Reading: Matthew 6:25-34, Acts 9:20-43, Psalm 16, Genesis 36

Recall:
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body what you will wear...But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. " Matthew 6:25,33

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.” Psalm 16:1-2

Reflect:
Wonderful counsel. I'm reading a book now, The Disappearance of the Universe, on the recommendation of a friend. It is based on the principles in A Course in Miracles. It's basic thesis is this: God is all that is real; everything else is illusion. Honestly, I'm not sure I am ready to make that leap yet. But I sure am ready to say that, at least, God is more real than everything else. That is the opposite of the way I oftentimes live. For me, quite often, God is good and God is cool, but when crisis come, or even a little bump, my attention is drawn to what I call the real world.

Respond:
Eyes on God, all the time--when it's easy and when it's hard.

Reading: Genesis 34-35, Psalm 15, Matthew 6:16-24, Acts 9:1-14

Recall:
Matthew 6:22-23
"The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light; but if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"
Reflect:
This passage from Matthew is powerful. If this Christianity thing is real, if it work, then at some point one must engage it. Of course, one...heck, I...will never find out if it really works until I engage it.

The reason for my ramblings I guess is this--these words of Jesus are calling me to Christianity 201. When do I stop letting the garbage in? When do I stop making excuses, shore up my spiritual life and get serious about it?

I can tell myself that it is OK to watch a little TV. I need to relax don't I? And c'mon--I can't really help it if I happen to glance (stare?) at the young woman's rear end as she passes by me in Starbucks, can I?

It's not always a matter of right and wrong and good and bad. What is it allowing into my life? How is it affecting my spiritual journey? It certainly isn't producing light!

Respond:
One specific response for now--no more TV--I'll sit with Emerson and watch a show or movie, but for me, no more television.

Reading: Matthew 6:1-15, Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 14, Genesis 32-33

Recall:
Matthew 5:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Acts 8:35
Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.

Acts 8:39-40
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus...

Genesis 32:24
Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

Reflect:
I guess I have never thought about the end of Acts 40. It seems that Philip was "transported" away from the scene there and to another area. Weird stuff.

The passage from Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount is powerful and sobering. I think its something that we all innately know at some level, but
it's hard to see in print, especially from the mouth of Jesus. And it's harder yet to accept. We have to let go. It leads to freedom.

Proclaiming the good news. I talk about it a lot, but do I do it?! Not often enough. I can only proclaim, anyone can only proclaim, what I know, what I have. The example of Jacob is to wrestle with God. The example of Philip is to look for the opportunities.

Respond:
Wrestle with God. Watch for opportunities. I will focus on these two actions for the rest of the week and see what happens!

Reading: Matthew 5:33-48, Acts 8:1-25, Psalm 13, Genesis 31

Recall:
Genesis 31 is a bizarre story.
MAtthew 5:42 "Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you."
Matthew 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Acts 8:8 "So there was great joy in that city."

Reflect:
Genesis 31 is the story of Jacob leaving the house of Laban. Jacob and Laban's relationship had always been both strained and strange, two wheeler-dealers confronting one another. In the end Jacob took his wives and children and livestock, which Laban contended were all his. And Rachel took his household gods. The story is a good reminder how convoluted relationships can become if we don't deal with one another with honesty and integrity.

I'm not sure about Matthew 5:42. How in the world do we give to everyone who begs from us? Is that possible?
Matthew 5:48 is the standard Jesus left us with, be perfect as God is perfect.

And in Acts, before the nonsense with Simon Magus starts (and the nonsense always always seems to start--just from one or two), Samaria's response to Philip's teaching was enthusiastic.

Respond:
The challenges for me in this passage: I will strive for perfection in my life and in my relationship's. It's difficult, but the dividends are incredible. As I operate this way, as the church operates this way, the response will be joyful.