Discipling Life

Have you ever felt like you were running out of strength while problems kept piling up around you? Are there times when you wonder if God still sees you, especially when fear, failure, or uncertainty seem to close in from every side? In Psalm 40:11-17 , the psalmist voices that very struggle, crying out, “As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me” (v.  17). His prayer reminds us that faith does not ignore hardship. Instead, it brings every burden honestly before God and waits for his steadfast love and faithfulness. The heart of this passage is not self confidence but confidence in God’s character. The psalmist asks, “Do not, O Lord, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever” (v.  11). Even while surrounded by troubles and aware of his own shortcomings, he continues to seek the Lord. God’s grace is always reaching toward us before we even know to ask, inviting us into a life that is continually being renewed...

Have you ever felt like you had exhausted every option and still found yourself hoping for a miracle? In Matthew 9:18-26, two people come to Jesus carrying desperate needs. A synagogue leader kneels before him and pleads for his daughter, believing that even death is not beyond Christ’s power. At the same time, a woman who had suffered for twelve years reaches out to touch the fringe of his cloak, trusting that even the smallest connection with Jesus could bring healing. Jesus responds to both with compassion and power. To the woman he says, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22, NRSV). Then he goes to the ruler’s home and raises the girl to life. In both stories, faith is not presented as certainty or perfection. It is the willingness to turn toward Jesus in hope. These stories remind us that God’s grace invites a response. The ruler comes seeking help. The woman reaches out her hand. Neither has everything figured out, but both act on the hope that Chri...

But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them. ’  After he had said this, he died. (Acts 7:55-60) There are moments when standing for what is right feels costly. Maybe it is a quiet conversation where you choose truth over comfort. Maybe it is a decision to love when resentment would be easier. In those moments, we often wonder if faithfulness is worth it. Stephen’s story meets us right there, in the tension between cour...

Have you ever just needed to go to a safe place? Maybe you feel hurt or misunderstood or ashamed, or whatever. When I was a child, I felt especially safe at my grandparents’ home. When I was small, we actually lived there for a while until my father could build us a house right next door. There are moments in life when we feel like the ground shifts beneath our feet. A phone call we didn’t expect. A diagnosis we didn’t see coming. A relationship that suddenly feels fragile. In those moments, even the strongest among us can feel unsteady. We look for something solid to hold on to, something that will not crumble under pressure. We need places and people that hold us when life presses in too hard. Psalm 31 begins right there, in that honest place where fear and faith meet. The psalmist cries out, “In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me” (v. 1). This is not a polished prayer. It is the kind of prayer we whisper when we are ...

There are moments when doing the right thing feels costly. You try to act with integrity, to respond with patience, to choose kindness, and still, you are misunderstood, overlooked, or even treated unfairly. In those moments, it can feel easier to give in, to defend yourself sharply, or to simply stop trying. 1 Peter 2:19-25 The writer of 1 Peter speaks into that tension with honesty and hope: “For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly” (v. 19). This is not a call to seek out suffering or to accept harm without wisdom. Rather, it is an invitation to remain rooted in God’s grace even when life feels unfair. It is about living faithfully before God, trusting that he sees and honors what others may not. The heart of this passage points us to Christ himself: “When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (v. 23). Jesus shows us what it...

Isaiah 55:6-9 6  Seek the Lord while he may be found;     call upon him while he is near; 7  let the wicked forsake their way     and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,     and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts,     nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. 9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth,     so are my ways higher than your ways     and my thoughts than your thoughts. (NRSVue) Isaiah 55 was addressed to the exiles returning to a home that few had ever seen with their own eyes. They had been uprooted and forcibly relocated about 70 years earlier. God is calling out to a people who have wandered, who have grown tired. They were weary, thirsty, and hungry.  The opening of chapter 55 reads… ...

