I stayed up late last night to see the Broncos win their game and Kansas City to win the World Series. Today we enjoyed a visit from our friend Carol Roberts and then later in the afternoon, I went for a workout with Stephanie to their local YMCA. We have had a good visit and will return home tomorrow.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “I will show how great I am. I will show my holiness, and I will make myself known to the many nations that watch. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”  Ezekiel 38:23 NCV

Ezekiel is a book of prophecy that addresses God’s people in rebellion, pronounces coming judgment and then promises future restoration. However, it is also a book with images and references to end time events. As the prophet warns of the invasion of  Gog from the north it not only relates to future events during Ezekiels day, but future events in our day as well. Famed Bible Commentator Matthew Henry relates Ezekiel 38 to the events of Revelation 18.

 ^“You will attack my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. This will happen in the days to come when I bring you against my land. Gog, then the nations will know me when they see me prove how holy I am in what I do through you.” (Ezekiel 38:16 NCV)

In the Book of Ezekiel at least twelves times prophecies are spoken to nations and God’s people that contain the words, “then they will know that I am the Lord” or something similiar.

We see that the Lord through His actions reveals Himself to His prophet. Ezekiel speaks to false prophets concerning the Lords judgment,  “I will punish the prophets who see false visions and prophesy lies…and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.” Ezekiel 13:9 NCV As the Lord begins to work through Ezekiel the first thing He does is to make sure that Ezekiel has a clear revelation and confidence in his God.

This past weekend, I heard a statment that got my attention. It had to do with not just, “bellieving in God, but believing God.” It is on thing to say, “I believe in God.” That gives credance to  God’s existence. But when someone “believes God” and takes Him at His Word, it compels obedience and action. As Ezekiel recevied His own revelation of God, He knew that the Lord would do what He said He would do.

We see that the Lord through His actions reveals Himself to His people. The Lord speaks to His people and says, “Keep my Sabbaths holy, and they will be a sign between me and you. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.” (Ezekiel 20:20 NCV) God revealed Himself to His people through blessing for their obedience and through judgement for their disobedience. We consistenly see the Lord desires His people of all people to “know” Him and to obey Him and to experience all the blessings He has for them.

“Then they will know that I, the Lord their God, am with them. The nation of Israel will know that they are my people, says the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 34:30 NCV)

We see that the Lord through His actions reveals Himself to nations. “When I make the land of Egypt empty and take everything that is in the land, when I destroy all those who live in Egypt, then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 32:15 NCV) The Lord through Ezekiel, like other prophets, speaks to “the nations” about God’s judgment on them. Even those who did not recognize the Lord God, would find who the true and living God really is. Through His sovereign power and the words of His prophets and the judgments that would come and the protection of His people the Lord was revealing Himself to the nations.

This is certainly what we see when Christ returns. There may be all kinds of explanations to end time events from “global warming” to “alien invasions” to whatever the human mind will use to rationalize away God’s activity in the events of the world; but a time will come when “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7) and “every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10,11) In that moment all people will know that “the Lord He is God.”

What makes the greatest impact on a life is embracing on a personal level, the reality of the Lord and embracing relationship with Him.. That involves not just “believing in” but “believing God.” Living by faith, trusting your life each day to the Lord, and taking Him at His Word is the path to peace and blessing.

It was a cloudy and rainy day here in Atlanta. We went to a service at Revolution Church where Stephanie and Nathan attend. We spent the day at home watching football and for me working on some details on my book. This evening Stephanie wanted to celebrate Debbie’s birthday and mine that is coming during this next month. We took a picture with the grand kids and our birthday pie.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…if the people of a country sin against me by not being loyal, I will use my power against them. I will cut off their supply of food and send a time of hunger, destroying both people and animals. Even if three great men like Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that country, their goodness could save only themselves, says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 14:12-14 NCV

When we look in the Bible we see some great men of God that were used to intercede for those facing God’s judgment. We see Abraham “bargaining” with God about saving the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for the sake of the righteous. We consistently see Moses and Aaron interceding for the consistently disobedient Children of Israel in the wilderness. We see the prayers of Isaiah in the days of idolatry and Nehemiah as God’s people were in captivity.

