We'd appreciate you allowing the use of cookies. They are anonymized while allowing us to see how the site is used.

Devotion.al

Tag: fire

  • Untrashed

    Untrashed

    Malachi 1:6-9

    Perhaps you’ve heard an acquaintance, a friend, a family member say, “God won’t accept me until I clean myself up.” Or perhaps, “if I enter the church, lightning will come down and/or the church will catch on fire.”

    Behave, believe, belong has long been the order in the church. That’s likely where these saddening responses likely come from. Even worse, some church-type folks might have said to clean up their act so that God loves them.

    It’s strange. Long after the Reformation brought us back to saved through faith, it amazes and horrifies me that people who claim “the faith” still believe and (even worse) tell others that they must behave first before belief can kick in.

    The Scriptures don’t, I think, lead us that direction. God has long pursued those who left God behind and does so today. Which leads me to Malachi.

    Malachi’s oracle is about people claiming to worship God, which was (per the rules, the Law) including a healthy animal and viable grain. Instead, people were giving God anything besides the “good stuff”. Set aside the whole sacrifice part (that does tend to trip up we modern folks) and recognize the intent behind the actions. The people claimed to love God and worship God, but deliberately chose not to, because the sacrifice of the good animal and good grain was too much.

    It could be tempting to equate the broken animals and rotten food to the people we see in the opening paragraph, but we must not. Such a person is bringing the best to God, themselves. If they are lame, God will love them. If they are blind, God will love them. If they are diseased, God will love them.

    God accepts broken people. I know this because I too am broken and was more broken still when I began my true relationship with God.

    The sacrifices that are condemned in Malachi reflect the people who brought them. They were blind, lame, and diseased. Yet, they chose to neither acknowledge it nor repent of it. In fact, it seems they took pride in it.

    The blind, lame, diseased person who comes to God saying, “here I am, broken and all.” God says, “welcome, beloved.”

    ⁜ Reflection ⁜

    • How do you see yourself in this? Do you see yourself in this?
    • Does this challenge or change how you view those whose life decisions (including lifestyles) and their place before God?
    • How often do we see the blindness, lameness, and illnesses of others rather than our own? Why does that matter?

    ⁜ Prayer ⁜

    Gracious God, help us to learn how to be gracious and welcoming to others, just as you have been to us, and because you have been to us. Amen.

  • Field Placement

    Field Placement

    Psalm 145:10–18; 2 Kings 4:38–41; John 4:31–38

    Flour has become a no-go for many people these days. The fight against gluten and carbohydrates is quite prevalent. Much of this has to do with how much our surroundings have changed. Most of us don’t need many carbohydrates. Those whose bodies are still their primary focus for work, still need them, but the rest of us…not so much.

    Where Elisha kept and why he kept flour is kind of a mystery. Perhaps that was a thing. If you had oil, flour, water, and fire, you could make bread (you know, that evil carbohydrate).

    Imagine having enough faith in God that you would trust simple flour to turn a poisonous stew into something safe and nutritious (no one said tasty). That is the faith of Elisha. This is the kind of faith that it would be nice to have, but we all are too educated and smart to believe that flour would cure poisonous stew. And, yes, that is something to mourn.

    Jesus, on the other hand, wasn’t looking for stew. He wasn’t looking for food at all. At least, that’s the image he gives. Jesus was fully human. Jesus needed food. Jesus also used examples that were in front of him.

    It is quite likely that the disciples had brought food. Perhaps even freshly made bread from freshly harvested grain. Or perhaps there was grain harvesting happening around them right now. While watching a single human harvest grain may not be impressive. Which may be the point.

    A harvester would have been in the middle of a field. Over time the harvester makes a difference, but in the beginning, that single person gets lost in a sea of grain. Using that imagery, Jesus was telling his disciples that the work of the kingdom is now and tomorrow.

    ※Reflection※

    • Why is the image of a single harvester lost in a sea of grain important for our kingdom work?
    • Thinking of the grain that Jesus used as an example, how might the Elisha’s flour fit into telling something about the kingdom of God?
    • Do you think of yourself has a harvester, worker, planter, plower in the kingdom of God?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you bring the harvest. Help us to be the faith- and hope-filled people that you want for your kingdom. Amen.

  • Burning Call

    Burning Call

    Psalm 145:10–18; 1 Kings 19:19–21; Colossians 1:9–14

    One of the issues that has come up in the last year in church-ish circles is the ordination of women. Saddleback took a bold step and ordained women which went against the predominant grain of their partner body (SBC). There was an unexpected explosion in certain circles against Beth Moore. Along with misogynistic proclamations and male misconduct issues in the SBC, Moore left that body that she had grown up in.

    One of the claims against women being ordained are some contextually misused verses and the traditions of the Israelites. The Church of the Nazarene has ordained women since its founding, but over the years has struggled to fulfill that promise. It’s on the right track, but there is work to be done, still.

    There is often a wringing of hands in Christian Complementarianism (where only men can be leaders/pastors/elders) circles that there aren’t enough faithful men to fulfill empty roles. The Roman Catholic church, on top of its complementarian issues also requires celibacy, is also experiencing this problem. Some churches in both groups are finding creative ways around their limitations, but the reality is that there aren’t the faithful men needed.

    For me, there were two transformative experiences in this regard. The first was experiencing the preaching of Dr. Nina Gunter. Any person with any spiritual sense and without theological blinders could experience her spirit-led preaching. The second was during my “Discovery” weekend of my pastoral journey, where I had to preach to my peers, senior pastor, and District Superintendent. I preached from Luke 19:38–40, where Jesus was told to rebuke his disciples. He responded, then the rocks will cry out. When I was praying over the words to preach, it came to me; God will not wait for us to proclaim God’s glory.

    In other words, in the tradition of the Church of the Nazarene (and our sibling Holiness denominations) already assumed there were faithful women (and, yes, there are deeper theological reasons). I came to realize that complementarianism may actually already have its answer. If the men won’t rise, perhaps the women will (see Judges 4:4–9). Not the most Nazarene answer, at the time, but it resonated with my heart (and its implications went far beyond the ordination of women).

    Faithfully responding to God has long been an issue. It goes beyond gender. It goes beyond status. It goes beyond wealth. It is a reflection of sin.

    To understand, Elisha was, at minimum, plowing in a community, where people worked fields together (theirs and each others’). Some commentators believe that Elisha owned (or was the son of the owner of) all the oxen. That would be 24 oxen, so that would have been a lot of wealth (kind of like having 24 Jaguar cars). Elisha (and/or his family) owning 2 seems much more likely. That would still put him (in modern terms) in a very comfortable middle class.

    Then some famous guy comes and puts his mantle (Elijah’s symbol of the prophetic office) on Elisha’s shoulders. Elisha understands that Elijah is declaring him the heir of the prophetic office, which was an unusual example in the Scriptures. Elisha’s response was (basically), “let me show respect and love to my parents.” Done. Then Elisha burns the equipment required for a yoke of oxen, then kills same oxen for a celebration.

    Elisha opening, publically, severs himself from his old life. That is a lot of money to just be burning. It’s a great party, but there is no financial way of coming back from it easily. It’s similar to “burning the ships”. Hernán Cortés was famously said to have done this (he really just sank them) to keep his men from trying to return home or mutiny (there is a lot more to the story, and much of it not so positive). Elisha did it for himself.

    One of the challenges that the Western Church faces is trying to return. This isn’t just buildings (So, let’s not burn them or just sell them). Actually, it’s more of a way of thinking. Looking back for guidance and encouragement? Yes. Looking back for the plan to navigate this new world? No.

    You, too, have a call on your life. You, too, have oxen to burn and ships to sink.

    ※Reflection※

    • What items/events/fears of your past or present are keeping you from living an on fire life for God? (Yes, that is a question worth asking daily)
    • If there was one “thing” in your life that would indicate that your are moving on, what would it be?
    • Why are we so attracted to stories like that of Cortés or Elisaha, but don’t put it into practice? What other cultural icons (generic or specific) are similar to Cortés and Elisha?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, there is no question that we are called to live for you. Let our lives be the bonfires that bring people into your light. Amen.

  • Rubble and Ruin

    Rubble and Ruin

    Psalm 142; Amos 9:1–4; Acts 23:12–35

    I don’t know about you, but I’m a little jaundiced about earthquakes. I grew up in Northern California. Earthquakes were…normal isn’t the word…to be expected. So much so, that the first earthquake my wife experiences was in the middle of the night. She woke me up in a panic, “Was that an earthquake!?” “Yes,” I responded sleepily and went back to sleep. The biggest earthquake I experienced was the Loma Prieta one. It was big. Things fell off shelves, but it was just an earthquake. Finally, my mom convinced me to turn on the radio. Then I figured it out. It was big.

