Righteousness Exalts A Nation

"Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people."

                              (Prov 14:34 KJV)

I woke up thinking how fortunate we are that we don't live in long ago times where children were killed because they had deformities or were simply not wanted. Oh, wait, we do live in those times. I was thinking about the horrible deaths innocent people suffered because of false accusations or because they were not politically correct. Oh, wait, people do suffer persecution for those things today. Thank God that we no longer kill them by having them disembowled or being pulled apart by horses. 

We have come along way since those times when it comes to justice. We are a bit more humane when it comes to our injustice. But, injustice is still injustice.

Is it justice, does it exalt our nation, to kill children up to moment of birth? Is it justice to accuse someone of a crime and when they are acquitted or the charges dropped completely continue with the accusations as though they were a proven fact in attempts to ruin their reputations? Is it justice to loot and riot, destroying other people's livelihoods and even to the point of taking their lives because what we think should be happening doesn't happen exactly the way we want it to whether it is good or bad? Is it justice to judge and persecute someone because of the color of their skin or because of how much they may or may not have in their bank accounts? Is it justice to judge someone by their sex or their age or even by the color of their hair or the clothes that they wear? Is it justice to judge someone because of the career choices that they have made? The list of injustices; the list of unrighteousness prevalent in today's world goes on and on.

This country is a great country. We have come a long way since its' inception. But, are we not backsliding? I have witnessed more injustice this year than I have seen all together in my lifetime and I have lived quite a few years and have witnessed and lived through much unrighteousness and injustice in those many years.

It is time to move forward instead of falling back to repeat the history that we would not want to relive. We are all sinners. None of us are innocent. Not a one of us will be found righteous by our own works; but, by faith in the only righteous one Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. But, just because we are sinners that does not mean that we should not strive to do what is right so that we might live in peace with the rest of humankind.  

"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)

Although our own righteous can never save us; we can and should still seek to be righteous because of our love for the Lord and out of love for one another. In his sermon on the mount Jesus tells us:

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

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." 

                                                                             (Matt 5:6-7)

Do you want to be filled? The good news is that this same Jesus died in our place so that we might be reconciled to God and to one another in him. Why then do we allow the evil one to divide us through his inspirations to do injustice? 

"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.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

                                                                              (2 Cor 5:18-21)

If we are ambassadors for Christ, and we are, then maybe we should strive just a little harder to love one another as he loves us.

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.

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.

The Ego Must Die

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:10 NRSV)

Let that ego die! Let it die, now!

Jesus did not exalt himself on earth. He humbled himself. He was willing to even suffer death on the cross for our sake. Why should we think that we ought to be more exalted than the one who was willing to give his life that we might live?

St. James wrote:

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you." (James 4:8-10)

It is folly to attempt to exalt ourselves. "He (Jesus) sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.'" (Mark 9:35)

In the end, all of our vain attempts to gain recognition for ourselves will fail us. It is only God who can lift us up. We will be lifted up by His own hand. Remember, too, that when Jesus was lifted up, he was lifted up on the cross. He was exalted through death.

Let that ego die so that you might live more fully in Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J