Been a busier than expected week back in Oklahoma while the girls are at Camp Egan
- Right now as you read this stop. Take a breath and focus on your breathing for one min.
- Now take a look at Mark 9:38-50 Common English Bible
38 John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone throwing demons out in your name, and we tried to stop him because he wasn’t following us.”
39 Jesus replied, “Don’t stop him. No one who does powerful acts in my name can quickly turn around and curse me. 40 Whoever isn’t against us is for us. 41 I assure you that whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will certainly be rewarded.
42 “As for whoever causes these little ones who believe in me to trip and fall into sin, it would be better for them to have a huge stone hung around their necks and to be thrown into the lake. 43 If your hand causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter into life crippled than to go away with two hands into the fire of hell, which can’t be put out. 45 If your foot causes you to fall into sin, chop it off. It’s better for you to enter life lame than to be thrown into hell with two feet. 47 If your eye causes you to fall into sin, tear it out. It’s better for you to enter God’s kingdom with one eye than to be thrown into hell with two. 48 That’s a place where worms don’t die and the fire never goes out. 49 Everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good; but if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become salty again? Maintain salt among yourselves and keep peace with each other.”
3. What sticks out to you most about this reading?
My Reflection:
How often does our gatekeeping for Jesus causes us to miss the real point of God’s love? Has there ever been a situation where you have kept people from experiencing God’s love and grace because you were doing what you felt was right? I know there are a few situations that come to my mind that I wish I would have been reminded to love first. That is something I am trying to practice, be like Jesus and love first.
But wait there is more… How can we maintain saltiness? We become more salty when we let go of ourselves and let the Holy Spirit be our guide. We maintain saltiness by living into the Third rule of the Simple Rules we attend to the ordinances of God. Leaning into spiritual disciples help us maintain saltiness. So practice being more salty for Jesus.
4. Now take another deep breath and let the Holy Spirit in to work on you and through you.
Song that spoke to me:
@mattdamethodist 
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