Missionary Renegade: The Daily Devotional from The First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States from Monday, 22 February 2016 to Sunday, 28 February 2016 Sermon theme: "Worth the Sacrifice" by Craig Brown Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

Monday, March 7, 2016

The Daily Devotional from The First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States from Monday, 22 February 2016 to Sunday, 28 February 2016 Sermon theme: "Worth the Sacrifice" by Craig Brown Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

The Daily Devotional from The First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States from Monday, 22 February 2016 to Sunday, 28 February 2016 Sermon theme: "Worth the Sacrifice" by Craig Brown Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8
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Scripture Text to read: Text to read: Psalm 63:1 (0) A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y’hudah:
2 (1) O God, you are my God;
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.
8 (7) For you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8
Verse 1
[1] O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
Early — Heb. in the morning, Which implies the doing it with diligence and speed.
Thirsteth — For the enjoyment of thee in thy house and ordinances.
Flesh — The desire of my soul, is so vehement, that my very body feels the effects of it.
No water — In a land where I want the refreshing waters of the sanctuary.
Verse 2
[2] To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
To see — To enjoy.
Power — The powerful and glorious effects of thy gracious presence.
Verse 5
[5] My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Satisfied — When thou shalt fulfil my earnest desire of enjoying thee in the sanctuary.
Verse 9
[9] But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
Shall go — Into the grave.
Verse 10
[10] They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.
Foxes — Their carcases shall become a prey to wild and ravenous creatures.
Verse 11
[11] But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
The king — I who am already anointed king.
Every one — That sweareth by the name of God, in truth, and judgment, and righteousness. Every sincere servant and worshipper of God.
Shall glory — Shall rejoice in my deliverance.
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Daily Devotionals:

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

In one word, why do you worship God?
Reflect and pray silently over that word.

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

Read Psalm 63:1-8.
What emotions do you sense here?
How are they expressed?

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

What are your emotional responses to God’s grace and love?

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

When you are in worship, how do you feel?
Should your feelings play a part?

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

What relationship does gratitude have with worship?

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

How is worship a “sacrifice?”
What makes it worth the sacrifice?

Text to read: Psalm 63:1-8

Pray for those who are forced to worship in secret today.

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The First United Methodist Church
2111 Camino del Rio South
San Diego, California 92108, United States
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Sermon Story "Seeking God" by Gary Lee Parker for Sunday, 28 February 2016 with Scripture Text to read: Psalm 63:1 (0) A psalm of David, when he was in the desert of Y’hudah:
2 (1) O God, you are my God;
I will seek you eagerly.
My heart thirsts for you,
my body longs for you
in a land parched and exhausted,
where no water can be found.
3 (2) I used to contemplate you in the sanctuary,
seeing your power and glory;
4 (3) for your grace is better than life.
My lips will worship you.
5 (4) Yes, I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
6 (5) I am as satisfied as with rich food;
my mouth praises you with joy on my lips
7 (6) when I remember you on my bed
and meditate on you in the night watches.
8 (7) For you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice;
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We read here the call of someone like King David that he desires to seek God and be satisfied with what God has given to him. we are able to cry the same prayer for our lives and the life of the church, but too often in our desire to seek God, we seek the security that the world offers by being exclusive of people who are different than we are. We learn to seek God not only for us individually but for all people we live and come in contact with in our daily lives. The people we come in contact with could be people who are black and not white, different cultures, the poor and even the wealthy, the people who are immigrating from lands to to violence, poverty, and drought, the people who happen to have different sexual orientation than we do, and people who happen to have some kind of disabilities whether from birth or disease or war wounds or age. We seek God to find ways to be more inclusive to all people in our local congregations that we will see Heaven on earth rather than Hell. Lord, we come today to seek your ways for us and our church as we take and eat the Body of Jesus and drink His Blood through the Holy Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. Too often we have to seek God in confession of our sins against others and even ourselves which is sinning against God. We come to receive God's Power and Strenght for our lives and His church singing the Hymn "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" by Joseph M. Scriven, 1855
1. What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
2. Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
3. Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
4. Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised
Thou wilt all our burdens bear;
May we ever, Lord, be bringing
All to Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright, unclouded,
There will be no need for prayer—
Rapture, praise, and endless worship

