Luke

Hey loves!  As you know, we've been going through the book of Luke at church since the beginning of the year.  I've tried to focus a lot of my time with God in this book to try and get as much out of it as possible.  But for the past week, i haven't been able to get past Luke 6.  Every time i try to move on, something moves me back to read it again and again.  I challenge you to spend some time reading and digesting it (especially the message version...my gosh, it's so good in the message version).  It's changing and shaping the way i view my walk with Christ as well as the way i view and love others.

Luke 6:32 and 33 say this:
"If you love those you love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.  If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?  For even sinners do the same."

These verses have been stepping on my toes the past few days.  As a Christian I've made a commitment to live completely for God.  And that means laying aside myself..my "rights" as i've so often thought of them. That means doing what it takes to further His name and the gospel of His good news.  That He's come for the hurting and the lonely.  That those who don't think they have a hope in the world can find that they have everything they've ever needed in Him.  That he was tortured and bled and died so that we can be forgiven of our own selfish sins.
Luke goes on to say in verse 35 that "He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men".  That's ME. How can i not pass on the love that he's given to me to those that have in no way hurt or harmed me the way that I do when I sin against the God whose son was crucified so that I may live?

So this is the challenge that I'm taking up...and i encourage you to consider it as well.  1 Thessalonians 5 says this:
"Rejoice always; Pray without ceasing;  in everything give thanks;...abstain from every form of evil."

This is my thought.  The average Christian rejoices...but God calls us to rejoice always.  Most of us pray...but God calls us to pray without ceasing.  It's common to give thanks...but God calls us to give thanks in everything.  The basic believer wants to refrain from evil...but again, God tells us to abstain from every form of evil.

Why does he ask us to do these things?  It all comes down to two very simple truths.
1.  God wants us.  All of us.  With all of our problems and fears and all that sin that we come with.  But he doesn't want us to stay that way.  He wants us to accept his love and to grow closer to Him each day because of the love He's lavished on us.
2.  He wants us to show to others the love that has so greatly changed us.  He calls us to go out into the world, but to be different.  To love those that hurt us.  To pray for those that persecute us. To rejoice always, in every situation.  To run from every form of evil.  To love a broken world that does not yet know the love of Christ.

So sweet girls, i urge you...draw near to him...devour his word.  let it become something you can't go a day without.  let his love change you..from the inside out. and then show that love to those who don't know it.  to those that hurt you and cut you down.  to those that you would normally never talk to...that the world would never normally talk to.  and all the while..rejoice always, pray unceasingly, give thanks in everything and run from every single form of evil.

I love you girls much!  Please, let Callie and I know your thoughts on this.  And on ways that the Lord is challenging you.  We want so much to know the ways He's growing you.


Becca