a gift…

Now, about what you wrote: “It’s good for a man not to have sex with a woman.” 2 Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband because of sexual immorality. 3 The husband should meet his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should do the same for her husband. 4 The wife doesn’t have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Don’t refuse to meet each other’s needs unless you both agree for a short period of time to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come back together again so that Satan might not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I’m saying this to give you permission; it’s not a command. 7 I wish all people were like me, but each has a particular gift from God: one has this gift, and another has that one. (1 Corinthians 7:1-7, CEB)

We look at sex in society as bad and dirty. It is something we do not talk about because it is something very personal.

It is taboo and a topic we do not want to discuss.

But it isn’t dirty, or bad, or something to hide or run from. Sex is a gift. Given to us by God.

It is a way for us to be intimate with another human and to meet the needs and desires they have. These are also gifts from God.

Let us celebrate the gifts God gives us and live into them.

Loving People. Loving God.

Buy God?

18 When Simon perceived that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 19 He said, “Give me this authority too so that anyone on whom I lay my hands will receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 Peter responded, “May your money be condemned to hell along with you because you believed you could buy God’s gift with money! 21 You can have no part or share in God’s word because your heart isn’t right with God. 22 Therefore, change your heart and life! Turn from your wickedness! Plead with the Lord in the hope that your wicked intent can be forgiven, 23 for I see that your bitterness has poisoned you and evil has you in chains.” 24 Simon replied, “All of you, please, plead to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will happen to me!” (Acts 8:18-24, CEB)

Can you buy God?

Or do anything to receive the free gift that God gives to all?

This is a hard concept to grasp. In every other place in our lives, we have to do the right things or pay the right price to get ahead or recognition. But with God, we can not earn the gift or do enough to obtain it.

Know the gift can not be bought and you’ll never run out of love from God.

Go always sharing the love you have been given.

Loving People. Loving God.

Can light be darkness?

33 “People don’t light a lamp and then put it in a closet or under a basket. Rather, they place the lamp on a lampstand so that those who enter the house can see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your whole body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore, see to it that the light in you isn’t darkness. 36 If your whole body is full of light—with no part darkened—then it will be as full of light as when a lamp shines brightly on you.” (Luke 11:33-36, CEB)

I was struck as I read this, “Therefore, see to it that the light in you isn’t darkness.”

See that the light in you isn’t darkness.

How can light be darkness?

Any light dispels darkness. So I’m not sure how darkness is light or light is darkness.

I think what is meant is we need to focus on the light and living in a way that shows God’s light in our lives. Not because we have to but because we are so full of light we can not help it.

We need to help dispel the darkness by living out the light.

Let the light shine in your life that others see it and wonder how they can get that light.

Loving People. Loving God.

Have

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of God’s Son so that you can know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence that we have in our relationship with God: If we ask for anything in agreement with his will, he listens to us. 15 If we know that he listens to whatever we ask, we know that we have received what we asked from him. 16 If anyone sees a brother or sister committing a sin that does not result in death, they should pray, and God will give life to them—that is, to those who commit sins that don’t result in death. There is a sin that results in death—I’m not saying that you should pray about that. 17 Every unrighteous action is sin, but there is a sin that does not result in death. 18 We know that everyone born from God does not sin, but the ones born from God guard themselves, and the evil one cannot touch them. 19 We know we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 We know that God’s Son has come and has given us understanding to know the one who is true. We are in the one who is true by being in his Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols! (1 John 5:13-21, CEB)

How many of us go to worship and read the bible and do the things we do so that we may one day obtain eternal life? Like eternal life is something we will get when Jesus comes back or the kingdom of God comes in its fullness.

Here though the author of 1 John says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of God’s Son so that you can know that you have eternal life.” So that you know you HAVE.

Not will get if you check all the boxes.

Not will get if you live right.

Not will get when Jesus comes back.

Have. You already have eternal life. It isn’t something we are waiting for but are living right here and now.

We have the assurance, the promise this is true and we are living with and will always be with God.

Live like that. Love like that.

Loving People. Loving God.

who is the enemy?

10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. 11 Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. 12 We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. 13 Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. 14 So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, 15 and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. 16 Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. (Ephesians 6:10-17, CEB)

Who is the enemy?

Here the author of the epistle, or letter, to the Ephesians says, “We aren’t fighting against human enemies”. So then who is the enemy?

If it isn’t another human, because we are called to love all humans, as creations of God. Our fight is not against others, but against the power of evil in the heavens.

It is evil we are to stand against, not other humans. We must fight evil in every waking moment, and work for love in all instances.

So love all as God loves you.

Loving People. Loving God.

1/9/22

15 The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. 16 John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 The shovel he uses to sift the wheat from the husks is in his hands. He will clean out his threshing area and bring the wheat into his barn. But he will burn the husks with a fire that can’t be put out.” 18 With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done. 20 He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison. 21 When everyone was being baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit came down on him in bodily form like a dove. And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I dearly love; in you I find happiness.” (Luke 3:15-22, CEB)

The reading for today was only supposed to be Luke 3:15-17, 21-22, leaving out 18 through 20. Which always makes me wonder when a portion of scripture is left out. The lectionary leaves out the part where John is thrown in prison because Herod had married Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife.

But surrounding that is the question of John being the Christ or Messiah, and Jesus’ baptism. Which is John’s baptism and not the baptism we as Christians do. But here the Spirit descends from heaven in the form of a dove, a white pigeon, and the voice declared Jesus God’s son. God takes a trash bird and makes it beautiful to deliver a message of hope.

If God can transform a trash bird, God can transform us and all of creation.

So go showing love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Who knows?

