Rend The Heavens And Come Down

Isaiah 64:1-9 KJV; 1st Sunday in Advent; Rend the heavens and come down. Let the mountains quake that all would bow down and know that you God and worship you!

We First Suffer

Psalm 2:6-12 KJV; Transfiguration Sunday. Our egos our self-serving desires must first suffer and die before we can truly live life.

The End And The Beginning Of New Life

Revelation 21:1-7 KJV

Prosper In Love

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

+++

What does it mean to be blessed.  I don't know about all of you; but, I have found that living in relationship with God is to be blessed. 

There are many who preach that you will have every material thing that you desire if you follow God's law. But, to prosper has more meaning than the materialistic meaning that the word has taken on.   

Prosperity for the Christian is to grow rich in the love of God and to be fruitful by sharing his love with others.  When we share his love we don't have to worry about following every law because when we love God we automatically worship and put him before all others.  When we love others we will do them no harm. We will not sin against them. 

"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." 

                                                                          (Rom 13:8-10)

Blessed are those who love the Lord and who love one another for they will be fruitful in edifying the church. They will live lives abundant with  the peace of heart and mind in the presence of God that faith alone in Christ alone can bring. 

There is a prosperity that is not just about money and things. It is better to be prosperous; enriched with these things:  "faith, hope, love," for they will last an eternity while our things will not.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Listen To Your Elders

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding. Job (12:12 KJV)

The wisdom of our elders should not be neglected. It should be listened to. It should be heard. I admit that sometimes the wisdom of the elders is faulty; but, that, does not mean it should not be heard. I also admit that I did not listen well when I was young. Yet, it still amazes me that so many will not listen to the wisdom learned through the life's lessons of the elders. Instead, many turn to their peers or even those who are much younger and who have experienced even less than they have. I am not discounting the knowledge or the wisdom of the younger people. I am merely wondering why we would ignore what has already been proven.

Much grief could be averted if we listened to one another; especially if we listened to those who have already learned life's lessons.

May God open our ears and our hearts to hear and receive wisdom so that we might live abundant lives in righteousness.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Where Is The Abundant Life?

He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour. (Prov 21:21 KJV)

Where do we find life and not just life but abundant life? Where do we find righteousness? Where is the honor? In all of my years, I know of only one place. That place is in Jesus the Christ. That place is in his Kingdom.

If you are looking for these things to come from the world, you are looking in the wrong place. The normal direction we go in when we travel by any means is forward. Sometimes, we might have to back up or go sideways around an obstacle. But, in order to reach our goals we focus on what is in front of us. 

If our focus is on revenge or justifying ourselves or getting ahead of someone else we are seeking things that will not move us forward. We are seeking things that will not add to our life.  We are not seeking anything honorable. They will distract and detract. 

Those who follow righteousness and mercy will know abundant life. They will know mercy. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt 5:7)

In the end it all depends on what you are looking for in life. Do you want abundant life? The genuine abundant life (and I don't mean silver and gold) is found only in the Kingdom of God through Jesus the Christ our Savior and Lord. 

Jesus advises us: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matt 6:33)

The Sea Saw And Fled

Huron River at Million Dollar Bridge, Arvon Township, MI

When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language;

Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.

What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?

Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob;

Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of waters.

                                                                                    (Psalm 119 KJV)

I cannot help but wonder why humankind does not have enough sense to tremble at the presence of the Lord. The earth did. When Israel came out of Egypt the sea saw and fled, the river Jordan turned back, but humankind has not the foresight to know that God is God. At the hand of God, water can spring forth from a rock, but people, refuse the water. People refuse the Word that can bring eternal life; that brings real and abundant life.

It just makes no sense to me that anyone would follow after false gods. Sadly, there is nothing I can do to change that. Only God can change people. Only God can lead people out of bondage to their false gods. But, He has given you free-will. Choose ye this day, whom you will serve: the one who keeps you in bondage or the One and only One who can free you.

There is something, though, that I can do, that I am called to do. It is what the LORD calls all of His disciples to do; that is to proclaim the Good News of His Kingdom open to all people through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. So, no, even if the message offends you, I will not stop proclaiming. Just as you deem it your right to proclaim a false gospel, a path that leads to destruction; I will proclaim the truth of the Kingdom of God. There is only one way to that Kingdom. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by him. (John 14:6)

God has shaken the mountains. He has dominion over the sea. He has dominion over all things. If the earth will bow down and worship Him, then why is it so difficult for humankind to see that God is Supereme. Does a rock or a river have more sense than we?

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Rejoice!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5:16-18 NIV)

There are days when rejoicing seems to be the farthest thing from our minds. Yet, if in the midst of trouble we take the time to slow down and get with God in prayer; if we take the time to consider all that God has blessed us with; we will find ourselves giving thanks and rejoicing.

