Backstabbers and Christians

October 18, 2018

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Michael Smith

Lord,

I'll be honest, they are some days I feel like not even getting out of bed. The way to the world seems to be on my shoulders and I can't bear to pick it up. It feels like everyone who should be with me is against me. It is especially in these times that I need your grace. Sometimes it is easy to think that I am all alone, but I am not for you are always with me. Help me in this day, and in all my days to come, to turn to you for my strength. May your love and grace penetrate my soul so that it may radiate from my heart to others in need. 

In Jesus Christ name I pray,

Amen. 

2 Timothy 4:10-17b

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

Oddly, I can identify with what Paul is writing here. Sometimes the path the Christian is extremely difficult. Sometimes it so difficult that may one may wish to give up. Those who we thought had are back, turn out to be the same people who would choose to put a knife in it. But I've come to realize this, but the devil can work through those closest to us. There have been several times in my life where I have been close to giving up on my faith, or at least practicing it boldly. It's at times like these where I remember a line from a TV show that I used to watch. It goes something like this, "son know that if they're shooting at you, you're probably doing something right..." The devil wants nothing more than for good to Christians, so that they do not become better Christians and bring others into the faith. As Christians it's obvious that it's easy for us to disagree. Make no doubts that our division often comes as a temptation from the devil. We must be strong and we must love each other. Where the devil tries to divide us and persecute us, we must come together, and love and share that love which comes from God, with each other. 

 

Luke 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, 'Peace to this household.'
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"

I have read this passage several times, and thing that strikes me today, is that Jesus sent them out with no money. In this day and age it would seem completely ridiculous to go out on a journey without any money. But when I sit and ponder this point it comes clear to me that as a Christian I should rely completely on God. So often we go out into the world and we trying to be self-sufficient. I heard a sermon recently on how we should take the self, out of self sufficient. If I have learned anything as a Christian, I have learned that I should rely on God, for good things come from him. Not that I can't do good things, but I am easily swayed to do evil. When I do good it is because of God's influence, so I should rely on him 24/7. When I try to rely on myself not only do I separate myself from God and his love, but I am also working alone outside my true source of love. In this state I am weak and vulnerable, I am easily tempted info pray to sin. I should rely on God always because he will always give me what I need. I laugh to myself, because often I am frustrated because they do not have what I want, and often what I want is not what I truly need. I tried to remind myself daily bed everything That happens in my life is a gift from God. That yes, even tragedy, is a gift from God. All things that God allows a light in my path is to help me to become the Saint I am made to be. So as I go out into this day, I will look to God for strength and I will look towards my fellow Christians for community. For I am not made to live in this life alone. I am made to love God and all I meet, with all my mind, heart, soul and strength and to share the good news of the gospel so those that are lost may find the way home to heaven. 

And that's all I got to say about that. 

Reflections: 10/16/2018

Refections of the Day 10/13/2018

How to Believe?

Jesus,

I love you so very much. I remember what my life was like when you were not in it. I remember how I held you at arms length. I remember how I felt cold and alone. Remember how I tried to consumes things of this world, but nothing satisfied. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for not giving up on me. There are so many I'm my brothers and sisters in the world who are lost, Cold, and alone. I offer up on my works ,joys, sufferings and happiness of this day to those who do not have you in their lives. May you shine brightly for them and may they come to you, meet you and experience your love. I asked that you this Still on them the grace to have great faith, so that they may find their place in this world and live with you in eternity in heaven forever more.

 

In Jesus Christ name I pray,

Amen. 

 

Galatians 3:7-14

Brothers and sisters:
Realize that it is those who have faith
who are children of Abraham.
Scripture, which saw in advance that God
would justify the Gentiles by faith,
foretold the good news to Abraham, saying,
Through you shall all the nations be blessed.
Consequently, those who have faith are blessed
along with Abraham who had faith.
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, Cursed be everyone
who does not persevere in doing all the things
written in the book of the law.
And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear,
for the one who is righteous by faith will live.
But the law does not depend on faith;
rather, the one who does these things will live by them.
Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us,
for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,
that the blessing of Abraham might be extended
to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus,
so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

