We Wait With Hope

We Wait With Hope For The Lord

All Praise And Glory Belong To God!

15th Sunday after Pentecost; Psalm 113 KJV; From the rising of the sun to it's setting all praise and glory belon to the Lord.

Drink The Word Of God

1 Peter 2:2-3 KJV; As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you might grow in Christ.

By Grace We Are Saved

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

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.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:1-10 KJV)

Sinners, dead in our sins; yet, Saints alive in Christ Jesus. We are sinners. That is a fact. Everyone of us sin, even daily. We lust after things of this world. We fall prey to following in the ways of this world rather than in the path that Jesus has set before us. There are no excuses that will justify our sinful natures. The only thing that justifies is the blood of Christ shed for the sins of the world.

We cannot save ourselves. No matter how many good things we try to do they will never balance out or cancel out our sins. Our salvation is a free gift from God. We cannot earn it by any good works. It was given when His only begotten Son worked out our salvation for us by hanging on the cross; by suffering and dying for our sins. Since we can do nothing to save ourselves we thank God for this gift of life in His kingdom; in His presence.

By grace through faith we are saved. It is not our work the procures our salvation. It is a gift from God.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

His Mercy Endures Forever

PSALM 107:1-9 KJV

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

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If you are a sinner (and we all are) give thanks to the Lord for his mercy that endures forever. Give thanks that he has redeemed you even from yourself for in Christ Jesus you have been forgiven all of your sins. Once forgiven they do not reappear. God doesn't bring back what He has already forgiven through Jesus. Once forgiven, always forgiven. As God forgives us, we must remember that He has forgiven us and so we ought to forgive ourselves. 

Do not give sway to your enemy the devil and cling to your guilt. Your guilt has been washed away by the blood of Jesus. Let it go. Clinging to the sins that Jesus died for will only cause you more grief. Focusing on your past guilt will cause many distresses. Your soul will continue in anguish as it is filled with hunger and thirst. Continually remembering and grieving sins that have been forgiven by God will stop you in your tracks. It will keep you from following in the right way. 

Focus not on your sins; rather, focus on following Jesus that you might be led forth in the way that he would have you go.

Grieve your sins for a moment as you confess them and then let them go giving thanks to God for His mercy endures forever. He forgives you. Speak it aloud! The Lord is good. He has redeemed me and His mercy endures forever!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Foolishness Or Wisdom?

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

                                                                              (1 Cor 1:18-25 KJV)

So frustrating! I wish that everyone would receive our Saviour, Jesus the Christ. But, no matter how much I try it seems to be impossible for me to get some people to understand that the message of the cross is the power of God. It is not just a nice story of a man dying because he loved humanity so much. It is not just a piece of historical fact that we read about and set aside. It is not foolishness as the world would have us believe. Rather, it is foolishness not to believe. The message of the cross holds within it the power to save.

In the end, I always have to go back to a very simple fact. I cannot save anyone. I cannot even convince anyone. I can only proclaim the message and trust that the power of God within the message (the Word who is Jesus the Christ) saves. Usually, when people tell me that my sermon was great or they thank me for saying something that helped them; I remind them that it is not me; but, Christ in me (Gal 2:20). Sometimes, I will tell them that from my lips to your ears the Holy Spirit is working so that you hear (and receive) what God wants you to hear and have; not what I want.

The world can scoff at the faith of those who trust in the cross of Christ for their life and salvation. They can deny it. But it does not change the truth. Christ is and always will be Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God! Whom will you trust: the world, yourself, or God who created all things and has recreated us in Jesus Christ, our Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Righteousness Sown In Peace

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:17-18 KJV)

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:9-10)

The wise person does not insist that they are always right; that they are the righteous one. They slow down and listen as well as speak. Wisdom does not call for attacks against those who disagree with them. Wisdom seeks peace. Peace may not come in the form or the way that we desire it; but, it is still sought after. We will never be perfect here in this world; but, that doesn't mean we can't seek to live in peace.

