"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by the others. Truly I tell you, they have recieved their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what the right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your father who sees what is done in secret will reward you." - Jesus Christ -Matthew 6:1-4
The needy, who are the needy? I have often looked at this verse and let it burn itself deeply into my soul. Is Jesus talking only about the poor? I prefer to believe He is talking of anyone in need. The NLT says, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven." I think that says it very plainly. I have always looked to the 6th chapter of Matthew to guide me in the things that I must do to try and maintain my path with following the teachings of Christ. In that, I fall very short every day. I stumble, scrape, scrap, and scratch, my way through the day. I forget, and look past some of these things often, but I do put my best foot forward in that.So, basically to me, when you do good deeds, it's only for you and God to see.
In my work, I see many people who work with other people and then proceed to say 'LOOK WHAT I JUST DID!!!', it often reminds me of an old character from the late night sketch comedy 'Mad TV'. His name was Stuart, he was characterized as a say 8 year old, who would shout, 'Look what I can do!!!', and then proceed to do nominal tasks or skills. Is it pride? Is it desperation for acknowledgement? Is it the need for advertising for fundraising? Is it American culture? Is it a conglomeration of all of the above?
We are called to serve, we are called to share the love that we were so freely given. I mean, this is the right in the middle of the sermon on the mount. I like to think of Jesus as any modern day speaker, in that there is an order to speaking, just like a meal. There is the appetizer, something to get people into whatever is being said. There is the meat and potatoes, which is the stuff that is supposed to stick to your ribs. Then finally there is desert, the topping to it all, to settle in and finalize it.
In that, there is, right in the middle, the meat and potatoes, 'Don't do your good deeds publicly , and yet time and time again, we choose to be Stuart, 'LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!!!'. Screaming to the masses, as loudly as we can, just so that we can be possibly heard above the ascending crescendo of the world. Time and time again we take pictures, videos, or any other type of shameless self plug so that we can try to bee seen, Yet, the only one that wants to see it, is God Almighty himself.
In the times that this was worded, there were mostly the ultra rich, and the ultra poor. In that, here's some perspective, if you have any change in your pocket, you are in the top 8% of the world's wealthy. I know you may say, well, I don't have any change in my pocket. Do me a favor, next time you go out, look on the ground, I'm sure sooner or later, you will find a penny. That's the American perspective, we leave a coin on the ground that if we pick it up, we are among the top 8% wealthiest. Yeah, think on that for a while. I did.
So many in that day would make a display of what they were doing to show just how much they 'believed', to show how devoted they were, and yet, they were the ones that John the Baptist called a 'Brood of Vipers', and Jesus chastised on multiple occasions. How many of us do that today? I know I have been guilty of it.
Whatever we do in life, God knows it. And yet, we still continue to say, 'Look what I can do!'. Today as I was making sure I placed my quotes and so on, I like to check everything that I quote, usually in various sources, just to make sure I get it right. I looked up a couple of 'Stuart Mad Tv' videos on Youtube, and I have to wonder, When we do make a display of our deeds, is that how we look to God?
I just have to wonder.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Five
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. James 1:26
Okay, today I am going to cover words, words, in my opinion are some of the most powerful movements in the universe. Why?
Well, for those who believe, I think we can all agree in the fact the God made us in His image. In that, I would lean towards Genesis, as we look into the creation story, we see time and time again the power of words. Verse 3, And God said "let there be light," and there was light. Verse 6 and 7, And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water." So God made vault and separated the water from under the vault from the water below it. And it was so. Verse 9, And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear." And it was so. Verse 11, Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to the various kinds. And it was so. Verse 14 and 15, And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and and days and years, let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on earth." And it was so. Verse 20, And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky." Verse 22 And God said, "Let the land creatures produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. Verse 26, Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So, in the first 26 verses of the bible, 10 of them directly speak of God speaking, and then the others, are Him naming the things He created. So, the entire opening of the bible to me, not only tells of creation, but the power of words. Let's face it, He's God, He could have snapped His fingers, waved a mighty wand, clapped, blinked, winked, or pretty much anything else to create everything, and yet He spoke. For me, that is the power of words.
