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Examine the scriptures, since you think that in them you have eternal life. They also testify about me, yet you don’t want to come to me so that you can have life. “I don’t accept praise from people, but I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If others come in their own name, you receive them. How can you believe when you receive praise from each other but don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God? “Don’t think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, the one in whom your hope rests. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because Moses wrote about me. If you don’t believe the writings of Moses, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:39-47, CEB)

Examine the scriptures, since you think that in them you have eternal life.

The Bible will not save you. God does that. Not the Bible.

Following the rules is not what it is about.

Jesus here told the religious leaders they didn’t get it. And sometimes I wonder what Jesus is saying about us.

Know that love is the greatest thing. Love God, Love neighbor.

Love

Loving People. Loving God.

In Every Way

in every way. Offer yourself as a role model of good actions. Show integrity, seriousness, and a sound message that is above criticism when you teach, so that any opponent will be ashamed because they won’t find anything bad to say about us. The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It educates us so that we can live sensible, ethical, and godly lives right now by rejecting ungodly lives and the desires of this world. At the same time we wait for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and savior Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions. Talk about these things. Encourage and correct with complete authority. Don’t let anyone disrespect you. (Titus 2:7-8, 11-15, CEB)

In every thing you do, be a good role model and show love.

Integrity is being the same person when people are looking as when they are not.

And in everything show how to live a sensible, ethical, godly life that shares grace and mercy.

In everything you do, share love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Is this possible?

The reason I left you behind in Crete was to organize whatever needs to be done and to appoint elders in each city, as I told you. Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness. This is because supervisors should be without fault as God’s managers: they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy. Instead, they should show hospitality, love what is good, and be reasonable, ethical, godly, and self-controlled. They must pay attention to the reliable message as it has been taught to them so that they can encourage people with healthy instruction and refute those who speak against it. In fact, there are many who are rebellious people, loudmouths, and deceivers, especially some of those who are Jewish believers. They must be silenced because they upset entire households. They teach what they shouldn’t to make money dishonestly. Someone who is one of their own prophets said, “People from Crete are always liars, wild animals, and lazy gluttons.” This statement is true. Because of this, correct them firmly, so that they can be healthy in their faith. They shouldn’t pay attention to Jewish myths and commands from people who reject the truth. Everything is clean to those who are clean, but nothing is clean to those who are corrupt and without faith. Instead, their mind and conscience are corrupted. They claim to know God, but they deny God by the things that they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified to do anything good. (Titus 1:5-16, CEB)

Who can be an elder?

Elders should be without fault. They should be faithful to their spouse, and have faithful children who can’t be accused of self-indulgence or rebelliousness, they shouldn’t be stubborn, irritable, addicted to alcohol, a bully, or greedy.

Elders should be without fault. That eliminates everyone first off, but their children need to be unaccusable, and children are children and someone will not like what they do. And they can not be stubborn or irritable or a bully. That describes a lot of leaders in the church don’t you think?

We are only able to be leaders because God has given us the ability.

We can not say people must be perfect, without fault, only one was and he was also God.

Love people as they are and allow God to work in and through you and them.

Loving People. Loving God.

don’t offend…

When the disciples came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Human One is about to be delivered over into human hands. They will kill him. But he will be raised on the third day.” And they were heartbroken. When they came to Capernaum, the people who collected the half-shekel temple tax came to Peter and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes,” he said. But when they came into the house, Jesus spoke to Peter first.“What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings collect taxes, from their children or from strangers?” “From strangers,” he said. Jesus said to him, “Then the children don’t have to pay. But just so we don’t offend them, go to the lake, throw out a fishing line and hook, and take the first fish you catch. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.” (Matthew 17:22-27, CEB)

As children of God we do not need to pay a temple tax, but so that Jesus didn’t offend the religious authorities, he paid the tax. So which is right to pay or not to pay?

Yes. We should not offend, and show love to all.

So love as you have been loved and share grace and mercy as you go.

Loving People. Loving God.

what will stand?

Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a huge millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “With such violent force the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, and it won’t be found anymore. The sound of harpists and musicians, of pipers and trumpeters, will never be heard among you again. No craftsman of any kind will ever be found among you again. The sound of the hand mill will never be heard among you again. The light of a lamp will never shine among you again. The sound of a bridegroom and bride will never be heard among you again because your merchants ran the world, because all the nations were deceived by the spell you cast, and because the blood of prophets, of saints, and of all who have been slaughtered on the earth was found among you.” (Revelation 18:21-24, CEB)

An angel threw a stone, like a huge millstone, into the sea, and this is how the greatest kingdom of the earth is destroyed to never be seen or heard again. There will not be merriment or craftsmanship or light or any sound.

Everything will be destroyed.

Everything is at God’s will. Nothing will stand if not for God.

How do we live then? Knowing it could all end in a moments notice.

Be like Luther. Luther said if he knew the world would end tomorrow he would plant a tree today. Make the world a better place by sharing love now.

Loving People. Loving God.

Extravagant

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was filled with light because of his glory. He called out with a loud voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a home for demons and a lair for every unclean spirit. She is a lair for every unclean bird, and a lair for every unclean and disgusting beast because all the nations have fallen due to the wine of her lustful passion. The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich from the power of her loose and extravagant ways.” Then I heard another voice from heaven say, “Come out of her, my people, so that you don’t take part in her sins and don’t receive any of her plagues. Her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God remembered her unjust acts. Give her what she has given to others. Give her back twice as much for what she has done. In the cup that she has poured, pour her twice as much. To the extent that she glorified herself and indulged her loose and extravagant ways, give her pain and grief. In her heart she says, ‘I sit like a queen! I’m not a widow. I’ll never see grief.’ This is why her plagues will come in a single day—deadly disease, grief, and hunger. She will be consumed by fire because the Lord God who judges her is powerful. “The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality with her and shared her loose and extravagant ways, will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. They will stand a long way off because they are afraid of the pain she suffers, and they will say, ‘Oh, the horror! Babylon, you great city, you powerful city! In a single hour your judgment has come.’ They threw dust on their heads, and they cried out, weeping and mourning. They said, ‘Oh, the horror! The great city, where all who have ships at sea became so rich by her prosperity—in just one hour she was destroyed. Rejoice over her, heaven—you saints, apostles, and prophets—because God has condemned her as she condemned you.’” (Revelation 18:1-10, 19-20, CEB)

We as humans get caught up in things we shouldn’t. We allow our senses and needs and desires to control us rather than follow after God.

This passage talks of the great country the kings of the People of God lied with and fulfilled their desires with being brought down. And now those kings are mourning the loss and stepping away when they probably want to save her.

We seek to gratify our desires and our needs anyway we can even when that is not what God wants for us.

How can we support the blasphemous whore and follow God? Do not be condemned but follow God.

Loving People. Loving God.

Give

Then the Pharisees met together to find a way to trap Jesus in his words. They sent their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are genuine and that you teach God’s way as it really is. We know that you are not swayed by people’s opinions, because you don’t show favoritism. So tell us what you think: Does the Law allow people to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” Knowing their evil motives, Jesus replied, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin used to pay the tax.” And they brought him a denarion. “Whose image and inscription is this?” he asked. “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” When they heard this they were astonished, and they departed. (Matthew 22:15-22, CEB)

This is an interesting question. Why would one not render unto the government what is the governments? Because power is corrupt and Jesus spoke against the political power and religious power of the day.

Governments are not always God ordained and therefore should not be supported but Jesus knew the political and religious leaders were in cahoots and were trying to trap him.

Always give. In giving we show grace. In giving we give love. And God always replenishes our supply.

Loving People. Loving God.

Never swear…

At that time Herod the ruler heard the news about Jesus. He said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He’s been raised from the dead. This is why these miraculous powers are at work through him.” Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. That’s because John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry her.” Although Herod wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd because they thought John was a prophet. But at Herod’s birthday party Herodias’ daughter danced in front of the guests and thrilled Herod. Then he swore to give her anything she asked. At her mother’s urging, the girl said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a plate.” Although the king was upset, because of his solemn pledge and his guests he commanded that they give it to her. Then he had John beheaded in prison. They brought his head on a plate and gave it to the young woman, and she brought it to her mother. But John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened. (Matthew 14:1-12, CEB)

When we swear we set up the possibility that we will need to do something that goes against what we want to do. Or do something we want to that will cause issues for us.

Herrod wanted to kill John, but feared what the people would do because John was a prophet and loved by the people.

We need to be faithful to God and follow where God leads us. Our desires don’t matter. Following God and loving all is what we are called to do.

Loving People. Loving God.

Lord it over…

Therefore, I have a request for the elders among you. (I ask this as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and as one who shares in the glory that is about to be revealed.) I urge the elders: Like shepherds, tend the flock of God among you. Watch over it. Don’t shepherd because you must, but do it voluntarily for God. Don’t shepherd greedily, but do it eagerly. Don’t shepherd by ruling over those entrusted to your care, but become examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive an unfading crown of glory. In the same way, I urge you who are younger: accept the authority of the elders. And everyone, clothe yourselves with humility toward each other. God stands against the proud, but he gives favor to the humble. (1 Peter 5:1-5, CEB)

Leaders should be those who are humble and not power hungry. Leaders should be those who prayerfully accept a place of leadership because it is thrust upon them and not sought out.

Leaders are examples and show how to live by doing, not commanding.

And when this happens it is easier to follow that leader.

Lead by example and help others love more.

Loving People. Loving God.

Good

I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, doesn’t welcome us. Because of this, if I come, I will bring up what he has done—making unjustified and wicked accusations against us. And as if that were not enough, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers and sisters but stops those who want to do so and even throws them out of the church! Dear friend, don’t imitate what is bad but what is good. Whoever practices what is good belongs to God. Whoever practices what is bad has not seen God. Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, even the truth itself. We also speak highly of him, and you know that what we say is true. (3 John 9-12, CEB)

Who is welcome?

One of my great friends, Drew Tucker, said, “I use “everyone is welcome but not everything” and then delineate clearly that racism, homophobia, xenophobia, and the like aren’t welcome. If you’re not willing to try and give those up, come back when you are.”

Everyone is welcome but if your beliefs cause harm to life then you need to rethink your understanding of welcome.

Evil doesn’t show love. Only good does.

Loving People. Loving God.