The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Prayer Tip: Solomon’s Porch" for Sunday, 26 February 2017

The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. from The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, United States "Prayer Tip: Solomon’s Porch" for Sunday, 26 February 2017
Daily Scripture:
Acts 3:11 While he clung to Kefa and Yochanan, all the people came running in astonishment toward them in Shlomo’s Colonnade.
Acts 5:12 Meanwhile, through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people. United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo’s Colonnade;
14 and throngs of believers were added to the Lord, both men and women.
16 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Yerushalayim, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits; and every one of them was healed.
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds.
10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.
Prayer Tip:
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
That day about three thousand took him at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and the prayers. (Act 2:41-43)
I grew up in the church. When I look back at all of the lessons and hours that others poured into my growth and development I am amazed and I feel incredibly blessed. I was taught about God's love and how to love others. I sang songs and recited Scripture. I learned how to ski and (thanks to the older girls in my youth group) how to put on make-up and poof up my bangs. Obviously some lessons were more important than others, but they all influenced me greatly and helped me develop into the person I am today.
If you just go to church and leave every week you are missing out on connecting, growing in your faith and sharing in community with some wonderful people. Paul describes us as all being part of the body of Christ. I like to think of us as being a piece of a beautiful puzzle. Even if everyone finds their fit except for one person, the puzzle is incomplete and can never be as beautiful as if all pieces are put together. Also, no other pieces will fit where you are supposed to go. The puzzle is left with a hole that can’t be filled. I hope you search until you find where your piece fits.
Lord, thank you for blessing us with brothers and sisters in Christ and the invitation to be part of the church. Help us invest our gifts in others and help us connect with people we can learn from and grow in our faith.[Ashly Cooley, Counseling & Support Ministries]
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Sunday, February 26, 2017 – "We Are the Church Together 'Solomon’s Porch'”

Scripture: Acts 3:11 While he clung to Kefa and Yochanan, all the people came running in astonishment toward them in Shlomo’s Colonnade.

Acts 5:12 Meanwhile, through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people. United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo’s Colonnade;

14 and throngs of believers were added to the Lord, both men and women.

16 Crowds also gathered from the towns around Yerushalayim, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits; and every one of them was healed.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds.

10 Therefore, as the opportunity arises, let us do what is good to everyone, and especially to the family of those who are trustingly faithful.

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"An awe-inspiring quality of community" for Monday, 27 February 2017

Acts 2:41 So those who accepted what he said were immersed, and there were added to the group that day about three thousand people.

42 They continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in the prayers. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many miracles and signs took place through the emissaries.

46 Continuing faithfully and with singleness of purpose to meet in the Temple courts daily, and breaking bread in their several homes, they shared their food in joy and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having the respect of all the people. And day after day the Lord kept adding to them those who were being saved.

Acts 5:12 Meanwhile, through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people. United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo’s Colonnade; 13 and no one else dared to join them. Nevertheless, the people continued to regard them highly; 14 and throngs of believers were added to the Lord, both men and women.

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In one day, the early Christian community in Jerusalem went from about 120 members (cf. Acts 1:15) to roughly 3,120 members! What made that first Christian church so appealing? They certainly had an awesome truth to proclaim (“the apostles’ teaching”), a strong connection with God (“prayer”), and caring hearts (“demonstrated God’s goodness”). But it’s easy to skip over one aspect of their spiritual life so meaningful Luke named it twice. They “shared meals” (verse 42) and “shared food with gladness and simplicity” (verse 46).

• Pastor Lloyd John Ogilvie wrote, “Life together in the early church is described as breaking of bread and prayers. In order for people to be galvanized into oneness in Christ, it takes time to be together to listen to each other, care, and be for each other.”* In what ways has relating to others more deeply than you can in a couple of minutes after worship helped you to grow spiritually? How have you seen others grow in Christ through such times?

• What practical problems do you think these first Christians faced in growing into a true “fellowship” (e.g. Acts 6:1 showed one challenge they faced)? What appeals to you about the bondedness pictured in this passage? Our time and culture differ from theirs. How can the opportunities for fellowship and meal-sharing planned in our remodeled “Solomon’s Porch” building lead to a similar quality of life today as you see in this passage?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I’m tempted to think, “It’s just a meal.” Remind me of all the times you reached people’s hearts as you ate with them, and help me to value that more highly. Amen.

* Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 28: Acts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p. 74.

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"What God calls us to be the best at" for Tuesday, 28 February 2017

Romans 12:9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you — bless them, don’t curse them! 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be sensitive to each other’s needs — don’t think yourselves better than others, but make humble people your friends. Don’t be conceited. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but try to do what everyone regards as good. 18 If possible, and to the extent that it depends on you, live in peace with all people.

