Worship The Lord!

Psalm 96 KJV; All of creation worships the Lord.

Rejoice! He Will Come Again!

Psalm 96 KJV

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

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Rejoice; for the Lord has come and he will come again. Do not worry about justice for he will judge the whole world; every single person, with righteousness and truth. 

Rejoice; for the Lord has come and he will come again! Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Reign In Awesome Wonder

Wolf Point, Keweenaw Peninsula, MI
Praying With Creation Sabbatical

Psalm 93 KJV

The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.

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One of my fondest memories is kayaking on Lake Superior during small craft warnings. The waves were big. Yet, there we were paddling away and enjoying every minute of it. It was an awesome display of God's creative work. 

Along with the movement of the winds and waves came a whole lot of noise from this awesome wonder. But, in the midst of it there came a sound even louder than that. In the midst of us riding those waves came the sound of Pr. Peter singing How Great Thou Art.  And... Pr. Peter can sing!! What a sense of peace being reminding that what we were experiencing was the very hand of God.

Lake Superior, the oceans, all of God's creation can make us stand back in awe. We do need to respect these powerful creations even as we can appreciate and enjoy their beauty and power. They can be very powerful indeed. In fact, they can be very dangerous. But, none is so powerful or enduring as the Creator of it all.

Thank the Lord for the beauty of His creation. Thank the Lord for all that He has done.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Sacrifice

 

Psalm 50:1-6 KJV

The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

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There is nothing that we can sacrifice to seal the covenant with God. There are no good works that we can accomplish that will cover our sinful ways. We have all fallen short of keeping the first covenant; the covenant of law. We have found that we are incapable of keeping the letter of the law as was given to Moses.

Our hope is found in faith alone in Christ alone who willingly became the sacrifice for us that the new covenant might be sealed with his precious blood. We are sinners; yet, we have become God's saints because of Jesus' sacrifice and not because of any good thing that we have done or sacrificed. By his blood we have been washed clean. 

John's greeting in the letter to the seven churches reveals his vision affirming that it is by the blood of Christ that has united with God and his Father.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev 1:5-6)

May God help us to trust in Christ alone for our salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Beauty Of The Oceans

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

                                                                                 (Gen 1:20-23 KJV)

It has been a few years since I have been diving. I miss it. I was able to go snorkeling with one of my granddaughters about a year ago. I miss it. I miss the feel, the taste, even the smell of the salt water. I miss seeing the beauty of God's creation that is hidden from our sight in the depths of the oceans. 

There is a lot of beauty above the waters as well. God has made all things beautiful.  (Eccl 3:11) Let us make a habit of appreciating and being thankful for the beauty God has given us in all things.

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Masks

Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight.                                                                             (1 Peter 3:2-4 NRSV)


Although, it keeps commerce going and we need commerce, I have never quite understood the need for anyone to have major amounts of piercings or to change the color of one's hair every few weeks or the wearing of someone else's name on you clothing. It makes me think that the person is not comfortable with who they are. I can't quite get why someone would need to wear make-up that would disguise the person that God made them to be. I'm not saying that I think women shouldn't wear any. But, I would think the purpose for make-up would be to enhance one's features and not to mask them.

God has made everyone and every one is precious in God's sight. Let the world see the person God created you to be. There is nothing more beautiful than a child of God who exudes the loving and gentle spirit that comes from knowing that you are a child of God.

 

You don't need a mask! Be for real! Let the world see and know who God created you to be both inside and out.

May God help each of us to cherish the lasting beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Basking in the Light

Sharing space while basking in the light.

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
                                                                    (Song of Solomon 2:10-12 KJV)

Exactly what does a turtle's voice sound like? As many turtles as I've run across, I've never heard one speak. What I do know is that the season of summer is a beautiful one. The cold dark winter is past and it is time to kick off your shoes; dance in the grass with your beloved; sit back and enjoy the beauty of the land.

