SACRIFICED!

My daily journal reading starts over on Jan.1 and offers me the book of Genesis. As I read Genesis 8:20 and 21 (THE MESSAGE), the words told of the landing of Noah's ark and the sacrificial animal burned at the altar in thanks to God. The following message rose up and many things popped ito my mind: "God smelled the sweet fragrance and thought to Himself, "I'll never again curse the ground because of people. I know they have this bent toward evil from an early age."" This story told from father to son over the years, way before it was in the written form, still has meaning today. Imagine the Mount Ararat and Noah.....

The sweet smell of the burnt-offering was prepared by Noah to honor God. And God was pleased. God also saw that the humans He loved would be faulted from the time he or she begins to think. Human men and women were always going to be flawed. And yet, God loved them as His next words were, "I'll never again kill every living thng.""

This story of God's displeasure and man's imperfection is over-powered by God's love for us. My imagination perked away and I wondered...when God realized that His favorite creature was flawed, did He begin thinking of a way to purify it? Did He struggle wondering how to bring humans to atonement, and in what way could they atone, but through blood? And God might have said, "I can't, I just can't kill each one! There must be a way...but what is it?"

Then there was His Son who helped to create the world, this precious Son so loved by the heavenly hosts. God wondered, Did I hear His voice? Did I hear Jesus say....? What?.....? Oh, no. No! Not that way! Oh, my Son, not that way!

And yet that is the way it was. However it came about, Jesus was punished in our place. Jesus atoned for everyone in the world. He died for our sinfulness. Jesus died for MY sinfulness. I have been redeemed. And, world, so have you.

Oh, Lord Jesus, someway, truly unknown to me it really happened. You were sacrificed for me and mine! I am always amazed at your incredible love. I praise your Holy Name and thank You, over and over and over again.

Dear Ones, please join me this year reminding each other of this most incredible gift given to you and me and the rest of the world. Let us pray that the whole world will know and accept Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Yours until the whole world does know. Jo

CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

The Bible speaks a lot about being in the Light. Christ is the Light of the world. We are to be children of that light. John 12 tells us: "Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you. As you have the light, believe in the light. then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives. You'll be children of light."

The part that interested me today is: "Walk by the light you have so darkness doesn't destroy you."

Jesus said these things to the crowd that he knew by instinct would soon be against him. So, what light they had would be ignored as they would soon be caught up in the passions of the dark moment yet to come.

It is a warning to me. Do not think little of the Light I have been given. Not everyone in this world is to receive the same amount of Light. How blessed I am to be given the Light I have! And I must learn to live in this Light and keep it shining and bright. It's not to be covered up. It's not to be hidden. And it is definitely not to be ignored! It must never be considered to be "not enough!" What I have been given is always "just enough" to do whatever job I have been given. If the job needs more Light than what I have been given, God will provide. He will give me either more Light or a helper who has what is needed. My job is to trust and use what is given. And to not step out of the Light.

Lord, May your Word continue to supply my Light that I might follow you more closely. Thank you, God.

(Friends, I have had a urinary tract infection so have been flat for a few days. Keep me in your prayers that I might have my strength returned. Thanks so much!)

A friend of God and you, Jo

TROUBLE, TROUBLE, TROUBLE

I love the Book of Romans! Romans 8:39 says,"There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins...none of this fazes us because............ Jesus loves us!" (Word from THE MESSAGE)

These words of Paul are worth carrying around with us either on a note to quickly retrieve from a pocket, or memorized in our heads. My pocket is safer than my head as I have "too much circling around in my head getting all mixed up in there." (almost a quote from a certain candidate for Pres.)

Yes, those words might come in handy in these interesting times. We have always found trouble as well as ease in life. But, we maybe are finding harder times, as many are suffering right now. We may have feelings of hate, or maybe someone hates us. We may have suffered from hunger or homelessness. We may have encountered bullying or backstabbing. We may suffer from darker sins. (Oh, but we must hang on to the love of Jesus!) The USA may encounter within our family systems any or all of these tragedies.

We have had good lives for the most part. We recently hear of kids not getting enough to eat or sleep because they are living in their parents' cars. Food programs at elementary schools are taking this into consideration. If we have young families, we must do what we can to alleviate these problems and help when we can.

We also hear of bullying which can cause irreparable problems. Or back-stabbing, where everyone gets hurt. Then there is always the worst sins that causes bodily harm and even death. The world is NOT a terribly safe place. It is a terribly UNSAFE place. But there is one thing that we can always do; one thing we can always count on. We can always count on Jesus.

