firstshreveport's podcast: Recent Episodes
First United Methodist Church, Shreveport
Missed Sunday service? You now can download the whole service of First United Methodist Church, Shreveport. Sermon led by Dr. Pat Day and worship led by dr. David Hobson with organist Ray E. Peebles.
If you have ever had questions of why we have a yearly Stewardship campaign at First Methodist Church Shreveport, then this is for you! From the difference of a pledge tithe and a regular tithe to which ministries need volunteers to continue, Wil Adams helps answer many common questions that come up during our Stewardship season.
It's hard to mention local missions in Shreveport without talking about the one and only Cassie Hammett! In this episode we talk about how Cassie was led into the mission field she's in, and how God is continuing to improve and expand her mission field.
This week we are blessed to get to speak to a missionary in the field of the Middle East. Due to safety concerns for he, his family, and missionaries in the field now we are not able to share the names and faces of the missionaries, but the stories of what God is doing is incredible! Please pray for the missionaries who have been called to the Middle East, and if you feel led, please reach out to our Global Missions Director, Vicki Sullivan, to find out how to get involved!
We are joined today by one of the most beloved members of staff here at First Methodist, and that is the one and only Ms. Billie! Ms. Billie goes over her childhood as a pastor's kid, having a passion for education, and how God led her to our church. We hope that you enjoy this conversation with one of the sweetest people here at our church!
Get ready for a meaningful testimony from one of our own, Craig Forsythe! Craig takes us from where God called him at a young age with a coin toss, to a military career in multiple branches, all leading to a position as a Chaplain in the military. This episode is going to present a window into the lives our military service members who are in need of support when living out their faith in the tough places God has called us.
Dr. Cheryl White is with us today to go over a pivotal point in our cities history, the epidemic of yellow fever. If you're a Shreveport native, or someone who's lived here any extended period of time, you'll have heard about the yellow fever epidemic that changed the course of our history in this area. There are many stories of unsung heroes that Dr. White covers, and we hope you enjoy this look into a fascinating time in our history!
Lee DuCote is one of the folks on staff who has a remarkable story of experiences in his life that led him to First Methodist. From leaving high school to work on a military site in the Pacific to Middle School Ministry volunteer in Franklin Tennessee, Lee's story is one of constant motion and faithfulness to God's direction.
Connie Pierson is one of the Stephen Ministers here at our church, and today we get to understand more about this ministry that's offered and led by our congregation. We will learn that the Stephen Ministry is not just for those dealing with grief, and how the Stephen Ministers are given ample training to help almost anyone in any situation.
Today we were blessed to have the great Dr. Ashley Goad join us to summarize her amazing life journey! We'll talk about what she was doing before she came to First Methodist, how God called her to be here, and how the Lord moved through Ashley to expand our Global Missions footprint. As you would expect, Ashley's story is one of constant reflection on how God is moving, and where He is calling her to go.
Dr. Mandy Storer is our First Beginnings Director, and today she shares her story of how God brought her to this position of leadership. As with most of our experiences as believers, Mandy's life has been an ongoing conversation with God of where He is leading and when to move. The obedience and willingness to lay down personal goals and comfort for God's plan is convicting, and we know that you will love hearing her story as much as we did!
Pastor Larry Otwell brings a testimony this week that is centered around a faithful response to God's calling. Pastor Larry is the Executive Director of the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission, and their objective is to serve the needy in our community, whatever that looks like. Whether it's someone who gets off a bus and has no where to go, to a person who is attempting to rebuild their life, the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission is here to serve with a Christ-centered focus.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
As we wrap up our focus on the missions parters who partner with First Methodist to bring the love of Christ to those in our community and around the world, we are transitioning to learn about the staff of our church that use their gifts and talents to serve as God has called them to.
