PEACE

God gave me the word PEACE for 2021.   Okay so what am I to learn and how am I suppose to use what I learn.   Today I am studying the amazing peace of Jesus.   My scripture reading is John 14:27, John 16:33, and Psalm 29:11.   Peace is one of the most sought after wisdoms of life.  Did you know that there are over 50,000 books on Amazon about peace.   In this broken world many our reacting for that straw to hang on to so they can keep afloat.   Without peace there is no happiness.  So how do we find peace in all this chaos?   The peace that Jesus gives is different from the peace that this world offers.  If we search for peace elsewhere we will not find it.   Jesus left us his peace:  the peace that allows him to stand still in the strongest storms of life, a peace that allows him to forgive us.  The Bible provides us with five secrets to peace.  

P - Pray about everything: forgiveness, things that worry you, guidance, your joys, be grateful and our Father’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. 

E - Entertain beauty.  Look for the good around you and you will discover our Father’s handiwork.   Think about things that are true, honorable and just.  Then you will discover our Father’s peace is with you. 

A - Accept Our Father’s gift of peace.  One reason you may have trouble finding peace is because you are looking in the wrong pace. True peace is not hard to find.  All you have to do is accept it.  

C - conquer your fear.  We have fear when we feel weak when we don’t have the presence of our Father. He is with us always spiritually.  All we have to do is love him and keep his word. 

E - Emulate the Saints. Our life’s journey there isn’t 

enough time to learn all the things we need to know and understand.  We have Saints in the Bible and Saints outside of the Bible whose examples we should pattern our lives after.   The Bible says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. 

P - Pray about everything

E - Entertain beauty

A - Accept God’s gift of peace

C - Conquer your fear

E - Emulate the Saints

Peace be with you. 

Remember God loves you and so do I. 

In God We Trust

In God We Trust

What does that mean to you?  Do you really put all your trust in our Father?  

Proverbs 3: 5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

Today with all the things going on: covid-19, Black Life Matters, ugly gossip, hate, people saying no one is going to tell me what to do, on and on, I wonder have we taken our eyes off of Jesus.  The question you should ask yourself, Am I part of the problem?  Let’s talk about the virus, we want the country to open again, but we are not willing to do our part, make any sacrifice so the virus won’t spread.  A doctor said, “wearing a mask is much better than being put on a ventilator.”  Maybe you feel the virus won’t make you very sick, but what about an elder friend or someone who has a compromised immune deficiency.  You can have the virus and not even run a fever.  Do you really want to  take that change and bring harm to others?  

What about Jesus?  He willingly gave his life for you and me.  Wearing a mask and social distancing isn’t much of a sacrifice compared to Jesus’ sacrifice.  

Now let’s talk about Black Life Matters.  I know many say I am sick and tired of hearing about it.  Again ask yourself the question, Am I part of the problem?  Do you think less of people of color, or people who are different than you are?  In the Bible we are told to look at the heart.  If you look others in the eye you can see their heart.  If you want things to be better it has to start with you and with me.  Racism is a sin.  Hate is the same as murder in the heart.  Oh I know what you are thinking, who do you think you are?  Well I am a Christian, wife of soon to be 58 years, mother of 3, grandmother of 11 and great grandmother of 9.  I am a Stephen Minister, Sunday School Teacher and a servant of our Father.  Am I perfect, No, do I make mistakes, yes.   I rely on God’s Grace of forgiveness and on His word. The Bible is my manual for living right.  Although we have free will, we only have two choices: do what God wants or do what we want.  Our Father is a God of love and our new commandments from Jesus are “you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself”.  So what do you choose, to obey God or do what you want. This isn’t going to go away.  So please rethink your choices.  Don’t be a part of the problem.  Remember what love is and is not, 1Corinthians 13: 4-5.  Care and make a difference.  I am grateful for all of you even if we look different, act different and believe differently.  We are all God’s children.  Max Lucado wrote, “It Is Not About Me.”  If you haven’t read it I encourage you to do so.   Put all your hope Trust and faith in our Father.  Let Him lead you, so you choose what is right.  

Remember God Loves You and so do I!

Who is Afraid of an Empty Tomb

Matthew 27: 57-28:15

Easter Sunday was my turn to teach our Sunday School Class.  Since we are still Stay in Place because of the Covid - 19, I decided to blog the message I would have shared.

How open minded are you?  G. K. Chesterton once said that merely having an open mind is nothing for the object of opening the mind - as of opening the mouth - is to shut it again on something solid.  Whether it is an open mind or an open mouth, you don't want to leave it open, you want to bite down on something substantial.  Therefore I invite you to open your mind this morning, in order to chew on some substantial facts about an empty tomb and Jesus' resurrection.  The truth does matter.   As we look at the truth I challenge you to re-think your view of God and yourself!  There are four truths and I hope you wont be afraid of them!

