Category — Pastor's Workshop

During the past couple of weeks there have been several surgeries, illnesses, difficult decisions regarding parents and children, marital difficulties, family problems, and deaths. At the very time when we begin to plan and anticipate the goodness of the holiday time of November and December, difficulty and tragedy abound.

In a time when joyful anticipation and loving preparation ought to be paramount we are ambushed. Our joy is stolen. Our love is strained. Some of us may be perplexed and ask, “Why is God doing these things?” Others may look at it a bit differently and ask, “Why is God allowing these things to happen?”

God speaks to us today, regarding this very topic, through His Living Word as James was inspired to write an instruction manual on the topic of faith. In the first eighteen verses of the Book of James we can find comfort, promise, and hope in the present day that will urge us to trust God, remain steadfast in our growing faith, and accept the pain of events and circumstance inflicted upon us in everyday living.

Here is the basic flow of James’ writing:

• Everyone experiences difficulties, stress, and obstacles.
• We must see these trials as an opportunity to grow our faith.
• Each of these trials produce patience and/or perseverance.
• This process of facing trials and building patience and/or perseverance must run its course. They must be faced and not cause us to run away or hide ourselves in denial or blame.
• The purpose of such trials is to move us toward spiritual perfection; complete faith, lacking in nothing.

James goes on to unravel the fouled knot of God’s role in our encounters and struggles with the trials of living:

• God does not tempt us.
• It is our own desires that entice us and grow into sin and spiritual death.
• Likewise we can and are effected by the sinfulness of others; even those we do not know.
• God, who is steadfast, loving, and just is the author of every good and perfect gift.

Our only hope is to grow in our faith as we rely on God and His grace through Jesus the Christ. Every trial is a barrier we cannot surmount with out greater trust in and dependence upon the One who was, is, and is yet to be. We grow in faith as we relinquish what we think is our control upon our daily lives and our eternal soul.

Please read James 1:1-18. Pray upon the words you read. Receive the wisdom offered in God’s counsel. Let the peace beyond understanding wash over your pain and loss. Give thanks and honor to God. ENJOY LIVING!

“How is it with your soul?”  That would be the first thing a person would hear who was a member of a Methodist Class in the late 1700’s and the early 1800’s.  This was an invitation by the leader of the class to openly and trustingly share the spiritual ups and down of the past week with the six to ten members of the Methodist Class.  The individual knew full-well of the support and nurture they would receive from the leader and members.  Further, the individual knew that the others gathered in support would also hold the person accountable in their efforts to become a more fully devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. Paul addressed the basic need for more than social fellowship in the church when he wrote, “Is anyone of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16 NIV Many of us who read Paul’s writings as part of our Christian heritage and think back on our Methodist heritage wonder how such fellowship could ever be successful or even possible.  Paul summarizes the actions that would not only make such spiritual fellowship possible but empowers the Church, any congregation, you, and me in our quest to follow Jesus Christ as authentic disciples. Where can you find this life changing plan?  Take the time to look at 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24.  Stop, look, and listen to the living words written centuries ago and needed in every congregation today.  After due consideration of the words, prayer for discernment, and applying the words to your fellowship with other Christians, one conclusion comes to our hearts.  The hurt we have experienced, anger we feel, and the lack of forgiveness we hold within will never heal until we can openly share our answer to the question, “How is it with your soul?” as we forgive and are forgiven.  The failure to follow this path stagnates our faith and spiritual development, steals the joy from each day, hinders God’s desire to forgive us, diminishes the effectiveness of spreading the Gospel of Jesus, and divides our congregation. “How is it with YOUR soul?”

“THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. AND SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.” Matthew 18b-20 (NIV) Jesus set the people he had taught and cultivated with His example and leadership to a task that seemed impossible. Twelve individuals, armed with the truth of salvation and the Holy Spirit within them, were given the commission to spread the teaching and example of Jesus throughout the world they knew.  As people who have received the teachings and example of Jesus the Christ, we strive to become disciples today. That same commission received by the twelve whom Jesus gathered around Him is our commission today. It is our sacred task to proclaim the message and gospel of Jesus to all in our world today. At the Teeing Off Meeting on August 19^th seventy-five people of the Christ UMC congregation gathered to determine the goal (primary purpose) of CUMC. Their conclusion was MAKING DISCIPLES FOR JESUS THE CHRIST. Every event, every ministry, every mission, every outreach, Sunday school lesson, every committee meeting, every social pitch-in meal … EVERYTHING should reflect this goal of the Christ UMC congregation in some way to heighten our determination and clear our focus on our primary purpose of making disciples of Jesus the Christ. How do we do such a thing? First, pray everyday for opportunities and guidance to make disciples of Jesus the Christ. Next, if you have a part in planning or leading a group, event, or activity at CUMC, find ways to focus upon, build reminders, or open opportunities in the preparation and the doing of the meeting & etc. As an example, a simple candle and a packet of salt on the table representing the need for the individuals at CUMC to be the light and salt of the world. Another idea is to have an empty chair at your meeting/activity as a reminder of the one who God may be calling to salvation through prevenient grace. The chair could also be used as a reminder of the coming opportunities to make a disciple. This congregation is made up of wonderful, talented, loving individuals who love Jesus. It’s time to move into the mission fields of Washington, Indiana and make disciples of Jesus the Christ.