Devotional 11-18-16

New Beginnings

Colossians 1:11-20   (CEB)
... by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; ¹² and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. ¹³ He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. ¹⁴ He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins.

Hymn about Christ’s work
¹⁵  The Son is the image of the invisible God,
        the one who is first over all creation,
¹⁶  Because all things were created by him:
        both in the heavens and on the earth,
        the things that are visible and the things that are invisible.
            Whether they are thrones or powers,
            or rulers or authorities,
        all things were created through him and for him.
¹⁷  He existed before all things,
        and all things are held together in him.
¹⁸ He is the head of the body, the church,
who is the beginning,
        the one who is firstborn from among the dead
        so that he might occupy the first place in everything.
¹⁹  Because all the fullness of God was pleased to live in him,
²⁰         and he reconciled all things to himself through him—
        whether things on earth or in the heavens.
            He brought peace through the blood of his cross.

This is a time of new beginnings for our church, you the church, at Johnson Memorial UMC.  Eleven months, Dec. 27, 2015, many received a message that the church building had been struck by a fire.  Although the fire was quickly contained with minimal structural damage, blackness filled the whole building with soot.  We all felt some sort of blackness that day.  Where would we worship, how long before we could get into our beautiful sanctuary or even use the building on a daily basis?  Our prayers were answered and we, the church, were able to have function and worship the following week in JM.

The restorations have taken months but through the glory of God we celebrated our new beginning this past Sunday.

I don’t know how you heard the first choir anthem this week, “For the Beauty of the Earth”, but I heard a choir of angels descending but upon JM.  Wrapping us, the church, in Glory and letting us know that it is a time of new beginnings for us, the church, at JM.  Not only a revised space but with new leadership, by Rev. Deane and a revival in our mission to the community, not only in JM, but to all those around JM.

As in Col 1:13 He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.  And verse 20 “and he reconciled all things to himself through him— whether things on earth or in the heavens.  He brought peace through the blood of his cross.”

We are reconciled to Jesus Christ to be the church for all!

This is a time of new beginnings at Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church.  A time to LOOK FORWARD and not back.

God Bless all in moving forward together as the CHURCH!!!
Fred Herr

Devotional 11-11-16

Reset Your Gratitude Meter
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Written by Daniel Darling, pastor and author

www.crosswalk.com

What are you thankful for? We gather, every year at this time, to reflect on the blessings of God over the past year. But in most families, Thanksgiving is less about real gratitude and more about stuffing your face, watching football, and hanging with the family. Some actually dread Thanksgiving, because they're forced to sit in a room with people they really don't enjoy. 

Now I'm all in favor of the food and the football. But this year, let's make Thanksgiving about giving and about thanks. This year, more than any, might force us to dig deeper. For many, it will mark a year since they've had employment. For others, Thanksgiving will bring another reminder that they haven't found that significant other. And there are those couples who have to face the family questions of why they still don’t have children. 

For many, this was a year marked by pain. So how do we summon the gratitude? Well, if you're a Christian, your basis is not your circumstances, but something greater. Paul tells the people of Thessalonica that they could "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ."

In other words, followers of Christ believe that hardship is a grace gift from the Lord, sent for their growth, sanctification, and further intimacy with the Almighty. We don't believe we're here on this earth all alone. We believe God is firmly in charge. Though life may get hard--and it does--it all falls under God's sovereign will. And so we give thanks. 

As Americans, we really have cause for gratitude. I have to periodically remind myself of this and remind my family. We so easily get caught up in the easy lust for more stuff. Bigger house, nicer car, better clothes, newest gadgets. But then I remember my travels to third world countries, where I've seen real poverty--and real gratitude on the part of the Christians there. 

Tonight, my kids will go to bed with full stomachs. They'll have a roof over their heads. They will have two parents in the next room. They will ride in a nice car. They will have a future that includes a good education. All of those are things most kids in the world don't have. And so, they should be grateful. 

Let's not sit around the table carping about the election, complaining about our job status, whining about injustices from friends. Let's instead reset our gratitude meters and offer genuine, heartfelt thanks to God. For salvation in Christ. For His daily care. And for friends and family He graciously provides. Oh, and for wives that allow us to stuff our faces and watch football.

Provided by Diane Feaganes

Devotional 11-4-16

In my latest of edition of Readers Digest there is an excepted chapter from a book by Bob Odenkirk's book "A Load of Hooey" entitled, "How to Pick a Tatoo".

One of the first things Mr Odenkirk's emphasizes is three things:
1. Do not be in a hurry.
2. Do not be drunk.
3. Do not be drunk and in a hurry.

Tattoos are everywhere these days.  It's art and I get that.  I suppose there is a lot self expression in that art. 

They do have the ability to let people know how you feel about things but they are pretty much forever.  I am sure that errors in judgement or spelling can be most humbling.

I really appreciate the tattoos in people's lives that are not quite as physically visible.  The lives that bear the mark of life spent doing the right things and in service to Christ are the ones that mean the most to me.  I see those whenever I am at church and see the folks that are there.  Those are the most impactful works of art I see.  And that ink never fades.  It's eternal.

Mike Bowen