Tag: Sunday rest and reflection
Sunday rest and reflection: Rest!
Dear Friends,
On this last Sunday of 2024, after reading and writing through the Bible, I can rest because we can finish on time! As I reflect on this journey, I have learned to see Jesus in a fresh way. I feel that I know Him better and have an understanding of His mercy for us. He longs to have fellowship with each of us and desires that none perish or suffer the wrath of God against sin.
We are secure in Christ and can rest today in our salvation and our future. Every promise of Scripture is given that we might escape the corruption in this world and enter the abundance provided by Christ. His power and wisdom exceed anything that we even remotely understand. He is working out His plans to bring everything in heaven and earth and under the earth into harmony with God the Father. He is confident and victorious and we can be too.
Government powers and world rulers are no match for Jesus either. All the armies, nuclear weapons, and political decrees can’t stop Him. Neither can religious deception and humanistic idolatry stop Jesus from destroying all sin and rebellion and ruling with absolute truth and justice. Both the Beast and False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire, where they are tormented for ever and ever! The wicked are judged and get their just desserts!
The end of Revelation is a new beginning! A new heaven and new earth come into being and the righteous bask in the presence of the Lord and dwell with Him for ever and ever! These words are trustworthy and the One who spoke them is Truth Himself! We are so blessed to know these promises and by faith live in them today and for ever! Have a great day of rest!
In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest: Scriptures to reflect on!
Dear Friends,
Welcome to another day of rest! This cycle of working 6 and resting one day is really a gift from God for us! God knows that we really need rest! The rest we need is from trying to work for His approval! In Christ, we are completely approved and accepted in the beloved! Let’s enter this day fully resting in Christ! In our devotion, I have picked out several key scriptures to meditate on today. May you find God speaking to you through His Word!
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” 2nd Corinthians 10:4-5
“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15
“But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.”” “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That’s why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2nd Corinthians 12:9-10
“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test? 2nd Corinthians 13:5
“May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” 2nd Corinthians 13:14
Resting in His matchless love, Pastor John
Sunday Rest: God’s Life-giving Word!
Dear Friends,
Greetings on this wonderful day of rest in Jesus Christ! Here are some great Scriptures to reflect on as we enjoy our time of rest today. It’s simply God’s breathed out Word carrying His Spirit and Life eternal!
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law.” “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13:8,10
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:17-18
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
“Now to Him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made know through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey Him–to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen!” Romans 16:25-27
In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection: Children
Dear Friends,
Greetings on a beautiful day of resurrection rest! Fall is here and seasons are changing with leaves turning color and crops being harvested. Apples are for sale at the orchard and pumpkins are everywhere! We have had a bountiful year and we should overflow with thanksgiving.
As I reflect back over this last week, there is so much that I could write on from Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus was truly the “Christ, Son of the living God”! He demonstrated that again and again to His followers so they could believe and share their faith with others and ultimately reach the world. However, growing to be a mature disciple sometimes requires correction. Jesus’ correction in Matthew 19 arrested me.
“Then children were brought to Him that He might place His hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” “When He had placed His hands on them, He went on from there.”” Matthew 19:13-15
Children are so important in our lives and in the kingdom of heaven. When children are younger, they are more open and teachable. It is the parents’ duty to bring their children to Jesus, to pray for them regularly, and lay hands on them. We must not do anything to hinder them. It seems that the disciples thought that Jesus did not want to be bothered by parents and small children. They rebuked them and tried to send them away because they mistakenly thought Jesus would be bothered.
We need to be sure that we do not make the same mistake! Many in the church appear to view children as a distraction. They don’t want to help with children and work to train them. Children and nursery workers are very hard to recruit and volunteers are hard to come by. Older people seem to feel that they have done their duty or put in their time. Younger parents say that they need a break. Many say that children aren’t their calling and they have no patience with them. We seem to suffer from the same mentality as these early disciples and stand to be rebuked by our Master!
Jesus set a wonderful example for us all! He took time for children. He touched children and prayed for them. He took them into His arms and blessed them. He did not make excuses of having no calling, or being too busy, or having more important things to do. Children are a heritage from the Lord, a reward from Him! (Psalm 127:3-5) They will carry on Christ’s work, should Jesus tarry. Let’s be sure we are not hindering them and that we are praying for them, teaching and blessing them.
In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection: Jerusalem!
Dear Friends and fellow citizens of Heaven,
Greetings on this day of rest! The beauty of the Christian faith is the rest we have because of God’s grace through the finished work of Jesus Christ! We have been adopted into God’s family and made heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. We have been declared righteous and have been justified in God’s sight. We can only rest in what Jesus Christ has provided and dare not add another thing.
