TRUE DISCIPLESHIP IS ACTION!

Good day dear friends.
Here is our study guide for today:
Friday: Mark 1, 2, 3People sometimes call Mark “the Gospel of action.” As you read these opening chapters, consider why this phrase seems appropriate.
Any sharing of the Gospel requires action. One must hear, receive, accept, believe, and live the "Good News." To live the good news means a complete life change and a move from inaction to action as was evidenced by the folks in Mark's gospel.
Mark shares how John the Baptist comes with a message of action. He calls people to repent of their sins, to come forward and admit that, and be baptized publicly so that they could live lives that showed they belonged to God. As he proclaims the coming of Christ he tells of what Christ was to do. Then Mark introduces Jesus and He comes with a call for people to follow Him! Once they follow, they are taught and sent to do good works for the sake of God's kingdom.
To sit in a pew Sunday after Sunday for one hour is NOT discipleship. Sure it counts if you truly worship and glorify God and ask God to bless you and cleanse you of your sins, but to leave the church and do nothing that even resembles your being a disciple is NOT discipleship. To serve on a committee to vote and make decisions is NOT discipleship either. One has to go beyond voting and deciding, to doing something that blesses the kingdom of God. One must share the good news and invite others to come and learn about God through Jesus.
PRAYER: Lord, fill our churches with the desire to do what your gospel asks. Make us uncomfortable beyond that which we can stand so that we will at last do something that helps rescue the perishing. I ask this for myself, my church, my family, and others in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

WE CHOOSE ANYONE BUT JESUS!

Good day dear friends.
Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Matthew 26, 27, 28From Matthew 27, describe the various responses of persons and groups to Jesus in his crucifixion.
The death of Jesus was caused by you and me. We sometimes sell Jesus out for the highest bidder. And it isn't necessarily for money all the time. We all have a little bit of Judas in us; we hold on to Jesus while the going's good, but if we hit some turbulence or find ourselves in a rough spot, we sell Jesus for "thirty pieces of silver." Then there are the times we ask Jesus the hard question, "Who are you really?" We know. We've heard. But we haven't received, so we ask and we ask. We sometimes sound like questioning children, who have heard the answer but keep asking anyway. But unlike children we have no excuse for still asking and not doing. And then we ask for anyone but Jesus. We may be hurting or we may be confused and saddened, and we know Jesus is the answer, but we ask, "Is there anybody else out there?" We become just like the crowd on that day, they could have chosen Jesus, but they chose the more popular, the most reckless, the most wild man they could find, the thief, upriser, rebel Barrabas. And in so letting him loose, we imprison ourselves.
PRAYER: Lord, you know better than I, that many have been the times I have been guilty of all the above. Forgive me and love me. Help me to choose You above all else today in all that I say, think, and do. I pray in Your precious Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

JOYFUL OBEDIENCE

Good day dear friends.
Please keep Bilha Alegria, of Nashville, TN, in your prayers. She underwent painful surgery to have her achilles heel tendon reconnected. As you can imagine recovery has been quite painful.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Matthew 21, 22, 23List the questions addressed to Jesus in Matthew 21 and 22. What seems to be behind the various questions?
The various questions asked of Jesus resemble some that we ask from time to time of Him as well. Who are You? Who gave You authority over my life? Why have You made some of the claims You have made? Can You really do the things You claim?
We know or should know from personal experience Who Jesus is and what He is about. We know or should know His power and authority. We know or should know the good He has come to bring into our lives if we let Him. And we should know Him as Lord and Savior of our lives.
PRAYER: Come, Lord Jesus today, now, into my heart and life. Let the special holy days approaching have more meaning and significance in those areas where materialism and greed have for so long had a hold. Set me free for joyful obedience, I pray in Your name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

