Let Us Bow Down In Worship

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Come, let us bow down in worship,
   let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
   and we are the people of his pasture,
   the flock under his care.
                                     (Psalm 95:6-7 NIV)

Every now and then I hear someone complain that we have too much standing going on during worship. If they are relatively healthy, I remind them that Jesus was nailed to a cross, suffered and died for them and that I don't think that standing in reverence before the Lord as we worship him is really all that much to ask of us. We could kneel instead; but, then again it might take awhile for some of us in advanced years to get back off our knees.

Years ago, I attended the consecration of a Byzantine Monastery. I had also attended their Vespers Service the evening before. In addition to Vespers, since they would be busy the following morning getting ready for the consecration of the monastery and would not have time for their usual Matins, they added additional prayers to Vespers. These particular monks do not sit during their worship services. There is one pew in the back of the sanctuary for those who, due to health, must sit. The evening service was about two hours long. The service the following day was over three hours long. My legs were getting pretty wore out about half way through the dedication of the monastery and I began wondering if it was appropriate to kneel. I was standing behind one of the novices and to my relief he dropped to his knees. So did I. It was not until months later that I found out that they do not worship on their knees. When they bow before the Lord, they bow deeply; but, they do not kneel. 

God has done great things for us, the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. May all God's people bow before the Lord in worshipful praise and thanksgiving for all that he has done.

God's Peace - Pr. J

By His Wounds You Have Been Healed!

Jeremiah had proclaimed the message of God to the people of Judah at the Temple Gates:

Since my people are crushed, 
   I am crushed;
   I mourn, and horror grips me.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
   Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing

   for the wound of my people?

                             (Jer 8:21-22 NIV)

Is there no healing for the wound of God's people? Of course there is! “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:23-25)

When we are sick; if we have a cold or flu; or some other illness; maybe it is even considered a terminal illness; do we not usually seek medical help? Do we not wish to be healed; to be made whole? Through sin, humankind fell into a state of spiritual decay. We turned our backs on God and sin separated us from He who created and loves us. But, through the sacrifice of the Christ, we have been healed. We have been made whole. We have been reconciled to God our Father, through Jesus the Christ! Thanks be to God!

Since we can receive forgiveness; since we can receive healing; since we can receive wholeness; since we can be reconciled to God our Father; let all God's children turn to Him and receive the gift of wholeness that has been given to us by the Son of God who took away our sins by bearing them upon the cross for us. 

Why would we reject the forgiveness that has been purchased for us when it cost our when it cost our Savior so much suffering and persecution; when it cost him his life to heal our sin-sick souls? 

Jesus is the great physician. Only he can heal the sin-sick soul! 

God's Peace - Pr. J

We Are Family

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal 3:26-29 NIV)

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Cor 12:12-13)

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph 4:4-6)

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

We are one. We are one body. We are one Spirit. We are a holy priesthood. We are a holy nation. We are God's children. We are brothers and sister in Christ. We are family. According to the word of God; we are one. Need I really say more?

God's Peace - Pr. J

SISU

Sorry, no photos of funnel clouds from me. I was not there.

God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging.

                                             Psalm 46:1-3 NIV

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a very unique place to live. The people are very unique. They are often called Yoopers. The majority of the Yoopers have SISU, a Finnish term for grit or courage. This summer Houghton County and areas surrounding was hit by some devastating storms and flooding. Roads, bridges, and even homes were totally wiped out. There was no getting in or out of some areas. To my knowledge they received no Federal Assistance. The people worked together to get their communities back together.

Last night, I saw pictures of funnel clouds almost touching the ground in both Baraga and Houghton Counties on Facebook. There were no warning sirens. There did not seem to be any panic. People got out of their vehicles or stepped outside their homes to take pictures. I heard of no one taking cover. The comments that were made were like: "We're good," "Don't worry," "Yup, we were watching it, too." LOL - that would be Yooper SISU: don't find cover; just stand on the porch and watch the tornados. Apparently they did not touch down because I haven't been able to find anything on the news that said they did so far this morning. In fact, I can't find anything on the news about them at all. 

