We Do Not Abuse Family

Romans 8:12-17; Romans12:18; KJV As member of earthly families as well as adopted members of the family of God we support one another that God might be glorified.

We Are Wonderfully Made; Have Blessed Mother's Day!

Psalm 139:13-14 KJV; Don't believe or worry about what others may say about you. Know this:  You have been wonderfully made by God who loves you. He loves you more than it is possible for any human to love. 

Submit One To Another

Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

                                                                                                               (Eph 5:21-28 KJV)

St. Paul admonished husbands and wives to submit to one another. What does this mean?

It means even as the Lord Jesus gave himself up for the sake of humanity we are to give our own pitiful and self-serving desires up for the sake of the person we have committed to live and love forever; for the sake of our marriages.

If we could but love as Christ loves the world would be in excellent shape. We are sinners; but, that does not mean that we should not try with all of our beings to love and support each other.  As people, born again into the Body of Christ, the Spirit of Christ dwells within us and reminds us when we are about to do something that will cause physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual damage to our spouses. It also empowers us, as hard as it may seem, to say no. I love him or her too much. I have committed myself to that person in the eyes of God and will put their needs before my own desires for the sake of out marriage; for the sake of the whole family of God. 

The love that God has imparted to us through Jesus Christ empowers us to do what is right for others, for ourselves; for our marriages. When we do what is right; when we submit to one another, as the Spirit guides us, our lives will know a much greater amount of both love and peace. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

With Wings Like Eagles

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

                                             Isaiah 40:30-31 KJV

We all get weary from time to time. Physical weariness can sometimes be quite satisfying when it comes from a long, hard day of work. 

The dark days of winter often bring another kind of weariness. Emotional, mental, or spiritual weariness often settles on us during these days of less light. This kind of weariness is never satisfying. It is a struggle for many to overcome this type of weariness that is often accompanied by deep depression. 

This kind of weariness is not overcome alone. We must trust that the  Lord will renew our strength. He will shine light on the darkness of our hearts and minds. He will send His Spirit upon us so that we might once again soar like an eagle through the trials of the day. 

In Christ, we shall run and not be weary.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Does Not Abuse

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 

                       (1 John 4:18 NRSV)

There are more ways to abuse someone than physical abuse. Emotional, mental, and spiritual abuse can also destroy the person being abused. It is also devastating to the people who truly do love them.  

There are many ways in which abuse other than physical abuse occurs. 

1. Do they tell you often that you are stupid or crazy? 

2. Do they refuse to talk about your hurt when you are feeling down and do you feel down a lot because they keep reminding you that they think you are stupid or crazy? 

3. Do they find excuses for you to not to visit friends or family without them? Are they isolating you from those who truly do love you and who would be your support system?

4. Do they find excuses to go out with their friends and leave you behind making you feel like you are not good enough to be seen with them or to be around their friends?

5. Do you have to have every penny that you would spend approved by them while they are free to spend... spend... spend?

6. Do you spend an awful lot of time crying alone?

Abusers tend to be narcissists and control freaks. They want to control your life as well as everything else around them to please themselves. Whether it is from low self-esteem or egos that are too large; they will do and say everything they can in order to control your life in an attempt to make themselves look good in their own eyes. Abusers do need our prayers as much as the abused do. The manipulation and control they attempt to exert upon others often falls back on themselves causing them not only more inner turmoil; but, sometimes legal consequences, as well.

7. Are you afraid that if you don't do and say everything that the one you loves expects that you will lose them?

If so, maybe it is time to let them go. This is not love. Love casts out all fear. Love does not insist on having its own way. It will not make excuses for not doing what is right when it wants to do what it wants to do.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

8.  Have they managed to convince you that faith in Christ is a myth and that you should have faith in them alone so that you no longer trust in God's love for you? 

Live life in the light of Christ's love. His perfect love casts out all fear! His love does what is right and good for the ones whom he loves.

God's Peace - Pr. J

We Shall Not Be Weary

Even youths will faint and be weary,

    and the young will fall exhausted;

but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their        strength,

   they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

   they shall walk and not faint.

                              (Isaiah 40:30-31 NRSV)

We all get weary from time to time. Physical weariness can sometimes actually be quite satisfying when it comes from a long, hard day of work. However, I have not found emotional, mental, or spiritual weariness to ever be satisfying. It is a struggle for many to overcome this type of weariness that often brings depression. 

Depression and emotional weariness is not overcome alone. There is no just getting over it. We wait on the Lord and trust Him to renew our strength. He will send helpers; friends and sometimes professionals, to walk beside us as we go through the valley of darkness. He will send His Spirit upon us so that we might once again soar like the eagle through the trials that assail us. 