We are starting with the one and only Michelle Osborn, Director of Local Missions! Michelle is the driving force behind how our church engages with our local community, and her heart for our community has led her to do great things. We will learn how Michelle came to be the Director of Local Missions here at First Methodist, and how she views her role as a servant leader. To continue supporting our missions locally and globally, please visit
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Within our community is a national treasure among those with special needs, or the caregivers of those with special needs, and that treasure is Holy Angles. Laurie Boswell, Executive Director at Holy Angles, sits down with us to talk about the work that they are a part of to serve the special needs community. Laurie also goes over the goals of Holy Angels to expand their care and serve their patients as well as the community of Shreveport-Bossier.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Living in a cities like Shreveport and Bossier, it can be hard to understand how there is even a possibility of not having access to food, but even within our cities there is food insecurity. Now imagine living in one of the many tiny towns in our state, and the issue of a food desert becomes much more severe because the big box stores we shop at are generally located within a city or large town. The Food Bank of NWLA is working with communities within Shreveport and Bossier to address food insecurity, as well as those tiny towns in our state. Martha Marak, Executive Director of the Food Bank of NWLA explains how they serve these people, and how First Methodist specifically impacts this work.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Prescriptions are potentially a life saving option for those with chronic illness, but the cost of these drugs provides a whole new set of issues and choices for the working poor. MLK Health Center is working with the community of Shreveport and Bossier to meet this need. The MLK Health Center and Pharmacy works with the working poor in our community who don't make enough to pay for insurance on their own, but also make more than would qualify them for assistance. Being in this income gap means any medical emergency will likely lead to bankruptcy, and a chronic illness will likely lead to homelessness due to the likely future inability to work because of the untreated illness.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
There are few things communities care about more than children, even more, children who have experienced life altering trauma. The Gingerbread House has been faithfully serving these children in our community to ensure their is justice for the abused, as well as counseling for the victims. We also talk about how the Gingerbread House is working with those who haven't experienced these situations so that they can be avoided, as well as what to look for in others to report possible abuse.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
One of First Methodist Shreveport's own, Wil Adams, joins us today to talk about how God led the Empower Hour Sunday School class to come together! A community of Faith, centered around Christ Jesus, is what we as believers are called to live in to. This is so that we can support and love each other the way Christ has called us to, and this is the best way we can hope to live. Wil walks us through how this community was formed within a large congregation, and how this community within the community of First Methodist Shreveport has impacted lives for the Gospel.
Today David Zimmel joins us to talk about what Praise Academy at Lakeside is, and how it got started in Shreveport. The story David tells is one of a group of believers obedience to God in counter cultural ways. Through that obedience the Praise Academy at Lakeside was born and has served members of it's community in ways that allow God to move and change lives.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Legal matters are hard enough for those with experience and the means, but legal matters with no experience and limited means can present a disastrous. In this episode we sit down with the Shreveport Bar Foundation to discuss how they are helping people free of charge to understand their legal situations, and providing help when possible. We also talk about the legal pitfalls that are possible for our children when it comes to technology and social media.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Al Moore of Christian Service is with us this week to share how they are ensuring that there is no one in our community that goes hungry. Christian Service has been serving the community of Shreveport for decades by providing three meals each day to anyone that comes to their location. They served our community that dealt with food scarcity through 2020, and made sure that those who needed a meal were served with love at Christian Service.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
This week Ronald Key joins us to talk about how Woody's Home for Veterans came to be, how his family lived a life that would inspire such generosity, and what Woody's Home for Veterans actually does to serve veterans. Ronald is a matter of fact person who does not mince words when communicating the need to help our veterans, and we hope you enjoy this conversation!
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
This week Caroline Cunningham joins us to talk about her experience in the mission field of Romania. Caroline constantly points to the Lord's direction in her life, and with the direction from the Lord, the church of First Methodist Shreveport. From growing up at First Methodist Shreveport to accepting the call to missions, Caroline lives a life sensitive to God's direction.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Verni Howard, Executive Director at The Providence House, is our guest this week, and Verni's story of how God brought her to where she is is how we're called to follow God's call faithfully, even when it doesn't make sense. The impact that The Providence House has on our Shreveport community is impossible to put into words. Verni's leadership through God's direction is changing individuals lives that will have a ripple effect on our community for the better!
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Mary's House in Shreveport is an invaluable parter in the fight to preserve the lives of the unborn and mothers in need. L'anne walks us through how Mary's House came to be, and how God had His hand on this ministry from the beginning. From providing free ultrasounds to moms-to-be, to providing low cost necessities for new moms, Mary's House is putting mothers first and prioritizing their children!
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
"A hand up, not a hand out" this is the phrase that guides Catholic Charities in their mission to serve in our community. In this episode Meg Goorley goes over all the ways that Catholic Charities helps rebuild the fundamentals of peoples lives to put them on a path to success in the future, and not aid in a cycle of crisis poverty.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Christmas is coming! Let's talk about everything that's happening at your church as well as what your church has been up to lately! Dr. Ashley Goad is on to help lay everything out that your church is doing this Christmas season. We can't wait to walk through this Advent season with you!
