In The Morning When I Rise

Sunrise at Flagler Beach, FL

"In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."  (Ps 5:3 NIV).

One of my favorite hymns is, "Give me Jesus."  The words are a prayer to God, "In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus.  You can have all this world, just give me Jesus."

  

Each morning, I wake up praying.  Sometimes, no often, those prayers are prayers for help; help to get me and others through another day; to meet the challenges of another day.  When I wake up each morning, I know that the one thing that I need to get through the day is Jesus.  After I rise, I generally read the news online and any prayer requests I've gotten through Facebook or my email; read some in the Bible; and write this blog.  Then, it is time to go back into conversation with God, in prayer. 

David prayed: "Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make your way straight before me." (Ps 5:8)  It is very easy when we are caught up in the daily struggles for us to head off in a direction that is not on the straight path the LORD has provided for us.  Sin, the world, the devil, many things can pull us off this path that the LORD has set before us.  We have to be very cautious lest we get pulled into believe that the enemies lies are the truth.  Sometimes, it may seem easier to just go along with the old clique rather than to stand on and stand up for the Word.  It may seem easier, but it is not!  There is only one way to eternal life in the presence of God, in His kingdom. That way is, in and through and with, Jesus the Christ.  He is the way!  Give me Jesus!

Life in this world is full of tough times and struggles and so we lay our requests before God and wait, with faith, expectantly, asking the LORD to spread His protection over us (Give me Jesus), each day, that we may rejoice in Him. (Ps 5:11)

What better way to wake up in the morning than praying and laying this request before the LORD: "Give me Jesus!"

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fight The Good Fight; The Right Fight

Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  Eph 6:11-12 NRSV

 

Sometimes we forget that the battle is not against each other; but, against the spiritual forces that attack every one of us. We often fail to recognize that it is the devil's work to distract us and lead us down wrong paths so that we will not follow in The Way or help others in The Way. He will lead us to infighting to the direct result that we forget that he is the real enemy. He does not want us to live  in the Lord's peace and so we, the whole church on earth, is attacked from within. 

 

Yes, the evil one does manifest himself in humankind and we do find ourselves in conflicts and wars. To protect those who cannot protect themselves there are times that we must engage in physical warfare. But, even in those times the spiritual warfare must be paramount. We can never forget to wear the armor that the Lord has provided us. We are to at all times and in places wear the belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes to help us go out and proclaim the gospel of peace, the shield of faith so that the evil one's arrows will be thwarted, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). Even as we venture forth wearing this armor we should always and in all places remember to pray. (Eph 6:14-18) Pray in the Spirit that we do the Lord's will and not our own. Pray that God is with us; that, the battle might be won and that the devil have no power over us or any one whom God loves. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Cannot Come

Come to the banquet!

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come." (Matt 22:2-3 NIV)

Oh, yes, a goodly number of us want to go this banquet after we are dead and buried; but, how about today? Are we willing to sit at that table today? Maybe, there's a more enticing table set someplace for you than at the Lord's Table? Not everyone that's been invited will be at the table eating and drinking; receiving the "foretaste of the feast to come." Some will decline for a "better" offer.

While serving at Zion Lutheran in Skanee, MI, on the occasions that this parable was our Sunday reading, the choir usually sang "I Cannot Come To The Banquet." (I could not find the author's name - possibly The Medical Mission Sisters, 1966?) It is quite the lively song; but, cuts right to the heart of things.

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

A certain man held a feast on his fine estate in town.
He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown.
He sent invitations to his neighbors far and wide
But when the meal was ready, each of them replied:

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

The master rose up in anger, called his servants by name,
"Go into the town, fetch the blind and the lame,
Fetch the peasant and the pauper for this I have willed,
My banquet must be crowded, and my table must be filled."

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

When all the poor had assembled,
There was still room to spare,
So the master demanded: "Go search ev'rywhere,
To the highways and the byways
And force them to come in.
My table must be filled before the banquet can begin.

I cannot come.
I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now.
I have married a wife.
I have bought me a cow.
I have fields and commitments
That cost a pretty sum.
Pray, hold me excused,
I cannot come.

Yes, no? What will it be? All are invited! Will you come to the banquet?

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Hope to see you at the Lord's Table.

Run The Race!

"Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.  Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one."  1 Cor 9:23-25

Before the sun comes up, I sometimes find myself thinking about running for exercise. Actually; lately, the thoughts tend more toward a real fast walk. This thinking about it doesn't burn me any calories though. It doesn't lose me any weight. It doesn't do my body any good. When I rise, I go about morning devotions and then to work. I can usually find a few minutes to exercise in the living room a couple of times a week. But, I always put off the running 'till another day. I do not exercise a lot of self-control or discipline when it comes to physical exercise.

St. Paul compared the discipline runners employ to the discipline that we need to exercise in order to be spiritually healthy so that when we finish the race here on earth we will receive the imperishable prize that has been prepared for us. We do not want any one to procrastinate and say "I'll get to know this Jesus you talk about, later. I'll have more time to follow him after I retire. I'll have more time to serve, tomorrow." For procrastinators, tomorrow rarely comes. Tomorrow may be too late. Today is the day to get to know Jesus and to live in his presence; in his Kingdom.

Jesus died for you. He died so that all people might live in the presence of God our Father for all eternity. What are you waiting for? The time is now. The Kingdom of God is at hand.

God's Peace - Pr. J  

Jesus Christ And Him Crucified

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Cor 2:1-5 NIV)

St. Paul was a highly educated man. Yet, he resolved to know nothing when he was with the people except Christ crucified. His focus, his thought, his talk was on nothing other than Jesus the Christ. He did not allow the fact that he was indeed a man of learning and of some status to get in the way of proclaiming the one thing that mattered: Jesus Christ and him crucified. Nothing else mattered. His utmost concern was proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus.

May it be that in all of God's church on earth that in whatever we say and do, it is done by the power of God's Spirit and not because we think that we are so important that it is we who can accomplish these things. Paul set his ego aside so that the Spirit might work through him. May it be so with all of us, as well.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Get Behind Me, Satan!

Take up your cross and follow Jesus.

Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
                                                                                                              (Matt 16:23-24 NIV)

I've only not been able to restrain my tongue, a couple of times, from telling someone "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block that cares more about the world than the Kingdom of God." I have to confess there have been numerous occasions when the words were at the tip of my tongue and I thought better of it. So, very often I witness personal desires and will being pursued way before any concern of what God would want is even considered. God's will usually takes a back seat to ours.

Peter was more concerned about having his friend around. He and the other disciples were looking for a different kind of savior. They wanted a savior and a king that would rule the Roman empire. They wanted, with him, to rule the world. They wanted Jesus to hang around and be their friend.

Jesus had other plans. He was going to save the world by dying. He was going to save the world by being the scapegoat for us. If he were not to be the sacrificial lamb; as was his Father's will, the world, in no way, could be saved. His concerns were the concerns of God. Peter's was more concerned with losing a friend.

When we compromise God's will in order for us to be able to live comfortably or even luxuriously in this world; we become stumbling blocks. Our focus is not on doing God's will; but, on doing our own or the will of others when our aim is merely to please others or ourselves. 

Jesus called Peter a stumbling block because his own desires were keeping him from seeing and acknowledging God's good will for humankind. In the church on earth, we see this often. Personal agendas become stumbling blocks to evangelism and church growth. They would distract us from the real mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God through the sacrifice on the cross by Jesus for all who would believe.

May God help us to follow in the footsteps of Jesus no matter what cross we might have to bear.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God's Will Will Be Done!

“'Remember this, keep it in mind,
    take it to heart, you rebels. 
 Remember the former things, those of long ago;
    I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.’
From the east I summon a bird of prey;
    from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
    what I have planned, that I will do." (Isa 46:8-11 NIV)

False idols are burdensome. They do nothing but add weight to the burden of the animals that carry them and the people that worship them. But, the LORD, our God, carries our weight. He carries our burdens. He bore the weight of our sins on the cross for us.  So which is preferable to you to bear the weight and the burden of a false god or have the one true God lift you up and carry you?

There is only one God. No matter what false gods you might choose to worship, it will be God's will that will be done and not ours. It will not be the will of any false gods that we might worship that is done. The truth is false gods have no good will for you or anyone else. They can help no one. They have no power.

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."" (Joshua 24:15)

There is only one God. Worship Him and Him alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Every Knee Shall Bow

It is written: “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”  Hebrews 14:11 NIV

I am looking for that the day when every knee shall bow. That is not to say that every human being will love the Lord; but, that there will not be one human being who will be able to say that He is not God. Today, many refuse to believe. They will not honor, nor love, nor worship Him. There are also those who say they believe; but, take His great love for us so lightly that one would not be able to tell if they are Christians or not.

