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Luke 5:31 And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick.

“But I NEED!” This use to be the wail of my great (and they are great!) nephews when they wanted to MAKE ME UNDERSTAND how serious they would SUFFER if I failed to GIVE THEM what they desired.

They have since grown up (some) and are becoming like most of us – everything seems like “We’ve got to have!”… We may not WAIL, but if anyone tries to talk us out of it, we MAY STILL emphasize the possible consequences of denying ourselves… death – starvation – depression – “worst event of my ENTIRE life”…

There are needs. We are a creation that has BODY needs – SOUL needs – and SPIRIT needs.  Serious needs! Needs that are good – and necessary – and right to seek!

Our body needs food and water. Our soul needs love and a sense of security. Our spirit needs to be known and connected to our world community.

When these needs are not met or are lacking true sustenance, we become “sick” – not well, due to our body/soul/spirit”s lack of necessary nutrients.

Our problem/mistake is that WE try to satisfy our true and righteous needs with false and unsatisfying solutions.

We have been taught, both by well-meaning family and not so well-meaning enemies that WE SHOULD BE able to take care of ourselves (the goal of SELF sufficiency), we should be able to provide everything we need for a healthy, wealthy, and rich life. We set our goal for perfection, with life teaching us over and over that it is impossible to obtain. We long for and strive to PROVE “The Power of One” is our only hope… as long as the “One” is me. Some of us even strive to be the “Power of One” for everyone else!

As long as we have ourself… as long as we have each other…

But what if THE “One” is not you?

The question becomes… when your “sick”… when you are in need and you or your world cannot fill the need… WHO you going to call?

WHO WILL COME to your rescue?

What if the one you call has no sense of obligation or desire for YOUR good?

What if the one to whom you’ve given power, seeks destruction of all that God-given?

What if the one who comes, seeks to kill and destroy you

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now

We are needy! Our world is needy!

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

We are all sick – we are all in need of SOMEONE to care for us.

When Mama calls the doctor… WHO shows up?

 

1 Peter 5:8-10 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

If our enemy comes, WHO WILL we cry out to SAVE US?

For God so loved the world…

Our enemy wants to enslave us for the purpose of our destruction.

Our Creator wishes to adopt us… to take us for His children – His heirs… For (we) have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but (we) have received a spirit of adoption as sons… and daughters… by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, (Romans 8:15-17)

Our Abba wants only the best for His own!

Romans 8:28-30 Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those who He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, He also glorified.

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor created any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-39)

Christ Jesus… the GREATEST PHYSICIAN… who saves us and heals us with the love of God!

WHEN (not if) Mama calls the doctor… JUST SAY JESUS!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

Deuteronomy 32:7 “Remember the days of old, Consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you – and this one too –  Leviticus 19:37 You shall thus observe all My statutes and all My ordinances and do them; I am the Lord.” 

Days of Old… FOR SURE! My father is no longer with us but my ELDERS sure are! And they love to TELL me… mostly what they tell me their memories of the days when I “was” the spoiled baby.

And I was… (maybe still am)

But I don’t remember those days! And it is possible that my siblings don’t remember them correctly, age (with a touch of dementia) colors and clouds and rewrites our memory. Fortunately we don’t remember for the purpose of observing… keeping – celebrating – preserving – performing – protecting (just some of the descriptive definitions “Strong’s Concordance” records for this word observe). We remember for the purpose of putting everyone in their place… for positive and negative purposes! It would be disastrous if our family remembering was the lasting judgement over any of our lives or if we took those judgements seriously and set about becoming everything these people say about us.

For the most part, in my family, we tell the family stories with the motives of a comedian. Whether or not there is an underlying motive or a tone of judgement, we take it all in and spit out those parts that feel and taste like sand. In all probability there will be no pearls produced during this sibling reunion… but … then again… there would be no pearls produced in clams if everything COULD BE or WOULD BE digested and used for the body’s good.

Pearls are produced because the clams are protecting themselves (something humans do) from the hurt and damage of a foreign object. They surround it with a substance that builds and forms (walls?) a smooth surface. This process eventually creates something that we consider beautiful and useful to adorn ourselves. To us, jewels. To the clam… it’s just an aggravation!

Remember the days of old… like Joseph…

As the baby of the family, I have a special connection with Joseph and his siblings. From Genesis 30:22 we see his very special conception and birth (“God has taken away my reproach”), his childhood (Genesis 37:3 now Jacob Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age;), his relationship with his siblings (Genesis 37:4 so they hated him), his ability to aggravate (Genesis 37:5 Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.), and the healthy sibling relationships he failed to have (Genesis 37:20 They said to one another… come and let us kill him).

