James 1 – Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger

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James 1 – Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger

The key to fully appreciating James’ urge for us to be slow to anger is being able to first recognize our emotions and the emotions around us and then understand how everyone’s feelings are responses to our environment. Wrapping that in prayerful conversations with God can lead us to managing our anger (and other emotions) so that we’re motivated in a positive way to fulfill what James calls the purest definition of religion: caring for the most vulnerable people in our society (in his case, widows and orphans).

How can our anger at social injustices motivate us to be quick to listen to the needs of our community, to the cries of the vulnerable? How can we then speak out for their needs?

By listening quickly, speaking slowly, and acting with great compassion, we can be God’s loving, transformative presence for our community.

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Pentecost, God Within and Among Us – Acts 2:1-12

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Pentecost, God Within and Among Us – Acts 2:1-12

Pentecost is about seeing God’s presence in our lives. As you start each day, ask God to help you notice the Holy Spirit in and around you. If it helps, ask God to help you see the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). And when you think you’ve seen, heard, or felt God, tell someone so we can celebrate with you!

By recognizing Pentecost-type moments in our lives, we open ourselves to experiencing a deeper personal relationship with God. And the fruit of that will be more love, more joy, and more peace in ourselves, in our homes, and in our community.

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A Radical Change of Thought and Life – Luke 24:28-53

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A Radical Change of Thought and Life – Luke 24:28-53

In Luke’s story, Jesus tells us what He wants us to do in 24:47: “a radical change of thought and life should be proclaimed, and that in His name the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed…”. But what does it means to proclaim in the sense of sharing our faith and/or faith experiences with others? People of ALL ages can proclaim their faith in numerous ways, perhaps most importantly in how we treat others.

And just what are we supposed to be proclaiming? The Voice translation offers us wording that beautifully conveys what repentance means: “a radical change of thought and life.” What radical changes in your life can you proclaim with joy?

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Go! I Will Always Be With You – Matthew 28:8-10, 16-20

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Go! I Will Always Be With You – Matthew 28:8-10, 16-20

Several questions are worth pondering as we seek to be better disciples of our faith’s beliefs and values.

  • Who are we following – both religious and non-religious – and what are we learning from them?

  • Who are we leading and what are we teaching them?

  • How can we be better students and teachers of the Good News of God’s love?

Much like Jesus’ disciples, the Kingdom of God is filled with people from all backgrounds. Let’s work on inviting others to walk with us in this unique and amazing community as we all learn and grow together.

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Virtue #3: Flourishing Churches Love the Local – Nehemiah 2, 4, and 6

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Virtue #3: Flourishing Churches Love the Local – Nehemiah 2, 4, and 6

Our buildings and our relationships with God, with ourselves, and with each other require regular maintenance. While the ancient Israelites needed to build walls to ensure their safety, today we need to continue the Methodist tradition of social justice work that tears down walls of prejudice and phobias that lead to fear, exclusion, and oppression.

If we look at the success of our own HOPE Food Pantry as well as how that success has led to new connections, new relationships, and new opportunities, I think you can all agree, “Only one possible conclusion can be drawn... God has been working beside us all along.” God continues miraculously working beside us as we share with others what it means to be part of the Kingdom of God, part of the family we love, the family we call our church.

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1 Samuel 17 – David and Goliath

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1 Samuel 17 – David and Goliath

David used the word “rescued” several times in today’s story.
The God who rescued the Israelites from Egyptian slavery can and does rescue us.
The God who rescued Daniel from the lions’ den can and does rescue us.
The God who rescued David from a terrifying opponent can and does rescue us.
The God who rescued Jesus from the powers of death can and does rescue us.

Thank God, we have been rescued, we are being rescued, and we will be rescued in our future. Knowing this, we can confidently step into God’s leading with David’s youthful boldness, the same boldness which enabled him to overcome his problems – and his failures – and lead his people into greatness. Embracing such bold faith will enable us to lead ourselves, our neighborhoods, and our communities into moments and places reflective of God’s Kingdom.

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Esther 4:13-17 – Esther’s Call Story

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Esther 4:13-17 – Esther’s Call Story

Esther saved an entire community of Jews because 1) she was sensitive to God’s leading and 2) after much prayer and fasting, she was willing to risk her title, her status, and even her life to speak for and defend people unable to speak for and defend themselves. Following God’s call was not “safe” for Esther, but she trusted her faith and her loving Creator.

Esther’s story pushes us in several ways. I encourage you to spend this week thinking about her story and how you connect with it. Think about how God has blessed you with resources, with skills and abilities, as well as with the relationships and influence you have with others. Even if you don’t audibly hear God’s voice, how is God leading you, calling you, to use these skills and resources to benefit others?

Using who we are and what we have to bless others is the work of being the hands and feet of Jesus; it is the work of building the Kingdom of God in our homes and in our community.

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Mark 6:30-44 – Driven by Compassion

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Mark 6:30-44 – Driven by Compassion

Jesus’ overwhelming compassion for others was a core, driving element of His entire ministry. To those who came to Him with sincere hearts, He always responded with open arms, endless mercy, and unexpected generosity. If we allow ourselves to receive God’s embrace, compassion, and generosity, our lives will be forever changed. If we in turn offer the same to others, both our lives and theirs will be changed all the more.
This is the interactive, hands-on dynamic of God’s Kingdom. And this is how we change lives.

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Accepting God’s Invitations – Mark 1:16-20

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Accepting God’s Invitations – Mark 1:16-20

When God calls us, it’s an invitation to become a more active participant with God as we, together, strive to live into Jesus’ command for us to love God, love ourselves, and love each other (Matthew 22:34-40). Every time we answer yes to God, we grow the Kingdom of God in our hearts and in our communities. In the coming days and weeks, I encourage each of you to pray, “Lord, I am available and willing. What do you have in mind for me?” With that as our prayer and God as our partner, our future is filled with incredible possibilities!

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A House of Prayer – Matthew 21:12-17

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A House of Prayer – Matthew 21:12-17

If we focus on prayer, if we build our individual and collective prayer muscles, I am convinced that God will use our greater strengths to accomplish great works of healing in us and through us.

Let Susanville UMC be called a house of prayer! Let the blind and lame come to us! And let God’s mighty Spirit flow through us as we seek to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community!

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Leadership Jesus’ Way – Matthew 20:17-28

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Leadership Jesus’ Way – Matthew 20:17-28

Jesus tells his disciples then, and us today, “Here’s how you lead: by serving others.” When we tackle a situation by asking, “What would Jesus do?” we open ourselves to following the leadership examples of God in the flesh. We have to work at understanding the concepts of Jesus’ words and actions and determine how we can apply those concepts to our own modern situations.

Jesus looked for God’s leading and followed it. God continues inviting us, drawing us, luring us into opportunities for us to lead our families and our community. By following God’s lead, we can truly be the light of God’s love, piercing the darkness, shining for all to see. The best question we can ask each day is, “Lord, what can I do for you?” and then respond with faith, hope, and love.

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