Philippians 4:8

I am so very thankful  for everything You have  provided in my life. Among them is creativity. Your creativity never fails to amaze me. I only  need to visit my garden. It has helped refocus my mind on Your attributes in times of stress and gives me peace. I can only imagine what Your Kingdom looks like! 

Eye has not seen what You have prepared for those who love YOU!

Philippians 4:8

8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The New King James Version

This describes that which is of honorable character. Paul directs the Philippians “to deliberate,” “to evaluate,” “to compute over and over” what is good and pure. In this way, Christians can renew their minds so that they will not conform to the evil habits of this world. NKJ Study Bible

Deuteronomy 16:20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

Life Church Vineyard

Lead Pastor Mitch Price

Spirit of the living God we only want to hear Your voice. We want to know You more and more. We are hanging on every word. It changes what we see and what we seek! It changes everything!

In Communion we remember what God has done for us. 

We ask for God’s presence in the lives of those affected by the senseless evil that happened in TX. 

Psalm 34:18

18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Ephesians 6:12

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We can leave a trail of faith. It is my life but His Story. God weaves His story in to our lives when we invite Him in. God sees our efforts to hold Him up and He honors that. 

Exodus 1

1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel who came to Egypt; each man and his household came with Jacob: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin; 4 Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 5 All those who were descendants of Jacob were seventy persons (for Joseph was in Egypt already). 6 And Joseph died, all his brothers, and all that generation. 7 But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them. 8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; 10 come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor. 15 Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive. 18 So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this thing, and saved the male children alive?” 19 And the midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively and give birth before the midwives come to them.” 20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives, and the people multiplied and grew very mighty. 21 And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them. 22 So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

The midwives feared and honored God above their rulers. God honored their faithfulness. 

Are we willing to let God be the ruler of our life/

Simple acts of faith can change lives…ours and those around us.

We need to be prepared to let others know the way that God affected our life in both the good and the bad times. He sets us free from the entanglements of the world and gives us His peace. 

The Tree Church

Pastor Matthew Johnson

This is how I fight my battles…I’m surrounded by YOU!

On my own my I defeated…with Jesus we overcome the world!

You take the broken things and raise them to glory.

You are my champion. You conquered it all.

Our choices impact others. We desire to finish strong. 

Almost every king dealt with struggles in their walk. Some it destroyed and others like King David repented and turned to God.

Godly success begins and continues by seeking God and walking in obedience and worship. 

Seeking God is an active choice. Failure begins with pride. Fear is a component of it and we can take the reins from God to ourself. Success can let us believe it is on our own merit and not His. 

2 chronicles:

14:2 Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God, 3 for he removed the altars of the foreign gods and the high places, and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden images. 4 He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment. 5 He also removed the high places and the incense altars from all the cities of Judah, and the kingdom was quiet under him. 6 And he built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest. 7 Therefore he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and make walls around them, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us, because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.” So they built and prospered. 8 And Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah who carried shields and spears, and from Benjamin two hundred and eighty thousand men who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty men of valor.

Asa took down the idols and sought God. In his obedience he had success. He had Gods’ blessing. 

9 Then Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and he came to Mareshah. 10 So Asa went out against him, and they set the troops in battle array in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” 12 So the Lord struck the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 And Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. So the Ethiopians were overthrown, and they could not recover, for they were broken before the Lord and His army. And they carried away very much spoil. 14 Then they defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the Lord came upon them; and they plundered all the cities, for there was exceedingly much spoil in them. 15 They also attacked the livestock enclosures, and carried off sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

Because of and in his obedience Asa overcame his enemies.

15 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3 For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4 but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. 5 And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. 6 So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. 7 But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” 8 And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord. 9 Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who dwelt with them from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon, for they came over to him in great numbers from Israel when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

He listened and destroyed any idol that remained. 

10 So they gathered together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 And they offered to the Lord at that time seven hundred bulls and seven thousand sheep from the spoil they had brought. 12 Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 13 and whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. 14 Then they took an oath before the Lord with a loud voice, with shouting and trumpets and rams’ horns. 15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around. 16 Also he removed Maachah, the mother of Asa the king, from being queen mother, because she had made an obscene image of Asherah; and Asa cut down her obscene image, then crushed and burned it by the Brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not removed from Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was loyal all his days. 18 He also brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated and that he himself had dedicated: silver and gold and utensils. 19 And there was no war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

For 35 years they had rest. 

