Morning Brings Word From The Lord. Listen!

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:8 NIV)

The days can bring numerous obstacles; numerous paths, from which we are to choose from. I rarely know what I am going to do from one day until the next unless I have an appointment that needs to be kept. I just spend some time in communion with God every morning and trust that he will show me the way I should go for that particular day. That may sound disorganized and haphazard to most people. But, for those who would follow in the path of Jesus the Christ, we cannot depend upon our own thinking, for our own desires would most probably lead us from "the way."

 

Take time each morning as the sun begins to rise (even before it rises) to listen to the Word of the Lord. Let him show you the way in which you should go, one day at a time.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Leviathan

 Huron Bay the last time Cassie and I went Kayaking together

"In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword—his fierce, great and powerful sword—Leviathan  the gliding serpent,  Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea." (Isa 27:1 NIV)
 

Leviathan, the great sea monster, is mentioned a few times in Scripture. In addition to Isaiah 27, you can find mention of Leviathan in Job 3:8, Job 41:1, Job 41:12, Psalm 74:14, and Psalm 104:26.

 

On the rare occasions that I've found myself out on the lake in the midst of a storm I've thought of God overpowering Leviathan. OK - so they are not rare occasions. It seems like the wind picks up almost every time I am out on a boat (big or small) on a large mass of water. I actually warn people that they should not take me fishing unless they want a storm or their motor to conk out... Others should not take me out with them if they don't want to play with Leviathan, or maybe it's God, out in the middle of the water. I don't mind the storms. I know that the LORD is with me, even in the storms. The rushing wind reminds me of the power of the Holy Spirit. God is big enough to destroy Leviathan. He is big enough to protect me, if that is His will. But, if I'm not up to another storm, I stay as close to home as I can with my kayak...

 

Symbolically, the sea refers to a large number of people. So, for those of you who are big into the Revelation of John, the dragon that comes out of the sea in the book of Revelation most probably refers to the fact that the evil one will come from among the people. "The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name." (Rev 13:1) We are not looking for a literal dragon to come out of a literal sea, but an evil that comes from the midst of the people. Revelation is filled with symbolism. Please, do not take it literally.

 

The picture of the evil one may be a bit alarming; but, remember the promise found in Isaiah today: The LORD will slay the evil one in the midst of the people. There may be times when things seem just awful. There may be times when your leviathan decides it's time to play with you. But, know this: the LORD will surely rescue His people. He is our very help in the time of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Spiritual Milk

Arlene and Joe have fed multitudes with spiritual
milk for years with word, song, and deeds....

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Peter 2:1-3 NIV)

Babies can be pretty focused on getting what they want. When they are hungry they cry until they get the milk that they desire and that will nourish them. There is nothing that can stop their yearning. We might rock them and they might quiet down for a bit; but, it won't be long before they once again let us know that they are hungry.

Christians should be just as focused in our desire for spiritual milk so that we too might be nourished. Give yourself a real break and desire that which is good for your soul even as you set aside malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, slander, which will lead you to waste away.

Drink the spiritual milk that the Lord has provided and see that the Lord is good.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Tree of Life

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. (Rev 22:1-4 NIV)

 

In the beginning mankind walked in the garden in the very presence of God. In the beginning mankind had access to the tree of life in this garden. The book of Genesis tells us that rather than eat from this tree of life, these first people ate from the tree which would guarantee their deaths; the tree that God had told them not to eat from. As a consequence they were kicked out of the garden in which it grew so that they would no longer have the opportunity to eat the fruit from the tree of life. (Gen 3:22-24)

Those first people made an devastating decision when they chose to listen to the serpent rather than God. The world has not changed much. We long for eternal life; yet, our sinful natures continue to steer us toward the very things that will bring us death. We often listen to the world rather than God.

In this last chapter and book of the Holy Scriptures we once again see the tree of life. All who believe in Jesus Christ; all whose names are written in the book of life, are granted access to this fruit which will heal the nations. We have access to the tree of life who is Jesus the Christ for he, himself, has told us that he is the way and the truth and the life.

 

Eat from the tree of life and live!

