Help Us To Give!

Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 KJV; Christ the King; Help us to recognize your abiding in presence in others. Help us to give even as you have given.

Do Good Even To Your Enemies

Romans 12:9-21 KJV; 14th Sunday after Pentecost; Do good to all people as much as is possible that we might all live peaceable lives.

Spiritual and Physical Needs

Matthew 14:13-21 KJV; 10th Sunday after Pentecost; Jesus took care of both physical and spiritual needs of those who followed him into the desert. Do we?

Strangers Are Welcomed: Jesus Is Welcomed

Reading from Genesis: 18:1-19 KJV When we welcome strangers are we welcoming angels unaware or maybe we are welcoming Jesus.

Our Rock And Salvation

Psalm 28 KJV

Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

+++

Most of us have probably had people we cared about in our lives who acted as though they cared about us as well. Then something happened. We may have heard some gossip that they were spreading about us that was simply untrue. It is a sad thing to endure; but, it happens.

In times like these and in all times we can be at peace knowing that the Lord is our rock and redeemer. He will give us the strength and loving graceful hearts to see us through those times.  He will help us and bless us with the inheritance of a place in his eternal kingdom.

Don't worry about the slights we must endure. Do not fear. Trust the Lord. He can turn even the worst of situations into good. He has a good plan for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Chasing After Jesus

Feed Them

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:

Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

And they did all eat, and were filled.

                                                                                                         (Mark 6:33-42 KJV)

Multitudes followed Jesus out into the desert to hear him speak. So he fed them with the word. They were listening to him for so long that he knew that they not only needed to be fed spiritually with the word but that they also needed to be fed physically. 

The disciples were reluctant to feed them even as so many pastors and congregations are often wary about feeding people who knock on their church doors. They are wary for many reasons. Maybe the visitor will use the financial assistance they are given for alcohol or drugs. Maybe they are just con men or women who make their only living by knocking on church doors. Maybe that person knocking on our church door is here to attack the secretary or maybe even the whole congregation or set fire to the church. But, Jesus, the Good Shepherd,  did not question the multitudes need to eat. He told the disciples to feed them. That ought to remind us that we too are to feed the hungry both spiritually and physically. After all, if someone is starving for sustenance for their bodies they will more than likely be focused on their stomach and not able to hear Good News of eternal life in God's Kingdom; his presence, that we would share with them. 

How good is the Good News if we ignore the fact that those we preach to go without food for physical survival?

God help us to feed your sheep!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Feed Not The Itching Ears

"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the Lord.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord." 

                                                                                            (Jer 23:1-4 KJV)

One of the many ways to scatter the Lord's flock is to feed his people with a different gospel than the one that Jesus proclaimed. When pastors preach a word that pleases itching ears rather than pleases God people will eventually have their fill of being pumped up in that place. They will want more. They will find other ways and places to be entertained (false gospels usually are nothing more than entertainment) and not necessarily a place of Christian worship. 

When the flock hears too much law as in if you don't repent and choose for Jesus, without the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ for them; without the benefit of absolution, they will soon tire of being judged every Sunday as they listen to the pastor beg them to choose for Jesus. They will walk away or begin to talk with one another behind the pastors back stirring up strife within the congregation causing even more of the sheep to be scattered.

To be fed a false gospel does not bring us closer to Jesus. To buy into it in order to make ourselves feel good does not reconcile us to God.

St. Paul wrote to the Galatians:  

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." 

                                                                                        (Gal 1:6-10)

The pastor is not sent to scratch the itching ears. I was told by my mentoring pastor when I received my first call as a missionary to a "church without walls" that I was being sent to comfort the afflicted and afflict the too comfortable. This is done with the word of God through the Word of God who is Jesus the Christ.

May God help us to be faithful to his word in all that we say and think and do. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Who Shall Feed Us?

He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. (Prov 28:19 KJV)

Last night as I was considering how so many people seem to be complaining these days about having to work in order to eat; in order to have shelter; in order to do just about anything; I wondered what it might be like if no one worked. What if every farmer decided to stop farming? Who would grow food? Would those who do not want to or like to work actually grow there own food? Or, would putting a shovel or hoe to the ground be too much work? What if every truck driver quit delivering our goods to the store or to our door? What if every grocer decided running a store was way to much work and quit? 

St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." (2 Thess 3:10) This is not to say that those who can work should not help provide for those who really can't work. According to St. James: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:15-17)

Someone has to work in order for each of us to be provided for. Those someone's are everyone who is able to work.

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Col 3:23-24)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Our Rock And Salvation; Trust Him

Psalm 28

Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.

Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.

Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

+++

The Lord is our rock and our salvation. He hears and answers our prayers. Trust him!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Pleasing Others In Community

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.

                                                                (Rom 15:1-7 KJV)

Again or still, I have been thinking about community as most of the country has been mandated to avoid community. In a very real sense, keeping our distance can be for the good of and to please our neighbors. However, we will have a difficult time helping the individual in need if we never see them. There are many social organizations that we can assist in helping others by making donations online. Sadly, some of these organizations have closed their offices due to the mandates. Church offices come to my mind.

We cannot please everyone all of the time. But, in order to please or help them in any way, we usually need to have contact with them. We need to be in community with them. Jesus calls us to feed his sheep. Social media is fine for feeding others the word; but, other then making donations to large agencies who will use a large percentage of our donations for operating costs rather than directly feeding and sheltering those in need, social media isn't all that helpful when it comes to taking care of physical needs.

In order to know what people may need we need to be in community, in communication, with them. Long distance, remote communication really does not do the trick. It is difficult to receive someone as St. Paul exhorts us to do when we can't actually be with one another.

I have joked about being a hermit more than once. I really do appreciate my quiet times with God! But, I also appreciate and give thanks to God for having had so many opportunities over the years to please others by helping them in person when they needed someone who was near and not far away; when they needed someone to feed them whether it was spiritually or physically.

Let us all give thanks that many of the social distancing guidelines are being relaxed and we can get on with living in community to the glory of our ever-loving God our Father.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Pork Is Unclean

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

                                                                                   (John 21:15-17 KJV)

Most of us are fully aware that many in our government have no clue about the hardships a vast number of people in this country suffer with. There appears to be a major disconnect between our government officials and the people they serve. A few at least appear to think that if a household makes less than 150,000 a year you are dirt poor. Way too many have no clue that people actually struggle and survive with way less and many consider themselves most comfortable with 40 or 50,000 a year. I know lots of people who are living on much less than that. Many are happy that they have a roof over their heads and food for their families. 

I have wondered and prayed about the homeless every day since we started self-quarantining and in some states mandatory quarantining. How do the homeless self-quarantine? How do they eat when there is no one on the streets to donate to their daily needs? And, if they are able to scrape enough money up to eat how do they purchase it? Can you walk through a drive thru window to get a muffin and coffee? 

According to the Department of Homeland Security, as of January 2020, there were estimated to be somewhere around three and one half million people who were homeless; that is actually living on the street or in shelters. That estimate does not include people who live with others because they cannot afford housing on their own. 

The CDC reported over 48,000 suicides in 2018. We have a serious mental health crisis in this country. Resources are very limited. Those in crisis who are seeking help could wait months for any real psychiatric help, if they ever get it. As a pastor, I have buried too many suicide victims who might still be alive had help been more available. Most of them were young and had no clue where to turn. I have attempted to get help for more than a few who had serious mental health problems.

One particular person who I attempted to get help for had PTSD. He was a former law enforcement officer who had served in a pretty rough area of the country. He was involved in at least one "suicide by cop." No, I could not find him any help for his PTSD. 

I attempted to find another young man assistance for his mental health illnesses. He had been previously diagnosed with such a slew of Acronymns that beyond the Schitzophrenia, Bi-Polar, ADHD, and OCD, I could not recall all the others that he had been diagnosed with. His medication had run out and so had his Medicaid as he was not able to manage these things on his own. He found himself without a home of his own and living with friends and family. I attempted to help him straighten it out and get him assistance to no avail. Here was a man with serious mental health problems and the state mental health people would not talk to me. They would only talk to  this very confused young man in crisis. I listened as they asked him if he was suicidal at the moment. No, he said, not at the moment. He received no assistance. He did not qualify to see a counselor in person. The phone interviewer disqualified him. A few months later he was dead.

According to the CDC, this flu seasons (October thru Mar 19) there has been an estimated 23,000 deaths from influenza in the United States; of which 149 of them were pediatric deaths. Medical science has not been able to figure out any way to prevent this. 

As to COVID 19... It appears that we will overcome it for this season. But, the threat is still there and now that it is loose on the world, it will probably always be there until our scientists figure out a permanent fix. Will they figure it out or will it be figured out only as well as the influenza virus has been figured out?

My question and frustration this morning is: Where should our government be allocating our tax dollars? To help those in need? I realize that millions for arts and humanities is but a drop in the bucket for millionaire and billionaire public officials; but, I cannot fathom why all those drops in the bucket are not being directed towards helping those in dire need. Directing our tax dollars towards the humanities rather assisting those in dire need reveals the lack of humanity in our elected officials. 

