Joseph Believed The Word

He believed the word of the Lord brought
to him by the angel of the Lord.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matt 1:20-21 KJV)

You're going to be a father even though you are not the father! Can you imagine what was going through Joseph's mind when he found out that Mary was pregnant? Yet, Joseph trusted; he believed the words of the angel of the Lord and took Mary and the child to be his family. 

Being a parent is a big responsibility; but, being the parent to the Son of God! How big of a responsibility is that!?

Joseph knew that this child that he and Mary would raise would inevitably save God's people from their sins.  Not only a big responsibility for the people who would raise him; but, how confusing that must have seemed. How would this child save them? What would the child's future be like? What would their lives be like? 

Anyone who finds themselves about to be a parent might have similar concerns no matter how joyful they might be over the upcoming event. Will I be a good parent? Hopefully, those who ask this question understand and are willing to give more of themselves to raise the child. Sometimes, it calls for a change in lifestyles or where one lives; even where one might work. Sometimes and usually bringing children into the world means we must be less selfish and make the children's needs over our own desires. 

Thanks be to God for picking Joseph to be the father of Jesus! Joseph was willing because he trusted in the word of the Lord brought to him by the angel of the Lord.

May God help us to trust the Lord's promises. 

"And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children." (Isa 54:13 KJV)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Future Of Hope (Quit Dwelling In The Past)

Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. 

                                                                                    (Isa 43:18-19 KJV)

It is a good thing to consider the wrongs that we have done and to correct them if we possibly can. It is even necessary. Our past can remind us of things that we do not ever want to do again for our own sake as well as for the sake of others. Without considering our sins; without repenting of them, there is no forgiveness and we will drag those sins with us through the rest of our lives. 

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

                                                                                          (1 John 1:8-9)

It is not so good to be stuck on dwelling on memories of the past. It is not a good thing for you to allow guilt to keep you from moving forward. The past will have a lot of joyful memories. But, it will also have many not so good memories of things that we have done that we should not have done.

None of us are without sin and the sin that we cling to can and will drag us down. We all have things that we wish we could undo. But, we cannot undo what we've done. We can; however, repent and receive forgiveness. In Christ those sins are washed away. They have no power over us. We must let them go or we will live in despair as we dwell on our past leaving no room in our lives for hope for the future.

We must continue to look forward with hope for the promise of God. 

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 

Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8)

So, live life in Christ! Dwell on the promises of God. Through Christ you have been saved from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Place your faith and hope in Christ and live life in him!

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Rom 15:13)

God's Peace - Pr. J

This Too Shall Pass

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Cor 2:9 KJV)

Recently, my granddaughter reminded me that when she was still living at home, that I often told her "This too shall pass." I don't remember that; but, it is probably true as she had a lot of turmoil in her life.

Unfortunately, life does not always feel wonderful. Depression can often set in and when it does it is difficult to see any of the goodness that God has planned for those that love Him. 

It is difficult to grasp the future goodness God has planned when we're in the midst of turmoil; but, His promise is true.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

These words are for you. Whatever you are going through, know that the Lord has a great plan for you and this time and probably many more trying times shall pass and in the end you will be rejoicing in the goodness of God. You will find peace in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Hope of Future and Fruit of Labor

In all toil there is profit,
  but mere talk leads only to poverty.

                           (Prov 14:23 NRSV)

I was listening to Dr. Jordan Peterson on YouTube this morning and something that he said really caught my attention. He said something to the effect of, "an old person has the fruit of their labor; young people have the hope of their future."  

As an older person, there are days when I am not exactly sure how fruitful my labors have actually been. I have worked hard and for many, many decades. I am not rich financially. But, I feel blessed almost all of the time. I am comfortable. I am comfortable because I know that in the days when I was not so profitable or fruitful, God provided for my needs. I am comfortable because I know that he will always take care of me according to his good will. That does not mean that I get to quit laboring and let God through others take care of me. 

I am comfortable (but, not always and completely because of my sinful nature) in that I do recognize the fruit of the work of my hands. But, the question is: has my labor been fruitful in the eyes of God? Has my labor glorified God? The answer to that is definitely not always.

Dr. Peterson said that the young people have the hope of their future. Hope is a good thing. It is a necessary motivator to strive for the things one dreams of. It is necessary for growth and to being able to, when one grows old, to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 

It is the hope of many of my generation that the young will not make the same mistakes as some of us have; spending too much time dreaming and not enough time toiling to accomplish their dreams. Dreaming is a good thing. But, if we are to accomplish any thing then action must follow and often it is quite a lot of action. It is not enough to say that we will do this or that. We must work to reach the goal. There must be labor in order to be fruitful. Fruitfulness follows labor which follows the birth of our hopes and dreams.