16 In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, 3 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.” 4 So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali. 5 Now it happened, when Baasha heard it, that he stopped building Ramah and ceased his work. 6 Then King Asa took all Judah, and they carried away the stones and timber of Ramah, which Baasha had used for building; and with them he built Geba and Mizpah. Hanani’s Message to Asa 7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said to him: “Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Syria has escaped from your hand. 8 Were the Ethiopians and the Lubim not a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for he was enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

Instead of repenting and calling out to God he let pride overcome his faith.

11 Note that the acts of Asa, first and last, are indeed written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians. 13 So Asa rested with his fathers; he died in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in his own tomb, which he had made for himself in the City of David; and they laid him in the bed which was filled with spices and various ingredients prepared in a mixture of ointments. They made a very great burning for him.

Asa died separated from God. His son Jehoshaphat reigned in his place

17 Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 And he placed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken. 3 Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the former ways of his father David; he did not seek the Baals, 4 but sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel. 5 Therefore the Lord established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah gave presents to Jehoshaphat, and he had riches and honor in abundance. 6 And his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord; moreover he removed the high places and wooden images from Judah.

18:1 Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab. 2 After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?” And he answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.” 4 Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.” 5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” So they said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.” 6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”  7 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.” 12 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.” 13 And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.” 14 Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” And he said, “Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!” 15 So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 16 Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ” 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

One of the greatest thing we can do is to worship God before our battles and seek His counsel.

31 So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him. 32 For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 33 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 34 The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died. 19 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned safely to his house in Jerusalem. 2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you. 3 Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.”

Acts 13:36-41

God always keeps His promises!

It is up to us to accept them in Jesus. His sacrifice is beyond our understanding…that God could offer His only begotten Son to die for our sins.

Instead of turning His back to Israel, God took on flesh and drew near in the person of Christ. Jesus came to earth "to seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10). Our Savior fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Old Testament law on behalf of humankind and died on the cross to save all who would trust in Him. (John 1:17;  Romans 8:3-4) Sadly, countless people blinded by sin have failed to acknowledge Him and receive His grace. (John 1:11)

The God of grace desires to draw all people to Himself, open our eyes to the gospel and change our stony hearts. But our salvation is not possible unless we cease striving to obtain right standing with God based on our own works. We must place our faith in Christ alone and confess we need His grace. First5 

Romans 8:11 Reminds me that the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is now living in me. There is nothing too difficult for my God (Jeremiah 32:27), and he has placed his Spirit inside of me. With the help of his Spirit, we can do all things (Philippians 4:13). 

I’m exceedingly thankful today that Jesus did not take the easy way out. In the garden when he prayed before his arrest, he asked his Father if there was any other way. God’s love for humankind was so incredible that he did not spare his own Son. There was not an easy way out. And so Jesus walked every excruciating step of his hard path. He did it for me and for you. The next time I want to resist his Spirit’s nudge in me to do something out of my comfort zone, I will remember that my Jesus did the hardest thing for me, and so I can do hard things too when I walk with him. Life Church

Acts 13:36-41

36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; 39 and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you: 41 ‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’ ” The New King James Version

The resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his being the Son of God. It was not possible he should be held by death, because he was the Son of God, and therefore had life in himself, which he could not lay down but with a design to take it again. The sure mercies of David are that everlasting life, of which the resurrection was a sure pledge; and the blessings of redemption in Christ are a certain earnest, even in this world. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

What God saw in David was a deep desire to do His will. Throughout David’s entire life that drive never changed. Unlike King Saul, who was a self-willed man, David confessed his sins and quickly repented of them. The NKJV Study Bible

When David died, his body returned to dust just like everyone else’s. David was speaking of the Messiah, who would be raised from the dead as the final proof of His divine Sonship. Everyone who believes is justified: Justification is a legal term meaning “declared innocent”. It is a legal declaration that a person is acquitted and absolved. It is by justification that a person is righteous and acceptable to God. The death of Christ was the payment. Faithllife Study Bible

1 Kings 2:10 So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.

Acts 2:29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

Isaiah 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”

Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.

Habakkuk 1:5 “Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.

St. Teresa of Ávila

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which He looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which He blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are His body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Acts 9:7-9

The Daily Dose I had started to write, can wait for another day.

Mostly I cried, grieving the alarming shooting in Texas.
I Googled Uvalde Texas. It’s known as a city of trees and Matthew McConaughey’s birthplace. And now, a soul crushing mass shooting. Robb Elementary School. Pictures of children and teachers with faces and names.

And I don’t want to get numb.
I want it to hurt.
When the world feels crazy...
Our anger is real, and it needs to be.
Our grieving is real, and it needs to be
Our sense of rawness is real, and it needs to be.
And our invitation and our need to navigate this precarious world, in order to make life-giving choices, and create spaces for sanctuary, healing and compassion, is real.

We begin by moving our focus from the weight of the big world, to honoring the small world, where we can still care, grieve, give from our heart, visit, see, feed, hug, make sanctuary space for someone in pain and on edge. Remembering that we can still spill light, even when we may be the one in pain and on edge. 

Because the light, the light is still there.
Let us never forget. Sabbath Moments 

God can use our passion to have empathy, compassion  resulting in action  for others! We need to be doers not just hearers of the Word of God.

God knew that He could use the passion of Saul to benefit the Body of Christ. 

It took an act of God, to open Paul’s eyes to the truth of  His  salvation gift, in the person of Jesus, to accomplish this. 

The rest is history. Renamed and renewed in the power of Holy Spirit the gentiles would hear the words of God.

Romans 10:9 (ESV) "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Acts 9:7-9

7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. The New King James Version

The light was so intense and penetrating that Saul fell to the ground, as did everyone who was with him. In persecuting the church, Saul was persecuting the body of Christ whose individual members are in Christ.

The arguments of Stephen in his final speech, the spread of the gospel, and the extraordinary response of believers to the gospel were like goads to Saul, but Saul in his fury continued to resist such promptings from the Holy Spirit.

The men with Saul stood speechless, hearing the voice but not seeing the individual speaking. Paul indicates that those with him saw the light but did not understand the voice, even though they heard the sound of it. 

Ironically while Saul was blind, he would see his own spiritual blindness. The NKJV Study Bible

In persecuting the Church, Saul persecutes Jesus Himself. Faithlife Study Bible

Acts 26:13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.

Luke 12:1-3

Hate crimes cannot be hidden for God reveals the intentions of peoples hearts and those who influence others…and He weeps.

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Our heavenly Father wants to pour into our hearts His love and desire to redeem this lost world. But where do we start when we look out into the overwhelming brokenness that surrounds us? How can we visualize each person and circumstance through God's eyes of perfect love and infinite hope? 

• We meditate on God's greatest commandment: to LOVE. (Matthew 22:37-39)

• We lift up our spirits in continuous praise and gratitude to our Lord, the Source of all our compassion and comfort for others. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

• We surrender our hearts to our Master's wondrous message of reconciliation     and unreservedly accept His mission to be "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).

• We receive His outpouring through the Holy Spirit, which fuels our mission to share Christ with others. (Romans 10:1)

Today, let's pray that God will fill us, like Paul, with a never-ending passion to further His Kingdom on earth! First5 

Billions of people simply cannot see. The scripture says, “The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News—the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Max Lucado

Luke 12:1-3

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. The New King James Version

Leaven here represents the presence of corruption. Unleavened bread is what the Jews ate at Passover. The corruption in view here is hypocrisy. Practicing hypocrisy is senseless because eventually all deeds—both good and evil—will be exposed. All secrets will be revealed by God.

The NKJV Study Bible

Jesus issues a series of warnings for His disciples. Following His condemnation of the Pharisees Jesus now warns His disciples not to be led astray by their hypocrisy. He then tells them not to fear those who threaten violence, but rather to fear God, who will decide their eternal destiny. Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 10:26 Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Matthew 16:6 Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

Matthew 23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Mark 2:15–17

God wants no one to perish! He wants all to accept the gift of His Son and the salvation that He provides for mankind. We are ALL sinners in need of a Savior!

The word "mercy" in Hebrew is "ḥesed," appearing 400 times in the Old Testament, often describing the character of God. Translated as "kindness," "goodness," "grace" and "mercy," God's mercy doesn't wink at sin or dismiss it cavalierly. God keeps His covenant to His people even when they fall short. God in His sovereignty fulfills what man cannot.