We often don’t think of all the small things we need when having to rebuild a life. From buying a chair or couch, or toothbrushes, trash cans, silverware, plates, these are all things that make us feel comfortable and settled. However, if you’re recovering from a homeless situation, then these are luxuries that can seem out of reach. That’s where the Retesting Project comes in! The retesting project collects furniture and life’s necessities that others aren’t using, and gifts them to people working their way out of homelessness. Emily Jo Manchester Sanden joins us to explain how this crucial organization that addresses the journey out of homelessness through providing comforts got started. Emily also gives examples of how we can volunteer our time to this effort to support those on the journey out of homelessness.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Welcome Kathy Wafer to the staff of First Methodist Shreveport! If you haven't had the chance to meet Kathy yet, then you'll be in for a treat as we all get to experience her warm personality and love for Christ in this episode. Kathy is a new associate pastor on staff at our church, and she is over the senior adult, congregational care and women's ministry.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Today we're learning from Lee Jeter how the Fuller Center for Housing is transforming lives in Shreveport by providing a hand up to home ownership. Lee goes over the importance of home ownership, not just as a financial asset, but as a provider of stability for families. Lee's story of how God led him to this place is just as impressive as what he is doing now with the Fuller Center for Housing.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Lynn Stevens, Workforce Director for Goodwill NWLA joins us this week to discuss how Goodwill was founded as well as how the company impacts cities and regions across America by employing those in need. There are misconceptions about Goodwill that are cleared up and discovery of many things that they do that most aren't aware of!
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
This week we are officially introducing Jesse Shadburn as the new Middle School Director at First Shreveport! Jesse walks us through how God revealed Himself through undeniable evidence to Jesse, as well as how the Lord opened Jesse’s heart. Please continue to pray for Jesse as he seeks the Lord in ways to better serve our Middle School youth. All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation.
The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
This week we’re joined by Laura Gauthier LCP CDP, with The Bridge Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center, and we discuss a counselor's perspective of the disease as well as how their organization serves those affected by Alzheimer's and dementia. Laura explains that those diagnosed with the disease are not the primary burden bearers, but the caretakers of the diagnosed require support as well. That is what The Bridge provides in our North West Louisiana community.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you!
https://firstshreveport.com/give
Christa Pazzaglia, Executive Director at HOPE Connections, has an amazing testimony of how her personal experiences gave her the tools necessary to care for the unhoused in our community. In this episode we will go over what HOPE Connections does for our community, how it’s impacted homelessness in Shreveport, and what we as members of First Methodist Church, Shreveport can do to continue to help in those efforts.
All of these mission partners and testimonies we share are the result of First Methodist Church Shreveport’s loyal congregation. The commitment of our church to focus on stewardship of time, talents, gifts, and service is the force that drives life change in our community. Please continue to support your church through your stewardship pledge, or begin with your first pledge now. Our church thanks you, and our mission partners thank you! https://firstshreveport.com/give
The launch of the First Methodist Church, Shreveport Podcast is here! With this podcast, we will discover the radical impact of Christ in the lives of our congregation and mission partners. We will share their stories and invite you to join us on this life-changing journey.
Victorious Living Thanks To Christ Coming - Due to the sin nature of humanity, when everyone is born there is a destiny set in place for sin. However, Christ came to give us the victory through His birth and sacrifice! We are able to choose Christ and live victoriously, and what’s better is that we can offer this victorious living to those around us who need to know Him. We celebrate Christ’s coming this season, and with His coming, the victory!
The Gift of The Church - Without the birth of Jesus Christ, the church would also never have been born, and with it all of the blessings that come from it would have never happened. The gift of the church is a gift that truly keeps giving! Whether it’s community, support, and all different kinds of aid, none of this would have happened if Christ had not been born and given us the gift of the church.
#fumcshreveport #connectgrowservelead
The Choices We Make During Christmas - With the birth of Jesus Christ over two thousand years ago we were all given the gift of choice. In our lives we can choose a way of right living and a close relationship to our savior, or we can choose to walk away and follow the world. God’s love is not forced on us, and we have the gift of choice every day to continue to pursue Christ with our lives, or earthly living.
What If There Were Nothing To Celebrate - Our reason as Christians for celebrating the Christmas season is centered around the fact that Christ came into the world, but what if that never happened? As we mentioned yesterday, the world would be a very different place if Christ had never been born. More simply though, we wouldn’t have a reason to celebrate at this time of year, and so we rejoice in the fact that Jesus Christ was born over two centuries ago and gave us so many reasons to celebrate!
