Rev 6:1-8 The Four Horses

Rev 6:1-8 NIV
The white, red, black, and pale horse are sometimes referred to as the four horses of the apocalypse. The four horses and their riders signify conquest, war, famine, death. Some would say that these four horses and their riders will lead the charge at Armageddon at a great and final battle just prior to the day of the Lord. It will be a most horrific day.

I am a bit more cautious about considering this to be just a future event as I am well aware that we are already in a battle with the forces of evil. The desires to control others for our own purposes (conquest), wars, famines, and death have been very present with us for a very long time. We may feel relatively safe here in the United States. There are of these horsemen all around us; but, until it directly affects the individual; sometimes, the eyes are closed to what others are living.

Open your eyes and see. See how the world strives to control others; see the wars; see the famine; and see the death. If we cannot see the pain that others are suffering; then, maybe, as a teacher friend use to remind her students often, "If you're not part of the solution; you're a part of the problem." See the suffering and then see what you can do to help those who are in need. Fight the good fight, while staying firm in your faith. Don't wait 'till that final day of judgment to help those who are suffering or Jesus might say to you, "...Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." (Matt 25:41-46)

God's Peace - Pr. J 

1 Corinthians 9:1-18 Freedom In Christ

1 Corinithians 9:1-18 NIV
St. Paul's ministry is not only questioned by people outside the church; after all that he has done for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the people of Corinth, he and is authority are questioned by the people of the church as well. This seems to be a common problem within the church today as well. If we don't like what is said or done; we would like to be freed from our leaders. Get rid of them...

Sometimes, it is necessary remove a pastor as in cases of wolves in sheep's clothing. However, most of the time it is merely a personality conflict or a control issue. I have a friend who when talking with me will, at times, refer to "the boss." By "the boss," he is not referring to me. He is referring to our heavenly Father, the one to whom we are accountable. He is "the boss." We will all ultimately answer to God for what those things that we have said and done; those things that we have left unsaid and undone. Thanks be to God for Jesus the Christ, the one we proclaim has granted us freedom to serve our heavenly Father by the giving of his life for us!

Through Jesus Christ, God our Father granted us the freedom to proclaim the Gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The world may not recognize this freedom; but, God our Father does and that's the only thing that matters. We may suffer and die in this world because we make use of this freedom in Christ to proclaim the truth. But, it is better to suffer and die so that the Good News of the Kingdom of God may be advanced in a world that rejects Him than to deny this freedom purchased for us by the blood of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 46 - Move Forward; Not Backward

“When the people of the land come before the Lord at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which they entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate." (Ezekiel 46:9 NIV)

Sounds like God is even managing the worship traffic... Imagine instructions for getting up to the altar during Holy Communion in your congregation. Go up the middle and back to your seat by going around the side. Stay on the right side of the aisle as you go the altar and return on the left. I'm thinking that crowd control is the basic reason for this direction from God.

Have you ever found yourself on a one way street going the wrong way? It does cause a bit of a problem, doesn't it? It delays your arrival at the place that you were intending to go. God reminds us to keep going forward in the way that that He's set before us. As you worship the LORD, keep moving forward. Do not take side roads. Do not go backwards. Keep your heart and your mind on the goal that has been set in front of you. One step at a time, move forward to receive the Kingdom of God.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)

And... may the peace of the LORD be with you on your journey, as you press toward the goal of the Kingdom in Christ Jesus.  Pr. J

2 Chronicles 22 - Soap Box and Soap Operas

As short as Ahaziah's reign and today's reading is, it is a major "soap opera!" 

Bad counsel leads to major disaster.  Not following in the ways the LORD directs us leads to death.  And, then the mother, the matriarch, of this family decides to destroy the rest of the family so that she will have control.  Bad business... this desire for power and control.

But, then I think we see that in many families.  Most of us are not after major kingdoms, because we know they're out of our reach.  Instead, we tend to make kingdoms and subjects out of the people around us, those closest to us.  How true the saying is in so many cases:  "A man home is his castle."  I don't think it's particularly men who like to subject their families to their rule, but many women desire to be "Queen for a day" or a year or a life-time.  But, not following in the ways of the LORD, not allowing God to rule our homes, leads to very poor counsel and very poor qualities of life. 

This manipulation of others for power, control, authority often extends beyond the family into the work place, even into the church on earth.  Following, listening to those who are out for their own glory is a recipe for disaster.  It is the making of a soap opera.

My husband and I own and (he) operates na adult foster care.  When I was more involved one of my "pet peeves" was watching soap operas in the dining area.  I would allow them to watch them in the living room as they are adults and can watch what they want.  But, it drove me just a little bonkers to have staff sitting at the table watching "soaps" with the residents  I could always tell what they (both staff and residents) had been watching because life around the house always became just a little more dramatic with the more hours spent watching all this drama.  Lots of bad counsel and lots of manipulating to get what we want, when we want it, in that television programming and somehow that attitude or lifestyle eventually creeps into our own.  We like to tell our children what they can or cannot watch, but are we really aware of and monitoring what we absorbing into our hearts and minds?

I think that there are times when we need to just say no.  We need to stay out of the drama because it will drag us and others down.  I think too, that we need to do what we can to not allow ourselves or others in our family manipulate anyone to do their will, rather than God's.  It is most beneficial for everyone to do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

Ok...  getting off the soap box.  Just really dislike soap operas....!