Precious Gifts

March 13, 2014

Opening Hymns:
417 O For a Heart to Praise My God http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh417.sht

Scripture Reading:
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
4:1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh?

4:2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

4:3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

4:4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.

4:5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

4:13 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

4:14 If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void.

4:15 For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

4:16 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us,

4:17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") -- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Message:
There are some things that we can’t earn, and some things that we can’t buy. The song “Can’t Buy Me Love” by Paul McCartney comes to mind. How empty would love feel if it wasn’t a gift? The meaning seems to melt away if love is something to be bought, or earned like a wage. It being a gift is what makes it so precious.

It is also true for the gift of life that Jesus gives us. If we could somehow earn our way into heaven or earn God’s love it wouldn’t feel as beautiful and precious as the gift that we’ve been given. We all indeed have sinned, and because of our sin God could punish us accordingly. However, He has given us the gift of love, and the gift of forgiveness. Finally, He has given us the most beautiful thing of all, the chance to be close to Him for all time.   

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for all the precious gifts that You have given us. Let us share this gift of love with those we meet today. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
536 Precious Name http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh536.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

Our Comforter

March 11, 2014

Opening Hymns:
92 For the Beauty of the Earth http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh092.sht

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 121
121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come?

121:2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

121:3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

121:4 He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

121:5 The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

121:6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.

121:7 The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.

121:8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time on and forevermore.

Message:
The scripture lesson for today gives me an overwhelming sense of peace. When we remember who is in control of the world it can give us great comfort. I remember as a little girl being afraid to sleep at night sometimes. I would close my eyes and pretend that an angel was there protecting me, and wrapping me in its wings to keep me safe. That is how this scripture makes me feel today. The worries that I have fade away as I read these words. Financial fears, and job troubles seem so small when you think of the loving God who watches over and protects us.

Read the Psalm again, and reflect on where your help comes from. Let the peace these words can bring enter in. You are loved by the Lord, and though we will face times of trials, He is with us every step of the way. Rest on His promises. Feel His loving hand leading you. And feel His presence and the presence of angels watching over you.

Time of Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for loving us, and protecting us when life is hard or frightening. Help us feel Your presence with us now, and let us never forget that You love us. We praise You for all the works You have done for us, and for all the amazing things You have yet to do. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
472 Near to the Heart of God http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh472.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

Faith Through all of Your Challenges

March 10, 2014
Opening Hymns:
398 Jesus Calls Us http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh398.sht

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 12:1-4a
12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.

12:2 I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

12:4a So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him.

Message:
When I read the bible sometimes it’s hard to remember that the people we read about don’t know how their story is going to end. Imagine how it must have felt for Abram in his old age to be told to leave his family, and go to a different land. Imagine how impossible it would seem to him that he would be the father of a great nation, when he and his wife were old and without offspring.

It takes a great act of faith to listen to God and follow His path when you don’t really know where the path is headed. But as we read the bible we can see how miraculous God’s plans are. God always comes through! Abram will have his name changed to Abraham and he will have a son with his wife. Abram listened to God’s call, and his prayers were answered.

What challenging things does God call you to face? Getting through college was one of the harder things I ever went through. I remember not sleeping much at all because I worked so hard on my studies, and yet I would still find time to read my bible and pray. I clung to God during that time knowing that with God all things are possible, and He would guide me through. Looking back, my relationship with God was the strongest it had ever been. It was so rewarding to make it through fully relying on God. If I hadn’t faced all those challenges, then I wouldn’t have drawn so close to God.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, during our times of trials, let us draw ever close to You, knowing that You love us. You know how the story ends, give us faith to trust and follow you, though the road be hard. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
397 I Need Thee Every Hour http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh397.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

Repent and Forgive

March 9, 2014

Opening Hymns:
496 Sweet Hour of Prayer http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh496.sht

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 32
32:1 Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

32:2 Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

32:3 While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.

32:4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

32:5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah

32:6 Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you; at a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters shall not reach them.

32:7 You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. Selah

32:8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

32:9 Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle, else it will not stay near you.

32:10 Many are the torments of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.

32:11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

Message:
Have you ever done something that made you feel guilty. Maybe it was cheating on a test, or telling a lie. We all sin, and we know how it feels when we’ve done something wrong, and haven’t apologized for it. It can be such a release to say “I’m sorry” and to hear the words, “I forgive you” or “it’s alright”. The tension we feel before that can sometimes be unbearable. Afterwards you can almost feel the weight get lifted right off your shoulders.

In today’s scripture the writer talks about the joy he feels when he confesses his sins to God. Our God is a forgiving God, and through Jesus Christ all of our sins are forgiven. We no longer have to feel afraid to let God know that we did something wrong, and that we are sorry. He is always there to forgive and accept us. The hardest thing I’ve found is in accepting his forgiveness. Sometimes we can feel so bad that we don’t forgive ourselves, but turn to the scriptures, and let them reassure you “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving us. Please be with us during all of our trials. Remind us to forgive others, and to forgive ourselves as You forgive those who call to you. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
438 Forth in Thy Name, O Lord http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh438.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 Sinner and the Savior

March 8, 2014

Opening Hymns:
399 Take My Life and Let it Be http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh399.sht

Scripture Reading:
Romans 5:12-19
5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned-

5:13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.

