June 15, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Proverbs 15:1

Laundry chores are not among my favorites, but I am always thankful that I have a sturdy washer and dryer that can handle some tough loads. One of the settings on my washer is the “Gentle” cycle. I rarely use it because most of my dirty laundry requires a more aggressive approach. Let me try to make a connection with you between this laundry illustration and what we are studying in the messages concerning living in the Holy Spirit of God: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22).

In what I like to call the fruit salad of the Spirit, we find gentleness. Proverbs reminds us; “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Here is where I often struggle with a more aggressive approach when it comes to difficult conversations. Like extra soiled laundry, there are some pretty messy situations that come my way, and I can’t ignore them. Like dirty laundry, if I don’t deal with the messiness with which I am confronted, then it just sits there in my heart and mind until I find myself with “stinking thinking”, that robs me of my peace and rest.

Jesus offers us all a chance to use the “Gentle Cycle” when dealing with the troubles we face; “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

When you are faced with a situation that demands your attention, and your first instinct is to give the other person “a piece of your mind”, take just a second or two and breathe in again the Holy Spirit of God and ask Him to guide your words, to be a more “gentle answer”. It takes practice, and many times I’m not the best example, but verses like the above really do help me, if I will just take the time to read and remember them. Pastor Robert Strand reflects on “Gentleness in the words we speak” in his little devotional Nine Fruits of the Spirit by quoting Max Lucado: “Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle: If I raise my voice may it be only in praise. If I clench my first, may it be only in prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself”.

May the Holy Spirit guide us all day by day as we choose “the gentle cycle”.

AMEN!

June 1, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
John 7:37-39

‘On the last and greatest day of the Feast [of Tabernacles/A Fall festival for God], Jesus stood and said in a loud voice ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’

By this he meant the Spirit [Holy Spirit], whom those who believed in him were about to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified” John 7:37-39 NIV.

This coming Sunday many churches will celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost so I thought it would be good to prepare you a little bit. According to Dr. Henry Halley, Jesus had not been in Jerusalem for nearly a year and a half and it would be a mere 6 months before he would be crucified. It’s important for us to see a bit of the context for this verse in order to hear the passion Jesus has for his people. He knows many of the people gathered to celebrate a holy festival to honor God would be the very ones who would shout “Crucify him”! Jesus also knows that the people are thirsty, not just for liquid refreshment, but for spiritual refreshment. There is a thirst for healing of relationships that have dried up. There is a thirst for hope and joy that has long since become a dry and weary land. There is a deep thirst for comfort when life throws another curveball.

Jesus tells everyone who would listen, and remember, it’s a festival and quite noisy, so he stands up on something and shouts in a very loud voice our text you have read today. The “Living water” is a reference to the Holy Spirit that would fall on all who gathered as Jesus had instructed on the day of Pentecost. The living water would bring reconciliation, hope, joy and comfort beyond anything anyone on earth could provide. It would be with a powerful witness as the believers began to speak in languages that everyone gathered for the feast of Pentecost would understand.

Oh, how much our God loves us! To give us this witness that He would become flesh again and indwell those who believe manifested in the presence of the Holy Spirit. During these very hot summer days it is easy to relate to being thirsty. So, the next time you get a drink of cool, clear water, try looking up to heaven and thank God that He wants to flow through you.

AMEN

May 19, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Ephesians 3:20-21

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…”, a song that is running through my head this morning as I anticipate the arrival of my beautiful 5-year old grandchild who will entertain and challenge me again today. I am blessed beyond measure to be so close to our grandchildren and perhaps the greatest blessing is how they remind me to stay close to God and his word daily. Monday morning our little Miss brought her new book bag she received from her preschool graduation. She parked it on the table where I had my bible open and proceeded to open up her new bible. She said it would make me smile and that I would need to read it to her. Before I got past the first page of the creation story, she pulled it back and began to tell me the stories page by page from memory. She asked me some of the names of the characters, but for the most part, accurately retold the stories her preschool teacher shared with the students from the same bible each student received for graduation. Proud, pleased and just praising the Lord for a marvelous beginning of the week.

All this to say; please, please don’t take a break from bible time this summer. Take a break from stress and worry. Take a break from fear and frustration, but don’t take a break from your journey with God. Recite our scripture for today as a prayer to guide you; “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever!

AMEN”

May 11, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Matthew 6 and John 14

I came across a bible study written by Maxie Dunnam, published in 1989; That’s What The Man Said: The Sayings of Jesus and found a statement that helped me today, I hope it helps you too. “The greatest price we pay for worry is the loss of the richness of living today” (pg.16).

In reflecting on Matthew 6:25-34, Maxie reminds us that “We have the power like the violet, to crack all the rocks of circumstances. So listen to what Jesus said: "Don’t be anxious about tomorrow!" I used to read the passage in Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" and I often interpreted that as permission for me to worry today .

The point Jesus was trying to make then and now is summed up in verse 27: 
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

I’ve heard that studies have shown that worry and anxiety can actually lessen your life, not only the quality of your life but the length of time you get to live and the older I get, the more I see that to be true. In the “violets cracking rocks” image, Maxie Dunnam relates; “A tiny, fragile, violet with so much life in its tiny structure, with so much thrust for sunlight and air that it literally cracks the rock and pokes through so that it can peek at the sunlight and finally burst forth in its pristine purple glory…you see, we can trust God for tomorrow, because we can trust God for today” (pg. 17).

Ralph Waldo Emerson was quoted as saying: “What lies behind us and before us are small matters compared to what lies within us”. When you are in Christ Jesus, his Holy Spirit makes his dwelling within you. This comforter, healer, and counselor will guide you all the way home.

Jesus said; "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you" (John 14:15-17).

Listen to what the man said.

AMEN

May 4, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
1 John 3:16-18

Our text for today gives an example of how we know what love is and a reminder of how much God showed his love for us all; “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

My mommy was a great example of the love of Christ for me and all who knew her. I was pretty young when she was diagnosed with kidney disease, yet she made good use of the days she felt well enough to be out of bed. She would be invited to share about her homeland, The Netherlands, with church groups and schools. I have a sweet picture that a dear friend cut out of a newspaper article that shows my mother in her full Dutch costume dancing in a circle with kids from a local church kindergarten. She became my Brownie Scout leader because I was afraid to leave her to go to meetings and functions. She even made a pattern for all the scouts and leaders to have our own costume, and sent away to Holland Michigan for each of us to have our own wooden shoes. We were the hit of the school for that year’s Mother’s Day program as we dance to a traditional Dutch song about mothers.

The greatest impression she made on me about how to show the love of Christ was her constant concern for others. She often felt weak, but still made time to put a meal together for a shut in, or help at church. One day she got me involved by handing me a bag of clothes that didn’t fit me anymore. She instructed me to go to the end of our street where a very poor and large family lived. I avoided that house, because they were always dirty and smelly, and sometimes were very loud in their family fights. Mom saw my hesitancy and simply gave me a hug and told me to remember how much God loves us and that he wants us to love others.

For those of you that don’t have memories of a mom that knew the love of Christ and shared it, I pray you will seek God to shine more brightly through you, even if you are not a mom. After all, actions speak louder than words.

AMEN

April 27, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
1 John 1:1-7

I am inspired to share with you a teaching about light as our days are getting longer and the hours of darkness are getting shorter. Part of the meditation today comes from a theologian by the name of A.E. Willmott who writes; “God is a light that challenges, a light that changes and a light that cheers”.

I really like that snappy summary of 1 John 1. Our scripture for today is a letter written by John the apostle and was intended to be read by many churches to guide them through difficult days when false teachings were infiltrating the church and threatening their very existence. He begins by establishing his credentials as a trusted eye witness of the life, teachings, death, resurrection and appearance of Christ post-crucifixion. He then moves on from his witness to his proclamation, one he shared with the other apostles and those sharing the gospel in the time of his writing (sometime between AD 85-90). It is this proclamation, or declaration, that he uses to invite those listening to join in fellowship of believers so as to be changed from walking in the darkness of sin and separation from God to walking in the light of God’s love and glory.

My takeaway from our scripture today is simply; keep walking in the light of God’s word. I’m thinking of a favorite hymn, see if you remember it too; “When we walk with the Lord, in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on the way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey” (shared from the United Methodist Hymnal #467).

It’s the trust that comes first. Trusting that God will do what he says he will do. Trust that the written word of God is our guide. Trust that even in the midst of turmoil, if I am mindful to stay close to the Lord in prayer, worship and service, He will show me the way. May you find the light that challenges to encourage you. May you find the light that changes to transform you, and may you find the light that cheers lift your heart in greater fellowship with God and others.

AMEN!

April 20, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith in the form of a beautiful video.

--> You Tube Video to Watch - Hillsong United - "So Will I"

Consider Psalm 104 and Genesis 1.

Prayer: Oh God, King and creator of the Universe, thank you that in all that you have created you count me worthy to be part of it all. Please help me to so love you that my love for others may increase. "Let my whole being praise the Lord!"

AMEN

April 13, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Matthew 26:26-28

Last night at our final Simple Soup Supper and Study for this Lenten Season we celebrated Holy Communion together at Lanesville United Methodist Church in a very unique way. My friend, Pastor David led our gathering in a remembrance of the meaning of the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his disciples in what we now call “the Lord’s Supper” or “the last supper”. What a marvelous and yet, very simple worship experience to lead us into this Holy Week as we look forward to that great victory on the cross of Calvary, when Jesus Christ was truly the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” and then to the empty tomb where we know “He is Risen!”.

The Gospel of Matthew chapter 26 and verses 26 through 28 : “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

As we look forward to an amazing Easter morning where we remember again how Jesus did just what he said he would do. May the Holy Spirit guide each one of us to take time to remember He is coming again to take from the world His own. He will again do what he said he would do and may each one of us be very present (aware) of the present (gift of salvation) that He offers. It is not forced on anyone, it truly is a gift of love.

May you experience his love all the more in the days ahead.

AMEN!