Hope...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCpIH6kQa3g

July 26, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
What do we hope in?
All scripture is from the NIV Bible
Psalm 9:18; Psalm 16:9; Psalm 31:24
Psalm 33:18; Psalm 33:22; Psalm 38:15
Psalm 39:7; Psalm 43:5
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope

“Hope…”

Prayer for God’s Word to be heard through me…

Hope…have you ever hoped for something in your life? We hope that things will work out for the best in our lives. We have hopes and dreams for our lives and for the lives of the next generation. We hope that we will get that new job. We hope that we will be comfortable in our lives and be able to do whatever we want…whenever we want. We hope for…fill in the blank. Hope is something that keeps us going even when things don’t look so good. And when our hopes and dreams do manifest themselves we can be devastated. We have hope for our marriage and it winds up ending right before our eyes. We have hope for our children only to find that they are addicted and are going down a road of destruction. We have hope for our future and we get that call from the doctor’s office…

Hope - noun
: the feeling of wanting something to happen and thinking that it could happen : a feeling that something good will happen or be true

: the chance that something good will happen

: someone or something that may be able to provide help : someone or something that gives you a reason for hoping




Verb-
archaic :  trust, reliance

a :  desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment <came in hopes of seeing you>; also :  expectation of fulfillment or success <no hope of a cure>
b :  someone or something on which hopes are centered <our only hope for victory>
c :  something hoped for

It is interesting that hope is both a noun…a thing…and a verb…a feeling. But in both definitions there is one thing that it involves…trust. Maybe it’s not so much that we hope but maybe it’s what we put our hope and trust in…

Over the past few weeks, I have truly been pondering on the word salvation and what it really means.  For not just Christians but for humanity.
Salvation:
1. the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction, etc.
2. the state of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
3. a source, cause, or means of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
4. Theology. deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.

There are so many facets to salvation. There is the grace that we receive from God within salvation. The grace freely given to us even though we don’t deserve it but it is through the blood of Jesus that we receive this incredible gift. We are chosen by God and are adopted by Him through the blood that was poured down a wooden cross on a hill for you and for me. We are delivered from sin and death through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. There is love and mercy, joy and there is HOPE…Not just your everyday hope that you feel but hope that is not defined by our circumstances but is defined by our great and loving God…through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Now I want you to listen to some of the hope found in the Psalms. These proclamations will give us hope too if we but believe and rejoice in what and who our God really is:
 Psalm 9:18New International Version (NIV)
18 But God will never forget the needy;
    the hope of the afflicted will never perish.
 Psalm 31:24New International Version (NIV)
24 Be strong and take heart,
    all you who hope in the Lord.
 Psalm 33:18New International Version (NIV)
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
    on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
 Psalm 33:22New International Version (NIV)
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
    even as we put our hope in you.
(Are you feeling it yet?)
 Psalm 39:7New International Version (NIV)
7 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you.
 Psalm 43:5New International Version (NIV)
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
 Psalm 16:9New International Version (NIV)
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
(Because of hope…)
 Psalm 38:15New International Version (NIV)
15 Lord, I wait for you;
    you will answer, Lord my God.
(Because of the trust that God is a God of Hope…)

Hope…it is both a noun and a verb. When we put our hope in our circumstances, we are using the verb form and more times than not…we will be disappointed somehow. When we put our hope in God, we are using the noun form…trusting all of our hopes and dreams to God. But we are humans and we will at times put our hope in the things we see. And when our hopes are dashed to the ground, we have a God of all hopes who meet us where we are and whisper His hope into our hearts. Are you feeling hopelessness and despair? Is your life not turning out they way you hoped it would? Come to the God of all hope and allow Him to heal your broken heart and put a new song of hope within you…the hope that is found within the cross of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen…

“Grace…It’s Not Just A Girls Name…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_nkalyo3jk

July 19, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
We are saved by Grace alone.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grace
https://answers.yahoo.com/question
(All Scripture Is From the NIV Bible)
Ephesians 2:4-5, 8-9
John 1:14-17
Hebrews 4:16
1 Peter 4:10


Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…
Grace:
:a way of moving that is smooth and attractive and that is not stiff or awkward
: a controlled, polite, and pleasant way of behaving
a :  approval, favor <stayed in his good graces>
b archaic :  mercy, pardon
c :  a special favor :  privilege
d :  disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency
e :  a temporary exemption :  reprieve
:  a short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks

What is this grace we keep hearing about...“But by the grace of God go there I…” “Grace…It’s not Just a girl’s name…” Why is this grace so important to us?

