Do Not Fear; The Lord Is With You

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11 NRSV)

Do not afraid; do not fear! We hear this words not just from the angel speaking to the shepherds; but, from Jesus on more than a couple of occasions in the Gospels. Who are they kidding? We would be very afraid, indeed, to have an angel appear before us with the glory of the Lord shining all around us.

Do not fear. The Lord is with you always. (Isa 41:10) The Lord who loves you and gave himself for you is always with you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Love The One Who Loves You

Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 

(Deut 6:4-5 NRSV)

Lonely, frustrated, tired?

Thoughout my life I have spent a lot of time alone mainly due to either my husband's career or mine careers. I am often asked if it bothers me to be alone. The answer is no. I am never alone. I have lived long enough to know that there is One who loves me more than all others. He is with me always. He is there for you always.

When we find ourselves tired and weary; lonely or frustrated, there is one we can turn to. Love the Lord your God, who loves you, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your might even when you think you don't need him. That is when you really need Him the most.

God's Peace - Pr. J

True Man; Unblemished Lamb

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. (Gal 4:4-5 NRSV)

Bullying has been around for a very long time. When I was a child, it was common when we were called names to respond: "It takes one to know one." 

Jesus is definitely not a bully; but, it "takes one to know one" is applicable to him. In order to redeem humankind he had to be human. He was born in to the world the same way all humans are. He was tempted as all humans are. He had to become one of us. He had to be like us in order to save us.

He was like us in; but, in one area he was greatly different.  He was able to resist temptation. He was able to resist sin. He was able to redeem us because he was a truly unblemished human who was able to resist temptation and sin. The devil had no sway over him.

The sacrifice of this sinless man, this unblemished lamb of God, has made it possible for us to be reconciled to God our Father. We who were not his children are now his children.

Gods' Peace - Pr. J.

Patience

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Pet 3:9 NIV) 

Everything will happen in it's own time. So often it seems like things can get delayed forever and ever. But, they don't. Yes, sometimes God says no and it simply doesn't happen. But, often things are delayed for a time; sometimes for years. We just have to be patient and wait on the Lord and trust that His timing is perfect.

There have been many days that I wondered why the Lord was not just ending it all and taking us home to be with Him. Why not now? Why delay? He already knows who will be saved in the end and who will not. But, that's not His will. Instead; in patience, he waits for us to repent and to love Him as He loves us.

Patience is lovely virtue. But, it does not come so easily to humankind as it does to God. Patience does not come without trials. Through trials we learn to be patient and to wait on the Lord and on His time. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Stay Awake

Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;

      stay awake and you will have food to              spare.

                                    (Prov 20:13 NIV)

I slept for about ten hours last night. But, that does not mean I slept in. I was still at my desk before 7 a.m.. I am one of those people who tend to live to work rather than work to live so it is easy to get up; get a cup of coffee and begin the work day. Pull me away from work and I end up feeling very lost. That is probably not the best thing; but, that is who I am. 

I grew up in a family; in a community, with a very strong work ethic. No one ever questioned if one would put their everything into the work they had to do or just do enough to ensure they kept getting a paycheck and not get fired. If there was work before you; you just did it. You went to sleep early enough so that you could get up and get done what needed to get done. My parents often reminded us when my sisters and I were young that "the early bird catches the worm."

When my granddaughter was still in school, she liked to sleep in. Getting up at 9 a.m. on days off was early for her. She missed out on a lot of things that she may have enjoyed by sleeping her days away. She is now almost twenty years of age. She works an early morning shift and has to be up no later than 4:45. She has learned that if she wants to eat and do what she likes; work comes first. It pleases me that she is able to get moving so early and enjoy the work that she does. 

Jesus too had a habit of waking very early. Scripture tells us of times that he would rise early and go off to pray. The quiet early morning hours bring opportunity to be refreshed by God's word and by His presence. Wake up and spend intentional time with the Lord so that you may be strengthened to go about the day doing His will.

“Wake up, sleeper,

     rise from the dead,
     and Christ will shine on you.” 

                                           (Eph 5:14)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Build Up The Church

Preaching in Laskela, Russia years ago, it was necessary to
have two translators: Russian (on my right); Finnish
(on my left). The Church of Christ is bigger than any
one congregation or denomination!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thess 5:11 NIV)

There are enough negative things  happening and being said in the world without there being so many negative and disrespectful things going on in the Body of Christ. Some congregations spend so much time disrespecting the leadership and others in their congregations that there ends up being very little time left to do the work the Lord has called us to do. The leadership is too busy putting out fires. If a congregation has no time to proclaim the Gospel; to reach out to the sick and the suffering, then what kind of fellowship are they really? Are they Christian?

