Isaiah 26:3-6 Trust God in Him is our peace and He will not be mocked.

 Isaiah 3:14–15

The LORD will enter into judgment

With the elders of His people

And  His princes:

For you have eaten up the vineyard;

The plunder of the poor is in your houses.

What do you mean by crushing My people

And grinding the faces of the poor?”

Says the Lord GOD of hosts.

God will not be mocked. Two things He hates, pride and arrogance. What does He expect of us?  He commands us to hate evil. He commands us to love our  neighbors as ourselves. He commands us to care for those who cannot care for themselves. He commands us to care for the foreigners who dwell in our land. He cares for all people of all nations and wants all to come to Him in the truth that Jesus taught. There is no other way to the Father except in Him. Blessed are the peacemakers! Carla

Isaiah 26:3-6

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,

Because he trusts in You.

4 Trust in the Lord forever,

For in Yah, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

5 For He brings down those who dwell on high,

The lofty city;

He lays it low,

He lays it low to the ground,

He brings it down to the dust.

6 The foot shall tread it down—

The feet of the poor

And the steps of the needy.”  (NKJV)

The righteous can count on peace instead of war, destruction, and judgment as long as they continue to trust in Yahweh. Judgment came because they did not fully trust in Yahweh.

The major sin and folly of Judah (and all the nations) was placing trust in themselves and their own power rather than trusting in and acknowledging Yahweh’s power. The theme of judgment throughout Isaiah is intimately linked with the theme of human pride and arrogance.

The image of a rock is a common metaphor for God in biblical poetry (Psalm 18:1–3; 31:3; 71:3; Deuteronomy 32:30–31). Here, the metaphor brings out the trustworthiness of God. God humbles those who exalt themselves (Isaiah 2:9–12). God casts down the proud, but the poor and needy who were formerly oppressed assist in the judgment. Faithlife Study Bible

The Hebrew expression translated perfect peace is literally “peace, peace”; compare the word holy in 6:3. Immanuel will inaugurate this superior kind of peace (9:6; 11:6–9). Trust means “to commit oneself fully to.” Yah, the Lord is an emphatic designation of God (12:2).

Line after line asserts the destruction of the lofty city (verse 1) by the power of God. The NKJV Study Bible

Isaiah 25:10–12

For on this mountain the hand of the LORD will rest,

And Moab shall be trampled down under Him,

As straw is trampled down for the refuse heap.

And He will spread out His hands in their midst

As a swimmer reaches out to swim,

And He will bring down their pride

Together  with the trickery of their hands…

Isaiah 12:2

Behold, God is my salvation,I will trust and not be afraid;

‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Isaiah 26:12

LORD, You will establish peace for us,

For You have also done all our works in us.

Isaiah 50:10

“Who among you fears the LORD?

Who obeys the voice of His Servant?

Who walks in darkness

And has no light?

Let him trust in the name of the LORD

And rely upon his God.

Some time ago, I spent a day with the good members of a Seattle area garden club. I gave a talk about creating sanctuary spaces in your garden.
After the talk, a woman approached me to say, “I don't know if you noticed that I was nodding off during your lecture. Don't take it personally. I just had my radiation treatment.”
“When?” I asked.
“This morning,” she told me.
I am surprised, at her admission, and at the fact that I had seen her doze, and confess that I had made judgments about her before I knew any of the facts.
But before I can talk, she continues, “It gives me a new perspective on the kind of things that really matter.”
As we're talking, a glass of sparkling cider is spilled, on the tablecloth, and onto parts of her dress. “Like what just happened,” she tells me matter of factly, “that's not important.”

Sometimes we miss the invitations—the little things—we receive to be present. Let’s call them the unexpected flowers for the sacrament of the present moment.
The invitation that happens even in the dented, or cracked, or imperfect moments.
So. I wonder. Does it take disarray for us to pay attention?

What I enjoyed about my conversation with this woman is her willingness to embrace the present moment with gratitude.
As my mentor, Lew Smedes wrote, “Gratitude dances though the open windows of our hearts. We cannot force it. We cannot create it. And we can certainly close our windows to keep it out. But we can also keep them open and be ready for the joy when it comes.”

My friends, let us live “awake” one window at a time. Sabbath Moments

Romans 12:9-18 Jesus is our example of how to live.

 Romans 15:5 Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus,

Jesus is our example of how to live. He was all-God but He lowered Himself as a man to be obedient to His Father in all areas of His life. He had compassion on all of humanity understanding that we are mere humans. The love of God for creation allowed Him to bear the ultimate sacrifice of His life in exchange for ours. No one love you more than God…no one! Carla

Romans 12:9-18

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, •as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.  (NKJV)

Love must be without hypocrisy. The New Testament  presents love as the defining ethical standard for Christians.  Paul assumes that his audience already shows love to one another; he calls for their love to be genuine and sincere.

Paul uses this term, brotherly love, to emphasize the familial nature of the body of believers. Enduring in affliction can refer to any kind of hardship; however, Paul might have persecution in mind (Romans 12:14).

Hospitality refers to an extension of generosity to strangers.

Bless those who persecute reflects Jesus’ teaching, Paul calls for prayer on behalf of the persecutor (Luke 6:28).

Christians are called to share in both the joy and suffering of fellow believers, since they are members of one body of Christ.

Pay back no one evil for evil. This instruction seems to draw on the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 5:39). Although believers will encounter opposition, Paul urges them to live peacefully, not taking revenge upon those who wrong them. Faithlife Study Bible

There are at least four Greek words for love, not all of which are used in the NT. (1) The highest form of love is agape. This is a self-sacrificial love. It involves an act of the will whereby one seeks the best for another. Agape is used in verse 9. (2) The Greek word philos means “affectionate regard,” and the derived form philadelphia is translated brotherly love in this verse. (3) Philostorgos means “family affection” and is translated kindly affectionate in this verse. 

The greatest proof of the truth of the gospel message and of the reality of Jesus’ love is the love believers show to each other. Christ is the model for such self-sacrificial love (Philippians 2:3–8). Christians should not offer their service half-heartedly or in a lazy manner. Instead, Paul encourages the Romans to serve eagerly and in earnest.

Hospitality means “love of strangers.” The primary reference is to housing travelers, though all forms of hospitality are included. The progression in this verse is significant. we will have opportunities to serve strangers and thus witness to them about the love of Christ.

Bless means “to speak well of” or “praise. Because believers are a body, when one part hurts, everyone feels the pain; when one is joyful, everyone can rejoice. Christians cannot be indifferent toth  suffering or joy of their fellow believers. The word good in this verse means “morally good,” “noble,” or “praiseworthy.” This is the positive side of the negative command not to return evil for evil (1 Peter 3:9). The believer’s aim should be to live peaceably. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 5:44

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 

2 Corinthians 6:6

by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 

1 Titus 1:5

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, 

It’s the little things that matter. So. What if we begin our day with this question; “In what ways today, can I be the giver—spiller, sower—of small gifts? The little gifts that nurture and inspire the human spirit, gifts that raise the flags of compassion and healing and restoration, and make a fellow human glad to be alive?”

And before we answer, let us remember that care of any kind—compassion and healing, spilling and sowing gifts of kindness and renewal—begins with self-care.

And that’s not always easy. To let ourselves be the recipient of gifts that replenish.

Parker Palmer’s guidance deserves to be read twice. “By surviving passages of doubt and depression of the vocational journey, I have become clear about at least one thing: self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give it the care it requires, we do so not only for ourselves but for the many others whose lives we touch.”

Yes. Self-care enables and empowers us to be care-givers.

Love is not something you have.

Love is something that has you. Sabbath Moments

Luke 6:32–38 Only love overcomes evil!

 Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

The powerful love of God overcomes the hate that evil thrives on. His love covers a multitude of sin. What does God require of me? He requires me to be fair, to forgive quickly and always walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). Easy to do in a world full of division and sparked by cruelty? No, but I have been forgiven much and I  want that same forgiveness offered to everyone. I seek His heart of flesh to replace my heart of stone. Carla

Luke 6:32-38

32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 

35 But love your enemies, •do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.

37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, •shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”, NKJV

The practice of loving one’s enemies is modeled by God Himself, who is kind to the unthankful and evil. Jesus also notes that the reward will be great for the losses suffered while practicing this type of love. This reward will be a hundredfold—that is, ten thousand percent (Matthew 19:28, 29). The idea here is not that one should ignore sin or refuse to discuss its consequences (11:39–52; Galatians 6:1, 2); rather, one should be gracious and quick to forgive.

The good measure illustration comes from the marketplace where grain was poured out, shaken down, and then filled to overflowing so the buyer received the full amount purchased. Such is the full measure that will be returned to one who has been generous. The NKJV Study Bible

Followers of Jesus who freely give away and share their material goods not only obey Jesus’ teaching but demonstrate they are true followers of God by acting according to His ways. 

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. God’s character and actions are the ethical standards for His followers. Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 10:17–18; Matthew 5:48; 1 Peter 1:15. 

This section parallels several traditions that also occur in Mark and Matthew—some of these occur in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount (Luke 6:17–23). As in the preceding section, Jesus is calling for righteous behavior and emphasizing love, forgiveness, and generosity.

Do not judge, and you will never be judged. Pardon, and you will be pardoned. In response to God’s forgiveness of them, Jesus’ followers should offer forgiveness to those who have wronged them. As with His teaching in Luke 6:27–36, Jesus calls His followers to imitate God by displaying sacrificial love. In  good measure—pressed down, shaken, overflowing—they will pour out into your lap this describes the abundance that is given to the generous. Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew  5:45–6:1

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same…

Matthew 5:42

Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.

Matthew 7:1–5

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you…

My friends, in our discordant world, I believe—no, I know—that the light shines precisely because there are broken places.
Remember, Jesus never told us to create the light. He did not even ask us to make a resolution to try harder. He simply invited us to let the light shine.
Meaning that the light is already there. To paraphrase Leonard Cohen, There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. And that’s how the light gets out.

So. Here's the deal: our journey to wholeness and wholeheartedness, or making a difference or spilling light, is not about becoming something I am not.
The journey is about reflecting what is already there. Inside. It is about making a difference, by just being you. One small gesture—kind and healing word or gift at a time.
So, why are we afraid to let this be enough?
In fact, there is abundance, to know that one kind touch means the world.
You may doubt it if you wish.
But know this, you still make a difference.
Thank you.

“Our life is full of brokenness – broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God’s faithful presence in our lives?” Henri Nouwen

Sabbath Moments”

Psalm 4:8 The peace of God sustains me!

 Psalm 3:5

I lay down and slept;

I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.

Trust God to keep us in His peace in both the good and the trying times of our life…

God cares for us.

God cares for you.

God cares for me

I care for God!!!

I am able to love others because He first loved me.

Carla

Psalm 4:8

I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;

For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. (NKJV)

The peace that God gives is far from a relaxation technique. It is a peace that enables an anxious person to lie down and sleep (3:5). The NKJV Study Bible

The Psalm ends on a note of peaceful tranquility. Just as He has in the past Yahweh has responded, enabling the psalmist to sleep in safety. Faithlife Study Bible 

Leviticus 25:18–19

‘So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety.

Deuteronomy 12:10

But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 

Job 11:18–19

And you would be secure, because there is hope;

Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety.

You would also lie down, and no one would make you afraid;

Yes, many would court your favor.

Today I guest preached, on Vashon Island. And it is always good to see familiar faces.

My text from Luke’s Gospel, the parable about the mustard seed. Bluntly, you just don’t expect great things from such a minuscule seed. And yet. Apparently, we see only what we want to see.

And in the parable, we learn that the Kingdom of God—the expanding gift of Grace, in compassion and empathy and healing—is grounded in humility and simplicity and unpretentiousness.

So. Instead of grandiosity and show, instead of “performance” and status—and the need to be impressive, which our current world is so allured to—the seed of grace grows from humility and authenticity.

Who knew? From seemingly insignificant beginnings, we see generous and life-giving and transformative growth. Sabbath Moments