In many cases the intercession or actions of a leader or prophet stayed the hand of God’s judgment and allowed time for the people to repent. However, as the downward spiral of God’s people continued God’s patience had come to an end and the fate of His people was sealed. To emphasize this destiny the Lord speaks to Ezekiel and specifically names Noah, Daniel and Job as individuals who, though righteous, would only be able to “save” themselves; much like Lot who had to flee Sodom.

The reference to these three points to three critical segments of world history. Noah a “preacher of righteousness” lived before the flood. Job lived after the flood and before the formation of Israel, is described as “…a man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.“ (Job 1:1 NIV) Daniel lived among the exiles and distinguished himself as a leader, interpreter of dreams and faithful in his commitment to daily seek the Lord and intercede for God’s people.

From these three we see the Lord using key people at key times to play a significant role in their day. These three distinguished themselves because they set themselves apart from the prevailing culture of the day. In each time period people were focused on “eating, drinking, and giving in marriage.” They were only concerned about this life and failed to have a perspective of life that included eternity.

Jesus said that before he returns people will have the same focus as that in Noah’s day. “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:38,39 NIV)

Each of these three were willing to stake their lives and their future on obedience to God. They faced ridicule for their faith, but they stayed true to what they knew, without needing to “know everything” before they trusted and obeyed. Noah built the ark, Job refused to “curse God and die”, Daniel would not defile himself with the King’s food and later faced a den of lions.

All three of these men speak to us about God consistently working out His plan and bringing good out of tragedy. We see new life and a new beginning after the flood, we see Job emerge from suffering with greater wealth, possessions and family. We see Daniel not only being a part of the restoration of God’s people to the Promised Land, but also speaking of days which are still to come.

All three of these men through their obedience saw the Lord reveal Himself to them and through their experiences they help us today understand the heart and character of God. It is important for us to realize we continually learn, grow and discover more about God and His plan for us and our future as we live in obedience to Him.

We see many “great” people in the Bible. Those whose lives mirrored Noah, Job and Daniel. They dedicated themselves to  God, sought God, obeyed the Lord and were used of the Lord to be an influence in their day. Just as the reference to these three reveal God’s work in our world over the history of time, the Lord is still at work in our day. He still uses those who will trust Him, one day at a time, dedicate themselves to His purpose and allow God to use them in strategic ways.

It looks like in Colorado we are arriving at Halloween without any snow fall in lower elevations. As a matter of fact, the temperatures in Fort Collins probably felt warmer than we are experiencing in Atlanta. We got up before sunrise to go to another football game for Mason and Carter. The weather was on the cold side and our team played accordingly. They experienced their first loss of the season during their “homecoming” game.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…  “‘This was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were proud and had plenty of food and lived in great comfort, but she did not help the poor and needy.” Ezekiel 16:49 NCV

Sodom in scripture became figurative of sin and God’s judgment. As the prophet addresses the idolatry and sins of God’s people he speaks of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. God views the idolatry of His people like the sin of prostitution. They had rejected the Lord who had rescued them from their slavery in Egypt and continually sought after other gods and gave themselves to all forms of disobedience and sin.

Their generations of idolatry and rebellion, and refusing to heed the warnings of the prophets led them experience captivity by evil nations whose lives and standards by which they lived. This time proved to be God’s discipline until they were brought back to the land. As Ezekiel speaks to the sins of Israel and Judah, the Lord point out the fatal sins beneath their rebellion.

What we in God’s people is what we find in many lives today; the issue isn’t always the issue. In my work with Teen Challenge we consistently found that substance abuse was related to some underlying causes rooted in family or personal history, crisis or other issues. For Judah, their sins made them as wicked as Sodom because of three underlying issues: pride, plenty of food and ease.

Those may not sound all that bad. Often pride comes from great accomplishments and proven, well-developed abilities. Having plenty of food, especially in an agrarian society provides a lot of security. Having a life of ease and comfort seems to be what people dream about and view with envy.

However, these formed the seedbed of sin and rebellion against the Lord. The believed they didn’t need God on one hand and on the other they became callous toward others who were in need. They were self focused, self-reliant and self-absorbed. They were narcissistic people in a narcissistic land.

