Everything Was Created Beautiful

The Beauty of Creation

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. . Eccl:3:11-12 NIV

There are very few things that I enjoy more than being able to experience the beauty of God's creation. He has made both man and animal; He has made everything beautiful; everything awesomely wonderful, in it's own time. His handiwork is way too much for us to be able to fathom. Yet, humankind has worked very hard at making things ugly by striving after things that do not really make us happy; by not doing what is good for all of God's creation. 

I know it sounds just a bit arrogant; but, just think about it... What was the last thing that God created? According to God's word, it was us. He created humankind on the sixth day. All those others things were done prior to our being. Before they were created the earth was not ready for us to inhabit. They were created for us and not for us to abuse or destroy; but, for our benefit. And, not just our benefit; but, for the benefit of generations to come. Therefore, we must care for all of God's creation that the beauty of it all might be a pleasure to behold for every generation to follow us. 

May God help us to see the beauty of His creation and care for it that it might bring delight to our children and their children until the day of the Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

The Condition Of Our Hearts

Jeremiah 17 NIV

The priest, Jeremiah, had a lot to say about the condition of the hearts of humankind. The hearts of the people have sin engraved on them. They trust in things of this world. They lust after and trust in wealth. They will do anything to get it, depriving the poor, spending their very life and breath in the pursuit of wealth and happiness.

The sooner we learn that the pursuit of money does not equate with happiness, the better off we will be. In the end we will lose any and all ill-gotten gain.

We all desire some joy and happiness in our lives. But, the truth is that these things do not come from wealth. They do not come from having "stuff." Real joy comes from being in relationship with others, with God. I have always appreciated that Thomas Jefferson changed John Locke's pursuit of life, liberty, and property, in the U.S. Constitution to the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. Property does not necessarily equate with happiness. Just think about the upkeep that goes with more property.. and, the taxes! Think about what happens when greed pervades society! All kinds of sin accompanies greed. Yet, multitudes have hearts so hardened like stone that greed and envy are engraved deeply into them. And... they are miserable! They desire more, but they do not know what that more is. 

   

Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay

    are those who gain riches by unjust means.

When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,

    and in the end they will prove to be fools.

A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,

    is the place of our sanctuary.

Lord, you are the hope of Israel;

    all who forsake you will be put to shame.

Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust

    because they have forsaken the Lord,

    the spring of living water." (Jer 17:11-13 NIV)

But, there is good news. In Ezekiel 36:25-27, God promises that He will remove our hearts of stone so that sin will no longer be engraved on them. "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer 17:7-8)

There is an answer to our loneliness and sorrow; to our lack of joy. The answer is Jesus Christ, our LORD, who loves us so much that He was willing to die for us, is with us. In that knowledge lies true happiness. May God bless us with hearts filled with His love for Him and for one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J

You Of This Generation, Consider The Word Of The Lord

"You of this generation, consider the

     word of the Lord:

“Have I been a desert to Israel

    or a land of great darkness?

Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;

    we will come to you no more’?

Does a young woman forget her jewelry,

    a bride her wedding ornaments?

Yet my people have forgotten me,

    days without number.

How skilled you are at pursuing love!

    Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.

On your clothes is found

    the lifeblood of the innocent poor,

    though you did not catch them breaking in.

Yet in spite of all this you say, ‘I am innocent;

    he is not angry with me.’

But I will pass judgment on you

    because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’"

                          Jeremiah 2:31-35 NIV                                         

Stand your ground! I read in the local news last night about a man who is appealing his conviction of murder by using the "stand your ground" defense. He claims the man he was arguing with, who was standing on his own property on the other side of a fence, was threatening him. Indeed, they were arguing. But, the man that was shot and killed did not have a weapon. The man who claimed it is was not murder but self-defense was carrying a weapon. After arguing with his neighbor, he had gone into the house purposely to get the gun to threaten his neighbor. He came out and continued to argue with his neighbor with the end result being that he shot his neighbor five times, killed his neighbor, and then claimed self-defense. He had been found guilty. Yet, he still claims that he did no wrong. He did not sin. 

Just because we think our stories will justify us does not make it so. We do a lot of justifying of our sins. We would really like our sins to not be considered sins. It would be nice if everyone (including God) smiled upon our sins and let us keep on keeping on as we were. It would be nice to be able to do whatever we want; whenever we want; to whomever we want without consequences. But, it does not work that way. There are consequences for sinning against others and there are consequences for sinning against God.

Jeremiah reminds us not only how it is that we sin against man; but, how we neglect and sin against God, as well. He reminds us to consider that there are many who would say that they worship the one true and Almighty God. Yet, they neglect and forget to give God all glory and honor; while they would never forget to put on their jewelry before they leave the house! They forget to worship the One who gave His very life, that we might drink from the waters of life; eat from the tree of life. Is the life of Christ less valuable than our jewelry? 

