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Encouraging Words (Colossians 1:1-8)

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A couple of the churches I served presented me a wonderful gift for Pastors’ Appreciation Month. They both gave me a collection of notes written by members of the congregation. Each of these letters told of ways that I touched their lives and expressed appreciation for my presence and my work. The encouraging words in these letters have been such a blessing that I still look at them from time to time. Today’s reading works the other way around. This is a letter from Paul and Timothy to the people of the church in Colossae. Paul writes, “In our prayers for you we always thank God… for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven” (vv. 3-5). Notice how faith, love, and hope are woven together. Paul hadn’t planted this church himself (Epaphras did). He had simply heard about them, and what he heard moved him to gratitude. Their faith was already bearing fruit, and word was getting around. Pau...
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The Wonders of Creation (Psalm 104:24-34)

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Think of those moments that bring on such a sense of awe. For me, it can be standing on a beach, watching the waves roll in one after another. Or standing at an overlook seeing one of the magnificent vistas on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Or even a moment of seeings a thunderstorm rolling in across an open sky from a distance. Even the sudden whoosh and movement in the leaves and branches of trees from a gust of wind. In those moments, we sense something deeper than just the beauty of nature. We sense the sheer abundance of a loving Creator who delights in making life flourish. Psalm 104 invites us to notice that holy chorus. The psalmist looks around at the world with wonder and says, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (v. 24). The seas, the animals, the mountains, the plants, and even the rhythm of day and night all bear witness to the wisdom and generosity of God. The psalmist sees the great and wide sea teeming w...
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A Good Work Begun (Philippians 1:1-11)

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There are moments when you pause and realize how far someone has come. Maybe it is a child learning to read, a friend finding their footing again, or even your own slow healing after a hard season. Growth often feels quiet and unfinished, yet something steady is at work beneath the surface. Paul writes to the Philippians (1:1-11) with deep affection, saying, “I thank my God every time I remember you… because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now” (vv. 3, 5). His gratitude is rooted not in perfection, but in participation. These believers are still growing, still learning, still becoming. Yet Paul sees evidence of grace already alive in them. Then comes this beautiful promise: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This is the rhythm of grace in the Wesleyan way. God’s prevenient grace awakens us before we even know it. Justifying grace meets us in Christ and sets us on...
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Marked by Grace (Galatians 6:11-18)

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Most of us know what it feels like to want proof that we matter. Sometimes people point to achievements, appearances, titles, or accomplishments as signs of worth. If you are wealthy enough or powerful enough, you can have your name emblazoned on a building. Other times, we may quietly compare ourselves to others and wonder if we measure up. The pressure to impress can creep into every corner of life, including our faith. We may feel tempted to present ourselves as stronger, holier, or more successful than we truly are. In Galatians 6:11-18 , Paul writes with deep urgency and honesty. He warns against those who are more concerned with outward appearances than inward transformation. Then he says, “May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 14). Paul reminds the church that faith is not about earning status or proving spiritual superiority. It is about the grace of God revealed in Christ. The cross changes how we see ourselves and how we see others. Pa...
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The Everlasting Dominion (Daniel 7:9-14)

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Have you ever felt like the world is spinning out of control? Between the nightly news and the noise on social media, it is easy to believe that the bullies, the empires, and the exhausting cycles of outrage have already won. We watch powerful people make terrible decisions, and we wonder if justice is just a dream. We continue to witness stories of violence, corruption, and uncertainty. Leaders embrace the appearance and language of religion and faith to cloak their evil designs. Daniel was familiar with the power of empires. ( Daniel 7:9-14 ) One night, God gave Daniel a vision that flipped the script on everything we think we know about power. Daniel writes, “As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire” (v. 9). This is not the image of a distant God. This is the Ancient of Days, the true king of the universe, taking ...
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Empowered to Witness (Acts 1:6-11)

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Maybe it is a time for a reset. What does it mean to be sent with a mission to reach people for Christ? Maybe we would do well to just step back a bit and listen again for the call of our Lord. What does it mean to be faithful to the call Christ has given us to be his witnesses? In today’s text we see that the disciples were likely feeling small and ill-equipped for the task of changing the world, yet Jesus redirected their focus from their own limitations to the gift that was coming. Acts 1 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their si...
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Bearing One Another’s Burdens (Galatians 6:1-10)

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Have you ever had someone see you at your worst and still choose to sit beside you rather than walk away? Maybe it was a friend who listened without fixing, or a small group member who brought a meal when you could barely get out of bed. In those moments, you tasted something holy. Paul writes about that kind of holy community in Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” ( read Galatians 6:1-10 ). Not the law of Moses. The law of Christ. And what is that law? To love as Jesus loved. A love that gets low, gets messy, and stays. But Paul is also a realist. He knows that churches can become places where we compare our struggles or, worse, pretend we don’t have any. So he begins this passage with a gentle warning: “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (v. 1). Restoration, not humiliation. Gentleness, not gossip. From a Wesleyan perspec...
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