Faith & Life Connections A Daily Devotion & Resource Guide for Your Spiritual Journey From the Sermon-Teaching Ministry of Fairhope UMC Expressions of Love: God s & Ours - Week of January 29, 2012 Extravagant Generosity Week 4 John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 8:24 Reflections on this week s message: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 Stating your love for someone, saying, I love you, is good and we should use that phrase often and freely. We should tell the people we love that we love them. We should tell God that we love Him. Those words, however, can ring empty if they are not backed up with action. The opening line of I Corinthians 13 says, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. In other words I can talk about love all I want, but if I m not doing it, it s just a bunch of noise. God s love is not merely stated. God s love for us is demonstrated. God s love for us is lavish, extravagant, out of control. I like the words Rich Mullins wrote in his song, The Love of God, he describes it as the reckless, raging fury that we call the love of God. God s love for us so genuine, so pure, so perfect and unconditional, that it leads to sacrificial giving. What about our love for God? We gather every week and sing love songs to Him. We freely praise His name listen to His words. But, do we live out our love for Him? Do our lives reflect our love for God? Because of God s extravagant love for us, the bar is set high. As Jesus calls us to love, the challenge is to make it real. Is our giving and our living born out of our love for God? Love, Pastor Joe This Week s Challenge: Practice Extravagant Generosity! Listen to this week s sermon teaching by clicking the Online Sermons link at www.myfairhopeumc.net.
Begin with Prayer: Faith & Life Connections 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: God of abundant grace, you demonstrated Extravagant Generosity when you freely gave your Son for me. I am humbled & in awe when I consider the magnitude of your love. You call me to turn from my selfishness and selfcenteredness and to embrace Christ, for it is only as we have in us the mind that was in Christ Jesus that I become free to be the compassionate, loving, and generous person you created me to be. Help me to overcome every challenge that would stand in my way those that are external and those that are internal so that I may continue growing in my love for you and in my desire to give. Make me a passionate, enthusiastic, and extravagant giver who makes a difference in the world for the sake of Christ. I humbly pray that others will see the proof of our love for you and be changed both by our example and by our actions. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. day 1 week of January 29 Read John 3:16-17 & John 10:10 What do these scriptures mean for you? How does God demonstrate his love for you? How have you experienced God s love for you? How does God s love for you lead you to love others? In the passage from John 10, why does Jesus say he came? What kind of life does Jesus promise you? In what ways does Jesus promise inspire you to practice Extravagant Generosity? Rewrite John 3:16, inserting your name to personalize the scripture. Thank God for his extravagantly generous gift of love & salvation! Memorize this month s memory verse, Proverbs 3:9 "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first of all your crops."
Faith & Life Connections day 2 week of January 29 Read 1 John 3:1-24 What does it mean to be a child of God? According to this passage, how do we know what love is? What does it mean to lay down your life for another? How is this an expression of your love for God? Reread verse 18. How does the practice of extravagant generosity relate to what Jesus is teaching here? How might you demonstrate your love to God? How might you demonstrate love to those who are closest to you, your friends, those you work with or go to school with, your church, those who are in need, or even someone you may not particularly like? Reread verses 23 & 24. What does God command of us? How do we know God lives in us? Is your giving and your living born out of our love for God? Write 1 John 3:18 on a card or make some other visual reminder to encourage you to make love visible to others! Carry it with you or place it somewhere you will see it often. day 3 week of January 29 Read Romans 5:1-11 According to verse 8, how does God demonstrate his love for us? How does this unconditional love touch your heart? How does your life witness to the great, saving love of God? In what ways does this passage describe Jesus generous love? Who are examples of generous love in your life? Does your life reflect your love for God? Reread verse 8, slowly, allowing your heart to soak in God s Word. Can you understand why Jesus so willingly did this for you? How does your understanding of this passage impact how you define extravagant generosity? Write a letter to the One who died for you, expressing you think & feel about the wondrous & extravagantly generous sacrifice made for you.
