Devotional 3-31-11

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:19-20

Back in the early 80’s, Carla and I went to Florida to bring my mother north for the summer. She told us she had just gotten back from the doctor, and he found a spot on her lung. We ended up sending her to my brother’s home in Cleveland for treatment of cancer. Within three months, it took her life. She had expressed a desire earlier, to have her minister from Florida perform her serve is she died. My brother was returning from a business trip when he got the news she had passed away. He called from the airport to the Methodist Church in Florida, but they told him the minister had left for vacation, and there was no way they could get in touch with him. He had mentioned our mother’s name to the woman on the phone, and a man at the airport stopped behind him. When Jim hung up, the man said, “I have a Velma Traxler in my church in Florida.”

You can guess who this was. We were so blessed for him to perform the service for our mother.

Do you doubt that God works in mysterious ways?

John Traxler

Devotional 3-30-11

Banana Fever

J. D. Salinger wrote “ A perfect Day for Bananafish” in 1948. It was the first in a series of short stories about the Glass Family. Seymour is the main character. He and his wife are on vacation at a beach in Florida. His wife is talking on the phone with her mother about nothings so Seymour leaves the room to go to the beach. Seymour is a veteran of World War II and the conversation of Muriel, his wife, seems too trite to him. He meets a young girl at the beach. Seymour tells the girl about bananafish. The fish never know when to stop eating so they get bigger and bigger until they burst. Then Seymour goes back to the room and shoots himself in the temple.

The story is still well known because of its abrupt ending. Why did Seymour kill himself? We are given enough background in the story to know that Seymour had previously attempted to kill himself. Some interpretations say that he was suffering from mental problems associated with the war. There are many different interpretations that we find over the years. Salinger died a recluse at 91 in 2010. One interpretation reminds us that life is more important than fancy clothes, cars, and houses. Muriel was discussing clothing on the phone with her mother.

When I taught this story, we discussed the problems in the world. We become like the bananafish. We begin to “own” hungry children’s plight, earthquake victim’s situation, tsunami in Japan, 911 and other such global problems. Some of us become like the bananafish so we get bigger and bigger. This becomes the fever. How do we deal with this? Certainly, we do not want to do as Seymour did. We can contribute to different charities and web sites. Some of us become frustrated with others because they do not act as we think they should. We keep hoping and thinking that we should be responsible for changing others to no avail. This is another aspect of banana fever. What else can we do?

We can place ourselves at the feet of our heavenly father. He is our protector, He is our salvation. He gives us permission to LEAN ON HIM. Instead of getting bigger and bigger as the bananafish, we can help but not own by letting Him bear the burden for us. As we approach the Easter season, we must remember that He died on the cross for all of us. We must have faith that He will help us carry life’s problems until they become as light as gossamer angel wings.

Let us pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Grant us the wisdom to know that we do not have to carry the world on our shoulders but to lean on You to help us deal with life’s global problems as well a personal problems in our lives. Help us to know what is important and what is not important.
Amen

Carolee Brown

Devotional 3-29-11

Ephesians 5:8-14

For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light - for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly; but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you."

This past winter seemed to me to be extremely long. The grey skies and decreased length of the day does bother some people more than others. No one is immune from this phenomenon.

Behavioral and psychological experts note that a large portion of their patients that have some form of depression become affected more during the winter season. They call it seasonal affective disorder or SAD. They have observed and quantified that as the amount of daylight and sunshine decrease some of their patients’ symptoms tend to worsen. People tend to score higher on subjective measurements and tend to need their therapies adjusted accordingly. Objective measurements such as serotonin levels will also change in these conditions.

The scripture chosen from the lectionary for Lent is a wonderful adjunctive therapy for folks that find things a little more than bleak during the long days of winter.

Paul talks about darkness and light in very mild but strong language and offers hope to us when grey skies, cold temperatures, snow, sleet, and rain tend to pull our spirit down. It is time to awake and rise from our winter slumber.

My hope is, that even with the Easter season being a little later than normal, it will be a more appreciated time of awakening for all of our spirits.

God bless,

Mike Bowen

Devotional 3-28-11

March 28, 2011

1 Sam 16:6-7 (KJV)

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

An Open Letter From God.

Children as you are in the mist of your lives,

I know you grasp you resources tightly.

I understand you are selfish.

I know you have replaced me with consumerism.

I see that you have crushed your creativeness, while you live vicarious lives in the form of entertainment or other worldly pursuits.

I know that all too often you do not participate in your own salvation, choosing to ignore intimacy with me.

I also understand that you ignore my son, the one who stood in the gap to pay the price of your reconciliation.

I know you don't pay attention to the sweet urgings of the Holy Spirit.

Even so, I want you to know that you can run to me.

I want to lavish you with blessings of hope, peace and love.

I want to cover you with grace.

Run to me.

I want to protect you from the foils of the world.

Run to me.

I want to open the ears of your heart so you may heed my call.

Run to me.

Run to me.

I love you so.

