Love One Another!

 

Romans 13:7-8 KJV; Owe no one anything except love. 

 

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 KJV; Without charity; without the love of God within us we are nothing.

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.

What We Sow We Shall Reap

Galatians 6 KJV; 4th Sunday after Pentecost. What you sow you shall reap. Be careful what you sow.

Care For The Children

Luke 11:9-13 KJV; Ask for the Holy Spirit that you might by the power of God care for and love the children as God cares for you.

With Hope

Romans 15:1-14 KJV; With love and with hope we share the Good News with others that they too might have hope in Christ Jesus.

Peace Not Chaos

Colossians 3:1-15 KJV; Live peace with one another by means of charity and love.

Follow In Jesus' Footsteps

James 1:19-22 KJV; James loved Jesus so much that he desired that we should follow what Jesus' taught us and glorify our Father in heaven.

God Has Kept Us Together

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a; Celebrating 52 years of marriage and thanking God for keeping us together in a life of commitment and love.

Time To Live In Love

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 KJV

Each new day brings us something different. There is a time for everything. Some of us may think that we're stuck in a rut. If we are it may just be because we have not opened our eyes to see the opportunities nor the challenges that each day presents to us. We have not asked God to empower us with the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome those challenges.

None of the milestones or challenges or knowledge or even wisdom is new to the world. What we know and experience today has been experienced by others before. The world around us might feel like it's falling apart. But, others have survived. They have gotten through the rough times and have experienced some of the most precious gifts that God has given us.

Consider well if today is to be the time for love; for peace; for healing, for  embracing; for laughing and dancing. Is it the time to plant and to not only keep but use the time God has given us to do good and to not harm? 

Not sure about you; but, in this time of self-fulfillment and personal agendas, I am ready to see some reconciliation in this world. It is about time. May God help us to love even as He loves and to live in peace with one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

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

The Fruit Of The Spirit

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

                                                                         (Gal 6:7 KJV)

If we plant and tend a flower seed a flower will grow. If we plant and tend a thistle bush as thistle bush will grow. Inevitably we all plant something. We can plant seeds of harmony or seeds of discord. We can plants seeds of love or seeds of hate. We can seeds of truth or the seeds of lies. Whatever we plant is what we will harvest. Discord or peace; which is it that the world actually desires?

There is a war going on inside our very beings. The one side looks after ourselves. It looks after our own gratification no matter whom we might hurt in pursuing our personal desires. The other side hopes for peace and desires to sow the seeds of peace. 

In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul warns us against sowing the seeds that gratify the flesh. He extols the fruit that comes from fruit of the Spirit.

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

                                                                            (Gal 5:17,19-23)

We live in the flesh and that same flesh tells us to get what we want no matter who we hurt by it. But, the better way is to live by Spirit whom God has given us. The better way is not to trust what our flesh tells us we should have; but, to sow seeds that will produce fruit of the Spirit for not just ourselves but for those around us. Yet, it is not we who have the ability to do this; but, according to St. Paul: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

May God help us to produce good fruit by the power of the Spirit of Christ that we  all might live life in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Help Us To See Your Goodness

Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. 

                                                                            (Psalm 27:9-14 KJV)

Sometimes it seems as though the Lord is not paying attention to the needs of His people. That is not so. He sees and hears and knows everything that is going on. No matter what is going on around us He can and will work all things for the good for those who love Him. (

In times like these when chaos appears to have taken over some of our cities even our country and world at times, we need to trust in the Lord and His great love for us. Humankind may not have a great love for one another; but, the Lord does. 

Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart. Wait upon Him and you shall see His goodness. (

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Live In The Light And Love

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

                                                                       (Rom 13:10-14 KJV)

I do not recall Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. protesting in the dark of night. I do not recall him marching after midnight. He marched peacefully during the light of the day. 

Peaceful protests occur during the day. Peaceful protests can encourage change. Those who protest in the dark of night may be seeking change; but, what change is that? Is destruction to private and public property; attacking law enforcement and others who are there to serve society; doing harm to people that one does not even know, going to bring about positive change?

Much of the world is in lock down due to the Corona Virus. We are told it is for our health and safety. Yet, in cities around the country and even the world people are not safe from those who choose to continue to riot and destroy that which is not theirs to destroy. 

St. Paul wrote to the Romans and ultimately to us. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor." To live in the light is to love your neighbor and do him or her no harm or to their property. 

May God help us help us all to learn to live in His love, to live in the light, who is Jesus the Christ. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J.

