2009 Lenten Devotional

8/12/2019 2009 Lenten Devotional

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Being Like

Jesus Means

2 9 LentenDevotional Guide

Prescott UnitedMethodist hurch


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Lenten Devotionals

ntis the time of year when we prepare

our hearts for the days preceding JesusChrists death on the cross on Good

Friday and culminating with His gloriousresurrection on Easter.. We cry out,The Lord is Risen! and respond withHe has Risen Indeed!

To share out walk during these fortydays, many members of our churchhave shared their feelings on this yearstheme, Being Like Jesus Means . . . .

We want to thank every contributor

for sharing your thoughtful messages inthis years Lenten Devotionals.

ob and Mary Ellen Dyer


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My Compass ddison HawleyBeing Like Jesus means can be completed as either a statement or a question.

Those who know me will be certain that I will view it as a question. As a statement, it islimiting and guides our thoughts to current views. As a question, we are directed to abroader view including what others think and maybe even a really close examination ofwhat Jesus demonstrated during his visit here on earth.

For some 2,000 years untold volumes, including many different versions of the Bible,

have been written about who Jesus was, what he said, what he meant, what heaccomplished, what we should believe, what we should question, what we should do andnot do and how we should approach others relative to our beliefs about the foundation ofthe Christian faith.

To answer the question, Being like Jesus means.? requires that I assimilate someof this vast store of knowledge. But the strongest basis for my answer must be drawn frommy trip of discovery as I have sought the foundation for lifes guiding principles. Iacknowledge that I have not defined my final destination and that foretells a trip still inprogress. As it continues, as it must, I will find comfort with where I am but feel a strong

need for a reasonably good compass going forward. The following thoughts are the eightprimary points of my current compass as I seek a final answer to what Being like JesusMeans.?

1. The details of beliefs are non-critical to the basic beliefs.

2. The World has both good and evil and good will prevail, if defended.

3. Love is the fuel that generates understanding and acceptance.

4. Faith is the foundation of Hope and Hope is the promise of tomorrow.

5. Forgiveness is hollow if left unpronounced.6. Prayer is most rewarding when done one-on-one with God.

7. Compassion and empathy are the starting blocks of giving and service.

8. Grace shared is Grace received.

As each step is taken, the compass points may be refinedbut the goal B e i n g L i k e J e s u s ! must remain.

Prescott United Methodist Church Being Like Jesus Means 2009 Lenten Devotional Booklet


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I W ou l d ol l ow Jesu s irginia Williams

The Gospel of John affirms: ForGod so loved the world that He gaveHis only begotten Son that whosoever

believes in Him shall not perish buthave everlasting life. This son,named Jesus, became the worlds firstChristian missionary as he pro-claimed: I am the Door; the Light ofthe world; the living Bread; the Vine;the Way, the Truth and the Life; theResurrection. I want to follow Jesusbecause He reveals that He is the Wayto God, our Father.

As adult learners, we may be

growing in some comprehension ofthese pronouncements by Jesus. Aschildren we found simpler statementssufficed: Jesus loves me; this I knowfor the Bible tells me so. In betweenchildhood and maturity some of usthought we didnt need Jesus (orGod), as we were enveloped in auniversity atmosphere of intellect-

ualism, would-be cynics, sophisti-cates; or we lost Him in our love ofmaterialism, humanism, success or

just indifference . . . or even, perhaps,in some churches that omit Jesus.

In these crucial days, many ofus feel a hunger to know Jesus more

fully, to return to our rootsto haveJesus as real to us as when we werechildren. Also, we yearn to discover

meaningful ways to worship Him and

feel His presence in our everydayliving. In His Sermon on the Mount,Jesus shows the way for us to connectwith Him: We must be poor in spirit,pure in heart, hunger and thirst afterrighteousness, be a peacemaker,willing to be persecuted for His sake .. . be a light for other persons so theywill praise our Father in heavenand

be a servant of love so that God willbe glorified through Jesus. I want tofollow Jesus because He gives specificmaxims for living our Christian

journey.

While these are virtues to liveby, being a follower of Jesusbeing a

Christianisnt something we do forHim or for other persons . . . It is

something He does to and in usbecause, when we accept His love andforgiveness and put our faith, trustand love in Him, Jesus becomes notonly our best friend but the Lord ofour lives, our companion throughouteach day. If lifes load becomes tooheavy to bear, He carried the burden

when we call upon Him. This gives usan extra measure of Grace for ourtravel alone or in community. I wouldfollow Jesus in joyous moments andalso in the darker hours of my lifes

journey. Blessed assurance! I wouldrather have Jesus than anything thisworld could afford to giv

Prescott United Methodist Church Being Like Jesus Means 2009 Lenten Devotional Bookle


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od s I n H i s H ea venerry ackson The situation, as outlined to my dad, was explainedlike so:

There was a train operated by a brakeman,fireman and engineer whose names were Jones,Smith and Walker, but not respectively. Riding onthe train were three passengers named Mr. Jones,Mr. Smith and Mr. Walker.

Mr. Smith lived in Detroit and the brakemanlived halfway between Detroit and Chicago.Walker beat the fireman at billiards.

The brakemans nearest neighbor was one of the passengers who earned twiceas much as the brakeman, who earned $2,000 a year.

The passenger who lived in Chicago has the same name as the brakeman. Mr.Jones earned $3,000 per year.

Who was the engineer?

Such a set of circumstances tends to boggle my mind, in that theshallowness of my thinking knows no depth. So, conveniently, I prefer not to fiddlewith the riddle. In fact, I dont even tackle crossword puzzles because of thefrustration involved in not being able to come up with the right words. However, Iposed the above conundrum several years ago in a column, and a fellow churchmember, Don Wigal, readily came up with the answer. You see, Don is himself anengineer, although to my knowledge he has never operated a locomotive and hismotive is not loco, as they say south of the border. (Please forgive me thatreference; I simply got carried away.)

But, back to my dad and that rascally riddle. He had no earthly idea as to whatthe answer might be, but he had a heart bubbling over with joy at the time because

it was December of 1945 and my brother, Gene, was safely home from the war afterserving as an Army medic during fighting in the Solomons and the Philippines. Andso, after giving the riddle a mere modicum of thought, Dad penned this little poem:

My mi nd is al l m udd led; I cant seem t o kn ow Who i t was pul l ed the thr ott l e and made th e tr ain go. But here at th is Yul etid e, th e Peace Flag un fu rl ed, Gods sti l l in hi s heaven; al l s ri ght wit h th e wor ld !

Might I add a humble Amen! and prayer for a Middle East repeat performance?



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JESUS bySpecial Deliveryean PhillipsHe was a boy when it appeared that he was somehow special.

He turned the tables as he grew and was uncommon special.

In later years he spoke and taught with words and wisdom special.

He gathered followers to preach his faithful message special.

And when strong faith developed,

disciples, too, were special.Until predictions set him free by painful test so special.

His sacrifice declared ahead, his dedication special.

The lasting life of Jesus love indeed, for us, is special.



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Being Like Jesus Means . . . at Unkenholz

In June 2009 the church of my childhood will celebrate its 100thyear

of proclaiming the Gospel. Those 100 years encompassed many drasticchanges in fortune, from grinding poverty to its present-day oil-well

wealth.

Many fascinating stories are being shared as centennial committees

are delving into the annals of history. Not the least of these is the record

book of the Official Board minutes over the years.

Some entries during the Great Depression years bring a smile to our

lips:

The church treasurer reported a bank balance of forty-four cents.

The decision was made to oil the church floor and this would

take place after choir practice, with each choir member

contributing ten cents to purchase the oil.

The Pastors salary for that year was set at $600. (Thats not a

misprint!)

What does this say to us in 2009? Even in times of severe economic

recession, Gods people remained faithfuloften giving at great

sacrifice. The fruits of their sacrifice have been multiplied many timesover. This happens today as well!

It brings to mind Jesus teachings on the giving of

two copper coins by an impoverished widow whose

gift Jesus said surpassed that of the rich who had

given out of their plenty.

There is a challenge here for us as we reflect on

dedication and sacrifice. Let us be like Jesus in our

total commitment.



