Pentecost 2020 Ears To Hear

The Power Of The Holy Spirit

"In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)"  (John 7:37-39 KJV)

There are times when I become fully aware that someone I know does not understand who this Holy Spirit is as I assumed they knew. It saddens me that there are so many who do not have an inkling of the power of the Holy Spirit that abides in and with all who believe. If they did, I believe that they would not be so quick to judge those who do believe.

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, does abide in all who believe opening our eyes, and our hearts, and our minds to a greater understanding of God's love and will for all people. This Spirit of Christ, that abides in you and me connects and unites us in a way that is not humanly possible. 

Today is Pentecost Sunday. It is the day that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as Jesus promised. It is considered the birthday of the church as on that day the disciples were given the power by the Holy Spirit to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people. No matter in what language the disciples spoke to that great assembly; the hearers heard and understood it and many came to believe. Rivers of living water flowed forth by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."           (Acts 2:1-8, 38-41)

I am sure that Peter spoke with many more words than are recorded in Acts. The words he spoke were living words that gave hope to the people in that the Savior who had been promised had come. The prophecies had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. All who believe will receive eternal life.

Neglect not and do not minimize the power of the Holy Spirit. With the coming of the Holy Spirit the church on earth was born over 2000 years ago. 

Do not underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit that abides in and with all who believe.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Waiting For Justice

"How long, Lord, must I call for help,

but you do not listen?

Or cry out to you, “Violence!”

but you do not save?

Why do you make me look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Therefore the law is paralyzed,

and justice never prevails.

The wicked hem in the righteous,

so that justice is perverted." 

(Hab 1:1-4 NIV)

How long, LORD, must the people suffer at the hands of one another? There are times when we would really like immediate help from the LORD; times when we need a major miracle or two. But, the truth is that God has given us free-will in many areas of our lives and we choose to hurt one another. We choose to put our own wills before the will of God. We choose to put what we want before the good of the whole.

God will answer our prayers. But, beware; the answer may not be what we're hoping for. May God help us to lead gentler lives; lives that do not inflict violence or injustice upon others. May He lead us in His way so that we are not the wicked that others are praying for deliverance from.

May God grant us mercy and give us His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Remember Not My Sins

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

Psalm 25:1-7 KJV

I have heard many a person say that they would like to be young again. Not me! I made way too many mistakes; committed way too many sins as a young person that I would prefer to forget. Some of them, I probably have forgotten. Others, I have not. I know that if I were to be back in the days of my youth, the lack of my knowledge and faith in what Jesus has done for me would most probably have me making the same mistakes and committing the same sins. I am sorry for them and would not like to repeat them.

As I remember them from time to time, I am thankful that God, according to His mercy, those sins are washed out. I may remember them; but, I also remember that that God is a God of tender mercies and loving kindnesses. He sent His only begotten son that through the shedding of his blood on the Cross all who would believe in him would not perish. We would be forgiven our sins and reconciled to God for all of eternity.

By faith alone, in Christ alone, we are forgiven. The sins of the past are in the past. They are done with and dead. In Christ we have new life and a new way of living.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." (2 Cor 5:17-19)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Weep With Them That Weep

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.  Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.  (Rom 12:15-18 KJV)

I find myself grieving over the death of George Floyd. I did not know him. I do not have to have known him or anyone else to grieve for him or with others. I do not have to have known him to weep over such a horrific event. It pains me to be reminded that not all of our law enforcement have the public's health and safety as a priority. It pains me to know that there are renegades within our law enforcement system that choose to flaunt their authority and use it to willfully damage and even destroy others.

This is not true of all law enforcement. I know many who work in law enforcement. At one point in my life, I worked in Administration for the Criminal Investigation Division at Camp Lejeune. I am still friends with some of the investigators. They were and are honest men and women with integrity. 

