Peter’s Posts

James 4

I abruptly left off in verse 6 yesterday. It was an unusual morning, there was a baby asleep in the bedroom off the kitchen and my truck was on loan so I scrambled for a ride and for food and for the liquid of life, (aka coffee) and for quiet, for me and the sleeping baby.

Plus I kinda chickened out of the next verses. I will quote them using the message because it makes more sense to me. Besides it uses the word graffiti. First we’ll talk about how to deal with temptation.

“7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.”

Say no. Yell no, then run. Do not run away, but run to God. I tried this the other day. I told God exactly what I was being tempted by. And then I napped. That is not a practical way to live my life 98% of the time but that day? It was just what I needed.

“11-12 Don’t bad-mouth each other, friends. It’s God’s Word, his Message, his Royal Rule, that takes a beating in that kind of talk. You’re supposed to be honoring the Message, not writing graffiti all over it. God is in charge of deciding human destiny. Who do you think you are to meddle in the destiny of others?”

I was driving home last night and some one to my left didn’t yield to my right of way, then didn’t signal or stop at the stop sign. I didn’t either but this is not about me, or is it. How many times have I pronounced judgement on the terrible driver in front of me while being guilty of the same mistakes? What if I take s broader picture of my life? Can I condemn someone when I am guilty of the same or worse? I will try to leave the condemning to our gracious and merciful God, who knows men’s hearts.

“13-15 And now I have a word for you who brashly announce, “Today—at the latest, tomorrow—we’re off to such and such a city for the year. We’re going to start a business and make a lot of money.” You don’t know the first thing about tomorrow. You’re nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. Instead, make it a habit to say, “If the Master wills it and we’re still alive, we’ll do this or that.”

16-17 As it is, you are full of your grandiose selves. All such vaunting self-importance is evil. In fact, if you know the right thing to do and don’t do it, that, for you, is evil.”

Who knows what a day will bring forth? No one. No one except God. Honor God in our plans and in our speech.

Knowing the right thing to do and not doing it? That’s just as wrong as doing wrong thing. Sin. Sinning and repenting and being forgiven. That is the Christian Life.

(Originally posted 11/24/15)

James 4

This book is really about practical living as a Christian.

“You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

Just because I’m a Christian doesn’t mean I now need or want for nothing. We live in a world of stuff and we actually need some of it to survive. How many of my needs are just wants with my Sunday suit draped over them?

“4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”

Friendship with the world, the systems and cultures, makes us enemies to God. The world and its systems run counter to the way the Christian system works. In order to be great in Gods kingdom we must become servants, slaves.

We can’t have dual citizenship. We are either a displaced citizen of heaven living in the world or we are a citizen of the world with no access or entrance to heaven.

Citizenship is about loyalty and allegiances. Whose am I? Who is my master? Who can tell me what to do? Sometimes it’s not by a direct order but by cultural influence.

Jesus is my Lord if he can say go and I go, do and I do, stay and I stay don’t do that and I stop doing that. How am I doing with this? I fail sometimes. Grace, Jesus forgiveness covers over my failures.

(Originally posted 11/23/15)

I finished reading through the Psalms. I actually finished yesterday but I read through the last 3 again today.

148 is great because it reminds all of Gods creation from sea creatures to stars to praise the Lord.

Why?

“13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

14 And he has raised up for his people a horn,[b]

the praise of all his faithful servants,

of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord.”

Gods horn was the psalmists’ hope. That “horn” we know today is Jesus. Our hope is in Gods son Jesus. Our hope for forgiveness, for freedom, for life both here and in eternity is all in Jesus. This hope is not disappointed.

psalm 149 has a different reason to praise God, still valid but not as light and hopeful.

“6 May the praise of God be in their mouths

and a double-edged sword in their hands,

7 to inflict vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

8 to bind their kings with fetters,

their nobles with shackles of iron,

9 to carry out the sentence written against them—

this is the glory of all his faithful people.

Praise the Lord.”

There is a day coming when evil will be punished. God will set things right. Injustice will be punished. God is watching everyone and everything. The pain that I have caused, the rules that I have broken, the people that I have hurt, the damage I have done? All these things are under the covering of Jesus’ forgiveness. Somehow God will set it right and I will not be punished because Jesus took my punishment upon himself. His beating and death on a cross should have been mine. But he loved me enough, loved us enough, to die in my, in our place.

Psalm 150 ends with an admonition.

“Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,

praise him with the strings and pipe,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.”

If I am breathing? I should be praising. God is always, eternally and in each moment of my life, worth praise.