Joseph was “protected” by his older brother, Reuben, who agreed to throw him into a pit in the wilderness – not out of love – but out of a sense of concern for his father. Reuben’s plan was to rescue him when tempers calmed down. Before he could do it, Judah saw a way to at least make a profit from the kid instead of killing him… “Come let us sell him – former he is our brother, our own flesh”… When Reuben returned to rescue his brother he was gone. So much for caring about his father’s love of his younger son, it was time to create an alternative memory! Genesis 37:31-33 So they took Joseph’s tunic (a gift from his father), dipped it in the blood of a slaughtered goat, and presented it to their father for his identification. “It is my son’s tunic. A wild beast has devoured him; Joseph was surely torn to pieces!”

Now this is a story worthy of a sibling reunion!

I wonder if my siblings ever considered killing me… or selling me. I didn’t ask at our reunion this last week. Maybe because there is a small (very small) part of me that really does remember the times I was a grain of sand in their craw growing up. I probably would have just laughed at their reasoning and told them to be glad for my pearl making abilities.

But really… aren’t all families like Jacob’s Israel’s?

God wants us to remember… But God wants us to remember the TRUTH…

Unlike our purpose which is usually to promote ourselves and demote others, God’s desire is for us to keep – celebrate – preserve – perform – protect the truth… His truth.

We should… we could… we would… but… WHAT IF?????

(Genesis 50:15-16) What if Joseph bears a grudge against us (human nature) and pays us back (what they deserved) for all the wrong which we did (and caused) to him! So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, Dad told us to tell you to forgive us!

Observe and Remember!

The truth is we would be nothing and no where without God…

Genesis 50:19-20 But Joseph said to them, Do not be afraid, for I am in God’s place? As for you, you meant evil against me, (or at least not good) but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive (Joseph was given the skill, know how, and resources to stave off starvation in the midst of a great famine countrywide).

But God…

Every creature, every person, every family, every sibling owes it’s/our existence – its/our history – its/our ultimate place in creation to God.

Whether or not we believe in Him…

Whether or not we obey Him…

Whether or not we ask Him…

Exodus 2:24-25 So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

Remember Him…

Whom you were told about… whom you believe in… whom you wished for… Whom you try to imagine…

Remember Him… He IS the Great I AM… “I AM WHO I AM” Exodus 3:14

Remember all that has come before you, all that has come with you, and all that will come after you!

You could not have made even one second of your life happen, much less all the events you have taken part in.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart”

We should remember… the plans that God has for us

Then, we should observe the path God sets before us… “you will seek Me and find Me when you search for me with all your heart”

My sibling reunion was absolutely fabulous! I got to spend time with fantastic people with whom I share DNA (that is if none of the rumors of adoption are true) and a history. I got to BE WITH FAMILY!

Family that ONLY GOD could (and would have!) have imagined and created!

For this reason…  I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant to every one of us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith; and that each of us, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that each of us may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

I look forward to THIS sibling reunion… our forever reunion… an appointed time in the presence of God to OBSERVE and REMEMBER!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Run away… Run with… Run to!

Run with ENDURANCE…

This last week I had a “Blast from the Past“… “Hit Me With It’s Best Shot” … and … for a moment, I was transported back to the days where panic was my middle name. Jesus Christ IS my “Superstar” and I am His “Freak (Out)“, but something (probably the sibling reunion scheduled this week) punched my button and the tapes in my head blared all my “Oldies But Goodies BADDIES“.

I admit I wasn’t prepared! I had ALMOST forgotten the things my head USED TO scream to my heart and and my heart USED TO hang on my wall of truth. I forgot that the Holy Spirit spent days years working with me to remove the Art of Lies in my life, put them on God’s holy altar, and watch them burn and His holy breath blow them away.

For a moment, I was whirling in the dance of doubt and despair that was a favorite “It’s My Party” tune.

Every encumbrance of my life before Jesus came, SEEMED to flood in with the doubt that I had changed (or been changed) AT ALL! Every sin I am so easily tempted by, SEEMED to entangle me to the point of despair!

I was SHOCKED! Who knew the tape recorder still existed? I figured it went the way of the lies… (ashes in the wind). It still worked! Not only the player/recorder, but my heart evidently hoarded a secret stash of the tapes. The button that was pushed and the trigger that pushed it, was remarkably able to “Turn the Radio On“.

Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatian, who (or what) has bewitched you?

I was bewitched by the idea I no longer needed to discipline my thoughts and heart. I was bewitched, thinking that I had no part to play in my cardio fitness – God would DO all of that FOR ME! I had long ago LEARNED the lessons of Doubt Management… one and done… on to the next exciting lesson.

“Aha!” moment…

Doubt, and its destructive fruit, despair, is a continual and consistent weapon of our enemy who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8 Be on the alert. 

