A Faithful Community

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Colossians 1:9-14 (The Message)
 ^9-12Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.
 ^13-14God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

For Reflection:
For over 2000 years the Church in Jesus Christ has endured through trials and persecutions and hardships of its own making.  It continues to stumble into righteousness.  But for all its faults, the Church in all its forms is the beacon of truth in a troubled confused world.  It is the residing place of believers.  God continues to work through the fellowship of believers to establish His Kingdom on Earth. 

Pray as Paul does, for the a church through which the Grace of God can flow to all peoples.

Paul's Faithful Service

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Colossians 1:24-29 (The Message)

 ^24-25I want you to know how glad I am that it's me sitting here in this jail and not you. There's a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church's part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God's way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.
 ^26-29This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it's out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. It's that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

For Reflection:
What is this profound common sense?  What does it mean to bring another to maturity.  Can you describe a mature believer?  What characteristics does he/she possess?

Pray that you use your energy to lead people to ever increasing maturity in Christ.  Pray that you listen to your inner Christ.

Christ Holds It All Together

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Colossians 1:15-23 (The Message)

Christ Holds It All Together

 ^15-18We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.  ^18-20He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
 ^21-23You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.

For Reflection: You and I are an example of what God does.  He has reconciled us and given us the means to return to his side.  What has God done for you lately? Answer, He has given all that he has and more than we can comprehend. We are holy in his presence. 

Praise God!  Sing a song in His name.  Celebrate the good news!  Dance and revel in His glory. See with hopeful eyes.  Become a living sacrifice -- a conduit for God's grace.

Trustworthy Stewards

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 (The Message)
^1-4Don't imagine us leaders to be something we aren't. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them. The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge. It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don't even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless. I'm not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn't mean much. The Master makes that judgment.
 ⁵So don't get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the "Well done!" of God.

For Reflection: Leaders are servants of Christ -- guides to the secrets of God.  How reliable is your guidance, how accurate your knowledge?  Have you, like Paul, given up your concept of yourself and in its place housed God?  What seems to be important is what motivates us, our purpose and our prayers.  Only God is capable of judging us.  We cannot.

Pray that you have made yourself a residing place for God.  Give thanks for the opportunity to guide others to trust in the Lord.  Pray that you refrain from judging yourself and others.  Pray so that you can listen to the God inside you.

The Glory of God in Christ

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (The Message)

Trial and Torture

 ^1-2Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we're not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don't maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don't twist God's Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.  ^3-4If our Message is obscure to anyone, it's not because we're holding back in any way. No, it's because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won't have to bother believing a Truth they can't see. They're stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we'll ever get.
 ^5-6Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.

For Reflection:      It is easy (when it is easy).  But, what about when it is difficult?  The latest expression of a standard for modern society is transparency.  Today's citizens want government to be transparent; hospitals to be transparent; banks, and all sorts of institutions to be transparent.  It is a statement of a chronic lack of trust.  We figure if we can see it all, perhaps we can have faith in whatever institution is transparent.
     Maybe that is what Paul is talking about.  If the gift of God that resides in Christians is so easily visible that anyone who sees can not help but recognize the goodness and compassion and saving grace of God, how could it be ignored?   To what extent do you reject game playing, manipulation, and spinning the truth? To what extent to our words and actions express the authentic response to a gracious God?  To what extent do you "Light up the darkness?"  To what extent is your commitment to Jesus Christ transparent?

Pray that in all you say and do you reflect the living Lord, the Spirit that lives inside you and drives your every thought and action.  Pray that others are not blinded by fashionable sense and an inability to recognize Christ as the true presence of God.

Humility and Hospitality

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Luke 14:7-14 (The Message)
Invite the Misfits
 ^7-9He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.
 ^10-11"When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
 ^12-14Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people."

For Reflection:
The new and quite popular TV show, Glee, is in large part, about the success of misfits. In our life we will encounter and occasionally become misfits.  While teaching and coaching speech students at Marshall University our forensics team won national championship standing with students who other faculty thought were misfits.  Our team of speakers and actors were always under pressure from some faculty to add the "popular" or in some people's mind "more gifted" student to replace others.

To what extent do you appreciate and embrace the misfits?  Do you avoid association with misfits?  Give it up!  You are a misfit too.  There is room in God's community for all. The gift of God's Kingdom is that we are all misfits.

