Matthew 16:24-26 Christ in us. The hope of the world!

 Psalm 49:7–8

None of them can by any means redeem his brother,

Nor give to God a ransom for him—

For the redemption of their souls is costly,

And it shall cease forever—

Jesus came in the form of a servant. He humbled Himself and came to do the work of His Father. He suffered, died and rose again in fulfillment of the promises given in the Old Testament that we could live in the newness of His Covenant of peace on earth and goodwill towards mankind. He is our example of how we are to live. We are the humble servants of our Triune God and in Him we abide. Only God can do what is impossible for us. But in Him nothing is impossible. Carla

Matthew 16:24-26

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? NKJV

Jesus revisits His earlier remarks about taking up one’s cross (10:38–39). If His opponents kill Him, His disciples can reasonably expect a similar fate. Although they will receive positions of honor, discipleship will be costly.

Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 10:38–39

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Luke 14:27

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 

James 12:25

He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 

Luke 12:20–21

But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

We all experience pain—personal, relational, or exhaustion from the weight of the affairs of the world. And it appears on the doorstep of our heart in a variety of ways. This I know: when our life (and yes, our world) takes a left turn—or we find ourselves emotionally overdrawn (literally heart-weary)—we, for whatever reason, continue to feel small. But in the end—sadly to our detriment—we try to run away, or we shut down, because we see our pain, and our brokenness, as blemishes. In other words, something we must hide, because it triggers shame.

But this I know to be true: Whether it is conflict or sorrow or grief or anxiety or self-pity, I cannot bury pain without mortgaging something else to keep it hidden. In the end, I live life “shunting back and forth between my pain and my defenses.” (Merle Shain)

Or, as Richard Rohr reminds us, “If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.”

(And it doesn’t help if we see pain—brokenness and vulnerability—only as an enemy, or source of shame.) 

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he tells the boy. “It is a relentless fight that takes a toll, and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil – he is rage, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continues, “The other wolf is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. And this same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thinks about what his grandfather tells him for a minute, and then asks, “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee replies, “The one you feed the most.”

Today, I choose to feed the good (life-giving) wolf.

I liked this, from Rabbi Dr. Ariel Burger, “My mantra this year has been the Hebrew words, Lev Basar, which means ‘a heart of flesh,’ from the biblical verse, ‘I will take from you a heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.’

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, ‘There's nothing as whole as a broken heart.’

 In these traditions, you cultivate a broken heart which is very different from depression or sadness. It's the kind of vulnerability, openness, and acute sensitivity to your own suffering and the suffering of others that becomes an opportunity for connection.”

My friends, we are not on this journey alone.

And I can tell you that this past week, I’ve watched the ways we all carry pain, in a week where the news—the blasphemy of our President posting an image of himself as Jesus Christ, and then going after Pope Leo—can leave us feeling helpless, fearful, appalled, or enraged. Or, just dizzy.

Speaking of what we feed, it really did my heart good to watch Pope Leo’s charitable and courageous response to the comments. “Charitable because he has not responded in any way other than with charity and respect. He speaks about our obligations to one another. He has called us to follow the Gospel, which has always been radical, and never more so than right now. It’s radical because it asks us to love not just our friends, our family, and our tribe, but the stranger.” (Thank you Maria Shriver)

We have a choice. We can embrace our humanness, which means embracing our broken natures and the compassion that remains our best hope for healing. Or we can deny our brokenness, forswear compassion, and, as a result, deny our own humanity… But simply punishing the broken—walking away from them or hiding them from sight—only ensures that they remain broken and we do, too. There is no wholeness outside of our reciprocal humanity… Embracing our brokenness creates a need for mercy.”

So. Back to our current news; mercy, and kindness, and humanity matter. Excerpt from “Sabbath Moments”

1 Peter 5:8-11 There is only one truth, Jesus, He alone is the way to reconciliation with God.

 Colossians 2:5

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

Jesus did not leave us to fend for ourselves. He said it was for our benefit that He return to His heavenly Kingdom so that Father could send Holy Spirit that He could abide in us to comfort, guide and protect us from the evil that seeks to destroy our faith. Our battle is not with flesh and blood but with the spiritual forces of evil. By our testimony and our good works we show others the agape love of God for His creation. Greater is Holy Spirit in us than he that is in this world. God’s love conquers all. We were created for good works to show others the glory of God in Christ. The love of God is manifested in mere humans who by faith believe. Carla

1 Peter 5:8-11

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

Be sober means to be self-disciplined, to think rationally and not foolishly. Be vigilant means to be alert to the spiritual pitfalls of life and take appropriate steps to make certain that we do not stumble. 