I had become complacent lazy in my overall spiritual fitness,

But God… Who is never finished disciplining (holy making) His favorite child… disciplines us for our good (NOT punishment), so that we may share His holiness (Hebrews 12:10)… For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines (Hebrews 12:6).

I have NEVER been a runner! So, running the race set before us, WITH ENDURANCE, seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful.

Yet to those who have been trained by it… ALL discipline… yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11)

This week I got a refresher course in mind and body health care… I joined the great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us.

I laid aside every encumbrance… MY Party – both pity and pleasure!… and the sin which so easily entangles us… listening and obeying the false gods and their master, Satan.

I fixed my eyes on Jesus… the author and perfecter of faith.

I watched and learned… Who for the joy set before Him… endured the cross,  despising the shame… and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I turned OFF the recorder! I ran AWAY…

I focused my eyes on my Personal Trainer! I ran WITH…

I went back to the Altar of God with those doubting tapes! Faithfully, the Holy Spirit burned them and blew them away! I ran TO…

I could say I won’t forget (barring any senior moments) this discipline again… but that is probably the same lie the enemy used to hide his weapon for future use in my life.

I will say… running is good…

For the sake of my mental and cardio spiritual health… I will say… I AM A RUNNER!

Still building up to ENDURANCE!

Run, Baby Run!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails…

NEVER!

Mmmmmmm… really!????… Do you believe this? Do I?…

Do I set the foundations of my life (the testimony of my belief) upon it, claiming it as TRUTH, claiming it as OBJECTIVE TRUTH… a law of the universe that is not changed by a person’s actions and/or random events seemingly contrary to the evidence?

Do I testify in the Court of Reality that Love never fails?

Does my life produce the evidence that, “IT IS A FACT, JACK!”?

There is a meme going around that there is no such thing as “Objective Truth”.

I might agree that reality can be manipulated to look a desired way (like putting lipstick on a pig). BUT… does look determine truth, or does truth exist regardless of the desire(s) surrounding it?

It certainly would be convenient if I could determine that I, and everything about me, was indeed right – perfect in every way – and in need of no one to counsel me otherwise. It certainly would be the favorable position, to be the judge of all other opinion/beliefs, especially those that dare to argue with mine.

It certainly would be a great life… IF I was in control… IF I knew THE TRUTH (always and in everything)… IF I DO RIGHT ALL THE TIME…

If there is no such thing as objective truth – only subjective (subject to the whims of the speaker/believer) truth – we would have a world (a reality) that is built upon a non-sustaining foundation of constant change and therefore chaos.

If we were able to change facts/truth into what we believe, or want to believe them to be, we would continually be at the mercy of the nature and properties of matter and energy… and the consequences – both immediate and longterm.

In other words – we would also have to be able to change/control physics or be in constant turmoil, dealing with it’s  unimaginative/uncompromising character.

Love never fails! 

Love… never… fails…  

Just as objective/subjective truth has the boundary of existence, Love either exists or it doesn’t. Our definition of love can include all kinds of imagination and thus requirements, BUT does it exist without us or without meeting our expectations? The boundaries of Love never fails requires knowing the dimensions of what TRUE LOVE is.

Love is… HANDLING WITH CARE… patient, kind, is not jealous;

Love is… NOT ABOUT ME… does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 

Love is… ABOUT ALL THAT IS RIGHT… does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Love is… Philippians 4:8… whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise… Love is these things. 

Love… never fails!

If the success or failure of love is dependent upon the giver and/or receiver then NEVER would never happen, except (and only except) with the PERFECT Giver/Receiver. The boundaries of Love never fails requires knowing the land mass of TRUE LOVE and the care and maintenance needed from it’s inhabitants.

1 John 4:15-18 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 

We, on the other hand, are IMPERFECT both in our giving and receiving. Few of us KNOW HOW to love well, much less without the perfection of doing so unconditionally. We somehow believe one must “earn” love or “deserve” love. Impossible to be sure!

Even with imperfect lovers…miraculously love exists. And where love exists… failure does not. Failure (the fact that something did not succeed) only happens when there is no opportunity for the happening! Therefore, objective failure – can only be assessed – when there is no life…

Or when… as some of us look forward to – in the life after life… where love never fails — God is love — perfect love casts out fear!

THIS is my foundation… the basis for the testimony of my life… like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; the pillars of the OBJECTIVE TRUTH equals God and His Word!… and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.

If peace and joy and happiness solely depends on my own view (heaven forbid) or on your view (OhMyGod) of REAL LOVE then we live in the scariest of horror films!… like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.” (Luke 6:46-49)

If I am not yet perfected (and I am NOT)… or if my/our subjective version (the imaginings of a mind set on ME, MYSELF & I) fails, so what? THANK GOD it only fails in our “imagination”!

