There Is None Upon The Earth Like Him

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. 

                                                                                    (Psalm 73:23-26 KJV)

Stuck in a dark corner and cannot find your way out? Seek the Lord with your whole heart for He is with you. He will give you the strength to keep moving forward. There is none other but the Lord who can save you. He will hold you by the right hand and guide you wherever it is that you should be.

Stick close to the Lord God; cling to Him; love Him with your whole heart. There is none other like Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Jesus' Way

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

                                                                                   (Luke 17:1-4 KJV)

Only four verses and so much in them!

Jesus warns his disciples and us that we are to be very cautious on how we treat others. We are not to cause any one to sin. In other words, don't be teaching others to sin, either by word or example. Don't be promoting sin! But, if someone does sin against you, forgive them. Actually what Jesus says is: “If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

Please, note that Jesus does not tell us that we are to accept everything that everybody does. Everything is not OK or beneficial. Sin needs to be addressed in order for others to not stumble; in order for us not to stumble. Christians sometimes get accused of not being very Christ-like because they will not accept sin simply as an alternative and acceptable way to be. There is only "One Way" for the Christian. Jesus is "The Way." To teach or approve of any other way is to set up a stumbling block. To close our eyes to sin or say that there is no sin is setting up a stumbling block for ourselves as well as for others. The consequences will be devastating. But, if a brother sins against a Christian, the Christian will bring it to their attention and when they repent will forgive them in order that neither of them will suffer consequences worse than have a millstone tied around their necks and thrown into the sea.

I'm OK.
You're OK.
When Jesus is "The Way."

God's Peace - Pr. J

Trust God; Not Man

While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

                                                                                Psalm 146:2-3 KJV

Who can save a congregation? When I first came to my present congregation, they were already in trouble. The last two pastors had left unexpectedly. The one prior to that had helped to start the church and then retired. He chose to stay in the congregation. I had been told that there were over 100 members; but, when I got here, I found that there were much less than that and still on the decline. The budget was very, very tight as there were some major financial commitments outside of staff that had to be kept. I was actually asked by another pastor if God had sent me here to see the church grow or to help close it as a hospice chaplain to the congregation. My response was: "I do not know. Only God knows that." Those outstanding debts of the congregation are still there and many of the founding members have moved away to live closer to their children. We have new members and we have a seminary student in training. But, the question remains: "does God intend for this congregation to grow or to close?"

I wonder often how many of the people who worship here trust and praise the Lord for all things. Do they trust the Lord or do they trust their pastor and other servant/leaders to keep the doors open? I know that we do have some who are totally committed to the Lord. I am unsure how many. If anyone has trusted me  or the servant/leadership here, they have put their trust in the wrong place. If anyone thinks that their new pastor can save them and if the new pastor thinks he can save them, they have put their trust in the wrong place. Salvation comes only from the Lord. Do not trust anyone before the Lord. However, it is good and right to trust Christ working in and through those whom he has called to serve. 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)

When I was very young I trusted just about everyone and I was burned an awful lot. I came to trust no one. But, as I came to know the Lord more intimately, I came to a place of trust again. I could trust again because I trust that God has a plan. It's not man's plan; but, His plan. I still get burned now and then. But, I am confident that Christ is at work in and through me, no matter how bad I might feel that I am being burned. As Paul wrote: "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) 

I know that I can trust that God's good will is being done. Whether any particular congregation or community opens their doors or shuts them it is according to God's plan. Individual congregations may come and go; but, the Church will continue to grow and go out into the world to share the Good News. I have no doubt about that.

The Israelites and their backsliding is a history we should all remember. When they started trusting in themselves or their rules or laws or anything else, God would work some work to convince them to turn back to him; like having them wander in the wilderness for forty plus years. 

May all of God's people remember to faithfully serve and praise the Lord and not  some person or a building and just maybe God will decide to keep the doors open.

God's Peace - Pr. J