Pork is an unclean meat. Many people, including myself, have a real hard time digesting it. Some simply cannot and/or do not eat it. Maybe it should be gotten rid of it from bills and resolutions put forth by Congress and the Senate, as well.

Peter turned his back on Jesus when he was standing trial. Now, Jesus tells Peter and tells us if we love him we are to feed his sheep!" 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Give Thanks To God Our Father

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Col 3:17 KJV)

Now, isn't that just a novel idea! That is: doing everything in the name of Jesus and giving thanks to God our Father! Living with thankful hearts and minds is a  much more peaceful way to live than being angry and frustrated that you can't have or do what you want all of the time. 

It may sound cliche'; but, just maybe it's time to look around you and give thanks for what you do have and for the people in your life who actually care about you. So often, so many people gravitate towards those who feed their egos. But, when their own egos are no longer being fed by being in relationship with you, they will turn on you in the blink of an eye.

Do everything with the loving heart of Jesus and give thanks to God your Father in heaven then you will know the true joy of living! 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Feed My Sheep

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

                                                                               (John 21:15-18 KJV)

When Jesus was being questioned and tortured; when he was being tried; Peter had denied knowing him three times. Now, Peter is called to affirm that he truly does love Jesus the same number of times that he had denied him. What is more, Jesus tells him to feed his flock; show the world that he is his follower by feeding his lambs, feeding his sheep. He is to go forth, following in Jesus' footsteps, doing the things that he has done. He is to feed his people both physically and spiritually. He is to follow Jesus and take up his cross, even to death and Peter will die for following and proclaiming the Good News that Jesus died and yet lives.. 

We too, have denied Jesus in many ways and for many more times than Peter did. What will we do to show the world that we truly love the one who was willing to die for the sins of all people? How will we testify to this great love? Will we take up our cross? Will we follow? Will we feed his sheep along the way?

God's Peace - Pr. J

And... The Cock Crowed

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

                                                (Matt 26:74-75 KJV)

For years my congregations have observed Good Friday with a Tenebrae Service. There is a monologue given as if it were the eye witness account of St. Peter. It is a moving account of how much our Lord was willing to suffer for us. He was willing to endure torture and death for we who would continue to betray him even as Peter betrayed him. 

When I hear the account of St. Peter's betrayal, I am shaken to the core for I know that St. Peter is not the only betrayer. Here is our Lord giving his life that we might live and here we are living our own lives to fulfill our own selfish purposes; to protect ourselves. We can tell ourselves the Lord expects us to have everything we want to enjoy our lives, and I do believe he wants us to enjoy life; but, at what cost? Is the cost putting the love of self; the love of the world above the love of God? Do we realize that in turning to our desires that we are turning away from the one who loves us so much that he would die for us? Do we truly love the one who loved us enough to die for us above our own selfish desires? 

When Jesus rose from the grave he told Peter that if he loved him then he should feed his sheep. (John 21:15-17) If we truly love him, we would be caring for others even as Jesus cares for us. We would not be the first priority.

Tomorrow is the day that we celebrate his resurrection. But; remember, there would have been no rising from the dead if there had been no death in the first place. You cannot have Easter morning without Good Friday. We too, must die to ourselves in order to live in Christ.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

                                                                                     (Luke 9:23-26)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Homeless?

The thought of my affliction and my homelessness

   is wormwood and gall!
My soul continually thinks of it
   and is bowed down within me.
But this I call to mind,
   and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
   his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
   “therefore I will hope in him.”
                       Lamentations 3:19-24 NRSV

I realized last night that my husband and I are about to become homeless. But, not like the truly homeless. We have an offer on our home in Florida and plan to be living most of the year in an RV. According to state standards, that would make us homeless. Truth be told, this does not make me in the least bit unhappy. It is a planned way of life that many people have chosen. I find it to be a kind of unshackling; to do with less stuff to care for. Managing less stuff will hopefully give us time to enjoy more life and to spend more time in service of God. That, to me, is not homelessness. It is not wormwood and gall. That is freedom. 

Unfortunately, state and local standards often cause many to be truly homeless. They live on the streets or in parks without benefit of any shelter. Some are able to cover themselves with blue plastic tarps. The more fortunate ones may find an abandoned building to sleep in. They wash up in public restrooms and beg in order to eat. After all, who will hire them when they have no clean clothes; no means to bathe; and no way to get to work? Where is the hope for those who find themselves without a home to lay their head at night? It is the same as for all of us. Genuine hope can only be found in God. Many people are generous and will help a bit. But, is a bit enough? There are so many things to overcome.  

