March 9, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
1 John 4:8,10

Our scripture for today is a marvelous reminder to take more time during these days of the Lenten season (40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter) and reflect upon the deep and gracious love of God; “God is love…This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins”.

I have been viewing and reviewing Lenten study materials and came across this quote from Henri Nouwen; “The simple statement, ’God is love,’ has far reaching implications the minute we begin living our lives based on that statement. When God who has created me is love and only love, I am loved before any human being loved me” (Here and Now,77). It’s been said “What the world needs now is love, sweet love…” and yet, the Bible tells us that is just what God did, and is still doing and will do until His Kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven.

The reality is, that too many people don’t know that. Why does evil seem to reign on this earth? Why is there so much injustice? Doesn’t anybody care anymore?

I could give you a sugary, watered down answer to these questions while at the same time trying to help you understand that God is love. What I choose to do is to acknowledge with you the reality of evil in our midst and encourage you that the God who made us all is still in ultimate control, as I understand the word “Is” in the above scripture. “This is love”, not was, but is”. Hang in there with me and try to envision Moses on the mountain when God gave him his marching orders; to set God’s people free. He told Moses that his name is “I Am”. Perhaps a modern understanding might be “I Will Be What I Will Be”, or “I Am Always Here”.

During this Holy season, I invite you to take a little more time every day to read the Gospels and see again how much God loves us all, even the one’s we might deem unlovable. God loved us [all of us] and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice [He paid for the sins of the whole world]. The catch here, is to acknowledge that God is love, that He loved us all. Apart from knowing that love of God, humans are unable to truly love. We can like, lust and crush on other people, but we cannot love as God intends. He intends to love us forever, and I believe He intends for us to do the same.

I hear the hymn by Charles Wesley; “Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven, to earth come down! Fix in us thy humble dwelling; All Thy faithful mercies crown. Jesus thou art all compassion; Pure, unbounded love, Thou art. Visit us with Thy salvation; Enter every trembling heart” (United Methodist Hymnal 1989, pg. 384).

AMEN!

March 2, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Proverbs 3:4-5 and Hebrews 11:1

When our kids were little, we attended a small church with big love. It was just right for our family and even though they didn’t have all the new and improved “Bells and Whistles” for a big worship experience, we celebrated life and faith in a way that has made a lasting impression on us all. One Sunday, one of our daughters was singing as sweetly as can be the hymn “My Hope is Built” and I heard her sing; “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is stinking sand…” I thought to myself, yep, that’s true, apart from Christ any other foundation of faith would stink.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things unseen”, which begs the question; What are you hoping for and what do you want to see happen?

You see, faith isn’t something that just stays in your head, but it is a way of life. It is an outward and visible response to the holiness of God and what He has done for you. It’s really a matter of remembering. Remembering that God loved you so much that he sent his son for you. It’s remembering the many times you felt you had blown it beyond reconciliation, and yet, He brought you out of the depths of despair and into the light of his love. It’s remembering that God isn’t finished with us yet, He is still in charge.

We have just begun the Lenten season of the church for 2022. This traditional 40-day period is all about this kind of remembering. Followers of Christ are encouraged to remember where we came from and where we are going, and particularly to remember to whom we belong. As we work through these next 40 days leading up to Easter, I would encourage you to take a bit more time every day to thank God for what He has done, and look with expectation to what he will do and all the while partner with Him in what He is doing.

Memorize passages of scripture like Proverbs 3:4-5; “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways, acknowledge the Lord, He will make your path straight”.

I dare say, you will have greater hope for today and the future, and you will see amazing things.

AMEN!

February 23, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Matthew 28:16-20

I have been challenged and blessed to be around a lot of people. Lately many of these dear ones of God have been dealing with the effects of feeling detached, isolated or alone. Some are angry with family and friends, some feel deserted. I recently talked with a friend whom I’ve known for nearly 40 years who struggles with depression, and I never knew it, she seems so strong and independent. I’ve been ministering with several families who are grieving the loss of a loved one, and praying with and for families who are fearful they might be grieving loss soon. I listened to a dear one who feels hurt deeply by a family member, and I often feel ashamed that I don’t do more, or at least present Christ more fully in these situations. I hear the words “I’m so tired of all of this” over and over again. Here is where I know to turn to God and His word for strength and wisdom. I also have access to great teaching by Bible scholars who inspire me to keep going. I pray you will be inspired too as you read on.

This week’s scripture passage may be very familiar to you; “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but dome doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, ’All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all 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 28:16-20).

As with all scripture, I believe that every time you read, ponder, even memorize it, God offers a new insight. Here is one I received through the teaching of Steven P. Easton. He focuses on the gift and power of the Holy Trinity in our passage for today. Easton references Shirley Guthrie’s book Christian Doctrine; “Shirley Guthrie writes; ‘The same God who is God over us as God the Father and Creator, and God with and for us as the incarnate Word and Son, is also God in and among us as God the Holy Spirit’.

You cannot go out into the world, according to Jesus, without all of that. We are immersed (or sprinkled) into the whole being of God, whether we understand it or not. We are not powerless in the world; we are not disconnected from the omnipotent God as creator, or from the redeeming work of God in human flesh, or from the very presence of that same God in the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and among us and sometimes outside of us. That is a tremendous gift to celebrate for those who are feeling detached, isolated, alone, angry, deserted, depressed, grieving, hopeless, fearful, anxious, wounded, ashamed, and tired” (From: Feasting on The Word, year A, Volume 3, 2011, pg.46).

AMEN!

February 16, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
James 1:19-21

This week I am reviewing a very familiar passage of scripture that always makes be stop and say “oops, I blew it again”. It comes to us from the book of James, which many scholars believe was written by James, the brother of Jesus. Eugene Peterson in his introduction to the book of James writes: “…Deep and living wisdom is on display here, wisdom both rare and essential. Wisdom is not primarily knowing the truth, although it certainly includes that; it is skill in living. For what good is a truth if we don’t know how to live it? What good is an intention if we can’t sustain it? According to church traditions, James carried the nickname ‘Old Camel Knees’ because of thick calluses built up on his knees from many years of determined prayer. The prayer is foundational to the wisdom. Prayer is always foundational to wisdom” (The Message).

James 1:19-21: “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (NIV).

I would imagine I am not the only one that this verse stings. The reason I say that is from many years of living with people. People who, like me, didn’t stop to think before they spoke. People, like me, who felt what they had to say was more important than what someone else was trying to say and didn’t even listen when the other person was stating their case. Yep, the book of James can be a stinger, but, sometimes you have to feel a little sting to remind yourself what to avoid. It would seem from Eugene Peterson’s introduction that the way to check the wisdom of what we are saying and or listening to, is to be in prayer before we speak and before we choose to listen or not.

Bring on the Camel Knees!

AMEN!

February 8, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Matthew 5:14-16

Have you ever wondered if there is a method to the madness of our culture? What I want to know is if there is any evidence of a systematic evolution and/or dissolution to our “American Way”? I came across an article that was published in a newsletter from another local church back in February 2016. It seems the pastor then was concerned about this very issue and was doing a series of sermons and teachings on “Christian America”. What follows is a part of the article that contains a quote from Alexander Tyler back in 1787 and I find it striking at the heart of my question: “The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence –

1) From bondage to spiritual faith;
2) From spiritual faith to great courage;
3) From courage to liberty;
4) From liberty to abundance;
5) From abundance to complacency;
6) From complacency to apathy;
7) From apathy to dependence; 😎

From dependence back into bondage” The pastor closed his article with this statement, which I find compelling; “Most scholars and people would place our nation somewhere between step 6 and 7 in that life-cycle, which is pretty scary when you think about it. The trouble is that even with the knowledge of where we are and where we are headed, most don’t realize what to do about it. It’s really very simple: If you want to break the cycle, you have to go back to step one.” So, what do you think? For me, I find the recent teachings I’ve shared with you very timely in helping to direct us.

The Lord allowed me to study and share with you the importance of going back to the basics of God’s call on his people. We’ve recently looked at Jesus’s encounter with one of the teachers of the law who asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important”? To which Jesus simply replied; “The most important one” . I love the way Jesus puts the ball back in the teachers court, and gives him the opportunity to take responsibility to answer such a question for himself. Never the less, Jesus quickly jumps in during what must have been a very uncomfortable quiet pause and quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 about loving God with everything, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Today, in considering the above article, I want to encourage you faithful readers of this post to read the scripture text for today; Matthew 5:14-16 and ask yourself, “am I letting my little light shine for God’s glory with the sole purpose of drawing people to Him”? Do I stay close to God in his word, prayer, and worship so as to have a brighter light to shine?

It’s a good challenge, and it might just be the light at the end of the tunnel that will give you hope that we all can go back to step #1 and lead the way for others to find true faith in God.

February 1, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Today is a very special day at our house. We have a birthday girl who is turning the ripe old age of 5. To celebrate this event I am planning to share homemade banana bread, chocolate milk and some very special bible time. (Actually, we do these same things every day, but today I will add “Happy Birthday” after enjoying each of these activities ).

