Category: First Steps

In the 2nd Century, Aristedes gave this witness to Emperor Hadrian when asked about Christians: “Truly this is a new people, and there is something divine in them.” Do you believe that there is something divine in you? Though we would theologically agree with Aristedes, I wonder if we live that way?

This week, would you do things differently if you believed that there is something divine in you? If so, what would be different? Paul reminds us of who we are as a people of faith in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.”

Because of faith in Christ, the divine is in you! Now, live accordingly.

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Mark 1, Mark 2
• Tuesday – Mark 3, Mark 4
• Wednesday – Mark 5, Mark 6
• Thursday – Mark 7, Mark 8
• Friday – Mark 9, Mark 10

• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Our nation and our leaders.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
• The United Methodist Church.

Have you ever played the game Hide and Seek? At some point, I bet you have. In the game we want a hiding place so good that no one can find us. But have you noticed that if someone finds a place where they can’t be found, it isn’t long before they do something so that they can be found? Perhaps they move making a sound. Maybe they cough or even jump out and yell, “Coo-eee I’m here!” In the end, we want to be found.

I’m convinced that there are two types of people in the world: Hiders and Seekers. Some hide from others and from God and some don’t. They seek because they want to be found. Just like in the game, we all want to be found. The question is how long do we hide, which often comes at our own expense. The Good News is you don’t have to hide anymore. Be found today.

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Acts 17, Acts 18
• Tuesday – Acts 19, Acts 20
• Wednesday – Acts 21, Acts 22, Acts 23
• Thursday – Acts 24, Acts 25, Acts 26
• Friday –Acts 27, Acts 28
  
  
  Please Pray for:
• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Our nation and our leaders.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
• The United Methodist Church.

Thinking about the holiness of God and the moral demands of Christianity, Philip Yancey said, “Having fallen from the absolute ideal, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.  Praise God, that net will never let us slip through.”  I find great comfort in the net of grace that always holds.  

This net of grace is something we constantly need reminding of particularly when we find ourselves in need of forgiveness.  It is here that I like this prayer:

“Idealistic, gracious God, I don’t want to break our relationship for I want to live as a Christian disciple however hard its demands, because however hard its demands, this relationship of hard love is where I want to be and where I need to be.  Thankfully, through your grace it is where I can be.  Thank you again for that constant net of grace that catches me.  Amen.”

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Acts 8-9
• Tuesday – Acts 10-11
• Wednesday – Acts 12
• Thursday – Acts 13-14
• Friday –Acts 15-16

• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Our nation and our leaders.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
• The United Methodist Church.

One of the books that I’m reading (at this moment) is The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer. When describing God’s goodness, Tozer wrote something that has enthralled my thoughts: “God has never been kinder than he is now nor will he ever be less kind.” Take a minute or two and allow that quote to whirl around in you mind. Seriously…stop for two minutes and just think on that quote.

God’s nature determines his actions. Because he is good, his actions are kind. He has never been kinder than he is now nor will he ever be less kind. How assuring. How comforting. Throughout this week, remind yourself of God’s goodness. God has never been kinder than he is now nor will he ever be less kind.

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Acts 2
• Tuesday – Acts 3
• Wednesday – Acts 4
• Thursday – Acts 5
• Friday –Acts 6, Acts 7

• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Our nation and our leaders.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
• The United Methodist Church.

A few days ago while at dinner, the task of moving the food from my plate to my mouth seemed too large of a task.  It seemed simple enough:  insert fork, take fork from plate, put fork into mouth, mission accomplished.  Yet, somewhere along the way, the food ended up on my shirt.  What seemed like a morsel of food dropped, turned into a giant spot which I’m pretty sure ruined by shirt.  My first thought was, “How could something so small make such a big mess?”

 Words can have the same effect.  Francis de Sales, the 16th Century Swiss Bishop, had this to say about words:

“Never let an indecent word slip from you mouth.  Even if you don’t mean it in an evil way, other may be offended.  An evil word dropping into a weak person grows and spreads like a drop of oil on linen.  It might spark a thousand unclean thoughts and temptations.  If bodily poison enters through the mouth, spiritual poison enters through the ear.  The tongue that speaks it is a murderer of a soul.

Don’t try to tell me you speak without thinking.  Our Lord who searches our hearts says, ‘Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks’ (Matthew 12:34).  Those who eat an herb called angelica have sweet breath.  Those who have angelic virtues within their hearts speak sweetly.”

This week’s reading:

• Monday – Luke 21
• Tuesday – Luke 22
• Wednesday – Luke 23
• Thursday – Luke 24
• Friday – Acts 1

Please Pray for:

• Those who are grieving and depressed.
• Those who are unwillingly absent.
• Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
• Our nation and our leaders.
• Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
• The United Methodist Church.

John Wesley thought Thomas a’ Kempis’ Imitation of Christ was a core holding for anyone’s library.  Written in the 15th Century, a Kempis’ work sought to help all Christians by modeling Jesus Christ.  Recently, I found this exert from a’ Kempis that I thought was interesting; particularly in light of the fluidity of life with all its transitions.   

“So you feel one way today!  You will feel another way tomorrow.  Like it or not, you will be somewhat manic-depressive as long as you live.  

Some days you will be happy and other days you will be sad, 
Some days calm and other days troubled,
Some days faithful and other days faithless,
Some days vigorous and other days sluggish,
Some days solemn and other days lighthearted.
But if you are well taught by the Spirit, you will live above such changes.  You will pass through your various moods unshaken and push on toward your goal of seeking God only.

The clearer your target, the better you will weather emotional storms”

Often, when you read devotionals, there is a tendency to paint an unrealistic rosy picture of life.  Just trust God and everything will be okay.  Though it sounds good and ultimately it is true, there can be an unintended conclusion that all is to be well…all the time.  Even the Wisdom writers understood that there are different seasons to life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).  With each season, there are different life emotions.

a’ Kempis said something important for us:  Have a clear target!  Our target is to follow a consistent God that is omnipotent and empathic.  God’s unchanging purpose is a covenant love (Hesed).  In the Old Testament, it is the “steadfast love of the Lord endures forever.”  This love never diminishes or falters.  Therefore, let us anchor ourselves in God’s love and allow it to hold us in the midst of changing storms.  

I often remind myself of this anchor when life around me spins out-of-control.  It not only keeps me centered but it helps me focus on my role as a follower of Christ.  As followers of Christ, we are all redeemed disciples commissioned for evangelism.  

• This week’s reading:
  Monday – Luke 16
  Tuesday – Luke 17
  Wednesday – Luke 18
  Thursday – Luke 19
  Friday – Luke 20

• Please Pray for:
  Those who are grieving and depressed.
  Those who are unwillingly absent.
  Our families, homes, workplace, church, and community.
  Our nation and our leaders.
  Ongoing Building Renovations, Modifications, and Phase 3: Completion of New Youth Building and rear parking.
  The United Methodist Church.