31.3.16

Childlike Faith



March 31, 2016
Opening Hymns:
369 Blessed Assurance http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh369.sht

Scripture Reading:
John 20:19-31
20:19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

20:20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

20:21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."

20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

20:24 But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

20:25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

20:26 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."

20:28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

20:29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.

20:31 But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Message:
Sometimes I think we give Thomas a hard time. Sure, in today’s scripture he doesn’t believe what the disciples are telling him. It seems beyond his comprehension that Jesus would come back from the dead. But, I wonder if any of the other disciples would have doubted as well. How would we have reacted if we didn’t already know the story? Would we believe without seeing for ourselves?

As a child I remember thinking that anything was possible. My imagination would often run wild. I still enjoy falling into the world of my own imaginations sometimes… but adulthood has also created more “realistic” expectations for the future. It is sad in a way when I see how my world view has changed. Not everything seems possible anymore. Sometimes I wonder if my “realistic” view is actually a view of the world with less faith. Sometimes when I think that “I can’t do that,” or “there’s not enough time to do everything”…. Maybe the reality is that I don’t want to try, or I don’t have the courage to attempt what I might fail at.

Faith in God is so important. I strongly believe all the stories that I’ve read in the bible. The trials that I face in my life only make me cling stronger to my faith in God. But though I have faith in God, sometimes I have difficulties trusting myself. After all, I can see my own faults, and I see where I’ve failed in the past. When I was in college I struggled through school. Nursing school was the hardest thing I had ever had to do. I didn’t think I was smart enough, I didn’t believe that I would have the intelligence or endurance that nursing school took. But I felt called by God to be a nurse, and it was my faith and trust in Him that allowed me to believe in myself.

When you continue on your journey I hope that you can still have a childlike imagination that adds some magic to your own little world. While you grow older you too may get a more “realistic” view of your world. Don’t let that view make you forget that with God all things are possible. Rivers separate, food falls from the sky, people are raised from the dead, and our sins are washed clean. God has called you to go out and share His love with others. Have faith and strength to know that you can change the world for the better! Don’t let “realistic” views limit the wonderful things that you can do for this world.  

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for making all things possible. We are so grateful that You have saved us from our sins. Let us have faith in you as we journey down that paths that You lead us. Let us share the joy with others. Let us imagine a better world, and help us create it together. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
710 Faith of Our Fathers http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh710.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

26.3.16

Love to Soften Hatred



March 25, 2016
Opening Hymns:
298 When I Survey the Wondrous Cross http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh298.sht

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 10:16-25
10:16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,"

10:17 he also adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."

10:18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

10:19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,

10:20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh),

10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

10:22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

10:23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.

10:24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds,

10:25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Message:
Good Friday is such a hard day for me to understand. It is even hard reading the scriptures of what happened to Jesus on the day of His death. How could people act so cruel? How could so many people turn against an innocent man, and kill Him? Was it because of the religious leaders? Was it fear? Was it hatred? Doubtless the religious leaders began to turn the crowd against Jesus, but a group of people can take on an energy of its own. A big crowd turning against Jesus may have drawn more people in, or lead more of His followers to flee in fear.

In Hebrews 10:24 we are told to “provoke one another to love and good deeds.” Just as an energy can call others out to act in violence, so can our energies call others to act out in love. The people that we hang around with can rub off on us. I’ve noticed that even books I read can change me, even if only for a little bit. And we can be contagious too!

Of course we already know that sometimes we can catch an attitude or energy that isn’t good. I’ve found that at the place I work. So many of the people complain seemingly all the time. That energy drags me down, and I don’t dread work because of the work, but because of the people at work complaining. Sadly, the night nurse who was giving report caught ME on it. She had mentioned that something didn’t get completed from the PM shift, and I started to grumble. She didn’t feed into my negative energy, instead she said, “you know what, I have 15 minutes, I’ll do it right now.” That was an eye opener to me… she carried with her an energy that helped. Her actions showed me the foolishness of my words, and helped me see a better energy to spread.

Sometimes I spend time with my friends dressing up as various Disney princess, and going around trying to put smiles on the face of children. When I’m with them my energy changes dramatically. There is so much joy and energy that radiates from them that it is contagious. I can’t help but smile when I’m around them. The energy that they spread is with me the rest of the day. It motivates me to create, and to spread joy and love.

Spending time with Jesus can help change our energies too. He showed us a way to love others… even to love people who hate us. He prayed for those who persecuted Him as he was dying. What greater love could there be that He died to cleanse the world from sin, that we all may be forgiven! He has shown us love, forgiveness, and has given us a path to follow.



Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, no words can thank You enough for every gift that You have given us. Thank You for Your precious gift of love. Thank You for loving even a sinner like me. May I learn and grow from Your teachings so that I can share Your beauty with the world. May your Word soften our hearts, and turn all hatred to love. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
294 Alas! And did My Savior Bleed http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh294.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

24.3.16

Maundy Thursday



March 24, 2016
Opening Hymns:
624 Bread of the world http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh624.sht

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,

11:24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

11:25 In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Message:
The song “Heart of Worship” written by Matt Redman has such an amazing story behind it. He was a part of a church that became too focused on the music and sound of it that the church decided that they had to do something to remind people about what worship is really about. After weeks without a sound system and all the musical instruments, people began to remember the reason for worship. They slowly brought the music back into the church, and Matt Redman wrote the song “Heart of Worship”. Such a beautiful reminder to each of us what worship is really about!

I feel like I need that reminder from time to time, and Lent has given me that reminder in its own way. At my church during the season of Lent we don’t have communion. Communion is such a beautiful reminder of Jesus’ gift to us. However, after getting communion each and every Sunday we might forget how special it is. Without having communion each week I find myself listening to the scripture closer as the pastor reads. The meaning becomes more… meaningful. We are breaking bread and sharing wine just has people have done for thousands of years… just has Jesus did with His disciples!

On this Maundy Thursday let us really listen to Jesus’ words. Let us take the bread and the wine, and remember the gift that Jesus has given. He is the bread of life, and He has shared Salvation with us all!  

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for sharing with us Your selfless gift of love. As we share the bread and the wind, let us always remember what is at the heart of the story. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
Heart of Worship http://www.metrolyrics.com/heart-of-worship-lyrics-matt-redman.html

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