11 Who knows a person’s depths except their own spirit that lives in them? In the same way, no one has known the depths of God except God’s Spirit. 12 We haven’t received the world’s spirit but God’s Spirit so that we can know the things given to us by God. 13 These are the things we are talking about—not with words taught by human wisdom but with words taught by the Spirit—we are interpreting spiritual things to spiritual people. 14 But people who are unspiritual don’t accept the things from God’s Spirit. They are foolishness to them and can’t be understood, because they can only be comprehended in a spiritual way. 15 Spiritual people comprehend everything, but they themselves aren’t understood by anyone. 16 Who has known the mind of the Lord, who will advise him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:11-16, CEB)

Who knows the depths of a person’s spirit except them, or even them? Sometimes I wonder if I really know myself. But do we really know what a person is dealing with or going through? Only God really knows the depths of each of our souls.

So love everyone, because you don’t know the darkness they are in.

Loving People. Loving God.

Preach the Gospel

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I didn’t come preaching God’s secrets to you like I was an expert in speech or wisdom. 2 I had made up my mind not to think about anything while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and to preach him as crucified. 3 I stood in front of you with weakness, fear, and a lot of shaking. 4 My message and my preaching weren’t presented with convincing wise words but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 5 I did this so that your faith might not depend on the wisdom of people but on the power of God. 6 What we say is wisdom to people who are mature. It isn’t a wisdom that comes from the present day or from today’s leaders who are being reduced to nothing. 7 We talk about God’s wisdom, which has been hidden as a secret. God determined this wisdom in advance, before time began, for our glory. 8 It is a wisdom that none of the present-day rulers have understood, because if they did understand it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory! 9 But this is precisely what is written: God has prepared things for those who love him that no eye has seen, or ear has heard, or that haven’t crossed the mind of any human being. 10 God has revealed these things to us through the Spirit. The Spirit searches everything, including the depths of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-10, CEB)

Recently I have been talking to some pastor friends of mine about calls and we were telling some of our call stories. I was up for a call in the midwest as an associate pastor. I had gone to visit the congregation with my wife and did a meet and greet and an open mic question/answer session and preached at all of the services for the congregation. The vote would be the next week, but it seemed like a done deal. I got a call the next week, which was Reformation Sunday and the council president said it was a majority but not a supermajority, meaning the yes votes were over 50% but not over 66% which is what is needed for a call, so they congregation voted to not call me. Then the council president said something to me which made me realize that this was actually a good thing. The council president said, “Maybe if you would have preached more about yourself, than preaching the gospel, it would have gone differently.” I pray that I always get accused of preaching the gospel!

If we talk about our selves we are short changing those around us. We have the best story known to all and we need to share it.

Let your life be an open book and live the gospel out loud. And let you light shine so you love out loud!

Loving People. Loving God.

1/6/22

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. 4 He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah, because from you will come one who governs, who will shepherd my people Israel.” 7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” 9 When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11 They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12, CEB)

Herod asked the Magi when they first saw the star because he knew they had traveled a far distance and it was probably a while ago the star had risen. He told them to go to Bethlehem and find the king and come and tell him because he wanted to honor the king too. Really Herod wanted to kill the king so he could remain in power.

The Magi found Jesus and honored him and went home another way because they were warned not to go back to Herod. But Herod didn’t stop because of this.

What would we do to keep our power? What would we do to keep the status quo?

We do things all the time to keep our power or things the same. We need to live and love as God did. Choosing to love because God loved first.

God loves us as we are, so we should love all of creation and help everyone see that God loves them.

Loving People. Loving God.

flourish

1 God, give your judgments to the king.
    Give your righteousness to the king’s son.
2 Let him judge your people with righteousness
    and your poor ones with justice.
3 Let the mountains bring peace to the people;
    let the hills bring righteousness.
4 Let the king bring justice to people who are poor;
    let him save the children of those who are needy,
    but let him crush oppressors!
5 Let the king live as long as the sun,
    as long as the moon,
    generation to generation.
6 Let him fall like rain upon fresh-cut grass,
    like showers that water the earth.
7 Let the righteous flourish throughout their lives,
    and let peace prosper until the moon is no more.
8 Let the king rule from sea to sea,
    from the river to the ends of the earth.
9 Let the desert dwellers bow low before him;
    let his enemies lick the dust.
10 Let the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute;
    let the kings of Sheba and Seba present gifts.
11 Let all the kings bow down before him;
    let all the nations serve him.
12 Let it be so, because he delivers the needy who cry out,
    the poor, and those who have no helper.
13 He has compassion on the weak and the needy;
    he saves the lives of those who are in need.
14 He redeems their lives from oppression and violence;
    their blood is precious in his eyes.
15 Let the king live long!
Let Sheba’s gold be given to him!
    Let him be prayed for always!
    Let him be blessed all day long!
16 Let there be abundant grain in the land.
    Let it wave on the mountaintops.
    Let its fruit flourish like Lebanon.
    Let it thrive like grass on the land.
17 Let the king’s name last forever.
    Let his name endure as long as the sun.
    Let all the nations be blessed through him and call him happy.
18 Bless the Lord God, the God of Israel—
    the only one who does wondrous things!
19 Bless God’s glorious name forever;
    let his glory fill all the earth!
    Amen and Amen!
20 The prayers of David, Jesse’s son, are ended. (Psalm 72, CEB)

When we follow where God is leading us, our lives will flourish.

God will bless us, not because we are actually doing what God tells us to, but we will be blessed by being in the life that God has called us to. We do not get it because we do what God tells us to, but we obtain it by living on the path that God leads us to.

God blesses all people, we see it clearly when we are following that path.

Live your life and love those around you.

Loving People. Loving God.