In pointing to these faults, we find what the Lord’s plan and purpose is for our life, by considering the opposing conduct and attitude.

Scripture warns about pride. We read, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18 NIV) But we see the corollary, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.“ (1 Peter 5:6 NLT) Pride focus on bringing honor to oneself, humility trust the Lord to bring the honor that comes from Him and others at the proper time and in the proper way.

We are not to live only for ourselves, but for others as well. Paul said, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:4 ESV) One of the consistent Biblical instructions of this outward focus is other believers and the poor. Paul told the Galatians, “…as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10 NIV)

From the Old Testament to the New we see God’s heart and commitment to the poor. “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.“ (Proverbs 19:17 NIV) As Paul was released to proclaim the good news of Christ to the gentiles the apostles had only one request, “All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.“ (Galatians 2:10 NIV)

Scripture teaches us how to live through the record of good examples and poor examples. We can learn and be challenged by both. When it comes to the seminal sins Judah that brought God’s judgment, we are warned about a life of pride, reliance on own provisions and seeking a life of self-centered comfort. May we commit ourselves to “walk humbly before the Lord” to trust in the security He alone can provide and seek to invest our lives in God’s purposes for the good of others.

We had a good first full day here in Atlanta. Enjoyed biscuits and grits and hanging out with the grand kids. This afternoon Mason and Carter’s football team was in the high school’s homecoming parade. It was a nice event with a lot of people and tons of candy for the kids. A good “Halloween Eve” event.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “…The person who sins is the one who will die.…He [who] lives by my rules and obeys my laws faithfully. Whoever does these things is good and will surely live, says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 18:4,9 NCV

I recall over 30 years ago I was in my first pastorate and was asked to visit a relative of some friends, who was facing a terminal illness. This man had a cursory knowledge of faith (some know enough of the Bible to be confused), but had not lead a godly life. As he faced his own mortality, he was haunted by the idea that his own rejection of the Lord, condemned the fate of his children and as a result he could not turn to the Lord because of the life he had lived and guilt and regrets he felt.

Regardless of the reasons, that was his perspective. I visited with him on several occasions and shared scripture about the Lord’s forgiveness and shared verses from the Bible that showed each person was responsible for their own life before the Lord regardless of their family history. In the end, before he died, he committed his life to the Lord.

This man may have been influenced and confused about the scripture that says, “….He [the Lord] punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” (Numbers 14:18 NIV) But he failed to understand the full context of the Bible and words just before this that say, “The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion…” (Numbers 14:18 NIV)

Ezekiel 18 makes it is clear that the ideas and perspective of people are different from the Lord’s. The Lord says, if a godly person has rebellious children, those children will die in their sin. If wicked people have children that turn to the Lord, they will be saved. The Lord goes on says if the wicked turn from their evil ways and follow the Lord they will be saved and if the righteous turn to evil and become wicked that there “good deeds will not be remembered.”

For the people of Ezekiel’s day and for many in ours the response is, “not fair!” Here is what God says, “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn’t fair.’ Listen, people of Israel. I am fair. It is what you do that is not fair! …They [each person] will die, because they did wrong… I will judge each of you by what you do, says the Lord God. Change your hearts and stop all your sinning so sin will not bring your ruin.” (Ezekiel 18:25-26;30

What we see is God’s heart for people to come to Him, “I do not really want the wicked to die, says the Lord God. I want them to stop their bad ways and live.” (Ezekiel 18:23 NCV) We see the consistency of scripture with the words of Paul in the New Testament – “God our Savior….wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 2:3-5 NIV)

The Lord in His love, grace and mercy has provided the way for all to “live right” before Him. That is not found in what we “prove” to God, but in accepting what He has “provided” for us through Jesus Christ. His plan is to make the path and the choice clear. One God, who has provided one way, for all people to know the life He alone can provide; both now and for eternity.

