Author: GraceUMClaremore

The Next Mile Begins with Us

Wednesday Oct. 14, 2026

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:7

Reflection: When Grace UMC began in May of 2023, a handful of people made a decision. They could have walked away, decided it was too painful. But they believed God still had something for this church to do.And because of their faith, sacrifice, and commitment, we’re here today.But here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately. The faithfulness that brought us this far isn’t the only faithfulness we’ll need to carry us forward.We’ve spent the last few weeks talking about leaving a legacy of faith and becoming the church God is calling us to be. But eventually, we have to ask ourselves what we’re willing to do to make that future possible.

And yes, part of that conversation involves money. I know giving isn’t always easy. We all have bills, responsibilities, and unexpected expenses. Some can give more than others, and that’s the reality of life. Paul reminds us that generosity isn’t supposed to come from guilt, pressure, or obligation. It’s because we trust God and believe in what God is doing. That’s why I believe tithing is an important spiritual goal. Giving ten percent forces us to be intentional about our priorities. It teaches discipline, trust, and gratitude. And if ten percent isn’t possible right now, that doesn’t mean we can’t begin somewhere. Maybe the next step is one percent. Maybe it’s increasing what we already give. Maybe it’s just making giving a regular commitment instead of waiting to see what’s left over. Friends, stewardship isn’t just about paying the electric bill or keeping the doors open. It’s about what happens because those doors are open. It’s about families receiving groceries, neighbors finding help when they need it, children learning about Jesus, and people discovering a church where they’re welcomed and loved. I don’t want Grace UMC to become a church that spends all its time worrying about whether we can afford to survive. I want us asking who else we can reach, what other needs we can meet, and where God is calling us next. But that kind of future takes commitment from all of us, through our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness. The people who came before us gave so we could have a church today. Now it’s our turn to give so someone else will have a church tomorrow.

Consider This:

• Does my giving reflect the importance I place on my faith and the mission of the church?
• What’s one intentional step I can take toward greater generosity?

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the people whose faith and sacrifice made Grace possible. Help us remember that everything we have is a gift from you. Give us the wisdom to use our resources responsibly, the courage to trust you with our future, and the willingness to support the work you’ve placed before us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Wednesday Word

October 7, 2026

Who Are We Becoming?

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:20

Reflection: For each of us there is a question that is bigger than money, bigger than programs, and even bigger than what happens inside a church building, who are we becoming?Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we need to do.What problem needs to be fixed?What bill needs to be paid?Who needs my help?What comes next?But Scripture reminds us that following Jesus isn’t only about what we do, t’s also about who we are becoming while we do it.Paul tells us that we are Christ’s ambassadors.

That means that wherever you go today and every day you represent Jesus. At work, school, grocery store or even around the dinner table. In the way you deal with someone who frustrates you or the way you respond to someone who needs help. Every interaction becomes an opportunity to show someone what Jesus looks like. And most of the time, it won’t happen through some huge act of faith. It happens in ordinary moments. You listen when someone needs to talk and you offer encouragement. You share what you have, and you make room at the table. Those things may seem small but it’s the small acts repeated over time that shape us, our families, our churches and our communities. That’s why stewardship is about so much more than money. God has entrusted each of us with something time, abilities, resources, opportunities, our stories and yes, our money. The question isn’t, “What has God given me?”

It is, “What am I becoming because of what I do with what God has given me?” If I consistently choose generosity, I become more generous. If I consistently choose compassion, I become more compassionate. If I consistently choose to serve, I become a servant. If I consistently choose to welcome people, I become someone who makes room for others. And if we do those things together, we become the Church. And not just people who attend church but people through whom others can experience Jesus. If someone encountered Jesus only through the way you treated them today, what would they believe Jesus is like? That question challenges me. Because somebody may never hear one of my sermons. They may never sit in a worship service, or they may never open a Bible. But they might encounter one of us. And in that moment, we have an opportunity to show them a little bit of Jesus.

Consider this:

• Before this week is over, intentionally do one thing that represents Jesus to someone else. Use whatever God has already placed in your hands.
• Maybe the next chapter of our lives is being written in ordinary moments of faithfulness.
• Who are you becoming and what has Jesus placed in your hands that can help someone see Jesus

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for trusting us to represent You in this world. Open our eyes to the people around us. Show us where someone is hungry, hurting, lonely, discouraged, or simply needs to know that they matter. Take what You have placed in our hands—our time, our gifts, our resources, and our stories—and use them for Your purposes. Shape us through every act of love and faithfulness until people can see something of You in us. Amen.

