ORANGE —
I sat on the sofa with my wife and friends watching the Houston Texans lose to the New England Patriots.
It is always hard to watch when “your” team is not playing well. My wife had to go outside to cool off, but I tend to stay and until the bloody end. I guess I am more of an optimist.
I wonder if God sits on a couch and watches us as we go through our daily lives. Cheering when we do something that gives him glory, or if there are times when God has to go outside and cool off, when we fall short of what God knows we are capable of accomplishing.
That usually happens when we get things out of order. John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare the way for the Savior. His message for us to prepare for His coming, was not to put up Christmas lights and decorating a tree, or to make lists of what we want. John’s message to us was to prepare the way by putting things in their right order. To repent.
I have a GPS that I use in my car. Sometimes I will not make a turn that I am instructed to do and the irritating voice will say, “recalculating.”
The time of repentance is a chance for us to recalculate and rearrange the way we go about our lives.
I am reading a wonderful book titled, I Am Second. The book jacket caught my eye. “Addiction. Racism. Prostitution. Fame. Divorce. Rejection.”
The challenges the men and women faced in this book are not new or easy or “religious”. They are just real; very, very real. And they’ve found a hope that is equally real – an answer to their frustration, their inability to change themselves, their self-destructive attempts to find peace and happiness. They are here to tell you that change is possible. Joy is possible. It’s not a crutch or a myth, because they are living it every single day. If you or someone you love has forgotten that people can change, that peace is available, or that you are loved, be inspired. Be encouraged. . . . There is so much freedom in saying “I am second”.
On Wednesday, December 19 at 6 p.m. at First United Methodist Church’s chapel on 6th Street, we will offer our “Blue Christmas” service for those struggling with life this holiday season. If that is you, then you are invited to come and find peace.
Religion
Recalculating the lives we live
- Religion
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Doubt
My professor Dr. Fred Craddock, was the master at weaving the stories of his life with the gospel of Christ.
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Friendship, Eagle or Turkey
It has been said that if you have at least one friend in your life time you’re blessed.
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Where in the World is Good Old Dad?
One of the great personal struggles of the 21st century has to do with fatherhood.
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The Bible gives hope and optimism
“There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them.”
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Church calendar 6.15.13
Church events for the week starting June 15, 2013.
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Organized Mass Chaos expected to be big hit
Organized and chaos usually do not belong together.
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Stark Foundation acquires property, creates The Center for STARK Cultural Venues
On May 17, 2013, the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation acquired the property located at 602 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas, from the First Baptist Church of Orange, Texas.
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Assumptions
I go on hospital visits when church members are ill or when a loved one is having surgery.
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Numbers Made Holy
They’re downright scary, modern numbers I mean.
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Stand is what you do
What do you do when you mess up?
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Doubt
