Joy

Joy

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

I used to tell the men who worked for me “My job is to make your job easier.” usually this involved explaining why I wanted them to do something a particular way. I believe it is a natural tendency for us all to think that the boss has only his own interests at heart.

Maybe that is also what Jesus is trying to tell us. He wants us to know that the things He teaches us to do are not just about making Him happy. He wants to make our job easier and our load lighter by giving His joy to us. The kind of joy that Jesus gives is the same joy that guided His steps all the way to the cross. It was a powerful unstoppable joy that didn’t end with the tomb being sealed by soldiers. It wasn’t extinguished in darkness behind the stone. It was a joy that waited patiently for resurrection to a life that was greater than any enemy: even death! The impact and power of this joy He gives can now be ours with nothing able to take it away!

There is a River

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

In our rush to go where we think we need to be some days we whizz by with barely a glance out our window. Our goals insist we hurry. But in our rush we just might be missing the plans of God. His plans are like an overflowing river if will just pull off to the side of our road to see them. Their source is before time in the far distant mountains of eternity. Their goal is beyond our horizon and empties into the sea of His forgiveness and love.

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. Psalms 46:4

God’s Idea of Everything!

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment

In the past I have to confess that my imagination on the word “everything” ran pretty shallow. My mind seemed to fill in the blank line of everything with ideas like – a nice house, a slightly newer car, or a big raise at the end of the month. But the way I thought ran into the brick wall of reality. Not that God hasn’t blessed us over the years by meeting our family’s needs in every one of these areas -but God’s everything has always been so much bigger than mine.

When the death of a loved one or a family crisis leaves me struggling just to get out the door then things that truly matter suddenly take on the luster of the eternal value system of Jesus Christ. On Calvary, all that was of greatest value to God was given for us on the cross. Jesus prayed for another way to give us eternal life, but none was found. When He bowed His head to say , “It is finished,” He wasn’t thinking of a Cadillac in front of our home or a college diploma on our wall. The “Everything” of God was given to us that dark moment when He had nothing left for Himself. In a heartbeat that stopped we were granted not only life that would be eternal but also Joy to face any sorrow- Peace that calms fearful storms- Love that stands by our side through the battle and forgiveness that welcomes His lost children home!