Do you Love Me? - by Jim Massey (mid week epistole)

Do You Love Me?

In the musical "Fiddler on the Roof", Tavia asked his wife Golda a very simple question: "Golda, do you love me?" The response of Golda recalls their life together: a marriage promised by the fathers in which they had no say; a life of almost poverty, children; and yet a home that was comfortable. Golda seems content with these things. Tavia, after these responses from Golda again asks: "But Golda, do you love me?"
Persistence in the questions of love should be vital to us today. Christ proved its worth when He encounters Peter after the Resurrection: "Peter, do you love me?"
I hear the Christ ask me the very same question over and over again, and I try to reply much as Peter did, "Lord, You know I love You." Then I hear God's challenge to take my life and make it completely His as I tend His flock called the church, and feel the lambs which are His children.
Do you hear Christ calling to you today? Is He asking, "Do you love me?" How do you answer?

Holy God, let us receive the wonderment of this question of life and make it ours. Do not let the words return to you empty and full of clichés and promises that we do not intend to keep, but let them be filled with the depths of a love that was willing to accept the Christ into our lives forever. In the blessed name of Christ we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week when we find the danger of God being missing.

How Cynical Are You?

You Are 68% Cynical

You're a full blown cynic... and probably even skeptical of these results. You have your optimistic moments, but most likely you keep them to yourself.

How Cynical Are You?

What Does your Candy Heart Say?

Your Candy Heart Says "Cutie Pie"

You always seem to have a hot date, even though you never try to meet anyone. A total charmer, you have a natural appeal that keeps you in high demand. Your ideal Valentine's Day date: multiple dates with multiple people Your flirting style: 100% natural What turns you off: serious relationship talks Why you're hot: you're totally addicting

What Does Your Candy Heart Say?

What's Your Hidden Talent

Your Hidden Talent

You have the power to persuade and influence others. You're the type of person who can turn a whole room around. The potential for great leadership is there, as long as you don't abuse it. Always remember, you have a lot more power over people than you might think!

What's Your Hidden Talent?

How Pisces Are You?

You are 93% Pisces

How Pisces Are You?

How do your Friends See You?

Slow and Steady

Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It'd really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment. They expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

How Do People See You?

How American Are You?

You Are 85% American

You're as American as red meat and shooting ranges. Tough and independent, you think big. You love everything about the US, wrong or right. And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!

How American Are You?

Thoughts on the day....

I realized today that summer is 1/2 over for my kids. Soon, 2 of them will be in school full time. God I hate it. I can not find thier birth certificates. Before we moved, I put them away some place so I could find them. Now, I can't find them. Please just kick me for fun. Please. I have to find them.


My heart hurts a little...the summer is going to be over and what did we do this summer? Nothing. Survived....barely. It has been so stressful. I told Brian I was gonna take the kids to Micky D's for lunch and then to search out the library and what they are offering and Michaels and what they are doing for kids this summer. Maybe at least do a few activities the next month. But its just been one thing after another getting moved here. We are finally here, doing it on our own again. Brian's folks have left and wont be back until sept.

I feel like I am fighting the depression monster on my back again. The last 9 months have been one kick after another. Grandma dieing, Christmas was so hard last year, then the stress of Brian's old job as they tried to get him to quit, then him getting fired because he made too much money, then having to stay with a friend for 2 months while we got ready to move and then getting moved including Brian being gone for a month for training, and then Brian starting a new job, moving us to a new city.

The worst part of a new city is not knowing anyone else. After all this time, you would think I would be used to how lonely that can be. But it is like you never get used to it. Growing up I had Johnna. She is so tired of me calling her. I really wanted to go home this time, but it was just not in the cards. So, here we are. A new city, a new life.... trying to find a way to survive.

I asked for God's will. I have faith there is a plan in here somewhere for me. I do. I just hate not knowing what it is. Brian and I have been talking about what will I do next? Do I go back to school? I have no desire at all to be a lawyer anymore. I don't think that was every my dream to begin with, because it pretty much died when mom did. A long time ago I wanted to be a preacher. I felt a real calling for it, but other's discouraged me from that path. That idea still floats in my head now and then. Maybe when we get off the path God wants us to take, He leads us back to the path we should of been on in the first place. I just don't know.