The Blessings of Jesus Coming - This is our last week of the Day/ly Faith Builders, but the show will go on in a different way in 2021! For now we will continue to walk through Advent, and remember the blessings of Jesus coming into the world. It’s hard to imagine a world that was never impacted by Jesus Christ. The power of Christ’s message has sent ripples through the entire world, and changed the hearts of man for the better over 2000 years ago. The blessing of Jesus in the world was truly a historic gift!
Receiving The Undeserved Gift - Receiving Jesus Christ into our lives is a gift that will forever change our lives, and the best part is that we are given the gift when we don’t deserve it. During this time of year we often put conditions on gift giving based on what we think of someone. But Christ gave us the gift of salvation while we were still sinners, not under the condition that we become sinless. While we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Impacting How Children Experience Christmas - We can all remember Christmas as a child and the sense of wonder that we had, and sometimes the disappointment that it brought. Now as Christ followers who are adults, we have the opportunity to impact how our children and how other children experience Christmas. Will you choose this year to be the year to take the time to change how a child experiences Christmas for the better? It’s not about the money, but the time spent and the heart behind these decisions that have the biggest impacts.
Christmas Is A Time For Remembering - For many, Christmas can be a time of emotional turmoil because of family members who might not be here this year, or negative events that happened during this season in the past. However, we can choose to use this time of year to reflect on the good that God has brought in each of our lives and what He is setting up for us in the coming year. This time of Advent is a season when we expectantly wait for what God has promised. So please use this season to remember God’s promises and His infinite love for you!
Is Your Heart In Your Giving - As we’ve talked about before, it’s not always the monetary value or size of the gift that touches the heart, it’s the effort and thoughtfulness behind it. When we put our heart in our giving we are able to truly bless others in ways that we can’t understand. In the same way, the giver will just as excited to give that gift to the special person in their life. So put your heart in your gifts this year and bless those around you!
#fumcshreveport #connectgrowservelead
How To Have The Perfect Christmas - The perfect Christmas seems to be something that most people are striving for every year during the holiday season, but there always seems to be something missing. As Christians we know that the perfect Christmas can not happen without the presence of Christ in our lives in a real way. Christmas and the Advent season are a reminder of our need for Christ, and the celebration that comes through the birth of Jesus.
Experiencing The Joy of Christmas - Joy is one of the hallmarks of the Christmas season as Christians. We have joy in knowing that our savior has come, and through this birth of the Messiah, we have the promise of new life with Christ. For these reasons, we as Christians, should have a distinct attachment to the joy of Christmas. Joy to the world!
Experiencing the Presence of Jesus - Advent is about the preparation and expectation for the Celebration of Christmas. A time where we are filled with wonder, gratefulness, and awe at God's wonderful plan of Redemption. It is a wonderful time of the year, but it's also something that can be celebrated every single day. When we meditate and do our daily devotion, we can give thanks and remember the reason for Christ's first coming, our salvation. And through that daily invitation, we honor Christ and His sacrifice.
The Season of Sacrificial Giving - The season of Christmas has become synonymous with gift giving, and doing what we can to make those we love and others around us feel special. It’s often the lengths that we go to in order to give the gift that communicates how we feel about that person. It’s not always a dollar amount that tells how we feel, but what we’re willing to do and how much we pay attention to those we love that gives us the opportunity to show them how we feel about them.
Embracing Humility In The Advent Season - There’s no more humbling thought than to think that the Lord of all creation came down to Earth from His throne to live and die for sinners. This season of Advent is a time when we expect change to come and for our Savior to deliver us. Let us also expect to embrace humility in this season in light of the amazing sacrifice of our Lord and Savior.
Allowing Christ To Live Through Us - In the season of Christmas we have an opportunity to re-experience the wonder that the birth of Christ brings in our lives. As we begin this season of Advent let's remember to allow the wonder of the miracle that is our salvation through the birth of Christ to be reborn.
Giving Thanks Blesses Others - Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday that has been a part of our beloved nation for many years. Where we give thanks and praise God together for what He has done in our lives. It's a wonderful tradition that shouldn't be practiced only one day of the year. Giving thanks is life-giving, and we should make it a daily practice.