A couple of weeks ago…I talked about salvation and one of the blessings…the gifts of salvation is grace…
Grace: Ephesians 2:4-5New International Version (NIV)
“4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
And even more verse 8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

 But…how do we define this grace…this wondrous gift given to us from God….?
“Definition: Grace is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God. Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration (rebirth) or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor.”

Wow…God has really done that for us. Just think about it for a moment…We are given this grace because of God’s great love for His creation called humanity. It can’t be bought, borrowed or stolen by anyone. So many things are uncertain in the world in which we live but this is one thing that stands firm…it is a rock on which we can stand when the world’s chaos swirls around us.
I heard this acronym for Grace…God’s Grace:
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense…
God paid for our salvation with the cost of His own Son so that we may obtain this grace from Him… This is affirmed in John 1 which states:
John 1:14-17New International Version (NIV)
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
It is by God through Jesus that we receive this marvelous grace of God.

So…now that we have been given grace…what are we to do with it?  Do we even have to do anything with it…I mean is this something that we get to hold on to for dear life…to kind of hoard as our own? The Best Answer I think there is to this question is this:
With this grace we need to… “To have grace is to have compassion towards others without judging them and without showing partiality. Grace causes us to reach beyond self to touch the life of a person in need. When someone has grace they are willing to forgive without waiting to be asked and pray for those who deliberately try to hurt or hinder them. Grace is heart thing, not a mind thing.”
Grace can be shown…be given…even if we don’t want to …grace is an action word not a feeling. Grace is something that is shared with others. Hmmmm…It seems that most of the gifts we are given have nothing to do with the heart, with feelings, and everything to do with relationship and showing what we have been shown by God…

Hebrews tells us in chapter 4 verse 16:
Hebrews 4:16New International Version (NIV)
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We can approach God in prayer with the confidence of a child because of the grace shown us through Jesus.
And 1 Peter 4:10 tells us:
“1 Peter 4:10New International Version (NIV)
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Grace is something we are given to share…to gift others as we too are gifted with that same grace from God.

Grace…it’s not just a girl’s name. It is something to be shared with others as we too have been gifted it through our Risen Lord Jesus. Grace has nothing to do with the mind…if we think about it…contemplate over it…we may feel no one deserves our grace…but it is a heart thing…we give grace out of the joy we have because we are given grace… Maybe…just maybe…if we put aside our feelings and put grace before us…we may become that grace giver that we are called to be. Grace…it’s not just a girl’s name but a way we should live our lives…graciously that is. What do you think?
Amen…

I Have Chosen You...

July 12, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
We are chosen and equipped by God
to do His work in the world.
All Scripture Is From the NIV Bible
Acts 6:1-7
2 Thessalonians 2:13
John 15:15-16
1 Peter 2:9-10
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Exodus 3-4
Acts 22:14-16

“I Have Chosen You…”

Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

You are so certain of what they want to do in life…what they feel called to do. You strive and strive but you just don’t quite get to where you think that you are called. Then you decide that maybe…just maybe…you should give it to God and see what happens. Well what may happen is you are called to a place…to a job…to a neighborhood that you feel is just a little…ok a lot…out of your comfort zone. The next thing you realize is that you would rather be doing nothing else but what you are doing now…you would rather be where you are than any other place in the world. You have been chosen to be who you are or where you are…

Last week I talked about what we receive with salvation. And we realized that with salvation we are chosen by God as it states in 2 Thess. 2:13…
“2 Thess. 2:13 But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth.” But what are we chosen for? What is the plan that God has for us as we are chosen by Him?

