goal…

So what are we going to say? Gentiles who weren’t striving for righteousness achieved righteousness, the righteousness that comes from faith. But though Israel was striving for a Law of righteousness, they didn’t arrive. Why? It’s because they didn’t go for it by faith but they went for it as if it could be reached by doing something. They have tripped over a stumbling block. As it is written: Look! I’m putting a stumbling block in Zion, which is a rock that offends people. And the one who has faith in him will not be put to shame. Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire is for Israel’s salvation. That’s my prayer to God for them. I can vouch for them: they are enthusiastic about God. However, it isn’t informed by knowledge. They don’t submit to God’s righteousness because they don’t understand his righteousness, and they try to establish their own righteousness. Christ is the goal of the Law, which leads to righteousness for all who have faith in God. (Romans 9:30 —10:4, CEB)

Do we follow the rules to get accepted and to make our way up?

People who are not striving to be righteous are righteous all the time.

It is not about what we do that makes us righteous. It is about what God has done.

Our actions only show the world that we believe what God has done and that it is for everyone.

Show the world that God loves you and them.

Loving People. Loving God.

rules

So don’t let anyone judge you about eating or drinking or about a festival, a new moon observance, or sabbaths. These religious practices are only a shadow of what was coming—the body that cast the shadow is Christ. Don’t let anyone who wants to practice harsh self-denial and worship angels rob you of the prize. They go into detail about what they have seen in visions and have become unjustifiably arrogant by their selfish way of thinking. They don’t stay connected to the head. The head nourishes and supports the whole body through the joints and ligaments, so the body grows with a growth that is from God. If you died with Christ to the way the world thinks and acts, why do you submit to rules and regulations as though you were living in the world? “Don’t handle!” “Don’t taste!” “Don’t touch!” All these things cease to exist when they are used. Such rules are human commandments and teachings. They look like they are wise with this self-made religion and their self-denial by the harsh treatment of the body, but they are no help against indulging in selfish immoral behavior. Therefore, if you were raised with Christ, look for the things that are above where Christ is sitting at God’s right side. (Colossians 2:16—3:1, CEB)

Who gets to make the rules you have to follow?

Now don’t get me wrong, laws are in place to make society less chaotic, and for there to be some semblance of order. But that is the end to laws. They can not save you so religious laws are personal and should not be forced on or given to others. What helps you have a deeper spiritual life might send someone else further from God.

What works for you may not work for others and if it doesn’t deal with civil order then it isn’t something we can make someone else follow.

Love all and allow them to practice their religion as is best for them.

Follow and do what God has led you to, not what some other human says you must do.

Loving People. Loving God.

Prayer

Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, uphold the holiness of your name. Bring in your kingdom. Give us the bread we need for today. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who has wronged us. And don’t lead us into temptation.’” He also said to them, “Imagine that one of you has a friend and you go to that friend in the middle of the night. Imagine saying, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves of bread because a friend of mine on a journey has arrived and I have nothing to set before him.’ Imagine further that he answers from within the house, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up to give you anything.’ I assure you, even if he wouldn’t get up and help because of his friendship, he will get up and give his friend whatever he needs because of his friend’s brashness. And I tell you: Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. To everyone who knocks, the door is opened. “Which father among you would give a snake to your child if the child asked for a fish? If a child asked for an egg, what father would give the child a scorpion? If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (Luke 11:1-13, CEB)

We all think there is a right way to pray and we wonder as we do it are we doing it right. Even pastors do this.

Jesus says to be bold in our requests and to ask for things in the will of God. This means we may or may not get what we ask for, or we may get what we ask for in a different way than we ask for it. But we are to be bold and talk to God like we would talk to a friend.

Just talk to God like you would your friend. That is how to pray. Nothing special. Just ask, talk, and listen.

Loving People. Loving God.

nap

One day Jesus and his disciples boarded a boat. He said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail. While they were sailing, he fell asleep. Gale-force winds swept down on the lake. The boat was filling up with water and they were in danger. So they went and woke Jesus, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” But he got up and gave orders to the wind and the violent waves. The storm died down and it was calm. He said to his disciples, “Where is your faith?” Filled with awe and wonder, they said to each other, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!” (Luke 8:22-25, CEB)

Have you ever been on a body of water on a small boat during a storm? I have and it is an experience I will never forget. And I read this passage and wonder how did Jesus sleep during the storm? The storm we were in wasn’t terrible, maybe 5-6 foot waves, but the 25-foot boat we were in was going straight into them to get to the nearest port. Every crest at the top of the wave you could hear the motor spinning out of the water and then the boat would crash back down. How did Jesus sleep during the storm?

Jesus slept during the storm because of his faith in the Father. Jesus knew who was in control.

Can we nap in the storm, or will we wake Jesus up to save us, when he already has?

Rest in Jesus hands and trust the promises.

Loving People. Loving God.

raised

“Fellow Israelites, listen to these words! Jesus the Nazarene was a man whose credentials God proved to you through miracles, wonders, and signs, which God performed through him among you. You yourselves know this. In accordance with God’s established plan and foreknowledge, he was betrayed. You, with the help of wicked men, had Jesus killed by nailing him to a cross. God raised him up! God freed him from death’s dreadful grip, since it was impossible for death to hang on to him. David says about him, I foresaw that the Lord was always with me; because he is at my right hand I won’t be shaken. Therefore, my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover, my body will live in hope, because you won’t abandon me to the grave, nor permit your holy one to experience decay. You have shown me the paths of life; your presence will fill me with happiness. Brothers and sisters, I can speak confidently about the patriarch David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this very day. Because he was a prophet, he knew that God promised him with a solemn pledge to seat one of his descendants on his throne. Having seen this beforehand, David spoke about the resurrection of Christ, that he wasn’t abandoned to the grave, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus God raised up. We are all witnesses to that fact. He was exalted to God’s right side and received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. He poured out this Spirit, and you are seeing and hearing the results of his having done so. David didn’t ascend into heaven. Yet he says, The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right side, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’ “Therefore, let all Israel know beyond question that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:22-36, CEB)

We can visit the tomb of David because it is still with us today. David was a great man of God, but he died, knowing that a descendent of his would forever be on the throne. One who died, but did not stay dead.

