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East Kane Methodist Church, 6703 Rt 321. PO Box 492, Kane, PA (2026)

06/04/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

Weighing the Weight of Stress

Pastor Calvin Cook

June 4, 2026

Scripture Focus: Acts 2:42

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” — Acts 2:42

It has been what St. John of the Cross described as a long dark night of the soul. Not a night of sleeplessness but of stressfulness. A night where if the words before sleep “the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need” would not have been prayed and embraced the morning light would seem much different.

Stress seems to have become a constant companion in our day to day lives.

Financial pressures. Family concerns. Health issues. Uncertainty about the future. Political division. Many challenges. Business demands. The list never seems to end. If we are not careful, stress can become so familiar that we begin to accept it as normal.

Recently, as I have been reading through the Acts of the Apostles, I found myself wondering about the stress the early church and the early followers of Jesus, those who witnessed first hand his life, teachings, and presence must have faced.

Think about their circumstances.

Jesus had ascended into heaven. The disciples were entrusted with carrying the Gospel to the world. Persecution was beginning. Religious leaders opposed them. Governments viewed them with suspicion. Many believers faced rejection from family and friends. Resources were limited, and the mission before them seemed impossible.

Yet when I read Acts, I do not find a church consumed by stress.

I find a church consumed by devotion.

Acts 2:42 tells us they devoted themselves to four things: the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. Certainly there were many other things signs and wonders associated with their response to the Gospel, but they were focused and fully devoted.

Notice what they were devoted to.

They were not devoted to worry.

They were not devoted to fear.

They were not devoted to endless speculation about what might happen next.

They were devoted to God.

Their lives were anchored in Scripture. They gathered regularly with one another. They shared meals and remembered Christ’s sacrifice. They prayed together and depended completely upon the Holy Spirit’s guidance and power.

Perhaps the difference between their response and ours is not the amount of stress they faced but where their devotion was placed.

Too often, when stress rises, we devote ourselves to things that cannot sustain us. We devote ourselves to news cycles, social media feeds, opinions, fears, and worst-case scenarios. We depend on medicine to heal us, counseling to cure us, and grasp at whatever satisfies us. We spend more time feeding our anxieties than feeding our faith.

The early church chose a different path.

They leaned into God’s Word.

They leaned into Christian community.

They leaned into worship and remembrance.

They leaned into prayer.

And through that devotion, God gave them peace, courage, wisdom, and strength.

Maybe the answer to the weight of stress is not found in carrying it better but in redirecting our devotion.

What if we became as devoted to Scripture as we are to our worries?

What if we became as devoted to prayer as we are to thinking about out problems?

What if we became as devoted to fellowship as we are to hiding away in our own misery and our fears?

Perhaps then we would discover what the early church already knew: when our devotion belongs fully to God, the weight of stress no longer has the final word.

Prayer

Lord, help me examine what I am truly devoted to. When stress and anxiety begin to weigh heavily upon me, draw me back to Your Word, Your people, Your table, and Your presence. Teach me to trust You more than I trust my fears and to depend upon You more than I depend upon my own understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

06/03/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

When the Room Shook

Pastor Calvin Cook

Scripture Focus: Acts 4:23-31

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." — Acts 4:31

I wonder what it would take today to shake the room. Not the building itself, but our hearts. I am longing for that Pentecost like prayer that shakes the very core of everything. A fire burning not necessary to consume but to refine. Fire does both!

The prayer recorded in Acts 4 comes at a difficult moment in the life of the early church. Peter and John had been arrested. Religious leaders had threatened them. The very people who had crucified Jesus were now warning His followers to stop preaching in His name.

The church was young, vulnerable, and facing opposition from every direction. Yet what amazes me most is what they did not pray for.

They did not pray for God to remove their enemies.

They did not pray for comfort.

They did not pray for an easier path.

Instead, they prayed for boldness.

"Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness." (Acts 4:29)

As I reflect on that prayer, I cannot help but compare it to many of our prayers today. Did you notice the urgency in the first word of the verse -“Now”. They were not only praying with an expectancy of what “the Lord” was going to do, but they were seeking this boldness “now”. Not when the people had time, or would make time it was “now”. This pauses me to think how we often pray for convenience, safety, success, and relief from difficulty. None of those prayers are wrong. Yet the early believers understood something we often forget: the message of the cross needed to be shared now and of course that following Jesus was never promised to be easy.

The struggles of the first-century church may look different from ours, but the challenges remain. We face discouragement. We face criticism. We face uncertainty about the future. Churches struggle. Families struggle. Businesses struggle. Communities struggle.

Many of us are asking, "How do we keep going?"

The answer may be the same one God gave the early church.

Pray. It was something the early church devoted themselves to – Prayer (Acts 2:42)

They were devoting themselves to prayer not just for answers but for courage. Not just for solutions, but for boldness. Not just for comfort, but for the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 4 reminds us that God often does His greatest work when His people feel their weakest. The threats did not disappear. The opposition did not end. But the believers left that prayer meeting stronger than they entered it because they had encountered the presence of God. When was the last time you were part of a Holy Spirit refining prayer time?

Perhaps the room that needs shaken today is not a sanctuary or church building.

Perhaps it is my heart.

Perhaps it is yours.

May God fill us once again with His Spirit so that we can faithfully follow Jesus wherever He leads, even when the road is difficult.

Prayer - Lord, when fear tempts me to be silent, fill me with courage. When challenges seem overwhelming, remind me that You are greater. Shake anything in my life that keeps me from following You fully, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit so I may live and speak boldly for Christ. Amen.

06/02/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

Thrown Under the Bus

Pastor Calvin Cook

June 2, 2026

Scripture Focus: Acts 2:37b; John 8:47

"what shall we do?" — Acts 2:37b

"Whoever belongs to God hears what God says." — John 8:47

There are a whole litany of things circulating in my heart and mind this morning. So, pause with me as I ramble through some of these thoughts.

Have you ever felt like you were doing exactly what God was calling you to do, only to find yourself thrown under the bus by someone you trusted?

Perhaps it was a friend who misunderstood your intentions. A family member who questioned your motives. A church member who criticized your efforts. A co-worker who took credit for your work. Or maybe it was someone you had stood beside, supported, and encouraged, only to have them turn against you when things became difficult. I share this because these have been recent concerns that have been shared with me from people who are trying to figure life out, what a relationship with Jesus should look like, and where is their place in life and living faithfully.

If we're honest, these moments that we consider betrayal hurt deeply.

What makes it even harder is that many times we are not trying to serve ourselves. We are genuinely attempting to follow the leading of God. Even care for others. We have prayed, listened, stepped out in faith, and obeyed what we believed the Holy Spirit was asking us to do.

Then suddenly, criticism comes.

People desert you.

Opposition appears.

Trust is broken.

For whatever the reason, I often find myself hurting when people who were such an intricate part of my life over the years, know are seldom seem or heard from. I also seek forgiveness for those who have felt betrayed or deserted by me.

Do you ever find yourself asking in these situations asking yourself, "Lord, what am I supposed to do now?"

That question is not unlike the question asked in Acts 2. After Peter preached under the power of the Holy Spirit, the people were cut to the heart and cried out, "what shall we do?"

It was not a question of self-defense. It was not a question of how to win an argument. It was not a question of how to get even. It was a question of surrender. "What shall we do?"

I believe that same question serves us well when life throws us under the bus. Not, "How do I prove I'm right?" Not, "How do I make them understand?" Not, "How do I get back at them?" But rather, "Holy Spirit, what would You have me do?"

Jesus gives us insight in John 8:47: "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says."

The challenge for every believer is deciding whose voice we will listen to when we are wounded. Will we listen to hurt? Will we listen to anger? Will we listen to fear? Or will we listen to the voice of God?