I am not sure what causes people to stand on the porch and watch funnel clouds. I am not sure why I would; but, I am pretty sure I would be among those standing in the wind and rain to watch the weather. It would not be the first time. Maybe, it's not the wisest thing to do. But; then again, maybe, it's due to total faith in the fact that no matter what happens all who believe have eternal life. 

God is our refuge and strength and we will not fear. 

God's Peace be with you; may your day be blessed - Pr. J

Get Behind Me, Satan!

He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
                                                                                                                     (Mark 8:31-33 NIV)

I am pretty sure that if I told anyone to "get behind me, Satan!" it would cause a bit of a ruckus. I once told an elder, in regards to his universalist beliefs and teachings within the church, "anyone who believes that is going to hell." Yup, if you guessed that he left the congregation, you would be correct. He left. But, he is no longer teaching (at least not around me) that everyone is saved no matter what they believe. He probably still believes it. I do not believe his mind has been changed; but, he now has a much smaller audience to repeat that lie to.

Not everyone appreciates the truth. Peter did not want to hear that Jesus was going to be killed. He rebuked Jesus for predicting and for accepting his own execution. Jesus turned around and rebuked Peter in front of the rest of the disciples. "Get behind me, Satan!" If that were said by any one of us that would probably be the end of any possible positive relationship between us and the person we spoke to. It would most probably even cause dissension within the community. But, not so with Peter. Peter handled the rebuke. He heard the truth and he did not turn his back on Jesus because he was uncomfortable with the truth. He did not leave the community of followers.

The truth is we often reject the truth. We reject the will of God. We often consider human concerns even when it comes to the visible church, the church building, before we consider the will of God. Even though we pray so often "Thy will be done" we don't always mean it. His will meant the death of Peter's and our beloved Jesus. His will might mean death to us and especially to our egos and our wills.

We must be cautious that we are not doing the will of the evil one by promulgating lies. Following Jesus is not a picnic in the park. There will be trials. There will be temptations. There will be refining. But, he will be with you as you walk that path; as you follow in his footsteps.

Let us always speak the truth whether we are comfortable with the truth or not. We are not saved by any good works that we think we do. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus the Christ who lived, who died, and who lives again for us.  

God's Peace - Pr. J  

A Little Self-Control Please

If you find honey, eat just enough—
   too much of it, and you will vomit.
Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
   too much of you, and they will hate you.
"Like a city whose walls are broken through
   is a person who lacks self-control. 
                                      (Prov 25:16-17,28 NIV)

Most of us probably lose "it" from time to time. From time to time, most of us, probably over indulge. For some it may be eating; for some sleeping too much; or watching television when they have chores or other work to do. Some may lose self-control and not know when to hold their tongue when talking about others or themselves. Some "lose it" in the area of anger management. We don't always do what we ought to be doing. For whatever reason, we feed our habits, by over-indulging. Most of the time, we can excuse ourselves, saying it doesn't hurt anyone but me. But, when we use that excuse we are usually lying not only to others; but, to ourselves. Whatever we do does affect the people around us.

Losing self-control opens us up to attacks; attacks that we cannot fully protect ourselves from. It's kind of like getting drunk, passing out, and having a robber come into your home to take what is yours. Or, if your mouth runs too much you set yourself up for blackmail or lawsuits. Or... you could simply be setting yourself up to look like a fool and any opportunities for your future may be lost.

The Proverbs of Solomon remind us to maintain self-control by observing the rule of moderation. "If you find honey, eat just enough—too much of it, and you will vomit. Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—too much of you, and they will hate you." 

When I was very young we lived in military housing. My husband worked mostly days while I worked an evening shift. Some of the neighbors took to visiting me every morning for coffee. I enjoyed having the company, at first, since I was so far from home. But, after awhile the visits got longer and longer. Consequently, I would run out of time to get the household chores done. I didn't know how to tell them that they should stop this habit. Frankly, they had worn out their welcome. Finally, my husband came home for lunch one day and they were still there. He handed out cleaning supplies to the women and asked them to help get things done there if they were going to be sitting around all day. They got the hint. Coffee time was reduced to once or twice a week and only for one cup of coffee...

There is a time and place for everything. Give everything its time and place. Self-control will help greatly in achieving all that you must or desire to do.