I get very weary of witnessing the bowing down of the multitudes to false gods. Fortune, fame, and ego being just three of the countless false gods that are lifted up. I get very weary of the lifting up of the "good works" that people have done. Without the help of the one true God, there are no good works. The glory for a follower of Jesus always belongs to God. We can do nothing. We are nothing without God.

Consider Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refusal to bow to the golden idol that Nebuchadnezzar had made. They knew that there is only one true God. They were so loyal to Him that they refused to bow down to this golden calf even as they knew that the penalty for not bowing to this false idol meant death in the fiery furnace. They were not afraid to live or die for the Lord. And, they did not die. The Lord protected them even in the flames of the fiery furnace. They lived as witnesses to the power of the one true God. Only to Him would these three bow.

One day, every knee shall bow. Some will bow out of reverence and love for our awesome God. Others will bow out of sheer fear as they acknowledge Him for the first time. They will bow as they finally acknowledge that He alone is God.

May God open our ears and eyes and hearts and minds so that today we will acknowledge and worship, in reverence and love, the one true God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Holy Spirit Grows The Church

The Holy Spirit; the Spirit of Christ, grows and edifies the church

in heaven and on earth; which is the Body of Christ.

Apostle's Creed
The Third Article.

Of Sanctification.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; one holy Christian Church, the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

What does this mean?--Answer.
I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith; in which Christian Church He forgives daily and richly all sins to me and all believers, and at the last day will raise up me and all the dead, and will give to me and to all believers in Christ everlasting life. This is most certainly true.

  http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php

This past week, I felt the Holy Spirit moving in a very powerful way. Now, when the Holy Spirit moves it is good thing to go wherever the Spirit leads you; do whatever the Spirit is inspiring you to do. 

My congregation, as hopefully all congregations, has been more seriously focusing on evangelism (and ultimately church growth) for the past few months. I have been around for awhile. I have seen many church growth programs. Church growth programs tend to be one of my pet peeves. There really is no one church growth program that fits all congregations. There is not one church growth program that will have any lasting effect unless it is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

We can use all the power and might; all the reason; all the energy that we can muster, and it will not avail us. It is the Holy Spirit that calls and gathers; enlightens; brings us to; and, keeps us in the one true faith. Without the Spirit of Christ we can do nothing! All the programs in the world will accomplish nothing without the Spirit of Christ. It is only Christ who saves! It is the Spirit of Christ; the Holy Spirit; who for 2000 years has brought growth to the Body of Christ. If we claim any of that for ourselves we are denying the power of the Holy Spirit. We are denying the power of God and lifting ourselves up in the place of God. Very, very, bad idea! Not only is that blasphemy, it would be a very fruitless effort.

I am not saying that we should not reach out to the world with the Good News. I am saying that we need to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit that works in and through us to do that. Jesus said that he would send the helper to guide us in the truth. It would greatly behoove us to listen to the Spirit of Truth rather than the world.

May the Lord our God fill His whole church on earth with the power of the Holy Spirit that we might live and reach out to others in His truth and in His love.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Integrity

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 NIV

Our faith; what we believe, is evidenced in what we say and do. Do we promote God's will even as we pray that His will be done on earth as it is done in heaven? Or, do we promote the false gods of this world by what we say and do? 

Those things that we profess that we believe should agree with the things that we say and do in all aspects of our lives. We all slip at times; but, when we say that we believe one way and consistently and purposefully live in another way; we not only become traitors to God; but, to the words of our own lips. We cannot teach others to live in God's way that He might be glorified while we live in a way that contradicts what we say.

May God help us to live with integrity; that the words of our lips and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in His sight and glorify He who is our Lord, our rock and our redeemer.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Power of Death Is Put To Death

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:55-47 NIV)

Christ Lutheran is preparing for two funerals this week. Often, I hear families say that they would like these services to be celebrations of life rather than funeral. I wonder what they mean when they request this. Are we celebrating the life they lived here on earth or are we celebrating the fact that through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ they have eternal life or both?

