The Gift Of Love

1 John 3:1-3 KJV; The gift of love given to us by God our Father through His only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ.

Jesus Is The Truth

John 8:31-36 KJV; Reformation Sunday; Jesus Is the truth; He is the Word that sets us free.

We Cannot Hide Our Secrets From God

Isaiah 29:15-16 KJV; Our God is a just God. He will provide justice for all people; even for those who would lie to his children for their own benefit.

Truth Shall Set You Free

John 8:31-32; John 14:6 KJV; Jesus Is The Truth That Sets You Free.

Freed Indeed!

John 8:31-36 KJV; Reformation Sunday; We shall know the truth, who is Jesus the Christ, and we shall be freed indeed!

The Unborn Recognized The Unborn

And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 

                                                                 (Luke 1:39-45 KJV)

How old do you have to be before you know Jesus?  Do you have to have a certain amount of knowledge taught to you by humankind before you can know him? 

St. John the Baptist, the one who later introduced Jesus to the world,  recognized Jesus and leaped for joy while still in his mother's womb! John had not seen Jesus but he felt his presence. He knew Jesus even before he was born. 

It is not by any knowledge that the world gives us that Jesus comes into our lives.  It is by faith alone which is purely a gift from God. 

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

May God open our ears, eyes, minds, and hearts so that we might know the abiding presence of Jesus the Christ, for he is with us always. Help us dear Lord to live life more fully in his presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Everyone Will Know He Is Lord

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:9-11 KJV)

You may not bow before the name of Jesus now. You may not confess that Jesus Christ is Lord now. But, there will come a day when you will. There will come a day when you will come face to face with God Almighty and you will recognize that Jesus is the truth and he is the way that was meant for you to follow. Prayerfully, on that day, when you meet him face to face, you will already know him and love him. 

Many will say that I do not need love. I do not need anyone. The truth is that we all need to be loved and to love. We were not created to live in isolation. Without love, we may exist. But, we will not thrive and God intends for us to thrive. He intends for us to live abundant lives and not so much abundant in more things that we need or even can use; but, to live life in peace and with joy in communion with God as well as in community. 

Make no mistake; whether you will bow at the name of Jesus now there will come a day when everyone will confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Don't wait too long to live life knowing our Lord and Savior.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

To Know The Love Of Christ

That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Eph 3:17-19 KJV)

What a prayer! What a blessing to know the love of God; to be filled with his love! To be filled with the fulness of God is to know contentment; to know peace. May God bless you with the indwelling Christ so that you might be rooted and grounded in love.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Eph 4:7)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Only One Light Of Salvation

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

                                                                                      (1 John 4:1-6 KJV)

There are many spirits; but, only one true God. We must be careful which one we are listening to and following. 

The One will lead you into the light of his presence. The others will lead you into the darkness. Everything may look all well and good; but, be careful. Discern carefully the spirits. They are not all looking out for you. As St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Cor 11:14)

There is only one God who was willing to give his life for you. All others ask you to give them our lives. Jesus the Christ is our light and our salvation. Worship him and him alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

How Did They Know Them?

His Face Did Shine Like The Sun

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 

                                                                                   (Matt 17:1-7 KJV)

How did they know? How did they know that the two talking with Jesus were Moses and Elijah? Scripture does not tell us how they knew. Maybe, it was from the content of the conversation. Maybe, their history and their traditions stirred something in them so that they just felt it and knew it within their own spirits. Maybe, the Holy Spirit moving upon them, inspired and told them. Maybe it was a little of all these things combined.

How can we know anything? We can know by the testimony of two or three witnesses. This testimony, of three, is found in the reading: "While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him'” (Matt 17:5)

The same words spoken by the Father at Jesus' baptism were spoken at his transfiguration: "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. listen to him!"

The three disciples, in fear and trembling, witnessed the glory of Jesus Christ, our LORD, at his transfiguration. May God prepare our hearts and minds to witness the full glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Know The Word; Know The Truth

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

                                                                               (John 17:13-17 KJV)

On the night that he was betrayed Jesus prayed for his disciples. He prayed that they and we might be sanctified through the truth; that we might know the truth. 

There was a lot of heresy in the church of Martin Luther's day. There was a lot of superstitious nonsense promulgated by the clergy. I don't think that all of the clergy did this maliciously. I believe that they simply did not know the truth. Not all of them had regular and actual access to the word found in scripture. They taught and preached what had been taught and preached to them. A whole lot of that lacked truth.

Thankfully, much of that changed with the reformation. During that time period, Martin Luther translated the Holy Bible into German so that the pastors and lay people could read the word of God for themselves.

We have that access today in whatever language we speak. Yet, I often hear really crazy un-truths about what the word of God says coming from not just lay people; but, clergy as well. The lay people get many of these false ideas from the clergy.  They simply don't bother to read what the word has to say for themselves. 

I am not saying that you should not attend worship and hear the word of God through the clergy. You should!  Rather, I am saying that we all need to spend more time in daily devotions reading and meditating on the word of God so that we might know the truth. 

Thank God for the many saints who have come and gone before us. Thank God for the saints who have witnessed to the through the many generations since our Lord gave himself on the cross for us. Thank God and get to know him! Thank God for the word of truth who is Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Saints and Sinners

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin."

