Tag: journal

Are you a Pagan?

This year as you prepare to celebrate Easter, ask yourself the question, “Am I a pagan?” Why? Well, i am glad you asked. Let me answer the question of why, with this question, Why would you choose to celebrate Easter over Passover when Jesus is the literal fulfillment of Passover? Although, this year Easter and Passover are close on the calendar the timing misses the mark.

For instance, Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, is closer to the sacrificial lamb’s time than the actual day of Easter. This year Passover begins at sundown on Saturday, March 27, 2021. Palm Sunday is March 28, 2021. So if Jesus was fulfilling the Passover this year, the day you celebrate His triumphal entry is the day in which His body lay in the tomb. This means this year the celebration of Easter isn’t of His resurrection because He would have risen already . . . Rather, it is more in line with the actual festival and tradition of Ishtar and the resurrection of Tammuz.

One must ask themselves, “why would I celebrate a known pagan holiday, when I can celebrate the fulfillment of Passover marked out on a calendar in which God Himself said, “Thus the Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, ‘Now, let the sons of Israel observe the Passover at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall observe it at its appointed time; you shall observe it according to all its statutes and according to all its ordinances.’” (Numbers 9:1-5)

Deuteronomy is clear . . .

29 The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, 30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” 31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. 32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.

God did not intend for His people to blend their worship of Him with those who worship other gods. Time and time again, He expressly instructs those of The Way not to partake of pagan or idol worship. Yet, the church for hundreds of years has done exactly that! i have been guilty myself! It has taken a lot to get to where i am now and of all the pagan celebrations, Easter, for me, is the most egregious. For the simple fact that our salvation in Christ, the reason Jesus was born, every prophecy of His coming, His death, and His resurrection are fulfilled in Passover. Yet, the church has chosen to celebrate Easter, steeped in pagan tradition.

All i want from you is to ask yourself, why? With the push for “One” we are called to be seperate. We are called to be salt and light. Let us rise above the traditions of man and seek to honor God. He has given us great Feasts to celebrate . . . why would we settle for less?

You are loved,

cj

this is The Way . . .

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for thiers is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall recieve mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12)

These are more than just statements; they are a code, a way of life, a call to action, for those of us who would consider ourselves children of The Way. When you break them down word by word and understand the definitions, they take on a more profound life than they already present. Let us begin by understanding the word blessed.

Blessed, by its very definition, sets the stage for each statement. The word means consecrated, sacred, holy, sanctified, and favored. Each of these words deepens the meaning and statement to come. Those that “are the” are blessed. We of The Way, who walk according to these beatitudes, should have a spring in our step, and oomph in our prayers, and a hope rooted in our hearts.

Blessed are the . . .

Poor in spirit, this can be described like this, ‘a steadfast dependence on God’s grace and provision.’ When we understand that without God, we are empty of meaning, we can recognize more clearly that with God, we have a clear purpose. (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Mourn, to feel or express sorrow, even for sin, both personal and that of the world. If we remove sin from the world by worldly morality, there is no sin to mourn. This is a dangerous practice that is more than prevalent in and outside the church. We must remember the WHOLE of Gods word. (Romans 6:1; 6:15; 1 John 3:6,9)

Meek defined is, humbly patient or quiet in nature as under provocation from others. We cannot get into the ‘cancel culture’ that is so big today. We must begin to find ways to speak truth in love. We can be, and should be, angry at many things in this world. However, it must be a righteous anger. (Ephesains 4:15,26)

Hunger and thirst for righteousness. We have to desire God and His righteousness like that of food and water. Without either, our bodies will wither and die . . . the same is true for us spiritually, we need to seek Him above all else. Only then will we be satisfied. (Psalm 34:8; 1 Peter 2:1-3)

Merciful, full of mercy; compassionate, possessing the attribute of mercy; exercising forbearance or pity; not revengeful or cruel; be gracious. First, forbearance is refraining from enforcement, and pity is empathy, sympathetic sorrow for one suffering, distressed, or unhappy. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes before you throw your stones at them. (Psalm 41:1)