How do we bless God for our own peace when we curse others and work to damage the peace of others? The beginnings of peace can only come when we are able to recognize how we might be affecting the peace of others around us. True peace will come only when we are united as one; like-minded in Christ. 

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

Wisdom is about walking humbly with our God and doing good for others; not just for ourselves.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Fruit Of The Spirit

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

                                                                         (Gal 6:7 KJV)

If we plant and tend a flower seed a flower will grow. If we plant and tend a thistle bush as thistle bush will grow. Inevitably we all plant something. We can plant seeds of harmony or seeds of discord. We can plants seeds of love or seeds of hate. We can seeds of truth or the seeds of lies. Whatever we plant is what we will harvest. Discord or peace; which is it that the world actually desires?

There is a war going on inside our very beings. The one side looks after ourselves. It looks after our own gratification no matter whom we might hurt in pursuing our personal desires. The other side hopes for peace and desires to sow the seeds of peace. 

In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul warns us against sowing the seeds that gratify the flesh. He extols the fruit that comes from fruit of the Spirit.

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

                                                                            (Gal 5:17,19-23)

We live in the flesh and that same flesh tells us to get what we want no matter who we hurt by it. But, the better way is to live by Spirit whom God has given us. The better way is not to trust what our flesh tells us we should have; but, to sow seeds that will produce fruit of the Spirit for not just ourselves but for those around us. Yet, it is not we who have the ability to do this; but, according to St. Paul: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

May God help us to produce good fruit by the power of the Spirit of Christ that we  all might live life in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Light Shines In The Darkness

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12 KJV)

Some days can seem pretty dark. We all face those days at some time in our lives. When we do, we need to remember that Jesus Christ is the light of the world and to look to him.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

When we wander into dark places that we do not belong, we have no need to fear. Turn to Jesus and his light will shine upon you. He is the light of our salvation. 

"The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” (Matt 4:16)

Life can be tough and sometimes we make it even tougher by retreating into the darkness. We want out of the darkness. We beg for the darkness to go away. But, we cannot seem to get out of it by our own power or strength. Do not worry for the light is coming! It is always darkest before the dawn. Do not fear! He is here! The light of Christ is with you and in you! 

May the light of Christ shine upon you and through you!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hope Found In Christ

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.  (Prov 13:12 KJV)  

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev 22:2)

For the healing of friends; family; the nations; there is only one place to go. That place is our Lord, Jesus the Christ. By his stripes we are healed. (Isa 53:5) In Christ alone our hope for healing lies. 

There are time when our life's circumstances change almost instantaneously. Our hope withers and seems to all but die. Our dreams fade and we must find another. That other is Jesus. Real and lasting hope can come only from Jesus. In him alone is our hope and salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

We Are Family

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 KJV)

A Father and a family not of flesh and blood; that is our family. Of course, there are many flesh and blood family members in that family as well. We have been united with God and with one another through the blood of Jesus the Christ, who is now our brother.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God that we are united with him by God's grace alone through faith alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Messiah; The Christ; Follow Him

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 

                              (Luke 9:18-20 KJV)

Who is this Jesus? Jesus wanted to know who his disciples thought he was. Peter confessed that Jesus was and is the Christ; the Savior sent by God. Do you also believe this? If you do, what are you going to do about it? Will you share that Good News? Will you follow Him? Will you be His disciple?

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26)

Following Jesus is not an easy road. But, Christ went before us and is still with us on the journey so I'm thinking following Him is the best journey to undertake. He is after all, the Messiah; the Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Losing Friends

For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. 

                                                                           (1 Pet 4:3-5 KJV)

Do good! Do what is right! "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry." (vs 3 NIV) No, you won't be too popular if you leave behind those things; but, you will be much more at peace with yourself as you begin to live in Christ.