Well there are several scriptures that tell us the answer. But let’s start with the scripture that tells us about what Jesus said to His first disciples as well all who came after…
John 15:15-16New International Version (NIV)
15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. Jesus tells we are chosen to do good works of God. We are given power to our prayers because whatever we ask in Jesus’ name we will be given. As long as it is in the will of God that is… We no longer are strangers to God as we were before we accepted Christ as our Savior.

1 Peter 2:9-10New International Version (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. We are chosen by God and are called to declare His praises to a world full of darkness and chaos… The church grew and still grows as Jesus Disciples share the Good News of “Choseness” with those around us. For all that God has done and is doing…for all the answered prayers…how can we not want to sing His praises to the assembly…?

Acts 6:1-7New International Version (NIV)
The Choosing of the Seven
6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. We are called…we are chosen…to do both…spread God’s word and take care of those who are less fortunate…to be their voice of justice when they have no voice…

OK Pastor Ruth…how are we equipped to do these things for God…these good works? Well 2Timothy 3 tells us exactly what we need…where we get our training…
2 Timothy 3:14-17New International Version (NIV)
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. We are equipped by and for the spread of God’s Word. It is within that same word we share that we find our training. We are equipped to equip others to do the same we are chosen and called to do…

But Pastor Ruth…I don’t think God can use me. I am too old…I am to ill…I am to scared…I don’t like to speak in public…I don’t…(Fill in the blank)… Well…God uses even the unusable by our standards. As a matter of fact…that is what He does best…maybe it’s because these are the ones that would give Him the glory instead of the ones who feel they are already there…
Exodus 3-4 Moses called…Chosen…Lead the Israelites out of bondage…
Now God called and used Moses…a murderer…a person with a speech impediment…a Hebrew slave by birth…fought with God about being called… was arrogant…had a temper on him…disobeyed God…
Acts 22:14-16New International Version (NIV)
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’ Even Paul was called… who hunted down and killed many Christians…I think I have gotten my message across…God uses all who will allow themselves to be used.

We are chosen to do God’s work. Even if we feel we are incapable of doing His work…He has the final say. He calls us…chooses us…uses us right where we are at. We are given our instructions through His word and are equipped not only with that but we are also given His Holy Spirit and the Armor of His making. What more would we need? Let us go forth in the strength of the Spirit following in the steps of our Risen Lord Jesus into our calling that we are chosen to do. It really isn’t that hard when we remember we are not doing this on our own but with the strength of God, the Guidance of the Spirit and the presence of our Lord Jesus who said to His first disciple as well as to us…I will be with you until the end of days. What do you think?
Amen…

https://youtu.be/uzccIu8AfmM

Just Say Jesus

July 5, 2015
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
“Wesleyan Core Term”
What is Salvation?
John3:16 King James
Ephesians 2:4-5Common English Bible (CEB)
Romans 5:8Common English Bible (CEB)
Titus 3:5Common English Bible (CEB)
Acts 4:12Common English Bible (CEB)
1 Corinthians 1:18Common English Bible (CEB)
Mathew 1:21 Common English Bible
Hebrews 2:14-15 14Common English Bible
Romans 5:9Common English Bible
2 Thess. 2:13Common English Bible


“Just Say Jesus…”

Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

Salvation:
1. the act of saving or protecting from harm, risk, loss, destruction, etc.
2. the state of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
3. a source, cause, or means of being saved or protected from harm, risk, etc.
4. Theology. deliverance from the power and penalty of sin; redemption.

