Mission Faithwalk

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)           In writing, lists can be presented in arbitrary order, in order from most to least important, or in order from least to most important. In Hebrew poetry, at least, the convention was to go from least to most important. Doctrine shouldn’t be set that bearing with one another in love is more important than being completely humble and gentle, but the argument should be made that the statement leads up to bearing with one another in love. The preceding matter expresses the (not exhaustive) components of the full command.           Part of the reason I tend to withdraw from people and relationships is that I know myself to be difficult to love. Another reason is that you are difficult to love. Both of us may say, “No, I’m easy to love, all you have to do is… give me everything I want, do what I want you to, don’t try to change me, and – if we argue - eventually conceded that I’m r

Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)           I remember a scene from an old show from the seventies: Buck Rogers in the Twenty-Fifth Century. I forget the precise circumstances, but Buck and Princess Ardala board a ship, and he sends her to the cockpit to start the engines. When he joins her there a short time later, she’s just sitting there, staring. He questions her about it, and she replies, “Princesses don’t start engines.” It was funny then. It’s not quite so funny now when stuff shows up on social media telling how the generation of Disney Princesses can’t cook a chicken or sew on a button. One of the things that irritated me at my last job was managers not knowing how to run the cash registers.             There’s a story about Booker T. Washington, founder, and president of Tuskegee Institute. He was on his way somewhere when a woman, seeing an African American fellow,

  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.   In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.   Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. (Ephesians 6:14-18)           If we are to stand firm in the day of evil, we need to be dressed. Sometimes, the emphasis of discussion on this passage is on the armor: belt, breastplate, boots, shield, helmet, and sword, rather than on what they are made of: truth, righteousness (right behavior,) readiness that comes truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fi

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesian 6:12-13)           I once read that if someone broke into your house while you were sleeping, put a gun to your head and demanded to know your mission in life, you should be able to express it in under thirty seconds. I don’t know that I could do that. It’s not that my mission is difficult to remember, it’s just that I tend to freeze under pressure. Today’s passage is another of those I think we should be able to repeat under pressure. In fact, being under pressure is the reason we should repeat it.            Our struggle . Make no mistake, we are at war. In fact, the past twenty years have been a great illustratio

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)                 To be fair, people have never been a humble lot. We’re impressed with ourselves. But it seems to me that we’re a lot less humble now than we were when I was a kid – and when I was a kid, we were landing men on the moon. But we are definitely not a humble lot, today.   We’re told we should have SELF-esteem. Shaming anyone is wrong. We need to practice SELF-affirmation. We need to promote ourselves at every opportunity and we all deserve everything that the super-rich deserve. Just think positively and you’ll get everything you deserve, and anyone who stands in your way is to be trampled down.            There’s stuff on social media at the moment about toxicity and Narcissism. The solution to both (some claim) is for these people to have more self-esteem. People seem to think that the opposite of thinking too highly of oneself is to think negatively about oneself – to see oneself as a slug, a u

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) True: Being in accordance with the actual state or conditions; conforming to reality or fact; real; genuine; authentic. Noble: Distinguished by rank or title or pertaining to persons so distinguished. of, belonging to, or constituting a hereditary class that has special social or political status in a country or state; of or pertaining to the aristocracy. of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence. Right: In accordance with what is good, proper, or just. in conformity with fact, reason, truth, or some standard or principle; correct. Pure: Free from anything of a different, inferior, or contaminating kind; free from extraneous matter. Unmodified by an admixture; simple or homogeneous. of unmixed descent or ancestry. free from foreign or i

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.   For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;     the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”    Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?   For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,   but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,   but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (I Corinthians 1:18-25)           As I said yesterday, some people think I’m