Pure in heart, like the heartfelt plea of David in Psalm 51, “create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me.” We must desire a life free from anything different, of inferior to the Word of God, or anything that is contaminated by the world. (James 1:27; Hebrews 10:19-25; 2 Timothy 2:22-26)

Peacemakers; a person, group, or nation that tries to make peace, especially by reconciling parties who disagree, quarrel, or fight. It sounds like we need some peacemakers in Washington. We as The Way must begin to breech the conversation even with the knowledge that we will be persecuted! (Romans 12:18; Hebrews 12:14; Psalm 34:14)

Persecuted, to pursue with harassing, especially because of religious or political beliefs . . . If we truly stand on the Word of God, we can expect to be persecuted and even more so as we see the day of the Lord approaching. This should not deter us but embolden us to continue to seek justice and righteousness. (Matthew 10:16-22; 2 Timothy 3:1-5)

We have a message of hope and redemption that the world desperately needs but is becoming increasingly blind to . . . that does not relieve us of our responsibility to share the Gospel. These beatitudes are a road map to life in Christ; we need to begin to live them out! The world needs Jesus. “But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:8-10)

You are loved,

cj

. . . there can be no wrong?

If there is no right, there can be no wrong, and if there is no wrong, then the phrase, “Do what thou wilt, shall be the whole of the law,” becomes completely understandable. The idea of “You do you, or whatever makes you happy!” This first saying, “Do what thou wilt . . .” was that of the person accredited with starting the new age movement we see today. i wrote last week about right becoming wrong and wrong right, and as i have thought about it this week, we are witnessing the transition happen before our very eyes. This should be troublesome for all believers of the Way. Not in a fearful way but in an awakening sort of way. We can no longer sit by . . . our silence, is our consent.

The new age movement uses the terms we use. They will refer to light and that we are all stars and light. But their appetite is selfish. It goes back to the garden, and the tree, and satan. “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” “Did God actually say, . . .?” Satan was a lying serpent then, and he is a lying serpent today. Yet, he disguises himself as an angel of light. This is how Paul describes it in his second letter to the Corinthians. “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.” i have thought about what it would look like to be the light of the world or a lamp on a stand. There are some street preachers here where i live. One guy who has a microphone and speaker stands on a ladder and preaches. Another guy says nothing; he simply walks all over town with a sign that reads very clearly, “Jesus is our only hope.” i don’t feel called to either of those, but there is no doubt that they are being light. One thing is for certain when we are silent to the sins of this world; we are the opposite of light.

We are living in a time in history that i believe was foretold of by Paul to Timothy. “But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” He goes on later to say this: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5; 4:1-4)

This hasn’t only happened outside the Church with the new age mantra, “Do what thou wilt,” but also inside the church, and it is time for the remnant of the Way to “hunger and thirst for righteousness, for (we) shall be satisfied.” Finally, let me close with Jesus, “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” Matthew 16:24-28

Be the light . . .

You are loved,

cj

“. . . and some as Prophets . . .”

i wanted to take some time and discuss my view on the gifting of or calling of the prophet. The role they play within the Church is enormous, they are appointed and anointed by God, and therefore one isn’t to touch them or condemn them lightly or haphazardly. However, it is essential to know how to discern a real prophet from a false one. We, of course, listen to the true prophet, and we walk away from the false.

Ephesians 4:11-12 gives us the roles within the body of Christ and their purpose. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” It is important to note the why because it emphasizes the importance of not misrepresenting God or speaking presumptuously of one’s own accord or understanding. That goes for any role within the church but has a special place in the life of a prophet.

The Word warns of false prophets and false teachers arising in the last days in abundance and that we are to be vigilant and test everything. Remembering that the Word does say that, “But God chose the foolish things of the world that He might shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world that He might shame the strong;” 1 Corinthians 1:27
This verse definitely should give us pause when judging the appearance of or even the word of a prophet, it may sound foolish, it may seem weak, but God works through it anyway for His glory.