How to believe? As I ponder the question it seems so daunting, but on some lows it seems so simple. It's simple now because I have faith, I do believe. But I can also recall the days, when I did not have Jesus in my life. At the time I thought life was okay. I had a good job, I had friends and I had the comforts of a modern, worldly lifestyle. Truth was though, I was hollow and I was broken. I was not satisfied. I was overweight (and I still am) and I ate for pleasure hoping that I might just eat enough to be happy. I drink way too much alcohol. Part of me thought that alcohol made me feel free. When I was, "under the influence" I was numb to all my worries of the world. I was blind to the fact though that I was slave and that I was burying my head in the sand. I had friends who I cared for, and I think they cared for me, but I'll be honest I use people. I used people to make me feel good about myself by being in their company. I had no true compassion for them. Worst of all I use the beautiful woman that I met as things instead of seeing them as the beautiful daughters of our Lord that they are. In these days something kept stirring inside of me. Deep down I knew something wasn't right, and when I allowed myself to be honest with myself, I acknowledged I was truly not happy. I had tried it all, what else was there to do.  I will never forget that night, sitting in my living room, all alone. I had nowhere else to go so I prayed to that Jesus guy that I'd heard of so much. I suppose I was lucky, drying up my grandmother and my mother made sure that I made it to church nearly every Sunday. At any rate, it was probably the most bumbling yet honest prayer I ever made. True that prayer I opened my heart, mind, eyes and years the word and love of God. It was a long road, and really I'm still on it. I am better than I once was, but I am still a sinner.  Each day I go out and I do my best to do God's will. When I fall I get up, I repent and I do penance. Most importantly I go through my days looking to love others and constantly opening my heart to God through prayer in all that I do. 

 

Luke 11:15-26

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said:
"By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons,
he drives out demons."
Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven.
But he knew their thoughts and said to them,
"Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste
and house will fall against house.
And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?
For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons.
If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul,
by whom do your own people drive them out?
Therefore they will be your judges.
But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons,
then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
When a strong man fully armed guards his palace,
his possessions are safe.
But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him,
he takes away the armor on which he relied
and distributes the spoils.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

"When an unclean spirit goes out of someone,
it roams through arid regions searching for rest
but, finding none, it says,
'I shall return to my home from which I came.'
But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order.
Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits
more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there,
and the last condition of that man is worse than the first."

I read these lines and I can't help but think of the division amongst the people surrounding Jesus. Some saw him as the Christ and excepted him as such. For others who thought that they were already on a good path we're challenged, and I'm sure to agree, scared. I don't know what I would do if I met Jesus. I'm sure once I realized I was literally standing in front of the man it was the son of Christ, I would fall to my knees, kiss his feet and begging for mercy. But I have to be honest, upon first meeting Jesus Christ and the flesh I would probably be skeptical. I don't know that I would ask for a sign if I had been standing there and witnessed Jesus expel a demon from someone. However, I would probably listen to his words intently, to try and decipher for myself if this indeed was the son of God, and if so what does that mean. All that said and done what does the scripture mean to me today?  First, it says to me that we are too easily divided as a people and God wishes to unite us in love. Secondly, the devil and his minions are constantly on the prowl to divide us. We are week when we are alone. The Devil knows this and that is why he wants to divide us from each other so that he can easily pick us off one by one and damn us each to hell. Third, we will become or rather consumed by what we open our hearts to. If we open our hearts to the world, the devil and his lies, that is what we will become. If we open our hearts to God and to love that is what we will become. Lastly, God is not going to give us "proof". Probably because he realizes that even if he gave us the most undeniable proof on the face of planet there would still be people who would doubt. The greatest gift God has given us is our free will. God lets us choose. We are not animals that live by instinct. And we are not slaves forced to love. God opens his heart to us and is willing to freely give us the gift of grace and faith so that we may become stronger in his ways, live a life on this earth filled with happiness peace and love, and if we choose Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and are baptized in the water and of the Spirit we'll get to live with God forever and ever in heaven. So how do we believe? It starts simply by opening our hearts, allowing God to come in and finally by trusting him and following his ways. 

And that's all I got to say about that.