Consider the power of the Almighty

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 71 (MSG)

^1-3 I run for dear life to God,
    I’ll never live to regret it.
Do what you do so well:
    get me out of this mess and up on my feet.
Put your ear to the ground and listen,
    give me space for salvation.
Be a guest room where I can retreat;
    you said your door was always open!
You’re my salvation—my vast, granite fortress.

^4-7 My God, free me from the grip of Wicked,
    from the clutch of Bad and Bully.
You keep me going when times are tough—
    my bedrock, God, since my childhood.
I’ve hung on you from the day of my birth,
    the day you took me from the cradle;
    I’ll never run out of praise.
Many gasp in alarm when they see me,
    but you take me in stride.

^8-11 Just as each day brims with your beauty,
    my mouth brims with praise.
But don’t turn me out to pasture when I’m old
    or put me on the shelf when I can’t pull my weight.
My enemies are talking behind my back,
    watching for their chance to knife me.
The gossip is: “God has abandoned him.
    Pounce on him now; no one will help him.”

^12-16 God, don’t just watch from the sidelines.
    Come on! Run to my side!
My accusers—make them lose face.
    Those out to get me—make them look
Like idiots, while I stretch out, reaching for you,
    and daily add praise to praise.
I’ll write the book on your righteousness,
    talk up your salvation the livelong day,
    never run out of good things to write or say.
I come in the power of the Lord God,
    I post signs marking his right-of-way.

^17-24 You got me when I was an unformed youth,
    God, and taught me everything I know.
Now I’m telling the world your wonders;
    I’ll keep at it until I’m old and gray.
God, don’t walk off and leave me
    until I get out the news
Of your strong right arm to this world,
    news of your power to the world yet to come,
Your famous and righteous
    ways, O God.
God, you’ve done it all!
    Who is quite like you?
You, who made me stare trouble in the face,
    Turn me around;
Now let me look life in the face.
    I’ve been to the bottom;
Bring me up, streaming with honors;
    turn to me, be tender to me,
And I’ll take up the lute and thank you
    to the tune of your faithfulness, God.
I’ll make music for you on a harp,
    Holy One of Israel.
When I open up in song to you,
    I let out lungsful of praise,
    my rescued life a song.
All day long I’m chanting
    about you and your righteous ways,
While those who tried to do me in
    slink off looking ashamed.

 

New Testament Reading

 

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (MSG)

^18-21 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written,

I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots.

So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.

^22-25 While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”
^26-31 Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have—right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start—comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.”

 

 

Ponder these scriptures from The Message

Mary washes Jesus's feet.

Holy Week Old Testament Reading

Isaiah 42:1-9 (MSG)

God’s Servant Will Set Everything Right

42 ^1-4 “Take a good look at my servant.
    I’m backing him to the hilt.
He’s the one I chose,
    and I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
I’ve bathed him with my Spirit, my life.
    He’ll set everything right among the nations.
He won’t call attention to what he does
    with loud speeches or gaudy parades.
He won’t brush aside the bruised and the hurt
    and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant,
    but he’ll steadily and firmly set things right.
He won’t tire out and quit. He won’t be stopped
    until he’s finished his work—to set things right on earth.
Far-flung ocean islands
    wait expectantly for his teaching.”

The God Who Makes Us Alive with His Own Life

^5-9 God’s Message,
    the God who created the cosmos, stretched out the skies,
    laid out the earth and all that grows from it,
Who breathes life into earth’s people,
    makes them alive with his own life:
“I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
    I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
    and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
    opening blind eyes,
    releasing prisoners from dungeons,
    emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That’s my name.
    I don’t franchise my glory,
    don’t endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
    I’m announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
    I’m telling you all about it.”

 

Holy Week New Testament Reading

Isaiah 42:1-9 (MSG)

Anointing His Feet

12 ^1-3 Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus’ feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.

^4-6 Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces.” He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them.
^7-8 Jesus said, “Let her alone. She’s anticipating and honoring the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you. You don’t always have me.”
^9-11 Word got out among the Jews that he was back in town. The people came to take a look, not only at Jesus but also at Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead. So the high priests plotted to kill Lazarus because so many of the Jews were going over and believing in Jesus on account of him.

 

As you read the scriptures this week, ponder the Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice and how you can join Him in glory by following Him.

 

May God bless each and every one of you every day in every way. Amen.

 

Note - A new series, tentatively titled "Do I Really Need to Go to Church?" begins next week.

Worship Him!

Today is Palm Sunday.

Don't have a home church? There are many in the area with varying time of worship - Newberry United Methodists will celebrate Palm Sunday and have special music from the "Joy Bells." Service begins at 9 a.m. First Baptist Newberry's worship is at 11 a.m. Pastor Andrew Manwarren will continue his message on the importance of a strategic plan for the church.

