What is a Methodist

Loves God

(NRSV)

37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ The important thing we need to hear today,” is how would I explain, what a Methodist is?” The author, in his rewrite of John Wesley's thoughts put it this way, “A Methodist is a person who has the love of God shining in his heart, and with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his mind, and with all his strength.”

A Methodist Rejoices in God

(NRSV)

14 but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” A Methodist is full of joy, to the point that it gushes outward. You cannot help but recognize this person because everywhere they go, and everyone they touch, the joy of the Lord spills out all over you. We have all seen them and we have sometimes thought we would like to be like that. But what makes them that way? When a Methodist realizes that God has washed away their sins, that they are no longer the former self ; they feel and see the change. They also know this was something different than their own ability to be good. They recognize that God has blessed them and everywhere they go they tell people.

A Methodist Trust God

(NRSV)

6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. A Methodist trusts that God supplies all things, and whether it is abundance or a shortcoming, they rejoice knowing that God is in control. A Methodist has learned to be content. Can you imagine for a moment, the early people that John Wesley left the confines of the church building to preach to, and how that might have received this message? What do you mean we have to be happy with what we have, we have nothing. In our humanness, we compare ourselves to others who may have abundance and ask, God why not me? But Paul preached much earlier than John Wesley that a Christians trust that what they have is enough.

A Methodist Prays

(NRSV)

17 pray without ceasing, Perhaps, the second shortest verse in the whole Bible, could have the greatest impact on our ministry. A Methodist, even though not always in church, are there as often as possible, and never loses faith, and hope because they never cease to pray. a lady I knew from many years ago, told me that her husband and she, were not equally yoked, and that she prayed daily over the items in his dresser knowing that God would have blessed his very clothes for the day ahead.

Where do you sit in this picture. We can all fall short at times. But if you are willing to work on this desire to be a Methodist God will meet you where you are, just ask Him to fill your heart with the helper. (NRSV)

2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (NRSV)

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.