April 16, 2011

Opening Hymns:

Hosanna Loud Hosanna 278 (red hymnal)

Scripture Reading:

Mathew 21:1-11

Message:

Palm Sunday has always been a joyful jubilant Sunday of rejoicing. The choir sings a loud anthem of praise. I remember being in a kids choir at my church and singing songs of praise to God “Hosanna!” There were always palm branches, and messages of hope. It was always the most uplifting service during the season of Lent. However, while it is a time of celebration, it is also a time of contemplation. Though Jesus is being recognized as a prophet, He is also nearing the end of His time on earth. The same people who are worshiping Him, will ask for Him to be killed. One who He called to be his disciple will betray Him, and His other disciples will abandon Him. 

But, we understand that this is not the last celebration of Jesus. Through His live, death, and resurrection many have seen and believed in His name. So on this Sunday we can all come together praising the Lord for all He has done; praising Him for forgiving our sins, giving us peace, and blessing our lives. We need not hold back our rejoicing for we know the story in its entirety. Even though Jesus will die, we remember His resurrection, and the gifts that came from His sacrifice. Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice for our savior lives.Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

  

Time of Prayer

Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Son Jesus Christ, and the blessings that He gave to this world. Thank you for the many reasons You give us to rejoice. Let us rejoice in You on this day, and every day. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn

Wonderful Merciful Savior

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

April 15, 2011

Opening Hymns:

Depth of Mercy 355 (red hymnal)

Am I a Soldier of the Cross? 511 (red hymnal)

Scripture Reading:

Philippians 2:5-11

Message: Humble Thyself

Sometimes I feel like Christians get the humbleness thing wrong. Christ was God’s own Son, and He never treated anyone like they were far below Him. Instead He cared and touched the untouchable sick. He forgave sinners, and welcomed them into His family. He corrected the religious leaders so they could have a better understanding of how God wants them to live. He is our perfect example of how to follow God.

In modern churches I have seen many condemning behaviors. Recently some churches have been very verbally condemning people who are gay. Some churches have the attitude that if you are divorced and re-married you will be condemned. The list can go on and on. The feeling that comes to those who commit these sins is… that of being cast out and rejected. But how are we to act if we want to be humble as Christ was humble? Are we free of sin, or was it God’s grace that let us into His family? If we are to humble ourselves it starts with not putting ourselves above others who sin differently than us. Instead let us seek to be more like Christ. Let us learn to forgive others, as Christ has forgiven us. Remember it is God’s judgment that counts in the end. We cannot even condemn demons to Hell. How can we place condemnation on a different child of God?

Time of Prayer

Lord, teach us how to be humble. Let us welcome all into Your home as Christ did. Teach us how to love people, and forgive sins. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn

Beneath the Cross of Jesus 297 (red hymnal)

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

April 14 2011

Opening Hymns:

This is My Father’s World 144 (red hymnal)

Take up Thy Cross 415 (red hymnal)

Scripture Reading:

Isaiah 50:4-9

Message:

Would that I could be as strong as Isaiah. This scripture is describing someone who has put all their trust, strength, hope, and purpose in the Lord. No one has ever beaten me, nor pulled on my beard (I don’t think anyone would if I actually had a beard either). I don’t recall ever being spit at. However, there are times when I allow the ill behavior of others to influence my life. I get annoyed and stressed out when I feel emotionally hurt or betrayed. There are times that I even think of how to repay them ill, rather than taking the opportunity to be a reflection of how Christ would act.

In this scripture we see a beautiful version of strength in the Lord painted for us. The scripture describes one who is unshaken by everything done around him. He changes his focus to God’s justice and God’s plan. He knows those who torment him have a limited amount of time. He also understands and trusts God’s justice. “It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up” (Isaiah 50:9). Each of us needs to remember never to return violence with violence, or anger with anger. If we allow that to happen violence and anger can become like a virus spreading from each individual to another. Instead let us show others a glimpse of kindness and forgiveness, so that we may start handing out the cure to the negativity that can too often plague this planet.