Love NEVER fails!!!!!!!!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

John 1:36 “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” 

It’s Passover… The beginning of the end of the destroyer…

Exodus 12:21-22 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and take for yourselves lambs according to your families, and slay the Passover lamb. You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning. 

Exodus 12:23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not allow the destroyer to come in to your houses to smite you. 

Freedom from the slavery of Egypt and the foreshadow of freedom from sin (the  destroyer of life)… ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) … the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

Exodus 12:24-27 And you shall observe this event as an ordinance for you and your children forever. When you enter the land which the Lord will give you, as He has promised, you shall observe this rite. And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped. 

Observe and Remember… Romans 11:26-27 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.” “This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”

And then came the time to seek His “other” possessions…

Romans 11:17-18 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you. 

Our roots are the same as Israel…

Romans 11:28-32 From the standpoint of the gospel they (Israel) are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they (Israel) are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. 

Mercy to all… THE PASSOVER LAMB… mercy for all!

 

Revelation 5:8-10 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

For God so loved the world… “He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…

I celebrate the FACT that the tomb was empty (Easter Sunday in our vernacular). He is risen indeed!

However… when I became a Jesus Freak (I BELIEVED)… I entered the land which the Lord gave me (the Promised Land) and Exodus 12:24-27 tells me to observe the Passover event as an ordinance for you and your children forever.

(I) bowed low and worshiped. I celebrate the evidence death was defeated by the blood of the Lamb, But I worship and bow down to our Passover Lamb! I am indeed a COMPLETE Jesus Freak!

Revelation 5:11-14 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. 

Observe… our roots.

Remember… what God, the God of Israel, has done for us.

Behold… the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 

And the people bowed low and worshiped. I pray, this Passover (and Easter) season, you will observe… remember… behold…

I pray you will become!

John 1:12-13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

2 Corinthians 12: 7-9 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me –  to keep me from exalting myself! 

Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore…

I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12: 10)

Paul probably wouldn’t be today’s Super Star of the Church. No no, we want to SEE POWER! We want to see every mountain moved, every demon defeated and sent back to hell, every person fixed and fitted with ROBES OF SUCCESS.

We look at others with the eyes of a critic, looking for their flaws because we fancy ourselves as the hammer God uses to POUND the flesh into silver. I don’t know about you, but I have never seen God’s Scripture asking us for our help in molding His possession (His “fearfully and wonderfully made” possession) into our version of art.

We consider weakness, or sickness, or being attacked by the enemy, a FLAW… something we have done wrong that needs to be corrected before we can SHINE for God.

Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations… To look at Paul and his life for Christ, one might assume the poor fellow needed more FAITH to declare himself healed. One might dare to advise him to find a renowned HEALER to pray over him. In today’s world, I daresay we would not lift him up as an apostle. He just would not be pretty enough! But, in God’s employment, Paul was shown unbelievable revelations about God – His way, His will, His kingdom… His heart!

When you look at things happening in your life, especially the ugly things happening, do you ever view them as the results of BEING A DISCIPLE of Christ? Do you gladly suffer for Christ if indeed this thing, this event, is and will bring you closer to your Lord and Savior? Would you gladly give up your health, wealth and wisdom to be GRACED by Christ? Would you walk with Him and beside Him on Holy Ground made so by His presence in your life?

I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me… implored!!!! Today Paul might be told he hasn’t prayed hard enough… or said the right words… or taken the authority over all things unacceptable in his life.

2 Corinthians 11:23 – 26 –far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews (his peers) thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, dangers from robbers, danger from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers i the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;

There is not a doubt in my mind that Paul knew HOW TO PRAY and PRAYED UNCEASINGLY… under circumstances we would never have the courage and stamina begin much less continue a walk that entailed such things as regular occurrences!

It is natural to want an end to suffering. It is normal to cry out in pain. It is absolutely righteous to ask plead for mercy and help and healing. It is the heart of a child to run to his/her Abba for comfort!

But what if Abba says… “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Do you TRUST your Daddy? Do you believe He loves you even when He doesn’t do things your way, in your time? Do you know… BEYOND A SHADOW OF DOUBT… that God – your Father – is for you and not against you? Do you walk so close to Him in your garden of prayer that you hear not just His words but you hear His heart and feel His hand in yours?

Paul was so sure of Him… so convinced of His presence in him… so dependent upon God that he BELIEVED! And he lived his belief… I am well content with weakness, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake.

Contentment doesn’t come easily. Trust doesn’t immerse itself in a puddle, it needs the full  ocean of experience to prove its foundation is built upon the Rock and not upon the sinking sand of healthy, wealthy and wise games of pretending. Contentment produces the blooms with the sweetest fragrance of courage which whispers the words… when I am weak, then I am strong.