Unfortunately, the saying that bad cops get good cops killed is very true. What could and should be peaceful protests in Minneapolis has turned into rioting and looting that endanger not only good officers' lives; but, the lives of those who are protesting with the desire to have their voices heard in a peaceful manner. Destroying or looting local, privately owned businesses because of one (or four) bad cops definitely comes under the category of  paying evil for evil. It will not bring about peace or any justice in the world. 

On the other hand, I have also known others who have been victims of police brutality and believe it or not some of the victims were white and not all of them were male, either. It is so sad that some of our law enforcement communities end up including officers with so little empathy and very little integrity. They are for sure in the minority. Overall, the officers that I know have a great deal of integrity and empathy. People without those attributes tend to stay away from me; probably, because I have a low tolerance for bullies with big egos and I do not have a problem confronting them myself. But, there is a wise way to confront those who disturb peace and justice and there are ways that escalate the situations. When we confront evil, we must be wise in doing so or even more people may get hurt.

It is time for good cops to start exposing the bad cops to ensure that the people of their communities and they, themselves, are safe.

Many of us grieve today. Although, we did not know George Floyd, we weep that there could still be so much discrimination in the world today. We weep because there is so little peace and all too often not enough justice.

Paul reminds us in his letter to the Romans that we are not to be high-minded; thinking that we are better than anyone else. We are to not to repay evil with evil. We are to live honestly so that we might all live in peace and then we shall all rejoice!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Every Eye Shall See

Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

                                                                                                      (Rev 4:7-8 KJV)

Every eye will see him. I was told by someone that I care about that they do not believe like I do. I was told, "When you're dead you're dead. There is nothing more." It is heartbreaking to hear someone that has been taught the truth; deny Jesus the Christ.

He is "the One who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (vs 8 NIV) It does not matter whether one believes or not. Denial does not make him less or non-existent. The day will come when every eye will see him; every knee will bow before him; even those who pierced him; even those who denied him.

Be careful with your words. Do not deny the one who died for you. Jesus said, "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." (Matt 10:33 KJV)

He is, he was, and he yet will come again. He is the Almighty God who created you and who would save you from yourself.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Saved By Grace Through Faith

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."  (Eph 2:8-9 KJV)

We often cling to sins that we committed years ago. That's not to say that we have continued to repeat them. But, sometimes, no matter how hard we try to forget them, we do not. The devil keeps reminding us of our past acts against God and against humanity. And... we continue to live in our guilt.

Sometimes, we are able to make amends to those we have harmed. But, that will not wipe out our guilt for having sinned in the first place. There is nothing that we can do to wipe away our sins. We cannot "fix" them with the works of our hands. Our sins cannot be cancelled out by anything good we might think we do. Just about when we might think we're balancing the scales the devil will rear his ugly head and remind us of yet another sin that we need to atone for. It's a never ending cycle. Do not fall for the devil's tricks. You have been saved by God's grace through faith.

Your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus. There is only one way that you can be saved from your past or your present sins. By the grace of God you are saved through faith. Salvation is not something that you can earn. Salvation is a gift from God. Have faith that this gift is for you. Receive it! Live in this truth and tell the devil to depart in the name of Jesus Christ for your sins are forgiven.

God's Peace - Pr.

For The Sake Of Others

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13 KJV)

Jesus gave us the commandment to love one another. Then he showed us how much we should be willing to love by dying on the cross for us. 

Today is Memorial Day; the day we remember the many that died so that others might live in freedom; freedom to worship; freedom to speak the truth; freedom to live without persecution. They died to preserve freedoms here at home and around the world. They died not just for their friends; but, for people they did not even know. 

Today is a day not just to remember what they have sacrificed for us; but, maybe it should be a day to ask ourselves what we would be willing to give for love and for the sake of others. Would we give up our own safety for the sake of the well-being of others? Sadly, from what I am seeing in this country today; many would not. Safety, it seems, too often comes before serving those in need. 

As we remember the fallen today, let us thank God for the men and women who have loved humanity so much that they were willing to give their lives for us. 

