He is With You

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NRSV

The servant of the Lord told Joshua to be courageous, the Lord is with you wherever He sends you and no matter what He asks you to do. We are reminded that we too should be courageous in doing the Lord's will. Things will happen along the way; things that don't always feel so good. But, God has a plan. "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28)

Don't worry. Trust the Lord for He is with you wherever you go; wherever, he sends you.

God's Peace -Pr. J

In God We Trust!

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust;
    do not let me be put to shame;
    do not let my enemies exult over me.

Psalm 25:1-2

When I was young, I trusted everyone. As I grew older, I learned many hard lessons and trusted no one. As I grew even older, I learned to put my trust in the Lord. I learned to trust Christ working in and through others. I know that wherever I am or whatever the Lord is calling me to do, He is with me and for me.

Do not be afraid to step out in faith. It does us no good to worry about what the world around us thinks of us. It does not even matter if the world around us hates us. The Lord does not. He calls you to love and serve Him as well as all of His children. Trust Him!

Let us lift up our souls to the Lord and trust in Him before all others. In this we can live with the peace of heart that surpasses all understanding.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Sins Are Covered

“Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin.” Rom 4:7-8

And, who exactly are those whose sins are forgiven? They are those who trust that the Lord Jesus has died for their sins. They are those who in faith in the Lord Jesus have had their sins covered by his blood. It is only be faith that we are saved.

And, how do we believe? How do we come to such faith? It is a gift of God. St. Paul wrote to the Romans: "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ." (Rom 10:17) Faith comes through hearing the promises of God. Faith comes through hearing what Jesus has done for us. Faith comes by hearing that because of his sacrifice for us, our sins are forgiven and that we have been reconciled to God.

Your iniquities are forgiven! Rejoice and give thanks to the One who has blessed you so richly!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Patience

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Eph 4:1-3

There are times when my patience really wants to fly out the window. It can be a struggle to be patient with those who continue to make the same mistakes over and over again and wonder why they are having such a hard time in life.

A friend of mine once warned me that I should be very careful what I asked God for because He answers our prayers and we may not like the way in which He answers them. She had warned me against asking God to give me patience. She had asked for patience in caring for her family and He had answered. He helped her to learn to be patient by refining. As things grew even more troubled in her family she learned to be patient with others even as she continued to care for and love them. She also learned to trust God in all things.

My friend has gone through a lot of trials. Yet, she is patient and kind and has an uncanny gift for maintaining unity in the bond of peace.

May we all bear one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

God's Peace - Pr. J

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 

You Shall Have No Other Gods

The First Commandment
You shall have no other gods.
What does this mean? We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.  (http://catechism.cph.org/en/10-commandments.html)

I spent many, many, years as a wife of a U.S. Marine. They have a saying: "God, Country, Corps." That is in proper order. God always comes first. There can be no other gods. There can be no other priorities. When faithfulness to God comes first, faithfulness to our other obligations just falls into place, with the help of God. But, if we cannot be faithful to God, then we will not be faithful to anything or anyone else, either.

As a Marine Corps wife, I spent a lot of time alone raising two sons, as my husband was deployed for far more than half of his career. I had no family near. It was a good thing. Through this time, I learned that there is one I can trust all of the time; that is God. Through this time, I learned that there was one who loved me like no other. God was there when no one else was. I wasn't always thrilled with the way He worked things out; but, I came to know and trust that no matter how He was working them out; they were being worked out for the good.

The best thing we can do for our loved ones, for our country, for our world, is to fear, love and trust God above all things and to Him first and to follow in the way He would have us go. His plan is perfect for us; ours is not.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Thess 4 - Believe and Live!

1 Thessalonians 4 NIV

 

Do you live in order to please God or your or maybe someone else? Those who live in Christ have no fear of death for we know that all who fall asleep in him will rise from the dead even as he rose from the dead. Abide in him as he abides in you for all eternity. Eternity includes today. God is with you and for you. Trust Him and not the work of your own hands or the work of another.

