factions

17 Now I don’t praise you as I give the following instruction because when you meet together, it does more harm than good. 18 First of all, when you meet together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and I partly believe it. 19 It’s necessary that there are groups among you, to make it clear who is genuine. 20 So when you get together in one place, it isn’t to eat the Lord’s meal. 21 Each of you goes ahead and eats a private meal. One person goes hungry while another is drunk. 22 Don’t you have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you look down on God’s churches and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Will I praise you? No, I don’t praise you in this. (1 Corinthians 11:17-22, CEB)

Can you believe there were issues in the church in Paul’s time? Seriously? Can people not get along?

But seriously there have been issues in gatherings since the beginning of time. But as the body of Christ we should get over our differences and work to bring about equality and justice.

People would gather to eat and were eating all of the food before others got there. They wouldn’t wait. And others would drink all the wine. We need to make sure everyone is fed and taken care of. We do not get to eat our fill while our neighbor goes hungry. The meal is for all to share equally.

Divisions do not have there place in the body of Christ. We are one body and need each other.

Love each other as God loves each of us.

Love People. Love God.

You give them something

35 Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day. 36 Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.” 37 He replied, “You give them something to eat.” But they said to him, “Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?” 38 He said to them, “How much bread do you have? Take a look.” After checking, they said, “Five loaves of bread and two fish.” 39 He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass. 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate until they were full. 43 They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish. 44 About five thousand had eaten. (Mark 6:35-44, CEB)

The disciples wanted to send the people away. Maybe they really were worried about them getting something to eat, or maybe they were just done being around people. But they wanted Jesus to tell the people to disperse and go get something to eat. But Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”

Now I am writing this devotion during June, and it is Pride month and I remember seeing just a few days ago a meme that said something to the effect, the church should be less worried about who is sleeping together in a bed and more concerned with helping people get a bed to sleep in. Are we more concerned with people having basic human needs or with who is sleeping with who? Jesus told us to love. And when we love we meet basic needs.

We feed.

We cloth.

We offer shelter.

It really isn’t that hard. Jesus gave us grace, mercy, and love to share. Let’s share it.

Love People. Love God.

I am coming to visit

22 That’s why I’ve been stopped so many times from coming to see you. 23 But now, since I don’t have any place to work in these regions anymore, and since I’ve wanted to come to see you for many years, 24 I’ll visit you when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while I’m passing through. And I hope you will send me on my way there, after I have first been reenergized by some time in your company. 25 But now I’m going to Jerusalem, to serve God’s people. 26 Macedonia and Achaia have been happy to make a contribution for the poor among God’s people in Jerusalem. 27 They were happy to do this, and they are actually in debt to God’s people in Jerusalem. If the Gentiles got a share of the Jewish people’s spiritual resources, they ought to minister to them with material resources. 28 So then after I have finished this job and have safely delivered the final amount of the Gentiles’ offering to them, I will leave for Spain, visiting you on the way. 29 And I know that when I come to you I will come with the fullest blessing of Christ. 30 Brothers and sisters, I urge you, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggles in your prayers to God for me. 31 Pray that I will be rescued from the people in Judea who don’t believe. Also, pray that my service for Jerusalem will be acceptable to God’s people there 32 so that I can come to you with joy by God’s will and be reenergized with your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:22-33, CEB)

Paul is writing to the church in Rome to help them in the faith. He takes time to tell them who he is and how he has helped others, he lays out a theological understanding and as the letter draws to the end he reminds them that he has wanted to visit, but has been kept from coming, but after a quick trip to Jerusalem he is hopeful to stop in on his way to Spain.

Have you ever been telling people, I’m coming for a visit, and then things come up? Like this past year. After we moved to Texas, I was telling my children we would go to Wisconsin to visit, then COVID and no one traveling, so we didn’t go and now we are in summer again and one of my children is doing summer school, so we are saying maybe after summer school, but then there is camp, and band, and and and…

It seems there is always something to keep us from going.

Where do you want/need to go?

Can you share God’s love there?

Love People. Love God.

