“The Bible seeks to catch our lives up in a grand adventure, a great saga of God’s dealing with humanity – a saga begun in God’s journey with Israel, continued in the surprising call of God even unto Gentiles. The church is the product of that story.” – William Willimon, Shaped by the Bible The […]
There comes a moment in everyone’s life when we feel our back’s up against the wall, something has got to be done and God seems silent. We pray, we plead, we promise and we prostrate ourselves in the hopes that God will take away the pressure. The History of the Bible is filled with such […]
Waiting on God: How to Trust in God’s Timing Have you ever been in a situation when you have been waiting on God? Maybe you have been waiting for healing, for a new home, a job, or some other kind of change that you desperately need. We’re all at some time or another in a season […]
We as a people are defined by what we believe, what we profess and what we act upon. In the United States “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” I would take almost two centuries for us to figure out what that really meant. When we consider what it […]
Imagine standing before a judge in court about to be sentenced for your crimes or for a debt you owe. In the back of the court room stand your wife and children who are dependent upon you for their survival shivering in fear for the life they must now endure. Your sentence will profoundly affect […]
The Purpose of the Parables “Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” (v. 17). – Matthew 13:12–17 What is the purpose of parables? Jesus tells us in Matthew 15:12–15 that He speaks in parables […]
Would you describe yourself as a Dog Person or a Cat person? A Dog person looks at life and says, “you feed me, you care for me, you play with me and make me feel loved… YOU must be God.” A Cat person looks at life and says, “you feed me, you care for me, […]
Hope is much more than wishful thinking or having a “Polly Anna” attitude about everything. Hope is certainly realistic about the problems and pitfalls of life, but it isn’t overwhelmed by them. Hope has a healing quality about it that suffers pain like everyone else, but has a confidence that the day always follows the […]
Jesus is on a mission. He’s turned his face toward Jerusalem and knows there is a destiny with death that lies before him. On his way, just outside of Jerusalem, he stops at the home of his dearest friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. If you’re not familiar with the details of the story, I encourage […]
“I close my eyes, only for a moment and the moment’s gone. All my dreams, pass before my eyes, a curiosity. Dust in the wind, all they are is dust in the wind.” [Dust in the Wind” by Kansas, 1978] As a Christian I don’t share the hollow despair of “Dust in the Wind,” yet […]
If life isn’t about money, then why does it cause so many problems. A recent survey the Barna Research Group found that 54% of Non-Christians and 51% of Christians believe the MONEY is the main symbol for determining a successful life. In Paul’s letter to pastor Timothy, he speaks about the temptation, the […]
The story of the Magi travelling to Bethlehem has value for us today for several reasons. (1) it reminds us that the birth of Jesus is for Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female. The Magi represent the inclusion of the whole world. (2) To those who seek find, to those who knock […]
God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:12 “The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. And that’s what you’ve given me. That’s what I’d hoped to give you […]
thanksgiving is a special time for me and my family. It connects us in a spiritual way and speaks to us of a deeper reality than the Pilgrims, turkey or cherry pie can even begin to capture. I suspect if we only looked at Thanksgiving as a feast of mega proportion and fuel for […]
The time for Joy is now. As a third-century man was anticipating death, he penned these last words to a friend: “It’s a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which […]
What could be more valuable than gathering and passing along all of the knowledge and wisdom you’ve acquired over your lifetime? Imagine how powerful it would be for every coming generation to learn from each impactful thought and critical decision you’ve made in your lifetime. Imagine how redeeming it would be to transform each stumble and […]
Sometimes storms simply come out of nowhere. No matter how much we plan, prepare or protect what we love, storms are unpredictable and sometimes devastating. They clear away all the false beliefs we cling to, useless possessions that define us, or priorities that are powerless to give life real meaning or significance. Storms reveal that life […]
When we ask ourselves that basic of all questions, “What am I doing here” we judge the responses based on our instinctive desire to find joy. For example, if I say I’m here to work and build a comfortable life for myself, that answer is evaluated by this standard – “ok, but will that bring […]
For the most part we already know the basics of the Easter story. What I mean is we know the timeline. Palm Sunday is followed by the Lord’s Supper (although we may not call it Maundy Thursday or know that it is derived from the Latin “mandatum” for command. Check out John 13:34 to see […]
In the midst of hectic life, it’s easy to get lost. We rise to the top of our profession to realize we were climbing the wrong ladder. God, what happened? How did my life end up like this? Where is the peace that passes all understanding? Where am I, can someone help me, please? When […]
When we became Christians we entered a process in which the life of Christ became the air we breathe, the blood which courses through our veins and the wisdom that guides our thoughts and actions. To know what the next step is in our spiritual growth, we must first know where we are and where […]
“At that time Jesus said, I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.” Matthew 11:25-26 When we get past all the frenzy of the Christmas experience, what’s left with the nagging […]
We all have them, family members that cling desperately to the family tree you’re just positive dropped from a high branch at one time or another. We all have those crazy uncles, aunts or cousins that we just don’t talk about much, but you know they’re part of your gene pool. And if you can’t […]
We must never loose sight of the fact that God engaged Mary and Joseph in a life story they did not fully understand, after all who could understand what God was up to when He decides to use an unwed teenage girl to give birth out of wedlock. It is nothing less than… Scandalous! I’m […]
Our expectations are critical in giving us goals and standards for which to strive. Yet we can also be blinded by our expectations too! Each Year we prepare for Christmas with a flurry of activity, partly due to fear, guilt and competition to have the best dinner party, find the best gift or have the […]