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1:5) But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)           Yesterday, I wrote about asking for the wrong thing, and asking for the right thing. One of the right things I mentioned as wisdom. Today’s passage tells us that God not only gives wisdom, He’s generous with it. I pray for wisdom. I ask others to pray for wisdom for me. It’s been a priority prayer request for the past three years, at least. If you ask me – if you ask quite a few people I know – we would agree that I’m not wise. I’m foolish.            I would say I am foolish for several reasons. First, I’m a lousy judge of such things. Put wisdom on a table so that I can compare what I have to an objective standard, and what I have might compare well with the exemplar. Secondly,

  Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?   Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  (Matthew 7:7-8)           A week ago, I kidded about wanting a knight in shining armor, then corrected myself. What I really wanted was someone to come clean the motorhome (in and out but especially in), do my laundry, and hand me a million dollars. I know it was a week ago because we’re back to laundry day. I was whining, of course, but today’s passage brings it to mind. I mean, “ask, and it will be given,” right? Anything I want any time I want, for any reason that I want it. Blank signed check. 

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life . (Galatians 6:7-8)           As a gardener, one of the things I hate is planting something and having crabgrass or other weeds grow up around it. It would be worse if I planted tomato seeds, and brussels sprouts or lima beans came up. Fortunately, as Gregor Mendel’s laws of inheritance point out, when you plant tomatoes, you get tomatoes, not brussels sprouts or lima beans.            Planting good seeds is not the only thing necessary to get a harvest of tomatoes. Even if you plant the perfect seeds, if you plant them in the wrong place, or the wrong way,            Part of the problem when it comes to sowing seeds of behavior is that this sort of plant requires. A good deed planted may not produce a harvest of good deeds. Like gardening, it requires a few other fac

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28) If one of you says to them, “Go in peace ; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? (James 2:16)           Don’t you hate it when people who see that you’re facing a hard time quote verses like these? I especially hate it because it feel to me as though the person is using them as a “Get out of jail free” card. They’ve said the magic words and now they can walk away, not get involved, and pat themselves on the back for having done their good deed of the day.          We’ve all got busy lives, I know. You may not have the time or the energy to spend the next six days helping this person in front of you with their nine-thousan

          So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12)                 When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.   But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself. “Again, when a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before them, they will die. Since you did not warn them, they will die for their sin. The righteous things that person did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the righteous person not to sin and they do not sin, they will surely live because they took warning,

        I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”                   Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thiank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in y name. (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptized, but to preach the gospel - not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Chrst be emtpied of its power (I Corintians 1:10-1

          Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16)           We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (II Corinthians 10:5)           But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (I Peter 3:15)           Some people don’t like to argue. I can respect that, but some people go beyond “I don’t like to argue” and use verses like Philippians 2:14-16 to say that all arguing is wrong. So, let me ask you this, s

          That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”   Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.   A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.   Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”                 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.   He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”                  They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Mark 4:35-41)           I’ve been going through some petty irritations recently. Some aren’t so petty, but I suspect most are pettier than my response to them would indicate. Let someone not accommodate themselves to my sc

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand.   He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,   the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark.   They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it.   David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.                  When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.   The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore, God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.                 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrat

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister . (I John 4:20-21)   Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:38)           Recently, someone who seems to have no idea of what Christianity is about complained about some people who, apparently claiming to be Christians, informed him that he was going to Hell because of what she writes. I tried to explain a little, but there’s a language difference. The fact is that if she is going to hell, it’s not because of what she writes. She writes what she writes because she is going to hell.           There’s a story I like to tell that I found on the internet. A guy explained that he had gone to

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,   but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.           Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?   If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:4-6)           I’m writing this at 4 am, after Dad has either fallen down because he didn’t call me, or called me at least four times, and Grace has been fussing about wanting to go outside – and just be outside – for hours. There is a conspiracy in my household, it seems, to prevent me from getting a decent night’s sleep. This isn’t the first night this has happened this week. As I said, it’s a conspiracy, or at least, it feels like one, and I’m angry.           Of course, Dad has no idea. All he knows is that he’s thirsty, or cold, or whatever. Even if h

