Viewpoint - July 15, 2008
By Pastor Steve Harris

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” (Matthew 11:15).

A young boy walked from his mission home down to a jungle trail. His mother, waving good-bye to him, suddenly yelled, “Stop!” The boy immediately froze. As his mother rushed toward him and pulled him backward, he saw an enormous boa constrictor in an overhanging tree branch. Had he taken one more step, the snake likely would have dropped down on him and eventually crushed him to death. Because the boy obeyed before he fully understood why he should obey, his life was spared.

Just because we do not understand God’s reasons for His commands does not give us an excuse to disobey His commands. He told the nation of Israel, “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known” (Deuteronomy 11:26–28).

Light received from God and acted upon brings more light. However, light neglected or rejected brings darkness and confusion.

God trained the nation of Israel to think in this sequence: hear, obey, and then understand. This contradicts our Western mind-set, which first seeks to understand what it hears and then decides whether or not to obey. Trying to understand all the ways of an infinitely wise God as a prerequisite to obedience will not only hinder us from hearing His voice, but it will also produce frustration in our lives.

In Hebrews 11 we read about heroes of faith. These men and women chose to trust and obey God, even when His instructions did not “make sense.” Noah was told to build an ark in preparation for a flood before it had ever rained on the earth. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son after he had been promised that his descendants would be as the sand of the sea in number. When we read of their lives, we learn the results of their actions; however, for them to take those steps required strong faith in God and a commitment to obeying Him regardless of the outcome.

Complete trust and obedience requires a close relationship between the one giving the command and the one receiving it. Jesus emphasized this when He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Sheep will not follow a stranger because they do not know the stranger’s voice.

God’s willingness to speak to us is often greater than our willingness to hear and obey what He tells us.

If we choose to disobey the Lord because we do not understand the reasons behind His instruction, we will never experience the fullness of the Christian life. When I read the scripture that says to fast secretly, I did not expect all the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual benefits that would come from obeying it. Nor did Jesus describe these benefits when He gave this

If we have not already done so, let’s acknowledge God’s absolute trustworthiness in our lives and purpose to obey Him in faith, even when our minds do not understand His ways.

(Steve Harris is pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church of Center, Texas and host of the Morning Manna Devotions heard Monday-Friday @ 8:45 a.m. on KDET 930 AM & KQSI 92.5 FM. For more information go online at www.centerfirstupc.com or call 936.598.3646)

Faith and Love- June 23, 2008
By Tom Barthel , Arcadia Church of Christ

When Paul concluded his "more excellent way", he wrote, "And now abideth faith, hope and charity, these three; and the greatest of these is charity" (1 Cor.13:13). As great as faith is, and the Hebrew writer says it is impossible to please him (God) without it(Heb.11:6), Paul says that love or charity is greater. Faith without love is vain and useless just as love without faith. One cannot please God without faith, and one cannot please God without love. Yet, love is greater than faith.

James says that a verbalized faith ONLY cannot feed or clothe a needy brother and sister(Jas.2:14-16). If that kind of faith will not feed a brother, what about a non-Christian? We are told to do good unto ALL men, especially those of the household of God(Gal.6:10). What about the command, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"(Matt.7:12)? No doubt, we are to be benevolent, to car both the widows and fatherless(Jas.1:27). If our faith is void of works, how could we prove we had faith? Without works our faith is vain and useless (Jas.2:17).

The greatest commandments are, loving the Lord God with all thy heart, mind and soul. And loving thy neighbor as thyself.(Matt.22:36-40). No commands are greater than these. Our love is to be so strong and genuine that we even love our enemies also (Matt.5:44). "Love suffers long, and is kind, love envieth not, love vaunted not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things")Cor.13:4-7). Paul said, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore is the fulfilling of the law (Rom13:10).

