Live Service for Dec. 3rd, 2025

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper

Text: Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).”

Reflection:
God’s presence changes everything. The incarnation is divine proximity—God entering our brokenness, not avoiding it. Presence heals what absence wounds. Jesus’ birth reveals that redemption begins when we show up where pain lives.

Societal Lens:
Many enter the holidays with grief, loneliness, or anxiety. “God with us” must become “we with each other.” In a world of digital connection but relational isolation, being fully present is counter-cultural ministry.

Spiritual Practice:
Reach out to someone who feels unseen. Don’t fix—listen. Bring warmth through presence rather than solutions.

Conversation Questions:

1. What does “God with us” mean in your daily experience?
2. How can the church embody presence in a hurting world?
3. What practices help you remain emotionally available to others?

Prayer:
“Emmanuel, You are the presence we crave. Help us to be present for others as You are for us. Amen.”

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Text: Psalm 130:5–6 (ESV)

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”

Reflection:
Advent invites us into holy waiting. The psalmist teaches that waiting deepens trust. Our culture equates waiting with failure, but God uses it for formation. Waiting tempers impatience and births discernment. It reminds us that divine timing cannot be forced.

Societal Lens:
We live in an on-demand world—instant gratification, immediate answers, same-day delivery. This pace erodes our spiritual endurance. The capitalist clock accelerates desire while the divine clock matures hope. Advent slows us to rediscover sacred time.

Spiritual Practice:
Establish a “waiting ritual.” Each morning, sit in silence for five minutes before checking your phone or beginning work. Whisper, “My soul waits for You.”

Conversation Questions:

1. How does waiting stretch or strengthen your faith?
2. In what areas of your life do you struggle to trust God’s timing?
3. What spiritual disciplines help you remain patient and hopeful?

Prayer:
“Lord, slow our racing hearts. Teach us to see delay not as denial but as divine preparation. Amen.”

Text: Luke 12:15 (ESV)

“And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”

Reflection:
Jesus’ warning challenges our modern obsession with accumulation. Advent calls us to strip away illusions of worth defined by wealth. Christ’s birth in a manger reveals that simplicity is sacred. “Enough” is not mediocrity—it is freedom from striving for what cannot satisfy.

Societal Lens:
Consumerism has turned Advent into an economic event. Black Friday, endless wish lists, and social media comparisons form a spiritual trap. Many will overspend to prove love or status. Yet Jesus’ message interrupts this cycle: life’s meaning isn’t measured in more.

Spiritual Practice:
Take a “gratitude inventory.” Name five things money cannot buy that sustain you. Practice generosity in a way that costs comfort but not contentment.

Conversation Questions:

1. What drives our collective fear of not having enough?
2. How might simplicity become an act of faith?
3. What does “enough” mean in your spiritual journey?

Prayer:
“God of abundance, free us from the tyranny of more. Teach us to see provision in Your presence and sufficiency in Your grace. Amen.”

Live Service for Nov 5th, 2025

Special Guest: Fadi Suleiman

podcast notes https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

Mitchell Harper

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Live Service for Oct. 22th, 2025 Special Guest—Rev. Derrick K. Holmes

podcast notes

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson

Mitchell Harper

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 75 – Heart Conditions: When God Doesn’t Cosign Your Words

Scripture: Proverbs 16:1

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”

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Proposition

A corrupt heart produces a distorted message. We can’t expect God to bless what the heart has already poisoned.

Main Question

What happens when the heart’s motives block God’s message?

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1. Scripture Foundation

Cross-References:

• Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things…”
• Luke 6:45 – “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
• Proverbs 4:23 – “Guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
• Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God…”

Word Study:

• “Heart” (לֵב / leb): center of the human will, desire, and decision-making.
• “Plans” (maʿarakah): arrangement, intention—what the heart constructs.
• “Answer” (maʿaneh): a divine response, revelation, or reply.
• “Tongue” (lashon): a physical organ of speech and a metaphor for spiritual expression.

Context Notes:

Solomon distinguishes human intention from divine inspiration. The heart may devise plans, but God determines what words (and outcomes) align with truth.

When the heart’s filter is unclean, even good-sounding plans can carry manipulative motives.

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1. The Big Questions
2. What if our plans sound holy but are rooted in ego or insecurity?
3. How do we discern when our words are Spirit-led versus self-led?
4. Can God’s truth come through a heart that refuses correction?
5. Why does the heart’s condition determine whether the tongue speaks truth or poison?
6. What does it mean to let God purify your motives before you speak your plans?

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1. Insights & Commentary

• Biblical Insight: The verse shows divine restraint—God doesn’t cosign every word, even when spoken in His name.
• Theological Insight: The tongue may move, but only a purified heart can carry God’s authority.
• Practical Insight: People can use the right vocabulary (“God told me,” “I’m walking in purpose”) with the wrong heart.
• Illustration: Pharaoh’s magicians mimicked Moses’ miracles—same performance, wrong power source.
• Reflection: The Spirit doesn’t edit deceit. God’s voice will not harmonize with our hidden motives.

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1. Community Connection

• Cultural Context: In our era of platform-driven Christianity, motives matter more than methods. Many claim divine endorsement without divine intimacy.
• Local Lens: In ministry and leadership, heart posture affects how messages are received. A self-centered agenda can distort the gospel message.
• Social/Digital Connection: People often post scripture as validation for pride or revenge—proof that the heart behind the post corrupts the power of the Word.

