Inner self

“A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit, nor does a bad tree produce good fruit. Each tree is known by its own fruit. People don’t gather figs from thorny plants, nor do they pick grapes from prickly bushes. A good person produces good from the good treasury of the inner self, while an evil person produces evil from the evil treasury of the inner self. The inner self overflows with words that are spoken. (Luke 6:43-45, CEB)

You are who you are.

You can not hide behind acts that seem to be good when you are not good, and if you are good you will not do evil.

The words you speak and the things you do will show who you are.

Let love overflow from your life.

Loving People. Loving God.

Light

I didn’t see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. The city doesn’t need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s glory is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. Its gates will never be shut by day, and there will be no night there. They will bring the glory and honor of the nations into it. Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is vile and deceitful, but only those who are registered in the Lamb’s scroll of life. Then the angel showed me the river of life-giving water, shining like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the city’s main street. On each side of the river is the tree of life, which produces twelve crops of fruit, bearing its fruit each month. The tree’s leaves are for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse. The throne of God and the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Night will be no more. They won’t need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will shine on them, and they will rule forever and always. (Revelation 21:22-22:5, CEB)

There will be no need for the sun or the moon, or any lights, for God will be the light for all of us and everything.

The temple also is not needed because God will be the temple.

We will worship God and be enveloped in God’s light.

All glory will be from God and for God.

We will always see and be seen.

We will always love and be loved.

Loving People. Loving God.

All means All!

Look at the large letters I’m making with my own handwriting! Whoever wants to look good by human standards will try to get you to be circumcised, but only so they won’t be harassed for the cross of Christ. Those who are circumcised don’t observe the Law themselves, but they want you to be circumcised, so they can boast about your physical body. But as for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except for the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through him, and I have been crucified to the world. Being circumcised or not being circumcised doesn’t mean anything. What matters is a new creation. May peace and mercy be on whoever follows this rule and on God’s Israel. From now on, no one should bother me because I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. Brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen. (Galatians 6:11-18, CEB)

Those who want to keep the status quo will try to get you to fit into the norm of society. They will want you to change to fit the way that makes people comfortable.

Paul tells the Galatians at the end of the Epistle that the whole argument of circumcision is not what God is worried about.

God accepts all as God made you. You do not need to conform to a human rule to belong. When God made you, God knew what God was doing and was creating a rich tapestry of humankind. Do not try to make people fit, but see the beauty everyone adds to the mix.

All means All.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

How?

Then Jesus said, “This is what God’s kingdom is like. It’s as though someone scatters seed on the ground, then sleeps and wakes night and day. The seed sprouts and grows, but the farmer doesn’t know how. The earth produces crops all by itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full head of grain. Whenever the crop is ready, the farmer goes out to cut the grain because it’s harvesttime.” He continued, “What’s a good image for God’s kingdom? What parable can I use to explain it? Consider a mustard seed. When scattered on the ground, it’s the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; but when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all vegetable plants. It produces such large branches that the birds in the sky are able to nest in its shade.” With many such parables he continued to give them the word, as much as they were able to hear. He spoke to them only in parables, then explained everything to his disciples when he was alone with them. (Mark 4:26-34, CEB)

The farmer plants the seeds and then they grow. The farmer doesn’t know how.

The earth does its thing and makes the plant grow from the seed. The farmer can do more than what is said in the reading here which is sleep, but even then it might not have a good effect on the seed. I know many farmers who make sure they work the soil before planting and then weed and water and nourish the seeds but sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn’t. Now there is a science to farming which I really know nothing about and a farmer could tell me more about, but the text while about seeds and growth is really about the kingdom of God.

We really do not know how the kingdom of God works, or how it comes about, but here the author of Mark tells us that it will come because that is what God wants. The seed will take hold and the kingdom will grow, and then the harvest and the kingdom will be fulfilled.

We do not have to get it or understand it. We just need to trust in the promise that it is coming.

We will all get shade in the kingdom.

Loving People. Loving God.

Secret

Jesus began to teach beside the lake again. Such a large crowd gathered that he climbed into a boat there on the lake. He sat in the boat while the whole crowd was nearby on the shore. He said many things to them in parables. While teaching them, he said, “Listen to this! A farmer went out to scatter seed. As he was scattering seed, some fell on the path; and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. They sprouted immediately because the soil wasn’t deep. When the sun came up, it scorched the plants; and they dried up because they had no roots. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorny plants grew and choked the seeds, and they produced nothing. Other seed fell into good soil and bore fruit. Upon growing and increasing, the seed produced in one case a yield of thirty to one, in another case a yield of sixty to one, and in another case a yield of one hundred to one.” He said, “Whoever has ears to listen should pay attention!” When they were alone, the people around Jesus, along with the Twelve, asked him about the parables. He said to them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables. This is so that they can look and see but have no insight, and they can hear but not understand. Otherwise, they might turn their lives around and be forgiven. “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? The farmer scatters the word. This is the meaning of the seed that fell on the path: When the word is scattered and people hear it, right away Satan comes and steals the word that was planted in them. Here’s the meaning of the seed that fell on rocky ground: When people hear the word, they immediately receive it joyfully. Because they have no roots, they last for only a little while. When they experience distress or abuse because of the word, they immediately fall away. Others are like the seed scattered among the thorny plants. These are the ones who have heard the word; but the worries of this life, the false appeal of wealth, and the desire for more things break in and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. The seed scattered on good soil are those who hear the word and embrace it. They bear fruit, in one case a yield of thirty to one, in another case sixty to one, and in another case one hundred to one.” (Mark 4:1-20, CEB)

The secret is given to you. Do you understand?

Well, the disciples didn’t. They had to ask for this parable to be explained. Even after having been with Jesus and listening to him teach them, they still didn’t seem to get it. This really just puts most of us in good company, because honestly sometimes I struggle to understand what Jesus is saying.

I honestly wish Jesus just spoke plainly rather than in parables to make us all understand what he meant. We wouldn’t have the issues we do today with different interpretations, right? Probably not because we still have different translations.

The one thing that is clear, Jesus loved. Jesus loved everyone.

That is what we should do, err on the side of love and grace.

Loving People. Loving God.

By faith

By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, which showed that he was righteous, since God gave approval to him for his gift. Though he died, he’s still speaking through faith. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he didn’t see death, and he wasn’t found because God took him up. He was given approval for having pleased God before he was taken up. It’s impossible to please God without faith because the one who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards people who try to find him. By faith Noah responded with godly fear when he was warned about events he hadn’t seen yet. He built an ark to deliver his household. With his faith, he criticized the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes from faith. (Hebrews 11:4-7, CEB)

Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews is the Faith Hall of Fame. It is a listing of the people in the Bible who lived their lives by faith. Following where God was leading them without knowing exactly what was going to happen, only that God was with them and God promised it to be ok.

Do you live your life by faith? Could we write about you in Hebrews chapter 11?

Live by faith, trusting God’s promises.

Loving People. Loving God.

out of control

God didn’t put the world that is coming (the world we are talking about) under the angels’ control. Instead, someone declared somewhere, What is humanity that you think about them? Or what are the human beings that you care about them? For a while you made them lower than angels. You crowned the human beings with glory and honor. You put everything under their control. When he puts everything under their control, he doesn’t leave anything out of control. But right now, we don’t see everything under their control yet. However, we do see the one who was made lower in order than the angels for a little while—it’s Jesus! He’s the one who is now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of his death. He suffered death so that he could taste death for everyone through God’s grace. (Hebrews 2:5-9, CEB)

It seems to me the world is out of control.

We have people trying to legislate other humans out of existence.

We have people running for office who say they are followers of Jesus when they want to keep the sojourners and the strangers from being allowed to enter our country.

We are not loving like God loves us, and yet this passage says when God puts everything under their control, God leaves nothing out of control.

I believe we are still waiting for God to give us control. Maybe until we figure out the love thing.

Love like God. Unconditionally. Do not put limits or constraints on who is in or out, that is not your decision.

Love like Jesus.

Loving People. Loving God.

Practice…

Jesus was throwing out a demon that causes muteness. When the demon was gone, the man who couldn’t speak began to talk. The crowds were amazed. But some of them said, “He throws out demons with the authority of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons.” Others were testing him, seeking a sign from heaven. Because Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, “Every kingdom involved in civil war becomes a wasteland, and a house torn apart by divisions will collapse. If Satan is at war with himself, how will his kingdom endure? I ask this because you say that I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul. If I throw out demons by the authority of Beelzebul, then by whose authority do your followers throw them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. But if I throw out demons by the power of God, then God’s kingdom has already overtaken you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are secure. But as soon as a stronger one attacks and overpowers him, the stronger one takes away the armor he had trusted and divides the stolen goods. “Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather with me, scatters. When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it wanders through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn’t find any. Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house cleaned up and decorated. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself. They go in and make their home there. That person is worse off at the end than at the beginning.” While Jesus was saying these things, a certain woman in the crowd spoke up: “Happy is the mother who gave birth to you and who nursed you.” But he said, “Happy rather are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:14-28, CEB)

A house divided can not stand. Satan can not cast out demons, it doesn’t make sense.

You will be happy when you hear what God is calling you to do and do that. Regardless of what other humans tell you. Do what God is leading you to do.

Love like Jesus, unconditionally.

We do not make the rules for who is in or who is out, only God gets to do that and the way I read the scriptures, God says everyone is in and no one is out. And when we try to make rules for who is in and who is out, we divide the house.

Do not divide. Include and love.

Loving People. Loving God.

second death

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog. He will gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They came up across the whole earth and surrounded the saints’ camp, the city that God loves. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet also were. There painful suffering will be inflicted upon them day and night, forever and always. Then I saw a great white throne and the one who is seated on it. Before his face both earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Another scroll was opened too; this is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged on the basis of what was written in the scrolls about what they had done. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and the Grave gave up the dead that were in them, and people were judged by what they had done. Then Death and the Grave were thrown into the fiery lake. This, the fiery lake, is the second death. Then anyone whose name wasn’t found written in the scroll of life was thrown into the fiery lake. (Revelation 20:7-15, CEB)

Did you know there is a second death? But if your name is written in the scroll of life you will not go through second death.

Do not fear first death, it is part of the journey. God is waiting for us and is also always with us. Death does not keep us from God.

We should also work to help other know that God is always with them and for them. The things we do in this life should point to a loving God and not keep people from knowing that love.

Are your actions loving and showing that God cares for all? Or are you helping people die over and over again?

Love.

Loving People. Loving God.

first resurrection

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. He seized the dragon, the old snake, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the abyss, then locked and sealed it over him. This was to keep him from continuing to deceive the nations until the thousand years were over. After this he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and people took their seats on them, and judgment was given in their favor. They were the ones who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and God’s word, and those who hadn’t worshipped the beast or its image, who hadn’t received the mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and ruled with Christ for one thousand years. The rest of the dead didn’t come to life until the thousand years were over. This is the first resurrection. Favored and holy are those who have a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will rule with him for one thousand years. (Revelation 20:1-6, CEB)

This is the first resurrection? There are multiple resurrections?

This is a vision of what eternity and heaven will be like. And it is to give hope to those who were under oppression.

Those who didn’t follow the beast or get the mark will be a part of the first resurrection and rule with Christ for 1000 years.

If you are a follower of Jesus and love like God told us to, you will be a part of the first resurrection. We will show that love is king and God loves all, and human rules and divisions do not apply.

Love like Jesus, unconditionally, and know that is what God calls you to do.

Loving People. Loving God.