So as hearers of the prophetic Word, we are to be sober minded, eager to listen, but quick to verify, does it line up with God’s Word? Does it advance the Kingdom? Does it bring glory to God? These are real questions and must be asked of the prophecy. However, the primary test is this did the prophecy come to pass? Deuteronomy 18:22 says this, “when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” There are many so-called prophets with specific prophecy problems in that they did not come to pass. Yet, many still listen to them.

There are many with prophecy’s that are still within the realm of possibility, and rather than denounce them outright, i have taken a wait and see attitude. This is because many who have been proven, by biblical test, to have shown themselves to be false prophets, and many of the self-proclaimed prophets align themselves together. Which in and of itself should call into question their prophetic utterances. However, because i am one who understands the anointing and the call of God, i have not entirely dismissed them. With that said, i do pray they didn’t speak presumptuously but did hear from God. Not for any other reason than to advance the Kingdom of God.

Here is my point; we need to hear with an open heart and mind the word of a prophet of God. However, we are to test everything, and if the prophet has spoken out of error, they are not to be heard. We can be forgiving, but we must not give them a blank check to continue to misrepresent God, for that does not advance the Kingdom and the advancement of the Kingdom is the whole reason for the prophet.

You are loved,
cj

The Return of the King!

For those of us of the Way, we eagerly await the Return of the King. No, not the third movie in the Lord of the Rings series, but the actual return of our Lord and King Jesus. So much so that i think we often lose sight of what is to transpire prior to His return. We like to sugar coat things. We want to hope in rescue. We also like to overlook or explain away things like beasts, dragons, and death. Although some are allegorical, much of it is literal, and understanding that is vital as we enter what i believe to be very difficult times ahead.

i know i keep repeating myself there, but i want to share something that has been on my heart for some time. i think many Christians are ripe for being fooled by what’s ahead because many rely on the “news media,” and i use that term lightly, more than the Word of God, for their understanding of current events. That is a problem. A very big problem. They have gotten a good portion of the US wrapped up in the election process and are leading like the pied-piper many to false hope and security. Basing it on one man in an office, we call the president. This is a dangerous road for Christians. Here’s why.

As we get accustomed to seeking man for hope and security, it will make it easier to fall for the coming deception of a man seemingly so great that he appears to solve much of the world’s problems. It will seem right and amazing, fooling many, even if possible, the elect. Why? and How? Because rather than study the Word of God we listen to man, or in many instances, the media. It is time to wake up Church because the great deception is upon us and if we are not dilegent in our study and understanding of the Truth, we will fall for the lie.

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 ESV

i know what many of you will say, “this occurs after the rapture.” Well, i have a different view of the rapture as i do not believe it occurs until the end of the great tribulation. If i am wrong, and i don’t mind being wrong on this point, then great. However, if you are wrong and you are not prepared to endure till the end as often referenced in Scripture, you will be more susceptible to following a man. That is why i write this. For you see, the first “man” on the scene in Revelation isn’t Jesus, but the beast, and this is where the allegorical story comes in.

“It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming His name and His dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” Revelation 13:6-9 ESV

The second one on the scene is the false prophet who deceives many into worshiping the first beast. See Revelation 13:11-18. Here we read about the mark of the beast and the idea of buying and selling being limited to only those who have the mark. Many are not prepared to endure or to suffer or to die . . . and i fear that the church has been lulled to sleep of what is before us. i do not believe it is either of our potential presidents; let me make that clear. However, it is the idea that we are being “programmed” in a way to accept the idea that in man, we have the answers we need.

Here is my main point, be diligent, keep your eyes on Jesus, keep your oil lamp full! As we continue into uncertain waters, do not grow weary, do not lose faith, do not put your hope in man, but do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.

We are going to be launching a weekly email that will emphasis spitiual insights on developing stories around the world. You can subscribe here.