Peter says that we are to love one another with a pure heart fervently (1 Pet. 1:22). But John asked, "But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him: (1John 3:17)? "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but indeed and in truthe" (1 John 3:18). Here John says verbalizing our love ONLY will not help a needy brother. It's easy to mouth our love, but much harder to prove our love in deed and truth.

Thank God for his great love, mercy, and grace! Thank God for proving his love for us in that while we were sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). Christ demonstrated his love by deed and truth. Where would man be today if Christ had demonstrated the same kind of love toward man, that man demonstrates toward God? Many say they love God and refuse to obey his commands. Even Jesus asked of some, "Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say: (Luke 6:46)? John says, that if a man says he loves God and hates his brother, he is a liar (1 John 4:20). Let us demonstrate the same love toward God and one another that God demonstrated toward us.

Happenings at FUMCJ - July 14, 2008
By Randy Smith, Pastor

Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen! Today was the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost. We had a great crowd at Sunday School and Church. Today Sue and I celebrated our 34th anniversary. I don't see how that is possible because we are both much too young! Our son, Jacob came to church this morning and it was great to have him. Jacob is my theologian and I enjoy bouncing ideas off of him. Our daughter, Megan, has got involved in her church in Dallas, Highland Park UMC, which has, I think, about 18,000 members. That only slightly larger that FUMCJ!
It was great to see Jerry and Neva Foshee. Also, our Kansas kids were back with us! They all said they had a great visit with family and friends but were also happy to be home. It was great to see Mary Skinner today. Her neck and upper back has kept her in great pain for a long time. She has surgery scheduled later this month and we all need to be praying for our good friend. Mary and Bill said that Robert stood up for the first time since the plane accident that nearly took his life. Robert and his family are in need of our prayers as Robert continues to mend. Cynthia Webster was our pianist today and Madeline Gill and Simone Duron lead our singing. The Gospel Lesson for today was Matthew 13: 1-9 and 18-23. These verses are the first parable told by Jesus in the Gospel of St. Matthew. In the parable, the farmer sows seeds with wild abandonment and that is how we are to bring the Good News to people all people The Epistle Lesson was Romans 8: 1-11. The Letter to the Romans is the first of the letters in our canon and is the longest and weightiest of Paul's epistles. In the Epistle Lesson, Paul sees a great fight for humanity and it soul between Sin, evil, and the Old Age
and the Love of God and the dawning of the new age what Jesus in Matthew's version of the Gospel calls the Kingdom of Heaven.
It was great to have Jenny Taylor along with Rory, Rowdy, and Haley atSunday School and Church. Sue and I stopped yesterday across from BB's Cafe and talked with Jenny and Stacy. They are going to open a
car detailing business and are going to serve barbeque during afternoon and early evening hours. Stacy and Jenny are two busy folks!
Speaking of businesses, Brenda is planning to re-open the cafe on August 4th. Larry Hennigan is doing very well after his operation and is back at work. He really looks good. I know Brenda is ready to open and our Prayer Breakfast group is ready too!
Mona reported that our monthly Birthday Party at Pine Grove Nursing Center was a great success. Roy and Maxine Dent and Rosemary Frost are very faithful about their participation and Mona does a great job
leading everyone in song and telling stories. Mona said there were three cakes and this is the fist time in twenty-plus years that we ran out of cake!
Thursday is Prayer Breakfast and we will meet in the sanctuary at 8:00 AM. On Friday, a group of folks will meet at 9:00 AM Friday to move the Pre-School Sunday School room next door. Saturday at 9:00 AM, the Clean Crew will meet and clean up a storm for one hour. I really want to thank Bill Skinner and P. A. Newton for all the mowing and yard work they have done this summer. The church yard always looks
nice.
The church email address is joaquinumc@hotmail.com and our website is www.joaquinumc.com. My sermons are posted on our website, joaquinumc.com under Links. If you would like a ride to FUMC just call and
leave your phone number and we will arrange a ride for you. If you would like a copy of our monthly newsletter, just call the church at 269-3661. God's speed.