Be Careful What You Say

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 

                                                                                      (James 3:4-8 KJV)

For good or for bad the tongue can set the course of our futures.

James compares the tongue to a ship's rudder.

Although, small in comparison to the rest of the ship the rudder steers the ship. Likewise what proceeds from our mouths can have a great effect on our futures as well as the futures of those around us.

James also compares our tongues to fire. The humongous fires out west and north of us have had some serious effects on the people around the country. The air we breathe has become difficult to breathe at times especially for those who have asthma or allergies or other like diseases. Who even know why these fires start? Some start from lightning strikes. Some are accidental. Others are started by arsonists. The fires spread out. The smoke moves through the air directly affecting people even a thousand miles away. The smoke dissipates and travel around the globe. Fires affect more than just the people who are in their immediate vicinity.

Likewise our tongues can start some major fires. The evil; the lies, that we speak can spread like wildfire harming not just the people that we intend to harm; but, can have a lasting negative effect on people all around us and sometimes world-wide depending on who is spreading the evil. If it is the national media then the wildfire can spread pretty far and fast.

The words that we speak can have a positive or negative effect on the community. May God help us to control our tongues so that we do not steer the ship in the wrong direction or purposely start any wildfires in order to harm others.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Died For The Good We Do Not Do

I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8 KJV)

It is a joy to worship and to serve the Lord. Yet, we often find that we are doing exactly the opposite. This is part and parcel of the sinful nature of humankind. We know what is right. Yet, we find ourselves being steered in the wrong direction. 

St. Paul, the great missionary and evangelist found himself in the same situation. He wrote: 

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. (Rom 7:16-20)

There are days when we can be torn between which direction to go in. Is one way wrong and the other way right? Which is which? Which way will lead me to appease the flesh and which way is the way that the Spirit of God would have me go?

When Peter, James and John witnessed Jesus transfigured on the mountain and speaking with Elijah and Moses they heard a voice coming from the cloud that hung overhead: "This is my beloved Son: hear him." (Mark 9:7) 

Listen to him and follow in the way that he would have you go. Sometimes, that still is easier said than done. The world, our flesh, our sinful natures sometimes want to shout over the Word of the Lord and it can be confusing. We can be pulled in many directions by all of these voices. Like Paul, we will do what we ought not do even when deep inside we know that there is a better way; even when we don't want to do it. 

Thanks be to God for his mercy is great. He has sent his only begotten Son to take away the sins of the world. Thanks be to God for the Lamb of God, "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Gal 1:4-5)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Choosing The Wrong Way

The clever see danger and hide;

but the simple go on, and suffer for it. 

(Proverbs 22:3 NRSV)

We are free to do as we please. We are free to do what is good for us as well as what is not good for us. But, we must understand that whatever it is that we choose to do there will be consequences. Every action that we take moves us forward in a specific direction. Sometimes, that direction is good for us and for the people around us. Sometimes, that direction takes us to places we would not choose to go and we suffer for it.

There is so much suffering in this world. Some, of which, we cannot avoid. Some, of which, we could avoid by going in the other direction to avoid danger; to avoid the suffering. 

A lot of our suffering and trouble could be avoided if we would but follow in the way that the Spirit of Christ shows us.

May God bless you with the wisdom to recognize and the courage to follow in His Way.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Which Direction?

 

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV)

The word of the Lord through Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon was for them to seek the welfare of the city that they have been exiled to. They were to build homes; to have families; to live life in Babylon. He gave them direction according to His plans for them.

Lately, I've been waking up each morning wondering what direction the Lord would have me go. I am at an age where I could retire. But, is that what I am supposed to do? There are a lot of possibilities for the future. At this point, I have no clue in which direction the Lord would have me go. I would like to retire and be able to be a little more spontaneous in every day life. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a workaholic and I am not sure what I would do if I was not working. I get bored and restless even now during the hours that I am not working. 

I have heard from many in the past who simply wanted a straight forward answer from God regarding the direction that they should go. I can empathize with that. I know that the Lord has a good plan for me. (Rom 8:28) But, I have a feeling that I have been so anxious about what it is that He would have me do, that I haven't taken the time to be still and listen to Him. 

May God help us all to trust that He will lead us in the direction He would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Take Up Your Cross And Follow In His Way

But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

                                                                                                                                Matt 16:23-25

We encounter many stumbling blocks in life. Often, like Peter, we do not even realize that we, ourselves, might be stumbling blocks to others. Our desire to fix things like we want things to be fixed; our desire to have things our way, sometimes gets in the way of our being able to see clearly God's will for us and for all humankind. We might think we are following in the footsteps of Jesus when we are really going in the direction we have chosen for ourselves. That direction may well be the wrong way. The direction we choose for ourselves may get us lost forever.

God grant that we should not be stumbling blocks to others or to ourselves; but, help us to see the way in which He would have us go, following in the footsteps of Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr.

Wise Choices

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

James 1:6-8

Today, I am very pleased with the choices my granddaughter has made. She is enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program, with the hope that will enhance her future life here in this world. She hasn't always listened to my advice so I am relieved that she is making wise choices on her own.

James wrote that we are to ask God for wisdom. For years, I have been asking Him for her. Lately, I have been asking Him to help her listen and follow in the direction He would have her go. I did not doubt that He would answer that prayer. I am just so very thankful that she made this wise choice sooner than later.

May God grant us His wisdom as well as the ability to act upon it.

God's Peace - Pr. J