The Greatest Commandment--Love Your Neighbor As Yourself!

Good morning to all on this beautiful Sunday morning. Waine and I are in Thomaston and will see Aleron a little later. We were visiting with Freddie and his family last weekend and were able then to drive down to Ft. Lauderdale to see my sister Velma, Michele, Marco and Kenzo. The practice has been very busy with sick little kid who have the flu and Strep throat. Hope this day finds all of you well. If you haven't seen Selma you are missing a very wonderful movie and depiction of the struggle for African Americans to obtain the right to vote. It brought back many memories. Additionally, wasn't our President wonderful last week during the State of the Union message. So eloquent and foresightful and what a contrast to the GOP leader who looked like he had sucked on a lemon. I was reminded that God does not like ugly--He is not too fond of pretty either.

I am continuing my journey in Romans 13 verses 1-14, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 

And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.  Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh." Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

Having just told you to go see Selma and reading this chapter I had to stop and think about what Paul was writing. I also remembered that Paul was brought up in the tradition of Mosaic Law and I am conjecturing that Paul , in general, is telling the Jews of that era to be obedient to governance which is I, believe, consistent with the will of God. I do believe the institution of government is ordained by God and I also believe that men can corrupt the institution as established by God. There was a law in Paul's era that dictated that a Roman citizen could command a Jew to carry his burden for 1 mile. Christ came and told the Jews to then carry the burden for 2 miles. The point Christ was making was that the Roman law was in authority over you for the 1st mile, but then you were in authority the second mile. I think the gist of what Paul is saying is that we should be obedient to laws of governance because  not to do so creates chaos. He however does not say that corruption should not be challenged or changed. Clearly, during the civil rights era, the law of the land was not at fault. The law dictated that every citizen of these Unites States had the right to vote. How local officials interpreted the laws were wrong and corrupt. The movement challenged the inhumanity of those southern bureaucrats and rightly so because those bureaucrats did not demonstrate the greatest commandment to 'love your neighbor as yourself".

We are all living in the greatest country of all time. We have one of the greatest Presidents of all time and we have a congress that will not praise him or support him because of the color of his skin. This sickness of racism is ruining our country. Pray for our President and then work against the poison of racism that prevents many people from being the human beings that God created. If we truly practice the greatest commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves, this sickness that pervades our country would be healed. We are all God's children. We are all sinners saved by Grace and to the extent that you can address this issue in the confines of your life then please do so. Remember, to know Him is to love Him. To love Him is to serve Him. To serve Him is to love you. If you are holding a grudge against someone, then just let it go and love them. If you can't extend the love of God to someone who does not look like you, then ask for God's forgiveness and go and love that person. If you are withholding your love from your spouse for something your spouse did, then go and love your spouse. Love will breakdown any barrier that exists.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer!

Good morning to all on my 1st posting for this new year 2015.Waine and I are in Thomaston this weekend enjoying our house and each other. We have had a cold snap in Georgia this week. Temperatures got down to the teens and we had freeze warnings.  It didn't stop my beloved from paying golf though. I am lifting up my little great nephew , Kenzo, up this morning. He has a virus and isn't feeling well so pray for his recovery. I am praying that you and your family are blessed in 2015, far and above what you can ask or think because that is God's promise to His faithful.

I am continuing m journey in Romans 12 verses 1- 21 " Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Amen and may God add a blessing to the reading and hearing of His Word.

What powerful instruction Paul has given us. Basically and simply Paul is telling us to use all of our time worshipping God and fellowshipping with one another and let God take care of the rest. That is not to say we are to be idle--to the contrary we are to be active and active in a way that is pleasing to God which simply means living in a manner that promotes and extends His Kingdom. Paul was certainly active. He was preaching the Good News to all the Gentiles and Jews throughout Asia, Asia minor, Rome and its provinces. He was teaching new Christians how to live. Not by toiling and strife but through faith and prayer. Paul is reminding us that we can do nothing without the power of God through Christ. We are to concentrate on our spiritual life--that life which is tethered to God and to meditate on those spiritual matters that will further the kingdom of God. Then God will add everything else we need and bless us in this earthly realm far and in excess of our imagination and desires.

Its all about perspective. When I began to pray in BELIEF, my life changed and it happened immediately. I began to live my life as if my prayers had been answered. I stopped living my life hoping for things to happen and instead lived my life as if my prayers were answered. In short I began living my life through faith! When hard times came to shake my faith I would just give those hard times up to Christ and claim victory. Now every time a Christian decides to live in Faith, Satan becomes very busy to try and shake your faith. He will have you believe that your desires are impossible and that God really didn't mean for you to have that dream. This is when you need to start rebuking Satan as Christ did and rebuke Satan with the Word. Remember Satan cannot be in the presence of God and likewise God will not be in the presence of Satan. When you align yourself with your heavenly Father through Christ NOTHING can assail you and nothing will be denied you.

If you are a Christian and are not content and joyful, then there are areas of your life you have not turned over to God. I would suggest you do so that you can be whole and complete. Nothing is to hard for God--nothing. He is the author and finisher of Life and your life in particular. Be joyful today no matter your affliction. Be faithful and pray believing that your deliverance is at hand.

To know Him is to love Him. To Love Him is to serve Him. To serve Him is to love you. Now may the Lord bless you  and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

Stephanie