Welcome

So welcome each other, in the same way that Christ also welcomed you, for God’s glory. I’m saying that Christ became a servant of those who are circumcised for the sake of God’s truth, in order to confirm the promises given to the ancestors, and so that the Gentiles could glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name. And again, it says, Rejoice, Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and all the people should sing his praises. And again, Isaiah says, There will be a root of Jesse, who will also rise to rule the Gentiles. The Gentiles will place their hope in him. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in faith so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:7-13, CEB)

Welcome each other as Christ welcomed you.

Nothing was asked for, everything was given.

All are welcome.

That decision was made long before you existed.

You are asked to welcome each other as Christ welcomed you.

Loving People. Loving God.

rises from the dead.

“There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come and lick his sores. “The poor man died and was carried by angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. While being tormented in the place of the dead, he looked up and saw Abraham at a distance with Lazarus at his side. He shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m suffering in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things, whereas Lazarus received terrible things. Now Lazarus is being comforted and you are in great pain. Moreover, a great crevasse has been fixed between us and you. Those who wish to cross over from here to you cannot. Neither can anyone cross from there to us.’ “The rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, Father, send Lazarus to my father’s house. I have five brothers. He needs to warn them so that they don’t come to this place of agony.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. They must listen to them.’ The rich man said, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will change their hearts and lives.’ Abraham said, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, then neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31, CEB)

“neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.” Well someone did rise from the grave and some people still don’t get it.

I wonder as I read this passage is it about hell, Jesus rising from the dead, or something else? Or is it about all of these and more?

One could argue it is about hell and the river is the river Styx, but is that biblical? One could say it is about Jesus foretelling his death and resurrection. Or you could take in the context of the chapter and see the story before is about divorce and marriage, or relationships and maybe this is a commentary on how we treat those around us, or if we even see those around us.

I would argue it is more about the last above than either of the others. I would say that hell, as we know it in Evangelical Christian understanding, does not exist, and is not biblical. Jesus will die and rise again, so he will come back from the dead and people still don’t buy, but honestly, I believe Jesus is commenting on relationships and the lack of people seeing other people as people. We come up with all kinds of ways to say those people are not like us so therefore they do not belong.

No one is less of a person than anyone else.

Gender doesn’t make you less of a person.

Skintone doesn’t make you less of a person.

Nationality doesn’t make you less of a person.

Sexuality doesn’t make you less of a person.

We are all children of God.

See each other through God’s eyes.

Siblings. Fellow travelers.

Love Like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Hope?

Then, when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, and he held a gold bowl for burning incense. He was given a large amount of incense, in order to offer it on behalf of the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense offered for the prayers of the saints rose up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the incense container and filled it with fire from the altar. He threw it down to the earth, and there were thunder, voices, lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5, CEB)

This is part of a book meant to bring hope, even with fire raining from Heaven to Earth.

Bad things happen and God is not a puppet master. We are never promised a smooth walk on this side of the kingdom. We are promised God will always be with us.

That is the hope. Even in the darkness, even in the earthquakes, and the catastrophes God is with us.

Love like Jesus. That shows that God is with us!

Loving People. Loving God.

Hardships

After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands. They cried out with a loud voice:
“Victory belongs to our God
        who sits on the throne,
            and to the Lamb.”
All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, saying,
“Amen! Blessing and glory
        and wisdom and thanksgiving
        and honor and power and might
            be to our God forever and always. Amen.”
Then one of the elders said to me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”
I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
Then he said to me, “These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. This is the reason they are before God’s throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. They won’t hunger or thirst anymore. No sun or scorching heat will beat down on them, because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:9-17, CEB)

When the kingdom comes, we will be made pure through God, and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. There will no longer be hardships and we all will have survived.

Remember Revelation was written to a people that needed hope. It is a letter of hope in a time of darkness.

We need to have faith, trust that God is always with us even when we do not feel it.

Hope is always there.

Light is always there to push back the darkness.

Know you are never alone and the end will come and joy will reign.

Loving People. Loving God.