First Truth: Jesus Was Dead and Buried, and Everyone Knew It.
If Easter Sunday is going to have any real meaning beyond bunnies and colored eggs. then we have to establish one preliminary fact; Jesus of Nazareth was definitely dead when He was taken down from the cross on that Friday afternoon.  How do we know this?  There were four witnesses that can testify to it.- The Romans soldiers who helped crucify Jesus, Governor Pilate because he wouldn't have let anyone take Jesus  off the cross unless he was dead, Joseph Arimathea who placed him in his tomb, and the two ladies who came to the tomb  had witnessed everything.

Second Truth: Powerful People Tried to Make Sure that Jesus Stayed Dead and Buried
Some were concerned that the disciples would steal Jesus body and claim that Jesus rose from the dead.  So Pilate gave permission to make the tomb as secure as possible.  They posted several soldiers to guard the tomb.  Four groups of people wanted Jesus to stay buried: the chief priest, the Pharisees, the Roman governor Pilate and the soldiers on guard.

Third Truth: Jesus Was No Longer Dead and Buried. . . because He had risen from the dead!
Despite all those measures to prevent it, Jesus' tomb is empty, He is alive.  It is tough to keep a good man down. How do we know Jesus is alive?  The women who witnesses everything about Jesus' death and burial.  They are now convinced Jesus  is alive: the large stone is rolled back and the tomb is now empty, an Angel of the Lord who appeared like lightning told them that Jesus had risen, they saw the place where Jesus had been laid and He was gone, Mary meets the Risen Jesus and talks to Him. 

Not only did Jesus resurrection fulfill HIs own prophecies but the Old Testament prophecies about being raised from the dead on the third day.

What is the point of this for us today?

Fourth Truth: Jesus' Resurrection Compels People to Decide Who Jesus is and How They Respond to Him.

What does the Resurrection mean to you?  Does the Resurrection cause you to fear?  The Resurrection changes everything !  Jesus has won victory over death.  God is going about the business of reconciling the world to himself through Christ Jesus.  Imagine the meeting between the women and the disciples, their emotions ranging from disbelief to fear to excitement.  The news changed their entire world.  Joy replaced sadness, and excitement overwhelmed the fear they faced when Jesus was crucified.   

Starting on December 28 2001 until June 25, 2003 I lost 6 family members, beginning with my dad, mom, uncle, aunt, nephew and our son.  What does Jesus' resurrection mean to me: all my love ones are experiencing God's Glory.  They haven't died, but completed their journey and now are with Jesus.   Jesus is alive, He has Risen indeed.  This is a life-altering world-changing news. 

Prayer:
Father of resurrection, fill  my heart with the promise and proof of your Son in my life.  Show me the opportunities I  have to give the gift of Jesus to another today; in Jesus; name, Amen.  

   

The Great House of God

“The one thing I ask of the Lord — the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Great House of God
     If you have not read Max Lucado’s book: The Great House of God I recommend you read it. I want to share with you about God’s Living Room:
Come sit. In this easy chair. It was made especially for you.  Warm your hands by the fire that never fades. Look, all round are framed photos of you.  By your chair is a table with a scrapbook.  Hmmm, pick it up and open it.  Oh my it is a  scrapbook about your life.   As you look through the scrapbook you glance up at the mantle of the fireplace.  There is a painting.  Your Father treasures the portrait.  He placed it there for all to see.  It is of you and your Father.  Behind you is a great house on a hill.  Beneath your feet is a narrow path.  Down from the house the Father has run up the trail you have trudged.  You and your Father met here at the gate.  You can’t see your face because it is buried in the chest of your Father.  You are the prodigal child.  You apologize: Oh Father I have sinned and done wrong to you.  I am no longer worthy to be called a child of God.  Punish me, take my name off the mailbox, and my initials off the family tree.  I don’t deserve to sit at your table.
     Look at your Father’s face.  He has tears in His eyes, and a smile on His face.   Your Father is not willing to stop being your Father.   Your Father will never turn you away.   The door to the Living Room in God’s house is never closed.  
     When the words of others hurt you or you feel overwhelm or when you feel you have failed, step into the Living Room, look up at the painting and remember how much your Father loves you.   Call out Father, He is just waiting for you to call on Him.  It touches His heart when you call Him Father.
     Romans 8: 38-39 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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GOD”S PEACE

Philippians 4:7 - And the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Peace That Passes Understanding

Does the enemy (The Devil) cause you to be all stirred up: feeling anxious and in a frenzy.  Maybe throws you into a tizzy.  When this happens we do things we later regret.  Then we are sorry we let the devil get to us again.

