Jesus Is Lord

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

                                                                                        (1 Pet 5:6-11 KJV)

We are not gods. Maybe, lords of our households; but, not the King of the Universe!  But, even as lords of our households we can really mess up and cause problems for ourselves and those who live with us. The devil is aware of that and uses it to his advantage as he seeks to devour everything and everyone around us. It behooves us to trust God to open our eyes to see the evil that the devil purposes to use us for and to fight against it. We fight not with our own power; but, with the power of the Spirit of Christ in us. Jesus is the only one who has been able to resist his power. We must humble ourselves and trust in that power. He is after all the King of all kings and has authority over everything and everyone.

Let not the devil use us to devour those around us. God help us to not empower the devil by falling into the trap of judging others and causing more division. But, by the grace of God who has called us to His eternal glory through Jesus Christ, strengthen us so that we may stand against the wiles of the evil ones. For, he is like a wolf in sheep's clothing creeping up on those who are unaware to steal the peace that only God can bring to us.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

                                                                                      (Eph 6:10-12)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

New Creatures Are Reconciled

 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 

                                                                                  (2 Cor 5:17-21 KJV)

Reconciliation seems to be the last thing on most of our politicians minds. They really seem to like attacking one another. One would think they have better things to do. As they call for unity, they stir up division. The devil must be enjoying himself immensely.

For God our Father calls us to unity. He calls us to be reconciled to Himself and to one another. He desires it so much that He sent His only begotten Son, who knew no sin to be sin for us. Our sin was crucified on his cross. Yet, it seems like we really want our sin to be resurrected as we continue to live in sin. 

Have the old things really passed away? If not, we have the opportunity to start anew every single minute of every single day. We have the opportunity to repent; to change our ways. 

If we are new creatures in Christ then let us be ambassadors for Christ, proclaiming the Kingdom of God purchased for all people through his blood. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Perverse Or Wholesome Tongue?

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so. 

                                                                                     (Prov 15:1-4, 7 KJV)

God does see both the physical and mental abuse that goes on in this world. Nasty tones and attitudes do indeed stir up anger. They stir up hatred. They stir up division. 

It is human nature to become angry when offended. It is more Christ-like not to act upon that anger. It is best to walk away for your sake and everyone else around you. If an angry person is in need of aid help if you can and if they are willing to let you. But, do not become so involved in their lives that you risk the chance of becoming a person filled with anger yourself. Nothing good will come of it. The book of Proverbs reminds us: 

Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. (Prov 22:24-25)

The world is full of anger and hate. But, we do not have to be. In Christ we have been born again. We do not have to live the old life that included so much anger. We can live in peace with joyful spirits when Christ abides in us and we in him.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. (2 Cor 13:13)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Trust Jesus To Calm The Storms

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

                                          (Mark 4:37-41 KJV)

It has felt, to many, that we have been in the midst of a storm since before 2020 even began. There is only one answer to this storm and that is faith in Christ. We must trust that he will calm this storm. We will get through all of this and the sun will be shining brightly. Children will once again be playing arm in arm for God does not will that we should be so disconnected from one another. His plan included unity and reconciliation; not division and anarchy. His will is not for his children to live their lives so centered on themselves that they have no concern for the people around them or the people that are spread throughout the world.  

Jesus told his disciples and us: "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  (John 15:12-13)

The self-centeredness; the self-love, of humankind has brought about many storms. But, the one who can calm the great storms of winds and waves can also bring a calm to the world. Is it not time yet to trust him enough to love and care for our neighbors and live in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Peace Not Drama

In my distress I cry to the Lord,
that he may answer me:
“Deliver me, O Lord,
from lying lips,
from a deceitful tongue.”
What shall be given to you?
And what more shall be done to you,
you deceitful tongue?
A warrior’s sharp arrows,
with glowing coals of the broom tree!
Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech,
that I must live among the tents of Kedar.
Too long have I had my dwelling
among those who hate peace.
I am for peace;
but when I speak,
they are for war.
Psalm 120

Some people just like drama! They like to stir up trouble and dissensions and division; even wars. I don't know why. But, some people just can't seem to live without it. So, when the drama is on the decline they will make things up, usually about other people, just to get the drama going, again. Maybe their lives are so empty that they are trying to fill them up. It's seems as though they must have their own personal soap operas going and that they must be the star. Personally, I have never made a habit of watching soap operas. I don't have the time. I have a pretty full life already and don't need to observe someone's fake life on the television daily. There are way better things to focus on in life than this kind of drama. The outcome of a lot of this drama is that the deceitful tongue that often goes with it hurts others and then it boomerangs and comes back on the one with the deceitful tongue. Everyone gets hurt.

