Faithwestwood Umc

Matthew 6:5-8, 16-18 We live in a world where it seems the only thing that matters is what we post on social media. But the deeper life requires hiddenness. Our time alone with God is not an activity we exploit to gain subscribers. Jesus said, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father” (Matthew 6:6). Pray where only God is watching, and you will be rewarded.

Luke 10:17-21  Sometimes we lay our heads on our pillows at night and realize, I haven’t thought about God once all day. Jesus taught us to look for God’s presence in all of life. What if we started each day seeing it as a miraculous gift? What if we learned to respond in awe to God’s created beauty? Couldn’t we all use a daily dose of wonder?

Luke 4:1-13 Most of us eat every day – unless we’re fasting for spiritual or medical reasons. We can’t survive without nourishment. And there’s another nourishment we need. Jesus said, “People do not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4, NLT). He faced his temptations, strengthened by scripture. It was in him. If the Son of God needed to feed on the Word of God, it’s certain that we do too.

Luke 5:12-16  What if you set aside a little time each day (most days?) to meet with God? What if you looked forward to it so much that you started making more time for it? Jesus became so popular as a teacher and healer that he was constantly surrounded by crowds of people. But he wasn’t always busy teaching and healing. “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). If Jesus needed this daily encounter with the Father, it’s certain that we need it too.

1 John 5:1-12 Does it seem that sometimes you’re losing the daily battle? Is the world squeezing you into its mold? Good news: by faith in Jesus you will overcome the pressures of the world. His victory is your victory! His life is your life! Just keep listening to the Spirit and the Word.

1 John 4:1-21 How do we know if certain teachers are faithful or false? Here are some helpful questions. Do they believe or deny that Jesus is the Messiah sent in the flesh from the Father? Do they speak from the viewpoint of Christ or culture? Do they love or loathe our sisters and brothers in the Lord? We have to ask the last question because God is love.

1 John 3:1-24 What changes when we put our faith in Jesus and put our lives in his hands? Everything! We become God’s children. We are being transformed into Christ-like people. We begin to practice self-sacrificing love. And we confidently look forward to seeing Jesus in the life to come. We are now God’s new kids on the rock!

1 John 2:15-29 Do you know someone who has “deconstructed” their faith and left Jesus behind? Will that ever happen to you? Remember, God has given you all you need to stay true. You have Jesus, the anointed One. You have God’s anointed Word. You have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And if you live into that anointing, you can be confident that Jesus will always claim you as one of his own.

The New Old Command 1 John 2:3-14 When you are commanded to do – or not do – something, do you bristle at it? Would you gladly obey if you genuinely believed it was for the best? You might. Jesus obeyed the Father’s commands out of love. Now he invites you to obey him. Step out of the darkness and into the light.

1 John 1:1 – 2:2 What do I assume? That as long as I’m basically a good person, it doesn’t matter to God what I do? That I don’t really need much forgiving? That Jesus living among us was optional? What we assume makes a huge difference! So, listen to Jesus. He’s the Word of life. Walk in his light.

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-8 It is a custom at the start of a new year to make resolutions (which are usually broken too soon). These resolutions are promises we make to improve ourselves in physical, spiritual, and material ways. In the church we use the word “covenant” to represent a special promise we make with God. Abraham made a covenant agreement with God that is a good model for us as we renew our covenantal promises with God. God is calling us in to a special relationship, calling us up to a deeper commitment with our heart and head, and calling us out to spread the good news to others.

FaithWestwood Christmas Day message from Pastor Steve Todd.

Christmas Eve message from 12/24/2022.

1 Samuel 1:2-20 Infertility was somewhat common in the Bible and a source of deep shame for women in ancient times. In her desperation Hannah made a deal. If God would give her a child, she would give him up to the Lord. What did that look like? How do we commit our children to the Lord?

Exodus 2:1-10 Pharaoh opposed God’s will by ordering all the Hebrew boy babies be put to death. But a mother will do anything to protect her child. One mom placed her son in a floating basket on the river, while big sister Miriam kept a close eye. What follows is a miraculous story of God’s deliverance.

Genesis 18:1-15 Sometimes the Lord lets parents know how special a child will be by the events surrounding the child’s birth. A stranger says to Sarah and Abraham that they will have a child in their advanced years. It sounds so impossible, Sarah bursts out in laughter. A year later laughter returns when their baby is born.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Ephesians 3:20-21 This Sunday we’ll hear the story of a community in Christ that was richly blessed, even though they were materially poor. They knew they had been given so much by God that it overflowed in their generosity to others. And when an opportunity came to bless others, they exceeded expectations. The One we worship is an expectation-exceeding God, and he is shaping us to reflect his generosity.

1 Corinthians 1:10-15 A potentially divisive decision is around the corner for FaithWestwood. Pastor Steve wants to share why he believes it’s important that we stick together in the coming year. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. In the same way, the Apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, . . . that there be no divisions among you.”

Philippians 1:3-11 Why do you thank God for FaithWestwood? Because of all the ways we serve the community? Or maybe because it’s helping you become a deep, daring, daily disciple. It could be for showing you how to be a BLESS friend. Maybe it’s about all the great friendships you’ve made. Why do you thank God for FaithWestwood?

Lamentations 3:17-23 At life’s darkest moments, we wonder who God is, don’t we? Is God the author of my pain? Or is God on my side against it? The prophet Jeremiah wondered these same questions. And in the end he dared to hope in God’s great faithfulness.