Faith & Life Connections

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1 A Daily Devotion & Resource Guide for Your Spiritual Journey From the Sermon-Teaching Ministry of Fairhope UMC The Kingdom of God is Near - Week of February 26, 2012 Mark 1:9-15, First Sunday of Lent Reflections on this week s message: Even now, declares the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:12-13 I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:6-7a God desires relationship and fellowship with His children. That s why woven through-out scripture we find a call to repent. Our sin separates us from God so in order to be in a loving, intimate relationship with Him we must repent. The word, repent means to change direction, to reverse course. In our spiritual lives we can easily find ourselves going off course, distracted and led astray by temptation and sin. We need to recognize our sin and turn from it so that we can continue moving closer to God. The process of laying aside our sin and selfish ways is an on-going process in which Christians should be engaged. The season of Lent offers us opportunity to put off sinful ways and pick up holy and spiritual practices. Are you where you need to be in your spiritual journey? Even Jesus, before He launched His ministry, spent some time seeking and reflecting. For forty days, Jesus faced temptation and called upon the Father s strength to give Him victory. God is calling us to do great things; are we equipped with the Spirit s power, or are we trying to minister in our own strength? Take this season of reflection and seeking to evaluate your own journey. As you discover the places where you fall short; Repent! Turn away from your selfish motivations, turn away from the temptations to trust in the thing of the world, and turn toward God. Jesus message as He began His ministry was this; The time has come, he said. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news! (Mark 1:15) Love, Pastor Joe This Week s Challenge: Repent & believe the Good News! Listen to this week s sermon teaching by clicking the Online Sermons link at

2 Begin with Prayer: Getting Started: Grab your bible & find a quiet, comfortable spot to begin your daily Bible reading. Light a candle & spend a few minutes relaxing, quieting your mind. Keep a notebook nearby to jot down distractions that interfere with your focus to put them out of your mind to deal with later. You may want to play your favorite hymns or praise music softly in the background. To quiet your mind & prepare to focus on God & His Word try one of the prayer exercises found under Spiritual Growth Resources. Then pray the suggested prayer starter personalizing it to your needs & desire for God s guidance. This Week's Prayer Starter: O Lord, who hast mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of thy Holy Spirit. Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore Thee, a heart to delight in Thee, to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen. -- Ambrose of Milan, 4th century bishop Pray with music: Select a song to learn and sing frequently during Lent. Hymns that connect with this week s sermon message include Amazing Grace and Jesus Loves Me. Good discipleship hymns for Lent include Take My Life, Be Thou My Vision, Lord I Want to Be a Christian, or Tell Me the Stories of Jesus. After reflecting & praying through this week s readings & sermon teaching, I feel God is nudging me to take these steps: day 1 week of February 26 Read Mark 1:9-15 What purpose do you see in Jesus baptism and in his temptation? How would these events prepare him for his public ministry? Reread verse 11. What did the voice from heaven say about Jesus? What would you like to hear God say to you? What does the word repent mean? Are you willing to repent and return to God? Are you willing to turn away from your selfish motives? Are you willing to turn away from the temptations to trust in the things of the world and turn toward God? Reread verse 15. Jesus spoke these words over 2000 years ago. What do they mean for you today? Are you touched by a sense of urgency as you hear Jesus words today? Do you recognize that the kingdom of God is near? Are you willing to repent? Do you believe the Good news? Spend some quiet time with the Lord today! Repent & believe the Good news!

3 day 2 week of February 26 Read Joel 2:12-13 & 2 Chronicles 7:14 What is God asking of you in the Joel passage? What does God promise? What is God asking of you in the 2 Chronicles passage? What does God promise? What is meant by rend your heart and not your garments (Joel 2:13)? What does God mean when He asks that we humble ourselves (2 Chronicles 7:14)? What does it mean to be God s people, called by His name? Are you seeking God? Are you ready & willing to return to the Lord with all your heart? If you want the Lord to heal you are you willing to surrender yourself to Him? What might be holding you back? What steps will you take to open your heart to God and walk steadfastly in God s way? Pray, seek God s face, return to the Lord & give Him your heart! day 3 week of February 26 Read Malachi 2:17 3:7 How have the people wearied the Lord? How have you wearied the Lord? Do you fear the Lord? Are you where you need to be in your spiritual journey? What can you see in your life that needs to change in order for you to be a more effective disciple of Jesus Christ? How does God work in us like a refiner s fire? What imperfections does God work to clean out of your heart? What comfort do you find in knowing that the Lord does not change? What hope do you find in his promise, return to me, and I will return to you (v. 7)? How do you find hope in the fact that God can make you pure again? Open your heart to God s work in you. Rejoice in the hope that God can take something broken & imperfect & make it new again!

4 day 4 week of February 26 Read Psalm 51, Psalm 139:23-24, & Ezekiel 36:25-28 Has covering up sin ever backfired in your life? How have you experienced God s mercy when you owned up to your sin? According to Psalm 51:16-17, what kind of sacrifices does the Lord desire? Do you believe that the Lord desires to create a pure heart in you, to renew a steadfast spirit in you, to restore to you the joy of your salvation? Are you willing to do what God asks in order to receive what He promises you? Reread Psalm 139: Do you ask God to search your heart and test your thoughts? Are you willing to listen to Him & repent when he reveals any offensive way in you? Do you desire the Lord to lead you in the way everlasting? How would you describe the condition of your heart today? What do you learn about God s desire for you from the Ezekiel passage? What does this passage say about God s character? Are you willing to allow God to give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you? Sprinkle a little water on yourself & remember that God s love & forgiveness give you the sense of being fresh & newly cleaned. Remember your baptism and be thankful! (United Methodist Service of Baptism Covenant 1) day 5 week of February 26 Read Jeremiah 31, Isaiah 61:1-3 What is the new covenant described in Jeremiah (see verses 31-34)? Why does God want a new covenant? What sin, if any, stands between you and God? What does it mean to truly know the Lord as Jeremiah intended in today s reading? What is God s part? What is yours? Reread Jeremiah 31: Which of these promises means the most to your spiritual walk right now? What good news is the prophet bringing in Isaiah 61? Who is me referring to in verse 1? What does the promise of this good news mean to you? How are these good things at work or missing in the life of your spiritual community? God is calling us to do great things; are we equipped with the Spirit s power, or are we trying to minister in our own strength? Take on a new spiritual practice this Lent to help you grow closer to the Lord. Ask God to show you how to participate in the Spirit s work!!

