Saturday, January 31, 2015

PREPARE FOR IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5:27-30, Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20: 14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5: 18; 22:22; Song of Songs; Jeremiah 3: 8-9, Hosea 1-3; Mark 12: 18-27, Matthew 18: 8-9; Mark 9: 42-47. Exodus 20: 14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5: 18; 22:22; Song of Songs; Jeremiah 3: 8-9, Hosea 1-3; Mark 12: 18-27, Matthew 18: 8-9; Mark 9: 42-47.

Here are scripture passages to review today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.

Matthew 5:27-30 (NIV)
Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.




Exodus 20:14 (NIV)
14 “You shall not commit adultery.


Leviticus 20:10 (NIV)
“‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.


Deuteronomy 5:18 (NIV)
18 “You shall not commit adultery.


Deuteronomy 22:22 (NIV)
If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.



Song of Songs 1 (NIV)
She
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Friends
We rejoice and delight in you;
we will praise your love more than wine.
She
How right they are to adore you!

5 Dark am I, yet lovely,
daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the tent curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends
8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
He
9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
She
12 While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.
He
15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.
She
16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
He
17 The beams of our house are cedars;
our rafters are firs.



Jeremiah 3:8-9 (NIV)
8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.





Mark 12:18-27 (NIV)
Marriage at the Resurrection

18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”



Matthew 18:8-9 (NIV)
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.



Matthew 18:8-9 (NIV)
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

PRAY IT! Mountain5

Matthew 5:27-30.  The Sermon on the Mount continues.  Can you picture yourself there, in the crowd, listening to Jesus?

Lust!

Well, Jesus has either gotten the people’s attention, "Oh that Jesus is bringing up all kinds of hot-button issues!" or the crowd is feeling awkward and looking up at the sky or down at their feet…at anywhere but Jesus.  "Oh, Jesus, you can't talk about that... I mean, come on Jesus, my grandma is standing right next to me...!"  Which camp would you fall in?

Regardless of how you’d envision yourself responding if you were listening to Jesus give this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, we all need to keep our attention focused on Jesus as we continue on our Sermon on the Mount journey together. 

As we focus our prayers together this week, PoC, we are going to “back up the bus” so-to-speak, and look at Matthew 4 to help form our prayers this week as we prepare for Sunday’s message.

In Matthew 4, prior to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, we read how He began His ministry and called His disciples.  Prior to that, in Matthew 4:1-11, we read how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. 

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus fasted. 
When He was tempted, Jesus responded with Scripture.  He responded with humility.  He responded with a correct view of His Father.

Whether it's anger or lust or divorce, or anything found in the Sermon on the Mount, this is a really, really good response to look to as a model for help. 
We live in a noisy world – so many things vying for our attention.  People like to talk and give their opinions, solicited or not.  Compliments, criticisms, thoughts and general “ponderments”, down-right mean things… in-person, radio, TV, social media… it can go from opinions to requests.  Buy this… buy that… do this… do that… time is running out!  Nothing else will do!  Again, it has the potential to be noisy and exhausting. 
Lust is just one example of many, many things that someone, somewhere, is trying to use to be a competitive voice in our heads, attempting to reinforce the notion that what we have isn’t satisfying and what they offer is. 

As we pray and prepare our hearts for Sunday, PoC, we need to quiet the voices.  Whether it feels like a thousand voices, or just one quiet whisper suggesting that we know better than God and can provide better for ourselves than God can... we need to walk together in the power of God's strength and say "HUSH!" 

Romans 16:20 states that "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."

Oh yeah!  Sounds good to me.

This week we will be challenged to choose love (for God and others) over lust.  Some questions to ponder in our quiet time with God prior to Sunday:
Am I being led by the Holy Spirit? 
Am I spending time in God's presence?
Am I focused on Jesus?
Do I have a correct view of God?
Am I trusting God to meet my needs, or do I think I could do a better job?
What voices do I need quieted so that I can better hear from God?

Dear Jesus,
Please help me.

