Forgive As God Has Forgiven You

Ephesians 4:30-32

Be Kind

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. (1 Peter 2:15-16 KJV)

It does very little good to respond harshly to the harsh words or actions of others. That will only create more dissension and division. It brings about more drama and stress to one's life. It does not glorify God!

Rather God is glorified when we show kindness to those who attack us. If we must and sometimes we must correct someone it is out of love for them.

St. Peter encourages us to to put to silence the ill-speaking tongues our actions. St. Paul's letter to the Romans does the same and adds that by doing so we heap coals of fire upon their heads. It is up to God to decide whether vengeance is warranted and then He will take care of the vengeance. It is our call to love our neighbors and to serve them according to their needs; but, not necessarily their wants as wants are often self-serving and do not glorify God.

"Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

                                                                        (Rom 12:14-21)

God help us to glorify Him by being kind even to our enemies and live in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

With Kindness Receive One Another

"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:

That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God."                                                                                 

                                                                               (Rom 15:5-7 KJV)

Be likeminded toward one another. Be nice! Receive one another as a brother or sister instead of attacking one another because you don't believe like them or live like them work together that you might live together in peace and glorify our Father in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Vengeance is God's

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

                                         (Hebrews 10:30-31 KJV)

Those who do not know Christ often call it karma. In other words what goes around comes around. We most often get to suffer consequences for our own bad behavior. In Paul's letter he wrote that God is in charge of vengeance. Vengeance is one of those negative things that will come back around and bite you if you for some reason you imagine that you have the authority to avenge anything or anyone. God is in charge of vengeance. Yes, we are to call out injustice for what it is. We do have recourse for injustices done to us or others. There are legal and civil means both in the world and in the church for justice to be served. We do not have to be perpetual victims.

I have found, over the years, that those who take vengeance out on others usually  prefer not to use authorized legal means because they themselves do not desire to have their own crimes found out.

Vengeance is God's. It is not ours. 

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

                                                                          (Matt 22:37-39)

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (Luke 6:35)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do What Is Right; Live In Peace

Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

                                                                                        (1 Pet 3:8-12 KJV)

Do what is right and live in peace!  Rioters and looters have committed unimaginable harm to people they don't even know over the last few months. There can be no doubt about that! It must stop!

My question this morning is what can we do to help make the world a better place to live in. How about do what is right so that we might live in more relative peace? We know that in this world there will never be total peace. People will have strong and differing opinions. But, as individuals we could at least attempt to be courteous and seek peace.  As individuals we could at least attempt to stop verbally assaulting people (swearing and screaming at others) and physically threatening others when we don't like what is said. We can actually voice our opinion without being bullies.

May God help us to be kind; to do what is right; and to live in peace!

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.

Love and Charity

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (1 Cor 13:4-5 KJV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. (1 Cor 13:4-5 NIV)

In the thirteenth chapter of Corinthians some translations use the word charity for love and in others the word love is used instead of charity. The two words are intricately connected. Love promotes charity. Unfettered charity is most usually a result of love. We give because we love. We love because Jesus loves us so much that he was willing to give his life that we might live.

It is unfathomable to me that anyone would put their personal pleasures before the needs; the safety; the well-being of someone that they claim to love. But, it happens. It happens a lot! Children are neglected and abused because the parent has priorities for themselves than truly loving their children. Elderly parents are neglected because children have better things to do. 

I am not sure how we've come to this place where narcissism is so prevalent. Maybe, it has always been there; but, we just never noticed because we too were stuck in that place where we thought that we have to love ourselves before we can love others. When we think like that we can get stuck in a place where there is no love or charity for others because we never quite to the place where we love ourselves unconditionally. What happens instead is that we keep striving to make ourselves happy; but, we keep failing because happiness and joy actually comes from being in relationships with God and with others which we have neglected in the pursuit of making ourselves happy.

St. Paul wrote to the Philippians: "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (Phil 2:1-4)

Jesus gave us the commandment to love others as he loves us. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." (John 13:34-35)

May God grant us all a spirit of love and charity that we might live in joy and in peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Be Kind

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.." 

