Take A Break!

Deuteronomy 5:12-15 KJV; Remember the Sabbath Day!  Take a break!

God's Promises To All Who Believe

Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32 KJV; 12th Sunday after Pentecost; God shows mercy to all who trust Him; who trust His Word.

His Chosen

Deuteronomy 7:6-9 KJV; 9th Sunday after Pentecost; His chosen people...

A Peculiar People

Exodus 19:2-8; 1 Peter 2:9 KJV: In spite of our sinful natures, God has still called us to be his peculiar people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.

His Mercy And Lovingkindness

Isaiah 63:7-14 KJV; Old Testament Reading for 1st Sunday after Christmas. He has shown us mercy through His Son, our Savior, by freeing us from bondage to sin, death, and the power of the devil. Let us glorify Him!

First Fruits

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 KJV; The Israelites offered up their first fruits to God for saving them.  Let us give thanks for God offered up His first fruit, Jesus the Christ, to save us all.

The Way To Freedom

Exodus 14:19-22 He led the Israelites to freedom. He will also lead you.

Give Thanks!

Psalm 136

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

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Today we have just a short list from the psalmist of things that the people of God were or at least should have been thankful for. There is all of that and so much more.  

Around the holidays and especially thanksgiving we are reminded to be thankful for the gifts that God has given us. What are we thankful for?  Are we thankful for friends and family? How about the food that we eat even it may seem meager at times.  In the wilderness God provided the Israelites with  manna that fell from the sky when they were without enough food. At first they were thankful; but, then they complained because they were tired of the same old thing. Are you bored with the provisions that you have been given so that you are no longer thankful for the food you eat? Maybe you just don't like the kind of food that you are being served? House not big enough or fancy enough?  Let us be thankful for whatever shelter we have been provided with.

God has given us much to be thankful for. But, most of all He has given us His Son to live and die and live again for us and with us and through us. 

Let us be thankful that although we have sinned against Him and deserve nothing, He loves us enough to reconcile us to Himself and to one another through the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and his mercy endures forever!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Turn To The Lord And Rejoice

O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)

Psalm 126:1-6 KJV

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

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When the Lord releases those in bondage they rejoice.  

The Israelites ended up in bondage because they had turned away from God. When they returned to the Lord they found themselves being freed again and they rejoiced. 

There are many forms of bondage. Some of us don't even realize that we are in bondage to so many things of this world. We become slaves to other people because of our incessant desire for more; for more things; for more power. We give up our freedom as we pursue these false gods.

Prayerfully there will be a day when we recognize that we have been led astray; that we have been following a dangerous path, and turn again to the Lord for all things. On that day we will rejoice for the Lord will save us! He is the rock of our salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Walk In His Way; Do His Will

Psalm 128:1-6 KJV

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

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It is a good thing to walk in the ways of the Lord; to do His will.  God did not make rules just to punish us. The law reminds us what can and cannot do if we would live peaceably with God and with one another. After all the essence of the commandments can be summed up in one word: love. We are to love God and our neighbors.

When the Israelites listened to God things went pretty smoothly. But, the Israelites, like us, had a tendency to do their own will; make their own rules, rather than listen to God. They often fell away as we do.

Blessed is the one that walks in the ways of the Lord!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Freed From Bondage To Love And Serve Others

"And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes."

                                        (Num 11:4-6 KJV)

God's chosen ones whining! He has just delivered them from bondage and they are complaining because all they have to eat in the desert is manna. They seem to prefer the fish and vegetables they were able to eat as  slaves rather than their freedom from slavery.

Freedom does have its costs. To break free from bondage often requires some sort of sacrifice. In the case of God's chosen in order to receive their own land from God they will travel through the wilderness depending totally on God to protect them and feed them. But, they don't like the food that he feeds them with. They prefer what slavery had to over them.

In any huge change to our lifestyles we need to be prepared to experience more changes than just the change that we want. The Israelites apparently weren't expecting the hardships they endured to get to the promised land.

If you seek the promised land, the Kingdom of God; if you seek to be freed from the bondage you have to a materialistic and self-centered world, you must be prepared to have your lives changed. You must be prepared to do without those things that have kept you in bondage.  Life will not be the same. You will need to trust God completely to lead you through the wilderness. You will need to have faith that He will provide for your daily needs. It was not easy for the Israelites and it will not be easy for anyone today.

In Christ we have been made free. But, our freedom is not so that we might indulge ourselves. We have been freed by the blood of Christ to love and serve  God and to love and serve our neighbor.   

"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."  (Gal 5:13-14)

Even as God chose the Israelites to be His chosen ones, He has called us to be His children as well. He has freed us from the bondage to sin by the blood of his only begotten Son, Jesus, so that we might go forth loving and caring for one another. Jesus loved us enough to die for us. Likewise let us love our neighbors even as he loves you and them.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Saved From The Snare

Psalm 124 KJV

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us:

Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us:

Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul:

Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

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The Israelites escaped by the hand of God way more times than once. Even as they finally were given permission to escape from their servitude in Egypt the pharaoh changed his mind and send his army after them to bring them back. But, God's favor was with them. He opened the waters so that they could walk through on dry land. But, he swallowed their enemies with the waters as the seas crashed down upon them. 

The Israelites had a tendency to do what they wanted. They often turned their backs on God. As they put their trust in other things; in false gods; in themselves they would find themselves trapped by their own misdirection and in need of God's saving help again. Of course, God would step in and help them to get on the right path. He would save them over and over again.

When we find ourselves trapped because we have been going in the direction and have fallen prey to the enemy it is most advisable to turn to the Lord and call upon his name for help. He breaks the snare that entraps us and we escape. We are free. The Lord will save us. The Lord has saved us by the blood of Jesus the Christ. 

"Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth."

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Things Could Be Worse; Repent!

And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

                                                                                (Numbers 21:4-9 KJV)

Life can be a major struggle even as getting to the promised land was a struggle for the Israelites. The path that God leads us on is not always as easy as we would like it to be. We don't get everything we want and we are often not willing to make the slightest sacrifice to reach the desired goal. 

God had led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. When they did not have the food that they desired, God sent them quail and manna to eat every single day. But, they didn't particularly like the manna that they called "light bread" and they complained. So, the Lord sent serpents to bite the people to apparently teach them that they had not had it so bad. Things could be worse. Sometimes, it is most beneficial to be thankful for what the Lord has provided us with. 

As multitude died from this pestilence the people woke up and repented of their sins of complaining about God and what He had given them. The Lord told Moses to make a serpent made of brass and hang it upon a pole; that if anyone was bitten by a serpent they should look at it and they will be healed. And... it was so.

Humankind continues to take the gifts of God for granted. We speak against Him often. We act against His will continuously. Simply put, we take Him for granted. Yet, all who would repent of their sins against Him; all who would turn to the cross of Christ, to Christ who was hung on the tree for us, will be forgiven their sins and be made whole.

Maybe it's time to quit complaining and thank God for what He has given us. Let us never take the good gifts of God for granted but be ever grateful that He has released us from bondage; He has healed us, by the blood of Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Never Satisfied Sermon Sept 27 2020

He Frees His Children

And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. 

                                                                              (Exod 14:19-22 KJV)

Pharaoh had let the people go and then had a change of heart. His army pursued the Israelites to bring them back into slavery. But, God had another plan. He intended for His people to be set free. The Lord parted the Red Sea so that His children could pass through unharmed and then He drowned Pharaoh's army when they tried to pursue them.

God intends for His children to be free; to be free to worship Him; to be live in freedom from bondage to those who would use and abuse them. If you feel trapped at the present time know that there is a path to freedom. God who parted the Red Sea for His people to pass through will also open up a path for you. The enemy of God's children will not prevail. 

Trust Him and follow in The Way that He has shown you. Trust His Way who is Jesus the Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

By Faith We Move Forward

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."

                                                                                   (Heb 11:6-8 KJV)

Fear can easily coerce us into doing absolutely nothing or running in the opposite direction. Yet, Noah and Abraham, as well as many others who trusted God before us, moved forward. They did what God asked of them because they trusted Him. 

Believing an unseen God and building an ark so that he and his family might live was a major change in Noah's life. It may have seemed foolish to the world around him. But, the results proved that it was not.

Abraham left his birth family; his home country, to be led by God through the wilderness to a land promised to him and his descendants was a major undertaking. It all rested on his trust in God. 

Moses, too, believed the words of God and led the Israelites out of captivity to journey to a promised land. The journey was long and hard, made harder by the many trust issues along the way among the Israelites. Moses actually never got to enter that promised land; but, he was able to lead the people of God to it because he trusted in the Lord and followed Him.

Hardships are encountered daily by the human race. There are wars and rumors of wars. There are natural disasters and diseases that threaten to take us down. But, fear should never be allowed to keep us from moving forward to receive the promises of God. If fear can do anything positive, it should move us to hear the word of the Lord and listen attentively to it so that we might know the way in which to go.

Faith overcomes fear of things that might stand in our way of moving forward. Remember, the promises of the Lord and keep in mind what St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28) Walk in faith. God has a good purpose for you. Do not let the fear that permeates the world around you stop you from receiving the good plans He has for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Choose You This Day

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

                                                                                   (Josh 24:14-15 KJV)

The journey is over. The Israelites have been promised the land for generations. They have been led through some hard times. They have been blessed by the LORD. Joshua's days are almost over. He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them to decide for themselves whether they will serve the LORD or false gods. 

Who indeed will you serve? Which gods? Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness? As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, you are encouraged to do likewise. Who brought you out of bondage? Did any of your false gods really help you? You cannot serve two gods. Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve. And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you. Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you? Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you? Or will you choose to lift up a lesser god; a god that does not love you; a god that will only take from you; a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless? Choose ye this day... And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you. Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom; in His very presence. Do not settle for a lesser gift than this. Do not turn your back on the LORD who loves you and gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Does Great Things

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.

Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the Lord, and he answered them.

He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy. 

                                                                                (Psalm 99:7-9 KJV)

The misdeeds of Israel did not go unpunished. Their sins did not go unpunished. Yet, they continued to call on and exalt His name and the LORD continued to speak to them. He led them through the wilderness. They called on His name and He led them through the wilderness to the promised land.

We are all guilty of misdeeds. We are all sinners. That does not mean the LORD has turned His back on us. Speak to Him and listen, for He will guide us on our way. Pray to Him and He will answer. Bow down and worship the one true God. God will forgive us our sins against Him. He will lead us on our journey through every wilderness, every dark valley. 

Take a lesson from the Israelites who wandered in the desert for so many years because they were afraid to take the land the LORD had promised them. Do not fear to follow in the way He would have you go. Listen to Him. For He is just and merciful. Do not turn away from Him, but follow wherever He may lead. 

How many times have we found ourselves in an anxious place, a dark place, where we cannot see to find our way out? There is a way. Speak to the LORD, ask Him to show you the way out. The LORD our God will lead you out of bondage. It may take a little time in the wilderness, but you will enter the promised land. God will do what He has promised and He has promised justice and equity. In Jesus Christ, He has promised you peace that surpasses all understanding. Speak to Him and listen, for He will guide you on your way. 

Great is the LORD our God. He is exalted over all the nations. Worship Him and only Him for the Lord our God is holy.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Moses' Sin; Our Sin

And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.

                                  (Deuteronomy 34:4-5 KJV)

If the Lord prevented Moses from entering the promised land because of his sin; what about us? Moses was about as faithful as any man could possibly be. He gave up his place as royalty in Egypt. He faced off with Pharaoh under God's direction and power. He was as God's instrument to deliver God's people from slavery. If Moses was not good enough to enter the promised land what would make us think that we are? 

After all; Moses was chosen by God. God spoke directly to him. Moses saw His glory. Was he not favored? He was. He was God's chosen. But, Moses after all of the challenges he had faced for the children of God began to get a little bit of an ego and probably even began to feel sorry for himself having to be the one that everyone went to with every complaint. 

Well, the complaint that instigated Moses' sin was that they had no water. They were in the desert and they were thirsty. So according to God's direction Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation around the rock. Moses then spoke to the people: "...Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them." (Numbers 20:10-12)

Moses had struck the rock as he was told to do. The Israelites had water to drink. So where is the sin? The sin was Moses' ego. Moses in doing God's will attributed the work of delivering the water to the people to himself and Aaron. He said, "must we?" And, he did it begrudgingly failing to give God the glory. 

Moses was not the only one not allowed to enter the promised land. Every man, except for two that had been delivered from Egypt, would die before they got to the promised land. God would have delivered them to the promised land almost immediately after leaving Egypt. But, when they were instructed to enter Canaan and the advance exploratory party returned with news of the strength of the Canaanites the people became afraid and did not trust the Lord enough to enter it. Of the people only Joshua and Caleb trusted the Lord enough to deliver the promised land to them. The Israelites had witnessed many miracles by God already. Yet, they did not trust Him. The sentence for this lack of trust by the Israelites was that they would wander in the desert for forty years. Anyone twenty years of age and up at the time would not enter the promised land themselves. Their children would. Joshua and Caleb would. But, they would not.

For these sins, many were not allowed entrance into the promised land. If Moses and the people of Israel who were so favored by God that they were delivered by God's own hand from slavery were not allowed entry into this promised land; what chance have we to enter His Kingdom? Are we so much better than they? Are our sins so much less?

But, thanks be to God we do have a deliverer! 

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

                                                                                          (John 3:14-17)  

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

                                                                                       (Eph 2:5-9 KJV) 

Cherish the gift of God. Put aside your ego and trust in His promises. Remember, that it is He who has created you. It is He who sustains you. It is He who has delivered you from the bondage and power of sin. It is He who has welcomed you into His Kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

All glory belongs to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Who Will You Follow?

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”                                                                                           John 6:67-69 (NIV)

To whom shall we go indeed?! Shall we listen to someone other than the One who gives us eternal life? Shall we follow anyone other than the one that gives us the spiritual food needed to sustain us for all eternity? 

Not all of the people who were following Jesus wanted to hear this. Like many people today they went away from Jesus looking for things that would satisfy them in this world. Spiritual things are okay as far as they go. But, many, including those who claim to be Christians, prefer things of this world rather than the Kingdom of God. 

As Joshua asked the Israelites so we must also ask ourselves: "choose this day whom you will serve.." And, prayerfully, we will all respond: "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  (Joshua 24:15)

May God grant us the faith that we should all follow and serve Jesus Christ, who is our bread of life.

God's Peace - Pr. J