                                                                            (1 John 3:1-5 KJV)

Each and everyone of us transgresses the law. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8) Yet, God loves us sinners enough to send his only begotten Son to die on the cross for us. He died to take away our sins.

We, who are sinners, are also saints by virtue of the blood that was shed on the cross for us. Even though the sinner in us is way more apparent at times than the saint in us; God still calls us his children. We are brothers and sisters with and in Christ. We are one in the family of God. 

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.." (Heb 2:9-11)

"...Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." (Rom 4:7)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

PSALM 46 KJV 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.

The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

+++

Let not your heart be troubled. Do not fear. Be still and know that God is with you now and always to help you on the way.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Quiet Hum

And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?                                                                                                                                                           (1 Kings 19:11-13 KJV)

I woke up yesterday morning to the quiet hum of distant neighbors' generators. The power was off. It was off for over twelve hours (the reason for no blog yesterday). I spent a lot of time with quiet hums and not just due to generators. As my husband got moving we realized that I need to bring him to the emergency room. (He is fine - probable stomach virus) Since no one except the patient is allowed in the hospital I sat in the truck in the parking lot waiting for about six hours mostly in sheer silence except for the hum of the truck's engine and the air conditioner now and then when it got too stifling sitting there. 

It wasn't a bad day. I appreciate the quiet. Quiet affords us a time to listen for the voice of Lord. Too much noise around us is a distraction. It is a distraction from being more fully in the presence of God. Being present; being aware of God's presence and His voice is a good thing. It can be a very renewing experience to spend time alone with God. Be still and get to know the Lord. Be quiet and listen to Him.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 

                                                            (Psalm 46:10-11)

God's Peace - Pr. J. 

Jesus Is The Truth

1 John 1:8

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.  (John 8:31-32 KJV)

The truth can be a hard thing to admit even to ourselves. Acknowledging the truth about things we may have done or left undone can leave us feeling very guilty. That is... unless we accept the love of God who gave His only begotten Son; unless we accept the fact that through the sacrifice of His Son we are forgiven our sins. Eternal life; life in Christ is truth for all who would believe  on him.

Do not be afraid to acknowledge the truth that you are a sinful human being. It is a first step in acknowledging that Christ died that you might receive forgiveness for your sins. 

The truth that you shall know is that Jesus is the truth. Know him and he shall set you free!

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

I Saw Thee

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. 

                                          (John 1:47-49 KJV)

Some of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know Jesus. It is sometimes even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not. He knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all. Won't you take the time to get to know the King of Israel; the King of Kings?

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Light Unto My Path

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

                                            (Psalm 119:105 KJV)

It is imperative for the Christian to hear and to study the word! The word and the Word who is Jesus the Christ will show us the way we are to go. Of course then, as I have recently been reminded that God has given us free will. That is true. We can choose not to go to the Father. We can choose to not accept that free gift of eternal life in His presence. We can choose to deny God. But, for those who desire to live in the eternal joy and peace found in the presence of God hear the words of Jesus given to Thomas and to you:

"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 

                                                                                                (John 14:1-6)

Thanks be to God that the light, who is Jesus the Christ, has come to show us the way to our Father's house, to his presence!

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Will Give You Rest

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” 

                                                                                   (Matt 11:28-29 KJV)

So many people seeking rest for their souls in the world today. Yet, they seek it in all the wrong places. There seems, at times, that there is nothing one can say or do, to help them to understand that Jesus is the only one who can truly give us the rest that we need. Unwilling to take up his yoke and learn from Jesus; we take upon ourselves a much heavier yoke, stumbling and often falling.

If you find that you are weary and burdened with the cares of the world, take the time to get to know Jesus and you will find rest at the feet of our LORD and King. Go to Him and He will give you rest.

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Good Plan

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29:11 KJV)

Life can be pretty rough. We all go through hard times. But, for some people it seems as though the rough times never end and nothing good will ever come to them. But, the Lord has better plans for you than you can even begin to imagine. It begins with His love for you. It continues with your faith that His promises are true.

Trust Him. Listen to Him. Follow in the way that He has shown you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Let Him In!

Open the door and let him in.

And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, 

And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

                                      (John 6:16-21 KJV)

Who wouldn't be a bit afraid if you were out in the storm and someone came walking on the water toward you? The disciples were just that. They were frightened. But, Jesus speaks to them, "It is I; be not afraid." They recognize his voice and they let him in the boat.

Jesus is anxious to get in the boat with you. He is knocking at the door. He is already with you and for you. But, he will not force himself on you. It is not enough to know about Jesus. Let him into your small boat so you have a chance to really get to know him. 

There are many who profess to be Christians; however, they have no real clue who this Jesus of ours is. They may have heard of him; they may know about him; but, they wouldn't recognize his voice if he spoke to them because they don't know him. There is a difference between knowing who Jesus is and knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is about having a relationship with him. His sheep will hear his voice and answer. His friends will hear his voice and answer. 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)

Answer the door and let him in so that you might have a relationship with the living God; the Almighty God, our LORD and Savior. Do not be afraid. He is there for you in the storms that you encounter. Let him into your boat, open the door, and let him in. 

God's Peace - Pr. J