Do Not Follow The Thief

 

John 10:1-10 KJV; 4th Sunday of Easter; Jesus is the shepherd that can lead you to abundant life. Listen to him and not those who will only lead you astray and destroy your life.

Nothing Can Separate Us From The Love Of God!

John 10:28-30; Romans 8:38-39; KJV; We are His!

 

Preach The Word

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5 KJV; 19th Sunday after Pentecost; Preach the Word! Don't let people with itching ears cause you to stray from the truth when you share the Good News. When you share the Good News do not deviate from scripture.

Do Not Confess The Sins Of Others

Proverbs 25:2-10 KJV; 12th Sunday after Pentecost; Do not publicly confess the sins of others. In other words... no gossiping. Speak to them quietly and directly.

Where Is The Joy?

Zephaniah 3:17 KJV; Where is the joy? 

Gifts For A Good Purpose

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 KJV; 2nd Sunday after Epiphany; Gifts given to us by God are to be used to grow and edify the Kingdom and glorify God.

Our Hope Looks For The Second Coming Of Christ

1st Sunday in Advent; Luke 21:25-36 KJV; Our hope looks for the second coming of Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Preached

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. 

                                                                            (Luke 4:42-44 KJV)

We have received so many gifts from God that we cannot even begin to count them. We give thanks to God for all of these gifts; known and unknown.

We, who were separated by our sins from God, are now reconciled to God in His Kingdom through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us. 

Jesus said that he was sent to preach the Kingdom of God. That is the Good News that he was sent to deliver to us. The Good News is that he not only preached it; he made it a reality for all who believe. 

Do not be deceived. This Kingdom is not just for after we die physical deaths. Life in this Kingdom, reconciled to God, is for today as well. That is the Good News! That is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus the Christ!

The kingdom of God has come and we, by faith, in our Lord, Jesus the Christ, are residents of that kingdom. Yes, we live in this world; but, all who believe also live in the Kingdom and under the gracious rule of God our Father, the Lord Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us live life reconciled to God and in communion with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ now and for all of eternity! Let us share this Good News so that all might live in his presence and peace!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Believe The Witnesses!

 

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen." Mark 16:14 KJV

The disciples did not believe that Jesus had risen because they had not yet seen him. When they did see him, he chewed them out for being so stubborn; so bullheaded. They had not really believed the witness of Mary or the others who had, in fact, testified that they had seen him alive and walking around.

That is the reason for many not believing it today, either. What they cannot see with their own eyes; what they cannot touch with their own hands, they refuse to accept as truth. In their stubbornness they will not accept what they have not witnessed themselves. Even then, some will continue in their bullheadedness. A man walking on the moon is still a fabricated myth to some. Others still believe the earth is flat. Sadly, some even deem the Holocaust during World War II as a fabrication.

How hard-headed are those who refuse to believe the testimony of those who have seen Jesus! How hard-hearted are they who would follow in their own self-centered and self-motivated ways rather than the Way that Jesus prepared for us; for all people, into the Kingdom of God. Their bullheadedness will harm only themselves in the end when before the throne of God every knee will bow.

There was a man named Job. He lost everything. Yet, his faith; his belief, in God did not waiver. He trusted the Lord. He had not seen God with his own eyes, yet. But, he was convinced that he would. He was convinced that he would see him with his own eyes and not just through the testimony of others. Job, too, was in a sense very bullheaded. Although, he suffered much; he never gave up hope in his Redeemer.

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:25-27)

May God help us to trust the testimony of the saints before us, as found in the Holy Scriptures, so that we might have hope in the one who died and yet lives for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Knock And The Door Will Be Opened

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

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. 

                                                                                  (Luke 11:5-9 KJV)

Who would not answer their door to a friend in need? Sadly, there are many who would not. They may have many reasons. Maybe, they are in bed and don't feel like getting up. Maybe they are in the middle of a game or a television show and don't feel like interrupting it. Maybe they just don't feel like helping their friend because they don't view their relationship as close as the person who is on the otherside of the door knocking. 

My parents taught me to always be there to help anyone in need and it didn't have to be a friend. I recall their door being opened to many strangers. It is what they did. It is what we do for those who may be suffering or in any kind of need.

I had to actually look up the word "importunity" from the scripture this morning in order to be sure that I knew what it meant. Importunity is when someone has to beg for help and gets that help not out of friendship or kindness or love or anything as sweet as that; but, because the person being asked finally gets annoyed enough of the begging that they give in and help the person in need.