Wednesday Word

Sept. 30, 2026

What Will Outlive You?

Scripture: Psalm 78:1–7

Reflection: Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we are doing right now.What needs to get done today?What problem needs to be solved?What bill needs to be paid?What ministry needs volunteers?But Psalm 78 asks us to think farther down the road.Psalm 78 is written by Asaph, one of King Davids worship leaders. Asaph understood something about legacy: if we don’t tell the next generation what God has done, they won’t know the story that brought us here. Asaph isn’t just remembering the past because the past was important to him.  He looks backward so that the next generation will know how to move forward in faith. And that’s an important reminder for us because friends, our faith was never meant to stop with us. Most of us can look back and see places where God has already been at work. Maybe it was through a church, a family, a ministry, a friendship, or simply someone who cared enough to show up when they were needed. Very few of those things happened because one person did everything. They happened because people gave, served and shared what they had. Psalm 78 says we do these things so that a generation not yet born might someday know what God has done and “put their trust in God.” Think about that. There are people who may be affected five, ten, or twenty years from now because of a decision you make today. There may be a child who discovers Jesus because someone took the time to teach them. There may be a struggling family that finds hope because someone was kind. There may be someone who feels forgotten who discovers that they are seen, heard, and loved because someone noticed them.

There may even be someone who comes to faith because you shared your story of what God has done in your life. You may never know their names or see the results. But you can help prepare the way for them. So maybe the question should no longer be, “What do I have?” and become, “What can God do with what I place in His hands today that may bless someone tomorrow?” Throughout Scripture, God shows us what can happen when ordinary people are willing to trust Him with what they have.

Consider This:  

• Share a meal. Learn someone’s name. Make room at your table.
• Share your story and let the next generation hear about God’s faithfulness from you.
• What are you doing today that could help someone know Jesus tomorrow?

Prayer: God, thank You for the people who came before us, who gave, served, prayed, sacrificed, taught us, encouraged us, and showed us what faith could look like.Help us remember that what we do with our lives isn’t only about today.Use our gifts, our resources, our stories, our churches, our homes, our workplaces, and our lives to prepare the way for people we may never meet.And when our chapter is finished, may the story of Your grace still be told.Amen.

DON’T BURY IT

Wednesday Sept. 23, 2026

Scripture: Matthew 25:14–30

Reflection: Jesus tells a story about three servants. One receives five talents. One receives two.

One receives one. They aren’t given the same amount, and they don’t produce the same results. But the first two do something important. They use what they were given. And when the master returns, they both hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” The servant with two is never criticized for not producing five. Because comparison was never the point.

Faithfulness was. Then there is the third servant. He doesn’t waste what he was given and he doesn’t lose it. He plays it safe and buries it. And that’s where this story becomes personal because we bury things too. We bury something we can because somebody else seems better at it. We bury our generosity because we’re afraid there won’t be enough. We bury our story because there are parts we’d don’t want anyone to know. We bury an opportunity because we’re afraid, we might fail. We bury an idea because somebody might not like it. Sometimes we bury what God has given us because playing it safe is easier than trusting Him. But Jesus reminds us that faithfulness isn’t about having the most or being the best or about doing what somebody else can do. It’s taking what God has placed in your hands and trusting Him enough to use it. You don’t need somebody else’s gifts. You don’t need somebody else’s resources. You don’t need somebody else’s story. You already have something God can use. So, stop waiting until you have more. Stop believing that what you have isn’t enough. Stop comparing what you have with somebody else. Don’t bury it. Use it, give it, share it, risk it and put it in the hands of Jesus and trust Him with what happens next.

Consider This:

• Choose one thing God has already placed in your hands and intentionally use it for someone else this week.
• Take a chance on something you’ve been afraid to do.
• Don’t wait for something bigger. Be faithful with what you already have.

PRAYER: Jesus,thank You for everything You have placed in my hands.Forgive me for the times I’ve compared myself to others and convinced myself that what I have isn’t enough.Give me the courage to stop burying what You can use.Help me use my time, my abilities, my resources, my relationships, and my story for Your purposes.Teach me to trust You enough to take some risks.And when my part of the story is finished, may my life have been lived faithfully enough to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”Amen.

You have more to offer than you think. Don’t bury what God can use.

Come Home, Back to Church Sunday.

