Viewpoint - March 8, 2010
By Pastor Steve Harris

The Lost Motorist

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.”

A lost motorist asked a farmer for directions.

“Where is the main highway to Quincy?”

“I don’t know”

“Well, where is the highway to Hannibal?”
“I don’t know”

“Where does this highway go?”

“I don’t know”

“You don’t know much do you?”

“No, but I ain’t lost.”

Have you ever tried going on a road trip without a map? Let me just say that trying to plan your life without God is just as ineffective. We can head in the general direction of where we know we should be, but without God as our guide, we’re just like the lost motorist, asking everyone else for directions.

If we consult God in everything, asking Him to lead and guide us on life’s journey, the Bible says His footsteps shall be our pathway and His plan will be to give us a future and a hope (Psalm 85:13, Jeremiah 29:11). Without Him, we will wander life’s highways, not knowing where they lead.

When you find yourself making plans for your life, remember to first find out where God would have you go and then map out your next move according to His will.

Charles Swindoll said, “The beautiful thing about this adventure called faith is that we can count on Him to never lead us astray.”

(Stephen Harris is pastor of Center’s First United Pentecostal Church and host of the 1- hour weekly Christian radio talk show, Living the Life, heard Fridays at 11:00 a.m. on community radio 930 AM KDET as well as the Morning Manna daily devotionals heard Monday-Fridays at 8:45 a.m.)

Happenings at FUMCJ - March 7, 2008
Submitted by: Randy Smith, Pastor

The weather the last few days has hinted a promise of spring and rebirth. But I am sure that Mother Nature has a few more cold days to send our way! I was in Dallas last week visiting my daughter, brother, and sister-in-law and we all came together to celebrate my mother’s 86th birthday. My mom looks great and is feeling good. She walks every day and has really kept fit. I appreciate Mona stepping in as a lay speaker and preaching for me last Sunday. Both Mona and Pat went and received training as Lay Speakers. My mother and I went to her church, Bethany Lutheran Church . The United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Churches recently joined together in common communion. The traditions of the two churches are different but their desire to serve the world with mercy and grace is the same!

It was sure good to see Hailey, Simone, Tessa, Christopher, and Michael. The Junior/Senior High Sunday School Class are the communion stewards and they prepared communion for church today. Mary and Bill Skinner had a wonderful surprise for everyone. Their son, Robert came to church with them! Many of us taught Robert and it was so great to see him. He really looks good!

I have been doing a series of sermons on the condition of The Church. In my last sermon I mentioned that the largest group of Christians is those people that no longer go to church and no longer feel the church is relevant. Throughout history, the church has had problems with Jesus. The church has always liked the idea of Jesus but has always been uncomfortable with how he lived and what he taught. A good starting point for the church to become relevant and meaningful in our world is to practice the radical grace that Jesus practiced.

Last Wednesday night we had our monthly Family Night. We had many guests from the Center area and all of them were related to our dear friend, P. A. Newton! They joined us last Wednesday to help celebrate P. A.’s 85th 0birthday. I don’t think P. A. had any “prior knowledge” of what was going on until he saw nieces and nephews coming into the fellowship hall.

The Sanctuary looks absolutely stunning! The new woodwork, new sheetrock, new tile, and new carpeting have made the sanctuary look so bright and new and fresh. The Carpenters of Faith are the contractors and have done a great job. The job hasn’t gone as smooth or as quickly as thought. The first rolls of carpet were defective and had to be replaced. Kenny, Daryl, and Trevor also found much more “old” termite damage around the altar. This past week in between the election and voting in our fellowship hall on Tuesday and the sophomore class taking the TAKS test at our church on Wednesday, Kenny, Daryl, and Trevor have been putting in new carpet in the hall and the classrooms.

The Wednesday Bible Study has been called off. The Trustees will meet on Wednesday at 5:00. The Thursday Breakfast club is still going to meet at Haslam Café around 8:00. I will be out of pocket most of the week. I am having surgery on Wednesday at M. D. Anderson.

Our worship time is 11:00 AM. Sunday School begins at 10:00 AM. Check our website for pictures and information. Our website is joaquinumc.com. At the website you can look at photos, request prayers, and read the pastor’s sermons. Our email address is joaquinumc@hotmail.com . Go to our website at www.joaquinumc.com. To send in prayer requests to be posted on our website, send your request joaquinumc@gmail.com. The church phone number is 269-3661. The Christian Services number is 269-4099. Take care everyone and God’s speed.

Notes From a Prayer Journey - March 9 , 2010
Submitted by Shirley Goodwin

God’s Special Assignments

Eph 6:18 In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (MSG)

Most of us have had the following experience: The name of someone we know comes to our minds and for a few moments we feel a desire to encourage or help them in some way. Often we fail to recognize these thoughts as specific promptings by the Holy Spirit. Most of the time when we have these quiet, yet, very impressionable thought of others, it means that someone is in need of our prayers. The Holy Spirit will lead us to pray for a particular person, a family or someone in need.

Consider this scenario:

1. Someone in need of prayer, prays and asks the Lord to lay a burden on someone’s heart to pray for him/her during his/her hour of need. (This is supplication: entreaty, petition, invocation, request, plea, appeal)

2. God gives someone a prompting to pray. (This is God’s Special Assignment: usually a quiet, yet unforgettable thought of someone)

3. The person given the prayer assignment prays for the one in need. (This is intercession: pleading for another.)

4. The one in need of prayer is given strength for his/her situation; perhaps an accident was avoided, or an illness is healed, or a family situation is resolved, or a desperate emotion, spiritual or financial need is fulfilled, et cetera. (This is edification: enlightenment, instruction, and spiritual benefit.)