The Holy Spirit rarely leads us toward bitterness. Instead, He calls us toward faithfulness, perseverance, humility, forgiveness, and trust.

Sometimes the greatest victory is not defending ourselves. Sometimes the greatest victory is continuing to walk in obedience while trusting God to defend us. When others misunderstand you, keep listening. When others criticize you, keep listening. When others throw you under the bus, keep listening. Because those who belong to God hear His voice. And His voice will always lead us forward.

As we pray this morning please consider this Reflection Question: When you feel wounded or betrayed, whose voice do you tend to hear first—your hurt, the opinions of others, or the voice of God?

Prayer: Lord, when I am hurt, misunderstood, or betrayed, help me resist the temptation to react from my emotions. Instead, teach me to ask, "What shall I do?" and then listen carefully for Your answer. Give me ears to hear the Holy Spirit, courage to obey, and faith to trust You with the outcome. In Jesus' name, Amen.

06/01/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

Cut to the Heart

Pastor Calvin Cook

June 1, 2026

Scripture Focus: Acts 2:37 "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"

This past week as we continued with sharing thoughts on Pentecost and the movement of Holy Spirit causing the followers of Jesus to respond and become a movement themselves, I was caught by the words once again of Peter in Acts 2:37.

Acts record these thoughts: Peter stood before the crowd on the Day of Pentecost and boldly proclaimed the truth about Jesus Christ. He spoke of the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the lordship of Christ. The people listening were not merely hearing information. They were experiencing conviction. Luke tells us they were "cut to the heart."

The phrase “cuts to the heart” paints a powerful picture. It is not the image of a small emotional response or a passing feeling. It describes something deep within them being pierced. The Holy Spirit took the truth of God and pressed it into their hearts until they could no longer ignore it.

As I preached this weekend, I found myself lingering on this phrase “cut to the heart” and asking a simple question:

What about God is cutting to our hearts today?

Is it His holiness reminding us that we have become comfortable with things we once resisted?

Is it His love revealing how far we have wandered from Him?

Is it His call to forgive someone we have refused to forgive?

Is it His invitation to trust Him with a burden we have carried alone?

Is it His challenge to step into ministry, mission, generosity, or obedience?

Too often we hear God's Word and quickly move on to the next thing. We listen to sermons, read devotionals, attend worship services, and study Scripture, yet sometimes we never stop long enough to ask what God is saying to us.

That is why I believe the 22 questions that John Wesley included into the daily rhythm of the Holy Club have become so important for us today. Today I believe we need to also consider these questions in our personal lives. Especial for today as we speak how scripture speaks to us, questions 7 and 8 are vital: 7. Did the Bible live in me today? 8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day? And I would ask how is scripture changing your life daily?

The crowd at Pentecost did not leave unchanged. They did not simply say, "That was a good sermon." They asked a life-changing question: "Brothers, what shall we do?"

The conviction of scripture and God’s word is never meant to end with emotion. It is meant to lead to response. How are you responding to scripture and God’s word being proclaimed?

Whenever God cuts our hearts through His Word, His Spirit, or His gentle prompting, the proper response is not defensiveness, excuses, or delay. The proper response is surrender.

What if we approached every encounter with God by asking that same question? "Lord, what shall I do?"

Not what someone else should do.

Not what the church should do.

Not what should the preacher do.

But what should I do?

Pentecost reminds us that when the Holy Spirit moves, hearts are changed, lives are transformed, and people respond.

Today, listen carefully. Pay attention to what God is stirring within you. If something is cutting to your heart, don't ignore it. Instead, ask the question that changed thousands of lives that day: "Lord, what shall I do?"

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me ears to hear Your voice and a heart willing to respond. When Your Spirit convicts me, help me not to resist or delay. Show me what You are saying to me today and give me the courage to obey. Amen.

05/31/2026

Hope to see you in church at 9:30. Everyone is welcome.

