A Follower's Thoughts on Prayer - Correll Pritchard
/Philippians 4: 6-7 says, "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Wow, I love those verses! Let's face it, we all worry from time to time and get anxious about matters in our lives. This fast-paced world we live in today can be a challenge. Juggling our jobs with decision-making with family time and whatever else our lives bring can be overwhelming. In my walk with Jesus, I have learned to prioritize my life in this order. "God First," then my lovely wife, then my children, then my job. In my opinion, the key is God First. Prayer is me turning that key to open the door to a one-on-one relationship with Christ. When I get stressed, I withdraw to a quiet place and pray. It may be in my office at work, it may be while I'm outside working around our campuses, or it may be going to my favorite spot on my personal property. The point is this, take the time to talk to God. To me, a one-on-one conversation with God is prayer. It's my favorite way to pray to God. I feel Jesus right there with me when I have these conversations. Guess what? My worries and anxieties fade away. Then I feel a peace that overcomes me. Just as the scripture says, a peace that surpasses all understanding. What is your favorite place to retreat to or your favorite way to pray? Wherever or whatever it is, please take the time, not only this Lenten Season, but every day to have that relationship with Christ. It all starts with a conversation.
God Bless,
Correll
Adoration & Worship - Correll Pritchard
/A Followers Thought
Adoration and Worship
Adoration is the showing of respect and devotion to God. Worship is the showing of Adoration to God in many ways, such as going to church to worship him, praying daily, giving God thanks for all your blessings, putting others first before your needs, giving your time and money to further God's Kingdom. Those are just a few things that symbolize our Adoration to God. I want my brothers and sisters in Christ to think about this. Adoration and Worship can only come when you have Jesus in your heart and soul. You might say, where is this statement going?
Well, let me give you guys a little background of my life growing up. I didn't grow up in a Christian home. I didn't go to church; I didn't pray daily; I didn't put others first; nor did I do any other thing to show Adoration and Worship for God. Yet, I always believed there was a God. You might ask, how could that be? It could be because I did grow up in a loving home. My parents loved my brother and me very much. They taught us right from wrong, a good work ethic, respect our elders. Could it be that I grew up loving the outdoors, God's Creations? My dad would carry my brother and me hunting and fishing often. The best part about those excursions was being out there in the woods, the lake, or the rivers and creeks we explored, seeing and experiencing God's Creations! Oh yea, one more thing. My mom would prepare the fish and wild game we harvested. That was some great eating! I guess experiencing these events in my life made me realize that there is more to this creation than the Big Bang Theory. I just knew there was a higher power at work here. It was God!
Thinking back on these events in my life, it wasn't until I accepted Jesus as my Lord and savior that Adoration and Worship became the focus of my life. I started looking at God as not only the creator of all things but as the creator of me. And in doing so, I must do everything that I can to follow the example of his son Jesus. In John 14;6, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." I believe if we want to fully experience Adoration and Worship to the Father, we have to surrender to the son. It is through Jesus that our Adoration and Worship of God can be complete. God Bless.
Correll
Tammy Wendling on Adoration & Worship
/Adoration & Worship
Tammy Wendling
Adoration and worship; these words excite me. Seriously. Considering each word individually, "adoration" or "worship," my heart beats a little faster, and my spirit rejoices. Put the two words together with an AND; I almost can't type fast enough.
Merriam Webster, as you might imagine, defines adoration as "the act of adoring." Thanks, Merriam. So what does it mean to adore something or someone? "To worship or honor as a deity or as divine; to regard with loving admiration and devotion; to be very fond of." Yes, yes, and YES! I adore my God!
