Broken Heart

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3 NRSV

Sometimes not allowing your heart to be troubled is a whole lot easier said than done. I spend a whole lot of time in prayer so that I can be reassured by God's presence that He is actually with me and with those whom I love. I spend a lot of time in the word so that I might be reassured of God's promise of eternal reconciliation with the One who loves me and the whole world enough to die for us.

As I consider what most troubles my heart, I find that it is concern for those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord. My heart is most often troubled with concern for those who do not follow in the Way. My concern is that their hearts will be indefinitely troubled. My concern is that they might never know Jesus as I know that there is no healing for the broken heart except in Jesus the Christ.

I can do nothing except for pray and continue to encourage, with the word, those who do not follow Jesus to turn around and follow him.

My heart is troubled. Yet, there is still peace to be found in the promise of eternal peace in the home that Jesus has prepared for all who believe.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Keep Alert!

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." 
1 Peter 5:6-8

We don't have any of the lions like the ones found in Africa or Asia in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. But, we do have mountain lions, wolves, coyotes and other such predators of animals who are too small and weak to defend themselves. It is necessary, not only for smaller animals in the forest to keep alert; but, people need to be a bit aware as well when they're out and about, alone.

It is not just in the forest that we need to be alert. When we are out in the public and even home alone we need to mindful of what is going on around us. Yes, our Father in heaven is with us. But, we don't need to be testing His power by getting ourselves (wittingly or unwittingly) into situations that are dangerous to us or others. We ought to discipline ourselves in such a way that we are not stepping into hornets nests or walking into a lion's den. It may be that we will get stung or bit so that we will be more aware and watch where we walk better in the future.

Discipline yourselves. Keep alert. Walk in the way of the Lord so that your adversary, the devil, has no opportunity to devour you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Leave Your Neighbors House To Your Neighbor

The Ninth Commandment.

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house.

What does this mean?--Answer.
We should fear and love God that we may not craftily seek to get our neighbor's inheritance or house, and obtain it by a show of [justice and] right, etc., but help and be of service to him in keeping it.

(http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php)

 

The ninth commandment goes hand in hand with the seventh: "You shall not steal." Leave your neighbor's property alone. Don't even think about it; unless you are thinking about ways to help him keep his property. Desiring what belongs to someone else can lead to all kinds of evil against him as our desires becomes obsessive thoughts and our obsessive thoughts turn to evils action to get what does not belong to us.

 

We should all have our own hopes and dreams. Pursue your own dreams, not your neighbors. What belongs to your neighbor is your neighbors. What is yours is yours.

 

The second table of the law is summed up like this: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt 22:39; Mark 12:31) :May God grant that our neighbors would love us enough not to craftily seek to obtain our inheritance or home even as we would not pursue obtaining theirs. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rev 21:1-8 No More Death

Rev 21:1-8 NIV
We have today scripture that I often use for funeral services. The one who sits on the throne promises that all things will be made new. "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no death or mourning or crying or pain..." (vs 4)

These verses are a reminder that there is hope for those who believe in this promise given to us by the one who sits on the throne, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I remember one young woman who began worshipping where I was serving after a string of deaths in her family. She said after attending so many funerals she noticed that the people who belonged the congregation; although, they grieved, seemed to grieve with hope and even joy at times. She needed that. She wanted that. She wanted to know how to deal with her grief. She needed to know that there was more. She found the answer in Jesus the Christ.

The vision of St. John reveals that the end, the first death, is sorrowful for those who do not believe; for "the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars." (vs 8) They will also suffer the second death following the day of judgment. But, for those who believe there is hope. There is hope and the promise that we shall live eternally with our God in the new home that he has created for us. He will be our God and we will be his children, both now and forever.

For all who believe there is the promise of eternal life. There is hope. There is even joy as we look to the day when there will be no more sorrow or pain.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Corinthians 5 Earthly Tent or Father's House?

2 Corinthians 5 NIV
There is a longing deep within the soul for something more. That something more that we long for is God. We cannot know him fully while in these mortal bodies. It is by faith, not by sight that we have the reassurance that He is with us. It is by faith that we are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.

We remain in these bodies; in these earthly tents, so that we might proclaim this message of reconciliation to God our Father through faith in Jesus Christ that all people might enter into God's Kingdom. Yet, it is, as Paul says, that we "would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

One day knowing the full glory of God; one day seeing Him with mine own eyes (Job 19:26-27), is my hope.

Let us rejoice for the gift and sacrifice of His Son that has made this reconciliation in our Father's house possible.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians 16:5-18 An On The Move Bishop

1 Corinthians 16:5-18 NIV
Paul's first letter to the Corinthians is about to close. I would characterize Paul, among other things, as an on the move Bishop. He was out there moving among the people proclaiming the gospel, teaching and encouraging the followers of Jesus. As far away from someone as he might be, without the use of phones or internet; without the use of cars or planes, he stayed in touch with those whom God had called him to serve. Where he could not be, he sent others.

The early church grew because of men who were willing to reach out across the miles to all people. They were willing to set aside the comforts of a home. They were willing to be persecuted by those who hated them and Jesus. They were willing to give it all for the sake of the Gospel.

