Deuteronomy 11-13 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 15, 2019 “NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” Moses calls for the total commitment of Israel to the God of Abraham: “And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, he will give the rain for your land in its season, the…Keep Reading

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. Pastors don’t create the message, but simply deliver it. As I write those words, I realize how important it is to preach the message with the best of my ability. The task of being a pastor and human is like being a shepherd and a…Keep Reading

Deuteronomy 8-10 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 14, 2019 “NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” Moses warns the Israelites: “Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you….Keep Reading

2 Corinthians 9:7 KJV Pastor Will Shewey – This Week’s Visit to Shades of Grace UMCwith a Link on This Page to Facebook’s Live Streaming of Sunday Services Wednesday, March 13, 2019 Posted by Pastor Will Shewey Today’s meal is representative of our diverse ministry at God’s Living Room. The food is donated today by Mormon, Baptist and Methodist. A true ecumenical mixture. God’s kingdom among us in a very…Keep Reading

Deuteronomy 5-7 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 13, 2019 “EASY TO QUOTE; HARD TO OBEY” A lawyer came testing Jesus: “‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And he answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all…Keep Reading

Proverbs 10:7 “The memory of the righteous is blessed” The U-Haul truck was packed and we had asked the parsonage committee to go through the parsonage to see that we were leaving it clean and ready for the next pastoral family. Bethany was a baby and Pat saw little fingerprints on the door. She started to clean them when a friend said, “Leave them there, they are memories.” They are…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware The Prescription The Cross of Jesus Christ The Cross of Jesus Christ is the answer to all sin-borne illnesses: 1. It evidences the wholeness of God’s Love. The Great Physician cares about us as no one ever could. (Romans 5:8) 2. It reflects sins accurate diagnosis. The Cross of Jesus Christ sees beyond masking symptoms to the exact cause of our human condition. (1 Peter…Keep Reading

Rev. Nate and Julie Ware A Memory of Our Grandson’s Childhood This morning as I was looking at the keys on the table, I remember Nate remarking that a person with a lot of keys is a person with a lot of responsibility. Josh was three years old when he picked up on that. He decided that to carry his papa’s keys around, would make him very important. So he…Keep Reading

Isaiah 46:9 “Remember the things of long ago, for I am God….” When I was a child at Pearisburg Elementary School they would call our bus number when it was time to go home: “Number 8, Bunker Hill and Around the Mountain.” How I loved hearing those words. Going home was a little trip to heaven for me. I remember when we first moved to the mountain. I was in…Keep Reading

Deuteronomy 3-4 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 12, 2019 “THE SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER” Moses said to the people, “The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All your men of valor shall cross over armed before your brothers, the people of Israel” (Deuteronomy 3:18). God had given the land to the previous generation, but they failed to go in and possess it (Deuteronomy 1:21-33). The land was…Keep Reading

Luke 22:28-34 “You are those who have stood by me in my trials….’Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” “Do not judge me by my successes. Judge me by how many times I fell down, and got back up again.” -Nelson Mandela There is nothing…Keep Reading

Deuteronomy 1-2 THOUGHT FOR TODAY, March 11, 2019 “JUDGING RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT” “Deuteronomy” means “second law,” but it is not an additional law, but a retelling by Moses of the events recorded in Exodus. It is a set of three motivational sermons, preached by Moses to all of Israel shortly before his death encouraging them to trust and obey God because of not only his power to keep his promises but…Keep Reading