In chapters nine and ten of the book of Acts, there are examples of God’s Special Assignments and the consequences of prayers. Verses, three through nine, of Acts chapter nine, record the conversion of Saul outside the city of Damascus. Acts 9:11 (NIV) states, for behold, he (Saul) is praying. As Saul gave himself to prayer and fasting, the Lord spoke to Ananias in a vision and told him to go to Straight Street and pray for Saul. As a result of Ananias’ response to God’s Special Assignment, we enjoy reading many books in the New Testament today. (Read Acts 9)

In Acts 10, as Cornelius prayed, God sent an angel who gave him instructions so that he and his family could receive salvation. Meanwhile, Peter received instructions to go to Cornelius’ house and preach. The result of Cornelius’ faithfulness to prayer was salvation for his household, his family and near friends.

Both Ananias and Peter received God’s Special Assignments. Both men were prompted by the Lord to go to someone, pray with them and teach them truth from God’s word. As a result of their willingness to be lead of the Holy Spirit, the church today, many, many years later receives innumerable blessings.

Perhaps, this day, God has given us Special Assignments. What is our response? Will we pray for others? Are we willing to be used of God for the benefit of others? Will we pray when others need for us to pray for them?

Will we do our homework when God gives us a Special Assignment? Will we pray? Will we bless others?

Prayer for the day:

Jesus, I thank You for Your blessings. I thank You for the people in my life who pray for me and teach me Your word. I ask Your forgiveness for the times that I did not bless others when Your Holy Spirit was leading me to pray for someone. Lead me Lord, to the person who has needs. Help me Lord that I will be sensitive to Your Holy Spirit and understand my Special Assignment. Please use me Lord, today, that others will be blessed. Thank You for always hearing my prayers. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Pull Up a Chair - December 16, 2009
By Bro. Michael

Christmas is a time of celebration as we gather with friends and family to celebrate the birth of the one who divided human history. Seemingly, the world stops for one day to remember the advent of God into the world in the form of a baby.

Baby Jesus is the most controversial person of history; because history was divided by Jesus Christ. Mankind looks for events to determine our historical record and the one event that stands out is the coming of Jesus Christ into the life of mankind.

Some secular historians no longer want to use A.D. or B.C. Instead they want to use C.E. “Common era”. Instead of B.C. they want to use B.C.E “before the common era.” Still our dating system is based on the birth of Jesus Christ. The Greeks held the first Olympiad and said, “We’re always going to date time according to the Greek Olympiad.” The Romans said, “We’re always going to date time from the date of the founding of the city of Rome.” During the time of the French Revolution in the late 1700’s the French said, “We’re going to have a new world dating system based from the beginning of the French Revolution.” Now in the 21st century every time you write a check, put a date down on a calendar you acknowledge the most significant event in human history, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the most important person in human history. Matthew 1:21 the angel said to Joseph “She (Mary) will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus was on the most important mission anyone could ever do. He came to die on the cross and pay for the sins of all people of all time. As someone else once said Jesus Christ was not a good man trying to get to God, He was the good God trying to get to man. Therefore Jesus Christ brought a message that was revolutionary in His day and in our day. John 3:14-16 gives that message. “Just as Moses lifted the snake in the desert,” if you have not read this story it’s a good one. “So the Son of Man must be lifted up” refers to the cross, “that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.” Then the next verse really causes controversy, “for God so loved the world” world means individuals, “that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

But you say that’s what we have always believed? That God loves each of us so much that He gave His only Son to die on a cross to pay for the sins of all humanity. The very idea that God loves you was not the belief system in Jesus day nor is it today in the world. As we celebrate Christmas and the Christ child, don’t forget the rest of the story. Remember we need to tell the world that the God who created this world loves them and sent His only Son into the world to bring forgiveness of sin.

Pointing to God - February 19 , 2010
Carla Reed , Pastor of Shelbyville United Methodist Church

Lent is the season occurring 40 days (excluding Sundays) that precedes Easter. Biblically, during this time Jesus headed to Jerusalem where he would eventually be crucified. We use this time to look at ourselves critically and understand how even our sin had a part in Jesus’ death. His death was for all humankind throughout all the ages and including ours.
When we look at ourselves with open eyes, we notice our vulnerable condition. We are constantly being battered around by the negative events in our lives and by the pressures to achieve more and more in comparison to our neighbor. We become wounded by the assault of a variety of things that threaten our self confidence and undermine what we thought was the purpose of life.
There is a medical term called proud flesh. Proud flesh is the tissue that rushes in to fill the space around and between the tissues of a wound. There are many body defenses that step in when our body senses something that threatens the integrity of skin or various other tissues and quickly this swelled granulated tissue rushes in with various defenses. In the process of healing, however, it may be necessary to cut away this “proud flesh”. If removed it allows the healing process to occur more rapidly and minimizes scarring.
I propose that this season is the time to cut away the proud flesh from our spiritual life. We need to cut away the things that separate us from the ultimate source of healing – Jesus Christ. By setting aside time for reading our instruction book, the Bible, and applying its principles to our life we are convinced of our need for the healer. Then we sit in silence and wait for his certain voice that accepts our confession and administers grace and mercy.
Jesus says:
“I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”