Since you are sharing this day with us through this meditation, I will invite you to join us in reading the above - mentioned scripture which comes to us from a very special part of the old testament, or what I like to call the first testament, and what is known to our Jewish brethren as Torah (teaching of the Law): “Hear O Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Take to heart these instructions with which I charge you this day. Impress them upon your children. Recite them when you stay at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead; inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Jewish Study Bible-Tanakh Translation-Jewish Publication Society).

When our granddaughter’s mother was young, I learned from another pastor the significance of this passage known as the Shema (“Hear”). He said that he believed this to be the most significant teaching in the bible for family faithfulness. So, I took it upon myself to memorize this passage and even to sing the Hebrew prayer inspired by it. Many a time my kids would roll their eyes and wonder why this often impatient and flawed mom of theirs would put them through this recital. I would remind them, that regardless of the way things were, good or bad, we were still blessed by God to be a family and as such I owed it to Him and to them to follow this instruction. So today, I invite you to join with me to develop a daily habit of reciting the commandments (not the 613 as some scholars believe are revealed in all of Torah: Genesis-Deuteronomy, but we’ll just work on the top 10 as listed in Exodus 20. You can find other renderings in Exodus 34 and Deuteronomy 5).

Using our 10 fingers, or simply counting 1-10, recite this simple version of the 10 commandments:

1 – Love God with all of yourself
2 – Don’t worship anything or anyone else
3 – Don’t use God’s name in a bad way
4 – Remember to spend one day every week as a holy day for God
5 – Respect your mommy and daddy
6 – Don’t murder (life is a precious gift from God)
7 – Be faithful to your husband or wife
8 – Don’t take what does not belong to you.
9 – Don’t say bad things about other people
10 – Don’t spend time wanting what other people have, be grateful for what you already have.

AMEN!

January 26, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Matthew 5:4, Hebrews 9:27-28

As I am preparing this meditation, I am also preparing for funerals for two wonderful father figures who impacted my life in many positive ways, especially when it comes to walking by faith. I found some inspiration from an old text book; All our losses All our Griefs, Resources for Pastoral Care by Kenneth Mitchell and Herbert Anderson. In the chapter entitled Toward a Theology of Grieving I discovered a very comforting insight Inspired by the above-mentioned scripture passages. Let’s start with the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ statement; “Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted”.

The author of my textbook writes: The original Greek translated here “those who mourn” implies active lamenting…The necessity for actively grieving losses is obvious. We may choose not to grieve, but inevitably we do so to our own detriment, if not to our emotional and spiritual peril. We take the beatitude at face value: Those who mourn can be blessed because they can be comforted [emphasis mine]. It is difficult if not impossible to comfort someone who does not mourn…The beatitude places sorrow-bearing at the center of Christian discipleship. On that matter, there are no options. Those who claim Jesus as Lord bear the grief of others because they belong to the Lord who suffers and who in his suffering reveals God as one who suffers” (pgs. 165-166).

The writer to the Hebrews tells us; “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him”.

The men that I referenced at the beginning of this writing both reached the ripe young age of 90 plus and have agreed that they have lived very full lives. Both inspire me to seek the Lord more and more so as to leave this world as confident as they. With the preaching of Jesus and the teaching of the writer to the Hebrews I can say how blessed are they who mourn in God’s care and with God’s people, because they will be comforted and most especially because Jesus bears our sin.

Is there someone in your sphere of influence who needs to be comforted? Maybe it’s due to a loss of a loved one, or loss of a relationship, or loss of a job, or loss of vibrant health, there are many ways we experience loss. Believers are called to be true disciples of Jesus Christ and be bearers of the weight people around us are carrying due to loss.

May God direct you to someone today and in the days ahead, and may you find comfort in His word to bring comfort to them.

AMEN!

January 18, 2022
Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
Romans 15:13

We are expecting! That’s right my family is expecting. Now before you start asking what you can bring to the baby shower, I just want to clarify that we are not expecting a baby, at least not that I have been made aware, but we are expecting the return of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. As such, we have hope. Hope for today, tomorrow and for eternity. Perhaps you have had moments where you thought you lost hope, it is easy to feel that when the world is as crazy at it is, but take heart, He has overcome the world (see John 16:33).

Because God in his mercy and grace made a way for us to be one with him in Christ, we can have hope. The Dutch priest and theologian Henri Nowen writes: “The paradox of expectation is that those who believe in tomorrow can better live today; those who expect joy to come out of sadness can discover the beginnings of a new life amid the old; those who look forward to the returning Lord can discover him already in their midst” (an excerpt from Never Forget Hope, 2011 pg. 56).

Are you expecting? I hope so. “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

Amen!