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He Emptied HimselfRev Stan Brown

Have this mind among yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus,who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God

a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servantPhilippians 2:4-7

Being like Jesus means to make self-sacrifice the foundation of our perspectiveon the world. What a harsh term: self-sacrifice! At first hearing there seems to benothing beautiful about it. But the beauty comes in seeing the blessing others can

receive by our acts of love and kindness. The beauty is in the discovery of beingat-one with God.

From Nazareth to Jerusalem the life of Jesus was centered on giving himself toothers. There were times he could not even eat for the pressure of crowds needinghis attention. There were times he attempted to take his small prayer group on aretreat for needed refreshment, but the crowds followed with their demands. Heeven retreated to other provinces to escape for a respite (Caesarea Philippi,

Phoenicia, Decapolis, and Bashan) but each time he was recognized and set uponby persons in need. In every situation he gave his attention and energy to theimmediate need and gave up his own time for R & R.

Of course, the supreme act of self-sacrifice was when He gave his life up totorture and death while being consistent to love and unwilling to compromise thewill of God. Here is the rub that confronts us. Love in a world of hate is going tosuffer, and even get crucified. To deny myself andgive myself up to the requirements of Love is the final

stage of being like Jesus. I cant speak for you, but itis a commitment I hesitate to make. In this Lenten

period I need to search my mind, soul and heartregarding the sacrifices I need to make if I am to belike Jesus. By Gods grace I will have the courage my

Master showed as he prayed in Gethsemane, Father,not my will but Yours be done.



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Being like J esus means being a servant eorge M RandleFor even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

My late friend, Bert Slater, operated an auto parts store in the community that wasmy first parish in Arizona. In bold letters on a sign in the back of his store were thesewords:WE SELL MERCHANDISE, WE GIVE SERVICE.It was the soundest ofcommon sense. It should be the first principle in everyday business life. Our experienceis that it often isnt.

In the Kingdom of which Jesus often spoke, the standard was that of service. EvenJesus, himself, thought of himself as a servant.

Halford Luccock has reminded us that we enter the world in a passive voice. We are

acted upon before we act. We are loved before we love. We are served in all kinds ofways before we serve. Jesus implied that the rulers and potentates believe they areentitled to live in the passive voice . . . being served, waited upon, always receiving, nevergiving. In our own culture we are encouraged to work hard, become prosperous andachieve a consistent rise in status in which we become a boss, maybe even the president.Strangely enough, Jesus will not even let us be a servant to a selected clientele. Heimplies that we are to be a servant of all.

In his book,Creative Ministry,Henri J.M. Nouwen wrote, Teaching becomesministry when the teacher moves beyond the transference of knowledge and is willing tooffer his own life experiences to his student; a new liberating insight can come about and

real learning can take place. Preaching becomes ministry when the preacher movesbeyond the telling of the story and makes his own deepest self available to his hearers,so that they will be able to receive the Word of God.

Being a servant, then, means that the old adage is true; The gift without the giver isbare. Becoming a servant suggests that our lives are on the line. Jesus said that hislife was given as a ransom for many.

Let Charles Meigs poem be our prayer:

Lord, help me live from day to day In such a self-forgetful way

That even when I kneel to pray

My prayer will be for Others. Others, L ord, yes, others

Let this my motto be; Help me to live for Others

That I may live like Thee. Amen.



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Make SureThey Know

Serah elis

. . . Just as you did it to the leastof these who are members of my

family, you did i t to me.Matthew 25:40

I spent last summer in the parkmingling with and really getting toknow the homeless people, many ofwhom you see at our soup kitchen.

Taking being like Jesus veryliterally, I tried to discern what theabove words really mean. I usuallycontribute to local organizationswhich assist the poor, but viewingdid as the past for do, I came torealize that always using amiddleman didnt make me feel that Iwas actually doing anything.

So I spent last summer withPrescotts poor and homeless,spending about ten or fifteen hours aweek hanging out at the Courthouselawn where they are in warmweather. The one rule I set formyself was that I wouldnt give orlend any money.

Thats not what they really

desired anyway, as most of themreceive some sort of small checkeach month. Of course they couldpool funds and rent a permanentplace to stay, but homelessness is asubculture, a need-based lifestylepredicated on hard lives and bad

breaks. Many are mentally ill andhave fallen through the cracks. So I spent hours getting to knowthem, their stories of how they gotwhere they are, why they have no

contact with living relatives. I gaveaspirin to those with headaches,listened to problems about poorlyfitting dentures or slow-healingsores. I scratched up something tocover those who had fallen asleepafter sundown. Being handicappedmyself, I commiserated with manyhaving similar problems.

They slowly began to reciprocate,buying me a Coke or a cup of tea;someone always finding me a coatwhen I was chilly. They are the realpeople, as they would like to beacknowledged. Next time you pass ahomeless, often grubby person, dowhat Jesus would do. Look them inthe eye and smile, or say hello. If

youre offered a hand by one ofthem, take it.

They are different; make sureyou see them as equal. Make surethey know you do.



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Being like Jesus means . . .Jack otsenpiller

When I first heard this topic, I immediately thought of an old book titled In His Ste p s,written by Charles Shelton (1897). I got this book as a Christmas present from my

Grandma Sarah Hotsenpiller in 1935. I was 11 years old.

My dads mother was a very religious person. She and Grandpa would live with us for

six months or so, and then with my aunts the rest of the year. I remember that if I said

Darn, she would say, Now, Jackie, thats a cousin of the other word. No beer drinkingfor Dad, no card playing, etc. But I loved her.

I dont remember reading the book, for that was 74 years ago. However, I still havethe book. It must have made an impression on me, since it has gone with me everywhere

Ive moved in all these years. I havent read it for a long time, so I went to the bookshelf

and took it down, blew the dust off and opened it up. On Page 6, I found this quote:What does following J esus mean?

It is a fictional story of a pastor of the First Church of Raymond. A down-and-out

character calls at the parsonage, asking for help finding a job. The pastor treats himpolitely, but turns him away. This character shows up a t the church Sunday morning,

comes up at the end of the service and makes a speech. He tells his story about losing

his job and not being able to find work. He says he gets puzzled when he sees so many

Christians living in luxury and singing, J esus, I my cross have taken, all to leave and followthee. Whereupon, he keels over. The pastor takes him home and cares for him. The man

dies on Saturday night in the pastors house.

The pastor is, of course, shaken up by his death, by his story and by caring for him for

a week. In church, on Sunday, there is quite a crowd because of what happened the

previous week. At the end of his sermon, the pastor challenges members, saying, I wantvolunteers from First Church who will pledge themselves earnestly and honestly, for an

entire year, not to do anything without first asking the question, What would J esus do?

and then follow J esus as exac tly as he knows how, no matter what the results might be.

He asks those who agree to meet him after the service. Quite a group meets with him,and some agree. Of course, questions arise: How do we know exactly what J esus would

do, etc. The pastor says that one has to do what one believes He would do.

The rest of the story is about various members of the church and their experiences

and troubles trying to do what Jesus would do. As the stories unfold, each person has to

dec ide for him or herself what path is the right path. I dont really know why I have kept this book all these years. It must have meant

something to me; maybe even means something to me today.

Each of us, when faced with a situation, must ask this question and then dec ide what

to do. I cannot tell you, nor can you tell me what the right steps to take are in each

situation.

PRAYER: Dea r G od , help m e to d o w ha t I b el iev e Jesus w ou ld d o,

no m a t te r wha t the c onseq uence s. Amen .



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Walking Humbly ay eeley On the bulletin board above my desk at

work, I kept a prayer. The prayer asked

God to free me from the need to be the

center of the Universe and the desire to

be in control of everything. It was a prayer

that I would trust and respect others

opinions and ideas even when they did not

coincide with mine; that I would be honesteven when it was uncomfortable. The

prayer went on to ask God to restrain me

from the need to be right and instead to

walk humbly as a servant to those I meet.

Jesus valued relationships. To me,

experiencing Jesus is knowing the joy of

touching, or being touched, in

relationship, by other human beings.

Being like Jesus is acknowledging how

grateful I am to be a part of a church

community that allows me to contribute,

that nurtures me, challenges me, and

admonishes me when I am not like Jesus.

Being like Jesus means taking care of

business todayand trusting that He willtake care of tomorrow. Being like Jesus

means getting up every morning, thanking

Him for another day and asking what He

wants me to do with that gift of time.



