Clothe Yourself With Good Things

Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14

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

We are not to be doormats. We are to stand firmly on the truth, which is the Word of God. Jesus, and in the end his disciples, did not back down from the truth. They stood firmly on God's Word and on His promises.

But, neither are we 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, as the saying goes: "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

Col 3 Be Kind

Colossians 3 NIV

Compassion, kindness, gentleness,
patience....

A friend recently tried to do a favor for someone; even though he had no clue as to who it was that he was trying to help. He was just trying to do the right thing. He was trying to help someone in need. For trying to do the right thing he was majorly disrespected. We live in a world where people can really be ugly to others even when they are being served with the best of intentions by others. Compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience are often greeted with anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. I am confident that this will not stop this friend from doing the right thing in the future nor should it ever stop us from living life according to the love and peace that we have received in Christ.

St. Paul reminds us that whatever we do we should do at it with all our hearts, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. He reminds us to say and do all that we can to promote peace among us; to respect and to love one another. Do not let the haters in this world stop you from living life in Christ, pray for them. And, whatever you do, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Galatians 5:13-26 Love; A Fruit Of The Spirit

Galatians 5:13-26 NIV
Love - a fruit of the Spirit of God! There are days that I just shake my head in wonder at the lack of love that I witness around me. People using people to get what they want. I believe that everyone wants love but they have no clue that gratifying the desires of the flesh isn't going to get it. Sexual immorality, anger (temper tantrums and tirades), idolatry, etc. isn't going to get you love. Love is of the Spirit, not of the flesh. Love is not self-seeking. Love seeks unity with one's neighbor. Love seeks good for others and not harm.

According to St. Paul: "The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like." (vs 19-21) He warns us that those who live like this will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

On the other hand, those who live by the Spirit of God, will have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. They will produce fruit of the Spirit. "...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control..." (vs 22)

Can you imagine a world in which the fruit of the Spirit is more plentiful than the desires of the flesh? What an awesome way to live that would be!

May God help us to love others, even as He loves us. May His Kingdom come - His will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zechariah 7 - Resolution To Show Kindness and Mercy

The people wanted to know. They wanted to know if they should continue fasting in the fifth month as they had been doing for so long. The response they received....

"The word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying: Thus says the Lord of hosts: Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another." (Zech 7:8-10 NIV)

It is the beginning of a new year; a time when many decide that they will give up; they will fast from things that they have been indulging in that were harmful to themselves. They plan to change their lives for the better. How about if instead of giving up something (fasting) to make our own lives better; the change takes place in the form of adding something to our lives to make the lives of others better? Things like reaching out to others. Instead of ignoring the person you meet on the street; greet them with the peace of God. Instead of gossiping about the single woman down the street who is trying to raise her children by herself; you get to really know her and support her and her children? How about we pray for those whom we think are our enemies rather than persecute them publicly? I wonder what would happen in and to the world around us if we used (fasted) a bit more of our time and energy in showing a little more kindness and mercy.

 I know, I've suggested these types of changes (resolutions) a thousand times and some may wish I'd quit suggesting it, already.  Many hear; others refuse to unstop their ears. It is the same for many today as it was when Zechariah relayed God's message to the people in captivity. "But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear." (Zech 7:11) 

Unstop your ears. Listen, to the word of the LORD. Live showing kindness and mercy that it may be well with you and with your neighbor.

God's Peace - Pr. J

 

Jeremiah 9 - We Are Not Him!

"This is what the Lord says:

'Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,'

       declares the Lord." (Jer 9:23-24 NIV)

 

Well, this one is a good one. I'm thinking of all the people who do not want to hear anyone boast in the LORD. People really don't seem to want to know that you know the LORD. Frankly, I think it scares them. It is better (some think) to boast in what we have done and stay far away from any talk about a God who does all things through us.

 

I have made a lot of friends in my lifetime. I have also made a lot of enemies. Not all those enemies were made because of my boasting in the LORD. Some of them were made simply because they know who it is that I know and; frankly, they fear Him. They do not want to know Him because getting to know Him might just upset the high opinions they have of themselves.