                                                                                         (Col 3:12-15 KJV)

We are not to be doormats. We are to stand firmly on the truth, which is the Word of God. Jesus, and in the end his disciples, did not back down from the truth. They stood firmly on God's Word and on His promises.

But, neither are we to be bullies asserting our rights over the rights of others. Paul encourages the Colossians to treat one another with compassion and kindness. We are to try to have empathy for others; to, as the saying goes: "walk a mile in the shoes of others." We are to listen to all sides with humility; humbling ourselves so that we do not put our desires over the needs of others, and with empathy so that we can act with compassion and kindness to those who are suffering.

May God reconcile us to Himself and to one another, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J

Be Kind

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Eph 4:32 KJV)

It really doesn't take that much to be kind and to help ease the burden of others. Or, we can be unkind and add to their burdens. 

We have no clue what other people may be going through; what challenges they face each day. If we find that our attitudes are such that we cannot be kind; then walk away; stay home. Do whatever you must; but, how we treat others is on us.

There is sp much to be thankful for. Do a mental or a written list of all the things you have to be thankful for when you find that you feel the urge to snap at others. Life can be hard for everyone. It's not up to us to make it worse for others. It is up to us to be there for them to ease their burdens. And, if we can't due to our sinful natures then we should stay away until we can.

Every now and then some preacher or teacher will ask the congregation or class to share what they are thankful for. To tell you the truth, when I am asked that question, I usually don't respond. That's not because I don't find anything to be thankful for; but, because the list of things that I am thankful for each day is so overwhelming I do not know where to begin.

But, first and foremost, we thank God for the love that he has for us.

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.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 

                                                                      (Rom 5:8-11)

Because he first loved us, we love him and ought to love; we ought to be kind to one another, as well.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Clothe Yourself With Good Things

"As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience." Col 3:12 NRSV

We are not to be doormats. We are to stand firmly on the truth, which is the Word of God. Jesus, and in the end his disciples, did not back down from the truth. They stood firmly on God's Word and on His promises. 

But, neither are we to be bullies asserting our rights over the rights of others. Paul encourages the Colossians to treat one another with compassion and kindness. We are to try to have empathy for others; to, as the saying goes: "walk a mile in the shoes of others." We are to listen to all sides with humility; humbling ourselves so that we do not put our needs over the needs of others, and with empathy so that we can act with compassion and kindness to those who are suffering.

May God reconcile us to Himself and to one another, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Is Patient, Kind, And Honest!

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:5-7 NRSV)

Jesus commanded his followers to love one another. Yet, how often does that happen today? How often do Christians actually put the love of self before the love of others? How often are we willing to speak the truth in love for the sake of others; for the sake of the whole community? 

This command to love others is often misconstrued to mean that if you are going to love others you must never correct anyone because it might hurt their egos. Sometimes egos have to be bruised a bit for the long term good of the whole community. It is not loving to encourage someone to continue to damage themselves or others. Being quiet about harmful actions or lifestyles not only harms the community; but, it keeps the one who is harming others and themselves from growing in the love of Christ.

Love does not say things that are mean or spiteful; but, sometimes love does mean speaking a truth that will not make others feel comfortably for their sake and for the sake of others in the Body of Christ. 

In Hans Christian Anderson's the short story "The Emperor's New Clothes" The reality was that there were no new clothes. Everyone perpetrated the lie that the emperor's new clothes were awesome just to be nice or maybe we could say they were trying to be politically correct. In the meantime, the emperor paraded around showing his backside. The loving thing is to not encourage our families, friends, or neighbors to walk around showing their backsides; but, to speak the truth in love. 

Love is patient and kind. But, love does not lie.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Am Not Always Patient Or Gentle

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Eph 4:2 NIV)

I have to confess that I am not always gentle or patient. My patience flies out the window when I end up listening to someone explaining why they don't thnk what they did was a sin rather than just confess them. My gentleness disappears when I see or hear anyone using or abusing others to make themselves feel or look better. I am neither gentle or patient when the word of the Lord takes second place to one's own opinions; their egos; their personal goals. I am not very gentle when man's will becomes a priority over God's will within the church on earth.

