Rev 19: Hallelujah!

Rev 19 NIV

In Chapter 18, we heard a three-fold woe. Today we hear a three-fold hallelujah. Woe to those who worship and serve anything or anyone other than the one true God. Hallelujah for God is GOD and salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. With justice he destroys the great whore who has corrupted the earth by her adulteries.

What a battle that will be. In fact, we are already in the midst of a battle to keep her from leading God's children astray. Alas, there is nothing we can do. Only God can save His children. Indeed, he will. The rider on the white horse, whose name is faithful and true, who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will destroy the prostitute; will destroy the beast and the false prophet who have led God's people astray.

Hallelujah! Our Lord reigns!

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Peter 1:12-21 Warnings and Promises

2 Peter 1:12-21 NIV
So long as we live in the tents of our bodies we will always remind you of The Way in which we are to follow. It is our desire that all should be saved and will continue to remind and warn others who have chosen to follow after false gods; after desires of their hearts that will lead to their destruction.

These warnings and promises do not come from us; but have been carried through the generations by the Holy Spirit. Hear Him and listen; follow in His Way for the sake of your salvation.

God's Peace - Pr. J
 

James 5:12-20 Prayer of Faith

James 5:12-20 NIV
"The prayer of the righteous person is powerful and effective." (vs 16)

God hears our prayers and the prayers of faith are answered. Sometimes the answer is not as we would expect them. Sometimes there's a but of upside down stuff going on before we get to see God's good response to the prayer. When God answers prayers for the good of His children, sometimes we see not so happy endings for those who would harm His children.

When the prophet  Elijah prayed earnestly that it would not rain, it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. When he prayed for the rain, the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. (vs 17-18) Sometimes drought is prayed for so that the people will appreciate and thank God for the rain when God gives it.

I spend many hours a week in prayer. The devil likes to come in and steal some of my time with God. Sometimes, things like my alarm not going off will cause me to lose some of this precious time with God. Sometimes, others will have a need or a crisis. Without prayer though; these crises cannot be handled well. Things get a little chaotic when I don't have the time with God. I can do nothing without Him. The most powerful answer to any crisis begins with prayer.

If there is a need; pray. If someone is sick; pray. If someone has wandered away from the flock and is lost; pray. The prayers of faith are powerful and effective. Let us pray and sing praises always to God who is Almighty; to God our Father who listens and answers.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthinians 16:19-24 Blessings or Curses

1 Corinthians 16:19-24 NIV
So much for being sweet... St. Paul can be quite tough. He sends warm greetings to the church in Corinth. He sends his love to them. He blesses them saying, "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you." He also curses those who do not love the Lord. "If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed!

St. Paul's a bit tough. Not sure if I'd go there. Not that it hasn't crossed my mind. My mind, on a few occasions, has considered how the prophet Elisha cursed the boys that called him baldy and God's response to the curse. (2 Kings 2:23-25)  Now, that was a serious curse! Those bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys and not because they did not love the Lord; simply because they were disrespectful to his prophet.

St. Paul cursed those who did not love the Lord. But, I'd rather ask God to soften their hearts to Him; to open their minds; to help them receive their salvation. I'd much prefer to ask for a blessing so that I might live in peace. Yes, I know. That's a little selfish. But, I can get real weary living among a cursed people. Blessed people are much easier to live with.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Zechariah 13 - Prophecy Dead?

     “On that day, I will banish the names of the idols from the land, and they will be remembered no more,” declares the Lord Almighty. “I will remove both the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. And if anyone still prophesies, their father and mother, to whom they were born, will say to them, ‘You must die, because you have told lies in the Lord’s name.’ Then their own parents will stab the one who prophesies.

