Renew Your Hearts And Minds

Ephesians 4:23-32 KJV; Renew your hearts and minds by the power of the Holy Spirit that you might be loving, kind, and forgiving.

The Only King That Truly Helps Is Jesus

Psalm 72:1-7 KJV; 2nd Sunday in Advent; Governments will fail; but, the King over all kings, Jesus the Christ prevails and cares for you.

All Creation Praises The Lord

No More Tears May 7 2022 Revelation 7

God's Handiwork

Psalm 19:1-6 KJV

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

+++

It is a very rare evening or morning that I do not look to the heavens to see the beauty of God's handiwork. This morning the almost full moon lights up the clouds in magnificent splendor.

Take the time to look around and see and enjoy the beauty of God's handiwork in the heavens and on earth! If you live in the city where you can see neither the moon nor the stars because of the artificial light or the air pollution look around and see the awesome creative ability of God in his people.

God's creation declares his glory. We can see it more clearly when we take the time to look for it; when we take the time to look outside of ourselves.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Kingdom Is Yours

Psalm 72 KJV

Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

+++

The judgments of the Lord will come. They come in the kingdom that has already broken into this world through the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ our Lord and our salvation.

He brings justice to the forsaken. He brings judgment upon those who persecute others. Rejoice for the Lord is with you and for you.

+++

Matthew 5:1-12 KJV

And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

+++

Rejoice for all who believe are children of God's Kingdom! Rejoice!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Advent: Be Prepared

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

                                                                                            (Luke 21:25-36 KJV)

On this first Sunday in Advent we look to and prepare for the day we will celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas day. We are also reminded to prepare for the day when he will come again in full glory.

The gospel according to St.Luke reminds us to be prepared. Stay away from the things that will steer us away from our preparation to receive Christ and his kingdom in all of their glory. 

The things of this world can be great distractors from living our lives in the Kingdom of God, in the presence of God. Stay awake! Be aware! Prepare for the day that you will meet your maker and savior face to face.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Do What Is Right

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." 

                                                                                                  (Eph 4:17-32 KJV)

As Christians we are given new life through the sacrifice of Jesus' blood for us. No matter how hard we try we will also continue to sin. That is our nature. But, we must at least try not give place to evil in our lives. The indwelling spirit of Christ will be there to aid us; to guide us in the way that we should be going. St. Paul admonishes in his letter to the Ephesians to do what is right.

As Christians who are sinners; but, by the grace and mercy of God we are also saints. We have been chosen by God and sanctified by the blood of Christ.  St. Peter wrote: 

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

                                                                                                            (1 Pet 2:9-10)

As Christians we have been set apart. We should be set apart from our old ways of thinking and doing and being.. Let us not live in those old ways; but, in the new life in Christ live that so that we do not dishonor our Father in heaven.

As people of God may God help us by the power of the Holy Spirit to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God has forgiven us.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Sacrifice

 

Psalm 50:1-6 KJV

The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.

Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.

+++

There is nothing that we can sacrifice to seal the covenant with God. There are no good works that we can accomplish that will cover our sinful ways. We have all fallen short of keeping the first covenant; the covenant of law. We have found that we are incapable of keeping the letter of the law as was given to Moses.

Our hope is found in faith alone in Christ alone who willingly became the sacrifice for us that the new covenant might be sealed with his precious blood. We are sinners; yet, we have become God's saints because of Jesus' sacrifice and not because of any good thing that we have done or sacrificed. By his blood we have been washed clean. 

John's greeting in the letter to the seven churches reveals his vision affirming that it is by the blood of Christ that has united with God and his Father.

"And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev 1:5-6)

May God help us to trust in Christ alone for our salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live In The Light Of Christ

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

                                                                                   (John 1:1-13 KJV)

I, along with many others, have been waiting to see the Christmas Star. The star app on my phone showed Saturn and Jupiter aligned last night. The clouds hid the light of these planets from my view last night. Who knows, maybe tonight?

Sadly, it appears that Jesus the Christ who is the true light of the world is also unseeable by many. But; for those of us who abide in his light, no star, no planet, not even the sun shines so brightly.