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BEING LIKE JESUS means . . .loving all creatures, whether human or of the field.ean Phillips

Our every action should

be compassionate and

considerate, but minding thetongue is one important

philosophy toward temperate

behavior and respect for

others.

Jesus example leaves

no question as to proper

outreach for the comfort ofthose less fortunate or of

nonhuman nature. Being pure

of heart can only bring

blessings to the disciple who

honestly seeks the path of

truth and love initiated by

Jesus in a ready world of longago.

R

ES

PEC

T



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He Is Our MentorAnn G Ross

I believe that to be like Jesus we need to study his teachings as foundin the accounts of his ministry in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and

John. Jesus was, as we would say today, their mentor. I feel that I could

do no better today than to make him my mentor. While searching throughthe gospels, I found an interesting message in Matthew 23, verse 23,where Jesus tells his followers not to be like the Pharisees who obey someof the teachings of the law, but not the really important teachings such as

j u s t i c e ,m e r c y , and being l o y a l . These are things I need to practice as wellas Jesus attributes of compassion and empathy.

We can never be just like Jesus; however, our goal is to try to be morelike him.

Luke tells us in chapter 6, verses 27-36, that Jesus tells us to love our

enemies, do good to those who hate youpray for those who are cruel toyou. Verse 36 tells us to show mercy to one another just as our Father inHeaven shows mercy to us. How very difficult this is for us. We must prayalways for Gods Spirit to help us do this. Luke chapter 6, verse 37, relatesthese words of Jesus: Dont judge other people, and you will not be

judgedforgive and you will be forgiven. We need to keep asking forGods Holy Sprit. Verse 10 in chapter 6 tells us that everyone whosearches will receive. The one who searches will find, and everyone whoknocks will have the door opened.

In John chapter 14, verses 23-31, Jesus comforts us and tells us totrust in God and in the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send to us in

Jesus name. Verse 27 tells us dont let your hearts be troubled orafraid. May we receive Gods Spirit and rejoice in our Savior J e s u s as weremember his death and celebrate his resurrection

Quotes are taken from The Everyday Bible,New Century Edition clearly translated for Life.



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Living Like Jesus Means . . .. . . L au g h in g a n d B e i n g J o y f u l Larry hristensenOn th e thi r d day a wedd i ng took pl ace at

Cana i n Gal i l ee. Jesus mother was ther e,

and J esus and hi s di sci pl es had al so been

i nvi ted t o the weddi ng.J ohn 2:1-2 NIV

What image does a wedding reception suggest to you? Laughter?

Music? Singing? Dancing? Whoopin & hollerin? Practical jokes? Miles ofsmiles? Hugs and kisses? Fantastic foods? Pleasurable beverages?

According to the gospel of J ohn, it was just such an occasion that setthe stage for J esus first miracle. However, we tend to focus on thephenomenon of water being turned into winea high-quality, top-of-the-line fermented juice of the fruit.

In the culture in which J esus grew up, a wedding was a social event of

great magnitude and consequence. Perhaps we should examine the

character traits of a person who would bring joy and merriment to thecelebration and save the host from embarrassment and disaster.

In J esus, Man of J oy,author Sherwood Wirt states, J esus was a man

of such j oy, such mer r im ent , such gl adness of Spi r i t, such fr eedom and

openness th at h e was ir r esisti bl e.Based on the lingo and culture of theFirst Century, J esus had a sense of humor and overflowed with joy during

his walk on earth. Without a doubt, a sense of humor and the confidenceto be lighthearted are traits to be celebrated and adopted on our journey

through life. According to the gospel of J ohn, J esus told his disciples the nightbefore his crucifixion, I have told you th ese th i ngs so that you w i l l be fi l l edwi th joy. Yes, your joy wi l l over fl ow! (J ohn 15:11, NLT) To live like J esusmeans demonstrating not only the joy ofknowingJ esus, but also

displaying the joy ofJ esus everywhere we go and in everything we do.



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B ei n g l i k e Jesu s m ea n slydene Rice

Seeing the world through His eyes,Let humility be reflected in us.

Seeing need and filling it,Being free with nurturing, encouraging words.

Pray often; listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit,Being thankful and accepting Gods answer.

Let anger go, as it is a stumbling block to our faith,Forgiving generously, giving freely, loving unconditionally.

By our actions, bring Glory to our Father in Heaven,Looking forward to being with our Heavenly Father forever in paradise.



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Being like Jesus means... ick Unkenholz

Feeding the hungry - as in helping withthe Granite Creek Feeding Program.

It means providing clothes for the poorlyclad, through the efforts of Open Door.

It means ministry to the widows,widowers and the lonely through StephenMinistry.

It means blessing the children around usthrough Sidewalk Sunday School and KidsCare.

It means going to all the world, whetherto neighbors in Caborca, orphans inEthiopia, or the homeless in New Orleans.

It means visiting the ill and thehospitalized as many Prescott United

Methodists and their pastors do on aregular basis.

It means the Angel Tree ministry to thechildren of prisoners.

It means showing outreaching love indaily activities and contacts with family,friends and strangers.

And being obedient to the call of a God

who thinks each of us to be gifted andimportant.

It means facing life with the attitudeexpressed in Frances Havergal's hymn: "Iam listening Lord, for Thee, what hast Thouto say to me?"



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Being Like Jesusoan Sprain Being like Jesus means

to me that our world must

change in many ways and,hopefully, our nation can

be the leader. We have

forgotten the message He

has delivered to the

people: Love one

another.(1 John 4-7);Nation will not take up

the sword against nation,

nor will they train for waranymore.(2 Isaiah 4);

Share your food with the

hungry.(58 Isaiah 7).

Our nation is involved with the problems of today recession,

depression, national debt, budget cuts. The list could go onforever. These are real problems for our country and they do need

to be addressed. But let us not forget that other countries are

suffering too, many of them more than us.

We have made a start with a new president. Who would havethought we would ever have a black American president? Let us

start with that.

With courage and wisdom, let us reach out to the world with

open minds and open hands, and start a new plan; one that feedsthe hungry, reduces disease, protects our environment and

eliminates war.

This can be accomplished if we renew our faith in Jesus and

follow His teachings.



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Being Like Jesus Means . . .Concern For Your Fellow Human Beings hris Orth

This phrase reminds me of our churchs ChristianEducation Director in California, who handled our youthprograms, and her willingness to counsel all us straysouls, no matter how much time or at what time of day ornight we needed her help.

Millie was a lady who considered it her job not only to ensure that allthe children and youth in the various church programs received the proper

education in the Christian faith, but also to be sure that we all had healthyand meaningful life experiences. She organized an evening program withthree other churches in the community (Independent Baptist, Presbyterianand Christian Church), along with the United Methodists. We would rotateeach week among these churches for our programs. The result was that westarted being very comfortable in discussing our own faith and in hearingother understandings of what it meant to be a believer.

But Millie did not stop there. She encouraged all of us to be tolerant,especially with individuals from foreign countries, as well as finding theyoung people that needed a little extra care. She ensured that children

who were not familiar with American sports would get the necessaryfundamental training, such as in basketball, and be included on the churchteam. They would be encouraged to travel with the team and be allowed

to play in league games, maybe for only a few minutes, but nevertheless bemade to feel a part of the team.

When older youths or recent graduates went job hunting, she wouldcounsel them in writing resumes. When one recent grad needed a costlymedical evaluation, she found and arranged for it at an affordable cost.She, together with her husband, stood in as parents of the groom at hiswedding when his parents were unable to attend. In this particular case,she and her family even hosted the rehearsal dinner at their home.

Throughout her life, she continued to stay in contact with all those inthe groups she touched. Even when she became quite elderly and startedto lose her sight, for a while she was able to write letters herself. Then her

daughter took over the writing for her, as she dictated, to be sure that weknew she still was there for us.

The commitment, to always be there and to serve her fellow humanbeings, definitely fits the phrase, Being like Jesus . . .