Judith Wilburn

 

Devotional 3-27-11

WITNESS

John 4: 5 - 42

We are all familiar with this passage wherein Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and explains to her the difference between the water of this world, which quenches physical thirst but has to be replenished, and water for the soul which leads to eternal life. You will recall that this woman was at the well in the middle of the day when no one else was around. While Jesus is talking to her, it becomes apparent why she is there all alone. Jesus tells her he knows about her five husbands and that she is currently living with a man who is not her husband. Sermons I have heard about this passage indicate that the woman would have been an outcast in her society because of her past and that she would have timed activities such as going to the well to avoid the other women who perhaps gossiped about her or just generally looked down upon her. Needless to say, she would not have been considered the most credible person to witness to such an extraordinary encounter as that she experienced this day at the well.

While conversing further, Jesus reveals to her that he is the Messiah. The scripture indicates that the disciples, who had gone into the city to buy food, returned right after this revelation, and the woman then departed to go back to the city. She left her water jar behind, however. Was she flustered, ashamed or intimidated by the arrival of the disciples who she felt might judge her, or was she in a hurry because she was overjoyed and anxious to tell others about her conversation? The description of what happens next reveals that, while it may have been both, it was probably more the latter.

Despite the shame and rejection she has historically felt from her fellow citizens, which likely has made her timid, the scripture implies that this woman, not unlike the shepherds at Bethlehem, boldly tells everyone she sees what she just experienced. She even goes so far as to suggest that this man she met at the well might actually be the Messiah. As shocking as her seemingly unabashed witness is the reaction of those she meets. Instead of disregarding her remarks because of their source, their content or both, the fellow Samaritans are moved to leave the city to seek Jesus and at least find out what in the world this woman had seen. John 4:39-42 relates that "many" Samaritans came to believe in Jesus because of the disgraced woman's witness, and the Samaritans actually requested that Jesus stay with them. During the two days he remained, "many more" came to independently believe because of what Jesus told them. One woman's brave testimony opened the door for the conversion of many. This is just another example of God using an unlikely source to spread his word.

Witnessing is a crucial task for us Christians and one that the Bible is clear we are all called to perform. Many of us find it difficult for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is discomfort speaking about our faith, particularly outside the church setting. The lesson I take from this passage, however, is that if the Samaritan woman can do it, then so can I. She was open to God's leading, and she didn't let herself be held back by obsessing over whether she would be believed, how her testimony would make her look to the other townspeople, or whether she was overreacting to what she had just heard. She put her personal obstacles aside and simply acted, and God did the rest. I think that is what He wants from all of us. During Lent, let us resolve to speak and act for God, trusting that he will equip us and will be standing by to take up where we leave off.

Prayer: Dear God, in light of the innumerable blessings you have bestowed upon us and the wondrous ways you have worked in our lives, your request that we tell others about you with our voices and our actions, seems like such a small thing to ask. Please help us to be open to your leading and to trust that you will be there to support us in every way. Amen.

Mary Taylor

Devotional 3-26-11

I Wait for the Lord
Psalm 130

I resonate with the fifth and sixth verses of this Psalm. I have found myself waiting. Many times I am impatient in my waiting. I pray and then wait. My prayer becomes the proverbial computer screen and God the computer. I have pressed the button and wait for the computer to come alive and allow me to get on with my work. Seconds seems like years. I wonder just how long it will take this computer to get active. If the reader is like me you may realize that we have become a nation in search of instant gratification. We stand in the checkout line at the grocery store wondering just how long it is going to take the cashier to finish with the person in front of us. We move to the self check out and suddenly the screen tells us that we need to call for the supervisor. Impatience is our middle name. Patience is a foreign language. I know you are now asking yourself if I am ever going to get to the point.

But the words of the psalmist flow over us as the ocean flows unto the shore line. We feel the warmth and security of the words:


“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
And in his word I hope;
My soul waits for the LORD
more than those who watch for the morning
more than those who watch for the morning.”

There have been several times in my life that I have watched for the morning. Some have been fun such as when I was a teen and wanted to tell everyone that I had stayed up all night. Some have been work related such as the youth lock-in I was responsible for when I was a pastor. Some have been difficult as when I sat with a sick child. But none compare to those times when I was troubled and could not sleep. The anxiety and uncertainly of what was forefront in my thoughts kept me from being able to sleep. I truly watched for the morning. I wondered when the dawn would crack the dark sky. As I lay in the bed or sat at the table with a glass of milk I would pray, ask, plead for relief. Can you join me in those experiences?

I have come to realize that God’s time is not my time. There are times that God acts in an instant and other it is generations. Lent gives us an opportunity to wait. As we wait, we experience our humanity and our need for the transcendent one. A chance to realize once again we are not God and therefore we wait………………………………….

Rev. David C. Johnson

Devotional 3-25-11

While we were yet sinners!

Romans 5:6-11

I admit I prefer not like to think of myself as a sinner and I believe I am part of a sizeable company in feeling this way. However, I am also very aware of being uncomfortable in those rare instances when someone has said in response to some action of mine, that I am a saint. So, who am I, and what kind of individual do I long to become?

The apostle Paul in writing to the church at Rome and indirectly through them to us is talking about the hope we have within us. In the opening verses of the Fifth chapter Paul calls on us to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And why are we to rejoice in this hope? We rejoice because we have been justified by faith through our Lord Jesus Christ and through him we have gained access by faith into the grace (Christ’s grace) in which we now stand. Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit is the one who enables us to stand firm in the midst of sufferings and trials and yes, even through our failures including those where we try to do things on our own.