Pray for those who suffer under the criticism of others.  Pray for those whose only measure of themselves is realized by diminishing others.  Pray that you will be come a blessing and be blessed by embracing and appreciating all people.

Ministry to All

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

Matthew 25:31-40 (The Message)

The Sheep and the Goats

 ^31-33"When he finally arrives, blazing in beauty and all his angels with him, the Son of Man will take his place on his glorious throne. Then all the nations will be arranged before him and he will sort the people out, much as a shepherd sorts out sheep and goats, putting sheep to his right and goats to his left.  ^34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:

   I was hungry and you fed me,
   I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
   I was homeless and you gave me a room,
   I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
   I was sick and you stopped to visit,
   I was in prison and you came to me.'
 ^37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.

For Reflection: Could it be that we are not just made in God's image, but also, God lives in us all?  It is so difficult to live our human existence with out the temptation of judging others.  Each of us is in need in one way or another.  Serving each other, believer or not, is serving God.  How are you your Master's servant?

Pray that we seek opportunities to minister to others and that we never fail to recognize and feed the Holy Spirit in all people.

King of the Nations

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Revelation 15:3-4 (The Message)
^2-4I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb:

   Mighty your acts and marvelous,
      O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
   Righteous your ways and true,
      King of the nations!
   Who can fail to fear you, God,
      give glory to your Name?
   Because you and you only are holy,
      all nations will come and worship you,
      because they see your judgments are right.


For Reflection:
Oh boy! These images are so difficult!  I hesitate to comment.  But, here goes.  I think this is a vision of hope. People whom God has chosen and those who have chosen Him are purified in his presence.  They seem to stand triumphant singing songs of praise and fearless commitment.  They have seen the rightness in God's path and act as a beacon from  which no one who sees can avoid recognizing the power and truth and nurturing judgment of God.  So, there! What do you think?

Pray that all nations will see the truth of Gods hand in the world.  Pray that the whole world finds hope and an end to suffering and fear.

Come and Learn God's Ways

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

Isaiah 2:1-4 (The Message)

Climb God's Mountain

 ^1-5 The Message Isaiah got regarding Judah and Jerusalem:
There's a day coming when the mountain of God's House
Will be The Mountain—
   solid, towering over all mountains.
All nations will river toward it,
   people from all over set out for it.
They'll say, "Come,
   let's climb God's Mountain,
   go to the House of the God of Jacob.
He'll show us the way he works
   so we can live the way we're made."
Zion's the source of the revelation.
   God's Message comes from Jerusalem.
He'll settle things fairly between nations.
   He'll make things right between many peoples.
They'll turn their swords into shovels,
   their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
   they won't play war anymore.
Come, family of Jacob,
   let's live in the light of God.

For Reflection: How hard could it be to climb God's mountain?  You know the path.  It leads safely over steep rocky slopes: over cool thirst quenching streams and abundantly rich and fertile fields.  To what extent are you living the way you were made?  To what extent do you leave it to God to settle things?

Praise God for his offer of grace.  Pray that you become increasing willing to leave things in God's hands.  Pray for patience and steadfast commitment to a life in the Kingdom of God.  Pray that you find smooth paths through rocky steeps, waters that quench the thirst in your soul, and rich and fertile opportunities to serve our Lord and Master.

God is the Hope for All

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Psalm 65:1-8 (The Message)

Psalm 65

A David Psalm

 ^1-2 Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God,
   And also obedience.
      You hear the prayer in it all.

 ^2-8 We all arrive at your doorstep sooner
      or later, loaded with guilt,
   Our sins too much for us—
      but you get rid of them once and for all.
   Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest
      at home in your place!
   We expect our fill of good things
      in your house, your heavenly manse.
   All your salvation wonders
      are on display in your trophy room.
   Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,
      Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,
   Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash,
      of mobs in noisy riot—
   Far and wide they'll come to a stop,
      they'll stare in awe, in wonder.
   Dawn and dusk take turns
      calling, "Come and worship."


For Reflection: Isn't it amazing to watch spring arrive?  I marvel at the slow creeping green scaling the mountains.  I find joy in the first burst of color as tiny flowers brave the cold.  Spring is the Mountain-Maker and Hill-Dresser's reminder that life is eternal and resurrection is the rule.  How does the Healer come to you when you are loaded with guilt and all you have is silence?  How do you worship in the dawn and dusk of your life?

