Give Us Understanding

Psalm 119:169-176 KJV May the abiding presence of the Spirit of Christ abide in us that we might have understanding of His Word; His will; His love for us.

Seek Counsel From God

Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?

Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

                             (Isa 29:15-16 KJV)

We neglect to hear the counsel of the Lord. instead we turn to the understanding of the world. We make a very big mistake when we trust the words of those who hunger for power; who seek to lead us astray for their own benefit, instead of the one who is all powerful and all knowing and does all things for the benefit of his creation.

In Isaiah's vision he hears that there will be sorrow for those who think that they can hide the things that they do from the one who created them. 

God knows what his children; his creation think and say and do. He knows what is best for you. Listen to him!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Children of God

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."  (1 John 3:1-2 NIV)

Are you a child of God? In the third chapter of the first epistle of St. John he reminds all of God's children to not let anyone lead us astray. We have the Spirit of Christ abiding in us. We know the difference between right and wrong by the indwelling Spirit.

It is easy to be led astray. The world does not know the love of God. The world will despise the children of God. But, we want to be accepted. We want to be loved by the people around us. This desire might even overcome us we may end up finding ourselves following in the footsteps of those who are not the children of God; of those who do not know Him.

No one wants to be an outsider. No one wants to be persecuted. But, in order to follow in the path of Jesus both will most likely occur. The world will not have it otherwise. If God's only begotten Son was persecuted; so shall be all who are adopted into His family through the blood of Jesus the Christ.

May God help us to live as children of our Most High God.

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

Wounded For Our Transgressions

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

                                                                                      (Isa 53:3-6 KJV)

Wounded for our transgressions! He was bruised for everyone of our iniquities! I can't even begin to fathom how many sins he died for. Yet, we continue to sin. Many don't even attempt to refrain from sinning against God and doing harm to others in words or deeds. 

Like sheep we have a tendency to want to do things our own way and do what makes us happy not necessarily what is good and right. Like sheep that have gone astray we end up in thorny bushes or going over the edge into deep ravines that we cannot climb out of without help. 

Who will have the wisdom to turn to the one who died for them; the one who died so that whoever believes in him will receive forgiveness, when they find themselves overwhelmed by the consequences of the wrong that they have done?

Lent and particularly Holy Week is a reminder to us that we are all sinners and without the love of God through Christ Jesus none of us are saved. 

God grant that ears, eyes, and hearts be opened to know and appreciate what God has done for us as he reconciled us to Himself and to one another through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Beware of the Ditch

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? (Luke 6:39 KJV)

O be careful little eyes what you see

O be careful little eyes what you see

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little eyes what you see

Do you remember the children's song that reminds us to be careful about what we see, what we hear, what we say, what we do, where we go?" 

When young people use the excuse "everyone does it" for doing what they should not do, they are often asked if they'd jump off a cliff if everyone else did it. Of course, most would not. We do have to be cautious regarding who it is we are following. We must ask ourselves if the path we are following end in a ditch or at the bottom of a cliff; where we will find ourselves destitute. Or, will the path we are following lead us to a place in the eternal presence of God where we will definitely know peace?  

There are times when we must see or hear things; times when we must go to places that can be quite dangerous in order to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God. But, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of following those who would lead us away from the path that the Lord has shown us. The Lord has a good plan for us. When we choose to follow in the ways of those who are heading for the ditch we are going to end up in the ditch with them. 

There is always the hope that through us the Lord might speak to those who are heading for a ditch and they just might turn around and follow Jesus. There is always that hope. We should always pray that would be the result. But, we must be careful that we do not end up following in the ways of others that would lead us astray.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Were You There: Are You There?

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

                                                                                     (Isaiah 53:3-8 KJV)

Who was there? Were you there when they crucified our Lord? Who had the courage to witness the crucifixion of Jesus? The two criminals who were crucified with Jesus were with him. The soldiers who nailed him to the cross were there. Many of the Jews may witnessed his crucifixion, from a distance, as Golgotha was not too far from the city. Were they were able to read the sign? Did they read the words "JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE KING OF THE JEWS" as he struggled to carry his cross to his death?

The three Mary's were there to witness his death; Jesus' mother, Mary, and her sister Mary and Mary Magdalene were there. Where were the close disciples whom he had called? Was Peter there or was he still in hiding? But, John was there. John, the disciple who loved Jesus, was there.

As Jesus was being tried and brutalized and killed, he was pretty much alone. The majority of his flock had deserted him to protect themselves. In these days when the majority of the country has been told to shelter in place; I wonder if we are there, if we are even able to be there for those who are suffering and dying.

Just a reminder on this Good Friday of something that Jesus told us: 

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me."

                                                                                           (Matt 25:41-45)

On this Good Friday as we recall that the sheep deserted the shepherd when he was put to death for the very sake of the sheep, let us consider if we are truly there for Christ in our fellowman today? Do we continue to desert him?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Reconciled By His Suffering

 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6 KJV)

We are sinners, that is true. We do not deserve God's grace. But, He loves us so much that He was willing to give His only begotten Son to be wounded and killed as a sacrifice for our sins.

We are sinners. We have all gone astray. We think that we are following Jesus and there we go following in our own way. But, thanks be to God that His Son, bore the penalty for our sins. By the blood of Christ we have been healed; we have been made whole. We have been reconciled to God our Father; by the suffering and death of His Son, Jesus; and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Light Comes From God Alone

So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:19-21 NRSV)

The Word of God is truly like a lamp shining in a dark place. For those who are lost or alone; for those who are suffering; for those who are nearing death, the Good News that the Word Alone can give to them brings peace of heart and mind.

