Save Us And We Will Be Saved

Psalm 80:1-7 KJV; 1st Sunday in Advent; the Sunday of hope. The world is a mess! Who will save us? Who can even know where to begin to pray?  In times like these the faithful turn to God relying on the Holy Spirit to pray for us and through us.

Vengeance Will Be God's

"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.

And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water..."

                                                                                     (Isa 35:4-7a KJV)

I am sorry for my attitude; but, I am waiting for that day that the Lord will come even with vengeance to save his children who are persecuted and killed all day long.  How evil can the world be to turn a blind eye to those who are suffering; to those who are being hunted down and persecuted?  Of course, not everyone has turned a blind eye. But, so many do, especially those in power and control of others. Minimizing the suffering of others to make oneself look good is just so totally political. It has nothing to do with doing what is right but what is good for the politicians and their behind the curtain puppet masters.

I wait for the day when all eyes and ears will be opened to see and hear how the choices of these few men and women have destroyed the lives of others. Will it ever happen in my lifetime here on earth? Will we ever see real justice? Will we ever see a time when we do not turn our backs on those who are being hunted down and persecuted  and even killed because they do not think or believe or live like those in control think that they should? Genocide by any other name is still genocide! It is a crime against all of humanity.

Will we ever really see the widow and the orphan protected and cared for no matter who they are or where they live? We talk a lot about it. But, will this generation ever see it?

Just because someone lives half way around the world from us; does that mean we should not be there for them?  My heart and mind hears the cries of the many in hiding today: "Help us! Why have you deserted us?"

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God will bring vengeance upon those who have caused so much fear in the lives of others. It is promised that he will deliver those who are fearful. May God bring that promise to fruition quickly! 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Think On Good Things

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

I have not been able to watch the news lately for two reasons. 

1. The news has been way too negative.  2. The news stations don't report much news. 

I watch, maybe, one hour of television a day. That figure is on the high side. So, I really do not know who all of these actors are and I really don't care, either. The news stations apparently think we care and maybe some of you do so a lot of the news that they publish is about what these actors are doing in their private lives and what their political opinions are. Again, knowing what the various sports, music, and actors are up to on any particular day is not high up on my list of priorities. What is put forward as news regarding them is definitely not a focus on positive things in life. It is gossip.

As for reporting regarding politics and politicians; most of what I hear from reporters is hearsay; innuendo; personal opinions; more gossip. These are not positive things. They are things that stress and divide people. 

Paul says we are to think on positive things. Focus on what is good in your life and the lives of those around you. Don't let the devil and his minions drag you into the depths of anger or hate or depression. That is not to say that you shouldn't defend others when they are being maliciously slandered; only that it is not helpful to bury yourself in the hearing of the slander and gossip day after day. Sometimes, we just need to shut off the news.

Think on what is good. Read and hear the Word of God. Focus on the good that God has planned for you and for the people around you. Praise him not your favorite earthly idol. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Lobbyists In The Church!

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:35-37 KJV)

On trial, Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world. Jesus did not fight political battles. His message was about the Kingdom of God. 

A decade ago, I left my former denomination. A decade prior to that I had begun to speak openly regarding their mission priority being one of political lobbyists in this world rather than sharers of the Good News of the Kingdom in Christ Jesus. 

I am not against individuals speaking regarding their political beliefs, no matter what party they belongs to. In fact, I think they should speak up as individuals. But, they should speak with tolerance and as individuals and not as representatives of the church. 

I find it abhorrent that an entire denomination would decide via delegates what the politics of every member of the denomination should be. It causes division. It makes those who disagree with any new resolutions of the church on earth like they are being told their political belief system is wrong and that they are not a part of the church unless they agree with the resolutions and the actions of church lobbyist. It takes away from the true mission of the church. It will destroy the church on earth. It will destroy congregations and denominations.

Yes, indeed we are to speak up and defend the helpless. But, who the helpless actually are can be a matter of differing opinions even within the church. For example there are those who defend the woman's right to abort a child. They consider themselves to be defending the helpless woman. But, there are also many of us who choose to speak up and defend the helpless child who can now in some states be aborted at birth. 