As believers, how do we adequately express our adoration for God when all we can tangibly understand is the praise and love we offer for earthly beings and earthly things. We adore things we can touch and feel. It's essential we figure this out. It's important we acknowledge God's eternal love and mercy, His sovereignty over all creation, His omniscience, and his total in-dwelling in every breath we take. Whew - see? It's exciting to come to understand "adoration." We often go to God in prayer with true hearts rejoicing and giving thanks for answered prayers. We plead with repentant hearts. We seek intercession for others. Oh, how God must be pleased in our efforts to communicate with him. It's vital to our personal relationship with our Lord, but my friends, each of those efforts to acknowledge what God has done for us is not adoration. Again, all very important in our spiritual journey, but adoration is not appreciating and giving thanks to God. It's a wide-open opportunity for us to lavish praise for who God is to us. True, unfiltered, unapologetic adoration moves us out of ourselves and what we need from God to connect with the mighty wonder of God. I mean, even in adoring Him, we are yet again gifted! What could be more perfect and beautiful than to get over ourselves and truly connect with God in total adoration?
The time for adoration can be whenever we let go enough of this world to pour out our awe-struck emotion for our creator. While there are no rules to when this should or could be, consider a worship service where believers are POURING out true adoration for our Lord. Yes, both adoration and worship can occur anytime, in any place, but for a moment, imagine a Sunday morning worship setting where every person has come in total adoration and wants to offer it all to the Lord? It gives me chills to consider the energy and excitement!
About 20 or so years ago, I was lamenting to a friend, a wise gentleman as it turns out. (His first name begins with a G and his last name ends with Blackmon.) Our family was attending a church where worship simply wasn't measuring up to my expectations. After listening for probably too long, my wise friend looked at me and asked, "What do you bring to worship; what's the condition of your heart in worship? What if you considered worship as a time to praise (adore) God instead of what you're 'getting' from it?" Game-changing conversation! So for the last couple of decades of my life, I consider it an honor to walk into a worship setting (inside the church or otherwise) and pour out utter adoration for a magnificent Lord and Savior. I encourage you to give it a try - it's incredibly exciting!
"Give to the Lord the glory due his name! Bring gifts! Enter his presence! Bow down to the Lord in his holy splendor!" 1 Chronicles 16:29 (CEB)
In Adoration of Him,
Tammy
Adoration & Worship - David Hand
/Adoration and Worship
Romans 12:1-2
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
So what’s the difference between adoration and worship? Adoration is an action of religious worship, while worship is the condition of being worthy. Adoration is respect, reverence, strong admiration, or devotion to a certain person, place, or thing.
“The first time we read the word worship in Scripture is in connection with Abraham’s willingness to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Abraham was willing to offer his only son as a sacrifice” (Stanley) due to his adoration to God.
God has shown us mercy by sending Jesus to die for our sins. No longer will there be sacrifices to God. Jesus has paid our price.
The verses above tell us how we should live after we come to know God through faith in Christ.
“At times we make the mistake of thinking worship is something reserved for church” (Stanley) on Sunday. Worship is expressing our love to God, and we can do that anywhere; in the shower, while mowing the lawn, washing dishes, driving, walking on the golf course, or in my case, riding an ATV with my son. We can sing, pray, confession, reading his word, listening, giving, and serving.
Blessing,
David
(Charles Stanley (November-03-2019) Daily Devotion: The .... https://sermons-online.org/charles-stanley/the-sacrifice-of-worship)
Adoration & Worship - Brother Mike Densmore
/Worship & Adoration
"O worship the King, all glorious above, O gratefully sing God's power & God's love." (oops, you caught me singing)…
I love the church, always have and pray, I always will. From the time I was a little boy, the church has been a happy place, a place for fellowship and singing, a place for searching and learning new things. I've been blessed to be a part of over twenty different churches over the years, ranging in membership from 14 to >6000. The interesting thing about all of them, all different and, yet, in some amazing way, they were all alike. All came together in worship & adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ. All found ways to "Lift their hearts to God."
From Shady Grove in Clay County, I still remember the all-day singings on-the-ground, the Gospel singings, and the Baptisms on Easter Sunday. I remember when the confirmands would walk to their baptisms singing only the verses of "On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand" and, after their baptisms, the whole church (all 20 of them) would explode with the chorus, "I am bound for the promised land, I am bound for the promised land. O, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land."