All things

10 I was very glad in the Lord because now at last you have shown concern for me again. (Of course you were always concerned but had no way to show it.) 11 I’m not saying this because I need anything, for I have learned how to be content in any circumstance. 12 I know the experience of being in need and of having more than enough; I have learned the secret to being content in any and every circumstance, whether full or hungry or whether having plenty or being poor. 13 I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength. 14 Still, you have done well to share my distress. 15 You Philippians know from the time of my first mission work in Macedonia how no church shared in supporting my ministry except you. 16 You sent contributions repeatedly to take care of my needs even while I was in Thessalonica. 17 I’m not hoping for a gift, but I am hoping for a profit that accumulates in your account. 18 I now have plenty and it is more than enough. I am full to overflowing because I received the gifts that you sent from Epaphroditus. Those gifts give off a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice that pleases God. 19 My God will meet your every need out of his riches in the glory that is found in Christ Jesus. 20 Let glory be given to God our Father forever and always. Amen. (Philippians 4:10-20, CEB)

This passage has one of my favorite verses and a verse that is often misused. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

I am able to do anything because of God. Well no not really, that isn’t what that verse says. And even here in our translation it is worded a little different. I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength. I can make it through the circumstances of my life because God is always with me.

Not that I can shoot baskets, or do some sports thing I would never be able to do, or to have the ability to lift a car. But I can make it through life, because God is with me and gives me strength to see another day.

If we focus on God in our lives, the bad situations will not go away, but will be more tolerable and we will endure them with strength from God.

So help those out around you and support them, giving them strength as God gives you strength.

Love People. Love God.

Wouldn’t you?

After this Jesus went across the Galilee Sea (that is, the Tiberias Sea). 2 A large crowd followed him, because they had seen the miraculous signs he had done among the sick. 3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat there with his disciples. 4 It was nearly time for Passover, the Jewish festival. 5 Jesus looked up and saw the large crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, “Where will we buy food to feed these people?” 6 Jesus said this to test him, for he already knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip replied, “More than a half year’s salary worth of food wouldn’t be enough for each person to have even a little bit.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, 9 “A youth here has five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that for a crowd like this?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass there. They sat down, about five thousand of them. 11 Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted. 12 When they had plenty to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves that had been left over by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw that he had done a miraculous sign, they said, “This is truly the prophet who is coming into the world.” 15 Jesus understood that they were about to come and force him to be their king, so he took refuge again, alone on a mountain. 16 When evening came, Jesus’ disciples went down to the lake. 17 They got into a boat and were crossing the lake to Capernaum. It was already getting dark and Jesus hadn’t come to them yet. 18 The water was getting rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When the wind had driven them out for about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the water. He was approaching the boat and they were afraid. 20 He said to them, “I Am. Don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and just then the boat reached the land where they had been heading. (John 6:1-21, CEB)

If you had heard and seen what Jesus was doing, wouldn’t you follow to see more or to witness the miracles first hand?

We want to be amazed.

And here Jesus amazed not only the crowd, but the disciples too. Jesus asked Philip where will you buy food to feed these people? Jesus already knew what was going to happen. But Phillip was like most of us would have been, are you crazy Jesus! We don’t have any where near enough money to buy food for all of these people and even if we did, there isn’t any place close to get the stuff we need. We doubt what can happen. We try to figure things out based on our knowledge of the world not based in God can do what God wants.

We need to let go of our understanding and look at the world through the eyes of God. To see as God sees, and to understand as God understands.

We don’t have to understand it. We just need to trust God.

Trust God.

Love People. Love God.

the will of God

31 In the meantime the disciples spoke to Jesus, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 Jesus said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.” 33 The disciples asked each other, “Has someone brought him food?” 34 Jesus said to them, “I am fed by doing the will of the one who sent me and by completing his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘Four more months and then it’s time for harvest’? Look, I tell you: open your eyes and notice that the fields are already ripe for the harvest. 36 Those who harvest are receiving their pay and gathering fruit for eternal life so that those who sow and those who harvest can celebrate together. 37 This is a true saying, that one sows and another harvests. 38 I have sent you to harvest what you didn’t work hard for; others worked hard, and you will share in their hard work.” (John 4:31-38, CEB)

Jesus is fed off of doing God’s will.

We are all called to go into the fields and harvest that which we did not plant or that which we did not toil to help grow.

You see we all play a part, Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God brought the growth. We need to be ready to go and do what God calls us to.

Are you in tune with the will of God so you are fed by doing and being who God has called you to be?

Love People. Love God.

whatever

12 Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. 14 And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people. 16 The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17, CEB)

Whatever you do do it in the name of Jesus.

Be tolerant of others and forgive as God forgave you.

Treat everyone with love, compassion, kindness. Be gentle and patient in all you do and say. I can say this isn’t always easy for me. But I sometimes need to remind myself that God is patient with me, so I need to treat others as God has and does treat me.

In moments when I want to lash out I remember the words spoken at Via de Cristo, “God loves you, and so do I.” And if I am loving as God loves, then I forgive and over look shortcomings. I lift people up and help them.

Let us all remember that there isn’t a single person we will come in contact with that God does not love. God loves you, and so do I.

Love People. Love God.

Praying for you

9 Because of this, since the day we heard about you, we haven’t stopped praying for you and asking for you to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. 10 We’re praying this so that you can live lives that are worthy of the Lord and pleasing to him in every way: by producing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God; 11 by being strengthened through his glorious might so that you endure everything and have patience; 12 and by giving thanks with joy to the Father. He made it so you could take part in the inheritance, in light granted to God’s holy people. 13 He rescued us from the control of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 He set us free through the Son and forgave our sins. (Colossians 1:9-14, CEB)

We have not stopped praying for you. We are always asking God to fill you with knowledge and understanding of the will of God. We are asking that your lives will be beacons for those around you to see and point towards God.

Do you pray for those who you know like this?

These are people at this point that Paul may not actually know, but he has heard about them. Paul is praying for those who he hasn’t met yet, that they would point people to God.

How can we pray for people in our neighborhood and around the world that they might have knowledge of God’s will and the power to be lights in the darkness?

Love People. Love God.

Lost sheep

All the tax collectors and sinners were gathering around Jesus to listen to him. 2 The Pharisees and legal experts were grumbling, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose someone among you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the other ninety-nine in the pasture and search for the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he is thrilled and places it on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Celebrate with me because I’ve found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes both heart and life than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need to change their hearts and lives. (Luke 15:1-7, CEB)

This is the first of three parables in one of my favorite chapters in the bible. Luke 15.

The parable of the Lost Sheep, the parable of the Lost Coin, and the parable of the Prodigal Son as most of us know them.

This parable is interesting because it is about leaving 99 sheep in a pasture and going and looking for the one lost sheep. We leave 99 in danger out in the open with no shepherd to watch them while we go and look for the one that is lost, and when we find the lost sheep we throw a party because what was lost is now found. But is the parable really about the sheep or the shepherd?

The shepherd is the on who had 100 sheep, and goes and finds the lost one. The lost sheep just wondered off and caused issue for the shepherd. The shepherd did the searching and worrying.

God is the shepherd that will leave those who are not in trouble to find us when we stray away.

Be like God.

Love People. Love God.

watch out

17 From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus calling for the church’s elders to meet him. 18 When they arrived, he said to them, “You know how I lived among you the whole time I was with you, beginning with the first day I arrived in the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears in the midst of trials that came upon me because of the Jews’ schemes. 20 You know I held back nothing that would be helpful so that I could proclaim to you and teach you both publicly and privately in your homes. 21 You know I have testified to both Jews and Greeks that they must change their hearts and lives as they turn to God and have faith in our Lord Jesus. 22 Now, compelled by the Spirit, I’m going to Jerusalem. I don’t know what will happen to me there. 23 What I do know is that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that prisons and troubles await me. 24 But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace. 25 “I know that none of you will see me again—you among whom I traveled and proclaimed the kingdom. 26 Therefore, today I testify to you that I’m not responsible for anyone’s fate. 27 I haven’t avoided proclaiming the entire plan of God to you. 28 Watch yourselves and the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as supervisors, to shepherd God’s church, which he obtained with the death of his own Son. 29 I know that, after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and won’t spare the flock. 30 Some of your own people will distort the word in order to lure followers after them. 31 Stay alert! Remember that for three years I constantly and tearfully warned each one of you. I never stopped warning you! 32 Now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all whom God has made holy. 33 I haven’t craved anyone’s silver, gold, or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I have provided for my own needs and for those of my companions with my own hands. 35 In everything I have shown you that, by working hard, we must help the weak. In this way we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” 36 After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them to pray. 37 They cried uncontrollably as everyone embraced and kissed Paul. 38 They were especially grieved by his statement that they would never see him again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. (Acts 20:17-38, CEB)

“Savage wolves will come in among you and won’t spare the flock. Some of your own people will distort the word in order to lure followers after them.” It’s almost as if Paul was writing to a congregation today.

People will distort the message of God to get what they want. We need to be diligent in our study of the word and following after God. People will try and convince us our understanding of God is misinformed and not what God is leading us to do and be. But we must hold fast to what Jesus has told us and follow where we know God is leading us.

Paul gave us many letters to many communities with different issues that can be a guide. But we must hold true to the gospel and live as God has led us to live.

Love People. Love God.