You are loved,

cj

Life in a tiny apartment

R.O.U.S.

This morning my downstairs neighbor told me she thinks we have a rodent between the floors because when i am gone, she can hear gnawing. “When you leave that rodent comes out and gnaws on wires or something for hours,” i suggested it may be Shiloh, my mini Aussie, gnawing on his bone, he has two really yummy bones; not that i would know, they just look yummy. Anyway, she did not agree. Growing up, we lived in several apartments. One thing about them is everything, every noise, anytime you drop even a pin; it’s like setting off an atomic bomb or something. Knowing this i attempt to walk softly and minimize my clumsiness. When Shiloh does enjoy his bone, he uses his paw to press it firmly to the floor so that he can, well, gnaw on it. i am fairly certain this is the rodent.

my bike was stolen from my porch or deck or landing, whatever it’s called. i was away, you know if you have read any of my previous posts, at my parent’s home. When i returned, it was the first thing i noticed. It had a tire lock on it and a flat tire, so i am not sure how they managed to run off with it, but one thing is for sure, they did not ride off into the sunset. i hope they needed it, Jesus said, if someone steals your coat, give them your tunic as well. Basically, a tunic is a shirt, so if someone steals your coat, give them your shirt as well. In this instance, i should probably put a sign on my deck that says, “here is the key to the lock on the bike you stole.” Maybe add a footnote, “thanks for being my final excuse not to ride it.”

my apartment is so tiny it is like a studio; only it has a wall between the bedroom and the living room. i lived in a very small apartment when i first moved to Wasilla, AK. It was two bedrooms and although the square footage is probably not much more than this place . . . it now feels like a mansion in comparison. Have you ever seen the sketch, Joe’s Apartment? i am not recommending it, i just remember bits of it from my younger years. i don’t even know what the premise was except that Joe, the guy living in the apartment, had made a bond with the many roaches residing with him. Except for the fact i keep my home clean, and i don’t have roaches, and my name isn’t Joe, it’s basically the same thing. Although, it does appear that i have at least one R.O.U.S. that comes out when i leave. So who knows maybe a T.V. Show in the works, “cj’s apartment.”

Why am i telling you these random things? Well, here goes; You never know what life is growing to throw at you. One minute, a family, a big house, and the next . . . um, not, that. One could easily give up, some do, but the story doesn’t have to end there or here. Each day, every moment really is another opportunity to see the good, to choose joy, to do what is just, to love mercy, and to walk humbly. A lot of introspection has and is going on in my tiny apartment. i suspect that will continue for some time. The one constant in my life, Jesus, i know He will always be with me. His mercy is new every morning, and His love is sure.

Here is a final note, don’t put your hope and your joy and your worth in possession, or influence, or others, YOUR WORTH is in knowing the LORD and in His presence, period.

“”Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew‬ ‭6:25-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

You are loved,

cj

A Healing Touch

A Healing Touch

The power of physical touch. Spiritual intimacy, and the hope that is in Christ Jesus. Scripture is full of stories of healing. In the majority of those stories, a human touch is involved. There is also a face to face conversation. i can think of only one story where Jesus says, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” Matthew 8:13 This was the Centurian who pleaded for the life of his servant. Jesus offered to go to the man’s house, but, in the end, healed the servant without going. At the moment, i can not think of another instance where there wasn’t some form of touch involved in the process of healing.

Now i am not saying that it is required, i am only raising the point that it seems pretty clear that we are physical people, and therefore a physical touch goes a very long way. Take the women with the issue of blood.

Luke 8:43-48 English Standard Version (ESV)

43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians,[a] she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter[b] said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

This woman needed to touch Jesus, not because it was the only way to receive healing, but rather, it was the step of faith reaching out in human touch. There are many instances of healing, Jesus laying on of hands, and each one is a miracle that shows God’s faithfulness. It also reveals humanity’s need for the physical, for the spiritual touch of the divine nature that dwells in us, as we are created in the image of God.

