What To Do After Retirement?

Psalm 121:1-8 KJV; 9th Sunday after Pentecost; What To Do After Retirement?

Wisdom And Knowledge

Romans 11:33 KJV; Let us pray for knowledge and wisdom that we might follow in the way more faithfully.

Rejoice, Pray, And Rejoice Some More

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 KJV; Rejoice and pray and rejoice some more for your Father in heaven has heard and answers.

Give Thanks And Glorify Our Father In Heaven

Philippians 4:6-20 KJV; Thanksgiving; Give thanks and praise God that He might be glorified.

Watch And Pray

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 

                                                                       (Mark 13:26-27, 32-33 KJV)

No one knows. No one knows when the Lord when our end will come; not for the individual and not for the world. It could be today. It could be millions of years from now. 

There have been days when I thought "isn't it about time for you to come in your full glory, LORD?" So many wars and threats of wars; rioting and destruction; families fighting within themselves and with their neighbors; congregations and communities battle with one another it makes one wonder if it will ever stop or even slow down. Will there will ever be peace?

These are not things that should lead us to despair. Jesus tells us that all these things and more will and must happen before the end. We must be prepared. We cannot give up hope. We cannot let our faith lie dormant or die. Be alert! Watch! Wait! He has come. He is present now. He will come again. Trust in the Lord who loves you so much that he was willing to die for you! Trust in the Lord who has gone to prepare a place for you. The promise that the Son of man will come in the clouds with great power and glory is good news; not bad.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Let Us Pray

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

(Eph 3:14-21 KJV)

God is not a mere abstract figure. He is above all and in all and through all. Jesus is the one who is able to do all that we ask and more according to the power of the Holy Spirit that works in and through all of our Father's children. 

May God grant all of his children the knowledge of who he is and what he has and will do for us so that we might learn to depend on his grace and his power in all things.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Deliver Us From Evil

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

                                             (2 Thess 3:1-3 KJV)

Pray, pray, pray, and pray some more. In these very unstable times (when have they not been unstable?) I have found myself in almost constant prayer. 

Political and religious extremists on every side insist even to the persecution of those who disagree with them that they are right. It is very disheartening to see so much division in this country and in the world. It is not right that people should be attacked and even killed for who they are and for what they believe.

And, so we must pray that the Lord will deliver those who are persecuted from unreasonable and wicked men; that the Lord will keep them from evil.

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 

                                                                           (Matt 6:1b-13)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

God's; Not The World's Will

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Rom 12:1 KJV)

Do we really want to good or do we just want our neighbors to be good and acceptable and perfect so that we don't have any injustices inflicted upon us? 

Jesus tells us, "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." (Luke 6:31) Do we treat others as we would like them to treat us? Do we get upset if someone gets in our way a bit as they struggle with something or do we help them? Are we understanding when someone is ill and is not able to do what we'd expect of them? 

The world's way is to take care of ourselves first. Indeed, we have to take care of ourselves. But, do we include taking care of our frivolous desires as a necessary part of taking care of ourselves over and above helping our neighbor in genuine need?

Lot's of questions on my mind this morning. I pray that we would learn to be a little bit more understanding of others and begin proving what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God with both word and deed. How fruitful the world would be!

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Cannot Pray

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Rom 8:26 KJV)

It can be most unsettling to have so many things going down at once that you're not even sure what to pray or how. Everything comes bubbling up within your heart and mind at one time lending to confusion. At times like these it feels as though you cannot pray. 

But, thanks be to God, when we cannot pray, the Spirit knows how and what we or those we grieve for needs. The Spirit makes intercession for us in times like these.

God's Peace - Pr. J