How Much Do You Love Your Neighbor And Yourself?

He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matt 22:37-39 NRSV)

First comes loving God. It strikes me that loving the one who loves you so much that he would die for you just seems to be a logical reaction to me. How or why would you not love him?

Jesus reminds us that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Too often I witness people expressing their love for others by staying out of their affairs. For some reason, a large part of society thinks that loving someone means ignoring what they do; no matter how damaging it might be to their futures?

So, if you love others as you love yourself, I ask you: how much do you love yourself? Do you love yourself enough not to do damage to yourself? Do you not do things that are going to burden you with negative moral or legal consequences? I would think that people who love themselves will avoid participating in activities that would damage their futures. If that is true for you and you desire to love your neighbors as yourself; then, I would also surmise that you would also not encourage or ignore activities that people whom you love to participate in that which will damage their futures.

Loving someone sometimes means saying the hard things. It sometimes mean warning people that they what they are doing or about to do will hurt them and hurt others that they love. That would be the loving thing. That would be the kind thing. That would be the compassionate thing to do.

Often, I hear people saying things like, "It's not my place to judge." It is not judging someone to warn them that they ought to not jump off a cliff or stick their hands into a fire. It is not judging someone to warn them that they have fallen off the path and that they ought to turn around and get back on it. That is simply an expression of love.

Saying nothing is sometimes the most unloving thing one can do. Speaking the truth, and I remind you once again that Jesus is the truth, is the loving thing to do. 

God's Peace - Pr. J

Which Direction?

 

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NRSV)

The word of the Lord through Jeremiah to the exiles in Babylon was for them to seek the welfare of the city that they have been exiled to. They were to build homes; to have families; to live life in Babylon. He gave them direction according to His plans for them.

Lately, I've been waking up each morning wondering what direction the Lord would have me go. I am at an age where I could retire. But, is that what I am supposed to do? There are a lot of possibilities for the future. At this point, I have no clue in which direction the Lord would have me go. I would like to retire and be able to be a little more spontaneous in every day life. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a workaholic and I am not sure what I would do if I was not working. I get bored and restless even now during the hours that I am not working. 

I have heard from many in the past who simply wanted a straight forward answer from God regarding the direction that they should go. I can empathize with that. I know that the Lord has a good plan for me. (Rom 8:28) But, I have a feeling that I have been so anxious about what it is that He would have me do, that I haven't taken the time to be still and listen to Him. 

May God help us all to trust that He will lead us in the direction He would have us go.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Glory

After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.  (John 17:1-5 NRSV)

Children love to look good in their parents' eyes. In fact, probably a more than a few are willing "exaggerate" about the good they do and the evil their brothers and sisters do in order to be "glorified" in their earthly father's eyes.

But, when Jesus prayed to be glorified he also knew that:

1. as he is glorified; the Father is glorified. It was not for selfish reasons that he prayed to be glorified. It was to do the will of His Father and that His Father in heaven be glorified.

2. That in order to be glorified he would be lifted up on the cross and put to death. Glory doesn't come by deception that makes others look bad or us look better than we are. Glory has nothing to do with deceit. It has everything to do with being lifted up as a sacrifice to death for others. God was glorified in the suffering and death and subsequent resurrection of His Son, Jesus the Christ.

If one feels the desire to pray for God's glory to come upon them, it is the same as praying: I am willing to die; I will give up everything, even my life, so that you, Father, may be glorified.

God's Peace - Pr. J

God's Will Prevails

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.     (Jer 29:11 NRSV)

This morning I have been considering whether a "Christian" with no integrity should be confronted or if he should just be placed in the hands of Almighty God and let God deal with him as He will. Sometimes it can be totally left in God's hands. At other times, God will indeed use his servants to protect the sheep from any wolves in sheep's clothing. 

It is a most horrendous thing for Christians to attempt to tear down the church and the local congregations. It is even more horrendous for one who is in a servant/leadership position within the church to do that. The good news is that in the end they will not succeed in their own agendas. God's will; God's plans for the welfare of His people will prevail. We may not see it today or even tomorrow. But, His will is going to be accomplished. 

May God have mercy on those who choose to stir up strife rather than proclaim the good news by putting their personal egos and wills before the good will of God Almighty.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jesus Is The Only Way

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 NRSV)

There are no short-cuts. There is no magic involved in being reconciled to our Father and Creator. There is only one way and that is through Jesus the Christ.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people will pick up new age rituals or beliefs thinking that this is going to make them more spiritual or that it will be another path toward reaching the Kingdom of God. There is only one way. The path is not always easy. There will be those who choose to get in our face and try to steer us on another road. Sometimes, we may even listen and get side-tracked for awhile. But, for those who truly believe; for those who have a relationship with God our Father and our Lord Jesus they will soon recognize that the road is leading them somewhere that they do not want to go. They will hear the good shepherd calling them and turn back to the path that he sets before them.

There is only one way to the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Follow him so that you might live life more abundantly as you abide in God's presence.

God's Peace - Pr. J

I Know You

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “Where did you get to know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Nathanael replied, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 

                                         (John 1:47-49 NRSV)

Some of us never bother to try to get to know Jesus. Others of us take a long time before we make the move to get to know him and most of the time it takes us even longer before we begin to actually follow him. It was not so with the first disciples. They pretty much dropped everything immediately to get to know him and to follow him. Nathanael was amazed that Jesus knew who he was before he met him. This knowledge was enough to get Nathanael to want to know Jesus.

It might take us some time to even begin to get an inkling as to who this Jesus really is. But, it takes no time for Jesus to get to know us. Whether we know him or not. He knows us. He has always known us. He is always with us. He knows what we are doing even before we do it. He is the Son of God, after all. 

If a celebrity came to town, I know a whole lot of people who would go out of their way just to be in the same building with them. Won't you take the time to get to know the King of Israel; the King of Kings, Jesus the Christ, our Savior and Lord?

God's Peace - Pr. J

We See Dimly

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love."                                                                                                        1 Corinthians 13:11-13 NRSV

We wait with anticipation for that glorious day when we see the Lord face to face. But, for now we have faith, hope, and love as we wait for the day when the shadow is gone; when the shroud is removed; and when the fog is lifted so that we will see His full glory as we stand before Him.

No matter how dimly we might see now; it is better than not seeing or knowing Him at all. May God open our eyes that we might see and know Him more clearly each and every day.

God's Peace - Pr. J