Today we gathered together in the living room and kitchen after our meal and this quote was shared,
“Hold loosely the things of this life, so that if God requires them of you, it will be easy to let them go.” -Corrie Ten Boom
Then some of us prayed, and we were all encouraged by what that might look like to be willing to let our riches go, whether it be them being taken from us, or us going somewhere we don’t have them. We agreed that if we are to have material prosperity in this life in order to have it rightly we must be willing to let it go. Job was mentioned how he had lost everything, even his own health but he did not lose God in his suffering. We also thought about how we will be given crowns one day only to cast them down at the feet of the King of Kings, and that is not a burden but a joy because the joy is in Christ not the crown. Then we sang and song with these lyrics:
“Jesus, have my heart, my will, my soulJesus, have my hopes, my dreams, my worldWith joy, I lay it downWith joy, I cast my crownsJesus, have it all”
Then we prayed for the needs of those suffering both physical and spiritual, words of comfort and petition were offered for each one who had need, and for those who were absent. After this we broke bread and shared the cup not only to remind ourselves but to remind the Lord to return for us his Bride.
After all this we had the teaching time.
First Colossians 3:5-17 was shared with us and we were urged that in order to put on love there are things we must put to death also, and that for everything God tells us to put off he has something better for us to put on.
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (ESV)
Then we read the letter of 1 John all the way through and discussed the parts which stood out to us, one part that was especially emphasized was the comparison between light and darkness and love and hate. We mentioned also how we are so good at over complicating what God has actually made quite simple. We were also told to keep ourselves from idols. It all came down to two things, belief in him, and love for one another,
“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” 1 John 3:23
and how if this alone if done it is sufficient.
May this summary be and encouragement to you this week.
2/16/25
