The Good Shepherd Seeks You Out

Ezekiel 34:11-16 KJV; Psalm 23: You cannot hide in the darkness from the Good Shepherd. He will seek you out and save you.

We Are Sinners

1 John 2:1-2, 8; John 17:21-23; We are sinner; yet, are saints by faith in Christ who shed his blood as a sacrifice for our sins.

Trust The One True God

Psalm 138

I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.

Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

+++

Praise the one true God before all gods. Get rid of those old gods and praise the one who is truly able and willing to show mercy. Those other gods will only bring you down. They cannot and will not help you. Sing praises to the One who can save you!

Life is full of troubles. Those troubles can often come at the hands of people you know well and may have even thought that they cared for you. Troubles may come through the false gods that you have put before the One true God. You may not know exactly what is troubling you; but, God knows everything that is going on in your life. Trust him! Give him  praise and thanks for he will deliver you from whatever assails you!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Foolishness Or Wisdom?

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

                                                                              (1 Cor 1:18-25 KJV)

So frustrating! I wish that everyone would receive our Saviour, Jesus the Christ. But, no matter how much I try it seems to be impossible for me to get some people to understand that the message of the cross is the power of God. It is not just a nice story of a man dying because he loved humanity so much. It is not just a piece of historical fact that we read about and set aside. It is not foolishness as the world would have us believe. Rather, it is foolishness not to believe. The message of the cross holds within it the power to save.

In the end, I always have to go back to a very simple fact. I cannot save anyone. I cannot even convince anyone. I can only proclaim the message and trust that the power of God within the message (the Word who is Jesus the Christ) saves. Usually, when people tell me that my sermon was great or they thank me for saying something that helped them; I remind them that it is not me; but, Christ in me (Gal 2:20). Sometimes, I will tell them that from my lips to your ears the Holy Spirit is working so that you hear (and receive) what God wants you to hear and have; not what I want.

The world can scoff at the faith of those who trust in the cross of Christ for their life and salvation. They can deny it. But it does not change the truth. Christ is and always will be Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God! Whom will you trust: the world, yourself, or God who created all things and has recreated us in Jesus Christ, our Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Test Every Spirit

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. 

                                                                               (1 John 4:1-6 KJV)

Try the spirits! Discern whether the words; the promises; the prophecies; that you hear or read of God or of the world?

Those who are not of God will refuse to hear or accept the truth. They will also  consequently refuse to proclaim it themselves. They will do everything in their power to keep others from learning the truth that whatever they do is to glorify and profit themselves. Do not follow in the way of the world and the worldly for it will only lead to destruction.

This world is not all there is. There is so much more to life than what the world offers. We can live that abundant life even here by being in relationship with God our Father. All people have the privilege of knowing him and being in that relationship by virtue of the sacrifice made for us on the cross by Jesus. That is the truth that we need to rely on and not on the lies that are being proclaimed as truth today. There is no need to listen to false promises from soothsayers when you listen to Jesus. When you listen to Jesus you have the truth.

The false prophets that we should not be giving heed to are not just some Christian prophets as some would propose. They can be of any religion or even no religion. False prophets, no matter who they are, will attempt to lead you away from the truth. They will attempt to lead you away from Jesus as they keep you focused on the world. They will lead you and the world to destruction even as they claim that they are trying to save you. They cannot save. Only the truth who is Jesus the Christ can save you. Listen to him!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Betrayal

"Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

And they laid their hands on him, and took him."

                                                                                   (Mark 14:42-46 KJV)

It was time to wake up and face reality. Jesus' betrayer was at hand and he wanted those who were with him to actually be with him when he faced his betrayer. Jesus did not run and hide from his betrayer. He did not hide from those who would take him to his death. He faced them. He went willingly to his death for the sake of the world.

In the Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke we hear Jesus warn us that he would be put to death and that those who would be his disciples; those who would receive eternal life in the presence of God, must also be willing to follow him even to death.

"And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." 

                                                                                   (Mark 8:31-35)

Do not fear what man might do to you. Face the betrayers. Face those who would  befriend you and kiss you on the cheek in order to betray you. Rather, trust that the Lord will work all things for the good of those who believe and trust in him.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Woe To The Oppressor

"Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!" (Zeph 3:1 KJV)

Woe to those who oppress others. Woe to those who neglect and abuse others, whether it is by word or deed that is either done or left undone! Woe to those who continue in their unrighteous ways and know no shame. What is with that, anyway? What good is in it for anyone who persecutes others unjustly?

