Walk Away

And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

                                                                  (Mark 10:29-31 KJV)

Walk away. Sometimes, one has to walk away from everything for Jesus' sake. It will not be easy. But, sometimes, it is necessary.  If those you love are dragging you down; if they are doing their best to extinguish the light of Christ within you then for the sake of Christ you may have to walk away. In order to continue proclaiming and living the gospel you may have to walk away.

That sounds un-Christian to many. It even sounds downright evil to many. But, what is more evil? Is it more evil to walk away from those you love and genuinely care about or to turn away from God?

That does not mean that you should despise those you have chosen to keep your distance from. But, often it is much easier to continue to love and pray for them when you are not caught up in the web of dysfunction you find yourself in when you are close in proximity to them.

Continue to love them. But, do not let them interfere with your first love; the one who lived and died and lives again for and through you. Remember the one who has purchased for you eternal life, by the shedding of his blood; Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do Not Be Afraid To Move Forward

"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" 

                                                                                      (Matt 6:25-27 KJV)

There have been at least a few times in my life when I have been quite confrontational when it comes to injustice. Where others were shrinking back and warning me that I should too for safety's sake, I have acted on the compulsion to say something; to do something. I had indeed considered the worst case scenarios before I advanced. What is the worst thing that could happen to me? What is there to fear? My conclusion was: nothing, not even death. I have eternal life.

When considering a new venture; whether it be a new job or investing in a project or a person or whatever challenge the day might bring; again, the same question. What have I to fear? Nothing. Life in this world is temporary. It will all pass. I have eternal life.

Jesus knowingly went forward to the cross; to his death, that we might live. He could have gone in the other direction. He could have; but, he did not. He did not shrink back from saving the world; even though much of the world would reject him. He did not pretend that everything in the world was okay. He was willing to give even his life because the world was not okay.

Do not fear. Our Father in heaven loves you. Believe this and you too will have nothing to fear. You will be much more able to attempt to make radical changes within yourself and in the world around you with the knowledge that God is with you and for you. The world may abandon you. You may even lose many things in this world that you now treasure. But, there is nothing to fear. By faith, you have received eternal life.

May God help us to always stand in His truth; in His Way, no matter what possible dangers may lay before us. May He help us to remember that we have nothing to fear for through God's own Son, Jesus the Christ, we have eternal life. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Trust Jesus To Calm The Storms

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

                                          (Mark 4:37-41 KJV)

It has felt, to many, that we have been in the midst of a storm since before 2020 even began. There is only one answer to this storm and that is faith in Christ. We must trust that he will calm this storm. We will get through all of this and the sun will be shining brightly. Children will once again be playing arm in arm for God does not will that we should be so disconnected from one another. His plan included unity and reconciliation; not division and anarchy. His will is not for his children to live their lives so centered on themselves that they have no concern for the people around them or the people that are spread throughout the world.  

Jesus told his disciples and us: "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)

The self-centeredness; the self-love, of humankind has brought about many storms. But, the one who can calm the great storms of winds and waves can also bring a calm to the world. Is it not time yet to trust him enough to love and care for our neighbors and live in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

We Are One

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal 3:27-28 KJV)

Divisions abound! But, they do not have to. According to St. Paul's letter to the Galatians all who have been baptized into Christ are one. We are not divided rather we are united. We are one!

It does not matter who you are or what you do, we are one in Christ Jesus!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Not To Make Us Good; But, To Live Life

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:19-20 KJV)

"He has come into the world to make dead people live!"

I was listening to Dave Rubin and Ravi Zacharias on the Rubin Report last night before bed.  It saddens me to know that I will never get to listen to anything new from Ravi Zacharias while it also gives me peace to know that faithful men like Ravi live life in Christ and are willing to share this good news with anyone and everyone.

He touched on one of my favorite subjects: to live life in Christ! Ravi said regarding Jesus' purpose, "We think he has come into the world to make bad people good. That's wrong. He has come into the world to make dead people live." 

One of my pet peeves over the years has been Sunday School curriculum that is morality (law) based rather than Christ centered. Way too much of it is aimed at teaching young people how to act like Christians by being good rather than helping them to understand that by faith alone, in Christ alone, Jesus abides in them and they in him and because he loves them so much he was willing to die for them so that they could live real, genuine, abundant, life in him. This living life is not just for after death but for today in this world as well. For without Christ, we are dead even here as we reside in this world. 