“Most gladly, therefore, I will rather BOAST about my weaknesses, So THAT… the power of Christ may dwell in me!” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

No, Paul would not LOOK the part of the pastors and prophets of today… but then… neither did Jesus!

Isaiah 53:2-3 He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken o men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried;… He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;  the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.

Paul didn’t look at Jesus and see his ticket to fame and fortune. Paul didn’t entertain the notion that Jesus did all the hard work so I can build my kingdom with all the easy stuff. Paul didn’t set his mind on earthly things, he set his mind and body and soul on God and God’s call on his life. Paul saw Jesus and said, “I want to be JUST LIKE HIM!”

Paul knew it was not something that he could do for himself. Paul knew that, where there were thorns his life, he needed the Master Gardner… Paul knew he had no power of his own, no authority to declare himself healed, and no desire to be the hammer molding his own life into art.

Paul knew… he/we can do all things through Him who strengthens me ( Philippians 4:13)

When thorns beset us… don’t listen to the foolishness of unbelief. Look to One who made the thorns and the roses that bloom on the same stem…

 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

God is good all the time and all the time God is good! Trust Him!

In the midst of the thorns, look for the roses! God is growing a field of them in you!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Most of us are waiting for the “or else”… the punishment if we do not do as we should… the stick versus the carrot.

Is freedom the carrot? Or is it the stick? Does it change its stripes for different people and places?

What is this thing we call free? Is it NO COST? If I want something, can I just take it?

What is this thing we call free? Is it NO LAW? No one can tell me what to do. “YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!”

What is this thing we call free? Is it NO OBLIGATION? “I AM MY OWN PERSON! The only one I owe allegiance to is MY triune god – me… myself… and I!”

I have always imagined the human spirit as a pendulum and the human condition as motion generator. When it (we) gets wound up, it swings from extreme to extreme – PURSUING THE ISSUE OF IMPORTANCE. I don’t believe it will ever stop swinging nor do I think we should strive for complete stillness. That would mean we were DEAD! As long as there is breath in the body, a mind that can process information, and a soul that seeks to know and be known, we will always be SWINGING, so to speak.

I do believe the extremes become less extreme and the pendulum swing becomes less explosive when it hits the wall that will send it to the other side. In my younger days (many moons ago), I would hit the wall of YOU MUST ALWAYS with every intent to smash it to smithereens. With scars to show for the results, I don’t insist on hitting the wall anymore. I still swing into the territory of legalism and judgement (and maybe spend TOO MUCH time in the rarified air) but fortunately at my age there isn’t as much need to PROVE I’m THE ALPHA FEMALE.

On the other side, the side where i need no to tell me anything. I probably have just as many scars from pretending and insisting that I have NO… NADA… ZIP feeling of remorse for building my shiny temple to the god of “The Cake I can eat and Have It Too”! Hitting the wall of this extreme is not the same as smashing the wall of legalism. When this wall falls due to extreme violence, people and relationships are put to death with the possibility of never being resurrected.

Our spirit… the pendulum… though it swings both ways, chooses which side it longs for. Freedom is one of the “swinging pursuits” every man, woman and child has in their soul DNA.

We are CALLED to freedom… Let freedom swing!

But what is it?

Is it no cost – no law – no obligation – series of events that PROVE our independence?

Or is it the core of our being that CHOOSES to give up our independence in order to know and be known through COMMUNION?

Matthew 22:37-40 And He (Jesus) said to him (a lawyer), “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Communion… fellowship NOT forced group think… desire NOT rules… connected NOT chained. Communion – to know and to be known by God and by our fellow mankind.

No cost? Jesus paid the price, yes (Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.) However, there WAS A COST! And yes the gift is free, there is nothing you do or can do to earn it, EXCEPT receive it! We can not buy God’s gift but we must surely take it and APPLY it to our lives for it to have any value to us.

No law? No obligation? Love doesn’t require an agenda – a list of do this/don’t do this – but love STRIVES to LIVE TOGETHER in peace, knowing and being known as lovers.

I believe freedom is the ABILITY to choose (we are no longer slaves to the selfish nature sin left us with). Freedom is the OPPORTUNITY to choose communion (rather than independent living). And freedom is the CHOICE to live in relationships of love.

Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh… there is no stick waiting at the end of this statement. The apostle Paul is not going to give you all the gory details of the punishment for not following the rules of engagement. BUT… we must remember… there are CONSEQUENCES – cause and effect – of every choice.

Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

Once your choices have given your loyalty to a master… manna – the world – self… you become bound by the yoke of slavery. The worst master, the most unforgiving taskmaster, the least likely to turn you free is usually… wait for it… your SELF!!!!!!

There is slavery and it indeed has a yoke that allows for no physical freedom which was not instigated nor agreed to by any choice the person made. I am NOT minimizing NOR saying the victim of such slavery is in any way responsible for their horror.