God dispenses justice. He so wants to dispense mercy and grace to all of His children. He so desires that His children would turn to Him and love Him even as He loves them. But, anger abounds; jealousy lives, and greed survives.

But, the story does not have an unhappy ending for those who love Him. He will save! He does save! He is with the oppressed. He is with the abused and neglected. He is, even now, gathering those who love Him, into the Kingdom that is prepared for us by Jesus Christ, our LORD.

"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matt 5:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

There Is Only One Who Can Save You

Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.

                                                                                   (Isaiah 43:10-11 KJV)

Still in trouble? No matter what you do, does it seem that nothing ever goes right? Maybe, just maybe, it's because you are depending on someone or something other than the One True God to help you with your problems. There is only one Savior and that is our Lord Jesus the Christ. 

Trust him. False prophets; false teachers; false gods will bring you nothing but more bondage; more suffering. They will lead you astray into even darker places. They will lead you off of the path that leads to eternal peace in the presence of God. 

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Peter 2:19)

Nothing in this world can save you. There is only one way and that is by faith alone in Christ alone. Follow him. He will show you the way.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God..." (Eph 2:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Just Will Live By Faith

                                                                                      

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.  (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV)

Wisdom sometimes comes with age (but, not always). It never ceases to amaze me how some of our eldest brothers and sisters in Christ are able to humble themselves and confess their sins. These sins that they confess seem to pale in comparison to some of the sins that others do not confess.

The ability to understand that all sin no matter whether we consider them big or small sins are an abomination before God. It is understood that none of us are without sin; that we are made righteous only be faith in the Son of God who died for us. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. There is nothing that we can do or avoid doing in order to stand before God and be proclaimed innocent.

We are saved by faith alone in Christ alone. Sometimes, it just takes years of being humbled in order to be humble enough to know that we are indeed sinners and are saved by faith alone. This is a gift of God. (Eph 2:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

My Foot Slips

When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. 

                                                (Psalm 94:18 KJV)

My foot slipped and I fell off of a ladder a couple of weeks ago. An absolute miracle happened. I landed feet first and then on my knees. I did not get hurt. I did not even end up a little bit bruised. I was most fortunate! I was very surprised.

My feet slip often. But, more often than not my falls are not physical falls. I seem to be a whole lot more unsteady on my feet as each year passes. I am a whole lot more aware of the possibility of falling and at least attempt to be more careful. 

As each year passes it seems that I am also more aware of when I slip and fall spiritually. I am aware of sins that I would not have even realized were sins a decade ago. I try to prevent these falls when I realize they are about to or are happening. But, my efforts are not always successful. 

I know that we all fall. We are sinful human beings. I do not appreciate my own falls. I am quite taken aback that I could possibly foolish enough to fall again. But, I am assured by the Word that the Lord in His mercy will pick me up again and again. This knowledge that He will continue to pick us up is a most humbling experience for even when we are lost, He will pick us up and show us the way to go. 

I thank God for when I do fall, He is there to lift me back up. It is by His grace and mercy that we are saved from falls. We cannot save ourselves. Trust in the Lord for His mercy endures forever. 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Peace Like A River

Peace Like A River - At Home For The Summer

This is what the Lord says—

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the Lord your God,

who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the way you should go.

If only you had paid attention to my commands             

your peace would have been like a river,

your well-being like the waves of the sea.” 

                                    (Isa 48:17-18 NIV)

The hymn "When Peace Like a River" or "All Is Well With My Soul" is a favorite among many. It is one of my favorite hymns. It was written by Horatio G. Spafford in 1873. Not long before he wrote it; his four daughters had died in a collision with another ship as they crossed the Atlantic. His wife survived and sent him this message, "Saved alone." Later, as he, himself, crossed the Atlantic and neared the spot where his daughters had died, he was inspired to write this hymn. The LORD, in His mercy has taught us that no matter what befalls us, it can be well with our soul. All who abide in Christ will know the peace that only He can give.

We have returned to Aura for the summer. It is my peaceful place. I do not recall a day that I have been here that I have not thanked God for landing me in this awesome place. I still haven't figured out what I'm going to be doing in my retirement; but, I know that many of those days will be spent in peace.  Since Lake Superior and it's bays appear to be at an all time high water level, I will be able to launch my kayak right from the back door! I will not have to navigate around anything to get out into the bay; no dragging it through the marsh. Smooth sailing! Peaceful paddling.

Thanks be to God for all that He has given us!