In Christ, we shall rise again. We shall run and not be weary. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

All You Need Is Love

 

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:34-36

Some of you may remember the Beatles song "All You Need Is Love." Love, love, love... Is that all we need? The truth is that we do need love. But, we do not need the kind of love that says I'm with you today and tomorrow when you really need love, I will be gone. Genuine love provides for more than just one's emotional needs. Love is great; but, when someone is left hungry or without shelter or heat where is the love? When we love one another, we will strive to make sure that all of our neighbors' needs for daily life are met. We will not let them go hungry, or without shelter, or without warmth, or without any of the necessities to sustain physical life.

Jesus had just humbly knelt to wash the feet of his beloved disciples; Judas had just left to betray the one who loved him; when Jesus gave the command to love another even as he loved them. Love, in this sense, is not just a noun. It is a verb. We are to humble ourselves and to actively love and show care and concern for the people around us; indeed, even around the whole world, even as Jesus went forth and died for the world.

This is his commandment: that we are to love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J

With Wings Like Eagles

Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
    they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:30-31 NRSV

We all get weary from time to time. Physical weariness can sometimes actually be quite satisfying when it comes from a long, hard day of work. However, I have not found emotional, mental, or spiritual weariness to ever be satisfying. It is a struggle for many to overcome this type of weariness that often brings depression. It is not overcome alone. We must wait on the Lord and trust Him to renew our strength. He will send His Spirit upon you so that you might once again soar like the eagle through the trials of the day.  

 

In Christ, we shall run and not be weary.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

What Motivates Meanness?

Psalm 70 NIV

Hasten, O God, to save me;

    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

May those who want to take my life
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”

But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    Lord, do not delay

                                    

The Psalmist makes another plea for help. He prays to be saved from his enemy, again! David appears to have a lot of enemies. He faces much persecution and he faces it often.

I often find myself wondering exactly why it is that so much of humankind thinks that it is necessary to bring ruin to others. I particularly have a hard time understanding, not so much the outright meanness, but the pervasive passive-aggressive verbal, mental, and emotional abuse that is so commonly inflicted upon others. What motivates people to be so hateful? I am not sure if they even have a clue how much they hurt others, by their self-centered life-styles. If they did, would it stop, would they stop?  Or, would the meanness just get worse as they revel in their ability to persecute others?

The only thing that I can surmise is that they simply do not know the LORD. They may imply or even say that they are Christians, but the fruit does not bear witness to that claim. They know a little about Jesus, but they do not know Him.  I cannot help but feel empathy for them.  It must be a very lonely place that they are at. In the meantime, they continue to attack even those who love them.

So, for this morning, I think I shall pray: Hasten, O God to save our enemies, open ears, hearts, minds to a greater understanding of Your Word, Your good will for them and all people, that we all might be helped.  

'The LORD is great!" (vs 4) He is greater than great! He is my help and my salvation. He is your help and your salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Time and Season for Change

There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under the heavens.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Every season brings change. People must adapt to the season. We must be prepared for every season or in the winter we will freeze; in the summer we might suffer from heat stroke. The earth itself has changed over the generations. It has not only had four seasons; but, seasons of entire climate change. There were times of great flooding. There were times of almost global drought. There was that ice age. In order to survive, people had to adapt. Recently, Hurricane Matthew came through. That called for a few weeks of doing things differently for millions of people. Change sometimes has to happen whether we are comfortable with it or happy about it. Sometimes, we have no choice; but, to reevaluate how things are done and make some changes for the well-being of all people.

The church has its seasons as well; both short term and long term. If we do not adapt, if we flat out refuse to change to meet the changes that come with each season; we may find ourselves suffering. We will leave others out in the cold to suffer and die. We may find ourselves all alone without water to sustain either our bodies or our souls. 

Change comes with growth. Growth comes with change. What was good for yesterday is not always what is good for today. What we are called to do specifically to help God's children depends on the circumstances surrounding us. What are their needs? Are they spiritual? Do they need to be lifted up at this present point in time? Maybe they need food or shelter? Maybe, their physical needs are so great that until those needs are met we cannot begin to address spiritual needs or maybe as we meet those needs their emotional and spiritual needs will also be addressed?

There is a time and a season for every purpose under heaven. May the church on earth be granted the wisdom and ability to know when and how to change with the seasons for the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wisdom To Make Right Choices

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
    and nourishment to your bones.

Proverbs 3:7-8

We often make poor choices. We do it hastily, without considering the bigger picture. We often make these poor decisions based on what we want now without considering what is really good for us and others around us. When we make wrong decisions that are based mostly on our feelings and what we think will make us happy, we get to experience the results of those decisions, whether the short and long term consequences are good or bad. Some of those decisions affect our physical condition. Some of them affect our emotional, mental, or our spiritual health negatively. Some affect our whole beings.

The Lord knows what is good for us. He has, indeed, given us guidelines and a path to follow.

May God grant us the wisdom to see the path that He has set before us and empower us to make the right choices.

God's Peace - Pr. J