Hand of the Lord

I will open rivers on the bare heights,
    and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
    and the dry land springs of water.
I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
    the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive;
I will set in the desert the cypress,
    the plane and the pine together,
so that all may see and know,
    all may consider and understand,
that the hand of the Lord has done this,
    the Holy One of Israel has created it.
Isaiah 41:18-20 NRSV




The promises of the Lord are as numerous as the stars in the sky that He created. He created all things. He created even the wilderness which we find ourselves wandering through. The hand of the Lord has done this. Give thanks to the Lord for all His promises; his gifts, to humankind.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 7:54-60 NIV Forgive Those Who Would Destroy You

Acts 7:54-60 NIV
There are times when we think that we will never be able to forgive someone. Yet, here is Stephen following in the footsteps of Jesus, forgiving those who are putting him to death. A young man Saul, is witness to this event. This young man you probably know better as St. Paul, missionary to the gentiles. Yes, Paul was there to witness the stoning of Stephen. He encouraged it as Saul was a great persecutor of the Christians. Until the day that Saul met the ascended Lord on the way to Damascus. The Lord wanted to know why Saul was so busy persecuting him and his followers. That is the day that the old man in Saul died and Paul began to live and serve the Lord even to his own death. One of the most ardent persecutors of Christians became one of the greatest missionaries ever. We can never know what the Lord has in store for any of us, even our enemies.

Forgive your enemies and pray for them, even as our Lord Jesus and Paul and many other saints before and among have gone to their deaths, praying for and forgiving their enemies. For our hope is not in this world; but that as we (and all whom we encounter) draw our last breaths that we, too, might look to the heaven and see the glory of God, with Jesus standing at His right hand.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 20:11-18 Jesus Speaks To You

John 20:11-18 NIV
I ran into one of our local law enforcement officials the other day. I have known him for about 16 years. For some reason, I thought he was someone else I have known, just as long, in the law enforcement community. That same day, I received a call from a family member who I haven't heard from in awhile. At first, I thought she was one of my parishioners with a similar name. It took a few seconds to figure out who she really was.

It has been a very busy wseek. No, it has been a very busy and hectic summer. I was tired and had my mind other things; things that I was actually suppose to be doing at the time. When this happens, I sometimes forget names of people and I am just a bit slower in "connecting all the dots." It doesn't mean I can't connect them; just that I am a bit slower at times. Times of grief; whether it is my grief or someone else' grief can be particularly strong impetus toward my having a poor memory.

Mary was grieving when she met Jesus in the garden. She did not know what had happened to her beloved Jesus. His body was not in the tomb. Where could he be? Who could have taken his body? She was grieving and anxious when she turned and talked to the man in the garden. She did not recognize her beloved Jesus. She did not know him until he spoke to her, calling her by name.

Sometimes, grief or anxiety will cause us all kinds of problems with daily living. We may be so focused on what we are going through; we fail to realize the reality of what others are going through. We may fail to see Jesus living in and through others. We may fail to see the hand of God using our grief and/or anxiety for the good of us or others. Be assured that God can and will use all things for the good of all people. According to Paul's letter to the Romans:8:28, "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."  Jesus call you. He calls you by name. Answer him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 10:32-52 Following Jesus

Mark 10:32-52 NIV
As Jesus leads his followers on their journey to Jerusalem, he tells them that he is going to be killed and after he is killed he will rise, three days later. I'm not sure if the disciples fully grasp the significance of this, because James and John ask to sit at his right and left hand in His glory. Do they realize that in order to see His full glory they are going to have to follow Him with their own deaths?

Following Jesus is not the "walk in the park" that many would assume. The disciples didn't quite "get it" and I wonder if, sometimes, maybe we don't "get it," either. Following Jesus, means a life of service to others; not a life of serving ourselves. It means a life of carrying the cross that others might hear, see and believe.

Blind Bartimaeus wanted to see. Jesus came along and gave him sight. Once, Bartimaeus could see, he picked himself up and followed Jesus along the road to Jerusalem, on the way to the cross.

May God grant that our eyes should be opened so that we might follow Jesus wherever He may lead us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zechariah 2 - Good News! Release! Relief!

Good news! That's what chapter 2 of Zechariah is - Good News!

As I read this chapter, I was reminded of the vision of St. Teresa of Avila and her "Interior Mansion." What an awesome place this city of God is! In Zecharia, it is pictured as a city without walls. It doesn't need a wall because God, Himself, will be a wall of fire around it and He will be its glory within. (Zech 2:4,5)

And more... for all those who are oppressed - there will be relief - there will be release!

