The Light of the World

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16 NRSV)

Can you tell if someone is a Christian or not when you first meet them? Do you see the light shine in and through them? My guess is that it probably doesn't happen all that often. 

I have met more than a few people that I have been able to recognize almost immediately as people who truly love Jesus. There have been a few; but, not near as many as the number of those who claim to be Christians.

Jesus tell us that we are the light to the world. If that light is not shining, is it not natural to suspect that there is no light in us?

Let your light shine so that our Father in heaven might be glorified!

God's Peace - Pr. J

According To His Purpose

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.. (Rom 8:28 NRSV)

Let's just remember that it says for those who are called according to his purpose. God does call each and everyone of us. However, we must remember that he will gifts us individually gifts to serve according to his purpose. To take on a call that we have not been called to is not in the least bit fruitful. To say no to a call that He has called us to is also not fruitful.

Many congregations are on the decline. Could it be that many who attend have chosen to ignore the call to serve? Could it be that others are answering a call that they may not be gifted for?

All things work together for good when we work together according to the gifts that God has given us according to his purpose.

Just something to consider on this glorious God-given day...

God's Peace - Pr. J  

Live Life In The Kingdom

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15 NIV)

The good news, the gospel that Jesus proclaimed, is this: "The kingdom of God has come near." It has come near for you. It is at hand. It is not some far away place. It is at hand!

We pray, "Thy Kingdom come... Thy will be done... on earth as it is in heaven." What does this mean for us? The Kingdom of God is at hand and it can be seen as we reach out, with the love of God, in the will of God, to love and serve our neighbors and to love and serve our God. 

Following his baptism by John and temptations by Satan, Jesus began his ministry proclaiming this good news of the Kingdom. He goes out to call others into life (into service) with him; proclaiming the good news and then as a member of that kingdom (as chief member) he goes out and heals the sick and drives out impure spirits so that others might live life.

Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God and then he proceeded to show us God's will for our lives in that kingdom as he reached out to make whole the people he encountered; to give them life; to help them live life on earth as it is in heaven.

May you live life in the Kingdom of God, even today. May His will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ask For Wisdom

If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you. (James 1:5 NRSV)

This verse from James came to my mind as I was reading the news and some social media this morning. 

Here is a major problem: If someone lacks wisdom, will they be wise enough to ask for wisdom?  Sometimes, it just does not seem like that will happen for some. There are those whose eyes nor their ears nor their hearts nor their minds are open to the truth. So, we must ask for wisdom for others as well as for ourselves.

God grant that we should receive the wisdom and the courage to accept the truth of His Word.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Tested Beyond Our Strength?

No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (1 Cor 10:13 NRSV)

Life can be pretty rough at times. There are times when we really think that we are so near the edge of what we can endure that we are likely to go over the cliff. But, Paul is convinced that God will be with us and supporting us as we are tested. He reminds us that God will not test us beyond what we are capable of handling. 

Life is rough. There will be much pain. There will be much grief. But, our hope is not in this world. Our hope is in the promises of God through Christ Jesus.

May God help "...us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful."  (Heb 10:23) Do not fear the trials or temptations that assail you for God is with you and for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Free To Serve

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings. (1 Cor 9:19-23 NRSV)

We are free to do as we please. St. Paul chose to use his freedom to become a slave (servant) to everyone to win as many to Christ as possible. He did not lord it over others. He became like them so that they would be open to hearing the Word.

If proclaiming the gospel is truly a priority for us in this world then sometimes we have to give up a few things (die to self) in order that others might be willing to listen and hear. Those who would serve others need to be willing and able to walk, as the saying goes, a mile in the shoes of others.

We are certainly free to do as we please. But, servants of the most high God are willing to make a sacrifice or two, even die, for the sake of others. Jesus did.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Live Life in the Light of Christ

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”    

                                                                           (John 8:12 NRSV)

The winter nights get mighty long. There seems to be way to many hours of darkness. But, it does not have to be that way. Jesus, who is the light of the world, is with you always. The light of his life and of his love shines like a beacon even in the darkest of days or nights. 

Follow in the way the Jesus would have you go and live life in his light no matter how dark the world might appear.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Be Prepared

But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? (2 Peter 3:8-12 NRSV)

Who can tell when the Lord will come and take us to himself?

As we enter Advent, the time of preparation for the coming of the Lord, are we prepared? During this season prior to Christmas, I am often asked if I am ready for Christmas. My answer is always: "Of course, I am. After all; if I cannot be ready to celebrate the birth of the Christ child who has already come, how can I expect to be ready for him to come again?" 

We do not know the day or the time when he will come again. We are told that he will come like a thief in the night, unexpectedly. No one; but, God knows when that day will be. Do not wait thinking that there is still time for you to get to know the Lord and to love him. Be prepared, not with silver or gold; but, with a living faith, a love that is alive for our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. 

Be prepared, may the warm light of his love shine in and through you. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Word Lights Our Way

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105 NRSV)

The world can be pretty dark at times. There are definitely times in life when we cannot figure out which way we should go. The path is obscured. In times like this there is only one light that can show us the way out of the darkness. The word of God is the light that will show us the way in which to go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Way And Wisdom Of God

Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom for the future. The human mind may devise many plans, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established. (Prov 19:20-21 NRSV)

We like to plan for the future; for the afternoon; for tomorrow; for what we will do when we grow old. We like to plan according to our own desires. We can come up with many plans. Some will be brought to fruition. Many plans will never be achieved.

To achieve those things that we want there usually has to be a path for us to follow. How will we get there? What steps shall we take? 

It is not expedient for us to get side-tracked on various other things. We must focus on the ultimate goal if we're even going to begin heading in the direction that we want to go. It does not help us to ignore the advice of those who have taken that same path and reached the goal. It is fool-hardy to think that we know better than those who have already succeeded and that we have no need of taking their advice. We can throw their advice under the bus; but, that will not get us any where except run down. It is also not wise to follow in the same ways of others whose journeys ended with them sinking in deep mire.

Most of all, it is fool-hardy to think that we do not have to follow the wisdom of God; we do not have to follow the path he has set before us; because, in the end it will not be our will be done; but, His. The purpose of the Lord will be established no matter what plans that we might have.

May God help us to learn to be still and actually listen to Him so that we may follow in the way that He would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Child-like Humility

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

                        Matthew 18:1-5 NRSV

I have often wondered what exactly did Jesus mean when he said that we must be humble like a child? A lot of the definitions for humility, according to my understanding, don't seem to fit. But, yet they do.

Humility includes the ability to put the needs of others before yourself. From what I have observed, children often put their own needs before the needs of others. It begins when they are babies crying to be held; crying to have their needs met. But; then again, that crying alone tells us that these children are really dependent on others. They cannot fulfill their own needs. Likewise; to be like little children, we must also recognize that we cannot fulfill our own needs, either. We depend on God who is the creator of all that was and is and will be. We depend on Him to supply our daily bread; to supply us even with the breath of life. We depend on Jesus the Christ for our salvation. And, we depend on the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to see that we need God, the Father; God, the Son; and God the Holy Spirit if we ever plan to live life in the Kingdom of God.  We cannot get there on our own. We are dependent upon God. 

In humility, we come before Him and worship the one true God, acknowledging that we can do or be nothing worthwhile without Him. We need Him every hour! We need him every minute; every second, of every day!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Loving Money

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13)

This is not to say that if you have a lot of money that you do not love or serve God. Maybe you are one whom God has richly blessed and you use what He has given you wisely and for His glory. He is your first love, the riches are merely a tool to reach out to others, glorifying His Holy Name. Be wise; though, and understand that the pursuit of gaining money and things can quickly take over your life and in the end you may realize that it was not God (the one who blessed you) that you loved; rather, it was riches in this world. Be careful that the love of things does not bring you down a path with pain and sorrow at the end.

Use the gifts that God has given use in a manner that might advance the Kingdom and glorify His Holy Name.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Richness of His Love

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Eph 3:16-19 NIV)

How deep the love of God is in Christ Jesus! Until one can begin to grasp this love of God one cannot fathom how marvelous He is; how marvelous His love is!

May God grant that we should all know the fullness that comes with being reconciled to our Father in heaven through Jesus Christ, by the power of His Spirit!

God's Peace - Pr. J

In God I Trust

In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:4 NIV)

There was a time when I was accused of being too trusting. Of course, in doing that I was hurt and disappointed way too many times. I learned the very hard way not to trust everyone and came to trust very, very few. That didn't work out so well, either. Not trusting anyone tends to isolate you and people are not meant to live in isolation. 

Not trusting anyone was not working too well for me so I turned to the one that I had trusted as a child. I turned back to God. That works quite well for me. Because I trust Him, I am able to do His will in spite of the fact that others might use me. I can reach out to strangers because I trust that God is with me. Because I trust Him, I do not fear what might or might not happen to me here in this world. I know that in the end, no matter what happens, I will live in His house, in His Presence, for all eternity. I am not and will not be alone.

Life is much easier when we trust Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Meaningless Without Peace

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:    

“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.

                                                                                    (Eccl 1:1-2 NIV)

Governments come and go and life marches on. But, for how long? How long shall we continue in meaningless alliances? How long will we continue playing god with people's lives? 

Such meaninglessness! May God help us to learn to love one another and to live in peace!

God's Peace – Pr. Judy

Follow In The Way He Leads You

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”  Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.  
                                                                                                               (Exodus 14:21-23; 26-29 NIV)

Slave to the Egyptians; the Lord was finally leading out of their bondage to a land of promise and hope. But, they were not going easily. The enemy close at their heels they found themselves trapped. How often have we felt cornered and trapped by an adversary? Even as the Lord parted the seas so that the Israelites could pass through unharmed; so shall He always find a way for all of His children. The enemy of God's children could not follow on the same path. They could not overtake them. The Lord closed the road and destroyed the enemy. There may be times when we feel like we might be overtaken and destroyed. But, God's children will never be destroyed for through Jesus Christ we have the hope of eternal life in the promised land; in His eternal Kingdom. He will make straight the path so that we might follow in the way that we must go no matter what might threaten to overtake us.

God's Peace be with you all - Pr. J

Thunderous Voice

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   worship the Lord in the splendor of his 

   holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is majestic.

                                    Psalm 29:1-4 NIV

I awoke to the sound of powerful thunder over the mighty waters last night. I love to listen to the skies quake and the oceans roar. I love to hear the sound of the thunder; to hear the pounding of the rain upon the roof; to sit in the darkness watching the lightning light up the sky in the darkness of the night.

The sound of thunder in Flagler Beach is not quite like the sound it makes in Michigan. It sounds so much closer to the earth here. It roars like the ocean roars in the midst of a storm. At one point last night it sounded as though maybe the ocean had decided to roar over the land so much that I felt obliged to get up and check to see if the water  was rising and how fast. It is not that it causes me fear. It reminds me that we should all have just a little more fear and respect for the one who has power over all things; even the storms. Storms remind me of the beginning; of how the Spirit of God hovered over the darkness; over the deeps; over the chaos. And, as God spoke with his mighty voice He created all things out of all that darkness and chaos.

I do appreciate a good storm now and then. I enjoy listening to the roar of the water and the thunder. It reminds me of who God is. It reminds me that He is all powerful. He is majestic. Let us all give God the glory due His name!

God's Peace – Pr. J    

Live In Peace and Harmony!

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Rom 12:9-13 NIV)

Just, be nice and do what is right, already! That's it! Quit playing games! Quit doing what is unlawful! Quit doing things just to disrupt the peace. Be devoted to one another. Do what is good for all people and think a whole lot less about what it is that you want.

Paul admonishes the Romans to love one and another and treat one another with respect so that we might live in harmony with one another and in peace. Stealing from your neighbor; arguing with them in minor disputes; disrespecting them; selling alcohol or drugs to their children disrupts the harmony and peace in any community. Do what is right for you neighbor and the whole community.

May God open the eyes and hearts of those who would divide our communities by doing what is harmful. May all of our children and their children live in health, wholeness and prosperity. May we all live in peace and harmony.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Go and Tell!

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt 28:18-20 NIV)

He is risen! We have just celebrated Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Now what? Does the fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead as he had promised have any impact on the way you live your life today? It should! He is risen. There is no reason that you should not be risen, as well. It is not time to go and share that story with the world; with the people around you; with your friends and family; with your neighbors.

He is risen. He is risen for you. Because he lives, so shall all who believe in him. Now, go and tell making disciples of all people.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Is With You

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed,  for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NRSV

The servant of the Lord told Joshua to be courageous; the Lord is with you wherever you go. He sends us and no matter what He might ask us to do He is there with us. Be courageous then in doing the Lord's will.

Things will happen along the way; things that don't always feel so good. But, God has a plan. "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

Do not worry. Trust the Lord, for He is with you wherever you go. Wherever he sends you, He is there.

God's Peace -Pr. J