And you still don’t understand?

14 Jesus’ disciples had forgotten to bring any bread, so they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 He gave them strict orders: “Watch out and be on your guard for the yeast of the Pharisees as well as the yeast of Herod.” 16 The disciples discussed this among themselves, “He said this because we have no bread.” 17 Jesus knew what they were discussing and said, “Why are you talking about the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you grasp what has happened? Don’t you understand? Are your hearts so resistant to what God is doing? 18 Don’t you have eyes? Why can’t you see? Don’t you have ears? Why can’t you hear? Don’t you remember? 19 When I broke five loaves of bread for those five thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather?” They answered, “Twelve.” 20 “And when I broke seven loaves of bread for those four thousand people, how many baskets full of leftovers did you gather?” They answered, “Seven.” 21 Jesus said to them, “And you still don’t understand?” (Mark 8:14-21,CEB)

And you still don’t understand?

Do you understand?

I know I struggle to get it. But he really isn’t talking about yeast. Jesus is referring to bad teaching, and how a little bit gets in and spreads, just like yeast does. Once you ad a little yeast in, the whole batch of flour is now leavened.

We need to guard our hearts and minds so the wrong teachings do not take hold and get a space.

We need to focus our lives so on Jesus, when the world sees us, they really see Jesus.

Love People. Love God.

Your-story

9 “Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him into slavery in Egypt. God was with him, however, 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. The grace and wisdom he gave Joseph were recognized by Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over his whole palace. 11 A famine came upon all Egypt and Canaan, and great hardship came with it. Our ancestors had nothing to eat. 12 When Jacob heard there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there for the first time. 13 During their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph’s family. 14 Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives—seventy-five in all—and invited them to live with him. 15 So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a certain sum of money from Hamor’s children, who lived in Shechem. (Acts 7:9-16, CEB)

This is a part of the speech Stephen gives before he is stoned.

But it is really just him telling his story, the story of Jesus. You see the history that leads to Jesus coming and what Jesus did is all a part of your family story.

How well do you know the story?

Can you tell it to others?

Know it, and be able to tell others, because it shows how much God loves each of us.

Love People. Love God.

Stephen ministers…

About that time, while the number of disciples continued to increase, a complaint arose. Greek-speaking disciples accused the Aramaic-speaking disciples because their widows were being overlooked in the daily food service. 2 The Twelve called a meeting of all the disciples and said, “It isn’t right for us to set aside proclamation of God’s word in order to serve tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, carefully choose seven well-respected men from among you. They must be well-respected and endowed by the Spirit with exceptional wisdom. We will put them in charge of this concern. 4 As for us, we will devote ourselves to prayer and the service of proclaiming the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the entire community. They selected Stephen, a man endowed by the Holy Spirit with exceptional faith, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 The community presented these seven to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 God’s word continued to grow. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased significantly. Even a large group of priests embraced the faith. (Acts 6:1-7, CEB)

This passage tells us that there are some among us who are meant to preach and teach, and other meant to serve, or do other tasks. We all do not have the same gifts, but we are all needed to perform the functions of the body.

The twelve were dealing with all of the administrative tasks and teaching and preaching and it was too much.

So they appointed the 7 to over see the administration and care/service to those around so the twelve could focus on teaching and preaching.

We all have a place and a gift to use.

Love People. Love God.

eat and live

51 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.” 52 Then the Jews debated among themselves, asking, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Human One and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 My flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in them. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me lives because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. It isn’t like the bread your ancestors ate, and then they died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John 6:51-58,CEB)

Now imagine hearing this when you don’t know what communion is…

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. Seriously Jesus you want us to eat your flesh and drink your blood?

The bread your ancestors ate is subpar compared to me. They ate the Manna and died, but whoever eats this bread will live forever.

I can see why there is concern over what Christians do. But we know the whole story and not just this snipit.

We know what Christ did for all of us and what he gave us.

We know the grace we get through the meal.

The promises are real. Eat and live.

Love People. Love God.

What would you do?

7 A Samaritan woman came to the well to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me some water to drink.” 8 His disciples had gone into the city to buy him some food. 9 The Samaritan woman asked, “Why do you, a Jewish man, ask for something to drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” (Jews and Samaritans didn’t associate with each other.) 10 Jesus responded, “If you recognized God’s gift and who is saying to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would be asking him and he would give you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you don’t have a bucket and the well is deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave this well to us, and he drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks from the water that I will give will never be thirsty again. The water that I give will become in those who drink it a spring of water that bubbles up into eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will never be thirsty and will never need to come here to draw water!” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, get your husband, and come back here.” 17 The woman replied, “I don’t have a husband.” “You are right to say, ‘I don’t have a husband,’” Jesus answered. 18 “You’ve had five husbands, and the man you are with now isn’t your husband. You’ve spoken the truth.” 19 The woman said, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you and your people say that it is necessary to worship in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you and your people will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You and your people worship what you don’t know; we worship what we know because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—and is here!—when true worshippers will worship in spirit and truth. The Father looks for those who worship him this way. 24 God is spirit, and it is necessary to worship God in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one who is called the Christ. When he comes, he will teach everything to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I Am—the one who speaks with you.” (John 4:7-26, CEB)

What would you do if you met a person and they told you all about your life, even things nobody else knew?

