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Happy Father’s Day God!

So often we think of our own fathers or our husbands.  They work so hard and give so much!  And they love us so much! Without them, our lives would not be the same and we are all really grateful that they love us so!  It is good that there is a day set aside to honor them all and it gives us all the opportunity to show our appreciation for all that they do!

But there’s another Father that we also think of on this special day.  God.  We think of how much He loves us.   How much He has done for us.  And how much He has sacrificed.  When Jesus died on the Cross for us, He suffered too – so that we might go to Heaven and be a part of His Family Forever.

I can’t even imagine watching my son or daughter suffer as Jesus did.  I don’t think I could.  And as much as I love them, God loves them even more.  Can you imagine how much He must have loved His perfect, wonderful, amazing Son Jesus Christ?  And yet He watched Him suffer horrifically because He loved us, His children, too.  How Blessed we truly are and what an awesome Father we have in our Lord!

So Happy Father’s Day God, and thank you.  Truly, there is not a day that does by that we are not grateful for your Grace, Goodness and Love!  ?

I saw this at Wrightsville Beach shortly before the Pandemic started. And as if that was not enough, the riots soon followed… And although it’s not been reported nearly as much, China has been busy taking advantage of it all. Whether they intended harm, or whether they are just taking advantage of our country’s distraction, only God knows.

But that’s kind of the point :). Jesus knows all that has happened and all that will happen. And He knows something that we need to hold onto during these difficult days-

Jesus already won. Which means we did too 🙂

In the difficult times in which we live, life often seems unfair.  But God is always fair.  God is the one place you can go today and every day, and be assured that He will treat you with love and with fairness.  His Grace is always here for us. 

He never leaves us, although sometimes we leave Him, He always welcomes us back. Because God is always Faithful, even when we are not.

Because God loves us no matter what, and that is more than fair ?

We live in difficult times, and for some confusing ones.  Times that are not unlike the beginning of Nazi Germany.  During those times, people saw that wrong was being done, but they were afraid to speak up.  They were afraid to stand against it.   And as time went by, some even forgot there was a very real difference between right and wrong.  And as they slid down the slippery slope of relativism (where there is no absolute right and wrong), their fear of retaliation led them to do some horrifically evil things.

Flash forward to today, the times we currently live in.  There can be no doubt that evil is being made to appear good and good evil.  We used to know that harming another human being was wrong-no matter why it was done.  We used to know that destroying someone else’s property was just plain wrong.  We used to know that marches to support Satanism weren’t just wrong, they were dangerous!

But it appears that as a nation, we don’t know that anymore.  So what can we do?  What should we do?  First, we need to pray to the Holy Spirit that we will ALWAYS see the Truth in the world around us.  Not a truth, but THE truth. 

And then we need to ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to share THE truth with others…

And when we are afraid, we need to remember that this is not our home, Heaven IS ?

There is a line in the song “Here Now”, that says:  “Faith makes a fool of what makes sense”.  If we think about it, that is very true today.  How often do we see the world go one way and our faith calls us to go another way?  And how often do we see some in the media or some elected officials appear to make fun of those who are devoted to following Christ? In the current times in which we live,they would almost seem to “make sense”.

And yet, in the end, faith will make a “fool of them” all.  For in the end not only is the path following Christ the right one-it’s the only one.  Many will find that out when it is too late.

Thank God that we found it out in time ?

Today is Monday, and with it comes all of Monday’s troubles and worries.  But God will protect us and provide for us, because He loves us!

Take a moment and Read Psalm 91: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+91&version=ESV

So hang in there today.  Smile at someone.  Give a word of encouragement to someone.  Most of all, give yourself a break.  God’s With You, and God’s Got You ?

Speaking the truth can be very difficult. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell someone the Truth. Especially when that truth may be something they don’t want to hear!

In Ezekiel 33, verse 9, it says, “But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.” (ESV version)

We are called to tell the Truth and to share the joy of the Gospel with others. Sometimes people don’t want to hear it. Or sometimes we see someone we love doing a great wrong, they don’t want to hear it either.

But that does not mean we don’t need to share it. Here is one thing that may help. Make sure you are sharing the Truth out of love and with love. The kind of unselfish love that God has for us! And in order to share that kind of love, we need to know that person and love them! We need to care for them and for their well-being. Are they hungry? Unhappy? In need of medical care?

Missionaries succeed so well, because they know that addressing these types of needs show the person that they really care about their well-being. By showing them that they truly care about their well-being on earth, they open the door to being able to show they care about their well-fare in the next life 🙂

So take a moment and share what you have. Perhaps it’s a meal, perhaps it’s your time or perhaps it’s the warmth of your smile. Whatever it is, God says – it’s enough. And if God says it is – it is 🙂

I’ve heard both people and pastors call the recent looting and riots a distraction from the real issue (in their view – racism)

But I wonder if the real distraction, the real result is to keep people from focusing on Following Jesus Christ.

It’s hard to focus on two things at the same time.  In Luke 16, verse 13 it says “No servant can serve two masters”.  And no one can ?

We can not love and hate at the same time.  It’s just not possible.

Jesus commands us to love God with our whole heart and soul and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  If we follow that command, then we can not possibly mistreat someone else.  No matter what they may have done.

And if we put all of our focus on Following Jesus, then we won’t be able to focus on the virus, the looting, the riots, or any of the other difficulties that will come.

Look up and keep looking up, you will find it is impossible to look down at the same time ?

With so many hurt and injured during these riots, it’s hard sometimes to remember that there are many African Americans who are NOT participating in them.  Rather they are at home with their families, at work, at church…  They want the same things for their children as we want for ours:  faith, freedom and family.  Happiness and good health.  And we all, each and every one of us,  want our children to be safe and to receive a good education and the skills they will need to one day go in pursuit of their own dreams.

So as difficult as it may be, we need to remember that not all of the protestors intend harm.  Many of them just wanted to be heard.  And many African Americans are not participating in them at all. 

Personally, I think of the many African Americans I go to church with, I can’t picture any of them hurting another human being-for any reason.  They are people I look up to; they are filled with faith and kindness, and they are inspiring.  And God loves each of them!

God made us all.  Different colors.  Different gifts.  Different ways. Even different languages.   And if we love God, we must love all of His creations.  And we should enjoy the differences, not fear them!

In the Bible, it says that, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.” (Luke 6:32 NIV)

It’s true that loving every creation of God can be a challenge, but it’s supposed to be.

Accept God’s Challenge today ?

We live in difficult times, and they will get worse before they get better.  And that is why it is so very important to remember that God is Merciful and Just.  As we look around this world, we see so many innocents hurt and it will seem that those that hurt them – got away with it.  But no one ever “gets away with anything”.  Because God is as Just as He is Merciful.  God alone knows the heart of each individual; He alone knows their intent.  We don’t.  And that is why we need to leave Justice to God and Trust in Him.  I promise He is Trustworthy.

As for us who believe, true believers will receive God’s Mercy through Jesus Christ.  And not just at the end, but now.  So don’t be afraid to bring your troubles to the Lord.  He wants you too.  If we have lost a a person we love, if someone is sick, if we have lost our job, if we are worried about how we will feed our family.  Bring your worries to Jesus, He will help you!

And perhaps most importantly, bring your worried heart to the Holy Spirit.  He loves you too and He alone can give you the peace that only God can give.  It is the Holy Spirit that can make you feel safe and secure in these troubled times.  Jesus can give you Rest, the Holy Spirit can give you Peace.

Thank you Father God ?