Friday Coffee with PJ

It's Friday ... and I am on vacation this week. So ... just a brief thought for you to dunk in your

favorite cup of Joe.

It has sure been refreshing seeing the daffodils bloom and hearing the birds greeting each day with a concert of song. After a lllooonnnngggg cold winter, there's nothing like the warm breezes of spring! It took some time getting here, but we all knew that it finally would arrive. How so? Because spring always follows winter. It is something we can count on. Something else we can also count on is God and his faithfulness to his promises. This is a reality we must remind ourselves of constantly. Life is hard. And sometimes it's harder than other times. When we are in the midst of life's "hardness" ... it is all too easy to give way to fear, anxiety ... and even worse. It's at these times especially that we must cling to the promises of God. Doing so has a way of driving the worry from our hearts and minds. But you must KNOW the promises God makes in order to cling to them. SO ... how well do you know the promises of God? What are you doing to get to know them better?

Thanks for stopping by ...
pj

PS - If you would like to begin a daily journey of learning or being reminded of the many promises of God, check out the Daily Promise Blog.

"Monkeying around" with Our Past!

Over the past decade, researchers (from such well known and respected academic  institutions as MIT and Harvard) have completed some extensive DNA analysis of humans and chimpanzees.  According to the Associated Press, as a result of their research, these researchers have concluded “that humans and chimpanzees first split up about 10 million years ago. Then, after evolving in different directions for about 4 million years, they got back together for a brief fling that produced a third, hybrid population.” Concerning this research and its conclusion, Harvard professor of anthropology, Daniel Lieberman writes, “It's a totally cool and extremely clever analysis.”  I have a much different evaluation of their work.  How about this? “It’s a totally laughable and extremely foolish analysis.”

But this sort of thing should not surprise us.  Humanity has been trying to write God out of our history and our origins for a long time.  God (in Romans 1) tells us that humanity has been striving to suppress God’s truth and exchanging God’s truth for lies for quite some time.  One of the biggest lies humanity has bought into is the lie that we were not created by God – but we have arrived at where we are today via a lot of natural processes working together in ways we do not yet understand (these processes are known as evolution).  In my mind it takes a lot more faith to believe in the evolutionary process than to believe an intelligent Being (God) designed and then created the universe.  How about you?  In whom will you place your faith?  Charles Darwin (the originator of the evolutionary theory) or God?  I think I will take my chances with God!  

Thanks for stopping by . . .

pj

PS - If you want to read more about this from a creationism view point, click here. 

Friday Coffee with PJ (Good Friday Edition)

It's that time of the week to pour yourself a cup of your favorite coffee and join me for a few random thoughts.

1. Some recently asked me, "If Good Friday is the day we commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus, why is it called good?" Now that is a very "good" question. So let me offer up a very good answer. And the answer comes from a very solid website called gotquestions.org. I highly recommend this particular website if you have any questions about the Bible or theology. Here is got questions.org's answer to this question:

"Why is Good Friday referred to as “good”? What the Jewish authorities and Romans did to Jesus was definitely not good (see Matthew chapters 26-27). However, the results of Christ’s death are very good! Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit.”

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/Good-Friday.html#ixzz3WBMVuMR2"

So what Satan orchestrated for evil is ultimately for our greatest good. For were it not for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, we would all still be without God and therefore without hope in this world. But because Jesus died on the cross some 2000 years ago, we can have genuine hope for this life and for all eternity. I don't know about you my friends, but I call that GOOD!

2.  Recently my soon to be four-year-old grandson was telling me how he liked to help out his mommy at home. He told me he helped do the dishes and he liked to do chores. He said it with such passion that I knew what he was telling me was true. He loves to be mommy's little helper! We who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ have a helper as well. When Jesus left this earth he said that he

would send the Holy Spirit to be our helper (John 16;7). And sure enough, the Holy Spirit descended upon the followers of Jesus on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The remainder of the New Testament is full of commands concerning the Spirit such as "walk in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25), "Be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18), and "do not grieve the Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 4:30). The Christian life would be impossible to live if it were not for the Holy Spirit actively at work in our lives. Have you thanked God lately for this divine helper who is your constant companion? I'm guessing if you're anything like me, the Holy Spirit is all too often far from your mind and heart. Please take some time to reflect on your need for the Holy Spirit's help, and praise the Father and the Son for sending him to this earth to help us!

Thanks for stopping by… And have a blessed Good Friday and Easter celebration!

PJ

Friday Coffee with PJ

It's Friday again ... so grab that cup of your favorite Joe (and if you don't drink coffee ... why not give it a try?) ... and join me for a few random thoughts.

1. Compassion in a pill. That's right. According to a Time article, researchers at the University of California Berkley and the University of San Fransisco are suggesting that their research suggests that by "manipulating a brain chemical, people can become more compassionate." Hmm. I have enough pills to take and certainly don't need one more. I think walking with God's Spirit will do far more to increase our compassion level than swallowing a pill. Yet, it's where are society is at ... yes? Medication is increasingly seen as the cure all for whatever ails us. And that just isn't so! Make it your prayer to walk in step with God's Spirit today!

