Persecuted

 

1 Peter 2:19-25 KJV; 4th Sunday of Easter; It is thankworthy if one can endure wrongful suffering with patience.

Repent And Believe!

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 KJV; Repent and believe in the Good News of Jesus the Christ and you shall be saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil.

To See The Full Glory Of God!

Transfiguration Sunday; Exodus 24:8-18 KJV; How awesome even if a bit fearful to see the full glory of God!

 

Help Us To Endure

James 5:7-11 KJV; 3rd Sunday of Advent; Even as Job endured with patience; help us to endure.

False Shepherds Out For Themselves

John 10:7-10 KJV; Jesus is the only door to the Kingdom of God. Follow him!

They Have No Love Or Fear Of The Lord

Hebrews 10:30-31 KJV; those who would harm those they disagree with have no love or fear of the Lord who will judge all people. Those who have faith in the Lord will be found innocent.

Tribulation Worketh Patience

Romans 5:1-5 KJV; Tribulation; patience, experience, and hope. Don't fret about the trials. Through faith in God they will bring you closer to Him.

Be Not Conformed To The World

Romans 12:2-3 KJV; Do not think so highly of yourself that you consider yourself above others.

Heirs Of God Most High

2nd Sunday after Pentecost; Galatians 3:23-4:7 KJV; Children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

The Law Is Fulfilled With Love

Galatians 5:13-14; Galatians 5:22-26; KJV; The law is fulfilled with love. Love one another.

Enter Into His Rest

Hebrews 4:1-13 KJV; 22nd Sunday after Pentecost; Enter into His rest by faith.

We Endure By Trusting In The Lord

Lamentations 3:22-33 KJV; 6th Sunday after Pentecost; As our faith grows we are more able to trust in the Lord and endure hard times.

Gifts To Be Fruitful

2 Peter 1:1-8 KJV; All things given to us that we might live fruitfully and glorify God.  

Created In Christ For Good Works

"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 2:8-10 KJV)

According to St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians we are saved by faith and not by our good works. We can never do enough good works to earn our place in the Kingdom of God. However, we have been saved by faith to do good works. It is only through this gift of faith in Jesus Christ that we are able to go forth and do good works according to His will.

It is because of the great gift of faith that we are able to serve the Lord and to serve others. By faith we abide in Christ and he in us. Without him we can do nothing.

On the night that he was betrayed he told his disciples (and ultimately us): "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)

Trust that by faith our Lord Jesus abides in us and we in him. By faith; a gift from God, we have been created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Just Shall Live By Faith

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

                                                                                  (Rom 1:15-17 KJV)

Paul was eventually taken to Rome where he would be executed. He was fully prepared to go to his death if it afforded him the opportunity to share the Good News of Christ. This man who once put fear in the hearts of men was not afraid to die in order that by faith all who believe in the life giving death of Jesus the Christ would be found righteous in the eyes of God. All who believe; no matter who they are or what they had done, who receive life in the eternal presence of God.

It is not because he proclaimed the Good News that Paul is considered righteous before God. He proclaimed the Good News because he knew that he was considered righteous by faith in the One who loved him so much that he was willing to die for him.

Paul took Jesus' words literally. "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." (Luke 9:23) By faith alone in Christ alone, Paul gave up his old life to follow Jesus even to his own execution.

Let us not be ashamed or afraid to share the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believes!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Sin Abides In Me

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Rom 7:15-25a KJV)

St. Paul served tirelessly to serve the Lord. He knew that he was a wretched man; that sin dwelt within him and that sin tried very hard to direct his ways.

None of us are without sin. There is indeed a war that goes on inside of us. We may desire to do what is good; what is right; but, temptations come and sometimes we are not even aware that they are temptations. They come and we succumb.

We turn our backs on God. We turn our backs on fellowman as we strive to fulfill out own desires. But, in the end; hopefully, we know that what we have done cannot be done undone by any good works of our own. The only help that can be found is by faith in the one who was and is sinless. The only help for our souls is in faith in the one who died for us. Salvation is ours only through faith in the one who was willing to face sin, death, and the power of the devil for us, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Prior to his relationship with Jesus, St. Paul had persecuted Jesus' followers. He had them killed. Yet, by faith in the promises of God through Christ Jesus, Paul knew that his sins were forgiven. He did not deserve to be forgiven even as we do not deserve to be forgiven. It was by faith alone in the life giving sacrifice of our Lord Jesus that he knew that he was saved and reconciled to God for all of eternity.

"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 2:7-9)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Let Us Not Be Weary

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 6:9-10 KJV)

As I consider how weary are our law enforcement officers and our firemen and others who are busy trying to put out the fires that began as peaceful protests and were infiltrated by others with not so peaceful agendas, I become weary. 

But, this morning I give thanks to God for the outstanding and peaceful way that the protests here in Flagler County and next door in Putnam County, Florida were held. I am grateful that the organizers of the protests and local law enforcement were able to coordinate their efforts together and walk together, as well.  

If we take the time to talk with (not at) one another and walk together there will much less weariness. So many people have been harmed these past couple of weeks that it has become a time of grieving for much of our population.

Life in this world will never be perfect. We will never know perfect peace. But, that does not mean we should not strive for a more peaceful way to live, caring for one another; caring for all people. "...let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
                                                                              (Num 6:24-26 KJV)

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.

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.

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