What Is There To Fear?

Psalm 27:1-6; Romans 8:31-39 KJV There is nothing to fear if God is for us. Our desire is to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Unworthy

The Greatest Landowner

In Times Of Trouble God Is With You

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. 

                                                                                  (Isa 50:4-10 KJV)

When it is said that the Lord will help us it does not necessarily mean our lives will be all peaches and cream.  It means he will be with us in the times of trial. The Lord will comfort us and give us the strength to stand under the unjust scrutiny and persecution that is directed at us. Sometimes we will see relief from the trials immediately. At other times it may take some time to see our way out of darkness that surrounds and threatens us. Know this: God is with you and for you, trust in the name of the Lord and you shall see the light even as those who condemn you unjustly shall wax old like a garment.

Christians will see persecution from even family and friends. They will be some who will try to extinguish the light of Christ that shines within and through you. Have no fear. Jesus told us that even as he would despised so shall his followers be despised. 

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you." 

                                                                                         (John 15:18)

Jesus was despised by many. He was persecuted and killed because he was feared; because he was even hated. Yet, he lives. He rose from the grave and because he lives all who believe in him shall also live. On the night he was betrayed and arrested he had told his disciples:

"I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also."

                                                                                       (John 14:18-19)

God grant everyone who is being troubled unjustly comfort and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus our Savior and Lord we pray. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Vengeance Will Be God's

"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water..."

                                                                                     (Isa 35:4-7a KJV)

I am sorry for my attitude; but, I am waiting for that day that the Lord will come even with vengeance to save his children who are persecuted and killed all day long.  How evil can the world be to turn a blind eye to those who are suffering; to those who are being hunted down and persecuted?  Of course, not everyone has turned a blind eye. But, so many do, especially those in power and control of others. Minimizing the suffering of others to make oneself look good is just so totally political. It has nothing to do with doing what is right but what is good for the politicians and their behind the curtain puppet masters.

I wait for the day when all eyes and ears will be opened to see and hear how the choices of these few men and women have destroyed the lives of others. Will it ever happen in my lifetime here on earth? Will we ever see real justice? Will we ever see a time when we do not turn our backs on those who are being hunted down and persecuted  and even killed because they do not think or believe or live like those in control think that they should? Genocide by any other name is still genocide! It is a crime against all of humanity.

Will we ever really see the widow and the orphan protected and cared for no matter who they are or where they live? We talk a lot about it. But, will this generation ever see it?

Just because someone lives half way around the world from us; does that mean we should not be there for them?  My heart and mind hears the cries of the many in hiding today: "Help us! Why have you deserted us?"

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God will bring vengeance upon those who have caused so much fear in the lives of others. It is promised that he will deliver those who are fearful. May God bring that promise to fruition quickly! 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Not A Victim

"Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. (Jonah 1:1-3 KJV)

Jonah was given a calling by God. God sent him to Ninevah to warn the people that they needed to change or he would destroy them. But, Jonah did not want to go. He ran so that he wouldn't have to go and face this challenge that God had called him to. Poor Jonah, God was picking on him.

Poor Jonah! The ship that Jonah used to try to run away from his calling; his responsibilities was about to sink in a storm. In order to save his shipmates' lives he confessed that he was the cause of the storm because he was trying to run away from God. He had them throw him into the sea to save themselves where he was swallowed by a very large fish. Poor Jonah!

Jonah repented of not listening to God and God had the fish spit him out onto the land. Jonah went to Nineveh reluctantly and warned the people that they must repent or be destroyed. Unbelievably, they repented and they were spared! But, Jonah was not happy. All that he had to go through and those horrible people actually repented. Why did God put him through all of this? Jonah felt sorry for himself. He felt like a victim.

Not everyone who thinks they are a victim actually is a victim of others. They may however be a victim of their own stinking thinking as Jonah was. There are many legitimate victims in this world. They suffer horrendously at the hands of others. Many are tortured and killed. But, just because we don't like our circumstances at any given moment, that does not make us a victim. It may make us unhappy; but, not necessarily a victim. Sometimes, maybe often, those things that make us uncomfortable are challenges that we need to face so that we and even the people around us might grow. Those challenges may not be attacks on you personally; but, God calling you to do his will. It just may be that you are being called to follow Jesus and that may mean that your ego must die. But, do not worry. If or when he calls you, he will be there working in and through you for the good of all people.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Heb 13:20-21)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Inhumanity At Jamestown And In The Present

Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.

Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:

That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.

They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.