Will be our sweet portion there.
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Gary Lee Parker
4147 Idaho Street, Apt. 1
San Diego, California 92014-1844, United States
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The Daily Devotional from The First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, United States from Monday, 29 February 2016 to Sunday, 6 March 2016 Sermon theme: "Worth the Sacrifice" by Craig Brown Text to read: Romans 12:1-2 and Philippians 3:12-14.
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Text to read: Romans 12:1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. and Philippians 3:12 It is not that I have already obtained it or already reached the goal — no, I keep pursuing it in the hope of taking hold of that for which the Messiah Yeshua took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I, for my part, do not think of myself as having yet gotten hold of it; but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind me and straining forward toward what lies ahead, 14 I keep pursuing the goal in order to win the prize offered by God’s upward calling in the Messiah Yeshua..
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John Wesley's Notes-Commentary for Text to read: Romans 12:1-2
Verse 1
[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
I exhort you — St. Paul uses to suit his exhortations to the doctrines he has been delivering. So here the general use from the whole is contained in the first and second verses. The particular uses follow, from the third verse to the end of the Epistle.
By the tender mercies of God — The whole sentiment is derived from Rom. i.-v. The expression itself is particularly opposed to "the wrath of God," Romans 1:18. It has a reference here to the entire gospel, to the whole economy of grace or mercy, delivering us from "the wrath of God," and exciting us to all duty.
To present — So Romans 6:13; 16:19; now actually to exhibit before God.
Your bodies — That is, yourselves; a part is put for the whole; the rather, as in the ancient sacrifices of beasts, the body was the whole. These also are particularly named in opposition to that vile abuse of their bodies mentioned, Romans 1:24. Several expressions follow, which have likewise a direct reference to other expressions in the same chapter.
A sacrifice — Dead to sin and living - By that life which is mentioned, Romans 1:17; 6:4, etc.
Holy — Such as the holy law requires, Romans 7:12.
Acceptable — Romans 8:8.
Which is your reasonable service — The worship of the heathens was utterly unreasonable, Romans 1:18, etc.; so was the glorying of the Jews, Romans 2:3, etc. But a Christian acts in all things by the highest reason, from the mercy of God inferring his own duty.
Verse 2
[2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
And be not conformed — Neither in judgment, spirit, nor behaviour.
To this world — Which, neglecting the will of God, entirely follows its own.
That ye may prove — Know by sure trial; which is easily done by him who has thus presented himself to God.
What is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God — The will of God is here to be understood of all the preceptive part of Christianity, which is in itself so excellently good, so acceptable to God, and so perfective of our natures.
Philippians 3:12-14
Verse 12
[12] Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
Not that I have already attained — The prize. He here enters on a new set of metaphors, taken from a race. But observe how, in the utmost fervour, he retains his sobriety of spirit.
Or am already perfected — There is a difference between one that is perfect, and one that is perfected. The one is fitted for the race, Philippians 3:15; the other, ready to receive the prize.
But I pursue, if I may apprehend that — Perfect holiness, preparatory to glory. For, in order to which I was apprehended by Christ Jesus - Appearing to me in the way, Acts 26:14. The speaking conditionally both here and in the preceding verse, implies no uncertainty, but only the difficulty of attaining.
Verse 13
[13] Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I do not account myself to have apprehended this already; to be already possessed of perfect holiness.
Verse 14
[14] I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Forgetting the things that are behind — Even that part of the race which is already run.
And reaching forth unto — Literally, stretched out over the things that are before - Pursuing with the whole bent and vigour of my soul, perfect holiness and eternal glory.
In Christ Jesus — The author and finisher of every good thing.
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Daily Devotionals: