Lift Up One Another - by Ben Mullen

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another even as also ye do.

                                                                                       -1 Thessalonians 5:11

That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

                                                                                        -1 Corinthians 12:25-26

I remember driving in to work one clear, cool autumn morning thinking what a beautiful day it was and how peaceful everything looked.  Then, my cell phone rang, and my mother told me that a plane crashed into the World Trade Center.  Of course, we all remember what happened after that moment.  I thought the country and maybe the world would devolve into chaos.  And, yet what I saw was such an astounding unification of people, people from all walks of life, all around the globe, coming together and supporting and caring and loving one another through this horrific event.  I saw this again following the December 26, 2004, tsunami and then again on the Mississippi Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina.  It gave me, and continues to give me, great faith in humanity and more so in the fact that God’s word and Christ’s direction are in so many of us.  But, it does not take a monumental disaster for us to lift one another up.  Each of us endeavors to work through “mini-disasters” and challenges every day.  We should be attuned to the needs of one another and always be available to help, even if helping is simply listening or offering a prayer with our neighbor.  Learn to be trusted friends and remember that we are all integral parts of one body in Christ such that each supports the other in times of need and cheers and rejoices in the blessings each receives. The smallest of kindnesses often count in the largest of ways.  While one person’s crisis may not be a newsworthy event, the difference we make by following the Word of Christ by being one together is truly monumental.

Lenten Fasting - by George Duffee-Braun

Traditionally Lent is a period during which we give up something – usually something pleasurable or habit forming such as candy, chocolate, certain television shows, coffee, or smoking.  Many consider Lent as a 40 day period which can continue if the fasting or sacrifice is successful.

For some, the 40 days is a period of fasting to purify one’s system and draw closer to God.  Doing so is a reminder of the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert and his temptation by Satan.

Or perhaps it is simply a time of meditation and prayer leading up to Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

If nothing else, it is a period of time that most people recognize as a time to at least pause the daily routine, a time to reassess priorities.  This year, that pause comes at a most opportune time.

The nation and communities are deeply divided over the nature of government and the future course of our society.  Heartfelt opinions are leading to extreme irreconcilable differences, resulting in a risk of friendships and relationships being torn apart.  Leaders across the country are responding to and reinforcing their constituents’ opinions by in turn becoming not willing to dialogue with anyone with opposite opinion.

The fasting this Lenten period could be the pause that cleanses our spirits.  Instead of giving up a favorite treat, perhaps the fasting should be a spiritual one – giving up miscommunication.  Remember the words from a similar difficult period some 50 years ago – “people talking without speaking, hearing without listening.”  Suppose we simply resolved to fast from not listening?  Suppose we resolved to open our hearts to the Spirit to enter and lead us?

As I write this on Valentine’s Day, I am blessed by family love and devotion.  I am also reminded of that greatest love of all, the eternal undeserved love of God.  Can we use Lent to reflect that love in our actions towards others – the neighbors Jesus told us to love.  Can we show that love unconditionally to those whose opinions are different from ours?  After all, isn’t it easy to love your family and friends and those who love us? 

During Lent, it is time to do something difficult and love those different from ourselves  in opinion, culture, religion, politics or country of origin.  Giving up our personal opinions and distrust could result in greater purification of our spirit and lead us closer to God than any other Lenten sacrifice.

Luke 6:32 – “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?”

Joy in Lent - by Rev. Elijah Mitchell

Jesus said, “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."

    Luke 15:7

Lent is a somber and solemn time because we are remembering the death of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  But Lent is also a time to rejoice because of what Jesus’ death means to me and you.  Like the angels, we should rejoice each time a person recognize they need to be forgiven by God and then they go to God for their forgiveness.

Anytime a person repents, the power of the cross is working because people lives are being transformed in a positive way, because of what Jesus did for us on the hill called Calvary. So, when we repent of our sins, our faith is strengthened because Jesus released us from the burden of sin. And every time we repent, confess our sins, and renew our commitment to follow Jesus Christ, the devil’s power is broken.

Finally, Lent is also a special time for meditation, prayer and penitential practices. It’s a time to increase our understanding of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection. Lent is a time for us to rejoice, renew our baptismal vows and recommit to the Christian life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, every time we repent give us joy to worship and praise Your holy name. Amen.

It's Not All About Me - by Sally Boswell

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, said the lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”   Isaiah 55:8

If I have learned anything from my first year of halfway being in the real world at college, I have learned how easy it is to focus on myself. Everyone is constantly worrying about being successful and making a difference, myself included. Actually just before I sat down to write this, I took a nap and had a dream that I wasn’t involved enough around campus to be successful!

I have also learned that, debatably, being seen as a Christian (going to church, posting scripture on Facebook, etc.) often fits into the narrative society draws of a well-rounded, successful individual. I do not think this is bad; it definitely encourages more people to be in spaces that glorify God. However, the reason we go to church and identify as Christians is to seek a relationship with God, not to make other people think we have our life together.

We are not called to worry about if other people think we are impressive, and we are not even called to worry about what our lives will look like in ten years. As Luke 10:27 says, we are called to love the LORD our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind and to Love our neighbors as ourselves. Furthermore, we are called to stop worrying!

God is capable of far more than we can wrap our minds around, so why worry? Seek a relationship with Him because you love Him, not because you live in constant fear of how you are perceived. Once you know Him, it will be so much easier to worry less, to focus less on yourself, and to give more of yourself to others. The love of Jesus Christ lives in each and every one of us; living out that love is the only place our focus should be. 

I Grew Up in a Railroad Town - by Walt Brehm

Scripture for today – Matthew 25:37-40; 45 (NIV)

³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?”  ⁴⁰The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”     ⁴⁵ He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” 

     I grew up in a railroad town in northeastern Pennsylvania in the late forties through the fifties and into the early sixties. This was well past the heyday of hobos but especially in the early years there still were itinerant workers who moved from place to place by hopping freight trains and our house was within easy walking distance of the railroad yards.   Although I have vivid memories of this happening only twice, conversations with my siblings lead me to believe it was not uncommon for one of these men, being hungry and without resources, to come to our back door and ask for food.  The memory of my mom making a sandwich and pouring a steaming cup of coffee for a man in need was burned into my soul at an early age.  This act of obedience is something she learned from her parents during her childhood.   This is something I try to practice and hopefully have passed on to my daughter. 

     St Paul United Methodist Church offers multiple opportunities for us not to seek our salvation but to demonstrate it.  Back pack buddies; the hopefully only temporarily suspended, Living Well Ministries; The Lord is My Help; Seashore Missions.   I have found that my participation in these activities has helped me far more than those whom I have served.

Prayer – Our Father in Heaven, we praise your holy name.  We thank You for the opportunities You provide for us to be Your agents here on earth to bring physical and spiritual recovery to Your hurting children.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  AMEN

                      

Thought for today – “If not me, then who?”

I Ask Thee Not to Do But to Be - by Gwenda Wells

Go into all the world and preach the gospel.

For years I had been a Radio Gospel announcer in Pascagoula MS at 1580 AM.  On Sunday mornings the D&D Gospel Hour came on at 5:30 a.m., different groups had thirty minute sessions until 12 noon when First Baptist church of Pascagoula was turned on which turned my session off.  I truly enjoyed the years that I served as an announcer.  I received many engagements to serve as Master of Ceremony, speaker at anniversaries, plays and programs. 

While enjoying the golden opportunities, life was gracefully moving forward with living life, rearing my five sons, participating in school activities, church youth group, morning devotion before the school bus arrived, and Bible study around the dining room table after school. 

The time arrived that my duties had to change due to my financial status.  I found myself working in Security on Sunday mornings at a gate called D-Dock for Friede Goldman Inc.  My question was, “Lord, I thought You called me to the pulpit?”  The response was, “This is the pulpit, over five hundred men will come through this gate every Sunday morning, who will not go to a building that is called the church.  Your life will preach my word, you stand and shine and I will do the rest.  Sunday after Sunday for eight months I watched so many lives change without even quoting verses as I usually did, telling stories from the Bible and sharing His promises.

Heavenly Father,

            Please order my footsteps in Your way, demonstrate through me the nine fruits of the spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.

Hope in God - by Donna Lewis, Social Worker LCSW

I was born to a family with generational abuse.  My mother's father at age 14 was sold by his father to a man he owed a debt to in Wisconsin.  He escaped to New Orleans where he met and married my grandmother.  Their daughter met and married my father the oldest son of a sharecropper.   He was physically and emotionally abused by his impulsive and cruel father who used religion to justify his behaviors. 

My father, a veteran and good provider, inherited his bad temper so as children we learned to fear him.   So it is completely understandable why my mother fearing that my father would become vigilante, told me to not tell anyone when I reported to her at age 12 that I was being molested by my father's brother.  I prayed and asked God to stop the circumstances.  My uncle was drafted and sent to Vietnam. 

I felt very alone and abandoned.  At church the pastor began to talk about childhood sexual abuse.  My heart leapt.  You mean there were others like me?!?!   The sorrow returned when he closed with, "this only happens in other religions not in our church".  Again I was unseen and unheard.  Did God see me as damaged also? 

I had difficulty concentrating in school.  I blamed myself.  I believed I was damaged and unlovable.  I continue to pray.  I continued to read the scriptures.  As a teenager reading about Joseph ,  a part of Genesis 50: 20   came very much alive. " You planned evil against me.  God planned it for good." This gave me hope!   I knew then that I had a purpose.  I could and would be a strength in God's hands.  "All things work to the good for those who love the Lord”  Romans 8:28. 

I made many bad choices and I learned and grew just like Jesus did.   " He learned obedience through the things he suffered" Hebrews 8:5.  After a divorce to an abusive man, my son and I relied on second Corinthians 12: 9 “My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness.”.  I entered USM school of social work specializing in trauma recovery. 

Today God has used my weakness to be my strengths.  Children and adults who have suffered or are suffering abuse are comfortable speaking with me.  I understand what they feel because I have experienced it.   The Spirit of Lord is working through me.   American Standard Version Genesis 50:20  And as for you, ye meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.   I have been blessed greatly as the things that I suffered have now become my strengths.   The word of God lives in me.