Pastor Scott's Musings

 Sermon for Milledgeville UMC... In The Garden (John 20:1-17)   I told my wife she’ not wearing the correct shoes for gardening. But..she’s digging in her heels.   She accidentally planted the wrong flowers in the garden Oopsie daisies   Charles Austin Mills Composer of In The Garden We are talking about the hymn In The Garden today!   Charles Austin Miles, composer of the beloved hymn "In The Garden" was a pharmacist, photographer, and songwriter. Born in Lakehurst, New Jersey, on January 7, 1868, Miles attended Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and the University of Pennsylvania.   He married Bertha H. Haagen on June 25, 1890. The couple had multiple children, including sons Charles Jr. and Russell Hancock.   In 1892, he gave up his pharmacy career to pursue the writing of gospel songs. His first song, "List! ’Tis Jesus’ Voice", was published by the Hall-Mack Company, where he later became editor and manager of the music ...

  [Slide] Keys to Revival: Kingdom Prayer (Matthew 6:19-34) We are in week three of our revival journey. We are together daily seeking to be renewed in God’s love. Daily practice of prayer is like daily practice for athletes and musicians. [Slide] When an athlete practices diligently every day, they are prepared for high performance during the game. Revival is not something you watch from the stands. God calls us onto the field. The Lord calls us to seek first His kingdom and persevere in prayer. IU Football - 2026 NCAA Champs Any meaningful victory involves struggle. [Slide] Athletes train daily because effort is non-negotiable. Small habits, repeated with intention, prepare them for decisive moments. The same holds true for spirituality. We do not suddenly become people of powerful prayer when crisis arrives. We build a life of prayer one day at a time. Our daily devotional time matters because those dedicated, God-seeking minutes, create spiritual strength. How do we prep...

  Trust and Obey (1st John 4:15-5:5)   We have two people to thank for the popular hymn Trust and Obey. John H. Sammis, the author of the lyrics, and Daniel Towner the composer of the music.   Rev. John H. Sammis Daniel Towner Daniel Towner was born in Rome, Pennsylvania, in 1850. His father was a professor and director of music at singing schools in the area. As early as 7 years old, Daniel was recognized for his music abilities. Little Daniel’s voice could move you to tears. His father called him the Prince of Singers. By the time he was 17, Daniel developed a beautiful bass voice and was called the Wonderful Boy Bass.   He studied music at Susquehanna Collegiate Institute in Towanda, Pennsylvania, under the tutelage of Philip P. Bliss. He married Mary E. McGonigle in December 1870. They moved to Bingham, New York where he served as music director for Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church. They eventually ended up in Covington, Kentucky south of Cincinn...

  [Slide] Keys to Revival: Ongoing Repentance (Psalm 51:1-17)   [Slide] Revival is renewing our love for God. If we long to see revival in our hearts, families, schools, churches, and nation, it must begin with us. It takes our urgent effort to be renewed in God’s love, realizing our future depends on God reviving us, this church, and our nation.   [Slide] When we pursue revival, we will meet obstacles: distraction and sin. Distraction pulls our attention in a hundred directions. [Slide] Remember the blessing-judgment cycle of the Bible. Comfort makes us complacent. We drift into sin. We place other things above God. We pursue other things with more attention and passion than we do our relationship with God.   When we sin, we feel shame. [Slide] Shame tempts us to hide. We hide from God as Adam and Eve did in the garden. But we can’t hide from God. Like a loving Father, He calls us home. The way through sin and shame is repentance: turning away from ...