Satan is our avowed enemy. He never ceases from being hostile toward us; he is constantly accusing us before God (Job 1:9–2:7; Zechariah 3:1; Luke 22:31; Revelation 12:10). Satan is both cunning and cruel. He attacks when least expected and desires to destroy completely those whom he attacks.

We are not commanded to run, but to resist—to fight rather than flee. Victory comes when we remain committed to God, because He is greater than our enemy (1 John 4:4).

Like a doctor setting a broken bone, God will mend our broken lives and make us whole. God will make our way stable, despite the instability we feel living in a world that inflicts suffering upon us. God will give us the ability to succeed in all that we do for Him. As a consequence of our facing the attacks of our enemy, God will build in us a firm foundation that will make us steadfast and immovable.

God is in control of all things both in this world and throughout eternity. 

Responding to the Word of God by saying “amen” echoes a Jewish practice of declaring that everything that had been said is true and that the hearers were committed to putting into practice that truth. The NKJV Study Bible

The New Testament uses both “Satan” and “devil” as terms for the chief figure of evil in the Bible. The Hebrew term satan used in the Old Testament means “adversary” (Job 1:6, 12; 2:1; Zechariah 3:1–2). Peter alerts his audience to the devil’s constant threat to the people of God (2 Corinthians 2:11).

Within the wider context of the passage, Peter’s use of animal imagery depicts God’s people as vulnerable sheep in desperate need of their shepherd’s protection from all sorts of threats, including persecution and preying animals like the devil.

Believers throughout the Roman empire were suffering both localized persecution as well as opposition from the devil (1 Peter 5:8) Peter offers his audience a final word of comfort. He reminds them that God will empower and ultimately glorify those who remain steadfast in their faith under the weight of their present suffering. Faithlife Study Bible

James 4:7

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 

2 Timothy 2:10

Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

Acts 14:22

strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” 

1 Corinthians 1:9–10

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

In a world that feels upside down, let us not forget that joy and hope are alive and well. And in places—ordinary moments—we are “reintroduced to wonder.”

…would I (can I) ignore the clamor and din around me, and allow for (and be fed by) sanctuary in the presence of beauty?

We see what we expect to see.

We hear what we want to hear.

And we experience what we anticipate we will experience.

And we do it with all the instinctiveness of breathing.

The trick is to pay attention to what is going on around you long enough, to behold the miracle. Here's what I do know: I have the choice every day. Excerpt from “Sabbath Moments”

2 Corinthians 6:1-10 Now is the time!

 1 Colossians 3:9

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

Washed clean in the precious blood of the Lamb of God we are workers together with Christ. In the unity of Holy Spirit we show others the way to the Father. His fruits resonate in our lives and day by day we are changed. The love of God gifted to us in the new covenant of salvation in Jesus conquers sin and restores our relationship with God. He sees Jesus in us and in His righteousness we abide. Faith, hope and love and the greatest of these? LOVE. Carla

2  Corinthians 6:1-10

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,

And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; 6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. NKJV

The Greek word used here for grace, charis, refers in this instance to the unmerited favor God demonstrated in the sacrificial death of Christ (5:14–19). Christ’s death is the reason why people can freely enter into a relationship with God. Paul quotes Isaiah 49:8 to appeal to the Corinthians and emphasize God’s readiness to receive them when they turn to Him. Just as God restored Israel from exile, He now reconciles people to Himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3). The day of salvation refers to the present period of time (between Christ’s first and second comings) in which reconciliation with God is available to all people.

Weapons of righteousness refers to weapons that equip believers to live righteously and resist the work of evil forces. Faithlife Study Bible

In 5:20, Paul describes God as pleading for people to be reconciled to Him. Here Paul pleads (the same Greek word occurs in 5:20) with the Corinthians also. If believers live for themselves (5:15), they will have received the grace of God, but they will miss out on a heavenly reward for their service to Him (5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:15). In Philippians 2:12 Paul encourages those who have been saved to work out or develop their salvation. The Corinthians were failing at this very point. They were saved and stuck, so to speak. They were not continually working out their salvation. Paul was encouraging them to consider their lives and realign them more closely to Christ.

