Sonshine!

Do everything in love. I Corinthians 16:14

When I was a teenager, believing I held all the answers to the universe and adults just didn’t get it, I sang a song in youth group that averred, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” THIS is the only thing I had right. Beginning at home with my siblings, to the bully in the hallway, to the children across the globe, behind ‘The Wall’, whom I blamed for complex issues we were all too young and innocent to comprehend. My love, or lack of, defined me then and does today. It isn’t an option, it is the single element of Christian character.

Love means no agenda regarding expectation for reciprocity, just a call to share the mind of Christ in all things. If you like lists, as I do, here is one: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) And don’t forget to be humble, protect others dignity, give up the need for vengeance, and preserve trust and hope with faithful…….LOVE! (I Cor. 13)

LOVE, 

Gretchen

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8

Paul is reiterating his point that the Law fulfilled, the New Covenant, is founded on love for God and fellow man, not meaningless or resented obligation and legalism. Love does not keep a ledger or balance sheet, it is an endless fountain of blessings, but the maintenance of this life does have a monetary stamp on it, and Christians are expected to ethically meet their civic and financial obligations. There is blessing to be found in this too. We are representatives of The Kingdom. Give abundantly and be faithful to those who are dependent on your patronage and payment. 

Paying my bills,

Gretchen

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8

The church was only about 35 years old. Nero’s persecution of Christians was severe in and around Rome, but was not widely spread except, he encouraged Christianity’s enemies across the Empire to take every advantage to abuse at the slightest pretext. This letter was born shortly after Paul’s martyrdom and just before Peter himself was executed for his faith. Its purpose? To encourage and shore up forbearance under extreme difficulty and remember Christ’s work was fulfilled through suffering. 

Christians are referred to Pilgrims, a people on a trip through strange and foreign lands headed to a hope filled land. In that frame, we know suffering is part of the journey to our eternal home with Christ.

Along the way, when suffering brings despair, in weakness, a brotherhood can quickly turn to competitive positioning for earthly authority and false security. Peter’s call is for us to honor all men but fervently uphold one another, for Christian love is the supreme virtue of a life. It is The One Thing We Cannot Survive Without!!! 

Loving you,

Gretchen

A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Proverbs 17:17

Living in community is not an easy task at times. The book of Proverbs, Biblical Wisdom Literature, is a guide to constructive cohabitation, as a family and a citizen of planet earth. 

If you need to reference love, reread I Corinthians 13:4-7 and in this context, remember, Jesus is the perfect model of love and friendship is the standard for relationship. True friendship is not predicated on circumstances, but on a higher purpose and character. God created a humanity that cannot survive alone, but is also instructed to exist in healthy connections. No matter what your mental smack talk suggests, you need others and others need you. 

Love, 

Gretchen 

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

The infinity of God is a truth that boggles the mind. God always was and always will be. He does not exist in linear time, He created it. Therefore, it is His to administer as He pleases to bring glory to Himself.

So what does an all powerful God do with time? He makes everything beautiful.

From the moment you became a being you entered into eternity. Eternal life doesn’t happen when you give your heart to Jesus, your residence just changes and you begin to grow more beautiful with each passing day.

Love,

Gretchen

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgement. II Timothy 1:7

Paul wrote this letter to his partner in missionary/ministry work while he was imprisoned in Rome awaiting execution. Nero, Rome’s demented ruler burned the city to the ground in order to rebuild it to his liking, but he blamed the Christians, led by Paul, for offending other gods with an exclusive worship. Nero’s persecution was brutal beyond imagination and this is the background for his last writing, a letter to Timothy.

The Spirit God gives is His very own, the promised advocate and helper. Paul is very concerned that the horrible injustices will discourage the growth of Christianity and personal growth of believers. Paul had seen Christ and was forever changed. He doesn’t want to depart this world short of assuring those who come behind that the Holy Spirit is enough, the only resource needed, to see  every believer through whatever this evil world sends their way. What a great testimony.

May all who come behind me find me faithful! 

Gretchen

Love is patient. Love is kind. I Corinthians 13:4a

Love, THE defining essence, quality, attribute of God, Creator, Redeemer, Giver of life, Grace and Mercy. It is word/concept abused, tossed negligently to manipulate and control, and is grievously misunderstood. So, God does what God does. He inspired Paul to clear things up with a bold indisputable model of this most important verb. 

I love the way The Message translates this passage, so I will leave it here. If what you see, experience or even do, does not align with this, it’s time to reflect and correct. 

4-7. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when other grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back but keeps on going to the end. Love never dies. 

L.O.V.E.

Gretchen

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17

Words from Paul to the Church in Rome that began on the day of Pentecost when Jerusalem was full of travelers from all over the vast Empire. Isn’t God’s timing miraculously perfect? This letter is the Gospel to the world, both Jew and Gentile. It was written from Corinth and sent just before Paul left to take an offering to the persecuted Jewish converts in Jerusalem. He was prepared to be martyred and so he left this profound work, to the Capital of the World, to explain the nature of the Good News of Christ.

Faith is the foundation of Christian conversion and victorious living because the nature of man cannot live up to God’s Law or Holy nature on their own. It is Christ’s goodness Mercy and Grace that provide a defense for each of us and we can stand before God and be declared ‘Not Guilty’ for the sins we have committed, but have been forgiven of. 

Those who solely depended of Jewish Law to provide access to salvation were stumbling blocks to the Gospel. They believed they were justified because of their traditions and they misrepresented God’s purpose, but Paul knows, a small portion of faith unleashed will open our hearts to hear Christ’s message of salvation and call to glorify His name in and through everything we do.

Love,

Gretchen

Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. I Corinthians 16:13

These words are part of the conclusion to Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth. (Letter number one has been lost to the ages.) A commercial metropolis of Greece, it was one of the largest, richest and most important cities of the Roman Empire. Paul had stayed in this city a year and a half and founded one of the greatest early churches in the shadow of Athenian polytheism and philosophy. Even so, this group struggled with factions, immorality, offerings to idols, abuses of sacraments, false prophets, marital problems and worship behavior. 

Paul addresses all the above, but it took a very short time for people with personal agendas to see this new and influential group as a networking opportunity and steer the church and its leaders into politics. Paul warns strongly against this. The Works of God are not for the kingdoms on earth, but for the Kingdom in man’s heart. We are called to remain strong in faith in the power of Jesus’ love that brought about His sacrificial death and resurrection, and be courageous in delivering a true Gospel of truth and peace. Keep your eye on the Kingdom of Heaven and don’t be distracted by the kingdoms of earth that will disappoint and pass away.

In Strength, 

Gretchen

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. Matthew 21:22

These words, in red, are the ending phrase of the event of the withering fig tree. On His way back to Jerusalem, Jesus sought fruit from a fig tree to appease His hunger. It had no fruit, just lovely leaves. With the disciples as witnesses, Jesus declared the tree would never bear fruit. The verse above is the reiteration of His divine power over all things and judgement on the unfruitful. 

There are two words within this verse that are extremely important, “In Prayer.” Our faith, and our desired outcomes, must be aligned with God’s will and purpose. When these two things are in place, the impossible is no more and there will be a miraculous recognition of God’s presence, perfect wisdom and flawless timing in all things. 

We seek many things, but the simple desire of the pure heart is peace, harmony, well-being and contentment. I ask, how much of this is settled in a prayer of faith to Him who is All Knowing and All Mighty?

May you find rest in faith,

Gretchen