Lent is a time of reflection and renewal. A time for us to remember who we are and whose we are. It is not that we are to forget who we are the rest of the year but in this time leading up to the joyful celebration of Easter and the Resurrection that we pause and recommit ourselves to becoming the people, the individuals in Christ Jesus we were created to become.

It is true, Jesus continues to loves us even though we are not perfect and often far from it. We on the other hand all know people and likely are among those who have said at one time or another, ‘if you love me you will do so and so.’ And often we try to live up to their request, especially if we value them as being important to us. Bit look at how differently Paul describes God’s love. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Now I know that as long as God gives me breath there will be times when I fail to be the person of faith God calls me to be, I also know that “having been reconciled, we shall be saved through his (Christ’s) life.” What remains is for us to seek to live and to love as Christ Jesus has shown us the way.

Prayer: Gracious Lord, thank you for your love, a love that knows no bounds. Thank you for loving us even while we are yet sinners. Help us Lord to seek to follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Enable us to draw closer to you this day and in the days to come that we may grow into your likeness. Amen.

Rev. Thomas Malcolm

Devotional 3-24-11

Scripture: Luke 15:11-16

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.

Part I: The Problem

Once upon a time there was a man who was wrestling with very deep issues in his life. He decided that he needed to go to church. The first church he went to was too hot (as in fire and brimstone, not temperature). The pastor’s sermon was about sin and focused on drinking, smoking, and taking drugs. The man was very thankful, because he did not do any of the three. Nonetheless, he was still wrestling with very deep issues. The second church he went to was too cold (as in unfriendly, not temperature). The pastor’s sermon was about sin and focused on anger, jealousy, and greed. Once again the man was very thankful, because he was slow to anger and was always content with what he had. Nonetheless, he was still wrestling with very deep issues. The third church he went to was (as in all Goldilocks type stories) just right. The pastor’s sermon was about Sin and focused on separation/estrangement from God.

The man soon realized that all of his life he had thought that sin was the bad things that he did (such as the laundry list that the first two pastors preached about: drinking, smoking, taking drugs, anger, jealousy, greed, etc.). Now he had come to believe that Sin is more about our disconnectedness from God and that the bad things we do are merely a result of our disconnectedness. All this time, he had been focused on the symptoms and not the problem!

He had been working on his actions, trying to do the right thing (and such effort is never a bad thing); however, he had not been working on his relationship with God. In fact, the harder he tried to do the right thing, the more he depended upon himself. The more he depended upon himself, the less he needed God. Now he knew that his problem was not so much sin (bad actions) as it was Sin (estrangement from God).

The prodigal’s problem was not that he did bad things (such as squandering the property in “dissolute living”). The prodigal’s real problem was that he was out of relationship with his father (good relationships do not begin with . . . “I know you are not dead yet, but can I get my inheritance anyway”).

The man realized that his relationship with God needed work (as all good relationships do). Now he knew what the problem was. So he asked himself, how do I make the relationship better? Immediately he realized that he had a real problem, because he was once again focused on HIS own ACTIONS (the very thing he had been working on to begin with and which created the problem). How could he treat the problem and not the symptoms?

. . . TO BE CONTINUED ON APRIL 17, 2011 (Remember that patience is a virtue).

Prayer

Almighty God,

We try really hard to be good,
sometimes we even succeed;
and yet we know that our effort is not enough.
Help us, we pray:
to conquer Sin (our estrangement)
and not just sin (our actions).
Help us to love:
you,
our families,
our children,
our neighbors,
strangers,
and even our enemies;
until we are all defined by your love!
In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

David A. Stackpole, M.Div., J.D.



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Devotional 3-23-11

John 4:37 'For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.'"

Sowing in the gospel sense of the word is a frustrating work for the modern mind. We are willing to invest ourselves in the work of the gospel, but very often we expect and even demand to reap the harvest as well. It is akin to doing acts of kindness for someone and then pressuring them to come to church with you. It is not uncommon as I work in the hospital to hear of patients who need to be listened to or comforted getting preached to and evangelized instead. We can be so eager for a return on our investments these days that we forget that reaping and harvesting are seasons apart. Indeed some preach that we ought to be eager. But we can imagine that harvesting impatiently does violence to the crop itself.

It may not seem the best way to grow your church by next week, but that is not the purpose of sowing or reaping. To sow is to place in the heart of an individual by some act or word of compassion or dignity that meets their hunger (whether of body or spirit) in a way that conflicts with the expectation of coldness and hate that is easy to develop about the world. If we would busy ourselves with generous sowing and stop wringing our hands waiting for the harvest, I can imagine that the people of the world would begin to accumulate enough experiences of love and lift that they would in their spirits begin to suspect that the core message of the gospel is true – That Jesus is Lord, that the world and its darkness do not overcome his love. That sort of understanding and experience must be given time to grow. We cannot reap and sow in the same season.

Do you realize that I and my family did not arrive at Johnson Memorial by any seed that a member had sown? Rather a friendship older than my knowing between Jack and my grandmother has led us all to be together in service to God. Jack did not say, years ago, “this friendship with this woman will add a family to my congregation in a few decades.” He could not have anticipated it anymore than a group of Jewish disciple anticipated a flock of Samaritans coming to see their teacher!

It is natural, when we labor at anything, to want to see the fruits of that labor. But I am reminded of the illustration of the barges that travel our fine river. I have always loved to watch the waves they create and to hear them lap the shore. But these waves do not reach the shore until the barge has passed on by. The ducks play upon them and the boats bob about. But the barge captain never gets to see this. If he were to try to stop his progress in order to watch for the waves, the barge would never create them and he would never arrive at his destination. Often we must sow our acts of loving kindness and respect and pass on. At times we have the chance to sow into a given life multiple times. But be resolved to do your part and carry on. It does not belong to us to demand a harvest or to demand it at the time we desire. But God must be given time to nurture that seed in the field of that heart. The Holy Spirit shall make of it what she desires. And don’t worry, at just the right time, one of your fellows will be there to harvest whatever God may cause to grow. With this in mind we must sow liberally, even radically, and seek no more than this. And should we ever reap, we dare not be so careless as to imagine that we have won anyone to Christ on our own.

Joe Hill

Devotional 3-22-11

Read Psalm 95 and Romans 5:1-11

Psalm 95 is an invitation to worship God.
A hardened heart is like a hard lump of clay.
There is nothing you can do to restore it.
Do not lose your faith in God; don't be so stubborn and set in your way that you cannot return to God.
This doesn't happen overnight; it is a result of several choices to disregard God's will.
What is keeping you from God's ultimate blessing?
Do you have an ungrateful heart?
Are you worshiping or submitting to Him?
Are you testing God because of stubborn doubts?
During this Lenten season remember that God sent Jesus Christ to die for us not because we were good enough, but because He Loves us. Whenever you feel uncertain about God's love for you, remember that He loved you even before you turned to Him, Christ took our sin upon himself and took our punishment by dying on the cross.

Dear Lord,
Be with us during this season of Lent,
to lead us in the direction to follow you.
Come into our heart to prepare us to follow your direction
to do your work and to welcome You in, and to keep
our faith alive.
Amen,

Melanie Herr



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Why Am I Crying?

We were singing a hymn. That’s all. We were singing a hymn when my eyes welled up and mascara tears that could rival Tammy Faye Baker’s streamed down my face. I thought to myself, “Why am I crying?”

Okay. I’ll admit that I was a little drowsy from a restless night with my grandchildren and due to “springing forward” to Daylight Savings Time. But I had gone without sleep many times in my many years without bursting into uncontrollable sobs. So why was I crying?

And who wouldn’t be moved by the beautiful lyrics and melodies of “Amazing Love!” by Charles Wesley and “A Rose in the Valley” by Joseph Martin? One haunting line after another had played in my mind for weeks! But I’d sung a multitude of melodies which had moved me to introspection but rarely to sniffles. So why was I crying?

Of course, being a geography teacher, I was acutely aware of the turmoil and grief that had taken over the lives of men, women, and children in Japan, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Bahrain. They were living nightmares that I could only imagine in my safe haven of Huntington, West Virginia. But I had seen misery and pain before. So why was I crying?

Was I upset by the tanking economy brought on by greed, selfishness, arrogance, and naiveté? It had toppled those at the top of the pyramid and trickled down to those who made a living in serving those at the top. But I hadn’t lost a job, I hadn’t missed a meal, and what I had lost, I didn’t need. So why was I crying?

Finally, as I looked out at the congregation, I knew. I was crying because the hymn and my heart, for the first time in a long time, listened to each other. I don’t know how to explain it other than to say that it came from a primitive instinct rather than a conscious “knowing”. I felt a love for everyone in the congregation, the church building, the spirit of the church, all those who had gone before, and all who would come after. And I felt a deep gratitude to the Father and the Son who had brought me to that place, at that time, with those people.

The hymn we sang was “I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry”. Even if you don’t know the tune, please read the words. Take your time. Read slowly. Remember your baptism if you can. Remember the patience of your youth leaders and Sunday school teachers. Remember how your parents nagged you to go to church. Remember how your choir directors taught you more than singing the right notes. Remember sitting in true fellowship with your teenage friends in the balcony. Remember standing at the altar with the love of your life. Remember saying goodbye to those who now know what the great surprise really is.

I was there to hear your borning cry,
I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.
I was there when you were but a child,
with a faith to suit you well;
In a blaze of light you wandered off
to find where demons dwell."

When you heard the wonder of the Word
I was there to cheer you on;
You were raised to praise the living Lord,
to whom you now belong.
If you find someone to share your time
and you join your hearts as one,
I'll be there to make your verses rhyme
from dusk 'till rising sun.

In the middle ages of your life,
not too old, no longer young,
I'll be there to guide you through the night,
complete what I've begun.
When the evening gently closes in,
and you shut your weary eyes,
I'll be there as I have always been
with just one more surprise.

I was there to hear your borning cry,
I'll be there when you are old.
I rejoiced the day you were baptized,
to see your life unfold.

