Throughout the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) evil doers and idolaters are understood to be punished by the Lord for being disobedient, despite the covenant that God made with God’s people. Any struggles the Hebrew people suffered were understood to be “teachable moments” inflicted by God. This is a primary difference between the Old and New Testaments.
As we come to the close of our devotional questions for the series on SEEKING, our last reflection is this: “How will you know when you have found what you are looking for?” There is no single, easy answer to that very personal question, but today’s scripture can enlighten us.
The question posed for today’s devotional is “What is something you’d like to ask God’s help with? I recently encountered my own life-threatening situation requiring God’s intervention for which I shout “Hosanna!” Footnotes to this passage remind us that the petition “Hosanna” “Save Us” was not only shouted by the crowds on “Palm Sunday”
There are approximately 30 mentions of “thirst” in the Bible. Sometimes it is literally being physically thirsty, as when Jesus suffers on the cross and cries out “I thirst.” However, “thirst” is used more often metaphorically to represent a deep spiritual longing particularly for God’s grace, as exemplified in Jesus’ words and actions,
The subject for this week, the first week in Lent, is “whose voices matter in our lives?” For today our focus is specifically “what voices are harmful to you?” My immediate response is “words that are judgmental” or as the CEB translates this verse “foul words.” I am totally offended by comments that are judgmental, especially those words that attack another’s
The theme for worship at Medford UMC this past Sunday was “The Secret of Contentment.” Today’s scripture reflects that theme as well. This verse is what we commonly call an “if-then” or a “conditional” statement. We cannot have one thing without the other. It is a logical grammatical construction that expresses a relationship between two ideas,
When Joseph had been taken down to Egypt, Potiphar, Pharaoh’s chief officer, the commander of the royal guard and an Egyptian, purchased him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man and served in his Egyptian master’s household.
As I listened to Pastor Joe’s sermon on Sunday about being overwhelmed by a desire to control, I immediately thought of the phrase “Let Go and Let God.” Sure enough, he said that phrase a few moments later in his message. He conjured up an image for me as a young adult.
Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth is one of his first attempts at verbalizing his theology, his understanding of God, and what some 300 years later became known as “Trinitarian theology” (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Gifts of the Spirit is Paul’s attempt at describing the awesome and amazing Lord at work within the community.
As I began reflecting on this passage, I looked at the background of the Book of Proverbs to clarify its purpose and origins. It is part of the wisdom literature in the Old Testament, and it is believed to have been written over centuries. Imagine the amazing amount of wisdom gathered from the time of King Solomon
This passage from the prophet known as Isaiah imagines a future that will bring a peace that is almost incomprehensible. Verses 1-5 and 10 focus on the emergence of a leader who is distantly related to King David; one who will bring peace to humankind. Verses 6-9 paints a word picture
Collect the food and drink you’ll need for a seven-day celebration and then REJOICE! That sounds like quite the party to thank the Lord. And don’t forget to invite all your family, friends, as well as strangers such as immigrants, widows and orphans. If you are like me, you probably have countless memories of Thanksgiving celebrations.
Together we can turn the nation’s largest weekend of football into the largest weekend of giving. Youth group members will be collecting monetary donations at each service this Sunday and will then send the donation to the Turning Point United Methodist Food Pantry in Trenton. Your generosity will be very much appreciated. The link below will take you to our PushPay system. You can select “Give One Time” then use the Fund Selector to choose “Souper Bowl of Caring.”
PEDAL for PROMISE – SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019: Medford United Methodist is fielding a team for the Urban Promise fundraiser “Pedal for Promise.” This year the ride begins and ends at Valenzano Winery in Shamong. You can register to ride, make a donation to the team or register as a spectator to enjoy the party and cheer on our team.
Go to urbanpromiseusa.org/pedal for more information about the event, to donate, or to register as an individual. OR you can go directly to the TEAM MEDFORD UMC page at www.crowdrise.com/team-medford-umc.
Questions or need help? Speak with Pastor Kathleen, Wayne Richards, or Heidi and Mike Polhemus
