Your Decrees Are My Delight

Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
Your decrees are my delight,
    they are my counselors.

Psalm 119:23-24 NRSV

 

I suppose that it is within the sinful nature of humankind to plot against one another; to delight in the fall of others, especially if they have played a hand in the fall. We see and experience it all the time; all around us. It may be a natural inclination; yet, it is still sin.

 

When we feel that we are being plotted against, it is not the time to retaliate; but, to keep our peace by meditating on the decrees of the Lord. We are to meditate not just on the law; but, on his promises so that we might truly know the peace of heart and mind that surpasses all understanding.

 

When we are wronged; when we are plotted against, we are to pray for our enemy, that they and we might be reconciled to God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ; that we might live in peace.

 

May God help us to stay in His Word, in His truth, and the truth shall set us free.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rev 22:6-21 A Final Warning and Promise

Rev 22:6-21 NIV
Well, today brings us to the end of the book of Revelation and to the end of the Holy Scriptures.
Some of you may wonder why I have been such a light-weight as we went through Revelation; why I have not a more in-depth interpretation as many others have; why I have not done more finger pointing as to who or what the anti-Christ is. The answer to that is found in this last reading: "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll." (vss 18-19)

I take this warning seriously. As we read or hear the Holy Scriptures, we need to understand that our sinful natures may well inspire an interpretation according to our own wills; our own egos, our own agendas. Revelation, in particular, because it is a vision, should not be taken literally. That does not lessen the fact that it is prophecy and includes, very much, a warning to those who have fallen from "the way." It is a warning to those who would follow in a way that they should not go and a blessing to those who worship the one true God.

The revelation to John is not just a horrific warning to the world. It is indeed a blessing of promise and hope to all who believe. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, 'Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life." (vs 17)

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. (vs 21)

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV A Servant's Heart

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV
We are free to do as we please. St. Paul chose to use his freedom to become a slave (servant) to everyone to win as many to Christ as possible. He did not lord it over others. He became like them so that they would be open to hearing the Word.

If proclaiming the gospel is a priority for us in this world then sometimes we have to give up a few things (die to self) in order that others might be willing to listen and hear. Those who would serve others need to be willing and able to walk, as the saying goes, a mile in the shoes of others.

My husband and I own an adult foster care. Direct care is not one of the easiest professions. Not everyone is called to the health care profession. It takes a lot of patience as well as a lot of compassion and empathy. It takes a bit of dying to self for the sake of others. My husband does the hiring after I review the applications. Since you cannot work in health care if you have certain things on your criminal record, that is one of the primary things I look for along with experience. I check the Michigan Corrections web-site to see if they have spent any time in prison or if they have any arrests for sexual misconduct that they did not report on their applications. They will have to have a more thorough background check later if we decide to hire them. I also always check (I believe most employers today do) Facebook and other social media. I want to know if the attitude I see on their page is all about "me" or if they have a servants heart. If you want to serve the elderly, the physically or mentally disabled know that you cannot do it well unless you are willing to give up a part of yourself and walk a mile in their shoes. Compassion, empathy, and integrity are all necessary attributes for one who would serve others.

We are free to do as we please. But, servants are willing to die for the sake of others. Jesus did.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 1:1-7 Bound and Free

Romans 1:7 NIV
We have finished reading the book of the Acts of the Apostles and have heard much about Paul. Paul is the accepted author of this Epistle to the Romans. We have to back track a bit from where we were yesterday to being Romans. The letter was written before his bondage by the Romans. Paul begins the letter by stating that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God. It is through Christ that this Roman Jew has received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom we are also the called of Jesus the Christ.


Paul is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. He has been call apart from the world to proclaim the name of Jesus to the world. So have we. So have all who believe. By the grace of God we are bondservants to Christ; bound by faith to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. We are bound to Christ. Even while we are free in this world; we are bound to the Word of God. Thanks be to God!


Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!


God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 12:1-19 Free Indeed!

Acts 12:1-19 NIV
The church had been earnestly praying for Peter. Peter could hardly believe it. He thought he was dreaming. But, it was no dream or vision. An angel of the Lord released him from prison.

When Peter showed up at Mary's doorstep they could hardly believe it. Believe it! God can open the chains that bind us. He can unlock the doors that keep us locked up no matter whether those doors are physical or spiritual. "When the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36)

You will be free; just as Peter was, to go and tell the world what the Lord has done for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 19:38-42 Secret Friend and Follower

John 19:38-42 NIV
Nicodemus, a secret friend of Jesus, and Joseph of Arimathea, who had kept the fact that he was a follower of Jesus a secret for fear of the Jews, buried Jesus.