Now remember that your heavenly Father and his Lamb were with you all the time. That’s something to cry about – but only tears of joy! Amen

Becky Warren

Devotional 3-20-11

Have you noticed how we are exposed to certain words over and over again. I don’t remember using the word “redemption” very often. Maybe as a child we redeemed the green stamps for something; I am not sure for what!! My thoughts have focused on this word. Why is it used so much? The movie REDEMPTION has been very popular. What is redemption and what does it mean? The dictionary says it means to release from sin, to buy back, to deliver from sin.

Then there is another word that people toss around a lot. DELIVERANCE (another movie) meaning to set free, rescue, release.

What do these words mean in our lives? We are released from sin, we are set free by the love and forgiveness of God. What does it mean to us? It is our gift from God. We should celebrate it. The words of this hymn make it more clear.

This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on, time to believe
what love is bring, laying to rest the pain that’s gone

For by the life and death of Jesus, God’s mighty Spirit, now as then, can make for us
a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again.


Then let us with the Spirit’s daring, step from the past, and leave behind our
disappointment .guilt, and grieving, seeking new paths, and sure to find.

Christ is alive, and goes before us to show and share what love can do .This is a day
of new beginnings, our God is making all things new.

As we go thru this Lenten season, we relive the story of Christ’s torture, his death, and his resurrection. Do you wonder why he went thru all that he endured? He did it all for us. He showed us that we can have redemption, and we can be delivered from our sins and set free. That’s why we can believe that this is a day of new beginnings. May our humble prayers be in thanks for a father who wants us to live in his love forever.

Marilyn Holleron

Devotional 3-19-11

Flash back 50 years. I am 17 years old. I have been at Johnson Memorial for about 5 years, and I have attended Sunday School, Worship Service, and MFY as it was called then. At MYF we ate hot dogs made by Smitty Hart and John Paul Childers, and Bud Krippene did their best to ride herd over our rambunctiousness. I sang in choir and made good friends, some of which I still have today. I had managed to buy a 1954 De Soto -- a bathtub, cast iron, gray and black bomb of a car that I bought for $500. Gasoline cost 50 cents a gallon. On one Good Friday I drove down from the east end, and I stopped at a red light at 10th Street and 6th Avenue, and I looked over at our church. It dawned on me that it was Good Friday. In the time that I sat there waiting for the light to change it came over me: "Why in the world could this be called Good Friday.?" How could this be? Jesus went through all this pain and suffering -- what could possibly be good about that? The light turned green, and I drove on toward my house. The sky did not turn suddenly dark that day, but it was my first realization of what a great thing our Lord did for us. Where were you when you realized what he did for us? Have you tried to make a difference because of it?

Jean Ramsey

Devotional 3-18-11

LIGHT, LOVE, POWER, PRESENCE.

Four of the many gifts bestowed upon us by our loving Heavenly Father are contained in this little verse:

The LIGHT of God surrounds me,
The LOVE of God enfolds me,
The POWER of God protects me,
The PRESENCE of God watches over me,

Wherever I am, God is.

GOD'S LIGHT SURROUNDS US

Buzz, bzzz, bzzz. It's 6:15AM and the alarm clock is doing what it is supposed to do.....get me out of bed. Reluctantly I throw off the covers and start the morning routine. At this time of year it is still dark outside, but the first of God's gifts for the day is knowing that soon it will be light. Maybe sunny, maybe not, but light.

GOD'S LOVE ENFOLDS US
Whatever happens on this new day I know that God's love will be with me. Even if my plans go awry and nothing works out the way I want it to, the warmth of His love is there to guide and comfort. His love comes to me physically as I adjust the thermostat and the house fills with warmth. How many people don't have this blessing and are shivering and cold?

GOD'S POWER PROTECTS US
We live in a dangerous world but remember how many times in your life God has protected you from harm, from the time you were small and didn't fall out of the tree you should not have climbed into until your adult years when you didn't see the STOP sign until you had run it but the driver of the car that could have collided with you saw you and stopped in time.

THE PRESENCE OF GOD WATCHES OVER US
What more can we ask than that his presence is with us guiding, guarding, loving us each second, each minute, each hour of the day? What a comfort to know that through Jesus we are in touch with God always, and He is watching over us 24/7

WHEREVER WE ARE, GOD IS.

Thank you, God!

"This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will be glad and rejoice in it. Ps.118 v.24"

Jean Dean



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Devotional 3-17-11

And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for such belongs to the kingdom of God."--Mark 10: 13-14

Do you sometimes feel that God is trying to tell you something because you keep bumping into the same person/subject/issue? Here is what I've been bombarded with recently:

(1) A couple of months ago a 19-year-old "man" was arrested for murder. I have a 19-year-old off at college and wondered if their paths had crossed. My son said they had indeed been in high school together. He wrote, "I didn't really know him but he seemed like a nice kid. You just knew the cards were stacked against him." What a sad statement. I thought, why didn't someone restack those cards?

(2) Last week I read in Child Fund International's newsletter that they are helping more children than ever in the USA. Formerly Christian Children's Fund, they are known for sponsoring children in Third-World countries, but so many children in America are living in poverty that they are involved in more and more programs right here at home.

