living in the light

This is jammed packed with all kinds of extraordinary truth...

1 John 1

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus 

and now declare to you: 

God is light, 

and there is no darkness in him 

at all. 

6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God 

but go on living in spiritual darkness; 

we are not practicing the truth. 

7 But if we are living in the light, 

as God is in the light, 

then we have fellowship with each other, 

and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, 

we are only fooling ourselves 

and not living in the truth. 

9 But if we confess our sins to him, 

he is faithful 

and just 

to forgive us our sins 

and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

10 If we claim we have not sinned, 

we are calling God a liar 

and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

real servanthood

Luke 17

7 “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, 

‘Come in and eat with me’? 

8 No, 

he says, 

‘Prepare my meal, 

put on your apron, 

and serve me while I eat. 

Then you can eat later.’ 

9 And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? 

Of course not. 

10 In the same way, 

when you obey me you should say, 

‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”



Anyone who says in a sanguine voice, 

"All I want is to be a servant of the Lord" 

has never been one.


This is Jesus speaking in these 4 verses.

2 masters

No one can serve two masters.

For you will hate one & love the other,

or be devoted to one & despise the other.

You cannot serve both God & money.

Luke 16:13



This is Jesus talking here.

I don't know why I'm supposed to put this in my blog today.

Of the 3 places I read today - Psalm 109, Luke 16, & 2 Peter 2 - this verse stood out at the one to share in my blog.

So here it is - if this verse speaks to you or is something you needed to hear, good.

Just trying to be obedient to what it feels like I'm supposed to do.

notorious

Luke 15 

1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach.

2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

3 So Jesus told them this story: 

4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? 

Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 

5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 

6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 

‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 

7 In the same way, 

there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

I have always thought it interesting & curious that big time sinners wanted to be around Jesus.

I mean, Jesus is the Son of God - I would think He had some kind of humongous holy vibe going on.

And yet there was such a quality of Jesus' attitude toward all people that these outcasts in the Jewish community WANTED to be around Him, listen to Him, & even eat with Him.

So the question is, how many "notorious sinners" want to be around us?

Are we like Jesus, as so much of a person who simple loves people in general as well as in specific, that people want to be around us.

Do we simply like to connect with people, regardless of what they think or what they do?

So we just love people because Jesus loved us when we were big time sinners?

Of course, the older I get the more I realize that I'm still a sinner, they're just more socially acceptable or easier to hide.

Maybe we should simply treat others like Jesus treats us - loving, accepting, listening, & connecting.

emphasis

It all depends on what emphasis you put on what...



Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.

1 Peter 5:7


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.


Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.

our basis

Most important of all,

continue to show deep love for each other,

for love covers a multitude of sins.

Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

1 Peter 4:8-9 (NLT, 1st ed.)



We have forgotten these days that following Jesus is thoroughly & completely based on the premise that we take care of people in need.

There are no and's, if's, or but's to that statement.

We love others & take care of them, especially when they are people who have little or nothing, for whatever reasons.

no and's, if's, or but's...

how to live

Peter talks here about how we who follow Jesus should live...

See how many of the attributes Peter says we should exhibit you show in your daily walk.

Never mind how many few I exhibit!



1 Peter 3

8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. 

Sympathize with each other. 

Love each other as brothers and sisters. 

Be tenderhearted, 

and keep a humble attitude.

9 Don’t repay evil for evil. 

Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. 

Instead, pay them back with a blessing. 

That is what God has called you to do, 

and he will grant you his blessing.

keep on...

Luke 11

9 “And so I tell you, 

keep on asking, 

and you will receive what you ask for. 

Keep on seeking, 

and you will find. 

Keep on knocking, 

and the door will be opened to you.

10 For everyone who asks, 

receives. 

Everyone who seeks, 

finds. 

And to everyone who knocks, 

the door will be opened.



Just so ya know, this is Jesus talking here.

For the past few years I've thought that the most important words in this often quoted passage are 2 in number...

"keep on..."

I wonder if we focus on what we'll get in these 2 verses rather than what we need to have as a mind set?

Yes, I think Jesus was intentional in telling us what happens if we persevere.

But I wonder if He wanted to communicate just as strongly, or maybe even more strongly, that we should persist, 

that we should endeavor to move forward & not become mired in a specific situation, 

that we should simply keep putting 1 foot in front of the other,

that we should "keep on...".


I don't know if you notice that many times when I comment on someone's writing or work or situation I will use those 2 words - keep on...

That's where that encouragement comes from - these 2 verses & the instruction Jesus Himself gave.

So, I say to you today, keep on...

As I continue to say to myself "keep on..." in the face of overwhelming indications otherwise.

carefully

I don't know if I've shared this psalm in this blog, or not - it's hard to remember!

Anyway, read it carefully - God may have something specific in it to whisper to you.



Psalm 103

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
    may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
    and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
    and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
    My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

6 The Lord gives righteousness
    and justice to all who are treated unfairly.

7 He revealed his character to Moses
    and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
    nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
    he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
    is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
    as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
    tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
    he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
    like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
    as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
    with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18     of those who are faithful to his covenant,
    of those who obey his commandments!

19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
    from there he rules over everything.

20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
    you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
    listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
    who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
    everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord.

hmmmmm...

James 5

1 Look here, you rich people: 

Weep and groan with anguish 

because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 

2 Your wealth is rotting away, 

and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 

3 Your gold and silver are corroded. 

The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. 

This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 

4 For listen! 

Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. 

The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, 

satisfying your every desire. 

You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 

6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, 

who do not resist you.

Compared to the rest of the world, especially third world nations, we here in America are considered the rich fat cats of our time.

Just saying...