4 words

Matthew 22

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again.

35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question:

36 "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?"



  37 Jesus replied, 

"'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, 

all your soul, 

and all your mind.'

38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 A second is equally important: 

'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."


There you have it...

Jesus sums it all up in short order.

If you boil it all down, what Jesus said can be said in 4 words.


Love God, love others.


That's what Jesus, Himself, said were the 2 most important things to remember...

Love God.

Love others.


If we do that, everything else will fall into place.

Too simple?

Maybe that's what it's all about with God.

Maybe that's the way He intended it.

Just love Him, & love each other.


Now, if we could just simply do it........

3 for 23

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever. (NLT)

1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life. (The Message)

The Eternal is my shepherd, He cares for me always.
2 He provides me rest in rich, green fields
    beside streams of refreshing water.
    He soothes my fears;
3 He makes me whole again,
    steering me off worn, hard paths
    to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name.

4 Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness,
    I am not overcome by fear.
Because You are with me in those dark moments,
    near with Your protection and guidance,
    I am comforted.

5 You spread out a table before me,
    provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies;
You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil,
    filling my cup again and again with Your grace.
6 Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me
    where I go, always, everywhere.
I will always be with the Eternal,
    in Your house forever. (The Voice)

favor

Psalm 44

6 I do not trust in my bow;


  I do not count on my sword to save me.


7 You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies...



As I read these verses this morning, the thought dropped into my head...

Anything we do that turns out well is because God makes it turn out that way.

iow, it is because of His favor that we do well.


It's not because of our own cleverness.

Or our perceived righteousness.

Or whatever gimmick(s) we may use.

Or our fine planning or organizing.

Or how many people we involve.

Or how current, or tried & true, our methods may be.


It's all about His favor.


Does that make any sense?

At the hour I'm writing this, it makes sense to me, but sometimes what I'm thinking & what I'm saying may not be as clear as I think  😊


I'm not saying that we shouldn't implement whatever means we have to plan &/or carry off something.

But all that stuff is secondary when perhaps our greatest efforts should be in seeking His favor with whatever we're trying to be, or trying to do.


Just a thought...

broader meaning

This is Jesus talking here...



Matthew 19

29 And everyone who has given up houses 

or brothers 

or sisters 

or father 

or mother 

or children 

or property, 

for my sake, 

will receive a hundred times as much in return 

and will inherit eternal life.

30 But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, 

and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.



Verse 30 is pretty straightforward.

Obviously, what we humanly think of as important may not be considered such in heaven.

That makes sense.


For much of my life, I've heard verse 29 used as a promise of reward for those who chose to be missionaries overseas, or maybe "full time Christian service".

And I suppose that would work in those contexts.

But wouldn't it make sense that Jesus had a much broader concept going on there?

And what would that broader concept be?

I just wonder what Jesus was thinking there?

living & dying

I read these 2 verses this morning in Paul's letter to the followers of Jesus in Rome.

And I wondered about what this has to say about end of life issues.

So I checked at Bible Gateway, & have included a few other translations & a paraphrase of these 2 verses.

It looks like they all pretty much agree in treatment of these 2 verses.

In a time when end of life issues are only becoming more & more complicated, maybe we should think about these words of Paul from 2000 years ago?



Romans 14

7 For we are not our own masters when we live or when we die. 

8 While we live, we live to please the Lord. 

And when we die, we go to be with the Lord. 

So in life & in death, we belong to the Lord.

