Rejoice In Your Salvation!

Psalm 98 KJV; 23rd Sunday after Pentecost; Sing a song; rejoice, in your salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Let Brotherly Love Continue

Hebrews 13:1-17 KJV; 12 Sunday after Pentecost; As Christ loved and continues to love and help you; we ought to love and help others.

Our Father In Heaven Does Chastise Us

Hebrews 12:4-19;22-24 KJV; Epistle for the 11th Sunday after Pentecost. God does chastise us even as any good father on earth does.

To Do His Will

Colossians 1:1-14 KJV; 5th Sunday after Pentecost; We thank God for giving us His Word and the Holy Spirit that we might know and do His will.

Love Is The Greatest Commandment

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. 

                                                                                  (1 John 5:1-6 KJV)

We are to  "love the Lord our God with all our hearts and souls and minds." (Matt 22:37) We show this love by loving and respecting His children. We show this love in what we say and in what we do.

The world throws temptation after temptation at us. The world would tell us that other people's problems are not our problems. When God asked Cain what happened to his brother that he had murdered. Cain's response was a very unloving response "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain ended up exiled.

According to the Christian Martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

As Lutheran Christians we are taught that not only are we are not to covet or steal or bear false witnesses; but, we are to help and support those in need. We are to help them keep their property and their loved ones. Sometimes that means defending them against those who would harm them. Sometimes it means we may have to confront them when their own actions are putting them in peril. Sometimes, we may have to give them a helping hand. We do this not out of fear of the consequences of not obeying the law; but, out of love. We do not tear down. We help to build up.

A friend of mine once told me that she doesn't bother worrying about keeping all of the commandments. She said she just focuses on doing the loving and right thing for others. Love, she insisted is the fulfillment of the law. Of course, none of us can do this perfectly. We will all fall short. We will find all kinds of excuses to not love and do what is right for others. The only one who is and was able to fulfill this law of love completely is Jesus the Christ.

St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. (Rom 13:8-10)

"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5) This Son of God is a gift of love to the world. Let us abide in him and live in his love now and for all of eternity!

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.

Rejoice And Be Glad

Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 

                                                      Rev 19:6b-8 KJV

We have a lot to rejoice in. St. John was exiled on Patmos for his faith; but, he did not give up hope. St. Paul spent a great deal of time in prison and even on his way to his death; he did not give up hope. The many saints before us never gave up hope. In faith that they have been washed by the blood of the lamb; they looked to the day when they would be reconciled to God our Father and our Lord Jesus the Christ in the very home that Christ has prepared for us.

Life can be pretty confusing and tough at times. In those times we remember that today will pass and tomorrow will come whether we are here in this world or in the Kingdom prepared for us. For all who believe in Jesus and his gifts of forgiveness and salvation for us, life will go on. It is eternal.

By the blood of Jesus we have been cleansed and reconciled to God and to one another even now. So, rejoice and be glad and give God the glory! Give God the glory in all that you say and think and do. Whatever you do, do it as if to the Lord.

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.

Family Division

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? 

And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

                                                                                        (Gen 4:9-12 KJV)

Cain was a bit jealous because God had favored Abel's offering. He was so jealous that he killed him. God did not kill him; but, kicked him out of the place; the home with his parents Adam and Eve. He exiled Cain as a fugitive and vagabond.

Cain and Abel were not the first in that family to have problems with their family members. Adam and Eve decided to listen to gossip; the lies, from the snake. The snake said that their father, our father, had lied to them. So, they ate what the snake offered hoping for more than their father had given them. The consequences they were kicked out of the home their father had prepared for them in the paradise of Eden.

Then there is the story of Jacob and Esau. Jacob stole Esau's blessing from their father because of jealousy; envy. They were at odds with each other for years.

Jacob was his father's favorite. His brothers were jealous so they sold him into slavery. In the end, Jacob became just about everyone's favorite. He did not see his family again for years; not until they needed his favors; his mercy.

Rivalry, disrespect, down right hatred is not so uncommon within families as one might think. Most families that I know (who are honest with me) tell stories of family divisions. Some families reconcile after years of separation. Other families never do. Sometimes, it is necessary for there to be a separation so that tempers have time to cool down and nothing worse happens. Sometimes, those tempers never do. But, thanks be to God many do. Jealousy often dies as we get older. We learn not to gossip or lie about our families in attempts to come out looking better than we are. Sometimes the attitudes and life-styles never change and reconciliation is not advisable unless we desire to spend or days playing more games that lead to destruction rather than living life in peace.

When all parties decide it is time to put away the jealousy, the greed, the animosity, even the sinful nature of our attitudes, reconciliation can begin.

Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden of paradise, out of our Father's presence, as were all of their descendants. But, there is a chance for reconciliation. On the cross, Jesus took upon himself all of our sins; all of our hate, all of greed and selfishness, all of our nasty egos. They were put to death with him so that we might be reconciled to our Father in heaven and to one another in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Victory Over Death

Arlington Cemetery

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:50-57 KJV)

 

Headstone after headstone after headstone! To see so many graves in one place is mind-boggling. But, death of the corruptible flesh is a reality for us all. It can be an uncomfortable part of life. But, thanks be to God that through our Lord Jesus Christ even though we die; we shall live. Death has no victory over those who trust in the life giving sacrifice of Jesus our Savior and Lord.

 

Our mortal flesh will disappear; but, we are not just flesh and blood. We shall put on immortality and live in the presence of our loving Father for all of eternity. Death has no victory. Jesus is the Victory. Thank be to God!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J