Please help me quiet any voice except for Yours.  Please help me to focus on You and hear You clearly, to lean in and trust You completely, and to prepare to choose love over lust.  Please have mercy on me and cleanse me from my sin.  Jesus, help me to depend on You.
Amen.

PoC, see you Sunday at 9:30am for prayer, 10am for worship.  We are so blessed to be able to do life together.  Your pastors love you and are praying for you!

Pastor Celia

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

EXPLORE IT - Matthew 5:27-30

Matthew 5:27-30   "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery. 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

The Jewish community of Jesus’ day would be very conversant with The Ten Commandments.  They would recognize the need to honor their father and mother, they would know not to steal, and they would identify Jesus’ use of the Seventh Commandment, “Do not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14).  The Rabbis of the day were teaching a very narrow definition of this commandment.  As long as their students were not participating in the act of adultery, they were considered within the Law.  Others believed that while the commandment refers to adultery and not fornication, it only pertained to those who were married.
While our culture today leans away from the Seventh Commandment, Jesus encourages us to lean into it.  If someone walks by us and we notice they are attractive, that’s not the sin.  Its human nature to notice beauty.  The sin comes in when we allow our mind to wander and think about what it would be like to spend time with that person, what it would be like to be intimate with that person.
Our culture thrives on lust and sex in TV, movies, music, books, magazines…everywhere.  Jesus sees this as so destructive, He encourages us to identify what leads us down this path and cut it off!  In other words, if something you look at or read causes you to lust, don’t look at it.  If there is a kind of music that encourages you to lust, don’t listen to it.  If there are place you go or things you do that take your mind down this path, don’t go there and don’t do them.
We are called to be Holy as God is Holy.  We are to be set apart and be different from the culture of the world.  We are to, “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).  We must be on guard, keeping our thoughts in line with what God would have us think about.  Even if lust hasn’t been a concern lately, temptation rears its head when we least expect it!
We all need to identify our areas of weakness, what things, people, or places lead us to lustful thinking?  What do we need to do to cut these out of our lives so we can live according to God’s direction?
Blessings,
Pastor Amy

Monday, January 26, 2015

READ IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 27-30,Genesis 1-2; Exodus 20: 14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5: 18; 22:22; Song of Songs; Jeremiah 3: 8-9, Hosea 1-3; Mark 12: 18-27, Matthew 18: 8-9; Mark 9: 42-47. Exodus 20: 14; Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 5: 18; 22:22; Song of Songs; Jeremiah 3: 8-9, Hosea 1-3; Mark 12: 18-27, Matthew 18: 8-9; Mark 9: 42-47.

Here are scripture passages to study this week to help us prepare for the next lesson from the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew 5:27-30 (NIV)

Adultery

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’[a] 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.



Exodus 20:14 (NIV)
14 “You shall not commit adultery.


Leviticus 20:10 (NIV)
“‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.


Deuteronomy 5:18 (NIV)
18 “You shall not commit adultery.


Deuteronomy 22:22 (NIV)
If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.



Song of Songs 1 (NIV)
She
2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth—
for your love is more delightful than wine.
3 Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes;
your name is like perfume poured out.
No wonder the young women love you!
4 Take me away with you—let us hurry!
Let the king bring me into his chambers.

Friends
We rejoice and delight in you;
we will praise your love more than wine.
She
How right they are to adore you!

5 Dark am I, yet lovely,
daughters of Jerusalem,
dark like the tents of Kedar,
like the tent curtains of Solomon.
6 Do not stare at me because I am dark,
because I am darkened by the sun.
My mother’s sons were angry with me
and made me take care of the vineyards;
my own vineyard I had to neglect.
7 Tell me, you whom I love,
where you graze your flock
and where you rest your sheep at midday.
Why should I be like a veiled woman
beside the flocks of your friends?
Friends
8 If you do not know, most beautiful of women,
follow the tracks of the sheep
and graze your young goats
by the tents of the shepherds.
He
9 I liken you, my darling, to a mare
among Pharaoh’s chariot horses.
10 Your cheeks are beautiful with earrings,
your neck with strings of jewels.
11 We will make you earrings of gold,
studded with silver.
She
12 While the king was at his table,
my perfume spread its fragrance.
13 My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh
resting between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms
from the vineyards of En Gedi.
He
15 How beautiful you are, my darling!
Oh, how beautiful!
Your eyes are doves.
She
16 How handsome you are, my beloved!
Oh, how charming!
And our bed is verdant.
He
17 The beams of our house are cedars;
our rafters are firs.



