Franklin United Methodist Church

Lent: skipping dessert or gaining God?

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:11:18 +0000

reprinted from 2/25/2011

“We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5: 20b-21, NIV 2010)

By Bishop Robert Hayes Jr.Any Oklahoma farmer will tell you that spring does not start with bursting seeds and buds. Their germination is the result of spring. Spring starts when earth readjusts its position to the sun. The potential of fields and gardens would be planted in vain without the yearly adjustment of the earth in the heavens.Likewise, our human personalities are planted with hidden possibilities. And when we come into the right adjustment with the Source of light and life—God—those fertile possibilities grow into reality.It is not by accident that the Christian season of Lent is observed each spring. Derived from the Old English word lencten, Lent literally means spring. Thus Lent can be described as springtime for our souls, to readjust our lives with God.With God’s help, use these 40 days (March 9—April 24) to look deep within yourself and into the depths of God.

The model of Jesus

I know that, for some people, Lent is simply abstaining from dessert or lengthening a 15-second prayer to 30 seconds—brief moments of discipline. As we enter this high holy season, let us observe Lent like our Lord did!

The Master in the wilderness refused the most basic necessity of physical life—bread. Why? Because he was keen about the quest—the adventure of God.

Let us follow his example this season. We may find ourselves giving up that which weighs heaviest upon us, letting go of that which truly holds us back. When we abandon the artificiality we so often invest in Lent, our own quest for God springs into action.

For me, Lent is a season of spiritual adventure! Here is what I propose in this season for your own great adventure into the depths of God’s being

One of the most vital things you can do is to examine yourself daily. Reflect on who you are, what you are, and what direction you are going. Develop the desire to expose your inner self to honest scrutiny in the cleansing light of God’s presence. Recognize those faults and feelings that keep you from a more meaningful relationship with God. Identify the sources of pain and frustration that prevent you from abundant life in Christ. And when you discover what needs to be changed or transformed, for Christ’s sake, do something about it!
Also, seek the adventure of honest self-denial. Practice giving up something of real value to you so that you may gain discipline for your life. Remember that Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let them deny themselves.” Are you willing to give up all rights to yourself, with no thought of reward? Concentrate these few weeks on worthy self-denial. It may teach much about the way to grow in God.

From darkness to light

Few people are familiar with the inner darkness and personal struggles of George Frederick Handel, who composed “Messiah,” one of the most famous classical music works. Its “Hallelujah Chorus” segment is often performed at Christmas.

The year was 1741. Handel walked the back streets of London, thinking of past triumphs, yet despairing of his future. Misfortune, ill health, and bankruptcy dogged him at age 60. His audiences had dwindled. A cerebral hemorrhage had partially paralyzed him. As he looked deeply within himself, he acknowledged the darkness that had overtaken his soul.

Then the miraculous happened! Returning to his apartment, he found a package from Charles Jennens, asking Handel to write a sacred oratorio. The dramatic lyrics, filled with verses from Isaiah about the promised messiah, challenged Handel’s discouraged heart.

With lightning speed and divine inspiration he wrote music for: “He was despised and rejected of men…Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” For endless hours Handel wrote, often jumping from his chair to play a passage on his harpsichord. “Hallelujah!” he would shout, as tears rolled down his cheeks. When “Messiah” was complete, an exhausted Handel fell on his bed and slept for 17 hours.

Handel rediscovered meaning and purpose for his life in his darkest hour, and his words have brought light and hope to millions.

A miracle awaits you at the end of these 40 days. Embrace this Lenten adventure of moving from the darkness of sin into God’s marvelous light—and thus to the miracle of rediscovering God’s love for you. This sacred season celebrates the victory of spirit over matter, life over death, of God’s creative and renewing love over the worst that human hate and blindness can do.

You will grow to realize that Lent doesn’t begin on Ash Wednesday and end on Easter. It begins when Christ enters your heart—and continues every day.

By: Bishop Robert E. Hayes On 2/25/2011

Topics: Bishop’s Corner

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admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 13:34:22 +0000

P.U.S.H.

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room
filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had
work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his
cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to Push against the rock
with all his might…

So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled
from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold,
massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might!

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling
that is whole day had been spent in vain. Since the man was showing
discouragement, the adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture
by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)!

‘You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it
hasn’t moved.’ Thus, he gave the man the impression that the task
was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged
and disheartened the man.

Satan said, ‘Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time,
giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough.’
That’s what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a
matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

‘Lord,’ he said, ‘I have labored long and hard in Your Service ,
putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after
all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a
millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?’

The Lord responded compassionately, ‘My friend, when I asked you to
serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push
against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done.

Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your
task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking
that you have failed..

But, is that really so? Look at yourself.. Your arms are strong and
muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant
pressure, your legs have become massive and hard.

Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now
surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven’t moved the
rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to
exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now
I, my friend, will move the rock.’

At times, when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own
intellect to decipher what He Wants, when actually what God wants is
just simple obedience and faith in Him..

By all means, exercise the Faith that moves mountains, but know that
it is still God Who moves the Mountains.

When everything seems to go wrong…………………….. Just P.U.S.H.

When the job gets you down………………………………..Just P.U.S.H.

When people don’t do as you think they should…………..Just P.U.S.H.

When your money is ‘gone’ and the bills are due………..Just P.U.S.H..

When people just don’t understand you ………………….Just P.U.S.H..

P = Pray

U = Until

S = Something

H = Happens

Just Hold ON!!! P.U.S.H!

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Remodeling Project

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:58:05 +0000

This is one of those church jokes that goes into the “oops” category.

Inscribed in stone over the great front doors of an old church being restored was:

“This is the Gate of Heaven.”

Just below it someone had placed a small cardboard sign that read:

“Use Other Entrance.”

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Japanese Earthquake

admin — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:26:37 +0000

We lift up our prayers for the Japanese during these difficult days ahead. May God be with you.

The People of Franklin

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Renew Your Mind

admin — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:47:36 +0000

3-8-11

As we approach Lent, take time for Prayer and ask God what His will for your life is. Listen and have patience. Let God work in your life. Sometimes we must be broken down just to see, clearly, the path we should take.

Romans 12:1,2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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Take Up Your Cross

admin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 03:35:04 +0000

2-20-11

Mark 8:34-38

34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Pastor Gerry has been on a roll!! These last few weeks, he has delivered some of his best messages!! Gerry discussed the meaning of ”take up your cross” and some of the mis-understandings as well. He said that many people interpret it as ‘their burden to bare’. Not so! In Jesus’ time, it meant death. For us though, what does it mean? It means to deny ones self, which is not the same as self-denial. Denying yourself of the worldly pleasures is surrendering to Christ!! To surrender to Christ is to follow in His footsteps.

You have two choices to make: Life’s comforts or to Follow Jesus.

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Sentinel on the Prairie

admin — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:39:53 +0000

Sentinel on the Prairie
By Terry Miller

Standing in the Panhandle of Oklahoma, this windmill serves as a source of life. In an area where there are very
few streams or rivers, much of the water that sustains life is located underground, needing to be tapped by way of
drilling and putting up a windmill.

As the fan turns on a windmill, gears in a gearhead at the top move about causing a long shaft, known as a “sucker
rod” to move up and down. At the bottom end of that sucker rod is a cylinder that contains “leathers” that in the up
and down motion causes water to lift to the surface. The life giving water then spills down a pipe and into a cattle
tank, creating a reservoir for both wild and domesticated animals. Many times, hanging somewhere on that
windmill tower will be a wire holding a tin cup for the benefit of man as he passes by.

In a treeless area where the land seems flat and desolate, these sentinels stand as an invitation to both man and
animal for life saving sustenance. As such, they are almost an emblem of a greater need for life saving sustenance.

As a guiding star once appeared over Bethlehem, it provided a means for mankind to find He who would become a
Savior, thus giving us hope for eternal life. While it is not a guiding star, the circular pattern of a windmill fan
stands as a beacon to those in need of salvation, although on a temporal basis instead of a heavenly one.

The life giving water from a windmill merely provides our earthly life to be sustained. However, John 4:14 states,
“….but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will
become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

He has provided us with the opportunity of two lives. Life on earth, served with “temporal” water and the life
giving water provide for eternal life, the latter of which can be only found by following the “Light” that is Jesus
Christ. May we always be searching for each.

Terry Miller, author and photographer of “Sentinel on the Prairie” retains all rights to both the text and the image associated with that entitled document. Permission to publish is granted to Franklin United Methodist Church for their website and/or newsletter.

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Happy Thanksgiving!!

admin — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 00:22:00 +0000

On the eave of Thanksgiving 2010, let us join together in prayer for all those who are less fortuante and let us all thank God for all the blessings He has given.

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

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Please Open Your Bibles to…

admin — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:41:10 +0000

A minister told his congregation, “Next week I will preach about lying. To help you understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark, Chapter 17.”

The following Sunday, as he prepared to deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, “Mark has only sixteen chapters. I will now proceed with my sermon.”

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2010 Franklin Fall Festival

admin — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 08:26:54 +0000

God Is Good!!!

The 2010 Franklin Fall Festival was great!!

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