Think about it... What if Jesus did not have self-control? Would he have been able to wait in the Garden of Gethsemane that night knowing that he would be taken to trial and crucified the next day? His disciples, his friends, asleep, while He waited to be bound and taken to his execution. Where would you and I be today? In whom or what would our hope lie, if Jesus had run away? 

We are not Jesus. Most of us probably "lose it" from time to time. It is not an easy thing to maintain self-control all of the time. But, losing it is not a good thing. Like a city whose walls have been broken through, those who cannot or will not exhibit self-control will be overcome. 

But, the Spirit of Christ who abides in you, has the power to overcome all evil. Stand firmly then, trusting in the abiding Christ, to overcome all temptation to over-indulge in those things which will be harmful to you and others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Know You

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

                                         (John 1:47-49 NRSV)

Some of us never bother to try to get to know Jesus. Others of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know him and most of the time it takes us even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus really is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not. He knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all. 

If a celebrity came to town, I know a whole lot of people who would go out of their way just to be in the same building with them. Won't you take the time to get to know the King of Israel; the King of Kings, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

From Dust Or Ashes?

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. (Genesis 2:4-8 NIV)

From the dust you were created once. From the dust God can raise you from the dead. Whenever a death occurs I usually get to hear questions about cremation. There is a fear that if we are cremated that we cannot be risen from the dead. My response (with a smile) is usually something like: "What did God do after He pulled back the waters from the land? Did he not form us from the dust of the ground? If he could create us from dirt once; He can surely do it again whether it is from ashes or from the dust of the earth. No matter what; if it is His will we will rise from the dead. And... what about the faith-filled who have died in fires or other catastrophes where their earthly bodies no longer exist in human form? Do you suppose that He would not give them the eternal life that He has promised to all who believe?"

Do not fear; but, believe. All who believe, though they die will live. Jesus told Martha when she was grieving the death of her brother, Lazarus: "... I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25)

Do not fear; but, believe. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) That is the promise to you." 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Cannot See As God Sees

When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

                                                                                     1 Sam 16:7 NIV

I am color blind. Both of my sons inherited that gene from me, as well. When my oldest son was first learning his colors he had a rough time of it. He did great in Math and reading; but, the color chart was something else. It did not help that it was me who was also unable to clearly discern colors who was helping him learn.

When my youngest son came home and showed the family his new "dark green" car he found out that it was purple. That misperception was kind of understandable as it was speckled paint that changed a bit when the sun shone on it. John is a photographer. It amazes me that one who is color challenged can produce such awesome work. He also works at for an electrical company and does various kinds of wiring and running cable jobs at which he really needs to be able to discern the various colored wires clearly. Recently, he received a pair of glasses for color blind people to help him at work. I tried them on. Wow! They work! I could see the colors around me much more vividly.

We all see things from slightly different perspectives. Our eyes do not see exactly the same things as others do. Sometimes the difference in our perceptions is totally physiological. It may be genetic or a health issue. Other times it might have more to do with our environment and the impact our experiences have had on our perspective of life and of people and even of God. 

Neither are any of us truly capable of seeing as God sees. We have a tendency to see only what is visible; the outward appearance. But, God sees right through the visible to know who we really are. His vision is not limited to those things that are seen; but, the things that are unseen, as well.

What we see with our eyes we often accept as the only truth for us. Yes, we judge others by what our eyes see. We fail to see that there is more to them than the outward appearance. What we see with our eyes often puts the brakes on so that we cannot go any further to see the real person. We refuse to go further to see and to know the heart.

Samuel was to anoint the new king of Israel. He saw Jesse's son, Eliab, an outstanding man in appearance and thought for sure this would be God's next choice for king. But, it was not. God chose the youngest son of Jesse, a mere shepherd boy. 

Our vision is not perfect only God can see all things perfectly. May God help us to see past the seen to those things which we cannot see so that we might learn to not judge as quickly as we have a tendency to do.

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Go And Proclaim The Kingdom

   As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”
   Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
   He said to another man, “Follow me.”
   But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
   Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
   Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”
   Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

                                                                                    Luke 9:57-62 NIV

"Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go.." That sounds kind of harsh, doesn't it?  The reality is that if we are really going to follow Jesus and proclaim the Kingdom of God we will have to give up a few things in this world. 