"For this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye—  I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me.

Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,' declares the Lord. ^'Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.'" (Zech 2:8-11 NIV)

God, indeed, has sent His only Son, born in a barn, died on a cross, raised from the grave, and ascended to the right hand of our Father, so that we might be free to live in His Awesome presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Nahum 3 - Rejoicing Over Fallen Enemies

Nahum warns that Nineveh will fall for her endless cruelty. Her victims will clap their hands; rejoicing for the vengeance God takes upon her. (Nahum 3:19)

We are often told that we should not rejoice when our enemies fall. In fact, we should not. According to the Proverbs: "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them." (Prov 24:17 NIV)However, when one is persecuted so fully as Nineveh had persecuted, the people, according to human nature, will rejoice! They will rejoice that they are finally free. They will give thanks to God for taking away the enemy that has threatened to destroy them.

We give thanks to God for through the blood of Jesus we are free. We are free from the bondage that sin, death and the evil one would keep us in. We are free to give thanks to God for all things, including our freedom through Christ. Let us not neglect to give Him thanks and praise for all things and at all times and in all places.

Rejoice not that your enemy has fallen at the hand of God. Rejoice that even as Christ has been lifted up; so, too, have you. Rejoice that you have been saved from those age old enemies (sin, death, and the devil) by the blood of Jesus the Christ that was shed for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Daniel 11 - Apocalytic Dream

Tomorrow will be our last day in the book of Daniel as there are only 12 chapters in Daniel. It has been quite interesting reading about one vision or visitation after another. Today, the angel Gabriel reveals to Daniel what is to come. The events mainly describe wars and alliances between Egypt and Syria. However, verse 36 to 45 describe a time that is not fulfilled in Daniel's time. It appears to be for the end time. Antiochus, it appears, may well be a archetype for the Anti-Christ that was yet to come.

These past days of reading about Daniel's visions have had a definite effect on my sleep and dreams. I don't remember my dream last night except that it was apocalyptic. It was about conflict and war. It was not terribly frightening as I do remember one event in detail. When I began to get a little anxious in my sleep, I suddenly found myself walking with God. He was holding my hand and we were walking through this lush green valley. His hand was wonderfully warm and comforting. An awesome sense of peace came over me. But, being the inquisitive person that I am, I had to wake myself up to see if it was real! The dream was gone, but the sense of peace that I had felt was not. Thanks be to God!

God is with even in the midst of spiritual warfare. And.. be comforted in the knowledge that on the cross, the battle with the Anti-Christ was won for you. Nothing can prevail against the love of God in Christ Jesus.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Daniel 8 - Ram and Goat

I am stumped! I enjoy reading the visions of Daniel; but, this one is difficult in that the commentaries all pretty much say that this prophecy was for the old testament times only. Yet, the scripture itself says: “The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” (vs 26)

Does anyone really know for sure? I have been studying this chapter for a while this morning with no conclusions. Attempting to understand it is actually is beginning to feel quite exhausting even as Daniel thought it was exhausting. "I, Daniel, was worn out. I lay exhausted for several days. Then I got up and went about the king’s business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding." (vs 27)

What I am seeing here is that we have two power players: the ram and the goat. The ram is powerful, but the goat is more powerful. It is a conflict between two earthly kingdoms; yet, in the end even the more powerful goat will be overthrown by the hand of God.

All this conflict in the world and for what? There is only one God and in the end He will put an end to the terror that mankind inflicts upon mankind.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 21 - Who Shall Wear The Crown?

We have, this morning; yet, another warning that Jerusalem will be overthrown by Babylon. Ammon will be overthrown, as well.

"It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low." (Ezekiel 20:26 NIV)

God has a way of turning everything around. Those who think too highly of themselves will be brought down. The humble will be lifted up. That is not the way it works in this world; but, that is God's way. 

The LORD promises, through Ezekiel, that the one to whom the crown rightly belongs will ultimately wear it. The one who wears the crown was raised up in humility and reigns in glory at God's right hand. Jesus, who came to serve humankind, was willing to lay his life down, to wear the crown of thorns, and to be lifted up on the cross for our sakes. In this act of sacrifice, he was lifted to the heavenly realms, to ultimately sit at the right hand of God, our Father. The lowly has been exalted...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb 12:1-2)

God's Peace - Pr. J