  Our God wants that for us, the best He has to give us.  That is why it is so important for us to grow.  The more we grow the better our lives will be no matter what this old world throws at us.  Spiritual growth helps us to see the beauty in our world and to know this worlds creator.

Have a great weekend and remember going to church is a way to begin spiritual growth.  When we commit our lives to something bigger than we are we do begin to grow.  Are you ready to commit?

Randy

It is another hot dry week out there.  Want something to cool you off.  How about some Holy Spirit blowing through your soul.  This scripture is taken from the Lectionary Scriptures for the week:

11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in
heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Does this overbearing heat seems to be wearing you down, weigh heavy on your soul?  Is it just one more hardship for you to bear?  Hear the words of Jesus and learn from Him.  This scripture promises us that if we take on the teachings of Jesus our lives will be better.  Living  your life with the yoke of Jesus Christ’s teachings of love, peace, hope and God’s will in your life can make all things better.  He works in our lives, yours and mine, in marvelous ways.  Try it, you’ll like it.  It’s a promise He keeps for me daily and can for you too.

His words are cool refreshing living water,

Randy