No Hiding From God

The Secret Hiding Place

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.   (Jer 23:24 KJV)

When my oldest grandchildren were young they, like most children, liked to play hide-n-seek. I would often walk with them to the ruins of an old stamp mill on the shores of Lake Superior. They would attempt to hide on me. I always found them pretty quickly as I could hear them as they went and they always tended to hide in their same secret hiding place.

As children get older some of them will try to hide what they are doing or where they are going. But, loving parents will usually have a pretty good idea of what they are up to no matter where they are. Parents will have taken the time to listen to and to observe them enough to know their habits. Even if the parents don't call them on everything they think their growing children are up to, they can  hide very little from their parents. 

Parents can get busy and miss some things; but, God is always observant of what His children are doing. There is no hiding from Him. There is no sense in pretending that you are innocent before God. He knows better. He knows you through and through. 

He is always near. He is always with us. So do not attempt to hide yourself or what you do from God. Rather, live in peace with God and with one another. and with yourself. Rejoice in the fact that He is with us and knows us and He will guide us if we would but listen. Do not try to hide from God; but, embrace Him and live life in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Strangers We Meet

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

                                       (Luke 24:13-15 KJV)

As rumors swirled around about Jesus being killed and then rising from the dead, two men were on their way to Emmaus. Along the road they met Jesus; but, they did not know who he was. They talked with him and eventually invited him to come and eat with them. 

In today's world, strangers don't talk to one another much. At least, not unless they have to! How often do we avert our eyes when meeting someone on the sidewalk or in a store rather than greet them?

Every now and then I will strike up a conversation with a stranger in a check out line or some other such place. But, no where near as often as conversations occurred even ten years ago. It use to drive my grandchildren crazy when I would stop and talk to strangers that we met. They thought is was a waste of time; that there was no purpose in talking to strangers. Today, the art of communing with strangers (and even acquaintances) seems to have become a lost art. 

Growing up, my parents talked to everyone they met! If the conversations went especially well my mother would invite them over for a meal. They met a lot of wonderful people that way. 

These two men, on their way to Emmaus, met a stranger on the road. They struck up a conversation and then invited him to eat with him. The stranger turned out to be the risen Lord. One can never tell who we will meet on our journeys. Be kind! Treat them as you would treat the Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Christmas Love And Peace!

May we all live in peace and love not just on Christmas; but,
every day!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  

(Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

Merry Christmas!

I am running real late today on my blog. We are with two of our grandchildren in S.C.. There has been a lot of present opening and playing with gifts going on; plus a nap, too!

Christmas is a very special day and not just for the family get togethers and for the children excited over their gifts. It is most special because it a very major reminder of the humility of our Savior, Jesus Christ. True God, he came to us a true man, as a baby born in a most humble setting; in a barn. Born not to nobility; but, to a simple young woman wedded to a carpenter. 

Today is a reminder to the world; to all who would follow him, that it's not about things, it's about love for humanity. As this baby grew up and was willing to humble himself on the cross that we might live in God's gracious presence for all eternity; we too ought to be able to humble ourselves to at least attempt to love others as he loves no matter who they are.

May the love and peace of God be with us always.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Great Commission

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 28:18-20 KJV)

If you ask your children or grandchildren to help you with some household chore, you do not expect the reply to be "no." If your boss asks you to do something for him or her; that also would not typically require a yes or no response. They are simply being polite. Not all requests are meant to give you options. They are politely phrased commands. Now, of course, the child or the employee can say no if they choose. They can also suffer the consequences if they do. 

Likewise, we often tend to take Jesus' words "Go ye therefore..." as optional. For the Christian, they are not. They are a command. They are what is known as the "Great Commission." The words of your lips may very well lead them to baptism into the Body of Christ. 

Sharing the Good News; sharing what you know about Christ, is not optional for any Christian. It is a command from Jesus, himself. It is a command with a promise: "..and, lo, I am with you always."

God's Peace - Pr. J

Job's Sacrifice; Our Prayers

His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. (Job 1:4-5 NIV)

Yesterday morning, as I was praying for a few generations of my family, it suddenly occurred to me that Job had done pretty much the same thing for his children. Of course, my prayers only included thanksgivings and petitions; whereas, Job's included sacrifices of burnt offerings.

It was Job's custom as is the custom of many parents and grandparents to worry about what kind of relationship their offspring have with God. Are they sinning against God? Are they cursing him in their hearts? And; if so, have they the wisdom to repent; to ask for forgiveness? Do they even recognize when they have sinned against God?

