First Sunday After Christmas Devotional December 28, 2008

Connected Each Day
John 15:1-17

[Jesus said]"I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. — John 15:5 The Message

This may be the case for you – the Year 2007 moved by so quickly. I just got comfortable with writing the date, celebrating the birthdays and anniversaries of the year, and another year is two days away. The first day of the New Year is around the corner.

Yet, is not each day the beginning of a new year? It was once said, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life, and today may be the last day of your life.” Yes, each day is the beginning of a new year for each of us.

This was true for my dear mother. Even when life was hard and waning, especially in her last few months, she would always approach each day as the first day of the rest of her life. She lived by the psalmist’s words, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

My mother took on each day by connecting to Jesus, The Vine. She knew to nurture her relationship with the Vine to remain spiritually healthy, bearing fruit, regardless of the weather of life.

What an example to follow.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are the vine of my life. This being the first day of the rest of my life, may I begin it with remaining connected with you. Amen..

Thought for the Day

What spiritual discipline does God call me to practice to stay connected beginning in my New Year?

Prayer Focus: People developing spiritual disciplines.

Advent Devotion for December 21

Save Me

Matthew 1:18-25

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” — Matthew 1:21 NIV

I still remember the day my wife and I went and saw the motion picture “The Notebook” in the theater. It was a difficult movie for me when I discovered it was about a wife who struggled with dementia. As my wife and I looked on, we saw my mother and father’s situation but in a role reversal to the characters.

While my family and I looked through our parent’s household effects after my mother died, I discovered the reason why my dad wrote a book about his life. It was not only for his family but it was his own Notebook for memory.

One of the chapters in his notebook described his struggles with faith (his young father died on Christmas Eve when Dad was fourteen). He wrote, “I tried to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior many times and I never had any lights or sirens go off or a drastic change in my life.” I responded to my dad, “Dad, accepting Jesus as your Savior is only necessary once. There were no lights or sirens when you came to Christ because there wasn’t very much God needed to change in you.” He gave me a big smile and hug.

I believe he silently read his Notebook to capture his faith, because Dad knew the Babe in the Manger who saved him from his sins.

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for being the Babe who is Savior in my life. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Who needs to hear about the babe in the manger who saves ?

Prayer Focus: People who lost a loved one around Christmas

Devotional for Third Sunday of Advent, December 14th

He Dwells Among Us

John 1:1-5, 14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. – John 1:14 NIV


I will always remember the day my eighty-nine year old father, suffering from vascular dementia, came to visit my family and me for the last time before he died. He was a retired private pilot and RVer who traveled all over the United States. When he arrived at the DFW International Airport this last time, he had no inclination where he was; a location he frequented many times past.

The whole stay was difficult for him. His once familiar surroundings were now strange to him. Only after one hour or so being awake, did he recognize his wife, my wife or me. Dementia is so devastating for all.

During that stay, I drove my father and mother to the church I served to give them the opportunity to see the baby grand piano they donated in memory of my sister. Dad, in a rare lucid moment stood over mother’s shoulder as she played Jesus Loves Me. He sang along with her with tears on his cheeks, declaring that day, Jesus dwells among us! Emmanuel!

Prayer: Emmanuel, no matter what my state of mind, I know You are with me. Amen.

Thought for the Day
How can I help someone see and feel the presence of Emmanuel?

Prayer Focus: People suffering with dementia

Advent Devotion for December 7th

Whom Shall I Fear?
Luke 1:47-55
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. – Luke 1:50 NIV

The man came to the church office with fear in his eyes and he wanted to see a pastor. As I led him into my office I did my normal safety checks with people coming off the street who I did not know.

As we sat down, knowing the gentleman was high on drugs, he began to tell me his story with tears rolling down his face. I realized that he was a man who was desperate for help from God. He admitted he was high and he was running on the wrong path to destruction. He was afraid of what was happening and he said that he just felt his truck pull into the church parking lot.