(Originally posted 11/23/16)

My wife Mary is the queen of Christmas. You need not bow, she is very humble and discreet about her royal personhood. I say that facetiously, what I mean is that she loves Christmas. Our sons-in-law have been blessed and surprised by experiencing a Mary Loeffelbein Christmas. They thought they had celebrated Christmas before they married into our lives but then they joined us for our celebration and each one has said that Mary takes celebrating Christmas to a new level.  Every year our tree is spectacular. Every space is filled with beauty but it never looks overdone. Our house gets decorated so that no matter where you look, there is a sparkle and a reminder that this season is special, that we are about to celebrate a very big event. When gifts come out her generosity and thoughtfulness can sometimes be life altering.

Mary loves Christmas because Mary loves Jesus. Mary loves Jesus because he gave himself for us. He came to earth to give himself as a gift, as a ransom for us all. So what happens to all the love and joy and sparkle after Christmas? In Mary’s heart and in our home, even when we stuff the christmas tree back into its box, and all the bits and baubles get put away, the love and joy stay. Even after all of the presents are unwrapped and used up, His presence, his Spirit, are present. It was because of this that Mary wrote her song “The Whole Year Long”.

Please click on the link and listen. If you like the song, please share it wherever and whenever you can. We want the world to hear the message, that Jesus came not just for a Christmas holiday, but to be with us the whole year long.

 

I am a sinner.

I am a Christian.

I still occasionally sin.

I believe in Jesus, I believe in the Bible and try to follow God. Jesus summed up the rules. 1- Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, all your soul, all of your mind and all of your strength and 2- love your neighbor as yourself.

I fail in various and numerous ways.

Yesterday I really wanted to beat someone up. There’s a person in my life who behaves in a way that is like fingernails on the chalkboard of my soul. I wanted to slug, slap, hit, kick and beat that person until they stopped behaving in the way that was annoying me.

I did not do it but it was in my heart to do it. I even briefly fantasized about how it would feel. I guess you could say that I hated them. Jesus said that hating someone in my head is the same as killing them because it comes from the same place in the heart. Hating someone breaks rule number two.

What am I to do?

Psalm 51 discusses sin and repentance. I was prompted to read it today in my devotional guide.

“Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

Psalm 51:7-17 NLT

If My heart is repentant this morning, God will wash away the stain of my sin. He will create in me a clean heart. He will restore my relationship with him, he will refresh his presence in my life with his Holy Spirit.

God I repent of my anger and ask you to forgive me. Clean my heart, that place where I plotted evil, clean that out and fill up the space with you, your Holy Spirit. I want to tell others about your goodness so restore me to right standing with you and with that person that yesterday I wanted to hurt. May I see them as you see them. I forgive their fallenness because you have forgiven mine.

Mary’s Dad Harold Ledgerwood was Mary’s second biggest fan, (second only to me) although he was her first and biggest supporter, (until I came along). Her Dad loved a song that Mary wrote a long time ago. The song is called “Glory”. It was on the list to be recorded on her first album but got bumped by others on the list. Harold was a little miffed that his favorite song didn’t make it onto the CD so we made a half hearted promise that if we record another album, it will be on there. Harold passed away before we got the recording done. We are confident that Harold is now in God’s presence surrounded by His Glory.

If you have a couple of minutes to spare, please click on the link and listen to Mary’s song Glory, the reason we started the recording that ended up being called “The Whole Year Long”. If you like the song, please share this. You folks are our sound sample distribution network and we so appreciate all of you who listen and share these links.

For all of you you listen, like and share, Thank you.

This morning I read Psalm 146. The psalms even cover and/or apply to post election pre-holiday America.

“1 Praise the Lord.[a]

Praise the Lord, my soul.

2 I will praise the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3 Do not put your trust in princes,

in human beings, who cannot save.

4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;

on that very day their plans come to nothing.

5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord their God.

6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,

the sea, and everything in them—

he remains faithful forever.

7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed

and gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets prisoners free,

8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,

the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,

the Lord loves the righteous.

9 The Lord watches over the foreigner

and sustains the fatherless and the widow,

but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

10 The Lord reigns forever,

your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.”

As christians, We have a mission. It hasn’t changed since Jesus left to prepare a place for us. We are to let the world know about Him.

After Jesus rose from the grave and before he ascended into heaven he left us with these words, “4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In light of the election don’t lose hope. In light of the election don’t put your hope in the wrong person. In light of the fact that we are alive today let’s remind ourselves of who is King no matter who is president and let’s get on with our mission. Who can I tell about What Jesus has done in my life? How can I live to best show the change in my heart? Remember that we can be empowered to be his witnesses.

