Deep

God’s riches, wisdom, and knowledge are so deep! They are as mysterious as his judgments, and they are as hard to track as his paths! Who has known the Lord’s mind? Or who has been his mentor? Or who has given him a gift and has been paid back by him? All things are from him and through him and for him. May the glory be to him forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33-36, CEB)

God’s anything is deeper than we can fathom.

We can not comprehend God or the things God does.

Know that God’s glory and being are far wider and deeper than we could ever imagine and God includes us in the kindom.

That is a gift we can never repay. The good news is, we do not have to worry about repaying it!

Loving People. Loving God.

repay…

So every single one of you who judge others is without any excuse. You condemn yourself when you judge another person because the one who is judging is doing the same things. We know that God’s judgment agrees with the truth, and his judgment is against those who do these kinds of things. If you judge those who do these kinds of things while you do the same things yourself, think about this: Do you believe that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life? You are storing up wrath for yourself because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change. God’s just judgment will be revealed on the day of wrath. God will repay everyone based on their works. On the one hand, he will give eternal life to those who look for glory, honor, and immortality based on their patient good work. But on the other hand, there will be wrath and anger for those who obey wickedness instead of the truth because they are acting out of selfishness and disobedience. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. God does not have favorites. (Romans 2:1-11, CEB)

God will repay everyone based on their works.

Wow. I will receive from God what I gave/did for others.

I’m not sure I buy that from reading all of the Bible but according to Paul here in the second chapter of Romans that is what is going to happen. We should err on the side of love is what he is getting at.

If we judge someone for doing something more than likely we are doing the very thing we judge someone else for and by judging someone else we are judging ourselves and God will see that and repay us for this injustice.

Bottom line, don’t judge. Just love. If you are loving people you don’t have time to judge them.

Loving People. Loving God.

Conformed

So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature. Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful. (Romans 12:1-8, CEB)

Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world.

Do not align yourself with the systems that keep people in bondage.

Do not allow the former ways to control how things continue, but transform your mind by following God’s will.

Transform yourself and this world by living love out loud!

We all have gifts and all of us are needed. No one is any better than anyone else and all of us have a part to play.

Don’t continue what always was, but help us all transform to the world God intended.

Loving People. Loving God.

Watch out…

When the disciples arrived on the other side of the lake, they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch out and be on your guard for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “We didn’t bring any bread.” Jesus knew what they were discussing and said, “You people of weak faith! Why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves that fed the five thousand and how many baskets of leftovers you gathered? And the seven loaves that fed the four thousand and how many large baskets of leftovers you gathered? Don’t you know that I wasn’t talking about bread? But be on your guard for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he wasn’t telling them to be on their guard for yeast used in making bread. No, he was telling them to watch out for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:5-12, CEB)

Some people will say they follow Jesus but all they really want is power and control.

It isn’t about yeast but learning. People will teach you what they want the Bible to say and what will allow then to stay in power over others.

God is about liberation and love, not control and domination.

God loves us and anything that comes from God will proclaim that love and free us from bondage.

Loving People. Loving God.

Brag?

We won’t dare to place ourselves in the same league or to compare ourselves with some of those who are promoting themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves with themselves, they have no understanding. We won’t take pride in anything more than what is appropriate. Let’s look at the boundaries of our work area that God has assigned to us. It’s an area that includes you. We aren’t going out of bounds, as if our work area doesn’t extend as far as you. We were the first ones to travel as far as Corinth with the gospel of Christ. We don’t take pride in what other people do outside of our boundaries. We hope that our work will be extended even more by you as your faith grows, until it expands fully (within the boundaries, of course). We hope that our work grows even to the point of the gospel being preached in places beyond Corinth, without bragging about what has already been done in another person’s work area. But, the one who brags should brag in the Lord. It isn’t the person who promotes himself or herself who is approved but the person whom the Lord commends. (2 Corinthians 10:12-18, CEB)

Have you ever bragged about yourself? I have to say that I have a hard time bragging about myself. You may not know but I have a degree in master’s degree in Jazz Performance on Electric Bass. I have a hard time telling people that or taking compliments on my playing. I always feel like I could have done better and I let the people listening and I am playing with down. Now I know I am not terrible. I do know I am my own worst critic. Recently I played Electric acoustic bass (upright) for a production of Cabaret and every night it felt like I had royally screwed something up, but every night walking out, the cast and the attendees would always say nice job. To which I would always politely respond thank you, but felt it was unwarranted.

I don’t understand people who brag about themselves is what I’m getting at with the above. I know I have been given a talent by God to play music and to teach and preach, but I always feel like I could have done better than I did.

Don’t brag, but know you have a talent from God to be a part of the kindom.

Loving People. Loving God.

settle

When someone in your assembly has a legal case against another member, do they dare to take it to court to be judged by people who aren’t just, instead of by God’s people? Or don’t you know that God’s people will judge the world? If the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to judge trivial cases? Don’t you know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary things? So then if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint people as judges who aren’t respected by the church? I’m saying this because you should be ashamed of yourselves! Isn’t there one person among you who is wise enough to pass judgment between believers? But instead, does a brother or sister have a lawsuit against another brother or sister, and do they do this in front of unbelievers? The fact that you have lawsuits against each other means that you’ve already lost your case. Why not be wronged instead? Why not be cheated? But instead you are doing wrong and cheating—and you’re doing it to your own brothers and sisters. Don’t you know that people who are unjust won’t inherit God’s kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Those who are sexually immoral, those who worship false gods, adulterers, both participants in same-sex intercourse, thieves, the greedy, drunks, abusive people, and swindlers won’t inherit God’s kingdom. That is what some of you used to be! But you were washed clean, you were made holy to God, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:1-11, CEB)

I have to say this is an interesting passage to read and write about.

Do you have a legal case with a member of the community of believers?

And if so who should be judged, someone in the community or outside the community? Of course, Paul says inside, but Paul also says that if you have a legal case against a member of the community of believers you are both already losers.

Because as fellow believers in Christ, we should be looking out for others, not ourselves, and legal cases normally come from us looking out for our own best interests. I “love” seeing all of the commercials about car accidents where people made hundreds of thousands of dollars from an injury. All well and good I guess, but really? What we need is to have the injuries taken care of, not rip off someone so that we can live an easy life.

God is calling us to love others. Not set ourselves up for a cushy life.

Settle. and live in love.

Loving People. Loving God.

faith

Now when Jesus had come down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. A man with a skin disease came, kneeled before him, and said, “Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to. Become clean.” Instantly his skin disease was cleansed. Jesus said to him, “Don’t say anything to anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded. This will be a testimony to them.” When Jesus went to Capernaum, a centurion approached, pleading with him, “Lord, my servant is flat on his back at home, paralyzed, and his suffering is awful.” Jesus responded, “I’ll come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. Just say the word and my servant will be healed. I’m a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and the servant does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was impressed and said to the people following him, “I say to you with all seriousness that even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this. I say to you that there are many who will come from east and west and sit down to eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness. People there will be weeping and grinding their teeth.” Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it will be done for you just as you have believed.” And his servant was healed that very moment. (Matthew 8:1-13, CEB)

Do we believe because we see?

“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.” I know that from The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2. We can see things and not believe them. I remember when I was younger David Copperfield made the Statue of Liberty disappear. I saw it on TV. But it didn’t actually disappear, it was an optical illusion. We can see things that are not true. But I believe in God and know that God is there for me. So God can and does do things that I don’t have to see to believe.

The centurion knew those under him listened to his orders and followed through on them. So he knew if Jesus said the word, his servant would be healed.

Do we have that faith? Or do we need to see it?

Know seeing isn’t everything. And faith is trusting in what you can not see.

Loving People. Loving God.

part or all…

I’m speaking to you Gentiles. Considering that I’m an apostle to the Gentiles, I publicize my own ministry in the hope that somehow I might make my own people jealous and save some of them. If their rejection has brought about a close relationship between God and the world, how can their acceptance mean anything less than life from the dead? But if part of a batch of dough is offered to God as holy, the whole batch of dough is holy too. If a root is holy, the branches will be holy too. If some of the branches were broken off, and you were a wild olive branch, and you were grafted in among the other branches and shared the root that produces the rich oil of the olive tree, then don’t brag like you’re better than the other branches. If you do brag, be careful: it’s not you that sustains the root, but it’s the root that sustains you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Fine. They were broken off because they weren’t faithful, but you stand only by your faithfulness. So don’t think in a proud way; instead be afraid. If God didn’t spare the natural branches, he won’t spare you either. So look at God’s kindness and harshness. It’s harshness toward those who fell, but it’s God’s kindness for you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise, you could be cut off too. And even those who were cut off will be grafted back in if they don’t continue to be unfaithful, because God is able to graft them in again. If you were naturally part of a wild olive tree and you were cut off from it, and then, contrary to nature, you were grafted into the cultivated olive tree, won’t these natural branches stand an even better chance of being grafted back onto their own olive tree? I don’t want you to be unaware of this secret, brothers and sisters. That way you won’t think too highly of yourselves. A part of Israel has become resistant until the full number of the Gentiles comes in. In this way, all Israel will be saved, as it is written: The deliverer will come from Zion. He will remove ungodly behavior from Jacob. This is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins. According to the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but according to God’s choice, they are loved for the sake of their ancestors. God’s gifts and calling can’t be taken back. (Romans 11:13-29, CEB)

If part of the dough is offered as holy then all of the dough is holy.

