RDear Friends in Christ-
Psalm 119:1-8 begins as a blessing and reminder to those who seek God and keep God’s commandments. In verses 5-8, the psalmist turns to their own personal petition, that they might keep to God’s ways, and that God would not forsake them. They long to be faithful and to praise God, and pray that they might stay true to God’s ways. Psalms 119:1-8 NIV Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. ~What does it mean to you to stay true to God's ways, especially in light of this concept?: "They long to be faithful and to praise God, and pray that they might stay true to God’s ways." Do you resemble this remark? How? Think in specifics...pray...share... Please don't rush an answer. Be blessed, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Dear Friends in Christ-
As part of Moses’s final instructions to the Israelites before they enter the promised land, knowing he will not go with them, Moses reminds the people they have a choice to ma. The prophet and leader lays it out for them in Deuteronomy 30:15-20. God has been faithful, but will they be faithful to God? If they follow God’s ways and keep to the commandments and instruction given them, it shall go well with them. However, if they choose to follow other gods and are led astray, they will not make it long. Moses implores them to choose life, to choose the way of God, so they might survive as a community and remember how God was faithful to their ancestors. God’s faithfulness will endure with them. Deuteronomy 30:15-20 New International Version 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Have you given consideration to God’s faithfulness? Moses lays it out for the people in his final instructions. They need to make a choice. Their choices will determine the blessings and curses they will face in their "Promised Land." Our daily choices draw us closer or away from our faithful God, in and out of a fruitful life. What insights do you discern from Deut. 30? What questions arise? Be blessed, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Dear Friends in Christ-
The Gospel lesson continues the Sermon on the Mount, which was part of the Narrative Lectionary selection on January 22nd. Jesus continues to teach the disciples and the crowds. Be the salt of the earth—be foundational, needed to others. Be the light of the world so that all people can see what God is doing in your life. Jesus concludes this section by sharing that he didn’t come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. They are to keep and hold the commandments, all of the teachings of the Torah and prophets before them—in essence, the entire Bible that they knew. They needed to be even greater in righteousness than their current teachers. Striving for the reign of God, to live rightly before God, is a way of life. Matthew 5:13-20, New International Version Salt and Light 13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. The Fulfillment of the Law 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. On this chilly day, it's good to think...pray...share... on: "Be the salt of the earth—be foundational, needed to others. Be the light of the world so that all people can see what God is doing in your life." How's the effort? Concrete examples? Goals for the new year to be "salt" & "light"? Questions to bring to worship tomorrow? Be blessed in the effort, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Revised Common Lectionary: Isaiah 58:1-9a (9b-12); Psalm 112:1-9 (10); ♡1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (13-16); Matthew 5:13-20
Dear Friends in Christ- The Epistle reading continues its series in 1 Corinthians, moving to chapter two. In verses 1-12, Paul shares how when he first came to the church in Corinth, he came out of humility. It was the Spirit that convinced them of Christ, not his own words—he only came to make known Jesus Christ, and that he was crucified. Faith must not rely on human wisdom, but on the power of God. It is the Spirit of God that makes God known, not their own words, for it is the Spirit that reveals. Verses 13-16 explain that those who do not have the Spirit do not understand the spiritual gifts of God. Those who are spiritual have the mind of Christ, and are the ones instructed to teach others. Paul’s main argument is that the Corinthians are still arguing over who is greatest using the wisdom and understanding of the world, instead of seeking the mind of Christ to discern the gifts of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, New International Version 2 And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit 6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”-- the things God has prepared for those who love him-- 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. Receiving the Spirit opens up the Spiritual World, and helps us move away from the spirits of this world. Then the priceless truth of the Kin-dom makes sense: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”-- the things God has prepared for those who love Him-- So the obvious question, how does this truth inform your faith? Be blessed, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< Dear Friends in Christ-
Psalm 112:1-9 is a song of blessing for those who are faithful to God’s ways. They will always have an abundance to share out of generosity and their future generations will know their blessings. They fear no evil and stay firm in God’s ways. The faithful are secure in God, and their righteousness endures forever, for they act with justice and give freely to those in need. Verse 10 shows that those who are angry and desire the things that others have are wicked, and will “gnash their teeth.” In other words, they will know the pang of loss because they can only perceive what they do not have. Psalm 112:1-9 New International Version 1 Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. 2 Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. 4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. 7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. 8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor. "Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous." I have a faithful suggestion, that we devote the month of February to positive expressions of trust in the Lord’s righteousness. What does that effort look like for you? Be blessed in the effort, P Jim ♥️⚓️ ♡Special thanks to Rev. Mindi, workingpreacher, Hope for the Broken Hearted and/or Star Bright Angels for their contribution to this effort of Daily Prayer and Study. All scripture is taken from the Revised Common Lectionary and, unless otherwise indicated, from the New International Version of the Bible. The intent of this effort is to inform our faith and grow closer to God, while preparing for next Sunday's Worship. ~James 4:8 <x>< |
ZOOM WORSHIP SERVICE
SUNDAY @ 11 AM To join by phone, dial (929) 205-6099 and enter the meeting ID and password below: Meeting ID: 876 1875 9099 Password 333 PrayerGracious Loving Lord, please keep all of your children safe in these trying times. Guide us. Open our ears to hear, our eyes to see, our minds to understand and our hearts to know and be your love to others. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen. Want to support RLUMC and our missions? Donate Today
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September 2023
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