Category: Wesleyan Accent Blog
God in the Ruins by Michelle Bauer
July 11, 2019
“Nehemiah is faced with the news that the walls and gates of Jerusalem have been destroyed, leaving the city’s inhabitants vulnerable. What are some things in your life that need to be rebuilt? Are you ready to ask God to show you something that is in need of repair?”
Pursuing Simplicity by Jeff Rudy
June 24, 2019
“I’ve discovered that there is a tremendous difference between easiness and simplicity.”
Sanctifying Ambition: Leadership and the Pitfalls of Platform by James Petticrew
June 20, 2019
“More than just building a tower, the people of Babel wanted to build a reputation for themselves. They wanted others to recognize their intelligence and skill and to admire them. Abraham, on the other hand, didn’t seem that interested in making a name for himself. He was happy to follow God, to obey God’s calling, and to entrust his reputation to God. God took care of Abraham’s reputation and made his name great.”
Promising the Mystery of Wisdom by Justus Hunter
June 19, 2019
God fulfills his promises. We know this. But we often struggle to see how. Because the promises God makes and the promises we would like aren’t always the same. His wisdom is not ours.
What It Means to Be Rooted and Established in God’s Love by Michelle Bauer
June 17, 2019
“God’s strength becomes available to us when we are rooted and established in his love. In what other things are you tempted to root yourself? What in your life makes you feel secure and established?”
Letting Go of Your Own Influence: Thy Will Be Done by Justus Hunter
June 13, 2019
“This is the second difficulty of praying ‘Thy will be done’ – that God’s will for one moment will become our idol in the next.”
When You Need the Strength to Stand by Michelle Bauer
May 28, 2019
Where will you go this week that you will be grateful to have God’s presence with you? What difference will it make to have God with you in that place or situation? When you are discouraged or terrified, how easy is it to make the choice to be strong and courageous?
Navigating Challenges: Trust, Act, and Expect by Otis T. McMillan
May 16, 2019
There is safety in being God-conscious at all times. Before decisions are made, seek the mind of God.
Which Story Will You Tell? by Suzanne Nicholson
May 15, 2019
And the soldiers—the protectors of civil order— decide to bury the truth. They take their bribe and the promise of protection from Pilate’s wrath, and they toe the party line. They protect the power of a broken world.But the women—the ones with little influence, the ones who are least likely to be believed—they run from the empty tomb with great joy. It is only as they are obedient to the angel’s command that Jesus himself appears to them.
Not Yet Fully Awake by Dr. Matthew Milliner
April 29, 2019
And in our gospel passage, Mary of course – like all of us on this side of death – is not yet fully awake. She makes first contact with the resurrected Jesus, and it’s about as awkward as Peter embarrassing himself by trying to pitch a tent on Mount Tabor. Mary’s problem is that she thinks Jesus is dead, and when she sees that he’s gone, she consoles herself by saying, “they have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”