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Being Like JesusA Tribute to Evelyn Moore

ddie Mefford

Evelyn was and is a pastor by profession. She served parishes in Canada and I have beenfortunate to have shared and enjoyed many of her delightful and often funny tales of her pastoralexperiences. She is also an outstanding musician and served PUMC as organist for many years,retiring due to health issues. Her chosen professions to serve God and her sisters and brothersmake her a candidate to Be Like Jesus. But I would like to share a deep, dedicated, caring partof this special lady. Evelyn had a neighbor, Gary Aldridge. Gary was diagnosed with terminal cancer and givenabout four weeks to live. Evelyn had her share of health problems but because Gary was so illshe made a point to go over to visit, read from her prayer book and serve communion. She madeGary and his wife Jan a promise to write a letter everyday. Her first letter was written October 13. 2007. Evelyn is a beautiful storyteller and her first letter

told of a young man that performed a puppet theater at PUMC the Sunday before. It also con-tained a wonderful spiritual message telling Gary, What we can know is that eye has not seen,nor has ear heard, neither has it entered into the mind of man the things that God has preparedfor us in the heavenly realm. We can be sure it will be wonderful. If God has made this earth sowondrous, what wonders await us in heaven. Each day Evelyn wrote a letter. The letters told of dreams, experiences and natures beautiesbut every one had a wonderful spiritual message. Each was a mini-sermon. She often drew littleillustrations. Her letters were so meaningful to the Aldridges. Jan saved each one carefully, andshe and Gary looked forward to the next days letter. Evelyn never failed to write as shepromised. Gary did not just live four weeks; he lived 89 days. His last letter was dated January 9,2008. Letter 90 was written to Jan and Renee here on earth, and Gary with our Lord Jesus inheaven. She wrote:

He has put on invisibility:Dear Lord, I cannot see, but this I know

That though the road ascends and winds out of my sightThat there will be no night;

And thou wilt guide him there as hereAnd thou wilt hold him dear.

How comforting those words had to be. She reassured the family that she knew Jesus waspresent in Garys room and that it was safe to trust your life to his care. What loving dedication.How like Jesus. Jan made a promise to her beloved husband, Gary Aldridge, that she would take all ofEvelyns beautiful letters and have them made into a book. The book is beautiful, the lettersmeaningful and moving. Evelyn gave one book to the chancel Choir of PUMC, Both leaders andfollowers, with gratitude and love always. I have the great honor of being the Trustee of the bookEach week I read aloud one of these wonderful short sermons to the choir. They are wonderfuland I am blessed for this opportunity. I would be delighted to share reading some of her letters toany of you. Evelyn is a very special lady and Jesus has blessed her and us for having been a part of herlife.



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It Takes Patience

Submitted by lydene RiceThe Lord gives his people strength,the Lord blesses them with peace.

Psalms 29:11

One day, while in the mountains, I stood up at an enormousspruce tree. Its tip reached up to the sky like a church steeplepointing up to God. Birds and squirrels had made their nests inits wide-reaching branches.

For many years, it has grown there, unmoved by summersheat or winters storm. With its roots pushed deep into the heartof the mountain, it seemed to say, Here I stand.

Lord, I want to be like the tree, I prayed, a strong shelterin the middle of lifes storms, unshaken and giving praise to you.How can I be like this tree?

Thats when I noticed something lying on the ground. Some-one had dropped a lapel pin. Written on it were only two words:

Practice Peace.

Strength and peace come from abiding in Christ.

fromA Cup of Comfort



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H e W a s a am bl er T ooRev Stan Brown

And they crucified him, and divided hisgarments among them, casting lots

for them, to decide what eachshould take.Mark 15:24

One of my favorite poets is G. A. Studdert Kennedy. He was a chaplainin World War I, and while suffering with his fellow soldiers in the trenches

he wrote some very soul-searching verses. Many are fitting for our Lentenmeditations, but the following in particular reflects our theme, Being likeJesus means It suggests that going to the cross of sacrifice for othersrequires a huge amount of trust in Almighty God. To be like Jesus is really agamble, that the Father God will use our sacrificial acts for the ultimategood of others. Here is how Chaplain Kennedy said it:

And sitting down, they watched him there, The soldiers did; There, while they played with dice, He made His sacrifice, And died upon the Cross to rid Gods world of sin. He was a gambler too, my Christ, He took His life and threw It for a world redeemed. And ere His agony was done, Before the weltering sun went down, Crowning that day with its crimson crown,

He knew that He had won.



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Can I Lear n

to Follow?Margaret awley

Being like Jesus meansforgiving. Jesus showed us the ultimate inforgiveness as he hung on that terrible cross and said thoseunforgettable words: Father, forgive them, for they know not whatthey do. So, surely this is a side of his character we ought to emulate.I think about and wonder what I would have done if I had suffered allthe pain and indignities of that day and event.

I think I probably would have been railing at those who wereresponsible for this happening to me, and forgiving them never wouldeven have been considered.

And, yet, there it is, and again we are to pray for those whodespitefully use us. I cant remember being despitefully used, but Ican remember times that I have been the target of words that werehurtful, even though they may have been warranted, even from a

person I loved. However, knowing that they really loved me, I wouldforgive and forget.

Peter asked Jesus: How often shall my brother sin against me and Iforgive him? As many as seven times? Jesus said to him: I do not sayto you seven times, but seventy times seven. There is really no way Ican ignore that mandate. I will try to remember and follow, follow,follow.

Prescott United Methodist Church Being Like Jesus Means 2009 Lenten Devotional Bookl


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Attempting to Be Like Jesus oug Iverson

Being like Jesus would mean, first of all, having tremendous motivation, and anunderstanding that it was something one ought to strive toward no matter the risk.

This would have nothing to do with sin, with the threat of hells-fire and damnation, orwith doing good works, but because one had received the gift of Gods grace andinexhaustible love.

Most difficult, it seems to me, is to be the peacemakers Jesus calls us to be, inour families, at church, among our wider circle of friends, and on behalf of our nationand world.

Jesus said, You have heard that it was said to love your neighbor and hate yourenemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that

you may be sons and daughters of your Father in Heaven. Instead of being conten-tious, how often am I willing to be a good listener? In a society where it is oftenthought foolish, am I willing to be a conscientious objector? Should I, should we, becalling our church to be the conscience of our nation rather than its servant, out oflove for a nation that sometimes needs to be put right. I am, I believe, certainly calledto have the courage and conscience to do so. Scripture reminds us to beware of thepowers and principalities, those forces in any country, for instance, who will sendtheir young men and women to war, even pre-emptive war, fully conscious of howmany of them will come home irretrievably damaged and often ignored and forgotten,or not come home at all. If the carnage of repeated warfare, where one war gives life

to the seeds of the next, is to be stopped, who better to begin the process than thosewishing to be like Jesus?

We are no longer fighting one another with club and sword, but with nuclear armsthat threaten to annihilate us all, as we stray further and further from Jesus intent forour lives. World War II General Omar Bradley said, We have grasped the mystery ofthe atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount. The world has achieved brilliancewithout wisdom, power without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants andethical infants. We know more about war than we know about peace, more aboutkilling than we know about living.

If I am even to attempt to be like Jesus, and if we Christians are to stand for morethan the status quo, it seems to me we need to move away from ideas like peacethrough war, and the idea of overcoming fear through domination. As always, weneed to love our neighbor, whomever our neighbor might be: the impoverished, thedown trodden, the HIV/Aids orphans. Jesus said that, along with loving our God, sumsup the law and the words of the prophets.

Difficult, yes. Impossible, maybe. However.

Prescott United Methodist Church Being Like Jesus Mean 2009 Lenten Devotional Booklet


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I Want to e Like Jesus irginia Williams

I would be like J esus . . .

But what was J esus like

When He preached in the Temple,

Fed the multitude on the hillside,

Healed the man who was blind,

Talked with the woman at the well,

Forgave another woman caught in sin,Mourned for his friend Lazarus

(The Bible said, He wept

shortest verse in the Bible)?

Throughout the ages artists have tried to portray Him

Through the prism of their understanding.

The painting closest to my heart,

A portrait entitled The Compassionate C hrist

By an unknown American artist, Fern Beckham,

Reveals a loving countenance with the suggestionOf a smile . . . and a tear drop in each eye.

The picture hangs on a wall of my bedroom

Where I see it first in morning, last at nighttime.

I would be like J esus

Loving, forgiving,

Strong in faith, tender in heart,

And in that light of life Ill walk

Till travling days are done.



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Leigh owning I love the question, What Would Jesus Do?

