An Offensive Word?

Psalm 119:114 KJV; To mock the name of Jesus with offensive words.

Show The Children The Way

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

                                                                                   (Prov 1:10-11 KJV)

Having served at a juvenile correctional facility I have known a few young men who followed in their parents' footsteps with the end result ending up in the correctional facility. The parents were grieved; but, not necessarily grieved because these young men did anything wrong. They were grieved because they were caught.

That was, fortunately, only a few of the parents. Most of the parents were grieved because their children had not listened to them. They had not taken their advice to stay away from those things that would get them incarcerated or worse dead.

Most parents genuinely care for their children and try to lead them on a good path; a path that will help them to truly live abundant lives. 

Do not hinder your children; but, help them to follow in the way that our Lord Jesus has set before us.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.      

                                                                                       (Matt 18:4-6)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Love As The Good Shepherd Loves

"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:14-15 KJV)

What greater love can there possibly be than to willingly lay down your life for another? That is exactly what Jesus did. He died that all who believe in him would have eternal life.

The very sad thing is that this kind of love seems to be unfathomable to so many today. They do not know Jesus nor do they have his kind of love even for their family; even for their own children. Vengeance seems to be the norm for even the slightest infractions even among people who pretend to love one another. This narcissistic kind of attitude and behavior just drives everyone involved deeper into darkness. 

There is a way out of the darkness. Follow the good shepherd on a better path. Turn aside from the anger that envelopes you and do what is right; do the loving thing.

Take care that you do not persecute anyone for our Father in heaven loves them and watches over them. 

"But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matt 18:6)

Love one another as the good shepherd loves you!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus' Way

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

                                                                                   (Luke 17:1-4 KJV)

Only four verses and so much in them!

Jesus warns his disciples and us that we are to be very cautious on how we treat others. We are not to cause any one to sin. In other words, don't be teaching others to sin, either by word or example. Don't be promoting sin! But, if someone does sin against you, forgive them. Actually what Jesus says is: “If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

Please, note that Jesus does not tell us that we are to accept everything that everybody does. Everything is not OK or beneficial. Sin needs to be addressed in order for others to not stumble; in order for us not to stumble. Christians sometimes get accused of not being very Christ-like because they will not accept sin simply as an alternative and acceptable way to be. There is only "One Way" for the Christian. Jesus is "The Way." To teach or approve of any other way is to set up a stumbling block. To close our eyes to sin or say that there is no sin is setting up a stumbling block for ourselves as well as for others. The consequences will be devastating. But, if a brother sins against a Christian, the Christian will bring it to their attention and when they repent will forgive them in order that neither of them will suffer consequences worse than have a millstone tied around their necks and thrown into the sea.

I'm OK.
You're OK.
When Jesus is "The Way."

God's Peace - Pr. J

How Many Times?

   Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.   But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
   Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
   He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
   After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
   Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Matt 26:69-75 NIV)

How many times have we denied Jesus? Peter denies him verbally three times. How many times have we denied him by our silence or by our supporting the statements of someone who does verbally deny him? How many times have we denied him as we put something or someone or even ourselves before Jesus? I know we probably don't mean to. But, we do it without even considering Jesus as we strive to not offend others. 

Just wondering... How many times?

God's Peace - Pr. J