Crucified With Christ

Reading from Galatians 6;14-18 KJV - we glory in the cross of Christ!

Love and Live

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

                                                                            (Mark 12:28-31 KJV)

There is only one who can love perfectly. That one is God. Yet, we hear the commandment to love and by the power of the Holy Spirit we are encouraged and empowered to love even our enemies. But, even as the Spirit of Christ dwells within us the old man, Adam, also fights within us to rebel against this law of love. To do it our own way. 

The greatest commandment is to love God. When we truly love Him the second greatest commandment to love our neighbors becomes evident in our lives as well. Love does overcome fear. It overcomes hatred. It enables us to live together in peace. That does not mean we should not speak against evil. Rather out of love we call what is a sin a sin and do not pretend that everything is okay. This is done out of love for them so that they too may know the peace and joy that living in the presence of our loving God and one another can bring.

Love the Lord your God and you neighbor as yourself that you might live life in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Look To The One Who Dwells In The Heavens

Psalm 123 KJV

Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

+++

Look to the One who created you in the time of trouble. Look to the One who created all things in times of peace. Look to the one who dwells in the heavens. He has shown us mercy. He will have mercy upon us. Wait upon Him. Trust not  in the world or anything else in the heavens or on earth to rescue you. God is with you. He can. He will rescue you.

Thanks be to God for through faith in Christ we have been saved!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Is My Refuge And Fortress

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.
                                                          (Psalm 91:1-2 NIV)

I woke up this morning wondering what life was going to be all about today; what kind of "walls" I'd run in to. I decided to not get up and move for awhile. Instead, I just thought about how comforting it is to know that no matter what happens today or any day, God is with me. I am not alone for I rest in the shadow of Almighty God. In God I an always trust.

It is a great comfort know that world is not all there is. There is so much more. But, even while here in the body we can find comfort in the knowledge that all who trust in Him are afforded the love and protection of the Most High, our Almighty God, the most magnificent that ever was, is, and ever shall be.  We are His!  Thanks be to God!

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Is Bigger Than Any Giant

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

We face giants every day. The world would place obstacles before us to prevent us from doing God's will; to prevent us from following Jesus wherever He would lead us. But, those giants have no power over us because Christ lives and dwells within us. He has overcome those giants. On the cross, he overcame all that would come against his children.

Do not fear the giants in the world. God is bigger! He is greater! He has done great things for us and He will continue to be with you and in you as you face those giants.

May God grant you courage to do His will and the faith to trust that He is with you as you face whatever the world would throw at you.

God's Peace - Pr. J