Make a Stand

Matthew 16:13-19 NRSV

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The church has power and authority to stand against anything not of God. The church on earth carries out heaven’s decisions; not heaven consenting to earth’s decisions. Can you see how messed up we would be if we controlled heaven? What is forbidden on earth is already forbidden in heaven. What is permitted on earth is already permitted in heaven. We have power and authority, but we must speak up, as Peter. We must know what we believe. We must stand with that power and on that authority from God. We can make a difference. We will make a difference.

That’s Where We Live

Psalm 91:1&2,15 NRSV

“You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.” 

“When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.”

We must recognize where we live- in the shelter of the Most High. Some people misuse this psalm. They leave it open on a table in the bedroom, put it under a guest chair, placing it open in the car, one guy even had it in his right shoe. (I’ve seen some things) but the Lord told me “No, that means nothing. Hold in your heart what the words mean. I am your shelter, I am your keeper.”

We must know that he is our shelter, and then to know to come on in the house. To be sheltered from the storms of life as they will happen. To have peace in the. midst, knowing we are safe in God’s protection.

When we were young my mother would take my sister and me downtown in the summer. As we waited on the bus the hot sun would beat down unmercifully. But I found refuge in Momma’s shadow.  Can you even imagine being in God’s shadow? My my.

In the shelter, safe in the shadow- but there’s more. When we call on him, he will answer. That’s it right there. We are never alone in any situation. Even when we can’t think it out- he has us. That’s where we live! more later

Take a Different Route

Matthew 2:12 NRSV

“And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.”

Just like the Magi every time we seek Jesus in prayer, giving ourselves, we find him and we are changed. So we do not return the same way we came. We take a different path back, a different way of handling what we must handle. We have a new perspective on old things. We are changed each time. Many times the change is in the release, release of doubt, fear, unforgiveness. Releasing those right there renews us for our journey. The Magi trusted God and returned a different way. It’s the trust that makes the difference. Happy New Year! more later.