Ephesians 6:10-20
Yesterday we read about the fruit of the Spirit, and today we read about the armor of God in order to be strong in the Lord. I can see that in order to live in the fruit of the Spirit, we must resist the evil one who would rob us of our joy and our peace. We can do that by reading and understanding this good news of the Gospel, by accepting the truth of the Lord as our worldview-as our way of life, and by proclaiming and claiming the Gospel message for ourselves and to others. Rather than responding out of fear or hurt or envy or anger we can respond out of love and in the grace of the Lord. This then is the armor of God, He gives it to us in His word, and with His presence.
This Lord of the Israelites who said he would go with them and would fight for them, this is the same Lord who has our back, and since that is the case, there is no need to fall into traps that would rob us of peace or lead us away. This assurance is part of the armor of God.
Ahh, then through prayer we can enter into this relationship, and in this relationship we can have peace. Perhaps peace with our neighbors and our family, but certainly peace of mind. Supplication-asking-for ourselves and for others to be in this same relationship, to live in the fruit of the Spirit and with the armor of God. This is how we strive to live in Grace. This gift of Grace is available, but we must pay attention so that we are not robbed of it.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:16-6:10
How to live in the Spirit? How to live a fruitful life? Well this is instructive, as far as it goes. We can live by our own will and that sounds very 'normal,' however this first passage says there is another way to live; a way that is not normal; a way that is more than normal. Just as yesterday we talked about being more than conquerors, today we hear about how to be more than normal.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
This life in the Spirit sounds like a restful one. to live in joy and peace, to treat others with kindness, to be faithful...full of faith, to rule myself with control, these are ways that may not be normal, and yet I would choose them over the alternatives.
Left to my own devices, or inclinations, I could be angry or irritated (which would make me irritating). I don't usually have 'fits' of anger but this isn't about my actions relative to someone else's, that is what the second half of this passage is talking about. I must worry about my own response to God's call. Interesting that we must bear each others burdens, and yet we must judge ourselves according to our work. There is a fine line between becoming conceited, as if the Spirit-filled life were my own doing, and yet one must not irritate others to the point that they are not able to live a peaceful, joyous life. And if they are filled with joy and peace, it is not for us to covet their happiness.
Simple words, and not many verses, but I believe I could work this out, ponder and wonder all day, indeed maybe all my life and still have more to live into.Jesus Christ has 'crucified' the desires that are not of the Spirit. I think to myself, then why won't these behaviors and thoughts stay dead? I don't know.
Perhaps that is why it says "as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
Just as this reading ends today, so I will end my thoughts. Let us daily, continually do good to everyone.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
How to live in the Spirit? How to live a fruitful life? Well this is instructive, as far as it goes. We can live by our own will and that sounds very 'normal,' however this first passage says there is another way to live; a way that is not normal; a way that is more than normal. Just as yesterday we talked about being more than conquerors, today we hear about how to be more than normal.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
This life in the Spirit sounds like a restful one. to live in joy and peace, to treat others with kindness, to be faithful...full of faith, to rule myself with control, these are ways that may not be normal, and yet I would choose them over the alternatives.
Left to my own devices, or inclinations, I could be angry or irritated (which would make me irritating). I don't usually have 'fits' of anger but this isn't about my actions relative to someone else's, that is what the second half of this passage is talking about. I must worry about my own response to God's call. Interesting that we must bear each others burdens, and yet we must judge ourselves according to our work. There is a fine line between becoming conceited, as if the Spirit-filled life were my own doing, and yet one must not irritate others to the point that they are not able to live a peaceful, joyous life. And if they are filled with joy and peace, it is not for us to covet their happiness.
Simple words, and not many verses, but I believe I could work this out, ponder and wonder all day, indeed maybe all my life and still have more to live into.Jesus Christ has 'crucified' the desires that are not of the Spirit. I think to myself, then why won't these behaviors and thoughts stay dead? I don't know.
Perhaps that is why it says "as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."
Just as this reading ends today, so I will end my thoughts. Let us daily, continually do good to everyone.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
More than Conquerors
Romans 8:1-39
This passage ends by saying we are more than conquerors, and so today's reading gets its title. But what does that mean? There is so much to read today, even though it is only one chapter, that it could take me a long time to read and re-read it.
When I looked up the timing of this letter it is written before yesterday's trip to Rome, so these folks don't know him personally, nor does he know them. But what I notice is this same eloquent style we have heard from Paul already. Yet it is a formal writing, and I think because there is a lot to take in, it isn't a reading that I can digest easily in one sitting.
Starting at the beginning, I see that Paul lets people see the relationship between what Christ did and what the law of God requires, how through Christ we are fully sanctified. This sanctification that we could not hope to achieve on our own is managed by the grace of God. I am thankful, and should be thankful every day, since I know I need this grace every day.
Then there is this news that we are heirs. I remember some of the readings earlier about inheritance, and how the son - the eldest son is due an inheritance from his father, according to the laws of the time, and we have heard that Jesus is God's son. What would that inheritance look like? To inherit everything. "The earth is the Lord's for He made it." So the firstborn son, the only son is due the inheritance. What this next says is that we are adopted into that inheritance as brothers and sisters of Christ.Wow.
The understanding that there is more later, and while we may have troubles here, what comes next is even better, and so we hope for that future. That even if we do not see it, we can hope in this future, because of the promises of God. And that explains the passage title for us, I think. If we were going to have all the glory and all the blessings now we would be conquerors, there would be nothing we couldn't subdue, but in this sense we are not conquerors, our hope is for those things as yet unseen, but promised. I will wait and trust in those promises. How about you?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
This passage ends by saying we are more than conquerors, and so today's reading gets its title. But what does that mean? There is so much to read today, even though it is only one chapter, that it could take me a long time to read and re-read it.
When I looked up the timing of this letter it is written before yesterday's trip to Rome, so these folks don't know him personally, nor does he know them. But what I notice is this same eloquent style we have heard from Paul already. Yet it is a formal writing, and I think because there is a lot to take in, it isn't a reading that I can digest easily in one sitting.
Starting at the beginning, I see that Paul lets people see the relationship between what Christ did and what the law of God requires, how through Christ we are fully sanctified. This sanctification that we could not hope to achieve on our own is managed by the grace of God. I am thankful, and should be thankful every day, since I know I need this grace every day.
Then there is this news that we are heirs. I remember some of the readings earlier about inheritance, and how the son - the eldest son is due an inheritance from his father, according to the laws of the time, and we have heard that Jesus is God's son. What would that inheritance look like? To inherit everything. "The earth is the Lord's for He made it." So the firstborn son, the only son is due the inheritance. What this next says is that we are adopted into that inheritance as brothers and sisters of Christ.Wow.
The understanding that there is more later, and while we may have troubles here, what comes next is even better, and so we hope for that future. That even if we do not see it, we can hope in this future, because of the promises of God. And that explains the passage title for us, I think. If we were going to have all the glory and all the blessings now we would be conquerors, there would be nothing we couldn't subdue, but in this sense we are not conquerors, our hope is for those things as yet unseen, but promised. I will wait and trust in those promises. How about you?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Trip to Rome
Acts 25:1-28:31
This trip of Paul's was long. It took months and there were several instances when it reminded me more of Jonah's trials than of a simple trip to jail. At each point Paul spoke well with the people who would listen and yet, unlike Jonah he was not running away from God's call but going along with it, and in each instance there were people who heard the Good News for the first time and believed.
The passages on the sea would be quite something to have lived through, smelly and scary no doubt, but still the way that Paul spoke and never stopped telling the people who would listen what God had planned...it would have been quite something to have lived through.
Paul does live through it and so do the soldiers. Today we heard that Paul spent two years in Rome speaking with anyone who would come to him.
Do we know people like those who listened to Paul, to whom he said: For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed...Are we closing our own eyes to the work of God around us? Or shall we like 'some,' shall we believe?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
This trip of Paul's was long. It took months and there were several instances when it reminded me more of Jonah's trials than of a simple trip to jail. At each point Paul spoke well with the people who would listen and yet, unlike Jonah he was not running away from God's call but going along with it, and in each instance there were people who heard the Good News for the first time and believed.
The passages on the sea would be quite something to have lived through, smelly and scary no doubt, but still the way that Paul spoke and never stopped telling the people who would listen what God had planned...it would have been quite something to have lived through.
Paul does live through it and so do the soldiers. Today we heard that Paul spent two years in Rome speaking with anyone who would come to him.
Do we know people like those who listened to Paul, to whom he said: For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed...Are we closing our own eyes to the work of God around us? Or shall we like 'some,' shall we believe?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Sunday, May 22, 2011
More Missionary Journeys
Acts 16:1-20:38
Before I go too far, I want to point out the difference of translations. And perhaps the importance of reading along in one or more, or talking to others who read in different translations. Because sometimes we need to ask, why was that word used or what did this passage mean. The section in Acts 16 has Paul and Silas and Timothy meeting people and going among them to their homes and synagogues. In one instance a woman kept badgering them and yelling behind them. And finally Paul is annoyed enough to command the spirit to come out of her. The thing I noticed is that in one translation it says she was yelling these men are proclaiming the way of salvation and in another version it read they are proclaiming a way of salvation. There is a difference between a way and the way. I can see where they were annoyed by this woman because Jesus wasn't one of many ways, He was the Only way...in a place and time when there were many options, what Paul and Silas were saying was contrary to this idea, they were saying there was only one way, and this woman was misleading the listeners-and bringing publicity to herself-and for her 'owners.' No wonder they got upset and had the disciples thrown in jail, this was another instance when the money-making opportunity was lost.
The situation with the jailer trying first to kill himself because his life was forfeit if he lost those high profile prisoners, and then finding not only hadn't they left but they stayed and waited for him...all of this worked in such a way that his entire family was brought into a saving relationship with the one God, and all because Paul and Silas were annoyed by the woman yelling behind them.
I really love this section in Acts 17 where Paul says, I see you are 'very religious' and have an altar to the "unknown God." I tell you that the creator of the world and everything in it wants to be near you and be known by you. As we have read through these readings we see again and again God has met with, spoken with, championed and loved the people. This message Paul gives the men of Athens, who are educated men, he gives them familiar quotes that assist them in relating to what he is telling them.
I find it interesting that here, the Roman Proconsul determines to force the Jews to deal with their religious questions and differences themselves and not in a Roman court. The word of what happened to Jesus and Pilot must have been heard in Corinth, and Gallio wanted no part of the proceedings.
These passages are full of travel. Paul's travels and the words and deeds and travels of others. They are even more full of the words of new faith and new believers, and belief against all normal circumstances. These last verses have Paul going to Jerusalem, saying he won't see any of them again, and that he will suffer in every city he goes to...and yet he goes. He stayed when he should stay and he preached when he should preach, and now he is going where he needs to go. Today we read of all that God did with his obedience. What will God do with our obedience? Paul was one man, and an unlikely one at that, and yet the Lord used his words and his knowledge and his willingness to bring many new people into a relationship with himself.
How will we be obedient? How will God use our time, talents and testimonies? Are we willing, to be willing?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Before I go too far, I want to point out the difference of translations. And perhaps the importance of reading along in one or more, or talking to others who read in different translations. Because sometimes we need to ask, why was that word used or what did this passage mean. The section in Acts 16 has Paul and Silas and Timothy meeting people and going among them to their homes and synagogues. In one instance a woman kept badgering them and yelling behind them. And finally Paul is annoyed enough to command the spirit to come out of her. The thing I noticed is that in one translation it says she was yelling these men are proclaiming the way of salvation and in another version it read they are proclaiming a way of salvation. There is a difference between a way and the way. I can see where they were annoyed by this woman because Jesus wasn't one of many ways, He was the Only way...in a place and time when there were many options, what Paul and Silas were saying was contrary to this idea, they were saying there was only one way, and this woman was misleading the listeners-and bringing publicity to herself-and for her 'owners.' No wonder they got upset and had the disciples thrown in jail, this was another instance when the money-making opportunity was lost.
The situation with the jailer trying first to kill himself because his life was forfeit if he lost those high profile prisoners, and then finding not only hadn't they left but they stayed and waited for him...all of this worked in such a way that his entire family was brought into a saving relationship with the one God, and all because Paul and Silas were annoyed by the woman yelling behind them.
I really love this section in Acts 17 where Paul says, I see you are 'very religious' and have an altar to the "unknown God." I tell you that the creator of the world and everything in it wants to be near you and be known by you. As we have read through these readings we see again and again God has met with, spoken with, championed and loved the people. This message Paul gives the men of Athens, who are educated men, he gives them familiar quotes that assist them in relating to what he is telling them.
I find it interesting that here, the Roman Proconsul determines to force the Jews to deal with their religious questions and differences themselves and not in a Roman court. The word of what happened to Jesus and Pilot must have been heard in Corinth, and Gallio wanted no part of the proceedings.
These passages are full of travel. Paul's travels and the words and deeds and travels of others. They are even more full of the words of new faith and new believers, and belief against all normal circumstances. These last verses have Paul going to Jerusalem, saying he won't see any of them again, and that he will suffer in every city he goes to...and yet he goes. He stayed when he should stay and he preached when he should preach, and now he is going where he needs to go. Today we read of all that God did with his obedience. What will God do with our obedience? Paul was one man, and an unlikely one at that, and yet the Lord used his words and his knowledge and his willingness to bring many new people into a relationship with himself.
How will we be obedient? How will God use our time, talents and testimonies? Are we willing, to be willing?
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
Saturday, May 21, 2011
The Council at Jerusalem
Acts 15:1-41
Today this reading is beautiful; full of hope for all of us and Peter and James bring such wonder, wisdom and love to the conversation that I would rejoice to have been there with them. James' words from Simeon are so insightful, and mean that all of us these many years and generations later are recipients of these promises of God.
Their directions are clear as well, don't add burdens to people's lives, but make certain they know what not to do. What not to do to be in right relationship with God and for their own health. This is good advice.
How smart that the council wrote a letter saying they all agreed and then hand delivered it with the same words. After all, anyone could write a letter, and if you didn't know the person you wouldn't know for certain the words were true. In this case they sent witnesses along who could verify the letter and the authorship. This is like much of what we have been reading, in that the witnesses have been the ones telling what they have seen, to those of us who come later, so that we may be assured.
It is an odd last paragraph not in keeping with the tenor of most of the reading, but I think it sounds like Joseph's story, where his brothers sent him into slavery. Not exactly the same, but what I am getting at is up to now Paul and Barnabas had been making the rounds together to only one place at a time and now we have doubled the number of those who are going about spreading the good news. Paul has Silas, who we have already heard was a prophet in his own right and Barnabas has young John Mark to go with him and these circumstances, while they may have been caused by man's own weakness, can be used by God for His glory. "What you meant for harm, God meant for good." Sometimes it is our good intentions that carry the news, and sometimes God does it in spite of us.
Thankfully.
See you tomrrow.
-maggie
Today this reading is beautiful; full of hope for all of us and Peter and James bring such wonder, wisdom and love to the conversation that I would rejoice to have been there with them. James' words from Simeon are so insightful, and mean that all of us these many years and generations later are recipients of these promises of God.
Their directions are clear as well, don't add burdens to people's lives, but make certain they know what not to do. What not to do to be in right relationship with God and for their own health. This is good advice.
How smart that the council wrote a letter saying they all agreed and then hand delivered it with the same words. After all, anyone could write a letter, and if you didn't know the person you wouldn't know for certain the words were true. In this case they sent witnesses along who could verify the letter and the authorship. This is like much of what we have been reading, in that the witnesses have been the ones telling what they have seen, to those of us who come later, so that we may be assured.
It is an odd last paragraph not in keeping with the tenor of most of the reading, but I think it sounds like Joseph's story, where his brothers sent him into slavery. Not exactly the same, but what I am getting at is up to now Paul and Barnabas had been making the rounds together to only one place at a time and now we have doubled the number of those who are going about spreading the good news. Paul has Silas, who we have already heard was a prophet in his own right and Barnabas has young John Mark to go with him and these circumstances, while they may have been caused by man's own weakness, can be used by God for His glory. "What you meant for harm, God meant for good." Sometimes it is our good intentions that carry the news, and sometimes God does it in spite of us.
Thankfully.
See you tomrrow.
-maggie
Friday, May 20, 2011
The First Missionary Journey
Acts 13:1-14:28
Today, with little fanfare we have Saul named Paul. One paragraph he is Saul, and it says he is also called Paul, and the next paragraph he is Paul and from here on this is what he is called. Yesterday I was reading some passages in the Old Testament about King Saul and today we have Saul/Paul speaking eloquently about these very passages. He leads his listeners easily from the Old Testament prophets to the Good News of Jesus. One phrase stood out to me especially in this reading and that was when he said "and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses"
We have seen where it is impossible to follow every law perfectly, we ourselves have trouble even doing all the things we think we should and the perfection of God's plan is impossible. Saul/Paul talks about David of whom God said "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will."
And yet, David, as we know was not perfect, and made several terrible mistakes. We too can make mistakes, and like David, we can turn back toward the Lord.
Now Paul and Barnabas go places where there is a desire to hear of the works of God, warring with the desire of others not to hear. Some wish to make idols of the news bearers, while others wish to stop up their ears and silence the speakers...but the Good News spreads, the men are not silenced and those who hear are filled with joy.
This comes with a warning not to hear and reject the Good News, and it also comes with a promise to spread the light so that people who were living in the dark can now see clearly. I wish to live in this light, and to hold it aloft that others might see as well.
In the light of this Good News, see you tomorrow.
-maggie
Today, with little fanfare we have Saul named Paul. One paragraph he is Saul, and it says he is also called Paul, and the next paragraph he is Paul and from here on this is what he is called. Yesterday I was reading some passages in the Old Testament about King Saul and today we have Saul/Paul speaking eloquently about these very passages. He leads his listeners easily from the Old Testament prophets to the Good News of Jesus. One phrase stood out to me especially in this reading and that was when he said "and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses"
We have seen where it is impossible to follow every law perfectly, we ourselves have trouble even doing all the things we think we should and the perfection of God's plan is impossible. Saul/Paul talks about David of whom God said "I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will."
And yet, David, as we know was not perfect, and made several terrible mistakes. We too can make mistakes, and like David, we can turn back toward the Lord.
Now Paul and Barnabas go places where there is a desire to hear of the works of God, warring with the desire of others not to hear. Some wish to make idols of the news bearers, while others wish to stop up their ears and silence the speakers...but the Good News spreads, the men are not silenced and those who hear are filled with joy.
This comes with a warning not to hear and reject the Good News, and it also comes with a promise to spread the light so that people who were living in the dark can now see clearly. I wish to live in this light, and to hold it aloft that others might see as well.
In the light of this Good News, see you tomorrow.
-maggie
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