I do not understand the philosophy that those who do not work, even though they are able, should be fed by others. Sadly, it is a growing ideology. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: "For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living." (2 Thess 3:10:12)

And, it is not just so that we can have the basic necessities of life that we labor.  Christians will labor and do all that they can to the best of their God given abilities that God might be glorified. When St. Paul wrote to the Colossians concerning our duties to one another he said: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ." (Col 3:17, 23-24)

Whether young or old; whether still forming your hopes and dreams or enjoying the fruits of your labor in your later years; may all things that we say and think and do glorify our Father in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Plans for Future

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jer 29:11-13 NIV)

It is a relief to know that someone has plans for me. It is particularly good to know that it is our Father in heaven who does! Because; as of this moment, I do not have much of a plan for myself. 

Today, I will finish writing this and then get ready and go to Sunday School, Worship, and fellowship. After, that the list of possibilities is way too long to decide where to start and what to do. It is tax season and mine are sitting on my desk half done. I may need to go looking for a lost sheep today unless I hear from or about her. I could go visit family. I've been working on a butterfly garden for a young girl that I should get to work on. There is a house to clean and get ready to put on the market. There are just way too many options just for today. What about tomorrow and the next day? Should I retire completely? Where shall we live? Do we really need another home?

There are just way too many possibilities and I must confess it is troubling trying to figure out what the plan is. The only comfort in it all is that although I haven't got a clue; God does. He has a plan for my future and for all of you. It is a good plan; a plan to give us hope and a future.

Seek Him. Listen to Him! He is our hope and our future.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Which Direction?

 

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV)

The word of the Lord through Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon was for them to seek the welfare of the city that they have been exiled to. They were to build homes; to have families; to live life in Babylon. He gave them direction according to His plans for them.

Lately, I've been waking up each morning wondering what direction the Lord would have me go. I am at an age where I could retire. But, is that what I am supposed to do? There are a lot of possibilities for the future. At this point, I have no clue in which direction the Lord would have me go. I would like to retire and be able to be a little more spontaneous in every day life. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a workaholic and I am not sure what I would do if I was not working. I get bored and restless even now during the hours that I am not working. 

I have heard from many in the past who simply wanted a straight forward answer from God regarding the direction that they should go. I can empathize with that. I know that the Lord has a good plan for me. (Rom 8:28) But, I have a feeling that I have been so anxious about what it is that He would have me do, that I haven't taken the time to be still and listen to Him. 

May God help us all to trust that He will lead us in the direction He would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2018

"Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:16, 18-19

Today is the eve of the new year. It is a time when we typically take stock of the previous year and plan for a new and better year ahead. It can be a good thing to remember where we have been and what we have done. We can give thanks for the good things and resolve not to repeat the bad things.

Remembering the past can help us with the future. We may not want to repeat the same old things. We may want to make some new friends or get a new job. Looking at the past can help us to make wise decisions for our futures. But, it is not always such a wise thing to cling to the past. Forget it. Forgive yourself and others. It is time to move forward and that just might mean some things in your life will change. The Lord has a new life in store for all who may have lost their way this past year. Trust him and follow him. Live life!

May God help us to follow in His way in this new year that we might celebrate life in Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Dead Flies

As dead flies give perfume a bad smell,    so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
                                                    (Eccl 10:1 NIV)

Yes, the odor of dead flies can really mask the odor of any perfume. Just ask any person who lives where they come out in swarms in the heat of the summer sun and they will confirm it. I lived in one home, years ago, that actually had to be vacuumed as you made your way into the house on the warmest of days as dead and dying flies covered the floors. Believe me! The odor of dead flies can really overpower the smell of perfume of the finest of roses.

So, too, a mistake here or there, whether purposely or not, can really mess up one's day if not their whole life. It is best to try to think things through. It doesn't hurt to listen to the options in order to help you decide if your choice is the "little folly" or "wisdom and honor." Choose wisely, your future, your life, may well depend up on it.

May God help you to choose His wisdom over the world's folly.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Journeys Of The Heart In The Kingdom Of God

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst." (Luke 17:20-21 NIV)

I hold your heart within my hand.
It beats against my palm.
Your heart
The miracle of Creation and Re-creation
God's most beautiful gift.
I hold it now.
It is mine.
It is yours.
For we are one.
God's most treasured gift
Your heart, your life
Your heart is in my hand.

