Remembering to Say Thank You

February 16, 2018
Opening Hymns:
Oh Love that Wilt not Let Me Go (http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh480.sht)

Scripture Reading:
Deuteronomy 26:1-11
26:1 When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it,

26:2 you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.

26:3 You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, "Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us."

26:4 When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God,

26:5 you shall make this response before the LORD your God: "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous.

26:6 When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labor on us,

26:7 we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression.

26:8 The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders;

26:9 and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.

26:10 So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me." You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God.

26:11 Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

Message:
The Israelites had a long journey behind them at this point. They had traveled the desert for 40 years, and now God’s promise has been fulfilled. They are no longer slaves in Egypt, they are no longer wanderers without a home. They have a place to call their own.

God gives them instructions on how to thank and praise Him for giving them this new land. They are to give the first of their harvest to the Lord, and they are to celebrate the bounty that the Lord had given them. The Israelites haven’t been the best at saying “thank you” to the Lord, so it makes sense that He needed to tell them how to show their gratitude.

 

Do we remember to say thank you? When we are children our parents give us rememders… but do we still need those reminders as adults? Luke 17:11-19 tells the story of 10 men who were healed and how only 1 man came back to thank Jesus for the miracle that had occurred. Sometimes it can be easier to remember to pray for what we need, but not as easy to remember to thank God for all He has given us. So as we go about our day today, let us remember to say “thank you”

Time of Prayer
Dear heavenly Father. You have made all things on earth and beyond. Thank you for the beauty that You have created. Thank you for calling us Your children. You hear our prayers, and You give us Your loving presence. Thank you for all the answered prayers and all the times that You are with us through our struggles. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh057.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

Give In Secret

February 15, 2018

Opening Hymns:
I Sought the Lord (http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh341.sht) /

Scripture Reading:
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
6:1 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

6:2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.

6:3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

6:4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

6:5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.

6:6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

6:16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward.

6:17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,

6:18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal;

6:20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.

6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Message:
As we enter this season of Lent, this scripture reminds us that when we are donating, fasting, or giving up something during this season, we must remember why we are doing it. If we do it to show off and brag to others about how good we are, our hearts are not in the right place. We should instead use this time and our sacrifices to draw closer to God.

As I ponder this scripture and look out at the world, I can’t help but question it this year. When I hear the news each day it can feel so dismal. It seems like there needs to be more stories of all the good that people are doing in the world too. They need to see kindness in action.

I know the scripture isn’t saying to hide our kindness from others. In fact, by fasting, giving, and sacrificing in secret the end goal is to draw closer to God. That closeness will reflect out in how we live our day to day lives. God tells us not to hide our light, but to let it shine (Matthew 5:15).

So, in this season of lent, remember that while we may pray, fast, donate, or give up things in secret, we still should openly show our kindness and God’s light to others. The world needs to see love and forgiveness. The world needs to remember there is goodness and grace.

Time of Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for giving us this season so that we are reminded to draw closer to you. As we reflect on Jesus’ ministry and sacrifice during these next 40 days, be with us. Guide our actions and motivations. Draw us closer to you so that we may in turn show others Your love and grace. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Nearer My God to Thee (http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh528.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

God Hears Our Prayers

May 25, 2017

Opening Hymns:
What a Friend We Have in Jesus: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh526.sht

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 47
47:1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.

47:2 For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome, a great king over all the earth.

47:3 He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet.

47:4 He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah

47:5 God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

47:7 For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm.

47:8 God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.

47:9 The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted.

Message:
Prayers can be answered! Whether it is a prayer for rain, or a prayer to be released from captivity. God has answered prayers throughout the New and Old Testaments, and is still answering prayers today. As I read this psalm I can’t help but think of all the prayers that were answered for this psalmist… and I also can’t help but pause and think of my own answered prayers.