Wednesday Sept. 16, 2026

There’s a Place for You

Scripture: Luke 19:1–10

Reflection: Have you ever walked into a room and wondered if you belonged there? So, you stayed near the edge of the room and just kind of blended in. That’s where I picture Zacchaeus. He wanted to see Jesus, but he wasn’t exactly part of the crowd. In fact, most of the people in the crowd probably didn’t want him there. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector. In the eyes of the crowd, he was a cheat and someone who had made his money by taking advantage of people. So, Zacchaeus climbs a tree. Maybe he thought he could watch Jesus from a safe distance without drawing attention to himself. He just wanted to see Jesus and go home. But then Jesus stops, looks up and He calls him by name. “Zacchaeus, come down.” I love that. He doesn’t identify Zacchaeus by his reputation, his mistakes, or what everybody else thinks about him. Jesus calls him by his name and says, I’m staying at your house today. So, Jesus doesn’t just notice Zacchaeus. Jesus makes room for him. And, of course, the religious crowd starts complaining about how Jesus is going to be the guest of a sinner. So apparently, they thought Zacchaeus wasn’t the kind of person Jesus should sit at a table with. But Jesus saw something they couldn’t see. They saw Zacchaeus’ past. Jesus saw Zacchaeus’ possibility. They saw someone who didn’t belong. Jesus saw someone worth calling by name. And that changed Zacchaeus. He stands up and says he will give half of what he owns to the poor. And if he has cheated anyone, he will pay them back four times what he took. Friends, Jesus didn’t say, “Zacchaeus, change your life, and then I’ll come to your house.” Jesus came first. Grace came first. The relationship came first. And then transformation followed. That’s something I hope we never forget. Sometimes we think people need to get their lives cleaned up before they come to church. Get things straightened out. Fix the marriage. Break the habit. Learn the Bible or learn how to pray.  But Jesus didn’t tell Zacchaeus to fix himself before climbing down from the tree. He just said, “Come down. I want to be with you.” That’s grace. And if that’s how Jesus welcomed people, that’s how we should welcome people too. Somewhere around us is a Zacchaeus, watching from a distance, curious about Jesus and wondering whether there could possibly still be a place for them. Can you imagine!!!!

Consider This:

• Before Sunday, think of one person, not ten, just one. Someone who may be standing at the edge of the crowd. Pray for them. Then call them, text them, or stop by and say: “I’d love for you to come to church with me Sunday. You don’t have to come alone. Sit with me.”
• Because Jesus is still looking into trees and still calling people by name.

Prayer: Jesus,thank You for seeing people others overlook.Thank You for seeing beyond our mistakes, our labels, and our past.Thank You that Your grace doesn’t wait for us to have everything figured out.Give us Your eyes this week.Help us notice the person standing at the edge of the crowd.Give us the courage to invite someone and may every person who comes through the church doors feel seen, loved and welcomed.  Amen.

ONE INVITATION

Wednesday Sept 9, 2026

Scripture: Luke 15:20

Reflection: Most of us can remember a time when someone invited us. Someone saved us a seat. Someone introduced themselves when we felt out of place. Someone noticed us when it would have been easier to walk by. Someone just said, “Come with me.” We probably don’t think much about it at the time, but invitations can be powerful. In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of a son who leaves home, makes a mess of his life, and eventually finds himself wondering if he can ever go back. But when he finally turns toward home, Jesus tells us that while he is still far away, his father sees him. The father hasn’t forgotten him, stopped loving him or taken away his place at the table. He’s been watching the road. There are people all around us who might feel a long way from home. Some have been hurt by the Church. Some have questions. Some have made mistakes they think disqualify them. Or some have been away so long that walking back through the doors feels intimidating. They may not know that there’s still a place for them. That friends, is where we come in. We can’t make anyone believe.

We can’t force anyone to follow Jesus. And we definitely shouldn’t pressure anyone into church. But we can make sure they know they’re invited. Maybe it’s a text or a cup of coffee.

Maybe meet the at the door so they don’t have to walk in alone. Never underestimate what God can do through one simple invitation.

Consider This:

• Think about one person. One name. One face. One person God has placed in your life.
• Then pay attention because someone you know may think they’ve gone too far, been gone too long, or wouldn’t be welcome.
• Then tell them that God is still watching the road there’s still a place at the table.
• They may not know there’s still a place for them until you tell them.

Prayer: Gracious God, thank you for the people who have made room for us, encouraged us, and helped us find our way to you. Now place one person on our hearts. Help us see them as you see them. Give us the right opportunity, the right words, and the courage to reach out.

Keep us from assuming someone else will do it. Use our friendship, our kindness, and even a simple invitation to remind someone that they are seen, they are loved, and there is still a place for them. And when the moment comes, give us the courage to say, “Come with me.”

