God Chose Us First!

Deuteronomy 30:15-20; 1 John 4:19; John 14:6 ; 6th Sunday after Epiphany; We love Him because He first chose us. Live life in Christ!

Execute Judgment, Lord!

Psalm 119:81-88 & 2 Chronicles 7:14 Execute judgment, Lord, upon those who persecute others for their own profit and glory.

All That We Say And Think And Do

Psalm 19:8-14 KJV

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

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The law of the Lord is most difficult for us to keep. We are sinful human beings and the truth is we do not and cannot keep it perfectly. But, we can understand when we do not keep them. We can know and we can repent and ask the Lord to help keep us from sin even as we ask in the Lord's Prayer that he keep us from all temptations. 

The Law if it could be kept would keep us in harmony with God and with one another. Yet, it is broken every minute of every day. Therefore our Father in heaven sent his only begotten Son, Jesus, to take our sins upon himself and be put to death for our transgressions. He was tried, sentenced and executed for our sins. Through this one act of love for humankind forgiveness belongs to us. For all who believe in him; in his act of love by dying for us, will inherit eternal life, reconciled to our Father and to all of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We cannot keep the law perfectly. But, out of love for the one who loves us so much we ask and trust that the Spirit of Christ, who has redeemed us, will give us strength to glorify his holy name in all that we say and think and do.

Let us always pray:  "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Desire To Do What Is Right

Psalm 119:1-8 KJV

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

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Oh, if only I could keep his statues. But, I have learned from experience that I cannot.  If it were not for the grace of God through the giving of our Lord Jesus Christ I would be; we would all be lost.

St. Paul wrote to the Romans:

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

                                                                                        (Rom 7:14-26)

We desire to do the will of the Lord with all of our hearts and minds; yet, our flesh rebels against it. Thanks be to God for through the sacrifice of Christ for us we have not been forsaken because of what we do or do not do. We have been saved by faith alone in Christ alone!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

His Way

Show Us The Way

 

Psalm 119:9-16

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

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Lord, let us not wander from your way!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Thy Word

Psalm 119:9-16 KJV

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

I started another round of reading through the Bible last night. It has been a few years since the last time I read it through. Actually, I am not reading it. I am listening to it. My eyes don't function real well when I am reading up close any more.

I decided it was past time to spend more time meditating on his word as lately I have noticed that I don't feel quite as connected to God as I usually am. I am thinking that it is because I am not as involved in the life of any congregation as I once was. Bible studies have been cancelled. So other than my personal times in prayer with God throughout the day, I am not being fed much of the word except on Sunday mornings.

The world has a tendency to sneak into places in our lives and will interfere in our relationships with God if we are not careful. We must stay in the word. We need to meditate on it. We need to be reminded of what God has to say to us through the word so we do not forget it. There is life and hope found in the word and I prefer to live life than to merely exist in the world.

Let us with our whole hearts seek to hear His word and to declare it to the world around us instead of the world preaching to us.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Your Decrees Are My Delight

Even though princes sit plotting against me,

    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
Your decrees are my delight,
    they are my counselors.

Psalm 119:23-24 NRSV

I suppose that it is within the sinful nature of humankind to plot against one another; to delight in the fall of others, especially if they have played a hand in the fall. We see and experience it all the time; all around us. It may be a natural inclination; yet, it is still sin.

When we feel that we are being plotted against, it is not the time to retaliate; but, to keep our peace by meditating on the decrees of the Lord. We are to meditate not just on the law; but, on his promises so that we might truly know the peace of heart and mind that surpasses all understanding.

When we are wronged; when we are plotted against, we are to pray for our enemy, that they and we might be reconciled to God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ; that we might live in peace.

May God help us to stay in His Word, in His truth, and the truth shall set us free.

God's Peace - Pr. J