Loving Jesus Style

Scripture 2 Corinthians 4:7–12 (NRSV) 7  But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 8  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. 11  For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. 12  So death is at work in us, but life in you. Meditation:             Just for your information about half of these meditations I write come from ideas that God has planted in my mind about how I am to make amendment to my own life. I just share them because I figure someone else out there may need to hear the same word. Today’s message is definitely one of the words God has given for my

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:16–23 (NRSV) 16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18  Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20 and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21  So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22  whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23  and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. *Meditation:             One thing that frustrates me about the Christian Church as a whole is that it seems at times that there are two churches at war with each other. On the o

Scripture: 1 John 4:16–21 (NRSV) 16  So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17  Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the Day of Judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19  We love because he first loved us. 20  Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21  The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. Meditation:             Those who have read my previous writings know that I have used this verse before when writing meditations. This scripture passage contains my favorite verses in the

Where Do We Abide? Scripture: John 15:4–11 (NRSV)   4  Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6  Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. 9  As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. Meditation:            

Scripture: Psalm 139:13–16 (NRSV) 13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. From: The Attentive Life by Leighton Ford God is thinking of me right now even as I think of [God] Meditation:             The Psalm above has long been one of my personal favorites. I think Leighton Ford captures well my feelings as I read these words again. We are often so self focused when we read scripture or meditative material. I know I am. But just try to imagine that we are the objects of God’s meditation even before we were born.             The thought of