God's Peace - Pr. J

And... The Cock Crowed

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

                                                (Matt 26:74-75 KJV)

For years my congregations have observed Good Friday with a Tenebrae Service. There is a monologue given as if it were the eye witness account of St. Peter. It is a moving account of how much our Lord was willing to suffer for us. He was willing to endure torture and death for we who would continue to betray him even as Peter betrayed him. 

When I hear the account of St. Peter's betrayal, I am shaken to the core for I know that St. Peter is not the only betrayer. Here is our Lord giving his life that we might live and here we are living our own lives to fulfill our own selfish purposes; to protect ourselves. We can tell ourselves the Lord expects us to have everything we want to enjoy our lives, and I do believe he wants us to enjoy life; but, at what cost? Is the cost putting the love of self; the love of the world above the love of God? Do we realize that in turning to our desires that we are turning away from the one who loves us so much that he would die for us? Do we truly love the one who loved us enough to die for us above our own selfish desires? 

When Jesus rose from the grave he told Peter that if he loved him then he should feed his sheep. (John 21:15-17) If we truly love him, we would be caring for others even as Jesus cares for us. We would not be the first priority.

Tomorrow is the day that we celebrate his resurrection. But; remember, there would have been no rising from the dead if there had been no death in the first place. You cannot have Easter morning without Good Friday. We too, must die to ourselves in order to live in Christ.

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

                                                                                     (Luke 9:23-26)

God's Peace - Pr. J

True Man; Unblemished Lamb

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. (Gal 4:4-5 NRSV)

Bullying has been around for a very long time. When I was a child, it was common when we were called names to respond: "It takes one to know one." 

Jesus is definitely not a bully; but, it "takes one to know one" is applicable to him. In order to redeem humankind he had to be human. He was born in to the world the same way all humans are. He was tempted as all humans are. He had to become one of us. He had to be like us in order to save us.

He was like us in; but, in one area he was greatly different.  He was able to resist temptation. He was able to resist sin. He was able to redeem us because he was a truly unblemished human who was able to resist temptation and sin. The devil had no sway over him.

The sacrifice of this sinless man, this unblemished lamb of God, has made it possible for us to be reconciled to God our Father. We who were not his children are now his children.

Gods' Peace - Pr. J.

The Rock

Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress, to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

                                            Psalm 71:3-4 NRSV

 

Sully is a huge English Mastiff. He is a rock. He goes about his business steady and sure. You can nudge him; but, unless he wants to move, it's not going to happen. Fortunately, he is a gentle giant and listens quite well. He is totally non-aggressive; but, if he's standing by your side, most people would think twice about approaching you in any manner other than in a most amiable way. 

 

Jesus is our rock of refuge. He is our fortress. The unjust and cruel will not prevail over those who dwell within the walls of that fortress, which is the Body of Christ. As much as I trust that by Sully's side I will be safe; I only see him a few times a year. But, Jesus is with me always. It is he who will save and keep us for all eternity.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Do Not Fear; The Lord Saves Us

 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is he who will save us. (Isaiah 33:22 NIV)

We do not have to fear the false judgments of others. There is only one judge. That judge knows the truth of all things.

We do not have to fear this world at all for we are not of this world. Jesus told his followers: "As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15:19) The world may be able to kill our bodies; but, it cannot destroy our souls. “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt 10:26-28)

Thanks be to God for He is the only one who can save us. He is the only one who can grant eternal life in His Kingdom and He has indeed granted all who believe that precious life in His presence forever.

Trust Him for He is our king and our deliverer. He will save us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

What Motivates Meanness?

Psalm 70 NIV

Hasten, O God, to save me;

    come quickly, Lord, to help me.

May those who want to take my life
    be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
    be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!”
    turn back because of their shame.
But may all who seek you
    rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
    “The Lord is great!”

But as for me, I am poor and needy;
    come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    Lord, do not delay

                                    

The Psalmist makes another plea for help. He prays to be saved from his enemy, again! David appears to have a lot of enemies. He faces much persecution and he faces it often.

I often find myself wondering exactly why it is that so much of humankind thinks that it is necessary to bring ruin to others. I particularly have a hard time understanding, not so much the outright meanness, but the pervasive passive-aggressive verbal, mental, and emotional abuse that is so commonly inflicted upon others. What motivates people to be so hateful? I am not sure if they even have a clue how much they hurt others, by their self-centered life-styles. If they did, would it stop, would they stop?  Or, would the meanness just get worse as they revel in their ability to persecute others?

The only thing that I can surmise is that they simply do not know the LORD. They may imply or even say that they are Christians, but the fruit does not bear witness to that claim. They know a little about Jesus, but they do not know Him.  I cannot help but feel empathy for them.  It must be a very lonely place that they are at. In the meantime, they continue to attack even those who love them.

