Luke 12
Be authentic. "Don't be bluffed into silence by the threats of religious bullies (who know and live by the law?). They can kill you, but then what can they do to you? Nothing they can do to your soul.
God doesn't overlook anyone or anything. The Holy Spirit will give you right words (for defending your faith in charges against Jesus) when the time comes.
Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life isn't defined by what you have, even if you have a lot. Earn all you can. Save all you can. Give all you can. Building bigger barns. Don't fill your barn with self. Fill it with God.
Steep yourself in God reality. LOVE that headline. Inner life. Relax. Don't be so preoccupied with getting that you can't respond to God's giving.
Where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. Treasure, not talents, not gifts or graces...treasure. How are you handling your treasure?
Be prepared. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities.
"I've come to change everything, turn everything rightside up...not to smooth things over and make everything nice. To disrupt and confront. Storm's coming. Know your own situation, even your guilt so that you don't get locked up---don't see this as fully punitive (but then I understand God as more benevolent than violent)...God wants us to know our own hearts, which means the good, the bad, and the ugly. Use common sense. Changing seasons/changing God time.
Philippians 3-4
Be glad in God. Don't be a knife-happy circumciser. Never read that one before. Don't cut anything off for the sake of the law...or anyone. "The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ's praise as we do it." Christ took away the need for pedigree, for generations in the faith, for other privileges of birth, education, place. Christ leveled the playing field...everything else is dog dung. Dumped it so that I could be embraced by Christ--all the earthly securities and stature I had held. Not rules-God's righteousness.
EP: "The basic experience of Paul's life was of being encountered and then captured by the living Christ. God wanted Paul and he got him. Paul hadn't sought God; God had sought Paul. That was what happened on the Damascus road, and it turned Paul's life around. Paul had free and eager curiosity of a child exploring a newly encountered field frothing with wildflowers and buzzing with life. He ran to see what God was doing and to personally appropriated what had been done in him, to experientially explore all the ramifications of being forgiven, and loved, and blessed....give all my energies to being human, to living the rich experiences of grace."
What does "easy street" look like, as opposed to following the cross? How have I turned toward easy street and away from the cross? What must I let go of so that I can turn back?
"We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into the glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him."
"I urge (Euodia and Syntyche, and anyone among us for whom this is applicable) to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn't want his children holding grudges. "
"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in God. Make it as clear as you can to all whom you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute." 4:4-5
Instead of worrying, pray. Shape your worries into prayers before God. "It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
"I'm glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess..."
"Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." Doesn't mean I don't need anyone else; I'm created for community. I know my center. You were the ones who helped me out.
I'm not looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity. Great verse to read the week of sending out stewardship letters.
"Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves."
EP: "The gospel of Jesus Christ creates a community in which people care for one another, taking others into their homes, feeding them, giving them a bed, and meeting their needs. Phillipians met Paul's needs by giving him money. They didn't just pray for him. They held together the physical and the spiritual.
"Paul was convinced that what he experienced in Christ can happen to anyone; everyone can experience. What he received, anyone can receive. Faith isn't given only to those with the right temperament, who who have a particular upbringing, or who have certain predisposition, or who get all the breaks. The act of faith deals with something that is basic in each and every one of us. At that level, we're met and changed and satisfied by Christ. Paul affirmed this when he wrote: 'You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus.' (v.19)
"We don't all get the same feelings out of our faith. We don't all get the same ideas out of it. We don't all get the same standard of living out of it. But we all get the same God, who takes us seriously, forgives us absolutely, loves us eternally--and supplies everything we need.
"Everything. And that should be our motivation for giving--the extravagant generosity of God."
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