05/29/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

Pastor Calvin Cook

Making Room, One Breath at a Time

May 29, 2026

Life rarely slows down on its own. The days fill quickly—responsibilities, conversations, concerns, expectations. Before we realize it, our attention is scattered and our focus divided. It isn’t that God has moved away. It’s that our lives have become crowded.

Scripture reminds us where peace is found:

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." — Isaiah 26:3

Peace comes not from controlling everything around us, but from staying—remaining—making room for God in the middle of it all.

As I reflected on this idea, I was reminded of the disciples' request to Jesus: "Lord, teach us to pray." Jesus responded with words we now know as the Lord's Prayer. He did not give them a lengthy sermon on prayer. He simply said, "Pray like this..." (Matthew 6:9).

What if the heart of prayer is not found in saying more words, but in making room for God through simple, intentional words that bring us back to Him?

Could our breath prayers become a modern expression of that same invitation?

When the mind begins to wander: "Lord, keep me focused on what matters most."

When life feels overwhelming: "God, guard my focus and guide my steps."

When weariness settles into the soul: "Jesus, steady my focus."

And perhaps, in this season, one simple breath prayer rises above them all: "Make room for God, one breath at a time."

Each prayer becomes a moment of surrender. A pause. A holy interruption in a busy day. Not because the words themselves are powerful, but because they turn our attention back to the One who is.

Making room for God doesn't require a retreat, a perfect schedule, or an empty calendar. It begins with a willing heart and a single breath offered back to Him.

One breath.

One prayer.

One moment of surrender.

And often, that is enough space for God to do His greatest work.

05/28/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges
THE JESUS NO-OPTION DEVOTIONALS – Part 10
There Is No Other Way
Pastor Calvin Cook
May 28, 2026

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" — John 14:6

As I continue praying through the no-option words and directions of Jesus, I find myself sitting quietly with one of the most direct and uncompromising statements Jesus ever made: "I am the way."
Not a way. Not one possibility among many. Not one spiritual path that can simply be added to a list of options.

Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Those words challenge the world we live in today. We live in a culture filled with options. Pick your own truth. Follow your own heart. Create your own path. Yet Jesus lovingly and directly says there is only one way that leads to the Father.

As I reflected on this Scripture this morning, I was reminded of a moment years ago when I was completely lost while traveling.
Before GPS and smartphones became part of everyday life, getting lost could become a real problem quickly. I remember driving unfamiliar back roads trying to find my destination. Darkness was beginning to settle in. Every road started looking the same.

Frustration was growing. I finally stopped and asked for directions.
A man standing outside a small country store listened patiently as I tried to explain where I was trying to go. After a moment he simply said, “You know what, follow me. I’m headed that direction.”

Now I know that this today would create fear but what has stuck with me all these years and reminds me this morning is that this man, this stranger was this: This man didn’t just point vaguely down a road and leave me guessing. Out of compassion, this complete stranger went out of his way to personally lead me to safety and show me the right path.

I have never forgotten that.

And honestly, that moment reminds me of Jesus.

Humanity is spiritually lost. We search every road imaginable trying to find peace, purpose, identity, forgiveness, and eternal life. Some roads look promising at first. Some seem easier. Some are popular and crowded. But eventually every road apart from Christ leaves people empty and wandering.

Jesus did not merely point toward heaven from a distance.
He came personally. He entered our brokenness. He walked among us. He carried the cross. He conquered death.
And now He says: "Follow Me. I am the way."

What a beautiful truth — Jesus does not abandon lost people. Out of compassion, He leads us Himself.

Thomas once asked Jesus, “Lord, we don't know where You are going, so how can we know the way?” (John 14:5) Jesus answered not with a map, but with His presence. "I am the way."

Today, many are spiritually lost, searching for meaning, hope, and truth. The good news is this: there is still a way home. Not through religion alone. Not through good works. Not through human effort. Only through Jesus Christ.

