Love God Love One Another

What is most important to you? Where do you put your trust? You may have a multitude of loyalties...and this could be worth thinking about. For what are you most thankful? and from where does that provision originate? This Thanksgiving week is a good time to reflect. #UnconditionalLove #GiveThanks #messiahyl

A loneliness epidemic is a potential outcome of fear, pandemic distancing, and separation. Being given to each other is God's plan for satisfying our community and relationship needs. We belong to God and we belong to each other. #HolidayBlues #WeNeverStandAlone #DoingLifeTogether #messiahyl

Who may stand in the presence of the Lord?...anyone who's heart is pure and walk is blameless. And who is that? Although we are not righteous on our own, through Jesus, we are graciously allowed to walk humbly with God. Having received this gift, we are called to share grace with others. Even while a sinner we are simultaneously holy. Thanks to all the saints in our life that have helped us grow. #GospelLove #Unstuck #AllSaints #messiahyl

If we put our hearts into it, we can continue to be reformed by the nature of God's grace. Can you see we are presently in another period of great reformation? The fellowship of the church is transforming to be relational; shedding fear, guilt, and shame. Where is your heart today? Put your treasure into the center of what delights God and your heart (and life's joy) will surely follow. #YouAreLoved #Reformation #MendingHearts #messiahyl

Unseen surface issues are sometimes symptoms of deeper ones. Love of money and focused personal attainment of the things it can buy are widely #trending. Yet, how do we learn to do the right thing? God's antidote is giving. God has two guidelines for this: generously and cheerfully. Giving is a window into the condition of our heart. On a scale of emergent to extravagant giving, where are you now? #MoveRight #Overflow #BeGenerousInEveryWay #messiahyl

Are your efforts today primarily anchored on satisfying your needs and wants? To God, why we strive and how we steward are of greater importance. Do we carry a long-view that matches Jesus' perspective? We are made for goodness...for caretaking a big table. #LiveIn3D #CircleUp #messiahyl

How did you acquire that? Was it a gift? Did you earn it? Who gave you the talent to create it? Whose stuff is it anyway? Life has its start in creation. God brings to life everything that exists, including us, and our abilities to participate in the process. Sufficient providence and selfless stewardship is God's plan for learning to love God and love one another. #GodsStuff #ForGodToUse #messiahyl

Witnessing is an action that takes two intentions: be, ourselves, refreshed by Jesus (the Living Water) and let the Holy Spirit bubble up and out through us. Our living testimony is a witness how Jesus loved us and how he came to save the world. We can help people take steps toward God—from the launchpad of basic doctrine and a relationship with Jesus. #KnowGod #BelieveGod #ShareTheGoodNews #messiahyl

How can we live into the future serving people in the same way Jesus did? With cues from Paul's letter we learn to remember, believe, keep from stumbling, have peace, and find joy in our purpose. #GoServeOthers #InLove #messiahyl

Peace to the people! Shalom is a word for today. The church shouldn't live in the past striving to maintain things "as we imagined they were." History shows we (and those times) were actually never that remarkable. Thankfully, God's long-standing promises to His wandering people includes presence and peace...not as a condition of performance—but because of his loving care for us. Jesus says, "Love others as I have loved you." #UpInOut #Shalom #messiahyl

Like the the power we need to charge our electronic devices, our lives need a source of renewable energy. As Christians we have available power which comes from the Holy Spirit. With this energy we have the capacity to be both faithful and do the good works God has for us. #PlugIn #PowerToLove #HolySpirit #messiahyl

Becoming aware of a shoulder tap by God is a step towards overcoming ineffectual indifference. Following these nudges and intuitions are a means to bless others and receive surprising joy. Showing God's love to others is a bridge over chasms between God's intention and our opportunity. #OpenGates #BridgeTheGaps #LoveOneAnother #messiahyl

In the parable of the Prodigal Son, who is more reckless and extravagant?...is it the son? or the father? Understanding the initial listener's perspective of (and our own affinity with) the jealous older brother (wwhhhaat?) is the twist that makes this redemption story most helpful. #WelcomeHome #ProdigalLove #messaihyl

Who is NOT my neighbor? The twist to the story of the Good Samaritan is not that religious people have to make moral choices between traditions and compassion. It is that our neighbor is everyone...even our "good" enemy. We must take down the curtains that separate us...live this day compassionate of heart, clear in word, gracious in awareness, courageous in thought, and generous in love. #RemoveTheCurtains #BeCompassionate #messiahyl

$9B is clearly a lot of money. Our sins are a debt of that size...an impossible scenario, something we could never repay. And it's not just pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, we cannot do it! ($9B!) It is only God's love that fully forgives our debt. In light of the mercy we have received, we should act transformed. How will you respond? #UnforgivingServant #DontBeThatGuy #messiahyl

The kingdom of God is a treasure of great value. It can be found in places where you least expect it...and it can also be found by diligent search. Both modes reveal that the love of God is closer than you often know. On discovery, it is worth everything to secure it! #HappyTreasureHunting #FindGodsPresence #messiahyl

It's important not to "resist the twist." Parables are collections of narratives and metaphors that tell us about the Kingdom of God. The smallness of a tiny seed is not the point of the Mustard Seed parable. It is, rather, the juxtaposition of what it becomes. What's "tangible" here is learning the supernatural abundance of God's love and power. #DontResistTheTwist #OurGodIsGreat #messiahyl

Jesus said, "My family are those who hear the Word of God and do it." So, how do we DO the Word of God? The key is hearing and learning God's Word and then letting the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit guide us to a more loving life—a life centered on becoming more like Jesus. #IAmAChild #GuidedByTheSpirit #messiahyl

Have you ever been in a fog? Unclear pathway? or in dark times? Jesus gives us His light. He said, "I am the light of the world....whoever follows me will not walk in darkness." Parables teach in tangible ways. #LampOnAStand #Tangible #messiahyl

How would it be if, today on our country's day of independence celebration, we thought less about contest and rivalries, profits and politics, winners and sinners, and more about helping and giving, mending and blending, reaching out and pitching in? #OnTheSideOfGod #messiahyl