Go and make disciples of all people, of all nations. But, in order to do that you must first be a disciple willing to take up your cross, die to self and follow Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 19:1-10 Come Down From Your Tree

Luke 19:1-10 NIV
"Zacchaeus was a wee little man." I have no clue how many children I have taught the words of this song to; too many to count. Personally, I prefer the words from the KJV over the NIV, "And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature." (vs 3)

Zacchaeus was of little stature not only in physical height; but, in social stature as well. He was a tax collector and had made himself wealthy by cheating his own people. Therefore, he was not a popular fellow. No one in the crowd that day was going to move out of his way so that he could see Jesus so he climbed a tree to get a look from a distance. Jesus knew of his desire to see him and so he arranged to make it up front and personal. He told Zacchaeus: "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Today, (and every day) Jesus wants to be welcomed into your home. If you want to see Jesus, just climb down from whatever tree that you've chosen to watch Jesus from and welcome Him into your life.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 15 Return

Luke 15 NIV
It saddens parents when they lose their children; even if it is only because they have graduated from school and move on with their lives as we've spent years preparing them to do. But, what a reunion when they come home! Nor does God rejoice in losing one soul; rather, he rejoices when they are found and return to Him.

Return to the LORD, for He is good and His mercy endures forever....

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 10:17-31 Costly

(Mark 10:17-31 NIV)


A wealthy man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. He's kept all the commandments. He's been good. But, Jesus tells him he must sell everything. He must give up everything and follow him.

What does it cost to enter the kingdom of God? Well, for you and me to enter the Kingdom, it cost Jesus his earthly life. Then he says we must follow Him. We must follow him to the cross and through the grave. We must be willing to give up everything in this world. This not only upsets the wealthy man, but his disciples are a bit confused as well. They have given up everything to follow him, after all. Jesus comforts them with these words:

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." (vs 29-30)

These words, at times, seem to be our only hope. They comfort us in times of persecution and when, indeed, we lose family and friends (as many of us have) for following the path that Jesus has set before us. It is a hard path. There are times when we wonder if it the cost is too great. But, then we remember what it cost Jesus so that we might receive the promised eternal life in the Kingdom of God, in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 31 - Trees Falling

"Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon,
    with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
    its top above the thick foliage." (Ezekiel 30:3 NIV)

Pharaoh is warned, even though Egypt stands tall like a tree towering over everything; Assyria once stood even taller. But, for its pride it came crashing down at the hand of God. So shall Egypt fall.

There was a huge pine, over 80 feet tall, not many feet from our home. It was a beautiful tree, towering above the others. It existed until this summer. It had grown so large that we knew if it ever fell that there would be nothing left to our home. It had grown too big and had become a danger. We had it taken down this summer so that it would not come crashing down on us. Sometimes God's people (and governments) get too big... We are in danger of causing others harm and God has to cut us down to size (prune us) or let us crash where we can do the least harm to others. 

Again, those who have ears, hear the warning from Proverbs: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 30 - Good News

So far, Jeremiah has been preaching a lot of warnings, very dire warnings. Today, we have a break and hear a message of good news; good news to bring comfort to the exiled children of God. It is not necessarily good news, though, for the enemies of God's people.

"The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.” (Jer 30:3 NIV)

It is such good news that the LORD instructs Jeremiah to write it down so that the children of those who are exiled will have hope in the promised day of their reconciliation with their home land. The book that we know to contain the word of God and His will for us does have its share of warnings and prophecies for those who would follow their own way. But, it is full of good news for those who would take the time to hear.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  (Rom 8:27-29)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 24 - Exile or Captivity?

The first wave of exiles or captives are on their way to Babylon. Whether one sees these deportations as exiles or captivities, depends on whose point of view you are looking at it from. Those who are going to Babylon for their good are being exiled. Those who are going to Babylon for their hurt, are captives. In reality they are all exiles and captives at the same time.

But, Jeremiah's vision of two baskets of figs makes it clear that those whose hearts will turn to the LORD will return to the land that He has promised. This exile is for their good in the long run. Those whose hearts are hard against the LORD will suffer greatly in their captivity. They will suffer much harm.

For almost forty years I had felt like I had been exiled. We have moved around quite a bit. I have unpacked into fourteen homes in during that time. I thoroughly enjoyed living in most of those places. It was good. I learned and grew a lot. Finally, I am in the home where I think I will eventually get to die. Every once in awhile the grass looks greener elsewhere (especially when our winters last 'till June), but the thought passes rather quickly and I am content to stay. But, I often wonder if the exile is really over. I am thinking that it is not. The exile is turning out for the good. I may never move away from Aura. But, one day I will go home to the land promised to all who believe. I await the day to enter into the fullness of the Kingdom as I pass through the gateway called death.

Don't worry. I am not suicidal. Rather, I have a great hope in the day when I no longer have to wander through the wilderness of sin, but am welcomed into my Father's home, as He has promised and in His time. As St. Paul wrote to the Philippians from prison: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me." (Philippians 1:21-26 NIV)

Are you an exile or captive? I think it depends completely how you choose to live your life here on earth; freely as a child of God or as a slave to the temptations of the world.

God's Peace - Pr. J