Matthew 19:23-26 With God nothing is impossible!

 Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Nothing is impossible for God…nothing. Trust Him alone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, to do what we cannot. The idol of money and the pursuit of it causes many to trust in themselves shutting God out. They fail to realize that He causes rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. In prayer and supplication we take our petitions to God knowing that in His will  they will be answered. We may not totally understand the outcome but we can rest assured that the Holy Trinity  will take the things meant to destroy us and turn them for our good and the good of the  Body of Christ. Carla

Matthew 19:23-26

23 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter •the kingdom of God.”

25 When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (NKJV)

Jesus’ comment about a rich man’s salvation would have been difficult for some Jewish people in this period to accept because they held to a form of “prosperity theology.” If people prospered, it was evidence of God’s blessing on them. Whereas verse 23 says it is hard for a rich man to become saved, verse 24 implies that it is as impossible as passing a camel through the eye of a needle (Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25). The NKJV Study Bible

The challenge comes from being overly attached to earthly goods. Jesus employs this ridiculous impossibility to capture His hearers’ attention and emphasize the great sacrifice necessitated by the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:21). Jesus’ remarks in Matthew  19:23–24 reverse the conventional wisdom of His day. It was commonly believed that if someone was blessed with riches, they had God’s approval and were thereby assured of entrance into His kingdom of heaven. Faithlife Study Bible

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the LORD? 

At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Job 42:2

“I know that You can do everything,

And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

Matthew 13:22

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 

Jeremiah 32:17

‘Ah, Lord GOD! 

Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. 

There is nothing too hard for You. 

Grace is that which tumbles into our lives (when our defenses are relaxed), and we are spontaneously surprised by the goodness and beauty of living. C.S. Lewis called it “surprised by joy.”
In other words, we don’t need a primer on “how to find delight,” but the permission to pause, to experience, to give into, to give up control (our need to manage).
Lee Jaster, dear friend and minister, who found a love of gardening later in life told me, “There was a time, I went to the garden to walk and pray. But I was so enamored with it all, I couldn’t focus on prayer. The fragrance of the lilies... I felt horribly guilty, until it hit me that this infatuation was my prayer.”
Yes, a funny thing happened on the way to prayer.
He found the sacred.
He found grace.
And even better, grace found him.

I do not know where you see Grace in your life. I do know we don't cut ourselves enough slack, and I do know that when Grace appears, it's best if we don't analyze it, but just... pause, and let it seep into the core of our being. The reality of true Grace is that it does not waiver or diminish. It does not depend upon our response, performance, attitude, faith or checkered past. It just is.
So tell me, when this week have you been “surprised by joy”?

“Sabbath implies a willingness to be surprise by unexpected grace, to partake of those potent moments when creation renews itself, when what is finished inevitably recedes, and the sacred forces of healing astonish us with the unending promise of love and life.” E.L. Doctorow. ”Sabbath Moments”

Proverbs 19:17 The gifts God gives us are meant to be shared.

 Matthew 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

God loves the world that He created  He gave up His life that through Him we could be saved. Whoever gives even a cup of water to a child or shares God’s blessings with others  will be given more so that there will be more to share with those in need. With gratitude receive and  cheerfully share. Carla

Proverbs 19:17

17 He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord,

And He will pay back•• what he has given. (NKJV)

Those who give generously to the impoverished are being generous with God. Previously, oppression of the poor has been called an insult to God, the Creator of both the rich and poor (17:5; 14:31; 22:2). Faithlife Study Bible

The proverbs call for mercy and compassion on the poor and the weak, but only contempt for the lazy. The NKJV Study Bible

Matthew 10:42

And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.”

Deuteronomy 15:7–10

“If there is among you a poor man of your brethren, within any of the gates in your land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs…

Proverbs 28:27

He who gives to the poor will not lack,

But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.

This I know: if I run from my vulnerability or brokenness, it only exacerbates the problem. Like it or not, we all carry with us fault-lines.

In my early days, I assumed that “salvation” fixed all of that. You know, eliminated the broken stuff (like seeing walls when there were only lines). I figured that's what the Bible meant by being a new creation. But I believe differently now. Salvation is about wholeness, at-one-ness with our Creator, which ironically is about living with our brokenness, instead of running from it. It is about literally, being at home with the self, this self, this extraordinarily loved and often messy self.

My Sabbath is a reminder to hear the voice of Grace, “Look at me.

This same voice invited Peter (full of fear) out of the boat, onto a stormy sea, “Be not afraid. Look at me. Now take one step.”
Jesus didn't ask Peter to wait until he was “unafraid,” or had it all figured out. He invited him to risk, and embrace this life, even with the imperfections and limitations, even knowing sooner or later, he'd sink.

