covenant

We have been made holy by God’s will through the offering of Jesus Christ’s body once for all. Every priest stands every day serving and offering the same sacrifices over and over, sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when this priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right side of God. Since then, he’s waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for his feet, because he perfected the people who are being made holy with one offering for all time. The Holy Spirit affirms this when saying,
This is the covenant that I will make with them.
    After these days, says the Lord,
        I will place my laws in their hearts
        and write them on their minds.
    And I won’t remember their sins
        and their lawless behavior anymore.
When there is forgiveness for these things, there is no longer an offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:10-18, CEB)

Laws on hearts.

Laws on minds.

Forget the wrongs they have done.

When wrongs are forgiven there is no need for a sin offering.

God made a way. We need to see and follow.

Life is more than rules to be followed. It is truly love that needs to be shared.

When the kingdom is fulfilled we will all live in love.

What can we do now as we wait for the kingdom?

How can we better share love and show God’s love for all?

Loving People. Loving God.

compare…

“To what will I compare the people of this generation?” Jesus asked. “What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace calling out to each other, ‘We played the flute for you and you didn’t dance. We sang a funeral song and you didn’t cry.’ John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ Yet the Human One came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved to be right by all her descendants.” (Luke 7:31-35, CEB)

We played the flute and you didn’t dance, and we sang a funeral song and you didn’t cry.

You didn’t play along the way I wanted you to, so you obviously don’t get it or understand what is supposed to happen.

Unless it fits in my box, neatly and nicely, it is wrong.

Jesus should have said, “God doesn’t fit in your religious box and never will.”

Give up on understanding God and live in love.

Do not expect a response and always be delighted by what happens.

Loving People. Loving God

Will they listen?

On the day scheduled for this purpose, many people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he explained and testified concerning God’s kingdom and tried to convince them about Jesus through appealing to the Law from Moses and the Prophets. Some were persuaded by what he said, but others refused to believe. They disagreed with each other and were starting to leave when Paul made one more statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke correctly when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet,
Go to this people and say:
You will hear, to be sure, but never understand;
    and you will certainly see but never recognize what you are seeing.
This people’s senses have become calloused,
    and they’ve become hard of hearing,
    and they’ve shut their eyes
        so that they won’t see with their eyes
        or hear with their ears
        or understand with their minds,
            and change their hearts and lives that I may heal them.
“Therefore, be certain of this: God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. They will listen!” Paul lived in his own rented quarters for two full years and welcomed everyone who came to see him. Unhindered and with complete confidence, he continued to preach God’s kingdom and to teach about the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 28:23-31, CEB)

They will listen.

Do we listen? Or are we so caught up in what we learned or were told as youth that we can not say that was the best we could do then? We have learned more and moved on, but if I say that part of my childhood was a lie or wrong, then what else was? We are so hung up on having it right. Knowing we are right. Maybe we need to just love.

We need to open our eyes and actually see.

We need to listen to hear and not respond.

We need to understand and know it’s ok to change our mind.

Being right isn’t always the best thing.

Let’s love while we wait and work for inclusion, mercy, and justice for all.

Loving People. Loving God.

Misled

Remember your leaders who spoke God’s word to you. Imitate their faith as you consider the way their lives turned out. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Don’t be misled by the many strange teachings out there. It’s a good thing for the heart to be strengthened by grace rather than by food. Food doesn’t help those who live in this context. We have an altar, and those who serve as priests in the meeting tent don’t have the right to eat from it. The blood of the animals is carried into the holy of holies by the high priest as an offering for sin, and their bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy with his own blood. So now, let’s go to him outside the camp, bearing his shame. We don’t have a permanent city here, but rather we are looking for the city that is still to come. So let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise through him, which is the fruit from our lips that confess his name. Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices. Rely on your leaders and defer to them, because they watch over your whole being as people who are going to be held responsible for you. They need to be able to do this with pleasure and not with complaints about you, because that wouldn’t help you. (Hebrews 13:7-17, CEB)

We are waiting for the Lord to come to us as a baby in the manger. We are waiting for the Lord to return and fulfill the kingdom.

We need to stand strong in our faith and not be misled by those who would use the faith for their own gain. God knows the heart of every follower and the motivation for their actions.

