Peter’s Posts

The Moon is out.

Psalm 136

“1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.

His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:

His love endures forever.

4 to him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever.

5 who by his understanding made the heavens,

His love endures forever.

6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,

His love endures forever.

7 who made the great lights—

His love endures forever.

8 the sun to govern the day,

His love endures forever.

9 the moon and stars to govern the night;

His love endures forever.

10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt

His love endures forever.

11 and brought Israel out from among them

His love endures forever.

12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;

His love endures forever.

13 to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder

His love endures forever.

14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,

His love endures forever.

15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;

His love endures forever.

16 to him who led his people through the wilderness;

His love endures forever.

17 to him who struck down great kings,

His love endures forever.

18 and killed mighty kings—

His love endures forever.

19 Sihon king of the Amorites

His love endures forever.

20 and Og king of Bashan—

His love endures forever.

21 and gave their land as an inheritance,

His love endures forever.

22 an inheritance to his servant Israel.

His love endures forever.

23 He remembered us in our low estate

His love endures forever.

24 and freed us from our enemies.

His love endures forever.

25 He gives food to every creature.

His love endures forever.

26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.

His love endures forever.”

The moon was God’s idea. The moon, he created it. He spoke into being. There once was no moon or stars but God created them and now they exist and we gaze at them and wonder.

I give thanks to this God, my God who can create moons out of nothing and suspend them in nothing to brighten up my night.

(Originally posted 11/14/16)

Mary wrote a song, I don’t know how long ago it was, and she called it Glory. Her Dad loved that song. Almost every visit to our house, or if we were in a place with a piano, public or private, her dad would request that she play her song Glory. We couldn’t fit it on her first album and Harold was very disappointed but when we did the second one, we knew Glory had to be on it. Unfortunately Harold didn’t get to listen to Mary’s second album.

You get to listen. You can click on the link and listen to the song for free. If you like it, please share.

 

 

1 Timothy 6

“6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare[a] of their slaves.”

Slavery was a reality, just part of life. If a person was enslaved and a believer, they should be the best slave possible. Respect their master, even more if the master is a believer. I am not a slave but I still have people in authority over me. My direct boss is a Christian. I need to respect him and do my best for him and for Jesus who is watching us both.

And speaking of making money:

“6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Money is a reality. We need it to do what we have to do. Even good and Godly activities take money. Money is not the end, it’s a means to an end. For about $15 we can provide a kid whose parents are in jail a Christmas present through Angel Tree. For $30 a month we can support an impoverished kid in a 3rd world country through compassion international. There is Samaritans Purse and shoebox gift program. There is no end to the needs of people. There are people who need help right where we live. Make as much money as we can not so that we have more but so we can give more.

“17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

If I could have a sign off I think this next quote would be it.

“11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

Yes! Amen.

(Originally posted 11/13/15)

My wife Mary grew up in the 60’s and 70’s in the little town of Ephrata Washington. Christmas was about family and fun and food. She wrote a song about one special Christmas that she got to share with her cousins.

Click on the link and listen and linger in the memory and the glowing snow globe-ish wonder of a child’s view of Christmas.

 

I apologize for the grossnicity of this but I have come to the conclusion that we are not fed by what we poop out. We are fed by what we digest.

I recently met with my pastor Rory Lewellyn and we were talking about some struggles I was having. He said that he thought part of my problem was I wasn’t assimilating the word that I was reading. To Paraphrase, I wasn’t digesting the word.

It wasn’t too long after that that God gave me a picture of what Rory was talking about. It was big pile of red poop. On my daily walk I came across a big pile of red poo. Not red with blood, red from whatever the pooper had eaten. Upon closer inspection (not too close) I could see fruit pits, like from cherries.

I read in the book of James this morning. Here is what I read: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:22-27

Read the word, then Assimilate, digest, act on, allow it to change, guide and direct me.

Is the study of God’s word having an effect on me? Is my life changing? Am I doing the basics of caring for those in need around me? Am I guarding my tongue?

Is the word of God in me coloring my life? Or just coloring my “poo”?

Hmmm.

We have a very creative granddaughter. Her name is Molly. She takes piano lessons from her grandma Mary. When Molly was 7 she wrote a little song, just a chorus, about the joy of the first snow. When grandma Mary was putting together her music for her Christmas album she decided to add some verses to Molly’s chorus and then record it. I think it is a delightful song because it captures the childhood joy and anticipation in what can become a drag and a drudgery to adults – snow. The song is called “a white sheet of snow”.

Please click on the link and listen for free. Mary’s album is available to purchase from several different outlets but this morning, just click the link and listen and remember the joy of a wintertime snow. Molly and Mary perform the vocals.

1Timothy 2

“2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

There are no conditions on this urging. It doesn’t say, if he is a good guy, if you like him, if he is treating you well, if you agree with their policies. None of that. Just “pray, intercede and give thanks” for our kings and those in authority. I’ve mentioned my prayer list before. There are no politicians on it. That can’t stay that way. Who needs Jesus’ help more than our leaders?

“5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.”

The reason for Paul to peach and teach. The reason for me type on my phone at at 4:45 in the morning. Jesus loves us, and he died to forgive all of our errors, all our mistakes. Jesus loves me, peter, now you say it, Jesus loves me, ______. It’s true. Jesus loves you.

Next Paul requests that women dress modestly.

Then he says something difficult to understand. “11 A woman[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;[b] she must be quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. 15 But women[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.”

The denomination I attend was founded by a woman, Aimee Semple McPherson. Our denomination ordains women. We don’t take this passage literally, we assume it was a cultural thing. It’s there so I quoted it. Don’t let what could be controversial side track the main message.

Jesus loves us and died for us. Male or female, tell the world about Jesus.

(Originally posted 11/09/19)

Living the Matthew 29 life. The book of Matthew ends at chapter 28. So now we are all living in Matthew 29, the next chapter.

“And thenHe ascended into heaven from whence he shall come to judge the Quick and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.”

I quote from memory, part of the apostles creed. (It was my favorite, the Nicene creed was longer ). Growing up in a liturgical Lutheran church we recited a creed every week. Our statement of faith always included our ascended savior.

3 of the 4 Gospels have a commissioning by Jesus before his ascension. Matthew’s goes like this: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

Mark and Luke tell us that Jesus ascended into heaven. In Acts Luke says “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:10-11

Editorially I will add that the angels were implying “didn’t our master and your master just give you a job to do? Will you now get moving on that job?”

Here we are, His church, His people, and we still have the same job to do. We are to make disciples of all nations. When we think about sharing the story of Jesus with the entire world it is overwhelming. Let’s just start with one. A neighbor or a co-worker. That too can be scary. It scares me. But what is the alternative for these people we know who don’t know Jesus? The alternative is that they will enter eternity not hearing about the God who loves them, who suffered and died to save them and now lives forever to intercede for them.

We live in the next chapter, we live in the era of being The commissioned. We live in Matthew 29. How are we doing on sharing our story, the story of being redeemed, bought back from slavery by a loving God?

Here is a Facebook challenge, share your redemption story with one person this week.

(P.S. It occurs to me that not everyone has a redemption story. If you are reading this and you don’t have a story to tell about how Jesus forgvave all of your sins and became your Lord and master you can begin the story today. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that he rose from the dead, you will be saved”)

My wife released a Christmas album last year. Her title track tells the story, “the whole year long”. We believe that celebrating the birth of Jesus doesn’t have to be confined to December 25th. God’s love for us shines everyday and everyday can be a celebration of gratitude that God sent his son to us, that God remembered our plight and remembered his promise to come and save us. Please click on the link to get to YouTube then take 3 minutes to listen and celebrate with us.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxv12ZmKhD0

 

An inconvenient truth. That is what Jesus’ resurrection was to the Jewish leaders. They got the story, the whole story from the guards but chose to invent a lie to maintain the status quo.

Matthew 28 tells us the story.

“While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Matthew 28:11-15

They did the wrong thing. They lied and bribed to cover the truth about Jesus.

The question always comes back to us though, what do we believe about Jesus? Who is he? What do his life and death mean for us? Did he really rise from the dead? Where is he now?

The apostle Peter said this to the Jewish leaders after healing a man born lame.

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

The inconvenient truth is there is no body in Jesus’ tomb because God raised him from the dead. The truth is inconvenient only for those who don’t believe that Jesus came to die for us sinners and to be raised back to life on the third day.

What do you believe about Jesus?

(Originally posted 11/07/17)

God did something new. It was around 2000 years ago but what he did changed history, changed the future for mankind. What did he do? He visited us. God visited earth, not as a tourist, not as a deity as such, but as a man. God became man and dwelt among us.

Mary recorded this song on her album. It starts out with 4 of our grand-kids singing “Away in a manger”. That is where God started his visitation.  The creator of everything that exists came to visit, and his first appearance was in a barn and he slept in a feed trough. He didn’t start out in a palace among the elite and privileged, he started out in a common place, among common folks, like us. Mary is joined later in the song by our son Aaron Loeffelbein.

Jesus is God with us.