5 Dig Deeper: For questions about Lent & some of the church words & experiences associated with this season, we encourage you to explore some of the resources & Lenten devotional books available at the table outside the sanctuary, in our library & educational ministry office (rm. 202 & 203), on our website, or through our Faith & Life Connections sermon-based daily devotions. Please contact Pastor Joe or Kathy Schmucker, Director of Educational Ministries, for more information. Let the mystery of God unfold during the season of Lent. Carve out a space in your life for Him and allow Him to reveal Himself more fully to you this Lent! THE SEASON OF LENT REPENT~RETURN~REFLECT~REMEMBER~REFOCUS~RENEW Get Real With Jesus! Let the mystery of God unfold through spiritual practices: Incorporate the following spiritual disciplines into your daily life during the season of Lent: Read the Bible daily. Memorize Scripture. Pray Participate in worship. Connect with other Christians & join a Small Group, Bible Study, or Sunday School class. Practice extravagant generosity by tithing and giving of your time, talents, & resources. Share what God has given you! Serve in missions and ministry! (Matt 4:4, Ps 119:11, John 4:24, Acts 2:42-47, 1Tim 6:17-19, Matt 23:11, James 1:22) Make time for Jesus and take up one new spiritual practice this Lent! Prayerfully review the above list. Check out the spiritual growth resources page or visit our website, to help you explore each spiritual practice. If you are already doing something in each area, find ways to experience each spiritual practice in a new way! Dig deeper! Do something more! Make Lent important! Psalm Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD; 2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. Prayerfully read this psalm, reflecting on your need for God to renew your heart during this season of Lent.

6 Resource Family Connections: Sabbath: Making Time for God Scripture References: Genesis 2:2-3, Matthew 14:22-23, Luke 6:12, Mark 6:46, 1 Kings 19:1-21, Psalm 46:10 Sabbath: You might remember it as one of the 10 commandments, or something that we re supposed to do each week. But practicing Sabbath is often easier said than done. Practicing Sabbath is difficult because we either feel we re just too busy or because we just don t understand what Sabbath really is. Sabbath is intentionally spending time with God. It is an intentional break from our daily lives and the world around us to spend time with God. The commandment says, Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Sabbath is not about mindless recreation or vacation. Sabbath is about experiencing re-creation and renewal. Sabbath is about resting in the arms of our loving Savior. Sabbath is a time for remembering who you are and whose you are, a time to be reminded that you are God s child. Sabbath may be a time spent in silence or it may be a time to explore your faith with other people. It may be spent in prayer or reading Scripture. When was the last time that you spent intentional time in Sabbath? Read the Scripture references. What did God do after creating the world? What does Jesus do after a busy day? Are you following His example? Why or why not? Where did Elijah hear God? Practicing Sabbath can be hard. Students have homework & tests to study for, jobs & careers can be demanding, and parents struggle to find time to spend with children, let alone time to connect with God. Is it possible that the difficulty in finding time for Sabbath makes it all that more important? Does Satan worry about you if you are so busy with everything else in your life except time for God? What keeps you from practicing Sabbath? Consider the following self-examination questions: How many hours a week do you spend working? How many do you spend in silence? Are your times of Sabbath more about recreation and vacation or re-creation and listening for God? Challenge: Spend 2 minutes every day sitting in silence. Gradually increase the amount of time each day or week. Practice listening for the still, small voice of God. Fast from anything that creates extra noise for you and makes it hard for you to connect with God. Find a special place where you can go to escape, a space where you can connect with God. This may be in your church, at a park or garden, a local coffee house. You might even want to consider creating your own prayer closet. Experiment with different ways to connect with God & discover what works best for you. Make this a family effort & encourage everyone to create space in their day for God. Seek first His kingdom & His righteousness Matthew 6:33

7 Resource Fairhope United Methodist Church Membership Covenant Having professed Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, and being in agreement with the church s purpose and structure, I now feel led by the Holy Spirit to unite with the congregation in membership. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following: 1.) I will be loyal to Christ and the church by PRAYING. for all members and refusing to gossip for church leaders for pastor and staff 2.) I will be loyal to Christ and the church by my PRESENCE. as I attend faithfully at nurturing and equipping opportunities as I live a godly life 3.) I will be loyal to Christ and the church by my GIFTS. as I will share the gift of love with other members as I will faithfully share my resources and make tithing (10%) my goal as I invited the unchurched and welcome visitors 4.) I will be loyal to Christ and the church by my SERVICE. as I discover my gifts, talents, and graces for ministry by developing a servant s heart as I assume my area of ministry 5.) I will be loyal to Christ and the church by my faithful WITNESS....as I learn to share my faith story with confidence...as I prayerfully discern who God may be calling me to influence for Christ....by learning how to grow and mature as a faith-sharing disciple through training opportunities. Signed: Date: (Newly received member) Signed: (Pastor/Witness of Covenant) Date: