Labor Day 2023

Proverbs 21:25-26 KJV; The way in which we labor ought to glorify the Lord.

It's Not All Vanity!

Ecclesiastes 1:2,12-14; 2:18-26 KJV Don't get stuck thinking everything you do is in vain. Love the Lord and love your neighbor.

Idleness Destroys The Home

By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. (Eccl 10:17 KJV)

I was raised to appreciate the opportunity to work and accomplish something. I learned to actually enjoy working as most Saturdays and many evenings were filled with the whole family taking care of household chores. We were doing things together. When chores were being done no one was alone in doing it. No one was sitting on the couch or taking a nap while others took care of things that needed to be done to keep the home and any other property in good condition. We kept the house going as a family.

Both of my parents worked hard to provide for all of us and to teach us to do the same. My mother, especially, had her ideas of how to take care of a home. We never went to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. Bedding was washed every week if not every other week and; yes, after we took them off of the clothes line outside we even ironed sheets and pillow cases. Our home was always clean. The lawn was always mowed in the summer and sidewalk shoveled in the winter. I learned to plant a garden, to fish, to gather wild fruits, mushrooms, and greens and then to preserve what could be canned. I was taught that it takes much work to have things. I was also taught it would take manual labor to maintain those things. All of this takes time and effort. 

I have learned over the years that amassing too much stuff may take more time and effort than one actually wants to spend on maintaining the stuff. Sometimes, purchasing things we don't need to live on kills the opportunity to actually live life. 

In the end we must count the cost of actually having stuff that we don't need and won't want after we have it for a short while. Is it worth working endless hours to pay off an expensive cell phone when an Android will do the job?  And, if we commit to purchasing and making payments on frivolous stuff will we be able to afford to fix the vehicle that gets us to work to buy the things we actually need to survive?

There is much work to be done just to survive. Slothfulness will not get you very far. In the end everything that you have that you so desired will be lost when you cannot afford to take care of it or after you decided that naps are more preferred than taking care of the property that you have been blessed with. 

The destruction of a home from laziness does include more than the physical property. Consider how not caring for and tending to relationships will also destroy the home. Relationships not tended to will rot away. They will fall when they are not taken care of. 

May we all be filled with a desire to be good stewards of all that we have so that we might produce fruits to the glory of God. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Joyful Noise In Thanksgiving

 

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.                                                                         

(Psalm 95:1-7a KJV)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

It is way too easy to get stuck focusing on the things that we desire and on those things that we don't have and fail to appreciate the wonderful gifts the Lord of all of creation has given us. Sometimes we get so stuck feeling sorry for ourselves that we fail to see and enjoy the gifts that God has given us.

Make a list today of what you have to be grateful for and be honest with yourself. Be honest. Thank Him for the people around you; for fruitful labor; for a home;  for creation; for life; and for love. Look around and see the glorious works that God has already done for you! Look around and see the gifts that God has given you! Then give thanks making a joyful noise to the Lord our rock and salvation!

Abundant life is experienced when we can appreciate and build upon what God has already given us. Anger and depression are experienced when we only focus on tearing apart the gifts of God. Rejoice and give thanks for the life God has given you!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Rest For The Weary

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.                                                                                                  (Matt 11:28 KJV)

Everyone gets weary from time to time. As I get older, it seems that I am more heavy laden than in years before. It may not seem like much to others. In fact, others may even say some of the things I take on are not mine to take on. 

The problem with that is that as a Christian I feel compelled to help those who are in need and so I take on more. I hope that when people are alone, I will be able to recognize that and be there for them. Yes, there are times when I may be taken advantage of. But, those rare times are not worth the giving up on others. And, who can tell if, even in being taken advantage of, others may come to know Jesus through you? 

When I am weary; I find rest; I find peace, in knowing that Christ is with me and inspiring me to do what I can for others.

There is rest for the weary. It comes with a relationship with Jesus.

May we always abide in Christ and Christ in us.

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

The Consolation of God

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God. (2 Cor 1:3-4 NRSV)

Lately, I've been noticing that whenever I hear words relating to death or dying that I feel a strange sort of comfort come over me. My whole body relaxes and my spirit is quieted. I can only attribute this to the knowledge that Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live..." (John 11:25)

When I am afflicted and that seems to be quite often, I remember St. Paul's words to the Philippians: "It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again." (Philippians 1:20-26)

There is great comfort in the knowledge that what is visible to us today is not all there is. There is more. God is the more in which lies our hope. Living in His perpetual presence is the consolation we find no matter what trials we might encounter here in this world. 

