Blessed You Are if You Do Them!

John 13:1-17 ESV  

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.  (2)  During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him,  (3)  Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,  (4)  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.  (5)  Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 (6)  He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"  (7)  Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."  (8)  Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."  (9)  Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!"  (10)  Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you."  (11)  For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."  

(12)  When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?  (13)  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  (14)  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  (15)  For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.  

(16)  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  (17)  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

 

I Surrender All!

All to Jesus I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

  • Refrain:
    I surrender all,
    I surrender all;
    All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
    I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896

All Many Want for Christmas....

....is health insurance they can pay for.

Yes, I have to rant a bit.  What is happening right now in our Nation is just stupid.

Personal friends of mine I've spoken to in the last two days:

  1. Person 1: Previous monthly premium: $500.  New premium: $1200.
  2. Person 2: An extra $530 per pay period in new insurance costs.
  3. Person 3: A 26% increase in health insurance costs for him and his whole staff.
  4. Person 4: Struggling to find a doctor now, and a slight increase in premium.
  5. Person 5: A $300 increase in premium.

These people aren't theory; these are personal friends I see all the time.  And they are NOT happy.  For most families, these are budget wreckers.

This is what happens when government get out of its jurisdiction.  Government is designed by God to "bear the sword" and provide basic justice (Rom 13:1-7).  When it gets involved in commerce and taxes/takes private property (Deut 19:14; 1 Sam 8:14), it disrupts an individual family's ability to buy, sell, trade, and make decisions to care for the household (1 Tim 5:8) and take dominion (Gen 1:28).  When it goes beyond taking a basic tithe type tax for jurisdictional responsibilities, begins to tax progressively, and sees as its responsibility to take from one to give to another, it steals and violates God's Law (Ex 20:15).  All of these things discourage voluntary generosity and care for the poor: God's design for provision (Lev 23:22; Jam 1:27, 2:15-16).

If we don't get back to a more biblical worldview, this is just going to get worse.  

Rant over.

Thank the Lord He still provides and helps us in difficult times.  Let's continue to be thankful for what God has given AND reform our thinking.

Amen.