We must always remember that there are more members in the Body of Christ, in the Church, than just those who physically fellowship with us on Sunday mornings. God has called multitudes around the world to be His children. It would behoove us to remember that when we are judging (intentionally or unintentionally) people around the world; when we are judging who we should encourage and support or not that Jesus commanded us to go out and make disciples of all people. (Matt 28:16-20) Making disciples of Jesus means encouraging not discouraging people to follow and become a fellow brother or sister in Christ.

Christ died so that all people might be reconciled to our Father in heaven and to one another through him. He died and he calls us to be willing to give of ourselves for the building up of His Body, which is the Church. He died to make us one in Him. Let us live and serve as one Body no matter who we are or what we do or where we live or where we worship. Let us continue to encourage one another for the building up of the Church to the glory of our Holy Father in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Does Not End

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. (Rom 13:8 NIV)

We can pay our bills; we can pay our taxes and they are put behind us forever or for another month or year depending on how frequently the bill must be paid. They are behind us and we no longer have to dwell on them. But, one thing we can never put behind us is the love of God and the love for others. 

We can never love God or our neighbors enough. Loving God; loving and caring for our neighbors is and always be a primary responsibility and privilege of the Christian. For in the days of old, God loved His people so much that he turned them around over and over again. They loved Him and others so very little that they sinned against Him. In love, He rebuked them. They turned back to Him. They sinned again and again by putting their own wills before Him. He turned them around again and again and still... they did not love Him or their neighbors with their whole hearts.

Finally, God did the ultimate. Out of love for all people; He gave His only begotten Son to suffer and die for our sins that the law might be fulfilled. He bore sins that were born out of our stubbornness to not love God; to not love our neighbors as ourselves. Out of love, Jesus paid the ultimate debt for our sins; his very life.

Love conquers all. Let us never consider that our debt to love God and others is ever repaid. May God help us to love even as He loves.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Give To God Your Whole Life

Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”

But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied.

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

                                                                      (Matthew 22:17-21 NIV)

Have you paid your taxes? There is only a couple of more days before the deadline for filing income taxes. I think most people probably get a little worried that they will make a mistake on their taxes and the IRS will be knocking on their door. That is why so many people hire tax accountants to do their taxes even if they are simple 1040 EZ's that they are filing. We worry about being charged with not giving to the government what is owed.

If we are so concerned about making no mistakes when it comes to paying our taxes to the governing authorities; why then are we so lax in giving God the thanks and praise that belongs to Him? 

The governing authorities use our tax money to build roads and support hospitals and schools and all kinds of things that we deem necessary for life. But, it is God who gives life to all. It is God who gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Do not hold back on paying your taxes to the governing authorities. Do not hold back from dedicating your whole life to God.

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

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

No Easter Without Good Friday

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 NIV

What a gift! In exchange for our sins, we have received eternal life through the sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus. Tomorrow is celebrated as either Palm or Passion Sunday in many congregations. I prefer to celebrate both the final entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem and the events following up to and including the crucifixion.  

It is important that we remember that even as everyone welcomed and honored Jesus when he entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, many turned their backs on him by Friday.

He died, an innocent man. As he hung on that cross he carried the weight of our sins upon himself. He bore them so that all who believe in him might be forgiven our sins and receive the gift of eternal life through the shedding of his blood. Without the events of Holy Week; without the death of Jesus; there would be no resurrection; there would be no gift of eternal life for us.

And, this is why we remember the entire Holy Week on Palm/Passion Sunday: way too many people have the mistaken notion that if they show up on Sunday (some believe Christmas and Easter is enough) that they are saved. The reality is: we are saved by God's grace alone by faith in the one who lived and died and lives again for us.

What a gift! We have eternal life because he suffered and died for us. Wherever you are, please, make the effort to attend worship throughout this Holy Week so that you might better grasp why it is that we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and our eternal life on Easter Sunday. The resurrection and the gift of eternal life to us came at great cost. It cost Jesus his life. Hearing what he has done for you ought not be too great a cost to you.

