Archive for the ‘Wesley United Methodist Church’ Category
January 23, 2012
In one of our Bible Study times in Matthew 18 we heard Peter ask the question “How many times must he forgive his brother who has sinned against him, 7 times? Jesus tells Peter not 7 times but 77 times. In other words forgiveness is so important that we cannot put a number or limit on our forgiveness. If we never learn anything else from Jesus’s teachings we must learn that there is no limit to our love for our neighbor and no limit on our forgiveness.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks we ever can face is our unwillingness to forget those harmful things done to us that we are supposed to forgive people for. It is imperative for us as Christians to always remember that forgiveness and forgetting go hand in hand. You see the blood of Jesus Christ covers each one of us as believers and it means that God not only forgives us of our sins but forgets those sins as well. He can no longer see those sins because of the precious gift of Jesus Christ blood be poured out upon this earth.
When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask for God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done. We also ask that we are forgiven as those who have sinned and we ask to be forgiven as much as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us. This prayer and the premise it sets for us is so important for our lives and the peace that God promises us.
How often do you pray the Lord’s Prayer with unforgiveness and hurt in your heart? Can you forgive and forget? They are two inseparable words and promises. Practice these two words and life will get much better.
Have a blessed day while remembering that you are forgiven,
Randy
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January 23, 2012
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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January 22, 2012
In our Bible Study on Wednesday nights we went over the transfiguration on the mount at the beginning of Matthew 17. In all the wonderful things we saw there, there was a message from Peter. Peter looked at Jesus as he stood with the Prophet Elijah and the Law Giver Moses. These two men were so important to all Jewish people for their past, present and future. Here was the Messiah with heroes from the past and all Peter wanted to do was build some tents. When he should have been watching in awestruck wonder he wanted to get busy and do a good deed for some very important saints. When Peter should have been worshiping his Lord He was wanting to do some work to support them.
Now wanting to work for the mission is not a bad thing but it is often what we think of instead of just spending time in worship. Our faith is exampled in what we do but even more so in how we worship, praise and live our lives. We cannot be faithful in what we do if we are not growing through our study, meditation, prayer and understanding of His way. Being busy in God’s work is important but is not all that He wants from us. Giving Him our hearts, minds and physical capabilities are all important. Focus on Him and His way and He will live within you and guide you. He will lead you into the time for worship and the time for work.
God’s peace and blessings,
Randy
Tags:hearts minds, law giver, meditation prayer, physical capabilities, prophet elijah, work god
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January 16, 2012
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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January 9, 2012
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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January 7, 2012
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Great Granddaughter meets Great Grandparents. Georgia Ann got to meet her great grandparents Friday the 6th. Her great-grandfather will turn 92 on January 8th and Georgia will turn one month on the 12th. This age difference got me to thinking about all that my dad has seen and all that Georgia has an opportunity to see. The changes that have happened during my father’s 92 years have been amazing for his life and for the way he lived it. Georgia’s life will be filled with changes that will be even more amazing and will affect the way she will live her life in astounding ways.
I hope to baptize Georgia in the next few months. Georgia’s parents will accept responsibility for her spiritual growth and someday she will go through confirmation classes and confirm her belief in God and Jesus Christ. As I think about all that Georgia has to experience as she grows I am excited as the promise of scientific knowledge grows exponentially. The wonderful things that she will see and the changes that will affect her life will be many and many will be brand new discoveries. While there will be many changes it is our hope that her belief in God and her parents efforts at sharing their beliefs with her will be a solid foundation that gives her the one constant that will help her center her life. Her belief will help to center her life around consistent moral values that will lead her through all the changes that will take place in the world around her.
It is a new year with lots of new experiences for us all. Allow your beliefs to center your heart and mind around all the changes that take place in your life. Those who do have a much better chance at enjoying life as it comes to them.
Our baptism is the beginning of a new life in Jesus Christ. We are called to grow in our knowledge of His way and in His Spirit. Remember your Baptism and remember your covenant relation with your God.
Randy
Tags:Baptism, children, Common, future, God, growth, Jesus, John the Baptist, kindness, Lectionary, Mark, methodist, Revised, Scripture, spiritual, study, united
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January 3, 2012
I am the one with just his nose sticking out. The one in the yellow is my brother Jim who lives in Utah. We are at Snow Basin which is just down the road from where he and Dianne live. Beautiful country with more post card picture scenes than you can shake a stick at. The trail we are about to ski is down the hill to the right.