God raised Jesus to be the descendent of David to be on the throne.

Christ wasn’t abandoned to the grave and neither will we be. Physical death is a step in the life we are living with God.

Know death is not the end. We have been raised up to be with God forever.

Love people and help them see and know this too.

Loving People. Loving God.

Foretold

During this time, the family of believers was a company of about one hundred twenty persons. Peter stood among them and said, “Brothers and sisters, the scripture that the Holy Spirit announced beforehand through David had to be fulfilled. This was the scripture concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. This happened even though he was one of us and received a share of this ministry.” (In fact, he bought a field with the payment he received for his injustice. Falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines spilled out. This became known to everyone living in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Hakeldama, or “Field of Blood.”) “It is written in the Psalms scroll, Let his home become deserted and let there be no one living in it; and Give his position of leadership to another. (Acts 1:15-20, CEB)

A lot of what happened in and around Jesus was foretold because we were to be on the lookout for the Messiah.

Do we still lookout for where Jesus is?

Where is Jesus working around you and how can you join?

Love people everywhere.

Loving People. Loving God.

bread of life

The Jewish opposition grumbled about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They asked, “Isn’t this Jesus, Joseph’s son, whose mother and father we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus responded, “Don’t grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless they are drawn to me by the Father who sent me, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God. He has seen the Father. I assure you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that whoever eats from it will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:41-51, CEB)

When we think we know someone if they step out of the mold we have them in then they are wrong. We have the image of who they are and what they will be in our minds. And any deviance from that is wrong. Even when the deviant is to be who they actually are.

Jesus here is being ridiculed by those in religious power because Jesus isn’t staying in the mold they have him in.

If we believe in who Jesus says Jesus is we will have life abundantly. But when we make Jesus fit in our magic god box, we will not. We need to let go of our preconceived notions of who God is and allow God to show us who God is. And we need to do this with all of God’s children, i.e. everyone!

Loving People. Loving God.

Liar

My little children, I’m writing these things to you so that you don’t sin. But if you do sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is God’s way of dealing with our sins, not only ours but the sins of the whole world. This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. The one who claims, “I know him,” while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know we are in him. The one who claims to remain in him ought to live in the same way as he lived. (1 John 2:1-6, CEB)

“The one who claims, “I know him,” while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person.”

So what are the commandments?

All 613 Levitical Laws?

The 10 Commandments?

The 2 that Jesus gave and are the ones from the Shema?

Lots of people claim to be followers of God and will say I know him, and then turn around and say that you can be here but if you don’t change your ways you won’t be able to stay. Many use the Bible as a weapon to keep people out while saying that all are welcome.

I believe the author of John is saying that anyone who does not love God and love neighbor doesn’t know God. And saying that someone doesn’t fit in or isn’t following God because they sin differently than you isn’t love. God never said you had to understand how someone lives, you have to love them. Period. And telling them they are living in sin is not loving.

So don’t be a liar and love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Encouraged Hearts

God wanted to make the glorious riches of this secret plan known among the Gentiles, which is Christ living in you, the hope of glory. This is what we preach as we warn and teach every person with all wisdom so that we might present each one mature in Christ. I work hard and struggle for this goal with his energy, which works in me powerfully. I want you to know how much I struggle for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who haven’t known me personally. My goal is that their hearts would be encouraged and united together in love so that they might have all the riches of assurance that come with understanding, so that they might have the knowledge of the secret plan of God, namely Christ. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in him. I’m telling you this so that no one deceives you with convincing arguments, because even though I am absent physically, I’m with you in spirit. I’m happy to see the discipline and stability of your faith in Christ. So live in Christ Jesus the Lord in the same way as you received him. Be rooted and built up in him, be established in faith, and overflow with thanksgiving just as you were taught. (Colossians 1:27—2:7, CEB)

The author of the epistle to the Colossians is empowering them to live out the lives they were taught to live. We struggle and work towards goals to help others around us come to an understanding of the love of God and how we are all given a place in the community. So that they would be encouraged.

Do you worry over those who you know are a part of the community? What about those you know who are not a part of the community?

We should pray and share the story of love in everything we do so all will know they are loved by God.

Loving People. Loving God.

Better part

While Jesus and his disciples were traveling, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him as a guest. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his message. By contrast, Martha was preoccupied with getting everything ready for their meal. So Martha came to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to prepare the table all by myself? Tell her to help me.” The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the better part. It won’t be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, CEB)

We all have roles defined for us by society. And those roles are not necessarily the best ones for us at any given time. Those are the roles that will have society give us a pat on the back and say we are doing a good job, but they may not be what is best for our soul or for the community around us.

Society norms and roles are based on what society deems is correct at this time. Like colors now are boys are blue and girls are pink but many years ago boys were pink and girls were blue. Times change and society’s rules change.

The best place for you always is where God says you should be.

Listen and follow where God is leading.

Loving People. Loving God.