So, yes, I find comfort in the hope of living in the Kingdom of God; in His presence, where there will be no more mourning or crying or pain for His people. (Rev 21:3-4) May God grant you his comfort and peace in the face of any and all afflictions.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hope of Future and Fruit of Labor

In all toil there is profit,
  but mere talk leads only to poverty.

                           (Prov 14:23 NRSV)

I was listening to Dr. Jordan Peterson on YouTube this morning and something that he said really caught my attention. He said something to the effect of, "an old person has the fruit of their labor; young people have the hope of their future."  

As an older person, there are days when I am not exactly sure how fruitful my labors have actually been. I have worked hard and for many, many decades. I am not rich financially. But, I feel blessed almost all of the time. I am comfortable. I am comfortable because I know that in the days when I was not so profitable or fruitful, God provided for my needs. I am comfortable because I know that he will always take care of me according to his good will. That does not mean that I get to quit laboring and let God through others take care of me. 

I am comfortable (but, not always and completely because of my sinful nature) in that I do recognize the fruit of the work of my hands. But, the question is: has my labor been fruitful in the eyes of God? Has my labor glorified God? The answer to that is definitely not always.

Dr. Peterson said that the young people have the hope of their future. Hope is a good thing. It is a necessary motivator to strive for the things one dreams of. It is necessary for growth and to being able to, when one grows old, to enjoy the fruit of their labor. 

It is the hope of many of my generation that the young will not make the same mistakes as some of us have; spending too much time dreaming and not enough time toiling to accomplish their dreams. Dreaming is a good thing. But, if we are to accomplish any thing then action must follow and often it is quite a lot of action. It is not enough to say that we will do this or that. We must work to reach the goal. There must be labor in order to be fruitful. Fruitfulness follows labor which follows the birth of our hopes and dreams.

I do not understand the philosophy that those who do not work, even though they are able, should be fed by others. Sadly, it is a growing ideology. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: "For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living." (2 Thess 3:10:12)

And, it is not just so that we can have the basic necessities of life that we labor.  Christians will labor and do all that they can to the best of their God given abilities that God might be glorified. When St. Paul wrote to the Colossians concerning our duties to one another he said: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ." (Col 3:17, 23-24)

Whether young or old; whether still forming your hopes and dreams or enjoying the fruits of your labor in your later years; may all things that we say and think and do glorify our Father in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Shine Like A Star To Glorify God

Shine Like Stars In The World

Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world. It is by your holding fast to the word of life that I can boast on the day of Christ that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16 NRSV)

Personally, I am very tired of arguing. I'm too old and have much better things to do; like proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Arguing is unproductive and a major waste of time that could be spent gathering instead of separating. 

Reasonable debating is another thing. Sitting down with someone and actually discussing something can be very productive. But, when you don't win the "argument" to then go around and murmur (gossip) about the person you disagree with is definitely not only non-productive, it is not Christ like. 

We are to shine like stars in the world, not to be like the world. The race we are to run is not against others. It is for others. We proclaim the Good News with all the fervor that the Spirit of Christ provides us with so that others might also hear and believe.

It is not about glorifying ourselves. It is not about us winning the race against others. It is about trusting the Holy Spirit to help us to run the race and let the light of Christ shine in and through us for the sake of others, to the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

No Fear Of Death

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body." (Philippians 1:21-24 NIV)

At a pastor's conference, years ago, the speaker informed us that everyone is afraid to die, including Christians. I was offended by this revelation. I know many Christians who are not afraid of death. St. Paul certainly was not.

As a pastor and former hospice chaplain I have sat beside more than a few who have been breathing their last breaths in this world. I have indeed witnessed the fear of death in the faces of some. But, I have also witnessed the peace and the joy of those who know that their hope to depart and to be with Christ is about to be fulfilled. In those latter times, I was reminded of St. Stephen's martyrdom. "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 'Look,' he said, 'I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.' At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell on his knees and cried out, 'Lord, do not hold this sin against them.' When he had said this, he fell asleep." (Acts 7:55-60)

Stephen saw the glory of God. He saw Jesus. Up until his very last breath, Stephen followed in the footsteps of Jesus to further the gospel as he prayed, even as Jesus had prayed with his last breath, for the forgiveness of those who were putting him to death. Not long after Stephen's stoning, St. Paul, who is this same Saul who stood and watched the murder of Stephen, met the ascended Jesus on the road to Damascus. His whole life changed. He became a willing and ardent follower of Jesus; living his life as a testimony for Christ. He was not afraid of prison. He was not afraid of death. He longed to be with Jesus; yet, he was willing to do whatever God's will was for him. He was willing to be attacked and persecuted in this world if it would advance the gospel.