Today as we thank God for the sacrifice that the many made so that we could enjoy our freedoms; let us not neglect to thank God for the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for us. Let us thank God, for Jesus who showed us what it means to truly love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Message for Sunday, May 24 2020

The Armour Of God

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

                                                                                                 (1 Pet 5:6-11 KJV)

Day to day, we struggle against our adversary the devil. Evil lurks around every corner waiting to seduce you. If there is a chink in our armor that he can squeeze into, he will try. St. Paul advised the Ephesians to put on the armor of God so that they might stand against the wiles of the devil. He wrote:  

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

                                                                                                    (Eph 6:10-18)

 

Temptations will indeed come to all people. But, in Christ, the battle is won. Therefore,  we ought to wear the armour that he has provided us with. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Faithful In The Face Of Persecution

Valaam Monastery

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

                                                                                                (John 15:19-21 KJV)

I have worn a small wooden cross for almost twenty years. I wear it to remind myself of the suffering that Jesus endured for the sake of the world. I wear it to remind myself of the suffering that faithful Christians have and continue to endure for the sake of Jesus' name. I purchased this necklace from a peasant woman at the monastery at Valaam, Russia while on a mission trip. It reminds me of the persecution that Christians endured for so many years when to be a Christian meant that you would be sent to work camps in Siberia or possibly killed.

There was no public worship allowed at times in their history. Churches in Russia for a very long time were repurposed. Some became Communist meeting halls. The beautiful Church of our Savior on Spilled Blood was used over the years as a morgue, a warehouse for vegetables, and later a museum. People met in homes, when it was possible, to worship and to teach one another. One elderly lady in a nursing home told me how her husband a pastor had been sent to a work camp. But, in spite of all of the persecution, the faithful continued to meet. She told me of a time when grandmothers would baptize the children at the cemetery. To keep from being reported for having an assembly in their homes, they would gather around the grave of a loved one so that it would appear that they were grieving for that loved one and not having the religious service that they were actually having. They gathered to worship and celebrate the Sacraments at the risk of their very lives. Today, churches have been rebuilt and new ones are growing in Russia.

But, that is not the end of the persecution of Christians. Today, people around the world are being imprisoned and killed for their faith in Christ. Many gather secretly to worship just as the women in Karelia gathered around graves and just as many of the first followers of Jesus gathered together in the catacombs. They gather(ed) in secret to worship together and so that the word of God could be shared with others and others would come to know him. But, they do know that by doing so their lives in this world are in jeopardy.

I believe that we, in the United States, all too often take our freedom to worship God a bit for granted. Maybe, a whole lot for granted. Are we not willing to suffer any hardship; any persecution, for the sake of Jesus' name?

May God grant us both faith and faithfulness even in the face of adversity.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

By Love Serve One Another

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

                                                                                  (Gal 5:13-15 KJV)

If our sole purpose in this life is to gratify our own egotistic desires we will most probably find ourselves spiritually and emotionally empty and hungry. We will find ourselves with divisions between ourselves and others so numerous that we cannot count them.

On the other hand, if we would but love others as ourselves, we would be more able to live with the differences between us and them in peaceful reconciliation. As we go about our daily lives let us give consideration to how we would have others treat us and treat others in that way. Consider if when you are lonely or depressed would you want someone to be with you to comfort you. Then be there for those who are also alone and depressed. If you and your family were without food or shelter would you have someone assist you? Then, do likewise to those who are in need. If you would live in peace; then let others live in peace. Do not intentionally cause them anxiety or worries of any kind. And, when you help someone; when you are there for them, let it be done with a joyful heart. Do it in a manner that they know that they are loved and not merely a good work that you know that you should do.

Out of love, be there for the people around you. Our personal times and agendas are not more important than loving our neighbors right next door, in our own households, or on the other side of the world.

Loving and serving others will give us purpose that will bring about peace rather than divisions among us.

May God help us to always remember that Jesus so loved us, that he was willing to serve us by giving his life on the cross for us. Being generous and going a little out of our way for the sake of others can't even begin to compare to that!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Not To Make Us Good; But, To Live Life

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:19-20 KJV)

"He has come into the world to make dead people live!"