I am talking of the slavery that comes from the treasure of our hearts. The slavery that damns us if we do – because it is NEVER ENOUGH. And the slavery that damns us if we don’t – because the OPPORTUNITY is LOST.

I am not talking of the freedom to do and say whatever we want to.  I am talking about the freedom of love – the freedom to TRULY LOVE…

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Love does not not enslave us… IT NEVER FAILS! (1 Corinthians 13:8)

Pendulums Swing like Pendulums Do…

Me – Myself – I … or… Communionity of Love

To live independently …or… to know and to be known…

Ours is the FREEDOM TO CHOOSE!

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

We’re like Peter, aren’t we?

“OK! I’ll let this one go… BUT this is the LAST time!” I’m sure many of us would’ve praised Peter for his thoughtfulness and effort be a “good” disciple. Although, he doesn’t give specifics on the sin, he does set the boundary toward friends and family (brother).

Like most of our words, we have turned this word (forgiveness) into pabulum so that we can swallow it more easily. The truth is that the work of RELATIONSHIP is challenging and tough in most areas of life.

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (Luke 6:41-42). We would much rather deal with specs (like versus love… forget versus forgive…  proof versus faith… good versus righteous), than deal with our own logs that stand in the way of real relationships.

Forgiveness is one of those logs! We spend a great deal of time, like Peter, defining it so as to turn a Redwood tree into toothpick, so that we might be more able to meet its requirements and at the same time deny the true pain and hurt we are suffering.

IT’S NOT EASY and IT’S ALWAYS PAINFUL!

What does forgiveness look like? Jesus gave us a strong picture…

Matthew 18:23-27 “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

It’s a TWO way street! A king with accounts to settled… 

Not JUST a family affair! Master versus slave…

Not a little sin! One who owed him ten thousand talents… (Strong’s Concordance says one talent could’ve easily weighed about 100 pounds and a talent of gold, about 200 pounds – depending on the times and place)

Perfectly LEGAL to ask for payment, whether payment could be made or not! He did not have the means to repay…

There CHOICE was in the hands of the slave to sin, but the consequences of being caught in sin is the CHOICE of the master! His lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. (Did you notice how sin effected EVERYONE in his family? So much for “It didn’t hurt anyone!”)

And now for the HARDEST of all parts! The king’s choice…

Forgiveness, on the part of the “king”, the one sinned against, requires compassion… release of punishment… wiping out the debt…

Will we JUDGE the king? The spec in his eye was should’ve, would’ve could’ve. Obviously he was in the position to “fix” the problem. He had both the means and the authority to make this poor man’s problem go away!

Much like we do with God, we could very easily decide that the greater responsibility for forgiveness lies with the one who committed NO sin but can and therefore should pay the price of the punishment for the sin. It is always SO EASY to SPEND someone else’s graciousness..

Social Justice is our version today… we tend to identify with the emotions of PAYING the debt (that was indeed incurred!). The identity of the sin is unimportant as well as the fact that for every action, there is a reaction called… wait for it… CONSEQUENCES!

Did the “slave” NOT know that he was indeed a slave? Did the “slave” NOT know that he was incurring a debt of millions of dollars? And what slave do you know that is given such access to use of the master’s money?

Even if the Social Justice Warriors came out in masses, causing chaos and damage to the truly innocent, this “slave” KNEW he was in trouble but he also KNEW his master’s heart. Unlike our SJW(s),who would never bow in repentance and/or gratitude for mercy, the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, “Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.”

In our world today, we don’t want to THINK about sin much less TALK about it –  especially OUR SIN! We want God to not just forgive us, we want Him to make sin GO AWAY! How can we be held accountable for evil when we really didn’t mean to BE EVIL! And… those who did and do mean evil… YOU MADE THEM THAT WAY!

Like telling the king his riches were the cause of the slave’s actions…

We don’t fall to the ground and prostrate ourselves… No No! We stand and throw the biggest hissy fit we can produce. Don’t change us… change the debt – or better yet, change the action… TAKE AWAY EVIL!

In order to do that, God would have to take away anyone who DOES EVIL, or at the very least take away the freedom of an individual to choose the path he/she will take. BUT BUT… it is my inalienable RIGHT do and keep on doing anything and everything I want to do.

Well then… God… change the value of the action. Don’t call it sin – call it a mistake. Don’t call it illegal – call it an act of desperation.

And HERE IS OUR LOG… We exchange the TRUTH for the LIE and believe we’ve solved our dilemma.

But… eye meet log – log meet eye.

Truth CANNOT be changed! No matter how many times we tell ourselves and others the lie, or how eloquently we speak it, or even how many believe and agree with you, TRUTH cannot be changed.