Death is a fearful thing for most people; but, not for all. There are those whose faith is so strong that they look at death as the beginning of a most incredible life with our Father in heaven; with our Lord Jesus Christ. They know that death comes to us all. But, they also know that death does not have the final word. Jesus destroyed the power of death. He destroyed the power of sin, the power of death, and the power of the devil when he died for us and rose again and then ascended to the right hand of God where he rules over all things. Jesus has the final word as he was victorious over death for all who would believe.

This week, as we prepare to commend our brothers into the hands into Almighty God let us give thanks that nothing can separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

May God be with us as we grieve our loved ones and celebrate their eternal life in the house that our Lord has prepared for them and us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Yielding Fruit?

Blessed is the one
   who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3 NIV)

At the least change or disruption to life there are those who cause so much drama one would think the world was ending. These ones not only do not bear good fruit; but, often cause more disruption. They are like grass blowing in the wind; mowed over at the landowners earliest convenience. Afraid that their personal sovereignty will end with change, they will fight it tooth and nail, interfering with growth; interfering with the bearing of much fruit.

But, the one who loves the Lord and considers the way He would have us go is like the tree that is firmly planted in soil beside streams of water. On the riverbanks of my home in Aura and on the canal where I now live in Flagler Beach, many of the trees have been blown about by the winds. They are old and have been bent down by the winds of time. They have changed immensely since they were seedlings. Yet, they continue to grow with their roots planted firmly within the soil. The winds nor the waves have been able to take them down.

Change does not necessarily mean death. It often means new life. Even as the trees change with the season, so do all living things. When winter comes, the trees often look like they are dying or even dead. But, then comes spring and new life begins to bear another season of fruit.

The one who drinks of the water of life will live and yield much fruit. Such is the person who delights in the law of the Lord. They change and adapt to the various seasons. They bend from time to time. But, they will not break.

May you drink abundantly of the streams of living water provided by Jesus Christ, our Lord that you might follow wherever he would lead bearing much fruit.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Peace Like A River

This is what the Lord says—
    your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:
“I am the Lord your God,
    who teaches you what is best for you,
    who directs you in the way you should go.
If only you had paid attention to my commands,
    your peace would have been like a river,
    your well-being like the waves of the sea.

                                    (Isaiah 48:17-18 NIV)

 

Indeed! The Lord does know what is best for us. But, we often think we know better than God. We often choose the wrong paths and find ourselves in chaotic messes trying to figure out what went wrong and how in the world we're going to find some semblance of peace. What went wrong usually happens to be that we have rejected the Word of the Lord; we have rejected those things that our Father in heaven has sought to teach us and the places He has desired to lead us. We have rejected the good gifts that He desires us to have and have chosen to follow in the ways of the world and we ultimately find ourselves wallowing in the depths of despair.

 

The world is a mess. We've helped to make it that way. But, no matter what kind of mess we may find ourselves in we can know peace. It is the peace that only God can give to us. In the midst of the storms, we can know peace that flows forever like a river. We can know peace as refreshing as the cool waters of a gently flowing river.

 

Do not fear! Do not despair! God is with you. Listen to Him and know the peace that only He can give. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Facing Death With Joy

Light shines on the righteous
    and joy on the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
    and praise his holy name. 
                        (Psalm 97:11-12 NIV)

Resurrection day was both a time of joy and grief for me. As I was leaving the church after worship, I received a call that one of our members, Tom McMullin, had passed away that morning. He will be missed. The light that shone through Tom will be missed.

I have not known Tom for all that long. But, he is someone who I will remember always. He has struggled with health issues for some time now; but, he always had a positive attitude about it. He knew that no matter what might happen, God was with him and that God had a good plan for him. There seemed to always be an infectious joy about Tom and it was good to be around him. That kind of joy, even in times of trouble, can only come from one place: faith and hope in our Lord, Jesus the Christ.

On Easter Sunday, the voices ring out "He is risen. He is risen, indeed." What a blessing to be reminded that neither death or the grave have any power over our Savior. Because he lives so shall we!

The light of Christ surely shone through Tom; may it shine through all of us, this day, as well.

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

He Is Risen! He Is Risen, Indeed!

The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matt 28:5-7 NIV)

He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Thanks be to God!

Come and see he is not here. He is risen. Go quickly and tell the disciples that he has risen. These were the instructions the angel gave to the women at the tomb of Jesus. These first evangelists were to go and tell that Jesus is risen. These instructions are just as valid for anyone and everyone who would profess that Jesus is the Christ. Go and tell:  He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed!