I was listening to Dave Rubin and Ravi Zacharias on the Rubin Report last night before bed.  It saddens me to know that I will never get to listen to anything new from Ravi Zacharias while it also gives me peace to know that faithful men like Ravi live life in Christ and are willing to share this good news with anyone and everyone.

He touched on one of my favorite subjects: to live life in Christ! Ravi said regarding Jesus' purpose, "We think he has come into the world to make bad people good. That's wrong. He has come into the world to make dead people live." 

One of my pet peeves over the years has been Sunday School curriculum that is morality (law) based rather than Christ centered. Way too much of it is aimed at teaching young people how to act like Christians by being good rather than helping them to understand that by faith alone, in Christ alone, Jesus abides in them and they in him and because he loves them so much he was willing to die for them so that they could live real, genuine, abundant, life in him. This living life is not just for after death but for today in this world as well. For without Christ, we are dead even here as we reside in this world. 

Christianity should not be relegated to just follow all the laws; be good. Being a follower of Jesus is about faith. It is about trusting him for your whole life. It is about having an active relationship with God our Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Any goodness evidenced in or through us comes from the one who lives and abides in us.  

All these good things we teach our children to do and be will not give them life. Of course they should be taught to love and care for and respect others; but, it is only the abiding presence of Christ that is good. Only he has fulfilled the law. Through him, our sins have been forgiven. We have been made clean by the work he did on the cross for us. 

The work on the cross was so that we might have life in and through him. Because he lives so shall we! Live life! Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Pleasing Others In Community

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

                                                                (Rom 15:1-7 KJV)

Again or still, I have been thinking about community as most of the country has been mandated to avoid community. In a very real sense, keeping our distance can be for the good of and to please our neighbors. However, we will have a difficult time helping the individual in need if we never see them. There are many social organizations that we can assist in helping others by making donations online. Sadly, some of these organizations have closed their offices due to the mandates. Church offices come to my mind.

We cannot please everyone all of the time. But, in order to please or help them in any way, we usually need to have contact with them. We need to be in community with them. Jesus calls us to feed his sheep. Social media is fine for feeding others the word; but, other then making donations to large agencies who will use a large percentage of our donations for operating costs rather than directly feeding and sheltering those in need, social media isn't all that helpful when it comes to taking care of physical needs.

In order to know what people may need we need to be in community, in communication, with them. Long distance, remote communication really does not do the trick. It is difficult to receive someone as St. Paul exhorts us to do when we can't actually be with one another.

I have joked about being a hermit more than once. I really do appreciate my quiet times with God! But, I also appreciate and give thanks to God for having had so many opportunities over the years to please others by helping them in person when they needed someone who was near and not far away; when they needed someone to feed them whether it was spiritually or physically.

Let us all give thanks that many of the social distancing guidelines are being relaxed and we can get on with living in community to the glory of our ever-loving God our Father.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In Community; Live In The Light

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 

                                                                                               (Luke 1:78-80 KJV)

When my grandchildren were young they loved the darkness. I hope that this is no longer true. They stayed in their rooms with the curtains pulled shut. Usually, the only light in the room was from  their television sets or their cell phones. They could be pretty gloomy children at times. They claimed that they were bored a lot! The darkness will do that to you. Staying alone in the darkness for too long will definitely bring about sorrowful and depressing times. 

When God created Adam He decided that Adam needed someone to share life with so He created Eve. They had children. Adam was no longer alone. They were no longer alone. Isolating oneself in the darkness is not a good plan. Of course, we don't need people around us all of the time. But, He created community for a purpose; for a good purpose. Community and light are good things!

During this viral epidemic, we were asked to stay safe; stay at home; to isolate in order to keep from spreading the virus. I think; I hope, that maybe during this time we have learned a little about safe distancing whenever we are sick; especially when we have to be near people whose immune systems are compromised. I also hope that we have learned that sitting in the darkness of your room rather than on the front porch in the light is not beneficial! And, for those who live in apartments, thankfully most states have allowed walking outside with social distancing. 