The world today is full of fear. There are definitely dangers around us and at times might even knock at our door. Prudence and caution is a good thing when opening the doors to strangers. But; know this, even if Jesus is a stranger to you, you can knock on his door and it will be opened. He will let you into the Kingdom. You do not have to beg or be afraid to ask for his help. He already gave it to you when he suffered and died on the cross to open the door to the Kingdom for you.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Luke 11:9) 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Woe To The Oppressor

"Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!" (Zeph 3:1 KJV)

Woe to those who oppress others. Woe to those who neglect and abuse others, whether it is by word or deed that is either done or left undone! Woe to those who continue in their unrighteous ways and know no shame. What is with that, anyway? What good is in it for anyone who persecutes others unjustly?

God dispenses justice. He so wants to dispense mercy and grace to all of His children. He so desires that His children would turn to Him and love Him even as He loves them. But, anger abounds; jealousy lives, and greed survives.

But, the story does not have an unhappy ending for those who love Him. He will save! He does save! He is with the oppressed. He is with the abused and neglected. He is, even now, gathering those who love Him, into the Kingdom that is prepared for us by Jesus Christ, our LORD.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt 5:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Curtain Was Torn

And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

                                                                            (Luke23:44-50 KJV)

Rip! The sound of the temple curtain being torn in two. Do you recall how St. Mark described what happened after Jesus' baptism? "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him" (Mark 1:9-12) 

I was taught, as a young person, that the tearing of the curtain temple at Jesus' death meant that we now all have direct access to God. We are free to directly communicate and relate with and to God. The High Priests are no longer needed to stand between us and God. As Jesus died on the cross for us, he freed us from our sins so that we are now worthy to come before God. That is good news!

But, there is more... When a door is open it opens both way. We are indeed free to enter through that door even as that he who was on the other side of the once closed door comes to be with us. 

Behind the temple curtain was the Holy of Holies; God's earthy dwelling place. The tearing of the temple curtain signifies that with Christ's death, God's dwelling place on earth is no longer understood to be contained to a specific place. His dwelling place; his Kingdom, rushed out into the world as Jesus breathed his last breath and as the temple curtain was torn in two.

Jesus's message and the message he instructed his disciples to share was to repent "for the kingdom of God is at hand." (Matt 4:17; Matt 10:6-8)

The Kingdom of God is truly at hand. Live in it!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Deliver Us From Evil

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

                                             (2 Thess 3:1-3 KJV)

Pray, pray, pray, and pray some more. In these very unstable times (when have they not been unstable?) I have found myself in almost constant prayer. 

Political and religious extremists on every side insist even to the persecution of those who disagree with them that they are right. It is very disheartening to see so much division in this country and in the world. It is not right that people should be attacked and even killed for who they are and for what they believe.

And, so we must pray that the Lord will deliver those who are persecuted from unreasonable and wicked men; that the Lord will keep them from evil.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

                                                                           (Matt 6:1b-13)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

All Glory And Honor

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chron 29:11 KJV)

Thine is the glory, O Lord!  

It is God and God alone to whom all glory belongs. We often lift up personalities in this world as being savior-like. It is a lie to depend on any man or woman to save us. Only by faith in Christ can we be saved. He has the authority and the power to save. 

As a pastor, I was always a bit leery about lifting up any one person's good works. That is because only God is truly good. It is also because most Christians try to do the best they can to serve God and the community of saints. One individuals' attempted good works is not better than another person!  God gives each of us gifts. We serve according to His will and the gifts that He has given us. So, also, we must be careful about lifting up and showing preferential treatment to those who give materially more than others. The faithful will give according to their ability. Because someone seemingly gives much because they have much does not necessarily mean they are giving generously in proportion to the their actual ability. I refer you to the story of the widow's mite and how Jesus pointed out that though she gave little, she gave everything she had.  (Mark 12:41-44)

Our habit of lifting up individuals for special honor whether they are in the congregation or not is often done to gain personal favors or special favors for the church or other organizations. It is also a very sad form of idolatry. It is important to thank people for their service. But, we are not to be discriminatory in giving that thanks for service rendered by lifting up one individual over another when all that they have done is what they have been called to do. 

Remember, that whatever is done ought to be done for the glory of God not for our own glory and not for the glory of people we have decided to personally hold in high esteem. 

All glory and honor belongs to God. We can do nothing that deserves that glory. St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31) 

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chron 29:11 KJV)

Trust in the One who can do all things. Trust in the Lord, your Savior and King!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Blessed Are They...

Matthew 5:1-12 KJV

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

+++

Blessed are the merciful! Blessed are the peacemakers!

May God's grace, mercy, and peace be with you all in these tumultuous times!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Peace Be With You

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.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

                                                                               (John 20:19-23 KJV)

"Peace be with you!" "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 

Jesus was sent into a broken world; a world full of sin, of anger, hatred, violence and self-centeredness. He came into the world so that by his sacrifice the world might receive forgiveness and might be reconciled to one another and to God the Father through him. Jesus was sent into the world to proclaim this Good News of the Kingdom for all who would believe in him. 