THE PURPOSE OF THE MESSIAH

Good Sunday everyone.
Here is our study guide for today:
Sunday: Matthew 15, 16, 17What is the significance, as you see it, in Jesus’ predicting his crucifixion just after Peter has recognized him as the Christ?
Prayer Time: Here are some elements in my own personality that I want to bring prayerfully before God daily:
Peter, like us, does not yet recognize the fullness of God's plan. The Messiah would be He who would die for our sins. Peter sees the Messiah as one who would fulfill the dreams and desires of Israel as a nation in a political sense. Jesus came in a spiritual sense to bring us the fullness of life now and the promise of life eternal.
How do you see Jesus?
PRAYER: Lord God, let me see Jesus as my Lord and Savior, as He who loved me, like You, so much that He gave His body and blood for me. Let me live my life in a way that give You glory. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

WHAT'S YOUR PRICE?

Good day dear friends.
Please be in prayer for our brother Don Smith. Don recently underwent surgery and awaits more on November 28th. Don reports his wife Helena is declining rapidly. Pray also for the survivors of the cyclone in Bangladesh. Pray for the families that have been affected by this natural disaster. Also, the tv reported that "Mr. Whiffle" played by Dick Wilson, died.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Matthew 3, 4How would you compare the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness with temptations any Christian might experience?
Someone once said we can all be bought; it's just a matter of knowing our price. What's your price? Another way of stating that is to ask what would we do if we found ourselves in desperate need, for instance hunger? Most would say, well, for me I could go days without eating and I would be all right, but if it was my child, I would do almost anything to make sure that my child gets fed. The first temptation of Christ in the wilderness was that of hunger. Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. At the end of that time he found himself completely hungry. Satan comes along and tempts him with Jesus' own power. Satan recognized Who Jesus was and what he was capable of, and so says, knowing full well He was, "If you are the son of God, turn these stones to bread." The rocks in that region look like the bread of Jesus' day and to be hungry and to have a morsal of bread would be enough to sustain one. This was not Jesus' price. Jesus responds how important it is to be fed by the word of God. Those forty days Jesus spend "nourishing" himself on the word of God and in prayer with God.
The second temptation of Christ was that of trusting and tempting God. Jesus was taken to His Father's House and then told to jump, again with the temptation "If you are the son of God, throw yourself down. You know God's angels will protect you." How much or how far do you trust God is the question. And is it necessary to prove that? The answer of course is no. One lives one's life trusting God but not by tempting God or putting God to the test. We are called to live responsible lives, yes at times risking to do God's will, but it is not God's will to throw yourself down from a high place just to prove that God will take care of you.
The last tempation of Christ in the wilderness was that of power and influence. This time Satan doesn't question Jesus' Sonship, but he does say that he will give to Jesus all the kingdoms of the world (and that makes you wonder, does Satan control them or is he just doing what he normally does - lie?) if Jesus would bow down and worship him. Would you worship Satan to gain earthly possessions and power? I heard a podcast last night where the commentator said while leaving Dallas to return home he saw a huge billboard advertising a church and besides no mention of God or Jesus on it, the biggest word on the ad was the word "success." He went on to say, "Forget about putting Christ back into Christmas, put Christ back into Christianity!" Sadly, a lot of folks forget about Christ and His worship, to worship at the feet of power and prestige. What's your price?
The price of Jesus was to pay our price. The price of our sinfulness. All that He endured and suffered was because He knew your price and mine. And He paid it.
PRAYER: Loving God, help me this day be a person of faith, who is fed by You, protected and guided by You, and blessed by You. Let me seek to worship You today in all ways. I pray this in the Name of He who paid my price, Jesus my Lord. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

THE NEW TESTAMENT!