Yes, bad things do seem to happen to good people. But, there are way more good things that happen if we would bother to take the time to consider them and count our blessings. The truth though is that none of us are truly good people; none of us deserve the blessings that we have been granted. We receive them only by the mercy of a God who loves us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son for us. Herein lies our blessings. Rejoice for the Son of God who died for us is risen for us! As the Son died and yet lives; so shall all who believe in him.

May God bless your day with abundant peace and joy.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Listen!

Listen to the words of Proverbs 1:28-33 (NIV)

“Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the Lord.
Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Listen!  Listen, to the proverbs Solomon! Listen! Listen, to wisdom speak!

There is a reason for the all of the exclamation points.  Listening to wisdom, learning the way in which we should go is imperative to our health and happiness, our peace and even our prosperity.  Alas, it seems that every generation insists on learning from their own mistakes instead of listening to the lessons learned in previous generations. 

Have you ever had to deal with someone who is going in a mighty wrong direction? They are headed to a life lived alone. Boxed in by their own greed, selfishness, envy, laziness, attractions to those things that will destroy them. It may be because they are so busy trying to find personal happiness they have shut the door to the rest of the world. They have shut the door on honest, healthy relationships with God and with their others around them. And.. it is in Godly relationships that we will find happiness. We will find peace. We will find joy. But, those who travel in their own righteousness seem to know best. They will go it alone. They will travel their own path. You may well be told that it is none of your business. They have the right to live life in the way they choose. That they are hurting no one. They are unable to acknowledge that they are not really living life - at least not an abundant life. They fail to see that the path that they have chosen is truly hurting people, even society around them.  If you're going to indulge in something, indulge in the abundant life that God would have you live. Live life in Christ!

Sadly, so many children are being led astray by adults with so little Godly wisdom. They, too, are doomed to live lives filled with one calamity after another, one disaster after the last. They are taught to reject the knowledge and wisdom that will guide them to fruitful lives filled with joy and peace.

Do not hate knowledge, but grasp it. Hold on to it. Let the knowledge that the LORD would provide you with guide you in all that you say and think and do.
 

Listen! Listen and live life, well!

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Know The Truth! Live In It!

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Romans 1:21 NIV

Those who know God; who know the truth, and ignore it tend to try my patience just a bit. They get into trouble because they have ignored the truth of God. They get into trouble for following after and spending their time and money worshipping false gods. They not only do this themselves; but they also approve and teach others to reject and/or ignore God to everyone's detriment. They get into trouble and then they wonder why.

The why is because they follow trouble. They worship it. Chaos and drama are a way of life. For those who want peace; there is a way. God has given us a way. Quit ignoring Him. Stop rejecting the Prince of Peace, for peace can be found only in living in relationship with Jesus the Christ, who is our peace. You want trouble to go away; then depart from doing what is evil and glorify God. Evil begets evil. Steer clear!

You know the truth. You know the way. You know how to live life. Willful sin is not the way. Willfully ignoring and rejecting the truth of God is not the way. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6) Quit suppressing the truth and embrace it; that you, too, might have abundant life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Breath of God Gives Life

"The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  (Ezekiel 27:1-3 NIV)

Can dry, dead bones live? Of course, they can! According to Jesus: "...with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26) In Ezekiel's vision he was told to prophesy to the breath and when he did the breath came into those dry bones. The breath of God, the Spirit of God, gives us life. It was the very breath of God that brought Adam to life. It is His breath that gives us life. It is His breath that gives us abundant life.

So if you're feeling pretty dried out and dead, ask and you shall receive. Jesus told his followers: Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:23-24)

So what will it be: a dried out life or a life filled with love, joy, and peace in the Body of Christ? So many people running (more like crawling) around filled with depression and gloom and doom; angry with the world, when they could live filled with the breath of God, the Spirit of God, united with one another in love, peace, and joy. It is unimaginable, to me, that more will not walk in the way that brings eternal life in Christ, even now.

Dry bones, get up, receive the Spirit of God, and live life abundantly.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Refining Fires

"And I will put this third into the fire,
    refine them as one refines silver,
    and test them as gold is tested.
They will call on my name,
    and I will answer them.
I will say, 'They are my people';
    and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.'” Zech 13:9

When she was younger, I called her Sassy Cassie. She can still be a bit sassy. She, as most of us do, has fought the refining process as well as she could. Thankfully, God is patient and loves all of his children continuing always to soften our hearts toward Him that we might live abundant lives in Him. The refining is not easy on the person that is being refined or on anyone around them. But, it is better to withstand the fiery ordeal of refining then never to step inside the refining fires of God. It is better to withstand the refining process while young so that as we grow old, we can joyfully say, "The Lord is my God."