 

God's Peace be with you all. 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 that 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 are going to find some semblance of peace. What went wrong sometimes just happens to be is that we rejected the Word of the Lord; we have rejected those things that our Father in heaven has sought to teach us. We have rejected the good gifts that He desires us to have. We 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 have helped to make it that way. But, no matter what kind of mess we find ourselves in we can know peace. We can know 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

Refining Fires

"And I will put this third into the fire,
    refine them as one refines silver,
    and test them as gold is tested.
They will call on my name,
    and I will answer them.
I will say, 'They are my people';
    and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.'” Zech 13:9

When she was younger, I called her Sassy Cassie. She can still be a bit sassy. She, as most of us do, has fought the refining process as well as she could. Thankfully, God is patient and loves all of his children continuing always to soften our hearts toward Him that we might live abundant lives in Him. The refining is not easy on the person that is being refined or on anyone around them. But, it is better to withstand the fiery ordeal of refining then never to step inside the refining fires of God. It is better to withstand the refining process while young so that as we grow old, we can joyfully say, "The Lord is my God."

For most of her life, I have reminded Cassie to "live life" and most importantly to "live life in Christ." Life is much more pleasant when we get up and actually experience the awesome life and all the gifts that God has given us. Following in the way that he would have us go and focusing on truly living life in Christ and not so much in the ways of this world and you will know true joy and peace.

Garth Brooks reminds us in his song:
     Standing outside the fire 
     Standing outside the fire 
     Life is not tried it is merely survived 
     If you're standing outside the fire

Do not fear the refining fires of God. But, recognize that if you find yourself standing in them God is desiring for you to get through them and put them behind you so that you can live life in Christ. God is with you even in those fires. Live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Consequence Of Breaking Faith

But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. (Joshua 7:1 NIV - read all of Joshua 7 for the consequences the whole people face)

Have you ever noticed how in a family or a church or any type of community for that matter; when everything seems to be going great and the people are enjoying immense blessings, someone decides they have to break faith and do something really stupid and it throws everyone into chaos?  Everyone gets to suffer the consequences of one persons bad choices.  I see it happen all the time.  People forget that no matter what it is that they do, no matter how little or big, their actions will affect others for the good or the bad.

The whole of Israel suffered the consequences of the sins of Achan.  When he was caught, the cost of his sin against God and his people was his life.

We do not live in a vacuum as some might suppose.  I have heard more times than I can even remember, "I'm not hurting anyone but myself."  That is wrong.  Whenever we choose to break faith with God or anyone else who loves us, to do what seems to be pleasing and most beneficial for ourselves, we hurt everyone around us.  Whenever we choose to live life in a self-serving manner our children learn from us and consequently their lives will exhibit the chaos, the loneliness, the broken relationships that comes from a broken faith and broken relationship with God.

It is like throwing a pebble into the water, the effect is that the ripples just keep spreading outward.  Just as everyone around us suffers from our breaking the faith with God and pursuing false gods, so everyone benefits from the goodness of the one who did not/does not break faith with Him, Jesus Christ our LORD. 

May God help us to put aside the false gods that we think will benefit us and to pursue those things that will benefit the whole community, the whole Body of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Israelites Repented

Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord. They served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites and the gods of the Philistines. And because the Israelites forsook the Lord and no longer served him, he became angry with them. He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites, who that year shattered and crushed them. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites on the east side of the Jordan in Gilead, the land of the Amorites. The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin and Ephraim; Israel was in great distress. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord, “We have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals.”  (Judges 10:6-10 NIV)

Well... they blew it again!  The Israelites (like us) had a tendency to turn their backs on God and worship other gods.  But, I have to give it to them - at least they had enough sense to repent - to turn back to God who has and will deliver them - when they are backed in a corner and need deliverance!  I am always amazed at the number of people who will not repent - who cannot even begin to acknowledge that the reason that they are in trouble is because of the false gods they've been following and serving.

I have to admit, on more than a few occasions, I have just wanted to say:  "What is wrong with you?  Can't you see that you've done this to yourself by making choices to follow a god - to follow a path - that can only lead to destruction?"  Actually, what goes through my head is usually not in such kind terms. 

It is just very difficult for me to believe that it is so hard for people to understand that all the bad stuff that might be happening in someone's life - is not everyone else's fault.  In this world, it is important that we take responsibility for our own actions and if the consequences are not so good then maybe we need to consider other courses of action.  Listening to the way in which the LORD, your only true God would have one go, would be a very wise thing to do - particularly if you're really sick and tired of being backed in a corner with no place to go.  Jesus saves!  Only God can deliver you from yourself. 