Good day dear friends. We're in the New Testament!
Here is the study guide for today:
Monday: Matthew 1, 2
How often in these two chapters and for what reasons does the writer refer to the Hebrew scriptures?
Matthew is the first gospel. Most scholars do not believe it was the first gospel written, but placed there by the wisdom of church fathers and mothers as the gospel that introduces Jesus to the church. Some believe Matthew was written primarily for Jewish Christians and thus uses a lot of references to Hebrew (Old Testament) Scriptures. For fun, compare the family trees of Jesus in Matthew with those shared in Luke's Gospel. Matthew stresses the Jewish roots of Jesus and goes back to Abraham. Where does Luke take Jesus? Watch also for the prophetic formula, that which Matthew employs to say "in this Jesus fulfilled Hebrew (OT) prophecy." (See verse 23).
Matthew also found it proper that the Son of God should be visited by royalty. Early versions of his gospel employ the word "King" thus the hymn, "We Three Kings." They're also called the Magi, wise men, or as this version calls them "scholars." Where do we find the visit of shepherds?
PRAYER: Loving God for all for which we are thankful, we are most thankful for Your gift of Jesus Christ for us. May we count Him as the first for which we give thanks this week. I pray in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

KILLING BABIES, KISSING GOLDEN CALVES

Good day dear friends.
Please remember Billy Hardesty in your prayers this morning. I was able to pray with her just as she was to be taken into surgery at Seton in Austin. Thanks to an Emmaus brother at my 6:30 am reunion group, I was reminded she was to undergo surgery and so I left at 6:30 and got to the surgery area at 7:37, nothing like early morning Austin traffic! She's in great spirits and we pray the Lord grant the doctors and she a victory in Christ' Name.
Here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: Hosea 13, 14What about this book have you found most appealing? What is its dominant characteristic?
I don't know what it is about golden calves and their attraction. I've shared before that one of my childhood highlights of traveling from Kingsville to the Valley was the drive on Highway 281 as it turned the corner through Edinburg at the Golden Jersey Creamery. And yes, true to their name (and what were they thinking?) they had a golden cafe above the doorway leading into their building. Once we saw that marvel we knew we were close to our aunt's house. The calf now sits, or it did the last time I walked through the Edinburg Historical Museum. You could not, in those days, convince me that that calf was not a relation to the one Moses had to put up with in the desert.
How often do we go back to that which we know we shouldn't? If you've tried giving up that habit you know is bad for you and those around you, it's very tough to quit. If it's a channel on cable that you know you shouldn't be watching because of the negative influence it has on your life, you still pause there when you're channel surfing. It seems this was the case with the people of Israel as Hosea is trying to share with them what God wanted for their lives.
The saddest thing to read is from the Subject/Title for today: They kill babies, and they kiss golden calves." That pretty much sums up how lost and how far down they had gone. To kill a living, precious child, and then show devotion to a graven image. That's a serious indictment of where they were.
What's the indictment against us? What have we killed when we should have given life? Have we used a negative or hurtful word against someone when we know we should be using our energy and time praying for that person? Where have we shown our devotion? To the living God or to the idol of idle time, such as gossip, slander, half-truths, etc?
The lesson being taught to the people of Israel should be the lesson we need to be taught as well. God is still our God and He loves us and wants us all to turn away from the things that "kill, steal, and destroy" and turn our whole lives back to the fullness of life.
PRAYER: God of life, bring me back to life and that in its fullness. Lead me away from the things that kill, steal or destroy. I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

MISS KITTY'S CHARACTER?

Good day dear friends.
Our sister, Billy Hardesty from FUMCSM, is to undergo surgery on Thursday morning in Austin. Please keep her in prayer.
Here is our study guide for today:
Tuesday: Hosea 7, 8, 9Work out a short description of the soul of Israel as revealed in Hosea’s word in these three chapters.
"Gunsmoke" was one of the most popular series of its time. Some churches rearranged their evening worship hours to accommodate people's viewing preferences. I have to admit I never thought much about who or what Miss Kitty was in this much-loved television show. I thought, being a child at the time and quite honestly not giving that show much thought since it either went off the air or I lost interest in it, that she was a friendly lady who handed out little glasses of tea (at least that's what my mother said they could only serve on television) to thirsty customers. That she had many rooms upstairs made me think she also ran a hotel. I thought quite innocently that she was Marshall Dillon's girlfriend. And she might have been, along with all the others, as was being discussed on a radio show that I was listening to on the car yesterday as I returned home from a meeting in San Antonio. Hmmm. Miss Kitty was a ...? No! Well, maybe.
Hosea was called by God to live a sermon. God asked him to marry a prostitute and this was to live out what God was experiencing with the unfaithfulness of God's people towards God. Gomer, Hosea's wife, was inclined to give or sell her body to whomever she chose, and God told Hosea that's the way these my people are acting and living. Instead of the faithfulness that I seek, they are seeking only after their own pleasure. Your job is to live this sermon so that people will see how foolish their lives are, have been, and will be, if they don't turn back to me!
The short description of Israel's soul can be a description of ours. We seek that which pleases us and sometimes we don't even worry or consider the cost. The cost is an alientation from God and if we're not careful that can be an eternal decision.
PRAYER: Loving God help me to come to my senses about You and about me. Let me seek Thee in all ways. Let my life glorify You. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.