Here in North Carolina, we are surrounded by the evidence of springtime. Amid the discomfort of the yellow haze of pollen, we see the blossoming of Dogwood trees, the blooms of the daffodils by the roadside, and hear the burst of songbird melodies. There’s something about this season that mirrors the confidence of Psalm 16 . The psalmist prays, “Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge… The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup” (vss. 1, 5). This is a trust that believes life, not death, has the last word. The psalm begins with refuge and ends with resurrection hope. “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (v. 11). These words take on deeper meaning in the light of Christ’s rising. What the psalmist glimpsed, Easter reveals. The path of life leads through death but does not end there. God’s faithfulness holds us beyond what we can see. In Psalm 16, the psalmist declares, “I keep the Lord always before...

The people of Israel were standing at a new threshold. Moses had died. Joshua was about to lead people into a future filled with promise — and danger. As a pastor, I know the fears that creep into our churches. Fear of decline. Fear of conflict. Fear of not having enough—enough money, enough volunteers, enough energy. We stand at our own Jordan Rivers, looking at a future we can’t control, and we feel like Joshua must have felt: like a novice, standing on holy ground, unsure of our next step. Into that moment God speaks with steady, simple words: be strong and courageous. He says “be strong and courageous” three times to Joshua. God reminds him: “I will be with you. I will not fail you or abandon you.” Courage, in this light, is not the absence of fear. Courage is the decision to trust God’s presence and obey his word more than we trust our fear. Those words are not just for ancient Israelites. They are for you and me when life moves us to new places: a new job, a move, the grief...

On the afternoon of May 24, 1738, John Wesley attended a vespers service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. During the service, he was deeply moved by the singing of an anthem drawn from Psalm 130 — the De Profundis (Latin for “Out of the Depths”)— which opens with the cry, “Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord.” At the time, Wesley was in the midst of a profound spiritual crisis. He felt weighed down by a sense of sin and was tormented by his inability to earn salvation through his own efforts. The themes of Psalm 130 — a desperate cry from the depths of despair, followed by an assurance of God’s mercy and “plenteous redemption” — mirrored his inner struggle so closely that the anthem struck him with unusual force. Here was a Psalmist who had cried out from the same darkness Wesley felt, and who found hope not in human merit, but in the grace of God alone. That evening, Wesley attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street, where someone was reading aloud from Martin Luther’s...

 As we continue our journey through the season of Lent, we often talk about the “wilderness.” For many of us, the wilderness isn’t just a place in a Bible story; it’s a feeling. It’s that season of life where resources feel thin, our patience is wearing out, and we aren’t quite sure if we’re on the right path. In this week’s reading from Exodus 17:1-7 , we find the Israelites in exactly that spot. They had seen God do amazing things—bringing them out of Egypt and parting the Red Sea—but now they are thirsty. And in the desert, thirst isn’t just an inconvenience; it feels like a death sentence. 1 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water, and the people ...

Think about the last time someone showed up for you at just the right moment. Maybe it was a neighbor who knocked on your door with a meal when life had fallen apart. Maybe it was a stranger who offered a kind word when you were on the verge of tears in the grocery store. Maybe it was a friend who simply sat with you in silence and didn’t try to fix anything. In those moments, something holy moved through an ordinary person. Grace wore a human face. And whether that person knew it or not, they were doing something ancient and sacred — they were answering a call. That’s exactly what we see in Abraham. In Genesis 12, God speaks to a man who has no roadmap, no guarantee, and no idea where he’s going. “Go,” God says, “from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1, NRSVue). For us, it is one of the most extraordinary moments in all of Scripture — not because Abraham was extraordinary, but because God chose to work through someon...

In our daily lives, we often come across moments that draw us into deeper reflections about who we are and what we are called to be. Perhaps it’s during a quiet morning, sipping coffee, when you ponder the nature of your relationships. Or maybe it’s in a moment of uncertainty, where you feel that gentle nudge toward something greater than yourself. These moments invite us into a deeper understanding of our identity as covenant people, rooted in grace and empowered for transformation. The Scripture readings for this Sunday are rich and profound, particularly Genesis 12:1-4a, where God calls Abram to leave his homeland, promising to make him a great nation. God’s invitation is rooted in a covenant—a sacred promise that signifies relationship and belonging. Abram’s response is remarkable; he follows God without knowing the full depth of what lies ahead. Here, we see the essence of grace: prevenient grace, awakening a response in us long before we realize it. Psalm 121 further reassures ...