As the scripture plainly tells us, no prophecy of God comes from the human will. The human does not have the knowledge to interpret any prophecy outside of their own desires or fears. The human will only speaks from it's own being. But, the interpretation of prophecy that comes by means of the Holy Spirit brings the will and knowledge of God's will for us to us. The Holy Spirit who is all in all and knows all speaks through those whom the Spirit of Christ abides. The Spirit decides whom He will speak through. God calls those whom He calls. It would be dangerous (deadly) to the one who would interpret saying "the Word of the Lord" when the word that they share is born only from their own desires or fears. If the words we speak are not Spirit led then it would be best not to speak at all.

Do not worry about those who interpret from their own desires or fears. Do not let them lead you astray. The Spirit of God will guide His people in His way. Listen to Him and you will see in all things the light at the dawn of a new day for God desires to bring us light and not darkness.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Leading Them Astray

 For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. “So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.

You have wearied the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”

                                                                                                                    (Malachi 2:7-9,17 NIV)

Nothing has changed. The prophet Malachi warns the priests about their false teachings. They have led the people astray enabling the people to stumble by calling evil good.

Has anything changed? They knew then and we know today the difference between what is right and what is wrong; but, have all too often chosen the way that makes friends of the world rather than God.

Pr. J

Listen To His Voice

So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
     do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
    during the time of testing in the wilderness,
 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
    though for forty years they saw what I did.
 That is why I was angry with that generation;
    I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
    and they have not known my ways.’
 So I declared on oath in my anger,
    ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

                                                                                                              (Heb 3:7-13 NIV)

It was not only Israel that has seen and heard what God had done for them. If we are honest with ourselves; we, too, have seen and heard what God has done for us. God has done great things for all people. Yet, many refuse to see. They refuse to hear. They harden their hearts as in the great rebellion. They refuse to follow in "the way." Sadly, those who continue to rebel against the Lord our God will never enter His rest as He has promised. Sadly, some of those people who reject Him are people that we care about and love. It is up to those who do believe to continue to encourage others and remind them that it is a privilege and a blessing to hear his voice. It is up to God's children to remind all people to listen to Him.

May God open our ears to hear and our eyes to see and our hearts that we might desire to listen and follow in His way. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

We Have Gone Astray

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

Jesus took upon himself our pain and he bore our sufferings. He was crucified for our transgression and for our iniquities. It is by his wounds that we are healed. It is by his sacrifice that we are made whole!

I am reminded often that we are all, like sheep, gone astray. I am reminded of this whenever a secular event takes precedence over gathering as a community to worship. I am reminded that we have gone astray when I see the sanctuary less than half the normal attendance on Good Friday or Maundy Thursday. This seems to be the norm for a good many congregations. When I witness this during Holy Week, I am reminded of how the disciples fled in fear when Jesus was arrested on the night in which he was betrayed. When I witness the absence of his "followers" during Holy Week, I am reminded of how even Peter denied Jesus at his trial. It is all a reminder that the sheep continue to stray. We often prefer to go our own way and it's not only during Holy Week. Often, we find reasons to not gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ to thank the Lord for our salvation; for our healing, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I, like you, often act like a sheep that has gone astray. Whenever I mess up big time (that is sin), God's gentle Spirit reminds me why Jesus had to suffer persecution and such a cruel death. He died for you. He died for me. He died bearing our sins, those sins we commit today and will commit tomorrow.

This is a sad thing. It is a very sad thing that we should not take the time to gather together as he commanded us, to love one another, and to serve all people even as he served all people by dying for us. It is very sad that he should have to suffer and die for sheep that rarely even consider that they may have gone astray.

May God help us to be more faithful. May God help us to love even as He loves us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Truth

"God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24 NRSV)

It is not enough to be spiritual as some would say. Personal spirituality can mean a variety of things to a variety of people. It does not tell me anything concrete when someone tells me that they are spiritual. We are all spiritual beings. But, there is only one truth that leads to the Father. What I want to know is if you worship the God who is the truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)

All these other gods that we concoct for ourselves are not the truth. They will lead us astray. They will divert our path from "The Way." Jesus is the only "Way."

Teach us your way, O Lord, that we may walk in your truth; give us undivided hearts to revere your name. Amen (Psalm 86:11)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Only One Body; Only One Flock

Bringing the Good News to our brothers and sisters in Christ

in Laskela, Russia, many years ago. There is only one Body

of Christ. We live and serve by the power of the Spirit of

Christ that all of the sheep may be united as members of that

One Body.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV 

What a tragedy that our Lord would have to die for our sins. Yet, he loves us so much that he was willing to suffer horribly and die for us. He was abandoned by the very sheep he sought to save.

And, not just was abandoned, is still abandoned. We, like sheep, have gone astray, turning each to his own way. One of the most predominant false gods within the church on earth is ourselves. Rather than God, it is the ego that is way too often served. The false gods of wealth and property also loiter around the church, as well. But, they usually pertain directly to the predominant false god of self. We say we love him and most probably do. But, at the same time we often forget to acknowledge and welcome the whole Body of Christ. Often the sheep do not recognize the other sheep; thinking only of their own needs; their own desires, striving only to fulfill their own egos. 

St Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment." (1 Cor 11:29-31) This not only relates to discerning the real presence of Christ in the Sacrament of Holy Communion; but, to recognizing the body of Christ that comes to the table with us. It is not about us, as individuals. It is about the whole body of Christ living in His Kingdom, united and at peace with God and with one another. That doesn't happen when the sheep are all busy trying to go their own ways.

Like Peter and the other disciples, when the going gets rough; when it becomes a danger to self preservation of ego or even life itself, the sheep all too often scatter. Yet, he loves us so much that he was willing to suffer horribly and die for all the lost sheep that we might be reconciled to God our Father for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J