     “On that day every prophet will be ashamed of their prophetic vision. They will not put on a prophet’s garment of hair in order to deceive." (Zech 13:2-4 NIV)
    
     So, is the gift of prophecy a gift that is received today? Absolutely! I remember years ago being told that prophecy is not a gift for new covenant people. It died when the first disciples died. They based (and some still do) that assumption on scriptures like this one that we find in Zechariah. But, this scripture refers not to prophets that the LORD has called. It refers to false prophets. It refers to prophets who not only call on false idols, but those who prophecy falsely in the LORD's name. I am sorry to say that both abound today. But, that does not negate the fact that God still calls prophets. They are around for the benefit of the people. They are around to remind us of the LORD's will and of the Way in which we should be going.
     In today's culture we often think of a prophet of someone who predicts the future. But, it is not normal for a prophet of God to do that. A prophet's message usually includes the warning of what will happen if we do not worship the one true God and only Him; if we do not follow in His Way.  Thankfully, many of the prophets of old (as well as today), also included a promise to those who would gift thanks to and glorify God before all others.
     I find it quite sad that so many who profess to be Christian today are running around supporting false prophets; so many who are seeking a prediction of their future; seeking a word from the dead; rather than seeking the will of God and standing on God's promises of eternal life in His Kingdom for all who believe. May God bless you with that the reassurance that He is with you. He will provide for you. He will keep you in His Kingdom.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Today's blog came easy as yesterday's Bible Study at Zion related to the gift of prophecy, as well as the gift of tongues. We had an excellent discussion on 1 Corinthians 14. Join us next Wednesday at 9 a.m., if you are able, for chapter 15 and the resurrection of the dead. BTW - haven't been able to figure out why anyone would seek guidance from supposedly dead spirits when they can seek it from God who sees all and knows all; and, has already provided His Word.

Habakkuk 1 - Gentler Lives

Habakkuk appears to be a gentler prophet - less accusing than many others. He (like many shepherds/pastors/prayer warriors/etc. today) implores of the LORD:

"How long, Lord, must I call for help,
    but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
    but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
    Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
    there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
    and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
    so that justice is perverted." (Hab 1:1-4 NIV)

How long, LORD, must the people suffer at the hands of one another? We would like immediate help from the LORD; but, the truth is God has given us free-will in many areas of our lives and we choose to hurt one another. We choose to put our own wills before the will of God. We choose to put what we want before the good of the whole.

God will answer our prayers. But, beware; the answer may not be what we're hoping for. May God help us to lead gentler lives; lives that do not inflict violence or injustice upon others. May He lead us in His way so that we are not the wicked that others are praying for deliverance from.

May God grant us mercy and give us His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Joel 1 - Hunger and Poverty

The prophet Joel takes a slightly different approach than the other prophets. He is a gentler prophet. As he reminds them of their poverty, he begs them to repent. In sorrow, for a starving people, he reminds them that their only help is in the LORD.

But, will they? Will they listen to Joel any better than they listened to any of the other prophets?

So many hungry people in the world today, both physically hungry and spiritually. Entire regions starving as crops will not flourish. Economies have been devastated. Self-proclaimed prophets, exalting themselves, have proclaimed words that leave the soul both hungry and thirsty.

Will we turn to the LORD who is our only hope and salvation?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 4 - Hear the Charge of the LORD....

"Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge to bring
    against you who live in the land:
“There is no faithfulness, no love,
    no acknowledgment of God in the land.
There is only cursing, lying and murder,
    stealing and adultery;
they break all bounds,    and bloodshed follows bloodshed." (Hosea 4:1-2 NIV)

God, through His prophet, reproves the people. When I read this chapter this morning, I couldn't help but be reminded of how so many things are today: no faithfulness to God; no love, except for self; so very little acknowledgment of God in the land; and lots of cursing, lying and murder. 

Our young people don't even know what it means to curse. You can teach them. But, they refuse to learn. "Everybody does it," I am told. "It means nothing. It's just a way of talking." I've heard lies which we justified later with these two letters "JK." They were Just Kidding! And... adultery! No one even seems to have a clue what adultery is because so many participate in adultery that it is common practice and is "just the way it is."