Because he lives, so shall all who believe in him - so shall all who put their trust in him!

God's Peace - Pr. J

2 Corinthians 12 Ecstasy And Thorns

2 Corinthians 12 NIV
Paul experienced an "ecstasy" fourteen years prior to writing this letter. He claims that he was caught up to paradise where he heard things he was not permitted to tell. Well, he doesn't actually claim it was he who had this experience. He speaks in the third person possibly to deflect any admiration toward him that might occur because of this incident. Paul's mission (and ours); after all, is to proclaim Jesus the Christ not to boast about himself. It may well be that he did not speak of this incident previously because he was not permitted to tell what he heard in heaven. So what good would it have accomplished if he spoke of the incident, but could not tell anyone what he heard there? It would have only sounded like boasting about himself and his experience.

Paul does his best to defend his ministry without boasting about himself. Yes, he was gifted with the opportunity of hearing these unspeakable things in the third heaven. Yet, he was given a thorn in the flesh (we know not what that was) to remind him of his own weakness and not to boast about himself. So rather than boast about this moment of ecstasy, Paul boasts about his weaknesses so that Christ's power might rest on him.

God would not take Paul's "thorn" from him. Weaknesses are not a bad thing. It is when we can recognize our weaknesses and our limitations that we know that we must trust God to get us through.
When we realize that we are weak and can do nothing; then we are strong and not by our own strength but by the power of Christ that rests on us.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Corinthians1:18-31 Message Of The Cross

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 NIV
Ugh! Frustrating! I wish that everyone would receive our Saviour, Jesus the Christ. But, no matter how much I try it seems to be impossible for me to get some people to understand that the message of the cross is the power of God. It is not just a nice story of a man dying because he loved humanity so much. It is not just a piece of historical fact that we read about and set aside. It is not foolishness as the world would have us believe. Rather, it is foolishness not to believe. The message of the cross holds within it the power to save.

In the end, I always have to go back to another simple fact. I cannot save anyone. I cannot even convince anyone. I can only proclaim the message and trust that the power of God within the message (the Word) saves. Usually, when people tell me that my sermon was great or they thank me for saying something that helped them; I remind them that it is not me; but, Christ in me (Gal 2:20). Sometimes, I will tell them that from my lips to your ears the Holy Spirit is working so that you hear (and receive) what God wants you to hear and have; not what I want.

The world can scoff at the faith of those who trust in the cross of Christ for their life and salvation. But, that, dear friends, is the power of God! Whom will you trust: the world, yourself, or God who created all things and has recreated us in Jesus Christ, our Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Romans 4 Abraham Justified By Faith Alone

Romans 4 NIV
There is nothing in the world that we can do to earn the promise of salvation. Not a thing! It is by faith alone, in the Son of God who gave Himself for us, that we receive this gift of life.

No matter how hard we try; no matter how well our good intentions; without faith we have nothing. Paul reminds us that it was Abraham's faith that was credited to him as righteous. Abraham's faith was not based on something that he already had or did. His faith was based purely on a promise from God. Abraham believed God and he was counted righteous for that faith. He trusted God! Because he trusted Him; Abraham was willing to do God's will no matter what it was.

It is as simple (and maybe as complicated) as that. Trust the Lord with all your heart and soul and you will know and receive the promise of eternal life in His Kingdom; in His presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Acts 17:16-34 Unknown God

Acts 17:16-34 NIV
We encounter many false gods; many idols, every day. Believe it or not they are worshipped all around us. When ever we trust in any thing, even ourselves, before we trust the one made the world and everything in it, we are worshipping a false god.

While Paul was in Athens, he encountered many false gods. There were many altars and images throughout the city which the people bowed before and worshipped. One particular altar had the inscription "To An Unknown God" written on it. He took that opportunity to tell them about the one true God that they knew nothing about. This unknown god that Paul taught about is not made of earthly materials and cannot be contained in any earthly structure. He is bigger than all the false gods put together. He is the one in whom we live and move and have our very being.

