The Spirit Intercedes For Us

Romans 8:26-28 KJV; When we know not how or what to pray the Spirit intercedes for us.

Have Patience; God's Time Is Not The Same As Ours.

2 Peter 3:8-14 KJV 2nd Sun in Advent; Have Patience! Christ has come. He is with you even now. He will come again!

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Psalm 23 KJV; 20th Sunday after Pentecost: The Shepherd's Psalm a prayer of affirmation that the Good Shepherd is with us.

Take It To The Lord In Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7 KJV; Take it to the Lord in prayer that you might know the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Psalm 112 Law And Gospel

Psalm 112:1-9 KJV; 5th Sunday after Epiphany - the Psalms are full of the law while at the same time they bring comfort and promise to those in times of trouble.

Pray For Those In Authority

1 Timothy 2:1-2; Philippians 4:6-9 KJV: Pray for the authorities that we might live in peace. 

Bless The Words Of Our Lips

Psalm 19:14 KJV May all that we think and say be acceptable to the Lord.

His Loving Kindness

Psalm 42:8 KJV We can know that the Lord loves us. His presence is with us always.

Let Us Be With Him In Prayer

Readings from Psalm 119:114; Matthew 26:36-39; When we need a place to be away from the turmoil we can turn to the Lord in prayer.

Our Father Not Just My Father!

Reading from Luke 11:1-4 KJV We pray daily as Jesus taught us to pray to glorify our Father in heaven and for all people.

Enemies Abound

Psalm 143 KJV for Pentecost Sunday 2022

Confess And Pray For Healing

When Will He Drink Of Fruit Of The Vine Again?

Troublemakers and Rumors of Wars

Saved From The Deluge

Psalm 80 KJV

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

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I am pretty convinced that the season of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ, is fraught with difficulties.  I seem to spend a lot of time doing things many times; things that actually shouldn't be up to me. The couch in my office is full of projects; that is paperwork, as I wait for "professionals" to take care of what they are being paid to do. Nothing seems to be getting done. I have filed the stuff a few times the last few months only to have to take it all back out so that I can advise the "professionals." I would take it personally; but, I have a feeling that some of these "professionals" are working from home and may have a few distractions that are keeping them from focusing on their jobs during their paid working hours or maybe they have new help and that help is just inexperienced. I don't really care to hear that they don't think they should do the best they can because they don't think they get paid enough. If you accept a job then you do it. It is as simple as that.

I have to admit that there are times when I feel a bit overwhelmed with it all. So I wouldn't mind a prayer or two. But, as a retired pastor I am also aware that others are having a much more difficult time. There are multitudes of homeless in this world who don't have a couch to lay their paperwork on. They don't have enough food to eat. Others are losing their homes due to job losses or in some cases because of a snafu in paperwork that they just can't figure out how to fix. People are dying from many things including random shootings. Tornadoes have recently taken the homes and livelihoods of many. The list goes on...

What is the answer?  We keep going in the knowledge that God will cause his face to shine and we shall be saved from the deluge this world brings upon us. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Rejoice; Live In Peace

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

                                                                                        (Phil 4:4-7 KJV)

Trust in the Lord. Trust that he hears our prayers and answers. 

Human beings are often anxious about something; sometimes about everything! The knowledge that God hears our prayers and answers gives us both peace and joy. We have peace because we know that God is for us.  We have joy because we know that God Almighty, our Savior and Lord, is present with us to protect and to lead us, even now. 

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11)

Rejoice in the Lord always and may the peace of God be with you keeping your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Come Quickly Lord

Psalm 116:1-8

I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

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Come quickly Lord to help me! How often have we thought this thought; prayed this prayer? 

There is comfort; there is relief in the knowledge that the Lord is with us and has a good plan for  those who love him. (Rom 8:28)  There is peace in the knowledge that he will answer our prayers and give our souls rest in times of trouble. 

Do not fear. Call upon the name of the merciful and gracious Lord in both good times and bad. Live life in his presence. Live life in his peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Take It To The Lord In Prayer

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7 KJV)

The line "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" from the favorite hymn "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" reminds us that no matter what we are going through, the Lord cares; he hears; and he helps us in our time of need. We may still have to go through the struggle but with the Lord's help we will not be discouraged. We can face all things with a peaceful heart and mind because we know that the Lord is with us and for us.

Life is not always easy. We all have times of trouble. But, we can find peace by the knowledge that he works all things for the good of those who love him. (Rom 8:28)

God's peace be with you always - Pr. J.

I Lay Down In Peace

Psalm 4

Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord.

There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

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My favorite times of day are early morning and evening just before I fall asleep. They are quiet times. They are times when I can commune with God without any interruptions. 

The world is full of challenges as we strive to do better. Unfortunately, this striving to do better usually tends to mean we strive for more unnecessary stuff. This striving for stuff can take the joy totally out of living as it can be a constant battle to appear more successful in the eyes of others. Successful for many means having more stuff even if they no longer have time to enjoy the stuff they've accumulated. Successful for most Christians means living in peace in communion with God. We don't need lots of stuff. We need Jesus. We need need his love. We need the peace that only he can give. 

No matter what challenges might trouble our hearts and minds we can live and rest in peace knowing that the Lord is with us and for us. The Lord lifts up the light of his countenance upon us.

May God help each of us to live in perpetual communion with Him that we might all live life in peace with Him and with one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Still Waters

 

He Leads Me Beside Still Waters And Restores My Soul

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:1-3 KJV)

I have pointed out in many blogs that it is necessary for the followers of Jesus to gather together often to worship God. It is also necessary for his followers to spend time alone with him for our own well being for he is the shepherd that will lead us through this life. He is the only one who can restore our souls. 

Jesus, himself, spent time alone in the wilderness with our Father in heaven, communicating with Him; praying. 

According to the Gospel of Luke just prior to appointing the twelve to be Apostles Jesus spent the night alone in prayer. "And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God." (Luke 6:12)

Luke also tells us that after the multitudes had come to hear him and be healed by him Jesus separated himself from them and went into the wilderness to pray. (Luke 5:15-16)

On the night in which he was betrayed he separated himself from the disciples in the garden and went to pray alone.  (Luke 23:39-44)

Jesus spent time in the wilderness to be alone with his Father, our Father. It is good, even necessary, for us to spend time alone with the Good Shepherd to be in his presence; to be hear where he would have us go; what he would have us do; and to be refreshed; to have our souls restored.

Shut everything off and take a walk in green pastures or beside still waters. Get more closely acquainted with the Good Shepherd who lived and died and lives again for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.