Hope you can make it this Sunday! God bless all of you every day in every way.

White Breakfast starts at 10 a.m.

Calling all ladies of the community.

Don't forget - Tomorrow is the White Breakfast!

Join the Newberry United Methodist Women as they celebrate the 36th Annual White Breakfast tomorrow, Saturday, March 28. Beginning at 10 a.m. ladies who attend can expect to enjoy a traditional hot cross bun breakfast with juice, coffee and tea.

The program begins with the traditional welcome, followed by hand-picked selections of the Easter season performed by members of the United Methodist Church’s “Joy Bells.” Also scheduled to perform are flutist Dianne Neumann and soprano Jane Fuller.

This year’s special narration, written by local journalist Cheryl Withrow, A Quilt, A Cross and Jesus*, focuses on the story of Jesus Christ. Cast members will proclaim the biblical account of the risen Lord through a series of quilt blocks radiating from a center-placed tree of life. 

All ladies of the community are cordially invited to attend this annual ecumenical observance that jump starts Holy Week activities.

There is no charge for the celebration, which is held in the Newberry United Methodist Church fellowship hall, 110 W. Harrie St., in downtown Newberry.

*Copyright 2015 Cheryl Ann Withrow A Quilt, A Cross and Jesus All Rights Reserved

Consider praying this prayer today

Oh, God, please help us. We are under such attack. Far too many believers who have histories of faithfulness with You are falling for the devil's scheme. Please open our eyes and show us the way! Hear the desperate cries of Your children. Amen

Just read my lesson for the day from Beth Moore's Bible study, When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. Thought I would share the ending prayer with all of you.

By the way, this women's study just began Monday night. If you are interested in joining the group, we meet each Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Newberry Comfort Inn (corner of M-123 and M-28). The study will continue for the next five weeks. Hope you can make it!

Ponder the Psalms today

Psalm 62:7 (NIV)
My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

Think about this today...

What is the uppermost concern in your life today that you would like the great High Priest (Jesus) to bring to the throne of God?

This was the "ponder" question in my Lenten devotional. I thought it was a good one to share as I am working feverishly on the White Breakfast presentation and do not have the time (or the energy) to blog too!

Think about it.

My prayer today, May God bless each and every one of you today and every day. Amen

Ponder this today...

Be the kind of Christian that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says, “Oh no! She’s (or He's) up!”

Today, ponder this...

The world rotates so someone will always be awake to pray.

Where are the joyful Christians?

Rev. Charles Spurgeon

This happens all the time. I come up with a good idea for this site; I wrestle with the words; I write a few; I strike a few; I go away; I come back; I think I have the proverbial “writer’s block;” and then, I open an email and find a quote, that works, from Charles Spurgeon via BibleGateway.com!

Charles Spurgeon Preaches
A healthy Christian is one of the liveliest creatures on earth. When he is at work you may hear him sing. He cannot help it; do not blame him for a little noise. Let him sing, and laugh till he cries. Sometimes he cannot help it; he will burst if his soul may not have vent. When he begins to talk about his Lord his eyes flash fire. Some people hint that he is out of his mind; but those who know best assure us that he was never before so sane as now. Of course, the world thinks religion is such poor stuff that nobody could grow excited about it. To my mind, cold religion is the nastiest dish ever brought to table. True godliness is served up hot. Newness of life means a soul aglow with love to God, and therefore earnest, zealous, happy. Let the believing man have space for his larger life, swing for his grander joy. Nay, do not gag him; let him sing his new song. If any man out of heaven has a right to be happy, it is the man who lives in newness of life. Come, beloved, I want you to go home to-day with the resolve that the newness of life shall be more apparent in your walk. Do not live the old life over again. Why should you? What good would come of it? — Charles Spurgeon, "Christ's Resurrection and Our Newness of Life"

The Lord definitely does work in mysterious ways, doesn't He?

Where are the Christians, anyway? I do not see many who are overjoyed with their lot in life, do you?
So I won’t drone on and on about the missing joyful Christians.

I’ll just respectively suggest that we follow Spurgeon’s take on the matter, that we explore the true meaning of a healthy Christian existence.

That we embrace “a soul aglow with love to God.” That we accept God’s tender mercies. That we understand that in Jesus Christ we are new creatures. Ultimately, that we resolve to serve our Christianity up hot and full – full in the knowledge of Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection on the third day. That we sing the new song of faith and forgiveness. That we enjoy life to the fullest; embracing His way in everything we do, think and say.
That we “take up our cross daily” (Luke 9:23) and follow Him in joy and thanksgiving.

Today’s Intercessory Prayer
Pray for your family and spiritual friends (and for all Christians) that they would continuously experience community grounded in love and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Today’s Prayer
Lord, help me to see where I am rejecting some aspect of your will for me. Help me to obey and believe, believe and obey. Help me to be joyful in life in You. Amen