Here, in Alex City, I can remember great cantatas, gospel groups, marvelous Vacation Bible Schools, drama presentations, and singing on the Russell "Good-Will Hour." We sang everything from classical to bluegrass and, through it all, we "Lifted our hearts to God" and entered into "communion" with God and warm fellowship with each other.
North & south of the Mason-Dixon, east & west of the Mississippi, I've witnessed the faithful as they "practiced the presence of God" and expressed their hope with joy and thanksgiving.
Today, I worship at ACFUMC, where we have three distinctly different styles of worship services, and almost everyone thinks their particular service is the best. The truth is that God is pleased with all true worship when people "come together, seek His face, humble themselves, pray, and lift their hearts to God." The shawl I am wearing was knit for me by one of our saints at ACFUMC, and I wear it during special times of prayer and, at times in my office, when I am seeking direction and clarity concerning an appropriate word for our worship services on Sundays.
We can all share experiences of worship in many ways, in different places, at different times. This Lenten season, I invite you to look for ways to experience an encounter with God. I assure you God is already looking for an encounter with you.
1st Peter 2:9 says that "We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God so that we might declare the praises of God who called us out of the darkness into his wonderful light." I have not met many people who did not want to bask in the light of God's love, to remain faithful and true to God's call upon our lives, and to do good and seek that which is best for others. But, sometimes our lamps tend to run out of oil, our matches get wet, the darkness begins to creep in and, with it, the distractions of the world.
Well, do not be afraid. We are in good company. The Saints who have gone before us struggled with the same issues. How do we abide in the light of God's grace when grace is a gift of God and not something we can claim by merit? How can we "lift our hearts to God" and stand in the way of God's grace as God continually works to reclaim us, restore us, and renew us?
The answer is through "Adoration & Worship." Throughout the centuries, the church has turned to the scriptures, studied the teachings of Jesus, and adopted certain practices (or disciplines) through which we claim God's offer of grace and stand faithfully in the light of God's grace as we grow deeper in love with Him and with the people in the world. These practices form our approach to "Adoration & Worship" as we seek to give thanksgiving to God for the blessings of our lives and worship God in spirit and in truth. In our worship and devotional life, we are seeking an encounter with the Living Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Adoration & worship are our means to those encounters.
Let's talk about these a little:
Adoration comes from a Greek word that means "a reverence and respect directed only to the Holy Trinity and The Eucharist." Adoration occurs in those times when we are, spiritually, at-one with the Holy Spirit in such an embrace that praise & thanksgiving are pulled forth from us into the very presence of God.
To worship has a double meaning. It means to "Bow Down in humility before the holiness of God" and, it also means to "Lift up our hearts to God" as we allow God to recreate our hearts in the fashion of God's own.
And so, the church gathers for worship, where everything is rooted in the scriptures, liturgy, and traditions of the Saints who have gone before us. We are truly, "one with Christ, one with each other, and one in service to God's world." We proclaim the Living Word of God in a relevant way with Biblical, historical, and theological integrity for the people of God. We hear as the message is proclaimed, and we discern God's Word for us today in a way that brings a sense of unity into the diverseness of the world. In our finest hour, we experience an encounter with the Risen Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Songs are sung; the Word is proclaimed; prayers are shared; offerings are made of our resources and our lives, and the sacraments of Baptism & Communion are celebrated, as God hosts us into God's sanctuaries of healing, hope, restoration, and new life.
We come into the fellowship of God's worship. We listen as the Holy Spirit opens to us the Word of truth. We sing the songs of praise & thanksgiving. We pray for God to heal our sick, guide our lives, and strengthen us in the land of our living. We hope that mercy and grace will bring peace to our world as we repent of our sins and claim the promises of God. We "Lift our hearts to God" as we take the bread, drink the cup, and allow our hearts to be renewed in the presence of the Holy.
God is calling you, and God is calling me into a life of "Adoration & Worship," into a life of intentionally "practicing the presence of God" that leads us out of the darkness and into the light of his grace. It is in worship we remember, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, & Christ will come again," and we rise with the assurance that where Christ is, we shall be one day. We rise from true worship to go forth into the world to share the love of God with all we meet, "seeking justice, loving mercy, and living humbly."… One day at a time.