As a minister to the people, Jesus moved around a lot. He had no home; other than his mother's home and the homes of friends. As he traveled from place to place his ministry; his preaching; his teaching, was not about clinging to things of this world. It was about proclaiming the kingdom of God. In order to follow Jesus there will be at least a few worldly things we may have to leave behind. Those things might be fancy homes or cars. Those things might not even be things; but, people. We may have to leave behind family and friends. That may because we are called to a different location than where they are at. It might also be because they turn away from those who would follow Jesus. We may suffer loss in this world as we proclaim the Kingdom of God. We will have to change our priorities as we set out to follow Jesus.

But, those losses; those sacrifices, which we might have to face have been faced by multitudes of Christians before us and who are with us now. How much time did Paul spend in prison? Prison was his home for a lot of his ministry. Jesus was a wandering preacher who gave his very life; his last breath as man, so that all who believe in him might live eternally in that Kingdom that we are called to proclaim. And, what about the Father? His Father, our Father, gave His only begotten Son to suffer and be executed on the cross as an atonement for ours sins that we might live eternally in His presence; in His Kingdom.

Following Jesus is an awesome gift; a great privilege. But, it is not about gaining things in this world. It is about the promise of eternal life in the presence of God Almighty, in His Kingdom, beginning today!

Follow in the footsteps of Jesus and live life in the presence of God! Live life most fully!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Walk Humbly

 

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

    And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy 

    and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8 NIV)

It would be very good indeed in this world, if we all just did the good that the LORD has shown us. Can you imagine what the world would be like if every professing Christian actually made it a priority to act justly and love mercy as we walk humbly with our God?

One of my favorite descriptions of humility was written by Washington Allston. He wrote: "Humility is also a healing virtue; it will cicatrize a thousand wounds, which pride would keep for ever open."

Let us then set aside our pride as we walk humbly with our God, so that justice  and mercy might prevail.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Our Fortress and Deliverer

I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and I have been saved from my enemies.

                                                     Psalm 18:1-3 NIV

I cannot even begin to count how many times the Lord has saved me from those who consider me their enemy. They have tried and some continue to try. But, they have never prevailed. The Lord is my deliverer and not just from this physical world; but, from the unseen realms of darkness that would attack all who love Him. 

We give Him thanks and praise because He has saved us from our own sinful natures by sending His only begotten Son to deliver us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. 

God's peace be with you all today and every day.

Pr. J

Dead or Alive?

Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. (1 John 5:12 NIV)

There is a town, which will remain unnamed, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan that I have referred to as the home of the "Walking Dead." Drug abuse was so rampant that all you had to do was walk down the street to see the devastation wrought by the illegal use of various drugs in the faces, in the eyes, of the people walking by. It is not just an affliction of the young. People in their very advanced years are also using and peddling various mind altering drugs. This is not a problem in just that one town. It is a serious problem throughout the United States.

People have turned to mind altering drugs (this includes abusing alcoholic beverages) for a bit or a lot of pleasure or escape or a whole multitude of other excuses. When this happens, mind altering drugs can very easily become their gods; false gods.

Once caught in the seduction of these drugs many become like the walking dead. Yes, they move and breathe. Many are able to hold regular jobs. But, whether they are fruitful employees or not is a whole other question.

Mind altering drugs; false gods will steal your life away. Live life! The Son of God gives life.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

To Live Is Christ!

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (Phil 1:21-24 NIV)

Jesus tells us, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) I often wonder what the motivation of those who profess to be Christians is for showing up to worship on occasional Sunday mornings. Is it the fear of death or the love of life who is Jesus the Christ?

I pray that it is the latter. I hope that for the whole Christian Church on earth we can all say with St. Paul that there would be no greater pleasure than to be with Christ; to live in his complete love, to live in his life! Yet, while we are here on earth let us all be fruitful laborers that many would come to know the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Leading Them Astray

 For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.

You have wearied the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

                                                                                                                    (Malachi 2:7-9,17 NIV)

Nothing has changed. The prophet Malachi warns the priests about their false teachings. They have led the people astray enabling the people to stumble by calling evil good.

