We Get To Serve The Lord!

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee! 

                                                                             (Psalm 71:17-19 KJV)

It has been about thirty-two years since I asked God to allow me to serve Him and to teach me how He would have me serve Him. I did not care what would happen to me so long as He opened doors that I might serve Him. My own stubbornness has made me veer from this path on more than one occasion. I have failed to do His will too many times. It has been an awesome journey. But, despite my advancing age I am convinced that He is not finished with me yet. He will continue to show me the way; opening doors and empowering me to do His will; to share with others the great things that He has done.

I retired from pastoral ministry a few years ago. Retirement for me was a mistake. Since that time I have wandered about feeling lost without the many opportunities to serve Him. Fortunately, He has opened a few doors. I am most fortunate for having the privilege to serve Him on the board of Sola Publishing this past year. Recently the opportunity opened up for me to serve Him further working with St. Paul Lutheran Seminary. As my hair grows grayer with each birthday and I am not as agile as I once was there are always opportunities to tell others; to teach others about the great and awesome things that God has done for us.

Thanks be to God for the privilege of serving Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

I Am Still Here!

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

                                                                                      (Phil 1:20-24 KJV)

Have you ever woke up and thought, "Oh, I am still here!" Life is a privilege, indeed! We get to live and to love. For the most part, we get to enjoy life. We get to enjoy the world around us. But, we also know that there is something even better and that is to be with Christ in his full glory. And... that is a promise to all who believe in him.

St. Paul loved the Lord. Although he had once despised Jesus and persecuted his followers; once he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, his whole life turned around and he desired to live life with Christ. So it is with many who love Jesus today. We long to be with Jesus! We long to be with the one who loves us so much that he was willing to suffer horribly and die so that we might be forgiven all of our sins and live in his presence.

The good news is that we do not have to wait until death to this world to live with him. He is with you now. He will be with you always. We can live in his peace no matter what this world throws at us. 

It would be very nice. It would be absolutely awesome to depart and to be with him even as St. Paul desired to be with him. But, it is also pretty awesome to abide in the flesh in this world and to also be able to abide in him. It is also a privilege to be able to bring the good news to those who do not know Jesus. It is a privilege and it is needful for followers to make more followers of Jesus so that all may look to the day when they will depart to be with Christ in the fullness of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Live Your Life In Jesus

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Col 2:6-7 NRSV)

What is the sense of receiving Jesus Christ and then not living in him? If you acknowledge and receive him as your savior; they why would you turn your back on the privilege of living in him? What could possible be worth more than being united with Jesus?

The world really has nothing better to offer than Jesus. But, in Jesus, we can live life in the world in a much more peaceful place.

If he's good enough for you want to be with after death takes you from this world; then he ought to be good enough to live with and in now. Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Go And Tell!

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24 NIV)

Are we ever finished with completing the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace?  Paul, like many Christians today, was looking forward to going home to be with the Lord. But, he was aware that he would not be going until the Lord called him home. 

Life, here on earth, is nothing in comparison to entering into our Father's presence most completely and eternally. But, there is much to be done here. There are so many who have no idea of who our awesome loving God is. It is our task to tell them. It is our privilege to share this Good News! Let us all go and tell!

May God empower us to testify to the good news of His grace through Jesus Christ our Lord that all may come to know Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J