First Cumberland Presbyterian of Oak Ridge, 127 Lafayette Drive, Oak Ridge, TN (2026)

06/02/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝐼 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑘, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑒…
Matthew 25:36

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗰𝗸 (by Joe Pettigrew)

When someone we know is facing illness, it can be difficult to know what to do or say. We may feel inadequate, fearing we will be a bother or that we will not have the right words of comfort. Yet, Jesus gives us a clear and powerful picture of how we should respond to those who are suffering. In His description of the final judgment, He places visiting the sick right alongside feeding the hungry and clothing the naked as a direct service to Him. When we care for the sick, we are not just performing a kind act; we are ministering to Christ Himself.

Ministry to the sick is less about having perfect words and more about offering a quiet, steady presence. It is about bringing a tangible expression of God's love to someone who may feel isolated, afraid, or forgotten. Your visit can be a gentle reminder that they are not alone and that their church family and their God have not abandoned them. The simple act of sitting with someone, listening to their fears, offering a prayer, or reading a comforting passage of scripture can be a cool cloth on a fevered brow. It brings the peace of Christ into a room filled with uncertainty.

Let us not allow our own discomfort to prevent us from being a source of encouragement. You do not have to have all the answers to their medical questions or a profound theological explanation for their suffering. You only need to have a heart willing to show up and reflect the compassion of Jesus. Pray for opportunities to be His hands and feet to those who are hurting.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Merciful God, replace any feelings of hesitation with Your love, so I can step into those quiet rooms and be a beacon of hope, reminding the sick that they are seen, valued, and deeply loved. Amen.

06/01/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝐴 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑑𝑦, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑛𝑣𝑦 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠.
Proverbs 14:30

𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 (Joe Pettigrew)

It is part of the human condition to look around at what others possess and feel a twinge of longing. We see a friend’s career success, a neighbor’s happy family, or someone else’s financial freedom, and suddenly, our own lives can feel inadequate. This craving for what we do not have is subtle at first, but if left unchecked, it can grow into a deep-seated discontentment. We begin to view our blessings through a lens of scarcity rather than abundance, focusing entirely on the empty spaces rather than the overflowing cup God has placed in our hands.

The Bible speaks strongly about envy, not just because it is a sin, but because it is destructive to our own well-being. As the proverb warns, envy rots the bones; it eats away at our joy and peace from the inside out. When we are consumed with wanting someone else’s life, we miss out on living our own. Contentment is not about having everything we want; it is about appreciating all that we have. Finding peace begins with gratitude. When the ache of wanting more starts to creep in, combat it by listing the ways God has been faithful to you. Shift your gaze from your lack to your blessing.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Bountiful God, enable me to lay down the heavy burden of comparison today! May I realize just how blessed I am and that I have everything I really need. In Jesus’s name, amen.

05/31/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑓 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑒. 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐿𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢.” (Colossians 3:13, NIV)

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲? It’s easier to be selfish instead of gracious. The ultimate way God shows us grace is by forgiveness, and the way He asks us to show grace to other people is by forgiving them. That’s easier said than done, but it can be a game changer!

Clara Barton, who founded the American Red Cross, was reminded by a friend of an especially cruel thing that somebody had done to her years before. Barton acted like she didn’t remember it, and the friend asked, “Don’t you remember?” Her famous reply was, “No, I distinctly remember forgetting it.”

What do you need to forget? If you don’t forgive, you’re not going to enjoy God’s vision for the rest of your life, because you will be stuck in the past. Forgiveness is not saying that what somebody did was right or that there shouldn’t be consequences for what happened. It just means that you let go of your anger and hurt and give it to God so that you can move on with God’s purpose for your life.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Merciful God, don’t let a painful part of my past drain the joy out of the present moment. Move me forward in joyful expectation; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

05/30/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑙𝑦, 𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚.”
Proverbs 26:4 (NCV)

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 (Rick Warren)

There’s a lot of negative stuff online. It’s never been easier to take to heart the negativity you read on social media and get drawn into unproductive arguments. It’s tempting to want to set people straight!

But the Bible says, “𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑙 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑤. 𝑇ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒” (Titus 3:9 NCV).