May the LORD, your God help you to follow in the way that He would have you go. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is The Stranger Welcome?

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ask For Wisdom

My son, if you accept my words    
    and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord gives wisdom;
    from his mouth come knowledge and
    understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright,
    he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
    and protects the way of his faithful ones.
                                                           Proverbs 2:1-8

The LORD gives wisdom to those who ask.  Are you asking?

I don't think there are too many days that I don't shake my head in wonder at some of the things that are done with a total lack of wisdom or discernment. So many people making choices that will destroy their own lives and they don't even know it. They are not wise enough to even recognize that they are miserable!

If you are tired of making wrong choices and seeing bad consequences, ask the LORD for wisdom. Follow in the path that He has set before you. Quit derailing yourself. The wisdom of the LORD will help you to make your journey through this life with peace - peace of heart and mind.

May God grant you wisdom and peace with His and the whole world around you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I AM

"...Again the high priest asked him, 'Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?' 'I am,' said Jesus." (Mark 14:61b-62a)

I am! Two of my favorite words. When confronted about whether He was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One, Jesus responded simply, "I am." In those two words I am reminded that He is not only the Son of God; He is God. When Moses was busy trembling in his bare feet at the burning bush and trying to figure out how he was going to get out of delivering God's people from Egypt, he asked God who should I say sent me. "God said to Moses, 'I am who I am.' This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) So, whenever, I hear or read these two words, "I am," I am reminded that Jesus is not only the Son of God, He is God.

I believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - three persons - one God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Have Eternal Life!

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

There are times when we all might feel unworthy. We become downcast as we wonder what will become of our lives. St. John reminds us of the promise that all who believe in Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, will not perish; but, have eternal life. That eternal life is in the presence of the one true God; the God who loves you so much that he was willing to die for you.

All is not lost! Rejoice, for the Kingdom of God is for all who believe! And, then even as St. John shared the good news, we are to go and share it with others that their hope may be restored, as well.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do Not Fear; God Is With You

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

(Isaiah 41:10-13 NIV)

It can be quite easy to become dismayed; even very distraught, with the things that the world can throw at us. But, over the years, I have become much more patient (although not always patient enough). I can now look back at the things that caused me major distress and see how God got me through those times. He has been with me always and He will continue to be with me. Whatever happens I know that He upholds and takes care of me.

He is with you. Do not be dismayed. Do not fear. Do not fear what your enemies plot against you. Do not fear what the world can do to you for tomorrow is truly another day. We may wake up tomorrow in this world or the next. Only God can know for sure where we shall be tomorrow or even a minute from now. But, wherever the beloved children of God wake up, we can know that God is with us. We have been reconciled to God our Father through the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Do not fear. Be at peace for God is with you and nothing can separate you from His love.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Forgiven!

“Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.” Rom 4:7-8

And, who exactly are those whose sins are forgiven? They are those who trust that the Lord Jesus has died for their sins. They are those who, in faith in the Lord Jesus, have had their sins covered by his blood. It is only be faith that we are saved.

And, how do we believe? How do we come to such faith? It is a gift from God. St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." (Rom 10:17) Faith comes through hearing the promises of God. Faith comes through hearing what Jesus has done for us. Faith comes by hearing that because of his sacrifice for us, our sins are forgiven and that we have been reconciled to God.

Your iniquities are forgiven! Rejoice and give thanks to the One who has blessed you so richly!

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Gospel; The Power of God

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”  (Rom 1-16-17 NIV)

If a friend were in danger and you knew of a way to prevent them from being harmed would you not do everything in your power to help them? Well the power of God to save all whom we love and even those who we don't love is available. It is found in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ dying so that we who are not righteous are made righteous by the blood of this innocent man that was shed for us.

It is for those who believe to proclaim this Good News to the world; to shout it from the rooftops, so that others might hear and believe and be saved by faith in the one who lived and died and lives again so that we too might live eternally in the kingdom that he has prepared for us.

It does not matter who you are. It does not matter what you may or may not have done. Do not think that what you have done is worse than what the next person has done. We all sin and fall short. Without Christ, we would all be found guilty and not worthy to be reconciled to God our Father in His kingdom. But, by faith in the blood of Christ shed for you; all of your sins are washed away. You have been saved from yourself. You have been saved from bondage to sin, death and the devil. This salvation is meant as a free gift to all people. It is by faith in the giver of this free gift that we are righteous. It is by faith in the giver of this free gift that we are saved.