I would be scared out of my mind. I would wonder how they knew those things about me.

But here a Samaritan woman, not even named, meets Jesus and Jesus tells her all about her life. Remember Samaritans were not liked by Jewish people, even though the Samaritans were also Jewish, they didn’t live on the right side of the tracks.

And Jesus made it a point to go through Samaria. To find this well, and meet this woman, so she could be a witness to her community.

Sometimes the people we think shouldn’t be included will make the best witnesses and for every person we think shouldn’t be included there are two – three people that think we shouldn’t be included.

God came for all, and we are all invited.

Let us be like God and love as God loves.

Love People. Love God.

Be wise

17 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to watch out for people who create divisions and problems against the teaching that you learned. Keep away from them. 18 People like that aren’t serving the Lord. They are serving their own feelings. They deceive the hearts of innocent people with smooth talk and flattery. 19 The news of your obedience has reached everybody, so I’m happy for you. But I want you to be wise about what’s good, and innocent about what’s evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. (Romans 16:17-20, CEB)

Be on watch for people who will cause problems against the teachings you have learned. This in and of itself is a lifetime task.

Some of the things we were taught were not what we should have been taught. So when we see new information that is proven factual and is against what we were taught, then we must change to the new understanding. This is a hard thing for all of us. We do not want to believe what we learned was a lie. And honestly it wasn’t. We learned what we thought was right based on what we knew, and now we know better so we need to to better.

Stay grounded in the faith and use the mind God gave you to discern what God’s will is and do that.

Love People. Love God.

Lies

8 Stephen, who stood out among the believers for the way God’s grace was at work in his life and for his exceptional endowment with divine power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose from some who belonged to the so-called Synagogue of Former Slaves. Members from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and Asia entered into debate with Stephen. 10 However, they couldn’t resist the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly enticed some people to claim, “We heard him insult Moses and God.” 12 They stirred up the people, the elders, and the legal experts. They caught Stephen, dragged him away, and brought him before the Jerusalem Council. 13 Before the council, they presented false witnesses who testified, “This man never stops speaking against this holy place and the Law. 14 In fact, we heard him say that this man Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and alter the customary practices Moses gave us.” 15 Everyone seated in the council stared at Stephen, and they saw that his face was radiant, just like an angel’s. (Acts 6:8-15, CEB)

Have you ever heard stories people tell about you behind your back?

Sometimes they are so far fetched you wonder how anyone can believe them. But they do.

When we are doing what God has called us to, some will not like it and will spread stories about us that are just out right lies. And what do we do?

We stand before those who accuse us and we hold our ground because that is what God called us to do. We are given a love to share and when we share it others will not like it and slander will happen. But we must stand tall and know that God is always with us.

Love People. Love God.

Really?

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But I told you that you have seen me and still don’t believe. 37 Everyone whom the Father gives to me will come to me, and I won’t send away anyone who comes to me. 38 I have come down from heaven not to do my will, but the will of him who sent me. 39 This is the will of the one who sent me, that I won’t lose anything he has given me, but I will raise it up at the last day. 40 This is my Father’s will: that all who see the Son and believe in him will have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:35-40, CEB)

Does this really mean that if you believe in Jesus and come to him you will never be hungry or thirsty?

If so then I have to say that I have not come to Jesus, because I still get hungry and I still get thirsty.

I want to say that this means we will really have what we need, which still begs the question of why are people starving and going hungry if this is the case? We have what we need, and more sometimes and we don’t share it, so we are not doing the will of God.

We need to be fully into who God is and how God wants us to move in the world. We need to give up our privilege and love like God.

Love People. Love God.

grow

14 Therefore, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found by him in peace—pure and faultless. 15 Consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation, just as our dear friend and brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given to him, 16 speaking of these things in all his letters. Some of his remarks are hard to understand, and people who are ignorant and whose faith is weak twist them to their own destruction, just as they do the other scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you have been warned in advance, be on guard so that you aren’t led off course into the error of sinful people, and lose your own safe position. 18 Instead, grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him belongs glory now and forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:14-18, CEB)

grow in grace. Do not be led astray by sinful people.

We just need to wait on and in the Lord and allow God to help us grow in grace to the maturity the Lord has for us.

Be a beacon for the world.

Bring Christ glory.

Love People. Love God.

LOL

Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. 2 Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God. 3 Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. 4 Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving. 5 Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. 7 So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. 8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. 9 Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. 10 Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord, 11 and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. 12 It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. 13 But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. 14 Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper! Get up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. (Ephesians 5:1-14, CEB)

I know, why did I title this LOL. Don’t you know that means Laugh out loud? Yes I do and naming this devotional that made me think of the meme of text messages from parents. There was one were a daughter got a message from her mother that said your aunt passed away. LOL. and the daughter responded mom why did you put LOL? and the mom replied it means Lots of Love I thought…

Well I propose that LOL be Love Out Loud. As followers of Christ, it is our duty to love the world.

We need to live our lives in such a way that love is what the world sees.

How can we shine a light in the darkness and show the world God’s love?

We need to Love Out Loud!

Love People. Love God.