I have been sick

Hello All,

Sorry I did not send this out on Monday but I was ill with something that was not fun. I rarely get bed ridden and I was out all day on Sunday and Monday and most of Tuesday. I still am not 100% better but I am better than I was on Sunday that is for sure. Since I am rushing to get all the weekly stuff done this will be brief.

I am constantly reminded of the pride in my life and how I need to get rid of it and have humility. Isn’t funny even when you think you have humility you start having a prideful humility. Before I was sick I was thinking how I am getting better at organizing things and God I think I can handle what I am doing and I start to get comfortable with everything. Then I become sick and I have to rely on other people for help. I know that God wants me to trust him and to let go of any pride I have. God is the one who fights for me, he is the one that has given me the ability to work and the ability to have air in my lungs. God is in control. When we start trusting ourselves pride enters into our lives. God is gracisous and merciful to us.

If we have any area of pride it must stop because it will tear us apart and limit how we are used by God.

PJ

Read the Word Outloud

And he [Josiah] read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord- 2nd Kings 23:2

We left off looking at Hezekiah who was king of Judah but he died and soon there was another king who established idolatry back after it was just taken out of the kingdom. After him there was another king who followed after the previous him and he died. Then finally Josiah who was only 8 years old reigned, not much is said about what he did at 8 but we know that he wanted to have some repairs done to the temple and while they were repairing the temple they rediscovered a book. Some scholars think this was Deuteronomy and others just don’t know. But this book called “The Book of the Covenant” talked about the law and the importance of it. King Josiah first read it and then went to the temple and gathered all the people to hear it being read. From that point on in his life he wanted to walk in the ways of the Lord, asked for forgiveness for their past and desired that the nation served the Lord. There was reform in Judah and God spared Israel for a few more years before Jerusalem is destroyed.

The reason I bring this up is that I think we to can easily forget certain things that are written in scripture. We have a tendancy to become complacent or thinking that we may be veterans in our faith that we overlook the “simple things.” Have you ever went read something that you know you read a few hundred times in the Bible but you realize and get convicted because you may have neglected that part. The king could have wanted this rediscovered book to be hidden or brush it off as not relevant to their culture, but instead he read it to the culture. God’s word is so important for our culture because it pierces our hearts and I hope and pray that we can be like Josiah and read it before them, not lacking in anything.

God Bless,

PJ

Where Do You Go When Trouble Comes?

19:14~Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messenger and read it, and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord.

During the split of Israel into two different kingdoms, the northern kingdom, Israel, lasted a little over 200 years before the Assryians besieged the city. The northern kingdom had 19 monarchs and all of them were wicked in the eyes of the Lord. The southern kingdom, Judah, will last a little over 300 hundred years. 8 of 17 monarchs followed the Lord. King Hezekiah is enthroned and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and he also tore down all the high places and alters that were left by the previous generation. Now we see something happen in history that is amazing. The king of Assryia just ransacked Israel and took the people captive, and its eyes now were on Judah. The king of Assyria made mention that he was better and more powerful then the gods of the lands that he destroyed so how great it the LIVING GOD. This king was vicious. He desired to take over nations and kill people. His destruction has turned to Judah, the remnant. King Hezekiah received the news and instead of 1st getting the troops ready for war or talking with his advisors. We see him go to the house of the Lord. He spread out the letter and laid flat on his face for God to be in charge of this problem.

Where do you go when trouble comes? Who do you talk to first? Is it your spouse? Good friend? Co-worker? I think about the certain times that trouble has come into my life and how sometimes I go straight to someone in confidence but I do not go straight to the Lord and say, “This is yours God; I do not want this problem or trouble, you are in control and you can take care of this.” I notice the times that I do not do this, I become anxious and worrisome, but when I go to the Lord first, I have a peace and a confidence to know that He cares for my burdens and that he will lead me through this trouble. I must go to go God with confidence that he hears me but also in humility as he is in charge and in control.

I know I need to go through things to grow but I have peace that I am not alone when I do.

PJ

It is a new year

Time does go by faster and faster. I am reminded of that when I see old Jr. Highers graduating from highschool and entering into college. I also am reminded when I see the frailty of human beings that this life was not suppose to be this way. When I read Genesis 1 I see that God had a plan and of course that plan was Jesus but I long for the future plan, being with Christ, being in his presence, being away from the misery of sin and into the perfection of the Godhead.

But——

Even when I long, I can not neglect what my purpose here on earth is. Showing the love of God through Christ to humanity. May I be diligent in my work as a Christian which encompasses every aspect of my life, may you be diligent as your work as a Christian in your homes and in your professions and in your schools. This life is short, make the most of every opportunity.

Romans 12:9-13~ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in pryaer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Please bring this year in prayer for the ministry, for those in need, for my wife and I, and also that we will meet the needs of Jr. Highers. We should always long to outdo the previous year with things for the Lord. May we all draw closer and throw off the hinderance of sin.

With all that said, I just want to encourage everyone to make sure when you come to service that you are making relationships with the youth. I see more talking with one another and even though that is good that we can have fellowship, let us make another time for that so we can focus on the task at hand.

PJ

Merry Christmas

Christmas is right around the corner and as I write this I am reminded of all the last minute things I need to get done. It is very easy to get distracted from the focus of Christ. Sometimes I get so frustrated that I just want to say, “Enough! The gifts and all this hustle, just can’t we just stop!”

Well I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas and enjoy their week with friends and family.

I would like to just share what the heavenly host praised to God as the shepherds were watching and listening to the news of Christ’s birth.

Luke 2:14~ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.

Jesus brings God’s glory on earth for mankind.
Jesus is peace the true peace that the Jews spoke of.
God is pleased in his Son.
We find true peace in Christ with our souls and life.
When we receive the son, God is pleased in us.

May you desire Christ even more everyday as we can focus on him through all things.

PJ

Complaining?

Have you ever had one of those days, that once you woke up, you realized nothing is going to go the way you want it.

I had one of those days this past week, I hate them. I get really frustrated and then I complain about it to everyone.

In light of present circumstances, it is easy to look at it and complain about it. Sometimes saying, “God, is this really necessary for me to go through.” I complain a lot, if you did not know that about your pastor. NOW YOU DO! It is easy to start going on a complaining tangent about everything. But God has his way of getting my priorities right and to see why am I really complaining.

This happens everytime someone may come up to me and ask for me to pray for them. I just stop and say, “God, forgive me for my complaining attitude, I have so much to be grateful for.” This also happens during the worship service, “God, forgive me for dwelling upon my needs, you are so good to me.” This happens when I ready his word, “Lord you love is so great, forgive me for taking my eyes off of it. My situations are really not that critical, I always tend to make them bigger than they are, and I dwell on them so much that it annoys my wife. That is why it is so important to be in the word, to participate in worship, and to pray for others.

Psalm 27:-4-14, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

PJ