Be Who God Made You To Be

Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight. 1 Peter 3:2-4 NRSV

Although, it keeps commerce going, I have never quite understood the need for anyone to have major amounts of piercings or to change the color of one's hair every few weeks or the wearing of someone else's name on you clothing. It makes me think that the person is not comfortable with who they are. I can't quite get why someone would need to wear make-up that would disguise the person that God made them to be. I'm not saying that I think women shouldn't wear any. But, I would think the purpose for make-up would be to enhance one's features and not to mask them.

God has made everyone and every one is precious in God's sight. Let the world see the person God created you to be. There is nothing more beautiful than a child of God who exudes the loving and gentle spirit that comes from knowing that you are a child of God.  

May God help each of us to cherish the lasting beauty of the gentle and quiet spirit of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Peter 3:8-22 Turn To Him; He Died For You

1 Peter 3:8-22
All who sin (and we all do) are called to repentance. "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him." (vss. 17-22)

Christ died so that all who reject their sinful ways and turn to him are born again into the Kingdom of God, where he reigns. Everyone has this opportunity. None have been excluded. Turn to him and receive this gift of salvation. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Col 2:16-23 Angels

Colossians 2:16-23 NIV
St. Paul wrote:  "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you." (vs 18) So what about angels? Every now and then I am jolted by the reality that someone I know depends on angels more than they depend on Jesus.

Just because something or someone exists in the spiritual realms does not mean that we should worship them or put our trust in them. We do not worship the creature. Rather, we ought to worship and put our trust in the one who has charge over the spiritual realms; the one who created the spiritual realms; the one who created all things.

Angels have many purposes. Some are messengers. Some have been deliverers of God judgment. Some are ministering spirits. Angels ministered to Jesus after his temptations by the devil in the wilderness. Angels are beings created by God to serve according to God's will.

We are not to worship angels. We cannot serve two gods. Angels did not create you. They, themselves, are created beings. Angels did not die for you. Jesus did. By worshipping and honoring angels; by lifting them up more than we lift us Christ, we lose the connection we have with the head, from whom the whole body grows, who is Jesus the Christ. We are to worship the one who has charge over angels and not the angels.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Amos 2 - Prophets and Prophecy a Gift; Listen!

"'I brought you up out of Egypt
    and led you forty years in the wilderness
    to give you the land of the Amorites.
I also raised up prophets from among your children
    and Nazirites from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?'
declares the Lord.
'But you made the Nazirites drink wine
    and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.'" (Amos 2:10-12 NIV)

God has saved His people time and time again; yet, they (we) continue to do what we ought not do. We will not listen. We will not listen to those whom He sends to warn us or lead us in the way that He would have us go. Like little children, we go wandering off in our own directions, not taking any direction from our Father; not listening to the word of admonishment or advice that He would give us.

Just as in the days of Amos, the words of the prophet today go mostly unheeded. Sometimes, we attempt to justify our lack of hearing by denying that God would send a prophet in these latter days. However, St. Paul wrote:

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues." (1 Cor 12:7-10 NIV)

These gifts, including prophecy, are gifts from God for the common good. Shall we suppose that God the Father is now not desiring our common good, our common growth in the Body of Christ? I think not! By the power of the Holy Spirit, all of God's children receive gifts for the growth and edification of the Body of Christ, which is the Church.

May God open our ears that we might hear not just the mighty deeds that He has done for us; but, that we might hear and understand the Way in which He would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J