We Cannot Hide Our Secrets

Jeremiah 23:23-24 KJV; Don't bother trying to hide your sins. There is no place that you can hide from God. Repent and receive forgiveness.

His Way

Show Us The Way

 

Psalm 119:9-16

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

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Lord, let us not wander from your way!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Redemption: A Gift From God

PSALM 130 KJV

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

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If God would count our sins who would be found guiltless? The first letter of John reminds us that none of us are without sin: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9)

Thanks be to God for he is merciful. he, himself, has forgiven us; he has redeemed us by taking our place on the cross for us. God in Jesus Christ held himself accountable for the consequences of our sins.

Thanks be to God by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone you are forgiven. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" (Eph 2:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In The Light Of Christ

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 

                                                                                     (1 John 1:4-10 KJV)

The light reveals all things. Yet, so many prefer that those secrets; those sins, that are committed against God and one another stay hidden. After all, if we allow those sins to come into the light it just might require us to make some changes to our lives. So in hiding our sins we choose to live in darkness and stay far from the light where we would find real joy in the presence of God.

God is light. Hiding out in the darkness will keep us from fellowship with God as we be spending more time attempting to hide our secrets rather than living in the love of God and focusing ourselves on loving Him and the people around us.  

The light shines brightly. Open your eyes and walk in the light of Christ that your sins might be forgiven and that you might be reconciled to God and to another. Live in the light that your joy might be full!

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

Reaping What We Sow

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Gal 6:7 KJV)

Yesterday, I wrote about enduring persecutions. As I thought about it throughout the day, I considered that there are many who may feel like they are being persecuted when in reality they are really suffering the consequences of their own poor choices. Often these poor choices or sins involved persecuting others in the first place.

If we break a law, we are not being persecuted if we end up ticketed or arrested. We are suffering the consequences that come with breaking the law. If we end up in divorce court facing huge child support payments because of such things as abuse or infidelity it is because of our own sinful behavior. 

When we suffer because of our own poor choices we don't get to claim victimhood. In many cases we need to recognize that our choices actually harmed others whether it was directly or indirectly. We need to recognize our sin and our need to repent. We need to change our ways and live lives that don't persecute others. 

If we choose to do what is not right and teach others to do the same we need to accept that we shall reap what we have sown.

However, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

May God grant us new and clean hearts that we might live in peace in His loving presence. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness or Wealth?

"As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. 

O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters." 

                                                                                     (Jer 17:11-13 KJV)

In the seventeenth chapter of Jeremiah we find that the hearts of the people had sin engraved on them. They trusted in things of this world. They lusted after and trust in wealth. They would do anything to get it, depriving the poor, spending their very life and breath in the pursuit of wealth and happiness. 

Who can blame them? We all desire some joy and happiness in our lives. But, the truth is that these things do not come from wealth. They do not come from having "stuff." The sooner we learn that the pursuit of money does not equate with happiness, the better off we will be. In the end we will lose any and all ill-gotten gain.

Real joy comes from being in relationship with others, with God. I have always appreciated that Thomas Jefferson changed John Locke's pursuit of life, liberty, and property, in the U.S. Constitution to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Property does not necessarily equate with happiness. Just think about the upkeep that goes with more property.. and, the taxes! Think about what happens when greed pervades society! All kinds of sin accompanies greed. Yet, multitudes have hearts so hardened like stone that greed and envy are engraved deeply into them. And... they are miserable! They desire more, but they do not know what that more is. 

Our hard hearts are a problem for us. But, God promises that He will remove our hearts of stone so that sin will no longer be engraved on them. 

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. 

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezek 36:25-27)

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. 

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” 

                                                                                   (Jer 17:7-8)

There is an answer to our loneliness and sorrow. The answer is Jesus Christ, our LORD, who loves us so much that He was willing to die for us. May God bless us with hearts filled with His love for Him and for one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J