From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Tue, Feb 27, 2024 at 6:01 AM

Subject: 2-27-24 THOUGHTS

2-27-24   THOUGHTS

Rom 12:16   Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  Our reading this morning speaks to this Romans 12 idea.  Partiality and personal favoritism are not part of God’s idea of love!  It is human nature for us to like some folks better than others. Cliques and social isolation are quite something else.  Love is careful to extend itself!  The eyes of true love see everyone!  Compassion must go beyond our comfort zone.  Php 2:2-3 “make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  3  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;”  

Jas 2:1-9     My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2  For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes,  3  and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, "You sit here in a good place," and you say to the poor man, "You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,"  4  have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? 5  Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6  But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court?  7  Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?  8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well. 9  But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
Prov 19:17    One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.
Luke 14:13-14    "But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,  14  and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

My Prayer:
Father, help us to learn the hard lessons of your eternal wisdom.  Help us to pursue love to the maturity of the ideas in Your word.  We’ve read some of those just now, Lord.  Take us to the fullness of Your love.  May we love each soul You have created and placed in our sphere of life.   May Jesus be magnified by our speech and living.  We pray in His name,    Amen.