    The coming earthquake in Amos was big. Unlike us who have a larger grasp of earthquakes and their reasons, ancient peoples had no such framework. Earthquakes were generational memories (and they didn’t live on the Rim of Fire, either). An earthquake was a momentous, God-sized event. According to scholars, the earthquake predicted in Amos happened around 2 years later and is mentioned in literature elsewhere in the region. The earthquake leveled a temple dedicated to gods other than God.

    The Israelites by this point were the 10 tribes of Israel that had separated from Judah and Benjamin. They had developed their own worship. While maintaining some concept of their original identity, during this particular era, they were a power of their own. The lowly southern tribes were nothing to them.

    Many years before near Bethel, a man had a dream. He dreamed of a “ladder of angels.” He had received a vision from God and a promise of descendants. He called the place Bethel. God called the man Israel (granted, that happened later). Where Jacob had the vision and received a promise to become a father of nations, now his descendants turned away from God. The dream was broken.

    The vision (that came true) of the destruction of the temple at Bethel sounds pretty severe. It was. That Amos’ call was to this nation showed that God was not truly done with Israel. God still wanted these descendants of Israel and Abraham. Abandoning of the dream, the covenant, and the hope.

    Paul was no Amos. For the Jews, he was something far worse. He destined change within the confines of their faith. Paul had no plan to be part of some new religion, but to be part of the ultimate fulfillment of the faith in which he was raised and trained. Planning an assassination is the move of people who do not wish to be seen, or fear the strength of someone stronger (the Roman empire). The sad truth is that, yet again, the religious leaders were knowingly allowing, abetting, and therefore approving the murder of another. They could claim that they did not murder (and be truthful), but they could have stopped it. They chose not to.

    Whether Amos or Paul, speaking the words of God to people who don’t want to hear them (especially those that say they believe in the word of God) can be dangerous. Our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world deal with that very issue on a daily basis. While we dispute the (un)righteousness of a political party, president, or even nation, there are people that truly suffer for Jesus. This is not to say that our woes are minor, it is just a matter of perspective.

    ※Reflection※

    • What “earthquakes” (life shattering events) have you experienced? These can be both good and bad.
    • Why do “bad things” happen to believing people? What makes Amos’ Israelites similar to the church (Christians)? What makes them different (besides Jesus)?
    • What actions (or inactions) have you committed (or omitted) that resembles the religious leaders who countenanced Paul’s assassination?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you move mountains. Often it is easier to move mountains than the hearts of humanity. Forgive our hearts of stone. Give us, day by day, new hearts that beat only for you. Amen.

  • Good Fire. Bad Fire.

    Good Fire. Bad Fire.

    Psalm 142; Amos 5:1–9; Acts 21:27–39

    Depending on who you talk to, the ability to make fire may be the most important invention of humanity. It kept creatures of the night away. It allowed the cooking of food, purification of water, and it kept people warm. Fire was used as a tool to burn forests to encourage grazing lands for food source animals such as bison and deer.

    As time moved along, humanity’s ability to harness fire grew. Humanity learned to melt metal. Then it learned to purify metal through more fire. Then there were things like glass and steam-powered. All through fire. Even in today’s metal smelting industries, fire is one of the key pieces of refining and purification.

    In the Scriptures, fire performs primarily two kinds of cleansing. The most destructive is the burning away of everything. We might call it “scorched earth”. The other type is purification. This is where high heat is held for a sustained time to draw out the impurities within.

    In the context of Amos, the fire could be either form. Despite the ultimatum nature of Amos’ words, there is still a measure of choice and optimism. “Seek me.” Those simple words and simple actions were what God was looking for. Note that it wasn’t even follow. Just seek.

    Thus, the fire could be different, depending on whether the Israelites sought God, or chose not to. One path would lead to a (proverbial) cleansing fire that burned everything away, both good and bad. In hopes, like the aftereffect of a forest fire, new healthy growth would take its place. Should the Israelites choose to seek God, there would still be a fire, and it would still hurt, but there would be purification.

    Sometimes only purification is needed. Sometimes a clean slate is needed. The same can be said about our lives. The same can be said about our actions.

    Sometimes we think we’re doing one when we’re doing the others. Sometimes we just want to watch things burn. Fires of prophecy can take many forms. Many people have claimed that we have been seeing exactly that over the last few years.