Generosity is a matter of Action, Intention and Heart. It is reorienting my perspective on what life is means and what God is doing through my life. Generosity is natural response to God’s Love in Christ. Scripture Verse: Mark 10:17-23 Download our 2011 FUMC Stewardship Pledge Form Sermon Notes “Satisfying Our Hunger for God” Lord, How […]
A great deal of our culture and lifestyle is driven by Greed. Greed in our world is a very strong desire and is changes who we are! And you know what? It’s always been like that, since the beginning of time. Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus was teaching to a crowd of people who were following […]
“God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will […]
2011 State of the Church Address [slideshare id=9928062&w=425&h=355&sc=no] View more presentations from steve4040 Related posts: 2011 State of the Church Address Good News for Ladder People – Easter 2011 2011 Annual Report Love Forgives – Sermon Slides
Worship 10.23.11 40 days of love wk 4 [slideshare id=9912254&w=425&h=355&sc=no] View more presentations from steve4040 Sermon Audio Early service Related posts: Love Forgives Love is Patient, Love is Kind Love Matters Most Doctrine of Hell Sermon Slides
40 Days of Love, Week 4 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1 Discipleship – When we change the way we think, then it’ll change the way we feel and it will change our behavior. Sometimes we think we can change others, but we can’t. However, we can change ourselves. Look what happens to an […]
40 Days of Love, Week 2 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1 You can’t fully understand how to love other people until first you understand how much God loves you. You cannot offer to other people what you don’t possess yourself. You can’t be gracious to others if you haven’t felt God’s grace. You […]
40 Days of Love, Week 1 “Let LOVE be your Highest Goal!” 1 Corinthians 14:1 So often, love is seen as an uncontrollable event, like something you “fall” into or fall out of. But love is a choice, a commitment and the greatest challenge of your life. We need HELP! We need Divine intervention, we need God. The […]
Week of September 11, 2011 On September 11, 2001 we experienced evil on a scale never imagined. Thousands died, 10s of thousands more were left to grieve over the loss of a parent, child, spouse or friend. This Sunday we remember the 9/11 Tragedy and rededicate ourselves to confront evil in our world with truth, […]
To what extent are we a Christian community? According to William Willimon, Bishop of the Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church, We are Christian to the extent that we conform to and are confronted by the Word of God. In Romans 12, Paul advises his readers not to be conformed to the pattern of […]
August 17, 2011 Full Service Text Mahlon Fauss Funeral Bulletin Bulletin for Mahlon Fauss Sermon Text Matthew 11:25-30 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your […]
Week of May 1, 2011 One of the first ways you can celebrate your new relationship with God is to be baptized in water because this act of faith is important to Him. There are four key reasons to be baptized in water after you have become rightly relationship to God through His gift […]
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can.” John Wesley “Directly opposite to this [the approach of the desert mystics] […]
July 17, 2011 We drastically underestimate the power of sin. Sin, by its nature, hides itself. It crouches at your door; it always looks smaller than it is. Your sins are not done with you when you think you are done with them. But there is hope in the gospel. Why do we […]
Week of July 10, 2011 Sin is more than just an action to be avoided, it is a power that is released in our lives that continues to enslave and choke the life out of us. In this passage from Number, God’s people are addicted to the pleasures of Egypt even though they hate the […]
What follows is a collection of quotes on the subject of Sin, Addiction, and God’s reaction through the work of Jesus Christ. These quote and ideas were used in a sermon Series “Breaking Free” presented at First United Methodist Church on July 10 & 17, 2011 and are currently available on line for listening and […]
Week of July 3, 2011 As Christians we have an obligation to pass on those values and beliefs to the next generation. As a church I hope we can pass along to our children these key values Christ Centered / Kingdom Focused / Mission Minded. Scripture Verse Deuteronomy 6:20-25 Sermon Slides worship 07.03.11 Christian Independence […]
Week of June 26, 2011 We drastically underestimate the power of sin. Sin, by its nature, hides itself. It crouches at your door; it always looks smaller than it is. Your sins are not done with you when you think you are done with them. But there is hope in the gospel. Scripture Verse Genesis […]
Week of June 19, 201 We drastically underestimate the power of sin. Sin, by its nature, hides itself. It crouches at your door; it always looks smaller than it is. Your sins are not done with you when you think you are done with them. But there is hope in the gospel. Scripture Verse Genesis […]
Regardless of what anyone says, life is messy and we all have messes in our lives. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either in denial and/or a liar. Sometimes the mess is one of our own making through something we did or didn’t do, said or didn’t say. Other times we are thrust into the […]
Regardless of what anyone says, life is messy and we all have messes in our lives. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either in denial and/or a liar. Sometimes the mess is one of our own making through something we did or didn’t do, said or didn’t say. Other times we are thrust into the […]
Regardless of what anyone says, life is messy and we all have messes in our lives. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either in denial and/or a liar. Sometimes the mess is one of our own making through something we did or didn’t do, said or didn’t say. Other times we are thrust into the […]
What’s it like to run from God and encounter a Whale? Did it really happen or is this just another fish story? Can you believe the Bible? Well I’m glad you asked… Mt 12: Jesus said it happened (Jonah swallowed by a great fish) A few facts about Blue Whales (I’m not suggesting it was […]
Sermon Notes for July 25, 2010, see www.sermon.net/First_Church Igniting a Passion for Christ and His Church n Prayer plows the Hard Ground of a contented Parched – a crisis leave us dry, barren and alone. Weed-infested – the pace of life grows things we never intended Fallow – without use, we can forget that our […]
This is God’s Word for my life in this place and at this time. Today, I am a new creation in Christ, I am God’s very own, and I believe He has a purpose for my life. Matthew 7:24-29 (NIV) Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a […]