Joseph Makes A Good Decision

Matthew 1:18-25; KJV; 4th Sun Advent/Christmas Eve; Joseph listened to the words of the angel. May God help us all to listen to the Word who is Jesus the Christ!

Evangelism A Way Of Life

Philippians 4:4-7 KJV; 20th Sunday After Pentecost; If we are to follow Christ then what we do and say should reflect the peace which comes with knowing him. Others will see and wonder at your light!

Hearken To The Lord!

13th Sun after Pentecost; Isaiah 51:1-6 KJV; Listen to Him!

Lost In The Fog

Pentecost Sunday; Psalm 25:1-15 KJV; Lost in a fog? Turn to the Lord and follow in the way that He has shown us. 

The Lamb Of God

John 1:29-37 KJV: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Love For The Children

Galatians 4:4-6 KJV; Even as God has loves us, His adopted children, we love and care for our children.

Jesus Bids You Take Up Your Cross

Luke 14:25-35 KJV  "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die."  (Dietrich Bonhoeffer) Consider the cost of following Jesus. It is not a commitment that we should take lightly.

Offending God

Matthew 16-22-26; Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. It's better to die to self so that you might live in God's presence.

John 12 We Must Die To Self

Philippians 3 Move Forward Feb 24 2022

Walk In His Ways

Psalm 128 KJV

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

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The Psalm today sounds a lot like "IF" you do this the Lord will bless you. The plain truth is that the Lord has shown us a fruitful way to live. Do good! Doing what is contrary to the way that God has shown you to live will lead you into trouble of your own making. 

He has shown us the way to live lives of peace. Dwell in his Word. Abide in Christ and follow in the way. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In The Light Of Christ

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12 KJV)

The men had been about to stone a woman they accused of being an adulteress; but, Jesus stopped them. He told them that the one without sin should cast the first stone. No stones were thrown. Not a one of them could condemn her. He gives relief to the woman saying that neither does he condemn her.  She is free to go and sin no more. She is free from her sins to live in the light of Christ.  

It would behoove us all to welcome this freedom from sin; this absolution, and to live in the light of Christ. As humans we tend to strive to keep our sins hidden and so we end up living in the darkness. The darkness is a nothing more than a prison. It keeps us enslaved. But by living in the light of Christ we are free to live an abundant life now and in the age to come.

Live life! Follow the light of life who is Jesus the Christ the one who loves you and died that you might be absolved of all of your sins so that you can truly live life!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Listen To Him

Psalm 1:1-4 KJV

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

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God's will; His way, is for the good of all who listen and follow in that way. When we decide that we would rather do our own thing than listen to him things don't always go so well for us.

According to the prophet Isaiah:

"Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."  

                                                                            (Isa 55:2-3)

And when Peter, James, and John witnessed Jesus being transfigured and speaking with Moses and Elijah on the mountain they heard a voice that told them that they were to listen to him.

"While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (Matt 17:5)

This is His beloved Son. This is our beloved brother and our savior. Listen to him for all that he has done and is doing is out of love for humankind; for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Whom Will You Serve

And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

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.

And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods;

For the Lord our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:

And the Lord drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the Lord; for he is our God. 

                                                                                                   (Josh 24:1-2, 14-18 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:

"...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 24:15)

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, 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, one 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 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.

Wherever He Goes; We Go

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,

And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

                                                                                                                   (Mark 6:53-56)

They ran out into the desert to hear him. They ran to the other side of the lake. The people know a good thing when they hear it. They know that there is something super special about Jesus. They believe; they know that Jesus can heal them. Jesus can make them whole again. And, so they follow him. Wherever he goes they are right behind him; seeking him so that they may be made whole physically or spiritually. 

As soon as Jesus got out of the boat the people recognized him and went to him. How about you? Do you follow him? Do you recognize him? Maybe it's time to get to know Jesus a lot better and then follow wherever he will lead you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Get Out Of Your Safe Space; Seek Other Seas

And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

                                                                                                           (Mark 6:45-51 KJV)

"If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" is a book written by John Ortman. I've never read it; but, I do like the title.

That doesn't mean that you should step out of your boat and try to walk on water as Jesus did. That would be a bad idea especially if you cannot swim. But, if we want to follow Jesus we need to get out of our small boats; our safe spaces, that isolate us from the rest of the world and as the lyrics of one of my favorite hymns tells us with Jesus we will seek other seas.

What does that mean? Not all professed Christians are followers of Jesus. They are merely church goers. Many consider that one or two hours a week is enough to qualify as Christians. Some think that may be too much and make it for Christmas and or Easter Worship. Some do not even do that. It is, of course, important to regularly attend worship to hear the word of God and to receive the Sacrament. By these means of grace God strengthens our faith. But, we are not saved by attending church. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Rituals are fine when they help to restore us and build up our faith. However, Jesus does call us to follow him and he does send us to share the Good News that we have heard with others. In order to do that when we leave the church building; when we leave our small boats, we are to seek others sees. We are to seek the lost.