My husband and I are both senior citizens and we both have compromised immune systems. After his heart surgery in March, he stayed home for about five weeks and then could no longer stand it. He has been out on his Harley a few times and is now picking up his own prescriptions and doing a few of the essential errands. We both walk every day. I have not experienced much change in my life during this time; except that maybe I was running more errands than usual. Finding household paper supplies cost me quite a few hours in the stores!  I wear a mask for all of the appointments and shopping that I do. I do not wear it because I am worried about me getting sick and dying. Rather, it is because I am concerned that I may pick up something in stores or hospitals and spread it to others without realizing it. Amazingly and thanks be to God, neither my husband or myself have even had so much as a slight cold this winter and spring.

According to St. John, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:19)

Sadly, I have noticed that there are some who would use the pandemic as an excuse to live in the darkness; and to truly self-isolate even way beyond any guidelines that have been set forth by the government. This living isolated in the darkness is not a healthy way to live life; not physically, not mentally, not emotionally, not spiritually.

God gave us the light. It was created before we were created. God gave us community through the gift of procreation. Yet, humanity chose to live for themselves; alone, attempting to hide in the darkness. So, He sent His Son to be a light in the world; that all who would believe in him would step out of the darkness into the marvelous light so that we might live in community; reconciled to God and to one another.

The stay safe, stay at home guidelines are being lifted; slowly but surely. We are being given the opportunity to once again get out of the darkness of our little cubicles into the marvelous world that was given to us. It is time to step out of the darkness so that together we might live and thrive in the glorious light of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Reap What We Sow

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

                                                                                                        (Gal 6:7-10 KJV)

I often hear the word karma used by others. The word karma is not in the Bible. However, according to St. Paul's letter to the Galatians there are consequences for our actions. There are negative consequences for those who look only after their own flesh and to the detriment of others. There are positive consequences for those who are concerned about doing what is right. One of the greatest of these positive consequences is to live in the peace that only God can give through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Do not misunderstand. We are not saved by our positive works. We are not saved by anything that we do. We are saved by grace alone through Christ alone. Because we are saved by the grace of God and because of the great love that he has for us as evidenced by the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus the Christ, we love Him and strive to do what is right, not for our glory; but, for the glory of God. 

May God help us to do what is right and live in His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

May 17 2020 Sunday Good News

We Shall Rise

Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

                                                                                            (1 Thess 4:1,13-17 KJV)

Do you live in order to please God or your or maybe someone else? Is your whole life wrapped up in pleasing yourself?  Do you walk in the way that the Lord, who loves you, would have you go? 

St. Paul reassures the Thessalonians that they who love the Lord and walk with him have no reason to fear death for we know that all who fall asleep in him will rise from the dead even as he rose from the dead. Because Jesus lived and died and lives again for us, we shall live for all eternity in the presence of God. Rejoice! Because eternity includes today. God is with you and for you. Thank Him for your salvation and do all things to glorify Him alone!. 

Because he lives, so shall all who believe in him; so shall all who put their trust in him!

God's Peace - Pr. J

His Name Is To Be Praised

Psalm 113

Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.

Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.

The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,

Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord

What a glorious God we have. He is deserving of our thanks and praise from the rising of the sun to it's setting; from the moment we wake to the time our eyes close in sleep. 

We give Him thanks and praise when we rise for having kept us safe through the night and giving us another day to live among our brothers and sisters in Christ; to live in this wonderful creation that he has gifted to us.

We give him thanks and praise when we lie down to rest at night that by the power of the Holy Spirit we have lived another day under His watchful eye. No matter what circumstances have affected us the Lord was with us and will be with us.

There is no one like our God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All honor and glory; thanksgiving and praise belong to Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

We give him 

We Don't Know

"As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all."

                                                                                                Eccl 11:5 KJV

Other than by His Word we have no clue of any details on how God creates anything. We cannot know how or why the Spirit of God works except that God wills it.