It has been said that mercy is the act of withholding punishment that is deserved, and grace is the act of giving unmerited favor. God in His sovereignty can do as He pleases. (Psalm 115:3) And it pleases Him to extend mercy and grace to His people. What a Savior! First5 

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.” SabbathMoments 

Mark 2:15–17

15 Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them,  “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” The New King James Version

In the Gospels, this term is generally used for people who are considered sinful by Jewish leaders. While certainly many of these people were involved in habits, lifestyles or occupations that led to unrighteous behavior, the label seems to be applied primarily to distinguish between those who were considered pious and those who were not. 

Jesus’ ministry was often focused on outsiders, including this group of people. In the ancient world, dining together was a primary expression of identity and belonging. For tax collectors and sinners to seek out table fellowship with Jesus implies they were interested in the kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed. 

Some scribes (teachers of the law) in Jesus’ day may have identified themselves with the agenda of the Pharisaic movement.

One of the three Jewish schools of thought in Palestine at the time of Jesus according to the Jewish historian Josephus. While the extent of their influence is unclear, the Pharisees apparently had some influence in political, religious and social spheres in Jewish Palestine. The Pharisees were known for their skill at interpreting the Law of Moses, and they held strict views on what was appropriate behavior for a righteous person. In Mark, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for holding to traditions rather than obeying God’s commands. They condemn Jesus’ choice to eat with those they viewed as unrighteous and unworthy, but Jesus is not interested in their rules about who is worthy of His attention.

With this statement, Jesus is neither affirming nor denying that the Pharisees are righteous. He is simply pointing out that the call to repentance and offering of forgiveness are for those who need it—sinners. Faithlife Study Bible

Christ came to call sinners to repentance. Jesus did not condone the activities of sinners, but required repentance—a change of mind that recognizes the need of a Savior and recognizes Jesus Christ as the only Savior. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 9:10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.

Luke 5:31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

Luke 5:32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

David French

First, a commitment to kindness does not require surrender on matters of conviction.

The nonviolent civil rights movement dramatically disrupted life in the South, but life in the South needed to be disrupted. The clear and present injustice of Jim Crow should have been intolerable to every Christian in America. The beauty of the movement is that it looked injustice in the face, declared “Here we stand; we can do no other” and did so without malice and with an overwhelming amount of forbearance and forgiveness.

Second, a defense of your convictions should never require or permit cruelty. Can we please be honest about the circumstances surrounding the debates about civility? They’re taking place against the backdrop of a right-wing Christian political movement that was intensely devoted to one of the most cruel and dishonest men ever to sit in the Oval Office. It’s taking place within a larger right-wing media culture that delights in personal insults. 

Every day and night Christians by the millions listen to pugilists who stoke rage and hate, and who delight in calling opponents “morons,” “groomers,” and worse. We are not talking about a Christian political culture where the fight is over whose essay is too sharply worded. The present alarm over Christian cruelty has little to do with First Things, and a lot to do with Fox News. It has little to do with The American Conservative and a lot to do with Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, Alex Jones, and the angry, vicious mouthpieces who reach (and teach) American Christians by the millions. 

My friend Tim Keller is immensely influential in the church. So is my friend Russell Moore–who is also constantly attacked for being too “winsome” for the moment. Did you know their combined social media followings are dwarfed by the man below, a man who screams that Democrats are “demons” and a “bunch of devils” who are not welcome at his church? Who says “you ain’t seen an insurrection yet”?

Every day and night Christians by the millions listen to pugilists who stoke rage and hate, and who delight in calling opponents “morons,” “groomers,” and worse. We are not talking about a Christian political culture where the fight is over whose essay is too sharply worded. The present alarm over Christian cruelty has little to do with First Things, and a lot to do with Fox News. It has little to do with The American Conservative and a lot to do with Breitbart, Gateway Pundit, Alex Jones, and the angry, vicious mouthpieces who reach (and teach) American Christians by the millions. 

My friend Tim Keller is immensely influential in the church. So is my friend Russell Moore–who is also constantly attacked for being too “winsome” for the moment. Did you know their combined social media followings are dwarfed by the man below, a man who screams that Democrats are “demons” and a “bunch of devils” who are not welcome at his church? Who says “you ain’t seen an insurrection yet”?

