October 29 2017 Enemies Under Our Feet When

October 29, 2017 Youth Sunday – Deuteronomy 34.1-12, * Matthew 22.34-46 “Enemies Under our Feet When…”

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A guy was crossing the street to visit his neighbor. As he started, a car was bearing down on him, so he stopped and backed up to the curb. The car stopped, so he started to cross, and the car started to move toward him again. He changed direction and went back to the curb and the car moved toward him. Then he moved to run across the street and the car swerved in that direction. He moved left and the car moved left. He moved right and the car moved right. Finally, he just stopped in the middle of the road. The car screeched to a stop right in front of him. He walked around to the driver’s window and the window rolled down. The man was surprised to see a squirrel behind the driver’s wheel. The squirrel said, “I just wanted you to know what it feels like.” *

In this day and age, whether we are a youth or an elder, we toss and turn every which way so that the other can know what it feels like to live whatever life we are living. [slide # 1 squirrel]

We do live in a wonderful world. It is a different world from what many of us grew up in. It is still a wonderful world. The beauty of nature surrounds us and brings us comfort and joy. The humanity of others brings us inspiration and the will to live and build a future worth living.

On this youth Sunday, we are reminded that Jesus is here for everyone, no matter what our situation, our age, our experience. Jesus is a valuable treasure for anyone who will accept him. *There was a family that had an interesting old rock that they used as a door stop [slide # 2 rock of gold]. The rock was so interesting that they passed it on for three generations. One of the grandsons became a geologist, he saw the rock and identified it as the largest pure gold nugget ever discovered in the area. It is a blessing when we can at last pass down to the next generation how valuable Jesus is in our lives.

Since 1844, 173 years ago or about 9 generations, Bethel has been in continuous operation on behalf of our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ. Every generation found its own way to fulfill the will of God, to follow the vision. Every generation finds a way to equip and empower the next generation to hear God’s voice and to do the mission and the maintenance that the Holy Spirit puts before them.

We are like the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus’ day; we try to figure out the best path for our faith. We question Jesus in order to decide if we will go along with his program. The Pharisees and Sadducees in Matthew asked Jesus some basic questions regarding his authority compared to the authority of King David. We raise questions about the authority of Jesus versus some pastors, some Bishops, some Conference decisions, or the Book of Discipline. It is good to think and question ideas and traditions before we make final decisions.

For a thousand years before Christ, it was a Jewish tradition to study the Psalms and teachings and history of King David, especially. David was a hero. He started out as a lowly shepherd who became a king because God was with him. David killed the enemy of God’s people. With one sling shot, he killed Goliath, a giant Philistine bully. Getting rid of that bully was considered a miracle. It was an act of God to be relieved of Goliath’s tormenting and demeaning forces.

David was a hero like Martin Luther [slide # 3 Martin Luther] who in 1517 dared to debate whether the Catholic Church had any God given authority to ask people to pay money as a way to wash away their sins. It no doubt occurred to some church leaders that it was very easy to take advantage of people and profit from their guilt. This tradition can still be seen at work over 500 years later among our Catholic brothers and sisters today. It is very common to hear of families paying $500 for a baptism or thousands of dollars to remarry after divorce. (At the same time, I and others have been super blessed by the Catholic church.)

Martin Luther protested these “guilt” offerings, and the protests led to a reformation. Today we call ourselves Protestants because we were organized around Luther’s protest.

Martin Luther King civil rights leader [slide # 4 MLK] was named after Martin Luther in order to embrace the authority and tradition of heroes like Martin Luther who took a stand for peace and justice. Our Latin American neighbors have the same idea when they name children after Jesus.

The Sadducees and Pharisees knew about the greatness of King David, but they did not want to acknowledge that Jesus was the great Messiah, the one to come and bring eternal salvation from sins – even their sins.

So, Jesus asked them, . ⁴²“What do you think of the Messiah? [that you hear is to come into the world] Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” ‘Well’, Jesus says in verse 44 that Kim read - “How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord,” and Jesus quotes David’s Psalm 110 verse 1 where David writes that Lord God-Yahweh told Lord Jesus to sit at God’s right hand until God puts Jesus’ enemies under his feet. [slide# 5  St. Michael]

The Sadducees and Pharisees knew the famous Psalms of David, so when Jesus quoted David’s Psalm 110 verse 1, the Spirit illuminated their minds. There they had it on good authority. Now they could not help but see Jesus for who he was, the Messiah. They were speechless. There was no other argument. We can imagine that the day would come when they would sing with conviction that chorus that comes to mind: I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me.    