Thankfulness Brings Restoration - In the story of the healing of the ten lepers, only one came back and gave thanks. Jesus not only restored and cleaned his body but also his heart from sin. Just like the other 9 lepers, we often find ourselves not giving thanks after God works miracles in our lives. We need His healing today, from the sins of an ungrateful heart.
Being Thankful Without Circumstances - Hardships come to us constantly during this current pandemic, and giving thanks has become more difficult and more important. Don't surrender the leadership of your life to negative circumstances. Continue to be thankful and grateful for what Jesus Christ has done in your life, and you'll be amazed at what will happen not only on Thanksgiving Day but every day.
Bringing Out The Best In Ourselves & Others - Taking the high road in life brings out the best in each of us, and gives others the opportunity to be their best as well. There is not a time when we took the high road that we’re able to look back and say that we might wish we had done something different. Also when someone else takes the high road it puts accountability on us to also take the high road.
Practicing The Forgiveness Principle - Forgiveness is not a feeling, but a choice that we have to make every day. The principle of forgiveness is also not a way to describe how we feel, but a choice to follow Christ in being a person of forgiveness, not matter the circumstances.
Allow God To Extract Justice - There are times in all of our lives when someone has done something to hurt us directly, or they’ve done something to hurt someone we love. Our first instinct is to take up for others and extract revenge ourselves, but we learn that vengeance belongs to the Lord. His ways and understandings of everything is higher than ours, so it is best to let God be God, and allow Him to handle revenge, and for us to focus on being followers of Christ.
Treat Others Better Than Yourself - When there are people in our lives that we don’t get along with, it’s easy to just avoid those people and act like they don’t exist. However, the love that Christ calls us to show to everyone extends to those that we don’t like. So we should act in ways that prioritize even those that we’re not the biggest fans of.
Overcoming the Desire for Revenge - Have you ever had any injustice done against you? It is hard to resist the desire to take revenge. And if we aren't careful, that seed of anger and bitterness can lead us to an unhealthy, unhappy life. God calls us to take the road less traveled, to overcome injustice and evil with good, by trusting God and His justice.
Take Action When God Speaks - A wasted opportunity is something that can haunt all of us, especially if we know it was something we’ve prayed for. So when you spend time in prayer, receive a message from the Lord, and discern and affirm with fellow believers what that message is, ACT on what God has spoken to you. Nothing changes if nothing changes, and if God gives you a message that you do nothing with then what you’ve been praying for might not ever change.
Believe That God Will Speak To You - There’s nothing that we can do to force God away from our lives, and that means that He is constantly seeking to speak to us. When we go to God in prayer at the end of the day or the beginning, expect God to speak to you every day. Even more than that, be open and sensitive to how God might be speaking to you each day.
Discerning The Holy Spirit From The Unholy Spirit - In those moments when we seek the Lord in prayer and are desperate for an answer, we can sometimes substitute our will for the Lord’s. This is when we can test what we’re feeling against what the Scriptures say about how the Lord speaks to us. The way we feel is a great indicator about whether or not this is the Lord speaking or ourselves.
Seeking Council When Hearing From God - Discerning the will and voice of God is a spiritual gift, and our brothers and sisters who are strong in their faith should certainly be enlisted to discern what we feel God is speaking to us. Don’t be afraid to let your church family know what God has told you, and listen to the voices of wisdom that can help you understand or affirm what you feel God is telling you.
Does God Still Speak To His People - It’s easy to look at stories in the Bible when it seemed commonplace for God to speak to His people, and look at our time now and think that God doesn’t speak to us anymore. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and this week we will discuss how God is still speaking to His people every day, as well as how we can tune our ears to listen to His voice.
Praying Through Weakness - We have been through a lot in just this year alone, and these times of stress make us feel weak and that it’s just not worth it anymore. However, our God is still on the throne, and we have to continue praying for our nation and the world. As Christians we are called to pray in all things.
#fumcshreveport #connectgrowservelead
When Words Aren't Enough - For those who are new to Christianity, prayer can be intimidating due to the perception that you have to be well-spoken and concise in order to be heard by God. Nothing could be further from the truth. A prayer from the heart to the Lord of Creation is more pleasing to God than any well-articulated prayer.
When God Doesn't Make Sense - There are times in our prayer lives where it feels like God just isn't hearing us or that He's distant. God hears all of our prayers, but God does not always answer prayers how we think He should, and for good reason. Continue to trust God, continue to pray and to put your faith in Him always.