I like our new church, but because we go to the traditional service and sunday school....we do not meet the people that go there our age. And there are a ton of them. But like I said, we do not meet them....except in the extra stuff which is all on break at this time for summer. I love our sunday school class, it is an actual bible study class....and it is discussion.

I just feel so confused about life in general right now. I hate it. I like direction. I wish I had someone here I could really talk to too. Brian is so stressed out, I hate putting anything else on him. I have been sick with the cramping like I had in oct...but like I said, since they did the ultrasound and test...well...it has been a really bad 9 months. Maybe I just seriously need a good long nap. Think I can convince the kids to let me sleep for I dont know...a month? Of course, then I will miss the last weeks I have with the big two before they are gone to spend all day in school...argh life is hard.

Acts 4: 1-22

Yesterday in sunday school we were discussing Acts 4. And I have to say it really struck me as so funny.

Act's 3 talks about Peter and John healing the crippled man...and then Acts 4 is what did the "leaders" do.....and thier solution was to do nothing. When I was preparing for my class on saturday night I was laughing so hard I was crying reading it. I do not think i had ever found the bible so funny. But it struck me....Here are these men who did this amazing thing. The bible says the man was at least 40 years old....40 again...meaning the infiniate number not nessassarily 40. So we know he was an older guy. And 40 is the number of preparing when we talk about the bible.....so...what had God spent this "long time" preparing this man to do? was he preparing him to be used just for this one day?

Sometimes we lose the significance of how big a deal this was. This man, everyday the temple leaders drug him out there to beg for money...and it made them feel important to be able to give to him, to support him....and then along comes Peter and John challenging them for authority. and when the leaders are faced with what to do....they basically say "well, we are going to let you go...but dont you do it again."

Peter and John reply: ""Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

The authority of world and nation and faith's often do this. I was just struck by how relavent this was to today. They had just done this miracle...I mean...they healed a man who had not walked in basically his whole life. This is amazing...and yet, we lose the significance of how amazing it is. It is just one more story in a book.

Later in Acts 5, they flog Peter and JOhn...it is one sentence that tells us this...and the response? Peter and John go away from it with thier heads held high with pride....for they had been flogged in Christ name. They were flogged.....and it is only mentioned in once sentence... flogging was serious stuff. But even when it happens...they are proud to be flogged in Christ name. Somehow I think there is a lesson in that one sentence for we as Christians.


Acts 4

Acts 4
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
1The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. 7They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"

8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, 10then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11He is
" 'the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the capstone.[a]' 12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

13When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16"What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."

18Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

21After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

The Believers' Prayer
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:
" 'Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.[c]'[d] 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people[e] of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

The Believers Share Their Possessions
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

Having it all....And being happy with what We Have

Artist: Kenny Chesney
Song: The Woman With You

She hit the door 6:55 sack full of groceries split down the side.
Can goods scattered all the way to the curb.
Look on her face saying don't say a word.
So, it's me and her and a can of beans sitting there on the front porch swing.
Western sky all turning red.
Head on my shoulder she sighed and said:

Been gopherin, chaufferin, company chairmen.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothin I swear man that I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like i can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman with you

She said the girl I was with the business degree probally wouldn't recognize me.
I was going around the bank.
I was going to run them out.
Now all I want to run is a bubble bath.
Back then you know I had this plan.
Before all of this reality set in.
Here comes life boy ready or not.
Hey I wanted it all and thats what I got.

Cause I'm gopherin, chaufferin, company chairmen.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothin I swear man that
I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like I can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman with you.

She said I'm gopherin,chaufferin, company chairmen.
Coffee maker, Copy repairman.
Anymore there ain't nothin I swear man that I don't do.
Been juggling, struggling, closing big deals.
Dancing backwards in high heels.
Just when it feels like I can't make it through.
She said it sure is nice to just be the woman the woman with you.

La, la, la, la, la, la

The woman with you

If having it all means more then I can handle...all I want is what I got already.

