Enemies Abound

Psalm 143 KJV for Pentecost Sunday 2022

We Love Him Who First Loved Us

Troublemakers and Rumors of Wars

Choose You This Day

Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

                                                                                   (Josh 24:14-15 KJV)

The journey is over. The Israelites have been promised the land for generations. They have been led through some hard times. They have been blessed by the LORD. Joshua's days are almost over. He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them to decide for themselves whether they will serve the LORD or false gods. 

Who indeed will you serve? Which gods? Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness? As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, you are encouraged to do likewise. Who brought you out of bondage? Did any of your false gods really help you? You cannot serve two gods. Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve. And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you. Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you? Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you? Or will you choose to lift up a lesser god; a god that does not love you; a god that will only take from you; a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless? Choose ye this day... And, do not be deceived there is only one God that loves you. Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom; in His very presence. Do not settle for a lesser gift than this. Do not turn your back on the LORD who loves you and gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rejoicing and Weeping

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (Rom 12:15 KJV)

When I accepted my first call to pastoral ministry my husband asked me how I was ever going to be able to officiate at funerals. You see... I tend to get emotional. I cry a lot. I cry for joy at weddings. I weep to see such grief at funerals. 

Growing up, as some of you were taught, I was taught that tears show weakness. That is a fallacy. Among other things, they show empathy. St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans that we are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. At the death of Lazarus "Jesus wept." He did not weep for Lazarus. Jesus knew that in short order he would be commanding Lazarus to rise and come forth from the grave. Jesus wept to see such sorrow and grief among those who loved Lazarus. (John 11:1-44)

We usually associate grief with the loss of a loved one. But, any sort of loss can bring us grief. 

There is another kind of loss that burdens the heart and brings the strongest of men and women to their knees in tears. That loss occurs when we recognize that we or those whom we love may have turned their backs on God to worship other gods. The loss of faith and or faithfulness when recognized hopefully turns to contrition and that humble contrition will bring us to tears of repentance and ultimately rejoicing with tears of joy in the forgiveness that we receive through the sacrifice of Jesus our Savior and Lord.

Weeping with and for others is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of empathy. It is witness of love. Do not be ashamed of your tears. Rejoice that you are able to feel or bear the pain with others. There are way too many in this world who are not able to feel the strength of love that walks beside not only those who rejoice; but, those who grieve, as well. It is a strength, it is a gift from God to be able to love and to walk alongside others in their griefs and in their joys. Be not ashamed of Christ who abides and loves so greatly through you.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 

Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."

                                                                                               (2 Cor 1:3-5)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

In The Morning When I Rise...

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

                                                                    (Lamentations 3:22-24 KJV)

Well, I finally figured out how to get videos from my phone to blogger! Just takes patience which I can be short of from time to time.

Have blessed day! God's Peace be with you all!  Pr. Judy

Thankful That I Get To Stay Home On Black Friday!

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5 NRSV)

Today, I am very thankful for a couple of things.

1. I am thankful for the internet. I did my Black Friday Christmas shopping online early yesterday morning so I do not feel compelled to go out shopping today! I do not feel compelled to get run over in any store today just to get a deal on something no one I know actually needs. I am thankful that I will not be in any store today feeling frustrated because it is so crowded that I cannot push a cart down the aisle.

2. I am very thankful that I am a pastor and not a clerk in a store today. I would probably have a very difficult time being nice for an eight hour shift. So, I am thankful that I will not be tempted to lose my temper with complete strangers today. My husband works in a home improvement store. He works eight hours today. I am very thankful that I am not him today.

We each have our limitations and our gifts. I have a pretty good idea of what both of mine are. Therefore; I can use my gifts for the good; and avoid the problems that would come with me overstepping the bounds of my limitations.

Let us give thanks and praise to God for giving to each of us specific gifts to serve others. Let us pray for all of those clerks who have to deal with people who are pushing their limits.

May your Black Friday be stress free.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wisdom Is Trusting The Lord

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body.
Proverbs 3:5-8 NRSV

I hear many a person confess their faith in the Lord. They say that they believe in him; they trust him and depend upon him. But, then I see and hear otherwise. We confess our faith in the Lord and then we turn around and trust in the wisdom or rather the lack of wisdom of humankind. We say that we are faithful to him; but, then our actions prove that we do not listen to the wisdom of God. We listen to the wisdom of the world; to our own demise.

May God help us to be more faithful to him and to follow our Lord in the way that he (not we) would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Other Gods

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
                                                                         (Deut 5:6-11 NIV)

I spent many, many, years as the wife of an active duty Marine. The U.S. Marines have a saying: "God, Country, Corps." That is in proper order. God always comes first. There can be no other gods. There can be no other priorities. When faithfulness to God comes first, faithfulness to our other obligations just falls into place, with the help of God. But, if we cannot be faithful to God, then we will not be truly faithful to anything or anyone else, either.

As a Marine Corps wife, I spent a lot of time alone raising two sons, as my husband was deployed for far more than half of his career. I had no family near. It was a good thing. Through this time, I learned that there is one who I can trust all of the time and that is God. Through this time, I learned that there was one who loved me like no other. God was there when no one else was. I wasn't always thrilled with the way He worked things out; but, I came to know and trust that no matter how He was working them out; they were being worked out for the good.