Yes, we are free to roam wherever we please. We can do that. But, remember that there are consequences in this world and in the next for our actions and inactions. Confess your sin and return to the LORD destroying the false gods that you worship that you might be truly justified by the blood of Christ shed for you. The lies and the false gods can do nothing good for you! They can do nothing! They are worthless! But, the One who loves you enough to save you from your sins, by dying for you, can and does do all things for the good of those who love him. Trust him!

God's Peace - Pr. J  

Clothed In Good Things

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

We were not created to be doormats. We were not created to be stepped on by others or have our faith shut down because others hate the truth. We are; after all, God's chosen and beloved ones. We are to stand firmly on the truth, which is the Word of God. Jesus, and in the end those first disciples, did not back down from the truth. They stood firmly on God's Word and on His promises. Yes, they were persecuted. But, that did not keeping them from standing tall and speaking the truth with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. They bowed to no one except God.

Just as we were not created to be anyone's doormat; neither were we created to be bullies asserting our rights over the rights of others. Paul encourages the Colossians to treat one another with compassion and kindness. We are to try to have empathy for others; to attempt to "walk a mile in the shoes of others." We are to listen to all sides with humility; humbling ourselves so that we do not put our needs over the needs of others, and with empathy so that we can act with compassion and kindness to those who are suffering.

May God reconcile us to Himself and to one another, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

God's Peace - Pr. J

Toiling After Riches Is Meaningless

"Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.
They take nothing from their toil

that they can carry in their hands.  (Eccl 5:10 - 15 NIV) 

The older I get; the more death becomes a reality, the more I lapse into more 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 riches is truly meaningless. The love of money is the root of evil. (1 Tim 6:10) It is not money; but the love of money that will lead one away from the true riches of life found in being in genuine relationship with God and one another.

That is not to say work is evil. We should work if we expect to eat. But, it can become a very burden when one works only to amass riches. Jesus told this story to a crowd who followed to listen to Him:
  
 “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
  "Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
  “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:17-21

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 observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart." (Eccl 1:18-20).

While you are yet making your journey through this world, focus not on amassing wealth or power to the exploitation 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. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

God Help Us To Be Fruitful

"Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
     To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
     May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."  2 Peter 1:1-8 NRSV

We are saved by God's grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ; yet, Peter reminds us that we should support that faith with such things as goodness and knowledge. It makes no sense whatsoever for us to have received this precious gift of faith if we do not live by that faith. We are to be fruitful laborers in that which He has called us to.

God bless the works of our hands, the words of our lips and the meditations of our hearts and minds that all that we say and think and do will be acceptable in His sight and glorify Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

He Holds The Children In His Hands

In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
    let me never be put to shame.

In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;
    incline your ear to me and save me.
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.
For you, O Lord, are my hope,
    my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
Upon you I have leaned from my birth;
    it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.
My praise is continually of you.

Psalm 71:1-6 NRSV

 

My birth family did not attend worship. I never attended Sunday School; but, thanks to some wonderful neighbor ladies I was able to go to Vacation Bible School. I was confirmed; but, that was because I wanted to affirm my baptism. I would find rides or walk the few miles to classes at the church. I attended services with my grandmother when I was very young and stayed with her quite a bit of the time. I remember some of those services being in the Finnish language, which I did not understand. But, in spite of a very minimal formal Christian education, I came to know and to trust God. He came to me when I was not able to go to Him.

 

Family life as I grew up was pretty chaotic and there were many times, as a young child, that I simply had no one to turn to. I feared for my safety and I often felt very alone. So, I turned to God for comfort and for safety and for love. There were many nights that I could not sleep because of trouble in the household. But, I must also  stress that in spite of the many times of trouble, there were also many good times. There are many children growing up today who do not have the benefit of those good times.  

 

But, where and to whom shall a child turn when they are afraid? One of the few songs that I knew from Vacation Bible School was "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."  In order to rest without fear and to be able to fall asleep in peace, I would often envision myself laying in the comfort and safety of God's great hands. He came to me. He was and is my strong fortress to save me. He is my refuge and strength. He was and is with me always. He is with you always. 

 

There are children today who live in much greater fear than I did. My heart goes out to them and I pray that they will live and rest in the comfort and safety of God's hands.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Losing Friends For Living In Christ

Do good! Do what is right!

For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. (1 Peter 4:3-4 NIV)

No, you will not be too popular if you choose to quit participating in the lifestyle of a pagan; but, you will be much more at peace with yourself as you begin to live in Christ.

As a former substance abuse counselor, one of the toughest things to deal with is that when someone finally decides to trust their higher power; when they turn to God, for their recovery they lose most, if not all, of their old friends. It can be a lonely time. It takes a bit of work to realize that the only reason they hung with you in the first place was because your carousing and substance abuse justified theirs. Once that is gone, they are out of there. "They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you."

But, new friends will come with time. Friends that will share in the joy of living as a member of the Body of Christ with you. In Christ you are a new creation. "So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1  Peter 4:19)

May the peace of the Lord be with you always! Live in his peace and ignore the drama this world would throw at you.

God's Peace - Pr. J