Last week I talked about John Wesley and what he thought about faith. To John Wesley, faith was one of the most important theological concepts. Faith involved trust and confidence and that faith was the evidence of God’s love. He believed that as you grew in faith and assurance of God’s love it would show more and more until a person is completely filled with love in return.
The other part of the equation is salvation. It wasn’t just about going to heaven and being happy. John believed that it is “God’s justification for us through Jesus Christ and God’s sanctification in us through the Holy Spirit. God redeems us from the consequence of sin and, through the Holy Spirit, renews the image of God in us.” (Now this is the good part) “Salvation cannot be limited to a distant paradise on the other side of death but includes a present, tangible, reality of peace and joy in relationship with God now.” Our salvation affords us a present tangible reality of peace with God now…
The Bible tells us that there are several sources of salvation:
1. Grace: Ephesians 2:4-5Common English Bible (CEB)
4-5 However, God is rich in mercy. He brought us to life with Christ while we were dead as a result of those things that we did wrong. He did this because of the great love that he has for us. You are saved by God’s grace!
2. Love: Romans 5:8Common English Bible (CEB)
8 But God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
3. Mercy: Titus 3:5Common English Bible (CEB)
5 he saved us because of his mercy, not because of righteous things we had done. He did it through the washing of new birth and the renewing by the Holy Spirit,
4. Christ Alone: Acts 4:12Common English Bible (CEB)
12 Salvation can be found in no one else. Throughout the whole world, no other name has been given among humans through which we must be saved.”
5. The Cross: 1 Corinthians 1:18Common English Bible (CEB)
18 The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are being destroyed. But it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved.

Through salvation we receive the deliverance from/of:
1. Sin: Mathew 1:21She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
2. Satan’s power: Hebrews 2:14-15 14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he also shared the same things in the same way. He did this to destroy the one who holds the power over death—the devil—by dying. 15 He set free those who were held in slavery their entire lives by their fear of death.
3. Wrath: Romans 5:9 So, now that we have been made righteous by his blood, we can be even more certain that we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.
And there are blessings that we receive through Salvation:
1. Chosen to: 2 Thess. 2:13 But we always must thank God for you, brothers and sisters who are loved by God. This is because he chose you from the beginning to be the first crop of the harvest. This brought salvation, through your dedication to God by the Spirit and through your belief in the truth.

The world is I need of a Savior. Not just your everyday type of savior but one that can save them even from themselves. The world looks at itself thinking it will be able to save itself. But we know, as Christ followers, that there is no other Savior than our Risen Lord, Jesus, and it is only by and in His name we are saved. This is the heart of the Bible…this is the Good News of the Gospel of Grace…we need a Savior and “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Now that’s what a call Saving Grace… Salvation…you can live with it…and you don’t want to live without it…

Amen…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/YLjlLA5bia0

Faith...Believe It Or Not

June 28, 2015

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

“A shooting in Charlestown, NC”

What does faith look like?

Matthew 17:20New International Version (NIV)

Mark 11:22-23New International Version (NIV)

Romans 1:12New International Version (NIV)

Romans 1:17New International Version (NIV)

2 Corinthians 5:7New International Version (NIV)

Galatians 2:15-16New International Version (NIV)

2 Timothy 4:7-8New International Version (NIV)

Hebrews 11 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“Faith…Believe It Or Not…”

Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

          “Love is stronger than hate. So if we love the way my mom would, then the hate won’t be anywhere close to where love is.” “We already forgive him for what he’s done, there’s nothing but love from our side of the family.” “I acknowledge I am very angry. But my daughter taught me that we are the family that love built.” “I forgive you, my family forgives you. We would like you to take this opportunity to repent. Do that and you will be better off than you are now.”

These and many more words like these were spoken to Dylann Roof after he opened fire and killed 9 people who were at a bible study in Charlestown, SC. How in the world to you forgive someone that takes away a life that had so much promise. These people were mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers…they had lives to live and it was taken away from them in a moment. What is the secret of being able to do something like that…to forgive while you have just begun the grieving process?

Over the past couple of weeks, I have talked about being “Fearless” and posed the question, “what would you do if you were not afraid?” and we decided that we didn’t need to be afraid because God was with us always…and that Our Father in heaven knows really does know best…But in order to believe in what I have talked about…in order to live a life with these assurances…you need to have faith…The kind of faith that this church in Charlestown, SC showed and is continuing to show…the kind of faith that moves mountains of pain and suffering…hatred and racism.

