Marvelous Things

Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jer 33:2-3 KJV)

I wish that I had figured out that I could really talk to the Lord when I was much younger. I made so many foolish mistakes and followed in ways that were definitely not good for me or anyone else. But, I did not comprehend that talking to God mean more than just asking for things. I wasn't asking him to help me to better understand who he really was. I wasn't asking for a closer relationship with him. I was asking for much more worldly things. Things like: get me out of the trouble I just put myself in! 

Now, I hope that the younger people (and not just younger) that I know and love would have enough sense to want to get to know this great and awesome and loving God that we have. Having him in our lives is enough. He is more than enough! 

Talk to him and not just talk to him; but, listen to him and he will show you great and mighty things which you cannot know or understand without him.

Our God is an awesome God. Call upon him and then listen and follow in the way that he would have you go and you will better understand and appreciate all of the marvelous things he has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

From Dust Or Ashes?

This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. (Genesis 2:4-8 NIV)

From the dust you were created once. From the dust God can raise you from the dead. Whenever a death occurs I usually get to hear questions about cremation. There is a fear that if we are cremated that we cannot be risen from the dead. My response (with a smile) is usually something like: "What did God do after He pulled back the waters from the land? Did he not form us from the dust of the ground? If he could create us from dirt once; He can surely do it again whether it is from ashes or from the dust of the earth. No matter what; if it is His will we will rise from the dead. And... what about the faith-filled who have died in fires or other catastrophes where their earthly bodies no longer exist in human form? Do you suppose that He would not give them the eternal life that He has promised to all who believe?"

Do not fear; but, believe. All who believe, though they die will live. Jesus told Martha when she was grieving the death of her brother, Lazarus: "... I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25)

Do not fear; but, believe. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) That is the promise to you." 

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Speaks To Us

"This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’" (Jer 33:2-3 NIV)

Prayer is not just about talking to God. It is also about listening to him. He promises to speak to us; but, we will not hear unless we take the time to listen. His voice comes to us in many ways: in the reading or the hearing of scripture; through the sermons or teachings that we hear while at Worship or Bible Study; through our neighbors as we spend time with them; and in so many other ways. Yes, we can even hear his whisper in our inmost being if we take the time to be quiet and listen. It is most difficult to hear God with the television or radio blaring. Elijah could not hear God in the chaotic winds or earthquake or fire. He heard God's gentle whisper in the sheer silence. (1 Kings 19:11-18)

But, not everyone wants to hear God speak to them. He may tell us something that we do not want to hear. He may ask us to go where we would not choose to go for ourselves; to do something for others that we'd rather not spend our time or talents on. He might even suggest very strongly that we repent; that we turn our lives around and follow His Son. That would require a sacrifice that we do not want to make. So, we turn on the radio, the television, and whatever other noise we can find to lessen the chance that when God speaks we might hear.

God still speaks to His children. Listen to Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J