Watch And Pray

23 Sunday after Pentecost; Luke 21:29-36 KJV; Let us watch and pray that we might avoid temptations.

We Will Live With Him

2 Timothy 2:1-13 KJV; 18th Sunday after Pentecost; "If we be dead in him, we shall also live with him."

Blessed Are The Persecuted

Matt 5:11-12; John 15:20; KJV; Blessed are the persecuted for Christ's sake for they shall see the Kingdom of God.

Church Leadership Must Put Christ First

1 Timothy 3:1-13 KJV; 16th Sunday after Pentecost; Be careful who you call to leadership positions in the church. Make sure to the best of your ability that God has called them first.

We Cannot Serve Two Masters

Luke 16:1-15 KJV; 15th Sunday after Pentecost; We cannot serve two masters. Worship the Lord and Him only.

God Knows In Advance

Genesis 18:17-29 KJV; God knows in advance who will be faithful or not.

They Do Not Believe!

14th Sunday after Pentecost; Isaiah 29:11-19 KJV; Not everyone who attends worship faithfully are faithful.

Let Us Not Wander From Your Word

Psalm 119:9-16 KJV: Let us not wander from your law. Let us not wander from your love. Let us not wander from your Word who is Jesus the Christ.

In Whom Do You Place Your Confidence?

Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint. (Prov 25:19 KJV)

I recently had to have emergency dental care and am acutely aware that a bad tooth can put you down quite quickly. Proverbs tells us that trusting a person who is only faithful to their own desires is like a bad tooth. He or she will only put you down. They will do anything to lift themselves up; to look good in the eyes of others, to prosper themselves. They have no problem throwing you to the wolves if it means that it will benefit them no matter how small that benefit might be. 

Rather than trust in one who is faithful only to themselves; trust in the one who put your welfare even before his life. Trust in the Lord Jesus who lived and died and lives again for you! Rejoice! Jesus lives! Have confidence in him!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mind Not Your Own High Things

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. (Rom 12:16 KJV)

I was listening to Jordan Peterson on YouTube again last night. He was saying  (and I am paraphrasing) that it is difficult for him to profess that he is a Christian publicly because he understands that to be a Christian means that we are called to something very difficult. 

Essentially we are called to make a lot of changes in our lives. We are called to put God and His will above all things. We are called to serve others, even before ourselves. 

One of my daily disappointments is to hear professed Christians talk about their personal goals. I do not hear about what God has called them to be or do; but, what they desire for themselves. Of course, this is not everyone. I also know some very faithful Christians. But, one or two a day is enough to cause me to wonder about the real state of Christianity.

To seriously desire to follow Jesus and to desire to do God's will even above our own will is really tough! I read again this morning of another execution of Christians. A Pastor and five members of his congregation in Burkina Faso were killed for their faith.  He was unwilling to leave the village he had been serving even though he knew his life was in danger from Islamic Terrorists. He chose to be faithful to God's will that he minister to the people of the village even in the face of death.

And... so, I get a bit disillusioned and disheartened when I hear of professed Christians who cannot set aside their own egos and wills in order to serve those whom God calls us to serve.

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God's Peace - Pr. J