Be Anxious For The Truth

Psalm 85 KJV; 2nd Sunday in Advent; Turn to the Lord anxiously desiring to hear the truth; desiring to walk in the steps of Jesus.

Turn To The Lord And Rejoice

O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1)

Psalm 126:1-6 KJV

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

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When the Lord releases those in bondage they rejoice.  

The Israelites ended up in bondage because they had turned away from God. When they returned to the Lord they found themselves being freed again and they rejoiced. 

There are many forms of bondage. Some of us don't even realize that we are in bondage to so many things of this world. We become slaves to other people because of our incessant desire for more; for more things; for more power. We give up our freedom as we pursue these false gods.

Prayerfully there will be a day when we recognize that we have been led astray; that we have been following a dangerous path, and turn again to the Lord for all things. On that day we will rejoice for the Lord will save us! He is the rock of our salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Rejoice In The Lord's Mercy

PSALM 85

Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob.

Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.

Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.

Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.

Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?

Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.

I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

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He has forgiven us. He spoken peace to us in that he has reconciled us to himself by the sacrifice of his only begotten Son for our sins. We have been revived; given the opportunity to dwell in his glorious presence. Let us rejoice in our salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Tears To Joy

PSALM 126 KJV

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

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Times can be very difficult. People can be very mean to one another. Without thought; without care, they will slander one another just to feed their own self-righteous egos; to attempt to justify their own sinful natures.

Psalm 126 is a reminder that though we may have tears in our eyes today we can also have hope. We wait and hope for the day when those tears will turn to joy as the Lord has promised. Trust in the Lord for He is with you through these troubled times.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

By Faith We Move Forward

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went."

                                                                                   (Heb 11:6-8 KJV)

Fear can easily coerce us into doing absolutely nothing or running in the opposite direction. Yet, Noah and Abraham, as well as many others who trusted God before us, moved forward. They did what God asked of them because they trusted Him. 

Believing an unseen God and building an ark so that he and his family might live was a major change in Noah's life. It may have seemed foolish to the world around him. But, the results proved that it was not.

Abraham left his birth family; his home country, to be led by God through the wilderness to a land promised to him and his descendants was a major undertaking. It all rested on his trust in God. 

Moses, too, believed the words of God and led the Israelites out of captivity to journey to a promised land. The journey was long and hard, made harder by the many trust issues along the way among the Israelites. Moses actually never got to enter that promised land; but, he was able to lead the people of God to it because he trusted in the Lord and followed Him.

Hardships are encountered daily by the human race. There are wars and rumors of wars. There are natural disasters and diseases that threaten to take us down. But, fear should never be allowed to keep us from moving forward to receive the promises of God. If fear can do anything positive, it should move us to hear the word of the Lord and listen attentively to it so that we might know the way in which to go.

Faith overcomes fear of things that might stand in our way of moving forward. Remember, the promises of the Lord and keep in mind what St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28) Walk in faith. God has a good purpose for you. Do not let the fear that permeates the world around you stop you from receiving the good plans He has for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Gifts For The Glory Of God

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"   

                                                                       (Eph 4:1-8,11-13)

We are all called to serve, according to the vocation that we have been called. If you wonder what that would be for you; how you can serve, then look at your gifts. What gifts has God given you so that you might serve and His children most fruitfully? Consider your talents closely and how they can be used to build up the body of Christ. Do not think so highly of yourself thinking that you can do it all because no one person has all of the gifts necessary. 

"For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.." 

                                                                                      (Rom 12:4-7 KJV)

God gives to each of us gifts to support and build up on another; to build up the whole body of Christ. When they are used this way these gifts glorify God. We are all members of the one body in Christ. There is a purpose for the gifts that we have been given and it is not to glorify one member of that body; but, "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith..."

As members of the body of Christ, may all that we say and think and do glorify our Father in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Nothing Is Too Hard; Ask!

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?  (Jeremiah 32:26-27 NIV)

In the midst of reminding Jeremiah that He alone is God, the Lord reveals to him that He is going to send His people into captivity at the hands of the Babylonians for turning their backs on Him. But, God also promises to save His people from their captivity, once again. He will gather them and return them to their land and let them live in safety. They would be His people and He will be their God. He will give them singleness of heart and action. (Jer 32:36-41)

God is still God of all mankind today. He will be the one true God tomorrow. Nothing is too hard for Him. Let us pray earnestly that He would give the whole church on earth singleness of heart and action that it may go well for us and our children after us.

With one heart and mind let us pray and give thanks for in His mercy the One for whom nothing is too hard hears our prayers and answers.

God's Peace - Pr. J