Clever Free Methodist

I don’t think anyone who has faced being ridiculed or slandered has found it to be a pleasant experience. An attack on our worth or enduring a heated or unkind statement meant to hurt our feelings can be painful and crushing.   Dignity! That is a very important word. It is important because everyone has it within their possession and it is a gift to be honored and guarded, but not thrown away. Dignity is defined as “the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.” This is a quality that should be found within all Christians as they see all others as equal in worth and value in the sight of God.   God created us in His image which makes us all equal in worth and value. When we evaluate ourselves, we know we are not greater or less than any other person. We can be assured of being unconditionally loved by God. Psalm 139:13-14 , “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.   I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works ar

The Methodist denomination holds to the teachings of John Wesley and the grace of Sanctification. As followers of Christ, we should be growing, improving, and maturing in our faith, example, and reflection of Jesus.  The Free Methodist Church says, on Sanctification , in the Book of Discipline (Paragraph 119), “As believers surrender to God in faith and die to self through full consecration, the Holy Spirit fills them with love and purifies them from sin. This sanctifying relationship with God remedies the divided mind, redirects the heart to God, and empowers believers to please and serve God in their daily lives.”   That speaks of an ongoing battle between our natural tendencies to “please self” or to become more holy to “please God.” Galatians 5:24 , “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires.” By “the flesh,” the Bible refers to our fallen human nature.  When battling the “flesh” it must be remembered that both heart and mind n

  The Bible can definitely capture a wide range of our emotions as we read. Sometimes, that emotion is more of a convicting “sting” that suddenly stops me to think much deeper. In fact, I had to literally stop reading and forego the rest of the passage to do study and research on the particular verse that struck me so powerfully. One such verse came from a daily devotional reading that referenced a particular Scripture verse. It was Revelation 3:2 , “Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.” This strong message to the Church in Sardis got my attention.   After just a short study, I realized how this connected to other warnings to keep alert. Hebrews 3:12, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.” Then also, the warning of 1 Corinthians 10:12 , “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that