At a gathering of senior pastors and spouses of the hundred largest United Methodist churches in the United States, a discussion took place on how these churches could assist the denomination as a whole in the new reality of ministry.   Statistics indicate that there is a rapid decline in worship attendance and church membership. 

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, faced a similar crisis in his own denomination.  Wesley saw empty churches and, even more disturbing, empty spirits and decided something must be done.  He took to heart the teachingsof the apostle Paul, focusing on our need to become what God had created us to be. 

John Wesley traveled 250,000 miles to preach 40,000 sermons in the countryside.  He did this because the people were there and God wanted him to go.  Wesley realized that in giving our lives away in service to Christ, we find real life and it makes all the difference.

Where is God calling you to serve!   Remember God has gone before you to prepare your path.

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view --- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it," -- Atticus Finch

Walk a mile in my shoes is an idiom that means you should try to understand someone before criticizing them.  And as I look at the definition of what it means to understand someone, I realize that it means to personally interpret, or discern the other person.

I believe that God calls each of us to do our best to understand one another.  I read in Scripture that God asks us to love one another, but to do this we must learn who that person is.  I wonder how many of us take the time to really get to know the people in our lives?  We learn just a little about someone and then we tend to be lazy and fill in the blanks with judgement, criticism and opinions that many times are far from reality.

How much better would our relationships be if we spent more time getting to know what makes another person tick?  Do you really know what their likes and dislikes are?  What motivates them or what frustrates them?  What are they passionate about?  And what do they struggle with silently?

Our world would be so much better and more harmonious if we would spend some time just getting to know one another.  Who do you think you know – but don’t really have a clue about?  Maybe you should take some time to get to know the real person!

The Gospel of John paints a picture of Christ’s love for us and how that love shines every day of our lives.  In Chapter 17, Christ speaks about his love for us and how much each of us should show that love to one another.

As I look over the passage, I am stuck by the fact that it does not quantify that love, but makes a broad sweeping statement about our love for those around us.  It’s easy to choose to love our family and friends, but how about that noisy neighbor, or the teenager down the street with a hot rod, or the person who cuts us off while driving down the street.

As I read the scriptures, God is requiring of us to love everyone!  So how can we show this love and acceptance to those in our community?  Is there someone who you need to be more loving towards?

What the world truly needs is more love.  Let’s be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem.  Let us follow the example of Christ!

Every traveler knows the importance of finding shelter by night – a place to rest, to claim refuge from the day, and to greet the morning.   This is especially true during a storm; a place to find shelter is imperative.  Each of us needs something to hold on to.  So where do you seek out shelter during the storms of life? 

I turn to the promises of God to shelter me from life’s turbulent times.   So what is a promise?  According to one definition I found:  a promise is a manifestation of intention to act or refrain from acting in a specified way.  God is the only promise maker that is a guaranteed promise keeper.  I wish I could say that about other people in my life, but the truth is – God is perfect, man is not.

God’s promises revealed to us through the scriptures include the promise to have enough, to have confidence in God’s plan in the midst of pain, unconditional love, grace when we fail, hope in brokenness, strength for the difficult times, knowledge that in God life will be better, to feel the peace that passes all understanding, and to know that we have a future home with God.  What more could I ask for? 

I know that God’s promises will never fail me!   Maybe you should give God a chance to prove his promises are for you too!

A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

To be successful in your life, you need to have a life plan. Without a plan, many of your dreams will only be dreams. A life plan, on the other hand, will help you turn your dreams into reality. It works because it gives you not just a destination, but also a way to get there.

A life plan doesn’t have to be complicated. It should answer just two questions:

1. What is your destination?
2. How will you get there?

This way of thinking helps us identify what matters most to us.  For me, faith in God, family, and service to others are my top priorities.   My plan for each day is to commune with God, to spend time with family, and to look for and respond to the needs of others.  I know that if I work my plan, then I will get to my destination – heaven!

So what does your life plan look like?  Don’t have one? – Maybe today is the day you ask God to help you develop one.  I guarantee by doing this you will find purpose in life.

Wow, what an opportunity to serve Christ!  As I reflect on the 2011 Youth Mission Trip to Vancouver, Canada, I am amazed at the power of the Holy Spirit working within this world.  Our purpose for the trip was to give the youth at Morrison the opportunity to learn about God’s love by serving others and experiencing a part of the world different than ours.    

One lesson we all learned from this experience was that wealth is not measured in dollars but in the number of options one has.  A life with options is more valuable than money.  This is a very different way to measure one’s resources.  

In light of this definition of wealth, how rich are you?

Most of us would agree with the statement that “obedience is the key to the Christian life.”  The idea of doing the right thing is important to us as followers of Christ.  But let me ask you something.  Is just doing the right thing more important that the reason we do it?  Are we to obey just for obedience sake?

This concept implies that we obey because it's the right thing to do, and that God will bless our efforts regardless of the motivation for our obedience.   I don’t believe that this is exactly true!  Our Christian obedience involves a relationship between God and us.  We learn what he wants for us, then we respond.  Obedience for obedience sake is not Biblical.  Deuteronomy 5:33 says to “walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days.”  God wants us to do the right thing so that we will grow in our faith and understanding.   Obedience should be our response to our relationship with God.  He wants us to choose to obey out of love, not fear.  This type of obedience then leads us to growth and responsibility.

God doesn’t want an army of puppets, he’s looking for those who choose to follow him.  What about you?  What motivates you to do what you do?