Jesus had enemies, but staying at God’s right hand meant that his enemies would be put under his feet. We have enemies in this world. For our young people there are at least three enemies that will wind up under our feet, by the authority, influence, and power of almighty God. Those enemies are drugs, violence, and greed.

This week our president declared the opioid epidemic a national health emergency. Drugs ruin lives. White collar as well as blue collar greed is out of control and we all pay the hideous price of billions of dollars. One specialist says that drugs feel like a hug for our brains. It is up to us to realize that what feels like a hug is really a thug. It is time to get right, right with God.

Violence is a second enemy for young people. You’ve heard the poem Children Learn What They Live.

If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.

If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.

When we teach children to be peacemakers, violence finds fewer hiding places. It is time to get right, right with God.

Finally, a third enemy for young people is greed. We all want nice things and more of them. When we ask God for help to make choices about what to give and take, to whom and when, God is faithful and will guide us in the direction that is good for old and young, rich and poor. When youth find ways to tithe, give generously, do missions, make sacrifices, as well as open their hearts to God’s wonderful blessings in the church and out, the church remains for the next generation.

Young people have enemies – drugs, violence, and greed to name a few. But, that will not stop the Holy Spirit from doing great things with our youth just like God has done with the generation before them. Nothing will stop God from getting to them with love, leadership, tenderness, and blessings above and beyond what any of us can imagine. We are beginning to see those blessings as our youth worship, serve, and share testimonies.

We cannot imagine what great things God will do with the younger generation, just like the first generation at Bethel which started as a bible study did not imagine 173 years later what the current generation has accomplished to glorify God.

In time, every enemy is under God’s feet. When we get right with God, we see it firsthand. Amen. [slide # 6 hands raised]

*David Dykes August 20 2012 Sermon Central

October 22 2017 "Who Wants to Know"

October 22, 2017 *Exodus 33.12-23, Matthew 22.15-22 “Who Wants to Know?” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

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The story is told of a father teaching his three-year old daughter the Lord’s Prayer. She would repeat the lines after him. Finally, she decided to go solo. He listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word, right up to the end of the prayer. Lead us not into temptation,” she prayed, but deliver us from e-mail.” We come to God in prayer as little children with so much to learn.

In this morning’s scripture, we find ourselves in the middle of a conversation between Moses and God. Actually, it was more like an argument.  [slide # 1 Moses lightening] The people of God have been delivered from slavery to the Egyptians. They were finally making their exodus.

We all understand what it is to be finally free. We may have seen a day when we became free from a mortgage, car payment, or some other debt. Last week we heard Joyce say that Kevin was free and clear from treatment for his broken hip. Others have a circle on the calendar for the day they were free from radiation treatments or free from the strain of being away from a loved one who may be returning home after months overseas in military service in Afghanistan or somewhere. We know what it is to be free.

God delivered the people as God delivers us time and time again. Moses was the leader God used to plan and work so they could leave an unwelcome and unpleasant situation. [slide #2 Moses leading] In our scripture this morning, Moses is talking with God, asking God about what steps to take now that they were free.

Deliverance, though welcome, requires that some serious decisions be made. After being released from the hospital a patient may have to decide where to go to rehab, temporarily or permanently. After being released from prison, an inmate may decide to go to a halfway house, or a relative’s, or back into trouble.  After being released from debt one may make new pledges for ministry or promises to grandchildren. After being released from slavery a slave may go to a safe house or back through the underground channels with which they had traveled in the dark of night.

Moses wanted God to tell him where they were to go now that they had finally escaped the oppressive Egyptians. In verse 12: ¹² Moses said to the Lord, and the Message paraphrase of the bible says it well: [slide # 3 Moses bowed down]  "Look, you tell me, 'Lead this people,' but you don't let me know whom you're going to send with me. You tell me, 'I know you well and you are special to me.' If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don't forget, this is your people, your responsibility."

God did not give Moses specific directions to go here or there. Moses was forced to live with the ambiguity, forced to trust God, forced to cling to God. I am reading a book called Grace to Lead written by retired Bishop Kenneth Carder [slide # 4 Bishop Carder]  from Tennessee who works in memory care facilities and Laceye Warner [slide # 5 Professor Warner] co-writer – an associate professor of evangelism and Methodist Studies at our Duke University; they emphasize the value of not always knowing the details in life. Those who calmly accept the fact that you do not always know the details of what a day may hold are called in the book “high hope” individuals. [slide # 6 HIGH HOPE]

A leadership scholar is quoted in the book as saying, “High hope individuals are better able to cope with ambiguity and uncertainty and indeed, are engaged by the challenge of journeying into an undefined future without having all the answers yet knowing that in time the answers will be revealed. (page 28)

The details of where God is leading us from day to day, as much as we want to know them, will not take us as far as simply knowing that we are cared about and beloved by God.

As God’s people waited before God, hoping God would lead them somewhere nice, God describes Moses and the children of God, saying ‘I know you…I know you by name. I think highly of you.” ‘I favor you’ or as the NRSV version in our pew says ‘You have found favor in my sight.” [slide # 7 favor]

Clearly, God looks at faithful followers with plans to favor them, treat them with fondness and affection, and give them privileges that reflect enormous love.

Being a child of God is not so much about what our future holds or where our path leads. When we come before God asking questions, God wants to know who is asking. The point is who wants to know the future God has in mind for us. Who are we when we pray?

We all pray because we want to hear from God. Like Moses, we may even be the type to get up in God’s face a little and persist and even argue with God about the way things are. When we go to God, who are we? Do we really want to know what God is thinking? Sometimes we are not looking for answers. Sometime we just want to complain, or argue or rage or make a demand. We do not want to have a relationship with God. Sometime we want to push God away. Sometime.

Are we the one wanting to learn so we can lead? Are we wanting to receive a blessing? Give a blessing? When we come to God in prayer, who are we? Who are we as we come listening, hoping to hear what God has to say about our future?

As children of God, we are who God says we are. We are special, we are favored, [slide # 8 favorite] we can anticipate God’s affection, fondness, smiles and support. To know how precious we are to God is the first step on a journey toward peace and spiritual prosperity.

In a few weeks on November 19^th we will have an opportunity to prayerfully bring our yearly pledges to be consecrated. As always, when we come to worship, we come as the beloved.  [slide # 9 God’s beloved]

In verse 14 God speaks saying, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ [slide # 10 REST] What is better than that? God’s Love helps us to rest. When we rest in God’s love and care, if only for a moment in the day, we find comfort, healing, direction, peace, and joy.

In verse 18, Moses asks God to show him his glorious presence. We all appreciate experiences that are glorious, things that are admirable, noteworthy, things that fill us with delight, that move us to tears of joy and jaw dropping awe. We all appreciate experiences that are glorious.

God answers, you can see my glory but only so far. You cannot see my face, for no one can see my face and live.

How wise God is. We humans can only take so much. If we saw God’s face, we would feel overwhelmed. We do not have the capacity to endure the joy of Heaven in our present state no more than we could fly to South America on the outside of a plane as opposed to inside a pressurized cabin. You have seen people laugh so hard, they split a gut or tears start to roll. The joy of Heaven would be too much for us to experience on earth. At the same time, seeing God shed tears would be too much for us. I imagine, after seeing God cry, we would not be able to stop crying. Some sights could literally break our hearts and blow our minds.

God did not tell Moses everything he wanted to know when he wanted to know it, nor did he get to see God’s face that day. Surely, he still felt loved by God.

We also come to God, knowing we are beloved, [slide # 11 you…my beloved] we may not know what the future holds, but we know who we are – we are the beloved. And we know who holds the future. May God’s loving comfort, healing, direction, peace, and joy be yours today and always. Amen [slide # 12 step into….]

October 8 2017 “Everything Else is Garbage”

October 8, 2017 Exodus 20.1-4,7-9,12-20, *Philippians 3.4b-14 “Everything Else is Garbage” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

If you have ever driven behind a garbage truck, you just might get a whiff of something most unpleasant. In traveling to undeveloped regions you may see things that are not usually visible in developed areas, such as raw sewage and dumps piled high with garbage. As best we can tell, ancient cities, such as Philippi, dug ditches for latrines and they waited for the rain to wash the dirt away, and it probably did not move it along too far too fast. It was not only unsightly, it was not something you wanted to get too close to for fear that you would gag and lose your lunch.

Garbage has its own special place in our society for a very specific reason. You may remember the story of a mother trying to teach her son a very important lesson. She asked him to clean up his room and he went off to college one weekend and neglected to do so. She put all his trash in a box and mailed it to his dorm room to remind him to appreciate a clean room enough to make it happen. It was an unforgettable lesson for sure.

The words are not in the bible, but cleanliness is next to godliness! [slide # 1 cleanliness….]

Paul was detained several times for preaching the gospel. The places he stayed were, no doubt, trashy and nasty. He was either under house arrest and had to be back in detention at the end of the day or he was actually chained barbarically, with his feet in stocks, for hours and hours, maybe even days. This was the way it was when he was in the city of Philippi. [slide # 2 prison bars]

He lost a lot by becoming a follower of Christ. Instead of a physical hurricane like Texas and Puerto Rico experienced when so many of their belongings suddenly became trash, Paul suffered a spiritual hurricane. He lost his reputation as a member of the ruling class of Jews among the Sanhedrin – for he was no longer considered a Jew when he claimed that rabble rouser Jesus to be the Christ – the Messiah, the Anointed, the one chosen by God to save this world.

He lost a part of his health because of the rough travels by sea with shipwrecks, beatings that left him for dead with open infected wounds, and the terrible prison conditions to name a few. He probably lost quite a bit of money and some of his friends and family may have been afraid to associate with him, but he still had Jesus and that was enough. In verse 9 [slide # 3 verse 9 ….] he says, “For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish.” They became like garbage. They could no longer be used; they had lost their value and he let them go. He kept his life in God’s hands. He knew that being in the will of God was more precious and beautiful and longer lasting than anything.  

Nowadays more than ever we are reminded that all of our material stuff can become worthless garbage in an instant. We are reminded daily that nothing we have in our closets or in our pockets is worth more than our families full of faith, hope, and love. Nothing.

Paul experienced a spiritual hurricane because of his faith. He was imprisoned because he helped deliver a slave girl that a group of men were making money off of. They were forcing her to do fortune telling. When she got delivered, they not only looked like fools in front of their clients, but they lost a fortune. That is why they railroaded him so he would be put away.

Paul’s story reminds me of a 45 year old man who was sentenced last week for human trafficking in Chester County, Bucks County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia. He particularly preyed on women who are heroin addicts. He treated the women like trash, but Jesus looks at us as treasures even when we are addicts.

The motive for Paul’s arrest is very common. From the beginning of time, governments have had many ways of dealing with very religious people who they feel are an economic liability or a threat to their safety and wellbeing. Some governments use the law to protect the people. Some governments keep a watchful eye, using surveillance tools for homeland security. [slide # 4 police car]

Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic scholar from Turkey is living in a compound in the Poconos. [slide # 5 Gulen] He has been accused of trying to overthrow the Turkish government and Turkey wants him back so he can stand trial. He has Islamic schools around this country that are under suspicion by some, but he has not been charged with any crimes that would lead to his deportation. We can be sure that, like Apostle Paul was, he is being watched very carefully and his schools are constantly under scrutiny. Politics mixed with religion is a frustrating subject to say the least.

As Christians, there are many details we may not know as we pray for peace and live alongside people with whom we feel uncomfortable, threatened, and suspicious. By faith we trust the Holy Spirit who is our light that reveals to us whatever God wants us to know. We expect the Holy Spirit to be our guide and show us what steps to take in every area of life. [slide # 6 guiding signs]

A woman I did not know came up to me years ago after a service, saying “The Lord told me to give you a hug.” I thought, “That was nice.” I believed her and was thankful.

When I was working several part time jobs my mother paid my cell phone bill saying, “The Lord told me to do it.” I was real happy, and I asked her if the Lord said anything to her about paying my car insurance too.

This week I asked my sister to pray for me as the doctor said I needed some work done to keep my health in order and she called at 7 a.m. one morning and left the message that she did pray one night and the next morning the Lord whispered in her ear that there was nothing to worry about. The message was a comfort and when I wondered why I had not gotten the comforting message directly as I have sometimes in the past, I remembered that all Christians are one in the spirit and God works in ways that unite us, rather than separate us.

