February 17, 2010
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. -Romans 10:1-10
As I scan this week’s news topics and examine what’s on the mind of our press, I am presented with news about Haiti, a scandal with the SCLC, a New York City case of brutality and a National Convention of the Tea party movement. Many secular persons are fighting for or against basic human rights and privilege. The privilege wants to stay privileged and the under served and under privilege want more accessibility.
Our world is in need of unity. We need to understand that we are on earth and experience this part of our life and journey together. We are in need of Confession... I believe a slogan that I shall borrow from a brother fraternity, “Confession is good for the Soul” says it all.
Thus let me make a confession before I share the highlights of the sermon I intend to preach this Sunday. I suspended writing “Weekly Thoughts “when I started Involuntary Leave from the United Methodist Church. Since I had no weekly commitment to preach, I decided to take a break and allow myself some rest and thought that I would allow God’s word to marinate within my soul. Since that time I have been pondering another scripture from Romans, 28
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. -Romans 10:1-10
As I scan this week’s news topics and examine what’s on the mind of our press, I am presented with news about Haiti, a scandal with the SCLC, a New York City case of brutality and a National Convention of the Tea party movement. Many secular persons are fighting for or against basic human rights and privilege. The privilege wants to stay privileged and the under served and under privilege want more accessibility.
Our world is in need of unity. We need to understand that we are on earth and experience this part of our life and journey together. We are in need of Confession... I believe a slogan that I shall borrow from a brother fraternity, “Confession is good for the Soul” says it all.
Thus let me make a confession before I share the highlights of the sermon I intend to preach this Sunday. I suspended writing “Weekly Thoughts “when I started Involuntary Leave from the United Methodist Church. Since I had no weekly commitment to preach, I decided to take a break and allow myself some rest and thought that I would allow God’s word to marinate within my soul. Since that time I have been pondering another scripture from Romans, 28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (8:28).
My confession is that though good was all around me and indeed was breaking its head through the funk that covered me with shame, disappointment, and hurt. I had a hard time seeing and enjoying how God was still blessing me, despite the fact that I had and still have no steady income. I’ve preached more times than I can count, that God will make a way out of no way. I know can say it with updated real experiences. I can proclaim on the worst of days that, “God is good, and good all the time.” Why because I had to come to grips with my beliefs and my application of my faith as I dealt with the pain of doing my best working hard, sacrificing and then being crucified by those I sought to serve and experience others sit by idly while they proclaimed they loved me and were in my corner and did nothing.
In this involuntary state of leave, I’m living within the three points I will attempt to expound upon this Sunday. They are as follows: Regression, Profession and Confession. The word of God is real and has to be applied in real life situations.
My confession is that though good was all around me and indeed was breaking its head through the funk that covered me with shame, disappointment, and hurt. I had a hard time seeing and enjoying how God was still blessing me, despite the fact that I had and still have no steady income. I’ve preached more times than I can count, that God will make a way out of no way. I know can say it with updated real experiences. I can proclaim on the worst of days that, “God is good, and good all the time.” Why because I had to come to grips with my beliefs and my application of my faith as I dealt with the pain of doing my best working hard, sacrificing and then being crucified by those I sought to serve and experience others sit by idly while they proclaimed they loved me and were in my corner and did nothing.
In this involuntary state of leave, I’m living within the three points I will attempt to expound upon this Sunday. They are as follows: Regression, Profession and Confession. The word of God is real and has to be applied in real life situations.
As Christians we must be careful not to Regress when we are faced with difficulty. We must make sure that what we Profess is not just a trite flowery creed that we have memorized, yet holds no real power in solidifying our relationship with God. And most importantly we must Confess our faith in our attitudes and actions as we face the challenges that are inherent in life. I pray your strength in the Lord as I ask confessing Christians to pray mine.
Yours truly,
-Rev. Dr. Gary A. Williams
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