Jeremiah 3:8-9 (NIV)
8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery. 9 Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stone and wood.





Mark 12:18-27 (NIV)
Marriage at the Resurrection

18 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 26 Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”



Matthew 18:8-9 (NIV)
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.



Matthew 18:8-9 (NIV)
8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

PREPARE FOR IT! - MOUNTAIN5 - Matthew 5: 21-26, Genesis 4: 9:6; Exodus 20: 13; Numbers 35: 16-34; Deuteronomy 5: 17; 19: 1-14; Mark 1: 41; Ephesians 4: 26, 31

Here are scripture passages to review today in preparation for tomorrow's sermon.


Matthew 5:21-26 (NIV)
Murder“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.


Exodus 20:13 (NIV)

“You shall not murder.

Numbers 35:16-34 (NIV)

16 “‘If anyone strikes someone a fatal blow with an iron object, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 17 Or if anyone is holding a stone and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 18 Or if anyone is holding a wooden object and strikes someone a fatal blow with it, that person is a murderer; the murderer is to be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when the avenger comes upon the murderer, the avenger shall put the murderer to death. 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at them intentionally so that they die 21 or if out of enmity one person hits another with their fist so that the other dies, that person is to be put to death; that person is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

22 “‘But if without enmity someone suddenly pushes another or throws something at them unintentionally 23 or, without seeing them, drops on them a stone heavy enough to kill them, and they die, then since that other person was not an enemy and no harm was intended, 24 the assembly must judge between the accused and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send the accused back to the city of refuge to which they fled. The accused must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointedwith the holy oil.

26 “‘But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which they fled27 and the avenger of blood finds them outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28 The accused must stay in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may they return to their own property.

29 “‘This is to have the force of law for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.

30 “‘Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.

31 “‘Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

32 “‘Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow them to go back and live on their own land before the death of the high priest.

33 “‘Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.’”


Deuteronomy 5:17 (NIV)

17 “You shall not murder.


Deuteronomy 19:1-14 (NIV)

Cities of Refuge


19 When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.

4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

8 If the Lord your God enlarges your territory, as he promised on oath to your ancestors, and gives you the whole land he promised them, 9 because you carefully follow all these laws I command you today—to love the Lord your God and to walk always in obedience to him—then you are to set aside three more cities. 10 Do this so that innocent blood will not be shed in your land, which the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance, and so that you will not be guilty of bloodshed.

11 But if out of hate someone lies in wait, assaults and kills a neighbor, and then flees to one of these cities, 12 the killer shall be sent for by the town elders, be brought back from the city, and be handed over to the avenger of blood to die. 13 Show no pity. You must purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, so that it may go well with you.

14 Do not move your neighbor’s boundary stone set up by your predecessors in the inheritance you receive in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess.


Mark 1:41 (NIV)

41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”


Ephesians 4:26 (NIV)


26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,



Ephesians 4:31 (NIV)

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

Friday, January 23, 2015

Living on Mission, Held to a Higher Standard

Living on Mission, Held to a Higher Standard

We all know that it’s wrong to murder. Even though that’s been pretty clear since Cain and Abel, God went ahead and wrote it down for Moses in the 10 Commandments. Not murdering became the standard and it remained the standard until Jesus came on the scene and raised the bar.

In our passage this week (Matthew 5:21-26,) Jesus tells His followers that not murdering is not enough. He expects more. He expects a lot more. He wants us to go beyond not murdering to reconciliation.

