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

BELOVED OF GOD

Psalm 126:1-6 in its entirety: "It seemed like a dream, too good to be true,
when God returned Zion's exiles...We laughed,
we sang. We couldn't believe our good fortune...We
were the talk of the nations--God was wonderful to us...We are one happy people...And now, God, do it again.
Bring rains to our drought-stricken lives..so those who planted
their crops in despair will shout hurrahs at the harvest, so those
who went off with heavy hearts...will come home laughing with
armloads of blessing."

This psalm is a Pilgrim song. There is no author indicated. The people of God
who lived all over Judah, once a year traveled to Jerusalem to worship God at
the Temple. As the walk took several days, they found great joy in singing
together songs to the Lord God, Pilgrim Songs. Psalm 126 is just one of many.

Imagine singing our camp songs! 100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall just doesn't seem to do it for me! No, those devout Jews sang to the Lord their beloved Pilgrim Songs, just like Psalm 126.

This psalm would have been written around any of the times God's people were re-building their temple, God's home. King Cyrus of Persia was one king who granted their return, giving them funds to build with and their own gold and silver that had been confiscated. Imagine their joy at returning. Imagine the joy seeing loved ones returned! Not unlike how we feel when our fighting men and women return after the scourge of war.

Oh, Lord Jesus! Grant that the world can see the love and joy of Christians singing together and praying for one another! What a thrill it would be to be walking together on our separate roads, ready to meet one another at a crossroad. And from that crossroad we can walk arm and arm to meet our Lord God. Beloved of God, let's sing!

I'm an alto. How about you?

Fondly, jo

BREATHE ON ME!

Remember the old hymn "Breathe on me breath of God"? Do you think it originates from Ezekiel 37 and those "dry bones"? Them bones, them bones just laying on that plain needing sinews, muscles, blood and finally, air. How could they be alive without air? How can we be alive without air?

Well, of course we can't. Nor can we be alive in Christ without the breath of God, the Holy Spirit.

So, I'm making this short, and I hope sweet, today. Just like old Ezekiel, I say to myself, "Lord, I need your sweet breath within me. I need it today as I sit at my computer, everyday as I do my journaling and bible reading, when the phone rings or the doorbell, when the dog asks again to go outside, or when my patience is as thin as newsprint. I need your breath. Lord, in. Jo, out. Lord, in. Jo, out." Easy as can be; easier than pie which has never been easy for me.

Still getting caught up from vacation, so need to get up-and-at-em. Hope you missed me a little; I missed you!

Breathing for Jesus, Jo

BUT THE LIGHT OF GOD IS LIFE

The scripture doesn't lie. "God is light, pure light, there's not a trace of darkness in Him." 1 John 1:5

God has no darkness; it is only ourselves that bring darkness into his path. And that is why I found such great comfort in this letter from John. He stresses the truth of what he discovered in his first hand experiences hearing and seeing Jesus in action. John's claim can be tested by others who also come to know Jesus and believe in the message John delivers. There is light in the reading of the message; there is light in the truth of the message. And there is light in the joy of following the message. John discovered it and so might we as we attempt to follow John's path, sharing his life with Christ and the exceptional living to be found in the light of God.

Living in the Light there is no darkness,no dark actions,thoughts, or experiences. Living in God and God living in us there can be no darkness. It is only when we lose our way on the path that we become fearful, and oops! Did somone turn off the lights?

My constant prayer is to always live in Jesus Christ, and thus, in the Light. I pray that God will be merciful if and when I fail to follow the light showing me the better path. I pray that others might find joy in communion with the Son and the Father. And, finally, that they may know the joy that comes from His joy in us and the peace of not having to live in darkness.

May it be so, Lord. Amen

Thanks for listening.

Fondly, jo

THE DARKNESS OF GOD

Based on John 3:36 "The person who avoids and distrusts the Son is in the dark and doesn't see life. All he experiences of God is darkness, and an angry darkness at that."

John was truly loved by Jesus and he truly loved Jesus. Yet I suspect, as John was indeed a human, that John may have known the darkness of God at sometime during his life or he would not have understood about the darkness of God.

