Category: First Steps

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First Steps – April 19, 2021

 
In my house, there are three dogs:  Scout, Chloe, and Cooper.  Scout is the oldest and has reached the age where his body is starting to deteriorate.  His vision and hearing are not what they used to be.  He is constantly anxious, and I’ve often wondered if he has the beginning of dementia.  It is difficult to watch because he has been my sofa-buddy for a long time.  Yet, I’ve also noticed that most of his anxiety is relieved if he can just be beside me or on my lap.  

When I think about Scout’s condition, I think about the power of presence.  Whenever there is a situation that is fueled by anxiety, many people don’t know what to do.  We want to be helpful but think we are unqualified and don’t know what to say.  Truthfully, words aren’t needed.  The ministry of presence is enough.  If words must be spoken, “I love you,” â€œI’m praying for you,” â€œI’m here,” are sufficient.  Most people won’t remember the words spoken, but they will remember your presence.

If you have a friend or loved one who is in the middle of a difficult situation and you want to be helpful, just be present.  Resist the temptation to try to explain it away.  Just show up with loving arms and allow your presence to minister.  It is more powerful than people think.  

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Hebrews 2
  • Tuesday – Hebrews 3
  • Wednesday –  Hebrews 4
  • Thursday – Hebrews 5
  • Friday – Hebrews 6
Please Pray for:
  • Our Ministers – Shane, John, and Buddy, our staff, and our members and families.
  • The eradication of Covid – 19.
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The United Methodist Church.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 

“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 

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First Steps – April 12, 2021

 
Lately, I’ve welcomed the rain.  Actually, something amazing happened when it rained, my “pollen colored” car was transformed back into its original navy blue.  At the same time, after the midday shower, I went outside to feel the cooler temperature.  The air was different.  I could actually take a deep breath without the worry of congestion.  Everything looked clean and fresh; however, about an hour later, my wife pulled out of our driveway and there was this greenish-yellow stained box in our driveway where her car had been parked.  It was like the pollen residue resisted the rain.  The flowers and shrubs looked alive and new. Everything looked new but that ugly residue.

 

As I’ve thought of this scene, I can’t help but draw some theological similarities.  Similar to pollen, sin has the potential to cover everything.  I once heard a definition for sin as something that has a good origin but becomes perverted or taken to the extreme so that it produces destruction.  For instance, pride is rooted in self-love, a good thing, but when taken to the extreme, one overinflates at the expense of others.  It then becomes unhealthy self-love. 

Pollen, which is helpful to the plant kingdom, can cause havoc with people; however, when cleansed by the rain, can be restorative.  One of the symbols for the Holy Spirit is water and often the image of rain is used to describe God’s forgiveness of sin. But just as there can be a pollen residue, there is often a sin residue left in a person’s life. The good news is that God’s forgiveness and the Holy Spirit continually work to bring about purity.  

This week remember the work of God in your life.  Trust in the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit and the promise that it is a continual work.

 

 
 
This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Titus 2
  • Tuesday – Titus 3
  • Wednesday –  Jude 1 – 25
  • Thursday – Philemon 1 – 25
  • Friday – Hebrews 1
Please Pray for:
  • Our minister – Shane, John, and Buddy; our staff, our members, and their families.
  • The eradication of Covid-19.
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The United Methodist Church.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 

 

“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 

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First Steps – April 5, 2021

 

(Ruth 1:20-21)
20 “Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.”

(Ruth 4:13-17).
13 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When he made love to her, the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!
15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child in her arms and cared for him.
17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son!” And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Naomi’s life is a picture of hardship, death, tragedy, redemption, restoration, and resurrection. A little bit of everything rolled up into one. She and her family moved to Moab in search of a job. Her hometown experienced a famine which led to an economic depression. Not long in this new city, her husband died. A decade later, her sons died. She was the epitome of destitution.

Ruth, her daughter-in-law, stuck by her side through thick and thin. Eventually, they moved back to Naomi’s hometown as beggars. Long story short, Ruth met Boaz, they became married and had a family. In those days, the offspring of Ruth and Boaz was Naomi’s guardian-redeemer, an influential relative who provided and protected a family line. Normally they would redeem land that was sold in a crisis or would provide an heir so that a family line could continue. Eventually, her guardian-redeemer became the grandfather of King David.