As a former substance abuse counselor, I have found that one of the toughest things for someone in recovery to deal with is that when they finally decides to trust God for their recovery they lose most, if not all, of their old friends. Going in a different direction than the rest of the crowd can be a very lonely time. It does not bring much comfort to realize that the only reason they hung with us was because our substance abuse justified theirs. Once we realize that the path we've been on has caused only harm and turn around, our old friends and even family disappear. They are out of there. "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you." (vs 4 NIV) And, they will heap abuse on you for not going along with the crowd in a life of destruction.

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

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

God's Peace - Pr. J.

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.

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.

The Spirit And Living Waters

Aguasabon Falls, Terrace Bay, Ontario, Canada

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)

In faith the Good News shall go out to the world from within us. Yet; understand, that is not because of our ability that this is done. It is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, that dwells within us that refreshes the people with the promise of the Kingdom of God through Christ Jesus even as the waters of the rushing river will refreshes the land.

Without the Holy Spirit, we can do nothing. It is the Holy Spirit that will guide us and speak this Good News through us. 

It took me many, many years to grasp who the Holy Spirit is. It took me many years to figure out that without the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life and I mean active in my life that my life was pretty sedentary; literally so passive that it was as though I was one of the walking dead. There was no life in me. So, I asked. I asked the Holy Spirit to introduce himself to me... And, the Holy Spirit did. Before the Spirit's presence, life was pretty lifeless.

If the Holy Spirit is not present and active in your life. If you do not know the Holy Spirit (as many Christians including Lutherans have never been introduced to the Spirit) listen to these words of Jesus:

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

                                                                                    (Luke 11:9-10,13)

Ask and receive... that living waters might flow through you like a river, refreshing those around you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Life In Or Outside of Christ

Atlantic Ocean, Flagler Beach, FL

But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Col 3:8-10 KVJ)

I am beginning to get use to retirement. I am enjoying the lack of drama that is usually created by anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy communication of the mouth. Life is just so much more pleasant and peaceful without these things.

You can live life in the old way or you can live in a new way. Try living in the new life that has been given you through Jesus Christ our Lord. That new life; each day and every new day, is a gift from God. Live it! Live life as a new person in Christ! 

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Josh 24:15)

God's Peace - Pr. J

This Too Shall Pass; Everything Will Be All Right!

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" (Phil 1:6 KJV)

We all have days; sometimes, months, and even years that nothing seems to go right. We might even start thinking that we've messed up our whole lives; that we are complete failures. Take heart! God is with you and can make good things come out of even those things that are totally messed up. 

Those times of adversity can teach us how to grow in the way of the Lord if we are paying attention. They will help us to change so that we can live in peace with God; with others; and with ourselves!

There are times; though, when hard times come to us to no fault of our own. Consider the trials of Job. He lost everything when Satan tested his faith. Yet, he was blessed even more richly by God after losing so much.

All is not lost. Have faith; be confident that as God as begun a good work in you, he will continue to work in your life until the day of Jesus Christ. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

What God Does For You

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. Eph 3:20-21 KJV)

It is absolutely amazing what God can do and has done for us! The most amazing of all is that though we were lost in sin and continue to sin our Father continues to love and care for us. He loves us enough to send His only begotten Son to give himself as a sacrifice for our sins that we might be reconciled to our Father in heaven. How amazing is that!? No matter what you may have done, Jesus died for the forgiveness of your sins that you might be saved. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8)

That loving God is with you today and tomorrow and everyday looking out for you. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

God's Peace - Pr. J

All To The Glory Of God

But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Gal 6:14 KJV)

Our egos can be our biggest downfall. Striving to make ourselves look better than others just causes dissension. None of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. We all sin. But, because our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to take on the penalty for our sins, we are found righteous in the sight of God. 

There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Our good works add up to nothing  for we can do nothing good without Christ. 

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

                                                                                             (Gal 1:16-20)

God's Peace - Pr. J