God doesn’t want you to get involved in useless arguments—that includes those online. There are plenty of people just waiting for someone to challenge them. They even go looking for arguments. But those folks use motivated reasoning, which means no matter what you say, it's not going to change anything. The Bible has something to say about people who live for the fight: “𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑜𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑎 𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑎 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝𝑠 𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑢𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔” (Proverbs 26:21 NCV).

Don’t add fuel to the fire. “𝐷𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑙𝑦, 𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚” (Proverbs 26:4 NCV). Don’t let them hook you!

The Bible says that pride always causes conflict (Proverbs 13:10). Anywhere you find conflict, ego is involved. When my pride hits your pride, that causes conflict.

Before you go online, ask God to give you a good dose of humility. You’ll need it as you face the fire and make the right choice to speak in love.

05/29/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐿𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟’𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛.”
(Philippians 2:4, GNT)

𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀? Being selfless is the best way to build relationships. The best way to destroy relationships is by being selfish.

Selflessness brings out the best in others. What does being selfless mean? It means you think a little less of yourself and a little more of others. The opposite of selfless is selfish. It’s thinking more of yourself and a lot less of others. It’s the number one cause of conflict and arguments.

The Bible says, “𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑓𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢? 𝐷𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛 𝑦𝑜𝑢? 𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑖𝑡” (James 4:1-2, NIV).

Being selfish comes naturally. We naturally think about our interests, our hurts, how we look, and how we feel. Culture reinforces this: “Look out for number one.” “Go ahead, you deserve it.” The Bible teaches us to “𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟’𝑠 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛.”

When you do this it can transform relationships and it can transform people. You can turn an argument into an agreement. You can turn a cranky, unlikeable person into a calm, nice person.

One of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be unselfish, but it won’t happen overnight. It’s a life-long journey. But we don’t take this journey alone. Romans 8:26 says, “𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑙𝑝𝑠 𝑢𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠” (NLT). God’s Spirit is with you to help you break the cycle of selfishness! And that’s when you’ll see transformation taking place in all your relationships.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Purify my heart and mind Lord, so my words and actions never come from pride, anger, bitterness, or controversy. Help me overcome my “what about me” mentality. Enable me to see the needs and interests of those around me. I know that if I can do this, my life will be filled with true joy and happiness, and I will be able to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

05/28/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟴, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝐷𝑜 𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓𝑖𝑠ℎ 𝑎𝑚𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑡. 𝑅𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟, 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠, 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑠.
Philippians 2:3-4

𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗹𝗲 (by Joe Pettigrew)

We live in a world that constantly encourages us to promote ourselves. From social media highlights to workplace achievements, the pressure to be seen, heard, and admired is relentless. In such a culture, admitting that "it’s hard to be humble" feels like an understatement. Our natural human instinct is self-preservation and self-elevation. We want to be right, we want to be recognized, and we often fear that if we lower ourselves, we will be overlooked or taken advantage of. Humility feels risky because it requires us to lay down our pride, our desire for control, and our need for validation.

However, true biblical humility is not about thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. It is a shifting of the spotlight from our own ego to the needs of others and the glory of God. Jesus is the ultimate example of this profound strength. He, who held all power and authority, chose to wash feet, touch the untouchable, and ultimately lay down His life for us. His humility was not weakness; it was love in action. When we look at His life, we see that greatness in the Kingdom of God is measured by how well we serve, not how loudly we boast.

Embracing humility is a daily discipline. It means choosing to listen rather than speak, to serve rather than be served, and to celebrate others' victories as if they were our own. It is a quiet confidence that knows our worth is found in God, not in the applause of people. When we walk in humility, we reflect the heart of Jesus to a world that desperately needs to see Him.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Loving God, give me the grace to step back so that You can step forward. In Jesus’ name, amen.

05/27/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐵𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑙𝑒; 𝑏𝑒 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡, 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒. 𝑀𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑜𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒.”
(Ephesians 4:2-3, NIV)

𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗱𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗲. As one person put it, we live in the 𝐶𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑚. We are infected with the 𝑰𝑫𝑰 𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒆 (I-Deserve-It). The IDI-ology places a premium on the needs of the self over the needs of others.

According to the IDI Syndrome, having a “meaningful relationship” means someone is “meeting my needs.” We live in a consumer culture where luxuries have become necessities and we have moved from “need” to “want” to “deserve.” I want it, therefore I need it, therefore I deserve it and I’ll kill to get it.