Because when Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," He was not offering one option among many. He was compassionately leading lost people home to the Father.

Some questions to consider in your personal prayer and reflection time: Is what you are seeking after going to be eternally satisfying? Are you seeking and receiving the right things from the right source? Can you proclaim – I was lost but now I am found? Are you willing to surrender it all to Jesus?

May the love, grace, peace and hope of Christ surround you today and be your all in all.

05/27/2026

Following Jesus From the Edges

Remember Me

Pastor Calvin Cook

May 27, 2026

Scripture Focus: Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

"And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'" — Luke 22:19

I have taken a couple days off from writing these devotionals while at the same time considering the importance of listening to and considering the teachings of Jesus. We have been in a thread of the direction that Jesus gave without option.

Over the Memorial Day holiday and celebration of Pentecost I have considered the need for remembrance. As I cared for graves of ancestors I couldn’t help but think of what I have learned from the generations that came before me. I certainly remember the teachings of my parents, but grand parents and great grandparents and others who I never knew but through the pages of history and remembrance of stories passed down – I paused to remember.

As I continue reflecting on the no-option directions of Jesus, I find myself sitting in the upper room on the night before the cross. The atmosphere must have been heavy. Jesus knew what was coming. The disciples did not fully understand. Within hours there would be betrayal, arrest, suffering, and crucifixion.

Yet in the middle of that moment, Jesus did something remarkable.

He took bread. He took a cup. And He gave His followers a simple instruction: "Do this in remembrance of Me."

Notice what Jesus did not say. He did not say, "If you happen to think about Me." He did not say, "When it fits into your schedule." He did not say, "Only when life becomes difficult."

He simply said: "Do this in remembrance of Me."

This was not merely a church ritual. It was not a religious tradition to be performed out of habit. It was a direct instruction from Jesus Himself.

Why?

Because Jesus understood something about human nature. We forget. We forget God's faithfulness when life becomes difficult. We forget giving and tithing when finances are tight. We forget His grace when guilt creeps in.

We forget His promises when fear takes hold. We forget the price He paid when comfort becomes our focus. The disciples would soon face persecution, hardship, uncertainty, and even martyrdom. Jesus knew they would need a constant reminder of who He was and what He had done.

The broken bread would remind them of His body given for them. The cup would remind them of His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Every time they gathered at the Lord's Table, they would remember the cross, the empty tomb, the covenant of grace, and the Savior who loved them enough to die for them. The same needs to be true for us today.

We live in a world filled with distractions. News available 24 hrs a day that changes by the opinion of the reporter or agency that shares the news. Technology demands our attention. Worries consume our thoughts. Schedules fill our days.

Yet above all the noise, Jesus still speaks: "Remember Me."

Remember My sacrifice. Remember My mercy. Remember My forgiveness. Remember My resurrection. Remember My love for you.

Perhaps one of the greatest dangers in our relationship with Jesus that we face is not the outright rejection of Jesus, but simply forgetting Him while remaining busy with everything else. Maybe this is the same for the church today that focuses on numbers, finances, entertainment and trading the teachings of scripture for what feels good to us and our own wants and desires.

Today, before the demands of life pull you in a dozen directions, pause and remember.

Remember the One who carried the cross.

Remember the One who conquered the grave.

Remember the One who calls you by name.

Because when Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of Me," He was not offering a suggestion. He was giving His followers a direction that still leads us back to the very center of our faith.

I am thankful for Memorial Day as it causes me to at least once a year pause to remember the lives of those who in many ways pointed me towards the right ways of life, pointed me toward God, taught through their lives. I know what some are saying. All that time and travel you spend on planting flowers on graves doesn’t matter. Well, it matters to me, because it matters to me to remember.

The same is true in coming to the Lord’s Table – It pauses me to remember Jesus and His great sacrifices and the abundant life, grace, and hope of eternity that is offered through all God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has done. Remembering this can not be an option.

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