Stand in love and share the love you have been given.

Do not be misled by anyone and hold fast to love.

Hope is always there in God. God is true to the promises, where humanity will seek their own rewards.

Love always wins.

Loving People. Loving God.

Good News

Then John said to the crowds who came to be baptized by him, “You children of snakes! Who warned you to escape from the angry judgment that is coming soon? Produce fruit that shows you have changed your hearts and lives. And don’t even think about saying to yourselves, Abraham is our father. I tell you that God is able to raise up Abraham’s children from these stones. The ax is already at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and tossed into the fire.” The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should we do?” He answered, “Don’t cheat or harass anyone, and be satisfied with your pay.” The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. 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. 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.” With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people. (Luke 3:7-18, CEB)

Do not collect more than you should.

Share an extra shirt with someone who needs it.

Be satisfied with what you receive and do not harass anyone.

Does this mean we don’t stand up for ourselves when we are mistreated? No. It simply means we do not mistreat others to get more than we should get.

We need to work to build relationships and community in all we do.

Love all. Share where you can.

Loving People. Loving God.

What?!?!

When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy. Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy. On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father’s name. But his mother replied, “No, his name will be John.” They said to her, “None of your relatives have that name.” Then they began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him. After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, “His name is John.” At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God. All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened. All who heard about this considered it carefully. They said, “What then will this child be?” Indeed, the Lord’s power was with him. (Luke 1:57-66, CEB)

Why name the child John, no one in your family is named John.

Sometimes we do not know the reason things happen. They just happen.

Maybe John needed to be his name, and that is what happened. When we want to know all the details we get bogged down in things that do not matter in the grand scheme of things. We get caught in the minutia but lose track of the whole picture. When we stand at the end of our life and look back over it with God we will see the masterful picture it is, but the details now get in the way of us seeing that.

Know the minutia we think is important, is merely a passing thought.

You are greatly loved by the one who set the stars in motion.

Share that love in all you do and let the details pass.

Loving People. Loving God.

cheerful giver

It’s unnecessary for me to write to you about this service for God’s people. I know about your willingness to help. I brag about you to the Macedonians, saying, “Greece has been ready since last year,” and your enthusiasm has motivated most of them. But I’m sending the brothers so that our bragging about you in this case won’t be empty words, and so that you can be prepared, just as I keep telling them you will be. If some Macedonians should come with me and find out that you aren’t ready, we (not to mention you) would be embarrassed as far as this project goes. This is why I thought it was necessary to encourage the brothers to go to you ahead of time and arrange in advance the generous gift you have already promised. I want it to be a real gift from you. I don’t want you to feel like you are being forced to give anything. What I mean is this: the one who sows a small number of seeds will also reap a small crop, and the one who sows a generous amount of seeds will also reap a generous crop. Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. God has the power to provide you with more than enough of every kind of grace. That way, you will have everything you need always and in everything to provide more than enough for every kind of good work. As it is written, He scattered everywhere; he gave to the needy; his righteousness remains forever. The one who supplies seed for planting and bread for eating will supply and multiply your seed and will increase your crop, which is righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous in every way. Such generosity produces thanksgiving to God through us. Your ministry of this service to God’s people isn’t only fully meeting their needs but it is also multiplying in many expressions of thanksgiving to God. They will give honor to God for your obedience to your confession of Christ’s gospel. They will do this because this service provides evidence of your obedience, and because of your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone. They will also pray for you, and they will care deeply for you because of the outstanding grace that God has given to you. Thank God for his gift that words can’t describe! (2 Corinthians 9:1-15, CEB)

You shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure.

We should give out of our abundance and out of our need. We should give cheerfully and not because we will get something in return, but so that others may know they are loved.

We do not give to gain. We give because we were blessed to be a blessing and God first gave to us.

Always be ready to give and do so cheerfully, so all can know God’s love.