For most of her life, I have reminded Cassie to "live life" and most importantly to "live life in Christ." Life is much more pleasant when we get up and actually experience the awesome life and all the gifts that God has given us. Following in the way that he would have us go and focusing on truly living life in Christ and not so much in the ways of this world and you will know true joy and peace.

Garth Brooks reminds us in his song:
     Standing outside the fire 
     Standing outside the fire 
     Life is not tried it is merely survived 
     If you're standing outside the fire

Do not fear the refining fires of God. But, recognize that if you find yourself standing in them God is desiring for you to get through them and put them behind you so that you can live life in Christ. God is with you even in those fires. Live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Toiling After Meaningless Riches

The older I get the more death becomes a reality. I lapse into more moments of thinking that life is as meaningless as Solomon would imply. Why all the years of toil, if it is to be gone in a second? Even if you have something to leave your offspring, how long will it last them? Do they follow in the way that they should go so that all that they say and thing and do will glorify God? Will their inheritance be wasted away on trivial stuff; on fleeting moments of pleasure rather than those things that will bring real joy (that is glorifying God)? Will they appreciate all the years that you spent earning and saving it for them?

This toiling after riches is meaningless.

"Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.  (Eccl 5:10 - 15 NIV) 

That is not to say work is evil. We should work if we expect to eat. But, it becomes very bothersome, even a burden, when one works only to amass riches. Jesus told this story to a crowd who followed to listen to Him: 
 “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
  "Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
  “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:17-21

Our work should bring joy to us as well as to others. Live life! Enjoy the life that God has given you! Whether it is in the hours you spend laboring or during the hours you are relaxing with your friends and family, life here on earth is to be lived and enjoyed. Life, abundant life, is a gift from God.

"This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart." (Eccl 1:18-20).

While you are yet making your journey through this world focus not on amassing wealth or power to the exploitation of others, but on living life so that God may be glorified.

And... may the peace and joy that is found in being in relationship with God, our Father and with one another, through His Son, Jesus the Christ, be with you always. 

Pr. J

Slave Or Child

     When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

     So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other.  (Gen 47:18-20 NIV)

During the great famine, Pharaoh fed everyone in Egypt thru Joseph.  However; there was a cost to the Egyptians, everything they have now belongs to Pharaoh.  They trade their land and even themselves for food.  They now have to pay 1/5 of their harvests to Pharaoh in order to eat and live.  Every time I mention that scripture speaks of a tithe; that is, 1/10 of all we have should be given freely to the Lord's work, I get some really strange looks. Those looks are not usually pleasant looks. The tithe; however, is not demanded. Whatever is given to the Lord's work should be given freely and with joy. But, Pharaoh actually demanded more than 1/5 or 1/10 of the people.  Pharaoh made them slaves. We are not slaves to God. He has made us his own children. We are free to love and serve him. We are never forced or coerced.

All the gifts that God gives to us are freely given. But, sometimes (okay often) we neglect or ignore those gifts. We do not use them wisely. We fritter them away. Sometimes, we don't use them at all. It is sort of like giving some children really nice gifts. Often parents are not even thanked for the gifts that they give their children. It is just expected that parents will give generously because that's what parents are supposed to do. Since the children did not earn it, they don't take care of it and sometimes don't even use or play with it even if they may have begged for it in advance.  However; if they have to work for it; if it costs them something then it seems that the gift is a little more precious in their site.  Why is it that we think so little of the gifts give to us and so much more of what we earn with our own hands?  I am not suggesting that we should not work; just wondering why it is that so often we think so little of the gifts that God gives to us that we would prefer to sell ourselves into servitude to this world to get the things of this world. Will we trade our (abundant) lives as children of God to be slaves to those things that we think will give us temporary life (abundance) in this world? Or... will we receive the freely given food that will give us eternal life? Slave to the world or child of God? That is the question!

May God help us to receive the free gift of life given to us through Jesus the Christ and to share that free gift with others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Live Life In Christ!

Flagler Beach Sunrise

"Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:12 NIV

So, it appears that many of the people around me are really concerned about taking care of themselves. They need; they want, to be happy. The problem seems to be; though, is that the harder they try the less happy they are with life.

There is only one way to truly be happy; to be at peace with one another and with God. That way is to live life in Jesus Christ. In him, you will find an abundant life. No matter what befalls you, Jesus will always be there for you. He is your true friend. He was willing to suffer and die for you that you might have life; abundant and eternal life.

If life doesn't seem to be treating you fairly; if your life isn't exactly going your way; give Jesus a chance. Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J