If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. — John 15:10
Just as Jesus kept His Father's commands.
And just as Jesus remains in His love.
But because we're sinful, Jesus paid the ultimate price for us.
He died on the cross and came alive again on the third day.
Now he reigns with God the Father in heaven.
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.'" — Leviticus 19:18
And afterward, we have a courtyard fellowship with more bluegrass music plus pies!
So I spent the morning baking pies for the fellowship time and for our friends who share their fresh fish with us.
Blueberry and cherry. Yum!
This verse hit home with me last week as I was struggling with a colleague who has not been treating people well.
Even so, God really convicted me about not holding a grudge.
And not excluding them when we invite others to join us to celebrate our anniversary in October.
It's so easy to hold a grudge.
But God commands us to love our neighbor as ourself. Even when they don't treat us well.
Help me, Lord, to obey.
But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. — Psalm 103:17-18
And with all who revere and fear him.
It even extends to our children.
And to their children too.
For all who keep His covenant.
And for all who remember to obey Him.
Help me to remember, Lord.
Guide me to obey you.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. — Romans 12:10
To show love to each other.
To honor one another.
Putting the other person above yourself.
And giving God the glory.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. — Galatians 5:13
As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have a freedom that was paid for by the blood of Jesus.
As a result, we are called to not indulge the flesh.
But rather to let the Holy Spirit guide and direct us.
And to serve one another in love.
Even those people we don't particularly like.
Even those we despise.
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. — Hebrews 6:10
He loves us and will not forget our work.
Especially when we show love to others.
And when we help His people.
And continue to help them.
God is not unjust.
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. — Romans 13:8
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We have one car payment we're making, just because the interest rate was so low.
Other than that, we don't have debt.
We try to save up for large expenses coming our way.
But we do try to maintain the continuing debt of loving each other.
And loving our awesome God.
In this way, God helps us fulfill His law.
And He has blessed us overabundantly.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. — Romans 5:1-2
And we have peace with God through Jesus.
We have gained access by faith into grace.
And we stand in God's grace.
We boast in the hope of the glory of God.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. — 1 John 3:16
We ate way too much food.
And we walked all over the place, moving quickly from ride to ride.
Abby planned out a busy schedule so we kept going from sun up to sunset.
The fireworks show was amazing.
And the weather was beautiful.
We came home exhausted but happy.
Reminded of God's love for us.
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. — 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
Compelling us because we are convinced that He paid the price for all.
Jesus died for everyone.
So those of us who live no longer live for ourselves.
We now live for Jesus, who died for us and came alive again.
And now reigns in heaven, sitting at the right hand of God.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. — James 1:12
When we stand the test, God takes note.
That person will receive the crown of life.
Just as God has promised to those who love Him.
This is home up the street that's being built entirely of shipping containers.
I had heard about this recently, but this is the first time we saw it in person!
Very interesting!
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22-23
Other times, not so much.
When I show love to others, that's the Spirit showing God's love through me.
My joyful attitude is a result of the Holy Spirit living in me.
When I forget to act with peace, I no longer am showing the fruit of the Spirit in my life.
Those times when I get impatient with others, the Spirit convicts me.
When I forget to act with kindness, God's Spirit humbles me.
And when I lack self-control, the Spirit puts stumbling blocks in my way to slow me down.
I am blessed to be filled with the Spirit to help guide me along the narrow path.
Help me, Lord, to focus on You.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 2 Peter 1:5-6
For this reason, God asks us to make an effort to not only have faith, but also goodness.
And knowledge. Then add self-control.
Next pile on perseverence.
And add godliness.
Then mutual affection.
And finally love.
If I possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep me from being unproductive and inneffective in getting to know Jesus personally.
Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. — 2 Peter 1:5-8
But when the Holy Spirit works in me, goodness and knowledge become possible.
I can't do it on my own.
Jesus has opened the door with His death and resurrection.
Only He can keep me from being ineffectual and unproductive.
And only as I get to know Him personally.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:23
And through it all, He is in control.
In all things, He works for our good.
For the good of all who love Him.
We have been called according to His purpose.
And He is working His purpose out in us.
Using our lives to glorify Himself.
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. — Deuteronomy 7:9
He is faithful.
He keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him.
God keeps His promises always.
And He keeps His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who keep His commandments.
This we know.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. — 1 John 4:9
He sent His one and only Son Jesus into the world.
So that we might live through Him.
Jesus, our Savior.
Kirk met with some of his friends from high school today: Ernie, Manuel, Josie, and Joe.
Friends for life!
Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. — 1 John 3:18
But our words are meaningless if we don't match them with our actions.
God calls us to love with our actions and in truth.
Without love, we are clanging gongs.
All noice and no action.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. — 2 Timothy 1:7
Now His Spirit remains in us.
And it does not make us timid.
Rather, it nudges us when we start to veer away from truth.
It gives us power and love.
And the Spirit gives us self-discipline.
God has our back.
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ — Matthew 22:37-38
This is the first commandment.
The second is similar to this one.
Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.
This is hard to do.
I'm naturally very self-centered.
But trusting God's commands is about allowing Him to transform me from the inside out.
As I fall more in love with Him.