The call of God upon our hearts is to "lift our hearts to God" in worship as we "love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength." And "love others as we love ourselves." O gracious God, teach us to worship in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
"Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in thee do we trust, nor find thee to fail; thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend…"
Worship is practicing the presence of God! Worship is loving God & loving you, Bro Mike
Note: In the message above, several phrases are in quotations. This is to acknowledge they are either from the scriptures or saints who have gone before us and are not original to me. MLD
A Follower's Thoughts - Correll Pritchard
/Fasting and Self-Denial
Fasting and Self-Denial sometimes go hand and hand. Think about that for a moment. When you fast, you deny your body of nutrition, right? In Matthew 4, starting in verse one, it says, "Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterward, he was famished." Imagine not eating nor drinking anything for that long! That had to be an ordeal! On top of that, guess what happened next? Here comes Satan trying to tempt him. Verse three says, "the tempter came and said to him, if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." Just let that sink into your thought process for a moment. Imagine not eating for that long and then being tempted with food! Just think about it. Isn't that the way Satan works anyway? He catches us at our most vulnerable moments then he tries to leap on us. Guess what? The best answer to Satan's temptations comes in verse four. Jesus answers him by saying, "It is written, one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." There is the answer and the only answer that will fight off the temptations of the devil. The word of God!
There are times when fasting and self-denial do not go hand in hand. After all, self-denial does not always center around what's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It could be a lust for more money, more power, more worldly possessions; the lists can go on and on. The choice is ours to make. Listen to God or listen to the devil. Understanding God's truth or being led by the devil's lies.
As I go through this Lenten Season, I will be practicing fasting and self-denial. But most of all, I will be digging into the word of God. James 4:7 says it clearly, "Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." My Lenten plans are to submit myself to God. So that when Satan's temptations come my way, I will be able to deny myself, pick up my cross, and follow Jesus, not only in these 40 days of Lent but 365 days every year.
Self-Denial & Fasting, Spiritual Discipline Worth the Work - Tammy Wendling
/As I sit here contemplating Lent and the spiritual discipline of self-denial and fasting, I'm in my make-shift home office (you know, CoVid). This space was, not so long ago, my youngest daughter's bedroom. The last renovation we did in this space was when one child moved out and an older sister moved to a room of her own. To make both of their bedrooms new and unique, we decided to paint - easy, quick fix, and the kids would be happy and set for the duration. Since it had been a while since we had painted anything, I checked the internet for suggested steps to prepare these rooms to be painted. Good grief, what an ordeal this was going to be! I wanted a simple fix and to move on. I took the "must do" steps, paired it back, kept it simple, and everything seemed fine. Except, looking at it now, the quick fix doesn't look so great. There are specks of paint on the ceiling, and a couple of places are even peeling up a bit. I guess the "ordeal" of more extended preparation and more involved steps had value and merit after all.
It occurs to me our spiritual lives are often like the decision and quest for a quick fix. Each new year, each Lenten season, we make well-intended plans and start reading the Bible more often, attending worship regularly, offering kindness to those that cross our paths, etc. Even with the best intentions, often these devoted efforts only work for a short time, and we fall back into old patterns. Like this peeling paint in my daughter's bedroom, it works great for a bit, but now we're back in the same place, needing to paint again. Perhaps doing the necessary and recommended prep work in our spiritual lives would also produce better results.
We consider what it means to put ourselves and our wants/needs last during this focused week of self-denial and fasting. Well, that's a cultural novelty today - putting ourselves last… We often consider fasting as a time to deny ourselves one food or another. It's so much more and includes any particular activity in our lives that has come to mean more than it should (electronics, hobbies, eating, work, etc.). The goal of fasting and self-denial is to connect our physical self to the spiritual. It means we learn to give our spiritual life prominence each day rather than the physical. It means we devote our whole spiritual attention to God. In doing this, we re-center ourselves with God and less with the messes and materialism of the world. We prepare to live fully with Him forever - not temporarily (like this paint job gone wrong).