          To John Wesley, faith was one of the most important theological concepts. At first he thought of it as believing the truth of the Christian revelation. But he also realized that faith also involves trust and confidence. As a matter of fact, having trust in God became so important that he eventually considered faith as the evidence of God’s love that could secure our trust and confidence. He began to talk about faith in degrees to indicate how people grew in faith. As you grew in faith and assurance of God’s love it would show more and more until a person is completely filled with love in return. It seems to me that the people of this Charlestown, SC African Methodist Episcopal Church have reached that point in their faith…

          So…what is the meaning of faith? What are some examples in God’s word of faith…the kind of faith that we should have as Christ followers…as Christians? That answer can be found in Hebrews 11. This whole chapter is about faith so we are going to take a look at a few verses…1-3

The Meaning of Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

It is the assurance of things unseen…we have faith that the air we breathe is there even though we cannot see it. We believe that gravity will hold us in place even though it is not seen. We believe and have faith in the Holy Spirit even though it too is unseen… It is all about trusting in the unseen…

          So what are some examples of this “faith” thing?

Abraham…8-9, 17-18:

“8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.”

“17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, 18 of whom he had been told, “It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you.”

Moses…23-25:

“23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.”

Some others…29-30, 32-34

“29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days.”

“32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”

There are many more proofs…many more examples within God’s word to give us hope and strength…they help build our faith.

          Jesus had a few things to say about faith as well…

Matthew 17:20New International Version (NIV)

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mark 11:22-23New International Version (NIV)

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

Faith had and has everything to do with our relationship with God…as well as with others. Faith is at the ground level of building a life that is pleasing to God.

          The Apostle Paul had a lot to say about what faith is and how it looks:

Romans 1:12New International Version (NIV)

12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Romans 1:17New International Version (NIV)

17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

2 Corinthians 5:7New International Version (NIV)

7 For we live by faith, not by sight.

Galatians 2:15-16New International Version (NIV)

15 “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 16 know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

2 Timothy 4:7-8New International Version (NIV)

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

          We are to help others on their faith walk. We are to keep the faith no matter what…remember faith is about relationship with God and as we build that relationship, our faith will be stronger than anything we could ever imagine. We are to put our faith in Jesus. We are to live by faith in what is unseen not in the world we see around us.

          As I read those responses earlier from the people of the church in Charlestown and their families there are things that stand out about them…

1.   They came from hearts that themselves have felt the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

2.   They loved their enemies as we are called to do.

3.   They overcame evil with good.

4.   They blessed those who cursed them.

5.   They shared the message of repentance and redemption with this young man.

We too are called to do the same by and from Jesus Christ…being His hands, feet and image in the world.

          Faith…it is the beginning of a journey into the unseen. Faith…it is the foundation of our relationship with God and Christ. Faith…it can be hard at times but we are called to live radical lives for Christ. Faith…is loving through and in our whole being. Faith…it brings people together for a common purpose. Faith looks evil in the eye and says “death O death where is thy sting”. Faith is seen in a church that forgives even as they are processing their own loss. Faith…it really does a body good… our own physical and the body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith…it truly is the tie that binds. Faith…you can believe it or not…it is our choice to make. What will you choose this day?

Amen…

Father Knows Best

June 21, 2015

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Father’s Day

Baptism of Nolan Howes

Matthew 6:9-13King James Version (KJV)

Father Knows Best…

Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

Good morning and happy Fathers Day. Today is a day that we honor fathers and those who are like fathers to us. It is a day of celebration for all that they have done and are in our lives. I would like all the fathers out there to stand…all of those who are like fathers…all of you men who are mentors or share your wisdom with the younger generation. Today we thank you for all that you are. You help the next generation find their way. You instill values and virtue in the young men, who will at some point would date our daughters, know right from wrong. Thank you, thank you for your love and hope.

