Category: First Steps

There is a very subtle seductive voice that whispers to every one of us.  In our ears, we hear a word, “if.”  Even Jesus wasn’t spared this voice for he heard it at least three times:  If you are the Son of God…If you are the Son of God…If you will bow down to me.  This powerful temptation often wreaks havoc because many fall prey to its seduction.   When we hear that simple word, “if”, we become trapped in the conditional desires of another person. In essence, someone else then controls our identity and subsequently our behavior. I’m sure you’ve heard it:  If I have this job…If I go to this place…if I obtain this level…if, if, if.  A person thinks if, then I will be something different than I am today.  Again, that difference is linked to what someone else thinks about you.  When this happens, they become your chief influence. They determine what you do.   Perhaps there is a better way, one where we derive our identity from what we already are. These are the New Testament’s dominant messages. We are (already)… – Loved by God,  – One of scared worth, – A Child of God. These are things God freely gives without a conditional “if” for out of his nature flows his grace. Our role is to allow it to be our ground of being, our bedrock, our identity. This is where we start. It is out of who we are that we act; therefore, our actions don’t determine our identity. Our identity determines our actions. We begin in the center of God’s love, a place of wholeness, strength, and stability. It is only then that we can live without an “if.”           This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Romans 9, Romans 10, Romans 11, Romans 12 *Tuesday – Romans 13, Romans 14, Romans 15, Romans 16 *Wednesday – Ephesians 1, Ephesians 2, Ephesians 3, Ephesians 4 *Thursday – Ephesians 5, Ephesians 6 *Friday – Philippians 1, Philippians 2, Philippians 3, Philippians 4 Prayer Requests: -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times.  -Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

One afternoon while sitting next to the shoreline, I was attentive to every sound around me. I heard a dog barking, music playing, and people talking as they walked by me; however, there was another sound, and it was stronger than the others. It was rhythmic. It was the waves. As I sat there, I realized the sound of the waves was dominant. Each other sound broke into that rhythm but was out of place, trespassing on what was already there. The other sounds were violations, distractions to the background rhythms of the waves.   As I listened to all the sounds of that afternoon by the beach, I kept wondering how many times I am distracted by interruptive sounds. When I overly focus on those disruptive sounds and concentrate on the noise, I miss the beautiful rhythm already established and present.    I do the same thing with God. Instead of listening for his voice, which is a constant rhythm in my life, I focus on the one, two, or three distractions that contend for one’s ear. When I focus on the surrounding noise, I miss what is most important. How easy it is to miss the everyday rhythm of God’s work of changing lives, bringing peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.   How about you? What sounds capture your attention? Listen today, but not to the disruptions. Listen for that one voice, speaking in the background that wants to remind you of his love and grace.         This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Matthew 26, Matthew 27, Matthew 28 *Tuesday – 1 Thessalonians 1,  1 Thessalonians 2, 1 Thessalonians 3 *Wednesday – 2 Thessalonians 1, 2 Thessalonians 2, 2 Thessalonians 3 *Thursday – Romans 1, Romans 2, Romans 3, Romans 4 *Friday – Romans 5, Romans 6, Romans 7, Romans 8 Prayer Requests: -Safe travels for those coming and going during Spring Break week -Family restoration through forgiveness. -Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. -Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. -Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times.  -Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

During this season of Lent, I’m using the disciplines of silence and solitude. Early in the morning, when I wake up, I embrace the silence of the morning. I refrain from turning on anything that has noise. I refrain from speaking. I try to do the same thing during the day, although it is harder because of my responsibilities to other people.  My daily goal is to be observant of my own thoughts and reflective enough to invite God’s Spirit into my processing.  I want to hear the things that are normally unheard of because of all the daily noise.    Fortunately, I was able to sneak away for a few days to enjoy one of my favorite beaches. For me, practicing the disciplines of silence and solitude was definitely easier at a beach. While sitting alone, I heard the waves gently crashing on the shore. With each wave, I imagined God’s grace coming like waves over me, one after the other, never ceasing.  How peaceful those moments were. I don’t know how long I stayed there, but it was long enough to be at peace, be full of joy and gratitude, and drift in humble awe of God’s goodness.   Silence and solitude create the space needed for holy imagination.  When all other sounds are silenced, a different voice emerges; a quiet voice that whispers. In those moments by the seashore, that voice said, “My grace is like these waves, never ceasing, gentle yet powerful.”  My hope for you today is that you will silence the noise around you so that a different voice can speak to your soul. Listen for that voice, imagine the closeness and peace it brings.     This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Matthew 11, Matthew 12, Matthew 13 *Tuesday – Matthew 14, Matthew 15, Matthew 16, *Wednesday – Matthew 17, Matthew 18, Matthew 19 *Thursday – Matthew 20, Matthew 21, Matthew 22 *Friday – Matthew 23, Matthew 24, Matthew 25 Prayer Requests: *Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. *Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. *Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. *Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