As I consider these verses from John today, I am reminded of the decades that Russians had to worship in secret, sometimes in graveyards, lest they be arrested and suffer the consequences for their faith. It reminds me that even today, multitudes must try to hide their faith in order to save their lives so that they might continue to share the Good News even if it must be done clandestinely.

May God help us, who are free to proclaim our allegiance to Jesus, to proclaim it freely.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 8:31-47 Disciples Hear and Hold To His Teachings

John 8:31-47 NIV
I will have to bookmark these readings for next Wednesday evening Worship. We are discussing (and I mean discussing - sermon is interactive on Wednesdays) discipleship.

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." (vs. 31) You see, there is more to this following Jesus than just believing that he existed. In order to be a disciple you must believe; you must trust him enough for his teaching to actually become a part of your life; your being.

If you live in the area, come and join us. this evening at 6 p.m.. (Wed., Aug 13). We will be discussing Christ abiding in us and we in Him from John 15. Come, hear, study, receive His word; after all, "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says." (vs 47)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 13:10-17 Bound and Free

Luke 13:10-17 NIV
I often wonder about being in bondage. I wonder how much I should allow myself to be bound to things of this world if indeed I am free in Christ. We are indeed free in Christ to serve God and one another. However, we (most of us) are bound to something here on earth. Work schedules, bosses, family members, friends and acquaintances regulate what we do and when we do it. Not long ago, I went with a tour group to Ireland. Even the vacation regulated so that at times I felt like we were chained to a schedule. I also have to be very careful about making plans with my grandchildren. I have to give them a lot of maybes or we'll see... If I agree to do something, they expect me to do it. No matter what else might come up, they get pretty upset if the schedule ends up changed. They insist on me being bound to my word, even if it was not a promise, but a suggestion.

Now, commitments are usually good things. A commitment to worship God on Sundays (or any and everyday) is an excellent thing. But, in our parable today of Jesus healing a woman on the Sabbath, Jesus reminds us that there is more to worship and honoring God than keeping Sabbath law or traditions. When someone is in need, the schedule must be flexible enough to help them.

In Christ, we are free to be bound to love and serve. By his blood, we have been set free to worship and serve our God and to love and serve our neighbors, as well.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 39 - Deliverance

God has promised deliverance. He has promised Israel deliverance from Gog and Magog. He will cause so much carnage to the invaders that the remains are declared a great feast for the birds and wild animals.

Through Jesus Christ, God has promised all who would believe in His Son deliverance from the hand of the enemy. Indeed it has already been accomplished for us, as His Son died on the cross and overcame the power of sin, death, and the devil. There are no enemies greater than these. "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36 NIV)

God has promised deliverance. He has freed you so that you can freely love and serve Him and your neighbor as yourself.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 24 - We All Grieve In Our Own Way

Everyone grieves in their own way. In today's lesson Ezekiel's wife dies. He is commanded by God not to show any outward expression of grief. He can groan within. But, he is to go about the day as if it was just another day. This is to be done as a sign to Israel that the sanctuary will be desecrated and when their own sons and daughters will die by the sword they will not be afforded the opportunity to grieve them openly. Instead they will waste away as they are left to grieve within themselves.

Everyone grieves in there own way. Funerals and Memorial Services are more so for the living than for the dead. We need a way to begin to grieve and we do this by sharing the stories of our loved one. We do this by sharing stories of their faith and faithfulness. We do this openly. Even if one does not openly participate in the sharing of their stories or visible signs of their grief; they are listening. They are hearing. They are grieving.

It is not always so; but, often, those who are not allowed free expression of their grief in whatever manner they personally grieve will internalize it and begin to waste away. The wasting away may not be physical. Rather, it might be spiritual or emotional. So often after the funeral, friends disappear. They do not want to hear and share in the grief of spouses or children or parents. They want to get on with life and they want the person who is grieving to get on with life. Living life is a good thing. But, remember, that we all grieve in our own way and grief can very well be a life-long experience. If you love them, allow them the stories, the memories. For in remembering, we are re-membered (re-connected) to the loved ones we have lost.

Can you imagine how much Ezekiel's wife endured just being married to Ezekiel? You don't get to hear much about her, only her death. And... even her death is not allowed to be publicly grieved.

We all grieve in our own way. May God help us to be a comfort to others in their times of loss.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 34 - Which Freedom Will You Choose?