(3) Sunday, a young lady from our congregation told my Sunday School class about her work at a local shelter for teenagers run by the Children's Home Society of West Virginia. We were touched and horrified by her stories of children grateful to be in a shelter where a step-father couldn't beat them up, where they had food to eat and someone to get them to school.

(4) That same Sunday evening, I turned on 60 Minutes and there was a story about homeless children in Florida. These were not the kids of drug addicts, but those of families who have lost homes in the foreclosure debacle and have lost jobs due to the recession. Many small motels not far from Disney World are full not of tourists, but of families. Imagine trying to keep up your schoolwork when your family is living in one room at the Red Roof Inn, or worse yet, living in a car.

At this point in a devotion, I should be pointing out a remedy for these situations, but, alas, all I can say is my heart breaks for these children, which does them no good at all. We can pray, of course, but this is one time we must put hands and feet to our prayers. In 1 Corinthians 3:9, we are told that we are God's fellow workers.

During this Lenten season, I challenge you to do something for a child. There are dozens of agencies that would welcome your help. There might be a child you come into contact with regularly who needs some encouragement or a safe harbor. Reach out.

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. ~Rabindranath Tagore, 1861-1941, Bengali poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright

If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all. ~Pearl S. Buck, 1897-1973, West Virginia born award-winning writer who spent most of her time until 1934 in China.

Anita Gardner Farrell

Devotional 3-16-11

John 3: 1-17 Are You Born Again?

I find this scripture reading to be quite a challenge. Over the years, I have discussed/debated/argued its meaning to Nicodemus and Christians today with family and friends. Like Nicodemus, many of us want to read the Bible with a literal interpretation. Jesus reminds us in this passage of the importance of the Spirit!

As we enter the Lenten Season many Christians follow a tradition of “giving up” something for Lent. This can include such items as coffee, candy, pop or other items the individual enjoys. The idea being that to deny yourself something you enjoy will serve as a reminder of the price Jesus paid on the cross. This can be very effective.

However, there is a movement under way where Christians “add” something to their day rather than experience denial. I challenge you to assess your spiritual health! What can you add to your daily walk that will aid your spiritual development? Daily prayer, daily Bible study, meditation, fellowship……..the list of possibilities is endless.

In my work place, safety is a big topic and emphasis is placed on it constantly! We have a program where 3 safe work habits are observed and recorded daily. If there are no violations after 6 weeks then 3 new safety actions are chosen. It seems if we do the same thing every work day successfully it becomes a “acquired” habit.

How about you? What can you add to your day to improve your spiritual health? Lent offers each of us the perfect opportunity to get our daily Spiritual food.

Prayer: Father thank you for the gift of eternal life-give me the strength and discipline to feed my Spirit so I may better serve you!   Amen

Marv Jones

Devotional 3-15-11

God of grace, mercy and unspeakable power, draw close to your creation and hear the cry of your people. Surround the people of Japan with your grace during this time of crisis.


Rescue those who are trapped in buildings or on rooftops. Bring them to safety.

Comfort those who have lost family members and friends.

Listen to those who are crying in distress and sadness. Settle the touch of hope on them so that they can see light in the future.

Feed those who are hungry, quench the thirst of those who ache for water. Surround the homeless with the knowledge of your presence.

Heal those who have been injured, those whose spirits are aching, those who wounds are deeper than we can imagine.

Protect them from harm as aftershocks rock their homes, provide relief from fear for them.

Motivate us, dear God, to follow in your footsteps. Enable of to rescue, to comfort, to listen, to feed, to heal and to protect. We place ourselves in your service.

Kim Matthews

To give to United Methodist Committee on Relief, click on the link.

Devotional 3-14-11

THE FINAL INSPECTION...

The soldier stood and faced GOD.
Which may always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
just as brightly as his brass.
Step forward now, soldier.
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To my church have you been true?
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
No LORD, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
and at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
because the world is awfully rough.
But I never took a penny
that wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
when the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help,
though at times I shook with fear.
And sometimes, GOD, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
except to calm their fears.
If you a place for me here, LORD,
it needn't be so grand--
I never expected or had too much,
but if you don't - I'll understand.
There was a silence all around the throne,
where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly
for the judgement of his GOD.
Step forward now, you soldier -
you've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on heaven's streets,
you have done your time in hell.

If we ever forget that "we are one nation under GOD", then we will be a Nation gone under.

IN GOD WE TRUST..........GOD BLESS AMERICA....

SFC(ret) PAUL S. RIGGS

Devotional 3-13-11

Happiness is…

Please read Psalm 32

Happiness is…

• A warm blanket.
• Finding a Pencil.
• Learning to Whistle.
• Tying your shoe for the very first time.
• Playing the drum in your church’s praise band.
• Two kinds of ice cream.
• Knowing a secret.
• Catching a butterfly; and setting him free.
• Having a sister.
• Sharing a sandwich.

You can probably identify with one or more of the preceding definitions of happiness, and you can think of many other ways to fill in the blank. These particular examples were shared by the late Charles Schultz’s Peanuts characters. Just like Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, and Schroeder, happiness is high on our list of priorities. Our longing for happiness drives much of our lives. I imagine that if each of us surveyed our lives, we would see that we pursue careers, choose hobbies, wear clothes, buy homes and even enter into lasting relationships on the basis of what brings us happiness.