1 Timothy 1

Timothy, that young man that joined Paul and Barnabas in Lystra. He is now Pastoring the church in Ephesus.

Paul calls him “a true son in the faith”.

This is a tough town. It’s where Paul & Silas got thrown into prison for setting a slave girl free from her demonic possession. Then they had church in chains and were set free by a God Ordained earthquake.

Paul was asked to leave the city but he sent Timothy back in.

This letter is advice to pastor in the thick of it and to a young man living in a sensual city.

We’ll get to the advice later, I was impressed with this in my reading this morning.

Paul sums up his life and ministry I chapter 1.

“12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

Yes Paul, what you said. To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Yes.

The gospel equalizes us all. We are all sinners who need a savior. Jesus has died for all of us. The state of grace, being forgiven, is a confession of need and an acceptance of his gift away.

Who will God save? He saved me. Has he saved you yet? He wants to. He wants all of us to come to him. That’s why he sent Jesus, he sent Jesus to save each one of us. He won’t give up on us until we are done with life.

 

(Originally posted 11/06/15)

But was it? The night that Jesus was born, was it a silent reverent night? Maybe the hymn writer pondered that as he wrote the lyrics.

Silent night, Holy night, all is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin, mother and child, Holy infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

I quoted verse one from memory. I have been singing this song at Christmas time for as long as I can remember.  The music is beautiful and the message of the song is simple.

Two points to think about, Holy infant and a virgin mother. Mary, who had never been with a man, gave birth to a baby. How was that possible? The baby was God, in human flesh. God chose to live the life of a human, to live among us, live as one of us. He will live, and love, and heal and teach and serve, and then he will die a gruesome death on the cross. That death was for no crime or sin of his own. He died to pay the price for my sin. He died to pay the price for our sin, all of us, all humans who have ever lived and will ever live. He lived, he died and then, most important of all, he rose from the dead.

Silent night! Holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar,
heav’nly hosts sing: “Alleluia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!”

3 Silent night! Holy night!
Son of God, love’s pure light
radiant beams from Thy holy face
with the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!

4 Silent night! Holy night!
Wondrous star, lend thy light;
with the angels let us sing
“Alleluia” to our King:
“Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.”

It’s a big deal. The promised one, the messiah, the redeemer has now been born. God is with us.

Mary recorded an instrumental version of Silent night on her album. Here is an opportunity to take a few minutes and just listen and ponder this wondrous thing that God has done.

Christ the Savior is born.

Acts 28

The final chapter but it isn’t the end.

Paul and crew arrive safely on Malta. They winter there. While there Paul shows Gods love and power by getting bit by a snake and not dying and healing all of the sick on the island.

Life is more than cause and effect. Karma doesn’t work. “3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.”

What I’m getting out of this is that Life is neither random nor predictable. Our life and our time is ordered by God.

Paul finally arrived in Rome and was able to stay in a rented house under Roman guard. He first went to the Jewish population, when some rejected his message he went to the Gentiles.

“30 For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!”

What was next for Paul? Well he wrote most of the New Testament. And then? Tradition says he died for his faith.

“Concerning the time, place, and manner of his death, we have little certainty. It is commonly believed that, when a general persecution was raised against the Christians by Nero, about A.D. 64, under pretence that they had set Rome on fire, both St. Paul and St. Peter then sealed the truth with their blood; the latter being crucified with his head downward; the former being beheaded, either in A.D. 64 or 65, and buried in the Via Ostiensis. ”

Thanks for following with me as we read through Acts. I’

May God bless your day.

(Originally posted 11/05/19)

I have never been to a Midnight mass. I grew up Lutheran, we didn’t have mass, we had church service. I was about ten when my mom took us to midnight service. It was strange being at church, at night. I was sleepy and a little grumpy. It was Christmas and instead of opening presents, or dumping out my stocking, or eating treats I was at church. But even in my childish moodiness I remember an awe and reverence during the service with singing and the liturgy.

My wife Mary recorded Tàladh Chríosda which is also known as the Christ child lullaby. Mary sings the first part in Gaelic. The tune will get stuck your head, it is beautiful. It is a traditional Scottish midnight mass Christmas carol.

For some of my readers it may be too early to think about Christmas. In many minds in the US we have Thanksgiving Day, then and only then we move on to Christmas.

I would like to change that up. Mary’s Christmas album is called “The Whole Year Long”. Her message was and is that celebrating Jesus can be and maybe should be a year long practice.

No matter where you live or how you celebrate the upcoming holiday season, I hope that you will take a few minutes and click on the link and listen to my wife’s beautiful voice sing this lovely lullaby for the Christ child.