I am often accused of not being Christ-like when I lose my patience or my gentleness. Paul reminds us in his letter to Ephesians that we need to be. I wonder though, was it a reminder to himself as well? He, too, could lose his patience. He also could come across as a bit unkind. He did not sit back and let people trample on the rights of others. He was not quiet when others were teaching falsehoods about Jesus.

Jesus, himself, did not take kindly to his Father's being used as a mean to get rich. He was not pleased when he entered the temple and witnessed the shysters making a profit, it appears that he lost his patience with them and was not very gentle. "Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, 'Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!' His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”  (John 2:15-17)

I confess. I am not always patient or gentle. You can accuse me all that you want of not being Christ-like; but, I will stand up for those who are being used or abused. I will not placate anyone by saying a sin is not a sin. I will be quite blunt with those who would subvert the will of God and proclaim their will rather than the will of the One who sent His only begotten Son to die for us. 

May God fill us with zeal for Him and for the whole Body of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Is...

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:5-7 NRSV)

These verses from Corinthians are a favorite among those who are about to be married. They are about relationships. However, they are not specific to marital relationships. They apply to us all.

The Youth Correctional Facility, that I previously worked at, used Cognitive Behavior Therapy to try to help these young men to live fuller lives after they were released. They were called on every arrogant and rude thing that came out of their mouths and every arrogant and rude act that they committed. The hope was that they would learn to have empathy for those who they would otherwise victimize.

One of the goals we worked with the teen-agers on was to not be attempting to justify their words or actions with more words or actions. Simply put, the "blame game" was often played. It was a ruse to make themselves look better than others. Words were used to try to explain why they were right in what they said or did because someone else was wrong. Of course, when someone employed the "blame game," they were not totally direct about it. They often insinuated things in hopes that they would not be called on trying to justify their own harmful words or actions.

Unfortunately, it is not only those who are incarcerated who attempt to justify their sinful actions. Many Christians also have a tendency to try to justify their words or actions by pointing their fingers at someone else. They sometimes try to manipulate people into believing that they are right and everyone else is wrong. Often, they are arrogant enough to think that everyone around them is buying their stories.

There is one who will never buy the lie. That is God. He knows our heart's intentions. He knows every one of our thoughts. We are very fortunate that He is a loving God and gives us many opportunities to turn around and follow in the Way that He would have us go. 

These verses in First Corinthians about love are about relationships. They remind us that we are to love God and one another even as He loves us. That means that we ought not be rude or arrogant to the people around us and we definitely should not be blaming others for our rudeness or our arrogance.

May God help each of us to love and respect one another and to not be attempting to justify our own sins. Jesus is our only justification. He bore the penalty for our sins so that we could live new lives in Him. Let us live those new lives!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love One Another

"I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (John 13:34-36)

Some of you may remember the Beatles song "All You Need Is Love." Love, love, love... Is that all we need? No, it is not. But, when we love one another, we will strive to make sure that all of our neighbors needs for daily life will be met. We will not let them go hungry, or without shelter, or without warmth, or any of the necessities to support physical life.

Jesus had just humbly knelt to wash the feet of his beloved disciples; Judas had just left to betray the one who loved him; when Jesus gave the command to love others even as he loved them. Love, in this sense, is not just a noun. It is a verb. We are to humble ourselves and to actively love and show care and concern for the people around us; even for people around the whole world as Jesus went forth and died for the world.

This is his commandment: that we are to love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Be Kind!

A kindhearted woman gains honor,

   but ruthless men gain only wealth.
Those who are kind benefit themselves,
   but the cruel bring ruin on themselves.
A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
   but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.
Truly the righteous attain life,
   but whoever pursues evil finds death. 

                                        Prov 11:16-19

Be nice! That seems to be the gist of Proverbs 11. Being "nice;" being honest, being fair, being kind, is not only a blessing to those you are being nice to; but, in the end you also will feel blessed. "Those who are kind benefit themselves, but the cruel bring ruin on themselves."