Help in Hard Times- by Jim Massey (mid-week Episotle)

Hard Time Help!
Have you ever had a hard time in your life? A time maybe when you felt as though you were all alone and no one cared or even wanted to give you a word of encouragement.
When John Wesley had times such as these he would begin to look for what he called "the promptings of the Holy Spirit." In those days in which he was not sure where his life was heading, he would invite the Holy Spirit to lead him to a new revelation or situation where God need him to make a proclamation of His Holy Word.
Maybe that is what is happening in your heart today. Maybe God is "prompting" you life to say words of encouragement to one who is alone and hurting. Let God come and lead you in His special grace.

Come Holy Spirit. In these days of confusion and labor, let us look for You guidance. Let our words become the moment of hope for someone who is longing to change their life just as You have changed ours. In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week as we listen for a love call.

In This Very Room

In this Very Room is a song written by Ron and Carol Harris. The first time I heard this song was when my preacher and friend sang it. He talked about his trip to the holy land. About climbing through the small entrance and walking hunched over to the tomb where Christ earthly body was laid. How they traveled in small groups to see that mighty place. And how when he got there...he felt this song.

Christ love is so much for all of us. We are all sinners. You, me, and everyone inbetween. I do not go to church each week because I am perfect, I go because I am a sinner. I kneel with other sinners and ask God to forgive me...to help me try harder...and to be a better person.

No one person is unworthy of God's love and God's grace. For there is truely enough room for all of us in that tiny room.

In this very room,
there's quite enough love for one like me.
and in this very room,
There's quite enough joy for one like me
and there's quite enough hope
and quiet enough power
to chase away any gloom
for Jesus
Lord Jesus, is in this very room.

And in this very room
there's quite love for all of us
and in this very room,
There's quite enough joy for all of us.
And theres quite enough hope
and quite enough power
to chase away any gloom
For Jesus
Lord Jesus, is in this very room.

And in this very room
There's quite enough love for all the world
and in this very room
There's quite enough joy for all the world.
And there's quite enough hope
and quite enough power
to chase away any gloom
for Jesus
Lord Jesus, Is in this very room

Video Link ....Thank you to all our Troops

Watch this video!!! It is Taylor Hicks...Do I make you Proud. Watch it. Now.

Thank you to all our men and women serving now and in the past. It is to you we owe our freedom. To our men and women in uniform in the gulf...come home soon to us saftely. You are in our thoughts and our prayers.

Wishes and Dreams...

I used to dream that one day...someone would come and rescue me. Make it all ok. Take away everything...and Just make just one of my dreams come true. My white knight didnt ride a horse, but he saved me none the less.

Somewhere....I stopped being the dreamer. I stopped waiting to be saved, because no one ever really came to rescue me. That "hope"ful part got crushed under the weight of broken promises and lost dreams. It was like losing the best part of me.

Everyone dies, everyone leaves, everyone hurts you. They break your heart, and they only try hard to do what is right. But where do you find what is right for you in the mix? Where do you find you that dies because your dreams do not come true. No one ever comes to rescue you? All your wishes happen to everyone else...and you...well...you picked the wrong star to make that wish on.

Bryan White - Someone Else's Star Lyrics

Alone again tonight
Without someone to love
The stars are shining bright
So one more wish goes up
Oh I wish I may
And I wish with all my might
For the love I’m dreaming of
And missing in my life

You'd think that I could find
A true love of my own
It happens all the time
To people that I know
Their wishes all come true
So I’ve got to believe
There's still someone out there who
It meant for only me

Chorus:
I guess I must be wishin
On someone else's star
It seems like someone else
Keeps gettin' what I’m wishin for
Why can't I be as lucky as those other people are
I guess I must be wishin
On someone else's star

I sit here in the dark
And stare up at the sky
But I can't give my heart
One good reason why
Everywhere I look
It's lovers that I see
Seems like everyone's in love
With everyone but me



(chorus)

Why can't I be as lucky
As those other people are
Oh I guess I must be wishin
On someone else's star

Release Our Soldiers

For pictures of support click Here.


It is an outrage that our own soldiers are being shackled even in the exercise yard. Release our soldiers....they were doing thier job. Shame on Murtha, shame on anyone who condemns our soldiers who by thier very existance fight for your freedom to degrade them.

To our soldiers, you are in my thoughts and prayers. We are waiting for your safe return, when your work is done.