Just a reminder about how we should treat our leaders, Paul wrote this to his young pastor friend Timothy: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”

1 Timothy 2:1-6 -NIV

And as the psalmist started and ended his song, Praise the Lord!

(Originally posted 11/21/16)

We are 2000 years plus into the new era. For Christians it is easy to take for granted that God would come to earth and visit us. Sometimes it is easy to accept without much thought that he would come as King and creator of all of creation and yet be born in a most humble state. Born to peasants and sleeping in a barn, his cradle a feeding trough.

Mary’s song “God with us” starts out with our grandchildren singing “Away in a manger” and then Mary and our son Aaron Loeffelbein sing Mary’s song.

As I listen I try to take away the 21st century knowledge of the event and listen with fresh ears to the message that God has come to live among us. It was and is miraculous.

Click on the link to listen for free. If you like it, please share. We are using you folks that read these posts as our free sample hosts to spread this music out to ears that are longing to hear some good news, God with us.

James 3

“Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.”

Today’s chapter starts out with this statement, and it’s true, I am a sinner, I mess up. I should probably not be doing this. I don’t have it all together. In my posts I quote the Bible so there will always at least the words of the Bible, it is truth you can trust in. Listen to what the bible is saying, that’s the part that isn’t flawed. The rest is me telling you how I am applying the words of the Bible to my life.

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

The tongue, the fingers, in my case, the heart and brain behind what I communicate. Not many People hear me speak but there are a few who “hear”my thoughts by reading my words here. My buddy Steve Selig gets to hear my unfiltered rants. We ride together to and from work. Work can be frustrating and difficult. I have said things, things that hurt, things that defame, things that are destructive. I am fortunate to have a good Christian friend who can listen to me without judgement but who can correct or redirect me back to the life of a Christian, the life of forgiveness and mercy, for others and for myself. We can’t unsay something like we can’t Un-ring a bell. We can’t un-splash a pond. So it is with our words. There is forgiveness in Jesus and there is value in guarding what we say, carefully considering the words. There is no back button in speech.

“13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Using Gods wisdom can result in people turning to Jesus to have their sin forgiven, a harvest of righteousness. I am one of those flawed yet forgiven people. Will you accept Jesus gift of forgiveness today? Today is the only day we get. Yesterday is gone and tomorrow never arrives. We have today. What will we do with it?

(Originally posted 11/20/19)

I read Luke chapter 15 yesterday. It is a collection of 3 parables. All 3 talk about something lost and the seeker of the lost thing. The most famous of these is the prodigal son. For some reason on this day I was captivated by the first story, the lost sheep.

“4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

Luke 15:4-7 NIV

I have been that lost sheep. God sought me out and found me and gathered me up and carried me back home.

Where are you today? There are only two options, in the sheepfold or out of the sheepfold. If you are out, God is seeking you, not to punish you but to gather you up and bring you back to the safety of his flock.

Later on in Luke Jesus says this about himself and mission “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Luke 19:10 NIV

When we decided to record Mary’s second album we already knew some of the challenges of recording independently. One big challenge is there is no distribution network and there is no support or promotional platform. Last year when we released the CD we did a couple of concerts. This year Mary is doing some local spots. I decided to post a song from her album at least 5 days a week from November through December. I just want folks to hear the music that rings through our house all season long. The album is called “The Whole Year Long” because the message of Jesus is not just for December and Christmas but it is for every day and every season. The message is that God loves us so much that he sent his one and only son to die for us, to pay a debt of sin that we cannot pay, and that payment enables us to become God’s children, to be adopted into his family and live with him forever.

Please take a couple of minutes and listen to Mary’s title track, “The Whole Year Long”.

If you like it, please share it with a friend.

James 2b.

Or not 2b. That’s not the question.

“14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

Can a we have a saving faith in Jesus without it changing our behavior? Is our faith in Jesus real if it doesn’t prompt us to act on the behalf of those around us with needs that we can meet? Real faith will change us. Real faith will not only cleanse our hearts, cleanse our minds, break chains from the past, change our thoughts and emotions but it will also cause us to do. Do stuff. Do stuff for people. Otherwise this faith in Jesus is not faith but an idea about or an opinion of Jesus. It’s not faith in Him until it grabs ahold of us and we start sharing the love we have been given with others.

The 2 examples James gives us, Abraham and Rahab acted on what they believed and showed by their actions that their faith in God was real.

At the end of the storm in Spokane this week there were 206,000 people without power. No heat, no way to cook, no lights, no refrigerators. 2 of those households are my kids. I’m not sure how I will help but can it be just “stay warm guys, love ya”? How will I help? How will my faith take action? (This was 3 years ago. I didn’t get an opportunity to help)

Where can I help?