God bless this resurrection Sunday abundantly with His grace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Descended Into Hell

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits — to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. (1 Peter 3:14-20a NIV)

He descended into hell...  After being put to death in the body, Peter tells us that, he was made alive in the Spirit and went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. As Lutherans, we believe and affirm that: “We simply believe that the entire person [Jesus Christ], God and man, descended into hell after the burial, conquered the devil, destroyed hell’s power, and took from the devil all his might” (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Art. IX).

He conquered the power of death and the power of the devil for you. There is no reason to fear anything in this world or in the spiritual realms for Christ has authority over all. No matter what this world attempts to throw at us, we can be at peace knowing that nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Take comfort and do not fear when the evil one and his minions attempt to destroy you. Jesus Christ has prevailed for you.

God grant you the peace of heart and mind knowing that Jesus lived and died and lives for you!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Would You Be There?

  

   Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

   Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth, the king of The jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,  and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”

   Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

   When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

   “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

   This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

   Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  (John 19:17-27 NIV)

  

Who was there? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Who had the courage to witness the crucifixion of Jesus? The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus witnessed it. They had no choice. The soldiers who nailed him to the cross were there. They had no choice. Many of the Jews may have witnessed his crucifixion, from a distance, as Golgotha was not too far from the city. They were able to read the sign. They could read the words "JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE KING OF THE JEWS" that were written on the instrument of his execution. 

The three Mary's were there to witness his death; Jesus' mother, Mary, and her sister Mary and Mary Magdalene were there. Where were the close disciples whom he had called? Was Peter still in hiding? But, John was there. John, the disciple who loved Jesus, was there. The crowd of Jesus' followers was not quite as large as the crowd that had followed him around looking for healing, looking to be delivered from multitudes of maladies. He had been there for them. Where were they now?

I began this Holy Week with the reading of the entire "Passion" on Sunday. I always do because I know that by Maundy Thursday and Good Friday the crowd of worshippers will be off doing other things. They will not be there to remember our Lord's death; the giving up of his body, his life, for them, for you.

Tonight we will remember our Lord's death with a Tenebrae Service. We will sing a verse of "Were You There?" with the snuffing out of each candle. I expect, as it has been in years past for multitudes of Christian churches, the crowd will be small. Many will be missing. It causes me to wonder how many would have been there at his death. Would we have made it to his crucifixion had we been there? Would we have been too afraid of being found a sympathizer to be found near him at his death? Or, would we have found something more pleasing to ourselves to attend instead?

Remember, there is no Easter with out Good Friday! There can be no resurrection if death does not occur. Will you be there with your brothers and sisters in Christ when times are not going according to your will; when they are not so joyful, or will you be there only when the remembrance and celebration might lift you up? 

May God help us to rightly and reverently observe the lifting up of Jesus on the cross for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Spirit Willing; But, Flesh Is Weak

  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
  Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
  Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matt 26:36-41 NIV)

We were having a prayer vigil. Individuals and families volunteered to come to the sanctuary to pray for one hour during the hours following the Maundy Thursday Service until the Good Friday Service. I had volunteered for three hours, from 3 a.m. until 6 a.m.. I lived next door to the church and I thought it would be easier for me than others who would have to drive to the church at such early hours.

I began my hours praying, kneeling in front of the altar, next to the baptismal font. I was awakened by the couple, who was to follow me, to find them kneeling and praying at the altar. They had come in quietly and didn't want to disturb me. I had fallen asleep, on my knees, leaning against the baptismal font. Apparently, it is not only those first disciples who cannot keep watch, stay awake, and pray for "one hour."

The spirit is willing, but so often the flesh is weak.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Deeds Of Darkness Exposed

"Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."  Eph 5:10-11

You're in a bind, again?! We all get in binds sometimes. We can step right into traps without even considering where we're placing our feet. Sometimes we step into those dark places on purpose thinking that we are smart enough to be able to avoid getting lost or trapped. 

Here's a suggestion from St Paul. "Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord." Quit working so hard at trying to please or be like the rest of the world. You will just find yourself in darkness. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Seek out what will be pleasing to the Lord and you just might find yourself walking in the light and participating in His life; real life.

May God guide you in His light.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do Good! Do What Is Right!

Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. (1 Peter 4:1-4 NIV)

No, you won't be too popular if you leave behind those things; but, you will be much more at peace with yourself as you begin to live in Christ.

As a former substance abuse counselor, one of the toughest things to deal with is that when someone finally decides to trust their higher power (the one true God) for their recovery they lose most, if not all, of their old friends. It can be a lonely time. It takes a bit of work to realize that the only reason they hung with you was because your substance abuse justified theirs. Once that is gone, they are out of there. "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you."

But, new friends will come with time. Friends that will share in the joy of living as a member of the Body of Christ with you. In Christ you are a new creation. "So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19)

May the peace of the Lord be with you always! Live in his peace and ignore the drama this world would throw at you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Persecutions Will Come

"But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. (Luke 21:12-19 NIV)

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the most recent attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt. Jesus said that those who follow him will be persecuted. (John 15:20) Sadly, Christians in many countries are. They are persecuted and killed for their faith.

But, something else bothered me. It is that in the western world we are not persecuted by those who are outside of the church. The persecution is a very crafty model the devil would use against us. The visible church in the western world, if and when it is persecuted, is most often persecuted by members of the church. While people in other parts of the world are being killed for their faith, Christians in the western world tend to quibble and even attack one another over worldly things. Disputes over the color of the carpeting is not a wives tale. They actually occur. It is amazing to me how things that should make no difference (adiaphora) can cause division within a congregation and become such a distraction that the real mission of the church comes to a standstill. I sometimes wonder if Jesus looks at the church in the western world just as he looked at the Pharisees and Sadducees when he walked on the earth as true man.

While Coptic Christians; as well as others, are dying for their faith; much of the western church is not willing to let their self-wills die to follow Jesus; in order for God's will be done. We have pretty much made gods of ourselves. I have seen many models for the church and for church growth. I have sadly heard the proposition that in order to grow we should not treat the church like a family; but, more like a business. The church is most definitely a family! We are the children of God! Sadly, as Jesus predicted that family members will betray one another. This seems to have come to pass for Christians in their birth families as well as in the family of God.

Today, I grieve and pray for the faithful who have been injured or murdered on account of the name of Jesus. But, I also grieve and pray for a dying church in other areas of the world, in the western world, where the church and it's members are often more worried about making a name for themselves rather than standing firm and decreeing and declaring the love of God for all people in the name of Jesus.

May God help us all to stand firm, both living and dying for the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Shall We Desert Him?

The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”    (John 23:12-13 NIV)

Oh, what a glorious day it was. Jesus, the prophesied King of the Jews was coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The people went out to meet him waving palm branches in celebration. But, this was not to last and he was not the kind of king that they were hoping for. He would be lording it over no one. When he came into his kingdom it would be a kingdom of peace. It would be a kingdom of love; not of political agendas and maneuvers for any particular people. He came so that through him, all people might live in his Kingdom.

But, the people did not understand. The disciples did not understand. By the end of the week, even  friends would betray and desert him. Between two criminals he would be executed on a cross.

Today is Palm and/or Passion Sunday depending on how congregations around the world decide to celebrate it. I have always celebrated both. The proclamation of the Gospel will begin with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and it will not be finished until we see Jesus buried in the tomb. It will not be abbreviated in any way because we need to hear it. I anticipate there will be about the average number of people at worship today to wave the palms. On Easter Sunday, there will be even more to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. But what of the days between Sundays? It has been my experience that the observance of the night in which he was betrayed, when he gave to the disciples the bread and wine, declaring that they were his body and blood given for us and the day of his execution will not see so many at worship. Many followers will stay away. Just as many of his followers stayed away from Calvary so shall many of his followers today stay away from the observance of this fateful week; for they are not days of celebration; but, of grief as we are hit with the stark reality that in order for us to live; Jesus had to die.

Today, we will hear the entire story from the triumphant entrance into Jerusalem to the tomb because if it were not told today, many would not hear of the events between the Sunday celebrations. Without Good Friday; there would be no resurrection; there would be no Easter Sunday.