Time of Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for Your loving kindness to us. Let us show this kindness to others. Be with us during times when we feel betrayed or hurt by others. Teach us forgiveness, and keep us from returning ill behavior back to those who hurt us. Let others recognize and change their ways when they negatively affect others… Let each of us be an example of how to live. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn

O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing 57 (red hymnal)

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

April 12, 2011

Opening Hymns:

Spirit Song (red) 287

Come into the Holy of Holies (red) 71

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 31

Message:

This Psalm reminds me of the book of Job. Job was a devout follower of God. He had an upright character and loved and feared God. Then he lost nearly everything… all his children, his wealth, and his health. He is left with a wife that continually tells him to give up on God, and his friends that judge him and condemn him. Even though he had done well in the eyes of the Lord, he suffered greatly.

Both this psalm and Job remind us that there will be suffering in this world regardless of how we act. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We should not judge people and blame them for bad things that happened to them… like Job’s friends had done. Instead we should help each other and support one another during life’s challenges. We can pray for one another as the Psalmist prayed that God would save us from our sufferings.

Time of Prayer

Dear Lord, be with those who suffer on this day. For those who have been given a poor diagnosis, lost a loved one, lost a job, or are at the end of their life. Heal them, protect them and surround them in Your loving presence. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn

As the Deer (red) 28

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

April 11, 2011

Opening Hymns:

Day After Day (Red) 325

Meekness and Majest (red) 214

Scripture Reading:

Phillipians 2:5-11

Message:

In our relationships with each other we are to be like Christ. We are to become servants for one another. This scripture, like many other scriptures in the New Testament, describes Christ’s love for us and His sacrifice. Good Friday and Easter are drawing nearer and nearer. It is when we recall Christ’s death and resurrection. Jesus Christ came not only to save us by His sacrifice, but also to teach us how God wants us to live. He is our living example of how to treat one another and how to live our lives.   

Time of Prayer

Dear Lord we are thankful to You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for sending Your Son to give His life for us, and to teach us how to live. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn

Father I Adore You (red) 151

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord

Thanks be to God

April 10, 2011

Opening Hymns:
I will Delight (Red) 93
My Life is in You, Lord (red) 120

Scripture Reading:
Romans 8;6-11

Message:
How can we govern our minds with the spirit? How can we not live as our flesh desires us to… but instead how God desires us to live? It starts with understanding what the Spirit's call is. It starts with understanding scripture. We have to know how God wants us to live before we can start living in that way. We also need support to stop doing things that are sinful or “of the flesh.”

I’ve known many people who wanted to give up smoking or drinking, but they couldn’t do it on their own. They needed help. We may need help too if there is something that we continually do that does not fit with scripture. The good news is that God forgives us of our sins. He will be with us to support us in our efforts to stop doing things we shouldn’t do, and/or to start doing things we should have been doing. His un-condemning, unfailing love will be with us forever.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiveness. Thank You for giving us the strength to conquer every obstacle and every temptation. Please let us know what Your will is, and help us walk in Your way. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
I Love Your Grace (Red) 307

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 9, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Near to the Heart of God 472
Sweet Hour of Prayer 496

Scripture Reading:
John 11

Message: "Jesus Wept"
John 11:35, “Jesus wept” The shortest verse in the Bible, and yet it has a vast amount of meaning and beauty in it. It is only two words, but with these words we are able to see Jesus’ compassion and humanity. When I was going to college I lived in an apartment with three other women. One was amazing at calligraphy and decided to use her skills to artistically write our favorite scriptures pieces of parchment to have on the wall. This was one of the favorites. Since then I have learned to love this scripture more and more.

Why did Jesus weep? He knew that Lazarus would come back to life. I believe He was crying for Mary and the Jews with her who were morning the loss of their friend. He was sharing in their sadness. It is comforting to know that we have a God of compassion. A God that will cry with us when we morn. A Savior who is fully human. This simple scripture provides me with a better understanding of how fully God loves us. He loves us enough to cry for us and enough to die for us.

Time of Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all the compassion that You have shown each of us throughout our lives. When we are sad, frightened, lost, or hurt let us remember that You care about us and are watching over us. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed 294


May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 8, 2011

Opening Hymns:
In Christ There Is No East Or West 548
The Churches One Foundation 545

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 130

Message: Forgiveness
Forgiveness; it is a beautiful word, a more precious idea, and the kindest act. It is one of the most gorgeous actions created. Imagine a world without forgiveness. Ten years down the line mothers could still be complaining to their children for spitting up milk when they were young. Wars would be much worse and more vast than they are now. Families would be divided, and where there is structure there would instead be chaos.