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Destination New Creation

Wednesday Sept. 2, 2026

Scripture: Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’”

Reflection: We spend a lot of our lives wondering where things are headed.Where is my family headed? Where is our church headed? Where is this world headed? And when life gets hard, we tend to start believing that whatever we’re facing right now is how the story ends.

But Revelation reminds us that is not the case. God’s story doesn’t end with death, pain, division, or destruction. It ends with God saying, “See, I am making all things new.” And near the very end of the Bible comes one final invitation, Come. Come if you’re thirsty. Come if you’re searching. Come if you’re hurting. Come if your faith is strong and come if you’re barely hanging on. But there’s another part of the invitation that we shouldn’t miss: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’” Friends The Bride is the Church and that’s us. We aren’t just people who have received God’s invitation. We’re supposed to become people who extend it. Think about someone in your life today who could use an invitation, not necessarily someone who needs a sermon, but someone who needs a friend. Someone who needs hope. Someone who needs to know there’s a place where they can bring their questions, struggles, and stories. Maybe all they need is for you to say, “Come sit with me.” Remember friends someone once prayed for you, encouraged you, loved you, invited you, or held the door open for you and now it may be your turn.

Consider This:

• Put a name to the empty chair. Think of one person in your life who may be lonely, hurting, searching, or disconnected from church.
• Make the invitation. Don’t just think about inviting them. Call, text, or email and ask them to come sit with you Sunday.
• Be the witness. You don’t need all the answers. Just share one thing Jesus has done in your life.
• Your story may be the invitation someone else needs.

Prayer: God, thank You for making room for me. Open my eyes to someone who needs hope this week. Give me the courage to invite, the patience to listen, and the grace to love without judgment. Help me become part of Your invitation to the world. Amen.

Wednesday Word

You Have Somewhere to Go

Wednesday Aug. 26, 2026

Scripture: Acts 1:8:

Reflection: Have you ever found yourself waiting for God to do something? Maybe you’re waiting for God to help someone who is struggling. Maybe you’re concerned about something happening in your family, your community, or the world. We pray, “God, please do something.” But sometimes God’s answer might be, “I am. That’s why I sent you.” Before Jesus rose up into heaven, He said, “You will be my witnesses.” He wasn’t asking us to have all the answers. He wasn’t asking us to be theologians. He wasn’t even asking us to convince everyone they met to believe exactly what they believed. He just asked us to be witnesses. And a witness tells people what they have seen and experienced. That’s something every one of us can do. But friends being a witness isn’t only about what we say because sometimes our strongest witness is what we do. Feed someone who’s hungry. Notice someone who’s lonely. Encourage someone who’s struggling. Welcome someone who feels like they don’t belong. Invite someone to church. Friends, people don’t only need to hear that Jesus loves them, they need to experience that love. And notice where Jesus told His disciples to begin: Jerusalem. In other words, start close. You don’t have to travel across the world to be on mission. Your mission field may be your kitchen table. Your workplace. Your neighborhood. The grocery store. Or the person whose name keeps coming to mind as you’re reading this. Maybe instead of asking, “God, when are You going to do something?” we should occasionally ask: “God, what are You asking me to do?” Because faith was never meant to sit still. If you are still breathing, God can use you!!

Consider This:

• Who has God placed in my life who needs to experience the love of Jesus through me?
• What keeps me from inviting someone to church or sharing what Jesus has done in my life—fear, discomfort, uncertainty, or something else?
• Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses.” What part of my own story with Jesus is worth telling?

Prayer:  Jesus,Thank You for the people who have shown me Your love.Open my eyes to the people around me who need that same love.When I am tempted to wait for somebody else to do something, remind me that You have already sent me.Give me courage to speak when I need to speak, compassion to listen when I need to listen, and willingness to serve when someone needs help.Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help my life become evidence that You are still changing lives.If I’m still breathing, you’re still sending. So, Lord, show me where to go. Amen.