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The apostle Paul provided a portrait of what a Christian life should look like in this passage. Paul had never been to Rome (Romans 15:22-24), but he was aware from friends who had been there that Jewish and Gentile Christians had tensions about parts of the faith, even as they faced Roman enemies all around them. Paul offered advice on how best to interact with each other, and with people hostile to Christian faith.

• The church today has many enemies, though it’s usually expressed in more tolerant ways in the western world. Like the Christians of Rome, we cannot abandon our faith in order to repay evil with evil actions. In what ways have you blessed people who harass you? What does it mean for us today to “associate with people who have no status”? What role should these people play in the church?

• How can we best live out the love of others that Paul described in this passage? How can we live at peace with all people today, at a time when many political and social voices try to polarize us, and set us against one another? How have you fallen short of Paul’s counsel? How have you lived up to the wisdom he offered?
Prayer: God, open me to your Word. Bless my enemies. Humble me in all aspects of my life. Give me your wisdom and love, so that I may follow your commands to love others and live in peace with them. Amen.

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"We need each other to spark love and good deeds" for Wednesday. 1 March 2017

Hebrews 10:22 Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.[Hebrews 10:22 Ezekiel 36:25] 23 Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.

And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching.

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As Acts 2 reported, the very first Christians in Jerusalem formed a congregation that met regularly, shared life, and supported one another. As the gospel spread, Christians in other places also formed congregations, often more than one in each city. They knew they were part of something bigger than just their local congregation. But they also knew that they belonged, grew and served together in those local churches.

• Pastor Lloyd John Ogilvie wrote, “The final miracle of the Holy Spirit on that day of Pentecost was the birth of the church. You may wonder why I call that a miracle. It is because I know human nature. Next to the transformation of persons, the second greatest miracle is oneness with others who have been transformed.”* In what ways has the Holy Spirit helped you bridge differences and find oneness with other members of your church family?

• Think about the depth and quality of the connection you have with other people in your church. Is anyone on your “2 a.m. call list” if you faced a serious problem? Are you on anyone else’s list? That kind of connection never happens overnight; building trust takes time and shared experiences. How can you let the Holy Spirit deepen your friendships now, so that you are there to uphold one another through any of life’s storms? (If you need ideas about how to start, visit cor.org/connect/community-life.)

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for connecting me to your family. Help me to “spark” love and good deeds in others, and to be receptive to your sparks as they arrive in my life. Amen. * Lloyd John Ogilvie, The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 28: Acts. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983, p. 72.

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"The body of Christ—parts of each other, helping each other" for Thursday, 2 March 2017

1 Corinthians 12:12 For just as the body is one but has many parts; and all the parts of the body, though many, constitute one body; so it is with the Messiah. 13 For it was by one Spirit that we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

14 For indeed the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot says, “I’m not a hand, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I’m not an eye, so I’m not part of the body,” that doesn’t make it stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If it were all hearing, how could it smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged each of the parts in the body exactly as he wanted them.

26 Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.

27 Now you together constitute the body of the Messiah, and individually you are parts of it.

Galatians 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

6:1 Brothers, suppose someone is caught doing something wrong. You who have the Spirit should set him right, but in a spirit of humility, keeping an eye on yourselves so that you won’t be tempted too. 2 Bear one another’s burdens — in this way you will be fulfilling the Torah’s true meaning, which the Messiah upholds.

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The apostle Paul reminded his readers in Corinth that their varied gifts were not tools to outdo others in a quest for power or glory. Connected in Christ, they needed to depend on and support one another. To the Galatian Christians, he wrote that part of their God-given mission was to “carry each other’s burdens.”

• As Paul unfolded the metaphor of Christians as “the body of Christ,” he noted that our body parts do not envy or compete with another. Rather, as he wrote in verse 26, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it.” Who have you known who lived out that spirit as a member of “the Body of Christ”? How can you more fully honor both your own gifts and those of others?

• John Wesley built the Methodist movement by inviting people into a kind of life he called “watching over one another in love.” Are there people in your life with whom you have the kind of trust, candor and mutual support Galatians 6:1-2 describe? What concrete choices can make this a reality in the relationships you value most?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, so often the world around me says, openly or subtly, “It’s every man (and woman) for himself.” You call me to a very different approach to life. Give me the heart to live out your calling. Amen.