There is only one true God. We can either trust Him or we can trust a lesser, false god. I would think it much preferable and beneficial to humankind to trust the one who actually lives.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 9:37-43a Jesus Does It

Luke 9:37-43


The disciples had not been able to deliver this boy from the demon; but, Jesus could and did. Without laying even a hand on him the boy was delivered.

Sometimes when we are not able to accomplish something that we really thought we ought to be able to do we get frustrated with our inabilities. And... that may just be the reason our endeavor failed. We attempted to accomplish it with our own power rather than trust (believe wholeheartedly) that Jesus would accomplish it through us. It is not we, but Christ in us, who does all things.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Luke 2:21-40

Luke 2:21-40 NIV
Believe it or not there are people in this world whose greatest desire is to see Jesus; to be near to Him. Both Simeon and the prophet Anna had waited for this day. When Jesus was brought to the temple for the purification rites, their greatest desire was fulfilled. "Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

 “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
    you may now dismiss your servant in peace.
 For my eyes have seen your salvation,
     which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,    and the glory of your people Israel.” (vs 28-32)

I know that for some it may be hard to believe that Jesus really is the center of some of our lives. He is our hope and our salvation. We trust in none other than Him for our salvation; for life. We are able to trust others; because we trust Him first. We are able to love others; because He first loved us. He is our life and our salvation. Because of Him, we can live in peace.

For some of us, it is difficult (at times) to understand how anyone would not put Jesus first; why anyone would not give thanks to God as often as possible for the precious gift of our beloved Jesus. Life just goes a whole lot better when God is at the center of your life.

Bishop Frederick Baraga often reminded the people he served to not forget their first love. Our first love is (or should be) God. You shall love the LORD your God above all things. In this you will know peace.

May God grant that we should all have the faith of Simeon and Anna as we wait for the day when we shall see Jesus with our own eyes.

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

Micah 7 - Blood Thicker Than Blood

Micah warns that no shall be trusted - all will conspire against the followers of God - even one's family. Throughout my life, I have gone through many changes. At first, I naively trusted everyone. Then, I trusted no one. Finally, as I came to have a closer relationship with God, I was able, once again, to have trust in others. Not that I placed my trust in others, but that I placed my trust in God so that I was once again able to help others. I knew and know that no matter what others might do against me, God is with me for the good.

Sadly, I witness over and over again how true Micah's reminder and warning is.
"For a son dishonors his father,
    a daughter rises up against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
    a man’s enemies are the members of his own household.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
    I wait for God my Savior;
    my God will hear me." (Micah 7:6-7 NIV)

Greed, envy, jealousy; these all affect family relationships. Pride in self is a killer of families. Even among family members, one will put their own desires before another; before the good of family. When I worked at the youth correctional facility, I would warn the young men to please not move home when they were released. Many of their problems came from parents who put their own lives (often addictions) before the children. To move back home because of family blood ties would spell "prison sentence" for them in the end, as I knew that many of their family members would continue to lead them in lives of crime for the sake of their own desires. As the spiritual counselor, as well as the substance abuse counselor, I would remind them: "There is a blood that is thicker than blood and that is the blood of Christ shed for you."  

In Him we can trust.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jonah 4 - Jonah Is An Angry Man

God calls some of the most unlikely people to do His will. Jonah is an angry man. He's upset because after going through the ordeal with the fish; then relenting and doing God's will by going to the people of Nineveh to warn them to repent; they repent and God saves them! And... Jonah is angry. After all of his trouble, God saves the people, anyway. Jonah is angry because God did not destroy the people.

Jonah goes out to the wilderness to pout under the shade of the tree that God provides for him. God sends a worm to destroy the tree and Jonah is angry because God destroyed the tree.

"But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?” (Jonah 4:10 NIV)

Jonah is an angry man. Are you an angry person, as well? Have you ever considered the trivialness of those things that upset you; that make you angry? Think about some of those little things that you allow to take away your peace. Is it really worth it? Should we rather not take pity and pray for those who can't figure out their right hand from their left rather than lose our peace by being angry with them?

