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

The Money Pot

He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep." (John 21:17)

I may not thrill a lot of people with today's blog; but, I am still trying to figure out this whole madness over the powerball lottery thing. I am amazed at how much money can be gathered from people who are willing to gamble on becoming rich beyond their dreams. When I listen to what some would do with the money, I cannot help but wonder how long it would be before they would be filing for bankruptcy. I also wonder how many really destitute that amount of money could feed or clothe or shelter. Maybe at least half of the proceeds from each of these lotteries could go toward shelters for the homeless? I mean, who really needs a billion dollars? Seems like a lot for one or two people to manage who have no experience managing even hundreds of thousands.

There are real people who are really destitute in this country. They cannot afford to buy powerball tickets. They use what pennies they have to try to feed themselves. Using the profit from lotteries for the betterment of society has been, in fact, attempted. It doesn't seem to have worked too well. Years ago, when Michigan was pushing for a lottery, funding the school system from the lottery was a priority that was being touted. The schools in Michigan are still in a pretty bad financial state and so are our roads. Gambling no matter in what form brings about many problems along with the benefits it might bring to a few.

We cannot let money manage us. It is up to us as individuals, businesses, and governments to manage money for the betterment of all. I live near the first Indian Casino that was ever opened in this country. To their credit, the tribe has learned to manage their earnings to benefit the whole community, both Native Americans and non-Native. However, not all individuals who frequent the casino have learned what it means to manage their money.

There is a lot of hope placed in the chance of winning by some who play the lotteries. It benefits a few; but, has the potential of doing great damage to others.  

Many of my friends and family members gamble. For the most part they are not extravagant in their placing their bets. Although, I have worried about at least a few of them. Personally, I do not find gambling a good stewardship model for me. I could throw the money in the pot to make someone else a million or billionaire or I could throw it in a pot and feed a hungry person.

"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains." 1 Timothy 6:10

God's Peace - Pr. J

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

I ordered a custom made mask for a charity masquerade ball from a local artisan yesterday. She will do the designing. I am not too big on masks. They are meant to disguise who we really are. I am who I am and I see no reason to hide my face; wrinkles and all. Those wrinkles are mine and it's taken many years to acquire them. The mask that Brenda is creating for me will most probably have feathers and glitter. I know her work. It will be fantastic. But, it will not be me.

We all already wears masks from time to time. Some of us wear them all of the time. It can be difficult to get through the layers of masks to see who the person really is. We encounter happy, smiling faces all of the time just to find out later that the person is wearing a mask. They may be sad underneath the mask. They may be grieving. They may be jealous or even vindictive and out to harm others. Just because the mask one wears give us the impression that all is well; even extraordinarily well, does not mean that it actually is. All that glitters is not gold. Most of the time glitter is just glitter stuck on with a bit of glue. Be careful then who it is that you would follow; who you would keep confidences with; who you would ally with. Watch for the masks! It can be very difficult to discern who is really underneath them.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Matt 7:15

God's Peace - Pr. J

James 2:14-26 Works Follow Faith

James 2:14-26 NIV
It appears that Martin Luther had a bit of a problem with James. Given the state of the church that he belonged to, it was not unreasonable for him to worry that some might misunderstand James to say that we need faith plus works for salvation. This is not the case. The only good work that can save us is the work that Jesus completed on the cross for us. We are saved by faith in Christ alone!

However, if we truly believe that he died for our salvation, we will love him. We will love him so much that this love will overflow to us in service to others even as his love was so great he was willing to give even his life for us.  Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me." "Yes," Peter responded three times. Jesus said simply: “'Feed my lambs.' 'Take care of my sheep.' 'Feed my sheep.''' (John 21)

We are not saved by our works. But, we will care for his sheep if we truly love the one who gave himself for us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Eph 6:1-9 Honor or Exasperate?

Ephesians 6:1-9 NIV

Serve one another as if we were serving Jesus;
even as Jesus serves us.

There are times in life when loved ones; bosses, even the government just totally exasperate us. There are times when we are asked to do things that we would just prefer not to do. Some of these things might trouble our consciences so much that we must take a stand and say no.

But, most of the time we must reexamine our motives for saying no. Will our "no" really glorify God? Will the "no" really be service to God? St. Paul reminds us that we should honor and not exasperate others. We are to serve others wholeheartedly, as if we were serving the Lord and not people.

There are definitely people that come into most of our lives that we would rather not be around and  not wish to serve. In times like these I remember the love of God and how Jesus served all people. He ate with sinners. He said he came to heal the sick not the healthy; the sinner not the righteous. (Matt 9:11-13)

He would also remind us:
     "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
     "The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" (Matt  25:35,36,40)

As we approach Holy Week another incident that resounds in my heart and mind is when after Peter had denied Jesus, Jesus asks him if he loves him. Peter says, "Yes, Lord." And, Jesus responds: "Feed my sheep." (John 21:17) 

There are definitely times that we must say "no" because we know that our "yes" would cause more  harm to others by sending them down a wrong path even further away from Christ. But, it would be most beneficial to make sure that our "no" is motivated by our desire to serve Christ and not our self-centeredness or our personal judgments of what is right or wrong.

Honor, respect, love others as though they were Christ. God does not discriminate. It is probably a good idea that we don't either.

God's Peace - Pr. J
 

1 Corinthians 9:1-18 Freedom In Christ

1 Corinithians 9:1-18 NIV
St. Paul's ministry is not only questioned by people outside the church; after all that he has done for the sake of the gospel and for the sake of the people of Corinth, he and is authority are questioned by the people of the church as well. This seems to be a common problem within the church today as well. If we don't like what is said or done; we would like to be freed from our leaders. Get rid of them...

Sometimes, it is necessary remove a pastor as in cases of wolves in sheep's clothing. However, most of the time it is merely a personality conflict or a control issue. I have a friend who when talking with me will, at times, refer to "the boss." By "the boss," he is not referring to me. He is referring to our heavenly Father, the one to whom we are accountable. He is "the boss." We will all ultimately answer to God for what those things that we have said and done; those things that we have left unsaid and undone. Thanks be to God for Jesus the Christ, the one we proclaim has granted us freedom to serve our heavenly Father by the giving of his life for us!

Through Jesus Christ, God our Father granted us the freedom to proclaim the Gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit. The world may not recognize this freedom; but, God our Father does and that's the only thing that matters. We may suffer and die in this world because we make use of this freedom in Christ to proclaim the truth. But, it is better to suffer and die so that the Good News of the Kingdom of God may be advanced in a world that rejects Him than to deny this freedom purchased for us by the blood of Christ.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 21:15-25 Feed My Sheep

John 21:15-25 NIV
If you love me, feed my lambs... feed my sheep... feed my lambs. If you love me, follow me.

Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times. Now, he is called to affirm that he truly does love Jesus the same number of times that he denied him.  What is more, Jesus tells him to feed his flock; show the world that he is his follower by feeding his lambs, feeding his sheep. Go forth, following in his footsteps, doing the things that he has done. Feed his people both physically and spiritually. He is to follow Jesus and take up his cross, even to death.

We too, have denied Jesus in many ways and for most of us many more times than Peter did. What will we do to show the world that we truly love the one who was willing to die for the sins of all people?  How will we testify to this great love? Will we take up our cross? Will we follow, feeding his sheep along the way?

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 12:12-19 Follow and Sing Hosanna!

John 12:12-19 NIV
Jesus is exalted by the crowd on his way into Jerusalem. They went out to meet him, shouting: "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

No one really understands the significance of all this. But, they are excited. The Pharisees are excited, too. They need to figure out a way to turn this all around. They need to figure out a way to turn the people against Jesus; to abandon him; to quit following him around. And, they will! By the end of the week, the crowd will not be shouting, "Hosanna!" They will be shouting, "Crucify him!"

Crowds can be fickle. They can be led in any direction quite easily as the heat of the moment carries them away. Like sheep led astray; they may follow for awhile; but, when pastures seem a bit greener elsewhere, they leave the shepherd and follow the crowd. Sometimes, they might even choose to stay with the crowd in a dried out and dead field rather than seek green pastures with the shepherd, simply because they are afraid to move. They might think that there is security in numbers so they abandon the only one who can keep them safe. 

May God grant that you should never turn against him; but, follow him always singing praises; singing Hosanna! Do not be afraid, your king has come and he will come again.

God's Peace,

Pr. J

Luke 15 Return

Luke 15 NIV
It saddens parents when they lose their children; even if it is only because they have graduated from school and move on with their lives as we've spent years preparing them to do. But, what a reunion when they come home! Nor does God rejoice in losing one soul; rather, he rejoices when they are found and return to Him.

Return to the LORD, for He is good and His mercy endures forever....

God's Peace - Pr. J

Matthew 18 - Visiting Sheep

“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." (Matthew 18:10-14 NIV)

On a pretty regular basis, I am out and about checking in on sheep who may or may not have wandered or maybe have never been shown the gate into the sheepfold. Shepherds do that. They seek the lost sheep. I am pretty fortunate in serving a congregation, who for the most part, understands this. They don't question who I've been visiting because over the years they've seen the sheep enter into the fold. In fact, they may have been one of them that was welcomed with open arms, like a long-lost friend, or as a prodigal son, as one of the members (who is much older than I) calls me, "mother." He knows that like a shepherd or a mother, even when I am not visiting him, I am always on the alert that nothing should happen to him. That's just the way it is with shepherds and parents. We are concerned that none should be harmed - none should be lost.

I have been in this community for a little over 15 years. I know just about everyone in the county. Every now and then God will put it in my heart to visit someone who is an acquaintance - someone I know through others - but, don't really know them. I have never regretted making those visits. I don't usually call ahead. I just stop and knock. Doors have been opened and I have always found them anxious for the company. Sometimes, they have been waiting for a word of hope. Other times they needed comfort or encouragement. Sometimes, they just needed someone to listen. Visiting others can be an amazing adventure. One never knows what one will encounter when you knock on someone's door. I have shoveled sidewalks, made coffee, washed dishes, cooked for them in their homes. I have found them on the floor. I have stayed beside them and held them for hours as they suffered through symptoms of withdrawal. I have found them abused and neglected. One just never knows what one will encounter when you knock on a door. Once you step outside those church doors, you can never know what doors will be opened to you or how many lost sheep you will encounter. (Course there are also a few lost sheep within the "church" as well - not to be neglected)

I would ask those of you who would have their pastors in their offices daily and serving only the "members" of that particular congregation rather than out seeking the lost sheep to please reconsider. The "church" that exists only for themselves and is not out seeking and serving the sheep outside the fold is really not a church. It is a social club.

Our Father is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

God's Peace - Pr. J
P.S. I call this evangelism and it is not my "job." It is what the abiding Christ does through all of us. It is a way of life. It is who we are.

Micah 2 - Follow the King

"Woe to those who plan iniquity,
    to those who plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they carry it out
    because it is in their power to do it." (Micah 2:1 NIV)

The word of the LORD through the prophet Micah. How many would prefer to hear this word; this prophecy of woe, or as Micah tells it like it is, would prefer to hear a prophecy more on the following lines?

"If a liar and deceiver comes and says,
    ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’    that would be just the prophet for this people!" (Micah 2:11)

Woe, indeed! When we spend our lives planning trouble for others and worldly indulgences for ourselves. Even more woe to those who spend their time in a bar planning iniquity, publically, against others. Woe, indeed!

But, Micah has some breaking good news. The time will come when all this will end. "In Heaven There Is No Beer." No, sorry, that's not the good news - couldn't help but throw that in. The good news of deliverance is prophesied to come through Jesus Christ, our LORD and King.

“I will surely gather all of you, Jacob;
    I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
    like a flock in its pasture;
    the place will throng with people.
The One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
    they will break through the gate and go out.
Their King will pass through before them,    the Lord at their head.” (Micah 2:12-13)

Let us follow the King who has broken through the gateway of death and destruction for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 34 - Lost Sheep, Lost Shepherds?

We often hear how various congregations/denominations are in decline. Many of them are; but, not all! There are many excuses used. We can blame the demographics. We've all heard that our people are aging, we have no children in the community, or even that all of our young people have moved out of the area for more and better opportunities. Some try to blame the economy. But, if we take a look back in history, we will mostly find that when people hit hard times they were more apt to repent and turn to the LORD than to turn away from him. I don't care where you are, there are people who do not know Jesus, share the story...!

I'm thinking that Ezekiel 34 hits the nail on the head:

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not the shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they become food for all the wild animals." (Ezekiel 34:2-5 NIV)

I am at the LCMC Convocation in Dearborn, Michigan. Yesterday, we were asked to consider what we had given up, what we had lost, to follow Jesus; to be his disciples, going forth to share the good news of the Kingdom. What indeed? All around the world people are risking their lives to proclaim the Gospel. But, here in the United States, what are we willing to sacrifice so that our brother or sister might be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 50 - Babylon/False Shepherds Destroyed

Babylon is about finished. God is about to destroy her and His people will turn their faces, once again, to the LORD and to the land that He has given them; to the covenant that He has made with them. They were once lost, living in exile; because of their hard-heartedness and eagerness to follow false god, false shepherds. But, now God will destroy those false shepherds who led them out of the land He had given them.

