Take Up Your Cross

Take Up Your Cross

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Mark 8:34

 

I had not eaten since late afternoon yesterday. I broke that fast this morning at breakfast with my son and his girlfriend. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Lenten season. During Lent it is traditional to give up something that we enjoy. We will fast. We will not, with the help of God, break that fast until Easter Sunday.

 

But, no matter what it is that we give up for Lent, we ought not think of it as a sacrifice. There is nothing that can compare to the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us. It is - a mere test of our own self-discipline. In the end, if we are honest with ourselves, we will say, I cannot pick up my own cross and follow Jesus to his cross. May God help me! And, he has. He will be with you no matter how large or small your cross is.

 

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Rest For The Weary

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

Matt 11:28 NRSV

 

Jobless, homeless, hungry, and cold: that is the state of a lot of Americans. So many are weary of struggling to survive from day to day. We live in a country of some pretty big extremes. It amazes me when the political upper class speak like people earning $50,000 a year are poor. In 2012, the National Center for Law and Justice estimated that one out of sixteen people were living in deep poverty; that is they lived with income 50% below the poverty line. Imagine living like that! Those who live in deep poverty will never see this blog. They do not have access to computers or the internet. Just maybe our elected officials make so much money they have lost touch with the reality of what kind of struggles many Americans actually live with. $50,000. a year is not poor. One can feed and clothe and shelter their families on $50,000 a year.

 

Personally, I get weary of people who have I-Phones and I-Pods; have more bedrooms than children; and, take vacations two or three times a year complaining that they don't make fair wages or are broke. We need to remember that we are representatives of Christ. He calls us, even as he called Peter to feed his sheep.

 

May God help all of his representatives to feed his sheep; to help carry the burdens of others so that they might find rest. The followers and representatives of Jesus the Christ must step up and do this as it seems quite apparent that our elected representatives don't have much of a clue as how to do this.

Pr. J

Vacations

The Hammock Goes Unused Even On Vacation

 

Vacations are nice; but, don't be misled. Vacations can be very busy times. In fact, mine are usually so busy that there is rarely time to even write my morning blog!

There is a hammock in the backyard that has Spanish Moss hanging all over it. It has gone unused for years. I have thought about cleaning it up. But, then there would go any time I have to rest.... I have a feeling that my blogs throughout my vacation time will be very short.

"And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done." Genesis 2:2

God's Peace - Pr. J

Broken Heart

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3 NRSV

Sometimes not allowing your heart to be troubled is a whole lot easier said than done. I spend a whole lot of time in prayer so that I can be reassured by God's presence that He is actually with me and with those whom I love. I spend a lot of time in the word so that I might be reassured of God's promise of eternal reconciliation with the One who loves me and the whole world enough to die for us.

As I consider what most troubles my heart, I find that it is concern for those who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord. My heart is most often troubled with concern for those who do not follow in the Way. My concern is that their hearts will be indefinitely troubled. My concern is that they might never know Jesus as I know that there is no healing for the broken heart except in Jesus the Christ.

I can do nothing except for pray and continue to encourage, with the word, those who do not follow Jesus to turn around and follow him.

My heart is troubled. Yet, there is still peace to be found in the promise of eternal peace in the home that Jesus has prepared for all who believe.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Where Did Monday Go?

 

^"And He said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.'" Mark 2:27-28 NKJV

A lot of people really dislike Mondays. But, on most Mondays; lately, I have had to keep reminding myself that it is actually Monday. My Sundays have been so busy lately that by the end of the day it feels like I have completed two days and I totally want to move on into Tuesday. Although, it feels a bit awkward; it is a good thing. By Saturday, I have actually been able to take a Sabbath rest. I can spend most of the day just being in intentional communion with God; studying His Word and praying. This is a very good thing for me. It helps me to prepare for the first day of the week; which is not Monday; but, Sunday.

I do not despise this first day of the week. I do not really have much time to think about it. I just follow the daily planner and keep on moving. But, I do thank God for the day of rest that He gives me on Saturday so that I might be refreshed, so that I might be reenergized, and ready to go very early on Sunday morning. As Jesus tells us, the Sabbath was made for us. May God help you to all find time to spend solely resting in Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Protect Us

I know some of my congregation must wonder a bit when I share a prayer that I pray daily. You see, I pray many prayers from scripture daily and they must wonder how I have time to do that much praying. I am able because I get up between 4:30 and 5:30 every morning so that I can spend alone time with God before I attempt to start the day. Rest comes not only from sleep; but, from being in communion with God.

Some of my prayers are for friends, and family. Some are for the congregation, the community, the world. Every morning and sometimes more often, I pray the Lord's prayer and the Shepherd's Psalm; not just for myself, but, for all whom I know. Every morning, I begin by thanking and praising God for all that He has done and is doing for us by recalling the various names that He is called by.