Another example of God speaking was during my time at Eastern University, I was part of a choir giving a concert. There may have been 100 18 year old or so kids gathered. Instead of simply closing the concert with a word of prayer, one of my fellow students asked the moderator to invite the young people to give their lives to Christ. The moderator was hesitant, but finally gave in to giving an altar call, a call to discipleship, an invitation for those young people to come forward in the style of Billy Graham and say “yes” to the Christian lifestyle. Surprisingly, at least a dozen kids came up. It was dramatic and tearful and sincere. God does lead us and we do well to follow!

There are days that we are puzzled and confused about what God is doing and saying as we listen and watch for God’s direction, and that is ok. [slide # 7 confused] By faith, we accept that fact that sometimes God goes before us, sometimes God goes behind us, and sometimes God goes alongside us. Nevertheless, because God is with us, we always have a light and a guide every step of the way.

Even though we may be confused and don’t always get things right, God will help those who want to be helped to know which of our values and traditions are garbage and which are to be cherished. God will help those who want to be helped to know which people we should invite to church and which ones we should not, and which should keep at a distance, but add to our prayer list. God will help those who want to be helped.

Scriptures tell us that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. I tried this week to be a laborer, so I asked God to help me as I invited several people to church. They were people I chatted with in Boscovs or Lowes or the hair salon. People were polite and I hope they show up at Bethel or somewhere to worship God. I try to remember that inviting others is not a waste of time, even though they may not show up after the first invitation. I will make a second and a third as the Lord guides me to. [slide # 8 invite…]

When we see the wreckage of the latest hurricanes in Mexico and Puerto Rico, we see piles of useless debris. Everything seems to be a waste and ready for the trash bin. The material treasures have become trash. It is the spiritual treasures of faith, hope, and love that remain.

Nowadays more than ever we are reminded that all of our material stuff can become worthless garbage in an instant. We learn that nothing we have in our closets or in our pockets is worth more than our human family full of faith, hope, and love. It is so worth it to encourage others to enter into that priceless relationship with God. [slide # 9 relationship with God]

Paul was in prison for his faith. All around him was trash, waste and garbage, but he understood that within his heart, was the greatest treasure of all, Jesus, and that was enough. [slide # 10 Jesus all I need]

One man I chatted with and invite to church this week told the story of a woman dying and lying in pain. Though there seemed to be little hope or relief and she had not spoken of her faith during her lifetime, a relative asked her if she knew Jesus. Expecting that her painful impending death was all that was foremost on her mind, it was a comforting surprise to hear her say that Jesus was holding her hand as she lay there [slide # 11 hands]. She had lost all, but there she was with Jesus holding her hand.

[slide # 12 …no matter what…] When losses come our way, when we lose our health, our resources, our relationships, may we too be able to let them go and enjoy the wonderful treasures God has for us from one end of the globe to the other. [ slide # 13 hands/map] Amen.

October 1 "2017 "Two Sons

October 1, 2017 Exodus 17.1-7, *Matthew 21.23-32 “Two Sons” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

If you are a parent, one of the greatest lessons you teach children is to follow directions. [slide # 1 family/sunset ] When toddlers turn two, they are said to be going through the “no” stage. More often than not, their answer to every question is an emphatic “no”. “No mommy, no…. No daddy, no” [slide # 2 pouting child]

When kids get older, it seems they have a million ways to say “no”. They use frowns and funny faces. They might collapse their bodies, flail their arms, and curl their lips, expressing a keen displeasure and indifference for doing many things a parent can think of. [slide # 3 child covering ears ] How in the world does a good parent get the message through the minds of those who have their own minds and whose wills as strong as an ox?

Parents learn to persist in prayer, [slide # 4 praying parents] persist in communicating, and persist in patiently waiting for the Spirit to do its great work.

The word from the gospel of Matthew reminds us to take our comfort and strength through obeying the will of God and following directions. Matthew was one of the twelve devoted disciples; he learned to do what Jesus directed him to do, but there is a debate over whether Matthew actually wrote the book we call Matthew.

Scripture tells us that Matthew was a Jewish tax collector under Roman rule. [slide # 5 tax collector] He was pretty much forced by the Romans to collect high taxes from his own people. So, his own people despised him for selling out rather than rebelling against the Romans.

