Luke 20:20-26 Give To God What Is God's

Luke 20:20-26 NIV
The summer property tax bills are coming in. Earlier this month, I paid our Estimated Federal and State taxes. Over the course of a year, I write at least ten checks to cover some kind of tax and that is not even considering all the taxes that are paid at the cash registers. I'm not complaining, just stating the facts. We owe them, so we pay them. After all, it is God who establishes governing authorities. "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established." (Rom 13:1) 

If we are "to give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's," then what is it that we are give to God? What then belongs to God? According to Malachi 2:15: "Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit." Would it not then follow that if we belong to God that we should give ourselves wholly to Him?

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Song of Songs 7 - Love And Lust Not The Same Thing

Ahhh! Love! Or is it lust? Whatever, it is, they are filled with desire for one another. The woman responds to her love: "I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me." (Song of Songs 7:10 NIV)

The Church responds to our beloved, "LORD: I belong to you. I give myself completely to you." That is, the Church (the spouse) does this. But, not all of the church abandons its whole life to our beloved LORD. This gives me a good opportunity to attempt to explain, in a few words, the difference between church and Church. The Church is the Body of Christ, all who believe, in heaven and on earth. The church, with a little c, is the visible church on earth. Sadly, the church on earth includes many who do not believe, many who have not surrendered themselves to love of God and to loving the LORD, God above all others.

As in any relationship, if we truly love, then we will trust our very lives in the hands of the other. We are willing to give our all to be in that relationship. Total commitment....

I have said it before and I think it bears repeating. Love and lust are not the same thing.  Love is eternal. It does not end. Lust is fleeting. Lust will pass.

God's Peace - Pr. J