"Sic 'Em" -Mid Week Epistole by Rev. Jim Massey

A missionary was living among the Native American Indians and was talking to one of the elder tribesmen about their life. The man replied: "It is like there are two dogs in my heart, a red dog and a white dog. The red dog is the old devil, and the white dog is my new life which Jesus has given me. These dogs are fighting all the time, sometimes fierce!"

The missionary, hoping for a victorious religious answer asked, "Which dog wins?"

"Which dog wins?" said the old man. "The one I say 'Sic 'em' to!"

The decision is always up to us. We make the choice. God doesn't force us. He is superbly courteous and patient. He even reminds us that He "stands at the door, knocking. If one of you hears my calling and opens the door, I will come in to share his meal, side by side with him." (Revelations 3:20).

Come Lord, Jesus into our hearts today. As we begin another month with you and we are near the middle of the year, let us find the things in our lives that separate us from Your grace and invite Your Holy Spirit to come and 'Sic 'em." In Christ's blessed name we pray. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. As we prepare to part for another night, remember this one thing: No one can make you sin without your permission! Join me next we and we will talk about the hard times that are ahead

Flares and Other things that disrupt life

Well, I have started yet another Flare from ...well..not a good place. I am grumpy and in pain...and really all I want is 2 strong pain pills, a hot bath and to go to bed. In that order. But my children are not in the mood to let me do that. I still need to clean a little because my motherinlaw will be here tomorrow to do laundry.

VBS went great today. IT was a lot of fun. I actually kind of made friends with 6 moms over the last few days. The lady I got to know the most is the one I am working with at games. She is really super nice. She is going through a divorce...and I kind of want to go kick her ex just for the heck of it because he is scum and she is a nice person.

Only 4 more days. lol. My son made a friend kind of too. and I met his mom..she was really nice. And the girls both did well too. Our "tweenie" cried a little when she had to go off without me. But our middle child/oldest daughter...had no fear at all. She had a ball too. When I went to see her...during my break. She was outside playing. There she sat under the slide eating her popsicle. The mom in charge of her room...another mom I met yesterday...said how sweet she was. I am just glad she was good. I am glad they are all trying to make friends. I just want them to have friends. I want us all to have friends. Is that such a terrible wish?

The people here in Monroe are so nice. They really are. IT is amazing and refreshing. I can not say I have met one mean person here. They just are so sweet. I hope we make some good friends soon to do things with like play days.

I need to do a big market trip. Boy I hope the new ATM card comes soon. It is a pain having to get cash when you need money.

Vacation Bible School

Yes, It is that time of the year again. For our new church home it starts tomorrow! I am going to be helping with the games for the school aged kids. I am excited and a little nervous. I think I met 30 moms today from the church. I know my kids will have a lot of people to be around. I just hope they make a friend.

I kind of hope I meet a friend too. The lady who is in charge of the Pre-school VBS and the lady in charge of the Overall VBS were both extremely nice. There was one other lady who is I think the lady in charge of the elem school VBS. They are who I worked with mostly today preparing for tomorrow and this week. I want to be involved. I am not afraid to work, But mostly...I miss serving my Lord and Savior in this way.

I miss having friends too. Everyone here is so nice...but it would be nice to have someone to talk to. I miss Dawn a lot. Well, i guess I should go to bed. I have to be up at the crack of dawn for VBS.

Until tomorrow....

Old Friends and Uninteresting Lives

I am convinced my life has just become a total dud. I dont think I have a lot to say. We recently moved 1000 miles. i still do not know many people here. We found a church and I have to say the people here are so nice. It is so refreshing. People just are always kind. But as of yet, I sit in my house and hang pictures on the wall, or do laundry, or etc... So, right now my life is pretty boring. The kids always keep in fresh of course...but even they are pretty uninvolved right now in life.

In the last few days I have heard from a few old friends. Sometimes, I miss having a place where I could always find them online. Just to talk with. But it also makes my heart hurt a little. There was a time we were part of each other's everyday lives. Ironically both friends I heard from, I was closer friends with thier husbands before we all had kids, now I am closer to them. Of course, the fact I get along better with guys, is part of my problem. And honestly why my heart hurts a little when I think about the past.

