302 - "Jesus is Our Brother, Our Sister, Our Neighbor" Matthew 21:23 - 22:14; Mark 11:27 - 12:12; Luke 20:1-19; John 12:37-50

                                                                  

Matthew 21: 31-32 "The tax collectors and the prostitutes will go into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees. For John came in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe Him. The tax collectors and the prostitutes believed Jesus. But even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe Him."  We always have this present moment to change our minds.  But life is more than making good choices and changing our thinking.  Even the Pharisees did that. 

The Pharisees did not practice what they preached. What did they fear more than they feared Christ and His Love?  They feared the crowds.

The Pharisees studied the Scriptures diligently because they thought that in them they had eternal life.What did they miss while studying the Word?  They refused to come to Jesus to have life.  John 5:39-40

"They were convinced that their wounds must be healed, their void must be filled before they could love." 66LL  With that conviction ruling within, they lived life in the flesh and became addicted to the experience of:
SATISFACTION
FOOD
SEX
MINISTRY
CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS
WORSHIP TIMES
MEANINGFUL WORK
HAPPY FAMILY LIFE...
                              66 LL

What am I stuck in this blistery morn? 
Come Closer, He says.
We are all a slow thaw

"I'll set up my residence in your neighborhood." If we surrender, He is our neighbor. Oh!  

If we confess our sins...wait, when was the last time I repented of sin?  About 15 minutes ago.  I went into the living room to my husband to ask his forgiveness for being very rude to him, but you know what happened?  I sinned again right there cause I didn't like his response.  We have the awesome privilege of going into the Holy of Holies and living no longer curved in.  Repentance isn't just asking someone to forgive me but it's turning from it.  

66 Love Letters: "Think of holiness as relational energy that is more concerned with another's well-being than our own. Think of unholiness as perverted relational energy that is more concerned with our well-being than another's." 

PHOTO: Tax collectors. Prostitutes. Neighbors. Children. He set up His residence right here.