John Lennon, the Beatle, said, “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”

Our entire lives are lived, to a certain extent, in such a way as to answer the question, “what will make me happy?”

Today’s Psalm provides insight into true happiness. It doesn’t come from achieving fame and fortune. It doesn’t come from wearing the sharpest clothes, having the latest, fastest, most advanced phone/mp3/computer reader device. It doesn’t come from finally getting the dream home or the sports car.

No, true happiness comes from consistently hitting a golf ball 275 yards straight down the middle of the fairway. Just kidding. Even that kind of happiness is fleeting and momentary.

The psalmist instructs that being happy is a matter of being righteous. At first, that sounds daunting. After all, who among us is righteous? Don’t be discouraged. Righteousness, according to the psalmist, is not about being sinless, but about acknowledging sin and accepting God’s forgiveness. Put another way, happiness is…being forgiven.

In many ways, Lent is a time when we can practice walking a journey from grief and despair to confessing our sin and accepting forgiveness, and into the joy and happiness of new life that is the promise of Easter.

They say money cannot buy happiness. So true. It’s already been purchased for you.

Jeff Taylor

Devotional 3-12-11

HOPE

1 Peter 1:3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Please read these words from Kathy Troccoli, Women of Faith Devotional Bible.

Jesus established hope on the Cross and forever wrote it into history. How do we know hope is alive? Because Christ is alive.

I know of no other topic that I have spent more analysis on than the issue of hope. Without our hope, without our dreams, we wither and die. I have come to fully believe it is the number one reason so many walk around as depressed believers. We have consciously and subconsciously put our hope in things of this world. All of those things eventually die---each and every one.

When they die we feel the loss.

Hope in Christ is, however, fully alive. It will never die. Think about that....a hope that can never be silenced. It's an eternal flame that will never be extinguished. It's living now, and the inheritance it establishes is reserved in the heavenly realms. Look skyward and hope again. Watch Him move on your behalf.

Let's pray: Our Heavenly father, I am ever grateful for the hope You have given me through Your Son, Jesus Christ. I need this hope to sustain me through my everyday. Where there is hope, there is peace in my life. Guide me to use this hope for Your world. Amen

Kay Lewis

Devotional 3-11-11

Journey to Jerusalem
Matthew 4:1-11

The temptations of Jesus are always the beginning scripture lessons for the Lenten Season. These scriptures introduce what could have been a challenging journey for Jesus, following a forty-day fast in a wilderness place.

Satan, the tempter, provides several carefully contrived challenges in the form of suggestions, geared to what he perceives to be probable weaknesses in anyone who has undergone forty wilderness days, even this man called Jesus.

Jesus is armed with the words “It is written” and does not cave to temptation but proceeds on his journey to a higher place, Jerusalem . The way to Jerusalem is always up. (Even today, one must fly into the Tel Aviv Airport , for there is no airport in Jerusalem .)

During this Lenten Season, from March 9 through April 24, we are called to accept the challenge to journey upward, to Jerusalem , in our minds, bodies, and souls. We, too, may be tempted--in completely different ways--but our responses can be just as steadfast, if we remember, “It is written.”

On this journey to Jerusalem , let us stop by Tiberius to see the Church of St. Peter ; let us visit the Baptismal site at the Jordan River and remember our baptism. (I had the privilege in 1992 of being a part of a devotional led by Bishop William B. Grove on the Sea of Galilee, the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fishes, and to partake of food on the Mount of the Beatitudes.)

Let us stop by Cana to see the setting of the first miracle that Jesus performed and the church that stands as a memorial before moving on to Jericho , the city of Palms . Here we see the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed to see Jesus before visiting the Spring of Elisha and browsing through the wonderful glass factory for souvenirs--reminders of this special time and place.

We travel on to Bethlehem to see the Shepherd’s Field, the Basilica of Nativity, and the Star of Bethlehem.

But when we reach Jerusalem, we know we have come to a higher place--the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Garden Tomb, the Western Wall, and the Stations of the Cross. Jesus knew when he reached Jerusalem, the journey prepared him to better understand that if there was no cross, there would be no crown.

May our Lenten Season be filled with intermittent times of reflection, growth, and good works as we pray to follow in the footsteps of Jesus who came that we might know the Way, even the way of the cross. Amen.

Rev. Jeremiah Jasper

Devotional 3-10-11

Flying Backwards

I talk to my dad just about every night. The conversations are not complicated and most often revolve around daily activities. His three “usual” questions are: Where did you go today? Where are you going tomorrow? Did you sell anything? One evening in late 2010 our conversation landed on travel – namely air travel. He asked the question, “Have you ever flown backwards?” I was sure I heard the question correctly, yet could not get it to compute. “Well,” I said, “I have returned by air when I had traveled somewhere by air in the first place.” “No, have you ever FLOWN BACKWARDS?” He began to tell a story that took place when I was elementary school age and he was stationed with the US Army in Korea. He boarded a de Havilland Otter aircraft, and, although not a pilot himself, was slotted into the co-pilot’s seat. The plane taxied, and took off from its runway just south of the DMZ. As they began to climb to a height above the mountains, they encountered strong winds. Winds so strong that even under the trained hand of the pilot urging the throttle ‘full speed ahead,’ the plane was unable to overpower the headwind confronting them. Rather than make a drastic correction, such as pitching forward or rolling the wings one way or the other to get away (both actions could have had terrible results), he simply backed off of the power a little bit, let the strong wind guide them backwards until a lower altitude could be secured and an alternate route chosen.