No, we are not all afraid of death. Those who believe that Jesus lived and died; rose from the dead; and now reigns in the Heavenly Kingdom look forward to the day when we will see the full glory of God even while we understand that it might be necessary for others that we stay here in this world a while longer. While we live we will give testimony of all that God has done for us, to His glory.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Fair Days Labor

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.  (James 5:1-6 NIV)

Justice in regards to pay can be a balancing act. On the one side there are those in this world who get rich off of the unfair wages and labor of others. There are those who do not get paid fair wages for an awful lot of work. The rich get richer on the backs of the poor who get poorer. However, on the other side there are also those who would have everything given to them without a fair days labor given for those wages.

As some employers get rich while paying their employees minimum wages; others lose their businesses because they cannot keep up with the continual rising costs of having employees. The cost of unemployment taxes, workman's compensation, and other insurances can be prohibitive for many small businesses, eventually leading to not only loss of jobs for employees; but, for the employer, as well. I know more than one small business; although their employees do not get rich, the owner actually makes less than their employees while contributing more time and work. Just because someone owns a small business we ought to be careful not to consider that they are getting rich on the backs of their employees. Some suffer in order to provide their employees employment.

We live in a country where we have many freedoms that people in many other countries do not have. We are still one of the richest countries in the world. We thank God for this economic freedom; but, at the same time we must beware that this economic freedom does not become a god in itself for us. As individuals, as Christians, we must strive to pay fair wages in exchange for fair labor. As individuals, we ought to strive to provide fair labor for the fair wages we are paid. We need to try to ensure that our corroded gold and silver don't become testimonies against us.

Whether we are employers or employees; whatever we do, we do it unto the Lord; so that God is glorified. Do justice for your employee and your employer so that all may eat and none should suffer.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Sabbath Rest

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."  (Exodus 20:8-11 NIV)

I woke up this morning realizing that I actually rested on the Sabbath for a change. Over the years, I have purposely tried to keep the Sabbath; but, I there is usually work or something that needs to be done every Saturday. Yesterday, God blessed me with a day with real time to spend time with Him and in private devotion to Him. It is a good thing for us to be able to keep the Sabbath.  Sometimes, we are able to keep the Sabbath on Saturday. Sometimes, we are not able to. Whatever day we are able to rest in the Lord, it is important that we do so. God rested on the seventh day from all of His work. We need to find a time and a day to rest from our work as well.

Years ago when my husband was logging, every now and then, he would get this crazy idea that he would have to work on Sundays instead of going to our place of worship. It never failed! The equipment would break down and he'd lose even more time fixing it, as well as a whole lot of money.

When confronted by the Pharisees and the teachers of the law about healing a man and his disciples picking some heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath, he said, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” and "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." In Mark 2:27, he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I don't believe that my husband was being punished for working on Sunday. But, the reality is that we need to find time to rest in the Lord. Working seven days a week is just not good for anyone. Things happen when we get tired and worn out. We make more mistakes than usual. God gave us a day of rest and the best place to rest is in Him.

The Sabbath is a gift to us. May God help us to be good stewards of our day of rest and use it wisely.

God's Peace - Pr. J

It Is Not Good To Be Alone

Jim and Sam - partners for and in life.

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
                                            (Eccl 4:9-12)

At worship yesterday, on Trinity Sunday, two of our members, stood before God and the congregation as they made a commitment to be there for each other for all the days of their lives. They asked God to bless their lives together that they might serve Him even more fully. As a gift to them, I gave them the cincture that I was wearing. Fastening this cord of three strands loosely around their wrists as a symbol that they were being bound together as one and that their commitment to each other would not be broken. It would not be broken because it is not just their love and commitment to each other that will keep them together. That cord of three strands: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will bless their lives together and will be there to help keep them together.

The commitment between a man and a woman, who love each other, to be there for each other is such a joy for me to witness. Being alone in this crazy world is not usually a good thing. It is very good for most of us to have someone to share our lives and our love with. The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Gen 2:18 NIV)

This is what marriage is about: a partnership. It is about two people being there for each other; supporting each other in good times and bad; encouraging each other; serving God and the community of saints as one; by the power of God's love.

When the rest of the world ignores you; you will have (hopefully) someone who will not.

May God bless your lives with someone to share your love and your life with on earth even as our Father in heaven loves us all. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Why Is There No Room In The Inn?

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. Luke 2:6-7 NIV

What does this mean? What does this mean for you?

Traveling, Joseph and Mary found themselves without a place to sleep. In labor, Mary had no place to give birth except for in a barn.

When I first began traveling cross country alone so many years ago, I would just pull into a road side park, lock the car doors, and sleep when I became tired. I did not see a need to find an inn as I would only be sleeping for a few hours at the most. Today, this is not something that I would do. Today, I find an inn and sleep for a good five to six hours before I travel again. I do this not just because I'm aging and know that I need more than a couple of hours of sleep before I'm rested enough to drive; but, because today, it is much more dangerous to be sleeping alone in a roadside park. It's just not a good idea. It is also illegal in many areas of the country.