Pray that the noise of the storms in your life are muzzled and worry and pain will cease.  Pray for the comfort only the Lord can give.  Praise God for life eternal.

Rooted and Grounded in Love

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

Ephesians 3:14-19 (The Message)
A Prayer for the Ephesians

 ¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God

For Reflection:


To connect to the Community of the Faithful, one should become increasingly grounded in scripture.  Knowing God, through Jesus Christ, is essential to grow into the grace to which God intends us.  Consistant righteous behavior, a commitment to understanding, and love for each other will lead us to a rich life in the community of believers.  How much time do you spend perfecting your participation in the Kingdom of God?  Can you spare some more?

Pray as today's scripture leads us to pray.

Hearing and Accepting the Word

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John 8:39-47 (The Message)


 ³⁹"Abraham is our father," they answered.
   "If you were Abraham's children," said Jesus, "then you would do the things Abraham did. ⁴⁰As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. ⁴¹You are doing the things your own father does."
      "We are not illegitimate children," they protested. "The only Father we have is God himself."

The Children of the Devil

 ⁴²Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. ⁴³Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. ⁴⁴You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ⁴⁵Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ⁴⁶Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? ⁴⁷He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."

For Reflection: Christ does not pull punches.  His logic is unquestionable.  Some Jewish leaders wish to eliminate this threat to the usual ways of faith.  Jesus asks, "What don't you understand about 'I am the truth and the light?"  Who do you think Jesus is referring to when he says that they are responding not as their father Abraham, but to the Devil?  If He is using a metaphor, to what does it refer?  What does it mean to belong to God?

Pray that you hear the good news as Christ proclaims it.  Pray to believe in Christ more deeply.  Praise God for completing the law in the resurrected Christ.  Hear what God says.

Fufilling the Law

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
Matthew 5:17-20 (The Message)

The Fulfillment of the Law

 ¹⁷"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. ¹⁸I tell you the truth, 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. ¹⁹Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same 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. ²⁰For 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.

For Reflection: Jewish leaders were threatened by Jesus teaching.  Here, Christ tries to help them understand the relationship between traditional faith and the new truth.  How do you think the Christ event changed the interpretion of the law?  What does it mean that "your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees...?"  What happens when the law and love collide?

Pray for wisdom in acting out the laws of Moses.  Pray for forgiveness when the dilemma between the law and The Way forces you to make a decision of which you are not sure.  Praise God and give thanks for His grace.

Refusing Christ

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
John 5:39-47 (The Message)
³⁹You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
 ⁴¹"I do not accept praise from men, ⁴²but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
 ⁴⁵"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. ⁴⁶If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. ⁴⁷But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

For Reflection:
Studying the scriptures will deepen your understanding and your faith.  However, it is not enough to believe, one must also act in accordance.  Believe in the scriptures. Believe in Jesus also.  How can you connect to Jesus?  How does connecting to Jesus connect you to the community of believers?

Pray that you are not so deeply mired in the scripture that you cannot see Jesus as the ultimate interpreter of the scriptures.  Pray to understand the scriptures in light of the Christ event.  Pray that you act in accord with Christ.

Reconciled with God

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Romans 5:1-11 (The Message)

Peace and Joy

 ¹Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  ⁶You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 ⁹Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

For Reflection: What would we do without Paul?  He identifies the beautiful embrace of the love of God.  How can we possibly act out of fear?  God has removed the source of all fear.  How can we not embrace suffering?  In Christ there is hope.  Justified by faith and blood, we have been reconciled to God.  Spend the day rejoicing in this good news!

Pray for those who face fear without God.  Pray that you will stare down fear and find hope in your suffering. Pray that you will rejoice in the living God.

Love and Obedience to the Commandments

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John 14:15-17 (The Message)

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

 ¹⁵"If you love me, you will obey what I command. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— ¹⁷the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

For Reflection: We act, as Christians, not out of obedience to the law, but rather, out of love for God and gratitude and thanksgiving for the sacrifice He made of Jesus, his son.  How do we know what an act of love is?  Listen to the Spirit of truth.  Sit quietly and let yourself think of an action that reflects the love of God.  Allow the Spirit to move you.  The Spirit lives in you.  Listen.

Pray that you will be lead by the spirit of the living God.  Pray that your decisions to act are not made in haste.  Reflect on the love or god.  Listen to the Holy Spirit.

