Luke 10 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, ’Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Children read this passage and they think the moral of the story is that they should be kind to others. They should help others in need. However, a deeper insight into this parable is that each and every one of us being the broken, battered, ready for dead person on the side of the road. And whether we see it or not, Jesus, the Good Samaritan takes us in, cares for us, provides for us and heals us.
Why do we see ourselves as the Good Samaritan?
We do this to protect ourselves. I mean, I volunteer at homeless shelters, I donate to churches, I help young aspiring students advance their careers. I must be a good person right? What standards do you follow that lay out the defense of your goodness? Is it your religious standards? Or perhaps you are above religion and satisfy another set of laws? How does your inner child prove its goodness?
What is wrong with the view that we are the Good Samaritan?
As long as we see ourselves as the Good Samaritan, sinful pride boils up within us. We must prove to ourselves that we are good. Part of this inner child's defense includes comparison. We must prove that we don't do drugs, or have affairs, or steal, or judge others or horde money. Inevitably, the person who sees themselves as the Good Samaritan believes they are better than others. One symptom is that they become judgmental. They cannot see how people could make the decisions they make, because they are blind to their own terrible decisions.
Why are we blind to our own sin?
Proverbs 14 12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
Hitler believed he was a good person. He believed he was cleansing the Earth of an inperfect blood line. Al Capone believed he was a good person. He believed he made a place for his Italian citizens and provided services that were needed to enjoy life.
I used to worry about telling people what I really believed. In some cases, certain epiphanies in my life, I almost wished I could unlearn them. Life used to be so simple, until I stumbled upon certain truths. But the more I learn about communication, the more I realize I don't have to worry about expressing my ideas. You can describe color to a color blind person for weeks and they still won't quite understand color. They say, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.
In my life, I remember hearing several things over and over and over again. And then, BAM! I was hit with an epiphany. Sometimes it would take weeks, other times months, other times over twenty years. How could I have missed it? Why isn't God's truth easier to find? What am I missing today, that five years from now I will look back and wonder, why I didn't see it?
Which truth in my own life, out of self preservation and I failing to see?
What is the benefit of seeing our sinful nature?
Proverbs 30 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
When we know nothing good lives within us, we are free from the shame associated with our actions. Fear of shame is completely selfish. If I am shamed, how does that hurt people who don't even know me? You might even see shame as a great burden. Why would I not want to be shamed by others so they can feel good about themselves for not having done what I have done. When we have this humility, we are allowed to accept others' sins, because we know it is only by God's grace that we have not done the same. We allow the true source of love to come into our lives. It is only when we are eternally loved that we have the capability to avoid sin. It is only when we are not poverty stricken in love that we do not steal from false sources of love. It is only when we daily perceive our complete and utter brokenness that we avoid the snare of feeling rich in love so we do not take glory for ourselves, in our own pride, hence forgetting the Lord.
Does knowing we are broken sinners and God's restoration for our lives gives us full right to sin?
Galatians 6 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
Not particularly. If we knew the truth of God's plans for our lives, we would never sin. If we knew the lies laid in front of us, which cause sin to rise up within us, we would never follow sin's counsel. While we are forgiven, we still have consequences to our sin.
Even for those who see themselves as needing a Savior, can you see your own brokenness, daily? Can you accept that each and every day, you are completely battered and in need of His love? Will you allow your inner child to submit to feeling that powerless?
Monday, January 5, 2015
Saturday, January 3, 2015
3 Ways For You to be Innovative Even if You Don't Think of Yourself as Creative
1. We now live in the information age, where it seems everyone, everywhere is creating something new. More people on the planet have access to more information than ever before. With organizations like Khan Academy and Standford, promoting online education, people are capable of learning at much faster rates. Even this blog post is a sign that anyone anywhere can now create for the world to see. "You no longer have to create something new, there is already enough creation as it is. You can now add a new perspective to relate existing creations."
For instance, Aristotle came up with the four temperaments thousands of years ago: choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic and melancholy. We see these same redundant temperaments in a myriad of other personality tests: BANK (Action, Nurturing, Blueprint, Knowledge), DISC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Compliance), STAR (Action, Relationships, Stability/Structure, Theory/Technical), Workology (General, Cheerleader, Mediator, Number Cruncher).