We are living in a time that humanity is lockdown. There are people in hospitals who, although they are getting the human medicines they are missing the touch of the divine, brought in through the personal impressions of those we know and love. We were created for this type of intimacy. God said, “Let us create man in our image.” We are created in the image of the Divine. No wonder scientific studies show the healing power in touch. Here is an article that supports this idea of skin to skin contact with preemies and how critical a loving touch can be. Although this article is on preemies it is clear even in the article that this idea stretches well beyond birth.

So naturally, with lockdowns and the lack of personal touch from loved ones to those sick and or recovering from surgery is leading to great heartbreak. Whether slowed recovery or even death, that perhaps could have been avoided by the power of human touch. And not the touch of a doctor or nurse in the line of duty, but a sincere touch of love, hope, faith, a touch of the divine nature through a loved one. We have been forced to phone calls, and although voices are great there is something about presence and touch.

my mom is recovering from surgery. We haven’t been able to see her. We hear her voice, she hears ours, but there is something missing that i can only explain as the intimacy that exists between the spiritual touch. Today, we were able to make a Zoom call with her. It was absolutely amazing. It did lift the spirits of everyone. Earlier that day, my mom was at a low point. Healing was going slowly, the road to recovery seemed bleak, long, rocky, and insurmountable, “I feel like I am withering away,” were the words from her mouth. We were rightfully concerned. The face to face call, although not physical, touch was spiritual in its connection. Everyone felt it, everyone was uplifted by it, most importantly, the one in desperate need of a divine touch was blessed into a new outlook. Hope restored, Faith strengthened,  Love displayed.

We are created for intimacy, for human contact, for divine touch. If you have a loved one who is in the hospital and you are unable to see them personally, do everything you can to reach out and make every moment a spiritual connection in the absence of personal touch. Some ideas, Zoom, FaceTime, Skype . . . make those calls to see each other. But also arrange for a personal touch. Call the chaplain, do you know a nurse or hospital worker? Get them to visit on your behalf. In a time of uncertainty, we must become creative. Finally, pray! Take every opportunity to pray and in praying, remember there is hope for even the Centurians servant was healed simply by Jesus’ words and the man’s faith.

You are loved,

cj

Be Thou my Vision

Be Thou my Vision

i have thought recently that Jesus is my vision. As i describe who Jesus has been to me. This is one of the daily devotional questions i ask myself. It is based on the question Jesus poses to His disciples, “And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” Mark 8:29.  Of course, i would say the same, but also i think of it as if how would i describe Jesus in particular moments of my life. As i have thought about it more and more, this song came to mind, “Be Thou My Vision.'” Here is the first verse.

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light

This verse i think is exactly what i have been trying to express. Be Thou my Vision, may i see what You see, how You see, why You see . . . i desire to know and understand more of God. i don’t want to be one who learns and learns but never understands.

“always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7

Becoming dependent on God to see into the world. So that i can truly love and serve like Him. In Philippians 2:5, it says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” NKJV. To have the mind of Christ, i jokingly made the reference to the whole WWJD phenomenon that was . . . by making my own, HTMOC, which stands for, have the mind of Christ. Although joking, it really isn’t that bad an idea. We should all strive to have the mind of Christ. To have the eyes of Christ. Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart!

You are loved,

cj

We need more Grace in this world . . .

We need more Grace in this world . . .

There is an old song, hymn really, called “Grace Greater Than All Our Sin.” It dates back to 1911, and it is full of . . . well, grace. Here is the refrain:

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.

You know what we lack in these days? You might have guessed it, grace! Just look at the comment section of any hot topic on Facebook or Twitter or any social media platform, and you will see some of the ugliest comments imaginable. Not only that, but you will see that many folks will agree with the comment, judgment, or condemnation. For instance, i was reading an article on the arrest of the Florida Pastor who went against the state orders to not congregate. The comment section was alarming, scary even. Here are some:

“Should arrest all of the people that showed up as well and put them on the front lines without any PPE’s working as volunteers in the emergency room since they clearly don’t think they ‘re going to be affected.”

