He Has Chosen Us! Praise Be To God!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved."

                                                                                        (Eph 1:3-6 KJV)

In a nutshell:  God chose us. We did not choose him. Without his grace given to us through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit we would totally reject him. After all, his way are not our ways. His ways are not the ways of the world and we really like to fit in. 

In spite of our sinfulness, God still chose us because of his love for us.  I have said it more than a few times lately.  "We love him, because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19 KJV) It is God's love for us and not the fear of hell that moves us to love and serve him. Perfect love casts our fear. So, if it is the fear of hell that motivates you then you probably don't have a real loving relationship with God. It is more than likely that what you're doing is pretending in order to try to hedge your bet, just in case...

Open up your Bibles and may God open up your hearts and minds so that you may have a loving relationship with your God who loves you enough to die for you.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

We All Need To Grow

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

                             1 Peter 2:2-3 KJV

It is not just babies who need good nutrition to grow so does everyone who has lived for decades. All kinds of ailments attack bodies that do not feed themselves properly.

As Christians grow older, all too often they do not feel the need to read or hear the word of God. I have heard on more than one occasion that someone does not need to read the scriptures because they learned it in Sunday School or Confirmation classes. That is totally absurd! No one can know it all. Even most pastors know that they need to continue reading and studying the word in order to grow in faith as well as in love.

The small catechism that we use to teach children and new members was written by Martin Luther for parents to use to teach their children because he found that pastors in his day really did not have a clue about the word of God.

Have a clue! Many churches have closed due to the corona virus. Start a new habit. Open your Bibles and read the word. Hold a daily Bible Study with your family and grow in faith!

In times like this we worry about our physical health. Let us not neglect to care about our spiritual health. Stay in the word. Crave and seek the spiritual milk of the word of God so that you may know the grace of God through our Lord Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

False Apostles and Prophets

I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
                                                                                                               2 Corinthians 11:2-9 NIV

Do not be deceived by false apostles. There are many who preach a different Jesus than the one whom Paul preaches and teaches. There are many who would preach a different gospel today, as well. Beware, of those with slick tongues, but have very little knowledge. The best way that I have found to know whether someone is an apostle of Christ or a deceiver of Satan is to know scripture. Read your Bibles. Hear the Word of God speak to you through the written word. If what someone tells you cannot be supported by scripture then toss that notion away. It is not for you.

One of the biggest lies that I hear today is preached by those who would teach that if we do this or that, God will give us everything we want. We will be prosperous. Paul was willing to endure hardship; others were willing to give of their own abundance, in order to make it possible for neighboring communities to hear the proclamation of Jesus and his kingdom. God does not promise that we will be wealthy in this world if we follow all the rules and regulations that our little minds can contrive. He does; however, promise us peace of heart and mind even while we are in the midst of persecution for proclaiming the truth.

There is only one reason to want to follow in the footsteps of Jesus into his Kingdom, and that is to be with Jesus. If a preacher is preaching some other reason or goal than Jesus, who is the Kingdom, then run. No, maybe a better alternative to running is to do what St. Paul did: speak the truth. Proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God so that all might believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Smooth Talk And Itching Ears

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Rom 16:17-19 NIV

We've all heard them; those who, with smooth talk, teach and preach a false gospel. It is not any different today than in what it was in St. Paul's day. There is one way to tell if something proclaimed to you is the truth; know the scriptures: read them, study them, and hear them. The message proclaimed to us through the prophets is found in them. The fulfillment is found in them. Do not let your itching ears lead you to believe smooth talkers whose aim is not to glorify God; but their own egos. It is neither wise nor safe to accept any doctrine that cannot be supported by scripture; scripture supports scripture.

Read your Bibles daily and have a blessed day; a blessed life in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

P.S. Join us as we hear the Word at worship at Christ Lutheran every Sunday morning at 10 a.m.. However, we do begin our day at 8:45 for Adult Sunday School. We are presently studying the book of Romans. You are welcome to join us!