    Except what is at the end?

    In Jerusalem, people made assumptions about Paul and stirred people up. The Jews of Jerusalem made no thoughtful inquiry. They jumped to conclusions and became the fire. Others joined, probably many ignorantly, and the fire grew.

    So, out came the firefighters. The Roman soldiers were commissioned to deal with out-of-control people. Often they did it through bloodshed. The Romans also made assumptions. An Egyptian? This is madness!

    It doesn’t take a stretch to see “those” people making “those” mistakes and stupid decisions, and starting a proverbial fire. We’ve seen such similar things ourselves. The Jews and Romans couldn’t blame the internet or social media, though. We try, but history shows that even in the first century the flames of presumption, assumption, and ignorance can still overtake people. It only takes a spark.

    ※Reflection※

    • What “fires” have you experienced, and how were they fires?
    • How might the fires of madness (Acts) resemble refining fires and cleansing fires?
    • Why is fear present in each of these types of fires?
    • What is the most Christ-like way to deal with each type of fire?

    ※Prayer※

    God, the promise of Pentecost is in the flames. Lord, may we be on fire for you. Amen.

  • Faithfully Wise

    Faithfully Wise

    Psalm 92:1–4, 12–15; 1 Kings 10:26–11:8; Hebrews 11:4–13

    We often will use the word wisdom in regards to King Solomon. He was granted the gift of wisdom for the benefit of the people, and they greatly benefited. With the temple being built, on the surface, it would seem that they were benefiting spiritually (or at least religiously) too. Except that all the benefits were short-lived. Eternally, they were of minimal or no value.

    While calling the US a Christian nation (whether from the beginning or up until now) is really a mischaracterization, it is helpful to think of the US as Solomon.

    Through the inheritance of conquest (Israel took the land, right or wrong, as the US took it from the previous inhabitants) and also hard work, there was financial, societal, and personal security. Everything was going well. Then certain things pulled the US away from its origins. The US, for example, went from a nation needing outside help, to be being one of the dominant (and at times the only dominant) countries that “gave” support (with the general expectation of benefits, even if only figurative).

    The US has chased after TV, space, the moon, computers, the internet, and you can probably add more to the list. Each of these things, for a time, became more important than the country itself.

    The church (and thus us) fell into this same trap. We had the worship “wars”, attractional, missional, Sunday School, discipleship, and even digital. Churches chased after these things. Could they serve the kingdom? Yes. Did they server the kingdom? Not always. Where this gets really messy is that some of these may have been beneficial for the kingdom for a time and place (and perhaps still), but at the same time, many churches have stuck to their models rather than their mission.

    And in case you think that I want the “good old days”, I can easily add “fire and brimstone sermons”, liturgy (which I do love), rural, urban, poor, rich. Anything can inhibit the church—and the people called the church—from fulfilling its mission. Then we are no better than old Solomon.

    Solomon had wisdom, but his faith had waned. Contrast this with the faithful listed in Hebrews. Some of them may not have had wisdom, but they had faith.

    Often this is where the church and its people can sidetrack. When we lose faith and trust only in wisdom (particularly worldly wisdom), we will often make decisions that we believe are correct (they certainly may be wise), and yet do not align with faith or trust in the will of God.

    ※Reflection※

    • What kind of things/thoughts/“wisdom” have you had/experienced that led you away from God?
    • How do you discern when something good is taking you away from God?
    • What do you think is the mission of the church and the people of the church? How will you use that to filter your actions and the actions of your church?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may we grow in wisdom AND faith, that we are your faithful people on your mission. Amen.

  • Skies and Hearts Aflame

    Skies and Hearts Aflame

    Psalm 74; 1 Kings 18:17–40; Revelation 20:7–15

    Being made a fool of for Christ is something that Christians have had to deal with through the ages. Whether it’s because of beliefs and practices that go against the norm, or the reality that Christians are just as fallen as the rest of humanity. There is, however, the question of making a fool of Christ by our actions. Bluntly, do you have the faith of Elijah?

    Do you have the strength, resolve, and faith to believe that God will call down fires from Heaven to burn up an offering? You could quickly dissemble this question by saying, we don’t do sacrifices anymore. Except, that isn’t the point.

    We say things such as, “lighting strike me…” or “…catch on fire…” (literally, not spiritually) when we say or do things against God. We don’t really believe it, though. If we did, then being more like Elijah would actually be possible.

    However, we often mock people as Elijah did. Yes, there is a contextual part to Elijah’s mocking, but there often isn’t for us. We just try to make people beneath us by our responses.

    Often we view ourselves as the ones that are suffering the wrath of Gog and Magog, when in fact we are the ones acting like it. We think we are like Elijah, when in fact we are the priests of Baal.

    Just so we’re clear, I put myself in that same place. I recognize my own tendencies and failures. I recognize when I put on the clothes of righteousness, but behave in ways that are unrighteous.

    We have two paths before us. We can be Elijah, or we can be those deceived (Gog and Magog) and/or destroyed.

    Elijah did have a unique relationship with God, and a unique responsibility given to him by God. We cannot, theoretically, call down fires from Heaven. God does not seem to work that way anymore. This also doesn’t mean that God won’t. God does work in many ways far more mysterious and wonderful (think of the Holy Spirit).

    Calling upon God for healing of people, hearts, and nations will change more than a few hearts for a short time (the Israelites, unsurprisingly, returned to their old ways). We are indeed to be this era’s Elijah. Instead of the fire of worship (which is really what Elijah called for), we are called to bring the fire of the Holy Spirit to first purify ourselves, then through the furnace of love, bring the fire of God into the lives of others…not to burn them.

    ※Reflection※

    • What other responses do you have to the story of Elijah? Where else do you see yourself in it?
    • What are your thoughts regarding the fiery lake in Revelation? How does that fire contrast (if it does) to the fire of Elijah?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, you have refined us through the fire of the Holy Spirit. Help us to carry that refinement into our lives and into the world. Amen.

  • Pridefully Divine

    Pridefully Divine

    Psalm 29; Isaiah 5:15–24; John 15:18–20, 15:26–27

    When we read about “divine beings” we, understandably, think about angels. What, however, makes a divine being…divine? Apart from God, there is no divine being that isn’t of God. Which becomes a little daunting theologically when we recognize we have the Imago Dei in us.

    To be clear, we are not gods (except, perhaps in our deluded fallen minds). We a created beings with the spark of divinity inside of us. It may be a fine line to some. It is a line as large as Creation itself to others. Yet, part of the divine spark responds to God, and God completes us. So, it’s not wrong (totally) to think in terms of the divine beings in Psalm 29:1. Just like those divine beings, we are called and made to glorify God.

    This seems contrary, in some ways, to the initial verses of Isaiah. Humanity will be brought low. Yet, it is often the arrogance of humanity that results in wars, animosity, and the general inability of getting along. It is also that particular thing, that when brought low, places humanity in the position of accepting God. One cannot truly accept God through arrogance.

    Even as we read further, the arrogance continues with demanding that God hurry up and accomplish God’s work. This all merely so humanity can understand it. Perhaps arrogance is the wrong word. Self-absorbed is probably closer, while arrogance remains part of it.

    There there is a lot of doom.

    The last of today’s verses in Isaiah though starts with purifying. If you catch the wording, “tongues of fire”, might it remind you of Pentecost when tongues of fire appeared? In this case, the tongues of fire are more of purification rather than empowerment. But that God and the “holy one” are tied into the same verse as “tongues of fire” really do seem to be somehow tied to Pentecost. Then again, that very well be reading too much into it (but it’s fun).

    And, while it doesn’t seem to be related when we understand the pride and arrogance of humanity as observed in Isaiah, Jesus’ words to his disciples (and thus to us) make more sense. The fallen nature of humanity has striven against God. For far too many, it evolved into hate. To be, once again, more along the lines of a divine being rather than fallen creation would indeed cause striving fallen humanity to hate and lash out at those who have been touched by God in such a way.

    If we take all of today’s Scriptures into the picture, it makes perfect sense why Jesus warns the disciples that no matter how much they now have (or will have after Pentecost), they are still not greater than God. A good warning, as not too long after Pentecost, Peter performed his first miracle. The Companion (Comforter, Counselor) would come, and they would be tempted to think more of themselves, and even be called gods (Paul and Barnabas).

    ※Reflection※

    • When has your pride hampered your relationships with others?
    • When has your pride hampered your relationship with God?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, guard our hearts against the pride of the world. Let our pride be that you save us and that you work through us recognizing that it is for you and for ourselves that we move about the world. Amen.

  • Just Breathe

    Just Breathe

    Psalm 104:24–34; Ezekiel 37:1–14; John 20:19–23

    In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, there is a simple practice performed by many, where they say, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…” while breathing in and then “…have mercy on me, a sinner,” while exhaling.