However, God has given us forgivness of our sins, and He has taught us how to forgive others. Instead of fighting we can talk, rather than gossip we can comfort. Each of us has been given a precious gift… We have the ability to forgive and be forgiven. Some of us also have the gift of being able to forget. At times I feel over blest with this gift. But it gives me peace to know when I gave forgiveness, the hurt memory of it could also fade. Likewise, God’s judgments against our sins fade when we are forgiven.

Time of Prayer
Lord, I am grateful that You have forgiven me of all my wrongs. Please teach me to do the same for others in return. Let us create peace through forgiveness. When it is hard to forgive make us strong enough to follow through. Let us never forget the kind act that You have done for us. Thank You for Your love. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Are Ye Able 530

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 7, 2011

Opening Hymns:
We’re Marching to Zion 733
All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night 682

Scripture Reading:
John 11

Message: life
As we near Palm Sunday the liturgy once again leads us to a scripture involving bringing life to the dead. This time it is Jesus who calls His dear friend Lazarus back to life. Why did Jesus wait to go to Lazarus? Why had he not gone to heal him before Lazarus had died? Because Jesus waited we are able to see a more miraculous miracle. In verse 4 Jesus states “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Jesus shows that death is not the end. God can bring us life even after death has taken a hold of us. It is never too late to receive the healing that Jesus has to offer.When we need healing emotionally, spiritually, or physically we can pray and God will be with us through it all. From our birth to our death, God’s gentle hand is leading us. All we need to do is grab on and believe.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for Your healing presence in our lives. Thank You for reminding us that it is never too late for You. Even in the face of death You win. Guide us now, hear our prayers and extinguish our concerns so that we may fully trust and follow You. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
God Be With You Till We Meet Again 672

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 5, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Blest Be the Ties That Bind 557
Breathe on me Breath of God 420

Scripture Reading:
Ezekiel 37:1-10

Message:
God does many wonders. He created the world and all its inhabitants and He watches over us even when we disobey Him. In this scripture we see a miraculous work of God through the prophet Ezekiel. A whole valley of dried bones is transformed into a live flesh and blood army of people. This scripture may be a symbol of God bringing life to His people and bringing the two divided kingdoms back together. It may be an account that Ezekiel witnessed. Each possibility is miraculous. Whether it is physical life and healing, or spiritual healing from the Lord it is a beautiful precious miracle. Thankfully it is not hard to imagine that the creator of the world giving us new life… physically and/or spiritually.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for creating life, and healing our lives when we get hurt spiritually or physically. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Blessed Assurance 369 (red hymal)

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 4, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Trading My Sorrows 224 (B/B)
I’m Forever Grateful 123 (B/B)


Scripture Reading:
Psalm 130

Message:
“His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). This psalm is another psalm that is very comforting to me. It is a reminder of God’s forgiveness, and his presence in our lives. David had many difficult times during his life. He made mistakes, and recognized them… and asked for God’s forgiveness. God forgave him when he had gone astray. I believe that part of this psalm is a praise from David because he had been forgiven. He was able to behold God’s anger, and went through punishments for actions that he had taken. However, he was also able to experience God’s grace. God’s forgiveness and grace far outweigh his anger.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, Thank you for being a loving God. Thank You for Your forgiveness when we go astray. Thank you for the consequences of our actions when we sin so we remember how we are to live. Thank You for always being there for us, and let us never forget to turn to You during times of need. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
The Name of the Lord 212 (B/B)

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 2, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Come Let Us Worship and Bow Down (Red) 105
He Is Exalted (Red) 111

Scripture Reading:
John 9:1-41

Message: Spiritual Sight
In this scripture reading Jesus gives sight to a blind man. Not only is the man’s physical vision healed so that he can see, he also gains spiritual sight. The man gains an understanding that Jesus is the Christ. Sadly, the religious leaders had decided that anyone who claimed that would get kicked out of the synagogue. This became the man’s fate. But Jesus was with him even after he was thrown out. Jesus reaffirmed what the man seemed to know already… that Jesus was the messiah.


