Ephesians 6:10-18

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

But the whole armor of God is more than just avoiding bad things aside from nutrition abuse.  In fact, God wants people to respect their body as a temple.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷ If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

Well, how can we apply this idea to modern times?  One way is by eliminating junk food, unclean air, toxic chemicals etc. from our life.   Now, of course, we can’t completely do this, and God understands, but to those who aware, God wants this done.

And this can’t eliminate the ultimate meeting with death, but it can greatly improve our lives.  It’s simple cause and effect.

Galatians 5:19-26

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

It’s not acceptable for someone walking in the light, living the abundant life (same thing) etc.  Anyway, there is this pro-bullying movement out there, saying people are too sensitive, but I think you can’t really apply what they’re saying to this situation.  I mean, a thick skin can only take so much.  Ultimately, if you’re around someone that doesn’t like you (and that’s the root cause), you need to leave the relationship and you should also leave a relationship where you don’t like someone.

So, what is the cause of the nitpicking?  Well, it’s a symptom of a relationship going downhill or perhaps the person never liked you to begin with.  That’s the reason for it.   And while enduring this stuff is acceptable for basic military training (to prepare for war), it’s not a good idea for a relationship with a boss, a marriage partner, a boyfriend/girlfriend situation, co-worker situation etc.

Note: It’s often possible to repair bad relationships, of course, but as dating sites suggest, abuse is a sign to get out while it’s being repaired or perhaps not being repaired.

Job 1:6-22

⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan^[a] also came among them. ⁷ The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ⁸ And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” ⁹ Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? ¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” ¹² And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

In the book of Job, Job and others are confused as to why such bad things are happening to him, but my take on it is that God is trying to show people that loyalty and love cannot be dependent on getting what you want.  Now, it is true that people do get blessed by serving God, but everything still doesn’t go their way.   There is no way it could.  There is often no way to stop natural disasters, to stop the fact that despite your good heart and effort many will not do right, the fact that everyone will die at some point, even the blessed.

And also, there is the fact that God would be hurt by feeling used.  For instance, that’s a problem with rich people.   Some rich people are just convinced that they’re only being loved for the money, and that’s probably true in most cases.   Anyway, though, it is true that to get the friendship and loyalty of people (your wife, for instance) you need to give, you need to provide, but that can’t always be the foundation for the relationship.  For instance, what about times when you can’t give and provide?  What about when you’re sick?

Ultimately, the ability to love people regardless of what you’re getting is a big part of loving a person or God.

1 John 4:4

4You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

In this world of bad news, it’s good to know you’re on the side overcoming the bad news.   However, you’re only on that side, if you’re living the life.

John 15:4 -7 “ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

But how can one abide in the vine?  It takes effort.  Well, the Parable of the Sower gives an idea of what effort is needed daily.

Mathew 13:1-8

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Basically, this is saying that if you can resist persecution (the rocky soil) and temptations of the world (the thorns), then you can be a successful Christian (the good soil).  It’s as simple as that, but not so simple.  As noted, it’s something requiring real effort.

 

 

 

 

Luke 7:36-50

³⁶ When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. ³⁸ As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

³⁹ When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

⁴⁰ Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

⁴¹ “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,^[a] and the other fifty. ⁴² Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

⁴³ Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

⁴⁴ Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. ⁴⁷ Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

⁴⁸ Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

⁴⁹ The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

⁵⁰ Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Again, we see a snooty Pharisee being blind to a person’s real change of heart.   But, of course, that’s not saying sometimes people can’t fake it, but we really don’t know someone’s intentions.

And this is not good news for the Pharisee because the problem with sin is in him, not the woman, and the penalty for sin (mortal sin) according to Jesus was severe.

Well, another deep thought about this was about the measure of gratitude.  The religious teacher was shocked at the display (maybe thinking it was fake), but Jesus pointed out that people who are forgiven more, are more thankful.

John 8:1-11

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2Early in the morning He went back into the temple courts.a All the people came to Him, and He sat down to teach them. 3The scribes and Pharisees, however, brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before them 4and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do You say?”

6They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.

7When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” 8And again He bent down and wrote on the ground.

9When they heard this,b they began to go away one by one, beginning with the older ones, until only Jesus was left, with the woman standing there. 10Then Jesus straightened upc and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers?d Has no one condemned you?”

11“No one, Lord,” she answered.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.”

The only people who could enforce rules in Jesus’ day justifiably were the holy, and the fact all these people walked away showed they weren’t holy, and it wasn’t a matter that they were sinless, as nobody is perfect, but they simply were not living the life of God.

Luke 14:1-6

One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. ² And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. ³ And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” ⁴ But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. ⁵ And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son^[a] or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” ⁶ And they could not reply to these things.

The problem with religious legalism is not difficult to understand.  One modern example would be breaking a car window to save a pet on hot summer’s day.  Another example is trespassing on someone’s property to save someone from a fire.   Anyway, it’s easy to see why there are reasons to break just laws.   That was what Jesus was saying in the above paragraph.

John 8:48-59

Before Abraham Was Born, I Am

48The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”

49“I do not have a demon,” Jesus replied, “but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50I do not seek My own glory. There is One who seeks it, and He is the Judge. 51Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

52“Now we know that You have a demon!” declared the Jews. “Abraham died, and so did the prophets, yet You say that anyone who keeps Your word will never taste death. 53Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, as did the prophets. Who do You claim to be?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory means nothing. The One who glorifies Me is My Father, of whom you say, ‘He is ourg God.’ 55You do not know Him, but I know Him. If I said I did not know Him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him, and I keep His word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see My day. He saw it and was glad.”

57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!h”

59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.i

The world is full of plenty of charlatans and snake-oil salesmen, but Jesus was not that!  He was the real deal.  The fact that the religious teachers of his time (generally speaking) could not see this was a testimony to the fact they had no salvation, and it showed in other ways besides simply not recognizing Jesus, a person who good with God – because he lived a holy life (in fact, one even with no sin at all, an exception among the holy).

And, ultimately, it can be said that those who reject something that is obviously holy, do not like what is holy.   These teachers were simply practicing a type of Judaism that was devoid of real holiness, something that is an imposter Judaism.

Luke 10:25-37

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’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]”

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^[c] 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.”

Sometimes we are not sure what real charity is, and the answer is clarified in Jesus’ answer to this expert’s question.   However, though, the hero being Samaritan would be quite shocking to someone of Jesus’ time, as Samaritans were thought of as an enemy of the Israelites, a lesser people than the Israelites (due to mixed ancestry Israeli/Pagan), and even Jesus was accused of being a Samaritan, as an insult.

John 8:48

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”

And the point of this parable was showing that real application of charity pleased God, not stuff that diluted by hatred and other things, and the religious teachers of his day had a problem with that.

Luke 14:1-6

One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. ² And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. ³ And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” ⁴ But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. ⁵ And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son^[a] or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” ⁶ And they could not reply to these things.

And in the verse above, Jesus is again stating that a real application of charity is needed, not stuff that is diluted and it is diluted in this case by religious legalism (taking the verses too literally without regard to loving your neighbor).

 

 

Matthew 5:40 “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”

It’s not worth it to harbor an attitude over small property, just like it’s not worth it to get upset over small insults.

Matthew 5:38-39

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^[a] 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.

These things are petty and are tiny in comparison to advancing God’s kingdom.