Last week, I talked about “Fearless” and posed the question, “what would you do if you were not afraid?” and we decided that we didn’t need to be afraid because God was with us always…guiding us and providing for us as we go out in the world in His name…kind of like…OK exactly like…the fathers we honor today…our earthly fathers. How awesome is it that we have a heavenly Father to watch over us as well. As a matter of fact, He will never leave us. We may lose our earthly father for whatever the reason may be…we may have fathers that have not been there for us…we may have fathers that aren’t very helpful as we try to learn our way in this world but…but…you can rest assured that our Heavenly Father is always there… Our Father in heaven knows best…

You may be saying to yourself…How do I know that my Father in heaven knows best? I think we find our answer to that question is in the prayer we pray every Sunday after we raise up our concerns and celebrations…the one that Jesus taught His first disciples…”The Lord’s Prayer”. Let’s look at that prayer…stanza by stanza…it is found in Matthew 6 verses 9-13…I am reading the scripture from the King James Bible this morning…I love the poetry in the words…

1.   9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. As we begin this prayer we begin by praising Him for who He is. Now the word “Hallowed” means holy and revered, consecrated and sacred. It is and adjective saying how highly respected He is…sort of like the fathers we honor today but at a whole different level.

2.   10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. As we pray this part of the prayer, we are praying His kingdom come here on earth…that He will reign over all the earth…that it is His will…not humanities will…be done. That we will all be in agreement with Him as to who and what we were created to be…His beloved and cherished children wanting to do nothing but what He would have us do…He knows that what is best for us is to be with him…not wandering in the wasteland of humanity…

3.   11 Give us this day our daily bread. We are asking and knowing He will provide for us…not just as our earthly fathers…not just bread for food to eat. He provides bread for our souls, He provides light for our way, He provides strength for those times we are weak, He provides…fill in the blank… He knows what we need at any given time. He knows what is best for us.

4.   12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Our earthly fathers forgive us when we have done something wrong but it maybe be hard…if not impossible…for them to forget. When our heavenly Father forgives us it is blotted out…the slate is whipped clean and never thought of again. He knows that we need forgiveness and “forgetness” in our lives. Oh by the way…He also provided a way for our sins to be forgiven and to have a personal relationship with Him. This Father…our heavenly Father…loved His creation of humanity so much that He sent his own Son, Jesus, to die for us so that we could have that type of relationship with Him.

5.   13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: Now…our Father in heaven knows what is best for us…He is the Author that is writing the poetry of our lives… He will never lead us into bad situation…but when we “lead ourselves” into such situations He will lead us out. He knows the best path for our lives and wants us to have the best life we can on this side of heaven.

6.   For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. How can we not sing Alleluia and give Him the glory for all that He has done…is doing…or will ever do…in our lives.

Today is father’s day when we honor our father’s of this earth. It is a day that we honor our Father in heaven who is the Father of all fathers. What a more perfect day to have a baptism as we dedicate a new life…a day that we put another life into His loving and tender Fatherly hands, know that He knows best.

I would ask that Jessica, Kenyon and Nolan to come forward as we place another life into the loving hands of God our Father…

(Baptism of Nolan)

Our heavenly Father really does know best. All praise and glory to the Father of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ…

Amen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i58Am6yv4Po

Fearless

June 14, 2015

Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church

Psalm 27:1-5 NRSV

Psalm 91 The Message Bible

Isaiah 43:1b-3a, 5 NRSV

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Fearless…

Prayer for God’s word to be heard through me or in spite of me…

A reading from the book of Psalms, chapter 27, verses 1-5…listen to and for a word from God to you and me the people of God…

Psalm 27

Triumphant Song of Confidence Of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—my adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

Yesterday, Ray, I and the girls went to the Graduation Ceremony at Katahdin High School. It was a wonderful ceremony with many wise words written and spoken. The class motto was “To anyone who says you can’t…just say watch me.” It is a motto that I have decided to adapt for my own life. The Valedictorian, Mariah Farrington, gave an awesome address to the senior class as well as everyone who was listening. The key phrase in her address was “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” well this really got me thinking. What would I do if I weren’t afraid? We live in a world full of uncertainties and we can’t help but fear the future at times but…what would I do…what would you do…if we weren’t afraid? Why is there so much fear in the world? As a matter of fact…why is there so much fear amongst Christians? As the Psalm I just read tells us…with God on our side…if God is with us…whom or what shall we fear?