Has this ever happened to you?  We have help in Philippians 4; 7.  Paul writes, “ Then you will God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

This peace is superior above all other types of peace.  It transcends , outdoes, surpasses, excels, rises above, goes beyond and over the top of any other kind of peace.  You may look elsewhere, but there is no peace like the peace of God. It outshines all other peace causing it to stand in a category by itself.  There is nothing in the world that can compare with the peace of God.

Paul also tells us that this peace surpasses and excels above all understanding.  He tells us that this powerful peace produces in our lives: keeps our hearts and minds, it is a guard to control and monitor etching that tries to enter our hearts, minds, and emotions.  If God’s peace is ruling us, nothing can get past that Divine guard and slip into our hearts and minds without its approval!

This is the good news, we can refuse to allow the devil to access us, throw us into a state of panic and anxiety, or push our buttons any longer.  The devil can not enter our hearts or minds or play with our emotions!

Paul tells us God’s peace is like a band of Roman soldiers that keep dangerous nuisances from entering a city or breaking into special, private places.  God’s peace guards us from, fretfulness, anxiety, worry and all the other things the devil from breaking into our lives.  It protects, guards, keeps and defends us.  Nothing compares to this powerful peace.  God’s disables the devil’s ability to disturb us, or enter our minds and emotions.  In order for God’s peace to be a reality in our life, we let it dominate our hearts, minds, and emotions.

No Pecking Orders With Jesus

No Pecking Orders with Jesus

Love does not boast, it is not proud (1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV). Jesus has no room for pecking orders. His solution to man-made caste systems? A change of direction. In a world of upward mobility, choose downward servility. “Regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3 NASB). Jesus flip-flopped the pecking order.

Would you do what Jesus did? He swapped a spotless castle for a grimy stable. He exchanged the worship of angels for the company of killers. If you knew that only a few could care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that’s what love does! He loves you that much! Drink deeply of God’s love for you--and ask him to fill your heart with a love worth giving! #UpWords with Max

I read this today.  It started me thinking about all Jesus has done for all of us, and still does.  I wonder how many of us take time to stop and think about what Jesus’ sacrifices actually mean for us today.  Do you know people who feel entitled and take God’s love for granted?  Actually I do!  At times I have been guilty of not remembering to be grateful for each day, and trust God, because He has the bigger picture and knows what I need, and to surrender.   When I think back over my life I realize that I was never alone, God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was always surrounding me with their love.  Sometimes I think about writing a book to share all God has done on my journey of life.  Instead I blog and share my thoughts on my blog site. 

Today,June 25 is the Anniversary of our son Ron’s death.  He died 15 years ago.  There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t remember what a blessing he was and that we are so grateful for our memories and time God blessed us with his presence. .   We know we will be reunited one day and experience all of God’s glory.   We also are blessed with Chad & Kari, Jon & Lori, their children and grandchildren.  So blessed with many memories of all of them.    Everyday we express our gratitude to God for them.  Although they don’t live next door, and we  don’t see them everyday, I trust the Holy Spirit to protect, guide, equip and empower each of them.   Living in a broken world, we will encounter trials and tribulations, but put your faith in the only one who will never fail you,  who loves you unconditionally.

Remember God Loves you and so do I.

JESUS LOVED HIS DISCIPLES

Jesus Loved His Diciples
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. (John 13:1-5 NLT)

Jesus knew the future of the feet he was washing. These feet will not spend the next day following Jesus, or defending His cause.  They are going to dash for cover the minute the Roman soldiers arrive.  By morning they will bury their heads in shame as they look down at their feet in disgust. They will remember the one who bowed down on His knees and washed them. He told them you don't understand what I am doing, but you will understand later.

Jesus had forgiven their sin before they had committed it. He offered them mercy before they sought it.  Do you think Jesus found it hard to love His disciples.  One minute they are listening intently then the next they are arguing who is the best among them. How was Jesus able to love them?
How would you respond if Jesus, knowing everything you had ever done, knelt before you to wash your feet.  Certainly you would know you were loved and forgiven.

Do you want to be just like Jesus?  Then you have to study His heart of forgiveness, to understand what a means to be just like Him.  Want to be transformed into a loving person.  Then read 1 Cor. 13: 4-7.   Turn it into a prayer.  Substitute your name each time the word "love" is used.
Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NASB)
Then remember:  . . . Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. (John 13:1 NLT)
Remember God loves you and so do I.