Paul quoted Isaiah 49:8 to remind the Corinthians that God was ready to listen to them and to help them. He would deliver them, if only they turned to Him in faith.

Offense means “an occasion of stumbling.” Paul did not do anything that would cause others to stumble in their faith. The word be blamed means “to find fault with” and implies ridicule. In other words, no one could find fault with Paul’s work among the Corinthians. In many different types of situations Paul and his coworkers conducted themselves as righteous ministers of God. These verses list the different types of experiences in which Paul and his fellow workers found themselves. The NKJV Study Bible

Isaiah 49:8

Thus says the LORD:

“In an acceptable time I have heard You,

And in the day of salvation I have helped You;

I will preserve You and give You

As  a covenant to the people,

To restore the earth,

To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;

In a world where disarray too easily dominates our information and media feed, Sabbath Moment is an invitation to hit the pause button. To see in the power of pause, the restorative gift of paying attention. To see. To welcome goosebumps and joy. To embrace the Sacrament of the Present.
I am writing this on my flight to Dublin, Ireland, where tomorrow I will be savoring the moments in a scenic city with a remarkable history, strolling the grounds at Trinity College, founded in 1592 and steeped with moments of wonder.
And yes, I will embrace the permission to pause.
To pay attention.

But here’s the forewarning: To pay attention, we must slow down.
I can give you the part line that slowing down is a tonic for the heart and pretty much a necessity for our blood pressure. It is restorative for our emotional well-being and nourishment for our soul you pick the word: tonic, sustenance, nutriment, curative, balsamic, sanative. I have no doubt that they all ring true. People who know a lot more than I do tell me so. While we’re sorting it out though, let’s wander through the back garden and I’ll tell you what I do know for certain.
I can tell you that there is a direct correlation between slowing down and joy. You know, that felling which expands your chest and slows the world’s carousel, so that everything and everyone around you is in crystal-clear focus, and your mind has no need for approval or scheming or regret. You are content merely to be. Just to be. As if the very emotion resides in that realm of time where the heartbeat slows.
I can tell you that when I slow down, I pay attention, and I give up my need for control.
I can tell you that Quaker theologian Thomas Kelly got it right when he wrote, “listening to the eternal involves a silence within us.”
And I can tell you that when I slow down, I begin to live more openly and relaxed. Sabbath Moments 

Trump, Pope Leo XIV clash draws reaction from religious leaders | Chicago Now FOX 32 Chicago

https://youtu.be/3G_-pkNuCkc?si=TRouY9frKnIaIBWu

Tensions escalate between President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV after the president criticized the Chicago-born pope’s stance on global conflict and shared a controversial AI image of himself as a religious figure.

Women of Welcome

 https://youtu.be/JhYz3VRbgmU?si=J1Zxs0Pz_3cISa7q&t=3175

Bri Stensrud, the director of Women of Welcome, explains why conservative evangelical women are rising up to support the dignity of immigrants and refugees even as many of their churches remain silent.

Mark 13:32-33 There is eternal hope in Christ the Lord!

Mark 13:31

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. NKJV

To those who believe there is given faith, hope and love. The greatest of these gifts is love and in the love of God hope springs eternal. Holy Spirit never leaves us alone and without hope. In Christ who promises that He will never leave you nor forsake you and in the the unity of Holy Spirit there is protection and there is peace. Greater is He in us than he that thinks that he will always rule this world. Jesus has already won the battle and it is ours to claim. Carla

Mark 13:32-33

32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. NKJV

As one who was fully God and at the same time fully man, Jesus possessed all the attributes of deity, including omnipotence and omniscience. He knew what was in people’s hearts (2:8) and He could still the waves (4:39). When Jesus became a man, however, He voluntarily placed certain knowledge in the hands of the Father (Philippians 2:5–8). 

Of course today, glorified in heaven, Jesus now knows the day and hour of His return. The NKJV Study Bible

The above predictions and signs of the age to come are held in tension with Jesus’ teaching that only the Father knows the day and hour. For Jesus’ followers, the implication is that they must be alert and ready for the appearance of the Son of Man at any time (verses 34–36). This means, primarily, that His followers should continue His mission of proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Faithlife Study Bible

Acts 1:7

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 

Matthew 24:36

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 

Ephesians 6:18

praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

Matthew 25:13

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2

But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.