The First and Second Greatest Commandments
Matthew 22:36-40
"36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And 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.’
38 This is the great and [a]foremost commandment.
39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
What does love look like? Love has more to do with helping someone reach holiness to be blessed by God than it does making them happy in what they want to do.
John 14:15 "15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—…"
1 John 3:13-15 "…13 So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life does not reside in a murderer.…"
Romans 15:14
"And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another."
Colossians 3:16
"Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."
Psalm 141:5
"Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it, For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds."
Luke 17:3
"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."
1 Thessalonians 5:14
"We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."
2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;"
Colossians 4:17
"Say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it."
IT IS NOT LOVING TO HELP SOMEONE ENJOY THEIR SIN, IT IS HATRED.
Saturday, May 20, 2017
We are Treated the Way They Were Treated
The apostles were persecuted and killed for their faith. We are like them, speaking truth and being hated for it. Expect it and refuse to allow it to manipulate our emotions.
When we get to the point that we no longer are emotionally affected by the attackers, that is when we know we have Christ completely in control of our lives.
Christ wept over Jerusalem, not be cause they rejected Him personally but because they rejected Him as the way to salvation. He knew He was going to die for them and that most would rather go to hell than trust in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:15
"15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
When we get to the point that we no longer are emotionally affected by the attackers, that is when we know we have Christ completely in control of our lives.
Christ wept over Jerusalem, not be cause they rejected Him personally but because they rejected Him as the way to salvation. He knew He was going to die for them and that most would rather go to hell than trust in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:15
"15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."
Being Grateful Brings Joy
I am grateful for workmen and the medical community too, I have had more problems solved and pain relieved because of doctors, nurses, plumbers, builders, and other workers than things that were not solved.
The Lord has blessed this country with amazing people and ideas that help us heal and resolve problems. Of course there are those who make mistakes, doesn't everyone!!!! But for the most part we have good repair men and good doctors and nurses that make our lives much easier.
When we do nothing but criticize those in helping professions, perhaps we are excluding all those who do a wonderful job and even sacrificially. We should not come down hard on any one profession simply because they are not perfect.
The is no such thing as ALL good or ALL bad in the helping professions, everyone has warts but if we only look at the tiny wart while there are experts out there doing a wonderful job, then we might be called a narcissist, who expect others to be perfect even though the ungrateful narc is not perfect themselves.
I am reminded of the "cafeteria food" mentality when I was attending college. Nearly everyone I met complained about the food, just because it was expected. I liked the food, saw nothing wrong with it and was even blessed by the people that served it to me.
Perhaps this is what we are experiencing in the "natural food" craze, perfection, it is popular now to see everything as tainted and poisonous, when most of us eat the regular non-organic food every day and have no more problems than those who eat all organic. Actually, we who do not go organic, save a lot of money because the non-organic is cheaper than the organic. There is no real scientific evidence that organic is any better than non-organic.
My point? Far too often we jump on the "complaining about everything" band wagon when there really isn't a lot to complain about, it's just expected and popular.
Perhaps we ought to start thinking with our own mind rather than buying into all the hype of the culture about food, about the helping professions and about theology. Yes, even in theology there is more of human tradition inculcated than actual Scripture.
When we think for ourselves, evaluate what we have heard, often we find there is very little validity to most of what we hear. The Bible is my source, He told us to eat our food with thanksgiving, and to be thankful for all things, that doesn't leave much room for whining and complaining about our food or resources.
Personally, I thank God everyday for the food, I thank Him for the medical profession in this country and I thank Him for the availability of everything. He has provided all this, although it is not perfect, it remains wonderful.
We are a spoiled lot, we expect everything instantaneously and just the way we like it, perfectly! We can help to improve what is not yet perfect, but perhaps we should think twice before condemning an entire profession or food source.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "…17 Pray without ceasing. 18 Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit.…"
The Lord has blessed this country with amazing people and ideas that help us heal and resolve problems. Of course there are those who make mistakes, doesn't everyone!!!! But for the most part we have good repair men and good doctors and nurses that make our lives much easier.
When we do nothing but criticize those in helping professions, perhaps we are excluding all those who do a wonderful job and even sacrificially. We should not come down hard on any one profession simply because they are not perfect.
The is no such thing as ALL good or ALL bad in the helping professions, everyone has warts but if we only look at the tiny wart while there are experts out there doing a wonderful job, then we might be called a narcissist, who expect others to be perfect even though the ungrateful narc is not perfect themselves.
I am reminded of the "cafeteria food" mentality when I was attending college. Nearly everyone I met complained about the food, just because it was expected. I liked the food, saw nothing wrong with it and was even blessed by the people that served it to me.
Perhaps this is what we are experiencing in the "natural food" craze, perfection, it is popular now to see everything as tainted and poisonous, when most of us eat the regular non-organic food every day and have no more problems than those who eat all organic. Actually, we who do not go organic, save a lot of money because the non-organic is cheaper than the organic. There is no real scientific evidence that organic is any better than non-organic.
My point? Far too often we jump on the "complaining about everything" band wagon when there really isn't a lot to complain about, it's just expected and popular.
Perhaps we ought to start thinking with our own mind rather than buying into all the hype of the culture about food, about the helping professions and about theology. Yes, even in theology there is more of human tradition inculcated than actual Scripture.
When we think for ourselves, evaluate what we have heard, often we find there is very little validity to most of what we hear. The Bible is my source, He told us to eat our food with thanksgiving, and to be thankful for all things, that doesn't leave much room for whining and complaining about our food or resources.
Personally, I thank God everyday for the food, I thank Him for the medical profession in this country and I thank Him for the availability of everything. He has provided all this, although it is not perfect, it remains wonderful.
We are a spoiled lot, we expect everything instantaneously and just the way we like it, perfectly! We can help to improve what is not yet perfect, but perhaps we should think twice before condemning an entire profession or food source.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "…17 Pray without ceasing. 18 Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not extinguish the Spirit.…"
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