We are overdosing on everything: food, data, relationships, possessions, pleasure… What we “need” is to become more “Christ-centered” and less self-centered. We need to become “small-minded” if we want to get “big-hearted.” Small acts of kindness and faithfulness are often great acts of courage.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, help me not to think of myself more highly than I should. Amen.

05/26/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
“𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑠 𝑎𝑡 𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒. 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑑, 𝑦𝑜𝑢’𝑙𝑙 𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑝 ℎ𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟. 𝐴𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟…” (Matthew 6:24, MSG)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲. There is a war going on for control of our lives. Each of us has two voices fighting for attention in our mind. 𝑊𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑒𝑔𝑜. It’s a loud, insistent voice, pushing us to think only about ourselves – how we can get our way and have what we want. The ego always edges God out and prevents us from experiencing peace.

But there is another voice in our head: 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐻𝑜𝑙𝑦 𝑆𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑡. It’s a still, small voice. The Spirit’s voice is so soft that we’ve got to be quiet to hear it. The Spirit seeks to place God at the center of our lives and to give us a peace that the world just can’t give. It’s a supernatural peace.

Most of us are pulled in two directions because we try to listen to both voices. We are responsible for which voice we listen to. How do we do that? An old country preacher was once asked what it felt like on the inside to be a Christian. He silently thought on the subject, and then said, “Well, it’s sort of like I’ve got two dogs inside me. One is a good dog, and the other is a bad dog, and they’re always fighting!” His questioner asked, “Which dog is winning the fight?” The preacher answered, “Whichever one I say ‘sic’em’ to.”

A poet put it like this:
There are two natures in my breast;
One I love and one I hate;
The one I feed will dominate.

It becomes a matter of which one we feed. When we accept the direction of the Holy Spirit, it means an end to the civil war inside.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Holy Spirit, I want to hear your voice. You’re always speaking to me, but that doesn’t mean that I’m always listening. Open my mind to hear your voice and give me the wisdom and courage to follow your guidance. Amen.

05/25/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠: 𝑡𝑜 𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑜𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒’𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠.”
(John 15:13, NIV)

𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗮𝘆. For many people, Memorial Day is a holiday that marks the beginning of summer. It means an extra day off for backyard barbecues, a trip to the beach, watching baseball or NASCAR on television. But Memorial Day was not intended to be a holiday. It was a day set aside to honor and remember all the brave men and women who gave their lives in service for our country. It was a day to pay homage to those Abraham Lincoln referred to as the “honored dead.” It was originally called “Decoration Day.” On that day people went to cemeteries to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers. As we honor and remember them, let us honor the gift of freedom they have given us. Let’s also honor all those who are serving in our armed forces and their families who are sacrificing so much today. Let’s pray for God’s peace and protection over every area of their lives.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Gracious God, thank You for the men and women who have given their lives to secure and keep our freedom as a nation. We are grateful that you are with our military personnel and their families wherever they are. Protect them and may they know Your peace that passes all understanding. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

05/24/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
“𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐽𝑒𝑤 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙𝑒, 𝑛𝑒𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒, 𝑛𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒, 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡 𝐽𝑒𝑠𝑢𝑠.”
(Galatians 3:28, NIV)

𝗚𝗼𝗱’𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲. Anne Lamott, in her book 𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑀𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠, describes a time when a church member told about adopting her son through an organization called ASK. Adopt Special Kids. Part of the adoption process included filling out a questionnaire checking yes or no to one’s willingness to adopt babies that had been born addicted, terminally ill, with physical “defects,” or mental disabilities. She and her husband had checked down the list.

Lamott’s pastor said that God, too, is like an adoptive parent who says, “Sure, I’ll take the kids who are addicted, or terminal. I pick all the selfish ones and the liars. I choose the disobedient ones and the terrified ones. The self-indulgent ones and the trouble-makers. The damaged ones and the unlovable ones. In love, I choose them all. I will be a parent to them all. I will end their separation and bring them home with me.”

That’s the Gospel. That’s the Good News. God’s grace is available to ALL. To the immoral and the amoral, to the native and to the immigrant, to black and brown and yellow and white. That’s God’s grace. Where would we be without it?

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿: Thank you, Father, for loving me and adopting me into your family! In Jesus’ name, amen.

First Cumberland Presbyterian of Oak Ridge

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