Father, Son, Holy Spirit

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.   (Matt 28:16-20 KJV)

Today is Trinity Sunday. Usually, on Trinity Sunday, I focus a bit on the essence of the triune God. But, with the state of the Union as it is today I am reminded greatly of what or rather who it is that can save us. Who it is that forgives us all of our sins, reconciling us to God and to one another. God through Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit is our only real help in times like these.

We, too often, get caught up in the physical world, we forget that our battle is with spiritual forces. St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph 6:12)

Yes, we must stand up for what is right in this world. We must protect our neighbors. But, we cannot forget that what is behind the chaos are spiritual forces that aim to destroy us. We must engage in battle with these spiritual forces. We do that by doing exactly what Jesus commanded: teaching all people, baptizing in name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them everything that Jesus commanded to be taught. And, what he taught is good news for all people. We are to proclaim that Good News! We are to let people know that all power and authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. That will bring to us adversity. But, we must trust him to help us as we proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom for all who believe in him. We must rely on his (not ours, not any government's) authority and power to overcome the chaos. 

We thank God our Father this and every day that through the Son and by the power of the Holy Ghost we can stand firmly, facing all adversity, so that all people might know that freedom and the peace that God would give to us.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Armor of God

Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  (Eph 6:11-12 NRSV)

 

Sometimes, we forget that the battle is not against each other; but, against the spiritual forces that attack every one of us. We forget and when we forget we forget to pray even for our enemies that they might change (repent) and receive the peace of the Lord so that we all might live in peace; so that we all might live in the joy of His presence.

 

Yes, the evil one does manifest himself in humankind and we do find ourselves in conflicts and wars. To protect those who cannot protect themselves there are times that we must engage in physical warfare. But, even in those times the spiritual warfare must be paramount. We can never forget to wear the armor that the Lord has provided for us. We are, at all times and in places, to wear the belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes to help us to go out and proclaim the gospel of peace, the shield of faith so that the evil one's arrows will be thwarted, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). 

Even as we venture forth wearing this armor we should always and in all places remember to pray. (Eph 6:14-18) Pray in the Spirit that we do the Lord's will and not our own. Pray that God is with us so that the battle will be won and the devil have no power over us or any whom God loves. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Armor of God

"Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."  Eph 6:11-12 NRSV

Sometimes we forget that the battle is not against each other; but, against the spiritual forces that attack every one of us. We forget and when we forget we forget to pray even for our enemies that they might change (repent) and receive the peace of the Lord so that we all might live in peace; so that we all might live in the joy of His presence.

Yes, the evil one does manifest himself in humankind and we do find ourselves in conflicts and wars. To protect those who cannot protect themselves there are times that we must engage in battle; in physical warfare. But, even in those times, the spiritual warfare must be paramount.

We can never forget to wear the armor that the Lord has provided us. We are, at all times and in places, to wear the belt of truth, a breastplate of righteousness, shoes to help us go out and proclaim the gospel of peace, the shield of faith so that the evil one's arrows will be thwarted, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). Even as we venture forth wearing this armor we should always and in all places remember to pray. (Eph 6:14-18) Pray in the Spirit that we do the Lord's will and not our own. Pray that God is with us; that, the battle might be won and that the devil have no power over us or any whom God loves. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

How Shall We Live; Whom Shall We Please?

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ." (Col 2:6-8 NIV)

How shall we live then? Shall we live to please the world or to please God? If indeed Christ abides in us and we in him we will strive to please God even as Christ pleased our Father in heaven.  For when Jesus was baptized by John (Matt 3:16-17) and when he was transfigured on the mountain (Matt 17:1-5) a voice was heard from the heavens: This is my Son, with him I am well pleased. 

It is difficult to not follow in the ways of the world. We live here. We experience the hollow and deceptive philosophies and human traditions on a daily basis. It is all around us. But, that does not excuse us from following Jesus. In Christ it is possible to know the difference between the elemental spiritual forces and the Spirit of Christ. We are called to take up our crosses and to follow in the way of Jesus to please our Father in heaven. We may fall on the way; many times. But, as we live in faith in Christ, he will pick us up and put us on his path over and over again.

Even as Joshua admonished the people of God to consider whom they would serve; let each and everyone of us ask ourselves whom we shall serve, as well. 

     “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, 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)

For our own sake and for the sake of all people, may God help us to follow in the way of Jesus which is pleasing to our Father in heaven; rather than in the ways of world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Slave Or Child

     When that year was over, they came to him the following year and said, “We cannot hide from our lord the fact that since our money is gone and our livestock belongs to you, there is nothing left for our lord except our bodies and our land. Why should we perish before your eyes—we and our land as well? Buy us and our land in exchange for food, and we with our land will be in bondage to Pharaoh. Give us seed so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.”

     So Joseph bought all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh. The Egyptians, one and all, sold their fields, because the famine was too severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to the other.  (Gen 47:18-20 NIV)

During the great famine, Pharaoh fed everyone in Egypt thru Joseph.  However; there was a cost to the Egyptians, everything they have now belongs to Pharaoh.  They trade their land and even themselves for food.  They now have to pay 1/5 of their harvests to Pharaoh in order to eat and live.  Every time I mention that scripture speaks of a tithe; that is, 1/10 of all we have should be given freely to the Lord's work, I get some really strange looks. Those looks are not usually pleasant looks. The tithe; however, is not demanded. Whatever is given to the Lord's work should be given freely and with joy. But, Pharaoh actually demanded more than 1/5 or 1/10 of the people.  Pharaoh made them slaves. We are not slaves to God. He has made us his own children. We are free to love and serve him. We are never forced or coerced.

All the gifts that God gives to us are freely given. But, sometimes (okay often) we neglect or ignore those gifts. We do not use them wisely. We fritter them away. Sometimes, we don't use them at all. It is sort of like giving some children really nice gifts. Often parents are not even thanked for the gifts that they give their children. It is just expected that parents will give generously because that's what parents are supposed to do. Since the children did not earn it, they don't take care of it and sometimes don't even use or play with it even if they may have begged for it in advance.  However; if they have to work for it; if it costs them something then it seems that the gift is a little more precious in their site.  Why is it that we think so little of the gifts give to us and so much more of what we earn with our own hands?  I am not suggesting that we should not work; just wondering why it is that so often we think so little of the gifts that God gives to us that we would prefer to sell ourselves into servitude to this world to get the things of this world. Will we trade our (abundant) lives as children of God to be slaves to those things that we think will give us temporary life (abundance) in this world? Or... will we receive the freely given food that will give us eternal life? Slave to the world or child of God? That is the question!

May God help us to receive the free gift of life given to us through Jesus the Christ and to share that free gift with others.

God's Peace - Pr. J