Let all of God's people proclaim the gospel so that others might hear and believe as faith comes by hearing. (Rom 10:17)

God's Peace - Pr. J

How Shall We Live; Whom Shall We Please?

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." (Col 2:6-8 NIV)

How shall we live then? Shall we live to please the world or to please God? If indeed Christ abides in us and we in him we will strive to please God even as Christ pleased our Father in heaven.  For when Jesus was baptized by John (Matt 3:16-17) and when he was transfigured on the mountain (Matt 17:1-5) a voice was heard from the heavens: This is my Son, with him I am well pleased. 

It is difficult to not follow in the ways of the world. We live here. We experience the hollow and deceptive philosophies and human traditions on a daily basis. It is all around us. But, that does not excuse us from following Jesus. In Christ it is possible to know the difference between the elemental spiritual forces and the Spirit of Christ. We are called to take up our crosses and to follow in the way of Jesus to please our Father in heaven. We may fall on the way; many times. But, as we live in faith in Christ, he will pick us up and put us on his path over and over again.

Even as Joshua admonished the people of God to consider whom they would serve; let each and everyone of us ask ourselves whom we shall serve, as well. 

     “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 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.”  (Josh 24:14-15)

For our own sake and for the sake of all people, may God help us to follow in the way of Jesus which is pleasing to our Father in heaven; rather than in the ways of world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fishing!

Diving at the USS Aeolus off coast of NC many years ago...

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.  (Mark 1:16-18 NIV)

It has been a couple of decades now since I have been diving. I loved it. My health was at its best when I was diving. That may have been due to the salt water; maybe the exercise or maybe it was due to the atmospheric pressure or increased oxygen intake or all the aforementioned.

I thoroughly enjoyed being at the bottom of the Atlantic with the fish. But, while there, I never fished. That for me would have been a fruitless effort. I have never been much of a fisherperson. I enjoy being with the fish. I even enjoy eating them. I just cannot catch them. Even as a child I could not catch them. My family would go fishing often. Everyone would catch near their limits and me - NONE, NADA, NOT A THING.

That being said, I do fish; but, not for fish. I have been called, as many of you have, to fish for people. Sometimes my efforts are productive. Sometimes they are not. They are not when I depend on my ability to fish rather than trust God to fill the nets. Whether the fishing is productive or not really depends on the Spirit of God and not on me and not on you. Yes, we have to get out there and share the Good News. But, it is up to the Spirit of Christ to open ears, and eyes and hearts that they might hear and receive. And, it is not you or me who does this fishing; but, Christ who abides in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Help us Lord to have the courage and wisdom to go and fish for people. Help us to trust you for a great catch.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Look, The Lamb Of God!

     The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

     Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

     The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

     When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

                                                                                                               John 1:29-37 NIV

"Look, the Lamb of God!"

Twice, John saw Jesus and witnessed to those around him that Jesus is the Lamb of God. He testifies that Jesus is God's Chosen One. Because of John's testimony Andrew and his brother Simon Peter became followers Jesus. They became his disciples.

Have you told anyone about the "Lamb of God" lately? How many can say that it was your testimony that pointed them to Jesus; that led them to follow Jesus?

Do you recall the "Great Commission?"

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of  the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (John 21:19-20)

Go and witness to the love of God in Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Go and witness to what He has done for us in giving His life for us. Go and make disciples for surely the "Lamb of God" the great "I AM" is with you always.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Leads Us

"For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. ^'Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,' bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory." (Heb 3:4-6)

We are His house. He is faithful to us. May God help us to be faithful to Him. God saved His people from the Egyptians. He delivered them from bondage. They followed Him into the wilderness. But, once there, they began to rebel. They complained against God. They were not happy following in the way that He led them. Those who rebelled perished in the wilderness. They never got to see the promised land.

God has delivered us from our own sinful nature by the blood of His Son, Jesus. He leads us through the wilderness. What shall we do there? Shall we rebel? Shall we complain against Him because the way is not always to our liking?

"Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house." We are his house. We are his children. Will we be faithful to him and follow through whichever wilderness he would lead us to the promised land?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Forgiven Much; Love Much

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
                                             (Luke 7:44-47 NIV)

There was a time when people that I knew accused me of using Jesus as a crutch. I was offended at the time. But, you know what? Call it a crutch as if that's a bad thing if you want. But, the reality is that Christians are supposed to lean on him. We are to trust and depend on him for all things. Why wouldn't we? We who have sinned much; have been forgiven much; and, consequently love and trust him much.

Trusting in ourselves, in our own righteousness will get us nowhere. The bottom line is that we are all sinners and Jesus came to forgive and to save us sinners. If you think that you do not sin; that you are righteous without the grace of God in Chris Jesus, you will not be able to experience the peace that comes with knowing that your sins are forgiven; that you have been made right with God; that you have been healed and made whole.

Jesus said that those who have been forgiven little love little. When we acknowledge the abundance of our sins; we also acknowledge that we have been forgiven greatly. St. Paul, the missionary to the gentiles, had no problem confessing his sins. He served the Lord and the people he was sent to with an unwavering love. It seems that at times he actually reveled in publicly confessing them. But, he also reveled in the fact that all of his sins were forgiven by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Your many sins have also been forgiven. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

May the abundance of our sins be forgiven that we might love and serve the Lord with all our hearts and with all our souls and with all our strength.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Nothing Is Too Hard; Ask!

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?  (Jeremiah 32:26-27 NIV)

In the midst of reminding Jeremiah that He alone is God, the Lord reveals to him that He is going to send His people into captivity at the hands of the Babylonians for turning their backs on Him. But, God also promises to save His people from their captivity, once again. He will gather them and return them to their land and let them live in safety. They would be His people and He will be their God. He will give them singleness of heart and action. (Jer 32:36-41)

God is still God of all mankind today. He will be the one true God tomorrow. Nothing is too hard for Him. Let us pray earnestly that He would give the whole church on earth singleness of heart and action that it may go well for us and our children after us.

With one heart and mind let us pray and give thanks for in His mercy the One for whom nothing is too hard hears our prayers and answers.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fake And Biased News

Whoever winks maliciously causes grief,
    and a chattering fool comes to ruin.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,
    but the mouth of the wicked conceals
    violence.

Hatred stirs up conflict,
    but love covers over all wrongs.

Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning,
    but a rod is for the back of one who has no

    sense.

The wise store up knowledge,
    but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

                                           (Prov 10:10-14 NIV)

I am back in Proverbs this morning after reading the morning news. There was a lot of that senseless chattering going on. Some of it is fake; but, mostly it is a biased promoting of political agendas rather than the actual reporting of the news. Rather than reveal the real news that is happening around the country and the world; news that might motivate people to step up and help others rather than harm; the news reveals a hatred for those who do not agree with the newscasters' or the stations' opinions and/or political stances. There appears to be very little love and even less wisdom. Their mouths are invitations to division and the ruination of a free world through hatred, slander and more violence.

May God help us to understand that the hatred and anger that is being broadcast daily will bring us to our end. May He teach us to love one another as He loves us all so that we might live in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Glory To God Alone!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.  (Eph 3:20-21 NIV)

All the glory, all the praise, all the thanks, all the credit goes to God.

One day, maybe, we will realize that we can truly do nothing good without God. It is His power alone that created the heavens and the earth. He can do all things for He is who He is. He is Almighty God. He is merciful and gracious to us even though we keep thinking that we can live without Him. He alone has saved us from our own stinking thinking by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins.

All glory and honor belongs to God alone. Thanks be to God for He is our help and our salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Prosperity Gospel Full Of Greed

   Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
   “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone." 
                                                                                                         (Luke 11:39-42 NIV)

Having fallen asleep with the television on, I woke up this morning to hear one of those "prosperity gospel" preachers. He reminded me of many of our politicians; with no clue as to what poverty really means. They have no clue as to how many people in this country and around the world are living without the very basics needed to sustain healthy lives. This early morning preacher was encouraging people to "sow a seed" of $1000.00 and God would reward 1000 of those givers of $1000.00 seeds with 100 consecutive days of miracles to prosper them. God would bless these 1000 poor people. 

Now, a whole lot of you might think that someone who only has a thousand dollars to sow is poor. But, the reality is that if you have a thousand dollars to give away you are not the poorest of the lot in this country. If you can afford to give a thousand dollars away in the hopes for more money (i.e. gamble the money away) then you are far richer in this world than multitudes who live pay day to pay day and get further and further behind in providing even the bare necessities of life to their families. When Christians give we are not to be giving to gain anything; to help ourselves in this world or the next nor can we buy our salvation. We give because we want to help others to live. The kind of giving that this prosperity preacher is advocating is the greed and wickedness that we hear our Lord warn us about in the Gospel of Luke (11:39-42).