Building codes, zoning laws, taxes, high rents and interest rates, and the list goes on all can contribute to the difficulty, if not impossibility of finding adequate shelter for those who may suddenly find themselves homeless. I read an article not long ago that gave me hope for the homeless in Jacksonville, FL. A Tiny House Village was being built for homeless Veterans there. At the same time, I could not help but wonder how many zoning laws around this country would prohibit this. 

Recently, a local city was preparing to move all of its homeless population to a very remote state park. How does that help? Out of sight; out of mind? I have often lamented that Christians from the United States send missionaries to third world countries not so much to share with them the Good News of the Kingdom of God or to give them what they need to thrive; but, what we think they need according to our standards of living. Our standards of living may be what we think is best and it may be for people here in this country. But, is that necessarily so for people of other cultures in other lands? It may not even be the standards that everyone in this country considers necessary. Yet, we've made law upon law so that instead of helping people up we push them down in attempts to exile them to places where we do not have to see that there are truly people in need. 

The state park idea did not work out as a place to exile the homeless in this county. Thanks be to God! When people are suffering we do not exile them so that we do not have to be reminded of the pain and poverty they are enduring. When people are suffering, Christians are called to give them a hand up, not out. Jesus tells us that if we truly love him then we are to "feed his sheep."  

Lamentations says:  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end." In the caring for his sheep; that steadfast love is shared with others, his people will have hope, and God will be glorified. It is not up to the Christian to depend on the government to care for their neighbors. It is up to the Christian who would follow Jesus to love and care for all in need. 

I am looking forward to living in an RV even if it is considered by many, including the state, as being a state of homelessness. I am grateful to God that I will not be truly homeless. May God open our ears, eyes, and our hearts to a greater understanding of his love for all people so that all people might come to hope in Him. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Works Follow Faith

   What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

   But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

   Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

    As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

                                                                                    (James 1:14-19, 26 NIV)

 

Martin Luther had a bit of a problem with James. Given the state of the church that he belonged to, it was not unreasonable for him to worry that some might misunderstand James to say that we need faith plus works for salvation. After all, it was a time when people thought that if they gave the church enough money (a good work) they would be saved. This is definitely not the case. There are no good works that we can attempt to do that will save us. The only good work that can save us is the work that Jesus completed on the cross for us. We are saved by faith in Christ alone!

However, if we truly believe that he died for our salvation, we will love him. We will love him as he loved us. He will love us so much that his love in us will overflow as service to others.  Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me." "Yes," Peter responded three times. Jesus said simply: “'Feed my lambs.' 'Take care of my sheep.' 'Feed my sheep.''' (John 21)

We are not saved by our works. But, we will work to care for his sheep if we truly love the one who gave himself for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Two Things I Ask

Two things I ask of you;

    do not deny them to me before I die:

Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

    give me neither poverty nor riches;

    feed me with the food that I need,

or I shall be full, and deny you,

    and say, “Who is the Lord?”

or I shall be poor, and steal,

    and profane the name of my God.

Prov 30:7-9

 

 

Give us this day our daily bread and help us to live with integrity glorifying your Holy Name, Lord.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do Not Be Afraid!

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life."  (Matt 6:25-27 NRSV)

There have been times in my life when I have been quite confrontational when it comes to injustice. Where others were shrinking back and warning me that I should too for safety's sake, I have advanced. I did indeed consider the worst case scenarios before I advanced. What is the worst thing that could happen to me? What is there to fear? Nothing, not even death. I have eternal life.

When considering a new venture; whether it be a new job or investing in a project or a person or whatever challenge the day might bring; again, the same question: "What have I to fear?" Nothing. Life in this world is temporary. It will all pass. I have eternal life.

Jesus knowingly went forward to the cross; to his death, that we might live. He could have gone in the other direction. He could have; but, he did not. He did not shrink back from saving the world; even though much of the world would reject him. He did not pretend that everything in the world was okay. He was willing to give even his life because the world was not okay.

Do not fear. Our Father in heaven loves you. Believe this and you will have nothing to fear. You will be much more able to attempt to make radical changes within yourself and in the world around you with the knowledge that God is with you and for you. The world may abandon you. You may even lose many things in this world that you now treasure. But, there is nothing to fear. By faith, you have received eternal life.
 
May God help us to always stand in His truth; in His Way, no matter what possible dangers may lay before us. May He help us to remember that we have nothing to fear for through God's own Son, Jesus the Christ, we have eternal life.

God's Peace - Pr. J