Make Every Effort: A Neo-Command

A Summer Joy on Son-Day!

The Porcine Prowler: Jo's search for the 

perfect BBQ at Ribfest 2024

In His wisdom, the Lord  divinely scripted a motion action reality relationship. The plot: the players who bear His image of godliness would have the heavens orbit around their  love for two scores and 4 years. The couple  will never go  off script and their commitment to the Life-writer would align with the third Heaven.  Per, the only critic who matters, "the resulting reality has been nothing but showers of bliss".  What a blessing! Thank you, Lord.  Thank you Jo. 

[The Creator/Executive Producer and Jo, Player, take a bow].

Make Every Effort: A Neo-Command

Billions of people adhere to the tenets of the 10 commandments either knowingly and by coincidence.  They do so because it is practical.  They provide a base for civility and morality.  For instance, a biggie tenet is "Thou shall not kill".  It is an essential directive found in nearly all law codes across the planet.  This law works for us and we follow it without question.

The Old Testament has the 10 commandments that direct us how to live with each other.  Remember, the first murder was kin on kin.  The New Testament has commandments as well.  At the core of these new directives is "love your neighbor".  The neo-commandments are about love and service.  

I point you to 2 Peter 1:5-9 

Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 And with godliness, brotherly kindness: and with brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

This passage is a verb commandment, you must add to your personality kindness among other service qualities.  Again kindness is your inner goodness played out with others.

You may be saying why is there an emphasis on goodness and kindness in this message.  People are generally good.  I tell you the truth, if that is the case, the Lord would not have issued any commandments.  And I am not being negative.

Many mean actions come in micro-aggressions or selfish acts.  Situations where a kind word or action, or an inconvenient helping of the hand would do wonders for someone.  Sometimes we will use our beliefs to disguise our unwillingness to serve.  Here is a common response to not helping someone when the potential is there for you to do so . . . "What brother!  Wow, I am so sorry,  I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU".   The Lord is saying------------------ Don't get it twisted!

[Insert: James 2:17  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  For the old school KJVers, Faith without works is dead]

These passages my friends, are a call to take the commandments to heart, not just as rules to follow, but as a framework for relationships marked by compassion and generosity.

God made Missouri and He is saying "Show Me and Show Me".  Meaning show some love and show them Me, for I am Love

1 John 4:7-8 

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

God’s desire is for us to be His hands and feet in this world, illustrating that Love is not just a feeling, but a series of choices and actions that demonstrate His love to others.

 Song of the Week  Hallelujah! Sing a New Song to GOD. Sing HIS praise in the assembly of godly people. Psalm 149:1.

"[Here] Is Holy", May 2023,  Transformation Worship.

Please do not listen to this song unless you put aside all distraction and within your inner spirit you are willing to close your eyes and lay before the Lord and await His presence.  You lay this foundation, He will minister to you.

Lyrics

Now it's here

And I have a place

I'm lost in you

But found in your grace

Life's exhausting

I'm slowing the pace

So I can hear from you

Hmmhmm

My words are weak

(Your word's enough)

Your word is enough

(And when it feels like)

My faith is failing

(Even when my faith is failing)

I still feel your heart

(So I am exchanging)

So I'm exchanging

(Every burden for yours)

Every burden for yours

(I wanna hear, I need to hear)

So I can hear from you

(One word from you, Lord)

This is my sanctuary

Here I can rest in you

My anchor

My foundation

I build my life on you

This is my sanctuary

I put my trust in you

My anchor

My foundation

I build my life on you

(Cos right here)

Here is holy

(Oh oh oh oh oh

Right here)

Here is holy

(My words are weak)

My words are weak

(Your word is enough)

Your word is enough

(My faith is failing)

My faith is failing

(But you never looked down on me)

I still feel your heart

(You meet me right where I am)

So I'm exchanging

(My burden for yours)

Every burden for yours

(Every heart, every word, every word)

So I can hear from you

(I wanna hear that still small voice)

(Oh, here I am)

This is my sanctuary

(Right here)

Here I can rest in you

(My anchor)

My anchor

My foundation

(My foundation)

I build my life on you

(Right here)

This is my sanctuary

I put my trust in you

(Cos you are my anchor

You are my savior)

My anchor, my foundation

I build my life on you

(I build my life on you)

This is my sanctuary

(This is my sanctuary)

Here I can rest in you

(I will rest in you)

My anchor, my foundation

(You're my shelter)

I build my life on you

(Here is holy)

This is my sanctuary

(Lord you're worthy)

I put my trust in you

My anchor, my foundation

I build my life on you

(Cos right here)

Here is holy

(Lord we wait on you, patiently

Right here)

Here is holy

My storms won't shake me

My anchor holds

This firm foundation

Your holy home

Your holy home

My storms won't shake me

My anchor holds

(You're my anchor in the storm)

This firm foundation

Your holy home

Your holy name

Your holy name

Your holy name

(My holy home is right here)

Here is holy

(I need you to know that right here)

Here is holy

My storms won't shake me

My anchor holds

This firm foundation

Your holy home

Your holy name

Your holy name

Your holy name

(Right here)

Here is holy

(Here is holy, where you're at is holy)

(Cos right here)

Here is holy

(You're my holy home

You're my safe place I can always face

All I'm saying right here)

Here is holy

(Storm doesn't mean you did anything wrong

You can't run away from the storm

Right here)

Here is holy

Where you at is holy

Where you at is holy...

(Here is holy)