In one of the most important verses of the Bible, Paul declares how we were incapable of pleasing and obeying God through our own efforts, so the Lord intervened and did for us, what we are powerless to do for ourselves –  “The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.” (Romans 8:3 NLT)

The adage is, “God doesn’t have grandchildren, just sons and daughters.” Your parent’s faith can’t save you and their disobedience doesn’t condemn you. Each person’s destiny is decided when they answer the question of Pilate, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” … (Matthew 7:22 ESV) The best choice is to accept what Christ has already provided and to experience His life. “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12 NIV) Choose life!

This morning we got up early and prepared for our trip to Atlanta. We will be visiting Stephan, Nathan, Mason, Carter and Mackenzie for the next four days. We brought Caedmon, (Christian and Bridget’s second son) with us to see his cousins. They waited until the last minute and surprised Caedmon about the trip by showing a video from his cousins in Atlanta breaking the news to him that he was coming for a visit. Of course, that creates a reaction from his siblings. They haven’t learned the “rejoice with those who rejoice” quite yet. 🙂 But Christian, Bridget and two remaining kids are headed to the mountains for a special time this weekend, so hopefully that will help.

We arrived in Atlanta in time to see Mason and Carter’s football game. This is a 6-8 year old team. The parking lot was full and there were even little “cheerleaders” about ages 4-6 (in their little uniforms and even a halftime “show.”) The grand kid’s team was winning 38-20 so we left early to beat the crowd. Welcome to the home of the SEC!

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: …the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that Ezekiel sees is for a time many years from now. He is prophesying about times far away.’ “So say to them: ‘The Lord God says this: None of my words will be delayed anymore. What I have said will be done, says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel 12:26-28 NCV

Both Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied to God’s people before their final days of judgment and complete captivity. Ezekiel was taken captive during the initial wave of exiles to Babylon and still spoke God’s message back to Jerusalem. The voice of these two great prophets sounded the warning over and over, from different vantage points.

They spoke of coming judgment and the need to repent and return to full devotion to the Lord. However, the Lord’s mercy and patience created mockers in Ezekiel’s day just as it will before the Lord returns. Peter writes, “…you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3,4 NIV)

This is what was happening just weeks before God’s final judgment came to Jerusalem through the Babylonians. We read about the attitude of the people and the Lord’s response. ‘The [people say] days go by and every vision comes to nothing’ So say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I will make them stop saying this, and nobody in Israel will use this saying anymore.’ But tell them, ‘The time is near when every vision will come true. (Ezekiel 12:22,23 NCV)

Jeremiah preached for years, so did Ezekiel. Both men were used by the Lord in some dramatic ways to get the people’s attention. But soon, their response to the message turned from refusing to listen and respond to contempt and intolerance and eventually persecution.

What lead to this? The people misunderstood the meaning of God’s delay. As time worn on the ears and hearts of the people became hardened. They even failed to see the connection between the words of the prophets to events that had already taken place and failed to realize “something worse” was happening. The Lord spoke to Ezekiel about these people,

“They have eyes to see, but they do not see, and they have ears to hear, but they do not hear, because they are a people who refuse to obey.”  (Ezekiel 12:2 NCV)

Then we see the spiritual confusion brought by false prophets. It was not just the Lord’s prophets who were speaking to the people. There were other “prophets” whom the people listen to and were complicit in the people’s disobedience and continued to lull them into complacency. The Lord spoke and said, “…How terrible it will be for the foolish prophets who follow their own ideas and have not seen a vision from me!…they lead my people the wrong way by saying, “Peace!” when there is no peace. “ (Ezekiel 13:3-4,10 NCV)

I am reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy centuries later, “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3 NIV)

Finally, we see the people had convinced themselves that God doesn’t know or notice what they are doing. “…have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in the dark? Have you seen each man in the room of his own idol? They say, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us. The Lord has left the land.’”  (Ezekiel 8:12,13 NCV) The Lord showed Ezekiel God’s people with their backs toward the Temple, worshiping the sun. The Lord revealed their “hateful things and violence” that had filled the land. In all that they were doing they either believed the Lord didn’t see or care or that they were “on their own” and so it didn’t matter. But they had to come to these conclusions while shutting out the voice of the Lord through His prophets.

The message and warning for us and for our day, is to take God and His Word seriously. Many fall into the trap of believing that if what they are doing is “not right” that God will instantly “strike them dead.” I’m glad God doesn’t do that…nobody would be around. But this twisted view of God lulls people in our world today into complacency and apathy.