Parenthetical

As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?” Jesus replied, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except the one God. You know the commandments: Don’t commit murder. Don’t commit adultery. Don’t steal. Don’t give false testimony. Don’t cheat. Honor your father and mother.” “Teacher,” he responded, “I’ve kept all of these things since I was a boy.” Jesus looked at him carefully and loved him. He said, “You are lacking one thing. Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor. Then you will have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.” But the man was dismayed at this statement and went away saddened, because he had many possessions. Looking around, Jesus said to his disciples, “It will be very hard for the wealthy to enter God’s kingdom!” His words startled the disciples, so Jesus told them again, “Children, it’s difficult to enter God’s kingdom! It’s easier for a camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter God’s kingdom.” They were shocked even more and said to each other, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them carefully and said, “It’s impossible with human beings, but not with God. All things are possible for God.” Peter said to him, “Look, we’ve left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “I assure you that anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms because of me and because of the good news will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life. But many who are first will be last. And many who are last will be first.” (Mark 10:17-31, CEB)

“Anyone who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, or farms, because of me and because of the good news,” Jesus said, “will receive one hundred times as much now in this life—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and farms (with harassment)—and in the coming age, eternal life.”

That parenthetical thought is what grabbed me. (with harassment).

If you leave your family behind for Jesus and the good news you will receive a new family, the body of Christ. Many brothers, sisters, children, mothers, and farms. Notice Fathers are left out of the list we will get because we all have one father who is God. Of course, God is also mother and many other things, but for this devotion and passage, God is the only father we have when we leave everything behind for Jesus. And all of these things come now, in this life. But we do not get rich, because we are helping all people. And because of all of this, the world gives us pain. We are harassed.

When we actually follow God and do what we are asked to do and give up everything we receive so much more but the world hates us for including those they think shouldn’t be included and for helping those they want to go away.

We will never do it on our own. We need each other.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

whose rule???

Then Pharisees and legal experts came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why are your disciples breaking the elders’ rules handed down to us? They don’t ritually purify their hands by washing before they eat.” Jesus replied, “Why do you break the command of God by keeping the rules handed down to you? For God said, Honor your father and your mother, and The person who speaks against father or mother will certainly be put to death. But you say, ‘If you tell your father or mother, “Everything I’m expected to contribute to you I’m giving to God as a gift,”then you don’t have to honor your father.’ So you do away with God’s Law for the sake of the rules that have been handed down to you. Hypocrites! Isaiah really knew what he was talking about when he prophesied about you, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. Their worship of me is empty since they teach instructions that are human rules.” (Matthew 15:1-9, CEB)

Whose rules are we following, God’s or man’s?

The Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples were not keeping the rules handed down by the elders. These are not laws given by God but rules created by the elders based on what God had said. They are not commandments of God but interpretations of men. And which is more important, and that is exactly what Jesus asks.

You see the elders were allowing people to break the commandments of God by following man-made rules. And God’s rules are more important than making people or men happy.

Do what God is calling you to do. Honor God not man.

Loving People. Loving God.

rest

Therefore, since the promise that we can enter into rest is still open, let’s be careful so that none of you will appear to miss it. We also had the good news preached to us, just as the Israelites did. However, the message they heard didn’t help them because they weren’t united in faith with the ones who listened to it. We who have faith are entering the rest. As God said,
And because of my anger I swore:
        “They will never enter into my rest!”
And yet God’s works were completed at the foundation of the world. Then somewhere he said this about the seventh day of creation: God rested on the seventh day from all his works. But again, in the passage above, God said, They will never enter my rest! Therefore, it’s left open for some to enter it, and the ones who had the good news preached to them before didn’t enter because of disobedience. Just as it says in the passage above, God designates a certain day as “today,” when he says through David much later,
Today, if you hear his voice,
        don’t have stubborn hearts.
If Joshua gave the Israelites rest, God wouldn’t have spoken about another day later on. So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.
Therefore, let’s make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience, (Hebrews 4:1-11, CEB)

Rest is something that sometimes seems elusive.

And what kind of rest are we talking about?

Spiritual, physical, mental?

We need all kinds of rest. Sometimes we can go on physically, but mentally we are at a brick wall.

We all need to rest though. So if you have been going non stop, it is time to slow down, stop, and rest.

Do not see rest as failure. Even God rested after creation.