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"God’s family: living in peace, building each other up" for Friday, 3 March 2017

Romans 14:13 Therefore, let’s stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment — not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother’s way. 14 I know — that is, I have been persuaded by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah — that nothing is unclean in itself. But if a person considers something unclean, then for him it is unclean; 15 and if your brother is being upset by the food you eat, your life is no longer one of love. Do not, by your eating habits, destroy someone for whom the Messiah died! 16 Do not let what you know to be good, be spoken of as bad; 17 for the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, shalom and joy in the Ruach HaKodesh. 18 Anyone who serves the Messiah in this fashion both pleases God and wins the approval of other people.

19 So then, let us pursue the things that make for shalom and mutual upbuilding.

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We sometimes think “church” means a big building. Paul’s letter went to a group of smaller “house churches” in Rome (cf. Romans 16:5, 10, 15). Paul wrote to Roman Christians about disputes over food choices, urging “the strong” to care about and encourage “the weak,” rather than mocking or discouraging them. They didn’t always agree on how best to live their faith. We can differ on the details, Paul said. The central command is to love. Life in God’s Kingdom is about “about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

• Paul wrote that as Christians focus their spiritual walk on “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit,” they are able to stop sniping at one another. How easy or hard do you find it to lay aside a value system built on “being right” to live a life that seeks to lift up others? What helps you see whatever good things you have as gifts meant to bless others, not just to cling to for your own sake?

• “Stop judging each other,” Paul wrote directly. In what ways does that set a high, serious standard for how we relate to one another? Could it be seen as setting a “low” norm for acceptance, one even a woman taken in adultery or a thief on a cross could pass? Which do you find more challenging: the “height” or the “lowness” of Paul’s standard? 

Prayer: Lord God, only you are wise enough to judge the thoughts and intentions of each person’s heart. Help me release the urge to judge others, and instead to seek to live with all people in your peace and love. Amen.

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"Loving one another with God’s love" for Saturday, 4 March 2017

1 John 4:7 Beloved friends, let us love one another; because love is from God; and everyone who loves has God as his Father and knows God. 8 Those who do not love, do not know God; because God is love. 9 Here is how God showed his love among us: God sent his only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life. 10 Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins.

11 Beloved friends, if this is how God loved us, we likewise ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God remains united with us, and our love for him has been brought to its goal in us.

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As John wrote about how Christians treat one another, he likely thought about himself and Jesus’ other disciples. They jockeyed for position, and got angry with one another at times (cf. Mark 10:35-45). Over time, Jesus re-shaped their thoughts and actions. John knew that loving others with Christ’s love doesn’t spring from a naturally warm human disposition. It goes much deeper than just being “nice.” This kind of active love comes from the heart of the God of the universe. God loves us—that is the reason that we love.

• An unknown humorist wrote, “To live above with saints we love—ah, that will be glory! To live below with saints we know—well, that’s another story.” But John (and the other Bible writers) said that, in Christ, we are able to grow beyond that. Which people, inside or beyond the church, do you find it hardest to love? Read and pray through this passage, plugging in their names and faces. Ask God to help you live out God’s love even toward them.

Prayer: Dear God, you ARE love—what an amazing, mind-stretching truth. You know that it’s not quite as natural for me to love. Please keep loving me as I stretch and grow in my ability to reflect your love to others. Amen.

Family Activity: Jesus asked His followers to treat others the way He did. As a family, discuss your responses to each of these scenarios:

• A new person comes to your Sunday school class and doesn’t know anyone. 

• The person standing in front of you at the grocery store drops a dollar.

• Your neighbor is an older woman and lives alone. A storm comes and all her trash cans fall over.

Talk together about ways to be Christ-like in each of these situations. This week ask each other, “How did you follow Jesus today? Did you ignore an opportunity to serve? How can you do a better job being kind to others tomorrow?” Pray together, asking God to help you be a faithful follower of Jesus.

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Prayer Requests – cor.org/prayer Prayers for Peace & Comfort for:

• Karen McCarthy and family on the death of her mother Margaret Stewart, 2/22

• Craig Allers and family on the death of his father Alan Allers, 2/21

• Roger and Glenda Wright and family on the death of their daughter Kassandra Wright, 2/19

• Terrie Dalrymple and family on the death of her niece Kassandra Wright, 2/19

• Marilyn Brewer and family on the death of her cousin Rev. James Kimbrough, 2/18

• Judy Setley and family on the death of her husband Gary Setley, 2/15

• Brian Setley and family on the death of his father Gary Setley, 2/15

• Steve Campbell and family on the death of his father James Campbell, 2/15

• Betty Walter and family on the death of her brother Jack Goodman, 2/15
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13720 Roe Avenue
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