Dear First
Methodist Family,
Jesus told His disciples, “I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23-24). If prayer did nothing other than what Jesus promised, it would be one of the greatest gifts God has given us. But prayer does even more. Prayer changes us.
God is in the change business. He wants to draw us closer to Him, as we are changed and molded. David understood God’s plan. His words in Psalm 25:4-5 describe the process that God uses: “Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.”
These three phrases show me, teach me and guide me. They reveal that when God shows me, He has my heart; when God teaches me, He has my mind; when God guides me, He has my hand. |
|
|
We grow in faith to meet the challenges that life presents to us. I’m reminded of the story of a climbing expedition to Mount Everest in 1924. A group of climbers twice tried to get to the top of the world’s tallest mountain, but failed. They met in London a few weeks later to talk about their failed attempt. On the stage was a large picture of Mount Everest. One of the men stood to speak. As he addressed the crowd, he turned to the picture of Mount Everest and said, “ You have conquered us once, you have conquered us twice, but Mount Everest, you will not conquer us every time,” he turned to the audience and with determination said, “... because Mount Everest can grow no larger, but we can.”
We began a message series last weekend on “Simple Machines.” The first message was “A Community of Hope” and it was all about how the people around us can help us make it through overwhelming times and the power of a “Pulley” to lift heavy burdens was our illustration. Next weekend the message will be “Finding a Shortcut” and the “Wedge” will be our illustration. Wayne and I will be in another “Tool Time” clip that should be fun as we learn about the “Simple Machines” in God’s plan in “Making Life Work.” It’s simple: when we follow God’s plan we can grow through all the challenges that life will put in our path. We’ll be learning for the next four weeks that God has a simple plan to help us in “Making Life Work.”
This Sunday, from 4:30 pm until 6:30 pm our “Time to Grow” team will meet. There will be Santa Fe Stew served and you’ll be joining a great team of people as we go from “Time to Build” to “Time to Grow.” Sign up today or e-mail me at sramsdell@fumcwaco.org. You can also call me at 772-5630 to sign up. You won’t want to miss being part of a team that is a symbolic re-launching of our church.