Though your life probably doesn’t look exactly like Naomi’s, I’m sure it has some common elements. There will be hardships, tragedies, death, but there can also be redemption, restoration, and even resurrection. God’s plan for everyone is that none would be lost and that all would experience the power of the resurrection. This week may your thoughts be drawn to the hope and power of the resurrection.

 
This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – 2 Timothy 1
  • Tuesday – 2 Timothy 2
  • Wednesday –  2 Timothy 3
  • Thursday – 2 Timothy 4
  • Friday – Titus 1
Please Pray for:
  • Our ministers – Shane, John, and Buddy, our staff, and our members and their families.
  • The eradication of Covid-19.
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The United Methodist Church.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 

 

“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

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First Steps – March 29, 2021

 
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people” (Matthew 26:1-5).
 
What do you do when you know your days are numbered?

This week is Holy Week where we slow down and focus on the last few days of Jesus. What do you do when you know your days are numbered? For Jesus, it was surrender, submit, and willingly suffer. I wonder if I could do the same.

As you journey through Holy Week, ponder the question, “What do you do when you know your days are numbered?” See the acts of Jesus through the lens that he was fully aware of his approaching death.  It didn’t sneak up on him, he willingly accepted it.  How great a love!
 

 
This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – 1 Timothy 2
  • Tuesday – 1 Timothy 3
  • Wednesday – 1 Timothy 4
  • Thursday – 1 Timothy 5
  • Friday – 1 Timothy 6
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 

 

“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

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First Steps – March 22, 2021

 
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him; and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.  But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.”  And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:42-44).

I’ve always marveled at Jesus’ ability to stay on point.  People constantly desired his time, wanted to be in his presence or pulled at him for personal gain.  There were also those that constantly threatened and worked in opposition to him.  Yet, Jesus didn’t waiver from his mission and purpose.  

There is part of me that wants to chalk this up to Jesus being the Son of God and having abilities or power that is beyond normal.  I know I’m not alone because I’ve heard others say, “Well that’s Jesus just being Jesus,” as if to say, “He is different.”  Though Jesus was in the form of God (Philippians 2), he also did things that centered him and kept him on point. Throughout the gospels, Jesus “went out to a solitary place” to pray, reflect and meditate.  

The more I study the gospels and the life of Jesus, I am convinced of the importance of daily spiritual disciplines.  Temptations, the constant demand for your time, and distractions galore, never go away.  They can be countered by a daily diet of a solitary place to pray and reflect.  

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place…perhaps I need to go and do likewise.

 
This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Colossians 1
  • Tuesday – Colossians 2
  • Wednesday – Colossians 3
  • Thursday – Colossians 4
  • Friday – 1 Timothy 1
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 

 

“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

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First Steps – March 15, 2021

 
 
It is true that depravity exists, and it is contrary to God’s will; but so great is His wisdom and power, that all things which seem adverse to His purpose do still tend towards those just and good ends and issues which He Himself has foreknown (Augustine of Hippo).

I mentioned this prayer a few weeks ago in a sermon in reference to living in a Plan B world. If Plan A is the Garden of Eden, then Plan B is the world we live in which is filled with less than God’s ideal.  However, that doesn’t mean God has written off this world.  In fact, just as God walked beside Adam and Eve, He does the same with us.  This is grace and God’s grace is sufficient.

The Apostle Paul had a thorn in his flesh.  This physical infirmity was debilitating to the point that Paul prayed multiple times for it to be healed (at least 3 times).  He wasn’t healed but he did receive something from God that was transformative.  He received God’s grace that in his weakness, he was given strength.  

There will be many thorns in life and God’s grace is the remedy to each and every thorn. Even in the face of weakness, there can be strength with God’s grace-filled presence.  2 Corinthians 12:10, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
 

 
 

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Ephesians 6
  • Tuesday – Philippians 1
  • Wednesday – Philippians 2
  • Thursday – Philippians 3
  • Friday – Philippians 4
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 
 

“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

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