We're moving through this season of Lent in self-reflection, repentance, and hope. As we set our eyes on Easter, let's embrace the "ordeal" and do the work to get our spiritual lives in order.
"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.'"
Matthew 16:24
A Message from our Bishop, Debra Wallace-Padgett
/Dear Friends,
Lee’s and my young adult daughter, Leanndra, recently celebrated another birthday. On one hand, it feels like she arrived in this world a lifetime ago. On the other hand, it seems like only yesterday when I first held our newborn baby girl. Time has that kind of illusive, mysterious quality.
So it is with the rhythm of the Christian year. We were celebrating the birth of Jesus a mere eight weeks ago. Yet, already Lent has arrived, the season focusing on Jesus’ public ministry, culminating with his death on the cross.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, this year on February 17, when we reflect on our sinfulness and mortality. This explains the tenor of the Scripture passages listed in the Revised Common Lectionary for Ash Wednesday.
Joel 2 speaks of fasting, weeping and mourning. Isaiah 59 challenges the people of God to fast for justice and compassion. Psalm 51 is traditionally understood as a prayer of confession by King David after his adulterous affair with Bathsheba. The passage from II Corinthians speaks of God’s grace and reconciliation made possible through Christ’s death on the cross. Matthew 6 instructs us to avoid drawing attention to ourselves when we give alms and pray. Collectively these passages prepare our hearts and minds for key Ash Wednesday and Lenten practices, including fasting, introspection, confession, service, worship and giving.
Like many of you I have participated in traditional Ash Wednesday services where following songs, prayers and a message fitting for the occasion, worship participants came to designated stations in the sanctuary for the imposition of ashes on their foreheads. Those imposing the ashes would use liturgy like, “Turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel” or “Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return.”
Due to COVID-19, many Ash Wednesday services will have a different feel from previous years. Some will be virtual, others outdoors and still others held in large spaces with worshippers social distancing and wearing masks.
I encourage you to join me in setting aside some time on February 17 to mark Ash Wednesday through a worship service or in another way. After all, Ash Wednesday and Lenten observances are important aspects to the rhythm of Christian living.
As always it is a privilege to serve as your bishop.
Blessings,
Debra Wallace-Padgett
Resident Bishop
North Alabama Conference
Love and Lent
/Former preacher, Virgil Anderson, said he was farming atop a little hill with his dad in the 1930’s. On one side of the hill he was singing, Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown? When he heard his dad singing on the other side, No, No, No Not One.
Lent doesn’t always feel positive. Why? Well, sin. Embracing regret, sacrifice, humility, discipline, and repentance are about transformation, not affirmation. Lent calls to mind the 40 days of fasting and temptations of the wilderness for Jesus. Or, Moses and Elijah fasting for 40 days, or maybe the 40 hours between Jesus’ sacrificial death and His resurrection. This is a season when Christians embrace their utter need to be attending to spiritual disciplines as a means to receiving grace and willingly being “in the potter’s hand.” But does love come to mind?
Love, in terms of sentiment or feelings of deep connection, is familiar to us. It is a wonderful thing but insufficient in itself. Lent love is based on sacrificial commitment; it fosters deep felt sentiment. In sacred Scriptures, love plunges the depth of committed relationships and is captured in ancient covenant ideas (see Sandra Richter, Epic of Eden). Think of blood packs in the movies. In our Lent case, a superior party, God, promises, in covenant fashion (Cross), His presence, provision, and protection to His rebellious former children through Jesus. The unthinkable, our Holy God condescending in covenant form to forgive sins and establish covenant relationships with us. One that reconciles us to our Father in one event, the cross and resurrection. Why? Love. My response is to accept or reject this covenant offering. In doing so my promise is to, by His power and leadership, willingly be conformed to His will and purposes. Astonishing! Even more than marrying my beautiful wife. A stronger party making all the sacrifices and concessions to the lesser. Love compels such things, and so love must be the response. So when you give up something this year, think of it as embracing the greater gift.
This year we will focus on celebrating spiritual disciplines during Lent via video lessons. I hope you join in and reciprocate love and sacrifice to foster your covenant love relationship.
Barry