Category: First Steps

Two of my favorite books carry the same title: The Story of Christianity by Justo Gonzalez. They are a two-volume set of Church history that was a required reading for first-year seminary students. I’ve always liked them because I love the Church’s history. For at one point, I considered becoming a Church History professor; however, over the years, my affection for these books has deepened because I like the concept of the story.  A narrative directed by God that now includes me.   Do you consider yourself part of the narrative of God’s work? Sometimes, I think we miss this important part of the gospel. We are in fact very much a part of that story. You are a character; you have a part to play. God uses you as much as he used Moses, Peter, Andrew, Paul, and many others. Don’t miss your part in the story. Read Hebrews 11:1-12:3. Ponder the narrative of faith. Focus on the beginning of Chapter 12 and know that you now have a part to play.    This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Revelation 8 *Tuesday – Revelation 9 *Wednesday – Revelation 10 *Thursday – Revelation 11 *Friday – Revelation 12 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

“Sin is a refusal or failure to be in a personal relationship with the living, personal God, and so forgiveness of sin cannot work with some dictionary definition of sin but only in a deeply personal act that restores intimate relationships. The sin that denies the person can only be dealt with personally…So if something is going to be done about sin, it is not going to be along the line of laws and rules, codes and regulations. God and every person on earth are inherently personal and can only be engaged in relationships that are personal…We don’t sin against a commandment; we sin against a person.  Sin is not an offense against justice; sin is an offense against a living soul…And so Jesus comes alongside us and prays with us, ‘Forgive us. Forgive us our debts, forgive us our trespasses, forgive us our sin.’  He also trusts us to do the best we can in what he does best of all: ‘as we forgive our debtors.’  He can legitimately, genuinely encourage us to forgive because he has already set the stage by extending his forgiveness on a cosmic scale.”  (Eugene Peterson—Tell It Slant) Three things that stand out: 1. Sin is personal and separates one from God, another person, and the person God’s Spirit is trying to fashion. 2. The remedy is also personal for, in Jesus Christ, God redeems the world. 3. We are to practice what we have received—Forgiveness.  As we have been forgiven, we forgive.     At the beginning of this week, I invite you to ponder Peterson’s words and allow the Spirit to guide you as you follow the living God.   This Week’s Readings: *Monday – Revelation 3 *Tuesday – Revelation 4 *Wednesday – Revelation 5 *Thursday – Revelation 6 *Friday – Revelation 7 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

If Mercy is God’s infinite and inexhaustible energy to be compassionate, then Grace is the manifestation of that compassion for human beings. I’ve been thinking about God’s grace and why one might resist it. For many, the stumbling block isn’t due to utter depravity or evil, though that can be a reason why, but because that level of love is beyond comprehension. In my finite mind, I like to think I can get my mental arms around the concept, but in full honesty, I can’t. The fact that one, in the face of innocence and then crucifixion, could forgive the very people that are crucified is overwhelming. Frankly, I’m undone by it all. To forgive is a free act by one person to release another person of his/her actions. I like how C.S. Lewis describes it:   “I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality asking Him to do something quite different.  I am asking Him not to forgive me but to excuse me.  But there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing.  Forgiveness says, ‘yes, you have done this thing…I will never hold it against you and everything between us two will be exactly as it was before.’  But excusing says, ‘I see that you couldn’t help it or didn’t mean it, you weren’t really to blame’… Real forgiveness means looking steadily at the sin, the sin that is left over without any excuse, after all allowances have been made, and seeing it in all its horror, dirt, meanness and malice, and nevertheless being wholly reconciled to the [person] who has done it.” The receiver of that free act is nothing more than a simple receiver. This wonderful gift in its fullness, rawness, and untainted, is humbling. I am a receiver of one’s infinite compassion.  That gift is called grace!    This Week’s Readings: *Monday – 1 John 5 *Tuesday – 2 John *Wednesday – 3 John *Thursday – Revelation 1 *Friday – Revelation 2 Prayer Requests: *Teachers, students, and parents coping with anxiety. *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