One of my elderly cousins once told me that we could learn a lot about how to live life by watching and listening to the creation around us. Take, for example, the turtle. They may not have voices as we have. But, if we observe we can learn from them. They appear to live pretty slow and seemingly relaxed lives. They don't have a problem getting close to each other. They take care of what they need to live; but, they do not hurry about as if the end of the world is near. They know how to bask in the light and the warmth of the sun. 

Winter is over. Summer has come. May God help us to understand how to bask in the light of His Son, Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Discerning By Outward Appearance

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

Human beings tend to judge people by what they see on the outside and then give themselves no chance to see who they really are. Young people today (and probably many generations before) tend to think that people should accept them as they are with baggy pants, piercings all over their heads, low cut or see through shirts, torn jeans, and rainbow colored hair. Unfortunately, employers understand that their business will often be judged by how their employees appear and they will typically hire someone who appears more conservatively. Young people also have the age factor working against them. Many employers would like a bit more experience working for them. Fair or not; that is reality. Many people will not give themselves the opportunity to get to know you because they can't get past the outward appearance.

But, God does know you. He knows your every thought and action. He knows what is in your heart. When selecting the next king of Israel he told Samuel don't be anointing Eliab because of his appearance. Keep on looking; I will tell you which one to anoint. It was not the eldest that the Lord chose. Although, he was also very pleasing to look at, it was the youngest son of Jesse; a mere sheepherder that was chosen to be the next king of Israel.


God chooses whom he will choose. Thanks be to God! He does not discern by age or beauty as humankind does. He looks at the heart.

May the Lord our God soften our hearts so that we will not judge others by first impressions of outward appearances.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Everything Was Created Beautiful

The Beauty of Creation

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. . Eccl:3:11-12 NIV

There are very few things that I enjoy more than being able to experience the beauty of God's creation. He has made both man and animal; He has made everything beautiful; everything awesomely wonderful, in it's own time. His handiwork is way too much for us to be able to fathom. Yet, humankind has worked very hard at making things ugly by striving after things that do not really make us happy; by not doing what is good for all of God's creation. 

I know it sounds just a bit arrogant; but, just think about it... What was the last thing that God created? According to God's word, it was us. He created humankind on the sixth day. All those others things were done prior to our being. Before they were created the earth was not ready for us to inhabit. They were created for us and not for us to abuse or destroy; but, for our benefit. And, not just our benefit; but, for the benefit of generations to come. Therefore, we must care for all of God's creation that the beauty of it all might be a pleasure to behold for every generation to follow us. 

May God help us to see the beauty of His creation and care for it that it might bring delight to our children and their children until the day of the Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Be Who God Made You To Be

Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:2-4 NRSV

Although, it keeps commerce going, I have never quite understood the need for anyone to have major amounts of piercings or to change the color of one's hair every few weeks. I do not comprehend the need for the wearing of someone else's name on one's clothing. It makes me think that the person is not comfortable with who they are. I can't quite get why someone would need to wear make-up that would disguise the person that God made them to be. I'm not saying that I think women shouldn't wear any. But, I would think the purpose for make-up would be to enhance one's features and not to mask them.

God has made everyone and every one is precious in God's sight. Let the world see the person God created you to be. There is nothing more beautiful than a child of God who exudes the loving and gentle spirit that comes from knowing that you are a child of God.  

May God help each of us to cherish the lasting beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Real Beauty Is Found Within

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov 31:30 NIV

One of my favorite songs as a child was "If You Want To Be Happy" sung by Jimmy Soul. My mother would sometimes sing it to me. I sang this song to my sons on way more than one occasion when they were teens:

"If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So from my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you."

Okay, I was a little crass. My sons did not really appreciate this song. They didn't appreciate my singing at all! But, having brought them up to know Christ, I wanted them to look deeper than the skin as they attempted to form lasting relationships. It doesn't matter what one looks like on the outside. One really cannot judge a book by its cover. Beauty comes packaged in all shapes and sizes. It shines through much better when the package doesn't have a lot of glitter and glitz covering it.