Giving is a good thing. It is even a necessary thing. But, we do not give to honor ourselves or to gain anything for ourselves. We give out of love for God and for others, even as Jesus was willing to give his whole life for us.

May God grant to us generous hearts as we give to the poor; doing justice; and, loving God.   

God's Peace - Pr. J

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.  Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. (Mark 12:41-43 NIV)

Appearances can be deceiving. One of the easiest pets I've ever cared for is Izzy, a bearded dragon. You do not have to worry about leaving them alone in the house. They do not make a mess. They do not whine or cry or bark or make any noise that will disturb the neighbors. They also enjoy being held. Izzy is waiting for me most mornings when I get up; his beard usually black as he anxiously waits for me to give him some attention. But, bearded dragons are not for everyone. Some people simply do not like them because of how they look and because they crawl on their bellies like snakes. And... anything snake or serpent-like really doesn't have too good of a reputation.

We often jump to unfair judgments based on appearances. It is not just lizards we jump to conclusions about; but, people, as well, by their outward appearances. But, when Jesus came, he turned all that around. It was the widow who put but two copper pennies into the offering that Jesus said had given more than the rest. (Mark 12:41-43) Tax collectors and other various sinners were chosen by Jesus as his dinner companions. (Matthew 9:10-12) He healed gentiles and even lepers; physically touching, at times, those who were thought by others too unclean to be touched. (Mark 7:24-30; Luke 7:21-23) And... who were the first to be called by Jesus? Fishermen! (Luke 5:1-11) He called mere fishermen, or at least they were mere in the eyes of many of the day. Have you any clue what a man or woman who makes their living fishing looks and smells like after a long day or night out on the boat? Jesus does not call anyone because they look good on the outside or even because they act so good. He calls whom he will call to follow him.

Appearances can be deceiving. There are those who smile on the outside and are happy, happy, happy whenever you are around. But, on the inside are like empty tombs. There are others whose appearance on the outside might look to be most ferocious; but, within them dwells the love of God.

Appearances can be deceiving. Do not judge one another by appearances. Take the time to look more deeply into the person or the matter.

God's Peace - Pr. J

End Of The Line

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:13-14)

I was not the perfect child growing up nor was I a particularly bad kid good growing up, either. I liked to climb trees; ride bike; go for walks; build forts... My parents had strict boundaries set for us and when we crossed them, my father would let us know. He'd say: "You've reached the end of the line, sister." I knew someone was in big trouble when I heard that!

My husband, for what reason I am still trying to fathom, like to watch the television show "The Walking Dead." In one of the seasons (maybe more seasons than that) they are all of the living are trying to get to a place called Terminus." I could not figure out why anyone would think that a place named Terminus would be a good place to go. It turned out that it was not. Terminus means the end of the line. It means the final point in time or space. So why would anyone go there?

But, then again some people want to do a lot of things that I can't quite fathom why they would do them. They want to get blitzed! Why? Blitzed means to be attacked and defeated. How about getting stoned? Why would anyone want to get stoned? In biblical times getting stoned was not a good thing. It also meant the end of the line. It meant death. Getting wasted also doesn't sound like something to look forward to on a Saturday night. It means physically or psychologically exhausted; debilitated. Again, near the end of the line.

So why would anyone follow a path that leads only to the end of the line; to destruction? The road that leads to life can be tough. There are a lot of challenges; a lot of temptations to overcome. But, I'm thinking a tough road to eternal life is better than an easy one that leads to eternal destruction.

Years ago, I had taken some young men from a correctional facility hiking to see a beautiful waterfalls. About half a mile in, I realized that they were very nervous. I asked them why. It turned out that they feared that we might be lost and would be attacked by some wild animal or maybe come to the end of the line by falling off a cliff. They were from Detroit and although very street wise; they could not see the path that we were following in the wilderness. Someone has to show the way to those who cannot see the path. Someone has to show them the path and the way in which they should go. That is what Christians are called to do. Will we show them the way?

May God help us to choose wisely the path that we will follow and guide others on the way.

God's Peace - Pr. J