Wednesday Night Bible Study - The Samuel Fast

We have 75 lines for the weekly Bible Study.  We are still discussing fasting, this time from the perspective of  1 Samuel 7

The call-in number

   (424)203-8400  and Access Code: 491039#

If you miss Bible Study, the playback number is  (424) 203-8409  Access Code 491039#

Wednesday Bible Study - Ezra Fast

Hello St. Paul, Friends and Family

We will have Bible Study by Conference Call again tonight.  We will discuss the Ezra Fast.  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezra+8&version=CEB

The call-in number

   (424)203-8400  and Access Code: 491039#

If you miss Bible Study, the playback number is  (424) 203-8409  Access Code 491039#

Bible Study - Disciple's Fast

St. Paul UMC Newton Bible Study will be by conference call at 7pm EDT tonight.  Our discussion is on the Disciple's Fast from Matthew 9:14-17 and Matthew 17:14-21.  This will be an open discussion as we talk about the Nine Biblical Fast outlined in Elmer Towns book "Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough"

Call in  (424)203-8400 and Access Code: 491039#

If you miss Bible Study, the playback number is (424) 203-8409 Access Code 491039#

Bible Study Topic - Fasting (Session II)

In this technology age we are so busy that we are not able to make it to Bible Study.  I have a solution for those who are committed to learning and growing at every age and stage of life.  Tonight we will open a conference call bridge number for Bible Study at St. Paul UMC tonight at 7pm

The call-in number is (424) 203-8400  Access Code: 491039#

Tonight's Topic: Fasting Session II.  We are using the book Celebration of Discipline.  On this site, go to the Bible Study Tab to obtain past Bible Study lessons.

 Please e-mail me at REVLETTIEA@GMAIL.COM to receive the material for tonight's study in the future, I will post the information prior to Wednesday.

Thursday AM Meditation - Strengthening our Faith Muscle

Strengthening our Faith Muscle

Meditation of Psalms 59

Over the years our faith muscle starts to weaken. It has weakened due to our lack of trust in God.  When we lack trust, we are slowly weakening our faith and belief in God.  When we lack faith, we are frightened by social and economic meltdown, wishy-washy politicians, and people of power because of the carefully crafted words used to misrepresent or confuse us.  When we lack faith, we have nothing to hold on to in the midst of the storm. 

We've heard "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrew 11:1).  The problem some of us have with faith is we've heard about it but we haven't experienced it in our life.  Let us take a moment to ponder on the word HOPE.  Hope is being confident about what the future will be.  We can't hope for a future if we have no faith in the God of our present.  In today's reality we are told that we should only hope and put faith in the things we can see.  If we do that we become arrogant and believe we have done everything ourselves without anyone helping us.  So many of us have been so focused on self, that we forget the gifts, natural talents and ability are all given to us by God.  Without God's help we would be no where today.

When we recognize God in us, we will hear the cry across the globe and we will have enough faith to hope that the killing of our young people in Chicago and around the world will end.  In order to make this hope a reality we must strengthen our faith muscle.  When we hear the bloodshed from around the globe, we are reminded of God's talk with Cain in Genesis 4:10 "The Lord said, “What did you do? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground."  We ought to be able to hear the cry from the ground of our brothers and sisters and go into action.  Yes we must pray!  Then we must organize and standup for the rights to take back our streets, neighborhoods, cities and community from those who only want to destroy it.  We must write petition, stage marches and occupy every place we can to get laws changed so we can make our future a reality.

When this happens we will flex and strengthen our faith muscle.  When we come together for a common good, we strengthen our trust and faith in God.  This will not be easy!  People (including family, friends, co-workers and church members) will do all they can to stop us because they lack trust and faith in God.  We must remember that there will be a day when all the nations will come before God.  If we believe and say God can move mountains, then let us work on our trust and hope in God so that our faith will be strengthened.  Our faith is strengthened when we exercise care and compassion for the least of God's children.

The Pastorate - Eight Months Check-In

As I reflect on the first eight (8) months as a part-time UMC pastor (part-time LOL), I realize that seminary doesn't offer a practical view or seminar on the pastorate.  As I thought back to my first year of seminary in 2001, there was an orientation seminar about "So you have been called to Pastor".  I took the seminar because I knew God had called me to the pastorate.  Wow, it has taken 11 years but God opened the door.

 As I journeyed through seminary, I forgot about the seminar and when I returned to my home church, the pastorate was so far from my view.  I thought I didn't hear God right when God called me to pastor.  Since I saw nothing was changing in my local church, I started working on my craft: preaching, teaching and writing.  Although I'm a tech geek, I didn't integrate technology into proclamation.  I've read books about revitalizing the church and how our spiritual gifts are used in the building of God's Kingdom on earth.  

During my waiting period I kept educating and positioning myself to be in places where I could learn even if I was not taught. In the areas where I had influence in leadership I was able to be pastor.  I counseled, prepared a budget, created presentations, raised funds for ministry in addition to preaching, teaching, stewardship and missions.  What I learned by asking, watching and reading helped me to be prepared for the pastorate.  