If a wild olive branch is grafted onto a tree with holy roots, then what was wild is now holy.

God is able to graft in wild branches again and again and again.

God makes a way where we would put up a barrier.

Do not say someone is out when God has a way to make them be a part. We do not get to be the final say in who is in or out because God makes that decision.

Our path is to love and include. Not cause people to have to fit in, but make a way for them to belong. Graft them in, and allow God’s holy roots to do their work.

God makes a way where we construct barriers. Do not be a barrier. Be love.

Loving People. Loving God.

Power

Some people came down from Judea teaching the family of believers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom we’ve received from Moses, you can’t be saved.” Paul and Barnabas took sides against these Judeans and argued strongly against their position. The church at Antioch appointed Paul, Barnabas, and several others from Antioch to go up to Jerusalem to set this question before the apostles and the elders. The church sent this delegation on their way. They traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, telling stories about the conversion of the Gentiles to everyone. Their reports thrilled the brothers and sisters. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the church, the apostles, and the elders all welcomed them. They gave a full report of what God had accomplished through their activity. Some believers from among the Pharisees stood up and claimed, “The Gentiles must be circumcised. They must be required to keep the Law from Moses.” The apostles and the elders gathered to consider this matter. After much debate, Peter stood and addressed them, “Fellow believers, you know that, early on, God chose me from among you as the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and come to believe. God, who knows people’s deepest thoughts and desires, confirmed this by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, but purified their deepest thoughts and desires through faith. Why then are you now challenging God by placing a burden on the shoulders of these disciples that neither we nor our ancestors could bear? On the contrary, we believe that we and they are saved in the same way, by the grace of the Lord Jesus.” The entire assembly fell quiet as they listened to Barnabas and Paul describe all the signs and wonders God did among the Gentiles through their activity. When Barnabas and Paul also fell silent, James responded, “Fellow believers, listen to me. Simon reported how, in his kindness, God came to the Gentiles in the first place, to raise up from them a people of God. The prophets’ words agree with this; as it is written, After this I will return, and I will rebuild David’s fallen tent; I will rebuild what has been torn down. I will restore it so that the rest of humanity will seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who belong to me. The Lord says this, the one who does these things known from earliest times. “Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn’t create problems for Gentiles who turn to God. Instead, we should write a letter, telling them to avoid the pollution associated with idols, sexual immorality, eating meat from strangled animals, and consuming blood. After all, Moses has been proclaimed in every city for a long time, and is read aloud every Sabbath in every synagogue.” (Acts 15:1-21, CEB)

Unless you follow these rules you are not part of the in crowd. It is like saying love the sinner hate the sin. It gives me a way of keeping you out and in a position of servant and still letting you think you belong. If you don’t follow the guidelines you are not included. And the guidelines are set up to keep the current power structure in place.

Even in religion, it is about power. Who can and who can not teach or lead. Who has the ability to be in leadership? Who can vote for issues in the gathered community?

God does not place these guidelines in place, they are put in place by the humans who are in power, most often men. And these guidelines must be kept at all costs because those in power can not lose their power. This is after all what really killed Jesus.

Look for the guidelines that seem to draw lines where God would erase them, and then work with God to erase them. That is where true love is.

Loving People. Loving God.

Comes out

Jesus called the crowd near and said to them, “Listen and understand. It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person in God’s sight. It’s what comes out of the mouth that contaminates the person.” Then the disciples came and said to him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended by what you just said?” Jesus replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be pulled up. Leave the Pharisees alone. They are blind people who are guides to blind people. But if a blind person leads another blind person, they will both fall into a ditch.” Then Peter spoke up, “Explain this riddle to us.” Jesus said, “Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you know that everything that goes into the mouth enters the stomach and goes out into the sewer? But what goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight. Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults. These contaminate a person in God’s sight. But eating without washing hands doesn’t contaminate in God’s sight.” From there, Jesus went to the regions of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from those territories came out and shouted, “Show me mercy, Son of David. My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.” But he didn’t respond to her at all. His disciples came and urged him, “Send her away; she keeps shouting out after us.” Jesus replied, “I’ve been sent only to the lost sheep, the people of Israel.” But she knelt before him and said, “Lord, help me.” He replied, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and toss it to dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord. But even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall off their masters’ table.” Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith. It will be just as you wish.” And right then her daughter was healed. (Matthew 15:10-28, CEB)

Food was prohibited because people were not cooking it correctly and getting sick and the easiest way to keep people from getting sick is to say that food is not permissible to eat. And here Jesus says that all food is ok to eat because it isn’t what goes into a person that defiles them, it is what is already inside them.

Out of the heart comes evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults. We think these things when we focus on ourselves. When we focus on others we see as God intended for us to see. And when we see with God’s eyes, we love like God loves.

Loving People. Loving God.