Yikes! That’s a tall order. Not murdering was hard enough (ask Cain,) but now you want me to go all the way to reconciliation?

People can do amazing things – but we are limited. We can’t see our own forehead (without a mirror.) We can’t make ourselves taller. We can’t stick a watermelon in our ear. You know what else we can’t do? We can’t reconcile a relationship while harboring anger/bitterness/rage in our hearts. If that stuff remains in our hearts we’re not meeting Jesus’ standard – He said we’d still be subject to judgment.

So, how do we meet Jesus’ higher standard? We are unable to do this in our own power. But check out Ephesians 4:31-32, Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:31-32) Kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness. Now THAT sounds like a recipe for reconciliation! It’s a recipe powered by the Holy Spirit. We must remember and embrace the love that purchased our forgiveness and allow that same power to work through us toward others. This is the heart of our mission.

Let’s practice Living on Mission and live according to a higher standard as people of reconciliation.


Pastor Angela

Thursday, January 22, 2015

PRAY IT! Mountain5

In this week's wonderful passage, Matthew 5:21-26, Jesus emphasizes the importance of reconciliation in a BIG way.  He steps up the bar, suggesting that to simply NOT murder your fellow man or woman is not enough for the people of God.  We need to not be angry with them.

The grudge?  It's gotta go.
The unresolved ick?  Time to resolve it.
The "I'm not angry, I'm removed and indifferent, and that's okay..."? Yeah... no.
The "rightful" chip on our shoulder?  Buh-bye. 

We need reconciliation.  It's not simply enough to not do harm... we need to go and do good... to do restorative, loving, life-giving and affirming work.  (Hmmm sounds like Jesus!)  This is the calling of the children of God.

Jesus even goes so far as to suggest that if we have a relationship that needs reconciling, we go take care of the matter promptly first, and then we can get back to offering up ourselves to God, etc.  It sounds pretty important to me if it's so important to Jesus that He suggests our altar time should be put on hold to go engage in some reconciliation.  So... it's a big deal!  We can't get to loving and productive things if anger is in the way.

PoC - as we pray through this passage today, let us pray with Psalm 139:23 in mind:  "Search me, God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts."

Are you angry?
Do you have unresolved conflict?
Is there some reconciliation that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to attend to?

Let us pray today that collectively, we can all respond to the Holy Spirit's prompting, and engage in the loving and restorative acts that we are called to do.  Let us pray that we can respond as Jesus suggested:  quickly.  Let us pray today that as a result of our obedience (to reconcile, to let the anger go, and to replace it with God-generated love) men, women, boys, and girls will come to know Jesus for who He really is as a result of our obedience. 

Anger/grudges/conflict/meanness/bitterness etc. can be so easy to hold on to.  We can mistakenly think of it as some kind of right, or some kind of prize, or some kind of badge of honor.  Yet, at the end of the day, anger is not fun.  It zaps our energy.  It steals our focus.  And it accomplishes nothing for the Kingdom of God.  Sometimes we like to think being angry accomplishes a lot... that it fixes and changes circumstances.  But it does not. 

I think prayer accomplishes things for God's Kingdom.  And love.  So let's start there.

Dear Jesus,
Thank you for leading with love, and leading us to be children of God who model being slow to anger and quick to love our neighbors.  Please draw to mind anger that needs to be let go, and relationships that need to be restored.  Please help us surrender to Your commands quickly and whole-heartedly.  Please help replace anger with true love.  Please provide healing to the hurts we were angry about as we trust You in this step of obedience.  We love you and we trust that nothing is wasted.  We ask You to use all of this to draw people closer to You than ever before.  Show us Your glory. 
Amen.

Pray loud.  Pray bold.  Don't wait your turn.

Join us for prayer at 9:30am on Sunday, prior to worship at 10am.

See you Sunday.