He realized that he only had one thing to fear and that was fear of the Lord. He knew that he had run from God for too many years and it was destroying his life. At that moment, the prodigal came to his senses and rededicated his life to Jesus Christ. At that moment, he realized the necessity of the fear of the Lord, not a scared fear, but a reverent and obedient fear.

At that moment, one man came home to his Lord whose mercy and grace extends to those who fear Him.

Prayer: O Lord, help us who follow you fear you out of reverence and obedience this day and throughout our lives. Amen.

Thought for the Day
Who is God going to place in my presence who needs to fear the Lord?

Prayer Focus: Those who need to meet the Savior and Lord

Advent Devotional for November 30th First Sunday of Advent

He Gave His Word
Isaiah 11:1-11
The life-giving Spirit of GOD will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-GOD. – Isaiah 11:2 MSG

I still remember how disappointed I was when I discovered that my father was not perfect. I saw my father as God in my young life, one who never made mistakes. Even though I cannot recall the circumstances, I know that I was shocked and devastated.
However, that did not affect my love for my father. My dad always kept his word. I do not ever recall a time when my dad never followed through on a promise, whether it was a punishment for my bad choices or behavior, or rewards and accolades for good behavior. If my dad said he would do something for his family or a friend, he always followed through.
I must confess, along with many of us, that it is difficult to keep a promise like my father. In fact, our society seems to live on broken promises. Yet, we have God our Father who will never leave or forsake us, for “the life-giving Spirit of God will hover over [us].” That is the Spirit of a Promise-Keeping God.

Prayer: Dear God, help me to keep the promises I make to you and to others. May I learn to follow through. In Jesus name, Amen.

Thought for the Day
Where is God calling me to make and keep a promise today?

Prayer Focus: People who break promises

Doing Our Part in Obedience

Last week, Mitch Ward, presented to us our current financial situation, our budget for 2009, and some of the capital needs for the future. Mitch did a wonderful job with the presentation. Even though we are slightly in the red with our income vs. expenses, we still have all our obligations met. Thank you for stepping up your giving to help with the opportunity before us. In fact, I thank all of you for giving to our mission to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
However, I know our economy seems to be in a downturn and I realize that times are difficult. We seem to have less spending income in our pockets. I also know there are many obligations in our homes, with high utilities, registration fees for kid’s activities and sports, increasing food costs, car payments, mortgages, rent, and gasoline eating away at our household income. Unfortunately, some of us have even been laid off from work, and there is an immediate need for pulling the purse strings. It seems that we just can’t give as much as we would like because so much more is being spent for basic needs and wants. In fact, for some of us, our daily expenses have significantly reduced the leftover funds we intended for giving to others.
The words below are not for those who have their giving in order; God truly thanks those who follow His command on giving. It is interesting though, that many of us have our giving a bit backwards. God commands us to give our first fruits. Some of us have made poor choices financially or experienced a financial crisis that placed us in a situation of not being able to give as much as we would like or as God desires. Many times, out of fear or desperation, we end up giving our leftovers. But the fact is, we have a God who forgives us and calls us in faith to turn around from our disobedience and work each day toward giving our first fruits to God. Please listen to God’s promise in II Corinthians 9:6-15 (The Message):

Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a
lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and
make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob
stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving.
God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you're ready for
anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done. As
one psalmist puts it, He throws caution to the winds,
giving to the needy in reckless abandon.
His right-living, right-giving ways
never run out, never wear out.This most
generous God who gives seed to the farmer that becomes bread for your meals is
more than extravagant with you. He gives you something you can then give away,
which grows into full-formed lives, robust in God, wealthy in every way, so that
you can be generous in every way, producing with us great praise to God.
Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the
bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful
thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best,
showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of
the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings
to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone. Meanwhile, moved
by the extravagance of God in your lives, they'll respond by praying for you in
passionate intercession for whatever you need. Thank God for this gift, his
gift. No language can praise it enough!