So, for this morning, I think I shall pray: Hasten, O God to save our enemies, open ears, hearts, minds to a greater understanding of Your Word, Your good will for them and all people, that we all might be helped.  

'The LORD is great!" (vs 4) He is greater than great! He is my help and my salvation. He is your help and your salvation!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Faith Alone!

"Look at the proud!
    Their spirit is not right in them,

    but the righteous live by their faith." 
                                           Habakkuk 2:4.

Wisdom sometimes comes with age (but, not always). It never ceases to amaze me how some of our eldest brothers and sisters in Christ are able to humble themselves and confess their sins. These sins that they confess seem to pale in comparison to some of the sins that others do not confess. They have acquired or have been gifted the ability to understand that all sin no matter whether we consider them big or small sins are an abomination before God. All sin threatens to build a wall between ourselves and God.

We understand that none of us are without sin; that we are made righteous only be faith in the Son of God who died for us. There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves. There is nothing that we can do or avoid doing in order to stand before God and be proclaimed innocent.

We are saved by faith alone, in Christ alone. Sometimes, it just takes years of being humbled in order to be humble enough to know that we are indeed sinners and are saved by faith alone. This is a gift of God.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Sinking Sand

"Rescue me from the mire,
    do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
    from the deep waters." 
                    Psalm 69:14 NIV

There is small spot of sinking sand on one of the islands in front of our home in Aura. This spot of sinking sand is only a little over a foot wide; yet, it's a bit unnerving to accidentally step into it. As one's ankles and then calves become quickly engulfed in sand you will not tarry. You will step out of it quickly and change your course as fast you can. I do not know how deep this sandy hole is or how much of a person it would swallow if one chose to test it by staying in it. I have never desired to find out.

Yet, how often do we decide to linger when we know full well that we are sinking in a mire of sin? Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. We go in ways that are dangerous to ourselves and may even be active in leading others in the wrong way, as well. We stray from the path that Jesus prepared for us and purposefully attempt to travel the path of the unrighteous. There are many dangers on this path that leads away from our Father's house. Sinking in mucky, uncharted swamps is only one of them.

When we find ourselves in danger of sinking in the mire it is time to change course. It is time to quit following in the way the devil is leading you. It is time, to ask for God's help to get back on the path that He has prepared for us.

If you find yourself alone and sinking fast know that there is one who can rescue you. There is only one who can save you. Ask and He will lead you on the path of eternal life in His Kingdom. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

A Rock And Fortress

Be to me a rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress, to save me,
    for you are my rock and my fortress.

Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the

    wicked,
    from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

                                            Psalm 71:3-4 NRSV

Sully is a huge English Mastiff. He is a rock. He goes about his business steady and sure. You can nudge him; but, unless he wants to move, it's not going to happen. Fortunately, he is a gentle giant and listens quite well. He is totally non-aggressive; but, if he's standing by your side, most people would think twice about approaching you in any manner other than in a most amiable way. 

Jesus is our rock of refuge. He is our fortress. The unjust and cruel will not prevail over those who dwell within the walls of the fortress, which is the Body of Christ. As much as I trust that by Sully's side I will be safe; I only get to be with him a few times a year. But, Jesus is with me always. It is he who will save and keep us for all eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Jesus, Remember Me!

"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
                                                                                                                       (Luke 23:41-43 NIV)

The criminal on the cross was about to be executed alongside Jesus. He knew enough to confess his sins. He made his death-bed confession. He also believed, even knew, who Jesus truly was. This criminal had enough sense to confess his sins and ask Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. Jesus answered his plea with an affirmative. Today, today you will be with me in paradise.

Jesus has come into his kingdom. It is not something that going to happen at a later date. He lives and reigns now. Why is it that humankind has such a hard time recognizing this? Jesus is King. Why is it that humankind, even Christians, have such a hard time recognizing that their egos are preventing them from confessing their sins; from receiving forgiveness; from entering into the Kingdom of God, even today? Is it lack of faith? Or, maybe it really is overinflated egos that prevent us from believing that their is someone greater than ourselves; one that can save us; one that can bring us peace?

I don't have the answers as to why one would rather lift up themselves and deny Christ and not enter into the paradise; the Kingdom, that Jesus has prepared for all who believe in him.

One criminal refused to repent and derided Jesus as they both hung there. The other confessed and turned his eyes toward Jesus that he might live, even though within hours he would die. Egos must die in order for us to live.

May God help us to live life in unity in His Kingdom, even today.

God's Peace - Pr. J