The lie and the resulting actions taken, will be judged and a value of resulting consequences assigned (Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death).

The value of these consequences can be mitigated through forgiveness. But the FACT that a person committed the sin can never be magically removed from reality. Whether we KNOW someone did such and such or NOT, does not change the fact that IT was done.

Like God, if indeed He wants to save and not destroy His creation, there is only one recourse open to the judge… compassion… release of punishment… wiping out the debt…

As we see later in the example, once will never be enough! This action of the judge will have to be accomplished over and over and over again… Seven Times Seventy!

Now that we know the SIN cannot be removed, let’s go back and look at the event through the eyes of suffered unjustly…

And not just through the eyes – but as though the king IS you… the loss to you IS irreplaceable… your mind seeks justice… but your heart begs to give mercy… Seven Times Seventy… 

How many times can your heart suffer the pain and loss through injustice? Seven Times Seventy… 

How many times can you forgive those who are not as deserving as you?Seven Times Seventy… 

Before, like Peter, we puff up the possibility of our righteousness in comparison to the king… seven times is MORE THAN ENOUGH… Let’s see ourselves through the eyes of the guilty slave. Putting aside our bias of OUR SPECIALNESS… Do we DESERVE mercy? Should we EXPECT leniency? Is it REALISTIC to imagine that everyone we have injured will be as COMPASSIONATE?

Yet without it… forgiveness… WHERE will we end up?

The slave in our story immediately forgot what he had been given… he went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii (silver coin which appears to be .1375 ounces and probably was an ordinary day’s wage); and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ (Matthew 18:28) 

Our slave did not remember his own FACE PLANT…

Matthew 18:29-30 So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling (unlike his master) and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 

His master found out the slave’s sincerity was only useful for himself…

Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. (Matthew 18:32-35)

How often should we forgive? We deserve prison (in fact prison would be more merciful than death) as much and as often as any other man/woman.

Un-forgiveness sentences us to joining with the sinner who sinned against us. Given all the time available in prison for thoughts of hate and bitterness, un-forgiveness hands us over to the torturers also.

How often?

Just Six More Times and Counting…

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

Matthew 6:9-11 Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Have you ever considered what you are asking for when you pray the prayer that Jesus taught us?

Give us… comes easy enough. We are adept at asking (mostly demanding) especially when we realize we are hungry!

This day… what’s on our menu today? SURELY it will be only and all my favorite foods!

Our… mmm, it’s sooooo good, EVERYONE should try it!

Daily Bread… oops! We pray… then we proceed to “bake” and “gorge” ourselves on our own recipe!

Did you mean to ask for every morsel of the day? Did you count on the portion that includes the body building elixirs? Did you ask for the vitamins and minerals for strength and healthy muscles? Did you ask for the bitter herbs and cleansing drinks that search out and destroy the fungus of worldliness?

No? Me neither… Most times I prefer that God just give me sweet treats. In fact I assume that He would NEVER want His little girl eat anything that did not please her! Soooo… when it is time for the dose of Cod Liver Oil… I clamp my lips shut, shake my head to avoid the spoon, and spit it back in God’s face when I get the chance.

But God… is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)

Being the “Good, Good, Father” that He is, His good pleasure is perfect in every way for the child of the King!

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

The WHOLE day… not just the pleasing parts! EVERY day… not just the special days of awe and wonder!

His eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in His book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:16)

ALL the days… ORDAINED for me… these are the day(s) the Lord has made!

Now WHAT will I do with them?

Some people take what the Lord gives and ADD their own FLAIR and SERVING SIZE to their plate.

They’re not alone… from the dawn of time, to the new nation of Israel, to all the nations of today, men have asked for their daily portion (and received it)…

Exodus 16:18-21 When they measured it with an omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack; every man gathered as much as he should eat.

From the dawn of time, to the new nation of Israel (our forefathers!), to all the nations of today, we then proceed to ignore God and gather what was NOT FOR US, FOR TODAY!

Moses said to them, “Let no man leave any of it until morning.”

Because of course, we KNOW OURSELVES best! If this is good, MORE is always BETTER, right? (The war cry of our world!)

But they did not listen to Moses, and some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul; 

So, I have to ask… myself and you.

If our life is full of worms?… is there is a foul stench?…

What “daily bread” additives have we hidden under our bed?

Good works that would be wonderful to share?

Ministry opportunities that would use our gifts, talents and knowledge?

People who are depending on us to “fix” their lives?

We all have great intentions. Most of us would never plan to fail. We really do just want to do all we can to live the abundant life God has indeed given us, but all our righteous deed are like a filthy garment (Isaiah 64:6)

Unfortunately, there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; (Romans 3:10-12). Since sin entered our nature, our nature seeks itself! What we deem as acceptable for service to God, is still a desire to satisfy ourselves.