How can we be healed of spiritual blindness? There are times in my life that my focus is only on my goals and desires. To be perfectly honest, those are the most stressful times in my life. When we focus solely on ourselves we can become blind to other points of view. We may say or do things that are hurtful to others. We can ignore problems that we could otherwise help fix. But when we focus on God’s vision for our lives we can have peace. This does not mean ignoring our needs… but instead recognizing and fulfilling our needs as well as the needs of others. It is a balance of self supporting activities combined with serving and caring for others with God as our focus.

Time of Prayer
Lord, please heal my vision when I close my eyes to Your plan. Help guide my footsteps so that I don’t get off track. Bless my works, and help me to spread Your word so others’ spiritual vision can be healed. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
His Name Is Wonderful (Red) 108

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

April 1, 2011

Opening Hymns:
May Your Kingdom Come (Red) 34
I Will Delight (Red) 93

Scripture Reading:
Ephesians 5:8-14

Message: Shine Light on Darkness
This scripture reminds me of the many times that Jesus says “You are forgiven, go and do not sin again.” We were in darkness and we are now in the light (Ephesians 5:8). We have been forgiven, so where do we go from here? We must work on improving ourselves, and changing ourselves to be more like Christ. We must try to do away with the sin in our lives that might still remain. In this scripture it is described as ‘exposing the darkness to the light’ (Ephesians 5:13). What does that mean? I think it can mean a number of things.

First of all it could mean that if we see sin in our lives we can expose it to the light by making it known to others and not allowing it to be hidden. In that way we will be more likely to change, and will have the help and support of others. One way to do this is to have at least one person who you can trust and who you can comfortably talk to and have them keep you accountable. When people exercise in pairs they are more likely to keep it up… I think it is the same with living a Christian life. If we know that someone else will be there with us we are more likely to follow through.

It can also mean that we should confront others when we see them do something sinful. A note from my study bible states “Paul instructs us to expose these deeds, because our silence may be interpreted as approval. God needs people who will take a stand for what is right. Christians must lovingly speak out for what is true and right” (Life Application Study Bible NIV Copyright 1991). This translation of it is harder for me to understand as Jesus did state “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Mathew 7:3-5).

We must focus on fixing ourselves first before we focus on others. However, we cannot turn a blind eye when others sin. If we noticed someone was stealing money, exposing that sin would be our responsibility. Allowing that sin to be hidden would be hurtful to the person who lost the money, as wrong has been done to them, and to the person steeling as they will not have that opportunity to recognize the sin and change their ways. Today, let us try to live as children of the light. Let us shine out the darkness. Let us go into this world forgiven… and let us try not to sin again.

Time of Prayer
Lord, forgive us when we do sin. Help us to be children of light. Let us not sin against You, others, or ourselves… but rather let us be fruitful for You and do Your works. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Shine Jesus, Shine (Red) 2

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God

March 31, 2011

Opening Hymns:
Behold, What Manner of Love (red) 45
Come and Sing Praises (red) 58

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 23

Message: A New Kind of Smoking Break
This is one of the first scriptures I memorized. I don’t remember what grade I was in (3rd or 6th maybe)… but I remember that we had a list of things to do during Sunday school. If we did everything on the list we got a prize. It consisted of the ten commandments, Psalm 23… and other things to memorize. This is one of my favorite Psalms and I am grateful that memorization was encouraged at such a young age. I know that I would think back to this Psalm whenever I would get afraid. Whether I was afraid of the dark or middle school I would remember this Psalm. To this day I remember it during the tough times at work, or when life seems overwhelming. This scripture was a comfort to me.

At work we had a meeting about having a positive attitude. At the meeting, I had brought up a day in which I couldn’t find a positive twist. It was a 15 hour day with no lunch break. Finally, in the end I admitted to taking a “smoke break” even though I don’t smoke. I just went outside and sat listening to calming music in my car. The speaker had said that people that smoke sometimes have a better mental health because they step out of their work environment and take a break. I think I want to start a new kind of “smoke break.” Whenever life gets overwhelming and stressful, each of us can step aside a grab a bible. It only has to take a few minutes and the scripture can give us a new focus. When we feel that we have lost control it is comforting to read about the One who is in control. If we think that we are alone in the things that we do, we can take comfort in remembering that God is with us every step of the way.

Time of Prayer
Lord, thank You for the scripture and the comfort it can bring. Please remind us to take “smoke breaks” when life seems like it is too much, so that we can read about You and remember the message that You teach. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
In the Lord Alone (red) 44

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, and serve the Lord
Thanks be to God