The Light Has Come!

“Arise, shine, for your light has come,    and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you."
                               (Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV)

Well... last I looked the sky is not falling. The sun shines most of the time; at least it does here in Florida. Yet, doom and gloom abound. Yes, I agree. The world is not a perfect place. We are a part of that darkness. Sometimes we might even be responsible for inviting the darkness into our lives as we bury ourselves in the ways of this world. There are a lot of evils that must be combatted. Darkness does cover the earth. But, it doesn't have to cover you. 

It is time to shed the darkness that covers the hearts and minds sending God's beloved one's spiraling into depths of depression and despair.. Life here on earth is way too short to spend it in darkness waiting for the light to come. The light has come! Open your eyes to see it. Open your heart to receive him! Live life in the light! Live life in the presence of Christ!

Today is the day to arise and shine. Move forward with the life that God has given you here on earth. Arise and shine for the glory of the Lord shines over you and for you. Imagine, for a moment, what it would be like if the world or at least the people around you would live in the light of Christ. How would it change them? How would it change you? The world could use the light of Christ. Step out of the darkness and let the light of Christ shine through you.

May the light of Christ shine upon and through you that others might see the glory of God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Dem Dry Bones

The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  (Ezekiel 27:1-3 NIV)

Can dry, dead bones live? Of course, they can! According to Jesus: "...with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26) In Ezekiel's vision he was told to prophesy to the breath and when he did the breath came into those dry bones. The breath of God, the Spirit of God, gives us life. It was the very breath of God that brought Adam to life. It is His breath that gives us life. It is His breath that gives us abundant life.

So if you're feeling pretty dried out and dead, ask and you shall receive. Jesus told his followers: Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:23-24)

So what will it be: a dried out life or a life filled with joy and peace in the Body of Christ? So many people running (more like crawling) around filled with depression; decreeing and declaring gloom and doom when they could be living filled with the breath of God, the Spirit of God, united with one another in peace and in joy. It is unimaginable, to me, that more will not walk in the way that brings eternal life in Christ, even now.

Dry bones, get up, receive the Spirit of God, and live life abundantly.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Is Jesus Welcome?

Is Jesus welcome at your table?

When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, "Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me."

Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."

Then he will turn to the ‘goats,’ the ones on his left, and say, "Get out, worthless goats! You’re good for nothing but the fires of hell. And why? Because—

I was hungry and you gave me no meal,
I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was homeless and you gave me no bed,
I was shivering and you gave me no clothes,
Sick and in prison, and you never visited."

Then those ‘goats’ are going to say, "Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or homeless or shivering or sick or in prison and didn’t help?"

He will answer them, "I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me—you failed to do it to me."

"Then those ‘goats’ will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep’ to their eternal reward.”

Matt 15:31-46 The Message

God's Peace - Pr. J