Wednesday Aug.19, 2026

LOOK TWICE

Scripture: John 1:11–12

Reflection: He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him…he gave the right to become children of God. There is something about this verse that has always bothered me. The people who should have recognized Jesus didn’t. They knew the Scriptures. They knew the promises. They had heard about the Messiah their entire lives. Then God showed up and they missed Him. Maybe the problem wasn’t that they weren’t looking for God. Maybe the problem was that they had already decided what God was supposed to look like. They were expecting power and they got a baby. They were expecting a king and they got a carpenter. They expected someone who would spend time with the right people and Jesus ate with sinners, touched lepers, welcomed children, talked with outsiders, and made room for people everyone else had pushed aside. Jesus rarely met people’s expectations, but He always seemed to meet people exactly where they needed Him. And I wonder if we sometimes do the same thing today. We know Jesus. We read about Jesus. We worship Jesus. We sing about Jesus. But could we still miss Him? Sometimes I think we create a picture of Jesus that looks a lot like us. Jesus agrees with my opinions. Jesus likes the people I like. Jesus is suspicious of the people I’m suspicious of. Jesus supports my side of the argument. And before long, instead of allowing Jesus to change me, I’ve created a Jesus who seems to always agree with me. That’s why I think we need to learn to do something simple. We need to look twice. Look twice at the person we normally walk past. Look twice at the person who gets on our nerves. Look twice at the person whose politics are completely different from ours. Look twice at the person whose life is messy. Look twice at the person who doesn’t look like you, think like you, talk like you, or believe like you. Look twice at the person you’ve already labeled. Because behind every label is a person. A person with a story. A person carrying something you probably don’t know about. A person created in the image of God. And a person Jesus loves. Maybe the person I have the hardest time seeing Jesus in is exactly the person Jesus is asking me to see differently. That’s also where prevenient grace becomes important. Prevenient grace is God’s grace that goes before us. Before we ever thought about looking for God, God was already looking for us. Looking back, some of us can probably see those moments now. A person who showed up at just the right time. A conversation we needed or a door that opened. At the time, we may have called it coincidence. Looking back, maybe we can see grace. And here’s what challenges me, If God’s grace was working in my life before I recognized it, couldn’t God’s grace also be working in someone else’s life before I recognize it? Maybe my job isn’t always to bring Jesus into someone’s life. Maybe sometimes my job is to discover that Jesus got there before I did.

Consider This:  

• Think of one person you normally overlook, avoid, or have difficulty understanding. Don’t try to fix them or debate them. Just see them and listen to their story. Then pray, “Jesus, help me see this person the way You do.”
• Look twice. The person you almost overlooked may be someone Jesus has been loving all along.

Prayer: Jesus, forgive me for the times I’ve been so certain about what You should look like that I’ve missed what You were doing right in front of me. Help me slow down and look twice. Help me see beyond labels, politics, mistakes, appearances, and my own assumptions. Thank You for the grace that came looking for me before I ever knew to look for You. Help me remember that Your grace is already at work in the lives of people around me. Give me eyes to see them, ears to hear them, and a heart willing to love them. Make me a little more like You today. Amen.

Wednesday Word

Living in Babylon Without Babylon Living in You

Wednesday Aug. 4, 2026

Scripture: Daniel 1:8; Ezekiel 36:26

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself…”Daniel 1:8

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you…” Ezekiel 36:26

Reflection: Friends if you have ever felt like your values don’t fit with the world around you, you’re not alone. Daniel and Ezekiel knew exactly what that felt like. They didn’t choose Babylon. They were taken there. Everything familiar had been stripped away, their homes, their routines, their place of worship, and the culture that had shaped them. But Babylon couldn’t take their faith. The same challenge faces us today. We may not live in ancient Babylon, but we do live in a world that constantly tries to redefine who we are, what we should value, and where we should place our hope. Every day we’re told, encouraged and maybe even forced to find our identity in success, politics, possessions, popularity, or personal achievement. But my friends as followers of Jesus, we have already been given an identity.

We are beloved children of God. Daniel reminds us that faithfulness begins long before the struggle or crisis begins. He had already decided who he belonged to before Babylon asked him to compromise. Ezekiel reminds us that real transformation doesn’t begin by changing our circumstances, it begins when God changes our heart.So friends for me the greatest lesson of Babylon is that God doesn’t always remove us from difficult places, sometimes He changes us within them. A hot air balloon rises because of what happens inside it, not because the landscape changes. God rises us up by changing what’s inside not by changes our circumstances.

Consider This:

• This week, identify one area where the world is trying to shape your thinking, and intentionally invite Jesus to shape your heart instead.
• Look for one opportunity each day to reflect Jesus and  show others what it means to live in Babylon without letting Babylon live in you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being faithful even when the world around us is not. Give us the courage of Daniel, the hope of Ezekiel, and above all, the heart of Christ. Help us stand firm in our faith without losing our compassion, speak truth without losing our humility, and love others the way You have loved us. May our lives reflect You in every conversation, every relationship, and every challenge we face. Keep Babylon from shaping our hearts and continue shaping us into Your image. Amen.