These were people I could tell anything to. 2 people in particular...neither of the above couples. I married one of those 2 people though. And sometimes now, it is like we get so busy with life...there is no time just to talk. We are happy, and we have a good marriage. But sometimes as a couple, we just need to recharge our batteries. So, on Friday, Brian's folks are going to watch the kids and we are going to Chili's (my favorite) for dinner. I love when we go out to eat on date nights. We sit in the resturant over lots of food and talk for hours. I miss that, a lot. We need that once in a while to remind us that we were best friends first. When you have known someone for almost 15 years....you would think there would be nothing to say. But there is always something to say when we are alone and can talk without "mommy this" or "daddy that".

The other person, I dont know. I miss him and his friendship...but he has his own life now. Also married, and living his life. I hate that we have drifted apart. Actually I could say that about a few other people too. One who only lives about 5 hours away from me now. I hate the way that happens. Maybe, I am bias...because I have lost so many people in my life. But I hate letting people go. And yet, I do not feel like I should interfear. Thier lives have went on. The one friend, he is always happy it seems to hear from me. But, I guess I am just tired.

I guess the move and all the stress of money and jobs and then brian being gone for a month while I take care of the kids and get us ready to move is just weighing on me now that it is done. Isolated. That is how I feel lately. I can not even describe it.

Even my sister is tired of hearing from me lately. During the move I was calling her 2 or 3 times a week. I have not called in a week to give her a break. And yet, I am tired of making the effort to maintain relationships with people I am not sure want a relationship. Is it because I lead an uninteresting life? I have lived in 4 state's in 6 years. You would think it would be slightly interesting.

What Is Your Presonality's Color??

You scored as White.



Those kind souls with a white personality are pure and innocent, not tainted by life s evils. They have a childlike naivety which may sometimes betray them by making them vulnerable. The white personality continues to believe that, despite all the cruelty in this world, people are good, and that looking at people for the good in their hearts may heal their wounds.

Blue 100% Red 100% White 100% Yellow 94% Orange 94% Pink 94% Brown 88% Green 81% Black 31% Purple 19% What Is Your Personality's Color? created with QuizFarm.com

How Weird Are You?

You Are 60% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right? But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

How Weird Are You?

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia is a fear found in the Western Christian world, which originates in the belief that the Biblical verse, Revelation 13:18, indicates that the number 666 is linked to Satan or the Anti-Christ. Outside the Christian faith, the phobia has been further popularized as a leitmotif in various horror films.

Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobics avoid things related to the number 666, such as a building in which the number is prominently displayed. Rarer is trying to avoid the number as it relates to other numbers. For example, the fraction two-thirds has a repeating decimal of .666. (Note that in base 12, two-thirds is 0.8, and 0.666 is the fraction 6/11.) A severe hexakosioihexekontahexaphobic may avoid this as well as 5/3, 8/3, 11/3, etc. People with this phobia consider it bad luck to get 3 sixes in a hand of poker, even though this is usually quite a good hand.

It is important to note the fear is largely an artifact of folk Christianity. In contrast, the majority of Christian intellectuals and mainstream theologians believe that the number was simply a reference to a Roman emperor who persecuted Christians. The Caesar generally deemed to fit that role is Domitian, although some prefer the better-known, but less likely Nero. Either way, these thinkers postulate that Christians used the number as a code to reference his name or that that Caesar himself may have favored that number for numerological reasons. In some numerologies, a triple six could symbolize a trinity of unfaithfulness, bitterness, and vengeance, while in others it could as easily symbolize harmony, beauty, and charm.

Prominent hexakosioihexekontahexaphobics include the late Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan. In 1989, when they moved to the former president's final home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, they had the address of 666 St. Cloud Road changed to 668. The late Johnny Carson was not hexakosioihexekontahexaphobic, because this had earlier been his home.

link

For what ever reason, people are seriously worried about tomorrows date. It is just weird. The bible tells us we will not know the hour or the day of Christ Return. And as for bad luck....well...I think tomorrow will be just like any other tuesday. Except my inlaws are coming back. Wait...is that a sign??? Just kidding. lol. I like my inlaws. They are good people.