Psalm 64:1-7 KJV

Has humankind become more humane over the generations or just better at justifying our inhumanity before others? We must always remember that no matter how we attempt to justify our own inhumanity, we cannot justify it. We are only justified by faith in the blood of Christ shed for us. St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." (Rom 5:8-9)

I spent a lot of time the other day trying to hook my husband up with PBS Passport so that he could watch the "Jamestown" series. Oye! Oye! Oye! I have been attempting to spend more time with him so have been trying to watch at least some of it with him. "Some of it" being the key phrase. I cannot stay in the room to witness the inhumane words and actions of so many in "Jamestown." The misuse and abuse of others: the Naturals (Native Americans); the African Slaves; the White Indentured Servants; even each other; is just overwhelming. It makes me just a bit crazy to watch such injustice for the sake of wealth and power. Since, I know the outcome of Jamestown, even though I know the series is fiction, I do not doubt that much of what is portrayed in the series is indicative of what actually went on in Jamestown. And, these people of Jamestown, for the most part, claimed to be Christian.

What about today? Around the world people are being imprisoned unjustly. They are being tortured, beheaded, and killed in so many ways so that others may  continue their pursuit of power or wealth or both. How many in this country are unjustly accused and persecuted? For the most part, innocent men and women are not imprisoned or killed here. But, it does happen and it happens with the facade of justice. This too makes me very weary to witness. 

Jesus once told the Pharisees (and ultimately us) "...Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

There is a better way to live than to climb up any ladders on the backs of others. According to the prophet Micah: "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8)

May God help us to live more justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly following  in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do What Is Right

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

                                                                                       (Titus 2:11-15 KJV)

We do indeed have freedom of will. We can choose to do whatever pleases us. We must also understand as we make those choices that there will be consequences one way or another.

I confess I get very uncomfortable when I hear people talking about breaking laws or doing something that will in the long run make their lives miserable rather than enhance their lives. I get so uncomfortable that I often let others know why I am uncomfortable. I am free in this country to speak what is on my mind. I am also commanded by God to exhort and rebuke and speak the truth.

No, this does not always endear me to others. But, it does help to keep my conscience a bit clearer.  Years ago, I worked on a military installation overseas. One of my duties was to deliver speeding tickets to people who had been caught on a camera. One morning, I delivered a speeding ticket to a Petty Officer who was caught on camera speeding on his bicycle. I joked about it. It seemed kind of petty to fine someone for speeding on a bicycle. That afternoon as he was speeding in that very same spot he was hit by a car and killed. He left behind a wife and children. The guilt I felt for making light of his speeding hit me hard and for quite some time. 

Being godly includes at least attempting to obey the laws of this world. As Christians we hope to be good examples to the world around us. None of us are perfect. We are all sinners and we will break laws now and then simply because we may view those laws as petty ordinances that get in our way. 

But, we do know the difference between right and wrong. The grace of God has been delivered to us through Jesus. The law of God has been written on our hearts. 

"Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;"

                                                                                        (Heb 10:15:17)

We know in our hearts the difference between right and wrong. Let us do what is right as much as a sinful person can do right even as we look for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Son

He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, and leased it to tenants, and went to another country for a long time. When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard; but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!”
                                                                        Luke 20:9-16 NRSV

The tenants refused to give a portion of their harvest to the landlord to pay the rent. They assaulted the collection agents, so the landlord sent his son thinking they might respect his son. Yeah, right! They rejected the son, too. They killed the son! They killed him thinking that they would then receive the land as their inheritance. It just doesn't work that way.

God sent many prophets to help guide the people in loving and serving the Lord. They didn't want to hear it. They wanted what they wanted. They killed the prophets. God sent his only begotten Son. We killed him, too. Rejecting the Son doesn't get us what we want. It doesn't earn us any inheritance. In the end, anyone who rejects the Son will be crushed.

There is only one way to the Kingdom of God, into the inheritance promised by the Father through the Son and that is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Receiving the Gospel; Living in the Light

For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last." 1 Thess 2:14-16 NIV

The gospel is not always received very well. There will always be opposition to the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. St. Paul continued to proclaim it for the sake of others in the face of much opposition. The truth can be quite offensive to those who follow in their own ways. The light of truth can bring us to rejoice in in Jesus; but, it can also send those who reject it scurrying further into the darkness as they attempt to hide from the truth. The truth sometimes stirs up fear and hatred and ultimately the persecution of those who do believe. In spite of hardship and persecution, those who follow Jesus will continue to share the good news with others so that all might know the joy of living in relationship with God our Father and our Lord, Jesus Christ.

May God grant us the knowledge, wisdom, courage and strength to speak the truth no matter what the opposition might be so that we might all know the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J