Pastor Celia

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Anger Issues”

Supplies: Bible

SHARE 
So, when was the last time you got angry?  Be honest.  Was it yesterday?  A few days ago? This morning?  Now?  Do you remember what set you off?  Maybe it was a family member getting in your space?  Or someone at school or work mistreating you?  Was it something monumental, like the injustice of human trafficking?  Or was it something kind of minor, like the injustice of that guy cutting you off in traffic?  Are you the kind of person who loses their cool easily, or does it take a lot to push your buttons?    What are you like when it comes to anger? Share with each other some of your answers to these questions.

Anger is one of those weird emotions.  I’d certainly categorize it as a negative emotion, and yet, often, getting angry feels pretty good.  Blowing up at someone can have the give the same satisfaction as scratching an itch.  And once you do that, it becomes almost addictive.  We feel “right” being angry, so we stoke those embers and keep that grudge smoldering for a good long while.  Right?  Where does anger fir in the Christian experience?

READ
Over the next several weeks, we will hear Jesus address some hot topics we wrestle with in discipleship, starting with the issue of anger.  Read Matthew 5:21-26 together.

THINK
I love that Jesus starts with murder.  The sixth commandment is often our go-to standard for “acceptable” living.  “Well, I haven’t murdered anyone, so I can’t be that bad.”  Seriously, is that really the rule we want to measure ourselves with—as long as you’re not homicidal, you’re ok?  This is the point where Jesus calls us to start living on a higher plane than what has become the standard rule of thumb.  It’s not just about managing any murderous tendencies, it’s about managing the root cause of those feelings: anger.  

Now Jesus does not say we should never experience anger.  Certain things should anger us, like sin or injustice.  But Jesus points out that what we need to be wary of is anger fostered in or harbored for people in our lives, in particular our brothers and sisters in faith.  Yes, sometimes someone does something that gets under your skin.  What we want to do in those situations is deal with the emotions.  Unprocessed anger is a lot like moisture in an enclosed space.  At first glance, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.  It’s just water—give it time and it will evaporate, no problem.  Wrong!  Water in an enclosed space becomes the perfect home for mold and mildew.  Just leave a damp washcloth in a Ziploc bag for a couple of days and you’ll smell what I mean.  At first glance, anger doesn't seem like any big deal.  It’ll die down after a bit, right?  Wrong!  If we don’t deal with our anger, if we don’t bring it out into the open and talk about what’s going on, it becomes the perfect home for bitterness, resentment and sin.

Jesus witnessed so much sin and injustice around Him, and yet what He modeled was not fierce anger over and over, but honesty led with love.  He didn’t hold on to grudges or pop off at anyone who crossed His path.  He valued the other person and their relationship more than any indignations He may have felt.   Jesus chose to confront the sins He saw openly and with a desire for healing and repentance, not punishment or vengeance.  That’s our model, friends.

APPLY
So where’s your anger at today?  Are you dealing with some unresolved issues?  Is there someone (or a couple of someone’s) who have been living in your angry crosshairs lately?  If so, now’s the time to deal with it.  It could be you need to have a chat and talk about some things, bring the source of your anger out into the open.  Maybe you just need to let go and move on.  Perhaps you’re not the angry one but the one who has caused anger in someone else.  These verses tell us that if someone else is angry and keeping it confined, we should go and start the conversation to bring the issue to light.  Take some time to talk about your “anger issues” with each other and brainstorm ways you can begin to follow Jesus’ lead in keeping anger at bay in our lives and in our hearts.