I miss seeing those remind-er bracelets. The

practice of asking that question has the potential

to bring about a profound awareness in our

everyday lives. Our world would be quite a differ-

ent place if all human beings not only asked

themselves that question, but followed the

guidance from Jesus teachings.

I was deeply moved last month when our daughter, who is a freshman in college, told me that

when she is faced with a problem or a question, she asks herself, W.W.M.M.D.? Meaning What

Would My Mom Do? Oh, my! Hearing that took my breath away. Then I realized I ask myself the

same question! I checked with mom, and she still asks that question, even though her mom diedseveral years ago! What a wonderful legacy of love and security and wisdom.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart; Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my

heart.

I love that verse from an American Folk Hymn in our United Methodist hymnal called Lord, I

Want to be a Christian.How can this intention affect our everyday lives? Are there steps we can

take, signposts pointing the way to God, guidance at our fingertips? Yes, right here in the Bible,

Book of Matthew! Printed in red are quotations from Jesus. Here are some marvelous examples:

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. (Matthew 5:12)



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What It Means

To Follow JesusEldon rown

First of all, I rejoice in our Wesleyanheritage which provides us, not withdoctrinal statements to believe, but withguidelines for faith and practice. We take

seriously Pauls admonition to work outyour own salvation. So, necessarily, this iswhat it means to Eldon to follow Jesus.

For me to follow Jesus, it seems to methat I must know myself, this one and onlyin all creation me, with my particular andpeculiar interests and gifts. And perhaps Icannot really only know myself until I findthat something or someone bigger thanmyself to follow. Thats where Jesuscomes in. However, in order to followJesus one must also know as much aspossible about Jesus and his teachings.

There is a humongous difference,for me, between Jesus as interpreted byGraeco/Roman/Western culture and thatMiddle Eastern, Aramaic-speaking Jew.Wondrously, in spite of that difference, his

core message comes across the same:What must I do to experience that qualityof Eternal Life that goes on forever? Well,What is the Great Commandment? To

love God with all ones heart, soul, mindand strength and to love ones neighbor asones self. I cant help wondering howdifferent the Church would be if we simplyfollowed Jesus.

For me, the strength to begin and tolive this journey of loving God and neighborcomes from following Jesus. This does notmean riding on Jesus robe-tails. It meansto nurture my own relationship with Godthe way he did, that I might be open toGods yearnings for me the way Jesus wasopen. And how to do that? One of the mostcurious and disturbing pieces of the Gospelstory is that, in spite of their asking aboutprayer, there is no mention of the disciplesever actually praying. When the disciplescould not cast out demons, Jesusinstructed them, This kind of healingcomes only with much fasting and prayer.The implication is obvious. It seems thatevery time he turned around, Jesus wentoff to be alone with God in prayer. Yet,even to the last, there in the Garden, whenhe asked the disciples to await him as heprayed, with sweat rolling down as blood,he went back and found them asleep. Icant help wondering, are we yet asleep?

Finally, I must confess that followingJesus in loving God has seemingly comeeasier for me than loving my neighbors,since God first loved me, and they dont

necessarilyand they includes all Godschildren, and especially the poor andimpoverished, the starving of body andsoul, the marginalized and powerless, thelost and imprisoned. It actually scares meto think of what it means to take up yourcross and follow me in loving all Godschildren. Self-sacrifice is not one of myfavorite phrases. Pray for me.



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` u r Pr a yerGene Shaffer Ph.D

O G od your sea is so great and ourboat is so small. We know your hand is on the tillerguiding us through the tempest of sn andstrife. Fill our sails with your love and under-standing; direct us to that distant shore offorgiveness and peace. Fill our cup with your bounty as weshare with others; allow the Power of Loveto overcome the Love of Power in thismisery-filled world. O pen our eyes and allow us to see thetrue glory of your mercy; stay with us as wewalk with your crucified son. Help us to rededicate our lives in serviceto our church and to our fellow man at thistime of Lent.



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W h a t I t M e a n s t o M e t o B e L i k e Je su sEldon rown Since, as an adult, I began to know Jesus, I have been convinced that to be likeJesus would mean that I would so challenge my faith tradition and my secular culturethat, by the time I was 33, I would be crucified. The conclusion is well-evident. Ihave been much more comfortable being more like Peter who followed him from a

distance.(Matt: 26:58).

However, as I have shared before, the only way to even begin to be like Jesus is toget to know Jesus as well as possible. For me this means using every tool of culturalresearch and language to get to know Jesus in his Middle Eastern/Hebrew setting, andthen spending time with Jesus in prayer and meditation, Scripture and the results ofthe best research available. That means sorting through everything Ive been taughtaboutJesus, to see Jesus and to listen to Jesus himself. So, for me, being like theJesus I have been getting to know means spending enough time in prayer getting toknow, experience and internalize the unconditional love and forgiveness of God for all

Gods children, and then seek to let them know. Good News!

It means opening my heart to Gods a g a p e love that wants and works toward thebest I can possibly imagine, and more, for others. It means telling and showing othershow much they are loved, that their sins are forgiven, that no human sin is biggerthan Gods forgiving love. For me, Paul is in tune with Jesus when he says, The letterof the law kills, but the Spirit gives Life.(2 Cor. 3:6) It is to hear Jesus say, Thesabbath was made for you, not you for the Sabbath.

It is to care more for whats on the inside of a personthan for outward show. It is to include in my love and

care those who are outcasts, scorned, stigmatized, poor,lost, homeless, hungry, imprisoned, powerless, the leastof these, he says, and the oppressed by the -isms andfalse gods of our culture. To some degree, that probablyincludes all of us.

To be like Jesus is to be willing to work and possiblysuffer and die for a cause greater than myselfin thewords of Jesus, the Kingdom of God, which meansallowing God to work in and through me to bring ashalom kind of peace on earth. To be like Jesus is to bean agent of healing and reconciliation. It is to invite

everyone to my tablethose with whom I disagree, myenemies and Judas. It is to awaken to my true identity asa Child of God. In short, to be like Jesus is to be fullyhuman, fully alive. By the Grace of God, I am on TheWay that leads through all Eternitybut following froma distance.



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hyllis Rhyner

Hello J esusI hope you dont mind my asking, but who are you?

Oh, Ive read about you in the Bible and I know your

story. Or, at least, I think I know some things about

you. It can be so confusing, with everyone having a

slightly different slant on how you happened to come

to the Middle East and all the things you did way

back 2,000 years ago. Our Bible has been translated

so many times. Did someone leave out somethingthat was very important?

Your work and your paths were both spiritual and

political, from what I understand. Paul came after you

died/ascended, and he has some very specific things

to say about you. It looks like Paul wanted everyone

to acknowledge you. But I keep wondering about

those people here on earth that have no knowledge.

Am I to believe that they are not Gods children, too?

The one definition of God in the Bible says that God

is Love. I like that God is both a noun and a verb. I

read that you are Lord. Recently I read a definition of

lord as the law, which makes sense to me. Your path

was a way, a set of specific rules to find heaven. And

you also said that the Kingdom of Heaven is within

(us). So, it looks like I dont have very far to go.

Our task for this Lenten Devotional has been to find

out how Being like Jesus means . . . Thats why I

wanted to ask you, Who are you?

With hugs and my love,

E

SUS



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irginia Williams

To Jesus With Love

Your Way, Jesus, is LOVE!

This I know because the Bible tells me so.

But I have seen much love-in-action lately;

In a hospital setting, for example, I saw

An elderly gentleman holding a little childs hand

And ever so gently humming the tune

To Jesus loves me, this I know;

Two little girls, fighting, fell on a schoolyard nearby,

One girl, turning, helped the other one rise,

Wiping the dirt from the other girls skirt;

A busy woman drove far out of her way

To bring me home just yesterday

And came on in to my little house

To cheer and bless me and just talk.

Oh, the world is full to overflowingWith little deeds of kindness that could only come

From your Way, Jesus, that you showed and taught.

Help my eyes to see your love everywhere around me, Lord,

And to share my heart and hand with those that may despair.



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Sourceo nspration Jo nne Pauls

Jesus Christ has always been my Source of Inspiration. He was

crucified on the cross and freed me from all sins. I want to be an inspirationto all people . . . To be kind, loving, asking, listening, forgiving, to freelygive and freely receive and give praises, to name a few, and not give in tohatred.