Faith & Life Connections day 4 week of January 29 Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-9:5 What does Paul celebrate with the churches in Macedonia? Describe their willingness to share resources? What can we learn from their example? What principle about giving do you learn from this passage? What does it mean to give not only out of your abundance but also out of your poverty? What from Jesus example (v.9) prompts you to be generous with your money, time, and energy? What inhibits you? What examples of others generosity inspire you to give more freely? If Macedonians came to visit you, would they find your generosity lacking or overflowing? What might this reveal about your desire to express your love for God? Surprise someone with a loving & generous act today. See the Drive-Thru Generosity coupon for some ideas. Whatever you do, do it for Jesus! day 5 week of January 29 Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 How can God s promise in verse 8 enable you to be more generous? To persevere in your work? What have you reaped by being generous to others? For what purpose will God materially bless these people? How does generosity effect righteousness and inspire thanksgiving to God? How do generosity, financial planning, and responsibility go hand in hand? How is giving contagious? How does it reflect God s grace? How do you express your love for God? Give thanks to God for his indescribable gift! Express your love for God in all you do today! After reflecting & praying through this week s readings & sermon teaching, I feel God is nudging me to take these steps:
Dig Deeper: Faith & Life Connections "John Wesley, founder of Methodism, wrote & taught about the use of money, the dangers of riches, & the importance of giving. Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. Then read the following quotes attributed to John Wesley. Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, In all the ways you can, in all the places you can, At all the times you can, to all the people you can, As long as ever you can. Generosity is a Matter of the Heart! "Earn all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." How does knowing God lead to generosity? How might using our material wealth to further the Kingdom deepen our relationship with God & increase our positive impact for God's purposes? A Personal Challenge Finding ways to grow deeper in our faith requires opening our hearts to prayer and a willingness to personally evaluate and challenge existing habits. One way to do this is to return a portion of our Financial blessings to God through our tithes and offerings. Our giving recognizes God as the source of our blessings. Our gifts help to create and implement ministries that change lives, transform communities, and spread the good news of Christ. Our membership vows in the UMC call us to be loyal to Christ and the church through our PRAYERS, PRESENCE, GIFTS, SERVICE, & WITNESS. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7, NIV) How much should I give? Giving comes from the heart, and prayer is essential for determining what to give. Your decision to be faithful in giving originates out of your love for God. This is best seen in John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him won t perish but will have eternal life Evaluate your current giving. Does it reflect your blessings? Is it generous? Is it time for you to increase your giving to God and the work of the church? In these questions, you will find your answer. Expressing my love for God Prayerfully review this commitment card and consider how God is calling you to give of yourself for His purposes. Return your commitment card next Sunday as an expression of your love for God. Recognizing the importance of any involvement in God s work, I commit myself to: Attend Bible Study and Sunday School Attend Worship Attend a Small Group or Youth Group Serve as I Can (Committee or Team) Pray for Others Inside and Outside the Church Help Teach (Children, Youth or Adults) Help With Special events Participate in Local Service Projects Other ways you would like to serve: My Estimate of Giving I feel that what I can give to the church financially is a very important part of showing my love for Christ. I intend to return a portion of my blessings to the Lord as follows: 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% Other My tithe/offering will be given: WEEKLY MONTHLY Beginning Date Fairhope UMC s Mission Focus: We exist to love & serve God by loving & serving others, for the purpose of making & maturing disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Faith & Life Connections 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:
Dig Deeper: Faith & Life Connections The practice of Extravagant Generosity reveals what is in our hearts. Throughout the week, use The Prayer of Examen to help you check your heart for a generous spirit. Examine your daily habits & patterns. How is your heart? In what ways are you practicing extravagant generosity? In what ways do you need to grow? How did you experience joy in giving today? Do you recognize the abundance God has given you? What do you need to have to be content? Are you willing to share? How does the knowledge that all you have belongs to God impact your life? Reflect on your blessings. Thank God. You are so blessed. What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday? Reflect on what it means to give God your best. Are you giving God everything He deserves? Are you practicing Extravagant Generosity with your thoughts, time, talents, energy, resources, & abilities? The Prayer of Examen The prayer of examen might also be called an introspective prayer. The word introspection means looking within. The prayer of examen encourages assessing one's life before God on a regular basis. Recollection is the root of the prayer in which we focus on the last twenty-four hours of our life. This prayer is about noticing God's presence