There would be no Easter without the events prior to Jesus' resurrection. Without Good Friday; without the execution of Jesus, there would be no Easter morning. Remember, all that he has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Unfruitfull Works of Darkness

"Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."  Eph 5:10-11

You're in a bind, again?! We all get in binds sometimes. We can step right into traps without even considering where we're placing our feet. Sometimes we step into those dark places on purpose thinking that we're not going to get lost or trapped. Stay away from the unfruitful works of darkness so that you might live your life in the light.

Here's a suggestion from St Paul. "Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord." Quit working so hard at trying to please the world. You will just find yourself in darkness if your goal is to please the world and live according to the world's ways. Seek the Lord while he may be found. Seek out what will be pleasing to the Lord and you just might find yourself walking in the light and participating in His life; real life.

May God guide you in His light.

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

My Soul Thirsts For The Lord

"As a deer longs for flowing streams,
    so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
    for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
    the face of God?"                   Psalm 42:1-2 NRSV

Life can get pretty confusing at times. Which way to go? When I get like this, and I do at times, I remind myself to seek the Lord. There is only one way to go and that is to the Lord. I long to see His face more fully; to hear and understand His Word and His will more completely. I long to be more fully in His presence; to see Him face to face.

There is only one who can satisfy our thirsty souls. Seek the Lord and His Kingdom and He will show you the way to eternal peace in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Have Eternal Life!

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13 NIV

There are times when we all feel unworthy. We become downcast as we wonder what will become of our lives. We are sinners; after all. We deserve nothing but death. We are not worthy of living in God's presence. Yet, God loves us enough to send His Son, that by his blood we are washed clean and are now worthy. Not by anything that we do or don't do; but, by the sacrifice that was made by the Son of God on the cross for us we have inherited eternal life in the presence of God. 

Rejoice and share the Good News: eternal life in the Kingdom of God; in the presence of God, is for all who believe in the name of the Son of God, who is Jesus the Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Tax Time!

“...Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  Matt 22:21

 

It is tax season, again! Tax season spans over one fourth of the year. Then, there are those property taxes due as well and don't forget the quarterly estimated taxes, either. It does not bother me to pay taxes. I am just not thrilled with the filing of them. I procrastinate. I finally ordered the TurboTax program that I need to file mine since I can't find it on the shelf locally. The company sent me the wrong one. I sent it back and waiting for them to sent me the right one. I know I could just download the program from TurboTax; but, I prefer to have my own program on a disc. If my computer crashes, which it tends to do during tax season, it is easier if I don't have to remember the passwords to get to the online program. I don't mind paying the taxes (too much). I just dislike having to file them.

 

Jesus was asked by the Pharisees if it was lawful to pay taxes to an emperor. This was a trick question. He was being asked if maybe giving tithes to someone other than God could be considered as idolatry. On the other hand if he said no, he would be denying the authority of the emperor to rule in this world. They were confounding the two kingdoms. Jesus responded by asking who's face was on the coin that the they paid this tax with. They brought forth a coin with Caesar's face. Then pay to Caesar what is Caesar's he told them.

 

We may find discomfort in parting with our savings to pay the taxes the government requests. But, do not worry. You are a child of the Kingdom of God. God will provide.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Seek The Lord

Seek the Lord while he may be found,
    call upon him while he is near;

let the wicked forsake their way,
    and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

Isaiah 55:6-8

 

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

Live Life Freely; By God's Grace

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

                                                                                                                  (Galatians 5:1-6 NIV)

Abandon your life to the grace of God! There are so many laws and traditions, I find it virtually impossible to keep to the traditions and letters of the law that are set forth by humankind. Can anyone possibly know them all? Can anyone abide by them all? 

The church on earth, in Paul's time, spent a lot of time worrying about the law of circumcision; whether gentiles should be circumcised or not. Paul said no. Others said yes. Paul insisted that keeping this law would not justify one person. His claim was that if we are trying to be justified by the law then we are alienating ourselves from Christ. The only justification that we have is Jesus the Christ. He died on that cross so that we might be justified in our Father's eyes. The law had to be satisfied. We could not do it by anything that we did or did not do. Jesus satisfied the law for us. We have been saved by grace through faith in the Word of God, who is Jesus the Christ!

Mistakes will be made; sins will be compounded, laws will be broken. Much time will be spent worrying about it and trying to justify our own actions. If we continue to attempt to be justified by our own good works in keeping the law (which none of us ever have) we have fallen away from grace. We must abandon our lives to God's mercy and grace! We must trust Him! Our help is found only in Him. Give thanks and praise that your sins are forgiven for "the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;  we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets."  (Dan 9:9-10)

God's Peace - Pr. J