Being pastor has it challenges.  There will be people who will find fault with the pastor because they can't control the pastor.  There will be people who will catch the vision and move because they are ready for growth.  There will be people who will not appreciate the gifts the pastor brings into ministry.  Being pastor is more than taking our ideas, visions and dreams and making them the churches ideas, visions and dreams.  When the pastor and people work on the common areas there will be some exciting times in ministry.  There will be days when you can breathe easy because of the support.  

I'm glad I have colleagues in ministry who gave me great advice, books to read, workshops to attend and a listening ear.  I'm proud to say that since I've listened to God on this journey, I've been focus on what God want from the ministry more than what I want.  Keep focusing on God and listen to the cry from the community then the branch of Zion will meet the needs of the community.  The key is for us to be a light in our communities.  In order to do that we need to be united as one and welcome the world in the church and be apart of the change agent outside the church.

 

God's Gifts of Grace

God's Gifts of Grace
Romans 12:3-5

God has a way of just showing up unannounced in our lives.  So many times we believe God must announce when divinity will manifest in humanity.  When God does announce and use angels in the case of Jesus’ mother Mary, we are shocked and feel unworthy.  God is showing us we may feel unworthy but we can be used for God’s glorification.  When we reflect on the goodness of God, we recognized God’s awesome, majestic and wonderful power in full glory.  The song says in Christ there is no failure and in scripture it says God’s word will not return void.  When we seek to be more important in life than we believe we are, we have isolated and regulated God to our human box which renders God’s word void.  Because of this box we pride ourselves in saying all I’ve accomplished with my own hands and no help from God.

How can we say God didn’t give us the help?  We must remember that God knew us before we were born, God know the number of hairs on our heads and God provided for us when we couldn’t see a way out.  This causes so many of us to live a life of arrogance.  We are arrogant about what God has called us to do in life knowing it was not what we wanted.  We are arrogant about the gifts and talent God has given to us, so much that we think no one else has the same gift.  Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but the gift God gave was not for you.  It was intended for us to share with others so they can see God at work in us.  The gift of God ought to shine and reflect the love of God.  God’s gift cannot be imitated, copied or even duplicated.  Have you noticed when people try to mimic the gifts of others it doesn’t work out the way it works for that person?  The reason why it didn’t work was because the gift was intended for that particular person.

Remember, the gift God gives is given based on our ability and measure of faith through the Holy Spirit. 

Breathe In Us God

Acts 2:1-13

 

This Sunday is the fiftieth day after Easter, the day of Pentecost has been marked as the birth of the Christian Church because of the out pouring of Holy Spirit.  Before Jesus ascending into the clouds, he told his disciples to remain in Jerusalem and wait for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  While they waited, the Jewish harvest festival that is the fiftieth day after Passover was being celebrated.   As we see there were two celebrations taking place.  The newest celebration gave new hope, assurance, testimony and life to those Jesus Christ left behind.  Pentecost allowed each person to understand each other in their native tongue and language which caused a shift in the atmosphere.

There was an awakening of their dry, weak and brittle spirit.  Now they testified and preached with the assurance and boldness of the Holy Spirit to those gathered in Jerusalem for the festival.  Too often we dismiss the action of the Holy Spirit and leave it for the Pentecostal and Holiness denominations.  When we realize the Holy Spirit is preparing us to meet God, we will testify about the spirit God has placed in us because God is breathing God’s breath in us.  When God breathes in us, we become more fruitful because we’ve stayed connected to the tree of life.  When God breathes in us we are giving another chance at life. 

The key is we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us so we will grow and mature spiritually without having to tell people to look at our good deeds.  Allow the spirit of God to take charge of you and you will bare good fruit.  Therefore, when the Holy Spirit rest on us like the dew rest of the morning grass we are assured that God keeps breathing in us.  Breath on us precious Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit so we can be salt and light to the world.

Thursday Meditation - A Second Gift

Acts 4:5-12
 
God often gives us gifts that will benefit us individually and collectively.  The problem with some gifts we get, we don’t appreciate it even if we prayed to God for it.  We will complain that the package isn’t right, the style is all wrong or it’s not our kind.  Some gifts are given to compliment, challenge or change us.  We can complain to God but God knows what is best for us.  Let us be kind to the gift given because the gift was given out of love.  When the gift is not what we expect, don’t abuse, mistreat or discard it as worthless. 

If you feel it’s not what you need individually or collectively, re-gift it to others who need what you have rejected.  What is happening in life today, we have discarded or trashed the gift God has given us that another individual or group sees the treasure in it.  Once the treasure is nurtured, loved and affirmed it will flourish and grow.  When we see it again we may not recognize the gift at first but when we do we want to get it back.  Then we are reminded it is too late, it is gone. 

However, the story doesn’t end there.  God will give us another chance with another gift.  Humanity was given the gift of Jesus Christ and they crucified him.  Therefore, God has given humanity another gift called salvation through the resurrected life of Jesus Christ.  So what will you do with this second gift today?