“Plays right into his favor. He and his followers will delight they are being persecuted for their beliefs, and will count it as a blessing. They will pray harder and sing louder, and most importantly, rejoice they are being persecuted in god’s name and getting coverage.”

“Arrest him, jail him, and gain access to his money. Take away his tax-exempt status.”

“Every fool that attended the services should be last in line for ventilators or ICU beds. The pastor and his wife shouldn’t even be allowed into a hospital parking lot. They can self-heal at home.”

Regardless of how you feel about this or the decision to continue to meet against the government’s orders. The reality is there is a huge lack of grace or compassion expressed in these replies. And that should alarm anyone, believer or non-believer. We must always err on the side of grace. How many times are we to forgive someone? “and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (Luke 17:4) That doesn’t necessarily say that there will be no consequence for the action. It only puts that consequence in the hands of the ones who can enact them. Romans 13:1-2; 1 Peter 2:13-17; 1 Peter 3:13-17 . . .

Here is my point. We need more grace in this world! We need to live out the forgiveness that we ourselves claim in the name of Jesus. We must live in such a way that brings honor and glory to our Heavenly Father. Be more grace-filled today!

Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt,
yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin.

You are loved,

cj

Social Distancing

Social Distancing

Today my friend and i were in Natural Grocers, where we ran into a mutual friend. This friend is a hugger, and so we hugged it out in the produce section. Beside us was a woman with a bag over her hand as she selected her organic vegetables. Another woman in the store was pushing her cart around, gloved, and with a medical type mask on. As we stood with our friend near the apples and talked conspiracy theories and Scripture, i heard over the loudspeaker a plea for social distancing. “For the safety of all our customers, Natural Grocers is practicing social distancing. We ask all our customers to please observe these practices, stand 6 feet apart, and limit contact and touching.” i don’t know if that was said because of us or something that the store just announces ever so often to keep folks aware, but we continued talking. Although we weren’t in each other’s laps, we definitely weren’t practicing social distancing. We did wrap up our conversation a bit later and went about our shopping.

These are some crazy times that we live in! Just yesterday a pastor in Florida was arrested for holding services on Sunday. Today in Louisiana another pastor who held services on Sunday had a warrant issued for his arrest as well.  Both of these pastors ignored the government’s restrictions on large gatherings, based on the idea of social distancing. This applies to all large gatherings, the church is not being singled out. However, these pastors feel that their faith is enough to protect them, and in almost every other case, i would agree. However, here it seems they have ignored Romans 13:1-2 which simply states that we are to honor the government.

Given these two scenarios, my grocery store encounter and these pastors holding services, is either justifiable? To what degree is it proper to follow the directives of the government? Do we, as Christians, have an obligation to adhere to every edict the government has decreed? Given the absolute panic, some folks are faced with in these trying times are we as Christians too loose with our freedoms in Christ?

As we stood talking i could visibly see one of the checkers uncomfortable with our little gathering of 3 persons. Her uncomfortable look made me slightly uncomfortable as well, and so i stepped back a little and over towards an empty case as to make room for shoppers around us; was my freedom and fearlessness out of line at that moment, i wondered. Shortly after leaving the store, we went to another to get one other item before heading home. Here we saw an older gentleman with a mask that had a ventilator. Was he wearing it out of fear or caution?

i have a lot of unanswered questions and more questions every day. i do worry for my family. Am i doing all that i can to keep them safe? As the priest of my home am i leading them spiritually? Am i being enough of a comfort to them or am i adding to any of their anxieties? i don’t have all the answers in all of this . . . but i do know that as i ponder these thoughts i am drawn back to the words of Paul.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews, I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law, I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law, I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak, I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means, I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

We are living in unprecedented times. We can either be paralyzed by them or we can find ways to love others better in them. i choose the latter.

You are loved,

cj