You want a life? Skip the drama. "Live Life" in peace - in the peace of Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Persecutions Will Come

"But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. (Luke 21:12-19 NIV)

I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about the most recent attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt. Jesus said that those who follow him will be persecuted. (John 15:20) Sadly, Christians in many countries are. They are persecuted and killed for their faith.

But, something else bothered me. It is that in the western world we are not persecuted by those who are outside of the church. The persecution is a very crafty model the devil would use against us. The visible church in the western world, if and when it is persecuted, is most often persecuted by members of the church. While people in other parts of the world are being killed for their faith, Christians in the western world tend to quibble and even attack one another over worldly things. Disputes over the color of the carpeting is not a wives tale. They actually occur. It is amazing to me how things that should make no difference (adiaphora) can cause division within a congregation and become such a distraction that the real mission of the church comes to a standstill. I sometimes wonder if Jesus looks at the church in the western world just as he looked at the Pharisees and Sadducees when he walked on the earth as true man.

While Coptic Christians; as well as others, are dying for their faith; much of the western church is not willing to let their self-wills die to follow Jesus; in order for God's will be done. We have pretty much made gods of ourselves. I have seen many models for the church and for church growth. I have sadly heard the proposition that in order to grow we should not treat the church like a family; but, more like a business. The church is most definitely a family! We are the children of God! Sadly, as Jesus predicted that family members will betray one another. This seems to have come to pass for Christians in their birth families as well as in the family of God.

Today, I grieve and pray for the faithful who have been injured or murdered on account of the name of Jesus. But, I also grieve and pray for a dying church in other areas of the world, in the western world, where the church and it's members are often more worried about making a name for themselves rather than standing firm and decreeing and declaring the love of God for all people in the name of Jesus.

May God help us all to stand firm, both living and dying for the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus Is The Truth; Listen To Him

Jesus is the only Truth in a world led astray by the lies of the devil.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Eph 4:25-32 (NIV)

When Pilate was interrogating him, Jesus had told him that everyone who is on the side of truth listens to him. Pilate's response was: "What is truth?" (John 18:37-38) 

Indeed! What is truth? Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14:6) Yet, if we listen to what is going on around us in the world it appears that everyone seems to have their own version of the truth. These varying versions of the truth have a tendency to cause division and many other forms of hurt. Protecting one's own version of the truth leads to bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, along with every form of malice. Vehemently promoting one's own version of the truth will not build up the church. It will not build up relationships. It will only give way for the devil to have his way with the world.

During the presidential campaigns, I would sometimes listen to the candidates speak and then I would listen to the paid pundits. It did not matter which political party they were affiliated with, for some reason what the pundits heard and what I heard from the candidates were not usually the same thing. The key, I believe, is the word "paid." The pundits are hired servants that promote the cause of the employer or master that they serve. They definitely have personal agendas and they hear what they want to hear. They say what they want to say according to how it will profit themselves.

I am not saying that they are lying; well, not exactly. They simply cannot see the truth because what they wish is the truth is so overpowering that is all they can see or know.

The truth is that if we truly want to know the truth we must listen to Jesus because he is the truth. If we truly want the world to be a better place for the following generations we must know the truth and speak it for the sake of the world and not just for ourselves. 

May God open the hearts of all people to know the truth and to speak the truth who is Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In Peace

"Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinth 13:11

We pray for peace in the world; for the safety of those being persecuted for their faith; for the well being of those whom we love. We pray for a lot of good things. It seems all good on the surface. Yet, even within the church there is often division and divisiveness.

St. Peter encouraged the Corinthians to work together with one mind; with the mind of Christ. When egos come to play within a congregation or community, divisiveness comes with it. The only will that ought to be done is the will of God. His will is that brothers and sisters in Christ live in peace so that He might be glorified. His desire was that we should be reconciled, in peace, to Him and to one another through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

May the peace of the Lord be with you all.

God's Peace - Pr. J