While there are countless blessings in my life, one stands out, because it just happened earlier today. My husband and I have a cat, and he wasn’t doing well. Less than a year ago I had to say goodbye to my cat Lynx because of health complications. So, it was extra hard when our cat Sebastian got a bladder obstruction. We took him to the vet to get him treated, but after the treatment his bladder got blocked again. The vet described an invasive and expensive surgery that could be done to help him. After a very long and hard conversation we had decided that it would be too much to spend on our cat.

Every now and then we volunteer at “Feed My Starving Children,” an organization whose mission it is to help feed children all over the world. Volunteering there has reminded us how blessed our own lives are. It seemed hard to justify spending so much money on our cat when there are mothers and fathers that may not have the means to support their own children. We wondered, could that money do more good elsewhere?

So, we took our cat home, hoping that he wouldn’t obstruct again. We had pain medicine for him to keep him comfortable. When he still couldn’t pee after two days, we made the call to schedule a time for them to put him to sleep (3:30pm today).

Over those 2 days I had prayed, googled home remedies, and tried to help create a urine stream with a technique that the vet had showed me… to no avail. Today was a day to say a tearful goodbye. However, at 1:45pm Sebastian was just sitting on the ground when a steady stream of urine began to flow. I have never been so happy to see a cat peeing on the floor! While he’s not yet at 100%, it was such a blessing to hear his purr again.

This challenging week has made me think a lot. It has shown me all the blessings I have in my life. I have an amazing husband, a loving family and friends, and a cute little fur friend. It has shown me the importance of treasuring each moment with everyone in my life, because changes happen so fast. It has also helped shift my focus from “what I want”, to “what can I give?”  

Prayers can be answered, and no prayer is too big or small. I know that not all prayers are answered in the way we wish, but I strongly believe that God listens to each and every one. Remember to pray when you face your own hardships. Pray for those who are facing challenges of their own. Pray for the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the dying, and for those who morn. Pray, and know your prayers are heard.

Time of Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for listening to Your children when we pray. Thank you for caring about each and every struggle that we face. I pray that you will be with those who live in poverty. Be with the people who feel their prayers are going unanswered. Send Your comforting presence to those in most need of comfort. Guide us all, that we might become answered prayers for those in need. Thank you so much for every prayer that you have answered. Thank you for always listening. Amen

The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
I Surrender All: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh354.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

Great Joy

May 25, 2017

Opening Hymns:
Crown Him With Many Crowns: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh327.sht

Scripture Reading:
Luke 24:44-53
24:44 Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you--that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled."

24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,

24:46 and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day,

24:47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

24:48 You are witnesses of these things.

24:49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

24:50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them.

24:51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.

24:52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy;

24:53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Message:
What has made you joyous in your life? As strange as it is, I know the most joy I’ve had has come after hardships. The joy you feel after 4 years of school when you finally graduate, or the joy and energy you feel after you’ve been sick and have recovered. Happy times are indeed more impactful when they follow hardships.  

In today’s scripture, the disciples are experiencing great joy. Not only had Jesus arisen from the grave. Their teacher had taught more lessons, and opened their eyes so that they could understand the scriptures. Then, they were able to see Him ascend into heaven. The disciples had been through so much, they faced ridicule, and they even had to see their teacher die on the cross. After all they had experienced, it is no wonder the overwhelming joy they felt during all the events that followed.

Unfortunately, life does have its ups and downs… the hardships for the disciples were anything but over. They were given a mission to spread Christ’s teachings, and not everyone would want to listen. There would be more who ridiculed them… but through each challenge they faced, I can’t help but think that this joy that Christ had given them, helped sustain them through each challenging moment. Jesus had given them a hope that could not be killed, and a mission that they followed with joy.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, help us through each hardship we face. Thank you for the lessons and the joy that we feel as hardships fade and pass. Help sustain us with Your joy, and let us never forget the mission that You have given each of us. Grant that we may add more goodness and beauty to this world. For those who are sad, let us bring joy. For those who are sick, let us bring healing. Teach us to be Your hands to a world in need of love. Amen.