 

There is a God and we are not Him.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 9 - What's Justice Got To Do With Sagging Pants?

Through the weeping prophet, Jeremiah, the LORD calls women to weep and wail. The people are a mess! They have turned their backs on God and on one another. They worship the Baals and they lie to one another. Even the land has been made desolate. The judgment to come is well worth weeping and wailing over, even now.

"This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”declares the Lord." (Jer 9:23-24 NIV)

It appears humankind has sought after it's own desires, turning their backs on God and all of God's creation. And..... they boast about it. They brag about it without ever recognizing the damage they have done. Everyone is right in their own eyes. But, the LORD says, if you really want to brag about something... brag about me. Tell the world "I am." If there is any wisdom, it is in those who have the understanding to know Me. And... when you know Me; when you understand Me; when you are in a right relationship with Me; you will know that I desire justice and righteousness on earth.

OK... so that's what probably a good majority of us say... that we want justice for all people. Really? Pretty much what I hear on the news is that we want our own brand of justice, what is good for us, and not justice according to God's will. The people clamor for more laws. The politicians are busy creating them. One law on top of another until no one can even understand them all, let alone try to obey them. And... take a good look at those laws. Some of them are pretty discriminatory favoring one group or class of people over another. That, I don't believe is very conducive to justice.

I could not help but laugh as I read a news article about a parish in Louisiana that wants to make it illegal to wear sagging pants (you know wearing your pants so your underwear show). Now, I'm not a big fan of those sagging pants. I usually break into a smile whenever I see them. I once followed a group of teenage boys as they ran up a flight of fire escape stairs, carrying school books in one arm and holding their pants up with the other hand. They were really struggling to get up those stairs. I haven't quite figured out why anyone would want to spend their days holding their pants up with one hand. It seems like it would kind of impede their opportunities to live life. But, on the other hand... Is justice really all about dictating what kind of clothes others are to wear? Don't we have better things to do than make one law upon another law upon another? How can those sagging pants be distracting to others (except to cause us to smile)? All the sagging pants I've seen have had some fully covering boxers underneath and if we're honest we would acknowledge that boxers cover a whole lot more than some of the shorts and shirts we've seen out in public.

We're so busy making new laws to fit our own senses of morality, that we forget to just love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. The lack of love that is evident in this world is enough to make one weep.

Well, I guess those sagging pants did distract me. After all, I did get a little side-tracked here today... But, I am smiling thinking about those sagging pants!

Wisdom is this: having the understanding to know God, that He is the Lord and it is He who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 54 - Your Maker Is Your Husband

Now, here is one for those who find themselves alone a lot. At least I relied on it, a lot, in my younger years, when my husband spent more time away from home than he spent at home. We figured it out once. In 21 years, he was gone at least 3/4's of the time. That is, he was either in the field, on a ship, in training in some other country, or on an 18 month (or longer) deployment somewhere. We didn't even begin to count the overnight duties he pulled. The life of a military spouse (and their children) can get pretty lonely. Fortunately, I had two sons with me. Any other relatives were about a thousand miles away. I turned to the church so that our sons and I would have family. It was by wading (or waddling) through those years, that I have come to believe and know that there is a blood that is thicker than blood. It is the blood of Christ that is shed for you. I believe that it was this alone time that opened up the door to my seeking the LORD on a closer and more personal basis (or maybe it was finally opening the door and letting Him in). It was during one of the loneliest times that I finally came to know Jesus as my Redeemer. It was in preparation for an even lonelier and most desolate time that I finally met the Holy Spirit (face to face, so to speak). I spent a lot of time over the years affirming Isaiah 54:5-8 (NIV) for myself. It brought much comfort and ultimately, it helped me to learn to love and trust in the LORD more fully. Maybe it will help at least one of you, so I share it.

For your Maker is your husband—
    the Lord Almighty is his name—
the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;
    he is called the God of all the earth.
The Lord will call you back
    as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—
a wife who married young,
    only to be rejected,” says your God.
“For a brief moment I abandoned you,
    but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger
    I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
    I will have compassion on you,”
    says the Lord your Redeemer.

God's Peace - Pr. J.