As I listened to the news this morning, another prayer that I pray daily for family and friends came to mind. Deliver us from our enemies, O my God; protect us from those who rise up against us. Deliver us from those who work evil; from the bloodthirsty save us. Psalm 59:1

The enemy prowls about and so I pray:
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Num 6:24-26

God's Peace - Pr. J

Remember the Sabbath Day

The Third Commandment.

Thou shalt sanctify the holy-day.

What does this mean?--Answer.
We should fear and love God that we may not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred, and gladly hear and learn it.

http://bookofconcord.org/smallcatechism.php#tencommandments

 

My husband and sons were logging. Logging can be a pretty expensive business. We sometimes joked that it was just a hobby as it often felt like they were paying to work rather than earn livings since equipment breakdowns can get pretty expensive. On occasion, they would decide that they needed to work on Sunday morning rather than worship in order to make up for time lost due to the weather or equipment breakdowns. Every time they decided to do this they would have another piece of equipment break down on that Sunday morning. Do I think that God was punishing them for working on Sunday? No. I think that because they did not heed His word to rest on the seventh day that they were exhausted and when we work tired and troubled; accidents; problems occur. God does not give us the commandments so that He can punish us. The commandments are for our own good.

 

It has been many decades since I realized what this holy-day of rest meant for me. I can get pretty cranky at times. During a particularly trying period of my life I came to realize that if I did not attend worship on Sunday (or maybe Saturday evening) I was pretty difficult to live with the rest of the week. By Friday, nobody, including myself, wanted to be around me. I need to receive the means of grace, the Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion, in order for me to be a bit more graceful towards others. I need to be able to find rest in Christ in order to be refreshed for the upcoming days.

 

Thanks be to God, He has given us the gift of the holy-day to gather with the saints and hear His sacred Word.

 

God desires good for you. Receive the good gifts of His Word and the Sacrament of Holy Communion. These gifts are available freely for you every Sunday at your local place of worship. Do yourself and your family and friends a favor; go and listen to Him; receive His Word; receive the Lord in the Sacrament of Holy Communion! Join others in worship every seventh day, no matter which day that happens to fall on.

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Rev 14:6-13 God's Peace or His Wrath

Rev 14:6-13 NIV
Today's reading reminds me of the Gospel from yesterday's service where we heard the story of Jesus calming the wind and the sea. Those who worship the Lord will know peace no matter what the might encounter. No matter what might befall them, they will know the peace that surpasses all understanding because Christ is with them and for them. But, those who worship false gods; anyone who would worship the beast, will know no peace. They will drink the wine of God's fury. They will have no rest by day or night.

May the peace of the Lord be with you always!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hebrews 4 - Rest in the Promised Land

Hebrews 4  NIV
Let us enter God's rest. What is this rest? There are those who would use this chapter to remind us of the law of keeping the law of resting on the Sabbath day. But, this is much more than that. It is a promise that all who believe will live in God's rest. We will live in peace; reconciled to God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. In these troubled days there is only one place to find real rest; real peace, and that is in the presence of God our Father and our Lord, Jesus the Christ.

We receive God's rest when we trust Him. We receive God's rest when we receive the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and understand that there is no work that we can do to save ourselves.

We receive His rest as we live in His presence; in His Kingdom, even today. Just as many of the Israelites received the promised land and promised rest even while they were still alive, so too the promised land, the Kingdom of God, is at hand, for you; for all who believe.

May God open our hearts and minds so that we might enter into His rest, into the promised land, even today.

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Corinthians 1:12-24 Yes

 ^{2 Corinthians 1:12-24}
Sometimes we plan to do way more than we can physically do. I tend to "overbook" myself and end up changing one or more of my plans as to what I will be doing on any given day. I thank God that my congregation and community understands what flexibility is. Sometimes I say yes to something and because a greater priority or emergency arises I will have to change the schedule and say "No, I cannot go," at the last minute.

Paul planned to go to Corinth twice. At first he said yes. But, his travel plans changed and he had to say no. That's the way it is sometimes. Plans change, but God does not change. His plan for us does not change. Sometimes His plan is difficult for our sinful minds to discern. The message of Jesus the Christ does not change. That message is always a yes. Whether we are with you personally or not, the Lord is and He says yes to all who would believe, Yes. you are my beloved child. Come to me all who are weary. Come to me and I will give you rest in my Son, Jesus Christ, your Lord.

God's peace - Pr. J

Luke 6:1-11 Day of Rest

Luke 6:1-11 NIV

What to do with the Sabbath? What can one do on the day of rest?

