by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jan 10, 2011 | Samaritan woman; quadrilateral; doubt, Wesley's Quadrilateral
I was asked to read John 4:5-42 and prepare a prayer based on the text. So, I was reading with attentiveness. As a result I saw something in this conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman I’d never seen before. As Methodists, we believe that there are 4...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Dec 11, 2010 | second thoughts
After only a few weeks, I realized that there are some items in this conglomeration of random thoughts that I might want to share with someone else once in a while…..so, I reactivated the blogspot site. There is a time delay of a couple of months before blogspot...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Nov 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
This exercise of blogging over the last 5+ years has been therapeutic and helpful. But I’ve come to the conclusion that, since I’m the only one reading it that it would be just as useful done in a journal, if at all. There’s no point in taking up...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Sep 6, 2010 | memorization, Ten Commandments
I saw this helpful aid for remembering the Ten Commandments. This method uses the first four words of Exodus 20:2 “I am the Lord.” Idolatry – Don’t worship idols (vv.4-6)Adultery – Don’t commit adultery (v.14)Murder –...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Aug 23, 2010 | contentment, gluttony, principal of replacement
I have heard before that one can’t simply remove oneself from sin or push away from evil. It is necessary to replace the sinful behavior or beliefs with others that are more valuable or good. Christ’s parable of the man cleansed of an evil spirt suggests...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jul 31, 2010 | Arminianism, Calvinism, election, theology
Arminianism’s chief tenets: (John Wesley rejected Calvinism and embraced Arminianism)1. Humans are naturally unable to make any effort towards salvation. 2. They possess free will to accept or reject salvation.3. Salvation is possible only by God’s grace,...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jul 14, 2010 | spiritual growth
I have been invited to be the keynote speaker for a spiritual enrichment retreat next March. Though it’s over eight months away, I have already had to put to paper an outline for the weekend’s messages on rather short notice. It’s not as hard as one...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jul 14, 2010 | holiness, justification, sanctification
“The one (justification)implies what God does for us through His Son; the other (sanctification) what He works in us by His Spirit.” John Wesley Righteousness. How it comes to be, if at all, is amazing. Covered, as with snow, by the imputation of...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jun 26, 2010 | desires, shoes
I have written several times about shoes. This past week I had to face the fact that a favorite pair of slide-on sandals needed to be relegated to “junk-shoe-kick-about” status or thrown in the trash. They had been a daily and Sunday all purpose shoe. So I...
by Cathy Boyd Byrd | Jun 21, 2010 | confession, Twelve Step recovery
I have always loved the section in the Hallelujah chorus that quotes Isaiah 9:6b “And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” The way in which it is sung suggests that...