As we journey through the season of Lent, we are invited to pause and reflect on our relationship with God. Many people find Psalm 121 a comforting psalm, a beautiful reminder of God’s ever-watchful presence and care in our lives. A Song of Ascents Psalm 121 is part of a collection known as the "Songs of Ascents," which were sung by the people of Israel as they made their way to Jerusalem for worship. As they traveled, they needed assurance of safety on their journey, just as we often seek reassurance in our own lives. The psalm begins with the question, “I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come?” (Psalm 121:1). In a world filled with uncertainty, it’s natural to look for help and support, but the psalmist quickly reminds us that true help comes not from the hills or any earthly source, but from God himself, who created heaven and earth. God’s Unceasing Vigilance The psalm continues with a powerful declaration: “He will not let your foot be moved; he who k...

As we approach the first Sunday of Lent, we turn to this Sunday’s Gospel lesson: the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. It serves as a reminder of the spiritual battles we face in our own lives. Matthew 4:1-11 describes how, after his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. As this story unfolds, we see the character of the Christ who is God’s chosen to announce the Kingdom of Heaven. Reflecting on Jesus’ experience may provide insights into our own faith journey. The Wilderness Experience The wilderness is often portrayed in Scripture as a place of testing and transformation. It is also associated with the number 40 [ read more here ]. In Matthew 4:1, we read, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” This leading by the Spirit underscores the necessity of finding that quiet time for reflection in our lives, especially during Lent. It is in the quiet, and often uncomfortable, places...

Several key biblical stories link a wilderness (or desert) experience with the number 40, often marking a season of testing, transition, or preparation. Major Wilderness “40” Stories The number 40 is often associated with testing and preparation in the Bible. It is especially associated with the wilderness where people learn to trust in their Lord. Israel in the wilderness – 40 years After the exodus, Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years as a time of judgment, discipline, and formation before entering the promised land (for example, Deuteronomy 8:2–5). This extended “wilderness forty” becomes the backdrop for how later texts understand testing and trust. Moses on Sinai – 40 days and nights Moses remained on Mount Sinai, in a harsh, mountainous wilderness, for forty days and forty nights when receiving the law from God (Exodus 24:18; see also Exodus 34:28). This is a period of fasting, intense encounter, and covenant revelation. Elijah to Horeb – 40 days and nigh...

Today I gave an Ash Wednesday message before our first Lenten Luncheon this year. I focus on the assigned texts for today from Isaiah and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel. A Lenten Journey Becomes a Life Journey Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ our Lord and Savior. So good to see you and have you with us today. In many churches, Lent begins with a smudge of ash on one’s forehead. It’s a reminder that we are all dust and to dust we will return, and yet we are dust that is beloved of God. Ash Wednesday ushers us into a season of holy honesty, inviting us to name our brokenness, our limits, and our longing for renewal. It is not a journey of shame, but of grace—a time when we turn again toward the God who meets us in our mortality and leads us toward life. Lent calls us to slow down, to repent, to realign our hearts with the way of Christ, trusting that every step taken in humility opens us up more fully to the transforming love that prepares for Easter’...

  Treasure in Heaven: Living with Eternal Perspective Scripture Texts:  Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23, Colossians 3:1-11, and Luke 12:13-21 August 3, 2025 – Ebenezer UMC & Black Creek UMC Introduction Grace and peace to you this morning. Today, the Word of God confronts us with important questions: What is our life for? What gives it meaning? Where do we find purpose in a world driven by work, wealth, and worry? Through our scripture texts today, the Spirit is inviting us to examine our priorities—and to reorder them under Christ. We live in a world obsessed with accumulation. From the moment we wake up, we’re bombarded with messages telling us that happiness is just one purchase away, that security comes from our bank account, and that success is measured by what we own rather than by who we are. But today, through the wisdom of Scripture, God calls us to examine our hearts and ask a fundamental question: Where is our treasure? The Teacher in Ecclesiast...