Matthew 19:23-26 And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  

Maybe the true problem is our definition of RICH. When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” (If you have the breath of life, you ARE rich!)

And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Is our treasure in God’s Kingdom?

Is our assurance that His perfect Will being done, guarantees His daily blessings – pressed down, shaken, full, and overflowing – poured out on all of His creation?

If heaven is our example of all that is perfect, how can we not rejoice at our fortune?

Give us this day our daily bread. We pray for it…

in His book were all written the days that were ordained for me. He gives us each day… (one at a time!)

He who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little had no lack. Perfect in every way…

THIS IS THE DAY which the Lord has made; what shall we do with it? Add our own worms and smells? NO!!!!

Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

“God is good all the time! And all the time, God is good!” If God is for us, who is against us? (Romans 8:31)

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 49:16-17 “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. “Your builders hurry; Your destroyers and devastators Will depart from you. 

A covenant is an agreement between two or more persons. It begins and ends in a relationship/commitment to join resources and mindset together toward a common activity and/or goal. In God’s case, His covenant to love His creation is an agreement written and made within Himself.

Most humans need a reciprocal action in order to count a covenant worthy of their participation, but God counts worthiness according to Himself. He also counts the covenant’s importance by His own intention toward its fulfillment.

We, on the other hand, make and destroy covenants at the whimsy of the moment.

Whereas the term covenant should convey an impossible connection to break, we consider it our challenge to find every way possible to break the connection and therefore our obligation to honor it.

More than a promise, which insinuates a future obligation, a covenant has an intrinsic demand for all hands to do whatever is necessary at any and every moment to protect, serve, and honor the agreement and it’s intentions stated in its origin.

I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands… What’s your first thought when you read that? What would your reaction be if you were to consider inscribing someone on your palms?

I’ll admit it! My first thought is of the potential end to the relationship /covenant. What if…

My second thoughts is, PROTECT THE HEART! “Why make it so permanent? We’ll just TRY IT – We’ll just enjoy it WHILE IT LASTS – Let’s not MAKE IT OFFICIAL… yet!”

Whatever the agreement is, we humans will attempt to cover every base so that WE will end up OK IN THE END!

There is always a winner… and there is always a looser… It’s ALWAYS about ME and RARELY about YOU! This is mankind’s “natural” mantra.

Our enemy convinced us we had potential to be THE winner… “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good from evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)

Why do we listen to someone who only wants our destruction? Why do we turn our backs on someone who only wants the very best for us? Why do we covenant with the enemy for a taste of “the good life” (lust), when God is the Author and Sustainer of the perfect (love)?

I believe it all boils down to the difference between LOVE and LUST!

Covenant Love is directed outward. Covenant Lust is directed inward.

Covenant Love seeks blessing with all that is good for others. Covenant Lust seeks more profit than loss for self.

Covenant Love is always moving forward in experience and expertise of the imparting joy. Covenant Lust is always about filling the insatiable need of the individual, for honor and glory in every pursuit.

Covenant Love pursues peace and casts out the fear of abandonment.

Covenant Lust depends on fear to keep its rules of law and order (I am the law and it is MY order!).

Covenant Love is God… Covenant Lust is Satan.

Without regard to what we can, should, or will do for Him, God loves us. He signs the covenant He made with Himself… they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

He signs His covenant with His own hands… I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands

He makes us the prime beneficiary of His covenant… Your walls are continually before Me

He gives the full and total measure of covenant assets through our adoption as His sons/daughters, and retains all the guardianship and protection for His Kingdom and our inheritance.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

On the other hand, Satan, regardless of what we can, should, or will do for him, hates us. His covenant is totally and irrevocably based upon his lust to defeat God and take over the power of the universe.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 

Satan hates us with a lust to DEVOUR us.

1 Peter 5:8 the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour

He hates God… we are God’s creation… he does not want to simply take us away from God and replace Him as our god. HE DOESN’T WANT US AT ALL! When we walk in Satan’s covenant – the covenant of lust – we are walking into his trap which is located in the killing fields of hell.

Under the covenant of God’s love, we are saved, redeemed, anointed, sealed, protected, adopted, sanctified… we are the FAMILY BUSINESS

Ephesians 3: 14-19 I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that he would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breath and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

The Fullness of God… God’s Covenant!

We don’t work to receive it. We don’t earn it. We don’t manipulate God to  give it.

We just believe…

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

If FAITH is our signature of acceptance to live under the covenant agreement… then LOVE is the banner declaring Who’s covenant rules.

Normally we “save” covenant love for those we really really like/love (spouse, children, siblings?)… let’s stop “saving” and start “spending” the love we get from God on ALL of our neighbors and truly be Covenant Lovers rather than covenant lusters.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; 

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible