Friday, October 4, 2013

Galatians 6:2-5

² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. ⁴ Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, ⁵ for each one should carry their own load

Reflection

Our scripture today is a bit confusing. It is asking us to bear one another’s burdens but at the same time says we need to carry the load alone. What do you think the difference is? How does this change how we interact with one another and share our burdens with one another?

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Ephesians 4:29-32

²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Reflection

Our scripture today asks us to forgive one another just as Christ forgave us. Take time now to reflect on all the things that Christ has forgiven for you. Then think about someone or something that has made you mad this week and give it to God. Try to forgive them just as Christ forgave you.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Romans 15:9-16

⁹ Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Reflection

In our scripture today, we have two ‘one another’ statements. What does it mean to you to honor and live in harmony with one another? What does this look like in your life?

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Romans 15:3-5

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober

judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Reflection

In our scripture today what do you understand the phrase, “and each member belongs to all the others,” to mean ? In what ways can you live this out in your faith journey?

Monday, September 30, 2013

John 15:17
¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Reflection

This week we are talking about our need for healthy relationships. Throughout this week we will look at some of the scriptures that tell us how to live with one another. In the New Testament, the word  that is translated “one another” (allelon in Greek) appears 193 times in 93 different verses. It is important for God that we have healthy relationships. Christ knew our need for one another. In our scripture today, Jesus does not mince words when He commands us to love one another. Is it hard to love your brothers and

sisters in Christ? Why?

Weekly Theme September 29 through October 5

Healthy Relationships

 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up.  But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”  “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

-Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12

In order to function in a healthy manner in our Christian development we need connection and healthy relationships with other Christians.  God has created us to be in relationship with him but he has also created us to be in relationship with other people. Within the church we have a need for significant relationships with other believers.  We need the support system that a network of relationships will provide for our faith development.

Many times people do not think that they need the church in order to be a fully functioning disciple of Jesus.  That is a mistaken understanding of what it means to be a Christian.  If we follow Jesus we are called into community and the community we are called into is the church.  In the church we can relate to fellow believers and they help to strengthen us as we grow in our faith.  Our relationships with other people in the church help to hold us accountable to take the steps we need to grow in our faith.

Socially isolated Christians meaning Christians with no developing relationships with other Christians, are not healthy.  We need a spiritual family. A part of a being in a family is to 

develop and nurture relationships with people in that spiritual family.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Psalm 8

¹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory  in the heavens.

² Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.
³ When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
⁴ what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?^[c]

⁵ You have made them a little

     lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
⁶ You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their feet:
⁷ all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
⁸ the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹ Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Reflection

Reread our scripture today thinking about if God’s name depicts His character. What does this mean about the kind of God do we serve? If we are being transformed into His likeness, what might it look like as we become people—and churches—of excellence?