Loving People. Loving God.

community

Brothers and sisters, we want to let you know about the grace of God that was given to the churches of Macedonia. While they were being tested by many problems, their extra amount of happiness and their extreme poverty resulted in a surplus of rich generosity. I assure you that they gave what they could afford and even more than they could afford, and they did it voluntarily. They urgently begged us for the privilege of sharing in this service for the saints. They even exceeded our expectations, because they gave themselves to the Lord first and to us, consistent with God’s will. As a result, we challenged Titus to finish this work of grace with you the way he had started it. Be the best in this work of grace in the same way that you are the best in everything, such as faith, speech, knowledge, total commitment, and the love we inspired in you. I’m not giving an order, but by mentioning the commitment of others, I’m trying to prove the authenticity of your love also. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you could become rich through his poverty. I’m giving you my opinion about this. It’s to your advantage to do this, since you not only started to do it last year but you wanted to do it too. Now finish the job as well so that you finish it with as much enthusiasm as you started, given what you can afford. A gift is appreciated because of what a person can afford, not because of what that person can’t afford, if it’s apparent that it’s done willingly. It isn’t that we want others to have financial ease and you financial difficulties, but it’s a matter of equality. At the present moment, your surplus can fill their deficit so that in the future their surplus can fill your deficit. In this way there is equality. As it is written, The one who gathered more didn’t have too much, and the one who gathered less didn’t have too little. (2 Corinthians 8:1-15, CEB)

Who are your resources for?

Or to state that a different way, why are you blessed now?

We are blessed to be a blessing.

When we have more resources, we should build a bigger table and not a bigger wall.

When we share in our surplus, when we are in need others will share with us. It is not a quid pro quo but a maintaining of relationships in the community. We all support one another.

When we share love, love will be returned.

Love always.

Love always wins.

Loving People. Loving God.

Are you the one?

John’s disciples informed him about all these things. John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord. They were to ask him, “Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?” When they reached Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you. He asks, ‘Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?’” Right then, Jesus healed many of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he gave sight to a number of blind people. Then he replied to John’s disciples, “Go, report to John what you have seen and heard. Those who were blind are able to see. Those who were crippled now walk. People with skin diseases are cleansed. Those who were deaf now hear. Those who were dead are raised up. And good news is preached to the poor. Happy is anyone who doesn’t stumble along the way because of me.” After John’s messengers were gone, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A stalk blowing in the wind? What did you go out to see? A man dressed up in refined clothes? Look, those who dress in fashionable clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. He is the one of whom it’s written: Look, I’m sending my messenger before you, who will prepare your way before you. I tell you that no greater human being has ever been born than John. Yet whoever is least in God’s kingdom is greater than he.” Everyone who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged God’s justice because they had been baptized by John. But the Pharisees and legal experts rejected God’s will for themselves because they hadn’t been baptized by John. (Luke 7:18-30, CEB)

Tell what you have seen.

Tell what you have experienced.

People are healed.

Relationships are restored.

What are you looking for as proof?

Is not knowing love enough?

If love is not enough, what would be enough?

While we wait, we can show love to those who are not loved.

While we wait, we can lift up the downtrodden.

While we wait, we can bring hope to the hopeless.

Let us be light and show love in all we do.

Love always wins.

Loving People. Loving God.

Love

May you have more and more grace and peace through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. By his divine power the Lord has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of the one who called us by his own honor and glory. Through his honor and glory he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, that you may share the divine nature and escape from the world’s immorality that sinful craving produces. This is why you must make every effort to add moral excellence to your faith; and to moral excellence, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, endurance; and to endurance, godliness; and to godliness, affection for others; and to affection for others, love. If all these are yours and they are growing in you, they’ll keep you from becoming inactive and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever lacks these things is shortsighted and blind, forgetting that they were cleansed from their past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be eager to confirm your call and election. Do this and you will never ever be lost. In this way you will receive a rich welcome into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. So I’ll keep reminding you about these things, although you already know them and stand secure in the truth you have. I think it’s right that I keep stirring up your memory, as long as I’m alive. After all, our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I am about to depart from this life. I’m eager for you always to remember these things after my death. (2 Peter 1:2-15, CEB)

Love. Above all else. So you are growing, becoming active and fruitful in the Lord.

As we wait for Christ to fulfill the kingdom, let us work on being loving to all humanity. Let us seek justice and equality for all humanity.

Because moral excellence leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to self-control, self-control leads to endurance, endurance leads to godliness, godliness to affection for others, and affection for others leads to love.

So love.

Loving People. Loving God.