Verse 26 speaks of being made in His image. In that, I will jump way forward into the book of Matthew, when Jesus says, "if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Once again, the power of words, and yet I feel we often forget that power. We use words to cut down and not heal, we are quick to talk badly of someone, but not quick to commend or comfort one. My son once said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words cut through my soul.", a quote that has often haunted me. How many times have I used words to tear someone apart, how many times have I dodged a chance to heal by my words, or even just say a simple 'Hi' to a stranger.
In delving into this I found something very interesting. I will set up this to the best of my view. Matthew, Mark and Luke, three books that show the life of Jesus from three different perspectives. They were all different men with different backgrounds, and yet, you find this.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Luke 21:33
Okay, first of all, for those who don't delve into the disciples, they often fought like cats and dogs, Jesus broke up more than one disagreement between them, and yet, this quote struck a chord deep within all of their souls, not paraphrased, word for word. No difference. I know that it speaks of Christ's words, and in that I understand, but there were often much deeper meanings in that, and for me, I look at it this way, Jesus call us His brothers and sisters, God calls us His children, and the bible says we are created in His image, and from personal experience, I know that spiteful angry words can leave a wound that stays open when the physical wounds heal. So, please choose your words carefully, For we have the power to create or destroy with them, and the words we speak may never pass away.
"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." - Jesus Christ
Okay, today I am going to cover words, words, in my opinion are some of the most powerful movements in the universe. Why?
Well, for those who believe, I think we can all agree in the fact the God made us in His image. In that, I would lean towards Genesis, as we look into the creation story, we see time and time again the power of words. Verse 3, And God said "let there be light," and there was light. Verse 6 and 7, And God said, "Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water." So God made vault and separated the water from under the vault from the water below it. And it was so. Verse 9, And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place and let dry ground appear." And it was so. Verse 11, Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to the various kinds. And it was so. Verse 14 and 15, And God said, "Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and and days and years, let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on earth." And it was so. Verse 20, And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky." Verse 22 And God said, "Let the land creatures produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so. Verse 26, Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
So, in the first 26 verses of the bible, 10 of them directly speak of God speaking, and then the others, are Him naming the things He created. So, the entire opening of the bible to me, not only tells of creation, but the power of words. Let's face it, He's God, He could have snapped His fingers, waved a mighty wand, clapped, blinked, winked, or pretty much anything else to create everything, and yet He spoke. For me, that is the power of words.
Verse 26 speaks of being made in His image. In that, I will jump way forward into the book of Matthew, when Jesus says, "if you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Once again, the power of words, and yet I feel we often forget that power. We use words to cut down and not heal, we are quick to talk badly of someone, but not quick to commend or comfort one. My son once said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words cut through my soul.", a quote that has often haunted me. How many times have I used words to tear someone apart, how many times have I dodged a chance to heal by my words, or even just say a simple 'Hi' to a stranger.
In delving into this I found something very interesting. I will set up this to the best of my view. Matthew, Mark and Luke, three books that show the life of Jesus from three different perspectives. They were all different men with different backgrounds, and yet, you find this.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Luke 21:33
Okay, first of all, for those who don't delve into the disciples, they often fought like cats and dogs, Jesus broke up more than one disagreement between them, and yet, this quote struck a chord deep within all of their souls, not paraphrased, word for word. No difference. I know that it speaks of Christ's words, and in that I understand, but there were often much deeper meanings in that, and for me, I look at it this way, Jesus call us His brothers and sisters, God calls us His children, and the bible says we are created in His image, and from personal experience, I know that spiteful angry words can leave a wound that stays open when the physical wounds heal. So, please choose your words carefully, For we have the power to create or destroy with them, and the words we speak may never pass away.
"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." - Jesus Christ
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Four
Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...
I can't tell you how many times I have said that series of words, especially when working in the recovery realms, 'forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us'. Yet, it wasn't until recently that I really delved into it. As I understand it, if I don't forgive those who wrong me, God won't forgive me.
I attempted to delve further into it. In that, I found,
'For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive you.' - Matthew 6:14-15.
I found it interesting that this verse is not only the direct words of Christ, but is is also the next two verses after the Lord's Prayer. In that, I feel that it was Jesus himself stating the importance of forgiveness, that in the prayer, that was the first thing that he chose to reiterate. For those who read about the lack of exclamation points in Hebrew culture to accentuate importance, this is twice in probably the same breath. Yet, would it be found any more? Yup, in fact there is a full parable about it only a few chapters later.
Long story short, a king decided to bring his accounts up to date with the searvants who had borrowed money from him, one of them owed him 10,000 bags of gold. In some translations it is said 10,000 talents. In that, I searched out a talent, it is the equivalent of 75 pounds. So, he owed the king 750,000 lbs. of gold, or in 'now' equivalent, he owed the king $1,352,250,000. So, over a billion dollars. The king knew the servant didn't have the dough, and so he ordered the servant, his wife, his children, and all his stuff to be sold so that he could regain some of what was owed. The servant plead his case to the king, and in that, the king was so moved that he decided to cancel the debt.
So this servant is free and clear, and he continues to go on with his life. Shortly after that he runs into one of his workmates, who owed him 100 pence(KJV). Okay, it was more than likely a silver shekel, which is said to weigh approximately 1/4 ounce, so with today's market, it would be the equivalent of $800. When the first servant sees his debtor, he proceeds to rough him up, and then press charges against him so that he is place in prison until he could repay the debt. When the king found out what the first servant had done, he decided his fate, he repealed the forgiveness and had him not only placed in prison, but tortured until he could pay the debt back, which in reality, was not possible, so I'm betting that the servant lived out his days in prison, being tortured by his captors. One quick perspective, the Romans were in power at the time. They were the masters of torture and death, they had refined it an art, and Jesus made sure to say that the first servant was tortured, not just jailed.
With all of this told, there is one more verse to this chapter, in the words of Christ,
'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother and sister from your heart' - Matthew 18:35
For me, this is often the hardest part of my walk, forgiveness like love is supposed to be unconditional, and in that, many who know me, know that holding grudges was one of the things that I was once good at. I would often joke that I was still looking for the doctor who spanked me, and he was gonna pay when I found him. Time and time again, I struggle with this, but I know that in that, God has graced me with forgiveness, and what kinda idiot would I be not to be thankful. In that, I feel it is my duty to pay it forward, and as hard as it is, to forgive as I would want to be forgiven.
I can't tell you how many times I have said that series of words, especially when working in the recovery realms, 'forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us'. Yet, it wasn't until recently that I really delved into it. As I understand it, if I don't forgive those who wrong me, God won't forgive me.
I attempted to delve further into it. In that, I found,
'For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive you.' - Matthew 6:14-15.
I found it interesting that this verse is not only the direct words of Christ, but is is also the next two verses after the Lord's Prayer. In that, I feel that it was Jesus himself stating the importance of forgiveness, that in the prayer, that was the first thing that he chose to reiterate. For those who read about the lack of exclamation points in Hebrew culture to accentuate importance, this is twice in probably the same breath. Yet, would it be found any more? Yup, in fact there is a full parable about it only a few chapters later.
Long story short, a king decided to bring his accounts up to date with the searvants who had borrowed money from him, one of them owed him 10,000 bags of gold. In some translations it is said 10,000 talents. In that, I searched out a talent, it is the equivalent of 75 pounds. So, he owed the king 750,000 lbs. of gold, or in 'now' equivalent, he owed the king $1,352,250,000. So, over a billion dollars. The king knew the servant didn't have the dough, and so he ordered the servant, his wife, his children, and all his stuff to be sold so that he could regain some of what was owed. The servant plead his case to the king, and in that, the king was so moved that he decided to cancel the debt.
So this servant is free and clear, and he continues to go on with his life. Shortly after that he runs into one of his workmates, who owed him 100 pence(KJV). Okay, it was more than likely a silver shekel, which is said to weigh approximately 1/4 ounce, so with today's market, it would be the equivalent of $800. When the first servant sees his debtor, he proceeds to rough him up, and then press charges against him so that he is place in prison until he could repay the debt. When the king found out what the first servant had done, he decided his fate, he repealed the forgiveness and had him not only placed in prison, but tortured until he could pay the debt back, which in reality, was not possible, so I'm betting that the servant lived out his days in prison, being tortured by his captors. One quick perspective, the Romans were in power at the time. They were the masters of torture and death, they had refined it an art, and Jesus made sure to say that the first servant was tortured, not just jailed.
With all of this told, there is one more verse to this chapter, in the words of Christ,
'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother and sister from your heart' - Matthew 18:35
For me, this is often the hardest part of my walk, forgiveness like love is supposed to be unconditional, and in that, many who know me, know that holding grudges was one of the things that I was once good at. I would often joke that I was still looking for the doctor who spanked me, and he was gonna pay when I found him. Time and time again, I struggle with this, but I know that in that, God has graced me with forgiveness, and what kinda idiot would I be not to be thankful. In that, I feel it is my duty to pay it forward, and as hard as it is, to forgive as I would want to be forgiven.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Three
When we talk of the teachings of Jesus Christ, we are called to love, to reflect His love. We are not called to judge those or impose laws on those who do not know Him. We are called time and time again to love, to love unconditionally. In Hebrew there is no exclamation point to express importance, so in that, repetition is used. The more it is repeated, the more importance it holds, and if it is repeated 3 times, it is declared to be of the utmost importance. The example I was given by the person who taught it to me was this, say someone would say 'never, never, never,' in Hebrew, to properly translate that to English would be, 'no, never, not ever, never under any circumstance.' The first time, it is important, the second time, it is something that should be never forgotten, the third time, it should be imprinted on your soul. In that, 'love one another', is used 11 times in the New Testament.
I feel that so many of us have established so many conditions on which we 'love one another'. It has become tainted in so many ways we can't count. We are quick to condemn those who don't know Chirst, and yet, we are to do no such thing. We are called to love them, and that's it. The times when condemnation is used in the New Testament, is only when there are those who have already come to the faith, not before. We attempt to impose and enforce 'God's will and laws' on those who don't even have a relationship with Him.Even in Leviticus, a book which lays down some very strict laws and guidelines for the Israelites to follow says the same thing.
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:18
The foreigner residing amongst you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. - Leviticus 19:34
That's twice in just that book, and as some of you know, Leviticus is a pretty hard-line approach for laws that the Israelites were to follow.
Time and time again we are told to love unconditionally, especially when it comes to those who don't know Christ. We are called not to judge. We are called to not impose laws that we ourselves cannot follow.
In the council of Jerusalem Paul is quoted saying
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke neither we nor our ancestors could bear? - Acts 15:10
And that was for the believers, not the non-believers. In the gospels, the only time Jesus reprimands people is when they are doing something incorrect within the walls of a church or are believers who are perverting the word for their own purpose. He NEVER reprimanded a non-believer for the lives that they led before they came to faith. He just loved them, and in that I believe that when it comes to dealing with non-believers, we are called not to open our mouths in any way shape or form of judgement. We are just commissioned to love them.
I feel that so many of us have established so many conditions on which we 'love one another'. It has become tainted in so many ways we can't count. We are quick to condemn those who don't know Chirst, and yet, we are to do no such thing. We are called to love them, and that's it. The times when condemnation is used in the New Testament, is only when there are those who have already come to the faith, not before. We attempt to impose and enforce 'God's will and laws' on those who don't even have a relationship with Him.Even in Leviticus, a book which lays down some very strict laws and guidelines for the Israelites to follow says the same thing.
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:18
The foreigner residing amongst you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God. - Leviticus 19:34
That's twice in just that book, and as some of you know, Leviticus is a pretty hard-line approach for laws that the Israelites were to follow.
Time and time again we are told to love unconditionally, especially when it comes to those who don't know Christ. We are called not to judge. We are called to not impose laws that we ourselves cannot follow.
In the council of Jerusalem Paul is quoted saying
Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke neither we nor our ancestors could bear? - Acts 15:10
And that was for the believers, not the non-believers. In the gospels, the only time Jesus reprimands people is when they are doing something incorrect within the walls of a church or are believers who are perverting the word for their own purpose. He NEVER reprimanded a non-believer for the lives that they led before they came to faith. He just loved them, and in that I believe that when it comes to dealing with non-believers, we are called not to open our mouths in any way shape or form of judgement. We are just commissioned to love them.
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