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1. Takeaways & Application

• Individual: Check your heart before you speak for God.
• Corporate (Church): Teach discernment—not just doctrine. The question isn’t “Did you say it right?” but “Did you mean it right?”
• Action Challenge: Spend time in prayer this week asking God, “What in my heart needs healing before I speak again?”

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1. Engagement Elements

• Audience Questions:
• How do you check your heart before you make a decision or post a message?
• Have you ever realized your words were right but your motive was wrong?
• Shareable Quote:

“God doesn’t cosign deceit, even when it’s dressed in scripture.”

• Song Suggestion: “Give Me a Clean Heart” (Donnie McClurkin) or “Refiner” (Maverick City Music).

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1. Prayer & Reflection

Prayer:

“God, examine our hearts. Remove every deceitful intention and every selfish motive that blocks your truth from being heard. Purify our plans, and let every word we speak carry your peace and power. Amen.”

Devotional Thought:

The tongue reveals what the heart conceals. If your speech doesn’t sound like heaven, it’s time to let God heal the source.

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Live Service for Sept. 24th, 2025

podcast notes https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1iv4h1VA2zvbgt0vE3NzMEsD2O1Tpzb0Z?usp=drive_link

Pastor Dr. Charles W. Ferguson Mitchell Harper

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above

Episode 72 – Transitions— For Better or Worse: When the Water Is Healed

Text: II Kings 2:15–22 Lens: Community resistance to new leadership; unhealthy nostalgia vs. healthy acceptance; what it takes to validate leadership.

1. Scripture Foundation

• Text (ESV): Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him… they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”… They urged him to send men to look for Elijah… but they did not find him… Then Elisha healed the water… and the water has been healed to this day.

• Cross-References:

• • • Joshua 1:1–9 – God affirms Joshua after Moses.
    • Acts 1:23–26 – Community confirms Matthias as apostle.
    • 1 Timothy 4:12–16 – Paul urges Timothy not to let anyone despise his youth.

• Word Study:

• • • “Rest” (nuach, Hebrew): to settle, dwell, remain. The Spirit’s resting validates Elisha.
    • “Heal” (rapha, Hebrew): to make whole, restore, repair.

• Context:

• • Prophets recognize Elisha yet resist closure (searching for Elijah).
  • Elisha shows leadership patience, then demonstrates authority through miracle.
  • Healthy transition requires both recognition and fruitfulness.

1. The Big Questions

1. Why do people resist new leadership—even when God confirms it?
2. What does it take for a leader to be validated in the eyes of the people?
3. How do nostalgia and denial keep churches from moving forward?
4. Why must new leadership be both patient with resistance and bold in action?
5. What does healing the water teach us about the role of leaders in times of transition?

1. Insights & Commentary

• Biblical Insight: The prophets bowed (respect) but also begged (resistance)—mirroring how communities honor leaders while clinging to the past.
• Community Leadership Insight: Elisha’s patience (“Send them…”) shows pastoral wisdom; he doesn’t shame them, but lets reality confirm the truth.
• Practical Leadership Insight: Elisha’s first act was not self-promotion, but service (healing the city’s water). True leaders bless the people.
• Modern Parallel: When pastors or leaders are transitioned (via itinerancy, firing, or retirement), congregations often struggle—“searching” for the old leader even when God has moved on.

1. Community Connection

• Church Parallel: Like the prophets, congregations may resist a new pastor, waiting for the old one to “come back.” This creates tension and delay.
• Contemporary Example: In situations like Pastor Joel Tudman’s departure, or Methodist itinerancy, the congregation’s denial can be as disruptive as leadership’s decisions.
• Local Angle: How can Clair or similar churches move past grief to embrace new beginnings?

1. Takeaways & Application

• Individual: Don’t waste energy searching for what God has already moved. Embrace what is before you.
• Corporate (Church/Community): Validate new leadership through fruitfulness, not favoritism. Judge leadership by life-giving acts.
• Action Challenge: Ask: What “water” in your life/community needs healing—and how can you step into that role instead of longing for the past?

1. Engagement Elements

• Audience Questions:

• • Have you ever resisted a new leader or season because you were still searching for the old one?
  • What “water” in your life needs healing right now?
• Shareable Quote: “True leadership in transition is proven when the water is healed, not when egos are preserved.”
• Possible Song/Clip: “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah” — a hymn of God’s leading through transitions.

1. Prayer & Reflection

Prayer: “God of continuity and change, forgive us when we cling to the past instead of embracing your present work. Help us honor those who came before us without resisting those you’ve called now. Make us life-givers, healers of the water, in every place you’ve planted us. Amen.”

Devotional Thought: The surest sign of God’s Spirit in new leadership is not control, but healing.

Clair United Methodist Church - https://www.clairumc.com/​​ !!!!!DONATE TO THE AMAZING STREAMING TEAM @ - https://bit.ly/2CwmMwT​​ FOR ALL THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE DURING THIS TIME!!!!! We do not own the rights to this music. Come join us every Sunday for a Live stream service and if you would like to donate for the church click the link above