I call myself a Christian to the world. But, I still know that whatever I am called, I have suffered from dark days because I avoided and distrusted God right along with the worst men born.

As you, a believer in Jesus, read this you may say, "Well I don't know anything about the darkness of God." And I would say,"Oh, how blessed you are. I hope you are thanking God right now for giving you the belief and trust in Him consistently so that you do not get lost in God's darkness."

All men are given the opportunity to believe, yet many turn away avoiding God, distrusting God and the Word spoken of Him. I grieve for these people and pray for them, hoping they are few. And I wonder-- what is life like for them? Are they even aware that they are living in the Darkness of God, for in God's darkness lay his anger?

Perhaps they are successful, earning great salaries, giving to charities, raising families, certain life will always remain easy. Will they be easily tempted for more success, a larger salary, more style, more successful friends. More, and more, and more.

I'm guessing each achievement would seem somewhat satisfying, but not complete. Each disappointment a tragic downer. Each real tragedy earth-shaking and filled with fear. Joy may come but escape after the first moments, unrecognized. There would be a lack of wonder over a butterfly or no breathlessness over a sunset. A kiss would be to satisfy a need and the moment of love expressed unnoticed. The lack of God would mean the vaguest hope unrecognizable. The lack of God is what brings the darkness of God.

This way, the dark way, is not the Way of God. So much is missing. Having been in the darkness myself because of my lack of trust, I will not venture there again as Jesus is my right hand--and my left. He is all I am. I barely recognize myself these days and happily so. If I venture off the path I've chosen, the way is too dark with never-ending misery.

If anyone you know ventures there, remind them of the Darkness of God and how God does not desires that for us. He desires us to be The Light of the World! Being in the Light who is the Christ, I cannot help but be the Light He desires.

Happily, jo

WILL I WILL MY WILL TO GOD'S WILL?

THe answer? Aftermany years of fighting God, the answer is without doubt--YES!

In reading the Book of James this morning, verse 6 told me, "It's common knowledge that "God goes against the willful proud, but God gives grace to the wlling humble"."

Oh, boy!I guess humans haven't changed much since the era of James. I don't really know if this James was Jesus' brother--I'd like to think so--the head of the new Christian congregation in Jerusalem at the time, or some other James. Whoever he was, he is in the New Testament and the one who puts the heat on about my tongue and what I say. And I think he's right about the tongue and the great harm it can do. So, I pray that my words here today will in no way dishonor God.

It is my opinion that the words about God hating the proud are also true. The words above from verse 6 are somewhat like we might say, "Pride goeth before a fall."
That is probably a proverb, and proverbs in James' day might have hung on a kitchen wall as we might hang the same words. So we're not different from the people discussed in James' writing. "Truth" is good whatever the date. We will always need reminders that having too much pride brings TROUBLE. And having too much pride comes from our willful natures.

Babies are born with strong wills. It's good that they are because their cries are the only way we adults can tell that they are hungry or wet or sleepy. So, friends, in spite of the difficulty and the temptation to stay the way I was born, in order to become the person God wanted me to be, I had to accede my will to God. God was gracious enough to me to teach me about humility. I had to learn not to be so hung up on myself, consider others first, and ask God to direct me to His perfect will. In return, God, I believe, helped me to think like Jesus would, so I could have more assurance in what I was to do. All this learning came over a period of time (and is still "in progress.") When I begin to think my importance is bigger than someone else's, or bigger than God's honor, I'm back into PRIDE. And pride is all the wrong things: arrogance, selfishness, unfriendliness, and not loving at all!

So, I hope you join me in a prayer--for me and if you like, for you.

Lord Jesus, I ask your help in my thinking, in my desires, in my actions, and especially in my heart. I want to have a willing, humble spirit which is willing to love by forgetting about myself, by serving others and thinking of them before myself, to be a friendly helper, with kindness and goodness and to always remember that my will has been turned over to you to become yours, your perfect will. AMEN

So may it ever be! Jo