Though grief can be overwhelming, there are moments of blessings for those who walk the difficult road. One of the reasons we struggle with grief is the physical loss and the perception of a lack of control when it comes to our loved ones. By control, I mean the desire for security and certainty. We long to know that our loved one is okay and at peace. There is great consolation when all are at rest. I think that is why I cherish All Saints Day. For me, it is a day of comfort and relief. On this day, the focus is on those who have died in faith and now rest. Absent from the body, present with the Lord. My favorite hymn normally sang on that Sunday is For All the Saints. The lyrics are as majestic as the music. It is perfect when accompanied by an organ. As I write this, I can hear the melody and the voices, past, and present, singing in harmony. For all the saints who from their labors rest, who Thee by faith before the world confessed; Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest. Alleluia, Alleluia! Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might; Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight; Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light. Alleluia, Alleluia! O blest communion, fellowship divine! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine. Alleluia, Alleluia! And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long, steals on the ear the distant triumph song, and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong. Alleluia, Alleluia! From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast, through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, in praise of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia, Alleluia! If you are walking this road of grief, I hope you will rest in the promise of God’s care for those who have gone before us. Envision the picture the hymn paints. Allow God’s Spirit to carry you with them to a communion of fellowship in the presence of the Almighty.   This Week’s Readings: *Monday – John 21 *Tuesday – 1 John 1 *Wednesday – 1 John 2 *Thursday – 1 John 3 *Friday – 1 John 4 Prayer Requests: *Teachers, students, and parents coping with anxiety. *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

Often when someone loses a friend there is something I call Ambiguous Anger. When we lose someone, we grieve normally channeled in anger. Our response to loss is voiced in anger, but the difficulty is we can’t put our finger on it. It is ambiguous in nature, as if just beyond our fingertips. We know something isn’t right, something is not as we want it, but we struggle, and many times can’t give the right expression, so out comes anger. This is especially true when someone dies unexpectedly and without notice, and we didn’t have a chance to express certain thoughts or affections before he/she died. Sometimes we blame, withdraw, or try to rationalize our pain but seldom find the right expression of what is churning on the inside. Much of grief is finding the right expression. This struggle is only compounded when one dies suddenly and prematurely. How many times have you thought, “I should have said…” or “I wish he/she knew …”? What do we do when we are muddled in a situation like this? First, make an honest assessment of your actions. Often, one has expressed their love, gratitude, and appreciation in life, but our sadness works to prevent us from seeing all the times we did show love to the departed. Second, express your pain to God in prayer. If much of grief is finding the right expression, then express all emotions to God. Surely, God is big enough to handle our pain and sadness, for one only needs to look to the Psalms to see the many times God welcomes human expression in all forms. Third, don’t miss future opportunities to voice gratitude, appreciation, and/or love. Though we might not be able to change the past, we can change the future. Proper expressions always make the transition of grief easier. There will always be sadness associated with a loss, but how and at what speed one transitions through the grief process is dependent upon our expressions.   This Week’s Readings: *Monday – John 16 *Tuesday – John 17 *Wednesday – John 18 *Thursday – John 19 *Friday – John 20 Prayer Requests: *Teachers, students, and parents coping with anxiety. *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

What is the value of a calm soul? When we flee from meddling in the affairs of others, it is hard to own their anxiety. A patient person will outlive other people’s problems. Though it is impossible to live where nothing displeases or bothers you; however, we don’t have to feed it. When someone slanders, speaks harshly, or lashes out, no immediate response is needed. When we focus to calm our own souls, we are less likely to add fuel to the fire. Delay and pray normally is a good practice. God supports the meek. They are the ones that are not weak but have a controlled strength. They find solace in trusting God and relying on His care. Remember the words of the Psalmist (Psalm 37): “Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” These are words to live by and put into practice. So be it for you.   This Week’s Readings: *Monday – John 6 *Tuesday – John 7 *Wednesday – John 8 *Thursday – John 9 *Friday – John 10 Prayer Requests: *Teachers, students, and parents coping with anxiety. *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