Sierra Madre United Methodist

09/06/2026

Link to devotional:https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-06

Psalm 30:4-12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment;
his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord,
you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face;
I was dismayed.

8 To you, O Lord, I cried,
and to the Lord I made supplication:
9 “What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”

11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
you have taken off my sackcloth
and clothed me with joy,
12 so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

09/05/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-05

James 5:13-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Prayer of Faith
13 Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. 14 Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up, and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.

My friend and neighbor was in the hospital for what could have been a relatively simple procedure to improve the efficiency of his heart. However, if the procedure failed, he would need to have open heart surgery — something his weakened body might not be able to tolerate. My prayer was simpl...

09/04/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-04

John 15:9-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Life’s challenges can be overwhelming, but Jesus’ joy is always available to us and does not depend on our circumstances. In John 15:11 Jesus said, “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” This joy is a gift from Jesus, residing within...

09/03/2026

Link to devotional:https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-03

Proverbs 30:1-9
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Sayings of Agur
1 The words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.

Thus says the man: I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and am wasting away.
2 Surely I am too stupid to be human;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is the person’s name?
And what is the name of the person’s child?
Surely you know!

5 Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

7 Two things I ask of you;
do not deny them to me before I die:
8 Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that I need,
9 lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.

09/02/2026

Sunday, August 30th was RALLY DAY here at SMUMC, and during Worship, Pastor John conducted the annual “Blessing of the Backpacks”.
Coffee Fellowship in the Library Lounge included a delicious spread of pizza, Korean BBQ, chips, watermelon, and lots more. Meanwhile, water activities kept the kids cool outside! It was hard to tell who was having more fun getting wet, the kids or the adults! A great time was had by all, at the Goodbye Summer Celebration!

09/02/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-02

Matthew 5:1-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Beatitudes
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he began to speak and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

I had volunteered at a church event to distribute food and help clean up. Initially this felt like an insignificant job, and I was reluctant. My friends were on stage leading worship, hosting, and preaching, while I was cleaning up in the back. I began to feel left out. However, I gradually...

09/01/2026

Link to devotional:https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-09-01

1 Kings 17:7-16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

7 But after a while the wadi dried up because there was no rain in the land.

The Widow of Zarephath
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, 9 “Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there, for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” 10 So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.” 11 As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” 12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14 For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain on the earth.” 15 She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. 16 The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.

08/31/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-08-31

Matthew 6:5-15
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Concerning Prayer
5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

7 “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “Pray, then, in this way:

Our Father in heaven,
may your name be revered as holy.
10 May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.

14 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Early each Saturday morning I eagerly await a text from my son that simply says, “Breakfast?” I quickly respond, “Yes, be over shortly.” I drive to his house and pick him up, and off we go to our favorite breakfast restaurant. This special one-on-one time with my son is one of the highlight....

08/30/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-08-30

Psalm 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies
To the leader. A Psalm of David.
1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I bear pain in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all day long?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

3 Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
4 and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”;
my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

5 But I trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

The magnificent Tennessee Theatre opened in my city in 1928 and has since been painstakingly restored to its original opulence. It is one of my favorite places to watch plays and musical performances. At each performance, there is always a short space of time when I, along with the rest of ...

08/29/2026

Link to devotional:
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2026-08-29

Mark 8:14-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” 16 They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

I had been retired for fourteen years, and everything was going well until I suffered a stroke. I thank God that my life was spared and that I still have use of my right side, though it has been weakened. I made great progress in rehabilitation, but two weeks after arriving home I developed s...