This goes beyond just the power of positive thinking. In the movie Kingdom of Heaven, about the battle for Jerusalem in the Middle Ages, Balian of Ibelin began knighting ordinary men, making them to understand that inside of them was a knight, something far greater than the limitations of their birth or fears or status.
The Bishop, Patriarch of Jerusalem—almost crying: “Who do you think you are? Will you alter the world? Does making a man a knight make him a better fighter?”
Balian of Ibelin: “Yes”
“Look up at me,” Balian of Ibelin was saying to each man. “See in my eyes something more and far greater than you see and know in your limitations.”

Here's the deal: When I see only scarcity, I miss the fact that every single one of us has been gifted with creativity, abundance, heart, love, passion, gentleness, helpfulness, caring, kindness, tenderness, restoration and a shoulder to lean on…
This is the paradigm of Sufficiency. And Grace.
Grace calls something—invites something beautiful—from each one of us, and grace never leaves until the invitation is heard and embraced. It may shake up our life, there's no doubt about that.
We're not used to being unconditionally loved.

I do not know where you see Grace in your life. I do know we don't cut ourselves enough slack, and I do know that when Grace appears, it's best if we don't analyze it, but just... pause, and let it seep into the core of our being. The reality of true Grace is that it does not waiver or diminish. It does not depend upon our response, performance, attitude, faith or checkered past. It just is.
Why? Because Grace heals not by taking shame away, but by removing the one thing our shame makes us fear the most: rejection.

What does it mean to live from wholehearted vulnerability, embraced by Grace?
Let us choose to eliminate the question, “What did you accomplish today?” It makes my head spin, as I'm never sure if I get the answer right. Instead, I hope that somewhere we hear the voice, “Look at my eyes. You are valued. You are held. And you are loved.” Sabbath Moments

Hebrews 12:14-17 Followers of Christ actively pursue peace with all people.

 Galatians 5:4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

The grace and mercy of God, in the person of Jesus Christ, allowed salvation to come to the world. He came with shouts of peace, peace to the people on earth. If we have been given such an invaluable gift shouldn’t we also be a people of peace and mercy? Out of His agape love God offered Himself up for our sins how can we not offer others the same. Carla

Hebrews 12:14-17

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness •springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that •afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. (NKJV)

Believers pursuing peace and practical righteousness should watch for three dangers: (1) falling short of God’s grace—that is, refusing Christ’s gracious offer of salvation and His provision for their needs (4:16); (2) allowing a root of bitterness to grow in their assembly and (3) becoming sexually immoral or irreligious. Esau illustrates those who are irreligious. Under the Law, the eldest son would receive a double inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17). Esau lost his inheritance, which included God’s gracious promises, by despising it and valuing the pleasure of food over it (Genesis 25:34). The NKJV Study Bible

Christ’s sacrifice made His people holy (10:10, 14). Those sanctified belong to God (2:11) and, sharing in His discipline, will experience His holiness (verse 10).

To fall short of the grace of God the author exhorts his audience to care for others and assure that none lack God’s grace. This phrase resembles 4:1, which warned of falling short of entering God’s rest.

The root of bitterness refers to someone who is idolatrous. This agricultural metaphor refers to  the description of useless land in 6:8.

Esau Refers to the brother of Jacob, son of Isaac (Genesis 25:24–26). He took foreign wives, which was viewed negatively by his parents (Genesis 26:34–35; 27:46) and in later passages Israelite men marrying foreign women is condemned because it could lead to idolatry.

The heir apparently would receive a double portion of inheritance (Genesis 43:33; Deuteronomy 21:17). In the case of Esau and Jacob, the elder son also would receive from Isaac the divine blessings that God had given to Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3; 15:18–20). The remark that Esau despised this birthright (Genesis 25:34)—which holds foundational significance for Israel—contributes to the negative assessment of him. 

Esau despised his birthright (Gen 25:34) and ultimately lost it because of the cunning of Jacob and Rebekah (Genesis 27:4–29). Faithlife Study Bible

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

Tomorrow’s celebration here in the U.S. is a big one. 250 years.
And we must not avoid or ignore the mood of our country now. That would be unwise. While sixty-five percent of U.S. adults say they are still proud to be American, eighty-three percent of U.S. adults feel America has strayed from the ideals the country was founded on two-and-a-half centuries ago. It doesn’t help to pretend otherwise.
But yes. There are many more chapters yet to come. And here’s the deal: we—every single one of us—can plant those seeds, of hope. Seeds of inclusion and repair and restoration and sanctuary.
It’s been the theme—the grounding principle—of my ministry. How, and in what ways, can we—as church, community, country—create places of sanctuary and welcome and healing and renewal?

I’m not preaching on Sunday, but if I were, my theme would be, “All are welcome here.” Sabbath Moments

Celebrating the 4th of July and its message of freedom for all of us.

 Let me start with my confession. July 4th is not fun for me. Loud noises unnerve and frighten me. (I remember comforting my dogs through the years. We shared the same dread, and we would hunker down in the corner. Every July 4th, they were on edge. And it took them some time to recover.)

I am, however, a big fan of celebrations, and anniversaries. But yes, I do prefer the ones that allow for moments of calm (no surprise that I am a fan of monastic life). I applaud anniversaries that encourage moments of reflection and contemplation.
And all the better, with a good glass of red wine.
Tomorrow’s celebration here in the U.S. is a big one. 250 years.
And we must not avoid or ignore the mood of our country now. That would be unwise. While sixty-five percent of U.S. adults say they are still proud to be American, eighty-three percent of U.S. adults feel America has strayed from the ideals the country was founded on two-and-a-half centuries ago. It doesn’t help to pretend otherwise.
But yes. There are many more chapters yet to come. And here’s the deal: we—every single one of us—can plant those seeds, of hope. Seeds of inclusion and repair and restoration and sanctuary.
It’s been the theme—the grounding principle—of my ministry. How, and in what ways, can we—as church, community, country—create places of sanctuary and welcome and healing and renewal?

I’m not preaching on Sunday, but if I were, my theme would be, “All are welcome here.”
Instead of a hymn, I’d start with Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ singing Room on the Porch.
“Come on up, there's room on the porch
For everyone
Share your feelings, share your heart
Just be you, it's who you are
You'll be accepted, you're so precious
To me
The problem with the world these days
Is people hide what they should say
But not today, speak your mind
And set yourself free
And even if you go away
The more you come the more you stay
'Cause round here you'll only be
A stranger for one day”
Now that, is worth celebrating wholeheartedly.

Fifty years ago, on the occasion of our bicentennial, President Gerald Ford made it a point to travel on July 5th to Thomas Jefferson’s home in Monticello to speak at a naturalization ceremony. His remarks are worth remembering:
“I am very proud to welcome all of you as fellow citizens of the United States of America. I invite you to join fully in the American adventure and to share our common goal and our common glory… You have given us a birthday present beyond price—yourselves, your faith, your loyalty, and your love. We thank you with full and friendly hearts.
The patriots of 1776… wanted to build in this beautiful land a home for equal freedom and opportunity, a haven of safety and happiness, not for themselves alone, but for all who would come to us through centuries. How well they built is told by millions upon millions who came and are still coming.
Immigrants came from almost everywhere, singly and in waves… Such transfusions of traditions and cultures, as well as of blood, have made America unique among nations and Americans a new kind of people… We offered citizenship to all, and we have been richly rewarded.”
Ford celebrated America as a land of immigrants. He didn’t merely respond to nativist attacks. He wasn’t defensive. He made the case for immigration. He argued that we were “richly rewarded” for being a nation of immigrants. And so, addressing the new American citizens, Ford said: “You came as strangers among us and you leave here as citizens, equal in fundamental rights, equal before the law, with an equal share in the promise of the future… We have gained far, far more than we have given to the millions who made America their second homeland.” (Thank you, William Kristol)
Yes… “Come on up, there's room on the porch
For everyone”

Thirteen years later, on January 19, 1989, Ronald Reagan, gave his last public address as president. In it, he discussed what he saw as “one of the most important sources of America’s greatness”:
“We lead the world because, unique among nations, we draw our people—our strength—from every country and every corner of the world. And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in America we breathe life into dreams. We create the future, and the world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals to this land of opportunity, we’re a nation forever young, forever bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge, always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.
It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over. They believe in the American dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive… But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be an American.”

And this from The Chicago Tribune this week. “But those of us who were around for America’s 200th likely don’t recall much about Gerald Ford’s address. We may well remember the grand sight of the tall ships in New York Harbor. But, mostly, we’ll recall the celebrations in our hometowns, be those cities, suburbs or small towns, and how our family, friends and neighbors came together as fellow Americans simply to have a good time. To have fun. To celebrate all that is good about our country.
The nonstop attention-seeking of our current president threatens to intrude on the day. Don’t let it happen.
Fly your American flag and be proud to do so. Enjoy the day with the people you love. Be hospitable to the people who think differently from you.
Eat hot dogs and burgers. Watch fireworks. Be grateful for the opportunities America affords to you and yours.
On the coming Fourth, while we surely will contemplate the important questions Ford asked, we mostly will enjoy the day along with those around us and will tune out unnecessary noise — 250 years after more than 50 brave signatories put their lives and fortunes at great risk in the cause of converting an idea into a nation, we will celebrate America, knowing more great chapters are to come.”

Savor your weekend my friends. Let’s have hot dogs, and listen to Ray Charles sing, America the Beautiful. Sabbath Moments

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