Jesus touches and leads me each day with such love. Life may not bewhat I planned and hoped for, but while I am here, I let Jesus lead the wayand walk by Him in faith until we come to that beautiful realm of Heaven.

Paul writes in the 8thchapter of Romans:

that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Chri st Jesus, Our Lord.

Thank you, Jesus, for all your blessings and for being with me each daydown lifes highways.



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Being Like Jesus Means ddison Hawley

Baptized

Earthly

Infinite

Nurturing

Godly

Lovable

Incisive

Kind

Empathetic

Justice

Enthusiastic

Sacred

Unbiased

Sensitive

Merciful

Equable

Adherent

Noble

Serving



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eth Cottle

In todays world, having trust can be rather challenging. It seemsthat so often, people are only in it for their own benefit. In fact, if youare too trustworthy, others may deem you as nave or gullible.

Trust is one of those feelings that we are nearly born with. As soon asour little shriveled bodies enter this world, we have to trust that someonewill take care of us. As we get older, we can lose that trust. People maydisappoint us. Our hearts may get broken. Sadly, it seems that the peoplewe trust the most are the very people that abuse that trust. Sometimes iteven feels like its God who betrays us. God has blocked my way so Icannot move. He has plunged my path into darkness. (Job 19:8)

So we get bitter. And cynical. And thus begins a vicious cycle of livinga life with our hearts closed, and we drift further and further away fromGod and who God wants us to be.

Except thats not living. You cannot fully live if you are afraid. Ive

learned that the opposite of love is not hate, its fear. Its the fear ofsomeone hurting us, or taking away something from us. How we can openour hearts to God and others if we keep our hearts protected and closed?How can we learn to trust again?

How can we learn to trust likeJesus? Since we lack trust because weare afraid of being hurt, we need tolearn to open our hearts to love. Weneed to conquer fear so we can trust.

And like Jesus, we need to trust in Godand know that he will keep us safe andprotected if our trust in others is everbetrayed.

Trust

Prescott United Methodist Church Bein Like esus Mean 2009 Lenten Devotional Booklet


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Jesus and the Hidden Nature of Authentic Faith ob Fiske

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

(Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34b, Luke 9:23) Jesus says, come after me. But what does it mean to follow Jesus?

I am reminded of an old comedic routine wherein a man says to a group of people, Walk this way.He walks off in a certain direction with a limp and all the others walk behind him . . . also with a limp!

Is this what it means to follow Jesus, to mimic his every move? Is this what it means to have the kindof faith and trust in God by which he lived? Is it enough simply to ask, What would Jesus do?

I find it strange, when we speak of following Jesus, that we hear so little said about the teachings ofJesus regarding the nature of faithfulness to God, especially as recorded in that which is referred to as theSermon on the Mount in Chapters 5-7 of the Gospel according to Matthew. We have a lot to say in ourchurches about how Jesus loves us, the good works we are doing as a demonstration of our

discipleship, the need to practice our piety by being seen in regular public worship, putting on a lot offanfare in that which we call our praise of God, or by trying to remake ourselves into more morally perfecthuman beings. I wonder, though, if this is all that it really means to follow Jesus. Is this the onlysubstance of the kind of faithfulness to which Jesus calls us as his disciples and witnesses?

Whether the Sermon on the Mount actually happened the way it is recorded in Matthews Gospel isirrelevant. The significance of the teaching is found in that which is actually said about the nature of faithas understood and taken seriously by Jesus. If we read carefully what he says, he reveals that genuine faithis rarely easily demonstrable. There is, rather, a kind of hiddenness in a faithful relationship with God. Ifwe are truly faithful in following Jesus we live as incognito christs.

Take, for example, what he says about practicing piety before others (6:1),or giving alms (6:2-4).

Or, how about what he says concerning prayer (6:5cc), or fasting (6:16-18), or a number of other humanactivities. Clearly, there is something peculiarly radical about faithfulness as Jesus sees it which is noteasily recognizable. It has to do primarily with not drawing attention to ourselves in anything we mightthink, believe, say or do, but truly giving all glory to God.

It is easy for us in life to seek importance as human beings in wealth, status, intelligence, physicalstrength, good works, piety, good looks, liberal or conservative thinking, privileged positions insociety, popularity, or almost anything else we can lay our hands on or to which we put our minds. Jesus,on the other hand, recommends to us the kind of hidden faith by which we are to see our importance ashuman beings in only one reality, the reality of Gods unconditional love for us and all of creation.

In other words, being truly faithful comes through self denial. The crosses we are to carry may notbe visible crosses such as that upon which Jesus was put to death, but are more likely those which are

carried silently throughout our journey of life as the persons we are, trusting in the One who breathes LIFEinto us. Out of this faith often comes, as it was for Jesus, a concern for those who seem to have the leastimportance, such as the poor, the sick, those in jail, the demon possessed, minorities or anyone elseliving on the margins of society. Out of such faith comes also a concern for every person we encounter,friend and stranger alike, whom we are to recognize as respected children of God. Out of such faith, too,often comes resistance to those with political or economic power or privilege who use their position tofurther primarily their own self-serving aims and purposes, rather than the common good.

If this is truly what it means to follow Jesus, if this is the kind of hidden faith in God to which he callsus, I dare you to try it! While perhaps not visible to anyone else, it will be in praise of God!

Prescott United Methodist Church Being Like Jesus Means 2009 Lenten Devotional Bookl


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B eing l ike J esus meansshar ing our God given gi ft s

to car e for others. ill Price Two Bible verses come to mind: Put on then,as Gods chosen ones, holy and beloved,

compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness andpatience. (Colossians 3:12), and Carry eachothers burdens and in this way you will fulfill the

law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2). These two versesare the favorite of Stephen Ministers. Stephen

Ministry is based on the idea that all Christians

are ministers. The responsibility for passing on Gods love is for all Christians, notjust the chosen few. God has given us all gifts for ministry and called us to putthose gifts to use. Stephen Ministry is a place to discover those special gifts and usethem to bring Christs love to people in need.

We all have our special and unique God-given gifts. Sometime those gifts are

unknown to us or difficult to discover. Wouldnt it be nice to know those gifts atbirth, and to grow and mature along with them? However, our Lord has sent each ofus on a personal journey of service and discovery. Perhaps it is through servingothers that we discover our blessings. I believe that if we discover our blessings, wethen discover our gifts. Stephen Ministry is a meaningful way to serve others in a

distinctively Christian way and can serve as an opportunity to discover ones giftsand talents.

I have been told that one of my gifts is to make people laugh. I enjoy laughing

and good humor, and some laughter in everyones life may be important andhealthy. But how could I use this gift in my care-giving ministry? It is difficult forsomeone to laugh when he or she is grieving the loss of a child or a spouse, is

awaiting major surgery, is hospitalized or is depressed. Yet, with time and healing,the Care Receiver can learn to cope, participate in and enjoy the light side of life.Laughter can be part of the healing process as the Care Receiver is able to sharesome laughter or joy.

Nonetheless, for me the best gift of all is the gift of sharing Christs love andconcern for others. Such a wonderful gift! This is the one gift all Christians share. I

hope to share this love everyday through my one-to-one caring relationships. Howdo I do this? I try not to solve problems; but rather by listening, caring, praying and

helping the care receiver find his path to healing and wholeness.

Yes, serving as a Stephen Minister has given me unlimited opportunities to carefor others and to know God and to glorify God. In the mercy, grace and love of ourLord Jesus Christ, I am grateful.



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eing Like J esusIn PrayerRev Stan Brown

He appointed twelve, designating themapostles, that they might be with him

and that he might send them out to preachand to have authority to drive out demons.

Mark 3:14-15

One morning Jesus climbed the hill toa favorite place for prayer, inviting a selectgroup of followers to go with him. After theyhad spent some time up there in prayer, hespelled out what their assignments wouldbe if they accepted his invitation to be hisdisciples. See the text above.

I am impressed by the order of thingshere. This is not at all the way I prioritizemy life most of the time. I usually jump intothe second and third items on Christsagenda, the busy stuff, and overlook whatfor Him was the priority: to be with him. It

should be obvious that on this assignmenthangs the power to accomplish the othertwo. We must be withthe Source of powerbefore we are enabled to live the life of theservice for the Kingdom of God. The Sonof God knew this applied to Him as well,and the importance of this is seen when westudy the verses in the Gospels that referto His prayer life.

