Day 15: Wednesday, March 15, 2017     Deuteronomy 16:17

This church taught me about a disciple’s path. It’s taught me that at any time, in any phase of life, it’s never too late to begin or continue to journey. The entrances and exits are fluid. My path has been simply organic. Webster’s dictionary defines organic as denoting a relationship between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of the whole. The church, my faith, are my whole. I’ve grown so much. I’ve been GIVEN so much. It just dynamically makes sense to give back. That $5 bill now seems like an insult. I’m not quite tithing 10% yet, but the amount I place in the plate is substantially more now than it used to be. Deuteronomy 16:17 says you should give in proportion to what God has given you. Each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper. So I’ve learned the Lord never asks us to give what we don’t have or contribute beyond our means, and so I give proportionately.

The church’s focus for 2017 is Stewardship 1:8. Joshua 1:8 reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” I’ve got so much to learn, but I feel like the more I learn, the more I give, and the more I give, the more I get back, and the more I get back, the more I want to give. It’s a constant and dynamic flow. We all know that our pastor loves his Greek words so, I looked up the Greek meaning of steward: Oikenomous, which means someone who manages the household; a person doesn’t own the household but manages it. I mean, how perfect! All that we have was given to us by God, the owner, who entrusted us to manage and maintain. Stewardship–we are accountable to God for what we do and with what He has entrusted to us. It’s all that we do with all that we are and all that we have. Time, talent, treasure–I’ve got all of those things now.

I read somewhere that Christ’s self-giving is the standard for giving, begin with the tithe and aim for the emulation of self-sacrifice. I’ve learned there is a direct relationship between our giving to the Lord and the Lord giving to us.

____________________________________________

Prayer: Thank you, GOD. It’s through Your stewardship and service that I have learned and believe in the direct correlations between our giving to the Lord and the Lord giving to us. Amen.

Contributed by Ann-Marie Larson

Day 13: Monday, March 13, 2017      Romans 12:1-21

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. It is truly a pathway for all of us to follow. 

Verses 1-2 are referred to as "A Living Sacrifice." We are asked to give our bodies as a living sacrifice. We are told to not conform to the world, but to transform by renewing our minds. Then we will be able to clearly see God’s Will. 

Verses 3-8 speak to Humble Service in the Body of Christ. We are not to think of     ourselves more highly than we should. Collectively, all the people of God are one.  We all have different gifts, and we should use them for the betterment of God’s Kingdom. 

Verses 9-21 are "Love in Action."  Love is sincere. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor each other above ourselves. Be joyful in hope and faithful in prayer. 

Bless those who persecute you, rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony. Do not be too proud.  Associate with one another no matter of circumstance. Do not be conceited. 

Do not repay evil for evil. If possible, live at peace with everyone. You've heard the phrase "God's got this." Well, He truly does and He says just that in verses 19-20. 

It simply boils down to this. 

 Prayer: Lord, we commit ourselves in Living Sacrifice to You and Your kingdom and vow to be humble, faithful servants always. Amen.

Contributed by Glenn Morrison

Day 11: Saturday, March 11   Mark 5:19 MSG

Jesus said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them your story—what the Master did, how he had mercy on you.” (Emphasis added)

According to Webster’s Dictionary the word story can be defined as: “an account of incidents or events.” 

I never realized how important stories are in our lives until I had a child.  Part of our bedtime routine each night is to spend time cuddling and reading stories before our bedtime prayer.  When this bedtime story doesn’t take place due to life being crazy, then the routine is thrown off, and to an 18 month old, when routine doesn’t happen, everyone else is made aware of it.

Looking at our Christian walk, stories become a very important part of how we come to know Jesus.  The Bible in itself is an important book that is full of stories, stories of struggle and triumph, loss and rejection, love and acceptance. Without these stories we wouldn’t know the love of Christ, as it has been passed down and told to us in stories.

When I think of my story--who I am, where I came from, who has spoken life into me    --words from the song “My Story” by Big Daddy Weave pop into my head:

“If I told you my story, you would hear victory over the enemy
and if I told you my story, you would hear freedom that was won for me
and if I told you my story, you would hear life overcome the grave
If I should speak, then let it be of the grace that is Greater than all my sin
of when justice was served, and where mercy wins!

What is your story? Who needs to hear of the Grace that is Greater than all our sin?  Who will come to know who Jesus is because you told of the events in your life where the Master had mercy on you?

Prayer:  Father, help us all to be sowers of Your word and to use that harvest for good.  May we be committed to study Your word and understand what we are to do.  Amen.

Contributed by Sarah Stone

Day 9: Thursday, March 9, 2017         Philippians 4: 4-6

So I looked through some old notes I took and came upon a section about prayer and how to pray.  I came across Philippians 4:4-6, and it seems fitting with the many struggles I have encountered in my life. Some of these include:

 ¨ Impatience

¨ Inability to ask others to pray for me and with me

¨ Being humble and asking God for help, releasing the flesh

¨ Being thankful for what God has provided for me at all times

These are fitting verses for a common struggle I have, and I understand that struggle more now than I ever did before.  What do the above verses mean to me?  Be thankful to God in everything about my life, seek out fellowship in prayer for my struggles and the struggles of others, and let the Lord work in my life for His glory.

Prayer:  Dear heavenly Father, I give You thanks for the bounties You have given me and pray that I can use Your love to glorify You in all ways.  Humble me Father and fill my spirit with the desire to seek You out in all ways for myself and for others' needs and desires.  Continue to work in my life, steer me in the direction to become the son I am meant to be.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Contributed by a FUMC Killeen Parishioner

Day 7: Tuesday, March 7, 2017     Psalm 147:3

I was speaking with my Aunt Ruth shortly after the recent passing of my own father. I remember her telling me that when her husband passed, decades ago, she and two co-workers found themselves commiserating as all three had lost their spouses around the same time.  My aunt and another woman were people of faith, but the third, a man, was an atheist. Sadly, the man had the hardest time coping with the loss of his wife and was most distraught. Try as he might to deal with his loss, he could not. He had nowhere to turn for relief; whereas, the two women could seek comfort in God and the scripture, which they did.

My aunt found her first and only husband when she was around forty years old. He filled that void in her life for only a dozen or so years, and his loss was complete for there would be no other, and she knew it. It was at that time in her life when she needed God the most, and He was there for her. Because she could see herself and her two co-workers dealing with their losses, she experienced personal witness to the healing power of faith, for those who have it, and the anguish experienced by those who do not.

Prayer: Dear God, let us remember that You are always there for us and none of our problems are too big for You. Because we have faith, we can always count on You as a source of comfort. We never have to be alone or lost. Amen.

Contributed by Mike Baker