Faithwestwood Umc

Everyone has an opinion! Unfortunately, you’re going to hear it, whether you want to or not. But when we belong to Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit, how does that affect our opinions? When is it our opinion and when is it guidance coming from the Holy Spirit? And how do we know the difference? It’s never easy, but the first step is always humility.

Student Mission Sunday 2016. Hear stories from the 2016 Middle School and High School mission trips!

Nobody just shows up expecting to compete at the Olympics. You have to train with great coaches. You have to earn the privilege of representing your country on the global stage. Jesus came to get us in the game of a godly life. With his help we train ourselves. The goal is to please God in all we do: in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity – that’s godliness.

When you watch the Olympics, often the announcers are former competitors in that sport. They see details the rest of us don’t notice. Through years of training and experience they have developed an eye for technique and excellence. Jesus’s followers train with God’s word. If we don’t want to remain novices, we must learn to recognize good and evil. Godliness requires a distinguishing eye.

Success never happens without sacrifice. The glory of accomplishment requires dedication and self-denial. For those who belong to Jesus, we look to the needs of others and not just to our own. We sacrifice our privileges out of love for a sister or brother. We put aside the easy way because we want to please God. Sacrifice leads to godliness.

With special guest Derrick Jamison How many times have we said in exasperation, “Why doesn’t God do something?” It’s a fair question. It assumes that God is good and wants to do something about this terrible situation. And that’s where we end up sometimes, between the unfairness of life and the justice of God. But one day God’s justice and mercy will prevail – just what the world needs. That’s why we hang on

We have little experience with unfailing love. We’ve broken promises to others, and promises made to us have been broken. We’ve let people down, and people have let us down. Our love has failed many times. And if God is the same way, then God is not good. But once you discover that God’s love never fails, life becomes more hopeful.

It’s easy to think of God as an administrator who’s out of touch with what’s going on here on earth. A God like that is not good. But the Bible says that God feels compassion for his children. When you open your heart to God’s heart and begin to trust, it changes you. You want to praise God with all that you are.

Most Americans sing the national anthem. We pledge allegiance to the flag. As Christians, we appreciate our freedom to worship. We strive to be law-abiding citizens. And we pledge allegiance to an authority higher than our country.

June 26, 2016 / Guest Speaker Jason Buss Everybody loves love – or at least their version of it. But there is a love that is strange to this world. Jesus calls his disciples to demonstrate a love that is so unexpected, so shocking, it could only come from God

What do you see when you look to the future? Death of loved ones? Decline of your mental and physical faculties? Further spread of war and terrorism in the world? Yes, but. There are those strange people who see all those possibilities and still look to the future with hope.

We evaluate the day based on how it was for us. Was it a good day? A bad day? An easy day? A hard day? And then there are those strange people who don’t respond the way you’d expect. They find joy in their hardship. They rejoice when insulted. They exhibit strange joy.

Guest Speakers - Micah Corps Interns Micah Corps, a summer internship sponsored by the Great Plains United Methodist Conference. These young adults are spending their summer exploring different prayer practices, studying scripture, linking faith with social justice, and practicing leadership skills. Based on Micah 6:8, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God,” they are eager to share with and learn from congregations across the conference!

Guest Speaker - Pastor Chuck Cornwell What is so special about children that would cause Jesus to say that we must become as children if we are to enter His kingdom?

You know you play the comparing game. Is he younger than I am? Is she more talented than I am? Do they have more money than we do? Is he running on the treadmill faster than I am? Does she have more style than I do? It’s so instinctive, we often compare ourselves without realizing it. But comparing is a risky game – and those who play it pay a high price. It’s time to say, “I quit!”

When Luke Skywalker said he wasn’t afraid, Master Yoda replied, “You will be. You will be.” Fear can look like worry, insecurity, terror, panic, paranoia, dread, or anxiety. But you are not doomed to let fear run your life. David in the Bible prayed, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” It’s time to say to fear, “I quit!”

What’s your go-to gripe? Politics? Schools? Coaches? Bosses? Churches? Yes, there’s such a thing as a constructive complaint, but usually we complain out of habit. And it’s negative. We grumble instead of being grateful. Now’s the time to say, “I quit!”

Excuses are an art form! They require a perfect blend of creativity and passivity. They are reasons stuck in denial. What excuses do you have ready for God? How will they be received? Now’s the time to say to your excuses, “I quit!”