The Lord Renews Our Strength



On Eagle's Wings

Life brings us a lot of challenges. There are days when I wonder how I will manage to be in so many places at one time. There are so many people in need; so many who suffer; so many who are alone and lonely. How can we help them all? I make a lot of lists. If I don't, by the time I get home, I realize that I have not gotten to someone I had intended to get to.

It can seem overwhelming at times. Lists help to keep me on focus. But, more importantly rising early to study God's word and to spend time in prayer is essential if I want to be prepared to meet the day and any challenges the day might bring. I find strength in God's word and in his presence. I need to be able to talk to him and listen to Him and trust Him.

Isaiah reminds us that we are to wait and to trust in the Lord. He will give us the strength to meet the challenges.

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
    and strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
    and the young will fall exhausted;
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,    they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31 NRS 

We all grow weary at times. Trust in and lean on the One who does not for His strength never fails Him or us.

God's Peace - Judy 

Revelation 2:8-11 Synagogue of Satan

Revelation 2:8-11 NIV
There were "fake" Jews in the church in Smyrna even as there are "fake" Christians in the church today. In John's vision, Jesus warned the church in Smyrna about them. There were some within the church who said they were  Jews; but, were not. They belonged to the synagogue of Satan. Oh, no, they probably did not worship Satan outright. Simply "pretending" to worship God makes them followers of Satan. Either you are for Jesus or you are not. There is no in between.

Be aware of those who say they are Christian and are not. They will slander the name of Jesus and all who follow in his way. They will cause much dissension and make every attempt to distract the faithful from proclaiming the gospel. But, they will not prevail.

Even though we are persecuted for his name's sake, we have assurance that all who are faithful, even to the point of death, will be victorious and not suffer at all by the second death.

May God grant that we will always be faithful to Him.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Peter 1:1-12 Grace and Peace Be Yours In Abundance

1 Peter 1:1-12
I was recently asked to think about the most awesome thing that has ever happened to me. I will tell you. It happened about 30 years ago. It was the day that I met the Holy Spirit. On that day I got to know the Spirit as a living reality. Previously, I had known about the Holy Spirit; but, did not know the Spirit. That day, kneeling beside my bed praying, I came to know the Spirit. No man laid his hands on me. God did. By God's grace I came to know and experience life in and with the Spirit of Christ. Words cannot even begin to describe the joy and peace that I experienced that day and since. Nothing in this world can compare to being in relationship with God the Father; God the Son; and God the Holy Spirit. If you are looking for joy and peace in this world give up that search. It is not here. These things come living in relationship with the living God, not by possessions in this world. As children of Almighty God, we have an inheritance much more precious than any silver or gold.

God had been preparing me for things to come; for immediately following this introduction, I was tested tremendously. But, I persevered (not just persevered; but grew in Christ) because God was with me. Listen to the words of St. Peter: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials." (vs 3-6)

In Christ, you have been born again. There will be trials; but, in the midst of these trials God is with all His children. Persevere in faith and you will know joy and peace even in the times of trials.

May grace and peace be yours in abundance, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pr. J.

Acts 5:17-42 Fighting With God

Acts 5:17-42 NIV
The apostles were elated because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. That sounds reasonable. But, I'm not so sure if I would be elated. They were persecuted for the Name. They were ordered not to be talking about this Jesus any longer and thrown into jail for the Name. Angels came and released them. They were then flogged for continuing to spread the Good News in the Name of Jesus Christ. They suffered much and came through it all still thanking and praising God for and in the Name of Jesus.

Yet, this morning I find myself feeling very sorry for those who persecuted the apostles. To have witnessed the Christ working through them and still denying Christ is a very sad thing. Such a waste of time and energy it is to try to deny the truth.

The Pharisee, Gamaliel, finally persuaded the Sanhedrin to let the apostle's go by saying to them: "Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (vs 38-39) So what do you think? The apostles were not stopped. Two thousand years later the Good News is still being shared around the world. For those who persist in trying to stop the Name: give it up. It is from God and you will not be able to stop it.

God's Peace - Pr. J

John 20:19-23 Peace Be With You

John 20:19-23 NIV
"Peace be with you!" "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." How and why exactly did the Father send Jesus so that we might know how it is the Father sends us. He sent Jesus into a broken world; a world full of sin, of anger, hatred, self-centeredness and of violence. He sent Jesus into the world that by his sacrifice the world might be forgiven; might be reconciled to one another and to God the Father through him. He sent Jesus into the world to proclaim this Good News of the Kingdom. And, so He sends us promising us peace, breathing on us the Holy Spirit, that we might go forth proclaiming the Good News of reconciliation with God and with one another. This will not be without hardship. It will not be without pain. Jesus suffered much in order that we should know our Father in heaven; so shall we suffer if our brothers and sisters are to know and love Him. But, knowing that God can and will work all things for the good of His Kingdom gives us the peace of heart and mind to be able to continue in His way.

God's Peace -Pr. J

Jeremiah 38 - Listen and Live

Apparently Jeremiah's preaching is having an effect on King Zedekiah. The officials wants him dead and lower him into a cistern to die. But, Zedekiah hears of it and rescues him. He not only rescues him, he has a private meeting with him wherein he listens to Jeremiah's advise on what he should do in order to live. Jeremiah informs him that if he is to live, he must surrender to the Babylonians

Just because we don't always like someone's advice; just because the end result of someone advice isn't exactly how we would have our future, doesn't mean that we shouldn't listen. It doesn't mean we shouldn't follow that advise. Zedekiah seems (at least in this chapter) to have enough sense to at least listen. We will see in the following chapters what he chose to do: whether to follow Jeremiah's advice and live or ignore it and suffer and die.

Many kings and their kingdoms; many men, women, and children, have fallen for refusing to listen and taking sound advice. Listen to the word of the LORD. Listen to Him and follow in the way that He would have you go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 12 - Justice

Jeremiah wants to know about God's justice. He's not a happy camper. He wants to know why the way of the wicked prospers and the faithless live at ease. This is an age-old question. We continue to ask why and when God will put a stop to the injustice in the world.

It is difficult to watch people whom we love suffer from the injustice of the world - of not being loved or cared for - when they are alone or hurting. It is most difficult to see those who do not worship the LORD trample on the hearts and minds of those who do.

But, if we think that the LORD does not see and will not act (Jer 12:4); then we are mistaken. The LORD will act. He will uproot us and send us far away from Him, from the land (vs 14), from His people. But, if we repent... He will restore us and bring us back. He will establish among His people those who were once estranged from Him. (vs 15-16)

The LORD sees... let us, as this new year begins, return to the LORD and with compassion help and do not harm our neighbors.

God's Peace - Pr. J