May we cheer and shout Hallelujah; may we be exuberant and blessed in our living and in our giving; may we be excited how God smiles on us as we meet the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world.
Doing our part in cheerful obedience, Pastor Jack

Future and Hope

“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

This scripture is one that we see placarded in many places. It is very common to walk into a Christian bookstore and see novelties with this promise engraved on them. This scripture is one that truly reminds us that just as God knows the plans for the people, Israel, God knows the plans of welfare and a future with hope for each of us and for First United Methodist Church Whitesboro.

FUMC lives out this promise through several happenings:

• 
  We witnessed the love of Christ for our children during our celebration of Children’s Sabbath with Celia Whitler. We remembered our responsibility for nurturing God’s children, giving them a future with hope.
  
• This past Sunday we remembered those who passed on to glory in the previous year, when we celebrated All Saints Sunday. We remembered the legacy of friends and loved ones in the faith and remembered the plans of a future with hope God calls us to live out and pass on to others
  
• We will celebrate the ministry of the church in the past year, and make decisions for the future with hope that God calls FUMC. We gather this coming Sunday, November 9, 2008, during both services and Sunday School at our annual Church Conference. We will celebrate how God led us on his plan and where God’s plans will take us in the future.

The annual Church Conference is open to all persons who attend FUMC. Each full, professing member of FUMC may exercise their right to vote on reports and decisions brought before the body. Dr. Clara Reed, our new District Superintendent of the Sherman-McKinney District will preside over our conference.

For those of you not familiar with this process, each year the local congregation of the United Methodist Church meets to discuss what the church accomplished in mission and ministry in the past year, and provide the mission and vision of the church in the year(s) to come. Various program directors and coordinators will present this information to the conference during both worship services.

During the Sunday School hour, the administrative items are presented and/or voted on by the members of the church conference. The administrative items include presentation of the annual cost of ministry (budget); approval of pastor’s compensation report; approval of the Lay Leadership’s nomination report of leaders of the church; approval of continuance of Lay Speakers, and candidates for Ordained Ministry; first reading of members who are inactive and have not responded to contacts in regard to their continued membership; and other items deemed necessary. Dr. Clara will preside over the proceedings of the church conference.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, thank you for the people of First United Methodist Church, and for the opportunity to be in Christian conference through our annual Church Conference. May we discern your future with hope. May we pray together:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy
will be done, on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily
bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass
against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. Amen

Celia Whitler and Children's Sabbath

This Sunday God will bless us with the presence of Celia Whitler sharing her voice and life with us during both worship services. Her emphasis will be concerning Children’s Sabbath that we will celebrate. Children’s Sabbath is a time for us celebrate how God blessed us with children and how God calls us to bless and support our children, nurturing them in the loving care of a loving God. Celia and her acoustic guitarist, Will Dyer, will share the importance of good stewardship of God’s gift of children, the children of God.

During our time together, we will remember our responsibility to support children in mind, body, and soul. Through teaching and modeling God’s grace and love, God calls us to care about his children’s physical and emotional needs. Whether through Safe Sanctuary, meeting the children’s needs for food, clothing, and shelter, our call of God is to live out what Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:17).

In Matthew 6:19-24, the writer shares three teachings of Jesus during his Sermon on the Mount. The first is storing up treasure in heaven. Jesus does not explain how we go about this storing, but I would imagine one primary way is how we nurture the children in our families, community, and the world. The second is the proclamation that our eyes are the windows of our souls and the light of Christ enters and exits through them. This allows each of us to see through the eyes of Jesus Christ. Thus, how do we see our children through the eyes of Christ rather than our own? The third is we cannot serve to two masters. Thus, are we spinning wheels trying to serve two or more masters? If we serve one master, Jesus Christ, how does that affect our nurturing of our children?