“My people have been lost sheep;
    their shepherds have led them astray
    and caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
    and forgot their own resting place.
Whoever found them devoured them;
    their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,
for they sinned against the Lord, their verdant pasture,    the Lord, the hope of their ancestors.’" (Jer 50:6-7 NIV)

No more! Those who say that they are not guilty, that they have no sin; those who have scattered the flock will fall. Babylon will fall! The wolves in sheep clothing will fall! The Good Shepherd, Himself, will lead the remnant home.

“Israel is a scattered flock
    that lions have chased away.
The first to devour them
    was the king of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones
    was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

"I will punish the king of Babylon and his land
    as I punished the king of Assyria.
But I will bring Israel back to their own pasture,
    and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;
their appetite will be satisfied
    on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.
In those days, at that time,”
    declares the Lord,
“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,
    but there will be none,
and for the sins of Judah,
    but none will be found,    
for I will forgive the remnant I spare." (Jer 50:17-20)

 

There are many false shepherds out there. Beware! And, follow in the way that the LORD has prepared for you. "The LORD is our Shepherd, we shall not want. He makes us to lie down in green pastures. He leads us beside still water. He restores our soul..." (Psalm 23)

 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 21 - Day Of Judgment

Have the people not been listening? Has King Zedekiah heard none of the prophecies of Jeremiah? After much warning, Zedekiah finally realizes that Nebuchadnezzar is coming against them and sends word to Jeremiah to inquire of the LORD if He will deliver the people. It is, in fact, the LORD who is sending Nebuchadnezzar against them. It is too late. The day of judgment arrives. All those wasted days and years living for themselves rather than for God and doing what was not right in His sight, have finally come back on them.

 “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.  I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’
  “Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord. ¹² This is what the Lord says to you, house of David:

“‘Administer justice every morning;
    rescue from the hand of the oppressor
    the one who has been robbed,
or my wrath will break out and burn like fire
    because of the evil you have done—
    burn with no one to quench it.
I am against you, Jerusalem,
    you who live above this valley
    on the rocky plateau, declares the Lord—
you who say, “Who can come against us?
    Who can enter our refuge?”
I will punish you as your deeds deserve,
    declares the Lord.
I will kindle a fire in your forests    that will consume everything around you.’” (Jer 21:8, 10-14)

It will not be good on the day of judgment. There will many who will think, as King Zedekiah thought, that the LORD would save them and in the end, the LORD will say, I knew you not, because you knew me not. Hear the prophecy of Jesus, just in case you haven't heard it before and a reminder if you hadn't, like King Zedekiah, paid attention.

   “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
   “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
   "He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’" (Matt 25:41-45 NIV)

Feed His Sheep! And have a blessed day!

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

Isaiah 53 - Jesus Died For The Sheep Who Had Gone Astray

We typically hear the reading of Isaiah 53 every year during Lent, on Good Friday, along with verses beginning at verse 13 of the 52nd chapter of Isaiah.

It is a reminder of why Jesus had to die. That is, for us, because of our own sinful ways... "We all, like sheep, have Gone astray, each of us has turn to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:6 NIV)

Jesus took upon himself our pain and he bore our sufferings. He was crucified for our transgression and for our iniquities. It is by his wounds that we are healed. It is by his sacrifice for us that we are made whole!

We may hear this lesson on Good Friday, but I am reminded of it often. For, I, like all of you, often act like a sheep that has gone astray. Whenever I mess up big time (that is sin), God's gentle Spirit reminds me why Jesus had to suffer persecution and such a cruel death. He died bearing our sins, those sins we commit today and will commit tomorrow. Through faith in him, our sins (of even today and tomorrow) were crucified with him.

May God help us to more faithful to the one who was and is faithful to us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. Don't forget to read Isaiah 53 - you will recognize it immediately if you've ever attended at Good Friday Service at Zion or most congregations anywhere.

Isaiah 11 - The Wolf Will Live With The Lamb As A Little Child Leads Us

A blog can't even begin to touch these marvelous prophecies of Isaiah! They are the predictions of not only Israel from the Assyrians, but they look even more forward than that.  The Davidic line will be no more than a stump, the tree having been cut down. But, from that lineage which has been pretty much decimated, will spring forth a branch, a leader, a king, who wears righteousness as his belt and faithfulness as a sash around his waist. (Isa 11:5 NIV) Isaiah predicts the coming Messiah, who is Jesus the Christ.

