The Lord blessed us with a wonderful Wednesday Gathering. The food was
prepared with much love, served with much joy, and received with great
gratitude. The time of study was a time of sharing with depth . Praise the
Lord for this glorious new day. I love to rise up early. I cannot sleep beyond
4 AM. During my recent trip to the South Pacific, I woke up early morning to
watch the brilliant and glorious sunrise. Early risers who see the rising of
the sun see great beauty as darkness turns to light. Sunrises are glorious
reminders that God has given us a new day in which to begin life. Sunrises
speak to us about a new beginning with potential, possibility, and a positive
future.
As we look back, we can never undo the previous day’s actions and happenings. Unlike filming of a scene in a movie, we don’t have the opportunity to have two, three, four, or a dozen “re-takes” in order to get it right. We must move into a new day knowing that yesterdays blunders, mistakes, and sins actually took place. But a sunrise is a reminder to us that we can begin each new day with eternal Hope. A sunrise reminds us that it is indeed a new day to begin life, a new day to begin again, a new day to begin afresh. A sunrise reminds us that while we have breath, our Lord , the Sun of Righteousness, delights to turn darkness into light.
It is written, John 1:4 “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Jesus is the brilliance of the light of God. The Creator God, the Father of mankind has sent his eternal Son into the world to be the light that shines in the darkness.
When darkness dominates our lives, we stumble and fall because we cannot see the truth, understand love, experience hope or openly share with others. When the light of the Son of God rushes into our sinful lives, we receive Christ, receive his forgiveness, experience his redemption, and our lives are completely transformed! We can walk confidently into any shadow of life because the light will dispel the shadow.
So, the beginning of life is in the Word. The beginning of life is in radiant light.
And third, the beginning of life is in faith. John 1:7, 10-18 says, “He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. . . . He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
God calls us to respond to the light with faith. We are to believe that Jesus is indeed God, that he was sent by God to save us, and that salvation is found in no one else except in Jesus.
“But . . . “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (1:12-13).
William Cowper wrote a number of marvelous hymns. His hymns were not written in a vacuum—his life was haunted by problems. On one occasion he considered committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. When he got to the bridge, it was crowded with people milling around talking and laughing. Dejectedly, he walked home. He decided to attempt it again—at home this time. Going to the attic, he took a piece of rope and tied it to a beam, put the rope around his neck, climbed onto a chair, then kicked the chair away—only to have the rope break! He failed again. Again he tried to take his own life. This time he entered his study and took down an old sword hanging on the wall. He held it to his chest and fell on it. One would think this would have killed him; but no, the point nicked his rib and broke off! Again he survived.
Later in the evening he wrote, “I was suddenly overwhelmed by God’s presence and love. I fell on my knees and cried out, ‘Oh Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Save my immortal soul.’” He wrote that he felt a surge of new life and hope as his faith soared to God. He said he was a new person! Cowper’s life—just like our lives—begins in faith in the living God through Christ! Later, Cowper wrote “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”.
"God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform; he plants his foot-steps in the sea and rides upon the storm. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence faith sees a smiling face."
May God grant us a new day to begin life in the Word, in radiant light, and in faith. Amen.
As we look back, we can never undo the previous day’s actions and happenings. Unlike filming of a scene in a movie, we don’t have the opportunity to have two, three, four, or a dozen “re-takes” in order to get it right. We must move into a new day knowing that yesterdays blunders, mistakes, and sins actually took place. But a sunrise is a reminder to us that we can begin each new day with eternal Hope. A sunrise reminds us that it is indeed a new day to begin life, a new day to begin again, a new day to begin afresh. A sunrise reminds us that while we have breath, our Lord , the Sun of Righteousness, delights to turn darkness into light.
It is written, John 1:4 “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Jesus is the brilliance of the light of God. The Creator God, the Father of mankind has sent his eternal Son into the world to be the light that shines in the darkness.
When darkness dominates our lives, we stumble and fall because we cannot see the truth, understand love, experience hope or openly share with others. When the light of the Son of God rushes into our sinful lives, we receive Christ, receive his forgiveness, experience his redemption, and our lives are completely transformed! We can walk confidently into any shadow of life because the light will dispel the shadow.
So, the beginning of life is in the Word. The beginning of life is in radiant light.
And third, the beginning of life is in faith. John 1:7, 10-18 says, “He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. . . . He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
God calls us to respond to the light with faith. We are to believe that Jesus is indeed God, that he was sent by God to save us, and that salvation is found in no one else except in Jesus.
“But . . . “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (1:12-13).
William Cowper wrote a number of marvelous hymns. His hymns were not written in a vacuum—his life was haunted by problems. On one occasion he considered committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. When he got to the bridge, it was crowded with people milling around talking and laughing. Dejectedly, he walked home. He decided to attempt it again—at home this time. Going to the attic, he took a piece of rope and tied it to a beam, put the rope around his neck, climbed onto a chair, then kicked the chair away—only to have the rope break! He failed again. Again he tried to take his own life. This time he entered his study and took down an old sword hanging on the wall. He held it to his chest and fell on it. One would think this would have killed him; but no, the point nicked his rib and broke off! Again he survived.
Later in the evening he wrote, “I was suddenly overwhelmed by God’s presence and love. I fell on my knees and cried out, ‘Oh Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Save my immortal soul.’” He wrote that he felt a surge of new life and hope as his faith soared to God. He said he was a new person! Cowper’s life—just like our lives—begins in faith in the living God through Christ! Later, Cowper wrote “God Moves in a Mysterious Way”.
"God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform; he plants his foot-steps in the sea and rides upon the storm. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence faith sees a smiling face."
May God grant us a new day to begin life in the Word, in radiant light, and in faith. Amen.
In Christ,
Brown
Union
Center UMC
Saturday Night - Worship, Fellowship, and Witness
Saturday, January 26, 2013
5:30 PM at First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott, NY, 13760
Music: Dave and Jane Hettinger
Preaching and Testimony: Pastor Marshall Sorber
Chef: Joe Walker
Menu: Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes and homemade Desserts
Sponsored by:
Union Center United Methodist Church
128 Maple Drive, Endicott, NY 13760
For information call (607)-748-6329
Saturday Night - Worship, Fellowship, and Witness
Saturday, January 26, 2013
5:30 PM at First United Methodist Church
53 McKinley Avenue, Endicott, NY, 13760
Music: Dave and Jane Hettinger
Preaching and Testimony: Pastor Marshall Sorber
Chef: Joe Walker
Menu: Roast Beef, Roasted Potatoes and homemade Desserts
Sponsored by:
Union Center United Methodist Church
128 Maple Drive, Endicott, NY 13760
For information call (607)-748-6329
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