5:14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

5:15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man's trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.

5:16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.

5:17 If, because of the one man's trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

5:18 Therefore just as one man's trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man's act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all.

5:19 For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.

Message:
The scripture reading for today connects the past two scriptures that we read. It gives of summary of what Adam’s sin brought the world, and what Jesus’ righteousness brought the world in return.

Adam’s sin is like a contagious plague infecting all mankind. He and Eve are thrown out of the garden, and God becomes more distant throughout the rest of the Old Testament. No longer do we hear how God is walking on earth, as he had walked in the garden. He speaks to those who He sees are righteous. He reveals Himself in miraculous wonders, and Moses is even able to see God's back (Exodus 33:22-23)… For most people, however, there is a great separation from God. That is, until Jesus Christ, the Son of God comes to earth to teach, heal, and save us.

Jesus’ sacrifice blots out our transgressions, and cures the disease of sin. We no longer need to feel that separation from God. The little girl in me wonders why we can’t just go back to the Garden of Eve. If Jesus’ obedience makes sinners righteous, then shouldn’t the story be done? Haven’t we reached that happy ending? No, there is still more work to do, and there are still more wounds that need to be healed.

Though we are forgiven, sin is still a part of all of our lives. There are so many heartbreaking things going on in the world. Wars still continue. People continue to starve. Through all the chaos that life can bring we must stand strong, and bring our own light to this broken world. We have lessons of our own to learn, and we also have lessons to teach and share with others. Lessons of love, strength, and forgiveness. We need to act on what Jesus taught us, and share what we’ve learned.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You so much for Jesus’ sacrifice, and the forgiveness of our sins. Help us now to share the love that You’ve given us with others, that we may help heal this broken world. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
469 Jesus is all the World to Me http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh469.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

Two Stories of Temptation

March 7, 2014

Opening Hymns:
454 Open My Eyes That I May See http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh454.sht

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 4:1-11
4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

4:2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.

4:3 The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."

4:4 But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,

4:6 saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'"

4:7 Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor;

4:9 and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."

4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'"

4:11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Message:
Remember the scripture from yesterday? Today’s temptation is in a very different climate, and under different circumstances. Instead of a garden full of fruit with every need met, Jesus is tempted in a desert where he had been fasting for 40 days and nights. In many ways, these stories are opposites of each other. In Genesis we see sin entering into the world through temptation, and in Mathew 4 we see the Savior of the world overcoming temptations.

These big contrasts show us our own weaknesses and God’s own strength. However, today’s scripture can give us hope. Jesus not only overcomes temptation, but He demonstrates to us how we can overcome temptation as well. We can call on the scriptures to guide our path whenever we feel lead astray. We can look back on this scripture and remind ourselves that it is possible to overcome our temptations.

Whether you’re in a garden, or in the desert of your life, temptations can be hard. But the good news is: They can be defeated! And even when we do fall short, Jesus paid the price for our sin and forgives us. Our struggles and temptations will eventually fade away, but Jesus will reign forever, and with Him we too can have eternal life.  

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for giving us these beautiful scriptures so that we can better follow Your path. Help guide us through each struggle that we face, and help us through all of our temptations. Thank you for loving us even when we fall short. Thank You for giving Your Son to die on the cross for us, so that we can have eternal life with You. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
672 God Be With You Till We Meet Again http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh672.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

Why do We Have Lent?

March 6, 2014

Opening Hymns:
117 Oh God Our Help in Ages Past http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh117.sht

Scripture Reading:
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, "You may freely eat of every tree of the garden;

2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die."

3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden'?"

3:2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

3:3 but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'"

3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die;

3:5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

3:6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.

3:7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Message:
In today’s scripture reading we see the very first temptation of all mankind. The forbidden fruit. The very first thing that God commanded Adam and Eve to avoid. It doesn’t speak well for mankind that we disobeyed God’s first rule. However, it does show us what being human is like.  

We can see this same story in our own lives starting in our childhood. When our parents gave us rules, did we follow every single one? I remember, as a young girl, sneaking down to the kitchen in the middle of the night to grab a cookie from the cookie jar. This past weekend I got to see my nieces and nephews. At one point their parents told them “you can’t have any more candy” and there were tears, and some attempts to grab at the candy anyway. Everyone has their own forbidden fruit in their lives, and indeed no one is perfect… Except for Jesus.

As we begin the Lenten season it is very fitting that we are starting from the beginning of the book. We are starting out by answering the question, “why do we have lent?” and “why do we need Jesus”. In order to be forgiven there had to be sin. Before we could have a Savior we needed to have something to be saved from. So why do we have lent? It is a time of preparation for Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. For me, it is a time to draw closer to God, and reflect on the sacrifice that He made for us. We remember why we need forgiveness, that we are forgiven, and we seek to change our lives to walk closer to God.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for sending Jesus Christ down to teach us how to live and love, and to sacrifice His life so that we can have an eternal life with You. Forgive us our sins, and help us to walk in Your ways. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
128 He Leadeth Me: O Blessed Thought http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh128.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