Considering that I might sound like Job praying for his offspring; it brought just a bit of fear into my heart, as for all of Job's praying his story was not a happy one. For all of his sacrificing, he lost everything that he owned. His children were all killed when a windstorm destroyed the house that they were partying in. 

We hear, in Job's story, only the outcome of his children's lives here on earth. We hear nothing about the fate of their immortal souls. Who can tell about that, other than God?

Job had worried about the relationship his children had with God. He had made sacrifices for them; just in case! The truth is that no matter how much we worry about our offspring we cannot do a thing to save them. Assuredly, we can pray  But, there is no offering; no sacrifice that we can make that will save them. The Good News is that God is concerned about the eternal fate of our children. He is so concerned that he sent his only begotten son to be the sacrifice for our sins and for the sins of our offspring.

May God bless our children and all the generations to come with the wisdom to seek him before all things so that they might live in peacefully in his presence for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Enjoy Work

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." Psalm 16:3

I have always attempted to teach my children and grandchildren to enjoy the work that they do. Work is inevitable. We must work to eat, to have shelter, to have clothing; and, if you really must want a lot of nice things, you must really put a lot of effort into earning that "stuff." We spend a huge portion of our lives working so we may as well enjoy it. Making a game of doing house or yard chores and doing it together helps it to me more fun.

As young people begin planning for what kind of life-long career they would like to pursue, they ought to consider what it is that they will enjoy doing. Do you enjoy helping people? How about computers or working with animals? There are so many career choices in the world today, it is impossible to comprehend them all. Whatever it is that you love to do; whatever talents that God has gifted you with; follow that path.

God has a plan for you. He calls you to serve him according to the gifts He gifts you. Whether it is a talent and desire to be a doctor or a hostess; God provides the opportunities to be trained in the way He would have you go. And... don't forget to commit your work to the Lord. Do all things that they might glorify your Father in heaven and you will not only do them well; but, enjoy doing them.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Walk In Integrity!

The righteous walk in integrity—
    happy are the children who follow them!
A king who sits on the throne of judgment    winnows all evil with his eyes."

                                                Prov 20:7-8

My grandchildren are growing older and I am growing old. One word my grandchildren have heard from me an awful lot over the years is "integrity." I have admonished them many times to "walk with integrity" and to "speak with integrity." That is; to not embellish stories so that the stories fall apart once the details of the story begin to be questioned and to also not be creating drama for drama's sake.

Although; there has been the exceptions, I usually do not remind anyone other than my grandchildren to walk and talk with integrity. But, that is not because I don't want to. I simply don't feel that it is my place or that it will do any good. My grandchildren, though, I have major amounts of hope for so I remind them of the way the Lord would have them go so that they might have peaceful and fruitful lives. The "others" usually just get the "eye." My grandchildren also know about the "eye." Many times over the years, my eldest granddaughter has asked me for no apparent reason at all: What?" I have usually responded, "I didn't say anything." She complains that I looked at her with that "eye." That is usually when I start wondering and questioning what she is up to; what she is planning that she doesn't want me to know about. I do this because I care about her life and her future and not just life in this world; but, in the Kingdom to come.

The righteous are those who are cleansed by the blood of Jesus and because he abides with and in them, they will desire to walk in integrity, to walk in the way of his truth. Happy are the children who follow those who walk in integrity. Happy are the children who follow Jesus.

May God keep you in his truth, talking and walking in integrity.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Let The Children Come

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:15-16 NIV

I vaguely remember a Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign whose ads include something to the effect of "No one stands taller than one who stoops to give a child a present." It pictured a Marine in his dress blues kneeling to give a little child a gift.

I work a lot. Sometimes, I forget to take time out to have fun. But, a few minutes with a child is usually fun. Hours with them can be more fun even if by the end of the hours I may feel exhausted. Very few things are better than being around a smiling, bubbly, bouncing, child. There is no way (unless they are totally undisciplined) that I can keep from smiling, myself, when I am around children. One never knows what they might do or say. They keep life interesting for us older folks.

The disciples tried to keep the children from being close to Jesus. But, Jesus warned them not to put anything in their way that might keep them from him. "Let the little children come," he said.

Let the little children come to you and share the stories of Jesus so that they will have a greater knowledge and an even closer relationship with Jesus.

Let the little children come into your life and may the light of Christ shine upon you through them.

God's Peace - Pr. J