FaithWestwood UMC

February 4, 2017 Ever find yourself saying, “God helps those who help themselves”? You climb to the top, and those who can’t keep up are left behind. Who deserves success more than you? You’re not surprised that Jesus picked you, but you are surprised that he keeps rearranging your plans. You had no idea what you were in for when he said, “Follow me.”

January 28, 2018 Are you ever so busy for Jesus that you spend very little time with Jesus? And you resent those who aren’t pulling their fair share. There’s no room for idle hands around here. God’s kingdom is built by doers, isn’t it? Maybe you take yourself far too seriously. Still, Jesus doesn’t give up on you. He says, “Follow me.”

January 21, 2018 Are you ever so busy for Jesus that you spend very little time with Jesus? And you resent those who aren’t pulling their fair share. There’s no room for idle hands around here. God’s kingdom is built by doers, isn’t it? Maybe you take yourself far too seriously. Still, Jesus doesn’t give up on you. He says, “Follow me.”

January 14, 2018 Ever feel that all this Jesus stuff doesn’t make sense? It’s a giant mess of sayings and stories, and everybody sees it differently. You’d like to have some clarity, but who can you trust to help you sort it out? Yet, you can’t help but be curious when Jesus says, “Follow me.”

January 7, 2017 Ever find that your heart has become hardened? You resist. You push away. You’d rather stay stuck in cynicism and sarcasm than open up to change. You’re just the person Jesus is looking for. He says, “Follow me.”

I Am Happiest When Life Ceases To Be All About Me - December 31, 2017 by FaithWestwood UMC

December 24, 2017 // Christmas Eve An estranged relative calls and asks if he can join you for Christmas (like Scrooge stopping by his nephew’s house). A coworker shows up on your doorstep. To your surprise, she’s accepting your invitation. Guess who’s coming for Christmas?

December 17, 2017 It’s true for any miracle. You might want it. You might wait for it. But you can’t plan it. The miracle of Bethlehem didn’t happen because Mary applied to be the Messiah’s mom. It didn’t happen because Joseph made plans for his fiancé’s virginal pregnancy. When Jesus made his entry into history, it was the work of the Holy Spirit. And that’s how he still makes his entry into our...

December 3, 2017 Jesus had a lot of admirers – and still does. He also warns us about turning into his fan club, a group that likes what he says but doesn’t put it into practice. Jesus didn’t care about publicity. He came to give us a new foundation. Where will you dare to build?

November 22, 2017 Thanksgiving Eve Message - Scott McPherson

November 26, 2017 We love convenience. We love easy. It’s the American way! We love what’s popular and who’s popular. We love the promise of painless prosperity. So Jesus warns us. He knows where that way of life will lead – and it’s not good.

November 19, 2017 Jesus warns us about being quick to point out someone else’s faults. Our judgment of the person may be worse than the sin we’re condemning. How do we make judgments without judging? With extreme humility.

November 5, 2017 Kids are not fans of super-long, wordy prayers. Neither are most adults. Neither was Jesus. Instead of giving us a long prayer with lots of words, he gave us an outline, a template for prayer. And when prayed from the heart, it opens the doors to God’s presence.

November 12, 2017 Where do you keep your treasure? Under your mattress? In the bank? In a safe? Jesus reminds us that nothing in this life is secure. But by giving deeply for others, we make deposits in heaven which will receive eternal dividends. It’s about putting our trust in God and seeking his kingdom above all.

October 29, 2017 The word “pious” used to be a positive term. It meant that you revere God. And it can still mean that. But because of spiritual show offs, the word “pious” usually refers to hypocrites who make a show of their religiosity. Jesus warns us about people like that. We must not imitate them.

October 22, 2017 A special interview with the Family Ministry Staff at FaithWestwood about how we can invest in the next generation of the Church.

October 1, 2017 We don’t like to talk about sin, ours or anyone else’s. Jesus wasn’t afraid to name sin, even secret ones we’re sure won’t hurt anybody. We can’t go with a new flow until we face our dark side and rely on grace.

October 15, 2017 The most difficult people in your life are those who insult you, take advantage of you, or treat you like a second-class citizen. Jesus says love them. Pray for them. Be generous with them. And if you find this new flow impossible, it’s because it is! But we do it anyway, because we trust Jesus. Then we wait and watch for something remarkable to happen.

October 8, 2017 When you’ve made a promise, what’s your breaking point? What does it take for you to give up on your word? $20 bucks? Somebody better looking? Jesus taught us to take our word with dead seriousness. Going with a new flow means your yes means yes, and your no means no.

September 24, 2017

October 1, 2017 We don’t like to talk about sin, ours or anyone else’s. Jesus wasn’t afraid to name sin, even secret ones we’re sure won’t hurt anybody. We can’t go with a new flow until we face our dark side and rely on grace.

October 8, 2017 When you’ve made a promise, what’s your breaking point? What does it take for you to give up on your word? $20 bucks? Somebody better looking? Jesus taught us to take our word with dead seriousness. Going with a new flow means your yes means yes, and your no means no.

September 10, 2017 Jesus speaks blessings on the most unlikely people: the poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the spiritually hungry and thirsty. Immediately, he has everyone’s attention. The “un-blest” now feel a breeze of hope. Going with a new flow begins with unexpected blessings for unsuspecting people – even you.

September 3, 2017 Most of us are tired – which makes our tempers shorter, our patience thinner, and our self-control weaker. The only cure is to stop doing and simply rest. Jesus spoke these welcomed words to his followers, “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest.” How much activity is enough? Can Jesus help me regain my balance?

August 20, 2017 In the wake of current events, Pastor Steve preached a timely message on responding to racism.