 

Acts 27

Luke Aristarchus and Paul along with 273 sailors soldiers and prisoners set sail that day…I really want to sing “for a three hour tour..” But it was towards Rome. Things did not go well.

A really bad storm came up. Luke says, “when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we gave up all hope of being saved.”

Storms are a part of sailing. Troubles and trials are a part of life. Every life will encounter them. How will we respond?

Paul was told by Jesus that he would go to Rome. Then while on the ship he was encouraged again by an Angel.

“Last night an angel of God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you’.

It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t without struggle or peril. “42 The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. 43 But the centurion wanted to spare Paul’s life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way everyone reached land safely.”

There is no standard or rule that I can see that God uses to get people where he wants them and we do not know how our patience and confidence in an unseen God is affecting those around us. An all-knowing God makes plans that baffle the unknowing people who serve him. Yet, he cares, yet He sees, yet he knows and provides.

They say the shortest distance between point a and point b is a straight line. Efficiency is not Gods main concern. He doesn’t always take the straight line to get me to where he wants me. I think I can safely say this, if we are his, we are, right now right where he wants us. Even if we have strayed, God knows where we are and can use our present situation for His glory. I am right where he wants me. Today that is a very uncomfortable spot. I am out on a figurative ledge way beyond my comfort zone, not even in the same ZIP code as my comfort zone. Help me Jesus. Use me while I’m here. But don’t leave me here.

(Originally posted 11/04/15)

My wife and I live in eastern Washington state. Our state is divided north to south by the mighty and glorious cascade mountains. What that means to us is that all the rain that Seattle Washington is famous for usually stays on the western side of the state. Our side, the east side, is a dry desert caused by the rain shadow effect of the cascade mountains. It makes the area dry and mostly treeless and in the winter it can be very drab and monotone and monotonous. It gets cold here, it just doesn’t always snow. When it does snow our little desert becomes a fairly land of sparkles and snow drifts.

Our granddaughter Molly Dowd wrote a song about the miracle of transformation that happens for us when it snows. Her grandma Mary wrote some verses and then they recorded this delightful little tune for all of us to enjoy.  It is Molly and Mary singing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5gI5VRgmA8 white sheet of snow.

Please sit back and relax and remember, or if you have never experienced snow, imagine the transformation miracle of a white sheet of snow over a bland and bleak landscape.

Acts 26

Paul’s trial before King Agrippa.

We hear more of what happened on the road to Damascus. We get more of the conversation.

“12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Paul loved God. He grew up

Loving God and learning about him. During his days persecuting the church he was defending the God he loved from attack, or so he thought.

It seems as though Judaism was a vehicle to bring us Jesus who is the fulfillment of all the promises of the past. Kind of like the ark of Noah binging mankind from one place to another. We don’t still live in the ark but we still live because of the ark.

As Paul said, “22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”’

“29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”’

So I invite you to receive Jesus gift of forgiveness for your sins. Today. I did it by just admitting that I needed forgiveness and then acknowledging that Jesus gift was for me too.

Thank you Jesus for your ongoing work in my life. I fail you so often yet you are always faithful to forgive.

(Originally posted 11/3/15)

Last year my wife released a Christmas album, titled “The Whole Year Long”. We are a musical family and so most of the music and singers on the album are family. One song that she did she had our grandkids sing and she also is joined by my son Aaron Loeffelbein who has one of the most beautiful male voices that I have ever heard. Yes I am biased but I hope you will take the 3 to 4 minutes to just relax and listen. God with us. Jesus name is Emanuel, God with us, not against us, not annoyed with us, not on vacation and ignoring us but God with us, here on earth, living life as a human, from infant to adulthood, then to suffer and die to pay a debt that wasn’t his. But that is just how gracious and loving our God is. He gave up his only son to pay for our sins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iRgko_5LSI God with us

Please listen and enjoy and start this Christmas season pondering God with us.

I have this idea in my head about how the bible is divided in two parts. The Old Testament in my head is all about the law judgement and Gods wrath, the New Testament is about Jesus and grace and mercy.

This morning I read psalm 103.

Maybe mercy love and forgiveness permeate both halves.

“1 Praise the Lord, my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the Lord, my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel:

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

9 He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

15 The life of mortals is like grass,

they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.

21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

22 Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, my soul.”

Our sin is no surprise to God. He has always been in the forgiveness business.

As high as the heavens, that’s how much he loves us. As far as the east is from the west, that’s how far away he puts our repented sin. He heals us, he redeems us, crowns us with love, satisfies our desires, and renews our strength.

The message that flows through the bible is this; God is in love with us.

What will we do today in response to this great love?