My husband is a retired U.S. Marine. Many years ago, a member of my denomination; but, not of my congregation, confronted me over the U.S. Marine and the Tanker stickers we had in the back window of our 4-wheel drive pick-up as this Christian did not support the military in any way, shape, or form. He also wanted to know if my congregation approved of me using the salary they paid me to purchase and drive such a gas guzzler. The truth is that on my salary as a female pastor, I could not have afforded the truck. It was my husband who paid for the truck. Without that 4-wheel drive truck, I could also not visit some of the people I had to visit as their pastor, especially in the spring when some of the back roads I drove on had mud that was knee-deep. 

Over the years, I have been careful not to espouse my politics from the pulpit. That is not the place for it. Political lobbyists do not belong in the church. In fact, many church constitutions (agreements with the state) have some restrictions on it, which are often ignored.

I am retired and not leading any congregation now and do not have to worry about dividing a congregation over my political opinions. As a citizen of the Kingdom of God who lives in this world, I feel much more freedom to express my worldly opinions which I believe are based mostly on my faith. I have the right, as an individual, to speak up for what I believe is right. I do not believe that any congregation or denomination has a right to tell the whole flock what they must believe politically. Every member of the church on earth has the inalienable right to voice their opinions whether on politics or anything else. As Christians, we do not have the right to bully others into thinking like we do. We, as individuals can choose to protest. But, the church on earth; no Bishop, no pastor, should consider that they can tell us that we must.

Jesus spoke the truth. He called sin a sin; the disciples didn't get to vote on it. But, the Good News, at least for us, is that he willingly died to take upon himself those sins. His disciples didn't get to vote on that either. What he taught affected the world and although he was not political; what he taught does and will affect what we believe politically. He was not engaged in overthrowing Caesar or any of his cohorts. His Kingdom, he said, is not of this world. 

May God help us to live in peace with one another no matter what our political persuasion happens to be. May God help the church on earth as a whole to focus more on sharing the Good News of the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ than on lobbying for special interests in the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acceptable to the Lord

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14 NRSV)

If you have ever heard me preach then you have most likely heard Psalm 19:14 in some translation or version. It is the verse, that we pray, before the sermon at any and almost all of the Worship services that I lead, whether it is Sunday Worship, a funeral, a wedding, or whatever the occasion.

I begin every sermon with this prayer and I end it with a prayer, as well.  You see, I need God's help.  In fact, I need God to speak through me, because I really don't know what it is that He would have me say to all of you.  I don't need to use a lot of words. A lot of words would most probably come out of my own ego and would not be helpful to too many people. But, God can touch each of us with a whole lot less words.   

Just prior to the beginning of each service; I also usually pray something to the effect of:  "Send your Holy Spirit that your people might hear your Word, your will for them, and not mine." I depend upon the Spirit of God to open the ears of each of the hearers so that everyone one might hear God's word, his will for them. His word, his will and not mine.

One of the rules I try to follow in sermon writing is to never talk politics. I cannot even begin to imagine myself endorsing a candidate from the pulpit! I have been asked about this by a few people as there are  some who seem to think that this is the preacher's job.  However, the pulpit is for preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  It is not for promoting a partisan view of the kingdom of this world. In regards to preaching politics, I am confident that it would definitely be my political views that would be expressed and not God's. 

Sharing the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ is not about pleasing man.  It is about pleasing God. In fact; often, people will not be pleased with the message that pleases the person sitting in the pew next to them.  Sometimes the very same sermon that will bring comfort to one hearer, will bring conviction to another.  That, my friend, is the work of the Holy Spirit.  God knows who is going to be at Worship on any given Sunday and He knows what they need to hear.  And, if they have ears to hear, they will hear just what He wants them to hear.  Thanks be to God!

It always amazes me when people tell me after the sermon that they were so moved when I talked about..... (whatever it was they heard).  I don't tell them that I didn't actually say what they heard. If that's what the Spirit wanted to say to them, if that's what they needed to hear, then so be it.  And... the glory belongs to God!

Help us LORD!  May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts and minds always be pleasing in your sight, O' Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.

God's Peace - Pastor J.