And, so He sends us, promising us peace, breathing on us the Holy Spirit, that we might go forth proclaiming the Good News of reconciliation with God and with one another. This will not be without hardship. It will not be without pain. Jesus suffered much in order that we should know our Father in heaven; so shall we suffer if our brothers and sisters are to know and love Him. But, knowing that God can and will work all things for the good of His Kingdom gives us the peace of heart and mind to be able to continue in His way.

May you be blessed with the Holy Spirit, with the Spirit of peace and of love.

God's Peace -Pr. J

In Communion With Him

4:30 a.m. Bayfield, WI and it is dawn!

Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. (Psalm 143:7 KJV)

As I get older, I find it harder to sit still. I find it more difficult to be indoors. I long to be outdoors with no walls confining me. My husband and I decided to take a road trip yesterday. So this morning, at 4 am I found myself wandering around the grounds at a resort near Bayfield, Wisconsin in wonder of the beauty of God's creation. It was already dawn! Imagine that the light shines even at 4 am in northern Wisconsin! It was quiet! It was peaceful! 

In the early mornings when I rise, I am more able to be aware of God's presence in the world around me and with me. That is; after all, what the kingdom of God that we say we hope for is: living in His presence. In the quiet hours of the dawn, when no one is stirring and when most of the sound made by humankind is either shut off or muffled, I am able to realize a closer communion with Him. When it is quiet, I am much more able to hear the whisper of His voice and feel the comfort of His presence.

We do not have to wait until death to know God; to know our savior Jesus Christ. He is with us now and with us always. Live life! Live life in communion with Him today and know the peace that surpasses all understanding!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Not Of This World

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

                                                                                     (Romans 12:2-3 KJV)

How to live in this world without being conformed to it is something to ponder! Where is the line between thinking more about ourselves and the world around us than the creator and Father of all things? These things can be difficult, if not impossible, given the fact that we are after all infallible human beings, to discern.

We were born into a world that is filled with temptations to indulge ourselves and others. If you want to have a career there is some adapting that might be necessary. Being a radical in any direction may very well limit your opportunities to support yourself and your families. Being a radical is going to mean that you may just not fit into society. 

There are a lot of radicals of every kind in the world. In the end, it is better to be a radical for Jesus because we know that we can trust him to be there for us. The Lord knows what's going on in our lives.  He will take care of you.

Jesus tells us:

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

                                                                                    (Matt 6:24-33)

Life's decisions can be tough. There are a lot of temptations to follow in the ways of the world rather than the way that Jesus sets before us. Sometimes, it's hard to even know what he would have us do. But, we do know what God which direction God would have us go in because we have the Holy Spirit as a counselor. We have the word given to us in the Holy Scriptures. We can know; but, the devil and the world would tell us that we are wrong. Don't believe them. Believe the Word, who is Jesus the Christ, the one who lived and died, yet lives for you.

We live in this world; but, we are not of it. We are children of our Father's Kingdom, a kingdom where there is no struggling to get ahead of ourselves or our neighbors. There is only peace.

And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. (2 Thess 3:5)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Get Off The Fence

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Get off the fence! The warning to the church in Laodicea is that they are lukewarm. They are sitting on the fence. They are neither hot nor cold and will be spit out of the mouth of God. This message needed to be heard by the people in Laodicea and it needs to be heard today by those who claim to be members of the the Body of Christ. Not everyone is on fire for the Lord. Yet, while not on fire; neither are they completely cold toward him. They will profess to love the Lord when pressed on the subject. 

Thanks be to God that not all who profess to be Christians are lukewarm and so the Good News of God Kingdom through Jesus Christ and what he has done so that we might be citizens of that kingdom does get shared. The time is now for all who profess to the love the Lord to get hot! Get off the fence! 

He stands at the door and knocks. Don't be talking to him through a crack in a slightly opened door. Open the door all of the way and let him in and you will no longer be able to continue a lukewarm life. He will set your heart on fire. Open the door and let him in!

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

The God of Power and Glory

Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. (1 Chron 29:11 KJV)

So, your life seems totally messed up? The whole world is against you! Everything bad that happens is someone else's fault. If so, just maybe it's because you are worshiping a false god. I know, you are a Christian. The reality is many Christians don't really comprehend what it means to follow Christ. It means he comes first. He comes first before us. He comes before our personal desires that actually go against the will of God.

God is the greatness, the power, and the glory! When we put anyone or anything else before him we are deluding ourselves and setting ourselves up for a fall. We are short-changing ourselves and setting ourselves up to live in a very dark place. 

May the light of Christ shine in and through all of His children that He might be exalted in all of the earth.

God's Peace - Pr. J.