Closer to home I have friend who has appliances that aren’t working and can’t afford a repairman. Will my faith move me from my couch to my garage to get my tools and to his house to help?

“26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

It is cloudy and cold. The days are short and the nights are long. The leaves have fallen and the flowers and vegetable gardens are all finished for the year. There is no color, except for the monotone bland grey-ness. What can save us from all this winter blah?

Snow.

Please click and listen for free to the cute little song co-written by my granddaughter Molly and my wife Mary. Performed by Molly and Mary.

James 2

“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

Maybe it’s contagious. This wealth thing. We tend to want to hang out with wealthy people. Remember the show “lifestyles of the poor and destitute”? No wait, that wasn’t it, it was the “rich and famous”. Our human nature wants to associate with wealth and success. Could it be that we think it might rub off? At the very least, rich people have cool stuff. Cool stuff is fun and expensive and so it is rare. Hanging with rich people we might get to play with their stuff. But human nature is almost always counter to Christian belief and practice.

The kingdom of God is upside down to the world. Our king laid down his life and died for us. Our king washed his friends feet. Our king never had a palace or a throne or a scepter. Our king was born in a barn and slept in a feeding trough. Our king carried his own cross.

Christianity is counter cultural and sometimes counter intuitive. It doesn’t always make sense.

“5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are blaspheming the noble name of him to whom you belong?”

Favoritism = adultery = murder. That is not good math. Not in my mind. It’s like saying a penny equals a million dollars because favoritism is a penny sin, murder? That’s a million dollar sin. Am I right? No. I am completely wrong. Sin = all other sin. Sin is sin.

“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “You shall not murder.”[c] If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.”

There is hope. Our God is merciful. He expects us, once we have experienced his mercy, to extend his mercy to the world around us.

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

Mercy. Not getting what we do deserve. Grace. Getting what we do not deserve. They are what distinguishes Christianity. That and the fact our savior rose from the dead. Yes, I said fact. Feels harsh to leave it there but I’m going to.

No I can’t. Jesus loves us. He died to wash away our sin. He rose from the dead, ascended into heaven and now He lives to intercede on our behalf. Will  you consider accepting His gift today?

(originally posted 11/18/15)

 

James 1

I said earlier that I would be studying Titus and 2 Timothy next but I read chapter 1 of Titus and it was so similar to 1 Timothy that I felt it may be better to take s one book detour. I felt compelled to read James. So James it is.

This was written by James, Jesus’ little brother. He was a leader in the Jerusalem church which was at the time, headquarters for the entire church.

“2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

Right away we are slapped with 2 counter cultural statements. Be joyful when being tried and believe in someone we can’t see. Not only believe that they exist but also believe that they can do what you are asking of them.

There is so much in this chapter. That I will take two days to cover it.

The next statement is not only counter cultural but counter intuitive. Getting rich and having lots of stuff gives us a lower status as s believer than being poor.

“9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.”

The one who possesses lots of stuff is in turn possessed by the stuff. You have to take care of it, house it, maintain it, care for it. There is much to be said for a simple life. Living simply by choice is different than being made poor by circumstance.

We have been poor. God provided everything we needed.

I am off subject.

“12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

The trial that James speaks of here is believing in Jesus even if that means losing everything we possess, up to and including our lives, because we believe in Jesus. At that time in Jerusalem People were being told to renounce their faith or die. Many died. They would first lose their family, be thrown into prison, all of their belongings would be taken away and at the end of that they would face the question, do you believe in Jesus? If they renounced him they would get it all back. If they continued to believe they will be killed, by stoning, beheading or by crucifixion.

How is this like the world we live in today? It’s a reality for many Christians.

Here is what I believe. Jesus, he really lived, he really died, he really came back from the dead. He really ascended into heaven and he really is coming back to get us. He did all of that because he loves us and wants to spend eternity with us. His death paid for our sin, when he came back to life he showed his power over death.

This confession may cost me my life someday but it gives me eternal life from today onward.

The thing is that being a Christian does not guarantee me anything in this life. Not safety, not wealth, not health. “12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

Mary added three instrumental songs to the list of her Christmas CD, Silent night and Auld Lang  Syne and Wexford Carol. At work I have a new work space and it’s noisy so the company bought me a nice set of noise cancelling headphones. They don’t actually cancel noise unless I play music so I have been listening  to her recordings on a loop since late October. I love all of the songs but her thoughtful and emotional renditions of familiar tunes relax me and help me think. I hope that you will click on the links below and listen. It’s free and it’s beautiful. If you like them, please share. Posting the songs this way is one way we can distribute our holiday presence to the world.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2qYgvFKfjE

Psalm 139

God is watching

“1 You have searched me, Lord,

and you know me.