HOW DO YOU SHARE FAITH WITH YOURS?

Good day dear friends.
Please keep Jim Scarborough in your prayers. Doctors have discovered he has prostate cancer and he asks for our prayers in determining his treatment and all that is before him. He also asks prayers for his wife, Jane, as she stands beside him during this time. May the Lord bring him complete healing!
Here is today's study guide. The Scriptures will follow a devotional thought:
Monday: Hosea 4, 5, 6Outline the people’s case, and God’s answers, in Hosea 6.
Last week I shared a devotional based on training up a child, etc. And this past weekend while driving in Austin I saw a "typical" Austin car, the kind with more bumper stickers than you can count, let alone read. Well, one of them jumped out at me for it read: National Atheist's Day, November 4th. I shared that thought with the congregation in our Contemporary service and one gentleman asked, "Are they still around?" I said I would not ask for a show of hands and my thought that atheists were not liked because since they don't have to go to church they're always first in line at Luby's. Well, I came home and wondered what information I could find about this national day for nonbelievers and Google revealed that the "real" day for atheists is April 1st, because "the fool says in his/her heart there is no god" and realized that that was not very nice nor true. But I found nothing on any celebrations or anything closely related to a national atheist day. But when I opened the NY Times Sunday magazine I found an interesting article on Antony Flew, a noted British philosopher, who at the age of 27 read a paper he had written called "Theology and Falsification." He read this paper at C. S. Lewis' Socratic Club and from that date in 1950 til the recent few years was noted for being a nonbeliever. He wrote several books that became the intellectual standards for atheists. All from the mind and hand of the son of a Methodist minister, who decided during his teens that he would rebel against dad by becoming a nonbeliever.
It turns out that a new book is coming out called "There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind." This book is co-authored by Roy Abraham Varghese, a noted Christian apologist. It seems now Flew is convinced that there can be scientific proof for explaining God. Flew was changed from nonbeliever to believer by seeing that the "fine tuning" of the laws of nature are too perfect to have been the result of an accident as well as the "intelligent design" argument that human biology cannot be explained by evolution to various computations mean to show that probability favors a devine creator. Some believe that "There is a God" is perhaps the handiest primer shared with society on the science of religious belief.
Nellie and I discussed the article and wondered how Antony Flew, now 81, and his father ended their life. Did "Tony" and Dad have a discussion prior to the parson's death about faith and the lack thereof? Was there forgiveness needed to be shared by either person and if so, was it shared? The article goes on to say that Tony won't be singing in any church's choir for he still rejects Christianity and the God of the Jews, Muslims, and Christians. He doesn't accept Jesus as God, etc., but to have come this far in his journey still is a victory, in a sense, for believers. And certainly a reinforcement of that verse that does say, "Train up a child in the way he or she should go, and when he/she is old s/he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 (Revised Standard Version)
PRAYER: Living God, we thank You for this day. I pray that as the day progresses I would show through my words, actions and thoughts to those around me the faith that I have in You. I especially pray for the "little ones" in my life that need my witness. Make my faith stronger, for I ask this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.