My Journeys of the Heart have taken me to some really awesome places: beautiful waterfalls, the depths of the oceans and lakes, ruins of long ago cultures and lands, cemeteries, monuments, some far and some near. Many of my memorable journeys have happened right here at home or at work. Many of these journeys were into the hearts and souls of others: spirit touching spirit, becoming one. Journeys of the Heart is not just a physical journey, but also a spiritual journey. It is a journey into the Kingdom of God. That Kingdom of God can be reached. It is closer than you think. It is indeed near you and in you. That Kingdom can be seen and experienced. It is seen as Christ works in and through others and as we experience all of God's magnificent creation. My journeys are not only in the physical world, but in the spiritual world, in the heavenly kingdom, as well. The Kingdom of God is at hand. We cannot see it fully, but we can see it in part. We can catch glimpses of that heavenly glory. But, alas, we've become so attached to the material world that we make "things" a priority and close our eyes to the most beautiful gifts that God has given us. We make "things" our god and write off God and His Kingdom as something that we will see only after death earnestly believing that it will not be too late to treasure our Creator and Redeemer and His Kingdom then. The Kingdom of God is important to us, but not so important that we would seek it right here where we are. Most of us really like the material things of this world and we'd like to hang on to them for as long as we can (and there is nothing wrong with "things," they are gifts from God as well, just as long as we remember who it is that gave us the gifts). Is our hope in eternity at a future date based on fear of the other alternative? Is it the fear of death; not the love of life that draws us to worship on Sunday mornings and then to escape from His Presence (or so we think) to live in a world where we are god for the rest of the week?

But, if that's not enough life for you. If you want a deeper relationship with God. If you want to live in His Kingdom now. Ask and you shall receive. Ask God to open your eyes and you will see: Christ living in and working through your neighbor, the homeless man as he huddles under cardboard to keep warm, in the eyes of the children or in the neighbor you persecute. Remember, His words: "...as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." "...as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me." (Matt 25:40, 45) What does this mean? Jesus Christ does live. We do not see Him as those first disciples saw Him before the ascension, but we can see Him. He lives in and through others. He is above all, through all, and in you all. (Eph 4:6)

The Kingdom of God is at hand. His glory is seen in and through His creation, His whole creation. Listen and you will hear praises sung by that creation. His people sing praises. Unfortunately, many voices are only heard on Sunday mornings. His whole creation sings of His glory, His magnificence, His Sovereignty. Watch for it, listen for it: in the wind breathing through the trees, the waves of Lake Superior crashing against the shores in the storm, the birds singing, or even the sunflower bowing it's heavy head in humility. Sometimes its hard to open our eyes and see these things. It may remind us who exactly God is and it isn't us.

May God grant us all the gift of recognizing His Kingdom all around us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

This page was written for one of my first blogs; over ten years ago. It is dedicated to Maurice D. whose heart I held in my hand (as well as all of my brothers and sons in Christ from the Juvenile Correctional Facility). I still think of you daily and thank God for allowing me to touch your heart, as you have touched mine.

Trust His Plan For The Future

Some rebuilding required after Hurricane Matthew

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

The Israelites had been taken into captivity. Jeremiah wrote to them from Jerusalem. He sent them the word of the Lord. He encouraged to go on living in Babylon. Don't give up; build homes, grow your families; live life!  He promised that in all they had gone through and all that they would go through, God had a plan; a plan to give them hope and a future.

Sometimes, things get a whole lot worse than better. In order for us to be reconciled to our Father in heaven, there was a heavy price. His Son had to die for us. It was a dark day the day our Lord hung on the cross for us. But, without the events of that day, we would all still be living in permanent exile from our Father's Kingdom.

God has a plan; a good plan for His children. It doesn't always look or feel like it. We don't usually get to know the details of the plan. But, He is the master builder; after all, and has built for us a future that is more glorious than any of us can begin to fathom.

So no matter what happens that might cause you to feel like all is lost at times; trust Him, to build your life. Trust Him as you continue to live life in Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Wise Choices

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

James 1:6-8

Today, I am very pleased with the choices my granddaughter has made. She is enrolling in a Medical Assistant Program, with the hope that will enhance her future life here in this world. She hasn't always listened to my advice so I am relieved that she is making wise choices on her own.

James wrote that we are to ask God for wisdom. For years, I have been asking Him for her. Lately, I have been asking Him to help her listen and follow in the direction He would have her go. I did not doubt that He would answer that prayer. I am just so very thankful that she made this wise choice sooner than later.

May God grant us His wisdom as well as the ability to act upon it.

God's Peace - Pr. J