Saturday, January 15, 2011

The Good News Brothers

Today's Reading: Acts 15:3-4 NIV
3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

Good morning!

I purchased a t-shirt from one of the many displays at the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina this month. The caption on the t-shirt front really caught my eye. It says, "John and Charles Wesley - The Good News Brothers" with a picture that somewhat resembles John and Charles in a Blues Brothers costume! The back of the shirt exclaims, "On a mission from God." As soon as the weather warms up here in the arctic tundra of Missouri, my friends from Faith Church St. Charles will see me wearing this t-shirt around town. John and Charles Wesley were responsible for igniting the Methodist movement in England, Europe and the United States during the mid-1700s. They knew how to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ around town in worship and song. If you have a chance, take a minute or two to read about John and Charles Wesley online. If you would like to know more, visit your local United Methodist Church, where you will find additional resources available which tell about the brothers' lives and beliefs.

At the Congress on Evangelism, I heard amazing stories of people from around the world, who were accepting Jesus Christ and having their lives totally transformed. I heard several pastors and teachers tell about changed lives in their communities and classrooms; my heart jumped for joy as they shared their stories and experiences of faith. We tend to dwell on all the bad stuff happening in our world and we sometimes forget how God continues to move in and through the people all around us. What an encouragement it is to hear some Good News for a change!

Paul and Barnabas were certainly the Good News brothers of their day. Everywhere they went, Paul stopped to share the faith stories with the community of faith and anyone else who would make time to listen. People were excited to hear of how the Holy Spirit was sweeping across the region, saving souls of both the Jewish tradition and Gentiles alike. When folks realized that God's love through Jesus Christ was meant for all people everywhere, the apostles' stories became a lifeline of hope and a source of healing to all who listened and believed. Good News travels fast!

How will the Lord choose to use you today in sharing a little Good News with the people in your life? Ask Him to help you share stories of faith-filled living with everyone you know. Like the Good News brothers, you too can be a bearer of Good News, just like John, Paul, Charles and Barnabas! (And you thought I was going to say, "George and Ringo." Gotcha!

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
www.songofdeborah.com

___________________________
Copyright 2011, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any "for profit" publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via email, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and website information intact with copied articles.

Friday, January 14, 2011

The thing about salvation...

Today's Reading: Acts 15:1-2 NIV
1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you be circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about the question.

Good morning!

In the 1982 blockbuster hit film, E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial, the lovable alien E.T. pointed a gnarly glowing finger at his little friend Gertie and said in a long, monotone voice, "Be good." There's something to be said about being good, choosing to do the right thing. After all, young Elliott saw his strange new friend as someone he needed to protect from a harsh reality. Elliott took it upon himself to provide shelter and protection for a stranger in need. Isn't that what we are taught to do - to take care of each other, and provide for the least, the last, and the lost ones in our world today?

There are some really great people out there. On many of our evening news broadcasts, there are five minute segments, like NBC's "Making a Difference," where we learn about some folks who do incredibly unselfish acts simply to reach out and help others. Is it enough to be good, or is there something else necessary to turn God's all-seeing, all-knowing eye?

For centuries, the Jewish tradition taught their people to strictly follow the laws of Moses. For them, it wasn't just a matter of being good or doing the right thing; it was an imperative in order to receive God's favor and mercy in the last days. God gave His commandments for right living and directed His people how to live out their days. Folks who chose to step outside of the boundaries God had drawn were punished for their sins. The act of circumcision identified every male Jew as a follower and keeper of the laws of Jahweh. To abolish that custom and time-honored tradition seemed unacceptable to the God-fearing Jews in Antioch. Do you believe that one must be circumcised to be recognized by God as His precious child? Does wearing a cross around one's neck today, or having a Christian symbol tattooed on one's body help the Lord identify who His children really are?

I can only imagine the kinds of arguments that erupted in Antioch that day, as Paul and Barnabas arrived. It probably sounded a lot like some of the conversations I listened to at the 2008 United Methodist General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Passionate people with positional statements of what they believe, why they believe it, and why others should too, can set the tone for a spirited, heated debate. There are just some things that must be discussed. Paul and Barnabas were appointed along with some others, to go back to Jerusalem and ask the other apostles and elders of the church about their burning question. As United Methodist Christians all over the world prepare for the 2012 General Conference, may we be compelled into daily prayer over the burning issues that will be discussed at length and acted upon at this meeting.

Paul and Barnabas had experienced God's amazing grace when Jesus Christ became Lord and Savior of their lives. They knew that while the teachings of Moses were very important and should not be simply set aside, that submitting to the rules alone was not enough to save. All of us can try to follow the rules or morality, of our country and community. We should all try to do good where ever we can, and we can wear our symbols of faith as evidence of what we believe. And yet, this would never be enough to gain salvation. The law cannot save in and of itself. It is only by grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we can receive full salvation. And when you receive it, your life will never be the same.

So what thing must you let God have before you can fully accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17 NKJV.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
www.songofdeborah.com

________________________
Copyright 2011, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any "for profit" publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via email, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and website information intact with copied articles.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Opening the Door of Faith

Today's Reading: Acts 14:27-28 NIV
27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed there a long time with the disciples.

Good morning!