Where has this all left us? In turmoil and chaos, looking for something. Always hungry. Always thirsty. Put aside your false idols that cannot satisfy and turn to the LORD who loves you; then you will be satisfied and will live in His peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 29 - The LORD Has A Plan

The prophet Jeremiah and the false prophet Shemaiah are sending letters between Jerusalem and Babylon. Shemaiah continues to lie about what the LORD says and seeks to do harm to Jeremiah. Jeremiah advises the people who have been exiled to Babylon to settle down and help the city in which they live to prosper for in doing so they too will prosper and in seventy years their families will return to Jerusalem. Shemaiah on the other hand does not offer such wisdom. He gives the people false hope in telling them they only have two years in Babylon and then they will return. If they listen to him, they will be wasting some very precious gifts, not the least of them being years of their time as they do nothing but rebel. Jeremiah promises that the LORD says because Shemaiah persists in preaching rebellion against the LORD; in witnessing falsely to the will of God, that he and his descendants will suffer.

It is sometimes very difficult to accept the LORD's will. Very often, His will is not what we would desire for ourselves. But know this:

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”" (Jer 29:11-14 NIV)

Take that leap of faith and trust that no matter what you are going through today, the LORD has a plan for you and it is a very good plan - the best!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 10 - Can A Dirty Dish Be Used To Serve?

Reminiscent of the Prophet Isaiah, Jeremiah compares the worthless gods we make with our own hand to God who created us. What a description, "Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.” (Jer 10:5 NIV)

 

 Everyone strays, even the shepherds. "The shepherds are senseless and do not inquire of the Lord; so they do not prosper and all their flock is scattered." (Jer 10:21)

 

And, it appears that even Jeremiah realizes that he must acknowledges his sinful nature. He realizes it and asks for mercy. "Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—not in your anger, or you will reduce me to nothing." (Jer 10:24)

 

It is not always easy to confess our sin. But St. John warns us "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9) We are reminded of this every Sunday morning during our general confession. Hopefully, we remember it every day and ask the LORD for forgiveness. We all, like sheep, go astray, "but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Pet 2:25) Now that we have returned, let us not go back to the desolate places we've inhabited alongside our false gods.

 

When we confess our sins (daily), God who is merciful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To those who believe in Jesus Christ, He gives the power to become His children and bestows upon us the Holy Spirit. 

 

Think about confession like washing the dishes. Would you eat off of the same dish over and over again without washing it after it's been used? We, too, need to be cleansed before we can be of any use to ourselves or anyone else. We needed to be washed by the hand of God, before we can be of service to Him. It is by the blood of Christ, God's own Son, that we are washed clean.

 

Jeremiah is a prophet and (like Isaiah and other prophets) he is called and sent to warn the people that their idolatry is separating them from God and will bring dire consequences. He often begs God to have mercy on them, even as he remembers that even he needs the mercy of Almighty God to be able to live and serve. Repent, is a major theme of the early prophets. Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand is the proclamation of both St. John the Baptist and Jesus and those he sent out in the wilderness to proclaim the word of God. Acknowledge, confess your sins, turn your back on your false idols and be made whole...

 

Worship the one true God and live life!

 

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

Jeremiah 1 - No Excuses

Moving on to a new book... Today, we begin reading Jeremiah.

Jeremiah was not exactly enthusiastic about being called as prophet of the LORD. After all, prophets can become pretty unpopular, pretty fast, and you have to make sure you're not making stuff up out of your own head. If you're called to proclaim God's Word, it better be God's Word you are proclaiming and not your own desires. It's really not a good idea to be running around saying "Thus says the LORD," if the LORD doesn't say it.

Jeremiah's response to the LORD calling him as a prophet was: “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” (Jer 1:6 NIV) Sound familiar? How many excuses can we create to not go and do what God would have us do? To not say what God would have us say? To not be what God would have us be? How many excuses have we made not to answer the call of God?

 

The Lord's responded to Jeremiah: “"Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord." (Jer 1:7-8)

 

Don't bother the LORD with excuses. He knows you and He knows the truth. Answering God's call is not always easy, as Jeremiah and multitudes of prophets, would attest. Not everyone is going to like what they hear and you will find a few more enemies along the way. But, God is with you. He will put His words in your mouth. He will rescue you.

 

Have a blessed day... sharing the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ with the world around you.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

 

P.S. By the way, a good place to start in knowing exactly what it is that the LORD says is by reading your Bible or attending worship services so that you might hear it during the reading of the daily lessons.