There is good advise for daily living in these verses from Proverbs. We are warned about the negative consequences of doing what is not right and reminded of the positive consequences of doing what is right; of being kind.

Worship the LORD your God and follow in the path that He has set before you, doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong to your benefit and for the benefit of the people around you.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Love Does No Evil

"...and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." 

                                                                           (1 Corinth 13:2b-7 NIV)

Who can love as Paul encourages the Corinthians to love?  God can. Our Lord, Jesus, loves the world enough to die for it; to willingly be a sacrifice for us so that we might live in our loving Father's presence for all of eternity. Only God loves perfectly; but, that does not mean we should not follow the example of Jesus and try to love as He loves.

Many brides and grooms listen to these words from Paul's letter to the Corinthians at their wedding ceremonies. They are in love. Unfortunately, some are just in love with the idea of love. Their "loving" relationships do not last. One or both persons often end up neglected or used or abused in many ways. Their lives after the wedding often do not reflect the kind of self-less love that they committed to as they made their vows to one another. Way too often, one or both of them forgot that God has joined them together to be one and they go off pursuing their own good; their own pleasures, as they neglect or even abuse the one they vowed to love 'till death parts them. This is not love. Love may be blind as they say. But, love should never be blind to the hurts we cause the ones we claim to love. In a loving relationship both persons will strive to love and support the other. 

Whether it is spouse, a friend, or even just an acquaintance, we are to love one another with our whole hearts and minds. We do not put ourselves before others. We do not make them feel less them. We do not do anything that would make them to cause hope. We seek to support them because of our godly love for them.  

Genuine love is not self-seeking. Genuine love comes from God. Genuine love is love that is willing to put aside one's own selfish pursuits for the love of others. Love does not put self first. 

Oh, Lord, without love we are nothing. If only the world would only learn to love as you love. Help us to selflessly love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love Does Not Fail

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." (1 Cor 13:4-8a NIV)

One of the most often requested readings for weddings is found in 1 Corinthians 13. It is good advice for two people who are about to commit their whole earthly lives to one another. Love does not fail. However, due to our sinful natures we often fail to love. Marriages fall apart because we love ourselves or someone or something else more than the one we have committed to spend the rest of our lives with. Marriages are not the only relationships that fail due to a lack of love. Relationships with family, friends, community also fail and bring much sorrow because of a lack of love.

The greatest gifts, says St. Paul, is love. God has given us love in His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no greater love than a love that is willing die for others, as Jesus died for us. We respond to His love by sharing that love with others. The love from God does not fail. It can move mountains and crush molehills. The love of God inspires us to inspire others with His love.

Live life! Share His love!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love One Another

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8 NIV

I just finished reading an article about crime in Chicago that saddens me greatly. Almost 3000 people have been shot so far in this year of 2016. That amounts to about one shooting every two hours. The number includes little children.

What can possibly motivate a society to be so unsympathetic and hateful toward one another that our crime rate is so terribly high? There are way too many motivations to count them all and no one but only God can know the real reasons why. We spend much time pointing the finger and blaming others, the past, our environment, the schools, parents, and the list goes on. Instead of trying to fix blame on the past events; how about if we try to change the future?

How about if we listen to the admonition of St. Paul?
   Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
   Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
   Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  Romans 12:9-21

We can always point the finger at others; but, as the saying goes: "If you are not a part of the solution; you are a part of the problem." Or, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

God's Peace - Pr. J

Love

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Love is not self-serving; rather, it is about serving others. In other words love is not all about me. That word "love" gets thrown around a lot. There are many kinds of love. We love our friends in one way. We love our spouses in another way. We even love our enemies and pray for them. Whomever it is that we love, we ought to understand that genuine love calls for a commitment. Genuine love will make sacrifices for those whom we claim to love even as God sacrificed His only begotten Son on the cross because of His great love for us.

Love is not just a word. Love is action. It calls us to put the welfare of others before us. It calls us to take up our cross and follow Jesus for the sake of others that God who loves us so deeply might be glorified.

Love the Lord your God. Love others in the Spirit of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J