Considering Family Relationships Biblically

Speaking to the Eleven in the upper room, Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you love one another. By this will all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" John 13:34-35; NAS).

Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul expanded what such love looks like: "Love is patient; love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, helieves all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7; NAS).

But such love is not always perfected in us in this life, so we also need to hear these admonitions: "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.... Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation... If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Romans 12:9-13, 15, 18; NAS).

Paul included this in his letter to the Ephesians: "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32; NAS).

And this from Hebrews 12: "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees which are feeble; and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:11-14; NAS).

James stated this: "This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone ne quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God" (James 1:19-20; NAS).

And this encouragement from John's first letter: "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:1-3; NAS).

2015 Reflections, by Garry and Elizabeth

We were home more than on the road, unlike 2014. Garry continued to work for Grace to You on a contract basis. Elizabeth continued to write; her main blog is here at Tuesday's Slice of Bread.

Family milestones: In April, Elizabeth's Uncle Walt passed away. In May, Garry's brother-in-law John and John's twin brother Tom turned 70. In June, Elizabeth's Uncle Howard turned 90. In August, Elizabeth's mom turned 95, and later that month Elizabeth's Aunt Verla turned 80 (with a fine surprise party).

Church milestones: The church we are part of here welcomed more than a dozen new members, as well as hosting several conferences. Our pastor started a radio program in October ("The Truth Pulpit"). Our services are now livestreamed Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings from Truth Community Church. The church formally recognized its first six deacons in December, and they will join our three elders as church officers for 2016.

Here are some of Elizabeth's thoughts at this time of year:

From His birth, authorities sought His death;
Yet
Shepherds from near and wise men from far
Came, directed by angels and star,
To worship;
Jew and Gentile, called to His feet,
To spread His glory to all who would hear,\
To far and near--
Witnesses we still know of, though nameless to us,
Known by Him.

--see Matthew 1:18-23--

10 Days Before His Birth

10 days before His birth
Were Mary and Joseph
En route to Bethlehem?
Were they anticipating
Hospitality or hostility?
Perhaps they were
Occupied with this:
Their first born son
Was to be their Messiah.
Why are we not so
Occupied ourselves,
Not with hospitality,
Not with hostility,
But with this wonder:
Emmanuel: God with us.

Some Thoughts about the 10 Commandments

Exodus 20:1-17 (NAS):
"Then God spoke all of these words, saying, 'I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, our of the house of slavery.
You shall have no other gods before Me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness or what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.'"
(italics added by me)

Something our pastor said made me see the tenth of these commandments in a different light.

Coveting, when given reign, will inevitably lead to breaking the commandments against murder, adultery, theft, and false witness.

Coveting is a form of idolatry.

Coveting means we do not believe that the LORD our God and what He sees fit to either give us or withhold from us is or ever can be sufficient.

The tenth commandment covers all the heart sins that we so easily and lightly commit.

God at Work

God's work in the life of the believer begins with giving the believer life, faith, repentance, a thirst for righteousness, a desire for Christ-likeness, which were never there before.

Read Ephesians 2.

Corpses do not crave; there is spiritual silence in the grave of a dead heart.

Read 1 Corinthians 2:10-16.

God's work continues through His Spirit so the believer mourns now for sins which once were delightful; repentance for the same comes more and more easily, though sin/temptation dogs the believer day in and day out.

Read Romans 6.

God's work in the believer includes pruning in season so that they may bring forth more fruit to God's glory.

Read John 15 and Galatians 5:22-23.

God knows each believer more intimately than they know themselves, having chosen each from before the foundation and designed each for a special place in His church and kingdom.

Read Romans 8:28-30 and Romans 12.

God's work will never end, for God is eternal, though there will come a Day when all of His elect are made perfect. Perfected and finally sinless, believers will serve God with the greatest of love, joy, and peace--for eternity.