Rather than re-creating that wheel, why not tie it into other theories. For example, to resolve conflict you might Compete (Fight), Collaborate, Accomodate or Avoid (Flight). In the middle of these is compromise. Do you see how conflict resolution is related to personality type? Likewise, Gary Chapman has a book called the "Five Love Languages" in which he introduces ways of expressing and receiving love: Quality Time, Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Acts of Service and Gifts. Another great book, by Gary Smalley, is "The DNA of Relationships", in which he introduces core fears people have. We could tie these two books together and make hypothesis. For instance, if someone was abandoned as a child, perhaps their greatest fear would be abandonment. This would probably lead to a need to spend quality time with people to confirm they are loved. You could begin to tie in fears with love languages and even possibly relate those to personality types. Do you see how fun this could get? And that is just relating three books! How much more information is out there? 2. "You don't have to be good at everything, you can recruit people who are good at everything." According to Jim Collins, who wrote, "From Good, to Great", the best leaders in the world, find a cause or mission and recruit people towards that cause.
If you are great at detail and follow through, why not partner with someone who can't get their bearings but is constantly coming up with new ideas. If you can help them see one of their dreams to fruition, your collaboration will be innovative.
3. "There is something that you can do that no one else in the world can do." Many people spend to much time focusing on their weaknesses. Take this as a rule of thumb: Spend 80 percent of the time developing your strengths. That will keep you accelerating. Spend 20 percent of your time developing your weaknesses. That will keep you from being slowed down.
I had a good friend of mine tell me about his son who in middle school competed nationally as a runner. Apparently, at the national level, there is much more interest in tri-atheletes. So my friends son learned how to swim. He was an amazing runner, a pretty good biker and a terrible swimmer. He would place in the twenties because his swim time was so slow. What he ended up doing was spending a little bit of time to get his swim time up to average. This minor change caused him to jump from placing in the twenties to within the top five!
Do what you love. Do what you were meant to do. Just spend some time once in a while checking your blind spots to make sure they aren't preventing you from achieving your full potential.
When you focus on your strengths, and focus on becoming the best in the world, you will naturally seem innovative and creative, simply because you stand in a class of your own.
This post was reposted from http://finlit.biz/business/3-ways-for-you-to-be-innovative-even-if-you-dont-think-of-yourself-as-creative/, originally written on July 11th, 2014.
Friday, January 2, 2015
The Law and Sin
Hypothesis: The only sins we can commit are listed in the ten commandments.
Exodus 20 1 And God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
I believe this list is complete and there is no need to include other potential sins such as masturbation or drunkenness. But I believe that those areas serve as guard rails to protect you from the sins above. For instance, lust can become an idol, adulterous or covetous. Drunkenness can lead to lack of judgement, which may lead to several of these sins.
I believe that not a single person living today can say that they have followed even these ten laws flawlessly. I would go as far to say that most people break one of these laws on a daily basis. If you believe you follow these daily, perhaps you suffer from pride, somehow crediting yourself for your choices and righteousness, in which case, I might argue you have made yourself a God, with no need for God himself. Truly, it is God in you that allows you to be lawful.
John Wooden, teaches his basketball players just to not lie, cheat or steal. Even with this limited list, I doubt many people can say they haven't lied, cheated or stolen.
I also believe that anyone is capable of breaking any of the ten commandments above. It is not because of our good nature that we don't break each commandment. It is only because of God's grace that we don't break each one.
First of all, God does not place us in a situation where we are powerless to avoid the sin. For example, suppose you were locked in a dungeon and given no food. Then, someone else's food was placed before you every hour and all you had to do was simply steal some to survive. Imagine no one would know except you. Could you really avoid stealing?
Second of all, God blesses us with our unique strengths so that we are less susceptible to certain sins. Have you ever wondered why the prodigal son never stole the pig's slop?
Hypothesis: Without knowledge of the law, people would never break the law.
Hypothesis: The key to following the law comes from looking beyond the law.
Matthew 36 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? 37 Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Romans 7 goes on to pose the question, "Is the law sinful?" In other words, if knowledge of the law causes us to break the law because we are sinners, wouldn't that mean we shouldn't teach the law? It says the law is useful to understand right from wrong, but it is not the key to following the law.
Many religions today focus on a laundry list of dos and don'ts. Our cities and states are filled with record breaking numbers of laws. Has creating more laws to cover every possible scenario been the key to making sure people follow the laws?
Mark 12:30-31, John 15:9-17 and Luke 10:27 also mention these two commandments.
So, image the speeding example. Have you noticed that when we perceive a threat, such as a rainy day or deer on the side of the road, that people will drive well below the speed limit. This is because people are focusing on staying safe, the spirit of the law.
Take pornography and the false sense of intimacy it promises in a fantasy land. Rather than focusing on the dos and don'ts, I have found much more ground gained when I focus on how I can strengthen my relationship with God or others.
Other Verses
Deuteronomy 6 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 20 In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?' 21 tell him: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.'
Romans 3 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 7 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Matthew 5 21 You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Exodus 20 1 And God spoke all these words: 2 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. 8 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 12 Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor. 18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.” 21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
I believe this list is complete and there is no need to include other potential sins such as masturbation or drunkenness. But I believe that those areas serve as guard rails to protect you from the sins above. For instance, lust can become an idol, adulterous or covetous. Drunkenness can lead to lack of judgement, which may lead to several of these sins.
I believe that not a single person living today can say that they have followed even these ten laws flawlessly. I would go as far to say that most people break one of these laws on a daily basis. If you believe you follow these daily, perhaps you suffer from pride, somehow crediting yourself for your choices and righteousness, in which case, I might argue you have made yourself a God, with no need for God himself. Truly, it is God in you that allows you to be lawful.
John Wooden, teaches his basketball players just to not lie, cheat or steal. Even with this limited list, I doubt many people can say they haven't lied, cheated or stolen.
I also believe that anyone is capable of breaking any of the ten commandments above. It is not because of our good nature that we don't break each commandment. It is only because of God's grace that we don't break each one.
First of all, God does not place us in a situation where we are powerless to avoid the sin. For example, suppose you were locked in a dungeon and given no food. Then, someone else's food was placed before you every hour and all you had to do was simply steal some to survive. Imagine no one would know except you. Could you really avoid stealing?
Second of all, God blesses us with our unique strengths so that we are less susceptible to certain sins. Have you ever wondered why the prodigal son never stole the pig's slop?
Hypothesis: Without knowledge of the law, people would never break the law.
Romans 7 1 Do you not know, brothers and sisters—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law has authority over someone only as long as that person lives? 2 For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law that binds her to him. 3 So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man. 4 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Some people might argue that even if people were not taught right from wrong, that they would still unintentionally sin. I don't believe this.
As a social experiment, if you have children, you might test this theory. You might develop new rules in the house such as "No pinching each other's pink finger", "No placing your shoes on top of each other", etc. You might develop ten house rules that your kids would never break. Then, teach them these rules everyday for a single month. And see if they break these rules.
Encouraging words like "Don't spill" or "Don't drop this" might actually trigger a young child to do just that.
Social scientists might say that people get what they focus on, whether positive or negative. Some might say that neural pathways are reinforced over and over, until the inevitable happens.
Have you ever wondered why Adam and Eve never committed any of the sins listed under the ten commandments? They were given one law to not eat from the fruit of the Tree of Life. That is the one the eventually was broken.
Have you ever wondered why people who worry about failing tests tend to be terrible test takers?
As an example, take speeding. When the speed limit sign was posted on the freeway, does it surprise you that more people began driving past the posted speed limit? Imagine the ones who wanted to follow this law. They would drive as close to the speed limit as possible without driving over it. Inevitably, they would eventually drive over the speed limit.
Personally, pornography has always been a struggle for me, because I find the female body to be captivating. As long as I told myself it was wrong to look at pornographic images, I would find myself inevitably destined to look. As long as this was a law in my mind, I would find myself doing anything and everything up to but not technically, not exactly looking at pornographic images. I would walk as close to this law as I could without falling over it. Then, inevitably, one day I would fall over.
Hypothesis: The key to following the law comes from looking beyond the law.
Matthew 36 Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? 37 Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
Romans 7 goes on to pose the question, "Is the law sinful?" In other words, if knowledge of the law causes us to break the law because we are sinners, wouldn't that mean we shouldn't teach the law? It says the law is useful to understand right from wrong, but it is not the key to following the law.
Many religions today focus on a laundry list of dos and don'ts. Our cities and states are filled with record breaking numbers of laws. Has creating more laws to cover every possible scenario been the key to making sure people follow the laws?
Mark 12:30-31, John 15:9-17 and Luke 10:27 also mention these two commandments.
So, image the speeding example. Have you noticed that when we perceive a threat, such as a rainy day or deer on the side of the road, that people will drive well below the speed limit. This is because people are focusing on staying safe, the spirit of the law.
Take pornography and the false sense of intimacy it promises in a fantasy land. Rather than focusing on the dos and don'ts, I have found much more ground gained when I focus on how I can strengthen my relationship with God or others.
Other Verses
Deuteronomy 6 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 20 In the future, when your son asks you, 'What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?' 21 tell him: 'We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 Before our eyes the Lord sent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. 23 But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. 24 The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. 25 And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.'
Romans 3 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Romans 7 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! Nevertheless, in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it used what is good to bring about my death, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful. 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Matthew 5 21 You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. 25 Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 27 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 31 It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ 34 But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)