It is alleged that Karl Barth once said that only Christians are sinners. That’s right, only Christians. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Actually, what he meant was that only people who know how much they are loved can ever sense how much they have betrayed that love.    In Romans, Paul pondered the depths of betrayal when he said, “I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). Until we first sense the grace of God in Christ Jesus, we will be unable to see that our real problem lies in our posturing and self-justification with which we are trying to earn what we already have as a gift. God has made us all somebodies though we live as if we are nobodies.    It takes strong secure people to admit that they can be wrong and then to try to right their wrongs. Weak, insecure people are constantly trying to defend themselves, make excuses, and justify their actions. Christians realize such defensiveness is unnecessary because of our need for God’s grace. Repentance can be a gift of grace, for it opens the door for one to own who they are in Christ. Real change occurs when we are first honest with ourselves, owning our words and actions, and then inviting God into that level of honesty. Transparency and authenticity are the effects of a life that follows Christ. The Gospels are filled with examples of people who, in the presence of Jesus, found forgiveness and invited into a life of wholeness; however, the first step to wholeness was honesty.      This Week’s Readings: *Monday – 2 Corinthians 7,  2 Corinthians 8, 2 Corinthians 9, 2 Corinthians 10 *Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 12, 2 Corinthians 13 *Wednesday – Matthew 1, Matthew 2, Matthew 3, Matthew 4 *Thursday – Matthew 5, Matthew 6, Matthew 7 *Friday – Matthew 8, Matthew 9, Matthew 10 Prayer Requests: *Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. *Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. *Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. *Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

WORDS COUNT! In any family, marriage, relationship, or organization, words count.  They matter.  What one says has the same effect as throwing a rock into a pond. The ripples continue. If the family, marital, or organizational system is full of emotional energy, then reactions will be strong and automatic. Many times, those instinctive responses are powerful as they should be because they are biologically linked to ensure safety and survival. If a person encounters a tiger in the jungle, there will be an automatic response of defensiveness (flight) so that one is safe. However, in relationships with conflict, automatic responses are not what is needed because one automatic response can lead to another and then another and before long, a couple is in the middle of a row. Many marital research gurus have documented why some marriages succeed and some falter. Both the successful and the unsuccessful will have cycles of reactivity—those automatic instinctive responses that stem from emotional conflict. It doesn’t take long for words to become arrows volleyed between accusations. After a few verbal shots, a violent argument erupts. The difference between the successful and unsuccessful is the successful stop the cycled argumentation sooner before it develops into a loss of self-control. The unsuccessful family, couple, or organization becomes wrapped up in their own automatic reactions which only keeps the cycle alive. Before long, the house is ablaze. To stop the cycle, a person needs to focus on him/herself. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians are useful, love “doesn’t insist on its own way…keeps no record of wrongs.”  One, if not all parties, need to focus on what he/she can control—only themselves and not the other person. It takes discipline to manage self—to step back, slow down, and observe not only what the other person is doing but what “he or she” is doing.  If one can manage or control themselves, one can control their responses.     The human instinct is to fire back—get the jabs in.  When a person is in the middle of a reactive situation where one is verbally attacking another or both attacking each other, explaining one’s actions, justifying, or even verbally defending will only add fuel to the fire.  Many times, withdrawing and blaming have the same effect.  What is needed is to stay engaged, but engage non-anxiously.  Here, one needs to introduce thought before acting.  Focus on what “I” can do and realize it isn’t about winning or losing. It is about staying connected and the maturity of the relationship. Jesus was a master at this. He often asked questions, and stayed connected, but did so all while he was aware of his own actions.  He knew he couldn’t control another person, but by controlling himself, he could influence others. This Week’s Readings: *Monday – 1Corinthians 12  *Tuesday – 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 14 *Wednesday – 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Corinthians 16 *Thursday – 2 Corinthians 1, 2 Corinthians 2 *Friday – 2 Corinthians 3, 2 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 6  Prayer Requests: *Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. *Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. *Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. *Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

There is an interesting sequence of events in Jesus’ life that is a little too close to home for me. Right after the raising of Lazarus (John 12:9+), many people flocked to Jesus because they wanted to be amazed. They heard what Jesus did with Lazarus, and they wanted to see it for themselves. The next day, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a coming king. Then in verse 20, there are some Greeks who went to Philip with a request to see Jesus. Obviously, they want to see for themselves the Jesus who raised Lazarus, who entered the city in glory, and, if lucky, maybe see Lazarus as well. At first glance, perhaps Jesus is going to give them what they wanted for he responded, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Awesome, thank you Jesus—we get to see the glory! However, the glory Jesus described is not something akin to Lazarus. Nope, it is his own death—one filled with suffering and pain. The reason why it hits too close to home is that I can be like the Greeks. I want to be amazed by God. I want the wow, the splendor, the glory. Yet, the glory Jesus portrayed was obscurity, rejection, sacrifice, and obedient death. I’m not sure if the Greeks stayed around for this—we don’t know for sure (John’s Gospel doesn’t tell us). I bet they didn’t. I wonder if I would have stayed or jumped on the first train out of dodge. What do you want from Jesus? A quick spiritual high, a continual mountaintop experience, the amazement and glory of God’s Beloved Son. I’m not sure someone ever fully witnesses those things without first walking a road to Calvary. Those things come for sure, but I’m not sure we see them until we first have held the obscurity, the rejection, the sacrifice, and the obedient death. This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Galatians 5, Galatians 6 *Tuesday – 1 Corinthians 1, 1 Corinthians 2, 1 Corinthians 3 *Wednesday – 1 Corinthians 4, 1 Corinthians 5, 1 Corinthians 6 *Thursday – 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 8 *Friday – 1 Corinthians 9, 1 Corinthians 10, 1 Corinthians 11 Prayer Requests: *Heal those who are sick and protect those who are not. *Comfort those who are grieving and in distress. *Wisdom for our leaders as they navigate through uncertain times. *Guidance for those seeking to find their way. *Continued Growth Inside and Outside the Walls of St. Paul UMC.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6