The best thing we can do for our loved ones, for our country, for our world, is to fear, love and trust God above all things; and to follow in the way He would have us go. His plan is perfect for us. Ours is not.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fruits Of The Spirit

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness,  faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Gal 5:22-25 NIV)

We all lose it once in awhile. There may come a time or times when none of the fruits of the spirit are evident in us. We are human and are liable to fall prey to human emotions like anger or fear or desperation and will react. Hopefully, it is only for a moment when it does happen. Hopefully, we will hear the reminder of the Spirit of Christ in us telling us that we belong to Jesus and that we must crucify our flesh; our ego with its negative and harmful desires must die in order to live more fully in him. We have to get a grip and let those harmful thoughts and emotions and acts die so that the Spirit of Christ might live more fully in us. 

There is so much negativity in the world that as Christians we must be careful not to promote that negative thinking and acting. As children of the heavenly Father, who have received the Holy Spirit, we might need to remind ourselves from time to time that this negativity; this futility, is not of God. Rather; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are evidence of the Spirit of Christ that abides in us.

If we truly want to live in love, joy, and peace; then let us let us live in love, showing forbearance, kindness, and gentleness toward others.

May God help us to use the self-control that He has given us through the Spirit to live our lives more fully in Christ; to live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Good Name

A good name is more desirable than great riches;
    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
                                                     Proverbs 22:1 NIV

If gaining wisdom and knowledge is the purpose of the Book of Proverbs then I am wondering how many people are actually reading this book. There was a time, a long, long, time ago, when a good name was something people worked at achieving and retaining. Retaining a good name was something that was valued. A good name was considered an asset. It did not matter how much money you had; what kind of home you lived in; or, where you lived. What mattered was your character. What counted was being there for others in need. What mattered was whether or not you lived in your integrity. In order to have a good name, we knew that one must respect the rights of others. It was important to respect and obey the laws of both God and humankind. We understood that once a good name is lost, it is pretty hard to ever gain it back.

Today the most well known names are serial killers, movie stars, other social idols, and politicians. Those who strive greatly for silver and gold and having a well-known name rather than a good name seems to be the goal for many today. There is a difference between a well-known name and a good name.  Which would you choose for yourself: a well known name because of your greed and avarice; because of your sins, or a good name because of your faithfulness to God and your love and devotion to others?

There is one name above all other names. (Phil 2:9-11) That name is Jesus the Christ. As Christians we bear the name of Christ. Let us always remember that name is far above all things in this world. It is to be esteemed better than silver or gold or anything that money can buy. Bear that name wisely and with love and integrity.

We each choose our own paths. But, in the end there is only one path; one way, to the Kingdom of God, where there is no end to peace. That way is our Lord, Jesus the Christ. He is the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other.

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Other Gods!

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." Ex 20:2-3

The First Commandment as taught to our children from Luther's Small Catechism
"You shall have no other gods.

What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things."

I spent many, many, years as a wife of a U.S. Marine. They have a saying: "God, Country, Corps." That is the proper order. God always comes first. There can be no other gods. There can be no other priorities. When faithfulness to God comes first, faithfulness to our other obligations just falls into place, with the help of God. But, if we cannot be faithful to God, then we will not be faithful to anything or anyone else, either.

As a Marine Corps wife, I spent a lot of time raising two sons alone as my husband was deployed for far more than half of his career. I had no other family near. As bad as that might sound, it was a good thing. Through this time, I learned that there is one I can trust all of the time and that is God. Through this time, I learned that there was one who loved me like no other. God was there when no one else was. I wasn't always thrilled with the way He worked things out; but, I came to know and trust that no matter how He was working them out; they were being worked out for the good.

The best thing that we can do for our loved ones, for our country, for our world, is to fear, love and trust God above all things; to put Him first in our lives; and to follow in the way that He would have us go. His plan is perfect for us. Ours is not.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Choose Ye This Day

The journey is over.  The Israelites have been promised the land for generations.  They have been led through some hard times.  They have been blessed by the LORD.  Joshua's days are almost over.  He reminds the people of all that the LORD has done for them and tells them:

"Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness;   put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the Rive and in Egypt, and    serve the LORD.  Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."  (Josh 24:14-15)

Whom, indeed, will you serve?  Which god or gods?  Will you revere the LORD in sincerity and in faithfulness?   As Joshua encouraged the Israelites to recall their history with the LORD God, I encourage you to do the same.  Who brought you out of bondage?  Did any of your false gods really help you?  You cannot serve two gods.  Choose ye this day, whom you will you serve.  And, whichever one you choose know that they will each desire faithfulness from you.  Will you choose the One who first chose you, who is faithful, and has always been faithful to you?  Will you choose the one who loves you so much that He was willing to die for you?  Or will you choose a lesser god, a god that does not love you, will only take from you, a god that will take your very joy and leave you alone and helpless?  Choose ye this day...  Do not be deceived. There is only one God that loves you.  Put away all those false gods, for you cannot serve them all and live.

God's promise to you is a for an abundant life in His Kingdom - in His very presence.  Do not choose to receive a lesser gift than this.  Do not turn your back on the LORD who gives you life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Give Thanks

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5 NIV

Well, I woke up this morning feeling a sense of loss. It is the eve of our national holiday Thanksgiving. Yes, Thanksgiving is the day that our government set aside many years ago for the citizens of this country to give thanks to God for all the bounty that He has blessed us with.

This evening will be the first time in decades that I have not led a Thanksgiving Worship Service. Yet, I will give thanks as I do every day for I do not know and do not want to know what I would be without the Lord's blessings. The greatest blessing of all being that He gave His only begotten Son; that through Jesus, I have been reconciled to God, our Father. Not, just I; but, all who would believe in Jesus and his life-giving sacrifice for you.

Wherever you are and whomever you are with; please remember to thank Him for all His goodness to you and to this country. And, if you find yourself alone on the holiday, remember that you are not alone. God is with you always. He love endures forever; his faithfulness never ends.

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