The fact is that is that God doesn't make ugly. God makes us all beautiful. We are all unique. But, it is wise to find a partner in life that doesn't put his or her looks before their love of the Lord. You will avoid a lot of unnecessary heartache if you look beyond the surface. You may be young and marrying a Christian may not be all that important to you today; but, when you are old and have grown wiser you may find that it would have been much wiser to marry one who knows the Lord and will share your love for Him because your love for Him will grow with time. 

From birth to death our looks will change. Some will stay perpetually young and beautiful according to the eyes of the world thanks to money and good cosmetic surgeons. Actors, actresses, and many politicians depend on this youthful look to further careers. But, because one looks youthful doesn't mean that are honest or have integrity or have any virtues. Youthful beauty does not equate with honesty and trustworthiness or faithfulness. Doesn't mean it can't. It is just wiser to get the real person buried underneath the mask.

Jimmy Soul's song was a pretty silly song. Jimmy started out his life praising the Lord as a young preacher and gospel singer and ended up in prison and dying of a drug related heart attack at age 45. One can never know which path we or anyone else will take through life. It is helpful, for the sake of our eternal lives to find friends and a partner to share our lives with who will fear and praise the Lord.

May we all look past what is on the outside and look a bit deeper for the true beauty as we discern between what is truly good and what is not.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. One of the most beautiful women I have recently met is 100 years old. She has had no cosmetic surgery to make her look eternally young. She is eternally young for she has eternal life in Christ. The Spirit of Christ is with her and it is just awesome to be in their presence.

Masks

Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:2-4 NRSV

Although, it keeps commerce going, I have never quite understood the need for anyone to have major amounts of piercings or to change the color of one's hair every few weeks or the wearing of someone else's name on your clothing. It makes me think that the person is not comfortable with who they are. I can't quite get why someone would need to wear make-up that would disguise the person that God made them to be. I'm not saying that I think women shouldn't wear any. But, I would think the purpose for make-up would be to enhance one's features and not to mask them.

God has made every one and every one is precious in God's sight. Let the world see the person God created you to be. There is nothing more beautiful than a child of God who exudes the loving and gentle spirit that comes from knowing that you are a child of God.  

May God help each of us to cherish the lasting beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Just Want To Go Fishing

"The Fisherman" as our granddaughter nicknamed our friend, Eddie "DJ" DeJesus.

This photo was taken the last time we saw him before the Lord called him home.

     Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
     “No,” they answered.
     He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish."
                                                                                                                                         John 21:4-6

I just want to go fishing! I ordered a small Jon boat a week ago so I can go fishing or crabbing or just floating down the creek so I can take in the beauty of it all. I spent much of my youth fishing with my parents and whether I catch anything or not is besides the point. I am actually a really lousy fisherperson. I rarely catch anything. I just want to be able to float around on the water and experience the quiet: no TV's, no radios, no electronic noise at all.

Most of my time is spent fishing for people. That is what Jesus told his disciples they were going to be doing when he asked them to leave their nets and follow him. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” (Mark 1:17) They did exactly that. But, as we read the gospels, we will find them, from time to time, even after they began to follow Jesus, fishing for fish as well.

So, I am waiting on my small boat to get here. I'll keep on fishing for people. After all, I don't know any other way to live. But, I'd kind of like to go fishing for fish, as well.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Trees Sing For Joy!

Let the trees of the forest sing, 
let them sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he comes to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:33-34 NIV

It is no secret that I love wooded areas and the water! Their majestic nature reminds me that God created all things beautiful. We have so much to be thankful for. Let us rejoice in those things rather than dwell on the things that we may not appreciate so much. We give thanks not just for the beauty of His creation; but, for the gift of His most beautiful Son, who gave his life for us. Through his blood we have been promised the gift of eternal life in His Kingdom; in His glorious presence!

Let not just the trees sing for joy; but, let us all rejoice before the Lord! Give thanks to Him, for he is good; his love endures forever.

God's Peace - Pr. J