Posts Tagged ‘Acts’
June 15, 2012
Our Bible Study time each week for the past 7 weeks has been centered around the book “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn. Dr. Alcorn does a wonderful job of reaching into the Bible and gleaning scriptures that refer to Heaven. This week we took up another book called “90 Minutes in Heaven” by Don Piper. I recommend either of these books as a very rewarding and inspirational read. In each of these books I am reminded that there is a very great reward that none of us living today deserve so let’s give thanks for our belief in Jesus Christ. It is just that belief that gets us that reward and there is nothing else required of us.
When I think about this gift God has given us it turns my heart towards the loving relationship that He desires us to have with Him. He loves us no matter what we do and that love poured out upon everyone on this earth helps me to think about returning that love to Him. Not because it is required but because when I think about Him my heart is warmed and His love is reflected in me and from me. When am I reflecting that love? When I am visiting those who are homebound! When I am smiling at those whom I meet each day! When I am helping someone in need! When I am doing the things that reflect God’s love for His world. I have to look at all of these things not as things I do but as God’s love for us being poured out from me as a willing vessel.
You see I truly believe that if you love someone you do things for them because you love them. God loves us and has done and is doing for us just because He loves us. Our response to that love should be that we show our love for Him by being His willing vessels that pour His love out on the world.
Smile at someone today! Better yet smile at everyone today! Smile because you know God loves you and because you know you love God! It is a marriage made in Heaven!
Pastor Randy
Tags:1 corinthians, 1 John, 1 Samuel, 2 Corinthians, Acts, America, bridesmaids, church, Common, ethics, Genesis, God, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, john, Lectionary, Mark, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, study, Thessalonians, united
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
June 8, 2012
Tags:1 corinthians, 1 John, 1 Samuel, 2 Corinthians, Acts, America, bridesmaids, church, Common, ethics, Genesis, God, integrity, Jesus, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, john, Lectionary, Mark, methodist, psalms, readings, Revised, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, study, Thessalonians, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 28, 2012
This is Memorial Day and it is a day of remembering and honoring those who have given so much for their country. While this can be a time of sorrow as we remember those who have sacrificed everything up to and including their lives, we must also remember why so many have sacrificed so much. Our freedom and our way of life depends on their sacrifice. So lets also remember those who are currently serving our country in all of the military armed services. Let’s remember them in our prayers. Pray for their safety, for peace and for sanity in this crazy world we live in.
As we are praying let’s remember that there is nothing in the teachings of Jesus Christ that supports war. His way is a way of peace that reaches out in love to all. Let’s remember that as believers in God and Jesus as the Christ we should be praying for our country to find peaceful solutions to all disagreements in this world. Too many times throughout history men have taken destructive paths in the name of Jesus and we must always remember that it is not a teaching of Jesus to cause harm to anyone.
So we must pray for our country and it’s leadership. Pray that they will seek peaceful solutions to every crisis we are facing as a country. When our leadership chooses or is forced into military action, then we must pray the action we take will be quick and decisive with little or no loss of life on either side. We must pray that all who are involved will come home safely and if they make the ultimate sacrifice then we must pray for their families to be filled with the grace of God and be able to reach out to the world with the love of Jesus Christ. Pray for all of those who serve in times of war because so many suffer from the stress of war and all of its horrors. Pray that they may be able to return home and live a life of peace with pride in their service to their country.
Well I guess the question is “Are you praying for those in the military, past and present, for your country, for those who have suffered loss of any kind?” I believe that our prayers for those who are or have been in service to our country and their families are the best way for us to remember and honor them.
Have a blessed Memorial Day by spending at least a part of it in prayer, Randy
Tags:1 John, Acts, christian, church, Common, God, grace, Jesus, john, Lectionary, love, methodist, peace, Psalm, readings, Revised, safety, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united, war
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 21, 2012
Tags:Acts, church, Common, Ezekiel, God, Jesus, john, Lectionary, methodist, Psalm, Romans, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united, Wesley
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 16, 2012
Tags:Acts, church, Ephesians, Jesus, Lectionary, love, Luke, methodist, Psalm, readings, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 14, 2012
Tags:1 John, Acts, church, Common, God, Jesus, john, Lectionary, methodist, Psalm, readings, Revised, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 7, 2012
Tags:1 John, Acts, church, Jesus, john, Lectionary, love, methodist, Psalm, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, Spiritual growth, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
May 2, 2012
The sun might be setting in this picture but heaven is alight with God’s presence.
Our Bible Study for the past couple of weeks is over Randy Alcorn’s book “Heaven”. There are five sessions left so if the topic is of interest to you come on by on Wednesday nights. We have a covered dish fellowship meal at 5:30, prayer at 6:15 and we start watching the video about 6:30. You are welcome at all or part of the evening. So many of us have heard so much about Heaven, about what it is like and what we will be doing. So many different ideas and many of them have nothing to do with scripture. The Rev. Dr. Randy Alcorn bases all of his ideas and statements on scripture throughout the Bible. Here is an excerpt from his book.
“A fundamental article of the Christian faith is that the resurrected Christ now dwells in Heaven. We are told that his resurrected body on Earth was physical, and that this same, physical Jesus ascended to Heaven, from which he will one day return to Earth (Acts 1:11). It seems indisputable, then, to say that there is at least one physical body in the present Heaven.
If Christ’s body in the present Heaven has physical properties, it stands to reason that others in Heaven might have physical forms as well, even if only temporary ones. It also makes sense that other aspects of the present Heaven would have physical properties-so that, for example, when Christ is seen standing at the right hand of God(Acts 7:56), he is actually standing on something. Otherwise we would have to conclude that the resurrected (and thus, embodied) Christ has been floating for two thousand years in a realm without material substance. (He could, of course, but does he?) If we know there is physical substance in Heaven (namely, Christ’s body), can we not also assume that other references to physical objects in Heaven, including physical forms and clothing, are literal rather than figurative?”
We hope to find many scriptural answers to the many questions we have. At least we will hear scripture quoted to support Randy Alcorn’s opinions and we can make educated, spirit-led decisions about our future life eternal.
With a first name like Randy, I just have to listen to him.
Have a blessed week,
Pastor Randy Branch
Tags:1 John, Acts, eternal, God, Heaven, Jesus, john, life, Luke, Mark, Matthew, Revelation, Scripture
Posted in Pastor's Ponderings, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
April 30, 2012
Tags:1 John, Acts, church, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, john, Lectionary, methodist, Psalm, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
April 23, 2012
Tags:1 John, Acts, church, Jesus Matthew Peter Spiritual growth, john, Lectionary, methodist, Psalm, Scripture readings per Revised Common Lectionary, united
Posted in Lectionary Scriptures, Wesley United Methodist Church | Leave a Comment »
Wesley United Methodist Church, Orange TX 