There is where we are on the horns ofa dilemma. How can we be with Jesus onthat peaceful Galilean hillside when thefretful concerns of family and society pressin upon us? There is a ready answer, if inthis Lenten season we are willing to make

the commitment.

1) Become a faithful participant in aweekly small group, where Bible study,prayer and personal sharing are theagenda. If you cannot find one, then startone by inviting others to join you.

2) Establish a private time with theBible and prayer at least a majority of thedays during the week. Of course, the onlyway to do this is make it a priority, and

carve out the time of day or night mostreasonable.

3) Develop a time of familydevotions, perhaps around the breakfasttable if you are retired, or supper time ifyou are a working family. The Upper Roomis an excellent guide, followed by groupprayers and discussion.

4) Pray with other persons. Someof our most intimate times in the Presenceof God can be when we lead in prayer with

a sick friend, during a home visit whenspecial needs are expressed, at a hospitalbedside, during visits as a StephenMinister, or even at the beginning of acommittee meeting. The opportunities areendless.

5) Perhaps most important of allways to be with Jesus is to seek outsolitude. Turn off all incoming noise or cellphones, sit in a cozy place, or take a thirty-minute walk. A day in the wildernessalone is a good idea periodically as well.



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Being like J esus means . . .Guss ampbell

a joyous journey through the days of our livesSo sing the old hymn and read it slowly with Chas. Gabriel.

More like the master I would ever be,

More of His meekness, more humility;

More zeal to labor, More courage to be true,

More consecration for work He bids me to do.

Take Thou my heart,

I would be Thine alone;

Take Thou my heart and make it all thine own;

Purge me from sin, O Lord, I now implore,

Wash me and keep me . . . Thine for ever more.



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Being like Jesus means . . .im MesserschmittIn Jesus day, it was customary for a rabbi (teacher) to

surround himself with disciples (learners). It wasnt enough togain knowledge from the rabbi. The goal was for each discipleto be like the teacher.

New Testament teaching stresses that likeness to Jesusis the goal God has for each of us. With Jesus as our teacher,we learn to be Christ-like through study of the Word, worship,prayer, music, listening, sharing, witnessing, and serving.

All of us, not just a chosen few, are given theopportunity to be disciples of Christ, to follow in Hisfootsteps, to be forgiven when we stumble, and to be at Hisknee for eternity.



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Leaving Our Destiny To GodRev Stan Brown

The hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.Luke 22:21

One of the mind boggling stories we encounter during Lent is that of

J udas Iscariot, who struggled with his own life purpose and destiny. J esushad not followed the path J udas thought he should take, so this zealousdisciple took matters into his own hands. The story causes me to think ofthe times I had my plans all mapped out so sure that my way was theright way. Then when things did not work out, I wondered why God did

not cooperate.

When I was a young pastor serving a church in rural I llinois, I got it inmy head that I would like to do student work. About that same time aninvitation came to be the Bible teacher and chaplain at Rocky Mountain

College in Billings, Montana. It was all so exciting I accepted withoutmaking a prayer vigil and without listening to the contrary advice of mypeers. Taking my destiny, and that of my family, into my own hands Iuprooted them, left that congregation, and headed out to experience the

most traumatic year we had ever had. Without going into details, thewhole adventure was a fiasco and we came limping home a year later totake another church.

I am moved by the way J esus assures us that our destiny is safe withHim. We do not have to take matters into our own hands like some J udas

trying to force the hand of God. At the Last Supper Christ lifts the cupand toasts the future, assuring his followers that there is a plan and

purpose behind their trials and disappointments.

During this Lenten time it would be well to gather up all our plans anddreams and hand them over to the Father God, even as J esus did through-out His earthly pilgrimage.



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Being Like J esusiane Iverson

The very idea of being like Jesus requires more than a casualacquaintance with the one we would follow. After all, the same one

we call Savior turned over the tables in the temple and had a few

frank things to say to Pharisees. He was in fact gentle and

compassionate. He also said, "go, sell all you have and come follow

me." It seems the first task is to know Jesus. Perhaps the reason there

are so many denominations is that it is human nature to "be like

Jesus" in a sort of cafeteria style, wandering down the counter and

saying "I'll take mashed potatoes and the lemon pie, but I'm not

fond of turnips." Possibly, also, it is not meant that we puteverything on our plate, but simply accept the things Christ offers. If

Jesus gives me a serving of poverty in order to glorify him, I would

certainly be aware that Jesus himself was homeless. If he gave me

wealth, I would need to consider what his demands on that gift

would be as well.

The ultimate gift was his life, not just that he died for us, but

that he lived to show us a better way. The better way is the way of

love and service on this earth. It is the way of the one who speaks

out against injustice. It is the way of one who is reviled and betrayed.It may also be the way of death for some. I pray for this:

To be steady on the journey.

To keep my eye on the one whom I follow.

To accept the turnips with faith and grace.

To encourage others along the way.

To forgive myself and others.

To love lavishly and without conditions, as if the supply can't

be exhausted, because it can't.We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us

and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

How does Gods love abide in anyone who has the worlds

goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help?

1John 3:16-17

He

LaidDown

His

Life

For

Us



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The Tall OrderMargaret awley

Being like Jesus compels me to look at scripture toguide me. Who He was, and is, is defined by Hiswords and His works while He was here on earth, asrecorded in the Bible by those who knew himpersonally and by those who knew Him as we do,through someone telling us His story.

He was a teacher, a preacher, an encourager,healer, an admonisher, but most of all, a lover andforgiver of everyone, including (maybe especially) hisenemies. I have met a few people in my journey whoseemed to me to be difficult to love. So I looked for

exceptions, but there arent any. His two greatcommandments were to love God w ith all yourheart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbor asyourself. They were not suggestions, butcommandments. The ult imate act of forgivenesswas his words from the crossForgive them, Father,for they know not w hat they do.

Thus, it is a tall order trying to be like Jesus, andimpossible without His help. But w ith His help, wecan do all things, including loving and forgiving. So,from the words of a popular song, Try to rememberand follow, follow . . . and walk in and spread hislight and love in the world.



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Being Like Jesus

Means To Be A

Servantanet Reeves

Jesus was many things; He was a teacher,

He was obedient, He fed the hungry, and He

prayed to be in constant communication with

God. Jesus was also a servant to God, and we

can be servants to God in many ways just by

focusing on the various ministries right here

in the church.

Jesus set many examples of service. A

special one happened the evening before his

crucifixion. He got down and washed the 12

disciples feet as a lesson in humility and

service. I have set you an example that

you should do as I have done for you. I tell

you the truth, no servant is greater than

his master, nor is a messenger greater than

the one who sent him. John 13:15-16

Dont consider yourself too important to help somebody. Leaders in the

church should be servants. Jesus rejected the temptation of self-glorification,

knowing that the way of love is humility and servanthood. His concern was

not with recognition for himself, but recognition of God. Let us follow this

example and live for the love of Jesus, let us obey Him. To this you were

called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you

should follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21

For Jesus, the hour of His greater mission was approachingdying for the

sins of the world. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am,my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

John 12:26

The Lord wants us to follow in His steps. He wants us to be equipped to

teach, to lead, and to have the humility of Christ, to be a servant. Go and

serve God and serve each other with acts of kindness, compassion, and love!



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B ei n g l i k e Jesu s m ea n sDoreen N. Rickard Morrow

As for me and my household,

we will serve the Lord. -Joshua 24:15 I have been called upon by God many timesin my life to serve in various ways. My servicehas taken me as close as Prescott, Arizona, to asfar away as Pucallpa, Peru, and many points inbetween. The most recent was a calling to go ona mission trip last summer with twelve others toSanta Ana, El Salvador, and build classrooms.What was I thinking when I replied to an emailfrom my roommate I had on the trip to Peru bysaying, Yes, I would love to go? I wasnt really

thinking, I was following my heart on anotheradventure and life changing experience withGod as my tour guide and faith coordinator.

When we arrived at the San SalvadorAirport, I was a bit apprehensive and, yes I willadmit it, scared. That was all put to ease whenwe entered the gates of Iglesia Biblica de Elohimfor the first time to be greeted by PastorEduardo and the entire congregation. QueDios te Bendiga or May God Bless You

coming from the mouth of each person lookingat me with the abounding love of God in theireyes and the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Theirpassion and excitement for praising God theFather and His Son Jesus Christ were over-whelming and contagious as both spread intomy heart and soul.

