Do Not Lie About Others!

Reading from Proverbs 16:28-29 KJV - Defend your neighbor against lies. 

Saved From The Deluge

Psalm 80 KJV

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us.

Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people?

Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure.

Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

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I am pretty convinced that the season of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the coming of Christ, is fraught with difficulties.  I seem to spend a lot of time doing things many times; things that actually shouldn't be up to me. The couch in my office is full of projects; that is paperwork, as I wait for "professionals" to take care of what they are being paid to do. Nothing seems to be getting done. I have filed the stuff a few times the last few months only to have to take it all back out so that I can advise the "professionals." I would take it personally; but, I have a feeling that some of these "professionals" are working from home and may have a few distractions that are keeping them from focusing on their jobs during their paid working hours or maybe they have new help and that help is just inexperienced. I don't really care to hear that they don't think they should do the best they can because they don't think they get paid enough. If you accept a job then you do it. It is as simple as that.

I have to admit that there are times when I feel a bit overwhelmed with it all. So I wouldn't mind a prayer or two. But, as a retired pastor I am also aware that others are having a much more difficult time. There are multitudes of homeless in this world who don't have a couch to lay their paperwork on. They don't have enough food to eat. Others are losing their homes due to job losses or in some cases because of a snafu in paperwork that they just can't figure out how to fix. People are dying from many things including random shootings. Tornadoes have recently taken the homes and livelihoods of many. The list goes on...

What is the answer?  We keep going in the knowledge that God will cause his face to shine and we shall be saved from the deluge this world brings upon us. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In The Light And Love

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

                                                                       (Rom 13:10-14 KJV)

I do not recall Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. protesting in the dark of night. I do not recall him marching after midnight. He marched peacefully during the light of the day. 

Peaceful protests occur during the day. Peaceful protests can encourage change. Those who protest in the dark of night may be seeking change; but, what change is that? Is destruction to private and public property; attacking law enforcement and others who are there to serve society; doing harm to people that one does not even know, going to bring about positive change?

Much of the world is in lock down due to the Corona Virus. We are told it is for our health and safety. Yet, in cities around the country and even the world people are not safe from those who choose to continue to riot and destroy that which is not theirs to destroy. 

St. Paul wrote to the Romans and ultimately to us. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor." To live in the light is to love your neighbor and do him or her no harm or to their property. 

May God help us help us all to learn to live in His love, to live in the light, who is Jesus the Christ. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Be Kind

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Col 3:12 NRSV) 

As the saying goes, "if you are not a part of the solution, you are a part of the problem." There is enough natural trouble in the world without adding to it. There is much suffering due to incurable diseases. Multitudes are homeless. Natural disasters are common and when they happen people often find that they have lost everything that they own.

Most of us feel empathy towards those who are suffering. What do we do about it? Do we look away? Do we continue to cause more suffering with divisions and strife over trifling things? Do we insist on our own way even when that way is damaging to others as well as the world around us?

If we can't get along well enough to be part of the solution; then we are a part of the problem. 

Be compassionate and kind, serving one another with humility. That might be a good start to having less suffering in the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God's Will Prevails

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.     (Jer 29:11 NRSV)

This morning I have been considering whether a "Christian" with no integrity should be confronted or if he should just be placed in the hands of Almighty God and let God deal with him as He will. Sometimes it can be totally left in God's hands. At other times, God will indeed use his servants to protect the sheep from any wolves in sheep's clothing. 

It is a most horrendous thing for Christians to attempt to tear down the church and the local congregations. It is even more horrendous for one who is in a servant/leadership position within the church to do that. The good news is that in the end they will not succeed in their own agendas. God's will; God's plans for the welfare of His people will prevail. We may not see it today or even tomorrow. But, His will is going to be accomplished. 

May God have mercy on those who choose to stir up strife rather than proclaim the good news by putting their personal egos and wills before the good will of God Almighty.

God's Peace - Pr. J

It Is Wise To Live In Peace

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.  (James 3:17-18 NIV)

I wonder what life on earth would really be like if the wisdom from heaven actually abided in the followers of Christ. What would it be like if, at least, the majority of Christendom had pure intentions; was truly peace-loving; considerate of others, submissive to the will of God, full of mercy and good fruit; did not make decisions according to personal bias'; but, sincerely sought the good of all people? What would life be like if we truly sought after peace rather than building ourselves up at the expense of others with the consequences of lives full of strife?

Instead of living according to our own desires; out of our own knowledge; let us give the wisdom of God a real opportunity to work through us that we might live in peace.

May God grant us His Wisdom.

God's Peace - Pr. J