In the midst of the winter, when temperatures drop, my sense of what the homeless endure is heightened. What can be done for the homeless? In the north, where temperatures tend toward freezing and below, there are many towns and small cities without even one homeless shelter. There are no "inns" for them. Larger cities don't appreciate the homeless sleeping in tents or in makeshift shelters in their midst. Some even take away their tents or destroy their shelters. I get frustrated at the naivety of posts on social media that suggest we could build decent looking tiny, tiny houses for the homeless. That's a great idea. But, most of these suggested tiny shelters have no running water and would not be allowed in most of the country because of local zoning laws. We need to do more!

What is a world to do to help those who have no place to lay their heads at night? Why is there no room in the inn?

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Too Much Striving After Things

Eccl 1:1-3 NIV
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” 
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”

What do people gain from all their labors
    at which they toil under the sun?

When my husband I first began our married life together, almost forty-six years ago, we began it in a small and simple apartment. Our first home was in a renovated officer's barracks at Sterling Homes, Oceanside, CA. We both worked hard. He was in the Marine Corps. I followed him around finding jobs as I could at every new location. There were times when I worked two jobs. I went to college as I was able and raised our sons, mostly alone, as he was deployed most the time. We use to joke that he had more sea time than most sailors. Our family grew and so did our homes. But, now as we have grown older, the desire to have big and luxurious has been replaced with the need to own only what we have the physical ability and energy to care for ourselves, with a little help from family and friends. We have gone down to small and simple once again.

There are times when I wonder how much time, effort, and money was wasted on striving after things that were utterly meaningless. I no longer can remember how many cars we've owned and definitely can't remember how many living rooms sets we have saved for and purchased. I remember only the first one which I retrieved from a dumpster and reupholstered myself. It takes way more effort to remember that meaningless trivia than I want to expend. It takes me a bit of time to even count how many homes we have lived in or even owned. There are times when I definitely grieve the time, effort, and money lost to so many things that were utterly meaningless in the big picture of eternal life. But, that grieving too is meaningless. What has been done cannot be undone. It is only possible to move forward.

We have to work to sustain our lives and our families. That is a reality. But, we also need to be able to find time to live life; to enjoy the very basic and precious things that God has given to us. There are more important things in life than amassing huge amounts of things. Relationships with family and friends; our relationship with God who created and then through Christ recreated us in him are much more valuable than anything that money can buy. In Christ we can have a new beginning. We can begin to truly live life.

Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:21)  When we finally come to the place where we can say that the treasures we seek are in the Kingdom of God and not in this world, our relationships with God and with one another will be what brings us joy and peace. These things are some of the best treasures that might be had in this world for they come not from this world; but, originate in the Kingdom of God. These things, I have found, are quite elusive when we are busy striving after things..

Help others to know the treasures of joy and peace. Share the Good News that we have been reconciled to God, in His Kingdom, through the blood of Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

It Is God Who Makes The Flowers Bloom

"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these." Matt 6:27-29 NIV

The flowers do not labor or spin and when it comes to growing a flower garden; neither do I do much work. My life has been so full of other things that I do not spend a lot of time gardening. I enjoy seeing the flowers grow and come to full bloom. But, other than planting the seeds and a little watering when it is needed, I do not do much. I leave the scattered seeds in God's hands. Most often, they grow to beautiful flowers most haphazardly positioned. Sometimes, they don't.

It is the same with planting the seeds for the Kingdom.  "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how." (Mark 4:26-27) All we can do is plant the seed and maybe do a little fertilizing and watering.

Do not worry about whether the work of your hands will flower and bloom. All that we can do is scatter the seeds and trust God to provide the growth. Whether it will grow or not or how it will grow is up to the Spirit of Christ.

St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Cor 3:6-7) "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

Even as St. Paul and the many saints before us planted many seeds and watered them, may the abiding Christ scatter many seeds through us as we trust Him to provide the growth for all in His Kingdom.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Producing Fruit

"We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 1:2 NIV

We are not saved by our works. We are saved by God's grace through faith in the one who loved us so much that he was willing to die that we might live with and in him. That faith; our love for the one who loves us so unconditionally, inspires us to action. We want to share his love with others. We desire to share the hope of the promised kingdom with others.

All of the good works in the world will never save us; but, that will not keep us from doing good to one another. It is because we are saved; because we who do not deserve this free gift of salvation that we respond with fruitful and loving labor that God may be glorified in all that we say and do.

May God bless all that we say and do that we might produce fruit for the Kingdom and for the glory of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J