How to Check Worry by Jim Massey (Mid Week Epistole- 2 weeks ago)

How to check worry
Have you ever had things go wrong in your life? You know what I mean, the washing machine breaks down, the dog runs away, the children are rebellious, and everything that you touch seems to fall apart.
Well, we all have days like that. They can become moments in our lives when we feel so out of control and helpless that it is heart-breaking.
I once found a beautiful prayer that seemed to answer a lot of what I feel at times in my own life and maybe in yours as well. It goes like this:
"Lord, things are as they are. My richly embroidered daydreams do not alter them any. Some things just are.
So...now what? Do I spend the next thirty years, or the next thirty days, or even the next thirty minutes blubbering about it?
I could, Lord. You'd listen. But it wouldn't change things. Except me. It would diminish me. It would leave me spent. And frustrated. And less than I was meant to be.
Better I should use my next thirty years -- yes, and my next thirty minutes -- working with the situation, as it is.
Better I should look it square in the face and accept it and then pick life up and start from here. God, give me the serenity to accept those things which cannot be changed. Amen."

That prayer came from a book by Jo Karr. She must have experienced many of the same things in her life that you and I have as well. Or perhaps, maybe her life is normal, just like yours and mine.
Loving Father, let us claim this day in the name of Jesus Christ. Let nothing happen to us this day that Your loving presence is not clearly a part of it.
Let us not become discouraged, but encouraged as we offer ourselves to your loving grace and power. We pray this in the blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week and we will talk about living a life of risking.

Living a Life of Risk - by Jim Massey (Mid-Week Epistole)

Living a life of Risk.

Last week we shared some thoughts about worry and how to handle it in our lives. Today I would like to spend time talking about risking. Let me give you some examples from this poem I once heard:

A wise man once said,
"To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To live is to risk dying.
To hope is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure."

Now all of these things may or may not relate to you, but can you imagine how life would be if we were not to risk living it? We could all place a shell around ourselves and not allow anyone to enter in for fear that they would ask or need something of us and we would fail in that endeavor.

God calls us to risk every day of our lives. He challenges us to risk encountering suffering and sorrow. He calls us to heal broken hearts and lives just as He has so lovingly healed our own.

It is only when we are no longer afraid to risk that we truly become free in our own lives.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we at times are so shallow in our faith. We hear Your calling in our lives and we would hesitate because we are afraid of venturing into the unknown. Remind us of your children in the past who have left everything and become a leader of a nation. Show us of others in this world today who have truly walked in the light of Your love and have been called blessed just because they began with a risk and continued with a venture.

Give us these things this day in the blessed name of the one who gave us life, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

This has been Rev. Jim Massey. Join me next week and we will see if a small cost can have a big result in the end.

The Confessing Movement

Within the United Methodist Church there is a group stand taking place to bring scripture back to God's Church. This is called the Confessing Movement. To follow the bible as Wesley wanted. Maybe it is because my great great Grandfather was a UMC preacher, But The liberal shift of the church does not stand up to Christ Himselves teachings. I am horrified when I see actions taken by some United Methodist Churches doing the very thing that Wesley, the founder of our faith feared.

"I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out." –John Wesley

We as a church need to ask ourselves "What would Jesus Do?" and we as members of this faith need to take a stand and answer....follow the rules that make us more like Christ Himself. We must turn to the book of instruction, given to us by Christ Himself by His sacrifice for payment of our sins.

We can not let the world dictate our beliefs, we must turn to the bible for what our beliefs should be. We should not compromise to draw in new members, we must show them why they must change and give up sin to be welcomed into God's eternal life and love. We as a church can not stand seperate and expect to change to have others accept us. We have a perfect give to give. That does not mean you continue in sin, and that you tell others to continue in sin. It means you encourage others to turn from Sin...and change your own life to turn from sin as well. It means you are changed and you want that change in your life. That is not always easy. But you try. It means you continue to love the sinner, but encourage them as Christ did "to go now and sin no more." That you value the precious gift of life that God has given you...and each day that God has given you. You find Christ right there waiting for you, as you change your life to be more like the bible. Not rip pages out of the bible to make Christ more like the world.