words and actions

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Paul continues to remind the Thessalonians that his actions matched the gospel he proclaimed. He also praises them for hearing God's word well. Paul's message is a reminder for us in our evangelism. If our actions don't match our words, no one will listen. May we always grow in faith as we are nurtured by God's word.
blessings,
Sam

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13

⁹You remember our labor and toil, brothers and sisters; we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰You are witnesses, and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you believers. ¹¹As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his children, ¹²urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

¹³We also constantly give thanks to God for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is also at work in you believers.

living the faith

Good morning (or evening for you night owls) friends,
Today's reading from Jeremiah shows God telling the people to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Being God's people isn't just a privilege; it's also a responsibility. The temple in Jerusalem is God's special place to be with God's people, but for that to work the people have to invite God into their lives by living justly. Faith isn't just about how we worship; it's about how we live. If they oppress immigrants and take advantage of the vulnerable it's not going to do Israel any good to claim that they are God's people. We also see God wondering if the people will even turn God's temple into a den of thieves. The same accusation is familiar to most of us from Jesus' lips centuries later cleansing the temple of sold out ritual.

The challenge and invitation are ours as well. God wants to live with us, so we're called to show God's love in everything we do. When we do that the church is truly the house of God and our lives will shine like beacons of hope for the world. The promise is ours today and always.

God bless,
Sam


Jeremiah 7:1-11
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. 4Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.”

5For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, 6if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, 7then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.

8Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 9Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!” —only to go on doing all these abominations? 11Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? You know, I too am watching, says the Lord.