We need to remember that what the Lord has said will happen…will happen. Throughout time there has been confusion and distortion about the Lord’s return and “who the anti-Christ” is or will be. Some people fall prey to the “chicken little” syndrome. They don’t something happen and their hearts become hard and they become cynical.

Then remember the Lord’s knows our “ways” and our actions. He knows our hearts and where we place our trust and confidence. The Lord spoke through Jeremiah, “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.“ (Jeremiah 16:17 NIV)  David declared, “O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.“ (Psalm 69:5 ESV) We need to be open to the Lord’s message when it confronts more than comforts.

In the book of Ezekiel the Lord makes reference to the righteousness of Noah, Daniel and Job. (Ezekiel 14:14,20) When we reflect on the lives of these men, we can observe they “took God seriously.” They trusted in the Lord, obeyed and remained faithful. As we live in challenging days and in a world that in many ways is “headed for destruction” we need to remember the day of the Lord is approaching faster than what we may realize.

I had a couple of appointments with some hospital executives in Denver today. It was a special opportunity to learn of their background and some of the challenges they face, and how I can provide some support to them when it comes to public policy issues.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “Now that you are obedient children of God do not live as you did in the past.”      1 Peter 1:14 NCV

As I was completing my read through 1 Peter, I took note of the various “audiences” that he addresses. Of course all that Peter addresses has application for all believers, and the verses below are just a “sampling” of Peter’s words but they are a good summary.

To the Church – “I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul…Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Live as servants of God.”  (1 Peter 2:11,16 NCV) 

“…all of you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble.” (1 Peter 3:8 NCV)

“Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion looking for someone to eat. Refuse to give in to him, by standing strong in your faith.”  (1 Peter 5:8,9 NCV)

To Slaves – “…yield to the authority of your masters with all respect, not only those who are good and kind, but also those who are dishonest.”  (1 Peter 2:18 NCV)

To Wives of Unbelieving Husbands –  “…you wives should yield to your husbands. Then, if some husbands do not obey God’s teaching, they will be persuaded to believe without anyone’s saying a word to them.“ (1 Peter 3:1 NCV)

To Husbands –  “…Husbands should live with your wives in an understanding way…show them respect, because God gives them the same blessing he gives you…” (1 Peter 3:7 NCV)

To Those Who Suffer – “…Do not think that something strange is happening to you. But be happy that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory...So those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right.…God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling.” (1 Peter 4:13,19; 5:10 NCV)

To Elders – “…shepherd God’s flock, for whom you are responsible. Watch over them because you want to, not because you are forced. That is how God wants it. Do it because you are happy to serve, not because you want money.” (1 Peter 5:2 NCV)

To the Young – “…younger people should be willing to be under older people. And all of you should be very humble with each other.”   (1 Peter 5:2 NCV)

To Those Who Worry –  “Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NCV)

When we come to Christ, the Lord call us to a new life. It impacts who we are and what we do. It impacts those who in various stages of life and who face various situations. Peter is the disciple we know that most about; he is the one who learned from his failures. As he speaks to believers who are facing persecution and shows his concern for God’s people his background and experience should help us appreciate his word and perspective. We need to remember that God’s Word is sufficient to speak to us and challenge us in our day to day lives.

A good start to my day with listening to a challenging devotional and a time of prayer with some of our elected leaders. I had an appointment with my palliative care nurse and then a “Pastor Appreciation” lunch at MacKenzie Place Retirement facility. This afternoon I attended a Natural Gas Symposium at CSU, so it was a fairly full day. But compared to being home-bound, I’m not complaining.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “People insulted Christ, but he did not insult them in return. Christ suffered, but he did not threaten. He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him.”  1 Peter 2:23 NCV

Our human nature is to defend ourselves, fight back and get even when we are wronged. Christ calls us to a higher standard and a different approach in life. When we are threatened, insulted and misjudged it is difficult to remain silent. I am reminded of the words of James, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…” (James 1:19 NIV) As we look at 1 Peter 2, we are reminded that….