When Nicodemus went to Jesus in the dark of the night asking him questions about who he was and about being born again into the kingdom of God, Jesus told him: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)

We simply cannot know the way of the Spirit of God. Especially in the midst of trying times, we cannot understand all the ways of God. But, we can trust that His plan is a good plan and it is a plan according to His will for the good of those who love Him. (Rom 8:28)

It is absolutely amazing how a child grows in a mother's womb. It is amazing that though he was killed, Jesus  lives. There are just so many things that we cannot fully understand. Yet, we believe and rejoice because we know that God sees all, knows all, and has a good plan and nothing humankind does can thwart that plan.

We cannot know everything. We don't even have to. We just trust the source of all things who is the Spirit of God; who is the Word, by the power of the same Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Duck And Cover?

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19-20 KJV)

It was about twenty years ago. I had escorted a car load of teenage boys from the correctional facility to a worship service in town one evening.  As we left the church a car passed by and backfired. The boys hit the ground! I had no clue as to why they were all suddenly laying on the sidewalk as it did not occur to me that it had sounded like a gunshot. 

On another occasion I was escorting three of the youth to a local High School to take GED exams. I took a wrong turn in town and turned around in someone's driveway. If you guessed that they all ducked and covered you would have guessed right! What a world we live in when children have to duck and cover for fear of their lives! 

I watched an episode of Quantum Leap last night. Sam Beckett was transported to a time when there was extreme fear of a Nuclear Bomb being dropped on America. Some of you probably remember that time and particularly the fear and panic that came with the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the 1950's and 1960's we were taught to duck and cover in the public school systems just in case there was a nuclear attack. I remember those drills. I am still not quite sure how hiding under a desk is going to protect anyone from a nuclear blast and the radiation fallout that would accompany it. But, I guess in the state of such heightened fear it may give people comfort to think that they can actually do something about it.

In his first inaugural address President Franklin Roosevelt said, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Now, anyone who knows me well knows that I am all about taking preventive measures; but, those preventive measures are so that one can keep moving forward. They should not stop us in our tracks and keep us from living the life that God has given us. 

After Jesus was crucified, his disciples hid out. They locked themselves in a room in fear that they would be the next to be executed. Fear paralyzed them until Jesus showed up. Even though the door had been locked there Jesus stood in the midst of them. He who was killed just a few days prior stood among them alive! They were no longer afraid. They were blessed with the peace that was needed to go forward; to go and share with the whole world that Jesus had risen from the grave and that all of God's promises of a savior and his kingdom were true. 

Do not let fear so overwhelm you that you cannot move forward; doing the will of God. Understand that God is with you always.  Know that he can and will bless you with peace through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. As St. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6-7 NIV)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Your Small Boat

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

                                                                                                              (Mark 1:16-20 KJV)

As children we are encouraged to dream big; make a plan for our futures. Then something happens. Today it is Covid-19. Dreams are washed away. All of the effort we put into getting where we are and where we want to be are halted. For some, the dreams; the goals, have permanently ended. The ship has sunk.

After gaining everything he had hoped for the preacher realized that none of it satisfied him. He wrote: "And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." (Eccl 2:10-11)

The Preacher had an abundance. Yet, he was not satisfied. Job, reportedly a good man, had an abundant life. Yet, he lost it all. Even his children were taken from him by death.

The fishermen who followed Jesus had their small boats to earn their living from. Yet, they willingly gave it up to follow something, someone, greater. Immediately, upon being called by Jesus they left their old way of living behind to follow Jesus and to become fishers of men.

It is not always easy to follow Jesus and become a fisher of people. I cannot help but wonder that as church doors are being shut due to the Covid-19 Virus, if Jesus may be calling us and reminding us to step out of those small boats that we call church and really start fishing for people. Another door is open. The opportunities are there. There are many new opportunities to share the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ today. Will we lay down those worn out nets, that in many cases really have not caught much in years gone by, and follow in the footsteps of Jesus fishing for people? Yes, Jesus taught in the temple. But, he also taught and proclaimed the Gospel in community outside of the building.