Trust in the LORD. Trust that all that He does is for the good of those whom He loves and He loves you.

May the peace of the LORD be with you always.  Pr. J

Jonah 1 - Just Do It!

The story of Jonah... Guess what? I believe the story! That is the bottom line... Anyway, the point of the story is not to give us a reason to debate whether a great fish is able to swallow a man and then spit him out later; rather, it is about this man who was called by God to serve Him and His people and decided to go in a different way.

How many of us have done that? I've known that I was called to serve as a pastor since I was about eleven or twelve years old. It took me decades to follow in the Way He would have me go. I heard the call many times. Repeatedly, I rejected it and put my priorities and the priorities that others set for me before His priorities. Repeatedly, I went the wrong way and found myself frustrated and unhappy and in more trouble than I anticipated - way more than I wanted!

My point is this: If God is calling you; if He is sending you somewhere to do His will; just do it. You most probably will in the end anyway; because, He will keep calling. Just trust Him and go for it!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 27 - Mourning Tyre

A lament for Tyre. Tyre who was so prideful is fallen. As it is said, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18 NIV) Tyre did well for itself, but it was "full of itself."

We see it all the time: pride and arrogance. As they grow in a person, others around them tend to want to stay away from them and then the fall. It is not good in a business, no matter what kind of business it is. Pride and arrogance don't do much for relationships, either. They particularly aren't very conducive to a genuine relationship with God. After all, it is He who gives us all good things and when things "go south" it probably has something to do with the fact that we have started thinking that we can manage things better than God, all by ourselves.

Trust in the LORD and give Him thanks for all that He has given.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 14 - Turn And Be Saved

 ^"Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices!" (Ezekiel 14:6 NIV)

It did not matter who they were, the LORD warned the people that he would cut them off from Him if they continued in their idolatry. Over and over again, idolatry is the issue. The prophets continually warn against idolatry; they warn against worshipping anyone and anything other than the LORD, God. Will they ever learn? Will we?

God's whole point to warning the people and cutting them off is so that they and we will return to Him with our whole hearts and minds. He does not desire that anyone be separated from Him. That desire is in the hearts of mankind, as we are so determined to set up our own gods, in our image, rather than the other way around. God promises that those who repent of this sin; that those who return and worship Him; those who would put their trust in Him, will be saved.

"They will be my people, and I will be their God, declares the Sovereign LORD." (Ezekiel 14:11)

May God bless you with great faith.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 43 - Trust The LORD - Call On His Name

OK! So, the remnant still refuses to hear the words the LORD their God had given to them through Jeremiah! Humankind is a pretty hard-headed lot. God's own people hadn't been able to keep themselves from evil or harm so far; so, they're pretty convinced Egypt is going to be able to save them.

What about the remnant today? Are we listening any better? In whom do we really put our trust? Is it God? Or, are we just like everyone else thinking that our governments will keep us safe? Do we put our faith in governments who are actually made up of people who, no matter how good their intentions, end up putting their own bias', their own welfare, before the welfare of the people, as a whole (even if they are elected by the people)?

God's not happy about the decision of the remnant to move to Egypt so that they might be safe from the Babylonians. He warns them: "In Tahpanhes the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones with you and bury them in clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes. Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy above them. He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword. He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd picks his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. There in the temple of the sun in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’” (Jer 43:8-13 NIV)

The remnant will not escape. They cannot run to Egypt to be saved. We will not be saved by trusting in Pharaoh's and Kings to save us. There is only one God. "And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joel 2:32)

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Act 2:21)

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

It has always amazed me; but, I have been amazed all over again this past week as I have read stories of the faith of those who are being persecuted in eastern countries, particularly this week the Coptic Christians in Egypt. They continue to call on the name of the LORD, trusting in Him to be with them always, no matter what the circumstances of the world around them may be. They do not run. They stand on His promises even as their places of worship are burned. They call upon His name, even as their lives are threatened.

Let us give thanks to God for the remnant who listens and follows in the way of the LORD.

God's Peace - Pr. J