Welcome to the P.J. (Pastor J) Sound Theology Blog

Friday, September 30, 2011

It's In God's Hands...


Psalm 23:1-6

23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
23:3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
23:4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff--they comfort me.
23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.


The 23rd Psalm is renowned for being a Psalm of comfort at the time of death. Many people just naturally assume because it takes away our fear and reminds us how close with us God is, that God will provide for us for eternity. Many just take this eternity to mean death. But I disagree, I see the Psalm is offering life, a life-sustained by God's goodness. I see life, with all its ups and downs asked dips and curves. I see life that is at times hard and frustrating, mean and ill-entented. But life, that despite all things God is still with us, that reminds us we serve a God who will keep us in the presence of our enemies, we serve a God that will support us even when we down, we serve a God when were frustrated and ready to give up we are reminded it's all in God's hands. So how can we quit how can we fill in the cards how can we truly be discouraged if we are children of God and become discouraged? The answer is we cannot because we know that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death God is with us. Therefore we hang on, we endure, we press forward knowing that we walk not alone, but within the company of the divine master. there's no better company in all the world.


Brothers and sisters I pray that you hang on, I pray that you remember always it in God's hands. May God continue to bless and keep you.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

keep your head up!


As I sit and look out the window at the clouds in the sky, and here the raindrops be on the window pane I cannot help but to feel sleepy or even began to feel down. When I began to feel this way, I have to remind myself of how good God is. I remind myself to keep my head up, I remind myself to rejoice! Brothers and sisters it easy to have our own pity parties, it's easy to focus on the negative things. But life is much better when rejoice at all times, and allow our minds to focus on the goodness of God. Even when it's raining in our lives I invite you to see the sunshine that is offered to us eternally through Christ Jesus!

Despite your situation, regardless of the circumstance, I am praying for you that you keep your head up!

Philippians 4:4-9

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
4:5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
4:6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
4:8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
4:9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Dear God, today let us focus on your goodness, on your grace and on your mercy. Today let us witness just another reason why we should always rejoice, today let us witness another reason why we should always sing your praise. Today oh Lord be with us as we go and as we come, in Jesus name. Amen.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

This Crazy, Chaotic and mixed up world...!


After the Voices of Hope and Joy Anniversary celebration on this past Sunday evening, a celebration which I have deemed the "VHJ REVIVAL"; I was approached by someone who said I behaved chaotic far too often. My reply to them was "Only when there is chaos, can there be creativity!"
Friends and family life often brings bumps, lumps, crazy and Chaotic times, situations and circumstances. Great, because only when there is chaos can there be creativity, Our scripture for reflection today reminds even God creates out of chaos so this biblically true theme is also relevant and true for our lives. Let's look:

Genesis 1

1In the beginning of God's preparing the heavens and the earth --

2the earth hath existed waste and void, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttering on the face of the waters,

God creates order out of chaos! So what about your life is crazy and chaotic? What is your life seems to be running and ruling you instead of you being in control? I am glad that this person I speak of above told me my behavior was chaotic, because that means that God is creating, prayerfully not just in me but in MANDELL as well. Praise be to God that through the chaos of our church, programing, worship, choir mishaps and more God can indeed bring order out of the craziness. Guess what? God can do the same for you in your life. Welcome the chaos and welcome God to work this week and this day!

Dear God thank you for this crazy and mixed up world, thank you even more for helping us to see you working in the midst of it. We embrace you and your will, now we want to watch you work. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.



Tuesday, September 20, 2011

What have you heard and do you believe?


Galatians 3:2-9

3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard?
3:3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
3:4 Did you experience so much for nothing?--if it really was for nothing.
3:5 Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?
3:6 Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,"
3:7 so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham.
3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you."
3:9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.

Daily we have various options to trust and believe in God's word, will and love. Also daily we are faced with multiple chances to reject the same and fall further into sin. How we choose reflects what we believe... I say again how we choose reflects what we believe, therefore reflecting what we have heard. So I dare ask what have you heard, and what do you believe? Paul's words to the Galatians above should echo even today to all of us.

Dear God help us, dear God help me. Amen.