The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lordas the waters cover the sea. (Isa 11:6-9)

I find it providential that this lesson is coming up today, even as I have been working on another blog article regarding the wolf. In it, I ponder how to discern the difference between a sheep and a wolf in sheep's clothing and how dangerous it is to the flock to knowingly allow a wolf in disguise to be active in a congregation. So, as I consider this chapter from Isaiah, I wonder if the time has come that has been prophesied where the figurative wolves and the sheep (lamb) can live in peace alongside one another, doing God's will. You all know what I'm talking about. There are wolves in almost every congregation and some of them border on being very carnivorous. They are those antagonists who smile a lot, yet manage to stir up a lot of divisions between the members and sometimes even between the members and the pastor. They come disguised as a little lamb, but inside are ravenous wolves. Yet, God manages to bring it all around to a good purpose and even what seems to be the worse case scenario to us, where the congregation actually closes its doors, maybe in the long run we will see the good that God intended from that, as well. All I know is that somehow He manages to produce fruit through even the wolves. Wolves, sheep, lion, ox, cow, bear all gathering together. Even I can be a bear, at times. In fact, I'm thinking, would I rarely, except maybe by some of our youngest children ever be likened to anything as peaceful as a lamb. We live together, as the one who came to us as a little child, leads us. (Isa 11:6)

Peace is good. It is very good, indeed! May the righteousness of God be the rule in our lives. May peace abide in us and we in the Prince of Peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J 

Psalm 44 - Save Us Again!

You saved us from our adversaries before, O God.  Save us again! 

The Isralites remember the stories of God strong arm saving from their enemies.  The Psalmists acknowledges that it was not they that won the victories, but that God had won them for them.  Those were tough times.  Apparently, they are struggling through some more tough times and call upon the LORD to save them

As we recount the stories of God saving His people, sometimes we neglect to remember that in order to be saved from their enemies, first they needed something to be saved from.  Life for the people in the stories we recall from antiquity was not easy.  They suffered and God saved them. They sinned and God saved them.  They were hungry and thirsty and God saved them.  They were attacked and God saved them.  He brought them to the promised land.  He was with them

There are times that we may feel like maybe God has rejected us and left us like sheep for the slaughter. He has not.  There are times when we think, maybe, God is still on Sabbath; that He's sleeping or maybe He's just forgotten us.  He has not. He is with us always. But, that does not mean that we will not, from time to time, suffer.  In fact, if you truly follow in the footsteps of Jesus, you can pretty much be guaranteed that life will not be free from suffering.  Following in the footsteps of Jesus means that we will go where he has been.  His journey took Jesus through much suffering.  It takes us to the cross. And, finally the footsteps lead us to the promised land - our Father's house - the Kingdom of God.

Remember what you have heard with your own ears...  Through His Son, Jesus the Christ, God has saved you.  He has rescued us from the enemy, in His never failing love.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 12 - Faithful or Faithless?

"Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race." (vs 1 NIV)

My only question this morning is:  was there really a time when someone was totally, completely, 100% faithful.  The only one I can think of that was truely faithful was and is Jesus the Christ.  We all like sheep, have gone astray.  (Isaiah 53:6) It is true that many have turned and returned to the shepherd of our souls.  (1 Peter 2:25)  Yet, can any of really say that we are completely faithful?  When was the last time we put ourselves first and doing the will of the LORD second or maybe third or fourth?  Yesterday?  Maybe, it was the moment you got up out of bed this morning? 

We sin against God and one another without even realizing it.  We might pray for relief from our enemy, but who might be praying for relief from us? That is why in our corporate confession at worship we often ask God to forgive our sins both known and unknown to us. 

Often in our weekly Bible study, we discuss the amazing things that were accomplished through the first followers (miracles, if you will).  We wonder if God has stopped producing miracles or is our faith and our faithfulness so wanting that nothing (or very little) can actually be accomplished through us? 

No, not one is completely faithful anymore, except the Son, Jesus the Christ.  He is faithful. We have all turned our backs and like sheep have gone astray.  But....  I remind you of Luther's explanation of the third article of the Apostle's Creed:  "I believe that by my own reason or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him.  But the Holy Spirit has called me through the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, and sanctified and preserved me in true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth and preserves it in union with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.  In this Christian church he daily and abundantly forgives all my sins, and the sins of all believers, and on the last day he will raise me and all the dead and will grant eternal life to me and to all who believe in Christ.  This is most certainly true.

We, are sinners, indeed.  We are faithless.  Yet, the Spirit of the one who is faithful, keeps us in the true faith.  Quite the paradox! But, thanks be to God!  This is most certainly true!

God's Peace - Pr. J