Get out that little scrap of paper in your pocket, or find the way clear to the memorized quote of Saint Paul--None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.

We are the Kids of the Creator! We are the Chosen for His Church! We are Jesus' eyes, His hands, His heart! What can we do to ease the pain of someone? How can we feed the hungry? How can we help the homeless? How can I stop the bullying? How can I stop the back-stabbing? What can I do to keep the USA and its wonderful people from becoming the sore spot of the world? Only one thing.........

I am a friend of God.....Jesus loves me........ Jesus cares about all these others.....Lord God, May I be fit for the endeavors we may need to make for ourselves and others in the hard times to come. I cherish your love for me and will remember what you endured for me. May I be fit to serve you.

Your loving friend,

Jo

CAN YOU HEAR/SEE HIM?

Many have a desire for God, to see Him, or hear Him, in various ways: In the beauty of the desert and desert sky, in the hymns sung in church, in a loved one's smile, a baby's laugh. God is all over the place and there should be no problem with His appearing or His voice as they both are all around.

However, what I wonder about is does anyone see or hear Christ in me? It's not the first thing we might ask, or tell, another person. And sometimes I think I am so stuck in my individuality that God cannot find Himself in me! I know you're not supposed to put yourself down..we are after all created by the Master so I am not junk! But I am....me! And I do know how far from the "bar" I often fall!

This morning, from 2 Corinthians 2, the reading in The Message said, "We stand in Christ's presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can." Paul, of course, is speaking to himself and others who take it upon themselves to alert the world of Jesus Christ, Savior and Messiah. Paul, filled with the Spirit of God, spoke always of the church and its duty to present God to the world.

Who we are and what we have to say is at all times to be a revealing of Who God Is.
Paul told us it was a huge responsibility, and I concur...with fear and trembling. No one is competent to take this on...... without the Spirit of God.

So, in all I do and in ways I do not yet know possible, I desire to reveal the presence of the Holy Spirit to those I meet and serve. Knowing that what makes me special is from God and the only reason I consider myself adequate for what God wants of me. I do so desire to be a revealer of Christ!! And I pray in my ordinariness that the Lord might make others wonder about what makes me tick and discover the One who is my Lord.

This I pray. I want you, too, to see Him and hear Him in everything around you, even in me...even if you never hear His name or see His face.

All for God's glory...JO

GOD SAYS, LISTEN AND KNOW!

I wonder if Job ever regretted all the things he said and did while being tested by the Devil. I think...yes, he must have. There was a lot of pride in and among his words to his friends, and also words which were spoken so that God would also know how he felt.

Have you ever experienced an "ah hah!"? Why on earth did I say that? What do I do now? "Do nothing..," might be the best answer. But me? I cannot let it rest as I feel when I have misused others, I need to make peace the best I can.

It's a rather long story and takes place about 2-3 years ago. We were going to church in a school which had been part of a new Church. The people who started the church were made up of folks from two other churches and a wonderful woman pastor with great vision. It was an exciting time. I loved making calls to visitors and encouraging then to return.

I was asked by the pastor to do an exciting new job and got busy learning it. Right away, I should have known something was not quite right when I was asked to help the pastor present the workings of the church to the leader's group and at the teaching session I was ignored. I never asked "why?"

Soon, there were other instances of not fitting in. Part of my new job was to visit the small groups and see how they were doing. That, too, was not received well by those I was visiting. But nothing was ever said to me, and I was truly in the dark. I was finally asked to quit. And there came a time of feeling I had failed and that others were glad I was gone.

We stayed in the church. I was hurt, sometimes angry, and decided to forget the past. On my own, I went ahead without permission and made banners, brought flowers for the altar, bought items for communion, started some Sunday morning Life Groups, and was ever present, not realizing that I was causing frustration to some and anger to others.

We finally left the church as it was way too far to drive for us oldtimers and it didn't become the church we had imagined it would become. We are happily ensconced at a church close by which has the expected church heirarchy and I do nothing without clearing it first with the powers that be.

Then, the last two days of journaling has given me a real kick in the pants!!!
Yesterday, Job spoke in chapter 34, verse 32 (from THE MESSAGE) "Teach me to see what I still don't see." and today's 1 Corinthians 8:7b, "Knowing isn't everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as "Know-it-alls who treat others as Know-nothings."

I rest my case. Little did I know why I felt like I was around enemies when in reality, perhaps they saw me as the enemy. I have prayed in my journal yesterday and today. Yesterday's was answered today. Yesterday I asked that God would reveal
those things I still didn't understand. And today He revealed so much. He revealed the reverse side of my pain and showed me how I may have caused pain to many others by being overly enthusiastic and ambitious, and certainly, prideful, even in my hurt.

Paul may have at some time or another done just what I did--in common words, "took over." I say that beause he really KNEW when writing to Corinth, "Knowing isn't everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others as know-nothings."

I am putting these journal entries into my blog so all will know how truly sorry I am. I have no excuse, no "Yah,but." I truly pray with hope and faith that I have learned my lesssons in pride, being overly enthusiastic, and insensitive to the feelings of others. Please forgive me.

In your service always, jo

WATCH OUT! GOD'S GIFTS HAVE A BACKSIDE!

Acts 23 was part of my morning today and doggone if it didn't pop up and say "read me." Paul, who later became known as a saint, started a discource with the Jewish Council in Jerusalem and said, "Friends, I've lived with a clear conscience before God all my life, up to this very moment." They began to listen, but then they pounced on him trying to catch him in some wrong act so they could kill him.

Why were the Jews so anxious to kill Paul? I mean, he had only taken over their religion, insisted on Jesus being the Son of God and the Saviour of the World!! Plus,they were accused of being responsible for his crucifixion!

The Captain of the Roman Army also was determined to find the reason why the Jews wanted to kill Paul and that is why Paul was brought before this council. But Paul was a learned man as well as a determined man and not only did he believe in Jesus, he believed he had been chosen to take Jesus to the world!

I find it interesting that Paul, even knowing that he was notthe leader of the Jewish people, he led them. He led them in so many ways, but primarily in the growth and strength he was given for the witness of Jesus Christ. He didn't back down from this knowledge even although he was originally against Jesus' Way. After he had been shown his error, he now believed in Christ with all of his heart. He knewwhy he was born and for what or who he must die. Yes, his conscious was clear. It was clear because he expected others to find fault with what he was doing because what he was doing had been expressly directed by Jesus himself!And who would believe that?

If you remember more of Paul's story you will know that he was not always seen by others to have earned a clear conscious. He was thought to be stubborn, inflexible as to who was eligible to become a Jesus person, preachy, interfering, proud, insensitive, and determined to do things his way. Yet he was loved by many, even by most, which brought out jealousy sometimes in those around him.

How the Lord must have loved him! And how much the Lord had to forgive him, for his certainties appeared as thoughtlessness on occasion to others. Yet his conscience was clear!

And this is where my rubber met the road. I saw I had situations in my life somewhat like Paul. God gave me talents without restrictions, like Paul. But, restrictions need to be taught by others, like they were in Paul's case. But I didn't get it! I didn't recognize the back side of my gifts! I didn't see how some of the things that I requested of people, some of my efforts,and my determination might lead to resentments. Who did I think I was? Who made me the leader?

If you have the gift of hospitality, let your pastor know you will welcome the opportunity to use it if he or she pleases. If you are blessed in leadership, think the same. Be watchful for any negative thought or pattern. Then most importantly, let it go. The only blame you might accept is you haven't been aware of its backside.

It is too late for me to change those situations, too late. I can only see in retrospsect how different those times might have been. And because I can see, I can take a deep breath of gratitude for God's leadership throughout that time and beyond.

Today, I am blessed by God's energy among so many. I know I am forgiven for being hurt by the attitude of others in the past, not being aware that much of what occurred was a natural part of my learning how to love and forgive others and myself.

Praise you Lord Jesus for all you teach..and for your loving spirit always!!

Thanks for listening! jo

ARE YOU WITH ME?

All my journaling thus far has been from THE MESSAGE. And I will probably continue using it in the months to come. Yesterday I ran across a passage in Acts 4, verses 25 and 26, as follows:

Why the big noise, nations?
Why the mean plots, peoples?
Earth's leaders push for position,
Potentates meet for summit talks,
The God-deniers,the Messiah-defiers!

They did meet long ago--Herod and Pontius Pilate met with nations and peoples, even the leaders in Israel itself. And the result? The crucifixion of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Was anyone in prayer about that meeting? The deciples?

Now, generations later, we have big noise again from Messiah-defiers. Now is the time for all good men and women to come to prayer. We must pray like we have never prayed before. Pray that God will have His way among us, and that whatever way He chooses, we will obey with faith. These are times of unsteadiness which means all the more reason for faith. I would prefer peace. No war sounds perfect. But I give my choice, my preference, up to the Lord and whatever way He leads me, I will follow. Maybe my heart will be in my throat, but I will follow.

Is anybody with me? You can find me on facebook .

Until we are all together at least in Spirit,

Jo