Refrain From Evil And Rejoice

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Quench not the Spirit.

Despise not prophesyings.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.                                                                                                                                (1 Thess 5:16-24 KJV)

"Rejoice evermore!" This third Sunday of Advent is the Sunday of joy. Oh, if only there would be joy in the world! But, it does not happen because people love darkness. They hold fast to what is evil rather than what is good for not just themselves but for others as well. 

Let us abstain from all appearance of evil as best as is humanly possibly so that the world might know the joy that the angel proclaimed and the peace that the whole host of angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus the Christ our Savior and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Time To Live

A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to live life in between those times.

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the  
    heavens:

   a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
   a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
   a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
   a time to scatter stones and a time to gather

    them

   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from

    embracing
   a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
   a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
   a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

                                           (Eccl 3:1-8 NIV)

 

There is a time for everything. The reading for my mother-in-law's funeral was this very familiar one from Ecclesiastes. There is a time for everything. I am sure of it. Sometimes the time gets a little crunched and I wonder if there will be actually be enough time to ever live life and to really enjoy life. It sometimes seems as though I have been running steady my whole life and have taken time for a few naps only because I was totally exhausted and could not go any more.

 

But, the wisdom writer from Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is time to for everything. There is time to enjoy life. It is time to grab hold of that time; slow down, and live life. This is a gift from God.

 

Carpe diem! It is time to seize the day and live the life that God has given you here on earth; live it fully to the glory of God!

 

Gods Peace - Pr. J