PRAY
Thank you, God, for loving us.  When we look around and see all of the sin and disobedience in the world, we would understand if you had a holy tantrum.  Yet, your choose to love us.  Help Guide us to lead with love, to open up in honesty, and to give grace.  Give us the courage to let go of our anger and lead with love.  In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

REPLY

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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

EXPLORE IT - Matthew 5:21-26

In our culture today, it is common to teasingly call each other names – idiot, stupid, dork, and the like are used as friendly jabs as we roll our eyes at one another.  In our passage today, we learn that calling someone names is as great an offense as murder.  Scholars believe ‘raca’ to be similar to a word in Aramaic that is translated ‘empty’ and is used as an insult on someone’s intelligence.  It seems to be similar to calling someone ‘empty-headed,’ ‘nitwit,’ blockhead,’ or ‘bonehead.’  The other word in our passage, 'fool', is used seven times in the Greek text of the Gospel of Matthew.  This word holds both moral and religious overtones and is applied to those who are foolish because they deny God’s existence.  The word 'raca' shows contempt for someone’s head while 'fool' reveals scorn for someone’s heart/character.

Angry thoughts and slighting words may never lead to murder, but God sees them as equal.  Words are very powerful.  Oftentimes our thoughts, looks, and words lead us down paths we never intend.  Our passage encourages us to go immediately and make amends, even leaving worship behind for a few moments in order to set relationships aright (Matthew 5:23-24).  This is more important to God than continuing to stumble through worship when our thoughts are elsewhere, being angry with someone and not completely focusing on God.

Who in your life do you need to make amends with?  Maybe you need to make a phone call, immediately!  Or maybe a well thought out letter would be a healthier way to reach out.  Prayerfully consider what next steps God has for you as you reach out for reconciliation, your eternity may just depend on it.

Blessings,
Pastor Amy

Saturday, January 17, 2015

PREPARE FOR IT! - READ IT - Matthew 5: 17-20, Exodus 19-24; Deuteronomy 5-8; Jeremiah 31:31; Hebrews

Here are scripture passages to review today to help us prepare for the tomorrow's sermon.

Matthew 5:17-20 (NIV)
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.


Exodus 19-24 (NIV)
On the first day of the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on that very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain.

Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine,you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.

And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lordwill come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”

After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”

On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire.The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountaintrembled violently. As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”

Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”

The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”

So Moses went down to the people and told them.

And God spoke all these words:


“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.

“‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you. If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it. And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’

“These are the laws you are to set before them:

“If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free.

“But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.

“If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do. If she does not please the master who has selected her for himself, he must let her be redeemed. He has no right to sell her to foreigners, because he has broken faith with her.If he selects her for his son, he must grant her the rights of a daughter. If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights.If he does not provide her with these three things, she is to go free, without any payment of money.

“Anyone who strikes a person with a fatal blow is to be put to death. However, if it is not done intentionally, but God lets it happen, they are to flee to a place I will designate. But if anyone schemes and kills someone deliberately, that person is to be taken from my altar and put to death.

“Anyone who attacks their father or mother is to be put to death.

“Anyone who kidnaps someone is to be put to death, whether the victim has been sold or is still in the kidnapper’s possession.

“Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.

“If people quarrel and one person hits another with a stone or with their fist and the victim does not die but is confined to bed, the one who struck the blow will not be held liable if the other can get up and walk around outside with a staff; however, the guilty party must pay the injured person for any loss of time and see that the victim is completely healed.

“Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property.

“If people are fighting and hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demandsand the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

“An owner who hits a male or female slave in the eye and destroys it must let the slave go free to compensate for the eye. And an owner who knocks out the tooth of a male or female slave must let the slave go free to compensate for the tooth.

“If a bull gores a man or woman to death, the bull is to be stoned to death, and its meat must not be eaten. But the owner of the bull will not be held responsible. If, however, the bull has had the habit of goring and the owner has been warned but has not kept it penned up and it kills a man or woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner also is to be put to death. However, if payment is demanded, the owner may redeem his life by the payment of whatever is demanded. This law also applies if the bull gores a son or daughter. If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.

“If anyone uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it, the one who opened the pit must pay the owner for the loss and take the dead animal in exchange.

“If anyone’s bull injures someone else’s bull and it dies, the two parties are to sell the live one and divide both the money and the dead animal equally. However, if it was known that the bull had the habit of goring, yet the owner did not keep it penned up, the owner must pay, animal for animal, and take the dead animal in exchange.