2 You know when I sit and when I rise;

you perceive my thoughts from afar.

3 You discern my going out and my lying down;

you are familiar with all my ways.

4 Before a word is on my tongue

you, Lord, know it completely.

5 You hem me in behind and before,

and you lay your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

10 even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

13 For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15 My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God!

How vast is the sum of them!

18 Were I to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand—

when I awake, I am still with you.

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!

Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!

20 They speak of you with evil intent;

your adversaries misuse your name.

21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,

and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?

22 I have nothing but hatred for them;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

24 See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.”

God knows us. He is watching over us. Not to squash us like a bug, but to help us. He sent his only son Jesus to do what we couldn’t do. To pay for OUR mistakes.

God loves us. Even as I type these words I wonder if it it’s true for me. I think it is. If it’s true at all it’s true for me too, and you. God is watching over us because he is a good father and he loves us.

(Originally posted 11/15/16. I would say I am more secure in my relationship with God today than I was 3 years ago. But I still identify with those who feel estranged from God. I write these posts to tell whoever will read them that God loves us. God really really loves us. He sent his son to suffer and die in our place just so he could reestablish our relationship with Him.)

God with us. That is a concept that God proposed long ago, before Jesus came. One problem, Our God of the bible is an invisible God. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign: The virgin^[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[c] will call him Immanuel.” God, the invisible immortal, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God, will become a human. Why would God do this? “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Mary used the lyrics of away in a manger and wrote a beautiful new song that contemplates the magnitude of this event, God becoming one of us, God being with us.

The recording starts out with our 4 oldest grandchildren singing “away in the manger” then Mary sings and our son Aaron Loeffelbein joins her.

Please take a couple minutes and click on the link and listen. Enjoy the music and marvel at the message, God with us.  If you like it, please share.

 

I think i May have driven past Jesus on the side of the road.

I saw a sight the other day on my way to work that was so unusual that it almost seems like it was a dream. As I came over a rise I saw a car pulled over on the other side of the road. It was early morning and very dark but the horizon had just started to lighten up. The car appeared to be running, the headlights were on but as I continued on my way and came alongside I saw flames licking out of the front drivers side wheel well. The car was on fire. There was a person standing by the back of the car who watched me as I drove past. I didn’t stop. I don’t carry a fire extinguisher or any first aid gear so i didn’t think i could help. My plan was to reach my destination and call 911. I wasn’t to my destination yet when I saw a fire engine with its lights flashing, whiz past me in the direction of the burning car.

This morning my bible reading took me to Matthew 25. It starts out with the parable of the brides maids, then tells the parable of the talents and ends with the story of the final judgement where The King will separate the sheep and the goats.

He uses their behavior to separate them, the sheep from the goats. He doesn’t mention church attendance or a giving record. What behavior does he use to discern whether a person has behaved like a sheep or a goat?

““Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 25:34-40 NLT

These verses do not specifically mention seeing a burning vehicle on the side of the road. If I take it literally I may excuse myself. But what if I listen to the heart of what Jesus is saying. He says the sheep were the ones who saw someone in need, someone who was among “the least of these” and then did something to help.

Last week I read James 4. I read the entire chapter, all 17 verses. Only one stood out, verse 17.

“Remember, it is a Sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.”

So I drove by a person who was stranded at the side of the road with his car on fire. That is bad and it is also not good. According to my interpretation of Matthew 25, and in the heavenly perspective, that person was Jesus. Whoever the person was, I still don’t know their name but I do know that they were in need and among the “least of these”. Forgive me Jesus for missing an opportunity to help. You saw my need and left heaven and came and lived in time and space and dust and dirt and pain and suffering and then you died to pay for my sin. Because of what you have done, I know what it is to be in need and to be helped. Help me and I will stop and do what I can next time I see a need because of all that you have done for me. Not just on the road to work but on the road of life.

I want to live like a sheep. 

So help me please God.

The suggestion to add this song to Mary’s Christmas album came from an unlikely source. When Mary’s older brother Scott who is a lifetime musician but whose musical tastes tends toward the extremes of genres, heard about our Christmas project, he suggested an old Scottish hymn, Tàladh Chríosda. Traditionally it is sung on Christmas Eve during midnight mass. It is a lullaby written from the mother Mary’s perspective.

Mary sings the first verse in Gaelic.

Please click on the link and listen. If you like it, please share so more people will hear this beautiful rendition of an old Scottish lullaby for the baby Jesus, God, who put on flesh to save us.