February 2024 Revealing Light Newsletter

Priorities do matter. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to Love God with all we are and to love people as well (Mt 22:36-40). It's two sides of the same coin, loving God means to love the people He created, and vice versa. With that being said, we love God and people wherever we are and with whoever we are with (Jn 13:35). That goes for work, home with our families, church, community meetings, sporting events, and more. The priority is to Love God and people whenever and wherever we are in each moment. It isn't more important to Love God and people at one location more than loving God and people at another location because it's still the matter of our changing and loving heart as a new and maturing disciple of Jesus (Jn 4:21-24; Col 1:27-29).

When we idolize loving in specific ways at specific locations while neglecting that in different settings, then we may be getting close to idolizing a specific location, worshiping it, serving it, more than loving and worshipping God and loving people. One of those areas can be the church. The church building is a place/shelter (I’m grateful for the heat and a/c, a shelter from the weather) that the brothers and sisters in Christ can come gathered as the gathered church itself (body of Christ). The task isn't to make church first, but to Love God and people first, whether gathered as the church or scattered (beyond those walls) to wherever we are at throughout the day (Mark 1:38-39; Acts 1:8; Eph 5:15-16). Yet, by God’s gracious gift, we get to gather together as the gathered church to pray, encourage, and equip each other as we love God and each other together (Eph 4:1-7, 12-13, 15-16, 23-25; 1 Thes 5:11; Heb 10:24-25). I hope we can continue to prioritize loving God and people wherever we are at, whenever that may be. It's the relationship we have with God and people through Jesus that matter more than a specific location in our day (meeting, grocery store, church building, sporting events, DMV, fishing, homes, farms, etc...) since as disciples of Jesus, God has made us the walking temples in which His Spirit dwells (Eph 2:22; 1 Cor 3:16).

We saw the Apostle Paul loving God and people wherever he was at, even while he was in prison [read in his letter to the Christians in Philippi, Philippians]. Though he couldn’t gather with the local church gatherings he helped establish (he was really missing those fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus (Phil 1:8)), he continued to pray for them (Phil 1:3-6), write to them, while he realized the importance of loving God and people even in prison (wherever he was at). In fact, the ministry of sharing what God has done for us through Jesus Christ was spreading throughout the prison he was in, even among the guards as well (Phil 1:13). He saw the opportunity God provided for him to proclaim the good news of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, reconciling our relationship between us and God (Phil 1:12-18). This ministry doesn’t just happen in the walls of a building, but wherever we are at, continuing to love God and people by the love and grace God has for each of us (Eph 5:1-2).

But, don’t miss the gift, the blessing, and the opportunity to gather as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ when you can (Hebrews 10:24-25)! Paul was in prison, he had no other choice. Gathering together is not a chore to check off but is another huge part and gift that we have as adopted brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not Christians isolated alone rather we follow Jesus as adopted brothers and sisters in His Kingdom family around the world! The author who wrote the letter of Hebrews said, “and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:24-25).

The early disciples, recorded in Acts 2:42-47, gathered together daily for a while because there was a lot going on, like a revival that takes place several days in a row. But then later, we see in Acts 20:7 and in 1 Cor 16:2 that disciples were gathering together weekly, to be able to come together to teach, equip, encourage, pray, sing, support, etc... before dispersing as Disciples of Jesus - loving God and people wherever they were (just as Paul was getting ready to head out from that gathering too). Yet, disciples of Jesus still gathered throughout the week to be able to pray and encourage each other - near or far (such as prayer meetings). They were disciples loving God and each other whenever and wherever.

The point of all of this is not to determine when to meet or not to meet, but to love God and people whenever and wherever we are at. That is a big part of being disciples who also make disciples. As disciples of Jesus, the body of Christ, we gather to build each other up, while we live and love as witnesses of God’s love and grace to all people (to the ends of the earth) wherever we find ourselves throughout each day.

- Daryl Struemph

Mark 12:29–31 (NIV) 
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Ephesians 5:1–2 (NIV)
Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

It’s time; those are the words my wife, Judy, said to me 44 years ago on New Year’s Eve. She knew it was time to get to the hospital and go into labor to deliver our first daughter Sara. She became the first baby born in the New Year in 1981 in Columbia. We all have warnings that it’s time to do something. My annoying alarm clock tells me it’s time to get up and go to work. An unexplained pain or headache tells me it’s time to check my blood pressure or go to the Doctor. My odometer tells me it’s time to change the oil in my car. As I approach another birthday, I’m convinced I need to use my time wisely. I ask myself questions (and even answer sometimes!). The question is “Am I accomplishing what I want to do, what is important, what are my priorities?” I’m mindful of scriptures like Ephesians 5:15-16 “Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise—sensible, intelligent people; making the very most of the time—buying up each opportunity—because the days are evil.”

So I want to evaluate the friendships I have and deepen those that seem to be only superficial. I can spend more time checking on their wellbeing, interacting, communicating more with them. Maybe, I can disciple them and they me, so we both grow in our relationship with each other and with God. I know spending time with people is more important than watching another old episode of Andy Griffith (but I’ll probably take time off February 11 th to watch the Chiefs!) However, if someone called and said “Hey, I need to talk” I would even miss that. Nothing is more important than where people finish their race.

 - Alan McNeely