in our life, noticing & thanking God for his goodness, recognizing the movement of the Holy Spirit throughout our day, & acknowledging how we have failed God. Psalm 26:2, Jeremiah 17:10, & Psalm 139:23-24 are good Biblical references asking God to test us & examine our hearts & minds. The examen begins by recognizing that we are in the presence of God, recalling the events of our day with gratitude, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and reviewing our day making ourselves aware of the ways Christ has been at work as well as ways in which we have fallen short. When we intentionally notice these areas of our lives we become more conscious of our relationship with God, & as we become more conscious, we grow. During this reflective prayer time you may want to ask yourself some of the following questions: What am I most/least grateful for? When did I feel a sense of love, peace, or joy (the fruit of the Spirit)? When did I feel exhausted, dead, drained, angry, mean? When did I notice God? Toward what actions, activities, or attributes is God drawing me? Where did I fail? Were there things I should have avoided? When did I show love? In what ways was I kind to others? Examine the habits & patterns of the day. Do my habits help me face my day with love or do they hinder me? Preparation: Begin by quieting your body, mind, & spirit before the Lord. Gratitude: Review the previous day looking for events, conversations, & experiences that provoke gratitude. Remembering that no matter how bad a day has been, God continues His work in our lives. This prayer shapes us into grateful people. Awareness of God: Review the past twenty-four hours in your mind looking for God's presence. Sometimes this is easy, other times it may be difficult. Ask God to help you become a person whose life is constantly aware of His presence. Confession of Failure: Recall the past twenty-four hours alerting to the times you have failed the Lord, not acted in love, or refused the work of the Holy Spirit. Seek the Lord in confession and repentance & ask for forgiveness. Thanksgiving: End your prayer by thanking God for his grace and love.
Faith & Life Connections Resource Family Connection: Drive-Thru Generosity Practice Extravagant Generosity with your family! Print out a few copies of the following form. When you are in line at a drive-thru, whether it be at a fast food restaurant, for coffee & donuts, car wash, parking garage, or even a toll booth if you are traveling, practice Extravagant Generosity by paying for the person in line behind you. Ask the clerk to hand them this coupon! Pray for the person who was the recipient of your generosity! Have fun blessing others with your generosity! What other ways can your family bless someone else? We are blessed to be a blessing to others! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi! You don t know me, but I just paid for your order. No strings attached. I just felt like doing it. At my church we have been talking about extravagant generosity. I decided I wanted to make a difference in your life today. I hope this encourages you and I hope you will pass the generosity on to someone else. Share your story with us! Fairhope United Methodist Church 5660 Louisville St. NE Louisville, Ohio 44641 www.myfairhopeumc.net On Facebook at www.facebook.com/fairhopeumc Email us at christianed@myfairhopeumc.net Call us at 330-875-2028
Faith & Life Connections Resource Family Connection: Goal Setting As a family read Jeremiah 29:11-13. Talk about what it means that God has plans for you & what it means to seek the Lord s guidance in all that we do. As a family pray for God s guidance & direction in the coming year. Then create some goals in each of the following areas of your family s life: Spiritual: Family: Service/Mission: Giving: School/Work: Physical/Recreation: Try to consider goals that you can either do as a family or support each other as a family. For example, a spiritual goal may be to pray together as a family before every meal, or to read the Bible together one day each week. An example of a family goal may be to eat 3 meals together each week, turn off the TV, cell phones, & computer one night per month & talk to each other, or hold a family game night once per month. In the area of service/mission you may consider working on a service or mission project together, volunteer at a local food cupboard, help someone in your neighborhood with yard work, or give up fast food for a month & donate the money saved to a mission project, or carry out one random act of kindness in the name of Jesus each month. In the area of giving, prayerfully consider how God is calling your family to practice extravagant generosity with your time, talents, finances, prayers. In the areas of school or work you may set some individual goals for which you can support each other. Examples may include kids improving study habits or grades, while adults may consider setting goals to improve in an area related to their employment. An example of a physical goal may be to prepare & eat healthy foods or to participate together in a physical activity like roller skating, or bike riding once per month. Goal setting is a valuable skill children need to learn. As Christians, it is important to teach our children that God needs to be at the forefront of all we do. Our goals should be in line with God s plans for us. Seeking His guidance in all we do is vital to living a godly life that is holy & pleasing to God. Goals should be written in concrete terms, with beginnings & endings so you can monitor your progress. Keep them simple, beginning with just one goal in each area. Goals should also be written & displayed in visible places as reminders of what you are working towards. Make a poster that includes your goals in written form as well as pictures & hang them in a prominent place in your home like your refrigerator. Encourage each other along the way & celebrate your achievements.