9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. (NLT)



At every turn life links us to God, and when we die we come face to face with him. In life or death we are in the hands of God. Christ lived and died that he might be the Lord in both life and death. (J B Phillips)



7 We don’t live or die just for ourselves. 8 If we live, we are living for the Lord. And if we die, we are dying for the Lord. So living or dying, we belong to the Lord.9 That is why Christ died and rose from death to live again—so that he could be Lord over those who have died and those who are living. (ERV)


7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (ESV)



It’s God we are answerable to—all the way from life to death and everything in between—not each other. That’s why Jesus lived and died and then lived again: so that he could be our Master across the entire range of life and death, and free us from the petty tyrannies of each other. (The Message)



7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. (NIV)



7 The truth is that none of us live for ourselves, and none die for ourselves. 8 For if we live, we live for the Lord. If we die, we die for the Lord. So in both life and death, we belong to the Lord. 9 The Anointed One, the Liberating King, died and returned to life to make this a reality: through His death and resurrection, He became Lord of the living and the dead. (The Voice)

surrender

This is Paul writing to the followers of Jesus living in Rome at the time.

Don't know who this is for today - maybe just me, maybe for you.



Romans 12

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God 

because of all he has done for you. 

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice;

the kind he will find acceptable. 

This is truly the way to worship him.

2 Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, 

but let God transform you into a new person 

by changing the way you think. 

Then you will learn to know God's will for you, 

which is good and pleasing and perfect.

what?

As for me,

I am poor

& needy,

but the Lord is thinking about me

right now.

Psalm 40:17a (NLT, 1st ed.)



I remember the first time I read that verse in the NLT 1st edition.

It really rocked my world.

I was like a thunderbolt to my mind & spirit.

There was David, King of Israel, speaking a ridiculously profound truth, from his vantage point, 3000 years ago.

And that truth is that the God of the universes, who is blindingly holy, all power, eternal, & the very essence of love, was thinking about me right then.

I know that is a fantastic thought.

But if God is who He claims to be, then He is able to be & do that - to be thinking about me, personally, as well as the gajillion other people & things He's created.

Don't try to wrap your mind around how many people & things He has to think about at one time - it can short circuit your brain.

Instead, just center in on one thing - the God of the universes is thinking about you, & me - right. now.


I still can't really wrap my mind around that - I just kinda have to believe it without completely comprehending it.


But do this one thing for me today...

As you pass through your day today, whisper just this one thing to yourself (warning: the devil will try to whisper the exact opposite to you!):


God is aware of me, & He's is thinking about me right now. 


This isn't some kind of "positive thinking" claptrap.

It's just something we ought to remind ourselves of today.

Whisper that to yourself today, instead of all that other crap you say to yourself every day.


Do. it.


* * * * * * * * * * *

Btw, I don't think I've ever shared all of Psalm 40 in this blog before.

I mean, I didn't check back - I think I've written over 3000, so maybe I did back in the mists of the last 10-15 years.

Anyway, here's Psalm 40 - by King David, 3000 years ago...




Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the LORD to help me,

  and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
  out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
  and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
  a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
  They will put their trust in the LORD.

4 Oh, the joys of those who trust the LORD,
  who have no confidence in the proud
  or in those who worship idols.
5 O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
  Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
  You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
  I would never come to the end of them.

6 You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings.
  Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand*—
  you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings.
7 Then I said, "Look, I have come.
  As is written about me in the Scriptures:
8 I take joy in doing your will, my God,
  for your instructions are written on my heart."

9 I have told all your people about your justice.
  I have not been afraid to speak out,
  as you, O LORD, well know.
10 I have not kept the good news of your justice hidden in my heart;
  I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power.
I have told everyone in the great assembly
  of your unfailing love and faithfulness.

11 LORD, don't hold back your tender mercies from me.
  Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me.
12 For troubles surround me—
  too many to count!
My sins pile up so high
  I can't see my way out.
They outnumber the hairs on my head.
  I have lost all courage.

13 Please, LORD, rescue me!
  Come quickly, LORD, and help me.
14 May those who try to destroy me
  be humiliated and put to shame.
May those who take delight in my trouble
  be turned back in disgrace.
15 Let them be horrified by their shame,
  for they said, "Aha! We've got him now!"

16 But may all who search for you
  be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation
  repeatedly shout, "The LORD is great!"
17 As for me, since I am poor and needy,
  but the Lord is thinking about me right now.
You are my helper and my savior.
  O my God, do not delay.