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28)             I didn’t choose these verses. I have been checking for the passage of the day with a Bible website, and they chose it, but it’s one I’ll gladly rant about. There are folks who scream that “victims” need to be believed and that it’s wrong for us to make them relive the horror of their attack in a public courtroom, with lawyers who accuse them of lying. Then, those same folks who scream for everyone to believe and pity the victim, hold up pictures of their current “Victim Poster Child” and scream their story across the world wide web where millions ogle and drool over details that will let them exploit that victim for their own purposes…all in the name of their -ism. The victim is no lon

When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 118:5-6) What can mere mortals do to me? Um… Abandon, Abuse, Accuse, Beat, Belittle, Betray, Bully, Cheat, Deceive, Defraud, Enslave, Extort Forsake, Humiliate, Imprison, Insult, Kill, Leave, Misrepresent, Murder, Persecute, R ape, Ridicule, Rob, Slander/libel, Torture, Trick….      I’m sure I’ve missed a few, and I’m sure David was aware of at least a few of them. Given all of the commandments in the Old Testament, it’s evident that God was aware of these things, too. So why would God include these words of David in Scripture? Why would David say them? Perhaps more importantly, why should we repeat them instead of laughing them off as the idiocy they seem to be?           I’m reminded of the story of Abraham taking Isaac off to a mountain, tying him up, and raising a

          I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44-45)           But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16)           If you read or watch TV, you’ll learn that “holy water” when applied to something unholy or undead is supposed to destroy the evil thing. Holy water may be said to exist, but all it means is that the water has been set apart to be used for something associated with the Church. It can come out of the tap just like any other water, and there doesn’t really seem to me to be any reason to bother with the notion.            But I can’t help but wonder what holy water would do if holy water actually had some power. I suppose that the idea that holy wate

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) 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 your sins . (Matthew 6:14-15)           Normally, when we think about storing up treasures, we think in terms of money. Today, I want to talk about a different sort of treasure: power. We all have a tendency to want to say, “Do you know who I am?” when someone challenges us? Some depend on the power of their political or social situation. They engage in one-upmanship. Others depend on their status as victims. They engage in one-downmanship. The status-victim can hold a great

to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. (Ephesians 1:6)                 Can you imagine inglorious grace? Is there such a thing as plain grace that somehow ranks lower than glorious grace? I suppose that there might be what we would call “common grace,” meaning grace that is given to everyone, like sunlight or oxygen. Wouldn’t glorious grace have to be better than that?                  Better than normal? Ah yes, sunlight and oxygen are normal, but can you imagine life without them? For someone who is in need of light or air, they are probably pretty glorious. But let’s turn that around a little. What could we say about something that goes beyond making it possible for us to live? One of my Sunday School teachers described kindness as bread and lovingkindness as bread covered with lots of your favorite jam on it. How can we begin to compare common grace to glorious grace? It’s not comparing just bread with bread and jam, it’s compari

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:7-10)             I’m listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone . Spoiler alert if there’s anyone other than me who hasn’t read the story. Harry spends nine of the first ten years of his life living with his aunt’s family. They don’t tell him his heritage. They clothe him in hand-me-downs and resent every penny that he costs them because they can’t then spend it on their spoiled son. Then, he finds out that his parents were not only not the sort of people he’d been taught, but that they had left him a great treasure.            That’s effectively the story of

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)             This morning, I find myself wondering about how much God, the Father loves Jesus, the Son. We’re told that God is love, so the first clue to how much the Father loves the Son is that it is with all of His omnipotent power, with all of Himself, holding nothing of Himself back that is good to give.            Someone (possibly Wayne Grudem) wrote that God’s being love supports the argument of God being triune since that which loves must have an object to love. The writer explained that God had no need to create us since His love is made complete and perfect in the love shared among the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And yet, God created spiritual beings (angels at least) and physical beings. His doing so allows Him to demonstrate what has always been true, that He is capable of loving beings that aren’t Him.