It has been a very troubling year for most of the world's population. As troubling as it has been there are so many who cannot see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. Rather than look for and at the light that has come and is in the world it appears that we would much rather live in the darkness. Rather than get on with life, the world has been dwelling in darkness. 

It is time (past time) to quit dwelling on what has been and even what is and look to the promise; the hope, that the light brings. Our lives are not just physical. We are also spiritual beings. Yesterday is gone. Today is fast flying by. But, those who dwell in the light shall live eternally in the presence of God. We have a future!

When we find ourselves slipping into the darkness; when we find ourselves dwelling on the mistakes and regrets of the past; when we find ourselves judging not only others but ourselves as well; it is not time to look to rock stars or politicians or governments to save us. It is time to lift up our heads and look to the true light who is Jesus the Christ. It is time to accept that in him we have been forgiven our sins. In him we have new life. It is time to live life in his light.

Children of God, do not forget that in Christ you are forgiven your sins! They have been washed away by the blood of our savior Jesus the Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Circle Of The Earth

"Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"

                                                                                    (Isaiah 40:21-22 KJV)

The night sky in the Upper Peninsula is absolutely awesome! Sparkling stars to numerous to count appear so close to the earth that one can imagine planes flying overhead have the ability to fly around them. Like a curtain the star studded sky fills the heavens from horizon to horizon whose shadows are seen by the brilliant light of the moon and the stars. 

Like the stars, the hills on the horizon appear very close giving the impression that one is standing on the top of a very small globe; upon the circle of the earth. We are. No matter where we are. We are at the top of the world and the Creator stands with us beside us and before us. The Creator is there and yet He is above all things created.

The earth in comparison to the universe; in comparison to the galaxies of God's creation is very small. Those heavens He created are so immense that we cannot even begin to fathom them. Like grasshoppers, we are in comparison to the Creator who stretched the heavens as a curtain so immense that we cannot  even begin to comprehend it. 

No, we cannot understand how or why He has done all that He has done. We just look at the sun and the moon and the stars. We gaze out at the horizon and know that even as he created the circle of the earth, He created all things. He created us.

All glory belongs to the One who created the heavens and the earth!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Live Joyfully With Your Spouse

Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. (Eccl 9:9 KJV)

It is a good thing to have someone to share and enjoy one's life with. 

Over the years as I have done pre-marital counseling I have often found myself advising couples that if their marriage is going to last and last peaceably they probably need to find time to be together and things to do together. It seems as though many young people think that marriage should afford each partner time to do what it is that they like to do. Sometimes, they expect an awful lot of time to be who they were before marriage. Playing cards with the guys every Saturday night or in the bar for a few (few too many) drinks with your gal pals can cause more than a few problems. It can take the joy right out of a marriage. 

Hanging with your old friends or at your old haunts on a way too regular basis is nothing short of adultery. Just as putting anything or anyone before God is idolatry; putting anything or anyone before your spouse is adultery. Of course, there will be times when that might need to happen. You may have to help a friend in need instead of going out to dinner with your spouse. But, a God-fearing and loving spouse would support you in that. 

Marriage is about a lot of things. It is about sharing things, including your time. It is about commitment to the one you love enough to have married in the first place. Your spouse comes before the things and/or people who were in your life prior to Holy Matrimony. It is about sacrifice. Sometimes you both might have to sacrifice some of those things that gave you pleasure prior to making the commitment to love and care for and respect each other.

Marriage is not always easy. In fact, it can be pretty tough. But, if you want to live joyfully with the one whom you love then set aside your vanity and put that person before all other things of this world. 

Marriage may be hard at times; but, it is not a ball and chain. It is not a death sentence. It is a gift from God so that you might have someone to enjoy life with and to grow old with.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Too Much Laughter

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

                                (Luke 6:25 KJV)

I am not all that comfortable being around people who laugh all of the time. I am not saying that we should never be joyful. But, it makes me very uncomfortable to be around people who think unless the outcome of a conversation is something that makes everyone laugh it has been an unfruitful conversation.

I simply do not view laughter or even happiness as the reason for being. If it were the reason for living then it would stand that those who grieve; those who are depressed would have no reason for being. That is a false narrative. In fact, I cannot help but wonder if the fact, that society wants us to believe that in order for our lives to be validated we must be happy, is the reason for so much depression today. We end up depressed because we are not as happy as the world seems to promise us we should be. 