Christianity should not be relegated to just follow all the laws; be good. Being a follower of Jesus is about faith. It is about trusting him for your whole life. It is about having an active relationship with God our Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Any goodness evidenced in or through us comes from the one who lives and abides in us.  

All these good things we teach our children to do and be will not give them life. Of course they should be taught to love and care for and respect others; but, it is only the abiding presence of Christ that is good. Only he has fulfilled the law. Through him, our sins have been forgiven. We have been made clean by the work he did on the cross for us. 

The work on the cross was so that we might have life in and through him. Because he lives so shall we! Live life! Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Confession

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

                                                                                   (1 John 1:6-10 KJV)

I watched parts of the "Irishman" yesterday with my husband. I watched only parts because I have a hard time watching television. I am not able to focus well on stuff that I know is fiction; especially stuff where lives are getting snuffed out. But, since my husband is spending most of his time in the recliner as he heals from surgery, I have been trying to at least sit with him.

Frank Sheeran was an official in the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the president of Local 326, and an alleged Mafia member and hitman. Now, I am pretty sure that there is no priest who would reveal the contents of a confession so I count it as fiction; but, at the very end of the movie we see Frank Sheeran making his confession. He made his confession without any remorse. In the movie he did not appear to actually be able to fully recognize that he was a sinner. I hope that this was totally fictional for effect. I do not know. Only God knows the hearts of man.

Over the years, I have had way too many people confess their sins as they sought absolution. Not everyone showed any signs of real repentance or remorse for the damage they had caused. Those that did not were usually sorry because they got caught in their sins. If you are one of those who asks for forgiveness; but, has no remorse over hurting others or turning your back on God, maybe you ought to ask yourself if you truly repented.

We are all sinners and if we say that we are not; then we are lying to ourselves. But, we cannot lie to God because He knows everything that we say and think and do. As sinful human beings we continue to turn our backs on God and one another. But, as Christians we will strive not to. We will recognize our sinful natures and we will repent because the light shines on us and the truth of our sinful ways is revealed to us. 

And, so we give thanks to God for sending His Son to suffer the penalty for our sins so that all who believe in him will not perish; but, receive everlasting life in the presence of Almighty God.

Repent and step out of the darkness that the light of Christ may shine on you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Serve The Creator of Heaven And Earth

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him."

                                                                                    (Deut 13:1-4 KJV)

I do not care if the prophecy comes true because the prophet made a good guess, maybe an educated guess, or if the prophet got the message from some other god than the one true God. If anyone tries to steer you away from serving the Creator and Redeemer of all the heavens and earth you ought to be running! Turn around and get away from that foul person.

There is only one God! To listen to and serve any other is asking for trouble in this world and in the next.

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world."

                                                                                             (1 John 4:1-3)

Pr. J

Living In God's Presence

Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. (Psalm 42:8 KJV)

The Psalmist is going through some rough times; yet, he still seeks the love of the Lord. We all go through rough times. That is often the hand that we are dealt. Still, we hope in the Lord. We seek His presence and his lovingkindness. The world may make that love feel obscured; but, it is there even when we can't recognize it. All who trust in the Lord seek to better understand and know his love through prayer. 

Over the years I have found that I really like my alone time with God. When my grandchildren were young, I was pretty active with my grandchildren. But, there were times when they wanted me to go someplace when I really preferred the solitude rather than crowds. I would tell them "Gramma just can't go. I'm a hermit." Of course, I am not. I spend a lot of time alone with God. But, I am not a total recluse either. I have no problem being with people and in the community quite a bit. There are just a few things that are a bit too noisy for me. 

The noise; the busyness of towns and cities bring disruptions to my prayer life. Crowds crowd out my opportunity to just be with God. I have found that I relish my time out in the woods or on the water or even walking through cemeteries where I know that I will have the quiet to listen to and hear God speak. 

I retire early each evening and rise early every morning so that I can be assured that I will have the quiet time to commune with God in prayer. I need His presence. I need his lovingkindness and it is just too easy to lose track of that when in crowds. 

During the day when trouble seems to surround me I seek His loving presence and during the night his song is with me and I can know the joy and peace that only He can give.

In spite of the troubles that might assail us; the world and all of God's creation; all of God's people, are gifts to us. They are to be enjoyed. But, the greatest gift ever is the gift of eternal life in God's presence through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

Let us sing songs of praise in thanksgiving to Him all the days of our lives.

God's Peace - Pr. J