New Day

"So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!" 2 Cor 5:17 NRSV

Who doesn't need start fresh every now and then? 2015 is behind us. A whole new day; a whole new year is before us.

We all make mistakes. We all sin. We all hurt others wittingly and unwittingly. We often carry this baggage with us. Guilty consciences often affect our relationships with God and with one another. In spite of the fact that we know that God forgives us all of our sins; sometimes, we have a difficult time forgiving ourselves.  Today is a new day. Receive the forgiveness that Christ so willing purchased for you on the cross that you might be reconciled to God and to one another. Let not this gift given at the cost of Jesus' blood be given in vain. Receive it! Rejoice! For in Christ, everything, including you, has become new.

God's Peace - Pr. J

 

Acts 10:30-48 Heard And Received The Holy Spirit

Acts 10:30-48
Can you believe it? The Holy Spirit feel upon these unclean Gentiles! Peter testifies to these Gentiles what God has done for them through Jesus Christ and they believe! They believe and receive the Holy Spirit even before they are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Whoa! is that how it's suppose to work? The bottom line is that God does what God does. He is who He is. He calls whom He will call and sends whom He will send. He anoints those whom He chooses when and where He chooses. He calls and sends people to witness to what He has done.

So when the Father calls and sends you, go out and witness so that all people (no matter who they are) might hear, believe, receive the Holy Spirit and be baptized in the name of Jesus. Faith comes by hearing the message. (Rom 10:17)

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 17:11-19 - Whole?

Luke 17:11-19 NIV
God answers prayer and he answers it abundantly. In the story of Jesus cleansing the ten lepers only one was made only. His faith made him whole.

What have you been asking for? What have you been receiving? When God heals you or when you get exactly what you want; ask yourself this:  Have you actually received the whole blessing that God gave you or only that little portion that you wanted and asked for? Sometimes, I think, we truly don't want to be made whole in His sight. We only want what we want and we get it we go about our merry way satisfied with less than God would have us receive.

Give thanks to the LORD and receive and live in His abundant grace!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 5:12-26 - Forgiveness and Healing

Luke 5:12-26 NIV
Jesus heals the sick. He heals a leper by touching him and simply saying, "Be clean!" (vs 13) He tells the paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven. Then, after discussing who has the power to forgive sins with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, he tells the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” (vs 24) The man takes up his mat and goes home praising God.

So what does the forgiveness of sin and healing have to do with one another. Are we to think that we become ill because we are ill. In the story of the blind man that was healed by Jesus (John 9), Jesus pointed out that the blindness was not due to any sin, but so that God's works might be revealed. On the other hand, I have seen many a person who no matter how many prayers are said, what the doctors do, a person remains chronically ill. There may no longer be anything physically wrong with them, but they remain tired and maybe even bed bound. We often overlook that our physical state can affect our spiritual state and our spiritual state can affect our physical well-being.

It is not because God does not forgive; but, sometimes we refuse to receive our forgiveness, hanging to our own sins and our own guilt. We refuse to let go and receive the blessings of forgiveness and healing. We must get over ourselves and let God have His way, blessing us with all the abundance He has to offer, beginning with forgiveness of our sins. Like the paralyzed man; sometimes, we must receive our forgiveness before we can move forward to wholeness of body, mind, and spirit.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 1 - God Is Faithful

“Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” (Hosea 1:2 NIV)

Yep! The LORD said that. He told the prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute in order to be an example to the people of the adultery they (we) have committed. Hosea was to be an example of how loving and faithful God is to us, who over and over again have gone whoring after other gods. They have all gone their own way.

Yet He loves them and continues to be faithful to them. He promises: "...the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together..." (Hosea 1:10-11)

"The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God." (John 1:9-13)

All who receive Him, all who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God. No matter who you are or where you are or what you have done or even will do, God is faithful to His word. All who believe in His Name, will inherit the kingdom that has been given through Jesus Christ, our LORD. Your sins are forgiven!

Let all God's children say Amen!

God's Peace be with you... Pr. J

P.S. Something to think about further and look up. What did Jesus say to the woman caught in adultery? (John 8)

Ezekiel 37 - Valley of Dry Bones

"The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”  (Ezekiel 27:1-3 NIV)

Can dry, dead bones live? Of course, they can! According to Jesus: "...with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26) In Ezekiel's vision he was told to prophesy to the breath and when he did the breath came into those dry bones. The breath of God, the Spirit of God, gives us life. It was the very breath of God that brought Adam to life. It is His breath that gives us life. It is His breath that gives us abundant life.

So if you're feeling pretty dried out and dead, ask and you shall receive. Jesus told his followers: "Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (John 16:23-24)

So what will it be: a dried out life or a life filled with joy and peace in the Body of Christ? So many people running (more like crawling) around filled with depression and gloom and doom when they could live filled with the breath of God, the Spirit of God, united with one another in peace and joy. It is unimaginable, to me, that more will not walk in the way that brings eternal life in Christ, even now.

Dry bones, get up, receive the Spirit of God, and live life abundantly.

God's Peace - Pr. J