Do not be afraid to share this Good News. Even though there will be many who reject the Good News and probably you, Jesus is with you even as he was with the disciples on the stormy sea. And... what happened when Jesus got into the boat with the disciples? The wind and tumultuous seas were calmed.

Do not be afraid to get out of your small boat to share the Good News in other seas. Christ is with you no matter how troubled the waters might get.

The hymn I referred to in this blog is "Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore" written by Monseñor Cesáreo Gabaráin. For those who have never heard it and for those who love it the first verse and refrain are as follows:

You have come down to the lakeshore
Seeking neither the wise nor the wealthy,
But only asking for me to follow.

Sweet Lord, you have looked into my eyes,
Kindly smiling, you've called out my name.
On the sand I've abandoned my small boat;
Now with you, I will seak other seas.

God grant us all the courage to step out of our small boats and to follow Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Calls Shepherds; Fruit Gatherers, And Fishermen

He call shepherds to lead his people;
Fruit gatherers to be fruitful and
to gather the fruit;
Fishermen to fish for people.

"Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:

And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel." 

                                       (Amos 7:14-15 KJV)

God calls whom he will call to be his voice; to share the words of his promises and warnings to the world. He called Amos, a shepherd of sheep, to shepherd his people. God call Amos, a fruit gatherer in the orchards, to be fruitful by sharing his words of both promise and warning. Amos was not of the nobility. He was not highly esteemed. Yet, God chose Amos. 

God chose King David who was once a mere shepherd boy to rule his people. From a shepherd of sheep to a shepherd of God's people.

God has a long history of calling those that many would consider to be mere laborers to serve him fruitfully by serving and shepherding his people. He calls whom he will call and not as the world would call. He most often calls those who the rest of the world would consider unfit. He calls those whom he knows will bear fruit for the kingdom. 

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16)

God calls fruit gathers to be fruitful and to gather the fruits for the Kingdom. He calls shepherds to gather his flock and to protect and to lead them. He called fishermen to be fruitful by fishing for people.

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him."

                                                                                        (Matt 4:18-20)

If God is calling you to serve him in a particular way, don't let anyone talk you out of it. Let no one cause you to think that you are not qualified to do what God is sending you to do. God would not send you out without preparing you. He would not send you out without going with you. 

Go in peace. Serve the Lord. 

Pr. J.

Trust God And Know Peace

Proverbs 3:1-12 KJV

My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

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There is a path that leads to peace. Our Lord has shown us the way if we would only listen to Him. I have fallen off that path more than a few times. Thanks be to God for loving me enough to lead me back to the path that He has set before us! 

I have learned over the years and after being corrected by God more times than I can count that the way to live a peaceful life is to live trusting that the Lord will provide for us and by  honoring Him for all that He is and for all that He does. 

I have found that it is best to listen to Him rather than my own desires. The Lord provides all things including a peace that surpasses all understanding. (Phil 4:4-8)  As a young married couple so many decades ago my husband and I often struggled trying to make ends meet. We struggled and didn't get most of the things we desired. We did not get any extra conveniences. But, we were never without our daily needs being provided for.

It is a wise move to listen to the Lord and trust Him. Follow in the way that He has shown you and live in peace.

God's peace be with you always - Pr. J.

Be Released From Your Prison

Be Released From Your Prison

 

Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. 

                                                                             (Acts 12:5-11 KJV)

Locked in a cell; yet, freed by a miracle of God. God sent angels to unlock the doors of Peter's jail cell and to lead him out safely. If he can do this why would we doubt that miracles can happen and unlock any chains of bondage; whether physical or spiritual, that we might find ourselves in through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord?

Peter thought he was merely having a vision; maybe imagining his escape,  from prison. But, he was not. In Christ, we too are released from the bondage. Receive the truth, who is Jesus the Christ. Trust him to free you and let those chains of bondage fall to the ground.

May God bless your day and lead you to freedom in Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

He Sees; He Knows

And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?

And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 

                                                                               (Mark 14:12-16 KJV)

The two disciples were able to make the preparations to observe the passover just as Jesus had told them. How did Jesus know about this upper room and that the owner of the house would allow them to use it for the passover?  They had no telephones. They didn't even have telegraph. It makes no mention of anyone carrying a message back and forth between Jesus and the homeowner prior to them coming into Jerusalem. And, if Jesus had sent anyone to make the arrangement to use his property it would have been one of the disciples he sent to make the preparations with the landowner. How does Jesus know what is going to happen?

How does Jesus know that he will be betrayed by Judas? How does he know that he will be executed and be resurrected from the dead? How does he know? 

He knows! He knows what tomorrow will bring even when we do not. He even knows what we are thinking; what we are worrying or rejoicing about; what we are planning in our hearts. He knows and he cares and is with you no matter what you may be facing.

Listen to him and follow in his footsteps for he knows that death has no power over those who would believe in him. He knows that life in the Kingdom awaits you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.