Yes, these teachings of Jesus are stirring and challenging for each of us. As we come to celebrate Children’s Sabbath, may God challenge each of us to do our part to store up treasures in heaven through our children. O Lord, forgive us when we treat our children as possessions or interruptions in our lives. Forgive us when we place our welfare above theirs. Work within us and encourage us to see you through the eyes of your children. Amen

Grace and peace to all,

Pastor Jack

sorry

Funny thing happened at the office today. I had two people say, "I posted a comment to your blog but it was now responded to or published." Well, I didn't know I had to approve the comment for publishing...duh. So, I apologize for the difficulty. I just approved the two comments on the last blog entry. Thanks for your comments and make a great day in the Lord.

Jack

PS. A new post will arrive this evening.

Praying On Behalf of Others

Read: Matthew 6:5-15
“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:6b

I remember sitting in a Worship class in seminary. The class discussed the development of worship from the early church to the present. The professor had us discover the meaning of the architecture of sanctuaries. We discovered what the placement and design of the narthex, nave, and chancel area signified in our worship. For example, the item that was place central or forefront in the chancel area declared what was most important; such as if it was the pulpit, then preaching the Word was most important, if it was the Communion table or altar, then the sacrament of Holy Communion was most important, etc.

However, we also learned the importance of styles of worship. We United Methodists participate in what is known as a liturgical church. Liturgy means work of the people and in a United Methodist Church, we believe the emphasis is in the work of the people, their participation in worship; such as singing of hymns and spiritual songs, reading of acts of worship during Holy Communion, and praying prayers in unison.

When the professor led our discussion concerning the unison prayers, I balked in my mind saying, “I don’t know why we say the Lord’s Prayer in church each and every Sunday in worship. When you say it so much, you lose its meaning and power.”
I cannot recall if I posed that very question or some fellow seminarian did for others and me that day. I do remember the professor’s response that changed my heart and mindset concerning reciting the Lord’s Prayer in each service. Paraphrasing Dr. Faille he stated, “The reason we are to recite the Lord’s Prayer aloud and in unison is that there are always people in our pews who cannot say the Lord’s Prayer themselves. If we take seriously our mission as a liturgical church to reach out, then we recite the prayer on behalf of the one who does not know the prayer or the one, due to life situations, is unable to recite the prayer at that moment in life.”

Wow! What a transformation of my own heart and mind! It is a pleasure and honor to know that when I recite the Lord’s Prayer each Sunday with the people, that I am saying it for the child, youth, or a struggling mother, dad, or grandparent who is unable to pray. Furthermore, oh how wonderful it has been when the people said the prayer on behalf of me in my times of struggle, turmoil, or loneliness. In either case, the persons who pray the prayer, enter into their room, close the door, and pray to the Father on behalf of another. Therefore, our prayer is to the Father, in the name of Christ, is not so much for ourselves but rather on behalf of the people.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us to pray. May we enter into our closet now, close the door, and pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever.
Amen.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Jack

I guess attitude is everything.

Well, my friends, it is coming close to the time where Marlane and I travel to Whitesboro to serve the congregation of First United Methodist Church. The next few Sundays will be difficult for most us, whether Wylie UMC or Whitesboro FUMC or the pastors and their families who are moving.

As I reflect over the years we have been together, I discovered the river flowed and there was always white water, a symbol of movement. We are thankful for the movement of the water, though. As we shot the rapids together many feelings were felt by all, some good, some not so good; some excited, some worried.

Yet, the rapids were the rapids.and so it is for the way of life. If there is movement of the water, the river, there is life. Attitude makes a difference in the ride down the river of life. One of our staff shared this quote from Chuck Swindoll that says this well:

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

Charles R. Swindoll

Philippians 4:4-8 says a similar message...please read it today. As we are in transition as a church family and pastors may we all take "charge of our Attitudes." "Think on these things" my friends. Forgive us Lord, for those times when our attitude hasn't been what you want it to be. Let's shoot the rapids.

Grace and peace,

Jack