God’s Love LEtter

Be at peace with one another –WEEK 30:

God has created everyone, so we take great care in how we treat them, care for them, and speak of them. Jesus gives us the model. Jesus always sees people for who they are and for whom they were created to be. Our sight isn’t as good. Sometimes we judge people based on the way that they look or upon things that they have done. However, the Holy Spirit often works in people in ways that we are unaware of and would least expect. In Sunday’s Gospel from Mark 9:38-50, there was a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name. The disciples tried to stop him. “But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For the one who is not against us is for us.” This week, let God’s Word instruct you in how to recognize God’s work in and through the lives of others, and then affirm it, also thanking God for it.

Our pattern is to read 3 chapters of God’s Word each day and watch as our love and care for God and others grows. You can read them all at once or spread them out throughout the day. When we read God’s Word, application of that Word is an important aspect of what we’ve read. After reading each chapter, be sure to pick 1 verse (you may have more than 1 and that is great) in that chapter that was especially meaningful for you. Take a moment to savor that verse (those verses) and ponder upon them. Then say a short prayer about making that verse’s teaching(s) a part of this day’s journey of following Jesus as one of His modern-day followers.

Look how far that we’ve already come in 2021. We’ve read the Old Testament Books of Genesis, Esther, Ruth, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, the New Testament Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1&2 Thessalonians, 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1&2 Peter, and 1 John. This week we will finish the Books of 1&2 John and Jude.

~ Pastor Larry Rubeck