    The Jesus Prayer (as it is called in the Orthodox tradition) is a prayer practice, of course. However, it is also a breath practice. As we, in the larger Christian tradition, consider that the Holy Spirit was breathed into dirt to make humanity, it makes sense to develop a prayer based upon spiritual life and the sacrificial life of Christ.

    This same breath is also the breath that God directs Ezekiel to prophesy to. This vision of breath “breathing” life into the dead makes perfect sense as dead bones are just as empty of spiritual life as dirt.

    This leads us to Jesus. His disciples weren’t dead. Their bones weren’t dry (or in an ossuary). In some ways, though, they were dead. They were dead in fear. They were dead to knowing what was next. They were dead to what God was really doing.

    Then Jesus breathed on them. Some commentators view this as a blessing of sorts. Others more directly tie this to the Spirit as given to humanity to begin with and the Spirit that brought the bones back to life. Within the context, Christians would generally choose the latter (it goes well with Pentecost, after all, and that is how John explains it). Yet, blessing also makes perfect sense, as part of this short passage is about Jesus telling the disciples to be…at peace, which as “Shalom” (Hebrew for all-encompassing wholistic peace and unity) also makes perfect sense.

    The leads us back to the Jesus Prayer. Breathe in the Breath of Life (the Holy Spirit). Breathe out the deathly breath of sin, despair, and alienation.

    ※Reflection※

    • Do you think much about breathing? Why or why not?
    • What would it mean to you if you thought of breathing as breathing in the Holy Spirit, and breathing out all your sin (and the wages of sin, death)?
    • Why do you think fire (a symbol of Pentecost) and the Holy Spirit (wind) complement each other as a blessing of God for the Church?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior of the World, have mercy on us, we humble sinners. Amen.

  • Star Light Star Bright

    Star Light Star Bright

    Psalm 118:1–2, 19–29; Jeremiah 33:1–9; Philippians 2:12–18

    I’m guilty. I’m guilty of not seeing God’s many blessings. God’s blessings have been more than I could count, granted, but I should count more of them. I was convicted by Jeremiah 33:9, “They will be in total awe at all the good and prosperity I provide for them.”

    ※ When was the last time you were awed by all the good and prosperity that God has provided? ※

    If you’re like me, you could look at all our troubles and disagreements on race, (any) immigration, political party, president, COVID practices, and ask, “Good? Prosperity?” This is where we humans tend to get ourselves in trouble, especially when we evaluate God. Just saying “evaluate God” sounds unwise, doesn’t it? Yet, when we ask God, “why,” and don’t keep in mind the blessings, this is often exactly what we do.

    ※ Is your tendency to ask God, “Why”, before praising God?※

    Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Do everything without grumbling and arguing.” We’ve been pretty awful at that lately, as a nation. People of all political stripes and persuasion have developed a habit of ad hominem attacks (attacking individuals, not policy). The “gridlock” of Washington, D.C., will get far worse because of it. That, brothers and sisters, is where we come in.

    ※ Imagine responding to attacks on people with a grace-filled commentary on a policy. What would the response be? ※

    This is not a blind hope that a “gentle answer will turn away wrath” (Proverbs 15:1). There actually isn’t much expectation that Christians will change the tenor of conversation (although we’ve been some of the most guilty). Changing the general tenor isn’t our job, nor is it our responsibility. It is our tenor that is our responsibility.

    The reason for keeping the blessings and prosperity in mind is that is a good way to cultivate our hearts to be warm and full of love, which allows us to respond in a Christ-honoring way. As they are God’s blessings and prosperity, they are not ours. Another way of saying it is that since it is God’s, we shouldn’t be holding onto what isn’t ours so tightly. Our responses to others need to be inspired and driven by the generosity and grace of God.

    Before someone asks, “I’m to be a doormat?” No. Turning the other cheek refers to being insulted. Going the extra mile is acting above and beyond the requirements. As Paul phrased it, “Among these people you shine like stars in the world because you hold on to the word of life.”

    ※ If someone with whom you have strongly disagreed were asked, would you be described as gasoline on a fire or as a star in the world? ※

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, when you called Abraham to look at the stars, he saw a legacy of children. Help us, Lord, to not just to be a number amongst the stars, but to embody the light of the stars into a world darkened by sin. Amen.