I will tell you the work was hard. Themuscles pulling in my back from bending overthe handmade sifting screen for hours as myhands cramped up from grasping the piece of

wood custom-carved with a machete to fit myhand by my new friend and brother in Christ,Israel, gave me a true appreciation for thosewho do this on a day-to-day basis. That parti-cular work was done for the purpose of siftinglocal river sand into fine sand used to make theconcrete for the brick layers. The aching hands,swelling fingers and fatigue I experienced whileeither tossing bricks to the men who were

throwing them to the second floor, or catchingthe thrown bricks and stacking them while on

the second floor, soon went away when I sawthe progress we were making on the walls of thetwo classrooms that would hold the youngstudents as they learned of the word of God.

The cramped hands and scraped knuckles werejust momentary pains incurred while bendingsteel and attaching it to rebar with Charlie, myfriend and brother in God. The pain was soonforgotten when witnessing the steelreinforcements for the walls being put intoplace, holding the structure together. Someone

had said to me that the work I did with the steelwould be hidden and never seen unlike thebeautiful brickwork that was being done. Iknow that was true, but I told them to considerthis; the steel was the heart that holds all ofthose beautiful brick walls together, just as Jesusis the steel reinforcement that holds my blessedlife together. In looking back at the pain andaches I experienced while working on theproject, none of it can compare to the sufferingthat Jesus endured on the cross as he died for

our sins. The pain I felt was healed and soonforgotten unlike the memory of what my Saviorhad endured for me and all mankind.

Working together side by side, shoulder toshoulder and heart to heart with the people ofEl Salvador was truly a life changing experience.I was asked recently, When you get back froma thing like this, how long does it take to getover it? Honestly.never! I entrusted a pieceof my heart to the people of Iglesia Biblica deElohim to take care of while I got back to my

life here. I know they are taking gentle andloving care of it until I can go back to check onit. Please remember that we are all on this earthtogether, and brought into the lives of othersfor a reason and a purpose

My command to thee is this: Love each otheras I have loved you.-John 15:12.

To each one of you.Que Dios te Bendiga!



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what next?Pastor arol Mumford

Scripture reading: Matthew 9:18-26

Recently, some miracle stories

have caught my attention . . .

Theres the incident involving the

U.S. Airways pilot, Chesley Sully

Sullenberger, and the way all on board

that recent flight survived the crash

landing in the Hudson River. Thats a bigone, for sure, for the number of lives that

were saved.

Then a close friend of mine phoned,

excitedly, the other morning to share his

latest miracle story. Hed been hit hard in

the recent economic downturn, by losing

one job and experiencing severe

cutbacks in another. Because of limited

funds, he had enlisted to do some home

repairs himself, but unfortunately did not

have all the needed materials. He

desperately needed a couple of 2x4

boards.

Driving to work the next day, what

should appear in the road in front of him

but two 2x4s! As he evaluated the

situation, looking around to see if there

was any evidence of anyone anywhere,

there was nothing. The boards hadobviously been on the road a while, their

appearance revealed, and there was very

little traffic at the time. There were no

identifying marks. Acutely aware of his

need, he was ecstatic at what he saw as

a simple, unexpected and timely gifta

miracle!

My friend thanked God in recognition

of the blessing, as I am sure so many did

on the U.S. Airways flight. This reminded

me of how caught up Jesus always was in

miracle stories. There was the wine at

the wedding feast, the loaves and fishes,

the story of Lazarus, the woman at the

welland so many more! Jesus, the

miracle worker, seemed to be forever in

the midst of wonderfully and

miraculously healing and redeeming

situations, from the simplest to the most

dramatic.

For the people around himthen

and nowperhaps being like Jesusmeans to get caught up in those same

stories, but also to recognize miracle

stories when they happen to us, no

matter how small Maybe being like

Jesus means to have our eyes open to all

the miracles continually around us, those

wonderful things that are happening

virtually all of the time. For us, it is living

in an awareness of the way God worksactively in our lives and simply seeing the

blessedness of all creation and our place

in it, with Jesus by our side.

One woman simply touched the hem

of Jesus garment, we are told, and she

was healed. As we travel to the cross at

this Lenten time, we are reminded of the

ultimate miracle we might experience

the life-giving nature of the death and

resurrection of our Lord! Jesus wants us

there.

May we all be totally caught up in all

the miracle stories of Jesus that

continually surround us and to which we

can give ourselves. The Lord works in

often mysterious ways!



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Being like Jesus means . . .an Lynne

Praying long hourspraying and thinking daily about our own deepest needs and the

needs of others in our family, community, nation, and world?

Turning water into w ine

believing in the transformative power of love?

Turning the other cheek

using good listening skills and diplomacy instead of muscle or

military strength to solve problems?

Befriending lepers and eating with tax collectors

mingling with the homeless with their unwashed smells ?

the mentally ill with their incoherent stories?

neighbors that let their dogs bark?

gays? lesbians?

Turning over the tables of the money changers in t he Temple

being angry enough at injustices to speak out against greed and

policies that keep people poor or oppressed?

Loving ones enemies

loving and praying for Liberals?

Conservatives? Vladimir Putin? Osama bin Laden?

Living as Gods son

accepting Gods free gift of unconditional love for ourselves and

extending it to every person in Gods world?

Prescott United Methodist Church Bein Like esus Mean 2009 Lenten Devotional Booklet


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Loving Service ave Polhemus

It is difficult for me to see Jesus asa "God" figure. There is no way that I

could even pretend to be like him. Nor

can I see Jesus as a Miracle worker. I

can neither walk on water or change

water to wine. If that is who Jesus is, I

might as well give up now.

However, when I look at the life of Jesus,

the miracles fade into the distance and

instead, Jesus becomes a scope through which

I can see God. It is in Jesus that I can see how

God loves, how God cares, how God

challenges us, how God has dreams for us.

Almost anyone with a sense of beauty and

wonder can find God in creation. Any scientist

can find God in the mysteries of mathematicsand physics. Any anthropologist can find Godin the intricacies of the living things. The

mystics can find God in the contemplation of

the music of the spheres. But none of these

show God as a God of love. Not even in the

Old Testament writings can you find a God

who loves. God is one to be worshipped, and

approached with a sense of awe. In Jesus, we

find one who talks with God, using the lovingterm "Daddy."

In Jesus we find one who calls us to loving

service. Jesus models the person I would like

to be. This is what being like Jesus means.



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Warning ignsanet Reeves A while back I had a dishwasher that wasgetting old and began making clanging andrattling noises when I would run it. I knew that Ineeded to get it repaired. But I put it off for awhile, thinking I had plenty of time before the workreally needed to be done. This went on for severalmonths. As time went on, the dishwashers noises

became much louder. One evening as I wasloading it, I had hopes that it would run for onemore load since I had planned to call a repairtechnician the following day. So I ran it again, thesame as I had done every evening. It was clanging

and rattling just as it had been doing for quite some time. Then suddenly withoutany warning, there was silence. I walked into the kitchen, looked at the dishwasher,and saw smoke coming out of the vents of the dishwasher. The dishwasher wasbroken beyond repair, never to run again. You see, for several months I had ignored

the warning signs. Ignoring the warning signs cost me a dishwasher. Isnt it possiblethat to ignore warning signs may cost the gift of eternal life? We do not know whenour last day on earth will be.

There are all kinds of warning signs. There are warning signs to make us awareof danger such as slippery floor, children crossing sign, or do not enter whenflooded sign, etc. Fever warns us of sickness and infection. Physical pain can warnus that something is wrong with our body.

God sends us warning signs. Has God been sending you a warning sign aboutyour life? Is God telling you to do something you havent been doing or to stop doingsomething you have been doing?

Dont ignore warning signs from God. There is no guarantee of another day onearth. If you havent received Christ already, today is the day for your salvation!

Jesus loves you. He wants you to have purpose in life, forgiveness for your sin, andeternity with Him in Heaven.

The Bible says in John 10:9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will besaved. --John 14:2



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H o p e In T h e F a ce o f O u r M o r t a li t yRev Stan Brown

I consider that the sufferings of this present t

Documents

2009 Lenten Devotional