Life is tough. Not everyone should be expected to be filled with laughter all of the time. We must give others (and ourselves) the time and opportunity to grieve; to be sad; to be contemplative. 

There is a difference (at least for me) between being happy, happy, happy, laughing all of the time and being joyful. Each and everyone of us have a purpose; a reason for being. Joy can be found in having a purpose and reaching toward fulfillment of that purpose. Joy can be found as we face challenges of the day knowing that God is with us and that in Him, His will will be accomplished. He is with us and so we can face another day and yet another challenge with peace and with joy.

Whatever we deem the purpose of life to be; I simply cannot accept that it is to make everyone laugh unless your profession is as a comedian. We cannot laugh away the troubles of the world. Troubles must be dealt with not hidden under laughter. If your neighbor needs help; help him or her as they face their trials. It does no long-term good to sit down and tell them jokes. There are times when you may have to sit beside them quietly and grieve with them. You just might have to actively do something. If your neighbor is in trouble; maybe, you just may need to assist them in some way to face the challenges of the day. 

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.." (Eccl 3:4) There is a time for all of these things according to the author of Ecclesiastes. We should know the difference. Laughter is not the answer to all of life's experiences. There is a time for laughter; but, it is not what we should expect of every outcome. 

I am very uncomfortable with people who think that laughter has to be the outcome of every visit; every meeting. Experience has (unfortunately) taught me not to trust those who laugh too much. And, yes, I do laugh and even smile quite a bit. But, tears also are a part of my experience. They are a part of the human experience. Grieving is a part of life's experience, as well. There is both a time to weep and a time to laugh. Let us do both as the situations we find ourselves lead us to.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Sorry for the rambling today. I am not against laughter. I am leery of those who think that we must laugh all of the time or that we are less than.

From The Rising To The Setting

Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time on and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to its setting
the name of the Lord is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens.
(Psalm 113:2-4 NRSV)

Every morning when I wake the first thing I do is to think about what God has done for me and thank Him for being who He is. I am not sure how people even begin to live life without Him. From the rising of the sun to its setting and from the setting of the sun to its rising God is with humankind. He is with us and for us whether we are for us or not. He is to be trusted above all things because He is above all things.

From the rising to the setting of the sun, as long as we have breath upon our lips, let us give thanks to and praise the Lord our God, who created us and then recreated us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Meaninglessness Of The Love Of Things

The older I get and death becomes more of a reality, the more I lapse into moments of thinking that life is as meaningless as Solomon would imply. Why all the years of toil, if it is to be gone in a second? This toiling after amassing riches is totally meaningless. Living life to amass things means that we will miss out on living and enjoying our lives in Christ in the here and now. We can; after all, only serve one God. 

Solomon's words of wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes tell us:

The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.

When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?

Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep.

There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands."
                                                                        (Eccl 5:10 - 15 NRSV) 

That is not to say work is evil. We should work if we expect to eat. But, it becomes very bothersome, even a burden, when one works only to amass riches. Jesus told this story to a crowd who followed to listen to Him: 
 

Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’  Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”
                                                                             Luke 12:16-21

Our work should bring joy to us as well as to others. Live life! Enjoy the life that God has given you! Whether it is in the hours you spend laboring or during the hours you are relaxing with your friends and family, life here on earth is to be lived and enjoyed. Life, abundant life, is a gift from God.

This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot. Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts. (Eccl 5:18-20).

Focus your journey here on earth, not on amassing wealth or power to the exploit of others, but on living life so that God may be glorified.

And... may the peace and joy that is found in being in relationship with God, our Father and with one another, through His Son, Jesus the Christ, be with you always.  

Pr. J

Morning Sun

The Path of the Righteous is Like the Morning Sun

Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.

Proverbs 4:10-19

The narcissist says to themselves: I am the only one that counts. There is no God. In fact, they usually consider themselves somewhat of a god.

If someone gets in the way of the narcissist trying to make themselves look much better than they are; they will not rest until that person has been persecuted to the degree that the narcissist thinks they need to be punished and then a little beyond. They cannot rest unless they are making trouble for others. This they do while smiling and thinking that everyone else loves and support their evil ways. In fact, they think that they are so crafty that no one notices the darkness that surrounds them. But their wickedness; their darkness is known to God and to all who live in his light.

