Whatever Happens; God Is With You

My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4 NRSV) 

Growing in Christ does mean that we will face trials. There was a time when I could actually smile at those trials that I would face, knowing that it would be a learning and growing experience. Then, I would just get to it. Today, I am more likely to find myself weary of facing one trial after the next. Maybe, it's more like I've learned to simply endure them. I look out into the world and see all the trials that people endure simply because of our sinful natures, I get tired of seeing so much unnecessary suffering. I know that trials produce endurance so that we might mature and grow in Christ. However, it saddens me to know that those trials are often born out of disrespect for the world; for the people around us; and, for God.

Sadly; to live in this world, we do need endurance and endurance comes from facing and overcoming trials. But, we are not alone. We are never alone. God is with us and we will prevail. We will grow  and mature in Christ. We can rejoice in that knowledge.

God grant that we should have joyful spirits as we face the trials before us, in the knowledge that God is with us and for us. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Attitude Like Christ

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Rom 15:5-6 NIV)

Jesus did not die for just you or just me. He did not put himself before us when he was tried and crucified. He could have left the area. Instead, he went to Jerusalem knowing what would happen. He could have tried to defend himself. But, he did not. He was not acting to protect himself. He was acting to save us.

Likewise, Paul encourages the Christians in Rome and us to have the same attitude of mind that Christ Jesus had for others; for us.

May God help us to always consider the good of others before our own personal desires so that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Help Us To Be Fruitful

"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
     To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
     May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1:1-8 NRSV

We are saved by God's grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ; yet, Peter reminds us that we should support that faith with such things as goodness and knowledge. It makes no sense whatsoever for us to have received this precious gift of faith if we do not live by that faith. We are to be fruitful laborers in that which He has called us to.

God bless the works of our hands, the words of our lips and the meditations of our hearts and minds that all that we say and think and do will be acceptable in His sight and glorify Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Help Us To Be Fruitful!

"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,      To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
     May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

                                                                                           (2 Peter 1:1-8 NRSV)

We are saved by God's grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ; yet, Peter reminds us that we should support that faith with such things as goodness and knowledge; self-control with endurance and with godliness and most assuredly affection and love. He reminds us that we are to be fruitful in the use of the gift of faith that God has provided us with. It makes no sense whatsoever for us to have received this precious gift of faith if we do not live by that faith. We are to be fruitful laborers in that which He has called us to.

God bless the works of our hands, the words of our lips and the meditations of our hearts and minds that all that we say and think and do will be acceptable in His sight and glorify Him, our Savior and Lord..

God's Peace - Pr. J

Teach Us To Teach By Example

Psalm 119:30

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance." Titus 2:2 NIV

The Bible verse for the day from Bible Gateway is from Titus 2:2. I'm not trying to pick on older men. But, I wanted to remind all of us, men and women, who especially fall into the "senior" category and claim to have known Jesus for most, if not all of our lives, that we are to be examples to younger persons and newborn Christians.

So, I am using this verse to teach us all and to remind us that through not just our words; but, our actions, as well, we teach others what it truly means to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

May God help us to live lives worthy of God, who calls us into His kingdom and glory. (1 Thess 2:12)

God's Peace - Pr. J