Month: February 2026

The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. I Timothy 1:5

Love, a pure heart, good conscience, sincere faith. These are the things that bring personal Holiness; a complete lack of personal agenda and total submission to God’s will.

Love what God loves, seek the goodness of His Kingdom, sleep well in the peace of doing good and know that God has your life in His Hands.

Timothy has been sent to teach the Truth in the face of false teaching. Their message was tainted with a hidden agenda, but the world cannot argue with God’s perfect, selfless love.

When in doubt, and there will be times you will be, just love. Let God carry the burden of theology……who’s right, who’s wrong….. you just love. It will reveal who’s side you are on while cultivating a faith of perfect peace.

Happy Thursday,

Gretchen

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psalm 32:1

We are Blessed! Eternal life has already begun for those whose sins are forgiven. Remember, Jesus died so we didn’t have to!!!

Have a great Day!
Love,

Gretchen

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. Colossians 2:16

Tradition is the living faith of the dead, traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. – Jaroslav Pelikan.

Paul is speaking to a congregation of new converts, gentiles, not Jews. Up until the resurrection Jewish people depended on strict adherence to Levitical law for guidance in religious behavior. But Jesus taught that Loving God above all else and your neighbor as yourself, (Mark 12:28-34) was the key to the Kingdom of Heaven.

With the break from tradition, people were offended and arguments ensued. (Read all of Col. 2. It’s really good!)

Tradition can guide us forward, but Jesus did not sacrifice Himself on a cruel cross to assure that we worship twice on Sunday and once through the week with three songs each service, a forty minute sermon, an offering in the middle and pot roast for dinner. Yes, the Sabbath is Holy, it is a time set aside for the exclusive acknowledgement of the ONE that gave His Son, and the Son that gave His life. That is love! There’s nothing traditional about that!

Do not be held hostage by traditionalism. It is not faith. Instead be an advocate and conduit of unconditional love in action.

Have a great Tuesday!

Gretchen

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. 1 Corinthians 6:19

Corinth was a bustling metropolis, one of the top five busiest towns in the Roman empire at the time of Paul’s missionary trip there. Located between the Aegean and Adriatic seas with ports on each, Corinth was the crossroad of a diverse world. These people lived with gusto, they were on the move, pagan worship was the order of the day, they understood the significance and reverence of a temple.

Paul had been preaching a gospel of love rather than law. His listeners were converted gentiles with very little knowledge of God much less Holy living. ‘Anything goes’ was the extent of their ethical and moral teaching. So Paul explains, there is a tremendous difference between being free to do anything and freely doing everything! Where is the balance between privilege and detriment?

God’s design for your life is beautiful and uncomplicated. Satan certainly wants to clutter things up with emotional, spiritual and physical baggage. However, God saves, sanctifies and makes Holy your body and soul thus creating a perfect dwelling place, a temple, for His Spirit.

Holiness is simply the absence of sin. God won’t, can’t, dwell with sin as a housemate. If you long to live Holy then you are not your own. Let God’s Holiness fill the spaces of your life so completely that there is no room for anything but His precious, powerful Spirit.

Love,

Gretchen