Christ is our example. “This is what you were called to do, because Christ suffered for you and gave you an example to follow. So you should do as he did.” (1 Peter 2:21 NCV) When we do face insults and persecution for the cause of Christ, we need to be confident that our situation is seen by God. Peter says of Christ, “He let God…take care of him.” 

God is pleased when we endure. “…if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased.”           (1 Peter 2:20 NCV) God does not delight in our pain, but He is pleased with our obedience and our faithfulness and our perseverance in the face of opposition.

We need to live today with the end in view. “…Live such good lives that they will see the good things you do and will give glory to God on the day when Christ comes again.” (1 Peter 2:12 NCV) It is difficult to be patient and to allow someone to see that God’s ways are the best. We want more immediate and timely vindication. But as we keep our eyes on the Lord and stay faithful, we can have the confidence that when Christ returns, those who rejected Christ will be the ones with regrets. We also need to remember that our goal is not to “win an argument” it is to see lives changed by God’s grace and love.

Keeping our focus on the Lord, makes the difference. “A person might have to suffer even when it is unfair, but if he thinks of God and can stand the pain, God is pleased.” (I Peter 2:19 NCV) When we suffer, we tend to focus on our pain or on the source of our pain; but if we can look past that and focus on the Lord, He will give us the strength that is needed to be true over-comers.

In many ways it is difficult for us to connect with the type of persecution that the recipients of Peter’s letter were experiencing. They did not live in a country that valued freedom and personal rights. Kings were ruthless and evil and yet Peter said, they should be respected and honored.

In our world today, we see that many who follow Christ do so in a hostile environment. Some of that can take place in families and communities in our county. However, we realize in many places, believers may not just faced the ridicule of just words, but the threat of their physical safety. With that in mind it is important for us to give thanks for the land in which we live. It is important for us to be steadfast in our obedience to the Lord and lives we live. It is important for us to pray for persecuted Christians around the world.

After a morning breakfast meeting, I had a fitness center workout and then a massage later in the afternoon. That might have been a good combination. I found it interesting that my left arm and shoulder seem stronger now than my right. That is different from when I was released from the hospital and the greatest concern was about the weakness and range of motion in my left arm. There always seem to be interesting developments on the road to recovery.

BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY… “This is what real love is: It is not our love for God; it is God’s love for us. He sent his Son to die in our place to take away our sins.” 1 John 4:10 NCV

Forrest Gump told his childhood girlfriend Jenny, “I know what love is.” I am sure there are many others who would claim they “know what love is.” But regardless of how much we know or have experienced about “love” it falls short of truly understanding love. It is also, one thing to have an “understanding” of love, it is another to incorporate what we understand into our lives.

Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to, “love the Lord God with all you heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27 NIV) John in his first letter reinforces Jesus’ words. He writes, “This is what God commands: that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ, and that we love each other, just as he commanded. The people who obey God’s commands live in God, and God lives in them…” (1 John 3:23,24 NCV) We see that John says loving God equal obeying God, living in His truth and loving others.

John let’s us know that “love” is a verb. It is reflected in action. “My children, we should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring.” (1 John 3:18 NCV) 

Our love for God is reflect in walking in His truth and in how we treat others. God demonstrated His love by Jesus coming to die for our sins (John 3:16) and our love is shown in self sacrifice and our treatment of others. “This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:16 NCV)

John says our love for others is a reflection of our love for God. Those two aspects are like two sides of the same coin, they can’t be separated. “Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen. And God gave us this command: Those who love God must also love their brothers and sisters.”  (1 John 4:20,21 NCV)

This love is practical in its application, and it is a test and evidence of our love for God, “Suppose someone has enough to live and sees a brother or sister in need, but does not help. Then God’s love is not living in that person.”       (1 John 3:17 NCV)

The challenge of loving God, is when we come into relationship with God, we come into relationship with His “family” and those God loves. It is like being a part of a “blended family”  or understanding we have all been “adopted” into the same family. Our actions and love for others is to reflect how God loved us. He accepted us unconditionally and through His love for us has changed our lives. We have the same opportunity as we invest in the lives of others. Outside of God, we really don’t know what love is.