Time to quit worrying about your small boat and fish in the larger sea?

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Wisdom: Kindness and Fruitfulness

Wisdom: Teaching the children to be kind and fruitful

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

                                                                              (Prov 31:26-28 KJV)

The virtues of a good wife (and father) are usually appreciated. I say, usually, because it is not always true. Sometimes it is true that the more virtuous a  person presents themselves there will be even more expected of them. This does not just apply to women today; but men as well, as roles have changed a great deal over time. 

However, according to this book of wisdom, a wise wife will raise her family with kindness even while she is correcting or teaching her children. There is so much for the person who has responsibility over a family to manage that there really is no time to be idle. There is always something that should be taken care of whether it is cleaning the home, cooking the meals, shopping, teaching children to be able to do the same, teaching children to be kind to others even as they are kind. The list is endless. There is also the need to actually spend time with your children. That doesn't mean just being in the same room with them; but, interacting with them.

Teaching children is an incredible responsibility. The children of today are those  people who will be contributing to the welfare of the world in generations after ourselves. We teach them not just  by what we say; but, also by what we do. They learn by example not only by the example of the mothers and fathers; but, by the example of all  their teachers, others in positions of authority, as well as their neighbors.

Consider the world in generations after we are gone and help the children to understand the wisdom of being kind to others; of being fruitful and not eating the bread of idleness so that they will know what it is to be as blessed as we are  blessed today.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Be Kind

             

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. 

                                                                                                                               (Eph 4:30-32 KJV) 

Be kind! Two little words: it is as simple as that. Yet, being kind is not always easy or so it seems. It can be difficult to be kind when someone is falsely accusing you or persecuting you. It can be difficult to be kind when someone is slandering you. It can be difficult to be kind when someone is being unkind to you. But, when this happens, sometimes it is best to be quiet and walk away. 

On the other hand; sometimes, as in the case of parents, teachers, and others in authority when a child is unkind then sometimes a word of correction is definitely in order. You cannot walk away. The unkind and bullying words of a youth should be corrected out of love. Correct them; but, do not do so with bitterness or malice. Correct them out of love.

Unfortunately it is does not appear to be all that uncommon for young people to think that they are right and that they have the right to disrespect others just because they want to. And, yes, in many of these cases they actually learn to be unkind from the adults who are supposed to be examples to them. It may seem difficult at times; but, treat them with kindness as well.

The world would just be a much nicer place if we could just learn to be kind. You are a child of God. Speak the truth in love! Be kind and tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven you through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord!

God’s Peace – Pr. J.

5th Sunday of Easter 2020

One Way

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

                                                                          (John 14:1-6 KJV)

There are no short-cuts. There is no magic involved in being reconciled to our Father and Creator. There is only one way and that is through Jesus the Christ.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will pick up new age rituals or beliefs thinking that this is going to make them more spiritual or that it will be another path toward reaching the Kingdom of God. There is only one way. The path is not always easy. There will be those who choose to get in our face and try to steer us on another road. Sometimes, we may even listen and get side-tracked for awhile. But, for those who truly believe; for those who have a relationship with God our Father and our Lord Jesus the Christ they will soon recognize that the road is leading them somewhere that they do not want to go. They will hear the good shepherd calling them and turn back to the path that he sets before them.

There is only one way to the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Follow him so that you might live life more abundantly as you abide in God's presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Spiritual Milk

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow...” 1 Peter 2:2 KJV 

Babies cry when they are in distress. When they are hungry they are definitely in distress. They need their milk in order for them to be relieved of this hunger. They need milk in order to grow. Without this nutrition, illness may come and even death if the milk is withheld long enough. 

Just like babies we need something to relieve the stress when we are distressed. We need spiritual milk to live life abundantly. That spiritual milk is found in the word of God. Immerse yourself in the word and live!

God's Peace - Pr. J.