One of the reasons there is doubt that Matthew wrote the gospel of Matthew is because it is said to have been written in the Greek language. The language of the Jewish person was of the Aramaic and Hebrew alphabet. [slide # 6 Hebrew/Aramaic] Greek was the language of the upper class ruling society. Some think it not likely that a Jewish fellow like Matthew, could be familiar enough with the Greek language to write his own version of the gospel. Also, the note that we see in bibles that claims it is “the gospel according to Matthew” [slide # 7…according to Matthew ] was said to have been added two whole centuries after Matthew was written. Nevertheless, scholars unanimously affirm the tradition that Matthew is indeed the author of the gospel of Matthew. We have respect for our many Christian traditions, but we want tradition to unite us and never divide us.

The Holy Spirit uses the gospel of Matthew to help us follow Jesus closely just as Matthew did. [slide # 8 footprints] As disciples, like Matthew, we want to do what our Jewish brothers and sisters have done this weekend for Yom Kippur. It is the one day of all 365 days set aside to closely examine one’s life and think about how well we are following in Divine footsteps. [slide # 9 crowd following Jesus]

It is a day to make up our minds to get back on track and sing once again the song, “I have decided to follow Jesus. I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.” [slide # 10 no turning back…]

We want to be the child of God that Jesus talks about in verse 28. The one who actually went to work in the vineyard when the father asked him to go. We want to avoid being a no show in the vineyard.

How good are we at following God’s direction? In America, God’s word is accessible 24 hours a day through television, books, radio, live streaming, YouTube and ways we have not even heard of. Are we tuned in at least as much as those in China, Russia, and Africa who may be without the luxurious access to God’s word that we are accustomed to.

Do we hear the voice of God speaking to our hearts – especially since October is stewardship month – do we hear what God is saying to us about giving offerings, saving, and tithing? [slide # 11 God is speaking]

Are we like a very wise Bethel lawyer who advises, no matter how much or how little we earn, we should save SOMETHING? [slide # 12 savings jars] Are we like a new Bethel grandmother who notes that when she began tithing, the special blessings that came her encouraged her to make tithing a constant habit. [slide # 13 tithing]

We may be like John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, who taught that Christians should earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can.

Or, you may have learned some hard lessons like I have had to learn. An acquaintance asked to borrow $10 from me. I did not have $10, but I promised her that if the Lord provided me with $10 before the end of the day, I would give it to her. Surprisingly, I did receive $10 by the end of the day, [slide # 14 ten dollar bill] but I really, really did not want to give it away. I had to search my heart.

Every year our Bishop, Bishop Peggy Johnson meets with clergy and presents various agendas for the year. [slide # 15 Bishop Johnson] During that time, we worship, take communion, and collect an offering for some urgent mission. A few years ago, in addition to special offerings, Bishop Johnson asked us to support a medical mission across the ocean. I put it out of my mind saying to myself that there were too many offerings to support all of them. Within the week, I had a dream of a very, very thin seemingly malnourished woman walking under a bridge with a baby in a carriage and a little child walking alongside her. I believed God was asking me to support the mission the Bishop had talked about, so I did. [slide # 16 worship is following…]

What is it that Jesus has put in your mind more than once about money or missions or sharing and caring? What is the driving force behind your giving? Truly the Holy Spirit is trying to drive us as individuals and as a church. Are we willing to go?

We are not always willing to go where the Spirit leads. More often than not, we want to do what we want to do and go where we want to go and spend what we want to spend. Nevertheless, every day a prayer lives in the heart of Christians: not my will but yours be done, God. [Slide # 17 signs…God’s will]   [slide # 18 your will…]

As Frances Havergal wrote in the 1800’s, [slide # 19 Frances Havergal] “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Take my moments and my days, let them flow in ceaseless praise.” [slide # 20 take my life…]

We do well to give our whole life to God, not just our tithes and offerings. All the money in the world cannot save us or keep a church alive. It is giving our lives to those who need us most that keeps the church alive. [slide # 21 row of feet] It is hearing the hearts and the cries of those on the fringes of despair that leads us from a place where we hear God’s word to a place where we are doing God’s will! [slide # 22 be doers…]

May it be so today and every day for every child of God. Amen. [slide # 23 no one has ever become poor…] [slide # 24 Jesus walking in sand]