Has anything changed? They knew then and we know today the difference between what is right and what is wrong; but, have all too often chosen the way that makes friends of the world rather than God.

Pr. J

A Good Storm

When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along. We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. (Acts 27:13-18 NIV)

We rarely appreciate a good storm; especially not when we're being battered about like a ship on a stormy sea.  Paul was being taken to Rome as a prisoner. His future did not look very good. He could either be drowned in the storm or be put to death in Rome. 

Indeed he was eventually put to death; but, in the meantime his course, as rough as it was, turned out for the good for many sick people on Malta. Ship-wrecked on Malta Paul was given the opportunity to witness to the power of God by healing many in the name of Jesus. Later, when as a prisoner, he arrived in Rome he had great opportunities to proclaim the Good News of Jesus. 

God had a plan for Paul; a plan for the good of many people. Through the storm on the sea and of life, Paul was a witness to the gift of life through Jesus the Christ.

Life can get pretty rough whether you are on land or water. When you find yourself in the midst of the storm remember "....that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28) It may not always feel so good at the moment; but, trust God to work it out. He does have a good plan for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Live For The Lord

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (Romans 14:7-8 NIV)

We all belong to the Lord. We are His creation. None of us were created to live without Him or without one another. Of course, there are those who have chosen to live without Him and to live thinking only of themselves and no one else. They are the centers of their own universe. Living without our Lord is a very sad thing for them and for us. Life without Christ ends up being a self-centered and empty life; a life that ends in death alone. But, with Him we can know the joy and peace that comes only from living reconciled to God and one another.

May God help us to live life fully for Him within the Body of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. May all that we say and think and do glorify Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Spit Out Of His Mouth

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Rev 3:14-16 NIV)

A good percentage of the church on earth appears to be quite lukewarm; neither openly denying Christ or openly affirming Christ. There are way too many who confess that they are Christians on Sunday morning or in any Christian gathering of people. But, when it comes to witnessing to those who do not know Jesus; the church becomes pretty quiet. Yes, of course, there are all those television evangelists who make mega-bucks for their proclamation. But, then there is also the question regarding what they are really proclaiming. Do they proclaim that in order to be followers of Jesus we must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow him? (Matt 16:24) Does our message include the fact that the road Jesus took here on earth was not one of self-indulgence; but, of a homeless man (Matt 8:19-20) who endured much persecution (John 15:20) and then went to his execution (Matt 27:32-37) for speaking the truth. 

There are way too many who profess to be Christians who really are not ready or willing to get off the fence and follow Jesus. They are afraid for their hearts to be on fire for Jesus. It might mean they have to focus on the Kingdom of God rather than the material things of this world. It will mean persecution. (2 Tim 3:12) 

God did not push the people of Laodicea off of the fence. He warned them and he warns us that if we do not want to be spit out of his mouth, we need to get off of the fence. 

May our hearts be set on fire for the Lord Jesus!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Who Will You Follow?

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”                                                                                           John 6:67-69 (NIV)

To whom shall we go indeed?! Shall we listen to someone other than the One who gives us eternal life? Shall we follow anyone other than the one that gives us the spiritual food needed to sustain us for all eternity? 

Not all of the people who were following Jesus wanted to hear this. Like many people today they went away from Jesus looking for things that would satisfy them in this world. Spiritual things are okay as far as they go. But, many, including those who claim to be Christians, prefer things of this world rather than the Kingdom of God. 

As Joshua asked the Israelites so we must also ask ourselves: "choose this day whom you will serve.." And, prayerfully, we will all respond: "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15)

May God grant us the faith that we should all follow and serve Jesus Christ, who is our bread of life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Remember the Sabbath

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." (Exodus 20:8 NIV)

My husband and sons were logging together. Logging can be a pretty expensive business. We sometimes joked that it was just a hobby as it often felt like they were paying to work rather than earn livings since equipment breakdowns can get pretty expensive. On occasion, they would decide that they needed to work on Sunday morning rather than worship in order to make up for time lost due to the weather or equipment breakdowns. Every time they decided to do this they would have another piece of equipment break down on that Sunday morning. Do I think that God was punishing them for working on Sunday? No. I think that because they did not heed His word to rest on the seventh day that they were exhausted and when we work tired and troubled; accidents; problems occur. God does not give us the commandments so that He can punish us. The commandments are for our own good.