Last week, I talked about “Finishing Only To Begin” and how, at times, we finish something only to begin a new thing. That sometimes we need to finish one chapter of our lives to be able to begin the next. I talked about how Jesus had to finish His chapter here on earth in order to begin His reign in heaven and for us to begin a new life with and in God. But finishing in order to begin can be difficult at times. We fear the new and unknown and we become frozen where we are.

Isaiah 43:1b-3a and 5a tells us…gives us a promise of strength and power to help us forge ahead:

Restoration and Protection Promised

43 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

5 Do not fear, for I am with you;

This fear thing…this cancer…has taken a toll on Christ’s church. There have been many churches that have closed and are still closing to this day because of the cancer of fear that has infested their lives both personally and corporately. I have been reading a book by Thom S. Rainer called “Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways To Keep Yours Alive” and it has caused me to really contemplate on why faithful Christians allow their church to close. He has looked at 14 churches’ that have closed and sort of “dissected” what happened…what the process was…as they began to deteriorate. The main thing that I have seen…that I have read…is that fear is at the bottom of it all. Fear of the unknown. Fear of doing things different. Fear of change. Fear of stepping out of their comfort zone. Fear of moving on so they live in the past. Now don’t get me wrong, the past can be a wonderful thing. But the past is just that, the past, and there is a time when the past can be so comfortable that even the thought of change can cause fear and trembling. What would you do if you weren’t afraid…?

Now the Church itself will never die but churches have been dying for a long time. There seems to be a slow erosion within the church. It may not be seen until it is too late. The people of the church don’t even see it coming because it is so gradual. But come it does and when the doors are closed for the last time, people are wondering what happened. A decline in ministries that are vibrant and vital, a decline in attendance, a decline in the prayer lives of the congregation, a decline in the outward focus…reaching into the community instead of within itself, a decline in the hopes and dreams of the church and looking at what was instead of what could be, all of these things happen in a gradual rate almost unseen… What would you do if you weren’t afraid…?

There are people within the community that don’t feel welcomed in the church. Christ’s church seems to be more afraid of changing the way they “do church” than reaching others with the gospel of grace. What do you think would happen if the church opened the doors of their hearts to others who “are not part of them?” But that can be a scary thing…something to cause us fear…what if I did that and my life changed…what if I did that and I had to care more about others than myself…what if they came in and changed everything that I hold from the past that is near and dear to me…Others first=Life. Me first=Death… What would you do if you weren’t afraid…?

Some of these churches close because they have forgotten the Great Commission that Jesus gave all of His disciples…the Great Commission Omission Tom Rainer calls it. Don’t get me wrong, they start out on the right path and the right heart. But somewhere it is set aside for other things to take its place. These church members “remember when…” we have had 25 kids in youth group in the past; we used to have all the pews full, ect. They live and think about the past instead of the here and now. What can we do to improve our numbers? How can we attract more youth? How can we… (fill in the blank). The Great Commission found in Matthew 28 verses 19-20 is full of action words…not just words to be memorized…

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The members of the church longed for the good old days when… but they have forgotten about the action words needed to make it so. They just wanted it to happen…boom…over night. What would you do if you weren’t afraid…?

Fear…it can be immobilizing. It can take hold and before we know it…all that we have worked for…all that we have strived for…all that we have toiled for…is gone. Just like that. Church can no longer “be done”…church needs to morph into what God’s wants it to be if it is going to continue to be the hands, the feet, the voice of God in the world. What would you do if you weren’t afraid…?

I would like to leave you with one piece of scripture today. It gives hope, it gives promise and it can take away all our fears…remember…perfect love casts out all fear… it is Psalm 91 and I will be reading it from the Message Bible…

Psalm 91 The Message (MSG)

91 1-13 You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “God, you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!”

That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon.

Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses.

Yes, because God’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling.

You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble.

I’ll give you the best of care if you’ll only get to know and trust me. Call me and I’ll answer, be at your side in bad times; I’ll rescue you, then throw you a party.

I’ll give you a long life, give you a long drink of salvation!”

What would you do if you weren’t afraid…? Amen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq1eGEwz1Dg