We often think of the fruit of the Spirit as a list of beautiful qualities to pursue, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. But the final one, self-control, may be the most empowering of them all, because it enables us to live out the others.
What a great image the writer of this wisdom saying paints for us! The life of a person without self control lies in ruins. Imagine living during the time when Jerusalem was under attack by enemy armies. The people sought safety and protection behind the strong, fortified walls
built by King Solomon.
Let us set the stage for today’s scripture reading: Mark 1 verse 1 begins with the words “The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, happened just as it was written about in the prophecy of Isaiah….” These words were eventually written and read, and through the months and years
Even on my worst days, life is really good. All credit goes to God for that.
Have you ever been overwhelmed with gratitude by an act of grace?
ALL have sinned and fallen short, but ALL are treated as righteous by God’s Grace. Really, what more is there to say? It is what it is – it is that simple! We are all sinners, but we are all healed by Grace, and we are all saints if we only choose to accept it. So, I could end this devotion right here, but oh, we are human though, aren’t we?
No one likes being told they’re wrong. Whether it comes from a spouse, a sibling, a friend, or a colleague, correction is uncomfortable. Most of us never learned how to receive it without becoming defensive. Our first instinct is to push back – sometimes loudly and angrily.
A statement from Joe’s sermon this past Sunday that has stayed with me, is that “we cannot out-sin the grace of the cross.”
Have you ever felt hopeless and unheard? Like no one sees what you give or how much it costs you to keep showing up? Like you are giving your best, but somehow it is still not enough to matter?
Peter’s question reveals something deeply human: our desire to place limits on grace. In ancient Jewish culture, forgiving three times was often seen as generous. So when Peter offered “seven times,” he probably thought he was going above and beyond.
What would a parent not do to have their child healed from a devastating illness? In today’s story from Matthew, Jesus and his disciples have travelled into the Gentile occupied area between Tyre and Sidon. A “Canaanite woman” takes to the streets shouting after Jesus, “Show me mercy, Son of David.
I have to laugh when I read that Jesus said, “this is a new commandment.” This is NOT a new commandment! It is the very epicenter of Love One Another. Both the Old and the New Testaments refer to how we should treat others. As a Jewish boy, we believe that Jesus went to worship with his parents
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
