Curses And Blessings

"He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, “Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!” When he turned around and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys." 2 King 2:23-24 NRSV

Over the years I've gotten pretty accustomed to hearing curse words. I mostly ignore it. But, listening to people curse every time they speak causes me to get a knot in my stomach. Hearing God's name used recklessly makes me a little more than anxious. I hear words come out of people's mouths and I wonder if they realize that God is listening. When we desire that someone be harmed and we think or speak it; they are not just harmless words. Every word, whether it is a blessing or a curse, is like a prayer before God.

The story of Elisha cursing the boys and the bears coming to retaliate against them for disrespecting and bullying God's prophet is a bit disturbing. It can make one really uncomfortable to think that God would answer this prayer (curse) in such a devastating fashion. It causes me to wonder if Elisha had any clue that God would respond in such a dramatic fashion or did the curse simply slip from his lips in a moment of anger or maybe fear when he faced the mob of forty-two alone? But, he was not alone. God was with him.

God doesn't normally send bears to protect His prophets. But, there is no doubt that He is with all who serve Him and He listens to their pleas. Be careful of what words slip through your lips. If someone offends you consider the possibility that they did not mean it the way that it sounded or looked to you. It is up to each of us to decide whether whether our own words will be the words of a bully, a curse in God's name, or if they will be the words of a blessing; God hears it all. Be careful of what you pray for. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Thunderous Voice

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   worship the Lord in the splendor of his 

   holiness.
The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
   the God of glory thunders,
   the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
   the voice of the Lord is majestic.

                                    Psalm 29:1-4 NIV

I awoke to the sound of powerful thunder over the mighty waters last night. I love to listen to the skies quake and the oceans roar. I love to hear the sound of the thunder; to hear the pounding of the rain upon the roof; to sit in the darkness watching the lightning light up the sky in the darkness of the night.

The sound of thunder in Flagler Beach is not quite like the sound it makes in Michigan. It sounds so much closer to the earth here. It roars like the ocean roars in the midst of a storm. At one point last night it sounded as though maybe the ocean had decided to roar over the land so much that I felt obliged to get up and check to see if the water  was rising and how fast. It is not that it causes me fear. It reminds me that we should all have just a little more fear and respect for the one who has power over all things; even the storms. Storms remind me of the beginning; of how the Spirit of God hovered over the darkness; over the deeps; over the chaos. And, as God spoke with his mighty voice He created all things out of all that darkness and chaos.

I do appreciate a good storm now and then. I enjoy listening to the roar of the water and the thunder. It reminds me of who God is. It reminds me that He is all powerful. He is majestic. Let us all give God the glory due His name!

God's Peace – Pr. J    

God's Will And Ways; Not Ours

To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

All a person’s ways seem pure to them,

    but motives are weighed by the Lord.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
        and he will establish your plans.
The Lord works out everything to its proper end—

    even the wicked for a day of disaster.

                                        Proverbs 16:1-4 NIV

It seems like a good thing; even a wise thing, not to let our emotions control us. So often, I can feel my emotions rise to the surface. It takes a bit of self-discipline to slow them down, ignore my emotions and listen to what the LORD would have me do. Sometimes, my first instinct is to react rather than listen to God. That first instinct of listening to my heart and reacting has sometimes gotten me into a bit of trouble.

Most of us, at one time or another, have though that we needed to fix something for someone that we love as we see them hurting. Sometimes, we need to let well enough alone and let God fix them in His own way and His own time. Sometimes, we need to be quiet. Sometimes, we ought not do a thing except to pray that God's will be done and be there to listen to them and to God. And, when He tells us to do something, do it.

When responding or reacting to any given situation, it is wise to slow down and ask ourselves if our response is coming from the pride within our hearts or is it from our knowledge and/or wisdom of the LORD's will for us and others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Are You Listening?

"Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise." Deut 6:6-7

I do a lot of reciting of both the law and the gospel. But, there are times when I just have to shake my head and wonder if anyone is listening? Do they not understand the there is only one true God and that God is almighty; all powerful; all loving; all merciful? It is not wise. It is not a good thing to worship other gods; to put anyone or anything before our Creator and Redeemer. I simply have a difficult time understanding how anyone would refuse to love and serve the only God who can save them from sin, death, and the power of the devil. How could anyone not love someone who was willing to die for them?

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart." Deut 6:4-6

May our Father in heaven, forgive us for not loving Him as we ought; for not loving Him even as He loves us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Are You Listening? There Is Only One God.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."  (Deut 6:4-7 NIV)

I do a lot of talking about both the law and of the gospel. I do a lot of preaching. But, there are times when I just have to shake my head and wonder if anyone is listening? Do they not understand the there is only one true God and that God is almighty; all powerful; all loving; all merciful? It is not wise; it is not a good thing to worship other gods; to put anyone or anything before our Creator and Redeemer. I simply have a difficult time understanding how anyone would refuse to love and serve the only God who can save them from sin, death, and the power of the devil. How could anyone not love someone who was willing to die for them? But, they are out there. There are multitudes who mock Jesus; who laugh and turn their back on him to go chasing after their boring and wimpy false gods. There are those who persecute the followers of Jesus. May God have mercy on them and open their ears, their eyes, and their hearts to see how they have damaged the lives of those whom they claim to love. They have no clue that God is with His children and He will bless His children regardless of what those who reject Him might devise against them. May God help them to see that they are choosing a life full of fear. They are choosing death over life even for themselves.

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart." 

May our Father in heaven, forgive us for not loving Him as we ought; for not loving Him even as He loves us and He loves us so much that He was willing to send His only begotten Son to die for us. Are you willing to give up even such a small thing as your false gods for the love of the one true God?

God's Peace - Pr. Judy

Are You Listening?

"Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise." Deut 6:6-7
I do a lot of teaching and preaching of both the law and the gospel both at Bible Studies and at Worship as well as out in the community and at home. But, there are times when I just have to shake my head and wonder if anyone is listening? Do they not understand that there is only one true God and that God is almighty; all powerful; all loving; all merciful? It is not wise; it is not a good thing to worship other gods; to put anyone or anything before our Creator and Redeemer. I simply have a difficult time understanding how anyone would refuse to love and serve the only God who can save them from sin, death, and the power of the devil. How could anyone not love someone who was willing to die for them?

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart." Deut 6:4-6

May our Father in heaven, forgive us for not loving Him as we ought; for not loving Him even as He loves us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Choose The Right Path

He made the moon to mark the seasons,    and the sun knows when to go down.

Psalm 104:19 NIV

Then what of man? If the sun and the moon have, for all these years, followed the course that God laid out before them; then, what of man? Why is it so difficult for humankind to follow in The Way that the Lord would have us go?

That would be: free will. God gave us the ability to make choices between loving Him or not; between serving Him and honoring Him or not; between listening to Him or the serpent. Adam and Eve chose to listen to the serpent rather than to God. In spite of God's command, they chose to eat of the tree of knowledge and avoided eating from the tree of life. Adam and Eve and all humankind were exiled from Paradise for their wrong choice.

And, so... it continues down to this age. God has opened wide the gates to Paradise for all who would believe in and follow His Son. Yet, many choose to follow in a way they have chosen for themselves and reject The Way that God has prepared for us.

May God open our hearts to follow in The Way, the only way, that can save us from ourselves and our own wrong choices.

God's Peace - Pr. J