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.

Love Your Neighbors Even If They Are Your Enemies

"Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord." (Lev 19:18 KJV)

"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."                    

                                                                                       (Matt 22:36-40)

What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? How about don't be doing to others what you would not want done to yourself! 

Vengeance is not ours. It is not ours to take the law into our own hands. We are sinners and way too often judge by our feelings and not the facts. Would we want to be judged, persecuted, and even killed because someone has a bad feeling about us based on their own bias'? 

That is exactly what happened to Jesus. The people demanded that he be executed based on the false witnesses and their personal reasons for demanding his death. The people were incited to the point of near rioting so Pilate gave him over to death to avoid more trouble. The innocent one was put to death. The guilty Barrabas was set free based on feelings and not fact. 

Jesus was not loved by everyone. He is not. We are not loved by everyone even though the command of God is to love others even as we would love ourselves. The command to love our neighbors includes even those we might consider our enemies. Yet, we do not. 

Jesus said: 

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? (Matt 5:43-46)

Being that we are sinful human beings loving our enemies can be tough. So, if we really can't act in love toward others then the loving thing to do might be to walk away from them instead of causing harm to them. Let them live life without the turmoil that we would cause them. Would we not desire that if someone hated us that they walk away from us rather than attempt to exact their own idea of vengeance or justice upon us?

"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them..." 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Caring For All Of Creation

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

When God created all things, he put man in charge of taking care of his creation; the whole creation. That means to take care of one another as well! It does not mean that we get to destroy what God has made. It means to care for it.

Life in this world is rather short. But, life does not end there. All of the material things we have amassed will be gone. What will be left? Ask yourself this: "Will I have eternal life in the presence of the creator of heaven and earth? Will I get to see and be with the one who lived and died and lives again for me and for all people?"

The way that we have often cared for one another is evidence enough that we do not deserve eternal life in His presence. We have way too often turned our backs on God and on our fellow human beings. But, by faith in Him we have eternal life, anyway. It is His gift to all who believe in Him.

How excellent is the name of the One who created all things and who saves us in spite of ourselves! May God create in us new and clean hearts that we might love and and care for one another more fully.

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

For The Sake Of Others

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13 KJV)

Jesus gave us the commandment to love one another. Then he showed us how much we should be willing to love by dying on the cross for us. 

Today is Memorial Day; the day we remember the many that died so that others might live in freedom; freedom to worship; freedom to speak the truth; freedom to live without persecution. They died to preserve freedoms here at home and around the world. They died not just for their friends; but, for people they did not even know. 

Today is a day not just to remember what they have sacrificed for us; but, maybe it should be a day to ask ourselves what we would be willing to give for love and for the sake of others. Would we give up our own safety for the sake of the well-being of others? Sadly, from what I am seeing in this country today; many would not. Safety, it seems, too often comes before serving those in need. 

As we remember the fallen today, let us thank God for the men and women who have loved humanity so much that they were willing to give their lives for us. 

Today as we thank God for the sacrifice that the many made so that we could enjoy our freedoms; let us not neglect to thank God for the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for us. Let us thank God, for Jesus who showed us what it means to truly love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

By Love Serve One Another

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

                                                                                  (Gal 5:13-15 KJV)

If our sole purpose in this life is to gratify our own egotistic desires we will most probably find ourselves spiritually and emotionally empty and hungry. We will find ourselves with divisions between ourselves and others so numerous that we cannot count them.

On the other hand, if we would but love others as ourselves, we would be more able to live with the differences between us and them in peaceful reconciliation. As we go about our daily lives let us give consideration to how we would have others treat us and treat others in that way. Consider if when you are lonely or depressed would you want someone to be with you to comfort you. Then be there for those who are also alone and depressed. If you and your family were without food or shelter would you have someone assist you? Then, do likewise to those who are in need. If you would live in peace; then let others live in peace. Do not intentionally cause them anxiety or worries of any kind. And, when you help someone; when you are there for them, let it be done with a joyful heart. Do it in a manner that they know that they are loved and not merely a good work that you know that you should do.

Out of love, be there for the people around you. Our personal times and agendas are not more important than loving our neighbors right next door, in our own households, or on the other side of the world.

Loving and serving others will give us purpose that will bring about peace rather than divisions among us.

May God help us to always remember that Jesus so loved us, that he was willing to serve us by giving his life on the cross for us. Being generous and going a little out of our way for the sake of others can't even begin to compare to that!

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