Loving People. Loving God.

Listen. God is calling…

So, as the Holy Spirit says,
Today, if you hear his voice,
    don’t have stubborn hearts
        as they did in the rebellion,
        on the day when they tested me in the desert.
That is where your ancestors challenged and tested me,
        though they had seen my work for forty years.
So I was angry with them.
I said, “Their hearts always go off course,
        and they don’t know my ways.”
Because of my anger I swore:
        “They will never enter my rest!”
Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that none of you have an evil, unfaithful heart that abandons the living God. Instead, encourage each other every day, as long as it’s called “today,” so that none of you become insensitive to God because of sin’s deception. We are partners with Christ, but only if we hold on to the confidence we had in the beginning until the end.
When it says,
Today, if you hear his voice, don’t have stubborn hearts
        as they did in the rebellion.
Who was it who rebelled when they heard his voice? Wasn’t it all of those who were brought out of Egypt by Moses? And with whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with the ones who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And against whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest, if not against the ones who were disobedient? We see that they couldn’t enter because of their lack of faith. (Hebrews 3:7-19, CEB)

When you hear God’s voice, do you listen?

And by listen I mean do what God says?

The passage above speaks of a time, in the rebellion, where people heard the Spirit, but didn’t actually do what the Spirit told them to do.

And I get it. When God tells you to do something like move your family across the country to a place you have never lived and lead a people that might not want to do and or go where you will be leading them it is scary and you don’t want to do it.

It is never said to be easy to follow God and be a person of faith that hears God’s voice and does what they hear.

I follow God because even in the darkness I know I am never alone.

I try to listen and do what I hear even when I’m scared or unsure because God has never steered me wrong. Not that all of my calls have been rose gardens and all fun, they have not. But God never left me, and I was doing what I was doing for a reason.

Know you are never alone. Listen. God is calling…

Loving People. Loving God.

Who is sinning?

“You have heard that it was said, Don’t commit adultery. But I say to you that every man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart. And if your right eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out and throw it away. It’s better that you lose a part of your body than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off and throw it away. It’s better that you lose a part of your body than that your whole body go into hell. “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a divorce certificate.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife except for sexual unfaithfulness forces her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again you have heard that it was said to those who lived long ago: Don’t make a false solemn pledge, but you should follow through on what you have pledged to the Lord. But I say to you that you must not pledge at all. You must not pledge by heaven, because it’s God’s throne. You must not pledge by the earth, because it’s God’s footstool. You must not pledge by Jerusalem, because it’s the city of the great king. And you must not pledge by your head, because you can’t turn one hair white or black. (Matthew 5:27-36, CEB)

Jesus specifically here calls out men for looking at women in a lustful way, and by doing this they are committing adultery.

We are also supposed to cut off or pluck out body parts that cause us to stray away from God.

When we look at others as objects to possess we set ourselves up as god. When we see people as brothers and sisters under God, then we will look out for their needs and not cause ourselves to be led away from God.

The only thing promised is God’s love. Let us share that and help the world come to know this.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Relationships

I’m passing on the Lord’s command to those who are married: A wife shouldn’t leave her husband, but if she does leave him, then she should stay single or be reconciled to her husband. And a man shouldn’t divorce his wife. I’m telling everyone else (the Lord didn’t say this specifically): If a believer has a wife who doesn’t believe, and she agrees to live with him, then he shouldn’t divorce her. If a woman has a husband who doesn’t believe and he agrees to live with her, then she shouldn’t divorce him. The husband who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of his wife, and the wife who doesn’t believe belongs to God because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be contaminated by the world, but now they are spiritually set apart. But if a spouse who doesn’t believe chooses to leave, then let them leave. The brother or sister isn’t tied down in these circumstances. God has called you to peace. How do you know as a wife if you will save your husband? Or how do you know as a husband if you will save your wife? (1 Corinthians 7:10-16, CEB)

This is all about relationships. we should not only be in relationship to those who think they same or believe the same as us. This specifically is about marriage, but we can infer about other relationships through this.

We can not choice who we are in relationship with only by their beliefs. If they choose not to be in a relationship with us, that is their choice. We as followers of Jesus must work with everyone and accept them where they are.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.