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A few weeks ago during worship I shared that we all have a job description as members of St. Paul's UMC. Ephesians 4:3 says, "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Our job description is to be peacemakers. We have a calling to maintain peace with one another. God calls us to be unified but unity in a church is not uniformity. It is not everyone being at the same place at the same time. Paul told us in I Corinthians 1:10 that we are to be united in thought and purpose. We continue to commit ourselves to our purpose as a church in common fellowship to Praise God through worship, to Grow as disciples through study, to Share our faith through testimony, and to Serve others through ministry.
On September 27th we will be beginning a new series...50 Days of Faith. We have done many church wide studies over the last few years, 40 Days of Purpose, 50 Days of Prayer, 50 Days of Love. The goal of these church-wide studies has been to help us be united in thought and purpose. We unify around doing the same things but not at the same time or in the same way.
Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God..." The Bible says there's only one way to get God's approval. It is not by being more good than bad. Nor is it by keeping the Ten Commandments or by promising to be perfect or by being religious and going to church.
There's only one way to get God's smile on your life. The only way you can get God's approval is by faith in Jesus Christ, His Son. You may be a great person but without faith it's impossible to please God. You may do all kinds of great things in your life but without faith it's impossible to please God. Our faith is an essential issue. It is vital that you learn how to live by faith. That you strengthen your faith.
So for the next fifty days, between September 27th and Thanksgiving, we're entering into an eight week or fifty day series called "Fifty Days of Faith." In this series we're going to stretch your faith, we're going to challenge your faith, we're going to deepen your faith, we're going to strengthen your faith and you're going to see all kinds of amazing things happen in your life as your faith grows.
How do you get more faith? You say, "I'd like to get more faith. How do I get it?" The Bible tells us that faith comes by hearing the word of God. Faith comes from this book - this is faith-food - and the more you get into this book, God's word, the Bible - the more your faith will develop. So we've figured out a way in the next fifty days to deepen your faith and get you into the word four different ways.
First, we're going to do eight messages on Sunday mornings. This will be an opportunity for us to corporately praise God, share our faith and learn more about how our faith in God can grow.
Second, we're going to give you a weekly, personal promise of God from the Bible. In your bulletin each week there will be a little card that says, "Faith weekly memory verse." You can pull it out put it somewhere so that through the day, through the week you can look at it, memorize the verse, put it in your heart where it can make a difference.
Third, I put together a daily devotional guide called "Fifty Days of Faith" for you to start each morning tuning into God. I took the fifty greatest promises of the Bible and wrote a page on each of these promises. You can pick your book up after the service on September 27th. You can spend just five minutes each day, filling your life with inspiration in devotionals that will help you grow in faith.
Fourth, we are working on a Fifty Days of Faith weekly Bible study guide. I'm going to ask everybody who is in a small group to set aside your curriculum and go through this study together with the whole church. We will be coordinating and complimenting the messages, the scripture verses to be memorized, the daily devotional and the weekly study altogether because you're going to be changed in these fifty days. Your faith is going to develop. It's going to be strengthened, it's going to be challenged, and it's going to grow as you get in contact with the word of God.
If you are currently not in a small group, I want you to sign up for a special eight-week study. We need homes to sponsor the groups and people to lead the groups. Sign up sheets will be in the narthex over the next few weeks. I would love to see everyone in our church in a small group for these fifty days.
"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6.
Pastor John
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I Saw Jesus Last Week.
He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.
He was up at the church building;
He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute he looked a little like one of our church members.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his smile.
I saw Jesus last Sunday.
He was teaching a Bible class.
He didn't talk real loud or use long words,
But you could tell he believed what he said.
For just a minute, he looked like my Sunday School teacher.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday.
He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick.
They prayed together quietly.
For just a minute he looked like our minister.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning.
He was in my kitchen making my breakfast
He then fixed me a special lunch to take with me.
For just a minute he looked like my Mom.
But it was Jesus, I could feel the love from his heart.
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I saw Jesus today.
He was praying on his knees all alone.
He then began to cry for those he prayed for.
For just a minute he looked like a lady from our church.
But it was Jesus, I could see the compassion poured out of his prayer.
I saw Jesus the other day.
He was at the grocery store talking to friends.
He then put his arms around them to comfort them.
For just a minute he looked like a young mother in our ladies class.
But it was Jesus, I could see the concern for others who hurt.
I saw Jesus the other day.
Taking food to the sick,
Welcoming others to his home,
Being friendly to a newcomer
And for just a minute I think he's someone I know.
But it's always Jesus, I can tell by the way he serves.
Let someone see Jesus in us today. "As the Father has sent me, so send I you."
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