Message Notes and Meditation Moments for June 13 14, 2015

Message Notes and Meditation Moments for June 13 – 14, 2015 First United Methodist Church Durango “Rest for Our Souls in Christ Alone” Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 8:31-39

Things I’d like to remember from today’s sermon:

______

Meditation Moments

Monday, June 15 - Read Matthew 11:28-3 - This is our main text for the week and we will be focusing on it all week. What a promise we have in this passage. Think about what it would look like for you to be yoked with Jesus. It is an offer for us and we must take action. The yoke won’t be placed on us by Christ, we must “take” the yoke upon ourselves. That basically means living like Christ is going to take effort. Make the most of each day this week and focus each day on how Message Notes and Meditation Moments for June 13 – 14, 2015 First United Methodist Church Durango your day might look different by seeking and following Christ instead of trying to navigate each day on your own. Lie by the spirit today. Find those moments throughout your days to reconnect and reorient yourself.

Tuesday, June 16 – Read Romans 8 – There are 2 amazing truths to be reminded of today in while reading and meditating on Romans 8. Read Romans 8:1-14 - God calls us to a life led by the spirit and not a life led by our sinful nature. When we take the yoke of Christ upon us it is an action of surrender. It is a decision to give up what our sinful nature craves and to take on the path Christ has for us. The image of being yoked with Christ is that of obedience. Take time today to surrender to God. Take time to give him the areas of life that you seam to keep on straying away from God’s desires for you. Ask God to help you today to live by the Spirit that leads to life and not by your sinful nature that leads to death.  Read Romans 8:31-39 - We serve and worship a God that is for us and not against us. What a promise! God is not out to get us around the next corner of life. He is for us! And nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Today no matter what comes your way, remind yourself that God is for you and you are not alone! God is with us in the midst of every situation.

Wednesday, June 17 – Read Galatians 5:16-26 – When we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we may misunderstand and think that we just received an autopilot program for life. The Holy Spirit is more like a GPS than autopilot. God gives us nudges and directions all throughout our lives. It is then up to us to follow those directions. In verse 16 we are encouraged to “let the Holy Spirit guide”. Take time today to intentionally listen for God’s guidance and direction. Look for ways to slow down and look for God producing in you love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Thursday, June 18 – Read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 – A powerful promise we have in being yoked with Christ is that he is stronger than us. Wow, the God who created this universe is with me in all situations! Even in my weakest moments God is there. Be encouraged today, that no matter what you face God is with you. We are reminded in this passage that God’s power has the greatest opportunity to work in our lives when we realize our limitations and God’s limitless power.

Friday, June 19 – Read John 4:1-45 – Jesus broke the cultural norms of the day by reaching out to and talking with a Samaritan woman. The Samaritans were despised by the Jewish nation. Yet Jesus broke through the cultural norms to extend grace to a Samaritan woman. In this passage we read of a woman filled with guilt, shame, and hurt. The woman avoids the typical crowds that come and fetch their water in the cooler times of the day, morning and evening. Instead, we see a woman coming out in the heat of the day, around noontime. Are there moments in your life that your pain or guilt seems to have a grip on your daily life and actions? Just like the Samaritan woman, we all have our own hurts and struggles. The hope of forgiveness and an eternal relationship with our creator is still on the table for us today. The Samaritan woman came to the well to fill her physical needs. She left with a much greater gift, the beginning of a relationship with the Messiah. No matter what we have done, no matter how yucky we feel, Christ comes to us in the midst of our struggles to offer us grace and hope. Take time today to give God your struggles, shame, and pain and in turn receive the gift of living water. Receive and live in the hope of an everlasting spring in your life today.

Saturday, June 20 – Read Luke 9:23-27 – We have so many temptations to take us away from Jesus in our world today. We are encouraged in this passage to take up our cross daily and follow Jesus. We sometimes think of the idols talked about in the bible as an ancient thing of the past. Yet, when we take a look at our lives we may see that there are plenty of things that we place on a pedestal in our lives above Christ. Take some time today to think about the things that you try to find hope in. What things in this world take your attention away from Christ? What has a hold of your heart? Money, fame, possessions, status, friendships…. the list could go on and on. An idol in it’s most basic definition is something we worship other than God. Maybe you don’t bow down and worship something, but maybe you think life would be better if you had more money, possessions, fame….. In Christ alone our hope is found. Take some time today to reflect on what things might be distracting you from your relationship with God. What things in your life might you have to loose in order to really receive the life God has for you? Message Notes and Meditation Moments for June 13 – 14, 2015 First United Methodist Church Durango

Family Activity: This week’s family activity we will be doing some household chores together! The purpose of the activity is to help teach your kids that God is for us! Take a simple household chore this week like folding the laundry or weeding your flower beds. Pick one of your family members to perform the chore by themselves. Help your kids see that while you could still fold the laundry or weed by yourself, how much more helpful it would be to have mom or dad help you. This is like the passage we talked about this week, Matthew 11:28-30. We talked about a yoke. Taking Christ’s yoke upon us doesn’t mean there won’t be hard times ahead in our lives or lots of work(chores). But the promise we do have in having a relationship with God is that he is with us. No matter what hard things we go through in this life, God is with us and God is for us.