Mark 1:4-11
In reading this scripture from Mark we see Jesus begin His ministry. We see Him subject Himself to John’s Baptism. John was offering baptism as a means for the Jewish people to show their repentance and return to righteousness.
Obviously Jesus did not need this baptism for repentance or righteousness but instead subjected Himself to it to show us the right and good way. He set this example for us as a way to start our lives anew. His baptism was the start of His ministry and is to be the start of ours also.
Our baptism in Jesus Christ is also a time of revelation to us about our lives. Just as God revealed to Jesus that He truly is the Son of God He reveals to us that we are His children. If we are truly repentant and seeking righteousness we will see our lives, the sin in them and work towards righteousness in Jesus Christ. What Christ came to give us is the realization that His blood has washed us clean and given us the freedom to worship Him even if we are living in sin. Our baptism is a sign of who we are in this world, a people living with sin in and around us but forgiven by the sacrifice Jesus has made for us. His baptism gives us the revelation that we are His children, washed clean and living in His righteousness.
How we live our lives in Christ is kind of like learning to snow ski. You just have to point your ski’s downhill and use the skills you have learned, hope that what you know will get you to the bottom of the slope and know that next time it will be a little easier. When we fall we get back up and get going again in the direction that leads to the bottom of the hill. Living our lives in Christ is knowing Him as our Savior in a way that we want to carry His message to the world. We sometimes start out with very few skills but know that our knowledge of and in Him will get us started down the right trail. We may make mistakes that we can learn from and make our trail easier next time. The most important point to realize is that Christ gives us the courage to step out in faith that will lead us down the path to guiding others into His saving grace.
In order to begin skiing we must point our ski’s downhill, give a little push, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again. In order to become a child of Christ we must push ourselves to the altar, choose our path and know that if we fall we can get back up and try again.
God’s Peace and Blessing to all,
Randy
Tags:Baptism, Birth, church, forgiveness, grace, growth, Lectionary, Mark, meditation, methodist, readings, Revised, righteousness, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, sin, ski, snow, unconditional, united
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January 2, 2012
Tags:America, Bless, bridesmaids, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Samuel, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, Thessalonians, united
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December 30, 2011
Seagulls at MacArthur Shopping Center parking lot.
This is just a few of the Seagulls that hang out in the parking lot. I am not sure why other than I did see someone feeding them the other day. To say the least they are a little off course as far as the normal environment they usually inhabit. There is not any natural food, you know fish, shrimp or salt water, so why do they hang out there. They are there on sunny days, rainy days, cold days and cold rainy days. But they are not there everyday. I am sure there is some scientific explanation other than they just got tired and decided to rest. Well maybe that is it, tired and resting.
Sometimes in our Christian lives we get a little lost, get tired and decide to just land somewhere and rest. Have you ever experienced feeling lost, tired and needing rest? Me too!
One of the essentials that seagulls seem to need is salt. They are hardly ever to0 far from saltwater. They depend upon it to provide the sustenance they need to survive in this world. Just like the seagulls we need salt but the salt that can make the biggest difference in our lives is the salt found in the Word of God. These few scriptures are very important to us and speak to us about how important it is for us to stay in His Word and keep it close to our hearts. We need to keep this salt close to our hearts and let the Word nourish us and revive us.
Mat 5:13 “You are the salt of the world. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty again? It’s good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled on by people.”
Mar 9:50 “Salt is good. But if salt loses its taste, how can you restore its flavor? Keep on having salt among yourselves, and live in peace with one another.”
Go to the place that offers you nourishment often. Live with those words close to your heart and revive your heart and soul. In our world today being salty may not be a compliment but being salty in the Word of God is never a wrong place to be. Like the salt water the seagulls live in we are a people of the Water and Salt found in His Word.
Have a blessed New Year, be of the Water and the Word getting the nourishment you need from His salty water. It will revive and refresh you,
Randy
Tags:church, Common, ethics, God, growth, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, lamp, Lectionary, love, Luke, meditation, methodist, Peter, psalms, Romans, Samuel, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, united, word
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December 28, 2011
Tags:America, Bless, Common, ethics, galatians, God, growth, integrity, Isaiah, Jesus, lamp, Lectionary, light, Lord's, Luke, meditation, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Romans, Scripture, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, spirit, spiritual, Spiritual growth, storm, study, united
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Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 