Good News

February 27, 2013

Opening Hymns:
700 Abide With Me http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh700.sht

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 63: 1-4

¹ O God, you are my God, I seek you,
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
² So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
³ Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
⁴ So I will bless you as long as I live;
    I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

Message:
The nightly news.. Do you watch it? I don’t. “Why not?” You might ask… well, it makes me feel tired overwhelmed and sad. Depending on how many distressing stories they fit in I can find myself becoming more worried about my safety and the safety of others. Sometimes it can be so tragic seeing all the sad things that are taking place in the world. It reminds me that there are sorrows in the world beyond what I readily see. Sometimes the news is stressful enough to bring me to a “desert place”

God offers us peace and hope when we reach that state of mind. Whether we are brought there by seeing the misery of others or by experiencing tragedy ourselves. God is with us through every sorrow and every tragedy. His strength and guidance can help us feel joy again. Like the psalmist we too can lift up our hands and praise the Lord for His mercy.

Time of Prayer
Lord thank you for bringing joy in our lives when there was once despair. Be with those who are going through their own tragedies across the world. Guide them through each one, and protect them when they are afraid. Help us all to remember that Your loving hand is with us every step of the way. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
732 Come, We that Love the Lord http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh732.sht

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

Change

February 26, 2013

Opening Hymns:
463 Lord, Speak to Me http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh463.sht

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 55:4-9

4See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
    a ruler and commander of the peoples.
⁵ Surely you will summon nations you know not,
    and nations you do not know will come running to you,
because of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.”

⁶ Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Message:
The scripture for today calls on us to change. It is beautifully written, because God is not scolding, rather, He is welcoming us to change our ways as He grants us forgiveness. We can see God in many different ways. Almighty, powerful, loving, forgiving, father, and mother. God calls us to have a close relationship with Him. He wants us to seek Him, follow Him, and talk to Him. At the same time we must not forget His majesty and His greatness. He is pure, faultless, all knowledgeable, and all forgiving. Truly, “As the heavens are higher than the earth,” so are God’s ways higher than ours.   

Belief in God can be what gets a drug addict to become drug free, a drunk to put down the bottle. It can change lives. When our lives change in that way our character can become something others desire. People may be inspired by the change and recognize how God can work in their lives. Living in a close relationship with God, and walking in his ways will give us “splendor” He will truly show us how magnificent things can be when they are offered to us for free. The best thing about repenting is the ability to have a closer relationship with our loving God… it is a way to show Him how much we love Him and that we are thankful for His gift of life and forgiveness.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for freely giving us forgiveness. Thank you for the power you have to transform our lives. Give us the strength to change and to accept Your forgiveness. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
470 My God I Love Thee http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh470.sht

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

The Best Things in Life are Free

February 25, 2013

Opening Hymns:
472 Near to the Heart of God http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh472.sht

Scripture Reading:
Isaiah 55:1-3

“Come, all you who are thirsty,
    come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
    without money and without cost.
² Why spend money on what is not bread,
    and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
    and you will delight in the richest of fare.
³ Give ear and come to me;
    listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
    my faithful love promised to David.

Message:
Everywhere you look it seems like someone is trying to sell you something. Between ads on TV, in the newspaper, magazines, billboards, radio, and on the internet we all get our fair share of advertisements. I’m sure that someone somewhere has a statistic saying how many ads a person sees each day on average. I’m also sure that, that number is high. Ads are a way for people to sell their product and make money. However, sometimes these ads can cause us to lose focus on what is really important. Sometimes we start to believe that money can buy happiness. When you hear it enough times a day it can start to sound true.

“The best things in life are free” we’ve all heard this phrase, and a lot of people would agree with it as well. My relationship with God, family, and friends does not cost a cent, but I hold that high above everything else in my life. Rainbows, sunsets, the stars, and all the other beauties of nature can be breathtaking, but God does not require a fee in order for us to view these wonders. Why is it that we allow this consumer driven society to lead us to believe that money and possessions can solve all our problems?

Today’s scripture helps us refocus our attention on what is important, God. He is more important than water, wine, milk, and bread. He is far greater than an easy to store garden hose that becomes small and light when you turn the water off. He is the one we should listen to and seek comfort from. Material possessions will pass away, but God’s love always endures. The comfort that He offers is always present. It does not spoil or sour. There may be a price on the food you eat tonight, but there is no price on the bread of life that was given to each and every one of us through Jesus Christ.  Truly, “the best things in life are free.”

Time of Prayer
Dear heavenly father, as we go throughout our week help us recognize the beauty of the world that is priceless. Thank you for Your presence and for a love that is more fulfilling than bread. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
377 It is Well With My Soul http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh377.sht

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