A slightly different concept of freedom is found in chapter 34 of Jeremiah.

 “Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you, declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague and famine. I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth." (Jer 34:17 NIV)

God had instructed His people to set their slaves free. At first, they agreed. But, then they changed their minds and forced them back into slavery. They broke the covenant that had been made with God. They would not set the people free. But, God will. He will free His people from the covenant. They can live on their own, making their own way. They will live without the blessings that He would give to them.

If we don't want to listen to God; if we don't want to do His will; then we are free to be free from the covenant that God made with us. We don't have to seek His face. But, what we will get instead is His back and that is not a good or pleasant thing. We can be free to serve other gods; to serve ourselves. But, it would behoove us to ask ourselves is that the direction we really want to go in?

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. Abraham Lincoln 

"There are two freedoms – the false, where a man is free to do what he likes; the true, where he is free to do what he ought." Charles Kingsley

"While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions." Stephen Covey

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 129 - Move Foward in Christ! Live Life!

"They have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not gained the victory over me." (Psalm 129:2 NIV)

We've all met someone, maybe many someone's, who blame their very poor attitudes toward life, toward others, toward God, on the way they were raised. Granted, our environment effects the way that we live. It effects who we are or whom we present ourselves as. But, it doesn't have to. With the help of God, we can have victory over all those negative things that have entered into and seek to influence our lives; whether they happened 50 years ago or yesterday.

For those who insist on blaming their "hard luck" of today on the parents who raised them decades ago: give it up, please!  Get on with your life. Move toward a better future. Quit blaming others whom you may not have even seen in a few decades and live life today!  And... if you have a counselor or therapist who keeps you dwelling on the past, better find another one. One that will help you focus on living life today and tomorrow and all the other tomorrows. Certainly, you can remember the past. It might teach you what you shouldn't be doing for your sake and for the welfare of others. But, move on. Move forward. As that favorite hymn reminds us: "Onward Christian soldiers." Don't be going backwards. The only way to victory is with Christ, moving forward, not backward to the miry pits you've dwelt in. Christ has the victory over sin, death and the power of the devil. Receive His help. Receive His love. Know that He, not your and anyone else's past, has the victory over all that would keep you from living life to the fullest as a child of God. You have been freed in Christ! You are no longer in bondage to yesterday! Live Life!

"The blessing of the Lord be on you!" (vs 8)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezra 8 - You Are Free!

Well, here's a puzzle this morning:  Who wrote the book of Ezra?  I realized as I was reading the chapter this morning that the author is now speaking in the first person rather than the third.  I have always assumed it was Ezra who wrote it, but if he wrote it, the transition from third to first person is kind of confusing to me.  I know that if this were being discussed in the Bible Study on Wednesday mornings, we'd have a great time trying to figure it out.  But, in the end, does it really matter?  It is a great story - history well worth reading.

As I read the first section of the chapter with the list of fathers and their children who left captivity together, I wondered how many Christian parents today desired that their children would be able to live without bondage to the false gods of this world and live freely in Christ. 

May God help all whom we love to understand, to see, that Christ freed them from sin, death, and the power of the devil, to live life in him and to live it abundantly. 

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."  Gal 5:1 NIV

2 Chronicles 8-9 - Blessed be the LORD!

It is the 4th of July and today we celebrate our freedom in the United States.  I wonder what our forefathers - those that fought and lived through the revolution would think of our celebrations.  I wonder what they would think of what has been built on the foundation they laid.  How do we use our freedom?  To live life according to the good pleasure of God?  Or do we use our freedom as an excuse to trample on the lives of others?  Since I am biased, I will say that we live in a great country.  Here, I am still free to practice my faith (even though there are many who would prefer I did not).

Solomon, too, with the help of God, built a great country.  Not only he, but Israel, grew and prospered under his leadership.  Kings and even a queen honored and respected what had been done through him.  The Queen of Sheba, after witnessing his wisdom said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God!  Because your God loved Israel and would establish them forever, he has made you king over them, that you may execute justice and righteousness." (9:8 ESV)

Blessed be the LORD, our God!  May we all remember what He has done for us; how He has provided us with many great leaders over the generations.  May He raise up a leader(s) that will serve, with wisdom; executing justice and righteousness for all people. 

Christ has made you free to be children of God.  Men and women have given much so that you live freely in this world to live as a child of God.  Have a safe and happy celebration of the freedom that was won for you by others.  Honor (do not dishonor) the sacrifices made for you.  Live life so that others may hear and see and say, "Blessed be the LORD your God!"