Anthony B Bradley, PHD “On the vaccines …” he begins.
For the next 15 minutes, Bolin does not mention the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, or the life everlasting. Instead, he spouts misinformation and conspiratorial nonsense, much of it related to the “radically dangerous” COVID-19 vaccines. “A local nurse who attends FloodGate, who is anonymous at this time—she reported to my wife the other day that at her hospital, they have two COVID patients that are hospitalized. Two.” Bolin pauses dramatically. “They have 103 vaccine-complication patients.” The crowd gasps.

“How about this one?” Bolin says. He tells of a doctor who claims to know that “between 100 and 200 United States Congress members, plus many of their staffers and family members with COVID, were treated by a colleague of his over the past 15 months … with …” Bolin stops and puts a hand to his ear. A chorus of people responds: “Ivermectin.” Bolin pretends not to hear. “What was that?” he says, leaning over the lectern. This time, they shout: “Ivermectin!” Bolin nods.

This is terrible stuff. And Christian public intellectuals are spending their time and space engaging the threat of . . . kindness? David French

John 13:34-35

With all the hate that is in the world today I find it hard to understand how any Christian could think that this was from Jesus. He gave us a new commandment to LOVE one another! I am reposting an article after this post by David French that left me troubled and concerned for the Body Of Christ. I apologize if it offends.

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.” (from Paul’s Letter to the Romans)
There is in every one of us an inherent dignity that no one can give you, and that no one can take away. 

in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” Yes: our invitation to show up. Showing up (in touch with our hearts and the light inside) we put healing front and center, allowing for touch, presence, making space for grieving.

Helen Keller; “I am one, but still I am one;
I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;
And just because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”Sabbath Moments 

So, as this week comes to its end and a new one arrives, may your beautiful mind and tender heart lift you above the noise and the hate. May you quiet yourself and allow the beauty your mind can envision to be your guide moving forward. May the love in your heart that you were born with keep your faith in the possibilities of humanity. Maria Shriver

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The New King James Version

Jesus inserts this phrase into the commandment from Leviticus 19:18. The new part of the commandment is that Jesus’ disciples are instructed to love other people the way Jesus loved them—serving them like a slave would, as He does in this scene, even to the point of laying down their lives for others. 

The indicator of a Christian is the way they treat others. Faithlife Study Bible 

The command to love was new because Jesus gave it a new standard. Moses said, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Jesus said the new standard was as I have loved you. Jesus gave His disciples the example of love that they were to follow. 

Unbelievers recognize Jesus’ disciples not by their doctrinal distinctives, nor by dramatic miracles, nor even by their love for the lost. They recognize His disciples by their deeds of love for one another. The NKJV Study Bible

Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ’s sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors. Men in general notice any of Christ’s words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

1 Thessalonians 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

1 John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.

Life Church Vineyard

Founding Pastor Ron Grubb

We worship God who is and will forever be! There’s joy in the house of the Lord.

Turning Truth into Worship

Inversion as a believer means worshipping in Spirit and in truth.

Good things can happen to unbelievers and bad things can happen to believers. The difference is that God will work out whatever happens to us, as believers, for our good. if not in this life in eternal life with Him.

John 4:1-2

4 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

There is the truth and there is doctrine.

Marriage is a total commitment. It is the same with God. He requires our full commitment. We are choosing to commit to God through Jesus forever. Leaving  options in our life causes us to have an unsettled mind. 

Spiritual worship and comes out of our belief in things not seen. The outpouring of Holy Spirit is the biggest gift of Jesus to those who believe in Him and the salvation He gives.

In the Old Testament sacrifice was a tangible physical thing. They had a hard time realizing that it was a representation of the spiritual arrival of Jesus and the sacrifice that He made for them. 

True worshipers honor God in every area of their life. All day in every way! We need to become more proficient in worshipping in truth. Even when bad things happen to us we need to realize God is in it. 

Everything that happens to us is for our growth spiritually. We may not like it but we believe God can make something good come out of it.

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Our life is for His purpose not ours. We need to ask for His will in our life and in the life of others. His way is always better.

We have to be people who commit our life to God knowing that whatever happens He will work it out for our eternal good. 

Everything is under His control…every thing!

Good things happen. Bad thing happen. To all people. He will make good of all of it in the end.

Evil exists in this world. God is bigger than evil. 

We need to worship in any situation that we find ourself. As believers we need to have compassion for others.  God has His own desires and we need to worship trusting Him.