Years ago when my husband was logging, every now and then, he would get this crazy idea that he would have to work on Sundays instead of going to our place of worship. It never failed! The equipment would break down and he'd lose even more time fixing it, as well as a whole lot of money.

When confronted by the Pharisees and the teachers of the law about healing a man and his disciples picking some heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath, he said, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” and "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." In Mark 2:27, he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

I don't believe that my husband was being punished for working on Sunday. But, the reality is that we need to find time to rest in the Lord. Working seven days a week is just not good for anyone. Things happen when we get tired and worn out. We make more mistakes than usual. God gave us a day of rest and the best place to rest is in Him.

The Sabbath is a gift to us. May God help us to be good stewards of our day of rest and use it wisely.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Mark 2:18-27 Fasting and Eating

Jesus addresses the accusations of not fasting and eating grain that was picked on Sunday be his disciples. His response reminds us that there is a time for everything. His disciples did not fast because he (the bridegroom) was with them. They, in a sense, were newly married. One hardly expects a newly married couple to put on sack cloth and fast, do we? No, rather we expect that they are celebrating their time together. There is a time to fast and a time to celebrate. Human traditions (laws) are not necessarily the greatest guidelines for when these things should happen.

The same goes for the disciples picking some heads of grain to eat on the Sabbath. Would the LORD, who was willing to die for us, really desire that we should go hungry, insisting that we not walk through a field and pick some heads of grain for sustenance - in order to keep tradition? I believe the command was to rest on the Sabbath. But, what does rest mean? I've actually had people tell me that since they are commanded to "rest" on the Sabbath they are sleeping in instead of attending worship. Or maybe they will golf or fish instead? That's rest to some. The reality is that it was the church who came up with all the specific do's and don't do's of the Sabbath.

Personally, I find the "rest" that does me the most good and refreshes me for another week is spending time in God's presence, in His house, with His people, worshipping Him. “The Sabbath was made for man; not man for the Sabbath." The Sabbath, the day of rest, was made for you;" (vs 27)  that you might rest and be refreshed by the power of Almighty God. Take advantage of this gift, celebrate His love, so that you might live life, empowered by His Word and His Spirit.

See you in a few hours at Worship where we can be refreshed by His Word and Sacrament together.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 11 - I Will Give You Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt 11:28-29 NIV)

So many people seeking rest for their souls in the world today. Yet, they seek it in all the wrong places. There seems, at times, that there is nothing one can say or do, to help them to understand that Jesus truly can give us the rest we need. Unwilling to take up his yoke and learn from Jesus; we take upon ourselves a much heavier yoke, stumbling and often falling.

If, today, you find, that you are weary and burdened with the cares of the world, toss aside the yoke that is holding you down and find rest at the feet of our LORD and King, Jesus the Christ. Go to Him and He will give you rest.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 8 - Jesus and Storms

Faith is a major theme in our chapter today. Trusting in the LORD to make us whole. In today's reading we find Jesus healing the sick and kicking out demons. He, also, tells everyone that there will be a cost to following him. One must be willing to leave everything else behind them in order to truly follow him.

But, the story from chapter eight that has always really intrigued me is the story of Jesus calming the sea. You see, the part that is often missed in this story is that the storm does not begin until after the disciples follow Jesus on to the boat. They join him on the boat and then the rain comes down, the wind rages, the seas roll. Jesus is resting peacefully as if there is nothing to be worried about and there is not anything for them to worry about. Jesus is with them. He has the power and the authority to calm the most raging of seas.

As we leave behind the safety and comfort of all that we have known to follow Jesus there will be many storms. As you get on board with Jesus you will face many obstacles. But, fear not. Jesus is with you through each and every one of them. He will calm your storms. He will calm your fears. Have faith. He will save you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 51 - Corner of Eden

Sunrise over Silver River, Huron Bay, Aura, MI

"Listen to me..." (Isa 51:1,4 NIV) The LORD reminds us to listen to Him and we will be comforted. By listening we will know joy and gladness. We will know justice when we listen and hear His instruction.

The LORD promises us blessings, if we but listen to Him. Listen to His promises; listen to His direction and we will know the way that we should go. We will be comforted no matter what befalls us. The LORD will provide a place of comfort and peace where we can and will recognize His awesome presence. It will be as if the Garden of Eden is restored.

I think that I have finally been settled down to the place where I will die (of course, I thought that about Jacksonville, NC at one point, too - who can tell what God wills for us). Every now and then I think, maybe I have been here too long. For most of my adult life, I have averaged a move every two years, so at times it seems strange not to be moving. But, this place would definitely be hard to leave. Our home is quite small and we have looked at larger places across the bay. But, the looking doesn't last long. God has found the perfect place for me. Not too far out, but far enough. It's definitely not crowed here and the people in the community are really great. Wildlife and lots of trees surround me and sunrise over the bay is most generally awesome. Our own little corner of Eden right here on earth...  There is rarely a day, after work, that the drive on the winding road home does not inspire me to thank God for this place of peace.  It doesn't matter what season it is. Winter, spring, summer, or fall; it is all good and brings joy and gladness; peace to my heart and soul. It is a place of rest.

Listen to Him... The LORD knows what is good for you and even what you desire. He will provide.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 30 - Woe To Obstinate Children - Blessings To Children Who Follow In The Way

A woe and a promise....

“Woe to the obstinate children,”
declares the Lord,
“to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin;
who go down to Egypt
without consulting me;
who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection,
to Egypt’s shade for refuge.
But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace." (Isa 30:1-3 NIV)

Woe to those obstinate children who do not listen to the word of the LORD given through the prophet. Those who trust Pharaoh to protect them are going to be very sorry, indeed... God tells Isaiah:

"For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.
They say to the seers,
“See no more visions!”
and to the prophets,
“Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!”

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:

“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it."

(Isa 30:9-11, 15)

They are in trouble. They are in fear for their futures, their lives. Rather than turn to God, they turn to Egypt. They run, they flee, to Egypt when all it really would take to be helped is to repent and rest in the assurance of their salvation.

Isaiah 30 provides those who trust in the LORD a promise as well as a great woe for those obstinate children who won't and don't.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!

People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Then you will desecrate your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, “Away with you!”

 

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted."

(Isa 30:18-26)

Are you in trouble? When you are, what is it that you do? Do you turn (repent) to the LORD and follow in the Way or do you attempt to make a way out of the trouble for yourself? Sometimes, I find that we attempt to do both, carve a path for ourselves while begging God to keep us safe. Isaiah reminds us that there is only one way to salvation... You cannot travel on both ways. May God keep you in His Way.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. I am posting much of Isaiah 30 as a reminder that the point of this blog is that you read scripture. Please, open your Bible and read it...

Psalm 145 - Rest Is Found In Him

I was exhausted as I lay down to sleep last night.  I've done a bit of traveling the last four days. What was even more exhausting was planning today and tomorrow as I try to catch up on work and prepare to take another trip. Tomorrow afternoon, I leave with the youth from our congregation for a retreat.  Now, my mind tells me that retreats are suppose to be restful. But, there is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into them.

So, as I tried to reconcile in mind the fact that our friend Eddie or "The Fisherman" would make his final voyage out to sea to be laid to rest today, while scheduling the next two days in my mind, I was exhausted. I realized that I would not be sleeping well last night if I did not switch my focus.

So, I did. I spent my final moments awake praising God and trusting that Eddie's, as well as my spirit, was in the hands of God. In this I rejoice. In this, I find peace. In this knowledge, I found rest.

Look to the LORD and you will find peace. In Christ, you will find all that you need.

God's Peace - Pr. J

"My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. (Psalm 145:21 NIV)

2 Chronicles 14 - Strange gods

Asa did what was right in the sight of God.  He got rid of all the altars that were used to worship strange gods.  And... the land had rest!

If that's all that it takes to have rest - to have peace - in the land, why can't the land be rid of strange gods.   I'm all for it!  I have to admit that these past few years out on the eastern side of Baraga County, I have known more rest, more peace, than I've known most of my life.  Although, they still are there; it seems there are relatively fewer false gods than in most places I've lived.  Well,  I guess I have to take that back.  As busy as I was, I also knew quite a bit of rest and peace when I lived in Gay, MI and in Rota, Spain, as well as Jacksonville, NC.  They were chaotic times, but there was also rest.  But, still, none of these places afforded me the opportunty, the time, to really give thanks to God and to Worship Him, as I have experienced the last few years.  It's not there is not turmoil around me.  But, the turmoil caused by the false gods around me, are not able to invade my space, my life, as they were when I was living in the midst of people who bowed to strange gods.

I am in North Carolina this morning.  I remember returning here to live many years ago and thinking, as the plane landed:  I will die in this place. It was a good thought, but probably not going to happen. It is a beautiful state and I do miss it at times. As we were driving down here this week, I was thinking what a beautiful country we live in.  Every state is so awesome!  How blessed we are.  I wonder then, if the rest I know comes with age... Has it come to me as I've grown older because with each year the strange gods have revealed to me how false they really are and I've managed to ignore or get rid of them from my life.

Don't know.... just musing...  I do know that when we keep the strange gods out of our lives, our lives go a lot smoother and the  people of the land will know rest and have peace.