The narcissist can only bring trouble to those around them. But, the way of those who would follow in the path of Jesus is like the morning sun, bringing light to the world and the people around them.

But, you dear child of God, live in the light and let your light so shine!

God's Peace - Pr. J     

Faith In What We Hope For

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.  Hebrews 11:1 NIV

The sky is falling! The church is dying! Something bad is going to happen! None of these statements are statements of faith. One day they may all be statements of fact for some people. But, dwelling on the bad instead of the good that God has done and continues to do for us really is not beneficial to the Body of Christ.

The sun is shining! Today the Lord is going to water the ground! I love worshipping God with my brothers and sisters in Christ! I get to share the Good News of the Kingdom! In Christ I can do all things! Those are statements of faith. Those are statements that will remind us and others of all the good that God has done and continues to do for us.

Let us live in faith and with hope that we will see the Kingdom of God; the glory of God. We will see him with our own eyes and not just with the eyes of faith! But, for now that is more than good enough for God's children!

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Need The Son Even More Than The Sun

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 

It is about time! It is time for the daylight hours to get a bit longer. Today is the winter solstice. Last night I slept for at least ten hours. By the time the summer solstice rolls around, I will be sleeping about six hours per night if my old patterns continue. The reality is that I need the sunlight to live. I need a lot of it to be fruitful. But; even more than the sun, I need the Son. 

Without the Son the world cannot live in the light. Nothing good can come about without the Son. He came to dispel the darkness so that we might live; really live. He came so that the people living in darkness would see a great light and on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light would dawn. (Matt 4:16) It is time to wake up and live most fully in the light of Christ. In the light of Christ we can see the way to eternal life. In the light of Christ we can see his footsteps and follow him to the place that he has prepared for us. 

I, for one, am most grateful that I will be seeing much more of the sun each day for the coming months. But; more than that, I long to be able to see the light of Christ in the world around me, more and more each day.

May the light of Christ shine on you and in you and through you more and more each day so that others may see the light and glorify our Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Like An Old Bear...

Like An Old Bear

There is a time and a season for everything under the sun. (Eccl 3:1)

Tis the season... Tis the season for me to want to sleep a lot. When winter rolls around, I start thinking and acting like a bear. My mind and body keep telling me to "go to sleep." I do not want to go outside when the sun is not shining. No matter how early the sun might set, I want to sleep. I just want to hibernate. I need the light to live a fruitful life.

But, life goes on and there is no sense in sleeping our days away. Our hours are most valuable. We only get so many in this lifetime and then they are gone. They are like the pennies found on the ground. Some would walk by them thinking them worthless. Yet, others might collect them and amass a small fortune. Every minute of our lives is valuable. They add up to hours and days and years. They add up to a life-time. Grasp those minutes and hours and do not fetter them away.   

Fortunately, I have enough to do, deadlines to keep, to keep me awake during most of the day. I still get up early; but, I lie down to rest much earlier every evening or I can get a little ornery, just like an old bear.                                                                                                        

We need our rest; but, not so much as a bear needs his. We have been given life, so let us live it and not squander it away.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Couldn't help but post two photos this morning as bears are one of my favorite of God's creatures.

His Light Shines!

"But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." Malachi 4:2 NIV

As we head further and further into the season of winter, the days get shorter and shorter. The sun is seen for less and less hours. For those who are afflicted with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) it can be a very trying time. They must make a more intentional effort to be out in the sun during the daylight hours to avoid ending up in debilitating depression.

The good news is that even though the sun may not be shining as much as we'd like; the light does shine in the person of the Son, Jesus the Christ. He is the Rise Son and his light shines upon the whole world. It shines upon all who would have their ears and eyes and hearts opened so that they might be healed. We may not go about leaping like calves from the stall as Malachi suggests. Some of us are a little wary about acting looking like fools. But, we will live life and we will live it abundantly in the light of Jesus the Christ. 

Thanks be to God for the sun of has risen; the morning has dawned. Even when we cannot see the light of the sun; the Son of the Most High God shines his light upon the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J