2. I am still trying to process the latest news from France concerning the airplane crash of yesterday (Wednesday). It just blows me away that someone would deliberately fly a plane into the ground. Authorities (at the time of this writing) are saying the co-pilot who did so had no terrorism connections. So ... why did he do it? We may never know the answer to that question. But there is one who does know. God! He knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. Before a word rolls off our tongue, he knows exactly what we are going to say (Psalm 139:4). Knowing that God knows all about us is a real comfort. So no matter where we might be and what needs we might have .... God knows! And since God knows, he can follow through on this promise to care for us (Philippians 4:19). But the reality that he knows us can be discomforting as well. Ever since the fall of our first parents, we have been trying to hide ... from God and from one another. Why?  Because all of us have some sort of skeleton in our closet. Something we regret ... something(s) that brings us shame. And we have a tendency to keep adding stuff to the closet. But ... we must always remember that there is a simple way to clean out our closets ... it's called confession. And as we practice it, God promises forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). Do you think it's time to do some spring "house" cleaning? And to spur you on, take a moment and reflect on both 1 John 1:9 and the quote below.

"Forgiveness of sin is such a central, familiar part of the gospel message; its amazing wonder and relief is often lost on us over time. As you consider today the width and depth of this undeserved blessing, let His cleansing wash over you again. Give Him new thanks for the grace of forgiven sin."

(John MacArthur  Daily Readings From the Life of Christ, Volume 2)

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life!

The title of this post are words that I am sure most of you have heard before. There's a good reason for that. It is true that our past has played a huge role in shaping us into the people we are today, whether for better or for worse. However, we do not have to be chained to our past. No matter what might be cluttering the closet of your regrets, you can move on. Tomorrow can be a much better day! Knowing and following the teachings of Jesus Christ is the key to doing so. He himself put it this way:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” 

(John 8:31-32; see also John 8:34-36). 

How well do you know the truth? What are you doing to know it better? And what are you doing with what you know? Jesus makes it clear that we must not just here his word . . . we must also put it into practice (Matthew 7:24-27)! Only then will we find the freedom from a past that can at times haunt us! 

Thanks for stopping by . . . 

pj

Friday Coffee with PJ

Thanks for joining me on this first official day of spring (which actually begins at 6:45 pm tonight - maybe the snow will be done by then!). So with the frightful weather outside, now would be a good time to pour yourself a delightful cup of hot coffee and join me for a few random thoughts.

1. Yesterday morning I awoke to see that the National Weather Service had posted a Winter Weather Advisory for today. Ouch. A WINTER weather advisory for the first day of spring? That's just not right! I am more than ready to see daffodils in bloom and to soak in some sun (and I am guessing most of you are, too!). But the seasons don't always follow the script. And life doesn't either. Well, at least that partially true. Better said, "Life doesn't always follow OUR script." But life ALWAYS follows God's script. He is sovereign (Ephesians 1:11). And as a sovereign, He rules. He rules over the affairs of large nations and little people (like you and me). In HIS providential plan, nothing comes our way without first passing through his all powerful hands (not to mention his all wise mind and his forever loving heart). Now it is true we don't always understand His script. But we can trust ourselves to the One who does. God KNOWS what He's doing! And that's good enough for me!

2. I just began reading Tim Keller's recent book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God. In his book he notes that the Apostle Paul never prayed that God would change the circumstances of his readers. Rather, he prayed that through their circumstances they would come to know God better. According to Keller, prayer itself is "not a way to get things from God but as a way to get more of God himself."  Ouch! If he is right (and I believe he is), then I sure have a long way to go in my "prayer life." All too often, my prayer list looks like the list I would draw up as a kid as I looked through the Sears Catalog trying to decide what I wanted for Christmas. How about you? How do you view prayer?

3. I was going to add another thought ... but I think instead I will sign off so I can "sign on" with God in prayer. Keller is so convicting!

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj

The Ever Changing ... the Never Changing!

I have been recently thinking about change and how fast and how often it happens. My 59th birthday last year was a reminder of how quickly time passes. And with the passing of time comes a boatload of change! Just ten years ago:

-No one ever heard of an iPhone.
- Android? What's that?
- Face Time was what you did each morning as you stared in the bathroom mirror.
- ISIS was something your sister would say.
- Willow Valley Family Restaurant was my favorite breakfast place (now gone!).
- I had no grandchildren (now have 6).

The list could go on and on and on. My point? Life is ALWAYS changing. If you don't like it (and I don't always like it!), you just need to "grin and bear it" - because it is part of the package we call "life."

But there is something that NEVER changes - the gospel of Jesus Christ. What Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary some 2000 years ago is just as sufficient today as it was then. The gospel continues to bring hope and healing to a battered and broken world. And it will always provide peace for those who embrace it as it is the ONLY way to find reconciliation with the God who made us and against whom we all rebelled. If you have never embraced the gospel, or you have you questions about it, please check out Two Ways to Live: The Choice We AlL Face.

Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj