Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

John 14:1-14 KJV; Let not your heart be troubled. Believe that whatever you ask in the name of Jesus will be given you.

Love Them And Show The Children The Way

"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.." (Psalm 127:3 KJV)

For a few of generations now, I have witnessed children being neglected. Sure, most, but not all, have adequate food, shelter, clothing, etc.. Most of the children are physically provided for. But, not all of them. 

This morning, the neglect that I'm thinking of isn't due to lack of caring for physical needs. The neglect that I'm thinking of is when love is withheld. This neglect happens when these precious gifts from God are ignored by their parents. Some are even left to raise their parents because their parents put themselves before all others. They put themselves before God. They put themselves before their children. Sometimes, they have a lot of fun with their children. They horse around and play with them because that makes the parents feel good for the moment and then they are off to do their own thing.

There are some who say that many children raising children. Sadly, in many cases it has gone beyond that. The children are raising their parents and the children are not equipped. I am not saying that the whole world or all parents are being raised by their children. But, way too many are. It really is up to the parent to raise up a child in the way that they should go. It is not up to the child to take care of the parents' needs and desires.

"Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." (Eph 5:14)

Wake up, as they say, and smell the roses. Your children are a gift from God. Care for them, guide them, teach them, love them as God loves you. Love your children even as they love you.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

God Knows The Way We Should Go

As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. (Eccl 11:5 KJV)

There are some things we cannot know for sure. It can be difficult to plan ahead because we simply do not know what tomorrow will bring. We are after all not God. We can listen to the weather men or women to help us make plans for tomorrow or the next day. But, that they are not always very accurate.  We can listen to the news and try to decipher what is true and what is not. We can listen to the advice of friends; but, their lives' stories are not the same as ours and may not have the same end result as ours if we follow in their path. 

In the end it is best just to listen to God. Seek to know His will and follow in the ways He would have you go. Ask and He will show you the way.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Follow In The Way

Psalm 25:1-11 KJV

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

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Forgive us our sins and teach us your ways! So often we desire for the Lord to help us out of a fix that we've gotten ourselves into. Yet, we fail to acknowledge that we have gotten ourselves into the trouble we find ourselves in because we have not listened to him and followed in the way that he would have us go.

Of course, that is not the only reason we find ourselves with trials. But, it is one and one that we can avoid by listening to God; repenting of our sins; and following in the way that He would have us go loving and serving him and the people around us. 

God grant that we trust in you; that we should trust in your word and listen to it with our whole hearts and souls.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Show The Children The Way

My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause:

Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:

We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

                                                                                   (Prov 1:10-11 KJV)

Having served at a juvenile correctional facility I have known a few young men who followed in their parents' footsteps with the end result ending up in the correctional facility. The parents were grieved; but, not necessarily grieved because these young men did anything wrong. They were grieved because they were caught.

That was, fortunately, only a few of the parents. Most of the parents were grieved because their children had not listened to them. They had not taken their advice to stay away from those things that would get them incarcerated or worse dead.

Most parents genuinely care for their children and try to lead them on a good path; a path that will help them to truly live abundant lives. 

Do not hinder your children; but, help them to follow in the way that our Lord Jesus has set before us.

Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.      

                                                                                       (Matt 18:4-6)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Way

"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." (Psalm 37:5 KJV)

Last week, I was asked by a friend for directions to my house from Jacksonville. I told her to put my address into the GPS on her phone as I had no clue where in Jacksonville she was and no idea how to get to my home from where she was. I always use a GPS when traveling. Other than Highway 95, I really couldn't name any of the other roads that one might need to travel on. 

I was also in Jacksonville yesterday. Although, I've been to the exact location many times over the last few years, I still use my GPS. I know my way to where I was going and I know my way home from there. But, I still use my GPS because one can never know when there might be a detour due to construction or an accident. I trust it to show me the way to where I am going. But, I also know the GPS system is not 100% reliable. I have been led to a few dead ends and wrong addresses over the years. 

There is one though who can lead us faithfully through deserts and wildernesses. He will lead us through dark valleys and over high mountains. He will lead us on the way because he is the way. We can trust Jesus to show us the way 100% of the time. Listen to him and follow him in the way that he has shown you.

"And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 

                                                                                          (John 14:4-6)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Lead The Way

"For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light."  (Col 1:9-12 NRSV) 

We pray for one another. But, what do we pray for? 

I know that I pray for a lot of people for a lot of things. Some of the things I'm asked to pray for sometimes seem a bit worldly to my senses. That does not stop me from praying for them. I include in all of my prayers that their ears, their hearts, and their minds might be opened so that they might know God's will for them. I pray that they will have a better understanding of the way in which God would have them go and that God would empower them to follow in that way.

I know of no greater gift that one could have than to be able to live the life that God intends for them; today and for all of eternity.

God's Peace - Pr. J