Yesterday my spirit was renewed as I sat with a fellow lay speaker at the hospital, waiting for word about his wife, who was having cancer surgery. We met last spring at a United Methodist lay speaking training event held at Faith Church in St. Charles. He and his wife were both taking classes together, and I was blessed to make the acquaintance of this family. We've kept up with each other and our respective local churches activities online since meeting last year. They were able to attend a summer lay ministry seminar in Fayette, Missouri, which I had missed. The keynote speaker was Dr. Tom Albin of the Upper Room Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee. During our visit yesterday, I was able to tell my friend that I actually did get to meet Dr. Albin and hear him speak on his Wesleyan studies last week at the United Methodist Congress on Evangelism in South Carolina. It is a good thing to always compare notes. We can learn so much from each other as we hear the stories of how the love of Jesus impacts our daily lives.

The Lord has given my friends an extra measure of peace at this difficult time. This hospital visit could have been a very frightening experience. I am always amazed by the hope Christ gives to all who have chosen to place their lives in His loving care. Concerns and worries were talked about but not focused on. These emotions had no hold upon my friend's heart. He was able to look beyond the situation and see His Savior right there, holding his hand. Christ's love frees us to rejoice even in the darkest times of our lives. Together, we can find His hope. We cannot help but be encouraged by the love of God.

When Paul and Barnabas arrived in Antioch, after suffering great personal tribulation, they were gathered into the arms of their community of faith, who loved and encouraged them. Paul and Barnabas did not focus their hearts on fear, but fixed their eyes upon the Lord, the author and giver of new life. They rejoiced together that God had somehow used them to spread the saving message of Jesus Christ with the people in Attalia. They were having such a good time, they chose to stay there, to rest and be refreshed in the fellowship of believers.

If you are going through a rough patch right now in your life, there is one place where you can turn to find hope and help in time of need. Your local church is right there in your neighborhood, just around the corner from where you live. Maybe you've even driven by the building a thousand times and thought out loud, "I wonder what is going on inside those walls?" Isn't it time you come and experience it for yourself? Your local church is filled with folks just like you, who have found Christ's peace that passes all human understanding. And that's pretty amazing stuff when you consider the world in which we live today.

Won't you open the door of faith this weekend and worship with me at Faith Church - St. Charles - I look forward to meeting you there.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
www.songofdeborah.com

_____________________
Copyright 2010, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any "for profit" publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via email, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web site information intact with copied articles.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Hands

Today's Reading: Acts 6:6-7a NIV
6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread.

Good morning!

It would seem that my hands are not what they used to be. When I was a young woman, I could tackle an arpeggio at a tempo of 110 without skipping a beat. I could hold a violin up high on my left shoulder and remain perfectly comfortable while in a three hour rehearsal. My fingers moved and beautiful music filled the air. As I recall, there was no debilitating pain; only joy in the journey. I knew this special gift was from God, He gave me hands to use as I praised Him in worship and song.

Once upon a time I typed 121 words per minute with less than two errors. Fortunately for me, that particular timed test occurred while I was interviewing for a job! My poor posture never kept me from finishing a legal brief or preparing correspondence for signature. I took great care in my work product; for perfection is always the goal.

My hands don't work the way they used to. They are scarred from surgeries where doctors cut tight and irritated tendons, freeing nerve endings and muscles for renewed service. The end result was the belief that I would once again feel the tips of my fingers and the constant burning would miraculously disappear. A new strength would return where it no longer existed. Repositioning the ulnar nerves at the elbows would allow for wretched muscle spasms to cease; yet, only time would truly tell. How long does real healing take? Can God still use broken and scarred hands?

The disciples, prior to knowing Jesus, relied upon their hands to provide food and shelter for their families. Fishermen spent endless hours in their boats, pulling ropes and catching fish with bare hands. Tax collectors used their hands to collect funds from every person living in their city. Carpenters bore splinters and cuts as they turned dead pieces of wood into tables, chairs and crosses for the Roman government. Who would have thought that Jesus could transform their scarred and imperfect hands into healing machines, where one touch would transform a humble heart into a called servant? Broken, imperfect and bruised hands were changing lives by the power of the Holy Spirit. God was doing a new thing in each of them. God can do new things in you and me too, if we will simply ask Him to help us.

It was tough, last spring, when I stopped writing devotional messages online. My father-in-law had just passed away, and my mother-in-law was in need of receiving immediate hospice care. My mother was living with us, recovering from a fall she had taken in the spring. We created a "mother-in-law hall" in our home, where both of my mothers could have a place to rest and be cared for. It was during this time that my physician suggested I give my hands a rest! At his instruction, I let go of the things I could. I stopped trying to play piano. I stopped typing devotional messages. God used my broken hands to praise Him in a very different way. My weakened hands became the caring hand for my mothers. I prepared food every day for them to eat. I held their hands at the table while we prayed and watched the birds frolick in the yard. I helped them button their night shirts and tucked them into bed each night. You see, when we learn to let go of our familiarity, God can take a gift we may not even recognize and draw it out of us in new, life-giving ways.

My mother became stable enough to move to assisted living not far from our home. My sister helped me relocate her that summer. I know where I get my fighting spirit from. My mother is doing remarkably well and she teaches me what it means to push on, every single day. My mother-in-law remained in our care until the Lord Jesus Christ returned to bring her into His everlasting arms in August. Every day was a treasured gift, and I marveled at what God was able to do with my imperfect hands.

How is God using your hands for Kingdom work? It may be a simple as sending a card or note to someone who is ill, or hurting. Maybe He will use your hands to cook a simple meal for some really hungry college students. Did you know that feeding your family is a ministry in and of itself? Maybe God will choose to use your hands to call another life into full-time ministry. The Word of God spreads when we allow Him to use our broken, imperfect hands.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO
www.songofdeborah.com

______________________________
Copyright 2011, Deb Spaulding
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any "for profit" publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via email, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.