Blessed Are They...

Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
  who find great delight in his commands.
Their children will be mighty in the land;
  the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
  and their righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
  for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,

  who conduct their affairs with justice.

                                                Psalm 112:1-5 NIV

So often I hear people complain about how the younger generation does not worship the Lord; is selfish and greedy; and really does not care about anyone's well-being except for their own. How did the world get like this? 

I would surmise they have learned it from the generations before them; that would be us. Not just the non-Christians; but, Christians also are guilty of not teaching that God so loves the whole world and not just you or me. When we teach children to worry more about themselves than others than that is exactly what they will do and those children will teach their children to do the same with each generation being more and more self-centered willing to do whatever it is they need to do to get what they desire. Consequently, each generation sees less and less justice. Each generation will be less willing to be compassionate and generous.  When I was young, I knew a few narcissists. Today, I know multitudes who are the center of their universes and not only the center they are their whole universe. No one else matters to them.

May God teach us to teach our children to turn to him and to live compassionately and generously as he compassionately and generously has given to us through his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Seek First The Kingdom of Heaven

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matt 6:19-21

With loads of earthly treasure often comes much trouble. The more one has, the more one has to take care of. Sometimes the trouble that includes costly lawyers to settle estate or property disputes. Greed for things of this world can cause one a lot of stress. It can even cause members of a family to turn against one another. "The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live." (Proverbs 15:27)

However, when the treasure we seek is the Kingdom of God, much of this life's worries will disappear. "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matt 6:31-33)

May our hearts always seek first the Kingdom of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J