Please, join your local congregation at every opportunity this week so that you might hear the whole story of Jesus' passion for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus Wept

Jesus Wept

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
   When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
   “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
   Jesus wept. 
                                      (John 11:32-35 NIV)
                                                                                                              
The shortest verse in the Bible is but two words: "Jesus wept." Upon seeing Mary's grief over her brother's death, Jesus wept. Surely he was not weeping for Lazarus as he knew full well he would be raising him from the grave very shortly. He wept to see such sorrow in Mary and Martha. His relationship with the sisters and their brother Lazarus had been a very close relationship. He loved them and he wept for and with the sisters. His heart went out to these two women who loved their brother so.

There is very little that warms this old pastor's heart more than hearing a member of my congregation or a friend talking about Jesus with tears in their eyes. To hear and feel their love for our Lord brings tears to my own eyes. It fills my heart to overflowing to know that those whom I shepherd love him that much.

Jesus loved Mary and Martha so much that he felt their pain. He had compassion for them. He loved us so much that he was willing to take upon himself the pain of our sins. He had compassion for us and was willing to take upon himself the penalty of our sins that we might also be raised from the dead.

May God help us to have a love for one another that we too might know the pain and suffering of the people around us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus, Remember Me!

"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
                                                                                                                       (Luke 23:41-43 NIV)

The criminal on the cross was about to be executed alongside Jesus. He knew enough to confess his sins. He made his death-bed confession. He also believed, even knew, who Jesus truly was. This criminal had enough sense to confess his sins and ask Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus answered his plea with an affirmative. Today, today you will be with me in paradise.

Jesus has come into his kingdom. It is not something that going to happen at a later date. He lives and reigns now. Why is it that humankind has such a hard time recognizing this? Jesus is King. Why is it that humankind, even Christians, have such a hard time recognizing that their egos are preventing them from confessing their sins; from receiving forgiveness; from entering into the Kingdom of God, even today? Is it lack of faith? Or, maybe it really is overinflated egos that prevent us from believing that their is someone greater than ourselves; one that can save us; one that can bring us peace?

I don't have the answers as to why one would rather lift up themselves and deny Christ and not enter into the paradise; the Kingdom, that Jesus has prepared for all who believe in him.

One criminal refused to repent and derided Jesus as they both hung there. The other confessed and turned his eyes toward Jesus that he might live, even though within hours he would die. Egos must die in order for us to live.

May God help us to live life in unity in His Kingdom, even today.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Is Willing To Make Sacrifices

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. (1 John 3:16 NIV)

Now, that is a novel idea! We might be able to talk the talk; but, can we walk the walk? There are indeed people all around the world who are willing to lay down their lives for the sake of others. But, there are also many others, including Christians, that I am not so sure would be truly willing to give up their lives for the sake of others. If they are unwilling to go the extra mile or give an extra hour or an extra dollar to help their neighbors in need; then, I think they may be deluding themselves when they say that they are willing to die for others.

When Jesus said, "Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it." (Matt 10:38-39) I don't think he was telling us that Christians can opt out of sacrificing some of our times, talents, and treasures, to help others. For some reason, when I read these verses, I understand that as Christians we will make sacrifices both big and small, as we take up our crosses and follow Jesus.

What will we do; what are we willing to do, so that our neighbors might also know their salvation through Jesus Christ? Get with it church on earth and let His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Fill us, heavenly Father, with the Holy Spirit, with your love, so that we might be willing to make personal sacrifices to advance your Kingdom, by reaching out to others in your love.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Compels Us

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Cor 5:14-15)

Every now and then I have one of those days where I would just like to put up a gate and vegetate in my own little world. It can get very wearisome dealing with everyone's egos. But, then I have to remember that it is my own ego that is compelling me to want to isolate and live in peace for myself.

That self-help mantra of "you have to take care of yourself first" is contrary to what Jesus and Paul, after him, tells us. Jesus did not live for himself. He lived and he died for us. His love for us compelled him to do that. After meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus and being changed by his love, Paul's love for Jesus, was so strong that he feared little, not even death. Paul lived for Jesus. His own life, his own comfort, was not his ultimate concern. Our love for Jesus would or should compel us to live for him and not for ourselves.

Whenever, we are ready to throw in the towel and give up on the rest of humankind, we ought to remind ourselves, that Jesus did not. We ought to remind ourselves that we live to serve him who first loved and served us. We are not here to serve ourselves first and give God the leftovers.

May the Holy Spirit help us to always remember our first love that we might be compelled by his love to love and serve him as well as all whom he loves.

God's Peace - Pr. J