Love Your Enemies

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Luke 6:27-36 (The Message)

Love for Enemies

 ²⁷"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. ³⁰Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. ³¹Do to others as you would have them do to you.  ³²"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. ³³And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. ³⁴And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. ³⁵But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. ³⁶Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

For Reflection: To what extent do you expect rewards for good behavior?  To what extent do you place conditions (actual or implied) on what you do for others?  Vengeance kills not only the person or group who is the target of retaliation, but it also kill those who hold the vendetta.  Does "an eye for an eye" ever fit into the gift of love?

Pray for those who are the targets of vendetta all over the world to avoid hateful responses.  Pray that they have the courage to walk into a new vendetta free life. Pray for those who hold a grudge that they will see the folly in their actions. Pray to give with out expectation for a return. 

Who Is Your Neighbor?

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Luke 10:29-37 (The Message)
 ²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
 ³⁰In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
 ³⁶"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
 ³⁷The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
      Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

For Reflection: We are all neighbors.  This Samaritan not only gave minimal attention to the wounded man, but he also extended his love beyond the expected.  Is doing what is expected of you enough?

Pray that you exceed God's expectations for our love toward each other.  Celebrate the love others extend.  As a living prayer, offer your thanks to others for their acts of kindness and compassion.

Your Treasure and Your Heart

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Romans 13:8-10 (The Message)

Love, for the Day is Near

 ⁸Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. ⁹The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."^{[b] 10}Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

For Reflection: What is a "continuing debt to love?" To whose love do we owe a debt?  Yes, God, but who else has touched our lives in love, perhaps when we deserved it least?  To fulfill this commandment one must first love one's self.  Take stock.  God loves you, so you must be worthy of such love.  To what extent do others have a continuing debt to your love?  To what extent do you extend your love to others?

Pray that your actions clearly reflect God's love for you.  Pray to act out of a debt of love to God. Love as God loves you.

A New Commandment to Love

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Teachings on Community
Matthew 6:19-24 (The Message)
Treasures in Heaven

 ¹⁹"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 ²²"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
 ²⁴"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.


For Reflection: Where do you store your treasure?  "Show me the Money" and "Follow the Money,"  are two common used phrases that indicate the power of what most of us treasure.  If you focus on money then your whole body will be driven to obtain money.  If you focus on fame, then your whole body will be driven to obtain fame.  If you focus on goal attainment then your whole body will be driven, as every coach knows, toward that goal.  What would change in your life if you focused on living a life most extraordinary -- focused on pleasing God?

Pray That your life is guided by the Holy Sprit.  Praise God for the freedom to act as He would will.

One of You Will Betray Me

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community
John 13:21-30  (The Message)


 ²¹After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
 ²²His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. ²³One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. ²⁴Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means."
 ²⁵Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
 ²⁶Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. ²⁷As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
   "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, ²⁸but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. ²⁹Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. ³⁰As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.


For Reflection: Poor Judas will always be remembered as he who betrayed Jesus. If Christ is the embodiment of God's redemption of humankind, then Judas is surely the embodiment of our sin.  As Judas sin brought darkness. the risen Lord brings the light of redemption of all our sins.

Pray in this time of memorializing the Passion that you remember your sins and rejoice in the forgiveness of the cross.

Distress Turns to Praise

Salem Bible Study
Teachings on Community

Psalm 69:16-33  (The Message)


 ¹⁶ Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
       in your great mercy turn to me.
 ¹⁷ Do not hide your face from your servant;
       answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
 ¹⁸ Come near and rescue me;
       redeem me because of my foes.
 ¹⁹ You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
       all my enemies are before you.
 ²⁰ Scorn has broken my heart
       and has left me helpless;
       I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
       for comforters, but I found none.
 ^{--------------------------------------------------------
29} I am in pain and distress;
       may your salvation, O God, protect me.
 ³⁰ I will praise God's name in song
       and glorify him with thanksgiving.
 ³¹ This will please the LORD more than an ox,
       more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.
 ³² The poor will see and be glad—
       you who seek God, may your hearts live!
 ³³ The LORD hears the needy
       and does not despise his captive people.

For Reflection: Who has sympathy for the downtrodden and persecuted?  Who will provide comfort?  All human effort seems insufficient -- temporary.  To whom do you turn when hopelessness surrounds you?

Pray that you will find Joy in our risen Lord.  Pray that you can act as a vessel for the grace of God.  Pray that others will see in you a reflection of the only path to comfort, a strong relationship with the living God.