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
Dona Nobis Pacem http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh376.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

Prayers

May 18, 2017

Opening Hymns:
In Christ There Is No East or West: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh548.sht

Scripture Reading:
Romans 8:22-27
8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now;

8:23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

8:24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?

8:25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

8:26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.

8:27 And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Message:

When I was a little girl, I remember playing outside at recess. Whenever dandelions were in season we used to try to blow all the dandelion seeds off in one go. If we were able to, it was said that we could get one wish. A wish was also to be made if you found an eyelash on your finger and were able to blow it off in one try. Somewhere in late elementary/early middle school I had made my wish the same each and every time: “May the Lord’s will be done.” And I’ve been making that wish ever since.

This simple prayer reminds me that whatever my wishes or dreams are, at the heart of everything I do I wish to serve my Savior. I may not know how I’ll be able to do that and I may not even know what I ought to be praying for. However, having God’s will be my focus helps me re-center my life. It helps me let go of my own selfish desires, and lets me instead focus on the needs and desires of others.

 

At my church when we pray for those in need, we often times add a prayer for those we have left out. When we pray for forgiveness of sins, we add a prayer for sins that we didn’t even know we’ve committed. Today’s scripture reminds us that the Spirit itself will “intercede with sighs too deep for words.” In each prayer that we pray if every anything is left out I pray that the Spirit does intercede, and that in all things our Lord’s will is done.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, you have created and saved us all. Thank you for being with us at every step of our life. Thank you for providing words when we do not know the words to pray. Be with us in each day of our lives. Forgive us of our sins. All sins known and unknown. Be with all those who are in need whether their needs be known or unknown. Use us to spread Your love throughout the world. And in everything may Your will be done. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
O Love How Deep: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh267.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

Comforter

April 18, 2017

Opening Hymns:
O Spirit of the Living God: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh539.sht

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 16
16:1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

16:2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

16:3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.

16:4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.

16:5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

16:6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.

16:7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

16:8 I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.

16:10 For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.

16:11 You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Message:
I’ve often been anxious throughout my life. I’ve worried about school work and tests, fretted over what the next day or week might be. When I’m overwhelmed with worries or stress I take comfort in scriptures like the one we read today. In reading today’s scripture, I already feel more of a sense of calm. The Lord has been with me throughout my life, and He will be with me again today and tomorrow. As I read these words my anxieties and worries subside, and I feel empowered to face the day with greater confidence and strength, knowing that the Lord is with me. No challenge is too big for my Savior.

Time of Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for being with us through all our challenges, anxieties, stresses, and obstacles. Guide us on this day, let us feel Your presence, and trust that You are with us every step of our journey. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
O Worship the King: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh073.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

Help Through the Hard Times

April 13, 2017

Opening Hymns:
Come Down O Love Divine: http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh475.sht

Scripture Reading:
Hebrews 12:1-3
12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

12:2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

12:3 Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart

Message:
Today’s scripture shows us a number of ways to face the challenges life puts before us. It calls us to join together through our struggles, and together to let go of sin. It also reminds us of Jesus’ sacrifice. It tells us to remember Jesus’ endurance through the cross. In remembering what Jesus had gone through it may give us strength and hope for our own challenges.

 

At times, life can be so hard. We each face losses, struggles, and hardships. During the difficult times, it is good to remember that we do not have to face it alone. God gives us one another as a gift to help us get through all of life’s difficulties. We can seek out our friends and family when we have hardships, and lend our support and love when they are facing challenges of their own.

 

The Lord is also with us during each challenge. Remembering that He has promised to never leave us or forsake us can give us comfort. As we approach Good Friday and Easter, let us reflect on His sacrifice, love, and His promise to us.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, let us help one another through each challenge life brings to us. Lead us through our hardships, and help remind us to trust in You. Amen


The Lord’s Prayer


Closing Hymn
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