Monday, January 04, 2016

sermon, "How Is It With Your Soul?", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, December 27, 2015

December 27, 2015
Stetson Memorial UMC
Last Sunday of The Year 2015
A Soul In Retrospect
Joel 2:28-29
Matthew 3:11
Isaiah 44:3
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)

“How Is It With Your Soul. . . ?”

Prayer for the Spirit’s leading. . .

Read the Scriptures. . .

Here we are at the end of another year. We have almost finished the race of 2015 and the next race is looking at us from just beyond the horizon. We tend to look back in retrospect at what has happened over the year.There has been both good and bad. There have been victories and struggles. But we have made it almost to the end.

As we end I would like to throw in a question that you might not hear too much in the world in which we live. How is it with your soul? Have you ever wondered about that? How is it with your soul? This question is one that John Wesley would ask all who were part of the movement that he was ushering in. He expected that everyone would be part of “classes” as he called it. They were accountability groups that prayed for each other and studied the scriptures together. How is it with your soul?

I think that we as Christians may have gotten away from caring for the soul. . . others and our own. We are so busy with everyday life that we don’t have time to tend the garden of the soul. We have forgotten that sin is waiting right around the corner just waiting for us to put our guard down. As soon as that happens, sin just slowly creeps in until it can take of all that we do and say. How is it with your soul?

We have just traveled to the manger another way and we thought about. . . we talked about. . . things that go on in the world around us and how through the eyes of God we can still see God working. But how can we see Him working if we are not taking time to be with him each day as He whispers His promises to our hearts? How is it with your soul?

This morning. . . I am going to ask us some of these Wesleyan questions. . . yup I am including myself with these questions. The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club." The first list appeared about 1729 or 1730 in the preface to Wesley's second Oxford Diary. OK. . . here we go. . . now these are just some of them. I didn’t want to scare us off. . .

Ask Questions. . .

We are beginning to get ready for a new year. My prayer is that as we venture into the New Year, we will continue to ask these questions of ourselves. As we venture out in God’s name may we go out knowing the One who has sent us. We are His hands and feet. Go forth in the Strength of God, the Hope of Jesus Christ and the Wisdom of the Spirit.

Amen

=============
January 4, 2016
Is Christ real to me
January 4, 2016
Can I be trusted
January 4, 2016
How can I soften my heart
January 3, 2016
Am I a Hypocrite
January 2, 2016
Do I give God credit
January 2, 2016
we must stop to listen
January 2, 2016
God whispers His promises
January 2, 2016
journeying to the manger
January 2, 2016
With Fire
January 2, 2016
We are cleansed with water
January 2, 2016
I will pour water
edited January 1, 2016
How is it with your soul – v3
New Year’s Day
edited December 31, 2015
How is it with your soul – v2
New Year’s Eve Day
edited December 31, 2015
How is it with my soul – v2
New Year’s Eve Day
December 31, 2015
How is it with my soul
New Year’s Eve Day
December 31, 2015
How is it with your soul
New Year’s Eve Day
edited December 31, 2015
I need You – v2
New Year’s Eve Day
December 27, 2015
We should pause
December 27, 2015
We need to stop
December 27, 2015
I need You
December 27, 2015
we bow before Him
worship service
December 27, 2015
Last Sunday of The Year 2015
A Soul In Retrospect
Joel 2:28-29 (NIV)
Matthew 3:11 (NIV)
Isaiah 44:3 (NIV)
Wesley's self-examination quiz
and slide from song
"How Many Kings"
and sermon, “How Is It With Your Soul?”
text:

video:
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 27, 2015
&
December 24, 2015
Christmas Eve
John 1:1-14
Luke 2:8-20
Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
and Advent sermon series
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
message: “For Unto You A Savior Is Born”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 24, 2015
Christmas Eve
&
December 20, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness
Presence in the Midst of Loneliness
Matthew 1:20-23
Hebrews 6:19
Romans 15:13
Job 8:13-18
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)
message: “Why Do I Feel Hopeless. . . ”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Children’s Message - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 20, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 17, 2015
In the Midst of Hate – v3
(merging edits to original and version 2)
edited December 16, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v4
(editing version 3)
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v3
(editing version 2)
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy – v2
edited December 15, 2015
There is joy, if we choose joy
edited December 14, 2015
Joy, if we choose it – v2
edited/ expanded December 14, 2015
Joy, if we choose it
December 14, 2015
Full, if we choose it
December 14, 2015
choose joy
December 14, 2015
no matter my situation
December 13, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McPhee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Joy in the Midst of Despair
Luke 1:46-55
Isaiah 61:1-3
(All Scripture is taken from the NIV Bible)
message: “I Will Choose Joy. . .”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 13, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 8, 2015
In the Midst of Hate – v2
edited December 8, 2015
Seeking to Find Love – v2
edited/new December 7, 2015
Seeking to Find Love
December 7, 2015
In the Midst of Hate
edited December 7, 2015
Seek Love – v3
(Editng version 2)
edited December 7, 2015
Seek Love - v2
December 7, 2015
Seek Love
December 6, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McFee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Love in the Midst of Hate
Isaiah 11:1-4a, 5-9
Romans 15:1-2, 5-7
message: “Seek Love. . . ”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message  - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
December 6, 2015
Second Sunday of Advent
&
November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent
Inspired by Marcia McFee
Sermon Series “Awed and Odd”
Peace Within the Conflict
Isaiah 2:4
Psalm 122:6, 7
Romans 13:11
Matthew 24:42, 44
message: “Peace in the Valley. . . ”
text
video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Children’s Message  - Mystery Box
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
November 29, 2015
First Sunday of Advent


All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,680+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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