The Lord Will Lead You!

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5 KJV No matter who or what is persecuting you the Lord is with you.

I Will Not Fear!

I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? (Psalm 118:5-6 KJV)

What, indeed, can man do to us that God cannot fix or heal or whatever needs to be done for our good!? There is nothing. We may be persecuted, hated, attacked; but, God has a plan for those who love Him. 

There have been times that my husband objected to me taking a public stand for what was right. He was afraid that I would be in danger for doing so. My response then was: what is the worst thing that can happen. Even if I am killed, God is with me. I have eternal life. If life in the eternal presence of God; in His Kingdom, sooner than I expect is the consequence for standing up for what is right, then I know that there is nothing to fear in doing His will.

We are saved by faith and not by the good that we do. Rather, we strive to do good because we have been saved by grace through faith in our most gracious God and Savior.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Knows

If you faint in the day of adversity,
   your strength being small;
if you hold back from rescuing those taken away    to death,
   those who go staggering to the slaughter;
if you say, “Look, we did not know this”—
   does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who keeps watch over your soul 

   know it?

   And will he not repay all according to their 

   deeds?

                                  Proverbs 24:10-12 NRSV

He does indeed keep watch over us and knows all things. He knows whether we have protected the innocent or supported our neighbors. He knows if we have turned our backs on others in order to protect ourselves; in order to keep our own lives safe and prosperous.

God knows what is in our hearts and minds. He knows if, rather an trust Him to be with us in the day of adversity we hold back from rescuing others. He knows when we see calamity fall on others and we pretend that we do not see in order to go on with our own self-serving lives.

He knows whether we are about serving others or ourselves.

May God help us to have the strength and the courage to stand beside the innocent who are being attacked in any manner.

God's Peace - Pr. J

By Word and Deed Glorify God

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (1 Col 3:17 NRSV)

Working in a youth correctional facility as a substance abuse counselor, I heard a lot of stories from the young men in group. One of the stories included a fight that started in a church. It happened that a few members of two different gangs went to worship the same morning with their mothers. One of the teens represented his gang by wearing their colors. That did not go over well with the other gang. It was not too long after leaving the sanctuary that he was attacked. 

Representing anything or anyone, other than the Lord, at Worship is just not right. That goes not only for the sanctuary; but, wherever we happen to be. The whole world is the Lord's. As Christians we represent our Lord. In everything that we say or do or no matter where we are, Christians represent the Lord. 

All honor and glory belong to the Lord not to what group or anyone or anything else we might belong to in this world. 

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Resist and Repent

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7 NIV

Are things going badly for you? Does it seem like you're being attacked because you're not getting your way? Maybe, it is time to consider that you've managed to become partner with the devil. Maybe, your focus has been solely on things of this world rather than seeking the kingdom of God. Maybe, just maybe, it is time to repent.

John wrote, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)

Acknowledging that we have sinned against God; that we have put ourselves before God and before our neighbors is necessary for us to be able to turn our lives around. If we cannot acknowledge that we have been following the devil and seeking riches, power, glory for ourselves than there is no understanding that we might even need to repent; to turn away from the devil, and we will continue to be pulled into his ways to the detriment of ourselves and the people around us; even to the detriment of the church on earth. But, if we repent, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins.

The devil has no power over us except for the power that we give to him. Resist the devil in the mighty name of Jesus and he will flee from you. Resist the temptations to lift yourself above God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and you will know and live an abundant life beyond what you can possibly imagine. It is not a life of wealth and power and glory for yourself; but, of living in the presence of the glory of God.

Submit to God and know the peace that only He can give.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Honor Your Father And Mother

The Fourth Commandment.

Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother [that it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long upon the earth].

What does this mean?
We should fear and love God that we may not despise nor anger our parents and masters, but give them honor, serve, obey, and hold them in love and esteem.

(http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php)

In this fourth commandment we are told that we are to honor those who have authority over us so that it may be well with us and that we might live long upon the earth.  Think about the chaos in so many homes and our school systems because many young people; rather than honor their parents or teachers, are allowed (and sometimes encouraged by other people in authority) to be outright disrespectful; defiantly rejecting all authority. How much learning can be done in this kind of environment? How many children are being taught to disrespect and connive against our police officers who have sworn to protect us? It makes it very difficult to serve and protect or teach anyone when one is being cursed at or emotionally or even physically attacked.

God has given each of us people in our lives who are meant to teach and guide us; to care for us. Parents, police officers, teachers, doctors, employers are just a few examples of such people today. Sadly, not all of them have our best interests at heart. There are those who think that everything should be done for their glory to the detriment even of the children. Martin Luther reminds us, in the Large Catechism, that even though the Commandments do not speak directly to the duties of those in authority; scripture reminds us all that we are to love and care for one another. This applies to not just the parents; but, anyone and everyone who might have the duties to teach or care for or protect our children. If we teach our children that it is all right to disrespect others; they will also learn to disrespect us.

We should honor all in positions of authority and those in authority would be wise to guide those who they have authority over; to teach them the ways of the Lord. Do not enable them to disrespect others in authority. If honor, respect, and even integrity could make a come-back; then we would all live long and peacefully upon the earth.

God's Peace - Pr. J