As I reflected on the readings this week, I immediately thought of Zechariah’s final discourse on Jerusalem and the importance of this city in the plans and purposes of God. Jerusalem was known as the city of David, the beloved king of Israel, who took the city from the Jebusites. It was there that David made plans to build a house for God and purchased the threshing floor of Araunah for a place of sacrifice. (1st Chronicles 21:18-30) Solomon, David’s son, actually built the temple and Israel enjoyed a time of peace for 40 years during his tenure. (2nd Chronicles 7:1-3) As he dedicated the temple, the glory of the Lord filled the house so that the priests could not enter!
Several hundred years later, God’s people had slipped into idolatry and a shallow religion that brought about their captivity. The beautiful temple of Solomon was destroyed by the Babylonian invaders and God’s people went into captivity. After seventy years, Daniel the prophet read the prophecy of Jeremiah and saw that the time was nearly over and began to pray and fast. (Jeremiah 25:11-12) Jerusalem would be rebuilt and the temple again would stand. Nehemiah and Zerubbabel led the rebuilding efforts and the work went forward. God moved miraculously on the heart of King Cyrus and he supplied the authority and finances.
Prophets Haggai and Zechariah both urged the workers to rebuild the city and temple. God had plans for a greater purpose and glory yet to come! (Haggai 2:9) ( Zechariah 8:1-3) According to Zechariah, Jerusalem would be pivotal for God’s end-time program of judging the nations. (Zechariah 12:1-3) The nations would gather around Jerusalem to seek to destroy it in a final battle. Jesus Christ would come back to Jerusalem and again place His feet on the Mt. of Olives, causing it to split and form a way of escape for God’s people. (Zechariah 14:4-5) Following this great battle, the Lord would be King over all the earth and rule from Jerusalem! (Zechariah 14:9)
“Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, His holy mountain. It is beautiful in loftiness, the joy of the whole earth!” Psalm 48:1-2 In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection-Moses’ psalm
Dear friends of Jesus,
Greetings on this another day to rest and worship! God’s praises have been sung throughout eternity by those whom He has created. Our God is worthy of praise for many reasons! He is creator, redeemer, sustainer, lover of mankind, life-giver, all-powerful, all-knowing, everywhere present, full of compassion for the hurting and weak, protector of widows and orphans, and ultimately the judge of all men and angels!
The oldest psalm in the psalter comes from the pen of Moses, the man of God, who lived about 1500 years before Christ. Indications are that Moses wrote this psalm during the 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses proclaimed God as man’s dwelling place from generations past, back to the very first man! (Psalm 90:1) Moses knew and worshiped God as creator and the everlasting God Who sits above time and history. (Psalm 90:2-4) God is in control of all life and ultimately judges all sin because He knows about all sin. Man’s time on earth is short and full of trouble because of sin and death ends our stay here as a result of sin. (Psalm 90:4-10)
Moses petitioned God for an understanding of our short time here on earth that we might have a heart of wisdom. We need God’s mercy and compassion in our lives in order to understand life. We need God’s love to know how to love and live effectively. Moses asked for God’s blessing and favor on His people, particularly the children. Passing the torch of faith was important to Moses. We all long for lasting significance and fulfilled purpose, and Moses was no different.
As you rest this Lord’s day, thank Him for eternal life and the promises of God we have in Jesus Christ. Moses was wandering in the wilderness experiencing God’s wrath and yet walking by faith. We now have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God and are blessed and favored people. Moses’ psalm gives us food for thought and reason for thanks! Have a great week in the Lord! In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection–prayer
Greetings on this day to rest and worship! The Sabbath or seventh day was made for man to help him recover and center his life again on the source of life. We have a tendency to center on ourselves, our work, our happiness, and to pamper our flesh. This book of Psalms helps us to re-center our lives in the source of life, God Himself.
We are designed with the unique ability to communicate. We can talk to God and hear Him speak to us. Many of the psalms are prayers that are written out as poetry or in the form of a song. Music and rhythm help us express the depths of our soul. In prayer we can share honestly with God our deepest feelings, hurts, fears, and longings. We can express our frustrations and ask for help, guidance, or divine intervention. Some of the psalms flow with troubles and needs. Often, they conclude with a re-centering on God and His ability to save, heal or deliver.
There have been some who advocate only speaking positive confessions about everything in our life experience. They say that if we speak about our troubles or fears, we open ourselves up for Satan to bring us further trouble. These psalms show us that we can be honest with God about our feelings, hurts and pains. We must come back to a good confession of trust in God’s ability to guide and help us, however. We should not live in negativity! Casting cares on the Lord is the right thing to do for it helps us remember God’s great ability to help us and brings us peace and comfort.
Psalm 42 is a great example of a prayer of centering in a time of trouble. Join the psalmist in this prayer of honest sharing of his heart’s needs. (Psalm 42:1-2) Cast every care on Him, He cares for you! (Psalm 42:5-6) Pray about everything, worry about nothing! (Psalm 42:7-8) May the peace that passes human understanding stand guard over your heart and life today and throughout the coming week! (Psalm 42:11) God bless you! In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection–worship
Dear friends, Greetings in the Wonderful Name of Jesus Christ, the One worthy of all worship! When many people think of worship, they think of singing hymns or spiritual songs. Some people think of a church service with a choir, instruments, and people following a worship leader. Whatever your worship ideal, spend time today honoring God in worship and gathering with His people.