 

It has been many decades since I realized what this holy-day of rest meant for me. I can get pretty cranky at times. During a particularly trying period of my life I came to realize that if I did not attend worship on Sunday (or maybe Saturday evening) I was pretty difficult to live with the rest of the week. By Friday, nobody, including myself, wanted to be around me. I need to receive the means of grace, the Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion, in order for me to be a bit more graceful towards others. I need to be able to find rest in Christ in order to be refreshed for the upcoming days.

 

Thanks be to God, He has given us the gift of the holy-day to gather with the saints and hear His sacred Word.

 

God desires good for you. Receive the good gifts of His Word and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. These gifts are available, without cost, for you at your local place of worship. Do yourself, your family, and your friends a favor; go and listen to Him; receive His Word; receive the Lord in the Sacrament of Holy Communion! Join others in worship every seventh day, no matter which day that happens to fall on.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Rock

Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress, to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

                                            Psalm 71:3-4 NRSV

 

Sully is a huge English Mastiff. He is a rock. He goes about his business steady and sure. You can nudge him; but, unless he wants to move, it's not going to happen. Fortunately, he is a gentle giant and listens quite well. He is totally non-aggressive; but, if he's standing by your side, most people would think twice about approaching you in any manner other than in a most amiable way. 

 

Jesus is our rock of refuge. He is our fortress. The unjust and cruel will not prevail over those who dwell within the walls of that fortress, which is the Body of Christ. As much as I trust that by Sully's side I will be safe; I only see him a few times a year. But, Jesus is with me always. It is he who will save and keep us for all eternity.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Law Upon Law

Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them." (Luke 11:46 NIV)

We are in the midst of primary elections around the county. These elections include offices all the way from local community offices to Federal positions. To a certain degree we will be electing leaders to make important decisions for us based on a bit of fake news; a lot of bitter back-biting; nasty, nasty attacks on the opponents. Who can tell which law-makers are best for the positions? As they make decisions they will either instigate, legislate, or enforce new laws stacked upon the old laws supposedly for the sake of justice; for doing what is best for the people. Too often these decisions will be made based on what lobbyists want for themselves or their specific business or cause and not what is actually good for communities or the country as a whole. Egos and greed seem to rule the day.

Unfortunately, John Adams appears to have been perfectly correct when he stated, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." We have an outstanding constitution in this country. However, there are some who think that it should be done away with or at the least drastically changed. They consider it archaic. For an unrighteous nation who needs law upon law to live; maybe it is inadequate. So do we do away with the constitution or do we, as a nation, decide to attempt to live by the righteousness of Christ rather than trusting in these multitudes of laws that we have created to serve justice? For those who believe that Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins the law has been put into our hearts and written upon our minds. St. Paul wrote to the Hebrews (10:15-16)  

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

   “This is the covenant I will make with them

   after that time, says the Lord.
   I will put my laws in their hearts,

   and I will write them on their minds.” 

If this would be true for the world, we would have no need for the cost of making law upon law in every corner of the world and the burden that comes about because of these countless laws.

Jesus condemned the teachers of the law, the Pharisees, for loading people down with laws that they could hardly keep. The law that God gave to Moses was not enough. They and we seem to have to add to the laws; to micro-manage society.

It is difficult to keep the law when there are so many that one cannot even know what they all are. I am not just talking about traffic or criminal laws. I am also considering all the laws, the red-tape that comes with daily living; red-tape that goes with building a new home; running a family business; even purchasing insurance. Yes, you have to have all your ducks in a row to even file a claim on insurance you may have been paying on for years. The average person is just trying to earn a living and to live life. But, the burdens that come with so much red-tape take up much of the time that we would otherwise have to live life.

There are way too many rules and regulations to follow. Who can know them all? Sadly, that is the price we pay for living in an unrighteous world. Justice will not happen by making more laws in a lawless world. Justice will only happen when the law and the love of God is written upon our hearts.

God's Peace – Pr. J