I wonder if Jesus ever felt like he was flying backwards. His disciples handpicked; his mission clear. They witness healing and miracles. They are closer than any. So strong is their faith. One on them can even walk on water. Walk on water – now that’s something. But doubt creeps in and sinking begins. Understanding seems so deep, and yet it goes from “I’ll never leave you Lord” to “I never heard of the guy.” Against the strong wind He let them fly. He never made a drastic correction, and we know from written account that they, after flying backwards, found their route and went on to proclaim the greatness of God.

I wonder if Jesus feels like he is flying backwards on a 21st century planet earth. In a 21st century Huntington, WV, I know that I fly headlong into forces that I alone cannot control. But I try. My corrections find me tumbled in heap. In today’s technology-filled world where you have to download a 100 page instruction manual in order to make the clock not blink 12:00, could there be any easier instruction; love God, love your neighbor? Well, I love God - from my lips to His ears -- but do I feed, provide drink, invite in, clothe, comfort or visit someone in need? Nah! Not like He is talking about. And that neighbor thing, how many houses away can I count before I reach someone who isn’t actually my neighbor? One comes to mind who has me flying into a gale force wind. Look out Steve, a tip of the wing and you are in for it.

I am grateful everyday that He is slow to anger and quick to forgive. He lets me (us) fly and soar and always offers to be the pilot for the journey. But when we take the controls and encounter an obstacle that we simply can’t get around, over or through, He holds us, lets us move back to where we should be and goes with us along the new path.

Gracious and loving God. Thank you for loving us – no matter what. Thank you for your patience when we think we have control. Grant us wisdom that will allow you to direct our route. Amen

Steve Matthews

Devotional 3-9-11

Lectionary Readings: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; Isaiah 58:1-12; Psalm 51: 1-17; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6 and 16-21.

I think I was in “junior high” when I first became fully aware of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. We lived in Gary, WV (McDowell County), and I had many friends who attended the local Catholic Church. (I wasn’t aware of it at the time, but religious diversity in Gary was limited to the Catholic or the Methodist churches.) My Catholic friends would attend school on Ash Wed. with many constantly pointing out to them that there was some dirt on their foreheads. Some got frustrated with the teasing, but most of them just ignored us. Then on Friday, the cafeteria served macaroni and cheese as the entrée. In our family macaroni and cheese had been a side dish, not the “main event”. I finally got one of my good friends to explain what was going on, and she gave me the “No Meat on Fridays” spiel. She also explained that they had to “give something up” for Lent like coke, chocolate or cookies for the purpose of daily remembering the suffering of Christ. It was more than I could comprehend at the time. I was kind of glad I wasn’t Catholic and wasn’t required to participate in their traditions.

But now, as I read the familiar texts in the lectionary readings, I realize that God is asking me to return to the time honored traditions of Lent in order to reflect on the true meaning of the season. Prayer and self denial are practices meant to prepare me for a greater understanding of the passion and last days of Christ. God is also asking me to “clean house” so that I might be truly ready to worship the resurrected Lord—the morning star. I ask you to join me in attempting to fast, pray and study in an effort to renew a “right” relationship with God. The self-denial cannot be just an exercise to prove that we have will-power. Somehow what we choose to do during Lent should bring us closer to God. Reflection and prayer can be powerful if the outcome is a change in our perspective or a greater focus on what God wants us to do with our lives. Fasting should also provide us with new insights of God’s directions for our future. We cannot control our lives with the force of our will. Only the surrender of our lives to God’s path will bring us to the life He intends for us.

The prophet Joel asks us to change our lives: “Come back to me and really mean it! Come fasting and weeping; sorry for your sins! Change your life, not just your clothes, Come back to God, your God.” (Joel 2:12-13.)

Isaiah is even more emphatic: “Shout! A full-throated shout! Hold nothing back—a trumpet-blast shout! Tell my people what’s wrong with their lives; face my family Jacob with their sins! They’re busy, busy, busy at worship, and love studying all about me. To all appearances they’re a nation of right-living people—law abiding, God-honoring (even though they have forsaken God’s commandments)……This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. What I’m interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. (Isaiah 58:1-2, 6-8)

Dear Loving and Forgiving God: Help us to pray and submit to you as David in his entreaty in Psalm 51: Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry, I know how bad I’ve been; my sins are staring me down. You’re the One I’ve violated, and you’ve seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I’ve been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you’re after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise. Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don’t for a moment escape God’s notice. Make Zion the place you delight in, repair Jerusalem’s broken-down walls. Then you’ll get real worship from us, acts of worship small and large, Including all the bulls they can heave onto your altar! Amen.

Scripture passages from the Message, The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene Peterson, 2002.

Chyrl Budd