Psalms was the temple worship book of the Old Testament Jew. This was compiled over one thousand years of time and represents a variety of authors and different worship styles. Most are poetry set to music and were accompanied by instruments. There were several kinds of musical instruments mentioned for worship. The sounding trumpet was to praise the Lord! The harp was played by King David. The lyre was a stringed instrument, similar to the guitar or mandolin. (Psalm 150:3-4) The flute and resounding cymbals are also mentioned as well as the tambourine. (Psalm 149:3; 150:5)
During times of worship, people might kneel or bow down. Sometimes they stood to honor the Lord and His Word. Sometimes they would raise their hands or clap their hands. They would sing the Psalms or they might sing a “new song” to the Lord that came from their hearts by the Spirit. At other times, they would dance and shout or sing before the Lord with loud voices and passionate dance. David was judged to have made a fool of himself by dancing before the Lord! Sometimes the congregation would be still and simply recognize that God was God. However you want to express your honor and devotion to the Lord will be accepted if it is done in a spirit of humility and true worship. God sees the heart.
May your life of worship, be blessed! We gather with God’s people for worship, but go out to live a life of worship, honoring God in each day with every breath! We sing to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and make melody in our hearts to the Lord, doing everything to His glory!
In His Glorious Worship, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection–suffering
Greetings on this day of rest! As we study Job, we come to understand that God’s ways are different than ours. He allowed suffering even in the life of his finest servants. God, Himself, had declared Job to be blameless. God knew that Job was a righteous man who feared Him and tried to please Him. Job sacrificed to God and prayed for his children.
Wouldn’t life be better and more satisfying if we never have to suffer? What did Job gain from this gruesome experience? We have many questions and few answers. Jesus declared that trouble was to be part of life in a fallen world. (John 16:33) He told his disciples that if they wanted to follow Him, they must take up a cross, implying suffering and death. (Luke 14:27) He warned them that because of Him there would be division and strife in families and between friends. (Matthew 12:51-53) Jesus also warned of great turmoil and wars in the last days and that His followers must be watchful and prayerful in order to escape and stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:23-24) (Luke 21:36)
Jesus, Himself, faced sorrows, suffering and death while He was here on earth. Although He was righteous and truly blameless, He was falsely accused and treated unfairly. Peter declared that when Jesus suffered unjustly, He entrusted Himself to the Father Who would judge justly! (1st Peter 2:23) He never retaliated or answered harshly to those who mistreated Him. He simply fulfilled the purpose of the Father by offering His body as a sacrifice for our sins. (1st Peter 2:24) Peter stated that since Jesus suffered in His body, we should also be prepared to suffer with the same attitude. (1st Peter 4:1) When we suffer in our body, Peter says we cease from sin and focus on living for the will of God. (1st Peter 4:2) We are to rejoice when we suffer because of identification with Jesus Christ. He promises that the Spirit of Grace and Glory will rest on us! (1st Peter 4:12-14)
These thoughts on suffering run counter to the attitudes of the world we live in. Job was suffering because of His righteous trust in God. God’s grace sustained him and in the end he was truly blessed! May we develop the attitude of Jesus Christ towards suffering! In His Love, Pastor John
Sunday rest and reflection: providence
Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings on this wonderful day of refreshing! Every day is a day of refreshing in Jesus Christ, but Christians celebrate a day of worship and rest on the first day of the week because that is the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead! This supernatural event declares Jesus to be the Son of God with power! (Romans 1:4) He stands uniquely above any other person because of this event and their are many eye-witnesses that testified to this truth!
I want to reflect today on the “providence” of God. Providence is a word that seems to mean “chance” or “luck”. But Christians do not believe in “luck”. Our God is sovereign and has the power to bring about His purposes. He alone knows all things. He knows what will happen and how things will happen. He also has the power to make things happen. He is bound by His love and the covenant He made with man and by His own Word. If He has said it, He will do it! He has also decreed that He will hear the prayers of His people and act upon them in a way to bring about their forgiveness, deliverance, healing and prosperity in accordance with His own Word.
In God’s economy, everything will work for good for those that love God and seek Him in prayer. (Romans 8:26-28) He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us to pray according to the will of God! As we pray in the Spirit, He can take that which was meant for evil and turn it to our good. He can take evil men and turn the tables on them! He can bring hidden things to light at just the right time to change the course of history! Esther’s story with that of her Uncle Mordecai gives us glimpses into the miraculous providence of God released when His people pray! Have a great day of rest and may the providence of our Lord fill you with joy and peace! In His Love, Pastor John