“Whoever steals an ox or a sheep and slaughters it or sells it must pay back five head of cattle for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.

“If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed; but if it happens after sunrise, the defender is guilty of bloodshed.

“Anyone who steals must certainly make restitution, but if they have nothing, they must be sold to pay for their theft. If the stolen animal is found alive in their possession—whether ox or donkey or sheep—they must pay back double.

“If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.

“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.

“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to the other.

“If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.

“If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

“Do not allow a sorceress to live.

“Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal is to be put to death.

“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.

“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset, because that cloak is the only covering your neighbor has. What else can they sleep in? When they cry out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

“Do not hold back offerings from your granaries or your vats.

“You must give me the firstborn of your sons. Do the same with your cattle and your sheep. Let them stay with their mothers for seven days, but give them to me on the eighth day.

“You are to be my holy people. So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts;throw it to the dogs.

“Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

“Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

“If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it.

“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits. Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

“Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the innocent.

“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.

“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.

“Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.

“Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

“Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field.

“Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.

“Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.

“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.

“The fat of my festival offerings must not be kept until morning.

“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.

“Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

“See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. Pay attention to him and listen to what he says. Do not rebel against him; he will not forgive your rebellion, since my Name is in him. If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you. My angel will go ahead of you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites and Jebusites, and I will wipe them out. Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow their practices.You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you, and none will miscarry or be barren in your land. I will give you a full life span.

“I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.

“I will establish your borders from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea, and from the desert to the Euphrates River. I will give into your hands the people who live in the land, and you will drive them out before you. Do not make a covenant with them or with their gods. Do not let them live in your land or they will cause you to sin against me, because the worship of their gods will certainly be a snare to you.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu,and seventy of the elders of Israel. You are to worship at a distance, but Moses alone is to approach the Lord; the others must not come near. And the people may not come up with him.”

When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.” Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashedagainst the altar. Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”

Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.

The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction.”

Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God. He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.”

When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lordsettled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the Lordlooked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights.


Deuteronomy 5-8 (NIV)
Moses summoned all Israel and said:

Hear, Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them. The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. It was not with our ancestors that the Lord made this covenant, but with us, with all of us who are alive here today. The Lord spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain. (At that time I stood between the Lord and you to declare to you the word of the Lord, because you were afraid of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before me.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty handand an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

“You shall not murder.

“You shall not commit adultery.

“You shall not steal.

“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

These are the commandments the Lord proclaimed in a loud voice to your whole assembly there on the mountain from out of the fire, the cloud and the deep darkness; and he added nothing more. Then he wrote them on two stone tablets and gave them to me.

When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was ablaze with fire, all the leaders of your tribes and your elders came to me. And you said, “The Lord our God has shown us his glory and his majesty, and we have heard his voice from the fire. Today we have seen that a person can live even if God speaks with them. But now, why should we die? This great fire will consume us, and we will die if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any longer. For what mortal has ever heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and survived? Go near and listen to all that the Lord our God says.Then tell us whatever the Lord our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”

The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, “I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

“Go, tell them to return to their tents. But you stay here with me so that I may give you all the commands, decrees and laws you are to teach them to follow in the land I am giving them to possess.”

So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you,so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build,houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not put the Lord your God to the test as you did at Massah. Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you. Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.

In the future, when your son asks you, “What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the Lord our God has commanded you?” tell him: “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Before our eyes the Lordsent signs and wonders—great and terrible—on Egypt and Pharaoh and his whole household. But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. The Lord commanded us to obey all these decrees and to fear the Lord our God, so that we might always prosper and be kept alive, as is the case today. And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites,Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— and when the Lordyour God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy. Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. This is what you are to do to them: Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols in the fire. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God,keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments. But


those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction;
he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him.

Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today.

If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. The Lord will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you. You must destroy all the peoples the Lord your God gives over to you. Do not look on them with pity and do not serve their gods, for that will be a snare to you.

You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the Lord your God brought you out. The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear.


Jeremiah 31:31 (NIV)
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.